The downturn of form that Fernando Torres has suffered since his January 2011 move from Liverpool to Chelsea has gained widespread coverage in the mass media over the last couple of years.

The Spaniard has struggled with a £50 million price tag, and has had to endure a world of criticism from the media, supporters and others in the game for longer than he will care to remember.

Torres has seemingly been stripped of his confidence and morale, with physically his trademark speed also abandoning him in a time of real need.

The former Atlético Madrid frontman has been linked with an exit from Stamford Bridge, while the summer capture of Samuel Eto’o suggested that Torres would spend the bulk of this season rotting away on the bench.

However, cometh the hour, cometh the man. Torres may still be the source of jokes from opposition fans and has also seen his reputation tarnished, but the Spain international has seemingly refound some of the momentum that has been lacking since his switch to London.

At Anfield, Torres’ acceleration across the ground was the source of nightmares for Premier League defences and his ruthlessness in the final third legendary. The ‘new’ Fernando Torres does not possess the same speed, but seems more determined and focused than ever before in his career.

The moment that the change occurred cannot be exactly pinpointed, but with a lot to prove the Spaniard raised his game in a Chelsea side that beat Swindon 2-0 in the Capital One Cup back in September. A well-taken goal and an assist seemed like the catalyst in getting El Nino’s career back on track.

Since then, Torres has looked sharp, his touch has been immaculate and he is posing real problems for opposition defences. Against Tottenham at White Hart Lane, the former Liverpool attacker was the brightest player in blue all day before being sent-off.

His sending off was not malicious, and his aggression and determination showed desire; desire to prove his doubters wrong. Before being dismissed he ran Spurs ragged at the back, with Michael Dawson and Jan Vertonghen struggling to contain the Spain international.

Last night against Schalke, Torres was worthy of the man-of-the-match award, scoring two goals and giving the German side’s rearguard a headache from start to finish. He converted his chances well and sufficiently worried the Gelsenkirchen defence with a smart run off the ball that helped Eden Hazard add Chelsea’s third.

When a player of Torres’ calibre has a slump in form, everyone is all-too quick to jump on the bandwagon and let him know how poorly he is playing. Right now Torres looks like one of the most dangerous forwards in the Premier League, and as such deserves the praise of a player in form.

Torres may well not have the searing pace that he once had, but with others such as Hazard providing this, Chelsea need a player to link-up with the side’s midfield and score consistently. Right now, with Eto’o and Demba Ba struggling, Torres is that man.

The 29-year-old has only started two Premier League games this term, but his recent form should see him included in José Mourinho’s side to take on Manchester City this weekend. With games against Arsenal, Newcastle and the return against Schalke to play, the next couple of weeks could see the criticism Torres has had to take turned into overwhelming praise.

Is Torres starting to regain the form that earned him his £50m move to Chelsea? Let us know in the comments. And if you liked this article, don’t forget to follow us on twitter, facebook, or subscribe to our RSS feed.