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The news has been confirmed, Didier Drobga will leave Chelsea at the end of the season. The Ivorian’s future at Stamford Bridge had been subject to much speculation since the club’s refusal to offer him the two year contract he required to stay. And now, having fired Chelsea to Champions League glory, he will move on after eight fantastic years. To remember the Drog, here are 10 of his more memorable moments (not all of them good)!

DROGBA’S BLUNDERS

10. Champions League 2009 vs Barcelona

Chelsea stood on the brink of knocking Barcelona out of the Champions League semi-final in 2009, but Andres Iniesta scored a priceless away goal that ended the Blues’ hopes for another year. However, Chelsea’s fury was aimed at Norwegian referee Tom Henning Ovrebo, whose performance Gus Hiddink later described as one of the worst ever. Drogba, as per usual, was most vocal in his criticisms, shouting ‘it’s a f*****g disgrace at TV cameras when he came off the pitch. Four match ban for that then Didier.

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9. Champions League Final 2008 vs Manchester United

Chelsea and Manchester United were locked at 1-1 in Moscow in extra time with the Champions League at stake. With tensions rising, a fracas broke out on the pitch. However, Drogba showed his petulant side, slapping Nemanja Vidic in the face (brave call!) and receiving a red card. His side missed his presence in the shootout, as John Terry hit the post with the chance to win the game.

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8. Premier League 2007 vs Arsenal

While Didier was undoubtedly a special player, he became somewhat of a hate figure for opposition fans for his on-field theatrics. However, the one that really springs to mind was him and Jens Lehmann’s ‘dive-off’ after a clash in the Premier League. Oscar winning and utterly disgraceful.

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DROGBA’S HEROICS

7. Premier League 2007 vs Everton

As Chelsea struggled to keep up with Manchester United at the top of the Premier League table, they could barely afford to drop points. However, the Blues visited GoodisonPark where a resolute Everton side held them till the 87th minute at 2-2. Step forward Drogba with arguably his best goal for the club. 35 yards out, the Ivorian let rip with a half-volley that flew past Tim Howard and kept his side in touch at the top.

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6. FA Cup 2012 vs Tottenham

Neither Chelsea or Spurs had yet to register in the FA Cup semi-final in a season-defining match for both clubs. However, Drogba proved the difference, controlling a long ball and turning his marker before lashing the ball high into the top left hand corner. The Blues went onto to win 5-1 and Drogba had scored yet again at the home of English football.

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5. FA Cup 2010 vs Portsmouth

Another Wembley appearance, another Wembley winner from the Drog. While no one expected Portsmouth to ever run Chelsea close, they proved tricky opponents. Kevin Prince Boateng missed the opportunity to put his side into the lead from the spot and Drogba made him pay three minutes later, bagging a free kick to help Carlo Ancelotti’s men complete the double.

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4. FA Cup Final 2012 vs Liverpool

Chelsea were cruising at 1-0 after Ramires’s opening goal and once Drogba doubled the lead, finishing neatly just before the hour mark, it seemed as if Chelsea had sealed the win. However, Liverpool produced a stirring fightback, inspired by Andy Carroll, and in the end, Drogba’s goal, his fourth in an FA Cup final, proved to be the winner.

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3. Champions League 2012 vs Barcelona

No one gave Roberto Di Matteo’s side a chance in hell of beating Europe’s supposed best over two legs in the Champions League semi-final. To stand any chance in the Nou Camp, Chelsea had to win at Stamford Bridge. Drogba’s tireless work rate and ability to hold the ball up proved crucial, but he provided the only goal as well, turning home a Ramires cross to set up the now infamous second leg victory.

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2. FA Cup Final 2007 vs Manchester United

Manchester United and Chelsea seemed to have battled each other into submission in the first Cup Final held at the new Wembley as neither side could find the breakthrough and the match seemed destined for a penalty shootout. Drogba had other ideas though, playing a one-two with Frank Lampard before poking past Van der Sar to seal victory with four minutes remaining.

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1. Champions League Final 2012

With Chelsea one down in Munich, the Blues won a corner with two minutes left on the clock. Having barely registered a shot all game, their chances of recovery looked slim. However, from Juan Mata’s corner, the big man rose highest of them all to nod a stunning equaliser beyond Manuel Neuer. Drogba’s influence didn’t end there either. Faced with the decisive spot kick in the shootout, Drogba personified calmness as he slotted the ball home to seal the greatest triumph in Chelsea’s history.

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Brazil coach Mano Menezes said his side were ‘too obvious’ going forward after their 0-0 draw against Venezuela in the Copa America.In their opening game of the tournament in Argentina, the defending champions were unable to find a way through a determined Venezuelan defence, and at times looked out of ideas.

They came close when Milan striker Alexandre Pato hit the crossbar, but Menezes conceded his side could have played better in a heated encounter.

“The result was bad, because we played better than Venezuela,” Menezes said.

“We had the control and the initiative of the match, but we lacked clarity in some choices, mainly to find players in the finishing moments.”

“We were too obvious. The ball got to the players who were wide, but they were too far away from Pato and the play could not flow. That is something we have to work on during the week.”

“It looks to me that the pitch hindered faster plays and plays of more quality. However, that is not our problem. We have to look over our performance and correct our problems.”

Lucas Leiva admits Brazil need to improve if they are to become South American champions for the ninth time.

The Liverpool midfielder thinks he and his team-mates controlled the match but knows they must step up when they resume their campaign against Paraguay on Saturday.

“We had control of the match for the most part, we did not let them create a lot of chances,” the 24-year-old said.

“We had the ball that the defender cleared off the line and Pato’s shot against the post. In the second half, we committed more mistakes.

“Now, we have to keep on working in the next matches to play with ball possession and create more chances.”

Venezuela were also fortunate not to concede a penalty in the first half, but coach Cesar Farias was pleased to see his side improve after the interval.

“The result is not just luck. Luck always helps but we have put in a lot of hours in training,” Farias said.

“Venezuela is drawing on many thousand hours for what it takes to be successful in football.”

There were no goals at all in Group B on Sunday, after Ecuador and Paraguay drew 0-0 in the other match.

Tottenham secured an historic passage into the Champions League knock-out stages last night by easing past Werder Bremen by three goals to nil. The whole night went to plan (well, almost) and the goals were all scored at perfect times to confirm Tottenham’s dominance. After two dream results in the space of five days, what did we learn from Spurs after last nights showing?1. Keeping a clean sheet is easier when the opposition isn’t trying very hardIt’s been the main concern for Spurs fans for quite a while now, but finally we’ve stopped a team scoring a goal. Quite what kind of an achievement this is is debatable, Bremen managed only a single shot on target, but to keep a clean sheet of any kind will do confidence a power of good. William Gallas and Younes Kaboul’s partnership was good yet again and importantly they kept switched on for the entire 90 minutes, but in truth it’s hard to analyze the back-four too deeply when they were barely tested. Still, let’s dwell on this for a few days and hope and hope the feat can be repeated on Sunday.2. The Aaron Lennon and Alan Hutton debate continues

I’d like to start by saying that Aaron Lennon was fantastic. After a few weeks of taking flak that he’s lost his touch and that he disappears in games he looked back to his best, setting up two goals and generally making an nuisance of himself. But I felt that last night raised the question once more as to whether Lennon and Hutton should be on the same team. On too many occasions they seemed to be trying to occupy the same space and make similar runs, both are good attacking options but they don’t appear to compliment each other. Potentially they could make a good partnership, but some hard work needs to go on on the training ground for it to work properly.

3. Gareth Bale can miss a penalty and still come off to a standing ovation

We all know how good Mr Bale is  – but last night he showed that he is at least human. His penalty last night was pretty tame, but that fact that his performance over 80 minutes meant that nobody cared about his miss, or even seemed to remember it showed just how well he played. He hit the crossbar twice and gave his full-back a good work out before being replaced by Niko Kranjcar with minutes to go. Job done.

4. Luka Modric’s game has come on leaps and bounds

Much like the Inter game, Luka Modric quietly went about his role as Tottenham’s midfield engine. We all know about his strengths as a good passer in the final third, but last night Luka was all over the pitch making tackles and winning the ball. Back in his first season we were told that he was too light weight to play in the Premier League, and in truth it looked like he was. But this season he has truly become the workhorse of the Tottenham team and his goal was a classy end to a good move.

5. Peter Crouch’s Champions League form is pretty handy

Say what you like about the failings of the man, but the stats show us that Peter Crouch has scored six goals in six Champions League games this season including a hat-trick against Young boys, arguably Spurs’ most important game of recent memory. It’s interesting to see that Crouch’s England and Champions League records are fantastic but his league form is pretty dire, does he have problems motivating himself for lesser games? That’s a question for another day, but in the meantime it seems as though Peter Crouch is becoming vital in Tottenham’s Champions League adventure.

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Juan Mata was instrumental in Manchester United’s victory over Liverpool on Saturday but was dropped for the embarrassing Champions League exit against Sevilla three days later.

United’s attacking midfield trio of Jesse Lingard, Alexis Sanchez and Marcus Rashford was shapeless, impotent and confused as the Spanish side eliminated the Red Devils at Old Trafford.

Meanwhile, Mata was left on the substitutes bench as United struggled to find any guile or creativity and only introduced when they went 2-0 down thanks to Wissam Ben Yedder’s second goal of the game.

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The Spaniard – valued at £27m by Transfermarkt – lacks the pace that some of United’s other creative players can bring to the table but his close control and eye for a pass might just be what Jose Mourinho needs to knit his fragmented attack together.

That’s what we’re asking you; should Mata be recalled to the United line-up for the visit of Brighton in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Saturday?

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It’s their third huge home game of the week – so far it’s won one, lost one – and this one has become especially important after the Sevilla debacle.

The away day experience is one of the very best parts of following your own football team. Although your alarm may be set for times of the day that, frankly, should never be seen, before you cram onto coaches or overpriced trains, the whole experience, regardless of result, is still one you’ll always remember.

Luckily with the Britain being of modest size, no trip (except for Carlisle to Plymouth, maybe) is too great, allowing fans to get a real feel for the beautiful game in all areas. Scotts Menswear have published results of a survey on the very best ‘away days’ around, assessing all of the characteristics and important factors in the whole experience…

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CLICK THE EMIRATES STADIUM TO REVEAL THE RESULTS

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BEST PIE

With the results of the BBC’s recent Price of Football study, the importance of the often-overlooked pie has really been brought to the fore. On a cold winter afternoon, the crumbling pastry and piping hot filling make for the ideal snack in the stands, with a burger or, dare I say it, hot dog, not even close to matching the age old football fans’ friend.

1. Wigan

2. Kilmarnock

3. Kidderminster

4. Brighton

Wigan top the pile when it comes to pies, although Kidderminster, pricey as they are, are also known for their gourmet efforts.

BEST PINT

So long as trains and busses are on time, the pre-match pint around the ground is a vital part of the whole match day experience. It may be tough to find a pub without hostile home fans, but it’s always possible to duck into a nice little ‘boozer’ for a bevvy before kick-off.

1. Derby

2. Newcastle

3. Brighton

4. Barnsley

The northern half of the country tends to dominate the list, with the cost lower and selection of lagers and ales available greater. Perfect. Brighton get a mention, with the seaside setting good for a cheeky tipple.

BEST STAND

While much of the ‘away day’ experience takes place out of the stadium, the ground itself always plays a big part. The days of old in which away fans were in roof-less terraces being battered by the elements are becoming a distant memory – albeit they are still a problem at some settings – with modern stadia now spacious and comfortable.

1. Arsenal

2. Man U

3. Newcastle

4. Bolton

It’s little surprise that the county’s most expensive stadium come out on top, with Arsenal’s Emirates effort possessing padded seats, leg room and spectacular views. Manchester United’s Old Trafford also gets a mention, while the North East caters well for travellers at St James’ Park.

BEST ATMOSPHERE

While legendary ground such as Anfield and Old Trafford are often famed for atmosphere, it’s actually some of the smaller and intimate stadia that dominate this category.

1. Crystal Palace

2. Rangers

3. Stoke City

4. Newcastle

Crystal Palace come out on top with the Holmsdale Fanatics having brought an almost continental feel to South London with drums, flags and flares building a great atmosphere at Selhurst Park. Stoke’s Britannia Stadium with it’s open corners also gets a mention, while north or the border Rangers are known for building a good feel on match day.

WORST DRESSED FANS

It may be a bit cliché to suggest that all scousers are shell suit-wearing, permed, 80s throwbacks, but they have topped this list for the worst dressed footy followers.

1. Liverpool

2. Celtic

3. Newcastle

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4. Wigan

Scotts Menswear also asked which brands and styles were the best around, and Fred Perry came out on top as the kit to be seen in with a nice pair of Adidas Originals.

BEST OVERALL ‘AWAY DAY’

And finally, all things considered, Wembley comes out as the overall best ‘away day’. The national stadium has the added advantage of the romance of cup and play-offs games, which can be the very building blocks for some of the best football trips around. The towers may be no more, but the new ground’s iconic arch and top-notch atmosphere make it the king.

1. Wembley

2. Man U

3. Tottenham

4. Rangers

5. Liverpool

6. Leeds

7. Man City

Manchester United come in a respectable second, while Tottenham’s White Hart Lane sneaks in at third.

Southampton winger Steve De Ridder has revealed his disappointment at being left out of manager Nigel Adkins’ squad for their Boxing Day clash with Fulham.

Having made his Premier League debut against Sunderland just a few days before the 1-1 draw at Craven Cottage, the Belgian was believed to be in line for at least a spot on the bench.

The 25-year-old, who signed from De Graafschap in Holland in 2011, believes that he did enough to deserve a place in the squad and claims that he was “disappointed” to be overlooked:

“I was extremely pleased that I could make my debut, but I wasn’t unhappy with my performance so I was very disappointed I was not there on Wednesday against Fulham. I have received good feedback as well, which is strange.” He told Belgian magazine Sporza.

“I believe that I am still on a good path and I have proven that I can deliver something others don’t have.

“I was surprised with my non-selection and will ask for an explanation from the coach.”

It is believed that a number of clubs from Holland, Belgium and the Championship are interested in De Ridder, who hinted that he would be willing to move on unless he is given first-team football:

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“Of course I am thinking about my future. I am really aware that at a certain point I really have to start playing.

“There is interest from The Netherlands, Belgium and top sides from the Championship in England.”

Sunderland fans are absolutely loving their latest signing, as Reece James has joined from Wigan on a one-year deal.

Not too long ago, Sunderland fans were worried about not even having enough players in their squad.

The Black Cats are expected to lose a whole host of first team players this summer, with the likes of Didier Ndong, Lamine Kone, Wahbi Khazri and Papy Djilobodji all expected to leave Wearside.

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After a few weeks of doom and gloom to start the summer though, fans are now looking realistically at promotion, as young left back James has become their sixth signing so far.

The 24 year-old joins Alim Ozturk, Jon McLaughlin, Chris Maguire, Tom Flanagan and Dylan McGeouch at the Stadium of Light, and will slot nicely into the left side of Jack Ross’s defence.

He made nearly 50 league appearances at Wigan, and Sunderland fans are really excited to have the former Manchester United youth player on Wearside.

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James was extremely highly rated as a youngster, but injuries have derailed his career slightly.

Nonetheless, the signing has got fans feeling optimistic about the season, and you can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…

As reported by The Daily Mail, Arsenal are preparing to sell midfielder Aaron Ramsey this summer in order to avoid the player leaving the club for free when his contract expires in 2019.

What’s the story?

The Welsh international has made over 300 appearances for the Gunners, having spent almost 10 years at the club, but it appears his time as an Arsenal man could be coming to an end.

The Daily Mail report that Arsenal fear a situation similar to Alexis Sanchez’s and Mesut Ozil’s recent contract dramas and in order to avoid that have made the decision to let him leave the club at the end of the season.

The paper say that the club have already begun to identify replacements for the 27 year old.

Rated at £36m, according to Transfermarkt, the Gunners are unlikely to let him leave on the cheap given their strategy, so could he be a hit at one of the other big clubs in England?

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Still an elite player?

Like most players at Arsenal right now, Ramsey is having his difficulties, lacking confidence and failing to reach the heights that supporters expect from their first team stars.

Despite those problems, and injury issues, the fact remains that Ramsey has been one of the Gunners’ more effective players this season, scoring six goals and creating eight assists in 19 Premier League appearances.

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The move of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to Liverpool last summer was an eye opener for many who had previously written of his ability to be a stand-out player for a top-four chasing side and perhaps Ramsey could find similar joy if one of England’s big clubs come in for him in the summer.

He has the experience, football education and creative skills to enhance most squads in the division and if Arsenal are willing to let him go, he’s likely to have plenty of suitors.

“The times, they are a-changing,” once quipped Bob Dylan, in a song that  would be equally as fitting around Upton Park as club anthem ‘I’m forever blowing bubbles’ when West Ham take on Manchester City in two-weekends’ time.

Indeed, there’s something remarkably different about West Ham this season; only one clean sheet in seven Premier League fixtures, a current average of 1.7 goals scored per match and the Boleyn boo-boys that targeted Sam Allardyce so militantly towards the end of last term silenced by their club’s impressive standing of seventh place.

Statistically speaking however, West Ham’s style hasn’t changed all that much from last year.

Last season for example, the Irons played a higher percentage of long-passes, 17%, than any Premier League side. This term,  their long-ball bias remains has dropped slightly to 15%.

In 2013/14, they recorded the joint-longest average pass length in the English top flight at 21 metres; this season, they’re in joint-second with 20 meters. Last year their average possession was 46%, now it’s up to 47%. And in classic Allardyce style, five of his side’s twelve goals this season have come from set pieces – the highest return in the division.

The real change has been in personnel; Aaron Cresswell, sourced from Ipswich during the summer, found twelve assists in the Championship last season from left-back – a far cry from the more conservative styles of Joey O’Brien and Guy Demel. Likewise, Alex Song brings Champions League-standard quality to West Ham’s midfield, whilst Mauro Zarate adds more variety to the attack through his ability to find space between the lines. New-look strike-force Enner Valencia and Diafra Sakho have already bagged five league goals, one shy of Carlton Cole’s entire output from last term.

In terms of transfers, it’s been a revolutionary summer in East London, impressively enough at a budget of just £30million. The evolution of Allardyce’s philosophy however, is much subtler.

But another change in personnel could lead to a more seismic shift in Allardyce’s ethos, namely Andy Carroll. According to the tabloids, and certainly linked to David Sullivan describing West Ham’s £15million investment in the striker as a ‘mistake’ back in July, he’s emerged as a transfer target for former club Newcastle United – a potential saviour amid another relegation-threatened campaign at St.James’s.

Nobody can doubt the significance of his nine goals over the last two campaigns in keeping the Hammers in the top flight, or his contribution of work-rate as a lone, isolated front-man in an incredibly direct system. But Carroll’s effectiveness in that role, when fit, and West Ham’s dependency on it, encapsulates much of what the fans have grown to hate about their club under Allardyce’s leadership.

A player like Carroll can only thrive under one kind of service, and in turn, a team can only be successful if they’re supplying their spearhead in a manner that suits his natural qualities. Indeed, as Jamie Carragher remarked in his Daily Mail column last April; “It quickly became apparent he wasn’t the right fit for the club. In training, he’d complain if the ball wasn’t flung into the box – and I don’t mean from out wide. He wanted the ball to come into him from close to the half-way line, but at Liverpool that was never going to happen.”

It remains to be seen if the former Newcastle star can adapt to West Ham’s more varied style of play upon his return from injury – currently planned for the end of November. They say a tiger can’t change it’s stripes; perhaps a Carroll can’t change it’s tune.

Equally, and with that thought in mind, one can only ponder whether a fully fit Andy Carroll will convince Allardyce to revert back to his more attritional roots, likely bringing Kevin Nolan, a more debated figure than his captaincy might suggest, with it.

But that option would only further damage Allardyce’s already frosty reputation with the supporters; they’re now witnessing what West Ham are truly capable of under the former Bolton boss, a successful compromise between his requisites and their own demands, and will only expect the positive, more progressive performances to continue.

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Carroll’s departure, on the other hand, would demonstrate Allardyce’s commitment to leaving the ’19th century football’ of the last two years behind him. Carroll is not only the pinnacle, but furthermore the most effective vehicle, of the Hammers’ attritional style – one of the manager’s last remaining motivations to play in that kind of way. Selling him, at least in the short-term, would safeguard the club against a philosophy that caused such divisions between the fans, the management and the board.

Perhaps that was a little drastic – after all, transfer gossip nowadays should be taken as seriously as a Harry Enfield sketch show. But the sheer fact the papers claim West Ham could be selling Carroll speaks volumes about how committed already Allardyce appears to change this season. The times at West Ham, truly are a-changing.

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Andre Villas-Boas celebrated the performance of his team’s attacking players, following Tottenham’s 3-1 Europa League victory over Panathinaikos.

Spurs lost their 1-0 lead in the 54th minute, but were able to come back to take all three points with two goals in the final quarter-of-an-hour.

The Portuguese coach was happy with the resilience his team showed once the scores were levelled:

“The problem was 1-0 wasn’t enough. They had the determination and motivation to get a result. But we played really well and had opportunities.” He is quoted by BBC Sport.

“We felt a little bit of anxiety but managed to get the result which was fair.

“We’ve been scoring a lot of goals and I think the team is the second-best attacking team in the Premier League. We create chances and we took our chances.”

The three points were not enough to take top spot in Group J, with Italian outfit Lazio securing the position.

Tottenham’s runners up finish may see them face one of the teams eliminated from the Champions League.

Villas-Boas believes that clubs dropping out of the top European competition should not be allowed into the Europa League:

“(It is) Extremely unfair,

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“You can’t give a bonus to teams who’ve failed. I’ve raised it in UEFA meetings but it is for them to decide.”

Emmanuel Adebayor gave the Londoners the lead after 29 minutes, but Panathinaikos levelled the score through Zeca just before the hour mark.

An own goal from Orestis Karnezis and a Jermain Defoe effort secure the win for Tottenham.