Chelsea FC: Fernando Torres and the 8 Worst Players This Season

Allan JiangTransfers CorrespondentFebruary 25, 2012

Chelsea FC: Fernando Torres and the 8 Worst Players This Season

0 of 8

    André Villas-Boas surely would be sacked if Chelsea somehow dropped points against 19th-placed Bolton Wanderers.

    A 3-0 win against the second-worst defence in the league should be the minimum expected from Villas-Boas' side. 

    Even though his tactics and man-management have been disastrous, some of his players have displayed ineptitude of the highest order. 

    Here are the eight worst Chelsea players this season. 

    Follow allanjiangLIVE on Twitter

Gary Cahill

1 of 8

    André Villas-Boas just wasted £7 million buying one of the worst centre-backs in the league.

    Did Villas-Boas think Gary Cahill would magically turn into Mats Hummels overnight? 

    Cahill has started three games and Chelsea have conceded seven goals. At least Cahill is consistent because he was terrible at Bolton Wanderers and he's terrible at Chelsea. 

    He was humiliated by Edinson Cavani, who could have scored a hat trick and provided a hat trick of assists. 

    If Villas-Boas is in the market to sign mediocre defenders for an weak back line, here's a few suggestions: Armand Traoré, Roger Johnson, Gary Caldwell, James Perch and Marco Motta. 

Didier Drogba

2 of 8

    The real Didier Drogba only showed up against Valencia, aside from that game, he's been anemic and weak for the majority of the season. 

    Drogba provided 17 assists last season, but he's only created 0.9 shots per game this season. 

    His goal-scoring record is abysmal whilst someone like Daniel Sturridge, who can put the ball in the back of the net (from a wide position), can't even get games as a centre-forward. 

    Just illustrates how flawed André Villas-Boas is. 

John Obi Mikel

3 of 8

    In a high line, the midfielder protecting the back four needs to be able consistently tackle and intercept the ball. 

    John Obi Mikel isn't a defensive midfielder—more so a deep-lying midfielder. 

    So for a few games, André Villas-Boas had Mikel, who couldn't tackle; David Luiz, who lost his bearings every second game; José I can't defend Bosingwa and John Terry trying his best in a system that exploited his pace. 

    I do feel sorry for Mikel because he's sacrificed his statistics and played a role he's never wanted to play for six seasons. 

    Before he transferred to Chelsea (which in itself was a debacle because he had signed for Manchester United), he was a talented playmaker. 

    In Samson Siasia's 4-1-3-2, Mikel was the central attacking midfielder and I need not remind you that he was second-best player, behind Lionel Messi, at the 2005 FIFA U-20 World Cup. 

    The FIFA Technical Study Group listed Mikel as an outstanding player and praised his vision. 

Fernando Torres

4 of 8

    Chelsea are stuck with Fernando Torres till 2016, yet André Villas-Boas starts Didier Drogba, who probably will leave in the summer. 

    Torres has worked so hard pressuring opposing defenders, providing assists and playing in a front three that is disjointed because Daniel Sturridge is so selfish. 

    That being said, Torres' shooting has been woeful—two Premier League goals from 43 shots. 

    If you were wondering, Sturridge has taken 59 shots from a wide position. 

    A great manager can inspire a struggling player to overachieve, whereas as an average manager like Villas-Boas benches Torres. 

Raul Meireles

5 of 8

    Raul Meireles has played a few decent games but how does he continue to start games after so many anonymous performances? 

    The only explanation is that André Villas-Boas has selected Meireles in his fantasy team. 

Florent Malouda

6 of 8

    Why play let alone start Florent Malouda when he has no desire to be part of Chelsea's future?

    André Villas-Boas may as well take a punt with Lucas Piazón instead of starting a lackluster Malouda.

David Luiz

7 of 8

    Chelsea spent £21 million on a defender who probably plays himself as a trequartista on FIFA 12. 

    David Luiz looks splendid going forward, but he's a liability at the back. 

    How many more inept performances does Luiz have to play before André Villas-Boas drops the Brazilian? 

    There is a simple solution to this: move Luiz into midfield because he has brilliant vision, good dribbling ability and intercepts the ball well. 

José Bosingwa

8 of 8

    If José Bosingwa didn't pull his hamstring, Chelsea could have suffered the same fate Roma did against Manchester United. 

    The question isn't how Bosingwa has started 23 games at right-back, but how on earth has he played three games at left-back? 

    André Villas-Boas has been so unfair to Ryan Bertrand who didn't make the UEFA Champions League squad even though the squad didn't have a backup left-back. 

    Bosingwa is one of the worst defenders in the world and he is overrated as an attacker.

    He only averages 0.8 successful dribbles per game and has completed a pathetic 17 percent of his crosses. No wonder Fernando Torres can't score. 

X