http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Fernando-Torres-c13707 likely to miss trip to Stoke City as Frank Lampard available for Chelsea
Chelsea striker Fernando Torres could miss out the opening fixture of the new English Premier League season after he suffered an injury to his head while on international duty. Chelsea travel to Stoke City on Sunday to kick off their season but could be without the 27-year-old former Liverpool forward.
While Chelsea will miss the Spain forward, the Blues will be glad to welcome back midfielder http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Frank-Lampard-c14097. The England international was ruled out of the England vs Holland friendly due to a throat infection, but has now been declared fit.
The 33-year-old midfielder reportedly trained with the rest of the squad and is expected to be available for selection against Stoke City. The http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/England-c749 friendly was postponed after the situation in England worsened. The other friendlies however, continued as scheduled.
Torres started for Spain against http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Italy-c2926 in the international friendly last night in Bari, but had to be taken off after just 14 minutes after he suffered what seemed like a concussion. The Spaniard was deemed unfit to continue and had to leave the field.
The http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Spain-c3011 medical staff claimed the striker had suffered no serious injury and was taken off as a precaution. However, he has not been cleared to feature for the Blues this weekend against Stoke City and it remains to be seen if Andre Villas-Boas will allow him to play.
The upcoming season will be Torres’ first full season with the London side, having arrived at Stamford Bridge in the January transfer window. The Spain international signed with Chelsea on the deadline day of the winter transfer window for a record breaking fee of £50 million from http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Liverpool-c39809.
Unfortunately for Torres and http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Chelsea-c38786, the former Reds striker failed to live up to the high expectations placed on him. He found the back of the net just once, against West Ham United, in the 18 appearances he made in all competitions.
With the departure of Italian boss Carlo Ancelotti and the appointment of Andre Villas-Boas as his replacement, Torres has been given a fresh start. However, the new season doesn’t seem to be going to well for the Spaniard as he could go on to miss the opening game.
While he did his best to prove himself in pre-season, 21-year-old England striker http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Daniel-Sturridge-c10076 outshone him. Torres did score once on the Blues’ tour of Asia; he was unable to establish himself as the best amongst the many strikers at the club.
The arrival of http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Salomon-Kalou-c32266 and Lukaku for a place in the starting XI.
Despite the astronomical fee Chelsea paid to secure his services, Torres is aware he will not get a chance at regular football in the upcoming season if he is unable to deliver. The new manager is determined to bring in silverware, especially since Chelsea did not win any silverware last season.
If getting results means putting Torres on the bench, then the former http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/FC-Porto-c39186 manager can be expected to do exactly that. He has more than enough options he can use instead of the World Cup winning striker, who seems to have lost his touch.
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