Stuttgart's Lemo pens 5 year deal withBayer Leverkusen

Bundesliga Club Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday permanently signed goalkeeper Bernd Leno on a five-year contract after the talented teenager impressed during his loan from Stuttgart.
Leno, 19, was one of Leverkusen's heroes in last week's shock 2-1 Champions League win over Chelsea, pulling off a string of fine saves that put his side in the knockout stages.
He joined Leverkusen in August on loan after an injury crisis among Bayer's goalkeepers when Germany star Rene Adler and reserve Fabian Giefer were both ruled out.
Since then, Leno has made 13 German league appearances and he has now signed an undisclosed deal to stay until June 2017, with reports claiming the transfer is worth around eight million euros ($10.7m) for Stuttgart.
"I feel very good at the club and I am grateful for the opportunity to be able to play Bundesliga and Champions League football. I want to repay their faith in me," said Leno.
Adler is still struggling to recover from a knee injury after surgery and is expected to be a long-term absentee.
"With Bernd Leno, we have secured the services of one of Germany's outstanding goalkeeping talents for the long term," said Leverkusen director of sport Rudi Voeller.
"Bernd has helped us in the past few months in a very difficult situation.
"He has been an excellent replacement for the injured Rene Adler and played a big part in helping us reach the second round of the Champions League...."

Leeds see off Forest and pays tribute to Garry Speed

Gary Speed was remembered in style by his first club Leeds on an emotional evening at the City Ground that saw Simon Grayson's men beat Nottingham Forest 4-0 in the npower Championship.
A minute's applause was held and players from both teams wore black armbands in tribute to Speed, who started his career at Elland Road and won the first division title with the club in 1992.
And Grayson's men heeded their manager's call to put in a special performance, with goals from Robert Snodgrass, Jonathan Howson, Luciano Becchio and Adam Clayton before Forest's Andy Reid was sent off late on.
Leaders Southampton were forced to come from behind to equal their post-War record of 21 straight home victories in all competitions as they nudged past Hull City 2-1. Robert Koren put the visitors ahead in the 43rd minute but Saints hit back through Guly Do Prado before Adam Lallana headed the winner. Hull substitute Robbie Brady was sent off 11 minutes from time.
Second-placed West Ham stayed within two points of the Saints after securing their seventh away win of the season at Middlesbrough. Frederic Piquionne opened the scoring with a ninth-minute header and Carlton Cole made it 2-0 in injury time.
Leicester promised better times ahead under Nigel Pearson at the King Power Stadium with a 2-0 win over Blackpool. Andy King scored a 35th minute opener and Neil Danns added the second eight minutes from time.
Craig Mackail-Smith scored the only goal of the game as Brighton edged Derby 1-0 at Pride Park, while Chris McCann's double helped Burnley hammer struggling Ipswich 4-0, with further goals from Sam Vokes and Jay Rodriguez.
Bottom club Doncaster went down 3-2 at Millwall, for whom Liam Trotter's two first-half strikes sandwiched a Billy Sharp penalty. Darius Henderson extended Millwall's lead before Sharp's second four minutes from time.
Bristol City maintained their good run as they came from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at Watford. Carl Dickinson and Craig Beattie put the home side in front but Marvin Elliott and an Adrian Mariappa own goal gave the visitors a point.
Late goals from Adam Le Fondre and Hal Robson-Kanu helped Reading to a 3-2 win over Peterborough at the Madejski Stadium. Tommy Rowe put Posh ahead before Simon Church equalised for Reading. Emile Sinclair scored a last minute consolation for the visitors.
                                                          
                                                          "R.I.P. Garry Speed"

Talk of the week- Dider Drogba leaving Blues?

Blues powerhouse striker Didier Drogba has turned down a one-year contract extension with the Premier League side and is looking for a big-money move to finish his career, his agent said on Tuesday.
The 33-year-old's contract expires next summer and he looks set to walk away from Stamford Bridge for nothing, with his agent Thierno Seydi claiming he has been looking at options in the United States, Russia or Asia.
"Didier has had the offer of a one-year extension from Chelsea. That does not suit us," Seydi is quoted as saying by The Sun.
"We know what we want, where we want to go and what offers we have.
"AC Milan came in for Didier on loan with an option to buy but I said 'No' straight away. Their offer did not interest us.
"At Didier's age, he has nothing left to prove as a player. He will go where he is offered the most money.
"It could be the United States, Russia, Qatar or somewhere else in Asia. Once you are well into your thirties you have to go to a club where you can be certain you'll be able to pay your bills.
"LA Galaxy are a possibility among many others. He has been linked with Anzhi Makhachkala in Russia, as they pay well. But neither Didier nor I have had an offer from them."
Drogba joined Chelsea in 2004 after previously playing for French clubs Marseille, Guingamp and Le Mans.

Chelsea Manager and former Porto manager ABV wants more...

Andre Villas-Boas in Press Conference

(AVB) Andre Villas-Boas accepts Champions League oblivion beckons if Chelsea are unable to improve on Tuesday night's feeble outing in the Carling Cup.
The Blues' chase for silverware suffered a setback as they exited the cup with a dismal 2-0 defeat by Liverpool, their third loss in four games. Just as worryingly for Villas-Boas, it was also the third time they had succumbed at Stamford Bridge in four matches.
It does not bode well for next Tuesday's critical Champions League showdown with Valencia, when defeat or the failure to keep a clean sheet in west London will result in the unthinkable. "The Champions League is a competition that is life and death and this standard won't be enough," he said.
For a club that covets success in Europe above all else, competing in the Europa League would be a chastening experience. Such an outcome could spell the end of Villas-Boas' reign at Stamford Bridge and the Portuguese knows a repeat of Tuesday's Carling Cup display is unacceptable.
He added: "We will need to up the tempo and play that game with the ultimate desire."
December is shaping up to be a critical month for Chelsea and Villas-Boas, whose future will have been decided by December 22. The club's Champions League status will have been determined, as will their ability to mount any meaningful challenge for the Barclays Premier League title.
Fixtures against top four sides Newcastle, at St James' Park on Saturday, Manchester City on December 12 and Tottenham three days before Christmas have the capacity to make or break Chelsea's season.
The club sit fifth in the table, 10 points adrift of leaders City. It is a pivotal month that could yet define Villas-Boas' Chelsea stewardship and the 34-year-old knows he is entering a decisive phase.
"For our Premier League challenge to be alive we need to make the most of our December fixtures," he said. "If we are able to do that we can get it back on track, not that we can't get back on track after. If we do well in December it will have a major impact. We recovered two points on our near opponents when we beat Wolves last weekend, which was good.
"But for us to challenge for the Premier League we need to make the most of our December fixtures because we play most of the top teams. I'm not a wizard so I can't say for sure what will happen after December. The FA Cup and Champions League come into play next year, so we don't know what will happen in March and April. But it's a fact that if we get points from December, it will put our challenge back on track..."