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Chelsea's Andre Villas-Boas defends Fernando Torres in wake of Carlo Ancelotti criticism
The new PSG boss claimed earlier this week that the Blue's £50m signing was in the shadow of Didier Drogba, and that the Ivorian needed to leave for the Spaniard to flourish
Jan 20, 2012 7:22:00 AM
By Jay Jaffa
Getty images
Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas has come to the defense of his 50 million pounds striker Fernando Torres following suggestions by the former Blues manager Carlo Ancelotti that he has been 'devoured' by the personality of Didier Drogba.
The current Paris Saint-Germain coach claimed this week that Torres could not shine for Chelsea until Drogba was sold as the Ivorian's ego was too dominant in the Stamford Bridge dressing room.
However, Villas-Boas rejected the suggestion that Torres was mentally weak and claimed he is happy with the Spaniard's performances.
"It would be unfair for a player of Fernando's personality and dimension to conclude that one is inflicting on the other one's belief,” Villas-Boas said.
"If that was the case with any player, it would be a mental weakness or a mental block, which is not the case in my opinion.
"We have a player like Dzeko with plenty of goals but he's not used all the time by City.
"The numbers, statistically, are impressive for Dzeko.
"He had scored 10 goals in the first few weeks of the season.
"But (City boss Roberto) Mancini feels others offer something positive and different for the team."
Villas-Boas concluded that despite the disappointing goal return, the statistics alone are not enough to judge Torres' worth to Chelsea.
"He's a striker with a hunger for goals who wants to be in the box,” the Chelsea boss added.
"We've seen him in the box, we've seen him arrive and create danger.
"As long as he's working well for the team, I don't care how the statistics will finish and how dramatic people think they are."
The current Paris Saint-Germain coach claimed this week that Torres could not shine for Chelsea until Drogba was sold as the Ivorian's ego was too dominant in the Stamford Bridge dressing room.
However, Villas-Boas rejected the suggestion that Torres was mentally weak and claimed he is happy with the Spaniard's performances.
"It would be unfair for a player of Fernando's personality and dimension to conclude that one is inflicting on the other one's belief,” Villas-Boas said.
"If that was the case with any player, it would be a mental weakness or a mental block, which is not the case in my opinion.
"We have a player like Dzeko with plenty of goals but he's not used all the time by City.
"The numbers, statistically, are impressive for Dzeko.
"He had scored 10 goals in the first few weeks of the season.
"But (City boss Roberto) Mancini feels others offer something positive and different for the team."
Villas-Boas concluded that despite the disappointing goal return, the statistics alone are not enough to judge Torres' worth to Chelsea.
"He's a striker with a hunger for goals who wants to be in the box,” the Chelsea boss added.
"We've seen him in the box, we've seen him arrive and create danger.
"As long as he's working well for the team, I don't care how the statistics will finish and how dramatic people think they are."
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