Liverpool could complete the signing of a world-renowned superstar who has been described as an “alien”, according to an exciting new transfer update.
Mohamed Salah's Liverpool future in doubt
The Reds are expected to potentially delve into the transfer market in the January window, with a new centre-back option possibly being looked at, as well as a defensive midfielder. The likes of Goncalo Inacio and Andre have both been linked with moves to Anfield.
It could be that next summer sees more significant business take place, however, and the future of Mohamed Salah will of course end up being a major talking point. The 31-year-old is one of the greatest players in the history of the club, taking his goal tally to 199 in Thursday's 4-0 win over LASK in the Europa League, but there is concern over losing him in 2024.
Back in the summer, Liverpool rejected a £150m bid for Salah from Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad, and it feels almost certain that interest in him will return in the near future. The Egyptian King is out of contract with the Reds in 2025, so it is slowly reaching a key point when it comes to his future on Merseyside.
Liverpool considering swoop to sign Kylian Mbappe
According to an eye-catching new claim from TEAMtalk, Liverpool could genuinely sign Kylian Mbappe next summer in an incredible move, although it would only happen if Salah leaves at Anfield.
"The sale of Mohamed Salah next summer could open the door for Liverpool to land Kylian Mbappe but they face a tough contest to beat Real Madrid to his signature, TEAMtalk can reveal.
"The striker is out of contract and has told the French side he is keen to leave, with many expecting him to move to Real Madrid. However, sources have confirmed to TEAMtalk that a number of clubs are considering a swoop for him, including Premier League giants Liverpool, who would love to add a new world-class player like Mbappe to their attack."
If Liverpool managed to entice Mbappe to the club next year, it would be a truly sensational piece of business, considering he is arguably the leading player of his generation. Still only 24 years of age, the Paris Saint-Germain striker has already won the World Cup, not to mention scoring a hat-trick in last year's defeat to Argentina in the final, and he has scored 229 goals in 277 appearances for PSG.
Appearances
277
Goals
229
Assists
100
In truth, Mbappe is about the one player who it would actually make sense to replace Salah with, considering he is one of the few talents in world football capable of producing similar levels of relentless world-class end product. He has been described as an "alien" by Napoli midfielder Piotr Zielinski, and he is also seven years younger than the Liverpool legend.
It is hard to see him moving to Anfield, however, with a switch to Real Madrid looking far more on the cards at the end of this season, but if Salah is to leave next summer, the Reds need to be looking at players of Mbappe's calibre to replace him.
Tottenham are said to be eyeing moves for two exciting young players to bolster one area of the squad, with manager Ange Postecoglou keen on more options.
Spurs short in key areas
Ahead of the January transfer window, Spurs are reportedly looking to strengthen certain positions where they're seen as very light in numbers. One of them is at left centre-back, as an injury to star summer signing Micky van de Ven has exposed Tottenham's lack of quality alternatives to the Dutchman.
Postecoglou isn't helped by Cristian Romero's suspension either, with the Argentine and van de Ven's once budding partnership sorely missed during Spurs' recent 2-1 defeat to Wolves at Molineux.
alfie-dorrington-eric-dier-tottenham-opinion
Ben Davies and the previously out-of-favour Eric Dier filled in for the pair but couldn't quite muster their same star quality, with Spurs now targeting a host of central defensive options for the winter window. Uruguay star Sebastian Caceres, Everton's Ben Godfrey, Crystal Palace ace Marc Guehi, Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah and Bournemouth's Lloyd Kelly have all been linked with moves to Spurs as a result.
Elsewhere in the squad, there have been reports that the Lilywhites want to add a left-winger to their ranks. Indeed, this has lead to Tottenham holding a serious interest in signing Jota from Al-Ittihad – a player Postecoglou knows very well from his time at Celtic.
Celtic's former forward Jota.
Another exciting winger linked with a move to north London is Juventus ace Samuel Iling-Junior, with journalist Pete O'Rourke sharing an update on the Englishman and another apparent attacking target.
Tottenham eyeing Nusa and Iling-Junior after Ange demand
Writing for Football Insider, the reporter claims Spurs are eyeing Illing-Junior and Antonio Nusa, as Postecoglou is very eager to add more quality on the flanks. This comes after injuries to Manor Solomon and Ivan Perisic, with Dejan Kulusevski, Brennan Johnson and Bryan Gil currently their only fit options right now.
Antonio Nusa in Norway training.
Son Heung-min has thrived in a more central role after the departure of club legend Harry Kane over the summer, so the South Korea international will be staying right where he is. To bolster their attacking options, Spurs have Illing-Junior and Club Brugge sensation Nusa, who will apparently cost around £30 million according to O'Rourke, on their transfer target list for January.
Key passes
Dribbling
Aerial duels
Defensive contribution
The 18-year-old Nusa has two goals and two assists in nine Jupiler Pro League matches for Brugge this season, while Illing-Junior has been likened to AC Milan star Rafael Leao.
“Iling Junior is a very quick player, who loves to take on opposing full-backs and attack the vertical spaces, in a very direct way,” said journalist Michele Neri to TNT Sports.
“He is a left winger who can also play as a right winger if needed. He has a great sense for dribbling and a speed from a standing start that other Juventus players do not have.
“In these qualities you can absolutely see shades of Rafael Leao when the AC Milan superstar was a bit younger. Of course he is certainly less impactful today than Leao is and has a long way to go to reach the Portuguese’s level."
Wrexham's co-owner Rob McElhenney and the club's fanbase have gone crazy after Andy Cannon scored a super brace against Grimsby Town on Saturday.
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Cannon scores brace to send fans wildMullin adds third to put Wrexham 3-0 upCan move within three points of topWHAT HAPPENED?
Cannon scored a brace within 36 minutes to put the Red Dragons 2-0 up and on course for three points. The first goal, a long-distance piledriver past Harvey Cartwright in the Grimsby goal, set the standard for the first half. It was followed by a flowing counter-attack to double the advantage, which saw Cannon fire high and into the near post after being laid in by Thomas O'Connor. Paul Mullin added a third just before half-time to put the Red Dragons out of sight.
AdvertisementWHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING
The Red Dragons fans have gone wild in their praise for Cannon and the side. Wrexham Podcast, Fearless In Devotion, tweeted simply, "Andrew Thunderb*stard Cannon", in reaction to Cannon's first effort.
This was then followed by: "GREATEST WREXHAM COUNTER ATTACK GOAL IN YEARS!! CANNON AT THE DOUBLE!!"
Another Wrexham podcast, RobRyanRed, shared the enthusiasm at the second goal. They tweeted: "OH MY WORD ANDY CANNON THAT IS SUBLIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Wrexham fan Andrew Pollard was quick to offer Mullin his flowers after the striker scored his 97th goal for the club. Pollard said: "Paul Mullin's better than David Platt, pass it on. What a finish!"
Another fan, Josh Williams, could hardly believe his side's performance. Williams said: "Absolutely brilliant in spite of the conditions! Cannon, Bolton and Mullin absolutely superb. Palmer being a nuisance as ever. "
And Rob McElhenney was not going to stay silent as his side romped to a first-half lead.
Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE
With the Red Dragons tearing to victory, they draw within three points of league leaders Mansfield Town. Perhaps inspired by Mansfield's tepid draw against strugglers Colchester United, Wrexham have punished Grimsby. With three promotion spots up for grabs, Wrexham will be desperate to stamp their authority at the top end of the league.
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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?
Wrexham will turn their attentions to next week's clash with Mansfield, dreaming of securing victory and ending the day level on points at the top of the table. The Red Dragons will be hoping to take advantage of what may be a slip in form from Mansfield and that Andy Cannon can power them to victory once again.
No confronto de líderes entre Sampaio Corrêa e Chapecoense, melhor para quem está na ponta da tabela. O Verdão virou a partida com um placar de 3 a 1 e disparou na 22ª rodada da Série B.
Com o resultado no Maranhão, a Chapecoense chegou aos 47 pontos e abriu dez pontos de diferença sobre o segundo colocado que é o próprio Sampaio Corrêa. A Bolívia tem 37 pontos junto com o Juventude, América-MG e Cuiabá (esses últimos dois ainda jogam neste sábado).
Na próxima rodada, a Chapecoense enfrenta o Cruzeiro dentro da Arena Condá, enquanto a Bolívia Querida viaja para encarar o Figueirense, em Santa Catarina.
PRIMEIRO TEMPO COM GOLS DOS LÍDERES
O Sampaio Corrêa é quem ditou o ritmo de jogo no começo de jogo. A Chapecoense observava o toque de bola dos rivais com seus jogadores atrás do meio-campo para aproveitar as oportunidades e sair no contra-ataque perigoso. Enquanto o Verdão seguia essa estratégia, a Bolívia Querida teve três chances de gol.
A partir dos 11 minutos, o jogo passou a ficar mais equilibrado. A Chape cresceu a posse de bola e teve mais tranquilidade para trabalhar, mas era o Sampaio quem ainda passava a ficar com mais tempo com a bola mais no pé. E foi em uma dessas que a Bolívia cavou um pênalti, onde a bola bateu na mão de Luiz Otávio. O artilheiro Caio Dantas bateu e converteu.
Apesar da Chape tentar trabalhar a bola, encontrou muitas dificuldades para a saída de bola. Mesmo assim, a equipe de Umberto Louzer não foi para o intervalo sem empatar o duelo. Busanello desceu pela esquerda e cruzou na medida para Anselmo Ramon cabecear no contrapé de Gustavo.
SEGUNDO TEMPO A CHAPE ‘MATOU’ O JOGO
Com o resultado igual na volta do intervalo, as equipes voltaram cautelosas sabendo que um gol poderia ser decisivo para um dos lados. Sampaio e Chape fizeram um jogo de muita marcação e pegado com muitas situações de falta e sem grandes chances de gol até os 15 minutos. E de falta em falta, foi o Verdão do Oeste quem aproveitou uma oportunidade para virar o jogo.
Aos 16 minutos, uma bola foi levantada na área em cobrança de falta. A bola viajou e encontrou Alan Santos, que estava em campo fazia somente dois minutos. Foi a virada da Chapecoense. O Sampaio Corrêa seguia com a maior posse de bola, mas a defesa adversária conseguia se sobressair para evitar o perigo, enquanto os contra-ataques dos catarinenses eram o maior perigo.
Foi em uma descida dessas que a Chape ampliou o marcador. Denner desceu pela esquerda e cruzou na área. Mike, sozinho, tocou para o fundo das redes. O rendimento do Sampaio Corrêa no segundo tempo foi muito abaixo daquele que foi os 45 minutos iniciais.
A Chapecoense por pouco não marca o quarto. Denner trouxe por dentro na entrada da área e chutou. A bola foi na trave e o goleiro Gustavo só ficou olhando.
Liverpool's transfer activity has been near flawless since Jurgen Klopp took the helm in 2015, with the German manager's philosophy neatly implemented by players targetted for their distinctive qualities and aptness in the high-octane, high-pressure system.
The likes of Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Sadio Mane, and Fabinho – a list that is by no means exhaustive – have all been signed since the watershed moment of Klopp's arrival, with scant room for ineptitude under his sage stewardship.
The Premier League and Champions League titles have been claimed to signify one of the most prosperous and illustrious periods of the club's modern history, and while the 2022/23 campaign was one of great suffering for a sapped Anfield side, the summer transfer window has been used to comprehensively alter the midfield and restore life and energy to the fold.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.
Before this incredible chapter, misfires on the transfer front were something of normality, and Iago Aspas was among those to have struggled to integrate and swiftly moved on.
The Spanish gem's time at the club was fleeting and forgettable, but he has been in more than just fine fettle ever since and even outscored two starring Reds members last season.
How did Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz get on last season?
Yes, Aspas scored 12 times in the league last term to lead Celta Vigo to a successful conclusion, finishing 13th with 43 points, three above relegated Real Valladolid in 18th.
His tally was a mark of his consistency since leaving Liverpool, and his 12 league goals actually placed him above two salient Reds stars in Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz, though both were severely affected by injury issues.
Indeed, Aspas' return bettered Diaz's (five across all competitions) and Jota's (seven in total), though neither Liverpool forward reached 30 seasonal showings due to their setbacks, very much exacerbating the club's spiralling situation.
Liverpool forward Diogo Jota.
Regardless, Aspas is well into his thirties and really did leave little mark of his presence during his time at the club, and it is interesting to bear witness to his resurgence.
When did Liverpool sign Iago Aspas?
Liverpool completed the signing of Aspas in the summer of 2013 after agreeing a £9m fee with Celta Vigo, with the rising star's cutting edge having paid dividends in the Sky Blues' promotion to LaLiga and subsequent preservation of their top-flight status.
Rodgers was seeking to rebuild a Liverpool side that had languished below expectations for too long, and the firepower Aspas was expected to bring was valued as the perfect supplementation for an exciting frontline consisting of Luis Suarez, Daniel Sturridge, and the precocious teenager Raheem Sterling.
GK
Simon Mignolet
RB
Glen Johnson
CB
Kolo Toure
CB
Daniel Agger
LB
Jose Enrique
CM
Steven Gerrard
CM
Lucas Leiva
RW
Jordan Henderson
AM
Iago Aspas
LW
Philippe Coutinho
ST
Daniel Sturridge
Clearly, a lot has changed since the Spaniard's stint at the club, with Klopp's managerial appointment a little over two years on from Aspas' Premier League debut changing everything. Everyone knows of the effect that the German's tutelage has had.
And while Aspas played a part in a remarkable Reds campaign in 2013/14 that nearly saw an end to the long wait for the Premier League trophy, he only started five times in the Premier League (making 15 appearances across all competitions) and netted his lone strike for Liverpool in the FA Cup, against Oldham Athletic.
He would depart after his debut season in English football, never to return, and while many discarded him as a flop, he has since become a devastating, high-profile forward in Spain.
How good is Iago Aspas?
Ever since Aspas' Anfield departure, he has prospered in his homeland, enjoying a one-year loan spell with Sevilla directly following the end of his stay on English shores – scoring ten goals and supplying three assists from 25 matches across all competitions, though only two in LaLiga, having started four times.
The 20-cap Spain international – with six goals – then re-signed with Celta Vigo in a deal believed to be worth roughly €5m (£4m), and he has been a starring talisman for his long-time club ever since.
Indeed, having completed 467 appearances for Celta Vigo across the entirety of his career, scoring 196 goals and supplying 70 assists, Aspas is now the club captain and has been a prolific and consistent goalscorer in Spain's top-flight across the past several years.
Between 2017/18 and 2018/19, the 36-year-old scored 42 LaLiga goals from just 61 appearances, having reached double figures across every single season since joining the club again in 2015.
Now approaching the twilight phase of his career, the “special” – as he was praised by teammate Brais Mendez – £49k-per-week forward has yet to score this season but has supplied two assists from ten outings, and still very much offers a dynamic spread of skills.
As per FBref, the 5 foot 9 veteran ranks among the top 1% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions, the top 1% for progressive passes, the top 4% for passes attempted and the top 16% for progressive carries per 90.
Seemingly among the most underrated ball-playing strikers in Europe, Aspas' tenacity and age-belying athleticism has allowed him to prosper following his failed spell on Merseyside.
However, while it's a shame that he didn't tap into that talent under Rodgers' wing, the meteoric rise since has dismissed any notion of pathos – candidly, it was just one of those that didn't work out.
Both Jota and Diaz might've been outscored by Aspas last season, but injuries hampered their respective chances of mounting prolific campaigns.
That being said, both players did perform admirably during their time on the pitch, and a restored Liverpool team's start to the current campaign underscores the credentials of both players.
Truthfully, Liverpool failed to bring the best out of Aspas but the blame must be portioned out equally; he failed to integrate into the squad and into English football, with his failure to learn the English language compounding his problem.
At present, Klopp and co will hardly rue the harnessing of his core goalscoring qualities, having built an illustrious dynasty steeped in offensive threat and liquid fluidity.
Although Liverpool fumbled the bag in paying Aspas' transfer fee and shipped him on after one, unsuccessful year, he has now bloomed into one of Europe's most impressive goalscorers,
To do that, they must find a way to tackle Sunrisers Hyderabad’s bowlers, who have been strangling opposition line-ups all season
The Preview by Nikhil Kalro04-May-20184:42
Tait: Yusuf can be dangerous, but hasn’t done enough
Form guide (most recent matches first)
Sunrisers Hyderabad: beat Rajasthan Royals by 11 runs, beat Kings XI Punjab by 13 runs, beat Mumbai Indians by 31 runs Delhi Daredevils: beat Rajasthan Royals by four runs (DLS method), lost to Chennai Super Kings by 13 runs, beat Kolkata Knight Riders by 55 runs.
Big PictureA change in leadership is the natural response for a faltering organisation – in business and in sports. Occasionally, a professional sports team still fails to rally around a new captain for several reasons, the lack of skill being the most influential factor. On other occasions, a team finds success with a new group of players immediately, like Delhi Daredevils under Shreyas Iyer.Delhi have won two of their last three games after Gautam Gambhir’s exclusion. Overall, they have three wins in nine games. Iyer, Rishabh Pant and Prithvi Shaw have sparkled, but there are still too many holes. Glenn Maxwell, Jason Roy and Colin Munro haven’t been substantial contributors, and Daredevils still haven’t found their best bowling combination.Sunrisers Hyderabad, on the other hand, have hardly had to bother with the quality of their bowling. They have defended 151, 132 and 118 in their previous three games. The absence of David Warner has discernibly weakened their batting, but it hasn’t hampered the efficiency. That they lead the points table without a 180-plus score – the only team not to cross that mark in the IPL this season – can attest to that.In the newsBhuvneshwar Kumar, who missed the last two games with a back injury, could return on Saturday. Captain Kane Williamson said “it wasn’t a serious injury, but something he did need to allow rest.”BCCI
Likely XIsSunrisers Hyderabad: 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 Alex Hales, 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Manish Pandey, 5 Shakib Al Hasan, 6 Yusuf Pathan, 7 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Sandeep Sharma, 11 Siddarth KaulDelhi Daredevils: 1 Prithvi Shaw, 2 Colin Munro/Jason Roy, 3 Shreyas Iyer (capt), 4 Rishabh Pant (wk), 5 Glenn Maxwell, 6 Vijay Shankar, 7 Liam Plunkett, 8 Amit Mishra, 9 Avesh Khan, 10 Trent Boult, 11 Shahbaz NadeemStrategy puntPrithvi Shaw has aced pace so far in this season. He has scored at a strike rate of 181.4 against pace, but just 132 against spinners. Colin Munro too has scored quicker against pace (164.5) than spin (144.2) in T20s since 2015. In that same period, Jason Roy has a strike rate of 152.1 against pace, but 124.9 against spin.Sunrisers could not only start with spin, but could use slower bowlers in tandem against Daredevils’ openers.Stats that matter As per the numbers, Sunrisers are the worst batting team in every phase – Powerplay, middle and death overs – of an innings this season. They are also the best bowling team in every phase of an innings. The average score batting first in day-night games at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium last season was 172. That par score has come down considerably this season, to 134. Sunrisers have not lost a game defending a total this season, in three games. Daredevils have won just one of five games while chasing a target this season. Fantasy pickThe Hyderabad surface this season has been quite slow and has taken plenty of turn. That generally means that batting could get gradually harder, which makes the Powerplay the best time to score. Alex Hales is, therefore, a batsman that could score quickly earlier on, earning some valuable fantasy points.
علق رونالد كومان المدير الفني لمنتخب هولندا، على هدف تشافي سيمونز الملغي في مباراة فرنسا، والتي انتهت بالتعادل السلبي على ملعب لايبزيج.
وفرض التعادل السلبي نفسه على المباراة التي جمعت بين فرنسا وهولندا على ملعب لايبزيج، ضمن الجولة الثانية من المجموعة الرابعة ببطولة يورو 2024.
وقال كومان في تصريحات لوسائل الإعلام عقب المباراة: “بالنسبة لي لا أعتقد أن قرار الحكم كان صحيحًا، لأن دومفيريس لم يعيق رؤية الحارس في الوصول للكرة”.
وأضاف: “إذا كان هناك لاعب متسلل ولكن لا يعيق الحارس، فإن احتساب الهدف حتميًا في هذه الحالة، ولا أعتقد أن قرار الحكم كان صحيحًا”.
وواصل: “لدينا 4 نقاط في مباراتين، بعدما حققنا الفوز وتعادلنا، يمكن أن تصف المباراة بالمملة أو الدفاعية، لكن أيضًا المنتخب الفرنسي لم يفعل الكثير هجوميًا لكي يحقق النقاط الثلاث”.
واختتم: “لقد دافعنا لأننا غير قادرين على منح مساحات في الخلف للمنتخب الفرنسي لا يمكننا أن نواجهها، لذلك قررنا الدفاع في الشوط الثاني مع الاعتماد على المرتدات في بعض الأحيان، وسجلنا هدفا بالفعل لكنه ألغي”.
It wasn't easy, but Liverpool secured a fourth successive Premier League victory on Saturday afternoon, dispatching Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux after falling behind in a dismal and disjointed first half.
Jurgen Klopp cut a forlorn figure as Hwang Hee-chan pounced on Pedro Neto's fizzed cross, firing the ball into Alisson's chest, who could not prevent the ball from crossing the line.
But an incisive and trademark display of attacking intent after the break, charged by some impactful Klopp substitutions, moved the Reds into pole position in the English top-flight, albeit shortly after champions Manchester City came from behind themselves to win at West Ham United.
Who impressed for Liverpool against Wolves?
From the opening minute of the game, Liverpool looked to be in trouble. Wolves started with swagger, slick in possession and direct in their pressure against a Liverpool side notoriously poor during the early kick-off last term, drawing three and losing three.
And this trend showed little sign of being bucked as Hwang sent the Old Gold into a cacophony of cheer in the seventh minute, with the Merseyside outfit "too timid defensively, too sloppy in possession", as was said by Liverpool correspondent Neil Jones.
The Reds rebounded with conviction after the break, with Mohamed Salah's creativity serving Cody Gakpo a goal on a silver platter, before enjoying a one-two with Andy Robertson, who weaved through the area to strike and give Liverpool the late lead.
Mo Salah's game by numbers (Sofascore)
Statistics
Assists
2
Pass completion
74%
Key passes
5
Duels won
3/6
Match rating
8.2/10
Harvey Elliott's deflected strike – going down as an own goal – would confirm Klopp's side escaped the Midland with three points, and while Salah was the creator once again, it was half-time substitute Luis Diaz who made the marked impact and turned the tide up on his introduction.
How did Luis Diaz perform vs Wolves?
Liverpool toiled last season, finishing fifth in the league and consequently missing out on Champions League qualification, and did so without Diaz for the majority.
The Colombian had impressed for the Anfield side after joining from Portuguese giants Porto for an initial £37m in January 2022 – an anticipated replacement for the soon-to-depart Sadio Mane – racking up four goals and three assists from 11 starts in the 2021/22 Premier League season and scoring in the quarter-final and semi-final en-route to the Champions League finale against Real Madrid.
He would spend the majority of the 2022/23 season out injured, but got back up to speed over the summer after returning in the latter phase last term, and has scored twice across his first five outings.
Against Wolves, the 26-year-old was the "game-changer" as he came on and pumped life and electricity into Liverpool's attack, as was said by writer Charlotte Coates, who also hailed his "brilliant" display.
As per Sofascore, Diaz would pepper the Wolves goal with three shots, creating two key passes, enjoying 49 touches and making three tackles, imperative in inhibiting Wolves from gaining steam as Liverpool grew into the game.
Ranking among the top 9% of attacking midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion and successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref, the £55k-per-week ace will be important across the campaign, and is indeed the 'game-changer' that his outfit need to break resolute defences down.
Liverpool are not quite at full gear, but they have rekindled their verve and with stars such as Diaz among the offensive arsenal, there is every possibility that the current campaign will be one of great success.
Australia’s stand-in T20 captain is going to rely on enterprising leadership as an answer to Eden Park’s short boundaries for the tri-series final against New Zealand on Wednesday
ESPNcricinfo staff20-Feb-2018
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Australia’s stand-in T20 captain David Warner is going to rely on enterprising leadership as an answer to Eden Park’s short boundaries for the tri-series final against New Zealand on Wednesday. Warner, who is filling in for Steven Smith, is eyeing a series win that will thrust Australia from No. 2 to No. 1 in a format they have historically struggled in. After stunning New Zealand with a world-record T20 chase in their last match also played at the same venue, Warner called for the need to be able to think on the fly.”It’s probably one of those grounds where you should be able to have five [fielders] out straight away, as it doesn’t really matter,” he said. “It’s a challenge. As a captain or as a bowler, we talk about setting fields, and I think you have to have obscure fields. You might have a deep fly slip instead of a third man. They’re bizarre little catching spots, where you might get a catch.”In Australia, you set fields for certain players where they’re going to hit. Here, [in] those fields, generally they can hit it for six. Where’s a mistimed pull shot going to go? Over the top for six? You might have one just behind the keeper. You might have, for the spinners, everyone on the straight boundary and no one there (square of the wicket), and make them try to hit a reverse sweep and maybe get a wicket. You’ve just got to think on your feet when you’re out there. You’ve just got to find a way to get one or two wickets in the first six [overs]; it’s as simple as that.”Australia have fared well under Warner’s leadership. They were the first team to book their spot in the final. However, Warner preferred to leave the full-time captaincy question with Smith. “At the end of the day, it’s up to Steve. If he thinks his workloads are too high and he doesn’t feel like he can do that, I’m sure he’ll put his hand up and step aside. We spoke about one of us in the leadership group staying back and leading the [T20] team, and obviously, I put my hand up for that.”It’s been fantastic. A few of us were mentally cooked after the Test series, and it’s just great for those guys to go over to South Africa and inject a lot of younger guys and guys who are in form [into the T20 side].”The final is set to be played on a slightly worn surface – the same one that was used for Friday’s slugfest. Providing the weather holds up – Auckland experienced heavy showers on match eve due to Cyclone Gita – that could pave the way for the re-entry of Adam Zampa, with Warner open to the option of playing two spinners. Since playing the tri-series opener, Zampa has been overlooked in favour of the left-arm spinner Ashton Agar.”The other day, it looked a little bit drier than game day,” Warner said. “There’s obviously a bit of weather around. We’ll probably get a look at it tonight, hopefully, if the weather holds off.”With New Zealand coach Mike Hesson having said on Monday that left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner was expected to recover from a minor knee injury, captain Kane Williamson, too, didn’t rule out the possibility of a spinner-centric attack. “Hopefully, it starts to take a little bit more turn and offers a little more assistance to the bowlers to create that balance between bat and ball,” he said. “If that’s the case, spin will come into it a little bit more as an attacking option.”Friday’s run fest raised eyebrows at Eden Park’s notoriously short boundaries. And an overall high-scoring second half of the tri-series led to England coach Trevor Bayliss calling for T20s to be scrapped altogether at the international level after England failed to make the final. However, Williamson leaned more towards his coach, Hesson, who had spoken highly of Eden Park, which he called a “great cricket venue”.”We’ve had some of the most fantastic games of cricket there,” Williamson said. “This last game’s been the first time really that we’ve seen it exposed as a really small ground, because a lot of the scores have been on the lower side.”For one reason or another, we’ve seen so many really close games, which has created some of the best atmospheres that I’ve been involved in in any cricket game in the world. It’s provided some amazing moments for New Zealand cricket and the teams that we’ve been involved in, and when you throw that into the mix, it does make it enjoyable.”
كشف ثنائي فريق آرسنال، مارتن أوديجارد وكاي هافيرتز، عن حزنهما بعد خسارة لقب الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز اليوم رغم انتصارهم ضد إيفرتون.
وتلاقى الفريقان في إطار منافسات الجولة الثامنة والثلاثين، الأخيرة من الدوري الإنجليزي حيث فاز آرسنال بهدفين مقابل هدف.
ولكن هذا الفوز لم يكن كافيًا لـ آرسنال من أجل التتويج باللقب، والذي فاز به مانشستر سيتي عقب انتصاره على وست هام بنتيجة 3-1.
وقال أوديجارد في تصريحات نشرتها شبكة “بي بي سي” العالمية: “أعتقد أننا جميعًا نشعر بخيبة أمل بعض الشيء، لقد ناضلنا لفترة طويلة من أجل الحلم الكبير، وكنا قريبين جدًا”.
وأضاف: “لكنني فخور جدًا بالأولاد، بكل شخص في النادي، بالمشجعين، لقد أحرزنا تقدمًا، لقد غيرنا النادي وأعتقد أنكم جميعًا تؤمنون بنا الآن”.
واستطرد: “لأكون صادقًا، لا أستطيع الانتظار للعودة بعد الاستراحة، علينا استغلال فترة الاستراحة للعودة بشكل أقوى وأكثر جوعًا والضغط من أجل الفوز بكل شيء”.
اقرأ أيضًا.. ترتيب الدوري الإنجليزي 2023/24
من جهته، قال هافيرتز: “أشعر بالأسف من أجل جميع مشجعي آرسنال، لقد بذلنا قصارى جهدنا لكنه لم يكن كافيًا، ربما على مدار شهرين أو ثلاثة أشهر، يمكننا القول إنها كانت معركة جيدة ولكن الآن يبدو أننا نستحق المزيد”.
واختتم هافيرتز تصريحاته قائلًا: “لم يكن الأمر كذلك، سنذهب مرة أخرى العام المقبل”.