Oriol Romeu has praised Fernando Torres' contribution to the team despite his continued lack of goals for Chelsea.
Former Liverpool striker inches back towards his goalscoring form
Oriol Romeu has praised Fernando Torres' contribution to the team, despite his continued lack of goals for Chelsea.
The 27-year-old has so far only managed to score five goals for the club since joining from Liverpool a year ago.
His £50million record breaking fee seems to have weighed heavily on his shoulders but his display against Sunderland has convinced former Barcelona starlet Romeu the Spain striker is returning to his peak form.
"People used to say that if he doesn't score then he is not playing good, but that is not true," he told the club's
official website.
"He is playing good and he helped us to get the goals. He was playing very good in the game at Wolves and now he played another big game for us. Every ball, he fights and he is big player for us.
Goals
"If he is happy, if he is enjoying it on the pitch then he is going to play better and he helps us much more than if he is not enjoying it on the pitch.
"He is playing very good in the two last games and that is good news for us."
Didier Drogba's participation in the African Cup of Nations with Ivory Coast this month has presented Torres with a chance to claim an extended run of games in the team.
Manager Andre Villas-Boas is impressed with the strides the former Liverpool marksman has made and feels he was unlucky not to score on Saturday.
"He's still not scoring but is ever so close to scoring, which is already good," he said.
Fortune
"Maybe a goal would help on the personal, inspiration level but we are not worried because he is doing well."
Despite the improvement of Torres, Villas-Boas admits his marquee striker will still need an element of luck to get back in the goals.
"It's down to luck when things like this happen," he added.
"Of course, a goalscorer gets goals. But he's very willing to change his fortune and I think the goals will come."
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