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Bruno Fernandes came to Ruben Amorim's defence after the manager brutally slammed Manchester United players for draw against Everton.

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Bruno defends Amorim's criticism of United playersUrged team-mates to step up Man Utd held to a 2-2 draw by EvertonFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?

United were trailing by two goals as they headed to the dressing room after the break. It took Fernandes' spectacular free-kick to bring the club into the game before Manuel Ugarte's maiden strike for the Red Devils earned a hard-fought point in their final fixture at Goodison Park against Everton. Manager Amorim did not mince his words after the game, as he brutally slammed his players for a nightmare first-half performance.

AdvertisementWHAT BRUNO FERNANDES SAID

At full-time, captain Fernandes was quizzed on the club scoring two set-piece goals to which he told : "We need to score more from these situations. We need to be more aggressive and understand our positions when we attack. We scored from two set pieces today and obviously, it is really good but we need to improve a lot if we are going to get out of this situation. We need to be aware that the situation we are in is very, very bad."

Getty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The Portuguese midfielder also defended Amorim's attack on the players as he added: "We are in a really bad position in the league, we are doing very bad. It's normal that he can say something that makes a headline because at Manchester United it is like that. I have been here a long time now and we have to realise how bad the situation is. We shouldn't need the manager to say something in order for us to improve to the standard that the manager demands."

GettyWHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

Amorim's side will be back in action on February 26 as they host Ipswich Town at Old Trafford in a crucial Premier League clash.

David Willey will return to Northamptonshire at the end of this season after seven years at Yorkshire and aimed a parting shot at the club by suggesting that cricket has felt “secondary to repairing the club’s reputation” after the ongoing investigation into historic allegations of racism and discrimination.Willey, 32, left Wantage Road for Headingley ahead of the 2016 season, citing his desire to play with “some of the best players in the country” and signed a contract extension in 2019. But he said that he has always hoped to return at some stage in his career and has signed a four-year contract until the end of the 2026 season.Darren Gough, Yorkshire’s interim director of cricket, said that the club had been keen to keep Willey at Headingley and “proactively engaged with Dave on his return from the IPL” but were “unable to match Northants’ offer, but Willey described his comments as “inaccurate” in a stinging parting statement on Instagram.”I have loved my life in Yorkshire,” Willey wrote. “I have planted my roots and raised our young family here. Unfortunately the circumstances surrounding the recent events at the club have made my work environment unsettling. There are some great lads and fantastic players at Yorkshire and I hope the complications at the club will not take priority and overshadow their talents.”The cricket and the current players seem to be secondary at the moment to repairing the club’s reputation. It certainly felt that way for me over the past 12 months. I play cricket because I love the game. I just want to play somewhere that cricket is the focus and where I feel valued on and off the field.”The comments made by Yorkshire around my contract discussions with the club are inaccurate. I’d like to thank the players and staff who have helped me during my time at Yorkshire. Also, thank you to the fantastic support of Yorkshire fans. I’d love to say farewell by winning the T20 for the first time at the club.”Related

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Willey is Yorkshire’s T20 captain and while he has been only a peripheral member of England’s white-ball sides since his last-minute omission from their 2019 World Cup squad, he is part of the squad for their three-match ODI series in the Netherlands this week and remains an in-demand player in leagues around the world.His return represents a major coup for Northants at a time when several members of their first-team squad are approaching the end of their respective contracts and weighing up their futures.Ricardo Vasconcelos, the club’s red-ball captain, is under contract until the end of the 2024 season but a clause in his deal means he can leave at the end of this season. Somerset are favourites to sign him with wicketkeeper-batters Steven Davies and Tom Banton both approaching the end of their contracts but several counties are interested.T20 captain Josh Cobb is among the other Northants players out of contract at the end of this season, along with Emilio Gay, Luke Procter and Ben Sanderson.David Willey starred in Northants’ T20 triumph in 2013•Getty Images

Ray Payne, the club’s chief executive, said Willey’s signing was “a significant move that makes our ambitions for the professional squad really clear”.”We’ve already seen what he’s able to do for the Steelbacks,” he said, “and the international experience David has gained in white-ball cricket further strengthens our squad and really supports our goals of bringing more trophies at Wantage Road.””The best journey takes you home.” Willey had said in an earlier statement. “Wantage Road is home. I grew up playing on the outfield, behind the stands and in the groundsman’s shed. When I think back to my first introduction to cricket, I think of Northants.”Northants supported and nurtured me in my younger years and gave me the opportunities to achieve my childhood dreams. During the seven years I’ve been away, I have continued to watch the club closely and found myself celebrating their successes.”I always hoped at some stage in my career I would find my way back and I’m excited that the time is now. My love and passion for Northamptonshire has always been there and I hope I can give the club more than just my runs and wickets. I still have great ambitions in the game, to play at the highest level, to win trophies but also to give back to the club that has given me so much.”Elsewhere, Moeen Ali confirmed last week while working as a pundit on the BBC’s Test Match Special that he has been talking to other counties with his Worcestershire deal coming to an end and is widely expected to join Warwickshire along with Lancashire’s Saqib Mahmood.Warwickshire may lose Adam Hose at the end of the season as he seeks further opportunities in red-ball cricket while Olly Stone and Dom Sibley are also out of contract.Ben Mike, the allrounder who has enjoyed a breakout season at Leicestershire, is also out of contract and attracting interest from other clubs.

MatériaMais Notícias

da wazamba： A poucos meses do início da Copa do Mundo do Qatar, a Seleção Brasileiraentra na contagem regressiva para o fim da era Tite. O técnico já afirmou que deixará o comando da Amarelinha após o torneio, e ainda não há definição sobre quem será seu substituto. Mas no que depender deCarlos Alberto Parreira, comandante na conquista do Mundial de 1994, o próximo treinador será um brasileiro, e não um estrangeiro.

Em entrevista exclusiva ao LANCE!, Parreira elogiou o trabalho que alguns treinadores estrangeiros têm feito no Brasil, mas disse que a pentacampeã mundial precisa ser treinada por um técnico nascido no país. Ele, porém, não apontou quem seria o seu favorito hoje.

-Acho que a Seleção Brasileira tem que ser dirigida por um técnico brasileiro. Ponto final. Hoje não teria esse nome, eu não sei quem seria. Se eu fosse o presidente da CBF, que tivesse que escolher um treinador pós-Tite, eu iria me debruçar em alguns nomes e ficaria na dúvida de qual seria. Mas com certeza tem gente habilitada e capacitada. Não é que a gente não precise (treinadores estrangeiros), esse intercâmbio é muito bom. Já tivemos no basquete, no vôlei e em várias áreas, mas a Seleção Brasileira é muito especial. Acho que tem que ser dirigida por um técnico brasileiro – disse antes de completar:

– Não teriam muitos nomes neste momento. Quando eu assumi para a Copa de 1994, tinham quatro ou cinco nomes, no final estreitou para três. Era Luxemburgo, Telê Santana e Parreira. Gente de peso no futebol. Para você escolher dois nomes com esse peso hoje está complicado, está difícil, mas tem. Eu acho que a Seleção Brasileira tem que ser dirigida por um técnico brasileiro. Não consigo ver um técnico estrangeiro aqui. Um dia pode acontecer, não vejo como algo grave. Guardiola? Sou um grande fã dele, pelo trabalho que ele fez no Barcelona, o tiki-taka, por tudo o que ele vem fazendo… sou fã do trabalho dele. Mas quero ver a Seleção dirigida por um brasileiro. Seria uma experiência interessante, mas eu quero ver um técnico brasileiro. Ninguém iria negar, faria um trabalho muito bom (Guardiola). Cuca? Não vou citar nomes. Mas temos bons nomes.

+Quais jogadores ficaram mais longe da Copa do Mundo depois da convocação da Seleção?

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da 888： Ainda sobre o trabalho de treinadores estrangeiros no Brasil, mas falando a nível de clubes, Parreira citou o que os portugueses estão conseguindo mostrar no futebol brasileiro e falou sobre a preparação no país lusitano. Segundo o ex-treinador, este é o modelo a “ser seguido e copiado”.

– Eles estão se saindo muito bem. Muitos clubes brasileiros estão com técnicos estrangeiros. É uma boa pergunta, não sei se eu teria a resposta (por que brasileiros estão perdendo espaço). Com certeza a gente perdeu um pouco de terreno nessa batalha, que eu acho que é muito boa. Esse intercâmbio de ideias, de experiência. Vem um europeu para cá, um sul-americano argentino ou uruguaio, um inglês, um alemão… acho muito boa essa troca de experiência. Interessante é que são muitos portugueses, e Portugal é um país pequeno, mas que tem uma formação de treinadores muito boa. A escola portuguesa de formação é muito boa. É um modelo para ser seguido e copiado. Não é por acaso que eles estão tendo sucesso no futebol brasileiro e no mundo todo – declarou Parreira.

– De um modo geral, a imprensa e os torcedores são mais pacientes com os treinadores estrangeiros. Não existe paciência com treinador brasileiro. O Fábio Carille saiu do Athletico-PR com 21 dias, com sete jogos. Isso é uma covardia. Não tem paciência. Se um treinador estrangeiro vem aqui e perde um, dois, três, quatro jogos, existe uma margem de paciência bem maior. Eu acho que os brasileiros são tão bons quanto os estrangeiros que estão aqui. É uma questão de paciência e de dar tempo ao tempo. O Brasil ganhou cinco Copas do Mundo com técnicos brasileiros. Não precisamos importar técnicos estrangeiros para vencer – continuou.

– Acho que esse intercâmbio com os estrangeiros é muito bom para o futebol brasileiro. A troca de ideias, de informações de treinamento, filosofia de jogo. Lembro quando o Jesus chegou no Flamengo que tinha o negócio de poupar na quarta para jogar no domingo e ele falou que jogaria todo mundo. Está preparado, ganhando bem e bem treinado para atuar domingo, quarta e domingo. Acabou com essa história de poupar. Essas ideias são boas. Quando temos portugueses, argentinos, uruguaios, acho interessante. Mas a Seleção Brasileira tem que ser dirigida por um técnico brasileiro. O Guardiola eu acho um dos melhores da história do futebol por tudo que fez e vem fazendo. Evidente que um técnico da expressão dele na Seleção não iria contestar nada, faria um trabalho excepcional. Só que eu acho que precisa ser brasileiro – finalizou o técnico do tetra.

“TEM QUE SER CAMPEÃO”

Ainda faltam alguns meses, mas Tite já começa a contar os dias para o fim da passagem que começou em junho de 2016. Agora vivendo o primeiro ciclo completo de uma Copa do Mundo, a Seleção Brasileira está mais pronta, na visão de Parreira. O campeão em 94 elogiou o ex-comandante do Corinthians e disse que ganhar o Mundial do Qatar vai coroar esta trajetória. Outro ponto abordado pelo ídolo da Seleção foi em relação ao grupo. O ex-treinador acredita que o elenco está praticamente fechado.

– Na Copa anterior ele pegou bem em cima, com o time muito mal. Agora ele teve tempo para pensar, raciocinar, formatar o time, escolher os jogadores que eles acham que deveriam ter sido escolhidos… Eu acho que o trabalho é bom e é positivo. Falta ganhar a Copa. Importante coroar este trabalho com a conquista porque para nós, brasileiros, tem que ser campeão, não tem jeito. O trabalho só é bem feito se for campeão, infelizmente esta cultura permanece até hoje e não vai mudar – afirmou.

-Eu acho que o Tite já tem 80%, 90% do grupo definido. São quatro anos de trabalho. Você tem que deixar um espaço de 10%, 15% para um fenômeno que acaba acontecendo no último momento. Por exemplo, o Rodrygo, não sei se estava no radar ou não, mas ele entrou. Não só pelos dois gols (contra o Manchester City), mas por tudo o que ele vem fazendo desde os 16 anos, no Santos. Isso agora só veio mostrar que ele é um jogador interessante. E aí de repente o treinador começa a pensar e isso é bom. Tem alternativas, tem que pensar e não definir muito cedo. Tem que deixar uma portinha aberta para o último momento. Em 1994 nós tivemos o Ronaldo. Até 1993 ele não era jogador de Seleção. Foi convocado duas vezes, jogou muito bem com 17 anos e ganhou uma vaga no último momento.

+ Veja os grupos e a tabela de jogos da Copa do Mundo de 2022

Depois de uma nova convocação para a próxima Data-Fifa, Tite mais uma vez foi questionado pela ausência de Raphael Veiga, do Palmeiras. Parreira, porém, acredita que a missão de acomodar muitos jogadores de qualidade foi o principal fator pela não convocação do meia-atacante alviverde.

– Não acho que tenha faltado ninguém. O Tite aproveitou os melhores. Você nunca vai ser unanimidade, nunca vai ter 100% de acerto. Nosso futebol tem muita gente boa, na hora de convocar é complicado mesmo e vai ficar gente boa de fora. Eu acho que o Rodrygo (do Real Madrid) tem que ser chamado. Mas o problema é do Tite. Como vai acomodar Rodrygo, Vini Jr., Richarlison, Neymar? Tem que arrumar vaga para todo mundo nos 26 e depois nos 11. O nosso problema é esse: excesso de bons jogadores.

– Sempre tem alguém. O Raphael Veiga cresceu nesses últimos dois anos. Eu acho ele muito bom, acho ele ótimo. Mas o Tite não teve tempo de testá-lo. Não sei se seria oportuno pegar e levar para a Copa do Mundo. Não vou nem dar minha opinião, ele é que tem que resolver. Que é um bom jogador, é. Que está num momento excelente, também está. Tem resolvido para o Palmeiras, tem jogado muito bem, tenho acompanhado e acho ele ótimo.

A Seleção Brasileira entra em campo no próximo dia 2 de junho, contra a Coreia do Sul, em Seul. Quatro dias depois, o adversário será o Japão, em Tóquio. Depois, ainda tem mais uma Data Fifa antes da convocação final para a Copa do Mundo do Qatar no fim de novembro.

* Estagiário, sob a supervisão de Tadeu Rocha.

Tottenham Hotspur got their Premier League campaign underway in underwhelming fashion last night with a 1-1 draw away to Leicester City.

Ange Postecoglou's side were far and away the better team in the first half but struggled to put away their chances before Jamie Vardy punished them in the second 45.

There were a couple of good performers for the North Londoners, such as goalscorer Pedro Porro, but there were more disappointing displays, especially in attack.

One of those who failed to provide much was Brennan Johnson, and if the Lilywhites want to get the most out of Dominic Solanke this season, they may want to consider signing a new rightwinger. Interestingly, they have already been linked with someone who'd be the perfect solution this summer.

Johnson and Solanke vs Leicester

So, the first thing to point out is that while Johnson is a talented winger, and certainly of the level required to play in the Premier League, there are still question marks over whether he's good enough to play for a top side like Spurs, and unfortunately for him, his performance last night did little to sway those concerns.

In his 79 minutes on the pitch, he struggled to have any impact at all, and aside from a shot in the first half that was straight at the Foxes' keeper, he looked largely clueless on the ball and seemingly unable to time a run off of it.

Unsurprisingly, he failed to impress football.london's Spurs correspondent, Alasdair Gold, who gave him a 4/10 at full-time and wrote that he was 'not decisive enough in his play.'

In contrast, Solanke looked lively on his debut for the club, and while he'll be disappointed that he couldn't put away the chances he had, the signs were positive, and given that it was his first game in about three weeks, the rustiness is entirely understandable.

The £65m marksman looks like he could be the goalscorer that Postecoglou and the fans have been after ever since Harry Kane left last summer, but to get the most out of him, a new rightwinger might be needed, and the ideal candidate was already linked with the club earlier this summer.

How Coman could unlock Solanke

Yes, the player in question is Bayern Munich ace Kingsley Coman, who was touted for a move to Spurs earlier this month.

The report revealed that the North Londoners are keen to sign a new wide player this summer, and the Frenchman was one of the players they were interested in.

The good news for Daniel Levy and Co is that other reports from this month claimed that Bayern would be willing to sell the talented winger for just £34m, or better yet, loan him out for the season.

However, would the former Paris Saint-Germain gem really help unlock Solanke more than Johnson? Yes, yes, he would.

The primary reason the "1v1 specialist", as dubbed by data analyst Ben Mattinson, would be a better teammate for the striker than the former Forest man is that over the last two seasons, he has maintained a more impressive goal involvement-to-game ratio.

For example, in his 62 appearances across the 22/23 and 23/24 campaigns, he produced 24 goals and assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement once every 2.58 games.

In contrast, the Welshman produced 28 goals and assists in 82 games across the same period, which breaks down to a goal involvement on average every 2.92 games.

Just imagine how much more effective the former Bournemouth ace would be playing alongside the rapid Frenchman, who'd either be able to provide him with a brilliant pass to bury in the back of the net or terrify defenders with his brilliant skills and, therefore, open up more space for the Englishman to exploit himself.

Lastly, the Bayern ace has been playing at the highest level for most of his career, so he could bring a much-needed winning mentality to Postecoglou's squad, which could help them avoid collapses like the one they suffered against Leicester.

9 duels lost: Spurs' 4/10 ace was as bad as Solanke vs Leicester City

It wasn’t the opening game fans were hoping for.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Aug 20, 2024

Ultimately, while Johnson isn't a bad player, he doesn't look like the type of winger who will supercharge Solanke or help Spurs climb up the league. Therefore, Levy and Co should return for Coman before the window slams shut.

Deepak Hooda, who made his India debut earlier this week in the ODI series against West Indies, has been moved up the IPL auction ladder having now become a capped player. In the revised auction list, which also featured ten new names, Hooda features in Set No. 3 comprising allrounders.Hooda, originally listed in Set No. 8, has upgraded his base price from INR 40 lakh (USD 53,000 approx) to INR 75 lakh (USD 99,000 approx).On Friday evening, the IPL distributed the updated player list of 600 names to the franchises. The 10 new, uncapped players include: Aaron Hardie, Lance Morris, Nivethan Radhakrishnan (all Australia), Agnivesh Ayachi, Hardik Tamore, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mihir Hirwani, Monu Kumar, Rohan Rana, Sairaj Patil (all India).The two-day IPL auction will take place in Bengaluru behind closed doors on February 12 and 13. As per the auction schedule, a total of 97 players (up to Set No. 11) will be put up for bidding on Saturday. The first six sets comprising 54 names will feature capped players, including the opening set of ten marquee names, with the remaining five sets on the day being uncapped players.Players 98 to 161 will be up until lunch on Sunday. The accelerated bidding begins after lunch on Sunday, from 162.Where will the IPL be played?
At the pre-auction briefing on Friday, the IPL also told the franchises that the venues for the tournament would be finalised by the third week of February. The 2022 edition is likely to begin from March 27 and run until last week of May.Recently the BCCI had pencilled in Mumbai and possibly Pune as the first-choice venues, subject to getting relevant government permissions.Radhakrishnan, the ambidextrous spinner
Nivethan Radhakrishnan, the only known male ambidextrous spinner in representative Australian cricket, turned out for his country in the just-concluded Under-19 World Cup in the West Indies. His three-for and half-century against Afghanistan in the quarter-finals won him the Player-of-the-Match award and secured Australia’s passage into the semi-final.Radhakrishnan also has a rookie contract with Tasmania and has bowled to top batters even outside Australia. He has been a net bowler in the Tamil Nadu Premier League for two seasons, and once under Ricky Ponting’s watch for Delhi Capitals in the IPL.Radhakrishnan has also batted at various positions – at the top, in the middle, right at the end – in representative cricket, and he can bowl seam-up as well.

MatériaMais Notícias

da bet sport： Antes da sequência de boas atuações do Flamengo de Paulo Sousa, uma das deficiências do time vinha sendo a ineficiência dos volantes em meio ao rodízio do treinador. Mas, nos últimos jogos, a dupla formada por João Gomes e Thiago Maia deu liga e tem auxiliado na engrenagem rubro-negra, seja na fase defensiva ou ofensiva, como ocorreu no empate sem gols com o Palmeiras, na última quarta. E Paulo Sousa terá um dilema logo menos: e o Willian Arão?

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da betsson： Como Pablo foi contratado para ser um líderes da zaga, é natural imaginar o Flamengo com o camisa 30 entre os titulares, possivelmente em vaga hoje ocupada por Willian Arão, no lado direito da defesa.

Portanto, a dúvida é se Arão voltará a concorrer por vaga no meio ou seguirá como opção na zaga, onde tem atuado de forma sólida e sido bastante elogiado por Paulo Sousa, sobretudo, pela qualidade na saída de bola.

Aliás, impulsionado pela ótima fase de Gomes, eleito o melhor jogador da rodada passada e autor de um assistência na vitória sobre o São Paulo, Thiago Maia está em evolução e sendo fundamental na verticalização das jogadas.

– Encontrei mais um jogador que está crescendo, que dá soluções com a bola nos primeiros momentos de construção. Ele tem capacidade de melhorar cada vez mais o posicionamento e ocupação do espaço, assim como o entendimento entre ele e o João e a lateralidade. A necessidade de que a equipe tem de ter os dois, para ver o jogo para frente, também como apoio para movimentos e capacidade de articulações, saltar linhas de pressão. Podem melhorar mais nos duelos e no último terço do campo, por ver mais longe e ter mais profundidade. Mas espero que outros também possam crescer porque são posições de grande desgaste mental e físico. É uma época longa, com esse ritmo intenso como foi hoje, necessitamos de todos – salientou Paulo Sousa.

Sobre a dupla Gomes-Maia, o camisa 8 lembrou que a função de volante era a que Paulo Sousa exercia (e bem) quando era atleta e sublinhou o entrosamento que vem tendo com o Garoto do Ninho na cabeça de área.

– O Paulo foi volante, ganhou vários títulos e só temos a aprender com ele. Temos que escutá-lo. Eu aprendi muito com o João também, e ele comigo. Somos garotos, mas parece que nos transformamos dentro de campo. Fico feliz de estar atuando ao lado dele. É um moleque que vai estourar mundialmente. Espero jogar muitos anos com ele aqui, espero que não vá embora – disse Thiago Maia.

Apesar de ser canhoto, Thiago Maia tem atuado pelo lado direito do meio, enquanto Gomes, destro, pelo esquerdo. O fato de ambos estarem com o “pé trocado” é uma estratégia do Mister para otimizar os passes em profundidade, o que tem colaborado com a fluidez nas transições ofensivas.

ATUAÇÕES: Everton Ribeiro volta a ser destaque, e Hugo demonstra segurança

Thiago Maia foi o jogador em Flamengo x Palmeiras que mais acertou passes, segundo o site “Footstats”: 53. Boa parte para Everton Ribeiro (8), por exemplo. E Gomes foi, disparado, o líder de desarmes (o que tem sido uma tônica): oito.

Com boa movimentação e intensidade na marcação, os dois têm se complementado e reduzido as brechas para a concorrência. Por fora, correm Andreas Pereira e Diego Ribas, além de Arão, que tem a confiança de Paulo Sousa, mas ainda não a certeza de onde brigará por vaga quando Pablo tiver 100% quanto às condições de jogo/ritmo, o que ocorrerá a curto prazo.

O PRÓXIMO JOGO

> Veja a tabela do Brasileirão

Neste final de semana, o Flamengo visita o Athletico, na Arena da Baixada. O jogo, válido pela terceira rodada do Brasileirão, será no sábado, às 16h30.

Vernon Philander was suffering from a toothache last night but he was incisive with the ball, before shoring up a South Africa collapse with a defiant innings

Firdose Moonda in Johannesburg19-Dec-20130:00

‘Philander ran in with purpose today’

Close to midnight after the first day of the Test, something was bothering Vernon Philander. “Toothache … you are starting to annoy the shit out of me now,” he tweeted as the hour approached. “24 hour dentist, where are you? Sandton.”By the morning, Philander was ready to take his irritation out on someone. It showed in the first ball he delivered: short, outside off, seaming in a touch and drawing a careful push from Ajinkya Rahane. It showed even more the next delivery, which reared up and jagged away, forcing Rahane to play. It set the tone – as Allan Donald had asked his quicks to do – for the morning.With a covering of cloud, moisture heavy in the air and a pain in his tooth, Philander beat MS Dhoni’s bat, squared him up, and attacked the stumps more than any of the South African bowlers had on the first day. Although he was not the man who claimed the Indian captain’s wicket, his rewards rolled in after that.Rahane was dismissed in typical Philander fashion – poking at one outside off stump that nipped away at the last second. Zaheer Khan was comically caught on the back foot as he tried to do something that resembled playing at one that wobbled in the densely damp air. Ishant Sharma’s defences were breached by a ball that was perfectly directed at the top of off stump.Vernon Philander attacked India with ball and bat•AFPAll three dismissals paid homage to the consistency of Philander’s bowling, the subtlety of movement he produces and the uncertainty he creates in batsmen’s minds. After dismissing Ishant, Philander stood one wicket away from collecting his 100th Test scalp. But for a Morne Morkel no-ball in the over that followed, he would have had a chance to reach the landmark, but the extra delivery Morkel bowled accounted for India’s last batsman.Philander still has the second innings and the smart money will be on him to claim his 100th. If he gets there, he will become the fastest South African to the landmark, reaching it in 19 Tests, one fewer than Dale Steyn.Philander is already the joint second-fastest to 50 Test wickets. The rate at which he has racked up those numbers could easily conjure up an image of a snarling speedster who juggles the ball as he delivers it. Philander is not that. He succeeds through consistency. The first day of this Test aside, he rarely offers width or bowls what batsmen may call a ‘hit-me’ delivery. He is tireless in his ability to maintain a line on or just outside off and a good length. He may sometimes have a few things to say but nothing as hostile as his opening partner Steyn.His success has literally been achieved through hard work and the 100th wicket will be another illustration of that. Before he gets there, Philander will concentrate on batting South Africa towards safety, which he has already set about doing. He regards himself as a genuine allrounder, and with two first-class hundreds and two Test fifties to his name, few will argue with that. This is another opportunity to show it.Philander has batted with the maturity of a senior batsman, despite not being the specialist at the crease. He walked out with his team on 146 for 6 and needing consolidation. Faf du Plessis, who has not scored a half-century in seven Test innings, was with him.Philander was greeted with an outswinger, one that came back in and a short ball, and negotiated all three with ease. While du Plessis spent time trying to get in, Philander kept the score moving to avoid a build up of pressure. He took risks – an expansive drive off Ishant that he inside-edged for four – and he showed off his prowess when he pulled Mohammad Shami, punched Ishant through point and flicked Zaheer Khan.Because of Philander, du Plessis had the time to gain his confidence and South Africa remained alive in the match. Philander got the balance between caution and aggression right, treated the bowling with respect but punished it when he had the chance. “Having Faf and Vernon there has been a major help for us,” Hashim Amla said. “If you think back to Lord’s, Vernon batted really well and he did so here again on a wicket that has done a bit.”Against England last August, Philander had joined JP Duminy at the crease with South Africa on 163 for 6. Both batsmen scored 61 and their partnership gave South Africa a decent total. Philander’s last day five-for also played a major part in South Africa winning the Test, the series and the coveted mace. “He has proven his worth as a bowler and batsman for us,” Amla said.His team-mates seemed to know little about the discomfort Philander was in today, with Amla saying he wasn’t aware of the toothache. “I didn’t know but he did pretty well. I don’t think it’s affected him too badly,” he said. Philander was only due to see the dentist at the end of play today. Given the way he performed with the pain so far, Amla hinted his team-mates may not be too unhappy if he wasn’t cured completely by the morning.

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da poker： O Camboriú conquistou no último sábado a vaga inédita para a final do Campeonato Catarinense após derrotar o Figueirense pelo placar agregado de 3 a 1.

Um dos pilares defensivos da equipe e destaque nessa fase decisiva da competição, o zagueiro Tetê comemorou a campanha da equipe e destacou o sentimento de chegar à grande decisão.

O primeiro jogo da final, contra o Brusque, acontece nesta quarta-feira, às 20h30 no estádio Robertão, casa do Camboriú.

– Conquistar essa classificação é uma mistura de muitos sentimentos, difícil de explicar. Felicidade, realização, o que nós fizemos nesta competição tem que ser exaltado. Uma equipe muito competitiva, ciente daquilo que poderíamos produzir, e no final agradecer a Deus que nos honrou com essa tão sonhada vaga na final do Campeonato Catarinense – comentou o atleta.

Com foco total na decisão, o zagueiro manteve os pés no chão e destacou a humildade como o principal fator de sucesso para a equipe. Tetê projetou as expectativas para o duelo decisivo contra o Brusque e o que sua equipe deve fazer para conquistar o sonhado troféu do estadual catarinense.

– As expectativas são as melhores possíveis. Viemos humildemente durante toda a competição, dando um passo de cada vez. E na decisão não vai ser diferente, vamos continuar com os pés no chão. Agora é descansar e nos preparar bastante para performar bem nesses dois jogos da grande final.

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Pre-season is well and truly here, and after dispatching Hearts and Queens Park Rangers over the last week, Tottenham Hotspur have flown out to Japan to kickstart their brief international tour.

It's hard to take too much from these games, but it will be reassuring for fans to see the team look refreshed and ready for the new campaign.

One of the stars who started the last two games was Spanish right-back Pedro Porro.

While he looked good, recent reports suggest he could have some extra competition next season as the club have been linked with an exciting full-back, a full-back who has won comparisons to a certain Ben White.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from journalist Graeme Bailey, Tottenham are one of three Premier League clubs interested in signing Bayern Munich full-back Noussair Mazraoui.

Alongside the Lilywhites, Bailey claims that Manchester United and West Ham United are also keen on the right-back, whom Bayern have supposedly offered to the teams.

The German Behemoths are happy to sell the Moroccan as they view him as surplus to requirements, although they still want an offer in the region of £25m.

It could prove challenging to get ahead of the chasing pack, but bringing in Mazraoui as competition for Porro would be an excellent idea, and the fact he's been compared to White is undoubtedly a bonus – from a playing perspective, anyway.

How Mazraoui compares to Porro and White

Okay, so before we look at how Mazraoui stacks up against Porro, let's examine this comparison to White and where it comes from.

It stems from FBref, which compared players in similar positions in last season's Champions League, created a list of the ten most comparable for each one, and concluded that the Englishman was the most similar full-back to the Moroccan in the entire competition.

The way they came to this conclusion was by looking at how closely the pair rank for several underlying metrics, including expected assists, actual assists, shots on target, passing accuracy, live passes, goal-creating actions, interceptions and clearances, all per 90.

However, it's not just their underlying numbers that make the two right-backs comparable.

Like the Arsenal man, the Bayern ace has shown himself to be positionally versatile, starting 44 games in central midfield, 13 in defensive midfield, and ten at left-back, among several starts all over the pitch.

So, while it's clear how the former Ajax star could be compared to the Englishman, how does he stack up to the man he may well be battling for a place in Ange Postecoglou's starting lineup next season?

Well, when you compare their underlying numbers from their respective league campaigns last season, it becomes clear that their battle could be an excellent one, with both full-backs coming out on top in ten key underlying metrics each.

For example, the former Sporting CP ace emerges victorious in metrics such as tackles won, blocks, ball recoveries and key passes, whereas his potential rival does better in ones like aerial duels won, progressive passes and carries, assists, and interceptions, all per 90.

Ultimately, if Spurs have a genuine chance to sign Mazraoui this summer, they should absolutely take it. He would be the perfect player to challenge Porro for the right-back position, and while the fans might not be the biggest fans of White, comparisons to him at the moment are certainly not a bad thing.

Already scouted: Spurs in frame to sign a "monster" Richarlison replacement

The impressive youngster has a very bright future ahead of him.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jul 24, 2024

Glasgow Rangers have just over a week left to complete their remaining business before the summer transfer window officially slams shut next Friday.

The Light Blues have added Jefte, Hamza Igamane, Connor Barron, Mohammed Diomande, Oscar Cortes, Vaclav Cerny, Robin Propper, Clinton Nsiala, and Liam Kelly to their squad so far.

There could be further additions to come before the deadline passes, though, after the Gers failed to qualify for the Champions League and failed to win on the opening day of the Scottish Premiership season.

It appears as though Philippe Clement's side still needs more quality to come into the group and they are now reportedly eyeing up a new winger to bring it.

Rangers eyeing swoop for Serie A whiz

According to a reporter in Italy, the Scottish giants have enquired about a deal to sign Fiorentina winger Josip Brekalo before the end of the window.

The journalist claims that the Light Blues have 'asked' for information about the Croatia international, as they look to bolster their options out wide.

Rangers are seemingly eyeing a swoop for the 26-year-old star and this latest update reveals that the player could move on from Fiorentina in the coming days, which suggests that they have a chance to secure his services.

The £34k-per-week wizard has the potential to be an excellent partner for current Gers striker Cyriel Dessers in the final third this season if they can get a deal over the line this month.

Why Brekalo would be a dream for Dessers

The Croatian ace spent the second half of the 2023/24 campaign on loan with Hajduk Split in his home country and caught the eye with his impressive attacking displays.

After a return of one goal and zero assists in 11 outings in the Serie A in the first half of the season, Brekalo registered a sensational eight assists in 12 HNL starts for Hajduk Split.

The Fiorentina loanee, who was once hailed for his "lovely" technique by journalist Josh Bunting, completed 1.9 dribbles and made 2.6 key passes per game in the HNL, to go along with two goals.

James Tavernier

3.0

Borna Barisic

1.7

Todd Cantwell

1.7

Ridvan Yilmaz

1.5

John Lundstram

1.5

As you can see in the table above, no Rangers midfielder managed more than Todd Cantwell's 1.7 key passes per game in the Scottish Premiership last term, and three of those players – Cantwell, Borna Barisic, and John Lundstram – are not currently in the first-team squad.

This suggests that Brekalo could come in and be a huge creative presence for the Gers if he can translate his form in the HNL over to the Premiership.

Dessers, therefore, would love the winger as his statistics suggest that the Croatian wizard would create chances for the striker on a regular basis.

The Nigerian marksman scored 16 goals in the Premiership last season and has started the current campaign with three goals in five appearances in all competitions.

Rangers could forget about Hagi in swoop for "terrific" £3k-p/w gem

The Light Blues are in a difficult position with the Romania international this summer.

ByDan Emery Aug 20, 2024

Brekalo arriving at Ibrox (Hampden for now) would provide the centre-forward with another source of creativity to derive goals from in the coming months, which is why they could be an exciting pairing for the Light Blues.