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Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho wary of Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil

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Ozil’s seamless arrival in the Premier League from Real Madrid, where he played under Mourinho, has “completed the puzzle” for Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal, the Portuguese believes, firmly establishing the Gunners as title contenders.

Mourinho said: “He arrived, Arsene gave him the shirt, immediately he starts playing and immediately the team becomes better.

“He’s a phenomenal player. He’s one of those players that you buy and you complete the puzzle of your team.”

It was Mourinho who signed Ozil for Real – from Werder Bremen after impressing at the 2010 World Cup – and the Chelsea boss suggested the Germany forward has no faults in his game.

Mourinho said: “I know his strong points. Not the weaknesses.

“I think I know how to try to stop him to be in the game (for) 90 minutes, with 90 minutes of direct influence.

“But it’s impossible to stop him for 90 minutes, because these kind of players they will have always a moment or a couple of moments where you cannot stop them and they end up showing why they are so good.

“To stop him completely, I don’t believe we can.”

Mourinho left Real Madrid to return to Chelsea in June before Ozil followed a similar path to London, albeit to Arsenal in a club-record deal worth in the region of ÂŁ43million.

“I was surprised, but at the same time I understand what Real Madrid is,” said Mourinho of Madrid’s decision to allow the playmaker to leave.

“It’s a club that needs to do by their philosophy what they did with Gareth Bale, what they did with Isco.

“When you buy Isco, when you buy Bale, to keep also Mesut, maybe they made their decision because of that.”

Asked whether he was surprised Wenger spent such a figure on one player, Mourinho said: “It’s improved his team. There are many ways to improve your team.

“One of the ways is to work young people and give them time to grow up and to improve.

“Another way is to go directly to the market and buy an end product in the top moment of their careers. They had the chance to do it with Mesut and they did it very well.”

Mourinho believes it is necessary to both recruit leading players and nurture young talent to be successful.

“If you are just building, building, building, probably you’re not going to get there,” he said.

“He got an important player that’s changed his team clearly.

“Eight years developing his players and making the kinds of (Theo) Walcott, (Kieran) Gibbs, (Aaron) Ramsey and his boys become men and really very good players and at the same time buying people like Mesut. That’s why they’re good (this season).

“In my time here, Walcott was a kid. He’s now a man. And these other guys, now they are players in the best moment of their careers.

“(Jack) Wilshere, Ramsey, Walcott, Gibbs. All these guys they are at the perfect age.

“I’m not saying Mesut transformed the team completely. I’m saying the manager and the club gave these players conditions and time to have great stability in their evolution.

“Now when you come and you buy (Olivier) Giroud and you buy Ozil and you buy some other players, your team becomes much better and ready to be doing what they’re doing, which is to fight for the title.”

Wenger has been cautious when questioned on Arsenal’s title credentials.

“Maybe it’s a strategy,” Mourinho said. “But I think in the depth of their souls they believe they can (win) and they believe they have conditions to do it.”

Written by Steve Milne – Have your say 🙂

I tried to sign Lukaku in the summer but Chelsea wanted him to stay, says Laudrup

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Swansea manager Michael Laudrup claims he missed out on the chance to sign Everton forward Romelu Lukaku because Chelsea insisted they wanted to keep the Belgian powerhouse.

Lukaku has been a sensation since moving to Goodison Park on a season-long loan, scoring eight Premier League goals to propel the Toffees into the battle for Champions League qualification.

Swansea had themselves been interested in bringing in Lukaku, who also excelled at West Brom last season, on loan but brought in Wilfried Bony having been told by the Blues that the 20-year-old would be staying at Stamford Bridge.

Laudrup said: ‘We asked about him. I didn’t call again because Chelsea said they wanted to keep him, but maybe I should have called again.

‘He is a real talent. He is fast, can use both feet, he is strong, he is good in the air and is good on the counter-attack.

‘He has been a huge signing for them.’

Another man to make a big impression under former Swansea boss Roberto Martinez has been midfielder Ross Barkley.

The 20-year-old was first blooded by David Moyes, but Martinez has given the youngster the authority to run Everton’s attacking play and has been rewarded with a string of excellent displays which have thrust him into contention for a World Cup place.

Laudrup enjoyed an illustrious playing career as one of Europe’s classiest midfielders with the likes of Juventus, Barcelona and Real Madrid.

And the Dane has called for a patient approach to developing Barkley, whose form has won comparisons with Michael Ballack and Paul Gascoigne.

‘You have to take it easy,’ he said. ‘I really like him but young players need to be given time.

‘Do not rush it after 10 or 15 games and say they are a new superstar in world football. Let them grow.

‘He has potential like Jack Wilshere at Arsenal. He is really something special but you have to give them two or maybe three years to maintain a certain level.

‘They are young players who will have ups and downs and if you push them too hard then you put a lot of pressure on their shoulders and it is difficult.’

Looking at his own squad, Laudrup also revealed he is now unlikely to bring in a goalkeeper in January, despite Michel Vorm having undergone knee surgery earlier this week.

The Dutchman’s absence leaves Swansea with teenagers Gregor Zabret and Oliver Davies as support to Gerhard Tremmel, but Laudrup does not believe it is worth brining in cover for only a few weeks.

He said: ‘Michel’s operation went well and we are talking about three to four weeks out for him.

‘But I don’t think we need to sign a goalkeeper for three weeks, and we also have David Cornell out on loan.’

Written by Steve Milne – Have your say below 🙂

Pastore dismisses PSG exit

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The Argentine midfielder has been on the radar of many top European clubs, such as Chelsea, Liverpool, Inter and Roma. But Pastore has said that he has no intention of leaving Paris despite also claiming he owes a lot to Roma’s sporting director Walter Sabatini.

He told Le10Sport â€śIt is not the right time to leave a big club like this,”

“I was the first to arrive in this cycle.

“And I want to be the last to leave.

“There is a special relationship with [Water Sabatini], yes.

“He has done so much for me.”

Pastore has had an uncertain future after claims that Jose Mourinho was interested in the midfielder, however the Argentine is keen to carry on in Ligue 1.

 

By Phil Wellbrook

Mackay defiant as he faces the sack.

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Cardiff City manager Malky Mackay is adament that he will not resign from his post as Cardiff City manager, following growing speculation upon Mackay’s future at Cardiff City, with a quite severe public bust up with chairman Vincent Tan.

Mackay has also stated that he will not step down from his position as manager, stating that he is 100% comitted to managing Cardiff City.

However, with controversial owner Vincent Tan about to weild his axe, and looks set to sack Mackay in the next few days, after a bizzare series of events that took place last week. starting with an email that was leaked to the press, which Tan stated that he wanted Mackay to resign, or face the sack.

The Malaysian owner has been a controversial character during his time in South Wales, and caused up roar after changing the clubs home shirt colour’s from traditional Royal blue, to Red, in a move which angered many supporters, who thought that Tan was mocking the clubs tradition.

Tan was present at Anfield yesterday, to watch Cardiff’s defeat against Liverpool, a defeat which many feel could possibly see the end of the popular Scot.

“What I can tell you is I will not be resigning as manager of the football club,” Mackay said, as owner Vincent Tan continued to prepare to sack him. “I’m proud of what I have done and can look in the mirror.” Eriksson is not the only candidate being considered by Tan who is also planning a role for former manager Dave Jones, who could become the new head of recruitment, in yet another bizzare twist in proceedings.

The Controversial chairman stated to Sky Sports…..

Whatever we do, we do for the good of the club,” Tan said, as he was quizzed on his hurried departure from the directors’ box at the end of the match, which saw Liverpool return to the top of the Premier League table. 

Cardiff City supporters certainly made their feelings clear about the current situation during the defeat to Liverpool….

Tan endured 90 minutes of chants from his club’s visiting supporters who left him in no uncertain terms of how they feel. “Malky in, Vincent out,” was just about the only repeatable chant, from the game, as Cardiff supporters made their feelings known, and backed under fire, and popular manager Mackay.

 “Because I’ve got a steely determination and a passion for my job and for what I do and have done for the football club for the last two-and-a-half years.

“The basis of my job, along with a lot of other things, is to prepare a team on a Saturday at three o’clock to go out and play in the best league in the world – and we are making a good job of that overall.

“Anything after that is out of my control and something that you should be finding out from other people at our football club.”

He stayed on the pitch after Saturday’s match to applaud Cardiff’s fans, who had chanted support for the Scot and held up banners against Tan. 

Mackay has recieved support from around the footballing world, condenming Tan’s ruthless actions.

Mackay is looking to hold out as Cardiff manager, so a sacking, which looks likely, and Mackay could see a seven figure sum come his way as compensation for his sacking.

sked whether he would remain in charge, Mackay said: “I will, if it is anything to do with me. I prepare my team and I certainly will not be resigning.”

Mackay said that talks were not planned with Tan, who flew in from Malaysia on Friday, and he did not normally speak to the club manager after matches.

“That’s not a question that you should be asking me,” he said on his future. “I’m doing the job I’ve always done which is looking after the football club on a day-to-day basis. Now we head back and there are two games during the week.”

It is extremely unlikely that Mackay will be in charge for those games, although there was an intriguing twist as it emerged that Cardiff chairman Mehmet Dalman has been urging Tan to give the manager a stay of execution until the end of the season. 

By Ben Reardon 

@BenReardon1

Cole ready to call time on career

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Chelsea and England star Ashley Cole is considering retiring at the end of the season after being frozen out at Stamford Bridge by Jose Mourinho.

Cole is attracted by the prospect of ending a glittering 14-year career at the top by playing in next summer’s World Cup in Brazil.

The 33-year-old will make history by becoming the first Englishman to play in four World Cup finals – a fitting way to hang up his boots having won a clean sweep of trophies with Arsenal and Chelsea – and more than 100 caps for his country.

Cole is widely regarded as the country’s best-ever left-back but has struggled to keep a place in Chelsea’s line-up this season under Mourinho.

In recent weeks, he has suffered the humiliation of seeing his place taken by unsung Spaniard Cesar Azpilicueta.

The Chelsea manager has already told Cole he will be on the bench for Monday night’s Premier League clash against his former club Arsenal.

The defender will stay at Chelsea for the remaining six months of his ÂŁ170,000-a-week contract despite fuming at his recent treatment by Mourinho. He believes he will be taken to Brazil by England manager Roy Hodgson regardless of how many games he gets for his club.

Longer term, he is reluctant to sign a new deal to become a bit-part player, with Chelsea having already achieved so much. The option of joining Spurs or Liverpool does not appeal and even the prospect of a year in the sun with an MLS club in America is not particularly enticing.He already has an estimated fortune of ÂŁ25million.

Although Cole has not made up his mind, friends say he is close to accepting he would prefer to quit at the top rather than struggling on.

Cole has already become one of the most successful English players of all-time having won three Premier League titles, a record seven FA Cups, a League Cup, Champions League and Europa League with Arsenal and Chelsea. He has won 106 England caps, putting him joint-fifth with Sir Bobby Charlton in the all-time list.

As well as playing at the World Cup in 2002, 2006 and 2010, he also enjoyed a legendary duel with Cristiano Ronaldo at Euro 2004. But Mourinho was unhappy at Cole being photographed in the same nightclub as Arsenal players last week, saying: ‘It was a free day for them, so I’m not a father. I’m a manager.

‘I can control what they do when they are with me. I cannot control what they do when they are not with me.’ Chelsea would like Cole to stay next season.

Written by Steve Milne – Have your say below 🙂

Jose Mourinho has a swipe at Man City

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The Chelsea chief claimed City should be way out in front of the rest with the array of superstars at Pellegrini’s disposal.

The pair of them first clashed when Mourinho was at Real Madrid and Pellegrini coached Malaga.

At the time Mourinho taunted his rival by saying: “Second place is just the first loser.”

This time he hinted Pellegrini hadn’t yet got the best out of his star-studded squad.

He said: “I think in normal conditions Manchester City should be far from the others because of the squad, the maturity, the stability of the players, the potential of the striking force, the experience of the players. There is a difference.

“But the Premier League is being difficult for everybody, also for them. So in this moment, everybody is there. So, I think, good fun. I think good fun.”

Mourinho turned up the heat on his Manchester rival as he prepares to face Arsenal tomorrow night in what looks like a title chase six pointer even at this stage of the season.

He dismissed Chelsea’s second place in the table as “consequence of what this Premier League is like at the moment.”

But he added: “ I don’t think it is an achievement, and I hope people understand me in the right way because I want to be positive and not negative.”

Written by Steve Milne – Have your say below 🙂

Arsenal to stage double swoop for Real Madrid stars

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Arsene Wenger last month denied he wanted to bring Morata to the Emirates.

But now it’s claimed that Wenger wants to do a double deal to sign Morata AND Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas.

The reports suggests Wenger has requested the pair of them as he bids to end his trophy duck.

Arsenal haven’t lifted silverware since their FA Cup win over Manchester United in 2005.

Spanish newspaper The Confidential say Wenger wants Casillas to challenge Wojciech Szczesny for the No.1 shirt.

Arsenal’s striking resources are thin on the ground with Olivier Giroud their only real quality frontman.

Lively frontman Morata, who has previously been linked with a six-month loan deal to Arsenal, starred at the European Under-21 Championships in the summer.

However, Real Madrid will be reluctant to let the Spaniard – who has also interested Spurs.

Written by Steve Milne – Have your say below 🙂

A look at the six stars Jose Mourinho wants Chelsea to sign

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Chelsea haven’t hit top gear since the return of the Special One and Mourinho is planning big business, according to reports on the continent.

Starsport revealed earlier this week how Colombian midfielder Fredy Guarin was on Mourinho’s wishlist.

But the Inter Milan star is not the only new face Chelsea are after.

Benfica’s Nemanja Matic has impressed Mourinho but the Serb’s ÂŁ33.5m pricetag could prove a stumbling block

Guarin’s Inter team-mate Andrea Ranocchia is Chelsea’s top defensive target, although he has also caught the eye of Manchester United and Tottenham.

Mourinho is also interested in United star Wayne Rooney.

There are signs that he will sign a new deal at United but the Chelsea boss knows he could be the man to spark his misfiring strikeforce into life.

Monaco hitman Radamel Falcao and Porto’s Jackson Martinez are also possible options.

Mourinho went to see Falcao in action against Belgium for his national team Colombia last month.

Martinez is valued at around ÂŁ30m and could be an option when the transfer window reopens.

Exit clause keeps options open for Liverpool star Luis Suarez

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Suarez put pen to paper on a new four-and-a-half year deal on Friday, to become the highest-paid player in the club’s history on around £180,000-a-week plus bonuses.

But the schemer, 26 – who scored twice yesterday against Cardiff to take his tally to 19 in 13 league games – demanded certain guarantees from the Reds’ top brass.

Chief among those was the right to negotiate an exit if either Real Madrid or Barcelona come in for him at the end of the season.

Suarez spent all of last summer agitating for a transfer and has not given up on his dream of one day playing for one of Spanish football’s top clubs.

It means that Liverpool could be faced with the same situation all over again next summer – with Real and Barca both weighing up a move.

Madrid have already contacted his agent to express an interest in the player, while any move by Barcelona depends on whether Tata Martino stays on as manager.

There is growing speculation in Spain that Martino will quit next summer and some sources claim Suarez is wanted by one of the men in line to replace him – Guus Hiddink.

Those close to Suarez admit he would find it almost impossible to leave should Liverpool win the title this season.

But it could be another story if they fail to qualify for the Champions League.

The Uruguayan’s time at Anfield has been controversial – with two lengthy bans.

He was suspended for eight games in December 2011 for racially abusing Patrice Evra and then banned for ten more this April, for biting Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic.

But Liverpool made him captain in the absence of injured Stevie Gerrard.

Owner John Henry said: “Luis is a world-class talent and securing his services is crucial for what we are trying to achieve.”

Written by Steve Milne – Have your say below 🙂

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers insists Manchester City are favourites to win the Premier League this season

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The Reds lead City by one point ahead of their Boxing Day trip to Etihad Stadium but could be overtaken if Arsenal beat Chelsea on Monday.

Rodgers said: “I still believe the title is Manchester City’s to lose.

“They have the strongest squad. The resources they have are incredible.”

Arsenal need to win on Monday to reclaim top spot. A Chelsea victory would put them level on points with Liverpool, although they have a far inferior goal difference to their Anfield rivals.

If Liverpool top the table at Christmas, it would be the first time they have done so since 2009, when they went on to finish second. The last time the Reds were top at Christmas and won the league was in the 1987-88 season.

Liverpool beat Cardiff courtesy of a Luis Suarez brace as he took his tally for the season to 19 goals in the league in just 12 games. The Uruguay striker, who agreed a new deal on Friday, also set up Raheem Sterling for the other goal.

Rodgers, whose side finished eighth in his first campaign in charge last season, says there is still work to do.

“We can’t ever think we have cracked it,” he said. “We can’t become complacent. You have to be focused and move on to the next game.

“We are very calm. We are not getting carried away. We are focusing on improving our performance level.

“We know the natural consequence will be to win games and if you win games you will be in a good position.”

Written by Steve Milne – Have your say below 🙂

Hart to keep City place.

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Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has stated that goalkeeper Joe Hart will keep his place in the first team set up at the club, with the keeper set to retain his number 1 jersey for the boxing day clash against Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium.

Hart returned to the side for Saturday’s impressive 4-2 victory away at Fulham, where the keeper pulled off some important saves, as City continued their impressive run in the Premier League.

Hart played his first Premier League game since the 2-1 defeat away at Chelsea, on the 27th October, were a Hart mistake allowed Fernando Torres to stab home a winner, in comical circumstances.

Since that error, Hart has been confined to the sidelines, as Costal Pantilimon had started ahead of the England international.

Pellegrini stated……

“He deserved to play and he also deserves to continue,”   

In every match, we could play with 11 different starters, but at the moment Joe will continue to play.”

Pellegrini added: “Joe did well and it was not easy. The pitch was very quick and there was a lot of wind but he had a very good game.”   

Romanian Costel Pantilimon played in City’s next seven Premier League matches, with Hart only appearing in two Champions League games and a League Cup quarter-final against Championship side Leicester.

“When I put Pantilimon in the starting XI, I spoke with Joe and he understood he was not in a good moment,” said Pellegrini, who said it was “a tough decision” to make the change.

We have a squad and I have to make the decision every week who will play, not only Joe Hart.”tilimon was also doing well but I thought this game would be better for Joe,” added the Chilean. 

Hart has only sinced featured in Champions League games against Plzen, and Bayern Munich since the mistake.

By Ben Reardon 

@BenReardon1