We cannot ruin Richards, he looks our most promising defender for a long time, plus he can play right-back, where we seriously lack options.

No need to worry, Belletti is into his 30s. This means Chelsea will spend huge on Richards in a year or two, and sit him on the bench for a few years. Just like SWP. That's the cycle of an English prospect nowadays.

Player like him won't sit on the bench. Chelsea have enough english players who are playing regularly.

Terry, Lampard and Ashley play alot, but they are World class, Micah on the other hand.. well, he isn't World class. I'm sure they won't buy him anyways, Dani Alves will be there next summer, they've just settled on Belletti for a year and I THINK Alves only has 2 years left on his contract? meaning that they will have to sell next sumemr, or possibly lose him on a free the year after.

Yeah Terry, Lampard ,Ashley and Joe Cole playing because the are good. SWP knew that he is facing big competition on his position and he's still choosing to stay at Chelsea. It's his problem ( Hey, but the money is good).

Micah is on his way becoming World class (He's young, strong, fast , good at both attack and defence and can be an excellent CB as well). And you don't have many qulity RB in the world right now. It's pretty safe to say that next year he'll be playing in a big team: Chelsea, maybe Liverpool who also need a good RB (Finnan is mediocre IMO) or some other big team.

I don't even rate that guy as a RB. It's like Bonera playing there.

Liverpool almost got Alves last year for 15M/euros. Now they're asking for 40M .

Yeah, I think it's one of Liverpool's problem. In the end of last season I said they needed 3 world-class players: a foward, a left-winger and a right-back. They got Torres, Babel, and... no-one.

In 1-2 years they'll be out for Richards or some other top-talent.

But in a lot of people's opinions in England SWP is better/more effective than Joe Cole and I would agree.

I think Joe Cole is much better player. Their club and NT managers also think so.

Mourinho I respect, McClaren is a moron

Eriksson also prefered Cole.

Because the last few seasons he didn't get a look in, if you have seen some of Chelsea's games this season you would see how promising he looks again.

Even when he came on in the last 20 minutes of the Germany game he looked lively. Joe Cole was apparently this wonder kid who was going to be better than Gazza, unfortunately not...

He was always promising. Of course it hard to be England starter if you are barely playing for your club. He knew moving to other team would help him to go to the WC , but he stayed and was left out. Now, after two seasons on the bench, he started the season good and let's see if he's capable to continue to improve and be consistent.

Yeah, Joe Cole was supposed to be a wonder kid, but at least he is fulfilling some part of his talent. SWP even haven't done that yet.

If he gets games I think he will. I rarely see a match where he has a really quiet/bad game, at City he used to walk through defenders he's started to get his confidence back and is beggining to take people on again which along with his dribbling abilities and speed is one of his greatest assets.

This is what annoys me most. It must be the way the English media looks on at things. SWP and Joe Cole play about 10 minutes between them all season, yet always manage to make the England squad. Players like Jenas, Barry and Downing play consistantly every single week and people say "They're only average" when they're clearly not, but because they don't play for United, Chelsea or Liverpool they don't stand a chance. The three I mentioned are all better than Joe and SWP but typically, wearing a Chelsea shirt ranks higher than good performances, so they'll never get a chance.

why would they do that? they obviously need a quality Rb why would the bench him when he would obviously be their best RB?

No idea. Wayne Bridge was stuck on the bench behind Del Horno, and he's twice the player Asier could dream of being. Mourinho does some very stragne things. Why spend £24m on SWP if you're going to bench him?

well at the time there was lots of promise with del horno, and he started off well with chelsea. then his form dropped and i believe bridge was injured for a while that season (thats why gallas would take over at LB sometimes). when SWP came they also had duff (who established and one of their key players), robben (who was tearing it up), and joe cole. so it was no easy task to be a starter, and when he came on he was pure garbage. obviously he needed more chances but with kinda depth they in that position they dint have to wait for him to adjust, they could just play the ones that we're playing well. i'm convinced mourinho would start richards.

Joe Cole has been a starter for Chelsea in the past two seasons when he's not injured, and he's better than the rest you mentioned. You just bitter that Barry often ignored for the NT .

Oh no u didn't !!


Barry is the BEST English player I have seen ... In fact, I wonder why is he playing for Villa

I guess no Kurt love for you tonight...

Joe is nowehere near better than who I mentioned and he is always injuries, he is lucky to play 20 games a season! Barry not playing for England isn't that bad - at least we're not showing him off to the World.


None at all.

Only 15 minutes in and a few problems for Liverpool. Sissoko was hobbling around for a few minutes, though he seems okay now. Hyppia has a nose bleed, which they plugged, but they can't stop the bleeding. He also has blurred vision and has been replaced by Agger 15 minutes in. Keiran Richardson has also been replaced by Anthony Stokes through injury, for Sunderland.

Sunderland 0-0 Liverpool (********* for dst's sake. )

Ah! Thanks... looks better that way!!

Sissoko with a great strike. 1-0 Liverpool

Poor poor Keane

Sunderland don't stand a chance today !

Full time: 2-0, Voronin with the second. Torres looked disappointing today, finishing was terrible. Carragher's injured as well (Suspected broken rib). Voronin was a class act today, certainly a good signing. He and Torres look like they could form quite a partnership.

Voronin 0-2. Torres assist.
Game, set and match for Liverpool.

Torres had 2 good chances, Voronin 1 or 2 but both weren't lucky today. It's 0-2 but it could be 0-4 at least.

Still, Fernando is scaring the defenders every time he gets the ball. And it's just the 3rd match he plays in the EPL.
Voronin will be an important player for the team. The guy has quality.

Lehmann is "injured" so Almunia is starting against Man City today. Senderos was going to start in defense, but got injured in the warmup.

Derby 0-1 Birmingham
Cameron Jerome in the 1st minute.

Villa 0-1 Fulham (What the heck!?)
Clint Dempsey in the 5th minute.

Chelsea 1-0 Portsmouth
Obvious scorer really - Frank Lampard, 4 in 4.

David James just scored for Chelsea.

We just have to disagree on this one, but I'm right

BTW good game for Liverpool today. Very happy for Voronin. The guy is always working hard and I'm hope to see him more in the starting 11.

BTW2 Craig Gordon could have been a good keeper option for England. Too bad he's Scotish

Villa 1-1 Fulham.

Ashley Young for England! Save's the embarassment.

Come on you Rams! Derby 1-1 Birmingham!

GODSDAMN IT!!!

We need a CB. NOW.

Derby 1-2 Birmingham.

Bolton 2-0 Reading. Nicolas Anelka.

How did Mpenza miss that? Geez.

Penalty Arsenal, given away by Micah Richards.

Robin van Persie.. IT'S SAVED BY KASPER SCHMEICHEL!

Bad penalty kick by Van Persie. He looked like Totti.

Schmeichel junior looks good.

Kasper!

Toure and Senderos not enough? You should have kept Campbell (but hey, he was over 30 ).

West Ham Gay boys 0-1 Wigan. Going down!

Arsenal 1-0 Man City. Fabregas.

EDIT: West Ham have equalised.

Arsenal score.

And it wasn't a penalty.

SHAUN MALONEY!!! 2-1 Villa!

VILLA 2-1!!! GET IN!

Easy money on bwin.

Blues won as well

Arsenal 1 - 0 Manchester C.

Aston Villa 2 - 1 Fulham

Bolton W. 3 - 0 Reading

Chelsea 1 - 0 Portsmouth

Derby County 1 - 2 Birmingham C.

West Ham U. 1 - 1 Wigan Athletic

L'arsenul, Laligapool and Cherzi won. More pressure on United for tomorow.

In your face!! Cesc...

So for how long will Lehmann be injured!??

Creative aren't you

Anyways. Full time scores/scorers today:

Sunderland 0-2 Liverpool
37' [0 - 1] M.L. Sissoko
87' [0 - 2] A. Voronin

Arsenal 1-0 Man City
67' R.v. Persie (Missed pen.)
80' [1 - 0] C. Fabregas

Villa 2-1 Fulham
6' [0 - 1] C. Dempsey
51' [1 - 1] Z. Knight (o.g.)
68' C. Baird (Sent off: 2nd yellow)
90' [2 - 1] S. Maloney

Bolton 3-0 Reading
32' [1 - 0] G. Speed
55' [2 - 0] N. Anelka
90' [3 - 0] D.O. Braaten

Chelsea 1-0 Portsmouth
31' [1 - 0] F. Lampard

Derby 1-2 Birmingham
1' [0 - 1] C. Jerome
51' [1 - 1] M. Oakley
63' [1 - 2] C. Jerome

West Ham 1-1 Wigan
78' [0 - 1] P. Scharner
81' [1 - 1] L. Bowyer

Everton vs Blackburn: 5:15 KO (GMT)