Fernando Torres is a real life Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.
Two people – one good, one evil.
Now, I’m not suggesting Nando is evil or even good, but his on-field antics must suggest that there is some sort of inner turoil going on in his head.
Chelsea lost 3-1 to league leaders Manchester United at old Trafford, despite playing the better football, despite having the greater amount of possession and arguable having the easier chances to score.
Yet the Londoners were 3-0 at half-time.
Comic defending, woeful defensive midfield play and shocking misses, all added up to the nightmare first 45 minutes for the boys from SW6.
Ramires was at fault early on by not scoring after Good Nando set him up.
Chris Smalling headed home, before Nani let fly with a screamer – then Wayne Rooney slid home an easy right footer. All three goals the result of Chelsea’s inability to defend as a team.
But Good Nando went someway to justify his £50m price tag by dinking home within 60 seconds of the restart. He then went on to demonstrate his Evil Nando side by missing an open goal, yes an open goal – even non-footballer manager Andre Villas-Boas would have tucked that one away.
Rooney then suffered by slipping when taking a penalty – not as calamitous as the one John Terry missed when needing only to slot home to win the Champions League – but nevertheless a shocker.
There was no more score which means that the Londoners, previously unbeaten this season are now five points behind United.
It also means Villas-Boas has finally lost a league game, having gone unbeaten for Porto last year and not tasted defeat since April 2010 when in charge of Academica.
The Portugal coach said afterwards:” 'It's something that can happen. It happened the other day to Arsenal, something as crazy as that and it happened today at half-time.
“I would like to emphasise that we had a good response straight away and a good game to be fair; we created a lot of opportunities.
“Normally when you create 21 opportunities at Old Trafford you should come away with at least a point and a couple were very good opportunities so I think 3-0 at half-time is crazy, If the 1-1 [from Ramires] goes in it is a different story. Before 1-0 we had a good chance as well. It was a chaotic game and to be fair a very open game.
“I am very happy with how our team reacted to such a negative half-time result and we showed commitment and desire to turn things around. We did everything within our power to try to find the second goal, which is difficult because you are always exposed and it was because of that that eventually United found the penalty that they missed, but we continued to attack and try to create opportunities but it just didn't fall our way. If it does and a little bit of luck comes in the game, then the result is different.
“It didn't fall our way in every kind of the word, not only in goalscoring opportunities but referee or linesman decisions, not that I am looking for any excuse but it is the reality and they influenced the game. It's a 2-0 instead of a 0-0 or whatever. I am pretty unhappy with how the linesman performed but these things happen in the game.”
Villas-Boas was referring to the apparent, well to the video replays and not t that united first two goals came from players in offside positions.
Teams:
Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Terry (c), Cole; Ramires, Meireles (Mikel 78), Lampard (Anelka h-t); Sturridge (Lukaku 67), Torres, Mata.
Unused subs Turnbull, David Luiz, Romeu, Malouda.
Goals Torres 46
Booked Ramires 48, Terry 55, Cole 77
Manchester United (4-4-2): De Gea; Smalling (Valencia 62), Jones, Evans, Evra (c); Nani, Fletcher, Anderson (Carrick 62), Young; Hernandez (Berbatov 78), Rooney.
Unused subs Lindegaard, Fabio Da Silva, Park, Giggs.
Goals Smalling 7, Nani 36, Rooney 44
Booked Valencia 79, Fletcher 84
Referee Phil Dowd
Attendance 75,455