علق يورجن كلوب، المدير الفني السابق لفريق ليفربول السابق على صفقة الريدز خلال فترة الانتقالات الصيفية الحالية، مؤكدًا أنه انتقل برقم مبالغ فيه.

وتعاقد ليفربول مع فلوريان فيرتز، قادمًا من نادي باير ليفركوزن في صفقة كلفت خزينة الريدز 116 مليون جنيه إسترليني.

وقال كلوب في تصريحات لصحيفة “ليفربول إيكو” عن رأيه في المبلغ المدفوع: “لا شك في ذلك، إنه مبلغ مجنون، وهو ما لا يدركه لاعب في ليفربول إذا لم تسر الأمور على ما يرام لمدة مباراتين أو 3 مباريات، نحن جميعًا متفقون على أننا نتحدث عن لاعب عظيم هنا”.

اقرأ أيضًا | أسطورة تشيلسي يثير الجدل: فيرتز مخطئ بالذهاب إلى ليفربول

وأضاف كلوب: “أعلم أنني قلت ذات مرة إنني سأرحل إذا دفعنا 100 مليون يورو للاعب، لكن العالم يتغير وهكذا هي سوق الانتقالات”.

وأردف: “سيظل دوري في كرة القدم هو اللعبة نفسها، ولكن إذا أردت اللعب في أعلى مستوى، فلا يمكنك تدريب جميع لاعبيك بنفسك، عليك البحث في مكان آخر وقد لا يعجب ذلك الجميع”.

واختتم: “في كرة القدم الإنجليزية ما يحدث أحيانًا في سوق الانتقالات لا يؤثر على مشاعر الناس أو شعورهم بالانتماء، أو كونهم جزءً من الصورة الأكبر، ومن الصحيح أيضًا أن انتقالًا كهذا لا يحدث يوميًا”.

Glasgow Rangers manager Philippe Clement will be hoping the next few weeks are positive and that the Ibrox side can reach the turn of the year still having a chance of winning the domestic title, with the League Cup nestled away in the trophy cabinet for good measure.

It’s a lot to ask from the Belgian, but if he wishes to remain in the Light Blues dugout, then these are the targets which must be set, as second-best is not good enough, that’s for sure.

With the rumours circling around the manager amid the links to the Belgium national team job, the 50-year-old might not even be in charge for much longer.

Regardless of who is in charge, the January transfer window is a major chance for the Gers to move on some players who don’t have long left on their current contracts, while bringing in a new signing or two to bolster their squad.

With this in mind, here’s a look at a dream Rangers starting XI from January onwards, as the club look to improve during the second half of the campaign.

1

GK – Jack Butland

Jack Butland might not be at the level he displayed during his first six months at Ibrox, but the Englishman is still a dependable keeper between the sticks.

Aged only 31, his long-term future at the club looks secure. Liam Kelly is the current deputy, and he will be able to fill in whenever required, yet it will be Butland who will remain as the number-one choice over the next few months.

2

RB – Ryan Barnett

James Tavernier’s future has been heavily discussed of late. The captain is entering into the final 18 months of his deal and January could be the final chance for the Ibrox side to sell him for a decent fee.

If he does go, a replacement right-back will be required. In recent weeks, the Gers have been linked with a move for Wrexham defender Ryan Barnett, who could be an ideal replacement for Tavernier.

This season, he has recorded a goal and six assists in 18 games, showcasing his attacking talents. Could this mean he would slot into Tavernier’s role with ease?

3

CB – John Souttar

John Souttar was impressive for Scotland during the recent international break, playing 90 minutes in the wins over Croatia and Poland, even grabbing an assist during the latter tie.

For Rangers this season, the centre-back has missed only one game and while he has looked susceptible in a few games, overall, his performances have improved vastly since he first joined.

4

CB – Neraysho Kasanwirjo

The versatile defender signed on loan until the end of the season, with an option to buy included in this deal. During his time on the pitch, the Dutchman has looked solid and can play across the back four.

It is at centre-back where his future should lie, however. Leon Balogun is out of contract at the end of the season, while Robin Propper hasn’t impressed, meaning the youngster should be given the chance to shine alongside Souttar.

5

LB – Jefte

Jefte may only be 20, but his exposure to senior football this season will aid his development superbly.

Yes, he will face competition from Ridvan Yilmaz when he returns from injury, but in the long term, Jefte could be the ideal Borna Barisic successor.

6

CM – Connor Barron

It was clear that a refresh was needed in the midfield during the summer. Signing Connor Barron and slotting him straight into the engine room is perhaps the most important thing Clement has done this term.

The 22-year-old has a bright future and has played a part in every single match for the club during 2024/25 thus far.

7

CM – Nicolas Raskin

The Belgian has enjoyed a resurgence of late, being someone who Clement can trust in the middle of the pitch.

Injury issues may have hampered his start to the season, but Raskin has impressed recently. Against Olympiacos in the Europa League, the midfielder made four key passes, won 50% of his ground duels and made seven tackles during the game as the club secured a 1-1 draw.

He and Barron could form a partnership which could shine for the next few years at least.

8

RW – Kwame Poku

Vaclav Cerny may be in decent form, but his loan finishes at the end of the season. According to Graeme Bailey, the Gers have been linked with a move for winger Kwame Poku of late.

The Peterborough United star has scored ten goals and recorded seven assists in just 17 games this term, which works out as a goal contribution a game.

Hailed as “unplayable” by manager Darren Ferguson, Poku could be an ideal long-term option as the right-winger for the Ibrox side, no doubt about that.

9

AM – Mohamed Diomande

The Ivorian can exude his creative talents when deployed as a number ten and this could suit the team far better in the long run, allowing Barron and Raskin to sweep up everything at the base of the midfield.

Diomande has created three big chances, averages one key pass and succeeded with 1.1 dribbles per game in the top flight this term. From now on, he should be unleashed as an attacking midfielder.

10

LW – Nedim Bajrami

While not his usual role, Nedim Bajrami has taken to the left wing with ease since joining Rangers. In 14 games, he has scored three goals and grabbed one assist.

Despite Rabbi Matondo and Oscar Cortes returning from injury soon, Clement must continue to utilise the Albanian out wide, especially considering his impressive displays.

Anthony Elanga turned into 'prime Lionel Messi' with a stunning goal against former club Manchester United with Nottingham Forest.

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Elanga broke deadlock in fifth minuteScored with brilliant solo effortHailed as 'prime Lionel Messi'Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

During Tuesday's Premier League encounter, Elanga won the ball in his own half after a United corner was headed clear. The Swedish forward pounced on the loose ball and initiated a counter attack at electric speed. He shrugged off Alejandro Garnacho on his way to the penalty box before slotting the ball home past Andre Onana with a low shot in the fifth minute of the match. There were only 16 seconds between the United corner and Elanga's goal.

AdvertisementWHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING

Fans were quick to draw comparisons between Elanga and 'prime' Messi as they labelled Ruben Amorim's side as a 'finished' club.

An X user named Elochukwu wrote: "Only Man Utd can make Elanga look like prime Messi. Finished club."

Another fan, with the name OmoAWE Aded’eji wrote: "Elanga playing like prime Messi. You can’t write this scripts."

Casey Evans mocked United for selling Elanga and purchasing Antony for a much higher price. The post read: "Sold Elanga for £10m to buy Antony for £85m."

Luke wrote: "United fans think Garnacho is anywhere near Elanga"

A Chelsea fan with the name Conn wrote: "Elanga dunking on his former club Manchester United. Just beautiful."

(C)Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

If Nuno Espirito Santo's side manage to hold on to their lead and secure all three points from the match, they will take a step forward towards securing a Champions League berth for next season.

WHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

After Tuesday's match at Forest, Red Devils will next face rivals Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday at Old Trafford.

Teenager Tess Flintoff smashed the fastest WBBL half-century off 16 balls before Sasha Moloney picked up 4 for 24 to help Stars beat Adelaide Strikers

AAP02-Nov-2022Teenager Tess Flintoff has smashed the WBBL record for the fastest half-century in the competition’s history to power Melbourne Stars to a 22-run win over Adelaide Strikers.The allrounder blasted an unbeaten 51 from only 16 balls at North Sydney Oval on Wednesday. Flintoff broke the previous mark – 22 balls – by smashing a six off the final ball of the innings to push Stars to 5 for 186 after Strikers elected to field first.The 19-year-old’s blistering career-best knock consisted of six fours and three sixes. Flintoff had not been required to bat in Stars’ past three matches, but her most recent innings was an unbeaten 40 against the Perth Scorchers on October 20.Australia allrounder Ashleigh Gardner and South African Lizelle Lee shared the previous record for fastest WBBL half-century, with both reaching the mark in the same game back in 2017.England batters Alice Capsey and Lauren Winfield-Hill also played important roles in the Stars’ big total sharing an 81-run stand for the second wicket.Flintoff’s match-winning knock proved too much for Adelaide to overcome, with Strikers finishing their 20 overs on 8 for 164. Australia star Tahlia McGrath’s troubled run with the bat continued, with Strikers’ captain out for just 1 following two ducks in as many games.Adelaide had solid contributions from Katie Mack, Bridget Patterson and Laura Wolvaardt as Sasha Moloney was the pick of Stars bowlers claiming 4 for 24.It was just Stars’ second win of the tournament, with Adelaide remaining in third on the table with four victories.

Before the weekend’s disappointing draw away to Fulham, Arsenal were riding high courtesy of a 2-0 home win against fierce rivals Manchester United.

However, it wasn’t just the fixture that made Wednesday night’s clash a special one; it was also the fact that it was the 500th competitive men’s game at the Emirates Stadium.

It’s a stadium that has seen some special players in the 18 years since it was completed, but the last couple of years have been the first time it’s hosted a side that are bonafide title challengers and good enough to go all the way in Europe.

Therefore, while plenty of brilliant signings have been made since 2006, it’s hard to look past this current crop of players as the best of the Emirates era, particularly Martin Odegaard.

That said, he may not hold the crown for being one of Arsenal’s best deals of recent years for too much longer. More on that player in just a moment…

Odegaard's Arsenal career

Arsenal initially signed Odegaard on a six-month loan deal from Real Madrid in January 2021, and while he certainly wasn’t poor in that spell, his tally of two goals and two assists in 20 appearances wasn’t exactly earth-shattering.

However, Arteta and Edu Gaspar had a vision of the team with the Norwegian at the centre and opted to pay Los Blancos £30m for his services that summer, and what a game-changing decision that has since turned out to be.

The Drammen-born magician has become absolutely essential to how the Gunners play and his leadership abilities saw him named club captain in 2022 at just 23 years old.

Appearances

163

Goals

36

Assists

28

Goal Involvements per Match

0.39

So far, the 25-year-old superstar has scored 36 goals and provided 28 assists in 163 appearances for the club, equating to an average of a goal involvement every 2.54 games, and on top of that, he has the increasingly rare ability to get fans on their feet with a piece of immaculate close control or an aesthetically dazzling pass.

Overall, while he is yet to lead the club to a title or trophy, there can be no denying that Odegaard has been an utterly sublime signing for Arsenal and easily one of the best since the Emirates was completed.

However, he’s not the only one that fits that description in the current squad.

The newest member of Arsenal's best Emirates-era signings

So, while there are more than a handful of players in the current squad who could be named here, the player we are talking about is Dutch defender Jurrien Timber, who joined the club for £38m last summer.

Now, we know that it probably is too easy to make such a sweeping statement about a player who is essentially in his first season for the club, but he’s looked that impressive, and what’s football without a little bit of hyperbole?

With that said, what makes the former Ajax defender such a special player, so special in fact that respected analyst Ben Mattinon proclaimed him “one of the best signings of the Emirates era” late last month?

Well, it’s twofold, and the first reason is simply that he’s a modern full-back who is more than capable of defending.

The Amsterdam-born titan might not be on the level as William Saliba or Gabriel Magahales in this respect, but when he’s starting on the right-hand side, it’s rare to see him skinned by an opposing player or come out on the losing side of a physical battle, despite being just 5 foot 10.

However, the most significant reason why people have been so impressed with the 23-year-old is the difference he makes going forward.

While Ben White was great at overlapping with Bukayo Saka on the right, the Dutchman seems to be comfortable doing that and underlapping, and as his former manager Michael Reiziger says, he’s “at ease and one with the ball.”

We also saw him score his first goal for the club against United, chipping in with a header in the absence of Gabriel.

Ultimately, while he’s not the flashiest of players, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to ignore his consistently brilliant performances when he starts on the right, and perhaps the biggest compliment you can pay him is that White will have an almighty battle on his hands to displace him when fit.

Arsenal want to sign "blistering" £57m star who's like a right-footed Saka

The incredible forward would be the perfect addition to Arsenal’s attack.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Dec 10, 2024

Enzo Maresca was slammed for his "boring" tactics in Arsenal defeat as William Gallas believes Chelsea should have stuck with Mauricio Pochettino.

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• Chelsea went down to Arsenal in the London derby
• Maresca under scrutiny after just four wins in 13 PL games
• Gallas believes Chelsea were better under Pochettino

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Arsenal secured a narrow 1-0 victory, courtesy of Mikel Merino’s first-half header, at the Emirates on Sunday. The win solidified the Gunners’ second-place position, while Chelsea’s ambitions of securing a top-four finish took a major blow.

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• GOAL
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Chelsea’s uninspired performance has become a recurring theme in recent weeks. Despite boasting a squad valued at over £1 billion, the team has been struggling for consistency since the turn of the year. Their poor run of form, which includes just four wins in their last 13 league matches, has raised serious questions about Maresca’s tactics and decision-making.

• WHAT GALLAS SAID

  One of the biggest criticisms of Chelsea’s approach under Maresca has been their possession-heavy style that often fails to translate into meaningful goal-scoring opportunities.

  Gallas did not hold back in his assessment of Maresca’s system, describing it as a throwback to a different era. He was particularly baffled by the decision to play Reece James in midfield, likening the approach to something from decades ago.

  Speaking to Gallas said: "It was man-to-man everywhere on the pitch, I was surprised that Reece James played as a midfielder and it was like being back in 1980. We are in 2025, how can you ask your players to do that? The defenders Benoit Badiashile and Levi Colwill looked scared on the ball and with more pressure from Arsenal they might’ve scored the second goal, the goal they did score was from a corner.

  “For me, it was boring, especially for a London derby. I played so many of those games and it was more intense. Fans want to see the players fighting, running, and challenging, but nothing happened."

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Gallas believes that based on Chelsea’s recent performances, Mauricio Pochettino might have been the better option to lead the club. Pochettino was sacked in the summer of 2024 after he guided the Blues to a sixth-place finish.

  “Looking at the performance against Arsenal, you’d say that Chelsea would be better off with Mauricio Pochettino," the former defender opined.

  “What I saw of Chelsea against Arsenal, the system and how they played, I was a little bit disappointed. But right now I think Enzo Maresca is on the right path, they are still on course to qualify for the top four. Sometimes owners at big clubs are not patient.

  “The new owners have made a lot of decisions until now when they don’t see results, now it’s up to Maresca to show that he is the manager Chelsea were looking for.”

MatériaMais Notícias

da esport bet： O Palmeiras perdeu uma invencibilidade de 20 partidas sem perder como visitante ao ser derrotado pelo Athletico-PR por 1 a 0, no primeiro jogo da semifinal da Libertadores. O único gol do duelo foi marcado por Alex Santana, que concedeu ao time paranaense a vantagem simples para a volta no Allianz Parque.

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da leao：
>ATUAÇÕES: Defesa vai mal, ataque não é eficiente e Palmeiras faz partida abaixo da média

> Clique e confira a tabela completa e simulador da Libertadores!

Verdão faz primeiro tempo muito abaixo e Athletico consegue boa vantagem parcial

O início de jogo foi movimentado e de puro equilíbrio entre as equipes. A primeira grande chance foi aparecer somente aos seis minutos, quando Flaco López recuperou a bola no campo de ataque, tabelou com Dudu e recebeu sozinho dentro da área. O camisa 18, contudo, finalizou para fora e desperdiçou.

O nervosismo dos dois times foi ficando cada vez mais notório à medida em que a bola corria. Aos 13′, Hugo Moura fez ótima jogada individual pela esquerda e cruzou para a área. Gustavo Gómez tentou afastar o perigo, mas quase fez um gol contra. Weverton, atento, salvou o Verdão, que continuava a ser pressionado.

E, enfim, aos 22 minutos, a pressão do Furacão deu resultado. A joia athleticana Vitor Roque recebeu um bom passe dentro da área do Palmeiras, dominou e passou para Alex Santana, enquanto o zagueiro Murilo só assistia. Com uma bela finalização no canto, o camisa 38 marcou seu primeiro gol com a camisa do clube para abrir o placar na Arena da Baixada.

As ausências de Danilo e Gustavo Scarpa, suspensos nas quartas de final, fizeram com que o Palmeiras tivesse inúmeras dificuldades na marcação e na saída de bola, cedendo espaços para o Athletico, que não se segurou e continuou no ataque durante todo o primeiro tempo, praticamente.

Apesar de ter feito um início de jogo ruim, Flaco López foi o autor da última chance dos primeiros 45 minutos. Depois de um ótimo cruzamento de Rony, o atacante subiu mais alto que a defesa adversária, mas cabeceou para fora e viu o time paranaense ir para o intervalo com a vantagem de 1 a 0.

Apesar das expulsões de Hugo Moura e Felipão, Furacão se segura bem e larga na frente em busca de vaga na final

Aparentemente Abel Ferreira e comissão técnica tentaram empurrar o time do Palmeiras na conversa do vestiário. Assim, aos dois minutos, Gabriel Menino recebeu próximo à área do Athletico e arriscou o chute, mas a bola apenas passou perto do gol defendido por Bento.

Aos seis, preocupação palmeirense. Hugo Moura e Raphael Veiga se envolveram em uma dura dividida, onde o meia do Verdão levou a pior. Com fortes dores no tornozelo direito, o camisa 23 deu lugar a Bruno Tabata no campo.

Apesar de estar melhor no jogo, o Palmeiras não conseguia levar um grande perigo ao gol do Furacão. Aos 15′, o jogador vindo do futebol português até que tentou com uma jogada individual e cobrou um escanteio com muito efeito na segunda trave. A zaga afastou o perigo, mas Vitinho desviou a bola com a mão e cometeu falta na entrada da área do Athletico. Na cobrança, Menino mandou para fora.

Quando o jogo começava a ficar cada vez mais nervoso, tanto do lado do Furacão, que tentava ampliar o resultado, quanto para o Verdão, que buscava o empate e a virada, Hugo Moura caiu perto do meio de campo e, esperando a falta, colocou a mão na bola, recebendo o segundo amarelo e, consequentemente, a expulsão.

Com um a menos, os donos da casa procuravam se fechar no campo de defesa, enquanto o Palmeiras ficava mais com a bola e tentava pressionar. Depois de se irritar com o árbitro de maneira incontrolável, o técnico Felipão também recebeu o cartão vermelho.

Depois, o Verdão até tentou pressionar nos instantes finais, mas sem sucesso. Com a partida apenas cadenciada, o resultado de 1 a 0 prevaleceu no marcador. O jogo de volta entre Palmeiras e Athletico-PR acontece no dia 6 de setembro, às 21h30, no Allianz Parque.

E agora?

O Athletico volta a entrar em campo já no próximo sábado, contra o Fluminense, na Arena da Baixada, às 19h, pelo Brasileirão. O Palmeiras, por sua vez, mede forças com o RB Bragantino, fora de casa, no mesmo dia e horário, também pelo torneio nacional.

FICHA TÉCNICA

ATHLETICO-PR 1 x 0 PALMEIRAS

Local: Arena da Baixada, Curitiba (PR)
Data e hora: 30/8/2022, às 21h30
Árbitro: Roberto Tobar (CHI)
Assistentes: Christian Schiemann (CHI) e Claudio Rios (CHI)
VAR: Juan Lara (CHI)
Cartões amarelos:Zé Rafael e Bruno Tabata (PAL)
Cartões vermelhos: Hugo Moura e Felipão (técnico) (CAP)
Gol: Alex Santana (22’/1ºT) (1-0)

ATHLETICO-PR: Bento; Khellven, Pedro Henrique, Thiago Heleno e Abner; Hugo Moura, Alex Santana e Fernandinho (Léo Cittadini, aos 50’/2ºT); Canobbio (Rômulo, aos 38’/2ºT), Vitinho (Pablo,aos 38’/2ºT) e Vitor Roque (Cuello, aos 38’/2ºT). Técnico: Felipão.

PALMEIRAS: Weverton; Marcos Rocha (Mayke, aos 38’/2ºT), Murilo, Gustavo Gómez e Piquerez; Gabriel Menino, Zé Rafael (Atuesta,aos 38’/2ºT) e Raphael Veiga (Bruno Tabata, aos 6’/2ºT); Flaco López (Wesley, aos 18’/2ºT), Dudu e Rony (Navarro, aos 38’/2ºT). Técnico: Abel Ferreira.

Plus: spry old debutants, and a Headingley duds XI

Andy Zaltzman09-Jun-2015The latest New Dawn of English One-Day cricket begins today, with an exciting-looking squad packed with young talents, largely unscarred by the World Cup megaglitch, aiming to fight Kiwi fire with Kiwi-style fire. If England compete on relatively even terms in this five-match series, even if they lose it, it will be a significant step forward. If they manage to perform worse than they did in Australia and New Zealand, it will be one of the most remarkable achievements in sporting history.While youth is at last being given its chance in the England ODI set-up, old age (in sporting terms) has been flourishing in the Test arena when eventually allowed its opportunity. is a tome that is still waiting to be written. Publishers have, understandably, shied away from committing their precious funds to a title that might struggle to make an impact in a competitive marketplace. They seem to fear that the younger generation of readers cares little for 33-year-old Billy Griffith’s surprise 140 in Trinidad in 1948 (his maiden first-class century, almost 14 years after his debut, when called up for a Test debut as a makeshift opener due to a fitness crisis in the England camp), or Albert Hartkopf’s sprightly 80 off 158 balls in his only Test in 1924-25, aged 35.However, they might soon reconsider after Luke Ronchi and Adam Voges made two of the finest belated entries into the Test arena. Both would have been staggering debuts at any age. Ronchi became the first man to score 30 or more at a strike rate of at least 125 in both innings of a Test (in Tests where balls faced have been recorded, at least), batting as if he wanted to condense a decade of highlights into one match.Voges became only the fifth player in Test history to score a first-innings century in a match in which no other player on either side reached 40 in the first innings. He scored 29.8% of the first-innings runs off the bat – only two others even made 30.The previous man to achieve this rare but striking feat was Kevin Pietersen, in the 2006 Edgbaston Test against Sri Lanka, when his 142 was 112 more than the next-highest first-innings score, and represented 36.8% of the batsmen’s runs. In April 1899, Jimmy Sinclair scored South Africa’s first Test century, making 106 out of 177 all out, in response to England’s 92 all out, in which he had taken 6 for 26. A tidy all-round performance, by anyone’s standards. A heroic one-man cricketing volcano by the standards of South African cricket at the time.It being still the 19th century, South Africa inevitably lost heavily anyway, but Sinclair, a player who would have had the IPL auction bidders’ eyebrows twitching like electrocuted eels had he been born 100 years later, had become the first player to score a century and take a five-for in a Test (and was one of only two to perform this double in the first innings of a Test before 1955). Sinclair’s score was 40.8% of the runs off the bat in the first innings; three years earlier, also at Newlands, England’s Arthur Hill made 124, 34.9% of the first-innings batsmen’s runs, with the next top score being 31.The most extraordinary of these first-innings stand-out hundreds was Gordon Greenidge’s 134 at Old Trafford in 1976, made out of a West Indies total of 211, in which only Collis King (32), Wayne Daniel (10), and extras (11) reached double figures. England were then destroyed by Roberts, Holding and Daniel, scuttled for 71, despite a defiant innings of 19 by extras, who were having a terrific match in the circumstances. Only David Steele, with 20, joined extras in making double figures. In all, Greenidge made 134 for 1 off 33 overs. The other 21 players managed 118 for 19 off 69.5. He scored 53.2% of the first innings runs off the bat, and hit 18 of the 30 boundaries. And then followed it up with 101 in the second innings.

There was a reasonable chance that 85-year-old Enid Snurt, who was walking her lucky iguana down the Kennington Road just as Hutton was finally out, could have made at least 30 not out in the circumstances

When Voges walked to the wicket, he passed his captain Michael Clarke, who was the last man to make a first-innings century when no other players scored a first-innings fifty (his mesmeric 151 at Newlands in November 2011). The players who have done this since 1995 are a prime selection of the greats of modern batting – Clarke, Pietersen, Kallis, Hayden, Jayawardene, Dravid and Inzamam. As well as Nasser Hussain. Who was very good, quite often. And Matthew Elliott. Who had his moments. And Kamran Akmal. Who was Kamran Akmal. And, crucially, was batting, not keeping wicket at the time. Obviously. Voges thus joins illustrious company. Mostly very illustrious.● Voges’ 130 was the higher of the two centuries scored by debutants over the age of 35, beating David Houghton’s 121 in Zimbabwe’s maiden Test in 1992. Peter Kirsten had made a 52 on his belated debut for South Africa earlier the same year – before him, there had not even been a half-century by a 35-plus debutant since 1938, when Yorkshire keeper Albert Wood made 52 a couple of days short of his 40th birthday. It was perhaps the lowest-pressure debut Test innings in history – Wood strode to The Oval wicket with the scoreboard reading 770 for 6, Len Hutton toddling back to the pavilion with a Test record 364 to his name, and the baggy green bowling attack nearing the 300-over mark. There was a reasonable chance that 85-year-old Enid Snurt, who was walking her lucky iguana down the Kennington Road just as Hutton was finally out, could have made at least 30 not out in the circumstances.Just as some final pieces of England’s Ashes jigsaw have fallen into place (while others have slipped off the table and are being chewed on by the dog), Voges, with his extensive experience of county cricket and the confidence of one of the most influential debut innings ever played, has made Australia’s line-up appear even more formidable.● When Kane Williamson – 11 years younger than Voges, but with 40 Tests more experience – tweaked his way to three wickets on the final day at Headingley, including the vital scalp of Alastair Cook, he became the 11th New Zealander to make a significant contribution to the match (even Henry, the least successful bowler, had clubbed useful runs in the first innings, and uplifting, morale-crushing sixes in the second).The Kiwi No. 3 has carved his named on more honours boards before his 25th birthday than most, but Headingley has not been kind to him as a Test batsman, despite the soft-handed, level-headed brilliance he has displayed elsewhere. He is not alone in struggling at Yorkshire HQ in Test cricket, as the following illustrious XI testifies.The Useless-at-Headingley Test XI

(qualification: two Leeds Tests minimum)1: Warren Bardsley (Australia, 1909, 1921, 1926)
Three Tests, 63 runs, average 12.6. Elsewhere: early-20th-century baggy green legend who averaged 58.9 in 18 other Tests in England.2: Ross Edwards (Australia, 1972, 1975)

Three innings in two Tests at Leeds. Two golden ducks, and a relatively epic five-ball duck. Spared an inevitable fourth duck when the pitch was vandalised in 1975. Elsewhere: averaged 45.0 in 18 Tests outside the LS6 postcode.3: Kane Williamson (New Zealand, 2013, 2015)
Two Tests, 22 runs in four innings. Elsewhere: all-conditions technical master who averaged 75.3 in the 15 Tests he played between his Headingley flops.4: Greg Chappell (Australia, 1972, 1975, 1977)
Three Tests, 90 runs, average 15.0. Elsewhere: all-time Australian great who averaged 55.7 on all other grounds in the universe.”A hundred and eighty-seven runs for one wicket?” “Quite so, marm”•Getty Images5: Ian Bell (England, 2006-2015)
Eight Tests, 309 runs at 22.0. But since his first innings at Headingley (119 against Pakistan in 2006), he has averaged 14.6 in 14 innings. And, it seems, taken to watching catches sail harmlessly past him at second slip. Elsewhere: the Sledgehammer of Eternal Justice averages 55.2 on other English grounds.6 and wicketkeeper: Les Ames (England, 1934, 1935)
Two Tests at Leeds, 30 runs in four innings. Only a single dismissal in each match. Elsewhere: the greatest keeper-batsman in the first 115 years of Test cricket, averaging 53.8 on other English grounds.7 and captain: Richie Benaud (Australia, 1953, 1956, 1961)

Three Tests, 38 runs in five innings, five wickets at 47.0, one draw and two thumping defeats, including skippering Australia to an eight-wicket drubbing in 1961 in which he bagged a pair and did not very much of interest with the ball. Elsewhere: all-round legend and captaincy whizz who spun Australia to the Ashes in the following Test at Old Trafford in 1961.8: Shane Warne (Australia, 1993, 1997, 2001)
Three Tests, one wicket in each, average 89.3. Batted twice, bagged two ducks. Elsewhere: unstoppable Ashes devastator who took 126 wickets at 20.3 at the other English venues.9: Harold Larwood (England, 1929, 1930)
Two Tests, injured in the first, chief victim of Bradman’s 300-in-a-day mauling in 1930. One wicket in each, for a total of 174 runs. Elsewhere: Bodyline annihilator in Australia, with an action that woke poets from the dead, and an average of 26.8 elsewhere in England.10: Max Walker (Australia, 1975, 1977)
Two Tests, one wicket for 187 in 81 overs. Of the 169 bowlers who have sent down more than 50 overs in Tests at Leeds, Walker has the worst strike rate. Elsewhere: averaged 26.3 and more than four wickets per match on Test grounds that were not in Yorkshire.11: Jimmy Anderson (England, 2003-2015)
Nineteen wickets at 41.3 in seven Leeds Tests – not disastrous, but he has never taken four in an innings, or six in a match, at the ground where his rather less garlanded swing predecessor Neil Mallender took eight on debut. Elsewhere: England’s leading wicket-taker, averaging 25.6 on his other home grounds. Edges out other Headingley strugglers from the England leading wicket-takers list, including Alec Bedser (16 at 36.1), Flintoff (9 at 43.0), Hoggard (9 at 43.2), Caddick (18 at 38.3). And Giles (1 at 201).12th man: Derek Randall (England, 1977-1983)
Four Tests, 59 runs in six innings, highest score 20. Elsewhere: dazzling fielder who averaged 42.8 at the other English Test arenas.

Considered a de facto captain of the India bowling unit during his time in international cricket, Zaheer Khan is embracing a formalised leadership role with Delhi Daredevils in the twilight of his career

Arun Venugopal in Rajkot03-May-2016Zaheer Khan is the only bowler captain in IPL 2016. This isn’t the first such instance – Shane Warne, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh and Daniel Vettori have led with varying degrees of success in the past – but it is significant on two counts.Firstly, Zaheer’s elevation, in tandem with a new coaching staff, has turbo-charged a franchise numbed by continuous failures in the past. Secondly, and more importantly, Zaheer’s tactical smarts have finally been recognised with an official title. Not that he ever needed one, as for years he was India’s de facto bowling captain: formulating plans, managing fields and counselling youngsters. MS Dhoni once said he was the Sachin Tendulkar of the bowling unit.Following his retirement from international cricket, Zaheer has used the same style sheet at Delhi Daredevils with greater gusto. Watching him do his job is to watch a leader who has climbed up in the hierarchy through plenty of elbow grease. With his shabby stubble and tucked out jersey, he looks the part. Even Zaheer’s field placements tell you appearance comes a distant second to efficiency.In the first over of Gujarat Lions’ innings, Zaheer stood only one delivery at square leg before moving to cover to remain within the bowler’s overshot. When he came on to bowl to Dwayne Smith in the third over, he had a straightish mid-off and a short cover. When Brendon McCullum came on strike, the short cover, Sanju Samson, went to a third slip. Daredevils’ fielders had to cope with not just rotation of strike but also Zaheer’s high-speed field shuffle.While he was bowling short and at Smith’s body, the length to McCullum was fuller. Ahead of the fifth ball, Zaheer pushed midwicket to the line and opened up a big gap in front of square on the leg side. He delivered a cutter, and McCullum, shaping to pull towards the vacant region, realised belatedly the ball wasn’t as short and lost his bails.As soon as the over was completed Zaheer was swiftly by Shahbaz Nadeem’s side, second-eyeing the field the bowler had asked for. Smith’s dismissal, though, involved no great strategy as the West Indian punched it uppishly straight down long-on’s throat.Zaheer then brought long-on in with a short fine leg already in place. After three incident-free deliveries, Aaron Finch gave himself room and biffed one over mid-on for four. The field remained unchanged, and Nadeem went fuller the next ball. Finch brought out the slog sweep, but top-edged it to Rishabh Pant, who was placed at short fine leg for precisely such a shot. Three wickets fell in eight balls, a phase that Lions coach Brad Hodge felt had dragged his team behind.Zaheer continued to work the batsmen out. When Chris Morris bowled short to Suresh Raina, he had a leg gully in place and soon an uneasy flick flew over the head of the fielder. There were some unusual fields too. Zaheer had a short cover point – who was only a few yards away from being called a silly point – and backward point for Dinesh Karthik, with a sweeper cover and long-off in the deep.Going round the stumps, he bowled full and outside off to bring his fielders into play and subsequently dried the boundaries. In the 17th over, Zaheer bowled with no one inside the circle on the leg side, and exploited the relative slowness of the surface with his knuckleballs. He continued to attack even during the last five overs – where only five boundaries were scored – by having at least one fielder in a catching position. Daredevils batsman Sam Billings said Zaheer sets such unorthodox fields even at training.”He set a field to me – Mohammad Shami and one of the young guys were bowling yorkers – that was totally out of the box,” Billings said. “There was no long-on, he kind of moved around to cow corner because he knew I was a slogger anyway.”As a batter, you don’t know he’s going to bowl a yorker. He can bowl a bumper, he can bowl a slower ball. Knowing exactly where the bowler is going to bowl makes it a lot easier. Zaheer is turning the tables on that and giving the bowlers more options.”Pant, who scored 69 in Daredevils’ chase of 150, said Zaheer’s field placements were never random acts.”Zak bhai has a different field placement in every match because we plan according to [opponents],” he said. “We are not just going to the ground and putting fielders here and there. We just plan and are executing that.”While Zaheer’s mental agility and street-smartness has not dimmed with age, he has had a history of injuries. For Daredevils to go the distance, his physical fitness will be just as critical as the mental.

Arsenal have been rocked as it has emerged that one member of Mikel Arteta’s squad has asked his agents to find him a new club and wants to quit the Emirates Stadium, according to a fresh report.

Arsenal stumble to another draw

The Premier League title is beginning to slip away from Arsenal, as another draw left them in third place in the top flight. A dull 0-0 affair against Everton, in which the Gunners lacked any real invention despite dominating possession, saw them drop two points.

It proved a real missed opportunity for Arteta’s side, with Liverpool also drawing and Manchester City being beaten, leaving Chelsea the only side to gain from the weekend’s action as they moved four points clear of the Gunners with a 2-1 win over Brentford.

He's like Saka: Arsenal actively chasing "one of the best in the world"

Arsenal are looking to refresh their squad and could sign an elite winger.

ByJoe Nuttall Dec 16, 2024

It is clear that something is wrong in north London, despite Mikel Arteta’s insistence that his side deserved all three points.

“Very disappointing not to win the game. We fully deserved to win the game,” he told the BBC. “We conceded no shots. We dominated play. When we generated big chances we didn’t score a goal.”

The Gunners now face a favourable run of games in a bid to try and get their season back on track, including games against relegation candidates Crystal Palace and Ipswich, and they will be hoping that their form can pick up.

As it stands, they have drawn the joint second most games in the top flight (6), form which will not be good enough to see them made champions come the end of the campaign. But they could be set to play the second half of the campaign without a member of their squad.

Defender wants out and asks agents to plan exit

That is according to a shock report from Italy, relayed by Sport Witness, which claims that Arsenal defender Jakub Kiwior has asked his agents to “find him a new team”. The Polish defender has appeared 13 times for the Gunners so far this season, and started in Gabriel’s absence during their win over Manchester United and their draw with Fulham.

Appearances

13

Starts

5

Total minutes played

644

Goals/Assists

0

Yellow Cards

0

Signed from Spezia in January 2023, he has been linked with a return to Italy on several occasions since and now is seemingly keen to make that move a reality. According to the report, he “now wants to leave Arsenal” and has “asked his agents to ‘find him a new team’”, with Napoli being the frontrunners for his signature.

Indeed, it is suggested that the “player’s entourage will be in Italy soon to have a meeting with Napoli”, though it is unclear whether it will be discussing a deal in January or in the summer transfer window.

Similarly, there is no mention of a fee for the 24-year-old, who still has almost four years left to run on his £3m a year deal in north London, while Arsenal shelled out £25m to sign him just two years ago, during which time his value is unlikely to have decreased.

Though he has struggled for gametime in north London, his potential was singled out by Polish icon and teammate Robert Lewandowski, who dubbed the defender “extraordinary”.

“Listen to me, this is a real player,” he said. “I noticed it during the warm-up before the match against the Netherlands. In training, it’s very difficult to see certain things. Then I saw him in the match, extraordinary. Really great potential.”

With Arsenal’s defence in something of an injury crisis, a sale would likely need a significant fee in January.