Fernando Torres: I am over blues at Chelsea

Fernando Torres admits he has had a nightmare first six months at Chelsea – but is convinced he has turned the corner. Torres has scored only three goals in 25 games since joining from Liverpool for £50million last January, but two of those have come in the last two matches. Having followed up the miss of the season so far – shooting wide with an open goal at his mercy in Chelsea’s defeat at Manchester United – by being sent off on Saturday for the first time in English football, Torres has vowed to repay fans and team-mates alike. Last night, Torres, 27, said: “The first six months for me at Chelsea have been very, very difficult. I have been struggling. “But I’ve always appreciated the support of the fans – not just now, when things are going right, but from the first day. “Every time I talked to them in the street or a cafe, I could feel the support they gave me. It’s nice to start scoring for them. “It is something that has impressed me from day one. When you are doing great and scoring goals and putting in good performances, it is easy for the fans to love and support you.” Torres went on to apologise for the crude lunge at Mark Gower on Saturday that wrecked a day that had begun so well for him, and forced his team to play out the remaining 51 minutes with 10 men. Torres, set to lead the Chelsea attack again in their Champions League game in Valencia tomorrow, said: “I didn’t mean it, for sure. It’s the first time I’ve received a red card in the Premier League and hopefully it will be the last. “I was very disappointed because it meant the team had to play with 10 men for a lot of time. "I didn’t want to do anything bad to the other player. I tried to take my leg away but I arrived to the ball late and kicked him a little bit. It’s a pity and I was really disappointed.” Torres will miss league games against Bolton, Everton and QPR, having scored against United and Swansea in successive games. Unfortunately for him, it comes at a time when his confidence has been buoyed by the arrival of players such as former Valencia winger Juan Mata, whom he feels can give him the service he needs. He said: “When you have players like Mata, they have the quality to release these kind of passes. When he’s on the ball, you know he is going to do it for you.” Torres also revealed he is now so settled at Chelsea he has bought a house near Stamford Bridge and walks to the ground for games. “It’s different playing in England, especially at Chelsea, than it is in Spain,” he said. “I don’t live far from the ground, and it’s nice to see the atmosphere and all the fans waiting.”