All posts by h716a5.icu

Graham Roberts has scoffed at the possibility of Tottenham Hotspur signing wantaway Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte.

New head coach Nuno Espirito Santo, who was confirmed as Jose Mourinho’s successor in June, has been keen to bolster Spurs’ backline after they fell to a disappointing seventh-place finish in the Premier League last season.

While Cristian Romero has joined from Atalanta for an eye-watering £42.5million, former Wolverhampton Wanderers head coach Nuno is eager to welcome further defensive reinforcements to north London.

6 ft 3 beast Laporte is seeking a move away from Premier League champions Manchester City, according to Spanish media outlet Sport. The report reveals the 27-year-old put pressure on the City hierarchy to facilitate a switch to Barcelona earlier in the transfer window.

The Spain international’s wish to depart comes after he made just 14 Premier League starts last season, with boss Pep Guardiola preferring the centre-half pairing of John Stones and Ruben Dias.

Stones was rewarded with a new five-year deal earlier this week, meaning Laporte is likely to start the new campaign out of the starting line-up.

But former Spurs defender Roberts is certain Laporte’s financial demands will hamper his chances of heading to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, Roberts said: “I don’t think Laporte will come to Spurs this summer.

“The rumours are that he would want £250,000 or £300,000-per-week. He’s not going to get that.”

The final one-day international between South Africa and Bangladesh at East London has been washed out

Cricinfo staff12-Nov-2008
Scorecard
A miserable scene in East London © AFP
The final one-day international between South Africa and Bangladesh at East London has been washed out. The weather had been poor through the night and there was no let-up during the morning ahead of the day/night encounter, leaving the umpires no option but to abandon the game an hour before the start.It means South Africa take the series 2-0 and hold onto second place in the one-day rankings as the focus now shifts to the two-Test series which begins in Bloemfontein next week. South Africa start as strong favourites and should have far too much fire power for the visitors on bouncy surfaces. Dale Steyn caused problems during the first two ODIs and looked decidedly sharp. The Bangladesh batsmen can expect plenty of short stuff in the longer format.However, the rest of South Africa’s pace attack has been less than impressive so far this season, sending down a huge number of wides in the one-dayers against Kenya and Bangladesh. Morne Morkel, who begun his domestic season brilliantly, has had major problems with his radar, while the performances of Johann Louw and Albie Morkel suggest the pace ranks are not as well as stocked as previously thought.Makhaya Ntini is likely to return for the Tests after racking up the overs in the SuperSport series, while Monde Zondeki remains on the fringes after being overlooked for the ODIs against Bangladesh.The batting, though, is causing fewer concerns despite the suspension of Herschelle Gibbs. He wouldn’t have been considered for the Tests, where Neil McKenzie has formed a solid combination with Graeme Smith, who returned form injury on Sunday with 65 in Benoni, while Jacques Kallis, Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers have all spent time in the middle during the ODIs. The two Tests against Bangladesh offer further opportunity for fine tuning before the tour of Australia next month.

Phillip Hughes’ impressive season continued as he led New South Wales to victory in a difficult chase during a rain-affected match

Cricinfo staff23-Dec-2008New South Wales 5 for 137 (Hughes 53*) beat Western Australia 8 for 177 (Marsh 71, Henriques 3-29) by 5 wickets on D/L method
Scorecard
Shaun Marsh ran into some form with 71, but the Warriors fell short at the SCG © Getty Images
Phillip Hughes’ impressive season continued as he led New South Wales to victory in a difficult chase during a rain-affected match at the SCG. The Blues’ initial target of 184 in 44 overs was cut to 137 from 29, but Hughes was able to overcome the obstacles with an unbeaten 53 that sealed the five-wicket win with 12 balls remaining.Western Australia picked up two wickets through Paul Davis by the time New South Wales scored 10. However, Hughes, who has been a star performer in the Sheffield Shield, was joined by Dominic Thornely (22) and Moises Henriques (15) to push the hosts closer to the target. The wicketkeeper Daniel Smith provided the final blast with 29 off 13, including five fours and a six.Shaun Marsh, who opened for Australia in the ODI series against Bangladesh, showed some form after a slow campaign with 71 to prop up Western Australia’s 8 for 177 as they fought to their total in between rain delays. Marsh, who had a couple of reprieves, opened the innings and was there as the side slipped to 3 for 51, with Henriques (3 for 29) picking up each breathough.However, he guided a recovery with Matt Johnston, who scored 43 in an 84-run partnership. A mini collapse of three wickets in eight runs did not help the Warriors’ push in the final overs, when Steven Smith and Aaron Bird benefitted with a couple of wickets each.

According to a report by L’Equipe (via Sport Witness), West Ham United have now tabled an offer to sign Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma this summer.

The Lowdown: West Ham eyeing Zouma…

As per numerous reliable sources, West Ham have been in talks over signing Zouma for the last three weeks with many twists and turns to the story.

The Irons first entered negotiations back in late July according to Sky Sports as manager David Moyes seeks to strengthen his options in central defence.

When a move for Zouma became unlikely, fellow defensive target Nikola Milenkovic was prioritised, and at one stage, it looked almost certain he would become a West Ham player.

However, now that move has broken down, the Chelsea defender is back on West Ham priority’s list as their primary target – with L’Equipe bringing an update.

The Latest: Irons table offer…

As per the French news source (via Sport Witness), West Ham and GSB have now tabled a bid for the 26-year-old.

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Indeed, it is claimed the Hammers have ‘come forward with an offer’ of around £25 million to sign Zouma this summer, but there is also a suggestion that it didn’t do enough to sway Chelsea or the player himself.

Nevertheless, while personal terms also still haven’t been agreed, there is a belief that the Frenchman would be more tempted by the idea of joining West Ham than Sevilla.

The Verdict: Get it done…

It may be a difficult move to pull off financially judging by this update, but Zouma could well be worth the trouble as manager Moyes looks to seriously reinforce his options.

Only Craig Dawson, Issa Diop and Angelo Ogbonna present themselves as senior options as it stands and the 6 foot 3 powerhouse could add a totally different dimension.

Amassing a 90.9% pass accuracy out from the back last season, far more than any of West Ham’s current defensive crop (WhoScored), he has also been called ‘unbelievable’ by Chelsea legend John Terry.

He started 22 Premier League matches for the Blues last season and even managed five goals in that time, meaning he can also deliver at the other end on occasion.

Zouma would be the perfect defensive addition for West Ham, but with time running out, they will have to move quickly.

In other news: West Ham source: GSB ‘set sights on signing’ 6 foot 3 powerhouse, find out more here.

Some Liverpool supporters have been hailing left-back Kostas Tsimikas after one brilliant moment in the Reds’ weekend victory over Burnley.

Jurgen Klopp’s side eased to a 2-0 win at home to the Clarets on Saturday, making it two victories in a row to start the 2021/22 Premier League season. Diogo Jota and Sadio Mane got the goals for Liverpool, who were roared on by a full Anfield crowd for the first time since March 2020.

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Various Reds players impressed on the day, but Tsimikas was arguably Man of the Match, producing an influential performance at left-back.

The Greece international has filled in admirably for Andy Robertson in the last couple of games and one moment late on in Saturday’s win lived long in the memory.

As shown in a clip from @FootballAddick on Twitter, Tsimikas tussled for the ball with two Burnley players, showing great fight and eventually coming away with possession, much to the delight of those present.

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Liverpool fans laud Tsimikas

These Liverpool fans on Twitter have been lauding the defender’s “amazing” moment on Saturday, with one Kopite dubbing the 25-year-old a “warrior”.

“How amazing was that bit near the end where Tsimikas just kept battling, getting knocked around and came out with the ball? Those moments, in front of crowds, are how squad players become fan favorites. Brilliant stuff.”

Credit: @ThePaulMachin

“It was his ‘Robertson never-ending press vs Man City’ moment”

Credit: @DyerThomas

“The noise at this moment, everyone reacted”

Credit: @pchoud

“This was boss”

Credit: @brownstar99

“Think that moment was key in how much of an applause he got when he was subbed. He showed appreciation for all the Kop and Main Stand he walked past too. Became a big fan of the lad yesterday. Warrior”

Credit: @mstrdrmz

“One of the biggest cheers of the day. Definite comparisons to Robbo’s coming of age against City. He’s arrived…”

Credit: @CarlPocky

In other news, James Pearce has claimed that three Liverpool players could be sold. Find out who they are here.

Jamie Siddons, the Bangladesh coach, said his batsmen were a bit overawed by the prospect of facing Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis in tandem

Cricinfo staff06-Jan-2009
Bangladesh’s batsmen crumbled under the pressure on the fourth day in Chittagong © AFP
Jamie Siddons, the Bangladesh coach, admitted he did not expect a 465-run mauling at the hands of Sri Lanka following the application they had shown in the fourth innings in Mirpur, but said they were a bit overawed by the prospect of facing Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis in tandem.”After the 400 [in the fourth innings] in Dhaka where everyone including me saw huge improvement in the young guys this was not what was expected,” Siddons said. “But I still see that six or seven of our first eight batsmen haven’t played ten Test matches yet and against two of the world’s best bowlers, probably the best bowlers in the world at the moment, it is a tough ask.”They were also a bit overawed I think. Mendis took three wickets in no time and we were again four for nothing,” he said. “I am disappointed that our top four can’t consistently make runs and it is always Ash [Mohammad Ashraful], Shakib [Al Hasan] and Mushie [Mushfiqur Rahim], the same three, trying to save our skin. I’m disappointed that we didn’t show that we are improving although without doubt we are.”Siddons said the pitch was not to blame, but felt the lack of experienced showed. “The wicket was okay. Some of the players I think were a little inexperienced to handle the pressure that Mendis, Murali and [Chaminda] Vaas put on them. I mean those names bowling at you is pretty tough for a team of players who haven’t played ten Test matches.”I guess our more senior players like Ash, who looked at ease making 45 in the first innings, Shakib, who has played a lot of one-dayers, and Mushfiqur, who has played a fair bit of cricket, showed that experience can help when you have the talent.”They are getting there and I would love to do this all over again in two years’ time with the same guys and I can assure you that we’ll be a much better team.”Mahela Jayawardene, the Sri Lanka captain, was “very happy” with the series win. “We knew it was going to be tough considering the conditions we were given,” he said. “We knew we had to adjust. We were in trouble at times but the guys showed a lot of fight and character.”[Tillakaratne] Dilshan in the first innings showed that when we were 75 for 4 and that is something we encourage the boys to do, to be the best they can. I am very proud of the players. We are a good unit and we have very good standards. We just need to continue working hard and improving. At the moment we are fourth in the rankings and we should try and push ourselves further up.”

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Barcelona right-back Emerson Royal to North London this summer, as reported by The Telegraph.

The Lowdown: Right-back on the agenda in N17

Following a summer of upheaval at N17, much mystery still envelops the right-back department at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as the transfer window peters to a close.

Japhet Tanganga has started off the new campaign as the Lilywhites’ preferred option in the role, earning praise from Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville for his role in defeating Manchester City on the opening day [Inside Futbol].

Matt Doherty looks to be second in command, whilst wantaway Spurs ace Serge Aurier has been heavily linked to French champions Lille [TEAMtalk].

With Doherty yet to prove himself however and Tanganga also an option at centre-back, Tottenham look set to try and acquire another right-sided defender in the last few days of the window.

The Latest: Paratici looks to strike agreement for Emerson

Tottenham sporting director Fabio Paratici is said to be eyeing a swoop for Barcelona full-back Emerson on a season-long loan deal [The Telegraph].

The Catalan giants are believed to be open to getting the 6 foot Brazilian’s wages off the books for the rest of the year due to their well-documented financial irregularities, with Tottenham reported to be exploring the idea of bringing him to England.

It is understood that out-of-favour Aurier may need to move on before any move can be sanctioned.

Sky Sports have since added their own update to the mix, claiming that talks are well underway and it could yet be a loan deal or a permanent move.

The Verdict: Quality depth

With injuries and downturns in form always a possibility over the course of a campaign, acquiring another quality option in the right-back area may prove to be a sound investment for Tottenham.

The timing of any prospective switch may come as a surprise, after Barcelona only exercised their right to bring the 22-year-old back from Real Betis in June after two years on loan in Seville [FC Barcelona].

Providing a forward threat down the flank though, the Brazil international managed to score two goals in 38 outings for Betis, also laying on a further four assists for his teammates [Transfermarkt].

He also possesses great instinctual awareness to danger, as he managed to record an average of 2.7 tackles per fixture across last term in La Liga [WhoScored], also racking up 20 yellow cards across his two seasons on loan – he loves to get stuck in.

Put simply, Emerson would be an upgrade on anything Spurs currently have in his position, due to his unique mixture of defensive and offensive quality. A temporary deal seems to suit all parties if it goes through.

In other news, a Tottenham stalwart has left the building after five years in London. Find out more here.

Callum Ferguson kept South Australia afloat with an unbeaten 79 as the visitors recovered against the leaders Victoria to be 4 for 258 at stumps

Cricinfo staff31-Jan-2009
Scorecard
Points table

Callum Ferguson’s 79 not out gave South Australia hope against the competition leaders © Getty Images
Callum Ferguson kept South Australia afloat with an unbeaten 79 as the visitors recovered against the leaders Victoria to be 4 for 258 at stumps. Ferguson and Graham Manou combined to drag the Redbacks from the trouble of 4 for 132 as they chased Victoria’s first innings of 400.South Australia need another 143 on the third day to overtake the hosts and will look to Ferguson and Manou (55) to build on their 126-run stand. Daniel Harris followed his three wickets with a half-century but the Redbacks suffered regular setbacks during a bright start.Harris was caught behind for 58 off an Andrew McDonald outswinger and Michael Klinger (48) was on the verge of adding another milestone to his impressive summer when Matthew Wade dived for a fine catch. The legspinner Bryce McGain, who is trying to prove he deserves a spot on the South Africa tour, returned 0 for 55 in 12 overs after some heavy early treatment.South Australia’s plans for a quick end to Victoria’s innings were upset by the tail-enders Damien Wright and Clint McKay, who added a highly valuable 101 for the eighth wicket. Victoria began the second day at 7 for 305 but made it to 400 before being dismissed. Wright collected 56 while McKay (54) earned his first Sheffield Shield half-century.

Zimbabwe sealed the five-match series, a lopsided battle of the minnows, with a seven-wicket win in Nairobi to record a clean sweep

Cricinfo staff04-Feb-2009
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were outZimbabwe sealed the five-match series, a lopsided battle of the minnows, with a seven-wicket win in Nairobi to record a clean sweep. They were barely challenged, save for two early wickets, in their chase of a modest 200 as Hamilton Masakadza, Stuart Matsikenyeri and Sean Williams compiled attacking half-centuries to steer them home with 15 overs to spare.The win was set up by the Zimbabwe spinners, led by Graeme Cremer, who took 4 for 31, while Masakadza picked up 2 for 20, which he backed up with his run-a-ball 84. A seventh-wicket partnership of 75 between Collins Obuya and Rajesh Bhudia helped Kenya claw back from a middle-order collapse in a desperate bid to save face in a series already lost.Things didn’t look so rosy for the visitors at the start of their chase. They lost Keith Dabengwa off the second ball, chasing Peter Ongondo’s away swinger, and then Vusi Sibanda in the following over, edging Lameck Onyango to Maurice Ouma. Game on with Zimbabwe 2 for 2 but that was to be Kenya’s only period of domination as Masakadza and Matsikenyeri led a quick recovery.Masakadza set the tone with consecutive boundaries through the on side off Ongondo while Matsikenyeri looked to attack with aerial shots over the same region. Kenya needed a wicket but the breakthrough came a little too late, after the pair had added a match-winning 93. Matsikenyeri, ironically, perished to his favoured on-side region, hitting it down Rakep Patel’s throat at mid-on off Hiren Varaiya shortly after reaching his fifty.Masakadza too reached his half-century, off 52 balls, and found an able partner in Williams, who took on the bowling straightaway. He was harsh on the spinners, Patel and Varaiya, picking them for powerful boundaries through the off side. He reached his fifty – his ninth – with a four past mid-off off Ongondo shortly before the victory. The final act was reserved for Masakadza – the highest run-scorer in the series – who picked Onyango for consecutive boundaries to seal the series.Collins Obuya’s tenacious effort of 75 was the only noteworthy performance for the home side, who’d elected to bat. They made a solid start with the opening pair of Kennedy Otieno and Seren Waters putting on 45 but the batting caved in once Masakadza had Otieno caught by Ray Price in the ninth over.The Zimbabwe bowlers not only managed to choke the top order but struck at regular intervals and the hosts were reduced to 92 for 6. The match looked to be going the same way as other games in the series, completely in Zimbabwe’s favour.However, Obuya and Rajesh Bhudia’s stand helped Kenya claw back. Budhia’s cameo, off 49 balls, included six boundaries and it set Kenya up for Obuya’s late assault.Budhia’s run-out in the 46th over though sparked another collapse as Cremer struck three times in two overs. In a turnaround from his slow approach early on, Obuya tore into Elton Chigumbara in the 48th over, slamming three sixes and two fours in that over. The late charge gave the total some respectability but in the end, Kenya were well short.The whitewash has also earned Prosper Utseya’s team a promotion in the ICC ODI rankings, displacing Ireland from the tenth spot.

After sealing a deadline day move for Manchester United’s Dan James, Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa will already be waiting to see what his new signing will be like when he first steps out onto the pitch in the Premier League.

The 23-year-old arrived at Elland Road after a couple of years of the Whites tracking him, and the speedy Welshman is sure to get his fair share of the action once the international break is over.

However, while the former Red Devils ace is the big-money signing and the so-called ‘shiny new toy’, Bielsa may want to look closer to home for a winger who perhaps is that little bit more exciting – Crysencio Summerville.

Hailed as a “bag of tricks” by Chris Powell – his former coach when he was a teenager at Dutch side ADO Den Haag – the 19-year-old has been a revelation for Leeds’ under-23s since he joined them. In fact, he scored a hat-trick against Burnley on just his second start last season, while in total he bagged an impressive six goals and provided a further six assists in just 12 Premier League 2 games.

Against Guiseley during pre-season earlier this summer, it was Summerville who put in the kind of performance which will have given Bielsa some food for thought.

After watching his goalscoring display, Leeds Live’s Joe Donnohue said on Twitter: “Cody Drameh and Crysencio Summerville were great together down the right flank for Leeds’ U23s last season. Seems like more of the same this year. Drameh an excellent carrier, weightless going forward. Summerville a wriggler, impossible to handle.”

The 19-year-old is an exciting winger who can play on either flank, and with his quick feet and agility, he is very reminiscent of Leeds talisman Raphinha.

Summerville himself said: “I often hear that there are doubts because of my physical condition, but when you are on the field, you are not concerned with that. There are often big defenders in front of me, I have to be smart about that. I know I’m agile and try to play with my mind.”

The 5 foot 9 flier appears to be more of an exciting wide man than the more traditional James, who looks to beat his man for pace and get to the by-line like an old-school winger.

Like Raphinha, Summerville can beat players with a bit of trickery and has the technical ability to play on either flank, which gives Bielsa an interesting option off the bench.

As per Sofascore, in the 2019/20 campaign when he was playing regular senior football with Den Haag, he averaged 1.5 dribbles per game in the Eredivisie at an impressive success rate of 63% (far better than James, who averaged less than half the dribbles and at a far worse success rate last season in the Premier League.

While James as the new signing might be the one who Leeds fans are excited to see in action sometime soon, Summerville may be the real talent to catch the eye if Bielsa gives him a chance to do so.

Meanwhile, Bielsa must give a chance to this Leeds ace…