All posts by h716a5.icu

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'".

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.

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.

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.

Better than James & Gusto: Chelsea sold "exceptional" star for just £8m

Chelsea must rue sale of “exceptional” ace who’s been better than James & Gusto

ByConnor Holden Feb 20, 2025

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.

Ross Taylor has been passed fit while legspinner Todd Astle replaces the injured Mitchell Santner for New Zealand

The Preview by Andrew McGlashan in Auckland21-Mar-20182:01

England XI unconfirmed, Astle in for NZ

Big PictureThose players who took part in the 2002 Test between these sides at Eden Park may think they played the first day-night Test. On the fourth evening, New Zealand batted on a dank evening illuminated by the lights much to the disgruntlement of England. That, of course, was with the red ball. Now it’s time for the real thing with the pink one.New Zealand were the opposition for the inaugural day-night Test in Adelaide. That match had an experimental feel and there was $1 million on the table to help persuade New Zealand to take part. This is the ninth day-night Test with New Zealand the fifty country to host one. It has started to feel a little bit more part of the landscape. Summer is just about clinging on in the land of long white cloud and there will be plenty of silent prayers and crossed fingers that a distinctly average forecast for later in the week does not turn into reality.Though New Zealand were among the first two teams to experience floodlit Test cricket it remains their only one while England have now had two themselves following outings at Edgbaston and Adelaide. Their tally is a win and a loss. There have been plenty of moments when the bowlers have dominated as the sun sets and the pink ball begins to glow. Such periods could be defining in this match with both teams possessing high-quality seamers; outright pace is not such a necessity when the ball moves.Joe Root during training•Getty ImagesWho starts favourites? It’s a tough call. It will be 98 days since New Zealand finished their previous Test, against West Indies in Hamilton, and England are coming off the back of the 4-0 Ashes loss. Both teams will be feeling their way. If England have Ben Stokes as a fully-fledged allrounder and Chris Woakes at No. 9, that will be a very long batting line-up and may tip things just the visitors’ way. But beware the home side’s trio of pacemen, plus the world-class pairing of Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor.This next two weeks, weather permitting, will define how New Zealand’s season is remembered. Share the spoils 1-1 and it will be a pass mark, secure just a fourth series win over England and it would go down as a major success. England, on their part, have a miserable recent record overseas which Joe Root is eager to put right. There is much to play. Please summer, stay for another two weeks.Form guide(last five completed matches, most recent first)
New Zealand WWDLD
England LDLLLIn the spotlightRoss Taylor was in the form of his life during the one-day series, smashing two match-winning centuries including his 181 in Dunedin. He hasn’t been going too badly in Tests, either, with 408 runs at 81.60 in five matches since eye surgery – and a century in the match before that as well. But he is coming into this series after twice pulling up during the ODIs with thigh injuries. As was seen then, there is no replacement for Taylor. That goes for Test cricket as well. New Zealand will be hoping he can make it through the final portion of the season.Stuart Broad sits on 399 Test wickets but faces a demotion. He appears likely to lose the new ball, at least in part, as Root aims to shake up the bowling attack. In public, Broad is taking it well, but any quick worth his salt would be a little annoyed by such a move whatever tactical plans are explained. He went through a similar fate last time in New Zealand, losing the new ball to Steven Finn following an injury-hit tour to India. He had it back before the series was done. What price Taylor to be his milestone wicket? Broad has dismissed him nine times in Tests, more than any other bowler.Ross Taylor sets off for a run•Getty ImagesTeams newsTaylor has been passed fit – after both his thigh injury and illness last week caught off his children – and Todd Astle replaces the injured Mitchell Santner, for his third Test in five and a half years, which means Matt Henry will remain on the sidelines. BJ Watling, meanwhile, returns for his first Test in nearly a year.New Zealand 1 Jeet Raval, 2 Tom Latham, 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Henry Nicholls, 6 BJ Watling (wk), 7 Colin de Grandhomme, 8 Todd Astle, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Neil Wagner, 11 Trent BoultRoot said he knew his team but hadn’t told those not playing, so was not able to confirm it the day before the match. The signs were that it was heading towards Stokes being able to take his place in a five-man attack which means James Vince is safe for now.England (probable) 1 Alastair Cook, 2 Mark Stoneman, 3 James Vince, 4 Joe Root (capt), 5 Dawid Malan, 6 Ben Stokes, 7 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 8 Moeen Ali, 9 Chris Woakes, 10 Stuart Broad, 11 James AndersonPitch and conditionsBlair Christiansen, the Eden Park groundsman, said he had left a little bit more grass on than usual but nothing extravagant. He expects it to be a result wicket, although the weather may yet play a part in that with showers forecast on most days and steadier rain for Saturday. As ever in pink ball Tests, the twilight period will be fascinating.Stats and trivia Since 2011, when Pakistan won a two-Test series 2-1, only South Africa and Australia have won series in New Zealand. The home side has won seven series and a one-off Test against Zimbabwe. Stuart Broad will become the 15th bowler to take 400 Test wickets. Next in his sights is Curtly Ambrose’s tally of 405.Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor are tied on 17 Tests centuries, equal with Martin Crowe as the most for New Zealand.If England fail to win in Auckland it will equal their longest winless run away from home of 12 matches, previously achieved between February 1939 to March 1948.Quotes”Opportunities to prepare for pink-ball Tests are limited, because there isn’t a huge amount of it, but in the last week and a half, there’s been a number of occasions when we’ve been able to get out and practice against the pink ball at different stages of the evening.”
“It has been a tough winter until now but we have two Test matches to put a different stamp on this winter and change our momentum going into the summer, which again has some really big cricket coming up.”
Joe Root is eager to move on from the Ashes

Liverpool have recently been linked with a new transfer target ahead of the January transfer window, and journalist Bence Bocsak has been reacting to the news.

What's the latest Liverpool transfer news?

With Mohamed Salah being touted for a move to Saudi Arabia in the near future, Liverpool have been linked with a move for West Ham United's Jarrod Bowen, but transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has now confirmed there is no "concrete" news on that yet.

Although there has been no official approach for Bowen, Jurgen Klopp has started to make inroads towards signings in other areas of the pitch, with it being reported the manager is now pushing to sign Bayer Leverkusen defender Piero Hincapie.

The Merseysiders are now in advanced talks over a move for the 21-year-old centre-back, with a £47m deal on the cards, and they have also entered discussions with another defender.

The Reds have also opened new contract talks with right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose current deal is set to expire in the summer of 2025, with Klopp hoping his vice-captain down will be willing to extend his stay at Anfield.

Alexander-Arnold has been a mainstay in the Liverpool backline for a number of years now, making 277 first-team appearances for the club, but there are now indications that Klopp is looking to bring in additional options at right-back.

Anfield Watch have reported that AZ Alkmaar's Yukinari Sugawara is now a target for Klopp, who is short on back-up options for Alexander-Arnold, given that Conor Bradley has been ruled out until November due to a stress fracture in his back.

Speaking on X, journalist Bence Bocsak has now reacted to the links, saying: "Yukinari Sugawara has recently been linked with LFC and he’s definitely someone to keep an eye on.

"So far this season he has created the most big chances in the Eredivisie (4) and the second most chances (16). Not bad for a right-back. He’s quite solid defensively as well. Only 23 years old."

Who is Yukinari Sugawara?

Born in Toyokawa, Japan, Sugawara made his initial breakthrough with J1 League side Nagoya Grampus, but he is now plying his trade in the Eredivisie with AZ Alkmaar, where he has established himself as a key first-team player.

Last season, the Japan international made 31 appearances in the Eredivisie, weighing in with a very impressive three goals and eight assists, which indicates he could be the perfect back-up option for Alexander-Arnold.

Of course, Liverpool's first-choice right-back is also well-known for his attacking contributions, having assisted 73 goals for the club, so it could be very useful for Klopp to have a rotation option who has similar traits.

The Reds have implemented a policy of signing younger players and developing them under the ownership of FSG, and at 23-years-old, the AZ Alkmaar star is at the right age to be a fantastic long-term addition to the squad.

It is currently unclear what sort of fee Alkmaar would demand, but Liverpool should continue to monitor Sugawara's development, before making an approach in the January transfer window.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola doesn't look to be slowing down regarding his plans for potential incomings and has a talented star on is radar at the Etihad Stadium, according to reports.

What's the latest news involving Manchester City?

Following an excellent year at Manchester City that yielded a Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League treble, Julian Alvarez, Kevin De Bruyne, Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol, Erling Haaland, Rodrigo and Bernardo Silva have all been nominated for the 2023 Ballon d’Or award.

Goalkeeper Ederson has been put forward for the Yashin Trophy award and winners of any prizes will be revealed on October 30th during a ceremony in Theatre du Chatelet in Paris.

Manchester City talisman Haaland was an unused substitute for Norway in their 6-0 friendly victory over Jordan on Thursday, sparking concerns that the Leeds-born forward may have picked up an injury. Norway boss Stale Solbakken confirmed however that Haaland was in fact rested for the encounter to ensure he is fresh to face Georgia in a win-or-bust Euro 2024 qualifying match at home next Tuesday, as per The Manchester Evening News.

Explaining his decision to rest Haaland, Solbakken added: "They [City] started the pre-season 14 days later than everyone else because of the Champions League. There is a small backlog, which is getting smaller and smaller every day. Then we think it makes the most sense for him to build up and train with Bjørn Vidar Stenersen [physio/coach] so that he is 100 per cent by Tuesday."

iNews have broke in recent days that Manchester City are keeping eyes on Brighton & Hove Albion teen sensation Evan Ferguson and view the Republic of Ireland international as someone who could partner Haaland in attack or succeed the Norway international if he were to move on to Real Madrid.

Is Ian Maatsen signing for Manchester City?

According to 90min, Manchester City are among a clutch of clubs monitoring Chelsea left-back Ian Maatsen amid uncertainty surrounding his contract situation at Stamford Bridge.

Maatsen has just a year left to run on his deal at Chelsea as his potential next steps go under the microscope. Mauricio Pochettino is keen to tie him down to new terms, but Manchester City boss Guardiola is believed to be an admirer of the 21-year-old, who could fulfil their desire to bring in a natural left-back with an exciting future.

Labelled as "hugely talented" by former teammate Simon Moore, Maatsen has made 124 senior appearances combined at Chelsea alongside loan spells at Burnley, Coventry City and Charlton Athletic, registering eight goals and ten assists in all competitions along the way, as per Transfermarkt.

West Ham United were also keen to bring Maatsen to the London Stadium in the summer transfer window as his stock continues to rise following his breakthrough at Chelsea, but failed with their approach.

Nevertheless, he has remained at Chelsea for the time being; however, reported interest from Manchester City could be a tempting avenue for the Netherlands Under-21 cap to further his career.

Taking nothing away from the young captain, Graeme Smith said South Africa could have looked at JP Duminy, Hashim Amla or AB de Villiers to stand in as captain for the ODIs

Gaurav Kalra in Johannesburg19-Feb-20184:08

South Africa ‘piled’ Markram under pressure – Smith

Former South Africa captain Graeme Smith believes Aiden Markram’s appointment as interim captain for the ODIs against India was “not the right decision,” and hopes that his confidence hasn’t taken a dent after the home team was comprehensively beaten 5-1.Smith, who was himself handed the captaincy as a 22-year old after South Africa’s early exit from the 2003 World Cup, said 23-year old Markram, who had only played two ODIs before he was thrust into the role, should have been allowed to “grow, develop and become a strong player.” Markram made 8, 32, 22, 32 and 24 in five innings as captain, and finished the series with 127 runs at an average of just over 21.”I don’t think it was the right decision,” Smith told ESPNcricinfo at Wanderers. “Everyone has been talking about his leadership. Probably coming from me that doesn’t make sense because I got given the job at a very young age. I think it was an interim thing, not a full-time thing. I would have rather have had him find his place, find his feet within the one-day set-up, try and get runs behind him. South Africa need players to step up and perform.”I think in the short term, with AB coming in after three games he could have stepped in, and they could have looked at Duminy or Amla in the first couple and allowed someone like Markram just to settle. One, he was batting out of position at No. 4 at the start of the series, something he had to come to terms with, and then you’ve piled him under pressure not only on his own game but also as a captain. He would have gained a lot experience-wise but let’s just hope his confidence hasn’t taken a dent.”His performances since the start of his career say that he can bat at this level. He’s obviously got the leadership credentials from Under-19, he’s spoken highly as a personality and as a person mature for his age. But I just think allowing him to grow and develop and become a strong player within the line-up, we are talking about the next-tier of cricketers. There’s a drop-off between maybe four or five senior players and the next tier. So, allow those guys to develop.”What was disappointing for me was that I don’t think the other senior players stepped up around him – the Amlas, Duminys, Millers, those guys just never got it going from a performance perspective, an intensity perspective. They needed to get behind and lead the way almost.”BCCISouth Africa began the ODI series against India as the world’s top-ranked team and on a 17-match winning streak at home. However, injuries to key players such as Faf du Plessis, AB de Villiers and Quinton de Kock at various points in the series meant they were never at full strength against a strong Indian outfit. The batting was further exposed against India’s wristspinners Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal, who combined to take 33 wickets in the series. Watching the South Africa batsmen succumb from a distance, Smith said they were done in by a lack of planning in their approach against the two spinners.”You got to wonder what the chat was about in the changeroom and how they go about it,” Smith said. “Obviously two world-class spinners, Chahal and Kuldeep, excellent finds for India. It’s just great to see some spin come back into the game. The mystery spinners had left the game for a period of time – the Ajmals, Warnes, Muralitharans, there’s been a little bit of a gap. So, it’s great to see two guys like that come into the game, it makes the game really interesting to watch.”South Africa really had no thought, no plan B or C. It was really just dot ball, dot ball, ‘okay let’s have a swing.’ There was no real plan, let’s try to build a partnership, it was almost like as the partnership builds it gets slightly easier and South Africa never found a way to do that.”Before the series began, the buzzword emerging from the South African camp was “Vision 2019,” with the team’s leadership group speaking publicly about its intention to give players exposure in an attempt to find the best mix for the 2019 World Cup in England. Smith said this setback against India could be a “good thing” for South Africa, provided they draw the right lessons from it.”If the leadership strategically gets the thinking right, gets the tactics right and involves the right kinds of players, I think this can be a good thing for South Africa,” he said. “They’ve exposed a few more players to the international game, they have a few more players to look at and think okay, ‘how can I position that guy there, okay he looks like he might have something’ and they’ve had some exposure.”In the long run, there’s still enough time for the World Cup to think this potentially could be a good thing. But that is only if Faf and Ottis [Gibson] and the selection panel get their head in the right place and strategically pick. Once the likes of de Villiers, Faf himself and de Kock are back fit, how do they put a line up together that’s going to win a World Cup.”

An update has emerged on Manchester United and their plans to bolster the playing squad with a new left-back before the end of the summer transfer window…

What's the latest Manchester United transfer news?

According to the Daily Mail, Erik ten Hag is eyeing up a swoop to land Rico Henry from Premier League rivals Brentford ahead of Friday night's deadline.

The report claims that the club are keen to sign another player in that position due to the muscle injury sustained by first-choice Luke Shaw, who is now expected to be out of action for a number of months.

Read the latest Man United transfer news HERE…

It states that the Red Devils have made initial checks over a potential deal to sign the Bees full-back, who is said to be in contention for a maiden England call-up during the upcoming international break.

However, the Daily Mail have not revealed how much it would cost to snap the 26-year-old dynamo up from Thomas Frank's side or how open to a deal the club are.

How good is Rico Henry?

The former Walsall star could be a dream replacement for Shaw, whilst the England international is out injured, as he has started the current season in sublime form.

Henry has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.23 across the first three games of the Premier League campaign and has showcased his ability in and out of possession down the left flank.

The £35k-per-week ace has been on fire on the ball with 1.7 key passes per game and two 'big chances' created for his teammates in just three appearances, which has been rewarded with one assist.

No Manchester United defender managed more than Shaw's 1.1 key passes per match in the top-flight last term and Bruno Fernandes (3.2) was the only player in any position who produced more than 1.7 per outing.

The possible England international has also completed two dribbles per clash and been successful with 86% of his attempts to take on the opposition, which shows that the talented dynamo has excelled at driving his team up the pitch by beating opponents with his dribbling ability.

Shaw, on the other hand, is not as impressive in this area as he produced 0.5 dribbles per match during the 2022/23 Premier League campaign with a success rate of 45%.

This suggests that the Brentford gem, who has racked up 74 top-flight appearances to date, could be an outstanding creative threat for Ten Hag if he is able to carry on his excellent form, as a dribbler and a creator, this season.

Henry, who was described as being "fantastic" defensively by his Bees boss, has also displayed his qualities off the ball with 5.3 duels won per game at a success rate of 53%.

Whereas, Shaw came out on top in 4.6 battles per outing last term and won 56% of his physical contests, which suggests that the pair could offer a similar level of strength out of possession.

Therefore, the emerging United target, who still has room to grow and improve at the age of 26, could be a perfect replacement for his compatriot as he is already performing to a high level in the Premier League and could hit the ground running over the coming weeks, should he make the switch to Old Trafford before Friday's deadline.

Following the death of his father, the Australia allrounder believes he has found fresh perspective on the game and is no longer so rushed by it all

Daniel Brettig12-Jan-2018Marcus Stoinis was the archetypal young man in a hurry. In returning to international cricket after the death of his father, he believes he has found fresh perspective on the game to no longer be so rushed about it all.As Australia’s limited-overs team works to rebuild towards next year’s World Cup after a poor 2017, Stoinis is a key part of their plans following a series of staunch displays with the bat in particular. He will take this journey, though, while cherishing every moment, following the loss of his father to Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma during the Sheffield Shield segment of the season that preceded the Ashes.At 28, Stoinis has been a player with promise for some years, ever since moving across from Western Australia to Victoria to further his chances of playing at the highest level, earning the respect of players like Chris Rogers and more recently the Australian captain Steven Smith. He now finds himself playing alongside a mentor in Cameron White, while he went through the experience of his father’s illness and death with team-mates like Adam Zampa close by his side. All this, Stoinis thinks, has helped him see the game through a different lens.”My perspective has changed, for sure,” Stoinis said in Melbourne, where Australia’s training was restricted by wet weather. “Obviously the experiences you go through change your perspective as you go through life. Cricket for me is quite a lot more enjoyable than it has been in the past, I’ve probably been in a rush for a number of reasons to get things done in cricket.”For the moment, it’s become a lot more fun and I’ve realised it is a family for me. When I found out about dad, I had Adam Zampa there sitting on the boundary with me and we sat there for about half-an-hour. And I’m sharing these games with him now. We stand next to each other every national anthem. I’ve got some bloody good friends and I’m having some fun doing it.”I don’t know if ‘not taking it too seriously’ is the right way to put it, but it’s more just understanding that you’re there to enjoy it and you’re there to perform as well as you can, in front of some unbelievable crowds. You’ve got opportunities that so many people are dreaming of and you’ve been dreaming of for a long time. Once you get there you’ve got to remember to enjoy that.”For White to be recalled for his first match since 2015 was a delight to Stoinis, not only as a former state team-mate but also as someone who had gone out of his way to ensure the allrounder would make the right developmental steps. “He’s one of the smartest players in Australian cricket if not international cricket,” Stoinis said. “He took me under the wing seven years ago when he didn’t have to.”As soon as I stepped into the Victorian change rooms, he was probably the main person that helped show me the ropes. We trained together, I remember, six years ago in pre-season. Every morning he’d send me a message saying what are we doing this morning, why are we doing it, what are you looking to get out of it, so it’s no wonder why he’s so good. I’m stoked for him to have the chance to get back in the Aussie colours.”Another source of advice and help has been Stoinis’ Melbourne Stars team-mate Kevin Pietersen, who has added his own spin on the world of international cricket. “He’s been unbelievable for me,” Stoinis said. “He’s been unbelievably generous with his time and he hasn’t needed to be. That’s probably been over the last 12 months that we’ve built a stronger relationship and have had continual conversations about cricket and perspective. He’s been through everything, from the front page to the back page of the paper. He’s a smart cricketer – there’s a reason why he’s as good as he is. He’s been good for me.”All these factors have helped Stoinis to believe he is now in prime position to make an Australian berth his own after he was in, out and back into the ODI team in 2017, excelling in New Zealand then curiously being left out of the team for the Champions Trophy, only to resume impressively in New Zealand when others struggled and, in the cases of Glenn Maxwell and Matthew Wade, paid for it with their places. The Australians convened with a team meeting on Thursday afternoon and have discussed their plans for the series, leaving Stoinis to note how markedly different this young group feels when lined up against the vanquished and weary group he linked up with after the 2015 Ashes in England.”That was an interesting tour, it was the same sort of thing – we played the Ashes series but in England, we lost, so coming into the team was a very different dynamic to what it is now,” Stoinis said. “It shows how hard the Ashes series are on the players and the scrutiny they get. So it was a different dynamic then.”A couple of guys retired, a couple of guys were about to retire, they lost the Ashes… Whereas now we’ve just won the Ashes, it’s a young team, there’s been people coming into the team, people doing well, so it’s the complete opposite. I got my chance [in 2015], only played the two games then didn’t see international colours for a long time after that. I sort of fell like I might’ve missed a couple of games there for my career, but that’s all right.”I think it’s a bit of everything [now] – finding a consistent playing group will be No. 1 and, understandably, we’re building towards a World Cup so trying to find the right mix, trying to get players playing the right role that suits their game and suits the team. As much as you want to win every single game, I think they’re building towards a bigger picture.”