Liverpool are eyeing a move for ex-Manchester United ace Angel Gomes, who recently made his international debut for England.
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Liverpool want ex-Man Utd star GomesFace competition from Premier League clubsMidfielder made England debut against IrelandWHAT HAPPENED?
Gomes, who currently plies his trade with Ligue 1 side Lille, was recently called up to the England national team by new manager Lee Carsley for their Nations League clashes in the September international break. The midfielder earned his maiden international cap against Ireland last week where he came on as a late substitute and then played the entire 90 minutes against Finland on Tuesday.
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The 24-year-old has entered the final year of his contract with the French club and he reportedly does not plan to extend his stay beyond the current campaign. Per The Sun, his contract situation has alerted several Premier League clubs including English giants Liverpool, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur. The report also adds that the Magpies have made Gomes their 'top target' and are planning to approach the player as early as the January transfer window, while Spurs have been long-time admirers of the youngster.
DID YOU KNOW?
Last month, the England international was involved in a violent clash with Amadou Kone during a Ligue 1 clash between Lille and Reims. The collision resulted in a severe head injury prompting immediate action from the match officials and medical staff. The player, however, returned to action for his club on September 1 before travelling with the Three Lions squad for their Nations League clashes.
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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR ANGEL GOMES?
The player will be back in action with the French club this week as Lille take on St-Etienne in a Ligue 1 clash on Friday night.
Everton may have avoided relegation from the Premier League once again this season, but Sean Dyche has a major job on his hands this summer to take the Merseyside outfit back into the top half of the Premier League next term.
Retaining their top-flight status came despite being deducted eight points after breaching several financial fair play regulations, which means they will have to be clever during the summer transfer window.
This could suggest Dyche may need to move a player or two on during the transfer window in order to balance the books, especially if he is looking to make several signings of his own.
It won't be the first time Everton have had to move on their most prized assets, that’s for sure, as the likes of Wayne Rooney, Richarlison, Romelu Lukaku and John Stones have all been snapped up by bigger clubs due to their financial clout, leaving the Toffees short of a wonderful player, yet with a major profit being secured.
Dyche has plenty of young talent who he could sell to raise funds, especially Jarrad Branthwaite and Amadou Onana, who could bolster the club’s coffers, no doubt about it.
One of the most profitable pieces of transfer business the club have conducted since the turn of the century was that of selling Joleon Lescott to Manchester City back in 2009.
Joleon Lescott’s Everton statistics
The centre-back made his senior breakthrough at Wolverhampton Wanderers during the 2000/01 season, going on to eventually make 227 appearances for the Old Gold before making the move to Everton.
The Goodison Park side signed the defender for a fee in the region of £5m, which certainly looked like a bargain given how much he had shone at Wolves over the years.
David Moyes even hailed him as the “best centre-half in the Championship” giving glowing praise to the then 23-year-old as the manager bolstered his defence with the signing of Lescott.
Season
Games
Goals
Minutes
2008/09
46
5
4,154
2007/08
54
10
4,800
2006/07
42
2
3,677
Despite struggling with knee injuries in the past, Lescott emerged as a consistent member of the starting XI during his time on Merseyside, missing just two Premier League games across his three full seasons.
While Moyes managed to make Everton a team who were extremely difficult to beat, even leading them to a fourth-place finish in the 2004/05 campaign, Lescott failed to win any silverware during his spell with the Toffees, losing the 2009 FA Cup final to Chelsea.
Overall, the former Wolves titan made nearly 150 competitive appearances for Everton and his reliability along with remarkable consistency saw him attract attention from other teams heading into the summer of 2009.
There is no doubt Moyes was looking to make a profit on the player, but how much would Everton sell him for?
How much would Joleon Lescott be worth in 2024 money
Lescott was hitting his peak when Manchester City began making advances to sign the Everton defender ahead of the 2009/10 season.
Moyes turned down initial bids of £15m and £18m for the defender while going as far as dropping Lescott due to his “bad attitude” following an opening day 6-1 defeat to Arsenal, and it was clear there was no way back for him after that.
City eventually signed their man for a fee of £22m, which represented a wonderful £17m profit after just three years on Merseyside, not a bad piece of business at all from Moyes.
How much would this £22m transfer fee from 15 years ago be worth in 2024? Well, we have the answer.
The deal taking Lescott from Everton to City in 2009 would now be worth a staggering £57m, according to a conversion tool from the Totally Money Transfer Index, which measures transfer fees from the previous 30 years and adjusts them for inflation in today’s market.
Not only is this an eyewatering sum and proves Moyes was right to hold out for a fee of over £20m, but his value in today’s market is currently more than some of the current Everton players, most notably Onana.
Indeed, according to Football Insider, the 22-year-old may be allowed to depart for £50m this summer – amid interest from Bayern Munich – albeit with that figure still falling short of Lescott's mammoth deal from almost 15 years ago.
What Joleon Lescott did after leaving Everton
Despite arriving at City clearly approaching his peak years, the former England international failed to demonstrate the consistency that had allowed him to shine at Everton.
Across five full seasons, Lescott made over 30 Premier League appearances just once, the 2011/12 campaign, which saw the club finally win the title after a 44-year drought.
After two league titles, an FA Cup and League Cup winners medal, the centre-back departed the Etihad in the summer of 2014, moving to West Bromwich Albion, yet his senior career would last only another three seasons before he retired at the end of the 2016/17 campaign following a brief spell with Sunderland.
At his peak, Lescott was one of the finest defenders in the country, evidenced by the fact he also won 26 caps for England, scoring once at Euro 2012 against France.
Moyes certainly brought out the best in the player, however, as he developed into a solid figure at the heart of the Everton defence between 2006 and 2009.
Football – Everton v Manchester United FA Cup Semi Final – Wembley Stadium – 08/09 – 19/4/09 Joleon Lescott – Everton in action against Federico Macheda – Manchester United (R) Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Carl Recine
Everton hit the jackpot with Joleon Lescott
Everton certainly hit the jackpot with Joleon Lescott, who they bought for cheap and sold onto Manchester City for big money.
The Scotsman was a shrewd operator in the transfer window and there is no doubt moving on the defender when he was at his peak surely goes down as one of his best-ever decisions.
Domestic cricket restarted five months after it was suspended due to Covid-19
Andrew Fidel Fernando10-Aug-2020Sri Lanka’s domestic cricket season resumed on Monday with runs from Kusal Mendis and Angelo Mathews, almost five months after it was suspended due to Covid-19.Mendis hit 132 not out for Colombo Cricket Club and Mathews made 80 not out for Colts Cricket Club, in separate ‘Super Eights’ matches. All up, six first-class matches were played. That many of these featured current Sri Lanka cricketers is a rare occurrence, as top players are often busy with international commitments during the domestic season, which ordinarily runs from November to April.ALSO READ: South Africa’s tours of West Indies and Sri Lanka postponed indefinitelyThe resumption of domestic games, however, comes in the absence of international cricket, which SLC had hoped would take place in July and August. India’s limited-overs tour of Sri Lanka was postponed indefinitely, while the Bangladesh Test tour of Sri Lanka has been pencilled in – but not confirmed – for October. Instead of these tours, SLC now hopes to play the Lankan Premier League (LPL) T20 franchise tournament.Sri Lanka’s domestic cricket was slated to begin at the end of July after the government had lifted curfews and supposedly brought the spread of Covid-19 under strong control, but an outbreak of the virus last month forced the resumption date to be pushed back. According to government figures, Sri Lanka has been largely successful in containing the virus, with fewer than 300 Covid-19 patients in medical care at present.
Says he has not personally experienced issues within the team, and distances team from CSA’s administrative chaos
Firdose Moonda07-Sep-2020The South African men’s national team appears eager to distance themselves from the governance crises unfolding at Cricket South Africa as they chart a new, inclusive way forward. That message comes after a 32-man extended squad attended a culture camp at the Kruger National Park last month, which took place in the same week that CSA’s president Chris Nenzani and acting CEO Jacques Faul resigned, plunging the organisation into uncertainty.Since then, the nationally contracted men’s and women’s players issued a joint statement through the South African Cricketers’ Association calling on CSA to improve their governance and leadership. The issues at the governing body – which was forced to postpone its AGM that was due to take place at the weekend – rage on but the class of 2020 remains focused on building a unified outfit that will be ready to take the field, together.”There’s a big distinction between the Proteas team itself and CSA as a whole,” Tabraiz Shamsi, who was the first of the current crop to show public support for Lungi Ngidi’s comments on the Black Lives Matter movement said. “We know there’s a bit of turmoil in the administrative side of things and those are things that we cannot control. Those are things that are not for us to worry about because our job is to play cricket for the nation and win games and win trophies for the country.”As divisions at CSA and among former players continue to be exposed, Shamsi stressed the importance of denouncing discrimination that took place in the past while also emphasising that the mood has changed. “In the Proteas environment I have never experienced any racism. Past players have spoken about things where stuff was not equal and even the players that did make it had to go through some sort of hurdles that they shouldn’t have experienced if there was a level playing field. That’s the biggest thing we need to acknowledge and understand and ensure that kind of stuff is taken away from the system, that that kind of stuff won’t be tolerated and its not okay. But, as a whole, I’ve never experienced something like that from the players.
“We realised there is a lot of strength in being able to communicate rather than assuming. Once we understand things from the other person’s perspective, things become a lot clearer and a lot easier to understand where people are coming from”Tabraiz Shamsi on South Africa’s chats around racism
“Where we sit, we are definitely stronger than we were before this camp, because we have had those chats, and I see it as a big positive. We’ve sat down and we’ve come up with the way forward. We are in a good space.”At the camp, Shamsi said the players learned about and contextualised each others’ backgrounds and developed a way of communicating that preferences listening. “It was really important to have a discussion regarding race because as hard as it is to speak about things like that, its a big part of South Africa because of our history. We were divided in the past and it’s important for us as a group to speak about those things.”We realised there is a lot of strength in being able to communicate rather than assuming. Once we understand things from the other person’s perspective, things become a lot clearer and a lot easier to understand where people are coming from – where their hurt is coming from and where their happiness is coming from.”And now that they have reached a place of greater understanding, they are ready to start showing off their new approach on the field. South Africa do not have any confirmed fixtures, either domestic or international, ahead of the 2020-21 summer, but Shamsi says the squad will be ready when the time comes to play.”All our senior players retired in a big clump and experience is something you can’t buy. Guys like Hashim Amla and Vernon Philander leaving leaves a massive gap and under normal circumstances, you have a younger players filtering in and learning from them and preparing them for the time when the legends retire. For whatever reason, that wasn’t the case for us.”But it’s a positive. Even though it’s a young group of guys, we can relate to each other better. There’s no major distinction between the older guys and the younger guys, or the experienced guys and the inexperienced guys. It’s not all doom and gloom. I am very positive. We have played with and against each other for a long time, so we have a very good understanding. I am comfortable with where we are at and the direction we are going in as a group.”
Pedro Neto admitted that "no one can sleep" at Chelsea due to the intense competition for places after completing a £54m transfer from Wolves.
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Neto joined Chelsea in the summer Faces stiff competition from Madueke, Sancho & othersScored against Barrow to stake his claim WHAT HAPPENED?
The forward, who was brought in to bolster the London club's attacking options, has quickly realized that securing regular game time at Stamford Bridge is no easy task. With the rise of young talents such as Noni Madueke alongside big names like Jadon Sancho and Mykhailo Mudryk, Neto knows that the pressure is immense.
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On Tuesday night, Neto made a significant impact, staking his claim for a regular spot in the Chelsea attack after he scored his first goal for the Blues in their emphatic 5-0 victory over Barrow in the Carabao Cup third round. He was used by Maresca on the right wing, while Mudryk slotted in at the left flank with Christopher Nkunku leading the lines.
WHAT NETO SAID
Reflecting on the competition within the squad, Neto told reporters that, “With the amount of quality that we have here, no one can sleep. As the coach has said, 'Everyone will not play every game.' So we have to work hard and push ourselves every weekend, every training session, every game. That’s the mentality that can take us to the top.”
He added: "Everyone has to work hard. When you arrive at a big club, it is a new adaptation. Maybe in Wolverhampton, I was going to play maybe 90% of the games. Here I have to work even more or maybe I'll not play because the coach will rotate the players. It makes you play even better because you know that you have to work. But even at Wolverhampton, if I was playing 90% of the games, I would go into every training session to be the best."
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DID YOU KNOW?
Neto missed Chelsea's pre-season in the United States, meaning he still has work to do to build his fitness levels. However, he remains determined to improve and contribute to the team's success.
"I continue to work," Neto said on his fitness. "I continue to work on my confidence, on my football, on the adaptation, and I hope to be [fully fit] as soon as I can. I'm settling in really good. I needed time. I needed the pre-season. I went to the European Championship without playing many games. But I am here. I am working hard to get into my best shape, and I will continue to work to give happiness to this club and to bring this club to where it deserves to be."
Arne Slot has officially got his Liverpool tenure underway and soon enough, he could have his first signing with reports suggesting that the Reds have opened talks to welcome a midfield reinforcement this summer.
Liverpool transfer news
Those in Merseyside could be in for a busy summer as they look to transition into a new era without Jurgen Klopp for the first time in almost a decade. As Michael Edwards returns with more responsibility than ever though, Liverpool are certainly in good hands. The returning club chief has already set his sights on a number of fresh faces too, which includes recent Champions League winners Aurelien Tchouameni and Brazilian winger Rodrygo.
It may be a more familiar target that the Reds welcome this summer. According to TuttoJuve, Liverpool have opened talks to sign Khephren Thuram from Ligue 1 side Nice. The midfielder was initially linked with the Premier League giants last summer, before a move failed to come to fruition. Now, a year later, they could seal a deal worth just €30m (£26m) in the coming months.
Liverpool "expected" to open talks for "creative" ace Slot personally wants
He enjoyed an excellent season.
ByTom Cunningham Jun 2, 2024
Reportedly earning just £14k-a-week too, Thuram wouldn't disrupt Liverpool's wage structure in a package that could be an instant bargain. Still just 23 years old, Thuram is a player ready for such a move in a deal that would hand Slot an early solution to the same defensive midfield problem that Klopp ran into not so long ago.
Whilst other unnamed Premier League clubs are reportedly interested in the Frenchman, Liverpool may hope to finally win the race for Thuram this summer.
"Excellent" Thuram could replace Endo
As nice a surprise as Wataru Endo's Liverpool rise has been since he completed a move last summer, he is already 31 years old and it remains to be seen just how long he can consistently perform in the Premier League, such is its intensity. In truth, the Japan international always seemed a short-term solution for a long-term problem that Thuram could solve for Slot.
Progressive Carries
67
10
Progressive Passes
104
101
Tackles Won
29
28
Ball Recoveries
129
108
An all-round player on and off the ball, Thuram's ability to slot straight into the defensive midfield role would also permanently unleash Alexis Mac Allister into a more advanced position, which, in itself, would make quite the impact.
It's no surprise that the Nice midfielder has earned such high praise, with Football Talent Scout's Jacek Kulig describing his technique and ball control at speed as "excellent". Now, It could be Liverpool who benefit by adding the final piece to a midfield rebuild initially started under Klopp and seemingly set to continue under the guidance of Edwards and Slot.
When the 2024/25 season comes around, Chelsea will have a new manager in the dugout, Enzo Maresca.
However, the Italian won’t be the only new face at Stamford Bridge, with Todd Boehly keen to bolster his squad.
Tosin Adarabioyo has already become the Blues’ first signing of the summer, and the next acquisition looks set to be at the opposite end of the field.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at a Chelsea target who could not only become an alternative to Benjamin Sesko, but also become their next Didier Drogba.
Chelsea's search for a new striker
According to a report from the Daily Mail, Chelsea are eyeing a move for Dominic Calvert-Lewin this summer.
It’s mentioned that the Blues are 'monitoring developments' at this moment in time as they look to bolster the attack.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin celebrates against Liverpool
The Everton striker has just one year left on his current contract, which means he could be bought for a cut price if he resumes to sign a new deal – with previous reports indicating a fee of around £40m.
This would make him a cheaper option than key target Sesko, for example, who has a release clause of £56m.
Why Calvert-Lewin could be Chelsea’s next Drogba
Drogba will be forever regarded as a legend at Chelsea for the trophies and endless amount of joy his goals brought.
For many, the Ivorian will remain an irreplaceable player given that he scored 164 goals and provided 88 assists in 381 appearances for the club.
But, according to journalist Paul Brown, Calvert-Lewin could be the “closest thing” to Drogba that Chelsea can sign, as he’s a “battering ram centre forward.”
The Everton marksman enjoyed a relatively injury-free 2023/24 campaign, starting 26 Premier League matches, scoring seven goals, and providing two assists.
Goals
0.29
0.83
0.45
xG
0.53
0.45
0.60
Shots
2.94
2.77
2.57
Touches
30.59
31.14
32.09
Passes completed
10.28
12.68
16.56
Aerials won
5.68
2.24
1.13
It’s fair to say that when Calvert-Lewin is fit and full of confidence, he’s an absolute handful to play against.
Just like Drogba, he’s an extremely physical and athletic centre forward who mainly serves as a target man while also having excellent movement.
The Englishman’s biggest strength is having the ability to dominate aerially, ranking in the top 97% for aerial duels won in the Premier League.
Another attribute of the Toffee’s number nine is that he’s a “monster” in the penalty area, as dubbed by journalist James Dodd, which is shown by his high xG and shots per game.
This would give the Chelsea attack more unpredictability and a completely different approach, and with Cole Palmer’s delivery, Calvert-Lewin would thrive.
Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin
Although his stats do not get close to Sesko’s or even Nicolas Jackson’s, it’s important to remember the environment that each individual currently plays in.
For example, Calvert-Lewin often works with scraps, and the majority of his chances will come via set plays and crosses due to Everton having 40.6% possession last season, whereas the other two get much more service on a continuous basis.
Therefore, it may be worth taking a risk to see how the 27-year-old would perform in a better side, and given that he’d cost less than Sesko, it could prove to be a solid deal.
Personal terms offered: Chelsea eye "insane" signing who Palmer will love
Chelsea are willing to pay the ace’s release clause.
Rana also expects Pat Cummins’ experience to help the franchise’s uncapped Indian fast bowlers
Sreshth Shah17-Sep-2020Among left-hand batsmen who have scored more than 1000 T20 runs from the start of 2018, England captain Eoin Morgan (158.62) is one of the only two players – along with Rishabh Pant (159.11) – to boast a strike rate upwards of 155. As Morgan flies to the UAE to link up with the Kolkata Knight Riders following Wednesday’s ODI cliffhanger against Australia, Nitish Rana, another left-hand batsman in the franchise’s middle order, has his sights set on picking Morgan’s brains this year at the IPL.”I am very excited because he is a World Cup winner,” Rana said of Morgan, who led England to ODI World Cup triumph at home last year. “And the second thing is that he is a rare left-handed batsman who is dominating white-ball cricket. [I am] looking forward to learning plenty from him because he is a World Cup winning captain. I really want to imbibe his leadership qualities – not just for my exploits in domestic cricket, but in the IPL as well.”Another passenger on the specially chartered flight from the UK is Australia quick Pat Cummins, who was bought for INR 15.5 crore (approx. $2.2 million in December) at the auction and is expected to lead the Knight Riders bowling attack this season. Rana believes Cummins could especially help the young uncapped Indian pacers in the squad get better at their craft.”Our bowling attack is actually quite strong,” Rana said. “With Cummins joining us, we get a boost in experience in our squad. Our young bowlers have been excellent in domestic competitions and for Knight Riders for the past two years, and my earnest wish is that they learn as much as they can from Cummins, so they can evolve into better players for the team.”Rana, who has been a vital cog in the Knight Riders middle order wheel since the 2018 season following his stint with the Mumbai Indians, was also hopeful that the seething pace of 2018 Under-19 World Cup winners Kamlesh Nagarkoti and Shivam Mavi could be a potent weapon for the franchise.ALSO READ: Back in ‘full rhythm’, Shivam Mavi hopes to make up for lost timeWhile Mavi gears up to play his second season for the Knight Riders, after a lukewarm debut in 2018 and a long injury layoff that began in December last year, Nagarkoti, who was picked up by the franchise for the 2018 IPL, is set to make his T20 debut.Shivam Mavi chases after a ball•BCCI”Nagarkoti – the poor guy has been injured for the last two seasons, but I’ve noticed in the intra-squad matches that he has become very strong physically and has taken care of the past injuries that have hurt him,” Rana said. “He and Shivam Mavi have both been bowling at over 140kph and as a batsman, I can tell you that it’s no joke facing bowlers who can get those speeds every delivery. It’s challenging for any batsman.”Rana, who grew up playing cricket in the blazing heat of Delhi, said he is well attuned to playing under oppressive conditions the UAE typically offers. Clubbing that with his naturally aggressive style of play, one especially called for by head coach Brendon McCullum, who has come to the UAE on the back of leading the Trinbago Knight Riders to 12 wins in a row en route to the Caribbean Premier League title, Rana said the coach’s ideas could sync well with his own.”It’s not that hot [in Abu Dhabi], considering I’m from North India, Delhi,” Rana said. “Yes, it was taking a bit of time to adjust to the conditions, practising four hours, but we are used to it. We are all professional cricketers, so these things don’t affect us much.”Being from Delhi, I have always approached cricket in an aggressive manner. As a kid, growing up, I was a big fan of McCullum, so I was very excited when I first heard he was appointed our coach. The way he aggressively played as a batsman – I sincerely hope he coaches us the same way.”Rana is also looking forward to reprising his role as a part-time spinner for the Knight Riders, a task he first performed in his debut match for the side, dismissing Royal Challengers Bangalore’s Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers in the same over. With the UAE surfaces expected to assist slow bowlers, Rana said he has prepared to make good use of his right-arm offspin this season too.”In domestic cricket, I’ve been always bowling, so that skill has never been a new thing for me,” he said. “I’ve been bowling for the last two years and that the tournament is happening in the UAE, is the best scenario for me, considering I’m likely to get decent grip off the surface. Besides, I am a much-improved bowler; I am actually hoping to bowl more overs this time around.”The Knight Riders play their first match, against defending champions Mumbai, on September 23, and will be the last franchise to kick off their IPL 2020 campaign.
The Egyptian netted the winner from the penalty spot at Molineux as Arne Slot's side made it five wins from six to start the season
Liverpool climbed to the top of the Premier League table as Mohamed Salah converted from the penalty spot to secure a 2-1 win over struggling Wolves in what was an underwhelming but overall satisfying performance from Arne Slot's side.
The Reds were on the backfoot for the opening 20 minutes as Gary O'Neil's side came out of the blocks quickly, but eventually the visitors took control, and Dominik Szoboszlai should have given them the lead when he fired straight at Sam Johnstone from close-range.
Ibrahima Konate, however, did not make the same mistake from a similar position as he headed home Diogo Jota's cross in first-half stoppage-time. However, the France defender then went from hero to villain early in the second period as he failed to deal with a ball that was trickling towards the byline, and Wolves took advantage as Rayan Ait-Nouri slammed into an empty net.
The hosts weren't level for long, however, as Jota was fouled by Nelson Semedo in the penalty area, and Salah made no mistake despite having an otherwise forgettable evening.
GOAL rates Liverpool's players from Molineux…
Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence
Alisson Becker (6/10):
Back from injury and showed good hands on a number of occasions. Maybe could have helped out Konate for the Wolves goal, but wasn't as much to blame as the defender.
Trent Alexander-Arnold (5/10):
Below his best as he cut a frustrated figure at times. Booked early for kicking the ball away, though did make a couple of strong defensive interventions.
Ibrahima Konate (6/10):
Excellent in dealing with Strand Larsen in the first half before powering home a header to open the scoring. Looked lost for the first 20 minutes after the break, as he was at fault for the equaliser and then picked up a booking. Did recover to make a crucial block to deny Forbs when through on goal.
Virgil van Dijk (8/10):
Imperial at the heart of the Reds' defence. Swept up when Wolves looked to get in behind and stepped in to make challenges and clearances on a regular basis. A real leader's performance.
Andrew Robertson (6/10):
Combined well with Diaz down the left, but his final ball wasn't always what he was looking for. Solid defensively.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportMidfield
Ryan Gravenberch (8/10):
Gets better with every game. Barely lost possession in midfield as he proved press-resistant before playing some excellent passes.
Alexis Mac Allister (6/10):
Looked off the pace to begin with but grew into the game as it wore on. Eventually began to distribute well, particularly in the second half.
Dominik Szoboszlai (4/10):
Didn't look up for it at all. Wasted a gilt-edged chance in the first half when he fired straight at Johnstone, and allowed Lemina to run off him for the Wolves equaliser. Will have better days.
AFPAttack
Mohamed Salah (6/10):
Had a quiet first hour as Ait-Nouri did a good job in locking the Egyptian down. Made no mistake from the penalty spot, but did miss an earlier sitter and should have played Jones in to make it 3-1 with what looked to be a simple pass.
Diogo Jota (7/10):
Struggled to get into goal-scoring positions against his former club, but did play a big role in both goals, as he sent over a superb cross for Konate to head home before winning the penalty by getting the wrong side of Semedo.
Luis Diaz (7/10):
Carried the ball well and looked a threat whenever he got around the Wolves penalty area. Couldn't keep his fine goal-scoring form going, however.
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AFPSubs & Manager
Cody Gakpo (6/10):
Replaced Diaz for the final 20 minutes but didn't really offer much.
Curtis Jones (7/10):
Bright after coming on for Szoboszlai. Should have been played in by Salah and then tested Johnstone with a low effort.
Joe Gomez (N/A):
On for Robertson for the final couple of minutes.
Arne Slot (6/10):
His side took time to get going and this was by no means a complete performance, but they did largely dominate and pick up the three points, so he won't be too disappointed.
Bangladesh’s new High Performance coach turns up the speed on the bowling machine at camp
Mohammad Isam29-Oct-2020Two years ago in the West Indies, Toby Radford witnessed two contrasting sides of the Bangladesh team. That first-hand experience has, in turn, convinced him that his first focus as the BCB’s High Performance (HP) head coach has to be strengthening the batsmen’s techniques against good fast bowling.Bangladesh were bowled out for 43 against West Indies in the first Test in 2018 and couldn’t even reach 200 in any innings during the series. But Radford, then West Indies’ batting coach, saw how they bounced back to win both the ODI and the T20I series, something which made it clear to him where their priorities lay.Having started the HP unit’s training camp a few days ago, Radford has already revved up the bowling machine and used the throwdown dogstick with maximum speed. The camp will finish before next month’s proposed T20 tournament, after which they will reconvene next year ahead of a possible Ireland A tour to Bangladesh in February.Radford says he wants to find out who the batsmen with the best techniques are, so that in a few years they can stand up to good fast bowling at the highest level.”I was with the West Indies team when we played Bangladesh two years ago. [Both the] Tests were over in three days,” Radford said. “The pace of Shannon Gabriel and the rest of the fast bowlers blew away Bangladesh’s top order. Then we saw a very different Bangladesh side with the white-ball formats. They won both the ODIs and the T20I series. I have told the board that I want to create a group of players that can really stand up in Test cricket. They can be technically tight, face 90 miles an hour bowling and bat for five hours. They can bowl in long spells.”ALSO READ: Bangladesh hope changing perspectives towards legspin finally earns long-awaited rewardsIn order to improve their skills in Test cricket, he also wants Bangladesh’s batsmen to show courage and respect the good balls. “I threw balls for four hours this morning, and I had a bloke throwing at them at 90 miles an hour. The idea was to test them for five-day cricket. You have to leave balls and get behind balls. Duck under them, be gutsy, get forward. It is a test of what you want in Test cricket. It is the focus at the moment. The T20 and 50-over stuff comes later.”I want to see the high-end players first. Let’s get the chassis of the car built before we get the alloys. I’d like to see Bangladesh be really competitive in Tests, but not just in Bangladesh. The only way you can play against Mitchell Starc in Australia is if you turn the bowling machine up and really get people used to it and techniques to cope with it. It is my whole philosophy.”Radford’s other focus is to expose the HP players to different conditions, for which he is asking the BCB to arrange a tour to England in the next English summer.”There will be another training block at the end of January leading into Ireland A, who are meant to be coming. It is not confirmed yet, nothing is due to Covid-19. After that, I [have] told the board that I’d be keen to tour England, where bowlers can learn to bowl on green wickets that offer seam and swing. Batters can learn to play on them.”It will be a good test for them in not easy conditions. If these players go on to the international side, at some point they will be facing Jimmy Anderson, Stuart Broad and Chris Woakes at Lord’s. I need them to be there before and get used to playing on pitches that seam around, and when it swings. It is tough, and the only way you get used to it is [by] practising.”