chelsea

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Mourinho brands FA fine 'a disgrace', takes a dig at Wenger

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is obsessed with his archival, Arsene Wenger. He (more recently) never misses an opportunity to throw shades at the french man.
The Portuguese coach has branded his recent fine and one-match stadium ban by Football Association (FA) fine a “disgrace” after being ordered to pay £50,000. He was handed the hefty punishment yesterday after he claimed officials were afraid to award his team penalties after referee Robert Madley denied Chelsea a penalty during their 3-1 loss to Southampton.
The 52-year-old said that it could  have only been worse if he was made to wear an electronic tag.

“I’m happy I don’t have an electronic tag. £50,000 is a disgrace. The possibility of getting a stadium ban is astonishing.”

“Afraid costs £50,000. Weak and naive – you can do it,” He added, taking a dig at the Arsenal coach who was unpunished for calling Mike Dean “weak” and “naive” following Arsenal’s 2-0 defeat by Chelsea last month. “We can push people in the technical area. We can, no problem.” He chipped in.

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Entertainment

Wenger has to cope with his defeat – Mourinho

Jose Mourinho’s post-match interviews are predictable. When his team loses, he heaps praise on his men, blames series of people plus the unthinkable for the loss. When he wins, he heaps more praises on the team and throws tantrums on opponents and stuffs. Typical of the Portuguese.
The Special One today was impressed with his team’s performance after they won their  sixth game of the season against Arsenal at the Stamford Bridge.

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‘It was a very good performance, a deserved victory, I’m happy with the performance and points. We improved a lot in the last two matches, in many aspects.  Defensively the team was much better. The attacking players defended much better than before, they created a compact zone and reacted very well to the moments when they lost the ball. That gives great stability for the players behind.



‘We were confident and comfortable with the ball. When you play against 10 men, many times teams play bad, but we played very well against 10 men, we gave them no chances and kept good balance behind the ball. The attacking players started moving much more. We deserved the victory.’
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‘Tomorrow I will watch the game again and go for stats. I will see how many times my attacking players lost the ball and recovered the ball. Lost the ball and pressed. Their work – Oscar, Diego, Eden andPedro – makes it easy to be a defender because you sit there and the attacking players do half of your job for you.’

On Wenger’s claim that Costa should have been sent off, The ex Madrid boss added.

‘I played against Arsenal many times and only once he didn’t moan. That day we lost the game, we lost the cup (Community Shield). It wasn’t good for us but we behaved in a fantastic way. No excuses, no crying, no moaning. I played my first derby in September 2000, Benfica against Sporting. I told my players before the game you need emotional control. I’ve played derbies in Portugal, Spain, Italy, England and you don’t win derbies without emotional control, it’s a basic thing. I think you should speak about Gabriel and his mistake.



‘Diego Costa played like he has to play. That’s why you have full stadiums and you sell the game around the world for millions, because the game has to be played like that. That’s why tomorrow I will go to a game which is comparable in terms of passion and dedication, New Zealand against Argentina [in the Rugby World Cup], I love it. Diego was fantastic, Man of the Match for me.
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‘It was the same referee that made every decision and didn’t give two clear penalties to us. Gabriel did something to Hazard which is allowed in rugby, not football. In the box it’s a penalty. In the second half another player did the same onDiego Costa. In rugby it’s fantastic, in football it’s a penalty. He said before the game I have to cope with my defeat, tonight he has to cope with his defeat.



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Entertainment

Cuadadro completes loan move to Juventus

Juventus have announced the signing of Chelsea’s winger, Juan Cuadrado on a season-long loan deal until June 2016. The Colombia international only joined the Blues from Fiorentina in January, but the club’s capture of Pedro from Barcelona means he is already surplus to
requirements at Stamford Bridge.

Cuadrado will instead form part of Massimiliano Allegri’s new-look Juve side, which has been weakened by the summer departures of Arturo Vidal, Carlos Tevez and Andrea Pirlo. However, the winger is the latest of a host of new arrivals in Turin, with Sami Khedira, Mario Mandzukic, Alex Sandro and Paulo Dybala among 12 new faces at
the club.
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Entertainment

Mourinho hails Pedro's outstanding debut, compares him to Maradona.

I think one of the hardest tasks in this world is trying to understand Jose Mourinho. Don’t even attempt it. The Chelsea boss  has compared the club’s latest signing, Pedro Rodriguez to football legend, Diego Maradona after the latter’s impressive debut yesterday.

The 28-year old ex Barcelona forward registered his name on the score sheet on Sunday during The Blues 3-2 clash with West Bromwich at the Hawthorns.

He told Chelsea TV, “He wasn’t quite Maradona but he was close. He’s a very good player. There is always a question mark because of how many top players come to England and don’t perform immediately.

“We have examples in our club and there are lots of examples at other clubs, so it’s very nice for him to come and straight away perform the way he did.
“I expected him to perform like that because he had a good pre-season, and he played three competitive matches. He came with minutes, with intensity, so it was not a question of intensity and condition, it was a question of understanding.
“We worked tactically every day since he arrived for him to try to understand the team and for the team to try to understand what he wants and needs. It was a very good performance.”

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Entertainment

WHAT PEDRO'S MOVE MEANS FOR CLUB, COUNTRY AND LEAGUE

After several weeks of speculations and rumors over the future of Pedro Rodriguez and his next destination, he finally completed a move to Chelsea Football Club amidst interest from several other clubs. The movement of Pedro will have impact or consequence on alot of things but most prominently; his former club, new club, home country and the new league he just joined.
FOR BARCELONA: The arrival of Luis Suarez and Neymar Jr at Barca meant less playing time for the likes of Pedro given the amount spent on them, their pedigree and status. Worse still, they formed a lethal combo with Messi and tore apart whatever stands between them and the goal post.
Unarguably, the trio deserves to start every game provided they are fit and eligible but the big question is; what happens when they are not? 
The defeat in the first leg of the Super Cup final against Athletic Bilbao after six changes was made to the starting xi portrayed a genuine concern over the depth of the squad and quality of the bench. 
All of these makes the dedication and commitment with which they went about the sale of Pedro shocking. He is one of the few players that has shown time and time again that he can deliver whenever his called upon no matter how big the occasion is.
The poorest reply to having a young side that finished last in the second division, a poor bench and a transfer ban that won’t be lifted until January is selling an established player who may not be good enough to break into the best eleven but good enough to make a mark incase things go awry.  Just like Gab Marcotti put it, Pedro was Barca’s insurance if and when something goes wrong with MSN and the thing about insurance is that – it may seem irrelevant and somewhat needless but they day something goes wrong, one would be glad to have it in place.  It is hard to see how exactly the sale of Pedro profits Barcelona except for the million they got from it.

FOR CHELSEA: A run of three games without a win, shambolic display against city and front line that consists of a striker that has now taken to fighting rather than scoring and disappearing wingers highlights the need for new injection.  Chelsea have not had it easy since the commencement of the season and the side cries for renewed motivation, fresh legs and quality. 
In Pedro, they may have found answers to certain problems. He is a forward-minded player who scores effortlessly, dribbles well and as well plays with the team. Moreso, Pedro isn’t a kind of player that disappears or fits into the pocket of defenders, rather, he is knows to always deliver!

Huge wealth of experience, immense quality, number of European titles and a world Cup medal all at €30Million is sure a good bargain. I mean, we know of someone that only boasts of prospect, few goals /assists and a number of kids but cost £50Million.
FOR THE ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE: The English Premier League is by far the most competitive and glamorous league in the world and this is a result of the stars it parades who inevitably provides premium entertainment in goals, dribbles and style. This doesn’t only increase its fan base but also attracts players from leagues across Europe. The addition of Pedro adds to that and fans of the league may as well be ready for an increased dose of entertainment.
However, the signing of Pedro (and a few others from other leagues) also adds to the growing concern of foreign influx into the league which has led to the dearth of home grown talent.
The home grown rule designed by the England FA to compel clubs to sign or include home grown players in their squad won’t mean much if these players don’t get to play. It forfeits the intention of the rule and in the long run, renders it ineffective.

Just like Biola Kazeem put it in a twitter chat with a blog recently (read it here ), the EPL’s success is a blessing and a CURSE and that sums the consequence or impact of Pedro’s addition to the league.
FOR SPAIN: The first thing that comes to mind at the mention of the Spain National team isn’t the exciting and talent-ridden squad that won the world Cup in South Africa but an ailing, disjointed team that was dumped out in the group stage in Brazil.  There is no gain-saying that Spain needs new, fresh legs with more zeal, motivation and hunger for success. 
Truth be told, there are talent but questions can be raised over experience, exposure and club playing time.  Summarily, the lack of playing time for players like Pedro hurts the National team.  At 28, Pedro doesn’t qualify as a ‘young talent’ but his quality, wealth of experience and knowledge of the tactics and game plan of the squad is priceless and hugely needed. 
His move to Chelsea means less time on the bench and more time on the field of play where he can regain confidence, fitness and form. With Euro 2016 just around the corner, Spain have every reason to smile at this move.

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Adeshina Peter
You can follow him on Twitter via @shina_pitta

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Entertainment

Chelsea complete signing of Pedro

After several weeks of speculations and links with several clubs, Pedro Rodriguez has finally completed a move to Chelsea Fc of England for €30Million. Pedro grew frustrated with a lack of first team football at Barcelona following the arrival of Luis Suarez and Neymar Jr.
A statement on the Barcelona website read: 
“FC Barcelona and Chelsea FC have reached an agreement for the transfer of Pedro Rodriguez for €30 million, of which €3m are dependent on performance. The club wishes to publicly
express its gratitude to Pedro Rodriguez for his professionalism and dedication while with the club, as well as to wish him all the best in the future.”

Pedro told the Chelsea website:

 “I am very happy to be here. I am very excited to start my adventure at Chelsea and I am here to keep winning titles. Thanks to the club and the supporters for giving me the opportunity to put the blue shirt on.”

Sources told ESPN FC on Wednesday that conversations with former Barcelona teammates such as Cesc Fabregas and Victor Valdes caused Pedro to reconsider his first preference and United ended their interest in signing the winger despite Manchester United manager Louis Van Gaal’s praise for the player earlier this month. Chelsea are now expected to sell winger Juan Cuadadro less than nine months after his £23m move from Fiorentina in February.
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Entertainment

Money, ambition and betrayal: the bitter story of Pedro's walkout on Manchester United |By: Seyi Peters

Like the English and Catalan papers report today, the sports world is buzzing with plenty of detail about how Chelsea hijacked Pedro’s move to Manchester United.
The Spanish international had sought a move from Barcelona, where his opportunities have been limited by the dazzling performance of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez.
Despite the fact that Mourinho had rejected the chance to sign him in January, Pedro was delighted when Chelsea revived their interest. He was said to have been unconvinced about a move to Old Trafford, perhaps detecting Van Gaal’s doubts about his suitability.         
United’s take on the matter on Wednesday night was that they withdrew from the deal on Tuesday when the manager decided he didn’t want the Barcelona player after all. Hmmm!
It seemed a strange explanation, given chief executive Ed Woodward had been in Catalonia as recently as Monday, but Van Gaal has always had reservations about Pedro, as reported in Sportsmail.
According to new reports, Chelsea’s dramatic swoop to sign Pedro was masterminded by manager Jose Mourinho, director Marina Granovskaia, Cesc Fabregas and the midfielder’s girlfriend,Carolina Martin. In this piece, we reveal the reasons why Pedro joined Chelsea over Manchester United, despite the latter seemingly chasing his signature for weeks now.
First, we believe Manchester United delayed in their approach to sign the 28-year-old. This attitude must have convinced the Barcelona forward to join Chelsea, once they made their move on Tuesday.
The main actor behind the transfer coup is Roman Abramovich’s right hand woman, Marina Granovskaia. She has been credited with swiftly securing the Pedro move, for a fee of 28 million euros, plus two in incentives.
It is alleged that he turned his back on a move to Manchester United after reportedly being warned about Louis van Gaal’s tough style of management.
Further revelations reveal that both Jose Mourinho and Cesc Fabregas spoke with Pedro to convince him to sign on at Stamford Bridge. In addition, Cesc’s wife Daniela Seeman’s spoke with Pedro’s other half, Carolina Martin to convince her partner to move to London.
Finally, El Mundo Deportivo add that Pedro and his family preferred to live in London rather than Manchester.
Since Chelsea paid Pedro’s release clause, Barcelona were keen to accept and avoid any tax issues, a fact Manchester United negotiator Ed Woodward did not seem to understand as well.
Now that Pedro has passed his medical at Chelsea and the final negotiations centre on the length of his contract at Stamford Bridge, likely to be three years plus one depending on variables, Mourinho will hope the 5ft 5in forward can inject the required pace, urgency and goals into a team who have opened the season in sluggish style, taking one point from two games.
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Entertainment

Chelsea hijack Pedro from Manchester United

Chelsea are close to completing the signing of Barcelona’s Pedro Rodriguez who Manchester United have targeted and chased for several weeks. Chelsea have agreed to pay a fee of €28 million (£19.7m) with a further €2m (£1.4m) in add-ons to sign the winger, who underwent a medical in London on Wednesday, according to sources.
United had long been expected to close a deal for the 28-year-old, with the Spain international having agreed terms with the Old Trafford club, only for executive vice chairman Ed Woodward to encounter frustration in negotiations with Barca.

Once aware of that, Chelsea decided to immediately act on Jose Mourinho’s own long-held interest in the player, and the green light was given at Stamford Bridge to try to hijack the move in the manner they did to Tottenham Hotspur with Willian two years ago.

On Wednesday, sources said that United have ended their interest in signing the winger, despite Louis van Gaal’s previous praise for the player. Pedro has a £22m release clause in his contract at Camp Nou and United had considered that a reasonable amount.
But although the Spaniard is a player manager Van Gaal liked, the fact he opted not to activate the buyout clause over the past few weeks is a sign the Dutchman harbored doubts about whether to purchase him.
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Photo: We hope Mourinho didn't notice this Manchester City fan

Lemme explain to those who don’t get the drift. The name Eva Carneiro should ring a bell to real Chelsea fans. Long story short. She’s Chelsea’s team doctor.  She fell out with the Chelsea boss, Jose Mourinho  after she entered the pitch to treat Eden Hazard as Chelsea were defending a set piece during their 2-2 draw at home to Swansea City a week ago. 
Mourinho claimed she didn’t understand the game, one thing led to another and she was stripped of her match day duties, a development which saddened most if not all Chelsea fans.
So this naughty Manchester City fan today decided to irk the hell out or better still poke fun at of the Blues manager today. He sat near the Chelsea dugout, dressed up as a doctor with a white jacket and stethoscope and a badge round his neck which read “Chelsea Team Doctor”- representing the absent Eva Carneiro.
I hope Eva sees the picture and smiles. As for Mourinho, hope he noticed the dude before the game. 
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Entertainment

Swansea hold Chelsea in season opener

Chelsea began their title defence with a fascinating 2-all draw with Swansea in a match that saw Thibaut Courtois sent off for an infringement in the box.
A free kick out wide saw Oscar curl the ball into the area and it evaded everyone, including goalkeeper Lukas Fabianski, to put Chelsea ahead.
Swansea rallied and came back into the game as Jefferson Montero got away and swung in a wonderful cross; Gomis
headed it back across goal but Courtois parried only for Andre Ayew to control and slot home past the despairing John Terry.

The scores were level for less than a few minutes though, as Willian’s shot from a tight angle looped over Fabianski and into the far corner to make it 2-1 at the break.
Ten minutes into the second half, the game turned on its head. A long ball over the top saw Gomis onside — with
Willian playing him on — and Courtois rushed out of his goal to bring down the Frenchman. The referee adjudged the
foul had taken place in the box and the Belgian goalkeeper was sent off and a penalty awarded.

Gomis picked himself up and slotted past Asmir Begovic to make it 2-2, with Oscar taken off and the Blues down to 10
men.

The red card will keep Courtois out of the crucial tie with Manchester City.
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