BG

Strangely I saw Carlton scoring yesterday. Shuddered to think if Hodgson had had the January window we'd probably now have Carlton Cole upfront instead of Suarez - and for about the same money. Cheered me up a bit.

Yeah I think there's something in this too but for bits of last season for us when he could be bothered he still looked unrecognisable from how he now looks.

Yes I agree. Xabi was very good at getting it quickly to Gerrard especially and thereby taking most of the opposition's midfield out of the game. As an aside I think Pirlo was good at this for the AC Milan team of Kaka and Shevchenko in a similar way.

Just read the interview in Spanish. Torres is basically pointing out that the style of Chelsea is the least 'English' of the PL clubs in that they play it slow a lot and don't play 'vertically' and quickly much. He seems to think AVB is after playing faster and more 'vertically'. FWIW I saw Torres live at Athletico four or five times and he never impressed me that much I think in part because in that style he was struggling to make things work as he is at Chelsea. During his best time with us we were getting it forward to him quickly by getting a nice supply line of players (especially when Gerrard was playing close to him) who moved it accurately and quickly to him. That's the way his game functions best. As such I think it was reasonably predictable that he'd struggle at Chelsea unless they changed the way they played quite a bit. (I think Shevchenko struggled partly for similar reasons.) My guess is that things may well not work out for him there now. They style's a problem, his confidence is shot and there's serious competition just to play (he's full of praise for Sturridge in the interview as well). I think whoever signs him next if they do so in the next 12 months may get a bit of a bargain assuming they play in a way that suits him and he gets his confidence going.

Yeah the Indy one is snide and a bit irritating in that its just his comment rather than any view as such of what actually went on in the match. The Guardian one though is actually pretty distasteful in its implications and IMHO much more offensive.

Yes I got that you were joking.

He was incredible in Our Friends in the North. Edit: Craig, not Olivier...

Hard to credit he's not played for his country on the basis of that performance. Looked excellent defensively and going forward and also plays intelligent passes.

Agree that he's clearly just trying to bed in. Reminds me a bit of early Lucas in that way. That said, while he's clearly a very different player to Lucas, I like the look of him for similar reasons - he does the basics very well. I think he's got a good touch, always shows for the ball, passes it well and had good movement and athleticism. That's not a bad starting point in my view.

Just watched RFH's interview and thanked god he's no longer with us.

Lacking intensity in this half.

Talking himself up for the England job...

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Agreed. There's also no reason why they should accept market value if they don't want to sell them. Their not for profit status changes nothing in that regard.

I think I saw he's gone to Fulham in the paper this morning.

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Ha! "At that moment I WAS a marine biologist."

He played most of Munich's games the season before he left and started games for Germany in the world cup. That's not what I'd call "hardly established". He improved in the following years but then again defensive midfielders often do in their mid to late twenties.

He was playing for Munich and in the German World Cup squad.

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