All posts by n8rngtd.top

Fleming revealed that Bravo had sustained a groin injury

Deivarayan Muthu17-Oct-20201:20

Fleming: Jadeja was the only option for last over with Bravo’s injury

Dwayne Bravo, the Chennai Super Kings’ designated death bowler and highest wicket-taker in T20 cricket, is injured again and will miss a “few days or a couple of weeks,” according to their head coach Stephen Fleming.Fleming revealed that Bravo had sustained a groin injury, which was serious enough to keep him off the field, and hence he couldn’t bowl the final over against the Delhi Capitals in Sharjah. In the injury-enforced absence of Bravo, Dhoni tasked Ravindra Jadeja with the responsibility of defending 16 off the last over, but centurion Shikhar Dhawan and Axar Patel sealed the chase with a ball to spare, handing the Super Kings their sixth defeat in nine games.”He seems to have a right groin injury, I think, and it was obviously serious enough to keep him off the field,” Fleming said at the post-match press conference. “He’s obviously desperately disappointed that he couldn’t bowl the last over – that’s what he’s pretty much in the team for. He will have to be reassessed going forward, but at this stage you’d imagine it’s going to take a few days or a couple of weeks, but we will assess that tomorrow.”Bravo had turned up for the IPL in the UAE with a different injury – a knee problem suffered during the CPL – and missed the Super Kings’ first three games. He didn’t bowl in the CPL final because of that injury and instead played as a specialist batsman for the Trinbago Knight Riders. During their first three games, the Super Kings used fast bowlers Lungi Ngidi and Josh Hazlewood, but then Bravo returned to the XI against the Sunrisers Hyderabad and has since been part of the side.Bravo impressed with his yorkers and slower variations in the Super Kings’ return fixture against the Sunrisers and the Kolkata Knight Riders, providing more depth to both the bowling attack and the batting line-up. In six matches so far in IPL 2020, Bravo has bowled 14 yorkers, according to ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball data. Only Mumbai Indians’ Jasprit Bumrah (19) and Sunrisers’ T Natarajan (40) have bowled more yorkers than Bravo in the tournament.Bravo’s injury depletes a Super Kings squad that is already without two other first-choice players in Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh, who had both opted out of the tournament for personal reasons. However, Bravo’s absence could open up a spot for Imran Tahir, who was the highest wicket-taker in IPL 2019, with 26 strikes at an economy rate of 6.69. Tahir was also the Guyana Amazon Warriors’ highest wicket-taker in the CPL and third overall, with 15 scalps at an economy rate of 5.82 from 10 games.New Zealand spin-bowling allrounder Mitchell Santner is the other overseas option for the Super Kings. Tahir and Santner are the only overseas players to have not played for the Super Kings this season. With the UAE tracks tiring in the second half of the IPL, the Super Kings will look to one of these two spinners to fill the Bravo-sized hole.The Super Kings’ next match is against the Rajasthan Royals in Abu Dhabi on Monday.

USMNT Olympics star Tanner Tessman is linked with a blockbuster transfer to reigning Serie A champions Inter Milan.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Tessman recently promoted with Venezia
• Linked with Inter Milan move
• Set to star for USMNT at Paris Games

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Gianluca Di Marzio report that the Serie A champions have opened talks with Venezia for the American midfielder. The 22-year-old has been discussed as a summer purchase for the Nerazzurri, but he would be loaned back to the Venice-based club for the 2024/25 season.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Tessman netted seven times for Venezia in 2023/24, including a brilliant goal in their promotion playoffs semifinal vs Palermo.

  The Texas native has been an outstanding player for the now-Serie A side, but has also put in his shifts on the international stage. He's become a clear favorite for U23 USMNT Olympics boss Marko Mitrovic, and is expected to lead the midfield line at the Paris Games this summer.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Tessman was promoted with Venezia for the second time this season. He was on the squad in 2021 when they made their way from Serie B to Serie A as well.

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR TESSMAN?

  The midfielder will look to represent his country at the Paris Games this summer, with a finalized roster expected in early July. Following the conclusion to the Olympics, a potential transfer to the Serie A champions may arise.

Chelsea have been given a boost in their search for a world-class striker next year, as one of Europe’s finest marksmen could choose a switch to Stamford Bridge over Barcelona and PSG.

After their damning 2-1 loss at home to newly-promoted Sunderland, Enzo Maresca’s side have returned to winning ways after three victories in their last four games across all competitions.

In truth, the criticism of Chelsea can be overblown sometimes, considering that defeat to the Black Cats was their first and only loss in nine matches — a run which includes impressive victories over Liverpool, Tottenham and José Mourinho’s Benfica in the Champions League.

The Blues are now third in the Premier League table and six points behind league leaders Arsenal, but pundits like Jamie Carragher are adamant that Chelsea could use something different to their pretty similar options throughout the team.

Reports suggest that BlueCo partly agree with Carragher’s statement, as they’re making transfer plans ahead of next year despite spending close to £300 million in the summer.

After his latest injury blow and being hauled off just six minutes into Chelsea’s 2-2 draw with Qarabag last week, midfielder Romeo Lavia is expected to be sidelined for at least one month with a quadriceps problem, and Chelsea were already looking at new midfield targets before the Belgian’s return to rehab.

It is unclear whether Chelsea could look to strike a midfield deal in January, or whether it’s one for next summer instead, but it is reportedly more clear that Maresca wants a new centre-back to come in at the very least as BlueCo prioritise a defender.

Other media sources indicate that Chelsea may well bring in another striker next year as well, despite Joao Pedro’s excellent form and the return of Liam Delap.

Julian Alvarez reportedly refuses to rule out joining Chelsea ahead of Barca and PSG

Speaking to the Chelsea Chronicle, journalist Graeme Bailey has said that £211,000-per-week forward Julian Alvarez is one to keep an eye on.

The former Man City sensation has dazzled under Diego Simeone at Atletico Madrid this term, netting nine times in his last 15 outings, and he finished his debut 24/25 season at the La Liga side with nearly 30 goals in all competitions.

This incredible form is attracting interest from some of Europe’s biggest hitters, including PSG and Barca, but Bailey has suggested that Alvarez is refusing to rule out a Chelsea move.

Maresca could have his pick of new centre-forwards with the pacey Emmanuel Emegha poised to arrive from sister club Strasbourg in 2026.

Alvarez would be the cherry on top, but according to some reports in Argentina, those within Barca are convinced that Atletico could demand as much as £176 million to let the 25-year-old leave – so Chelsea may even have to break the Premier League transfer record.

Trey Yesavage made history during the Blue Jays’ win in Game 5 of the World Series against the Dodgers. The rookie, who only made his first MLB start in September and started the year at Single-A, dominated on the road in Los Angeles, striking out 12 batters across a seven-inning outing.

No one was more fired up for the 22-year-old than veteran starting pitcher Max Scherzer. After a big double play got Toronto out of the seventh inning, Scherzer could be seen on the bench going ballistic. The 41-year-old was smacking the railing inside the dugout and proceeded to throw his sunflower seeds in excitement.

Have a look:

Scherzer could then be seen speaking to Yesavage in the dugout, clearly still amped by his impressive performance.

When you have a three-time Cy Young winner and two-time World Series champion acting like that in the dugout, you know you’re putting on a show. And that’s exactly what Yesavage did on the mound Wednesday night.

The rookie had all three of his signature pitches working to perfection. His combination of his fastball, slider and splitter, mixed with his unique release point, was a puzzle the Dodgers’ lineup was simply unable to solve.

Scherzer was loving every minute of it from his viewing point in the dugout, and he couldn’t contain his excitement after the inning-ending double play.

With Arsenal's need for a centre forward well documented, it appears that Edu Gaspar has now turned away from previous targets and is interested in one of Europe's most promising strikers.

Arsenal's search for a striker

Don't let the eighteen goals in their last four Premier League games fool you, Arsenal are still in dire need of a number nine. This season has seen Mikel Arteta opt to play without a traditional centre forward for much of the campaign, relying on goals to come from his wingers.

The Arsenal star who outshone Jorginho vs Newcastle

Arsenal were back to their best after defeat against Porto in midweek.

By
Matt Dawson

Feb 25, 2024

Whilst Bukayo Saka's thirteen league goals are impressive and Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard have all chipped in, it still feels that the Gunners are missing the leading man to take them to the next level. Players initially signed to fulfill these duties have not gone to plan with Gabriel Jesus struggling with injury and the aforementioned Havertz adopting a deeper role.

Despite the clear need for a striker, Arteta made it clear such a move was not possible this January, telling beIN Sports that: "At the moment it doesn't look realistic. My job is to improve the players we have."

Whilst the Gunners' boss declines any interest in a new number nine, it hasn't stopped the rumour mill from turning. A strong return following his ban has seen Ivan Toney's name back in contention for the vacancy however, reports now suggest that Arsenal have an interest in a teenage talent who could be a better alternative to the Brentford man.

Edu eyes exciting Toney alternative

According to Football Insider, sources within the club have said that Brighton forward Evan Ferguson is on Arsenal's radar with Edu's talent spotters at the Emirates regarding him as a "huge talent" who will go on to become a world beater.

Making his debut for Brighton in early 2022, the 19-year-old has had a rapid rise on the South coast, scoring 12 Premier League goals in just 44 appearances. The most impressive of this catalogue was the Irishman's hat-trick against Newcastle that saw Ferguson tipped to go all the way by his current boss Roberto De Zerbi:

"He can become big, big, big. His qualities are enough to become a great player. He can become one of the best, the top scorer in Europe. He was born in 2004, he's 18. I don't know how many players are young, that score like him."

Eight years the junior of Toney, Ferguson would offer the kind of player better suited to the project Edu and Arteta are building in North London. Boasting the third-youngest squad in the league, it would be within their interests to go for the younger option.

Whilst Toney would deliver the short-term impact needed to deliver immediate success, a club as process driven as Arsenal would see the benefits that Ferguson would bring in the long run. Giving one of Europe's most promising talents the chance to develop would prove far more beneficial overall than signing a proven goalscorer who may have only a few seasons left in the tank.

David Moyes may not have been everyone’s cup of tea at West Ham United, but no one can deny how much he transformed them during his spell, notably steering the club to European glory in 2023.

With Julen Lopetegui under some pressure, was moving Moyes on perhaps a tad hasty? Of course, feelings are mixed regarding the former manager, especially with some of his final few signings in charge.

David Moyes' wayward 2023 summer window

James Ward-Prowse cost the club £30m last summer from Southampton but failed to live up to this fee at the London Stadium and was loaned to Nottingham Forest ahead of the current campaign.

Kalvin Phillips joined in January 2024 on a loan deal from Manchester City, with the Irons paying a loan fee and covering his wages during this temporary spell. The Englishman made just ten appearances for the club in what was a disastrous signing by Moyes.

One of his worst pieces of transfer business, especially in terms of value for money, was spending £15m to sign Danny Ings from Aston Villa.

Danny Ings’ West Ham statistics

Ings was fairly critical of his time at Villa Park, dubbing his maiden season in the Midlands as “underwhelming” after scoring just seven goals in 30 appearances for the club.

Although Moyes needed some more attacking reinforcements when he signed Ings nearly two years ago, the English striker was hardly going to be prolific under him.

Indeed, during his first six months, the former Liverpool centre-forward managed to score just two Premier League goals across 17 matches.

The 2023/24 campaign – his first full season at West Ham – was somehow even worse. Ings started only three times in the top flight, scoring a solitary goal against Burnley, a team who would be relegated.

It is clear that his time in London has been dismal. Ings was arguably one of Moyes’ worst-ever signings for the Irons, especially over his final 18 months in charge.

The Englishman’s market value has, unsurprisingly, dropped drastically since he moved to the club in January 2023.

Danny Ings market value at West Ham

Paying £15m for a striker who was clearly past their best was a terrible error of judgement by Moyes and the club are now paying for this move.

Indeed, according to Football Transfers, Ings is currently worth just €1.8m (£1.5m), which represents a major dip from the fee the club shelled out for him a little over 18 months ago.

His contract expires at the end of the season, but will West Ham be able to sell him in January? Especially considering how low his value is at this moment in time.

If not, he will likely be released next summer, with the club wasting money on paying his wages even though he is failing to contribute.

Market Movers

Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?

The 33-year-old has scored just once this term from six appearances, starting only one of those games as Lopetegui prefers the likes of Michail Antonio to be unleashed in the starting XI.

There is no doubt Ings has been one of the worst signings the club has made recently, costing them a fortune in the process.

West Ham eyeing Lopetegui upgrade with "one of the best styles" in Europe

West Ham could make a managerial change should they lose in the Premier League this weekend.

By
Ethan Lamb

Nov 8, 2024

Jhye Richardson faces a fitness race but Sydney Sixers will have Steven Smith available

Tristan Lavalette23-Jan-2023Spinner Ashton Agar will not be available for the BBL finals series as he prepares for Australia’s upcoming Test tour of India, while injured quick Jhye Richardson remains in doubt for the blockbuster qualifying final between arch-rivals Perth Scorchers and Sydney Sixers.Defending champions Scorchers locked up top spot on the BBL ladder with a dramatic 10-run victory over Melbourne Renegades at Optus Stadium.The result secured Scorchers a home qualifying final against Sixers on Saturday with a bumper crowd of around 45,000 expected. The winner will host the grand final on February 4.Sixers will have Steven Smith available for the qualifier with CA releasing 11 of the tour squad for the first week of the finals.Frontline spinner Agar was a curious omission from Scorchers’ line-up against Renegades in such a high stakes contest, but his unavailability for the finals series swayed the team’s hierarchy to select 19-year-old spinning allrounder Cooper Connolly. Agar is required to attend a pre-tour camp in Sydney before the squad flies to India.Related

• Smith's T20 opening success gives Australia selectors something to ponder

• Smith's career-best T20 knock puts Sixers in hunt for top spot

• Bancroft's career-best earns Scorchers home final despite blazing Finch

Connolly, a former Australia Under-19 captain, did not bowl against a surging Renegades, who almost mowed down a huge target of 213, with captain Ashton Turner shouldering the bulk of the spin bowling load. Peter Hatzoglou was later a concussion replacement for Matthew Kelly.”Once we got confirmation that Ash wasn’t going to be available for our final here on Saturday, we felt now was the opportunity for him to start his prep for the Test tour,” Scorchers coach Adam Voges said.”We’ve talked a lot with Ash through the back half of this campaign about how we can help keep preparing him for what’s coming up as well as what’s in front of him at the moment.We wouldn’t have done that without his blessing. I fully understand how important this upcoming tour of India is for him and him wanting to get the best possible preparation. It wasn’t really an issue at all.”

Test squad availability for BBL finals

David Warner: Eliminator and Knockout
Usman Khawaja: Eliminator and Knockout
Marnus Labuschagne: Eliminator and Knockout
Steven Smith: Qualifier
Travis Head: Eliminator and Knockout
Matt Renshaw: Eliminator and Knockout
Peter Handscomb: Eliminator (Knockout only if hosted by Thunder)
Alex Carey: Eliminator and Knockout
Ashton Agar: Unavailable
Nathan Lyon: Qualifier
Todd Murphy: Unavailable
Mitchell Swepson: Eliminator (Knockout only if hosted by Thunder)
Lance Morris: Qualifier

Richardson had been earmarked to return from a hamstring injury in time for the finals series, but will need to prove his fitness.Prior to his latest setback suffered against Sydney Thunder on January 4, Richardson had been in hot form with 15 wickets in seven games marked by rapid bowling nudging 150kph.A nagging heel injury consigned him to the sidelines for an extended period ahead of the BBL season.”He hasn’t got the final tick off yet,” Voges said. “We’re all really hopeful he’ll be available for Saturday. Once he is declared fit then I”ve got no issues with bringing him back in. But he’s still got a bit to do.”Speedster Lance Morris could also bolster Scorchers’ attack after missing the Renegades clash due to illness. Unlike Agar, Morris is available for selection against Sixers before he departs for Australia’s tour of India.A spot in Scorchers’ attack might open up after Kelly suffered a nasty blow to his face in a bizarre fielding mishap and he had to be substituted out of the match under concussion rules.”I’m sure he’ll go through those [concussion] protocols,” Voges said. “Hopefully he’ll be available for Saturday, but we’ll just wait and see.”Scorchers will give Jhye Richardson every chance to prove his fitness•Getty Images

It’s been a season of resilience for a ravaged Scorchers, who finished on top of the ladder with 11 wins despite instability.English recruits Tymal Mills, Phil Salt and Laurie Evans did not play a single match for various reasons, and so too star allrounders Mitchell Marsh and Cameron Green due to injuries.Having memorably clinched last season’s title after playing just one home match due to strict Covid-19 border controls in Western Australia, Scorchers are eyeing another triumph under adversity.”Proud is a really good word,” said Voges, who described how he felt about his team. “You lose your three international players that you pick up in the draft, you lose Mitch Marsh on the eve of the tournament. To be honest, going in, I wasn’t entirely sure how we were going to go.”He paid tribute to the team’s remarkable depth and identified the emergence of top-order batters Aaron Hardie and Cameron Bancroft, who were fringe players in previous seasons, as key to Scorchers maintaining their status as a competition powerhouse alongside Sixers.”We’ve had guys step up, we’ve had guys contribute in different games,” Voges said. “We’ve always prided ourselves on our depth within our squad and we’ve certainly had to utilise it within this tournament. It’s great to get over the line and earn a home final.”

Footage from Barcelona’s Camp Nou construction site shows that stadium renovation plans remain way behind schedule.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Had hoped to be ready for 125th anniversary
• Capacity behind raised to 105,000
• Still hoping to be in before end of the year

• Twitter @FCBarcelona
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Catalan giants have invested £1.25 billion ($1.6bn) on giving their famous home a serious facelift. The initial plan was to have the upgraded venue ready for Barcelona’s 125th anniversary celebrations in November 2024.

Advertisement

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  That deadline passed with no word on when Camp Nou will be in a fit enough state to welcome supporters through its doors once more. The ambitious project is seeing the capacity at Catalunya’s most iconic sporting theatre raised from 99,354 to 105,000.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Footage from YouTuber, BarcaStory, shows that no fans will be entering Camp Nou any time soon. There is still a lot of work to be done, with thousands of seats yet to be fitted. A recent report from Relevo claims that the stadium’s roof will not be installed until the summer of 2026.

• TELL ME MORE

  Barcelona could move back in before then, with a speculative return date of October 2025 being put in place, with La Liga title hopefuls currently playing their home games at the 54,000-capacity Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys.

The Men’s IPL, meanwhile, is likely to begin on April 1

Nagraj Gollapudi09-Dec-2022IPL 2023 is likely to begin on April 1, while the inaugural season of the Women’s IPL is likely to be played from March 3 to 26 with both tournaments to be played in India. While the BCCI is yet to formalise the dates, it has earmarked a window for the WIPL with the tournament set to start a week after the 2023 Women’s T20 World Cup final, which is scheduled to be played on February 26 in Cape Town.As for the IPL, ESPNcricinfo has learned that the BCCI is working out the availability of overseas players before it finalises the end date for the 10-team tournament, which will return to the home-and-away format that was shelved due to constraints imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic. It is likely that the BCCI would want to wrap up the IPL by the end of May since England are scheduled to play Ireland in a one-off Test at Lord’s from June 1 to 4. A few days later, The Oval will host the second ICC World Test Championship final – which India have a chance of contesting – while the Ashes begin from June 16.Related

• Women's IPL – All you need to know about the bidding process and auction

• Healy – 'Women's IPL is going to change women's cricket for the better'

• Nida Dar: We need more international matches and leagues to be competitive

• Women's IPL franchises to be unveiled on January 25

• BCCI set to launch five-team women's IPL in March 2023

On Friday the BCCI announced the media-rights tender for the first five seasons of the WIPL, 2023 to 2027. While the last date for picking up the tender is December 31, 2022, it is learned that the bids will be opened around January 8. The BCCI has decided to adopt the closed-bid process instead of an e-auction. While further details will emerge once the bidders pick up the tender document it is learned the BCCI has not set any base price for each of the three categories for which rights will be sold: television, digital, and a combination of the two.In October this year the BCCI shared with its members – the state associations – a plan for the WIPL, which was ratified at the board’s Annual General Meeting.According to the plan, the league will be contested by five franchise teams playing a total of 22 matches. Each squad can have up to 18 players, with a maximum of six overseas players, and each playing XI can include five overseas players (four from Full Member countries and one from an Associate nation).In the league phase of the WIPL, each team will play the other twice (a total of 20 matches), and the table topper will progress straight to the final. The teams that finish second and third in the league will play an Eliminator to determine the second finalist.According to the BCCI’s timelines, the next step would be inviting bids for the five franchises. Unlike the men’s IPL, where franchises bid for teams in a particular city, the BCCI had drafted two initial plans for the WIPL. The first one was to sell teams across six zones spanning the country. A set of cities in each zone has been shortlisted and comprises: Dharamsala/Jammu (North zone), Pune/Rajkot (West), Indore/Nagpur/Raipur (Central), Ranchi/Cuttack (East), Kochi/Visakhapatnam (South) and Guwahati (North-East).The second plan involves teams being sold but without a solid home base, with matches to be played at six shortlisted IPL venues: Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai.The final leg of the process involves the assembling of squads and the BCCI is yet to finalise whether this will be done via an auction or a draft. Player availability will remain a concern considering the WIPL could clash with the inaugural season of the Women’s Pakistan Super League (WPSL). While the PCB is yet to release a final plan for the tournament, March 18 has been earmarked as the date of the WPSL final.

Everton had to sell a few players during the summer transfer window in order to comply with the Premier League’s financial fair play regulations.

This saw the likes of Amadou Onana, Lewis Dobbin and Ben Godfrey all leave Goodison Park, allowing Sean Dyche to balance the books.

Onana in particular has been a big miss, particularly with the Belgian beginning to showcase his talents for Aston Villa over the first few months of the season.

Amadou Onana's stats after leaving Everton

The Belgian has played 14 games for his new club, scoring three goals already, becoming a key member of Unai Emery’s starting XI.

Onana has notably been a shining light in the Champions League, starring on the biggest continental stage of all. As well as scoring once, he has averaged a pass success rate of 95%, winning 65% of his total duels per game and completing 100% of his dribble attempts.

His transition from the Premier League to Europe has been seamless and, despite securing a fee of around £50m, Dyche will regret letting him leave.

That said, he isn’t the only former Toffee at Villa Park who the Merseyside outfit should regret seeing leave through the exit door.

The Premier League defender Everton must regret selling

The club must also rue selling a defender under Rafa Benitez who is now undergoing a resurgence in recent months – Lucas Digne.

The Frenchman joined the Toffees in 2018, arriving from Barcelona, and over the next three and half seasons, he would go on to make 127 appearances for the club in the process.

In January 2022, however, Benitez was looking to raise some funds for future signings, which meant a player or two had to be sold.

Just days before the manager was sacked, Villa duly spent £25m to sign the French defender nearly three years ago, rescuing him from Benitez. Now, this season, the former Barcelona star has undergone somewhat of a resurgence.

In the Premier League this term for the Midlands side, Digne has not only scored twice but has also created eight big chances, averaging 1.3 key passes per game and averaged 0.5 shots per game, proving his worth going forward.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.

Having a left-back Emery can trust has made a huge difference to the Frenchman’s confidence, which has seen his performances improve from those of last term.

He was even called up to the France squad for the latest Nations League matches, playing a starring role against Italy.

The former Everton defender played the entire 90 minutes as he registered two assists, made four tackles, made two key passes and even hit the woodwork during the 3-1 victory over the Italians.

This led to praise from Villa journalist John Townley, who said: “When Unai Emery joined Aston Villa two years ago, he wanted “more in everything” from Digne. Now he’s probably in the form of his life.”

While £25m at the time was a reasonable fee for Digne, Everton must now rue selling the defender who has been excellent for club and country this season.

10 duels lost: Everton's 20-touch star had a shocker for his country

Everton players have performed well during international duty, aside from one…

By
Ross Kilvington

Nov 16, 2024