Former Liverpool midfielder Michael Thomas has described current Liverpool hero Fernando Torres as a “revelation”, believing that the striker and Steven Gerrard’s partnership could see the club end their Premiership title drought.
The 24-year old moved to Anfield from Atletico Madrid in a £22 million deal last summer, and despite doubts from several leading pundits, went on to score 33 times for The Reds in his debut campaign.
‘El Niño’s’ link-up with Gerrard, who manager Rafa Benitez used in a withdrawn role behind the striker, was a rewarding one, with the pair scoring a combined total of 55 goals.
And Thomas believes that the Spain international, who also scored his nation’s winning goal in the Euro 2008 final against Germany, will only improve over the coming years.
"I've been to watch a lot of Liverpool games recently and Torres has been a revelation," Thomas told LFC magazine.
"The Newcastle match - where he scored the second and made the third - showed exactly how good he is. They couldn't stop him that day.
"I'd heard some people say he wasn't a natural striker and they were surprised by his goalscoring ability. I'm not.
"I already knew a bit about him before he moved to England and he's got everything; pace, power, technique, touch, vision. He really is the perfect centre forward.
"His partnership with Steven Gerrard has been devastating and if they continue to play together like that then the team should get better and better."
Another of Benitez’s recruits, Ryan Babel, struggled to make as much of a mark as Torres, though Thomas saw enough in the young Holland forward to believe that he too could prove to be a major hit on Merseyside.
"I really like the look of him," he said.
"It's probably fair to say he had a slow start in the Premier League when he was obviously adjusting to a different style of football in a new country.
"But as the campaign progressed he started to do really well, especially when coming off the bench.
"I honestly believe he's got everything you need to be a top attacking player.
"And if he continues to develop and improve I can see him eventually moving out of a wide position to play as a centre-forward, maybe even alongside Fernando Torres. That would be a great combination."
The 24-year old moved to Anfield from Atletico Madrid in a £22 million deal last summer, and despite doubts from several leading pundits, went on to score 33 times for The Reds in his debut campaign.
‘El Niño’s’ link-up with Gerrard, who manager Rafa Benitez used in a withdrawn role behind the striker, was a rewarding one, with the pair scoring a combined total of 55 goals.
And Thomas believes that the Spain international, who also scored his nation’s winning goal in the Euro 2008 final against Germany, will only improve over the coming years.
"I've been to watch a lot of Liverpool games recently and Torres has been a revelation," Thomas told LFC magazine.
"The Newcastle match - where he scored the second and made the third - showed exactly how good he is. They couldn't stop him that day.
"I'd heard some people say he wasn't a natural striker and they were surprised by his goalscoring ability. I'm not.
"I already knew a bit about him before he moved to England and he's got everything; pace, power, technique, touch, vision. He really is the perfect centre forward.
"His partnership with Steven Gerrard has been devastating and if they continue to play together like that then the team should get better and better."
Another of Benitez’s recruits, Ryan Babel, struggled to make as much of a mark as Torres, though Thomas saw enough in the young Holland forward to believe that he too could prove to be a major hit on Merseyside.
"I really like the look of him," he said.
"It's probably fair to say he had a slow start in the Premier League when he was obviously adjusting to a different style of football in a new country.
"But as the campaign progressed he started to do really well, especially when coming off the bench.
"I honestly believe he's got everything you need to be a top attacking player.
"And if he continues to develop and improve I can see him eventually moving out of a wide position to play as a centre-forward, maybe even alongside Fernando Torres. That would be a great combination."
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