أكد البرتغالي جوزيه بيسيرو المدير الفني لفريق كرة القدم الأول بنادي الزمالك، على صعوبة مباراة الإياب أمام ستيلينبوش الجنوب إفريقي المقرر لها غداً في بطولة كأس الكونفدرالية.
ويستضيف الزمالك نظيره ستيلينبوش، ضمن إياب دور ربع النهائي بعدما انتهت مواجهة الذهاب بالتعادل السلبي.
وقال المدير الفني البرتغالي في المؤتمر الصحفي قبل المباراة: “سنواجه فريقا منظما، ونثق في أنفسنا وفي جاهزية تامة للمباراة، ونسعى بكل ما لدينا للتأهل لنصف النهائي”.
طالع أيضًا.. تامر النحاس يوضح كواليس فشل مفاوضات الأهلي السابقة مع زيزو
وأكمل: “هناك من يحاول تشتيت الزمالك قبل المباراة، ولكن الأجواء جيدة في الفريق وجميع اللاعبين سعداء، ومحاولات تشتيت الفريق لن تفلح”.
وأشار بيسيرو: “أحاول العمل على تحسين الأمور السلبية باستمرار في التدريبات، سواء في الجزء الدفاعي أو الهجومي”.
وعن مواجهة الذهاب، قال: “الزمالك قدم مباراة جيدة من الناحية الدفاعية، ولكن الفريق لم يكن على المستوى الهجومي المطلوب، ونحن نقوم بتقييم أداء الفريق وشرح السلبيات للاعبين لتحسين الأداء والحفاظ على الشكل التنظيمي للفريق”.
وعن أحمد سيد زيزو، قال: “زيزو أحد أفضل اللاعبين في مصر حاليًا، وهو لاعب في الزمالك. سعيد به جدًا وبما يقدمه للفريق”.
واختتم بالحديث عن ستيلينبوش: “نرى بأنهم يجيدون في التحولات الهجومية، والضربات الثابتة كذلك. منافس جيد ومنظم ويجب أن نتوخى الحذر أمامه”.
Celtic are chasing a move for a long-term target this summer as they look to bolster their ranks ahead of the new Scottish Premiership campaign, it has been reported.
Celtic focus on permanent moves for loanees
Following the Scottish League and Cup double (both at the expense of bitter rivals Rangers), Brendan Rodgers' side have had a quiet summer. They have replaced the retired Joe Hart with veteran shot-stopper Kasper Schmeichel, who has joined on a one-year deal after his time with Belgian side Anderlecht came to a close.
"Celtic is one of the world’s proper football clubs, a massive name and a place of real passion and success." he told the club website.
They have also confirmed a deal for backup goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo, with the 22-year-old arriving from Aston Villa. But much of the focus has been on trying to negotiate permanent moves for their successful loanees last season.
Striker Adam Idah was a priority for Rodgers at the end of the season after he scored nine times on loan from Norwich, but a deal is looking increasingly difficult to pull off.
Adam Idah's impressive Celtic spell
Appearances
19
Goals
9
Assists
2
Minutes per goal or assist
73.5
Speaking to the media last week, new Norwich manager Johannes Hoff Thorup suggested he wanted Idah to remain at Carrow Road.
"Like we said from day one, he's a vital part of the group and of the squad here. Luckily, or maybe unfortunately, we have players where there's also interest from other clubs. But we should always strive to have that, that's important for us."
"But Adam’s working hard in training, a good guy with good energy. He's really doing well. And I hope it's obvious for him and everyone that he will play a vital part for this team."
They are having better luck with fellow loanee Paulo Bernardo though, with reports from Scotland claiming that a deal for the midfielder is "all but done" in a move that will see Celtic shell out just under £3.4m to bring the 21-year-old to Celtic Park.
He may not be the only midfield arrival, though.
Celtic set to resume long chase
That comes with Sport Witness relaying claims from Turkey that Celtic remain interested in midfielder Jakub Kaluzinski. The Hoops were keen to sign him during his time at Lechia Gdansk, the report suggests, but the young Polish midfielder completed a move to Turkish side Antalyaspor last summer.
Celtic could forget about Balikwisha with "magic" pre-season star
The Hoops could hand a larger role to the impressive winger next season instead of dipping into the market.
3
By
Dan Emery
Jul 23, 2024
Now, 12 months on, Celtic remain interested, it is alleged, and there is no suggestion that he is unobtainable despite being under contract until 2026. On the contrary, it is added that a deal could be completed for just €4m (£3.3m), though Spanish side Rayo Vallodolid are also thought to be chasing his signature.
It remains to be seen whether a move for the 21-year-old talent is given priority given the other areas of need in the Hoops squad, but it is certainly one to keep an eye on ahead of the new campaign.
Stokes took three wickets after a spirited display marked by long periods of short-pitched bowling
Andrew Miller17-Dec-2021Ben Stokes says that if England don’t believe they can save the Adelaide Test and turn around their fortunes in the Ashes, then “we’re beaten already”, after another chastening day with bat and ball in the second Test.Stokes finished with figures of 3 for 113 after a spirited display with the ball, marked by lengthy periods of short-pitched bowling, most notably against Australia’s centurion Marnus Labuschagne. However, his main role may yet be to come with the bat, after England limped to 17 for 2 under the floodlights, in reply to Australia’s 473 for 9 declared, before a lightning strike behind the bowler’s arm forced an early close to the second day’s play.”It’s been a tough two days,” Stokes said afterwards. “We spent a lot of time out in the field, put some overs into our legs, but it was nice to get off the field at the end and watch the guys go out and bat.”Obviously we came off in pretty strange circumstances – I’m not sure I’ve been involved in the game being called off early because of lightning – but we get to turn up tomorrow in the natural light, which has looked the easiest and best time to be around the middle.Despite the hard grind that England have endured across 150.4 overs of bowling, Stokes insisted that he had relished the scrap as he continues his return to Test cricket after a lengthy absence from the game last summer, during which time he feared he might never play at the highest level again.Related
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“You’ve just got to look for dirt when you get that deep, and understand what you’re playing for,” he said. “I’ve loved every minute of it. Walking out onto the field and wearing the three lions is one of the great feelings as a cricketer.”If you don’t feel sore coming off the field, and if you don’t feel sore waking up in the morning, then you’ve probably not done what’s required of you.”If we don’t believe, we’re beaten already.”Stokes has more right to feel sore than most after his tireless efforts with the ball. At Brisbane last week, he got through just 12 overs after jarring his knee while fielding. But having been reassured of no lasting damage, he’s pushed himself through the pain in this Test, serving up 25 overs all told to finish as England’s most successful wicket-taker in an arduous innings.In the absence of Mark Wood, England’s one genuine 90mph option within their squad, Stokes was employed as the attack’s point of difference, with a sustained spell of short-pitched bowling designed to discomfort Australia’s batters. The policy paid off on the first day, when David Warner carved a short ball to cover to fall for 95, while Stokes suggested it might also have played a part in the dismissal of Cameron Green, who failed to get fully forward to the full-length delivery that bowled him for 2 on the second afternoon.”It was about trying to create a different type of environment out there for the batters,” Stokes said. “It does look odd when you run and bowl 11 overs of short stuff, but in my first couple of spells I felt like I was creating quite a lot of chances and they weren’t really going anywhere. It wasn’t until the third spell today that we started to leak a few runs. But you can create chances and leak a few runs by trying to hit the top off as well.”Ben Stokes glares at Marnus Labuschagne•AFP/Getty Images
If England are to claw their way back into the contest, then a lot will rest on their incumbent pairing of Joe Root and Dawid Malan, whose century stand at Brisbane was their batting high point of the tour so far. But Stokes knows he will have a key role too at No.5, after scores of 5 and 14 in the first Test, his first competitive outing for six months after he missed England’s summer Test series against New Zealand and India with his broken finger.”I didn’t get anywhere near the amount of runs I would have wanted to in the first game,” Stokes said, “but how I look at batting, it’s not always about the runs that I score but how I felt out in the middle.”I’ve felt good in the nets and I felt really good out in the middle both times, I just wasn’t able to go on and get that big score. So I will be going out with the same mindset like I did in Brisbane.”Stokes added that he and his team-mates were conscious of the need to put up a stronger showing for the benefit of England’s fans – those staying up through the night at home as well as those in Australia. However, he also insisted that the tragic events in Tasmania on Thursday, where five children died after a bouncy castle broke its moorings in strong winds and for which Australia’s players had worn black armbands, “puts a lot of things into perspective”.”Obviously the first Test didn’t go well and Australia are ahead at the moment, but we know that back home we will be getting as much support as we always do,” he said. “We really appreciate it and it doesn’t go unnoticed.”
After two sessions of hard work from the bowlers West Indies ended on the verge of defeat after a batting collapse
Nagraj Gollapudi at Trent Bridge27-May-2012Kirk Edwards, the West Indies vice-captain came to Trent Bridge in the morning, reported sick, and returned to the team hotel once the doctor had diagnosed he was suffering from flu. Nobody, including Edwards himself, would have been overly concerned by his absence as everyone expected England to build a substantial lead on a flat pitch under bright and blue skies.But the expected script does not always come to pass. The persistence of Ravi Rampaul and an explosive spell of fast bowling from Kemar Roach in the first session spoilt England’s lunch and forced them back on the field much earlier than expected with a slender lead.Facing a deficit of only 58, and with seven sessions remaining, Darren Sammy would have told his batsmen to see out the 34 overs left in the day and lay a platform. Resolute centuries from Sammy and Marlon Samuels in the first innings and comfortable knocks from England’s pair of Andrew Strauss and Kevin Pietersen had made it clear that the pitch was still full of runs.Yet to the horror of the motley crew of West Indies fans gathered in the New Stand, not to mention Sammy and Ottis Gibson in the dressing room, England’s fast men broke the spine of the opposition batting effortlessly. Two wickets fell in three balls during the penultimate over of the day with Edwards the second of those. As things turned out, he had to drag himself out of his bed having received an SOS call from the team management once the West Indies openers had failed to survive even half an hour. But Edwards only lasted two deliveries and became the joke of the day.It would be unwise to share that joke with Rampaul, who did not mask his annoyance at the end of the day, blaming his batsmen for offering such weak resistance. He was right to vent his fury and the same would have been true of his bowling colleagues Roach and Sammy, all of whom, having copped some body blows at various points in their bowling spells, had bounced back to deny England gaining the upper hand.Even at Lord’s last week, West Indies’ bowlers had revealed their heart for the fight despite the failure of batsmen in the first innings. On that occasion England were 259 for 3 at stumps on the second day but were restricted to 398. Here in Nottingham, Strauss and Pietersen had put England in a dominant position by Saturday evening.That the England juggernaut did not flatten the visitors’ spirits on Sunday morning was only because Rampaul showed what a smart bowler he is. Rampaul is only deceptive because people wonder how a man of his heavy girth and round hips can even hurl the ball at 80-85 mph. A quick arm takes care of the velocity while a thinking brain helps Rampaul utilise both the new and old balls smartly. His biggest asset is he will not stop coming back at you.Pietersen was beaten by a ball that ducked into him due to the reverse swing Rampaul managed to generate early in the morning. With his stifling wicket-to-wicket line, Rampaul continued to strangle the batsmen for runs. In the process, he also managed to build the confidence of Roach, who had returned after the horrific Saturday where he became the no-ball king.Roach started the new day fresh. All those doubts about over-stepping seemed in the distant past (although he would bowl three later) as he came up with an aggressive first spell, which exposed the technical deficiencies of the inexperienced Jonny Bairstow.At the other end Sammy was all perseverance despite going at four an over in his first 20-overs, which again questioned his ability to fulfil the third seamer’s role. But he rallied, tempting Strauss to chase a wide delivery, and be caught at the wicket.It was a frustrating day for West Indies; their bowlers had learned from their mistakes the previous evening, but the batsmen continued to repeat the same errors.”It is tough watching six batsmen get out especially after the bowlers worked so hard in the first two sessions,” Rampaul said. “It isn’t easy to bowl 120-odd overs, to bowl out a team and then looking at your batsmen not applying themselves and losing their wickets. I don’t fault any one of them. I just give them confidence and ask them to focus more; apply themselves more.”Rampaul admitted England were in control now but urged Samuels and Sammy, the two centurions for West Indies in this series, still to believe. “It is quite hard to set a target after being six down,” he said. “Tomorrow our batsmen need to go out there and apply themselves. The early damage has already been done.”
Celtic confirmed their first signing of the summer transfer window this week with the arrival of goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo from Aston Villa on a permanent deal.
The Finland international has put pen to paper on a long-term contract with the Hoops to compete for the number one jersey that was vacated by Joe Hart at the end of last season.
He is not the only shot-stopper set to join the ranks, however, as veteran colossus Kasper Schmeichel is reportedly poised to sign a one-year contract at Parkhead.
Celtic have also agreed a £3.5m fee with Benfica to sign Paulo Bernardo on a permanent basis after his loan spell in Glasgow during the 2023/24 campaign.
This means that the Hoops could have three players in the door by the end of the week, if all goes well, but they may not be done there in the summer transfer window.
Attacking reinforcements could be on the agenda for Brendan Rodgers after current first-choice striker Kyogo Furuhashi endured a difficult season last term in front of goal for the Scottish giants.
Kyogo Furuhashi's dip in form
You could have forgiven the manager and the supporters for being excited about the prospect of what the Japan international could do in the 2023/24 campaign.
He was coming off the back of an exceptional season under Ange Postecoglou, who he fired in goals for on a consistent basis in the Scottish Premiership.
Kyogo won the PFA Scotland Player of the Year award for his efforts in the Premiership during the 2022/23 campaign, as the striker produced an outstanding rate of scoring.
Appearances
36
Goals
27
Big chances missed
16
Conversion rate
31%
Left foot goals
12
Right foot goals
14
As you can see in the table above, the Japanese dynamo fired in an unbelievable return of 27 goals in 36 appearances in the division, missing just 16 'big chances'.
Perhaps the most impressive part of that, however, was that almost half of his goals came with his weaker left foot, which shows how adept Kyogo was at finishing with both feet and from all angles.
Unfortunately, though, his form dipped under Rodgers last season as he began to struggle in front of goal, with a lot of wasteful finishing for Celtic.
Kyogo Furuhashi
Kyogo ended the 2023/24 Premiership campaign with 14 goals and a staggering 24 'big chances' missed in 38 league games, with a conversion rate of just 14% – less than half of his 31% conversion rate the previous season.
The 29-year-old forward scored those 14 goals from an xG of 18.39 – an underperformance of -4.39. No other player in the squad underperformed their xG by more than -2.78, which illustrates how wasteful he was in the final third for the Scottish giants.
It is now down to Rodgers and Kyogo to work together on the training pitch to fix his performances and get him back to his best ahead of the 2024/25 campaign kicking off at Parkhead against Kilmarnock next month.
Celtic could help to fix the Japan international by signing one of their reported transfer targets to play with him at the top end of the pitch next term.
Celtic's interest in wing wizard
It was recently reported by Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri that the Bhoys are keen on a summer swoop for Royal Antwerp FC forward Michel-Ange Balikwisha.
Celtic have already made contact with the player's agents to discuss a possible move to take the Belgian winger to Glasgow before the end of the summer transfer window.
Tavolieri added that talks are now expected to take place between the Hoops and Antwerp to discuss a deal for the 23-year-old wing wizard ahead of next season.
However, the reporter did not reveal how much the Pro League side are set to demand from the Scottish Premiership champions in order to part ways with their star attacker.
He also did not state whether or not the Bhoys are prepared to make a formal offer for his services, or if they are just set to discuss potential terms for a future swoop.
Balikwisha could be a fantastic addition to the Celtic squad, though, if they can reach an agreement for his signature as he could help to fix Kyogo.
Why Michel-Ange Balikwisha could help to fix Kyogo Furuashi
Firstly, one of the Hoops' issues last season was that their wingers also struggled with their finishing in front of goal and did not make up for the Japan international's problems in that respect.
Kyogo Furuhashi
18.39
14
-4.39
Daizen Maeda
8.78
6
-2.78
Reo Hatate
4.92
3
-1.92
Luis Palma
8.54
7
-1.54
Hyeon-gyu Oh
6.35
5
-1.35
As you can see in the table above, Celtic's two first-choice left wingers – Daizen Maeda and Luis Palma – also underperformed their xG in the Premiership.
Hyun-jun Yang also underperformed his on the right flank with one goal from 2.11 xG and Scotland international James Forrest scored six goals from 6.42 xG.
Whereas, Balikwisha scored seven goals from 6.46 xG across 27 starts in the Pro League for Antwerp last season, showing that he can finish chances at an excellent rate in comparison to Rodgers' current wingers.
This suggests that the Belgian sensation could take a lot of the pressure off Kyogo by using his ability in front of goal to finish with a greater success rate than the likes of Maeda, Palma, Yang, and Forrest, which could then help the Japanese forward to relax and play with less pressure.
Balikwisha's creativity could also help to create more chances for the Celtic star, as he could offer more than Maeda in that respect for the Hoops.
The 23-year-old ace, who U23 scout Antonio Mango claimed plays with "aggression and flair", provided five assists and made 1.5 key passes per game in the league, whilst Maeda managed three assists and 0.5 key passes per match.
This suggests that Balikwisha has the potential to create three times as many chances per outing in comparison to the Japan international, which means that far more opportunities could be made for Kyogo to score.
Celtic could perfectly replace Oh by signing £8.5m star
The Hoops recently cashed in on the South Korean attacker ahead of next season.
ByDan Emery Jul 17, 2024
Therefore, Rodgers could help to fix the Japanese striker by signing the Antwerp star to take the pressure off him with his goalscoring quality whilst also creating more chances for him in games.
Pep Guardiola says he will make a decision on his Manchester City future "as soon as possible" but insists they have "options" if he does depart.
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Guardiola out of contract in 2025
Promises decision on future soon
Says City have "options" if he leaves
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WHAT HAPPENED?
City are waiting to see if Guardiola wants to extend his stay at the Etihad or move on when his contract expires next summer. The Spaniard addressed speculation over his future, while giving little away, but said a club does change over time; just as Hugo Viana was announced as the successor to outgoing sporting director Txiki Begiristain. He also thinks City will be able to find a good replacement for him if he does head for pastures new.
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WHAT PEP GUARDIOLA SAID
He told reporters: "I'm pretty sure that the club have an option when Txiki leaves and they have options when Pep leaves. Sooner or later it is going to happen and they have options. It will not be a surprise. If I'm not convinced it is the best of the club. I will not delay an action if I feel it is a problem for the club. I will take a decision as soon as possible but I don't have that feeling. That's why the priority is Wolves. Of course if they ask me [who the next manager should be] I will give my opinion but it is not my job. The decision belongs to the club. I would say the new sporting director, the moment I'm not here any more he has to choose."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Guardiola has brought City unprecedented success since becoming manager in 2016. A Champions League triumph and a hatful of Premier League titles and domestic cups have enhanced his reputation further, but it may all come to an end in 2025. An intriguing season lies ahead for City – partly due to their legal battle against the Premier League – and the ex-Barcelona boss.
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WHAT NEXT?
After City take on Wolves at Molineux on Sunday, Guardiola's team return to Champions League action on Wednesday when they host Sparta Prague. They round off October with games against Southampton and Tottenham in the Premier League and Carabao Cup respectively.
Chelsea value a highly-rated first-teamer at around £100 million if they even entertain the notion of selling him this summer, coming after claims that Bayern Munich are targeting him and he'd be open to a move.
Players who could be sold by Chelsea this summer
Ian Maatsen looks set to swap Chelsea for Aston Villa, which would come as another departure after Thiago Silva's move back to Brazil, but it is believed that many more players could follow them out of the Stamford Bridge exit door.
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Villa agreed a £37 million fee to sign Maatsen, according to Fabrizio Romano, with Midlands talent Omari Kellyman going the other way in a separate move for around £19 million – coming as an unofficial kind of swap deal.
After Maatsen, an array of Enzo Maresca's squad have been linked with high-profile exits. Romelu Lukaku, Armando Broja, Conor Gallagher, Malang Sarr, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Trevoh Chalobah, Omari Hutchinson, Lesley Ugochukwu, Marc Cucurella and Conor Gallagher come as players who could be sold by Chelsea this summer, with Todd Boehly looking to balance the books and comply in terms of PSR regulations.
Cole Palmer
7.48
Conor Gallagher
7.13
Nicolas Jackson
7.07
Moises Caicedo
6.85
Noni Madueke
6.84
Arrizabalaga is attracting interest from Real Madrid, who could look to bring the Spaniard back to the Bernabeu on a permanent deal after he spent last season there on loan. Meanwhile, Juventus have even been linked with a surprise move loan move for Cucurella, so it will be interesting which of these claims come to fruition in the next few weeks.
According to Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, another big-name European club have their eyes on versatile defender Levi Colwill. Indeed, Vincent Kompany's Bayern are said to be real admirers of the Englishman who is highly-rated in west London.
Levi Colwill
Earlier this month, Plettenberg even claimed that Bayern could make a move for Colwill in addition to Jonathan Tah. A separate Sky Germany report, via The Mail, also stated that Colwill is open to joining Kompany at Bayern and willing to consider the possibility.
Chelsea think Levi Colwill is worth around £100 million
Now, as per The Athletic, Kompany's side may run into a serious roadblock if they decide to pursue Colwill further. According to their information, Colwill could fetch close to £100 million if Chelsea even decided to sell, which would surely rule Bayern out immediately in terms of doing a deal.
The 21-year-old is apparently viewed as an elite Cobham talent with the potential to blossom into one of England's best centre-backs, which is why he is deemed not for sale by the club.
Celtic will once again have to worry about whether or not they will be able to keep hold of their top performers during the summer transfer window.
The Scottish giants have cashed in on many of their key players over the years; including the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Victor Wanyama, Odsonne Edouard, Moussa Dembele, and Kieran Tierney, among others.
Last year, Brendan Rodgers lost electric forward Jota to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad and central defender Carl Starfelt to Spanish side Celta Vigo.
The Northern Irish head coach is now at risk of seeing another Hoops sensation move on from Parkhead with speculation over the future of his star midfielder.
Celtic place new price tag on midfield magician
According to Spanish outlet AS, Celtic value Danish wizard Matt O'Riley at an eye-catching fee of €40m (£33.7m) amid interest from Atletico Madrid.
The report claims that Diego Simeone is looking to bolster his midfield options and the former MK Dons ace has emerged as an option for the LaLiga giants.
It states that Atletico would be prepared to offer €20m (£16.9m) to sign the left-footed talent, which is only half of what the Scottish side are asking for.
AS also relays a report from Danish publication Tipsbladet during the previous transfer window that claimed the Bhoys wanted €29m (£24.5m) for the exciting gem at the time.
This shows that Celtic's valuation of O'Riley has rocketed up by £9.2m over the last few months, which could make it difficult for Atletico to get a deal done – particularly if they are only willing to go as high as £16.9m.
It, therefore, remains to be seen whether or not any team will be prepared to splash out £33.7m to land the English-born playmaker this summer.
Celtic could hit the jackpot with Matt O'Riley
If the 23-year-old maestro is sold for a fee in that region then it would represent the Scottish giants hitting the jackpot on the former League One talent.
Celtic swooped to sign the attacking midfielder from MK Dons, called "immense" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, in January 2022 for a reported fee of £1.5m, which is significantly lower than the kind of price he could go for this summer.
Selling the Denmark international, who was not selected for a place in his country's Euros squad, for £33.7m would be a staggering profit of 2,146% on that initial £1.5m outlay, illustrating how much of a blinder the club played by bringing him to Parkhead in the first place.
Sofascore rating
7.91
1st
Goals
18
1st
Assists
13
1st
Big chances created
14
1st
Key passes per game
2.5
1st
As you can see in the table above, O'Riley was exceptional in the Scottish Premiership for the Bhoys during the 2023/24 campaign with his ability to make a big impact in the final third.
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He showcased his quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals as the Atletico target led the way for the club in a host of key attacking metrics, which has led to the Hoops placing a new, stunning, valuation on his head.
Tottenham Hotspur secured a needed 2-0 victory over Brentford this afternoon to help ease the pressure on the shoulders of current manager Thomas Frank.
The win over Bees was the Lilywhites’ first in the Premier League since the win at Everton at the end of October – a run that lasted a total of five matches.
Goals from Xavi Simons and Richarlison secured all three points for the hosts, with such a result taking the side up to eighth place in England’s top-flight after 15 games.
Frank will no doubt be hoping such a result will kickstart his tenure in North London, especially after a stop-start period which has led to discontent being directed his way from the fans.
One player could well prove to be crucial over the next couple of months, especially if his showing at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this afternoon is anything to go by.
The stats behind Xavi Simons’ display against Brentford
After spending £52m on Simons’ signature during the summer window, many Spurs fans will no doubt have expected the attacking midfielder to make an immediate impact to life in England.
However, prior to the clash with Brentford today, he had failed to find the back of the net for his new side, but his 43rd-minute effort has finally broken such a spell at the 19th attempt.
The Dutch international also registered the assist for Richarlison’s strike in the 25th minute, with the youngster having a hand in both of the side’s efforts in North London.
Simons’ underlying stats from the triumph were just as impressive, with the midfielder completing 86% of the passes he attempted, with five of which going into the final third.
He also won three fouls, whilst also creating two chances for his teammates – in what was undoubtedly his best showing since his big-money transfer to the Premier League.
The fanbase will no doubt be hoping that the Dutchman can continue such form, but it didn’t stop another player from reaching similar levels this afternoon.
The Spurs player who looked like Bale against Brentford
Gareth Bale was a player who often managed to get the Spurs fans off their seats as a result of his performances on the pitch during his spell in North London.
The Welshman used to torment defenders with his relentless running and his ability to go either inside or outside when travelling with the ball on the right-flank.
However, since his big-money transfer to Real Madrid in the summer of 2013, the club have greatly lacked that presence and talent off such a wing in the final third.
Brennan Johnson was often filled the void in the last couple of years, even scoring 18 times last season, but he’s ultimately struggled to nail down the position as his own.
He’s since dropped further down the pecking order in the last few months since Frank’s arrival, especially after the Dane forked out a reported £55m for the signature of Mohammed Kudus.
The Ghanaian international has started all but one league game since his arrival, with the manager once again selecting him during the victory earlier this afternoon.
He once again took centre stage in the clash with the Bees and demonstrated why the manager has faith in him to provide the goods – arguably being just like Bale with such a display.
Kudus managed to complete five dribbles during the win – the most of any player on the pitch – taking his tally to 45 this season, the highest tally of any player in the division at present.
He also managed to complete two crosses, created two chances and completed 92% of his passes – reminiscent of the numbers Bale produced during his own spell at the club.
Minutes played
80
Touches
67
Passes completed
92%
Dribbles completed
5
Crosses completed
2
Chances created
2
Duels won
9
Aerials won
100%
The winger’s excellent display was further reflected in his tally of nine duels and 100% aerials won, with the forward managing to star even when not in possession of the ball.
As a result of his showing, the forward was handed an impressive 7/10 match rating by Football London, further showcasing his impressive display against Frank’s former side.
There’s no doubt the winger has made himself one of the first players on the teamsheet, with him and Simons potentially playing a key role at the club for many years to come.
Should he continue on his current path, there’s no reason why he can’t become as pivotal as Bale was at the club – potentially taking the club to new heights in the process.
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van der Merwe scores 76, de Lange 75 as Somerset look to bat once with visitors three down in reply
ECB Reporters' Network05-Jul-2021Josh Davey’s career best 75 not out helped Somerset dominate the second day of the LV=Insurance County Championship match with Leicestershire at Taunton.The Group Two leaders began by extending their first-innings score from a precarious 242 for 7 to 461 for 9 declared, Davey sharing century stands with Roelof van der Merwe, who scored 76, and Marchant de Lange, who reached 75.Then Somerset’s seamers got to work, reducing Leicestershire to 60 for 3 in reply. They closed a final session curtailed by rain on 95 for 3, with skipper Colin Ackermann unbeaten on 21.The day began under cloudy skies at the Cooper Associates County Ground, with van der Merwe on 18 and Davey 4. The former proved the aggressor, taking successive boundaries off Ben Mike as the total advanced to 272 for 7 before the second new ball was taken.It made little difference as van der Merwe moved confidently to fifty off 70 balls, with six fours and a six. He and Davey looked untroubled in extending their eighth-wicket partnership to 102.Ed Barnes eventually had van der Merwe caught at long-on to end an innings that had transformed Somerset’s prospects. But if Leicestershire thought their troubles were over, de Lange was about to prove them wrong. On no fewer than six occasions, the powerful South African swung from the hip to clear the ropes over mid-wicket. And all the time Davey was patiently accumulating to reach his first Championship half-century for Somerset off 144 balls.Roelof van der Merwe drives during his 76•Getty Images
It was 408 for 8 for lunch, by which time de Lange had reached a 38-ball fifty and the hosts were looking to bat only once in the game.They had progressed to 446 when de Lange was caught at long-on off Callum Parkinson. It remained for Davey to go past his previous best first-class score of 71, made for Middlesex on debut against Oxford University back in 2010. At the declaration, the Scotland one-day and T20 international, often an unsung hero of Somerset’s team, had faced 169 balls and hit 11 fours.All the momentum was with the home side and they maintained it before tea, claiming the wickets of Lewis Hill, Rishi Patel and Marcus Harris to leave their opponents 60 for 3.Skipper Craig Overton dropped Hill on 14 at third slip off Jack Brooks, but responded by pinning the opener lbw with the first ball of the following over.Brooks and Davey claimed a wicket apiece before Ackermann dug in, receiving solid support from Josh Inglis in an unbroken stand of 35.The action looked set to continue beyond 7pm to make up for overs lost on day one. But heavy rain set in and the umpires called play off shortly before 6pm.