He finishes as one of India’s finest in Test cricket, having built his 13-year career on performances, not promise or popular appeal

Sidharth Monga18-Dec-20240:57

Kumble toasts ‘great champion’ Ashwin: ‘Wanted you to go past 619’

It is rather ironic that a Hindi movie line sums up R Ashwin. We will get to the irony later. The line first.From , the Indian of sorts, the first words of narration, to set up the two lovable rascals: Translated: “In the world that is, there exist two kinds of people: ones who do just one type of work all their life, others who do all types of work in just one life.”Related

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Ashwin is among the second type. He wanted to bat, he wanted to bowl fast, he wanted to captain, he wanted to organise matches. When injury put Ashwin the boy out of commission, he wanted to be involved even if it meant scoring. He wanted to share the ride with you all so he started his YouTube channel even while he played without any commercial arrangement.Most importantly he wanted to do all there was to be done in what was his bread and butter. Most of us Indians don’t experiment lest we end up losing what we have earned through blood, sweat and tears, and luck, in a country as fiercely competitive as India. But Ashwin did everything there was to be done in the department of offspin bowling. Pundits kept telling him he experiments too much. That offspin is about doing the one same thing all your life. That he will lose his stock ball if he keeps, in his own words, “monkeying around”. Then what will he do?Ashwin was incredibly secure and confident in his ability to land the ball where he wanted it to land, and so he pushed the art to its limits with other things. Different run-ups, different load-ups, different seam orientations, different balls altogether, while always landing the ball where he wanted it to.This writer once asked him if he didn’t fear losing the quality offbreak. “Then what will you do?” He said if he did lose it, it would mean it wasn’t his to keep. He never let that fear, that conservative mindset, come in the way of his pursuit for excellence.R Ashwin, owner of 37 Test five-fors and eight Test ten-fors•BCCIThe irony now. A Hindi line to sum him up. When he was still not an offspinner yet, he almost quit cricket because of language barriers at a national Under-17 camp. Back then, at all levels of national cricket, anybody from south India had to learn whatever Hindi they could to survive in the dressing room. It was a shock to Ashwin that nobody could even sense his discomfort.Yet he loved the game and the competition so much that once he was over the initial shock, Ashwin went and enrolled himself in private Hindi classes. After a point, he didn’t see it as a political or a cultural issue. He saw it as a problem, and he had to solve it practically.Ashwin broke his cricket down to solving problems. A batter is a problem, I have to solve it. Do it with 537 Test wickets and 37 five-fors. A batting crisis is a problem, solve it with six hundreds and 14 fifties. Only one of his hundreds was an act of filling his boots. One of the other five came from 156 for 6 in partnership with debutant Rohit Sharma, the man who was clearly struggling to hold back tears when Ashwin announced his international retirement.Being dropped from limited-overs sides without any communication was a problem too, which he tried to solve by adding newer deliveries to his bowling and muscle to his hitting. It has been so long since he made regular appearances in limited-overs internationals that it is easy to forget he was a gun ODI and T20I bowler for six years, frequently bowling in powerplays and bowling Chennai Super Kings to title wins in the IPL.

Ashwin was incredibly secure and confident in his ability to land the ball where he wanted it to land, and so he pushed the art [of offspin] to its limits with other things. Different run-ups, different load-ups, different seam orientations, different balls altogether, while always landing the ball where he wanted it to.

Ashwin looked forward to problems so he could solve them. He solved enough problems to end up with 11 Test Player-of-the-Series awards, the joint-highest in world cricket, and 10 match awards, the third-highest for an Indian and joint-highest for an Indian bowler. Quite simply put, he has been India’s greatest match-winner in Tests.Before the World Test Championship pushed teams to seek out extreme home advantage, Ashwin was partly responsible for countries dishing out pitches that would keep spinners out of the game.We appreciate the skill but not quite the discipline, dedication and commitment it takes to not miss a single home Test from your debut till you retire, in a Test career that spanned 13 years. It is all the more remarkable for a modern cricketer because of the amount of cricket they play. To stay fit despite being athletically – well – challenged, to never fall sick during a Test be it at home or away, to manage other more important life events in a way that they don’t clash with Test matches.Also we don’t quite appreciate that Ashwin was not the kind of gifted cricketer or athlete that leaders make understandable allowances for. He can be proud that he played every single international match of his purely on performance and not promise or, later in his career, popular appeal. He was never too big to be dropped, but with his performance and competitive spirit Ashwin made sure he was never so small that he could be ignored.R Ashwin, his wife Prithi Narayanan, and their children•BCCIIt is a cruel irony that the career of India’s greatest match-winner ends with four consecutive losses in Tests (three against New Zealand at home, and the Adelaide Test). For a person as emotional as Ashwin, the timing of his announcement is curious. You would expect him to play a farewell Test and savour the end. Perhaps have his family along – they were not at the Gabba.Then again, the only thing he is more emotional about is his family. Ever since Ravindra Jadeja leapfrogged him as a Test batter, and the conditions in England, New Zealand, South Africa and Australia favoured a fourth fast bowler over a spinner as the No. 8, Ashwin was spending months on the road without getting to actually play.There is no shame in not being a part of the XI but at a certain age and a certain stage of your career, you need enough incentive to be away from family for months on end. At this stage of his career, with limited years of high performance left in his body, Ashwin would much rather be part of a playing XI even if it is at a local club game. That will also let him spend more time with his family.This may sound entitled, but it is not. He genuinely finds more peace in playing a local game than in the money and the high of being part of an international tour without actually playing. He loves cricket for the cricket itself, and not for what else it brings.

He was never too big to be dropped, but with his performance and competitive spirit Ashwin made sure he was never so small that he could be ignored.

If there had been a home series immediately after this tour, Ashwin perhaps would have stayed on. Some might question his leaving in the middle of a series, but if he is not going to play in the rest of the series, could you question wanting to spend Christmas and New Year’s with his family, something he has missed out on for years? Moreover, retirement is an extremely personal matter. You are saying farewell to something that has given your life purpose for about 35 years of your existence; nobody on the outside has the right to tell you when to do it.If anything, the timing – in the middle of a series level at 1-1 – brings into focus the harsh reality of Indian cricket: barring a handful, even the greatest have been treated as disposable objects. It should be incumbent on the leadership of the team to know what players at this stage of their career are thinking. These are not easy conversations to have, but they are better had than not.Let not his last four Tests override a great career. The man himself has walked away without rancour and as unobtrusively as one can without going full MS Dhoni, who also retired from Tests after the third Test of an Australia tour.R Ashwin at the nets on the eve of what would be his final Test match – not afraid to try things out till the end•Getty ImagesVery few get to end their career on a perfect note. Who wouldn’t have liked to witness Ashwin walk off with a win in a match that he had announced beforehand would be his last?It might not have been perfect but Ashwin’s last outing was still plenty excellent. On a pitch so hostile to spin bowling that Nathan Lyon bowled only one over across both innings, Ashwin bowled with Australia in the ascendance and looking to dominate, and it was a spell full of class. Even on that pitch, he never let batters get away from him, nearly getting Travis Head but for a dropped half chance and dismissing Mitchell Marsh. He and Jasprit Bumrah were the only ones to go at under three an over in the match. Who knew it would be a final reminder why Ashwin would always be India’s first-choice spinner when conditions were not spin-friendly.Ashwin won’t cry it’s over. He will cry that it happened, but tears of rejoicing. He will likely say that if he hasn’t had the perfect ending, it was not his to have.

The owners of the Rajasthan Royals have bought a majority stake in the CPL franchise

Nagraj Gollapudi30-Jul-20213:18

Manoj Badale: ‘We’ve always been very committed to innovation’

The IPL footprint in the CPL has expanded further with the owners of the Rajasthan Royals buying a majority stake in the Barbados Tridents, which will now be known as the Barbados Royals. The Royals Sports Group are the third IPL franchise to own a team in the CPL after Red Chillies Entertainment, owners of the Kolkata Knight Riders, bought the Trinbago Knight Riders in 2015, and KPH Dream Cricket Private Limited, the consortium that owns the Punjab Kings, bought the St Lucia Zouks last year.The Barbados franchise is one of the three teams to win the CPL title twice. The Tridents won the 2014 CPL under the leadership of Kieron Pollard, who is now captain at the Trinbago Knight Riders. In 2019 the Tridents ended the unbeaten run of the Guyana Amazon Warriors in the final to win the CPL under the captaincy of Jason Holder. The Tridents failed to defend their title, however, finishing fifth in the 2020 edition with just three wins in 10 games.The 2021 season of the CPL will be played in St Kitts & Nevis between August 26 and September 15. While Holder will remain the Barbados captain, Kumar Sangakkara, appointed as the Royals’ director of cricket in the IPL, will also oversee CPL operations. Sangakkara welcomed the addition of the Barbados franchise to the Royals’ “ecosystem”. He said the Caribbean talent could be utilised to “innovate and develop strategies” for the growth of the Royals group.The Barbados Tridents won their second CPL title in 2019•Getty Images

Manoj Badale, who owns EM Sporting Holdings Ltd, which recently increased its stake to 65% in the Royals franchise, said the “opportunity was too good to be missed” on the acquisition in Barbados franchise. According to Badale, the Royals Group will have an 80% stake with the remaining staying with the Texas-based Manish Patel, the principal of the CMG Companies. Patel had previously owned the Jamaica Tallawahs in the CPL from 2014 to 2016 before he sold his stake and re-entered the CPL by buying the Tridents in 2019 from the Indian businessman Vijay Mallya, who was previously owner of the Royals Challengers Bangalore in the IPL. Patel is also the owner of the Austin Athletics in the Minor League Cricket T20 competition.Badale has long held a desire to create a commercial enterprise for the Royals group by investing across T20 leagues in the world. In 2010 the Royals had announced a global alliance when they joined forces with Hampshire, the Cape Cobras and Trinidad & Tobago to form a worldwide T20 brand. That venture did not take off, but the Royals have remained on the lookout for such opportunities.”The idea of creating a global network behind the Royals brand is something that we are keen to do for many many years, It was the opportunity too good to miss” Badale told ESPNcricinfo. “The IPL is only on our screen for a short period of the annual calendar. Secondly, it gives our fans an opportunity to follow Royals teams across the world and in different locations. Thirdly, from a cricketing perspective to trial new things.”Badale said the CPL investment had the support of the RedBird Capital Partners, who recently picked up a 15% stake in the Royals’ franchise in the IPL. The US-based RedBird has interests in the parent company of Liverpool and the Boston Red Sox. “They are hugely supportive of the Barbados acquisition.”

Young Yorkshire bowler lost footing on damp ground while fielding, slid into concrete base of Western Terrace

Paul Edwards13-Jul-2021

Nobody who has lived through the past 18 months needs to be reminded that there are times when cricket doesn’t matter a damn. All the same, anyone at Headingley on the third afternoon of this Roses Match were reminded of that truth in the most brutal fashion when Yorkshire’s Dominic Leech suffered a horrific injury to his left leg when he lost his footing on damp ground and slid into the concrete base of the Western Terrace.Leech had been chasing round the boundary from long-on to deep midwicket to stop a four and had slapped the ball back into play when the accident occurred. The 20-year-old was immediately in agony and was attended by medical staff from both Lancashire and Yorkshire for 15 minutes before being taken from the stadium on a stretcher by paramedics and thence to hospital in the car of Yorkshire’s physio, Kunwar Bansil. At 2.35 the players left the ground to take an early tea and shortly afterwards a statement was issued saying areas of the playing surface had been deemed unfit and unsafe.As it turned out the umpires, Ian Gould and Nigel Llong, made two inspections before play was eventually abandoned at 4.25. During the time between Leech’s injury and the abandonment questions were raised as to why the umpires had deemed the ground fit for play to start at noon and why an injury beyond the boundary had prompted the decision that the playing area was unfit two hours after precisely the opposite judgement had been reached.But in a month when simplicity will become a dull watchword this was an example of one of cricket’s unavoidable complexities. Although rain had fallen for twelve hours with barely a break on Monday, Headingley was ready for a twelve o’clock start, only for the seam bowlers’ boots landing on the same spots in their run-ups to bring up water, especially in the area that lies in the shadow of Emerald Stand. To link Leech’s injury to the decision to come off the field is a good illustration of the problems encountered when one applies the principle of “post hoc, ergo propter hoc” too rigidly. Apparently Llong had already raised the issue of the footmarks with his colleague and the situation was being carefully monitored when the injury occurred.It was also significant that the judgement of the umpires was firmly supported by the both counties’ head coaches. Although delighted that his team are dominating this match – visiting teams do not get to 411 for 2 too frequently at Headingley – Lancashire’s Glen Chapple endorsed Gould and Llong’s judgement.”We had a lot of rain yesterday and we got here this morning and the ground was still wet,” he said. “The best I can give you is that maybe the heat has brought more moisture up and it’s gone from being just playable to not playable. It’s disappointing for the players and supporters but unfortunately the ground’s not fit at the moment.”The umpires are doing their job and it’s their call to make. None of us have been down the end that’s causing the problem and I fully trust the umpires to make the right call. The players and our supporters will be very disappointed but the main thing from all this is that you don’t want to see someone injured badly and we all hope he recovers quickly.”Related

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Like his Lancastrian counterpart Andrew Gale’s first thought was for Leech, who had received his second-team Yorkshire cap before yesterday’s play and whose bowling was being watched by his father and girlfriend. However he also understood the nuanced judgement that the umpires had had to make”You have to feel for the lad,” he said. “It’s the first game he’s played in the first team this year. But Dom’s a tough cookie – he’s from Middlesbrough – and he was in a lot of pain. It was sad to see. Hopefully he’ll be ok.”You have two of the most experienced umpires in the country, so whatever decision they make is what’s right by the game. They felt that as the day went on and there was more traffic on that side of the pitch and the run-ups, it was bringing water up. Umpires with their experience probably didn’t want a situation where someone like a Jimmy Anderson runs in and rolls his ankle. They didn’t think it was fit for play and fair play to Lancashire because they’re bossing the game and they seemed okay about it.”Yorkshire have encountered problems at the Emerald Stand End of Headingley before, most notably in April 2018 when the game against Essex was abandoned without a ball being bowled, and yesterday’s events will clearly stiffen the intention to get the problem solved. Shortly after the abandonment the Club issued a further statement which ended as follows:”Analysis of the outfield at that end has previously taken place and has identified issues with a layer of thatch that can cause a build-up of water on the surface following heavy rain-fall. The Club had originally planned to get the outfield re-laid prior to the 2021 season but unfortunately difficulties arising due to the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in this being delayed. The Club intend on completing this work at the end of this season.”All of which leaves us with the Roses Match, the details of which are rightly overshadowed on days such as this. But it should perhaps be noted that Luke Wells and Josh Bohannon extended their third-wicket partnership to 156 in the 23.2 overs we were allowed and that both batsmen looked in almost complete command. True, Bohannon was dropped on 11 by Harry Brook at first slip off Leech but he later slapped Jordan Thompson over cover for six and pulled the same bowler for four a few balls later, shots which not only took the Boltonian to his half-century but also raised the remote chance that Lancashire might pick up a fourth bonus point.As it was Lancashire had to settle for a score of 342 for 2 after 110 overs. It is the first time since the game in 2011 at Hove that Yorkshire have gained no bowling points from a match in which they had inserted the opposition and bowled their full ration of overs. If this gave Steve Patterson something to ponder, he soon had something else on his mind when Gould warned him for running on the pitch. By the end of the day, though, such cautions were as nothing when set against the health of a fine young cricketer.

MatériaMais Notícias

da apostebet： Os Garotos do Ninho estreiam na Copa SP de Futebol Júnior nesta quarta, às 21h 45, na Arena Barueri, contra o Forte (ES). O Flamengo, que busca o penta da Copinha, faz parte do Grupo 29, que ainda tem Floresta (CE) e Oeste (SP).

A primeira partida do time Sub-20 terá transmissão pelo canal “SporTV”. Será a oportunidade da Nação Rubro-Negra matar a saudade de ver o Fla em campo.

RelacionadasFlamengoSupercopa do Brasil: CBF confirma data de Atlético-MG x FlamengoFlamengo04/01/2022FlamengoGabigol antecipa fim das férias e se reapresenta ao FlamengoFlamengo04/01/2022FlamengoFlamengo encaminha contratação em definitivo de Thiago MaiaFlamengo03/01/2022

da aviator aposta： Na chave formada por quatro equipes, os dois primeiros colocados avançam para a fase de mata-mata da competição. Quem se classificar no Grupo 29, enfrentará o primeiro ou segundo colocado do Grupo 30 – que é composto por Ibrachina (SP), Náutico (PE), Internacional de Limeira (SP) e Serranense (MG).

Com uma série de jogadores do Sub-20 à disposição do grupo profissional para a disputa do Carioca, o técnico Fábio Mátias terá a base da equipe Sub-17 – campeã brasileira e da Copa do Brasil em 2021 – na Copinha, com destaque para Matheus França, Victor Hugo e Petterson, entre outros. Confira a lista aqui!

FICHA TÉCNICA
FLAMENGO X FORTE (ES)

Data e hora: 5 de janeiro de 2022, às 21h45
Local: Arena Barueri, em Barueri (SP)
Árbitro: Guilherme Nunes de Santana
Assistentes: Italo de Magno Andrade de Paula e Paulo de Souza Amaral
On​de assistir: SporTV

Provável Flamengo:Bruno Guimarães; Wesley, Kayque Soares, Cleiton e Marcos Paulo; Igor Jesus, Lucas André e Matheus França; André (Victor Hugo), Pedro Arthur e Ryan Luka (Petterson). Técnico: Fábio Matias.

On paper, Australia remain favourites, but India wouldn’t be too displeased either with how things stand going into the MCG

Andrew McGlashan18-Dec-2024At 2.33pm on Wednesday the players left the field at the Gabba for the final time. A short while later, the approaching rain hit the ground and the umpires didn’t wait too long to bring down the curtain on a rare five-day Test that felt much longer than that. The evening before, KL Rahul had joked he’d got more tired walking up and down to the dressing room than he did in the middle.And yet, the final day included its fair share of intrigue. There was a curious Australia second innings in which Steven Smith appeared at No. 6; Jasprit Bumrah taking his series tally to 21 wickets at 10.90; a (seemingly brief) injury scare around Travis Head; and finally the most surprising development, the international retirement of R Ashwin.It means Ashwin won’t be at the MCG, where he had such a big impact on India’s victory in the 2020-21 series, when the teams reconvene on Boxing Day tantalisingly poised at 1-1.But how do you assess the tied scoreline? Offer that to India before arriving and there’s a good chance they’d have bitten your hand off for it given the historic success of Australia in Perth and Adelaide especially and the fact they were coming off a whitewash against New Zealand. After the first Test, though? Perhaps they would have hoped for more.Related

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From Australia’s point of view, it feels under where they would have expected to be for the same reasons of their records at the venues but it’s been a strong response to the thrashing at Optus Stadium. Last week’s pink ball gave them a leg up when it was desperately needed. Despite the odd-looking second innings in Brisbane, they were never on the back foot in this match once Head and Smith had lifted them from 75 for 3.India were not shy of celebrating when they saved the follow-on through the fighting efforts of Bumrah and Akash Deep. Rohit Sharma had a wry smile on his face when he was asked if India’s joy at that moment was a reflection of deeper cracks in the side.”I have been here enough to understand what are mind games and what are chit-chatters and all of that,” he said. “From our personal point of view, we were behind the game. Obviously, it is a little victory for us to avoid that follow-on, looking at how the weather was going to play, looking at where the game was heading. Eventually, we ended up in a draw.”With Australia being ahead in the game, they didn’t manage to get the result. For us to celebrate that, it was a little victory for us. There is no harm. We enjoy each and every moment. We saw two guys who were fighting for the team and we were really happy with that. So, we were celebrating how these two guys batted at the end.”Cummins, playing his role in the mid-series fun, later laughed off suggestions that India took more than Australia from how the game panned out.”Can’t say I’ve ever been scared of momentum,” he said. “Don’t really care about that. Think we can take a lot from this week. A couple of great partnerships. To be sent in on a wicket and score 450 and then be a bowler down and manage to bowl India out for 250 when the wicket was probably a bit better, think we can take a lot from that.”Heading to Melbourne, both sides have similar issues to confront around the top order. For India, the form of Rohit and Virat Kohli remains a concern, Yashasvi Jaiswal has not been able to back up his 161 in Perth and Rishabh Pant has been kept quiet, particularly by Cummins.For Australia the spotlight is on openers Usman Khawaja and Nathan McSweeney. Marnus Labuschagne’s half-century in Adelaide has eased some pressure on him, but he was again out loosely to Nitish Kumar Reddy in this Test. Bumrah is proving a mighty handful for the top order although Cummins added little should be read into Australia’s second innings at the Gabba given the attempt to set a target.Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc took on most of Australia’s bowling load•AFP/Getty ImagesMitchell Marsh’s series has also yet to take off: he walked when he didn’t nick one in Adelaide and has bowled six overs in two Tests, despite Australia being a bowler down for most of the game in Brisbane. Two excellent catches aided his team in this match, but he has yet to suggest he can hit the heights of last season when he was named the Allan Border Medalist.However, one area where Australia have better depth than India is the pace bowling. While Josh Hazlewood’s injury is a significant blow, it is quite the luxury to know that Scott Boland is waiting in the wings to return on his home ground where he is such a force. Meanwhile, Rohit did not sound confident about Mohammed Shami being available at all during the series although Akash, who is often compared to Shami, was much better than his 1 for 95 would suggest.On balance, Australia remain favourites for the series although that is largely based on the stunning form of Head, a revived Smith and the durability of Cummins and Mitchell Starc.And so the roadshow heads to the MCG, a surface that has been a fast bowler’s dream in recent seasons, with the prospect of a record opening-day crowd. The weather forecast, whisper it, looks good for Boxing Day (it’s also good for Brisbane the moment the Test leaves town) and there is a series where everything remains up for grabs. Merry cricket Christmas.

da dobrowin： Liverpool will be hoping to have a more successful 2024/25 season than they did last term, which happened to be Jurgen Klopp’s final in charge. He has departed the club following the conclusion of the season, with Feyenoord manager Arne Slot taking over at the helm of the club.

da bet7： Last season, the Reds could not give the legendary German the send-off he would have wanted, failing to win three of the four trophies they were competing for. They did manage to win the Carabao Cup, beating Chelsea 1-0 in the final, with Virgil van Dijk scoring the winning goal to seal what turned out to be Klopp’s final trophy.

In the Premier League, Liverpool finished third, after falling off in the title race against Manchester City, the eventual winners, and Arsenal. Klopp’s side actually finished quite a way behind the top two in the end, finishing the season on 82 points compared to City’s tally of 91 and Arsenal’s tally of 85.

In both the Europa League and the FA Cup, the Reds were eliminated by the eventual winners. Atalanta eliminated them from the Europa League at the quarter-final stage largely thanks to a 3-0 victory at Anfield. Manchester United knocked them out of the FA Cup, winning 4-3 in extra time in one of the all-time great cup ties.

Slot will be determined to avenge Klopp next season and get Liverpool’s hands back on the trophies they didn’t win, and indeed the one they did. The Reds have been linked with a player who they could well sign during the summer transfer window that could have a big effect on their season in 2024/25.

Liverpool want Premier League winger

The player in question here is Crystal Palace and French winger Michael Olise. It was another stellar season for the former Reading man, and he is now wanted by a whole host of top-flight clubs, with Liverpool recently joining the hunt.

That is according to a report from Football Transfers, who report that the Reds have 'entered the conversation' for Olise, with the club 'looking for a successor' to legendary winger Mohamed Salah.

Liverpool, however, are not thought to be the only club in the race for Olise’s signature. Three other Premier League clubs are vying for his services, too. Manchester United are a favoured club for the winger because they are the team he supported as a youngster. Chelsea are also an option; they are regarded as the frontrunner and club where he spent time in the academy. Newcastle United are also interested.

However, Liverpool entering the race, could complicate the matter for Olise, given they are looking for an heir to Salah. With that being said, it's suggested that a lack of a guarantee of game time makes 'a possible deal tricky'. The 22-year-old has a release clause of £60m in his current Palace deal, and would not leave for any less than that.

How Olise fits in at Liverpool

Olise was one of the deadliest attackers in the Premier League last season. Frustratingly, it was a campaign which was ravaged by injuries for the Frenchman; he missed 21 games with a hamstring injury that he picked up at the U21 Euros in the summer of 2023. It was an issue that he reaggravated 11 games after returning.

However, in the 19 games he featured in during the 2023/24 campaign, Olise managed to score ten goals and register six assists. He played just 1,282 minutes, which equates to 14 full 90-minute games, meaning he averaged more than one goal involvement every game.

There is certainly no question about his output from a Liverpool point of view. If they want a right-winger with elite goal involvement numbers to fill the shoes of Salah one day, then it certainly seems that Olise will be up to the task, given his exploits for Palace so far.

Something that could excite Liverpool fans is the partnership Olise could strike up with right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold.

The England international has excelled in recent years, becoming one of the most productive assist-makers in the Premier League. In fact, his teammate Andy Robertson is the only defender with more assists in the competition, with 59 compared to Alexander-Arnold’s 58.

In recent years, we have seen Alexander-Arnold invert into midfield when Liverpool have the ball, so he can influence the game from central areas of the pitch. However, two of his most productive seasons, 2018/19 when he registered 12 assists, and 2019/20 when he registered 13, came when he was holding width on the right wing.

Should Liverpool sign Olise, the Englishman could perhaps revert to his old methods, which could get plenty out of his game, and also help Olise thrive. The Palace number sevenloves to cut inside on his left foot, meaning he and Alexander-Arnold would be operating in similar areas of the pitch.

Instead, a dynamic of Olise in the half-space and Alexander-Arnold holding width on the right could create a well-balanced attack for the Anfield side. There could also be rotations between the pair, with Alexander-Arnold sometimes tucking side and the France U21 star holding the width, making it a more fluid and less predictable partnership.

One thing is for sure, having the creativity of both players on the right-hand side would make Liverpool a force to be reckoned with.

Olise and Alexander-Arnold creative numbers

Stat (per 90)

Olise

Alexander-Arnold

Progressive passes

5.51

8.69

Key passes

2.54

2.70

Passes into final third

3.04

8.40

Passes into penalty box

2.40

2.59

Stats from Fbref

As per Fbref, Alexander-Arnold averages 8.69 progressive passes per 90 minutes, which ranks him in the top 2% of full-backs, and 2.70 key passes per 90, placing him in the top 1%. Comparatively, according to Fbref, Olise averages 5.51 progressive passes, ranking him in the top 19% of wingers, and 2.54 key passes, which places him in the top 16% of wingers.

Scout Jacek Kulig described Olise as "one of the Premier League's best players" last term, and it is easy to see why. He is a complete right-winger and paired with Alexander-Arnold, Slot could have the next big duo in Premier League history at his disposal.

If Liverpool manage to get their hands on Olise this summer, it will make them a deadly force, and go a long way to helping win back the trophies Slot will be so desperate to win in his first season as manager.

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FSG are poised to pounce for this talented defender.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Jun 18, 2024

James Hildreth became the fourth-highest first-class run-maker in Somerset’s history on the second day of the LV=County Championship match with Middlesex at the Cooper Associates County Ground. The 36-year-old batter went past Bill Alley’s tally of 16,644 while contributing 39 to his side’s first innings total of 178 for 4 and now lies behind only Harold Gimblett, Marcus Trescothick and Peter Wight.Earlier, Middlesex had moved from an overnight 308 for 6 to 357 all out, Robbie White falling for 92 and Josh Davey claiming three of the wickets in the space of an over.Related

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There were two victims each for Steve Finn and Tim Murtagh when Somerset replied before an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 80 between George Bartlett and first-class debutant Lewis Goldsworthy left honours pretty even.The day began with White, unbeaten on 70, and Luke Hollman adding 24 before Craig Overton uprooted Hollman’s off stump with his score on 16. White had moved to 81 and the total to 338 for 7 off 108 overs when rain interrupted play at 11.50am. The action resumed at 1.20pm with two incident-packed overs.White took two fours and a three off the first of them, bowled by Tom Abell to put his side within a single of a fourth batting point. But his hopes of a maiden first-class century were dashed when he edged Davey’s first ball of the following over to Hildreth at first slip.The crestfallen White dragged himself off, having faced 224 deliveries and hit 13 fours. Two balls later Finn fell lbw, having survived an equally confident appeal first up, and Somerset had their third bowling point. With one run still needed for a fourth batting point, Murtagh swung two boundaries to third-man, before being caught there to give Davey a third wicket.Somerset’s reply had reached 8 without loss when a lighter shower brought a 15-minute interruption. Then both openers fell quickly as Tom Lammonby edged a catch behind off Finn and Tom Banton was pinned lbw by Murtagh.Hildreth looked in good touch as he and Abell took the score to 86 for 2 at tea, the latter surviving two slip chances in the same Tom Helm over, Max Holden and White the guilty fielders.Hildreth had overtaken Darren Stevens as the leading run-maker among players still operating in the domestic game when fencing at the first delivery after tea from Murtagh and being caught behind. Abell then chipped a full ball from Finn to midwicket and departed for 41. With the floodlights on, Bartlett, on 13, was dropped by Sam Robson at second slip off Martin Andersson.Drizzle and light issues brought a further break at 120 for 4. A 6pm resumption of 15 overs saw Bartlett progress serenely to 43 and 20-year-old Cornishman Goldsworthy move stylishly to 34, an innings rich with promise.

Amid the chaos of a potential takeover and potential departures, Everton are reportedly close to sealing their first signing of the summer in the form of a future star for Sean Dyche.

Everton transfer news

The Toffees returned back to square one when 777 Partners' deal to purchase a majority stake in the club failed to reach completion. The Miami-based firm never received Premier League approval and those at Goodison Park must now look elsewhere for options. Among those options is reportedly John Textor, who is seemingly ready to sell his stake in Crystal Palace in order to take over at Everton.

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However, even if a new owner does arrive, the Toffees will reportedly have no choice but to sell players this month if they want to avoid breaking the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules yet again.

That concern also means that bargain deals should be the way forward for Everton this summer, which will seemingly see one future star arrive. According to The Athletic, Everton are close to signing Ceiran Loney from Partick Thistle this summer. The 18-year-old is the Scottish club's youngest-ever player and will now reportedly have the chance to join up with the Toffees' academy after impressing scouts.

One for the future, Loney's arrival at least represents that Everton have a plan going forward. They'll be desperate to avoid any further PSR sanctions, and bringing players into Dyche's first-team via their academy should go a long way towards doing just that in years to come.

Loney can follow Branthwaite path

After watching Branthwaite go from Carlisle United to Everton before playing a starring role in Dyche's side, Loney will surely be hoping to follow a similar path. The England defender is even being linked with Manchester United in a big-money move and came close to making the England squad for Euro 2024. If presented with an opportunity at Goodison Park, Loney's possibilities could be endless.

At Partick Thistle, the young forward made just one senior appearance last season, which means that a place in Everton's academy before anything should be the way forward should he complete a move this summer.

From there, those at Goodison Park will hope to have identified their eventual replacement for Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who has struggled to lead the line for Everton amid injury struggles in the last few years, presenting the chance for someone like Loney to step up sooner rather than later.

At a time when they need cheap solutions to their problems, the academy should be the place to turn towards ahead of next season.

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ByStephan Georgiou Apr 16, 2024

Carlos Corberan showed last season that he won't hesitate in giving youth a chance at the Hawthorns, exemplified in the quick rise of Tom Fellows in the West Bromwich Albion first-team.

The homegrown Baggies product ended up amassing five goals and four assists from 39 games in all competitions, after being given his first big break in the senior mix throughout the course of 2023/24, with Fellows wanting to push on even more next season to cement his spot in Corberan's XI.

Another and-coming West Brom youngster could well use Fellows' jump up to the first-team as a source of inspiration, therefore, with the talent in question a deadly finisher of chances playing out on loan in the EFL last campaign.

Modou Faal's numbers last season

Playing in the lower depths of the four divisions with both Doncaster Rovers and Walsall last time out, it could be an almighty leap for Academy prospect Modou Faal to make next season pushed into the deep end of the Championship, but one he could adjust to over time judging by his goalscoring numbers in League Two.

The promising 21-year-old would bag 15 strikes from 53 overall games for his two loan employers, to further live up to his billing as being a prolific attacker when playing youth football for West Brom, as was seen in his previous 14 goals from 33 appearances in the U21 set-up.

Fellows also benefitted from being loaned out to Crawley Town early in his development as a young starlet learning the ropes, whilst Albion also struck gold on Brandon Thomas-Asante, when signing him from League Two Salford City back in 2022, to then become Corberan's main man up top.

Yet, the 25-year-old's lack of potency in front of goal towards the back end of West Brom's promotion push last campaign would have really irked those at the Hawthorns, with the 5 foot 11 striker only registering a meagre two goals from his final 11 appearances, which included two anonymous showings in both play-off matches against Southampton.

This could result in Faal being given more chances to come, as a rival to Thomas-Asante's first-team spot, as Corberan aims to find his next breakout talent akin to Fellows.

How Faal compares to Thomas-Asante

Like Faal will be looking towards the aforementioned Fellows as a figure he will want to replicate, he will also look to Thomas-Asante, who had to rough out in League Two similarly, before being given a shot in the Championship.

Faal's 15 goals in all competitions last season playing for his two loan sides actually betters any goal return the ex-Salford man mustered up whilst still playing in Greater Manchester, which shows that the 21-year-old could be fast-tracked to the first-team shortly, to see if he can handle the step-up in quality already.

Faal

23/24

53

15

2

BTA

22/23

7

5

2

BTA

21/22

43

13

4

BTA

20/21

49

6

3

BTA

19/20

27

6

4

Looking at the table above, Thomas-Asante has never quite been a deadly finisher, even during his Salford education, whilst Faal could go on to explode into life in the senior team at West Brom, based on his encouraging output last season.

Described as a talent who could go on to be "unplayable" by Donny manager Grant McCann, Corberan will hope Faal can be another exciting prospect that can offer West Brom depth ahead of the new second-tier campaign.

With a lack of reserve strikers at the Spaniard's direct disposal, as Andreas Weimann is no longer on the books after a forgettable loan spell, an injection of youth could be even more well-needed.

Corberan could soon sell West Brom star who earns 2x more than Johnston

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ByKelan Sarson Jun 19, 2024

Beth Mead claimed that Arsenal have achieved the "minimum standard" after a "nerve-racking" win over BK Hacken which sealed a Champions League berth.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Arsenal beat Hacken 4-1 in a UWCL qualifier
• Mead was among the goalscorers
• Excited about the European nights at the Emirates

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Putting behind the disappointment of their first-leg defeat in Sweden, Lia Walti, Mariona Caldentey, Frida Maanum, and Beth Mead propelled the Gunners into the group stages of the elite European competition, as they rose to the occasion against Hacken despite initial jitters on Thursday evening at home turf.

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  WHAT MEAD SAID

  After the final whistle, Mead opened up about the tension surrounding the fixture.

  "Don't get me wrong it was a long day and nerve-racking knowing the outcome if we didn't win," she admitted. "It's a minimum standard at Arsenal that we need to be in Europe and playing in the Champions League regularly and in the group stage, so it's been nice to get it over the line."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Mead's goal and performance were particularly sweet, considering her recent battle with injury. In late 2022, the 29-year-old suffered a serious anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury that sidelined her for months.

  Reflecting on her journey, Mead said, "I feel like I've started the 2024-25 WSL season in a pretty good place, though my pre-season wasn't perfect. I had a bit of a niggle, but now I feel like I'm getting back into my stride. I can keep improving and building into the season."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?

  Arsenal are set to face European heavyweights Bayern Munich, Juventus, and Norwegian side Valerenga in what promises to be a thrilling and competitive group stage. However, in the short term, they are preparing for an encounter against Leicester on Saturday in the WSL.