Samuel Eto'o: Is he really worth it?

In one of the biggest transfer deals of the summer, Russian club Anzhi completed the signing of Samuel Eto'o several days ago. The club paid Inter around 20 million pounds for his services, and he is now reputedly the highest earning footballer in the world, even though the owner of Anzhi strongly denies it.

I think this deal was both the most surprising and strange of the summer. Eto'o has obviously gone to Anzhi for the money. Even though he claims that he wants to be part of the project the Russian club is trying to do (i.e. become a top club). Eto'o is now 30, so you could say that he is probably on the way down rather than on the way up, even though he is still undoubtedly a top player.

The other thing that strikes me is that who would ever want to join Anzhi? They play their games in a remote part of Russia but are based in Moscow, requiring a long plane journey to get to their home ground every time they play a game. A LOT OF MONEY must be needed to convince players to join.

In my opinion, Eto'o is not worth what they paid for him, and, quite honestly, Anzhi might have been better off getting a top Russian player (e.g. Andrei Arshavin) rather than paying a foreigner a whole ton of money.

Anderson Silva: The G.O.A.T?

UFC 134 took place last night in Rio, with the main event a fight between Anderson Silva and Yushin Okami. I didn't bother with predictions as it was already a forgone conclusion: Anderson Silva would win. He did win, obviously, with a second round TKO of Okami. Anderson Silva is quite literally unbeatable at the moment, and Dana White even called him the greatest of all time in the post-fight press conference.

Is truly the greatest though? As far as I'm concerned, no. Or at least not until he has beaten Georges St. Pierre. The UFC have for some unexplicable reason been putting off this fight to end all fights. It would make them a massive amount of money, and it would decide quite simply who the greatest UFC fighter is today.

If the fight were to happen, I do think Silva would win, which would in my mind make him the G.O.A.T, however, it would still be a very close fight.

Nevertheless, Anderson Silva clearly is today the best fighter in the UFC. Nobody can really argue that it is not the case. He has the longest undefeated streak in UFC history and is #1 pound for pound according to Sherdog.

Another things to think about is his age. It is still reasonably surprising that at 36, he is still at the very top of his game, and that he hasn't declined at all, unlike other fighters such as Mirko Cro Cop. I think it's almost guaranteed that Silva will retire Middleweight champion, and who knows what he will achieve before the end of his career.

Some Good Transfer Targets for Arsenal...

Arsenal desperately need to sign at least 3 quality players to get things going again. The losses of Nasri and Fabregas were hard, especially that of Nasri. Wenger now really needs to rebuild his team fast in the space of 6 days. This sounds ridiculous, but it has to be done. If Arsenal don't sign anybody, they will have a dismal season. And this is an Arsenal fan speaking. Here are a list of the players I would most like to see replace Fabregas and Nasri:

1) HULK

For me, Hulk is of the calibre of Messi and Ronaldo. Definitely one of the best players in the world, he can play all across attacking midfield and as a striker, although I find he works best on the left wing. He's a really strong but technically gifted player who can do everything and is a really good set-piece taker. He's got a release clause of 88 million pounds, and he is clearly not for sale, but I reckon a bid of 50-60 million could get Porto to change their minds.

2. GARY CAHILL

Arsenal, more than anything, are in need of a good, solid, strong, centre back. Gary Cahill matches all of those. He's been a key player for Bolton in the past few years, and has been an integral part of their defence. Something in the region of 15 million could get him down to the Emirates, and that, I think would be a bargain. What's more, he's English and would boss the team around a bit.

3) MARCO MATERAZZI

Probably the biggest bargain of my list is this guy, Marco Materazzi. Everybody knows that he is rock solid, tackles hard and does not put up with any crap. Don't mess with him. He's currently a free agent and from what I read wants to play 1 more year then retire. Arsenal should sign him. I imagine that he wouldn't play all the time, as he is 38, but Arsenal need lots of experience and Materazzi brings that to the table. A World Cup winner, a multiple Serie A winner, he's got headbutted, basically, he's been there and done it. Exactly what Arsenal need. He could come on in the last 10 minutes of a match to give Arsenal some stability and to make sure they don't concede.

So those are the 3 people I would most like to see in an Arsenal shirt, even though there is only a 1% chance of Wenger signing any of them. As for people who should leave, it's the usual people who get criticized: Squillaci, Almunia, and Bendtner. If they go, I think it will do the team some good. It will also free up wage room of course, not that it is needed.

Rugby World Cup 2011: Preview

So, the time has come for another Rugby World Cup which this year is being held in New Zealand. The warm-ups have already started, with Wales, England, New-Zealand and all the usual suspects looking good. It promises as ever to be an interesting World Cup as their are many teams who can potentially win it.

New Zealand come in favorites, but I have my doubts as to whether they will win. They are always the best team in the world in test matches, but when it comes to playing at the World Cup, they always seem to crumble. They've only won it once, and that was the first time it was ever held in 1989.

I think apart from New Zealand, teams like England, Australia and South Africa really have a good shot at winning. Potentially even Wales. South Africa are a pretty regular and consistent team, they won last year, and Australia seem to have built up a young and exciting team with really talented players such as Kurtley Beale and James O'Connor.

My dark horses in the competition? Argentina. They got to the semi-finals last time and really are an up and coming force in rugby. Also Italy have been improving massively over the past few years, so teams like that could really cause quite a big shock. They realistically won't win, but could cause a shock by reaching the semi final. 

Hulk: Don't Make Him Mad!!

I went to watch FC Porto play Gil Vicente yesterday at the Estadio do Dragao. Porto won 3-1, but the game remphasized one thing: Hulk is by far and away one of the best players in the world. He is right up there with Messi, Ronaldo, Xavi etc... His display against Gil Vicente was phenomenal. He had a part to play in every single Porto goal: scored the first through a penalty, assisted on the second through a corner and scored the third on a free kick. It was more a less a one man show.

Will he be leaving Porto? I don't think so. His release clause is around 100 million euros, so unless somebody can produce that kind of money, he'll stay put. The rumour that Tottenham want to buy him therefore is complete rubbish, besides, I've decided that Harry Redknapp is a bargain hunter, who looks for Real Madrid and Man City rejects. So Hulk is not for him.

The compilation above shows just some of the Brazilian's skills (IT IS NOT MINE, I DID NOT MAKE IT). Even with the blow Porto suffered through the departure of Falcao for 40 million, Hulk I think can still take them to Portuguese Liga glory and beyond.

Real Madrid vs Barcelona: Always Brilliant

If you ask me what the most intense rivalry is between football clubs I would probably answer Partizan vs Red Star or Celtic vs Rangers. However, if you ask me what the most exciting derby in the world there is absolutely no doubt: Real Madrid vs Barcelona. Every single game delivers everything: goals, red cards, big fights, managers swearing and complaining, controversy, great saves, great players... need I go on?

If you look at the last few times the two have played, in the Spanish Super Cup for example, the results of the two legs were 2-2 and 3-2 to Barca. In the latter of the two matches, Marcelo got sent off, and there was a mass brawl at the end of the game between the players. Mourinho then made comments about a refereeing conspiracy against Real Madrid, something which he also brought up after their Champions League exit last year.

If somebody had never watched football before and asked me which game they should watch, I would definitely say Real vs Barca. It's unrivaled. But what makes El Clasico THE GAME to watch in football?

Is it the fact that arguably the two best teams in the world are playing each other, is it the bitter rivalry between the two (even though it is friendly compared to a Celtic vs Rangers or Partizan vs Red Star) or is it the personalities of the managers/the poor standard of refereeing. I think it is all of these and that is the very reason why this derby is so unique and out of this world.

The Best Save Ever

I am sure if you follow football you have seen this, or heard of it. For me, it's the greatest save of all time. Gordon Banks vs Pele is right up there, but for me this one takes the biscuit for its sheer crazyness. Nobody had ever seen anything like it when Rene Higuita pulled it off against England. Enjoy!!

England: What's so special?

I have been doing a lot of football related posts recently, so I thought it was time to diversify. The England cricket team have recently been, it is fair to say, humiliating India in the Test series. However, I think this is more down to India having almost all their best players out injured than England being particularly good.

Let's face it, the Ashes saw England take on a really bad Australia team: Ricky Ponting in decline, and the youngsters not really stepping up to the plate. Their win for a combination of the Australians being bad and them playing out of their skin. for once.

The cricket World Cup I feel was a true indicator of England's level: decent, but not very good. Now I appreciate that 50 over cricket is really quite different from Tests, but the principle is still the same. When they came face to face with a full strength Sri Lanka (or even Ireland!) they couldn't cope.

My reasoning for their resounding success in the Tests against the Indians therefore is the number of injuries on the India team. Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, these are really important players for the Indians: without them, they have almost no good bowlers. And in the last test, Virender Sehwag, a key batsman for them, didn't even score a run!

It's Time...

This date is marked down in calendars across the country. The start of the Barclays Premier League season. This season is going to be more competitive than ever, with about 5 teams who can realistically challenge for the title. It also goes without saying that the relegation scrap will be tighter than ever, as there are also plausibly 5 or 6 teams who could go down.

Who do I think will win the Premier League title? Without the shadow of a doubt, Chelsea. They have got the second best manager in the world in Andre Villas-Boas (after Jose Mourinho) and seeing what VB did last year with Porto, I'm honestly quite scared as an Arsenal fan. I reckon it could be close, and Chelsea won't go undefeated, but I think they will win it.

Man Utd have tried to replace the old players by signing the likes of Young, De Gea and Jones, but I'm not very convinced. De Gea looked shaky in the Community Shield, but I do realise that he needs time to show what he can do. Also, I think it will take more than a season for Man Utd to adjust to playing without Scholes and Van der Sar, who really were, extraordinary.

On the other hand, I feel that the team that could turn some heads is Man City. I fancy them to steal second place in front of Man Utd, as I feel they have generally better players, especially with signing of Sergio Aguero and the imminent arrival of Samir Nasri. Finally, Arsenal, my team, really need to strengthen the defensive areas if they are to have any chance. Wenger needs to get off his arse and start buying defenders: not keep buying strikers.

The Fabregas and Nasri Saga: The End?

Firstly, thank you Cesc. What you have contributed to Arsenal in the time you have played for the Gunners has been invaluable. But I guess everybody has to move on. Cesc Fabgreas should be a Barcelona player by the weekend, after Arsenal have accepted Barcelona's bid, believed to be around 35 million.

This has arguably been the biggest transfer story in football since Cristiano Ronaldo, and it should all finally come to an end this weekend. Cesc Fabregas was clearly unhappy, and I said before in a previous post that Arsenal should just sell him. Get the money and reinvest it into several new players. The basic "money ball" approach, what Liverpool did with Fernando Torres.

Now, at least for me, comes the more worrying and frustrating part: Samir Nasri. If he leaves to Man City as expected for 25 million, it really will be a big blow. I felt that last season he was a key part of the team, more so than Fabregas. But again, he is clearly unhappy and I think that when that's the car, for the harmony of the squad, it's best just to let them go.

Nasri will I think be harder to replace than Fabregas, but I do believe it is possible. Jadson of Shakhtar has been linked to Arsenal, and I think they should spend half of the money from the Nasri and Fabregas deals to sign not one but two world class centre backs. Vermaelen is fairly injury prone, and Koscielny, who is a good player, is a bit irregular. As for Squillaci and Djourou, they should be back up.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain: The Future

I was absolutely delighted when I found out that Arsenal had managed to sign Alex Oxlade Chamberlain, AOC for short. All the big clubs, Man Utd to name but one had been chasing him, but Arsenal were the club who eventually managed to get his signature for around 12 million pounds.

The wonder kid is being compared to Theo Walcott, but I really think that they're different players. Whereas Walcott is pure speed and plays either on the wing or up front, Chamberlain is, as far as I know, more a central attacking midfielder (although he can also play on the wing). They both possess incredible speed, as I mentioned before, but whereas Walcott is more the finisher, Chamberlain is the creator, i.e they will be unstoppable together.

Above is just a good compilation of his skills I found on Youtube, IT IS NOT MINE, I DID NOT MAKE IT.

Rashad Evans: Impressive

So, Rashad Evans convincingly knocks out Tito Ortiz at UFC 133. I admit that I had Ortiz down to win before the fight, but at the same time, it was really quite hard to predict. Their last fight in 2007 was a draw, and coming into the fight, both fighters were in different situations. Evans had not fought in ages, so you could argue that he was fresher but at the same time lacking in actual fights. Ortiz on the other hand fought at the last UFC event, so he had plenty of UFC fights, but on the other hand, that could have possibly meant that he would have been more tired.

Before Evans finished the fight in the second round, I would say it was fairly evenly balanced, with Evans possibly having a slight edge. Whereas Ortiz tried to take the fight to ground and win by submission, Evans for the most part wanted to stay standing and get into a slugfest. Ortiz had to chances to submit Evans but the latter escaped on both occasions, whereas eventually what won the fight for Evans was ground and pound, starting off with a powerful knee to the chest of Ortiz.

For me, the best moment was unarguably the massive powerslam on Ortiz by Evans (pictured). He made it look so easy, and although it didn't result in much, it just showed that Evans was the better fighter and was a hint of what was to come later on in the fight.

In other fights, Belfort knocked out Akiyama and Hallman lost to Brian Ebersole via TKO. Ebersole looked pretty impressive, and Hallman couldn't really handle him. Hallman attempted a submission, which failed, leaving Ebersole to ground and pound and get the victory. It was rather like Ortiz vs Evans, in that sense.

Why is nobody signing these players???

I was shocked and surprised to find out some of the players who have been released on free transfers this summer but have not yet found a club. Matthew Upson, the England international centre back, John Carew, the powerhouse Norway striker and Thomas Hitzlsperger the German midfielder are still without a club.

It's ridiculous that Arsenal; haven't yet approached Upson. He's a great centre back, and what's more, he knows Arsenal well, having come up through the youth academy there. As Harry Redknapp would say, it's a no-brainer. Furthermore, he's English and experienced, exactly what Arsenal need. Why spend 15 million on Jagielka when you can get someone more a less as good for free??

Another top player on a free: John Carew. He's a perfect fit for the Premier League, big, tall and can really give you a lot of aerial presence on corners. There must be a club who could use him. The list really does go on, and it features Sol Campbell, Thomas Hitzlsperger (who's only 29) and Richard Kingson, who's a really good international calibre keeper for Ghana.

The explanation for the lack of interest in these players is simple: the world is broke. The clubs can't afford their wages, which really is a massive shame. But that really doesn't explain why Arsenal can't sign somebody like Upson, who is still in the prime of his career. And Wenger, if it's because he's over thirty, it doesn't make sense. YOU GET HIM FREE!!!

Here is the best XI of free players, as made by the BBC:

Kingson

Parnaby Upson Campbell Samuel

Koumas Zenden Hitzlsperger

McFadden Carew M. Bent

Mark Cavendish: Where will he go?

Mark Cavendish is coming to the end of his contract with Team HTC and has predictably received many offers from almost all the teams, presumably. He has not really made it clear where he wants to go, but it looks quite likely he will leave seeing as Team HTC are looking and and at the moment failing to find a new sponsor.

Where do I think he will go? After his interview on BBC 5 Live band what he said, I'm going to say quite surprisingly, Quickstep. Quickstep itself is going through some sponsor type turmoil at the moment also, as they are trying to link up with Omega Pharma Lotto, the team of Phillipe Gilbert.

But what makes me say Quickstep is the fact that Cavendish said that "there was one more ingredient". That ingredient could of course be many things, but I think it's Peter and Martin Velits, who have joined Quickstep from HTC and formed and important part of Cavendish's lead out train.

It would also make sense: they have no real top sprinters but have lots of lead out men. Ciolek and Steegmans, for example. Boonen is now a classics rider. He now longer has the style of a sprinter. But who knows, he could just stay on at HTC if they find a sponsor or go elsewhere. Or go to team Sky: that would also make sense, with a view to the 2012 Olympics.

Is Modric really any good?

Tottenham supporters are probably furious seeing this, but it is a valid question? Is he any good? I mean, what does he actually do? What is the Modric role? On paper his stats are dismal: barely any goals, barely any assists. So, it must be on the pitch that he makes the difference.

The few times I've watched him, I'd describe him as the player who passes to the player who assists. He plays in central midfield, quite deep, and he certainly doesn't play in behind the strikers. He's not really an offensive midfielder. Tottenham play through Modric, he's the link to the defence and the attack, if you like.

The problem is though that Chelsea for example already have a few players in more a less that role who would have to be kicked out of the team, Ramires, for example. It has to be said that Ramires really was a terrible signing, and I expect that Chelsea are going to try and sell him. Then Modric would be free to come in and hopefully do a better job, but I mean I'm just not a fan of that type of invisible player.

I mean they obviously make the team blend and work well, but I'd much rather have a defensive midfielder than a Modric. It makes the team more solid and you can actually see them making a contribution. He will get stuck in, and I just don't see that happening with the wiry frames of either Ramires or Modric. Nevertheless though, this could be the way football is going: a player who passes to the player who assists.