SPORT: Arsenal have potential to win Premier League with Ozil, says Robert Pires

Arsenal should be able to win the English Premier League this year with the present squad, according to club legend Robert Pires.

The club now has a mix of youth and experience that could help them to their first trophy in eight years since their golden generation last won the FA Cup in 2005, a squad where Pires played a key part.

The retired French man feels that the key to rejuvenating their title hopes lies in new summer acquisition Mesut Ozil who led the Gunners to a 3-1 victory over Stoke City on Sunday.

“It’s possible [for Arsenal to win] because now the young players have grown up and have more experience. They also have a good mix for [Arsene] Wenger. If you put Ozil in the middle, I think it’s a very good mix for Arsenal,” Pires told Goal at a soiree organised by Airtel to round up the Airtel Rising Stars African youth championship in Lagos on Sunday.

“[Ozil’s] a very good player, he plays for the German national team, he played for Real Madrid, now he’s playing for Arsenal. He has the experience. I think the football will be more simple now.”

With the Gunners also chasing glory in Europe and hoping to get out of their famed ‘group of death’ that includes, Napoli, Borussia Dortmund and Marseille, Pires says that the club should concentrate on the Premier League.

“Seriously, I think Arsenal have a good potential to win the Premiership. For the Champions League I don’t know but the most important thing is to focus on the Premiership because it is very important for the club and for the fans,” he said.

Another of his former teams that is not doing too well at the moment is the French national team where he won the World Cup in 1998. Pires is optimistic that les Bleus will make the World Cup to make his countrymen happy.

“When you have an opportunity to play in the World Cup it’s very important for the people. We’re in a very difficult group because when you play against Spain, normally they finish first,” said Pires.

“The team is not very good at the moment but the most important thing is that I hope they qualify for the World Cup in Brazil, like Nigeria. I hope to see France and Nigeria.”

Since retiring from playing football, Pires has taken to commentary on French TV. Asked if he is keen to pick up coaching like former teammates Laurent Blanc and Didier Deschamps (former and present France national team coaches), he said: “I don’t think so. May be one day, but not for the moment because the job [of coaching] is very tough. At the moment I don’t have the character to be a coach.

“For the moment I work in commentary for French TV, more simple and easy,” Pires concluded.

CELEB GOSSIP: Akon Spotted With OmoTola - What is Akon Looking at ?

HMMM WHAT WRONG WITH THIS PHOTO COMMENT AND TELL WHAT AKON LOOKING AT?

SPORT: Mikel Breaks Goal Drought

John Mikel Obi (Chelsea): Super Eagles midfielder John Obi Mikel made history on Saturday by scoring his first ever Chelsea goal in the BPL as he scored

in the 84th minute against Fulham which was Chelsea’s second goal of the evening. Mikel had only scored twice for the Blues in the FA Cup in the 2006/07 season against Macclesfield Town in a 6-1 victory on January 6th 2007. Mikel scored his second FA Cup goal on the 28th of January 2007 in the Blues’ 3-0 home win over Nottigham Forest. Last weekend’s game was Mikel’s 185th game for his club in the BPL and 258th in all competitions. Mikel thus became the ninth African player to score for Chelsea, with Celestine Babayaro the only other Nigerian with that honour. The volley which led to the goal was the Nigerian’s 453rd shot for his West London side

Celeb Gossip: Amber Rose meets Nigerian Amber Rose

Popular video vixen Honey J. Willis also known as Honey Amber (She's said many times that Amber Rose is her inspiration) finally met her idol yesterday. Honey claimed she drove 4 hours just to meet Amber. They took photos and Amber Rose (the real one) shared one on her photos on her instagram page. Now, someone please bring Oprah or Tyler Perry to Nigeria...*dreaming*

Celeb Gossip: Alex O and Oby Edozien welcome son

Popular 90's pop star Alex O and his actress/movie producer wife Oby Edozien welcomed a son yesterday Sunday September 22nd. Oby and Alex got married in 2011 after a whirlwind romance. Big congrats to them.

Politics News: Lagosians spend N36billion annually on parties - Governor Fashola

Lagos state governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola, this weekend revealed that more than N36 billion is spent by Lagosians annually to organise parties. The governor said this at the 4th edition of the Lagos Ignite Enterprise and Employability project, a joint youth empowerment programme between the government and the Afterschool Graduate Development Centre, AGDC.

Governor Fashola said:

“This was the study of night life carried out by the government in five local governments including Agege, Mushin, Ifako-Ijaiye and Ikeja and another local government. It showed that more than N36 billion was spent on 1555 parties held within the period. We did a study between October and November last year. We studied from Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, three days every week for four weeks which was 12 nights. In 12 nights, 1555 parties were held in these local governments. In terms of drinks, food and all other engagements during such parties, about N1.2 billion was spent and when we dis-aggregated them we saw how much went to DJ, MC, food and drinks, the total picture in the state now and I don’t want to give you a wrong number but it’s something in the region of about N3 billion monthly on that side of our life and people are playing and impacting on that side of our economy.

 The governor further stated that Aso Ebi alone gulped a minimum of N1.2billion monthly.

Pics: Nollywood actor Jnr Pope Odonwodo proposes to his girlfriend

Nollywood actor Jnr Pope Odowodo proposed to his girlfriend, Jennifer, a graduate of Benson Idahosa University, yesterday. Big congrats to them.

Photos: President Jonathan and Obama in New York

President Goodluck Jonathan being received by President Barack Obama of the US at the Waldorf Hotel, New York on today Monday September 23rd. More photos after the cut...

SPORT: MOSES SAVOURS LIVERPOOL GLORY

When Chelsea decided to farm out Nigerian winger, Victor Moses out on loan, more than a few eye brows were raised.

Moses took it well and hit the ground running at his new surroundings; hitting a terrific solo goal in his first Premier League game for Liverpool against Swansea that had the Reds gaffer, Brendan Rodgers licking his lips in anticipation.

After his dream debut on Monday at the Liberty Stadium, the 22-year-old took the time to assess his earliest impressions of life as a Liverpool player.

Not many players have the privilege of scoring in their first game for Liverpool but it took Moses just 36 minutes to strike gold for the Anfield giants and he shared the special emotions from the heady moment with the club’s official website, liverpoolfc.com.

“It’s always great to get on the scoresheet. It was a great goal for me.

“They (Swansea’s Jonjo Shelvey) made a mistake in the middle of the park, I took the ball, cut in and watched the ‘keeper - I gave him the face and put the ball in the back of the net.

“It was great to put on the red shirt, get back on the pitch again and enjoy my football. That was the most important thing. It was a great game for us today and we’re delighted with the result.
The game eventually ended in a 2-2 draw; a result that saw Liverpool return to the top of the Premier League table and Moses had no complaints about the eventual outcome.

“I think (was) a fair result. We could have taken all three points but it wasn’t an easy game for us. Coming (to the Liberty Stadium), we knew that it was going to be a difficult game. A point was a fair result for us so we’re delighted with it,” he said.

Moses has joined a Liverpool squad stocked to near capacity with attacking options and watched from close quarters as Daniel Sturridge scored in a fourth consecutive Premier League match.
The No.12 was positioned on the left hand side against Swansea and explained why he would be happy to play any role in an attempt to extend the Reds’ unbeaten record.

“I’ve always played on the left hand side but then again, I’ll play wherever the manager wants to play me. I’m comfortable playing anywhere up front,” he said.

“We all know Daniel is a great player and a goal scorer as well. He’s in great form at the moment, scoring goals. And not just Daniel, Coutinho as well - he’s a great player.

“Everyone up front is doing pretty well at the moment. We’re still unbeaten, so we just want to keep the momentum going and try to keep winning games,” he added.

SPORT: ROONEY: LIVERPOOL THE 'BIGGEST GAME'

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney believes the bi-annual Premier League battles with Liverpool are still more important to the Old Trafford faithful than the increasingly significant local derbies against neighbours Manchester City.

City and United go head-to-head for the first time this season at the Etihad Stadium today in a game being billed as a potential momentum shifter for the rest of the season.

However, Liverpool-born Rooney claims the historically significant United-Liverpool battles remain the biggest fixture of them all.

“City have had their success recently, but I would probably say that United and Liverpool is still the biggest game,” Rooney told reporters.

“They’re all big games, but obviously United and Liverpool has been a massive game over the years. I’d say it’s still the biggest game.”

Despite his comments, Rooney accepts the latest instalment of the all-Manchester tussle will make for compelling viewing this weekend, but is quick to play down suggestions that the result could have a big impact on the fledgling title race.

“It’s a massive game between two title contenders,” added Rooney. “It’s not going to define the season, but it’s a big game, a local derby.

“The English players are more aware of what it means after the last four or five years. It’s a big game and we’ll be going there hopefully to win. I’ve scored a few goals against City and I’m looking forward to the match.”

Ini Edo also spotted rocking the $10,000 Chanel Lego Bag

Genevieve Nnaji was first spotted rocking the Chanel Lego clutch bag which costs a whooping $10k (N1.58million). Ini Edo was spotted rocking the same clutch bag yesterday at the Miss Earth Nigeria pageant where she served as a judge, replacing Genevieve Nnaji who is not in the country.