Suarez And Torres - The Contrasting Styles Of Two Hattrick Heroes

When Luis Suarez was accused of racially abusing Patrice Evra, he retorted with the quote,

"I go to the field with the maximum illusion of a little child who enjoys what he does."

I finally understood what he meant by that last Saturday against Norwich. Suarez looked very much the sure-footed striker who had scored over 100 goals for Ajax. El Pistolero is a player who is either stunningly brilliant or woefully frustrating, there is no middle ground. But then it would be hard to expect him to be anything else. Hence it seemed somewhat fitting that Suarez should liken himself to a little child doing what he loves in a playground. Football is fantasy for the Uruguayan and he plays the beautiful game with a sense of child-like joy and freedom that is rarely found in the Premiership.

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Premiership Title Slipping But City's Mario and Kolarov Have Personal Feud

"Super" Mario Balotelli is always an accident waiting to happen. I thought that he had matured quite a bit this season. Unfortunately the talented Italian is still a ticking timebomb on the football pitch. Much of his goalscoring genius stems from that right-brain thinking which also courts disaster by the busloads.

Against Sunderland, Balo once more showed his madness and his genius in equal measure. With City 3-1 down, he chose to get into a childish argument with Kolarov over who should take a freekick.

As though to prove a point to both City and Kolarov, Balotelli went on a run at the edge of the Sunderland box and curled a shot past Mignolet. The curious thing was that the shot took place in roughly the same area as the disputed freekick. Coincidence? With Balotelli, I doubt it. I am sure the Italian wanted to prove a point.

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It's Better To Be Temporary Managers At Stamford Bridge

It is a known fact that Roman Abramovich goes into panic mode when his Chelsea team stumbles either in the Premier League or in the Champions League. He has done so in numerous occasions during his ownership of the Blues. With the inevitable departure of Andre Villas Boas, Roberto Di Matteo was entrusted with the task of seeing the current Chelsea players through the season. RDM as he is now known, has shown that a temporary manager fare a whole lot better at Stamford Bridge.

RDM has done fantastically well since taking over from AVB. From impossible situations and player power, he has guided Chelsea into the Champions League quarterfinal and FA Cup semifinal. Overcoming a 3-1 deficit against Napoli and victory over Leicester have earned RDM the player's respect and the chance to improve on Chelsea's poor season. Under Di Matteo's Chelsea, the enigma who is Fernando Torres is even beginning to regain form and goalscoring touch. El Nino has scored three goals and made four goals since AVB's sacking.

Abramovich clearly knew what he was doing when he sacked AVB. The owner was sure that results would improve once the manager was gone and he dealt his ruthless hand. It wasn't a risk, in his mind, after all he had done it before, sacking Mourinho and Scolari, bringing in Avram Grant and Guus Hiddink. The previous temporary assignments had brought immediate results to Chelsea.

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Move Aside Drogba, The Torres Revival Takes Shape

Torres has had to endure tough times since his transfer to Chelsea. Even if his desire to move was to win trophies, he obviously had not figured how difficult it would be to firstly, fit into a world-class team and secondly, to displace Didi Drogba.

The best striker in the Premiership, Fernando Torres had to deal with a trophy-ladened but ego-filled dressing room. And as far as world class strikers go, El Nino had to contend with the ill-fated Chelsea strikers' graveyard. And then there is the looming monster shadow of a defiant Drogba, seemingly oblivious to his diminishing powers.

So you see, Torres had to endure an environment completely different to the one he fondly remembered at Liverpool. Far away from the Anfield adulation he enjoys, he had to undergo a transformation to be successful in a club like Chelsea. So, to replace Drogba is to be like Drogba.

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The Reinvention Of Chelsea's Fernando Torres

Fernando Torres at his best, was an absolute terror. Just ask Nemanja Vidic. Or even the whole Manchester United team for that matter. There is no fluke that El Nino became the fastest Liverpool player to reach the 50-goal mark. His searing speed, excellent touch and great dribbling skills made him a Kop hero as soon as he arrived at Anfield. Rafa Benitez' playing system brought out the best in Nando. Steven Gerrard's promptings helped elevate Torres to Anfield hero status.

Without Benitez and with an injured Gerrard, Torres cut a lonely figure upfront for Liverpool in his final season. Nando never settled within the team built by a cautious Roy Hodgson and was soon on his way when Chelsea plumped up the big money for him. His reason - the need to win trophies. For all his individual brilliance, Torres' Liverpool career was marred by boardroom struggles and no trophies. The move to Chelsea was purely motivated by the need for success.

At Liverpool, Roy Hodgson tried to play Torres as a target man and though he still scored goals, since Liverpool players were familiar with him, the Spaniard never looked comfortable. Ironically, that's exactly the way Chelsea plays - with a target man. Torres found very quickly that the service from the Chelsea midfield without a Gerrard-like player, was poor and laboured. He had to reinvent himself if he wanted to be a success at The Bridge.

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United Then Chelsea And Now Liverpool Can Dent City's Title Charge

Liverpool employed speed merchants against Chelsea last weekend, with Johnson, Bellamy, Maxi and Suarez all starting against the Blue Champions. It turned out to be shrewd decision by Dalglish and his coaching team as the Reds pressed high up the pitch, robbing Chelsea players of time and space to move the ball.

Charlie Adam was especially instrumental in the win over Chelsea last weekend. Though his corner kicks are yet to reach the heights and standards that he set at Blackpool, his passing against Chelsea finally resembled Xabi Alonso, the player he was brought in to replace.

In recent seasons, Liverpool has become a team feared by title contenders and this season is no different. Without any real aspirations to be Premiership champions, the Reds are still "spoilers" as evidenced by victories over Arsenal and Chelsea. Only Spurs out of the top six have beaten Liverpool. At Anfield, Liverpool are unbeaten, but has not been able to turn home advantage into wins rather than draws.

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Captain Vantastic's Derby Hattrick Makes It 29 Out Of 28

A high scoring game was not something that I had expected from a Chelsea-Arsenal derby match. Then again I had forgotten that Arsenal does not know how to defend this season nor did I remember that Chelsea has yet to keep a clean sheet this season. And so, we were treated to an eight-goal slugfest in which the Blues and the Gunners went after each other blow-for-blow until that defining John Terry slip. If blame throwing would be allowed, Florent Malouda's right foot must take sole responsibility for this heavy Chelsea defeat.

And so Arsenal's inspirational Captain Vantastic struck a much deserved hat-trick against their London rivals. He also scored his 29th goal in 28 matches, a remarkable record huh? He must surely be the most in-form striker in the Premiership, ahead of even Kun Aguero and Super Mario. The flying Dutchman has had so many injuries in the last two seasons, we had forgotten just how good he really is. This season RVP's goals has lifted Arsenal from the bottom three into seventh place.

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Are We Finally Seeing the Mature Super Mario?

Mario Balotelli is knuckling down to life in the Premier League. How else can you explain two accomplished performances in his two latest outings? Scoring goals has always been easy for the Italian, his attitude has always been questioned. This season, however, he has let his boots do the talking.

With Tevez sulking, Aguero injured and Dzeko returning from international duty, Super Mario made his second successive appearance in Man City colours. He repaid Mancini's faith in him with a goal and looked to be the one player capable of unlocking the Villan defence. If anyone can get the best out of the temperamental Italian, it is his old Inter boss who knows Balotelli better than anyone.

Balotelli have learned from his earlier outbursts and now is contributing to Manchester City's relentless pursuit of the Premier League title. Although City have had fairly easy opposition (apart from Spurs), their attacking play has been breathtaking and the likes of Aguero, Dzeko and Balotelli have to be credited for making the Blues an awesome attacking unit

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Carlos Tevez Definitely A Premier League Success

Since the loss of Cristiano Ronaldo to the Spanish La Liga, the Premier League was searching for a new world class player who could be as brilliant as the phenomenal Portuguese. Fernando Torres threatened briefly until he started sulking more than scoring, Didier Drogba could never be that star face as he is all brute force but Carlos Tevez could have been that world class marquee player that the Barclays Premier League needed.

Instead for all the important goals he had scored for West Ham, Manchester United and City, he will forever be remembered for refusing to play in last night's Champions League defeat at Bayern Munich. Carlitos' two-year stay at Manchester City has been an ongoing saga. This latest episode has all but hasten his exit.

It's easy to forget the talismanic effects of Carlitos for City, after all the well documented problems he had faced. For West Ham fans though, this man can do no wrong, forever remembered for singlehandedly keeping the Hammers in the Premier League in his first season. No other player is more closely associated to conjuring up a miracle relegation escape as the effervescent Argentine star. Here's how he did it.

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Who Can Stop Manchester United Now?!

Amazing, amazing, amazing. A truly awe-inspiring display of swift attacking football by the Red Devils killed off any hopes Chelsea had in gaining three points at Old Trafford. Let's face it, Manchester United is not afraid of any team in the Premier League. It may be an inexperienced defensive lineup with Smalling, Jones, Evans and Evra and a weak central midfield with Fletcher and Anderson but yet, the champions despatched an expensively assembled Chelsea team with ease.

When Chelsea saw the line up, the Blues must have felt they had a chance to take the game to United. And so they did. But Chelsea just could not cope with the pace and quickness of the United passing. The Red Devils passed the ball with intent, always moving forwards with the ball and so Chelsea lumbering defence could not cope. By half time, the game was sewn up in front of the Stretford End faithful.

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Manchester Clubs Setting The Premier League Pace

These are exciting times to be supporters of either Manchester United or Manchester City. The two Manchester clubs are currently slugging it out at the top of the Premiership. Whatever City can do with their expensively assembled superstars, United are outdoing them with their expensively acquired youngsters!

You just have to raise your hat to that legendary statesman, Sir Alex Ferguson. Just how does he do it is the question I want to ask. Credit must be given to the Red Devils coaching team. Phil Jones, David De Gea and Ashley Young are talented players but they aren't mentioned in the same breath as City's signings of Aguero, Nasri and Silva. And yet, Young, Jones and De Gea are contributing to the best start that United has had to a Premiership season.

Manchester United are traditionally slow starters in the Premiership. The coaching staff at Melwood have done such a great job with Fergie's Fledglings Mk II that the Red Devils have been nothing short of explosive in their Premiership matches. West Brom, Spurs, Arsenal and Bolton could not keep up with the movement and pace of this young team. Not many in the Premiership can, in actual fact.

Wayne Rooney's transformation from sulky star to United's only superstar has been more telling. Eight goals in four games including two hattricks represents a complete turnaround to a player who wanted to leave United a year ago. His goals should dry up eventually as he is a notoriously streaky striker. When that happens, Rooney will simply thread killer passes to Hernandez in order to maintain United's goal scoring threat. Such is his importance to United that Rooney must already be regarded as one of United's greatest ever players.

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Chelsea Rebuilding With David Luiz and Fernando Torres

One of the major concerns about Chelsea these past seasons have been the ageing of their senior players. Drogba, Lampard and Terry are all above 30 years old. These stalwarts have been the backbone of the most successful Chelsea side in the club's history.

The rebuilding process have started with the buying spree in January. 26-year old Fernando Torres was the biggest signing in the winter transfer window. Who wouldn't be interested in a Champions League available world class striker? Hardly anyone had seen Brazilian David Luiz until he signed for Chelsea. Luiz is only 23 years old, young and a potential jewel in the crown for the Blue Champions.

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Valencia Strike Sets Red Devils On Way To Premier League Curtain Raiser Win

It was a statement of intent by Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United. Their 14th FA Community Shield capture is a record for the Red Devils and they are looking in good nick as the new Premier League season starts next weekend. Chelsea were unable to snap out of their pre-season slump and succumb to their fourth pre-season loss, this time at Wembley. The good news for Blues fans is that they start the season next weekend against relegation candidate WBA at home.

Antonio Valencia set United on their way to victory with a sweeping move which exposed the lack of pace in the Chelsea defence. Wayne Rooney created that goal but he had a quiet game by his high standards. However, the Red Devils did not have to rely on Rooney as much in this match. Valencia had the better of Ashley Cole all afternoon and he exploited it to the best of his abilities.

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