He scored last night, but Torres has lost it and must still get out of Chelsea... he's not the player I knew



I remember the day Fernando Torres first whacked me. It was during a typically competitive training session at Melwood, just after he had become Liverpool’s record signing.

We both went for a high ball but such was his determination to win the header, nothing was going to stop him. He didn’t think twice about leaving me on the floor. Had the roles been reversed, I’d have picked him up and apologised for being overly exuberant.

But Fernando didn’t bat an eyelid and carried on regardless. Do you know what? I thought it was brilliant. Here was a winner, someone who wanted to go to war. He cost Liverpool £26million but, in the summer of 2007, he was everything we were looking for.

Good old days: Liverpool's Jamie Carragher and Fernando Torres while they were both at Anfield



Strong, fast and clinical, Torres was not the most technically gifted striker I have played with but he came alive on match day. With big open spaces to run into, he terrified defenders. He was fearless, too. On his Anfield debut against Chelsea, he laughed off John Terry’s attempts to intimidate him.

One game away to Marseille in December 2007 stands out. We needed a win to progress in the Champions League but the outcome was never in doubt once Torres waltzed past a couple of defenders to score a superb solo goal.

A little more than six months later, Torres conjured up the winning goal for Spain at Euro 2008. He had cemented his burgeoning reputation. If a goal needed scoring, you would look no further than Fernando.

Which brings us to Monday night at Old Trafford. When Torres was left out of the Chelsea line-up against Manchester United, I immediately said: ‘That’s the end’. To be overlooked for Andre Schurrle, simply because the German winger has more mobility, was a damning indictment.

Being on the bench for big Chelsea games is nothing new for Torres — think about the Champions League final in 2012, the trip to Juventus that cost Roberto Di Matteo his job — but this feels like he has reached the point of no return at Stamford Bridge.

The Torres you see now bears no similarity to the one who dazzled during his first two seasons at Anfield. Consider this: in 102 Premier League appearances for Liverpool, he scored 65 goals. For Chelsea, 94 games have yielded a meagre 15. However, he has been a regular scorer in Europe — as he stylishly proved again on Friday night.

Yet it goes deeper. We knew when Torres left Liverpool in January 2011 that Chelsea were not getting a £50m striker. Injuries had started to take a toll on him — he suffered significant groin and knee problems during the 2009-10 campaign — and he had lost a yard of pace.

Hero to zero: From goalscoring machine at Liverpool, Torres now struggles for game time at Chelsea

There were other things. His attitude, for instance, dropped alarmingly. You could tell from his body language in a pre-match warm-up what type of performance you were going to get. If Fernando was going through the motions, a few of us would look at each other and say: ‘Here we go again’.

If he then started arguing with the referee after a couple of minutes, you knew you would be in for a four out of 10 performance from him. The days when he was at least a nine out of 10 became increasingly rare.

As the night in Marseille stood out for all the right reasons, a trip to Goodison in October 2010 was memorable for all the wrong reasons. The minimum expected of a Liverpool player against Everton is total desire and commitment but Fernando wasn’t interested.

Not interested: Torres looked like he would rather be anywhere else in the world as Liverpool lost to Everton

I played a couple of balls into space for him in the first half. They were not great passes by any means but, as I was under pressure, I needed him to give me an option. He made no attempt to chase them.

That was the final straw. I lost my temper and we ended up exchanging words. Whether he was frustrated with the state of the club — we had just been close to administration and failed to qualify for the Champions League — or whether he felt he was too good for us was impossible to know. It always felt like he was an outsider.

So when he eventually left, I had no particular wish to see him do well but I do respect he has lifted the Champions League, FA Cup and Europa League with Chelsea and added another European Championship to his World Cup winner’s medal.

Something, however, has never felt right about his time there. Torres has seen off four managers — Carlo Ancelotti, Andre Villas-Boas, Di Matteo and Rafa Benitez — but there is little chance he will do the same to Jose Mourinho.

Haul: Torres has won the Champions League, Europa League and FA Cup with Chelsea

Mourinho’s decision not to play Torres at Old Trafford, coupled with his signing of Samuel Eto’o, should leave nobody in doubt about his place in the pecking order. Surely now Torres has to think about salvaging his reputation.

There is only one way to do that. This has been a summer when players have pressed for moves, so wouldn’t it be refreshing if Torres actually said to Chelsea: ‘This hasn’t worked, I need to leave. I need to play.’

If he were to join Valencia, Atletico Madrid or Sevilla, just to become a regular starter, I’m positive people would have great respect for him. Should he end up staying at Chelsea, though, one thing is certain: more miserable nights beckon.

This is not about Chelsea cutting their losses. This is about Torres forcing a move to revive his career.

Return? Torres could rejuvenate his career with a move back to Spain with Atletico Madrid

Everton and Moyes can still become friends re-united

Everton are right to have adopted a strong stance in the face of Manchester United’s attempts to sign Leighton Baines and Marouane Fellaini.

No club should ever be pushed around in the transfer market but Everton would also do well to remember the good relationship they have enjoyed with United down the years.

United may have taken Wayne Rooney and David Moyes from Everton in the last decade but Phil Neville, Tim Howard, Louis Saha and Darron Gibson all went the other way and have been important players at Goodison Park. Moyes and Bill Kenwright had a great relationship when they worked together and that could yet end up working in Everton’s favour in the long run in terms of player trading.

Will they stay or will they go? Leighton Baines (left) and Marouane Fellaini are wanted by Manchester United



There are clearly tensions between the clubs but Roberto Martinez spoke wisely in his press conference this week when he said he did not want to get embroiled in any more discussions about United.

I am not saying Everton should cave in and sell their best players but, while these discussions continue, they should think about the bigger picture.

Five players... I hope will move before the deadline

THOMAS INCE — He has come on in leaps and bounds since he left Liverpool but, for his career to progress, he needs to test himself in the Premier League. Everton have been interested in Ince, so have Swansea.

Pen to paper: Will Thomas Ince sign for a Premier League club before the transfer window closes on Monday?

JACK BUTLAND — If he is to have realistic ambitions of going to the World Cup with England, he needs to get some game time. It is going to be difficult for him to dislodge Asmir Begovic at Stoke but West Bromwich Albion need a keeper after Ben Foster’s injury. Butland would do well at The Hawthorns.

JERMAIN DEFOE — He gave a reminder of his finishing ability on Thursday night in the Europa League. He is too good a player to sit on the bench and maybe a switch to Newcastle, who could do with a striker, would serve a purpose.

RYAN BERTRAND — It doesn’t appear he will be ousting Ashley Cole as Chelsea’s left back any time soon and, as a Champions League winner, he really should be playing regularly. He would certainly do a job for someone if the opportunity arose.

Benched: Ryan Bertrand (right) will struggle to dislodge Ashley Cole from the left back spot at Chelsea