They were talking about it at the Burnley game last weekend, despite a four-goal win. They were asking Dirk Kuyt about it after the Dutchman had made himself the third-highest European Cup goalscorer in Liverpool's history midweek. Rafa Benitez fielded numerous questions about it yesterday at his press conference, and a few more pre-match. It was the topic for discussion as far as Liverpool were concerned. And now it can stop.
Fernando Torres had already scored three goals in four league games this season prior to today, yet still there was talk that the Spaniard was struggling. They were saying he was rattled by the increasingly close attentions of defenders, drained by a gruelling schedule which encompassed Euro 2008 last summer and the Confederations Cup this one, and frustrated by his side's stuttering start to the Premier League season. He hadn't scored in, wait for it, two games. Two whole games. Burnley at home and Debrecen at home; no goals for Fernando. Crisis.
Well, not quite. It took just twenty minutes for the Spaniard to end his micro-drought, and in typical fashion too. James Tomkins is fairly highly-rated as young defenders go, but Torres made him look amateurish with a drop of his shoulder, a burst of pace, and a powerful poked finish that flew past Robert Green on his near post. 1-0. Crisis over.
Liverpool were far from their best yesterday, especially in a first half that yielded two goals apiece, and saw the likes of Jamie Carragher and Martin Skrtel seriously unnerved by the pace and direct running of West Ham teenager Zavon Hines. But if the Reds defence still has question marks hanging over it, with zonal marking bound to be high on the agenda (again) following Carlton Cole's second equaliser, Torres was in the mood to erase just about every doubt that ever existed about his game.
His movement, so under-appreciated during his goal-less games, dragged West Ham's defence all over the pitch. His strength saw Tomkins, and Danny Gabbidon, bounced around like skittles, and he always looked likely to add to his tally as the game wore on and Liverpool monopolised possession. Where the likes of Yossi Benayoun & Lucas Leiva seemed reluctant to shoot when presented with the chance, Torres was always looking to pull the trigger. Only last-ditch defending prevented him from scoring a second.
That was, until the 75th minute, when substitute Ryan Babel, who had looked to get at the shaky Herita Ilunga from the moment he was introduced for Dirk Kuyt, clipped in an inviting cross from the right wing. Torres' eyes lit up, his spring was too much for Julien Faubert, his header too good for Green. 3-2. Crisis well and truly over.
Benitez had played down the significance of his striker's lack of goals - two games, may I remind you - by praising his all-round game; here he combined both. His performance was standard stuff, hard-work, energy, dedication, intelligence - the goals merely iced the cake. Benitez's belief in his fellow Spaniard has always been unwavering, and his contribution today shows why.
With Torres unable to collect his man-of-the-match award as he received treatment for a knock to his thigh - not serious, apparently - it was left to skipper Steven Gerrard to collect the champagne, and to sum up his team-mate: "We were never worried about it [the lack of goals]," said Gerrard. "We know how good Fernando is and he showed that yesterday."
Fernando Torres had already scored three goals in four league games this season prior to today, yet still there was talk that the Spaniard was struggling. They were saying he was rattled by the increasingly close attentions of defenders, drained by a gruelling schedule which encompassed Euro 2008 last summer and the Confederations Cup this one, and frustrated by his side's stuttering start to the Premier League season. He hadn't scored in, wait for it, two games. Two whole games. Burnley at home and Debrecen at home; no goals for Fernando. Crisis.
Well, not quite. It took just twenty minutes for the Spaniard to end his micro-drought, and in typical fashion too. James Tomkins is fairly highly-rated as young defenders go, but Torres made him look amateurish with a drop of his shoulder, a burst of pace, and a powerful poked finish that flew past Robert Green on his near post. 1-0. Crisis over.
Liverpool were far from their best yesterday, especially in a first half that yielded two goals apiece, and saw the likes of Jamie Carragher and Martin Skrtel seriously unnerved by the pace and direct running of West Ham teenager Zavon Hines. But if the Reds defence still has question marks hanging over it, with zonal marking bound to be high on the agenda (again) following Carlton Cole's second equaliser, Torres was in the mood to erase just about every doubt that ever existed about his game.
His movement, so under-appreciated during his goal-less games, dragged West Ham's defence all over the pitch. His strength saw Tomkins, and Danny Gabbidon, bounced around like skittles, and he always looked likely to add to his tally as the game wore on and Liverpool monopolised possession. Where the likes of Yossi Benayoun & Lucas Leiva seemed reluctant to shoot when presented with the chance, Torres was always looking to pull the trigger. Only last-ditch defending prevented him from scoring a second.
That was, until the 75th minute, when substitute Ryan Babel, who had looked to get at the shaky Herita Ilunga from the moment he was introduced for Dirk Kuyt, clipped in an inviting cross from the right wing. Torres' eyes lit up, his spring was too much for Julien Faubert, his header too good for Green. 3-2. Crisis well and truly over.
Benitez had played down the significance of his striker's lack of goals - two games, may I remind you - by praising his all-round game; here he combined both. His performance was standard stuff, hard-work, energy, dedication, intelligence - the goals merely iced the cake. Benitez's belief in his fellow Spaniard has always been unwavering, and his contribution today shows why.
With Torres unable to collect his man-of-the-match award as he received treatment for a knock to his thigh - not serious, apparently - it was left to skipper Steven Gerrard to collect the champagne, and to sum up his team-mate: "We were never worried about it [the lack of goals]," said Gerrard. "We know how good Fernando is and he showed that yesterday."
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