AC Milan paying for each mistake, says Allegri

AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri has rued his side's profligacy in front of goal in the opening weeks of the 2013-14 campaign and feels they have been punished for all of their early mistakes. The San Siro side sit 12th in the Serie A table with five points from as many games and have already conceded 10 goals so far, much to the frustration of Allegri.

"A single point from our last two games means that we have to work more. At the moment it seems as if we're paying for every small mistake," Allegri said at a press conference. "We have got to improve in defence, but also in attack, seeing as we only convert about 30 per cent of our scoring opportunities.

"I can't criticise the team in terms of gameplay. Both against Napoli and versus Bologna we had a lot of chances. The important thing is to keep on getting into the opponent's penalty area as we're doing. "We have to be more careful in defence and work hard." Milan will be looking to return to winning ways on Saturday when they host Sampdoria.       

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Tottenham can challenge for the title, says Holtby

Lewis Holtby is relishing facing Chelsea this weekend as Tottenham aim to establish themselves as Premier League title challengers. Andre Villas-Boas' men sit in second place behind north London rivals Arsenal and have started the season in impressive form, recording eight wins out of nine in all competitions.

And Holtby says Spurs are looking forward to Saturday's fixture against Jose Mourinho's side, with the club eager to prove their title credentials to the rest of the league and themselves. "Absolutely, especially for ourselves," the 23-year-old told reporters. "It is very important to win a big game like that to stay up top and give us the confidence we need for the rest of the season.

Arsenal through after shootout drama

Carlo Ancelotti has voiced his discontent with Real Madrid's showing in their narrow 2-1 win over Elche in La Liga on Wednesday evening. A controversial stoppage-time penalty dispatched by Cristiano Ronaldo saw Madrid eventually bag the full three points, but Ancelotti warned his side that if they played at the same level on Saturday they will have no chance of beating cross-town rivals Atletico Madrid.

West Brom 1-1 Arsenal ( Gunners progress to face Chelsea)

After s 20-year-old German starlet, Thomas Eisfeld gave the away side the lead in the second half, latching onto a perfectly weighted through-ball from Nicklas Bendtner, before the Baggies responded through Saido Berahino.

But with the scores still level after extra-time, the match went to a penalty shoot-out. Serge Gnabry was the first player to miss, giving West Brom the advantage, but Craig Dawson and Morgan Amalfitano both failed to beat Lukasz Fabianski as Monreal converted the final penalty to win the tie.
Steve Clarke made eight changes to the side that beat Sunderland 3-0 on Saturday, with only Youssouf Mulumbu, Scott Sinclair and Stephane Sessegnon retaining their places.

Arsenal too took the opportunity to rest key personnel, with Per Mertesacker and Serge Gnabry the only survivors from the 3-1 win over Stoke City, while Bendtner made his first start for the club in two years.
West Brom had the first chance in the 25th minute when Dawson's looping header from Graham Dorrans' corner required Fabianski to tip over the crossbar. Arsene Wenger's side were then lucky not to have 18-year-old debutant Isaac Hayden sent off. The midfielder’s sliding tackle on Mulumbu was late and robust but referee Robert Madley deemed it only a yellow card.
Bendtner could have wrapped it up in the 97th minute when Serge Gnabry sent him racing clear, but the Dane took too long to get his shot away and allowed Dawson to recover and make a last-ditch tackle.
And with just four minutes remaining, substitute Amalfitano thought he had won it for West Brom but saw his drilled effort cannon back off the bar. Markus Rosenburg went close moments later, before Sinclair sliced a volley well wide from close range.

That meant the match headed to penalties where, after two successful spot-kicks for the hosts and one for the away side, Gnabry saw his effort saved.
But Dawson and Amalfitano both fired wide for the home side, leaving Monreal the chance to win the tie, and the Spaniard made no mistake as he fired high into the roof of the net to set up a fourth round clash with Chelsea.

Suarez is victim of 'jealous' rivals, claims Uruguay chief

Luis Suarez has fallen victim to "jealous" rivals while playing for Liverpool and Uruguay, according to the president of his country's Football Association, Sebastian Bauza. Suarez has gained something of a reputation since moving to Anfield in 2010, having been banned for eight matches for racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra later that year, and then for 10 matches for biting Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic back in April.

But Bauza, who is in regular contact with Suarez, believe the striker's opponents have colluded to put pressure on referees and create an inaccurate perception. "Besides, there’s a lot of jealousy, and they say the same about Neymar. But on the pitch, it can’t be ignored that the great stars of world football get kicked a lot, trying to prevent them from having an impact. "In English football, Liverpool’s rivals are jealous because they don’t have a player of Suarez’s class, as he’s one of the best strikers in the world." Suarez, whose 10-match club ban did not prevent him from playing for his national team, was once more at the centre of controversy earlier in September when he was accused of diving twice in a World Cup qualifier against Peru.

But Bauza blasted: "In Peru they said Suarez is a diver, but they also tried to make a war of the match beforehand, so the media published a photo of the Peruvian player [Juan Manuel] Vargas holding a revolver and pointing it at a celeste [Uruguay’s light blue] shirt, with a title 'kill or die'. Football is a game and not a war. However in Lima they didn’t understand it that way."

The Liverpool striker was keen to leave Anfield for a Champions League club this summer, but has remained on Merseyside after his suitors failed to meet the Reds' asking price. Arsenal's bid of £40 million plus £1, which they wrongly believed would trigger a release clause in the Uruguayan's contract, was swiftly rejected, and Bauza maintains that Suarez would not have been sold to another Premier League side under any circumstances.

Though Suarez, who scored 30 goals last season and was voted third-best player in the Premier League, has flourished despite these perceived injustices, the same cannot be said for his fellow Uruguayan Sebastian Coates. The defender, 22, has failed to secure a regular place in the Liverpool team since joining in 2011 and is currently out for the rest of the season with a knee injury.

"He found it hard to adapt," Bauza continued. "He should have played for a lesser European club, to get regular games and then go to Liverpool. Like Suarez did when he first played for Ajax in Netherlands and then moved to English football."

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Odemwingie scores debut goal in Cardiff City defeat

Peter Odemwingie made his full debut for Cardiff City and scored his first goal for the club but ended up on the losing side in a five-goal thriller in Tuesday’s League Cup game against West Ham United at Upton Park.

The Hammers raced to a two-goal lead via Ravel Morrison and Matty Jarvis seven minutes into the game before the Bluebirds got one back through Craig Noone’s stunning strike just before half time.

Odemwingie then scored his first goal for his new club with 15 minutes left to play but the visitors were left reeling when Ricardo Vaz Te headed a late goal to send his side into the fourth round. Cardiff coach Malky Mackay spoke about the former West Brom forward’s performance: Malky: "I thought Odemwingie was excellent tonight. He always looked a danger and a threat."

The player later tweeted: “Happy to score my first goal for Cardiff City. Hope many more to come in the league which is our main objective.”

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Balotelli banned for Juventus showdown

The 23-year-old confronted the officials following Milan's 2-1 loss to Napoli on Sunday and has been suspended for three matches for his actions. AC Milan will be without the services of Mario Balotelli for their trip to Juventus in October after the 23-year-old was handed a three-match ban for his red card against Napoli on Sunday.

The Italy international angrily confronted the referee following the Rossoneri's 2-1 loss to the Partenopei, picking up a second yellow card for dissent in the process. And he has now been handed a three-game ban by the Italian football authorities, ruling him out of the showdown with the Bianconeri, as well as the clashes against Bologna and Sampdoria.

"The ban was given for misconduct against an opponent and protests against the match officials as well as addressing the referee with insulting and intimidating expressions," the judge in charge explained the decision.
Balotelli had an eventful game on Sunday, missing the first penalty of his professional career, but making partial amends with a spectacular consolation goal late on.

Iwuanyanwu: given marriage a second shot.

Two years after loosing his wife of 40 years, Eudora, to cancer, 72 year old billionaire businessman and chairman of Champion newspaper, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu has given marriage a second shot. Chief Iwuanyanwu married 26 year old Frances Chinonyerem Enwerem (pictured above with him), the daughter of one of his late wife's close friends, on Saturday September 14th (traditional wedding) and this past Saturday September 21st (white wedding) in Owerri, Imo State. The new bride, who doesn't have the blessings of the Chief's children (mostly because of the age gap) is said to be expecting her first child with the extremely rich businessman cum politician. Chief Iwuanyanwu has his hands in various businesses cutting across over 20 sectors of the economy. He is the founder of the Iwuanyanwu Football club now known as the Heartland FC.

Nigerian medfielder John Mikel Obi scored his first Premier League

Nigerian midfielder John Mikel Obi scored his first Premier League goal today as his club Chelsea beat Fulham 2-0 at Stamford Bridge. His first goal in 7 years and 185 premier league games. Fantastic!