"but it hasn't been like a gradual deterioration, as you'd expect from players getting older. It was an instant turning-shit. Even at the start of this season they were flying and thrashing everyone they came up against, then all of a sudden... it was like a switch. They lost one game (can't remember who it was against now) and it was like the bottom fell out of the team."
Yeah, that's true I guess, I can remember people saying that they had the league in the bag because they were ahead, looked invincible and as if they might get stronger - though it was obviously a big call in October or whenever it was said. Maybe getting too old can be like a switch though, or at least it reaches a crucial point where it becomes noticeable - I'm saying that perhaps they just can't maintain that level for a whole season now whereas they could a year ago. Take Lampard for example, he was famous for playing every game but this season he's had loads of injuries. Either way, I don't think buying a trophy striker was anything like the right solution.
Fair play to Casillas yeah.