Fernando Torres Scores: Football's Strangest Drought Ends in Chelsea

He's done it: Fernando Torres has finally scored at Chelsea. After 14 games, 730 minutes, two disallowed goals and a whole lot of frustration, the Spaniard has finally found the back of the net for his new EPL club. Thank goodness.

I'm no Chelsea supporter, nor do I think the Torres signing was a brilliant maneuver from either party. But the hysteria and vehemence that people spewed forth in the following months was so over the top that I couldn't help but root for him. So to finally see him end football's longest statistical anomaly today—well, let's just say I was relieved.

Torres is a heck of a striker. Sure he's had injury issues, and his confidence has been lacking of late, but when he's on form, there are few better in the world. He's also human. A messy breakup with a club whose fans idolized him, a poor start compounded by the most insane criticisms throughout the football world—these factors were bound to get to him. But he worked through the difficulty and saw his perseverance begin to show dividends in the last several weeks, with an improvement in form.

And yet, he still couldn't score. He received no favors from referees, who twice disallowed his slump-breakers. He must have thought it over when he brilliantly headed toward goal against United in the Champions League, only to see van der Sar deny him with a sensational diving save. So the drought continued, Torres' frustrations grew, and Ancelotti and Chelsea must have begun to consider relegating him to the bench more regularly.

So it was with great hope today that I saw Torres come on in the 75th minute against cellar-dwellers West Ham. And when he scored minutes later, it was some combination of great relief and mild elation that overwhelmed me. It wasn't the greatest goal he's ever scored, nor the most important for a game, but it will prove one of the most memorable. The drought was over, and now this likable but outlandishly persecuted figure could get back to doing what he does best: scoring goals.

The media microscope isn't over yet though and for good reason. After all, a transfer fee that large is hard to live up to. But at least for now Torres can celebrate, and I certainly couldn't be happier for him.