Liverpool boss says Fernando Torres is enjoying playing again
Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson has said that Spanish superstar Fernando Torres appears to be enjoying playing football again.
The 2010 FIFA World Cup winner netted his second goal of the season in a 2-1 win over Blackburn Rovers on Sunday, 24 October — only the club’s second victory from nine games of a troublesome English Premier
League campaign.
Sotirios Kyrgiakos gave Liverpool the lead in the 48th minute before defender Jamie Carragher scored an own goal after 52 minutes to even it up. However, Torres popped up two minutes later to claim the
winner when he slotted a side-footed effort past Blackburn keeper Paul Robinson.
Torres’ performances this term had come under intense scrutiny as the 26-year-old had struggled for both fitness and form.
Hodgson admitted that such criticism had taken its toll on Torres. However, the goal had lifted a huge burden on the striker and the manager said he hoped that Torres would continue to improve and score
more goals for the Reds.
He told the BBC that: "He played an awful lot better. That was his best performance for the team this season. He will be very happy that he caused as many problems as he did and looked as likely to score
as he did. We will need him to score many more goals if we are to get into the position where we think we should be."
Hodgson pointed out that Torres's tough international campaign this summer, in which he only played a marginal role in Spain's World Cup triumph, had an effect on his play.
"He was very down when he came back from the World Cup. Maybe people do get a bit down when they're constantly criticised left, right and centre. It tends to depress people somewhat. He was affected by
the amount of criticism he took at the World Cup and the criticism of himself and the club at the start of this season."
Criticism is something Hodgson himself is no stranger to, with pundits roundly bashing him and his team for their dreadful start.
"Maybe he's just beginning to come out of that and find his joy of playing again, his energy and intensity. You can talk about it, ask for it, demand it, but he's the one who has got to find it in himself
when the match starts,” he said.
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