24-Aug-2016Tillakaratne Dilshan exposed his leg stump inadvertently and allowed a Nathan Lyon delivery to bowl him off his thigh pad•Associated PressSri Lanka, however, fought back through Kusal Mendis, who struck a run-a-ball 69•AFPDinesh Chandimal kept Mendis company for 21 overs and they added 125 for the third wicket•Associated PressThe stand was broken when Chandimal perished attempting to play against the turn and was trapped lbw by Adam Zampa•AFPZampa struck two more times, removing Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva to help Australia regain control•Associated PressBut Kusal Perera provided the innings with a late thrust during his half-century•Associated PressHe was supported by Angelo Mathews who scored 57 off 60 balls. They added 103 for the sixth wicket in 94 balls•Associated PressSri Lanka’s hopes of a strong finish were thwarted by James Faulkner’s hat-trick. They were bowled out for 288 with seven deliveries remaining•AFPThisara Perera struck first ball, shaping on away from David Warner who nicked to the wicketkeeper•Associated PressAaron Finch inside-edged a slog to his stumps in the bowler’s next over as Australia were reduced to 16 for 2•Associated PressSteven Smith tried to get the innings back on track, but gave a simple catch to mid-on. When he fell, he had scored 30 out of his team’s total of 41•Associated PressGeorge Bailey struggled to get going and plonked around for 46 balls for his 27•Associated PressWhen Moises Henriques was stumped off Seekkuge Prasanna, Australia were struggling at 118 for 5•AFPWade, however, held firm and struck a gritty half-century. He added 64 for the sixth wicket with Travis Head before sweeping a full toss to the hands of deep mid wicket•Associated PressSri Lanka, however, surged closer to a win as Wade and Head fell in successive overs, the latter dismissed by Mathews•AFPAmila Aponso quickly wrapped up Australia’s last two wickets to finish with returns of 4 for 18 in only his second ODI, sealing Sri Lanka’s 82-run win•AFP
Geoff Clements, who has been on the job behind the camera for half a century, talks about his career
Firdose Moonda12-Mar-2017The 2017 Dunedin Test was probably a success for only one man, and he was not even playing the match.Cameraman Geoff Clements, from Canterbury, celebrated a half-century behind the lens and then signed off on a career that began in the early years of television in New Zealand, when sports coverage was rudimentary.Clements was 18 years old and an occasional cricketer at St Albans Cricket Club when he began work as a cameraman in his home town. His first match was between Canterbury and the touring Australians in 1967. He was part of a simple three-man team who broadcast in black and white to a 50km radius around Christchurch. There were two main cameras trained on the pitch, and Clements, on the grass bank, manned the third.Given that the game took place 50 years ago, it’s understandable he doesn’t remember too much about it, except that his friend, Canterbury bowler Ken Ferries, played in the match, that they drank a beer in the club rooms afterwards, and that, at some point over the course of the three days, Clements fell in love with covering the game with a camera. “It’s like gardening on speed,” he says.
“To do any sport, you’ve got to be able to know the game. If you’ve played the game at any level, you get to understand the parabola of the situation and how a batsman shapes to play the ball and where it’s going to go”
He was soon employed by Television New Zealand, where he did a range of jobs, including studio work and administration, and covered other sports, but he remained a cricket specialist at heart. In particular, he attached himself to the toughest job, working the ball-follow camera – a role that is self-explanatory and a lot more difficult than it sounds.When hit, a cricket ball often moves even faster than when it is bowled, and you have to have both good reaction time and good anticipation if you’re tracking it with a camera. That is why Clements thinks it is essential for a cricket cameraperson to have played the game at some level. “To do any sport, you’ve got to be able to know the game. If you’ve played the game at any level, you get to understand the parabola of the situation and how a batsman shapes to play the ball and where it’s going to go,” he says. “If you’ve played and you have good hand-eye co-ordination, then you must be more capable of doing the job.”His best example of that is also his most memorable match, at his home ground in 2002. Although New Zealand lost that Test at Lancaster Park, Nathan Astle blazed 222 , which remains the fastest double-century in Test cricket. Astle struck 11 sixes in the innings, which was challenging for Clements. “He hit so many balls in the air, and on the ball-follow camera, I lost some of them. Some went on top of the roof and a couple went right over.”Having now retired, Clements hopes to catch up on his gardening and his bowlsLong before Clements was awed by Astle, he was charmed by another cricketer, who he names as the player who impressed him most. “The Nawab of Pataudi. He was a wonderful batsman with a superb cover drive,” Clements, who covered India’s 1968 series to New Zealand, remembers. “I said to one of the guys afterwards, ‘How the hell can that joker see everything so well and still play like a two-eyed human?’ He was wonderful.”Clements also counts Greg Chappell as a favourite. He says he probably has a “hundred other names which I could mention but won’t” when it comes to cricketers he admires. Instead, he concentrates on the nuances of his job, which apart from steady hands, concentration and the wearing of a lot of layers of clothes, especially in Dunedin last week, where he donned five, is based on storytelling.”It’s about not being too tight with your shots,” he says. “A ball going across the ground says nothing. A ball with someone running after it says something. A ball with someone reverse cup underneath it says something; a ball that suddenly two seconds later is caught means nothing.”Clements says the advancements in technology have aided that cause, especially the replay and the increased number of cameras. “Although sometimes we have more replays than are necessary, it really helps you to create a narrative,” Clements said. “Typically we have more than 25 cameras at the match. At this match, we have 28, and I am told that in Wellington next week there will be 30.”
“It’s about not being too tight with your shots. A ball going across the ground says nothing. A ball with someone running after it says something”
He still finds it hard to believe that the pictures he is shooting travel such a great distance in such a short time. “I still can’t understand how it happens,” Clements says. “Well, I know how it happens, but I can’t conceive of the fact that we can portray this beautiful game – this is the beautiful game, not the big round-ball thing – how we can transmit this and 500 million people somewhere can see that three seconds later. It eludes me. But I am only a television cameraman, I am not an engineer.”Soon he will be a retiree. The decision to stop now, at the age of 69, is his own. “As George Harrison, the great Beatle, wrote, all things must pass, and I think that’s a fair thing,” he says. He has been mentoring colleague Karla Underwood for “the last three or four years” to take over from him.In his time, Clements has only covered cricket outside New Zealand twice, in 1997 during the Pepsi Independence Cup in India, and a version of Cricket Sixes in Kuala Lumpur some years later. He has never been hit by a cricket ball, though he had a near miss once at Eden Park No. 2.In his retirement, he hopes to “play a lot more bowls, try and coach the Canterbury women’s bowls team again, if they will let me, dig more gardens and watch a lot more cricket on the telly”.
Oliver Glasner’s Eagles have managed to climb the Premier League table with a recent upturn in form, finding themselves now 12th in the division, sitting on 27 points after 22 games played, winning six times, drawing nine times and losing seven times.
Since the start of December, Crystal Palace have only lost two games, both of those losses coming against Arsenal, once in the Premier League and once in the EFL Cup.
This run of form has seen draws against the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea, and some big wins against the likes of West Ham, Brighton and Leicester.
It looks as though they’re finally getting over Michael Olise’s summer exit.
Michael Olise's record at Palace
Glasner’s side have started to find the back of the net on a more regular basis over the last few games, with the front three now establishing itself and beginning to gel after Olise departed for Bayern Munich.
Of interest to plenty of Europe’s biggest teams, he left Selhurst Park behind having dazzled their adoring fans on a regular basis.
In total, the French winger scored 16 goals and registered 25 assists in 90 outings with 16 of those goal invovlements coming in just 19 matches in 2023/24.
So, replacing him was always going to be a tricky one, but Ismaila Sarr is beginning to prove his worth.
Ismaila Sarr's form at Palace
Once Olise left Palace in the summer, the Eagles went ahead and signed Sarr from Marseille, joining the club for a fee of around £12.5m.
He now is finally starting to settle, having an impact on games and helping the Eagles to get points on the board. Since the 26-year-old signed, he has made 27 appearances, scoring four goals, providing three assists and totalling 1,635 minutes played.
Ismaila Sarr
It took until the end of November for Sarr to fully impact games with his output, but since then, the Senegalese winger has shown why Steve Parish and Co struck gold by bringing him to the club. He’s found a real nice balance in attack with Eberechi Eze and Jean-Philippe Mateta, which has seen Glasner’s side go on a good run in the Premier League.
Sarr’s transfer valuation has already risen slightly since joining, with his market value now sitting at £17m according to Transfermarkt.
Market Movers
Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?
For context, that is already worth more than their new signing, Romain Esse, who joined from Millwall this month for a fee of around £12m (potentially rising to £14.5m with add-ons).
How Ismaila Sarr compares to Romain Esse
Esse made 26 appearances for Millwall this season, scoring five goals and providing one assist in 2,165 minutes. He has shown his versatility playing on both the left and right wing, as well as through the middle when needed.
Goals
0.3
0.2
Assists
0.2
0.1
Shots
1.8
0.8
Chances Created
1.5
1.2
Take-Ons Completed
0.6
2.3
Take-On Success %
36.36%
50.5%
Touches (Opp Box)
5.1
3.1
Labelled a “freak talent” by Ben Foster, who played with the Senegal international at Watford, Foster has previously spoken of how Sarr makes things happen, even if he doesn’t know what he’s going to do, which fits nicely with his direct nature, often looking to attack the box as often as possible, create chances and get shots off when possible. That’s rather similar to Esse who has been lighting up second-tier defences already this term.
Dubbed a “superstar in the making” by Millwall manager, Gary Rowett, the youngster could benefit from challenging Sarr for a starting spot alongside Eze behind the striker, both offering slightly different attributes in that role.
Having Sarr ahead of Esse could allow the young winger to settle at the club with less pressure, not being thrust immediately into the limelight, building up his experience and showing quality with rotated/substitute appearances, which are likely to spark support from the fans with his excellent technical ability.
Crystal Palace could sign immediate upgrade on Esse all for £25m
Crystal Palace announced the signing of Romaine Esse on Saturday.
Nottingham Forest are simply blessed with attacking talent in their current crop of forwards. The men in Garibaldi Red have been on fire this season, and find themselves flying high in the Premier League in third.
Chris Wood has certainly remembered his shooting boots this term. The New Zealand striker is the in-form player in the Forest side, with 13 goals in all competitions this term, more than any of his teammates.
The midfield trio behind him are equally as productive. Callum Hudson-Odoi has four goal involvements this term, Morgan Gibbs-White has seven to his name and Anthony Elanga is flying with eight goals and assists.
Incredibly, it seems like Forest could be looking to add more firepower to their already deadly attack with one Premier League star.
Nottingham Forest's search for a striker
The player in question here is Bretford forward Yoane Wissa. The DR Congo attacker has been on fire this term for the Bees, but could well depart the club before the transfer window slams shut in February.
At least, that is according to a report from John Percy of The Telegraph. Forest are expected to ‘explore a move’ for the 28-year-old in the coming days, as they look to add to the depth in attacking areas, should Taiwo Awoniyi depart.
However, they will not be alone in the chase for the Brentford star. North London giants Arsenal, who are one of only two teams above Forest in the Premier League table, also have the forward on a list of new recruits for attack. At this stage, a price for the attacker remains to be seen.
Why Wissa would be a good signing
It has been an exceptional season for Wissa so far in 2024/25, starring up front for the Bees alongside Bryan Mbuemo. The pair have really stepped up since Ivan Toney left the club in the summer for Suadi Arabian side Al-Ahli.
Brentford forward Yoane Wissa celebrates
This term, Wissa has scored 11 times in the Premier League, grabbing two assists along the way, in 18 appearances in the top flight.
He has scored and assisted multiple goals in a game four times, which included two crucial strikes against Bournemouth to give his side a 3-2 win. He has certainly been “massively underrated”, as football analyst Ben Mattinson explained.
The DR Congo star could be a fantastic long-term upgrade on Awoniyi. The Nigerian striker seems like he could be on the way to Forest, with Percy explaining he is a ‘target’ for West Ham but they are yet to make a bid.
Although the former Union Berlin striker has shown some promise in that Garibaldi Red shirt, with 18 goals in 71 games for the club, he has not performed well this term.
He has just one goal in 16 Premier League appearances all season, with that strike coming in the recent 3-0 win away to Wolverhampton Wanderers.
In fact, when looking at the statistics of the pair over the past two and a half seasons, since Awoniyi first moved to the Premier League, you can see the quality Wissa possesses compared to the Forest number nine.
For example, according to FBref, the Brentford attacker takes an average of 2.31 shots and averages 0.36 goal-creating actions per game. In comparison, Awoniyi averages 2.19 shots and 0.34 goal-creating actions.
Yoane Wissa scores late on for Brentford vs Crystal Palace.
Although those numbers are fairly close, Wissa is a superior player when it comes to his dribbling ability. The Bees’ number 11 averages 1.66 progressive carries each game, compared to 1.01 progressive carries per 90 minutes from the Nigerian striker.
Stat (per 90)
Wissa
Awoniyi
Shots
2.31
2.19
Goal-creating actions
0.36
0.34
Assists
0.13
0.13
Key passes
0.9
0.71
Progressive carries
0.66
1.01
Given his hot form this term, Wissa seems like he would be a big upgrade on Awoniyi, who seems destined to leave the club. He would certainly add to the attacking firepower at the City Ground this term.
The former Lorient star could be exactly the player Forest are looking for to help spur them on to Champions League qualification.
Imagine him & Anderson: Nottingham Forest targeting "ball-carrying machine"
Nottingham Forest are targeting another addition to bolster their Premier League title ambitions.
da leao： Manchester City are in advanced talks to sign a £50 million international forward who is open to joining the Blues in January.
Man City transfer news
da aviator aposta： Given how the 2024/25 season has gone for City so far, this month has the makings to be a busy period for Pep Guardiola’s side, as they look to try and get back to the top of the Premier League and make the knockout stages of the Champions League.
Big upgrade on Grealish: Man City plotting to re-sign "electric" £37m star
Manchester City could shock the Premier League by re-signing an old winger.
ByBen Gray Jan 8, 2025
It appears there are a few areas of the pitch that Guardiola would like to strengthen this month, with a new defender and midfielder high on the list of targets. Earlier this week it was reported that City are ready to make a move and sign Juventus defender Nicolo Savona. The full-back has impressed City, and they are ready to bring him to the Etihad as they are also ready to move Kyle Walker on at some point this year.
As well as defence, signing a new midfielder will be seen as important by Guardiola, as City have struggled since Rodri was sidelined with a season-ending injury. It’s been reported that City are ready to go all out and sign Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad after holding internal talks over the player. Meanwhile, it was reported on Wednesday that the Blues are also ready to make a move for Lazio midfielder Nicolo Rovella. The 23-year-old is at Lazio on loan from Juventus, and City are ready to pay £33 million to bring him to the Etihad this month.
Man City in advanced talks with £50m ace
A new defender and midfielder are not the only positions the Premier League champions are looking at, as according to Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, Man City are now in advanced talks to sign Omar Marmoush from Eintracht Frankfurt, and the player is open to a move this month.
It was reported earlier this week that City had held talks with Marmoush over a possible move to the Etihad after the 25-year-old continues to impress in the Bundesliga this season. The forward joined Frankfurt on a free transfer in July 2023, and since then, he has gone on to become one of the best attacking players in Germany, with only Harry Kane scoring more than him so far in the Bundesliga this season.
13 goals in 15 league games have alerted the attention of City, who, according to Plettenberg, are now in advanced talks to sign the forward. He states that concrete negotiations are taking place between the Premier League side and the management of Marmoush, and these talks are advanced, but a full agreement has yet to be reached.
Omar Marmoush’s Eintracht Frankfurt stats
Apps
65
Goals
35
Assists
18
He goes on to add that Marmoush “loves” Frankfurt, but he is open to a move this month as it represents a good opportunity for him. The Blues are offering the Egypt striker a contract until 2030, but as of now there are still negotiations between the two clubs, with Frankfurt wanting between 50 and 60 million euros, which is roughly £41-50 million.
da spicy bet： A Confederação Brasileira de Futebol(CBF) anunciou nesta quarta-feira o calendário de competições da próxima temporada. A principal novidade é com relação às finais da Copa do Brasil, que serão realizadas em dois domingos e não mais às quartas-feiras. Os jogos estão marcados para os dias 17 e 24 de setembro.
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da bet nacional： +Convocação, jogos… O calendário da Seleção Brasileira até o final da Copa do Mundo
Outra novidade é em relação as Datas Fifa, quando os clubes cedem jogadores para as seleções nacionais. A CBF garante que não haverá partidas de competições de clubes no período.
O Brasileirão começa no dia 15 de abril e termina no dia 3 de dezembro, um domingo. Já os Estaduais mantiveram o período de 16 datas, como aconteceu nos últimos anos. Eles se iniciam no dia 15 de janeiro e dão o pontapé na temporada que vem. A Supercopa do Brasil será novamente disputada em jogo único, no dia 28 de janeiro.
+VÍDEO: Após acesso, Ronaldo promete ‘Cruzeiro competitivo’ para 2023
SAIBA TODAS AS DATAS:
Campeonatos estaduais: 15 de janeiro a 9 de abril Copa do Brasil: 22 de fevereiro a 24 de setembro Supercopa do Brasil: 28 de janeiro Campeonato Brasileiro – Série A: 15 de abril a 3 de dezembro Série B: 15 de abril a 25 de novembro Série C: 22 de abril a 12 de novembro Série D: 30 de abril a 29 de outubro
Competições internacionais Recopa Sul-Americana: 8 e 15 de fevereiro Copa Libertadores: 8 de fevereiro a 11 de novembro Copa Sul-Americana: 8 de março a 28 de outubro Mundial de Clubes: a definir
Fast bowler proud of resilience after bouncing back from brutal treatment by England batters
Andrew Miller28-Feb-2023Neil Wagner, New Zealand’s final-day hero at Wellington, was hailed by Brendon McCullum – his former captain and current England coach – as “one of the toughest I’ve come across”, after his bruising four-wicket haul secured a thrilling one-run win in the second Test.Wagner’s final figures of 4 for 62 in 15.2 overs included both of England’s set batters, Ben Stokes and Joe Root, as well as the crucial final scalp of James Anderson, caught down the leg side by Tom Blundell, as England slipped from 201 for 5 to 256 all out in the course of his final gut-busting ten-over spell.And the performance capped an extraordinary comeback from one of New Zealand’s most indefatigable performers, after he had borne the brunt of England’s aggression, both in second innings at Mount Maunganui, where his figures of 13-0-110-2 had been the second least economical in Test history, and in the first innings at Wellington, where Harry Brook’s thrilling 186 had dispatched him at close to a run a ball across 21 more overs.This time, however, with England reeling in their run-chase after the loss of four early wickets on the final day, Wagner’s aggression proved the difference, with both Stokes and Root falling in consecutive overs in failed attempts to capitalise on a deck-hitting approach that proved so effective for New Zealand throughout their reign as World Test Champions.”I got a bit of rhythm, something ticked which is nice,” Wagner said in the moment of victory. “I guess it happens in cricket. But credit to Harry Brook, he’s a serious talent. The way he’s played it and came after me, he was pretty awesome to watch but not to receive. He’s a serious player but to finally get some reward from it was quite pleasing.”Related
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The win – which was set up by a second-innings of 483, led by a century from Kane Williamson and a 149-run opening stand between Tom Latham and Devon Conway – squared the series at 1-1, and so preserved a proud home record that now stretches to 11 unbeaten campaigns since 2017.”That’s the characteristics of this team, we keep having to fight for each other, find a way of doing the hard yards out there, and we did,” Wagner said. “It’s a special one, this, and we’ll celebrate it well. It’s an amazing achievement, and obviously everybody contributed, so hats off to everyone. That’s what this team is about, to keep fighting and it’s just something that we’re extremely proud of.”Tim Southee, New Zealand’s captain, admitted that the victory had to rank as the best he had ever been a part of, having sat out their similarly fraught four-run win over Pakistan in Abu Dhabi in 2018-19.”It’s hard to go past having only been the fourth team to win a Test match when asked to follow-on,” he said. “I imagine it’ll be a Test match that’s talked about for a long time.”We went back to what Wags’ biggest strength is,” Southee added. “He bought into it, he trusted it, even though it hadn’t come off as he’d have liked in the series. We trusted his best method and he was able to come in and change the game in this last session, like he has done for a long period of time.”It’s an unusual tactic that you see a little bit more of nowadays, but it’s something Neil’s done for a long period of time. For him to come in and change the game there, when it looked like Ben and Joe had almost taken it away from us was a massive part of this game, and shows you the ticker that Neil’s got.”It shows more about him as a character and a cricketer. He doesn’t give up. It’s in his DNA to keep giving to this team. And I think we saw that and how valuable he can be: when nothing was really happening, and into the wind as well, was able to change the game in that last sessions.”McCullum’s own reign as New Zealand captain, from 2013 to 2016, was instrumental in instilling the fighting spirit that endures to this day, and he paid special tribute to Wagner, a man whom he first played alongside in the Caribbean in 2012.”It’s a tough game, right, and tough characters have to find a way and they do,” McCullum said. “Neil Wagner is one of the toughest that I’ve come across. Obviously I had the pleasure of captaining them for a long period of time, and now playing against him, you know that he’s got a huge heart and he’ll find a way when the going gets tough.”He was good today. He was better than good, he was excellent. He turned the game on its head.”
Liverpool have set their sights on signing a “sensation” of a defender, with manager Arne Slot said to be a huge admirer, according to a report.
Liverpool transfer news
With the January transfer window fast approaching, the Reds continue to be linked with new signings, including Juventus wonderkid Kenan Yildiz and FC Porto right-back Martim Fernandes, who could be brought in to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold.
However, Slot’s most pressing concern is likely to be keeping hold of the star players he already has on Merseyside, and there has recently been a positive update regarding the future of Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah.
Sky Sports reporter Melissa Reddy has now dropped a major update, saying: “Talks remain ongoing between Liverpool and the representatives of Mo Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold to give them new contracts.
“I’m told the dialogue has been very positive and has been moving forward, and been held in a very respectful manner on all sides.
“Liverpool want to do right by the players, but right by the club too. It’s been very apparent that Salah and Van Dijk want to stay.
Liverpool considering making £8m offer for player who’s "got everything"
He has a massive future ahead of him.
1 ByHenry Jackson Dec 9, 2024 Liverpool keen on Beukema
Although it appears as though Van Dijk could soon sign a new deal at Anfield, that hasn’t stopped Liverpool from looking at other centre-backs, and a report from TEAMtalk has now revealed they are interested in signing Bologna’s Sam Beukema.
Slot is seemingly a big fan of the 26-year-old, having been described as a long-term admirer, and the manager views him as a potential purchase for the summer of 2025, perhaps because Bologna have no desire to let him leave in January.
The Italian club will demand at least £20m to sanction his departure, amid growing interest from a number of Europe’s top clubs. However, the Reds could have the edge in negotiations, as the defender has already admitted he could see himself moving to the club, saying: “I was a fan of West Ham. I once visited Upton Park with my father and I was really impressed, because the atmosphere was similar to that of Feyenoord or Go Ahead Eagles.
“But there are so many fantastic teams in England, so if another great club like Liverpool came along I would be happy to go there one day.”
If Van Dijk does commit his future to the club, it may be difficult for Beukema to break up the Dutchman’s partnership with Ibrahima Konate, but there are signs he could be a quality signing.
The former AZ Alkmaar man was hailed as a “sensation” earlier this season, having cemented himself as a key player for Bologna in both the Serie A and the Champions League, while also captaining the side on two occasions.
The proposed £20m fee seems a little low for a player of the Dutchman’s quality, and the fact that Slot is a big fan is a very good sign that he could be a brilliant addition next summer.
Newcastle United will be hoping for a strong run of form over the festive period. The Magpies have had a poor start to the season, languishing in 12th place in the Premier League after 15 games, with just 20 points to their name.
Certainly, Eddie Howe might be disappointed with the performances of some of his players in front of goal. Not all of his attacking stars have performed, with Alexander Isak the only player to break the ten goal involvement mark so far. Worryingly, centre-back Fabian Schar is their third top scorer in all competitions.
Alexander Isak celebrates vs Liverpool
Magpies supporters will surely be desperate for the performance levels of some of his players to pick up soon. Someone else who has underwhelmed when he has played is Miguel Almiron.
Almiron’s stats this season
It has been an incredibly poor campaign so far for Paraguayan winger Almiron. The 30-year-old has been devoid of opportunities this term, playing just eight games in all competitions, and starting once in the Premier League.
The former Atlanta United man has played just 270 minutes in all competitions so far this term. That includes 19 minutes in the top flight, with 68 of those coming in his only start away to Chelsea. Even when the winger gets a chance, he fails to impress; Almiron has yet to score or assist in 2024/25.
It will surely be a concern for Howe that Almiron is not contributing. Although his role is very much as a squad player, he has shown in the past that he can chip in with goals and assists, including scoring 11 times in 34 Premier League games in 2022/23.
Howe will be hoping that Almiron, once the Magpies’ most expensive signing at £21m from Atlanta United, can rediscover his best form.
However, with limited opportunities, it seems like the winger could depart the club, with Newcastle – backed by the Saudi PIF -already focusing on a replacement from within the Premier League.
Newcastle's search for a winger
The player in question here is Nottingham Forest man Anthony Elanga. According to a report from journalist Joel Bland, “it’s pretty likely there’ll be a push made” to sign the Swede in January, should Almiron depart. Bland states that Newcastle “retain interest” in the player after wanting to sign him in the summer.
At this stage, it is unclear how much he would cost, but a bid of £50m from the North Eastern side was turned down on the final day of the summer window. He could cost around the same price as Newcastle’s other right-wing target, Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo.
Interestingly, he and Elanga are statistically similar on FBref, showing exactly what Newcastle’s thinking is when targeting a new right-winger; powerful runners who are creative in the final third and strong ball carriers.
Bryan Mbeumo celebrates for Brentford
In terms of that statistical comparison, both players have impressive ball-carrying numbers. Elanga averages three progressive carries per 90 minutes, with Mbeumo slightly fewer with 2.82.
The pair will bring a creative influence in the final third, with the Nottingham Forest number 21 playing 1.67 key passes each game, and the Cameroonian winger slightly more, at 1.74 per 90 minutes.
Stat (per 90)
Elanga
Mbeumo
Progressive carries
3
2.82
Carries into final third
1.89
1.74
Carries into penalty box
1.78
1.41
Key passes
1.67
1.74
Passes into final third
0.78
1.41
Passes into penalty box
0.56
1.41
On the face of things, Elanga’s goals and assist numbers are not much better than Almiron’s stats. He has two assists in 15 top-flight games and is yet to score. However, he averages 0.17 expected assists each game and 0.33 goal-creating actions per 90 minutes, showing efficiency in the final third.
Should PIF get this deal over the line, it could be an excellent piece of business. Not only would they be signing a player with Premier League quality, but someone who is just as good as Mbeumo and an upgrade on Almiron, as the goals and assist numbers show.
Elanga, called a “frightening” player by journalist Laurie Whitwell, could become an instant success on Tyneside and be a fantastic addition to Newcastle as they look to transform their season.
Newcastle must sell £21m dud who Shearer said would be "absolutely loved"
The Newcastle star has been out of favour this season
The tournament CEO Michelle Enright talks about the challenges of putting the tournament on two years later than planned due to Covid
Tristan Lavalette17-Oct-2022
The T20 World Cup trophy on display during the trophy tour•Getty Images
Having navigated major logistical hurdles, including staff redundancies, ticket refunds and implementing a new fixture list, the postponed men’s T20 World Cup is hoped to fulfil its heady vision from two years ago amid more stability in Australia as international cricket emerges from Covid-19 restrictions.After Australia lifted the women’s T20 World Cup on March 8, 2020, in a heaving MCG brimming with 86,174 fans, anticipation was brewing for the second act with the men’s edition to be held in October-November that year.There had been a strong emphasis from organisers on a cross-promotional campaign in the months prior to the women’s event, the first T20 World Cup held in Australia.”It was exciting having two World Cups in Australia in one year, so we had a joint marketing effort around that,” T20 World Cup chief executive Michelle Enright told ESPNcricinfo. “There was great momentum after the women’s final, which was a huge uplift for women’s sport. We were naturally expecting the men’s [T20 World Cup] to have a similar atmosphere and goodwill around it. Then the momentum was lost.”Related
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The women’s T20 World Cup was the last major sports event held in Australia before the world suddenly shut down due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which like almost everyone else caught tournament officials off guard.”Covid was emerging and coming up in our daily briefing, but we were really focused on delivering the women’s event,” Enright said. “No one knew what was going to happen, so we just kept planning for the men’s event. We had regular briefings but were waiting for the ICC’s decision.”In July 2020, the ICC board resolved to postpone the event for two years with India sticking as hosts for the 2021 edition which was later moved to Oman and the UAE.It caused a number of operational changes, including a 65-strong workforce reduced to a skeleton crew of eight while more than 220,000 tickets and corporate hospitality deposits worth AU$14.6 million were refunded.”It was really, really, difficult to make staff redundant,” Enright said with numbers having since been rebuilt to 82. “We have about one-third back from the women’s event. They are all keen to finish what we set out to achieve with these two World Cups.”‘There was great momentum after the women’s final, which was a huge uplift for women’s sport.’•Getty Images
Other challenges included revamping the tournament’s marketing strategy, since the joint campaign had been outdated, amid logo and brand changes which affected event merchandise.”We’ve had to start again but we have a strong campaign and steadily built momentum,” Enright said with more than 550,000 tickets having been sold, including a sell out of Australia’s opening match against New Zealand at the SCG on October 22.Despite the upheaval, a steep initiation for Enright who was the chief operating officer at the women’s T20 World Cup before replacing Cricket Australia bound Nick Hockley in the hot seat, there are silver linings with the long postponement.Australia, which endured strict pandemic rules and border closures for about two years, has eased most restrictions as everyday life starts to resemble pre-Covid.”We are really fortunate the borders are open and crowd restrictions have lifted,” Enright said. “Cities are buzzing and fans are out enjoying live sport again.”An advancement in technology, with ticket holders to receive ICC non-fungible tokens, and the inclusion of the blockbuster India-Pakistan MCG clash, which was not part of the original fixtures, have also helped the event’s revival.”The postponement has allowed some cool things to happen and the extra couple of years to sharpen our focus, so it couldn’t have worked out better given the circumstances,” Enright said.There is, naturally, caution around the still prevalent virus with players reminded to be “self-responsible”, including eating meals outdoors if possible, while the number of fans from overseas is understandably down from the 100,000 spectators who reportedly travelled for the 2015 World Cup.”About 11 percent of ticket sales are from overseas purchases but that doesn’t capture people who are here visiting friends and family and then might attend,” Enright said. “If it hadn’t been for Covid we would have expected more but it’s still a pleasing number.”While the women’s T20 World Cup closed a chapter before the shut down, the men’s counterpart is a new beginning and signals a shift away from bubbles and isolation.It will also be Australia’s biggest sports event since its ironclad hard border came down.”We are hoping to show the world that Australia is up and open for business. It’s a country very good at hosting major events,” Enright said. “What makes cricket great is bringing cultures and generations together. Stadiums really come alive like what we saw during the women’s T20 World Cup.”We have a great opportunity to deliver something special and that’s very exciting.”