All posts by h716a5.icu

Arsenal in talks to sign "genius" Saka & Odegaard hybrid for £0

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

It might not even be halfway through the Premier League season, but it already feels like Arsenal have endured a campaign worth of setbacks.

Mikel Arteta’s side have had to cope with silly suspensions, an injury to club captain Martin Odegaard, a drop in form and then, on Saturday evening, things took another turn as Bukayo Saka was forced off with a hamstring injury.

According to the manager, the Gunners are set to be without their talismanic academy gem for “many weeks,” so January reinforcements are desperately needed.

Fortunately, it was only last week that the club were linked with someone who could be the perfect addition, a player who’s like a hybrid of Saka and Odegaard.

Saka & Odegaard's seasons so far

Before suffering his hamstring injury on the weekend, this season was shaping up to be Saka’s best yet.

For example, in just 16 Premier League appearances, he’s scored five goals and provided ten assists; in five Champions League games, he’s scored four goals and two assists and even provided an assist in his three League Cup cameos.

It’s fair to say that prior to going down on Saturday, it felt more like a matter of when and not if he would break the league’s assist record.

On the other hand, Odegaard’s season hasn’t been quite as spectacular just yet, although he’s already missed 12 games through an ankle injury.

In the 14 appearances he has made this season, the Drammen-born maestro has still produced six goal involvements.

Overall, Saka and Odegaard are incredibly important to Arteta’s project, so reports suggesting the club could land a hybrid of the pair for nothing next month should excite fans.

The Saka & Odegaard hybrid Arsenal should sign

So, to get right to the point, the player in question is Barcelona star Dani Olmo, who, according to reports from Spain last week, is someone Arsenal are interested in signing.

According to the report, the Catalan club is struggling to register the Spaniard ahead of the deadline on the 31st of this month.

If missed, the £52m signing could leave for free in January, and the Gunners are one of several clubs who have already ‘put very attractive financial offers on the table.’

Reports from Sky in recent days also suggest that talks have been going on behind the scenes between Arsenal and the player’s agents.

With that said, what makes the attacking dynamo a hybrid of Saka and Odegaard and someone worth signing next month?

Well, the comparison to the Gunners’ injured number seven primarily stems from FBref, which compares players in similar positions in Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and in this instance, has concluded that the Englishman is the eighth most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Spaniard.

Non-Penalty Expected Goals+Assists

0.60

0.65

Shots

3.47

3.19

Shots on Target

1.16

1.21

Passing Accuracy

76.1%

74.4%

Passes into the Penalty Area

2.03

1.99

Tackles

1.45

1.56

Tackles Won

1.01

0.92

Successful Take-Ons

2.17

2.34

The best way to see where this comparison has come from is to look at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including, but not limited to, non-penalty expected goals plus assists, shots and shots on target, passes into the penalty area, successful take-ons and more, all per 90.

Okay, so with his similarities to the Hale Ender being apparent, how is he also like the North Londoners’ captain?

This comparison essentially comes down to the fact that, like the former Real Madrid gem, the Barça ace has the ability and sometimes does play out wide, but more often than not, tends to start in central areas and drift in and out of space.

For example, so far this season, 13 of his 15 appearances have come from attacking midfield, with the other two coming off the left.

Lastly, like the two Arsenal stars, the former RB Leipzig “genius,” as dubbed by journalist Josh Buntng, is an effective attacker, and has a haul of six goals and one assist to his name already this season.

Ultimatley, even if he still costs £52m, signing Olmo would be an excellent idea for Arsenal, but the fact that he could be available for nothing next month makes this potential transfer a no-brainer.

Arsenal target incredible £115m "nightmare" who's a bit like Mbappe & Kane

The sensational striker would supercharge Arsenal’s attack.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Dec 20, 2024

Harmanpreet eyes third Women's T20 Challenge title, Deepti eyes her first

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

It’s Supernovas vs Velocity in the final on Saturday

Annesha Ghosh27-May-20221:34

Harmanpreet: ‘I am really hoping for a great future for Navgire’

Who are playing?Harmanpreet Kaur’s Supernovas, the most successful team in the Women’s T20 Challenge, are eyeing their third title as they take on the tournament’s only side without a trophy, Velocity, who are led by Deepti Sharma. The final begins at 7.30pm at the MCA Stadium in Pune.What’s at stake?A chance to take home silverware that may be up for grabs for the last time, if the BCCI’s plans, albeit only at a preliminary stage, of launching a Women’s IPL as early as next March comes to fruition.Both Harmanpreet and Deepti, therefore, would be keen on adding a final flourish to their teams’ campaigns which kicked off with them winning their respective season openers but slumping to a defeat in their next appearance.Related

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Head to headThe two sides have met four times in as many seasons, with Supernovas holding a 3-1 advantage. The last time they played a final, Radha Yadav, who is in the Velocity ranks this year, smashed the winning runs for Supernovas in a cliffhanger of a finish in Jaipur. That was in 2019, the year Velocity was added as the third team to the competition, with Mithali Raj at the helm.Under new captain Deepti, Velocity handed Supernovas a seven-wicket defeat on Tuesday. Half-centurions Laura Wolvaardt and Shafali Verma, and strike bowler Kate Cross were the chief architects of Velocity’s win in the teams’ most-recent encounter. Shafali’s 30-ball fifty, which held the record as the fastest in the Women’s T20 Challenge for all of one game and a little over 48 hours, headlined that fixture. It was Harmanpreet, though, who had walked away with the Player-of-the-Match honours for her 71 and two catches.1:32

Deepti: ‘I am always ready to perform in any situation’

Form guide of key playersKiran Navgire: The 27-year-old uncapped Velocity big-hitter announced herself to the world with the first ball she faced. Off went a crackling six, the first of her 10 boundaries during a 34-ball 69 against Trailblazers. Along the way, she broke Shafali’s record for the fastest Women’s T20 Challenge fifty, waltzing to the milestone in just 25 balls.”Everybody enjoyed her innings,” Harmanpreet said on the eve of the final. “The first ball she faced showed the kind of player she is and how beneficial she can be [for the teams she plays for] in the future. The momentum Velocity got through her innings was outstanding. It was really delightful to see someone from India hit the ball into the stands. I am really hoping for a great future for her.”Harmanpreet Kaur: Averaging 54 with a chart-topping 108 runs from two innings, Harmanpreet is the form batter of the tournament. She followed up her 37 in the opening game with a gritty 71 and she has lived up to her reputation as a gun fielder, taking blinders and haring across the boundary to save runs.”If you perform in these games, you can carry lots of confidence with you ahead. I am glad that whatever I am trying, I am able to do that and trying to help my team-mates also,” Harmanpreet, the India T20I captain, said.Harmanpreet Kaur and her Supernovas will be targeting a third Women’s T20 Challenge title•BCCI”This tournament definitely plays a big role for us [because] we are not getting many series before the Commonwealth [Games T20 starting July 29],” she added. “Whatever [chances] we have, I want to give them my 100%, so that once the Commonwealth Games start, I should be in a good frame of mind.Pooja Vastrakar: Another standout India international in this competition, pace-bowling allrounder Vastrakar is placed atop the wickets chart with five strikes, including a T20 best of 4 for 12, from two innings. With the bat, she added a 12-ball 14 at No. 7 in Supernovas’ opening win while also being one of the quickest movers in the field all through.”The way she performed in the World Cup and especially in these two games was outstanding to watch,” Harmanpreet said. “She is someone who is now coming up with the ideas; you don’t need to spoon-feed her and she’s bowling the way she wants to bowl. You need a player like her who can read the game very well … The way she is taking the responsibility – that’s how I expect the other players to do their job. She is on the right track.”Likely XIsSupernovas: 1 Priya Punia, 2 Deandra Dottin*, 3 Harleen Deol, 4 Taniya Bhatia (vice-capt), 5 Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), 6 Sune Luus*, 7 Pooja Vastrakar, 8 Sophie Ecclestone*, 9 Alana King*, 10 Rashi Kanojia, 11 Meghna SinghOther squad members: V Chandu, Mansi Joshi, Ayushi Soni, Monica Patel, Muskan MalikVelocity: 1 Shafali Verma, 2. Yastika Bhatia, 3. Kiran Navgire, 4. Laura Wolvaardt*, 5. Deepti Sharma (capt), 6. Sneh Rana (vice-capt), 7. Natthakan Chantham*, 8. Radha Yadav, 9. Simran Bahadur, 10. Kate Cross*, 11. Ayabonga Khaka*Other squad members: Maya Sonawane, Aarti Kedar, Shivali Shinde, Pranavi Chandra, Keerthi JamesShafali Verma smashed a 30-ball half-century earlier in the tournament•BCCIWhat to look forward toEcclestone and King spinning a web: The two Supernovas spinners have picked up only two wickets apiece so far. Still, their ability to break partnerships and check the run-flow at crucial stages has played a part in Supernovas’ run to the final.How left-arm spinner Ecclestone fares against Velocity’s left-hand batters Yastika Bhatia and Deepti is worth keeping an eye on. As for wristspinner King, who tested Shafali in patches on Tuesday, her face-off with the other power-hitter, Navgire, could be just as riveting.Improved fielding from Velocity?: Four dropped catches off straightforward chances against Trailblazers nearly derailed their campaign. Sneh Rana, Radha Yadav, and Ayabonga Khaka were the guilty parties in that game and there were slip-ups in ground fielding, too.By contrast, Supernovas have been a less iffy fielding side, though Deandra Dottin uncharacteristically shelling a catch, of Shafali, at point did contribute to their loss to Velocity. Under lights, and in blustery conditions at the MCA Stadium, the team that holds on to their catches could eventually be the one that gets their hands on the trophy.

Man Utd back in for Jarrad Branthwaite! Ruben Amorim ready to splash out £50m on Everton defender but Red Devils face one major problem

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Manchester United are back in for Jarrad Branthwaite with Ruben Amorim reportedly ready to splash out £50 million on the Everton defender.

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United have zeroed in on BranthwaiteReady to shell out Everton's asking priceBut must fulfill one crucial condition set by the playerFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to the 22-year-old defender has been on United’s radar for over a year, and club officials remain eager to finalize a deal that meets Everton’s valuation. Branthwaite remains open to the idea of leaving Goodison Park, recognizing that a move to Manchester United would significantly raise his profile.

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However, Branthwaite remains determined to play in the Champions League, as he believes competing at the highest level will boost his chances of securing a spot in England’s World Cup squad. This preference could complicate United’s pursuit, as Amorim’s side must win the Europa League to secure Champions League qualification next season as they are unlikely to break into the top-four Premier League spots.

DID YOU KNOW?

Last summer, the Toffees turned down two bids from United with the second one structured as £45m up front with £5m in add-ons. Although Everton are reluctant to sell, financial considerations may force their hand. The club is dealing with Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) concerns and could be required to cash in on key assets to balance their books. Moreover, reports indicate that Everton lack the financial resources to offer Branthwaite a new contract, despite his current deal running until 2027.

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT?

Despite competition from Tottenham and Everton’s tough negotiating stance, United believe they can eventually reach an agreement. Branthwaite’s potential arrival would be a major boost for United’s defence, particularly as Amorim looks to rebuild the squad ahead of the new season to compete for major honours.

Joe Root: I had an 'unhealthy relationship' with England captaincy

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

England’s match-winner opens up on strains of leadership after return to the ranks

Andrew Miller05-Jun-2022The emotion was plain for Joe Root as he soaked up the acclaim from an enraptured Lord’s crowd. A phenomenally composed 115 not out, his 26th Test hundred but his first in the fourth innings, had guided England to a gripping five-wicket win over New Zealand in the first Test of the English summer, and ended a barren run of results that stretched back 10 months to the Headingley Test against India.But perhaps more significantly, it was a century in Root’s first appearance back in England’s ranks, after stepping down from a role that he had held with pride for five years and a national-record 64 matches, but which he admitted after the match had become an “unhealthy relationship” in its grim final throes.England won just one of their last 17 Tests under Root’s leadership, including a 4-0 defeat in the Ashes and a further 1-0 reverse in the Caribbean in March. And though he insisted in the immediate aftermath of that campaign that he still had the drive to take the team forward, Root conceded upon his return to the UK that the pressures had become too much to bear.”It had become a very unhealthy relationship to be honest, the captaincy and me,” Root admitted after his innings on Sunday. “It started to really take a bad toll on my own personal health. I couldn’t leave it at the ground any more, it was coming home. It wasn’t fair on my family, on people close to me, and it wasn’t fair on myself either.Related

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“I had thrown everything at it and I was determined to help turn this team around but I realised over that time at home that it would have to be in a different way. I’m very excited to do that now and to do everything I can to help Ben [Stokes] really turn this team around and make this team the force it should and can be.”There was little about Root’s form with the bat in the latter months of his captaincy that let on about the mental toll the role was taking – quite the contrary in fact. He amassed an England-record 1,708 runs at 61.00 in 2021, just 80 runs shy of Mohammad Yousuf’s all-time record, and though he endured a dip in form towards the end of the Ashes, his back-to-back hundreds in Antigua and Barbados earlier this year seemed to have signalled his determination to keep leading from the front.Privately, however, Root acknowledged he was feeling the strain of propping up an under-performing team, and while taking a break from cricket at the end of the Caribbean tour, he announced it was time to step down.”I obviously tried as much as I could, but I think I was unaware of how much it was grabbing hold of me,” he admitted. “I just needed to make the decision, and I knew it was the right thing to do. I felt like a big weight had been lifted and I immediately felt a lot better.”As hard as it was, obviously it’s been a huge privilege and something that I’m extremely proud to have done, but it’s time for a new phase in my career. And it’s one that I’m very much looking forward to, seeing one of my best mates now take this team forward and start in a way that he has.”Stokes himself played a big part in securing victory in his first outing as official captain, scoring a chancy but vital 54 to help break the back of a 277-run chase on the third afternoon. But, once he fell to Kyle Jamieson with 118 runs still needed, Root stepped up his own tempo to score his final 81 runs from 81 balls, and ease England home in company with Ben Foakes.”This is a very nice feeling,” Root said in the aftermath of England’s win. “It’s felt like a long time. But it’s one that you want to feel over and over again. So, again, having experienced that this week, it’s one that we want to make sure that, when we turn up to Trent Bridge, we’re on the right side of it again, and can feel it again.”

In the moment of victory, Root paused on the edge of the boundary, shaking hands with the New Zealand players and support staff before taking a memorable walk of honour through the pavilion, where he was applauded by the members, and greeted by a line-up of his team-mates, led by Stokes, with Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad and James Anderson close behind.”It meant a huge amount to me,” he said, “not just personally, but when you walk through the dressing-room or through the Long Room and you’re high-fiving the rest of the group, and you can see the genuine joy and elation on their faces. That’s the one thing that I’ve missed the most, I suppose, over the last year and a bit. And one thing I’m really looking forward to seeing a lot more of, hopefully, this summer.”Root admitted that the chance to pay Stokes back for the many match-winning displays under his own captaincy had been an additional motivating factor in his performance.”It’s my turn now,” he said. “That’s a great motivator for me moving forward, with the amount of amazing things Ben did for this team under my leadership. It’s a great opportunity for me in the next phase of my career to do that for him. I’m not sure I’ll be able to do some of the things he has done but I can certainly try. It’s nice to do that today.”Stokes, however, dismissed his team-mate’s modesty. “There is never any doubt about Joe stepping up on the big occasions,” he said. “He didn’t have to speak so nicely about me, because he’s playing the next game whatever happens.”Everything that he’s spoken about with the captaincy, to see him walk off there, leading the team to victory, seeing the emotion of pure joy and happiness to win a game for England in his first game after stepping down as captain was amazing.”We are very close, we’re not just work colleagues together. As emotional as it was for him, it was fantastic for me to see a very close friend walk off after leading England to victory. It was a great day.”

Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana reveals he snubbed transfer offers from Arsenal & Chelsea

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Andre Onana was a highly sought-after player during his time at Ajax, and the Manchester United keeper confirmed he was approached by some big clubs.

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Onana joined United in 2023Was approached by Chelsea and Arsenal while at AjaxCameroonian international facing uncertain futureFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

In a recent interview, Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana revealed that he received offers from some big clubs, including United's rivals Chelsea and Arsenal, but he turned them all down when he was still an Ajax player.

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Onana spent seven-and-a-half years at Ajax, making 214 appearances for the first team and earning a reputation as one of world's finest shot-stoppers. His ability to build up play from the back, and Manchester United's appointment of Erik ten Hag in 2022, saw the player move to Old Trafford in a mega-deal after he spent a solitary season at Inter Milan.

The soon-to-be 29-year-old, however, revealed that while he was still playing from Ajax, a number of top clubs across Europe approached him to sign for them, including United's Premier League rivals Arsenal and Chelsea.

WHAT ANDRE ONANA SAID

“Yes, Nice too. I had Monaco, I had Nice, I had Atletico Madrid, I had Chelsea, Arsenal," confirmed Onana when asked which teams approached him while he was in the Eredivisie in an interview with (h/t Get French Football News).

GettyWHAT NEXT FOR ANDRE ONANA?

Onana's time at the Old Trafford has been marked by inconsistency and costly errors, which has led to speculation regarding a move away from the Red Devils. Indeed, new manager Ruben Amorim is reportedly determined to offload the Cameroonian international, with reports from England mentioning that the player has received offers from Saudi Pro League clubs.

He will next be seen in action when Amorim's side take on top-four contenders Nottingham Forest on Tuesday, April 2. United are currently in 13th position on the Premier League table, 12 points behind fourth-placed Chelsea.

Pereira could ditch Guedes and unleash Wolves star who "has got everything"

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Wolverhampton Wanderers will be looking to make it three wins from as many games under the leadership of Vitor Pereira as they face Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League this afternoon.

Wins over Leicester City and Manchester United have moved the Old Gold out of the relegation zone and hopes are high the club can maintain their top-flight status under the new manager.

Against the Old Trafford side, the majority of the starting XI played rather well as they secured all three points, but there were a couple of players who underperformed.

Goncalo Guedes was deployed alongside Matheus Cunha as an attacking midfielder but didn’t have the same impact as the Brazilian.

Goncalo Guedes’ game in numbers vs Man Utd

The 28-year-old has scored five goals and grabbed four assists in all competitions for the Molineux outfit this season, but his display on Boxing Day wasn’t his best of the campaign.

The Portuguese star failed with both of his dribble attempts, registered just one shot on goal and failed to make a key pass or create a big chance in the final third.

Stat

Highest Ranked

Accurate passes

Matt Doherty and Andre (59)

Key passes

Kobbie Mainoo (3)

Shots on target

Matheus Cunha (2)

Ground duels won

Matheus Cunha (13)

Tackles

Toti Gomes (5)

Guedes also lost nine of the 13 ground duels he contested during his time on the pitch, along with losing possession a staggering 16 times and it is clear Pereira must make a change ahead of the clash against Spurs.

He was replaced by Hwang Hee-chan with just 15 minutes remaining and the South Korean star scored the decisive second goal which wrapped up a 2-0 win for the home side.

With this in mind, Hwang should be unleashed in place of Guedes this afternoon as he could cause the Spurs’ defence plenty of damage.

Pereira must unleash Hwang Hee-chan against Spurs

The forward hasn’t exactly enjoyed the most productive of seasons throughout 2024/25, with his goal against United his first of the season.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

He has only started three games all campaign, but this should change today, as Pereira looks to continue the club’s impressive momentum of late.

Hwang was hailed by former Arsenal striker Ian Wright back in 2021, who said: “He has got everything [Hwang], he has got pace, skill, touch and awareness and he’s always driving to get into the box.”

These attributes were on show last term, as the South Korean maestro ended up scoring 13 goals for the Old Gold while also creating four big chances, averaging 0.6 key passes per game and succeeding with 1.2 dribbles each match in the Premier League.

When compared to his positional peers in the top flight last season, Hwang even ranked in the top 9% for successful take-on percentage (52.2%) per 90, showcasing his dribbling skills.

If unleashed against Spurs, he will be keen to carry on where he left off against the Red Devils. Another goal or assist would certainly give him a great chance of forcing his way into Pereira’s starting XI, and he might just help move Wolves further away from the drop zone.

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United States moves step closer to hosting 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup, as joint bid with Mexico goes uncontested

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

FIFA president Gianni Infantino announced that the United States is the only country in the running to host the 2031 event

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U.S. only nation in running for 2031 Women's World CupHas pledged a shared bid with MexicoUnited Kingdom, potential competitor, pushed back bid to 2035Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The United States' efforts to host the 2031 Women’s World Cup came a step closer to reality Thursday, when FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced that a Mexico-USA joint bid will go uncontested – after the United Kingdom pushed back their primary bid to 2035.

If the U.S. is awarded the tournament, it would complete a memorable run of soccer in the country with four major tournaments held in a six year span from 2025-2031.

U.S. Soccer Federation President Cindy Parlow Cone has previously said that the federation is “committed to bringing" the 2031 Women’s World Cup to the U.S. and Mexico, "And we're going to win it."

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U.S. Soccer and Mexico were among the initial bidders for the 2027 competition, but backed out last May ahead of Brazil being awarded it, shifting the focus to 2031. Cone said there was a concern that some fans wouldn't be able to afford to attend World Cups in back-to-back years, following the men's World Cup in 2026.

"It was hard for us to shift from 2027 to 2031, but we all felt it was the best thing for the sport," Cone said. "I wanted that build-up so we can put the same focus and energy into the women's World Cup that we are into the men's World Cup."

The U.S. has hosted the Women’s World Cup before, most recently holding the tournament in 2003. There is the possibility of other CONCACAF nations hosting some fixtures. reported in March that there have been discussions about both Jamaica and Costa Rica staging matches.

WHAT GIANNI INFANTINO SAID

"Today, I can also confirm that as part of the bidding process, we received one bid for ’31 and one bid – valid bid, I should add – for ’35," Infantino said at the UEFA Congress in Serbia. "The ’31 bid is from the United States of America and potentially some other CONCACAF members together. And the ’35 bid is from Europe, from the home nations.

"So, the path is there for the Women’s World Cup to be taking place in ‘31 and ‘35 in some great countries, in some great nations, to boost even more the women’s football movement.”

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR THE USA'S WORLD CUP BID?

Official bids have to be submitted to FIFA by the end of 2025. It seems that an official announcement will soon follow – with no others in the running.

ICC puts onus on boards to make international calendar manageable

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Players not being able to sustain the amount of cricket they’re being expected to play will force changes, ICC chair believes

Osman Samiuddin27-Jul-2022The growing, unsustainable burden on players could eventually force boards into making the global cricket calendar a more manageable one, according to ICC chairman Greg Barclay.Barclay was speaking after the conclusion of the ICC’s AGM where the Future Tours Programme (FTP) has been going through the final stages before it is published, and where a major thread of discussion among members has been around the balance in the calendar between T20 leagues and international cricket.More relevantly, he was speaking just over a week after Ben Stokes, the England Test captain, decided to retire from ODI cricket, at just 31, blaming what he said was an unsustainable workload. Stokes’ decision came 16 months out from England’s defence of their World Cup title, which he was vital in securing in 2019.Related

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The new FTP, from 2023-2027, has not been made public yet, though ESPNcricinfo has a copy of a near-complete draft. The calendar, as it stands, is marked by an unrelenting schedule of ICC events and bilateral cricket and, increasingly, unofficial windows which are being earmarked by boards for their own T20 leagues; that is apart from a two-and-a-month window for the IPL, which is all but formalised.”The fact is that we have a limited amount of time in the calendar,” Barclay said. “There’s 365 days in a year, there’s more cricket being played through ICC events, through bilateral cricket, a proliferation of T20 leagues so there is a lot of pressure on that calendar. Are we at a tipping point?”I’m not sure but it is an issue for members to work their way through. There’s a lot of cricket to fit in there and it’s simply not all going to fit. It’s not an issue so much for this organisation [the ICC], but certainly for members to try and work their way through optimum outcomes is going to be a challenge.”What they also need to take into account is that the players themselves will simply not be able to sustain the amount of cricket they’re probably going to be expected to play so that’s going to force some changes as well.”

“The one thing over the last few days is the commitment to international cricket and bilateral cricket is as strong as it has ever been. But each of them [the boards] has to manage that balance between domestic competitions, their international schedules and the management of their players.”Geoff Allardice

The ICC believes it has witnessed a strong commitment to the international game among members at this AGM. But for a growing number of members that commitment is clearly tussling with a newfound zeal for their own domestic products, whether a T20 league or the Hundred. Both CA and ECB have carved out – or tried to – little windows for the BBL and the Hundred in this FTP.”There are a number of members who are putting particular attention on their domestic leagues,” Geoff Allardice, the ICC CEO said. “The one thing over the last few days is the commitment to international cricket and bilateral cricket is as strong as it has ever been. But each of them has to manage that balance between domestic competitions, their international schedules and the management of their players. Each of those boards is in a slightly different situation. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to that balancing situation and each country attacks it slightly differently.”If something does eventually give way, the speculation has been on ODI cricket. Without the context of the Super League in the next cycle, the format is back to being a bilateral staple. But that has not been evident just yet, and not in the draft version of the FTP.”We talked a fair bit about the structure,” Allardice said. “One of the things about the three formats and the way they are incorporated in the FTP is that members and fans in countries have slightly different preferences for formats. At this stage, there was some discussion about the mix of formats, not specifically ODIs in the calendar. Countries are still scheduling a healthy number of ODIs as well in their FTPs, so in the FTP you won’t see significant changes to the number of ODIs, or proportion being played.”The Super League has been scrapped because the 2027 World Cup has been expanded into a 14-team event; that has rendered a 13-team Super League redundant. The current cycle of the league has been hit by severe disruptions because of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has prevented it from really taking off.That might be rectified as we approach the end of league, with nine months still left, a number of series still to be played out and a number of big-name teams potentially having to play a qualifier to get into the 2023 World Cup.One of those could be South Africa, who did not help their own cause by pulling out of a three-match ODI series against Australia, in order to get their own T20 league off the ground. The ICC had no say in the fate of that series, and is not yet clear on how points will be awarded, but is looking forward to a tight fight for qualification towards the end.”We’ve still got nine months in the window available to complete the Super League,” Allardice said. “The ICC’s role in that competition is to say here are the eight teams you are playing against. The timing of those series and how those series are scheduled is between the two members to resolve.”We saw the announcement by CA and CSA and as we head to the end of the competition we will deal with that. Whether Australia and South Africa have come to some arrangement around making up some series – there may be some discussions still going on – the competition still has nine months to run and we’ll be dealing with [how the points are to be awarded] towards the end.”The ODI Super League was a way to provide context to ODIs. It has another nine months to play out and I’m sure as we approach cut-off date, the last couple of spots in 2023 will become quite exciting.”

Imagine him & Idah: Rodgers must drop Yang to unleash Celtic star

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Celtic are back in action in the Scottish Premiership once again this afternoon as they prepare to travel away from Parkhead to take on Ross County.

The Hoops have the chance to move 18 points clear at the top of the table ahead of their rivals playing on Sunday, which they will be looking to do.

Brendan Rodgers led his side to a 2-0 win over Dundee United last time out in Glasgow, thanks to goals from Daizen Maeda and Reo Hatate either side of half-time.

The Celtic boss could look to make some changes to his starting XI, despite the relatively comfortable win, starting with Hyun-jun Yang being ditched from the team.

Why Hyun-jun Yang should be dropped

The South Korean forward struggled badly in the win over Dundee United after coming into the side in the warm-up due to Nicolas Kuhn suffering a knock.

It was a huge opportunity for Yang to show Rodgers that he has what it takes to be a regular starter on the wing for the Bhoys in the second half of the season, but it was not one that he took.

Celtic winger Hyun-jun Yang.

The 22-year-old winger failed to register a single shot, dribble, or key pass in his 62 minutes on the pitch, whilst he also lost five of his six duels and lost possession ten times.

Yang now has zero goals and zero assists in 11 appearances and five starts in the Premiership this season, which shows that the youngster has not done enough in the final third to warrant a starting spot.

Rodgers must, now, ditch him from the line-up and replace the forward by bringing Kyogo Furuhashi into the side on the right wing, if Kuhn remains out with a thigh injury.

Why Kyogo Furuhashi should be unleashed

The Japan international has played over 100 games in his career as a left or right winger and the Hoops boss should see what the team would look like with Kyogo drifting inside from the right with Adam Idah leading the line.

Celtic’s two strikers have shared the starting role this season so far, with 13 starts for the Japanese forward and eight starts for the summer signing from Norwich, but neither of them have been entirely convincing.

Kyogo and Idah have both failed to find the back of the net in each of the last three matches, against Dundee United, St Mirren, and Rangers, without playing alongside each other from the start.

Appearances

18

20

Goals

5

8

Big chances missed

8

15

Big chances created

3

0

Assists

0

3

Aerial duel success rate

52%

25%

As you can see in the table above, both players have struggled to finish the ‘big chances’ that have come their way, but the Japan international has scored three more goals than the Irishman.

What Idah brings, as evident in the statistics above, to the team is a level of physicality that Kyogo does not, with his strength in aerial duels to hold the ball up and win flick-ons under pressure.

Kyogo, who Martin O’Neill once praised as “exceptional”, does not cope as well in the physical duels, which is why starting Idah as the main centre-forward in an away match could make sense for Celtic.

Celtic could land bigger signing than Tierney in swoop for "amazing" star

Celtic are reportedly in talks to sign Kieran Tierney from Arsenal.

6 ByDan Emery Jan 8, 2025

However, the Japanese marksman still offers a big goal threat and moving him into an inside right role, where he can come infield to essentially form a partnership with the former Norwich man could look to get the best out of both of them.

It may not work in reality but Celtic are 15 points clear at the top of the table and, if Kuhn and James Forrest are both out, they have little to lose in giving it a try, particularly after Yang’s dismal showing last time out.

The truth about Cristiano Ronaldo's links with Valencia takeover revealed as Portugal superstar tipped to retire from football after 2026 World Cup

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

The truth about Cristiano Ronaldo's supposed interest in a takeover at Valencia has been revealed.

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All-time great still going strong at 40Retirement plans being speculated onCoaching & club investment mootedFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱GettyWHAT HAPPENED?

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner is focused on his playing career for now, with remarkable individual standards being maintained at 40 years of age. Ronaldo is still going strong for Portugal and Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Various options are, however, being discussed ahead of the day arriving in which CR7 has to hang up his boots for the final time. A move into coaching has been mooted, along with investment in an ambitious project that would appeal to the all-time great.

GettyDID YOU KNOW?

It has been suggested that the Real Madrid legend could return to Spanish football. Ronaldo is a close friend of Valencia owner Peter Lim and his son Kiat, who is now president of Los Ches. That bond has generated talk of a takeover bid being launched at Mestalla Stadium.

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are, however, reporting that "there’s a world to go before there are advanced talks to buy the Singaporean tycoon’s shares". For now, the Valencia discussion is based on little more than idle gossip.

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