ja1

And he is starting for them tonight in the Dutch cup!

Just because KDB didn't clash into tackles, which Mata never did until this season, doesn't mean he didn't and doesn't work hard. He covered the most ground in the Bundesliga this season, and many times tracked Monreal well, blocked crosses and pressed Arsenal into forcing clearances.

Of course he was nervous/uncomfortable. Last time he played badly he got sent to train with the U21s and did not play for the next 7/8 games. He was okay yesterday. The thing that irks me is that people act as if KDB is playing crap each chance he gets and his competition is playing out of their skins. KDB was our best player in pre-season and MOTM against Hull. Willian and Mata have also had flashes of good games and poor games. Hazard has been disappointing for the majority of the season so far and Schurrle has not done it for me at all. He's been the worst of the front four in his last 3 matches but apparently gets away with it because he's getting a run of games. Only Oscar is consistently performing. I see no reason why KDB is being reduced to CC appearances. (Same with Bertrand).

Yes there certainly would not be an uproar if £30million Willian was reduced to CC appearances. If it was Schurrle who was 6th choice then I myself wouldn't be bothered as he has not impressed me at all this season.

He is on the bench today for Vitesse which is good news.

http://www.101greatgoals.com/blog/the-40-nominees-for-the-2013-golden-boy-award-published-ft-pogba-draxler-lukaku-more-tuttosport/ He (and Lukaku and Atsu) have been nominated for Europe's Golden Boy award, given to the best U21 player in Europe for each year.

There will certainly be a lot of competition for him this January, from MK Dons to get an extra 6 month loan, other league 1 clubs and Championship clubs.

His goal yesterday, great touch.

Daniel Sturridge gives his shirt to disabled Liverpool fan after Crystal Palace win http://www.101greatgoals.com/blog/respect-daniel-sturridge-gives-his-shirt-to-disabled-liverpool-fan-after-crystal-palace-win-picture/ In any of Sturridge's interviews/actions off the pitch (he has recently created a charity in his name, can't remember what it was for but I think it was based in Jamaica to help kids get into football), he really does not come off as the egotistical maniac some Chelsea fans would have had you believe.

For Watford it was for kicking the ball away while he was on a yellow. Apparently the second was quite harsh today but this in and out of the team start he's had isn't ideal, still has more time to bed in.

I agree. If Torres had performed like Sturridge(2 assists 1 goal) or Lukaku(1 assist 2 goals) have in their most recent games it would be heralded as one of his best games in the last 3 years. With Sturridge and Lukaku it is pretty much the norm now for them to score/create in a game.

I think he also holds the ball up better now he's at Liverpool, uses his body better with his back to goal. At Chelsea he sometimes shied away from physical battles. He always just needed chances, managerial backing, potential was obvious but some fans weren't willing to give him time, while Torres and his price tag prevented him getting a real chance. Oh well..

He's top scorer in the Belgian League apparently

Yeah turned out he was injured.

Nottingham Forest are live on Sky Sports tomorrow, although it is an early kick off and coincides with our match.

Pretty disappointed he didn't play. He could have been used for any three of the subs, when MVG went off, when Ramires went off or when KDb went off (Ba played on the left which Baker is more suited to).

He's not Roberto Carlos, but I do think he suits our set up play better than Cole, and I still think Bertrand is fine defensively (Cole has a better mentality in big games though). Bertrand's final ball was maybe lacking this game but his runs are better than Cole as is his comfortableness(word?) on the ball. The final ball will come I reckon as he learns - in some appearances last season he wasn't nearly as adventurous.

Not great from him. After the volley he started improving but too little too late.

I didn't think his performance was that good, and bar the assist was pretty typical of Torres. Aimless dribbles into defenders, poor decision making(see final dribble), he missed two one on ones, spent about 30 minutes missing in the second half. The assist was genius. Other than that it was a forgettable performance. Harsh/ruthless but how I saw it, certainly not what the SS commentators were exaggerating.

Essien and Toure were/are not DMs, though they could/can play there.

^because he went in outside the transfer window so can only be loaned for 93 days, Football League rules. There till Jan 2nd officially. Chalobah's is slightly longer as he's still a youth player technically, or something like that. Probably a better loan for Josh, this, than Middlesborough. Watford's football probably suits him more, think he'll enjoy picking out Anya's and Faroani's runs and linking up with Abdi too.

Also apparently Chalobah's wages are now 30-35k, so maybe you can kind of see why some clubs, PL and Championship, were not willing to pay an 18 year old who'll be there for a season as much as their top earners, or more. (Forest supposedly paying at least 25k).

I don't really watch Forest but apparently they play a 4-4-2, seems like most fans think their midfield will be: Abdoun Chalobah Lansbury Reid He'll have played with Lansbury at U21 level, so will hopefully settle in. Their manager was praising him a lot in a press conference.

A bit weird he didn't go to Watford as that seemed the logical move for me, and apparently even he wanted to go there, but I guess either way he'd have done well there and will probably do well on this loan.. Forest fans seem happy too, like someone said above apparently they have CDM problems.

Again, you make it sound like I put it up to be malicious to Torres. I would not be surprised if that picture of Ramires' son getting held by another women has been posted on the Ramires thread - were you policing that too? I saw it on another forum, thought it was cute and quite humourous so posted it here. Don't be so pedantic, if it was as 'sick' as you say it was it would have been taken down by now.