It's hard to win a game where they score against you in the first few minutes of each half, said Guti, summing up the impotence felt by Real Madrid at Getafe.

More importantly, it illustrates why the recent mini-run of two 1-0 victories (against Recreativo and BATE) was a mirage and bodes extremely badly for the next lot of league games against the top-placed teams. Click to continue reading...

It has been announced that Liverpool striker Fernando Torres got Premier League Player Of The Year over Cristiano Ronaldo. Torres is a good player but there was no way that he had a better season... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] Click to continue reading...

God knows where this has come from. Racing have looked a better team so far in the Apertura, but lost last week to Banfield and had a tricky match this weekend against top-of-the-table San Lorenzo in a clásico that surely, none of their fans thought they could win. But win it they did, thanks to [. Click to continue reading...

I am sorry for the radio silence – as usual, an international break combined with the middle of the academic term means I've been less likely to seek out topics to write about, and thankfully, there hasn't been a ton of Liverpool news to begin with.

Until yesterday, that is. I don't have any solutions and can't do much else but bitch, but how many times is Torres going to come back from an international break injured? Click to continue reading...

New and exciting doesn't always produce the desired results.

Reaction from Port-of-Spain

Recap

Grahame takes a look at Torres and congratulates Bradley

Click to continue reading...

Here's my Tuesday PE column on Jose Francisco Torres.

It's along the same lines as the things I wrote when he first accepted the call-up to the US national team. But there was one prominent voice in this column that I hadn't mentioned here before.

I actually got to write a last-minute story on, not just Torres but the whole Mexican-American issue for Futbol Mundial. Click to continue reading...

An outing of around 20 minutes – what are your thoughts?

I'm very happy. I'm grateful to the coach for putting me in. I thank God that things worked out for me to come play for the U.S. I'm very happy. We won, we came out with a victory in front of our fans. (the camera pans to a fan sign: Torres > Castillo)

What did you think this experience was going to be like? Click to continue reading...

Host: Let's look at what his Pachuca teammates told Paco Torres before and after his decision to play for the U.S.

Torres: Well, I mostly talked with Gabriel Caballero and Miguel Calero. I think they're supporting me in every way. Correa also told me a lot of things – that I made the correct decision. Click to continue reading...

Schwartz takes Sven to task:



Si aquí no los pelan, tienen todo el derecho de hacer valer su doble nacionalidad, y en ese tenor, Michel Orozco y José Francisco Torres defenderán ahora con orgullo y dignidad los colores de Estados Unidos.

If we don't give them a chance here, they have every right to use their dual nationality, and in that vein, Michael Orozco and José Francisco Torres now defend with honor and dignity the colors of the U. Click to continue reading...

Unlike the earlier article I translates, this one from ESTO has a lot more quotes from Torres. I decided to just translate those this time.

Today, I complete a dream. I always wanted to play internationally and Thank God, now I'm going to with the U.S. Today they called me in.

The U. Click to continue reading...

Ok, so people aren't really crying in the streets of Mexico that they've lost Torres to the U.S., but they don't seem happy about it, either. Here's an article I translated from espn.deportes
- it's a little vague on sources and light on quotes, but one definitely gets the sense that some people feel Eriksson really dropped the ball on this one. Click to continue reading...

By now, you've probably heard that Jose Francisco Torres has decided to play with the US national team. Torres was among the 23 players called into camp by Bob Bradley ahead of the next pair of World Cup qualifiers. Actually, he'll be with the US for the match against Cuba on Oct. 11 and, my guess, he'll be part of the team that goes to Trinidad should the US take care of business at RFK. Click to continue reading...

Do clubs intentionally put out false or misleading reports about a players availability? Maybe to break the composure or concentration of the opposing team? Both Gerrard and Torres were set to miss Saturdays clash against Manchester United. But according to the clubs official website both players completed a full training session and have been included in [. Click to continue reading...

It's even better than I predicted =). Captain Fantastic AND El Niño will be available for Saturday's match at Anfield. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

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Argentina travelled to Lima on Monday, where they're now preparaing to take on Peru on Wednesday night. All is not well, however, for Alfio Basile's side. Following Carlos Tevez's second red card in three matches for the selección, they'll have to get ready for Peru with one forward fewer of Basile's squad. Click to continue reading...

Steven Gerrard has ruled himself out of Saturdays match against Manchester United. The Liverpool captain had surgery on a groin injury back in August after helping Liverpool qualify for the group stages of the UEFA Champions League. This is a major blow to Rafa's side, seeing as how they were already without Fernando Torres. Click to continue reading...

I don't really know too much about either player that Liverpool and Everton signed on the transfer deadline day, but I'll give my comments based upon what I've read.

Liverpool seemed to get the player they wanted in Albert Riera, a left winger who should provide a lot of ammunition for Fernando Torres, Robbie Keane, and the rest of Liverpool's goal scorers. Click to continue reading...

Some would agree that this was an absolute borefest while others would not. Martin O'Neil and Rafa didn't get into a scrap and Barry didn't cry so it was definitely not the grudge match we were hoping for. For me, the game pretty much ended when Torres came out with a pulled hamstring because at that point the attack threat was gone.

Click to continue reading...

In this weeks Learners" Podcast we take a look at the groups in the Champions League and highlight some of the teams and their chances. There is also another English for Football phrase. For learners of English check out our Football Language Resources with: Worksheets and transcripts Vocabulary lists ** NEW ** Football language glossary Transcript Here's an early season [. Click to continue reading...

You do have to hand it to them, a 4-0 result against Portsmouth is a great way to start the season. There is a long long way to go and Manchester United are a banged up team right now, but getting off to a good start was essential for Chelsea to mount a title challenge. They can't afford to be playing catchup too early in the season and at this rate they won't be. Click to continue reading...

Poor old Rafa Benitez nearly quit Liverpool because of how they handled the whole transfer saga regarding Gareth Barry according to this article in the London Times. Well my answer to that is boo hoo poor Rafa. If you want to quit Liverpool go ahead and do it because you are far from God's gift to management. Click to continue reading...

The UEFA Champions League 3rd Qualifying Round Leg 1 : Standard de Liege are meeting Liverpool FC Wednesday August 13th. Watch the highlights and LIVESTREAM here. Pre-register at the NEW football site 11×2 today Click to continue reading...

2008-09 Pre season match: Liverpool are meeting Lazio in a friendly match Friday August 08th Watch the highlights and LIVESTREAM here. Pre-register at the NEW football site 11×2 today   Click to continue reading...

As its been said many times "football is a funny old game". So now we have David Bentley moving to Spurs with money raised from the sale of Robbie Keane to Liverpool. At the same time we also have Tottenham with 2 highly rated young right midfield / wings in David Bentley and Aaron Lennon, but needing another forward to replace Keane and/or possibly Berbatov, and at Liverpool we have 3 quality forwards in Torres, Kuyt, and Keane, but needing a right midfield / wing of a higher quality then what they currently have. Click to continue reading...

LIVERPOOL fans are holding their breath over the signing of Robbie Keane. He's a good player, possibly a very good player. The former Crumlin United (Dublin) striker may even blossom into a world class player alongside Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres. And, there's a strong argument that Torres needs a fleet-footed playmaker snapping at the heels of defenders. Click to continue reading...

2008.09 Pre season match: Villarreal CF are meeting Liverpool FC in a friendly match Wednesday July 30th. Watch the highlights and LIVESTREAM her at footiedb.com Pre-register at the NEW football site 11×2 today!  Click to continue reading...

Is Carlos Tevez really worth the supposed £35 million transfer fee as reported in the London Times? Manchester United seem to think so, but I think thats a bit much. It would break the British transfer record of £30 million that Chelsea paid for Andrei Shevchenko. Is Tevez really the best forward in Britain? Click to continue reading...

It's the time for deals to be done, signings to be made and fans to dream about what might be for their teams. While Ronaldo's off on move to real Madrid from man United has got most of the headlines, for me and other Liverpool fans it is the tiny hope that the Reds will [...] Click to continue reading...

The date is 12th July 2018, and Roberto di Nostradamo reports back from the flurry of summer activity... As the last bottle of Coke Hero (whoever thought a sugar-free cola sprinkled with a touch of cocaine would prove so popular?) is swept from the terraces of Wembley and we tear ourselves away from one of the most shambolic World Cups ever hosted, we look towards to the transfer market and try to separate the talent from the overhyped. Click to continue reading...

The last in our summer podcasts looks back at the Euro 2008 Championships and asks some of our footballing 'experts' what they thought were the best and worst moments of the tournament. In addition, we also reveal the winner of the summer predictions battle. Languagecaster will be back with a new set of weekly podcasts in [. Click to continue reading...

Breaking the top 4 again? David Moyes arrived at Goodison 6 years ago now and has built a balanced and hardworking outfit regularly challenging for a European place (official 5th best team in the league.) Click to continue reading...

Jens Lehmann doesn't know when to stop talking, so perhaps we should take his comments with a pinch of salt. In a way, it's refreshing to hear a footballer shoot from the hip, when so many players say relatively nothing when being interviewed. The former Arsenal keeper's latest gem concerns Liverpool striker Fernando Torres, who [. Click to continue reading...

Obviously, Liverpool can't win an international tournament, but their fans are sure to have their eyes on the prizes next season. The most important one is obviously the Premier League and Fernando Torres demonstrated last season and this summer that Reds supporters don't have to worry when it comes to having a 30+ goals-a-season striker. Click to continue reading...

We're now all aware of just how greedy Emmanuel Adebayor is, although surely that doesn't extend leaving Arsenal to join one of their most bitter rivals? The Daily Mail report that the striker has been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge, especially as the Blues appear to be failing to land their primary targets of [. Click to continue reading...

Those of us who regularly watch and follow Barcelona are well aware of the craft and alchemical transcendence that Xavi and Iniesta can conjure up on a weekly basis. They work as a team within a team--quick thinking, fleet of foot, unselfish, and daring enough to slip passes through a clomp of defenders when it seems most unstable, almost ruinous to do so. Click to continue reading...