All posts by h716a5.icu

Nottinghamshire seamer back in contention as allrounder recovers from quad injury

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Jun-2018Jake Ball, the Nottinghamshire seamer, has been recalled to England’s ODI squad for the Royal London series against Australia, as cover for all-rounder Chris Woakes.Woakes suffered a right quad strain during the latter stages of England’s victory over Pakistan in the second Test at Headingley last week, and will be unavailable for the first part of the series.He had been recalled to the Test side in Leeds having been left out of the opening Test at Lord’s when England preferred Mark Wood. He claimed 3 for 55 in the first innings and then removed Sarfraz Ahmed in the second before reporting discomfort.England ODI squad

Eoin Morgan (capt), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Alex Hales, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood

Woakes is the second of England’s allrounders to suffer injury ahead of the Australia visit, after Ben Stokes was forced to sit out the Headingley Test with a left hamstring tear. Both players have commenced their injury rehab programmes and remain hopeful of featuring in the latter stages of the five-match and one T20I series against Australia which commences at The Oval next Wednesday.Ball, 27, played the most recent of his 17 ODIs at Perth in January, where he did not take a wicket but contributed to a 12-run win that sealed an impressive 4-1 series win against Australia.Tom Curran, whose brother Sam made his Test debut at Headingley, had already been named in the squad to face Australia, but was called up as cover for Woakes for Sunday’s one-off ODI against Scotland as well.Several members of England’s Test squad, including some dual-format players, will be in action for their counties this week in the Royal London Cup, as they switch their attention from red-ball to white.Joe Root, England’s Test captain, is available for Yorkshire’s home game against Northamptonshire on Thursday; a match that could yet decide which teams qualify for the knock-out stages.Other players from England’s Test squad available for Royal London Cup fixtures this week are Dom Bess (Somerset), Mark Wood (Durham), Keaton Jennings (Lancashire), Dawid Malan (Middlesex) and Sam Curran (Surrey). Malan has also been made available to play for Middlesex in their County Championship match against Leicestershire starting on June 20.Jonny Bairstow and Jos Buttler have been rested ahead of the ODIs, while England are yet to make a decision on the county availability of James Anderson and Stuart Broad ahead of the start of the Test series against India in August. They have, however, confirmed that neither will be available for the next round of County Championship matches which starts on Saturday.But Alastair Cook is available for Essex’s Championship game against Lancashire and Moeen Ali will play for Worcestershire’s final Royal London game before joining up with England’s limited-overs squad.

Federico Redondo's potential Inter Miami debut has been revealed, after the Argentina U23 star saw his visa finally approved.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Redondo finally sees U.S. visa approvedNow eligible to play for MiamiPotential debut date revealedWHAT HAPPENED?

The 21-year-old midfielder completed a transfer to Miami from Argentinos Jrs last month, linking up with fellow countryman and Albiceleste hero Lionel Messi. However, Redondo's move had been delayed while the necessary paperwork was being processed. But according to reporter Diego Monroig, his visa has been approved and he is now eligible to play. writer Michelle Kaufman echoed those reports, uploading a video of Redondo at Miami's training base.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Redondo's visa being approved is good news for Miami fans, as they will finally get an opportunity to see him in action since his transfer was announced almost two weeks ago. According to those reports, the Argentina youth star could make his first Herons appearance against Nashville in the CONCACAF Champions Cup on Thursday. Tata Martino's side automatically qualified for the round of 16 of that tournament thanks to their historic Leagues Cup title in 2023 – which Messi had a huge hand in.

Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowDID YOU KNOW?

Redondo joins a host of compatriots, including Messi, coach Martino and Fecundo Farias, who he replaces after his season-ending ACL injury. Redondo, son of former Real Madrid and AC Milan icon Fernando, will wear the No.55 shirt at Miami.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR REDONDO?

With the young midfielder signed, fit and eligible to play, it remains to be seen whether Martino will include him in his starting line-up to face Nashville on Thursday, or ease him in from the bench.

Yorkshire have advised they will make no comment on the alleged incident involving Surrey’s Ryan Patel until they hear officially from the ECB about the matter

Paul Edwards27-Jun-2018Yorkshire and Surrey are awaiting the response of the ECB after a Surrey player reported that he had been racially abused by a spectator on the first day of the County Championship match against Yorkshire in Scarborough.Ryan Patel, the 20-year-old Surrey all-rounder, is understood to be the player named when the incident was reported to the umpires, Peter Hartley and Paul Pollard, who informed the cricket liaison officer, Wayne Noon. Yorkshire have advised they will make no comment on the alleged incident until they hear officially from the ECB about the matter.Surrey’s director of dricket Alec Stewart said: “We’re fully aware of this unsavoury incident and have every confidence that the ECB and Yorkshire will deal with it in the appropriate manner.”It is not thought that the spectator involved was approached by stewards or by members of the Scarborough or Yorkshire club.Ryan Patel in action•Getty ImagesBill Mustoe, a Yorkshire vice-president and former Scarborough chairman, said that the club had responded once the complaint had passed through the system and the umpires had informed both counties.”Plain clothes spotters were put in the area to monitor the situation,” he said. “Nothing more was established and we’ll see what happens as a result. It was just disappointing. We’re not sure of exactly what was said, so we’ll just have to wait.”Yorkshire will also privately point out that the overall mood of the crowd was not hostile – quite the opposite. On the first day at North Marine Road spectators in the packed stand at the Peasholm Park End gave the Surrey offspinner Amar Virdi a huge round of applause at the end of the over in which he dismissed both Cheteshwar Pujara and Harry Brook.Scarborough attracts one of the biggest and most vociferous Championship crowds in the country and the intimate nature of the ground, which has often been described as a natural amphitheatre, means that any cries or barracking from the crowd can often be clearly heard.Patel, born in Sutton, is a Surrey Academy graduate who has been in the system since the age of eight. He shot to prominence with an extraordinary spell of six wickets for five runs in 23 balls against Somerset in Guildford last week.

Everything that Arsenal have done over the last few months, regarding transfers and tactical shifts, has been to usurp Manchester City and win the Premier League title. Therefore, things are set to be no different in January.

Who could Arsenal sign in January?

With big-money acquisitions like Kai Havertz and Declan Rice, the pressure was understandably ramped up on two stars expected to perform. Whilst the jury is still out on the former, their club-record signing has taken to life in north London with ease, proving pivotal in their unbeaten league start as a calming yet destructive presence in the engine room.

The England international is slowly growing into one of the division's finest players, and Mikel Arteta could seek to lean on that by helping him reach new heights.

Although it may seem a strange move on the surface, reports have noted the Gunners' interest in Pep Guardiola's outcast Kalvin Phillips, who has struck up a fine partnership with the former West Ham United captain on numerous occasions for the Three Lions.

With chances limited for the 27-year-old, who is desperately seeking any opportunity to rekindle his once-promising career, perhaps Edu could be set to hand him one final chance at the highest level to prove his worth. His presence could even push Rice beyond that of Rodri…

Could Declan Rice surpass Rodri?

It was always bound to be the key comparison for these two sides both vying for the title, just as Martin Odegaard has often seen himself pitted against Kevin De Bruyne, and how the same has happened with Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden.

Guardiola's midfield compatriot has proven pivotal for the Citizens in extending their monopoly over English football, having shone in the engine room as a metronomic presence capable of dictating entire games from deep.

Whilst it did take him a year to acclimatise, last season saw him truly shine as an ever-present ace instrumental in their treble success. In the Premier League alone he would showcase his controlling mastery by recording eight goal contributions and a 91% pass accuracy, alongside 0.9 key passes, 1.9 tackles and 5.1 duels won per game, via Sofascore.

To compare that with Rice's start to the new term, and it is clear where the comparisons emerge from. The 24-year-old is also posting an impressive 92% pass accuracy, and whilst his key passes drop to 0.6 per game, he instead is recording 2.3 tackles and 4.4 ball recoveries per game.

The two are hardly far apart, and Phillips could provide the perfect addition to help his compatriot reach new heights, offering a platform for additional creativity should he return to his best.

After all, the former Leeds United man has been vocal about his enjoyment when playing beside him: "There's a lot of talk about me and Declan Rice fighting for one position but when we play together, I think we play really well. It’s an honour to play with him."

Then, ex-England manager Fabio Capello would rush to praise what Phillips offers, noting: "Phillips is not like Pirlo and he will never be. He is a much faster and more aggressive player, of good quality but he is not Andrea's heir."

Although it has been a long time since the £150k-per-week ace featured regularly, last starring during the 2020/21 league season which saw him maintain 1.2 key passes and 2.6 tackles per game, perhaps a show of faith from Arteta, plus placing him beside an old friend, could help him recapture these levels and help Rice become the paramount midfield player in the league.

Manchester United legend Gary Neville slammed Premier League clubs after they failed to reach an agreement on a new EFL funding deal.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Neville slammed Premier League clubsPremier League failed to agree on a new financial dealStakeholders met in London on MondayWHAT HAPPENED?

The former Manchester United and England defender, who co-owns League Two side Salford City, slammed the Premier League and its stakeholders for failing to agree on a new funding deal for the English Football League. Neville called the English top-tier a "disgrace" for ignoring the financial well-being of the EFL clubs.

AdvertisementWHAT GARY NEVILLE SAID

Speaking on Sky Sports, the ex-United star said: "I am more interested in the vote they didn’t have, which was to support the rest of the Football League which they keep bumping down the road and it’s an absolute disgrace. It is about the welfare of the game and the sustainability of the whole league.

"The Premier League at this moment in time are negligent in their dismissive nature, just pushing it down the road, thinking ‘maybe a regulator will sort it, maybe we’ll sort it’ and not doing anything. That’s not good governance, it just demonstrates to me that they are not looking after the whole game like they should be. It angers me every time I see they have a Premier League meeting and seem to look after themselves but not look after the rest of football."

GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Last month, the UK government issued an ultimatum to the Premier League to sort out a new financial deal among themselves, or else a similar deal will be imposed on them by an independent regulator. In Monday's meeting a new six-year deal granting the EFL 14.75 per cent of the Premier League's net media revenue – which is in the region of £900m – was raised for discussion.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

WHAT NEXT?

For now, the EFL has not spoken out on the matter and the issue is likely to be addressed in a board meeting which could be held later this week.

Carlo Ancelotti expects Thibaut Courtois and Eder Militao to return to action after the international break.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Courtois & Militao set to return after international breakCould play against Man City in Champions LeagueSuffered ACL injuries at the start of the seasonWHAT HAPPENED?

The Real Madrid manager claimed that he expects the injured duo to return to action once the international break is over which means they could be available for the club's Champions League quarter-final against Manchester City next month. Courtois ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) right before the start of the 2023/24 season. Militao suffered a similar injury on his left knee in the club's season opener against Athletic Club.

AdvertisementWHAT CARLO ANCELOTTI SAID

Speaking to reporters, the Italian boss said, "They have started working with the team this week, we will take advantage of this break to do friendlies against the youth team. I think they will be ready for the match on the 31st (against Athletic Bilbao). We won’t take any risks. They are doing very well."

Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Los Blancos are all set to face the reigning European champions in a rematch of last season's semi-final which Pep Guardiola's side won 5-1 on aggregate. The first leg of the quarter-final clash will be played on April 9 at Santiago Bernabeu while the Etihad will host the second leg on April 17.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

getty imagesWHAT NEXT FOR REAL MADRID?

Ancelotti's side, who are seven points clear at the top of the table, will next take on Osasuna in a crucial league clash on Saturday.

For once Middlesex posted a challenging total but they were consigned to bottom spot as Kent overhauled it with three balls to spare

ECB Reporters Network12-Aug-2018
ScorecardHalf-centuries from Alex Blake and Daniel Bell-Drummond helped Kent hold their nerve and land a three-wicket Vitality Blast T20 win over Middlesex with three balls to spare in Beckenham.Local lad Blake clattered five sixes as the run-chase pressure reached its peak as Kent secured a sixth South Group win that maintains their qualification hopes, while consigning Middlesex to the bottom berth.Managing director of cricket for Middlesex, Angus Fraser failed to take many positives from his sides 10th defeat of the campaign. He said: “I’ve just been up in the dressing room and the players are hurting. They’re fed up of losing. They’re not arrogant to think they can go out there expecting to win, but to keep shaking the opposition’s hands and saying ‘well done’ is starting to get a bit thin.”There was huge frustration today because we’d got ourselves into a reasonable position having batted well, but then we didn’t have a great Powerplay with the ball – which has been a problem for us throughout the whole tournament.”Setting out in pursuit of the Middlesex total of 189 for 7 at an asking rate of 9.5 an over, Spitfires lost Joe Denly for four when his attempted pull in Tom Barber’s opening over grazed the bottom edge for John Simpson to hold on to a spectacular low catch.Kent regrouped as Heino Kuhn clubbed their first six with a back-foot force over cover that raised the home 50 after only 4.1 overs. Kuhn laced three boundaries in the next over, but James Harris had his revenge in plucking out the South African’s off stump to make it 61 for 2.Sam Billings and Daniel Bell-Drummond pushed and ran well to keep the board ticking at seven or eight an over without risk to raise their side’s 100 at the mid-point of the reply.The third-wicket pair added 42 before Billings chipped a simple catch to long-on off Patel, but Bell-Drummond went on to post his 12th short-form 50 from 29 balls and with six fours and a six.Alex Blake upped the tempo with a six off Patel, who conceded 14 in his final over, but Harris, the former Kent loanee, returned to dismiss top-scorer Bell-Drummond for 62 as the right-hander backed away aiming to cut.Crawley’s T20 batting debut lasted four balls before he went leg before when reverse sweeping against Paul Stirling as Kent, for the first time, fell behind the Duckworth/Lewis/Stern asking rate after 17 overs.With 40 required off 18 balls, Blake, who played his club cricket in Beckenham, unwound to take a brace of sixes and a couple of fours as Barber’s over cost 22.Sean Dickson gifted Harris a third scalp when he chipped to deep midwicket but Blake clubbed the next ball over the mid-wicket ropes to pots his 23-ball 50 and leave Kent needing nine off the last over from James Fuller.Blake opened the face to clear the ropes over point to reduce the target to three, but was caught at deep mid-wicket next ball up to go for 57 from 27 balls, leaving Haggett to glance the next ball for a victorious boundary.Bowling first after winning the toss in light drizzle, Kent made a sloppy start offering too much width in the opening overs allowing Paul Stirling to crash a trio of fours in Denly’s opening over, while Dawid Malan collected four and the game’s first six off the third from Mitch Claydon.Malan, available and with a point to prove following his exclusion from England’s Test squad, cleared the ropes in the next overs from Adam Milne and Calum Haggett as Middlesex raised their 50 from only 27 balls.By the end of the powerplay Spitfires had leaked 10 fours and three sixes enabling Middlesex to canter to 71 without loss during the Powerplay.The hosts made their first breakthrough after 6.1 overs when Malan chipped a meek return catch to Denly to depart for 36 off only 19 balls then, Imran Qayyum struck in his first over, having Stirling caught at backward point off a mis-timed slash to make it 76 for two.Bell-Drummond’s second delivery in T20 cricket was dispatched over the long-on ropes for six by John Simpson as Middlesex raised their 100 in the 10th over.Qayyum returned to have Eoin Morgan caught off a skier at long on then Simpson departed for 29 in near identical fashion against Denly, who rattled James Fuller’s stumps four balls later to finish with three for 25.Qayyum’s figures were ruined when James Franklin clubbed three sixes in his final over as he and Stevie Eskinazi added 49 for the sixth wicket before Franklin and George Scott departed in Claydon’s final over of the innings.

Tottenham Hotspur's transfer business over recent years has been somewhat patchy, as despite producing some of the club's finest players across their illustrious history, it has also marked a period of vast spending with little regard for a long-term plan.

As such, Daniel Levy's desperation to achieve his goals of a return to the top, whilst also competing for the silverware they have avoided so profusely since 2008, has arguably forced them into making even more blunders in the market.

In fact, all of their top ten most expensive purchases of all time have come since that success in the EFL Cup, with Moussa Sissoko's 2016 purchase the earliest of them all.

This includes embarrassing additions such as the £63m spent for Tanguy Ndombele, the £42m unloaded for Davinson Sanchez, and the £30m that the aforementioned Frenchman cost them too.

Ange Postecoglou is the man who has most recently been employed to solve their longstanding issues, forced to pick up the pieces after Jose Mourinho, Nuno Espirito Santo and Antonio Conte each took turns taking their respective toll on the Lilywhites.

All the hard work built up by Mauricio Pochettino was undone across a four-year period, with Levy once again returning to a progressive coach as his long-term solution. However, the playing squad he has inherited is not all bad.

In fact, some of those more expensive additions have already been made by the Australian, and have combined to help them reach the top of the Premier League table already after just eight games, having been knocked off their perch most recently with their game against Fulham yet to be played.

However, one man who has taken to his new ways with ease is Dejan Kulusevski, and he actually has Conte to thank for that one.

How much did Spurs pay for Dejan Kulusevski?

Having enjoyed a loan spell first in north London, trialling his talents in England before making the move permanent, his exemplary opening six months made it a deal that had to be made.

However, despite that run which saw him record 13 goal contributions in just 18 Premier League games, last season he would score just twice across the entire league campaign, throwing his value into doubt.

In the end, the decision actually came down to Postecoglou, who decided that the £25m commanded was a more than fair price for a winger of his quality.

Already the Sweden international is thanking the new manager for that show of faith, lauding it as "really, really fun" as his defensive duties have been reduced: "A little bit, of course, because it's more offensive. I don't have to be more as a wing-back when we're defending so I'm enjoying it a lot.

"I learn a lot of things every day. I like that because I'm still young, so it's still good to go every day, to hear new things and keep improving."

How much was Dejan Kulusevski worth at Juventus?

Having done his valuation no harm with his increased exposure to top-level football, it is interesting to look back and remember where the 23-year-old has come from, having started his career with Parma.

A subsequent £30m move to Turin was indicative of their faith in his future, which is not set to be enjoyed in north London.

As such, his potential and the fee they paid led Transfermarkt to suggest that he was worth €30m (£26m) in the month before he would first move to Spurs on loan.

Such a figure is further supported by the nine goals and ten assists he would muster across 74 senior appearances, with it clear how in favour he was at Juventus before moving to England.

How much is Dejan Kulusevski worth now?

As aforementioned, his switch to Spurs has seemingly put more eyes on Kulusevski's game, in turn boosting his valuation. Pundit and former Celtic hero would help to spread the word of the tricky winger, taking to his Twitter just last year to write: "Kulusevski looks a special player. Spurs were very good but helped by Everton who were absolutely gutless."

An ability to perform in the Premier League is an invaluable asset, and that is exactly what the £110k-per-week maestro is.

2023

€80m (£69m)

60% increase

2022

€50m (£43m)

65% increase

2021

€30m (£26m)

N/A

Conte even foresaw such a future, noting last year: "He is doing great things, he has a lot of potential. He is a crack and has a great desire to improve, he sets himself the goal of becoming an important player. It was an excellent investment for Tottenham."

Therefore, it should come as no surprise to see that his value has soared, with CIES Football Observatory already detailing a now €80m (£69m) figure. This already marks a £44m increase from the initial £25m they had to pay at the start of last summer to secure his services.

Why is Dejan Kulusevski worth that much?

All of these glowing testimonies, and that blistering first six months, combine to outline exactly why Kulusevski has seen such a sharp upturn in value.

However, what has spurred it on most recently is his performances since Postecoglou's arrival, with the trickster thriving in a system that facilitates attacking football.

And yet, the 33-cap ace refuses to shirt his defensive work, combining his 2.6 key passes per game with 1.4 tackles and 4.5 ball recoveries per game, via Sofascore.

It is clear that they have already struck gold off the pitch, with that value only set to continue rising, but on the field too are they thriving, with Kulusevski a key component in what Postecoglou has already achieved.

The former Celtic man would outline this following their narrow win over Luton Town earlier this month: "That’s the thing with Deki, he’s going to give you everything and more. And he does that every week.

“That doesn’t go unnoticed by the group and what we do. I think sometimes externally, because he’s a winger, people look at other aspects of his game. But just the sheer work-rate that he puts in for the team, and the selfless running that he does. He had to do the running of two men today. And I’d be surprised if he hasn’t cracked some records in terms of his running. We needed that and he gave that."

With the work rate and mindset to reach lofty heights, and the skillset to match, the future is exceedingly bright for the high-value right winger.

TalkSPORT pundit and former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Jamie O'Hara says a once "awful" Spurs player could now be worth "£100 million".

Tottenham 2-0 Fulham

Ange Postecoglou's imperious Lilywhites have maintained their unbeaten start to the season; making it seven wins from a possible nine after Spurs' 2-0 victory over Fulham on Monday evening. Son Heung-min's deadly right-footed finish and another from summer signing James Maddison, 10 minutes either side of half time, sealed a record for Postecoglou – the best ever start made by a new manager in the Premier League.

Supporters, following Antonio Conte's hapless last campaign in charge over 2022/2023, are now in dreamland with Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher hailing Tottenham's newly-found exciting style of play under their new popular new head coach.

"Most Spurs fans are not getting too carried away about winning the title. They will be delighted with making the Champions League next season," said the former Liverpool defender.

"They started well last season under Antonio Conte but there wasn't the same excitement. Fans look forward to watching the team play again. It has been a grind for a long time for Spurs and now the style of play brings some excitement back. Tottenham play really brave football. Fans are loving watching their team again."

Postecoglou, though, moved to temper expectations somewhat when speaking to the press; saying that Tottenham can still improve on what they're doing and become an even more formidable side.

"I think I've sat here every week and said that we have a long way to go," said Postecoglou.

"That doesn't change. We are nine games in and we're at the beginning of building something. It would be so much easier for me to sit here and say 'yeah, we're a great team'. What I'm saying is we have to improve and that puts the responsibility on me to make sure we do it. We can be better, absolutely we can."

Usual suspects like Maddison and Son yet again dazzled for the north Londoners last night, but one player who was unable to contribute, due to suspension, was Mali international Yves Bissouma.

Yves Bissouma update

The £25m signing has been one of the major success stories of Postecoglou's early reign; starting every single top flight match for Tottenham before his sending off against Luton Town earlier this month. TalkSPORT pundit O'Hara, speaking to the broadcaster on Monday morning, has heralded the once "awful" Bissouma's transformation and even claims he's now worth "£100 million".

“All of a sudden I look at the side now and think, ‘You know what, we’ve got that kind of team back again’" said O'Hara on talkSPORT.

“[Destiny] Udogie, [Pedro] Porro, [Micky] Van de Ven, James Maddison, you’ve got a side all of a sudden. Bissouma, everyone wrote Bissouma off. Last season, he was absolutely awful. I watched him a couple of times last season and he looked like he had forgotten how to play football.

“Like honestly, it was so bad, it was like watching Gabby [Agbonlahor] playing in midfield. And now it’s turned, Bissouma looks brilliant. He looks like a £100m player.”

Likes to shoot from distance

Likes to play short passes

In some good news, it's likely Bissouma will return to the line up against Crystal Palace this Friday after serving his one-match suspension.

Sussex, who claimed a quarter-final place with three wins in less than a week, have been rewarded with a 500-mile round trip to Chester-le-Street in the quarter-final draw

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Aug-2018Sussex, who claimed a quarter-final place with three wins in less than a week, have been rewarded with a 500-mile round trip to Chester-le-Street where they will meet the North Group’s surprise packets, Durham.Quarter-final ties:Kent Spitfires v Lancashire Lightning – Thursday 23 August (7pm)
Durham Jets v Sussex Sharks – Friday 24 August (6.30pm)
Worcestershire Rapids v Gloucestershire – Saturday 25 August (3pm)
Somerset v Nottinghamshire Outlaws – Sunday 26 August (3pm)