• Premier League

Torres: I should have scored more at Chelsea

Fernando Torres has struggled for goals since his arrival to Chelsea © PA Photos

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Chelsea striker Fernando Torres admits that he should have scored more goals in his time at Stamford Bridge, following a £50 million move from Liverpool in January 2011.

Torres has taken three years to bag 41 goals for Chelsea - and has netted only two this season in the league - while at Anfield he impressed immediately with 33 in his first season and ended with 81 in 142 games.

In an interview with Sky Sports, Torres was asked if he was happy overall with his move to Stamford Bridge, and replied: "Yes with the trophies and performances, but not about the goals. I came here to win trophies and I have.

"I've been lucky enough to win almost everything and I still have time to win the Premier League, something I've never won. I'm quite happy with my work contribution to the team but not about my goals. I should have scored more and I have to look at myself but it doesn't matter who scores the goals, it's about the team winning."

Having seen a dip in form over recent years, Torres was understanding that various managers at Chelsea have chosen others to take the starting position. Now with Jose Mourinho back, the striker is battling with Samuel Eto'o and Demba Ba for game time and insists that only goals would guarantee his place.

"If you perform and you score every weekend then you are going to play," he explained. "That's why [Cristiano] Ronaldo and [Lionel] Messi never rotate because they score every game.

"I'm realistic. I know I'm not scoring the goals I should and someone is taking my place, that's football. In life you're not always perfect. You have difficulties and problems and you have to be strong. I don't think people go from zero to hero in one day and stay there for a long time, that's not real. One day they will have a difficult experience and if you have good and bad on the way then you're more prepared."

Torres also urged his team-mates to quickly adapt to the style of play demanded by manager Mourinho. Monday's trip to leaders Arsenal offers the Blues the chance to get back into the Premier League title race after some inconsistent performances which have included Tuesday's shock 2-1 Capital One Cup quarter-final defeat at Sunderland.

"When a new manager comes in he needs ... to know the quality of the players, he needs to build the team and adapt the players to his ways," Torres added. "We are in this process but it's not easy. Sometimes you need two months for things to settle, sometimes you need three years.

"But in football these days you have no time to do that and we need to hurry up. Everyone needs to adapt to what the manager wants."

The barren run he and his fellow strikers have experienced this season has been a source of frustration for Mourinho who has made it clear he expects better from his team. Indeed Torres is hopeful that they can improve.

"We need to score more goals ... and we have to improve, we know that," he said. "I don't think he is only blaming the strikers. They of course are responsible because it's their job to score goals but I think he's talking about the team too, that's the way I like to see it anyway."

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