dodojojo

Mata looks convinced. The next Spain get together is Sept 2nd. Who should Gourlay/AVB order Torres to talk to next? Iniesta?

Torres following orders to talk Mata into moving to Chelsea.

Ramires for Lampard and that's it.

So happy classy AVB is at Chelsea.

Do you think it's discipline? Especially with a Mourinho team? I think it's just life with Messi. Ronaldo is a great, great player who has the misfortune to be in his prime in the shadow of a phenom like Messi. I think he, like RM to Barca, is doomed to be 2nd best as long as Messi is around.

So does this mean Cesc has won more with Barca than he had with Arsenal?

The guy never plays but is always involved in the spats. Attention whore. RM once again not good enough. They have very little to complain about. Their only fault is that they don't have Messi.

Another great game ruined by histronics. IF Spain doesn't win Euro 2012, it'll be down to the internal drama btw the RM and Barca players.

Jaw dropping goal from Messi. Screw stats, moneyball, tactics, whatever, that type of talent is breathtaking.

Some of the rants and jokes have been funny I admit. But now we are bordering on an over-reaction to his dire game on Sunday. It was one bad game. Having said that, he shouldn't be starting. So blame AVB for that one. Why he started a player who had been awful during the preseason, I'll never understand.

Incredible how high up Pique plays. And nice skill to pass to Messi. Can you imagine any CB in England playing like that?

Took me awhile to even realize Villa was playing today. Fabergas and Sanchez on the bench, christ. Barca's jersey is hideous. It's even worse than Chelsea's black one.

That situation? Okay, again extenuating circumstances. He had one defender draped on him, the keeper a foot or two away blocking and his back was facing goal. Could he have scored, maybe. But that was a weird play situation.

Exactly, thank you.

That was the only thing Torres did? Sorry, most of us must have watched a different game from you. How about the games where it didn't work? Maybe that's why Chelsea aren't defending PL and CL champions? Just because it works every now and then doesn't mean Chelsea should be happy to play their center forwards as wingers and playmakers all in one. It's not sustainable and it won't work against well organized and/or super talented teams. No one on this team is Messi. Torres tried on Sunday to do all he could. It's one game, it didn't work. Chelsea got a point. You mean the one where he dribbled 2 or 3 defenders and Shawcross landed on his ass? Watch the replay, he didn't misjudge the ball. Shawcross nudged the ball away after being completely dribbled onto his ass by Torres.

Torres can play on the left because he is reasonably competent in dribbling and getting by defenders. But his crossing is usually pretty poor and I don't think he would provide true width. In other words, he's a more talented Kalouda. He could do it but it would definitely be a round peg in a square hole. Play him there and you're basically negating the comparative advantage of having a center forward like Torres.

Though if Mata and Modri are signed, Meireles should come too. Chelsea's masterplan to sign all M players. Messi is next.

Fernando is sitting in the timeout corner because he hasn't convinced Mata to join CFC...yet. Juan, please come to Chelsea and free Fernando from the timeout corner.

Neither is Meireles.

Didn't realize my post implied that. A rout would be nice, any type of win is expected.

I hope Torres starts, there's a glimpse of his form returning and if he starts and plays well, it'll be 4 games (Villa, Rangers, Stoke...) in a row where he's done well. A run of good form is needed. It'll be good for him to get some chances against WBA and Norwich rather than hoping his first goal comes against Sunderland or Man U in September.

Was he still good? Did he dive? A pickup game with a world class striker and world cup winner, wow. And do we really call him Klinsi? Spain have confirmed a friendly with Chile on Friday, September 2nd. Torres toddling off.

Isn't 52M?

He could definitely find the strikers with a pass and score a few himself. I'd be worried about his knees. Though as a loan, it wouldn't be much of a risk. The bigger concern is if he could deal with the frenetic pace of the PL. His best years were in Serie A where it's more languid and very tactical. I'm also not sure where he would play in 4-3-3? We could go 4-4-1-1 with him behind Torres. He would basically be Gerrard.

Think it's more a case of Daglish wanting to play his new Brit signings. Kuyt and Raul were dropped to the bench for the first game. Aquilani and Rodriguez weren't even part of the subs. I'm hoping it all goes wrong for Daglish but who knows, maybe it's a matter of clicking and Downing/Adam/Henderson will take over the world.