Andy Carroll- Sob On The Tyne [Picture]

Back in 2010 Andy Carroll was making a name for himself in Newcastle as a young confident goal scorer, taking the promotion from the championship and premier league football in his stride. With the world at his feet and the Geordies beloved number 9 shirt, Carroll had the potential to become a Newcastle Legend.

However a record breaking 35 million pound deal in the January of 2011 saw a shock move for the Geordie to Anfield. Since joining Liverpool Carroll has failed to match his potential only scoring eight goals in 47 appearances, and led to many Scousers question his ability. Carroll returns to his beloved St James Park on Sunday and has admitted in the Journal his nerves before his return.

“I don’t usually get nervous but this might be a bit different, all of my family and friends will be there but they’re so big on football I’m not sure who they’ll be supporting”

Carroll has admitted he is glad to see his local team doing so well this season and admits “they will always mean something to me”. Newcastle currently sit in 6^th place in the Premier League, 8 points higher than Liverpool and seem to have found a replacement goalscorers for Carroll in Ba and Cisse. With a number of Liverpool fans starting to question if Carroll fits with their style of play, many believe Carroll would have been happier to staying at his local club. 

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The Greatest Footballer of all Time? [picture]

Lionel Messi’s recent breaking of the Barcelona all time scoring record has sparked debate as to whether the 24-year-old is the greatest player of all time.

Cesar Rodriguez's scoring record for the Catalans had stood for more than half a century before being smashed by Messi last week, when he scored a hat-trick against Granada to become the most prolific scorer in Barcelona’s history.

The three time winner of the Ballon d’Or has been repeatedly compared with Pele, though his Barcelona team mates are convinced that Messi’s brilliance surpasses that of the Brazil Legend.

'He's the best in the world and he proves it on a daily basis. For me he is the best ever,' said  Barcelona forward Isaac Cuenca.

'He is the best player in history,' added another teammate, Cesc Fabregas. 'We have never seen anyone like him.'

Defender Gerard Pique agreed, stating that: 'He's the best player in the history of the sport. It's a pleasure to be in the same generation as him.'

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola believes that the goalscoring legacy Messi will leave may never be bettered, stating that: 'I am sorry for those who want to dethrone him, but he is simply different from all the rest.'

'Messi has entered the history of the club at just 24 years of age. If he continues like this in the coming years, he will score so many goals that he will never be surpassed.'

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The Return of Fernando Torres [picture]

After racking up a grand total of 24 hours and 41 minutes of time on the pitch without a goal Fernando Torres finally brought an end to his barren run yesterday, scoring a brace to help ease Chelsea past Leicester into the semi-finals of the FA Cup.

Speaking after the Blues 5-2 victory Torres spoke of the relief he felt to finally get back on the score sheet, stating: 'I needed those goals. I was working so hard to get them. In the last month the team is much better. We have more commitment and we've shown in the last four games we want to finish the season well.'

The Spaniard also supplied two assists during the victory and gave credit to his team mates and new boss Roberto Di Matteo for keeping faith in him during a difficult period for him at the club.

'I think maybe this season I am playing at a very good level but I was not scoring goals in this period and the job of the striker is to score goals. So if you don't do it then the people think you are playing badly but for me the main thing is the support of the people.'

'They have all been with me,' he added. 'The team-mates, the staff. I feel the confidence of the manager now and obviously it is a good time for me and for Chelsea.'

Di Matteo, who has won all four games since taking over from Andre Villas-Boas a fortnight ago gave praise to the hard work that Torres has put in at the club.

'I think the whole team, the club and supporters are happy for Torres,' said Di Matteo. 'He works so hard for the team, he is a great team player. You get rewarded when you work hard in life and I think we are all happy that he helped us win.'

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Robin Van Per-City? [picture]

Over the past few seasons Manchester City’s have used their financial might to cherry pick some of Arsenal’s best players and there is now speculation that they have Premiership top scorer Robin Van Persie in their sights.

Transfer rumours have been flying about Van Persie as a result of his decision to delay contract talks with Arsenal until the end of the season and recent comments made by Roberto Mancini have added further fuel to the fire.

Speaking in regards to the Arsenal star, Mancini said: 'I think Van Persie at this moment is one of the best strikers in Europe with Messi, Ronaldo, Sergio and Mario. I think if there is a good player who wants to leave a club, then we are interested.'

The Sunday Times has reported that Manchester City have offered a £210,00-a-week contract to the Dutch striker who has scored 25 goals in 27 games so far this season, but Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has insisted that RVP will remain with the Gunners.

'We will not lose anybody to Manchester City, or to anybody else because we want to keep our players,' the Wenger said.

'We want to keep Robin Van Persie, that is clear, we will do everything possible to extend his contract, that is clear, and apart from that, I can only let people talk.'

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24 Hour Goal Drought [picture]

We learnt from the action packed adventures of Jack Bauer that a lot can happen in 24 hours. However the opposite can also be true judging from the misfiring misadventures of Chelsea striker Fernando Torres, who is nearing 24 hours of pitch time without a goal.

The Spaniard hasn't scored since his double against Genk last October and has only netted five times for the Blues since his £50 million transfer from Liverpool.

Torres did not feature in Roberto Di Matteo's starting line up in Chelsea's win against Stoke on Saturday and his place in the Spain squad for Euro 2012 is under threat as a result of the lack of goals for his club team.

Spain boss Vicente Del Bosque has stated  that a place in the Spain Euro 2012 squad is there for Torres to take, but only if he is able to rediscover the goalscoring form he was formerly renowned for.

Del Bosque said: 'I will wait until the last minute to decide about and Torres. Torres must recapture his goal instinct during the next few months.'

'I watched Chelsea's FA Cup win over Birmingham and he worked hard. I have confidence in El Nino, but need to wait before a final decision.'

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Hell of a Time for Next Blues Boss

The next Chelsea manager chosen by Roman Abramovich will be signing a deal with the devil according to ex-blues-boss Luis Phelipe Scolari, who has stated the successor to Andre Villas Boas will have to go through hell at the club.

The dismissal of Villas Boas after only 256 days in charge means Abramovich is now searching for his eighth new manager since taking control at Stamford Bridge in 2003 and the revolving door management policy employed by the Russian has come under heavy criticism from a number of different sources.

Speaking about his former club, Scolari said: 'England has clubs like Arsenal, where Arsène Wenger has been for several years, yet has won only two or three championships. Chelsea's culture is very different, but this move is strange – although it's not so strange to me because of what I went through there.'

'Some things are known, like the relations with the owner, who has the relationship with some players before the coach. Villas-Boas was a champion and he will continue to be. He needed to replace at least seven or eight players, even since I was there, but he failed. It will be hell for whoever succeeds him.'

League Managers' Association chief executive Richard Bevan has also condemned the sacking of Villas Boas stating: 'What's for sure is the club, despite unlimited wealth, haven't yet worked out how to build a successful football club. Looking for what is an eighth manager in nine years is a serious embarrassment to the owner, the club, the fans and the league.'

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