أعلن نادي مانشستر سيتي، في بيان رسمي منذ قليل، رحيل لاعب الفريق كايل ووكر إلى صفوف ميلان الإيطالي، في موسم الانتقالات الشتوي الحالي.
وحسبما جاء في بيان رسمي من جانب بطل الدوري الإنجليزي، فإن كايل ووكر سينضم إلى ميلان على سبيل الإعارة.
وسيلعب اللاعب الإنجليزي مع ميلان، مُعارًا حتى نهاية الموسم الحالي، بشرط الحصول على التصريح الدولي.
ومن المقرر أن ينتهي العقد الحالي للاعب صاحب الـ34 عامًا مع مانشستر سيتي في صيف 2026.
اقرأ أيضًا.. ماريسكا: جوارديولا يحتاج إلى الدعم.. ولا يوجد وقت جيد لمواجهة مانشستر سيتي
وانضم كايل ووكر إلى مانشستر سيتي قادمًا من توتنهام في 2017، وشارك في 319 مباراة في مختلف المسابقات على مدار تلك المواسم.
ولعب كايل ووكر دورًا في تتويج مانشستر سيتي بـ17 بطولة، على رأسها الدوري الإنجليزي 6 مرات، دوري أبطال أوروبا، كأس السوبر الأوروبي، كأس العالم للأندية، إلى جانب كأس رابطة الأندية 4 مرات وكأس الاتحاد مرتين، ودرع المجتمع مرتين.
Shaheen Afridi started it, Rashid Khan did his thing in the middle with the ball, and then came back with the bat as Lahore Qalandars sealed a four-wicket win against Peshawar Zalmi that was nervy in parts, but impressive nonetheless.Afridi had begun by nailing his yorkers, mixing them up with some well-directed short ones, and not giving batsmen room to work with. Some of them might have felt like space to breathe was at a premium too, with having to negotiate the left-arm quick’s accurate hostility. Khan, playing his first Pakistan Super League match, then dived into the game with the ease of the veteran that he is in T20 cricket, giving up only 14 runs in four overs before starring with the bat too. The Afridi-Khan duo had played the lead role in keeping Zalmi to 140 for 6, but Qalandars were wobbly in their chase. When Khan walked in, he was facing a hat-trick ball with his team 109 for 6, needing 32 from 26 balls. He coolly hit 27 not out off 15 balls to turn a skittish chase into a canter.Qalandars, the finalists in the last edition, began on a terrific note, with Afridi getting Imam-ul-Haq caught behind first ball. That set the tone for a rickety powerplay, which yielded 36 for 3 for Zalmi.While Afridi had only a two-over burst at the top of the innings, the Zalmi batsmen had to deal with Khan after the powerplay. Their only substantial partnership was for the fifth wicket between Ravi Bopara and Sherfane Rutherford, but the 64-run stand took 56 balls, partly due to the rush of early wickets. The stabilising did give a platform for a late launch, but against Afridi at the death, that wasn’t going to be easy. A 16-run final over meant they touched 140, but they would need exceptional bowling more or less through their defence to achieve victory.They did have their moments, Saqib Mahmood, in particular, was devastating in his second spell while Wahab Riaz reverse-swung out Ben Dunk, but in between the brilliance there were enough pressure-releasing deliveries too. Mahmood had sent back Samit Patel and David Wiese in his final over, leaving a tricky 32 to get with Mohammad Hafeez the only recognised batsman for the Qalandars. However, an over later, Riaz began with a no-ball for height that was hit to the boundary and sprayed the ball around in a 14-run over that meant Zalmi’s final comeback in the match was done.Star of the day Khan didn’t concede more than a single in his entire quota of four overs, and though he didn’t pick up a wicket, giving up only 14 runs in four overs was as valuable as his batting cameo.Khan was into his bowling rhythm from the first ball. The Zalmi batsmen were intent on playing him with more caution due to the wickets already lost, true, but he still gave them nothing. Rutherford often had to read him off the pitch, while Bopara was also very watchful.The bowling performance was stellar, but Khan’s batting came to the fore too, and at a moment where his team particularly needed it to. There was no hint of nerves when facing Mahmood, who was reversing the ball, and clinical execution when Wahab erred in length.Miss of the day There wasn’t too much the Zalmi batsmen could have done with two top T20 bowlers bringing their A games and conceding 28 runs off their combined eight overs, so they needed to make that up with a similar bowling show. The chase was delicately poised with Khan yet to hit a boundary and the equation reading 26 off 19, when the bowling lost its discipline. Mohammad Imran, who had an otherwise impressive debut, bowled a half-tracker off his final ball that Hafeez dispatched for four. Then came the Riaz over that swung the game decisively away from Zalmi, a full-toss above waist height first ball followed by lengths going all over the place for the rest of the over.Honourable mention Afridi was irresistible whenever he came on to bowl. He was given only a two-over opening spell, but he took 1 for 4 in that, with half the runs coming via a couple of wides.He returned to bowl the 17th and 19th overs, and took out both men who had spent time at the crease in Rutherford and Bopara. The best ball he bowled didn’t even get a wicket, a searing toe-crusher that swung in viciously to Rutherford and had him overbalancing without connecting with the ball. The keeper couldn’t hold on either and it went for four byes. Afridi got Rutherford with the very next ball.
A decision to allow a further 10% will be taken after the group stage of the tournament
Umar Farooq04-Feb-2021Following the government’s official go-ahead, the Pakistan Super League 2021, which starts on February 20, will not be a closed-door event. Spectators will be allowed up to 20% of the ground’s seating capacity, meaning Karachi can accommodate 7,500 people per match and Lahore 5,500.”Fans are the PCB’s biggest asset and we are delighted that no matter a small number, but some will be able to have access to the matches,” board chairman Ehsan Mani said. “Their presence will add flavour and excitement to one of the biggest and most challenging leagues in the cricket calendar. We understand not everyone will get an opportunity to watch the matches due to the limited number of seats, but these are baby-steps and considering that most of the sport events are being played in empty stadium, this is a positive achievement and a step in the right direction.”In September, Pakistan’s National Health Centre gave a green light for sporting activity to resume at grassroot and recreation level provided adequate safety measures were in place. In that same update there was a provision which read: “Spectators should be allowed for sports/games with outdoor pavilions while ensuring six feet of distancing between them.”Related
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It was then that the PCB approached the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) to discuss how many people could safely be allowed to watch the upcoming season of the PSL from the ground. Although the board had asked for 30% capacity initially, it eventually settled for 20%.The PCB and NCOC will continue to monitor the situation and a decision to allow a further 10% will be taken after the group stage of the tournament is complete.”I am optimistic that if we can maintain strict protocols during the PSL 2021 matches we will have a strong case for more fans in the 2021-22 season in which we have to host high-profile internationals teams such as New Zealand, England and the West Indies as well as quality domestic events, including the National T20 Cup, Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and the Pakistan Cup,” Mani said.Pakistan did experience a surge of Covid-19 cases over the winter, though they began to track downwards after the closure of schools last month. The government has urged people to take necessary precautions, but enforcement remains low and most public places – shopping malls, marriage halls and public transportation – are fully open.The cricket season in Pakistan resumed in September, after a 24-week hiatus due to the pandemic. It began with the National T20 Cup – played over two legs in Multan and then Rawalpindi – followed by the first-class tournament Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, held fully in Karachi. Four games of the fifth edition of the PSL were also held in Karachi followed by a home series against Zimbabwe. The National T20 Cup and the home series against Zimbabwe were not open to crowds. Nor is the ongoing Test and the T20I series against South Africa. The PSL is scheduled to start on February 20 with 34 matches in total, divided between Karachi and Lahore.
Everton will be desperately trying to cling onto the services of centre-back star Jarrad Branthwaite this transfer window, knowing this will be a tricky feat to pull off.
Manchester United are very keen on the breakout Toffees gem, who was only on the books at Carlisle United a matter of seasons ago before exploding into life on Merseyside, with a potential eye-watering £70m move to the Theatre of Dreams no doubt tempting for the in-demand 22-year-old.
If the 6 foot 5 colossus does leave for pastures new this off-season, it looks likely that Sean Dyche's men will attempt to sign a replacement swiftly, with this defender reportedly on their agenda from Ligue 1.
Everton eyeing up former Crystal Palace centre-back
Formerly on the roster at Crystal Palace, current Olympique Lyonnais number 12 Jake O'Brien could soon be moving back to the Premier League, with the Toffees just one club interested from the top English division.
A recent report in the Daily Mail states that Everton, alongside West Ham United, are keen on a move for the 6 foot 6 giant, who has impressed during his debut campaign out in France, even when coming up against the likes of Kylian Mbappe for Lyon.
It would take a substantial bid of £15m to win his services, as per the report, with Palace and Lyon raking in significant amounts of cash in the process if a deal was to take place, having sold O'Brien for just £850k.
O'Brien could end up being a perfect heir to the out-going Branthwaite, therefore, with the Irish 23-year-old hungry to prove himself back on Premier League soil, after never being given the chance to excel at the level with the Eagles.
What O'Brien could offer Everton
Much like Everton's star number 32 who prides himself on being assertive and authoritative in winning duels, with 5.3 won per match last season in the league – as per Sofascore – O'Brien hasn't been afraid to roll up his sleeves and use his lofty height to his advantage plying his trade out in France.
O'Brien put his towering frame to good use with four goals managed last campaign from 27 top-flight contests, alongside being a calm operator on the ball under pressure away from just being an imposing presence, with an 88% pass accuracy in-tact per match.
Stat – per 90 mins
Branthwaite
O'Brien
Passes attempted
40
54.71
Pass completion %
79.8%
88.2%
Progressive passes
2.14
2.58
Progressive carries
0.06
0.57
Successful take-ons
0.14
0.27
Touches in attacking penalty area
1.13
1.06
Tackles
1.91
0.84
Interceptions
1.44
0.46
Blocks
1.47
0.87
Clearances
4.71
3.72
Aerials won
2.72
1.67
Stats by FBRef
Beating Branthwaite in a head-to-head battle when glancing at many of the passing statistics between the two, O'Brien still has lots he can improve on when it comes to many of his defensive tasks however, with Dyche wanting to get more out of his unfinished product if he was to sign on the dotted line and move to Goodison Park.
Branthwaite wasn't an instant first-teamer overnight for the Toffees, having to battle his way into first-team contention after only six Premier League appearances came his way during the 21/22 campaign, with James Tarkowski also potentially being beneficial for O'Brien as an experienced centre-back partner he can bounce off of.
It would be less than ideal for Dyche and Co if they were to lose Branthwaite this summer, but if that does become an inevitable reality, signing O'Brien could be a risk worth exploring, to try and find their next gem at the back.
Everton could forget about Godfrey with move for £10m "Rolls Royce"
Sean Dyche could bring a talented English defender to the club following Godfrey’s sale
ByRoss Kilvington Jun 30, 2024
Therefore, the Toffees should press ahead with a deal to sign the "impressive" – per journalist Josh Bunting – star before the end of the window.
Deals may not have been finalised yet but Aston Villa will sell Douglas Luiz to Juventus, collecting cash, midfielder Enzo Barrenechea and talented winger Samuel Iling-Junior in return.
The Premier League's profit and sustainability (PSR) rules have dictated the summer but the June 30 deadline looms large. Luckily, Villa's prudency has seen them successfully circumvent the possibility of breaching such rules. Now, with Champions League football lying ahead, Unai Emery's outfit can make real headway.
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery
Aforementioned signings are augmented by the nearly-completed move for Ross Barkley, but Luiz's sale marks the loss of a true linchpin, and Emery looks eager to push ahead and sign another replacement.
Villa eyeing Douglas Luiz replacement
According to Spanish outlet AS earlier this week, Aston Villa are tussling with a number of top European clubs for Real Sociedad midfielder Brais Mendez, who has a €60m (£52m) release clause in his contract.
Real Sociedad midfielder Brais Mendez
The Spaniard is considered a fundamental, near irreplaceable member of Imanol Alguacil's team, but if Villa endeavour to meet his buyout price, he may well find himself pulled toward the English Midlands.
Why Villa are interested in Brais Mendez
Last season, Sociedad finished sixth in La Liga and Mendez proved his level as one of the standout performers, making good on past praise from journalist Zach Lowy that he is a player of "sensational" quality.
Across 44 appearances in all competitions, he scored eight goals and added nine assists, also winning 1.3 tackles and 4.6 duels per match average in the Spanish top flight, as per Sofascore, to underscore his multi-strength skill set.
A dynamic midfielder, Mendez would emulate Luiz's impressive attacking instinct, with his goal and assist tally from last season ranking him among the top 3% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 10% for assists and the top 13% for shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref.
This could compensate for the departure of Luiz and then some, who ranks among the top 16% of midfielders for goals, the top 22% for assists and the top 17% for shot-creating actions per 90 himself.
Brais Mendez: 23/24 Stats by Position
Position
Apps
Goals
Assists
Attacking midfield
18
3
5
Central midfield
13
1
2
Right winger
6
3
2
Centre-forward
1
0
0
Stats via Transfermarkt
As you can see, he's not shackled to one position, instead enjoying sweeping success across a range of roles – even competent on the right flank when called upon.
But he'd principally be utilised in the centre of the park, pulled into a more industrious, but still forward-moving, role to tailor toward Emery's system.
Douglas Luiz for Aston Villa
In this sense, he truly would be a fantastic replacement for Luiz. Barkley too offers a range of versatile tools to ensure success at Villa Park but Mendez has proven himself to be a player of flair and unique ability from the middle.
A "smooth operator" – as noted by an effusive Lowy – the £36k-per-week ace is daring and deadly from behind the frontline, something that Luiz has also demonstrably succeeded in being at Aston Villa.
Moreover, given the nature of the Brazilian's (soon former) modus operandi under Emery, he averaged 1.7 tackles and 4.2 successful duels per Premier League match in 2023/24, Mendez would be a terrific heir.
Further players Mendez could replace
With Barkley joining a talented group of forward-thinking midfielders consisting of John McGinn, Jacob Ramsey and, sometimes, Morgan Rogers, it might feel a tad congested, with Luiz never really deployed further up the field, instead moving forward at an apt opportunity to wreak chaos.
Jacob Ramsey in Premier League action for Aston Villa.
Might another sale be necessary? According to The Times, Aston Villa have recently rejected a £20m offer from Tottenham Hotspur for Ramsey, with the player-plus-cash trend this summer at the centre once again, with Giovani Lo Celso offered.
Lo Celso has never nailed down a starting spot at Spurs since signing for an eventual total of £42m in 2018, despite his patent passing pedigree. He might prove to be a square peg in a round hole under Emery, simply a number and unable to perform the many-faceted jobs to the desired standard.
Ramsey, however, is not unexpendable despite Emery's desire to retain his services, with the Lions making it known that the homegrown attacking midfielder would require a fee of £40-50m to prise from Villa Park.
Mendez could prove to be an upgrade on the 23-year-old, who is talented but inconsistent and marred by setbacks, starting only eight Premier League matches last season and last completing a competitive appearance in early March due to a toe injury.
Douglas Luis, Jacob Ramsey and Youri Tielemans celebrate
Still, Ramsey is a good player and excels when unshackled and pointed toward the opposing penalty area, using his wheels to drive forward and strike on goal or thread balls into the path of striking teammates.
Furthermore, he carries a robust and defensively aware style of play that mirrors that of Mendez, with the boyhood Villan averaging 2.0 tackles and 4.6 successful duels per game during the 2022/23 season, when he enjoyed far brighter fortunes on the injury front and posted six goals and seven assists from 31 starting appearances in the English top flight.
There's no question that Villa wish to keep Ramsey at the club but given the need to continue to appease PSR rules and the fact that Mendez could be brought in as a more complete and clinical replacement, it might be worth allowing him to leave, should the lofty price tag be met by a team like Tottenham.
Clearly, Mendez might just be the full package to fire Aston Villa toward new levels of success. With Champions League football beckoning, the Spain star would be a fitting replacement for an outgoing stalwart in Luiz, and potentially even Ramsey too.
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Veteran commentator says he hadn’t blamed Sharma, and was referring to a video put out during lockdown
ESPNcricinfo staff25-Sep-2020
Hindustan Times via Getty Images
Anushka Sharma, India captain Virat Kohli’s wife, has criticised Sunil Gavaskar for his “distasteful” commentary on Thursday and “accusing a wife for her husband’s game”. In an Instagram story posted the day after Kohli’s team, Royal Challengers Bangalore, lost an IPL match comprehensively to Kings XI Punjab, Sharma took objection to a part of the commentary where Gavaskar was discussing Kohli’s lack of practice with co-commentator Aakash Chopra.ESPNcricinfo has reviewed the relevant footage from the Hindi commentary, spread over the second and third overs of Royal Challengers’ chase. This passage took place while Kohli was at the wicket and not after his dismissal, although it did make a mention of the two catches dropped by Kohli earlier in the evening.”[Josh Philippe’s early dismissal] has given Virat Kohli a chance to play more overs [Kohli walked out in the 12th over in RCB’s first match],” Gavaskar said when Kohli walked out. “He dropped two catches in the field. So he knows he has to do something [special].”After a bit of live action, Chopra said just after Kohli was beaten on a pull shot: “Players are playing after a long time. So you can see the rustiness. They are not yet fully ready… If you see his [Kohli’s] IPL record, he is unparalleled. But Sunny, it is not easy to not play any cricket for six to eight months.””Absolutely,” Gavaskar said in response. “He hasn’t had the chance to do the practice you need. He always wants… he knows that the more he practises the better he will be. And during the lockdown, he has only practised against the bowling of Anushka as seen in that video. That is not going to be enough.”Gavaskar was referring to a clip circulated on social media during the lockdown where a neighbour had shot Kohli facing throwdowns from Sharma on the terrace of their house. Chopra then went on to rue the lack of privacy for the couple. Kohli then got out for one, and the conversation moved on.Following the criticism his comment attracted, Gavaskar said he hadn’t blamed Sharma in any way. .”Firstly, I would like to say, where am I blaming her, I’m not blaming her. I am only saying that the video showed she was bowling to Virat. Virat has only played that much bowling in this lockdown period,” Gavaskar told the channel.”It is a tennis ball fun game that people have to pass time during the lockdown, so that’s all, so where am I blaming her for Virat’s failures.”In her post, Sharma said: “That, Mr Gavaskar, your message is distasteful is a fact but I would love for you to explain why you thought of making such a sweeping statement on a wife accusing her for her husband’s game? I’m sure over the years you have respected the private life of every cricketer while commentating on the game. Don’t you think you should have equal amount of respect for me and us?”I’m sure you can have many other words and sentences in your mind to use to comment on my husband’s performance from last night or are your words only relevant if you use my name in the process?”It’s 2020 and things still don’t change for me. When will I stop getting dragged into cricket and stop being used to pass sweeping statements.”Respected Mr Gavaskar, you are a legend whose name stands tall in this gentleman’s game. Just wanted to tell you what I felt when I heard you say this.”It is also worth mentioning here that when Gavaskar’s comments first went viral on social media, he was misquoted. The initial quote that went around accused Gavaskar of saying, in Hindi, that during lockdown Kohli had practised only with Anushka’s “balls”, and not “bowling” as Gavaskar had originally said.
Phil Parkinson has revealed the “biggest challenge” that he has faced since joining Hollywood superstars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney at Wrexham.
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Experienced coach took over in 2021
Has overseen rise into League One
Co-chairmen offer unwavering support
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WHAT HAPPENED?
The experienced coach needed talking into a move to SToK Racecourse, as the Red Dragons were a National League outfit when first expressing their interest in 2021. Discussions with the most ambitious of co-chairmen eventually convinced Parkinson to join an exciting project in North Wales.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
That faith has been rewarded with back-to-back promotions and a meteoric rise to prominence for Wrexham as a club – helped in no small part by their award-winning documentary series. There have been plenty of hurdles faced along the way, but most of those have been cleared with ease.
WHAT PARKINSON SAID
Parkinson has told of delivering on expectations: “Getting into Division Two was the biggest challenge. There was a lot of baggage with the club being in the National League for 15 years. There were a lot of near misses, a lot of psychological scarring in and around the club. You could really feel the tension everywhere during that run-in as the season was drawing to a close. Getting into League Two was a breath of fresh air for us. We had an indifferent start for reasons that have been documented, but we got stronger as the season went on.” Now we find ourselves in a competitive division and it’s exciting for us to see how far we can go.”
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Wrexham made a flying start to life in League One, hitting the top of the table, but saw their unbeaten run ended last time out in a 3-1 ‘Hollywood derby’ defeat to big-spending Birmingham. Parkinson added on no longer being a club punching below its weight: “There’s expectation on a lot of other clubs this year. The spotlight will be away from us, which is different. In the National League and League Two we were favourites to be promoted. It’s different this year and we’ve got to utilise that to our advantage.
“There are a lot of clubs who have previously been in the Premier League so the division’s probably as strong as it’s ever been. We’re enjoying being a part of that. It’s important we continue to prove we belong on this stage. I truly believe that we can remain competitive. We know there will be ups and downs along the way, but the thing about these lads that put on the Wrexham shirt there’s a real commitment level and that’s what we aim to keep producing each week.”
The West Indies coach also bemoaned his side’s failure to convert fifties into hundreds
Matt Roller21-Jul-2020West Indies coach Phil Simmons has admitted that he is “concerned” by the form of John Campbell and Shai Hope, and will consider making top-order changes ahead of the third Test.Campbell and Hope both fell cheaply on the final day of the second Test, and have made 52 and 57 runs respectively in four innings each in this series. Speaking at the post-match press conference, Simmons also bemoaned West Indies’ failure to convert fifties into hundreds throughout the series, and said that changes would have to be discussed.”[Campbell and Hope’s form] is something that we have to discuss over the next couple of days, and make a decision as to which direction we go there,” Simmons said. “You’re right, they haven’t fired, so we’ve got to take that into consideration.”We’ve had five or six half-centuries [in this Test] and no conversion. It’s something that we’ve been talking about a lot, and no one has taken up that opportunity in this game, yet again. It is disappointing.”It’s critical that our batsmen carry on and make big hundreds. [Ben] Stokes made 176, what’s-his-name [Dom Sibley] 120-odd. Our batsmen need to make hundreds, because our bowlers have been doing their job. Now the batsmen need to stand up and do what they have to for West Indies cricket.”ALSO READ: Why Hope’s Headingley opus might not sustain him much longerIn particular, Simmons said that he was disappointed with Hope’s form. Captain Jason Holder had backed Hope coming into the second Test, saying that he had “all the confidence that Shai Hope will deliver”, but scores of 25 and 7 only extended a miserable run of form that has seen him make 111 runs at 12.33 in his last ten Test innings.”Yes, I’m concerned,” Simmons admitted. “He’s gone four innings without a score, in contrast to how he played over the last five, six months in the other formats. I am concerned about his form, and we’ll be sitting down and chatting about that over the next couple of days.”Simmons added that the moment he thought anyone was playing for their place in the side rather than for the team, they would be dropped.”If I think you’re more concerned about your current form than what you can do for the team, then you can think about your current form on the sideline,” he said. “So far, everyone has been looking to work hard for the team, and if someone changes that train of thought, then he’s not there for the team and we’ll have to think about that very, very seriously.”Phil Simmons admitted he is “concerned” by Hope’s form•Getty Images
While Campbell’s batting is the main concern, Simmons also criticised his fielding, after he dropped Stokes in the second over of the final day. Stokes was on 29 at the time, and went on to add 48 more runs off his next 34 balls to put England into a commanding position.”If you go out and drop him [Stokes] within six balls [11] of the start, well then you’ve got problems,” Simmons said. “It’s our doing that he had the opportunity to go on and show what he’s made of.”The West Indies management had previously suggested that they would consider adding players from the reserves to the 15-man squad ahead of the third Test of the series, depending on how the series panned out.The back-up batsman in the main squad is the uncapped Nkrumah Bonner, but the management will discuss alternatives in the coming days. Left-handed Shayne Moseley is the most experienced opener in the reserves, and there may also be a temptation to include the 22-year-old Joshua Da Silva. He made 189 unbeaten runs at the top of the order in the second intra-squad warm-up match.There may be some workload management for West Indies’ seamers too, after the visitors decided to pick an unchanged XI for the second Test. Shannon Gabriel and Kemar Roach have bowled 69.5 and 80 overs respectively in the series so far, and with only three days’ recovery time after back-to-back Tests, there may be little choice but to rotate.”I have no regrets,” Simmons said, when asked about the decision to pick an unchanged team. “We did well, we won the Test match before, and looking at the squad and the team we played in that Test match, we were happy with the team we went in with.”Simmons also reacted sharply when a journalist described Gabriel – who struggled for rhythm on the first morning and was off the field for some time on the second day – as looking “stiff”.”I don’t know about Shannon being anything,” he said. “Shannon bowled at good pace in every spell he bowled, even last night.” He did, however, concede that the team would keep an eye on the quick in the lead-up to the third Test. “We’ll have to take things into consideration over the next couple of days, and then make a decision.”Uncapped Chemar Holder and bowling allrounder Raymon Reifer are the back-up seamers in the main squad, but West Indies may well include offspinner Rahkeem Cornwall for the third Test.
No team has ever won at Emirates Old Trafford after choosing to bowl first
Matt Roller24-Jul-2020
Jason Holder is all smiles after winning the toss•Getty Images
Kraigg Brathwaite has defended his captain Jason Holder’s decision to bowl first for the second match in a row, despite England putting themselves into a commanding position in the deciding Test in Manchester.No team has ever won at Emirates Old Trafford after choosing to bowl first, and the team that batted first in the last four Tests at the ground went on to win. With that in mind, and after his call to bowl first last week backfired, it was a surprise that Holder again opted to field on Friday, not least with offspinner Rahkeem Cornwall included ahead of seamer Alzarri Joseph.ALSO READ: Pope, Buttler stand shores up England effortHolder said at the toss that there was “a little moisture in the surface” and that the overhead conditions had played a part in his decision. The wicket of Dom Sibley, trapped lbw by Kemar Roach, in the first over of the day seemed to vindicate his call, but with England closing on 258 for 4 thanks to a unbroken 136-run stand between Ollie Pope and Jos Buttler, there are valid questions for Holder to answer.”It’s been a pretty even day,” said Brathwaite in a virtual press conference, defending Holder’s decision. “We had a plan to bowl first. There was moisture in the wicket, and we thought as a team we wanted to utilise it.”They got a good partnership, but I don’t think we’re out of it, to be honest. Once we come out tomorrow and control the scoring rate, build that pressure, then I think we can get some wickets in the morning.”With both Saturday and Monday’s play in doubt due to rain, West Indies may find themselves needing to bat well only once in order to save the game, but Brathwaite denied that the forecast had an influence in their plan to bowl first, and refuted the idea that Holder was playing it safe.”I wouldn’t say that: we saw some moisture in the pitch,” he said. “Our plan was to get wickets early and put them under pressure. I wouldn’t say it was because of the weather as such.”The inclusion of Cornwall in particular seemed to be at odds with the decision to bowl first. West Indies had relied on Roston Chase as their main spinner throughout the series, bowling tight lines and keeping things tight, but instead picked Cornwall, a more attacking bowler, but denied him the chance to bowl last on a wearing surface.And while he took an excellent reaction catch in the slips and bowled some dangerous balls, Cornwall struggled to tie England down, leaking 3.38 runs per over. “He was unfortunate not to get a wicket, but I thought he had a decent start,” was Brathwaite’s unenthusiastic analysis.Brathwaite suggested in particular that early wickets once play is able to resume would be crucial, with England leaving out Zak Crawley and changing the balance of their side in order to compensate for Ben Stokes’ quad muscle injury, which has left him playing as a specialist batsman.That means Chris Woakes, who has averaged just 12.6 with the bat since his hundred against India at Lord’s in 2018, finds himself due to bat at No. 7, perhaps giving West Indies encouragement that one wicket could bring a flurry.”Early wickets will be crucial with the new ball, the harder ball,” Brathwaite said. “But [even] if we don’t get early ones, if we stay in it, there’s one less specialist batsman – Woakes can still bat – but two or three wickets could happen.”We’ve got to be very disciplined when we start out in the first session. The harder ball on the surface is always good [so] I think the new ball’s crucial for us. Once we build that pressure with some tight overs, we’ll get some wickets early.”
Talks are "already underway" with another club as a defender hopes to quit Tottenham this summer, according to a report this week.
Spurs players who could leave this summer
A host of players face very uncertain futures at Spurs, as we approach the summer window.
Tottenham now receive "formal" out-of-window offer for "fast" player
The north Londoners need to offload players.
ByEmilio Galantini Apr 13, 2024
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is among the prime candidates to leave N17 with his contract expiring next year, and is set to be one of the bigger names who could make a move to pastures new.
The Dane has actually featured regularly this season but has made the overwhelming majority of his appearances off the bench, with reliable media sources like Fabrizio Romano indicating he could choose to leave after switching agents recently.
Meanwhile, Bryan Gil is another player largely overlooked by Ange Postecoglou, and he could choose to leave as well. Feyenoord are said to be really interested in Gil as we approach the summer, and we can't rule out Giovani Lo Celso potentially going as well, given his lack of game time.
Spurs need to trim their squad as they also look to provide their manager with new signings, and technical director Johan Lange has some real decisions to make on the futures of players currently out on loan.
Troy Parrott
Excelsior
Djed Spence
Genoa
Joe Rodon
Leeds
Tanguy Ndombele
Galatasaray
Alejo Veliz
Sevilla
Sergio Reguilon
Brentford
Japhet Tanganga
Millwall
Ashley Phillips
Plymouth
Tanguy Ndombele has been a disaster since his club-record move from Lyon in 2019, with the Frenchman currently on a temporary stint at Galatasaray. It's also been reported that Leeds really want to make Joe Rodon's stay permanent as well.
Japhet Tanganga will return from Millwall with just one year remaining on his deal when he returns, while right-back Djed Spence will be another curious case.
Spence returned to Spurs in January after Leeds cut his loan short, with the Englishman then sent to Genoa for the second half of 2023/2024.
Talks already underway as Spence eyes Genoa stay this summer
According to Lavocerossoblu.com, the 23-year-old is impressing in Serie A, so much so he's grown fond of the club.
Indeed, it is believed Spence hopes to be a Genoa player next season and make his stay there permanent, and talks are "already underway" with Tottenham to try and reach an agreement over his full transfer. Reporter Ben Jacobs had suggested similar in recent weeks.
While Spence can still improve on a tactical level, as explained by this report, the former Middlesbrough starlet is equipped with "impressive speed" – and it is claimed that he wants to be a "protagonist" for the Italians next term. It appears the ball is in his court ahead of the summer.