Leading up to Sunday's African Cup of Nations final between Zambia and the Ivory Coast, Gerald Imray wrote of the contrasting styles of coaches Fracois Zahoui (Ivory Coast) and Herve Renard (Zambia).
Francois Zahoui at one point doubted if he was good enough to be coach of the star-studded Ivory Coast team.

There will be some very tense nerves in West London this weekend ahead of Chelsea's super clash with rivals Manchester United at Stamford Bridge this Sunday. A couple of years back, this would have been just another day in the office for the Blues, however, things have changed drastically.

In fact, things are so bad for the Blues that a 3rd place finish for them would be amazing.

By Alan Duffy

Everton 1-0 Manchester City Premier League 31st January 2012

Roberto Mancini's nouveau riche Citizens just can't seem to put any decent daylight between them and their Manchester rivals in the race for the title.

It's been a week for finding positives in things and Spurs' Tim Sherwood has joined the bandwagon after he presided over a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Leyton Orient at the Lodge.

For Spurs fans, the most striking thing to come from the game was another goal for centre forward Souleymayne Coulibaly who fired in a 74th minute equaliser before the away side snatched a winner just two minutes later.

Nicolas Anelka is swimming in dough on the shores of Shanghai. Will Didier Drogba be joining him before the end of the January transfer window?

Quite possibly, if you ask the Shenhua PR department.

Chinese connection?

As you know, Drogba has rejected a one-year contract extension from Chelsea in search of at least a two-year deal.

Guardian: Football transfer rumours: Andy Carroll back to Newcastle?

Today's fluff is covered in a deep layer of cinder The Mill bought a toaster last winter. At the time it seemed like the bees knees, all shining dials and levers, promising crisp, crunchy slices of breakfast goodness and boasting the capacity to adequately service a thick teacake or hefty muffin.

Following a string of impressive performances, the Daily Star is suggesting that Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini is lining up a move for Newcastle United midfielder Cheick Tiote. The Ivorian has been an integral figure in the heart of Newcastle's midfield, and Mancini is insistent that City's billionaire owners keep the check book open.

It seems that the recent Arsenal transfer news linking the Gunners with a move for the 26 year-old Chelsea striker/winger Salomon Kalou were completely accurate. According to many sources this morning, but originally in the Daily Mail i believe, the Ivorian international has been given special permission to return to London by his national team [.

It seems that the recent Arsenal transfer news linking the Gunners with a move for the 26 year-old Chelsea striker/winger Salomon Kalou were completely accurate. According to many sources this morning, but originally in the Daily Mail i believe, the Ivorian international has been given special permission to return to London by his national team [.

Twitter (Follow me on @_Wrighty7) and the interweb is buzzing like a bumble bee today that Chelsea man Salomon Kalou could be on the move to Arsenal.
Now I believe this is the sort of deal that will be like Marmite to Gooners. Some will like it, and some will hate it.
I happen to think that Kalou would be a very good signing for the club.

By Chris Wright

In no particular order, Pies' ten-strong run down of the rumoured January deals we'd absolutely love to see come to fruition for one reason or another...

1. Didier Drogba (Chelsea) to Shanghai Shenhua...

Word is that there are several Chinese clubs queuing up to throw upwards of £400,000-a-week at The Drog in order to coerce him into semi-retirement.

Anxiety is mounting among Chelsea fans as to whether the club will offer their icon Didier Drogba a new deal that would keep him at the bridge longer. Drogba's contract is set to run out this summer and according to coach Andres Villas-Boas he is hopeful that Drogba will sign a new contract with the club.

Fulham 2-1 Arsenal

So, a pretty dismal start to the New Year, but perhaps a focus sharpener as this month's transfer window opens.

It was the ultimate clichéd game of two halves. Arsenal were pretty damn good in the first, creating loads of chances, passing neatly, very enjoyable to watch and well worth their advantage.

By Alan Duffy

Chelsea 1-3 Aston Villa Premier League 31st December 2011

Coming only days after he was chastised by manager Alex McLeish for being photographed with a hookah pipe and drink in hand, Stephen Ireland rediscovered his best midfield form to inspire the Villans to a superb and surpirsing victory at Stamford Bridge.

Another one stopped

The final outcome was a result that we did not need and with Tottenham winning their latter game at Carrow Road, it makes me very uncomfortable with the gap that is opening up slightly between us. This was a chance to move ahead of Chelsea into 4th spot. It ended up being as frustrating a match to watch.

Another one stopped

The final outcome was a result that we did not need and with Tottenham winning their latter game at Carrow Road, it makes me very uncomfortable with the gap that is opening up slightly between us. This was a chance to move ahead of Chelsea into 4th spot. It ended up being as frustrating a match to watch.

The second half onslaught was exhilarating but not quite enough to regain the two points that another freakish goal had taken away.

Arsene did rotate some of the players. Djourou came in for Coquelin, Rosicky for Ramsey, and Benayoun for Walcott. It was a strong team and one that should have secured the win with relative ease.

The second half onslaught was exhilarating but not quite enough to regain the two points that another freakish goal had taken away.

Arsene did rotate some of the players. Djourou came in for Coquelin, Rosicky for Ramsey, and Benayoun for Walcott. It was a strong team and one that should have secured the win with relative ease.

AP Photo/Christian Thompson.

A tanker full of eggnog has just broken down outside our HQ.

It's just provocative really.

GOOD WEEK

Toure Treasure: Yaya Toure has been named 'African Footballer of the Year' for his performances for Manchester City in the EPL this season.

Manchester City and Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure was yesterday named African Player of the Year 2011 in a lavish gala ceremony in Accra Ghana. The 28 year old who has had a fantastic start to the EPL this season, beat Mali's Seydou Keita and Ghana's Andre Ayew who finished second and third respectively to win the award and become only the second Ivorian since Didier Drogba to win the award.

Chelsea's versatile winger/striker Salomon Kalou is being linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge as the January transfer window approaches. According to most newspapers in France, the Ivorian could end up at Paris St. Germain as the club continues to purchase stars from across Europe.

Kalou has previously been linked with a move to Marseille, but with PSG now cash-rich the former French giants could land the Ivory Coast star.

A bit of what's going on in Butt's Brain today... Didier Drogba with a complete revival yesterday in Chelsea's 3-0 Champions League win. The aging Ivorian looked fit, ruthless, and back to his best. What does that mean for his ... Continue reading →

By Chris Wright

Just when Chelsea needed it most, Didier Drogba turned up and put in one of his best performances in a good couple of years to inspire his side to a 3-0 victory over Valencia at the Bridge last night, scoring two goals and filing an assist (for Ramires) to see the Blues comfortably and safely into the knockout phases of the Champions League in the process.

By Chris Wright

Just when Chelsea needed it most, Didier Drogba turned up and put in one of his best performances in a good couple of years to inspire his side to a 3-0 victory over Valencia at the Bridge last night, scoring two goals and filing an assist (for Ramires) to see the Blues comfortably and safely into the knockout phases of the Champions League in the process.

By JOHN BOSCHINI

From almost out of the UEFA Champions League to topping Group E, it's been a crazy first campaign for Chelsea manager Andres Villas-Boas.

Talks of crisis at Stamford Bridge seem to be dissipating after Chelsea routed Valencia 3-0 to advance to the knockout round for the ninth consecutive season.

Anxiety? Not needed.

A pulsating showcase, carefully imagined by Andre Villas-Boas and anchored by the irresistible Didier Drogba, sees our beloved Chelsea into the knockout stages of the Champions League once again. As group winners, too, no less. This, my friends, was a night to cherish.

Happiness is a warm brace

What to say, what to say.

It's official, Anelka and Alex will be leaving Chelsea in January. The Duo have become srplus to needs at Stamford Bridge and Coach Villas-Boas has confirmed that the club had received their offers to leave the club in January.

I would not quite call this a loss for Chelsea, but rather a step in the right direction as both players are indeed past their prime.

Recent trips to Wigan have been eventful but the memories aren't particularly pleasant for Gooners. Arsenal have dropped 5 points in the last two visits after conceding late goals in games that the Gunners dominated and should have won.

I hope the dominance continues but the 'Be a Gooner, be a Giver' mantra is not taken on to the field.

All eyes will be on Asamoah Gyan at the upcoming African Cup of Nations in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea in January as he attempts to help Ghana go one better than their second place finish two years ago.
The Ghanaian striker was voted African player of the year in 2010 and was one of the players to make the biggest impact on the World Cup in South Africa as he helped his side become only the third African country to make the quarter-finals of the tournament.

City will come with a physically strong side, in the hope of bullying our Young Guns out of the Carling Cup tonight. This does not have to be the case if Wenger deploys his squad correctly.

Bosnian hitman, Dzeko, will be the only player who can win this game for City... and with Adam Johnson a certain starter, it's pretty easy to see the tactics Mancini will employ.

It's official, Didier Drogba and Chelsea will part ways at the end of the season. According to Drogba's agent the striker is set to snub a one year contract extension that the club is willing to offer him and move to the club that offers him the most money.

Drogba has found it increasingly hard for him to cement his position in Villas-Boas starting Line up and this is one amongst the many reasons why the Ivorian is leaving the Blues.

Emmauel Eboue was a cult hero for the Gooners. Naturally, it was shocking to hear of the news that he had left the club for Galatasaray. Arsene Wenger was no slouch either, signing Carl Jenkinson in response to the Ivorian's departure. As the experienced Eboue had proven to be an able deputy to the fantastic [.

Video highlights and reaction match report By the numbers

I guess in the context of recent results and the form we've been in yesterday was something of a disappointment. Dropping two points at home can always be criticised but post-Champions League games against well organised, tough opponents are never easy.

News today that Alan Pardew is dreading the next transfer window that will open on January 1st. Alan Pardew dreading January Last January Newcastle lost Andy Carroll to Liverpool for £35M and almost lost Cheick Tiote to transfer also, and there is news that Chelsea will make an initial £20M bid for the Ivorian early in January.

Premier League action later today as we take on Fulham at the Grove.

Regardless of who has been in charge over the last few years this has generally been a pretty tight affair. Ok, there's been an away 3-0 and a home 4-0 in recent years but they've been tough to break down and when we talk about goalkeepers having one of those game Schwarzer has done that more than once against us.

They only booed me at the Emirates Former Arsenal cult hero Emmanuel Eboue got a vicious welcome to Turkey from Besiktas fans at the weekend. Just a handful of games into his Galatasaray career, the Ivorian found out the hard way that matches between the two sides tend to get a bit tasty. A plastic [.

Chelsea vs Liverpool 16.00. 20/11/2011

Glen Johnson's struck a late winner at Stamford Bridge as Liverpool offered fresh hope to qualify for the Champions League.

Chelsea's dismal Premier League run under manager Andre-Villas-Boas continued- they have lost three of their last four games in the league.

Well would you believe it Cheick Tiote is a doubt for Saturday after all. Sylvain Marveaux misses Man City game After looking at his comments of yesterday, we thought the Ivorian would be ready to play on Saturday afternoon, but as we half expected, Alan Pardew has come out and said it's still touch and [.

Premier League club Chelsea are considering selling their Ivorian striker Didier Drogba in the winter transfer window. Drogba who has failed to make an impact on the league this season, has been a long time target for Italian giants AC Milan, however, it is not likely he will move to the Serie A champions because of his hefty wage demands.

Video highlights and reaction Match Report By the numbers

There is a tendency these days to over-hype every little thing as something special but what we saw yesterday ... well, that was extraordinary. At the end the Arsenal players celebrated as if they'd won a trophy. Normally I'd be cynical about that, it being only one game after all, but not yesterday.