Nando

Netherlands 1-2 Bulgaria

One of the very few to show some passion, determination and desire yesterday.

One of the very few to show some passion, determination and desire yesterday.

One of the very few to show some passion, determination and desire yesterday.

One of the very few to show some passion, determination and desire yesterday.

Daniel Sturridge has joined Liverpool after passing a medical and a history exam

We're so lucky. The best player in the league for me and a pleasure to watch. You can bully him physically, but later on he'll find a way to humiliate you. His importance for the team cannot be highlighted enough and after every game I'm convinced of that.

WBAFCofficial @WBAFCofficialThe Baggies fans are again clapping during the eighth minute in tribute to Chelsea's 8-0 thrashing of Villa #wba

Gotta love the WBA fans. Can we send more youngsters to them on loan?!

I've just watched Liverpool's 2008-2009 Season Review just to see again how they were playing under Benitez and how was Torres back then.
He wasn't that different. Yes, maybe his pace and confidence are not at such high level anymore, but they're not too low neither. On the other hand, his style and movement were exactly the same. Even the positioning was similar. He provided a lot of crosses from the wing that season.
I came to the conclusion that either the service provided by our midfielders is too poor, either we lack speed (Liverpool were a very fast team that season, they were counter-attacking as the book says), either his playing style just doesn't match Chelsea's. Call me captain obvious, but the thing is that I'm not so sure anymore that it is only HIS problem. I'm not even sure if it is anyone's problem. Maybe he just can't work with Chelsea's playing style. It's not impossible.
Regarding Liverpool under Rafa, the must important thing I've noticed is that they had spirit back then. A lot of late winners and a lot of spectacular turns. They really were a team that everyone should've been afraid of and I can't remember another period like that since Benitez left Anfield. I think he really is a good manager.
That being said, I just hope he'll beat United 4-1 at the Old Trafford again.

We're so lucky. The best player in the league for me and a pleasure to watch. You can bully him physically, but later on he'll find a way to humiliate you. His importance for the team cannot be highlighted enough and after every game I'm convinced of that.

If the result was different I would blame him for the two wasted opportunities (the misscontrol in the box and the counter 90+ min). However, now I prefer to look at the positives. His general link-up play was good and he participated in the build-up play for both goals. Additionally, he won a fair amount of headers, although Distin who by the way had a great game was bossing him for the majority of the game. If that is not enough we can console ourselves with Rafa's cliche 'He does a great job defending corners'. Haha fair enough.

I hope all the Ba talk is true and he pushes Torres to his limits.

True fighter. When the match gets tough, we need players like luiz to fight for chelsea. I'm loving him in the pivot...

i think we will get Southampton away

I could get used to him scoring...
Some people piss me off though...
When he wasn't scoring and playing well for the team with assists and link of play everyone was pissed and said a strikers job is to score, and now that he is scoring some people are saying his link up is shit?
Yeah, fuck off, the lad is scoring and building momentum for the TEAM...
It's almost like when Torres scores everyone on the team goes "oh fuck, let's do it!"
Deff need another striker to give him a rest and healthy competition, but he is playing really dangerously...
Keep it up Nando!
Go blues!

Surprised that Fergie has not come out demanding Cesar Azpilicueta be banned from football, that ball that hit Torres' head could have killed him.

No excuses now, the cup is for us to lose.

We can't complain about anything today. He seems confident and in good form. Very difficult one touch finish, first ever penalty in the EPL (and he had to discuss with Luiz to take it!! OMG wtf is going on really?!) + great shot with the left foot in the bar.. MOTM! This time he'll keep it up.

He will always have his fans to fall back on. He's a very likable person but from a professional career perspective he's not going to leave much of a legacy.
I think a return to Athletico might be on the cards for him, but I don't think that's a good idea because the way his career has turned out he's only going to frustrate them. They love him too much, they will stick by him but deep down they will regret it and so will he.
It's just too bad, his decision to move to Chelsea was good but it just didn't work out for him.
He'll have to be happy with all the money he's made and that he has a good family because I think he'll always be disappointed in his footballing career. And not because he hasn't done jack shit but because the kind of player he once was, he must have expected more.

Although I hate them both, this really is nice to see. Looks like a son and father reunion lol.

Anyone to change my name to 'Jamba' please...
Edit: Nevermind

Mancini would be a fool to let Dzeko go.

Neil Barnet: 'Some experts on TV said Oscar, Mata and Hazard wouldn't be able to play together.'
Fernando Torres: 'They're not experts.'

Yup, it was for arguing, not diving
Proved a great catalyst for him though...

Ok, he was anonymous for large periods of the game, but at least now he's getting the service he didn't had before. He maybe had 3 clear chances on goal and could even had more. He also showed he actually can create for himself with that fancy nutmeg in the box. How short in confidence is that?The header in the end of the first half was a must, perfect ball from Hazard. True, he did some bad one touch passes, but he just hasn't the technical ability to play one touch football in tight positions. He needs space, but against Reading having the lead at the Bridge, he won't get any.
It's over now with the excuses of not getting service though, if he gets 2 or 3 chances per game, he must score. Luckily, he scored a decisive one and also participated in the perfect build up to the goal. At last he's not being out of luck after all the shots in the posts and all the penalty claims.