Chelsea star Michael Essien has laid the marker down to his club’s opponents, cautioning that Carlo Ancelotti and his men are eyeing Champions League success. UEFA’s highest club honor has eluded the Blues to this point, but with what appears to be their best squad ever, Essien believes they can win any competition they enter.

“As a team, we have won every domestic trophy and so it’s only natural that we have the hunger for the European Cup.” Essien said to the Daily Star.

“That is not to say we don’t care about the Premier League, FA Cup or Carling…

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Another transfer season is officially in the books. That’s right, it’s also finally over for those slow computer servers that were struggling to complete the filing of last-minute documentation of newly acquired players with the Premier League.

Now we can sit back and enjoy the Euro 2012 qualification that is coming our way. Or some of us, including myself, can choose the…

In the second edition of this feature, the chosen WAG is none other than Sara Carbonero, the drop-dead gorgeous girlfriend of Spain and Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas.

Wait a minute, didn’t that introduction of Casillas as merely a goalkeeper sound incomplete? Isn’t he also the skipper of both his national team and the club side? Well, similarly, Ms. Carbonero is not just a WAG; she has a lot more going on in her life!

Age: 26

Occupation: Sara is a Spanish TV presenter for Telecinco.

Hobbies: Besides looking worth a million bucks and allegedly distracting her boyfriend (and…

It is obvious that a team that scores 14 goals without response en route to three consecutive Premier League wins has a strong squad at its disposal.

However, what earns Chelsea additional distinction for a thoroughly dominant start to their title defense is the fact that they have lost far more notable players than they have brought in this summer.

It is simple mathematics: the departures of Michael Ballack, Deco, Joe Cole, Juliano Belletti, Ricardo Carvalho and Franco Di Santo have only been compensated for with the additions of Yossi Benayoun and young Brazilian Ramires.

Therefore, in theory, one…

Arsenal youngster Theo Walcott has made it no secret that last season, which was blighted with injuries and a struggle for form, was a major disappointment for him.

The 21-year old was left with a bitter taste in his mouth as he went into the summer trophyless with the Gunners while also missing out on Fabio Capello’s World Cup squad.

In a bid to put such nightmarish memories well behind him, Walcott has followed an excellent pre-season with extra training sessions on the field as well as in the gym. As a result, not only has he discovered arguably the…

Arsene Wenger has reiterated his belief that skipper Cesc Fabregas will soon return to full fitness and lead the Gunners from the front again.

The Spanish midfielder, who was linked heavily with a move to his native Barcelona throughout the summer, has struggled to overcome the fatigue from a successful World Cup campaign ever since returning from South Africa.

With every passing day, though, Wenger is becoming increasingly confident of the midfielder’s mental and physical recovery.

Another international break is looming over us but as far as Le Professeur is concerned, the 23-year old should be able to…

It looks like the 2010 World Cup paid off big for one player in particular. Sunderland can’t have Darren Bent doing it all for them as usual.

They fixed that problem on transfer deadline day with the signing of Asamoah Gyan. The Ghanaian striker, who joins from French club Rennes, is ready to make a huge impact up front for Sunderland.

Gyan garnered lots of interest from club teams after he played extremely well in the World Cup for Ghana. The striker scored three goals, one each against Serbia, Australia, and the United States.

The goals against Serbia…

Juventus are a club with plenty of history and trophies, and while the chairman Andrea Agnelli is trying to return to the golden days of winning, it will take some time.

The project of the bianconeri was beginning to take shape: Luigi Delneri as the coach along with Beppe Marotta as the sporting director, some smart signings and qualification into the Europa League. But all of this seemed useless when they were torn apart by Bari the opening day of the Serie A, meaning it’s evident that a project which started in July isn’t working very well.

Juve’s project…

While Tony Pulis and his Stoke side emerged from the transfer deadline day as the most active folks in the Premier League, Wigan’s Roberto Martinez wasn’t merely watching either.

The Spaniard, who quietly masterminded this past weekend’s disciplined 1-0 win over Tottenham at White Hart Lane, added two late signings to his squad in the form of youngsters Tom Cleverley and Franco Di Santo.

A loan deal to snap up midfielder Cleverley from Manchester United appears to be particularly clever, no pun intended. The 21-year old has already impressed in previous loan spells at Leicester and more recently, Watford, where…

Harry Redknapp is the one with the red hair and the glasses.

I hope you enjoy it.

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