حدد المدير الفني السابق لنادي يوفنتوس، ماسيماليانو أليجري، شروطه من أجل الموافقة على التدريب في بطولة الدوري السعودي بالموسم المقبل.
ورحل أليجري عن يوفنتوس بسبب النتائج المتذبذبة والأداء السيئ رغم الفوز بلقب كأس إيطاليا بنهاية الموسم الماضي، لكن تصرفاته المشينة في النهائي عجلت بالإقالة.
وخرج أليجري عن هدوءه خلال مباراة النهائي بين يوفنتوس وأتالانتا في نهائي كأس إيطاليا وقام بخلع قميصه الخاص اعتراضًا على التحكيم مما أدى إلى طرده.
اقرأ أيضًا.. بوفون: تعاقد يوفنتوس مع موتا سيكون مخاطرة كبيرة
المدرب لم يكتف بذلك فحسب بل أهان وهدد أحد الصحفيين بأن يقتلع أذنيه بعد صافرة النهائي في مشادة كانت قوية في النفق المؤدي لغرفة اللاعبين.
وبحسب شبكة “سكاي سبورتس” أن أليجري تلقى عرضًا للتدريب في السعودية رغم اهتمام لاتسيو بالتعاقد معه وكذلك بعض الأندية الإنجليزية.
هناك نادٍ يرغب في التعاقد مع أليجري في السعودية لمدة 3 سنوات، لكن المدرب لن يكون مقتنعًا بتلك المدة لأنها طويلة للغاية.
يريد أليجري أن يكون العقد أقل من 3 سنوات في السعودية حتى يوافق على إمكانية الانتقال إلى المملكة في الموسم القادم.
الجدير بالذكر أن المهتم بحسب الصحافة السعودية بالتعاقد مع أليجري هو نادي الاتحاد الذي من المتوقع انفصاله عن مدربه، مارسيلو جاياردو.
One tour, three formats, three series wins. For Chandika Hathurusingha, it has been the ideal start to his tenure as head coach of Sri Lanka.Speaking on his side’s return home from Bangladesh, a content Hathurusingha cited good communication, tactical flexibility, and a relaxed environment as key elements in Sri Lanka sweeping every trophy on offer. Now, his concentration has shifted to cultivating a strong squad that can compete in various conditions.”We want a big pool of players for us to compete against different countries and different opposition, depending on their limitations and strengths,” Hathurusingha said. “All the players get an equal opportunity and they will definitely know where they stand when it comes to selection.”With me, I don’t think you will see the same team too often. Of course the players that perform have the assurance of their places in the team, but will always try and see the best combination that can win games. It’s not that we’re trying to play with just eleven players for the next two years.”Jeevan Mendis provided prime example of this policy in action. Drafted in after three years out of the national setup, he had an immediate impact, picking up two wickets in his first over.”We know his talent, and coupled with his recent domestic record we knew we wanted a player with Jeevan’s qualities,” Hathurusingha said. “It depends on the opposition, depends on the conditions, and what we want to achieve. It’s all about flexibility with the team and we have communicated to the players as well, and they all know what their roles are. That’s how it’s going to be going forward.”Thisara Perera too has benefited from Hathurusingha’s clear tactical instructions. After an inconsistent period, the allrounder found fluency on the tour to Bangladesh, scoring 134 runs in five ODIs at an average of 44.66 and a strike-rate of 154. He also picked up five wickets. His destructive side was on display in the T20Is, where he struck quickfire cameos of 31 and 39 not out.”Thisara had come back to the national side after a while, and so we spoke to him a lot about his role. We also changed his training methods a bit. We all knew how talented he was, but he just needed to harness that better. We are now seeing what he’s capable of. I think he still has room to improve, and room to contribute, but it all depends on the roles and opportunities that he gets.”Hathurusingha was also pleased with Sri Lanka’s fight on the tour after they were beaten by both Zimbabwe and Bangladesh at the start of the ODI tri-series in January.”We knew we had the capability to come back. The opposition played really good cricket in the first two games and we took time to get used to the conditions. We also got a few things wrong tactically, but we came and corrected it in the next few games,” Hathurusingha said.”The biggest help was the environment, which was good for the players. The coaching staff also helped a lot. We also communicated a lot with the players on their concerns and views, we tried to get them to focus on their cricket and perform without worrying too much about the outcome.”Sri Lanka’s next assignment is the Nidahas Trophy, where they will face a wounded Bangladesh and an in-form India in a T20I tri-series. Hathurusingha is looking forward to the challenge. “We can definitely go and compete with bigger teams, but in cricket you can’t guarantee results. What we can assure and try to aspire to, is to try and get better every time we train, every time we play, and try to do our best. As long as we play to our potential I’m happy, because the more we play to our potential, more often than not we will win.”
Tottenham Hotspur have now been provided with a significant update on their pursuit of Bayer Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsoba…
Are Tottenham signing a defender?
Ahead of the September 1st transfer deadline, Spurs are still looking to sign a new defender, and Football London have recently given an overview of their potential targets, with Torino's Perr Schuurs still an option, but there will be competition.
Both Arsenal and Liverpool are also interested in the Dutchman, who could cost as much as £35m, although the Italian club would be willing to start negotiations at €20m – €25m (£17m – £21.3m), indicating he could end up being a low-cost signing.
Clement Lenglet and Tosin Adarabioyo are mentioned in the report, with Spurs recently opening talks with Fulham over a move for Adarabioyo, which could end up being a swap deal, with Eric Dier heading to Craven Cottage.
Tapsoba is also named as a potential target, with the report claiming the Burkina Faso international could come in to challenge Cristian Romero for a starting spot, given that he is right-footed, but there has now been an indication he could remain in Germany.
According to a report from Football Insider, the Lilywhites have now cooled their interest in the Leverkusen defender, having been told that he will cost £50m, which is deemed to be a "prohibitive" amount.
As such, the centre-back is unlikely to be on the move before the transfer window slams shut, meaning Tottenham and Newcastle United, who have been widely linked with a move, are now set to miss out on his signature.
Leverkusen are in a strong position to demand a big fee for their star defender, having already raised money by selling Sardar Azmoun and Moussa Diaby this summer, indicating they will hold out for £50m.
Although Spurs are set to miss out on the 24-year-old, they are still ready to swoop for another centre-back, and Adarabioyo has been one of their long-term targets.
Read The Latest Tottenham Transfer News HERE
How good is Edmond Tapsoba?
Although he is comfortable in possession of the ball, ranking in the 97th percentile for successful take-ons, and the 93rd percentile for progressive carries per 90 over the past year, the Leverkusen star is yet to prove he would be worth a £50m outlay.
Former Leverkusen sporting director Rudi Voller has lauded the 6 foot 4 centre-back as "dangerous in front of goal", while also claiming he has "really big potential", but he has not been a consistent performer at the highest level.
The former Guimaraes man does not particularly excel on any defensive metric, placing in the 39th percentile for aerials won, despite his height, and the 38th percentile for interceptions, when compared to his positional peers.
Tapsoba is still only 24 years of age, so he could easily develop into a top defender, having been a regular for Leverkusen over the past few seasons, making 33 Bundesliga appearances last term.
However, it may not be overly disappointing that Tottenham are set to miss out on the 36-time Burkina Faso international, particularly considering they have a whole host of other targets, including the likes oof Schuurs, Lenglet and Adarabioyo.
Arsenal are a club that has played host to some of the greatest talents ever to grace the Premier League, with Arsene Wenger's Invincibles side enjoying the pleasure of most of them.
Patrick Vieira, Dennis Bergkamp, Robert Pires, Sol Campbell and, of course, Thierry Henry are all names written into English football history due to their finesse, power, pace, technical prowess and winning mentality. They are north London heroes, with Mikel Arteta hoping to use them as inspiration to create a new generation of legends.
However, his appointment came about under odd circumstances, given he had never actually managed as the head coach of a club before, only as Pep Guardiola's assistant at Manchester City. With Unai Emery having failed to live up to the standards Wenger set after retirement, the former Gunners midfielder was instead employed and backed wholeheartedly.
The French boss would likely have never sought to leave his post though had he not seen a dramatic downturn in form during the latter years of his reign though, with some sections of the fanbase ruthlessly calling for his head.
cesc-fabregas-arsenal-arsene-wenger
However, it could have been all different had they signed one man who they tried for around the time they took Cesc Fabregas from Barcelona.
After all, Wenger clearly saw something special in a tiny unknown forward named Lionel Messi.
Did Arsenal nearly sign Lionel Messi?
It is well-documented that the 73-year-old former manager sought to pluck some of La Masia's brightest starlets around 2003, when the legendary Argentine in question was just 16 years old.
He would reveal just shortly after taking charge of his final game how he tried for numerous youngsters who would all choose different paths, Fabregas aside, and his regret on the failed moves:
"I met Cesc [Fàbregas’] parents and at the time we were interested in Messi and [Gerard] Piqué as well. We tried for the three but of course it didn’t work out … because of the agents. With Messi, Barcelona didn’t want to lose him of course and they made [the offer] that was needed to keep the player at the club.”
To make this touted saga even more dramatic, The Daily Mail wrote back in 2014: "Incredibly Messi was interested in moving to north London, but the deal was fraught with problems because of issues over the Argentina forward’s work permit."
Unsurprisingly, this was a deal that would not come to fruition, and he spent the bulk of the rest of his career with the Catalan giants; a decision that proved profitable for him and the club, as he went on to become one of, if not the greatest player of all time.
Guardiola, who managed the 36-year-old for four years in Spain, certainly thinks it is the latter: "Everyone has [an] opinion, but nobody can doubt that he’s there with the greatest of all time. For me, I’ve said many times, he’s the best."
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Featuring 778 times for Barcelona, the 5 foot 8 trickster would score an astronomical 672 whilst also assisting a further 303. In maintaining such unimaginable numbers, he unsurprisingly holds numerous records. Just a few of the outstanding ones read: most Ballon d'Or wins (7), most La Liga assists (192), most La Liga goals in a single season (50), most La Liga goals (474) and most goals in a calendar year (91).
In a heated talkSPORT debate, Jason Cundy outlined Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as the benchmark for the world's elite footballers, noting: "I think that there's really only two world-class players in the last five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, years. No one's on the same planet, or the same level as Messi or Ronaldo for me."
To imagine just how good he might have been for Arsenal will send shivers down the spines of every Gunners fan, who have witnessed some truly exceptional stars grace Highbury and the Emirates, but none like him.
Leo Messi scores on his Inter Miami debut
It is a testament to his longevity, insane quality and ability to show up in the big moments that he boasts nine goals against the north London outfit, a further seven against Manchester City, and four against Manchester United.
He is indisputably one of the finest talents that the world has ever seen, so to think that Wenger came so close to signing him, and that he reportedly wanted to join is crazy. It outlines one of the great 'what could have been' stories, which went down a completely different but vastly successful alternate route with a certain Henry.
How good was Thierry Henry?
Had they plucked Messi from Barcelona as a teenager, it could have changed more than just their squad, although the speed with which Fabregas earned a regular spot in the starting side would likely have seen him soon break through.
Hypothetically, the aforementioned Henry, who was affectionately dubbed 'The King' during his tenure at Highbury, might not have played quite as influential a role had the 176-cap star signed, given he would almost definitely have taken a back seat to the silky left-footed superstar who could score goals from anywhere.
To compare their careers, whilst the French forward is widely recognised as the greatest to have ever played in the Premier League, he does not really come close to the current Inter Miami sensation.
Featuring a whopping 377 times for the north London side, he would score 228 and assist a further 103, marking an outstanding return. As such, he earned huge praise from Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher: "No, number one is not Alan Shearer – number one is Thierry Henry.
"Thierry Henry is the best player to have ever played in the Premier League so when I see this debate, that is not even a debate. Thierry Henry is the best striker to ever play in the Premier League and it is not even a debate."
Despite that, across his long and successful career, he actually scored and assisted less than Messi did across his spell at Barcelona alone. Not to mention that the Argentina international boasts a far more impressive trophy cabinet too, having won four Champions Leagues and 12 league titles in Europe, compared to the one time Henry won the elite European competition, and four league titles he won in Spain and England.
Had Wenger succeeded on his 2003 trip to Spain, bringing back this legendary forward to partner Henry, they would have surely dominated on a far greater scale than Sir Alex Ferguson's Red Devils did. Few could do what the 46-year-old former AS Monaco finisher managed during an exceptional career, and yet he still pails in comparison to Messi. Admittedly, so does everyone else.
Arsenal are in dreamland at the moment, with there seemingly being nothing that Mikel Arteta can do wrong. Having inherited the troubled managerial position in late 2019, he had methodically crafted a truly exceptional squad over the years at the Emirates, culminating in last season's title push.
However, they seem set to go one further this term, having started the Premier League near-faultlessly despite performances somewhat lacking, and just recently crushed PSV Eindhoven on their return to the Champions League.
The Gunners have been waiting for their much-anticipated return to the pinnacle of English football, and it finally seems to have come due to the risk the hierarchy took to employ the 41-year-old Spaniard with no prior experience as a head coach.
However, this campaign is not to be without its own trials and tribulations, as they found out the hard way last year with William Saliba's persisting injury woes. Fortunately, the squad is at the necessary strength where, should they suffer once again, they can react with added proficiency.
That's not to suggest that Gabriel Martinelli's recent blow will not worry him…
How long is Gabriel Martinelli injured for?
Racing through on goal at Goodison Park, the Brazilian winger finished in trademark fashion, opening up his body and curling a right-footed finish into the bottom far corner. He wheeled away in celebration only for a marginal offside to wipe the smile from his face, before pulling up with an injury just minutes later.
Stats via Sofascore
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15
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0
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7.16
7.17
6.93
6.83
6.53
The 22-year-old slumped to the ground not far from the dugout, and it took no time for Arteta to ready Leandro Trossard and swap the two stars. He was not to take a risk with a player of this quality in a match where they had dominated up until that point; a decision vindicated as his substitute ended up scoring the winner.
Following that result, the boss would offer an update on the speedster in the run-up to their Champions League clash: "He felt something in his hamstring and we need to do some further tests to assess if there is any big damage or no, but he will be out for tomorrow’s game [PSV], that’s for sure."
As the north London derby looms, it could prove a step too far to assume he would be fit given what Football London wrote on the issue: "If it is a grade one hamstring injury, then the absence could be roughly two weeks, while anything more severe than that could be looking at months out."
Given his growing importance, the hope will be that they can avoid the latter and nurse him back to health with speed and care.
Could Leandro Trossard replace Gabriel Martinelli?
It would be the natural decision to replace Martinelli with Trossard, given that is clearly the natural swap Arteta saw on the day of the injury.
Especially given the blistering form enjoyed of late by the Belgian wizard, who added a goal and an assist to the two strikes he has enjoyed beforehand. Already he seems on track to emulate his stunning last season, which saw him score eight and assist 13 in the Premier League across periods at the Emirates and with Brighton and Hove Albion.
However, it must be noted that the 28-year-old is far from the same profile as the Brazil international, offering a more versatile and certainly a better creative presence on the left flank. He is much more suited to forging chances for others than scoring himself at times, whereas Martinelli is quite the opposite.
Arteta outlined that back in March: "He [Trossard] got three assists and could have scored two. I think he was really impressive. It makes a big difference in the team. We needed him today and his contribution was superb. It’s football intelligence. He’s really clever to understand straight away what we want, what’s required. He’s executed it really well."
Meanwhile, last season saw the former Ituano ace in Martinelli score 15 and assist just five in the league, as one of the club's joint-top scorers.
Therefore, whilst it might seem the natural decision to continue playing the former Seagulls star whilst he is performing so admirably, perhaps it could also mark an opportunity for another left-sided star who puts far more impetus on goalscoring than creating.
Having fought hard to overcome a string of unfortunate injuries, Emile Smith Rowe finally seems fit and ready for a return to first-team action. The only issue is that, during his absence, the side has evolved dramatically.
What are Emile Smith Rowe's best qualities?
The 23-year-old faces an almighty task to reemerge into the starting side after such a lengthy period on the sidelines, with his last full campaign coming during the 2021/22 term.
There, however, he showcased that clinical cutting-edge that could make him a more natural replacement for Martinelli on the left wing. In an Arsenal side that would finish fifth, throwing their Champions League spot away to rivals Tottenham Hotspur with a torrid run of form, the Englishman still managed to score ten and assist two.
Arsenal midfielder Emile Smith Rowe.
Not to mention that, within Arteta's system, there is a huge reliance on working the ball in order to isolate the wide men against their full-backs. Only then do they spring into action, attacking their opposite man with pace and aggression.
Fortunately, this is a trait where the Englishman excels, as Jamie Carragher pointed out during that aforementioned season: "Emile Smith Rowe will get England caps, absolutely no doubt. There are so many good young players. He'll have to bide his time, there are other young players ahead of him right now but I absolutely love that lad.
"I always want him to do well, you're urging him on. To watch him in full flow, I've said he's the best player in the Premier League running the ball. He's so exciting, the pace, moving with the ball. He's a special talent. He can pop up in different positions, he has that ability to play all four positions up top and that's a real bonus."
With the time having seemingly arrived for him to announce himself as a star ready to fight for a place in Arteta's team once again, perhaps this Martinelli injury could provide the perfect opportunity for the 6-foot youngster to prove why he should be ahead of Trossard in the pecking order.
Variation is not just about bowling different balls but cleverly varying lengths too, says India left-arm fast bowler
Andrew Fidel Fernando in Colombo11-Mar-2018Bowlers have been blasted around the R Premadasa Stadium so far in this tournament, but Jaydev Unadkat has a solution: variations.Twice in the past week, good totals have been chased down. In the six batting innings so far, sides have struck 70 or more inside the Powerplay thrice. Unpredictability on the bowlers’ part may help stem the flow of runs, Unadkat said. His own success against Bangladesh on Thursday, was partly due to his varying of lengths; two of his three wickets came off short balls, the other off a yorker.”Variations are most important part of the game,” he said ahead of the match against Sri Lanka. “To play with batsman’s mind, you need variations. When the batsman is expecting something and you do it differently, we are successful as bowlers. The wicket looks very good for batting from ball one. I haven’t played here before in limited-overs cricket. The ball is coming on nicely, there’s good bounce and that gives batsmen freedom. Variations is not just about bowling different balls, it is important to vary the lengths. Not allowing them to premeditate a shot, I think that’s how we are going to try.”Slower balls have been somewhat effective in the tournament so far, though not as much as they often are at Khettarama. What has more commonly yielded a wicket have been cutters – especially those bowled by Mustafizur Rahman. On Saturday, Mustafizur bowled Danushka Gunathilaka with a leg cutter, and later had Kusal Perera caught off a similar delivery. Though not as proficient in the art as Mustafizur (perhaps no one in world cricket is, presently), Unadkat may himself follow the lead of the Bangladesh quick.”[Cutters] suit my plan. If the wicket is suitable for that, I will do that,” he said. “Having said that, it still is important to vary. Cutters are only useful when the batsman doesn’t expect it. So if the wicket is spicing up a bit – if I see the wicket is gripping a bit – definitely then that’s the way to go. That has been my strength in this format of the game in the past couple of years, I have always banked on that. In the first game also, we tried those, but it is only successful when the batsmen don’t expect. In T20s, you are going to be under pressure 24 times.”Though other spinners have been expensive so far during the Nidahas Trophy, Washington Sundar – India’s offspinner – has maintained an economy rate of under seven. He has been particularly good in the previous match against Sri Lanka, dismissing Kusal Mendis cheaply, before taking the wicket of the marauding Kusal Perera later in the game. The control Sundar has exerted on an innings can sharpen the menace of the bowler at the other end, Unadkat said.”I think what benefits us bowling together is Washington contains the batsmen. As an offspinner, it is difficult at times to contain, because the batsmen just blast from the start. He varies his pace really well, that stands out for me. He keeps it simple, when a bowler is containing from one end, so the batsmen do come under pressure and target you – they try to go harder than they usually should. That benefits us as bowlers.”
Pubudu Dassanayake was confident about his fast-bowling unit but said they were looking for a good finisher who could bat with the tail
Peter Della Penna01-Mar-2018
CWI Media
In the build-up to USA’s primary ICC tournament assignment for 2018, the World Cricket League Division Three, repairing a hole in the middle order has been put at the top of their coach Pubudu Dassanayake’s to-do list for the upcoming USA Cricket Combines. Dassayanake made his evaluations following a return from the CWI Super50 tournament in February in Antigua.”There are a couple of games we would have won pretty easily if we had played basic cricket,” Dassanyake told ESPNcricinfo. “It was disappointing to miss that but lots of positions were settled down and we just need to improve from there now. I think the batting order is pretty decent. It’s just a matter of one more batter in the middle order. That’s what I’m looking for at these combines.”Mainly, what we are missing in this order is a good finisher who can bat with the tail, bat to the end and change games. Of course, Mrunal [Patel] is capable and highly talented, but I want him to be more consistent and there is room for another batter if we find someone. If we have a good finisher, then I think we will have a very decent batting order.”USA won only one out of their eight matches overall, defeating only Leeward Islands by 59 runs. However, they squandered strong positions in three other games. The first came against Jamaica, who recovered from 170 for 8 to eventually win by 99 runs.Perhaps more frustrating for USA were the two blown opportunities against Kent. In the first match, USA slipped from 102 for 3 to 188 for 9 while chasing 216 and in the rematch, they had Kent at 51 for 6 but allowed them to recover to post 172 for 9 and USA were bowled out for 142 after a middle-order collapse.Dassanayake said that he was satisfied with the contributions from the top order after a rough start. The emergence of Jaskaran Malhotra on his debut tour was a positive for Dassanayake in particular. The opener finished as USA’s leading scorer with 277 runs, 12th on the list overall. There were also sporadic contributions from others: with half-centuries made by Sunny Sohal, Xavier Marshall, Roy Silva and captain Ibrahim Khaleel. However, Dassanayake said their inconsistency could be traced to readjusting from artificial wickets around the USA in mostly T20 competitions to turf wickets in the Super50 tournament, but said it was a problem that could be fixed.”The problem I see with them is getting used to US conditions a lot playing on concrete and artificial, and then playing lots of T20s where when the pressure is there, they are looking for that boundary rather than the single,” Dassanayake said. “But they have done it in their career before, it’s just [that] they’ve gone away from that system a bit since they have been in the US.”So it’s not going to be a big job for me to turn them around for 50-over cricket and playing on turf against good quality bowling. That’s what I really was looking at because it will be hard for me to get a youngster who don’t know those things. It’s just about putting them into a proper training programme and covering those things in the next six months. I’m confident in those top five guys. We just need one more good batter. The job is now very clear for me and even for the players for the next six months in what we need to do to dominate Division Three.”Though the batting was hit or miss in Antigua, USA’s bowlers shone brightly, led by the left-arm medium-pace duo of Elmore Hutchinson and Saurabh Netravalkar, and backed up by the superb left-arm spin of Nosthush Kenjige. Both Hutchinson and Netravalkar finished sixth overall in the tournament with 13 wickets each. While Hutchinson stood out for his economy rate of 3.65, Netravalkar bowled perhaps the more challenging spells that often went unrewarded, though he did take 4 for 45 in the last match against Jamaica.”I think the main thing Saurabh brought is his experience,” Dassanayake said. “He doesn’t have extra pace but he’s very consistent on hitting the good areas. More than anything, he’s one of the guys who really understood the tactical side well and implemented his own plans well. Ibrahim has his plans and Saurabh was one of the guys who really followed them, and Elmore bought into the plan and they stuck to it regardless of the situation. The key for both guys was consistency. [In] the spinners department, I think Nosh is really leading the pack.”With CPL-contracted Ali Khan missing the Super50 due to work commitments and the injured Jessy Singh to soon return from reconstructive knee surgery, USA’s fast bowling depth is exceptionally strong. Hammad Shahid, who excelled in the 2016 Auty Cup against Canada before suffering a knee injury ahead of last year’s WCL Division Three, is also waiting in the wings for a return. With others like Keshav Pabbisetty, who excelled for USA Under-19 last summer at the World Cup Qualifier in Toronto, also pushing for spots, Dassanayake said their fast bowling competition will be the backbone of overall team success going forward.”You never know when bowlers will break down or in the USA environment because of work commitments someone has to miss a tour,” he said. “So my plan is to build up a squad of 10-12 good fast bowlers and give them training programmes to do on their own year round plus get together three or four times to sharpen their skills. That’s the plan for what we want to build after the combine. I want them to have competition through the group and having a big group we won’t have any issues if someone gets injured.”When you go through the Associate world, fast bowlers are key. I know spinners dominate statistically in Associate tournaments, but if you have a good fast bowler, you can give lots of trouble to Associate batters and one of the reasons Afghanistan moved so quickly is that they had three good fast bowlers who bowled at 140kph plus. I think USA also is blessed with that, with a very good bunch of fast bowlers and we have to use them properly to get the best out of the whole squad.”USA Cricket recently announced that players currently in the national squad will be automatically included at the final USA squad trials in Houston this June at the conclusion of the regional combines throughout the spring. However, Dassanayake said he expected all of those players to attend the regional combines to bring the best competition out of other players trying to force their way into the team and build the best squad possible for tournaments late in the year, including Division Three, the Auty Cup series against Canada and the start of 2020 World T20 Qualifying, tentatively scheduled for August.”We always have to carry a third opener, there’s a middle-order vacancy,” he said. “It’s open to anyone but it’s just a matter of showing the improvement. We have seen guys before and now the guys in the last tour, but now for us to settle the order we need to see guys score under any conditions and under pressure. Those are the two big things I’m looking for and, of course, the consistency.”
Leeds United produced plenty of villains from last campaign’s relegation disaster, with the vast majority of the squad failing to show up when it mattered.
Defensively fragile and not nearly clinical enough to make up for those frailties, three managers tried their hand at saving the Whites, and none succeeded. The Championship beckoned and thus ushered in a new era at Elland Road.
With Daniel Farke selected as the man to lead them into a hopefully much brighter future, he endured one of the most tumultuous summers in the club's history as he negotiated for the failures of the previous ownership and came out the other side largely unscathed.
However, there were perhaps a few key moves that he could have made, which the German may well live to regret as he seeks to turn their faltering league form into a consistent stream of wins they will feel they have deserved.
Who was Leeds United’s worst performer last season?
Whilst it is a tough choice to pinpoint a sole worst performer for last season’s debacle, Illan Meslier must certainly rank highly on that list given how unreliable he became as the term went on.
It seemed like as the games became more important, his confidence grew weaker. It was therefore no surprise to see he featured 34 times in the league for a side that conceded 78 goals, by far the most in the division.
Leeds United goalkeeper Illan Meslier.
Having enjoyed a busy tenure in between the sticks for the Yorkshire outfit, regularly forced into making multiple saves to uphold Marcelo Bielsa’s gung-ho philosophy, last term proved to be his undoing as Jesse Marsch’s system could not bear fruit.
It is worth noting that in Meslier’s first season in the Premier League, he averaged four saves per game, yet still kept 11 clean sheets and managed a 7.13 average rating, via Sofascore.
Last season, for context, that initial figure dropped to just two saves per game, keeping five clean sheets and seeing his average rating drop to 6.65. This actually made him the eighth-worst performer within his squad of those who started over five games, although the importance of his position meant his shortcomings became catastrophic.
As such he made three key errors that led directly to goals, with journalist David Kent even writing in April: “Meslier a massive liability at this stage for Leeds.”
Given that there were reportedly suitors seeking to pry him at the start of the window, with Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur all having needed new number ones, perhaps they missed a trick by not capitalising on the interest and cashing in on their shot-stopper as Karl Darlow arrived.
How much was Illan Meslier worth at FC Lorient?
Before moving to Yorkshire, Meslier had emerged through the academy of FC Lorient, where he had been since the age of nine.
Illan Meslier.
The 6 foot 7 titan would play just 30 senior games before a loan switch to Leeds, where he endeared himself to the fanbase with his unique ball-playing skillset that helped them win promotion.
However, he was a relative unknown before his move to England, with Transfermarkt suggesting that he was valued at just €5m (£4m) in May 2019, having shot up from the €600k (£512k) they cited four months earlier.
How much did Leeds sign Illan Meslier for?
With his valuation as such, to have snagged the young France U21 international in 2020 for £5m marked a fine coup for Bielsa, who intended to tackle the Premier League with his youth as an immense show of faith.
Leeds United goalkeeper Illan Meslier.
Despite the recent struggles that even saw him dropped at the back end of last season, he has remained an impressive figure for the club, having amassed 131 appearances across numerous campaigns now.
The hope will be that he can recapture his form of old given he failed to secure his departure, and help engineer a return to the top flight.
What is Illan Meslier’s market value now?
Exposure to such a high level has unsurprisingly skyrocketed Meslier's value, especially given how cheap they managed to sign him for in the first place.
CIES Football Observatory helps to outline just how far he has come from the teenager who first moved to Elland Road, as they cite his current expected transfer value at a lofty €30m (£26m).
Leeds United'sIllanMeslier
That suggests that across his four years at the club, Meslier has seen a significant increase in how much he is worth; 420% to be exact.
Why is Illan Meslier worth so much?
Whilst his recent form might draw scrutiny, at one point the shot-stopper was one of the most celebrated young 'keepers in the Premier League.
That first year following their 2020 promotion he thrived as part of a team that defied the odds, with his exploits integral.
Leeds United's Illan Meslier andRobinKoch.
As aforementioned, he was called upon with regularity, but he more than rose to the challenge despite his youth. Not only that, but he paired a stellar 73% save success rate with a 77% pass accuracy too, via Sofascore.
In fact, even now when compared to others in his position across the eight leagues similar to the Championship, he sits in the top 3% for touches per 90 and the top 2% for defensive actions outside the penalty area per 90, as per FBref.
He is the quintessential modern-day goalkeeper, despite his flaws, and when his shot-stopping is on form he can be both impossible to beat as well as superb when sweeping up behind a backline so often forced forward in the past by Bielsa’s all-action play style.
Former Manchester City full-back Micah Richards even sought to praise him back in 2021: “Leeds in this game played so well. Meslier was excellent. They face all these shots, the most in the Premier League and inevitably, you’re going to concede goals playing like that.”
There is a key reason why his value remains so high, and should he get his career back on track, it could be a figure set to increase further.
What is Illan Meslier's salary?
Despite the mass exodus overseen this summer, the Frenchman still retains one of the more reasonable salaries that Victor Orta negotiated during his ill-fated tenure with Leeds.
Meslier's £30k-per-week wage represents fine value given his youth and the fact that he still has three years left on his contract, with that figure making him the seventh-highest-paid player at the club.
The hope will be that he can recapture his form in the Championship once again to start justifying his salary and valuation growth. If not, they will rue their call not to cash in this summer.
Sheffield Wednesday are considering a swoop for a new free agent, and a reliable journalist has confirmed that he’s already in the building at Hillsborough.
What's the latest transfer news at Sheffield Wednesday?
Over the summer, Xisco Munoz was extremely busy in the market bringing in 12 fresh faces, where Djeidi Gassama and Pol Valentin both joined permanently for transfer fees and the likes of Jeff Hendrick and Ashley Fletcher put pen to paper on loans, as per Transfermarkt, but there were also plenty of outgoings.
In terms of departures, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Dennis Adeniran, Jack Hunt, Jaden Brown, David Stockdale and Ben Heneghan all completed exits which has created space in the squad for future signings, and the boss has already set his sights on one star in particular.
At Nottingham Forest, Lyle Taylor left Steve Cooper’s side at the end of last season following the expiration of his contract, meaning that he is now a free agent on the market and waiting to be snapped up by a new club, and he could be on his way to the Championship.
On Tuesday evening, Montserrat’s international was spotted at the stadium for the 1-1 draw against Middlesbrough, and if the following update is to be believed, the centre-forward is currently at work behind the scenes in a bid to earn a move to South Yorkshire.
Are Sheffield Wednesday signing Lyle Taylor?
Taking to X, Darren Witcoop revealed that Sheffield Wednesday have offered a trial to Taylor, who has been training with the first-team in the hope of securing himself a permanent deal with Munoz's side in the near future.
“Free agent striker Lyle Taylor is training with Sheffield Wednesday in a bid to win a contract. Taylor, who left Nottingham Forest in the summer, has turned down contract offers from a host of League One clubs as he wants to play in the Championship.”
Nottingham Forest's former striker Lyle Taylor.
How many goals has Lyle Taylor scored?
Since the start of his career, Taylor has racked up an impressive 211 contributions (156 goals and 55 assists) in 463 appearances, form which has seen him described as a “natural finisher” by journalist Josh Bunting, so he could certainly be a fantastic addition for Sheffield Wednesday.
The Greenwich-born talent is also a versatile operator alongside the prolific attacker that he is in the final third having been deployed in four various positions over the attack since the start of his career, including three roles across the frontline and even in attacking midfield.
The Owls target even shares the same agent, SMI Sports Management, as both Barry Bannan and John Buckley, so the fact that his representative already has an existing connection to the club should give chiefs a strong chance at getting a deal over the line should he impress on trial.
The Hillsborough outfit will be aware that Taylor is now 33 years of age so it would make sense for them to only offer him a short-term deal, but nevertheless, he’s definitely a player who could be worth adding to the books for the remainder of the season.