Rafael Benitez says Chelsea can still win league

Posted on November 29, 2012 by adminsports

Defiant Benitez claims Chelsea can still become champions despite seven-point gulf

UPDATED:

01:10 GMT, 29 November 2012

Furious Chelsea fans turned on Rafael Benitez again after a desperate goalless draw with Fulham.

Supporters chanted ‘we want our Chelsea back’ at the final whistle as the European champions extended their winless league run to six games and slipped seven points behind leaders Manchester United.

Former manager Roberto Di Matteo’s name was sung loudly once more after a dire game in which Fernando Torres stretched his barren run to 10 hours and 49 minutes.

Defiant: Rafa Benitez believes Chelsea can still win the title despite being seven points off the pace

Benitez said: ‘Everybody here is disappointed. We have to give credit to Fulham, who worked hard, but these are the games we have to win. We controlled the game but we still have to score goals.’

It was the first time since September 2007 that the Blues had failed to score in back to back home matches and Benitez became only the second manager under Roman Abramovich to fail to win either of his opening two games. The other was Avram Grant.

But Benitez insisted Chelsea had the quality to overhaul United and Manchester City, who both won again.

‘Why can’t we’ he said. ‘It’s still a long way to go. We have to keep going. We’ll have chances.

‘Remember last season when City were ahead and it was “easy”. Then they needed to win their last game. It’s a long, long competition.’

Interim manager Benitez acknowledged Chelsea were lacking confidence after a run of two wins in 10 that threatens to wreck their season.

He added: 'The main thing is to win games. If we do, we'll be there and we can win competitions.
“We need to start doing that and the confidence will come back.'

More of the same: Fernando Torres could not get on the scoresheet

No-one exemplifies Chelsea's plight more than Fernando Torres who, barring a fluke goal, has not found the net for almost two months.

'It wasn't easy for him, or [Eden] Hazard or Oscar,' said Benitez.

'We were on top of them [Fulham], regaining the game higher up the pitch, and might have won it in the last minute.'

For all their pressure, Chelsea barely tested the opposition goalkeeper as they record two straight goalless draws for the first time since Roman Abramovich bought the club.

Opposed: A number of Chelsea fans showed their disapproval of Benitez's recent appointment as Chelsea's interim manager

'You cannot be satisfied when you haven't won these games,' said Benitez, whose two games in charge have been watched by the Russian.

'City are a top side, a team with a lot of options.

'Today, I saw a lot of positive things, sustaining the attacks and regaining the ball very high.

'I didn't like the two chances we gave away on the counter-attack, and when we didn't move the ball too quickly, but it's a question of time.

'We've only had a few training sessions. We need more time.'

Chelsea were sorely missing some creativity tonight after resting Juan Mata, who eventually joined the fray.

Benitez said: 'We have too many games now, so we have to manage the squad.

'We cannot play the same team every time. We have West Ham, Japan, too many games.'

He denied that results proved he was too focused on improving a defence that had not kept a clean sheet for 10 games or that the change of manager had unsettled the squad.

'If you talk with them, and we do all the time, they're quite happy with the things we're trying to achieve,' he said.

The fans, however, are not.

Holding him off: Dimitar Berbatov battles with Oscar (right)

Despite not booing Benitez before kick-off, they were back to jeering and heckling him by the final whistle.

It did represent an improvement from Sunday and he said: 'The fans realise to support the team and support the manager is the best way to move forward and win games.'

Benitez admitted Torres was lacking 'confidence', something that could not be said for opposite number Dimitar Berbatov.

Fulham boss Martin Jol said: 'Berbatov was almost unplayable and linked our play, and we had a few chances.

'After the game, everyone said Berbatov was fantastic, and he was, but the other players worked every so hard.'

Returning: Steve Sidwell (right) was back at Stamford Bridge

Hard enough to carve out the game's clearest opportunities.

'At 80 minutes we had two possibilities,' Jol said.

'I'm not disappointed to only get a draw away from home, but disappointed we didn't make more of those chances.'

Jol played down the affect the subdued atmosphere may have had tonight.

'That could be a normal thing,' he said.

'We played them here twice last year and had two draws, and a draw at home as well.

'We could have nicked it and that would have been bad for them and great for us.'

Barnsley 1 Burnley 1 – match report: Marcus Tudgay equalises

Posted on November 28, 2012 by adminsports

Barnsley 1 Burnley 1: Tudgay heads home to help Hill's hapless men pick up a point

UPDATED:

22:30 GMT, 27 November 2012

Barnsley's winless run in the npower Championship shows no sign of ending, but they did at least show spirit in battling back for a point at Oakwell.

It looked like being another evening to forget for the hosts after Charlie Austin's fourth minute header put the Tykes on their way to a fourth successive home defeat.

But, despite a poor first-half showing, Keith Hill's men somehow went in at half-time on level terms when Marcus Tudgay also headed home from 12 yards shortly before the break.

Level terms: Marcus Tudgay scored the equaliser as Barnsley came back to draw

MATCH FACTS

Barnsley: Steele, Cranie, Foster, McNulty, Golbourne, Noble-Lazarus, Greening, Buzsaky, Mellis (O'Brien 81), Davies (Sinclair 79), Tudgay.

Subs Not Used: Alnwick, Dawson, Wiseman, Cywka, Stones.

Goals: Tudgay 37.

Burnley: Grant, Trippier, Duff, Shackell, Mee, Bartley (Ings 46), McCann, Stock (Edgar 81), Wallace (Vokes 83), Austin, Paterson.

Subs Not Used: Jensen, Lafferty, Stanislas, Stewart.

Booked: Duff.

Goals: Austin 5.

Att: 8,610

Ref: Phil Gibbs (West Midlands).

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE LATEST CHAMPIONSHIP TABLE, FIXTURES AND RESULTS

However, the draw made it eight games
without a win and unless something changes quickly a relegation battle
seems a certainty in the second half of the campaign.

For Burnley, their goal signalled the
end of a three-game scoring drought for hot-shot Austin, who took his
tally to 21 for season, and they could have been celebrating all three
points but Danny Ings' early second-half effort hit the post.

As it was it ended all square and they remain in mid-table.

The Reds were desperate to end their
barren run and boss Keith Hill made three changes to his side with
Stephen Foster, Akos Buzskay and Reuben Noble-Lazarus handed starts.

Burnley were fresh from an impressive
1-0 win at Hull on Saturday, but they were unable to call on matchwinner
Dean Marney, who was banned, and Sean Dyche made a further two changes,
recalling Kieran Trippier and Marvyn Bartley.

And it was Bartley that almost made an
immediate impact when his goalbound effort from Ross Wallace's cross
was deflected just the wrong side of the post.

But there was no reprieve for Barnsley
from the resulting corner as that man Austin stole in front of his
marker and powered a header home from 10 yards to end his mini-drought.

Both of the goals in the Reds' 2-0
defeat against Cardiff on Saturday came from set-pieces and the manner
of the defending will have done little to lighten Hill's mood.

But then out of nothing, Barnsley
hauled themselves level in the 37th minute. The ball fell to Scott
Golbourne on the left and he whipped in a delicious cross for Tudgay to
head home, leaving the sprawling Lee Grant helpless.

Any hopes that Barnsley had of
continuing their momentum after the break were misplaced as it was
Burnley who began on the front foot and twice went close to regaining
the lead.

First Wallace curled a 20-yard
free-kick that was well saved by Luke Steele and then five minutes later
Steele was beaten by Ings, who had come on as a half-time substitute,
but the right-hand post came to Barnsley's rescue from the drilled
20-yard effort.

The hosts weathered the storm and grew
back into the game with talismanic striker Craig Davies, who had been
unusually quiet, sending an effort from distance just wide and Akos
Buzsaky testing Grant from a similar range.

But they could not rally any further and the game petered out to a tame draw that did little to help Barnsley's plight.

Leicester 30 Exeter 8: Hat-trick for Thompstone on first start as Tigers get back to winning ways

Posted on September 29, 2012 by adminsports

Leicester 30 Exeter 8: Hat-trick for Thompstone on first start as Tigers get back to winning ways

UPDATED:

16:49 GMT, 29 September 2012

Winger Adam Thompstone scored a hat-trick on his first start as Leicester bounced back from last week's home defeat to Harlequins with a superb victory over Exeter at Welford Road.

Thompstone, signed from London Irish in the summer, scored one in the first half and two in the second, with England fly-half Toby Flood kicking 15 points in a fine all-round performance. Replacement Ben White scored a last-minute consolation try for Exeter.

Despite suffering from an injury crisis, Leicester were too strong for an Exeter side who showed none of the form which earned them the double over the Tigers last season and the scalp of Saracens last week.

Off the mark: Adam Thompstone scores his first try of the afternoon

Leicester's injury problems intensified when three players – hooker George Chuter, full-back Scott Hamilton and prop Boris Stankovich – withdrew on the day of the game, taking the total on the treatment table to 12.

They were also under pressure after last week's home defeat by leaders Harlequins and having gone 166 minutes without scoring a try, their worst barren run since November 2010.

In contrast, Exeter made just two changes, England international Tom Johnson coming into the back row and Kiwi Jason Shoemark into the centre.

Following their success here last term, Exeter were attempting to join a select band of teams – Northampton, Saracens, Harlequins and Wasps – who had managed back-to-back league wins at Welford Road.

And they drew first blood when fly-half Ignacio Mieres banged over a 49-metre penalty after just two minutes.

Leicester, however, hit back in impressive style and dominated the rest of the half with the pack taking control and Flood pulling the strings behind.

Hat-trick hero: Thompstone runs in his third try

It was Flood's inside pass to Vereniki Goneva which gave Leicester the breakthrough, the Fijian winger bursting into the Exeter 22 and Thompstone finishing off the move with a try in the right corner.

Flood kicked the touchline conversion and made in 10-3 six minutes later with a penalty from a similar position.

Mieres missed with a penalty from a metre inside his own half before Johnson, prop Brett Sturgess and centre Sireli Naqelevuki sparked Exeter's best move which only failed to produce a try because of some great scrambling defence by Leicester.

Leicester turned defence into attack after a great scrum on their line and then rejected the chance of another three points by opting for the line out and drive, the move breaking down when Flood failed to find Goneva with a long floated pass.

Flood did, however, end the half on a high note with penalties in the 30th and 40th minutes to stretch Leicester's lead to 16-3.

Exeter started the second half strongly, Naqelevuki bursting into the 22 before ruining his good work with an attempted pass behind his back which went forward.

Holding on: Thomas Waldrom is tackled

And Leicester made the visitors pay by working their way up field and scoring their second try through Thompstone, his former Irish team-mate Dan Bowden providing the scoring pass with Flood adding the conversion.

The try was made by the pressure Thomas Waldrom put on the Exeter defence and also the fact that he took out Mieres off the ball, an incident the referee missed and the TMO did not appear to take into account.

With their tails up the Tigers piled on the pressure and giant Samoan prop Logovi'i Mulipola had an easy chance to score but lost the ball in the tackle over the line.

Exeter, however, began to find some form and exerted strong pressure on Leicester without rattling the scoreboard. After a couple of good moves down either wing they went for the catch and drive but Leicester stole their line out ball.

And Leicester stretched their lead to 30-3 with 13 minutes left after a turnover in their own half. Flood countered and Matt Smith chipped through for Thompstone to complete his hat-trick. Flood added the conversion.

With the last attack of the game, replacement White scored for Exeter from close range, the TMO awarding the try after long deliberation, but Gareth Steenson missed the conversion.

Fernando Torres was summer target for Liverpool reunion

Posted on September 18, 2012 by adminsports

EXCLUSIVE: Torres feeling blue again ahead of Juve clash… as it emerges Liverpool considered shock summer reunion

UPDATED:

06:34 GMT, 18 September 2012

After storming down the tunnel at Loftus Road on Saturday, Fernando Torres found little to smile about at Chelsea's training ground on Monday.

The 50million striker is retreating into his shell again, making his displeasure known after he was substituted nine minutes from time against QPR.

Torres expects to start against Juventus on Wednesday night as Chelsea begin the defence of the Champions League, but his confusing body language is cause for concern.

Not again: Fernando Torres was unable to grab a goal against QPR on Saturday

At times he has hankered after a return to Liverpool, the club who converted him from lethal finisher to world-class forward after his move from Atletico Madrid in 2007.

Had Damien Comolli, Liverpool's former director of footballer strategy, got his way it could easily have happened after he explored the extraordinary possibility of re-signing the striker.

In February this year, Comolli was stunned when a prominent member of the Liverpool dressing room knocked on the door to his office and pleaded with him to investigate the proposition.

Torres had been sold by Liverpool a year earlier, taking a pay cut to sign for Chelsea on a five-year deal, but had struggled to settle into his rhythm.

Carlo Ancelotti, the manager when Torres arrived, had been fired after Chelsea's failure to defend the Premier League or win the European Cup.

Last season, between October 19 and March 18, the striker went five months – or 25 hours and 40 minutes – without scoring.

Audacious: Damien Comolli considered swooping for Fernando Torres to re-sign him for Liverpool

Andre Villas-Boas, sacked during the barren run, even moved Juan Mata's peg in the Chelsea dressing room to help the Spanish pair settle in.

Nothing appeared to click. At Liverpool, Comolli considered whether to put forward the unthinkable when he flew to Florida to discuss the summer transfer targets with Liverpool's owners John W Henry and Tom Werner.

Liverpool's players were used to Torres' ways, ducking out of social nights and rounds of golf with his team-mates and Torres had been a cult figure at Anfield, scoring 65 goals in 102 appearances in the Barclays Premier League.

It was a mouth-watering prospect for Comolli as he sifted through the statistics.

The 28-year-old scored 81 goals on Merseyside, with 56 of them resulting from a defence-splitting pass.

The Liverpool way suited the Spain striker and at least one player in that dressing room said Luis Suarez would benefit if they could be paired together.

The Uruguayan had been signed in January 2011 as a second striker and Comolli knew he would not be able to match his incredible goalscoring ratio in the Dutch Eredivisie with Ajax.

Summer target: Chelsea were linked with a move for Falcao (right) through the summer

Comolli worked on his own rule of thumb that, with the exception of Ruud van Nistelrooy, strikers imported from Holland only score around a third of the goals in the Premier League.

Suarez scored 81 times in 110 appearances at Ajax; he has 17 in 48 appearances in the Premier League.

Dirk Kuyt scored 71 times in 98 appearances for Feyenoord; at Anfield, he scored 51 goals in 208 appearances.

So Comolli was excited about the prospect of re-signing Torres, but it was a transfer fraught with difficulties.

He expected the fee to be prohibitive and that Roman Abramovich would be an unwilling seller.

Comolli did not get the chance to pursue it, after he was fired without warning by Werner and Henry on April 12 this year, two days before the FA Cup semi-final with Everton.

Next up: Chelsea will take on Juventus on Wednesday in the Champions League

Two weeks later, Torres scored against Barcelona in injury time of the Champions League semi-final to put Chelsea through to face Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena.

After winning the Champions League final, Torres claimed: 'I have been through the worst moments of my career during the season.

'I felt they treated me in a way I was not expecting.'

Despite his side being linked with Atletico striker Falcao, this term Torres is the focal point of Chelsea's attack, the main striker in a system designed specifically for his assets.

He has scored twice in the Premier League this season, but Roberto Di Matteo's system has some mild teething problems.

Wednesday evening, against a resurgent Juventus, is the right time to administer some painkillers.

Jenson Button hoping to log into Lewis Hamilton"s winning formula in Valencia

Posted on June 23, 2012 by adminsports

Button logs into Lewis' winning formula as he looks to end his barren run in Valencia

UPDATED:

22:46 GMT, 22 June 2012

Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery but it remains to seen whether Lewis Hamilton views matters quite so philosophically if Jenson Button’s decision to borrow his recipe for success pays off.

The wry smile on Hamilton’s face when discussing the help that has been offered to Button’s side of the garage suggests he may not.

At the wheel: Lewis Hamilton in practice for the European Grand Prix on Friday

The Levante wind was blowing strongly across the Valencia Street Circuit on Friday but with just two points from the last four grand prix Button’s season is very much in the doldrums.

In a bid to cure the technical issues which have led to Button struggles with his tyres, the 2009 world champion will use his team-mate set-up data this weekend — a set-up which helped his Hamilton storm to his first victory of the season in Canada and to the top of the drivers’ championship.

Much is made of the team ethic at McLaren but Hamilton leaves you with the distinct impression he was not best pleased at having to offer Button a leg up.

'It was very interesting when I went to the factory last week,' said Hamilton.

'I was with my engineer and saw all the other top engineers together on one table.

'They had all of my data out lap by lap, noting all the things I did differently to Jenson to try and understand things. So he has absolutely every detail of what I’m doing differently. So I’m sure see a difference result this weekend.'

Brit of all right: Jenson Button and Felipe Massa during second practice on Friday

After admitting to be 'confused and lost’ following his 16th place in Montreal, Button was sounding far more confident in Valencia.

'I am sure he is,' added Hamilton. 'There’s been a lot of work that’s gone on for his car!'

In fairness to Button he has made no of his need for assistance, but the difference in his driving style to that of Hamilton means plenty of work still lies ahead if he is to tailor his teammate’s winning formula to his requirements.

'This weekend we are going to start very similar to Lewis,' conceded Button.

'I was baffled but I understand it a lot more now. I'm confident we’ve found the problems its whether we’ve done the right things to improve the car already. If we haven’t we understand where we need to go. The car is going to be different to the last few races, more like the first few races.'

Legend: Michael Schumacher in the pits at the Valencia Street Circuit

Button better hope he can quickly regain the early season form which saw him win the opener in Australia and come home second in China – especially with the formidable names of Hamilton, Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel occupying the top three places in the championship.

A two-day visit to Royal Ascot failed to yield any winners, but Button is adamant he is not amongst the also-rans just yet even if he does recognise the need for at least a podium finish on Sunday.

'Not a lot is it’ insisted Button of the 43-point gap to Hamilton. 'It’s a very odd championship. I’ve lost those points in the last three races to the guy that’s leading so it can turn around quickly.'

Too quickly for Hamilton’s liking perhaps.

Edge of the Box: BBC and ITV take pragmatic approach to England"s charge at Euro 2012

Posted on June 12, 2012 by adminsports

BBC and ITV take pragmatic approach to England's charge at Euro 2012

PUBLISHED:

23:07 GMT, 11 June 2012

UPDATED:

23:07 GMT, 11 June 2012

‘With expectation lower than ever, maybe we can win it’.

I know, me too. I’ve got goose bumps!
Who needs Churchill fighting them on the beaches, or Admiral Nelson
seeing no ships And you can forget crying havoc and letting slip the
dogs of war. Perhaps a couple of kittens

Them fighting words belong to Alan
Shearer from the BBC’s Friday opening night coverage of Euro 2012 and to
be fair to the buccaneering old centre forward, he was rather
reflecting the mood of the nation. It would seem the underdogs of war is
more the way we are viewing our brave lads as they go over the top in
Poland and Ukraine, and wise Al was just getting into the spirit of
that.

However, it did rather mirror the way
the Corporation has also approached the start of the tournament.
Cautiously, you might say. Low key.

Quip: Lineker

‘Welcome from the very west of Poland.
Or as well call it, Salford’, quipped Gary Lineker from the very
familiar surroundings of the Match of the Day studio and that is where
we were again on Saturday for the first double header of the tournament –
having just witnessed some rather dour opening titles that looked like a
sort of Lord Of the Rings animated sequence with lions and dragons
fighting over the precious ball across a barren landscape. The one
saving grace being, it’s surely considerably shorter than it might have
been had Peter Jackson made it.

If you were hoping for more of an
in-your-face statement, then you needed to look no further than guest
pundit Harry Redknapp. Seemingly unfazed in the company of the more
youthful Clarence Seedorf and Lee Dixon, Harry had rocked up (I believe
that is the appropriate phrase) in a black Vivienne Westwood shirt, no
less. And you thought it was Stuart Pearce with the punk attitude in
football. As Jimmy Pursey once sang, ‘’urry up ‘arry, c’mon!’.

However, perhaps even stranger than
Harry in a bit of Viv was the sight of Alan Shearer pitchside with Jake
Humphrey. Possibly aware that he may have came across rather downbeat on
Friday, it had clearly been decided that he should now relax, and show
us his lighter side. So whenever young Humphrey was talking to camera,
Shearer also stood square onto it, grinning just that little bit too
manically, from ear to ear. It was just so ‘not’ him.

Fernando Torres celebrates his 28th birthday at Chelsea"s training ground

Posted on March 21, 2012 by adminsports

Sweet success for Fernando as striker's week gets even better with birthday treat from Chelsea pals

UPDATED:

18:00 GMT, 20 March 2012

Fernando Torres has not had too much to celebrate in recent months with his barren run in front of goal.

But things seem to be looking up, after his FA Cup brace against Leicester at the weekend and the Chelsea No 9 celebrated his 28th birthday at the club’s Cobham training base on Tuesday.

The Spanish star shared his cake with countryman Juan Mata ahead of Chelsea’s game with Manchester City on Wednesday.

Happy birthday to you: Fernando Torres cuts his cake and shares it with team-mate Juan Mata

And Torres will hope his luck is about to turn on the back of his two goals at the weekend and will be aiming to help fire Roberto Di Matteo’s side to Champions League glory as well as into the top four of the Premier League.

The Spanish striker had netted just seven goals in all competitions since his last birthday and will hope to score a few more between now and his next one and rediscover the form he had a few years ago which tempted Chelsea to part with 50million in January last year from Liverpool.

In the thick of it: Torres trains with Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole ahead of the game with Manchester City

His lack of goals has seen him Spanish team manager Vicente del Bosque drop him from the national side and opt instead for Valencia striker Roberto Soldado.

And Del Bosque has told Torres he will be monitoring his progress until the end of the season before deciding if to take him to Euro 2012 or not.

So Torres will no doubt have used his birthday wish to hope for the goals to flow like the did at the weekend.

Newcastle 1 Norwich 0: Papiss Cisse early goal seals win

Posted on March 18, 2012 by adminsports

Newcastle 1 Norwich 0: Cisse's early strike enough to end barren run

UPDATED:

18:05 GMT, 18 March 2012

Papiss Cisse fired Newcastle to their first Barclays Premier League victory in five attempts as Norwich were edged out in a tight contest.

The Senegal international struck with 11 minutes gone on an afternoon when he could easily have claimed a hat-trick.

But the visitors created chances of their own, and Tim Krul had to save from Anthony Pilkington and Zak Whitbread in quick succession after the break before Steve Morison passed up a glorious late opportunity.

Happy Toon: Papiss Cisse takes the plaudits after opening the scoring for Newcastle

MATCH FACTS

NEWCASTLE UTD: Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Perch, Ben Arfa (Santon 63), Cabaye, Guthrie (Gosling 76), Gutierrez, Ba, Cisse (Ameobi 69). Unused subs: Elliot, Abeid, Vuckic, Donaldson.

Goals: Cisse 11.

NORWICH CITY: Ruddy, Naughton, Ward, Whitbread, Drury (Hoolahan 82), Bennett, Pilkington (Martin 85), Howson (Holt 77), Fox, Surman, Morison. Unused subs: Steer, Johnson, Crofts, Jackson.

Booked: Bennett, Whitbread.

Referee: Phil Dowd

More to follow…

Net profit: Cisse (centre) blasts the ball past the despairing dive of John Ruddy to put Newcastle in front

More to follow…

Not this time: Norwich keeper John Ruddy denies Cisse

More to follow…

Mark of respect: Norwich players join in the applause for Bolton player Fabrice Muamba

More to follow…

Knees up: Jonas Gutierrez (left) clashes with Norwich's Elliott Bennett

More to follow…

Jonny on the spot: Norwich's Jonny Howson fires towards goal under pressure from Gutierrez

More to follow…

Under pressure: Gutierrez is beaten in the air by Steve Morison but it was a frustrating afternoon for Norwich manager Paul Lambert (right)

Frustration: Norwich manager Paul Lambert reacts

Under pressure: Gutierrez is beaten by Steve Morison but Norwich boss Paul Lambert (right) was left frustrated

More to follow…

Heads we win: Cisse beats David Fox in the air (left) and his early strike was enough to win the clash

Juan Mata: Fernando Torres will rediscover goalscoring touch

Posted on March 13, 2012 by adminsports

It's only a Mata of time! Torres will rediscover goalscoring touch, claims Chelsea playmaker

UPDATED:

12:21 GMT, 13 March 2012

Juan Mata has backed Fernando Torres to end his barren run of form for both club and country.

The 50million striker has scored just five times in 50 appearances for Chelsea, and is without a goal in five months.

Out of touch: Torres hasn't scored for five months

Torres has lost his place in the Spain side with manager Vincente del Bosque warning the striker could miss out on this summer's European Championships.

But Mata is confident his compatriot will soon rediscover his goalscoring touch.

'Fernando still has time. He has lived through a lot of good and bad,' said Mata.

'He is working extremely hard in training. You can't forget so soon his 80 goals in Liverpool. He'll be a very important player for Chelsea and for Spain.

Jumping for joy: Mata claims Torres will rediscover his touch

'People talk about the fact that Fernando has not scored but he is constantly creating space. I've scored goals thanks to him. He has given me a lot of assists. There have been other games when the keeper has made a fantastic save or he has hit the bar.'

Mata also claimed it was a clash of styles which saw Andre Villas-Boas' dismissal, and not a player revolt.

The Spain star added: 'He was the manager and we all put our faith in him. He had good ideas and he wanted to change things in the club but in the end it is the results that matter. Nobody got rid of him.

'He came with the idea of how he played at Porto – the pressure high up the pitch, robbing the ball and always being very close to the opponents' goal with a very offensive football.

'But in the end he has this style of football and perhaps Chelsea were used to a different style; perhaps a more physical one with a lot of chances in a small space of time; not such a fluid style but still a very attacking one.

'It was maybe imposing a style when the team were not used it.'

Javier Hernandez vows to end goal drought

Posted on January 11, 2012 by adminsports

Hernandez vows to end goal drought as Man United striker suffers second-season syndrome

Javier Hernandez is not beating himself up about the 'second-season syndrome' he is enduring at Manchester United.

The Mexican forward was one of the major success stories of last season, proving to be a bargain at 7million as he contributed 20 goals to United capturing their record 19th league title and reaching the Champions League final.

Goal drought: Hernandez is suffering his longest barren run in a Man United shirt

However, Hernandez has found life much
tougher this term and has not scored in five games since his goal
against Newcastle at Old Trafford in November, his longest barren run in
his entire 18 months with the Red Devils.

The 23-year-old was an unused substitute in Sunday's FA Cup win at Manchester City and now appears to have fallen behind Danny Welbeck in Sir Alex Ferguson's list of strikers.

'There are different circumstances because I have had more injuries this season, but I am still enjoying it,' Hernandez told MUTV. 'I am still learning and working hard, trying to improve day by day.

Praying for a goal: Hernandez has vowed to end his drought

'Each year it is going to be more difficult. In the first season not only the defenders but also the coaches didn't know me.

'Now,
and in the third and fourth seasons, they are going to know me even
more. But good players like Wayne (Rooney), (Robin) Van Persie and
(Didier) Drogba have been here five, six years or more and still play at
the same high level. I need to keep working to do the same.'

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Tag Archives: barren

Rafael Benitez says Chelsea can still win league

Barnsley 1 Burnley 1 – match report: Marcus Tudgay equalises

Leicester 30 Exeter 8: Hat-trick for Thompstone on first start as Tigers get back to winning ways

Fernando Torres was summer target for Liverpool reunion

Jenson Button hoping to log into Lewis Hamilton"s winning formula in Valencia

Edge of the Box: BBC and ITV take pragmatic approach to England"s charge at Euro 2012

Fernando Torres celebrates his 28th birthday at Chelsea"s training ground

Newcastle 1 Norwich 0: Papiss Cisse early goal seals win

Juan Mata: Fernando Torres will rediscover goalscoring touch

Javier Hernandez vows to end goal drought