Formado nas categorias de base do São Paulo, o meia Oscar, que defende o Shanghai SIPG, da China, revelou ter recebido um convite do novo técnico do Corinthians, Vítor Pereira, para jogar no Timão.
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> GALERIA: Cássio brilha e Gustavo Silva garante vitória do Timão; veja notas
O meia brasileiro e o técnico português estiveram juntos no clube chinês por três anos, e em entrevista ao “ge”, o atleta contou que após o anúncio da chegada do profissional de 53 anos ao Brasil, Vítor fez um pedido especial para ele.
-Eu escrevi ‘Vai, Corinthians’ e mandei mensagem para ele (Vitor Pereira) dando boa sorte. Ele falou ‘obrigado, amigo. Vem pra cá, vem pro Corinthians agora’ e eu falei ‘não, quem sabe mais pra frente – disse o meia queconquistou o Campeonato Chinês e a Supercopa da China em 2019 com Vítor Pereira.
> TABELA: Confira e simule os jogo do Corinthians no Paulistão
O brasileiro ainda contou um pouco sobre o estilo de Vítor, e disse que o português não prioriza os medalhões, e escala de acordo com as características do adversário.
-Ele não vê nome, não vê nada, ele quer é ganhar o jogo. Lógico que ele respeita bastante os jogadores, principalmente as estrelas e os mais rodados, escuta bastante. Mas ele gosta de ganhar jogo, e vai colocar os melhores que ele tiver para ganhar o jogo, independente de nome – contou Oscar.
O Corinthians ainda não divulgou a programação da semana, nem quando será a coletiva de apresentação de Vítor Pereira. Mas o português de 53 anos comandará as atividades da semana e já estará à beira do gramado contra o São Paulo, no sábado (5), no Morumbi, pela décima rodada do Paulistão.
Netherlands international ended playing career after T20 World Cup
ESPNcricinfo staff20-Dec-2021Ryan ten Doeschate will join Kent as a batting coach in his first full-time role since retiring from professional cricket earlier this year.Ten Doeschate, who turned 41 in June, retired from the game after playing for Netherlands in the T20 World Cup in October following the end of the county season.He travelled to South Africa on Netherlands’ aborted tour as a mentor and was tipped by Ryan Campbell, their head coach, as a potential successor in that role, but has opted to sign a deal with Kent, where he will work alongside his former Essex team-mate Matt Walker developing young batters like Zak Crawley and Jordan Cox.Related
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“I’m excited to be given the opportunity to work with Matt Walker and the Kent squad, especially with the talented group of players that have just won the Vitality Blast and will compete in Division One of next season’s LV= Insurance County Championship,” ten Doeschate said.”I’m ready to start a new chapter of my career and use my experience and that of some of the others I’ve worked with to influence and improve the players and the group.”Ten Doeschate will replace Michael Yardy, who spent two years as Kent’s batting coach but recently returned to Sussex as their academy director following Richard Halsall’s departure.Paul Downton, Kent’s director of cricket, said that ten Doeschate would bring a “winning mentality” to the club. “We are delighted to welcome ‘Tendo’ to the club following his recent retirement as an outstanding player,” he said.”He is a proven leader with two Championship wins under his captaincy at Essex, and he already has a varied coaching CV. He will bring with him a winning mentality and all the experience of a successful playing career into an ambitious Kent dressing room keen to learn.”Equally important, I have no doubt that he will fit in extremely well with Matt Walker, who he has played alongside in his career, and Simon Cook [bowling coach] to create a really exciting coaching team at Kent.”
England captain says India defeat will “plant a little bit of doubt in Australia’s mind”
AAP01-Nov-2021
India were victorious in Brisbane earlier this year, ending Australia’s 32-year unbeaten run•Tertius Pickard/Associated Press
Joe Root has declared the Gabba is no longer a stronghold, arguing doubt will linger in Australia’s minds when the Ashes start on December 8 because of their shock Test loss to India’s depleted XI.India stormed to an unexpected victory at the Gabba in January, snapping Australia’s undefeated Test streak at the ground that had dated back to 1988. The tourists completed a venue-record chase of 328; a feat made even more remarkable because Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Ashwin, Mohammed Shami and several other first-choice players were unavailable.Uncertainty regarding England’s participation in the five-Test series had dominated the Ashes phoney war in recent months. But the series is now set to begin with its traditional curtain-raiser in Brisbane and Root, who departs alongside England’s red-ball specialists this week, has delivered a timely reminder about what occurred in Australia’s most recent Test.Related
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“Look at that India team that won at the Gabba. They were a long way from their first-choice XI but they had no fear,” England’s captain told the . “They stood up to Australia and won crucial parts of that Test.”It will give every player in our squad a huge amount of confidence and just plant a little bit of doubt in Australia’s mind. Having to go back there and play again for the first time against us, what with it being such a stronghold for them for such a long period of time. We now know that it’s not.”England have been the world’s busiest national cricket side throughout the Covid-19 era, whereas Australia’s series loss to India represents their only Test cricket since the pandemic erupted.Root has already equalled the English record for most Test centuries in a calendar year, reaching three figures on six occasions in 2021. He has yet to score a century in Australia but believes lessons learned from miserable 2013-14 and 2017-18 tours, which England lost by a combined scoreline of 9-0, will help him continue his red-hot form.”The two previous tours I think if anything I probably got a bit too desperate,” he said. That extra bit of experience off the back of a fruitful year for me personally puts me in a better place.”Root was understandably thrilled to have Ben Stokes back in England’s Ashes plans and mentally ready to return to cricket. Stokes required two surgeries to repair a finger injury, while he also took time out of the game for his own mental wellbeing.”I’d got an inkling. I’d had some good conversations with Ben over the period while he’s not been playing,” Root said. “It was just such a joy to hear him speak. You could almost hear his smile, if that makes sense, down the phone. You could tell he was so much happier within himself.”
Glasgow Rangers will be looking to carry on where they left off in the Premiership as they face a trip to Rugby Park this afternoon to play Kilmarnock.
A 2-0 win over St Johnstone during their last outing before the international break meant they had won their previous three league games; can the Light Blues make it four in a row today?
Philippe Clement won’t just be aiming for all three points, but also ensure his team deliver a solid performance in the bargain, scoring a few goals in the process.
Against the Saints, several players stood out, yet one failed to truly showcase their abilities – Mohamed Diomande.
Why Mohamed Diomande could be dropped by Clement
The promising midfielder played just the opening 45 minutes against the Saints a couple of weeks ago, coming off at halftime to be replaced with Connor Barron.
During the first half, he lost possession seven times while making zero tackles or interceptions in what was another poor display.
Indeed, the 22-year-old even received a match rating of just 4/10 by Glasgow World for his performance, and it could be time for Clement to drop the Ivorian to the bench against Killie.
Assists
1
Touches
43
Possession lost
7
Interceptions
0
Tackles
0
Key passes
2
With Nico Raskin shining in the same match, it looks like Barron will come back into the starting XI to partner the Belgian, thus seeing Diomande dropped to the bench.
The Rangers star who could replace Diomande
Since joining from Aberdeen, the young midfielder has played a part in every single match so far this term.
The clash against the Saints was just the second match he had not started for the Light Blues, but after Diomande’s lacklustre display, the Scot should be brought back into the team.
Hailed as “very impressive” by Scotland U21 manager Scott Gemmill, Barron has emerged as a key component in Clement’s midfield, showing maturity way beyond his tender years.
In the Premiership this campaign, Barron has succeeded with 91% of his passes, averaged 69.6 touches per game, made tackles and recovered 3.7 balls per game, showcasing his abilities at the heart of the midfield.
These attributes have made him an instant hit with the Ibrox faithful, especially considering they snapped him up for free during the summer.
There is no doubt that he will continue to get better and better as time goes on, especially with exposure to European football on a regular basis.
While he has formed a decent partnership with Diomande, it will be interesting to see him and Raskin slotting into the engine room against Killie.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
The duo have the potential to shine and a solid showing from the pair could mean Diomande has to work even harder to get back into the starting XI.
Three points is all that matters at Rugby Park this afternoon, although a good performance could certainly boost morale among the supporters, no doubt about that.
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The offspinner hasn’t played since April but is hopeful of three matches before facing England
Alex Malcolm07-Oct-2021Nathan Lyon has never gone this long between matches in his professional career.And the wait is set to continue as New South Wales are still yet to confirm the start of their domestic season, with hopes they can play at least two Sheffield Shield matches and two Marsh Cup matches against Victoria in late October and November.Lyon, who sits on 399 Test wickets, is preparing for the first Ashes encounter on December 8, having not played a Test since January or a first-class match since April.He revealed he was frustrated to not be considered for Australia’s winter limited-overs tours, to the Caribbean and Bangladesh, and was therefore not in contention for the T20 World Cup.”Yeah, 100 percent I was disappointed,” Lyon said. “That drives me even more to be honest with you. I was disappointed I didn’t get selected in both those squads if I’m being honest. But that’s something that I can keep working on, keep putting my hand up for selection. It’s been really productive this offseason being able to work on a couple of different balls in white-ball cricket.”I’m looking forward to hopefully playing a couple of one-day games for New South Wales and putting that into practice.”Related
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Sydney’s long lockdown has wreaked havoc with the domestic schedule but Lyon says it hasn’t hindered his training whatsoever.”The only thing we haven’t been able to do is go to the pub,” he said. “This is the first time I’ve been asked to do a full pre-season so it’s something I’ve been really enjoying. Firstly, getting in there with all the boys and doing all the hard work but also hopefully passing on a little bit of knowledge as well with a couple of younger players as well.”New South Wales have had to train in groups of 10 due to Covid rules but he has had three centre-wicket practices as well as endless days in turf nets at Sydney Olympic Park and Blacktown. Lyon was able to get three Sheffield Shield games in prior to his last Test series against India and has previously stated that four matches would be his personal preference as the lead-in to a major series. But he was comfortable he would have enough training and cricket under his belt prior to the first Ashes Test.”I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a three-day trial game, intrasquad squad game somewhere leading towards the first Test match,” Lyon said. “So in my eyes, there are still going to be three games, three really decent hit outs. I think we’ve got two [practice] games next week, so I’m more than confident with my preparation.Nathan Lyon had a frustrating series against India•Cricket Australia via Getty Images”If the Test started tomorrow, I’ll be itching to go and knowing that my skill set is where it should needs to be. So I’m very happy with my preparation, thus far. I know there’s a couple of things I’ll still want to work on. But saying that if it started next week, I’ll be more than happy to go.”Lyon is braced for the prospect of some sort of quarantine in Brisbane ahead of the Test series. Australia’s 18-man T20 World Cup squad and their coaching staff will also undergo 14-days of quarantine on the way back from the UAE.Lyon and any other New South Wales or Victoria-based Test squad members, such as James Pattinson, Marcus Harris and Will Pucovski might need to quarantine separately depending on the rules provided by the Queensland government.”I’ve got no dramas with quarantine,” Lyon said. “I’m happy to jump in there and get it done. To be honest with you, it’s a pretty small price to pay to go out there and have the opportunity to play cricket for Australia.”Lyon never doubted England would send a strong touring squad despite some concerns about quarantine arrangements for players and their families.”I’m expecting England to come out pretty well full strength,” Lyon said. “Ashes series, they make people’s careers. So if people don’t come out and someone comes out and has absolutely blinder of an Ashes series that really sets their careers up. So I know if I was in their shoes, I’d be putting both hands up for selection and jumping on that tour if I could.”
Aston Villa have no time to rest now after their breathless 3-2 win over Everton last time out in the Premier League, as Champions League football finally gets underway for Unai Emery’s excited camp on Tuesday night.
Emery would have loved the passion and drive from his team that saw them pick up a comeback win against Sean Dyche’s Toffees, hopeful that this resilience to dig deep and pick up dramatic results stands them in good stead for the esteemed tournament.
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery
The former Arsenal manager has, of course, managed at this level before, but many of his players have never tasted action when it comes to Europe’s elite competition.
Morgan Rogers could be one of the unlucky few to not make the cut for the starting XI against Young Boys tonight, after a wasteful showing versus Everton last time out.
Rogers' performance vs Everton
The former Manchester City youngster could find his spot taken up by a different Villa body in Switzerland, based on his poor display against the Toffees in the attacking midfield area.
Away from the likes of Ollie Watkins and Jhon Duran in attack who fired home the vital goals to help Villa pick up a dramatic three points, Rogers would fluff the opportunities that fell to him, with two big chances missed off the 22-year-old’s back.
Further, the Villa number 27 might well find he’s dropped to the substitutes bench for his side’s Champions League opener owing to his constant wayward passing against Everton, with possession squandered 15 times by the attacker in total.
In stark contrast, his composed midfield teammate Youri Tielemans would register 126 accurate passes from his staggering 147 touches of the ball, with the Belgian star standing out as a creative spark constantly aiming to cut the Toffees open.
Away from his haphazard passing, Rogers was also weak in asserting himself in duels with only four successful ones managed from 15 attempted.
Tielemans will know his spot in Emery’s XI is concrete, whilst his 22-year-old counterpart will be anxious about his prospects of starting against Young Boys, as Emery assesses now what to do with his lineup if Rogers is given the boot.
The players who could replace Rogers
Of course, Emery might well keep his faith in Rogers here, who continues to look like a promising gem for Villa who just needs a little more polishing.
But, there were some exciting cameos off the bench from other midfielders last match, including the “unbelievable” Ross Barkley – as he was described by former teammate Andros Townsend – who would be comfortable playing in that lone attacking midfield spot.
Minutes played
45
Goals scored
0
Assists
1
Touches
45
Accurate passes
42/43 (98%)
Key passes
1
Accurate long balls
4/4
The ex-Everton man would help his current employers ultimately win the back-and-forth contest against his former club, as Barkley would tee up another second-half substitute in Jhon Duran to power home a stunning long-range winner.
Alongside that, Barkley was just stylish on the ball whenever a pass came his way, with only one misplaced pass in the contest from 43 attempted.
The 30-year-old also has experience on his side when it comes to Champions League football, amassing six appearances in the illustrious competition in the past when on the books at Chelsea, before his playing days saw him return to Villa.
There could even be a tweak of formation and plenty of other changes made, with Barkley playing as a holding midfielder when thrown into the action versus the Toffees, but he’s more than comfortable at playing further forward.
Whatever line-up does take to the field in Switzerland, Emery will pray that his players give it all they have, as the high-stakes drama of Champions League football gets underway.
No Rogers or Onana in 3 changes: Predicted Aston Villa lineup v Young Boys
Unai Emery could make a number of changes to his Aston Villa side as they start their Champions League journey.
Things are going to start shifting at Everton. Sean Dyche knows this and has expressed that he wants to lead the Merseysiders forward as they leave Goodison Park and move into their highly-anticipated new stadium in 2025.
Dyche will also know that his team’s abject run of form to start the season off needs to change – fast. Crystal Palace head to Liverpool tomorrow afternoon in a contest between two outfits seeking their first Premier League victory of the year. If Everton fail to win, the 53-year-old manager will be sweating over his future in the dugout.
Everton manager Sean Dyche
But let’s be pragmatic for a moment – is Dyche really the man to take the club forward, even if he lifts the Toffees away from danger this year?
There’s a case for the negative.
Why Everton should sack Sean Dyche
Sources close to Everton suggest that the club’s stance on Dyche’s role in the dugout remains resolute, even though The Friedkin Group are on the cusp of completing a purchase of Farhad Moshiri’s majority shares.
Dyche is regarded as a manager who enforces an unfashionable and counter-possession style of football, and while this is certainly the case – Everton’s 37% average possession this year is the lowest in the Premier League – his side does like to drive forward.
A lack of possession does not necessarily translate to ‘defensive’ football: Arsenal rank 16th for possession held in the top flight this term with a 41% average.
Further to the point, Everton have created nine big chances in the league this year, ranking joint ninth among a host of divisional rivals. Last year, they ranked 11th with 63 big chances created, more than Manchester United.
So, you see, Everton have a way of working, Dyche has a way of doing things, but that’s not to say at all that he’s not effective, not assured in his system and its parts. Let’s not forget, without the imposed eight-point deduction, the Goodison Park side would have clocked in at a joint-11th-placed finish.
Of course, we’re dancing away from the point that Everton have been in dismal showing this season, and though they’ve managed to showcase some attacking intent in recent matches, taking the lead in each of their past three, the Blues lost against Bournemouth and Aston Villa despite holding two-goal leads and drew at Leicester City after scoring first.
The team clearly has offensive skills to offer, but Dyche’s well-known defensive solidity has slipped and melted into weak and porous. It’s time for change, and West Bromwich Albion boss Carlos Corberan could be the man for the job.
Carlos Corberan would be the dream Dyche replacement
Corberan implements an attractive and high-energy style of football that would certainly bring about a sense of change at Everton, with the promising coach previously touted as a target following Frank Lampard’s dismissal back in January 2023.
Sky Sports commentator Don Goodman has previously said that the Spaniard’s Baggies are “horrible to play against”, with his 4-2-3-1 formation succeeding in shaping his heavy-metal brand.
Having cut his teeth under Marcelo Bielsa at Leeds United, the 41-year-old brings a style carrying a semblance to that of the Argentine, playing fluid and fast football.
His innate tactical understanding and easy-on-the-eye football could see him emerge as Everton’s top target and receive attention beyond that of former Blues gaffer David Moyes and Gareth Southgate, two names that have been linked with the job amid growing questions about Dyche’s leadership.
It could also unlock new signing Iliman Ndiaye, who has been one of Everton’s brightest sparks this season but has a skillset that could perhaps benefit from a shift in manager.
Ndiaye was signed from Marseille for a fee in the region of £15m this summer and he has indeed impressed so far, scoring twice, including against the Foxes last time out to earn Everton their first point of the term.
A technically impressive player, the 24-year-old ranks among the top 2% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for successful take-ons, the top 12% for progressive passes and the top 8% for progressive carries per 90, as per FBref, emphasising that point.
Matches (starts)
5 (3)
Goals
1
Shots (on target)*
1.2 (0.6)
Accurate passes
81%
Key passes*
0.8
Dribbles completed*
1.8
Ball recoveries
5.0
Tackles + interceptions*
3.0
Total duels won
4.6
An athletic and fleet-footed player, the versatile forward could be perfect in a more attack-focused system, with the roundedness and combative sheen to make it all tick – he might even become Corberan’s main man down the line, as he continues to adapt.
Once described as a “genius” by former Leeds player Romario Vieira, Corberan must be the man to target if Dyche fails to turn things around – Southgate’s tactics didn’t exactly go down a treat for the Three Lions this summer even if willpower dragged them through to the final, while Moyes’ tenure at West Ham came to an end with fans crying out for something new, given his pragmatic approach.
West Bromwich Albion manager Carlos Corberan.
Although Corberan will be immensely proud of the work he has done at the Hawthorns, with West Brom indeed perched in pole position after seven fixtures in 2024/25, he will know that solidified Everton interest could prove to be an opportunity not worth passing up on.
TFG, whisper it quietly, could establish the infrastructure for a brand new world on the blue half of Merseyside – they need to make it happen.
Branthwaite will love him: Everton could appoint "genius" Dyche replacement
He’d be a breath of fresh air for the Merseysiders…
While Saturday's defeat has put a slight downer on the return of the Premier League for Manchester United fans, the transfer window can give them something to be excited about.
So far, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Co have signed a plethora of talented players to strengthen Erik ten Hag's squad, including Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt, Joshua Zirkzee and Noussair Mazraoui.
However, while that would be more than enough for most clubs, the Red Devils now look set to welcome another potential star who could be the club's new Roy Keane.
Manchester United transfer news
According to a recent report from transfers expert Fabrizio Romano, United are now incredibly close to securing the services of Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Manuel Ugarte.
The Italian journalist has revealed that, as long as Scott McTominay's transfer to Napoli goes as planned, the Red Devils will complete the signing of the Uruguayan ace on a permanent transfer.
Romano does not mention a potential price in his update, but reports throughout the summer have consistently claimed any deal would require the three-time European Champions to pay £51m for the £101k-per-week 23-year-old.
Manuel Ugarte for PSG
It's not a cheap transfer, but adding the tough tackling international into the heart of Ten Hag's midfield should make the team a far more imposing proposition to the opposition, and the player could be the Dutchman's own Keane.
Why Ugarte could be Ten Hag's Keane
Okay, so when you think of Keane, what are the first things that tend to come to mind?
For most fans, it will probably be an image of a stereotypical 'hardman.' The type of midfielder who intimidated his opponents before the game had even started and then clattered into them as soon as possible to let them know he meant business.
However, while that would certainly be an apt description for part of the Irishman's game, he was also far more technical than people often give him credit for. After all, you don't thrive at Old Trafford simply because you're great at smashing into opposing midfielders.
That said, one of the characteristics that Ugarte shares with the former United great is his toughness, as, like the Cork-born icon, he's not afraid to make a tackle.
In fact, according to FBref, which compares players in similar positions across Europe's top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, the former Sporting CP ace sits in the top 1% of midfielders for tackles and dribblers tackled and the top 2% for interceptions, ball recoveries and tackles won per 90.
Ugarte FBref Scout Report
Stats
Per 90
Percentile
Tackles
4.19
Top 1%
Dribblers Tackled
1.85
Top 1%
Medium Pass Completion %
95.1 %
Top 1%
Ball Recoveries
7.81
Top 2%
Tackles Won
2.34
Top 2%
Long Pass Completion %
83.1%
Top 2%
Interceptions
1.97
Top 2%
Pass Completion %
90.9%
Top 4%
All Stats via FBref
However, also like the player he'll hope to emulate, he's no slouch with the ball at his feet, sitting in the top 1% for his medium pass completion percentage, the top 2% of midfielders for long pass completion percentage and the top 4% for his overall pass completion percentage.
The last thing the 23-year-old "defensive monster", as Statman Dave dubbed him, shares with the midfield legend is his tendency to pick up a yellow card.
Manuel Ugarte in action for Sporting
In fact, his tally of 47 yellow cards in 200 appearances to date means he's averaging one every 4.25 games, whereas the former Nottingham Forest ace picked up 99 in 612 appearances, or one every 6.18 games.
Ultimately, there won't ever be another Keane, but if Ten Hag wants to secure the services of the next best thing, then bringing Ugarte to Old Trafford this summer would be a great start.
Man Utd hit gold on "monster" Ten Hag signing who's worth more than Ugarte
He’ll be hoping to make a significant impact this year…
Coach “very disappointed” in KKR’s slow scoring, says “we’re going to have to make some changes for sure”
Saurabh Somani29-Apr-20214:01
McCullum: ‘After Shaw’s six fours, we were shell-shocked’
After the Kolkata Knight Riders sank to their fifth defeat in seven games, a “very disappointed” Brendon McCullum said personnel changes loomed, with an eye specifically on scoring quicker in the top order. The coach said what disappointed him in particular was that his batters had not been more expansive in the seven-wicket defeat to the Delhi Capitals in spite of repeated exhortations to go after the bowling.The Knight Riders’ top three of Nitish Rana, Shubman Gill and Rahul Tripathi cobbled together a combined 77 off 67 balls, before Prithvi Shaw slammed a 41-ball 82 in reply.”It’s very, very disappointing,” McCullum said. “I think as a player, you ask to be given freedom and confidence and loyalty when it comes to selection, to go out there and take the game on and try and be aggressive… and to try and make things happen for your team. That’s the style of play which both myself and the captain [Eoin Morgan] have asked of our players. But unfortunately we’re not quite getting that. We’re certainly not getting it in the abundance that we need.”What we saw from Prithvi Shaw tonight was the perfect template of how we want to play. You’re not always going to be able to hit every ball for four or six, but you can have the intent to do so, particularly when you’re given a free licence. It’s very difficult if you don’t play shots to score runs, and unfortunately tonight we didn’t play enough shots. It’s become a bit of a theme. A saying that I’ve used throughout my career is that ‘If you can’t change a man, change the man.’ So we’ll probably have to make some changes and try and bring in some fresh personnel who will hopefully take the game on a bit more.”Brendon McCullum was “very, very disappointed” in his batters after the loss to the Delhi Capitals•BCCI/IPL
In a clear reference to his top order, McCullum said that runs at the top against a new ball and with field restrictions in place were imperative, especially given the slow nature of the surfaces in IPL 2021, where so far teams have often found it difficult to tee off at the death.”Look, on a slow surface you’ve really got to maximise the new ball and the fielding restrictions,” he said. “One thing we have to get our heads around is that in T20 cricket, you’ve got to part from the old-school mentality of trying to find a boundary and then get a one. You’ve got to try and put some pressure back on the opposition bowlers. If you get a boundary, then look for another, and then look for another one. If you’re able to do that, then the opposition bowler is under an immense amount of pressure and normally what happens then is they don’t execute. Then you can have big overs, and that allows you to be able to build into an innings, create those partnerships and those sizeable platforms.”It’s very difficult if you’re not trying to look for boundaries for that to happen. So it’s more of an application thing than it is anything else. It’s incredibly disappointing because I’ve asked time and time again for us to be more aggressive and more expressive and take the game on, and we continue to not do it. So we’re going to have to make some changes for sure.”The Knight Riders openers – Rana and Gill – are striking at less than 125 so far in the tournament, and are in the bottom five among the 15 openers who have faced at least 40 balls in IPL 2021. On the bench, they have Venkatesh Iyer (T20 strike rate 137.64), Karun Nair (131.47), Sheldon Jackson (117.09) and Gurkeerat Singh Mann (123.74) to choose from among top-order batters.The Knight Riders think-tank had decided before the tournament that their most devastating weapon – Andre Russell – was best utilised if deployed around the 12th over. But, even though Russell has been coming in to bat as planned, he hasn’t always been able to express himself freely because a sound enough platform had not been laid. Against the Capitals, Russell walked in at 75 for 4 in the 11th over, eventually dragging the side to 154 for 6 with his big-hitting, which still proved woefully inadequate when Shaw got going.Related
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“I had a conversation with Andre at the start of the season. We look at a lot of stats and facts and try to back what’s the best place for him,” McCullum said. “Ideally with the right platform, beyond 12 is what we agreed on, but there are times when he’s going to have to come in a little bit earlier. Today he came in slightly earlier. It actually allowed him to settle a little bit, but he really couldn’t play with the same freedom, because we had fallen into a bit of a hole. It was only his brutal power towards the end which allowed us to post any sort of total.”The other day he came in, the game against Chennai, the game was so far beyond us, he was able to come in and just try and take the game on. He has that ability. But I think, ideally, from 12 overs onwards is where he can do the most amount of damage with the least amount of risk. So it’s really up to the rest of our guys to provide him with a better platform rather than asking him to do too much.”The Knight Riders next match is against the Royal Challengers Bangalore on May 3 at the same venue.
Leeds United have dipped into the transfer market to make four additions to their playing squad during the current summer transfer window so far.
Daniel Farke has added Joe Rodon on a permanent deal, after his loan spell at Elland Road, Alex Cairns, and Joe Rothwell, on loan from Bournemouth, to his squad.
The German head coach has also recently acquired Jayden Bogle from Sheffield United, officially welcoming him to the club on Saturday afternoon.
Jaden Bogle for Sheffield United.
Their Championship rivals were said to be demanding a fee of £7m for the full-back, with it reported since the move was completed that they have paid a "significant, undisclosed fee".
Whilst Leeds welcome Bogle from across Yorkshire, the club have struck gold with one star who could return to the squad like a new signing for Farke at the start of next season – Pascal Struijk.
How much Leeds paid for Pascal Struijk
The Dutch defender signed for Leeds in January 2018 under the reign of Andrea Radrizzani on a free transfer from Ajax and initially joined as an academy player, rather than a first-team addition.
He only made five league appearances in his first 18 months at the club under Marcelo Bielsa, with all five of those outings coming during the 2019/20 title-winning campaign in the Championship.
Leeds defender Pascal Struijk.
His first market valuation on Transfermarkt came in October 2020, shortly after that season, as they valued him at just €750k (£629k) at the time.
The central defender then went on to play 27 or more games in each of the team's three years in the Premier League, as he established himself as a regular in the first-team.
Leeds struck gold with Struijk
At the time of writing, Transfermarkt values the 24-year-old enforcer at a whopping €15m (£12.6m) and that is significantly more than his first valuation of €750k four years ago and more than the £7m Sheffield United wanted for Bogle – who is one year younger than him.
This shows that Leeds struck gold when they signed Struijk on a free transfer as his value has skyrocketed over the years and he has emerged as a key first-team player for the club, which highlights his value on the pitch and financially as an asset.
Unfortunately, the Dutch ace missed the last 29 games of last season with a groin injury and that forced Ethan Ampadu to fill in at centre-back.
23/24 Championship
Pascal Struijk
Appearances
23
Goals
3
Pass accuracy
90%
Ball recoveries per game
6.1
Ground duel success rate
61%
Aerial duel success rate
61%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Struijk caught the eye during the first half of the season when fit as the defender won the majority of his duels on the deck and in the air, whilst being very reliable in possession.
The left-footed star, who was described as a "cornerstone" of the club's future by Farke, could return from injury like a fresh signing for Leeds next term, as they have been without his talents since New Year's Day.
Imagine him & Rothwell: Leeds preparing swoop to sign £40k-p/w star
The Whites are reportedly keen on a deal to sign the Premier League midfielder.
By
Dan Emery
Jul 16, 2024
It now remains to be seen whether or not the Whites will stump up the £7m required to sign Bogle but Struijk could walk back into the team like a £12.6m-rated new signing ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.