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Glasgow Rangers made two signings on deadline day, as defender Neraysho Kasanwirjo and attacking midfielder Nedim Bajrami joined from Feyenoord and Sassuolo respectively.

It might not have been the business the Ibrox faithful were looking for, but two signings is better than none, giving Philippe Clement a couple of options to choose from in key positions.

Moving on the likes of Scott Wright and Todd Cantwell recently will have also helped in regard to getting more players off the wage bill, but the onus will be on Clement to further strengthen in January.

The Belgian manager will now have to utilise the players he has at his disposal between now and then, hoping that the Light Blues will still be in a title race by then.

In the Premiership, the club have won two of their three matches, sitting two points behind Celtic ahead of the first Old Firm clash of the season on Sunday.

It has been a stuttering start to the campaign, but the 6-0 win over Ross County last week saw the team get into their stride, as both Rabbi Matondo and Cyriel Dessers shone against the Highland side.

Dessers has endured his criticism, but could he turn out to be an important player for the Gers as the season progresses?

Cyriel Dessers’ statistics for Rangers this season

The Nigerian centre-forward has featured in all six of the Light Blues’ fixtures so far this term, scoring five goals and chipping in with an assist.

A more than impressive return, but he will now be expected to step up against the likes of Celtic and in Europe, scoring against better teams in tighter matches.

Against County, he was superb. Along with his two goals, the 29-year-old completed 100% of his passes, made two key passes and created a big chance during the encounter.

Goals

3

Assists

0

Big chances created

1

Big chances missed

3

Shots per game

3.3

Successful dribbles per game

0.7

Goals breed confidence, which means Dessers should be heading into the first derby match of the campaign aiming to score his first ever Old Firm goal.

If he can link up well with those flanking him, along with whoever plays in the number ten slot, then the striker has the capability to cause the Celtic defender plenty of problems.

Despite his strong start to the season, Clement certainly missed a trick by failing to sign another centre-forward during the summer transfer window, especially considering how many the Light Blues were linked with.

One name went on to join another club in Europe and helped lead them to the group stages of the reformed Champions League – Albion Rrahmani.

Rangers' summer search for a striker

One of the biggest transfer sagas, particularly during the first half of the transfer window, was whether Rangers would bring the Kosovan striker to Ibrox.

Even at the start of August, his club side Rapid were claiming that the asking price for the striker was set at around €6m (£5m) if any club wished to sign him before the deadline.

It soon became clear that the Gers were not going to make a move for him, as he subsequently joined Sparta Prague instead, resulting in a major missed opportunity for Clement and Co.

Rrahmani had scored 18 goals in just 29 matches for the Romanian club last term, showcasing his talents in front of goal during his single campaign at Rapid.

The 24-year-old also created 13 big chances, averaged two key passes per game and succeeded with 1.2 dribbles per game, proving that he could link up well with others, which would have given Clement a big advantage.

Since moving to Prague, he has already opened his account, scoring against Malmö, which secured progression into Europe’s premier club competition for the Czech side.

Would Rangers have managed to qualify for the group stages if Rrahmani was in the starting XI? Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but the qualities that the striker would have brought to the club may have given them an advantage against Dynamo Kyiv.

Why Albion Rrahmani would have been ideal for Cerny

Clement may not have improved all areas of the first-team squad during the summer transfer window, but one area which is stronger now than what it was last season is the right wing.

Not only has Wright departed Ibrox, but Czech winger Vaclav Cerny has joined the Gers on a season-long loan deal from Wolfsburg, adding some experience to that side of the pitch.

The 26-year-old has already begun to showcase his talents at Ibrox, notching a goal and two assists in six games, of which only three appearances were from the starting XI.

His pinpoint deliveries into the box have worked well for Dessers so far, but imagine how Rrahmani would fare with the Czech winger providing plenty of chances for him in the box.

Dubbed as “powerful” by Rangers Journal founder Kai Watson amid the links to Ibrox, Rrahmani would be a dream player for Cerny, causing chaos in Scotland and on the continent.

Dessers, although much improved in recent weeks, certainly isn’t the striker to lead the Light Blues to the Premiership title, especially considering how many big chances that he misses.

Signing Rrahmani would have been a major upgrade for the Nigerian striker ahead of the 2024/25 campaign, but it was clear the funds weren’t readily available at the time to lure him to Scotland.

Dessers and Danilo will be tasked with leading the Gers to glory this term. Supported by the likes of Cerny and Matondo, hardly the players the supporters were expecting when the transfer window opened in June.

The season is still in its embryonic stage and anything can happen during a nine-month-long race, but the general feeling is the club are far too lightweight in the attacking department and this could be Clement’s downfall.

Only time will tell whether these players are good enough when it really matters.

Rangers have struck gold on Ibrox gem who's worth millions more than Cerny

Philippe Clement has signed a player who could be sold for a substantial profit in the future…

ByRoss Kilvington Aug 31, 2024

أدلى كارلو أنشيلوتي، مدرب ريال مدريد، بشهادته في محكمة مدريد، حيث يواجه اتهامات بالاحتيال الضريبي متعلقة بالفترات المالية لعامي 2014 و2015.

أنشيلوتي نفى أي نية لتهرب من دفع الضرائب وأوضح أن مستشاريه كانوا يتعاملون مع شؤونه المالية. وأكد أنه لم يشعر بوجود أي مشكلة قانونية.

من جانبها، النيابة العامة تطالب بسجن أنشيلوتي لمدة أربع سنوات وتسعة أشهر، بالإضافة إلى فرض غرامات مالية تزيد عن ثلاثة ملايين يورو نتيجة للتهرب الضريبي المزعوم.

اقرأ أيضًا.. تشواميني يلوم لاعبي ريال مدريد رغم التأهل إلى نهائي كأس ملك إسبانيا

وقال أنشيلوتي خلال محاكمته والتي نقلت صحيفة “ماركا” تفاصيلها: “لم أقصد أي خيبة أمل للناس تجاهي، كل شيء كان على ما يرام بالنسبة لي”.

وأضاف: “كنت مهتمًا فقط بالحصول على ستة ملايين يورو صافية على مدى ثلاث سنوات، ولم أكن أدرك أن هناك شيئًا غير صحيح، ولم أتلق أي إشعار بأن النيابة العامة تحقق ضدي”.

وأتم: “عندما اقترح ريال مدريد علي ذلك (مشيرًا إلى نقل حقوق الصورة) تواصلت مع مستشاري الإنجليزي ولم أتدخل في الموضوع لأن كل شيء كان يبدو صحيحًا لي، لم أعتقد أنه قد يكون احتيالًا، لكن مع وجودي هنا أمامكم، فأعتقد أن الأمور لم تكن صحيحة تمامًا”.

Weird banners to go with entertainment from Mr. Cricket and Mrs. Dhoni on a scorching Chennai afternoon

Sreekesh Krishnan29-Apr-2013Choice of game
I am an ardent Chennai Super Kings fan, and have been attending all CSK games this season. The KKR game, billed as the revenge match following the IPL 2012 final, was on top on my list. Who would want to miss a mouth-watering clash between two IPL champions?Team supported
I support CSK, not only because I grew up in the city, but also for (‘leader’ in Tamil) MS Dhoni, and Ravindra Jadeja, who has been in the thick of things for a while now.Key performer
Even though Mr. Cricket Michael Hussey stole the show, for me Chris Morris was the key performer. He bowled a splendid last over, literally yorking KKR’s chances.Two things I’d have changed about the match
I’d have liked to change the on-field umpires and the Chennai cheerleaders. The Manvinder Bisla run-out that was not given, was greeted by boos from the ‘knowledgeable’ Chennai crowd. The Chennai cheerleaders seemed quite lazy; they need to practice more, to keep the spirits high.Accessories
Unfortunately, the security at Chepauk is always very high, and thus, one cannot carry a lot of accessories to the stands. So CSK flags without sticks, and an empty water bottle without the cap were the only things I could get into the ground.Wow moment
The Hussey direct-hit that got Bisla out. It knocked the wind out of KKR’s chase and changed the complexion of the game.Close encounter
Before the game, the CSK squad practiced near the terrace stands. We were fortunate to witness a miscued Suresh Raina pull shot sail into our stand. We were allowed to bring the ball home.Shot of the day
The most memorable shot was played by Eoin Morgan. It was a cheeky stroke: he reverse-paddled a delivery that was outside leg stump, and bisected the gap between the wicketkeeper and short third man beautifully.Crowd meter
Despite the 4 pm start, the stadium was jam-packed before the match, with noise levels on the higher side. A single wave from Dhoni was enough to make the fans go crazy. We also witnessed half a Mexican wave, where the wave didn’t complete a full revolution. Instead this one stopped and went in the reverse direction.Twenty20 v ODIs v Test cricket
As a cricket lover, I have always preferred Test cricket. But T20 is food for entertainment. Like it or not, you just can’t ignore it.Star-spotting
As always, we were joined by Mrs. Sakshi Dhoni, who the city seems to have adopted as its own. During each game, her reactions to the on-field action drive the crowd crazy.Banner of the day
One banner got my eye before the start of the match. It said “Sir Jaddu, you are my ” – weird, but attention-grabbing. ( is an Indian sweet.)Marks out of 10
The Chepauk faithfuls were blessed to witness yet another close encounter, even though CSK weren’t chasing this time. I would rate the match 9/10.

Mohammad Nawaz has tested positive for Covid-19 and has been quarantined as per the PCB’s pandemic protocols. The left-arm spinner had tested positive during the second round of testing, which were administered upon arrival in Islamabad on Wednesday. He faces a ten-day quarantine period.The Pakistan team will take on New Zealand in a series of three ODIs and five T20Is, with the first match scheduled on September 17, and the final one on October 3.All other Pakistan squad members have tested negative and, as such, the national side will hold a training session as scheduled on Friday at the Pindi Cricket Stadium.Related

• Pakistan to allow 25% capacity crowds for New Zealand series

• Pakistan pick four uncapped players for New Zealand ODIs

• Misbah and Waqar resign from Pakistan coaching roles

New Zealand will arrive in Islamabad on Saturday, having completed a tour of Bangladesh, where they’ve already lost the five-match T20I series with one game to go. The Black Caps are not at full-strength, and they have travelled for both tours without Kane Williamson, Trent Boult, Kyle Jamieson and Lockie Ferguson, who will all be taking part in the second half of IPL 2021 in the UAE. Tom Latham is leading New Zealand with Williamson absent.Pakistan had earlier announced that stadiums could be filled upto 25% capacity for the matches against New Zealand. Spectators would have to be fully vaccinated to be able to attend games. The three ODIs, all taking place in Rawalpindi, will be open to 4500 spectators each. The five T20Is, all at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, will accommodate 5500 spectators each.

da aviator aposta： Gary O'Neil earned his laurels at Wolverhampton Wanderers last season, taking an outfit that was generally expected to struggle against the pull of relegation and securing a comfortable 14th-place Premier League finish.

da doce： Now, though, the tactician is crafting a squad capable of reaching new heights, with last summer's selling spree mitigating any notion of concerns around PSR and freeing up room to tinker away with freedom at present.

Shrewd deals for talented up-and-comers have already been realised, and while the Old Gold are financially sound, it's long been expected that Pedro Neto could be shipped on, with the £60m-rated winger linked with Manchester City, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur.

Should the Portuguese depart, Wolves appear to have earmarked a replacement for about a month now, and could soon pounce.

Wolves summer transfer news

Last month, GIVEMESPORT revealed that Wolves were considering a swoop for Sunderland's Jack Clarke, with the talented winger valued at around £30m by the Championship side.

Clarke, 23, has been one of the second tier's finest players in recent years and could look to take a second shot at the Premier League after a forgettable transfer to Tottenham Hotspur when he was a youngster.

Crystal Palace are also known suitors, and following their sale of Michael Olise to Bayern Munich for £50m, it might be wise for Wolves to act quickly and ensure they get the deal over the line, especially if Neto completes his stay in Black Country.

What Jack Clarke would bring to Molineux

Clarke was awarded Sunderland's Player of the Season following his exemplary performances last year, scoring 15 goals and adding four assists across 40 Championship appearances.

A natural wide marksman, Clarke has been praised for his "devastating" ability in front of goal by former boss Tony Mowbray, with immense speed and sharp dribbling skills to form quite the complete skillset.

A left-sided player, he could even prove to be O'Neil's own version of Diogo Jota, handing Molineux the second coming of the free-scoring Liverpool sharpshooter, who once netted 44 goals and bagged 19 assists in 131 games in Old Gold.

Invariably menacing in the final third, Jota is one of the most clinical players in world football, ranking among the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals scored per 90, as per FBref.

Clarke is also a steady scorer but, moreover, offers ball-carrying and creative skills that could see him become quite the remarkable presence on the flank for Wolves, ranking among the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Championship last year for shot-creating actions, progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90.

Diogo Jota: Seasonal Stats (19/20 – 23/24)

Season

Team

Apps

Goals

Assists

23/24

Liverpool

32

15

4

22/23

Liverpool

28

7

8

21/22

Liverpool

55

21

6

20/21

Liverpool

30

13

1

19/20

Wolves

48

16

6

Stats via Transfermarkt

With that kind of style, Clarke is more aptly placed in the same bracket as Crysencio Summerville, with the Leeds United phenomenon recorded as the Black Cat's most comparable player in the Championship, via FBref.

Summerville is quite the hot property at present, on West Ham United and AS Roma's radar after being crowned the Championship MVP last term. The Hammers, newly led by Julen Lopetegui, have actually tabled an opening proposal.

The Dutchman, who posted 19 goals and nine assists over 41 starting appearances in England's second tier last year, proved to be creative, convincing and combative all, averaging 2.6 key passes, 2.3 dribbles and 5.8 duels per game.

Clarke produced similar results, completing 2.3 key passes per game but also incredibly averaging 3.7 dribbles and winning 8.0 duels per outing. Is it any wonder he's been described as a "ball-carrying monster" by analyst Ben Mattinson?

Wolves were actually linked with Summerville when he was in his footballing infancy back in 2019, and now Molineux could strike and land a player of a similar ilk. But one, perhaps, who could prove to be every bit as deadly and more.

Related He's a wonderkid: Wolves could sign their answer to Amadou Onana

Gary O’Neil could sign a teenage sensation in the next few weeks…

Posts ByRoss Kilvington Jul 22, 2024

MatériaMais Notícias

da dobrowin： Asequipes Sub-15 e Sub-17 do Vasco se reapresentaram nesta última segunda-feira e iniciaram a pré-temporada. No primeiro momento, os jogadores das duas categorias participaram doteste de salto e composição corporal com a fisiologia do clube e realizaram exames de sangue. Na sequência, eles passarão por testes físicos ealém de avaliações com o fisioterapeuta, nutricionista e médico do Departamento de Saúde e Performance (DESP).

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da spicy bet： Antes da reapresentação, foram realizados testes de Covid-19 com os atletas e três deles testaram positivo.O zagueiro Bruno, da equipe Sub-15, e o zagueiro Noronha e o volante Lucas Ferreira, do Sub-17. Ambos estão cumprindo quarentena e seguindo todos o protocolos – devem se reapresentar ao fim do prazo estipulado pelo DESP.

Ainda não é assinante do Cariocão-2022? Acesse www.cariocaoplay.com.br, preencha o cadastro e ganhe 5% de desconto com o cupom especial do LANCE!: GE-JK-FF-ZSW

Para esta temporada, o Sub-15 do Vasco será composto por jogadores nascidos em 2007. A geração que conquistoua Copa Brasileirinho Sub-14 ao derrotar o Fluminensepor 2 a 1, de virada, emContagem (MG). Eles irão disputar a Copa Rio e o Campeonato Carioca, e podem decidir mais um título. Caso conquistem uma das duas competições, a equipe terá pela frente também aRecopa Carioca.

+ Confira e simule a tabela do Campeonato Carioca

O time Sub-17, por sua vez, terá um grupo formado por atletas nascidos em 2005 e 2006 e tentam manter o nível do que foi apresentado em 2021. Vale lembrar que ano passado, os Meninos da Colina disputaram quatro finais e ergueram as taças doCampeonato Carioca e da Recopa Carioca.

Newcastle United have undergone a sweeping transformation this summer – though that is away from Eddie Howe's first-team squad.

The Tyneside outfit might have seen significant structural movements, but little has happened on the transfer front. Lewis Hall's loan move has been completed on a permanent basis and Lloyd Kelly has been landed on a free transfer following his departure from Bournemouth, but the backline requires more work and a wide forward is also pursued.

St. James' Park has gone from strength to strength over the past several years, following the PIF-backed club takeover, and now there is a chance to overcome last season's hiccup, stemming from the injury-plagued nature of the Magpies' year, and mount a campaign back toward the Champions League.

Fans are understandably yearning for some added impetus in attack – and the pointers suggest that they will get their wish – but with Sven Botman's knee injury keeping him sidelined until the end of 2024, Howe is desperate to secure another centre-back to restore his side's imperiousness in defence.

Newcastle lining up another defender

The left-sided Kelly brings security and dynamism to the backline but more is needed on the central right. As such, there might just be something in reports that Newcastle are pushing to sign OGC Nice's Jean-Clair Todibo.

The French defender is Juventus' priority target this summer and rejected West Ham United despite the east London side agreeing a £27m deal to sign him.

Now, according to transfer specialist Graeme Bailey, the Toon are preparing to launch a move of their own after holding discussions with Todibo's representatives.

Newcastle’s new sporting director Paul Mitchell is seeking to hijack Juventus' hijack in what would be an extraordinary turn of events. There's a distance to travel but this one is cautiously encouraging.

Jean-Clair Todibo's 23/24 season in numbers

Todibo, standing at 6 foot 3, is a colossal defender with a steely protective ability and a remarkable level of technicality that speaks of his suitability in Newcastle's fluid, progressive system.

As per FBref, he ranked among the top 18% of centre-backs in Ligue 1 last season for assists (0.07 per 90) and the top 10% for shot-creating actions (1.47 per 90), highlighting that inborn creativity that would open up a new dimension from deep.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig has praised his "high-quality" presence in the rearguard and this is reflected in the all-encompassing nature of his game, with the 24-year-old also keeping 14 clean sheets from 30 Ligue 1 matches last season, completing 90% of his passes and averaging 1.9 tackles and winning 4.5 duels (at a success rate of 59%).

But the most eye-catching element of the former La Masia starlet's skillset is his athletic prowess, with the mobility and energy levels necessary to rule over the defensive third with an iron grasp – averaging 7.1 ball recoveries per game in the French top flight.

Todibo's influence is such that he wouldn't just improve his prospective defensive partners on Tyneside. With such a robust approach to his play, he might actually be the dream defender for Bruno Guimaraes.

Why Newcastle must sign Jean-Clair Todibo

Guimaraes has been linked with a move away from Newcastle this summer, though June's sales of Elliott Anderson and teenage winger Yankuba Minteh have eased the burden relating to the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules considerably.

Manchester City, Arsenal and Manchester United have all registered a vested interest of late but a clause in Guimaraes' contract relating to a £100m release clause has now expired, meaning that Howe and Co can demand any fee they see fit for the club's midfield linchpin.

Signed from Lyon for £40m in January 2022 – at the start of the Magpies' new wave of hope – the Brazil international has been lauded for his "world-class" skills by teammate Dan Burn and chalks up some staggering metrics each season.

Matches played

17

32

37

Matches started

11

32

37

Goals

5

4

7

Assists

1

5

8

Pass completion

86%

85%

85%

Big chances created

3

2

12

Touches per game

46.9

68.4

81.0

Key passes per game

0.7

1.3

1.7

Dribbles per game

1.3

1.4

1.9

Ball recoveries per game

7.0

7.7

6.5

Tackles per game

2.6

2.4

2.4

Duels won per game

6.2

7.0

7.7

The table above highlights Guimaraes' almighty stats across his two-and-a-half seasons in the Premier League. It's a lot to unpack, but illustrates the absurd level of roundedness that supercharges Newcastle's engine room.

He did struggle at points last season but this was largely down to the incessant injury problems that plagued his team – especially in defence. By placing Todibo behind him – a defender who unbelievably made more ball recoveries than him on average in his league last season – Newcastle could return to the fore.

After all, while the £160k-per-week midfielder's combative nature holds together the middle of the park with steely resolve, it's his ball-playing mastery that would benefit the most from such a sturdy defender behind.

Indeed, Guimaraes ranked among the top 10% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues last season for assists and shot-creating actions and the top 13% for progressive passes per 90, emphasising that fact.

Todibo would provide security and stability, yes, but also his own progressive style to thread through to Newcastle's main man, in turn enhancing the collective fluency of the side.

Juventus might feel that they are the favourites to sign Todibo, but Newcastle are seemingly set on disrupting the party in Turin. If they pull it off, it really will be quite the signing.

The end for Almiron: Newcastle offered deal to sign £50m "magician"

The Magpies are looking to improve their forward line this summer.

ByEthan Lamb Jul 20, 2024

da supremo： After spending the early passages of the off-season fighting to keep Kieran McKenna at the club, Ipswich Town can now look towards the transfer window as they enter advanced talks for a new signing.

Tractor Boys prepare for life in the Premier League

da bwin： The latest rumours out of Portman Road have seen Ipswich linked with a move for a number of new defensive players. Hull City's Jacob Greaves is one name linked with a move to the Tractor Boys with the centre-back seemingly destined to be playing Premier League football next season.

Related Ipswich could smash transfer record to sign star who's perfect for McKenna

Ipswich Town could show they mean business moving up to the Premier League with this record purchase.

Posts ByKelan Sarson Jun 25, 2024

Joining Greaves on McKenna's wishlist is fellow centre-back Cameron Carter-Vickers. The current Celtic man has attracted interest from fellow topflight sides West Ham United and Fulham meaning that Ipswich may have a fight on their hands in order to land the USA international.

With a defender clearly high on the Tractor Boys' list of priorities, the club have now entered the final stages of negotiations to get a proven Premier League defender without needing to spend a penny on transfer fees.

Ipswich enter advanced talks for English free agent

As reported on Sky Sports, Ipswich have entered advanced talks with the representatives of free agent Ben Johnson. The 24-year-old was most recently on the books at West Ham, however the defender rejected multiple contract offers from the Hammers in the search for more regular game time.

Currently commanding a weekly wage of £20,000, this would be the only fee that the Tractor Boys would have to fork out in order to get their man.

Johnson rose through the youth ranks with West Ham before going on to make 109 senior appearances with the East London outfit. The right-back picked up the Hammers' Young Player of the Season award back in 2022 and was also part of the squad that won the UEFA Conference League in 2023.

Whilst making just 14 appearances in the Premier League last season, Johnson was still able to show that he was more than capable of performing at the highest level. The fullback shone as a progressive force ranking highly for successful take-ons and progressive carries.

Ben Johnson Premier League stats 2023/24

Total per 90

Rank vs fullbacks in comparable leagues

Shots total

0.99

80th percentile

Successful take-ons

1.82

98th percentile

Progressive carries

2.81

82nd percentile

Progressive passes received

5.46

84th percentile

Despite struggling for consistent minutes at the London Stadium, Johnson has long been regarded as a quality asset to his side. Speaking when Johnson filled the void for an injured Vladimír Coufal back in October 2021 then-boss David Moyes waxed lyrical about the defender, telling the press:

“I actually thought young Ben Johnson, when you think that we’ve been with a couple of the right-backs recently, I think Ben Johnson has had three games this week, and I thought he was fabulous.”

With the Tractor Boys preparing for life in the Premier League, McKenna's men could do a lot worse than a player with proven top flight quality and plenty of room to improve.

Pitches on which batting is a lottery bring the opposition’s less-skilled spinners into the game

Sidharth Monga04-Nov-20241:25

Worst collective batting display from India in a Test series?

Indian players hate it when people talk about pitches at home. Part of it is because of the derisive clichés used to describe turning tracks: dustbowls, “rank” turners, wrestling pits. They don’t want a three-day Test on a turning pitch to be considered inferior to a three-day finish on a green seamer.However, having eaten their cake, the Indian cricketers also want to have it by suggesting they have no say in the preparation of pitches, when they almost micromanage the process often to the annoyance of the ground staff. Even during the 2023 “ICC” ODI World Cup in India, of the five venues that produced “average” pitches, three did it only for India matches and one just before India turned up. Now the semantics of what is “average” and “good” is debatable, but there were enough indications that India wanted to play specific opponents on specific types of pitches, and their wishes were granted even in an ICC tournament.Related

• The pitch boomerang: how India's rank turners are biting them, not the opposition

• There's a madness to Daryl Mitchell's methods against spin

• Rohit, Kohli and India unravel one last time in a series of unravelings

• India and England cannot sweep themselves out of trouble in Tests

• Rohit: I was not at my best as captain, and with the bat

You could argue there is nothing wrong with that – gaining a competitive advantage in professional sport. Groundsmen exist not to make ideal pitches but surfaces that help the home team win. Apart from in Australia, where there’s evidence that a chief groundsman can tell off an interfering captain, this happens nearly everywhere. The nature of pitches in England can go from turners to seamers depending on Australia’s strengths in that Ashes cycle. South Africa can drive their groundsmen up the wall by insisting on extreme home advantage, sometimes to their own peril. Pakistan recently had national selectors practically take over the pitch-making process.In India, you hope the team’s constant demand for spin-friendly surfaces is a cold, professional choice informed by analytics, and not an emotional reaction to the whitewashes in England and Australia after which the players started asking for extreme turners. Incidentally, the current coach Gautam Gambhir was the first one to publicly make that demand when he was a player.It can be argued the pitches on which India played New Zealand in Pune and Mumbai actually diminished their home advantage. India have lost seven home Tests in the last 12 years, and four of those defeats have come on extremely helpful surfaces for spinners. Of the other three defeats, one featured an extreme weather event that led to excessive seam on the first morning in Bengaluru, and other needed a freakishly lucky innings from Ollie Pope in Hyderabad.It was the third defeat, when Joe Root took full toll batting first in Chennai in 2021, that seems to have spooked India. Ever since then, they have doubled down on their demand for excessive turn from day one. This result seemed to vindicate MS Dhoni’s theory that the toss plays a less crucial role on pitches that turn big from day one. The pressure of maximising World Test Championship points from home Tests played a role too.A rank turner reduces the gap in skill between India’s spinners and the opposition’s spinners•AFP/Getty ImagesHowever, there is no evidence of the toss becoming less crucial on rank turners. Hawk-Eye data in this piece by Kartikeya Date shows that the Mumbai pitch took three hours before offering big turn to India’s spinners. Those three hours are worth 100 runs in relatively easy conditions. For a long time, India had batters to overcome this disadvantage if they lost the toss; now they don’t seem to do so.It is not like draws become a worry for India on “normal” pitches either. Of the seven drawn Tests in the country since 2013, three were impacted by weather, two were on uncharacteristically slow pitches even for India, one surface didn’t break up because of overnight dew in Rajkot in November, and in the last draw New Zealand hung on by one wicket.By asking for and getting pitches that turn from day one, and get progressively difficult to bat on, India bridge the gap between their superior spinners and the visiting ones who now need to sustain their skill and control for much shorter periods.Spinners averaged just under 24 collectively in India’s 3-0 defeat to New Zealand. ESPNcricinfo’s Shiva Jayaraman has used that average as the marker to differentiate between normal pitches and excessive turners in India. He found that in Tests since 2017 in which spinners collectively averaged less than 24, India’s spinners averaged 16.37 while visiting spinners averaged 22.91.However, the real difference in the quality of spinners becomes evident when they are made to work harder for their wickets. In Tests since 2017 where spinners collectively averaged above 24, Indian spinners averaged 26.22 while visiting spinners averaged a whopping 57.04 per wicket. These pitches also tend to bring in reverse swing, which India’s fast bowlers are really good at.Since 2020, six visiting spinners have taken their maiden five-fors in Test cricket in India: Joe Root, Mitchell Santner, Todd Murphy, Tom Hartley, Matt Kuhnemann and Shoaib Bashir. It seems counterintuitive to help narrow the gap between their skills and what R Ashwin does with the ball in the air or Ravindra Jadeja’s unrelenting accuracy over long periods. You can understand the ask for an extreme turner at the end of a long season, for example, but not when the bowlers are fresh.India’s batters have struggled big time on pitches that excessively help spinners•AFP/Getty ImagesThe drop in average for India’s batters against spin is also huge when batting becomes a lottery at home. For example, since 2017, Virat Kohli has averaged 90.25 against spin on pitches where spinners have averaged over 24 per wicket, but that plummets to 20.13 on pitches when spinners average less than 24 per wicket. Considering that batters – as India’s captains tend to be – make the decisions on the nature of pitches, it’s quite noble that they are going for wins without worrying about personal records. But if they zoom out a little, they will see that playing on turners is possibly hurting the team’s results as well.Under Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma, India made the conscious decision to play on what was given to them in Test cricket, and they continued to do so despite losing the first Test against England in early 2024. They won that series 4-1. However, India’s response to the Bengaluru defeat against New Zealand under Gambhir and Rohit has been extreme for some reason.Had India won the toss in Pune and Mumbai, they would likely have won the last two Tests. But they don’t have the batting quality now to overcome the disadvantage of losing the toss, which gives the opposition about three hours of decent batting conditions before the ball starts to do all sorts, which was precisely why Dravid and Rohit wanted to play on normal surfaces.As a result, since 2017, India have won 16 Tests, lost three, and drawn five on pitches where spinners average over 24 per wicket, and won ten and lost four on extreme pitches. The numbers become 6-2-3 and 6-3 when they lose the toss. At some point, the line between bravery and gambling seems to have become blurred in recent years.

Thomas Tuchel has been appointed as the new England manager in a move that has not gone down well with Harry Redknapp.

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Tuchel succeeds Southgate as England bossDecision blasted by Harry RedknappWanted Englishman as next coachFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Redknapp has made it clear he's disappointed with the FA's decision to appoint Thomas Tuchel as the new England manager. Tuchel has taken over from Gareth Southgate and signed an 18-month contract with England that runs until the end of the 2026 World Cup. The former Chelsea manager is the first German to take charge of the Three Lions team and will work alongside English coach Anthony Barry.

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The FA have confirmed that Tuchel was one of "several candidates" interviewed for the role. Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola was linked with the job along with Eddie Howe and Graham Potter. Tuchel has worked in England previously at Chelsea, where he won the Champions League, and has also won titles at Paris Saint-Germain, Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich. However, a "very patriotic" Redknapp has questioned Tuchel's track record and is disappointed by the FA's choice.

WHAT REDKNAPP SAID

The former Tottenham boss told Sky Sports: "It’s not like he’s been a massive success. He’s come and gone at a couple of clubs. I’m very patriotic, I think we should have an English manager but obviously the field was very small to choose from. Englishmen don't get many chances to manage in the Premier League now. It's all foreign owners and it's always got to be a foreign manager. We've only got two or three managers in the Premier League who are English. The FA, with all the money they spend on coaching courses, it's sad."

Redknapp also spoke about the differences between club management and international football, as Tuchel takes up his first role as a national team boss.

"It's not like Jurgen Klopp who went to Liverpool and was a great success and stayed for many years. You need to have a little bit of common sense, pick the right players, pick the right positions, make them feel great about themselves, make them feel great about playing for the best country in the world," he added.

"That's what it is. How long do you get to work with them? You don't really get a chance to work with them – it's not like you're coaching them. Lee Carsley said he had about 20 minutes to work on a system – that's about what you get to work on a bit of shape, patterns of play."

(C)Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR TUCHEL

Tuchel is due to start work with England on January 1, 2025. Lee Carsley will continue as interim boss for November's Nations League fixtures against Ireland and Greece, before returning to his previous post in charge of the U21s.