GOAL takes a look at the biggest storylines to follow among Americans abroad, led by USMNT stars in Juventus vs AC Milan

AC Milan vs. Juventus is always a massive game. This iteration, at least from an U.S. men's national team perspective, feels even bigger. It will feature an in-form Christian Pulisic, who at times has kept struggling manager Paulo Fonseca in a job this season, square off against Tim Weah and Weston McKennie. Neither side is playing particularly scintillating football, with Milan at seventh and Juventus at sixth, but a strong showing from Milan could see them force themselves back into the race for a Champions League spot.

The isn't the only big story for USMNT players abroad. Tanner Tessmann enjoyed an excellent international break for the USMNT, and is quickly becoming a favorite of Mauricio Pochettino. His minutes at Lyon have been inconsistent, but his strong performances for the U.S. during the international break could provide momentum in his club form and push him into the starting XI soon. It would also seem to be an important week for Brenden Aaronson, who was limited to a brief cameo against Jamaica. He could do with a good run out.

Ricardo Pepi, whose name has cropped up in transfer talk of late, will also look to impress off the bench. The same goes for the likes of Mark McKenzie and Antonee Robinson. It should all make for interesting watching. GOAL US looks ahead at some of the biggest storylines to follow among Americans Abroad this weekend.

Getty Images SportPulisic, Pulisic and more Pulisic

Pulisic is not a Ballon d'Or contender. But he is, arguably, the best winger in Serie A at the minute. He is, perhaps, the only reason that the oft-maligned Fonseca is still in the job, such is the impact of his big game heroics. That only continued for the USMNT over the most recent international break. Pulisic set up the U.S.'s only goal of the first leg against Jamaica, scored twice in the second, and was instrumental throughout. He is, at this point, playing the best football of his career.

He will need to continue that trend on Saturday. Milan hosts Juventus in what will certainly be an early test of its ability to fight for a Champions League spot. They come into the game six points behind Thiago Motta's side, but with a game in hand. Three points could go a long way towards turning their season around. If that happens, it will be on the back of another Puli masterclass.

AdvertisementGettyCan Weston McKennie and Tim Weah spoil the party?

And on the other side lies a far more organized Juventus unit, but one that struggles on attack. Motta hasn't really gotten a tune out of his side going forward, but the are fiercely disciplined, and haven't lost yet (although they do have six draws.) Their seven goals conceded is the best in the league, and while they possess plenty of attacking talent, this isn't quite a fluid thing yet.

Ironically, though, two Americans have brought some of the sorely lacking attacking thrust. McKennie is up to his usual tricks in central midfield, putting out fires everywhere while also providing some quality in the final third – something he has proven with a couple of timely assists. Weah, too, has popped with four important Serie A goals. Juve are looking for difference makers in attack. The two Americans might just be able to step up.

GettyBrenden Aaronson to find form?

Aaronson was largely unfortunate to go down with the flu just before the first leg of the Nations League tie. And although he recovered in time to play a part in the return fixture, the attacking midfielder really could have done with using the opportunity to impress the manager. He did, admittedly, offer some interesting attacking ideas off the bench in St. Louis. But a full start might have been far more valuable.

READ MORE: Aaronson: "I'm not just a runner"

Still, he seems to have recovered enough to play. And for Leeds, he could be vital once again. Manager Daniel Farke heaped praised on Aaronson in a recent press conference, hailing the American's resilience to fight for his spot in the side after an unsuccessful Union Berlin loan last year. And deservedly so. Leeds are in third, two points back of first place, and well in contention for automatic promotion. A good showing against mid-table Swansea this weekend, and friendly results elsewhere, could see them go top.

GettyWhat to do about Ricardo Pepi?

Something has to be made clear here: Pepi, in all likelihood, is unlikely to be a Liverpool player – despite recent rumors. If he cannot get into the PSV side after playing the best football of his career, a Premier League move would seem unlikely. What he has shown, in recent weeks, though, is that he can really be an impact striker. With six goals in just over 400 minutes for PSV, and two more for the USMNT this break, Pepi has silenced some doubters here.

Luuk de Jong, a stalwart in PSV's front line, suddenly sees his spot under threat. All Pepi has to do is keep scoring – which hasn't been a problem in recent weeks. Another clinical performance, whether starting or off the bench, would do a long way to giving PSV manager Peter Bosz an excellent problem to have.

The fast bowler did not feel he would be able to get himself up to Test level

Alex Malcolm20-Oct-2021Australia fast bowler James Pattinson has retired from international cricket after deciding he would not be in a position to push for an Ashes berth.Pattinson, 31, had begun the pre-season hoping to be part of the England series but his start to the domestic summer had been delayed by the Covid-19 lockdowns with both Victoria and New South Wales unable to play in the early part of the summer.On the day it was announced the two sides would play in back-to-back Sheffield Shield fixtures starting next week in Sydney, Pattinson made the decision to retire from international cricket after an injury ruled him out of the opening Shield fixture. He will, however, continue to play domestic cricket in Australia and hinted at a return to the county game.”Leading into pre-season I really wanted to give the Ashes a crack but in the end I haven’t had the preparation I would have liked heading into the coming season,” Pattinson said. “If I was to be part of the Ashes I would need to do myself and my team-mates justice. I didn’t want to be in a position of battling with my body when you need to be 100 per cent fit and ready to go at any time. That would not be fair to myself or the team.”It was then I felt that instead of trying to play at the very highest level, knowing I have only got three or four years of cricket left, I would focus more on Victoria, helping the young guys develop, perhaps some cricket in England and spending more time with my family.”Pattinson had not played a Test match since January 2020 against New Zealand. He was expected to play a part in last summer’s series against India but fractured his ribs after slipping at home and was unavailable to play.His decision to retire ahead of the Ashes took the Australia team hierarchy by surprise but he was comfortable it was the right time for him to step away from the international scene.”Now I have made the decision I am hoping to really enjoy the last three or four years of cricket,” Pattinson said. “I have had a great time over the years and thank Cricket Australia for the opportunities, the faith they have put in me, and of course all of my team-mates through the journey.”They have instilled a lot of trust in me especially at times when I have been injured and helped me through those times. For that, I am very grateful.”Australia’s chairman of selectors George Bailey paid tribute to a career that was limited to 21 Tests across 10 years.”Everyone who has played with Patto has thrived on his competitive nature and the sheer pride he takes in playing for his country,” Bailey said. “James epitomises what it means to play for Australia, the sacrifices you make and the hurdles you have to overcome on the journey.”But his record speaks for itself, he has been a wonderful player. We would have loved to have seen a lot more of him over the years.”Pattinson made his debut in 2011, taking five-wicket hauls in his first two matches against New Zealand, but his career was ravaged by injury with multiple stress fractures in his back leading to serious spinal surgery in 2017. He fought his way back to play in the 2019 Ashes and overall took 81 wickets at 26.33, with an impressive strike-rate of 48.90.He also played 15 ODIs and four T20Is but had not played white-ball cricket for Australia since 2015.

da betway： Liverpool overcame Real Betis last night in the first match of their pre-season tour over the pond, with head coach Arne Slot's new style of play having been on full display in that 1-0 win over the La Liga outfit.

da fezbet： Curtis Jones, one of the club's most technical midfielders, has recently expressed his delight toward the new system, with a greater emphasis expected on control and fluency in the middle of the park.

Jones' high pressing and resultant turnovers of possession, second in the squad for both metrics in 2023/24, align with his sharp ball-playing skills, marking the 23-year-old as a perfect fit for the new system.

Trent Alexander-Arnold, the Reds' other high-profile Scouser, has flirted with a future in midfield too, and while speculation over his future rumbles, he could prove to be another factory-built cog to place in Slot's engine room.

In order for it all to tick, Liverpool will surely need to shore up the defence, with an exciting centre-back seemingly under consideration.

Liverpool transfer news

According to Football Insider, Liverpool have learned the conditions of a potential transfer for Gleison Bremer this summer, with the Juventus centre-back on the move if the Serie A side's £50m asking price is met.

The Brazilian is one of Italian football's finest defenders and has been earmarked as a 'top target' for the Anfield side this summer.

FSG like to stay ahead of the curve, and with 33-year-old captain Virgil van Dijk entering the final year of his £220k-per-week contract, this is definitely one to keep an eye on over the coming weeks.

What Gleison Bremer would bring to Liverpool

Bremer, 27, has been a mainstay for Juventus since joining from Turin-based rivals Torino in 2022, amassing 83 appearances and scoring 8 goals.

Described as a "monster" of a defender by analyst Ben Mattinson, the 6 foot 2 Brazilian is a sinewy mass of muscle with an athletic constitution and a seemingly inborn positional understanding that allows him to rebuff danger with confidence.

Gleison Bremer: Serie A Stats (23/24)

Statistics

#

Matches played

36

Matches started

36

Clean sheets

15

Goals

3

Pass completion

86%

Touches per game

65.4

Key passes per game

0.2

Dribbles per game

0.3

Ball recoveries per game

5.4

Tackles per game

1.6

Interceptions per game

1.1

Clearances per game

4.0

Duels won per game

5.2 (58%)

Stats via Sofascore

As his statistics from the 2023/24 Serie A campaign show, Bremer is an extremely active defender, tackling his way toward success and covering vast swathes of ground to boot the ball away. He's also crisp in the duel.

Bringing this all together, it's clear that he would be an excellent addition to Liverpool's backline, providing someone such as Alexander-Arnold with the steel required to succeed when drifting into the centre of the field.

Liverpool's vice-captain, let's not forget, is one of the best distributors that the Premier League has seen in a long time, with Jamie Carragher even claiming that "it's like having Kevin De Bruyne playing at right-back".

He's not deficient defensively but Alexander-Arnold definitely prioritises the attacking side of the game, winning only 44% of his ground duels in the Premier League last season. Bremer would bring the requisite defensive level to allow him to play with unfettered joy.

Liverpool have an impressive set of centre-backs at Slot's disposal, but the feeling can't be shaken that the outfit is one Van Dijk injury away from facing prospective calamity.

Bremer would complete the set, with his steely defensive skills allowing the likes of Alexander-Arnold to come to the fore and exhibit the full scale of their ball-playing brilliance with freedom and security.

Related Slot's own Coutinho: Liverpool ready to fight Man City for £51m ace

He’d complete the Reds’ midfield and offer a newfound sense of “magic”.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Jul 26, 2024

English football fans cheered in unison as Ollie Watkins fired the Three Lions into their second successive European Championship final on Wednesday night.

Be it the fans of Aston Villa, Manchester City, Shrewsbury Town or West Ham United, England elicited a collective roar of delight, for here is the now tangible prospect of football immortalising itself on this island once again.

West Ham supporters know the taste of silverware, having won the Europa Conference League under David Moyes in 2023, but they will now be seeking more under Julen Lopetegui, who is working effectively with Tim Steidten to bolster the Irons squad ahead of the new era.

Signing a centre-forward is a pressing concern, with Villa Park the host of a top target. No, it's not Watkins, though efforts are being made to bring Jhon Duran to the capital this summer.

West Ham's interest in Jhon Duran

West Ham are desperate to sign a striker and have submitted an offer to Villa for striker Duran, aged 20, to enrich their frontline and bring some invaluable pace and power.

One of Unai Emery's first ports of call in the Midlands was to sign the Colombian, who transferred from Chicago Fire in the USA for £18m in January 2023.

He's not the finished product by any stretch but did score eight times across all competitions last term – a tally that included five Premier League goals despite being handed only three starting berths.

Lions captain John McGinn described the sinewy striker as a "nightmare for defenders", with his explosive and aggressive nature blending against an inborn finishing quality that speaks highly of his future at the top of the game.

Competing against the experience of Michail Antonio, who is now 34 years old but still proved his quality last year with seven goals from 21 Premier League starts, unable to make any more due to injury, Duran could prove to be an excellent addition.

Jarrod Bowen also held down the fort at centre-forward last season and did so with aplomb, but the versatile forward is best suited to life on the wing and must be placed there with the greatest regularity next term to maximise his qualities – of which there are many.

Why Jarrod Bowen is valued so highly

Bowen notched 20 goals across all competitions last season, adding ten assists and even being heralded by Brentford manager Thomas Frank, who gracefully praised his “unplayable" performance against the Bees, scoring a wonderful hat-trick.

1.

Jarrod Bowen

44

20

2.

Mohammed Kudus

45

14

3.

Tomas Soucek

52

10

4.

Lucas Paqueta

43

8

5.

Michail Antonio

32

7

5.

James Ward-Prowse

51

7

Clearly, the England international knows his way around a goal, and after starting as his team's striker for 22 of his 44 fixtures last season, it's unlikely that he will not find himself plying his trade at No. 9 at times under Lopetegui's wing.

Bowen, moreover, ranked among the top 7% of positional peers in the English top flight last year for non-penalty goals scored per 90, as per FBref, underscoring his calibre as an elite finisher.

It is, then, no surprise that the 27-year-old is West Ham's most valuable player by a considerable distance, with Football Transfers' player valuation model marking him with a £54m price tag. The Hammers' second-most valuable player is the electric Mohammed Kudus, who is marked at £41m.

Bowen is more valuable than Duran, who is indeed the subject of a £35m offer from West Ham and was actually close to signing for Chelsea in a £40m package earlier in the transfer window.

Such is Bowen's prowess that he's even tagged with a higher market valuation than the earlier-mentioned Watkins, who might be the talk of the town in England presently but comes in at a price of £46m.

This is all just a roundabout way of declaiming Bowen's abundant and vibrant quality. He's an industrious, intelligent and influential forward, wrapped into one unique style of play that has led the likes of Liverpool and Newcastle United to express a vested interest in signing him since the start of last season.

What a player. West Ham must count their lucky stars that Moyes decided to make one of his first moves upon his return to the club the capture of the young and aspiring winger, who signed from Hull City for £22m on deadline day in January 2020.

He's since completed 202 appearances for the club, scoring 60 goals and adding 39 assists. The talisman. It was Bowen who expertly latched onto Lucas Paqueta's threaded pass late on to win the Conference League, sending the Hammers into a frenzy of bliss.

Ultimately, if West Ham ever decided to cash in on their most prized asset, they'd undoubtedly fetch quite the pretty penny. In fact, a recent report commenting on Newcastle's ongoing interest in the winger suggests that the Irons might even obstinately demand a ballpark figure of £100m for his services, considering him alongside erstwhile midfield general Declan Rice, who Arsenal purchased for £105m one year ago.

He's a modern legend at West Ham, and you bet that his market price reflects the calibre of a truly exceptional player. So much has gone right at the outfit over recent years, combining to create the richest spell in its history, but without Bowen's addition at the start of Moyes' tenure, all of the success may well have been null and void.

West Ham submit bid to sign Duran alternative who's better than En-Nesyri

Tim Steidten has made the first move to sign this Euro 2024 sensation.

ByAngus Sinclair Jul 9, 2024

“I helped build that ground,” said the taxi-driver, “Leastways I helped smooth the outfield and bloody stony it was, too. That’s over thirty years ago now and they tell me it’s settled down nicely. The old field used to be next to the football pitch and was slap in the middle of town but the Buckminster Estate sold it off to Sainsburys and gave the cricket club land out of town. Mind you, there’s a lovely view over the Vale of Belvoir and you can sometimes see Belvoir Castle.”So there is and so, apparently, you can. Fittingly enough I’d only been in Grantham five minutes before being reminded of the power of the market economy. But places transcend the imprint of even their most famous daughters and Gorse Lane certainly deserved what became a day in the sun. Two years ago Nottinghamshire hosted Durham here only to the extent of turning up and watching torrential wash the game away. Covid-19 took care of the two matches scheduled in 2020 so this was fourth time lucky for the ground on the hill.Perhaps it was fourth time lucky for many of the spectators who ringed this field, sometimes six-deep, and if so, they also deserved what became a climax to cherish when Dane Paterson thrashed Ben Sanderson for a straight six to secure the two-wicket win that ends Northamptonshire’s interest in the Royal London Cup but leaves Nottinghamshire to battle for a qualification place on Thursday.Six runs were needed off three balls when Paterson got out the long handle but there had been many other times in the previous half-hour or so when nerves had informed the shot selection of a Nottinghamshire side whose bright-badged caps and fresh faces betray the inexperience of youth. As wickets were lost and dot balls surrendered to the Steelbacks’ three spinners it seemed probable that the match would hinge, unfairly perhaps, on the moments earlier in the game when Ben Slater swung Tom Taylor to James Sales at deep square leg and Ben Compton was bowled round his legs by Saif Zaib.Taylor had made 53 and Compton 71. Notts were 154 for three in the 39th over and needed another 57 runs when the second of those vital wickets fell. It hardly required much insight to conclude that his team had wanted Compton to take them home. Once he and Slater were gone they needed Brett Hutton’s big six off Zaib and 19 runs from a Sunderland-born bowling all-rounder whose 22 years make him almost an old pro in the current Notts dressing room. For yes, if this was a day Grantham CC will always treasure, it will surely also be one on which Liam Patterson-White revealed his wide-ranging ability to affect cricket matches. And it has not always been thus…When Patterson-White made his Nottinghamshire debut against Somerset two seasons and a world ago he was so ill on the first day of the game that he took no part in it. Once recovered, he followed a four-ball nought with a five-wicket return but could not prevent his team losing by 132 runs in a season that ended, so we thought, with their relegation. One or two things have happened since those blissful afternoons in Taunton. Most notably for our present purpose, Patterson-White has taken another 32 first-class wickets and 13 in List A cricket, the last five of which came at a cost of 19 runs this afternoon at Grantham, where the pitch was plainly not averse to turning.Northamptonshire were 112 for 3 in the 22nd over when Patterson-White came on at the Gorse Lane End. By the time he had completed an accurate ten-over spell replete with subtle changes of flight and pace, the visitors were 175 for eight and it needed some shrewd batting from Sanderson and Sales to see them struggle to 210. The slow left-armer was assisted by two factors: the first was a surface that offered help; the second was the presence at the Pavilion End of another slow-left-armer Fateh Singh, who conceded only 33 runs from ten overs in his third List A game. Between them the two spinners constricted the flow of runs that had seemed so free, first when Emilio Gay was batting and later when Luke Procter was making 44, his side’s top score. But the batters were complicit, too: Gay slashed Tom Barber to Slater at deep point and Procter swept Patterson-White straight to Paterson at square leg. Even on a frisky wicket, just the sort of surface that should be used for more List A games, the Steelbacks’ total was perhaps 25 light. It was a deficiency that returned to hurt them.The crowd appreciated it all, of course. We had hardly got beyond the first Powerplay before the festival atmosphere that outground cricket so often engenders was present at Grantham.The pylons beyond Wyville Road may be dull and one could also manage without the growl of traffic on the A1, yet when all these irksome assaults have been considered Gorse Lane remains a lovely home of cricket, a club in which its members obviously take great pride. They will have planned hard and worked long for this day and, as so often, the cricket did not let them down, Nottinghamshire should need no urging to return here and Liam Patterson-White may be especially keen to do so.

The board has also offered financial relief for the last two seasons, which were badly hit by the Covid-19 pandemic

Umar Farooq27-Sep-2021

The PCB has offered PSL franchises a hike in their share from the central revenue pool, starting from next year. That, as well as a couple of other concessions, come as the board and the franchises try a resolve a long-standing impasse over the financial model of the league. The PCB is also ready to fix the US dollar rate on the franchises’ annual fees – a key sticking point – and have also offered financial relief for the last two editions of the league, both of which have been badly hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.Though the PCB has sold ownership rights to all six franchises until 2025, the changes offered in the new model will stand until the 20th season of the PSL, which would be played in 2035. The exact details of the revised revenue shares or the financial relief are not yet known, and the franchises are expected to get them in the next couple of days. The six franchises are then expected to carry out internal deliberations before deciding whether or not to accept the offer.The expectation, as PCB chairman Ramiz Raja clearly spelt out in a short statement, is that the franchises will accept the offer – an indication perhaps that further negotiations will not be entertained. Ramiz met the franchises on Monday, the second meeting since Friday as he tries to take the league forward from the financial stalemate it has found itself in.”Taking into the account legal and contractual framework, the PCB has offered a new financial model to the franchisees with the sole purpose of supporting and resolving their concerns,” Ramiz said. “The PCB expects the franchisees to accept this offer so that we can switch our focus on strengthening the HBL PSL brand.”The broad gripe of the franchises over the financial model has been that while the PCB has made profits off the league, the franchises themselves have struggled to break even since the start of the league in 2016. Four out of six franchises, it is believed, have yet to break even on their investments after six seasons. From the franchise fees alone, the PCB makes USD 15.65 million every season and also takes 15% from the broadcast revenue stream. The PCB also takes home a share from gate money and sponsorship contracts. All six teams get an equal share from a central revenue pool each season, despite the disparity in their annual right fees.In 2020, the franchises took the battle to the courts, though ultimately the courts asked both parties to settle the matter out of court. That led Ehsan Mani, the previous board chairman, to set up a one-man panel with a retired former chief justice of Pakistan to abitrate on the issue. Tassaduq Hussain Jillani submitted that report earlier this month, though the PCB has not shared that with the franchises, citing it as a confidential document. Whether that report retains relevance given the PCB’s offer remains to be seen.Under former chairman Najam Sethi, the PCB had always argued that only once the league moved back to Pakistan fully will the franchises be able to move towards breaking even because of the lower costs of running a league there rather than in the UAE, and that it would also generate “higher economic activity in the country”. The league’s fifth season was the first to be fully played in Pakistan, but it was hit by the Covid-19 crisis and had to be completed over two legs, increasing the operation cost. The sixth edition similarly had broken down after bio-bubble breaches and the league was taken to Abu Dhabi a few months later.

When it comes to the atmosphere, the Kotla is far better than the Sawai Man Singh Stadium

Madhav Narayan21-May-2012Choice Of game
I’m not a resident of Rajasthan, but since I had literally nothing to do, I decided to take a trip to Jaipur – to get away from the Delhi heat. Well, let’s just say I got lucky. I had tickets to Rajasthan Royals’ game against Mumbai Indians. I didn’t feel like going (having been to five games already), but since it was the last league game of the IPL 2012, I decided not to skip it.Team supported

Born and raised in New Delhi, my loyalties lie naturally with Delhi Daredevils. So going for this non-Daredevils game, I didn’t have a clue who to support. The result of this game was inconsequential – Mumbai Indians had already secured a spot in the playoffs and Royals had missed out on the race after they lost to Deccan Chargers a few days earlier.I had enjoyed watching Royals play in Delhi, and on television, and liked how they played all their games with diligence and humility. I am also fond of their strong batting line-up (Rahul Dravid, Ajinkya Rahane, Shane Watson, Stuart Binny, Owais Shah, Ashok Menaria). So I went to this match hoping Royals would win, and Dravid, whose prospects of playing next year are slim, would finish on a good note.Key performer
Dwayne Smith. He usually doesn’t open, and his highest score in seven innings for Mumbai Indians before this match was 24. But Sunday was different. He made 87 off 58 balls, scoring 58 of the runs in boundaries. It was great to watch him work his magic live and these kinds of things have made the IPL fun to watch in stadiums.Shot of the day
Smith swept Ajit Chandila for two consecutive sixes that went long – 92 and 103 metres. The first one was blasted over midwicket without any fuss and the second was powered over the long-on boundary. Even though the majority of the spectators in the stadium supported Royals, they seemed to switch sides each time Tendulkar or Smith cracked a boundary.Entertainment
The DJ at the stadium did his best to entertain the crowd with the latest numbers and the IPL trumpet. Be it English or Hindi, the ’60s or ’90s, the crowd greeted each tune with excitement. There were also the team songs of Royals and Mumbai Indians, and of course the IPL theme song which echoed during the strategic timeouts. However, local rules state that music can’t be played at such public venues after 10pm. By the time the Mumbai Indians innings started, the DJ’s job was done and the crowd went quiet.Close encounter
Sachin Tendulkar fielded below my seat for the majority of the Royals’ innings, and his stature was acknowledged widely with fans screaming “SACCCCHIIIIIIIINNNNN” and waving towards him each time he turned his head even by a degree. He responded to their greetings, by turning back, and smiling and waving at the spectators, making their day.Nothing like home
I have been fortunate to watch five of Daredevils’ eight home games this season. Watching a game at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium does not, by any standards, match up to the Kotla. The lights, the atmosphere, the music, the crowd, the flags, the enthusiastic MC, the crazy DJ, the loudspeakers, the catchy chants, the homely stadium, all bring the Kotla to life. And I saw none of that in Jaipur yesterday.Crowd meter
Surprisingly low. The weather was good and it was a relaxed Sunday evening. I expected the crowd to make a lot of noise and see off Royals’ team with loads of enthusiasm. Those expectations weren’t met.Overall
The game became one-sided the moment Mumbai Indians got Dravid, Rahane, Watson and Binny. I expected Royals to take the total past 170, but their slow batting didn’t allow that. The game had its highlights, though – Smith’s 87, his 13 boundaries, Dhawal Kulkarni’s bowling and the Tendulkar-Smith partnership.Marks out of 10
Seven. I deduct one for the slow, and almost boring, batting. Another, for the relatively dull atmosphere. And one more since I didn’t get the exciting finish I wanted in the final game of the league stage.

Dew was not a big factor in the Dubai semi-final, but both captains will still be hoping to chase

Sidharth Monga13-Nov-20212:24

Moody, Vettori on the spin factor in the grand finale

Big PictureIf anything, this World Cup is a reminder of the number of chances modern cricket offers.Only two years ago James Neesham was wishing he had never been a cricketer, such was the heartbreak his side endured in the 50-over World Cup final. Not long before that he had actually contemplated giving up cricket precisely because he was struggling to come to terms with failing, an essential part of the life of any cricketer or a cricketing team.Watch the final on ESPN+ (US only)

The Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 is available in the US on ESPN+. You can subscribe to ESPN+ and tune in to Australia vs New Zealand here.

Only earlier this year, Justin Langer coached Australia to a four-Test home series defeat against a team that had a net bowler and a T20 specialist. Concerns around his coaching style have been the worst-kept secret in Australian cricket, which plummeted further with thrashings in the West Indies and Bangladesh as the year progressed.And yet, one of them could be a world champion on Sunday. Well, actually Monday in their home countries (the final begins at 1am on Australia’s east coast and at 3am in New Zealand).No matter how crushing a defeat, it is not the end of the world in today’s cricket where World Cups of one format or the other are played practically every year. Hasan Ali, Chris Jordan, we are looking at you. You dust yourselves up, start to play good cricket again and, with some luck, you get that chance again. Especially in T20 cricket, prone to upsets and chance because of the crunched nature of it.This is New Zealand’s third straight ICC event final, and Australia’s first since they won the World Cup in 2015, but they have made it here in identical fashion. Finishing second in their groups, they got the better of the tournament favourites in the semi-finals through a dash in the final four overs, helped significantly by the toss.Related

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Coach Gary Stead lauds NZ's 'never-say-die attitude'

This has been the friendliest of all T20 World Cups to sides winning the toss: if the final is also won by the side winning the toss, two out of every three matches will have been won by the toss-winners.Restrict it to evenly matched teams and take out Sharjah, and only one total has been defended out of 14 in the Super 12s. They don’t come more evenly matched than these two. If Australia have the extra batting depth, New Zealand have a more rounded bowling attack, the most economical of the tournament. Usually batting depth trumps rounded attacks in T20 contests, but this has been the slowest-scoring T20 World Cup of all, which gives bowling-heavy teams a chance.Then again, the final will be played on a fresh pitch; if it is anything like the semi-final in Dubai, it gives Australia a slight advantage, but if 150-160 is a par score, New Zealand might just be the favourites.Form guideAustralia WWWLW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
New Zealand WWWWWIn the spotlightScan the teams for a player worthy of a place in an all-time T20 XI, and your eyes might land on David Warner. Like Langer and a few other Australia players, Warner has had a pretty ordinary year though. He made a premature comeback from injury in the series loss against India, and spent large parts of the IPL coming to terms with the ignominy of not even making his IPL team’s XV leave alone an all-time XI. However as a batter at this World Cup, while others might have scored more runs, in terms of impact-batting Warner has been second only to another all-timer, Jos Buttler, scoring 236 runs at a strike rate of 148.42. A winning hand in a World Cup final could be the final seal on his reputation, though he doesn’t really need it.Tim Southee has asked many questions for New Zealand•ICC via Getty

Tim Southee has taken at least one wicket in each match and has gone at just 5.75 runs an over so far. Fourteen of his 24 overs have been bowled in the powerplay, and five at the death. Here is a bowler who didn’t even get to play in the first XI in his team’s last World Cup. The turnaround has been remarkable, and just like a well-constructed T20 over, he needs to close it out in the final moments.Team newsAustralia don’t have a reason to change their XI with Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Marsh and Marcus Stoinis providing them a fifth bowler and Matthew Wade at No. 7 making it a reasonably deep batting line-up.Australia (probable) 1 David Warner, 2 Aaron Finch (capt.), 3 Mitchell Marsh, 4 Steven Smith, 5 Glenn Maxwell, 6 Marcus Stoinis, 7 Matthew Wade (wk), 8 Pat Cummins, 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Josh HazlewoodNew Zealand will have to make at least one change after Devon Conway broke his hand when striking his bat in frustration at his dismissal. They are unlikely to change the balance of the side, though, with five full-time bowlers and Neesham at No. 6. Tim Seifert is the likely replacement for Conway.New Zealand (probable) 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Daryll Mitchell, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Tim Seifert (wk), 5 Glenn Phillips, 6 James Neesham, 7 Mitchell Santner, 8 Tim Southee, 9 Adam Milne, 10 Trent Boult, 11 Ish SodhiPitch and conditionsWe should get a fresh pitch, which should be good for batting. Even though there wasn’t much dew during the semi-final in Dubai, chasing remains the preferred option.Stats and trivia New Zealand have never beaten Australia in any knockout match. They have played each in 17 quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals, out of which Australia have won 16. The one that New Zealand won wasn’t a knockout but the first of the best-of-five finals in 1981, a series that New Zealand eventually lost. Australia have won all the four knockout matches between them at ICC events. Neither captain is having a great tournament. Kane Williamson has scored 131 runs at under a run a ball, and Aaron Finch has scored at a rate of just 119 despite being an opener and getting to bat in the powerplay. Finch, though, has done much better at the toss, winning five to Williamson’s two. We are guaranteed a first T20 world champion from the southern hemisphere.Quotes”It’s not unexpected: we came here with a clear plan to try and win this tournament and always felt as though we had the depth and quality in our squad to put ourselves in a position to do that, and New Zealand have been in every final for a long time now in ICC events. They’re a great team over all three formats and can never be underestimated, but maybe people on the outside do.”
“I suppose the fact that we’re neighbours creates a bit of that [rivalry]. And [in] a number of different sports as well. We play each other on a number of occasions. It’s always a great competition and great occasion when we play each other.”

Wolverhampton Wanderers have three players representing them at Euro 2024 who will all be hoping to perform to as high of a level as what they managed to hit in the 2023/24 season with their club side. Gary O’Neil’s side finished 14th in the Premier League last campaign, an impressive placement in his first season in charge.

The trio of his players at the Euros are representatives of Portugal; namely, they are Jose Sa, Pedro Neto and Nelson Semedo. Only two of those three have featured so far, with Jose Sa yet to make an appearance. It seems unlikely the goalkeeper will displace Diogo Costa from the starting lineup after his penalty heroics, barring injury.

Neto has featured in three out of Portugal’s four games so far, missing the round of 16 win over Slovenia. He started their final group game against Georgia, playing 75 minutes, and had 45 minutes off the bench in the second game. Semedo has yet to start but has played in all of his country’s games so far.

However, come the end of summer, the Midlands side may well be able to boast a fourth player in their squad who played at Euro 2024, following links to one of the tournament’s breakout stars.

Wolves target Euros sensation

The player in question here is Fenerbache and Turkey left-back Ferdi Kadioglu. The 24-year-old has impressed as his country reached the quarter-finals in Germany, where they will face the Netherlands, and he is now linked with a move away from the club this summer.

According to a report from Turkish news outlet Milat Gazetesi, Wolves are one club who are interested in signing the exciting left-back over the summer transfer window. The article explains that Wolves are one of the sides who are 'closely following' Kadioglu, and could look to sign him this summer.

However, they will face major competition from elsewhere in the Premier League and the rest of Europe. The report states that London trio Arsenal, Fulham and West Ham are interested in signing the left-back, with competition coming from Germany in the form of Borussia Dortmund, Stuttgart and Bayer Leverkusen, and Spain with Atletico Madrid and Valencia also interested.

In terms of a price, Fenerbache will not accept any offers below £35m, after previously asking Dortmund for such a fee previously. The German giants bid £25m, but that was an offer turned down by the Turkish club.

Why Kadioglu would be a good signing

There is no doubt that Kadioglu has been a standout player in Turkey’s impressive Euro 2024 run so far. He has played 90 minutes in each of their four games, playing as a flying left-wing back who has impressed defensively and in the final third.

Against Austria in his side’s round of 16 victory, he was given a 7/10 for his performance by GIVEMESPORT. He was given plenty of praise, with one analyst – Ben Mattinson – hailing him as a "total footballer" for his display against Ralf Rangnick's team.

Should Wolves sign Kadioglu, he could be the ideal replacement for Rayan Ait-Nouri, who seems set to leave Wolves this summer. According to reports, Liverpool are thought to be keen admirers of the left-back.

In terms of pure goals and assists numbers, Kadioglu scored three times and registered five assists in 51 games, respectable numbers from left-back. Ait-Nouri played fewer games, just 38, and only scored one goal and registered two assists.

The Turkey international also puts up better creative numbers as per FBref, averaging 8.83 progressive passes per 90 minutes which ranks him in the top 1% of positional peers in leagues similar to the Turkish top-flight. He also averages 1.38 key passes, which ranks him in the top 17%. In contrast, as per Fbref, Ait-Nouri averages just 3.83 progressive passes and 0.97 key passes.

The Fenerbahce defender is also a wonderful ball-carrier, as he has shown in Euro 2024. Kadioglu averages 5.19 progressive carries and 3.98 carries into the final third, both of which place him in the top 1%. In contrast, the Algerian averages just 2.59 progressive carries and 1.85 carries into the final third per 90.

Both players are of a very similar profile; that is to say, fast, flying wingbacks who are able to contribute in the final third whilst also being excellent defensively. Kadiolgu’s 7.44 ball recoveries are slightly better than the 5.26 ball recoveries per 90 of Ait-Nouri.

It certainly seems like a deal Wolves should pursue if they sell their star man. They would be able to add a like-for-like replacement to their squad, whilst keeping a profile that O’Neil would be able to effectively utilise in his system. For a fee of around £35m, it could be a superb investment for Wolves.

Wolves want £30m Neto replacement who "looks like a PL star"

He was one of the best players in his division last season

By
Joe Nuttall

Jun 28, 2024

da 888： One of the Premier League’s most underrated academy systems is that of Aston Villa. The Midlands side, who will return to the Champions League for the first time since its rebrand from the European Cup, have produced some of English football’s best players.

da esport bet： Perhaps the Villans’ most famous academy graduate is Gareth Barry. The former England international played 439 times for Villa, and is actually the Premier League’s highest-ever appearances maker, with 653 outings. He has also played for West Brom, Everton and Manchester City, with whom he won the Premier League in 2011/12 and the FA Cup in 2011.

Gary Cahill is another notable academy graduate from the Villans academy. Although he only played 31 times for the club, he went on to have an illustrious career elsewhere, notably at Chelsea. Among other trophies, the former England defender won the Premier League and Europa League during his time at Stamford Bridge.

In the current first team, Unai Emery has some academy graduates of his own at his disposal. Most notably, they include Jacob Ramsey, Jaden Philogene and Cameron Archer, with the latter two returning to the club this summer from Hull City and Sheffield United, respectively.

However, they might not be the only academy graduates to resign for Villa this season, after they have been linked with a high-profile former payer this week.

Aston Villa target Premier League attacker

The player in question here is Manchester City and England international attacker Jack Grealish. The 28-year-old made a name for himself at boyhood club Villa before earning a major move to the Etihad Stadium and has now been tipped to leave the club this summer.

According to a report from TEAMtalk, the Villans are ‘keeping a close eye on the situation’ of their former skipper, and could be poised to make a move if they get an indication he wants to depart the Cityzens this summer.

The report suggests that Villa are not interested in buying the attacker permanently this year, but instead want to do a deal that would see him sign on loan with an obligation to buy him next summer, instead.

That could be a way around breaching the profit and sustainability rules, given the Villans have already completed deals for eight players this summer, and came close to breaching the rules at the end of last season, too.

How Grealish could be transformed by Emery

Should Villa get a deal for Grealish over the line this summer, he would hope to rediscover his form during his final season at Villa Park, which led to his record-breaking £100m move to the Etihad Stadium.

The England international, who missed out on selection for Euro 2024, was one of the Premier League’s best players in 2020/21 but has not really captured his best form in Manchester. He has played 125 times for City but has scored just 14 times and registered 18 assists.

During his final season at Villa Park, Grealish was a maverick in midfield, given a free-roam role by then-manager Dean Smith. The Englishman scored six times and registered ten assists in 26 top-flight games, compared to just three goals and a single assist in 20 games in 2023/24 under Pep Guardiola.

In fact, Grealish was statistically one of the Premier League’s best creative players in his final season wearing claret and blue, both when looking at his creative stats and ball-carrying stats on FBref.

Grealish stats vs. Premier League players 2020/21

Stat

Number

PL rank

Assists

10

=3rd

Progressive carries

172

2nd

Carries into final third

98

6th

Carries into penalty area

79

2nd

Key passes

81

3rd

Passes into penalty area

69

6th

Stats from FBref

At City, we have not really seen the side of Grealish that is a pure ball carrier, a deadly threat in transition who would use Pausa, quick feet and footballing intelligence to keep hold of the ball and win fouls for his side. Football scout Antonio Mango once called him “unplayable”, and that is what was once the norm in a Villa shirt.

Instead, he has become somewhat of a cog in the system that is Guardiola’s City, a shadow of his former self in many ways. Nowadays, we don’t see the flair and finesse of Grealish as much as we did in his Villa days when he was one of the Premier League’s great entertainers.

How Emery could get the best out of Grealish

Perhaps we could see Emery get the best out of Grealish as one of the number 10s, the false wingers, in his famed 4-2-2-2 system. The 28-year-old would have a better environment in a free-flowing and more transitional system which he could thrive, and remind the Premier League, and the England setup, just how good he can be.

Emery has already turned one Villa attacker into one of English football’s best and most productive players. Ollie Watkins was simply sensational for the Villans last campaign and was a large reason why they managed to finish in fourth place in the league and qualify for the Champions League.

The England international, who scored his country’s winning goal in the Euro 2024 semi-final, was prolific for his side last term. In 37 games in the top flight, Watkins got himself on the scoresheet 19 times and also managed to assist his teammates on 13 occasions.

As per StatMuse, he was one of only three players with more than 30 goals and assists in the Premier League last season, and he was in fine company at that. England teammate Cole Palmer led the way with 33 goal involvements, and Watkins was tied on 32 with deadly striker Erling Haaland, who claimed the Golden Boot.

In fact, his 13 assists last campaign for the Villans was enough to earn him the Premier League’s Playmaker award, given out to the player with the most assists. In terms of combined goals and assists, it was comfortably the 28-year-old’s best season of his career.

Perhaps Emery can have a similar impact on Grealish as he has had on Watkins, having turned the former Brentford man – who scored just 11 times in 2021/22 – into one of Europe’s best centre-forwards. Grealish has all the talent but needs the right environment to flourish, and that is certainly something the Spaniard could provide.

On a loan-to-buy deal, Villa might well try and bring Grealish home at all costs. Whilst his wage could be high, given he is currently on £300k-per-week, as per Capology, he is an academy graduate, their former captain and arguably one of their greatest players.

If Grealish – who has been described as a "magician" by pundit Rio Ferdinand – can get even half as close to his old form, could make them contenders for top four, or better, once again next campaign.

Related Contact made: Aston Villa chase £50k-p/w forward who Thierry Henry loves

He could be the perfect Ollie Watkins alternative for Unai Emery.

Posts ByBen Browning Jul 31, 2024