Sometimes you wonder how certain perceptions enter the mainstream -- like the notion that Alvaro Morata is "soft." Yes, if he and Diego Costa entered the Thunderdome -- two men enter, one man leaves -- my money probably wouldn't be on him, but that's a bit like saying a Ferrari is low-key because it's not a Lamborghini.
He grabbed a hat trick against Stoke City -- admittedly, his job was made easier by the fact that Mark Hughes' team was missing three central defenders and the one guy they had fit was Bruno Martins Indi -- while showing intelligence, technique, pace and yes, toughness. Unless Antonio Conte changes his system, he'll be playing up front on his own a lot this year and that will be new for a guy who has never started more than 16 top-flight games in a season. But the tools are there, and the fact that his mileage is relatively low, for a guy who turns 25 next month, might actually be a bonus.
Click here to read more of Marcotti's thoughts on what occurred in European football over the previous week.