Conor McGilligan has reacted to the news of Leeds United wanting to sign a £20 million+ player in January.
The Whites are back in Championship action on Sunday, as they travel to Wales to face Swansea City. Daniel Farke’s side could finish the weekend at the top of the table, depending on how results go.
Farke has already unearthed Leeds' very own James McAtee
The Leeds United head coach may not need to reignite his interest in the Manchester City man.
ByDan Emery Nov 20, 2024 Leeds United eyeing James McAtee loan deal
It has been a productive campaign for the Yorkshire side so far, but with January six weeks away, Leeds and the 49ers appear to have their eye on business they would like to conduct. It emerged this week that Leeds are interested in signing James McAtee on loan from Manchester City in the New Year.
The Whites have been linked with a move for the creative midfielder before, and a new report has revealed that the interest from Leeds remains the same. The Whites are looking to take McAtee on loan in January, as the Blues are willing to sanction a temporary departure, given his lack of game time under Pep Guardiola this season.
However, Leeds are not the only team interested in the England under-21 international, so it could be a race to win his signature when January arrives. Despite that, a YouTuber and Leeds fan has reacted to the news that the club want to sign McAtee in the New Year.
Conor McGilligan reacts to Leeds wanting to sign McAtee in January
YouTuber and Leeds supporter McGilligan took to X to react to the news of Leeds wanting to sign McAtee in January. The 22-year-old has remained with City this season after doing ever so well while on loan at Sheffield United this season.
But so far, McAtee has played just six times in all competitions, and only one of those has come in the Premier League. Therefore, speculation has led to teams looking at signing McAtee in January, with Leeds looking into a potential loan deal.
That is something that McGilligan believes would be the signing of the transfer window, as he wrote on X: “Probably be the signing of the window. But can you have him, Piroe, and Aaronson all competing at points for the 10 role?”
Apps
37
Goals
9
Assists
3
Leeds are a side that already has plenty of attacking options, especially in that number 10 position, but Farke may feel McAtee can offer something different to what the other players bring to the table now.
However, as stated before, there are plenty of other teams interested, Nottingham Forest being one side chasing McAtee, and a report stated that City could accept permanent offers in excess of £20 million, making a deal more difficult to do for Leeds if that is the case. As well as Forest chasing the midfielder, other Premier League teams such as Fulham, Leicester City, and Southampton are also interested in McAtee.
يستعد فريق ليفربول لملاقاة خصمه برايتون، اليوم الإثنين، ضمن منافسات بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز “البريميرليج”.
ويحل ليفربول ضيفًا على برايتون بملعب “فالمر” في مباراة بالجولة السابعة والثلاثين وقبل الأخيرة للدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.
ويحتل ليفربول صدارة الدوري الإنجليزي برصيد 83 نقطة، حيث حسم لقب الدوري الإنجليزي في الجولة الرابعة والثلاثين.
ويعد ذلك لقب الدوري الإنجليزي الأول للهولندي آرني سلوت، الذي تولى تدريب الفريق خلفًا للألماني يورجن كلوب.
ويحتل برايتون المركز التاسع في ترتيب الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، ويملك في رصيده 55 نقطة.
ويسعى نجم ليفربول محمد صلاح إلى تحطيم رقم قياسي جديد وتحقيق إنجاز تاريخي في المواجهة أمام برايتون.
وحال مشاركته، سيخوض صلاح مباراته رقم 300 بقميص ليفربول في الدوري الإنجليزي، والمباراة رقم 400 مع الفريق في مختلف المسابقات (طالع المزيد من التفاصيل). موعد مباراة ليفربول وبرايتون اليوم في الدوري الإنجليزي
تنطلق المباراة في تمام الساعة العاشرة مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة ليفربول وبرايتون اليوم في الدوري الإنجليزي
تذاع المباراة عبر قناة beIN sports HD1. معلق مباراة ليفربول وبرايتون اليوم في الدوري الإنجليزي
يعلق على المباراة، عصام الشوالي.
ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنــــا.
A Chelsea director says Enzo Maresca's position is "100 per cent" safe this season despite the club's poor run of form.
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Chelsea's form nosedivesDirector backs MarescaSays he's doing a "great job"Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Chelsea have gone from Premier League title contenders to sitting sixth in the division and winning just two of their last nine league fixtures in a few short months. Despite that, Blues director Jonathan Goldstein says head coach Maresca is "doing a great job" and his job is secure for the foreseeable future.
AdvertisementAFPWHAT THE CHELSEA DIRECTOR SAID
Goldstein said on : "He's doing a great job. Chelsea started the season very well. The past six weeks have been, you know, finding their feet a little bit more. But Enzo has clearly done a great job in bringing the team together; bringing the talent through."
When asked if Maresca would stay for the rest of the season, he replied: "100 per cent."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Chelsea are just one point behind fourth-placed Manchester City with 13 games of the season to go, have a great chance of qualifying for the Champions League next term and are one of the favourites to win the 2024-25 Europa Conference League crown. If they fail to achieve any of those goals, Maresca's position may not be so secure this summer.
Getty/GOALWHAT NEXT?
Chelsea will hope to return to winning ways, after a 3-0 drubbing at Brighton last time out, when they visit Aston Villa on Saturday in the Premier League.
خاض فريق برشلونة، مساء يوم الأحد، مباراة الكلاسيكو الرابعة لهذا الموسم 2024/25 ضد نظيره ريال مدريد، في بطولة الدوري الإسباني لكرة القدم.
واستضاف ملعب “مونتجويك” مباراة الفريقين في إطار منافسات الجولة الخامسة والثلاثين من الدوري الإسباني، حيث حقق برشلونة فوزًا بأربعة أهداف مقابل ثلاثة.
كان برشلونة قد دخل تلك المباراة وهو يتصدر جدول الدوري الإسباني برصيد 79 نقطة، في حين أن ريال مدريد لديه 75 نقطة في المركز الثاني.
وبعد المباراة، ارتفع رصيد برشلونة إلى 82 نقطة، ليتسع الفارق بينه وبين ريال مدريد إلى 7 نقاط. ماذا يحتاج برشلونة للتتويج بالدوري الاسباني بعد الفوز على ريال مدريد؟
يحتاج برشلونة إلى نقطتين فقط من أجل التتويج بشكل رسمي بلقب الدوري الإسباني لهذا الموسم، بغض النظر عن نتائج ريال مدريد في المباريات الثلاث المتبقية.
ففي حال فوز ريال مدريد في كافة مبارياته، سيصل رصيده إلى 84 نقطة، ومن ثم فإن برشلونة يحتاج إلى نقطتين فقط لتأمين لقب الليجا، حيث سيحسم البطولة حتى لو تساوى في النقاط مع الملكي بفضل المواجهات المباشرة.
ويستطيع برشلونة تجنب كل هذا حال فوزه في أي مباراة من مبارياته المقبلة.
اقرأ أيضًا.. المباريات المتبقية لبرشلونة وريال مدريد في الدوري الاسباني 2024/2025
ويلتقي ريال مدريد مع خصمه مايوركا يوم الأربعاء المقبل في الجولة السادسة والثلاثين من الدوري الإسباني، على أن يواجه برشلونة جاره إسبانيول في الجولة نفسها مساء الخميس.
ويستطيع برشلونة حسم اللقب الجولة المقبلة، حال تعثر ريال مدريد ومن ثم يتوج الفريق الكتالوني دون النظر إلى نتيجة مباراته أمام إسبانيول.
وفي حال فوز ريال مدريد على مايوركا، سيحتاج برشلونة إلى الفوز على إسبانيول لحسم اللقب في الجولة القادمة، قبل جولتين من النهاية.
da brwin： And we’re back. Tottenham Hotspur’s capitulation on the south coast has faded away, pushed back to the recesses of the fanbase’s mind, for West Ham United were crushed on Saturday.
da 888casino： An emphatic second half saw the Hammers blown back down the N17 with their tails between their legs, with the three points elevating Ange Postecoglou’s side to seventh place in the Premier League.
An up-and-down start to the season has left plenty to be desired at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium but the staunch supporters have found solace in the magnificent style of play that they have been treated to – now, though, it’s time for results to blend in accord with the easy-on-the-eye approach.
Postecoglou’s intense and stylish brand of football is magnificent when it comes together, and optimism has been renewed. Many players caught the eye, although James Maddison will definitely be frustrated with his performance.
James Maddison's performance vs West Ham
Maddison earned an assist for Dejan Kulusevski’s first-half goal, though the in-form Swede admittedly did most of the work, collecting and curling just inside the penalty area to give the hosts a tone-setting goal ahead of the second half.
That aside, the playmaker, who is hoping to earn a Three Lions recall after missing out on Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2024 squad, did little to inspire awe, withdrawn at the break as Postecoglou looked to make a tweak and inject some more control into his team’s performance.
Some might argue that the 28-year-old’s substitution was somewhat unfair, especially since he put in some eye-catching attacking numbers across the opening 45 minutes.
However, all of this fails to quite paint the complete picture; Tottenham looked to gain much authority after Maddison was taken off, and the three goals scored across the first 15 minutes of the half looked to put the matter to bed.
His replacement, the young Pape Matar Sarr, didn’t get his name on the scoresheet, though certainly deserves some praise for what was a mature and impactful display.
Pape Matar Sarr turned the tide
Sarr has only started twice in the Premier League this season, with each of his past five appearances coming off the bench. Still, he served Heung-min Son’s goal to consolidate the resounding victory and has now supplied teammates twice across three matches, also scoring twice in the Europa League against Ferencvaros.
Pape Matar Sarr: Stats vs West Ham
Match Stats
#
Minutes played
45′
Assists
1
Touches
28
Accurate passes
19/20 (95%)
Key passes
1
Long balls
2/2
Tackles
2
Clearances
1
Blocked shots
1
Total duels (won)
6 (4)
Stats via Sofascore
Sarr might not have taken as many touches as Maddison – with 28 to the Englishman’s 50 – but he instilled a degree of stability and security in the centre of the park that allowed his red-hot attacking teammates to wreak havoc on West Ham’s beleaguered backline.
Maddison claimed an assist, but so too did Sarr, who won four of six contested duels, whereas Maddison lost three of his five duels.
The Senegalese’s match statistics have since been corroborated by football.london reporter Alasdair Gold, who handed him a 7/10 match rating and praised his impact after replacing Maddison at the interval.
Gold wrote: ‘Introduced at the break and was key to the team’s fourth goal of the afternoon after winning the ball and playing through Son to finish off. Was caught in the face by Kudus for the West Ham man’s red card. Good showing in the middle of the park.’
The depth that Postecoglou has created in this squad makes a telling comment on Tottenham’s prospects across the duration of the campaign, looking to complete a top-four finish in the Premier League but also push to end this interminable trophy drought, eyes on the prize in the FA Cup, Carabao Cup and Europa League all.
Sarr embodies this, having not quite wedged his way into a regular starting berth in the top flight but proving that he can be a difference-maker when called upon.
Contextualising this: as per FBref, the 22-year-old ranks among the top 9% of central midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals scored per 90 and is also marked as Arsenal sensation Declan Rice’s most comparable player.
Maddison might feel aggrieved after being hooked, with Tottenham largely in control against the city rivals and the creative midfielder looking to pull strings, but Postecoglou’s tactical savvy allowed him to see a further chink in the Irons’ armour and it paid dividends.
Kulusevski’s new-found brilliance in a central and roving position has allowed for greater fluency and energy, and it’s curious that Maddison, another playmaking ace, was the one to be taken off at half-time, perhaps insinuating that the pendulum of power has swung in Tottenham’s creative department.
Now, Sarr will hope to earn appearances from the outset and elevate Postecoglou’s project to another level. We mustn’t masquerade over the fact that the Londoners have lost three of their opening seven Premier League fixtures of the season, and that there is plenty of work to be done.
That said, there’s so much to get excited about, especially when up-and-coming talents such as Sarr prove that they can step in and make a real difference in a match as big as the one just passed.
Spurs thought they had Eriksen's replacement, now he plays in League One
Tottenham have had their fair share of attacking players in recent times.
Both sides might be in a dilemma with the potential return of Shikhar Dhawan and Kieron Pollard in their respective XIs
Hemant Brar10-Feb-20221:44
Should India test their bench? Should West Indies rejig their batting order?
Big pictureSince the start of the ODI series against South Africa, India have been talking about building a side for the 2023 World Cup. One of their pain areas in the last couple of years has been the lack of a wicket-taking seamer in the powerplay and middle overs. They changed their strategy in the third ODI against South Africa by picking a tall, hit-the-deck bowler in Prasidh Krishna, and continued with it in the West Indies series too.The rewards are there to be seen. Hitting the short-of-a-good-length area, Prasidh picked up 2 for 29 in the first ODI and 4 for 12 in the second. One would think he has presented a strong enough case to be in the XI even when Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami return. In the batting department, Suryakumar Yadav seems to have made a middle-order spot his own. Now that India have won the series, they might consider trying out even more options in the third ODI.West Indies, on the other hand, have been let down by their batting. Before the series, their captain Kieron Pollard underlined the importance of playing out full 50 overs but his side failed to do that in the first two ODIs. On paper, West Indies have a long batting line-up – Odean Smith came in at No. 9 in the last game – but their batters don’t bat deep. Can the likes of Shai Hope, Darren Bravo and Nicholas Pooran take the responsibility and step up?Related
Prasidh Krishna's hit-the-deck style just what India needs
Odean Smith makes a splash in his maiden outing in India
West Indies might have lost the series, but they would like to avoid a whitewash. In more tangible terms, there are ten World Cup Super League points at stake, and West Indies are currently ninth on that table in terms of percentage points.Form guideIndia WWLLL (last five completed ODIs, most recent first) West Indies LLLLWIn the spotlightSince his last ODI hundred, Virat Kohli has made ten half-centuries in 20 innings in the format. However, in the last few weeks, the narrative has shifted from Kohli-not-getting-a-hundred to Kohli-needs-a-break. In the first ODI in this series, he played a strange four-ball knock where he seemed to be in a hurry. In the second, he was more measured but a loose shot outside off stump ended his stay on 18. On Friday, the question will once again be: will he get his 71st international hundred?West Indies will expect more from their opener Shai Hope•BCCIAmong those who have scored at least 1000 ODI runs for West Indies, no one averages higher than Shai Hope’s 51.13. He doesn’t have a great strike rate (74.70), but it’s his ability to play the anchor’s role that makes him a valuable asset in this West Indies line-up. He has an excellent record against spin too. With the team struggling to last 50 overs, West Indies will expect more from their opener. He wasn’t as tidy behind the stumps in the second ODI, so eyes will be on his wicketkeeping as well.Team newsAfter the second ODI, Rohit Sharma had said Shikhar Dhawan would be back for the final match. That means either Suryakumar or Deepak Hooda will have to sit out; this, despite Suryakumar doing well in his limited ODI appearances, and Hooda providing India with the sixth bowling option. Therefore, it is also difficult to see Shreyas Iyer getting a game, even though he is out of isolation now after testing positive for Covid-19. In the bowling department, India could play Kuldeep Yadav.India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 KL Rahul, 5 Rishabh Pant (wk), 6 Deepak Hooda/Suryakumar Yadav, 7 Washington Sundar, 8 Shardul Thakur, 9 Mohammed Siraj, 10 Yuzvendra Chahal/Kuldeep Yadav, 11 Prasidh KrishnaSmith was impressive with both bat and ball in the second ODI. So if Pollard returns, West Indies will have a tough call to make. Can they retain Smith and leave out Bravo, who has had scores of 1, 18, 18, 0 and 2 in his last five innings?West Indies (probable): 1 Shai Hope (wk), 2 Brandon King, 3 Darren Bravo, 4 Shamarh Brooks, 5 Nicholas Pooran, 6 Kieron Pollard (capt), 7 Jason Holder, 8 Fabian Allen, 9 Akeal Hosein, 10 Alzarri Joseph, 11 Kemar RoachPitch and conditionsThe pitches so far have helped both seamers and spinners, and it will not be a surprise if that’s the case on Friday as well. The temperature is expected to hover around mid to late 20 degrees Celsius for the majority of the match. There was no dew during the second ODI, and it could stay that way for the third as well.Stats and trivia Prasidh has an economy rate of 2.15 in the series. Since 2020, Rahul has had an average of 67 and a strike rate of 109.23 in the middle order in ODIs. West Indies have failed to last full 50 overs in the last seven ODIs where they batted first.Quotes”I have been striving to get more consistent. When I started, I used to get excited and have too many emotions running through me. But over time, I have had my plans and I have been very clear on what I needed to work on.
da bwin： Celtic’s perfect start to the 2024/25 campaign continued with a thumping 6-0 victory over St Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday.
da betcris： The Hoops have now won all six of their games in the top-flight and are yet to concede a goal, with Kasper Schmeichel on six clean sheets in six appearances for the club in the league since his move from Anderlecht in the summer transfer window.
Brendan Rodgers’ side have also won both of their League Cup ties and their one outing in the Champions League, which means that they have won all nine of their games in all competitions.
Their impressive record may face the toughest test yet, however, as they face Borussia Dortmund away from home in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
Rodgers will need his best players to step up to the mark and shine against the Bundesliga giants to record a tenth straight win in all competitions this season.
One star who has hit the ground running and emerged as one of the club’s best players since his move to Parkhead in the summer transfer window is central midfielder Arne Engels.
Arne Engels' fast start to life at Celtic
The Scottish giants swooped to sign the 21-year-old starlet from Augsburg last month and the Belgium international has been an instant success at Paradise.
Celtic splashed out a club-record transfer fee of £11m to sign the Bundesliga gem and this shows how much faith they had in the young ace, as they were willing to smash their transfer record to bring him to Scotland.
There was no guarantee that Engels would hit the ground running this season, however, as the midfielder only started 13 of his 32 appearances in the Bundesliga last term, which means that he did not arrive at Parkhead having been a regular starter for his former club.
The midfield whiz has very quickly shown, though, that he is more than good enough to play week-in-week-out for Celtic in the Premiership.
Engels has already produced two goals and two assists in five appearances in all competitions for the Hoops, including a goal and an assist on his Champions League debut – for the club and in his career – against Slovan earlier this month.
24/25 Premiership
Arne Engels
Appearances
3
Sofascore rating
7.43
Goals
1
Big chances created
1
Dribble success rate
100%
Duel success rate
60%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the £11m-rated ace has been a terrific operator in the middle of the park for Rodgers with his contributions in and out of possession.
Engels, who also made a whopping six tackles against Slovan, has won the majority of his physical duels and this shows that he has quickly adapted to the physicality of the Scottish game, despite his young age.
The Belgian sensation has been one of the stars of the show for Celtic but there is another gem in the squad who is fast becoming the club’s best player over the former Bundesliga maestro – Liam Scales.
Liam Scales' performance against St Johnstone
The Ireland international once again lined up in the heart of the defence against St Johnstone on Saturday and produced another fantastic display at the back.
He was tasked with playing alongside another left-footed centre-back, in Auston Trusty, due to Cameron Carter-Vickers’ absence through injury, and maintained his impressive performance level that he has had all season.
The former Aberdeen loanee provided a dominant and composed presence to help Celtic to their sixth straight clean sheet in the Premiership.
Vs St Johnstone
Auston Trusty
Liam Scales
Ground duels won
1/3
3/4
Aerial duels won
4/5
11/11
Tackles + interceptions
2
3
Clearances
1
2
Passes completed
102
98
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Scales won 14 of his 15 duels to dominate the St Johnstone attackers and completed a similar number of passes to his centre-back partner, who did not have anywhere near as much joy in his defensive duels.
This was not a one-off performance from the Irish colossus, however, as his performances throughout the Premiership season so far have been superb to watch, and he is proving himself to be the best player in the squad this season.
Liam Scales' performances this season
The 26-year-old monster has started all six of the club’s league matches and played every single minute, as the Hoops have kept six clean sheets.
He has brilliantly protected Schmeichel between the sticks with his dominant defensive displays to keep the ball away from the Danish shot-stopper.
Scales has won 71% of his ground duels and 76% of his aerial battles in the Premiership, which shows that opposition attackers have found it incredibly difficult to get the better of him in physical contests.
Liam Scales in action for Celtic.
The Irish brute has also made 2.3 tackles and interceptions per game and has remained composed in possession of the ball, with a pass success rate of 93%.
These statistics show that Scales has been pivotal to the club’s sensational clean sheet record, as his defensive dominance, his tackles and interceptions, and his reliability on the ball, have all helped to keep opposition teams away from the Celtic goal.
Liam Scales
Vs Slovan
Sofascore rating
8.1
Duels won
9/13
Tackles
5
Clearances
3
Goals
1
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the Irishman also caught the eye in his performance against Slovan in the Champions League at Parkhead earlier this month.
The central defender opened the scoring with a thumping header from Engels’ corner and went on to provide defensive stability with nine duels and five tackles won throughout the match.
Scales has proven his quality in the Premiership and in Europe already this season and has shown himself to be a key figure at the back for Rodgers, and arguably his best player.
Sold for £20m: Celtic struck gold selling ace who's now worth millions less
The Hoops hit the jackpot when they decided to cash in on the centre-forward.
ByDan Emery Sep 25, 2024
Stars like Engels, Kyogo Furuhashi, and Nicolas Kuhn only get to do what they do in the final third because of the platform that Scales’ defensive dominance provides them with, which is why you could argue that he is fast becoming the team’s best player.
Geoff Boycott says England’s fast-bowling cupboard will not be in great shape after the next two Ashes series
ESPNcricinfo staff14-Mar-2013ST: Coming to Geoffrey’s favourite question for this show, it’s from Gary Thompson in Australia. He says: I’m a passionate England fan living in Australia and I love a bit of banter with my Aussie mates and colleagues. I reckon currently we’re a much better side, especially in the batting and spin-bowling departments. But they brag about this great crop of young quicks like Pattinson, Cummins and Bird that they’ve got coming through, which I tend to agree with. So my question is, which young English quicks do you see coming through the county game? Who is the next James Anderson to step into the side in a couple of years? And who can currently challenge Broad and Finn for that third-seamer spot in the side?GB: Wow, some questions there. First of all, when your friends in Australia tease you about their crop of fast bowlers, they are absolutely right – they have a very good crop, they are talented. But you want to say to them, “Listen, you’ve got to keep them fit and get them on the park if they’re going to be any good, because they are always breaking down and finishing up in hospital. You need a free pass to go and visit them in hospital because they are always going there.”They are very good, and we have a problem here in England. We have enough bowlers for the next two Ashes series, in England, coming up this summer, and when we go to Australia in 2013-14. We do have the three that matter, with Anderson, Steven Finn and Stuart Broad. We’re fine with those three. Our problem comes with our back-up, and we haven’t really got any. The guy who should be bowling well is Graham Onions, who bowled fantastically four years ago in England in the Ashes. He’s not been seen since, he’s been carried around in the squad, he never plays, all he does is bowl in the nets, and his bowling is going backwards. He’s not able to get into the side and it’s quite dispiriting.
“We’re alright in England for the next two [Ashes] series. After that, it’s a big question mark.”Geoffrey Boycott on England’s fast bowling
Tim Bresnan has got an elbow injury; he has gone back to Yorkshire. I think he is a very average bowler. I don’t think he is going to frighten anybody. I know he’s from Yorkshire, but that doesn’t bother me. I give you a professional opinion. I think he bowls too wide on the crease. I think he is a fill-in bowler. He’s not really going to worry top batsmen.We are looking at young kids, and there aren’t any. Stuart Meaker of Surrey – sorry, that’s not going to bother people at Test level. Maybe one-day cricket, yes. The kid who they’re looking at most of all is James Harris from Glamorgan. Four or five counties were after him, Yorkshire included, but he’s chosen Middlesex. He’s gone straight into the one-day squad. They’re watching him very carefully, they think he has a bit of something that might develop. The cupboard is not bare, but it’s certainly not good.We have a boy from Yorkshire who has looked up. We signed up a boy from Northants called Jack Brooks. He’s quite a decent bowler, and he looked very good a couple of years ago. Again, he hasn’t really gone forward. Yorkshire have taken a punt on him, paid him some good money, hoped to get him fit to bowl well.But if you ask me, hand on heart, do I think the Aussie fast bowling is better than ours for the future, yes it is. They have a much better crop of young quicks but there is a big question mark about breaking down. In the end it doesn’t matter how many quicks you have: if they’re not on the park, they are no good to themselves and they are no good to anybody else.Look at Cummins. He bowled fantastic in Johannesburg – quick outswingers. He’s had a bad injury for a long time. This is a problem. A lot of the new, young quick bowlers around the world break down easily. They don’t stay fit. So we’re all right in England for the next two series. After that, it’s a big question mark. Ask me that in a year’s time and we might be in trouble in England.
Fast-bowling depth faces test but coach backs squad to cover off possible absentees
Cameron Ponsonby03-Mar-2022Paul Collingwood, the interim head coach, has urged England not to panic after Ollie Robinson suffered a back spasm and an unwell Mark Wood was unable to take the field after undergoing precautionary blood tests during the team’s solitary warm-up fixture in Coolidge.Speaking at the close of the third day’s play, in which England’s quicks – stand-ins Saqib Mahmood and Matt Fisher included – claimed a solitary wicket between them, Collingwood insisted that England had the bowling depth to account for the possible absences of Robinson and Wood, with the first Test against West Indies looming large on Tuesday.”[Robinson]’s got a back spasm, it’s not ideal. We’ll know more about that in the next couple of days,” Collingwood said, after England’s opening bowler had left the field inside the first half-hour of the day, having just claimed the first wicket of the morning.”When someone walks off like that it doesn’t look good but these kind of spasms can heal as quickly as they come. We’ll just have to assess.I certainly don’t think Ollie will be bowling tomorrow, that would be too much of a risk.”This is the second consecutive match for England in which Robinson has succumbed to a back spasm, after experiencing the same problem during the final Test of the Ashes in Hobart. At the time, Robinson’s fitness was called into question, most notably by England’s bowling coach Jon Lewis in an end-of-day interview. However Collingwood said it was unfair to link Robinson’s current injury to those comments.”I think that’s unfair. As a bowler you do pick up injuries, it’s something we’re always on top of with Ollie and he knows that. But he’s working hard, as hard as anyone else, and it’s unfortunate something like that happens.”He’s very young in Test cricket. Test cricket is a hell of a lot different to playing a four-day county match. Sometimes we expect these guys to come from county cricket and be the finished article. They’re certainly not, not skill-wise and not physically.”Related
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In further troubling news for England, Wood was unable to take the field for the second day running, after leaving the ground early with a non-Covid related illness. The lack of match practice is a concern for a bowler with a history of injury problems, but Collingwood is still hopeful that he will be fit to play on Friday’s final day of the warm-up, and thereafter the first Test”Mark has gone for precautionary blood tests but I’m hoping to get two or three spells out of him tomorrow,” Collingwood said. “It’s pretty much all he can get in terms of match practice, but his loads have been good in training. I can’t add any more days to the schedule so hopefully it will be enough.”If England had hoped to move the narrative on from the omissions of James Anderson and Stuart Broad, then the events of this warm-up game have been a setback. However, Collingwood is adamant that England’s 16-man squad has ample cover in Mahmood and Fisher.”We’re not going to panic,” he said. “It was a great opportunity for Saqi to come in and bowl some overs. Even Fish to bowl some overs. We have got ready replacements in terms of a squad of 16.”Collingwood also insisted that England’s so-called “red-ball reset” was going well, with a real “feel-good factor” among the squad since arriving in the West Indies.”People might think that’s ridiculous after what’s happened in the Ashes but it’s a new start, new beginning for a lot of them and it’s got a fresh feel to it,” he said.”I think it feels different to everyone. Whether you’re a player or the management. And that’s not saying anything was wrong during the Ashes but the fact is that we’ve had two years of bubble life which has tested everyone.”The fixture list, the schedule, I think it’s pushed everybody to the limits. So you know coming to a place like the Caribbean it’s a great place to play cricket and it has a fresh feel to it and a fresh start.”We want exactly the same type of thing that happened in the white-ball in 2015 and sometimes it’s just an attitude thing overnight that can make the difference.”
da bet sport： As the transfer window approaches the deadline, Manchester United are still looking to round off an excellent summer and have reportedly tabled an offer worth over £40m to sign a Europa League winner.
Man Utd transfer news
da pinup bet： Welcoming Matthijs de Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui, Leny Yoro and Joshua Zirkzee, the Red Devils, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Dan Ashworth have so far enjoyed a solid transfer window, bolstering Erik ten Hag's backline and offensive options. Those at Old Trafford were instantly rewarded for their business on the opening day of their Premier League campaign too, when Zirkzee scored the winning goal in a 1-0 victory over Fulham.
Yet, even after welcoming such reinforcements, Manchester United remain without a potential long-term replacement for Casemiro, who struggled to keep up with the pace of the Premier League last season.
Manchester United midfielder Casemiro
Of course, the main name mentioned on that front has been Manuel Ugarte. The Red Devils are reportedly advancing with talks to sign the midfielder, having already agreed personal terms. But whilst they remain without an agreement with Paris Saint-Germain, those at Old Trafford have reportedly explored another option.
According to reports, which have been relayed by Sport Witness, Manchester United submitted an offer worth €50m (£43m) to sign Ederson from Atalanta after talks, however, the Serie A side instantly turned the bid down.
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The offer came Atalanta's way during a meeting with Manchester United chiefs in Italy, which was initially meant to be about sorting paperwork regarding Rasmus Hoijlund's move to Old Trafford last summer before the subject and subsequent bid for Ederson was reportedly brought up.
A recent Europa League winner, the Brazilian could certainly solve Ten Hag's Casemiro problem, but as things stand, he remains an Atalanta player.
"Machine" Ederson is arguably better than Casemiro and Ugarte
If Manchester United saw their chase to sign Ugarte fall apart and leave them with no choice but to go all out for Ederson, then it could arguably be a blessing in disguise. The Brazilian played a pivotal part in Atalanta's Europa League campaign, including in impressive victories over Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen, as the Italians became the only side to defeat Xabi Alonso's side last season.
League stats 23/24 (via FBref)
Ederson
Ugarte
Casemiro
Progressive Carries
32
16
12
Progressive Passes
214
87
112
Tackles Won
49
57
56
Ball Recoveries
188
181
133
What instantly stands out is Ederson's ability to progress play, with an impressive 214 progressive passes to his name last season, over 100 more than both Ugarte and Casemiro managed. As United look to step on the front foot every week, that ability would quickly prove to be vital.
Dubbed a "machine" by Football Transfers' Carlo Garganese following his display against Leverkusen in the Europa League final, Ederson could slot straight into Ten Hag's side. Alas, with just over a week left until the transfer window slams shut for the summer, he is currently on course to remain an Atalanta player.