Torres has this incredible ability to ghost through games. There were a number of times that I honestly forgot he was playing. He does better when playing in the Champions League or for Spain. I really don’t think that this league suits him. I had serious concerns from the day we signed him.
If you play on the wing, you need to be able to win your duels with the fullbacks more than occasionally. The opposition frequently double up on Sterling and Bernardo. Torres fails in most one-on-one situations. He doesn’t have the acceleration, speed or physical strength to cause problems for Premier League defenders.
I’ve read a few times that people are expecting him to dramatically improve this season. I hope they’re right, but I have my doubts. For me, it’s not so much his decision making or the positions he takes up that are the problem. Rather, it’s his physical characteristics that are the most limiting.
He might actually be better suited playing centrally as the striker. He has pretty decent finishing, but I could see him struggling to hold off the central defenders or burst through the defensive line. This season is make or break for him.