When you hand a transfer request in to your club who have supported you, stayed loyal to you, sang your name and made excuses for your inconsistencies and bad form, you might expect a bad reaction. So when Fernando Torres did just that, Liverpool fans were not the happiest - with the overriding feeling of utter disappointment and in some cases, the burning of his number 9 red shirt. He will be facing his former team mates on Sunday, and, playing in blue, the Spanish star will be trying his utmost to do something that he has struggled to do all season; score a goal - or even, just to play well. He will therefore, be aiming to get the ball past Pepe Reina in the Liverpool goal. It may be surprising then, that Reina is actually in support of Torres' move away from Liverpool.
The goalkeeper said:
"He decided to leave because he thought it was an opportunity to keep growing as a player and we have to respect that. Some of the people are saying he's being disrespectful with Liverpool, but all that Fernando gave to Liverpool was huge."
"He grew up as a Liverpool player and Liverpool has also grown as he's been a player on the team. At the end of the day, it's daily business, players come and go. It's the club and supporters who are the most important thing for the club."
"Fernando was great for us for three-and-a-half seasons, and we wish him all the best. I think he did everything for this club."
"He maybe didn't leave at the right time, but it was an opportunity for him and he left $50m in the bank which was double the price that he was."Someone who knows all about loyalty is Jamie Carragher, and even he had to admit that Torres was a fantastic player in his time at Liverpool and it was the right time for him to go:
"I think it was probably better that Fernando moved on if he didn't 100 percent want to be here or it was going to happen in the summer.
"It's probably better for everyone all round. I think it's been in the offing since the summer. We always felt that at some stage this season, or maybe the end of the season, this may happen."
"Whether people agree with how he's gone, supporters can't deny he was an absolutely fantastic player for Liverpool."I think they are fair comments, and understandable from guys who played with Torres when he was banging in goals for fun in his first season at Liverpool, but what was disappointing was the way he went, and his comments afterwards that have angered some Liverpool fans. Comments like this:
"The target for every player is to play for one of the tops clubs in the world and I can do it now, so I'm very happy."
Liverpool will have the chance to exact revenge on the man they formerly adored at Anfield tomorrow with their new idol, Luiz Suarez leading the front. It will be tough for Liverpool, but if they can pull off the win against Chelsea and complete the double over them this season, they could be well on their way to a good run of wins and perhaps even scrape fourth?....or fifth.
