Last updated: 5th June 2008
Torres: Carvalho best of a bad bunch
Liverpool striker Fernando Torres has hailed Chelsea's Ricardo Carvalho as the best defender in the Premier League.
The Spaniard enjoyed a superb first season in the Premier League but he believes his job was made easier by some poor defending.
He found most of the centre-backs he came across to be more brawn than brains, and admits he was able to capitalise on some careless mistakes.
One exception was Carvalho, who Torres feels does not get the credit he deserves.
Torres rates the Portugal international above his Chelsea team-mate John Terry and thinks he is one of the most impressive defenders in world football.
"Terry is captain so gets a much higher profile. But he's only secondary to Carvalho," Torres told The Sun.
"Ricky is superb. He has every quality that is needed."
Torres added: "The central defenders (in the Premier League) are usually big, strong, aggressive lads.
"I guess it is probably because of these characteristics that the majority think they can solve problems by getting tough with me.
"But the truth is most of them lack defensive positioning as a result of their reliance on strength and aggression and leave so much space for you to take advantage of."
| Time | Fixture |
|---|---|
| Saturday 13th September | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 12:45 | Liverpool vs Man Utd |
| 15:00 | Blackburn vs Arsenal |
| 15:00 | Fulham vs Bolton |
| 15:00 | Newcastle vs Hull |
| 15:00 | Portsmouth vs Middlesbrough |
| 15:00 | West Brom vs West Ham |
| 15:00 | Wigan vs Sunderland |
| 17:30 | Man City vs Chelsea |
| Sunday 14th September | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 13:30 | Stoke vs Everton |
| Monday 15th September | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 20:00 | Tottenham vs Aston Villa |
| Saturday 20th September | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 12:00 | Sunderland vs Middlesbrough |
| 15:00 | Blackburn vs Fulham |
| 15:00 | Liverpool vs Stoke |
| 15:00 | West Ham vs Newcastle |
| 17:30 | Bolton vs Arsenal |
| Sunday 21st September | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 12:00 | West Brom vs Aston Villa |
| 14:00 | Chelsea vs Man Utd |
| 15:00 | Hull vs Everton |
| 15:00 | Man City vs Portsmouth |
| 15:00 | Tottenham vs Wigan |
| Time | Result |
|---|---|
| Sunday 31st August | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Aston Villa 0 - 0 Liverpool | |
| Sunderland 0 - 3 Man City | |
| Chelsea 1 - 1 Tottenham | |
| Saturday 30th August | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Arsenal 3 - 0 Newcastle | |
| Middlesbrough 2 - 1 Stoke | |
| Everton 0 - 3 Portsmouth | |
| Hull 0 - 5 Wigan | |
| West Ham 4 - 1 Blackburn | |
| Bolton 0 - 0 West Brom | |
| Monday 25th August | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Portsmouth 0 - 1 Man Utd | |
| Sunday 24th August | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Man City 3 - 0 West Ham | |
| Wigan 0 - 1 Chelsea | |
| Saturday 23rd August | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Fulham 1 - 0 Arsenal | |
| Newcastle 1 - 0 Bolton | |
| Liverpool 2 - 1 Middlesbrough | |
| Stoke 3 - 2 Aston Villa | |
| West Brom 1 - 2 Everton | |
| Tottenham 1 - 2 Sunderland | |
| Blackburn 1 - 1 Hull | |
| Sunday 17th August | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Man Utd 1 - 1 Newcastle | |
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