There was a lack of real excitement during the final day of the 2012 January Transfer Window,
with none of the Premier League's big names on the move and a subsequent drop in spending from the
same day 12 months ago means the latest transfer window closed without much of a noise.
The speculation that ran wild from Sky Sports News reporters situated at Premier League grounds
became boring with attention being finally turned to actual fixtures that took place on the
night.
The buzz is Didier Drogba will be joining his Chelsea compatriot Nicholas Anelka in the Chinese
Super League this summer for a whopping £270,000 a week. That kind of money for three years will
amount to a nice retirement nest egg. Drogba has become an after thought with Roman Abramovich
rooting for Fernando Torres to succeed so he can justify spending an £50m giveaway, the largest in
sporting history.
Ducky's Note: Susa takes a look at the potential January transfer dealings
of Chelsea
With the recent announcement of Manchester United's 'interest' in Frank Lampard, the transfer
rumour mills have surely begun their bi-annual grinding again. While the season so far has exposed
clear deficiencies in almost all the teams (except City's 500-man squad), Chelsea have been found
surprisingly short in key areas, especially in central defence.
Lets face it, Nicholas Anelka's move to Chinese Super League club Shanghai Shenhua is all about
money. The Chinese club are officially revealed that they have signed the striker on a 2 year deal
that will see him earn £200,000 every week.
For a player loaded with talent, it is sad to see him end his career in a largely unknown
league.
Philadelphia Union
Here's the skinny on new signing Josue Martinez from Kenneth Hernandez, soccer writer for Costa
Rican daily Al Dia:
- "Martínez is a player for the future. He's still young and he has a lot to give. But he's just
21 and he needs to establish himself as a forward who responds with goals.
The Writing is on the wall for Chelsea coach Andre Villas-Boas. Win tomorrow's match against
Valencia and hang on as Chelsea coach for a couple more weeks. Lose, and either face the sack or
quit.
Tomorrow's match at Stamford Bridge will be crucial in all aspects for he Blues as the fate of
their entire season hangs on the result of the match.
An Ode to Ole - originally posted on Soccerlens.com
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, also known as the baby-faced assassin, is one of the ultimate legends in
Manchester United folklore. He was snapped up from Molde in 1996, the club he now manages, for a
bargain basement purchase of just £1.5 million.
- Tom Thomas
Arsène Wenger will be feeling very sad tonight. Not just the sadness you feel when you're
disappointed with yourself, but a certain sadness trailed by the desperation and helplessness of
knowing you're in a corner and you may well have put yourself there.
- Tom Thomas
Arsène Wenger will be feeling very sad tonight. Not just the sadness you feel when you're
disappointed with yourself, but a certain sadness trailed by the desperation and helplessness of
knowing you're in a corner and you may well have put yourself there.
Andre Villas- Boas GQ style and football IQ did not impress Stoke
One of the most anticipated coaching debut's this season ended on a disappointing note as Andre
Villas- Boas a one time Mourinho protege could not get his side to crack open Stoke's doughty
defense.
Chelsea began with Fernando Torres declared match fit after surviving a concussion scare in the
match against Italy but despite the striker looking lively, he and Salomon Kalou were unable to
finish.
The Costa Rican wonderkid will remain at Deportivo Saprissa. Apparently his father was not too
professional about the whole thing. He probably had City or Chelsea on his radar.
Players represented by family carry that risk - Nicholas Anelka comes to mind.
Now that Andre Villas-Boas has been installed as the new boss at Chelsea, speculation is already
underway on what players the 33 year old manager will bring to Stamford Bridge and naturally, the
rumour mill has started by linking him with the star players at his former club, FC Porto in
Portugal.
The one very obvious candidate that has been linked in various media sources is leading striker
Radamel Falcao, who scored 41 times in 50 appearances under Villas-Boas at Porto last season.
FC Porto reports Andre Villas-Boas has resigned. The check for €15m needed for his buyout
appears to be in the mail. Chelsea should announce his hiring in the next few days.
Will AVB's first locker room gesture be to embrace John Terry? You've to get in good with the
Chelsea captain otherwise as Jose Mourinho found out things can get quite sticky.
The recent successes of the Spanish National team in the last two international tournaments,
2008 European Championships and the 2010 World Cup has highlighted a wind of change in world
football. Couple Spain's international glory with the emergence of Barcelona combining winning
football with fantasy, flair and creativity and you have a recipe for success.
Fernando Torres failed to score again for his new club Chelsea in the Champions League away to
Copenhagen.
Chelsea won the game thanks to 2 goals from another former Red, Nicholas Anelka, who showed Torres
how its down with two good strikes to give Chelski a valuable 2-0 away win in Denmark.
Torres looked lively enough, linking up well with his new team-ates and he even had a shot or two
on goal.
12+ minutes of highlights
Cashley Cole skying his PK was extra icing for Gunner fans still recovering from the marvelous
Barca victory. But for Chelsea their season got a lot longer as they were dumped out by Everton
losing on a 4-3 PK shootout.
The teams fought each other to a 1-1 standstill in regulation and extra time.
