أعلنت رابطة الدوري الإسباني، عن موعد مباراة الكلاسيكو في بطولة الليجا، بين برشلونة وريال مدريد، في الجولة 35 على ملعب مونتجويك.

مباراة الذهاب على ملعب سانتياجو بيرنابيو انتهت برباعية لـ برشلونة، ولكن مواجهة الإياب التي ستجمع بينهما في مايو، ستكون حاسمة للقب الدوري الإسباني بشكل كبير.

برشلونة يتصدر الدوري الإسباني بفارق 4 نقاط عن ريال مدريد، بعد فوز النادي الكتالوني على ليجانيس، وتفوق الملكي أمام ديبورتيفو ألافيس اليوم الأحد.

المباراة التي ستجمع بين الفريقين في مايو، تم تحديد موعدها بالتوقيت، والتي ستجذب أنظار عشاق كرة القدم في كل مكان، حيث يمكن أن يحسم لقب الدوري في تلك المواجهة.

طالع أيضًا.. عقوبة مبابي المحتملة بعد طرده في مباراة ريال مدريد وألافيس وموقفه من مواجهة برشلونة

وستجمع مواجهة بين الفريقين في نهائي كأس ملك إسبانيا يوم 26 أبريل، في نهائي كأس ملك إسبانيا على ملعب لا كارتوخا بمدينة إشبيلية. موعد مباراة برشلونة وريال مدريد في الدوري الإسباني

ستقام المباراة يوم الأحد 11 مايو، في تمام الخامسة والربع بتوقيت القاهرة، على ملعب لويس كومبانيس “مونتجويك”.

Not since Gilchrist’s debut in 1999 as an Australia keeper made their Test debut at home

AAP02-Dec-2021Adam Gilchrist expects Alex Carey to warm to Test cricket, knowing all too well the upside of serving a long-term apprenticeship in the coloured clothes before donning the baggy green.Carey, having captained Australia’s ODI side earlier this year and represented his country in 83 white-ball matches, will replace Tim Paine behind the stumps in next week’s Ashes opener at the Gabba.The catalyst for Carey’s elevation, confirmed on Thursday, is notably different to that which resulted in Gilchrist succeeding Ian Healy as Test wicketkeeper at the same ground in 1999.Related

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Carey determined to keep focus in 'the biggest game I'll play' as Test debut locked in

Carey is not as dynamic a batter as Gilchrist; nor has he enjoyed the same stability while batting in every spot from No. 1 to No. 8 for Australia. But Gilchrist, who last month gave Carey a technical tune-up over the phone, says recent years will help the South Australian handle a pressure-laden Test debut against England.”I see a lot of similarities between Alex’s journey and mine,” Gilchrist told AAP at Fox Cricket’s season launch. “When I walked out to bat, Mark Waugh was at the non-striker’s end and I’d opened with him 70-odd times.”Starting my Test career, it wasn’t completely new. There was a really nice settling air of familiarity. That doesn’t guarantee success but it certainly gives you a nice launching pad.”Alex deserves the opportunity, he’s worked really hard in that white-ball set-up. His keeping has been really consistent, I think he’ll warm to Test cricket really nicely.”Carey, who edged Josh Inglis in a selection showdown to replace former captain Paine in a 15-player squad for the first two Tests, will be the first gloveman to be presented with a baggy green on home soil since Gilchrist.Carey, whose head is still spinning after breaking the news to a tearful mum, dad and wife, hoped previous experience keeping to Australia’s Test attack would help settle any nerves in “the biggest game I’ve played”.Carey passed 50 in just one of eight Sheffield Shield innings this season but posted a timely one-day century on Sunday. In the previous three seasons, he has celebrated four Shield hundreds from nine games while routinely missing red-ball cricket to play ODIs and T20s.”The focus has never really been on his keeping. As is always the way in this day and age, it’s all about the runs if you’re a keeper,” Gilchrist said. “He reached out a couple of weeks ago just to have a chat about a few things.”He will often touch base – whether it’s around little technical things, bat and gloves, approach or just what I’ve seen. There aren’t many of us keepers, so you have to try to stick together.”

Cristiano Ronaldo had a bit of advice for Manchester City players as he backed Pep Guardiola's side to "come back" from their miserable run.

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Ronaldo gives opinion on Man City strugglesAdvises players to do the talking on the pitchBacks Real Madrid to defend their UCL crownFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Ronaldo, who has won the Champions League five times during his illustrious career, was honoured at the glitzy gala in Dubai, collecting awards for the Best Middle Eastern Player and the Top Goalscorer of All Time. Speaking after being given his trophies, the Portuguese superstar backed Guardiola's side to recover from their current dip in form while emphasizing Real Madrid’s enduring prowess in Europe’s premier competition.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT RONALDO SAID

"Teams always have their good and bad moments. Now Manchester City have gone through a bad moment but they will come back," he said at the Globe Soccer Awards.

"I would tell City to their players that they have to show more and not talk now. The great players know where the problem is."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Shifting the focus to one of his former clubs, Ronaldo praised Real Madrid for their consistent ability to shine in the Champions League. Despite some early setbacks this season, which see them reeling at the 20th spot in the Champions League with just nine points in six games, he predicted that the Spanish giants would once again assert their dominance on the European stage.

"As for Madrid, in the end they are always there, you can never give them up for dead," he said. "I would bet on Real Madrid winning the Champions League again because all the other teams are scared when they play Madrid at the Bernabeu. I would bet on Madrid because they always come back. They had difficulties at the beginning, but then they have improved."

GettyWHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER CITY?

Ronaldo’s comments come at a critical juncture for City, who are striving to regain their rhythm. Injuries and a stretched squad have hindered their usual high standards, but Guardiola’s men will look to turn things around when they face Leicester City on Sunday. The Foxes, currently battling relegation, could offer City the opportunity to rebuild confidence and return to winning ways.

Celtic have "opened talks" with a 20-year-old ace ahead of a potential move to the club this summer, according to a new claim from Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph.

Celtic eyeing Bogusz signing

Time is running out for the Hoops to make further signings in the current transfer window, but there appears to be work going on behind the scenes to get some more business completed.

Mateusz Bogusz looks like a primary target for Celtic in the coming days, with the 23-year-old once at Leeds United and now plying his trade at MLS side Los Angeles FC. The reigning Scottish Premiership champions are said to be in talks with the attacking midfielder over a switch to Parkhead, with an £8m deal reportedly close to being completed.

Bogusz seems to be being looked at as the ideal potential replacement for Matt O'Riley, whose move to Premier League side Brighton is now imminent, acting as a significant blow to Brendan Rodgers. The Dane's creativity and end product will be a huge miss, and replacing him won't be easy.

Away from that one specific Celtic rumour, though, Sheffield United centre-back Auston Trusty continues to be linked with a summer move, and now another fresh claim has emerged regarding a different target.

Celtic open talks to sign 20-year-old midfielder

Writing on X on Saturday, Joseph said that Celtic have now "opened talks" over the signing of FC Augsburg midfielder Arne Engels, who wants to seal a move to Parkhead.

Angels could be a great long-term signing for the Hoops, given his tender years, and his versatility allows him to not only shine in central midfield but also as a right-back and a right-winger.

The Belgian has already made 53 appearances for Augsburg, 51 of which have come in the Bundesliga, so he has already picked up some significant experience in one of the biggest leagues in Europe. Nine assists have come his way in the competition, highlighting his creative side, and he also averaged one tackle per game in the league last season, showing that he can be effective out of possession, too.

Given his age, Engels may not be coming in as a quick fix for Celtic, and a panic buy to make up for the loss of O'Riley to Brighton, but instead an exciting young player who could develop further under Rodgers as the years pass.

Belgium Under-21s

9

2

Belgium Under-19s

9

2

Belgium Under-16s

7

3

Belgium Under-15s

5

1

He has been capped by Belgium across four different youth age groups, showing that he could be a future regular at senior level if he continues to progress, so it is hard to find many negatives to the Hoops snapping him up.

da bet vitoria： Leeds United have reached an agreement to sign a young player very early in the post-transfer window period, according to a new report.

da prosport bet： The West Yorkshire side were very busy during the recent window in terms of incomings and outgoings, but that uncertainty hasn’t affected them on the pitch, as they have made a steady start to the new season.

Related Forget Solomon & Gnonto: 8/10 star could be Leeds’ next Summerville

Leeds United have a new hero they can rely on in attack.

Posts 1 ByKelan Sarson Sep 1, 2024 Leeds United missed out on key signings

Leeds added eight new players to their squad over the course of the summer, with those additions including Joe Rodon returning to the club on a permanent basis. They also added Jayden Bogle, Largie Ramazani and Isaac Schmidt to their squad.

Leeds United's summer signings

Joe Rodon

Tottenham

Largie Ramazani

UD Almeria

Jayden Bogle

Sheff Utd

Ao Tanaka

F. Düsseldorf

Isaac Schmidt

FC St. Gallen

Alex Cairns

Salford City

Manor Solomon (Loan)

Tottenham

Joe Rothwell (Loan)

Bournemouth

However, the Whites also lost some big players over the last few months, as Georginio Rutter, Archie Gray and Crysencio Summerville all left the club to join teams in the Premier League.

Therefore, heading into the final day of the window, Leeds were still looking to do business, and one player they were looking to sign was Sheffield United midfielder Gustavo Hamer.

The Whites made an offer that included a fee plus Joel Piroe going the other way, but the Blades rejected this offer as the club’s coaching staff wasn’t interested in a deal that involved Piroe, who wouldn’t fit into what they were looking for. This wasn’t the only bid the club made for Hamer, as they also saw an offer before this one was turned down by their Yorkshire rivals.

As well as looking at a late move for Hamer, Leeds had also reportedly agreed a deal worth £25 million to sign Martin Baturina from Croatian side Dinamo Zagreb. However, the deal didn’t materialise, as the midfielder refused to move to Elland Road, which meant Daniel Farke was unable to get one of his targets through the door. It is thought that the 21-year-old was not ready to swap his homeland for football in the English Championship, with him believing "it was not the best place for his football development".

But while these deals didn’t work out for Leeds, it appears they have all but got their hands on a new signing even though the transfer window has shut.

Leeds United agree early out-of-window deal

According to journalist Alan Nixon, relayed by Inside Futbol, Leeds United have agreed a pre-contract agreement with 16-year-old defender Leonard Ngenge. Leeds added to their defensive ranks towards the end of the transfer window by adding Schmidt, and the club have now secured another defensive signing – this time, a player for the future.

Ngenge has already been at the club, having had a trial with the Championship side, where he clearly caught the eye and impressed. The left-back has done enough to earn himself a contract, but he can’t join Leeds until he is 18 due to FIFA rules.

Leeds have successfully tied Ngenge to a contract at Elland Road, and once he turns 18, he will join the club’s youth team. The defender was also of interest to Swedish side Hammarby, but they also faced the same rules as Leeds.

MatériaMais Notícias

da winzada777： Desde a temporada 2015, o Avaí busca a consolidação na elite do futebol brasileiro, mas passa pelo chamado “efeito ioiô” onde, logo depois de conseguir o acesso, retorna à Série B do campeonato nacional. E, apostando na mistura entre atletas mais experientes e nomes jovens, o clube de Florianópolis tenta se segurar na Série A, apesar das dificuldades apresentadas no início da temporada.

RelacionadasAvaíJean Pyerre está verbalmente acertado para chegar ao AvaíAvaí06/04/2022AvaíMeia da base do Avaí assina seu primeiro contrato profissionalAvaí05/04/2022AvaíAvaí se aproxima do atacante Guilherme BissoliAvaí01/04/2022

da mrbet： >Confira as primeiras rodadas detalhadas do Campeonato Brasileiro

Vaivém do Avaí
​
Quem chega:Douglas Friedrich (goleiro), Bressan (zagueiro), Kevin (lateral-direito), Ayrton Cougo (lateral-esquerdo), Bruno Cortez (lateral-esquerdo), Diego Matos (lateral-esquerdo), Matheus Ribeiro (lateral-direito), Eduardo (volante), Lucas Ventura (volante), Raniele (volante), Dentinho (atacante), Morato (atacante), Muriqui (atacante) e Paulo Baya (atacante).
Quem sai: André Junio (goleiro),Diego Renan (lateral-direito),Edílson (lateral-direito),Iury (lateral-direito),Alemão (zagueiro),Rafael Pereira (zagueiro),Luan Silva (volante),Jeam Martim (volante),Serrato (volante),Filipe Fraga (meia),Jádson (meia),Thiaguinho (meia),Alexandre Alemão (atacante),Daniel (atacante), Jonathan (centroavante),Quirino (centroavante) e Ronaldo (centroavante).
Quem pode chegar: Rodrigo Freitas (zagueiro),Jean Pyerre (meia), Matheus Galdezani (meia) eBissoli (atacante).
Quem pode sair: –
Necessidade de reforços: centroavante e meia de criação.
Retornos de empréstimo: –

Os primeiros jogos

10/4 – Avaí x América-MG – Ressacada
16/4 – Corinthians x Avaí – Neo Química Arena
24/4 – Avaí x Goiás – Ressacada
1/5 – Internacional x Avaí – Beira-Rio
9/5 – Avaí x Coritiba – Ressacada
15/5 – Avaí x Juventude – Ressacada
22/5 – Athletico-PR x Avaí – Arena da Baixada
29/5 – Atlético-MG x Avaí – Mineirão
5/6 – Avaí x São Paulo – Ressacada
8/6 – Atlético-GO x Avaí – Antônio Accioly

Opinião do setorista – Futebol Latino

Após a saída de Claudinei Oliveira com o início ruim de temporada, a chegada de Eduardo Barroca apresentou poucos indícios de melhora, criando um caráter natural de preocupação pensando no nível mais elevado de disputa que habitualmente proporciona o Brasileirão. Com isso, apesar dos reforços que ainda podem chegar, a tendência é de briga constante para escapar das últimas posições.

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.

Appearances

29

xG

2.81

Goals

3

Big chances created

7

Key passes per game

1.1

Assists

2

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.

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%

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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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.

Chelsea could sell a £200,000-a-week member of Enzo Maresca's squad, with doubts now emerging over his suitability for the Italian's system.

Players who could still be sold by Chelsea this summer

Thiago Silva, Hakim Ziyech, Malang Sarr, Ian Maatsen, Omari Hutchinson, Michael Golding and Lewis Hall have all left Stamford Bridge already, bringing in around £89 million and helping to balance the books, but a few more key names could be set to depart after them.

£162,000-per-week forward ready to join Chelsea if Boehly can agree deal

It is down to the west Londoners.

2

By
Emilio Galantini

Jul 30, 2024

Indeed, Napoli are seriously interested in signing Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea, and it is believed their club president Aurelio De Laurentiis and sporting director Giovanni Manna are now open to discussing Victor Osimhen as part of the deal.

Talks are ongoing between Napoli and Chelsea over the Nigerian while Lukaku has already agreed a three-year deal to go the other way, according to reliable media sources like GiveMeSport journalist Ben Jacobs.

Lukaku looks to be closer and closer to a west London exit, and could well make another return to Serie A, this time permanently.

Meanwhile, La Liga heavyweights Atletico Madrid are in talks to sign Conor Gallagher from Chelsea, with the Spanish side apparently hopeful they can strike a deal for the England international at around £34 million.

Tottenham are also expected to make a bid for Gallagher despite Atletico's advances, but Ange Postecoglou's side will have to act fast given the ongoing talks between Simeone's men and Chelsea.

There is also the matter of fellow Cobham academy graduate Trevoh Chalobah, who was left out of Chelsea's pre-season tour, much to the detest of some supporters. The Blues are apparently willing to sell Chalobah for around £25-30 million, despite the midfielder having four years left on his contract.

"He was probably our best defender in the last 10-15 games last season," said Chelsea season ticket holder Bert Barrett to GOAL.

"It's a joke they have signed Tosin to replace Chalobah, who is a better player and has been at Chelsea since a kid."

Chelsea could sell Ben Chilwell amid doubts over suitability for Maresca

According to The Athletic, another player facing an uncertain future is defender Ben Chilwell.

The £200,000-per-week left-back missed out on a place in Gareth Southgate's squad for the Euros after an injury-hit season, with teammate Marc Cucurella enjoying a late surge in form towards the back end of 2023/2024.

It is believed Chelsea doubt whether Chilwell is suited to Maresca's style of play, and as a result, will entertain suitable bids for the former Leicester City star. Chilwell made just 21 appearances in all competitions under Mauricio Pochettino last season due to his fitness woes but did captain the side when available.

Rob McElhenney has explained why he and Ryan Reynolds are not on a “cash grab” at Wrexham and want to help grow soccer in the United States.

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• Takeover completed in 2021
• Enjoyed success on the field
• Continue to invest off the pitch

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The two Hollywood superstars embraced a surprising sporting venture at SToK Racecourse when completing a stunning takeover in 2021. They have overseen a meteoric rise for Wrexham, which has been aided by an award-winning documentary series.

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• Getty Images
  

  THE GOSSIP

  While considerable success has been enjoyed on the field, McElhenney and Reynolds have branched out into the wider Wrexham community. Funding has been pumped into the local area, as fans from all over the world descend on North Wales, while a takeover of the 142-year-old Wrexham Lager brewery forms part of one of their latest projects.

• WHAT MCELHENNEY SAID

  They are now looking to promote that brand Stateside, but McElhenney insists that the Red Dragons will never be used as a money-making machine. The ‘It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia’ actor has told the : “We like the idea of a flywheel where each investment is something we really support and enjoy, and it’s not just a cash grab. Anytime we look at a new investment or new opportunity, it’s only because we believe in it.”

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Wrexham Lager was flowing when McElhenney joined fans to watch Phil Parkinson’s side in action against Barnsley on the giant immersive screen at Cosm LA. That occasion further highlights how far the Red Dragons have come, with the plan being to help America fully embrace soccer ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

The 1-0 series win over India embellished South Africa’s strengths and reputation. The team, however, needs to find a lead spinner and adopt a forward-thinking outlook to prepare for life without Jacques Kallis

Firdose Moonda in Durban31-Dec-20130:00

Steyn and de Villiers stand out

If the South African Test team believed in omens, they may have been concerned about the one staring them in face before this India tour. Before the tour, they had been undefeated in 13 series. Fortunately, they don’t need lucky numbers to keep winning.Instead the figures worked in their favour. One is the most important number, because that’s the margin by which they sealed the series victory, but there are many others for them to take heart from as they extended their lead at the top of the Test rankings. They took their count of Test wins in this calendar year to seven with only one defeat, and gained two points in the Test rankings to widen the gap between themselves and their nearest challenger, India, to 16.That distance will come in handy because South Africa have a dearth of Test cricket in the next 12 months. February’s series against Australia is their biggest challenge, followed by matches against Zimbabwe away and West Indies at home. At least they know they are almost fully equipped for those tussles.From this India series, South Africa regained the form of the two batsmen in their batting line-up who were lacking it, reconfirmed the value and skill of their pace trio and reclaimed as their own the one ground in the country that was considered an away venue. Those gains will go some way in offsetting the questions that still exist over who their best spinner is and the loss of their greatest-ever player.Faf du Plessis and Alviro Petersen ended as South Africa’s highest and joint second-highest run-scorers of the series. Du Plessis’ century in Johannesburg illustrated the arts of patience and determination and proved that what he did in Adelaide 13 months ago was not a once-off. Importantly, it came with him batting at No.4, which will be an indication to South Africa that he is the best candidate to step into the gap Jacques Kallis has left. Du Plessis has the technique and temperament to anchor an innings so others can bat around him.Faf du Plessis’ gritty knock in Johannesburg has shown that he has the potential to fill in the No. 4 spot in the Test team•AFPPetersen went into this series with a string of sub-30 scores to his name. In nine innings before the Johannesburg Test, he had failed to cross 30 once. In his first knock at the Wanderers, he scored 21. Under pressure in the second innings, with South Africa in the red, he composed a careful 76 and shared a century stand with Graeme Smith.He followed that up with another hundred-run partnership with the captain in Durban, in which Petersen also raised his bat to a half-century. Although India’s attack did not pose the same challenges as Pakistan – the latter’s variations make them tougher – that he came through the India series unscathed will have bought him time in the team. Du Plessis and Petersen were South Africa’s main worries in their line-up before this series and for both to have proved themselves again sets them up well for 2014.Kingsmead was the other concern. Located in the heartland of the largest Indian expat area in South Africa, it has gained a reputation for favouring opposition. South Africa’s two most recent defeats there were against subcontinental opposition and, with India visiting this time, it seemed the conspiracy would continue.The pitch was not a typical home surface – on appearance and in the way it played. It was slow, sans much pace and carry, offered little for the seamers and was difficult to score freely on. Despite that, South Africa found a way. Dale Steyn helped himself to what he has called one of his best five-fors in the game and notched up his 350th wicket – in the same year he also took his 300th – giving yet another demonstration of why he is the most highly-rated bowler in the world. Vernon Philander showed he has the ability to adapt to surfaces of this nature while Morne Morkel continued to be miserly, quick and extract bounce.

More pressing will be adjusting to life without Kallis. South Africa need only look at India, who played their first series without Sachin Tendulkar, to see that it can be done but they will have to think carefully about how they’re going to go about it.

There are no problems in South Africa’s pace department, with plenty in reserve, which will set up an intriguing battle of the bowlers against Australia, but there is a worry in their spin cupboard. Neither Imran Tahir nor Robin Peterson is the answer. The former’s confidence took a knock on an unhelpful surface at the Wanderers and he returned to bad, old habits of offering full tosses. The latter ended the Durban match with four wickets but that can be considered flattering.Peterson was largely unthreatening – two of his scalps were off terrible shots, another one went to a sterling catch and the fourth was not out. Sometimes that kind of luck is what it takes to spark a run of good form, so he may have that on his side, along with his contributions with that bat, but South Africa still need to keep looking. They have Simon Harmer and Eddie Leie knocking on the door, but may not want to introduce either against Australia, although they could be called on later next year.More pressing will be adjusting to life without Kallis. South Africa need only look at India, who played their first series without Sachin Tendulkar, to see that it can be done but they will have to think carefully about how they’re going to go about it.Kallis’ worth was evident more in his last Test than it had been throughout the year. He scored a typically circumspect century to lay the platform for the win and bowled his share of overs in the first innings. The balance he adds to the team will take some re-strategising to maintain in his absence.Allrounders, especially pace-bowling ones, are hard to come by and while Ryan McLaren is one option, South Africa will have to sift through a few other ideas. Du Plessis should move to No. 4. They could then bring an extra batsman, specialist wicket-keeper or bowler in at No.7.Apart from the changes in personnel that will take place, South Africa will also need a change of mindset. As Smith said, the person who comes is not Kallis’ replacement because there is no such thing. That cricketer will simply be another player trying to fulfill a certain role.That’s the right approach – a positive, forward-thinking mindset, which South Africa were accused of lacking after the Wanderers Test. They came within eight runs of the highest successful chase in Test cricket history and chose to play for the draw because they did not want to lose. Giving up on a chance to make history was seen as too conservative and defensive.It was also seen as a fear of failure. After Durban, South Africa did not have reason to regret not going for broke in Johannesburg. Even though it will not stop people wondering whether a lingering fear of failure still exists in the South Africa change-room, surely after 14 unbeaten series, there is not much to be afraid of.