Tag Archives: Torres

Reina reacts to Torres slump

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Liverpool goalkeeper Jose Reina believes criticism of his team-mate Fernando Torres (14/1 to be Premier League Top Goalscorer) has been unfair and has blamed the rest of the team for his lack of goals.

Torres scored just his second goal of the season as Liverpool eased the pressure with a 2-1 victory over Blackburn Rovers on Sunday, a result which still sees them languishing in the relegation zone.

The Spain international has been a peripheral figure so far this term and has been unable to replicate his previous goal-scoring feats for the Anfield club, which have seen him garner 74 goals in 127 appearances in all competitions since moving from Atletico Madrid in 2007.

With the off-field problems now seemingly sorted out, Liverpool can concentrate on the task of climbing away from the drop zone and making a move to the right end of the table and Sunday’s much-improved display will have given the Reds fans and management renewed hope.

A fit and firing Torres will be central to Liverpool’s resurgence and Reina believes that the end to the striker’s goal-scoring drought can be a catalyst for the player to make a regular appearance on the score sheet.

“All strikers are about the goals,” he said. “They want to score them and they want to score the winners like Fernando did against Blackburn. I think he can build up now to what he was like of old.”

The Reds shot-stopper drew a comparison with another high-profile Spaniard, David Villa, who has struggled to find the back of the net for Barcelona in La Liga, after moving from Valencia in the summer.

Reina believes the fault does not always lie with the striker but with those who provide the service.

“They are both great players but when strikers are not scoring people are always disappointed in them,” he added. “It’s not fair. I don’t think we have been assisting him like we should, particularly in the last few weeks.

“He has not been able to do anything at all. We know he is the type of player that can win a game just like that, but we can’t expect him to keep doing it on his own. We have to feed him in. That’s the point.”

Liverpool’s next outing is a trip to the Reebok Stadium to pay Bolton on Sunday and another three points could see Roy Hodgson’s side (8/5 to finish in top six) make a significant move up the table, with so many clubs separated by just a few points.

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Kuyt offers Torres backing

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Dirk Kuyt has given his backing to Fernando Torres to come good after a disappointing start so far to the season but insists that the Liverpool striker plays a vital role for the team, even when he is not finding the back of the net.

Liverpool were held to a 2-2 draw by Sunderland at Anfield on Saturday and have now managed just one win in their opening six fixtures of the Premier League season, which sees them nine points off the pace in the title race in sixteenth place in the table – their worst start to a season for 18 years – while they have already been dumped out of the Carling Cup by League Two minnows Northampton.

Torres has managed just one goal in the campaign to date, scoring the winner against West Bromwich Albion, but Kuyt has been quick to point out that he helped set up both goals against the Black Cats.

The first goal was surrounded by controversy as Torres picked up a back-heeled free kick from Michael Turner to run through unimpeded on goal before squaring for Kuyt to slide home, and the Spain international supplied the cross from which captain Steven Gerrard scored the equaliser.

Kuyt, who made an earlier-than-expected comeback from a shoulder injury on Saturday, said: “Everyone is expecting goals from Fernando but he offers a lot more. Against Sunderland he was responsible for setting up the two goals.

“He is very important for the team even if he is not scoring goals. I’m sure his goals will come.

“His mood has never changed. If you are a striker, and the type of striker Fernando is, you want to be involved in goals.

“But everyone could see how happy he was to have set up two goals.

“When you are one of the world’s best strikers everyone is watching you so if they get a moment to blame him they will.

“And if you are not winning games he is not happy, I am not happy and the team is not happy.

“But we all know next week he could score a hat-trick and then everything changes.”

Liverpool (2/5 favourites to win the group) are next in action on Thursday in the Europa League and will be looking to consolidate their position at the top of Group K, following their opening 4-1 success against Steaua Bucharest, with Napoli and FC Utrecht playing out a goalless draw in the other game.

Liverpool (Evens favourites in the match betting) travel to Netherlands on Thursday to take on FC Utrecht (23/10 to win, 9/4 the draw) but whether Torres plays in the match is open to question as he was left out of the squad that won the opening Group K fixture.

The former Atletico Madrid has been struggling for with injury since the World Cup and is slowly working his way back back into full fitness.

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Kop legend backs Torres

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Liverpool striking legend Robbie Fowler reckons Fernando Torres (9/1 to be Premier League top scorer 2010/11) is “not as far away” from his top form as doubters around Anfield seem to be suggesting.

The Spanish number nine has endured a struggle in 2010, with a catalogue of injuries blighting his year. The latest one he sustained in the World Cup final for Spain means he missed most of pre-season training and has showed signs of lacking fitness during Liverpool’s opening Premier League matches.

Fowler, who scored 183 goals for Liverpool during two spells at the club, claims it is only a matter of time until Torres is banging in the goals for Roy Hodgson’s side as they look to get back into the Premier League top four. (Liverpool 2/1 to finish in top four outright)

The Reds have had a difficult start to the season but showed during the 3-2 defeat to Manchester United at the weekend they are building as a team under Hodgson.

Fowler told Liverpool’s official website that Torres’ performance at Old Trafford, particularly during the second half showed it “was evident” that “he will get results” if his team-mates get the ball to him.

The Liverpool legend, now aged 35 and playing for Perth Glory in the Australian League, is no stranger to injury problems and he told Liverpool fans it can “take time” to get back to your best level after an injury.

“He’s [Torres] had more than his fair share in recent times. Even just a fraction of a percentage makes a massive difference at his level, and in a couple of weeks he’ll probably look a different man again,” said Fowler.

“When he’s at the top of his game then his touch and pace are a deadly combination, but it’s probably not quite there yet as he’s still coming back from a series of injuries that can affect that first explosive moment on the ball.

“You can never question his contribution to the team, because he is prepared to put in a shift up front on his own against some of the best – and toughest – defenders in the world, and believe me that’s not easy.”

Fellow Kop legend Kenny Dalglish, who had been linked with a return to the Anfield hot seat during the summer, has said that Liverpool need to concentrate on winning the Premier League rather than looking for Cup successes.

Hodgson’s side face Northampton at Anfield in the Carling Cup (Liverpool 1/7 to win, Northampton 11/1, draw 11/2) on Wednesday night and the manager is expected to make a number of changes as he gives opportunities for fringe players to impress.

Despite the obvious opportunities for success in the Carling Cup, FA Cup and also the Europa League, former boss Kenny Dalglish has told BBC Radio Merseyside that Liverpool should make it a priority to be “back to where they should be” and winning titles – something they have not done since he was in charge in 1990.

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Torres targets United scalp

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Liverpool star Fernando Torres has admitted he is desperate to secure a victory over Manchester United this weekend to kick start the Anfield side’s season (Match Betting – United 7/10, draw 5/2, Liverpool 19/5).

The Spanish striker has admitted he would love to come away from Old Trafford with all three points as he knows how much the fixture means to the fans (Torres 7/1 to score the first goal).

“It means everything to them [the fans],” explained Torres.

“We are the two most successful teams in England but it has not been nice  for the Liverpool fans to watch Manchester United  have so much success over the recent years.”

Liverpool have managed to pick up just five points from their opening four games but Torres is confident the Reds can win on Sunday.

The Spanish international was quick to praise new boss Roy Hodgson and the Liverpool squad, and Torres remains hopeful the club can pick up some silverware this season.

He added: “We have a great squad and a great manager, and we really hope to give the fans a trophy this season, as well as beating Manchester United for them.

“The Liverpool fans are great, when you play well they are behind you and when you are not playing the best they are still behind you.

“I walk my dogs round the city, and before matches like Manchester United the fans will tell you good luck and things like that. It’s clear how much the Manchester United games means to them.”

Torres’ new strike partner, Milan Jovanovic, is also confident his side can climb the table after a slow start.

The Serbian international, a summer signing from Standard Liege, admits he is yet to find his best form since his move to Anfield but hopes he will adapt to the Premier League soon and believes Liverpool can mount a title challenge.

“It is going to take time because there are a lot of new players,” said Jovanovic. “But if we keep getting the ball to Stevie (Gerrard), we will be much better.

“I have no doubts that we will climb the table.

“The Premier League is tough but we are Liverpool. That is what matters.”

Torres may have his sights set on United but Liverpool are in Europa League action tomorrow night as they welcome Romanian side Steaua Bucharest to Anfield, although Hodgson may chose to rest Torres or hand him a place on the bench due to Sunday’s showdown at Old Trafford (Liverpool 1/4, draw 9/2, Steaua Bucuresti 11/1).

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Hodgson – Torres could face Gunners

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Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson has revealed star striker Fernando Torres could yet be fit to play against Arsenal on Sunday as the Reds aim to kick off their season with an important win at Anfield (Liverpool 11/8, Arsenal 9/5, Draw 23/10 – match betting).

Spain international Torres has been carrying an abductor injury he sustained in the World Cup final and has only just made a return to training ahead of the new Premier League campaign.

However, despite a summer of disruption caused by injury and speculation that he would leave the club, Torres could feature against the Gunners.

He committed his future to Hodgson’s side a few weeks ago and will hope to have an injury-free campaign to help Liverpool get back amongst the top four and into the Champions League.

When asked if Torres could play on Sunday, Hodgson said: “Yes, there’s a chance he could play. He’s made a remarkable effort to get himself fit and ready for Premiership football.

“He’s worked extremely hard in the two and a half weeks he’s been back. I haven’t ruled him out but I haven’t ruled him in either.

“His chances were rightly being played down by the sports science people. They said, quite rightly, that in an ideal world he’d have a longer preparation period.

“It’s quite simply a balancing job. Do we take the risk of putting him in early or do we hold him back and put him through a more strenuous pre-season programme?”

He added: “The player’s feelings also have to be taken into account, so it’s a delicate mixture. But the bottom line is yes, he could be considered for Sunday.”

Liverpool follow up their season-opener against Arsenal with a home Europa League play-off first leg clash against Turkish side Trabzonspor on Thursday (Reds 9/1 to win the Europa League outright).

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Hodgson hails Torres

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World Cup bettingNewly appointed Liverpool (12/1 to win the Premier League) boss Roy Hodgson has praised his star striker Fernando Torres for deciding to stay at the club this season.

Throughout the summer there has been speculation linking the 26-year-old with a move away from Anfield to Premier League rivals Chelsea and Manchester City.

However on Tuesday the Spanish World Cup winner returned from a three-week holiday and stated that he was happy to stay at the Merseyside club.

Hodgson’s first task when he left Fulham was to make sure Liverpool (7/4 to finish in the top four)  kept their key players with Torres, Steven Gerrard and Javier Masherano all being linked with moves to other clubs.

Skipper Gerrard was the first to commit his future to the club this summer and now that Torres has done likewise the new manager is pleased that he can now look to build the squad for next season.

He said: “It’s nice  that the speculation can finally end and even better that Fernando gave an interview yesterday in which he spoke about how committed he is and how keen he is to have a good season with the club.

“He has only been back a couple of days and he needs to do a lot of work to make certain he recovers from his holiday of three weeks and also, of course, the injury he picked up towards the end of the World Cup,? he added.

Hodgson hopes that the striker will be ready for Liverpool’s opening game of the Premier League season when they take on Arsenal at Anfield on August 15.

The former Blackburn manager looks likely to be without Argentina midfielder Masherano as he expects the player to leave Anfield this summer, possibly to follow former manager Rafa Benitez to Inter Milan.

The holding midfielder is estimated to be worth £25m and if sold could help ease the club’s financial issues which could set to be dealt with.

A number of parties are closing in on buying Liverpool with Chinese tycoon Kenny Huang and a consortium made up of Arabian and Canadian businessmen in the running.

Current co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett have been looking to sell the club for some time and a deal with one of the parties who wish to buy the club could come in the next couple of weeks before the Premier League season kicks-off.

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Dalglish expects Torres to stay

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Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish expects Fernando Torres to stay at Anfield, despite intense speculation that the Spain striker will ask for a move away before the start of the season (Liverpool 12/1 – Premier League outright).

Reds boss Roy Hodgson revealed over the weekend that Torres is unsettled at Liverpool and has a “beef” with the club.

He intimated, after speaking to the former Atletico Madrid ace about his future, that he could do no more to persuade the striker to stay on Merseyside.

Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has since said he would be interested in signing Torres – if the price was right – while Chelsea and Barcelona have also been linked with big-money swoops.

Torres has so far stayed silent on his future but is still on holiday after his exploits with Spain at the World Cup and is not due back on Merseyside for another week.

Hodgson had hoped the fact skipper Steven Gerrard has committed his future to the club, coupled with the capture of Joe Cole on a free transfer, would help persuade Torres to stay but it appears the 26-year-old is yet to be convinced Anfield remains the place to be.

Dalglish, though, is confident Torres will eventually decide to stay with the Reds.

“When Torres sees that (Gerrard staying and Cole’s signing) and talks with Roy I’m sure he’ll give us good news,” Dalglish told BBC Radio 5 live.

“I hope Torres stays. Only Fernando knows what he is going to do. Unfortunately for him he is injured but he is a fantastic player and is very happy around the club and the city.”

He added: “The fact that Stevie is staying will be a great help and players like Joe Cole, Milan Jovanovic, Jonjo Shelvey and Danny Wilson mean there is buying for present and the future.”

Torres is recovering from a groin injury will not feature in Liverpool’s first competitive match of the season, the Europa League qualifier against Rabotnicki on Thursday (Rabotnicki 12/1 to win, Liverpool 1/5- first leg 90 minutes) but may be fit, should he decide to stay, for the opening Premier League game of the season against Arsenal on August 15 (Liverpool 5/4, Arsenal 7/4 – 90 minutes).

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Hodgson admits Torres doubts

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Fernando TorresLiverpool’s chances of keeping Fernando Torres on board for next season’s title push (12/1 to win Premier League) are hanging by a thread after Roy Hodgson admitted the striker is looking to leave Anfield.

Hodgson may have signed Joe Cole and convinced Steven Gerrard to stay but his attempts to talk Torres around appear to have fallen on deaf ears.

The new Reds boss has been talking to Torres ever since taking charge but it looks as though the player’s mind is already made up and he wants to quit Anfield.

The most frustrating thing for Hodgson is the fact Torres’ problems stem from matters that have gone on in the past and there is nothing more he can do to convince him to stay.

Hodgson would not divulge too much and say whether Torres is angry with the American owners, former boss Rafa Benitez or any other Liverpool official, but he is obviously unhappy with the club and that could spell the end of his time at Liverpool.

“Unfortunately, I cannot do much more,” Hodgson revealed. “His beef is with the club and not me.

“Fernando’s situation has nothing to do with me, he made that perfectly clear over the phone during the World Cup and when I met him face-to-face.

“He knows what I would like to do with the club. He knows how much I value him. But his issues are with what has gone on in the past rather than the future.

“If he has problems with the club for things in the past, it is difficult for me to dismiss that.”

Hodgson’s comments are sure to alert Manchester City and Chelsea who are both interested in the striker and have the cash needed to prize him away from Anfield.

Torres is 11/2 to top the Premier League goalscoring charts next season but there is every chance he could be banging in the goals for either City or Chelsea.

Hodgson will still hold out some hope of keeping the player, who is under contract, but if Torres has made his mind up then there will be little the club can do.

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Blues to step up Torres interest

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Chelsea are reportedly set to step up their chase of Liverpool forward Fernando Torres, despite the injury setback suffered by the hitman as they bid to retain their Premier League crown (6/4 for the Blues to win again) next season.

The Spain international pulled up with a problem towards the end of the World Cup 2010 final, and recent scans indicated that he had torn a thigh muscle that could keep him out for about three weeks.

This is believed to have left new boss Roy Hodgson mulling over a conundrum that often plagued his predecessor Rafael Benitez during his reign on Merseyside.

The former Reds manager often ushered the prolific goalscorer back onto the pitch early owing to a lack in depth of attacking options, which often meant that the forward would be playing in pain either through injury or through recovery.

Now reports are emerging claiming the west London club are plotting to capitalise on this, by making it clear to Torres that they would use him sparingly to give him as much time as possible to make a recovery from any injury that he may face if he should move to Stamford Bridge.

Liverpool, for their part, are believed to be in line to reject any offer that may come their way for the sale of the Spaniard, but it has been speculated that they may change their outlook if Torres should ask to be allowed to leave the club.

It’s understood Hodgson is desperate to meet with the Kop idol to thrash out his future, as he wants a firm answer to be able to plan for the future either with or without him.

Liverpool are believed to want as much as £50 million for the striker, despite his injury-riddled recent past and a relatively underwhelming World Cup campaign on a personal level.

Meanwhile, the Blues step up their pre-season preparations this evening with a friendly at Crystal Palace (Blues 7/2 for the victory).

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Torres suffers injury setback

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Spain’s Football Federation has confirmed that Fernando Torres ruptured a muscle in his left thigh during the World Cup final and is a huge doubt for the start of Liverpool’s season (12/1 Premier League outright).

The 26-year-old hitman has had a dreadful run of luck with injuries over the past 12 months, with his domestic season at Anfield constantly interrupted by problems.

Torres struggled to make the Spain squad for the World Cup because of injuries to his right knee but managed to feature in all of his country’s matches.

However, the former Atletico Madrid forward didn’t look fit and constantly seemed off the pace as he struggled to get into the games.

He was eventually dropped from Vicente del Bosque’s starting XI, with Barcelona’s Pedro taking his place in the semi-final and final.

Torres did come off the bench in both matches against Germany and Holland but failed to make a telling impact.

His showing against the Dutch in Sunday’s final was cut short when he pulled up with the thigh problem just minutes before the end of the game.

Torres’ injury didn’t hinder the Spanish who went on to claim their first ever World Cup thanks to Andres Iniesta’s goal.

The Liverpool striker has since returned to Spain and undergone a scan which has revealed a problem with his left thigh.

A statement on the SFF’s website confirmed Torres had a magnetic resonance scan at the Cemtro de Madrid Clinic and evidence was found of “a Grade 1 muscle fibre rupture in the left thigh”.

While a grade one tear is the least serious type of rupture it still means Torres (11/2 Premier League top scorer) has little chance of recovering in time for the start of the new season.

While the injury isn’t the news new manager Roy Hodgson had wanted to hear it could mean that clubs who were thinking about making a bid for the striker may be put off from doing so.

The likes of Chelsea and Manchester City have been linked with Torres, who is thought to have become disillusioned with life.

However, after Spain’s victory on Sunday Torres was seen celebrating while wearing a Liverpool scarf, a picture which has given everyone hope he will stay on Merseyside according to Hodgson.

“As Liverpool manager, I take great pride in the fact that two of our players can call themselves World Cup winners this summer,” said Hodgson.

“I think it’s safe to say the pictures of Fernando in the dressing room with the World Cup certainly went down well with our fans, but the club can be proud of all the players who went away to the World Cup.”

Torres’ injury means Liverpool look certain to kick off the campaign against Arsenal (7/4 – 90 minutes) without their star name as they look to improve to stay connected to the rest of the big four.

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