The Discussions on the show today: Local News: 1. Moses backs Keshi on his outser Nigeria international winger Victor Moses believes Super Eagles head coach Stephen Keshi was right in dropping him for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifying matches against Congo and South Africa. The African champions will face Congo in Pointe-Noire on November 15 before rounding off their group campaign against South Africa four days later in Uyo. Moses was left out of both games by Keshi who explained that the recent injury suffered by the winger influenced his decision. I left (Moses) out because he’s just coming back from injury and we don’t want to take any risks. Everyone knows what I think of Victor. He’s a good kid and a very talented footballer but at this point, for the upcoming games, we don’t want to take any risks. The first game we will play in Pointe-Noire, Congo, will be on an artificial surface and a lot of players don’t react well to that. I would not want him to aggravate the injury. You also have to think of the players too, Keshi said on Nov 2 Moses has now revealed that Keshi was spot on in his decision to exclude him from the squad for both games. Theres a reason Im not in it (the Nigeria squad) and the manager (Keshi) has said Im just getting back from injury and he didnt want to take the risk with me. I think he was right to do that. Im the sort of player who always wants to represent Nigeria, but I just need to make sure I get myself back to full fitness, the winger told Stoke Sentinel 2. Bifouma must be stopped Nigeria international midfielder, Ramon Azeez has sounded a note of warning to Super Eagles players ahead of Saturday’s 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifying game against Congo in Pointe-Noire. Azeez believes Thievy Bifouma has the capability of ruining Nigeria’s chances of reaching the 2015 Afcon if he’s not carefully watched during Saturday’s encounter at the Stade Municipal. Bifouma who plys his trade for Spanish club, Almeria netted a double as the Super Eagles suffered a shock 2-3 defeat in the reverse fixture in Calabar on 6 September. “He (Bifouma) is an excellent footballer and he proved it in Calabar when he scored two goals against us. I watch him train every day and I can say he’s very good,” Bifouma proved his worth by scoring a brilliant goal against FC Barcelona in La Liga on Saturday “He has been doing well for us (Almeria) and he scored against Barcelona at the weekend. 3. Caf has rejected Angola’s plea for shift of venue The Confederation of African Football have rejected Angola’s request to move their last African Nations Cup qualifier from Burkina Faso to a neutral venue for safety reasons following the overthrow of long-standing president Blaise Compaore. The Angolan Football Federation said it had asked the Confederation of African Football to shift the Group C game on November 19 to a neutral venue or to Luanda. It is a potentially decisive match in the bid to qualify for the 2015 finals. But Caf said the situation had calmed down in the Burkinabe capital and there was no need to move the date. In a letter to the Angolan Football Association, it said the game would go ahead as planned in Ouagadougou. Compaore was overthrown after massive protests two weeks ago but last week most businesses were open in Ouagadougou as the city returned to normal. Angola, who lie in third place in their group, must effectively win their last two qualifiers to have any chance of advancing. They first host Gabon in Luanda on November 15 before the game against the Burkinabe. Gabon top the group standings with two games left on eight points, one more than Burkina Faso and four more than Angola. Lesotho are last on two points. 4. Malawi turn to veterans for Mali clash Malawi coach Young Chimodzi has turned to veterans Fischer Kondowe, Esau Kanyenda and Peter Wadabwa, hoping they can rescue the Flames when welcoming Mali in this Saturday’s 2015 Africa Cup of Nations Group B qualifier at the Kamuzu Stadium, Blantyre. Speaking when unveiling the 21-member squad in Blantyre on Friday, the Flames assistant coach, Jack Chamangwana, said the trio’s experience would be vital if they are to beat Mali and Ethiopia away three days later. Malawi currently sit bottom on three points in the group. “In this game, we need experience. These players have been doing well at their respective clubs and that is why we have recalled them. We will have just a week of training, hence experience will be vital,” Chamangwana told the press. Kanyenda and Kondowe play for Polokwane City in South Africas Premier League and Malawi league title-chasing Big Bullets respectively. Also back in the fold is Mozambique-based striker Zicco Mkanda from newly crowned league champions Liga Muculmana. Captain Joseph Kamwendo, who plays for TP Mazembe has also recovered from a leg injury and will make the squad, but Wadabwa of Silver Strikers is an injury doubt. INTERNATIONAL 1. Dzeko out of Bosnias Euro qualifier in Haifa Bosnia striker Edin Dzeko will miss Sundays Euro 2016 qualifier away to Israel due to a calf injury and could be sidelined for up to three weeks, team doctor Reuf Karabeg said. Its a very serious injury and requires the kind of treatment whose time-frame unfortunately rules out a quick return, Karabeg told the Bosnian football federation website ( nfsbih.ba) on Monday. Dzeko said: I am extremely disappointed with the news that I will miss this match but I have faith in my teammates and believe that they have it in them to get a result. Dzekos absence will be a bitter blow to injury-hit Bosnias hopes of getting their Group B campaign on track after taking only two points from the opening three games. His strike partner Vedad Ibisevic was earlier ruled out as a long-term casualty while defender Avdija Vrsajevic and central midfielder Tino Sven Susic are also unlikely to recover in time for the clash in Haifa. He limped off the pitch four minutes after coming on as a substitute in Manchester Citys 2-2 draw at Queens Park Rangers on Saturday and Bosnia coach Safet Susic said earlier on Monday his team had no chance of winning without their top scorer. If Dzeko cant play we will be resigned to playing for a draw against Israel because we have no hope of winning without him, Susic told Bosnias FENA news agency. 2. Oscar to remain at Chelsea til 2019 Chelsea midfielder Oscar has signed a new contract keeping him at Stamford Bridge until 2019. Oscar, 23, moved to the London club from Brazilian side Internacional for a reported 20 million pounds in summer 2012 and has impressed during his two years in England. He posted on social media on November 10, 2014 Until 2019 my heart will keep on pumping BLUE blood!��#ComeOnChelsea #ComeOnBlues #CFC #Oscar8 - Oscar (@oscar8) He told Chelseas official website: I am so happy because I love playing for Chelsea and living in England. I have enjoyed playing here for two years and now I have five more, so I am very happy. The Brazilian has been in fine form so far this season, scoring three goals and creating two more in the Premier League as the unbeaten Blues top the table by four points. Oscar won Chelseas goal of the season award for a Champions League strike against Juventus on his first start in the 2012-13 campaign, and went on to score 12 goals as he ended the season with a Europe League winners medal. The attacking midfielder struck 11 more the following season as Chelsea came third in the Premier League, finishing as the clubs joint third-highest scorer. Nicknamed in Nigeria as Obaby ! 3. Manchester United defensive problems have made me better - David De Gea David De Gea believes Manchester Uniteds injury-hit defence has made him a better goalkeeper this season, but is confident the team will begin to find consistency in the Premier League. Louis van Gaal named his third formation in just 12 games as well as selecting midfielder Daley Blind and 19-year-old Paddy McNair as centre-backs in Saturdays 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace, with injuries and suspensions restricting his quest for consistency at Old Trafford. De Gea admits it has been a tough start to the season given Uniteds defensive concerns, though the Spainiard -- who recorded his 50th clean sheet for United against the Eagles -- has backed the teams world-class attack to lead them on from sixth in the table. When asked on his dealings with different defensive selections every week, the 24-year-old told the clubs official website: It obviously makes things very difficult but thats football and its my job to be able to adapt to different situations. As a goalkeeper its important to form a good understanding with your back four and become familiar with each others positions on the pitch. Its difficult when the players arent there but you have to adapt and concentrate on your job. The experience has definitely helped me improve. My all-round performance has improved, but especially my concentration and being more tactically aware. Ive really focused on my work in training to make sure I can produce the performances that are needed on the pitch. As a Manchester United player, you never stop learning and improving and you always have to strive to keep doing better. Blind and McNair formed an unfamiliar centre-back pairing on Saturday with Chris Smalling suspended and injuries to Phil Jones, Jonny Evans and Marcos Rojo, though De Gea insists United are improving despite their problems. In terms of maintaining a solid level of performance we need to have the consistency of players in the squad so hopefully everyone will be fit very soon. That will help us continue to improve. Having an overview of the whole pitch makes it easy for me to see that we are more compact and are making it very difficult for other teams to create opportunities to score. I feel we have some of the best strikers in the world playing for us -- we just need to take our chances and reap the rewards of the opportunities were creating. Goals win games and winning games gets us points and we need to keep picking up more. 4. Sources: Manuel Pellegrinis job is not under threat at Manchester City Manuel Pellegrini still retains the backing of Manchester City and his job is not under threat despite their poor start to the season, sources have told press (Talksports). The Premier League champions have suffered setbacks in all three competitions, prompting suggestions Pellegrini was in danger of the sack. But the club remain very much behind the 61-year-old Chilean. Pellegrinis predecessor Roberto Mancini was sacked in 2013 after a season when City failed to defend their Premier League title and came fourth in their Champions League group. But there is a belief at the Etihad Stadium that Pellegrini was not given the credit he deserved for his achievements last season. The former Villarreal, Real Madrid and Malaga boss won the title in his first year in England and also lifted the Capital One Cup. In addition, he secured 15 points in the Champions League group stage to help City qualified for the knockout stages for the first time. However, City are currently eight points behind league leaders Chelsea, were knocked out of the Capital One Cup by Newcastle and have only won one of their last six games in all competitions. They are also suffering in the Champions League after only taking two points from their first four games in Europe -- following a disappointing 2-1 defeat to CSKA Moscow -- and Pellegrini admitted on Friday it would be a step back for the club if they were to fail to reach the last-16 of the competition. Though, former City midfielder Joey Barton, who was part of the QPR side that drew 2-2 with them on Saturday, suggested Pellegrini could win the league and still lose his job. He told national newspapers: You are always only four or five results away from pressure. He won the league last year, but a couple of abject results and performances in Europe and all of a sudden he is under the cosh. This is the madness of the Premier League. 5. Man Uniteds Radamel Falcao to miss Colombia friendly against U.S. Manchester United striker Radamel Falcao will miss Colombias international friendlies against the U.S. and Slovenia as concern over his injury problems grows. Falcao has been sidelined for Uniteds last four games with a calf problem, and has not started a club game since Oct. 5, when he scored his only United goal so far in the 2-1 home win over Everton. The 28-year-old, who sat out the World Cup with a cruciate ligament injury suffered in January, was pictured after the Everton match with an ice pack on his left knee. United signed Falcao on a season-long loan from Monaco on the final day of the summer transfer window. Contrary to reports, United have neither decided to buy Falcao on a permanent deal -- which would cost around 44 million pounds -- when his loan spell expires in the summer nor concluded that they will not. However, his chances of earning a longer-term move will be lessened if he is sidelined. With Falcao out, United manager Louis van Gaal has changed the teams shape and is now fielding only one out-and-out striker, meaning he may have to decide between Falcao and Robin van Persie when both are available again. In Falcaos absence, Teofilo Gutierrez, Jackson Martinez, Adrian Ramos, Carlos Bacca and Yimmi Chara are the strikers in Colombia manager Jose Pekermans squad for the friendlies. 6. Mario Balotelli must prove himself for Italy, says Antonio Conte Italy coach Antonio Conte believes Mario Balotelli should not be treated any differently from his peers but has urged the Liverpool striker to prove himself following his recall to the national side. The 24-year-old has had a miserable start to his Anfield career with just two goals, neither of which have been in the Premier League, and criticism is growing over his contribution. With that in mind it was something of a surprise he was recalled to the Italy squad but Conte, while having some sympathy for the player, wants to see for himself the state of Balotellis game. Personally, Im not going to pay attention to talk about the club, he told a news conference as his squad gathered for their Euro 2016 qualifier against Croatia and friendly against Albania. People try to exaggerate each situation and I feel sorry for him. Today he is here and he has to answer to me. I will judge him by what he does in the next seven to nine days. Im worried that people see Balotelli differently to the others. Balotelli is a normal footballer, just like the others. We dont need to differentiate Balotelli from the others, hes just one of the 23 players. Without Balotelli, Ciro Immobile and Simone Zaza have taken over as the starters in attack under Contes preferred 3-5-2 formation. It remains to be seen if Balotelli will be used as a bench option or possibly replace Zaza. Balotelli has significant experience with the national team, he has played at a World Cup and a European Championship, but thats not enough. He needs to catch my eye and I have to see if he can adapt to our type of football. If he can, he can play in the starting lineup, but he can also be on the bench or in the stands. My duty is to see how I can use them [the players] in this national team. This route has today provided Balotelli with the chance to show what he can be. Should he not prove himself, itll be for a reason. Conte said he will start Balotelli only if he proves he is at the same levels as his other top player. Immobile, Zaza, (Graziano) Pelle and (Sebastian) Giovinco start with an advantage, Conte added. If over the course of a week Balotelli shows me hes reached the level of the others then he could pass in front of them. While Italy has won all four of their matches under Conte, the Azzurri struggled somewhat in their last two games, a 2-1 win over Azerbaijan and a 1-0 victory over Malta. Zaza said hes happy to have Balotelli on the squad.
Posted on: Tue, 11 Nov 2014 10:28:54 +0000
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