Boca Juniors Continue to Chase Tevez

Boca Juniors are hoping they can agree a deal to sign Manchester City's outcast striker Carlos Tevez, according to reports. The Argentine forward was suspended by the club earlier this month, following his refusal to come on as a substitute in City's Champions' League defeat to Bayern Munich. After that incident, Roberto Mancini has made it clear that Tevez will never play for the club again.

City have accepted that to allow the player to leave, they will have to accept a cut-price £20m for his services, but Boca may not have the financial resources to fund such a move. Instead, it is understood that they would be looking to bring Tevez in on a loan deal when the transfer window re-opens in January.

Sports betting pundits note how Tevez played for the Buenos Aires club during the early part of his career, between 2001 and 2004. Whether City would be open to loan deals remains to be seen, although it is believed they have already rebuffed several enquiries. West Ham were reported to have been interested in taking the forward back to Upton Park in a remarkable swoop, but their offer was shunned.

Boca Juniors fans would welcome Tevez with open arms.

Before the whole "substitution saga" broke out, Tevez had made his intentions to leave the club clear throughout the summer. He almost joined his former club Corinthians, but the deal collapsed at the last moment when the Brazilian side was unable to negotiate the financial side of the deal. While several Italian clubs have been linked, it remains questionable whether Tevez would be open to such a move, having expressed his interest to move closer to his family.

Indeed, that is what most of the issue in recent seasons has centred around, with him making it clear to those placing sports bets that he does not enjoy life in England. Tevez's scoring record at City has been mightily impressive. In just 65 league appearances, he has notched a staggering 43 goals, helping the side to qualify for the Champions' League for the first time last season. But now it seems like Manchester City don't need Tevez anymore with their star-studded forward line.

What are your thoughts on Tevez leaving Manchester City? Would a move back to Argentina be good for him? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Chelsea and Manchester City Hitting Top Form

Sturridge refrained from celebrating for both of his goals.

Chelsea has been having problems getting into their groove this season while Manchester City is surrounded by the maelstorm of the Tevez fiasco. Yet both clubs displayed dominance this weekend, winning by four goal margins away from home. Chelsea defeated Bolton 5-1 while Manchester City broke down a dispirited Blackburn side 4-0.


Bolton Wanderers - Chelsea

Chelsea had few problems against Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok stadium, Lampard claiming a hat-trick in a 5-1 victory for the Blues. A srong start and an early goal for Chelsea when Daniel Sturridge headed in from a corner just 90 seconds in. The young forward had been on loan at Bolton the season before, and he managed to refrain from any celebrations in front of the Bolton crowd. But there were plenty of celebrations when Frank Lampard finished off a smooth Chelsea move (with flicks of the heel and one-touch passing) on the 15 minute mark. Any questions about Lampard's age, or ability to continue being an integral part of the Chelsea system were already being dispelled.

Lampard celebrates his three goals.

As the first half wore on for Bolton, it only got worse for the young keeper Bogdan (replacing injured Jaaskelainen). A low shot from the edge of the box by Sturridge bounced over the Bolton keeper and into the net for Chelsea's third. The fourth came soon after, with Bogdan spilling a long shot by David Luiz, allowing Frank Lampard to jump on the rebound and tuck it away. The first half ended with Chelsea 4-0 up, Sturridge and Lampard both on fire as Bolton fans booed their players (especially Bogdan) into the dressing rooms.

In the second half we saw a revival of Bolton's spirits and strength. Coyle's team pulled one back about a minute into the second half, Boyata powerfully heading it in from a well-delivered free kick by Petrov. Now we were beginning to see Chelsea's frailty. Bolton continued pushing forward, creating some chances and even forcing Ivanovic to make a goal-line clearance (which looked slightly over the line). Yet when Lampard completed his hat-trick (another well crafted passing move between him and Drogba), Chelsea seemed content.

Chelsea showed their dominance away from home against Bolton, with a slick passing style which Andre Villas Boas has been instrumental in achieving. Without Fernando Torres, the team has no problem creating goals. Daniel Sturridge has been improving at a rapid pace, and Frank Lampard has shown that he still has quite a bit to offer the team in their run for the title.

Mario Balotelli's anticipating finish.

Blackburn Rovers - Manchester City

As for Manchester City, Roberto Mancini's players met much less spirited opposition at Blackburn's Ewood Park. The first half was a tight, with Aguero having to be substituted (Samir Nasri replaced him) for injury in the 28th minute, leaving Mario Balotelli as the central striker. The Italian was dangerous, with shots just inches wide and curling onto the post, yet Manchester City went into halftime with the score at 0-0.

In the second half Manchester City managed to find the breakthrough goal thanks to some magic by Adam Johnson. The winger got the ball at the edge of the box from a corner, and he promptly curled it into the far top corner. Just two minutes later Balotelli got his well-earned goal, a tap-in assisted by substitute Samir Nasri. At this point Blackburn were unable to retaliate and the match was already decided.

City fans share their thoughts about Tevez.
Share yours in the comments below!

Nasri got the next goal after some tricky movement and passing with David Silva, and Savic got the fourth with a well-placed header in the dying minutes. While the media has exploded around the Tevez ordeal, Roberto Mancini managed to keep his team together and break down Blackburn. Even if Aguero had to come off for a bit of a groin problem, Balotelli showed that he has the strength and ability to be the lone striker in Mancini's system.

What are your thoughts on Manchester City and Chelsea's impressive performances? Do you think one of these two sides will win the title? Share your thoughts below!

Tevez Staying at Man City, Will Nasri Join Him?

This article was written by Pete South, follow him on Twitter @peterwsouth.


Carlos Tevez will stay with Manchester City according to Roberto Mancini despite intense speculation the Argentinian forward would be leaving Eastlands this summer. Tevez was being chased by Inter Milan, with Mancini said to be keen on bringing Samuel Eto’o to Manchester as part of the deal, but now the Italian has revealed that the move stuttered because the Serie A side were unwilling to sell Eto’o.

Roberto Mancini said this about the player:

"Yes, of course Tevez will stay, he is a fantastic player... There was talk of an exchange with Eto'o but Inter did not want to sell.”

Tevez had earlier seemed keen on a move after admitting on an Argentinian chat show that he wasn’t enjoying life in the north-west of England – and added that he would not return to Manchester. Here's a bit of what he said:

"I don't have any new friends, I am always with my family and lifelong friends. I don't even leave my house. I'm the stay-at-home type... There is nothing to do in Manchester. The problem is I'm still speaking very poor English... When I finish my contract I will not return to Manchester ever - not even on holiday."

While the deal for Tevez and Eto’o appears to be a non-starter, the future of Arsenal’s Samir Nasri still hangs in the balance after Mancini revealed he would be interested in adding him to his squad. When asked if a deal had been done for the former Marseille midfielder, Mancini offered a short but telling answer, saying: “No, not yet.”

Nasri’s future has been the subject of much speculation after he reportedly turned down a new contract to stay with Arsenal worth £90,000 a week. Manchester United were favourites to land the skilful midfielder, but with City playing Champions League football for the first time next season and said to be on the verge of adding even more new players to their squad as they go in search of trophies, there is a good chance Nasri could end up playing in City’s red black away shirt next season.

With just twelve months left on his current deal, Nasri is keen to listen to other clubs as he goes in search of winning trophies; something he has been unable to do at Arsenal. The Gunners have gone six years without a trophy, and Nasri insisted he wasn’t interested in money, but wanted the opportunity to win silverware. Nasri said the following:

"We already earn huge wages, the priority is to make a big career and to win titles … With no titles under your belt, you can't be in the list for the Ballon D'Or. I came to England to get trophies because I haven't won anything in my career. I am hungry for titles. I play football because I love this sport and want to feel the emotion of winning. Lifting a trophy all together, this is the beauty and sense of team sports."

Will Nasri make the move to Manchester City? How would he fit in? What are your thoughts on Arsenal, Manchester City, Tevez, and Nasri? Share them in the comments below!

Best Images From Manchester City's FA Cup Victory

Yaya Toure scored the only goal of the final

Manchester City won their first major trophy in 35 years this weekend when they defeated Stoke City 1-0 at Wembley Stadium. It was Yaya Toure who scored the only goal of the match, punishing a poor Stoke side which only created one notable chance. Manchester City on the other hand were more adventurous, creating chances while defending well. I wasn't able to watch much of the match, but seeing as many people liked the compilation of the "Best Images of Real Madrid's Copa del Rey win over Barcelona", I've decided to make another one for Manchester City.

I hope you enjoy these pictures, and I'll get back to writing proper posts soon.

The ball bounced around in Stoke's box after Balotelli and David Silva combined...

then it fell to Yaya, who blasted it with his left foot past Sorensen.

The Stoke keeper had no chance of saving the rocket shot.

The goal came in the 75th minute...

and the Ivorian ran off celebrating...

with speedy substitute Adam Johnson.

The rest of the team eventually caught up and dog-piled the goalscorer...

right in front of the happy Manchester City fans.

At the end of the match, Mario Balotelli was awarded the Man of the Match award.

Carlos Tevez lifted the FA Cup.

And Vincent Kompany celebrated with a giant banana (WTF?!) as the team showered in champagne.

Edin Dzeko, Yaya Toure, Gareth Barry, and picture-snapping Joleon Lescott all smile with the historic cup.

Tevez then puts a piece of the famous trophy on his head as a hat. 

Roberto Mancini says that it was a victory for the fans, and it certainly was.

Joe Hart celebrated alone, not a surprise as he decided to cover himself in ribbons.

PFA 2011 Player of the Year Award Nominees Announced

Image from The Guardian

Every season there are players which light up the Premier League. This season there have been quite a few, some performing consistently and others maybe a little less. The PFA awards shortlists of the season were announced, and they seem to contain all the necessary players, even if they had to do some last minute adding on. Below are the shortlists for Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year.


PFA Players’ Player of the Year nominees:

Gareth Bale (Tottenham Hotspur)
Charlie Adam (Blackpool)
Samir Nasri (Arsenal)
Scott Parker (West Ham United)
Carlos Tevez (Manchester City)
Rafael van der Vaart (Tottenham Hotspur)
Nemanja Vidic (Manchester United)


PFA Young Player of the Year nominees:


Gareth Bale (Tottenham Hotspur)
Seamus Coleman (Blackpool)
Joe Hart (Manchester City)
Javier Hernandez (Manchester United)
Nani (Manchester United)
Samir Nasri (Arsenal)
Jack Wilshere (Arsenal)

There have been many complaints that Nani should be on the PFA Player of the Year Award Nominees, as his phenomenal play cutting inside from the wings for Manchester United helped win many matches. Seeing him on the Young Player list is a little strange, but I guess it is a form of recognition.

So who do you think will win the awards? I think I'll go with Scott Parker and Nani. What about you? Share your winners below!

No Snood For You!: FIFA Bans the Snood

Tevez will have his snood ripped off personally by Sepp

The snood was a symbol. It was omnipresent in the Premier League, with just about every Manchester City and Arsenal player wearing the warm neck circlet. As I write in mock outrage regarding FIFA's lightning-quick decision to ban the snood (and all evil which comes with the piece of clothing), there's a part of me which writes in actual outrage. What are these people doing at FIFA?

Thinking about it, it must be a dream job. Watch soccer/football, meet up every once in a while to chat about how you're not going to allow video-technology, and make irrational decisions regarding things like the snood. Is there a better job? It seems like Sepp Blatter has little on his mind other than the "dangers" which accompany the snood:

"There was not even a discussion because this [the snood] is not part of the uniform and it can be dangerous,"

There's more, not only did FIFA and IFAB have a few chats regarding the snood, but there were also decisions made regarding tights or shorts. This is FIFA's full statement regarding snoods and other things they probably should care less about:

"In other business, it was unanimously agreed by the board that the wearing of snoods will no longer be permitted from July 2011. Mr Blatter said: “It was not even a discussion because this is not part of the equipment and it can also be dangerous”. While the IFAB also agreed that the colour of undershorts or tights worn must be the same colour as the shorts."

Finally FIFA have made this rule regarding the tights. Praise Sepp Blatter, the fans's prayers have been answered! No more tights or undershorts which are a different color as the shorts! Phew, that's good.

I'm not sure if many remember, but a season ago Arjen Robben was in a strange situation. The Dutch winger had a lucky pair of grey tights, which he wore underneath his shorts and socks to keep himself warm during the chilly games. Yet the German federation was not happy with the color of the tights, telling Robben to either dye them red (in order to match his kit colors) or get a new red pair.

So what was the point of all this? There was no point! All of this bureaucratic and systematic control over fashion on the field has no point! The tights! The snood! What will it be next? Will FIFA ever run out of ridiculous things to talk about? And someone please explain to me how can a snood be dangerous?

Can Manchester City Win Without Tevez?

Tevez suspended for City's match against West Ham

Any player who has a record of 30 goals in 50 Premier League appearances is going to be missed, so it is understandable that Roberto Mancini is calling for his Manchester City players to stand up, and be counted in the absence of Carlos Tevez.

Those following the Live match score centre closely when City are involved will note that they have won just one game without Tevez goal all year – a 2-0 win away at West Brom – and he has scored nearly half of all their goals this season, 10 out of 21.


His goals have blasted City up to fourth in the table and a win at bottom-placed club West Ham on Saturday will see them leapfrog Chelsea into third.

Considering the amount of money spent at the City of Manchester Stadium in recent years, it is surprising to see them rely so heavily on one player. However, thanks to a fifth yellow card of the season picked up against Bolton last week (where he scored the only goal of course), Carlos Tevez will be suspended.

Mario Balotelli will take Tevez's place against West Ham

With fellow striker Emmanuel Adebayor unable to train this week thanks to a groin injury, £25 million striker Mario Bolotelli looks set to step in.

Livescore football pundits note that the  controversial 20-year-old striker has yet to really settle since his big money move from Inter Milan in the summer, and was involved in a training ground altercation with team-mate Jerome Boateng earlier this month. However, City assistant boss David Platt believes the Italian is the best finisher at the club and has backed him to do the business against the Hammers.

In the absence of the influential Tevez, it’s Bolotelli’s big chance to prove it. What do you think? Can Manchester City win without Tevez? Comment below!

Man City pummel Liverpool in 2nd day goalfest

So many goals, 38 goals to be exact. With so many teams thrashing others, the Premier League is really beginning to get exciting. Along with this, Chelsea have achieved the best start in Premier League history, two wins and a goal difference of 12 goals. And now, let's see how many teams got thrashed, starting with Liverpool.

Thing 1 and Thing 2 celebrating the second goal

Manchester City - Liverpool
I was doubtful about Manchester City and it's massive spending spree, and I was also doubtful about how Roberto Mancini would do, considering at Inter Milan he was the master of defensive football. But Manchester City played some fantastic football against Liverpool, crushing the reds 3-0. Barry started the scoring with a fantastic well worked opportunity which started with Johnson and ended with him tapping the ball past Reina. Then in the second half Tevez scored a double, flicking the ball in from a corner and scoring a penalty earned by Johnson. City played like a team, every player was fantastic, and the new signing, James Milner fit in fantastically. But there's just one curiosity from my part about this team, what about Silva, Balotelli, Adebayor, Santa Cruz, and Robinho? Will they get any playing time?

Celebration from Anelka and Drogba, the meaning of it?

As for the other matches, Chelsea destroyed Wigan 6-0, with Anelka and Kalou getting doubles and Benayoun and Malouda scoring the other goals. Arsenal also reached six against Blackpool,
dragging them back to earth after their opening day win 4-0 over Wigan. Walcott got a hat trick with some phenomenal play up front, and Chamakh got his first goal for the gunners. Newcastle also scored six in a surprise win over Aston Villa with Carroll scoring three so that Joey Barton can finally shave. Fulham drew 2-2 with Manchester United thanks to a late equalizer from Hangeland who just five minutes before scored an own goal. Gareth Bale scored a double to let Tottenham win 2-1 away at Stoke City, Everton drew 1-1 with Wolves, Birmingham beat Blackburn 2-1, Bolton beat West Ham 3-1, and Roberto Di Matteo's West Brom defeated Sunderland 1-0.

And a reminder, be sure not to miss the second leg of the Champions League qualifiers tommorow! There's tasty battles like Sampdoria who at home will need to overturn the first leg loss of 3-1 against Werder Bremen, Sevilla who need to beat Braga at home after they lost 1-0 in Portugal, and there's a couple of more rather un-interesting ties for the general public, but if you can, take a look anyways because they could be in this season's Champions League!

Argentina overpowers Mexico 3-1, and more pleas for technology

Maradona's hand of god goal

For the second time today, we see a situation where technology could've helped, it didn't help because FIFA doesn't allow it. It's funny, because back in 1986 when Maradona scored with his hand, video technology would've solved that enigma; so you'd expect that 24 years later the governing body of football around the world would add video technology, but I guess not...

Argentina - Mexico

Another match that started a bit tightly, but once it got going we saw some fantastic attacking play from both sides. Mexico started the better side, with an effort way far out from Salcido in the 8th minute which dipped and struck the crossbar, Mexico put Argentina on the back foot. But with time Argentina grew, they found a controversial goal in the 26th with Tevez who rarely scores at international level. Messi threads Tevez in with a through ball, Mexico goal-keeper Perez gets to it first but has it bounce up out of his hands, then Messi follows up to chip the ball to Tevez who is in front of the goal and clearly offside by about a meter. From that position the Manchester City striker nods in Messi's chip for the opening goal.

Messi still unable to score this match

Referee Roberto Rosetti decides to talk the goal over with his assistant after a barrage of incessant Mexican protests all telling him to look at the screen. Rosetti talks it over and the assistant tells him that he didn't see the offside, but Rosettie knows that it's clearly offside by looking at the screen, but can't disallow it because of FIFA's rules against use of video technology. The Mexican players were not happy, some rough play from them as they tried to deal with Maradona's Argentina.

But El Tri just couldn't deal with Argentina, in the 33rd minute Osorio receives a back pass which he can't control and lays into the path of oncoming Higuain. Higuain has no defenders on him, he rounds the keeper and slots the ball into the back of the open net for Argentina's second. After halftime tempers were cooled and in the 52nd minute, we see a magical piece of skill from Carlos Tevez. From outside the box, Tevez makes space for himself and sends a rocket into the top right corner for what will be a contender for goal of the tournament.

Mexico got a consolation goal in the 71st minute with future Manchester United striker Hernandez who turns well to get into a position to blast the ball into the top of Romero's net to make the final score 3-1.