Chelsea have received a fresh stadium blow as Todd Boehly has been warned over his £500m plan for a new home at Earl's Court.
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ESPNcricinfo staff09-Apr-2016When Jos Buttler bagged a duck on IPL debut, Mumbai had slid to 30 for 4 in five overs•BCCIM Ashwin, the other debutant, however, enjoyed a memorable match. The legspinner returned figures of 1 for 16 in four overs•BCCIAmbati Rayudu, Mumbai’s No. 5, was the first batsman to get to double figures, and made 22 off 27 balls•BCCIBut it was Harbhajan Singh who turned things around with his unbeaten 30-ball 45 that took Mumbai to 121 for 8•BCCIMitchell Marsh was Supergiants’ best bowler with 2 for 21 from four overs•BCCIAjinkya Rahane gave Supergiants a fluent start to their chase of 122•BCCIFaf du Plessis contributed with a 33-ball 34, with one four and three sixes•BCCIHarbhajan broke the 78-run opening stand when he bowled du Plessis in the 10th over•BCCIBut Kevin Pietersen responded by hitting Harbhajan for two big sixes•BCCIRahane finished with 66 not out off 42 balls as Supergiants cruised to victory with nine wickets and 32 balls to spare•BCCI
The wicketkeeper-batter was struck on the left foot by a Shaheen Shah Afridi yorker during the warm-up game
ESPNcricinfo staff19-Oct-2022Rahmanullah Gurbaz is expected to be fit to play in Afghanistan’s T20 World Cup opener against England in Perth on Saturday after scans cleared him of a fracture.Gurbaz, 20, was struck on the left foot by Shaheen Shah Afridi’s inswinging yorker during Afghanistan’s warm-up match against Pakistan on Wednesday at the Gabba, which ended as a no-result because of rain.He was carried off the pitch after medical attention and was later pictured wearing a protective boot on his left foot. He was sent to the hospital for scans, and the Afghanistan Cricket Board said in a statement that he had been cleared of a serious injury.”Team doctor stated that the results are clear with no bone fracture,” the ACB said. “He will be assessed in the next two days and is expected to be available for our England fixture on Saturday.”Gurbaz had struggled at the previous T20 World Cup, in 2021, making 85 runs across his five innings. He has since been promoted to open the batting on a regular basis and his availability will be a significant boost for Afghanistan ahead of their first game.
Ruben Amorim suffered a second consecutive defeat as Manchester United boss, losing 3-2 to Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford on Saturday night.
Goals from Rasmus Hojlund and Bruno Fernandes weren’t enough to secure anything out of the clash, with the defeat the first during the 39-year-old’s tenure on home soil.
The clash got off to the worst possible start after Nikola Milenkovic took advantage of the Red Devils’ dismal set piece record, to power his header home after just 90 seconds.
Nuno Espírito Santo ultimately played the perfect strategy to frustrate Amorim and his side, leaving United 13th in the Premier League table, eight points off the top four after the first 15 outings of the campaign.
One player in particular had an evening to forget at Old Trafford, potentially putting his starting role at risk ahead of the Europa League clash on Thursday night.
Man United's worst performer against Nottingham Forest
Goalkeeper Andre Onana has been a key player for United during the opening months of the season, finally showing why former boss Erik ten Hag was keen to fork out £47m for his signature in the summer of 2023.
During 2024/25, he’s kept seven clean sheets in all competitions, producing numerous memorable displays that have earned points for the Red Devils.
His outing against Crystal Palace is still up there with one of his very best for the club, making a magnificent double save that earned him the Save of the Month award by the Premier League for September.
However, last night’s showing against Forest was one he will want to forget in a hurry, costing Amorim’s side dearly and preventing them from walking away from the clash with any points.
The Cameroonian was at fault for Morgan Gibbs-White’s strike, unable to keep out the effort that appeared to be heading straight towards him.
The 28-year-old also failed to deal with Chris Wood’s header, which somehow found its way into the bottom corner after he and Lisandro Martínez were unable to deal with the effort.
Onana wasn’t the only player to fail to impress, with Amorim needing to drop one talent after yet another dismal showing in the first-team.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Not just Onana: Man United forward needs to be dropped
Winger Alejandro Garnacho has struggled since the appointment of Amorim, unable to feature in his preferred left-wing role in the 3-4-2-1 system.
The Argentine suffered a similar fate against Arsenal in midweek, but despite his disappointing display, he was kept in the starting lineup to try and recapture his best form.
However, it was once again an evening to forget for the youngster, being replaced after just 59 minutes, looking disgusted with the decision by the boss to replace him with Marcus Rashford.
When delving into his underlying stats from the loss against the Reds, his withdrawal was understandable, failing to create any real impact in the final third once again under Amorim.
The Argentine only managed 31 touches during his time on the pitch (fewer than Onana’s 38), failing to complete a single cross and winning just three out of the five duels he entered.
Minutes played
59
Touches
31
Passes completed
20/21 (95%)
Big chances missed
1
Successful dribbles
0
Key passes
0
Possession lost
5x
Crosses completed
0/1 (0%)
Duels won
3/5 (60%)
Tackles
0
Garnacho also missed one big chance, losing possession five times in the process and looking wasteful when on the ball in attacking areas.
As a result, he was handed a 5/10 match rating by The Express’ Joe Krishnan, evidence of how disappointing he was once again for the Red Devils.
Given his display, he will be lucky to keep his place in the starting XI in the Europa League on Thursday night, giving other players an opportunity to stake their claim.
It’s been a week to forget for Amorim with two defeats in as many matches, but if he is to turn such form around, the previously “really good” Garnacho, in the words of Dan Ashworth, must be given a night off.
He lost the ball 20x: Amorim got it wrong by giving Man Utd star 90 minutes
The Man Utd ace was poor against Nottingham Forest
ByJoe Nuttall Dec 8, 2024
Damien Fleming explains a few of the concepts he cooked up, his fondness for hard-rock and dishes on who hid a Britney Spears CD in their bag
Sidharth Monga13-Jan-2015What is the whole bowlologist concept?
You say as though it is a negative, with that bit of frown over there.I know the serious side of it, but I mean stuff like Avenue of Apprehension…
We played this beach cricket series. Australia, New Zealand, England, West Indies. Really good fun. Great way to play with legends like Viv Richards and Thommo [Jeff Thomson] and Dennis Lillee and Richard Hadlee. I remember talking to Sir Richard one night. About Geoff Boycott’s Corridor of Uncertainty. I can’t remember what exactly, but Sir Richard wanted to ban that. Next day on he said, “I am going to ban it, let’s come up with some options.” And so we came up with Avenue of Apprehension, Snick Street, and Hallway of Hesitation. But what I did was, I used other people’s ideas and used them as mine. Mixture of me and people coming up with stuff on Twitter and stuff.Were you always wacky?
We are in the entertainment business. Even Test cricket is entertainment. I want to make sure I am insightful and take the game seriously, but if there is a chance to have fun, do that. I was someone who could provide a bit of humour, I suppose. Sometimes intentional, sometimes unintentional. Just by being pretty sloppy. Boys reckoned I used to talk a lot of rubbish when I was playing, but guess who is in the media now. Bad luck, lads.How did you turn out like this?
I roomed with Merv Hughes for six years. I left school and got picked two weeks later at the age of 18 years. Nothing prepares you for that. No wonder my personality is slightly off the kilt, because to room with Merv for six years and survive, one, I deserve a medal, and two, I am not going to come out normal. I blame it on Mervyn Hughes.How was your first night with him?
It was in Queensland. Tony Dodemaide and Michael di Venuto wished me luck going up in the lift. I went, “What am I in for here?” Going in there, [Hughes asked], “What bed do you want? Double or single?” I said single. And he went, “Aww gee, you are good to room with.” And then he ended up putting his arm around me and said, “Mate, you will be all right.”We didn’t room together only one time in those six years, and we lost, so went back together. He taught me a lot about cricket. For all the fun and games, he is a very mentally tough cricketer. I learned the level that I needed to be at. You need those role models when starting out, and you need to be a role model.Tell us more about rooming with him
We have got our own clubs. I have got a Test-hat-trick-for-Australia-on-debut club. Table for one each year. Merv and I form the club with Test hat-tricks and Test 70s club. So obviously Merv was the first. Me. We inducted Shane Warne last year. He never turns up, Warnie. Merv wanted to get Dennis Lillee, but he has got a 70 but no hat-trick. I threw in Glenn Mcgrath’s name, but Merv mentioned he doesn’t have a 70. It is a small club, but we catch up.What’s with Australian fast bowlers and scores in the 70s?
Well Rhino joined us. I rang Merv. No, Merv texts me saying, “hope Rhino gets a hat-trick. Hoping to induct him.”So just a club of two?
We are waiting. Warnie never bloody turns up, does he?Was it difficult to be yourself while being in and out of the side?
I never got dropped a lot. I helped the selectors by getting injured. I am sure if I was uninjured I would have been dropped a lot more.What did you tell Warnie and what did Warnie tell you after that drop?
I still haven’t spoken to him after that. I am not happy with it.Did you see the skit we did on Cricket Australia’s website. Make sure you plug that in the article.When I speak at corporate gigs, I build up the story a fair bit. I like to say I was on a second hat-trick, and I wasn’t that nervous because I had taken test hat-tricks before. I had got bored, really. In all seriousness, when I released the ball, and you don’t have enough time to think this, “Oh no it’s wide, oh beauty Srinath has nicked it, you beauty it’s going straight for Warnie, oh no Warnie has dropped it.” I wasn’t disappointed. We had beaten India to go one-up in the series, I took 5 for 30 so I am on the honours board, but the only thing I am disappointed about is, 5 for 30 is up there but how good would 6 for 29, including a hat-trick look? Just the 6 for 29 including the hat-trick on honours board. That’s my regret. In a statistical way, it would have been nice. But I have a story to tell.You could have started another club…
Two Test hat-tricks. Just for one. I could merge it with Australians-with-hat-tricks-on-Test-debut club.The one that slipped from Shane Warne at slip left Damien Fleming with hands on hips•Getty ImagesYou fast bowlers seem to have a strong bond…
We call ourselves the fast-bowling cartel. Obviously Glenn McGrath is the president. But the rest of us, we didn’t have a bowling coach when we were there. But the fast bowlers, we would talk about the opposition, we’d talk about what we were going to do and even to this day, you can just see we are talking over cricket. James Sutherland, an ex-fast bowler is the CEO of Cricket Australia, Tony Dodemaide [for] Cricket Victoria, Glenn McGrath’s doing a lot of things, Kasper [Michael Kasprowicz] is on the board. I am in the media. Dizzy [Jason Gillespie] is Yorkshire coach. We have an Indian brand ambassador as well. Srinath is an ICC match referee.But there is N Srinivasan there who has never bowled…
He’s not part of the cartel.But he controls everything…
At the moment, yes. But the fast-bowling cartel is sitting here, boys.Did you share Dizzy’s love of wrestling?
We actually – not that it should be allowed to be shown in public – but we got a bit bored on the 2001 series in India. In Delhi, I think. We mixed mini-golf with WWF. We called it Slam Punk Mania 2001. So we dressed up and we filmed it all. Just for the boys. But as you’d imagine, with the Indian people that were staying at the hotel, we ended up with a massive crowd thinking, ‘what the hell is going on?’What names did you have?
All I can say is, I was FFF. I’ll say that, but I don’t want to say the rest. Dizzy was Goofball Gillespie. And what was Kasper? He was the Hooded Avenger. He had a bit of a sock as an ally.Have you read any wrestling books?
I’ve read Hulk Hogan. I borrowed it off Dizzy. He used to love him, Mankind and all those guys.Were there cracks in the cartel when it came to music?
Dizzy and Kasper are very close because we are big hard-rock fans as well. That’s one thing I liked about India. India liked their rock. So you knew you can always buy rock CDs in India.Heavy metal?
I can go pretty heavy. Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax. I go as heavy as that. That would be the limit for probably Kasper and Dizzy. But you know AC/DC, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Alice In Chains. I am more a big rock fan.The only disagreement we had in the Australian dressing room was what went on the rockbox. We had the hard-rock guys like Kasper, Dizzy and me. And the big little head-banger David Boon. Loved his Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin. Cause he is a legend, I gave him a Motley Crew CD, and we get a few plays out of it. Because no one wanted to take Boony on. But when he retired, I had no one. So they chucked them out.Then we had the pretty-boy bands. Like Warnie, he likes ABBA and Aqua, and Ricky Martin. Ricky Martin? Warnie. Binga Brett Lee and Blewy [Greg Blewett]. The worst thing is they all knew the dance moves to Backstreet Boys and all that. And we are going, “Jeez.” It was the near the end of Michael Slater’s career that I found a Britney Spears CD in his bag, and I am not lying. And I was like, ‘Mickey, you’re out, mate. You can’t open the batting for Australia.’But they weren’t the worst. The worst were the country and western fans. Guys who liked Kenny Rogers and Johnny Denver, and an Australian guy called John Williamson. Like Steve Waugh, the captain.And that’s where you saw the guys who wanted to please their captain. Like Justin Langer and Hayden and Gilchrist. They would act like they actually liked that music just to get the captain handy. So that was the only dissension in there. I think that shortened my career. I had serious arguments with Steve Waugh, which we still have. There’s still a bit of friction. We play a little bit of golf together, me and Steve. And we’ve been partners, and we haven’t been winning. I reckon that our music dissension doesn’t help us gel as a team.Did you ever play Megadeth in the dressing room?
Yeah, yeah yeah. We’d get set periods where we would get to put it on. Particularly, Warnie hates my music. His brother Jason loves my music. So he would be like, “You’re like my brother.” And he hates it. For every Megadeth song or Metallica song from , you hear . And you’re like, “Are you serious?” Ricky Martin, , what you doing? And you’re dancing to it? Seriously how about you get a few more runs? Then we would get Holy Wars on. Then we’d get Metallica on.Did bad music bring around bad results?
I had bowled pretty well in this ODI series in 2001. I had got a few 2 or 3 for 30s. We got slogged a bit. And I don’t even know where it was. We are about to go out and bowl. Warnie has on. Phil Collins. That’s the atheist of rock ‘n’ roll. I said to John Buchanan. “John, you expect me to go out and be a fiery fast bowler, bounce Tendulkar and Ganguly, and rip into them with in my ear?” Go out there, of course I get 0 for 60 off 10 [0 for 53 off eight]. Walk in, see John Buchanan, and all I say, “Are you happy?” And walk away. That was my last ODI in India.What did Buchanan like?
Buey was pretty happy if the team was happy. He would float everywhere. He didn’t mind a bit of banter. He didn’t mind a little bit of friction within the dressing rooms .He thrived on them a bit. He would have meetings and pose questions. Mark Waugh would be asleep. The rest of us would listen. I reckon he was pretty easy.Who knows, he might have been writing his own tunes?
He might have been. He was a bit loopy, Buey. Pink Floyd might have been up his alley. He was a little out there, John.What does bowlology recommend?
This is in the bowlology handbook, fast bowlers have got to listen to hard rock. If you are going to bowl fast, you have just got to rock. I used to have a pump-up tape and a mellow tape. Just if I was getting a little bit over. But mellow for me was AC/DC or Pearl Jam.What about the mullets?
I did have one early. I had one halfway down the back. Kasper never. He didn’t have the head-cut for a mullet. Glenn didn’t either. Glenn had that Dumb Dumber Christmas look for a while there.You would have heard Parables Of Glenn McGrath’s Haircut?
No, but Glenn was, like Merv, a pest in the dressing room. He is always throwing forks and knives. He is a real wildlife person. Whereas I was more witty comments. I was always there as a bit of wingman if someone wants to go out for a bit of a beer. I liked the social side of things. And not getting famous enough so you can’t go out and enjoy things.It’s all part of being in a team, the camaraderie. Something I really enjoyed. The fun we had away from the game. But also we were very fortunate that there was still the fun side to it in the mid-’90s. Where we still celebrate pretty hard. Because we won quite often. Only towards the end that we started to get more professional and paid more. That era from ’93-ish to early 2000s we started to get paid well, but we could still have a real life outside the game.
Leeds United fans will already be nervous about their team’s promotion chances in the Championship, despite the fact the Whites are only 15 games deep into the marathon of the second-tier campaign.
Supporters that pack out Elland Road are far too used to heartbreak on the big occasion, especially when it comes to trying to leap back up to the Premier League, with a 1-0 playoff final defeat earlier this year to Southampton still no doubt stinging.
Of course, there’s also the agony they experienced under Marcelo Bielsa – before triumphantly winning the league in 2020 – after Frank Lampard’s Derby County took great delight in toppling the West Yorkshire giants over two legs in the playoff semi finals the year prior.
With Leeds just outside of those top two automatic promotion spots at the time of writing, the die-hard Whites masses will just be fearing another disastrous near-miss is on the horizon.
Away from all that pessimism, however, there is plenty to still latch onto that’s positive, with Daniel Farke boasting two promotions up to the top-flight on his managerial CV, and plenty more could come from his steady Leeds side who have only tasted defeat twice in league action to date.
Alongside that, the January transfer window also gives Leeds adequate time to strengthen ahead of a crucial 2025, with this being what their lineup could look like come February next year when glancing at some significant transfer rumours…
1 GK – Illan Meslier
Although Illan Meslier has been suspect of some shaky displays this season in goal, he is likely to remain as the Leeds number one shot-stopper moving forward.
The 24-year-old has picked up an impressive nine clean sheets from his 15 Championship games to date, which included a shut-out coming his way versus Queens Park Rangers just before the international break.
2 RB – Jayden Bogle
Jayden Bogle is also likely to remain as Leeds’ main right-back in early 2025, considering he was only purchased this summer.
Alongside the fact he’s still a fresh-faced recruit, the former Sheffield United man has also shone in spurts for Farke’s side by picking up two league goals as an attack-minded option on the right.
3 CB – Joe Rodon
Joe Rodon was also another summer purchase made by Farke to shore up the defence in West Yorkshire and he has become an ever-present under the German’s guidance in the second tier.
He was particularly impressive against Plymouth Argyle in early November, amassing 98 touches as an assured but imposing centre-back figure.
4 CB – Pascal Struijk
Pascal Struijk has also been top-drawer this campaign to date after finding his 2023/24 season was largely stop-start owing to injury issues.
The 25-year-old is now making up for lost time, with two goals bagged from 15 league games so far as a menacing presence from corners, which has even seen him take on captain duties for his promotion-chasing employers.
5 LB – Dennis Cirkin
The first of a trio of new signings comes in the form of Dennis Cirkin, who has been linked with a switch to Elland Road heavily in recent weeks.
With Junior Firpo’s contract up in the summer of 2025, this would be smart planning on the end of Leeds to buy his replacement in January, with the “fantastic” defender – as he was once labelled by former Sunderland manager Lee Johnson – more than capable of replacing the ex-Barcelona left-back.
The standout Black Cats number three is equally as creative as Firpo, having accumulated seven goals and five assists on Wearside from 92 games, and might well be available to pick up for a reported fee of £6m
6 CM – Ao Tanaka
Leeds will know they don’t need to splash the cash in order to obtain some exceptional talents this forthcoming window, as Ao Tanaka only cost Farke and Co £3.5m to acquire in late August.
Helped by an injury crisis in the holding midfield positions, the Japanese gem has been quietly superb for the Whites since entering the first-team fold, with a 92% pass accuracy averaged per second-tier clash among other glowing numbers.
7 CM – Lewis O'Brien
Leeds might well be in the market for another new holding midfielder this January, with Lewis O’Brien previously on their transfer radar.
O’Brien is being touted to make a £7m move to LAFC, but as the former Huddersfield Town man narrowly missed out on promotion with the Terriers back in 2020, he could fancy a return to the EFL with Leeds.
He was also a top performer when on the books of Leeds’ near neighbours, amassing eight goals and ten assists as a reliable head from 131 total games. He could, therefore, be a potential option ahead of Joe Rothwell.
8 RM – Wilfried Gnonto
Leeds fans must go into a state of panic whenever a window opens, knowing full well that Wilfried Gnonto might finally up and leave.
The Italian winger could stay put this time again, having mustered up two goals and five assists in league action so far for the West Yorkshire titans.
9 CAM – Brenden Aaronson
The ex-FC Zurich star is likely to be partnered by Brenden Aaronson in attack past January, with the American breathing life back into his playing days at Elland Road this season.
He already has four goals and one assist next to his name as the former RB Salzburg man aims to offer even more during some high-stakes games to come near the summit of the table.
10 LM – Ryan Kent
The last incoming on the transfer front could see Farke and Co add a free agent into their ranks with Ryan Kent linked to potentially further bolster their left wing options.
Largie Ramazani is currently sidelined after an encouraging start to life in England, whilst Tottenham Hotspur loanee Manor Solomon has largely underwhelmed in this spot, with no goals and just one assist picked up from eight appearances.
Kent could offer the Whites something different down this channel, therefore, with the ex-Rangers man boasting 33 goals and 56 assists from his memorable stay at Ibrox.
“We have been successful in getting 20 wickets and winning Tests. That for me is positive cricket too”
Nagraj Gollapudi30-Jun-20222:07
Dravid: ‘We have to focus on our cricket’
India remain undaunted by the prospect of facing a revitalised England side, one much changed in attitude to the side they played in the first four Tests of the Pataudi Trophy last year. That series finds its culmination in the Edgbaston Test which starts on Friday. England are fresh off a 3-0 sweep of the WTC champions New Zealand, and playing a brand new, ultra-attacking style of cricket.India lead the series 2-1, mostly because – as coach Rahul Dravid pointed out – they have been playing their own style of “aggressive” and “positive” cricket. That brand got them to the WTC final last summer and keeps them in the hunt for another trip to the final in this cycle.Related
England vs India – the decider of a series from a different era
Bumrah: Test captaincy 'one of the biggest achievements of my career'
Bazball and the allure of the Edgbaston Test that awaits India
Both Dravid and interim captain Jasprit Bumrah were posed similar queries about England’s new batting approach”Any which way they play gives us opportunities,” Dravid said on Wednesday. “We are leading the series 2-1. Any which way they play the game, we believe it’s up to us, I think we have got to focus on our cricket and not so much worry about what England is doing and what it is they’re playing.”We’ve been a pretty positive side as well. We were second in the World Test Championship cycle last year. This year we find ourselves third in the table, just underneath the top two. So we have been pretty successful, we have been pretty successful in getting 20 wickets and winning Test matches. That for me is positive cricket as well. Of course, they might have a strategy, or they might have some tactics that they might come in and play with on the particular day – that can change as well depending on conditions. It’s our job to respond to whatever they put out and we will be focused on trying to do that.”Jasprit Bumrah – “What has happened in the past, that’s all gone. We try to be in the moment”•Getty ImagesBehind India’s dominance in Test cricket in the past few years – both home and overseas – has been their bowling attack, led by the quicks, which has prised out 20 wickets consistently. Last summer the England batters were put under constant pressure by an attack led by Bumrah, but also including Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav and Shardul Thakur. Barring Joe Root, no other England batter showed consistency. Since the start of 2021, Indian bowlers have the second-best average and are also second in terms of strike rate, well ahead of England who are mid-table.Freshly appointed as captain, Bumrah insisted that India still held the edge. Asked about his opinion on England’s attacking approach against New Zealand, Bumrah said: “I am not focusing on how the England team is playing. We know our strengths and if we do our job well, we believe that our team can win and do well anywhere, in any condition. So, we want to give more attention to our team because we don’t want to give a mental advantage to anyone thinking about what the other team is doing. If we do our job well, things will fall in place.”Bumrah nearly rolled his eyes when asked whether it was frightening to see England batters chase down targets as they did against New Zealand. “I play my cricket very differently in comparison to any other players. I do not want to give any mental advantage to any of the players. I look at myself and I feel that what I have to do to prepare best and to be in the right frame of mind because if I am in a very good head space then we are very difficult to beat. That is the mindset that we want to get into. And then if we are there then everything else would be taken care of.”Bumrah said he did not want to look back at what had already happened in the first four Tests, including wins at Lord’s and Oval, matches in which he was the catalyst with bat and ball.”We don’t look in the past. Every cricket game you want to win. Isn’t it? We never play any game to lose or just to compete or play for a draw. We want to play for a win. What has happened in the past, that’s all gone. We try to be in the moment. We want to try to be immersed in the moment and try to focus on the job at hand and try to job at hand and try to give our best shot.”
Wolverhampton Wanderers’ transfer business in the summer certainly looked promising, as Gary O’Neil brought in eight players during the window in order to significantly bolster his team.
The fruits of his labour have yet to pay off, however. In the Premier League, the Old Gold currently occupy 19th place in the table, sitting on just two points after nine matches.
The 2-2 draw against Brighton and Hove Albion proved that the fighting spirit is there. Can O’Neil lead his side to a win over Crystal Palace this weekend?
Wolves’ summer transfer business 2024
It was clear the manager was building for the future throughout the transfer window. Seven of his eight signings were aged 24 or younger, with only Sam Johnstone (31) aged over 30.
While money was spent, it was clear that O’Neil would have to balance the books somehow, which meant selling a couple of his prized assets.
Daniel Podence joined Al-Shabab for a fee in the region of £5m, but it was Max Kilman who was perhaps the most controversial departure. The defender had been at Molineux since 2018 and was sold for a massive profit, although his move would leave the club weaker at the heart of the defence. £40m was raised from his sale, giving O’Neil flexibility in the market.
A few weeks later, this was eclipsed by Pedro Neto moving to Chelsea for £54m. Once again, the Midlands side have generated a significant profit on the winger, but has it been detrimental to their performances this season?
Wolves hit the jackpot by selling Pedro Neto
In the summer of 2019, Nuno Espírito Santo aimed to strengthen his first-team squad ahead of their second Premier League season following promotion.
This led the Old Gold to sign Neto for a reported fee of around £18m, with compatriot Bruno Jordao also arriving at the same time.
Jordao made just five appearances for the club in what was a fairly unsuccessful spell in the Midlands. Neto, on the other hand, didn’t take long to establish himself as a key member of the squad. Five goals in his first season were followed by another five during his second.
Injury problems hampered him throughout 2021/22 and 2022/23, making just 32 appearances throughout both campaigns, but it was his form last term which led Chelsea to sign him for £54m.
Goals
2
Assists
9
Big chances created
7
Key passes per game
1.9
Successful dribbles per game
1.9
Shots per game
1.8
Three goals and 11 assists helped Wolves consolidate their place in the top flight. Lauded as a “monster” by analyst Ben Mattinson in August 2023, Neto’s move to the Blues was simply too impressive for Wolves to turn down.
Indeed, they sold him for 200% more than what they shelled out to bring him to the club just five years previously, clearly indicating how wonderful a move it was.
Of course, they miss his attacking presence, but O’Neil now has a healthy bank balance in which to bring in replacements.
Wolves make first move in race for "strong" in-demand Kilman replacement
He’s started the season in superb form.
ByTom Cunningham Oct 26, 2024
da doce： Chelsea made it two wins from two in the Europa Conference League this season, claiming a 4-1 victory away at Greek side Panathinaikos last night.
da 888casino： Enzo Maresca’s side followed up their win over Gent a couple of weeks ago, with an impressive display – controlling the meeting for large periods and restricting the hosts.
Goals from Mykhailo Mudryk, João Félix and Christopher Nkunku secured the win for the Blues before former Manchester United talent Facundo Pellistri pulled back a late consolation goal.
The three points gained put Maresca’s men top of the Conference League table, topping the chart on goal difference after their perfect start to the European campaign.
The dominant display allowed two players, in particular, to star and stake their claim for a regular starting role ahead of the Premier League action once again this weekend.
Mudryk & Felix’s stats against Panathinaikos
After joining for £89m from Shakhtar Donetsk back in January 2023, there were huge expectations on the shoulders of Ukrainian winger Mudryk to become a key player and a leading talent for Chelsea.
However, his move to Stamford Bridge has been anything but plane sailing, often looking ineffective and having to settle for a place on the bench, mainly utilised as an impact player.
The 23-year-old has relied on cup competitions to gain a start, with Mudryk taking Thursday night’s opportunity with both hands.
He registered a goal and two assists, producing an impressive all-round display as he played a huge part in securing all three points for the Blues in Athens.
Mudryk’s stats against Panathinaikos
Statistics
Tally
Minutes played
90
Touches
32
Passes completed
17/17 (100%)
Duels won
4
Fouls won
2
Dribbles completed
1
Shots taken
2
Key passes completed
3
Stats via Sofascore
The winger also completed 100% of the passes he attempted, winning four duels and starring alongside one other Chelsea teammate.
Attacker Felix has struggled for starts since his permanent return to the Blues in the summer, failing to make an appearance from the off in the league with his three starts all coming in various cup competitions.
However, he started and played the full 90 minutes last night, showcasing to his manager what can do if given the opportunity to thrive.
The 24-year-old scored twice in the convincing victory, linking up excellently alongside teammate Mudryk as the pair helped the Blues remain unbeaten in this year’s Conference League.
The same can’t be said for one player who struggled for large periods before being replaced with around a third of the outing remaining.
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The Chelsea player who failed to impress v Panathinaikos
After an impressive cameo off the bench against Liverpool on Sunday, winger Pedro Neto was handed a start from the off yesterday, but, unlike Mudryk, failed to take his opportunity with both hands.
The Portugal international, who joined the club for £54m this summer, endured a tricky first half, failing to create many opportunities in attacking areas, and also looked sloppy in possession throughout.
He would grab the assist for the Ukrainian’s second-half strike but was subsequently replaced by Maresca just minutes later after a disappointing evening.
Neto only registered 31 touches in 62 minutes, completing just one of his four attempted crosses – often looking ineffective against the Greek outfit.
Pedro Neto’s stats for Chelsea against Panathinaikos
Statistics
Tally
Minutes played
62
Touches
31
Passes completed
17/19 (89%)
Crosses completed
1/4
Duels lost
8
Possession lost
10x
Dribbles completed
1/5
Stats via Sofascore
The attacker also only registered three duels won, whilst gifting possession away to the opposition ten times, completing just one of the five dribbles that he attempted in the victory.
He was subsequently handed a 6/10 match rating by The London Standard’s Malik Ouzia, undoubtedly decreasing his chances of securing another start in the Premier League against Newcastle on Sunday.
Last night was an excellent one for Maresca and his side, demonstrating they have the strength in depth to rotate key positions and still produce the quality to win games.
The Italian has already done an excellent job at the helm in his first few months in charge, with the future certainly bright for the newly appointed boss.
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Sri Lanka hit back with Babar’s wicket late in the day but Pakistan need just 120 runs to win
Andrew Fidel Fernando19-Jul-2022For so much of the afternoon and the evening sessions, it seemed as if Pakistan were marching non-plussed towards their monumental target. Abdullah Shafique had hit as flawless a hundred as you could hope for on a fourth-day Galle surface. Babar Azam had been solid in partnership with him, and the stand was nearing a hundred.Best of all for Pakistan, Sri Lanka’s bowlers seemed to be getting very little out of a surface that should be a spin-bowling fantasy strip by now. But suddenly, around 75 overs through the innings, the pitch came to life. Shafique and Babar had only played and missed at the occasional delivery since tea, confidently padding plenty away, leaving the ones outside off alone, and getting enough bat to the rest that even half-chances were sparse.In the last 10 overs of the day though, Pakistan’s batters were suddenly under huge pressure. Though they had batted to get themselves within striking distance and put themselves ahead in the chase, the 120 to get at stumps seemed a distance off even with seven wickets in hand.They had batted exceedingly well to even give themselves a chance, however. Shafique led the effort and was unbeaten on 112 by stumps, frequently using his feet to create the single options, using the depth of the crease when the bowlers pitched slightly short, while using all the defensive manoeuvres against spin – padding away balls that pitched outside leg, letting the ones that weren’t threatening the stumps go. All up, he’d hit only 26 runs in boundaries – mostly legside fours and a six into the sightscreen. This was an innings built on patience and supreme confidence in his defence.Abdullah Shafique embraces Babar Azam after reaching his century•AFP/Getty Images
He’d set the platform with Imam-ul-Haq, as the openers took Pakistan to 87 for no loss. That partnership was not without its early jitters, however. Shafique could have been out lbw to Prabath Jayasuriya in the third over, but the review showed the ball failed to hit enough of leg stump to overturn the not-out decision. Imam then given out against Kasun Rajitha, but reviewed successfully – the ball projected to have been passing over the stumps. Not long after that, Imam sent a difficult catch over the infield as well, and a diving Dinesh Chandimal could not hold on, sprinting back from cover.That this stand was broken was more down to nifty wicketkeeping and batter error, than sustained pressure from the bowlers. Batting on 35, Imam raised his back foot after leaving a Ramesh Mendis delivery. In the fraction of a second Imam’s boot was in the air, Niroshan Dickwella whipped off a bail. The third umpire’s decision was several minutes and many replays in the making, but there was one angle, from side on, showing the boot to be clearly in the air. Azhar Ali then batted 32 balls but was caught at slip off Jayasuriya’s bowling.Where Shafique was measured through the course of his innings, Babar imposed himself on the opposition early in his knock. He announced his arrival with a whip through mid-on for four, then crashed a six and a four off over midwicket in one Jayasuriya over, to get Pakistan moving again after the loss of the second wicket. He too, though, soon settled into a pattern of accumulation, favouring the legside for his bigger shots. He had a desperate lbw review burned on him shortly before tea. He and Shafique seemed intent on doing it as risk-free as possible – 31 of Babar’s 55 came from singles, and there was a solitary two.Dimuth Karunaratne often likes to make batters face as many balls as possible at Galle, putting fielders on the boundary even early in their innings. The rationale here is that eventually, there will be a delivery that gets the batter out. Shafique and Babar defied this for 237 balls, during which they made 101 runs. Babar was eventually bowled trying to pad away Jayasuriya, who was coming over the wicket to pitch into the rough. He survived plenty that spun sharply from the dark spots, but late in the day, in the middle of that period in which the pitch suddenly started to spit, he didn’t quite get his front foot far enough to leg. Jayasuriya pitched it beyond the reach of his stride and turned it back into leg stump.Early in the day, Chandimal added eight to Sri Lanka’s overnight score, but missed out on a century when Naseem Shah burst through Prabath Jayasuriya’s defences.The match is now set for a tantalising final three hours. Pakistan are close. Sri Lanka have a new ball in hand, which tends to spit and spin more than the older ones. Shafique’s wicket seems like the vital one.