3 Reasons Why Fernando Torres Has Turned His Career Round at Atletico Madrid

Fernando Torres' career at the top level looked to be all but over as he struggled to make an impact at AC Milan a year ago, having been shipped out of Chelsea and fallen out of favour at international level—but a move to Atletico Madrid in the winter transfer window has since seen him revitalised.

He played a back-up option last term, starting infrequently but having a reasonable impact off the bench and scoring a few cup goals, including against Barcelona and Real Madrid, to ensure he retained the adulation of los Colchoneros' fans and be in position to play a key role in this new Liga season.

Having made a better start to this year than new signings and fellow forwards Jackson Martinez and Luciano Vietto at Atletico, it's worth taking a look at just how Torres has turned things around to look a dangerous centre-forward option in Spain once more.

Trust, Belief

First and foremost, Torres clearly believes he can be of use every time he takes to the pitch right now. He has purpose, a plan in mind and isn't frightened to run at or beyond defences, something which was seen far too infrequently over the previous couple of years.

VI-Images/Getty Images

Pre-season form showed that he was looking forward to this year with anticipation and expectation and a large part of that has to be down to Diego Simeone, who has consistently shown that he has trust in his No. 9 to have an impact, whether starting or off the bench.

Torres has made three starts and three subs in league games, playing just about the same amount of minutes so far as Jackson and Vietto combined.

Simeone, per Marca, opined that the forward needs to feel valued—and he's certainly that at the Calderon.

"Fernando is doing very well. He came back for pre-season in great shape and worked very hard. His efforts are paying off. He needs there to be demands made of him and we're demanding he perform at his very best. He's responding very well."

With two goals so far this term, he's the only player aside from Antoine Griezmann to score more than once so far in 2015-16.

"

. @Torres is a goal away from scoring 100 goals with our League shirt. Send your supporting message for our ‘9’ so he achieves it! #GoAtleti

— Atleti English (@atletienglish) September 22, 2015"

Style and Support

Torres might be confident and fit, but he's not the player he was in 2008. Gone is the absolute lightning acceleration and ability to quickly switch the ball from one foot to the other to drift past a defender; instead the 31-year-old uses good movement, a head-up approach to link play with on-running attackers and his relentless work-rate to trouble opposition defenders.

Denis Doyle/Getty Images

His goal against Getafe showed that the old finishing skill is still there at times, but what Torres benefits from most of all is continual support.

At Chelsea, then at Milan, he was the lone striker with attacking midfielders doing a creative job behind; here at Atletico, he has another forward right alongside him at all times, with one or two wide midfielders trying to join up centrally with runs infield, too.

It takes the defence's attentions away from him at times—particularly when paired with a quicker threat such as Angel Correa or Griezmann—and he is also able to look to sprint in behind when the other forward drops deep into space in front of the defence, further splitting their attentions.

With 4-4-2 being Atletico's prime formation, Torres will play a large number of minutes both as a starter and off the bench over the first half of the season, particularly as Vietto and Jackson continue to try to bed in.

"

1 - Fernando Torres and Ángel Correa are the only substitutes to have both scored and assisted in a La Liga game this season. Motivation.

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) September 19, 2015"

Not Being the Main Man?

Only those who work and play with Torres on a regular basis could genuinely give a yes-or-no answer to this point, but it's certainly worth considering.

At Liverpool and with Spain he was the No.1, the starting striker and he was intended to be the same at Chelsea—but the failure to be a success there, coupled with the price tag, must have been extremely tough to take. The stint at Milan was a total non-event.

Denis Doyle/Getty Images

Now at Atletico he's an important squad player, but certainly not the main focal point of attack; Griezmann is the 20-goal-plus forward from last season and is already showing genuine class again this year, while Martinez is the record signing. Torres is free to do his work without the burden of being the man with most expectation on him, for goals or for money reasons.

Whatever the overall combination of technical and tactical reasons for his upsurge in form, mentality plays an equally big role in top-level football and Torres is a benefiting from multiple aspects of that now he's back home at the Vicente Calderon. 

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