All posts by h716a5.icu

With Valerien Ismael seeing his West Bromwich Albion side struggle in recent weeks, with the Baggies currently being on a run of three Championship fixtures without a win, having scored just two goals over these games, there is one clear area of the pitch that needs improvement at The Hawthorns – up front.

Indeed, while the Frenchman did bring in Jordan Hugill to help bolster Albion’s attack in the summer transfer window, the Norwich City loanee is yet to find the back of the net over his four Championship appearances, while none of Callum Robinson, Karlan Grant, Grady Diangana or Matt Phillips have exactly been in clinical form in front of goal – with the quartet having scored six league goals between them.

As such, considering the 45-year-old West Brom manager is yet to spend any of the £17.17m received from the sales of players this summer, it would appear highly advisable for Ismael to pull the trigger on move for a target the Baggies boss is known to be a fan of in the winter transfer window – Daryl Dike.

Dike could transform West Brom

Having highly impressed under Ismael at Barnsley side last season, Dike is a centre-forward who clearly boasts the ability to find the back of the net on a regular basis in the Championship, as well as one who is accustomed to the Frenchman’s style of play.

Indeed, over his 19 Championship appearances for the Tykes – only 13 of which came as starts – the £9m-rated man scored nine goals, as well as taking an average of 1.7 shots and making 0.7 key passes per game.

These returns saw the player Ismael himself dubbed an “unbelievable” talent earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.15, ranking him as Barnsley’s third-best performer in the second tier.

However, with the Express & Star journalist Joesph Masi recently revealing that Orlando City were demanding £18m in order to sanction the sale of the 21-year-old, it is clear to see why Ismael did not sanction a move for the centre-forward in the summer window.

Although, with this asking price more than likely being a starting point for negotiations – and one that could be lowered in discussions – coupled with the fact that West Brom appear in desperate need of a clinical striker in order to give them the best possible chance of securing promotion, it would seem wise for the Albion boss to do all he can to land Dike in January, as the USA international could well transform the Baggies’ season from disappointment to success.

In other news: West Brom handed double fitness boost ahead of QPR clash, Ismael will be buzzing

Declan Rice continued his phenomenal form as West Ham United’s unbeaten start to the 2021/22 campaign came to a crushing end on Sunday.

David Moyes’ side were beaten 2-1 by Manchester United at the London Stadium in a game marred by late controversy as club captain Mark Noble came on as a substitute to miss a penalty, just minutes after last season’s loan star Jesse Lingard bagged an agonising winner.

In amongst the heartbreak, it was the 22-year-old England international who displayed exactly why teams like their opposition are interested in signing him ahead of 2022.

According to The Sun earlier this month, both Manchester giants are set to go head-to-head in a battle to try and secure the Hammers star next summer, though they’ll have to pay in excess of £100m.

In the heart of midfield, Rice was shades of Roy Keane, something on which the Sky Sports pundit even commented himself during the game.

“He’s way ahead of me when I was 22. I think the next step will come to him when he plays a higher level and when I say higher level I mean for Manchester United,” he said.

Indeed, the £63m-rated beast managed to record the best passing accuracy on the pitch, making 97% of his 59 attempts – a feat that not even Paul Pogba nor Bruno Fernandes could match on the afternoon.

He also completed 100% of his long ball attempts, which is even more impressive considering the lack of a target man in this West Ham squad.

Rice was one of Moyes’ most influential players, registering a squad-high 68 touches, in which he only lost possession three times, and that was amongst the lowest on the pitch as he proved to be a very hard man to dispossess – almost as if he ran the show, despite the defeat.

Keane wasn’t the only one to shower the Englishman in praise either as the Evening Standard’s Jack Rosser graded his performance a 9/10 and wrote: ‘Another stellar showing following his goalscoring European debut in the week.’

Rice, who earns around £60k-per-week currently, also showed his defensive capabilities by putting in two interceptions and one tackle, though it wasn’t enough to thwart the finishing qualities of Ronaldo and his teammate from last season.

All in all, though, Rice was perhaps the one shining light from a bitter day at the London Stadium.

AND in other news, Signed for £15m, now worth 140% more: Moyes struck gold over “unplayable” West Ham gem…

Brendon McCullum is looking forward to more opportunities to bat up the order in Tests as he sets his sights on becoming the world’s best wicketkeeper-batsman

Cricinfo staff30-Sep-2008
Brendon McCullum is keen to take more batting responsibility in a relatively inexperienced Test line-up © Getty Images
Brendon McCullum is looking forward to more opportunities to bat up the order in Tests as he sets his sights on becoming the world’s best wicketkeeper-batsman. McCullum has been pencilled in for the No. 5 spot on the upcoming tour of Bangladesh, having filled that same role in the recent series in England.Prior to that McCullum was typically used at No. 7, but New Zealand’s relatively inexperienced batting line-up means he will become a more important middle-order man in the next few years. The captain Daniel Vettori has supported McCullum’s desire to settle at No. 5 in Bangladesh, in a middle order likely to feature the uncapped Jesse Ryder.”Dan knows what I’m trying to do in the game and my motives for doing it,” McCullum told the . “I want to be the best batsman-keeper in the world and by moving up the order it gives me a greater opportunity to do so, and to make a contribution to my team.”He will be hoping for big runs in next month’s two-Test series in Bangladesh, where he made his maiden Test century four years ago. New Zealand’s squad was departing on Tuesday and McCullum said having a couple of months off following the England tour was ideal.”I think sometimes when you’re continually playing, or on a playing-training regime, you lose a bit of focus in terms of what you’re trying to achieve,” McCullum said. “So the time out was great from that perspective. It freshened the body and mind and gave a bit more clarity.”The Bangladesh trip will act in part as preparation for New Zealand’s Test series against Australia in November. McCullum said entering the Bangladesh series as favourites was a situation not terribly familiar to New Zealand and they needed to embrace the opportunity.”If we want to get to the point we want to, which is to be the best team in the world, we have to start playing as frontrunners, and that’s a challenge this series presents,” he said. “This is a pretty good lead-in to a great summer and we’ve got to make sure we do the job clinically.”

A last-wicket stand of 63 between Mashrafe Mortaza and Shahadat Hossain revived a crumbling innings and helped Bangladesh avert the follow-on

The Bulletin by Kanishkaa Balachandran04-Jan-2009
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

Mashrafe Mortaza took the fight to the Sri Lankan bowlers © AFP
A last-wicket stand of 63 between Mashrafe Mortaza and Shahadat Hossain revived a crumbling innings and helped Bangladesh avert the follow-on on the second day in Chittagong. Ajantha Mendis held sway over Bangladesh’s batsmen as they replied to Sri Lanka’s 384 on a two-paced pitch but the last pair thwarted Sri Lanka’s hopes of a quick finish to the series and, when the shadows lengthened, it was the visiting openers, not Bangladesh’s, who walked out to bat.Mortaza and Shahadat are by no means the world’s worst tailenders: the same pair had come together to script a ninth-wicket stand of 77 at the same venue against India in 2007. Mortaza scored 79 in that game and he displayed the same temperament today against two of the most challenging spinners in world cricket.The batsmen before him failed to set a solid example and, perhaps mindful of his potential as a handy bowling allrounder, he played like one. Shahadat joined him with the score at 145 for 9, still 40 adrift of the follow-on mark. Mortaza took responsibility as the senior partner and farmed the strike. With Mendis and Muttiah Muralitharan bowling in tandem and fielders were stationed in the deep Mortaza was judicious in refusing singles and allowing his partner at least one, if not two balls, to face in an over.Shahadat too put a price on his wicket and Mortaza, when on strike, tried not to go in to his shell and looked for opportunities to find the boundaries. A fierce cut past backward point off Mendis set the tone for the stand and when Murali’s round-the-wicket line got too predictable, he regularly got down on one knee and employed the sweep. He picked the doosra and bisected the gap between short fine leg and deep-backward square leg with precision and his confidence peaked when he scooped Mendis over long-off for six.The frustration began to show on Jayawardene as he rotated between Murali, Mendis and Dilhara Fernando to break the stand. As Bangladesh inched towards the follow-on target, the crowd got more vocal with every successful block by Shahadat, who blunted Mendis’ yorker-length balls from round the wicket. A sloppy misfield by Fernando at deep square-leg and a clubbed four by Mortaza in a Murali over took Bangladesh closer. When Shahadat punched Mendis down the ground the following over, Bangladesh heaved a huge sigh of relief.It took a long while for Bangladesh to claim some sort of initiative after running through the Sri Lankan tail in the morning. Shakib Al Hasan claimed three lbw victims in identical fashion, trapping the right-handers on the forward prod and hitting the base of the pad. He ended with 4 for 109, with Sri Lanka losing four wickets for 13 runs, including the overnight batsman Chamara Kapugedera for 96.It wasn’t a rosy beginning for their batsmen though. Chaminda Vaas, assisted by movement both ways off the pitch, claimed the openers. Tamim Iqbal flirted with a delivery which moved away from him while Imrul Kayes was squared up after offering no shot.Mendis was introduced as early as the 10th over and though the pitch didn’t take turn straightaway, he found a way to strike, trapping Raqibul Hasan with a straighter delivery in his second over. Mohammad Ashraful and Junaid Siddique, needing to consolidate, managed to negotiate him fairly easily, though in slightly different ways. Junaid was prepared to get forward to smother the spin while Ashraful chose to stay back and play him off the pitch.Junaid however succumbed to Fernando, who came back well after a poor over after lunch. Fernando got the ball to swing and one such delivery was angled across Junaid, who lost sight of the ball and lost his off stump to a full toss. Ashraful too had to play out a testing spell from Fernando and even copped a blow on the visor off a delivery which kicked up.Ashraful was patient against the spinners, before opening up against Murali, slamming him for a six over midwicket. However, he had several moments of indiscretion against Murali. Three botched reverse-sweeps didn’t deter him from attempting the shot again when on 45, and it only resulted in a simple catch for wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene. Mendis further dented Bangladesh’s resistance with two wickets in successive balls – both lbw. Mushfiqur Rahim one of their better players of spin, lost patience after making a start and was out stumped for 21.Mortaza and Shahadat took control for 18.3 overs before Murali claimed Mortaza for 63, slogging to deep square-leg. Sri Lanka’s openers were unchallenged for five overs before stumps and ended the day with an overall lead of 189, which could expand out of Bangladesh’s reach if the hosts fail to strike in the morning.

A number of Liverpool supporters are fuming after talk over Erling Haaland joining the Reds was shrugged off by Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.

The Norwegian has emerged as arguably the most exciting young player in world football at the moment, performing at an incredibly high level for Borussia Dortmund.

Haaland has scored 66 goals in as many appearances for the Bundesliga giants, and at 21, he looks to have an incredible future ahead of him.

[freshpress-quiz id=“359326”]

The thought of the striker even being in a Liverpool shirt is a mouthwatering one and the Reds have been linked with an audacious move for the hitman in the past.

However, speaking to Bild [via AS] recently, Bayern Munich legend claimed that Haaland won’t be moving to Anfield due to FSG being miserly in the transfer market.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-liverpool-transfer-news-3/” title=”Latest Liverpool transfer news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=“none”]

Liverpool fans angry at Haaland latest

These Liverpool fans took to Twitter to fume over the comments from Rummenigge, once again seeing it as a stick with which to beat the much-maligned FSG.

“You know you are a joke when even other owners are openly saying our owners don’t spend! Yet you got these top Reds in my mentions saying how great they are…”

Credit: @Thiago6STAN

“Tears. Even chairmen can say this about us and we cannot do anything because that’s the truth”

Credit: @AbhideepJain6

“In other news, water is wet”

Credit: @ali_reza110

“WOOWOWOWOW. We are getting bantered”

Credit: @AbdelDC

“This is so embarrassing”

Credit: @sleepyyzie

“Tearssssss”

Credit: @LadyToluu

In other news, Liverpool are reportedly in the chase to sign a legendary player. Find out who it is here.

Speaking exclusively to The Transfer Tavern, former Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Carlton Palmer believes the Owls could sign winger Nathaniel Mendez-Laing in the future if they do not end up signing him now.

Mendez-Laing is currently a free agent after leaving Middlesbrough and has been linked with a move to Wednesday. According to The Star, the Yorkshire club have considered a swoop for the 29-year-old.

Meanwhile, Yorkshire Live journalist Dom Howson (via Football League World) claims Mendez-Laing is a player manager Darren Moore specifically likes.

Considering that, Palmer can see Wednesday easily moving for the Englishman later on in the season should they decide against bringing him to Hillsborough now.

“I think it [signing Mendez-Laing in the future] could be a possibility,” the ex-Wednesday player told TT. “He’s a free agent, so I think if Darren Moore really wanted to get him in now, I’m sure he could do because he’s available on a free.

“But he’s somebody I know Darren admires, so maybe that’s one he’ll look at down the line.”

Whatever happens with Mendez-Laing, it has been a really positive transfer window for Wednesday, who have brought in a whole host of new players following their relegation from the Championship.

With those additions, the Owls will be hoping that they can make a swift return to the second tier of English football.

Jeetan Patel has been called up to the ODI squad as cover for the captain Daniel Vettori, who is expecting the birth of his child

Cricinfo staff06-Mar-2009Jeetan Patel, the New Zealand offspinner, has been called up to the ODI squad as cover for the captain Daniel Vettori, who is expecting the birth of his child.The New Zealand team manager Dave Currie said Vettori, the solitary spinner in the squad, and his wife Mary were anticipating the possibility of minor complications related to the birth of their child, expected shortly. “In case Daniel is called away at short notice Jeetan has come in on standby,” he said. “He will remain with the squad through the ODI series or until required.”Patel was a member of the New Zealand A squad, playing against the visiting England Lions. His place has been taken by Bruce Martin, the left-arm spinner from Northern Districts. Patel last represented New Zealand earlier this year, in the five-ODI series against Australia. He managed just one wicket in three ODIs, conceding 110 runs.

Martin Crowe, the former New Zealand captain who was a vocal critic of the previous coaching regime, has expressed his happiness with the new-look team announced on Saturday to take on West Indies

Cricinfo staff06-Dec-2008
Tim McIntosh is in the form of his life, says Martin Crowe © Getty Images
Martin Crowe, the former New Zealand captain who was a vocal critic of the previous coaching regime, has expressed his happiness with the new-look team announced on Saturday to take on West Indies. The New Zealand selectors had made several changes, including dropping opener Aaron Redmond and fast bowler Chris Martin, and recalled Mark Gillespie besides calling up opener Tim McIntosh.”The team selected for the first Test is a ripper. Batsmen like McIntosh, in the form of his life, and quickies like Gillespie, charging in fit and strong, is fantastic news,” he told New Zealand’s .Other changes to the squad include the recall of allrounder James Franklin and the return of Jacob Oram from injury. “With Oram back fit too and Brendon McCullum finding form in Adelaide, the team now have, with the skipper [Daniel Vettori] and the return of James Franklin, the most explosive multi-talented allrounders in the game. This lower order is arguably the strongest NZ has ever selected.”There is a powerful look to the whole squad and, along with a smaller support group, these men will prosper in this series and going forward.”Earlier this week, Crowe had called New Zealand’s innings-defeat to Australia in Adelaide “our worst moment in Test cricket” and the five years under former coach John Bracewell, who stepped down after that loss, “probably the most destructive to our game in the history of our game.”He had also been particularly harsh on opener Redmond, who he felt “never was a Test player and never will be”. However, Crowe apologised for the comments on Redmond, who had a rough first year of Test cricket, averaging 23 in seven Tests. “It was uncalled for given how tough Test cricket is and he has only been in it for less than 12 months.”

This was a match Tillakaratne Dilshan made his own. He set up Sri Lanka with 162 and 143 and completed the job by wiping out the Bangladesh lower-order and finishing with figures of 4 for 10 to wrap up the series 2-0 and script the fifth-biggest margin of

The Bulletin by Kanishkaa Balachandran06-Jan-2009
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

Tillakaratne Dilshan, who made centuries in each innings and took 4 for 10, was both Man of the Match and the series © AFP
This was a match Tillakaratne Dilshan made his own. He set up Sri Lanka with 162 and 143 and completed the job by wiping out the Bangladesh lower-order and finishing with figures of 4 for 10 to wrap up the series 2-0 and script the fifth-biggest margin of victory in Tests in terms of runs. Set an improbable 624 to win in five sessions, Bangladesh wilted first to the spin of Ajantha Mendis before Dilshan struck. It was all over in two sessions.It could have ended even earlier but Sri Lanka delayed their declaration till lunch, by when their lead stretched to mammoth proportions. The expected tactic in the morning was to allow Dilshan and Thilan Samaraweera to reach their respective hundreds before declaring, though only one of them managed to do so. The declaration came after Chamara Kapugedera reached his second half-century of the match and the lead stretched beyond 600.Bangladesh were left to chase 521 in Mirpur and made a fist of it thanks to telling contributions by three batsmen. Mushfiqur Rahim, the only common link between that game and this, was left to steer a sinking ship on his own. With the target out of reach, the best Bangladesh could have done was to save the game but Mushfiqur, in the end, was had too much to do.A strong and steady start was required from the openers but the only promising element was a textbook cover drive by Tamim Iqbal off Dilhara Fernando in the second over. The excitement was short-lived when both openers perished with just 22 on board. Mahela Jayawardene went in for the kill by introducing Mendis in the eighth over and he struck immediately, getting Imrul Kayes to edge to first slip. Tamim fell in identical fashion to his first-innings dismissal, edging Chaminda Vaas to the wicketkeeper and it was the curtain raiser to an all too familiar story.The incoming batsmen weren’t allowed to settle in as Mahela crowded fielders around them, something his counterpart Mohammad Ashraful failed to pick up on yesterday. Slips were employed for the spinners but the placement was different for Dilhara Fernando. Due to the slow nature of the surface, the possibility of slip catches were unlikely, so Mahela stationed them in close catching positions on the on side at silly mid-on, short square-leg and short midwicket. Though the fielders didn’t necessarily come in to play, one could sense that Mahela was trying to make things happen and that may have psychologically played a part in Bangladesh caving in.Junaid Siddique was trapped in front off Mendis and Ashraful, trying to cut loose, failed to pick the googly off the same bowler. Raqibul Hasan was then squared up by a deadly reverse swinging yorker from Fernando. At that stage Bangladesh had lost half their side for 52 and the prospect of wrapping up the game by the afternoon was inevitable.The decibel levels went up when Mushfiqur and Shakib Al Hasan came together and added 92 for the sixth wicket. Shakib had a packed off side field that he pierced with firm punches off the backfoot off Fernando. In such an insoluble situation, attack seemed the best form of defence. He picked on their best bowler, Mendis, by regularly making room, targeting him on the off side and straight down the ground. Mushfiqur was solid in defence off a very off-colour Muttiah Muralitharan, who didn’t quite possess the sting and bite of his partner Mendis.Mushfiqur tucked away deliveries with the turn and pushed the singles while his partner took the aggressive route. Dilshan was introduced just before the final drinks break and drew Shakib forward with the flight, only to have him stumped off Prasanna Jayawardene, whose glovework has improved this series. Dilshan fired his offbreaks from round the wicket and sliced through the tail with the same exuberance he displayed with the bat. The adjudicators for the Man of the Match and series couldn’t have had it easier.He missed the chance to score two scores of 150 plus in a Test when he was squared up by a brute of a delivery from Enamul Haque Jnr which spun from the rough outside the legstump, skidded and clipped the offstump before he could even react. When he slashed Shahadat Hossain past backward point, he joined Duleep Mendis, Aravinda de Silva, Asanka Gurusingha in the list of Sri Lanka batsmen who have scored centuries in both innings of a Test.His overnight partner Samaraweera wasn’t so fortunate to record a century as he was trapped on the backfoot by a vicious delivery by Shakib which turned square. Kapugedera charged the spinners, threw them off balance with reverse sweeps and paddles and marched on to record a half-century. A declaration was expected after he got to his fifty but curiously, there were no signs of it before lunch. The field was spread out and the whole situation seemed very farcical as the batsmen blocked their way till the interval. It seemed as if Bangladesh’s brave attempt at 521 in Mirpur had prompted Mahela to delay the declaration and an amused Ashraful was seen chuckling. By the afternoon though, he wasn’t smiling any more.

Aston Villa learned their opponents for the second round of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday evening, which had a number of supporters talking on social media.

Villa will make the trip to Holker Park to take on Barrow AFC, with Dean Smith’s side the final ball out of the north side of the draw.

Round Two ties will be played during the week commencing Monday, 23 August, and you’d expect Villa’s meeting with Mark Cooper’s men could be one for TV selection.

Villa have enjoyed some success in the competition in recent years, making the final during the 2019/20 campaign where they lost to Manchester City at Wembley.

The club have won the League Cup on five occasions over the years, and their quest for a sixth will begin at a stadium that has a capacity of just over 5,000.

Villa fans react

This is what these Villa fans had to say in reply to the tie with the League Two side, with one labelling it as ‘class’.

“As if”Credit: @coombes24″Gets no bigger than this”Credit: @rybbow”Barrow… brilliant”Credit: @DTTbeard”Out of all the teams available, we draw the team with 5,000 capacity and 1,000 seats. Class.”Credit: @HarryBatters”Love it”Credit: @Jtavfc2000″Class”Credit: @avfck1eran

In other news: £10m offer made: Villa first club to make bid for versatile international at the top of his game.