England’s quest for being double world champions ended in a whimper after batting implosion

The Report by Shashank Kishore25-Nov-2018Australia have never lost to England in a women’s cup final, and that record will now stay at least till the next world event in 2020. Meg Lanning’s side romped to their fourth World T20 crown with an eight-wicket vanquishing of England at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, Antigua.As was the case four years ago in Bangladesh – when the sides last met in a World T20 final – England limped to 105. And remarkably, both times, Australia knocked off the runs in 15.1 overs – albeit this time, it was on a slow surface. Heavy dew negated England’s spin threat and run scoring was not really a bother.Alyssa Healy somewhat made up for multiple lapses behind the stumps to set the tone for the chase with a 20-ball 22, including 12 off Anya Shrubsole’s first over. She finished the tournament as the leading run-getter; her 225 runs came in one innings fewer than the next best. This also made her the undisputed choice for Player of the Tournament.In many ways, Healy’s career-turnaround came in 2014 in Bangladesh, where Australia last won the World T20. Still a rookie, far from assured of her place in the XI, it was her bristling knock at No. 7 in a tense semi-final chase against West Indies that put Australia in the final in the first place. Here in the West Indies, four years on, she stamped her authority to emerge as one of the undisputedly feared ball-strikers in the women’s game.Any chance England had of applying pressure on Australia lay in the Powerplay. But they ended up conceding 37 in exchange for just Healy’s wicket. Ashleigh Gardner and Meg Lanning then built on the early tempo to seal the deal. Australia’s batting, in many ways, masked their fielding lapses that may have proved costly on another night – they let go as many as five catches.Megan Schutt is ecstatic after dismissing Tammy Beaumont•ICC/GettyYet, that they found a way to still restrict England was largely due to the efforts of 19-year-old legspinner Georgia Wareham. Having begun senior cricket in men’s Division Three as a high-school student, she graduated to the WBBL, playing for Melbourne Renegades. All the early experience was put to use under pressure after Danielle Wyatt began briskly early in the innings. She would top score with 43.Wareham’s first touch in the final was a direct hit from mid-on to fell the in-form Amy Jones in the fifth over. Moving to her right quickly from mid-on, she swooped in and nailed a flat hit at the bowler’s end to offset two missed chances by Australia – first by Rachel Haynes at point and then by Healy – to reprieve Wyatt.She nailed two further blows and was on a hat-trick in the 13th over, having dismissed Lauren Winfield and Sophia Dunkley. Winfield was beaten by a flipper that crashed into the pad before hitting the bat; the wicket was triggered by Lanning’s late decision to review an lbw decision. Off the next delivery, Dunkley was beaten by drift as the ball spun away to sneak through the gap between bat and pad to hit the stumps. This double-wicket burst came in the same over when Healy missed a stumping chance.Heather Knight waged a lone battle, batting through pockets of resistance, but couldn’t get the final kick in the face of some superb death bowling by Australia. Her attempt to go over the top after plodding through a majority of her 28-ball stay that fetched 25 resulted in a chip to mid-off, to give Gardner her second wicket. She would finish with figures of 3 for 22.That wouldn’t be Gardner’s only contribution of the night. Still needing to dig in to ensure Healy’s quick start wouldn’t go to waste, Gardner rotated strike early and kept the scoreboard ticking. This gave the slightly rusty Meg Lanning, who hadn’t yet hit top gear, time to play herself in.With Australia needing 36, Gardner finally cut loose by walloping Knight’s full toss for six. Then, she took the attack to Kirstie Gordon by hitting her for two maximums in the next over – getting to the pitch on both occasions to negate any bite off the pitch. A savage blow came off Shrubsole, the hero of last year’s World Cup final, to level the score, before Lanning finished it off with a bunt into the off side to give Australia their fourth T20 title in five editions. The title was a shiny silver lining in what has been a tough cricketing year for Australia overall.

Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal's transfer value has increased exponentially after his impressive display in the 2023/24 season.

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• Yamal sees exponential rise in his value
• Has played 40 matches for Barca this season
• PSG eyeing move for the attacker in the summer

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 16-year-old Catalan winger has witnessed a massive rise in his transfer value after consistently performing for Xavi's side in the current 2023/24 season. Only six months ago, the teenager was valued at just €11m (£9m/$11m) but now his current market value stands at €134m (£114m/$144m), according to a study published by CIES Football Observatory.

  Other than the Barcelona star, Chelsea's Cole Palmer and Manchester United's Kobbie Mainoo also saw a huge increase in their market values.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Yamal has been a revelation for the Blaugrana in the current season as he has already appeared in 40 matches for the club across all competitions, scoring six goals and providing seven assists. His impressive performances for Xavi's side also earned him a maiden national team call-up in September 2023. He went on to become the youngest debutant and the youngest goalscorer in the nation's history.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  In early March, Marca reported that Paris Saint-Germain had approached the Catalan club with a verbal offer upwards of €200m (£170m/$218m) for the attacker as they look to replace outgoing Kylian Mbappe. The reigning Spanish champions, however, are unlikely to part ways with their starlet.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR LAMINE YAMAL?

  The youngster has been named in his club's starting lineup on Wednesday as they face PSG in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final clash.

The former captain stepping down is the latest development as the bloodletting continues in the wake of the cultural reviews released last week

Andrew McGlashan05-Nov-2018

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Former Australia captain Mark Taylor has resigned from his position as a Cricket Australia Board director as the bloodletting continues in the wake of the cultural reviews, but said he hoped the purge at the top “stops with me.”Taylor had been spoken about as a potential successor to David Peever, who was forced to quit as the CA chairman last week, and said his decision had taken a “high degree of soul searching” reflecting on the last 18 months going back to the “toxic” MoU negotiations, and particularly the last six involving the Newlands ball-tampering, becoming increasingly challenging.Taylor said it “hurt” to see the game in its current state but that he didn’t feel he had anymore to give to the position he had held for 13 years and called on Australian cricket to use the current crisis as a moment to “reset” with specific mention to the strained relationship between CA and the Australia Cricketers’ Association (ACA).He added that in hindsight, the board AGM, where Peever was re-elected for another term, should have been delayed to allow all parties to read the cultural reviews, although he had been considering his move since before the findings came out and the eventual downfall of Peever following pressure from New South Wales.Mark Taylor’s resignation is just the latest in Cricket Australia’s leadership clear-out•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

“I said many months ago that I thought my next step as a Cricket Australia director was to step up or step off the board,” Taylor said. “I had an opportunity at this time put my name forward as a chairman or to step off, and I think I’ve made the right move in the interests of Australian cricket to step off and give some other, hopefully, former player the chance to add some fresh ideas to this role.”Over the last 13 years, particularly the last 18 months, there has been a lot in this role and it has taken its toll. Over the last two weeks even more so, and I’ve got to the stage where I don’t think I can give anymore. I’ve lost the energy.”Taylor was talked into continuing as a board director when his latest four-year term finished last September, a time following the messy and acrimonious MoU discussions which brought the men’s Test team to the brink of striking. “I was so disappointed with myself that I didn’t do more and with the world of Australian cricket, I said I’m going to try and fix this. I did say I’d do one more term, but year-by-year,” Taylor said.His resignation letter to Earl Eddings, the interim chairman of CA, further reflected on the breakdown between CA and the ACA.”Following on from the events in March this year that rocked the cricketing world, and the ongoing damage this created for our game, including vital employer-employee relationships, my principle brief has been to work hard at fostering and restoring a workable, meaningful and respectful understanding between Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers’ Association, especially at a time both parties were still recovering from the prolonged spirited, vigorous and, sometimes, toxic MoU negotiations dating back to mid-2017,” Taylor wrote.”As Australian cricket faces up to its latest challenge, the time therefore has arrived for me to step back and allow Cricket Australia and the ACA to work from a fresh page in restoring the important values that have enabled Australia, for many years, to be recognised as one of the world’s most admired and successful cricket nations.”Eddings said: “While we would like Mark to continue as a Director on the Board, we appreciate his reasons and have accepted his resignation. Mark has given an enormous amount to Australian cricket over three decades as a player, captain and Board member.”Mark has played a significant role in helping build and shape relationships within the cricket community, specifically with players past and present, and in his role as Director has always worked collaboratively with key parties to put the interests of Australian cricket first.”While it has been a difficult few weeks for Australian Cricket, The Board of Cricket Australia and the executive team are committed to rebuilding and earning the trust of the cricket community.”Taylor also spoke about his continued role in the media bringing increasing conflicts of interest for him although that had been a dual role he held throughout his time in administration. When asked about those he saw as potential successors to his position, he name-checked Alex Blackwell, currently on the board of NSW, former women’s captain Belinda Clark, who works for CA, and former Test batsman Simon Katich.”One thing that has happened with the change of broadcasters is that my role at Channel 9 has changed, I’m still a broadcaster but very loosely a reporter which means I have to give my opinion a lot more on what’s happening in the world of CA. That’s made my job even harder.”There are now two positions available on the CA board and I feel sorry that I have left [Earl Eddings] with two voids to fill. I think it is a great opportunity for a reset in Australian cricket, to make that change everyone talks about. With our men’s team struggling, it’s a chance for all of us to change for the good and work out how we can all work together for the good of Australian cricket.”

Arsenal are speculated to be one of the many sides ready to make a presence in the January transfer window, as Mikel Arteta eyes quality reinforcements to bolster the squad depth at the Emirates.

The Spaniard, alongside Edu, orchestrated an impressive summer of business in the transfer market, welcoming over £200m worth of acquisitions to strengthen the side that just missed out on the Premier League title in the 2022/23 campaign.

Currently sitting just one point from the summit, Arsenal’s pending activity could be the difference between the north Londoners being part of the race once more, and claiming their first Premier League trophy since 2004.

It’s forecast to be a busy winter for the Gunners, if the news surrounding potential January targets is to be believed, as a host of talent is already being linked with a move to the Emirates in 2024.

Arsenal transfer targets – Strikers

While reports have speculated that the midfield will be the primary point of rejuvenation this winter, the north Londoners have also been named as a club interested in a list of top-quality strikers.

One name that has popped up as a target is Brentford forward Ivan Toney, who is said to be valued at £100m by the Bees, as he prepares to return from his ban from football in the first month of 2024.

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The Mirror reported that Brentford’s valuation of their star talisman comes in the hope of warding off interest from Arsenal, who are claimed to be eyeing the 27-year-old.

Away from the Premier League, this week a report from 90min told of fellow target Marcos Leonardo’s future plans, stating that both the Gunners and Manchester United are ‘on alert’ as the 20-year-old plots to leave Santos.

In January, the Brazilian football calendar will have concluded, giving the striker the chance to spread his wings in Europe, with a list of clubs already monitoring his movements due to his goal-scoring proficiency in South America.

It’s added that the Serie A side will expect a fee in the region of £20m for their forward, as a move looks imminent, with the player’s agent speaking to outlets in Brazil to reveal his client “wants to have a European experience, and his time will come this winter.”

It will be interesting to follow the direction of the youngster’s future steps, with his links to Arsenal coming at an interesting time, correlating to news regarding the future of strikers already in north London.

How Gabriel Jesus’ future could look

Reports in Spain, relayed by The Hard Tackle, have speculated that Real Madrid are plotting a move for Gabriel Jesus, with the Brazilian being a former target for Los Blancos under Carlo Ancelotti.

It’s stated that Madrid have ‘reignited their interest’ in the 26-year-old, whose future at Arsenal could be under question regardless of the Spaniards’ interest, especially as several strikers have been linked with a Premier League move.

Speaking to Brazilian news outlets, the four-time Premier League winner claimed that finishing is not his “strong point”, which is a fair statement considering the Brazil international is yet to score more than 14 domestic league goals in a season.

Despite not being the clinical presence that Arsenal perhaps need, Jesus’ contribution to Arteta’s attack sometimes seems irreplaceable, with his animalistic energy infectious to building charges into the final third.

If the former Manchester City star was to leave the Emirates, he would be sorely missed for reasons far beyond scoring goals, although if he was to say, it must be debated that his future could be away from leading the line.

Why Marcos Leonardo would be a good signing for Arsenal

In signing Leonardo, the Gunners could revive the presence of a “cold-blooded” striker, as the 20-year-old was once lauded by U23 scout Antonio Mango, as well as having Jesus in the attack to support the budding talisman.

Leonardo vs Jesus scoring form

Marcos Leonardo

Gabriel Jesus

Apps

Goals

Assists

Apps

Goals

Assists

2021/22

57

21

6

41

13

12

2022/23

45

21

4

33

11

8

Figures via Transfermarkt

As portrayed in the table above, the Santos sensation – who has also been noted for his "exceptional pace" by Mango – is by far the more clinical out of the two forwards based on his form over the 2022 and 2023 Brazilian football calendars, although Jesus is more of the creator.

Signing a talent as prolific as Leonardo could spare the pressure on the 26-year-old to score consistently, while Arteta could still use the strengths of his £45m man in a slightly deeper role to benefit Arsenal in the final third to maximum effect.

Depth is another factor that the Brazil U20 international could bolster at the Emirates, with Jesus and Eddie Nketiah being the only identifiable centre-forwards in the first team, reinforcing the need for reinforcements in future windows.

How Marcos Leonardo compares to Gabriel Jesus

When it comes to overall gameplay, Jesus has transformed the energy levels in Arsenal’s front line, with his ability to carry the ball and cover ground being some of his greatest assets as a roaming forward.

Although the two Brazilians occupy the same position, their tactical setups are almost opposing, with the 26-year-old’s vision to support and create rather than to be the figure to bury the ball in the net and conclude such sequences.

Jesus 22/23 Premier League vs Leonardo 2023 Serie A

Statistic

Gabriel Jesus

Marcos Leonardo

Appearances

26

27

Goals

11

13

Shots on target per game

1.2

1.1

Big chances missed

16

12

Conversion rate %

14%

18%

Key passes per game

1.2

1.0

All figures via Sofascore

Hailed as an “absolute killer in the penalty area” by talent scout Jacek Kulig and dubbed a "deadly weapon" by Mango, Leonardo boasted a higher conversion rate and scoring tally in the Brazilian Serie A than Jesus in the 2022/23 Premier League.

It’s easy to forget that the striker is only 20 years old, considering how effortlessly scoring goals comes in his game, making his instinctual qualities an attractive subject for Arsenal to consider partnering with their low-scoring forward.

As well as pairing the duo together, Arteta could be handed the opportunity to rotate the two high-quality strikers to promote an advanced level of performance, as well as being gifted the opportunity to unearth Leonardo as an eventual heir to the ex-City whiz.

Arsenal have seen just how successful buying young talent from Brazil can work out, with Gabriel Martinelli turning himself into a crucial first-team member after arriving as a teen from Ituano.

In Leonardo, the Gunners could secure a sizzling goalscoring talent, and a player that could both compete with, and eventually replace Jesus, whose future of leading the line at the Emirates is debatable.

Ruben Amorim has reportedly drawn up a three-man shortlist of players that he wants Liverpool to sign in the summer if he takes charge at Anfield.

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Amorim reportedly would replace Jurgen KloppWill be given a handsome war chest by LiverpoolWants three of his favourites to follow him at AnfieldWHAT HAPPENED?

Having made a name for himself with Sporting CP in the Primeira Liga, where he is on the brink of securing his second league title, Amorim's managerial prowess has caught the attention of Europe's top clubs, including Liverpool. With negotiations reportedly nearing completion, anticipation is mounting over Amorim's imminent arrival at Anfield.

Now, as he prepares to potentially take the reins at Liverpool, attention is shifting towards the summer transfer window and the reinforcements he aims to bring to the club.

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According to reports from Portuguese publication Amorim has identified three key targets for Liverpool's hierarchy. These targets include Sporting CP defenders Goncalo Inacio and Ousmane Diomande, as well as midfielder Martin Hjulmand.

Both Inacio and Diomande have been integral to Sporting's success under Amorim, forming a solid partnership in the backline. Liverpool's defensive stability has been a concern in recent seasons, with injuries plaguing key players like Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez. Hence the two potential signings could provide much-needed reinforcements to bolster the Reds' defensive line ahead of the upcoming campaign.

DID YOU KNOW?

Despite adding significant firepower in midfield last summer, Amorim sees Hjulmand as a valuable addition to the Liverpool squad. The 24-year-old Danish midfielder has impressed during his time at Sporting and has attracted interest from other Premier League clubs like Tottenham, making him a sought-after prospect for the Reds.

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All three players are part of a team that have enjoyed considerable success in the Primeira Liga this season, boasting an impressive record of 23 wins in 27 matches. Amorim's preferred tactical approach, a 3-4-3 formation, differs from Klopp's usual 4-3-3 setup, indicating potential changes in defensive personnel should he take charge at Anfield. With a clear vision and targeted transfer strategy, Amorim aims to make his mark on Liverpool's squad and lead them to further success in the seasons to come after taking over the reins from the current German tactician.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Palmeiras se reapresentou na tarde deste sábado (26), na Academia de Futebol, para fazer a última atividade antes de receber o Red Bull Bragantino, no Allianz Parque, pelo Brasileirão.

Com o desgaste no elenco causado pela sequência de jogos e pela recuperação da Covid-19, Abel Ferreira comandou a atividade também pensando no decisivo duelo diante do América-MG, na próxima semana, que vale vaga na grande final da Copa do Brasil.

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Patrick de Paula treinou sem restrições e pode voltar a ser relacionado após sete jogos como desfalque. Luiz Adriano é outro jogador que está voltando de lesão, e pode ganhar uma vaga como titular no quarto duelo entre Palmeiras e Red Bull Bragantino no ano.

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O lateral-direito Mayke ficou na parte interna, com o Núcleo de Saúde e Performance, para dar sequência à recuperação de um edema na coxa esquerda. O jovem zagueiro Henri, por sua vez, segue em transição física.

A provável escalação do Palmeiras para encarar o Red Bull Bragantino é: Weverton, Marcos Rocha, Luan (Kuscevíc), Gustavo Gómez (E. Santos) e Matías Viña; Gabriel Menino (Danilo), Zé Rafael e Raphael Veiga (Lucas Lima); Breno Lopes (Rony), Gabriel Veron e Luiz Adriano (Willian).

Palmeiras e Bragantino se enfrentam neste domingo (27), a partir das 18h15 (horário de Brasília), no Allianz Parque, em jogo válido pela 27ª rodada do Brasileirão 2020.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou's immediate attention will be on navigating through the tough winter period, but the Australian manager will be eagerly waiting to enact plans in the January transfer window.

To be honest, everything went a bit wrong last season and the woes were cherry-topped by Harry Kane's departure to Bayern Munich right in the build-up to the new campaign. but the cogs have combined and Spurs blitzed into early title contention in the Premier League.

But while Postecoglou is Tottenham's liberator from instability, he is not a miracle worker and his squad's frailty had been brutally exposed before the November international break, with injuries and suspensions heavily factoring into successive defeats against Chelsea and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

January reinforcements are paramount, with the fortification of the backline sure to be among the principal priorities for Postecoglou as he looks to sculpt a successful season down the N17.

Tottenham transfer news – Giorgio Scalvini

According to transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano – as relayed by football.london – Tottenham had held an interest in Atalanta centre-back Giorgio Scalvini in the summer.

Romano said: "The centre-back of Atalanta, a very talented player, we know him very well in Italy, not as known in Europe, but he is very good.

"He's on the radar of many clubs, for example, I heard, last summer, Tottenham were considering a move, he was one of the secret players that they had on the list at Tottenham, but they decided to go for something different because Atalanta were asking crazy money for Scalvini."

Spurs opted to sign Micky van de Ven from Wolfsburg for £43m instead, and while the Dutchman has been a revelation, he picked up a hamstring injury during the Blues defeat and is out until the new year, prompting Postecoglou to strengthen.

Giorgio Scalvini's season in numbers

Scalvini is only 19-years-old but he has already established himself as one of the most talented young defenders on the Italian scene, with Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp interested in signing him for £34m one year ago.

Dubbed a "top talent" by Romano, the centre-half really came into his own last year and completed 34 matches across all competitions, starting 29 times in Serie A.

The turn of the season has been but a continuation of his stellar performance, and indeed a robust blooming that threatens to disrupt the likes of Josko Gvardiol for the spot as football's most prodigious young defender.

As per Sofascore, he has been solid in the league this term, starting ten times, completing 84% of his passes, averaging 2.2 tackles, 2.1 clearances, 1.8 interceptions and six ball recoveries per game and succeeding in 64% of his contested duels.

Such metrics underscore an energy and tenacity that will serve him well on the Premier League scene, and while he could perhaps brush up his distribution, he has completed 92% of the passes made in his own half – effectively highlighting his creativity and willingness to progress the play.

Indeed, as per FBref, the £9k-per-week prodigy is developing skills across the board, ranking among the top 20% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 14% for assists, the top 15% for shot-creating actions, the top 12% for progressive passes, the top 20% for progressive carries, the top 16% for successful take-ons, the top 13% for tackles and the top 2% for interceptions per 90.

It is, frankly, a rather long list. But this is an illustration of a skill set so shiny that the vultures are circling and waiting to nosedive towards his signature.

A veritable giant at 6 foot 4, Scalvini – noted for his “eye-catching” showings by journalist Tom Maston – really does look the complete package and offers creativity and progression to merge into Postecoglou's possession-based, enterprising system.

Unlike Van de Ven, the seven-cap Italy international is not left-footed but this should not dissuade the Lilywhites from pouncing, given that the influential summer acquisition will be expected to dominate from that side of the backline for years to come.

Cristian Romero, imperious and aggressive, also comes into the picture, but then outfits with silver-heavy ambitions have seldom succeeded with sparsity in the defensive wall.

Giorgio Scalvini could surpass Van de Ven

Romero is actually absent alongside his Netherlands-native partner, though he will sit the next two matches out due to his red card against Chelsea.

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With Eric Dier and Ben Davies forming the defensive axis against Wolves, Tottenham were very much reminiscent of the recent dog days preceding their former Celtic manager's appointment, and while neither was objectively bad, it's clear that they are not dependable within the system.

Scalvini would be the perfect player to rally the ranks and blend authority and strength with flair and ingenuity, and while he remains on Atalanta's books, Postecoglou must now ensure that a winter swoop is made.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Interceptions

No significant weaknesses

Aerial duels

Tackling

Concentration

*Sourced via WhoScored

Given his youthful years, the titan could easily improve over the coming years to present himself as one of Europe's leading defenders, potentially even surpassing Van de Ven – which would be quite a thing if the 22-year-old's displays on English shores so far are anything to go by.

While Van de Ven was said to be "flourishing" in Germany by journalist Ronan Murphy, he has transcended the Spurs backline (which conceded 63 Premier League goals last year) and has forged a fearsome partnership with Romero.

Described as a "fighter" and a "killer" by talent scout Ruben Jongkind, Van de Ven is blessed with electric pace and remarkable athleticism, ranking among the top 8% of centre-backs for progressive carries and the top 3% for successful take-ons per 90 to evidence this.

The £50k-per-week star has been immense across his 11 outings in the English top-flight, completing 95% of his passes, making 1.6 tackles, 2.9 clearances and 5.4 recoveries per match and succeeding with 61% of his contested duels.

Scalvini has three years to catch up with him, and while Van de Ven is indeed thriving, the Italian ace looks the real deal and could nurture his innate creativity and power as a defensive force to rise to the forefront with Tottenham, who could soon boast a frightening array of talents in the rearguard to make Guglielmo Vicario's goal impregnable.

West Ham have reportedly made contact to sign a £164,000-per-week forward who Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is a big fan of.

Hammers search for new striker

As could've been predicted, an injury to preferred striker Michail Antonio has left manager David Moyes with a small conundrum to solve over the next two weeks. While the Jamaican's injury is nowhere near as bad as first feared, West Ham will still be left short of natural forward options.

Star winger Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus can be used in more central roles as alternatives to Antonio, with Moyes having those makeshift options and the out-of-favour forward Danny Ings to choose from right now. West Ham, even before Antonio's knock, have been prioritising the addition of a new number nine with technical director Tim Steidten currently at work identifying options.

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Stuttgart star Serhou Guirassy is a target for West Ham while there have been reports Moyes could go back in for Hugo Ekitike after failing to sign him from Paris-Saint Germain in the summer. Pundit Gabriel Agbonlahor, commenting before Antonio's latest absence, told Football Insider that a new forward is an absolute necessity for West Ham in January.

“100%. Antonio, similar to myself, struggles with hamstring injuries," said the former Villa striker.

“When you’re that quick and strong, you’re always going to get muscle injuries. It’s when, not if. Antonio shouldn’t be playing in the Europa League groups. They need another player to come in and start, but Danny Ings isn’t at that level.

“They definitely need to get another one in January, or you could be looking at bringing someone from the Under-23s or playing Benrahma as a false nine. They’ve definitely got to watch Antonio’s minutes.”

Another interesting transfer option to be mentioned by the press is former Chelsea star Timo Werner.

West Ham make contact to sign Werner

According to a report in the print edition of The Mirror (via West Ham Zone), West Ham have made contact to sign Werner from RB Leipzig.

The Germany international is out of favour at Leipzig and is open to making a return to the Premier League, meaning he could well contemplate a move to West Ham.

Fulham and Crystal Palace have also made approaches for Werner, who's scored 11 goals in 35 Bundesliga appearances since re-joining the Bundesliga side from Chelsea in 2022 (Werner stats – WhoScored).

Liverpool were once heavily linked with a move for the 27-year-old, and Klopp has expressed his admiration for Werner who he called a "great player".

"Timo Werner is a great player, Kai Havertz is a great player," Klopp said in 2020.

"Right time, opportunity – everything has to come together. Six, seven weeks ago, we didn't know if we could play again this year. If we hadn't played the second half of the season, we would have thought, 'OK, when can you really play football again?' And now it starts right away."

On a reported £164,000-per-week (Salary Sport), it will be interesting to see if West Ham take their approach further.

حقق نادي بايرن ميونخ الفوز وديًا على حساب توتنهام وديًا بنتيجة 2-1 في إطار استعدادات الفريقين لبداية الموسم الجديد 2024/2025.

تقدم بايرن ميونخ عن طريق جابريل فيدوفيتش في الدقيقة الرابعة من زمن الشوط الأول، وضاعف ليون جوريتسكا النتيجة في الدقيقة 56.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ريليفو توضح تطورات جديدة حول مستقبل ألفونسو ديفيز مع بايرن ميونخ وموقف ريال مدريد

وقلص الفارق بيدرو بورو في الدقيقة 66 لصالح توتنهام ولكن الهدف لم يكن كافيًا لتفادي الهزيمة للفريق الإنجليزي.

هذه هي المباراة الثالثة الودية التي يخوضها بايرن ميونخ تحت قيادة المدير الفني، فينسنت كومباني، بعد الفوز على روتاخ إيجرين 14-1 والتعادل مع دورين 1-1.

بينما توتنهام يخوض المباراة السادسة وديًا بعد الخسارة من نيوكاسل، والفوز على هارتس، كوينز بارك رينجرز، فيسيل كوبي، وأخيرًا نجوم الدوري الكوري الجنوبي.

وشهدت مباراة بايرن ميونخ وتوتنهام التي أقيمت في كوريا الجنوبية غياب هاري كين، بسبب عدم عودته بعد من إجازته الصيفية عقب المشاركة في كأس أمم أوروبا، يورو 2024، مع منتخب إنجلترا.

ويلعب كين مع بايرن ميونخ من الموسم الماضي بعد الانتقال إليه من توتنهام بمبلغ 100 مليون يورو.

 

The Australia captain insisted there was no damage after he took a blow while batting and also offered support to Mitchell Starc ahead of the Perth Test

Daniel Brettig in Adelaide10-Dec-20181:43

‘We’ve got a lot of faith in our lower order’ – Paine

If Shane Warne famously insured his rare spinning fingers for millions, then it is difficult to put a price on the premium that might be attached to the right index finger of the Australian captain Tim Paine. Operated on no fewer than seven times due to problems dating back to a bad break in 2010, Paine’s digit was struck a stinging blow on the final day of the Adelaide Test by Mohammed Shami.The blow required treatment from the Australian team physio David Beakley, and the finger, likened to a “Cumberland sausage” by the commentator and Paine’s former team-mate Ed Cowan, was significantly strapped before Paine continued.Watching from the commentary box, Ricky Ponting feared the worst: “Where he’s putting that tape on is exactly where he broke his finger, right up in that joint closest to the knuckle, is where he had the bad break. He’s had a number of surgeries on it, took him an eternity to get it right, he had titanium plates in it, screws inserted into his finger…”In the aftermath of Australia’s 31-run defeat, Paine refused to concede anything was wrong with the finger, nor could he really afford to. It’s not the first time he has grimaced through significant pain to stay on the field as captain – also doing so when he suffered a hairline thumb fracture when keeping up to the stumps to Chadd Sayers in Johannesburg earlier this year. Should Paine be invalided out of the side, the captaincy is an open question.One vice-captain, Mitchell Marsh, was dropped for this game and the other, Josh Hazlewood would be the first fast bowler to lead since Ray Lindwall led for one drawn Test in India in 1957. After their first ever loss of an opening Test against India at home, the Australia have plenty else on their minds. No wonder all Paine would say was this: “No doubt. I’m fine.”Paine raised one such issue in the form of the DRS, after the many ambiguities surrounding Aaron Finch’s dismissal on the fourth afternoon, when he declined to review a marginal call for a pad/glove catch, with the team later being told there would not have been enough evidence to overturn the decision. Equally, a ball-tracking call to overturn an lbw verdict for Nathan Lyon against the impassable Cheteshwar Pujara, based on the bounce of the ball over the stumps, had clearly stuck in Paine’s craw.”It’s one of those things. You can’t do much about it. We’ve been told Aaron’s for instance would still not have been overturned. Yeah, the DRS is interesting,” Paine said. “Aaron felt something on his glove, it ended up being his pad, that can happen. From a bowling and in the field perspective we’ve got a process we go through with myself and the bowler. Nathan Lyon’s at point a lot, he gives us the indication of height. You have to take everyone’s piece of information and make good decisions. We got a couple wrong but that can happen.Mitchell Starc walks away•Getty Images”I don’t want to talk about DRS. It’s just – it is what it is. A lot of balls seem to be going over the top of the stumps, I know that, that live don’t look like they are. So yeah, it is what it is. Look it’s not a perfect system and I haven’t got the answers. It’s just frustrating, I’d imagine it’s frustrating for everyone.”The fortunes of Mitchell Starc have waned considerably in recent months, and he has tallied 12 wickets at 48.66 since his most recent five-wicket haul in Australia’s most recent Test victory, over South Africa at Durban in March. Paine, though, countered arguments about some of his more wayward moments in Adelaide by saying that overall the left-armer was gaining in consistency rather than losing. A fiery pitch predicted for the new Perth Stadium from Friday will help, too.”I think for the majority of the Test, Starcy actually bowled really well,” Paine said. “I saw a bit of stuff last night, that people were pretty critical of him. But I think his economy rate for a lot of the Test was really good. He took some wickets. He didn’t set the world on fire but I think for a long time there’s been a really big gap between Starcy’s best and his worst and from what I’m seeing that is getting closer and closer every day. So yeah was he at his best? Probably not, but I still thought he played his role really well and opened up the game for us to be honest at times.”When Starcy’s on song there is no better bowler in the world. Particularly with the new ball and if he can get it to swing, I think in Perth the conditions will suit him down to the ground. I think it will be swing and from what I’m hearing the wicket is going to be really fast. So he’ll be a handful.”As for Shaun Marsh, who broke a sequence of 13 innings without passing 50 by making a sure-footed 60 in the second innings, Paine remained firmly behind one of his senior batsman despite his long-established inconsistency.”I think SOS, we all know how good he is, but I just love the way that he keeps coming when everyone writes him off,” Paine said. “He just keeps coming back and turning up and battling as hard as he possibly can and that can be really hard to do when you are always under the pump from you guys and always under the pump from the public and it just shows how strong a character he is and how good a player he is. He’s been in great form the last month or so and I think he is really close to cracking a really big score and winning us some games. He’ll take some belief out of that.”