5 Reasons to Believe Fernando Torres Will Be Good Again for Chelsea

Ladies and gentlemen, Fernando Torres is officially back!

Okay, not quite.

But over the past month, El Nino has finally started to show signs that he will be a world-class striker once again.

Torres’ early days at Chelsea were a massive disappointment, to say the least.

Since his £50 million move from Liverpool, the Spanish striker has been the butt of endless jokes, all stemming from his inability to score goals for the Blues.

Memes, YouTube videos and even a website dedicated to his goal drought have been created in the wake of his transfer.

Given his recent play, it may be the Spaniard who gets the last laugh.

While not back to his absolute best just yet, Torres is finally showing some of the skills that made him demand such a large transfer fee.

Will he ever be able to find the incredible form he showed at Liverpool, when he was considered by many to be the best striker on the planet?

Here are five reasons why the Chelsea forward will leave defenders shaking in their boots once again.

As always, let us know what you think by leaving your comments below.

You can also continue the conversation on Twitter, @GianlucaNesci

Recent Form

Last month, Torres ended a 26-game goal drought when he scored twice in Chelsea’s 5-2 win over Leicester in the FA Cup quarterfinal.

He was also the star—no disrespect to Branislav Ivanovic—in Chelsea's exciting 4-2 victory over Aston Villa on the weekend.

The Spaniard looked sharp with his runs behind the Villa defenders, and produced a few moments of brilliance on the ball as well. He was involved in three of the four Chelsea goals, scoring one himself to end a six-month drought in the Premier League.

Granted, he probably should have scored at least one more on the day, but we’ll let that slide for now.

While Leicester and Aston Villa aren't going to win any awards for their defensive qualities, the fact that Torres is scoring against anybody right now is good news for Chelsea.

During the peak of his struggles, Torres would go for entire matches without making any contribution at all, let alone score a goal.

This latest showing comes on the heels of last week’s memorable assist against Benfica, putting Chelsea on the brink of the Champions League semi-final.

He is once again turning in impressive performances, even when he isn’t finding the net. If he continues to do so, the goals will eventually come.

It’s clear that he isn’t back to his absolute best, but he is certainly on his way there.

Renewed Confidence

Torres arrived at Stamford Bridge in the midst of a poor run with Liverpool. When he pulled on the blue shirt for the first time, his confidence was already at an all-time low.

That translated to his play on the pitch.

He looked like a player who knew he wasn’t going to score before he even came out of the dressing room—maybe that had something to do with the £50 million price tag that was hanging over his head.

Once he took the field, Torres was hesitant inside the opposing penalty area—an area he dominated during his glory days. His instinct to find the space inside the box and capitalize on it was gone.

It looked like he was trying not to miss, instead of trying to score. For a striker, that lack of confidence can make all the difference.

No player on the field requires more confidence to be effective than those who are expected to score the goals. After all, this is a position where you miss more chances than you will ever score.

Unless you continue to believe that you will score, regardless of how many you have missed, you will not have success.

Torres is finally starting to look like a player who thinks he'll score when he gets the chance.

Change Is in the Air at Chelsea

In only a few short months, this Chelsea squad may have a very different look to it. That is, of course, if you believe the many transfer rumors surrounding the West London club.

(Check out this and this to see some of the names being linked with a switch to Chelsea).

Regardless of who is brought in, one thing is certain: Didier Drogba's time at Stamford Bridge is coming to an end.

The club icon rejected a new contract from Chelsea in November, and looks set to leave in search of one more big contract this summer. That move alone will be good for Torres, who will be the undisputed focal point of the attack once Drogba moves on.

Any new faces that arrive at the club will help Torres’ situation as well.

Players like Angel Di Maria, Marek Hamsik, Eden Hazard, Hulk and Luka Modric have all been named as potential targets for the club in recent times.

With fellow Spaniard Juan Mata already in place, adding any one of the players mentioned above should be an exciting prospect for both Torres and Chelsea fans alike.

With more capable attacking players around him, Torres will be afforded more space to operate and wreak havoc on opposing defenders.

Support from His Teammates

When a high-profile player is struggling, those around him can often get frustrated, which does nothing but heap more pressure on the individual in question.

But that has not been the case so far for El Nino. Across the board, Torres has been given nothing but support from Chelsea.

He still gets a warm reception from the fans at Stamford Bridge, who recognize that no good can come from jeering a player who needs encouragement.

More importantly, Torres has received praise from his teammates in recent weeks.

Branislav Ivanovic was recently quoted by Goal.com, saying Chelsea’s improved form has been tied to Torres’ play.

Said the Serbian defender after Torres scored in the 4-2 victory over Aston Villa:

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"He's been doing everything for the team and I think he deserved that goal. He is a great player. Of course he has felt the pressure and so it was important for us to support him,” he said. “We know how good he is. We've seen that every day in training. But at the same time, for him to score a goal was very important. But for us, we know how much he has given us. He doesn't just play for himself but he plays for the team.”

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Much has also been said about Torres’ future with the Spanish national side—or lack thereof.

But Juan Mata believes he will feature for his country once again, beginning with the European Championships this summer in Poland and Ukraine.

This support is exactly what Torres needs to continue his ascent back to the upper echelons of world football. Even if he is not scoring goals, Torres knows that at the very least, he can count on his teammates to be behind him.

Form Is Temporary, Class Is Permanent

It may be an old cliche in the footballing world, but Chelsea fans are hoping it still rings true.

Considering just how good Torres was earlier in his career, it's hard to believe his talent has disappeared.

It's more likely that he just needs a few goals to get the ball rolling again. Once he does, look out.

Beginning in 2002 with Atletico Madrid, this is a player who recorded nine consecutive seasons with a double-digit goal tally.

At the height of his powers, Torres scored 68 goals in in his first three seasons at Liverpool.

Having just turned 28 years old, he is now in the prime of his career. That is a big plus for El Nino, as his physical talents will not begin to diminish for some time.

If he can get his mind right, it won't be long before images of Torres celebrating begin to take over again.

Until then, here is a video to remind you what Fernando Torres is capable of at his very best.

Everton fans, avert your eyes.