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England quick hopes to use BBL stint with Melbourne Renegades to build his case

Alex Malcolm30-Nov-2021

Left-arm quick Reece Topley is hoping to use the Big Bash League as a launching pad to build his case to be in England’s first-choice squad for next year’s T20 World Cup in Australia.Topley was a late addition to England’s squad halfway through the recent T20 World Cup in the UAE as a replacement for the injured Tymal Mills.He has never played in the BBL before and has only played one England Lions List A game in Australia back in 2013, but he’s hoping a full season with Melbourne Renegades will put him firmly in the frame for next year’s World Cup.”It’s obviously an opportunity and it’s one that I hope to take and hopefully try and impress the right people,” Topley said. “But obviously, being around in Dubai, I felt I was ready if the opportunity came. Unfortunately, it never did. But, you know, it was nice to have this lined up for when I left there. And it was going to be a great opportunity to get some playing time after being on the sidelines for a month or so.”Topley found the experience in the UAE invaluable despite not getting the opportunity to play. He was particularly grateful for spending some time with Chris Woakes and new Surrey T20 captain, and Sydney Sixers recruit, Chris Jordan.”Being around someone like Chris Jordan, trying to take things away from how he goes about it at the death and different stages of the game,” Topley said. “Even someone like Woakesy with bowling up top, why wouldn’t you if you’ve got those people around you in the changing room.”Related

Chris Jordan jets into Sydney Sixers squad as replacement for Carlos Brathwaite

Reece Topley eyes 'pressure scenarios' after joining Melbourne Renegades

Topley has joined Renegades for the upcoming BBL with a special connection to the club having spent two summers in Melbourne during his prolonged rehabilitation from his series of back injuries.After making his T20I debut against Australia in 2015 in Cardiff and playing international cricket over the next year including at the 2016 T20 World Cup his career stalled. But a trip to Melbourne in 2018-19 provided a great opportunity for him to train with Victoria on an ad hoc basis while he continued his rehab and it remains a fond memory as Renegades won the BBL title that year.”I know some of the guys from being in and around Melbourne and I trained with Victoria a few times and obviously there were a few Renegades players around that,” Topley said. “So I know a lot of the guys pretty well which is nice. Obviously, you’re arriving to this environment having already formed a relationship with a lot of guys.”Honestly, I was just out here training, just bowling in the nets. Lucky I’m a bowler because everyone, you know, would love a net bowler. If I was a batter asking guys to charge in at me I don’t think I’d have been as popular. But I was always ready to bowl at anyone that would fancy having a net around here and it really helped me, especially while it’s cold in England getting outside here bowling in the nets is a lot better than bowling indoors where it’s freezing.”Topley is excited to work with new coach David Saker and bowling coach Mick Lewis, particularly on finding the right lengths and variations in Australia.But more than anything, he is simply happy to be fit and back playing regularly.”I’m real happy with where I’m at,” Topley said. “To play consistently for I think three years now like summer, winter, summer, winter, it’s obviously a big ask but I’m happy that I’ve been able to answer that with playing consistently and staying relatively injury-free. Obviously, as a bowler that’s probably the biggest battle you face most of the time is just being fit, but I think being fit and available and then playing is definitely helping me with developing.”

Arsenal host Liverpool at the Emirates tonight, in what is undoubtedly Mikel Arteta’s side’s biggest challenge of the 2024/25 Premier League campaign so far.

The Gunners will be looking to return to winning ways after falling to defeat against Bournemouth last weekend, in another outing ruined by an early dismissal.

Centre-back William Saliba was originally cautioned for dragging down striker Evanilson, but after an on-field VAR review, the Frenchman was given a straight red card.

He will subsequently miss this afternoon’s meeting, making the task a little bit harder for the Gunners if they are to inflict just a second league defeat of the season on Arne Slot’s team.

Numerous big decisions await the Spaniard, including who to replace Saliba with, but he may also be tempted to drop one player after his performances in the last seven days.

Why Arteta must drop Trossard against Liverpool

Leandro Trossard has had a week to forget on the pitch, all starting in the defeat against Andoni Iraola’s side at the Vitality last weekend.

The Belgian was the player who played the poor pass into the path of opposition striker Evanilson, which led to Saliba’s dismissal – undoubtedly costing Arteta’s side all three points in the process.

However, he was included from the off against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on Wednesday night, but once more failed to justify his selection.

He stepped up to take the penalty during the second 45, but his effort was denied as he failed to get on the scoresheet and help the Gunners secure a more comfortable victory over the Ukrainian outfit.

Minutes played

88

Touches

38

Passes completed

21/26 (81%)

Shots taken

5

Possession lost

7x

Fouls committed

1

Penalties missed

1

Given the nature of the fixture this evening, Arteta can’t be carrying any passengers who are struggling and lacking confidence – something which has been evident in the 29-year-old’s displays over recent weeks.

As a result, he could drop to the substitutes bench once again, handing an opportunity to one player who has deserved a start in recent months after his emergence in North London.

The man to replace Trossard against Liverpool

17-year-old midfielder Ethan Nwaneri has been nothing short of sensational for the club’s first team in recent times after his breakthrough over the last couple of years.

He made his Premier League debut in the 2022/23 campaign as a 15-year-old, making him the youngest player in the competition’s history – showcasing the trust placed in him by Arteta.

Nwaneri has already bagged two goals for the first team this season in the Carabao Cup tie against Bolton Wanderers at the Emirates, earning him increased minutes off the substitutes bench.

The Hale End academy star, who’s previously been dubbed “unplayable” by former Gunners star Jack Wilshere, has also impressed for various youth levels over the last 12 months, scoring ten goals in 13 appearances in the Premier League 2.

Although the game is one of the biggest of the season, Nwaneri would massively relish the opportunity to make his full Premier League debut in such a fixture – potentially adding a different dimension to the Arsenal side.

It will be a tough ask to secure all three points after Liverpool’s start and the current suspension situation at the back, but regardless, Arteta has shown time and time again that he’s able to make the right choice for these decisive moments.

Arsenal wasted £47m on Wenger flop who earned even more than Trossard does

Arsenal were far too eager to hand out massive contracts under the Frenchman.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 26, 2024

GOAL US writers discuss the USMNT's camp, Neymar to MLS speculation, and Arsenal's status after an FA Cup loss

There is one word on every MLS fan's lips this week: Neymar.

The Brazilian attacking midfielder is once again being linked with a move to the U.S., and after admitting that he would love to link up with his old Barcelona teammates Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez at Inter Miami, the possibility of the trio strutting their stuff together has dominated the conversation.

But that's not the only storyline in the scope of U.S. soccer. There is a January camp and two friendlies over the next week for Mauricio Pochettino and the USMNT. Previously dubbed "camp cupcake", the winter window is an odd thing for the national team. It's low stakes, sometimes low energy, and largely ignored by the global football calendar. Can we really take anything from these games with a MLS-heavy roster? Or are they just individual tryouts? It will be interesting to see if anyone can seize a starting spot going forward.

At the club level, Weston McKennie is back in the fold for Juventus, but is having to settle for minutes at left back. That could be an issue for a player who could do with operating in his natural position. Meanwhile, FA Cup action in England failed to deliver many major surprises, but Arsenal's loss at the hands of Manchester United might have just left the Gunners facing the reality of another trophyless season.

The state of soccer is as intriguing as ever, and GOAL US writers tackle all in the latest edition of… The Rondo.

IMAGNWhich player are you most excited to watch in January camp?

Tom Hindle: Pickings tend to be rather slim for January camps. Despite the big names that have gotten their starts with the USMNT in the winter months over the years, this isn't the most compelling roster. Diego Luna is perhaps the obvious answer. The attacking midfielder is a real live wire with the ball, and hasn't been given a proper look for the senior side yet. He's probably the only attacking player here who can realistically use the next couple of weeks to establish a USMNT future.

Jacob Schneider: Yes, it's Luna. It's his time to shine and convince U.S. Soccer that he deserves more than just a January camp. More than that, he needs to impress potential European suitors. The RSL winger/attacking midfielder is creative, unique and presents Pochettino with another weapon in the attack, especially when attacking depth is the biggest issue at the moment.

Ryan Tolmich: Give me Jack McGlynn. The Philadelphia Union midfielder is blessed with vision that might just be the best in the pool, but there are questions about how his game will translate to the international level. Will his brain work fast enough against top, top players? More importantly, will his body? We'll have to see if McGlynn's ability with the ball at his feet can make him a USMNT regular, but a strong performance in these upcoming games would be a good start.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWho should start in goal for the USMNT in this camp?

TH: Zack Steffen. He's been here before and deserves another shot after a solid season in MLS. It might also be worth giving Patrick Schulte a look, who has been knocking on the door for a while now. Give them a game each and see what happens.

JS: Schulte should get the minutes, but if rotation happens, Matt Freese absolutely deserves a nod. Neither Drake Callender or Steffen were good enough in 2024, and simply put, are in camp due to previous experience and name recognition. Freese was brilliant for NYCFC in 2024, and Schulte is still competing with Turner for the No. 1 spot – they should be the two in January.

RT: Schulte should start at least one game and, in an ideal world, probably both. Freese has an argument, to be fair, but Schulte is the one fighting hardest for that No. 1 spot. This camp should be his chance to show Pochettino why he should be right up there with Matt Turner – who got a rare start with Crystal Palace last weekend, and is not in this camp – and not just a distant backup. Two good performances from Schulte, and continued non-action from Turner, would open up a very interesting conversation come March.

Getty Images SportWould Neymar be a good fit for Inter Miami?

TH: In terms of jersey sales, of course. Tactically? Not even a little bit. Let's be honest, the thing this team needs is another attacking player with zero work rate. They are already carrying too many passengers to push for MLS Cup – something Atlanta United exposed in last year's playoffs. The PSG affliction of adding a ton of stars into one side and expecting success is a widespread thing. Signing Neymar would be a perfect example of subtraction by addition. Then again, Neymar in Miami would be box office. Make it happen, even if it blows their MLS Cup chances to smithereens.

JS: If the finances work, Neymar should be good anywhere. It's a hands-down yes. Even if he plays 50% of the matches, it's a win for any club simply due to marketing. From a performance perspective, he would fill Diego Gomez' spot well, and the chemistry with Messi and Suarez would be fun to watch.

RT: Make it happen, MLS! When healthy, Neymar is one of the most electrifying players of this century, although, to be fair, health has been an issue. He has all the money in the world due to his stint in Saudi Arabia, but can you really put a price on playing with your friends in Miami? Questions remain if that friendly atmosphere would help or hurt his on-field focus, but it sure as hell would be fun to find out, right?

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Is McKennie playing left back good for his footballing future?

TH: No. And stop rationalizing it with the "well at least he's playing" argument. As soon as he played a decent winger – his best buddy Christian Pulisic when Juventus played AC Milan – he got absolutely torched. Go somewhere that will let you play in your best spot, Weston. Preferably as far away from Thiago Motta as possible.

JS: It literally does not matter – at all. Good for him that he's providing value to the team, expressing versatility and showing that he's willing to do whatever it takes for the club. He did that in 2023-24 under Max Allegri at RB, RWB and RM, too. Neither McKenie fans or U.S. Soccer should care. He's playing, performing, and expressing versatility – not many players can say that.

RT: It's definitely not a bad thing. McKennie isn't a traditional left-back by any stretch, so it's not as if he's interpreting the role the same way Paolo Maldini did. No, McKennie is playing it in a more modern sense, serving as a pseudo-midfielder for a Juve team that has a whole lot of the ball. He's not being asked to do things he's uncomfortable with. Instead of molding his game to the position, Juve are molding the position to his game to keep him on the field, and that's about as big of a compliment as you can get.

The group stage of the Vitality Blast has been completed (with some Covid-19 disruption) and here’s a round-up of how the Australian contingent went

Andrew McGlashan19-Jul-2021

Josh Inglis (Leicestershire)
A magnificent tournament for Inglis who finished as the leading run-scorer in the group stage and struck two centuries – 103 off 62 balls against Northamptonshire and 118 off 61 against Worcestershire. At a time when the Australia T20 side has continued to struggle it was another strong nudge towards the selectors who have already taken notice of him, although he played as an opener throughout this campaign which isn’t where the vacancies really lie.Marnus Labuschagne (Glamorgan)
One of the main reasons Labuschagne was not taken to West Indies was so he could have a sustained period of T20 cricket. A forced spell of isolation after being a Covid close contact interrupted things, but either side of that he made full use of his opportunities although as a team Glamorgan had a pretty miserable tournament with just three wins in 14 matches. Labuschagne struck four half-centuries in his eight innings having had none in the format before the competition started and was also Glamorgan’s second-highest wicket-taker.D’Arcy Short (Hampshire)
A slightly underwhelming group stage for Short who made a lot of starts without quite converting although he was part of a Hampshire side that squeezed into the quarter-finals when a whole range of scenarios played out in their favour. Short saved his best for last as well with his one half-century coming in the final match against Glamorgan with 69 off 30 balls as they surged to a target of 186 in 13 overs.Related

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Could Smith's potential absence open T20 World Cup door for Labuschagne?

Sussex seal quarter-final spot as Jofra Archer makes low-key return

Inglis' second Blast ton sends Worcestershire crashing out

Cameron Bancroft (Durham)
Bancroft’s form faded towards the end of the group stage, with a top score of 20 in his last five innings, after a productive period in the middle of the competition where he made two half-centuries in five innings, both against Birmingham Bears at healthy strike-rates. They contributed to two of the five victories Durham managed as they missed a quarter-final berth. The majority of Bancroft’s innings were at No. 4.Travis Head (Sussex)
It has not been the season Head would have hoped for with a lean T20 Blast following on from his County Championship struggles. He passed 20 in half of his innings but could not go beyond 27 and did not play the final two group matches although Sussex were able to secure a quarter-final slot.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Ben Dwarshuis (Worcestershire)
A solid haul for Dwarshuis, the Sydney Sixers left-armer, as he finished as Worcestershire’s second-highest wicket-taker. They probably came at a slightly higher cost than he would have liked but as is the case in the BBL he bowled a lot in tough periods – he sent down the third-most deliveries in the death overs (16-20) for the group stage behind Naveen-ul-Haq and Matty Potts. His overall numbers were also dented by the final two games where he went for 90 in seven overs.Chris Green (Middlesex)
Sydney Thunder allrounder Green was a late call-up after Mujeeb Ur Rahman’s arrival at Middlesex was delayed. He had a memorable personal day against Kent where he claimed a career-best 5 for 32 which included a final-over hat-trick but it came in one of Middlesex’s nine defeats. Made some handy contributions with the bat including an unbeaten 26 off 13 balls in a successful chase of 217 against Hampshire.Daniel Worrall (Gloucestershire)
Not much for Worrall to remember fondly from the tournament as he went wicketless in six consecutive innings and finished with an eye-watering average close to 100.Tim David (Surrey)
A hurried late call-up for the Singaporean batter, who is a BBL regular and eligible for Australia, when Surrey were hit by an injury and illness crisis late in the competition. Only had two matches but gave another example of his finishing skills with 25 off 13 balls against Gloucestershire.

White cards to signal the completion of a set of five deliveries, and mandatory 50-second breaks at the change of ends every ten balls are among the playing conditions confirmed by the ECB ahead of the launch of the Hundred on July 21.One of the key features of the new competition, which gets underway with a women’s fixture between Oval Invincibles and Manchester Originals in nine days’ time, is the move from “overs” to “balls” as the fundamental unit by which the contest is measured.However, an ECB official confirmed that – while the TV commentators and ground announcers are expected to veer away from the use of “overs” in the live broadcasting of a match – the concept is so firmly entrenched in the sport’s lexicon that it will continue to be used as a descriptor for scorecards and in written reports.Similarly, while batters will be referred to as “in” or “out” during the commentary of a match, the concept of “wickets” per se will not be changed to “outs”.As previously confirmed, the number of balls in an “over” has been reduced from six to five for the Hundred – and the umpire will henceforth call “five” instead of “over” at the completion of a bowler’s set of deliveries.However, with the new regulations stipulating that two sets of five balls will be bowled from the same end – and by the same bowler if desired – the umpire will also hold up a white card at the end of the first set of five to confirm this fact to the players, scorers, broadcasters and crowds.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Other changes include a tweak to the toss regulations, which will not require the captains to perform that duty out in the middle – it is likely to take place on the stage set aside for the DJs and other live entertainment at each venue. Also, a new tactical “time-out” has been introduced for each team. These will be signalled by the umpire pointing to his watch, and may not be taken before the first 25 balls of an innings have been completed – a period that will also constitute the powerplay.One set of playing conditions will be published to cover both the men’s and women’s events – with “batsmen” to be referred to as “batters”, an amendment that ESPNcricinfo recently adopted in its style-guide, and all pronouns referencing “his, her, he and she”.Decision Review System is to be introduced for English domestic cricket for the first time, with a smart replay system giving the third umpire – who will be based in a production truck at each venue – full control over the required replays, which ought to help speed up the process.With broadcasting time constraints a significant factor in the shortening of matches from 120 balls to 100, each contest in the daily men’s and women’s double-headers will be allocated its own pocket of airtime, into which the day’s other match cannot over-run.To further incentivise speedy play, teams will be penalised for slow “over-rates” by the loss of one fielder outside the fielding circle from the point of the transgression. To avoid the introduction of too many confusing umpiring signals, in the event of such a penalty, the decision will be relayed to the spectators by the PA announcer.In the event of a rain-shortened contest, the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method will be used, as per T20 fixtures, but with a rejigged algorithm to reflect balls faced rather than overs bowled. All statistics from the Hundred will be logged under the existing T20 data.In the event of a tied match, one point will be awarded to each team in the group stage, but for the knock-out phase, the contest will be decided by a super over – or “super five” as per the new terminology. Provision has been made for a second super five in the event that the first is also tied – as was famously the case in England’s World Cup final win in 2019.However, with TV scheduling a consideration, if during the knock-out phase of the competition, that construct also ends with scores level, victory will be awarded to the team that finished higher in the group stage. Had that rule been in place in the World Cup final, rather than the heavily criticised “boundary countback”, England would still have been crowned champions, after finishing third to New Zealand’s fourth in the opening round.

MatériaMais Notícias

Com certeza existe amor em SP. A cidade que recebeu o estigma de não ser tão receptiva à Seleção Brasileira, é a mesma de Eric (26) e Leonardo (35), dupla de amigos que, ao saberem que a delegação brasileira ficaria na capital paulista durante essa semana, decidiram acompanhar de perto.

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No primeiro dia de treinamentos, com a Seleção ainda longe de estar completa, os dois eram os únicos na porta do CT Joaquim Grava, onde os atletas do Brasil treinavam na parte interna, visando o duelo contra a Colômbia, nesta quinta-feira (11), às 21h30, na Neo Química Arena, pela 11ª rodada das Eliminatórias para a Copa do Mundo de 2022.

E a saga iniciou antes mesmo da programação brasileira começar de fato. No domingo (7), à noite, Eric e Leonardo foram até o hotel onde a Seleção está hospedada, em Guarulhos, na Grande São Paulo, pois sabiam da possibilidade das primeiras chegadas.

– Como a gente gosta da Seleção, a gente vem por amor, por toda história. Falo por mim, venho de uma geração de 1994, 1998, depois 2002, vivenciei uma geração abençoada, de craques. Talvez a geração que pegou depois do penta não se empolgue tanto – disse Leonardo à reportagem do L! na porta do CT Joaquim Grava.

E a ideia de chegar antes foi um tiro certeiro para a meta de Léo, que tinha como alvo específicoo ex-goleiro Cláudio Taffarel, campeão mundial pela Seleção Brasileira em 1994 e que hoje integra a comissão técnica de Tite.

Natural de Jaboticabal, cidade do interior de São Paulo, Leonardo aproveitou um recesso de 15 dias na empresa onde trabalha com exportação de amendoins, para seguir a Seleção, sonhando com um autógrafo do ídolo em suas camisas das Copas do Mundo de 1994 e 1998, que tem como relíquia.

– Minha maior inspiração desde a infância. Tenho toda uma história de ter tentando sido goleiro no passado, feito testes nos clubes e as coisas não vingaram. Em 1994, quando a Seleção foi tetra, eu já vestia roupa de goleiro, com seis, sete anos de idade, e o cara era o Taffarel. Tem uma geração nova de goleiros, evoluídos, mas, para mim, o maior de todos é o Taffarel – relembrou Leonardo.

Após cerca de duas horas esperando as primeiras chegadas da Seleção, Eric e Leonardo acompanharam o ingresso do primeiro veículo transportando representantes da delegação brasileira, nele estava Taffarel. E aí, nem a tentativa de um segurança em impedir o contato atrapalhou o momento. O esforço de Léo e a receptividade do tetracampeão mundial tornaram o sonho do fã em realidade.

– A gente detectou o hotel que a Seleção iria se hospedar através das redes sociais. Combinamos e tínhamos a previsão de apresentação extraoficial na noite de domingo, aí fomos na aposta. Chegamos por volta das 16h, entramos na recepção e aguardamos. Imaginávamos que a comissão técnica chegaria primeiro, até porque eles que dão o exemplo, e aí tínhamos a esperança de ver o Tite ou até mesmo o Taffarel – contou Leonardo.

– Quis ajudar, ele me pediu para eu ir com ele, que não queria ir sozinho, e eu fui – acrescenta Eric.

Mas ninguém disse que o autógrafo e a foto do ex-goleiro eram o suficiente para a dupla de torcedores da Seleção. E eles seguem a trajetória em busca de registros com os atletas brasileiros, com o desejo de, quem sabe, até mesmo baterem um papo com Neymar.

Eric já teve a experiência de conversar com alguns atletas durante a Copa América de 2019, realizada no Brasil.

– Eu consegui ver alguns jogadores da Seleção em 2019. Não tinha pandemia, era mais tranquilo. Alguns jogadores atendiam na saída e retorno dos treinos. Falei com o Cássio, Willian, Gabriel Jesus, Philippe Coutinho, Daniel Alves, Marquinhos e o Tite. Tirei foto com todos. Fiquei mais feliz até pelo Tite, porque sou corintiano – relembrou Eric.

– A gente gostaria de conhecer os atletas atuais. Quem não iria querer uma foto com o Neymar? Meu primeiro objetivo eu consegui, que era o meu maior sonho. Agora, se a gente conseguir conhecer a Seleção de forma geral e o Neymar que é a maior referência atua – completou Léo.

Amigos há cinco anos, o futebol e o rock n´roll uniram uma dupla que quase nada tem em comum: a diferença de idade entre eles é de quase 10 anos, Eric tem 26 e Leonardo 35; a distância entre Jaboticabal e a Zona Sul de São Paulo é de quase seis horas; Eric é corintiano e Leonardo palmeirense; um é mais calado e o outro bem mais falante. Só que a Terra é redonda e dá voltas como a bola nos pés, e o mundo do futebol foi o suficiente para que estilos tão distintos de pessoas firmassem uma amizade ímpar.

– A gente vai aos shows de rock, falamos de futebol, embora torcemos para times diferentes. Nos conhecemos no show do Aerosmith, em 2016, que eles vieram tocar no Allianz Parque – disse Léo.

– A gente já tinha alguns amigos em comum, por conta dos gostos. Gostamos de futebol, rock alternativo, rock nacional – completou Eric.

A saga dos dois amigos, portanto, seguirá até a próxima segunda-feira (15), quando a Seleção deixa a cidade de São Paulo rumo a San Juan, na Argentina, onde na terça-feira (16), encara os Hermanos, no que será o último jogo da Canarinho em 2021.

Aston Villa are set for an exciting 2024/25 season as they get ready to return to the Champions League.

Indeed, it will be the first time they have played in the competition since its rebranding from the European Cup. Their previous two campaigns came in 1981/82, a season they lifted the trophy, and 1982/83, where they were eliminated in the quarter-finals.

The start to the Premier League season has been mixed for Unai Emery’s side. The Villans won their first game, away to West Ham United. They ran out 2-1 victors, thanks to goals from Amadou Onana on debut and a late winner from Jhon Duran.

Gameweek two for the Villans saw them lose 2-0 against Arsenal, in what was the first game at Villa Park this term. Second-half goals from Leandro Trossard and Thomas Partey helped Mikel Arteta’s side to all three points. Despite the result, the hosts performed well and created some good opportunities against one of the Premier League’s toughest opponents.

With a big term coming up, Villa may well look to add to their eight signings so far and bring in another fresh face to wear that famous claret and blue shirt as they prepare for a return amongst Europe’s elite.

Aston Villa target Premier League striker

One of the players whom the Villans have been linked with in recent days is Everton and England international striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin. The striker’s future has been up in the air all summer, and he could still depart the club this summer.

According to a report from Caught Offside, the 27-year-old striker has been one of the players ‘discussed internally’ by those at Villa Park. The report suggests that the Englishman might become available, and is out of the Toffees plans for this season and beyond.

The Everton number nine has come close to departing Goodison Park this summer already, with Newcastle United pulling out of a £40m deal. According to Sky Sports, the Magpies thought that was too high of a price for Calvert-Lewin given he has just 12 months left on his current deal.

Thus, the door for a move to Villa Park could be open, and the Midlands side could launch a bid before Friday’s deadline. However, it is not clear at this stage if he would still cost £40m so close to Deadline Day, or if the Villans could sign him cheaper.

Why Calvert-Lewin would be a good signing

Although the past few seasons have not been easy for the Toffees forward, he has still proven that he knows where the back of the net is. The England international scored seven goals and grabbed two assists in 32 games last term, although that tally is some way off his best top-flight season.

In the 2020/21 campaign, the Sheffield-born striker played 33 games in the Premier League, getting on the scoresheet 16 times and getting one assist. It was a season in which he came joint-fifth in the Golden Boot race.

2020/21 Premier League Golden Boot race

Player

Games

Goals

Harry Kane

35

23

Mohamed Salah

37

22

Bruno Fernandes

37

18

Son Heung-min

37

17

Patrick Bamford

38

17

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

33

16

Stats from Transfermarkt

He is a tall centre-forward, standing at around 6 foot 2, and is superb in the air as well as in the penalty box, as his goalscoring numbers show. According to FBref, he won an average of 5.68 aerial duels in the Premier League last season, with a 48.8% win rate. As Football talent scout Jacek Kulig called him, the 27-year-old is a "monster", notably when the ball is off the ground.

That ranks him in the top 3% and 13% amongst English top-flight strikers respectively, and also ranks him highest in the Villa squad last term for aerial duels won each game. He is far clear of second place for that metric, who is Duran with 3.77, as per FBref.

If the Villans do sign Calvert-Lewin this summer, it would be a repeat of their signing of Onana earlier in the window. Like the Englishman, they signed the midfielder from Everton, with the Belgian costing them £50m.

That has already proven to be a superb move from the Toffees, with the midfielder scoring a header on his debut for Emery’s side. He also played well against Arsenal last Saturday, with his performance against the Gunners earning him a 7/10 rating from 90min journalist Tom Gott.

Alongside the dynamic Morgan Rogers, he consistently got the better of Arsenal's midfield and has proven himself to be a menace from set-piece situations already.

Thus, if the signing of Calvert-Lewin is anywhere near as successful as Onana’s move to the Midlands has been so far, it could be a superb piece of business from Emery’s side. He is likely only going to cost up to £40m but could be less than that given the late stage of the window.

It could certainly be an astute pickup from the Villans, who would be adding a player with experience and a proven Premier League record to their squad, even if the past few seasons have been a struggle. Perhaps Villa Park could be the place Calvert-Lewin can get his career properly back on track.

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Posts ByDan Emery Aug 26, 2024

And just like that, a successful preseason comes to an end with a comfortable 2-0 win over Lyon for Arsenal in the Emirates Cup.

Mikel Arteta's side looked good for much of the encounter, although one player who was quite hit-and-miss during his time on the pitch was Gabriel Martinelli.

The Brazilian winger has bags of talent and looked incredibly dangerous at times, but he also left the pitch without a goal or assist to his name.

It's set to be a massive campaign for the former Ituano gem this season as he looks to establish himself as the Gunners' number one option on the left. Luckily for him, one of the stars recently touted for a move to N5 could be the perfect teammate to help him get back to his very best once again.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from Italian journalist Gianluca DiMarzio, Arsenal could 'get back into the game' for Napoli's Victor Osimhen this summer.

DiMarzio has revealed that while the Nigerian striker is still of interest to Paris Saint-Germain and clubs in the Saudi Pro League, the Gunners must be considered in the conversation.

The Italian does not mention the potential fee the North Londoners might have to pay, but stories from last week reported that the Neapolitans are still after the striker's €130m release clause, which converts to a cool £109m.

Bringing Osimhen in this summer would represent an enormous investment from the Gunners, but considering his ability and the fact that he could help revive Martinelli, it is likely worth making.

Why Osimhen would be a great signing for Martinelli

Okay, while there may well be any number of reasons why Osimhen would be a great signing for Martinelli, from his attitude on the training pitch to his overall personality and mentality, there is one that overrides all others: his output.

Yes, the fact that the Nigerian international is such an accomplished striker is the primary reason he'd be an incredible teammate for the young Brazilian, as he could help his assists number explode next season.

For example, even though last year was a bit of a down campaign compared to the one previous, the former LOSC Lille marksman still racked up an impressive 17 goals and four assists in just 32 appearances, equating to a goal involvement on average every 1.52 games.

By comparison, Arsenal's main strikers, Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz, fell short with 16 and 21 goal involvements in 36 and 51 games, respectively. This means the Brazilian averaged one involvement every 2.25 games, and the German one every 2.42 games.

The difference is even more staggering if you compare their form from the season prior, in which the "world-class" Napoli ace, as dubbed by managerial icon José Mourinho, produced 36 goal involvements in 39 games, while Jesus managed 18 in 33, and Havertz could only reach ten in 47 appearances.

Appearances

39

47

33

Goals

31

9

11

Assists

5

1

7

Goal Involvements per Match

0.92

0.21

0.54

Appearances

32

51

36

Goals

17

14

8

Assists

4

7

8

Goal Involvements per Match

0.65

0.38

0.44

Now imagine how much more effective the Gunners' number 11 would be if he had a striker as clinical as the former Wolfsburg gem to his right; he'd almost certainly see his assist tally bloom, as even his half chances would be put in the back of the net.

Moreover, we already know, both from the eye test and via statistics, that his current teammates let him down on this front last season. According to Understat, he underperformed his expected assists in the league by 1.32.

Ultimately, while Arsenal already possess a talented set of attackers, they could reach another level with a number nine like Osimhen in the team. Not only that, but he would help get Martinelli back to his very best, if not better.

Arsenal could reach another level with dream £100m Rice & Odegaard partner

The “world-class” talent would be an exceptional signing.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 10, 2024

Stumps Liton Das and Mehidy Hasan starred with the bat for Bangladesh, while Rahkeem Cornwall earned his second Test five-wicket haul as the third day of the Dhaka Test see-sawed right until the close of play. At stumps, West Indies were 41 for 3 in their second innings, leading by 154 runs. While they do hold the advantage, Bangladesh have enjoyed the greater success in the last two sessions of the day.Starting the day on 105 for 4 in their first innings, well behind West Indies’ 409, Bangladesh’s overnight batsmen Mohammad Mithun and Mushfiqur Rahim had to survive a barrage of short balls from Shannon Gabriel first up. But when Gabriel – who overstepped thrice in his first three overs – went fuller, he was put away by the two for fours through the covers. Jomel Warrican, the left-arm spinner, had his opening spell cut short as he drifted too often to the leg, allowing easy runs on the on side.Cornwall then replaced Warrican and created the first chance of the morning when Mithun mistimed a whip off his toes that went just beyond midwicket. But, in his next over, Cornwall got Mithun’s wicket with an unorthodox field placement. Trying to flick off his boots, Mithun – on 15 – was through his shot too early and the ball went in the air. Kraigg Brathwaite – lurking at short midwicket, where he had placed himself for that very shot – dived to his right to take the catch at full length.Related

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Mushfiqur Rahim, meanwhile, reached his 22nd half-century in Cornwall’s first over. He tried not to let the offspinner settle in from the first ball he faced, but was almost caught at short leg soon after his half-century. He then survived a close lbw call off Cornwall after missing a sweep, but soon paid the price of being overly aggressive – on 54, he tried a reverse sweep, only to toe-end a simple catch to cover.At 155 for 6, and still over fifty short of avoiding the follow-on, Das and Mehidy got together for 12 overs before lunch. After the session break – and against the older ball – they displayed exemplary concentration to block, leave and duck. The balls that were wide on either side of the stumps were punished for the occasional boundary.While Cornwall’s turn from the rough outside off kept both batsmen in two minds, Warrican failed to build pressure like his partner. Mehidy often rocked back against Warrican to cut – with the turn – while Das eyed the midwicket boundary. That period of play took the stand past fifty and ensured Bangladesh had avoided following-on, which had seemed like a distinct possibility at the start of the session.When Alzarri Joseph came into the attack, he preferred the shorter lengths. Both Das and Mehidy were happy to duck through that challenge and when Joseph bowled full, they punished him down the V. With Joseph and Gabriel failing to get any purchase with the older ball, Brathwaite went to part-time spin to count the overs down so that the pacers could return fresh with the new ball. But that’s when Das and Mehidy pounced. Nkrumah Bonner’s legspin was struck by Das for consecutive fours to reach his seventh Test fifty. Brathwaite’s offbreak, too, allowed easy singles. And when the new ball was taken, both Das and Mehidy looked to go on the offensive.The first over with the new ball, from Gabriel, was wayward, conceding six including four byes, and brought up the hundred stand. They went for their shots, often successfully, which made Gabriel impatient. The fast bowler showed it too, by saying a few words to the batsmen on his follow through, which forced the umpires to have a chat with him. Mehidy then got his own fifty, to back up the century in Chattogram. Having lost no wickets in the session, the period after lunch belonged completely to Bangladesh. It was the first session – since the first one on the first day – that they could call theirs, as they added 91 for no loss.Liton Das and Mehidy Hasan kept Bangladesh in the game with a century stand•AFP via Getty Images

The post-tea session started with both batsmen looking to attack the tired West Indian bowling attack that had not gone wicketless for over 40 overs. But Cornwall put the brakes on soon after, when he removed Das for 71 for his fourth scalp after the batsman got an edge off a paddle sweep.Trying to play fine, Das went across the stumps to sweep, but Jermaine Blackwood – at first slip – anticipated the shot and ran around behind the wicketkeeper. The ball took an inside edge, hit the back leg and popped in the air for Blackwood to take a simple catch. A few balls later, Cornwall removed No. 9 Nayeem Hasan after the batsman edged a defensive shot to Blackwood at slip, earning him the five-wicket haul.From the other end, Gabriel had the last laugh over Mehidy. The allrounder fell for 57 when his attempt to drive through the off side went straight to cover for a catch. Gabriel earned another wicket to end the Bangladesh innings on 296 when he rapped No. 11 Abu Jayed on the glove, for a simple catch to gully. Bangladesh lost their last four wickets for only 15 runs in under six overs.With 21 overs to go in the day, Bangladesh started with spin and struck thrice before stumps. Brathwaite was first to go, when he tried to flick Nayeem, only for it to go to wicketkeeper Das off the gloves. Mehidy then entered the record books when he became the fastest (and youngest) Bangladesh bowler to 100 Test wickets with Shayne Moseley edging to second slip. Mehidy reached the mark in 24 Tests, beating the previous record of 25, set by Taijul Islam.Islam then removed the other opener, John Campbell, late in the day in an unusual manner. As Campbell played defensively, the ball appeared to spin back after dropping on the pitch and turned back to hit the stumps.The final few minutes saw Bonner and nightwatchman Warrican trying to survive with soft hands. Bangladesh surrounded the batsmen with as many players as they could, but there was no further damage.

He said West Indies are confident of chasing down a decent total with “hungry” batsmen in their line-up

Mohammad Isam05-Feb-2021West Indies believe that bowling out Bangladesh cheaply on the fourth day could get them to a stronger position later in the first Test in Chattogram. It would certainly the shift focus of the game towards their fourth-innings chase, away from their second-day batting meltdown when they lost their last five wickets for just six runs, in the space of 23 deliveries.Their in-form batsman Jermaine Blackwood was upset with the way he got out – edging one to the wicketkeeper down the leg side – as it thwarted his plan to convert more of his fifties into hundreds, but said his partnership with Joshua Da Silva was going well, with an approach he had asked the younger batsman to follow.”It was very frustrating,” Blackwood said of his dismissal. “I really wanted to convert more of these half-centuries into centuries. I am stepping into the right direction. But I was very disappointed at the way I got out. Next innings I have to hold down my head and bat in the same fashion. I wasn’t shocked. I was very disappointed. I knew I hit the ball. Jimbo (Rahkeem Cornwall) was telling me to probably take it (review).””I was just telling Josh to keep it simple, take it one ball at a time. Just stay positive as well. Once they bowled a bad delivery, we wanted to capitalise. When they bowled a good delivery, we want to be very defensive, and just look aggressive defending, playing back and leaving alone. I think me and Josh put on a very decent partnership.”Related

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The trouble started shortly before the tea interval on the third day when Da Silva and Blackwood, having added 99 for the sixth wicket, fell to innocuous deliveries. Da Silva edged a low, short ball from Nayeem Hasan to wicketkeeper Liton Das on 42, and in the following over, Blackwood, on 68, tickled Mehidy Hasan Miraz down the leg side, also to be caught by Das.When the teams came back after the tea interval, West Indies’ tail caved in the following 18 balls to slump from 253 for 5 to 259 all out.Blackwood said they knew that the pitches would be very different than the ones they had played on in England and New Zealand last year. He added that tackling deliveries off the front foot but without pressing too hard is crucial to scoring runs in Bangladesh. “We came from England and New Zealand, where the conditions were pretty similar. The ball was bouncing and seaming around,” Blackwood said. “There wasn’t too much spin. But here in Bangladesh we knew we were going to get a lot of spin.”The ball is spinning a lot and keeping low. We just have to play off the front foot and as much late as possible. If you don’t lunge at the ball, I think you’d be very successful. Then, you have to capitalise on the bad deliveries whenever you get a chance to score.”Blackwood also mentioned that it was important for him to get a good score since he hadn’t done well in the practice game last week, having been the side’s most in-form batsman during the last two Test series. “You have to be confident as a player because I didn’t score any runs in the practice game. Still you must have the mental toughness. I know that I am not good in playing practice games, but once the Test cricket starts I am 100% ready.”Despite the lacklustre ending to their batting, West Indies came back strongly with the ball, with offspinner Rahkeem Cornwall taking two wickets in his first over. Later, Shannon Gabriel too got into the act by removing Shadman Islam with a piercing short ball.Blackwood said that Gabriel’s aggression and Cornwall’s stump-to-stump line kept the batsmen under pressure. “I think it was great [how they bowled]. Shannon was running in, putting his heart and soul into it on these flat surfaces,” he said.”He was bowling pretty quick and aggressive, and you can see that he got the rewards. Hopefully, tomorrow he can do the same thing. I think Jimbo bowled brilliantly as well. He made the batsman play, and if he can do it tomorrow, he can get a lot of rewards.”Blackwood said they were confident of chasing down a decent total as there were “hungry” batsmen in their line-up. “We have to take it hour by hour, session by session,” he said. “Once it comes down to that, the guys are very much up to it. I know Kraigg [Brathwaite], John Campbell and [Nkrumah] Bonner are hungry for runs.”I know the guys like [Kyle] Mayers and [Shayne] Moseley want to get some runs under their belt as well. Once the opportunity presents itself to win, we will certainly go for it.”