The downward spiral was evident when West Ham owners showed interest in signing the Spanish star, on loan, during the January 2012 Transfer window. At present, in 34 Premier League appearances, he has managed a meager 3 goals. His dry spell continued in the FA cup match against Birmingham. Torres was substituted by Drogba at half-time.

Fernando Torres

Fernando Torres spoke to ESPN:

“To be honest, after one year I was expecting things would be better than they are now. It is a difficult situation because I am happy in my personal life. We really like the club and we’re very happy here to be involved with the staff and the players. On the pitch it is a difficult time for Chelsea because we are not finding the results but we’re changing things like playing a different style and still we have a young team to do it.

“Personally I have to improve. In my time at Liverpool there were games where I would not be playing well or I would be doing nothing but every time I touched the ball I scored. It’s such a strange feeling now because I am feeling better than ever physically. I am not finding the chances and, when I do find the chances, I cannot score.”

However, the striker still wants to stay at Chelsea. He said:

“My present and my future are here. I have many things to do here and I want to do it because I always did what I wanted in every club I’ve been at, so this is not going to be different.”

What do you think Fernando should do to overcome this slump? Leave your comments!

Chelsea’s manager, Andre Villas-Boas has described it to be the worst performance of the season and when asked about the support of his players, the manager retorted -

“They don’t have to back my project, only the owner needs to back my project.”

André Villas-Boas

After another disappointing performance in the FA Cup Fifth Round match against second-tier Birmingham City, it remains to be seen if the manager continues on.

Earlier Andre Villas-Boas said:

“Everybody understands we need more [than we are giving] and responsibility for this must be shared between the players and management. The right results haven’t been happening for us for quite some time.”

Chelsea won the FA Cup and Premier League double in 2010 under former coach Carlo Ancelotti but are now fifth in the top-flight having won only two of their last 10 league games. Villas-Boas was appointed at the close of the season to replace the sacked Ancelotti.

AVB said that captain John Terry trained fully on Thursday despite his persistent knee problem and he may play in Tuesday’s Champions League first knockout round first leg at Napoli.

Strikers Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou, might be back for the Napoli match.

Liverpool took the lead through Maxi in the 33rd minute after the visitors started off brightly. Chelsea tried their best but luck did not seem to favour them as Drogba came close to netting a free-kick. However, after Daniel Sturridge came on as a subsitute post half-time, he helped Chelsea equalise.

Old Team-mates battle it out

Both sides attacked and counter-attacked as well as had some defensive goof ups which led to the goals being scored. A draw seemed to the best result but Johnson had other ideas. He brilliantly controlled Adam’s cross and slotted the ball into the corner of Chelsea’s net.

The Blues were comfortably beaten by Arsenal, 1-3. Arsenal’s Alex Song, Cesc Fabregas and Theo Walcott scored the goals for the Gunners. Carlo Ancelotti’s team have managed just six points from the last 24!

Theo Walcott and Cesc Fabregas celebrate a goal.

Branislav Ivanovic pulled one back for the visitors but to no avail.

“We have matured, I have said that many times. Let’s hope it strengthens our belief for the championship and our belief that we are on the right track,”

said Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.

“Today we were disciplined, mature and we played for each other. There’s still some room for improvement and I’m confident the team will continue to train hard and focus well together.” Arsenal have moved to 35 points from 18 games with unbeaten leaders Manchester United on 37 having played a game less. Chelsea, who started the season in scintillating form but have forgotten how to win, remain in fourth place on 31.”

“The table is not good but this is the reality,” Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti told Sky Sports. “We have to play better and wake up. I am not worried. I have to work and you will have to ask the owner (Roman Abramovich about my future).”

The defeat leaves Chelsea 10 points worse off than at this stage last season and their title chances looking slim.

“I prefer to see some of the younger lads winning the award,”

the 29-year-old said after coming top in the poll of sports journalists.

“Please, don’t vote for me anymore.”

Bulgaria’s all-time leading scorer, with 48 goals, quit the Balkan country’s national team in May citing fatigue and family commitments but enjoyed a successful year at United. Last month, he became only the fourth player to score five times in one Premier League match when he helped destroy Blackburn Rovers in a 7-1 win. Berbatov expects to spend the rest of his career at United.

He told reporters:

“I fought to have a chance to play for United and now I can only go down if I leave,” “Why I should do this? It would be better to retire.”

Gaziantepspor striker Ivelin Popov and Twente Enschede goalkeeper Nikolay Mihaylov came second and third in the poll.

The Indian owners believe the club should be fourth or fifth in the Premier League.

Allardyce said he was “shocked and disappointed” after being axed on Monday despite the club winning four of its last seven league games and being five points off the top six.

Other Premier League managers also voiced out their opinions. Sir Alex Ferguson called the decision “absolutely ridiculous”.

The Rovers’ club owners stated:

“We do not mean anything bad for Sam Allardyce but we feel that we need to take the club up in the league and grow.”

“We want Blackburn Rovers to be fourth or fifth in the league or even better. It is nothing against Sam but we have a different vision looking forward and we want the club to grow.

“We had been talking to Sam in the past few weeks but he did not fit in with our vision for the club’s future. We wanted good football, wanted the games to be interesting and of course wanted to win and to have good players.”

She also added:

“The fans should trust us and have belief in us because this is in the best interests of the club. Our thinking now is that it will be a British manager, but we are open if there is an outstanding candidate: someone who would be really, really good for the club.”

Assistant coach Steve Kean will take over first-team duties until Rovers find a new manager.

Ji Sung Park must be feeling on cloud 9 right now as he helped The Red Devils secure a win over rivals, the Gunners.

United scored with four minutes to go before halftime. The South Korean midfielder, Park headed in a Nani cross which caught a deflection off Arsenal defender Gael Clichy.
They missed a chance to go 2-0 up when Wayne Rooney fired a penalty over the bar.
The hosts remained unbeaten in the league this season with the best home record. Arsenal’s performance lacked any luster, they are now two points behind United in the league table.
The Gunners struggled to keep possession when they got near the box and the usually devastating combination of Marouane Chamakh and Samir Nasri looked disjointed.
United were keen to test young Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, making his first Premier League appearance. Szczesny made some excellent saves, first from Anderson and an attempted lob by Rooney.

Arsenal fans started chanting; “We want Cesc Fabregas” at the start of the second half and with less than half an hour to go manager Arsene Wenger consented. The skipper was out with a hamstring injury came on with Robin van Persie. But it was United who created the better chances.

However, Arsene Wenger did not react to the insults. This war of words comes right before the clubs match up on Monday at Old Trafford.

Evra called Arsenal a ‘training centre’ and a club in ‘crisis’ in an interview with television channel Canal+. Wenger had an opportunity to counter the spew of words but decided not to give it too much attention, during a press conference on Friday.

Arsene Wenger - Arsenal Manager

The Gunners manager said:

“He gave you some good stuff to make it all hot before the game.”

“We are guided by the way we want to play football and not by the statements of anybody who plays against us.”

“Personally, I believe if you are a big player you always respect your opponent and that is what we try to do.”

When asked if Evra was being disrespectful, Wenger was again reserved:

“I leave that judgment to you. We do not want to go into any unneeded talking before a game like that. We want to focus on the way we want to play and ignore any provocation before a game. We are motivated by the desire to win the game and by the quality of the football we want to play.”

The former Chelsea playmaker has been sidelined since sustaining a hamstring injury in the Reds’ 1-0 win at Bolton Wanderers.

Cole has missed the club’s last four Barclays Premier League matches, including Saturday’s 3-0 win against former club West Ham United.

Joe Cole

With Steven Gerrard and Lucas currently unavailable, the return of Cole from injury comes as a welcome boost for manager Roy Hodgson.
He said:

“Joe should be back for Sunday. We were hoping he would be back to face West Ham, but it has taken that little bit longer.”

“Joe is not that far away really, so hopefully he will have recovered in time for Tottenham. Hamstring injuries are tricky and I’m afraid we can only rely on what the sports science people tell us, and if they say he needs more time we just have to wait.”

Having endured their worst start to a campaign since 1953/54 with six points from eight matches, Liverpool have now accrued 13 from their last six outings with Saturday’s 3-0 win at home to West Ham United.

Source: Premier League

Twelve months ago Hughes was the man profiting from the South American’s prowess in front of goal.

Now it is Roberto Mancini hailing two goals and a man-of-the-match display from the inspirational South American.

Indeed, as Mancini reflects on a table that shows his side to be bang in the title hunt and four more goals on the road to answer the critics who have panned him for being too negative, the Italian could be forgiven for having a large chuckle to himself.

Pablo Zabaleta and Yaya Toure struck within a three-minute period at the end of the first half after Tevez had given City a flying start.

And although Zoltan Gera netted a consolation for the hosts, Tevez had already grabbed a fourth for the Blues, who would have to be rated as strong championship challengers in this crazy season, if they can start playing at home as they do away.

Source: Premier League