Fernando Torres Set To Be Benched For Man Utd Clash

Reports are out claiming that Fernando Torres will be on the bench for Chelsea’s clash at Manchester United.

The Sun has reported that the former Liverpool striker has been on the fringes of boss Carlo Ancelotti’s plans this week as he tried out a 4-3-3 system using Didier Drogba as the main striker.

Drogba was played wide right against Spurs last weekend, with Torres down the middle, but the experiment didn’t work.

The Spanish international striker, who has scored only once since his £50million January move from Liverpool, had been left out of the previous three games, all of which Chelsea won.

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Ancelotti Wants Fernando Torres To Score Against Birmingham City

Carlo Ancelotti insists has declared that he is not fazed by the current form trough of £50million striker Fernando Torres.

The Spanish international striker has failed to score since arriving at Stamford Bridge from Liverpool at the end of January and his plight has been well-documented.

However the Chelsea manager says that the form of one player is not his focus ahead of tomorrow night’s home clash with Birmingham City.

The former AC Milan boss told Sky Sports News : “I’m not worried about this,”.

“I hope tomorrow (he will score) but my thoughts right now are to put out the best team, to play good football and to win the game.

“He played nine minutes (against West Brom) and he showed character, I liked it. He scored but it was offside.

“He will score. He can score if he plays (against Birmingham). But it doesn’t matter if Fernando or another scores.”

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Picking Torres a mistake, admits Ancelotti

Carlo Ancelotti admitted he might have made a mistake by playing Fernando Torres i Chelsea's 2-1 Champions League defeat to Manchester United.



The loss meant that United went through to the semi-finals 3-1 on aggregate and left Chelsea once again falling short in Europe's elite competition.



Ancelotti started with Torres and left Didier Drogba on the bench, even though Torres had not scored in 817 minutes and 13 matches for club and country.



Torres suffered a dismal first 45 minutes and was replaced at half-time by Drogba, who scored in the second half.



When asked if it had been a mistake to start with Torres, Ancelotti said: "Maybe. Could be. I told you a lot of times this season I wanted to start with Fernando for this kind of game, these type of tactics.



"I wanted to put more pressure up front because we needed to score. Didier was fresh and he could use his power up front. This was the reason I took out Fernando."



"Didier played well in the second half. I wanted to put more pressure up front because we needed to score. Didier was fresh and he could use his power up front. This was the reason I took out Fernando."



Ancelotti will now be under pressure to ensure Chelsea qualify for the Champions League next season.



He said: "We have to look forward. We have games to play and to win if possible because obviously we want to play the Champions League the next season."



On his own position Ancelotti said: "I'm not concerned. I have to work and try to do my best. It is not my decision to stay or not to stay here."



United boss Sir Alex Ferguson, however, believes that it was the huge £50million fee paid for Torres in January which persuaded Ancelotti to start with the Spaniard.



Ferguson said: "A lot of people thought Drogba would play. I thought having signed Torres for the money they did they had to play him. I wasn't 100% sure but I couldn't see how they could leave Torres out."



Ferguson, however, insisted he was not criticising Chelsea for signing Torres.



"They had the opportunity to sign Torres and I don't think anyone would have turned it down," Ferguson said. "Everyone said at the time it was fantastic business.



"You can't criticise him (Ancelotti) for that, it was a good signing. It isn't working at the moment but he is a young man and there are other seasons ahead."





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Liverpool better off without Torres - Comolli

Liverpool director of football Damien Comolli believes the club a happier place now that striker Fernando Torres has left the club.



Chelsea smashed the British transfer record to take Torres to Stamford Bridge for £50milion in January, after the Spain international handed in a transfer request.



The actions in the run up to his move and subsequent snipes at his former employers - when he claimed: "there are more personal relationships and jokes between the players than there were at Liverpool" - angered many at Anfield, but Comolli says that Kenny Dalglish's side are better off without Torres.



"Getting two players triggered the fact that we could sell one player who didn't want to be here and get two who did want to be here,'' he said. "When you have someone who doesn't want to be here and you swap him for people who want to be here the atmosphere changes.



"It's like there is a bright new sky with no cloud over our head from the day that happened. So it's been only positive. That was really a relief for those reasons.''



Liverpool owner John W Henry also referred to Torres' departure lifting the mood at the club, saying: "It's all very positive. Someone was saying that people weren't happy here, but I think since that person left, people are happier."



Comolli is confident that progress can be made quickly under the new American owners Fenway Sports Group (formerly NESV).



"I know there is still a lot of work to do, we're not where we want to be yet and it'll probably take a few months to do that, but I am totally confident,'' Comolli said. "All the signs are very positive and I can see only green lights, no red lights.



"We've had some ups and downs and hopefully there will be a lot of ups in the future. With the backing of the owners and the way they are committed, I'm sure we'll have a bright future. I think we know exactly where we want to get to.



"It was a tough decision (to get rid of Roy Hodgson) made by the club, but we have been looking forward since that and making other appointments with key individuals as we look to restructure the club. We are definitely looking forward to a bright future.''




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Fernando Torres Not Losing Sleep Over Chelsea Goal Drought

Chelsea striker Fernando Torres has declared that he will not lose any sleep over his Chelsea goal drought.

The £50million Blues striker insisted: “I am not anxious about the fact that I haven’t scored my first goal for the club.

“That is an issue for other people, not for me. I am confident that the goals will soon come but it is far more important for me that Chelsea win than I score.”

The World Cup winning striker has failed to find the target in seven appearances since joining Carlo Ancelotti’s side in a record British transfer deal from Liverpool on deadline day.

The former Atletico Madrid star is currently with the Spain squad preparing for Friday’s Euro qualifier against the Czech Republic in Granada.

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Roman Abramovich Wants To Build Chelsea Around Fernando Torres

Interesting news are out and it has been revealed that Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has told Fernando Torres that he will build his new team next season around the Spaniard.

The London Evening Standard has reported that the Russian billionaire has told the former Liverpool star not to worry about his goal drought and plans to bring in the talent who can best suit the striker’s style of play.

Real Madrid star Kaka, Napoli midfielder Marek Hamsik and Lille winger Eden Hazard are among the players Chelsea are considering.

“The club has an owner who continues to invest in the side, who has a dream and will not stop until he gets it,” said 26-year-old Torres.

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