The past couple of weeks have filled Fire fans heads with visions of sugar plums dancing around
(or in this case world class players running around and scoring goals in Fire red). I have to
admit, the Didier Drogba and Michael Ballack rumors got me excited. Most sane fans (including
myself) knew these rumors were extremely far-fetched at best and a product of extremely shoddy
journalism at worst.
Didier Drogba to the Chicago Fire. I'm not sure how it even started but now we are really
getting into absurdity.
Chicago Fire confirm talks with Chelsea's Drogba
Thanks for the big headline Tribal Football. On yesterday's conference call, Chicago Fire head
coach Frank Klopas did say all of the following: "Drogba?
By DAVID GUBALA
The Chicago Fire are now a good two weeks into their first phase of preseason camp and have been
making all of the necessary adjustments as the start of the new 2012 campaign nears. Part of the
preseason activity, though, has included shooting down rumors of a superstar Designated Player
acquisition.
I am as Chelsea as they come, have supported this club from as early as I can remember to where I
am now (38 years old) and cannot stand Manchester United as much as they probably can't stand
Chelsea, but putting all feelings to one side, we have to acknowledge not only what he has achieved
in the game, but how he's done it.
The Fire have had a tremendous offseason so far. We have fortified our midfield, improved our
defense in the SuperDraft, and even added some forwards to the mix. The Fire midfield is certainly
the most populated on the team, and one I would definitely consider it a strength. It's credit to
the front office for taking what was considered a big weakness last year and turning it into one of
our strong points.
Photo: Daniel Gajdamowicz
Philadelphia Union
Sebastien Le Toux tweets, "Just got traded to Vancouver ! Saddest day for me in my Philadelphia
Union story.... Still can't believe it"
The Union host Vancouver Whitecaps on March 31.
Take a look at Adam Cann's roundup of the evolution of Sebastien Le Toux to Vancouver rumors for
links, but to summarize, the Union appear to be trading Le Toux to Vancouver for allocation
money.
Rumors have been swirling recently involving German midfielder Michael Ballack possibly making
the move to Major League Soccer.
Ballack, best known for his heroics in the 2002 World Cup Final and time spent with Chelsea and
Bayern Munich, has been linked to the expansion Montreal Impact for the past few months.
By Andrew Crawford, writing from Shanghai
Despite the city starting to slow down for the Chinese New Year, Shanghai Shenhua's PR machine
remains as busy as ever. The club's website is more brightly coloured than usual and images of the
new manager, Jean Tigana, and his star player, Nicolas Anelka, flicker across the screen whilst
behind them, four silhouetted figures stand in the background.
In the summer of 2006 Manchester United were written off. Chelsea had just won the league with
ease and added one of the best players in the world for each position to their squad. Ashley Cole,
Michael Ballack and Andriy Shevchenko joined them, whilst in contrast we sold our top scorer, Ruud
van Nistelrooy, and didn't replace him, and brought in Michael Carrick, who was hardly the midfield
general the fans had been hoping for.
Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov could leave the Premier League champions in January
for his former side Bayer Leverkusen if reports doing the rounds are anything to go by.
Berbatov spent 6 years with Leverkusen before joining Tottenham in May 2006 where his impeccable
form saw him score 26 goals in 70 appearances before United signed him 2 years later.
Michael Ballack was sporting this immensely fetching costume when he visited The Arts Club in
Mayfair on Tuesday night. David Beckham & Prince Harry were spotted outside the same as well, only
one night later.
Omar Bravo is gone. David Beckham could be gone. Nicolas Anelka isn't coming.
The Designated Player landscape in MLS is changing and evolving, and even with teams having the
flexibility to go after younger DP options or giving players like league veteran Shalrie Joseph a
DP deal, the lure of landing a big-name, marketable superstar is still prevalent.
The United Nations x Shipwrecked Footballers?
Let Didier Drogba, Luis Figo, Ronaldo, Zizou and even Michael Ballack teach you about the
Millennium Development Goals in a manner that I really hope, for everyone's sake, was intended to
be overflowing with sarcasm. It's a 32-page comic teaching about the United Nations' MDGs set for
2015 through the form of top footballers being shipwrecked and having to deal with real life
issues, like living a day without Sara Carbonero.
It may be time to review some of the informal rules that
govern the weighty Designated Player decisions in Major League Soccer.
Check that. It's time to review some of the informal rules
that should govern the weighty Designated Player decisions in Major League Soccer.
In football, there are 3 kinds of players; the one's who are talented and get recognised and
rewarded for their performances, the one's who are not that talented and are lucky most of the time
and get recognised for their performances and the one's who are talented and never get recognised
or rewarded at all.
After speculation about his future it seems that Didier Drogba will be leaving Chelsea after his
contract expires at the club. There have been plenty of rumours of different clubs interested in
his services as it appeared blatantly obvious that at 33, the club were never going to offer him
the two year contract he wants.
If there was one thing that stood out from the game on Wednesday night for me it was Michael
Ballack. His performance in midfield was outstanding. Always on the move into space to receive the
ball, spraying the ball about the pitch, getting up to join the attack and he nearly scored twice.
It was a sign of a man full of confidence who is in stark contrast to his "old friends" here at
Chelsea.
Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas has conceded that his side must return to winning ways quickly
as their title hopes are quickly vanishing with each unsuccessful outing.
The Blues have lost four of their last seven matches in all competitions and according to
reports, Villas-Boas was forced to call an extended dressing room meeting to urge for unity in
these difficult times.
Clearly the real star of the Bayer Leverkusen vs Chelsea game last night was Ballack Mann and
his Mask! Where's the cape? / Photo via Bongarts
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Last night I got stuck at work till 2200 so Sky+'d the game. Obviously kept up to date with the
score while I was here and knew we had lost. I was reading twitter comments and some comments
posted on here last night and had the impression that this was a shambles and Chelsea had a
shocker! My view is far from that and we were hard done by.
It isn't just one man, damn it. It's ZORRO(s). For a while last night it looked like there was
going to be more face masks than goals during the Champions League match between Chelsea and Bayer
Leverkusen. Petr Cech's almost looks like part of the furniture now. You're so used to seeing him
in the [.
It isn't just one man, damn it. It's ZORRO(s). For a while last night it looked like there was
going to be more face masks than goals during the Champions League match between Chelsea and Bayer
Leverkusen. Petr Cech's almost looks like part of the furniture now. You're so used to seeing him
in the [.
Michael Ballack greeted his former side Chelsea to BayArena by leading Bayer Leverkusen to a
shock 2-1 win that heaps tremendous pressure on Blues boss Andre Villas-Boas.
In a day of reunions, Ballack went the Zlatan Ibrahimovic way (the Swede scored in Milan's 3-2
loss to his former club Barca) by getting at the end of many good chances, only to be denied by
Petr Cech throughout the night.
It was 1-1, in the final ten minutes of the match, and Didier Drogba was clearly fouled in the
Bayer Leverkusen penalty area. Chelsea ought to have been awarded a penalty. Chelsea should have
won 2-1 in Germany. The obvious penalty was not awarded, Chelsea proceeded to concede a late goal.
Chelsea lost.
szólj hozzá: B2-1C
Bayern Leverkusen stunned Chelsea with a last minute winner which see's the German's into the
Champions League last 16 at the expense of Chelsea who will fight it out with Valaencia in the
final group game at Stamford Bridge to join the Michael Ballack led Germans in to the Champions
League last 16.
Absolutely pathetic.
Dothraki Ballack
Miserable stuff. Just terrible across the board. It seems to go from bad to worse every day
around these parts, and if you're looking for excuses I'm fresh out. There really isn't any excuse
that would work though, it's just a damn fact that our squad are playing like a pub team.
Join in for a rant or two on all things Chelsea. Or just some witty banter. We're good at
that.
Relive this moment, six times please
Team news forthcoming. And, if the Liverpool match wasn't a 'must win', then this surely has to
be? For a ton of reasons.
Sidenote: Anelka has been told by the club that he can leave in January.
Bayer are looking to turn Group E on its end tomorrow night in Leverkusen. Current Bayer
midfielder and former Chelsea boy Michael Ballack, for visual aid, demonstrates the effect the home
side is seeking to have in the splashy photograph below.
Beat Street
But really, nevermind the hosts.
Bayer are looking to turn Group E on its end tomorrow night in Leverkusen. Current Bayer
midfielder and former Chelsea boy Michael Ballack, for visual aid, demonstrates the effect the home
side is seeking to have in the splashy photograph below.
Beat Street
But really, nevermind the hosts.
Jonas scored the second fastest goal in Champions League history and Valencia beat Bayer
Leverkusen 3-1 to pick up a crucial Group E victory Tuesday.
With just over ten seconds on the clock Jonas calmly capitalised on a terrible clearance from
Leverkusen goalkeeper Bernd Leno to give Valencia the dream start that they had been looking
for.
By Chris Wright
Just who was that masked man?
Why it's Michael Ballack of course, who took to the field for Bayer Leverkusen against Valencia
looking like some kind of latter-day superhero (the stars on the shoulders are a nice touch) and
even got into the spirit by doling out a bit of vigilante kung-fu justice.
Bate VS Milan | Valencia vs Leverkusen
Arsenal vs Marseille | Plzen vs Barca
Admittedly, there was a time Michael Ballack was a name highly relevant to
football. Now, he has been banished to the 'Has Beens' gallery, led by
Rivaldo in a cape and feather duster.
Bayern Munich youngster Thomas Muller has revealed that he turned down the opportunity to join
then-Barclays Premier League champions Chelsea in the aftermath of Germany's impressive 2010 World
Cup campaign.
Muller, who won the Golden Boot with his five goals as well as three assists in South Africa,
contributed to the demolition of Argentina and England before the Germans exited the tournament
with a 1-0 defeat to eventual champions Spain.
Michael Ballack scores in the 90th minute to give Bayern Leverkusen a 2-0 win
over Belgian Champs Genk after his volley gets a slight deflection before hitting the back of the
net.
Michael Ballack scores in the 90th minute to give Bayern Leverkusen a 2-0 win
over Belgian Champs Genk after his volley gets a slight deflection before hitting the back of the
net.
Our biggest test of the Champions League group stage arrives Wednesday in the form of a trip to
the Estadio Mestalla. Valencia not only bring forth a heavy test for the Chels, but they also
eagerly await the return of a departed son.
Homecoming
Matchday 1 was particularly special to Chelsea supporters for, aside from a win over Bayer
Leverkusen, the return of Michael Ballack to Stamford Bridge.
Borussia Dortmund mark return to the Champions League with a bang. And a missed
opportunity. Dortmund's game against Arsenal was eerily similar to their Europa League matches
against Sevilla and Paris last season. Dortmund dominated proceedings and failed to convert their
dominance into goals.
Borussia Dortmund mark return to the Champions League with a bang. And a missed
opportunity. Dortmund's game against Arsenal was eerily similar to their Europa League matches
against Sevilla and Paris last season. Dortmund dominated proceedings and failed to convert their
dominance into goals.
Natürlich nicht, ich bin ja auch gegangen.
Michael Ballack, Ex-Spieler von FC Chelsea,auf die Frage, ob sich der FC Chelsea seit seinem
Wechsel von London nach Leverkusen verbessert hat.
