And now, even if the release of Drogba was similarly a release for Torres to become a more regular goalscorer, that work may be undone with the arrival of Demba Ba from Newcastle, one of the leading goalscorers in the league this season so far. The competition for a starting place will be fiercer than it has ever been, with a striker in form not likely to have joined Chelsea to roll over and sit on the bench. But, the pundits still insist that this could be a good thing for Torres, as it will give him support and a player to keep him on his toes to ensure that he doesn't lose his place in the starting eleven. When will this so-called experts give it a rest in finding the correct formula to get Torres scoring? So far none of the previous measures have resulted in his old goalscoring exploits returning to the forefront, so why would they persist in suggesting old problems. A second striker hasn't worked; being the only striker hasn't worked; being managed by Rafa Benitez hasn't worked. I'm not saying a formula isn't out there, but it has to come from Torres himself. The very best strikers can thrive in any environment and score goals with any opportunity that arrives. Torres is lacking confidence, and therefore he is lacking form - he needs to find both if he is to be the effective lead line for Chelsea that he was expected to be when
he signed for £50 million. He is currently not worth that amount of money - in fact, if
Chelsea signed Ba for £7.5 million, then Torres is barely worth £5 million.
The question of this article is whether or not Chelsea can win the Premier League with Fernando Torres. If the question is if this current Chelsea team can win the Premier League then the answer is yes. There is more than enough ability within the team that when they are on form, no team in the division can stop them. They are European Champions for a very good reason. However, will they be able to win it with Torres leading the line in every single match? Not unless he finds the consistency in front of goal that a number of his contemporary strikers seem to have available to them. The killer instinct is currently lacking, but if he finds it again then everybody realises the havoc he could cause in the penalty areas of the oppostion. Chelsea won the Champions League with Fernando Torres, but he was entirely outshone by the exploits of Drogba in the final. But, his clinical finish in the semi-final against Barcelona was one of the most memorable footballing moments of 2012, and display above all else that he can shine in the grand occasion. But, if you were to ask me now, I have to say that nothing Torres has done throughout his time at the club has convinced me that he can be a Premier League winner through his goalscoring exploits. Hopefully (if you're a Chelsea fan at least) he can prove me wrong, because Torres at his best is a lesson for all aspiring footballers into the art of being a striker. However, the only lesson he is teaching kids at the moment is how to collapse when the spotlight is shining on you most brightly.