Torres reflects on worst season

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Chelsea striker Fernando Torres admits last season was his worst in the Barclays Premier League.

Torres switched Spain for England when he opted to leave his boyhood club Atletico Madrid for Liverpool back in 2007. The Spanish international enjoyed a rapid rise in the Premier League with a flurry of goals in his first few seasons.

The 27-year-old striker would move on to Chelsea for a British transfer record fee of £50million in the January 2011 transfer window, but since then he has scored just once in 19 appearances.

However, the striker insists he has no regrets about the move and is confident he will be firing on all cylinders again once the new campaign begins after what he has described as his worst season in England so far.

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Chelsea want Hiddink, Hughes pairing

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Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is keen on pairing both Guus Hiddink and Mark Hughes into a managerial dream team.

While reports have been rife that both men are in the running for the top job at Chelsea, following Carlo Ancelotti's dismissal, it was revealed in the Daily Mail that the Russian billionaire intends to nab both candidates in order to try to conquer Europe once again.

Abramovich is keen to snap up Hiddink as a director of football, as well as grab ex-Chelsea forward Hughes as first team coach, and negotiations are in an advanced stage.

The club owner feels that Hiddink's experience and contacts will be crucial, and would work well with the training ground and pitch-side quality that 47-year-old Hughes will bring to the club.

Hiddink has already indicated his belief that United can be toppled by Chelsea next season.

The Dutchman said: " All teams can be beaten and no way is this going to be a one-horse race.

Chelsea, Roman Abramovich, Guus Hiddink, Mark Hughes, wallpaper, photos

"We all saw last season's top five or six shift and shuffle. Chelsea were on top in the beginning and came strong again towards the end.

"Manchester United and Arsenal were both top, Manchester City came with a strong run.

"United finished on top but it doesn't mean it has to be like that next season. It will be very open.'

It may not be so easy for Abramovich to get his dream team though, as, Chelsea will have to ward off attention from Inter Milan, who are also keen to add Hiddink to their ranks.

source:espnstar

Fernando Torres finally scored his first goal for Chelsea

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Fernando Torres felt the pressure lift from his shoulders after finally scoring his first goal for Chelsea on Saturday night.

The £50million man ended his 15-hour goal drought for club and country just eight minutes after coming off the bench in the champions' 3-0 Barclays Premier League win over West Ham.
Relief: Fernando Torres is mobbed by team-mates after ending his goal drought

Relief: Fernando Torres is mobbed by team-mates after ending his goal drought

Torres was in danger of becoming the most expensive flop in the history of football after failing to score in his first 13 matches since signing from Liverpool almost three months ago.

The Spain striker told ESPN: 'It was not the beginning I was expecting when I signed, but it's not easy to go in January or February.

'I kept working and it's thanks to all my team-mates that I scored. There's less pressure for me now, now I can enjoy it.'


Luck appeared to have deserted Torres as he raced onto Nicolas Anelka's pass in the 84th minute today, the ball getting stuck in a near-waterlogged pitch.

But it proved a blessing in disguise as the 27-year-old swivelled and fired left-footed into the corner of the net.

Fernando Torres,scoring, chelsea first goal, shotTorres keeps his balance to drill the ball with his left foot

'The pitch was not the best to score the goal, but football is like this,' Torres added.
Fine strike: Torres keeps his balance to drill the ball with his left foot

Fine strike: Torres keeps his balance to drill the ball with his left foot

The goal sparked jubilant scenes in which Torres was mobbed by every one of his outfield team-mates.

Stamford Bridge also erupted, the Chelsea fans having never lost faith in their record signing.

'The fans have been very patient with me,' Torres said.

'I had more and more anxiety for them than for me.

'Hopefully this is the first of many.'

Torres replaced Didier Drogba, who was not on the field when the moment everyone had been waiting for finally arrived.


'I was in the changing room and I wanted to run and jump on as well,' Drogba said.

'We know we have a great player here, next season is going to go well for him.'

Manager Carlo Ancelotti was thrilled for Torres, who he insisted last week would open his account before the end of the season.
El Nino: Torres will hope to go on a goalscoring run now

El Nino: Torres will hope to go on a goalscoring run now

He said: 'It was a fantastic moment. It will help him move on quickly.

'I think that the bad moment is gone and now his future will be fantastic here, at this club with his team-mates.

'He needed to score to move from this moment.


'He scored and the next game will be, for him, really better.'

Ancelotti would have feared the worst when the ball got stuck in the mud and he added: 'He was unlucky there but it was fantastic to move quickly, to come back and to shoot well.'

Torres had been relegated to the bench for three successive games, with Drogba's vastly superior form impossible to ignore.

The pair have failed to strike up an understanding when they have played together but Ancelotti hinted he might field both against Tottenham next week.

'Considering the performance of Didier today, considering that Fernando scored, we have to try to put both together,' he said.

'We have one week to train, we can try and I think that I will take a decision for the next game.'

Manchester United beat Everton 1-0

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The Mexican had come closer than any other United player to breaking the stubborn resistance of an Everton side who could have had a couple of penalties and for whom goalkeeper Tim Howard was outstanding.

But additional heroic performances from Phil Jagielka and Sylvain Distin counted for nothing as Hernandez rose to meet Antonio Valencia's far-post cross.

The striker powered in his 19th goal of a sensational debut campaign to send United into the Champions League semi-final with Schalke in winning mood and knowing if they can avoid defeat to Arsenal and Chelsea in their next two league games, they will surely knock Liverpool off the perch they have occupied for so long.

Faced with a familiar selection poser, knowing the following four games, starting with the first leg of that Champions League semi-final against Schalke in Gelsenkirchen on Tuesday, would shape his side's season, Sir Alex Ferguson came up with a typical mixture of solid and experimental.

Jonny Evans was fortunate referee Peter Walton did not view his tackle on Jermaine Beckford as a foul midway through the opening period and Darron Gibson's normally reliable long-range shooting was way off beam.

However, back in the dug-out after completing his five-match touchline ban, Ferguson could be reasonably pleased with his side's first-half efforts, save for the fact they did not actually score.

The time when picking Hernandez was viewed as a gamble has long since passed and predictably, the fast-moving Mexican was the hosts' biggest threat.

In Howard though, Hernandez was faced with a goalkeeper who has special reason to do well at this venue given he enjoyed three seasons with the Red Devils until joining the Goodison Park outfit, initially on loan, in 2006.

Ferguson's concern about the American had more to do with his concentration levels than any problems with ability.

And Howard proved his worth after 25 minutes when Hernandez was sent sprinting through by Anderson's slide-rule pass and let fly from an acute angle.

Howard plunged to his right to make an excellent save by his near post.

The American's next effort was even better as he beat away another Hernandez effort after the striker had been set up by Valencia and Wayne Rooney.

Hernandez then did Howard's job for him eight minutes from half-time.

Valencia's superior strength allowed him to shove Leighton Baines off the ball and roll a pass back to Nani, who had already wasted one early opportunity by taking too long to decide what to do.

This time, Nani went for goal straight away. He would surely have found it too had the ball not struck Hernandez, who had slipped as he made his way in the penalty area, and deflected harmlessly away.

There could barely be any discussion about who was on top.

Everton manager David Moyes could take pride in his team's battling qualities, which were exemplified by the stoic defending of Jagielka and Distin, who managed to get in the way of an Hernandez cross that was about to give Fabio a tap-in.

Moyes had even more reason to admire the manner his side started the second period as United failed to rouse themselves.

The introduction of Tim Cahill helped and how Rio Ferdinand got away with shoving second substitute Victor Anichebe over when the Everton man had outpaced him in a race towards the United goal was difficult to fathom.

Everton's luck was also out midway through the half when Jack Rodwell let fly from the edge of the area with a shot that took a deflection off Evans and was heading for the bottom corner until Edwin van der Sar got the slightest touch.

The fluidity had disappeared from United's play, so they dug into their reserves of self-belief.

Distin turned a Fabio cross onto his own post before the introduction of Ryan Giggs, then Anderson got no power at all into a 10-yard shot after being offered a decent sight of goal.

The hosts' momentum gathered pace. Rooney's free-kick tipped over by Howard. Valencia's thunderbolt cannoning into Jagielka. Another brilliant Howard save to deny Hernandez.

Could Everton hold out when so many others had failed? Hernandez ensured the answer was rather predictable.

Newcastle 0-0 Manchester United: Ferguson’s men extend lead to seven points but stalemate offers Arsenal hope

The champions-elect were unable to break down a resilient Magpies side as both teams saw second half penalty shouts turned down by Lee Probert

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Manchester United extended their lead at the top of the Premier League to seven points after drawing 0-0 withNewcastle at St. James’ Park.In a high octane clash on Tyneside, Sir Alex Ferguson’s side failed to break down their resilient hosts and have offered slim hope of title glory to both Arsenal and Chelsea ahead of their respective games on Wednesday night.
With the celebrations of their noisy neighbours still ringing in the ears of the United squad, Ferguson looked to erase the memories of Wembley by making five changes to his side. Wayne Rooney returned from a much talked about two-game ban for his foulmouthed tirade at Upton Park the most notable boost to the visitors. The man he replaced, Dimitar Berbatov, didn’t even make the bench.
As one talismanic Liverpudlian returned for the champions-in-waiting another was missing for the hosts, with Kevin Nolan suspended for a clash against a team he has haunted on a number of occasions during his time at Bolton. Nolan was the most glaring omission from an Alan Pardew side that were looking to finally cement their place in the Premier League for next season, as well as disrupting their opponent’s title charge.
St. James’ Park was rocking from the off and the opening exchanges were as vigorous as you might expect for a battle taking place in the height of end-of-season intensity. It took only two minutes for the game to nearly yield a breakthrough as Rooney, finding space down the left, hit an inch-perfect cross to the feet of Javier Herandez only for the Mexican to be foiled by a superb Tim Krul save in a position from where he is often so dangerous.
An opening that appeared to signal the beginning of a dominant trip to Tyneside for the Premier League leaders was soon turned on its head however as Newcastle, clearly shaken into life, began to dictate possession and plough forward in great numbers. Their endeavour was so nearly rewarded as Gutierrez, jinking in from the left, saw a dangerous looking effort deflected wide. It was a start that was certainly giving the home fans something to shout about.
Pardew’s charges were showing no fear and certainly had the better of the opening 20 minutes but as is so often the way against a United side of such dynamism, the Magpies appeared culpable on the break and it was a counter attack that led to United’s second excellent chance as Rooney, latching on to a fine ball over the top from Hernandez, failed to finish from a position where he is certainly capable of hitting the back of the net.
The ferocity of the St James’ crowd had been quelled somewhat as United’s maturity and assured touch on the ball blossomed on the half hour mark and the visitors were looking to pin their hosts into their own half. However, lacking the cutting edge to capitalise on their dominance threatened to leave United’s endeavours wasted as the first half neared its conclusion.

Stalemate | Barton impressed as Giggs missed terrific second half chance

A turn of fortunes should have come to fruition only two minutes before the break as the hosts broke in the form of Barton, who down the right hand side and looked dangerous for much of the first half.  A deep cross from the flank met Peter Lovenkrands alone in the box but the Dane failed to prove great, heading a fantastic chance hopelessly wide to the despair of the Toon Army.
United returned from the half time break looking very like a team with a more pressing agenda than their hosts and sustained five minute period of pressure culminated in a header from Ryan Giggs, who had spent much of the first half as a passenger in the visitor’s midfield, saved comfortably by Krul.  A let off for a Newcastle side under increasing pressure.
However, in a game that had been topsy-turvy from the opening minute the pendulum nearly swung the way of Alan Pardew’s side just before the hour mark as Lovenkrands, tentatively prowling on the edge of the box, fell to the floor under a tackle from Anderson. The crowd were convinced, unfortunately for the former Rangers man, Lee Probert was not.
United continued to probe as the 70th minute mark approached and their breakthrough looked all the world to have arrived at the feet of Giggs but the Welshman, who had been rusty throughout, passively sidefooted an effort wide from about 10 yards out having collected the ball after a fantastic venture into the box by Patrice Evra.
It was becoming a fight of subtle counter punching as the game inevitably stretched and it was the home side's turn to lash narrowly wide as Stephen Ireland, having been brought on to make his debut merely seconds earlier, latched on to an Ameobi knock down to half volley past Van der Sar and the right-hand post from outside the United penalty area.

United were looking increasingly panicked as the game entered its final stages and Michael Owen, a man most unpleasant on Tyneside was brought on to break the deadlock to a chorus of boos from the St James' faithful.

Seemingly happy with an invaluable point, Newcastle looked sat deep and took in the waves of pressure coming their way and hearts were in mouths in stoppage time as Hernandez went down in the box but the referee booked the diminutive Mexican for simulation.

Complaints were made by the visitors at the final whistle but a sense of frustration with their own inability to break down Alan Pardew's side emanated more prominently. Newcastle reached the much-desired 40 point mark as the season enters its final stretch, for United, salvation may take a little more waiting.