Ferran Torres is reaping the benefits of relocating a positive outlook at Manchester City, with Pep Guardiola stating the Spain forward was "upset with the world, with many situations".
Torres netted a fine hat-trick, which began with a spectacular improvised volley, when the Premier League champions won 4-3 at Newcastle United last Friday.
Those goals moved Torres onto 19 for club and country this season, although his form tailed off considerably during the middle of the campaign – a situation that was compromised by a bout of coronavirus.
Speaking ahead of Tuesday's match at Brighton and Hove Albion, Guardiola reiterated the value he places upon players remaining upbeat when form and selection are not going their way, suggesting Torres has fallen short in this regard at times since joining from Valencia for £21.2million last August.
"The players, like teams, are not a stable situation. There is up and down with all players," Guardiola said.
"Ferran was in an incredible mood when he arrived, [then] in one period sad, upset with the world, with many situations and that's why he didn't play good. When he changed his mind and he was open and he started to smile again, always he played good.
"And the football depends on the mood, the confidence of the players. We try to help them but it depends on them. You can complain or you can move forward all the time. And the guys who move forward and they are positive, always football rewards you.
"When you start to complain all the time, then the train comes over you and other guys will take your position.
"Football doesn’t wait. If you're not in the right moment, there will be another guy who will take your position. When you are positive, the guys are always playing good."
Torres has scored 13 times for City in all competitions this season, putting him level with Gabriel Jesus. Only Ilkay Gundogan (16), Phil Foden, Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling (all 14) have scored more.
The 21-year-old's minutes-per-goal rate of 159.85 is comfortably the best in Guardiola's squad, with no other player who has scored five or more times below 200 minutes.
Nevertheless, his season can be split into three fairly clear sections.
From the start of the campaign up to and including a goalscoring contribution to a home win over Newcastle on Boxing Day, Torres scored seven times for his club and also hit a hat-trick in Spain's 6-0 Nations League thrashing of Germany.
For City, he averaged 0.56 goals per 90 minutes and boasted a shot conversion rate of 20 per cent, out-performing an expected goals (xG) figure of 5.75 and vindicating Guardiola's decision to frequently deploy a natural winger at the centre of his attack.
"We used him in that position because for quite a long period of the season Gabriel and Sergio [Aguero] were injured," he said.
"We have players that can play in different positions and Ferran is one of them."
Then, COVID-19 struck and Torres became a more marginal figure, featuring 10 times between the turn of the year and the March international break and netting a solitary goal against League Two Cheltenham in the FA Cup.
That paltry return came from 15 shots over this period, amounting to a conversion rate of 6.67 per cent and an xG under-performance (2.24).
It means the stint of low mood that Guardiola mentioned is not too hard to pick out, although back-to-back goals in Spain's World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Kosovo appear to sparkTorres once more.
In six appearances and five starts for City since, he has five goals at a rate of one every 83.2 minutes, far exceeding his 1.77 xG.
Torres' conversion rate during this most recent spell is up at 41.67 per cent and the poaching instincts that were to the fore in his second and third goals against Newcastle are borne out in the fact he has scored three of his past four "big chances", according to Opta.
His opener does not fall into that category, but such an ingenious move coming off is perhaps indicative of a player back in form and giving his manager a useful problem ahead of this month's Champions League final.
"The goal was so nice, difficult execution. An absolutely talented action," Guardiola added.
"In training sessions he always has the ability in front of goal. He is a good finisher. He has pace, quality and good decision-making."
As City continue to be linked with mega-money moves for a new striker and Aguero prepares to leave the Etihad Stadium after a record-breaking decade, maybe they have a very useful solution in-house.
Bucks confident of returning to the top after Lillard trade
Damian Lillard will be tasked with helping the Milwaukee Bucks return to the top of the NBA after his trade from the Portland Trail Blazers.
Star guard Lillard signed for the Bucks on Wednesday in a three-way trade – which also included the Phoenix Suns – that saw Jrue Holiday, Deandre Ayton and Toumani Camara on the move too.
Lillard leaves Portland after 11 years with the Trail Blazers. He is a seven-time All-Star and enjoyed a career-best season in 2022-23, averaging 32.2 points and 7.3 assists, though he did sit out the final month of the season due to injury.
Now, the Bucks – the 2021 NBA Champions – will be hoping that Lillard can combine with two-time league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo to push them towards another title, following a disappointing first-round exit at the hands of the Miami Heat in last season's playoffs.
Fast Fact
Despite missing the last 10 games of the season, Lillard (1,866) was Portland's highest points scorer last term by over 500, with Anfernee Simons next best for the Trail Blazers with 1,306.
Lillard a difference-maker
"His character, competitiveness, talent and experience complement our group and gives us the best chance to win at the very highest level as we create new memories together," Bucks general manager Jon Horst said of Lillard.
So, does Lillard have what it takes to make the difference for the Bucks?
Lillard leaves Portland as a franchise great. He ranks first in team history in points and three-pointers and second in assists. Including the playoffs, he had 17 games with 50+ points for the Blazers. All other players in franchise history have only combined for seven 50-point games. He is a big-game player, and he should help ease the burden on Antetokounmpo.
Xavi wants Barcelona to make defensive improvements against Sevilla
Barcelona boss Xavi wants his side to defend better as they prepare for their LaLiga clash with Sevilla on Friday.
Barca are currently unbeaten in the league so far this term but have conceded four goals in their last two games, coming from behind to beat Celta Vigo 3-2 before a 2-2 draw with Mallorca.
Despite their recent defensive flaws, Xavi’s side have scored 18 goals, which is the joint most in the division alongside league leaders Girona.
The Barca boss acknowledged those differences but thinks his side have to improve at the back.
He said: “We might not be as brilliant in defence as we were last season.
“We need to improve our pressure after losing the ball, press higher up the pitch, concentrate a bit harder.
“But we have got better up front. We created six clear chances against Mallorca and I think that’s good baggage.”
The Catalan giants will face a Sevilla side who, after a tough start to the campaign, are starting to show their true colours and are currently unbeaten in three.
Xavi praised their opponents on Friday and has called on the home fans to be the 12th man.
He added: “Sevilla are the defending Europa League champions and a difficult team to play.
“They’re solid, they like to play down the wings and play a direct, vertical game. But we’re at home.
“We need the fans and the atmosphere at Montjuic to get back on the winning track.”
A win for Barcelona could take them top of the league temporarily before the top two, Girona and Real Madrid, face each other on Saturday.
Xavi is not surprised by how well current league leaders Girona are doing.
He continued: “It’s no surprise to me because they have been doing things well at that club for several years.”
Chaos at Scunthorpe – Owner ends funding with club forced to leave Glanford Park
The future of Scunthorpe has taken another bleak turn after owner David Hilton decided to withdraw his funding, with the club forced to play away from their Glanford Park home.
Now plying their trade in the National League North, Scunthorpe were in the Championship just 13 years ago but now face the continued, very real threat of extinction.
To only complicate matters further, following an announcement they would leave Glanford Park to play their home games at Gainsborough Trinity, their near-neighbours from the Northern League insisted that statement was issued without their “knowledge or consent”.
The Iron confirmed on Thursday afternoon that Hilton had opted to pull his money out of the beleaguered club.
“The club owner and chairman has recently notified the board of directors of his decision to withdraw his funding from the club moving forward,” a statement read.
“He has also notified them that he feels his position at the club is untenable, and is actively seeking a way out. Based on this information, both Ian Dawson and Tahina Akther have decided to resign from their positions with immediate affect.
“We can confirm that numerous parties have made contact with the club with a view to taking over, but faced with stadium issues, numerous litigation proceedings and winding up petitions no potential purchasers are looking to move forward. This includes the consortium of local business people and supporters.
“The chairman and remaining board members have now set out a plan in order to very quickly make the club sustainable.”
The statement went on to confirm they would host their upcoming home games against Buxton and Brackley Town at Glanford Park before relocating due to a dispute with land owners Coolsilk, run by former Scunthorpe owner Peter Swann.
“The club will vacate Glanford Park after the Brackley Town fixture and fulfill the season’s fixtures across at Gainsborough Trinity,” the statement continued.
“This is not a day-to-day cost cutting exercise. This is due to Coolsilk refusing to engage with the club and demanding vacant possession before they will begin to do so.
“This is also due to the risk the club faces of being liable for hundreds of thousands of pounds in legal fees and back dated market rent, along with significant monthly legal costs of our own that will certainly impact any attempts to create sustainability.
“In any case, Coolsilk own the property and will undoubtedly get possession back at some point, and therefore it is no longer viable without the financial support of the chairman to put the club at risk with such a gamble to merely guarantee a few extra months at the stadium.”
Despite announcing they would play their games 16 miles away at the Gainsborough Martin & Co Arena – Trinity insist they have not signed off on any such agreement.
“Gainsborough Trinity FC are aware of a statement issued today by Scunthorpe United,” they said in their own statement.
“This statement was issued without the knowledge or consent of Gainsborough Trinity.
“Whilst the club has always been clear that any requests from Scunthorpe United to play fixtures at the KAL Group Stadium would be considered, this would always have to be done by due process which would involve both clubs and the ground owner.”
Scunthorpe currently sit fourth in the National League North and have lost just one of their opening nine league games of the campaign.
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