Pepe: Why Torres wasn't scoring

Pepe: Why Torres wasn't scoring

Pepe Reina insists the whole team is to blame for Fernando Torres's lack of goals this season.

 

The No.25 believes the service to Torres has not been up to scratch throughout the early stages of 2010-11 - but he hopes his countryman's winner against Blackburn Rovers on Sunday will mark a turning point.

And Reina likened the situation with Torres to that endured by David Villa, who has scored just two goals in eight Primera Division outings since his big-money move to Barcelona.

"All strikers are about goals," said Reina. "They want to score them and they want to score the winners like Fernando did against Blackburn.

"I think he can build up now to what he was like of old. What has happened to him is more or less what has happened to Villa in Barcelona.

"They are both great players but when strikers are not scoring people are always disappointed in them. It's not fair. I don't think we have been giving him the assists that we should, particularly in the last few weeks.

He has not been able to do anything at all.

"We know he is the type of player that can win a game just like that but we can't expect him to keep doing it on his own. We have to feed him in. That's the point."

Meanwhile, after meeting new owners NESV at Melwood a week ago, Reina is confident the new regime can facilitate a turnaround in fortunes at Anfield.

"It was an important step," said the 28-year-old. "It has been a great moment for the club, an important step forward. Let's see if we can build up from now and maybe they can help us a little bit in the winter transfer window. They are very committed to the club now.

"What I understand is they have been doing really good stuff in Boston and let's be optimistic now."

Asked if he had spoken to John W Henry or Thomas Werner at length, Reina replied: "No. It was just a brief chat, like the rest of the team. We have just been keeping focused on what we are doing, because it has been a tough situation.

"Thankfully the win over Blackburn means we are slightly better off than we were. It is a really tight table.

We are only three points from eighth place and now the challenge is to keep winning games. We can't give this up. That's the way we have to be in every single game."

Next up in the league for Liverpool is a trip to Bolton, followed by a home clash with league leaders Chelsea.

Reina knows two victories could have a major impact on the season ahead - and he thinks the Reds will go into the fixtures with a new confidence.

He explained: "The supporters were great once again against Blackburn because we were showing a little bit of the old spirit and we have to keep believing in ourselves because we are not such a bad team.

"If we play like that and deliver this kind of performance there will be more victories than defeats.

"It is all about confidence, when you are not winning games it is difficult to be out there and competitive.

"We just have to win a couple of games in a row and get ourselves back on a better track and keep that philosophy that we have had for the last few seasons.

"We are not a bad team but we have to show it week in, week out. We have just got to keep winning games and not give it up."

Pepe: Why Torres wasn't scoring