Pirates on Pelembe radar

Orlando Pirates are tight-lipped on whether or not they are interested in adding talented Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Elias Pelembe to their swelling ranks. 

Both Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs are said to be pursuing the 27-year-old Mozambican international, whose contract with Sundowns expires at the end of the season.

Pelembe, a vital cog at Sundowns, is delaying signing the contract he has been offered by the Patrice Motsepe-owned club as he weighs up mouth-watering offers from European clubs based in Spain, Holland and Portugal.

Insiders at Pirates say coach Julio Leal is hoping to rope in Pelembe as he believes his international experience gained while playing for the Mozambique national team will benefit Pirates in their quest for Champions League glory next year.

 
However, Pirates spokesperson Mickey Modisane does not give a clear answer on claims that Leal is after the talented Mozambican.
 
"I cannot confirm or deny that the club intends to sign Elias Pelembe," Modisane tellsKickOff.com.
 
"Signing new players is a technical decision, so let us leave it at that for now," he adds.
 
Pelembe's business manager, Tim Sukazi, also refuses to discuss reports that Pirates have shown interest in the midfielder.
 
The Mozambican international – believed to be among one of the best paid players in the PSL – has scored three goals for Sundowns so far this season and has played a leading role for the former League champions. 

Benni sinks the Birds...

Orlando Pirates beat Moroka Swallows 2-1 in a Telkom Knockout Cup quarter-final thanks to a brace from Benni McCarthy on Saturday night. 

Arteta playing a key role at the centre of Arsenal's recent rejuvenation

“One month ago we played here against Swansea and had absolutely to win, or you would have had a complete disaster,” Arsene Wenger admitted. “One month ago, the questions we had to answer were: ‘Do you face a relegation battle or not?’That makes the game more difficult. It’s more enjoyable now.”

Stutteringly at first, and then more assuredly, the lights are coming back on at the Emirates. At the front, Robin van Persie has seemed at times to be winning games for Arsenal on his own, hauling them out of their funk through sheer force of example. At the back, Thomas Vermaelen is finding his way back to fitness, Carl Jenkinson is showing considerable promise and Laurent Koscielny is in the best form of his life.

But it is in the middle where Arsenal are finally beginning to assert themselves in a way they have struggled to do since the departure of Cesc Fabregas and the injury to Jack Wilshere. Saturday’s win over West Brom was Mikel Arteta’s best performance in an Arsenal shirt. Since moving from Everton at the end of August he turned in several decent performances without ever really grabbing a game by the lapels. This was that game.

“He’s really important,” Wenger said. “When we need to keep the ball, he can do that. Jack can do that as well, but with Jack missing he is really a player who allows you to keep the ball when it is needed.”

More than that, Arteta is finally beginning to express himself in the final third. His goal on Saturday was a classic Arsenal goal — Robin van Persie laying the ball off for Arteta to curl home from the edge of the penalty area after a sharp, attractive passing move. Too often this season Arsenal have been a cautious, sideways team, but here they were darting forward, exploring diagonals, weaving their intricate triangles again.

Redkapp warned by doctors not to rush return

The 64-year-old Tottenham Hotspur manager revealed yesterday that he has been informed, following last week’s operation, that he should not return to work until mid-December.

“(The doctor is) telling me I shouldn’t even think about (returning) for at least four or five weeks. I hope to be back before then,” Redknapp, who missed the victory over Fulham, said.

“I’m not one for sitting about. It’s difficult but I’ve got to do it, I’ve got to take my time really and listen to what the doctors tell me and try not to get too stressed out. I think stress is what causes most of your problems anyway so I’m going to try and relax as best I can, watch the game without getting too stressed — it’s not going to be easy I’m sure — but I’ll be fine.

“I’ve just got to take my time now, make sure when I’m ready I come back and get on with it but not until I get the go ahead from the people in charge.”

Redknapp underwent a minor procedure to unblock coronary arteries, withdrawing from the midweek Europa League trip to Russia before being released from hospital on Thursday. He had two stents inserted, while the treatment is known as a coronary angioplasty and is classed as a routine procedure.

United play down the prospect of Rooney filling void left by Paul Scholes in midfield

The 26 year-old capped an impressive display in midfield against Romanian champions Otelul Galati at Old Trafford on Wednesday by seeing a 25-yard strike deflected into the net by defender Cristian Sarghi to seal United’s 2-0 Champions League victory.

Rooney’s performance in the 'Scholes role’, behind United’s forwards, adds weight to suggestions that he has the ability to fill the void left by the retired playmaker.

But while Ferguson confessed to being impressed by Rooney against Galati, he admits that United’s 11-goal leading scorer this season remains his first-choice striker.

“Wayne has scored 11 goals so far, so you want him to be in positions where he can get you more goals,“ Ferguson said. “I think that position is where he will normally play.

“But he disciplined himself against Galati and didn’t belt off forward all the time. He held his position quite well and played as a natural centre midfield player.

Ferguson uses anger to test players, says Sunderland manager Steve Bruce

Ferguson has delivered some severe dressing-room dressing downs during his 25 years at Old Trafford and Bruce says nobody is spared. While plenty of managers are capable of angry reprimands, Ferguson has a knack of knowing who needs one and when.

Bruce was a key member of the United side who ended a 26-year wait to become English champions in 1994 and the Sunderland manager argued that his former boss succeeded by ensuring his players were tough enough as well as good enough.

“If you couldn’t stand up to that then you were no use to him,” said Bruce, whose Sunderland side travel to Old Trafford looking to spoil the anniversary celebrations tomorrow.

“If you couldn’t stand up to him and his demands, and many a player couldn’t, then you couldn’t play for Man United. That was his mentality, to have people around him who were born winners, like he was. He wanted people to respond to it and react to it rather than shrink from it.

“He would just shout right in your face. We all answered him back, but there was only ever one winner – him, and rightly so. For all of us who had it, you just accepted it. It made you better and it made you stronger."

RVP gamble failed

Arsene Wenger admitted his gamble of resting Robin van Persie did not pay off after Arsenal drew 0-0 with Marseille at Emirates Stadium in the UEFA Champions League.

Victory over the French club would have ensured the Gunners' progress from Group F into the last 16 of Europe with two games still to spare.

It was therefore a surprise Wenger decided to rest Van Persie,with the Arsenal captain's hat-trick at Chelsea on Saturday having taken his scoring total for 2011 to 28 goals in 27 Premier League games.

But Wenger, who had an eye on the coming home game with West Brom, told Sky Sports when asked about the decision to only introduce his skipper as a 62nd minute substitute: "It was a bit on the edge.

"It was a bit on the edge. It was a gamble that you can say tonight didn't come off."
Arsene WengerQuotes of the week

"It was a gamble that you can say tonight didn't come off. "But, overall, he was very tired after the game on Saturday. He has played many games and I took the gamble to rest him first and make him come on."