Victor Moses Impressive In Chelsea Win Against Barcelona

Published: July 29, 2015

For the second straight pre - season game, Chelsea ran out winners on penalties against Barcelona after normal time ended 2 - 2 in Washington DC.

As per team news, there was no place in the starting XI for the four Nigerian players that traveled with the squad to North America, however, Mikel and Moses were introduced on the hour mark, replacing Matic and Fabregas respectively.

Moses was a handful for the Barcelona defenders, with several runs and crosses from the left wing but his offensive partners Remy and Willian failed to convert.

The winger capped off a fine performance by scoring from the spot to give Chelsea a 2 - 1 lead after Barcelona’s Halilovic had missed while attempting a panenka.

Both Mikel and Moses have featured in all three games played by Chelsea in pre - season so far.

Mikel, Moses and Enyeama to lead Eagles against Tanzania

 

Sunday Oliseh.

Super Eagles captain Vincent Enyeama is expected to lead several established Eagles stars to Tanzania for AFCON 2017 qualifier against the Taifa Stars. Oliseh is expected to release his list of invited players for the game against Tanzania in the second week of August with the foreign-based professionals expected to join the team in Tanzania. Lazio midfielder Ogenyi Onazi is ruled out of the encounter after his dismissal against Chad last month, but there will be a return for Enyeama, Mikel Obi and Victor Moses.
Eagles skipper Enyeama, whose differences with the NFF over his comments after the game against Chad have been sorted out, has been tipped as a key player in the plans of new coach Sunday Oliseh.
"From the way Oliseh spoke about Enyeama in our meetings, it tells you that the coach wants him to play a huge role in his team building for the Eagles" a top source disclosed.
"He said the experience of Enyeama is needed by the team but he also highlighted on the need to install discipline in the team." The top sources also revealed: "We may not be seeing too many new faces in the Eagles from the start, but I think what Oliseh wants to do is change the mentality of the team because he believes the Eagles can win every match."

 Alex Iwobi set to choose Nigeria ahead of England.

Nigeria appear to have won the battle to land Arsenal's highly-rated youngster Alex Iwobi.

Sportsmail revealed on Monday how the Super Eagles were trying to snatch the 18-year-old - who is Jay-Jay Okocha's nephew - from under England's noses.

Iwobi, who captains Arsenal's Under 21 side, has represented England at Under 16, 17 and 18 level.

Nigeria appear to have won the battle to land Arsenal's highly-rated youngster Alex Iwobi

However, the teenage forward has accepted an offer to join up with the Nigeria squad this week and now looks set to switch allegiances.

Iwobi, who has born in Nigeria, said: 'Ordinarily I would have loved to play for England since I have played for all the under-aged teams up to the U-19,

'But Austin Okocha and Nwankwo Kanu have influenced my decision to play for Nigeria.

'My dad too has told me a lot of things about the honour and pride that goes with playing for Nigeria.

'So I thought a lot about this and decided to play for Nigeria.'

However, until Iwobi plays a competitive senior match for the Super Eagles, then he is still eligible to play for England.

Iwobi, who captains Arsenal's Under 21 side, has represented England at Under 16, 17 and 18 level

Siasia raps NFF for Iwobi.

Nigeria U-23s coach Samson Siasia has urged the Nigeria Football Federation to speed up action on Arsenal FC of England youngster Alex Iwobi to enable him to be capped for the Super Eagles.
Siasia said for Arsene Wenger to feature the young forward in the Emirate Cup means that Iwobi, who is related to former Nigeria captain Austin Okocha, is good and ripe to get a look-in by the senior national team coaches.
Iwobi who has played for England at Under-16 and Under-19 levels, wants to switch nationality and play for Nigeria, where his father hails from, but there is some paper work to be done before he becomes eligible to play for the 2013 African champions.
“We should cap him now to prevent England from snatching him from us. I wish he was eligible to play for the Under-23s, I would have drafted him to play for my team,” Siasia, whom Iwobi had trained under earlier, told completesportsnigeria.com.
“Iwobi has come of age and I think now is the time to cap him for Super Eagles. He is a good player that will be a future great in Nigeria football. NFF should speed up action and get him cleared to feature for Nigeria.”

 Oliseh Eyes U-23 Stars for Tanzania

Super Eagles Coach, Sunday oliseh, has penciled down several U-23 stars in his bid to raise a formidable team.
The U23 stars include Italy-based Stanley Amuzie, FC Taraba skipper Usman Mohammed, Oghenekaro Etebo from Warri Wolves and Enyimba midfielder Kingsley Sokari.
Left-back Amuzie, who only recently moved to Italian Serie A side Sampdoria, posted an eye-catching performance when the U23s beat Congo 2-1 in Port Harcourt earlier this month.
He was solid in defence and showed class going forward to join the attack.
"Even before Amuzie was mentioned to him, Oliseh already has the player on his list," said a top source.
Usman Mohammed, Etebo and Sokari will most certainly be called to a training camp for home-based stars later in August.

And should they then impress, they will be on the squad for a 2017 AFCON qualifier in Tanzania.
"The home-based Eagles camp in August will afford the players from the league to prove they are good enough for the main Super Eagles squad. Those who prove this will be on the flight to Tanzania," a top team official revealed only to AfricanFootball.com

Newly-appointed Nigeria manager Sunday Oliseh says he will stand by his decision not to select players plying their trade outside the top divisions.


Critics of Oliseh's policy believe the coach risks missing out on some talented players in the lower European divisions.


However, the 40-year-old said his decision to not consider players outside the first divisions was because the Super Eagles deserved nothing but the very best among their ranks.


"At the moment there has been a lot of talk as regards the fact that we have decided that first division players are the players that we found eligible to serve our country," Oliseh told Goal.


"We feel the best has to play for us and the best in any country play in the first division.


"Of course there could be some exceptions, we have players who are excellent in the second division but the basis of our decision is this: The best players in the first division are used to a certain level, tempo and competition standard because that is what the competition entails.


"And for that reason, we need the best that are used to playing at this tempo to serve and play for Nigeria," he concluded.

Transfer Gossip

Pedro is close to a £22m Man United move, Wolfsburg don't need De Bruyne cash, Arsenal keeping 

Nigerian youth prodigy ,Musa Yahaya to be loaned out to Leicester.

Pellegrini contemplating not loaning out Kelechi Iheanacho after his impressive display in the 8-1 whitewash of vietnam.

West Ham made contact with Nigerian John Chibuike of Gaziantespor .

United reject bids for Carrick from Newcastle and Inter, Spurs to sign Berahino soon, Welbeck to Besiktas...

CHELSEA WANT TELLES


Having sold Filipe Luis back to Atletico, Jose Mourinho suddenly needs a new back-up left-back. Preferably somebody young enough to be happy biding their time and waiting for a first-team chance. Cesar Azpilicueta is the b*llocks.

The Daily Mail report that Chelsea have approached Galatasaray over the availability of Alex Telles, a 22-year-old Brazilian.

With Augsburg holding out for £15m for Abdul Baba Rahman, Telles would certainly be a more budget option. Still, he's pretty handy.


WISDOM TO NORWICH
Andre Wisdom is destined to never play regularly for Liverpool. Having been loaned out to Derby in the Championship in 2013/14, he went to West Brom last season but only started 22 league games.

Now it looks like he is off out on loan again, this time to Premier League newbies Norwich. That's according to the Daily Mail.

Wisdom looked okay at West Brom, but he's going to end up at a club towards the bottom of the Premier League, isn't he?

AARONS TO ARSENAL
This gossiper is already more than convinced that Rolando Aarons is going to be a bloody star, and the Newcastle winger is already generating whispers of a potential move.

The Daily Express claim that Arsenal want to take advantage of the uncertainty over Aarons' new contract by bringing him to the Emirates. Because Arsenal need another central midfielder.

Aarons still has two years left on his Newcastle deal. He surely won't be going anywhere until he gets some more first-team football under his belt?

NO NEW CENTRE-HALF FOR UNITED
'#mufc are not expected to look elsewhere for a centre-half should Ramos stay at Real. LvG happy with options. #mufc interest in Ramos was because a) he's world class and b) the DdG situation, not because LvG felt pressing need for another centre half.'

That's the tweet from the Mail's Mike Keegan, who has clearly had the nod from Old Trafford - as did the Manchester Evening News - that Nicolas Otamendi was never a target.

So what are those options? Daley Blind, Jonny Evans, Marcos Rojo, Chris Smalling, Phil Jones, Michael Carrick, Paddy McNair and Tyler Blackett. The emphasis is on quantity, clearly.


NO BID FOR BERAHINO
This was West Brom's official tweet on Tuesday morning: 'Ok, this is getting silly now. So let us make it clear. There has been NO bid for Saido. That's it. Carry on everyone #wba.'

We are not massively fond of the whole 'hey mate' style of the tweet, but at least it's all pretty clear.


NICO STAYS
That's the simple headline on the front page of Spanish newspaper Super Deporte on Tuesday. The 'Nico' in question is of course Nicolas Otamendi, who is said to be keen on staying at Valencia rather than joining Manchester United.

With Sergio Ramos also set to stay in Spain with Real Madrid, where does that leave Manchester United's pursuit of a commanding centre-half? With Daley Blind, that's where.

Update: The Manchester Evening News claim that 'Manchester United will NOT move for Nicolas Otamendi this summer'. They believe that United 'are being used to ramp up interest in the Valencia player'. The MEN also claim that Nicolas Gaitan is not on Louis van Gaal's list. So who is?


LAMELA TO PORTO
We are willing to believe that Tottenham would send Erik Lamela on loan to Porto, but we are struggling to accept that arch-negotiator Daniel Levy would agree a £5.3m option to buy for a player who cost £30m in the summer of 2013. But that's what Portuguese newspaper Record are claiming.

With Vlad Chiriches set to join Napoli, Lamela's exit would leave Spurs with only Roberto Soldado, Nacer Chadli and Christian Eriksen from the famous splurge of 2013.


PEDRO IS AWFUL CLOSE
Well, well. The consensus across the media in both England and Spain is that Pedro will become a Manchester United player as a) he is keen to make the move and actually play some football and b) United are willing to meet his £22m release clause. As they are set to receive roughly double that amount for Angel Di Maria from PSG (when they stop playing silly beggars over the fee), that seems like something of a bargain.

Is Pedro the player with "speed and creativity" that Louis van Gaal was talking about this week? He certainly has both. Does that mean that Ashley Young will lose his place? Is this starting to smell like a title challenge from United?


WOLFSBURG: WE DON'T NEED MONEY
We keep being told that Manchester City want Kevin de Bruyne and are willing to pay £50m but Wolfsburg sporting director Klaus Allofs said: "We are not a selling club, we don't need the money. And in the project of Wolfsburg we want to compete one day with Bayern Munich and you need these kind of players."

But De Bruyne himself says: "I don't know where I will play next season. I just have to train well and make sure that I am fully fit. We will then see what happens. It is always something special when big clubs show an interest in you. Of course, I am thinking about it."


ARSENAL 'NO' TO SAINTS ON CHAMBERS
'Arsene Wenger has knocked back Southampton's move to re-sign Calum Chambers on loan,' says Arsenal fanboy and Daily Mirror football writer John Cross. The Saints are said to be one of several Premier League clubs who have enquired about Chambers, who fell so far down the Gunners' pecking order last season that he did not even make the bench by May.


AND THE REST
Tottenham will launch a £10m bid for West Brom striker Saido Berahino in the next 48 hours but there could be a snag with the Baggies valuing him at £20m...Newcastle are ready to up their bid for Charlie Austin if they receive assurances on his injured shoulder...West Brom are hopeful of landing Bosman Abou Diaby and have held preliminary talks with fellow free agent Bakary Sako...Montreal Impact have confirmed the signing of former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba...

...Napoli have moved to beat Fiorentina to Tottenham Hotspur defender Vlad Chiriches...Southampton are trying to sign QPR defender Steven Caulker on loan with view to an £8million permanent deal...Manchester City have negotiated a £10.25m compulsory purchase agreement in the season-long loan deal Stevan Jovetic is set to sign with Inter Milan...Burnley are facing a fight from Nottingham Forest to sign their midfielder Henri Lansbury...League One Coventry City are set to sign 18-year-old Newcastle United striker Adam Armstrong on a long-term loan deal.