The Skipper

Don't have to make up stuff, no one was beating Ronaldo that year. Even if he didn't win the CL he was still the best in the world. Torres finished 3rd in the Ballon d'Or behind Messi and Ronaldo that year, so it wasn't as close as you're making it to be, and Messi was not as good, similarly with Ronaldo, as he is right now. He was definitely the best striker in the world back then but Torres at his peak was not as special as Messi or Ronaldo are right now. Those two are being talked of as being the best players ever, peak Fernando Torres is not up for that discussion sorry.

So do you seriously consider Lars Bender as that playmaker we need next to Matic?

Was at Villa Park for this game, probably the best away game I've ever been to, the atmosphere after Lamps banged in 203 was incredible. What a guy

How is he technically 'very good'? Unless you have a very low boundaries for technically good players I don't see how Lars Bender is "very good" technically. Technical attributes consist of more than passing you know... and his passing isn't even anything spectacular. He doesn't have vision or creativity, doesn't have the ability to take on two or three players at a time, doesn't have much attacking finesse or a great long range shot or finish... I don't know how anyone could say Lars Bender is a technical midfielder in the ilk of Modric, Kroos, Schweinsteiger, Pirlo, Alonso etc. just to name a few... Those are proper technical midfielders, not Lars, who is more about winning the ball back, great positional sense and just being a midfield warrior... He's not bad technically, don't get me wrong, but he isn't known as a technical midfielder at all. He's known for his great defensive contributions.

Lars isn't known as a technical player though, sure he's a pretty decent passer but that's about it. Not sure why you would anyone would say that Lars is technical, no one is underrating that aspect of his game because he simply isn't that sort of player.

That would be very interesting, two monsters in midfield and Witsel is great going forward too. Wouldn't mind it but if Kroos or a fully fit Gundogan are available I'll take them over him.

I wish people would stop saying this, he definitely doesn't work hard in every game. Eto'o and Ba work hard but still get abused by many on here. There have been plenty of games where he's made Berbatov look like a train.

That's what I meant. We don't need him in the squad, he doesn't offer anything different. He won't compliment Matic just like Ramires really doesn't.

We need someone that compliments Matic, not someone who does more or less the same thing.

Similarly with Mata's situation here and to why he wasn't producing his regular numbers, he isn't the side prime creator, Hazard is. He however does have workrate and defensive positioning over someone like Mata or KDB, hence why he's overtook them in the depth chart. As mentioned by some on here before, next year when he's more relaxed and more suited and used to how the team functions, we'll see a lot more creativity from him.

I agree, but barely anyone played "well" today IMO. Everyone was average bar maybe Eto'o, Ba or Matic who were probably slightly above average.

Balanced team I like it. Schurrle deserves to start, Lampard going forward is balanced by Ramires on the right wing. Great subs to bring on too.

Still pretty average game from him, the goal was probably the easiest goal he'll score in his career.

I'd be up for this.

You need to post more often.

Well logic says that Real won't sell Karim, but you're right, Perez is crazy. Wouldn't surprise me if he did end up selling Benzema, and would love it if we were the ones that benefitted from that.

Have said it before, if he's available we need to grab him ASAP. I feel he's mature enough to be the number one striker for someone like us now and his talents are obvious, exactly the sort of striker we need. He can also easily play with Lukaku, just put him out on the wing. There are only two strikers I'd sign ahead of him and they both aren't available (Benzema and Cavani).

Let's just stick to discussing Torres' contributions to the team because you fully know that I don't say any of that about the likes of Ramires, Mikel, Eto'o, Luiz, Cech etc, who have all (bar Eto'o) done way more for this club than Torres has. You're acting like Torres has done so many things for this team... Like I said, apart from playing well against average European sides in the EL, Torres has practically done fuck all for us.

No, that was Schweinsteiger. But yeah if BvB offered that amount I'm pretty sure we probably would've let him go but I sincerely doubt they actually did.

He's played for them in almost every other game.

Yeah sure, Torres was pretty vital in the Europa league against average European sides, but apart from that he hasn't had much of a say in any other trophy he's managed to obtain here.

We sold Juan because United made a great offer, I don't think BvB did the same for KDB.

I'm not judging Salah's performances here at CFC at all, I've actually defended him in that aspect - however I never wanted him to begin with, hence why I wished we signed someone like Griezmann instead.

We should've just signed him instead of Salah IMO.

How much is he worth to you then? I think Luke is probably worth £15m at most but because of the 'English player tax' his value slightly rises - but it doesn't matter because he is definitely worth it IMO, not because of potential but because of where he's at right now. I've stopped looking at him as a young kid with potential... He's already one of the best left backs in the PL. Second best English left back only behind Baines right now IMO.