FREE WITH THE SUNDAY NATION. May 3, 2009 W-DJ. Creating the DJ Brand

FREE WITH THE SUNDAY NATION May 3, 2009 W-DJ Creating the DJ Brand

2 Sunday May3 If you are a DJ and still do audio mixes, you need to up your game. The art of deejaying has gone a notch higher, in gospel and secular too. Most of the DJs are now doing video mixes in clubs, which is very cool. I went to the relaunched Bacchus Club in Westlands, where DJ Kaydee was mixing videos and was shocked to see people turn their chairs in the middle of the night, just to watch the screens. Rezorus has gone further, they have now installed large screens for people to watch their mixes from outside. In the town centre, Tropez Club is doing the same and as you listen to a particular jam, you can watch its video too. In short, DJs are revolutionising the industry, and that s when we say showbiz is growing. I have a feeling that one day, nobody would want to listen to any audio music, and videos will take over completely. Already we are seeing that on TV in shows like Crossover 101, X-treem, Rush Live and Re-Up, among others. Very good things are happening in the DJ industry and more people are appreciating these talented entertainers every day. However, very few DJ outfits have been able to maintain their standards. Before Code Red and Blackstar, there used to be outfits like the Hit Squad and Scratchaholics. What happened to them? One thing; selfish interests. At least that is the main reason why many DJ outfits are breaking up every day. However, there are those that have managed to hold themselves together, for example MOB DJs. We know that outfits like Blackstar and Code Red are still intact, but if you look at their track records, most of the DJs have either quit or joined them. But if you looked at MOBs team three years ago, it s still the same, unlike the rest. We also appreciate the stand-alone DJs like Adrian, Pinye, Kaydee, Jack, among others, who are big in their own ways. In this issue, Philip Mwaniki looks at some of the reasons why DJs decide to call it a day in their outfits, and begin their own solo careers. He speaks to W-DJ, an ex-code Red. Read on. Today, the Under -20 rugby championships, held in Kenya and Africa for the first time, come to an end. We must say it s an honour for Kenya to host such a tournament, and we hope that even the World Cup will land here very soon. May be it s because the Ayimba team has made us proud in the recent past, or perhaps we undermine ourselves too much. Eric Odanga gives you the story on the tournament. It s the first week of May and we all hope that this month will bring good things. Enjoy your favourite copy of Buzz magazine, and have a blessed week too. jmuchiri@nation.co.ke Club Galileo will today host the Open Mic session. All the upcoming artistes are invited to showcase their talents in the event that starts from 6 p.m till late. In Malindi, there will be a Back To Basic jam session, going down at the Pink Elephant club (fomerly Swara Restaurant). It will feature DJs Mantixx and Mantell from 2 p.m till late. Wednesday May 6 It s Laffy Taffy Nite at the Tacos Club, Kimathi street. Loads of fun in this sizzling ladies night with great prizes to be won. On the decks will be DJ Thios, starting from 7 p.m. Friday May 8 The Tropez Club on Kimathi Street will be having a VJ mix party. On the decks will be the ever-blazing MOB DJs, playing live video mixing from 6 p.m till late. Dance competition DJ Space The Rangers Restaurant, Lang ata, will be hosting the first ever DJ Showdown, the Untammed Party. The main DJs on the deck will be DJ Nijo (MOB DJs) and DJ Adrian (Capital), from 6 p.m. Dresscode is strictly smart casual. Managing Editor: Eric Obino Editor: Adhyambo Odera Creative Director: Kamau Wanyoike Designer: Alice Othieno Contributors: John Muchiri, Philip Mwaniki, Fred Orido, Irene Nyambura, Tim Kamuzu Banda Photographer: Charles Kamau is published every week by Nation Media Group Limited. It is distributed free with every Sunday Nation. Unsolicited manuscripts, artwork, transparencies are submitted at the sender s risk. While every care will be taken on receipt of such material, the Nation Media Group Limited cannot accept responsibility for accidental loss or damage. Nation Media Group Limited, 2009. All rights reserved. DJ Adrian DJ Nijo Coastal artistes should work harder Time and again, coastal artistes have continually complained of being neglected and sidelined by the media, hence their inability to penetrate the national market despite being as good as their Nairobi counterparts, if not better. Their argument is that the media is entirely to blame for their relative lack of success in the entertainment industry, arguing that the media has purposefully sabotaged their attempts to break through by denying them radio and TV airplay, as well as coverage in the case of print media. I beg to differ. While it is true that the media is biased against non-nairobi artistes, they are not solely to blame for the coastal artistes woes. The artistes are also responsible for their failure as are the fans. For starters, the artistes are justified in claiming the media is biased against them but anyone who has been watching the industry keenly, will have noticed that the media is biased against all Non-Nairobi artistes and not just coastal artistes. TV and radio stations give the lions share of airplay to Nairobi-based artistes and even this is shared almost exculsively among the so called A-List celebs. The rest (including the coastal-based artistes), have to share the crumbs amongst themselves. The sooner coastal artistes learn to live with this cruel fact, the better. In order to break away from this spell, coastal artistes need to revise their strategy. While they may be facing barriers within the media, the artistes themselves have done very little to boost their image. For one, they have to change their style so that it appeals to the nationwide market. Artistes also need to learn to market themselves. Having a good song will do you no good if you can t get people to hear it and know you. For coastal artistes to grow, the local fans have to accept them first before the rest of the country follows suit. Unfortunately, coastal fans have little love for their aristes. They would rather pay to see Jua Cali in action than attend a free Nyota Ndogo show. I m not saying they should not attend Jua Cali s shows, but if at all Mombasa artistes are to shine, the fans have to give their artistes maximum support. Boniface Mwalii, University of Nairobi BUZZ encourages mail and photographs from readers. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. Photo submissions will become the property of BUZZ and may not be returned. Write to: BUZZ Magazine, P.O. Box 49010 00100,GPO Nairobi, Tel: 3208 8000 Fax: 213946 E-mail: buzz@nation.co.ke

3 W-DJ is determined to build a brand in deejaying that will take the art to a new level and keep it there. He reveals to PHILIP MWANIKI why he abandoned his dreams of being a banker or chef to be a deejay You ve been shuffling from one stage name to another, the same way you do to music. I ve had only three names since I started. I used to be called DJ Thashes, then changed to DJ Back Baby before settling for W-DJ. What does the W stand for? No particualar meaning, I just played with my second name and liked it. How did you get into deejaying? It was 10 years ago, at age 17, when I started playing at house parties, small gigs and gradually started taking the big stand. How did you join Code Red? They used to outsource my services at weddings and parties while I was in campus. I later became a full member and used to recruit new talent like Final Kut, DJ Creme and Hyptonik. Then why did you leave Code Red? I felt that my brand was not growing there, so I decided to build it on my own. But you never left Capital FM even after the split? I was very lucky the station decided to take me up and I started doing the Saturday breakfast show with Fareed. I then got a slot where I did the Jam on Monday and also the Urban night Grown mix for the US audiences and I used to fill in for DJ Adrian. How did you survive when DJ CK decided to fire Code Red from the station? I have no idea and I even didn t know they were going to be fired. I got a call one morning and was asked if I wanted to get my Friday Old Skool show back which I used to do with Code Red. That s how I learnt that Code Red had been fired. How was life after Code Red? Tough because I had to start rebuilding my brand from scratch, but radio helped me a lot because my name was still in the airwaves. I then started doing major shows and parties like Legally Wild and Best of both worlds and that has kept my name alive. You seem obsessed with branding? Deejaying is a career like any other, and people need to see that. I build my brand, people will respect my work and treat it like any other corporate body. Do you think entertainers in Kenya are serious about branding? I think deejays are more aware of branding than our musicians and even TV personalities. What s your brand? I m the life of the party! I can play any genre and get people to dance. Everybody seems to have a TV show, are you headed there as well? Definitely! I m planning something big, you will soon see me on TV. What did you study in college? A degree in finance and banking at Nazarene University. Isn t there more money in that field? I worked at Suntra Investment while in college and I love maths. But this (deejaying) is what I love doing and is paying me well. However, it is important to have a fall back plan just incase things don t go as planned. And what did your parents say about it? Actually, I wanted to be a chef first, but I did not see it as a manly career and opted for finance and banking. I told them I wanted to continue with deejaying, and since they saw I was comfortable, they gave me their blessings. Why chef? I was raised up in a family of girls and so I liked cooking. So what s your future plan? I want to take deejaying to greater heights and also ensure it pays me handsomely that I can retire and enjoy the fruits of my labour. pmwaniki@nation.co.ke

4 A FIRST FOR KENYAN RUGBY 5 The International Rugby Board (IRB) Junior World Rugby Trophy ends today at the Rugby Football Union of East Africa grounds, with Romania playing USA s Junior Eagles. ERIC ODANGA has been following the event closely and ﬁles this report. Collins Omae celebrates Kenya Vs Cayman Island K enya s junior national team, nicknamed Chipu (for Chipukizi), surprised many doubting Thomases by reaching this far. Last Saturday, Chipu deﬁed all odds to beat USA 33-32, after coming from 14-32 down! Collins Omae, a former student of Dagoretti High School, was Chipu s toast for the day scoring a hattrick. The manner in which he silenced USA s Junior Eagles elevated him to the status of Kenya s top winger Collins Injera, who is getting rave reviews in the International Rugby Board Sevens World Series, where Kenya s senior side Shujaa, has beaten top teams, among them New Zealand, South Africa and England. For two weeks, Kenya the ﬁrst African country to host this age-grade tournament played host to the future players for the various national teams, including USA, Cayman Islands, Papua New Guinea, Romania, Namibia and South Korea. Watch out for these emerging players on the Chipu side who are likely going to don the senior jersey if the trend is continued. Omae s dazzling runs has already earned him a call up to the national seven-a-side team, whose A side will be departing this week for a tournament in Morocco,Tanger Sevens. Benjamin Ayimba, the Shujaa coach, acknowledged Omae had the potential. Other outstanding players of the Chipu side are Ken Isindu, Oscar Ouma and Patrice Agunda. From the JWRT, two USA players Zach Test and Tai Enosa got a call up to the senior team after impressing in Nairobi. While the tournament was going on, the eight teams had a chance to impart rugby skills to Kenya s young players under the Legacy Programme. Simply put, the youthful players were just being reminded of where they came from. It was a requirement for the teams to spare two sessions during the tournament to coach young players. According to the IRB Tournament Manager Phillipe Boudarias, the Legacy Programme has almost overshadowed the tournament. The players have been so enthusiastic, he said.the Legacy Programme would see over 100,000 primary school children in Nairobi introduced to rugby over the next four years. It is the largest of its kind to be run in Kenya at a time when rugby is reaching out for Olympics Games reinclusion in 2016. IRB chairman, Bernard Lapasset, had a ﬁrst-hand experience of how far rugby could change the lives of many children by watching the teams undertake a Legacy Programme in Kibera, whose close proximity to the main rugby venue RFUEA ground has spurred interest in the game. The extensive legacy programme targets grass roots coaching and rugby equipment support. The IRB is committed to growing the game across Africa and in 2007 the Confederation of African Rugby (CAR), IRB s regional association, signed a historic accord with the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) aimed at jointly fostering sport and rugby in Africa, said Mr Lapasset. Over the next four years, the IRB and CAR will oversee the roll out of a wide-reaching grass roots development programme aimed at introducing 100,000 primary school children to the Sport by 2012.The project, run in conjunction with the Kenyan Government, is the largest of its kind in the country. KRFU chairman Richard Omwela added: Kenya rugby is looking forward to turning rugby into a truly community sport. It s no secret that the primary school network is the closest of all to the communities in Kenya.This is a logical ﬁrst step of taking Rugby to the Kenyan communities. The message after two weeks of competition by players barely out of their teens sensitised the youth on the importance of rugby. For a long time, rugby has been considered as a rough sport but the thousands of rugby fans and youth who thronged the RFUEA ground is a testimony to rugby s changing image, especially after the success of Shujaa in the IRB Sevens World Series. Kenya Vs USA A TRIP TO THE MUSEUM... WOW! MARIA SEEMS TO BE HAVING FUN! ANA-THINK SCORING WITH MANY GIRLS MAKES HIM LOOK COOL! ANA-SHOW OFF TU! MARIA S JUST A FAKE! AND SO IS TIMO. HAKI NI KA-BULLY! 1 Story by Susan Scull-Carvalho Cartoons by Bella Kilonzo FUN GANI?! LIKE TIMO, MARIA ANA-THINK ATI BEING EASY MAKES HER POPULAR WITH GUYS! CHEKI TU! LAKINI MANZE, SI THEY RE HAVING FUN! MANZE, ANA-BLUNDER! REPUTATION YAKE IKO KWA NOMA! NOMA BIGI SANA! IMAGINE WHAT HER ACTIONS SAY ABOUT HER... AND HER VALUE FOR HERSELF? 2 I BET SHE S NOT THINKING ABOUT HIYO FACT. SHE S OUT TO SCORE! LIKE KUBONGA JUU YA FUTURE, KU-TELL MA-STORY, KU-DANCE AU KU-WATCH MOVIES. LAKINI TUNAWEZA HAVE FUN DIFFERENTLY... 3 1. Collins Omae with the ball against the USA team TALK ABOUT IT: What does self-respect or valuing yourself mean to you? How does your self-respect affect your character and behaviour choices? 2. Fans at the RFUEA Grounds 3.Kenya Team ceelebrates after beating USA 33-32 Designed and produced by Jacaranda Designs Ltd HAPO UMEBONGA SENSE, NANCY! MANZE, LET S TALK TO MARIA. LET S GET HER TO THINK ABOUT WHAT SHE S DOING. I KNOW ITAKUWA TOUGH LAKINI SHE LL THANK US SOMEDAY. POA! LET S DO IT!

6 PHOTO: AXXXXXXXXXXXXX Kevin of Swivle and DJ Joe MFALME TOUR WINDS UP The Pilsner Mfalme countrywide tour wound up recently at the Cocunut Grill Thika, with DJ Krowbar, the overall winner, proving to fans that his victory was not a fluke. Flanked by the runners up DJ Tibz from Nakuru and Capital FM s DJ Joe, Krowbar gave a good account of himself with hippy gospel mixes. This has been the perfect opportunity for me to show that deejaying is not all about the lewd music that we are used to in clubs but that gospel is hippy too, he said. The countrywide tours, organized by Swivel Marketing, kicked off in Nairobi and took them to Kisii, Mombasa, Eldoret, Nyeri and finally Thika. Swivel Marketing s Kevin Njoga, who has been on the road with the three DJs, says it has been amazing how Dj Krowbar has been moving crowds in clubs who are more used to hippy genres like raga and hip hop. SINGING COP RECOVERS AFTER ACCIDENT After a bad car accident, the singing cop, Kaka Man Nduati, a popular mugithi artiste and a police officer as well, has fully recovered and ready to perform. The accident, which occurred over two months ago, got Man Nduati hospitalised after he broke one of his legs. The doctors say that I ve fully recovered and out of any danger. That means I m ready to perform for my fans, Man Nduati told Buzz. The accident occurred just after he had released his latest album Kiwendo Kia Nguvu (powerful love), and was planning to do a countrywide promotional tour. JAL S FUNDRAISING FOR A SCHOOL Emanuel Jal, the former Sudanese child soldier turned musician, has launched an ambitious appeal to raise USD300,000 for building a school in Leer Southern Sudan. The school will be named after Emma McCune, the British aid worker who saved Jal. The school will educate children displaced by war and affected by poverty. Since he launched the project in December, Jal has been eating only one meal a day. Dubbed the Loose to Win campaign, it has already seen him raising USD86, 000. Sometime I would get headaches, back aches or my sugar levels dropping drastically but I Jal know that what I am doing will help educate children who have no future without education, Jal said at a press conference at the Carnivore on Thursday. The appeal has got support from Zain. The mobile telephone service company has organised two fundraising concerts to help boost the kitty. The first will be held tomorrow in Juba (Southern Sudan) while the other will be held next Saturday at the Carnivore. Proceeds from the concert will go towards the fund. Man Nduati PHOTO: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX WE HAVE BORING LOCAL SPORTS Today, I I wanted to look at our weather girls, but I realised, there s only one and with that, I will reserve my very solid opinions for a later date because they are no pretty. Moving on, sports in Kenya, apart from athletics and now rugby, are very boring. They don t have a life because they lack and off the court or field appeal to get the fans out of their couches or rugby stands to go and watch. Look at basketball, one of the most bankable sports in the world, with a mass appeal that goes beyond the stadiums reaching to hip hop, fashion and even politics. We need to create an appeal away from these sports if we are to have a more entertaining and fan-ready sport. For example, whenever there is a rugby match, you can see the kind of hype that surrounds the event and attracts people who cannot tell you the difference between a knock on and a conversion, and this goes mainly to ladies and many guys like me. To be honest, I know zero when it comes to rugby, but the hype that the sport generates out of the field is what pulls me to those stands. Now, Kenyan basketball should be one of the most hyped sports in Kenya because of the interest it generates in high school and college, but somewhere along the way, the interest dies because in Kenya, the only thing about basketball are the scores. I want to get to a point where sports and entertainment become one because, honestly, it s only those two things that keep us going as a country because our politicians won t help us. If that merger was to happen, then it would be interesting to know that when I go to watch a game I know I can be entertained as I watch and after. Sports and entertainment the world over are the two most influential things that get people to set aside whatever differences they have and enjoy the few minutes that they will be together. When it comes to local football, I am yet to get a favourite team to follow because, patriotism aside, I want to be able to follow the stars both on and off the pitch. I am a serious basketball fan and we do have talent in Kenya but the problem is the few times I have gone to watch the game, I almost fall asleep because there is no hype or anything that can appeal to me, to be honest. Maybe some of the other pointers I have can be used to fight the recession and considering the fact that I am a year older since Friday. pmwaniki@nation.co.ke WITH TKB We are enemies of our sports Now we are blaming some creatures from Mars for not making sports interesting in Kenya? How ridiculous! I am a big sports fan and I can tell you for sure that there are thousands of games of different disciplines played in every corner of our republic at one given time. There are athletes out there who have dedicated their lives to sports. In fact, some people s livelihood depends on sports. Kenyans are to blame for the state of affairs. The stadiums will not fill themselves if we do not develop an interest to an extent that we go out there to watch our village teams practice for intervillage tournaments. I am insisting on the word village because support needs to start at the grass root level. Kenyans have a habit of waiting for the high profile games and then they line-up claiming patriotism. That was the case at the Kenya versus Tunisia match and will be the case when Kenya plays Nigeria next month. The volleyball matches at Kasarani only fill up when there is a foreign team in town and even then, it would just be the finals. People like the Heat columnist claim to be ardent basketball fans and yet he cannot name five teams in the top basketball league in Kenya, leave alone the defending champions. On the contrary, he can name the entire LA Lakers squad and even tell you where each player lives. With those kinds of sports fans in Kenya, why are we even complaining about dwindling numbers on the terraces? The moment we start imagining that the NBA is the only league where basketball is being played then we are the biggest stumbling blocks to the development of sports in Kenya. Rugby is enjoying the limelight at the moment because there are dedicated fans. People, like myself, attended the matches even before Kenya joined the IRB Sevens circuit. There has been a consistent record of club support dating back to the 60s. It is because of these ardent fans that others have adopted rugby as their favourite sport. If it is polo, or even badminton, that you enjoy, then be sure go for the matches consistently. Then you can start inviting your friends and create a fan base. Don t just talk. Those who are vocal about the lack of glamour or support for sports in Kenya are the same people who have never attended a match even in their neighbourhood. Are we also going to wait for the government to do something about it too? kbanda@nation.co.ke

PHOTO: CHARLES KAMAU KASSIM WONT LET GO! Bongos Big Time production house has given Kassim a chance to rest his case. This hit single titled Haiwezekani begins in a slow rhythmic beat with a good guitar and ﬂute tune creating a perfect introductory sound before Kassims soft voice creates a tonal, lyrical and vocal emotional expression in a well polished pitch. It goes Sikiza Cindy, nikueleze ya moyoni nikutoe wasi wasi, sikiza kipenzi, mwenye sura ya upole nibembeleze ili nisiwe na wasi wasi... The lyrics are well spelt out with repetitions which create good rhymes. The chorus is well harmonised and emphasised with canonic imitations and echoes of the initial vocals which work well in delivery of his message, consider : Haiwezekani, nikuache wewe, unayenipendeza niende kwa mwingine The lyrical administering and rhymes is great and he manages to crescend contradictorily to hit the high notes as though to land at a modulation but cools it down to do a ﬁnal bridge in which he once again crescends in an anger stricken laments. The bridge is covered with the ﬂute tune which act as a connection to the chorus in a smooth ﬁnale as it all fades away, This is a great track. Excellent Great Satisfactory Horrible Get Back To Studio Nipe tiba [tiba tiba] Nipe tiba[tiba tiba] Nipe tiba[tiba tiba] Nipe tiba[tiba tiba] X2 Wewe ni wangu Wangu wa milele Bila wewe eeih Nahisi upweke Cant u you see that u are my Divine completion Nowe tu wewakwa Digwona ononge Sininyime penzi Sinitese mpenzi Sitaki kukaa Bila weeiih CHORUS X2 Ndani ndani nje Ngwedete uguo ure U don t have to drive A hummer to please me Gift of love is all what My heart beats for Sininyime penzi Sinitese mpenzi Sitakii. Kaka bila weeih (CHORUS X 2) (Bridge) Wewe ni wangu. TIBA EYEDOLLZ (tiba tiba) Wewe ni wanguu (tiba tiba) Cant u see that u r my (tiba tiba) Wewe weweeih tiba CHORUS (TILL END) 7 BILLBOARD TOP TEN 1. My Life Would Suck Without You - Kelly Clarkson 2. Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) - Beyonce 3. Heartless - Kanye West 4. Just Dance - Lady GaGa ft.colby O Donis 5. Love Story - Taylor Swift 6. Gives You Hell - The All-American Rejects 7.You Found Me - The Fray 8. Live Your Life - T.I. ft. Rihanna 9. Circus - Britney Spears 10. I m Yours - Jason Mraz EASY FM TOP TEN 1. Heaven Sent - Keysha Cole 2. One Step At A Time - Jordin Sparks 3. Forgive Me (Remix) - C Note 4. Us Against The World - Westlife 5. Selﬁsh - Asia Cruise 6. Touch My Body - Mariah Carey 7. No One Like You - P-Square 8. Bed - J Holiday 9. I Remember - Keisha Cole 10. One Word - Elliott Yamin BOX OFFICE TOP TEN 1. Monsters vs. Aliens - Reese Witherspoon, Hugh Laurie, Seth Rogen 2. The Haunting in Connecticut - Virginia Madsen, Kyle Gallner, Elias Koteas 3. Knowing - Lara Robinson, Nicolas Cage, Rose Byrne, Chandler Canterbury 4. I Love You, Man - Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, Rashida Jones, Sarah Burns 5. Duplicity - Julia Roberts, Clive Owen, Tom Wilkinson, Paul Giamatti, Rick Worthy 6. Race to Witch Mountain - Dwayne Johnson, Ciaran Hinds, Anna-Sophia Robb 7.12 Rounds - John Cena, Steve Harris, Aidan Gillen, Brian J. White 8.Watchmen - Malin Akerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Carla Gugino, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan 9.Taken - Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Leland Orser, Anjul Nigam, Jon Gries 10.The Last House on the Left - Garret Dillahunt, Martha MacIsaac, Riki Lindhome

8 THE MOSCOW REPLAY? If you are a football pundit, thinking forward to the Champions League finals; there are three things (options) involved. Number one and most likely, is the Moscow replay, which means Manchester United and Chelsea will proceed to the final. The second option is a London final, Arsenal v/s Chelsea, and the third option is the Spanglish final, between Barcelona v/s Manchester United or Arsenal. The Moscow option is the most likely one for two simple reasons: Manchester United lead their tie with Arsenal and although Chelsea s tie is all square, Chelsea finish at home and that puts them in a slightly stronger position. The London option is less likely because Arsenal have to beat Manchester United, who have shown great resilience away from home in the Champions League this season and have defended very well overall. Arsenal also have to play better than they did at Old Trafford and while they probably will you can bet your house on United playing with at the same level of efficacy as at Old Trafford. ManU vs Chelsea The striking aspect about Arsenal that a lot of people clearly do no get is that, unlike Chelsea who went to Spain to defend, Arsenal went to Old Trafford looking for an attack and score goals, hence the deployment of Fabregas in an advanced role, and-it just did not work! Fabregas is not Gerrard, he is at his best when he is dictating the play in midfield, not the second farthest player from his own goal. Arsenal have one week to fix the attack, steady the back and produce a top drawer performance. Arsene Wenger, in the words of Alex Ferguson, will count himself lucky; his team could be out of it but they are not. Arsenal is capable of beating Manchester United, no question about that, whether they can do it now is the question. If there is a way champions of England, Europe and the world should play, then Manchester United did that at Old Trafford against Arsenal. The tempo was octane, the gusto superb and the attack relentless. United came into that game from their best attacking performance of the entire season against Spurs over the weekend and they picked up from where they left off. Even the team selection was a throwback to the Spurs game. Tevez, who was a key ingredient in the weekend comeback, was handed a starting role which he used quite splendidly. The contrast between Tevez and Berbatov when leading the line is quite stark: Tevez is more hungry and determined in his approach while Berbatov is languid and unhurried and the latter approach does not really scare defenders much. When people talk of Barcelona they talk of Mess, Eto o and Henry-wrong. Xavi and Iniesta are the foundation of Barcelona s attacking genius and success. These two are probably the best creative midfielders in the world and what happens at Barcelona is they get people to complement these two players. Ronaldinho, Seedorf, Deco and others have gone to and left Barcelona but because the foundation remains intact Barca will always play well. Chelsea have to attack as well as defend on Wednesday and striking that balance requires concentration and a lot more oomph from Lampard and Ballack. Barcelona showed they can defend too and expect them to bring the firepower with the same intensity. Chelsea have to win the game, a scoring draw of any kind will not do and I think the big high tempo slug fest type of game everyone expected to materialize in Spain will happen at the Bridge-it must. Barca and Man United return for the second legs after trying to keep their league title ambitions on track and that could work against them in terms of fatigue. What is your option? www.mafans.com