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The Australia captain said that performances on the upcoming tours will count for a lot in final selection

Andrew McGlashan25-Jun-2021Australia’s planning for the 2021 T20 World Cup has been significantly disrupted by tour pullouts but captain Aaron Finch is maintaining his focus – in more ways than one.Finch underwent surgery on his left eye after the tour of New Zealand in March – which was the last time he played – and is hopeful of seeing a positive impact on the upcoming trip to the West Indies and yet-to-be-confirmed assignment against Bangladesh.Finch revealed that he had first suffered from blurred vision during last year’s IPL, where he started to suffer a lean run of form that briefly lifted in the ODIs against India with 249 runs in three innings before he endured a lean BBL. He finished the series in New Zealand strongly but when the use of contact lenses didn’t work he opted for surgery from which he believes he has already felt the benefits.”I’m seeing them pretty good,” he said in Brisbane ahead of the squad’s chartered flight to the Caribbean on Monday. “I’ve only been hitting indoors on hard wickets, so [I] think the big test will come in night matches, that’s when I noticed the biggest difference in my eyesight.Related

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“It was just bloody blurry which isn’t ideal as a batsman. One day it just sort of changed and got a little bit worse. It wasn’t very sharp and there was bit of a halo around lights and a bit of a trail on the ball, so just a bit unusual. After New Zealand we thought that was the best time to get it done. Was about a three-week process and it was really smooth. It’s all clear now, so seems really good.”As in New Zealand, Finch will have a squad stripped of some key players due to a combination of resting, opt-outs and Steven Smith’s elbow injury. It was a long-term plan for David Warner and Pat Cummins to miss the tour, but Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson and Jhye Richardson made themselves unavailable.That has led to recalls for Ben McDermott, Ashton Turner and Dan Christian along with a maiden call-up for pace bowler Wes Agar.Finch reiterated the view of national selector Trevor Hohns that significant weight will be put behind performances over these two tours when it comes to the final selection of the T20 World Cup squad which means there may not be a certain path back for all the absentees.”Playing cricket for Australia and doing well is the ultimate, in my opinion,” he said. “So for guys to be on this tour to get the first opportunity to put their hand up and take that spot is what it’s about. It’s tough to ignore really good international performances.”You have to go on current form. These conditions will be very similar to what we face in the T20 World Cup I imagine – especially St Lucia being used quite a lot and then Bangladesh being quite similar to India or UAE, wherever that lands.”There is now a good chance that Australia’s squad for the T20 World Cup, slated to be hosted in India in October-November, could look significantly different to what was originally envisaged. Hohns indicated last week that the selectors had been close to locking in the final group but along with the latest withdrawals, Finch said that the team that strung together nine wins in 11 matches during 2019 and early 2020 had been put together with an Australia-based tournament in mind before the pandemic forced a switch.”It could change a lot. That was based on the World Cup being in Australia and I thought our side in the lead-up to the original World Cup meant to be held here was really settled. You have to look to keep restructuring your side to gather more information. The more the wickets change and the more they go away from our traditional Australian wickets think the more we have to keep learning.”The West Indies tour includes five T20Is which will be played in St Lucia before three ODIs – which carry World Cup Super League points – in Barbados. The squad is then due to head directly to Bangladesh for five T20Is in early August if that leg gets the biosecure plans signed off.

Young’s success presents a selection dilemma ahead of the WTC final

Matt Roller11-Jun-2021Devon Conway was 71 not out when Joe Root threw the old ball to Mark Wood, 15 minutes before tea. Other than an announcement over the PA system, there was no way to make the short-ball plan more obvious: fielders were stationed on the boundary at fine leg, long leg and square leg, with three more in close at square leg (again), forward short leg and straight midwicket.Wood banged his first ball in short towards the ribcage and Conway unfurled a pull shot, as if making a point of hitting it rather than using the ball’s pace to deflect it round the corner, and his placement was perfect, somehow finding the gap between two of the boundary-riders. Wood grimaced in frustration at a shot which encapsulated how easy Conway has made Test cricket look in his first two appearances at this level.England thought that they had found a gap in Conway’s armour on the first day of the Lord’s Test last week when Wood hit him on the shoulder with a bumper, but he has now hit 40 runs off the 31 short balls he has faced in the series and swivel-pulled with rare elegance, at times resembling Brian Lara with a raised right leg. Conway explained at Lord’s that he had been taken aback by the lack of bounce, having grown up playing on fast pitches in South Africa, and once he had adapted to Wood’s skiddy short stuff, he was away.The only surprise came when he whipped Stuart Broad off his pads and straight down Zak Crawley’s throat shortly after tea, causing him to throw his head back and shut his eyes in disbelief in his only show of emotion to date. No New Zealand player has scored as many runs across their first three Test innings and few of any nationality can have made such an impression.”It was good just to be out there in the middle and gain more experience at this level, I suppose,” he said afterwards, with typical understatement. “It was all about trying to be nice and positive, as I am throughout any sort of innings. It was a little bit disappointing getting out on 80 – when you get to those positions you’d really like to cash in as much as you can but such is life.”It’s a tough challenge facing two guys [Broad and James Anderson] that have been really successful over a number of years but it’s not really about facing the bowler, it’s about facing the ball that’s presented in front of you and sticking within your gameplan.”Related

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Devon Conway and Will Young make it New Zealand's day

Things could have been very different. On 22, Conway had edged a low chance to second slip which was scooped up by Crawley, but stood his ground, waiting for a definitive verdict. Richard Kettleborough gave a soft signal of not out as he referred the decision to Michael Gough, the third umpire, who found no hard evidence that a mistake had been made. It was “Schrödinger’s catch – out and not out simultaneously,” Daniel Norcross suggested on Test Match Special.Broad was visibly exasperated, and pundits queued up to criticise the soft-signal protocols, which has already been scrapped in the IPL and will soon be up for debate at ICC level. Jason Holder, the former West Indies captain, tweeted, “How much longer will the soft signal cloud the game?” but in the case of marginal slip catches leaving the decision solely to the third umpire is no silver bullet: issues of foreshortening mean that they are destined to be unclear and contentious regardless.Devon Conway continued an impressive start to his Test career•Getty ImagesConway’s only obvious deficiency has been a proclivity to play a fraction outside the line of the ball, bringing chop-ons via the inside edge into play. At Lord’s, he inside-edged 25 times against seamers – including once onto his stumps in the second innings – compared to only one outside edge, according to CricViz’s data, and the figures were six and three respectively today. He has also had limited exposure to top-quality spin bowling, and will be tested by R Ashwin in the World Test Championship final next week.Conway was supported ably by Will Young, who gritted things out for just over six hours before inside-edging Dan Lawrence’s whirly offspin to short leg via his pad immediately before the close. He was dropped on 7, Root shelling a straightforward catch at first slip as Olly Stone induced an outside edge, and had to cling on for dear life during a probing burst from Broad and Anderson after tea, but he appears to be reaping the benefits of an early-season stint with Durham in which he hit two County Championship hundreds.Young’s success presents a selection dilemma ahead of the WTC final, with Kane Williamson due to return after resting his sore left elbow and New Zealand certain to go in with five bowling options, including an allrounder at No. 7. One batter will be squeezed out and while Ross Taylor has been in a tough run of form over the last 18 months, he survived a characteristically anxious start and reached the close unbeaten on 46 to further his case for retention. Assuming a clean bill of health, that leaves Young as the favourite to miss out despite his 82 – providing further illustration of New Zealand’s new-found strength in depth.

Tottenham Hotspur do not kick off their 2024/25 Premier League campaign until they travel to the King Power stadium to take on Leicester City on Monday night.

Ange Postecoglou and his team have been able to watch the opening weekend of the division unfold before they take to the field in the last match of the gameweek.

The Australian head coach will surely be eyeing up a minimum target of securing a top four position in the league this term, having missed out on Champions League football last season.

Daniel Levy has dipped into the transfer market to strengthen the squad during the summer transfer window, in an attempt to improve the manager's options across the park.

Archie Gray has been brought in from Leeds United, Dominic Solanke was snapped up from Bournemouth, and Wilson Odobert is the latest recruit from Burnley – with all three joining on a permanent basis.

There are still just under two weeks left to go before the end of the summer transfer window and this means that there could be further additions before the deadline passes.

Tottenham are still reportedly in the market to make further additions to the group, with a defender seemingly on the agenda for the Lilywhites.

Spurs preparing bid for Brazilian ace

According to reports in Brazil, Levy is readying a Spurs bid to sign right-back Vanderson from AS Monaco before the end of the month.

The reporter claims that the Premier League side are prepared to offer €32m (£27m) as an initial fee for the Brazilian defender, along with add-ons and bonuses to take it beyond that.

This shows that the Lilywhites are serious about a swoop for the former Gremio whiz, as they are willing to pay a significant sum of money to add him to their squad.

Andrade does not reveal whether or not that will be enough to tempt the Ligue 1 outfit into cashing in on the full-back, but adds that the two clubs are in ongoing talks over a potential deal for the 23-year-old star.

It had previously been reported that Spurs are looking at Vanderson as a replacement for Emerson Royal, who recently completed a permanent move to AC Milan.

Emerson's exit from the club has left Pedro Porro as Postecoglou's only senior option at right-back, which is why a move for the Monaco defender does make a lot of sense this month.

If Tottenham can get a deal for Vanderson over the line before the end of the window then he could be a dream addition to play behind Odobert, who has just signed from Burnley.

What Wilson Odobert could bring to Spurs

Firstly, it is worth remembering that the French talent is only 19 and it would be unfair to expect great things from him in his first season at the club.

He only has 29 games of Premier League experience under his belt for Burnley and will need time to continue to adjust to the league and to first-team football.

However, despite his age and inexperience, Odobert is an exciting player who could still produce moments of quality in a Spurs shirt when given an opportunity to perform this season.

23/24 Premier League

Wilson Odobert

Appearances

29

xG

2.81

Goals

3

Big chances created

7

Key passes per game

1.1

Assists

2

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the teenage whiz did well with the chances that fell his way as he scored three goals from just 2.81 xG for the relegated side.

Meanwhile, his teammates let him down with their wasteful finishing as they could only find the back of the net two times from his seven 'big chances' created.

Odobert ranked within the top 31% of midfielders in the division for Expected Assisted Goals per 90 (0.14) and the top 29% for shot-creating actions per 90 (3.21), which shows that he was an above-average creator in the Premier League.

The 19-year-old sensation also started the current campaign in fantastic form with a goal and a 'big chance' created against Luton Town in the Championship before his move to Spurs was completed.

Tottenham could now land a perfect right-back to play behind the winger, who can play on the left or the right flank, by landing Vanderson this month.

Why Vanderson would be perfect for Odobert

To understand why the Brazilian would be an ideal partner for the Frenchmen, it is first worth noting that the former Burnley man is not the strongest out of possession.

Odobert lost 55% of his duels in the Premier League last season and ranked within the bottom 18% or lower of his positional peers for clearances, aerial battles won, tackles, and interceptions per 90 respectively.

This suggests that Spurs would, before the winger develops and improves that side of his game, need a defensively strong full-back behind him to make up for the youngster's lack of defensive awareness.

Vanderson's form in Ligue 1 for Monaco last season suggests that he would be the perfect player to support Odobert down the flank, due to his ability to compete in and win duels.

The Brazilian defender did not provide a huge attacking threat, with three goals and one assist, in his 20 Ligue 1 outings last term, but did showcase his defensive quality with a whopping 4.8 tackles and interceptions combined per match.

23/24 Ligue 1 (per 90)

Vanderson

Percentile rank vs full-backs

Tackles

3.29

Top 3%

Interceptions

1.92

Top 5%

Blocks

1.59

Top 18%

Dribblers tackled

1.76

Top 6%

Passes blocked

1.48

Top 5%

Stats via FBRef

As you can see in the table above, Vanderson was one of the best full-backs in the French top-flight in a host of defensive statistics in the 2023/24 campaign.

The 23-year-old ace, who U23 scout Antonio Mango claimed has "breathtaking energy", also started the current Ligue 1 season in sensational form on Saturday.

He assisted one goal, created two 'big chances', made six tackles and interceptions combined, and won 57% of his duels against Saint-Etienne – showing off his ability in and out of possession.

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Posts 1 ByJoe Nuttall Aug 17, 2024

Overall, Vanderson appears to be the perfect target to come in and play at full-back with a winger who is not defensively aware, as he can make up for that with his sensational defensive play.

Having already lost one of their jewels in the crown in Michael Olise, and Eberechi Eze, also subject to interest from top Premier League clubs, Crystal Palace could be set for a season-defining transfer window, as they look to replace them.

But, it seems to be getting even worse for Oliver Glasner, as defender and often captain on the pitch, Marc Guehi, is also attracting interest, notably from Newcastle, who are closing in on a £60m deal for the 24-year-old.

Guehi made 29 appearances in all competitions for Palace last season, providing one assist, and contributing to eight clean sheets, with his stellar season even earning him a Euro 2024 starting spot for England, after the injury to Harry Maguire.

Crystal Palace transfer news

According to L'Equipe, Crystal Palace are interested in Wolfsburg defender, Maxence Lacroix, as a potential replacement for Guehi, should he leave the club this summer.

The report states that the two parties are in talks over a move, with Lacroix speculated to be available for around £17m per other claims. However, Wolfsburg are expected to attempt to secure the best possible deal, to ensure they can replace him, as they are already beginning to look for replacements.

Lacroix made 31 appearances in all competitions for Wolfsburg last season, scoring four goals, providing one assist, and contributing to eight clean sheets in his 2,665 minutes played.

Lacroix vs Guehi comparison

Labelled as an "elite defender" by journalist Tobias Kröger, Lacroix stands at 6 foot 3 tall, with exceptional physical attributes, including blistering speed for a defender, making him perfect for the Premier League.

The two defenders offer different assets, as Lacroix is more of a physically imposing and aggressive defender, whilst Guehi has to be more calculated due to his smaller height and therefore having less of a physical presence.

Lacroix vs Guehi comparison

Stats (per 90 mins)

Lacroix

Guehi

Passes Attempted

46.9

50.6

Pass Completion %

84.7%

86.9%

Progressive Passes

3.02

2.98

Progressive Carries

0.19

0.67

Tackles

1.83

1.24

Blocks

1.34

0.98

Interceptions

0.91

0.72

Aerials Won

2.44

1.29

Stats taken from FBref

You can see from these metrics that Guehi is slightly more comfortable on the ball, averaging just under four more passes attempted per 90, and having 2.2% more passing accuracy per 90. However, Lacroix still managed 0.04 more progressive passes per 90, averaging 3.02 to Guehi's 2.98.

The disparity in their ball-playing qualities, at least according to the stats, isn't too dissimilar. However, their defensive metrics are further apart, with Lacroix averaging more tackles, blocks, interceptions and aerials won per 90.

Lacroix nearly doubles Guehi's 1.29 aerials per 90, which is expected given their difference in height, and would add much-needed aerial prowess to their defensive ranks. Palace only scored five goals from set pieces last season, which was joint bottom with Burnley for this metric in the league.

Whilst losing Guehi would feel like another big piece lost for Glasner, the physical presence of Lacroix could bring extra solidity to that Palace backline, and provide them with certain assets the team doesn't currently have.

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Posts ByConnor Holden Aug 7, 2024

يستعد فريق النصر السعودي، لخوض مباراة قوية اليوم، أمام نظيره التعاون، ضمن منافسات بطولة دوري روشن موسم 2024-2025.

ويلتقي النصر مع التعاون، على أرضية ملعب مدينة الملك عبدالله الرياضية، في إطار مواجهات الجولة الخامسة عشر لبطولة الدوري السعودي.

ويسعى فريق النصر لتعديل موقفه في بطولة الدوري السعودي، من أجل تقليص الفارق عن المتصدر فريق الهلال، وزيادة فرصه في المنافسة على اللقب.

طالع أيضاً.. حمدي فتحي يوضح موقفه من الاستمرار مع الوكرة

ويحتل النصر المركز الثالث في جدول ترتيب الدوري برصيد 28 نقطة، من 14 مواجهة، حقق الفوز في 8، وتعادل في 4، وتلقي هزيمتين.

على الجانب الآخر، يتواجد فريق التعاون بالمركز الثامن في جدول ترتيب دوري روشن، ولديه 21 نقطة، من 14 لقاء، إذ حقق الفوز 6، وتعادل في 3، وتلقى 5 هزائم. موعد مباراة النصر والتعاون في الدوري السعودي

تنطلق صافرة بداية المباراة عند الساعة السابعة مساء اليوم الجمعة بتوقيت القاهرة، الثامنة بتوقيت السعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة النصر والتعاون اليوم

تنقل المباراة عبر قناة SSC1 HD. معلق مباراة النصر والتعاون اليوم

يتولى مشاري القرني مهمة التعليق على المباراة.

ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنــــا.

Amid Luke Shaw's history of injury struggles and Tyrell Malacia's season on the sidelines last time out, Manchester United have reportedly set their sights on a new left-back this summer.

Man Utd left-back problems

Shaw's Premier League campaign came to an end in February last season, before he finally made his return to action at Euro 2024, where his introduction very nearly helped England pick up what would have been a historic piece of silverware, only for Spain to come out on top in the final.

Meanwhile, Malacia's Premier League season didn't even get started, with last July's knee injury ruling him out of action for the entirety of the campaign. Even now, the Dutchman has not travelled for Manchester United's pre-season tour of the USA, instead continuing his recovery in the hope of finally returning to action next month.

Without the two left-backs, the Red Devils turned to Diogo Dalot. Had the Portugal international also suffered an injury, however, Erik ten Hag would have been left pondering his next move. Highlighting the need for extra cover down the left-hand side, INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe could now turn to a familiar face this summer.

According to Graeme Bailey for HITC, Manchester United are now eyeing a move to sign Archie Brown from KAA Gent in what would see INEOS sign the left-back for a second time, having secured his signature at Swiss side Lausanne-Sport in 2021.

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Posts ByConnor Holden Jul 25, 2024

The 22-year-old came through Derby County's academy, before completing a free move to Lausanne and eventually discovering his best form in Belgium at Gent. Now, three years after leaving English football, Brown could get the biggest move of his career in the form of Manchester United.

"Complete" Brown can become Shaw heir

It's been quite the journey for Brown so far throughout his career. He started at Derby, before finding his feet in Switzerland and earning the interest of Premier League sides after thriving in Belgium. Now, his next stop could be Old Trafford in what would be a full circle moment back to English football for the first time in three years.

At 22 years of age, there are likely to be more stops along the way towards stardom too, but Manchester United may hope to have found their heir to Shaw's left-back role if they secure Brown's signature this summer.

The Derby academy graduate certainly has his fans in Belgium, with Gent's former head of scouting, Samuel Cardenas, telling the club's official website following Brown's arrival: "Archie is a player we followed last season in the Swiss 2nd division. He first played as a central defender and then quickly switched to the left-back position.

"For us, he is an option in both positions. Archie has all the qualities to succeed here: he is a complete player, fast, athletic, a solid defender and technically very strong with dynamism and attacking impulses."

The South African women’s team will return to international action for the first time since March when they host Pakistan in January. The teams will play six white-ball matches in a bio-secure environment in the Kwa-Zulu Natal province, beginning with the two ODIs at Kingsmead on January 20 and January 23, and a third at the Pietermaritzburg Oval, which will also host the first two T20Is, before the tour ends with a third T20I at Kingsmead.”Hosting this tour of Pakistan Women is incredibly important to us as this will give our Protea Women much needed game time and also bring in revenue that funds the entire game of cricket especially during these difficult times,” Graeme Smith, CSA director of cricket, said. “We enjoy a very good working relationship with the Pakistan Cricket board and we look forward to hosting their ladies side in what promises to be an exciting tour in the new year.”

Tour schedule

• 1st ODI: Jan 20, Durban

• 2nd ODI: Jan 23, Durban

• 3rd ODI: Jan 26, Pietermaritzburg

• 1st T20I: Jan 29, Pietermaritzburg

• 2nd T20I: Jan 31, Pietermaritzburg

• 3rd T20I: Feb 3, Durban

The Pakistanis will begin their preparations with a warm-up match at Durban’s Chartsworth Oval on January 16 against the South African Emerging squad.”It is critical for women’s cricket that we continue to invest in the game in these difficult times, otherwise all the efforts and hard work that have gone recently in building the profile, enhancing the standard and generating fan interest and following will be wasted,” PCB women’s chief selector and head of the women’s cricket, Urooj Mumtaz, said. “I am delighted that Cricket South Africa have agreed to host us for a full tour despite having already qualified for the ICC Women’s World Cup 2022. This is yet another indicator and reflection of our relationship with the Member boards who are willing to help and support each other in any possible way.”The ODIs will be broadcast on pay-television provider, SuperSport, while the T20Is will be live-streamed. The series is the latest is ongoing good relations between South Africa and Pakistan, which will see the men’s team tour Pakistan for the first time in 14 years early next year and Pakistan reciprocate with a white-ball tour to South Africa next March. The women’s series is not part of the ICC Women’s Championship. South Africa have already qualified for the 2022 50-over World Cup in New Zealand while Pakistan will have the chance to secure their spot at the qualifying event, which, according to a PCB statement, will be held in July.Pakistan’s tour to South Africa will also be their first assignment under head coach David Hemp and bowling coach Arshad Khan, who were appointed in October and November respectively.Bismah Maroof and Dane van Niekerk share a light moment during the captains’ photoshoot•AFP

“To prepare and select the best available side and in continuation to the Women’s High Performance Camp and the National Triangular T20 Women’s Cricket Championship, the women’s national selection committee has invited 27 women cricketers for a training and preparation camp, which will be held at the Hanif Mohammad High Performance Centre in Karachi from 20 December,” the PCB said in a statement. “From the start of the training camp until the side’s departure for Durban on 11 January, the women cricketers will remain and train in a bio-secure environment, besides undergoing routine testing in line with the PCB Covid-19 protocols. Prior to joining the camp, each cricketer will require a negative test and another negative test after reporting for the camp before being allowed to integrate with other members of the group.”The South Africa women’s team has not played competitive cricket since the 2020 Women’s T20 World Cup in Australia, where they made the semi-finals, and have had series against Australia (at home) and West Indies (away) postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic. They had hoped to travel to England for a series in September, but were forced to decline the invitation because of travel restrictions in South Africa at the time.Since then, all domestic and international sport has been allowed to resume in the country, behind closed doors. The men’s national team played England in three T20s and were due to play three ODIs against them before those matches were postponed because of Covid-19 concerns. The men’s national team’s next assignment is against Sri Lanka over the festive season even as the country is into an official second wave, with restrictions on movement to be announced this week.Pakistan’s probables for the South Africa tour: Aiman Anwar, Aliya Riaz, Anam Amin, Ayesha Naseem, Ayesha Zafar, Bismah Maroof, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana Khan, Iram Javed, Javeria Khan, Javeria Rauf, Kainat Imtiaz, Kaynat Hafeez, Maham Tariq, Muneeba Ali, Nahida Khan, Najiha Alvi, Nashra Sandhu, Natalia Pervaiz, Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Rameen Shamim, Saba Nazir, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Sidra Nawaz and Syeda Aroob Shah

Mahmudul Hasan, the Under-19 batsman, has also tested positive for the virus

Mohammad Isam28-Nov-2020Ali Arman, the reserve umpire in both of today’s Bangabandhu Cup T20 matches, has been withdrawn after he tested positive for Covid-19. According to Dr Debashish Chowdhury, the BCB’s chief physician, Arman was tested before he checked into the BCB-mandated bio-bubble hotel.Dr Chowdhury also said that Mahmudul Hasan, the Under-19 batsman who was picked by Gazi Group Chattogram in the players’ draft, had also tested positive for Covid-19 last week.”(Mahmudul Hasan) Joy and umpire (Ali Arman) Rajon were both tested before entering the bio-bubble. Once they tested positive, they were given the choice of either staying in our quarantine facilities or going home. Joy chose to stay in our quarantine while Rajon went home,” said Chowdhury.Chattogram have confirmed that they will not replace Hasan and will instead wait for him to recover fully to be brought back into the squad.All the players and match officials – except the scorers – have been based in the BCB’s bio-bubble after being tested prior to the T20 tournament.Arman, a former first-class cricketer, was supposed to play back-up to the main umpires in today’s matches between Chattogram and Gemcon Khulna, as well as between Fortune Barishal and Minister Group Rajshahi.Earlier this month, Bangladesh’s T20I captain Mahmudullah, Test captain Mominul Haque and selector Habibul Bashar recovered from the condition. Mahmudullah and Haque are both currently playing in the Bangabandhu T20 Cup.

Despite being in a clear rush to part ways with Mauricio Pochettino, Chelsea seem to be conducting the recruitment process at a leisurely pace.

The Blues finished the season sixth in the Premier League, but instead of playing in the Europa League, they’ve dropped down into the Conference League after Manchester United’s FA Cup triumph.

Therefore, the new manager may have a slightly better chance of discovering his full squad next season, but who’ll be in charge remains to be heard.

Enzo Maresca, Roberto De Zerbi, and even Thomas Frank have been linked, but it’s Kieran McKenna who could just be the best option for Todd Boehly’s rebuild.

So, how could a McKenna Chelsea side look, and are there any particular signings who would prove to be useful under the Ipswich boss?

Chelsea looking to sign creative midfielder

According to reports from the Express, Chelsea are interested in signing Georgiy Sudakov.

The midfielder currently plays for Shakhtar Donetsk, where he’s regarded as one of their most important players.

It’s reported that Chelsea have held talks regarding the prospect of signing the Ukrainian; however, a huge fee is expected to be demanded by his club.

Furthermore, the Blues will face competition from a handful of Premier League teams, including Tottenham Hotspur, which may make any potential deal slightly more difficult.

Why Sudakov would thrive under McKenna

Despite starring for Shakhtar all season, Sudakov’s attention will now turn towards the European Championship this summer, where he will look to lead Ukraine to glory.

At just 21 years old, the talented midfielder has already taken on plenty of responsibility at the Ukrainian champions, even without wearing the armband.

Across all competitions this season, the number ten has made 34 appearances, scoring ten goals and providing six assists, operating as an attacking midfielder in 31 of those outings.

This means that if Chelsea do decide to sign Sudakov, their long-term plan is to either deploy Cole Palmer on the right wing or make the target backup to their top goalscorer and assist maker in a central role.

Sudakov UCL Stats vs Palmer PL Stats
Stats (per game)	Sudakov	Palmer
Touches	61.7	55.7
Successful dribbles	1	1.5
Key passes	1.7	2.1
Shots	1.7	3.2
Balls recovered	4.2	3.1
Duels won	3.7	3
Fouls won	1.8	0.8
Via Sofascore

Nevertheless, as you can see from Sudakov’s average statistics in the Champions League this season, he can hold his own against the very best in an average side.

It’s instantly clear that he’s a technical genius who has the ability to create, notably making 1.7 key passes a match, but he also has the work rate off the ball to make a difference, recovering a high number of balls.

The above profile is arguably very similar to Conor Chaplin of Ipswich Town, who starred in the number-ten role under McKenna, scoring 13 goals and providing eight assists in the Championship.

The 38-year-old coach likes to give his attacking midfielder the positional freedom to impact the game via instinct, and given the Ukraine international has “superb vision” and is “highly technical and creative," as per football scout Jacek Kulig, he’d thrive in a McKenna 4-2-3-1 setup.

Sudakov has also proven that he’s extremely dangerous when operating in tight spaces, boasting 3.6 dribbles per game in the Ukrainian top flight – far more than Palmer's 1.5 – and given that he would operate in central zones within McKenna’s back three in-possession system, all of his strengths would flourish.

Analyst Ben Mattinson once suggested that should the Shakhtar star be surrounded by more outlets around him – something he'd no doubt find at Chelsea and with McKenna – his "output will skyrocket."

As a result, this is a signing that makes a lot of sense for all parties.

Chelsea in talks for “incredible” Poch heir who’d make Enzo world-class

The Chelsea manager target went unbeaten against Kieran McKenna this season.

By
Tom Lever

May 24, 2024

MatériaMais Notícias

Principal contratação do Internacional na temporada 2021, o atacante Taison, enfim, desencantou no último domingo e ajudou o Colorado a golear o Flamengo, no Maracanã.

+ Veja no aplicativo do LANCE! o resultado dos jogos da rodada

Capitão da equipe, o camisa 10 não escondeu a sua felicidade pelo gol marcado e explicou a comemoração.

– Feliz, primeiro pela vitória. A gente não vem passando por um bom momento, saímos de duas competições, sentimos bastante. Enfrentamos uma equipe que tem que dar os parabéns, vai brigar por título. Feliz pela vitória e pelo gol – afirmou, antes de completar:

– O gesto é porque eu sofri preconceito na Ucrânia, sofri preconceito do racismo, sempre que faço gol lá ou aqui vou comemorar dessa maneira.

Agora, Inter e Taison ganham alguns dias de folga e voltam a campo no fim de semana, quando o time gaúcho encara o Fluminense, no domingo, às 20h30, no Beira-Rio.

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