78, confirmed dead in Yobe Student attack !!!


The death toll at the College of Agriculture, Gujba ,Yobe State has risen to 78. So far, 78 bodies have been counted, with many more people still unaccounted for. One of the Survivors of the massacre explained what happened, see below.

"They started gathering students into groups outside, then they opened fire and killed one group and then moved onto the next group and killed them. It was so terrible. They came with guns around 1a.m. and went directly to the male hostel and opened fire on them. The college is in the bush, so the other students were running around helplessly as guns went off and some of them were shot down.”

Sources also confirmed that the Boko Harams sect blocked the Damaturu-Maiduguri road killing  travellers and innocent people on the road. 
Yet our President still does not know what to do about this Boko Haram. 

8,000 Nigerian Women Cry For Help! We Need Men In Our Lives

Over 8,000 women on Thursday marched to the Zamfara Hisbah Commission seeking the state government’s assistance to enable them get married. Led by the Chairperson of the Zamfara Widows Association, Hajiya Suwaiba Isa and their patron Alhaji Sa’idu Goshe, the women said they were not living a normal life and needed husbands to become whole.

“Many of us cannot afford two meals in a day because there are no men to support us,” they said. The patron, said the association has over 8,000 women, comprising 5,380 divorcees, 2,200 widows, 1,200 orphans and 80 others, whom he said, were looking for men to marry. 

He said the women also needed assistance to purchase household items such as beds, mattresses and other basic necessities needed to move to their husband houses. Goshe appealed to the commission to assist the association in screening suitors for the women. He said the screening would determine the suitors health status, source of livelihood and ability to maintain a family.

Responding, the Chairman of the commission, Dr Atiku Zawuyya, commended the association for the initiative, saying it would assist in ridding the society of women of easy virtues.
Zawuyya promised to present the matter to the state government for necessary action, but urged the patron to also set up a similar body for men to make the pairing exercise easier.

hnmmmmm..

O'Shea confirms Sunderland senior players actually revolted against Di Canio.



Former Manchester United Defender and now Sunderland Captain has opened up on how the senior players at the club revolted against their former Manager Di Canio. O'Shea when asked whether the senior players actually revolted against Di Canio answered the Shields Gazette ;"That was obviously done. But we have to move on now. Because of the position we're in in the league, we can't keep going back to it. We've got some difficult months ahead. Whoever comes in, whether it's Bally [Kevin Ball] or a new manager, we've got tough times ahead. We have to stick together and if we keep going back to it, it'll soon be too hard to pull back from where we are.

Balotelli is as good as Messi---De Boer



De Boer has heaped praise on Balotelli, saying he's as good as Messi. Ahead of the Champs League match between Ajax and Ac Milan tomorrow, De Boer has warned his players not to under-estimate Balotelli. he said; "Messi is a player that can decide a match and with Balotelli it's the same," the 43-year-old said at a press conference. "Balotelli is a fantastic player and next to him are players who can also make the difference. Milan have three very strong forwards and and a good midfield."
Do you agree with this Comparison? for me it's a NO..

Eden Harzard out of Champions League match again Bucharest..



Hazard has been ruled out of Chelsea's champs league match against Steaua Bucharest on Tuesday after picking up a minor ankle injury on Saturday against Spurs...

Jack Wilshere fighting to be fit to face Napoli on Tuesday



Arsenal's talisman suffered an ankle knock in the win at Swansea City and could be on the bench on Tuesday. If you ask me, Arsenal needs their best midfielder fit for this match.

BBA Lovers : Pokello meets Elikem's Mum.



Pokello was in Ghana recently for Selly's birthday and obviously to see her lover Elikem who wasted no time by introducing her to his mum.....ok. we will see where this leads to..

Reina might not return to Liverpool..



Pepe Reina has declared that he might not return to Liverpool, responding to Daily mail, Reina who is presently on loan at Napoli declares, "No, at the moment, it's difficult to think about being a Liverpool player next year," "They have a young goalkeeper in Simon Mignolet and the manager prefers him to me. That's the reason why I'm here and he will be at the club next year as well. There's no reason to think I'll be a Liverpool player from now on but we'll see where the future takes us. It's been a good move so far and I don't regret what happened.
"It is such an important one for me with the World Cup around the corner and returning to the  top flight, playing in the  Champions League and fighting for the title, is something I have missed in the last two or three years, I'm happy to be back at this level. I never expected it but it's been a great decision. I feel invigorated by the move.
The Spaniard is also delighted to be back working with Napoli boss Rafael Benitez and claims that he is hungrier for success this season, "Mentally, I'm fresher, I have more hunger. It is not like before I wasn't but a change can be good for your mind. "You have to show the people even more and you have to be ready. The tactics and the managerial skills of Rafa Benitez are getting the best from me and that's one more reason."
Do you agree with him ?

Lars Bender, not going anywhere !



Bayern Leverkusen has ruled the chance of selling Bender to any of the europe top-flight club at least for now. Leverkusen general manager Michael Reschke told Kicker ,"We have no intention to sell Lars," .
Meanwhile Rudi Voller, the sporting director has also revealed they are yet to receive any offer for the 24- year -old highly rated midfielder. a blow to Arsenal hopes of signing the young man..cheii

Moyes's Honesty, Not the best Policy...



David Moyes open criticism of his team in-depth did not go down well with the fans and some pundits over the last weekend. This has prompted many discussions as fans are beginning to doubt Moyes's technical ability to lead the team. Below is an article culled from The Telegraph UK. Enjoy and share your opinion.

It was a damning assessment of his team’s failings, but perhaps there really was no hiding place for David Moyes and his players after such an insipid home defeat, 2-1 against WBA.

“It was the whole thing,” Moyes said. “We were lacklustre in nearly all the areas, so we’ve got to try and work on it and improve.

“We are just not playing that well. We should be scoring more from open play and we should be defending better. There were lots of things that disappointed me.”

Despite a third defeat in six league games, which ensured United’s worst start to a season in 24 years, they are holding off from the blame game at Old Trafford judging by the applause for Moyes as he walked off the pitch at full-time.

Bewilderment, rather than anger, appears to be the pervading mood, yet Moyes seems to be the only one prepared to discuss the elephant in the room, that this United team are vulnerable, creaking and, as West Bromwich showed, increasingly incapable of coping with opponents who are prepared to expose their weaknesses.

Yet Moyes’s honesty may ultimately prove to be as damaging to United’s hopes of success as the problems he has inherited from Sir Alex Ferguson.

The narrative of the season so far from Moyes has been one of lowering expectations. The squad, he insists, is not strong enough in key areas and the Scot even suggested in the wake of the 4-1 defeat at Manchester City last week, which he described as “embarrassing”, that he required two new players to go straight into his starting 11.

Moyes is undoubtedly correct in his assessment, United do lack quality, particularly in midfield, but there is a danger that he is giving his players an excuse for failure by repeatedly highlighting their frailties.

Ferguson, in contrast, would never talk his team down. He would often exaggerate the potential of his players simply to instil the belief that they could achieve great things.

The mind games started at home, in the United dressing room, and Ferguson’s psychology delivered the results, but the message from Moyes is one of fear and concern and he may need to find a way of saying something he does not believe in order to put his team back on track.

The current United squad was good enough to win last season’s league title by an 11-point margin, so the drop in form and performances has been alarming and Moyes accepts he must take his share of the blame for that. “The players set really high standards, they are all top lads, but when you’re the manager, you take it [blame],” Moyes said.

“That’s what happens and you know what the consequences are because, if the team loses it’s always the manager.

"I’m taking over a new team and there will be some setbacks along the way, but there are other clubs having setbacks as well, not just us. We said at the start it could be a topsy-turvy season and it may well prove to be that.”

So where do United go from here? The Champions League trip to Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday precedes a visit to Sunderland on Saturday and Moyes can ill afford another defeat from those fixtures.

Having rested the likes of Nemanja Vidic, Patrice Evra and Robin van Persie in this game, he will at least be able to restore those key figures to his team, but Marouane Fellaini has done little to improve United since his £27.5million arrival from Everton and the likes of Rio Ferdinand, Anderson and Javier Hernandez were so far off the pace against Albion that all three will be lucky to start in Ukraine or on Wearside.

And then there is Moyes’s strange handling of Shinji Kagawa, the Japanese midfielder who stood out in the first half on Saturday but was replaced for “tactical reasons” at half-time.

Kagawa’s removal took away a threat to Steve Clarke’s team and the visitors took advantage by opening the scoring when Morgan Amalfitano embarrassed Ferdinand and Alex Buttner by scoring from distance on 54 minutes.

Wayne Rooney’s ­equaliser from a free-kick three minutes later would ordinarily have preceded a United onslaught for the winner, but it was West Bromwich who chased the victory and they were rewarded when Saido Berahino scored on 67 minutes.

“I didn’t speak about United before the game,” Clarke said. “I just spoke to my players about how we would come here and be positive and try to win the game. I want to try to change the mindset of the team.

"If you have good forward talent, added to a strong defensive unit, a bit more flair and creativity going forward will hopefully mean more afternoons like this.”

United, clearly, will aim to experience fewer afternoons like this, but the message from the dressing room is a determined one. “No, I don’t think it is a crisis,” full-back Buttner said.

“We have lost games, but we have to focus and fight in every game to win it. If we lose we are not happy, but we have to fight to win every game and that’s not been happening. Our season starts now and we can win many games.”

Steve McClaren could be Derby County's next Manager



Harry Redknapp has declared he is prepared to lose Steve to Derby County after Steve emerge as the favorite to land the Derby county's top job.
Harry stated: "It would be a massive blow for us if we were to lose Steve because he's been first class since he joined us at QPR. It was my decision to get him in and he's played a major part in the terrific start we've had, that's for sure. He's made no secret of the fact he wants to get back into management and we won't be standing in his way if somebody does come in for him . We had an agreement that he could leave if a club showed interest and I think there is a good chance we could lose him."
McClaren will hold talks with Derby today to replace Nigel Clough, who was dismissed at the weekend after four years in charge

Chidinma deny Unclad Photos by sharing the original ones



Few days ago the above pictures  of the Kedike Mistress went viral over the internet as most of her fans were wondering why she will pose nude, however, the MTN project fame Season 3 winner was quick to allay the fears by sharing the original pictures.. see below.

A Letter From A Mother To Her Daughter 

"My dear girl, the day you see I’m getting old, I ask you to please be patient, but most of all, try to understand what I’m going through.

If when we talk, I repeat the same thing a thousand times, don’t interrupt to say: “You said the same thing a minute ago”... Just listen, please. Try to remember the times when you were little and I would read the same story night after night until you would fall asleep.

When I don’t want to take a bath, don’t be mad and don’t embarrass me. Remember when I had to run after you making excuses and trying to get you to take a shower when you were just a girl?

When you see how ignorant I am when it comes to new technology, give me the time to learn and don’t look at me that way... remember, honey, I patiently taught you how to do many things like eating appropriately, getting dressed, combing your hair and dealing with life’s issues every day... the day you see I’m getting old, I ask you to please be patient, but most of all, try to understand what I’m going through.

If I occasionally lose track of what we’re talking about, give me the time to remember, and if I can’t, don’t be nervous, impatient or arrogant. Just know in your heart that the most important thing for me is to be with you.

And when my old, tired legs don’t let me move as quickly as before, give me your hand the same way that I offered mine to you when you first walked.

When those days come, don’t feel sad... just be with me, and understand me while I get to the end of my life with love.

I’ll cherish and thank you for the gift of time and joy we shared. With a big smile and the huge love I’ve always had for you, I just want to say, I love you... my darling daughter."

- Unknown

Life after BBA : Beverly Osu and Angelo Collins reunite.



Angelo entered Lagos last week to celebrate with Beverly on her birthday, you can trust Beverly she was at the airport to receive her heartthrob. Both cant seem to get enough of each other as they were both seen lucking lips at every little opportunity they have, even at the party. Time will tell where these two love birds will take their relationship to---fingers-crossed...

Miss Philippines Is Miss World 2013

Miss Philippines was crowned Miss World 2013 on Saturday at a tightly guarded ceremony in Bali, Indonesia, after the contest was plagued by protests from Muslim hardliners and fears that extremist groups could try to disrupt the event.
U.S.-born Megan Young, a 23-year-old studying digital film, accepted the crown from last year's winner, Wenxia Yu of China, and promised to "be the best Miss World ever" 

The new Miss World will spend the next year travelling to represent the Miss World Organization and help raise money for its charitable causes. Marine Lorphelin, a 20-year-old medical student from France, took second place. From Ghana, Carranzar Naa Okailey Shooter, 23, also a medical student, came third.

Olawale Ojo wins MTN Project fame Season 6

Rihanna plans to go nude again in her next Video ..



See her in her fishnet bodysuit as she is getting nude in her next video ' Pour it Up' . if you ask me i don't understand why nudity seem to be the order of the day in this lady 's life..

Jim Iyke Received deliverance at Synagogue church of all Nations.



Few hours after he was delivered of the evil spirit who claim to be responsible for the slow progress in his life, the renowned actor showed his gratitude to his God, see comment from Synangogue below..

REVEALED!!! David Moyes rejected fergie's Advise on backroom Staffs.



Former Man utd Goal keeping coach Eric Steele has revealed that David Moyes rejected Sir Alex's advise by axing him and other coaching staffs who achieved tremendously under the the erstwhile gaffer.
Ferguson had advised the new United manager to keep his coaching staff so as to allow continuity, he revealed to sky sports : "He spoke to me, Mick and Rene, "I told him I thought it was a brave decision.
"He listened to the manager's advice, but he wanted to be his own man."
"I didn't want to leave. Why would I?" he added. "I knew that David was coming in and wondered who he'd bring.
"You had the United perspective - the manager saying, 'Keep what we've got, keep the continuity, work with them and they'll guide you through. You're taking on a massive machine here. You've gone from Marks and Spencer's to Harrods.'
"Then there's David's viewpoint, which I understand. I know him professionally. I know his work ethic, his hands-on approach.
"I don't blame him for doing what he did. I've been in the game long enough to know how it is.
"But it's ironic, isn't it? You've just been part of a team that has had a great season and won the league. David De Gea's had his best season. Does it make sense that you're not retained to continue the good work? Sadly, that's out of my hands."
however the former man utd coach is optimistic that Moyes will turn around the present situation at the club.

Jose Mourinho claims Mata has convinced him enough to earn a starting place against Steaua Bucharest.



This for chelsea fans, do you guys agree with the Special one? has Mata really done enough considering the way Mourinho has been treating him? Now Jose has made a U-turn. hnmmmmm

Ramsey on Score-sheet again as Arsenal picked all three points against Swansea.



Aaron Ramsey continued his goal-scoring form today as he helped Arsenal with a comfortable 
2-1 win against Swansea, making it his fourth goal of the season in the league.
Ramsey's hot streak of form – which has seen him score five goals in his last four matches – continued in his native Wales as Arsene Wenger's men won their fifth Premier League game in a row, thereby moving to the top of the league table with 15 points.

Messi, a major doubt for Celtic clash 



Lionel Messi may be unavailable for Barcelona's game against Celtic on Tuesday as the prolific goal-scorer picked up an injury after scoring in the 2-0 win at Almeria today.
The club said via its official Twitter account 'Messi has a muscle injury in his right thigh' and he would undergo more tests on Sunday.

Anderson demands focus from united team-mates


Man utd midfielder , Anderson has called for focus on the part of his team-mates, the Brazilian wants his team mates to forget the poor result of Saturday and focus more on the next game against Shakhtar Donetsk. 
“I felt we deserved something from the game. West Brom were really tough to play against but we still managed to create some opportunities, we just weren't able to take them and unfortunately West Brom took theirs," Anderson told MUTV

“As always we will continue to work hard on the pitch [in games] and in training as this is demanded at Manchester United," he added. "We want to win every competition we are involved in, so we need to focus now and move on to the next game. We have to show character.

"Everyone knows United have great players and even though the situation is not easy we have to look ahead and think positive.” 

Man Utd Poor Start to the Season continues as they were stunned at home by WBA !!



Guys, what do you have to say to today's Man utd's result against WBA? for records this is the worst Man utd start to premier league in recent time. what do you guys think? will Moyes get it right? is he the right man for United? are the players to blame as suggested by some quarters? lets know your thought.

Didier Drogba could be Gala's next boss !

Roberto Di Matteo and Roberto Mancini have been lined up to take over at Galatasaray - who could turn to Didier Drogba as caretaker manager.

The Turkish giants, currently 11th in the League, sacked Fatih Terim earlier this week after contract talks broke down. Terim steered the club to back-to-back Super Lig and Super Cup titles between 2011 to 2013.

Mancini, 48, had been the early favourite to take over after his sacking by Manchester City, but the 2011-12 title winner's wage demands have seen the Istanbul side switch to Di Matteo.

The former West Brom and Chelsea boss, who led the Blues to European Cup glory in May last year but got fired six months later, had been tipped to take over at Sunderland.

He decided against a move to Wearside however,  a two-year deal is understood to be available in Turkey.

With talks still ongoing, Galatasaray's former Chelsea striker Drogba has emerged as a possible candidate to hold the fort.

Gala play Caykur Rizespor at home in the league on Saturday.

But they are currently mid-table and were hammered 6-1 at home by Real Madrid in the Champions League last week.

Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke admits there was no way Liverpool would have sold striker Luis Suárez.

Stan Kroenke has met Liverpool owner John W Henry following Arsenal’s controversial pursuit of Luis Suárez and admitted that the tense summer stand-off prompted some ribbing across the Atlantic from fellow American sports team owners.

“Both of us were at a conference in Sun Valley this summer,” said Kroenke. “Before I was getting there – and we have a lot of friends in common and I know John pretty well – people were already texting me, ‘John says you can have Suárez’. Of course John hadn’t said anything. They were just trying to get it all going. It was good-natured.”

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers questioned Arsenal's “class” following an offer of £40 million, plus £1, for Suárez, with Henry even taking to Twitter to ask: “What do you think they’re smoking over there at Emirates?”

Kroenke believes that Liverpool reached a stage where they would not sell at any realistic price. “Look, Arsène [Wenger] had a view, our team had a view, they had a view and their view was, he wasn’t going anywhere,” said Kroenke.

“I never saw them waver from it. I guess at some level there is a number that gets anybody out of anywhere but there was nothing within the realm of what we knew about that could have got him out of there.

“There were people saying if he left there was nothing left. If people believe that, if those players believed that and John thought they believed that, then that is a real problem.”

After moving on from Suárez, Arsenal did eventually obliterate their club-record incoming transfer fee by paying £42 million for Mesut Özil.

“We weren’t there to make a statement,” said Kroenke. “It’s absolutely not done for that. It was done purely because our manager views him as worth that money, he sees him as a player to help us compete and that meant we were happy to pay it.

“We stayed in close touch as we went through the process. Everyone wanted to get him, other teams wanted to get him and to get him here is fantastic.

“What a great player. You can judge a lot by what players say when they leave and they weren’t happy when he left. Everything, from the way he conducted himself, since he’s been here has been top flight. We’re thrilled to have him.”

Januzaj talks progressing.

David Moyes has revealed Manchester United are making progress in discussions over a new contract for Adnan Januzaj.

After impressing during the club’s pre-season tour, Januzaj has enjoyed an eye-catching start to the 2013/14 campaign, making his Barclays Premier League debut against Crystal Palace earlier this month.

He also appeared off the bench in Community Shield win over Wigan and in Wednesday’s Capital One Cup victory over Liverpool.

The 18-year-old Belgian’s current deal expires at the end of this season but United are keen to tie him down for the long term.

"As far as I know, things are moving along," Moyes told a press conference on Friday. "As soon as we get the news, we will give it to you."

Duo train ahead of weekend.

Robin van Persie and Tom Cleverley have trained ahead of Saturday's visit of West Brom in the Barclays Premier League.

United boss David Moyes believes Robin will be available to feature against the Baggies after missing the matches against Manchester City and Liverpool due to a groin problem. Cleverley, meanwhile, sat out the Capital One Cup win in midweek with a knock as Phil Jones and Ryan Giggs formed the central midfield partnership.

"Robin will be back involved somewhere," revealed Moyes at Friday's press conference. "Whether we use him or whether we don't, he has trained today and is back fit. We will see exactly where he is but he has trained.

"Tom has done a bit of training today as well, he is not too serious. He sort of rocked his knee in training, and we were a bit worried, but he has had no reaction from it. He has done some training today and hopefully he won't be too far away tomorrow either."

Moyes accepts that he is still learning the job at Old Trafford but is keen to ensure the team bounce back from last weekend's derby defeat by getting three points on the board.

"I have been learning every week since the day I walked in as Manchester United manager," he stressed. "I learned something the first day and I have continued to learn since. 

"I don’t think that is going to change for a long time. I even think the manager who has just left was continually learning in the job. I am relatively new to it so I am still learning everything about it.

"I think if you are playing big games, that is part of it. This club has always played in big games, in big finals and games that really matter. The games this week mattered. In some of them, we did better than the others."

Steve Clarke's Albion picked up their first league win of the season against Sunderland last Saturday and were only edged out of the Capital One Cup by Arsenal on penalties in midweek.

"Steve has done a great job," opined Moyes. "Last year, they finished eighth in the Premier League and, for long periods, when I was at Everton, they were the team who were right up with us just behind the teams at the top. 

"So he has done a steady job taking over from Roy Hodgson and, overall, I think West Brom are a stable football club that has continued to progress. They made several signings on deadline day and I am sure he has improved his squad."

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho says Tottenham Hotspur are 'big contenders' for the Premier League title.

Jose Mourinho believes Tottenham Hotspur are “big contenders” for the Premier League title after becoming “champions of the market’’ during the summer transfer window. Mourinho’s Chelsea take on Paulinho, Roberto Soldado, Christian Eriksen and company at White Hart Lane on Saturday when Mourinho will meet his former protégé, Andre Villas-Boas.

Mourinho deliberately resisted the chance to malign Villas-Boas, who worked for seven years under him but now says their professional relationship has broken down. “I don't care about what he says,’’ said Mourinho, speaking at Cobham at lunch-time. “I'm not a ‘kid’ to discuss these kind of things with the media.’’

The Chelsea’s Manager was more interested in talking about Spurs albeit with a few little digs at Villas-Boas along the way, including mentioning that he has had “many assistants” during his managerial career.

“I think they are big contenders,’’ Mourinho said of  Spurs. “They were the champions of the market. They bought a lot of players, and all of them are international players and players with quality. The squad is very, very good. Because you win titles with squads, not one good player, they are much more contenders than they were before.

“I look forward to playing Tottenham as always. Always big matches, good matches. I played them with Harry, with Martin (Jol), also in my first season with Jacques Santini. I always like to do so. I know there is rival

Playing down the suggestion that it would “be sweeter to beat’’ a Villas-Boas team, Mourinho pointed out he has coached on the greatest club stages against the greatest club coaches. “I played a Champions League final against a club where the manager (Bayern Munich’s Louis van Gaal in 2010) was somebody very important in my career, somebody that gave me the chance to grow up and teach me so many things, and I had to play against him in a Champions League final. And I did it in a professional way. He did it in a professional way. That's the way you have to do it.”

As to whether Villas-Boas owed him some credit for his progress, Mourinho replied: “I have no idea. Ask him, not me. It's not my problem. I had so many assistants in my career. I was always an open book to all of them. I'm trying to do the same now with Chris Jones, Steve Holland, people who are working with me for the first time. I try to be an open book for the coaches in the academy. I am an open book. If they want to read the book or not, it's their problem, not mine.”

He would always accept any post-match hospitality although not on Saturday as Villas-Boas is leaving straight after the game to attend Porto’s 120th anniversary dinner. “When people invite me, I always go,’’ said Mourinho of managerial post-match etiquette. “I never refused in the Premier league when an opposition manager invited me.”

Juan Mata will be involved in the match-day squad against Spurs, having impressed Mourinho with his contribution in the Capital One Cup win over Swindon. Mourinho had called on Mata to contribute more when Chelsea don’t have possession. “I liked it,’’ said Mourinho. “His attitude was very good. He made a big effort to come in my direction, so the only thing I can do is go in his direction too. He was not selected against Fulham and I can imagine that, from now, if he keeps working that way and adapting to my way of thinking about the football I want him to play, the natural tendency is for him to be in the team.”

Marco van Ginkel’s surgery on his cruciate injury “went well” according to Mourinho. “The doctor is happy with the way the surgery was made. But now he has to wait, and he has to wait for a long time. It's very sad for a kid who was going into an important season for his development and evolution, but that's football. He's in good hands.’’

Mourinho was clearly unimpressed with the decision to stage Chelsea’s Capital One Cup fourth-round tie with Arsenal on Tuesday Oct 29 for broadcasting and Met Police reasons - so soon after their Premier League game with Manchester City on Sunday Oct 27. “The under-21 team will have a very good experience in the Capital One Cup,’’ said Mourinho. “I have to prioritise. The league is more important.’’

Isco Can Serve as Mesut Ozil's Replacement at Real Madrid


Mesut Ozil's absence at Real Madrid has already been felt. There is no shortage of talent still in the Blancos front line, with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Angel Di Maria and Lukas Modric staying on. But without the delicate touch of the German playmaker, the attack takes on the appearance of a dodgems circuit. Four or five men all roving the field looking for an opening, crashing into each other and falling well short of expectations.

The new Arsenal man was under-utilised at the Bernabeu, but it is only since he has left that his calm, measured presence and delicate approach to the game has started to be missed. 

With regards to the new kids on the Madrid block,Gareth Bale provides much of the same. The Welsh winger is rightly regarded as one of the best young talents in the world thanks to his impeccable physical attributes. 

But he offers the Spanish club little in the way of variation with his trademark bursts down the left flank. Bale's game, while often very effective and a nightmare for many full-backs, is not based on subtlety.

The burden of replacing Ozil, then, will fall on the young shoulders of Francisco Roman Alarcon Suarez, or Isco, the nickname with which the forward is rapidly making his name. 

At just 5'9" and slightly built, Isco is dwarfed by the likes of Ronaldo, Bale and Benzema. The ex-Malaga star, however, has proven that he was more than ready to make the step up in class, making an excellent start to his R. Madrid career. After just seven games with the club, Isco has already bagged five goals with two assists. 

He is not a carbon copy of Ozil, one of the few players in the modern age who bring to mind a classic "enganche" or playmaker in the best South American tradition. While the German's upright, magisterial style on the pitch reminds one of a Juan Roman Riquelme or perhaps Rivaldo, Isco takes inspiration from other figures. 

His low centre of gravity, tenacious strength and prodigious feet mean he has more in common on the ball with the likes of Sergio Aguero and Lionel Messi and before them the incomparable Diego Maradona.

And while he does not possess the same physical attributes that make his team-mates some of the best competitors in La Liga, his pace and acceleration over short distances make him a terrifying opponent in the final third. 

Isco is not Ozil and nor should he try to be. But the former Malaga man can play a key role in Real Madrid by balancing the tendency to attack with sheer brute force thereby introducing his own brand of subtle approach play.

If he can continue his excellent start to the season and more importantly consolidates his place among Madrid's bumper cars as a more delicate link between midfield and attack, the loss of Arsenal's record signing may not be felt so acutely around the Bernabeu. 

Javier Hernandez Being Wasted by Manchester United, Says Robbie Savage



Robbie Savage feels Javier Hernandez’s talent is being wasted at Manchester United, and believes Europe’s big guns could do worse than make a play for the Mexican striker.

Hernandez, known as Chicharito, had a standout first season at Old Trafford in 2010/11. He scored 20 goals in all competitions, but he has struggled to nail down a regular start in the past couple of campaigns.

His record in front of goal was good once again last term, finding the target on 10 occasions in the league. But he is seemingly fourth choice behind Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie and Danny Welbeck.

That would appear to be the view of Savage, who feels the striker is not making the most of his talent at Old Trafford by warming the bench.

In a question and answer session for the BBC after Manchester United’s win over Liverpool in the Capital One Cup, Savage said: "he's been wasted at Manchester united, if i was him i'd want to start more games as he always seem to score when he plays. He is so far down the pecking order. Rooney, RVP and Welbeck are ahead of him so he is probably the fourth choice. He always score goals. His technique to score against Liverpool to open his body up and put it beyond the keeper was superb".

There has been little transfer chatter surrounding the Mexican, which is a surprise to Savage given Hernandez’s proven abilities as a goalscorer.

“I am surprised none of the big clubs went for him,” Savage said. “Possibly they did and we didn't know about it.”

Savage is convinced that one of the premier sides in European football should make a move for the 25-year-old.

He said: “I am surprised a top team in Europe has not gone for Chicharito, he is a natural-born goalscorer.”

United still tracking £30m-rated Herrera as Moyes dispatches scout to watch Bilbao ace

Manchester United's scout team will be watching Spanish midfielder Ander Herrera in action again for Athletic Bilbao on Monday as David Moyes' side's interest in the Spanish midfielder increases.

United made a transfer deadline day bid for Herrara, but the deal came to a halt when the Premier League champions baulked at his £30.5million release clause.

Now Moyes, who watched his side triumph in the Capital One Cup over Liverpool after a humbling 4-1 defeat at local rivals Manchester City, wants to go back in for the playmaker. United's sole first-team addition in the summer window was the £27.5million capture of Everton midfielder Marouane Fellaini.

Moyes wants to further bolster his midfield with the signing of 24-year-old Herrera after admitting he is still two top-quality signings away from achieving the club's aims this season.

Messi arrives in court as Barcelona star and his father face £3.4m tax fraud charges


Lionel Messi and his father have arrived in court to answer charges of tax evasion.The Barcelona forward and his dad Jorge, who both deny wrongdoing, allegedly hid more than €4million (£3.4m) by filing incomplete returns for the years 2006 to 2009. Jorge arrived first to face the charges.

They have already made a 'corrective payment' to Spanish authorities of just over €5m (£4.2m) - the unpaid tax plus interest. The Argentine pair will be questioned in a closed-court session in Gava - the district of Barcelona where Messi lives.

According to the prosecutor’s office for tax crimes in Catalonia, income from the sale of Messi’s image rights was hidden using a complex web of shell companies in Uruguay, Belize, Switzerland and United Kingdom.

The income was connected to contracts with Banco Sabadell, Danone, Adidas, Pepsi-Cola, Proctor and Gamble, and the Kuwait Food Company. Messi has been living in Barcelona since joining the club’s academy in 2000 and gained Spanish citizenship five years later.

'I never take care of that (tax) stuff myself and neither does my father,' Messi, 26, said in July. 'We have our lawyers and our wealth managers to take care of that and we trust them and they will sort this out.

'The truth is I don’t have a clue about all this and that is why we have people taking care of it.'

Messi takes home around €16m (£13.5m) a year in wages from Barcelona and has a string of multi-million dollar investments around the world.

Arsene Wenger Gives Injury Updates on Arsenal Duo Santi Cazorla and Theo Walcott

Arsene Wenger has played down talk of an early return from injury for Santi Cazorla predicting he will likely miss Arsenal's next three games. Cazorla , who has already missed four matches this season due to the ankle injury,and now Wenger does not expect him to return until the Oct. 19 visit of Norwich to the Emirates:

He stated : 'He could be back after the international break'

However, Wenger's prediction that the Spaniard will not return before the international break means Cazorla is will miss games against Swansea, Napoli and the Baggies.

His absence limits Arsenal's wide options, with Lukas Podolski, Tomas Rosicky, AlexOxlade-Chamberlain and Theo Walcott all currently injured as well.

Wenger addressed Walcott's status, following surgery on an abdominal problem. The Arsenal boss confirmed the operation had been a success and put a tentative time-frame on his recovery, stating 'Walcott "optimistically three weeks" and "realistically five weeks" away from return'. Two other concerns surround midfielders Mathieu Flamini and Aaron Ramsey, but Wenger expects both to be available for the trip to the Liberty Stadium, 'No fresh injuries from West Brom. Flamini has small shoulder problem, Ramsey to be assessed today'. he also stated on Ramsey's situation, "He has a little thigh problem but he should be alright"

Flamini’s presence will be particularly key against a Swansea side who love to play between the lines of defence and midfield. The former Milan midfielder will sit in front of the back four and aim to cut the supply line to Michu. Wenger on Michu: "I see him a little bit like a Bergkamp, positionally"

Ramsey, meanwhile, has already scored three times in the league and is enjoying his best spell at Arsenal.

Wenger also addressed Stan Kroenke’s show of support after the club’s owner revealed he would love the Arsenal boss to extend his stay in North London: Wenger: "I would love to be here forever because that would make me immortal! I love this Club of course"

Arsenal are aiming to end an eight-year trophy drought this season and are currently top of the table heading into the weekend.

Manchester City set to move for transfer-listed Valencia star, Adil Rami.

Manchester City are set to go for Valencia defender Adil Rami in January after he was put for sale by manager Miroslav Djukic.

Rami is widely considered to be one of the best centre backs in European football, having established himself with the La Liga side after joining from Lille.

But a switch away is now all but certain after the 27-year-old fell out with Valencia boss Djukic this week, branding him ‘two faced’ in the media.

Djukic reacted angrily to the comments, and has reportedly told him he can go for a fee of £6million when the transfer window re-opens in January.

City boss Manuel Pellegrini is leading the chase for the France international, and is expected to push through a deal to sign him.

Arsenal and Barcelona will add competition for his signature, but Pellegrini knows all about Rami from his time in Spain, and believes City could be the front runners.

Rami is contracted to Valencia until 2015.

Marco van Ginkel out for the season after having cruciate ligament surgery.

Marco van Ginkel’s first season at Chelsea has come to a premature end with the midfielder undergoing surgery on his torn anterior cruciate ligaments.

Van Ginkel has gone under the knife after picking up a knee injury during the Blues’ Capital One Cup win over Swindon on Tuesday.

Boss Jose Mourinho had admitted at the time he was concerned about the 20-year-old and an MRI scan yesterday confirmed he had torn the ACL and would need surgery.

It is understood Van Ginkel has now had treatment on the injury and will now look to return next pre-season with agent Rob Jansen telling the Dutch press he won’t play again this term.

The news will come as a huge blow to Chelsea manager Mourinho, who had earmarked Van Ginkel as a long-term replacement for Frank Lampard and had planned to use him more in the closing stages of the season.

The injury also means the midfielder, who was an £8million signing from Vitesse Arnhem, will not feature for Holland at the World Cup in Brazil