Mushfiqur, Fletcher and Thisara down Chattogram Challengers in first home BPL fixture

Khulna Tigers secure second win after chasing down 144

Mohammad Isam28-Jan-2022

Thisara Perera took a three-for against Chattogram•Raton Gomes/BCB

How the match played outKhulna Tigers notched up their second win in three games, beating Chattogram Challengers by six wickets in their first home match at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium. Andre Fletcher played an important hand in the win with a 47-ball 58, his fifth BPL half-century, providing Khulna with a launchpad for a late onslaught.Mushfiqur Rahim and Seekkuge Prasanna blitzed 45 runs in 4.4 overs to complete the win with seven balls to spare. Prasanna struck two sixes and a four in his 15-ball 23. He got out with the scores level when he holed out to sweeper cover off Mehidy Hasan Miraz. Mushfiqur hit the winning runs and finished unbeaten on 44 off 30 balls with a six and four fours.Big hitFletcher gave Khulna the perfect start despite them losing Soumya Sarkar and Rony Talukdar early. He scored most of his runs on the leg-side, but struck four sweetly-timed fours with square and late cuts. He held the Khulna innings together till the 15th over when, after hitting his second six of the day, he top-edged Miraz to long-on. Mushfiqur and Prasanna had the perfect base to wrap up the chase quickly.Chattogram had earlier slumped to 102 for 7 in the 16th over when Thisara Perera had Shamim Hossain caught at deep midwicket to take his third wicket. This was a slip from the relative comfort of 84 for 3 in the 13th over. Perera earlier removed Will Jacks, who made 28 off 23 balls, as well as the dangerous Benny Howell, who lobbed Perera a return catch.Afif top-scored for Khulna with 44 off 37 balls, but he couldn’t convert his start into something more significant. Towards the end, the veteran Naeem Islam struck a six and two fours in his unbeaten 19-ball 25. Apart from Perera’s three-for, there was one wicket each for all the other five bowlers Khulna deployed.Big missAfter two middling innings in his three previous knocks, Chattogram’s Sabbir Rahman only made four in this game. Howell too missed out with the bat and ball for the first time in the tournament, after making a big impact in Chattogram’s first three matches.

Professional Peshawar Zalmi hand Karachi Kings their sixth consecutive defeat

A 97-run opening stand from Hazratullah Zazai and Mohammad Haris took Zalmi to 193, and Kings never got going in the chase

Danyal Rasool13-Feb-2022
Lahore Qalandars have had a few shocking seasons in the PSL, but as the worst ever PSL side, this Karachi Kings unit would take some beating. Well, they took some beating today against Peshawar Zalmi, the side second from bottom this season, with Zalmi thrashing them by 55 runs. It was illustrative of the gulf between the Kings and every other side this competition, and while Babar Azam’s men still aren’t mathematically out after six defeats on the trot, the math you’d need to do to place them in the top four simply isn’t worth doing.Zalmi’s win was set up by 20-year old opener Mohammad Haris, who played the role of senior partner alongside Hazratullah Zazai. Imad Wasim was smashed off the first ball Haris faced as a signal of intent, and while the Afghan struggled for rhythm, the young Haris was finding the middle of the bat exceptionally cleanly. The duo scampered along to 97 in the first ten overs, with Haris finally dismissed for a 27-ball 49 as he tried to reverse-sweep Mohammad Nabi.The spell of play that followed saw the Kings pull Zalmi back a bit, with the boundaries drying up as the run rate dipped. Qasim Akram struck to remove Zazai for 52 and Shoaib Malik took his time bedding in. But Babar’s bowlers lost their lengths and discipline in the final four overs, and Cutting and Rutherford were there to punish them. A total of 51 came off the final four overs, and all of the Kings’ hopes of reining in the Zalmi innings had been dashed.But if the Kings’ execution with the ball was careless, their approach to the chase was unforgivable. Just 12 were scored off the first three overs, two of them bowled by part-timer Malik, with Sharjeel and Babar mystifyingly shelving aggression and unleashing conservatism instead. The run rate had crept above 10 already; it would never go back into single figures again.Amazingly, still, the Kings barely seemed to play a shot in anger, seemingly content with a thumping defeat as long as they weren’t bowled out. Sharjeel was removed by Salman Irshad early, and while Babar stuck around to score 59, it was little use to his side. He had simply scratched around and taken 46 balls to get there, never once seeming to appreciate the urgency that a serious chase would require. There was even time for farce when, trapped plumb in front, he opted to review, and walked off before the ball tracking even confirmed what had been obvious to the naked eye.He wasn’t the only one at fault, though. The malaise appears to have spread through the side, with Joe Clarke similarly struggling to find any rhythm whatsoever. He nudged and nirdled his way to a run-a-ball 26 before fellow Englishman Liam Livingstone cleaned him up to put him out of his misery.But it didn’t matter, because the Kings had accepted their fate long ago. Zalmi were professional, and that’s all they needed to be against this broken husk of a side. They may not be out yet, but as they hobbled to 138 by the end, you can almost feel they wish they were.

Robin van Persie aims to continue Arne Slot's legacy at Feyenoord as ex-Arsenal & Man Utd star reveals lessons he learned from Arsene Wenger & Sir Alex Ferguson

Robin van Persie wants to continue Arne Slot's legacy at Feyenoord, while revealing the lessons Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger taught him.

Article continues below

Article continues below

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  • Van Persie becomes Feyenoord boss
  • Aims to continue Slot's legacy
  • Reveals Wenger & Ferguson lessons
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  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    After becoming Feyenoord head coach, former Netherlands striker Van Persie says he is "happy" to continue the legacy left by Slot – who departed for Liverpool last summer. He also revealed that his ex-Arsenal boss Wenger and former United manager Ferguson passed on some salient advice that he will use in the dugout going forward.

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    WHAT ROBIN VAN PERSIE SAID

    He told : “We should all be very proud that Arne has worked here at Feyenoord for three years. He did a really great job, absolutely raised the level, and if you see how he is doing now at Liverpool that is really something we are proud of. I am happy to continue the work with his legacy. I won’t suffer from it, on the contrary, I see it as a plus because a number of players who worked under Arne know the patterns I like to see.

    “The best coaches I have had, like Wenger and Ferguson, kept everything as simple as possible. Football is not simple. There is an incredible amount involved. But the trick in management and training a style of play, is to constantly make everything simpler. This is something I have learnt from them.”

    Van Persie added: “I have had a good talk with the players and I know what I want to achieve. I was lucky that after Arsene Wenger I also got to work with Sir Alex Ferguson. I really learned from Sir Alex. One of his best pieces of advice was that everything you say to your players, you have to keep your word. He was great at that.

    “If he promised something, he kept it. I strive for that too. If you say something, it has to mean something for your players and staff. I’ve had the opportunity to work under fantastic managers. Arsene was great at giving confidence and chances to players. I try to include that in my own approach and make it part of my man-management skills.”

  • THE BIGGER PICTURE

    Van Persie has been fortunate enough to work with some of the best managers of all time in Ferguson and Wenger. He made a positive start to life as a manager with Heerenveen and now the Dutchman has a bigger test at Feyenoord. This may be a sink or swim moment for the former striker as many ex-footballers have shown that good players do not necessarily make good coaches.

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    WHAT NEXT?

    Van Persie's first game in charge of Feyenoord is at home to NEC on Saturday night in Eredivisie action.

Thiago Rodrigues se destaca no Carioca e com atuações consistentes tem se firmado como titular do Vasco

MatériaMais Notícias

Em meio à reformulação do elenco, uma posição foi bastante contestada no Vasco na temporada passada: goleiro. Nenhum arqueiro esteve seguro debaixo das traves e transmitiu confiança à torcida cruz-maltina. Dito isto, o clube foi ao mercado e apostou em um nome, que foi um dos melhores na posição na última edição da Série B: Thiago Rodrigues.

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Com bons números pelo CSA, o atleta foi uma aposta certeira e tem dado conta do recado neste início. Ainda é cedo para definir, foram apenas oito jogos, mas ele tomou conta da posição e tem se firmado como titular. Quis o destino que mais um goleiro negro defendesse a meta vascaína. De nomes como Barbosa, Caetano e Hélton, Thiago Rodrigues tem conquistado o carinho da torcida e foi ovacionado depois da atuação contra o Audax.

Ainda não é assinante do Cariocão-2022? Acesse www.cariocaoplay.com.br, preencha o cadastro e ganhe 5% de desconto com o cupom especial do LANCE!: GE-JK-FF-ZSW

– É um sonho para nós. A parte boa é isso. A gente faz futebol não pelo dinheiro, é para isso. Dinheiro nenhum paga essa festa, ter seu nome gritado. Na pandemia foi difícil, ficamos longe do torcedor. Quando você entra no estádio e olha a torcida, vê que a essência do futebol é o torcedor. O craque foi o nosso time inteiro, como o Zé Ricardo diz. Nosso grupo é muito forte, tivemos uma sequência de vitórias. O Vasco é para quem acredita. Vamos até o final. Para cima deles Vascão – disse o arqueiro.

No ano passado, Lucão e Vanderlei falharam em vários momentos, alguns deles decisivos. O jovem foi negociado com o RB Bragantino, já o experiente chegou a treinar separado do grupo, mas permaneceu para 2022. Outra opção é o jovem Halls, que atuou apenas uma vez entre os profissionais, contra o Remo em 2021.

+Conselho Deliberativo do Vasco define data da votação sobre o empréstimo de R$ 70 milhões da 777 Partners

Recheado de caras novas, o time ainda busca apurar o entrosamento, algo que demanda tempo. Foram quinze reforços, até então, e alguns deles ainda não estrearam com a Cruz de Malta no peito. No entanto, entre eles, o goleiro vascaíno tem se destacado. Seguro e ágil, o jogador, de 33 anos, tem feito defesas importantes e, muitas das vezes, salvado a equipe.

A linha defensiva do Vasco é praticamente nova, e o time ainda procura o equilíbrio no setor. Com isso, Thiago tem tido trabalho, já que constantemente finalizações adversárias vão em direção ao seu gol. De acordo com dados do portal “Footstats”, ele é o terceiro goleiro com mais defesas difíceis do Estadual: oito (26, no total).

+ Confira e simule a tabela do Campeonato Carioca

No Estadual, o Vasco sofreu sete gols em oito jogos, e Zé Ricardo aposta no fortalecimento do setor ao longo do ano – ainda mais com a chegada de reforços como Quintero. Nas últimas duas partidas, porém, a defesa não foi vazada, e o goleiro salvou ao parar os ataques de Bangu e Audax. Diante de Portuguesa e Nova Iguaçu, mais dois bons momentos do paredão da Colina com atuações consistentes.

No futebol moderno, o goleiro não se limita apenas a defender e proteger a sua meta. A saída de bola com os pés e o auxílio na construção das jogadas com a bola longa ou curta é essencial. E Thiago tem demonstrado qualidade neste fundamento ao ser o segundo jogador com mais lançamentos certos do Carioca: 36, no total.

+SAF e acordo com a 777 Partners: entenda o que já ocorreu, o rito e as possibilidades para o futuro do Vasco

O próximo compromisso do Vasco será mais um clássico. Depois de perder para o Botafogo, no Maranhão, o duelo contra o Fluminense, no sábado, às 17h, no Nilton Santos, será mais um grande desafio para o elenco em formação do Gigante da Colina. Thiago, por sua vez, buscará o primeiro triunfo contra um rival desde que chegou ao clube carioca.

Aston Villa had a star on loan who then became a "world-class" £50m ace

Aston Villa have worked their way up the footballing pecking order in recent seasons and currently find themselves competing in the Champions League.

Unai Emery has led them to the pinnacle of European football and they are once again competing to land a top four finish in the Premier League this term.

The Villans’ improved status in the top-flight has also changed their approach to transfers, as they no longer have to rely on bringing in young stars on loan to bolster their squad, with zero loan players in the squad as it stands.

Villa have, however, had some excellent loanees over the years, including the likes of Tammy Abraham, Tyrone Mings, and Philippe Coutinho in recent years. Another player who starred for the club on loan in the past was English defender Kyle Walker.

Kyle Walker's loan spell with Aston Villa

The young defender joined the Villans on loan for the second half of the 2010/11 campaign in the Premier League, after spending the previous season on loan at QPR in the Championship from Tottenham Hotspur.

Walker hit the ground running with the club with a run of 15 starts in 15 appearances in the top-flight before he returned to Spurs in the summer of 2011.

Appearances

15

Goals + assists

4

Tackles + interceptions per game

4.7

Key passes

15

Dribbles completed

26

As you can see in the table above, the fleet-footed flier caught the eye with his contributions in and out of possession for Gérard Houllier’s side.

Unfortunately, though, Villa only got to enjoy his talents at right-back for five months before his loan deal ended and Tottenham finally deemed him ready to emerge as a regular in their first-team.

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Since his stint with the Villans, which was his first prolonged exposure to Premier League football, Walker has gone from strength to strength and forged an exceptional career.

How much Man City paid for Kyle Walker

After the England international racked up four goals and 18 assists in 229 appearances for Tottenham in all competitions, Manchester City swooped in to secure his services in the summer of 2017.

The Cityzens reportedly splashed out a staggering fee of £50m to sign the defender, six years on from his spell with Villa, and that was a world-record fee for a defensive player at the time.

It is fair to say that he has been worth the outlay for City. Since moving to The Etihad, Walker has won six Premier League titles and one Champions League, amassing 309 appearances in all competitions in the process.

The veteran defender was once described as “world class” by former Premier League man Danny Higginbotham and hailed as “superior” by Pep Guardiola, who lauded his 400th top-flight appearance as “unbelievable”.

Walker, who has been capped 90 times by England, has developed into an elite player in world football, as shown by his achievements and the praise he has received, and Villa should be proud that they played a relatively important role in that, with his first taste of regular top-flight action.

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63% passing: Maresca must finally drop Chelsea man after 5/10 display

Chelsea picked up a huge three points away to Leicester City in the first game since the November international break with a 2-1 victory in the East Midlands. Enzo Maresca had a positive return to a ground where he had so much success last season, following his promotion with the Foxes from the Championship.

It was a dominant performance from the Blues, who never really gave the home side a chance. Goals from Nicolas Jackson and Enzo Fernandez earned all three points for Maresca’s side, with the Senegalese striker’s goal a particularly good strike. A late penalty from Jordan Ayew was too little too late for Steve Cooper’s men.

The statistics, courtesy of Sofascore, show just how dominant the West Londoners were at the King Power Stadium. They had 64% possession, and had far more shots than the Foxes, with 16 to the home side’s four. Chelsea also created more expected goals, with 2.64xG compared to 1.11xG for Leicester.

It was a strong performance from the Blues, who had some standout players on Saturday lunchtime.

Chelsea’s best players vs. Leicester

Two of the standout players for Maresca’s side were the goalscorers, Jackson and Fernandez. The Chelsea number 15, who took his goal well, has been on fire this season, and now has seven goals and three assists in the top flight this term, in just 12 games.

Nicolas Jackson and Enzo Fernandez

After spending several weeks as a substitute, Fernandez must surely be relieved to be back in the starting XI in the Premier League, and it was a real statement performance. The midfielder created three chances and won seven from nine ground duels, in a fantastic performance against the Foxes.

Fullback Marc Cucurella also performed well, winning three from four tackles and five duels, putting in a fantastic shift defensively. The Spaniard also worked hard in the final third, creating one chance for his teammates.

Stat

Leader

Passes

Badiashile (90/101)

Chances created

Fernandez, Palmer (3)

Final third passes

Palmer (21/26)

Take-ons completed

Joao Felix (4/8)

Ball recoveries

Badiashile, Soumare (7)

Tackles

Fernandez, Kristiansen (5/6)

Interceptions

Badiashile (4)

His fellow defenders Levi Colwill and Benoit Badiashile had a good day at the office at the King Power, too. It was a particularly impressive game from England international Colwill, playing at right-centre back despite the fact he is a left-footer. It can be awkward at times, but the Blues number six handled it well.

However, one man who struggled in the victory in the East Midlands was goalkeeper Robert Sanchez.

Sanchez’s stats vs. Leicester

The pressure is certainly mounting on the Blues goalkeeper, who continues to struggle in the Chelsea goal. He has not been at his best this season and young goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen is knocking on the door for a starting spot.

Against the Foxes, Sanchez left a lot to be desired with the ball at his feet. Kicking is a key component of any goalkeeper under Maresca, who likes his side to play out from the back, but the Spaniard looked uncomfortable at times. In the first half, he played Moises Caicedo into trouble in the Blues box, but the home side failed to capitalise on a mistake from the Chelsea goalkeeper.

Indeed, his disappointing work is reflected in his post-match stats. Sanchez, who had 34 touches, completed just 63% of his passes, 19 out of 30 to be specific, and completed just two from 13 long balls. He prevented -0.2 goals and could have done better from Ayew’s penalty; the Spaniard failed to keep it out despite getting a firm hand to it.

Sanchez’s performance got him a 5/10 rating at full-time from GOAL journalist Gill Clark. The football writer was critical of the Chelsea goalkeeper’s ability in possession, explaining he ‘really doesn’t look confident’ with the ball at his feet.

The Blues number one is certainly in frustrating form, and it is certainly a worry for Maresca. With plenty of games coming up ahead of a busy Christmas period, he has a big decision to make and could well decide to drop the Spaniard and give Jorgensen a chance in the side.

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Suggestion hugely respected chief is a favourite to replace Edu at Arsenal

There’s been a suggestion that one “hugely respected” chief is a favourite to replace Edu Gaspar at Arsenal, with manager Mikel Arteta’s key club ally departing N5 in what is a real blow for the Spaniard and Gunners.

Edu quits Arsenal as Arteta suffers week to forget

It’s been a really regrettable week at the Emirates Stadium, starting with Arteta’s side falling seven points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool in the title race after their damning 1-0 defeat to Newcastle United at St. James’ Park.

Why Edu Gaspar decided to leave Arsenal

It comes amid a tough start to the season for the Gunners.

By
Ben Browning

Nov 4, 2024

Alexander Isak’s only goal of the game secured Eddie Howe his first win since mid-September and Arsenal’s second top-flight loss in two weeks. The north Londoners have now gone three straight league matches without victory, and if that isn’t rectified immediately, their chase for a first domestic crown in 21 years is seriously threatened – even this early in the campaign.

To add insult to injury, the man responsible for Arteta’s hire and an array of key signings like Martin Odegaard has now left his post. Edu arrived back at the club in 2019 after originally donning Arsenal colours during his playing career, first taking up the role of technical director.

Arsenal injury list

Predicted return date

Takehiro Tomiyasu (Knee)

23/11/2024

Kieran Tierney (Thigh)

23/11/2024

Riccardo Calafiori (Knee)

23/11/2024

Martin Odegaard (Ankle)

10/11/2024

The South American was then promoted to sporting director three years later in 2022, with both Edu and Arteta playing a major role in building this Arsenal project together – liaising with each other on transfers and helping to transform the club from mid-table fodder back to an elite English side.

Evangelos Marinakis has made Edu a double-your-money offer to oversee the development of his club group, with the tycoon targeting him as a possible chief executive. Marinakis, who owns Nottingham Forest, Olympiacos and Rio Ave, has apparently lined Edu up for a key role leading operations at this trio of sides (The Telegraph).

“One of the key points that attracted Edu to Evangelos Marinakis’ project is control,” said journalist Ben Jacobs on X.

“Like Michael Edwards at FSG, Edu will take on a ‘CEO of football’ type role (title to be determined) and have the ability to lead on adding clubs.”

At Arsenal, the question is who will now step into the 46-year-old’s shoes. Arteta is set for a big say on how Arsenal replace Edu, and we personally think Bayer Leverkusen director Simon Rolfes would be a fine choice for Arsenal’s new transfer chief.

He’s just helped Xabi Alonso achieve a historic unbeaten season domestically, all while operating with fairly limited funds compared to that of Bundesliga heavyweights Bayern Munich.

However, journalist John Cross of The Mirror believes someone else closer to home could actually be a favourite.

Suggestion Jason Ayto is a favourite to replace Edu at Arsenal

Writing a piece for the outlet on Monday, Cross has suggested that assistant director Jason Ayto is an “obvious choice” to replace Edu at Arsenal.

Ayto, who has worked closely under Edu and knows the inner workings of his former boss, is apparently “hugely respected” within the club and could be a major contender to take up the former Valencia midfielder’s mantle.

It will be interesting to see if Arsenal look internally, at candidates like Ayto, or focus more externally at outsiders. However, one thing is for certain, Arsenal’s hierarchy must make an informed decision and take their time – as Edu will be a very hard figure to replace.

Lungi Ngidi: We are a team of 'good cricketers without superstars'

South Africa’s team of “good cricketers without superstars” has to band together one final time to deny India the chance to make history, and it’s not going to be easy. That’s Lungi Ngidi’s assessment of a series that will come down to a couple of sessions on the penultimate day of the third Test and has made for gripping viewing throughout.”We are not going in there with a team of superstars,” Ngidi said. “We’ve got good cricketers and good cricketing brains, and it’s always a team effort. There are going to be moments where someone is going to have to put up their hand. If someone is not taking wickets, you make sure you keep the runs down, and if it’s your day, you make sure you cash in.”Related

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Ngidi was referring to a question about his own performance in the second session of the third day when he took three wickets in six overs to reduce India from 152 for 4 to 170 for 7. Ngidi started by removing Virat Kohli, who had batted for more than three hours and faced 143 balls for 29 runs, and then had R Ashwin and Shardul Thakur caught off loose strokes, but more notable than the names, it was the manner in which he took his wickets. After making his name as the kind of bowler who hits the deck hard, Ngidi operated completely differently at Newlands by pitching it up and finding swing. He listed this as one of his best series, especially “against this calibre of players” and despite it being “testing at times.”Though bowlers appear to have had it easier than batters in this series, Ngidi explained that it has been challenging for seamers to get their lengths right on surfaces that have not been entirely consistent in bounce. “The ball has been doing something the entire Test series,” he said. “There are patches on the wicket where if you hit it, it does something a little more than others. And we could see, with patience, guys could score hundreds out there, there have been two 70s already, so with the right application, there are runs in the wicket. As a bowler, if you hit the right areas, there are wickets as well.”The match won’t last five days – and if you take into account the rain-affected day in Centurion, none of the Tests has – but Ngidi praised the surfaces, especially this Newlands one. “It’s a good cricketing wicket. Everyone is in the game. It’s pretty evenly matched out.”He sees the match hinging on whether Keegan Petersen will find someone to post a half-century stand with or whether South Africa’s middle order will fold against the relentless Indian pace attack. “If we were to have a 60-run partnership upfront tomorrow morning, that puts us in a good position. If they were to take early wickets, that shifts it to them. It’s perfectly poised at the moment.”India know that too. Kohli was heard on the stump microphone reminding both his team and South Africa how much was at stake. “Just relax guys,” he told Dean Elgar and Petersen. “I can hear your heartbeat.”That’s understandable. As Elgar said before the match, this is South Africa’s biggest Test in the last decade and winning it could complete what has been a very slow turnaround from losing to Sri Lanka at home three summers ago and slipping to No. 8 in the rankings. There’s enormous expectation, at home, and from far away. For instance, in Guyana, South Africa’s Under-19 players, who are gearing up for their World Cup campaign, are keeping an eye. Their captain George van Heerden said they’re unlikely to wake up in the middle of the night to watch but are prepared to find out the results as soon as possible. “The management team have all got their laptops out and we are all watching from there,” he said at a press conference.India, meanwhile, will be eyeing their first Test series win in South Africa. On their last tour here, they won the final Test in Johannesburg. That South African team had superstars. This one, in Ngidi’s words, just believes that “everyone has got to perform when they are asked to”.

100% duels won: Liverpool star dropped a monster 8/10 for his country

It’s match week. Liverpool play football this very week, travelling to Southampton to face off in that wretched top-versus-bottom fixture in the Premier League.

The November international break is not yet a bygone thing, but it’s approaching its final phase and many of Liverpool’s players will begin to wind down and scud back to Merseyside.

Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk

Later today, Ryan Gravenberch and Cody Gakpo complete their Netherlands duties against Bosnia-Bosnia-Hergoslavia (Virgil van Dijk returned to Liverpool early), while Dominik Szoboszlai’s Hungary welcome Germany.

Away from Europe, Wataru Endo’s Japan tackle China in a 2026 World Cup qualifier, while the host of South Americans – Luis Diaz, Alexis Mac Allister and Darwin Nunez – all feature at varying points on Tuesday evening (GMT).

Argentina midfielder Alexis Mac Allister

Last night brought wonderful fortunes for several Redmen. For example, Scotland defeated Poland to retain their Nations League Tier A status, with Ben Doak and Andy Robertson both starring.

Ben Doak & Andy Robertson star for Scotland

Robertson scored in the 93rd minute to spark Tartan pandemonium. The Scotland skipper’s headed goal in the dying embers handed his nation a priceless victory over Poland – one that could resurrect Steve Clarke’s side’s form.

Doak was a thorn once again, the real star of the show, having previously run roughshod over the expertise of Josko Gvardiol. The 19-year-old, so talented, so highly regarded, played four key passes across his 66 minutes.

He’s a real talent, this kid. Doak has much to learn but so much to work with. Given time, he might just foster his skillset to a standard that befits a prominent place in Arne Slot’s Liverpool squad.

He wasn’t the only young gun to make his mark, though. For all Scotland’s jubilance, Conor Bradley’s effort for Northern Ireland may well have been the pick of the performances. He’s proving himself and then some.

Conor Bradley thrives once again

Trent Alexander-Arnold’s contract situation thunders in the background like the drumfire of a storm moving inexorably closer. It’s these little slivers of respite, Bradley’s excellence, that placate fears somewhat.

Northern Ireland's Conor Bradley

Liverpool believe that they have an up-and-coming right-back with the talent to play regularly, as per Football Insider. Bradley hardly disproves such notions after putting in displays such as this one.

Northern Ireland were unable to defeat Luxembourg in the Nations League C Tier, but the point proved enough to propel the Green and White Army into the B section. Bradley played his part alright, with Belfast Live awarding the 21-year-old an 8/10 match rating for his efforts.

Bradley operates further forward for his nation than he does for Liverpool, for it maximises his attacking talents in a squad of lesser technical quality. It’s borne fruits toward Michael O’Neill, with the star now having posted four goals from his previous nine caps.

Conor Bradley – Stats vs Luxembourg (18/11/24)

Match Stats

#

Minutes played

90′

Goals

1

Touches

53

Shots (on target)

2 (1)

Accurate passes

19/26 (73%)

Key passes

3

Possession lost

16x

Dribbles (completed)

2 (2)

Total duels (won)

6 (6)

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see, he’s not just a goal source for his country, with the ace’s dynamic ability leading him to put in what some might call an all-encompassing display. Both dribbles? Won. Four duel challenges, you say? Bradley triumphed on each occasion.

The underlying data across an extended period backs it up. As per FBref, the rangy full-back ranks among the top 6% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 4% for progressive carries, the top 8% for successful take-ons, the top 7% for tackles and the top 2% for blocks.

Long may Trent reign under the Anfield lights, and all that. But should the unthinkable happen – and it might – at least Slot has Bradley at his disposal.

Who knows, a forged partnership with Doak down the right lane might prove to be something to behold. It might be something worthy of the illustrious success that this budding Red era has tantalised.

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Arne Slot’s high-flying squad might be set for a reinforcement or two this winter.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 18, 2024

خاص | حقيقة إلغاء معسكر منتخب مصر يونيو المقبل

كشف مصدر مسؤول داخل اتحاد الكرة المصري لكرة القدم، حقيقة إلغاء معسكر منتخب مصر، المقرر إقامته في شهر يونيو المقبل.

ويحتل منتخب مصر المركز الأول في ترتيب المجموعة الأولى في تصفيات كأس العالم 2026 برصيد 16 نقطة بفارق 5 نقاط عن بوركينا فاسو الوصيف.

وقال المصدر لـ بطولات: “غير صحيح إلغاء معسكر يونيو، من المهم إقامته ولعب وديات فيه من أجل تصنيف المنتخب”.

طالع أيضاً.. الزمالك بدون نجومه يواجه مودرن سبورت لتصحيح مساره في كأس الرابطة

وتابع: “حتى اليوم، اتحاد الكرة يستقبل عروضًا للوديات لإقامتها في يونيو، ليست هناك نية لإلغاءه”.

وأتم: “من الممكن أن يقوم جهاز منتخب مصر بتجربة وجوه جديدة في المعسكر حتى يستغل عدم إقامة مباريات رسمية فيه ولعب وديات يستفاد منها في اكتشاف عناصر جديدة”.

وكان منتخب مصر قد تمكن من الفوز على سيراليون بهدف وحيد سجله أحمد سيد زيزو، بينما فاز على حساب إثيوبيا بنتيجة 2-0 في لقاء الجولة الخامسة من تصفيات كأس العالم 2026.

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