The Blue Flag is Flying High at the Bridge Again

First things first, lets not get ahead of ourselves. Chelsea's mini revival consists of four wins against a 10-man Stoke, two championship teams and a Napoli side who are somewhat lacking experience in the big European nights.

However, the quality of football is certainly better, the players seem happier and Torres has remembered how to score.

Wednesday's Champions League win against Napoli was very much a show of the irreplaceable 'old guard'. Sunday's FA cup win over Leicester gave much of the 'new guard' a chance to show that the old guard could be replaced, a chance which they grasped with both hands.

On a weekend that was overshadowed by the tragic events surrounding Bolton midfielder Fabrice Muamba, it was fitting that former Bolton team mate and friend Gary Cahill scored the opening goal in Chelsea's 5-2 triumph. The England defender proceeded to show his support for Muamba by lifting his shirt in celebration to display the message 'pray 4 Muamba'.

In an exciting cup tie, Chelsea found themselves 2-0 up at the break thanks to a man who has threatened to be part of a Chelsea new guard for several years without really delivering, Soloman Kalou. Maybe this will be the beginning of something new for the Ivorian. Then cue Fernando Torres...

In Physics, the term Torr is used to measure pressure. In fairness to the Spaniard the pressure placed on him, mainly by the media, was off the scale. The striker had gone 24 hours without a goal for the London side, a drought that looked to be prolonged after missing several good chances prior to his goal. When Raul Meireles aimed a low cross in at Torres, only for the Spaniard to scuff the ball goalwards it seemed initially as if it were another missed opportunity. But as the ball trickled across the line, it seemed to take an age, but it was worth the wait as Torres was now back on the goal trail, at long last.

After Jermaine Beckford grabbed a goal back for the Foxes, Torres proved that he really was back in business, by flashing a header into the far corner of the net from a Juan Mata corner. He then went onto bag his second assist of the day by returning the favour, unselfishly, for Meireles to complete the scoring. Two goals and two assists, not a bad return for a £50 million striker. It's just a pity it has taken so long, too long.

After scoring, surprisingly, only his second and third FA cup goals - having scored only one in his time at Liverpool - Torres admitted, " I needed those goals. I was working so hard to get them". Manager Roberto Di Matteo added, "Torres was terrific today and his goals will help him. We all have a lot of belief in him and when you work as hard as he does, the rewards will eventually come".

I'm sure most reasonable football fans wish that today is the beginning of a new era for Fernando Torres, and he can forget all about the embarrassing two years that have preceded him. If the blue flag is to fly high at Stamford Bridge, with tough games against Man City and Spurs, as well as crucial cup runs on the horizon, Chelsea will need every man to be accounted for.