Boult, Southee also back in the T20I side while Santner gets a break

Deivarayan Muthu19-Dec-2020Big pictureJust four white-ball internationals into New Zealand’s home summer and two fringe players have delivered record-breaking performances. Glenn Phillips became New Zealand’s fastest T20I centurion, while more recently on Friday, Jacob Duffy returned the best T20I figures by a New Zealander on debut. Duffy will now reunite with his domestic side Otago, but despite that, New Zealand will only be getting stronger thanks to the comebacks of new dad Kane Williamson, Tim Southee and Trent Boult, among others.

Look who’s back
We couldn’t keep new father Kane Williamson away from the nets for long as he rejoins the T20 squad in Hamilton ahead of Sunday night’s 2nd T20I #NZvPAK #CricketNation pic.twitter.com/D2LhtbA538

— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) December 19, 2020

Williamson returned to the Seddon Park nets on the eve of the second T20I against Pakistan and was warmly welcomed back by his team-mates and coaches. The captain is set to regain his No. 3 spot, with Devon Conway and Phillips possibly shifting down the order. New Zealand, though, will be without their gun spinner and Hamilton local Mitchell Santner, who has got a break following T20 appearances in the CPL and the IPL followed by a brief stint as New Zealand’s T20I captain. Coach Gary Stead conceded that Santner’s absence was a “big loss”, but was looking forward to testing out the other spin options in Ish Sodhi and Todd Astle as the team management plans for next year’s T20 World Cup in India.Watch cricket on ESPN+

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As for Pakistan, they need to shake off the rust, which was evident during the series opener at Eden Park. Wicketkeeper-opener Mohammad Rizwan laboured to a run-a-ball 17 and the rest of the top order too struggled to deal with the bounce. Seddon Park is unlikely to be as bouncy as Eden Park was, but for an inexperienced side to quickly adjust to the New Zealand conditions is tough, as stand-in captain Shadab Khan pointed out.Despite the top-order troubles and fumbles in the field, Haris Rauf and Shaheen Afridi made a fist of Pakistan’s defence and discomfited New Zealand’s middle order at various points. If Rauf and co. could do more of the same and find greater support from the batsmen, Pakistan could well force the series into a decider at McLean Park on Tuesday.Form guideNew Zealand WWWLT (lost Super Over)
Pakistan LWWWW
Haris Rauf sent back Devon Conway•Getty ImagesIn the spotlightBrendon McCullum was particularly impressed with how Tim Seifert put his ego aside and floated in the middle order for the Trinbago Knight Riders in the CPL earlier this year. On Friday, Seifert shelved his trick shots again – this time at the top – and dragged the chase deep. Over the winter, he has also worked on his wicketkeeping, and will end this year as a more well-rounded cricketer than he was at the start of 2020.Related

What will Pakistan do without Babar Azam?

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Phillips prepared to do 'whatever the team needs'

Shadab rues Pakistan's poor powerplay batting

Nobody has taken more T20 wickets than Haris Rauf (55) and Shaheen Afridi (50) this year. Not even Rashid Khan even though he has had the benefit of playing more matches than the Pakistan pair. With Pakistan’s batting appearing light in the absence of both Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman – it will appear even lighter if Mohammad Hafeez misfires again – Rauf and Afridi will have to do the heavy lifting.Team newsThe excitement of becoming a new dad meant Williamson couldn’t get enough sleep over the week, but it may be time that the opposition lost some sleep over how to dismiss him on the field. With a number of other first-choice players returning, Duffy, Doug Bracewell, Mark Chapman and Blair Tickner have forced out of the squad. Canterbury seam-bowling allrounder and another new(ish) dad Daryl Mitchell is likely to replace Santner.New Zealand (probable): 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Tim Seifert (wk), 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Devon Conway, 5 Glenn Phillips, 6 Jimmy Neesham, 7 Daryl Mitchell, 8 Scott Kuggeleijn/Kyle Jamieson, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Trent Boult, 11 Ish SodhiAbdullah Shafique, who turned 21 last month, could be given another chance to prove himself at the top along with Rizwan. Allrounder Faheem Ashraf, who was Pakistan’s second-highest scorer in the first T20I, could also get another go ahead of Iftikhar Ahmed.Pakistan (probable): 1 Abdullah Shafique, 2 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 3 Haider Ali, 4 Mohammad Hafeez, 5 Shadab Khan (capt), 6 Khushdil Shah, 7 Imad Wasim, 8 Faheem Ashraf, 9 Wahab Riaz, 10 Shaheen Afridi, 11 Haris RaufPitch and conditionsSeddon Park has been good for batting in recent times in white-ball cricket. The last T20I played at this venue resulted in a Super-Over victory for India earlier this year. Prior to that, the side batting first had won five out of nine T20Is at this venue.Stats and trivia Since his T20I debut in May 2015, Imad Wasim has picked up 21 wickets in the powerplay at an excellent economy rate of 6.38. Only Oman’s Bilal Khan and England’s David Willey have more T20I wickets than Wasim in the first six overs during this period. Legspinner Sodhi needs four wickets to overtake Nathan McCullum as New Zealand’s second-highest wicket-taker in T20Is. Southee currently tops the charts with 81 strikes. Shadab has had the wood over Martin Guptill, having dismissed him thrice in 18 balls in all T20 cricket for a mere 15 runs.Quotes”They [Pakistan players] did well in the National T20 and played well in the Zimbabwe series too. But the conditions are different because we played against Zimbabwe at home, not New Zealand. But the more cricket they play here, the better they will do.”

“He’s quite tired, a bit bleary-eyed, I think. But overall, he’s hitting them well. Just normal Kane, gets about his business.”

After a Premier League season that saw them go unbeaten for the first ten games, only to miss out on Champions League football at the end, it has to be a big summer of transfer activity for Tottenham Hotspur.

Ange Postecoglou has proven that he's got the ability to be a success in England's top flight, and now Daniel Levy needs to dig into his pockets to give him the proper backing to succeed in North London.

However, while bringing in the right players is crucial, so is getting rid of those no longer good enough.

One player, who arrived at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with huge potential, has failed to deliver, with Ange needing to offload him given his hefty wages.

Sergio Reguilon’s Tottenham Hotspur career

At the time, signing left-back Sergio Reguilon for £32m seemed like incredible business by the club, acquiring a talent who could nail down the full-back role for many years to come in north London.

Before his move to Spurs, the Spaniard was named La Liga's best left-back in 2019/20 while on loan with Sevilla, winning the Europa League – but the Lilywhites faithful have failed to see the best of the defender.

After two years in north London, Reguilon completed a loan move back to his homeland and joined Atlético Madrid, in an unsuccessful stint that provided him with a series of injuries and just two starts in La Liga.

He’s since had various loan stints at fellow Premier League sides Manchester United and Brentford, but once again failed to impress with neither side signing the 27-year-old on a permanent basis.

Reguilon has only featured 67 times for Spurs since his big-money transfer, with the club investing in fellow left-back Destiny Udogie to fill the void which the Spaniard failed to claim after his move from the Spanish giants.

Having signed a five-year contract in 2020, Reguilon is out of contract in 2025, and it's highly unlikely that his deal will be renewed, with this summer the last opportunity to recoup some of the £32m the club splashed on him four years ago.

How much Sergio Reguilon earns at Tottenham Hotspur

Whilst he’s not the highest earner in the Spurs squad, the Spaniard still earns a huge chunk, especially considering he’s not featured for the club in two seasons.

According to Capology, the 27-year-old earns £53k-per-week in north London, pocketing a huge £2.7m in wages every season.

Per appearance

67

£559,000

Per goal

2

£18.75m

Per assist

8

£4.2m

Per clean sheet

21

£1.7m

Per booking

11

£3.4m

As a result, Reguilon has taken home a staggering £5.4m since he last pulled on the shirt of Tottenham Hotspur, with the club being bled dry by the one-time promising talent.

His subsequent weekly wage is over five times higher than that of current transfer target Desire Doue, who only earns £8k-per-week, despite Spurs’ £60m interest in the 19-year-old wonderkid.

Postecoglou’s side aren’t the only side interested in the French youngster, with Bayern Munich and PSG also said to be interested in his services this summer.

If they are to be able to fund a move for Doue, the sale of Reguilon – who has been touted with a new £10m price tag – would massively boost their chances of landing the in-demand superstar.

It’s been a disastrous move for both parties, with Spurs needing to offload him to enable them to be competitive in the market, whilst Reguilon will be desperate for a transfer to kickstart his career after a stuttering stint in north London.

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 11, 2024

Focus is on the incomings at Stamford Bridge, with Enzo Maresca placed at the helm and now focussed on bolstering a talented but flawed Chelsea team.

The focus may be on the incomings, but let's not forget that numerous strugglers must be sold this summer. Chelsea's bloated squad needs trimming to refine and foster a winning mentality to match their mightiest Premier League rivals.

While there are several that will be pushed toward the door, Conor Gallagher's possible summer sale has cut a schism through the Stamford Bridge support.

The England international would fetch a pure-profit fee of £50m but is athletic and energetic in the centre of the park, a key cog in the system.

However, the consensus around the likes of Benoit Badiashile is a bit more universal. The centre-back is being mooted for an exit and given that Thiago Silva left the club upon the expiry of his contract, this perhaps speaks volumes for Badiashile and his future at Chelsea.

Why Chelsea signed Benoit Badiashile

Chelsea signed Badiashile from AS Monaco for a fee of £35m in January 2023. He was regarded as one of the finest young ball-playing defenders in Europe, and he was left-footed to boot.

He ticked the boxes. Badiashile had completed 135 appearances for Monaco after graduating from their academy and had been described as the "complete defender" by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

But after a season-and-a-half at Chelsea, the France ace has not quite fallen by the wayside but he's certainly taken a tumble, with positional peers stealing ahead and leaving him faced with a Premier League career on the periphery, starting just 15 games last season.

The 23-year-old ranks among the top 13% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 9% for passes attempted and the top 6% for shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref, but he's simply not been the 'complete' package that Boehly had hoped for, with recent reports suggesting his time is up.

Why Benoit Badiashile should be sold

As per Chelsea insider Simon Phillips, the club are weighing up selling Badiashile this summer following interest from Serie A sides AC Milan and Roma, with the Saudi Pro League also eager to bring him to the Gulf.

Badiashile is by no means a liability in the Chelsea side but he's struggled to impose himself. He was even branded "dreadful" by pundit Gabby Agbonlahor after a particularly poor showing against Liverpool back in January, losing 4-1, even claiming that it was "probably the worst centre-half performance" across the past two seasons.

Tosin Adarabioyo has been signed on a free transfer after his contract with Fulham expired but this can be taken as a one-out-one-in kind of deal, with Thiago Silva no longer on the Stamford Bridge books.

But with Wesley Fofana, who has endured an injury-ridden few years after signing for Chelsea from Leicester City in 2022, expected to rock up to pre-season with sights set on working toward a starring role in Maresca's team, Badiashile might find opportunities few and far between, not least because Levi Colwill and Axel Disasi also hope to play key parts in the forthcoming campaign.

Trevoh Chalobah has also been linked with an exit but Badiashile might be the one to cash in on, especially as he's currently taking home more each week than some of Chelsea's most important members.

Chelsea players earning less than Benoit Badiashile
Player	Salary
Benoit Badiashile	£90k-per-week
Axel Disasi	£80k-per-week
Cole Palmer	£75k-per-week
Nicolas Jackson	£65k-per-week
Robert Sanchez	£60k-per-week
Conor Gallagher	£50k-per-week
Noni Madueke	£50k-per-week
Trevoh Chalobah	£50k-per-week
Sourced via Capology

For all of Chelsea's lucrative spending under Boehly, credit is certainly due for keeping a lid on player wages, especially when comparing the books to some of the club's divisional rivals.

But Badiashile simply should not be earning more than the likes of Cole Palmer and Gallagher, with the latter among the Premier League's most coveted transfer targets at present and Palmer… well, he's been simply incredible since signing from Manchester City last summer, scoring 25 goals and adding 15 assists for his London-based outfit.

Badiashile is currently valued at £22m by Football Transfers. While it's unlikely that Chelsea would be able to recoup the full outlay paid for his signature, he is still a young and talented player and selling him with haste would be a win-win for all parties involved.

£35 million defender wants to join Maresca as Chelsea eye new priority

He’s keen on the move to Stamford Bridge.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jun 13, 2024

Thomas Tuchel was considered by Roma to be their new manager prior to him being named England boss, but the Serie A giants opted against the German.

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• Tuchel was on Roma shortlist
• Ex-Dortmund & Milan coaches also considered
• Roma chose to appoint Ivan Juric instead

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to , Tuchel was said to be 'intrigued' by Roma's project after holding preliminary talks with the Italians but Ivan Juric was the man chosen instead. Stefano Pioli, who left Milan in the summer and has since taken over at Al-Nassr, is understood to have turned down the job. Edin Terzic was also approached but the ex-Dortmund coach is believed to be holding out for the Milan job instead.

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• Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Roma could already be looking for another manager after Juric allegedly had a bust-up with one of his players during the 5-1 defeat to rivals Fiorentina last weekend. Juric has won just three of his eight games in charge and an emergency meeting with Roma's board is believed to have resulted in the club beginning their search for a new manager for the second time in two months.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Tuchel failed to agree terms to join Manchester United in the summer and eventually chose the England job after learning he was not being considered to replace Erik ten Hag when the Premier League side were considering their manager's future last month, according to recent reports.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ROMA AND TUCHEL?

  Roma may perhaps be regretting the decision to snub Tuchel, with Juric potentially set for his final game in charge against Torino this week. The Italian side sit 12th in Serie A after nine games. Tuchel will be focused on his new role with England, although he will not be in charge for the Nations League fixtures next month, instead starting his tenure in January.

When Liverpool waved goodbye to Jurgen Klopp at the end of the 2023/24 campaign, tears were flowing like Old Trafford in the rain, but Klopp, ever the rouser, trolled out his heir apparent's name – Arne Slot.

Klopp, for all his eccentricity, something like the mad old uncle at times, knew what he was doing, imparted one final piece of inspiring wisdom, rallying his outfit toward the new figurehead.

Now, fast-track nearly two months, FSG and Slot have been preparing for the new era, working with messianic passion on the training field to stamp the new system into the first team – those who are not still performing for their nations or still enjoying holiday sunshine.

What about transfers? Sporting director Richard Hughes has indicated that deals are more likely to take place later down the line this summer, not least because Slot is still working with an incomplete number of his troop.

Concrete interest has been shown in LOSC Lille centre-back Leny Yoro and Newcastle United's Anthony Gordon, but the former is expected to sign for Real Madrid and the Three Lions star would cost a shedload.

Still, the rumour mill has unsurprisingly roared into overdrive recently, with a fresh player entering circulation.

Liverpool transfer news

As per journalist Ben Jacobs – via GIVEMESPORT – Liverpool are among the clubs interested in signing Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Joao Gomes.

The Brazilian has excelled since joining the Premier League side and has four years left on his contract with the option of a further year, so the Old Gold have slapped a £60m price tag on his signature.

Ah, perhaps a sticking point. However, FSG know that the Reds could benefit from a specialist No. 6 to compete with Wataru Endo for a starting berth at the base of the midfield.

What Joao Gomes would bring to Liverpool

Gomes made a telling comment on Wolves' campaign last season, not with words, but through tough-tackling action on the field. Gary O'Neil was appointed on the cusp of the 2023/24 term with a catalogue of problems, but he effectively replaced Julen Lopetegui and led his team to a comfortable middling top-flight finish.

O'Neil is tactically flexible but has found plenty of success through Wolves' electric speed, thus implementing a counter-attacking system to best serve the strengths. Such pace needs a sturdy centre to charge and control, and Gomes has proved himself worthy of such a role over an impressive campaign.

Actually signed back in January 2023, Gomes arrived from Brazilian club Flamengo in a £15m deal and completed seven starting appearances as the campaign flowed through its second half.

Joao Gomes PL Stats: 22/23 vs 23/24

Stat

22/23

23/24

Matches played

11

34

Matches started

7

32

Goals

1

2

Assists

0

1

Pass completion

79%

83%

Touches per game

39.8

51.9

Shots per game

0.4

0.8

Key passes per game

0.5

0.6

Tackles per game

2.6

3.8

Ball recoveries per game

8.0

6.2

Dribbles per game

0.7 (53%)

0.8 (53%)

Duels won per game

5.5 (58%)

6.2 (50%)

Stats via Sofascore

Described as an "accurate & tenacious tackler" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Gomes is an unrelenting defensive midfielder who would add something different to Liverpool's first team, having demonstrated significant improvements during his first full season in the Premier League.

One of the toughest titans in the division, Fulham's Joao Palhinha was the only man to have won more tackles last season, with the Portuguese winning 152 and Gomes 128, three more than third-placed Vinicius Souza's 125.

As per FBref, the £30k-per-week talent actually ranks among the top 1% of central midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for tackles and the top 8% for clearances per 90, proving that he has the energy and athletic sharpness to make a marked impact on Slot's efforts at the Liverpool helm.

He's got all the tools to grow into one of Europe's leading No. 6s, and Liverpool should snap him up now before a rival claims his services down the line.

Why Liverpool should strike now

Having earned the moniker of "The Pitbull" as he cut his teeth in his homeland, Gomes has now showcased his skills in the English top flight and would be ready to make the jump to a top team such as Liverpool – albeit seeming comfortable in his Molineux setting.

He would cost a pretty penny but Liverpool frankly need to add a dimension to their engine room if they are to close the gap on the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City, especially given the solid but unspectacular performances of Wataru Endo.

Liverpool replaced Fabinho with the Stuttgart star last summer, snapping him up for a shrewd £16m, and while he played an important role last term, the Japan international only won 2.9 ground duels per game in the Premier League, winning 41% of his attempts. That's some way behind Gomes' tally of 6.2.

Fellow Brazilian Fabinho joined Al-Ittihad for £40m one year ago after suffering a stark decline during the 2022/23 campaign, but he remains one of the most important players throughout Klopp's illustrious tenure, completing 219 appearances and playing a key part in winning all the trophies under the German's leadership.

Pundit Gary Neville had even proclaimed him to be "the best" holding midfielder in the world back in 2019, with his sharp tackling, industrious approach and astute reading of the game setting him apart from the lion's share of talented defensive midfielders.

Gomes would unquestionably prove to be an upgrade on Endo and find himself cementing a regular starting berth in Slot's line-up. Given the dynamic and multi-skilled skill set of Alexis Mac Allister, the creative energy of Dominik Szoboszlai and the multi-functioning prowess of Ryan Gravenberch, Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott, landing such a player could pay dividends.

Hughes might have stressed that Liverpool will bide their time this summer, but with Gomes already on the radar, this is certainly one to keep an eye on over the coming weeks.

Related Imagine him & Nunez: Liverpool add £49m "pace demon" to their shortlist

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تصدر فريق النادي الأهلي، جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري الممتاز، بعد الفوز اليوم الثلاثاء، على سموحة، خلال المواجهة التي أقيمت بينهما.

الأهلي واجه سموحة، على ملعب استاد القاهرة الدولي، في المباراة المؤجلة من الجولة الخامسة لمنافسات بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز للموسم الحالي 2024-2025.

الأهلي استطاع تحقيق الفوز على سموحة، بنتيجة هدفين دون رد، ليعتلي صدارة جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري بعد مرور 7 جولات.

ووصل النادي الأهلي إلى النقطة الخامسة عشر، ويتصدر جدول الدوري، بفارق نقطة عن الثنائي الزمالك وبيراميدز أصحاب المركزين الثاني والثالث على الترتيب.

وعلى الجانب الآخر، فريق سموحة، يبقي في المركز السابع عشر بترتيب جدول الدوري المصري، برصيد 5 نقاط.

طالع | الأهلي يُعلن تشخيص إصابة يحيى عطية الله أمام سموحة أهداف مباراة الأهلي وسموحة في الدوري المصري 2-0

وسجل هدف الأهلي الأول، محمد مجدي أفشة، في الدقيقة 45+3 في الدقائق الأخيرة من عمر الشوط الأول للقاء، برأسية من داخل منطقة الجزاء بعد عرضية رائعة مرسلة من الجانب الأيسر من كريم الدبيس.

وأضاف الهدف الثاني، إمام عاشور في الدقيقة 50، بعد مراوغة ناجحة لحارس سموحة، عقب انفراد تام لـ إمام عاشور من تمريرة سحرية لحسين الشحات.

طالع | ترتيب هدافي الدوري المصري بعد فوز الأهلي على سموحة

وشهدت المباراة، هدفا ملغيا للأهلي سجله الدولي الفلسطيني وسام أبو علي في الدقيقة 27 من الشوط الأول، بعد العودة إلي تقنية الفيديو، لوجود دفعة من وسام أبو علي لمدافع سموحة قبل تسجيل الهدف.

كما تعرض ثنائي الأهلي للإصابة خلال المباراة، يحيي عطية الله في الدقيقة 33 من الشوط الأول، دخل بدلًا منه كريم الدبيس، الثاني المغربي الآخر أشرف داري الذي قام السويسري مارسيل كولر بتغييره بين شوطي المباراة للأصابة بالعضلة الخليفة. ملخص مباراة الأهلي وسموحة اليوم في الدوري المصري 2-0

Ipswich Town fans will be pleased with the flurries of transfer activity that have happened already this window at Portman Road, especially when the news that Omari Hutchinson was to rejoin the club for a record fee filtered through.

Hutchinson is hoping to be joined by Hull City duo Jaden Philogene-Bidace and Jake Greaves in Suffolk, with the big spending continuing from a Tractor Boys perspective, as Kieran McKenna goes about adding strength all over the pitch to deal with the difficult task of staying afloat in the Premier League.

Philogene did look as though he was on his way to Everton after the Toffees had a bid of £16m accepted by the Tigers. However, David Ornstein has since reported that while Everton are still in the mix, Ipswich have agreed a deal of their own, worth around £18m.

There is another attacker Ipswich could sign, according to reports, with the striker in question highly praised by Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola in the past.

Ipswich in talks with Man City ace

According to a report by the East Anglia Daily Times, Ipswich are in talks to sign young Man City ace Liam Delap this summer to bolster their centre-forward positions, with the reigning Premier League champions tempted to offload the promising 21-year-old for good.

Ipswich would have to meet a £10m valuation that has been placed above Delap's head by the elite club, however, alongside the fact they will need to beat the likes of Southampton who are queueing up in an attempt to win the youngster's services after also sealing promotion.

Delap could even link back up with former Hull teammates Philogene and Greaves if he does decide to relocate to Portman Road this off-season, with George Hirst being given adequate competition up top too, after the England U21 star shone in the Championship last campaign for the Tigers.

What Delap can offer Ipswich

Ipswich are in dire need of new striker recruits, with Kayden Jackson being let go of on the club's retained list alongside Freddie Ladapo looking to be moved on, and Delap could be the answer if they can secure his services.

The 21-year-old garnered a reputation at youth level for City as a cool and calm finisher, netting a ridiculous 32 goals from 32 Premier League 2 appearances whilst still learning the ropes with the U21s, with his Hull goal record making for even more encouraging reading from an Ipswich perspective.

Delap

76

13

2

Hirst

168

32

17

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Comparing the two strikers, Delap certainly has some catching up to do in the senior game when contrasted side-by-side with the 25-year-old's numbers, but the promising striker is fresh off his most prolific season to date in and around men's football.

Delap bagged eight goals from 32 Hull games, beating Hirst's goal total in the Championship by one in the process, which included the sublime strike below trickling its way into the Leicester City goal early on in the campaign.

Those eight goals would come about in league action for the 6 foot 1 forward despite the fact the Man City starlet only registered an xG of 6.31, with the 21-year-old excelling last season under the guidance of Liam Rosenior as an efficient finisher of chances.

He will want to spread his wings away from the Etihad Stadium soon on a permanent basis, with first-team opportunities obviously hard to come by at Man City in the attacking positions, but that doesn't mean Guardiola hasn't waxed lyrical about Delap in the past.

The daunting 53-year-old described Delap as being an "incredible" finisher back in 2022, during the height of his free-flowing days playing in the Man City youth set-up, with the Spaniard even labelling the 21-year-old as a "killer" in front of goal.

Ipswich will hope this version of Delap can come to the forefront at Portman Road next campaign, after showing signs of his goalscoring prowess with Hull, as the Tractor Boys eye up another remarkable achievement by staving off relegation in the Premier League.

Imagine him & Philogene: Ipswich targeting exciting Hutchinson rival

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ByKelan Sarson Jul 8, 2024

“It’s one of India’s tactics to come at me, which is totally fine, I’m pretty used to having guys come after me”

Daniel Brettig23-Dec-2020In the wake of Virat Kohli’s departure for India, the years-long battle between Nathan Lyon and Cheteshwar Pujara will take on still greater significance, after they teased and feinted each other in an absorbing day-one encounter in Adelaide.Lyon, who is closing fast on 400 Test wickets and will play his 100th Test in the final match of the series, said he was eager to recommence the contest with Pujara and hinted at further plans for India’s No. 3 should he again get established for a long innings on Boxing Day at the MCG.Related

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David Warner ruled out of Boxing Day Test

“Pujara is a world-class batter and he’s going to be a big challenge for us for the rest of the series,” he said. “We spoke about him in depth before the series started, it was good to see a couple of plans come off in Adelaide, but we’ve got a couple more things up our sleeve hopefully that if he does get in we can put in to deploy. He’s a world-class batter so it’s always fun challenging yourself against the best players in the world and Pujara’s definitely one of those guys.”India will probably look to try to attack me again, especially when you look at the quality of the quick bowlers we’ve got here in the Australian side. So I think it’s one of their tactics to come at me, which is totally fine, I’m pretty used to having guys come after me but it’s just about, for me, being able to know when to attack and when to defend as well and realise who I’m bowling with at the other end and having that partnership. So it’s all fun and part of playing cricket, especially being a little spin bowler, you’re going to have a lot of guys come out and try to attack you.”Lyon explained that he had worked on the pace of his deliveries over several years, quickening up by a few kilometres in part to make it more difficult for batsmen to run down the pitch to him in the fashion Pujara has favoured.”I think I’ve been trying to work on that for many years now with John Davison, who is the guy I go to a lot about my spin bowling,” Lyon said. “I think it really depends on who you’re bowling to and the conditions, so I think over the last four or five years my pace has probably gone up a couple of kilometres.”But I think it’s more about the shape you’re able to generate on the ball, if I’m being honest. I think that’s the most crucial thing – you can bowl at any pace but if you can have that shape on the ball that’s going to be the most dangerous thing. It’s something I’ve been working on for a few years now and hopefully keep getting better with it.”‘You can bowl at any pace but if you can have that shape on the ball that’s going to be the most dangerous thing’•Getty Images

There were, Lyon said, numerous technical “tells” that batsmen offer to indicate they are going to come down the pitch, something he has watched while entering his delivery stride. “I think it’s all about getting the right pace for the conditions but it’s also looking at little keys,” he said. “I can’t really reveal them but I know there’s a few different guys who have different techniques when they come down so they actually have different triggers as well. So as a bowler you’re always looking out for these little triggers that hopefully you can get one step ahead of them.”So there’s something I’ve noticed in a couple of guys that they change a little bit when they want to come down the wicket, so it’s all part of bowling spin, you’ve got to try to take note of these little things and make sure you’re bowling your best ball no matter what.”As for whether India would be able to recover from being shot out for 36 in Adelaide, Lyon reflected on his own experience of the 2011 Cape Town Test – when he top scored in an Australian total of just 47 before the touring team beat South Africa in Johannesburg to square the series – as an example of how the game can turn.”That was one of the days when nothing went right for them and everything went right for us,” Lyon said. “So we’ve all had them, it’s part of the game of cricket.”

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A grande fase do Fortaleza no cenário nacional passa pela perspicácia de Juan Pablo Vojvoda. Em entrevista ao “LANCE! na Jogada” exibido nesta terça-feira (21), o presidente do Tricolor do Pici, Marcelo Paz, detalhou o que foi crucial para selar o acordo com o comandante.

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– Pensamos um perfil de um treinador que gostasse da bola, agressivo, que tivesse o ataque como preponderância. Ele tem esse perfil, mas também tem a seu favor os resultados expressivos em trabalhos com equipe de menor investimento. Conseguiu ir bem no Talleres e no Defensa Y Justicia, classificando as equipes à Copa Libertadores e à Copa Sul-Americana, respectivamente. E no Unión La Calera, ele foi vice-campeão chileno, inédito e levou a equipe à Copa Libertadores. Então a gente identificou que ele tinha o perfil técnico que a gente gostava e sabia trabalhar com equipes de menor orçamento – e contou:

– Fizemos contato, longas reuniões, de trocarmos ideias, material até fecharmos acordo para que ele e sua comissão técnica viessem trabalhar no Fortaleza. Ele tem feito um grande trabalho – complementou.

Paz também ressaltou a comissão técnica que chegou com Vojvoda.

– São pessoas muito qualificadas o Nahuel (Martínez) e o Gastón (Liendo) são pessoas muito ativas, questionam, ajudam em campo, têm funções específicas. E o preparador físico, Adrián Vaccarini, é um professor, muito qualificado, foi professor de fisiologia da Universidade de Buenos Aires, esteve desde o ciclo da última Copa do Mundo na seleção do Peru. Então, montamos uma comissão técnica que veio para brigar com gente inteligente, que veio para o Brasil para vencer, para um desafio pessoal. Mas tenho que citar também toda a nossa comissão técnica do clube. Temos mais 30 pessoas no clube! Médico, fisioterapeuta, nutricionista, analista de desempenho, psicóloga… É uma série de pessoas que dão suporte para este trabalho fluir – disse.

O dirigente contou como foi o desafio do treinador se adaptar ao futebol brasileiro. Juan Pablo Vojvoda chegou ao Fortaleza durante o Estadual, logo após a saída de Enderson Moreira.

– Escolhemos a vinda dele em um momento estratégico. Perdemos a semifinal da Copa do Nordeste e tínhamos um mês até o Brasileiro e pensamos que este tempo era suficiente para conhecer o elenco. Além disto, poderíamos contratar com calma. Demoramos 12 dias para contratar o Vojvoda. Ele chegou 15 dias depois do Enderson Moreira sair, teve tempo de testar a equipe em jogos teoricamente mais fáceis do Campeonato Cearense sem aquela grande pressão de resultados. Mas olha que ele encarou um clássico no segundo jogo (risos). De qualquer forma, a vitória sobre o Ceará deu muita moral para ele e também para os jogadores… – declarou.

Marcelo Paz também revelou uma forma do treinador conhecer bem de perto o Fortaleza.

– Ele fez uma “imersão”, morou literalmente no clube! Ele só saiu por 30, 45 dias, que foi quando os filhos e a esposa vieram para um lugar próximo a Fortaleza. Depois que a família foi embora, ele já voltou a morar no CT – disse.

Aos seus olhos, todos no clube ganharam com esta “imersão”.

– É uma via de mão dupla. Os jogadores o conheceram melhor, ele passou a conhecer melhor os jogadores, a estrutura, as pessoas, o funcionamento… – e ressaltou:

– Os jogadores são liderados pelo exemplo, por um cara que está aí todo dia, se dedicando, que veio para trabalhar dando o seu melhor. Isso faz com que o Vojvoda possa passar seu propósito, exigir mais dos seus jogadores – complementou.

Sobre o “LANCE! na Jogada”

O “LANCE! na Jogada” é uma série de lives no canal no Youtube, que traz convidados para analisar diversos assuntos atuais do futebol brasileiro. Os debates abordam temas como esporte, marketing, finanças e negócios.

The Swede – who was strongly linked with a move to Emirates Stadium in the summer – may have delivered a fatal blow to the Gunners' title hopes

Arsenal’s hopes of winning the Premier League took an almighty whack at St James’ Park on Saturday as Mikel Arteta’s side endured their second league defeat in three games thanks to a single first-half goal from Alexander Isak.

The Newcastle striker, who has been mentioned as possible transfer target for Arsenal in the past, thundered home a header from a teasing cross by the lively Anthony Gordon after just 12 minutes, and the hosts simply never looked back against a toothless visiting side that created very little in the way of clear-cut chances.

Captain Martin Odegaard was badly missed once again, as the Gunners lacked belief and creativity, and simply never really looked like scoring on what could prove to be a very costly afternoon for the north Londoners.

GOAL rates Arsenal's players from St James' Park…

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David Raya (6/10):

Couldn't do much about the goal but stopped anything else that came his way.

Thomas Partey (4/10):

Poor clearance in the build-up to the opener. Not convincing at right-back and his presence was missed in midfield against Newcastle.

William Saliba (5/10):

Caught out for Alexander Isak's goal and there was a distinct lack of communication with Gabriel.

Gabriel (5/10):

Passed fit to play but didn’t impress and his distribution was shaky

Jurrien Timber (4/10):

Struggled up against Gordon who caused problems all afternoon down the Arsenal left.

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Bukayo Saka (5/10):

Looked the most likely Arsenal player to produce something but couldn't make anything happen on a frustrating afternoon.

Mikel Merino (4/10):

Made very little impact in an underwhelming display against former employers. Booked for a late foul on Bruno Guimaraes and taken off after an hour.

Declan Rice (6/10):

Was much more involved after the substitutions and came very close to a last-gasp equaliser with a deflected effort that rolled just wide.

Gabriel Martinelli (3/10):

Didn't look to be up for a battle against Tino Livramento and was hooked on the hour.

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Kai Havertz (3/10):

Difficult day for the forward. Saw little of the ball and never looked like scoring.

Leandro Trossard (4/10):

Gave the ball away far too many times in a sloppy showing. No surprise to see him hooked on the hour.

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Oleksandr Zinchenko (5/10)

Another player who failed to impress after coming on.

Ethan Nwaneri (5/10):

Couldn't provide the creativity that had been so badly lacking.

Ben White (5/10):

Did OK but didn't have much defending to do.

Gabriel Jesus (6/10):

Looked lively but couldn't find a goal for Arsenal.

Jorginho (N/A)

A late sub.

Mikel Arteta (5/10):

Waited far too long to make changes to his side after a flat first half. Threw on all his substitutes after the break but his team were second best throughout and were deservedly beaten.