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Crystal Palace have made contact with Borussia Monchengladbach forward Alassane Plea about a summer move to Selhurst Park, according to Foot Mercato journalist Santi Aouna.

Who will Crystal Palace sign this summer?

With Wilfried Zaha seemingly heading for the exit door upon the expiration of his contract at the end of next month, Palace will need to bring in a replacement, and Fabrizio Romano reports they have already made a bid for Sunderland's Jack Clarke.

The Eagles appear to be very keen on strengthening their attacking options, and they have recently been linked with a move for Gambia starlet Adama Bojang, while they are also said to be interested in Middlesbrough striker Chuba Akpom.

Plea is able to play on both wings and through the middle, which means he could be brought in to replace either Zaha or Jean-Philippe Mateta, with the latter player making it clear he wants to leave this summer.

Foot Mercato journalist Aouna reports Palace, and by extension chairman Steve Parish, are interested in signing the Monchengladbach forward, having already made initial contact, but there will be competition for his signature, with Fulham and West Ham United also said to be interested and making an approach.

The 30-year-old is thinking of leaving the German club, and Aouna claims he "dreams" of returning to Ligue 1, with Lyon "pushing" to bring him back. A move to the Premier League is not completely ruled out, but it appears as though he has his sights set on a return to his home country at the moment.

Who is Alassane Plea?

It is no real surprise the Frenchman is keen to return to Ligue 1, as he has been a resounding success in the French top flight in the past, registering 36 goals and 22 assists in 119 appearances in the competition during spells with Nice and Lyon.

The £79k-per-week forward moved to Monchengladbach in the summer of 2018, where he has also impressed, reaching double figures for goals in three out of the five seasons he has played in the Bundesliga.

Hailed as "extraordinary" by Gladbach legend Gunter Netzer, the one-time France international has displayed his remarkable playmaking abilities over the past year, averaging 0.46 assists per 90, in the 98th percentile compared to his positional peers.

Plea's attacking threat could make him a fantastic replacement for Zaha, and if Palace are able to tempt him into a move to the Premier League, he may prove to be an excellent addition to the squad.

Liverpool are "very far in" with negotiations to bring Jorg Schmadtke to the club as sporting director, according to journalist Christian Falk.

Do Liverpool need a sporting director?

The job of sporting director has been an influential one at Anfield during Jurgen Klopp's time in charge of the Reds, with Michael Edwards bordering on a genius who worked wonders in the transfer market, bringing in the likes of Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk. Julian Ward has continued to do an impressive job as his predecessor, but he is leaving his role at the end of the season.

Liverpool are working hard on finding a replacement and Schmadtke has emerged as a front-runner in recent weeks, with the 59-year-old previously at Bundesliga side Wolfsburg. Now, a fresh update has emerged – one that suggests that he will indeed be Ward's imminenty replacement on Merseyside.

Will Schmadtke move to Anfield?

Speaking to Caught Offside, Falk claimed that talks are now at an advanced stage, with Klopp seemingly seeing his compatriot as the best possible appointment:

"The negotiations are very far in for Jorg Schmadtke, I heard. He thought about retiring after leaving Wolfsburg in January. He said his wife is now making the decision and if in the next three months she can’t stand him anymore he has to go out and work again.

"So, I think it’s not easy for him to be coming back into a full-time job in July, especially not in Germany. I heard the talks started with the idea of an external consultant position working just for transfers. This idea included just a few months, especially the summer transfer window. Now the talks are looking at something more, which is why they are taking longer than expected.

"At a minimum, it will be a consultant role. If Liverpool wants and gets more from Schmadtke – that remains to be seen."

There is no absolute confirmation that Liverpool want Schmadtke as sporting director, rather than a different position, but he could be an astute appointment in that job, given his vast experience down the years.

While some negative reports have emerged regarding his personality and ability to fall out with managers, Klopp is to be trusted with decisions such as these. If he wants to bring him in, there is a good reason for it, having helped Hannover 96 finish fourth in the Bundesliga in 2010/11, and reaching the Europa League quarter-finals the following season.

It is absolutely vital that Liverpool get this appointment right, though, ahead of one of the most important summer transfer windows in recent memory, with numerous new signings required to get the Reds back towards the top of English football.

There is undoubtedly excitement brewing among Newcastle United supporters regarding the potential strike partnership involving Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak, with the two men having worked in tandem in the second half against Brentford last weekend.

As journalist Charlie Bennett noted following that 2-1 win, that centre-forward combo does appear rather "frightening", with the pair able to cause "so much trouble for the opposition" when they are on the pitch together, according to 90min's Sean Walsh.

Whether that pairing is a long-term option remains to be seen, however, with manager Eddie Howe admitting that the duo may not be deployed together in every game, having stated after the win over the Bees:

"Can they play together every week? Tactically, probably not. But can they play together in a game like this? Absolutely.”

That combination has also only been a relatively recent option with both Wilson and Isak having endured fitness and injury woes so far this season, with it perhaps of some frustration that the Tynesiders haven't been able to totally rely on either man throughout the campaign.

One pairing that have undoubtedly been far more consistent for the Magpies is that of centre-back duo, Fabian Schar and Sven Botman, with the Chronicle's Lee Ryder only recently noting that the first-choice defensive axis have been "excellent" this season.

How good have Schar and Botman been?

The £130k-per-week duo have been truly influential in Newcastle's Champions League qualification push, having been crucial figures in a backline that has shipped just 21 Premier League goals this season – the best record in the division.

After previously conceding 62 goals in the top-flight alone last term, the summer arrival of Botman, in particular, has made a "huge difference" for Howe's men, according to journalist Josh Bunting, with the towering Dutchman proving a real colossus in his central defensive berth.

Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp even went as far as to suggest that the former Lille man could become one of the best defenders to have graced the Premier League, having stated earlier this season:

"We’ve seen some good centre-backs in this league (but) he’s got the capabilities to be better than them. He’s a real leader of men – what a special player he is."

Amid the standout displays of the 23-year-old – who has averaged 1.1 tackles and one interception per game in the top-flight this season – his defensive colleague, Schar, has perhaps 'gone under the radar' at times, according to managerial legend Harry Redknapp, having also been deserving of praise.

The experienced Switzerland international has been hailed as 'quick, good in the air and very composed on the ball' by the former Tottenham Hotspur boss, having made great strides of late after an initially tricky time of it at St James' Park.

Having previously looked like a "walking mistake" – according to journalist John Gibson – the 31-year-old is now shining for the league's best defence, racking up 1.3 tackles and 1.6 interceptions per game as a marker of his ball-winning prowess.

In truth, with the likes of Wilson and Isak having been out of the picture at times this season, the Magpies' success has been built on the solid foundation at the back, with the club's hopes of securing a top-four berth also set to be aided by remaining tough to beat defensively.

As Redknapp Sr exclaimed, 'there's not many better centre half pairings than Schar and Botman.'

Tottenham Hotspur have 'definitely' looked at Marcelo Gallardo as a potential option to replace Antonio Conte, according to Alasdair Gold.

What's the latest on Tottenham's manager search?

In the last fortnight, names linked with the Spurs managerial position have been in no short supply, with an array of coaches both in and out of work emerging as contenders.

Chairman Daniel Levy may already have his ideal candidates and recent reports suggest that the likes of Arne Slot (Feyenoord) now stand a real chance of succeeding Antonio Conte.

Beforehand, former Lilywhites boss Mauricio Pochettino had been tipped as a hot contender, with reliable news outlets indicating he would be very open to talks with Spurs.

Julian Nagelsmann, Luis Enrique, Zinedine Zidane and even Brendan Rodgers, despite his disastrous final season at ex-club Leicester City, are also in the running. Meanwhile, currently employed tacticians like Eintracht Frankfurt's Oliver Glasner and Brentford's Thomas Frank are said to have admirers at Tottenham.

Their next manager after Conte comes as Levy's most crucial decision of this year and he will be eager to avoid an embarrassing repeat of Tottenham's 72-day search for Jose Mourinho's replacement in 2021.

Now, reliable reporter Gold has suggested that a new name has been looked at in former River Plate boss Gallardo – who has also attracted interest from Chelsea.

While the 47-year-old isn't a 'leading candidate' at this stage, Gold also wouldn't rule out a move for him entirely.

The journalist explained in a football.london Q&A:

"I wouldn't rule out Marcelo Gallardo entirely but I think he'd be an outlier in the running. For one reason or another he hasn't been linked with a move to the Premier League too much, or at least he wasn't until there was some suggestions from Brazil about him being a potential Chelsea candidate.

"I think he's one Spurs have definitely looked at but I don't get the impression he's a leading candidate at this stage. As with Nuno in 2021 though, who knows what can happen to the order of candidates as others fall away."

What would Gallardo bring to Spurs?

The South American has won trophies galore from his spells at both Club Nacional and River Plate – boasting a grand total of 10 pieces of silverware across the Atlantic.

For Spurs supporters who wish to see the return of possession-based, forward-thinking football – Gallardo could be the manager for them as he encourages a 4-3-3 attacking formation similar to Pochettino.

His status as a free agent comes as yet another reason to consider moving for Gallardo, and if their search continues to drag on, we wouldn't be at all surprised to see him become a more solid option.

Antonio Conte's explosive press conference in the aftermath of Tottenham Hotspur's 3-3 draw with Southampton on Saturday afternoon all but confirmed that the Italian's time in north London is coming to an end.

The 53-year-old threw anyone he could under the bus, taking aim at the players, chairman Daniel Levy and the club's ambition and history in a 10-minute, uninterrupted rant.

It was a rare case of the manager giving up on the dressing room, having brandished his squad as "selfish" for not taking responsibility for their failings on the pitch.

Although, Conte has hardly helped himself with key decisions over personnel, team selection and tactics.

For instance, bringing on Davinson Sanchez instead of an attacker when chasing an FA Cup tie against Sheffield United was baffling, to say the least. Whilst his insistence to play a boring, defensive brand of football hasn't won much of the fanbase over.

It didn't have to be like that, though, as Harry Redknapp displayed during his four-year tenure, where Rafael van der Vaart starred as the creative outlet in a pretty dogmatic, well-oiled long ball system.

How good was Rafael van der Vaart at Tottenham?

The Dutch playmaker played off the towering presence of 6 foot 7 target man Peter Crouch and did so to great effect, managing a return of 28 goals and 18 assists across 77 appearances for Spurs.

It was by no means pretty, but it saw the north London outfit make a second successive League Cup final in 2009, having won it a year earlier (their last taste of silverware).

You'd imagine that many supporters around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium would take that over what they're witnessing from a Premier League-winning boss right now.

Having been pushed out at Real Madrid following the additions of Mesut Ozil and Ángel Di María, and battled with fitness problems following his £8m move to Spurs, van der Vaart was still often reliable when called upon. He was almost the perfect 'Redknapp player' – clearly technically gifted but not exactly the chiselled athlete we see today.

The Heemskerk-born maestro, once tipped to be the next Johan Cruyff, was always good for a goal and helped Tottenham navigate the Champions League for the first time, whilst also finishing in the top-five in back-to-back seasons.

His brace against arch-rivals Arsenal and that 25-yard strike at Anfield will long live in the memory and his folklore at the club. Oh, how Conte could do with a player of his quality right now, helping lessen the burden on both Harry Kane and Heung-min Son in the final third.

For the past few seasons, the Lilywhites' chances of winning a game have depended on that electric duo finding each other and subsequently, finding the net and yet again, they led the charts for shots per game and are among the mix for being the most creative players in the squad, via WhoScored.

Without a true no.10 of van der Vaart's ilk, having averaged a whopping 3.2 shots and 2.3 key passes per outing during the 2011/12 campaign, Spurs will struggle when their star duo aren't on their game, which in a defensive-heavy system is difficult enough.

And while they are absolutely imperative members of the squad, an attacking midfield presence is really what could get Spurs back on track.

Redknapp recently suggested that his old team, in which the Dutchman – who was hailed as a "magician" by former footballer Marvin Sordell – starred alongside the likes of Gareth Bale and Luka Modric, could beat Conte's current outfit. A worrying verdict indeed.

Now more known for his ruthless takes in the punditry game, it's hard to argue against van der Vaart changing the fortunes of the Italian and his team. It not only would save Tottenham's season but also Conte's job as it seems as if he wants a divorce during the international break, rather than when his contract expires in June.

Perhaps a player like £8m maestro would have prevented this toxic end to what should've been a more successful and glowing tenure.

England’s conduct in the last hour of the Manchester Test came across as moral posturing, and it’s regrettable that it came on the watch of an otherwise great ambassador for the game

Sidharth Monga28-Jul-20251:19

Harmison: ‘A little bit farcical towards the end’

It’s weird what offends cricketers.They work with an opaque internal moral code of conduct. They can legit bully players in the name of sledging after singling out who they feel are “mentally weak”, but hell hath no fury like a batter scorned by a run-out backing up, which is well within the laws of the game. They can desperately appeal for wickets when they know the batter is not out but their side is out of reviews. They can bend the laws for every last bit of advantage and then take offence at someone running the clock out or getting treatment on the field. Or someone batting on for a well-earned milestone after having batted the best part of a day to save a Test and keep his team alive in a series.Ben Stokes is an elite competitor. The game of cricket is immensely richer for him. He leaves everything out on the field even if it means he is absent for his family between Tests. This was his 12th Player-of-the-Match award in Test cricket. Only 12 men have more. Not long ago, he and his team were gracious in victory, checking on a crestfallen Mohammed Siraj practically seconds after taking the last wicket at Lord’s.Related

• Injured Stokes out of fifth Test against India, Archer and Carse rested

• Jamie Overton added to England squad for fifth Test against India

• Weary England show their frustrations as Test ends on sour note

• India's grit outlasts England's endurance to make 2-2 a possibility

• Gill on the dramatic end: Jadeja, Washington 'deserved a century there'

And here they were, going on and on about India not accepting their offer for a draw at the start of the mandatory overs.The teams had been at it for hours, days. At that stage, Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja had withstood everything England could throw at them. They were 80 not out and 89 not out, respectively. Washington has previously run out of partners on 85 and 96 in Tests. This would be his maiden Test hundred.England went into this righteous fit the moment their offer for the draw was not accepted.There is no specific morally superior way of playing the game. The laws of the game clearly say you can’t consider a game over until the overs are bowled or both captains have agreed on ending the game prematurely.Just like England were right to offer the draw when they didn’t see another result possible, Shubman Gill, the India captain, was well within his rights to let his two rescuers go on and have a moment of personal glory on top of a gigantic effort in the absence of their best batter of the last five years, Rishabh Pant.3:12

‘Would they have walked off?’ – Gambhir on Stokes’ draw offer

The same dressing room stands up and applauds Joe Root, a great Test batter, when he gets to a hundred. They get twitchy when Root has to go to stumps unbeaten on 99.They can’t say with a straight face that personal milestones don’t matter. If they come at the expense of a team’s interests, it is that team’s problem. In this case, there was no such possibility. India would have had to live with it if they had lost wickets in pursuit of the milestones and left open a window for a daring England chase, but they were confident that couldn’t happen.The meltdown that ensued can happen in the heat of the moment. When you are at the absolute brink of physical endurance – like England were – the mind can get frayed. However, even after he had had an hour to think about his actions, Stokes still chose to virtue-signal. When asked if he would have pulled the plug on a young batter a few hits away from a maiden Test century after having batted through the day, Stokes said he couldn’t see how the extra ten runs made any difference to what Washington and Jadeja had already done.If this piece was about whataboutism, it would have pointed out the Wellington declaration, made soon after Root’s century to set New Zealand a target of 583, or the declaration with a 352-run lead against Ireland in 2023, made soon after Ollie Pope’s double-century.Those extra few runs were not making a difference to England’s team goals, but this is not about that at all.It is about not trying to impose your values on others.If this was done to gain some kind of competitive advantage, it would have still been fine. This, unfortunately, came across as moral posturing, which is highly avoidable, at all times. It is regrettable that it came on the watch of an otherwise great ambassador for the game.

Jose Mourinho is open to the idea of taking over at Glasgow Rangers and is now on the lookout for his next managerial position after leaving Fenerbahce.

Mourinho departs Fenerbahce after Champions League exit

It has been confirmed that Mourinho has left Fenerbahce after 14 months in charge of the Turkish side. The iconic 62-year-old manager was sacked just six games into the 2025/26 season, with Fenerbahce failing to qualify for the Champions League after a qualifier defeat to Benfica.

A serial winner who has been in charge of huge European clubs in Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Tottenham and Roma during his career, it doesn’t appear as if Mourinho has any plans to retire just yet.

Jose Mourinho’s honours as a manager	Year won
FC Porto
Champions League	2004
UEFA Cup	2003
Liga Portugal	2003, 2004
Taça de Portugal	2003
Portuguese Super Cup	2003
Chelsea
Premier League	2005, 2006, 2015
FA Cup	2007
League Cup	2005, 2007, 2015
Community Shield	2005
Inter Milan
Champions League	2010
Serie A	2009, 2010
Coppa Italia	2010
Italian Super Cup	2008
Real Madrid
La Liga	2012
Copa del Rey	2011
Spanish Super Cup	2012
Manchester United
League Cup	2017
Community Shield	2016
AS Roma
Europa Conference League	2022

A move to Scotland has also been put to the ‘Special One’ in 2025, with Rangers going through more managerial struggles at this moment in time.

Mourinho actually faced Rangers in the 2024/25 Europa League Round of 16, with interim Gers manager Barry Ferguson getting the better of the Portuguese boss over two legs.

Jose Mourinho open to managing Rangers

Talking earlier in the year, Mourinho was asked if the possibility of asked of working in Scotland for Celtic or Rangers would interest him.

He was happy at Fenerbahce at the time but did admit he would be open to a move in the future, calling Rangers a “big club” with a “big fan base”.

Rangers currently have Russell Martin in charge at Ibrox, however, he has had a woeful start to life in Glasgow, with speculation surrounding his future after 10 games in charge.

The Gers also went out of the Champions League at the same stage as Fenerbahce, with Martin’s side humiliated by Club Brugge in a 9-1 aggregate defeat.

Mourinho is now available, so Rangers’ new owners the 49ers Enterprises may have the chance to offer him a move, should they part ways with Martin sooner rather than later.

West Ham United are enduring a mixed season so far this year. They aren't in danger of getting relegated, but they don't look likely to challenge for a Champions League place either.

An impressive win away to Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League last week was followed up by a 5-0 thrashing away to Fulham on Sunday, which only goes to demonstrate the topsy-turvey nature of the Hammers' form.

However, while they are stuck in ninth place in the league, they are joint top of their Europa League group and are once again flying on the continent. However, with only Manchester United scoring fewer goals than them in the top half of the league, David Moyes' men will need to start finding the back of the net more regularly to move up the table.

West Ham transfer update on Dominic Solanke from Fabrizio Romano

The Bournemouth striker has been a long-term target at the London Stadium.

ByChloe Chadwick Dec 11, 2023

So recent links to Chelsea's Armando Broja should excite the West Ham faithful, although it should no doubt worry Michail Antonio.

West Ham United transfer news – Armando Broja

According to Steve Kay of Football Transfers, Chelsea striker Armando Broja is a January transfer target for several Premier League clubs, including West Ham United who are 'leading the way.'

The publication claims that the Albanian international has an estimated transfer value of €20.5m, which works out to around £18m, which, for a player who has Premier League experience, sounds like a reasonable enough fee.

The "complete forward", as described by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, has struggled for game time in recent seasons, and while that has been primarily down to an unfortunate run of long-term injuries, his inconsistent form hasn't helped his cause.

However, during his loan spell at Southampton in the 2021/22 season, he showed the league glimpses of what he could do were he given the chance to lead the line for a topflight team, scoring six goals in 21 starts for the Saints.

One player who might not be so enthused about this link is Antonio, as the Jamaican striker would likely be the man to make way for the 22-year-old.

Armando Broja would take Michail Antonio's place

Antonio has been a reliable, if not spectacular, servant to the Irons for eight years, signing from Nottingham Forest in 2015 for a fee of £7m.

In the years since, he has played as a winger, a full-back and a striker for the club and has even claimed the title of West Ham's all-time leading Premier League goalscorer.

However, he scored just five goals in 33 league appearances last season and has found the back of the net only twice in 12 matches this season, which just isn't enough if the Hammers want to progress as a club.

When comparing Broja's underlying numbers to his potential new teammate, it becomes clear that he would be the better option up top for the Eastenders.

Broja

Antonio

0.27

0.20

1.92

2.78

0.77

1.11

2.31

1.00

87.5%

59.2%

1.92

1.89

3.08

3.78

0.77

1.44

While he doesn't necessarily blow Antonio away in the areas where he comes out on top and actually comes out second best for progressive carries and passes, the fact that he is 11 years his junior and so highly thought of makes the choice a no-brainer.

With a run of games in a settled team, the "devastating" forward, as described by former Juventus defender Sergio Porrini, is sure to come good and start banging in the goals.

Aston Villa have recently agreed an off-field deal at Villa Park, with one finance expert labelling it as “excellent timing”.

Aston Villa update – off-field deal agreed

It has been a busy year in the Midlands, with Unai Emery transforming the club’s fortunes on the pitch and leading Villa into the Europa Conference League. As a result, NSWE backed the Spaniard in the transfer market over the summer, with the likes of Moussa Diaby and Pau Torres arriving in big-money transfers.

However, Villa have also been busy in recent months and announced a new collaborative partnership with Japanese club, Vissel Kobe. Villa shared the news last week, saying on their official website:

“As part of this exciting step forward for both clubs, Villa and Vissel Kobe will work to create a bilateral development framework for players and staff which will enhance youth development, alongside the cooperative sharing of ideas, techniques and best practice. The partnership will look to further open up pathways for talented Japanese players to play in Europe and, ultimately, at Aston Villa.”

Kieran Maguire has claimed that Aston Villa will want to emulate Brighton & Hove Albion’s success with Kaoru Mitoma going forward, and he has made another claim on the deal. Maguire, who contributes for Sky Sports, was talking to Football Insider about the off-field agreement and labelled it as “excellent timing for Aston Villa”.

“I think this Vissel Kobe partnership is excellent timing for Aston Villa. They have ambitious owners. They want eventually to be in a position where they can challenge the ‘Big Six’ in terms of qualifying in the Champions League places.

“Therefore in order for them to be able to do that, they need to be able to increase income streams. Having a good tie-up with a senior Asian market such as Japan makes logical sense.

“Combining that with the expansion of Villa Park it makes even more sense. Football is leaning more towards prawn sandwiches, which as a fan you loathe. but as a financier you understand.”

Aston Villa and Vissel Kobe deal

Not only will Villa work with Vissel Kobe ahead of some potential players moving from Japan to England, but the club confirmed that exchanges of “technical knowledge and coaching methodology”, looking to improve areas of “performance, scouting and recruitment, data analysis and overall squad management” will also be on the agenda, so there appears to be an in-depth plan in place.

It could benefit both clubs in years to come, and as Maguire claims, the deal may also help Villa as they look to break into the ‘Big Six’ under Emery with an improved income in Asia both on and off the pitch. It will be interesting to see who the first player could be to make the move from Vissel Kobe to Aston Villa, but with Emery’s side once again flying during the current campaign, additions may well be limited to start with.

Shoaib Malik’s unbeaten 49, coupled with Usman Khan’s two wickets propelled Pakistan towards a series win against Scotland, thumping the hosts by 84 runs in the second T20I

The Report by Danyal Rasool13-Jun-2018Leask 3-31) beat Scotland 82 (MacLeod 25, Faheem 3-5) by 84 runsAnother T20I masterclass from Pakistan veteran Shoaib Malik propelled Pakistan towards a series win against Scotland, thumping the hosts by 84 runs in the second T20I at the Grange. Under overcast conditions with a light drizzle threatening to interrupt the game for most of the match, Shoaib exploded – much like the first game – in the last few overs, smashing five sixes as he blitzed 49 off 22 to help Pakistan surge to 166.Unlike Tuesday, Scotland were never quite in the hunt for this one, losing George Munsey off the third ball, and never quite managing any momentum that might suggest a real contest could be on the cards. They were untidy with their running, rushed with their strokeplay and generally uncomfortable in the face of a sensational Pakistan in the field. It was a much improved bowling performance from the visitors, spearheaded by Usman Khan, who came in for Mohammad Amir, and registered figures of 2-0-4-2. Scotland began to fall away rather dramatically towards the end, with no less than three players run out as Kyle Coetzer’s men were bundled out for 82.There was some drama before the start, with Cricket Scotland officials and the television production team locked in an argument over using a fresh pitch for this game. The TV crew were concerned their cameras couldn’t be in line with the bowler at one end of the pitch, the result being a slightly askew broadcast angle from the Pavilion End. It’s the sort of drama people associate, sometimes patronisingly, with cricket on the Associate landscape.But Scotland wouldn’t have wanted the haphazardness to extend to their on-field performance. Pakistan got off to a flying start again, though Scotland were unfortunate not to have Fakhar Zaman out in the first over. Chris Sole extracted both an outside and an inside edge in the first six deliveries, the former put down in the slips, the latter narrowly missing the stumps. Both went for four. Sole had bowled an excellent first over, and conceded 12 runs.Shehzad and Zaman put on 60 for the first wicket, but Scotland, just as they had done in the first game, struck back in the middle overs. The runs were restricted right up until the last two overs, with batsmen unable to kick on from starts in the face of tight, disciplined bowling from Scotland’s bowlers, particularly Mark Watt and Michael Leask.Peter Della PennaBut Shoaib Malik came to Pakistan’s rescue once more, with a whirlwind last two overs, scoring 32 of Pakistan’s 34 runs as they turned a slightly below-par score into an imposing one of 166. He was put down at the end of the 19th over on the long-off boundary, a simple catch that Leask failed to hold on to. Just as Tuesday, the drops cost Scotland dear in the field as Shoaib went on to score 14 in the final over, leaving Scotland to ponder how to improve their fielding against a quality opposition like the one they faced today.The pitch looked no worse than the one used on Tuesday, where 200 seemed about par. But the change of pitch today meant the long-on/ midwicket boundary from one side of the ground was 10 meters larger, and shots that would have comfortably carried over the ropes on Tuesday were being caught inside the boundary on the field, including a spectacular tag-team catch and relay effort from Dylan Budge and Watt to claim Sarfraz at deep square leg. That restricted Pakistan to the relatively modest 166, and made it arguably a more searching chase than the previous one might have been.However, at no stage of the Scottish innings did their batsmen begin to establish any sort of relationship with the boundary rope. Pakistan circled around them in the infield, and the pitch looked a fair bit faster when the Pakistan bowlers were operating on it. Usman isn’t a regular starter for Pakistan, but when in form, almost always seems to make a match-winning difference. He hurried on to the batsmen, and as the rain began to get slightly heavier, the Scottish mood began to match the Edinburgh weather. They could do little more than shuffle around for ones and twos and get the odd boundary, but it was never nearly enough to challenge the ever-rising asking rate.It was unfortunate to see the home side losing their heads towards the end, with a couple of unnecessary run-outs easing Pakistan’s way to an inevitable win they didn’t need any help with. Calum MacLeod was the man at the other end for all three of Scotland’s run-outs, but you’d be hard-pressed to blame him for any of them, what with the Pakistan fielders prowling, looking to save every run as the asking rate bounded out of sight. Faheem Ashraf came back to polish off the last two wickets, giving his figures a shiny new look by the end, having taken three wickets for five runs.By the end, Pakistan’s dominance was so absolute, it was easy to forget the strides Scotland have made over the past few years. It would be harsh to focus on the manner of the defeat, and more prudent to reflect on the professionalism with which Pakistan have moved on from a Test series against England to a T20I series in Edinburgh, never letting their focus waver, and fielding a full-strength team when several others might have chosen to rest players. It was apt respect to pay to a side that has very much earned it over the last week.