Kevin Campbell has backed Everton to sign Danny Ings in the summer transfer window.
The Lowdown: Ings rejects deal
As per The Athletic, the 28-year-old has rejected a new deal at Southampton ahead of the new 2021/22 season.
The Goodison Park club have been linked with a move for the striker, and given that he has turned down the offer of a new contract at St Mary’s, he could well be available.
The Latest: Campbell backs Ings to Everton
Speaking to Goodison News, former Toffees forward Campbell thinks that it may be time for Ings to move on from the Saints, and backed his old team to ‘pull the trigger’ with regards to a move. The 51-year-old said:
“He’s a good player, knows where the net is. He has tried his luck on the other side of Merseyside and was pretty well-liked, but injuries stopped him from doing what he’s doing.
“He has found his feet again, his form, and now it’s time for a big move.I wouldn’t put it past Everton to pull the trigger.”
The Verdict: Sign
Rafa Benitez will want the goalscoring burden eased from Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the upcoming campaign, and Ings could do just that if he moves to Everton.
Described as a ‘top-four quality’ striker by Sky Sports pundit Clinton Morrison last August, it would be a big coup if the Blues managed to get him.
Ings is proven in the Premier League, with 55 goals and 13 assists in 140 top-flight games across six seasons with Burnley, Liverpool and Southampton (Transfermarkt), and at 28 years of age, he is just hitting his peak.
Everton must do all that they can to sign him, as there could well be tough competition if they hesitate to make their move.
In other news, find out what transfer update has has these Evertonians talking
The 22-year-old Bengal opener is practical when acknowledging the advantages his father’s support allows him but insists the only pressure he takes on is of doing his job well for the side
Arun Venugopal17-Dec-2017Abhimanyu Easwaran came into Ranji Trophy 2017-18 on the back of some good performances in the Duleep Trophy and the List A games against New Zealand A. However, three of the Bengal opener’s first four innings yielded only single-digit scores. More worryingly, Abhimanyu fell twice to incoming deliveries from Vidarbha seamer Lalit Yadav in the same match.Ranganathan Parameshwaran Easwaran, his father, coach and mentor, was determined to do something about it. A day after the match, which Vidarbha won by 10 wickets, Easwaran flew his son to Delhi where six fast bowlers were at hand to help him sort his game against the incoming delivery. With the threat of Sandeep Sharma and Siddarth Kaul, two fine swing bowlers, looming in Bengal’s next game against Punjab, Easwaran reckoned it was important to fix Abhimanyu’s technique immediately. With Abhimanyu’s coach Apurva Desai by his side, Easwaran watched his son slog it out for more than seven hours over two sessions.The rewards were as handsome as they were instant: Abhimanyu batted for more than five-and a-half hours to score 117 in Bengal’s innings victory in Amritsar. The 22-year-old has since followed it up with a pair of centuries against Gujarat in the quarter-finals where Bengal prevailed by virtue of their first-innings lead. Until the semi-final, Abhimanyu had scored 547 runs at an average of 54.7, and was Bengal’s second-highest run-getter behind opening partner Abhishek Raman, who had scored 40 more runs having played one more game.The preparatory work in Delhi wasn’t a one-off quick-fix; such routines have been an intrinsic part of Abhimanyu’s life since childhood. On the surface, it is a fairly regular Indian tale: the father keeps his dreams alive through his son and equips him with every necessary tool to fulfilla shared destiny. Indian domestic cricket has seldom been short of such examples: the Baba brothers, Aparajith and Indrajith, and Vijay Shankar of Tamil Nadu, for instance, have had pitches laid out for them at their homes, while Armaan Jaffer’s father Kaleem doubles up as his son’s coach.What makes Abhimanyu’s tale interesting is the sheer scale of different factors that have come together in his young career. His father, a Tamilian born in Nagpur and raised in Dehradun, was a promising long-distance runner and a club cricketer. His family’s not-so-sound financial health meant Easwaran had to trade his cricketing ambitions for a career in chartered accountancy, but his “” (loosely translated means stubbornness) meant he launched the Abhimanyu Cricket Academy (ACA) along with a friend in Dehradun in 1988. He insisted on the name Abhimanyu, after the mythical warrior from the , who, according to Easwaran, was “a man born with talent.”Abhimanyu Easwaran celebrates a century•Abhimanyu EaswaranNot long after, Easwaran married a Punjabi and their second child, a boy, was named Abhimanyu. Once Easwaran realised Abhimanyu was hooked to cricket, he arranged for his formal training at the ACA, which had moved to a more expansive location. Realising that exposure to different conditions would accelerate Abhimanyu’s growth as a batsman, Easwaran sent him to play in cities like Nagpur and Delhi before Kolkata became his permanent base. Kolkata, Easwaran reasoned, had a good standard of age-group cricket, and Abhimanyu lived there with Nirmal Sengupta, who coached him.While Easwaran isn’t a trained coach himself, working closely with coaches at the ACA helped him understand Abhimanyu’s needs better. As Abhimanyu came through the ranks, his father, with the help of coaches like Sengupta, Desai and Manoj Rawat, would watch and make copious notes of every game and every practice session Abhimanyu batted in.Easwaran says he speaks with his son around four times a day about his cricket – right from his dismissals to areas needing correction or improvement. With father and son in different cities, they don’t meet as often as they would like to. Easwaran has made peace with the fact, likening Abhimanyu’s time away from home to being in a (a type of residential schooling system in ancient India). Some may call it obsessive parenting, but Abhimanyu doesn’t think that’s the case.”I was passionate about the game right from a young age, and my dad has just given me every possible facility for me to do well,” Abhimanyu tells ESPNcricinfo. “Not once has he discouraged me from playing the game. It’s more my interest and passion in it rather than someone putting pressure on me.”Easwaran, for his part, feels there is no point creating a stressful environment for his son. “When I moved the ACA to a bigger location, my dad was worried that I was putting pressure on Abhimanyu,” Easwaran says. “I sat him down and explained why I was doing it. The academy is my venture; I wanted to give something back to cricket. My goal is to have at least four players from the academy playing for India. I wasn’t even married when I started it in 1988, so it isn’t as if the academy was started only for Abhimanyu. When I expanded it, Abhimanyu was only about nine-and-a-half-years old. At that age, you don’t even know if he is going to take to a career in professional cricket. There is no point in shouting or getting angry at him [when he doesn’t perform well]; it is only about offering the right kind of guidance.”Like Armaan Jaffer, who reportedly at one point wasn’t allowed to use a phone, Abhimanyu has a few restrictions. Easwaran doesn’t allow him to play pool, for instance. “You only need to make him responsible and self-aware. I only make sure he doesn’t have any distractions. I don’t want him to fall into bad company. His mobile phone doesn’t have a screen-lock and he is not on Facebook. But, I want him to have a positive pastime and I encourage him to watch movies. He has anyway been a very mature, responsible kid, so that way I didn’t have to tell him much,” Easwaran said.In recent times, the ACA has become one of the most sought-after facilities for domestic sides, with Tamil Nadu using it as their pre-season training base over the last two years, and players like Dinesh Karthik and Shreyas Iyer practising there. With nine pitches – five main turfs and four practice strips – floodlights, gyms, tennis courts and swimming pools, according to Easwaran, the ACA also has a unit called National School of Cricket (NSC) where “education is combined with cricket”. Easwaran, who quit his job as a “partner in one of the top-20 firms of northern India” but has stayed on as consultant, says the ACA and NSC have made profits and puts the monthly figure at around INR 15 lakh. Such things mark out Abhimanyu as a privileged kid. How, then, does Abhimanyu deal with the baggage that comes with it?Abhimanyu Easwaran leans into a drive•Abhimanyu Easwaran”If you are born with something, you can’t change it,” Abhimanyu says pragmatically. “I have been lucky enough, and obviously it is an advantage.” He denies, however, that the pressure to do well – considering the advantages – weigh him down. “There is the pressure of performing always,” he says. “When you don’t do so well, obviously they [family] don’t feel good even if they don’t show it. But, there is no point taking that pressure into the ground because I need to stay focused on what I need to do.”Easwaran admits Abhimanyu’s success as a cricketer acts as a catalyst for him to do more with his academy, but says his son doesn’t receive any special privileges. “Even when players line up for their share of energy drink, Abhimanyu doesn’t jump the queue. He is respectful with coaches and doesn’t throw his weight around,” Easwaran says. “Even if he shows up, he won’t be given preference when someone else is batting. He will be treated as just another cricketer. Maybe, we would give him more time, but that is also done after the [regular] session is over. In any case, he doesn’t come here as often these days given his schedule.”Abhimanyu’s schedule has also featured lessons from batting great VVS Laxman, a consultant with the Cricket Association of Bengal. The takeaways have been a couple of handy technical tips, but, more importantly, Abhimanyu feels he has learnt a great deal about the mental side of things. “Working with him has helped me gain greater clarity about my batting and game-plans.”Except for his debut season in 2013-14 where he averaged a measly 17.62, Abhimanyu has consistently been among the runs, often averaging in the high 40s. This season, though, has seen him bat with greater application. “A good example of this was during the Duleep Trophy final [in Lucknow],” he says. “It was a turning track right from the start and spinners were in operation early on. So, getting runs on such wickets was satisfying. I had gone to Delhi and other places before the start of the season and practised on different kinds of pitches. That definitely helped me adapt my game to different conditions.”Two days before the semi-final against Delhi, even as Abhimanyu took some time off to watch a movie with his team-mates, his father was confident Abhimanyu could be the defining factor in the game. “I feel he can make Bengal win. There are two games [in the knockouts]. If he drops anchor, the first-innings game is theirs,” Easwaran says. “I don’t work when the match is on, so I have to begin working after stumps and stay awake till early in the morning.” For five days, Easwaran will have long nights and early mornings, but he is unlikely to complain so long as Abhimanyu piles on the runs.
Shreyas Iyer’s 57-ball 96 steered Delhi Daredevils through a tense chase of 196 and consigned Gujarat Lions to yet another defeat while batting first
The Report by Karthik Krishnaswamy10-May-2017 Scorecard and ball-by-ball details3:08
Bangar: Iyer’s use of the crease was impressive
Before Wednesday, Gujarat Lions had only won one match while batting first in the IPL, in 12 attempts. The last time they had played Delhi Daredevils, they had failed to defend 208. Now, sent in to bat, they made 195, and ended up on the losing side yet again, their bowling falling apart at critical moments.Daredevils’ match-winner, yet again, came from their group of young, sometimes inconsistent, but undoubtedly gifted Indian batsmen. At the Feroz Shah Kotla, Daredevils had romped home with 15 balls to spare, after Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson added 143 in 63 balls.Here, at Green Park, they had to pull off a different sort of big chase, where they kept losing wickets right through. Shreyas Iyer’s 96 was a different sort of innings to Pant’s 97. Daredevils were 121 for 6 at one point, with only the lower order left to give Iyer company.Then, out of the blue, came some of this season’s most exhilarating batting, as Iyer and Pat Cummins plundered 52 from three overs. Suddenly, Daredevils only needed 23 off 18 balls.There would, of course, be some late tension. Cummins holed out when he may not have needed to hit in the air. Iyer fell in the last over, leaving Nos. 9 and 10 seven to get off four balls. Amit Mishra, though, kept his head, pulling off two ice-cool fours off successive balls to haul Delhi over the line with two balls to spare.Finch, Karthik lift Lions out of early troubleGreen Park provided a flat batting pitch for its first game of the IPL season, and Lions, despite losing their top three inside the first seven overs, kept scoring at a healthy rate. A lot of this was down to the bowling; in this game, Daredevils’ bowlers seemed to have caught the contagion of bowling too straight – and often too short – and leaked runs behind square on the leg side.In all, they would concede 52 runs, and 10 boundaries (out of 26 overall), in that region. Mohammed Shami provided an early instance of this, bowling one ball full and leg-stumpish and another short and leg-stumpish to Ishan Kishan in the fourth over – with fine leg and square leg both inside the circle – giving away six and four.Still, Lions had to fight from 56 for 3, and they did so via a 92-run stand, in 58 balls, between Aaron Finch and Dinesh Karthik. Both batsmen played some eye-catching shots, the highlights including a straight six by Karthik off Shami and some ruthless pulls from Finch, who finished with 69 off 39.Run-outs imperil Daredevils chaseSanju Samson hit two sumptuous fours through the covers before dragging a pull onto his stumps in the second over of the chase. Then Rishabh Pant, having sauntered absentmindedly out of his crease after surviving an lbw appeal from Pradeep Sangwan, was caught out by a direct hit from Suresh Raina at slip.That left Daredevils 15 for 2. Iyer then put on the first of his two substantial stands, 57 off 34 balls, with Karun Nair. Right from the start, Iyer’s placement stood out – he kept finding gaps in the infield, particularly through the off side, and particularly through or behind point. Then Nair, having just hit three successive fours off Dwayne Smith’s slow-medium long-hops and reverse-lapped Ravindra Jadeja for another four, miscued a James Faulkner slower ball.Then came two run-outs, both from direct hits powered by Jadeja’s priceless left arm. First, Marlon Samuels was slow responding to Iyer’s call for a single after a push towards point. Mistake. Then Corey Anderson wandered out of his crease after bunting Basil Thampi towards backward point. Another mistake. When Carlos Brathwaite fell to a short ball from Dhawal Kulkarni in the 14th over, Daredevils were sinking. They needed 75 from 37 balls at that point, with only four wickets in hand.Iyer, Cummins blast offDaredevils didn’t have time for a slow-burning comeback. They duly hit four fours in the next over, two each by Iyer and Cummins, all of them hit along the ground, into off-side gaps. Then Iyer drove and flicked three successive fours off Kulkarni. The biggest over, though, was still to come. It would come – as it has more often than he’d like to admit – against Faulkner. Cummins, expecting and getting the slower, length ball first up, clouted him over long-on. Then Iyer lifted Faulkner over long-off before drilling a drive between the bowler and mid-off.To recap Daredevils smashed 17, 14 and 21 runs off the 15th, 16th and 17th overs.Mishra the finisherWhen Cummins picked out long-on in the 19th over, Daredevils needed 14 off 10 balls. When Iyer played all around a Basil Thampi yorker in the final over, they needed 7 off 4. In walked Mishra, a vastly improved long-format batsman, but not one counted among T20’s most dangerous lower-order hitters.Mishra knows the game inside-out, though, and probably guessed that Thampi would bowl a yorker first up. Down the track he went, surprising the bowler into a full-toss, which he flicked nonchalantly past midwicket. Then, with three to get off three balls, he walked across his stumps, with the knowledge that fine leg was stationed rather square. Thampi’s slower ball may have surprised some batsmen, but not Mishra. He waited, kept his shape, waited some more, and unfurled a deft little scoop. The fielder chased hard, dived, got his body behind the ball, but couldn’t help deflecting it into the rope.
Shahid Afridi has announced, via Twitter, that he is leaving Peshawar Zalmi and is open to playing for another team in the Pakistan Super League
Umar Farooq25-Mar-2017Shahid Afridi has announced, via Twitter, that he is leaving Peshawar Zalmi and is open to playing for another team in the Pakistan Super League. The franchise’s owner, Javed Afridi, told ESPNcricinfo that he was “clueless” in the matter and would speak to Afridi about his “surprising” decision.
Won d with 1 team,Time for another.Im announcing my end of service as president&player of PeshawarZalmi Team due to my personal reasons1/2
— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) March 24, 2017
My best wishes with Peshawar Zalmi nd as far as my Peshawar fans r concerned I know they are with me wherever i go.
— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) March 24, 2017
Incidentally, Afridi had talked about the importance of Peshawar Zalmi to his local region, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, yesterday, during the Emirates Airline Twenty20 Trophy in Dubai. “We have not created the Peshawar Zalmi team to play just a month’s cricket in the PSL and then sit at home,” Afridi had said. “Our work goes beyond the cricket field and we want to change the lives of the underprivileged in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.”After security operations there, the situation is a lot better in the province, but there are few opportunities or facilities for the youngsters. The Shahid Afridi Foundation works in the health and education sector, but the focus of the Peshawar Zalmi Foundation is towards sports. We want to provide facilities to people who don’t have it.”Team owner Javed Afridi said of Afridi’s decision: “Like many, I am also surprised after reading his tweets. I have no clue and am not aware about the reason he wrote this. But definitely I would like to speak to him before making any further comment.”Peshawar Zalmi won the PSL title this season, defeating Quetta Gladiators in the final held at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Afridi had missed the final with a finger injury that he picked up during the playoffs in the UAE. In all, in ten matches in PSL 2017, he had scored 177 runs at 25.28 with a strike rate of 173.52, and taken two wickets with an economy rate of 6.75. He had captained the franchise in the inaugural edition of the tournament, before handing over to Darren Sammy this season.During the group stage of this PSL, Afridi had also announced that he would not be playing international cricket anymore.
There is growing frustration among the top players in the country, who feel they are missing out on big money
Umar Farooq02-Aug-2022The PCB is refusing to provide no-objection certificates (NOCs) to Pakistani players – contracted or not contracted – who want to participate in the upcoming BBL season. The board has also not clarified whether it will allow players to take part in the ILT20 in the UAE early next year. The reason for the stance, it is believed, is the packed calendar – domestic and international. But it’s unclear why players with no contracts at the national or the domestic levels are being barred.Though there were no Pakistanis in the list of 98 overseas players who nominated themselves for the BBL draft, many were expected to put themselves up within the deadline. And though no names have been announced as having signed up for the ILT20, speculation has been rife about a number of top Pakistan names being offered contracts there.Related
Usama Mir's predicament underlines the need for a Pakistan players' association
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Jayasuriya and Chandimal hoping to turn Test form into BBL deals
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Asia Cup: India vs Pakistan on August 28
There is history here, including a near-strike in November 2019. The PCB had, for some time, been operating an informal “PSL plus one” policy as a framework for their players’ participation in overseas leagues. But it is not clear if that is still the case under the administration of chairman Ramiz Raja.With the addition of the ILT20 and the CSA’s new league, the demand for Pakistani players is likely to be higher than before. But, currently, even putting one’s name down in a draft requires permission from the PCB, forget getting an NOC to play.As a result, there is a growing sense of frustration among the top players in Pakistan, who feel they are missing out on big monetary gains – they are effectively barred from playing in the IPL. There was a suggestion at one stage that the PCB might compensate players for not playing in other leagues, but the high value of contracts on offer in those leagues – upwards of US$ 400,000 in the ILT20 – has since seen the PCB go silent on their offer.Contributing to the mess is the upcoming issue of player central contracts, though the matters are not directly connected. The PCB announced it was offering 33 contracts split between white- and red-ball players for 2022-23. Players have asked the board for copies of the contracts in order to first run them past a set of legal eyes before they decide on signing.That is standard practice in most countries, but it has not been the case in Pakistan, where players are used to being given their central contracts – usually just ahead of a tour, or during a pre-tour camp – and told to sign and return them almost immediately. Often, these contracts go up to 150 pages.With the current administration, even putting one’s name down in a draft requires permission, forget getting an NOC to play•PCBHistorically, the PCB hasn’t formally negotiated with players on contacts, and players have rarely disputed any clauses, beyond ensuring satisfactory annual pay rises. But the current crop of players, are increasingly aware of their commercial value and how that should be represented in a contract.As one recent example, a player was told he could not sign an individual deal with a company that was in the same industry as one of the PCB’s associate [not title] sponsors. While clauses exist in the contract that bar players from signing deals that clash with Pakistan’s principle sponsorships – for example, an individual deal signed with a company that is in direct competition with Pepsi, PCB’s title sponsors – the policy isn’t clear about smaller sponsorships.Currently, there is no evidence that players may use not signing the contracts as a bargaining chip to force the PCB to step back on the NOCs issue, but the matter has the potential to flare up.As it was in November 2019, the absence of a players’ association in Pakistan is the elephant in the room, in negotiating central contracts and looking after player welfare, as well as putting in place broader policies that might act as a framework for such situations. Generally, player agents have played a role but the PCB refuses to deal with them over contracts. There have been several attempts in the past to form a union, none successful.The PCB has been approached for comment.**
Just a few days ago, it looked like Arsenal’s season was over, but now, a renewed sense of optimism permeates the Emirates.
Mikel Arteta’s side have Tottenham Hotspur to thank for that, as their North London rivals managed to blow a 1-0 lead in Wednesday night’s derby to give the Gunners a much-needed boost.
The likes of Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice looked back to their best, while Gabriel Magalhães and William Saliba once again reminded the rest of the league why they’re the best defensive partnership in town.
Even Leandro Trossard, who’s been tremendously disappointing this season, looked bright, scoring the winner and turning Pedro Porro into a human pretzel with Cruyffian magic.
However, the Belgian still has a long way to get back to his very best, but he might be helped in that endeavour if the club go all out for a player who has been touted for a move to Arsenal in the past.
Leandro Trossard's lacklustre campaign
Now, while he did score the winner against Spurs and generally looked quite good for most of the game on Wednesday, it would be fair to say that Trossard has not been anywhere near his best this season.
For example, as things stand, the Belgian international has a rather middling haul of just five goals and three assists in 30 appearances this season, which equates to an average of a goal involvement every 3.75 games.
In comparison, the former Brighton & Hove Albion star racked up a haul of 19 goal involvements in 46 appearances last season and 11 in 22 during his first half campaign with the club, equating to an average of one every 2.42 and 2.00 games, respectively.
Appearances
22
46
30
Goals
1
17
5
Assists
10
2
3
Goal Involvements per Match
0.50
0.41
0.26
In short, there has been an undeniable regression from the 30-year-old this year, and while getting older hasn’t helped, such an aggressive reduction in output cannot be attributed to him being a year older, especially as he reminded us of what he could do against Spurs.
Therefore, it’s logical to assume that he can reach the levels of last season again, and that might be made more likely if the club went out and signed a player they’ve already been linked with earlier this season: Alphonso Davies.
Why Davies would revive Trossard
Now, there are likely several players Arsenal could sign who’d be able to get more out of Trossad, so why would Davies, who’s been linked to the club yet again this month, be one of the best options?
Bayern Munich'sAlphonsoDaviescelebrates scoring their fifth goal
Well, in simple terms, it all comes down to his utterly sensational attacking abilities.
The Canadian international is no slouch in defence, but his ability to maraud up and down the left-hand side is undoubtedly his biggest strength, and as the Gunners’ number 19 isn’t the fastest around, having the Bayern star overlapping at a rate of knots would give him far more space to operate in.
Opposing defenders would have to be aware of the Belgian’s incredible technical ability and close control on top of the explosive running power of the UCL winner.
Moreover, he has the output to back up his boundless energy, as in just 29 Bundesliga appearances last season, the “unbelievable” full-back, as dubbed by football writer Jerry Mancini, racked up a haul of two goals and six assists, equating to an impressive average – for a defender – of a goal involvement every 3.62 league games.
Finally, despite being just 24 years old, the 56-capped international has bags of experience and a brilliant winning mentality, which can only help the rest of the Arsenal dressing room as they keep fighting for the Premier League title.
Ultimately, securing Davies’ services ahead of the countless other top sides this year will likely be a challenging task, but given his sensational ability, it would be more than worth it.
Way better than Wissa: Arsenal target £361k-p/w star who can leave in Jan
The incredible international would make Arsenal far more dangerous.
Glasgow Rangers slipped 15 points behind their rivals following yet more away day woes on Thursday evening, dropping two points against Dundee.
The 1-1 draw followed the same pattern as many of the club’s away matches this season, and it is clear that the Premiership title is now out of reach.
The January transfer window may be open, but the only move the vast majority of the Ibrox faithful want to see is Philippe Clement shown the exit door.
Although this would be the popular choice, finances indicate it will be too expensive, especially considering the manager has a contract until 2028.
This means he will be responsible for who is brought into the team this month. With plenty of rumours circulating already with regard to transfer targets.
Several areas of the side need bolstering, especially the defence and midfield, with an upgrade potentially needed on Connor Barron amid his recent woes.
Connor Barron's game in numbers vs Dundee
Against Dundee, the midfield struggled to dominate things from the middle of the pitch, with Barron unable to make much of an impact as he started in place of the suspended Nico Raskin.
The former Aberdeen starlet arrived at Ibrox to much fanfare and duly impressed over his first few months, slotting in alongside Mohamed Diomande at the heart of the midfield.
Raskin was recovering from an injury sustained in pre-season, but since a return to full fitness, his displays on the field have kept Barron on the bench.
Indeed, the Scot hasn’t started a game since the Boxing Day defeat to St Mirren, but due to Raskin’s suspension, he was brought back into the starting XI for the clash at Dens Park.
Barron lasted just 66 minutes before he was subbed off, but while on the pitch, the midfielder lost possession 12 times, won four of his seven ground duels and was dribbled past twice.
Metric (per 90)
Premiership
Europa League
Accurate passes
42.4
27.5
Tackles
1.8
3.2
Interceptions
0.6
2
Possession lost
6.9
8.3
Ground duels won
2.7
4
He played a part in Dundee’s opening goal too, failing to clear his lines properly, which led to the home side scoring.
Not his finest display in the light blue, but there is clearly a player there, one that can be a fixture for the club over the next few years.
Transfer Focus
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Adding in some experience, especially without paying a penny in transfer fees, is desirable for the manager, however, which could lead to a concrete move made to bring in one notable target this month.
Rangers make enquiry for Serbian midfielder
According to the Daily Mail, Rangers are showing interest in CSKA Moscow player Sasa Zdjelar and reports coming from Russia state that the Ibrox side have made an enquiry about the midfielder as they look to strengthen their squad.
It could be good news for the club. Zdjelar might be allowed to depart his current side for free as FIFA granted foreign players the right to suspend their contracts with Russian clubs due to the ongoing war with Ukraine.
Considering the financial issues at Rangers, being able to bring in a player such as Zdjelar, who has been capped nine times for Serbia, could be a wonderful start to the window.
Why Rangers should sign Sasa Zdjelar
Across his career thus far, the midfielder has played for five teams, making a total of 403 appearances at club level, while missing just 16 matches through injury since the 2020/21 campaign.
Given how prominent the injury problems have been at Ibrox over the previous few years, signing someone who hasn’t spent much time in the treatment room would be a welcome bonus.
Sasa Zdjelar
Content creator Kai Watson hailed the 29-year-old amid the recent links with the Gers, lauding his versatility to feature in central midfield and at centre-back, while highlighting the fact that he is “vastly experienced”.
The Serbian has played 21 matches for CSKA throughout the 2024/25 campaign so far, notching up one assist in the process. Going forward is clearly not his forte, although he has succeeded with 75% of his dribble attempts in the Russian top flight, along with creating one big chance and averaging 0.3 key passes per game.
It is his defensive ability that will certainly appeal to Clement, as Zdjelar can control games from the heart of the pitch, giving his side the edge.
Indeed, in the top flight, the CSKA star averages a pass success rate of 87% per game, while averaging 61 touches, making 1.1 interceptions and recovering 3.8 balls per game, showcasing his defensive attributes.
Sasa Zdjelar
Additionally, the midfielder has won 3.8 total duels domestically – an impressive 64% success rate – which suggests he doesn’t shy out of one-on-one battles in the middle of the pitch.
Compare this to Barron, however, and it becomes clear that the Serbian star could be an upgrade for Clement. The Scot may have a higher average pass success rate (90%), but there is improvement to be made with regard to his defensive ability, especially compared to Zdjelar.
In the Premiership, Barron averages 0.6 interceptions, recovers 3.4 balls and wins 3.2 total duels per game – a success rate of just 45% – as the CSKA midfielder outshines the current Rangers gem across these metrics.
With more game time, Barron will only improve, which will likely see him depart Ibrox in the next few years.
Zdjelar may be approaching the latter stages of his career, but adding some solidity to the midfield could be exactly what Clement is looking for this month.
With various names being linked to Rangers, much will depend on the type of profile the manager and club are looking for.
Signing a current international who has played across Europe and has demonstrated an ability to control matches while offering effective defensive support makes perfect sense for the club. At Rangers, however, sense is often overlooked.
0 duels won: Clement was let down by Rangers ace who lost the ball 19x
Rangers suffered yet more woes on their travels as they drew with Dundee on Thursday evening
The two will also train at the National Cricket Centre in Brisbane and be part of Queensland Bulls’ pre-season preparations
ESPNcricinfo staff22-Jul-2022Chetan Sakariya and Mukesh Choudhary will headline the overseas presence at the KFC T20 Max series in Queensland next month. They will also train at Cricket Australia’s National Cricket Centre in Brisbane and be involved in Queensland Bulls’ pre-season preparations, as part of the old exchange programme with the Chennai-based MRF Pace Foundation, which had been paused because of Covid-19.Sakariya, 24, made a name for himself during IPL 2021, playing for Rajasthan Royals, and has turned out in an ODI and two T20Is so far while also playing for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2022, while Choudhary was impressive in his debut IPL season, this year, for Chennai Super Kings, picking up 16 wickets in 13 games. The two will be joined by three Papua New Guinea internationals: Norman Vanua, Chad Soper and Charles Amini.Related
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Sakariya will play for Sunshine Coast, while Wynnum-Manly will have the services of Choudhary. Sandgate-Redcliffe have all the three PNG players – regulars with their national side, which finished third at the recent World Cup qualifiers in Zimbabwe – in their ranks. Vanua and Soper are medium pacers, while Amini is a legspinning allrounder.There will also be a strong list of current or recent BBL players, some of them internationals, in the mix too: Jordan Silk, Beau Webster, Cameron Boyce, Ben Cutting, Liam Guthrie, Nick Larkin, Clint Hinchliffe, Josh Lalor, Nick Hobson, Jake Lehmann, Arjun Nair, Chris Sabburg, Nick Bertus, Ryan Gibson, Spencer Johnson and Nathan McSweeney.In a note on its website, Queensland Cricket said, “Due to the popularity of the concept and a surge in the number of players expressing interest, Queensland Cricket today updated the competition rules to allow each Premier club to sign an additional interstate or international recruit, moving from three players per club to four.”Several regionally based players have already brokered arrangements with teams, while contracted Queensland Bulls and Brisbane Heat players will be available for selection as part of their pre-season preparations.”The tournament will be played over three weeks, from August 18 to September 4, at the club grounds as well as at the refurbished Allan Border Field, under lights.Exchanges between the MRF Pace Foundation, founded in 1987, and Australia began in 1992, when the academy opened its doors to players from beyond India’s shores.Among the first to come and train under Dennis Lillee, then the director at MRF, was Glenn McGrath, who later took up the directorship once Lillee retired after a 25-year stint in 2012. Fast bowlers from many other countries, including Mohammad Asif (Pakistan), Chaminda Vaas (Sri Lanka), Heath Streak (Zimbabwe), and premier quicks from Australia like Brett Lee and Mitchell Johnson, have all trained at the academy over the years. Similarly, young Indian quicks have been given the opportunity to spend time in Brisbane as part of the programme. The last of these, in 2019, were Prasidh Krishna, who has since played ten ODIs for India, and Mukhtar Hussain, the 23-year-old right-arm quick from Assam.
Fans have vented their fury at Sir Jim Ratcliffe over Manchester United's "awful" post-season tour of Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong announcement.
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Man Utd to play final PL game on May 25Will fly out immediately to the Far East for two matchesFans slammed Ratcliffe for neglecting 'player welfare'Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Back in February, United head coach Ruben Amorim admitted that the first-team squad carries a heavy responsibility in driving the club’s financial "engine". In today’s game, global tours are seen as essential tools for engaging with international fan bases and securing commercial revenue — something United have long prioritised. Yet, while Amorim understands the need to grow the club’s global footprint, the decision to immediately embark on a tour across Asia following the end of the 2024-25 campaign has not gone down well with supporters.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE
United confirmed on Tuesday that the squad will travel to Malaysia and Hong Kong shortly after their final domestic fixture of the season. They will first play in the Malaysian capital on May 28 against an ASEAN All Stars side in the massive Bukit Jalil Stadium, which accommodates over 80,000 fans. Just two days later, United will head to Hong Kong for a fixture on May 30 at the Hong Kong Stadium, which has a 40,000 capacity. The timing has especially upset fans, with United potentially featuring in the Europa League final on May 21, followed by their last Premier League game at home to Aston Villa on May 25 – leaving barely any recovery time before the long-haul travel begins.
WHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING
Many fans voiced their disapproval online, expressing disbelief at what they see as another example of the club chasing profits at the expense of footballing priorities under the Glazer family and part owners Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS.
A United fan, @majorlaw2008, warned on about potentially repeating the mistakes of last summer, when Erik ten Hag saw a number of players suffer injuries before the start of the new season: "How about prioritizing tactics and match fitness of the players. Remember what happened with Ten Hag in the last pre-season."
Another fan, @TheNorthernLad_, bluntly wrote: "Money money money."
While, @charlesmarr22, added: "Awful. No wonder half the side is injured."
Meanwhile, @left_unheard, said: "This needs to be banned. Managers moan about fatigue and player welfare then 2 days after the season ends jet off to the other side of the world for a friendly in 30c weather all for money. Fans are bored of this and the over-commercialisation of football."
@ClairClair211, wrote: "No wonder they're knackered players deserve a proper break, not to be money-making robots for the club."
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WHAT OMAR BERRADA SAID
An elated Omar Berrada, chief executive officer at Manchester United, said of the tour: “We appreciate the amazing level of support that Manchester United enjoys around the world and this summer we are delighted to deliver a schedule that provides our fans in Asia, Scandinavia and the United States the opportunity to connect with the club and watch the men’s first team play live in local settings.
“Importantly, Tour fixtures drive significant additional revenue which helps make the club stronger, allowing us to keep investing in success on the pitch. They also create unique opportunities for us to collaborate with our valued commercial partners, and to deepen relationships with our fans in regions such as Asia and the US.”
Liverpool meet West Ham United at the London Stadium this evening as Arne Slot looks to claim another victory in the Premier League. First-placed and flying, the Reds have been rampant this season.
However, West Ham have a point to prove after a disappointing start to life under Julen Lopetegui but have hit a degree of good form in recent weeks, unbeaten across their past four top-flight fixtures (two wins, two draws).
While Liverpool have won ten of their past 12 matches against the Hammers in all competitions, they drew at the London Stadium last term in a heated contest that saw tempers flare between Mohamed Salah and outgoing manager Jurgen Klopp.
23/24
Premier League
2-2 draw
22/23
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2-1 win
21/22
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3-2 loss
20/21
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3-1 win
19/20
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2-0 win
Slot will demand cooler heads, but the harmony woven together within this Reds team is sure to remain intact and puts the visitors in a great position to continue their incredible title-chasing campaign.
Liverpool team news
Ibrahima Konate and Conor Bradley won’t be risked in east London, but both are in contention to return against Manchester United next weekend. The defenders have been sidelined since the beginning of December.
In midfield, Slot won’t be able to call upon the tireless energy of Dominik Szoboszlai, for the Hungarian has been suspended for one match after picking up his fifth yellow card of the year during the Boxing Day victory over Leicester City.
Up front, Liverpool might be tempted to unleash an unchanged line, but given the task at hand, Slot might be tempted to drop two members.
Slot must boldly drop Cody Gakpo
Salah, of course, will retain his starting spot on the right wing, looking to continue his staggering form this season, notching 19 goals and 15 assists across 25 appearances.
Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah
However, Darwin Nunez failed to take command at number nine on Boxing Day despite plenty of huff and puff. He brought energy and impetus, but Liverpool need Diogo Jota for this one.
Jota has been reduced to off-the-bench roles since returning from injury this month, with Liverpool’s coaches wary of his fitness record.
He should be fit enough for a starting role now though. With nine victories from ten matches against West Ham, the Portugal forward could be the difference-maker, bringing a clinical edge that Nunez simply doesn’t possess. As per FBref, Jota actually ranks among the top 15% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals scored per 90.
If Jota is to start up top, Liverpool’s Dutch coach might want to boldly drop the in-form Cody Gakpo too. The 25-year-old has scored four goals across his past seven Premier League starts but Luis Diaz might be preferable to ensure Jota’s chances of scoring are maximised.
Once hailed for his “special skillset” by Pep Lijnders, Gakpo has been a revelation this season, taking the positives from his season-and-a-half under Klopp’s wing and playing almost exclusively on the left flank this year, something that has sharpened his goalscoring edge and then some.
Cody Gakpo celebrates for Liverpool
Of course, he could thrive alongside Jota at the London Stadium, but Liverpool could do with Diaz’s electricity and multi-faceted threat.
The Colombian’s hardly a non-existent goal threat himself, bagging seven goals from 11 league fixtures this season.
Such exciting depth is a reflection of Liverpool’s devastating frontline, as deadly as it is deep. Slot’s success has been in large part down to Diaz and Gakpo being able to rotate and attack problems with their own distinct formula.
Whatever Slot picks, Liverpool will feel they have what it takes to complete the job, but Diaz might be the better man for the job today.
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