The Day Drogba Inflicted pain on Liverpool

Drogba, a bizarre mixture of toe-curling amateur dramatics and fearsome attacking threat, was even more of a nuisance when upright, on his feet and punching holes in Liverpool's Premier League title credentials.

The Ivorian's contest with Fernando Torres was billed as a heavyweight confrontation wrapped within Chelsea and Liverpool's battle to make an early statement of intent to challenge Manchester United's domestic domination.

There was only one winner. Drogba may spend more time on the deck than any glass-jawed boxer, but he delivered crucial blows while the subdued Torres barely laid a glove on Chelsea.

Liverpool struggled to cope with Drogba's physical presence

Benitez navigated his way around any inquisition about Drogba's antics. He has more to worry about than Drogba after a third defeat in eight league games raised fresh doubts about Liverpool's capacity to end a 20-year wait to win the title.

Drogba showed all sides on his nature in a game settled by fine margins, but one deservedly decided in Chelsea's favour. Call him an old ham. Call him a drama queen - but never call him anything less than a world-class striker.

On one occasion, Chelsea captain John Terry even appeared to suggest to Drogba that he might be better served getting up and getting on with it rather than making another appointment with the Stamford Bridge physio.

This was one of many priceless interventions from Terry, because Drogba's main talent is playing with the sort of power, drive and ruthless pursuit of opposing defenders that set up goals for Nicolas Anelka and substitute Florent Malouda.

Torres, in contrast, had a laboured and fruitless afternoon. He started a physical confrontation with Terry that he was never going to win with a nasty early challenge, an ill-judged move that only appeared to inspire Chelsea's captain in his efforts to snuff out Torres, a personal battle he won long before the final whistle.

If there is a minor flaw in this great striker's make up, it is a tendency to became side-tracked by pointless bickering instead of inflicting damage with his ability. He has been bogged down by side issues on three occasions this season, when Liverpool have played Spurs, Aston Villa and now Chelsea.

Liverpool fans, and perhaps Torres, can work out for themselves what is the common denominator in those three results.

If Drogba provided the muscle in Chelsea's win, Terry was the heart and soul. He was withering in his assessment of Chelsea's performance in defeat at Wigan - and he led by example here.

When Anelka put Chelsea ahead on the hour, Terry cut short his celebrations to gather his team-mates around him and order total concentration. When Malouda settled affairs deep into injury time, Terry's release of emotion was an illustration of the importance of this victory.

It was fitting that the final act of the game was Terry rising imperiously to clear a corner before leading a communal huddle of elated colleagues. He was an immense figure for Chelsea.

And for coach Carlo Ancelotti, it was a win that put another layer of gloss on his reputation. Luiz Felipe Scolari's early successes were exposed as a false dawn when Liverpool won at Chelsea last season - no such problems for Ancelotti.

Ancelotti has made the partnership of Drogba and Anelka work, while he showed his willingness to be flexible by withdrawing Frank Lampard from the point of Chelsea's midfield diamond formation.

It was a not a move that brought immediate success, but it was Lampard who won the ball from Javier Mascherano to start the move that led to Chelsea's first goal. The record shows he is more effective arriving late in the area and Ancelotti's switch appears to be a recognition of this.

Chelsea were also well-served by stand-in keeper Hilario, in for suspended Petr Cech. After questioning his ability in the build-up, it is only right his faultless contribution is acknowledged here.

If it was a game that will have given Chelsea fresh confidence for battles ahead, it was an experience that will have left Liverpool nursing renewed doubts.

ln Benitez's words they were "not bad." He was right because Liverpool were not bad, but not bad never wins Premier League titles and they were found wanting in crucial areas.

Liverpool, while lacking serious ambition, were coping until Anelka ended the stalemate, but the dash and verve that illuminated their final three months of last season has not been present against a better class of opposition this term.

Liverpool manager Rafa BenitezLiverpool boss Benitez needs to find the right balance in midfield

Benitez's team selection also begs questions. The exclusion of Yossi Benayoun for Albert Riera was mystifying. He drifted around the edge of affairs, looking more the player he was on loan at Manchester City than the Spanish international Benitez splashed out on.

And while it is understandable that the temptation to tuck Steven Gerrard just behind Torres is almost irresistible, surely on this occasion the captain would have provided a better midfield contrast to Mascherano than Lucas.

Mascherano and Lucas is a creative vacuum as a central partnership and Liverpool needed more, and will need more. Did the fact Benitez chose not to move Gerrard demonstrate not just his unswerving loyalty to Lucas, but also a lack of faith in Liverpool's attacking undercard?

Jamie Carragher and Martin Skrtel gave cause for hope with an improvement on performances in recent weeks, but they could not deal with Drogba and Anelka when it counted.

Xabi Alonso gets better with every game he doesn't play for Liverpool, while the pressure on Alberto Aquilani to deliver grows with every day he edges towards eventual fitness.

Benitez sought some solace in defeat by suggesting Liverpool are now winning more games this season while they were guilty of drawing too many last term. In other words the points might even themselves out this time around even if Liverpool lose more matches - risky logic this.

Six points off the top hardly represents crisis time for Liverpool, but they lack momentum and Benitez cannot rely on what he sees as a more unpredictable Premier League throwing up results like Wigan beating Chelsea or Burnley beating Manchester United. It's early days still and, as Benitez says, no time for panic.

There is no shame in losing to Chelsea but Liverpool have lost to the four best teams they have met this season at home and abroad - there is no shield against this reality.

For Chelsea coach Ancelotti, it was a satisfactory end to a week that brought ludicrous suggestions that he was under pressure after his first league defeat and a scratchy Champions League victory.

The Italian was at his deadpan best as he dismissed the scare theories and delivered the line: "Football is the same the world over." Not quite Carlo. Not every team has a Didier Drogba. And for all his faults Chelsea were grateful they had him to see off Liverpool and return Ancelotti's side to the top of the table.

WENGER PASSES GUNNERS LANDMARK

Arsene Wenger becomes the longest-serving manager in Arsenal's history on Thursday. The Frenchman took charge of the Gunners on September 28, 1996 and has since gone on to win three Premier League titles and four FA Cups during his 4,749 days at the helm. Wenger also led Arsenal to the Champions League final in 2006 but his hopes of European glory were crushed after Barcelona secured a 2-1 win in Paris. The former Monaco chief has now surpassed George Allison, who was in charge of the north London outfit between 1934 and 1947, as the Gunners longest-serving manager and he has been backed by his current squad.

Wenger Brought Henry into the club in 1999 from Monaco and he went on to be the club's top goalscorer of all time with 226 goals in all competitions between 1999 and 2007 having surpassed Ian Wright's total of 185 in October 2005. Wright's record had stood since September 1997, a feat which overtook the longstanding total of 178 goals set by winger Cliff Bastin in 1939. Henry also holds the club record for goals scored in the League – 174– a record that had been held by Bastin until February 2006.



Cesc Fabregas, Arsenal's current captain, was signed by Wenger as a 16-year-old from Barcelona's youth team and he has now gone on to be one of the most valuable players in world football during his time at the Emirates Stadium.



After failing to produce any silver ware for almost the last 5 seasons, wenger credibility has in recent times comes under scrutiny. But the frenchman does not bother himself about this. The board management and fans are still in support of him. He is still a great coach. He has recruited more players, and many youth team players has been called into the senior team to boost the squad. The likes of Russian Arshavin, English Theo walcot, Spanish fran Merida who gave Nigeria U20 something to think about in Egypt on monday and Thomas Vermaelen, etc.



These are talented stars that can turn things around for Arsenal. I hope they will bring back those good days for Arsene Wenger to smile victoriously again.

Ancelotti Can Lead Chelsea To Champions League Glory- Terry Speaks

John Terry has claimed that Chelsea will be out for redemption in the Champions League this season, with the pain of the loss on penalties against bitter rivals Manchester United in the 2008 final still hurting.

The center-back will forever be remembered as the man who missed the spot kick that would have won it for the Blues in Moscow, slipping over as he went to strike the ball. The ball slew off his right boot and smashed into the upright, giving United a lifeline - which they made the most of.

Terry said that the pain of the loss had galvanized the squad, with most who played part in that match still with the Blues today.

“What has happened to us in the past still hurts massively. That was why it was very important we kept the backbone of the side together,” Terry said to The Daily Mirror.

“We have experienced some bad times together. Of course, there have also been some good times, but the bad ones will live with us forever. That is something we all want to make amends for, to put things right.

“Together we’ve come so close and after so many years of doing so well in this competition and not winning it, this is the chance to finally do it.

“Now we’ve got players of the right age and experience and also the right quality to push on this year and make it ours. That’s what we’re looking to do.”

With the arrival of Carlo Ancelotti, who has won the Champions League trophy twice with AC Milan, Terry feels that Chelsea now have the leader with the requisite experience to lead them to glory.

He continued: “The first thing that Italian managers have is that they are very well organized tactically. We do a lot of defending and working together as a team.

“If you look at his Milan side over the years, they’ve been very well organized too. Everybody knows their job and ensures they do it correctly.

“That’s something he’s come in and got us doing, making sure we fight and work hard for each other.

“We know that if we’re organized we’re going to be very difficult to break down and with the quality we’ve got up front, we know we’ll always be able to score goals as well.

“Carlo is a very good man, somebody we can go to and approach while at the same time we all have huge respect for what he’s done in the game.

“To have him on board and pass on his knowledge and experience and get us organized and doing the tactical work is really good.

“He knows when to relax and when to focus and those are things that are really key. He knows exactly what players want and that’s the key to the success we want.”

Ancelotti Can Lead Chelsea To Champions League Glory- Terry Speaks

John Terry has claimed that Chelsea will be out for redemption in the Champions League this season, with the pain of the loss on penalties against bitter rivals Manchester United in the 2008 final still hurting.

The center-back will forever be remembered as the man who missed the spot kick that would have won it for the Blues in Moscow, slipping over as he went to strike the ball. The ball slew off his right boot and smashed into the upright, giving United a lifeline - which they made the most of.

Terry said that the pain of the loss had galvanized the squad, with most who played part in that match still with the Blues today.

“What has happened to us in the past still hurts massively. That was why it was very important we kept the backbone of the side together,” Terry said to The Daily Mirror.

“We have experienced some bad times together. Of course, there have also been some good times, but the bad ones will live with us forever. That is something we all want to make amends for, to put things right.

“Together we’ve come so close and after so many years of doing so well in this competition and not winning it, this is the chance to finally do it.

“Now we’ve got players of the right age and experience and also the right quality to push on this year and make it ours. That’s what we’re looking to do.”

With the arrival of Carlo Ancelotti, who has won the Champions League trophy twice with AC Milan, Terry feels that Chelsea now have the leader with the requisite experience to lead them to glory.

He continued: “The first thing that Italian managers have is that they are very well organized tactically. We do a lot of defending and working together as a team.

“If you look at his Milan side over the years, they’ve been very well organized too. Everybody knows their job and ensures they do it correctly.

“That’s something he’s come in and got us doing, making sure we fight and work hard for each other.

“We know that if we’re organized we’re going to be very difficult to break down and with the quality we’ve got up front, we know we’ll always be able to score goals as well.

“Carlo is a very good man, somebody we can go to and approach while at the same time we all have huge respect for what he’s done in the game.

“To have him on board and pass on his knowledge and experience and get us organized and doing the tactical work is really good.

“He knows when to relax and when to focus and those are things that are really key. He knows exactly what players want and that’s the key to the success we want.”

Does Amodu deserves another chance?

Under-pressure Nigeria coach, Shuaibu Amodu, has pleaded with the technical committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to give him another chance to ensure Nigeria still qualify for next year's World Cup.

He asked that he be given more support, while blaming the players for not beating the visiting Tunisians in a must-win game on Sunday.

At the dressing room immediately after the match, Amodu, in the presence of the sports minister and other top officials, accused the players of lacking tactical discipline.

HIDDINK HINTS AT PREM RETURN

Guus Hiddink has hinted he would be interested in a return to the Premier League.

Hiddink, who is preparing his Russia side for Wednesday's World Cup qualifier with Wales, remains a big fan of English football after his four-month spell at Chelsea last term.

The Dutchman guided Chelsea to FA Cup final success before returning to his job with Russia.

Hiddink expects to take a break from football after next summer's World Cup finals, but he has indicated he would consider a move back to England if the opportunity arose.

"I had a wonderful time there and before I worked for Chelsea I was often [watching] the Premier League," Hiddink told The Guardian. "I love to be in England to smell the atmosphere. So, missing it? Of course missing it. But I love to work with the guys in Moscow as well."

"Of course. England is very attractive. It's unique in that the level of competition is high. But I have to make a judgment whether I stop for a few months, or half a year or a year, or do something different within football. I don't know yet. I am ageing in our profession.

"But as long as football gives me the energy and I am not repeating myself - because that is a trap, being a long time in the business that you go on automatic pilot."

AC Milan Wants Fabregas for 35million Euros PLUS Arsene Wenger's new Formation

How does that other saying go? Adding salt to injury? Or making an already bad situation worse? Well, it seems to me that after Arsenal has lost two star players – do I still have to name them? – they are being asked to lose yet another.

Just like asking a man with measles to add elephantiasis to his stockpile of diseases.

As I heard (and as the crow flies) AC Milan are attempting to cause a new depletion to Old Trafford. It seems they are not deterred by the fact that Arsenal has only recently lost two players – Sheyi Emmanuel Adebayor and Kolo Toure – with some people speculating that the sale is a loss Arsene Wenger will live to regret.

I hope in the interest of football that this attempted “deal” does not fall in place as it will leave quite a number of Gunners fans extremely angry.

In one simplified sentence: AC Milan has submitted their bid for Arsenal star Cesc Fabregas. The club president on the Milan side has given his permission for the pursuance of the bid. Yay!

Now the details: Milan wants to make the juicy offer of 35 million euros for the Gunners star midfielder. They are hoping to seal a three year contract with the cool kid, all the while dangling a four million a year bait over the proposed five year deal. The almighty Berlusconi himself has admitted to saying that he is in search of under 23 years old players to enrich his squad. He attests to the fact that Fabregas will be a splendid addition.

Meanwhile, Asene wenger has come into braod light to explain how his team will play for the forthcoming season. Seems he has learnt a thing or two from Barcelona FC. He has revealed that the Gunners will play in the remarkable 4-3-3 formation that Barca have often and tirelessly employed in bringing down formidable football foes.

The fact that Toure and Adebayor have left a chink in the armor notwithstanding, some adjustments have been made to the tactical arrangement to ensure maximum play.

You probably already have noticed the adoption of the new formation in their pre-season play.

As Wenger himself said, “when you play with Arshavin, you are never on your own, when you play with Theo Walcott you are never on your own”. I can almost imagine the old boy beaming with pride.

He emphasized that the amount of output that will be gotten from his strikers will depend on the amount of support they get from the other part of the team.

He explained that the pre-season play will be a form of test run of the new formation as it will enable him strike the tentative balance between the offensive and defensive portions of his reputable squad. He expressed immense satisfaction with the results so far.

I must admit that Arsene Wenger really loves his Gunners and he believes they are the best. Whatever the case, I believe staunch Arsenal fans will stand solidly with their manager’s moves, knowing they are borne out of good will and love.

May the best team win.

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Real Madrid Insure Cristiano Ronaldo's Legs For €100m

There is a quaint old saying somewhere that you do not miss the water until it is gone. That you regret your loss only when it happens. Well, I know someone who is not going to wait for the loss before making plans. No what-ifs here. And that someone is none other that Spanish millionaire club, Real Madrid. They have acquired their star, and intend to use him. And if a puny knee injury says they won’t get their money’s worth, well, think again.

The Spanish club – which I immensely admire, I might add – has taken out a 100 million pound insurance policy. Against what? Fire? Hail? Accidents? No. For the legs of Cristiano Ronaldo.

They have magnificiently insured themselves against any ugly scenario concerning the Portuguese superstar’s legs and are ready to showcase their masterpiece to the world without fear.

The record-breaking superstar who was formerly a Manchester united totem before his sale to Real Madrid – the record breaking sum is ninety four million pounds, I might add – has been receiving grand and special treatment due to the important role he would play for his new club, and Real Madrid have rapidly insured themselves against any painful loss in the event that their much-pampered star is unable to play.

As we all know, they twenty four year old star recently had a case that might have prompted such measures. He recently had a knee injury that stopped him from playing for sometime, in which period he was quickly bestowed under the care of specially trained doctors who rapidly brought him to tip-top condition. I should say that in the event that such a similar situation occurs, Real is trying to save their head. Good, astute, business-like move.

In case you want to know – or have a nice, cozy trip down memory lane – you would remember that the young Portuguese striker for former club Manchester United was purchased in the summer by the Spanish giants, Real Madrid, during a happy season of big spending. It was also during one of those wild money-throwing parades that they also acquired Kaka, Karim Benzema and Raul Albiol.

These are great players, I must say, but to give honour to whom it is due and in right proportions, I must chip in the fact that Ronaldo’s addition to the club was the most celebrated of the additions, and it would only be logical for Los Merengues to try as much as possible to guard their prized possession and valued investment.

My own personal fears lie in the fact that while C. Ronaldo might be an exceptional player, there exist also stars like Kaka who are worth their mettle. I wonder how Kaka would feel when he hears that bit of news – Ronaldo’s legs insured for that some. Heck, what’s wrong with insuring Kaka’s legs, too.

While I support the move, I suggest that there is a balance so there is no division in the camp.

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Chelsea FC Set to Spend 100 million pounds on three top players – Aguero, Ribery and Pirlo.

While all the hustle and bustle has been going on in the past week in Arsenal and Man City’s camp, a friend of mine commented on Chelsea’s seeming dormancy. He wondered what the blues were doing while its neighbours were preparing hot coals for a big showdown.

I, as usual, dispensed with some candid answers. You see, the grand game masters usually wait to watch their opponents’ moves before baring the cards up their sleeves. I believed that was exactly what Chelsea FC was doing – oh, and how right I was.

It has become evident that the blue team is making plans to submit their carefully mapped bids for three players – Frank Ribery (Bayern Munich), Sergio Aguero (Athletico Madrid) and Milan’s Andrea Pirlo. All these were gotten from the Daily Mail.

Chelsea Chairman, Roman Abramovich made these moves just to show that the blues are in no wise resting on their oars to prove their mettle in this coming season. Some believe that the move may have been pre-empted by Captain John Terry’s questions about the Chelsea fate in the coming matches. Technically, this is a form of saying, “We are marching on!!”

Here are the hard facts: manager Carlo Ancelotti is making plans to reel in Andrea Pirlo to the Blues side to hold their midfield tenaciously. And he comes with an estimated fee, too. They are estimating something along the figures of 12 million pounds or more. They want him to join their formidable diamond formation where they are sure of having a tight defence and powerful midfield to boot.

Admittedly (on the Chelsea side) it won’t be easy for the Blues to get player Aguero, as Manchester United are also showing interest in the same player. It is also noted that Sergio Aguero’s present club, Athletico Madrid, have slammed a forty five million – pound fee on their star. Guess further what? Sergio himself has said that for whatever new club he is going to be signed in to, he would be paid a 200,000 pound a week pay. Amazing, isn’t it? As I hear, this has thrown Chelsea off the mark a little. Bad, bad.

That is not all, pals. The formidable blues are making plans to offer a little over forty million pounds to Bayern Munich Star Frank Ribery. They hope the money bait is large enough to draw the star to Stamford bridge. I hope it is, too. Another thing that may work in the blues’ favor is the fact that Frank is nearing his deadline for his transfer. They are hoping that the pressure will make Bayern Munich play right into their arms.

Well, that’s it. The figures are well within the 100 million pound range. The blues are ready to show the football world that they have the cash and are not afraid of spending it. I hope that they get their prized additions as it will add more fire to an already sizzling pre-season preparation in the English leagues.

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Confirmed: Kolo Toure Signs for Manchester City

The sale of Kolo Toure no doubt will be heart breaking for Arsenal fans. He is one of the players the fans have fallen in love with over time.

No one will hold any grudge. He has served Arsenal in a manner that very few have. When you consider the fact he came in to take over from player like Keown, and some other Arsenal greats, his quality can not be disputed. 16 million pounds is a lot of money, but Arsene as usual 'Knows'. He has never gotten it wrong in terms of when to let a player leave. After the African Nations Cup, Kolo Toure has never been the same again. But his sale will only make football sense if that cash is plunged back into the team.
If Arsenal Brings in a world class striker and and a combative midfielder, i believe they can challenge for the title considering the quality in the team, especially now that players who were missed for the whole of last season are back.
I know a few will graduate from the youth team, but at the back Vermalean and Djourou seem Arsene's first choice, Gallas, Senderous will probably have to fight for their places in the team. In all this Arsene Wenger must not anger Fabregas any further by failing to give him a strong midfield partner. 'Arsene Knows'.

The announcement was made on the Arsenal Official website.

Kolo Toure has today signed for Manchester City for an undisclosed fee.
Toure (28), who joined Arsenal from Ivorian side Asec Mimosas in February 2002, made a total of 326 appearances for the Gunners, being a regular in the first team over the past seven seasons.

During his time with Arsenal, Kolo won the FA Cup in both 2003 and 2005, and was part of the ‘Invincibles’ squad who won the 2003/04 Premier League, going the entire season unbeaten.

Now Arsene should use this cash properly to at least asuage Arsenal fans who will all miss Toure.

Not Again?! Arsenal Sells Another Player (Kolo Toure) To Manchester City

I don’t know if you feel as I expect you should feel, but I know this: Manchester City was not making idle threats about their bid to unseat Arsenal from the pinnacle of the Big Four.

As if buying Sheyi Emmanuel Adebayor from the Gunners was not enough, they have performed the same, er, magic still on the Gunners. Believe me, they have bought Kolo Toure as well.

It all started this morning when there was news that the Ivorian was heading to Manchester City for a medical, and a few hours later, it was indeed confirmed that the star had been transferred to the Citizens’ side.

It is not quite clear at this moment how much the deal was worth, but I am guessing within the 15-16 million pounds range. That adds another, say, fifteen million to Arsenal’s end of the account after the sale of Emmanuel Adebayor for 25m to the same club – Man City.

Eastlands so far have not spared the cash as it is now believed that their total expenditure on new players has gotten to the gut-wrenching sum of ninety-five million pounds. Make no bones about it, these people mean business!

According to Kolo himself, he feels that this stage in his career is necessary for advancement as he has high hopes and dreams for football. He claimed that he is deeply in love with Arsene Wenger and his band of merry men (I mean, after eight years of sticking together, what else was expected?). In other words, whatever move he is making now is for the best – however you look at it.

He expressed total admiration for the Sheik’s ambition and he shared Mark Hughes’ dream for the club, and he feels that with the other squad members – Carlos Tevez and Adebayor, to mention some – his hopes can actually be actualized.

Someone said that Kolo is one player who does his thing from the heart. Once he is convinced and committed, well, the sky would only be a minor touchstone.

Something more for your reading pleasure: there are some speculation that our recent addition to Man City’s side’s fellow international might also be sold this week. I mean none other than Emmanuel Eboue. Apparently, the deal will take up the figures on Arsenal’s balance sheet for player transfer to an impressive sum of fifty million pounds. Good? Or bad?

Anyway, I believe this is just an interesting move in the favour of the spirit of football. Whether these moves will favour Arsenal, or Manchester City on the other hand will be a factor of time. I know one thing: there is steadily becoming general unease in the camp of Arsenal fans. Maybe Arsene Wenger is proving too inactive for comfort? Or does he have an ace up his sleeve? My curiousity is piqued.

Meanwhile, stakeholders for Arsenal are complaining that Adebayor’s sale to Manchester City was done is blatant error. They would have preferred his sale to “any other club apart from Manchester City.”

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Arsenal: We want Solomon Kalou to Replace Adebayor

It seems that the Gunners are not looking far in their bid to replace their departed brethren, Sheyi Emmanuel Adebayor. In fact, it is so close that it has to be in Chelsea’s backyard.

Our Gunners’ manager, Arsene Wenger obviously wants to get his replacement from across London. And guess who the intending surprise replacement is? None other than star player for the Blues, Solomon Kalou.

Ever since the fateful, and not altogether profitless, sale of their former player, Adebayor, they have been on the look our for a nice and suitable replacement. True, the Ashburton outfit are right now in the market for a striker substitute. It seems their eyes have finally rested on Solomon Kalou.

Funnily enough, they have declared that they won’t waste much cash on any replacement they select.

But according to my source, News of the World, they have finally come to the general consensus that they can get a grab at Solomon Kalou for the price of about seven million pounds. I’ll leave you to decide if that is a whooping sum or not.

The reason for their confidence might not altogether be far-fetched: See, our Ivorian striker’s contract is about to expire (next summer to be exact) and this might have led them to believe that the Blue team might consider that an opportunity to make some quick bucks. Logic!

You see, Chelsea manager has openly declared that he would be glad to have Solomon Kalou on for the next season. In other words, he would be happy for Solomon Kalou to remain on Stamford bridge, but there are speculations that the fact that he has not been offered a renewal of contract may mean that all pending and subsequent offers will be, and probably, are being considered. Solomon Kalou, did you know, is currently earning forty five thousand pounds weekly, and it seems that the Gunners want to butter that bread even more as they seem ready to part with seventy thousand pounds weekly as his compensation if he does join their club.

A “Chelsea Insider” (I call him, or her (though highly unlikely for it to be a she) a little bird) informed an outsider (a reporter, in my once again humble opinion) that Solomon Kalou, although flattered by Arsenal’s interest in him as their striker, is quite happy to be in Chelsea. He declared full commitment to the blues.


Times, change, people change, resolve weakens, and mountains wear off. Even Jesus Christ said something along those lines, He said If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you could say to the mountain, be cast into the sea. Well, it may seem that Kalou is determined to stay with the blues, but I can some handwritings on the wall, although they are a little vague right now. The fact that Chelsea hasn’t come up with a new contract spells various meanings, some of which I would do better to leave to your conscience and intelligence for suitable explanation.

Comments? Excellent.

Adebayor Speaks for Man City: We can get John Terry on Our Side

This just keeps getting interesting and interesting. Curiouser and Curiouser, a famous poet once said. It seems that some teams are really determined to leave no holds barred in their bid to overthrow soccer power and unseat the previous top champs. I like it.

This Sunday, I bring you one bit of tantalizing news. At least, it was tantalizing when I stumbled on it: Our watched-after recent recruit to Eastlands has expressed absolute confidence that Chelsea’s formidable captain, John Terry can be bought over to Manchester City’s side. He believes that no man can resist certain forms of baits, it seems.

He attested vividly, in broad daylight, that there is a mighty chance that the captain could defect and come to Man City’s side of the football lines.

As much as I would love to allay the fears of all Chelsea loving fans, I cannot do that at the moment. And who is responsible for this aura of vagueness surrounding the whole issue? None other than John Terry himself! As long as he continues to be mysterious about his future with Chelsea, it will only serve to confirm many fears and suspicions that he is indeed ready to fly. The Citizens, sure know how to align a good squad, I must comment. What was that old saying? Money talks, bullshit walks.

Adebayor seems to be the mouthpiece of the gods on this issue, and it seems he feels that our Chelsea captain will do his new club a world of good, as well as complement his playing. He expressed full confidence in his club’s ability to reel John Terry in. He said this, believe me: Anything is now possible, including snatching the centre-back from Chelsea’s unsuspecting arms. He said all this to the Mail on Sunday.

He cited the fact that nobody would have believed that Man City would have been able to acquire both himself and Carlos Tevez six months ago, but the fact is, they did. In his ever-accurate logic, if they could achieve such a feat, they could summon the wells of their magic once again and do this.

He said that he, Carlos Tevez as well as other team members came to Manchester City to become a big team. Why shouldn’t Dear John be a part of the team, too?

Currently, Terry is with his club, Chelsae F.C. on their pre-season tour of the United States of America. He is the captain of the team, and led them to victory in their most recent fixture, which was a 2-1 victory over their new manager’s former team (Carlos Ancelotti’s former team was AC Milan, in case you asked).

Interesting. It seems Man City is really interested in a drastic showdown. I think this will really do to liven things up a bit on the football side in this upcoming season. I can’t wait to see where this leads. I am totally engrossed in Man City’s game plan right now, and watching them organize their playing force gives me a queer feeling of pleasure. I wonder if any of our English teams would sleep soundly while all this happens?

What is Your take on this issue? Please comment.

Victory! Kazier Beat Manchester to the Vodacom Challenge Title

Our upcoming and intending captors of the Big Four title have been beaten to the mini-tournament title for the Vodacom Challenge. As I recall, their recently bought star, Sheyi Emmanuel Adebayor, was their forward and a key player in the match. How they lost, and everything else will be explained right now. I'll start with how the first half went. It was a 1-0 victory

First Half: The game kicked off in Tshwane, crowded, as the last few fans arrived to secure a packed Loftus Stadium. Manchester City kicked off, and the first few minutes of the match saw most of the play take place in the midfield, with the fans applauding good tackles and blowing their festive vuvuzelas.

In the 4th minute Chiefs won a corner, and Lebese sent in a fine cross which caused problems for the Citizens, but the defence was able to clear the ball and switch quickly into a counter attacking move. In the 15th minute Vidal was injured in an unfortunate collision with Chiefs and Bafana keeper Khune, forcing Ben Haim to replace him on the pitch.This game saw the debut of City’s new signing Emmanuel Adebayor, and the player was soon in the thick of things, combining well with Petrov in attack and being tightly marked by the Amakhosi defenders.

The game was tight in the midfield, with both sides working hard to keep the other from creating opportunities to push forward into attack. Snap shots from distance seemed to be the order of the day for the South African club, with Jambo and Yende having a go from long range on a few occasions.

The first half an hour produced few memorable chances with neither side looking particularly threatening. The fans in the crowd were keen to see attacking play from one of the potential English Premier League hopefuls, but it was not as entertaining as some of the previous Vodacom Challenge clashes.

In the 31st minute Adebayor had a shot on goal from distance, but the Chiefs defence did well to block the attack and frustrate the Togolese international.In the 40th minute Chiefs broke the deadlock after a few minutes of sustained pressure, as a corner filtered through to Ntuka, who controlled the ball and blasted the ball past Given in the Man City net. The reply seemed to show a mistaken touch from his hand, but perhaps the referee believed that it was not done intentionally. Manchester City’s response was quick, but Adebayor could not find the breakthrough, as his shot went wide of the target. The half ended with the score at 1-0 for Chiefs over their English visitors.

Second Half: Both teams made a number of substitutions at half time in an effort to bend the game in their favour, with Man City introducing Zabaleta, while the Amakhosi sent Nale and Dladla onto the pitch. In the 52nd minute Adebayor struck another shot at goal, but Khune stood tall and stopped the African Player of the Year from scoring his first City goal.

In the 54th minute Man City were once again on the counter attack, and a fine slide tackle from Ntuka gave the Amakhosi time to recover so that Adebayor’s eventual shot could not beat Khune.In the 57th minute the crowd were pleased to see the arrival of Brazilian superstar Robinho, thrown into the mix for the Citizens in an effort to find an equaliser.

On the hour mark a free kick from Nale slipped agonizingly wide of Given’s post, as the crowd responded with a groan of disappointment, before applauding the effort.The Citizens were pushing forward, desperate for a leveler, but the Chiefs defence did well to hold strong and stop them from advancing.

In the 67th minute Mathebula hit another free kick for the South African club, and Given had to be on alert to make sure that the strike did not slip past him into the goal. After the Soweto giants scored their goal they were in control of the game, with Manchester City struggling to find their form, despite the arrival of Robinho onto the scene.With time running out, the fouls became more frequent, and Chiefs were forced to play a quicker possession game in order to avoid the aggressive play.

In the 84th minute Chiefs had yet another break away, but Torrealba’s shot from an angle was weak and Given took it easily. A few minutes later Robinho had the Loftus crowd on their feet with a shot that was inches wide of Khune’s goal. Adebayor had a final chance to make a memorable debut for the Citizens, but he could not redirect a cross towards the goal. A few nervous final minutes passed, and the referee blew the whistle, as Kaizer Chiefs took the 2009 Vodacom Challenge title with a 1-0 win.

Good for the Kazier Chiefs, bad for Man City.

Wonder how they will still carry on about their taking over the Big Four Monopoly?

Comments? Please do.

EMMANUEL ADEBAYOR: MANCHESTER CITY WILL USURP ARSENAL'S POSITION IN THE BIG FOUR

It is with an immense feeling of football tension, tingling nerves, and excitement that I bring this juicy piece of news. Who said Action thrillers beat football? Tell that bugger: wrong again!! I am feeling the passion for football right now and I know that in a few, you would join me.

Let me inrroduce one who needs no introduction: Sheyi Emmanuel Adebayor, star player and former player for famous club, Arsenal F.C. (the Gunners). In case a bit of news has eluded you so far, from last week counting up to today, the young Togolese is no longer a gunner, but has left to find greener pastures with Manchester city. Arsene Wenger, I heard sold him to the club for twenty-five million pounds, I think. Well, that is beside the point. the fact is that the Togolese now has a new allegiance, and he has openly declared that his new team has all it takes to strip his former club of their enviable position in the Big Four Monopoly.

Kind of reminds me of the movie: Renegade.

He declared easily: That is why I am here. that is exactly why I am in this club, at this time, and at this season. his reasons for his staunch confidence in his newfound love: They have got the players needed for this feat, they also have the squad required, and finally, they have the spirit. We should never forget that: the spirit; very important. The spirit to fight, tenaciously, until they get to the top Four. Hmm. Those are his reasons for signing into Manchester City.
And in the manner of great orators, after taking our hopes up to cloud nine, he confessed that he couldn't assure us (yes, us: the loyal fans and critics) of a position at the higher-ups, but he chipped this in: This club will do everything, fighting tooth-and-nail so in the end, we would all have to applaud. They will fight on the pitch, and try to hold the upper hand, and they hope they can gain the upper hand eventually. Bravo, bravo!!

Our dear beloved forward says that with the quality of players in his new club, and comparing them with the quality he noticed in his former club, he says that he is sure that the Citizens have almost equal, if not better chances of claiming a Champions League title as the Gunners.The forward also felt that having seen the quality of players currently at Eastlands, and comparing them with those at his old club, the Citizens have as much chance as the Gunners of claiming a Champions League place.Meanwhile, Manchester City, we know, prepared for and lost the match against Kazier Chiefs - the one for the Vodacom title - thereby giving the title by default to the Kazier Chiefs. It was a one nil game, and Emmanuel Adebayor featured in the game. Oops!
By the way: City's manager, Mark Hughes, is full of praise and admiration for his newly-acquired player.

Nothing could possible go wrong, or could it.

Please say something on this matter.