ESPN

  (9:15 AM)

Hello everyone, get your questions in. Tommy will be starting a few minutes early today. He should be here at 9:45 EST.

  (9:54 AM)

Hello everyone. Hope you are all looking forward to the Champions League.

Wei(singapore)

With Ronaldo back with Man Utd..do u think Man Utd will have problem with beating Villarreal?

  (9:56 AM)

I really do not think that Ronaldo will be a key in this game. This could be a very tough outing for Manchester United. I will be very interested to see what way Ferguson plays his front line. As a rule in Europe he goes with one striker. I think that at Old Trafford United will have some problems with Villarreal but they will still win.

ashutosh mishra(Mangalore and karnataka)

Should Theo walcott get a nod in the starting lineup for Arsenal during their Champions League encounter?

  (9:57 AM)

Walcott is the new star, why not give him the nod. I know that Wenger wants to keep the pressure off him. I am of the opinion that you always put your best players out and right now you would have to say that Walcott is off to a dream start.

Sarah, Pennsylvania

Do you think a league-wide salary cap similar to the NFL would benefit the smaller Premier League teams or just weaken the dynasties?

  (9:58 AM)

Good morning Sarah. I think you are on the right track. I think something must be done to limit the amount of money that can be spent. it is getting to the point where teams don't care about the bottom line and some of them may spend themselves out of existence. Somebody needs to take a stand.

Jaafer Futuwi, Bremen, Germany.

Juve, Zenith, Real a group of death surely . I see Juve and Zenith Making it to the next round. What do you see? Thank you

  (9:59 AM)

I see Juve but I do not see Zenit. I think Real Madrid will accompany Juve to the next round.

Sinagapore

With the way things are turning for manchester united in the bpl, do u think they can successfully defend their title?

  (10:00 AM)

I think they can defend the Premier League crown but I don't think they can win in Europe again this year, too tough to repeat.

simret,singapore,sembawang

do you think that the missing of ronaldo is causing man utd to lose to liverpool?

  (10:01 AM)

No, but he is certainly effecting their play. You can't lose a goalscorer like Ronaldo and not miss him. Liverpool were due a win over Manchester United and they got it.

thomas barungi, kampala- Uganda

how do you rate liverpool's chances on all fronts this season

  (10:02 AM)

Liverpool are playing well and will have a lot of confidence after beating United, I would say they will finish in the top 4 and make the quarterfinals fo the Champions League.

Kieran , Sydney , Australia

Hey Tommy Why dont you wear a Man United jersey on press pass? You may aswell, you have got nothing but praise for united but when it comes to arsenal all you seem to do is bag us out. So i spose you be a predicting an early exit for arsenal in the CL at the group stage ?

  (10:03 AM)

Kieran, Manchester United jerseys do not come that big. What do you want me to do, kiss the Arsenal players for you? On today's show I said how brilliant Arsenal were.

Wale Ajijola Lagos

What are your views on the upcoming match between Man U and Chelsea? I think Chelsea will lose their first match at Stamford Bridge. I think Liverpool will win the Premiership and Man U will win the Champions League. What do you think ?

  (10:05 AM)

Wale, I think the Chelsea-Man Utd match will end in a draw. I don't think Liverpool will win the title and I don't think Manchester United will win the Champions League...surprise, surprise!

Binni (Ruston, LA)

Hey Tommy, what are some of your "sleeper" teams to advance to the knockout stages of the champions league?

  (10:06 AM)

Binni, I like Fenerbahce again but they will have to struggle to edge out Porto for 2nd in their group. I like Panathinaikos to make it out with Inter in Group B and Atletico Madrid to advance with Liverpool in Group D.

Joe Allen, St.John's, Antigua

What do you think will solve the present crisis at Newcastle?

  (10:09 AM)

I think it is pretty obvious that Newcastle need to find an owner who is serious about Newcastle Utd and a manager who understands what this team needs. And they need someone ready to spend big bucks!

Kuala Lumpur

Is Pep Guardiola the right man for the Barca job? and do you think he will be able to turn things around at the Nou camp?

  (10:10 AM)

I don't think that Guardiola will last the season with Barca, I have not been impressed with the way they have played this year. I know it is early but I don't like some of the moves he made against Racing and when you end up with the Barca fans booing the Barca team, Guardiola has serious problems.

Rando (Portland, Maine)

Without our old friends AC Milan among the Champions league field this year, which of the Italian clubs has the best chance to go deep into the competition?

  (10:11 AM)

I picked Inter Milan to win the whole thing and I am standing by that.

Brendon, Melbourne, Australia

Who are arsenal going to sign in the january transfer window if anybody? and where do you see the gunners finishing this year in the premier league?

  (10:13 AM)

Hello Brendon, I think it is pretty obvious that Wenger will go looking for another striker. They scored 4 goals at the weekend but they need another body as I am not sure if Eduardo will ever return to what he was. How would Benzema fit with Arsenal?

Victor, New York

Hi Tommy! Looking forward to hearing you on commentary again! Anyway, I have a question about Manchester United. They tried to play Berbatov with Tevez and Rooney against Liverpool, and they went long stretches without possession as they were somewhat thin in midfield (although losing Carrick definitely hurt). In Europe, where possession is much more important, do you think they should bench one of those three forwards or maybe even two of them?

  (10:14 AM)

This is the big question for Manchester United: what do you do with the three strikers in Europe? I would feel that Feruson may go with Berbatov as a lone striker pulling Rooney out on to the right and bringing Tevez off the bench.

Murtala, Abuja Nigeria

Do you think chelsea can go all the way to clinch premier league this season?

  (10:15 AM)

Murtala, Chelsea at this point in time look like the class of the Premier League. It is a long way to go but you have to feel that it could be the same as last year going to the wire with Chelsea and United. They have a great chance of winning it even without Essien.

Gord, Red Deer, Canada

Hey Tommy, do you feel that Arsenal have a real shot at winning either the Premier League or the Champions League this given that they didn't make any deals at the end of the transfer window?

  (10:17 AM)

I know there are many people who feel I don't like Arsenal. I can't see them winning anything this year. If you are an Arsenal fan you have three key players whose health is key: Fabregas, Van Persie and Adebayor. If any of them get hurt Arsenal will be in real trouble and if two of them go out it will be a disaster.

chad tampa, florida

Hey tommy, who do u think is going to be in the champions league final this year, and who do u think is going to win the champions league this year?-chad

  (10:17 AM)

So much can happen with how the teams are drawn in the knockout round but I see Rome in May with a team from Milan and a team from Madrid in the final and you already know I like Inter to lift the trophy.

Shahzaib Hassan (Pakistan)

Hi Tommy, I wanna know what you think about chelsea? They may be awesome in mid n defense but their attack lacks tooth, with Drogba only goal scorer. Can this stop them from winning league and europe?

  (10:18 AM)

If Drogba does not measure up, Anelka looks like he could carry the load. I would not put too much faith in him but Joe Cole can also pick up the slack and score some goals.

Matt atlanta ga.

Tommy this might be little off of the subject, but why dosent the mls adopt a single table system soccer is different than evey other major us sport and a play off system dosent make any sense.

  (10:20 AM)

Matt, I will not tell them how to run their league but it would be in line with other leagues around the world. I don't know that the playoff system can't work, it has been ok with MLS but it would be much more straight forward if they did not do it this way.

Nate: Eugene, OR

Tommy, how many Premier League teams in the semi-finals this year? Which ones?

  (10:21 AM)

Again, so many things can happen but I think that we might see two in it this year, Chelsea and Manchester United.

Tim, Maine

Tommy, any thoughts as to which team might pull off a stunner and advance out of the group stage? Thanks a lot, and I am looking forward to another year of great commentary from you and Derek.

  (10:22 AM)

One team that I could see coming out of the group is Atletico Madrid as I said. Liverpool will also survive. Atletico is not a big surprise but they will have their work cut out against PSV and Marseille. Watch out for Aguero, great player.

samuel oguche(malaysia,kuala lumpur)

why is it that manchester united can not perform without cristiano ronaldo that shows that the level of their game is very poor.

  (10:25 AM)

I would not agree with you at all Samuel. I think Man. United have proved many times in the past that they can and will perform without Cristiano Ronaldo. I do see that Ronaldo is the kingpin of this team and if you take any player out of any team who scores 40 goals in a season and see how they fair. Oh, sorry, very few score 40. It is only natural they would miss him but I still feel they are formidable without him.

tariq - Trinidad

barcelona played fantastic football against an ultra defensive teams.. why does every team in the world park the bus when they play the azulgrana? No other team in europe gets this response week in week out in europe.. look at numancia.. they actually played football against RM.. barca's greatness has a cost!

  (10:27 AM)

Tariq, me and you were looking at different games. I don't see where the fantastic football was. How can you play fantastic football when Messi sits on the bench most of the game.That might have been one way that Guardiola can break down a defensive team. I think you are seeing something in Barcelona that just is not there at this point.

  (10:27 AM)

Thank you everyone, enjoy the Champions League this week!