The performance against Australia gave Pakistan fans hope but, not for the first time, they produced a polar opposite display

Abhishek Purohit in Dhaka01-Apr-2014Pakistan never fail to surprise us, do they? If you had come expecting a thriller between two similar, explosive T20 sides, what you got instead was Pakistan showing us multiple, and all equally self-destructive, states of panic.Two of their best bowlers, Saeed Ajmal and Umar Gul, cracked under pressure and gave away a combined 59 runs in three overs at the death. The top order went down heaving, and the middle order shut shop in response.It was one of those nights from Pakistan. As was the night when they had sparked that incredible Australian collapse earlier in the tournament. We know both happened, separated by a matter of a few days. We also know Pakistan are capable of both kinds of displays within such a short span. We can try to delve into what happened and how it happened. Exactly why it happened, we will never really know.Each wave of panic against West Indies only brought about another, albeit different one, from the following cast. When the opposition is 84 for 5 after 15 overs, and you have overs left from two of the most experienced and best T20 bowlers in the world, the last thing you are expecting is for both of them to lose it suddenly. And Gul lost it so much in the 18th over that as many as three fielders ran up to him at various points in the over with words of advice, or encouragement, or whatever it was that they felt could work at that moment.Mohammad Hafeez, Shahid Afridi, Sohail Tanvir. All those interventions did not stop the over from going for 21. They also revealed Pakistan’s state of mind at that point. When three different men are needed to rush to your premier fast bowler, all in the span of half an over, you tell the opposition you are on the edge, and are expecting the worst.And the worst came in the next over. Ajmal is usually the master of these situations. He will toss one up a bit more, or he will hold it back a bit more, or he will bowl the one that turns the other way from which the batsman was expecting it to. And the batsman will have a clueless slog and fall. None of this was happening. Ajmal instead bowled short, he bowled flat, he bowled quickly. He became what your average spinner is usually at the death in limited-overs cricket – a massive risk. For that one over, he lost the aura that makes him Saeed Ajmal. He will doubtless regain that, as he did after the 2010 World T20 semi-final, but the damage had been done again.Heaven knows how the Pakistanis felt walking off the field at the break, having allowed West Indies to nearly double their score in five overs. Heaven knows what was spoken in the Pakistan dugout at the break. All we saw was that their top order and middle order came out in two extreme states of trance – one suicidal by dint of action, one suicidal by dint of not acting at all.Ahmed Shehzad can be excused for getting a ripper of an inswinging yorker first ball. Kamran Akmal, Umar Akmal and Shoaib Malik cannot be. Not for facing a collective, unproductive 14 deliveries between them. But for reacting in such a frenzied manner that would have you believe they had been collectively unproductive for 14 overs, and that frenzy was the only way out.To be 13 for 4 in the sixth over is nowhere near the start you want when you are chasing 167 in a virtual quarter-final. To bottle up like Sohaib Maqsood, and particularly Hafeez, did is probably the worst response you want from your middle order when you are 13 for 4.Pakistan consumed 40 deliveries before they hit their first boundary. One-third of a T20 innings without a single boundary. One-third of a 20 innings that had already seen a batsman heave to mid-off, and two batsmen stumped. And yet, there was not a single boundary during the fielding Restrictions. Maqsood and Hafeez added 24 in five overs. And then fell within an over of each other. It was like the cast of a play frozen in extreme stage fright after the opening acts had bungled their lines by trying too hard too soon.If you admire Pakistan cricket for showing you the Australia collapse, tonight you were dealt so many shocks you went numb. You then attempted to make sense of each of them. Batsmen throw their bats around in T20, and as Dwayne Bravo said, even the best bowlers go for runs at the death. The top order had no choice but to try and make the most of the fielding restrictions. The downside was that they could fall while doing so, and they did. The middle order, as Hafeez said, was faced with too many jolts too soon and had absolutely no momentum to build on.You weigh up all these arguments. Maybe they are justified standalone, maybe they are not. But how do you find explanations for such a collective and varied brain freeze? Which is why, exactly why it happened, we will never really know.

خاض نجم فريق ليفربول، محمد صلاح، مباراة اليوم ضد نظيره ليستر سيتي، في إطار منافسات بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز لكرة القدم.

واستضاف ملعب “كينج باور” مباراة الفريقين في الجولة الثالثة والثلاثين من الدوري الإنجليزي، حيث فاز ليفربول بهدف دون رد.

وشارك محمد صلاح في تلك المباراة كأساسي وخاضها حتى النهاية، دون أن يسجل أو يصنع. ملخص لمسات محمد صلاح في مباراة ليفربول وليستر سيتي

وكاد محمد صلاح أن يسجل هدفًا مبكرًا لصالح ليفربول، في الدقيقة الثالثة من عمر الشوط الأول، حيث تلقى كرة من لويس دياز وسددها من داخل منطقة الجزاء ولكنها اصطدمت بالقائم.

وفي الدقيقة الثامنة، وجه لويس دياز كرة عرضية ووصلت إلى محمد صلاح الذي سددها من داخل المنطقة، ولكن شتتها الدفاع لتتحول إلى ركنية.

وتمكن محمد صلاح من تسديد كرة قوية في الدقيقة 11، من على حدود منطقة الجزاء ولكن حارس ليستر سيتي تصدى ببراعة.

وواصل الدفاع محاولاته لتشتيت هجوم محمد صلاح، حيث سدد الأخير كرة في الدقيقة 12، واعتلت المرمى بعد تدخل من دفاع ليستر سيتي، لتتحول إلى ركنية جديدة للضيوف.

وحاول محمد صلاح الانطلاق بالكرة من الناحية اليمنى، ولكن دفاع ليستر سيتي شتت الهجمة قبل أن تتحول فرصة خطيرة، في الدقيقة 20.

ومرر محمد صلاح الكرة ناحية كونور برادلي، في الدقيقة 23، حيث سددها الأخير ولكن اصطدمت بالدفاع لترتد إلى الخلف وتنتهي الهجمة.

وتكررت محاولات محمد صلاح حيث سدد كرة من داخل المنطقة، في الدقيقة 29، ولكن الدفاع شتتها وتحولت إلى ركنية أخرى لكتيبة آرني سلوت.

وحاول كودي جاكبو تمرير كرة ناحية محمد صلاح، في الدقيقة 39، ولكنها كانت أطول من اللازم على المصري، قبل أن تُشتت من قِبل الدفاع وتتحول إلى ركنية.

وسدد محمد صلاح كرة أعلى من اللازم، بعد تمريرة من تسيميكاس، في الدقيقة 42، لتتحول إلى ضربة مرمى.

وتحصل محمد صلاح على ركلة ركنية بعدما اصطدمت كرته بأحد لاعبي ليستر سيتي، في الدقيقة 51.

وكاد محمد صلاح أن يسجل هدفًا في الدقيقة 59، بعدما سدد كرة قوية ولكنها مرت بجوار المرمى.

وحاول محمد صلاح تسجيل هدف، في الدقيقة 77، بعد رأسية من فان دايك، لتصل إلى محمد صلاح ويسددها برأسه وتصطدم الكرة في القائم وترتد لتصل إلى جوتا حيث سددها واصطدمت في العارضة، وارتدت مجددًا وتصل إلى أرنولد ليسددها في الشباك.

وكاد صلاح أن يصنع الهدف الثاني في الدقيقة 79، بعدما قدم عرضية متقنة، ووصلت إلى جوتا الذي سددها برأسه ولكن أعلى المرمى.

Plays of the Day from the third day of the Galle Test between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh

Andrew Fidel Fernando and Mohammad Isam10-Mar-2013The rush of blood
Mahmudullah made an uncharacteristic charge at Rangana Herath shortly after he had arrived at the crease. It was the sort of wicket left-arm spinners enjoy: the batsman beaten in flight and stranded in the middle of the pitch. It was Bangladesh’s second wicket of the day, and it had come right after Mominul Haque and Mohammad Ashraful added 105 for the third wicket. Mahmudullah rushed back to the pavilion, but his dismissal didn’t trigger a collapse because Mushfiqur Rahim set fort for the rest of the day.The drop
Mohammad Ashraful was batting flawlessly and had passed his century when he popped a chance at silly mid-off. Dimuth Karunaratne spilled the catch as the ball came off high on Ashraful’s bat. It would have been a coincidence had Ashraful scored one more run at that point, because Kumar Sangakkara on the first day and Dinesh Chandimal on the second day were both dropped on 111. Ashraful was batting on 110 at the time.The shot
There were plenty to choose from, especially off Ashraful’s bat but there was a period during the second session when he was completely on top of the Sri Lankan attack. One of the three boundaries in the 86th and 87th overs – a square drive through point – looked the best. The Angelo Mathews delivery was slanting away and Ashraful carved through point, where he beat two fielders, one stationed outside the circle. Neither of them moved, nor did Ashraful.The celebration
After he had run a single to long-off in the 120th over,
Ashraful turned around and raised his bat. He had reached 159, the highest score by a Bangladesh batsman in Test cricket. He beat his own record, the 158 he had made against India in Chittagong in 2004. For someone who remembers most of his dismissals, it was quite natural for Ashraful to realise he had passed his own and the country’s highest score.The close call
Kithuruwan Vithanage has had little to do on debut so far, having not had to bat in the first innings, but he has been useful in field, despite
long, lonely stints at the boundary. His best moment came when Mushfiqur drove towards the cover boundary, and Vithanage sprinted around from long-off to dive and collect, and get the throw away. Ashraful, who had expected the ball to go for four had turned slowly, but was quickly aware he may be run-out. Vithanage’s 70-metre direct hit sparked a referral and almost had him out.

GOAL takes a look at which of MLS' brightest stars could move to Europe in the January window

Lionel Messi's Inter Miami were one of the first clubs in MLS to feel the impact of the January's incoming transfer window this offseason. Diego Gomez, one of the team's young rising players and a Paraguay international, is joining Brighton in the English Premier League for a reported $18 million next month. The move is well-earned, with the 21-year-old having a breakout season. Now, the question that follows is: Who's next?

Gomez's move follows a growing pathway in the league, where MLS is becoming a stepping stone for young talent before they make the next jump in their career, whether that be to Europe or the top-tiers of South America. On top of Gomez, in 2024, we saw U.S. youth international Caleb Wiley move to Chelsea in England, 2022 FIFA World Cup winner Thiago Almada make the leap from Atlanta to Botafogo – where he became a Copa Libertadores champion recently. Then, there's domestic talent like Cavan Sullivan, who signed the largest Homegrown deal in MLS history with the Philadelphia Union, but within the contract, signed a clause to move to Manchester City at age 18.

MLS has become a league where young players, if given the right tools and access, can flourish – 2024 proved that.

However, there are still gems of players that have yet to make the leap, despite rumors circling that they could. GOAL takes a look at five potential candidates within the league that could be set for their next big move this Winter.

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  Adilson Malanda, Charlotte FC

  Malanda had one of the most impressive seasons among all defenders in MLS in 2024. The 22-year-old center back broke out under manager Dean Smith, helping lead Charlotte FC to the second-best defensive record in all of MLS. As a result of his performances, he now has eyes from all over Europe on him.

  In July, CLT inked him to a new contract through 2026 with a club option through 2027, but in this world, money talks — and he could bring in a substantial amount on a transfer fee.

  Originally signed from Rodez AF in Ligue 2, Malanda was brought into MLS with only 36 senior matches under his belt as a professional. However, he has blossomed into one of the brightest talents across the league.

  General Manager Zoran Krneta announced in the summer that the club had received offers in the summer from Europe's top five leagues for the Frenchman, but they declined the pursuit, instead handing him a new deal and building their defense around him.

  In 2024, Malanda made 32 appearances for CLT, while winning 58.1 percent of his aerial duels, recording 81 defensive clearances and scoring one goal during the regular season. It's level of performance that could have teams from abroad looking his way once again.

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  John Tolkin, New York Red Bulls

  Tolkin has been touted for a move to Europe for the past two seasons, but a January transfer now seems inevitable.

  The 22-year-old U.S. international recently led the New York Red Bulls to their first MLS Cup appearance since 2008, with the left back recording the game-winning assist in the Conference Semifinals, as well. Over the summer, he represented the USMNT at the 2024 Paris Olympics, making four appearances – all of which were starts – as the U.S. progressed to the quarterfinals of the tournament.

  He's evolved into one of the best set-piece takers in MLS, while growing into a versatile fullback who excels in the attack in transition. Across four seasons as a professional, the 22-year-old has amassed seven goals and 15 assists — the second-most assists by a defender in club history.

  RBNY Head of Sport Jochen Schneider recently admitted that it's only a matter of time before Tolkin departs for Europe — bringing a January move closer to reality than not.

  “This is not a secret,” Schneider said. “We had the exit interviews with the players… and without asking John Tolkin for permission, I can tell you what we’ve spoken with him about [it]. I said, ‘Listen, I want you to retire here at Red Bull Arena, and we put No. 47 [to the rafters].’ But I know that is not going to happen with your quality, with your ambitions," he told amNY.

  “I know you will play in Europe. When the day will come, I do not know. It has to be the right club, it has to be the right proposal, it has to be a fit for every party. But it’s clear that you will one day go to Europe. If it will be in January, if it will be on July 25, if it will be after he played the World Cup for the US Men’s National Team, I don’t know. But the time will come. The most important thing is that he’s focused on his game here and then it will be, without a question, that he will go to Europe.”

  AmNY reported an unnamed Bundesliga side has been tracking Tolkin for the past two seasons. It will be interesting to see if the left back ends up in Germany or elsewhere at the close of the winter transfer window.

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  Diego Luna, Real Salt Lake

  Winner of MLS' 2024 Young Player of the Year award, Luna is widely-regarded as one of the brightest up-and-coming talents in American soccer. A U.S. youth international, he's a creative winger who can invert into the attacking positions of the midfield in transition.

  Aged 21, Luna had a breakout 2024 season where he scored eight goals and recorded 12 assists across 31 regular season appearances for Real Salt Lake. In transition, he was fouled 32 times, while in the attack, he registered 55 total scoring attempts.

  As a result of his on-pitch brilliance, he's become a hot commodity in the transfer market.

  English Championship side Leeds United, who have U.S. international Brenden Aaronson on their roster, have reportedly "explored conditions of a transfer" according to The Mirror this January, but concrete offers have yet to arrive for the 21-year-old.

  Regardless, though, he is one of the best young attacking prospects within MLS and should be a name on a lot of club's radar over the Winter transfer window. In addition, he's a name to watch for Mauricio Pochettino's January camp roster — as he's not yet capped by the USMNT, and still has dual-national eligibility with Mexico, too.

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  Gabriel Pec, LA Galaxy

  Winner of 2024 MLS Cup, Pec was MLS' Newcomer of the Year in 2024 — and he arrived with a bang.

  Recording 16 goals and 14 assists across the regular season, and another five goal-contributions en-route to lifting the league's championship trophy with the LA Galaxy for the first time in a decade, the 23-year-old Brazilian was absolutely outstanding in his debut season. Brought in from Vasco Da Gama as a Young Designated Player, Pec signed a five-year contract with LA through 2028 after joining ahead of the 2024 campaign.

  Reportedly signed for a fee of $10m, he was a cub-record transfer, surpassing the $9.4m they paid for Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez to La Liga side Sevilla in 2020. Now, after just one year stateside, he could be on his way to the biggest stage in Europe.

  Speaking to GOAL through a translator prior to lifting MLS Cup, Pec expressed gratitude to LA for taking a chance on him — while manager Greg Vanney admitted there are realities around the transfer market, and if a fee were to arrive for the Brazilian, there would be contemplation.

  “I know that LA Galaxy has a very rich history as one of the biggest clubs in MLS in terms of titles,” Pec said. “A lot of great players – [Zlatan] Ibrahimović, Chicharito, and David Beckham – have come here. This is a great pathway for me to continue growing in my career.”

  “These players, if they do move on from us, [they potentially] go for big transfer fees that help reinvest back in the team, the academy, and the things that move our club and league forward,” Vanney added.

  The manager was adamant though, that LA will fight to keep its core together.

  “I think it’s important that we do everything we can to keep this group together,” Vanney told GOAL on Sunday. “It’s one of the reasons Will [Kuntz] and I targeted younger players – to build continuity and allow them to grow as a unit. That’s certainly a priority for us moving forward.”

da winzada777： While it is often bemoaned by fans and Premier League clubs alike, the international break does have its silver linings.

da esoccer bet： One is that it gives players who are perhaps on the periphery of the national team the chance to make their debut or pick up some more caps, as the stakes are far lower.

This happened in England's game against Ireland over the weekend, as former Manchester United youngster Angel Gomes earned his first cap and then started his first game for the Three Lions against Finland a few days later.

The talented midfielder looked great in both games, and unfortunately for the United fans upset at missing out on him, they may have already sold a youngster who could have been their next Gomes, a prospect who's even been compared to Frenkie de Jong before.

Angel Gomes journey to England

After rising through the youth ranks, Gomes left United in the summer of 2020 and joined French outfit LOSC Lillie on a free, although he was immediately loaned out to Portuguese side Boavista for the 20/21 season.

The young Englishman made 32 appearances in all competitions, scoring six goals and providing six assists, impressing his parent club in the process.

He wasn't one of the first names on the teamsheet upon his return to Lille, but he did make 30 appearances across the 21/22 campaign, during which he also became a mainstay in Lee Carsley's England U21 side.

The following two years saw him establish himself as an important cog in Les Dogues' machine, as he made 84 appearances, primarily in defensive, central, and attacking midfield, in which he racked up 21 goals and assists. Unsurprisingly, the 24-year-old has been just as important this season.

He has already made four appearances in the league and Champions League qualifiers, in addition to his two England caps, and while he couldn't get into United's team four years ago, he certainly looks like he would today.

Gomes' Lille record

Appearances

118

Goals

8

Assists

18

Goal Involvements per Match

0.22

All Stats via Transfermarkt

The bad news for the Red Devils is that they may have just sold their next Gomes as well.

Why selling Zidane Iqbal might've been a mistake

Yes, the former United youngster in question is Zidaen Iqbal, who was sold to FC Utrecht in June 2023 for a fee believed to be just £850k.

Now, he's certainly not a household name, but Iqbal was a player who looked very promising during Ten Hag's first preseason campaign with the club, and while you cannot fully judge a player off of how they perform in friendlies, the signs were positive, with BBC Sport journalist Simon Stone describing his performances as "so impressive."

The then 19-year-old also impressed Sky Sports reporter Melissa Reddy, who described the midfielder as possessing "heaps of technical quality, skill and intelligence" and that he's the sort of player who "demands the ball, moves, scans, never hides and is not scared of making a mistake" – in short, he was looking like an excellent prospect.

If that is not enough, then you should listen to what talent scout Jacek Kulig had to say about the Manchester-born gem, as he described him as a "roaming playmaker" and compared him to the incredibly gifted De Jong, which, based on his position and the way others had spoken about him at the time, makes sense.

Moreover, like the Dutchman, the former Red Devil stands at 5 foot 11, and while that's not short, he's not a midfield destroyer.

Lastly, while he wasn't quite able to break into the first team, he was a star of the youth sides and made 35 appearances for the U23s despite leaving the club when he was just 20.

Ultimately, letting Iqbal leave last summer was probably the right thing to do for his development, as when fit, he played for Utrecht last season, but with how Gomes has progressed in Portugal and France and the pair's positional similarities, it's hard not to look at the Iraqi international and see him developing into a player United should have kept on the books.

Related Left for £0: Man Utd could regret losing star who's now outscoring Hojlund

The vastly experienced poacher is enjoying a career renaissance.

Posts 1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 11, 2024

Former New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori, too, believes Pant is at his batting best when he’s “reckless”

Yash Jha10-May-20224:18

Shastri to Pant: Bat in the ‘Russell mode’

If Rishabh Pant wants to get the best out of himself as a batter and help Delhi Capitals in the remainder of this IPL, then he needs to bat in the Andre Russell “mode” without thinking too much . That is the simple suggestion of former India head coach Ravi Shastri, who also believes that Pant can become a matchwinner if Capitals use him at No. 3.Related

Rishabh Pant: calculative and effective in Tests, unorthodox and out of breath in T20s

How bowlers have used the wide line to keep Rishabh Pant quiet

“I feel once he gets the tempo going he shouldn’t change, he should be in the [Andre] Russell mould in this format of the game,” Shastri said on ESPNcricinfo’s T20 Time Out. “You get your eye in, you’re striking it well – don’t think too much. No matter who the bowler is, if it’s there to be smacked, smack it. Who knows, you might win more matches than people expect you to.”It’s been an indifferent campaign for Pant, much like Capitals, who are four points behind the top four, having registered five wins and six losses in 11 games so far. Pant has reached at least 20 in eight of his ten innings in the campaign, but hasn’t converted any of those knocks into fifties.Shastri believes the clarity of mindset that sets Russell apart as one of the most destructive batters in the shortest format will serve Pant well.”Russell is very, very clear in his mindset. It is bang-bang-bang once he’s in the mood. There’s no stopping him, there’s not even a negative thought that will peep through his system – it is [all about] smacking. Rishabh is totally capable of playing in that fashion, and I hope he thinks in that way because you’ll see some special innings from him in T20 cricket.”Those special knocks in his early years are what set Pant apart as a batter with a tremendously high ceiling: he smashed 1172 runs from 30 innings in IPL 2018 and 2019, averaging over 45 and striking at nearly 170 (average 45.07, SR 168.88) – with nine 50-plus scores.Since taking over as Capitals’ skipper in 2021, though, Pant has had two middling campaigns in varying capacities. Last season, visibly bogged down in his approach, he finished with a strike rate below 130; this year, he’s striking at more than 150, but failing to kick on and deliver match-winning efforts. Shastri doesn’t think Pant needs to temper his approach. “He’s getting off to starts and then getting out in a manner which he wouldn’t like, but I don’t think he should change his tempo.”It’s a sentiment shared by former New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori.”Rishabh Pant is almost at his best when he’s reckless, and we’ve seen him play some exceptional innings when he just continues to take teams down time and time again,” Vettori said on ESPNcricinfo’s T20 Time Out following Capitals’ latest defeat – a 91-run thrashing in pursuit of Chennai Super Kings’ 208 at DY Patil Stadium on Sunday.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

That was the fifth time out of seven attempts where Capitals lost chasing – with targets in the range of 172 to 223 in those defeats – and Pant’s scores in those games read 43(29), 34(17), 44(24), 44(30), 21(11). While some of these matches demanded a hell-for-leather approach, there were a few where the equation appeared to be in Capitals’ grasp – against Gujarat Titans in Pune, they needed 54 off 36 (chasing 172) when Pant fell, and went on to lose by 14 runs; when he got out versus Lucknow Super Giants, a target of 196 had boiled down to 76 needed from 43 balls, and Capitals eventually lost by six runs.It hasn’t helped that the Capitals are short on finishing prowess, with the likes of Lalit Yadav, Axar Patel and Ripal Patel often batting as high as No. 6. And probably that has prompted Pant to put a lid on his uninhibited batting approach, which remains his strength. Shastri, however, said that Pant should understand the burden is not all his to finish the job.”It’s a team game, you don’t expect an individual to go and win the game all the time. But in that short period of time, if he does the damage, there’s enough damage to bring that required rate from say 12 an over to 10 an over. Then it’s for the other guys to take it home.”In their remaining three matches, Capitals face a virtual must-win scenario. To get the best out of Pant which will empower the team’s batting, Shastri has identified a clear route for his former ward. “I’d like to see him bat at three for Delhi Capitals, especially now when the heat is on, when they’ve got to win. Let him go and smack it.”Both Shastri and Vettori agreed that Pant was on the cusp of turning the corner. “He’s threatened, I feel like he’s threatened in every game,” Vettori said. “We’ve had discussions around whether he’s out of form and I’ve suggested because of his strike rate – against pace and spin, still over 150 for both facets – that he’s so close to having that big performance. I think that big innings can still happen in these last three games.”

Manchester United’s first Premier League game of the season saw the Red Devils run out 1-0 winners over Fulham at Old Trafford. It was a close affair on a sunny Friday night in Manchester, with the Cottagers giving United a good game, but failing to capitalise on some good chances, with Erik ten Hag’s side eventually scoring the winner late on thanks to a debut goal from Joshua Zirkzee.

Indeed, United were just about the dominant side against Marco Silva’s men, with SofaScore confirming such a theory. United had slightly more possession than the Cottagers, with 55% to 45%, and had slightly more shots, with 14 compared to Fulham’s ten. Where the Red Devils did considerably better than Fulham was with the number of big chances created, specifically four to the visitor’s none.

Ten Hag will no doubt be pleased his side have got off to a winning start with improvements on last season’s disastrous showings. However, in order to climb the table and push for the top four, they may well dip into the transfer market again to add to their four signings so far.

United have recently been linked with someone who could return to the club and add depth and quality to midfield.

Man United target Serie A midfielder

The player in question here is Fiorentina and Morocco international midfielder Sofyan Amrabat. The 27-year-old has been linked with a move away from Florence this summer, after spending the last campaign on loan at Old Trafford.

Indeed, according to a report from Fabrizio Romano, in conversation with GiveMeSport, the Red Devils view Amrabat as an ‘alternative’ signing to PSG midfielder Manuel Ugarte, who appears to be their main target this summer.

Romano explains in his exclusive report that the Old Trafford club ‘maintain contacts’ with the Morocco international’s entourage, and would still consider doing a deal for the La Viola midfielder before the deadline on the 30th of August.

Whilst a price for the former Utrecht midfielder has not been named, it could end up being a similar fee to the £17m option to buy the Red Devila had in Amrabat’s loan contract, which also included add-ons of around £4.2m. However, it would not be surprising to see United try and negotiate a lower fee or bring the player back to the club on loan.

Why Amrabat would be a good signing

Strangely, although he pushed for the signing last summer, Ten Hag never really gave Amarabat, whom he worked with in the Netherlands at Utrecht, many opportunities. This was even more surprising when you consider the 45 separate injuries United had last term, the most in the Premier League, as per BBC Sport.

In fact, the 27-year-old made just 30 appearances in all competitions for United, with 21 of those coming in the Premier League. That worked out at just 1,545 minutes altogether and equated to only 17.1 full 90 minutes.

Amrabat’s lack of game time last term was even stranger after he put in a superb performance in the FA Cup final, in what was his last appearance donning that famous red shirt. In fact, he was so good that MEN journalist Samuel Luckhurst gave him a 9/10 match rating, praising the Moroccan for being 'an impregnable shield' in United's 2-1 win.

The Fiorentina midfielder could certainly be a cost-effective option if Ugarte becomes unattainable for United this summer. A report from The Guardian on Monday suggested PSG want £51m for the Uruguayan this summer, although with Amrabat costing approximately £30m less than the former Sporting man, he could be a shrewd option.

Not only would Amrabat be a cost-efficient alternative to Ugarte when considering their transfer fees, but he would likely demand less money a week. As per Capology, the Moroccan currently eans £32k per week in Florence, with the Uruguay international earning around three times that amount, with £101k per week.

Should the Red Devils bring Amrabat back to Old Trafford this summer, he could be perfect to play behind talented United youngster Kobbie Mainoo. The 19-year-old midfielder enjoyed a breakthrough campaign in 2023/24 and is now a key player for Ten Hag in the heart of the midfield.

Of course, the duo already have plenty of experience playing next to each other in midfield, given Amarabat spent the previous season in Manchester on loan. They played ten times together and started each of United’s last four games of the 2023/24 campaign, including the FA Cup final.

However, his profile is also complimentary of United’s number 37, who can play in a deeper role but excels when playing in advanced areas of the pitch, as he showed last term for both the Red Devils and United.

Amrabat is a superb sitting midfielder, an “engine in midfield” as football statistician Statman Dave described him. From a defensive point of view, the Moroccan is a brilliant ball-winner, and in the Premier League last season tackled 1.63 dribblers per 90 minutes, which ranked him in the top 7%. He also made 1.92 blocks per 90, ranking him in the top 9%, as per FBref.

Amarbat defensive stats PL 2023/24
Stat (per 90)	Number
Dribblers tackles	1.63
Blocks	1.92
Tackles and interceptions	3.36
Ball recoveries	5.76
Tackles won	1.54
Stats from FBref

Aside from his impressive defensive numbers, the 27-year-old is also a potent threat on the ball. He is a progressive number six, averaging 5.95 passes into the final third each game which ranked him in the top 11% of Premier League midfielders. The former Utrecht midfielder also played 6.33 progressive passes, which placed him in the top 18% of midfielders.

With this defensive nous in mind, Amarabat would certainly allow Mainoo to venture forward with less defensive pressure on his shoulders and get involved more in the final third. The United youngster is a wonderful ball carrier and, as per FBref, within the past 365 days, attempted an average of 2.81 take-ons per 90 and completed 1.58 of those. That ranks him in the top 8% and 7% of midfielders in Europe respectively.

Given he already has an established relationship to build on with Mainoo and is a very cost-efficient signing both in the sense of his fee and wage, re-signing Amrabat could be a smart move for the Red Devils this summer.

He would provide an excellent option as a number six for Ten Hag’s squad and showed his quality as United won the FA Cup last season. It could certainly be a shrewd move for the Red Devils, and it would be unsurprising to see him in that famous red shirt again next season, despite the clamour for Ugarte.

Man Utd struck gold on "baller" worth way more than McTominay & Casemiro

The incredible talent looks set to become a superstar.

2

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Aug 20, 2024

da roleta： Leeds United got back to winning ways in the Championship last weekend with a 2-0 win over Cardiff City, who went down to ten men in the first half, on Saturday.

da stake casino： The Whites bounced back from their 1-0 defeat to Burnley at Elland Road the previous weekend with a comfortable win over the Welsh outfit, thanks to goals from Largie Ramazani and Joel Piroe.

Daniel Farke will surely have been pleased with Ramazani’s first goal for the club, as the winger raced away off the back of Mateo Joseph to go one-on-one with the goalkeeper before slotting the ball into the bottom corner.

The German head coach needed to add attacking quality to his squad during the summer transfer window, after Crysencio Summerville left to join West Ham United and Georginio Rutter signed for Brighton & Hove Albion – with both players leaving to play in the Premier League again.

This left the West Yorkshire outfit with holes to fill at the top end of the pitch and the club swooped to sign Ramazani and Manor Solomon, whilst Brenden Aaronson returned from his loan with Union Berlin.

Farke will also need other players, who were already at the club, to step up and increase their output to fire the team to promotion – including Dan James.

Dan James' redemption at Leeds United

The Wales international is currently out of action with a hamstring injury and will be hoping to contribute to the club’s promotion charge when he returns to full fitness.

He started the 2024/25 campaign with a return of one goal and zero assists in three appearances after an impressive season last term under Farke, having struggled at Elland Road previously.

In the summer of 2021, Victor Orta and Marcelo Bielsa swooped to sign the forward from Manchester United in a deal reportedly worth £25m.

The Welsh speedster went on to produce four goals and four assists in 36 appearances in the Premier League for the Whites that season, which shows that he did not offer regular quality as either a scorer or a creator of goals.

Jesse Marsch had replaced Bielsa by the end of that season and deemed James to be surplus to requirements in the summer of 2022, sending him out on loan to Fulham.

The former Swansea man scored two goals and provided one assist in 24 outings in the Premier League for the Cottagers before returning to Leeds, who had just been relegated, with Farke appointed as the new head coach.

23/24 Championship

Dan James

Appearances

40

Goals

13

Big chances created

13

Assists

7

Key passes per game

1.4

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, James thrived in the Championship last season with a return of 20 direct goal contributions in 40 appearances.

The drop down to the second tier allowed him to thrive in the final third and Leeds are now starting to finally get value for the £25m they spent on his services.

Things could have been different for the Whites, however, if they had gone ahead with a deal they had lined up before they opted to swoop for the Welshman on deadline day in the summer of 2021.

Leeds United's interest in Noa Lang

Speaking last year, Netherlands international Noa Lang confirmed that Leeds did have an interest in securing his services from Club Brugge a number of years ago.

The winger, who talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed “unstoppable”, claimed that the Whites “wanted to buy” him for a fee of “€40m”, which equates to around £33m, during his time with the Belgian outfit.

Lang went on to reveal that he was left “mentally exhausted” after the deal eventually fell through, and added that Bielsa pulled the plug because of doubts over how much work the forward would do out of possession.

He did not confirm the transfer window that it happened in but The Real EFL suggested that it was the summer of 2021, as Bielsa had left Elland Road before the 2022 summer transfer window and the Whites went on to sign James to fill the wing position in 2022 instead.

In the 2020/21 campaign, Lang had racked up 16 goals and nine assists in 29 Pro League appearances for Club Brugge, which may be why the Whites had initially been willing to pay £33m for his services.

One that got away

The transfers that nearly happened but never did. This article is part of Football FanCast's One That Got Away series.

Expand Collapse

Bielsa’s decision to pull the plug on that particular deal may now be looked back on as a bullet that was dodged, as his value has plummeted since that summer.

Noa Lang's current market value

At the time of writing (24/09/2024), the 25-year-old forward is valued at €18m (£15m) by Transfermarkt and that is significantly lower – less than half in fact – than the £33m Leeds were seemingly willing to pay for him around three years ago.

Lang went on to spend two more years with Brugge in Belgium after his move to Elland Road collapsed and could not hit the heights of his 16-goal campaign in the 2020/21 season.

In the 2021/22 term, the Dutch winger racked up seven goals and 14 assists in 37 appearances in the Pro League, before a return of nine goals and seven assists in 33 league outings the following season.

In the summer of 2023, Lang finally secured his transfer away from Belgium and signed for PSV for a club-record fee of €15m (£12m), which was an even bigger drop in value from £33m than his current valuation is.

The 25-year-old whiz missed a staggering 32 matches through injury for PSV in his debut campaign with the club, which limited his impact on the pitch.

23/24 Eredivisie

Noa Lang

Appearances

11

Goals

4

Big chances created

6

Assists

1

Key passes per game

1.5

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Lang did catch the eye with his performances on the pitch when he was fit in the Eredivisie, with ten goals and ‘big chances’ created combined in 11 appearances.

However, his significant fall in value over the last three years, and James’ redemption at Elland Road over the last 13 months, suggests that Bielsa dodged a bullet by avoiding a £33m deal for the winger.

Related Leeds wanted to sign £29m star in the making but Orta got Aaronson instead

The Whites failed to secure a deal for the impressive attacking midfielder that summer.

Posts ByDan Emery Sep 23, 2024

Ian Bishop compares modern fast bowling to that of his day, and picks the best among Johnson, Steyn and Morkel

Interview by Subash Jayaraman05-May-2014Fast bowling has had some sort of resurgence lately, especially the kind that Mitchell Johnson has brought in. What is your take on what has happened in recent years?
It was refreshing to see Mitchell bowl the way he has done. Coming through the late ’80s and the ’90s, there were probably more than a handful of guys who would have touched that pace. Waqar [Younis] started at the end of the ’80s and early ’90s. [Allan] Donald, myself and a few other guys were going on before that. There were probably a few more as well. In the recent previous generation, we had Brett Lee, Shoaib Akhtar and then things sort of flattened out. We have Dale Steyn, but he is a combination of swing and pace rather than all-out pace. So it was nice to see Mitchell give guys some sleepless nights.He was bowling very fast and there was the threat of physical harm. That makes batsmen uncomfortable, doesn’t it?
When we talk of fast bowling in the early ’90s, [threat of physical harm] was a big part of it.Mitchell hits good areas. It’s the combination of pace and lengths that he bowls. You are also thinking as a batsman that “Gee, I can get my ribs broken, I can get my arm broken.” Sort of like facing [Curtly] Ambrose in his prime and Allan Donald, and guys like that. To me, that is part of the real test of quality batsmanship. When you came up against West Indies in the early ’80s, I would imagine that was a huge part of what a batsman felt. So as much as the quality of the skill, the physical threat really separates good batsmen from very good batsmen.Johnson v England and South Africa, and Morne Morkel v Clarke, in that one session where he was just pounding Clarke. Why did Johnson have so much more success than Morkel?
I remember watching that spell from Morne Morkel live and tweeting immediately that if Michael Clarke got through it he would really value those runs, probably more than most of the other runs he’d got in his career. Because, at that time, I couldn’t say if he could get through it, as he’d been hit in almost every place on his body. He did get through it and he did get a hundred and said he much valued those runs. It was probably [to do with a] fear in cricket that he hadn’t experienced as often as guys in the past. It was almost a new dimension in some ways for him and it showed how good a player he is. He came through it. He took his hits. I am sure there was a broken bone somewhere, it was reported. And he scored his runs. Those were the sort of instances where you know not only the quality of the player but also the character of the player.Morne Morkel is probably the second or third of the trio of Mitchell Johnson, [Dale] Steyn and Morkel. I would like to have added Steve Finn in there but he’s gone off the boil.What made Johnson that much more successful than Morkel?
I think it is just the sustenance of Mitchell Johnson’s pace. Morkel bowled a nasty spell. But Mitchell was just consistently faster and on that pace for the series, for the year. We first saw him in the IPL, which preceded all of this harassment. I remember Simon Doull saying, “My god, Australia have to be crazy to not have picked this guy for the Ashes.”Something clicked just before the IPL and through the IPL that all of a sudden allowed this guy to bowl easily – and I say easily because he never looked to be putting in any great effort like other bowlers to bowl fast. What role did Johnson’s action – like a left-handed Jeff Thomson – play in him being more successful?
I’m sure it has its advantages. It’s not often you see guys with that action and left-handed. In our time there was Wasim Akram, even though he didn’t bowl at that pace, but he was quick. But I think if he was right-handed, and bowling as well as he had, he would have had a fair amount of success as well. I looked at Johnson’s pitch map – the guy was hitting some really good lengths, and pace and consistency with it. I think if he were a right-hander or a left-hander, he would have had success. But certainly, being left-handed lent an edge to what he did.Thommo was different. He was javelin-throwing, delayed action, but straight over the top. Mitchell’s is a delayed action but more sideways. Should I duck? Is it short? If it is short, should I stand up and play? Whereas at Thommo’s extreme pace you knew where it was going to come up at you. Mitchell sort of slides and comes up.

“Speed must be a desire, because you can’t teach someone to run like Usain Bolt. You find a Usain Bolt, great, but you can’t make someone run like Bolt. You can refine his action and technique after you find him, but the basic, natural element is pace”

What is your take on the overall Jonathan Trott situation? At the Gabba, he fell to Johnson’s short-pitched bowling. Since then we have known that he has had other issues, but perhaps the Mitchell Johnson barrage was a catalyst that pushed things over the top for Trott?
I don’t have an opinion, because I struggled to come to terms with the fact that a guy who had scored so many Test runs can actually sort of give in to a battle. I struggled to come to terms that Mitchell Johnson would have such an effect on such a good player. I know what Michael Vaughan said. I know what Michael Atherton said. They are coming from two polarised places, different views. The guy says he is ill. I’m taking him at his word. In sport, when you say you are injured, people usually don’t believe them. I’d hate to think that he ran from a battle. Johnson and Morkel actually hurt people, with sustained spells of physically intimidatory bowling. You said in an earlier interview that you didn’t believe in causing physical harm to a batsman. Did that take away from your effectiveness to be a quick bowler?
I think I wanted to intimidate. Most fast bowlers want to intimidate. You want batsmen to be scared of you, but you don’t want to break someone’s arm or finger. That is another level. That wasn’t for me. I didn’t want to see it. But you wanted the batsman to fend and you wanted to look in his eyes and see that he didn’t really want to be out there. That is what we call intimidation. We all wanted to intimidate but not to injure. Have you had chats with Michael Holding, Joel Garner, Andy Roberts and Colin Croft about this aspect of fast bowling?
Andy Roberts was the first person I got into contact with as a young pacer. He came to Trinidad to coach, but it was basically on the physical demands of fast bowling and the methods and techniques of it. Mikey, same thing – a very decent guy. He talked about being tough when we played in Derbyshire together but never really about intimidation. Crofty was a very hard man, and remains a very tough competitor today. He didn’t mind intimidating and, I suppose, if you got in the way and got hurt, Crofty would say it wasn’t his fault. We didn’t have extensive conversations on intimidation. It was purely about how to get wickets, how to be fit, how to carry ourselves as fast bowlers, but never about hurting people. Gideon Haigh wrote in an article that he talked to some of the coaches in Australian clinics, where it was all about batsmen. Then Mitchell Johnson comes along and suddenly the coach has a long line of 13-14-year-olds picking up the ball, marking long run-ups, wanting to be fast bowlers. Was it something like that that got you into fast bowling?
Yeah, my formative years in cricket were between 1980 and 1984, my four years of high school. At that time West Indies were the top team in the world under Clive Lloyd. A part of the aura of that team was the batting of Viv Richards, Greenidge and Haynes, but also the fast bowling. I started out as a batsman, because a lot of our cricket is about batting, but then gravitated towards fast bowling out of necessity. We always tried to mimic the West Indies fast bowlers. I don’t know why that stood out. Maybe because there were four of them. It was a rare thing. Myself and my group of friends always tried to copy every fast bowler – probably sometimes four in one!Who was the fastest bowler you ever played with or against?
Measuring the pace is always tough. I thought Waqar at his peak was the fastest that I ever played against. When we went to Pakistan, certainly from my point of view, we were glad he wasn’t the type of guy who enjoyed bowling short. He liked bowling at the stumps and very rarely bowled a short ball. But he was unbelievably quick through the air, which was different to some of us in that we pitched it short a lot more. Allan Donald in his prime was a handful as well. Those two guys stand out as the fastest that I played against. At the back end of my career, Shoaib had started his journey in Test cricket. He wasn’t at his peak yet. Why do you think there was a fall in the number of quick bowlers around the world? We see some are operating at 135-139kph with the ability to swing the ball but not at genuine pace.
It is very hard to sustain that sort of pace over a career. Shoaib did well, Brett Lee did well, but they had their injuries too. Unless you are in peak physical condition and are a superb athlete, it is hard to sustain that pace over a period of eight to nine years. You can be quick but can you sustain 90-95mph? I don’t think so. There is a lot of cricket played out now too. Look at the Indian fast bowlers. I think some of these guys have been so promising but after two to three years are just medium pace.Does structured coaching have anything to do with it? Because genuinely quick bowling, as Wasim Akram says, cannot be taught. You have to be born with it.
Some guys can be over-coached, but your overall ability needs to be refined. Some of the most beautiful actions were of fast bowlers. If you look at Brett Lee’s action, it is a perfect action. Allan Donald’s is smooth, flowing, it is fantastic to look at. Once you find a natural pace, there must be a streamlining of it.Imran [Khan] was a bit before my time in his prime, but I was watching tapes of Imran when he just started, and it’s like he had three different actions: at the beginning of his career, in his prime, and towards the end of his career. He was raw, then he was refined, and then he was economical. I guess it was the same for [Richard] Hadlee, but I wouldn’t call him an out-and-out quick. Andy Roberts, for sure.There must be some element of evolution and coaching in the refinement of a fast bowler, but there must always be first and foremost the desire to bowl as fast as you can. Speed must be a desire, because you can’t teach someone to run like Usain Bolt. You find a Usain Bolt, great, but you can’t make someone run like Bolt. You can refine his action and technique after you find him, but the basic, natural element is pace.”There must be some element of evolution and coaching in the refinement of a fast bowler, but there must always be first and foremost the desire to bowl as fast as you can”•Getty ImagesFrom the current lot, you mentioned Steyn, to some extent, Mitchell Johnson and Morkel. Let’s assume they are all perfectly fit and performing at the peak of their powers. Which one would you pick?
Who would be the best? Steyn would definitely be the most complete, in the sense that he swings the new ball and he reverses the old ball. He has a great feel for bowling. He just knows how to get rid of someone. Johnson has the edge in pace but doesn’t have the range of skills Dale Steyn has. That is not picking on Johnson. Everybody can’t have the same set of skills. But Steyn has many.How do you see the future of fast bowling in cricket, especially with the shorter formats dominating the calendar?
It is a challenge. When I saw Pat Cummins in the Champions League, I thought, “My god, another one on the horizon.” I don’t know what will become of Pat with all the injuries he has had. Mitchell Starc is another one who was sharp but who is constantly faulting, but he’s still very young. There are so many different versions of the game. I wonder whether it’s too challenging for the guys to sustain that edge and compromise that edge of pace in order to sustain themselves, particularly across the shorter formats and then blend into Test cricket.The game seems to be constantly moving in favour of batsmen. How do you redress this imbalance between bat and ball?
Pitches, just pitches. It is similar to Mitchell Johnson coming on the scene. Suddenly Johnson arrives and people look as though they have never seen a fast bowler before and they are getting hurt. Similarly, as soon as you see a pitch with a little bit of spice in it, batsmen play as if they have never held a bat in their hands. Any time you see a pitch that has something in it, the game is a totally different game, with a little bit of seam and bit of bounce.

MatériaMais Notícias

da doce： Os atos de racismo e violência sofridos pela torcida do Flamengo marcaram a vitória do clube carioca sobre a Universidad Católica (CHI), na quinta, por 3 a 2 em Santiago. O jovem Thiago Sepúlveda, de 10 anos, foi um dos atingidos por sinalizadores arremessados contra o setor destinado aos rubro-negros. A mãe de Thiago, Danielle Carvalho, disse que o filho “não quer mais saber de futebol”.

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da 888casino： – O Thiago ficou com a marca de queimadura em volta do olho. E ele me disse: ‘Mãe, eu senti algo quente’. Foi sinalizador. Saía aquela fumaça vermelha, e lançavam. Poderia ter sido pior. O médico disse que foi leve, mas por mais alguns centímetros ele poderia ficar até cego. Meu fiho está muito afetado, triste. Ele me falou: ‘Mãe, não consigo parar de pensar. Estou com medo, não quero saber de futebol agora’. E eu não quero que ele tenha essa imagem – afirmou Danielle Carvalho, mãe de Thiago, em entrevista ao jornal “O Globo”.

Danielle Santiago, que é jornalista e mora em Santiago há 14 anos, registrou ocorrência na delegacia e, agora, cobra punição aos responsáveis. Em seu relato, a mãe de Thiago reclamou da falta de apoio recebida pelos funcionários e policiais presentes no Estádio San Carlos Apoquindo.

Segundo seu relato, foram os torcedores do Flamengo que conseguiram levar Thiago para uma área segura, onde foi atendido.

– Falei que tinha visto quem foi, pedi para me levarem para prendê-lo, mas ninguém me deu confiança. Se tivessem me ouvido, ele estava preso agora. Criaram problema para eu entrar com guarda-chuva, e tinha chovido no dia anterior. Mas os torcedores da Católica tinham garrafas, pedra, sinalizador. Como entraram com isso? Não podemos normalizar mais um caso de violência. Esse torcedor tem que ser punido – completou.

As agressões à torcida do Flamengo se intensificaram na etapa final da partida. Após o jogo, tanto o Flamengo quanto a Universidad Católica se pronunciaram sobre os episóidos. Nesta sexta, a Conmebol publicou um comunicado a respeito dos recentes casos de racismo em jogos da Libertadores.