Liverpool FC Forum

[heimdall]

a certain idiot on a national radio station (who has a histroy of being a controversial tw@t just for the sake of ratings) was actually arguing that defoe was just as good as torres the other day. he claimed that it's only because he's english that he's not rated as highly as torres. you couldn't make it up. 

definitely not as good but he's a very good striker, would love to have him at the club actually.

[Scottbot]

I know it is inevitable that rival fans will knock a striker for not scoring against the big boys, even more inevitable they'll do it without checking their facts and end up talking rubbish.

I've seen several comments around that he "goes missing" in big games and can only score against the weaker teams. Well our near if not already legendary striker has just stuck another one past the supposed best team in the history of history, so now let's expose said myth

FERNANDO TORRES (LIVERPOOL)

vs Chelsea : 5 goals in 7 apps (0.714 goals/app)
vs Man Utd : 2 goals in 4 apps (0.500 goals/app)
vs Arsenal : 3 goals in 5 apps (0.600 goals/app)
vs Tottenham : 3 goals in 5 apps (0.600 goals/app)
vs bitters : 3 goals in 5 apps (0.600 goals/app)

vs Inter Milan : 1 goal in 2 apps (0.500 goals/app)
vs Real Madrid : 1 goal in 2 apps (0.500 goals/app)
vs FC Porto : 2 goals in 2 apps (1.000 goals/app)

The only really "big" club I could find that he has a poor record against is villa, just 1 goal in 5 apps and 79 mins per appearance so it isn't like he was sub or taken off etc. But against the 'big four', the usual teams implied when such claims are put forward, he's scored 10 goals in 16 appearances at 0.625 goals per appearance which is better than his overall strike rate albeit only by a fraction (overall 0.621) I haven't deliberately dodged any, just feel listing say Citeh might be a bit generous (3 goals in 4 apps) and where do you draw the line?

to the fools that suggest Torres is some kind of 'flat track bully' who only scores against the weak sides (also a to a suggestion I vaguely recall seeing on here that I only post negative stats, the stats match what is to be shown and are only as negative as what they show ie I don't determine them, they are determined by whoever or whatever they are about)

Your stats are spot on, but in fairness I have not heard any of the above comments from rival fans. Yet...

Must admit I can't recall too many (if any) people calling him a flat track bully mate. Most of my mates who support other big clubs are scared sh...i...t..less and rightly so!!!

[Sir Roger]

The stats are frightening. He's now scored 47 goals in 66 League games. He needs 3 goals in his next 2 league games to get to 50 in the same number of games as Ruud van Nistelrooy (who had 12 penalties in that total).

Puts things into perspective.

Absolutely
Even last season when Ronaldo was hailed as a goalscoring genius most of his were from free-kicks and penalties.
Torres takes neither

[Dazzer]

The stats are frightening. He's now scored 47 goals in 66 League games. He needs 3 goals in his next 2 league games to get to 50 in the same number of games as Ruud van Nistelrooy (who had 12 penalties in that total).

Puts things into perspective.

Absolutely
Even last season when Ronaldo was hailed as a goalscoring genius most of his were from free-kicks and penalties.
Torres takes neither

To be fair tho free kicks are a hard skill to master but pens pff should be banging them in.

[footballcrystal7]

The stats are frightening. He's now scored 47 goals in 66 League games. He needs 3 goals in his next 2 league games to get to 50 in the same number of games as Ruud van Nistelrooy (who had 12 penalties in that total).

Puts things into perspective.

Absolutely
Even last season when Ronaldo was hailed as a goalscoring genius most of his were from free-kicks and penalties.
Torres takes neither

This is my first post and though Iam not a Liverpool fan, they are my favourite team in the Premiership. Joined this forum, because I love to talk about football and the rubbish the media had been coming up with made me want to ask Liverpool fans a few questions.

Anyway back on topic. Torres is an incredible striker and in my opinion only second to his country men Villa. His record against all the clubs speaks for itself. I agree him not taking penalties makes it more impressive than Ruuds, but disagree about the free kicks being included. Whilst a penalty is a given and I would expect any top player to at the very least score 80%, free kicks are harder and players deserve the credit for being able to score them.

[Sir Roger]

I am not saying scoring free kicks does not need skill. Of course it does. But it is from a dead ball situation, plus the striker has the advantage. Thats why it is called a direct free kick. Just imagine if he did take free kicks and penalties?
Torres scoring his goals from open play makes him the better striker in my opinion

[footballcrystal7]

I am not saying scoring free kicks does not need skill. Of course it does. But it is from a dead ball situation, plus the striker has the advantage. Thats why it is called a direct free kick. Just imagine if he did take free kicks and penalties?
Torres scoring his goals from open play makes him the better striker in my opinion

The player has the advantage in free kicks, but obviously no where near the same level as they do when taking a penalty nor would you be angry at a player for missing one.

I understand what you are saying about free kicks not being included when judging the better striker, but I think they play a big part when talking about goals. If Torres took free kicks at his present level he probably would maybe score once during the course of the season. Taking penalties on the other hand would add probably 5 goals to his tally. Being able to score 5 or 6 a season is incredible and very, very few players score so many.

[Sir Roger]

I am not saying scoring free kicks does not need skill. Of course it does. But it is from a dead ball situation, plus the striker has the advantage. Thats why it is called a direct free kick. Just imagine if he did take free kicks and penalties?
Torres scoring his goals from open play makes him the better striker in my opinion

The player has the advantage in free kicks, but obviously no where near the same level as they do when taking a penalty nor would you be angry at a player for missing one.

I understand what you are saying about free kicks not being included when judging the better striker, but I think they play a big part when talking about goals. If Torres took free kicks at his present level he probably would maybe score once during the course of the season. Taking penalties on the other hand would add probably 5 goals to his tally. Being able to score 5 or 6 a season is incredible and very, very few players score so many.

I disagree
I do get annoyed when a free kick isnt scored, even more so if they dont hit the target at all.
When you say:
"If Torres took free kicks at his present level he probably would maybe score once during the course of the season." Are you saying he wouldnt have the skill to score more than once from a free kick? I doubt this very much. It would be interesting to find out why he doesnt take either of these as it would surely add to his tally?

[JC_81]

I know it is inevitable that rival fans will knock a striker for not scoring against the big boys, even more inevitable they'll do it without checking their facts and end up talking rubbish.

I've seen several comments around that he "goes missing" in big games and can only score against the weaker teams. Well our near if not already legendary striker has just stuck another one past the supposed best team in the history of history, so now let's expose said myth

FERNANDO TORRES (LIVERPOOL)

vs Chelsea : 5 goals in 7 apps (0.714 goals/app)
vs Man Utd : 2 goals in 4 apps (0.500 goals/app)
vs Arsenal : 3 goals in 5 apps (0.600 goals/app)
vs Tottenham : 3 goals in 5 apps (0.600 goals/app)
vs bitters : 3 goals in 5 apps (0.600 goals/app)

vs Inter Milan : 1 goal in 2 apps (0.500 goals/app)
vs Real Madrid : 1 goal in 2 apps (0.500 goals/app)
vs FC Porto : 2 goals in 2 apps (1.000 goals/app)

The only really "big" club I could find that he has a poor record against is villa, just 1 goal in 5 apps and 79 mins per appearance so it isn't like he was sub or taken off etc. But against the 'big four', the usual teams implied when such claims are put forward, he's scored 10 goals in 16 appearances at 0.625 goals per appearance which is better than his overall strike rate albeit only by a fraction (overall 0.621) I haven't deliberately dodged any, just feel listing say Citeh might be a bit generous (3 goals in 4 apps) and where do you draw the line?

to the fools that suggest Torres is some kind of 'flat track bully' who only scores against the weak sides (also a to a suggestion I vaguely recall seeing on here that I only post negative stats, the stats match what is to be shown and are only as negative as what they show ie I don't determine them, they are determined by whoever or whatever they are about)

Good post.

On the record against Villa, Torres was quoted earlier in the season saying that he found the Aston Villa defence the hardest to play against (think he said it in the wake of our defeat to them this season), so your stats seem to pretty much back up what the man himself said.  Can't be @rsed dredging for those quotes, but take it from me he definitely said it.

[Sir Roger]

I know it is inevitable that rival fans will knock a striker for not scoring against the big boys, even more inevitable they'll do it without checking their facts and end up talking rubbish.

I've seen several comments around that he "goes missing" in big games and can only score against the weaker teams. Well our near if not already legendary striker has just stuck another one past the supposed best team in the history of history, so now let's expose said myth

FERNANDO TORRES (LIVERPOOL)

vs Chelsea : 5 goals in 7 apps (0.714 goals/app)
vs Man Utd : 2 goals in 4 apps (0.500 goals/app)
vs Arsenal : 3 goals in 5 apps (0.600 goals/app)
vs Tottenham : 3 goals in 5 apps (0.600 goals/app)
vs bitters : 3 goals in 5 apps (0.600 goals/app)

vs Inter Milan : 1 goal in 2 apps (0.500 goals/app)
vs Real Madrid : 1 goal in 2 apps (0.500 goals/app)
vs FC Porto : 2 goals in 2 apps (1.000 goals/app)

The only really "big" club I could find that he has a poor record against is villa, just 1 goal in 5 apps and 79 mins per appearance so it isn't like he was sub or taken off etc. But against the 'big four', the usual teams implied when such claims are put forward, he's scored 10 goals in 16 appearances at 0.625 goals per appearance which is better than his overall strike rate albeit only by a fraction (overall 0.621) I haven't deliberately dodged any, just feel listing say Citeh might be a bit generous (3 goals in 4 apps) and where do you draw the line?

to the fools that suggest Torres is some kind of 'flat track bully' who only scores against the weak sides (also a to a suggestion I vaguely recall seeing on here that I only post negative stats, the stats match what is to be shown and are only as negative as what they show ie I don't determine them, they are determined by whoever or whatever they are about)

Good post.

On the record against Villa, Torres was quoted earlier in the season saying that he found the Aston Villa defence the hardest to play against (think he said it in the wake of our defeat to them this season), so your stats seem to pretty much back up what the man himself said.  Can't be @rsed dredging for those quotes, but take it from me he definitely said it.

So you want us to believe that Torres said something but havent got the evidence to back it up? You want us to trust you? Is that what youre saying?

[footballcrystal7]

I am not saying scoring free kicks does not need skill. Of course it does. But it is from a dead ball situation, plus the striker has the advantage. Thats why it is called a direct free kick. Just imagine if he did take free kicks and penalties?
Torres scoring his goals from open play makes him the better striker in my opinion

The player has the advantage in free kicks, but obviously no where near the same level as they do when taking a penalty nor would you be angry at a player for missing one.

I understand what you are saying about free kicks not being included when judging the better striker, but I think they play a big part when talking about goals. If Torres took free kicks at his present level he probably would maybe score once during the course of the season. Taking penalties on the other hand would add probably 5 goals to his tally. Being able to score 5 or 6 a season is incredible and very, very few players score so many.

I disagree
I do get annoyed when a free kick isnt scored, even more so if they dont hit the target at all.
When you say:
"If Torres took free kicks at his present level he probably would maybe score once during the course of the season." Are you saying he wouldnt have the skill to score more than once from a free kick? I doubt this very much. It would be interesting to find out why he doesnt take either of these as it would surely add to his tally?

Yes I am. I could be wrong, but I doubt it. If he could then he would take more. I mean even great free kick takers like Beckham only score about 6  a season. I wonder how many Gerrard has scored in a season? I doubt it is more than 3. I think you will be surprised how many direct free kicks are actually scored.

[Sir Roger]

I am not saying scoring free kicks does not need skill. Of course it does. But it is from a dead ball situation, plus the striker has the advantage. Thats why it is called a direct free kick. Just imagine if he did take free kicks and penalties?
Torres scoring his goals from open play makes him the better striker in my opinion

The player has the advantage in free kicks, but obviously no where near the same level as they do when taking a penalty nor would you be angry at a player for missing one.

I understand what you are saying about free kicks not being included when judging the better striker, but I think they play a big part when talking about goals. If Torres took free kicks at his present level he probably would maybe score once during the course of the season. Taking penalties on the other hand would add probably 5 goals to his tally. Being able to score 5 or 6 a season is incredible and very, very few players score so many.

I disagree
I do get annoyed when a free kick isnt scored, even more so if they dont hit the target at all.
When you say:
"If Torres took free kicks at his present level he probably would maybe score once during the course of the season." Are you saying he wouldnt have the skill to score more than once from a free kick? I doubt this very much. It would be interesting to find out why he doesnt take either of these as it would surely add to his tally?

Yes I am. I could be wrong, but I doubt it. If he could then he would take more. I mean even great free kick takers like Beckham only score about 6  a season. I wonder how many Gerrard has scored in a season? I doubt it is more than 3. I think you will be surprised how many direct free kicks are actually scored.

I dont know why he doesnt take them. Maybe he cant be bothered or feels that others are better at it. I think hed have to fight to take them anyway.
As far as being surprised at how many free kicks are actually scored, actually Im not. However I am disappointed that players on £40,000 a week upward sometimes cant hit the target never mind score. Maybe if they practised more to enhance their technique...

[JC_81]

So you want us to believe that Torres said something but havent got the evidence to back it up? You want us to trust you? Is that what youre saying?

Wasn't talking to you mate... so off

If you want the quotes then you dredge lfc.tv for them

[Emerald Red]

Here's another myth: he cost us a LOT of money.

We got him for peanuts.

[Octsky]

He is our best signing in 20 yrs, not including our homegrown players.