There Is Only One Sinnacle

Bayern Munich are in the race for Aston Villa’s England star Ashley Young, 25, and are set to make a summer swoop for the forward if he fails to agree a new contract with the Midlands club. Daily Mirror

You have to put away that penalty kick against Bolton. As for this rumour Bayern Munich isn’t going to spend the same amount of money it took on Ribery on Ashley Young. Besides FC Hollywood needs defenders first and foremost.

Chelsea will make a £40m bid for Tottenham winger Gareth Bale, 21, this summer as the Stamford Bridge outfit look to lower the average age of their squad. caughtoffside.com

and look to increase the debt load on the club.

Blackburn owners Venky’s are likely to give manager Steve Kean at least one more game to halt his side’s slide toward the relegation zone. Rovers have taken one point from a possible 15. the Sun

Should of never been hired in the first place. Why in the world are you going to turn too a coach with no experience and ask him to change the style of play mid season? Of course they are going to suck.

West Ham striker Carlton Cole believes his side can still finish in the Premier League top 10 this season, despite being in the relegation zone for most of the current campaign. Talksport

West Ham keep scoring goals like they have been then it could be possible. Nice to see Manuel Da Costa get on the scoresheet this weekend.

Aston Villa manager Gerard Houllier has blamed the zonal marking system he inherited from former manager Martin O’Neill for his side’s defeat against Bolton and claims he will not be able to fix the leaky defence until the end of the season. Daily Mirror

This comes off as crying. Houllier may have a point but fans simply aren’t going to care.

Celtic left-back Emilio Izaguirre is a potential target for Arsenal as fears at the club grow that Gael Clichy will not sign a new contract. The Frenchman’s deal expires at the end of next season and if an agreement cannot be reached by the summer, Arsenal will consider selling Clichy rather than risk losing him for nothing. Daily Mail

I don’t believe Arsenal should even fear losing Clinchy. If he doesn’t want to sign a new deal sell him.

Gunners striker Andrey Arshavin could also be on his way out of the club, with Zenit St Petersburg ready to bring their former player back to Russia. talkSPORT

Another player who if I was Arsenal I’d send packing. No one will forget his four goal game against Liverpool or the game winner against Barcelona but top teams need to count on their top players game after game and you just can’t do that with Arshavin.

To expand my point the reason I could never take Arsenal is for the simple fact after every big win comes a bad result soon after. Everyone but Wenger could see it and if I was him I’d be shaking up this team. Wenger has been too loyal to his Arsenal players and has gotten nothing to show for it. Forget about Cesc Fàbregas, I’d build Arsenal around Jack Wilshere who you know truely wants to be there. Credit to Fabregas for loving Arsenal but everyone knows is only at Arsenal out of respect to Wenger and he really wants to play for Barcelona. If that is the case cash in on the 40-50 million and let it be done it. Besides Fabregas may be a better player than Sergio Busquets but he isn’t bringing anything more to the table.

Manuel Almunia would go. Not that you would get anything for him but to bring someone in they need to move someone out.

Abou Diaby would also go. My neck hurts from seeing him drill 25 yard shots 50 rows up.

Tomáš Rosický would be the first one out the door. He isn’t been the same since blowing out his knees. His beautiful goal against the US in the 2006 World Cup seems like another lifetime ago. Why Wenger keeps picking him I’ll never know.

Robin van Persie, credit to him no one has been better in front of goal these last two months but of course he was due to get hurt. You can’t trust him for a full season and it rattles the club when he is out of the lineup. Sell him to Bayern Munich or something.

Denílson, Emmanuel Eboué, Nicklas Bendtner – Denilson is no Gilberto Silva, hell he isn’t even Liverpool’s Lucas. I’ve always been anti Eboue despite his honest effort he gives match after match. Bendtner despite his talent would also go because he is a head case.

Now who should Arsenal sign?

Of course Arsenal won’t spend the money but what a player.

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is refusing to speak to the club’s own television station after being charged with improper conduct for his criticism of referee Martin Atkinson.
Full story: the Guardian

Maybe Fergie shouldn’t speak about referee’s out of both sides of his mouth.

West Ham’s co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold will increase their stake in the club from 62% to 82% at the end of the season. Daily Telegraph

Yet they still cry about all the money they lose on the team.

Won a game late….lost the other late yesterday. Shurgs Shoulders.

La Liga

Atletico Madrid pk -115 vs Getafe

Record 7-8-1 -1.69

West Ham’s on-loan striker Demba Ba says he turned down a more lucrative offer from Russia to come to England and that his former side Hoffenheim have ruined his reputation by suggesting he is driven by money. “The truth is that I could have earned much more money elsewhere,” he said. (Sport Bild)

West Ham should send the injured Robbie Keane back at the end of this season. They should however tie up Demba Ba.

AC Milan have confirmed that they are interested in signing defender Philippe Mexes if he chooses not to sign a new deal with present club Roma.

In other words the price has gone up if Roma are able to resign him. Mexes is good as gone however.

Daniel Sturridge has hinted he could try to make his loan move from Chelsea to Bolton permanent. The striker has scored four goals in as many league games and says he is revelling in the freedom given to him by Trotters boss Owen Coyle. Metro

I’d be annoyed if I was Sturridge never getting a fair chance to crack the Chelsea over two seasons. I don’t blame him if he wants to leave Chelsea.

Arsenal are hoping to arrange a swap deal that would result in Brazilian midfielder Denilson moving to Juventus and his compatriot Felipe Melo heading in the opposite direction. talkSPORT

Why? Neither player is world class. Melo is just an older more expensive version of Denilson.

Liverpool are leading Tottenham and Manchester United in the race for France and Toulouse midfielder Moussa Sissoko. Daily Mail

You know come the summer Liverpool will be singing one or two players from France.

Chelsea have stepped up their interest in Napoli’s Slovakian playmaker Marek Hamsik, sending scouts to watch the 23-year-old in his side’s 3-0 defeat by AC Milan. talkSPORT

They didn’t pick the best of games but Hamsik is a great player, mind you one who won’t come cheap.

I deserved to lose last week. I should of listen to the other shoulder which was telling to go under in the first leg of games. Even more glaring is the fact I should of played the revenge factor for Bayern Munich against Inter Milan. I’m an idiot.

On to today.

EPL

Manchester United – Chelsea over 2 and 2.5 +102

La Liga

Espanyol – Mallorca under 2 and 2.5 +100

Record

Record 5-6-1 -1.71

Ivorian striker Didier Drogba has told French television channel Orange Sport he has everything he dreams of at Stamford Bridge and has no desire to leave the club. Full story: Orange Sport (in French)

One of the few times Drogba has ever said he was happy at Chelsea. Something tells me he won’t be happy dealing with questions of his future these next couple of months.

Brazil forward Kaka is willing to consider a move to the Premier League with either Chelsea or Manchester City after it emerged Real Madrid are prepared to offload him in the summer.
Full story: Metro

The real question is how much of a loss is Real Madrid prepared to take if they do want to sell him? Even at 30 million that’s still half of what they paid for him.

Tottenham are planning to revive their interest in Manchester City full-back Micah Richards and hope a bid of £15m may be enough to prise the England international from Eastlands.
Full story: Daily Mail

You could consider Micah Richards the younger version of Ledley King. Just hope it’s without the bad knees.

Liverpool are hoping to secure Barcelona forward Bojan Krkic on a season-long loan deal.
Full story: CaughtOffside

With Perdo blowing by Bojan his stock has crashed. Many teams would be wise in trying to snag him from Barcelona.

Birmingham centre-back Roger Johnson is set to ignore links to Liverpool, Tottenham and Manchester United in order to play for Blues in the Europa League next season. Metro

Johnson wouldn’t say no to Chelsea. Very good player and most likely would come cheaper than Gary Cahill.

Obafemi Martins dedicated his Carling Cup-winning goal to the man who wished him luck after washing his Lamborghini. the Sun

Nice life.