Raul gives Chelsea the Blues
Source: Agencies |
February 8, 2011, Tuesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
FERNANDO Torres endured a miserable Chelsea debut when his old club Liverpool inflicted a damaging 1-0 home defeat on the English champion on Sunday.
The Spanish striker was mercilessly jeered by his former fans whose joy was completed by a 69th-minute strike from Raul Meireles which dashed Chelsea's hopes of closing the gap on leader Manchester United.
Torres, who joined Chelsea last week in a British record deal, had two early chances but faded before being substituted after 66 minutes to the delight of the travelling supporters.
"He did a good job," Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti said of his 50 million-pound (US$80.54 million) striker. "Liverpool defended very well with three center backs and we didn't have the right solution to attack. Torres was very enthusiastic, very confident and excited but he's had a very busy week so it was right to take him off."
Liverpool defended superbly throughout to record its fourth successive victory and clean sheet under new manager Kenny Dalglish.
United, beaten in the league for the first time this season by bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, tops the standings on 54 points. Arsenal, which blew a 4-0 lead to draw 4-4 at Newcastle United, is second on 50.
Manchester City is third on 49 with Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur on 44. Liverpool moved up to sixth on 38 and, just weeks after flirting with the relegation zone, is eyeing European qualification.
Liverpool's new-found solidity was evident in a well-drilled defensive performance. Jamie Carragher, in his first match since November, played as one of three center backs in a bid to counter Chelsea's three-pronged attack, with Torres and Didier Drogba leading the line and Nicolas Anelka in a supporting role.
Torres was center stage and did have a chance to make an instant impact when a wayward Maxi Rodriguez pass sent him through after 90 seconds but he shot wildly over the bar.
A typically determined sliding block by Carragher foiled the Spaniard when Drogba sent him clear and Rodriguez sidefooted against the bar from point-blank range.
Torres, a peripheral figure after the break, was taken off and given a raucous send-off by the visiting supporters.
They were shouting even louder when Petr Cech and Branislav Ivanovic left a Steven Gerrard cross to each other and Meireles reacted sharply to hook it into the net.
Also, Birmingham City won 1-0 at West Ham which slipped to the foot of the standings on goal difference.
The Spanish striker was mercilessly jeered by his former fans whose joy was completed by a 69th-minute strike from Raul Meireles which dashed Chelsea's hopes of closing the gap on leader Manchester United.
Torres, who joined Chelsea last week in a British record deal, had two early chances but faded before being substituted after 66 minutes to the delight of the travelling supporters.
"He did a good job," Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti said of his 50 million-pound (US$80.54 million) striker. "Liverpool defended very well with three center backs and we didn't have the right solution to attack. Torres was very enthusiastic, very confident and excited but he's had a very busy week so it was right to take him off."
Liverpool defended superbly throughout to record its fourth successive victory and clean sheet under new manager Kenny Dalglish.
United, beaten in the league for the first time this season by bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, tops the standings on 54 points. Arsenal, which blew a 4-0 lead to draw 4-4 at Newcastle United, is second on 50.
Manchester City is third on 49 with Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur on 44. Liverpool moved up to sixth on 38 and, just weeks after flirting with the relegation zone, is eyeing European qualification.
Liverpool's new-found solidity was evident in a well-drilled defensive performance. Jamie Carragher, in his first match since November, played as one of three center backs in a bid to counter Chelsea's three-pronged attack, with Torres and Didier Drogba leading the line and Nicolas Anelka in a supporting role.
Torres was center stage and did have a chance to make an instant impact when a wayward Maxi Rodriguez pass sent him through after 90 seconds but he shot wildly over the bar.
A typically determined sliding block by Carragher foiled the Spaniard when Drogba sent him clear and Rodriguez sidefooted against the bar from point-blank range.
Torres, a peripheral figure after the break, was taken off and given a raucous send-off by the visiting supporters.
They were shouting even louder when Petr Cech and Branislav Ivanovic left a Steven Gerrard cross to each other and Meireles reacted sharply to hook it into the net.
Also, Birmingham City won 1-0 at West Ham which slipped to the foot of the standings on goal difference.
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