World Football: 5 Worst Misses This Season

Fernando Torres’s atrocious miss against Manchester United took all the headlines this week. 

Some felt bad for him, but many spat fire on him—saying the golden locks of once a much feared hit-man are now the ones of a dumb, clueless blonde struggling to understand what went wrong. 

Truth is, Torres shouldn't feel so mortified. 

Every footballer is prone to an error or a bad day, even one of his class and quality.

In fact, there have been a few other horror misses this season which made El Nino’s miss as surprising as Emile Heskey scoring or Joey Barton not fighting.  

We take a look at the five worst misses in football this season:-

5) Luis Suarez (vs. Stoke City)

After a great season start, Liverpool were up against the wall against Stoke City. 

They were losing to a John Walters penalty and heading towards a first defeat with time ticking away. 

Then, in the 94^th minute, Charlie Adam whipped in a hopeful ball into penalty box.

Stoke keeper Asmir Begovic came to collect, flapped at it and the ball landed at none other than Luis Suarez’s feet. 

With the goal empty and the ball begging to be put in, Suarez somehow skewed wide and the game was over. 

Liverpool suffered their first defeat of the season, while Stoke enjoyed their best ever start in the EPL.

4) Tim Cahill ( vs. QPR)

Everton started this season with the unwanted distinction of being the only club not to make any signings. 

They were, however, favorites against a newly promoted QPR, who were deemed by many to be destined for an instant drop back to The Championship, especially after their 4-0 home drubbing to Bolton the week before. 

All credit to them, QPR started brightly and took the lead through a great Tommy Smith strike. 

Everton were stunned and went on the attack immediately.  The equalizer should have come soon after, if not for Tim Cahill’s shocking miss. 

Sylvian Distin whipped in a delicious looking cross from the right and it fell straight on Cahill’s head from barely three yards out.

A player so deadly from headers, his directed attempt found the fans at the back of the goal rather than inside it.

The Toffees tried valiantly to find a goal after that but failed, and were booed at the end of the match.

3) Ramires (vs. Manchester United)

Ramires was causing United all sorts of problems with his darting runs into the box.

He surged from box to box with endless stamina, hoping to make something happen in every Chelsea attack.

He had the perfect chance to do that, and bring Chelsea level in the match at 1-1.

Torres played in a great cross and, with only De Gea to beat, Ramires was expected to tuck away the equalizer with ease.  

No one really knew what went through his mind, because instead of sliding home emphatically, he merely rolled the ball into a grateful De Gea's hands. 

Daniel Sturridge, who stood in a more promising position to score, would give him a tongue lashing that rang until the game ended.

2) Robert Earnshaw (vs. England)

Wales took on England in the Euro 2012 qualifier, with a squad finally looking good enough to match their long hated neighbors. 

They outplayed the Three Lions throughout the game as well, Ashley Young’s strike never merited such a toothless performance. 

The chance to draw level came in the 75^th minute, a free-kick was floated beyond every England player and Darcy Blake put the ball on a plate for Robert Earnshaw to tap home. 

The striker somehow side footed the ball so high it almost hit the helicopter covering the aerial view of the game, denying Wales a precious point, and left manager Gary Speed shaking his head in disgust.

1) Fernando Torres (vs. Manchester United)

This had to be No. 1 on the list, no matter what the possible outcome of the game. 

Fernando Torres missed a chance that a blind man would have netted in his sleep, and buried his face in the hallowed Old Trafford turf.

Off balance or lack of confidence, only the man himself will know.

For the gem of a talent that he is, it is worth getting down on both knees and asking God to help this poor soul regain his form, and help Chelsea stop Manchester United from walking away with yet another title.

Honorable Mention – ( Dimitar Berbatov vs Chelsea)

He should have scored a fourth goal that would have put gloss on the scoreline. 

Instead, he shot a daisy cutter which Ashley Cole easily cleared to ensure the bench he came from will continue to stay warm until the day he leaves the club.