Showing posts with label football. Show all posts
Showing posts with label football. Show all posts

Tuesday, 20 October 2015

Not again! Emmanuel Emenike announces his retirement from Super Eagles

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Super Eagles player, Emmanuel Emenike took to his instagram page an hour ago to announce he is quitting the national team. What he wrote after the cut...



"No more Eagles career! "After 5 great years, I am happy to announce that I have put full-stop to my Nationa team career for the sake of national peace. Its a pleasure for me to have played for this great country. I never regretted it and I think its the best time to end it. Millions thanks to all the fans who have been very supportive during the good and bad times. I am very proud of my performance, I am proud of my team mates and I am very proud of the nation called 'Nigeria'. My AFCON gold medal is a sign of great achievement, My AFCON topscorer award speaks a lot about my commitment and dedication to the team. Super Eagles is a camp not a family house, and it shouldn't be a threat zone for any individual. I have done according to our national anthem. "All my dreams came true in the national team, I dreamt to win Nations Cup for Nigeria after 20-years, I dreamt to played at the World Cup as well as to make a name for myself... In the space of five years, I got them. I'm a winner! "For every dissapointing fans, maybe due to my inability to re-establish my goal scoring instinct for Super Eagles, I will like to say I'm sorry but the ones I had scored counted well for the team. As long as Nigeria remains, you and I will always remember the name 'Emenike'. "Finally, I am happy to make a bow and continue supporting the team everytime. Up Eagles, God Bless Nigeria!

Tuesday, 22 September 2015

Costa, Gabriel, Chelsea and Arsenal charged by FA

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The FA said on its website that Costa had been charged with an alleged "act of violent conduct" after television replays showed him catching Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny with his arm in an incident not spotted at the time by the referee.
"Off the ball incidents which are not seen at the time by the match officials are referred to a panel of three former elite referees," an FA statement said.
"For retrospective action to be taken, and an FA charge to follow, the decision by the panel must be unanimous."
Brazilian defender Gabriel, who was sent off after tangling with Costa shortly after that incident, was charged with "improper conduct" following his straight red card which Arsenal have since appealed against.
Spain international Costa has until 5:00pm UK time on Tuesday (midnight Wednesday, AEST) to respond to the charges while Gabriel has until Thursday to respond.
Both Chelsea and Arsenal were also charged by the FA for failing to control their players.
Chelsea won the fractious game 2-0 with Arsenal ending the match with nine men after Santi Cazorla was also dismissed for a second yellow card after a foul on former Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was critical of Costa after the derby, saying he is "always involved in provocation".

Monday, 3 August 2015

Selfies, six packs to derail Arsenal – Keane

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Arsene Wenger
Arsenal are not capable of winning the Premier League title this season because they have too many players interested in selfies and six packs rather than winning football matches, according to former Manchester United captain Roy Keane.
Keane, a fire and brimstone midfielder, won seven Premier League titles as a player and enjoyed particularly competitive relationship with Arsenal and their similarly combative captain Patrick Viera.
The current Ireland assistant manager, however, said he saw little in the current Gunners side to convince him that they are poised for a first league title since their Viera-led ‘Invincibles’ team in 2004.
“Arsenal have some really good players – some good characters who roll their sleeves up,” Keane told The Mail on Sunday.
“But they also have one or two players who are more interested in selfies and six-packs, guys who are trying to get their pictures taken every day of the week.
“Every year we hear the same thing about Arsenal being contenders. Instead of focusing on the Premier League, it’s all about how their bodies look, how their hair is, more so than winning football matches.”
Arsenal, under manager Arsene Wenger, have become one of the most dazzling attacking sides in Europe but a perceived lack of leadership has undermined their ability to make a sustained title challenge for a number of years.
Back-to-back FA Cup triumphs ended their nine-year trophy drought but for too long the north Londoners have not been relevant during the intense 38-game toil of a Premier League season.
Last season, under Jose Mourinho, Chelsea – built around a strong spine of hard-working, physical players – stifled their closest rivals to canter to the league title and Keane said the Stamford Bridge side remained the benchmark in the upcoming season.
“For me, Chelsea remain the team to beat,” the 43-year-old added. “Their team is the one with the strongest spine – John Terry, their goalkeeper (Thibault Courtois), Eden Hazard – and if they can add (Everton’s England defender) John Stones to their team then they will be even harder to beat.
“The bottom line is that if Chelsea’s players show the same hunger and desire that they did last year then they’ll win the league. They will only be in trouble if they are complacent.”

Done Deal – Liverpool Target Signs For Arsenal, To Earn £140,000-A-Week

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Arsenal fans can now breathe a huge sigh of relief with the news that Theo Walcott has signed a new four-year contract at the club, categorically dispelling rumours of a summer exit for the Englishman.Walcott has signed a new deal with Arsenal which puts him into line with the north Londoners’ highest earners, with Santi Cazorla also signing an extension. The England international star has put pen to paper on a deal worth £140,000 per week, says the Telegraph, placing him on the same amount Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez presently earn at the Emirates.
Walcott missed a large chunk of last season as he struggled with a knee injury but he returned to his best, opening the scoring in the 4-0 drubbing of Aston Villa in the FA Cup final last term.
The Telegraph reckons Gunners’ gaffer Arsene Wenger has prioritised signing a new goalkeeper and tying Theo Walcott down to a new deal as his main business of the summer. Now that both have been done, the Frenchman will now be looking forward to signing a new centre forward and Karim Benzema has been touted as his preference, with Robert Lewandowski his second option should Benzema’s deal fall through.
Wenger will be delighted that the Walcott contract situation has now been resolved before tomorrow’ Community Shield encounter with arch rivals Chelsea at Wembley. With the season opener also drawing nearer, the new deal saga could have disrupted the team and the player had it not been settled.
Walcott is seen as an alternative to Olivier Giroud with his blistering pace and impressive composure, hence Wenger’s desperation to tie him down.
Regarding the extension to Cazorla and Walcott’s contracts, Wenger spoke to the club’s official website: “We are delighted to extend the contracts of Santi and Theo.
“Both are top quality players who are hugely important and influential to our squad.
“As well as their huge contributions on the pitch, they both have a great deal of experience and are very popular off the pitch. We’re very pleased with them both signing contract extensions, as it provides our squad with further stability of quality.
“Everyone at the club is looking forward to the continued contributions of Santi and Theo in the seasons ahead.”
The new contract for Walcott has now put to bed speculation that the 26-year old pacey attacker may move to Liverpool. The former Southampton player now becomes the longest-serving player in the Arsenal squad having joined in 2012 from the Saints.

Friday, 31 July 2015

Report: Liverpool's striker having medical at West Brom

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Liverpool striker Rickie Lambert is having a medical at West Brom according to Sky Sports, after the Reds accepted a £3 million for the England striker from the Baggies.
Sky suggest Lambert will sign at the Hawthorns later on Friday as long as there are no problems that arise in the medical.
West Brom boss Tony Pulis had earlier in the week praised the prospect of signing Lambert, despite his struggles last season.
"It's very important that we get players who will score goals," the Welshman told the Birmingham Mail. "Rickie's got a great goal-scoring record.
"From what I can gather from people at Liverpool, his fitness levels are very, very good, and he is desperate to play football.
"He didn't play last year so it's like bringing a brand new car out of the garage if we did sign him. Just putting a bit of petrol in it and letting it run."
The right move for Lambert?
Including Lambert, Liverpool have a surplus of forwards on their books, with several players struggling to make an impression during their time at Anfield.
Lambert is one of those players that struggled, as difficult as it would be for the native Liverpudlian to admit of his local team.
The 33-year-old scored just three goals all season after arriving from Southampton, and was often failing to earn minutes on the pitch by the end of the campaign despite the club continuing to have issues finding the net.
However, he remains a viable option for any Premier League clubs who are not restricted by having a short memory, after a prolific spell at the Saints that led all the way from League One to the top flight, as well as an impressive start to his England career.
Tony Pulis will certainly be hoping that he can rediscover that form that he had at St Mary's as soon as possible.
Is Lambert a good signing for West Brom?

MAN.UNITED MADE A BIG DECISION OVER CRISTIANO RONALDO

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Manchester United have ended their pursuit of Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo after being told by the Spanish giants to cough up a cool £84.5 million for the three-time Ballon d’Or winner - £4.5 million more than they originally sold him for in 2009.

Thursday, 30 July 2015

BREAKING NEWS – Arsenal Make OFFICIAL £40.5m Bid For Karim Benzema

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Karim Benzema playing for Real Madrid
After sending Arsenal fans into a frenzy a couple of days ago with a cryptic Instagram post which suggests he could well be on his way to club, Benzema’s move to the Emirates seems to be in the offing as the north Londoners are reportedly preparing an improve offer of £40.5million for the forward.
Despite being inconsistent for some part of last campaign, Benzema is still famed to be one of Europe’s most potent finisher which Arsenal are well aware of.
Arsene Wenger is searching Europe for a deadly goal poacher to spearhead the attack in his team’s bid for glory in the upcoming campaign, and although Julian Draxler and Fernando Llorente have been touted as potential candidates, Benzema remains top of Wenger’s wish list.
Spanish source, Fichajes claimed yesterday that Arsenal were willing to submit a mammoth offer of $63million for Benzema’s signature after Real Madrid rejected their initial advances.
The media is now seething with reports that Los Blancos are listening to offers for the 27-year old forward and Arsenal have prepared a new £40.5million bid which they accept will tempt the Spanish giants into parting ways with their coveted striker.
Despite the dismalness which characterized his performances last term, the former Lyon ace managed to chip in with 22 goals and 15 assists in 46 games for the 10-time Champions League winners.
Arsenal will now be hoping their long-term target joins them this summer, and with Wenger also keen for his compatriot to play for him at the London side, the transfer could be a possibility.
Meanwhile, Wojciech Szczesny has joined AS Roma on a season-long loan from Arsenal, with an option to a permanent deal at the end of the loan. The Poland international glovesman decided to leave after Petr Cech arrived from Chelsea to be Arsenal’s No.1 next term.

Arsenal To ANNOUNCE Benzema Signing In Days, Madrid SANCTIONS Transfer

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Image result for benzema
Arsenal’s pursuit of a top-striker appears set to take a positive twist, after recent reports indicate that Real Madrid forward and Arsene Wenger’s first-choice striker target, Karim Benzema has subtly been given the green light to accede to an offer of a transfer away from the club.
While the Madrid club currently undergo pre-season training, coach Rafael Benitez looks to have rekindled the flame of Jese Rodriguez, and has allegedly publicly expressed his intentions to offer the 22 year-old player a regular striker role in the 2015/2016 season. Having suffered a knee injury earlier this year, the player saw a quick recuperation met with a rich vein of form- which he has carried into the Madrid club’s pre-season training tour, scoring one beautiful goal in the 3-nil win over Inter Milan in a friendly recently.
He had initially been linked with a move to Chelsea, but the arrival of Boss Rafa Benitez seems to have settled doubts about his future. “I’ve never wanted to leave. I’m very grateful to the Coach for counting on me”, he said.
As it stands, with Benitez set to offer him a regular striker role, it appears that Karim Benzema is now indeed close to the Madrid exit door- where we reportedly have Arsene Wenger standing alert, in order to take him to the Emirates stadium on a permanent basis. His eventual departure may also afford Madrid the chance to sign long-time target, Marco Reus from Borussia Dortmund.

chelse to seal major signing today

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Chelsea will complete a deal for Mohamed Salah today, as the Egyptian winger is set to join Roma on a loan deal before making a permanent switch next summer.
Salah, who’s agent confirmed his arrival in Rome for Wednesday, is said to have agreed the deal with the Italian side at the weekend but Chelsea were negotiating the finer details of the agreement; with it now stated to be a £1.4m loan fee, ahead of a £16m transfer next summer.

Jose Mourinho has maintained that Salah is not a part of his plans at Stamford Bridge and used the Egyptian ace as makeweight in a deal to bring Juan Cuadrado to West London in January, with Salah spending time on-loan at Fiorentina.

He impressed in Florence, scoring nine goals, but has been involved in a bitter dispute this summer as he rejected a permanent move to Fiorentina- allegedly backtracking on a previous agreement, with the Italian side are planning to take to court.


ESPN state that the legal dispute could delay a deal but it’s still tipped to go ahead, with reports in Italian media stating he could feature in a friendly for his new side against Sevilla.

GREAT NEWS – Arsenal CLEARED To Sign Benzema, Madrid Already Have His Replacement

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Real Madrid’s new manager Rafa Benitez will be looking to do better than his predecessor as the new season fast approaches. The Spanish manager will be hoping he can utilise his squad to its maximum potential and is reportedly willing to give a lot of players a chance to prove themselves in the squad. One out of those players is  22 year old Jese Rodriguez, amidst reports that the Spanish forward could be on his way to Chelsea Rafael Benitez looks set to hand the 22 year old a striker role going into the season.With Jese Rodriguez being offered a striking role for the season this would mean Real Madrid will have more striking options to turn to if current striker Karim Benzema eventually becomes unavailable. However if reports coming out of Spain are anything to go by German player Marco Reus could be plying his trade at Bernabeu next season.
Madrid are known to make a marquee signing every season and look set to sign the Dortmund player. If Reus is signed to Real Madrid, it means Cristano Ronaldo will be used as a striker which would be mean limited playing time for Karim Benzema who also has Jese Rodriguez to compete with for a starting berth.
With this possible turnout of events Arsenal may have been awarded some stroke of luck in regards their pursuit of Real Madrid striker Benzema. The Frenchman is highly unlikely to start ahead of Ronaldo in the striking position and would fancy a move away from Bernabeu rather than stay on Madrid’s bench.
As an Arsenal fan I would want Arsene Wenger to capitalise on this situation and lure Karim Benzema to Emirates. The Frenchman is a striker that we have lacked for quite some time now and such rare opportunities that appear like this should be taken without any delay.

Liverpool striker becomes summer transfer target for rivals Tottenham

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Liverpool striker becomes summer transfer target for rivals Tottenham
Spurs keen on surprise move for Reds ace.
Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino is eyeing a surprise raid on rivals Liverpool for the signing of his former Southampton playerRickie Lambert, according to The Times.