All posts by h716a5.icu

Newcastle United have got some fault lines running through their squad, but Eddie Howe has crafted something special and recent results have showcased that fact wonderfully, with Chelsea and Arsenal both defeated of late across two competitions.

Now, the climb. Newcastle’s hard-fought victory over the Gunners in the Premier League last weekend came down to willpower and sharp tactical understanding, perfect assimilation and implementation of Howe’s philosophy.

But the Magpies are still 11th in the standings, having failed to win any of their previous five top-flight contests before that one. There is much work to be done if Newcastle – backed by the Saudi PIF – are to cement their place at the front of the pack over the coming years.

Plans are being drawn up regarding where to improve, with one addition being looked at who could be perfect for Alexander Isak.

Alexander Isak is finding his feet

Isak is scoring once again, coming up trumps and leaving the Toon faithful cavorting after crucial goals against two of London’s finest outfits. He was always going to find his feet, and now Howe’s side can kick on and make headway in the Premier League.

Newcastle signed Real Sociedad’s talented striker in a deal worth £63m, a club record, in 2022, but he suffered an injury-hit debut year that provided him with only 17 starts in the top flight, albeit posting a respectable ten-goal haul.

Last term, however, Isak came alive. Featuring 40 times across all competitions, he scored 25 goals and put in performances that led pundit Harry Redknapp to declare last year: “I’m not sure if there’s a better player in the country right now.”

There was some noise around the 25-year-old’s future at St. James’ Park across the summer months, but he is still plying his trade under Howe’s wing and there are tentative hopes that he will pen a new contract.

Goals in recent matches have spoken once more of the player’s irreplaceable quality in black and white, with his slow start to the campaign swiftly shaped into something bearing a respectable return of four goals and an assist across ten matches in all competitions.

Moreover, he’s hardly just a target man. As per FBref, Isak ranks among the top 18% of strikers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 8% for progressive carries and the top 16% for successful take-ons per 90. Such metrics emphasise his dynamic and athletic style of play.

Signing a player like Jarrod Bowen really would complete Newcastle’s frontline, not only balancing the left flank, where Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes reside, with a player of high-class quality but finally completing the fluency that could see Isak reach monstrous new heights.

Bowen can be that signing.

Newcastle transfer news

As per TEAMtalk, Newcastle remain hot on the trail of the West Ham United captain, having been keeping tabs on the 27-year-old for a while.

The report suggests that the Magpies could make a blockbuster move and are ‘considering a bid’ for the former Hull City man.

West Ham are toiling under Julen Lopetegui and Bowen has not yet hit his stride, though the winger is proven in the Premier League and was the focal point of David Moyes’ illustrious tenure in east London.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Getting this one over the line won’t be easy. West Ham value Bowen at £100m – as per previous reports from the summer – and given that he signed a long-term contract last year, it is likely that it will take a ‘huge bid’ from PIF and co for the Hammers to even entertain a sale.

That would ensure it would likely prove a record move for those at St James’, surpassing the £63m that was spent on that man Isak back in 2022.

Bowen really would be the perfect signing for Newcastle in 2025, not least because he might blend with the club’s number nine, and restore Newcastle’s attack to its maximum level.

Imagine Jarrod Bowen & Isak

Miguel Almiron has played for Newcastle for a long time, and Jacob Murphy is certainly an underrated option within Howe’s squad, but neither carries that potent threat that the Hammers skipper would bring to the table.

Bowen’s West Ham career is a thing to behold. The east Londoners signed Hull City’s prized forward in January 2020 for a fee totalling £22m, and he has since gone on to score 64 goals and supply 41 assists across 214 appearances, instrumental in winning the Conference League and thriving across multiple continental campaigns.

Last year, despite Moyes’ system malfunctioning,

1.

Jarrod Bowen

44

20

2.

Mohammed Kudus

45

14

3.

Tomas Soucek

52

10

4.

Lucas Paqueta

53

8

5.

Michail Antonio

32

7

6.

James Ward-Prowse

51

7

His dual-wielded positional value has even seen him be gushed over by opponents, with Brentford manager Thomas Frank describing the England star as “unplayable” after he thumped a hat-trick past the Bees in the Premier League last year.

Could it be that Bowen would bring to Newcastle the kind of goalscoring quality that would unburden Isak with the weight of his responsibility? The Sweden international is a brilliant player, but Gordon aside, there is a distinct lack of prolificness.

Barnes is a terrific goalscorer, but he too is best on the left flank. Bowen, a right winger, would obviously earn regular match action for Howe’s side and has the requisite experience in Europe to actually make all the difference across the coming years.

Who knows, he might even convince Isak to stay on, for a frontline consisting of Gordon, Isak and he would surely hold the properties required to have a significant impact on the narrative at the top of the table and across cup competitions, year in, year out.

With a sharp playmaking edge too, creating 16 big chances in the Premier League since the start of last season, Bowen really could be the perfect partner for a machine-like centre-forward in Isak.

Shearer 2.0: Newcastle may have their biggest teen star since Miley

Newcastle could unleash a young striker who’s outscoring Isak this season

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 6, 2024

South Africa captain also heaps praise on Keegan Petersen who, he says, has “gone into a ‘great player’ mould now”

Vishal Dikshit14-Jan-20223:41

Cullinan: ‘Jansen a great find, Rabada No. 1 pacer in the world’

South Africa Test captain Dean Elgar is “extremely proud” of his team for “responding brilliantly” after being down 1-0 in the series to fight back and claim the trophy against the No. 1 Test side in the world. After clinching the series 2-1 with a seven-wicket win in Cape Town, Elgar said his team was “thrown under the sword” a few times in the series, and he had a few “tough chats” with his players, which they responded to “and grew massively in the last two Tests.””Pretty elated, I think it will obviously sink in in a day or two, maybe this evening,” Elgar told the host broadcaster at the presentation. “Couldn’t be prouder of the group, of players I have underneath me. We were thrown under the sword quite a few times in the series and the guys responded brilliantly. After the first loss, the boys had a lot of hope going into the second and third [Tests] knowing we can still win this. We obviously had to follow our ways and processes going into those games. [I] asked the players to respond in a better nature, better way and they responded brilliantly. Extremely happy.Related

The pace comparison – Where Rabada and Co bettered India's fast bowlers

The rise of Petersen, the wisdom of Elgar and a great SA victory

Stats – South Africa first team to win a three-match Test series without scoring 250

India's Newlands nemeses: Risky full length, SA's height and home edge, the Jadeja void

'I am lost for words' – Mark Boucher on 'tough nut' Keegan Petersen's showing against India

When asked how the hosts turned things around despite not being as experienced as India, Elgar said: “Challenging your players within the group, characters as well. You need immense characters to stand up in these kinds of tough situations. The way our bowling unit came in and operated throughout the last two Tests has been brilliant; throughout the series they’ve been brilliant. Sixty wickets in a Test series is quite a tough challenge for them but I threw down the challenge after the first game and the guys responded brilliantly. We’ve got a young, talented group but the experience they’ve been gaining…in this environment every day we’re gaining this experience, which is brilliant for us. It was unreal to see how a group that doesn’t have the repertoire or names, how they could gel together and play as one. This is a proper unit that we’ve operated in and it’s a proper team, by no means I can single-handedly pick out players because everyone has played a big part in vital situations throughout the series. Extremely, extremely proud of this group.”Like Elgar said, South Africa’s bowling outshone their Indian counterparts throughout the series. Three of South Africa’s four fast bowlers – Kagiso Rabada (20), Marco Jansen (19) and Lungi Ngidi (15) – topped the wicket charts while no India bowler could get to 15 wickets in the series.India captain Virat Kohli also admitted at the presentation that South Africa’s bowlers “were better at applying pressure in long periods of time.” Elgar further said once he had laid down the challenge for his players, it was down to the XI to perform.”Ultimately, if you want to operate at a high performance level, you need to have tough chats,” Elgar said. “If guys don’t like it, that’s up for them to deal with. I’ve got an old-school mentality with bit of a new-school twist. I laid down some proper challenges to the senior players as well, to obviously stand up and respond and it was brilliant to see the guys take the message and follow it. It’s one of the bigger challenges to get everyone on your side and buy in from a captain’s point of view. The guys responded brilliantly. I’ve got absolutely no regrets going into the three-match series that we’ve played. I’d like to think I gave us the best message going forward in order to pull off a series win.”

“Always known he’s a good player. He’s gone into a ‘great player’ mould now which is obviously a lot to say for guys who’ve only played a few or handful of Tests.”Dean Elgar on Keegan Petersen’s performance in the three Tests against India

Elgar also extolled the determination Keegan Petersen showed in the series, to emerge as their biggest highlight and a prospect for the future. Petersen, 28, struck three half-centuries in the last two Tests, including 72 and 82 in the third game, to lead the scoring charts with a tally of 276, which earned him the Player-of-the-Match and Series awards in only his fifth Test.”Brilliant. He’s the one who responded since the first game,” Elgar said of Petersen. “He’s been immense. I’ve known Keegan for quite some time now, I’ve played a lot of domestic cricket against him. Always known he’s a good player. He’s gone into a ‘great player’ mould now which is obviously a lot to say for guys who’ve only played a few or handful of Tests. He’s only into his fifth Test now. I’ve always known he had this ability; he has dominated domestic cricket leagues from a run-scoring point of view and it’s awesome to see him have a great series in the second and third Tests obviously. And long may he grow.Keegan Petersen acknowledges the ovation as he walks back•AFP/Getty Images”I think there’s still a lot of scope for improvement from his point of view. I think the world’s his oyster at the moment. Even though he’s a little bit older but he’s somebody who’s willing to learn, and you need characters like that. He’s a proper character in the change room as well. He’s got a bit of a light-hearted manner to him as well which is something you take for granted when you’re playing serious cricket. Extremely proud of what KP has achieved.”Elgar said his responsibility as captain was to pull the team together after the first loss in Centurion “hurt” them when they went down by 113 runs.”Us as a group, we’ve been hurting a little bit which is something for us to feed off,” he said. “We played as a unit, and the bottom of the line is if you’re playing as a unit, you can go a lot quicker.”I think as a unit, we’ve grown massively within the last two Tests. The first Test loss hurt us, and we know from a South African point of view, if you want to compete in Test cricket and you want to be world No. 1 one day, you have to compete and beat the best in the world. I’m extremely happy that things worked out for us after that. It could have gone wrong, and I could have had egg on my face but massive respect for the players for following my message.”Elgar also hinted the series win could be a sign of things to come for the future of South Africa’s Test cricket. After the ODIs against India, South Africa will fly to New Zealand for two Tests in February before they host Bangladesh for two Tests in March-April.”By no means we’re a finished article, I can tell you that,” Elgar said with a smile. “I’m already thinking about the next series, which is something I need to manage and control because I’m going to blow my brain out. It’s a lot of positives going into that next series, there’s a lot of negatives that we also have to work on. We have hit it on the head and in order to grow we need to curb those challenges that we have.”

Following the announcement of sanctions, Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland answered questions about Darren Lehmann’s role, David Warner’s future, and the Australian team culture

Daniel Brettig in Johannesburg28-Mar-2018How can Darren Lehmann escape charges given the apparent relaying of messages to Cameron Bancroft?
It is understood and it has been verified by others that on the walkie-talkie he said… you guys probably saw it, the first time anyone knew about it was when it came up on the vision screen. He saw that and he radioed down and he said: ‘what the f*** is going on?’ He said to Peter Handscomb ‘find out what the f*** is going on’. Beyond that, I would like to just touch on he brought everyone into the room when the next break was. He basically went through everyone and went ‘what is going on?’ There are other parts of the investigation that asked lots of questions to try and understand that. But in Darren’s defence, these were findings that Iain Roy had.How could he not know given the culture around the team, and is he culpable on a wider level?
I’ve got no doubt that he feels some sort of personal responsibility for that. We all do. This is a terrible situation. There are three guys going home that have been offered sanctions that are life-changing. There is a feeling of guilt and questions obviously being asked of lots of people as to why or how that might have happened. That’s part of the purpose of later discussion and review. We’ll clearly take on board whatever comes out of such investigations.But further to that I think it’s really important that to say this process is about culture and performance and all of that but it’s also about the standing of the Australian cricket team and how they engage with the Australian public. There is a rebuild that needs to happen to reinstate the faith and the confidence and I guess the pride that the Australian public had and should have in the Australian cricket team.How much scrutiny will Lehmann face during the culture review?
The review will be deep and far-ranging. We’re committed to doing something about it. We cannot have this happen again. It’s just unquestionable and so obvious. If there are things that allow little things to turn into little things to turn into big things that allow this to happen, then you’ve got to go back to the core and find out what the little things are and address them. That is what we’ll be doing.How much did David Warner’s history contribute to receiving the harshest penalty?
It’s certainly not history, though in terms of code of conduct he does have a rap sheet that is longer. So there’s an element of that. But I think that you don’t need to look any further than the specific comments or findings. There were lots of things in there that ultimately come to a judgement around that. He’s the vice-captain, Steven Smith’s the captain. He might not have been as integrally involved, but at the same time the captain has a responsibility and could have done something about it.What about allegations from South Africa about the use of sandpaper [the bandage on Warner’s left hand] in Port Elizabeth?
Again, the focus of Iain’s investigation was very much about the incident in Cape Town and what happened. If there’s an element of truth to those allegations then they’re obviously of severe concern. If there was more to that or more understanding then there would be action taken, and further investigation.Will you investigate?
Not at this stage. But from our perspective, if there are credible allegations, and there is evidence to come to light, we have powers under our code of conduct to investigate that or any other matter.Will they get contracts for 2018-19?
No contracts next year, they won’t be offered contracts. There’s no impact on pre-existing contracts. At the same time as we go forward, for Steve and David, there’ll be no Cricket Australia contract for the year.They have been banned by the IPL – did you have the authority to reject NOCs? And what of county cricket?
Under the code, we didn’t have any clear authority over domestic matches played overseas. It was talked about but we ascertained based on the legal advice that we didn’t have that clear authority. I understood the IPL has made a call recently, someone told me about that. It sounds like IPL have made a decision, and I think again it [county cricket] is a matter for the ECB. As I understand it Bancroft has got something going with Somerset, but what happens with that is up to them.Would you be happy if they did play county cricket?
On balance, what we’ve done is we’ve dealt with the matters within our control. We have made an assessment and I think we all know here that there are extreme views around this in terms of what the penalties are. And not only extreme, one end to the other, but up and down the line as well. What we have done is try to over a number of meetings, the directors have gone into great detail to consider all of the evidence at hand and try to find the right balance for the circumstances. It was a really significant offence, it’s done immeasurable damage to the game and the reputation to the game in Australia and perhaps more broadly. And we believe in difficult circumstances we’ve found a landing spot that is fair after offering a proper process of investigation.Were bigger bans contemplated?
I can assure you there were considerations and views around the table that were all over the place. Higher sanctions for all three players, lower sanctions for all three players and it is one of those things that needs to be carefully considered. You need to talk openly and share views on balance but working with the timelines that we had and proper process, we’ve landed at something that we believe is appropriate, commensurate with the offence, but at the same time allows an opportunity for these people who are good people who have made bad mistakes, the opportunity to rehabilitate themselves and come back and play the great game.Can Smith captain Australia again?
His ban is for captaincy is 24 months. It’s not before 24 months. All I’d say is that he’s got a very steep hill to climb to rebuild the confidence and faith of the Australian public. Ultimately, the public and the Board who approve the captains of the Australian teams are the ones who will decide that or not. I think he’s got that opportunity. I know speaking to him today before he left, he actually said with a smile on his face when we were talking about the community service and working at club cricket, he said with a smile on his face ‘I’ll be doing that anyway’, which I think says a lot about him.Has Warner got a steeper path than Smith?
Everyone’s different, Cameron Bancroft’s different as well. They have different relationships with different people. But irrespective of that, I think when you boil it down everyone will have different perspectives, but when you have a look at it I think Smith and Warner both 12 months suspensions, it’s fair. Steve is the captain, David the vice-captain, they play different roles, they’re guilty of different things in our view, based on the investigation. People will have different views but the Board was dealing with the evidence they had in front of them.Was the harsh penalty for ball-tampering or outrage?
They haven’t been charged by Cricket Australia for ball tampering. It’s something that’s important to remind people that the code is worth reading, those four dot points, that’s what they’ve been charged for. That’s the significance. It relates to contrary to the spirit of the game, it relates to denigrating the game or having an impact on the reputation and image of the game, causing damage to the game, all of those things have quite clearly happened in a short space of time as a result of those actions. That’s what the report is for and the sanctions are on that basis.How much more damage could there be done if the matter goes to a hearing?
All we can do is uphold the code to our best judgement and take into considerations the evidence we have. It’s about the spirit of cricket it’s about the good of the game, it’s not about individuals or thinking about those sorts of consequences, we’ve got to make those judgements on what’s best for the game and quite rightly as a course of natural justice under our code, players have the right to accept or reject the charges or the sanctions or both, and if they do to take that to appeal. That’s a good, proper legal process and that’s why it’s written that way.Given Warner has got in strife before, were you worried he might transgress again?
David has got a rap sheet but I actually had a lot of confidence that he was going well. And I think over the last couple of years, certainly at least prior to Durban, he had a pretty clean sheet and he was performing well and he was leading well. He had just come off the Twenty20 successful series and was doing well. So I guess based on prior things you can say that, but at the same time I am as surprised as anyone about all this. Putting aside individuals, I am surprised that Australian cricketers have let this happen to them, allowed this to happen, and allowed it to happen to the team and the game.”Regarding culture. Smith said before Cape Town he was not in a great headspace. He was talking about batting, but still. Under umbrella of culture, are you looking at that part of it?
Yeah, I think it is performance, culture and the pressure of the tour. You guys know what it is like when you see the players first hand, you have good days and bad days and it is a difficult situation. This is a tough tour, South Africa is a tough environment to play because of the combative nature of Australian-South Africa cricket with the crowds and everything else that you have to deal with. It sort of goes with the territory and you expect that. It can still get to you, we still understand that.And that’s part of performing better or being better, but it is also about having the mechanisms around the players to help support them and put them in a position of not only performing, but dealing with the pressures and ensuring the right cultures to ensure that little things don’t turn into big things that turn into monumental things.What is Warner’s future like given apparent breakdown of his relationship with the rest of the team?
I don’t know about the details but the intention of the charges, the sanctions that we have offered is that they are commensurate with what we believe are terrible actions that have damaged the game, but allow all three players, if they so wish and are motivated to, to come back and play for Australia.

Manchester City are now expecting to win the race for an "amazing talent" in the January transfer window, a report has revealed.

What's the latest Man City transfer news?

It is clear that Pep Guardiola is keen on bolstering at full-back, with Man City now entering talks to sign Chelsea captain Reece James, despite the fact Kyle Walker has recently penned a new contract, which will keep him at the Etihad Stadium until 2026.

The Sky Blues are also in the running for Chelsea left-back Ian Maatsen, with 90min revealing the 21-year-old is one of the players being tracked, however he remains in talks over a new deal to extend his stay at Stamford Bridge.

The Citizens have been credited with an interest in Barcelona youngster Alejandro Balde, who operates as a left-back, but transfer insider Dean Jones does not expect them to be able to prise the 19-year-old away from the Spanish champions.

Barca are said to have "big plans" for their academy graduate, meaning City may be forced to turn their attentions elsewhere, and Football Insider have now indicated they stand a good chance of winning the race for Boca Juniors defender Valentin Barco.

According to the report, Man City are now confident about agreeing and confirming a deal for Barco in January, having been one of the clubs to look into signing him during the summer transfer window, alongside the likes of Brighton & Hove Albion and Juventus.

All three clubs are expected to make moves again, despite missing out in the summer, but the Sky Blues believe they are well-placed to win the race for the signature of the 19-year-old, who is "highly rated" in his native Argentina.

The Cityzens view the left-back as a player with "real potential", who could be capable of solving their long-standing issues at left-back, with Guardiola currently only having Sergio Gomez at his disposal in that area of the pitch.

Will Man City sign a left-back?

It could be important for City to bring in a new left-back in the January transfer window, given that Guardiola is very limited on options on that side of his defence, with Josko Gvardiol being utilised out of position in the Premier League so far this season.

Of course, the Sky Blues have won the Premier League with a makeshift left-back in the past, with Fabian Delph making 29 appearances in all competitions during the historic 2017-18 campaign, in which they amassed 100 points, however it would be wise to bring in a more natural option.

Gomez has only received very limited game time since his arrival at the Etihad Stadium, and Guardiola's insistence on playing Gvardiol out of position suggests he does not trust the Spaniard, so a new signing could be required in the next transfer window.

Although he is only young and still unproven outside Argentina, there are indications that Barco could be a fantastic long-term addition to Guardiola's squad, having been lauded as an "amazing talent" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, and it is good news City think they can win the race for his signature.

The allrounder also suffered a bout of gastro that had him well below 100% fitness on day one of the Port Elizabeth Test

Daniel Brettig in Port Elizabeth12-Mar-2018When Mitchell Marsh dropped Aiden Markram at first slip before lunch on day four, it was not only the spillage of Australia’s last chance to win the Port Elizabeth Test, but also the revelation of a groin injury for the allrounder that has the potential to have ruinous consequences for the tourists.Not only is Marsh a vital bowling option for Australia, as proven by his spells of reverse swing in South Africa’s first innings at St George’s Park, he has also been their best-performing batsman, soaking up more balls than any other member of the touring team and going closest of anyone to a century with his 96 in Durban.Even if the 10-day break between the Port Elizabeth and Cape Town matches is enough to have Marsh passed fit for Newlands, it will leave him needing to be carefully managed as a bowling option, lest a worsening of the injury leads him to being ruled out altogether. Given the struggles of various other batsmen on the tour, this is a scenario Steven Smith can not afford.”He’s got a bit of a groin strain so he was struggling to move a little bit,” Smith said. “I was told at the break that he can actually run, so unfortunately he could’ve been out on the field when he was in the slips, but still should’ve taken that catch but everyone drops it every now and again, I’ve been pretty guilty myself in recent times. It’s just one of those things and we’ll move on.”Marsh had entered the Test with a bout of gastro that had him well below 100% fitness on day one. David Saker, Australia’s assistant coach, has said that Marsh’s value to the team went beyond runs and wickets to dressing room presence and burgeoning leadership skills. “On the first day he had some gastro, he obviously wasn’t feeling that good, but once you take the field, when he went out to bat, you’ve just got to get on with it,” Saker said.”It obviously didn’t go the way he wanted, but since that time he’s had some really good contributions, two really important wickets for us and a fantastic batting performance. His form since’s he’s got back in the Australian team has been fantastic for us, he’s not just a batter, he does some bowling for us, he’s a fantastic person in the dressing room for us and a future leader of the team, so there’s more than just the package you see from the outside because inside he’s a very valued member of our team.”While none of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood or Pat Cummins have reported injuries at the end of back-to-back Tests, by the conclusion of the second match they were all down somewhat in pace when compared to Durban, with the lack of snap being capitalised upon by AB de Villiers in particular. This also created a contrast with Kagiso Rabada, who notably beat several players for pace, not least Marsh himself in the first over of the final morning.”I think all the quicks are going really well,” Smith said. “I haven’t heard today, but before today they were all feeling fine, so hopefully with a good 10-day break they can freshen up a little bit and in regards to Mitch Marsh it’s a good break now between now and the next Test match and he’s telling me he’ll be fine but we’ll wait and see how things go.”

Chris Lynn’s run of injury misfortune continued during the tri-series final at Auckland, after he suffered a dislocated right shoulder while diving in the field

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Feb-2018Chris Lynn looks set to be ruled out of the Pakistan Super League, and will return to Brisbane for further assessment, after suffering a dislocated right shoulder while diving in the field during Australia’s T20 Tri-Series final victory over New Zealand.It was another cruel stroke of injury misfortune for Lynn, who left the field midway through the ninth over of New Zealand’s innings after attempting to intercept a clip through midwicket from Ross Taylor. Sprinting to his left, he reached for the ball with his right arm, in an apparent attempt to protect his troublesome left shoulder, on which he has undergone three bouts of surgery in recent seasons.However, he appeared to jar his right arm on the turf, and it was later confirmed that he had popped the shoulder out of its socket. Although the team medical staff were able to put the joint back into place, he took no further part in the match after being sent for a scan.”Chris dislocated his right shoulder after landing awkwardly on it when fielding the ball,” said Australia’s physio, Alex Kountouris. “His shoulder was able to be put back into place at the ground and he was consequently sent for X-Rays which revealed no major bone injury.”At this stage Chris will not travel to the Pakistan Super League in Dubai. He will return to Brisbane to undergo further scans and assessment and from there we will have a better understanding of the ongoing management, along with the return-to-play timeframes.”Lynn had previously said he would avoid diving in the field in a bid to prevent any further shoulder problems.”It’s something that’s played on my mind for about four years,” he said. “Let’s go one step at a time – I want to dive, there’s no doubt about that, I want to do well and contribute. But at the moment, I don’t want to have another setback because I feel like I’m making good ground.”Lynn had been due to travel to Dubai imminently to take part in Lahore Qalandars’ first match of the Pakistan Super League, on Friday, against Multan Sultans. The Qalandars will be hoping Lynn’s injury is not serious, considering the explosive Australian was their first pick at the PSL draft.Another franchise that will be anxiously hoping for a swift recovery for Lynn is Kolkata Knight Riders. Lynn was the Knight Riders’ most expensive buy at the IPL auction last month, fetching $1.5m. The team is yet to announce its captain and Lynn was one of the names on the shortlist.

One player has become something of a forgotten man at Everton currently, but that could be about to change, following a new update from journalist Joe Thomas.

How did Everton get on this weekend?

The Toffees picked up their first Premier League point of the season on Saturday afternoon, battling their way to a hard-fought 2-2 draw away to Sheffield United.

It certainly wasn't a perfect performance from Everton, who could easily lost in stoppage time if Jordan Pickford hadn't made a superb double save, but there were improvements on show after three league losses on the bounces.

While the Merseysiders have made some important signings this summer, from Arnaut Danjuma on loan to Beto on a permanent basis, there is still one player who is yet to feature in the final third. That issue could be about to be aided, however, following a fresh claim.

What's the latest on Demarai Gray's Everton future?

Writing on X, The Liverpool Echo's Thomas provided an update on Demarai Gray's future, saying that he could now play an important role again this season, having looked like leaving the club throughout the summer transfer window:

"Demarai Gray was not even listed as an Everton player on the programme today. Now, after weeks of intrigue over his future, Sean Dyche appears set to reintegrate him into the squad."

In the report itself, Thomas goes into a little more detail on the matter, too, saying:

"Gray has not been involved in any of the club’s four Premier League matchday squads so far this season, nor the Carabao Cup tie at Doncaster Rovers. Dyche has previously stated his absence was fitness related.

"The Blues boss confirmed after the draw at Sheffield United that Gray was not involved at Bramall Lane due to both fitness concerns and the speculation surrounding his future. The 27-year-old did not feature in the squad list on the Sheffield United programme and his shirt number, 11, was assigned to new signing Jack Harrison.

"It now appears that after a deadline day in which four players departed and no incomings were secured, despite Dyche’s hopes otherwise, Gray’s situation has been reappraised."

However, since then, Gray has come out on social media and appears to have criticised Dyche, saying:

"Everton fans have always been great with me but it's so difficult to play for someone who don't show you respect as a person."

Gray has flattered to deceive in an Everton shirt to date, not always performing to the best of his abilities, but keeping hold of him could prove to be a real positive moving forward.

Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE…

The 27-year-old is a very talented footballer – one who has been described as an "unbelievable find" for the Blues by former Manchester United and England centre-back Rio Ferdinand – with 18 goal contributions (12 goals and six assists) coming his way in 75 appearances, which is a solid return for a team that has often been struggling.

Gray is capable of producing spectacular moments, as he showed by once scoring a stunning late winner at home to Arsenal, and if he can find more consistency in his game and knuckle down under Sean Dyche, he could still be a strong option to call upon in wide areas, pushing someone like Danjuma for playing time moving forward.

Everton are back in discussions regarding a deal for Leeds United forward Wilfried Gnonto, and a fresh report has revealed his club’s stance on allowing their prized asset to complete a late move to Merseyside.

What is the latest Gnonto transfer news?

The Toffees have already seen several approaches rejected for the left-winger, and despite The Telegraph later claiming that Premier League rivals Burnley had joined the race to secure his services, the 19-year-old has only ever had his heart set on Goodison Park.

As per Fabrizio Romano, the Italy international previously agreed personal terms with the Blues, and for a short spell, he was refusing to play in order to try and force a transfer through, with the relationship with his club being described as “completely broken”.

At Elland Road, Gnonto currently pockets £20k per week following his move last summer from FC Zurich, and having impressed during his 31 senior appearances so far, he appeared to emerge as a priority target earlier in the window for Sean Dyche.

Are Everton signing Wilfried Gnonto?

According to Sky Sports’ Transfer Centre, Everton “remain in talks” with Leeds over a deadline-day deal for Gnonto.

The Merseysiders have made the attacker “one of their primary targets” for the remainder of the window and have “not given up” on getting him over the line before the end of play tonight.

The Whites star previously handed in a transfer request expressing his desire to leave, but as it stands, Daniel Farke’s side are certain that he is “not for sale”.

Discipline

Crossing

Finishing (via WhoScored)

How many goals has Wilfried Gnonto scored?

During his time at Leeds, Gnonto has racked up nine contributions (five goals and four assists) in 31 outings at first-team level, which shows how much of a positive impact he can have in the final third – and even though the ball might not be regularly hitting the back of the net, he poses a constant threat to an opposition's backline.

The Verbania native, who is sponsored by Puma, has so far recorded six shots this season, which is the joint-second-highest in the squad, (via FBRef).

He also loves to take on his marker as he currently averages 2.5 dribbles per game in the second tier – a joint-high alongside Luis Sinisterra.

Read The Latest Everton Transfer News HERE…

Farke’s “diamond”, as labelled by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, is also a versatile operator having been deployed in seven different positions since the start of his career, including everywhere across the frontline and three roles in the midfield, so he could be a great option for the boss to have at his disposal if any areas needed covering due to unexpected injuries.

The West Yorkshire outfit are in a strong negotiating position when it comes to Gnonto due to him having another four years remaining on his contract, but with Alex Iwobi set to travel to Craven Cottage to undergo a medical ahead of his proposed £22m move to Fulham, Everton should have sufficient funds to put towards signing his replacement.

The India quick admitted to bowling an “Indian length” on the opening day of the Cape Town Test, a tactic that hurt the visitors

Sidharth Monga in Centurion11-Jan-20182:42

Any wicket in Test cricket makes me happy – Bumrah

Bowling an “Indian length” in the first innings in Cape Town, on Test debut, is an error Jasprit Bumrah has admitted to. In a low-scoring match that featured no centuries, just three half-centuries, and assistance for seam bowlers throughout, India conceded 286 in the first innings after having reduced South Africa to 12 for 3. After that India were left to play catch-up, which they did with an improved performance with the ball in the second innings, but the damage had already been done on the first day.Bumrah himself was the main culprit, the only bowler to bowl half-volleys in the first session, which Faf du Plessis drove at with relish. “In the first innings we thought we bowled a little fuller than the normal because in India the wickets are different where we have to pitch fuller to get the swing and to get the batsmen on the front foot,” he said. “Over here there is bounce, there is a little bit of difference. We analysed that and tried to adapt in the second innings, and as a unit we were able to create pressure, so that was the basic plan going into the second innings. That worked well. So hopefully, we will see videos of these wickets, what happens over here and we plan according to it.”India didn’t train at all on the day before the first Test, and at the end of the match the visiting captain Virat Kohli said there was nothing wrong with the preparation. However, this is not the first time that India’s fast bowlers have failed to adjust to conditions, and it cannot be all down to preparation. What happens out in the middle is completely different.Bumrah is reputed to be a quick learner, which has already made him one of the best – if not the best – bowlers in limited-overs cricket. To his credit, Bumrah showed that ability to learn quickly and did not repeat the mistakes in the second innings. He was driven 28 times in 19 overs in the first innings, but once he realised the mistake, he pulled the length back and was driven only 12 times in the 11.2 overs he bowled. He began to hit the pitch hard on that heavy in-between length, and bowled a brute to dismiss du Plessis.”We realised what mistakes we made in the first innings, so we were trying to create pressure from both ends and focus on our lengths, which were wrong in the first innings,” Bumrah said. “We just tried to correct them and not overdo things because over here, when there is help from the wicket, you try to do extra but that won’t help. So we were just trying to be disciplined and stick to basics.”Jasprit Bumrah’s pitch maps•ESPNcricinfo LtdThe Cape Town Test was Bumrah’s first first-class match in a year although he did have 89 first-class wickets from 26 matches. Not having played the format for this long, he said, was not on his mind as he prepared for his debut. “Not nervousness, it’s not like in my life I was playing a first-class game for the first time, I have played a lot of four-day games,” Bumrah said when asked if he felt nervous when he was told he was going to play.”There was a discussion that I would play the match, so I was talking to our bowling coach on what kind of things I should do, what kind of wickets are over here or what should I expect. You can think ‘this is going to happen’ and ‘that’s going to happen’ but as soon as you’re in, things are different. My basic plan was to go inside and have a feel of the wicket and changes should be made accordingly.”The performance on the first day, and the part it might have played in the eventual result, didn’t hurt Bumrah’s confidence. “Confidence doesn’t dent after one match,” Bumrah said. “If it happens, then you don’t deserve to play. Learn from the mistake you made, and go forward. There is not a single cricketer who has not made a mistake. You keep learning and you keep improving all the time. We are trying to rectify our mistakes and move forward.”The team management seems to be impressed with how quickly Bumrah made amends to his lengths. Indeed, in admitting a mistake is the first step to rectifying it, but in a tight series such as this, India can’t afford to have a whole session of ordinary bowling because as Newlands showed us, the visitors only played catch-up thereafter.

Leeds United have endured a tough transfer window, made even more frustrating when sure-thing deals begin to fall through. However, Daniel Farke cannot allow himself to become complacent amidst all the misery…

Who are Leeds United signing this summer?

In what promised to be a summer of vast revolution in Yorkshire, it has instead seen a mass exodus with little recuperation, as ten first-team players have departed with just four having been brought in.

This frustration was exacerbated when, despite seemingly agreeing a deal to sign Max Aarons from Norwich City, late interest from AFC Bournemouth spurred him to make a late change of heart. He would instead join the south coast club for £7m, breaking the hearts of Leeds fans and his former boss in one fell swoop.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

However, journalist Dean Jones has now suggested an alternative that could allow them to speedily move on, with the availability of Djed Spence a fine option for them to explore. Especially given how out of favour he has fallen at Tottenham Hotspur despite joining for £20m back in 2022.

The transfer insider told GIVEMESPORT:

"Yeah, I think in the light of the Max Aarons move not working out it seems like a good idea to explore the situation with Spence.

"There’s huge competition at right-back at Spurs, and while there’s been a resistance to letting him out so far, I think that might have to change at the very end of the window. Both Leeds and Southampton should probably be interested in something like that if it came about."

How good is Djed Spence?

As a couple of young, dynamic, English full-backs, it would be easy for the Elland Road faithful to get behind such a talented ace who could not only help their current situation, but lead them into a brighter future too.

After all, before moving to north London, the former Middlesbrough star had shone in the Championship, particularly on loan with Nottingham Forest.

Yet, as Antonio Conte was guilty of with many players, the 23-year-old saw his chances limited before being forced out to France on loan to reignite a stuttering career.

It is his exploits at the City Ground, which massively aided their Premier League return, that Farke should keep fresh in his memory, as the speedster offered plenty at both ends of the pitch in a way potentially even more potent than Aarons has ever shown.

Spence featured 42 times during that league campaign, posting six goal contributions as he marauded down that right flank. However, despite his one key pass per game he never shirked his defensive responsibilities, also maintaining 1.5 interceptions and 1.4 tackles per game, alongside 15 clean sheets, via Sofascore.

Such form caught the attention of many, with former Forest star Brian Laws leading the praise:

"His rise has been remarkable. He has been the standout player in the Forest side and we are talking about a full-back. Full-backs do not tend to get many headlines. He grabs them by the handful. In every single game, he has a positive impact.

"He has power going forward, he has electric pace, he has an abundance of skill, he can drop his shoulder, step-over, go inside or outside — he is a major threat. I’ve been impressed with his one-to-one defending. He is decent on the back post, he is strong in the air.

"There is nothing I have seen that you could call a weakness.”

Then, to compare those earlier figures with Aarons' most recent full Championship campaign, it is clear that there is little to no comparison to be made. His 2022/23 league term saw him average a 6.78 rating, scoring once, assisting twice and recording just one interception and 1.9 tackles per game, via Sofascore.

He too may have pace, but it seems Spence has already learnt how to harness that into a tangible threat. Perhaps a return to the second tier could help reignite his career, and help fans forget about the former Canaries ace in a heartbeat.