Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo refused to criticize Fernando Torres, after the striker failed to make an impact against Queens Park Rangers in this weekend's English Premier League game.
Torres endured a frustrating time against QPR in their goalless draw, failing to find any form and leading to the manager substituting him for Daniel Sturridge with ten minutes to go. Torres did not react kindly to being taken off, storming into the tunnel, clearly frustrated with the decision.
Di Matteo, however, played the reaction down, saying the Spanish striker alone could not be blamed if Chelsea failed to score in a match. "No, no, absolutely not. We can't put too much pressure on one player," Di Matteo said.
"We are a team and everybody has responsibility. We're looking for other players to score goals as well.
Torres' work-rate seemed to go down as the match progressed, and was deservedly taken off for Sturridge, who immediately brought a lot of energy up front. "Torres worked very well and he had a chance to score in the first half and a half-decent chance in the second half as well, he played his part in the game," the Italian said.
"We can't put too much pressure on one player, we are a team and everybody has responsibility and we are looking for other players to score goals as well, Hazard had two great chances and on another day he might have scored.
Di Matteo suggested Sturridge would get more games as the season continues. "He can maybe play more minutes, for sure," he said.
"We've only played four league games up to now, and including QPR we have a run of seven games in 21 days, so there will be a chance for everybody."
The Italian manager admitted defending the Champions League title would be extremely difficult, with the champions beginning their campaign this Wednesday. "To win it twice in a row, it's proven so far impossible, because it's so competitive," Di Matteo observed.
"Every opposition is going to play with extra motivation playing against the title holder of the Champions League. So it makes our lives more difficult."
Meanwhile, Ryan Nelsen has called John Terry's attempts at winning a penalty in their Premier League match as embarrassing. Terry had a penalty claim spurned by referee Andre Marriner, when there looked a bit of contact between the Chelsea defender and Nelsen.
"If you ask John, he just fell down," Nelsen told reporters. "He fell. I was holding him, of course, but he just fell down.
"He does it to everybody in their box. I said to him, 'That was a bit embarrassing, John', and he laughed when he ran off. He didn't say anything -- he was too embarrassed, I think.
"It happens all the time. You watch him fall -- that's life. Fortunately it didn't work. The ref was smart enough to see it.
"He was nowhere near the ball, was never going to win it, so he just fell down. He was just trying to get a penalty and trying to get something for his team to win. I wouldn't make anything out of it."