Fernando Torres Is the New No. 9: How Will Chelsea Make It Work?

Fernando Torres swapped the Reds for the Blues a week ago in a mammoth £50 million move and in addition to being the most expensive player in British history, it’s also been one of the most debated transfers.

Was Torres right to leave Liverpool? Did Carlo Ancelotti really want him? Can Chelsea win the Champions League with him?

Those are just some of the questions people have been asking about this massive transfer, but here’s another one.

What kind of Chelsea will we be seeing with Torres in the side?

Many have speculated that it was the Blues owner Roman Abramovich who purchased Torres and manager Ancelotti didn’t really want him, much like Andriy Shevchenko several years ago. If that’s true, where will Chelsea be in a year if Torres does not prove his worth?

Firstly, it’s only been one game. Torres was largely ineffective against his old club Liverpool Sunday, but then again, so were Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka, Frank Lampard and just about every other Chelsea player. Liverpool’s game plan frustrated the Blues, especially in the midfield, and Chelsea rarely troubled the Liverpool back line.

Chelsea’s triangle formation left Anelka behind Torres and Drogba and completely useless. Chelsea’s best opportunity was a pass from Drogba to put Torres in on goal, but his shot was blocked by Jamie Carragher.

Torres also adds some much needed youth to the Chelsea ranks. Florent Malouda, Drogba and Anelka are all over the age of 30, while Torres will turn 27 next month.

But the system Ancelotti has employed much of this season, a 4-3-3 with Drogba, Anelka and Malouda up front, does not fit Torres’ style at all. He is at his best as a lone striker with someone just behind him, but those days are over.

At Liverpool, Torres was the lone striker and never needed to worry about having a partner (David N’gog a couple times doesn’t count). Ancelotti could switch to a 4-4-2 with Drogba and Torres up front together and if that works out, it’s a bit intimidating to imagine what they could do.

If that happens, who ends up on the bench? Anelka and Malouda will at least be able to keep each other company.

But if Torres and Drogba can’t find a way to work together, what will Ancelotti do?

If Sunday was any indication, he’ll go with what he knows works. Ancelotti substituted his £50 million man in the 65th minute, although it didn’t make much of a difference. Torres has also struggled for form much of this season and if he continues to struggle, he could be the one relegated to the bench.

The problem is Abramovich may not like that. He has long been admirer of Torres and now that he’s finally got him, he’ll want to see him play.

Abramovich is also quick to drop the axe on his managers, so if the team struggles and Torres isn’t given a shot (at least in Abramovich’s mind), Ancelotti could quickly be on the way out.

After the loss to Liverpool, the Blues have a tough task to remain Premier League champions, so their focus needs to be on the Champions League, their owner’s biggest target. If the team can’t click there, where will they go?

Given Torres’ price tag and age, the team will likely need to mold around him now. At times Sunday, Torres and Drogba showed they could play together, and maybe putting Anelka up with them instead of behind them will be more effective.

Drogba, Anelka and Malouda have been loved by the Chelsea faithful for years, but they’ve also always been fond of Torres, so who will they want to stick with?

At the end of the day, none of these players will do well on the bench, so who will be the first to leave? My money is on either Ancelotti or Anelka.

Chelsea’s best chance at a trophy the season is the FA Cup, but if they don’t go deep in the Champions League and end the season lower in the table than they’re used to, Abramovich may get antsy. Anelka may also get frustrated at time on the bench and want to leave.

Chances of Torres leaving are pretty slim to none looking right now. He may not be at his best right now, but he’s the kind of player who will work hard to do his best (just don’t ask Liverpool fans) and could fire Chelsea to all sorts of glory in the next few years.

But chances are it will come at a price for some of his new teammates.