Olivier Giroud is reportedly ready to join Lionel Messi in MLS, with the France international narrowing down his choices to New York or Los Angeles.
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French forward running down contractReady to take on a new challengeChoosing between coasts of AmericaWHAT HAPPENED?
There are four teams for him to choose from across those two cities, with the Red Bulls and NYCFC gracing the Big Apple while LAFC and the Galaxy turn out in the City of Angels. Both hold obvious appeal to Giroud as he prepares to go chasing the American dream.
AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Argentine icon Messi made a similar decision in 2023, and another World Cup winner could soon be heading to the United States as a free agent. That is because Giroud, who claimed a global crown in 2018 and is now his country’s all-time leading goalscorer, is running down his contract at AC Milan.
DID YOU KNOW?
According to , talks regarding a summer move to America have “intensified”. A new one-year deal at San Siro or another challenge in Europe remain possibilities for now, but Giroud is edging towards a fresh start in MLS.
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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR GIROUD?
He is said to favour moves to either New York or California, with the 37-year-old seeing those landing spots as the best options for him on a professional level and with his young family taken into account. Discussions will continue until a definitive decision is made.
Just like the Serie A titleholders, the Georgian has endured a difficult season, but he's rediscovered his goalscoring touch in recent weeks
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is not exactly a combustible character. Similar in style to Diego Maradona? Somewhat. He's not nicknamed 'Kvaradona' for nothing. But the same kind of demonstrative personality as the Argentine? Not at all. The Georgian usually shuns the spotlight because he's actually quite shy.
So, while it was certainly a surprise to see him withdrawn midway through Napoli's Champions League last-16 first leg against Barcelona, it was his reaction that was truly shocking, with a visibly annoyed Kvaratskhelia snubbing not only his coach, but also his team-mates as he came off.
He didn't even take a seat on the bench, making his displeasure clear by opting to sit on some steps to the left of the dugout. It may not have seemed like much – truth be told, it probably wasn't as bad as Kevin De Bruyne's bratty behaviour at Anfield on Sunday – but, for Kvaratskhelia, this amounted to a touchline tantrum.
And it wasn't as if his demeanour improved much after the game. On the contrary, Kvaratskhelia was the first Napoli player to leave Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. With his hoodie pulled up over his head, he walked straight through the mixed zone, refusing to even acknowledge colleagues, let alone answer questions from journalists.
This wasn't the humble and happy Kvaratskhelia Napoli knew and loved. But then again, we hadn't seen the real Kvaratskhelia on the field either.
Getty Images'I don't look at their names'
Taking off one of the heroes of last season's Scudetto success may have been a ballsy move by Napoli's new coach Francesco Calzona – but it was also the correct call. Kvaratskhelia had contributed absolutely nothing to the game against Barcelona. In 67 minutes of (in)action, he managed zero shots, no key passes and just 36 touches – fewer than Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret.
He wasn't the only star to be hooked either. Victor Osimhen was replaced just two minutes after scoring the goal that earned Napoli a 1-1 draw. "I keep the players on the field who are doing well, I don’t look at their names," Calzona told afterwards. "Those who do not do well can be removed."
AdvertisementGetty ImagesNapoli's fallen star
In the case of Osimhen, there were mitigating circumstances. He's had injury issues this season and fatigue has undoubtedly been a factor in the forward's patchy performances, with Nigeria's run to the final of the Africa Cup of Nations having taken a heavy toll on him.
Kvaratskhelia has had no such excuse to fall back on during his unproductive periods – and there have been quite a few. Indeed, while desperately trying to explain Napoli's dramatic dip in form over the past year, outspoken president Aurelio De Laurentiis even publicly pointed out that Kvaratskhelia, the team's "star" last season, didn't score a single goal between March and November of 2023.
However, Kvaratskhelia certainly can't be held responsible for the mess De Laurentiis has made of a glorious opportunity to build a dynasty at the Maradona; if anything, he's paid the price for the president's poor decision-making.
H&KGeneral malaise
Clearly, there is a direct correlation between Kvaratskhelia's form and that of Napoli. When he plays well, the team usually does too. And there's no denying that he's gone missing on several occasions, particularly in the Champions League, where he's managed just one direct goal involvement. One could even argue that he's not actually been at his best in Europe since the 6-1 rout of Ajax in Amsterdam in October 2022 that made the whole football world sit up and take notice of Luciano Spalletti's side.
However, Kvaratskhelia wasn't the only player to run out of steam towards the tail end of the last season – or struggle since the devastating departure of former coach Spalletti, who fell out with De Laurentiis. Several key men have underwhelmed, including midfielder Stanislav Lobotka and captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo, just two other victims of a general malaise at the Maradona that has already claimed two coaches this season, in Rudi Garcia and Walter Mazzarri.
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Getty ImagesThe return of Kvaradona?
It also has to be acknowledged that Kvaratskhelia has actually been one of Napoli's better players this term. On average, he's completing more dribbles per game, making more chances and delivering more crosses than 2022-23.
His efficacy has undoubtedly fallen, though. Kvaratskhelia ended last season with 14 assists in all competitions; he has just five this time around, and we're already approaching the middle of March.
However, Kvaratskhelia has looked like his old unstoppable self in recent weeks, showcasing the same kind of devastating dribbling skills that provoked inevitable comparisons with Maradona (given the colour of the shirt he was wearing), but that were actually more evocative of the wing wizardry of George Best.
England Lions wrapped up a comprehensive 253-run victory on the final day of their four-day unofficial Test at New Road
ECB Reporters Network19-Jul-2018England Lions 423 and 194 for 5 (Malan 56, Pope 50*) beat India A 197 (Shaw 62, Pant 58, Curran 5-43) and 167 (Pant 61, Rahane 48) by 253 runs ScorecardEngland Lions wrapped up a comprehensive 253-run victory on the final day of their four-day unofficial Test at New Road, as India A were rolled aside for 167 midway through the afternoon session, having started the day at an uncompromising 11 for 3.The wickets were shared around an attack including several players who are hopeful of a recall for the first Test against India at Edgbaston on August 1 – including Chris Woakes, whose five-over second innings spell included the scalp of India A’s captain, Karun Nair, and the Somerset spin twins, Jack Leach and Dom Bess, who picked up three wickets between them.India A’s saving grace were a pair of decent innings from two men who can expect to be in the mix come the Test series – Ajinkya Rahane, who made 48 from 70 balls, and the young wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant, who enhanced his claims to a potential Test debut by top-scoring with 61 from 71, including seven fours and two sixes.Though Pant is nominally the reserve wicketkeeper in India’s 18-man Test squad, behind Dinesh Karthik, this was his second fifty of the match, following his first-innings 58, and was produced against a strong and multi-faceted attack.India’s second innings reached its nadir at 15 for 4 shortly after the resumption when Shabhaz Nadeem was bowled by Sam Curran’s first ball of the morning. Nair then became Woakes’ first wicket of the innings, and his third of the match, when he was caught by Nick Gubbins for 13.Bess, who is England’s incumbent Test spinner, having replaced his Somerset team-mate Leach following the latter’s thumb injury in May, enhanced his claims to retaining that berth by dislodging both of the India A top-scorers in an eight-over spell. Leach was limited to just a couple of second-innings overs, but chipped in with the scalp of Jayant Yadav for 21.”It was a very pleasing performance,” said England Lions captain, Rory Burns. “They were a good side, and we had a pretty comprehensive victory. It was set up day one by Alastair Cook, backed up by Gubbo and Dawid, and the rest of the four days all the bowlers stuck in. Sammy took the plaudits on the first innings but they all worked as group.”It was a bit bizarre captaining a team with all this experience. On the training day when it got announced to the group, Cooky was the first one to pipe up about me making my debut as captain.”It’s the first time I’ve shared a dressing room with him. I’ve watched his bat hurt us a few times. But it’s been really interesting with Cooky and a few of the other guys, to see the other side of people having played against them quite a lot. This has been my first Lions experience and it’s been really enjoyable – 100% I want more. That’s up to me I suppose, go back to Surrey and keep trying to churn them out.”
Manchester United may have splashed the cash in the summer, however, it looks as if the club are eyeing up a possible record transfer for a new player in 2024.
Latest Man Utd transfer update
The Red Devils brought in eight new players over the summer, including the likes of Mason Mount, Andre Onana and Rasmus Hojlund, however, it hasn’t had the desired impact Erik ten Hag may have been hoping for, sitting in 10th position with the club losing four of their opening eight Premier League games. Meanwhile, in the Champions League, United have also lost back-to-back fixtures against Bayern Munich and Galatasaray.
However, with the January window fast approaching, those at Old Trafford will be able to bolster their squad once again with new signings, and by the looks of things, a new talented midfielder appears to be on their wishlist.
Sport Witness relayed a Joao Neves transfer update in the last 48 hours, where Man Utd were named. Benfica don’t want to talk about selling their player as of now and are protected by a €120m (£103.6m) release clause in Neves’ contract, a clause which looks like it will need to be triggered in any possible transfer.
The report claims that the competition is huge for the midfielder’s services and that the Red Devils, and by extension current owners the Glazers, have ‘made a move’ to show their interest in a possible deal.
Benfica's Joao Neves
Who is Joao Neves?
The player is just 19 years of age and has enjoyed a phenomenal rise in 2023, with Neves’ market value increasing from €500,000 to a career-high €20m. (Joao Neves transfer value)
Neves is primarily a holding midfielder but can play in a central or attacking midfield role and has broken through into Benfica’s senior side over the past year. In total, the Portugal U21 international has now made 31 first-team appearances for Benfica, contributing to three goals in the process. (Transfermarkt Joao Neves stats)
He has also been labelled as a “warrior” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, and with plenty of clubs circling alongside his huge release clause, Neves appears to be a potential star in the making.
However, should United want to secure Neves’ services, possibly over the next 12 months, they may need to fork out a club. record transfer fee, surpassing the £90m deal for Paul Pogba back in 2016. (Man Utd record signings – Transfermarkt)
It looks like a transfer for Neves could be one to keep an eye on, but as is Man Utd’s current FFP situation, something which may affect any big money deals in the near future.
Matt Renshaw’s third Championship hundreds continued his excellent stand-in role for fellow Australian Cameron Bancroft
ECB Reporters Network09-Jun-2018 ScorecardMatt Renshaw’s third Specsavers County Championship century in eight innings for Somerset was the feature of a closely-fought opening day of the match with leaders Nottinghamshire at Taunton.The Aussie left-hander hit 106 off 171 balls, with 12 fours and 2 sixes, before becoming a third victim for off-spinner Matthew Carter as the hosts ran up 307 for 7 after winning the toss. Skipper Tom Abell contributed 57 and Steve Davies 59 not out.Off-spinner Matthew Carter was the most successful Notts bowler with four for 81. But Luke Fletcher bowled better than his figures of one for 39 suggested.Renshaw has scored 411 Championship runs for Somerset at an average of 58.7, making his early departure due to an Australia A tour call-up in August all the more galling for the county.The 22-year-old marked his last home appearance with an important knock. He and Eddie Byrom faced some testing opening overs, particularly from Fletcher, whose initial eight-over spell saw him concede only 11 runs.A half-century stand for the first wicket took 21.3 overs and in the 24th, with the total on 62, Byrom was lbw for 14 pushing forward to Steven Mullaney.By lunch Somerset had progressed to 80 for one, with Renshaw having brought up a 77-ball fifty. Notts struck again with the total on 117 when George Bartlett, on 29, edged Carter to slip where Ross Taylor took a low catch.James Hildreth’s fine start to the season was interrupted when, having made only a single, he edged a back-foot defensive shot off Carter to give Taylor another catch.Renshaw went to three figures off 165 balls with a nick through the slips off Mullaney, not the first bit of fortune he had enjoyed. It followed scores of 101 not out against Worcestershire and 112 against Yorkshire in the opening two Championship games.He won’t have been happy with the manner of his dismissal, bowled trying to launch Carter back over his head with the total on 176.Carter likes playing at Taunton. He marked his Notts debut at the ground with match figures of 10 for 195 in 2015.Abell and Davies saw Somerset to tea at 211 for four and the skipper brought up a 117-ball half-century in the final session before falling to the second new ball, caught at first slip by Riki Wessels off Fletcher.At 258 for five, the home side could not feel comfortable. It became 288 for six when Lewis Gregory aimed a slog sweep at Carter, with his side needing a solid finish to the day, and was bowled off a glove for 16.Notts capitalised on that mistake, 23-year-old seamer Matt Milnes, on his Championship debut, bowling Roelof van der Merwe for a duck.Davies went to a composed 107-ball fifty, with 5 fours, and Dom Bess, promoted above Craig Overton in the order following his impressive batting displays for England, was with him at the close.
With Harry Kane having sealed a £100m move to Germany this summer, the Englishman's exit eclipsed Tottenham Hotspur's previous record departure – ten years on from the sale of Gareth Bale back in 2013.
The Welsh wing wizard was snapped up at the tail-end of that summer window by La Liga giants Real Madrid, with the Spanish outfit forking out a reported fee of around £85.3m, a sizeable increase on the Lilywhites' initial £10m investment back in 2007.
The now-retired forward had warranted that interest after emerging as the undoubted talisman at White Hart Lane, notably bagging 26 goals and registering 14 assists in just 44 games in all competitions during the 2012/13 season.
Rather than attempting to fill the former Southampton man's void with a marquee, high-profile replacement, however, Daniel Levy and co opted to instead spread the funds around, bringing in the infamous 'magnificent seven' to help bolster Andre Villas-Boas' ranks.
Roberto Soldado
Erik Lamela
Paulinho
Christian Eriksen
Etienne Capoue
Vlad Chiriches
Nacer Chadli
While that septet did include a certain Christian Eriksen – who went on to make 305 appearances for the club in all competitions – it was largely a tale of disappointment, with Roberto Soldado, for instance, netting just 13 goals following his £26m switch from Spain.
Among those who also failed to live up to the billing was Erik Lamela, with the Argentine winger – who actually spent longer at N17 than Eriksen – not making the impact that was expected at the time of his arrival.
Why did Tottenham sign Erik Lamela?
While the north Londoners did not actively seek a direct replacement for departing hero, Bale, it was suggested at the time that Lamela could prove the perfect solution, with club legend Ossie Ardiles having stated:
"He is not as powerful but he is more skilled than Bale. He has been nicknamed the ‘new Messi’ and that’s right – it’s a sign of how talented he is."
That glowing praise from his legendary compatriot was an indication of just how highly regarded Tottenham's new number 11 was, even though the player himself had moved to reject any comparisons to the shirt's former incumbent.
Such rave reviews had no doubt been warranted amid Lamela's fine form during his time in Italy for Serie A giants, Roma, having contributed 21 goals and 13 assists in just 67 games in all competitions for his previous employers.
That impact in Rome had only served to heighten the talk regarding the 'next Messi' – as noted by journalist Ian Hawkey – with it having been easy to see why Villas-Boas and Levy were so keen to get their man amid Bale's departure.
How much did Tottenham pay for Erik Lamela?
While it was Soldado who had initially been the most expensive capture of that 2013 window – ahead of Paulinho – the purchase of Lamela saw the club break their transfer record once again, with the 5 foot 11 playmaker joining for a fee of around £30m.
Perhaps burdened by that hefty price tag, the Bale successor was unable to have the impact that he would have hoped for during his debut campaign in English football, having been ruled out for much of the season with a back issue.
Erik Lamela
As it proved, the marquee signing was something of a bystander to proceedings as he scored just one goal and provided only four assists in 17 games in all competitions in 2013/14, with rumours having been rife that summer that a move to Inter Milan was on the cards.
No such exit occurred, however, as the Buenos Aires-born enigma stayed put until his departure two years ago, although, despite that lengthy stay at N17, it wasn't exactly a smooth ride for the left-footer from then on.
What went wrong for Lamela at Tottenham?
There's no denying that the 25-cap Argentina international was capable of moments of genius during his time in Lilywhites, notably scoring that outrageous Rabona against Asteras in the Europa League back in October 2014.
The fleet-footed dynamo also replicated that attempt against bitter rivals Arsenal in 2021 – earning the famed Puskas award in the process – with such strikes serving as a reminder of the quality that the wideman did possess.
The problem was, however, that those flashes of brilliance were far too infrequent, with Lamela hardly proving himself to be someone whom the likes of Mauricio Pochettino or Jose Mourinho could rely upon.
Under Pochettino, in particular, the one-time River Plate star was unable to establish himself as a regular starter in the side, with the current Chelsea boss preferring a forward line involving Kane, Eriksen, Heung-min Son and Dele Alli.
Erik Lamela
The issue was seemingly his "inconsistency", as pundit Paul Robinson noted amid Lamela's impending exit, with the former England stopper going on to add: “Everybody knows the guy’s got heaps of talent. When you say about his injuries and his inconsistency, he never quite made it to the level of the player we expected.
“He was one of the players that replaced Gareth Bale. There were four or five players, weren’t there, that came in when Bale left. It was to try and fill these gaps.
“I’m not saying he was that player but he certainly had the ability to do things out of the ordinary. That’s the frustrating thing for managers, when you think you’ve got a diamond and the diamond only shines now and again."
With 82 goals and assists in 257 games in all competitions for the club under his belt, the experienced asset finally departed in 2021 in order to join Sevilla, with Bryan Gil moving in the other direction.
Where is Erik Lamela now?
That return to Spain has proven rather fruitful for the 32-year-old as he boasts a haul of 22 goal involvements in just 81 appearances in all competitions for his current employers, including netting twice in only six La Liga appearances this season.
The £55k-per-week asset was also particularly crucial during the Andalusian side's shock Europa League triumph last season after scoring twice and registering two assists in eight games in the competition, with two of those goal contributions coming in the semi-final victory over Juventus.
After years of pain at Spurs, the ageing talent was finally able to end his search for silverware, making a positive start to life in his new surroundings so far.
That impact in Seville is an indication that the 'frustrating' talent has certainly enjoyed a respectable career, although those prior comparisons to the iconic figure of Bale do now look rather foolish.
Southampton could lose an “exciting young talent” in January, with one Premier League club showing an interest.
Who left Southampton this summer?
The Saints and new manager Russell Martin lost a number of players in the summer, bringing in just under £160m through sales.
Big money was brought in for Romeo Lavia, Tino Livramento, James Ward-Prowse and Nathan Tella, with Mohammed Salisu, Moussa Djenepo and Mislav Orsic also bringing in fees.
The club are currently going through an extremely tricky period back in the Championship following a relatively solid opening few weeks. Three wins from the opening four games gave plenty of belief around St Mary’s, however, the Saints have now lost their last four, leaving them in 15th place.
One player who began the campaign as a regular was Carlos Alcaraz, starting three of the first four, but he has been limited to appearances from the bench in recent weeks and was an unused substitute last time out against Middlesbrough on Saturday.
Reports in recent days have suggested that Newcastle United made an enquiry for the Argentine in the summer and are keeping tabs on his situation ahead of the January window.
BBC pundit Carlton Palmer, talking to Football League World, addressed the rumours regarding Alcaraz and Newcastle, suggesting he could leave Southampton in the New Year.
"Newcastle United have made an enquiry about Southampton midfielder Carlos Alcaraz in the summer transfer window and have continued to keep tabs on the player.
"(Eddie) Howe is keen to add to his squad in the January transfer window as they're in four competitions and there's a lot of games ahead of them.
"Alcaraz could leave Southampton in the January transfer window – certainly in the summer – if Southampton are not promoted and he's not getting game time.
"Alcaraz scored four goals in 18 Premier League games last season after his £12m move from Racing Club, he's certainly an exciting young talent and he's got a lot of praise from former-managers, one being Harry Redknapp – who knows a player or two – who said 'he's got a really bright future ahead of him'".
Southampton's Carlos Alcaraz.
How good is Southampton’s Carlos Alcaraz?
Alcaraz, a central midfielder who can also play out wide if needed, appears to be a player who could make a big impact in the Championship. Over the past 12 months, as per FBref, Alcaraz has ranked in the top 1% for midfielders when it comes to shot-creating actions, xG, total shot and successful take-ons.
He’s also ranked highly for key passes, passes into the area and progressive passes, showing how he can make an impact on the ball, with plenty of the data recorded during last season's Premier League campaign.
Therefore, statistically, it isn’t a surprise that a team like Newcastle appear to see plenty of potential in the 20-year-old, so a move to St James’ Park from St Mary’s could be one to keep an eye on over the coming months, and it'll be interesting to see if he soon returns to Martin's starting XI.
Alex Carey has been promoted to the Twenty20 vice-captaincy for Australia’s upcoming limited-overs tour of England
Daniel Brettig08-May-2018Australia squads for England tour
ODIs: Tim Paine (capt & wk), Aaron Finch (vice-capt), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey (wk), Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Shaun Marsh, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye T20Is (also for Zimbabwe tri-series): Aaron Finch (capt), Alex Carey (vice-capt & wk), Ashton Agar, Travis Head, Nic Maddinson, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Andrew Tye, Jack Wildermuth
Tim Paine and Aaron Finch will share Australia’s limited-overs leadership duties in England this June, with wicketkeeper Alex Carey promoted to the Twenty20 vice-captaincy. Also, Nathan Lyon and favoured son Shaun Marsh have been recalled in the first squads to bear the selection fingerprints of the new coach Justin Langer.In the absence of the suspended Steven Smith and David Warner, Paine has been elevated to the ODI captaincy 12 months out from the 2019 World Cup in England, as Langer seeks continuity and consistency of message in a team now searching for a fresh outlook and identity following the disastrous South Africa Test tour. The selection chairman Trevor Hohns made it clear this was a short-term choice, with options still open for the captaincy ahead of the global tournament.At the same time, the selected ODI combination is intended to bring about a change in the team’s 50-over fortunes after an underwhelming 12 months in the format, with England looming not only as hosts but one of the hardest sides to beat in the World Cup, a tournament Australia won on home soil in 2015.There was no room for Chris Lynn in either format. Lynn’s absence is believed to be due to ongoing shoulder problems that restrict him in the field, preventing him from diving and limiting his capacity to throw. A review with a specialist is scheduled on his return from the IPL, with Lynn’s future in Australian colours to be determined after that time.Langer’s influence can be seen in the selection of no fewer than six members of the West Australian set-up in the ODI squad, including the powerful left-hander D’Arcy Short. Marsh’s recall at 34 gives him a chance to win a consistent ODI place ahead of the World Cup.”Obviously, these are the conditions we will face during the tournament so now is a perfect chance to give these players an opportunity to press their case for selection,” Hohns said. “Tim is a strong leader and will captain the side for this series, supported by Aaron. A decision on a permanent one-day captain will be made in due course.”D’Arcy is relatively new to one-day cricket but impressed us with his form in T20 cricket last season. He brings an all-round package to the side, with strong fielding and bowling skills, and we believe he will combine very well with Aaron at the top of the order.”Nathan is our No. 1 offspinner and has excelled with the red ball, however he is not new to white-ball cricket and deserves his chance to push for World Cup selection. England potentially have a number of left-handers in their side and we look forward to seeing what he can produce with the white ball in English conditions.”Carey was one of the brightest performers from the Big Bash League in 2017-18, finishing as the tournament’s second-highest run-scorer. He was awarded an Australia contract in April. His inclusion in both squads underlines his promise, with Hohns reckoning he may yet slot into the 50-overs team as a batsman alone. “Alex is a very smart one-day player who can also bat anywhere in the order,” he said. “With Tim in the side, Alex will be the back-up wicketkeeper, but we believe his game is strong enough to play as a batter only.”Getty ImagesThe T20 players were selected for the one-off match in England, as well as the triangular series that follows in Zimbabwe. Nic Maddinson has earned a recall in this group, despite being without a state contract for the coming domestic season, while Jack Wildermuth and Mitchell Swepson have both been called up.”The national selection panel holds Jack in high regard as young player on the rise,” T20 selector Mark Waugh said. “He has shown excellent all-round skills at the first-class level, particularly with the ball in the Big Bash. We look forward to seeing what he can produce at the international level.”Mitchell provides the captain with good variety and wicket-taking options. He competes very well and deserves his chance at this level. Nic has been selected off the back of a very good Big Bash season. He is a very talented player and, with his batting skills, has the ability to be very dangerous in this format.”Swepson and Lyon’s inclusions arrived at the expense of Adam Zampa, who is missing from both squads. “Adam hasn’t performed to the level we would have liked in recent times and we see this as a good opportunity for other spinning options to press their case ahead of the World Cup,” Hohns said.Neither Pat Cummins nor Mitchell Starc were considered for selection as they recover from bone stress injuries suffered in South Africa. “Mitchell is going to undertake a prolonged rehabilitation period for his tibial bone stress injury and we are aiming for a return for the Pakistan Test series [at an away venue in October/November],” the team physio David Beakley said.”Pat is still recovering from a lumbar bone stress injury. The good news is that it has not progressed to a fracture but he still requires a period of rehabilitation with an aim for him to return for the Pakistan Test series along with Starc.”
After Chelsea’s horrendous defensive record last season, conceding 63 goals in 38 Premier League games (their worst defensive record in the past ten years), Enzo Maresca has been given the task of reducing that number this time around and asserting more control for the Blues.
Whilst it hasn’t been a huge turnaround, Chelsea have conceded 34 goals in 25 games this season, making their goals conceded per 90 metric 1.36. This would mean if the Blues continue on this trajectory, they will finish the season having conceded 52 goals (51.68 rounded up).
Season
Goals Conceded
League position
2014/15
32
1st
2015/16
53
10th
2016/17
33
1st
2017/18
38
5th
2018/19
39
3rd
2019/20
54
4th
2020/21
36
4th
2021/22
33
3rd
2022/23
47
12th
2023/24
63
6th
Averaging 58.6% possession so far this season, which is the second-highest in this metric and only averaging 11.3 shots conceded per game this season, the sixth fewest in the division, Chelsea have made strides to improve their overall defensive unit, but there are still a few major holes that continue to let them down.
Robert Sanchez's Chelsea form
Chelsea made the signing of Robert Sanchez in the 2023/24 summer transfer window, joining for a fee of around £25m. The 27-year-old has made 43 appearances for the Blues since joining, conceding 59 goals and keeping nine clean sheets, totalling 3,864 minutes played.
Sanchez has been a major culprit at Chelsea in their recent poor run of form, making some huge errors – including in the defeat to Manchester City – leading to Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville to state:
To further rubberstamp that point, the former Brighton man currently leads the way in the division – alongside Ipswich’s Arijanet Muric – with regard to most errors leading to a goal (five) in the top flight in 2024/25.
Chelsea goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen
In recent weeks, Sanchez has been dropped to the Chelsea bench, with summer signing Filip Jorgensen being given the number one spot instead, but the Blues must reflect back to when they had one of the very best in the world in this position once upon a time.
Chelsea once had the "Messi of goalkeepers"
Chelsea sold Thibaut Courtois to Real Madrid in 2018, with the Belgian leaving for a fee of around £35m. In his time at Chelsea, the shot-stopper made 154 appearances, conceding 152 goals, keeping 58 clean sheets and totalling 13,834 minutes played.
Stats (per 90 mins)
Courtois
Sanchez
Jorgensen
Goals Against
1.09
1.38
1.08
Shots Against
3.53
4.58
4.46
Saves
2.50
3.20
3.38
Save %
73.5%
74.8%
77.6%
Clean Sheets
0.31
0.18
0.31
Clean Sheet %
31.3%
18.2%
30.8%
Passes Attempted
31.7
38.1
28.0
Post-Shot xG
1.09
1.32
1.63
Post-Shot xG per Shot on Target
0.29
0.25
0.28
When comparing Courtois to the current Chelsea goalkeepers, your first thought may be that Jorgensen and Sanchez actually have higher save percentages and face more shots against them, which gives them better shot-stopping metrics.
However, when looking at “Post-Shot xG per Shot on Target”, you can see Courtois actually faces higher xG shots during a game, while also boasting a better clean sheet percentage.
Ex-Real Madrid goalkeeper, Santi Canizares, labelled Courtois “the Maradona, Messi, Cristiano of goalkeepers”. Canizares also stated he is “better than the rest and he performs every day”, which is shown in his Real Madrid numbers, making 268 appearances for the Spanish giants, conceding 254 goals, keeping 107 clean sheets and totalling 24,229 minutes played.
Thibaut-Courtois-Chelsea
With many Chelsea fans continuing to bang the drum that they need a world-class goalkeeper between the sticks to challenge for major honours, had Courtois never left, the Blues would have been in a much stronger position.
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The Toronto Nationals, Montreal Tigers, Ottawa Royals, Vancouver Knights and Winnipeg Hawks and the Caribbean All-Stars will make up the six-team tournament
Peter Della Penna16-May-2018Global T20 Canada, the new six-team franchise league organized by Cricket Canada and Mercuri Group based out of Chennai, will take place between June 28 and July 15.Each team will play six games in the league phase: an initial round-robin followed by a single-match second round in which the teams will play one other opponent. The top four teams after the league phase advance to the playoffs beginning on July 12.Similar to the IPL, the top two teams will play in the first playoff, with the winner going into the tournament final while the loser gets a second chance by playing the winner of the first elimination playoff between the third and fourth-placed teams. The final will take place on July 15 at 2pm local time, the same day as the FIFA World Cup Final in Moscow.Though Cricket Canada president Ranjit Saini told ESPNcricinfo in February that the tournament would be spread across three venues in the greater Toronto area, the schedule unveiled this week lists all games to be held at Maple Leaf Cricket Club, 25 miles north of downtown Toronto in King City.Saini had indicated that there may be difficulty getting permits for access to certain venues such as the centrally-located Toronto Cricket, Skating & Curling Club, which hosted the Sahara Cup ODI series between India and Pakistan in the late 1990s.While no permanent infrastructure exists at Maple Leaf CC beyond a small clubhouse, the venue has installed temporary seating in the past to accommodate fans for a quadrangular series in 2008 between Canada, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe. The Global T20 Canada website lists the seating capacity for the tournament matches at Maple Leaf CC as 7,000, meaning temporary bleachers are expected to be brought in once more for the tournament.Though the entire tournament will take place at Maple Leaf CC, Global T20 Canada’s franchise names represent five cities across Canada as well as one team called “Caribbean All-Stars”. The other five teams are the Toronto Nationals, Montreal Tigers, Ottawa Royals, Vancouver Knights and Winnipeg Hawks.The tournament is scheduled to have a player draft on May 26 to fill out team rosters. However, no information has been provided by Cricket Canada or tournament organizers regarding any foreign players in the draft pool or regarding fixed salaries tied to a player’s draft slot akin to the Caribbean Premier League. Saini had told ESPNcricinfo in February that only a minimum of four Canada players would be required in each 15-man squad, with no mandate that any Canada players be in a starting XI.