Nigeria's Superstar Strikes A Watchy Pose With Legendary Samuel Eto’o Fils

Pop star, Davido has been in the UK for a week or two doing tours, shows and hanging out with the ladies . The 20 year old was in West London today where he ran into Cameroun international footballer and 3 times African Footballer of The Year, Samuel Eto’ who currently plays for Chelsea football Club.
They both showed us the face of their wrist watch.

Mourinho Was Desperate For Man United's Job

Jose Mourinho was "desperate" and "incredulous" when he found out he had missed out on succeeding Sir Alex Ferguson as Manchester United boss to David Moyes - according to an explosive new book in Spain. Spanish journalist Diego Torres's book “Prepárense Para Perder” (Prepare To Lose) has been serialised in his newspaper El Pais, and contains some of the juicer allegations made about the Special One's time in charge at the Bernabeu.
According to the book, Mourinho, who left Madrid to take charge of Chelsea for a second time this summer, was confident that he was a contender for the hot seat at Old Trafford once Ferguson decided to step down at the end of the 2012/13 campaign.

However when Moyes was announced as the Scot's successor, the Chelsea boss is alleged to have screamed: "But he’s won nothing!”
Torres also claims that Mourinho felt cheated by Ferguson, who he had cultivated a close relationship with during his time with Chelsea, and that he had told his agent Jorge Mendes to try and stop Moyes' appointment.
Torres writes in El Pais: “They were the most miserable hours of Mourinho in his time as manager of Real Madrid. Between dozing and waking he had a mobile glued to his ear, seeking clarification during the night of the 7th and the morning of May 8.”
“What most spooked Mourinho was the conclusion that in public he would look a fool. He felt cheated by Ferguson and feared someone might stop taking him seriously. For years, the propaganda machine had reported the idea of ​​a friendship that is now revealed as a fantasy image. Mourinho’s advisers told him to say that he already knew everything because Ferguson had called to inform him.”
Moyes has endured a mixed start to life as Manchester United boss, and has suffered defeats against both Liverpool and Manchester City in recent weeks.
The Red Devils have also drawn with Mourinho's Chelsea side, who lost three games in a row recently to consign themselves to the worst start to a season since Roman Abramovich bought the club.
The book will be released in Spain on Wednesday, while accusations have already started to fly that Torres has an axe to grind with Mourinho from his tempestuous time with Real Madrid.

I Wish To Be Immortal - Wenger

Arsene Wenger has hinted that he is close to signing a new contract and declared that he wants to stay at Arsenal 'forever', according to the Metro. In stark contrast to the beginning of the season, when numerous quarters of the Arsenal faithful were calling for Wenger's head, Le Prof has been the subject of much speculation concerning the signing of a new long-term deal which will tie him to the club for future seasons.
Having been publicly backed by owner Stan Kroenke, Wenger now sits in a healthy position and has expressed his intent to remain at the Gunner for as long as possible.

Despite reports linking him with the PSG hot-seat, the long-serving Arsenal boss has stated that he wants to be immortal so that he can remain at the club forever.
"I’d like to be here forever and to be immortal," he said.
"I don’t think we will need many talks to extend the contract."
It is believed that the contract Arsenal will offer Wenger is an initial two-year deal, but with an option to extend it beyond that if both parties desire to do so.
Negotiations are ongoing and are expected to be completed within the next few weeks.

AVB Can Be As Special As The Happy One

Tottenham go head-to-head with Chelsea at White Hart Lane tomorrow lunch time and the all-London clash will also see Andre Villas-Boas come up against his old boss Jose Mourinho.
The two managers, once good friends, have seen their relationship with one another break down in the past and will be determined to gain victory in tomorrow's clash.
Villas-Boas and Mourinho are certainly extremely alike. Both from Portugal, both making their names at Porto and both moving from club-to club fairly quickly.

There's no doubt about it, so far, Mourinho's career has been greater than Villas-Boas'. And, where Mourinho has succeeded with Chelsea, Villas-Boas ultimately failed.
But his short tenure at the Blues would have infect helped and not hindered his progress as a manger. Villas-Boas is hungry and determined to succeed with Tottenham.
Tactically Villas-Boas is improving in every game he manages. At Tottenham, he seems to have the respect and belief of his players - something that Mourinho has not always had at his previous clubs.
The 35-year-old Spurs boss has belief in what he has at his disposal, and when things don't work out he still backs his players.
Last season's Europa League elimination is a prime example. His side were beaten on penalties in the quarter final against Basel, but Villas-Boas hailed his team as 'heroes' and suggested his side set an example for English football.
Villas-Boas is certainly switched on and knows what he is doing. Roman Abramovich may one day regret not giving more time to the young manager with such huge potential.
In recent time, Villas-Boas has certainly shown he has an eye for a player. His seven signings at Tottenham in the summer all seem to be strong purchases.
The capture of midfielder Christian Eriksen for just £11.5m could well be the bargain of the summer.
And now, this season, we really will be able to see just how good Villas-Boas is. He now has a team at his disposal that is his. It's his creation, his players and he will demand success.
A victory in tomorrow's match could well start a new era of Villas-Boas dominance over Mourinho.
Mourinho and Villas-Boas certainly share similar traits - but they also have many differences.

Lionel Messi To Appear In Spanish Court Over Tax Fraud

Barcelona footballer Lionel Messi and his father are to appear in a Spanish court over tax fraud allegations.

The 26-year-old Argentine, who has been named World Player of the Year four times, and his father Jorge Messi are accused of defrauding the authorities of more than 4m euros (£3.4m).
They are suspected of using companies abroad - in Belize and Uruguay - to sell the rights to use Messi's image.
They both deny the allegations, which date back to 2007-09.
'Tougher line' The striker and his father are expected to be questioned in a closed-court session in Gava - the affluent Barcelona district where the footballer lives.
They are accused of three counts of defrauding the Spanish state of taxes.
The income related to Messi's image rights included contracts with Banco Sabadell, Danone, Adidas, Pepsi-Cola, Proctor and Gamble, and the Kuwait Food Company.
In August, the two accused made a payment of 5m euros to the tax authorities - the 4.16m of the alleged unpaid tax plus interest.
But state prosecutors are still pursuing the case - as the tax authorities are taking a much tougher line as a result of Spain's economic crisis, reports the BBC's Tom Burridge in Madrid.
Earlier, Messi stated that he and and his father "have never committed any infringement. We have always fulfilled all our tax obligations."
Messi's net salary from Barcelona is said to be about 16m euros a year, making him one of the world's most highly-paid sportspeople.
He has also signed multi-million-dollar endorsements with commercial sponsors around the world.
Messi's achievements on the field have made him one of the most marketable in the business.
He came from a modest background and has overcome a serious health issue, joining Barcelona as a 13-year-old in 2000 and making his first-team debut only three years later.
But the allegations are a big blow to the prestige of Messi, who has long been seen as a more humble figure than most top-class footballers.

Aluko May Be Re-United With The Super Eagles

Once again last week was a fine weekend for the Nigerian contingent in the Premier League. However, despite excellent outings for a number of our stars, it was one of the least heralded among them that stole the show.
In the West London derby between Chelsea and Fulham, John Obi Mikel finally got off the mark for the Blues, prompting jubilation among his teammates.
It has taken 185 games for the Super Eagles talisman to break his EPL duck, and now, finally, after 282 outings in all competitions—after picking up almost every honour known to mankind—Mikel finally made the net ripple for Jose Mourinho’s men.
While the goal didn’t quite manage to detract from a wholly uninspiring performance by Chelsea, the fine, agile finish will doubtless live long in the memory of fans for whom Mikel’s key offensive contributions have been about as frequent as Ghanaian victories at the Cup of Nations.

Mikel: Slowly Catching Up with Lampard

Victor Moses’s promising start to life away from Stamford Bridge continued this week despite Liverpool going down 1-0 to both Southampton, in the league, and Manchester United in the English League Cup. The Nigerian superstar offers directness and ferocious pace, dovetailing well with Danny Sturridge, Luis Suarez and, one imagines, Philippe Coutinho when the Brazilian eventually returns from his injury problems.
As well as offering exceptional off the ball work and incisive movement as part of a forward three, Moses has also shown a propensity to drop deeper in his early games under Brendan Rodgers. I was impressed with his ability to do this during the Cup of Nations triumph earlier in the year, particularly in the rout of Mali. His increasing involvement in the build-up play and his improved game time on Merseyside will surely be of benefit to the national side over the coming months.
Down in the Black Country, Victor Anichebe entered the fray as a substitute to great effect as his new club, West Bromwich Albion, downed Sunderland.

Anichebe: A Change of Pace

The Black Cats defence was—admittedly—not up to much, but Big Vic’s strength and poise was evident as he controlled and protected the ball well before laying it off to Morgan Amalfitano to score the side’s third goal.
The former Everton man entered the contest as a 68^th minute substitute for Nicholas Anelka, his powerful play as a target man coming as a welcome contrast to Le Sulk’s deeper, more creative influence. The pair’s contrasting styles, as well as the pacy work of Shane Long, give the Baggies some exciting options in attack.
If Anichebe continues in this encouraging vein, then surely it should be he, rather than Shola Ameobi, who offers the presence and muscle in the Super Eagles’ attack.
Over at Ameobi’s home stadium, St. James' Park, Newcastle United’s fans were sent into a state of shock by the Magpies’ inadequacies and the bullish determination of their opponents, Hull City. Last year’s Championship play-off winners secured one of the results of the season by beating Alan Pardew’s boys 3-2.
Here, Nigeria’s own Sone Aluko was the star of the show, the game’s outstanding individual and, ultimately, the difference-maker.

Aluko: Does What the Night does to the Day

Predicted by many to be little more than relegation fodder before the season began, the Tigers have already picked up seven points, losing only to Manchester City and Chelsea, and currently sit in eleventh place after five games. Many observers are being forced to reassess their expectations of the team and their previous evaluations of Hull’s squad.
Aluko, along with Robbie Brady, looks to be a natural fit in the Premier League, while Steve Bruce’s decision to sign Tommy Huddlestone from Tottenham and also acquire Jake Livermore on loan has given the central midfield both creativity and combativeness.
Against Newcastle, the Nigerian forward, whose season was curtailed by injury so cruelly last term, was positively glowing. He provided the assist for Brady on 26 minutes and then sealed the clash 15 minutes before the end with a delicious volley. The technique was sublime, the inventiveness admirable and the spectacle—breathtaking.
Beyond providing his team with an invaluable three points and the precious, morale-boosting reality of an away victory, Aluko has announced himself to the EPL with a collection of impressive performances.
While the season will be long and perilous, Hull’s early performances have changed the perception of the team within the context of the league. Already, they are no longer the new boys, the rabbit in the headlights, they look a composed, competent unit, menacing on the break, lethal down the flanks and more than capable of dictating a game on their terms.
Aluko has been, and will continue to be, a key feature of this reassessment.

Aluko & Nigeria: Soon to be Reunited?

For Nigeria, this can only be very encouraging news. After over half a season devastated by injury, Aluko has burst into the Premier League with a point to prove and with the ability to prove it, very forcefully, and very emphatically.
Surely his very pertinent, very visible contributions to the tapestry of the EPL will not be going unnoticed by Stephen Keshi. The former Aberdeen man was ignored ahead of the Malawi qualifiers, but with his pace, versatility and innovation on show for all to see, it can’t be long before the Big Boss decides to recruit him back into the fold.
Aluko has imbued everyone involved with Hull with the confidence that the team are not merely here to make up the numbers, but are here to genuinely compete with the big boys and be proactive, rather than merely reactive. There is no reason why the forward, who already has two caps for the national side, cannot prompt a similar response among Nigerians.

Manchester United Join Mangala Chase

Manchester United are ready to move for Porto's highly-rated defender Eliaquim Mangala in the January transfer window, according to the Guardian.

The Red Devils have identified the 22-year-old as the perfect long-term replacement for either Nemanja Vidic or Rio Ferdinand - but will face stiff competitions from several clubs, including Chelsea and Manchester City, for his signature.
Mangala, a France international who holds a Belgian passport, began his professional career with Standard Liege in 2008. He stayed there until 2011, when Porto signed him for a €6.5m fee.

However, the Portuguese giants could recoup over seven times that amount if a club opts to trigger his €45m buyout clause.
With the likes of Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain also keen on Mangala, it's perfectly plausible that Porto will receive that sum of cash.
But Premier League champions will monitor Mangala closely between now and Christmas, with scouts poised to submit detailed reports on the 6ft 2in centre-back.

The Blossoming Relationship Of Chelsea-Vitesse Partnership

 Ever since Vitesse Arnhem were purchased by Georgian businessman Merab Jordania in 2010, the relationship between "Vitas" and Chelsea has considerably grown each year.
 A relationship which first blossomed between Jordania and Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has now flourished into a full-blown affiliation in which both clubs are now dependent on each other.
In Jordania's first season in charge of Vitesse, the Blues gifted him with Nemanja Matic, Slobodan Rajkovic and Matej Delac on loan.

The deals were done in the fledgling hope that the three Eastern-Europeans would swiftly develop into important contributors to the Chelsea first-team.
Nevertheless, none of them prospered in the Chelsea squad, although Mourinho is now believed to be tracking Matic, who has flourished in the first-team for Portuguese giants Benfica.
Matic, 25, left the Blues in 2011, as part of the deal which brought David Luiz to Stamford Bridge. However, Matic has rapidly progressed into one of the most coveted tough-tackling midfielders in Europe, prompting Mourinho to attend the Serbia vs Croatia game, in order to scout the former fringe player.
As year two of Jordania's reign approached, Abramovich gifted him with the mercurial Tomas Kalas, Patrick van Aanholt and the attacking guile of Gael Kakuta. Consequently, the trio embarked on a journey towards the Eredivisie title, a journey which eventually ended in disappointment, yet gave all three players a considerable career boost, whilst highlighting the excellence of promising young colleagues Wilfried Bony and Marco Van Ginkel.
Chelsea have sent six players out on loan to Vitesse this summer, and not everyone in the Eredivisie is pleased about the influx of the Chelsea reserve squad.
NEC Nijmegen technical director Carlos Aalbers said: "This is a new situation for us in Dutch football and it is worthy of discussion. It is six players on loan from Chelsea at Vitesse, but if this trend continues it could be nine or 10.”
This year, Chelsea sent out Gael Kakuta, Patrick van Aanholt, Christian Atsu, Sam Hutchinson, Cristian Cuevas and Lucas Piazon in a blatant attempt to help Vitesse become even stronger contenders for the title.
Furthermore, Abramovich has helped fill the wounds which he may have left behind whilst purchasing Marco Van Ginkel for £8.3 million. Additionally, ex-loanee Kalas has graduated into Mourinho's first team squad, which swiftly triggered the deal for injury-stricken centre-back Hutchinson to join the Vitesse ranks to provide the athleticism and leadership which the domineering Kalas has vacated.
The Eredivisie is arguably the greatest developmental league in the world, with the likes of Robin van Persie, Luis Suarez and Arjen Robben all products of the Dutch giants Feyenoord, Ajax and PSV.
Whilst the Dutch giants are becoming younger by the year, Vitesse are reaping the rewards of an Eastern-European business deal which has raised the awareness of how English teams are moulding their reserves without the introduction of B teams within the English game.

I Was Better Than Maldini - Taribo West

Former AC Milan defender Taribo West believes he was better than club legend Paolo Maldini, but was treated unfairly by the Italian side.

In one season with the Serie A outfit, the former Nigeria international appeared in just four games, despite his self-proclaimed status as the club's best defender.

West remains bitter about his time at San Siro and has suggested that his short spell with the Rossoneri was a failure because of Maldini's "godfather" status.

"There were three of us, but the coach would pick the Italians even though I was clearly the best," he told Supersport.com.

"In 2000, I played the African Nations Cup with Nigeria and when I returned Maldini was injured. I played the games in his place but I did not get very many.

"I was told clearly that nobody could force out Maldini because he was a godfather in the club."

West was forced to take a seat on the bench while watching Maldini and Alessandro Costacurta start regularly, which the former Inter defender claims was because of their Italian backgrounds.

"Because I had a good relationship with [Inter president Massimo Moratti], I called him to tell him what was going on," he continued. "He told me that at AC Milan this was a normal thing.

"No one could take the place of Maldini. I was in shock. At the time they told so many lies about me because they wanted me out.

"During the four games I played, I was always the best player on the field, yet my contract was not renewed."

Neymar Hails Messi

Barcelona star Neymar has hailed Lionel Messi as a 'genius' and re-iterated his belief that his teammate is the best player on the planet. 
26-year-old phenomenon Messi, who has spent his entire professional career with the Catalan giants, netted a sumptuous hat-trick during the club's emphatic 4-0 Champions League triumph over Eredivisie champions Ajax on Wednesday evening, taking his European tally to a truly formidable 62.
And after yet another stunning performance from the Argentine, Neymar, who arrived at Camp Nou from Brazilian outfit Santos for a fee believed to be in the region of £48.6 million in June, has lavished praise upon his new teammate.

"I am very, very happy to be sharing the pitch like a genius like Messi [who is] the best in the world," he said in an interview with AS that was quoted by Goal.com.
Despite only signing for the club this summer, Neymar's lack of goals so far this season has seemingly prompted criticism from certain section of the Barca support.
Despite this however, the 21-year-old has insisted that his current drought will not last for much longer and has pointed to his other positive contributions to the team.
"I missed chances, but the goals will come. I prefer my assist for Pique's goal and the general team play. I can still give much more to Barcelona.
"But I am very happy because the team started well in the Champions League and it was so important," he added.
Barcelona, who will also face Serie A side AC Milan and Neil Lennon's Celtic in Group H, have enjoyed a fine start to the new domestic season under new manager Gerardo Martino and currently sit top of La Liga on goal difference after four wins from their opening four fixtures.

Mourihno Reads Out The Riot Act

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has held crisis talks with his underachieving squad in a desperate attempt to turn around their disastrous start to the season.
The self-acclaimed 'Special One' brought his players together this morning and demanded his under performing stars to up the ante, with club owner Roman Abramovich making it crystal clear that a run of four matches without a win - including back-to-back defeats - is not acceptable.
Martin Jol's Fulham make the short trip to Stamford Bridge on Saturday, and only a win will do for Chelsea as Mourinho's men look to get back to winning ways.

Another defeat would be a disaster for the west London outfit and could even cast doubt over Mourinho's Chelsea future, despite only returning to the helm this summer.
In a bizarre twist, bookmakers Paddy Power have even slashed odds on the Portuguese tactician becoming the first managerial casualty of the Premier League, with fresh doubts over squad morale amongst the Chelsea squad.
Senior sources have described Mourinho's impromptu meeting with Chelsea's first-team as 'positive', but the club's top players have been left in no doubt that their Stamford Bridge future's remain on the line.
Having slammed his "immature" squad in the wake of their Champions League defeat, Mourinho's message is clear - step up to the plate or risk being sold by the Chelsea hierarchy.
There is some good news for the Blues however - skipper John Terry is likely to return to the line-up having been dropped for the shock 2-1 home defeat at the hands of Basle in mid-week.

Ronaldo Not As Special As Messi - Henk Ten Cate

The former second-in-command at Barcelona has said that the Portuguese star may never scale the heights that the Argentine has done due to lacking "something special"

Former Barcelona assistant coach Henk Ten Cate believes that Lionel Messi's ability is unrivalled in world football, claiming Cristiano Ronaldo is not special like the Argentine.

Both stars netted hat-tricks during the week in their club's respective Champions League opener, with the Argentina international taking his European goals total to 62, just nine shy of Raul's all-time record in the competition.

And Ten Cate, whose spell with the Catalans coincided with the emergence of Messi, says that the 26-year-old's Portuguese rival will never reach his standard because he lacks that "something special".

"Messi is unique. There are no other players like him; he is on another level," the 58-year-old told AS. "Neither Cristiano [Ronaldo] or Neymar are close to him because Messi is out of this world.

"Cristiano is also at a very high level, but Leo [Messi] has something special that Ronaldo does not have."

Xavi dropped to the bench in favour of Cesc Fabregas for the 4-0 thrashing of Ajax on Wednesday, but Ten Cate added that coach Gerardo Martino must not make a habit of omitting the veteran midfielder, who orchestrates his team's attack.

"Xavi has to play," he added. "He is the boss; he leads the team's rhythm like an orchestra and he is the director of the play."

The Dutchman, now interim coach at Sparta Rotterdam, worked under Frank Rijkaard with the Catalans and helped guide the club to its second Champions League title in 2006.

Walya Antelopes Of Ethiopia Not Minnows - Keshi

The national team coach says his team have to prepare well against a very good Ethiopian side
Nigeria’s national team coach Stephen Keshi has said that his team cannot afford to be complacent against the Walya Antelopes of Ethiopia in the last round of qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup.
Keshi is currently in the USA with his family taking a short rest before the first leg against Ethiopia in Addis Ababa next month.
Many football fans have already given the tie to the Super Eagles but Keshi was quick to state that the Walya Antelopes were very good last January and would have improved further at the moment.
“I have a lot of respect for the Ethiopians and all the teams that made it to the last round of the qualifiers and I am certain that it will be tough, unpredictable and exciting for both the so called big teams and the minnows,” Keshi said.
The coach elaborated on the fact that the last time the Eagles played Ethiopia – at the Nations Cup in January, the East Africans proved very difficult.
“The last time we played the Ethiopians it was quite tough and I know when we meet next it’s going to be the same thing.
“All we need to do is to be focused, concentrate and pray for good health for our best players and the rest will be history,” he said.
The first leg is slated for between October 11 -15

Mourihno Reflects Positively

Reflecting on defeat in the opening group game of this season's Champions League, Jose Mourinho looked towards victories in the coming away games plus work in training as the remedy for recent results.
In the European campaign it is taken as read that six points are needed from home games against Schalke and Steaua Bucharest, but whereas a team usually hopes for a few additional points from matches abroad, there is less margin for error remaining after the surprise 2-1 defeat against Basel.
There were also aspects in Wednesday night's game at the Bridge, coming on the back of defeat at Everton on Saturday, that highlight areas for improvement…
'We lost three points that we must get somewhere else - at Basel, Schalke or Bucahrest, or all of them or some of them,' said Mourinho.
'The objective of finishing top two in the group stage and to go to the next phase is an objective that is not lost, far from it, and it is an objective that we are going to fight for. It is an objective that I believe very much that we are going to achieve.
'In the first half we had a big percentage of the ball. In a short period we had corner after corner after corner, but we didn't create. Basel were very compact, they defended with everybody behind and they closed everything when they are normally an attacking team, but in the first half we did nothing really to score the goal. When we scored and went to the half-time winning 1-0, I think normally the score would be 0-0.
'In the second half in our best period when we had more space to play, we hit the woodwork and had two on-target efforts deflected wide, Basel scored the goal. After that their second goal is difficult to accept because we work a lot on the organisation at defensive set pieces and the header was in a position where we have players defending that zone, because we defend mixed zonal and man-to-man, and we have two players defending in that zone plus the man that was marking the scorer Streller. Three players made a mistake and we were punished because of that.'
Mourinho said he is the one who takes the responsibility for defeats so, unlike in victory, he doesn't like to talk about which players performed better than others, but asked specifically about debutant Willian and home debutant Samuel Eto, he said…
'In a simple sentence, William had a positive game.
'Samuel maybe lacked sharpness and this doesn't surprise really when you are some years in a place that doesn't motivate you and you are out of the big stage, maybe you're there not for the right reasons and you lose huger and appetite. Now he has that back, he has that motivation, he wants to succeed and play and is happy to be at this level.
'He is participating a lot in the collective game. For the sharpness and the click to score, we have to wait but he is a great player and he will score goals. I am happy with these three strikers for the rest of the season. They are good players and professionals, and try to give their best to the team and the happy moment will arrive.'
On the team not being able to follow up the defeat at Everton at the weekend with a better result…'The team is not one with maturity and personality to face the difficult moments in the game. Everton scored in the last minute of the first half and after that we were struggling a little bit despite dominating the game.
'Today when the first negative moment which was the equaliser arrived, the team shakes a little. But the only thing you can do is work.
'We go home sad, the supports go home sad, but tomorrow morning we wake up and go training and we have two days to prepare the next match. This is the only way I know in football, to work hard, believe in what you do and each other, be critical inside our group to resolve things but stick together and try against Fulham to get the result that wakes up the team for a smile, and in the next Champions League match we have to try to recover the three points

Cahill Shocked By Basel Defeat

Chelsea defender Gary Cahill has admitted that Chelsea's 2-1 defeat to FC Basel came as a shock to the Chelsea side, admitting they must 'bounce back'.
The Blues have had a stuttering start to this season's campaign with last night's loss making it four games in a row without a victory.
Reflecting on the Basel defeat, Cahill told the Chelsea website: "It's not a disaster but it's not ideal. A club like this wants to win the majority of games it plays. That's the expectation.

The England international stressed importance of getting back to winning ways as quickly as possible in their next game against Fulham this weekend.
"It's a blow but it's not the be all and end all," Cahill added. "We need to win our next game now, as simple as that. The manager will stress that.
"We've got the squad to do it, we need to go on now and get back to winning ways on Saturday."
The 24-year-old expressed his surprise at Chelsea's defeat at home in the Champions League clash.
The Blues have not been beaten at Stamford Bridge in the group stages of the competition for almost 10 years but Basel came from a goal behind to hand them a loss.
"It's a big shock really," said the former Bolton player "We gave them a bit too much room all over the pitch but, first half, we looked like we were in control of the game.
"In the second half we didn't quite step it up to that level and we paid the price for it.
Cahill concluded that the Chelsea squad will be looking into what went wrong in last nights game and will strive to give a better performance in the West London derby:
"You can always do better, you can always analyse goals and have a look, definitely. The back four, goalkeepers, individuals. We'll have a look at that."

Mata And Azpilicueta Wants To Leave In January

Chelsea duo Juan Mata and Cesar Azpilicueta are both eager to leave the club in January, as they grow increasingly frustrated at a lack of first-team opportunities this season, reports Marca.
According to Sport Witness, the Spanish publication says that the pair want to be placed on the transfer list, in order to leave west London when the window reopens in the New Year.
With the 2014 World Cup in Brazil on the horizon, Mata and Azpilicueta will both want to impress Spain national team boss Vicente del Bosque, and neither feel that they are currently getting enough playing time at Stamford Bridge to warrant inclusion in the 23-man squad.

Jose Mourinho will be determined to keep hold of both players, but with competition for places in the Chelsea midfield at an all-time high, he has not been able to guarantee Mata a starting berth, despite the fact he is a firm fans' favourite, after being voted player of the year in each of the past two seasons.
Azpilicueta's action has been restricted even further, with just the solitary substitute appearance for the Blues in 2013/14, as Branislav Ivanovic continues to maintain the right-back role in Mourinho's defence.

Mourinho, Problem Or Solution?

Jose Mourinho, the king of Stamford Bridge?
The return of Jose Mourinho to Chelsea captivated the imagination of journalists and fans across the footballing globe.
Re-branded as the happy one, the world waited expectantly for Mourinho's first game in charge of Chelsea. What was delivered was an un-easy victory. Despite winning 2-0 vs Hull; I couldn't help but feel worried.

The side was dull, boring and lacked the exciting, free-flowing football that surprisingly Rafael Benitez produced last season. Mourinho seemed to be trying to re-create the Chelsea team of 2005, but the side of 2013 is totally different from the side Mourinho guided to back to back Premier Leagues.
Jose Mourinho had arrived saying: "Every player should play for Chelsea and not themselves", however in my opinion this is not just the players who should be working for Chelsea, Mourinho should be playing for the team as well.
The team isn't as physically big as the team of 2005, the defence isn't as strong, they prefer to play quick football now and finish games off as oppose to defending 1-0 leads.
Towards the end of the first Mourinho reign he was found out a bit with his tactics, holding 1-0 leads didn't particularly work and he was a sacked for a reason as some Chelsea fans seem to forget.
So far in his second reign there have been obvious mistakes. Too many midfielders, changing the team to quickly, refusing to play Juan Mata, Fernando Torres and Azpilicueta, insisting on sticking with Lampard and Terry, so here's a look into the problems at Chelsea at the moment.
Now, it would be stupendously ignorant to write off Jose Mourinho and his boys this early in the season because regardless of his early mistakes he is a great manager and a legend of Chelsea.
He is without a doubt good enough to win a major trophy this year however it will not be in a way that is sustainable.
Last season under Rafeal Benitez, Chelsea managed to play quick, exciting football and were successful. It poses the age-old question: 'Would you rather play exciting football or win football games?'
Well in this extreme case I must say I believe Chelsea to be more likely to win games playing exciting football because of the side they possess. The system they play with suits quick, free-flowing football and a type of football that pushes the other team back, so far in all the games Mourinho's side haven't shown any of that.
Against Hull we started sharply and dominated, and as a fan I was thinking about the possibility of scoring five or six goals. Then Mourinho had his way at half-time and the second half was dull and dreary.
Perhaps this is a good tactical move but was it really necessary?
The next point is of course the most controversial of all; the Spanish problem.
Case in point comes from his time at Real Madrid. Mourinho's refusal to play Casillas, who is without a doubt a world class keeper, and his problems with Ramos, are now eerily similar to his refusal to start Juan Mata, Cesar Azpilicueta.
Juan Mata's case speaks for itself, one of the best playmakers in Europe and even a goal scorer, he lead Chelsea through some games last season single handedly. Now, he has been known to disappear in some big games, especially against Manchester City, but all the same is arguably Chelsea's best player.
Cesar Azpilicueta is a Spanish international and last season looked very promising indeed, now he is reduced to appearing just once this season because of Mourinho's love affair with John Terry. Mourinho won’t play Ivanovic at centre half because of Terry, meaning he has to play Ivanovic at full-back. I personally would feel a lot safer with Azpilicueta, Ivanovic, Cahill and Cole at the back with Luiz in midfield.
Finally the topic that always sparks debate, Fernando Torres.
Whatever your opinion on Torres, the facts are the facts and Torres scored 23 goals last season and was involved in more goals than most Chelsea players, behind just Mata and Hazard.
Similarly Didier Drogba, in all his time at Chelsea, only managed to score plus 20 goals twice (albeit 33 and 37). The Ivory Coast striker averages around 17 goals a season and it is perfectly passable to expect Torres to achieve this too. Of course I can't expect Torres to reach the heights of one of Chelsea's best ever players but I do believe he can prove the doubters wrong.
The way Chelsea play means the forwards don't score as many goals as in other teams.
However I will concede that at times the Spanish number nine has been abysmal, but he has started the season sharp and I resent the comments he is non existent.
Towards the end of last season Torres won more headers than any other Chelsea player, this shows that his can play as an out ball as well. He no longer looks as sharp as his Liverpool days and I sometimes think he suffers from this illusion.
Regardless of his past days he scored a great goal against Bayern and was rewarded with being dropped for two games, being replaced by an unfit player who has spent his past couple of years playing in a league nowhere near the tempo of the Premier League. You must believe that he has only joined because he is a former Mourinho-boy.
So it must be said the start to Mourinho's second spell doesn't look promising, however I will reiterate the point that Mourinho is a great manager and I do have faith in him, although it wavers on the matter of the Spanish trio.
I would hope Mourinho would heed all of the cries for Mata and Torres from the Chelsea fans.
He is undoubtedly a great manager and I hope that he hasn't lost his way.

Redknapp Faults Mourinho's Tactics

Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp has slammed Jose Mourinho's tactics after Chelsea were beaten at home in the Champions League to FC Basel last night.
And Redknapp has said that if it wasn't for the fact that it is Mourinho, many would be questioning his tactics.
The ex-Liverpool star also believes that the Portuguese boss is unsure of his strongest team and is baffled by the regular omissions of Spaniard Juan Mata from the side.

Speaking on Sky Sports, Redknapp said: "If it wasn't Jose Mourinho, you'd probably be thinking 'what is this guy up to? What's their best system? What's their identity? How do they play?'

"I've seen him use so many players in different positions since the start of the season. I still can't believe he's not picking Juan Mata. When I think about Chelsea retaining the ball and people who are comfortable on it, Mata has to play.
"I just think at the moment there's no real system to the way that they play. Where's Andre Schurrle? Where's Kevin De Bruyne? I don't think Jose really knows what his best team is.
Redknapp also believes the Chelsea side are struggling to form a relationship with one another as Mourinho continues to rotate his side.
He continued by saying: "When you play football, it's about building relationships - be it centre-backs, midfielders, wide men, front men. At the moment, no-one seems to have any relationship with anyone because they don't know who he is going to play."
The Blues' defeat last night came off the back of a defeat at Everton as they made the worst start to a league campaign in the Roman Abramovich era.
Mourinho and his side will be desperate to rectify their recent results by defeating London rivals Fulham at Stamford Bridge this Saturday evening.

Halsey Shares Secrets With Sir Alex On Added Time

Former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson made private calls and exchanged text messages with Premier League referee Mark Halsey during his time at the Old Trafford helm, it has been revealed.
Halsey - who retired from refereeing at the end of last season - made the startling revelations in his book Added Time.
As reported by the Daily Star, ex-United chief Ferguson was contacted by Halsey last year and was asked to defend fellow whistleblower Mark Clattenburg, who was caught up in the centre of a race row involving Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel.

Clattenberg was later cleared by the FA of any wrong-doing, but Halsey's admission that he shared text messages with Ferguson has caused yet more controversy.
Halsey wrote: "I took matters in my own hands and rang Sir Alex asking him to speak out.
"He agreed and used his Friday press conference to say he could not conceive of Mark saying such things. It helped the situation a great deal."
Halsey went on to write about his relationship with the former Manchester United boss in greater detail, but insisted that everything was kept above board and professional.
"It took time to gain Sir Alex Ferguson's respect but in the end we had a very good relationship," Halsey added.
"One thing should be made clear about my relationship with Sir Alex.
"I may have spoken to him a lot and shared texts but he knew when I crossed that white line there were no favours.
"Players and managers would not respect you if you gave decisions based on friendship."
Manchester United will be hoping to put any talk of refereeing controversies behind them as they return to action tomorrow, with David Moyes' men playing host to Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League.

Ronaldinho Gets New Set Of Teeth

Ronaldinho was all smiles after successfully undergoing a £40,000 operation to fix his famously wonky teeth, as reported by The Sun.
The former Barcelona legend went under the knife in Belo Horizonte before revealing his new perfect pearlers on Brazilian TV - and the Atletico Mineiro playmaker was delighted with the outcome.
Speaking about his new and improved look, Ronaldinho said: "The best thing is that they have power to look in the mirror and make me feel good."

Ronaldinho admits he has always wanted to have his dodgy dentures fixed, adding: "The teeth were always something I wanted."
The Brazilian icon is unlikely to feature at the World Cup next summer after falling out of favour with national team coach Luis Felipe Scolari.
However, now the samba star is all smiles, Ronaldinho will be hoping he can force his way back into Scolari's plans ahead of the sporting showpiece

Arsenal Targeting Khedira For January

Arsenal will look to follow up their signing of Mesut Ozil from Real Madrid by bringing his compatriot Sami Khedira to north London, reports the Daily Star.
Arsene Wenger sealed the signing of the summer of deadline day by bringing Ozil to Arsenal in a £42.5m deal.
Arsenal's move for Ozil reportedly scuppered Manchester United's attempts to sign Khedira, with Real Madrid blocking a €40m bid from David Moyes' team.

The La Liga giants were reluctant to let both Khedira and Ozil leave the Bernabeu and, by the time Manchester United's offer came in, Ozil was well on his way to the Gunners.
Now the national paper is reporting that Arsenal are ready to add insult to injury by beating United to Khedira when the window reopens in January.
Khedira is apparently open to the idea of following his German team mate to the Emirates and Wenger is ready to test Real Madrid's resolve with a another big-money bid.
The 26-year-old originally revealed his disappointment that Ozil had left the club, telling reporters that he will be a game-changer in the Premier League.
He said: "Personally, I feel bad about Mesut’s transfer. We are very, very good friends.
"His departure is a loss also from a sporting perspective. Mesut can make the difference."

Man United Play May Be Too Intensed For Fellaini

Manchester United's Marouane Fellaini has revealed he is struggling to adapt to training at his new club, as reported by the Metro.
Fellaini, who made a £27.5 million transfer deadline day move to Old Trafford, made his United debut in the Red Devils' 2-0 win over newly-promoted Crystal Palace on Saturday, coming off the bench for the last 30 minutes.
And the 25-year-old midfielder impressed during his cameo appearance, going close to opening his account for David Moyes' side only to be denied a dream start by Julian Speroni, who thwarted away Fellaini's 25-yard half-volley.

But despite catching the eye on his United bow, Fellaini has admitted that he has struggled to adjust to the fast-paced training at Manchester United, and that the step up in quality has come as a shock to the system.
In an interview with the Metro, Fellaini revealed: "I have a problem with the intensity of the training because I am playing with big players.
"It is quicker than at Everton. But I am happy. I like the game and I like to play.
"The quality is better than Everton but Everton are a great club as well."
Many outsiders have suggested that Manchester United paid over the odds for Fellaini, with his £27 million plus price tag coming into question from some quarters.
Moyes could have signed the Belgian international for £4 million less had he bid for the former Standard Liege midfielder before his buyout clause expired on July 31, but Fellaini is ignoring all the talk and remains fully focussed on helping the team.
"The price is not my problem. £25 million or £30 million or £20 million – whether you are expensive or not, players are just players.
"I want to play midfield defensive and if I can help the team further forward then good."

Mourinho May Not Bet Money On Chelsea Yet

Jose Mourinho has admitted that he does not believe this Chelsea team are good enough to dominate the Premier League this season.
Chelsea lost 1-0 to Everton on Saturday evening, making it the worst start to a Premier League campaign in the Roman Abramovich era.
It is a stark contrast to the Chelsea team of 2004, who swept aside the competition to set a new points record of 95.

In that season, the Stamford Bridge outfit lost just one game on their way to a title in Mourinho's debut season in the Premier League.
However, the Portuguese manager has admitted that this Chelsea team is unlikely to repeat that feat 10 years on.
"No, it is not 2004 all over again," he is quoted by the Daily Mirror.
"Then we lost against Manchester City in October - our only defeat. But that is not the point. We are not unbeatable. This is a different team.
"I came here to work - I don't say peacefully because I am the first one that does not like to work peacefully - but to work with time, to develop the players and play the best they and we can.
"We have to be effective, be adult and not naive. That is what we have to work on. We have to transform the beautiful football we played into goals.
Although keen to dampen expectation, Mourinho did admit that this team is ready to fight all the way for the title and insist the poor start has been down to a tough set of opening fixtures.
"We are not a club who will accept in a cool way that things will come," he added. "We're going to chase it.
"The beginning of the season was hard. Away against Manchester United, away in the Super Cup against Bayern, and away against Everton.
"But Saturday was the story of a team with 21 shots that couldn't score a goal. That is the beauty of football."

Juan Blogs...

Hi everyone!
We’re starting of one of those weeks we’ve been so used to in the last season, with two consecutive games in just a few days. And, to be honest, I believe this is the best way to move on after being defeated at Goodison Park, our first defeat in the Premier League. It’s always tough to play in that stadium; last season we were the only team that won there, but we couldn’t do the same this time. I think we had enough chances to score in the first half, yet we didn’t, and in the last minute before the break we were punished by Naismith’s goal. At the end we couldn’t tie the score and we lost. We have to learn from this defeat. Also, from a personal point of view, I can confirm that I’m feeling good after the muscular problems I’ve been suffering since pre-season…

As I said before, after one defeat you just want the next match to come as soon as possible, and probably the Champions League is the best way. I really want to live a night like this at Stamford Bridge. It’s a different feeling, even more since we won the title two years ago. This competition brings great memories to all of us and makes us feel really excited. Talking about good memories, our rival will be Basilea, from Switzerland, the one we played in the Europa League semifinals. I’m looking forward to play at home again and I hope we win so we can face the next Premier League game with a good taste. The next few weeks ahead are very intense: 5 games in just 14 days. In order to get ready for them is very important to get confidence and to be positive.
As I write this to you, I’m watching the Spanish la Liga on TV: Betis vs Valencia. The score is 3-1 and the match is about to finish… Here I send, once again, all my support to my friends in Valencia, this time to ‘Ori’ in particular. I’m sure that, with more minutes and confidence, he’s going to have a great season; I know what a good player he is, and he deserves the best: he’s been very unlucky with injuries and he is one of the best persons I’ve met in football. So a very big hug to him and to the whole team!

Now, regarding Real Madrid and Barcelona, they suffered until the end and we have to give credit to Villarreal and Sevilla for that. This is just the beginning of the season and every single team needs to get to the top of its game. Yet it seems Atlético is very close to it. They’ve won every single match so far, showing how competitive they are and the good work done behind. Like Tiago’s goal, for instance, a masterpiece in strategy. I would like to know which are the best goals of this kind that you can remember. Me, I remember one from Mendieta at Camp Nou… And also free-kicks from Le Tissier…
When I was thinking about the recommendations to give in this post, and because this is the week it is, I just realised that I’ve never talked about Stamford Bridge, and I do believe this is a very nice place to visit in a Champions League night… I hope you have many opportunities to go there this season, it will be a good signal!
I also want to tell you about books: now I’m reading ‘Demian’, by Hermann Hesse. My friend Carlos recommended it to me, and I’d also like to get your suggestions before getting my next book!
See you next week! A million thanks for the way you’ve welcomed again this blog! Your comments are a great support to me, I keep reading everything you write!
Hugs and have fun,
Juan

Man United Is History - CR7

Cristiano Ronaldo today signed a new contract with Real Madrid - and put paid to rumours of a return to Old Trafford by saying Manchester United were in "the past".
The Portuguese superstar was reportedly a summer target for the Red Devils but has now committed his future to Real Madrid by putting pen to paper on a new contract that will reportedly see him earn €17 million until 2018.
While it was always unlikely Manchester United were going to land their former player this summer despite a tumultuous 2012/13 campaign at the Bernabeu, it was reported that Ronaldo had told his former side that he wants to rejoin when his time in Spain is at an end.

Old Trafford seemed far from his mind as he arrived at the Bernabeu with Real Madrid president Florentino Perez to sign his new deal.
"Manchester United is the past," he said. "This is my club, I am happy here. My goal was to play here maybe till the end of my career."
Spanish football expert Guillem Balague tweeted updates from the contract signing, and quoted Ronaldo as saying: "The agreement took place at the end of last season. I then gave my word to Real and chairman to me."
"I am staying here for the fans in what it could be the rest of my career."
Ronaldo, whose goal record at Madrid stands at 203 goals in as many games, scored in his side's 2-2 draw with Villarreal last night

Mata Considers Future At Stamford Bridge

Juan Mata has conceded defeat and will look to leave Chelsea in the January window, according to the Daily Mail.
The Spaniard was heavily linked with a move way from Chelsea during the summer transfer window and was reportedly offered to Manchester United as part of an offer for Wayne Rooney - something the west London club swiftly denied.
Despite both Mata and Chelsea repeatedly insisting he is going nowhere, rumours persists that the former Valencia man doesn't fit into Jose Mourinho's plans, and will only have a limited role this season despite being the club's best player for the last two campaigns.

His performance in the defeat against Everton will do little quell the speculation, nor will the fact he was substituted before the hour mark at Goodison Park.
According to the Daily Mail a previously defiant Mata has come to realise that in a World Cup year he must play regularly and he may seek to force an exit in January.
Mata, who has played just twice in the Premier League this season and was dropped for Spain's squad for their games against Finland and Chelsea, is said to be not 'dynamic' enough for Mourinho.
Tottenham, Arsenal and Manchester United have all previously been reported as suitors of the Spanish playmaker.

Moyes Reasons For Sidelining Kigawa

Manchester United manager David Moyes has revealed the reasons behind Shinji Kagawa's lack of first-team action this season, stating that the Japanese star's international commitments have hampered his club progress, reports the Daily Express.
The 24-year-old has been restricted to a seven-minute cameo as a substitute in 2013/14, and there is growing pressure for the new Red Devils boss to include the playmaker in his plans.
Moyes has defended his decision to play Kagawa sparingly so far this term, believing that his fitness and form has been hampered by obligations for his national team.
After an underwhelming debut season at Old Trafford, the Asian star was expected to come out all guns blazing in the new campaign, but has far not been afforded an opportunity to prove his worth to a new-look Manchester United side.
His former club Borussia Dortmund even made an enquiry to see about the possibility of bringing Kagawa back to the Bundesliga, which makes his role on the periphery of the squad even more difficult to fathom, after the reigning Premier League champions rejected the German club's advances.
"There are quite a lot of players who have not featured yet," defended Moyes. "But if you look at it most of them were late back from international duty after the Confederations Cup, then they were away for a friendly international and a long-haul flight, then they were away again for another international.
"If you look at the reasons why people haven't played, it is more to do with them not being available for that to happen."

Cardiff Better Than West Brom - Odemwingie

Peter Odemwingie joined newly promoted Cardiff City this summer and has claimed they're stronger than former club West Bromwich Albion.
The 32-year-old could make his debut on Saturday against fellow promoted Hull City at the KC Stadium.
"I see this is a stronger team than West Brom," he is quoted by BBC Sport. "Without any disrespect to West Brom... the club has shown what brought them here were gradual steps."

He's stated his eagerness towards a fresh start, after his £2.25million move to the top-flight newcomers. Cardiff gained automatic promotion after winning the Championship title in 2012/13.
Odemwingie joins £7.5million signing, Andrea Cornelius, as a new striker at the Welsh club, looking to win a first-team spot under Cardiff manager, Malky Mackay.
"They showed a lot of ambition in the window but it took them a couple of years of calculated steps," said Odemwingie, who hopes Cardiff can prove their survival credentials before they host West Brom on 14 December.
"From the chat I had with the manager that is the way it will be.
"They have plans for the near future and I think the objective is to stay in the league because they all know this league is very tough.
"They had a great start but the finish is the most important part and it is important to get points on the board before December."
Odemwingie joined West Brom from Russian side, Lokomotiv Moscow in 2010. He fell out of favour with the manager and fans for his failed transfer to QPR, where he turned up at the QPR training ground, only to find QPR had not been given permission to speak to him. After being refused entry, he returned back to the Midlands club.
Reflecting on events that led with his departure from the West Midlands club, he said: "I will take part of the responsibility, but if you have a relationship on one side claiming it is perfect, then that is impossible.
"We are all human beings and we all make mistakes and I believe mistakes were made by West Brom as well.
"We learn from that. As I said before, the West Brom fans are the most important thing to me.
"I am not against the whole club. I am a fan of a lot of people in the team, among the fans as well I still get a lot of positive words.
"I have never met one single West Brom fan face to face who has said anything nasty. I still love the club."

Mourinho Set To Join Fulham

Chelsea's west London rivals are set to offer the 13-year-old goalkeeper student terms but must get international clearance before they can sign him to their youth set-up
Jose Mourinho's teenage son is currently on trial at Fulham but only after a personal intervention from his famous father.

Mourinho approached the academy of Chelsea's west London rivals earlier this summer about giving an opportunity to his 13-year-old son Jose junior.

Sources say Mourinho chose Fulham because he wanted his son close to the family home in London while avoiding accusations of nepotism had he joined the youth set-up at Chelsea.
Mourinho's son had previously been playing for Real Madrid's Canillas team while his father was manager at the Bernabeu.
Fulham have been so impressed by the teenage goalkeeper that they have decided to offer him student terms when his five-week trial imminently expires, which will entail three training sessions during the week and a weekend match.

However, the Craven Cottage club must wait for international clearance from Fifa before signing up the Portuguese schoolboy.

Under Fifa rules, clubs must provide evidence to the world governing body that a youngster from overseas is recruited for 'non footballing reasons'.

Sources say Fulham are confident of clearing this red-tape hurdle as Jose junior has moved to England solely because of his famous father's job.

But it is likely to be months before the youngster is formally given the green light by Fifa due to bureaucratic reasons.

I Never Liked Jose Reveals Eto'o

It is can be risky making absolute statements, as they are liable to come back to haunt you - something new Chelsea striker Samuel Eto'o found out when he said he would never player for a Jose Mourinho side.
Eto'o once said something along the lines of preferring to sell groundnuts in his home village than turning out for the Stamford Bridge club after Barcelona were beaten by Chelsea in the Champions League.
He has now revealed, in an interview with The Sun, that it was not Chelsea in particular he disliked, but manager Mourinho - he has changed his tune since, however.

Eto'o moved to Inter Milan as part of the deal that took Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Barcelona and that meant having to work with the man he despised, which turned out to be pretty successful, what with winning the treble and all.
The 32-year-old was happy to admit he was wrong about the Portuguese and his now one of his biggest fans, so much so that he took a massive pay cut to move to Chelsea when it was clear his time was up at Anzhi Makhachala.
"I was talking about Jose — not about Chelsea," he said in The Sun interview.
“Before meeting at Inter, we didn’t know each other personally, so our relationship was tense. I even said one time that I’d never play for a club where Jose was coach.
“But God knows best. He wanted to show me that I was wrong and today Jose is a friend. Now he’s my coach again.”

Ozil Lacked Will To Compete - Zidane

The Frenchman has questioned if the 24-year-old had the determination to win a regular starting berth at the Santiago Bernabeu following the recruitment of similar players

Real Madrid assistant coach Zinedine Zidane has suggested that Mesut Ozil left the club because he lacked the "strength and will" to fight for his place in the team.

The Germany international was unveiled at Arsenal on Thursday, following his €47 million move on deadline day.

The Spanish giants boosted their attacking options over the summer with the high-profile acquisitions of Isco and Gareth Bale respectively, and Zidane has claimed that the Gunners new-boy lacked the stomach to compete for his selection in the starting line-up.

"Ozil decided to leave," he told the club's official channel. "He is a good player who has given us so much so we wish him well.

"There are players who have responded with strength and will to fight for a place, but not everyone reacted the same.

"[Angel] Di Maria responded well and wanted to fight."

The Blancos travel to newly-promoted Villarreal in the Primera Liga on Saturday where €100 million recruit Bale could be handed his debut.

Sir Alex Ferguson Reveals His Success Secrets

Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed an eight step guide to being a successful manager, giving a hint as to how he managed to transform Manchester United into one of the biggest and most successful clubs in world football.
Ferguson retired at the end of last season after 26 years in charge at Old Trafford, in which he transformed the Red Devils from a mediocre side into the most successful club in English football history.
Manchester United won 13 league titles under Ferguson, five FA Cups, four League Cups and two Champions League triumphs; key to these success was the former Aberdeen manager's ability to reinvent his teams and keep innovating with the set up behind the scenes at the training ground.

More than a few people down the years will have been wondering what the secrets are behind the incredible success he delivered to Manchester United - they need wonder no longer.
Ferguson was the subject of a number of interviews with a Harvard Business School professor, named Anita Elberse, last year that focused on what he thought were the key methods to achieving success as a football manager.
The Scot highlighted eight points and the full interview is published in the October 2013 edition of the Harvard Business Review.
He believes the conditions he required to lay the foundations of his incredible success are unlikely to ever be repeated, such is the difference in the modern game from when he took over at Manchester United in 1986.
A shortened version of the interview was published in The Guardian newspaper and appeared as below:
1) "From the moment I got to Manchester United, I thought of only one thing: building a football club. I wanted to build right from the bottom. The first thought of 99% of newly appointed managers is to make sure they win – to survive. They bring experienced players in. At some clubs, you need only to lose three games in a row and you're fired. In today's football world, with a new breed of directors and owners, I am not sure any club would have the patience to wait for a manager to build a team over a four-year period. Winning a game is only a short-term gain – you can lose the next game. Building a club brings stability and consistency."
2) "We identified three levels of players: 30 and older, 23 to 30, and the younger ones. The idea was that the younger players were developing and would meet the standards the older ones had set. I believe that the cycle of a successful team lasts maybe four years and then some change is needed. So we tried to visualise the team three or four years ahead and make decisions accordingly. Because I was at United for such a long time, I could afford to plan ahead. I was very fortunate in that respect. The hardest thing is to let go of a player who has been a great guy – but all the evidence is on the field."
3) "Everything we did was about maintaining the standards we had set as a football club – this applied to all my team building, my team preparation, motivational talks and tactical talks. I had to lift players' expectations. They should never give in. I said to them all the time: 'If you give in once, you'll give in twice'. I used to be the first to arrive in the morning. In my later years, a lot of my staff members would already be there when I got in at 7am.
"I expected even more from the star players. Superstars with egos are not the problem some people may think. They need to be winners because that massages their egos, so they will do what it takes to win. I used to see Ronaldo, Beckham, Giggs, Scholes practising for hours. They realised that being a Manchester United player is not an easy job."
4) "If the day came that the manager of Manchester United was controlled by the players – if the players decided how the training should be, what days they should have off, what the discipline should be and what the tactics should be – then Manchester United would not be the Manchester United we know. I wasn't going to allow anyone to be stronger than I was. Your personality has to be bigger than theirs. There are occasions when you have to ask yourself whether certain players are affecting the dressing-room atmosphere, the performance of the team and your control of the players and staff. If they are, you have to cut the cord. There is absolutely no other way. It doesn't matter if the person is the best player in the world. Some English clubs have changed managers so many times that it creates power for the players in the dressing room. That is very dangerous. If the coach has no control, he will not last."
5) "No one likes to be criticised. Most respond to encouragement. For any human being – there is nothing better than hearing 'Well done'. Those are the two best words ever invented. At the same time you need to point out mistakes when players don't meet expectations. That is when reprimands are important. I would do it right after the game. I wouldn't wait until Monday and then it was finished. My pre-game talks were about our expectations, the players' belief in themselves and their trust in one another. In half-time talks, you have maybe eight minutes to deliver your message, so it is vital to use the time well. Everything is easier when you are winning. When you are losing, you have to make an impact. Fear has to come into it. But you can be too hard; if players are fearful all the time, they won't perform well. You play different roles at different times. Sometimes you have to be a doctor, or a teacher, or a father."
6) "Winning is in my nature. There is no other option for me. Even if five of the most important players were injured, I expected to win. I am a risk taker and you can see that in how we played in the late stages of matches. If we were still down with 15 minutes to go, I was ready to take more risks. I was perfectly happy to lose 3-1 if it meant we'd given ourselves a good chance to draw or win. So in those last 15 minutes, we'd go for it. We'd put in an extra attacking player and worry less about defence. We knew that if we ended up winning 3-2, it would be a fantastic feeling. And if we lost 3-1, we'd been losing anyway. All my teams had perseverance – they never gave in. It's a fantastic characteristic to have."
7) "Observation is the final part of my management structure. One afternoon at Aberdeen I had a conversation with my assistant manager and another coach who pointed out I could benefit from not always having to lead the training. At first I said no but deep down I knew he was right. So I delegated training. It was the best thing I ever did. It didn't take away my control. My presence and ability to supervise were always there and what you can pick up by watching is incredibly valuable. Seeing a change in a player's habits or a sudden dip in his enthusiasm allowed me to go further with him. Sometimes I could even tell that a player was injured when he thought he was fine."
8) "When I started, there were no agents and although games were televised, the media did not elevate players to the level of film stars and constantly look for new stories about them. Stadiums have improved, pitches are in perfect condition now and sports science has a strong influence on how we prepare for the season. Owners from Russia, the Middle East and other regions have poured a lot of money into the game and are putting pressure on managers. And players have led more sheltered lives, so they are much more fragile than players were 25 years ago."

Chelsea All-Time Best XI

Chelsea have been blessed with many talented footballers over the decades.
This is my best-ever, most spectacular, all-blue starting line-up.
Formation : 4-1-2-1-2

Goalkeeper : Petr Cech
Cech is regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the last 10 years.
His imposing physique, his fast reflexes and ability to command his area, have made him the most successful keeper in the Blues' history.
He has made 428 appearances with the club since 2004.
Right-back: Ron Harris
The London-born defender was known for his wince-inducing tackles and his uncompromising attitude.
"Chopper" has the record of 795 appearances with Chelsea, an amount that hardly will ever be passed. He played successfully for both as a central-defender and a right-back throughout his career.
Centre-back: John Terry
A captain and talisman, John Terry has been a rock-like presence in the Stamford Bridge for well over a decade, having made 578 appearances.
He may lack of agility, but he's making up for, with his leadership and reading of the game. Terry has won three Premier League titles and the 2011 Champion's League, making him the most honoured captain in the club's history.
Centre-back: Marcel Desailly
Desailly provided a formidable strong game for the Blues for about six years. Known as "The Rock", he is best remembered for his driving forward from the deep and his commanding presence in the defensive line.
He celebrated an FA Cup and the UEFA Super Cup of 1998 during his spell at the Stamford Bridge.
Left-back: Ashley Cole
Ashley Cole is one of the best wing-backs of his generation.
A reliable defender and an attacking contributor, he has played 316 games for Chelsea - and has won one Premier League title, one Champions League title and a Europa League title.
Defensive-midfielder: Claude Makelele
Makelele had the talent of breaking up attacks in front of the defence with the sort of effortlessness, that made people think he wasn't really doing much of anything.
He was a leading presence in Chelsea's midfield for five years, having made 217 appearances for the London side.
Central-midfielder: Dennis Wise
A aggressive and highly-competitive player and character, for whom Sir Alex Ferguson once said: "[he is] able to start a fight in an empty room".
Dennis Wise was Chelsea's captain for many years and is one of the most beloved figures in the club's history.
Central-midfielder: Frank Lampard
Lampard is the all-time top scorer of Chelsea with 204 goals, even though he plays as a box-to-box midfielder.
An absolutely iconic figure of a player for the London side - who with his phenomenal ability to read and control any game he plays in and his all-encompassing range of passing and shooting, has wore the Blues' shirt 612 times and is regarded as one of the best midfielders of the past 20 years at least.
Attacking-midfielder: Gianfranco Zola
Zola was armed with supreme intelligence, technique, free-kick specialism, dribbling skills, and was an unholy terror to the opposition.
He played 312 times in the blue shirt of the London team, in which he celebrated two FA Cups and the UEFA Cup Winner's Cup of 1998. He is considered to be one of the club's most talented players ever.
Centre-forward: Peter Osgood
Nicknamed “The King of Stamford Bridge” by the hordes of Chelsea fans who idolised him, Peter Osgood was the star player of the Blues side of the late 1960s and early 1970s.
He scored 105 goals in 289 appearances during his huge spell at the Stamford Bridge, next to where he is the only player in their history to have a statue erected at the ground.
Centre-forward: Didier Drogba
Didier Drogba was the Blues’ go-to man for every big occasion, as he holds the incredible goalscoring record in major finals, finding the net in four FA Cup Finals, three League Cup finals and, of course, the 2012 Champions League Final, where he gave Chelsea their first and only Champions League.
The Ivorian will certainly be remembered as a legend in the Stamford Bridge.