The centre-back came off the bench to rescue a point for the Red Devils
Harry Maguire saved 10-man Manchester United from another embarrassing defeat on Thursday as they drew 3-3 with Porto in the Europa League. The best and worst of the Red Devils were on display with Marcus Rashford showing his class to have them cruising with a two-goal lead. Nothing is ever simple with Ten Hag's team, though, and their defensive weakness was completely exposed as Porto fought back to lead before Maguire's late header.
United were off to a perfect start when Rashford cut through two Porto players with a quick move and beat Diogo Costa, who should have done better, just seven minutes in. The England international continued to poke at Porto's back line and soon created another goal, playing a perfectly-weighted pass to Rasmus Hojlund to score, with Costa again not covering himself in glory.
Despite the crushing blows, the Dragons weren't quite slain and stunned their visitors when Andre Onana's save fell perfectly for Brazilian forward Pepe to finish just before the half-hour mark. Seven minutes later, Samu Omorodion got ahead of Matthijs de Ligt to head in the equaliser.
The Portuguese side started better in the second half, too, and it took less than five minutes to complete the comeback as the two scorers combined – Pepe cutting back for Samu, who once again beat De Ligt to the ball.
The situation got even more farcical for United as Bruno Fernandes was sent off in the 81st minute, leaving them looking doomed until Maguire got on the end of Eriksen's corner to level it. Now four games without a win, the pressure keeps building on the Dutch coach, who will have to explain why his team suffered such an implosion.
GOAL rates United's players from Estadio do Dragao…
AFP
Goalkeeper & Defence
Andre Onana (6/10):
Did well to keep out one shot but could do nothing about the follow up for Porto's first. Made couple of saves otherwise.
Noussair Mazraoui (6/10):
Ended up heading to Onana for Porto's first but was good in the air overall in a decent display.
Matthijs de Ligt (5/10):
Beaten to the ball by Samu on two of Porto's goals. Had a lot of trouble with the striker.
Lisandro Martinez (5/10):
An important block to stop a Samu shot but was caught trailing Pepe for his goal and had a few shaky moments.
Diogo Dalot (6/10):
Was a bit slack in the build up to the hosts' first goal and gave the ball away too many times, but had some good moments defensively and going forward.
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AFP
Midfield
Casemiro (4/10):
Another abysmal display as he seems to have no sense of danger, leaving the back four in trouble.
Christian Eriksen (7/10):
Passed to Rashford before the first two goals and had a hand in many United attacks before his cross to Maguire.
Bruno Fernandes (5/10):
Put in some dangerous balls as he tried to create something, but ended up getting a red card for a high boot.
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Attack
Amad Diallo (6/10):
Was always in space and passed the ball well but see a great deal of the ball.
Rasmus Hojlund (7/10):
Made some good runs behind the Porto defence and took his goal well.
Marcus Rashford (8/10):
A great 45 minutes. A lovely run for the first goal, nice pass for the second – another example of the quality he offers, as fleeting as it may be these days. Unfortunately, taken off at half-time.
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Subs & Manager
Alejandro Garnacho (6/10):
Tried to be a direct threat with a whopping eight shots.
Joshua Zirkzee (5/10):
Hardly got on the ball in his 20 minutes on the field.
Antony (5/10):
Had two long range shots after replacing Amad.
Harry Maguire (7/10):
Saved his team with a strong header to make it 3-3.
Jonny Evans (6/10):
Helped keep United stable at the back late on after going a man down.
Erik ten Hag (3/10):
His team had a bright start but their collapse was unbelievable. The midfield and defence are easy to cut through and he is running out of excuses as the terrible performances continue.
Essex earn first win of tournament to keep slim knock-out hopes alive
Matt Roller14-Sep-2020
Dan Lawrence drives down the ground•Getty Images
Essex 197 for 5 (Lawrence 81) beat Sussex 185 for 8 (Thomason 47) by 12 runsDan Lawrence’s best outing of the summer inspired Essex to a tight 12-run victory at Hove, giving them their first T20 win of the season to take them off the foot of the South Group table.Lawrence’s flamboyant 44-ball 81 included six fours and as many sixes as he led the Essex charge on a good batting pitch, before he took two crucial wickets in his only over just as Sussex had started to find a foothold in their run-chase.Defeat sees Sussex squeezed out of top spot by Kent, and they now face a battle to qualify with a resurgent Surrey finding form as the group stage enters its final week. Essex’s first win keeps their title defence alive mathematically, but they will need to string together a series of wins while hoping results elsewhere go their way.In truth, this has not been the breakthrough summer that Lawrence had hoped for after his stellar form for England Lions in Australia in the spring, where he made 493 runs including 125 against Australia A at the MCG.When he left that tour, it seemed like the only question surrounding his impending international debut was the format it would come in, but with Covid-19 disrupting England’s plans, he has largely been relegated to bench duties this summer. After weeks locked in hotels and carrying drinks, he left the bubble early following the death of his mother, and has struggled for runs back in county cricket, with only 57 runs in five Blast innings before today.And there was no sign from Lawrence’s first few balls of what was to come, as he played and missed, then offered a half-chance for a caught-and-bowled in the second over, a wicket maiden by Ollie Robinson which accounted for Cameron Delport. With Adam Wheater absent due to family reasons, the emphasis was on him to make a worthwhile contribution.But he was soon up and running, shimmying down the pitch and over to the off side to cart the first ball of Robinson’s second over through wide mid-on for six before skipping down to whip him over the pavilion at midwicket four balls later.Luke Wright threw the ball to his left-arm spinner Danny Briggs after that onslaught, hoping he could turn it away from the bat and beat the edge, but Lawrence was not in the mood to push and prod. Instead, he gave himself room to chip over extra cover, before hitting three towering sixes over mid-on.Two further boundaries off Tymal Mills – a wristy cut and a straight drive – took him to 47 off 18 balls by the time the Powerplay was over. In fact, by the time he had chipped Mills’ slower ball to mid-off in the 13th to finish with 81 off 44 balls, his scoring had started to slow down.Lawrence was ably supported by Tom Westley, whose 39 was characteristically attractive, while Michael Pepper and Simon Harmer’s late flurry – they added 45 for the sixth wicket in the final four overs – was vital to a total of 195 after Delray Rawlins’ tight spell had tightened things up in the middle.Sussex were hampered by a blow to Ollie Robinson diving in the field – he recovered sufficiently to bowl one over at the death – and a knock to Mills, who went off at the end of the 18th as a precaution after feeling pain in his back. They were also left to rue the absence of Chris Jordan, who has flown to the UAE ahead of the IPL after playing their last two matches, while Phil Salt – in the England bubble – was a big miss in the run-chase.In Salt’s place, Aaron Thomason came in as a makeshift opener, and struggled for timing in an innings of 47. One of the oddities of behind-closed-doors cricket is that players become commentators, and his innings was punctuated by regular shouts of “rate’s going up, boys”, “top edge coming, straight up here” and “15 off 17 in the Powerplay” from Westley.With Thomason out of sorts, Sussex relied on Rawlins – who has quietly thrived on additional responsibility this season in the middle order – to provide the impetus on his 23rd birthday as the rate climbed. He made his intentions clear by nailing a sweep through wide long-on off Aron Nijjar’s left-arm spin, before lofting Harmer down the ground for six and chipping two more just out of boundary riders’ reach in the 13th.But Lawrence immediately delivered a breakthrough with the first ball he bowled, as Rawlins attempted to reverse-lap over the keeper’s head but only managed to find short third man. Thomason holed out when cramped for room from round the wicket in the third over, and crucially, Sussex had two new batsmen at the crease.One of those was Ravi Bopara, playing against Essex for the first time after 415 matches for them. Bopara’s Sussex career is yet to take off, with a top score of just 18 to date. In fact, head coach Jason Gillespie found himself defending his new signing on Twitter this week after criticism from a vicar; he will have to hope that the reverend keeps the faith, after Bopara holed out to long-on for 7.David Wiese has regularly delivered wins from unlikely situations this season, but the equation proved beyond him as the rate climbed: he found Harmer at long-off from a Sam Cook full toss with 30 needed off the last two overs, and took any residual hope with him.
Kylian Mbappe's popularity in France has plummeted following the superstar's summer move from Paris Saint-Germain to Real Madrid.
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Mbappe left France for Real Madrid in summerForward suffers decline in popularity in his homelandCurrently sidelined with a thigh injuryFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
A new Odoxa study has revealed that Mbappe's popularity in France has suffered a sharp decline following his blockbuster move from PSG to Real Madrid in the summer. The study asked 1,005 people aged 18 and above for their thoughts on Mbappe and the results are revealing. Just 54% had a good opinion of Mbappe, a sharp drop of 12% from April. Yet just 54% of those surveyed found Mbappe likeable, compared to a massive 80% back in 2019. The results also revealed that 52% felt the striker was a good choice for France captain, while 58% preferred Antoine Griezmann and 52% wanted manager Didier Deschamps to appoint another skipper.
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Mbappe finally made the move from Paris to Madrid after his contract with the Ligue 1 champions expired. The forward went on to play for France at Euro 2024 but was hindered by a broken nose as Les Bleus underwhelmed and went out at the semi-final stage to eventual winners Spain. Mbappe has struggled to hit top form since arriving in Madrid too. Los Blancos are unbeaten in their first seven La Liga games but have struggled to impress since Mbappe joined Vinicius, Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo as part of a star-studded attack.
DID YOU KNOW?
Real Madrid have received more yellow cards for dissent than any other team in LaLiga this season with eight, three of them for Vinícius Junior, more than any other player.
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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR MBAPPE
Mbappe is set for more frustration at Madrid after being ruled out for three weeks with a thigh injury. The France star will miss Sunday's Madrid derby against Atletico and is not expected to return to action for his club side until after the October international break.
شهدت الفترة الماضية جدلًا واسعًا حول مستقبل النجم أحمد سيد زيزو، لاعب نادي الزمالك، بعد تردد أنباء عن قرب انتقاله إلى نادي الفتح السعودي خلال فترة الانتقالات الشتوية المقبلة، خاصة بعد التعاقد مع المدرب البرتغالي جوزيه جوميز.
وينتهي عقد أحمد سيد زيزو مع نادي الزمالك بنهاية الموسم الكروي الجاري، ويحق للاعب التوقيع مع أي نادي في يناير المُقبل، دون العودة للإدارة.
وفي تصريحات لصحيفة “اليوم” السعودية، خرج والد اللاعب ليؤكد استمرار زيزو في صفوف القلعة البيضاء، وأن المفاوضات جارية لتجديد عقده مع النادي.
موعد حفل جوائز الكاف 2024 والقنوات الناقلة
وأشار والد زيزو إلى وجود عروض بالفعل من أندية سعودية، ولكن لم يتم التوصل لاتفاق مع نادي الفتح حتى الآن.
ويعتبر زيزو أحد رموز نادي الزمالك، ويرتبط بعلاقة قوية مع جماهير القلعة البيضاء، ويسعى مجلس برئاسة حسين لبيب لاستمراره مع الفريق.
من المتوقع أن تشهد الأيام المقبلة تطورات جديدة في ملف تجديد عقد زيزو، حيث يسعى نادي الزمالك بكل قوة للحفاظ على نجمه، وفي حالة فشل المفاوضات، فإن اللاعب سيكون حراً في الانتقال لأي نادٍ آخر بداية من فترة الانتقالات الصيفية المقبلة.
Arsenal may have ended their campaign without a major trophy again this year, but there can be no doubt that Mikel Arteta's side took another step forward this season.
The North Londoners made it to the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time in over a decade and ended their Premier League campaign with the second-best attack and the best defence in the league.
However, it looks like Edu Gaspar and Co want to build on the team's biggest strength, as the latest player touted for a move to N5 is an exciting full-back likened to Jurrien Timber, and his potential arrival could spell trouble for Ben White on the right.
Arsenal transfer news
According to a recent report from Dutch publication De Telegraaf, Arsenal are one of several sides interested in Feyenoord's star right-back, Lutsharel Geertruida.
Feyenoord's Lutsharel Geertruida
The report claims that, alongside the Gunners, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool are big fans of the talented full-back.
The player is a crucial member of De Stadionclub's squad, but they are happy to finally cash in and sell him for around €32m, which converts to around £27m.
It wouldn't be a cheap deal to complete, but with comparisons to Timber and an impressive body of work in the Eredivisie, signing Geertruida would be a brilliant idea, even if it impacts White's long-term future at the club.
How Geertruida compares to Timber and White
Now, the similarities between Geertruida and Timber are relatively straightforward and on the nose. For example, like the Arsenal defender, the Feyenoord ace is a fully-fledged Dutch international who has spent his entire career thus far developing at a major club in the country.
Moreover, while he excels in a certain defensive role – right-back in his case – he's more than capable of shifting and starting games as a centre-back or even a left-back when the need arises, a testament to the "sublime tactical nous" that U23 scout Antonio Mango claims he possesses.
These two traits and the recent links to the Gunners are why data analyst Ben Mattinson described the 23-year-old as "one of the most similar profiles to Timber" at the start of the season.
With that said, if Arteta and Edu can get their man in the coming weeks, his preference to play on the right of the defence would put White's place in the team under threat, but how do they stack up against one another?
Well, from a pure output perspective, it's an easy win for the Rotterdam-born ace. In 47 games this year, he's scored nine goals and provided five assists, whereas the Englishman has returned four goals and five assists in 51 games.
Appearances
47
51
Goal
9
4
Assists
5
5
Goal Involvements per Match
0.29
0.17
Moreover, when looking at the pair's underlying numbers, the Dutchman again comes out on top in most metrics.
For example, while he comes out second best for blocks, interceptions and clearances, he's the clear victor for statistics such as non-penalty expected goals and assists, progressive passes and carries, shot and goal-creating actions, shot and shots on target, successful take-ons, ball recoveries, non-penalty goals and assists, all per 90.
Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists
0.37
0.15
Non-Penalty Goals
0.21
0.12
Assists
0.15
0.12
Progressive Carries
2.54
1.33
Progressive Passes
7.93
5.78
Shots
1.16
0.39
Shots on Target
0.47
0.18
Passing Accuracy
89.6%
84.0%
Shot-Creating Actions
2.96
2.59
Goal-Creating Actions
0.27
0.21
Tackles
1.45
1.45
Tackles Won
0.92
0.84
Blocks
0.53
1.45
Interceptions
0.92
0.96
Clearances
1.45
2.32
Successful Take-Ons
0.68
0.27
Ball Recoveries
5.38
3.61
Ultimately, while there will always be an element of risk in signing a player from the Netherlands due to the league's lower level overall, Geertruida's numbers are so impressive that Arsenal should be doing all they can to bring him to the Emirates this summer, even if his arrival costs White his place in the starting lineup.
Arsenal could land £26m Martinelli upgrade whose "left foot is a weapon"
The talented winger could be the perfect addition to the Gunners’ frontline.
A CBF (Confederação Brasileira de Futebol) alterou o dia e horário da partida entre Santos e Flamengo, pela 18ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro 2021, a pedido da TV Globo. O confronto estava marcado para o domingo (29), às 16 horas, e agora passou para o sábado (28), às 19 horas, com mando santista, na Vila Belmiro.
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Com o novo formato dos direitos de TV, o Santos iria receber cerca de R$ 1,5 milhão por ser o mandante do jogo e ter transmissão da TV Aberta. Isso porque a divisão do contrato do Brasileiro é feita com 40% igual, 30% por posição e 30% por exposição. Com a mudança, o Santos deixa de lucrar esse valor.
Antes deste confronto, o Peixe encara o Fortaleza, fora de casa, no próximo domingo (15), às 18h15. No dia 19, o Alvinegro volta atenções para o jogo da volta da Copa Sul-Americana, no Paraguai. Na Vila Belmiro, o time santista bateu os paraguaios por 2 a 1 e agora joga pelo empate para conquistar a vaga para as semifinais da competição.
Since Todd Boehly’s reign as Chelsea owner began in May 2022, they have spent a fortune to overhaul their squad and make it what we see today. In total, the Blues have spent an outrageous £1.1b on signings under Boehly in just under two years.
On two occasions, Chelsea have broken the British transfer record to add to their midfield. Firstly, they signed the 2022 World Cup’s best young player of the tournament, Enzo Fernandez, from Benfica for £107m, on deadline day in the 2023 winter transfer window.
They then smashed their own record by signing Brighton and Hove Albion and Ecuador midfielder Mosies Caicedo. The 22-year-old joined the Blues last summer for £115m, electing to move to Stamford Bridge instead of joining Premier League rivals Liverpool.
However, this expensive midfield overhaul has resulted in some fan favourites being moved on from the club last summer. Mason Mount was the notable sale. He left Chelsea to join Manchester United for a fee of £55m, although injuries have ruined his debut season at Old Trafford
Former Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount.
Despite all the money Boehly has invested in Chelsea’s midfield, he might not be done there. The Blues are linked with one of the most exciting Europe’s midfielders ahead of the 2024 summer window.
Chelsea's midfielder shortlist
The player in question is Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Manuel Ugarte. The 23-year-old joined the French champions last summer for his release clause value of £51.1m from Sporting and signed a five-year deal at the club.
However, according to reports from The Boot Room, Chelsea are hoping to tempt the Uruguayan away from the Parc des Princes this summer and convince him to switch to London and Stamford Bridge, instead – with the Ligue 1 side seemingly willingly to sanction his departure.
sporting-cp-manuel-ugarte-man-united-transfers
The Blues were previously interested in Ugarte last summer too. Chelsea went head to head with PSG to try and sign the midfielder from Sporting CP, prior to his eventual from to Paris.
Indeed, a move for Ugarte in 2024 would likely only happen for Chelsea if they were to sell Conor Gallagher, as per the report. The England international has been a key player under Mauricio Pochettino this season, playing 49 times in all competitions, but a move away from the club this summer cannot be ruled out.
How Ugarte would fit in at Chelsea
To paint a picture of the type of player Ugarte is, he was described by Zach Lowy on X as being like a "younger [N’Golo] Kante". The former Chelsea midfielder – who notably won the Premier League and the Champions League during his glittering spell in west London – is renowned for his tireless work in midfield, having been lauded as "a defensive hoover" by Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne.
That is something which Lowy pointed out is also a strong element of Ugarte’s game, explaining he is “relentless” in midfield, and does "the defensive work of two players".
As far as ball-winners in midfield go, Ugarte is one of the very best around, according to FBref. The 23-year-old makes 6.09 tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes, which ranks him in the top 1%, and wins an average of 2.34 tackles per 90, placing him in the top 2%. Not only that, Ugarte averages an incredible 8.18 ball recoveries per 90, which places him in the top 1% of midfielders in Europe.
Where Ugarte struggles is in his ball progression. The Uruguay international averages just 3.91 progressive passes per 90 minutes this season, which places him as low as the 30th percentile. With that being said, he does look after the ball well, averaging a pass completion rate of 91%, ranking him in the top 5% of midfielders.
Ugarte has certainly had a prominent role in the centre of the park for PSG this season. He has featured 36 times in all competitions, with 24 of those appearances coming in Ligue 1. However, he was on the bench for both legs of PSG’s Champions League semi-final defeat to Borussia Dortmund.
Ugarte apps and minutes per competition this season
Competition
Apps
Mins
Ligue 1
24
1,843
Champions League
8
392
Coupe de France
4
124
Trophée des Champions
N/A
N/A
Stats from Transfermarkt
There is no doubt that, as a pure ball-winner, Ugarte could be excellent in a midfield three along with Caicedo and Fernandez. Given Boehly’s past interest in signing the 23-year-old, and the fact he is not afraid of spending significant funds on his midfield department, this is certainly a deal that could happen this summer.
Having seen the success that Kante – who notably put in a Man of the Match display in Chelsea's Champions League triumph in 2021 – enjoyed in a Blues shirt, the hope will be that Ugarte can follow suit in the centre of the park.
Chelsea must sell their ”flop” who's worth £43m less than Gallagher
The Chelsea player became a record breaker when he signed.
Somerset seam attack given lesson in durability from former England opener
George Dobell25-Sep-2020Essex 271 for 6 (A Cook 172, Westley 51, Gregory 4-58) trail Somerset 301 (Byrom 117, Overton 66, S Cook 5-76) by 30 runsAlastair Cook produced an innings of the highest class to put Essex on top in the final of the Bob Willis Trophy at Lord’s.On a surface on which all his team-mates struggled for fluency, Cook made 172 – the 67th century of his first-class career and his 20th score in excess of 150 – to give Essex a good chance of establishing a first-innings lead. Essex’s other batsmen contributed 91 between them.But with only 36 more runs required to ensure a first-innings lead and barely 15 minutes left to play, Cook poked at one angled into him with the second new ball and edged to Craig Overton at second slip. It leaves the game intriguingly poised going into the fourth morning: Essex require 31 more runs with four wickets in hand to gain a potentially decisive lead.The playing regulations of this competition state that, in the event of a draw, the winner of the trophy will be decided by the team with the highest first-innings score in the match. Therefore, if Essex are able to make 302, a draw will be enough for them. In this autumnal weather, that will be a concern for Somerset.It speaks volumes for Cook’s character that he was able to dig deep once more. Many players, returning to the county game after a long international career, struggle to rediscover the motivation that once drove them. But, fuelled by an abiding love for the game and the club he has represented, at one level or another, for more than 20 years, he once again provided the contribution his side required.”Obviously it [my motivation] is not as it was a few years ago; that’s one of the reasons why I’m not still playing international cricket,” Cook said afterwards. “But it’s a great club and it’s great fun. I enjoy playing with this bunch of lads. A lot of them, I’ve played a lot of cricket with. If Ravi Bopara were still here, we played our first games together aged 12.”I was scared when I retired from international cricket of walking away totally. Suddenly walking off at The Oval in 2018 – the last time I played – would have been a big hole to fill. And I’ve really enjoyed hanging out in the changing rooms at Essex. And we’re a good side. It makes it better when you win.”I’ll definitely play next year and then we’ll see how life is.”While it was a chanceless innings, it was not without some nervous moments. Twice in the opening 10 overs he played and missed; twice more he edged just short of the slip cordon. On 10, he sliced just over gully. Overton, the unfortunate bowler on the majority of occasions, let out a series of bellows of frustration.From that point on, however, he looked in almost complete command. And, in a sure sign that he was somewhere near his best, there were a series of flowing cover drives that might have pleased a batsman as elegant as Ian Bell. With 13 fours hit in front of square on the off side – most of them through the covers – it was an performance which, for a while, evoked memories of his wonderful Ashes tour of 2010-11.Alastair Cook is congratulated by Tom Westley on his century•Getty ImagesPerhaps it also tells us something about the relative pace of this pitch and the Somerset attack. As Michael Atherton has often remarked, county cricket is a game played largely below the hip; Test cricket a game played largely above. Had Somerset still had Jamie Overton available to them – he has recently moved to Surrey – he might have proved a point of difference.It was, to some extent, a sobering day for Somerset. Their seamers had, before this game, taken their wickets at a cost of around 12 apiece this season. Only one side had scored more than 200 against them and the opposition’s average score was 119. They are, without doubt, an admirable attack.But those figures do reflect some helpful surfaces and brittle batting line-ups. Here, on a higher-quality pitch and against a high-quality batsman, they were made to work substantially harder. It was a reminder, perhaps, that we have to be careful about judging bowlers’ suitability for international cricket by their success in the county game. They certainly bowled with perseverance and discipline but, on this surface, they lacked the menace they have possessed elsewhere.Perhaps unsurprisingly, Jack Leach was not at his best. Coming into this game, he had bowled only eight overs in first-class cricket since November and there was little assistance for him in the surface. While steady, there were more release balls – not least the full toss which Cook thumped through the covers to bring up his century – than he would have liked.Most of all, though, there was Cook. In a season in which ball has dominated bat, he showed the old virtues of a straight bat, a calm mind and the patience to bat all day. It was the highest of his seven centuries at Lord’s and, during the course of the innings, he surpassed Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh’s run tallies in first-class cricket. While long-form cricket remains, players like Cook will always be valuable.With his captain, Tom Westley, Cook added 170 in 51.2 overs for the second wicket. While Westley struggled for fluency – only 15 of his runs came on the off side and his half-century occupied 128 balls – his highest innings of the campaign proved valuable for his team. At that stage, it seemed Essex may be able to establish a significant first-innings lead.But when Westley flicked Tom Lammonby to midwicket straight after tea – Somerset had two men positioned for the stroke – Essex stuttered. Dan Lawrence, unsettled by a series of short balls from Gregory, mistimed a pull to midwicket and Paul Walter missed Gregory’s very next ball, as Essex lost three for 11.But Cook soldiered on. Now partnered by Ryan Ten Doeschate, he added another 56 for the fifth wicket and became the only man to reach 500 runs in the competition this season. Nobody has scored more than his two centuries, either.In the dying moments of the day, though, the new ball accounted for the pair of them. Cook’s wicket perhaps also owed something to the setting sun which appeared to be shining directly into his eyes as it set behind the pavilion. But he was making no excuses.”Let’s not blame the light,” he said. “It was quite a good ball and I should have left it. But the sun is coming down and it is very awkward. But it’s the same for both sides.””Today was a real test,” Gregory admitted. “The wicket was slow and Alastair showed his class. We couldn’t get him early and he did what he’s been doing for a long time now. He’s been a fantastic player for a long time and he showed today why he’s one of the best.”
Glasgow Rangers have made some inroads into the transfer market already as Philippe Clement has made two signings for the Light Blues.
Brazilian left-back Jefte was announced at the end of May, while exciting young winger Oscar Cortes will remain in Glasgow for a season-long loan deal with an obligation to buy next summer.
Oscar Cortes
The Colombian forward spent the second half of last season at the Gers, yet he made just seven appearances before injury curtailed his season.
These are two signings which fit Clement’s transfer strategy. Might a third arrival arrive sooner rather than later? As an update has arrived regarding a player Rangers have shown interest in…
Rangers transfer news
It is no secret that Clement is after plenty of attacking reinforcements this summer in order to bolster his frontline.
One name which has sprung up is that of Bayern Munich gem Yusuf Kabadayi and reputable German journalist Florian Plettenberg has given an update on his current situation ahead of the transfer window opening, stating that the Gers are among the "concrete suitors".
Again, it appears as though Clement is targeting players who are young and showing plenty of potential, with Kabadayi certainly fitting the bill.
There could be several options with regard to how best to secure a deal for the winger. His contract at Bayern expires next summer which could perhaps suggest they would be willing to sell him directly if an offer was to be made by the Ibrox side.
Rabbi Matondo's season in numbers
Last season, the Gers were plagued by injuries to a plethora of their wingers. At one point, Abdallah Sima, Cortes, Rabbi Matondo and Scott Wright were all unavailable, resulting in Clement having to rejig his starting XI on a regular basis.
Sima was excellent during his loan spell, scoring 16 goals across all competitions, but he will return to Brighton and Hove Albion with his future unclear.
Abdallah Sima
One player who did improve from his dismal debut campaign – which featured zero goals and just five assists – was Matondo. The Welshman did make his mark last term, but does his future lie at Ibrox under Clement?
Straight away, It's safe to say Matondo improved vastly last season when considering his goal contributions. He only played three more games compared to his first season at Ibrox, yet he registered double the number of goal involvements – six goals and four assists – which included a stunning last-minute effort against Celtic to salvage a 3-3 back in April.
Six of these goals and assists came from the bench, indicating that perhaps he is a better impact option rather than someone who can dominate games from the very first whistle and this may give Clement something to think about.
Metric
2022/23
2023/24
Goals
0
5
Assists
4
3
Key passes per game
0.8
0.6
Shots per game
0.9
1.7
Successful dribbles per game
1.3
1.2
With Cortes already signed, the interest in Kabadayi suggests there may be some movement out of the door in the summer. Can the young German be an upgrade on Matondo ahead of next season?
What Yusuf Kabadayi could bring to Rangers
The 20-year-old may have played just 24 senior matches during the embryonic stages of his career thus far, but his ceiling is high.
Kabadayi has made 78 appearances for several of the youth sides at Bayern, scoring 29 goals while adding a further 11 assists, meaning that he registered a goal contribution every 1.9 matches, which is a stunning ratio.
Kabadayi spent the 2023/24 campaign on loan at Schalke in the 2. Bundesliga in what was his first-ever taste of senior football.
He didn’t do badly at all, scoring five goals in just 26 matches for the second tier outfit, gaining vital experience at the top level while showcasing his talents, and he has clearly impressed a few teams in the process.
Profiling him for the Rangers Journal, Kai Watson stated that Kabadayi is a winger who is “strong, quick and good on the ball” which are all qualities which Clement looks for in his wide players.
Among his teammates at Schalke, the youngster ranked fourth for goals (four) in the German second tier, while also ranking third for shots per game (1.6) and fourth for successful dribbles per game (1.1). These statistics indicate that not only is the winger a solid threat in front of goal, but he also loves bursting down the left flank and taking on opposition defenders with ease.
In comparison, Matondo ranked fifth for goals in the Premiership among his teammates (five), along with finishing the season ranked eighth for shots per game (1.7) and fourth for successful dribbles per game (1.2), showing plenty of improvement from the season before.
Rangers forward Rabbi Matondo.
While the stats are fairly similar between the two left-wingers, Kabadayi could have the edge, especially with Matondo’s injury history. The former Manchester City starlet has missed a staggering 39 matches for the Light Blues since arriving in the summer of 2022, resulting in him showing the supporters glimpses of his talents.
It is clear that Clement needs to sign players who are not injury prone and can be available for virtually every match. Kabadayi is still only 20 and appears to be in fine physical shape, which could suggest he would be an upgrade on Matondo should the Belgian coach step up his initial interest in the winger over the next week or two.
Matondo would still be an excellent option to utilise from the bench next term, especially if the Gers are struggling to break down a team, as his pace and brute strength were often showcased last season.
If Clement could sign Kabadayi, however, it would represent yet another solid piece of transfer business conducted in what could turn out to be a summer of transformation.
Clement could sign his own Aaron Ramsey in early Rangers swoop
The Light Blues have been linked with an interest in the England international.
Os nove jogadores convocados para a Seleção Brasileira nesta sexta-feira (27) ajudam a expor a variedade de opções que Tite e sua comissão técnica têm analisado de olho na Copa do Mundo de 2022. Entre os chamados para as partidas contra Chile, Argentina e Peru, pelas Eliminatórias, estão jogadores que conhecem bem a amarelinha, campeões olímpicos e também estreantes.
A lista foi anunciada de “maneira emergencial”, uma vez que a CBF tem dificuldades de conseguir a liberação de atletas que atuam na Premier League.
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Dois jogadores sabem bem o que é carregar a responsabilidade de disputar competições de alto nível. Após cinco anos de espera, o atacante Hulk retorna à Seleção Brasileira, e tem sua primeira chance sob o comando de Tite. O jogador de 35 anos já disputou uma Olimpíada e uma Copa do Mundo, além de ter atuado em edições de Copas América.
-Hulk vive um grande momento, está na nossa lista larga. Estamos acompanhando, quanto mais atletas em alto nível tivermos é melhor para montarmos uma Seleção mais forte – afirmou o auxiliar César Sampaio na convocação no dia 13.
Na zaga, outro jogador voltou a receber chances. Titular na Copa do Mundo de 2018, Miranda ganhou uma nova chance. O jogador de 36 anos estava descartado desde o título da Copa América com a Seleção Brasileira, em 2019.
Embora não chegue a ser veterano, Vini Jr já conhece bem os caminhos de Tite. O atacante é chamado com frequência pelo treinador e esteve na recente disputa da Copa América, que o Brasil perdeu para a Argentina.
Dois jogadores campeões olímpicos em Tóquio também ganharam chance de mostrar espaço na equipe principal. Exaltado por André Jardine como um goleiro com condições de se consolidar, Santos será um dos goleiros. Herói do título ao marcar na prorrogação, no 2 a 1 sobre a Espanha, Malcom também ganhou uma oportunidade.
O espaço para estreantes será bem extenso. O goleiro Everson, do Atlético-MG, ganhará uma oportunidade de se consolidar. No meio, Edenílson, constantemente elogiado por Tite, terá chance de mostrar o bom futebol que apresenta no Internacional.
Jogador com destaque nas seleções de base e que viveu bom momento no Flamengo, Gerson terá sua esperada chance de se impor com a amarelinha. Sobre o meio-campista do Olympique de Marselha, Tite disse semanas antes: “será lembrado se estiver bem”.
Outra cara nova é Matheus Nunes. O meio-campista do Sporting recebe elogios de quem acompanha sua carreira.
– Vem em uma ascensão incrível em Portugal. Era um jogador desconhecido quando chegou no Sporting e agora é um dos titulares absolutos do campeão nacional. É um volante que gosta de ter a posse de bola, sabe construir e se posicionar muito bem, já jogou até como ala em alguns momentos. Também tem boa finalização e é um jogador muito inteligente para resolver problemas e ter bom posicionamento – afirmou, ao LANCE!, o jornalista Valter Marques, do Record.