Walcott makes 45-minute comeback for Arsenal

                                                                    

Arsenal forward Theo Walcott started for the club's Under-21s in his return from injury against Blackburn Rovers on Friday evening.

Walcott had been out of action since rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament during the north London derby against Tottenham in January.

And the England international completed 45 minutes at Boreham Wood FC's Meadow Park without any obvious signs of physical discomfort before being substituted at the break for Alex Iwobi.

Serge Gnabry also made his first appearance of the season as he continues his recovery from a knee injury, while Abou Diaby captained the Gunners.
The 25-year-old returned to first-team training on Monday during the international break but played against Rovers rather than being risked for the senior side against Hull City on Saturday.

Abou Diaby also started for Arsenal at Boreham Wood, captaining the young side.

Walcott's return, though gradual, is a boost for Arsene Wenger's side, who have lost the likes of Mesut Ozil to the treatment table in recent weeks.

KESHI SACKED

Stephen Keshi has been sacked as coach , the Nigeria Football Federation announced on Thursday.

                                                                

                                                                                                                                                                          Amodu Shaibu, who has enjoyed four spells in charge of the Super Eagles, will lead a consortium of local coaches as the new head of the national team to replace Keshi and his assistants Daniel Amokachi and Ike Shorunmu. Shaibu will handle the team’s remaining Africa Cup of Nations qualification matches until a replacement is found.
Keshi’s job had come under intense scrutiny since the start of the qualifiers in September following the 3-2 defeat to Congo at home before picking one point in a draw against South Africa in Cape Town.
A further defeat in Khartoum to Sudan made his tenure look like coming to an inglorious end after a fairy tale year in which he led the Super Eagles to victory at the 2013 Afcon in South Africa.
The title defence in Morocco next year was looking bleak until Wednesday’s 3-1 victory over Sudan in Abuja restored a glimmer of hope, but it was not enough to save his job.
Keshi had also become embroiled in fights over players, with Villareal striker Ikechukwu Uche being accused of wanting to be begged to play for the country. However, the player denied the allegations.
However, the new NFF board was not convinced and has now relieved him of the job, urging him and his assistants to proceed on any training programme of their choice that would be funded by the federation as a form of gratitude to the "national heroes".
Their exit means that former national team coach, Shaibu, who has been a part of the NFF in a technical role, will now return to the position for the next two matches against Congo and South Africa.
Shaibu will be supported by Salisu Yusuf, Gbenga Ogunbote and former goalkeeper Aloysius Agu until a foreign coach is recruited to handle the side.
The team also has a new co-ordinator in former international Garba Lawal, while Toyin Ibitoye is the new media officer and Godfirst Chike takes over as equipment manager.
The statement also announced the hiring of Samson Siasia as the U23 trainer. He returns to the side he led to an Olympic silver medal at the games in Beijing in 2008 and will be assisted by Fatai Amoo.
Keshi, 52, led Nigeria to their third African title last year, and became only the second person to win the trophy as a player and coach. He also took the team to the Round of 16 at the World Cup in Brazil as they equalled their best ever run.
He will be remembered for bringing into limelight several unknown players from the local league who have become heroes of the Nigerian game. However, he was also accused of favouritism by taking largely untested players to the World Cup and ignoring more experienced campaigners.

Liverpool: Daniel Sturridge set to miss another month

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge is facing up to a further month out after suffering a calf strain in training.

            

Sturridge, 25, had only just recovered from a thigh strain he sustained on England duty in September.
He has played just three league games this season and may miss the next seven, including both Champions League meetings with Real Madrid.
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers told the Liverpool Echo.  "He's looking at being out for two to four weeks."
Rodgers added: "It's a big blow as we were looking forward to welcoming Daniel back. He has worked tirelessly.
"But we have other players training hard and working hard and we will turn to them. It's why we bulked up the squad in the summer."
It had been expected Sturridge - who scored 25 goals in all competitions last season - would make his return in Sunday's Premier League match away to QPR.
The injury Sturridge suffered after his country's 1-0 friendly win at home to Norway led to a disagreement between England manager Roy Hodgson and Rodgers, with the Reds boss insisting that players with pace need extra time to recover.
Hodgson questioned Rodgers' claims after England's 1-0 European Championship qualifying victory away to Estonia, before which Liverpool forward Raheem Sterling complained of tiredness.

Arturo Vidal ‘to be sold to Manchester United in exchange for Juventus target Juan Mata’

Arturo Vidal could arrive at Manchester United in exchange for Juan Mata (Pictures: AFP/Getty/AP)

Juventus have admitted defeat in their attempt to hold onto Chile star Arturo Vidal – with the Serie A outfit prepared to sell the midfielder to Manchester United in a swap deal involving Juan Mata this winter.
Vidal was linked with a move to The Red Devils in a long-running transfer saga this summer, but Juve refused to part with one of their most highly-prized assets.
But, according to Italian publication Corriere dello Sport, Juve are now resigned to losing the midfielder and could part with the 27-year-old for as little as £27.5million in January if they are able to negotiate a deal for Mata in the process.
United will, however, face competition from Spanish giants Real Madrid and German club Borussia Dortmund for Vidal’s signature, although offering Mata in any potential deal could seal the deal for the Chilean.
Juve believe Mata would be the ideal candidate to take Vidal’s place in Turin, but the club are also weighing up moves for Bayern Munich midfielder Shaqiri and Paris Saint-Germain’s Italian youngster Marco Verratti.
The transfer rumours involving Vidal come after the 27-year-old was fined £78,400 for going on a night out ahead of Juventus’ crucial Serie A clash against Roma last Sunday – a match that the Chilean was benched for.

NIGERIA LEAGUE RESULT

                                                                                      NPFL

Sunday, October 12, 2014
FT	Akwa United	0 - 0	Abia Warriors
FT	Bayelsa United	1 - 2	Warri Wolves
FT	Crown	1 - 1	Giwa
FT	Gombe United	2 - 1	Enyimba
FT	Heartland	3 - 0	Sunshine Stars
FT	Kaduna United	0 - 0	El Kanemi Warriors
FT	Lobi Stars	2 - 0	Enugu Rangers
FT	Nasarawa United	3 - 2	Nembe City
FT	Sharks	1 - 0	Kano Pillars
FT	Taraba	2 - 0	Dolphins

Mesut Ozil ‘unhappy at Arsenal and wants to leave in January as Bayern Munich line up £30million transfer’

Ozil is thought to be unhappy at Arsenal and wants to move in January (Picture: Getty)

Mesut Ozil could have played his last game in an Arsenal shirt as the injured midfielder is reportedly unhappy at the Emirates and wants to leave as soon as January.
The German could quit the club before he returns from a knee injury that has ruled him out until next year, as he is not enjoying life as a Gunner and is keen to move in the next transfer window, according to the Daily Mail.
The World Cup winner is thought to have grown disillusioned with Arsene Wenger, having repeatedly been played out of his preferred central position, and could return to his native country with Bayern Munich.
The Bundesliga club are believed to be preparing a bid of £30million for the midfielder – £12.5m less than what Arsenal paid Real Madrid for him – but the fee could free up funds for a move for the 25-year-old’s Germany team-mate Sami Khedira.

MICHEAL ESSIEN CONTRACTED EBOLA

                                                      
                                                                                  

        

                                                        (Picture: Derroty Images)

Ex-Chelsea ace Michael Essien bizarrely found himself at the centre of a cruel hoax after a report surfaced that the Ghanaian midfielder had contracted Ebola.
Online Nigerian newspaper, NewsWireNGR, were seemingly duped by tweets from Twitter user @YuryAlkaev – who claims to be a sports journalist – reporting that AC Milan had confirmed that Essien had caught the killer disease.
However, after the story started to create a stir on social media, AC Milan sources quickly moved to scotch the claims, insisting any reports are fake and that no interviews had been given to Nigerian media.
Below are the original tweets by @YuryAlkaev, which sparked the outpouring of emotion on Twitter for Essien.

TRANSFER GOSSIP

David De Gea's brilliant form for Manchester United is being noticed by Real Madrid

Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea, 23, is wanted by Real Madrid as the replacement for captain and Bernabeu icon Iker Casillas, 33. (Daily Mirror) 
Germany midfielder Mesut Ozil, 25, wants to leave Arsenal in January - with the club willing to sell him to Bayern Munich for £30m. (Daily Mail) 
Midfielder Juan Mata's days at Manchester United could be numbered with manager Louis van Gaal looking to use the Spaniard as part of a deal to sign Arturo Vidal, 27, from Juventus. (Daily Star) 
Tottenham are watching Toulouse's prolific £5m-rated goalscorer Wissam Ben Yedder, 24, with new boss Mauricio Pochettino underwhelmed by Roberto Soldado, 29, and Emmanuel Adebayor, 30. (Daily Mirror) 
Newcastle will be offered the chance to re-sign England striker Andy Carroll, 25, in January for as little as £6m after an injury-hit spell at West Ham. (Newcastle Chronicle) 

The Daily Mirror's back page

Liverpool are considering a move for Benfica's 20-year-old Portuguese midfielder Fabio Sturgeon - who is eligible to play for England, where his father was born. (Daily Mirror) 
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger wants to keep striker Lukas Podolski, 29, amid reports that he is ready to leave. (Daily Express) 
Newcastle winger Shane Ferguson, 23, wants a loan move after failing to get any games at St James' Park this season. (Shields Gazette) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Goalkeeper Joe Hart was voted man of the match on an online poll for the second game running - despite barely touching the ball in England's 1-0 win in Estonia. (Daily Mail) 
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has apologised for his part in last weekend's touchline confrontation with Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho - but insists he was provoked. (Guardian) 
Mourinho says he has rejected two offers to take charge at Paris St-Germain - and that he was first choice for the job before Carlo Ancelotti's appointment in December 2011. (Sun - subscription required) 
Chelsea keeper Thibaut Courtois has defended the club's treatment of his head injury during their 2-0 win over Arsenal - insisting he was not knocked unconscious. (Daily Telegraph) 

The Independent's sport pull-out front page

West Brom forward Saido Berahino, 21, says England's under-21 players are prepared for the possibility of racial intimidation when they play their European Championship qualifying play-off second leg in Croatia on Tuesday. (Independent) 
Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale, 25, will battle through the pain of a back problem to help Wales in their Euro 2016 qualifier against Cyprus on Monday. (Guardian) 
Liverpool will consider selling the naming rights to their main stand at Anfield in order to pay for its £75m expansion. (Liverpool Echo) 
Huddersfield boss Chris Powell says he supports the idea of bringing more black coaches and managers into English football by introducing an equivalent to NFL's Rooney Rule. (Talksport) 
West Brom chairman Jeremy Peace wants rules in place to prevent young Premier League players from frittering away their million-pound pay packets . (Daily Mail) 
Former Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini says the Premier League champions are still relying on the players he bought before he was sacked in 2013. (Four Four Two) 
Billy McKinlay has admitted to feeling disillusioned over his treatment at Watford - where he was replaced as boss by Slavisa Jokanovic after just eight days in the role. (Sky Sports) 
Newcastle goalkeeper Tim Krul, 26, is battling to be fit to face Leicester next Saturday, while his club face an anxious wait on their other internationals. (Northern Echo) 

PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE AS AT WEEK 7

                                                                   

Position	Team	Played	Goal Difference	Points
1	Chelsea	7	14	19
2	Man City	7	7	14
3	Southampton	7	6	13
4	Man Utd	7	3	11
5	Swansea	7	2	11
6	Tottenham	7	2	11
7	West Ham	7	2	10
8	Arsenal	7	2	10
9	Liverpool	7	0	10
10	Aston Villa	7	-5	10
11	Hull	7	0	9
12	Leicester	7	-1	9
13	Sunderland	7	1	8
14	West Brom	7	-1	8
15	Crystal Palace	7	-2	8
16	Stoke	7	-2	8
17	Everton	7	-3	6
18	Newcastle	7	-7	4
19	Burnley	7	-7	4
20	QPR	7	-11	4

KESHI'S ERA WITH NIGERIA COME TO A CLOSE

There is no getting around it now. Stephen Keshi’s cycle as coach of the Super Eagles has surely come to an end. There is no anger, there is no bitterness. There is just… nothing. The final whistle in Khartoum was a knell that rung hollow in Nigerian hearts.
When Keshi became the trustee of Nigeria’s footballing hopes and dreams, the day was bleak. The Big Boss overhauled a team that had failed to qualify for the 2012 Cup of Nations, installing youth and injecting vitality. A policy of openness saw the likes of Ogenyi Onazi, Kenneth Omeruo, Godfrey Oboabona and Sunday Mba carve out a niche for themselves in the Super Eagles team.
The danger with success though, especially when unexpected, is that it can cause the subject to parody himself. The fact that anyone could play for Nigeria, a boon and motivation for players to work hard, became in the long run a tremendous problem. Needing a game-changing impact in the Municipal Stadium, the ineffectual Gbolahan Salami was withdrawn and on came Sunday Emmanuel from little-known Austrian side Grodig, making his debut for the national team.
Keshi has gambled on his popularity many times and won. This time, it has come back to bite him. His arrogant dismissal of the form of Obafemi Martins, for example, who has hit the 15-goal mark in Major League Soccer, was laughable. Age can only mitigate against ability when there are credible alternatives. Alas in the same breath, the Afcon-winning manager dismissed another possible option: the prodigiously-talented Kelechi Iheanacho.
His constant bickering with Ikechukwu Uche in the press has gotten embarrassing very quickly, like a public and messy break-up between lovers. While it is unclear which of them is speaking the truth, it is telling that Keshi only got tough with Uche after triumphing in the Afcon in 2013. Before then, there had been little indication of any sort of rift between them, and indeed the Villarreal man top-scored to qualify the Super Eagles for the tournament in the first place.
It is almost as though that historic moment convinced the former Afcon-winning captain of the infallibility of his methods. In his hubris, he has ploughed onward on that course, alienating many and dividing opinions everywhere. Now, we are back where we started: with one point from their first three games, the defending African champions are on the verge of elimination.

Then, as if to prove himself beyond saving, Keshi picked the same ten outfield players for the must-win encounter with Sudan who had struggled for any rhythm or cohesion in the last qualifier against South Africa. On that day, Bafana Bafana did not have their scoring boots on. Sudan were in no mood to pass up such an offering though, and took the lead three minutes before the break through Al Hilal forward Abdi Babeker Bakri, who stole ahead of Efe Ambrose to power home a header.
Bakri had a tremendous game for Sudan, getting behind Ambrose time and again in the first half to receive the ball over the top. Nosa Igiebor, who spent large periods playing pushed up into the attacking line, prevented the midfield from being able to close down efficiently enough. Ogenyi Onazi was typically industrious, and John Obi Mikel pressed forward sporadically, but the ability of the Sudanese wingers to come inside and occupy the space between the lines was a strong enough deterrent.
Igiebor was the poorest player on the pitch, and as the game went on, epitomised the team’s display: lacking in belief and inspiration. Keshi’s strength lies in coaching mentality rather than tactics, but it appears that even this has been lost. There was no rally, no barrage, just meek surrender.

The Falcons of Jediane were not great; they did not need to be. Defensively their positioning was very naïve and disorganised. But when you play a team 100 places above you in the FIFA rankings and still manage to produce the one moment of true quality in 90 minutes, you are fully deserving of whatever credit you get. Sudan’s genius was in bringing the African champions down to their level, and for this alone, their win was richly deserved.
It is unclear what to do with Keshi now. He is not under any contract or obligation to the NFF, and can rightly board a plane straight to the USA, where his family resides. There is however a return fixture in four days, and one which the Super Eagles absolutely must win. Does the NFF officially relieve him, and seek to, improbably, get a new coach within four days? Or do they stick with him and possibly damn the Super Eagles? Whichever choice is made, Nigeria do not get a good deal.
In Pointe-Noire, South Africa showed the daring and swagger befitting champions as they swatted aside the Republic of Congo to move into top spot in Group A. It is a result that Nigeria must replicate if they are to have any chance at all of playing in Morocco next year. There is no more margin for error, and whoever takes the national team forward must get it right, and do so fast.
Somewhere in Nigeria, Amodu Shuaibu is rubbing his hands and waiting for his phone to ring. It would take a brave man to bet against him now.