Ramon Calderon thinks he knows why Real Madrid sacked Rafa Benitez when they did

Former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon has claimed Rafa Benitez was sacked on Monday to reduce the amount of compensation to be paid to the former Liverpool and Chelsea boss.
Benitez signed a three-year contract last summer but was fired after only losing three games and with his side still in contention for La Liga and the Champions League.
His style of play has attracted criticism and he has been unpopular with the Real support.
But Calderon told talkSPORT: “They sacked Benitez now because before January 15, they have to pay only one year's salary. After that, they have to pay two. That is the truth. They have done it now because of only that. Only one month before the chairman (Florentino Perez) said Benitez was the solution and not the problem.”
Former player Zinedine Zidane has been given the caretaker's job – and the club could now step up their interest in Eden Hazard. But Calderon, who was Real president from 2006-2009, claimed Jose Mourinho was the first choice.
“Zidane has come because he is here,” Calderon said. “The chosen one was Mou (Mourinho) but he decided not to come now. He didn't want to come now. I am quite sure he was asked. They wanted Mourinho to come now. They thought it was a risky decision for Zidane to come now.

Rafael Benitez SACKED as Real Madrid Boss replaced by Zinedine Zidane

Rafael Benitez has been sacked as manager of Real Madrid after just seven months in charge, with club legend Zinedine Zidane replacing him.
Spaniard Benitez, 55, was relieved of his duties following a meeting of the club's board on Monday.
B team coach Zidane, 43, has been made first-team boss, but the length of his contract has not been made public.
The World Cup winner said: "I am going to put my heart and soul into this job so that everything works out well."
Benitez's final game was Sunday's 2-2 draw with Valencia, which left them third in La Liga, four points behind leaders Atletico Madrid.
Zidane, whose first game in charge will be Saturday's game with Deportivo La Coruna at the Bernabeu, is the 11th coach to be appointed in Florentino Perez's 12 years as club president. 
Zidane thanked Perez for giving the opportunity to train the "best club in the world with the best fan-base in the world".
The Frenchman added: "I want to do my very best to ensure that this club at the end of the season will have a trophy.

"I will be working hard with all the players and I think it will go well. I will put all the heart I have into this job for the club. Thank you very much."
 

Why sack Benitez? 

Perez is yet to explain why the board of directors took the "difficult" decision to dismiss Benitez, who once coached the club's youth teams.

But he acknowledged his "dedication" and called the Spaniard a "great professional and a great person".
Benitez lost only three of his 25 games and also took Real into the last 16 of the Champions League with two games to spare.
A thumping 8-0 home win over Malmo and a 10-2 victory against nine-man Rayo Vallecano were amongst his most notable successes.
But it would seem a combination of factors led to his downfall, among them a 4-0 home defeat by Barcelona in November and reports of a rift with star forward Cristiano Ronaldo.  


Zidane may have no experience of managing at the top level, but he has long been seen as a future Real boss.
He has been coach of the club's B team, who are second in the Spanish third tier, since 2014 and was a key member of the backroom staff under Carlo Ancelotti, who led Real to a 10th European Cup title.
During his playing career, Zidane was one of Real's key 'Galacticos', a label given to the expensive players signed by Perez during his first spell as president in the early to mid-2000s.
In 2001, Real paid Juventus a then world record fee of £45.8m for the midfielder, who had won the World Cup and European Championship.
Zidane helped Real win the league in 2003 and was named Fifa world player of the year for a third time. 

Analysis

"The first major criticism of Benitez came following a 1-1 draw with local rivals Atletico Madrid in October. "But that was nothing compared to the avalanche of abuse endured by Benitez after Barcelona's sensational 4-0 Clasico victory in November.
"That game concluded with loud chants for the former Liverpool manager's dismissal ringing around the Bernabeu after his team were utterly outclassed by their rivals.
"Benitez survived that trauma, but he never really recovered. From that moment, his departure was just a matter of time.
"Every home game since the defeat by Barca was preceded by loud jeers whenever Benitez's name was announced with the team line-ups.
 

Jurgen Klopp's three basic instructions for his new Liverpool stars revealed as "run, run and run!"

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp will issue his new players with three basic instructions: "Run, run and run!"
That is the message the German gave to his Mainz players back in 2007, Tim Hoogland has revealed after being signed by Klopp that year.
Klopp is expected to push Liverpool's stars to their physical limits as they bid to establish a clear and defined brand of football at Anfield, report the Liverpool Echo.
Former Fulham defender Hoogland revealed in an interview with FourFourTwo magazine that players would be set specific running targets by their manager.
“You have to run. That’s it,” Hoogland said. “I think this is one of the important things you have to know about him. The whole team has to run 120 km (74.5 miles) collectively every game. 120km minimum.”
Patrick Owomoyela, who spent five years under Klopp at Borussia Dortmund, backs up Hoogland’s claims, and says players would be given rewards if they hit their individual targets.
“In his first year he said he wouldn’t guarantee anything apart from that when we reached 120km per game then it would be much harder for us to lose,” he said.
“He actually offered us a day off when we reached that target. He thought that if we reached that then we would win the game. And from then on it became easy because we understood that his plan would work.”
At Liverpool, Klopp will inherit a number of players who are used to hard running. James Milner, the vice captain, was flagged up earlier this season as the player who covers the most ground per game (12.29km) in the Premier League.
Much, of course, will depend on whether Klopp gets the buy-in from his new players. Hoogland spent just one season under him at Mainz before the manager moved on to Dortmund, but is in no doubt that Liverpool have appointed one of the best man-managers around.
He said: “His speeches are really good and they make you want to go out and play. He’s one of the best managers I’ve had for motivation.
“You’ve seen it in the past when he’s standing in the technical area, he can go really crazy. But on the other hand, I think it can give extra motivation. He pushes you to a really, really high level.”
Omomoyela, a former Germany international, concurs.
“He creates pictures in your heads when he talks,” he said. “He will find the right picture to put in your head to make you feel or see what he wants you to understand. Then it’s easy for you to believe, understand, and to do it. That’s something special.
“He brought the winning mentality back to Dortmund. He gave the whole team hope of doing better than the last year, and he just showed us that if we followed and believed in him then there will be success at the end.
“It didn’t take long for him to prove it to us. Even in his first year, the team was doing much better than the year before. From then on it was only forwards. There was progression and it was always in the right direction. We just believed him and followed him.”

Klopps first session with Liverpool squad

The full squad trained together on Wednesday for the first time since the German's appointment and he made what he will demand of them crystal clear

Jurgen Klopp has wasted no time in impressing his methods on his new charges — just three days into his Liverpool reign.
Klopp may have presented a charming public face in his first media event as Reds boss, but behind the training ground gates, a very different message was delivered to the first team squad as they assembled for the first time since the international break.
The German had already phoned those Liverpool stars away on national team duty, but when they returned on Wednesday, it was to a fresh approach that will have a tough new look at its heart.
Boss Klopp has already recognised the team he inherits had a soft centre over the past 12 months, capitulating all too easily, and failing to deliver the pressing game previous boss Brendan Rodgers always claimed to favour.
With the new boss, it is not a preference, it is – in his own words - “the law”. And if anyone was in any doubt about that, then Lucas Leiva explained that the message is brutally clear.
Klopp has made clear his team will have to “chase, run, fight and work more”, and training has already reflected that philosophy.
At Dortmund, he demanded his team total of distance covered in every game was more than 130km, and that will be repeated at Anfield.
That will see him look for faster, stronger and fitter players, and the winners under the new system will be those players who can press and fight throughout the game.
Younger players such as Jordan Rossiter, Jordon Ibe and Cameron Brannagan will all get a chance, as too should mobile midfielders Jordan Henderson (when fit) and Joe Allen and forward Danny Ings.
Even Jose Enrique could be brought in from the cold as he is the only alternative to the defensively suspect Alberto Moreno at left-back.
Lucas hinted everyone has been told they now stand on an equal footing as the new manager evaluates what he has at his disposal.
He said of Klopp: “His CV is amazing and it’s a fresh start for every player. Everyone is really excited to learn with him and improve as a player and a team.
“Everyone is starting from zero really and everyone will have to prove that you deserve to be here and play for him.
“If we have the same success that Dortmund had when he was there, everyone will be happy. That’s why we’re really positive about it.”
Klopp’s first game in charge comes at Spurs in Saturday's lunchtime game, but he is likely to be without Christian Benteke for that game. The striker only started running again in training this week following a hamstring injury.
Skipper Henderson is also sidelined, as is Joe Gomez, but Philippe Coutinho, Dejan Lovren and even Roberto Firmino could all figure.
New assistant boss Zeljko Buvac has been cleared to receive a work permit, and joined in Wednesday afternoon’s training session.

Barcelona want striker Robin van Persie

The former Arsenal and Manchester United striker is just 32 but over the past few weeks could be forgiven for thinking his career is coming to an end.
Video emerged from Fenerbahce’s last game showing van Persie largely disinterested in the warm-up before sitting on the bench for the Turkish giants.
This was followed by an own goal for Holland against the Czech Republic, which although it made no difference to the Dutch failing to qualify for Euro 2016, seemed to symbolise their decline from the side that came third at the World Cup. Arsenal fans loved it!
So, the front page of Mundo Deportivo on Thursday will come as some relief to van Persie, if there is any semblance of truth to the rumour that Barcelona want to sign him in January.
According to Xavier Muñoz, Barcelona would be keen on a cut-price move for van Persie in January.
Robert Fernandez, the technical secretary of FC Barcelona, was spotted at Holland v Czech Republic in the Amsterdam ArenA on Tuesday evening, supposedly to watch RVP.
Whilst Barcelona are not overly keen to sign players in January, they have a number of injuries, most notably to Leo Messi, and believe they could sign Robin van Persie for around 3.5 million euros.
Although there are worries about the current form of van Persie, he could fit the bill as a “Henrik Larsson” type substitute to come in and help the likes of Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar.
The only caveat suggested by Muñoz, is that Barcelona coach Luis Enrique is keen on Celta Vigo forward Nolito, if the Catalan side do buy anyone in January.
If this Mundo Deportivo transfer rumour does turn out to be true, it would be some turnaround for Robin van Persie, who may well be at his lowest ebb during a long career right now.

Mourinho backed by Chelsea FC

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho continues to enjoy the club's "full support" despite a disappointing start to the season, the Premier League champion has declared.
"The club wants to make it clear that Jose continues to have our full support," Chelsea said in a brief statement published on their website.
"As Jose has said himself, results have not been good enough and the team's performances must improve. However, we believe that we have the right manager to turn this season around and that he has the squad with which to do it."
Chelsea is currently two places above the Premier League relegation zone after losing four and winning only two of its first eight league games - the club's worst start to a season in 37 years.
Speaking after Saturday's 3-1 defeat at home to Southampton, Mourinho openly discussed the risk of dismissal, but said that he had no intention of walking away from the club.
"If the club wants to sack me, they have to sack me, because I am not running away," he told Sky Sports in a candid post-match interview.
"It is a crucial moment in the history of this club because if the club sacks me, they sack the best manager this club has had and the message is bad results and the manager is guilty.
"This is a moment for people to assume their responsibilities. I assume my responsibility and the players should assume theirs too.
"There are other people at the club who should assume their responsibilities and stick together."

Jurgen Klopp to the next Liverpool fc manager

Liverpool’s American owners reportedly believe the appointment of Jurgen Klopp could see the club challenge for the Premier League title this season.
Former manager Brendan Rodgers was axed on Sunday by the Reds after a 1-1 draw with local rivals Everton and Klopp is the big favorite to take over, with reports claiming a deal is close to being agreed, per Andy Hunter of the Guardian.
According to Simon Hughes of the Independent, the reason for such swift action against Rodgers is the owners still feel as though this team can challenge at the summit of the table:

Owners hastened Rodgers’ exit as they feel with a new man in charge Liverpool can still challenge this season....

Beneath the frenzy of the last 24 hours, lies a reality: only six points separates Liverpool in 10th from Manchester City in first. By sacking Rodgers, FSG believe that not only do they now possess a head start on rivals, it will give Liverpool the best possible opportunity of finishing inside the top four – or  even challenging for the title this season, taking into consideration the relative struggles of several clubs they are meant to be competing against.

While critics will argue their decision is short-term and reactive, they consider the removal of Rodgers as pro-active, one that could have positive short-term consequences as well as long-term ones.

Currently there are six points separating Liverpool, who are in 10th place, and league leaders Manchester City after what has been a gripping start to the domestic season. There are few sides that have struck up any kind of consistency in the opening weeks, with champions Chelsea faltering badly under the tutelage of Jose Mourinho.

That’s likely to open the door to a lot of sides for a potential top-four challenge, something Liverpool should be contesting. There were few early signs this season that Rodgers was capable of hauling the Reds up to those levels, as the team turned in some weary, imbalanced displays.
Klopp will surely enliven this group. The former Borussia Dortmund man is a figure of infectious charisma and his teams play the game with a real vibrancy. So feasibly, the top four may not be beyond this group quite yet.

There will be different challenges facing Klopp in English football. In the Bundesliga he only had to usurp one juggernaut in Bayern Munich, whereas in the Premier League, while none of the top sides have started particularly well, there are a lot more teams capable of competing with the very best.

In addition, Klopp will be taking over another manager’s squad and won’t be able to make major adjustments to it until the January window. Even then, in mid season it can be very difficult to lure players to a football club, making a squad reshuffle problematic.

He’s a manager who got so much out of his players at Dortmund, turning youngsters into title winners. Liverpool’s squad isn’t too dissimilar, rife with talented footballers with malleable abilities. If Klopp can give them some direction, Champions League qualification is a realistic ambition. However, even if the German does come in, the title looks beyond them.

Brendon Rogers Swimming in Dangerous Waters

Liverpool manager still having to play Man City and Chelsea (both away) and Everton in the not so distant future, Brendon Rogers has an uphill task trying to settle an expensive Liverpool squad. If Liverpool mange all these above fixtures come November liverpool will be staring at 5 defeats already with no chance to enter the top four by the end of the season in an already very competitive season with teams like West Ham and Crystal Palace. Rogers is going to be in trouble early november if he looses this fixtures and the liverpools faithfuls turn on him unless he finds a way to turn thing around. Even if does loose the games if would good for liverpool to get rid of him in November or December and try to recover by the end of the season with a new manager. But then again the liverpool saga continues with a new manager coming in mid-season, trying to to damage control and not having to expect much loosing the competitive edge again for another season. Again change of coaching staff come new season new player preferences by the managers. Fans getting excited with the changes and giving the new setup to produce some results taking some hits in the process. How many times have seen that!!!!

On the European front as far as the group stage is concerned Liverpool is in a fairly easy group with Bordeaux, Scion and Ruben Kazan. But the form that Liverpool is in no one has the confidence that it will sail through the group stage. Liverpool is like royalty in that group but still have doubts of easy qualification. On the bigger picture it liverpool can't compete commandingly in a europa league that what is the point of having Champions League dreams. What is the point of entering into a competition which your certain to not win, where is the conviction to play. At the end of the day it's purely financial , being in the champions league for the loads of money. Arsenal seams to be doing that, looking at their performance in the Champions League. Arsenal has not even the slightest of chances against the stronger teams of Europe and they even go on and loose to Dinamo Zagreb a Croatian team, How the mighty have fallen!!!.

Moving on to Liverpool current plight, they seam to be at a delicate stage with not much going their way specially for Rogers. There is one ray of though with Sturridge being fit and playing. He seamed sharp as always at the Norwich game, didn't score but came close by a Milner through ball only to hit into the goalkeeper. Unexpectedly Coutinho was a disappointment, was'nt looking like the sharpest and the nimble footed like he is. Dani Ings did score openning his account in the league but only for the team to concede one through a corner. Nothing much is click for the team and with the coming months its going to get much worse lets see how they come through as Rogers job is on the line.

Liverpool Strike Force!!!!

Liverpool manager Brendan Rogers has gone all out to buy himself a strike force that could rival the best teams in the league. Liverpool seems to have the best lineup since the Benitez era. But Rogers might have a problem of to many. With all most six strikers to choose from competition among the players will be fierce.

Like last year Brendan Rogers has once again bought an array of players in a bid to win the elusive premier league title. Rogers seems to have bought sensibly this time over with players like Benteke, James Milner, Ings, Nathaniel Clyne having striking capabilities. Though players like Origi, Firmino, Joe Gomez are still to prove their mettle in the fast paced premier league. One thing though this transfer

window Rogers has given more attention to his attacking lineup this time over, which is good unlike last season where he bought player spread all over the park.

Last Season's signings Ricky Lambert, Mario Balotelli, Divock Origi (Origi loaned back to his club for full season) were the only out and out strikers with Markovic as an attacking midfielder. With Liverpool selling Suarez one of the best in form strikers to Barcelona, the team needed reinforcements to fill in the big gap created with the departure of Suraez.

Lack of goals has always been the ackles heel of liverpool. Converting those many draws into wins has been a problem at least past four seasons. When Suarez came into the scene he filled that void resulting which liverpool had a shot at the title and given big spenders Manchester City a run for their money in the 2013-14 season. Liverpool scored 101 goals and conceded 50 goals to reach the second spot with just 2 points difference from the title holders.

Hopefully this season players like Origi, Benteke and Ings start firing past the goalkeeper to keep liverpool's in the top four and return to the Champions league, if not winning the league.

Firmino will also contribute in the scoring tally besides creating them having scored 10 goals in 36 appearances for Hoffenheim. He spent four-and-a-half seasons at Hoffenheim, helping them to promotion to the Bundesliga. His 16 goals in 33 games for the 2013–14 Bundesliga season earned him the award for the league's Breakthrough Player.

Origi's stock has fallen in the past 12 months and the striker already has a lot to prove ahead of his debut for the Reds.

Origi being named in Ligue 1's worst XI in a poll ran by influential French sports paper L'Equipe.

That, though, was perhaps as much to do with expectation as it was performance, for the Belgian returned eight league goals from 33 appearances, a total which bettered any of Liverpool's strikers last term.

Benteke on the hand is a strong and powerful striker with 15 goals in 33 matches out of which 13 goals came in the league. With talented midfielders at liverpool he is going to have much chances to score. He has also scored many goals against liverpool in the league in the past. Hoping he doesn't turn out to be a “Andy Caroll part 2” and fulfills his potential at Liverpool. James Milner though acquired on a free transfer has goal in him and will bolster the midfield. Ings is speculated to be hit or miss. His performance will only dictate his future at the club. The striker does not look too impressive but sure know the way to the goal. I have watched his pre-season matches and it sure seems a positive start and is full of energy and a hunger to score. Ings just scored a ha-trick in a 7-0 win against Felda United a team playing at the Malaysian Premier league. Sturridge, Lambert are not pushovers they to will push hard for a spot on field. Only time will tell the this strike force will attack and blast the opponents or self destruct

.

Top Big Money Flops of Premier league

Fernando Torres £50million

Poor old £50million striker Fernando Torres has had a tough time since joining Chelsea for a record breaking British transfer fee in January. The Spaniard has only managed one competitive goal since his move from Liverpool and, unsurprisingly, no-goal-Nando has been labelled a flop. Torres has defended his poor record and tried to install some confidence in the fans by saying, "I am 27, I don't forget to score goals, I will score."

 

Andriy Shevchenko £30 million

 

Andriy Shevchenko after the Ukrainian made a £30m move to Chelsea from AC Milan, a transfer that broke the record for the highest fee paid by an English club.

Shevchenko made his debut with the club in the FA Community Shield game vs Liverpool where the Ukrainian scored the only goal in his side's 2-1 defeat to the Mersey side club. Goals were hard to come by for the former Milan forward as his inconsistent run was a worrying factor for both Jose Mourinho and Roman Abramovich.

Mourinho soon dropped the Ukrainian international for Didier Drogba. Shevchenko's poor form was one of the key reason's for Jose Mourinho's strained relationship with Ambramovic which eventually saw the Portuguese leave the club.

The Ukranian was finally loaned back to Milan in 2008. Shevchenko managed 76 games for Chelsea scoring 22 goals in his 3 year stint with the club.

   Andy Caroll £35 million

 

The burly striker was signed for £35m from Newcastle in January 2011, making him the Reds’ most expensive player in history, and he never close to repaying that fee.

Injury problems meant he didn’t make his debut until March, and barring two good goals against Man City at Anfield, Carroll didn’t score for the remainder of the 2010/11 campaign.

The following year he found the net just four times in 35 league appearances, and although fairly likeable as a character, he lacked the hunger to be a success and never suited Liverpool’s style of play.

Brendan Rodgers eventually got rid of him in 2013, and until the club signs someone for even bigger money, Carroll was always be remembered as the record signing who flopped completely

  

Anderson £20 million

Believe it or not, former Manchester United midfielder Anderson is still just 26-years-old.

In eight seasons at Old Trafford, the 'box-to-box' £20m midfielder managed 181 appearances, scoring just 9 goals

Despite his critics, despite the fact his form tailed off about six and a half years ago and despite the fact he repeatedly looked overweight when he came off the bench in the last minute to was time, the Brazilian still has four Premier League winners medals.

Anderson has gone back to Brazil to rescue his career with Internacional.

 

Berbatov 30.75million

Signed for a United record £30.75million in 2008, Berbatov polarised opinion among the supporters and struggled for first-team football within a year, as Ferguson first favored Wayne Rooney as a lone striker, then Javier Hernandez struck up a prolific partnership with the England forward when he arrived in 2010. Last season Berbatov became United's fourth-choice striker behind Rooney, Hernandez and Danny Welbeck but Ferguson regardless insists the Bulgarian was a success

 

Jô £19 million

João Alves de Assis Silva, most widely known as Jô, was possibly Manchester City's biggest ever transfer flop. Jô cost city a staggering £19 million pound to sign from Russian side CSKA Moscow.

Despite the massive transfer fee, a club record at the time, Jô only ever scored 6 goals for the club in 38 appearances.

Although he was signed on 31st July 2008, before Sheikh Mansour took charge at City, Jo was too much of a flop not to include!

Ex-Arsenal man Sanogo want to be like Ibrahimovic

 Arsenal striker Yaya Sanogo has a desire to emulate Zlatan Ibrahimovic ahead of a loan move to Ajax.

 

The 22-year-old, who failed to score in 10 appearances for the Cystal Palace, has talked up his plans to make an impact in the way Paris Saint-Germain striker Ibrahimovic did during his time at the Amsterdam Arena.
PSG superstar Ibrahimovic shot to worldwide prominence at Ajax after winning two titles and a KNVB Cup during three years in Amsterdam – but Sanogo has set his goals high ahead of the move.
Sanogo said: ‘My reference [for the move] is Zlatan and Kanu – legends who played for Ajax. The manager from Amsterdam (Frank De Boer) called me last week and said, “I want you to play for us, for Ajax.”
‘I am very happy because I didn’t think a big club like Ajax wanted me so I have to work hard to play. I hope to score a lot of goals.’

Marcelo's Pet Fever!!!

Marcelo the very skillful Real Madrid left-back along with wife Clarice are very passionate about pets. They have a bunch of them at home and treat them like family.

Marcelo and Clarice with Bella, the pinscher,Uly, a french bulldog

Nalla, a labrador, Lola, a newfoundland,

Kiara and Thaig, two english bulldogs,Lil, the cat 

Marcelo and his wife Clarice are passoinate about animals. Despite having six pedigree dogs, Marcelo and Clarice have some projects in mind, so as to help those who weren’t fortunate enough to find a home and are abandoned.

They are developing projects to participate in adoption and castration fairs, and to help raise awareness to this problem. Since they love them so much, they want to use Marcelo’s image to help somehow, both in Madrid and in Rio. Going to events, raising funds.

Superstitions of Cristiano Ronaldo before Matches

Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro also known as CR7 one of the most celebrated and followed player in the world. Portuguese by nationality and 2 time Ballon d'Or winner and won many Player of the Year Nominations. Currently playing in Spain at Real Madrid and currently the best player in the star studded Real Madrid team followed the much hyped Gareth Bale.

Ronaldo was shot to fame at Manchester United where he famously remembered for his quick step overs , knuckle ball free kicks and his 40 goals in a single season for Manchester United.

Its time and again seen that many successful players across all sports disciplines have ritual or superstition that they follow meticulously before their games. Cristiano too has his own superstitions that he follows before every important match.

On the bus Cristiano is sitting alone in the back row and he is the last one who leaves the bus

On the plane he sits always with Pepe and he is the first who leaves the plane

In the locker room at the halftime he must change his hairstyle

He must touch the ball before leaving the dressing room

In the Portugal national team he is the only Portuguese who is allowed to start off with a long-sleeve jersey

On the pitch he always steps onto the right foot 

Arsenal's raid on Chelsea not over: French striker next on Wenger's list

After the signing of Petr Cech, Arsene Wenger is not done with signing Chelsea players as he looks to add Loic Remy to his list of forwards for the next season Wenger had the opportunity to sign the player in the last Summer Window but elected to sign Danny Welbeck instead who did manage to put in a few good performances throughout the season but was far from impressive.

It is understood Jose Mourinho wants to keep Remy but only as a third choice striker given Radamel Falcao impending move to the Bridge. The Special One has made his preference of Falcao clear through his votes of confidence and promising to bring the best out of the Colombian. At the same time Remy has always been asking for a chance to prove he is good enough and playing third fiddle for a second season is certainly not part of that.
Chelsea fans should probably expect a bid soon and it’s not impossible that it will be two 'former' Chelsea players at the Emirates next season.

Reds can afford best players

 

Liverpool chief executive Ian Ayre insists the club can still buy top players within the remit of their "smart and sustainable" transfer policy and a lack of Champions League football does not affect that.
The Reds have already made considerable strides with their summer recruitment plans with six first-team signings already in place, including Hoffenheim forward Roberto Firmino, whose £29million deal will make him their second most expensive signing.
Liverpool also remain in the hunt for Aston Villa striker Christian Benteke, although they value him at less than his release clause of £32.5m.
Spending this year has not matched that of 12 months ago, when £110m was invested in eight players on the back of Luis Suarez's £75m sale to Barcelona.
Owners Fenway Sports Group's policy is to buy younger players of potential who have a resale value and Ayre insists this is the only way to avoid the financial problems which beset the club before the Americans took over almost five years ago.
"I stood on the Kop for many years as a fan, and like everyone else I'd love to buy all the greatest players, regardless of price," he told the League Managers' Association magazine The Manager.
"But, as we saw under the club's previous ownership, things can all go very wrong financially; then people will hold you accountable for not running the club in the right way.
"You can't work that way. You have to have a very detailed, thought-out plan and ensure everyone buys into it and adheres to it.
"That is what we have been doing and will continue to do.
"It doesn't mean we are not investing in or buying good players; we are just doing it in a smart and sustainable way.
"We may not be competing in the Champions League this year but we are still making progress as a club and continuing to add quality to our squad.
"We are also improving financially, which means that as we go forward with the plan we will have more resources and will be able to invest more than we have in the past."
The way the club's transfer committee - made up of six members including FSG president Mike Gordon, Ayre, manager Brendan Rodgers and members of the recruitment department - operates has been criticised for seemingly not producing joined-up thinking on signings.
Rodgers has been reluctant to speak about the workings of the committee but has publicly insisted he has the final say over all signings.
Ayre said the general model now installed at the club works and the manager has bought into it fully.
"If your manager doesn't understand your long-term plan it will never work, because he's in charge of the biggest cost item - the players," Ayre said.
"Brendan is very much a team person, he understands budgets and the financial implications of bringing in certain players, and he is very easy to get on with.
"That always helps gel a team together, because it means you can spend time together socially and professionally and discuss things in a relaxed way."
Of the way FSG have changed the way the club is run since taking over from Tom Hicks and George Gillett, Ayre added: "We needed a plan and a group of people who were committed to it and who would work together to achieve it.
"This ownership and management team is strong and united.
"There are no egos, we are honest with one another and I know I have their full support.
"I have direct and open lines of communication with the owners at all times and we make and stand or fall by decisions as a group.
"The unity that we achieved is exactly what Liverpool needed to move forward.
"It's now in a far more profitable situation and that is the result of good management and good people, which includes our manager."

Ibrahimovic demolishes Finland

Germany all but secured a place at the Euro 2012 finals with a 3-1 win in Azerbaijan while Zlatan Ibrahimovic got a hat trick as Sweden demolished Finland 5-0 to provide a unexpected spark to the end of the European season.

Germany, after surviving an early let-off, can almost book their flights to Poland and Ukraine after Mario Gomez scored his fourth goal in three internationals in a comfortable outing that gave them their seventh win in as many qualifiers.

Belarus and Bosnia chalked up 2-0 win over Estonia as Tuesday night’s programme of matches, although less than inspiring on paper provided more drama than expected to round off a marathon European season.

The rest will be short lived however, with the qualifiers for next season’s Champions League due to start on June 28. Inrahimovic, who missed the 4-1 win in Moldova on Friday to rest an ankle injury, produced a master class in finishing after coming off the bench in the 25^th minute with Sweden already leading through a Kim Kallstrom freekick.

The tall striker scored twice within 10 minutes and completed his hat trick in 53^rd with a header.

Latest transfer news

Arsenal Transfers

In: Marouane Chamakh (free, Bordeaux), Laurent Koscielny (£8.5m, Lorient), Sebastien Squillaci (£5m, Sevilla)

Out: Philippe Senderos (free, Fulham), Luke Ayling (free, Yeovil Town), Eduardo da Silva (£6m, Shakhtar Donetsk), Francis Coquelin (loan, Lorient), Pedro Botelho (loan, FC Cartagena), William Gallas (free, Tottenham), Mikael Silvestre (released), Sanchez Watt (loan, Leeds), Kyle Bartley (loan, Sheffield United), Jay Simpson (undisclosed, Hull City),

Aston Villa

In: Stephen Ireland (part of James Milner deal, Manchester City)

Out: Wilfried Bouma (released), Stephen O’Halloran (free, Coventry City), Nicky Shorey (undisclosed, West Bromwich Albion), James Milner (£16m + Stephen Ireland, Manchester City), Marlon Harewood (free, Blackpool), Harry Forrester (loan, Kilmarnock)

Birmingham City

In: Ben Foster (undisclosed, Manchester United), Nikola Zigic (undisclosed, Valencia), Enric Valles (free, NAC Breda), Matt Derbyshire (loan, Olympiakos)

Out: Gary McSheffrey (free, Coventry City), Jake Jervis (loan, Notts County), Robin Shroot (loan, Cheltenham Town), Colin Doyle (loan, Coventry City), Luke Hubbins (loan, Notts County)

Blackburn Rovers

In: Mame Biram Diouf (loan, Manchester United)

Out: Marcus Marshall (free, Rotherham United)

Blackpool

In: Dekel Keinan (free, Maccabi Haifa), Marlon Harewood (free, Aston Villa), Chris Basham (undisclosed, Bolton Wanderers), Ludovic Sylvestre (undisclosed, Mlada Boleslav), Craig Cathcart (undisclosed, Manchester United), Malaury Martin (free, AS Monaco), Elliot Grandin (undisclosed, CSKA Sofia), Luke Varney (loan, Derby County)

Out:

Bolton Wanderers

In: Robbie Blake (free, Burnley), Martin Petrov (free, Manchester City), Marcos Alonso (£2.2m, Real Madrid), Tom Eaves (undisclosed, Oldham Athletic)

Out: Chris Basham (undisclosed, Blackpool)

Chelsea

In: Yossi Benayoun (£5.5m, Liverpool), Tomas Kalas (£5.2m, Sigma Olomouc), Ramires (undisclosed, Benfica)

Out: Michael Ballack (free, Bayer Leverkusen), Juliano Belletti (free, Fluminense), Miroslav Stoch (undisclosed, Fenerbahce), Rhys Taylor (loan, Crewe Alexandra), Tomas Kalas (loan, Sigma Olomouc), Joe Cole (free, Liverpool), Danny Philliskirk (loan, Oxford United), Ryan Bertrand (loan, Nottingham Forest), Ben Gordon (loan, Kilmarnock), Scott Sinclair (undisclosed, Swansea City), Jack Cork (loan, Burnley), Deco (free, Fluminense), Michael Mancienne (loan, Wolves)

Everton

In: Jermaine Beckford (free, Leeds United), Jan Mucha (free, Legia Warsaw), Magaye Gueye (undisclosed, Strasbourg)

Out: John Ruddy (undisclosed, Norwich City), Lukas Jutkiewicz (undisclosed, Coventry City)

Fulham

In: Philippe Senderos (free, Arsenal), Moussa Dembele (£5m, AZ Alkmaar), Rafik Halliche (undisclosed, Benfica), Carlos Salcido (undisclosed, PSV Eindhoven)

Out: Chris Smalling (undisclosed, Manchester United), Stefan Payne (free, Gillingham), Luca Moscatiello (free, Cesena)

Liverpool

In: Jonjo Shelvey (£1.7m, Charlton Athletic), Milan Jovanovic (free, Standard Liege), Joe Cole (free, Chelsea), Danny Wilson (£2m initial, Rangers), Christian Poulsen (£4.5m, Juventus), Brad Jones (£2.3m, Middlesbrough), Raul Meireles (£11.5m, FC Porto)

Out: David Martin (free, Milton Keynes Dons), Yossi Benayoun (£5.5m, Chelsea), Albert Riera (£3.3m initial, Olympiakos), Javir Mascherano (undisclosed, Barcelona)

Manchester City

In: Alex Henshall (undisclosed, Swindon Town), Jerome Boateng (undisclosed, Hamburg SV), David Silva (£24m, Valencia), Yaya Toure (£28m, Barcelona), Aleksandar Kolarov (£19m, Lazio), Mario Balotelli (£22.5m, Inter Milan), James Milner (£16m + Stephen Ireland, Aston Villa)

Out: Paul Marshall (free, Walsall), Martin Petrov (free, Bolton), David Ball (loan, Swindon Town), Gunnar Nielsen (loan, Tranmere Rovers), Javier Garrido (£2.5m, Lazio), Adam Clayton (loan, Leeds United), Andrew Tutte (loan, Rochdale), Stephen Ireland (part of James Milner deal, Aston Villa), Vladimir Weiss (loan, Rangers)

Manchester United

In: Chris Smalling (undisclosed, Fulham), Marnick Vermijl (undisclosed, Standard Liege), Javier Hernandez (undisclosed, Chivas de Guadalajara), Bebe (£7.4m, Vitoria Guimaraes)

Out: Ben Foster (undisclosed, Birmingham City), Ron-Robert Zieler (free, Hannover 96), Zoran Tosic (£8m, CSKA Moscow), Tom Heaton (free, Cardiff City), Matthew James (loan, Preston North End), James Chester (loan, Carlisle United), Mame Biram Diouf (loan, Blackburn Rovers), Joshua King (loan, Preston North End), Danny Welbeck (loan, Sunderland), Craig Cathcart (undisclosed, Blackpool), Daniel Drinkwater (loan, Cardiff City)

Newcastle United

In: James Perch (undisclosed, Nottingham Forest), Sol Campbell (unattached), Hatem Ben Arfa (loan, Marseille), Cheick Tiote (undisclosed, FC Twente)

Out: Fraser Forster (loan, Celtic)

Stoke City

In: Florent Cuvelier (undisclosed, Portsmouth), Kenwyne Jones (£8m, Sunderland), Carl Dickinson (loan, Portsmouth)

Out: Nathaniel Wedderburn (free, Northampton Town), Andy Griffin (£500k, Reading), Diego Arismendi (loan, Barnsley), Ibrahim Sonko (loan, Portsmouth), James Beattie (£1.5m, Rangers)

Sunderland

In: Cristian Riveros (undisclosed, Cruz Azul), Simon Mignolet (undisclosed, Sint-Truiden), Ahmed Al-Muhammadi (loan, ENPPI), Marcos Angeleri (£2m, Estudiantes La Plata), Titus Bramble (undisclosed, Wigan Athletic), John Mensah (loan, Lyon), Danny Welbeck (loan, Manchester United)

Out: Jamie Chandler (free, Darlington), Roy O’Donovan (free, Coventry City), Lorik Cana (£5m, Galatasaray), Daryl Murphy (£1.5m, Celtic), Conor Hourihane (undisclosed, Ipswich Town), Nyron Nosworthy (loan, Sheffield United), Martin Fulop (undisclosed, Ipswich Town), Jean Yves M’voto (loan, Oldham Athletic), Oumare Tounkara (loan, Oldham Athletic), Kenwyne Jones (£8m, Stoke City)

Tottenham

In: Van der Vart(Real Madrid),Sandro Ranieri Guimaraes Cordeiro (undisclosed, Internacional), William Gallas (free, Arsenal)

Out: Sam Cox (free, Barnet), David Button (loan, Plymouth Argyle), Adel Taarabt (undisclosed, Queen’s Park Rangers), John Bostock (loan, Hull City), Ryan Mason (loan, Doncaster Rovers), Jonathan Obika (loan, Crystal Palace)

West Bromwich Albion

In: Gabriel Tamas (undisclosed, Auxerre), Pablo Ibanez (free, Atletico Madrid), Boaz Myhill (£1.5m, Hull City), Nicky Shorey (undisclosed, Aston Villa), Marc-Antoine Fortune (undisclosed, Celtic), Paul Scharner (unattached)

Out: Luke Daniels (loan, Bristol Rovers), Borja Valero (loan, Villarreal), Marcus Haber (loan, St. Johnstone), Kayleden Brown (loan, Tranmere Rovers), Reuben Reid (loan, Walsall), Leon Barnett (loan, Norwich City)

West Ham

In: Thomas Hitzlsperger (free, Lazio), Frederic Piquionne (£1m, Lyon), Pablo Barrera (£4m, UNAM Pumas), Tal Ben Haim (loan, Portsmouth), Victor Obinna (loan, Inter Milan)

Out: Bondz N’Gala (free, Plymouth Argyle), Matt Fry (loan, Charlton Athletic), Alessandro Diamanti (£1.8m, Brescia)

Wigan

In: Antolin Alcaraz (free, Club Brugge), Mauro Boselli (undisclosed, Estudiantes La Plata)

Out: Tomasz Cywka (free, Derby County), Titus Bramble (undisclosed, Sunderland), Antonio Amaya (loan, Rayo Vallecano), Jason Koumas (loan, Cardiff City), Jason Scotland (undisclosed, Ipswich Town)

Wolverhampton Wanderers

In: Jelle Van Damme (undisclosed, Anderlecht), Steven Fletcher (undisclosed, Burnley), Steven Mouyokolo (undisclosed, Hull City), Stephen Hunt (undisclosed, Hull City), Michael Mancienne (loan, Chelsea)

Out: Jason Shackell (undisclosed, Barnsley), Mark Little (free, Peterborough United), George Friend (free, Doncaster Rovers), Andrew Surman (undisclosed, Norwich City), Nathaniel Mendez-Lang (loan, Peterborough United), Sam Vokes (loan, Bristol City), Andy Keogh (loan, Cardiff City)

Oppssssssss!!!!!!!! they did it again.

Last time I mentioned about the complacent nature of Man City came true this week. They are a perfect hit or complete miss at times and can swing like a pendulum. After commanding victory over Liverpool, Man city lost to Sunderland.
Same goes with Tottenham they to suffer an early defeat in season by frequent giant killers to the Premier league, Wigan athletic. Wigan has added Spurs in their list to kill with teams like Chelsea,Liverpool, Arsenal and Aston Villa among the others.
But this week the Premier league were busy in their own little tug-of-war over player signatures for the long season ahead which just got more competitive even before a game being played before the transfer window shut down.
Besides the big four or rather six quality players are wanting to come to Premier league if it had to be a small club.
The competitive bar has indeed been raised.Guys like Van dar Vart,Gudjohnsen,Pennant,Gyan,Hernandez,Chamakh,Zigic,Raul Meireles coming to the league.
But the league will also miss some great players like Robinho,Macherano.

Man City "The Challengers"

Its showering goals in the premier league or rather 6's.With Chelsea scoring 6 goals in consecutive games with Arsenal joining the party in the second party.
But the news raised eyebrows in England was the defeat of Liverpool FC to Man City.Man city were in the news for their spending spree and pundits making predictions if the team could gel just enough to be able to challenge the big four or five. But with this win over Liverpool they have send a message to the rest of the premier league team.
The only thing that might come in the way of Man City would be form. Mancini's team at time swing 180 degrees when it comes to form. The first game against Tottenham wasn't the best of games, with Heart having to make so many saves in the game and no very convincing shorts on goal.
The second game was quiet contrary, the team was quiet composed and attack minded. Liverpool defense was all over the place when it came to handling new signing Milner, Tevez and Adam Johnson.
Only time will tell if Man City are worth the real deal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's lega time!!!!!!

Now that the World Cup is all rapped up and the Spanish players flooded by all the applauds,money & champagne & the vacation for all the rest of the world cup participating players to erase the some painful memories of their exit.
The transfer gossip is on the roll. Transfer news of big players in premier league, Spanish la lega, Serie A moving to new clubs like Joe Cole, Steven Gerrard, Inter's Balotelli and a number of players on the wish list of Real Madrid and Man City's managers.
What's surprising this season is that the former champions Manchester United haven't made any big signing to enhance their side which could not cope up with Chelsea last season handing them the premier title after a drought of four seasons. Having said that Man U has been again named the most valuable sporting club in world.In fact Alex ferguson is trying to hold on to his players by handing them new deals.
Else where Liverpool FC are preparing for a brand new season with newly appointed Manager Roy Hodgson with new ideas for the club and some new players added to the squad and trying to retain Stevie G and Fernando Torres for Real Madrid and Man City respectively.
Hodgson is quiet tactful and not new to pressures in the primier league with his past experiences with a successful spell with Fulham FC.
Chelsea are not making any significant waves in the transfer market, with Carlo Ancelotti relying on his forwards to defend the title and some injured players like Essien who has made a come back after long injury.
Another club which is making all the waves in the transfer market is Man City. City is being linked with all the possible players both young and old. I guess Mancini is going to field a rugby team on a football pitch.
Newly promoted sides like West Brom, Newcastle United, Blackpool will soon face the heat of top flight with games with Chelsea, Man U and Wigan.
Hopefully this might have some cynical twists and turns Tottenham and City creating some excitment along with the big four.

World Cup's girlfriend bares it all..

Paraguay lingerie model Larissa Riquelme has been at the centre of water booth conversations and smoking breaks among football fans all over the world with her sexy antics-low-cut, tight teesin Paraguayan colors with her mobile phone wedged between her breasts - and much flag waying while watchig her national side during the World cup.
Never missing a game and showing great lung capacity to scream her support all the way through her team's matches, the model has been dubbed 'the World Cup's Girlfriend'.
Initally, Riquelme promised to stip naked and run naked throuth the streets of Asuncion, painted in her team's colours if they won the tournament

Psyschic Paul gets Death Threats!!!

Octopus Paul, who has been perfect with his predictions on Germany in the soccer World Cup, is getting death threats. And it's not just Germans who want to "Fry him in garlic butter" for their team's loss to Spain, even the Argentine fans seen to want to "beat him to death" for predicting their side's defeat, which came true.
The oracle had left German fans fuming after he backed Spain to Knock out the Bavarians in semifinal. His loyal fans some bookies, however, will want the lovable squid to continue his soothsaying ways ahead of the final and not end up as sushi in a German restaurant.
Paul was used during UEFA EURO 2008 to correctly predict the outcome of 4 out of 6 of Germany's matches, but failed to predict their defeats to Croatia in the group stage and to Spain in the championship's final, although some later sources claim his success rate had been 80%.Paul's accurate predictions for the 2010 World Cup, broadcast live by German news channel NTV, have endowed him with celebrity status.

Manchester City players show support for Wayne Bridge over Terry scandal

Manchester City's players showed their support for Wayne Bridge by wearing T-shirts emblazoned with the words "Team Bridge" during their 2-0 victory over Portsmouth on Sunday.

The City defender's ex-girlfriend, Vanessa Perroncel, has been at the centre of a media storm after an alleged affair with John Terry, Bridge's former Chelsea team-mate.

"The players are very close to Wayne," Roberto Mancini, the City manager, said. "He is a fantastic player and a good guy. It was a nice gesture."

Bridge, who missed the match at the City of Manchester Stadium with a knee injury, released a statement on Saturday saying that he would not be commenting about the reports of the alleged affair.

Terry's wife Toni begs 'mistress' to bare all

England footballer John Terry's devastated wife Toni had a screaming phone conversation with his alleged mistress Vanessa Perroncel,
ex-girlfriend of Terry's former teammate Wayne Bridge, after news of their affair broke, it has now emerged.

In an astonishing confrontation, Toni demanded that model Perroncel tell her every detail about their secret relationship. Apparently, the French beauty managed to persuade Toni that there had been no affair.

But if the news of the affair turns out to be true then Terry could be drawn into a £50m divorce battle. Terry also reportedly got his secret mistress pregnant and gave her £20,000 after she underwent abortion at a private clinic in London.

Terry purportedly organised the abortion for the French model, mother of Bridge's three-year-old son, just weeks into their affair, reports a newspaper.

Could Messi's teammates rob him the Balon d'or

While Lionel Messi looks to be favourite, it could be one of the Catalan's less celebrated stars who wins the award.

Messi provides the vast majority of the flair at Camp Nou and now, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic leading the line, he has the potentially perfect foil.

However, it is Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta who are the engine room of the Catalan side and both have put forward a strong case to win the prestigious award.

Both also helped Spain to becoming European Champions in 2008, and have built up an almost telepathic partnership over the eight years they have been playing together.

In the build up to the Champions League final 2008/09, Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were hyped as the two players to watch.

Both are skilful and able to create match-winning opportunities but Barca's central-midfield partnership drew the post-match accolades.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson commented: "Lionel Messi wasn't the problem. Xavi and Iniesta kept the ball all night and made it difficult for us."

Wayne Rooney went a step further, claiming: "Iniesta is the best player in the world in my opinion."

UEFA's Technical Study Group made Xavi man of the match, with member Roy Hodgson stating "he epitomised the outstanding Barcelona midfield performance.

"There were a lot of other candidates but Xavi was the midfield motor, ran the match and dictated the tempo," the Fulham boss continued.

This is high praise indeed for both Xavi and Iniesta who rarely surrender possession and keep Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas out of their national side which is no mean feat.

Xavi himself is a Catalan and has made over 300 appearances for his boyhood club. Iniesta joined Barca from Albacete at the age of 12 and has almost reached the 200 appearance milestone.

They have become the cornerstone of the midfield for club and country and have proved to be indispensible for both over the last decade or so.

Xavi, Iniesta and Messi are joined on the shortlist by current team mate Ibrahimovic and former team mate Samuel Eto'o, who now plies his trade in Italy for Internazionale.

Premier League trio Rooney, Steven Gerrard and Didier Drogba also put up strong cases for the award.

Current World and European Footballer of the Year Ronaldo and Real Madrid team mate Kaka round off the nominees.

It is a tough call but Xavi's near-flawless performance in the Champions League final edges out Iniesta for me. You can vote for your choice in our latest poll.