Chris Woakes insists his knee problems are not an imminent threat to his career.Woakes, who is expected to return for the third ODI against West Indies in place of Tom Curran, was forced to sit out the entire Test series in the Caribbean and was then rested for the second ODI in Barbados after the England management decided asking him to play twice in three days may be a risk.But while he said he had to manage the issue – which he described as tendonitis in his right knee – he was adamant he would be able to get through the World Cup and the Ashes which follow.”It’s not a concern,” Woakes said in Grenada ahead of the third ODI. “By no means do I feel I’m coming to the end or it’s the end of my career.”My knee is something I’ve had to manage for the past eight years. It’s just a dodgy knee from too much bowling. There’s other guys around who’ve probably got the same. It comes with the territory. It’s not something I’m overly worried about. I feel fit now and I’m good to go.”We have looked at the World Cup schedule and it’s not as tight as you might think. That might work in my favour. I got through four Ashes Tests last winter, plus all the warm-up games, the five ODIs, plus four ODIs in New Zealand. I had this then. I know I can get through cricket.”England’s caution with Woakes is understandable. Over the last couple of years, only Pakistan’s Shaheen Afridi has a better average in the first 10-overs of an ODI (Afridi has claimed 12 wickets at 16.58; Woakes has claimed 22 at 17.36) and, when Woakes has missed games (such as Friday’s ODI in Barbados or one against Sri Lanka in Colombo in October), England have failed to claim a wicket in the first 10 overs.”You have a job as a new ball bowler to try and take wickets,” he said. “It’s the time when you’re most likely to get a little bit of movement. It’s tricky because most of the time the ball skids on and the batters are looking to score. But when batters are looking to score that gives you opportunities to take wickets. Dot balls are great, but we want to be getting batsmen out.”My mantra as such is to put the ball where they don’t want. There’s no real magic behind it.”With Mark Wood having apparently rediscovered his pace – he is regularly exceeding 90 mph – and maintaining impressive control, England look close to settling on a first choice seam attack of him and Woakes. While that is probably not great news for David Willey, who looks far more dangerous with the new ball than he does the older one, it could also mean the likes of Curran and Liam Plunkett are fighting for that final spot in the side.And while there is some concern about Plunkett’s struggle to generate the pace he once could, Woakes is adamant that he is “as good as ever”.”Liam’s been superb for us in the past few years,” Woakes said. “You look at his strike rate: I think it’s up there with the best of all time which, in the modern game and through the middle overs, is an extremely great effort. He is as good as ever.”

أعلن نادي برشلونة المنافس في بطولة الدوري الإسباني عن رحيل لاعب جديد عن صفوف الفريق الأول لكرة القدم قبل نهاية الميركاتو الصيفي الحالي.

فترة الانتقالات داخل برشلونة هادئة بعض الشيء من حيث الصفقات الجديدة ولكن الراحلين هناك 9 لاعبين بالفعل قد غادروا قلعة “كامب نو”.

غادر عن برشلونة كل من جوليان أراوخو، شادي رياض، مارك جويو، إستانيس بيدرولا، سيرجينو ديست، إلكاي جوندوجان، سيرجي روبيرتو، أوريول روميو، ماركوس ألونسو.

اقرأ أيضًا.. فليك يكشف عن حديثه مع نيكو ويليامز بعد فوز برشلونة أمام أتلتيك بلباو

❗ COMUNICAT

ℹ El FC Barcelona i l’Stade Rennais FC han arribat a un acord per al traspàs del jugador Mikayil Faye — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona_cat) August 25, 2024

ولكن الراحل العاشر بحسب بيان نادي برشلونة الرسمي هو، ميكا فايي، الذي انتقل بالفعل إلى إستاد رين في الدوري الفرنسي مقابل 10.3 مليون يورو.

ويحتفظ برشلونة بحق إعادة الشراء مقابل 25 مليون يورو و30% من نسبة البيع المستقبلي إذا غادر فايي رين لأي نادٍ آخر.

وكان فايي قد تم تصعيده إلى الفريق الأول مع بداية فترة الإعداد للموسم الحالي ولكنه لم يخض أي مباراة مع برشلونة، لذلك رحل للبحث عن فرصة أخرى للمشاركة.

Everton have picked up enough points this season under Sean Dyche to have placed themselves firmly in the top ten, having won the same number of Premier League matches as both Brighton and Hove Albion and West Ham United, who are competing for the European places.

The ten-point deduction that the Toffees received hasn’t done justice to the fact that had Everton not been punished, the club would be in contention for one of the league’s seven available European places.

Nevertheless, with success comes more suitors for your players and Dyche's side are now facing a battle to keep hold of star defender Jarrad Branthwaite, although the Merseyside club do have one name lined up as his replacement.

Everton transfer news – Federico Gatti

According to a report from Calciomercato earlier this week, Everton are keeping tabs on Juventus defender Federico Gatti’s progress with the Italian giants and haven’t given up hope of signing him in January, despite Gatti signing a new five-year contract extension at the end of October.

Everton were one of several Premier League clubs that approached Juventus in the build-up to the summer deadline in the hopes of signing the centre-half, but Juve have now tied the Italy international down to a new long-term contract.

Nevertheless, Dyche is clearly in the market for another centre-back, particularly since it has been reported that star defender Jarrad Branthwaite is a top target for Manchester United this winter as Erik ten Hag looks for options to shore up his leaky defence.

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Losing Branthwaite would be a colossal blow for Everton as the ex-Carlisle United central defender has contributed massively to a defence that boasts the joint-fourth-fewest number of goals conceded this season.

Federico Gatti’s stats this season

Juventus have kept nine clean sheets in 15 matches this season in Serie A which is the second-most behind Inter Milan. Gatti has played in 13 of these matches, starting 12 alongside star defender Gleison Bremer.

Club captain Danilo has been left impressed with Gatti’s contribution to the team this season and even labelled the 25-year-old as a “humble boy” who has been “an example” to the rest of the squad in the current campaign. The reason for these comments is that Gatti was playing in the fourth tier of Italian football in 2020 and is now fighting for a league title with one of the biggest clubs in Europe.

One area that sets Gatti apart from the rest of the defenders in Italian football is his threatening nature inside the penalty area. In 13 league appearances, the ex-Frosinone man has scored three goals. Only Dusan Vlahovic and Federico Chiesa have managed more this term for the Bianconeri.

As a result of his impressive form with the Old Lady, the CIES Football Observatory have placed Gatti’s market value currently at £43m, having been worth merely £4m twelve months ago.

Furthermore, Gatti has actually been outperforming Branthwaite in a number of key metrics for a centre-back.

Goals

0.25

0

Expected Goals

0.19

0.03

Progressive Passes

2.81

2.07

Progressive Carries

1.49

0

Passes To Final 1/3

2.73

1.36

Errors

0

0.07

Pass Completion %

84.6

77.7

Tackles

1.16

2.14

Tackles Won

0.83

1.21

Interceptions

0.83

1.79

Aerial Duels Won %

69.7

67.2

Stats via FBref

As shown in the table above, Gatti is far more adept at playing out from the back – shown by his superior record with relation to progressive passes and progressive carries – although that's not to suggest that he can't also offer a brick wall defensively, as shown by his 69.7% aerials duels won per 90.

With that being said, Everton should definitely still look to keep Branthwaite, but if the club are forced to accept an offer for him this January, the Toffees may look no further than Gatti.

Liverpool have turned the calendar year in a commanding position: first-placed in the Premier League, into the Europa League round-of-16 stage and awaiting a semi-final tie against Fulham in the Carabao Cup.

Jurgen Klopp must be delighted, not least because of the transformative effect that his sweeping summer changes have had on the midfield, sparking life, energy and ferociousness back into the team.

Last season, a fifth-placed finish was the result of a terrible, wayward campaign, and while a late-season purple patch gave sanguine supporters cause for genuine optimism for the year ahead, it was a setback unlike anything previously seen during the German's illustrious reign.

But where are Liverpool now? Is Anfield impregnable to the degree of the golden years that brought silver-laden success to the city? It's getting there. But more work needs to be done to consolidate this restored position of power and, as such, 2024 will be a crucial year on the transfer front.

Liverpool transfer news – Hwang Hee-chan

The Reds will be expected to bolster this month, with much on the line in 2023/24, and Joel Matip's season-ending ACL injury in December should see Klopp move for a defensive addition.

But the ever-shrewd manager is still planning ahead, with Football Insider recently revealing that Liverpool have set their sights on Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Hwang Hee-chan, with scouts blown away by the South Korean's performances this season.

Hwang was rewarded with a new long-term contract at Molineux only weeks ago and a January transfer would be difficult to complete, but the Reds – alongside Tottenham Hotspur – will be attentive to his efforts throughout the remainder of the season ahead of a possible summer approach.

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ByLuke Randall Feb 1, 2024 Hwang Hae-chan's season in numbers

Recently remarked to be “oozing confidence” by one Sky Sports pundit, Hwang has reached a new level in his game and is one of the Premier League's individual success stories thus far, having been the talismanic force to ensure that Wolves have avoided the mere hint of a relegation battle over these past few months.

As per Sofascore, the £70k-per-week forward has plundered ten goals and three assists from only 17 starts in the English top-flight, having scored eight league goals across his previous two campaigns on English shores.

With Wolves currently 11th in the Premier League – 13 points clear of the drop zone – after 20 matches, Gary O'Neil's side have been fantastic, defying the odds after many considered the Old Gold to be among the relegation favourites after Julen Lopetegui's acrimonious departure right before the start of the season.

Hwang has played an instrumental role, with his league tally currently surpassing the likes of in-form forwards such as Ollie Watkins and Alexander Isak (both on nine).

Hwang Hee-chan's style of play

Standing at 5 foot 10, Hwang is a powerful forward with bundles of energy and a slick dribbling style that allows him to find success across a range of roles for his side.

While he has often been used as a centre-forward this term, the 27-year-old is competent across the frontline and offers a two-footed ability that makes for a nightmare for defenders, who know that he could pounce from multiple angles.

Affectionately known as "The Bull" by those close to him throughout his career, Hwang can be imposing on his day through a tenacious desire to drive forward into openings, and with the goals coming his way this season, the consequent boost of confidence allows for him to be all the more destructive in key moments.

Skilful and accurate in his passing, with clever decision-making to boot, Hwang could be signed for Liverpool as the heir to Roberto Firmino's former position in the squad, with the 31-year-old ending years of servitude at Anfield in 2023.

How Hwang compares to Bobby Firmino

While Hwang plied his trade in Germany with Leipzig, he failed to reach the past heights in Austria that had led one-time teammate Erling Haaland to call him "absolutely crazy", but received praise for his style of play nonetheless.

In a profile piece on the player, the Bundesliga official website claimed that he offers similarities in playing style to Liverpool icon Firmino, highlighting his positional fluidity, partnered with fleet-footedness, intelligence and an impressive ability to exploit space.

Firmino, who made 362 appearances for Liverpool and scored 111 goals and provided 79 assists, left on a free transfer in the summer as a club legend, having been a pivotal component of a deadly strikeforce that won the full sweep of silverware under Klopp's management.

On top of his newfound prolificness, the 59-cap South Korea international ranks among the top 14% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, successful take-ons and tackles, the top 7% for interceptions and the top 2% for blocks per 90, as per FBref.

Firmino, when Liverpool won the Premier League in 2019/20, offered skills that can be compared to Hwang's current metrics, corroborating the aforementioned comparison.

Matches played

38

20

Goals

0.27

0.62

Assists

0.24

0.19

Shot-creating actions

3.43

2.11

Progressive passes

3.34

1.68

Progressive carries

2.71

1.80

Successful take-ons

1.57

1.93

Tackles

1.11

0.87

Blocks

1.02

1.06

Interceptions

0.21

0.50

So what can be drawn between the respective players' statistics? Well, while Hwang is performing in a side with less offensive freedom, he has surpassed Firmino's goalscoring touch quite considerably, and though he is not as creative as the Brazilian – who has been praised for his "velvet" touches by Jamie Redknapp in the past – there is much to admire.

Especially so given that Hwang was even remarked to have once sent star Liverpool centre-back Virgil van Dijk "out for a hot dog", weaving and sparkling magic onto Anfield's grass to score a brilliant consolation goal in the Champions League for RB Salzburg several years ago.

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Liverpool will continue to monitor Hwang – who is jetting off to compete at the Asia Cup this month – until the end of the campaign, and while Klopp boasts a formidable strikeforce, he could ice the cake ahead of a fruitful new era at Anfield.

How the game played out

Unlike JK Rowling, for whom “rock bottom had become the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life”, Lahore Qalandars don’t seem to have any intention of moving from the bottom of the PSL table.In one of their poorest performances of the season so far – remember, they were shot out for 78 just weeks ago by Peshawar Zalmi – Lahore were brushed aside in a dead rubber by Multan Sultans. Having stumbled to a below par 140 for 8, a shocker of a bowling performance allowed Multan to go past the target in a mere 12.3 overs. That concluded the Qalandars’ fourth successive campaign propping up the PSL table.Fakhar Zaman declared somewhat confidently after losing the toss and being asked to bat that he would have batted first anyway. One wonders why. The Lahore captain himself scored a respectable 36-ball 53, but there was no one else who looked capable of exploiting the short boundaries at the National Stadium in Karachi. It didn’t help that Mohammad Abbas was at his consistent best, while Shahid Afridi, playing his first ever PSL match in Pakistan, was the most economical, taking two wickets and conceding just 18 in his four overs.If the Qalandars’ batting performance was because of the pitch, then explain the Multan Sultans innings. The carnage they inflicted on the hapless Lahore bowlers was stunning in its brutality. A pair of sixes in the second over from Umar Siddiq set the tone, but in truth, no Multan batsman allowed Lahore any relief. Shan Masood’s 24-ball 48 broke the back of the already toothless attack, while Johnson Charles and James Vince helped Multan bring up their 100 in just the eighth over. In the end, it was every bit the cakewalk matches against Lahore have tended to be often this season.

Turning point

Fakhar holed out to Afridi just after reaching a half-century. In an innings where none of his teammates could really get going, it was crucial for the Lahore captain kick on and push his score closer to, and maybe even beyond, three figures. When he fell for 53, it seemed inevitable that Lahore would end with a well below-par total.

Star of the day

In the first two matches since the PSL returned to Pakistan, it appeared Karachi wasn’t the best place for bowlers to bolster their economy rates. But Multan’s bowlers put together a real team performance, complementing each other and systematically putting the pressure on the batsmen. Abbas’s waning form has been the subject of much attention of late, but the last two matches suggest he may be regaining his powers. Chris Green has been in and out of the team, but he got the ball rolling with a beautiful delivery that beat Riki Wessels and tickled the leg-side bail, while Afridi showed he still had something to offer with the ball. Combined, the three bowlers’ figures read 12-0-65-6, and with numbers like those, even the slightly more expensive Junaid Khan and Mohammad Ilyas didn’t hurt Multan too much.

The big miss

When Shaheen Shah Afridi removed Luke Ronchi off the first ball in the last game, it seemed like the 18-year-old pacer would go on to show his fans in Pakistan what a bowler he is turning out to be. But that game ended with the teenager on the wrong side of a merciless assault, as he conceded 62 runs in his four overs. The scars have stayed for the left-arm bowler, who turned in another off-colour performance, the two overs he sent down costing the side 25 runs. He wasn’t by any means the only bowler who went for runs, but it’s been a damp end to a promising PSL season for Shaheen Afridi, just as it has been for his unfortunate team.

Where the teams stand

Multan leapfrogged Lahore to ensure they don’t finish bottom, and Lahore occupied that position for the fourth season in succession. Both teams bow out, however, with just three wins in ten matches each.

Celtic head coach Brendan Rodgers has not enjoyed the best start to his second spell at Parkhead since his return to the club over the summer.

Australian manager Ange Postecoglou opted to move to the Premier League to join Tottenham Hotspur at the end of the 2022/23 campaign and this opened the door for the Northern Irishman to make a comeback in Glasgow.

However, the former Leicester City and Liverpool boss has already seen his team knocked out of the League Cup, which was won by the club's rivals against Aberdeen on Sunday, and the Champions League this season.

The Hoops have also struggled domestically as they have lost their last two Scottish Premiership matches and only won two of their last five.

They will be second in the division if Rangers win both of their games in hand over the Bhoys, which emphasises how poorly this campaign has gone so far.

One player whose downturn in form on an individual level has been clear to see is Japan international Kyogo Furuhashi and Rodgers could swoop to sign an upgrade on the attacker in January.

Celtic transfer news – Mathias Kvistgaarden

Brondby star Mathias Kvistgaarden has been linked with a possible move to Parkhead at the turn of the year and he could come in to spark the club to life.

Danish outlet Tipsbladet recently claimed that the Hoops are eyeing up a swoop for the young centre-forward as Rodgers would like to bring in some fresh faces in his attack ahead of the second half of the season.

The report also stated that it could cost the Scottish giants a fee within the region of €10m (£8.6m) if they want to snap him up next month.

However, it remains to be seen whether or not Celtic are prepared, or able, to meet that figure. At this moment in time, the latest update is that they are interested in the Danish prospect and there is no mention of a bid or formal approach being plotted.

Meanwhile, TEAMtalk reported last month that Brentford and Union Berlin are both eyeing up Kyogo as a possible target for the January transfer window as they look to bolster their respective attacks.

The outlet claimed that it would take around £20m to tempt the Hoops into a sale as the Japan international is a crucial player for Rodgers and Celtic, in spite of his dip in form.

However, the Scottish side do not need to sell Kyogo in order to sign Kvistgaarden, unless the finances dictate it, as they could compete with each other for a starting spot and create fierce competition for places.

The current Hoops centre-forward has left a lot to be desired, particularly recently, with his performances so far this season and bringing in an attacker who could be an upgrade on him may provide the motivation he needs to get back to his very best in a green and white shirt.

Kyogo's season in numbers

Celtic's 5 foot 7 marksman has not been a consistent attacking threat at the top end of the pitch and has not been able to make up for his lack of physicality.

Small in stature, Kyogo is not the type of number nine who is going to let centre-backs know that they have been in a game with physical or rough play to win duels and hold the ball up.

He has lost 73% of his aerial contests and 54% of his duels in total, and has only won 1.4 battles per game in the Premiership so far this term.

This shows that the 28-year-old lightweight has not made his presence felt on the pitch as opposition players have been able to dominate him with ease.

To counter that, Kyogo has contributed with six goals, three assists, and 0.7 key passes per game in 18 league matches for the Scottish giants, and does not rank within the top two in any of those statistics within the Celtic squad.

As you can see in the chart above, he also struggled in the Champions League with two goals, zero assists, and zero 'big chances' created in six starts.

Whereas, the Japanese whiz made up for his lack of physicality last season with a stunning return of 27 goals in 36 Premiership outings – 16 more than any of his teammates managed as Jota finished second in the rankings with 11 goals.

Kvistgaarden could now come in to offer more quality in the final third and physicality that the Celtic ace has been unable to provide for the team.

The statistics that show why Celtic should sign Kvistgaarden

The 21-year-old talent is an up-and-coming marksman whose form for Brondby since the tail end of last season has been sensational.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig hailed his "crazy form" earlier this year and it is not hard to see why when you look at his statistics for the Danish outfit.

Since the start of the 2022/23 Superligaen Championship round, Kvistgaarden has plundered 13 goals and 11 assists in 30 appearances for the club.

This is a particularly impressive return for a player who only turned 21 back in April. He is in the infancy of his career and is already showing that he has the ability to chip in with goals and assists with eye-catching regularity.

23/24 Superligaen	Kvistgaarden (via Sofascore)
Appearances	17
Goals	Five
Assists	Five
Big chances created	Six
Big chances missed	Nine

These statistics show that Kvistgaarden has more goal contributions in fewer league appearances than Kyogo so far this season, which speaks to his superb attacking quality.

However, the young prospect also offers a physical presence in the number nine position, despite standing at 5 foot 8, and that is another reason why he could be an upgrade for Celtic.

The Brondby star has won 5.1 duels per game, including 1.2 in the air, for Brondby in the league this term, and this is 3.7 more per match than Kyogo.

This means that Kvistgaarden could provide his teammates with an outball and something to hit when they need to relieve pressure on themselves, whilst also being able to carry a huge threat as a scorer and a creator.

Therefore, Rodgers could land an upgrade on the underperforming Kyogo by securing a deal for the Brondby dynamo's services in January.

Which 26 players will make it to Romania head coach Edward Iordanescu's final squad for the 2024 European Championship in Germany?

Romania did not qualify for Euro 2020 despite being a host nation, as they were one of the many host nations in the unique pan-European format. However, they have featured at three European Championships this century and failed to make it past the group stage of the 2016 edition of the tournament in France.

They are a force to be reckoned with under the tutelage of Edward Iordanescu right now, having displayed rare consistency to top Group I with ease.

Although a lack of experience at the top level may hinder their chances pitted in a tricky-looking Group E featuring Belgium, Slovakia, and Ukraine, they are in fine form under Iordanescu and may be capable of causing a surprise.

Head coach Iordanescu has named a 28-player provisional Romania squad for the European Championship in Germany this summer.

GOAL takes a look at the roster for this summer's European Championship.

• Getty
  

  GOALKEEPERS

  Romania's squad is a blend of talent from various clubs and leagues. In goal, they will boast the likes of Florin Nita from Gaziantep, Horatiu Moldovan who sealed a transfer from Rapid Bucuresti to Atletico Madrid over the winter window, and Stefan Tarnovanu coming from Steaua Bucuresti.

  Moldovan has usually been the No. 1 pick in goal for Iordanescu, but he has hardly featured for Atletico Madrid since his winter switch, which could open the door for Nita to stake a claim for the starting goalkeeping spot.

  Name	Club
  Florin Nita	Gaziantep
  Horatiu Moldovan	Atletico Madrid
  Stefan Tarnovanu	FCSB
  Razvan Sava	Cluj

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• Getty
  

  DEFENDERS

  In defence, the most eye-catching name is that of Radu Dragusin, who joined Premier League side Spurs for a fee of €25 million from Italian side Genoa after having an impressive start to the season. The 22-year-old is a mainstay at the heart of the back four, with the likes of Andrei Burca, Adrian Rus, and Bogdan Racovitan set to battle it out for the other central defensive spot.

  At full-back, Romania have plenty of options, partly down to the versatility of the aforementioned defenders. Nicusor Bancu and Ratiu have shown more than enough to keep their starting places as a balanced full-back pair that suits the team's defensive style very well while also providing some ability to carry the ball forward.

  Name	Club
  Adrian Rus	Pafos
  Andrei Burca	Al-Okhdood
  Andrei Ratiu	Rayo Vallecano
  Bogdan Racovitan	Rakow Czestochowa
  Ionut Nedelcearu	Palermo
  Nicusor Bancu	Universitatea Craiova
  Radu Dragusin	Tottenham
  Vasile Mogoș	Cluj

• Getty
  

  MIDFIELDERS

  Creative midfielder Nicolae Stanciu, who has 14 international goals to his name, is set to start in his No. 10 role as captain.

  Former Rangers star Ianis Hagi is expected to support the Damac midfielder in the supply chain, with backup options available in the form of Darius Olaru and free-scoring FCSB wide attacking midfielder Florinel Coman.

  Marius Marin andRazvan Marin are more defensive-minded midfield options likely to compete for the two pivot spots.

  Name	Club
  Adrian Sut	FCSB
  Alexandru Cicaldau	Konyaspor
  Darius Olaru	FCSB
  Florinel Coman	FCSB
  Ianis Hagi	Deportivo Alaves (on loan from Rangers)
  Marius Marin	Pisa
  Nicolae Stanciu	Damac
  Razvan Marin	Empoli
  Valentin Mihaila	Parma
  Dennis Man	Parma
  Deian Sorescu	Gaziantep
  Constantin Grameni	Farul Constanta

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• Getty
  

  FORWARDS

  George Puscas has now netted 11 times for his country, making him the second-highest goalscorer in the squad, and he should be the starting centre-forward for Romania in Germany.

  Name	Club
  Denis Alibec	Muaither
  Denis Dragus	Gaziantep
  George Pușcaș	Genoa
  Daniel Birligea	CFR Cluj

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Sidharth Monga in Delhi27-Mar-20194:03

We over-attacked a bit with the ball – Ponting

In the last IPL, it took 16 matches for a team to choose to bat after winning the toss. It is a trend that was established last year: when the tournament and pitches are fresh, bowl first and win; when pitches get slower, it becomes a more even game. In this season, though, Delhi Capitals decided to bat in as early as the fifth game of the season, and despite losing it they are not discarding defending totals as their strength. Not on a dry Feroz Shah Kotla square at any rate.At 118 for 2 after 15 overs, Capitals looked good for a total of around 165 with Rishabh Pant and Shikhar Dhawan at the crease, but they lost their way to end up with 147. In reply, Chennai Super Kings’ experience showed in how they attacked the new ball and took 58 off the Powerplay because they knew this dry track was going to get difficult to bat on. In the end they won with just two balls to spare. Despite the result, don’t be surprised if Capitals bat again should they win their next toss in Delhi. Part of the reason is, they don’t expect the pitches to be any different from the dry surface they played on.Capitals coach Ricky Ponting has the numbers to support that plan. “Batting looked difficult at the end,” he said when asked if batting first might be the way to go despite this result. “[And] through the middle parts of the innings. If we hadn’t given away so many runs in the Powerplay, I think CSK would have found that target really hard to chase down. Through history, 165 is our average score here. Last year, our average score here was about 190. So, we are a long way off from what we wanted to achieve today. If we had posted even 165, I reckon it would have been a really tough run-chase.”To Ponting it was no risk to bat first even though it goes against the usual early-season trends in IPL. “We won batting first in Mumbai,” Ponting said. “It worked for us there. So, whatever you do first, you just have to do it well. We know at the toss [MS] Dhoni said he would have bowled first. That doesn’t worry us. [At the] end of the day, every team has to do what they think suits their team the best. With that wicket looking as dry as it did before the game started, we thought it would be a lot harder to bat in the second innings. If we had got a few more runs, the wicket would have looked even harder to bat on.”The thinking and the planning wasn’t off, but the execution was. Dhawan went a majority of his innings – despite starting against the new ball – at a strike rate of under 100 before getting dismissed for 51 off 47, and the middle order proceeded to fall in a heap around him. This is a big test of a coach. While Ponting refused to divulge what sort of role Dhawan has been asked to play, it seems like he has been asked to be the glue to bind the more explosive batsmen together. But should he have scored slightly quicker while doing so?”Ideally,” Ponting said. “Yes you’d like that. Obviously, it wasn’t an easy wicket either for anyone to come in and strike, especially at the end of the Powerplay. There’s a certain role we want Shikhar to play in this team. Even by his own admission, he probably would have liked to score a little bit quicker today.”This is often when you look at the batsman’s intent. If he is doing his best and is still finding it difficult, chances are it will be even more difficult for the next batsman in. Ponting suggested as much. “In an ideal world, yes we would like Shikhar to score quicker but it was difficult for him. He did his ankle while he was batting as well so his usual running between the wickets was a little bit hampered tonight.”We need to sit down in the next couple of days and talk about how we are going to bat better on that surface. The wickets we are going to get right through the season are going to be quite similar to the one we got tonight. We need to get a little bit smarter on that wicket.”

It seemed for some time that Leicester City and Ipswich Town were destined to run away with the automatic promotion places in the Championship, only for the latter to enter their first rough patch of form. In doing so, the promotion hopefuls have opened the door to a Southampton side looking to make an instant return to the Premier League, having suffered the heartbreak of relegation last time out.

Russell Martin's side, who sit just three points adrift of Ipswich, could yet receive a major boost in their pursuit of promotion in the January transfer window. The Saints are reportedly keeping tabs on a striker who has more than double the amount of goals that Che Adams has managed so far this season.

Southampton transfer news

Given that automatic promotion is no longer a world away, Southampton would be wise to go all out to land vital reinforcements for Martin this month. The Saints are currently on an unbeaten run of 18 games and could take full advantage of Ipswich's change in fortunes, which has seen Kieran McKenna's side go five games without a victory.

To take advantage, Southampton may need to look towards the transfer window and one particular striker, however.

Related EFL Championship done deals: Every January 2024 transfer

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According to Graeme Bailey, Southampton are keeping tabs on Hearts forward Lawrence Shankland. They're not the only Championship side interested in the forward though, with Hull City and Middlesbrough also eyeing moves.

Meanwhile, the Hearts captain has also reportedly attracted the interest of Crystal Palace, Burnley, Celtic and Everton in what will be a busy race for his signature this month. A man in demand, it looks as though Shankland could have a crucial decision to make in the near future, with several clubs circling.

If it is Southampton who land the forward, should they step up their interest, Martin would be getting himself a potential game-changer in the race for promotion.

"Incredible" Shankland would be an upgrade on Adams

Despite Southampton's recent run of form, Che Adams' goal tally hasn't been a standout in the Championship with just six goals to his name. It begs the question of just where the Saints would be if they had a truly clinical striker.

And Shankland could be the man to answer that question. The Hearts forward has enjoyed an excellent season in the Scottish Premiership, more than earning the interest of English clubs. Shankland's stats paint the perfect picture, with the striker's 18 goals highlighting a player at the top of his game.

Shankland recently earned the praise of Hearts manager Steven Naismith, who said via Irish News: “I look at him and compare him and he’s completely different from (Celtic striker) Kyogo but he’s slightly like (former Rangers forward Alfredo) Morelos. Lawrence has more in his overall game and a better mentality.

"When Morelos was at his prime, it’s a tough one but I’m probably taking Lawrence 18 goals in all competitions, half-way through a season, is incredible numbers. It’s not just against us either, he’s scoring all types of different finishes against everyone.”

Newcastle United are on a dismal run of form ever since the beginning of December. That 1-0 victory over Manchester United on the 2nd of the month seems like a distant memory now, with the Magpies having since suffered seven defeats in eight games.

What will worry Eddie Howe more is his side's defensive record. Newcastle have already conceded just four fewer goals in the 2023/24 campaign than the whole of last term.

Newcastle could land dream Lascelles upgrade in "underrated" £60m gem

Howe could look to bolster Newcastle’s defensive department this winter.

ByAdam Scully Jan 3, 2024

With the January transfer window now open, the Geordie outfit may need to sign some reinforcements at the back to stop the rot and Howe has already started compiling his list of targets.

Newcastle United transfer news – Jonathan Tah

According to a report from Football Transfers at the end of last month, Newcastle United are eyeing up a move for Bayer Leverkusen's star defender Jonathan Tah this month. The outlet are claiming that, while the Magpies may be under Financial Fair Play constraints this winter, the club see Tah as an affordable option.

It has been widely reported that the Germany international has a £15.5m release clause in his contract but this expired back in July. Nevertheless, the 27-year-old's market value is merely £26m, as per the CIES Football Observatory, so Tah could still be in Newcastle's price range.

There has been talk that the English club are also keeping tabs on Genoa's Radu Dragusin, with the Italian club holding out for £26m, although it is believed that Spurs will come out on top in the race for the Romanian central defender. Tah could prove to be a greater alternative.

Jonathan Tah's stats this season

Leverkusen are making an unprecedented push for the Bundesliga title, having never won the competition in the club's history. Under the guidance of Spanish legend Xabi Alonso, Die Werkself are top of the league by four points. Tah has been instrumental to Leverkusen's success thus far, having made 23 appearances in all competitions, while starting 15 of the side's 16 league outings.

The German's quality has been evident for some time. Five years ago, football agent Craig Honeyman described Tah as "an absolute monster" and admitted that the central defender would walk into any Premier League team. Now could finally be the right time for Tah to make the jump to England's top flight, having spent the past decade in the Bundesliga.

Newcastle seems like a great fit for Tah. Both club captain Jamaal Lascelles and Fabian Schar are on the wrong side of 30 and will need replacing in the near future, meaning there is a hole next to £35m signing Sven Botman in the backline that may need to be filled. Dragusin could be a good option for Howe's side but, statistically, Tah has been outperforming him, Lascelles, and Schar this season and could easily be Newcastle's best right-sided centre-half.

Goals

0.2

0.1

0.05

0.04

Expected Goals

0.07

0.06

0.05

0.05

Progressive Passes

4.16

1.61

2.41

3.86

Passing Accuracy %

94.9

81.8

85.7

85.5

Long Passing Accuracy %

76.6

50

55.1

60.1

Passes To Final Third

4.84

1.22

2.83

4.18

Tackles

1.05

0.83

1.14

1.27

Tackles Won

0.59

0.63

0.74

0.91

Aerial Duels Won %

84.2

69.5

68.1

45.8

Stats via FBref

In possession, transfer target Dragusin and Newcastle pair Lascelles and Schar don't come close to Tah's quality. Out of possession, the trio are comparable to Leverkusen's star defender but this can put be down to Alonso's side averaging 60.7% of the ball per game.

Given that Tah has the same market value as Genoa's asking price for Dragusin and is statistically an upgrade on Lascelles and Schar, Newcastle United must do everything in their power to entice the German to come to St. James' Park before the winter deadline passes.