All posts by h716a5.icu

It is finally over between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Gary O’Neil. After avoiding relegation in the 2023/24 campaign, the Old Gold could not carry on that momentum this term. Sitting 19th in the table with nine points to their name, the owners decided that enough is enough and sacked O’Neil.

It seems like they might have already found their replacement. According to a report from Sky Sports, the Midlands club are looking to bring Vitor Periera to Molineux. It is believed there is “a broad agreement” with his current club, Saudi side Al Shabab.

There will be a big task on Pereira’s hands, as he looks to guide Wolves to safety. He’ll have to lean heavily on a couple of his big stars if they are to survive.

The Wolves stars Pereria will need to rely on

When thinking of Wolves’ two biggest names, Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri immediately spring to mind. Despite the torrid form on display at Molienux, both have had an impressive season.

Brazil international Cunha has scored eight times and grabbed three assists in 16 Premier League games. He averages 0.68 goals per game this term and has contributed to 11 out of 24 of the goals Wolves have scored in the top flight.

Ait-Nouri is also flying this term, with three goals and three assists to his name from left-wing back. Encouragingly, the soon-to-be Wolves manager Pereira favours a back three, meaning he could be unleashed in a wing-back role and spend plenty of time in the attacking third.

The incoming boss at Molineux will also need his midfielders to step up. Joao Gomes will be key for the Portuguese manager and is superb defensively. According to FBref, the Brazilian averages 5.12 tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes, ranking him in the top 4% of midfielders in Europe. His ability off the ball will be crucial for Pereira.

However, Gomes is not the only midfielder who the Portuguese manager will be hoping to see find his best form in the centre of the park. Mario Lemina could have a role to play at Molineux and will be looking to turn things around after a tough few months.

Lemina’s 2024/25 season

It has not been the best few weeks for Gabon midfielder Lemina. Following the 2-1 defeat against West Ham United last weekend, he got involved in a scuffle with Hammers star Jarrod Bowen.

This resulted in Lemina being stripped of the captaincy, which he was only given by O’Neil in the summer. The former Wolves manager explained they had “decided to move the captaincy” on and give it to Nelson Semedo.

It has been a torrid few weeks for the 31-year-old, with the manager who sacked him as captain now himself, sacked from his position. There might be a big job on Pereira’s hands to help the midfielder find his way again.

Lemina has had an important role to play so far for the Old Gold this term, despite the disciplinary issues he has faced. He has featured in all 16 games in the Premier League, chipping in with one goal and three assists.

Defensively, the 31-year-old is an aggressive player, who will scrap and fight for the ball in midfield. His stats via FBref from this term are impressive. Notably, he has won 5.14 tackles and interceptions, which ranks him in the top 5% of midfielders in the Premier League.

Tackles and interceptions

5.14

95th

Clearances

3.31

98th

% of dribblers tackles

67.9%

92nd

Aerial duels won

1.55

87th

Ball recoveries

4.73

42nd

There is no doubt that Lemina could be an important player for Pereira. The £45k per week star is clearly a strong defensive midfielder, as the statistics show, and pairing him alongside Gomes could form a solid duo for the incoming Wolves boss.

Of course, there are disciplinary issues to bear in mind, but Lemina seems as though he has conducted himself well, and he will get a clean slate under the new manager. Pereira will be hoping to revive the Gabon international’s career at Molineux and count on him to spark an immediate upturn in form.

Pereira could turn "lightning" Wolves flop into his very own Neto

This Wolverhampton Wanderers flop could turn around his time at Molineux under Vitor Pereira.

ByKelan Sarson Dec 17, 2024

He had previously worked with the BCB as a batting consultant at their academy in Mirpur, for a few months in 2019

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Jun-2022Wasim Jaffer is in line to join the BCB’s game-development wing, where he is likely to work with both the Bangladesh Under-19 boys as well as at the board’s high-performance centre.Jaffer had a previous stint with Bangladesh as a batting consultant at the BCB’s academy in Mirpur, for a few months in 2019. During that time, he had been involved with the country’s age group teams – Under-16s to Under-19s – and had also worked as a consultant with the high-performance committee. Jaffer had also played in the Dhaka Premier League for Abahani Limited in 2018-19.More recently, 44-year-old Jaffer served as the head coach of the Odisha senior men’s side. This was for the ongoing 2021-22 Indian domestic season. In July 2021, he was given a two-year contract by the Odisha Cricket Association. During his stint, he has also been a part of coaches’ development programme in the state.Following his retirement as a player in March 2020, Jaffer was also named head coach of Uttarakhand, but he later resigned after a fallout with the association. He has also worked with the Punjab Kings franchise in the IPL as a batting consultant from 2019 to 2021.A giant in the Indian domestic circuit, Jaffer played for over two decades and finished as the most-capped player in Ranji Trophy history (156). He also ended with the most runs (12,038), the most centuries (40), the most catches (200), and was also the highest run-scorer in the Duleep Trophy (2545) and the Irani Trophy/Cup (1294). He is the only batter to have breached the barrier of 1000 runs in a Ranji season twice, in 2008-09 and 2018-19.Jaffer also played 31 Tests (1944 runs at an average of 34.10, with five centuries) and two ODIs for India. He finished as the fifth-highest scorer in Indian first-class cricket, behind Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman.

Australian opener joins forces with Toms Lammonby and Abell on much-needed batting day

Paul Edwards28-Apr-2022
The current issue of contains a feature entitled “Twelve Reasons to Visit the Quantocks”. Fair enough but anyone sitting on the top deck of the Marcus Trescothick Pavilion this benign afternoon would have been able to name four dozen such justifications. This, after all, is the view some have been denied for three years.Last September, the natural glory of the aspect served to distract Somerset supporters from the abject collapse of their season and three successive defeats this April have hardly improved their mood. It was, therefore, with unmixed delight that the crowd greeted this first day of the game against champions Warwickshire. The principal reason for their joy was supplied by Matt Renshaw, whose fourth century for the county on this ground was folded into century partnerships with Tom Lammonby and Tom Abell.However, an important, if subsidiary, justification for home spectators’ satisfaction was that instead of haemorrhaging wickets to the second new ball when Abell was third out on 277, Somerset were guided to overnight prosperity by Tom Banton and Steve Davies, whose modest but unbroken fifth-wicket partnership of 26 has left their side well-placed to take five batting bonus points from a game for the first time since last July. This, then, was the best day of the home side’s season so far but it is one that only Oliver Hannon-Dalby among Warwickshire’s bowlers will recall with particular pleasure.In normal times Somerset’s prosperity would have been received with trenchant salutes on Gimblett’s Hill. However, that part of the ground is cordoned off because it is being redeveloped to allow greater access and more facilities for disabled spectators while retaining the quasi-feudal status of one of this place’s sacred areas. The regulars, you may be certain, are keeping a close watch to ensure that the memorial benches are restored. They can just about cope with losing matches down here but messing with Harold’s special space is different gravy.There have been other changes at the County Ground. The old Ian Botham Stand, later the Sir Ian Botham Stand, has now been renamed The Lord Ian Botham Stand, thus reflecting a degree of escalating deference that would have done credit to the court of Louis XIV. Rumour has it that the area around the said seats is now known as the Lower the Tone End.Of course, these cosmetic concerns did not trouble anyone during a first session in which Renshaw and Lammonby batted as if century stands have been ten-a-penny for Somerset’s batters this season. One noticed both batters’ clips off their legs in the opening overs but by luncheon the score was 130 without loss and they had reached their fifties with strokes to most parts of this ground. Lammonby’s straight drive off Will Rhodes was the sweetest of them; Renshaw’s pulled six into the Somerset Stand the most rewarding. The public address announcer signally failed to suppress the note of astonishment in his voice when he informed the crowd of what they could all see on the scoreboard. It was almost as though he was reassuring them that they hadn’t wandered into the back of the wardrobe.Matt Renshaw and Tom Lammonby put on a century opening stand•Getty ImagesThat said, the pitch was misleadingly green and visitors have been suckered into batting second on such surfaces down here before only to find they are as bowler-friendly as the Blue Ridge Parkway. But the quality of the wicket makes little difference if you perform as poorly as Warwickshire in the first session. The accurate Hannon Dalby excepted, no bowler had conceded less than 4.4 runs an over at lunch, so it was perfectly fitting that the spearhead of the Edgbaston attack should take the first wicket when he slanted a good-length ball across Lammonby. The Somerset opener experienced a moment of deflection and Sam Hain took the catch.Abell arrived at the crease and announced himself with a straight drive off Rhodes that was almost a declaration of purpose. Renshaw was already batting with similar assuredness and so for the next couple of hours, the pair were able to reinforce their team’s dominance. Renshaw clips and eases over his legs are a delight but he also leaves the ball with a circular D’Artagnanesque swish of the bat that is clearly borrowed from the atelier of S Smith (Kogarah). The Middlesbrough-born Australian reached his century off 158 balls with a back-cut boundary off Nathan McAndrew but just when the Somerset dressing room was preparing his isotonic refreshment in preparation for a third session at the crease, Renshaw edged a fine ball from Hannon-Dalby to the safe gloves of Michael Burgess, the wicketkeeper currently preferred to Alex Davies at Edgbaston.The evening session was Warwickshire’s best of the day but that is not saying much for it. A dozen overs after the resumption and precisely at the juncture when we thought he might follow his 150 not out at The Oval with a second hundred, Abell tried to leg glance one of Rob Yates occasional off-breaks and gossamered a second catch of the day to Burgess. James Hildreth arrived and charmed the birds from their branches with three lovely fours. But experienced Hildy-watchers suspected what was coming and feared it dreadfully. The ball after his cover drive had elicited gentle smiles of fond recognition the Somerset veteran cut Hannon-Dalby straight to Craig Miles at point and trooped off with 23 runs against his name.Having taken one wicket just before the new ball was due, Warwickshire had now taken a second when much of the shine remained. So it was to the substantial credit of Banton and Davies that they batted out the last eight overs of the day without further alarm. The pitch looks true and the course of this game is nothing like set but this has been a fine day for Somerset’s batters. A lovely one, as well, for those of us who witnessed it and can now watch an evening haze settling on those blue remembered hills.

GOAL selected the 50 best footballing talents from around the world born on or after January 1, 2000 – but how are they getting on now?

Since NXGN's launch in 2016, GOAL has profiled the 50 best footballing wonderkids on the planet on an annual basis. Some of those recognised for their talent as teenagers are now household names, but others have not yet realised their potential.

So, after the NXGN 2025 list was revealed, check out where the stars of 2019 are now:

Every NXGN list

Dembele, Tielemans & 2016's best wonderkids

Mbappe, Donnarumma & 2017's best wonderkids

De Ligt, Kluivert & 2018's best wonderkids

Saka, Rodrygo & 2020's best wonderkids

James, Oberdorf & 2020's best women's wonderkids

Pedri, Ansu Fati & 2021's best wonderkids

Le Tissier, Bennison & 2021's best women's wonderkids

Bellingham, Musiala & 2022's best wonderkids

Dumornay, Fowler & 2022's best women's wonderkids

Gavi, Garnacho & 2023's best wonderkids

Shaw, Thompson & 2023's best women's wonderkids

Yamal, Mainoo & 2024's best wonderkids

Caicedo, Moultrie & 2024's best women's wonderkids

50Christian Fruchtl (Bayern Munich)

2019: A modern goalkeeper with great feet, Fruchtl had yet to make his senior debut, but was considered a top prospect, having impressed Manuel Neuer & Co. after being invited to train with Bayern's first team during their winter break in Qatar in 2016.

2020: Fruchtl established himself as Bayern's reserve-team goalkeeper in 2019-20, playing 27 games in the third tier of German football.

2021: The shot-stopper joined FC Nurnberg in the second division for the 2020-21 season, but did not make a first-team appearance.

2022: Fruchtl finally made his first-team debut for Bayern on the final day of the 2021-22 campaign, but that also proved to be his only appearance for the club as he was sold to Austria Vienna ahead of the following campaign.

2023: The goalkeeper was installed as first-choice in the Austrian capital, and there were rumours that Bayern could utilise their buy-back clause at some stage as they prepared for life after Neuer.

2024: Fruchtl continued to impress in Vienna, as he kept 13 clean sheets in 29 Austrian Bundesliga games, which in turn led to him securing a move to Serie A with Lecce.

2025: The switch to Italy hasn't worked out for Fruchtl as yet, as he is still waiting to make his first league appearance for his new club.

Advertisement49Takefusa Kubo (FC Tokyo)

2019: Having been signed by Barcelona as a 10-year-old, the outrageously gifted attacker was forced to return to his native Japan in 2016 because of irregularities related to the Catalan club's recruitment of overseas players aged under 18. However, he was excelling in his homeland with FC Tokyo, and widely expected to return to La Masia sooner rather than later, only for Real Madrid to swoop in and sign him in the summer of 2019.

2020: Kubo was one of the young stars of the Spanish season after being loaned to Mallorca, directly contributing to nine goals as they fought against relegation. His form persuaded Villarreal to take him on loan for the following season.

2021: The forward failed to force his way into Unai Emery's team, and had his loan spell cut short in January 2021, with Madrid instead sending him on loan to Getafe for the remainder of the season, though he struggled to make much of an impact.

2022: Mallorca's promotion back to La Liga allowed them to make their move and bring Kubo back to the club on loan in 2021-22, and the Japan international's form having improved a little as a result.

2023: Kubo left Real Madrid to join Real Sociedad for an initial €6.5m in the summer of 2022, and he was back to his best in San Sebastian, as he made 18 direct goal contributions for a team that qualified for the Champions League.

2024: The Japan international continued to impress for La Real in 2023-24, and he was linked with elite clubs around Europe.

2025: Kubo hasn't quite hit the same heights so far this season in San Sebastian, leading to him being left out of the line up on a number of occasions.

48Yari Verschaeren (Anderlecht)

2019: Regarded as the latest top talent to roll off the production line at Anderlecht, Verschaeren had already appeared in the Europa League for the Belgian outfit.

2020: After making his Belgium debut in September 2019, Verschaeren made 21 league appearances over the course of the 2019-20 campaign.

2021: A three-month absence with an ankle injury, coupled with an early finish to the season due to Covid-19, meant that Verscharen made just 16 league appearances in 2020-21, though he still managed to score five times.

2022: An established starter, Verschaeren set personal bests for goals and assists in a single season under Vincent Kompany.

2023: Verschaeren's attacking output regressed in 2022-23, but that was in part due to him playing slightly deeper, and he was earning Luka Modric comparisons before he tore his ACL in April 2023.

2024: The midfielder returned to action in January, but a further hamstring injury meant his impact on the campaign was limited.

2025: Now a veteran of over 200 Anderlecht appearances, Verschaeren has worn the captain's armband at times through the 2024-25 campaign.

47Juan Miranda (Barcelona)

2019: The versatile left-back had humbly played down his impressive Champions League debut against Tottenham in November by saying that "everything's easier when you've got Lionel Messi by your side", but Barca were growing increasingly confident that they had unearthed Jordi Alba's eventual successor.

2020: Miranda was sent to Schalke on a two-year loan deal, but made just 11 Bundesliga appearances during his first season in Germany, leading to Barca cutting his stay short after 12 months. He was then sent to Real Betis on loan for 2020-21.

2021: The defender did enough in Seville to persuade Betis to make the deal permanent in the summer of 2021.

2022: Miranda was in and out of the Betis team in 2021-22 as he struggled to hold down a place in Manuel Pellegrini's line-up, though he did score the winning goal in the penalty shootout in the final of the Copa del Rey

2023: The full-back managed to force his way back into the team in 2023, making over 30 appearances over the course of the campaign.

2024: After being in and out of the team to begin the season, Miranda managed to eventually lock down a starting spot in the second half of the campaign. He then went on to play an important role in Spain's gold-medal run at the Olympics.

2025: Miranda joined Bologna ahead of the 2024-25 season, and he has predominantly been a starter for the Italian side.

Manchester City are back in action in the Champions League this evening as they prepare to travel to Turin to take on Serie A giants Juventus.

The Cityzens are looking to bounce back to winning ways after they were held to a 2-2 draw by Crystal Palace in the Premier League at the weekend.

Pep Guardiola’s side have only won one of their last nine matches, a 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest, in all competitions, and have lost four of their last six games in the English top-flight.

It is fair to say that the Premier League champions are in a difficult moment and they are already eight points adrift of Liverpool in the title race, whilst also being two points behind Arsenal and four behind Chelsea.

Guardiola’s team need to bounce back and find their consistency again, and quickly, but the club could also look to use the January transfer window, which opens for business next month, to bolster the squad.

City may not have been in this position, where they could need to strengthen in the attacking areas, if they had not cashed in on Cole Palmer last year.

Cole Palmer's form since leaving Man City

On deadline day at the end of the summer transfer window in 2023, Chelsea swooped in to sign the Man City academy graduate for a reported fee of £40m.

The Blues will surely look back on that as a bargain, as their star attacking midfielder is now valued at €90m (£74m) by Transfermarkt, and he has been a consistently brilliant performer on the pitch for Mauricio Pochettino and, now, Enzo Maresca.

As you can see in the video above, Palmer enjoyed a terrific first season at Stamford Bridge and set the Premier League alight with some special goals.

The England international racked up 25 goals and 15 assists in 45 appearances in all competitions, including 22 goals and 11 assists in 33 top-flight outings.

It was a magical campaign from the left-footed wizard and one that may have left some wondering whether or not it was a one-season wonder from the former City starlet, but his current form proves that it certainly was not.

Appearances

15

10

xG

10.11

1.38

Goals

11

0

Big chances created

11

3

Assists

6

1

As you can see in the table above, Palmer has already contributed with a whopping 22 goals and ‘big chances’ created combined in the Premier League this season, significantly outperforming reigning Player of the Year Phil Foden.

Guardiola’s attacking midfielder has not been at his best this year, after a haul of 19 goals and eight assists last term, and the Spanish head coach may have some regrets over his decision to sell Palmer, who has thrived as a top Premier League star since his move to Chelsea.

The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich tactician could, however, find Manchester City’s answer to Palmer by swooping for reported transfer target Florian Wirtz.

Man City's interest in Bundesliga sensation

Journalist Graeme Bailey reported earlier this week that the Premier League champions are interested in a swoop to sign the Bayer Leverkusen sensation, but did not state whether they would like to do a deal in January or in the summer.

It was claimed that City are ‘desperate’ to land a move for the Germany international to bolster their attacking options, with Kevin de Bruyne’s 34th birthday fast approaching.

The outlet added that Wirtz is currently valued at around £87m amid interest from a host of top European sides; including Real Madrid, Liverpool, Bayern Munich, PSG, and Arsenal.

Manchester City could have an advantage in the race for his signature, however, as Bayer Leverkusen are said to be interested in both Oscar Bobb and James McAtee.

The Boot Room reported that the Cityzens are prepared to offer players to the Bundesliga champions in exchange for Wirtz, but did not confirm that Bobb or McAtee were players that the club are willing to let go of to bring the German to The Etihad.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Guardiola must, now, push for the board to do whatever it takes to get a deal done for Wirtz, in January or next summer, because he could be City’s answer to their former player Cole Palmer.

What Florian Wirtz could bring to Manchester City

As aforementioned, Foden has struggled to build on his impressive form in the 2023/24 campaign and has only contributed with one assist in the Premier League so far this season.

In fact, no Manchester City star outside of Erling Haaland, who has scored 13 times, has scored more than three goals in the league, whilst no player has managed more than four league assists.

This shows that Guardiola does not currently have a reliable attacking outlet, with de Bruyne’s age and injury issues, to deliver goals and assists week-in-week-out in the Premier League, as Chelsea have with Palmer.

Wirtz’s form for Bayer Leverkusen since the start of last season, however, suggests that he has the potential to come in as City’s answer to the English star.

The German wizard, who was dubbed “unplayable” by journalist Matt Ford, ended the 2023/24 campaign with an outstanding return of 18 goals and 20 assists in 49 appearances in all competitions, including 11 goals and 12 assists in the Bundesliga.

Appearances

13

6

Goals

5

5

Big chances created

7

3

Key passes per game

2.2

3.0

Assists

4

1

As you can see in the table above, Wirtz is on course to hit double figures for goals and assists in the Bundesliga again, and has already hit ten goals for the season including his form in the Champions League.

The creative number ten, whose biggest strengths are listed as passing, dribbling, and key passes on WhoScored, is an attacking midfielder who can consistently chip in with goals whilst also creating high-quality opportunities for his teammates on a regular basis.

This is why the 21-year-old magician could be Man City’s answer to 22-year-old Palmer because both players offer similar qualities in possession and can make a big impact at the top end of the pitch.

Gundogan upgrade: Pep pushing for Man City to sign "world-class" £100m star

Manchester City are reportedly interested in a deal to sign the central midfielder.

1 ByDan Emery Dec 6, 2024

Guardiola, as shown by the form of his players this season, does not have a player to influence matches from an attacking midfield position in the way that the Chelsea star does, but that could change with the signing of Wirtz.

“For me, I’ve got to come in with a good bit of intent and make sure I get batters to play as much as possible”

Firdose Moonda21-Feb-2022The trees outside Matt Henry’s window were swaying in a stiff breeze against greyscale skies on a gloomy Christchurch evening. “It’s a bit of a whirlwind,” he said, smiling, not referring to the weather at all, but New Zealand’s innings and 276-run win inside seven sessions against South Africa.Henry’s is a rare Zoom interview which is not being done against the backdrop of white walls or interesting artwork disguised as decor. The lighting is soft, the outside is visible and he seems completely at ease. “I’m at home,” Henry told ESPNcricinfo. “The guys based in Christchurch are at home and the rest of the squad are at the hotel.”Related

Wagner: Winning against South Africa 'no different to any of the other ones'

Boult unavailable for second Test against South Africa

Latham impressed with the strength in depth of NZ cricket

Henry: 'You pinch yourself when you hear those stats'

Stats – SA's worst since 1932, Henry equals Richard Hadlee

Two years ago, this piece of information would never have made it into a story. Now, with sports teams confined to bubbles, it seems an unusual throwback to the way things used to be, although they’re not entirely there yet. “We’ve still got some rules and we’ve got to be careful with what we do and don’t do. There’s guidelines to keep ourselves nice and safe,” Henry said. “But yeah, I am at home.”The South Africa players could be forgiven for feeling envious, especially after the 10-day quarantine period they served. It was the strictest restrictions they’ve had on a tour, and though they insist it’s not an excuse for their poor performance in the first Test, insiders say it had an enormous impact on their head space. Perhaps the opposite is true for New Zealand.Since March 2020, New Zealand have the best win ratio of any Test team, with victory in two-thirds of their Tests (8 out of 12). In that time, they’ve had just two wins away from home and six in their own backyard, five by more than an innings. On one hand, that may be an indication of how well the country has managed the health crisis; on the other it’s a measure of New Zealand’s highly successful attack, who have all the ingredients for big successes. “Everyone offers something slightly different and it creates a bit more versatility and balance for the captain. He can put people on in different roles and keep trying to put pressure on in different ways,” Henry said.It was the absence of easy run-scoring opportunities, rather than extreme pace, bounce or movement that allowed New Zealand to squeeze South Africa, and ultimately inflict their second-biggest defeat on them, according to Henry. “We managed to create pressure from both ends for a sustained period and I got the rewards at the one end.”But it is not as though Henry just got lucky. He became the first player to take seven wickets and score a half-century batting at No.11 in a Test, which takes more than good fortune. He also claimed the best figures by a New Zealand bowler at home and joint-third best overall and put his performance down to familiarity on his own turf, rather than form.”This is my home ground and I understand how to operate here. I knew how I wanted to bowl and going in with confidence helps,” Henry said. “At Hagley, especially on day one, there is always pace and bounce in the wicket. Most of us bowlers were pretty excited when we won the toss to have a bowl. But when you do get in that situation, it’s important to bowl in the right areas and get batters to play and make as many decisions as possible.”After more than a decade of playing Canterbury, Henry has learnt that it can be easy for bowlers to get carried away when they see the venue’s green surface, but that doesn’t necessarily mean things will simply happen for them. They have to know how to make best use of conditions and Henry, through years of playing on them, has some inside-knowledge. “I like to try and hit the strings and get as much bounce as I possibly can, as well as a bit of seam movement,” he said. “For me, I’ve got to come in with a good bit of intent and make sure I get batters to play as much as possible.”According to ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball data, South Africa’s line-up was made to play at a third of Henry’s deliveries and all but one of his nine wickets came when the batter was caught undecided between whether to go forward or stay back in his crease, moving late and making an error. Though Henry is not particularly quick, he moves the ball from short of a length and with Tim Southee swinging it at the other end, South Africa were completely at sea. “That’s the beauty of it. The bowling group has been together for a while and has quite a lot of strengths,” Henry said. “The boys are in a good space and everyone is confident and understands their game and we’ve got quite a nice balance as well.”Henry cracked a superb half-century in the first Test•Getty ImagesDynamic as they are, New Zealand’s attack has seldom had space for Henry, who has featured in just 15 Tests and has only twice – against England in 2015 and India in 2016 – played two matches in the same series. That should increase to three times with Boult ruled out of the second Test because his bowling loads are not quite where New Zealand would like them to be and there would appear to be no other reason to change a winning combination. Henry would not give anything away about whether he expected to get the nod save to say that he would “find out more at training,” an activity you may think he knows better than most.Henry has been part of several New Zealand Test squads and barely played, which must mean he uses his extra in the nets, right?”Maybe,” he jokes. “I guess there is a little more opportunity to train here and there but mostly I just don’t worry about selection and try to focus on being better as a player and growing; and understanding that if I do get the opportunity, I’m ready and in the right space.”That includes being ready with the bat. Henry is no regular No.11 and has only batted there in nine matches in his 79-game first-class career. He is much more of a No.9 and enjoys any chance to bat alongside the specialists. “It was pretty cool to go out there with Tom (Blundell) who was really settled at the crease,” he said. Blundell and Henry went on to share a 10th-wicket stand of 96. “When you’re batting with a batter, it’s always enjoyable because they peel things back for you and keep it nice and simple.”That is the way New Zealand have approached this as a collective, knowing that despite being World Test Champions, they could easily have been underdogs.”We are missing some key players (Ross Taylor, Kane Williamson and Boult) and there has been talk about South Africa being such a quality side and what’s happened in the past (New Zealand have never beaten South Africa in a Test series),” Henry says. “For us, it’s not getting too caught up in that and, it sounds cliche, but just doing our jobs and sticking to our roles.”

Already looking ahead to potentially signing their next Liam Delap, Ipswich Town are now reportedly among the clubs eyeing a move to sign a Celtic youngster who just starred in front of their scouts.

Ipswich transfer news

On the performance front, it could be argued that Ipswich deserve more than just the nine points that they’ve won so far this season, sitting 18th in the Premier League as a result.

A case in point is their recent clash against Manchester United. After conceding in the opening moments of Ruben Amorim’s first game in charge of the Red Devils, Ipswich enjoyed the better share of chances and arguably should have gone on and secured three points after Omari Hutchinson’s equaliser.

Forced to settle for a point nonetheless, Ipswich now have something that they must build on in pursuit of survival. Once again, it was Delap at the centre of the majority of the joy that Kieran McKenna’s side had up against Manchester United’s backline, making it no surprise that those at Portman Road are looking to repeat their transfer genius.

According to Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider, Ipswich Town are now eyeing a move to sign Daniel Cummings after he starred in front of on-watching scouts, scoring the winning goal for Celtic against Club Brugge in the UEFA Youth League.

Ipswich struck gold on "fantastic" signing who's similar to a £63m star

The incredibly gifted youngster has a bright future with Ipswich ahead of him.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 27, 2024

An 18-year-old who has scored 22 goals in just 20 games at youth level so far this season, Cummings could yet leave Scotland in a cheap deal. As things stand, his current Celtic deal is set to come to an end next summer, which means that he’ll cost a cross-border compensation fee of just €310,000 (£250,000+) in what could quickly turn into a bargain move.

"Great" Cummings can follow in Delap's footsteps

Yet to step into senior football, Cummings could swap Celtic for Ipswich in pursuit of exactly that. Whilst Delap had at least already experienced first-team football when he decided to swap Manchester City for Ipswich, he too was struggling to establish himself on a weekly basis at the Etihad even after successful loan spells away. It’s a struggle that Cummings may soon want to put to an end at Celtic, which could result in an exit away.

Praised for his “great runs” and “spectacular strikes” by The Young Team, who scout Scotland’s next top stars, Cummings looks like a player destined to make an impact whether it’s at Celtic or in the Premier League at a place like Portman Road.

For a bargain fee, Ipswich could be landing an impressive coup ahead of a number of Premier League rivals.

Everything you need to know about talented youngster Jamal Musiala's salary at Germany's most successful club

Jamal Musiala is undoubtedly one of the hottest prospects in world football right now. The gifted attacker made his debut for Bayern Munich side back in 2020, aged just 17 and his pace, dribbling and technical abilities make him an incredibly feared player for opposition defenders.

Musiala has been a top target for many clubs across Europe in recent years, but the Germany international only recently signed a five-year contract with Bayern, keeping him at the Allianz Arena up until 2030 and making him one of the highest-paid players in the squad.

Just how much does Musiala earn, though?

GOAL delved into the numbers with Capology and found out!

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Jamal Musiala’s wages at Bayern Munich in numbers

Despite his comparatively young age, Musiala draws a salary of £300,862 ($380,030) in a week playing for the German side. On an annual basis, Musiala’s salary scales well over £15 million ($19m).

Player

Nationality

Weekly wages in GBP

Weekly wages in USD

Annual wages in GBP

Annual wages in USD

Jamal Musiala

German

  £300,862

$380,030

£15,644,840

$19,761,545

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTop earners at Bayern Munich

With no surprises, it is England's Harry Kane who sits at the top of the chart as the highest-paid player both at Bayern and in Bundesliga overall.

Following the red-hot striker is legendary goalkeeper Manuel Neuer in second position. Defensive midfielder Joshua Kimmich comes in at third, while Serge Gnabry and Musiala acquire the fourth and fifth spot with identical wages.

Player

Nationality

Weekly wages in GBP

Weekly wages USD

Annual wages in GBP

Annual wages in USD

Harry Kane

English

£398,599

$503,484

£20,727,134

$26,181,168

Manuel Neuer

German

£334,823

$422,927

£17,410,792

$21,992,181

Joshua Kimmich

German

£310,907

$392,718

£16,167,164

$20,421,311

Serge Gnabry

German

£300,862

$380,030

£15,644,840

$19,761,545

Jamal Musiala

German

£300,862

$380,030

£15,644,840

$19,761,545

Top 5 earners in the Bundesliga

Bayern’s dominance in the Bundesliga has been quite evident over the years, and they are in a league of their own when it comes to wage bills as well.

Twelve Bayern players acquire the top twelve highest-earning spots in the list followed by Borussia Dortmund’s Niklas Sule who played for Bayern for five seasons before his transfer to Dortmund.

Player

Nationality

Weekly wages in GBP

Weekly wages in USD

Annual wages in GBP

Annual wages in USD

Harry Kane

English

£398,599

$503,484

£20,727,134

$26,181,168

Manuel Neuer

German

£334,823

$422,927

£17,410,792

$21,992,181

Joshua Kimmich

German

£310,907

$392,718

£16,167,164

$20,421,311

Serge Gnabry

German

£300,862

$380,030

£15,644,840

$19,761,545

Jamal Musiala

German

£300,862

$380,030

£15,644,840

$19,761,545

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Getty ImagesHighest paid players in the world

Although Musiala is one of the top five earners in the Bundesliga, there is a long way to go for the youngster when it comes to the top earners across world football.

That title belongs to veteran striker Cristiano Ronaldo, who currently plays for Saudi side Al Nassr. Following him is Karim Benzema who represents Al Ittihad.

Meanwhile, Riyad Mahrez enters the list at number three, followed by former Liverpool and Chelsea stars, Sadio Mane and Kalidou Koulibaly respectively.

Player

Club

Weekly wages GBP

Weekly wages USD

Annual wages GBP

Annual wages USD

Cristiano Ronaldo

Al Nassr

£3,846,154

$4,027,872

£200,000,000

$209,449,340

Karim Benzema

Al Ittihad

£1,923,077

$2,013,936

£100,000,000

$104,724,670

Riyad Mahrez

Al Ahli

£1,003,846

$1,051,275

£52,200,000

$54,666,278

Sadio Mane

Al Nassr

£769,231

$805,574

£40,000,000

$41,889,868

Kalidou Koulibaly

Al Hilal

£667,308

$698,836

£34,000,000

$36,339,460

West Ham currently sit 14th in the Premier League, having secured four points in their past two games, drawing 0-0 with Everton and beating Newcastle 2-0.

These back-to-back clean sheets and points acquired have been hugely important to Julen Lopetegui, as his job appeared to be in danger before these results.

Last season, under David Moyes, West Ham averaged 40.5% possession, taking 11.8 shots per game, and conceding 17.2 shots per game. However, so far this term, Lopetegui’s side are averaging more possession (45.5%), taking more shots (13.6 per game), and conceding fewer (16.4 per game).

West Ham have improved in all of these metrics, getting slightly more control in games than they managed last time around, which was the aim of the club when parting ways with Moyes, and going down the route of hiring Lopetegui, a more possession-based coach. However, the results haven’t followed suit until recently.

The Hammers will face Arsenal at the London Stadium this weekend, looking to keep their third consecutive clean sheet, but it won’t be easy, as the Gunners look refreshed by the return of their captain, Martin Odegaard.

West Ham vs Arsenal history

In this same fixture at the London Stadium last season, West Ham were subject to a thrashing, losing 6-0 to Arsenal as they pursued the Premier League title. To rub salt into the wounds, former Hammers Declan Rice came up with a wonderful goal from distance.

However, the Hammers did manage to get the better of Arsenal at the Emirates last season, with a 2-0 victory, goals coming from Tomas Soucek and Konstantinos Mavropanos.

In the history of this fixture, Arsenal have won 73 times, West Ham have won on 37 occasions, and the match has ended in a draw on 41 occasions.

Now, prior to the Gunners defeating Nottingham Forest and Sporting recently, Lopetegui’s men might have been confident of getting a result.

That being said, the return of Odegaard has seen a spark of life for the Gunners and West Ham will have to manage him carefully. The Hammers should get chances themselves, though, courtesy of their very own version of the Norwegian, a player who Arsenal once pursued themselves.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Lucas Paqueta vs Martin Odegaard

Back in 2022, it was reported that Arsenal were the leading contenders to sign Lucas Paqueta. In the same window, West Ham managed to tempt the Brazilian to the club, signing for £51m, a club record fee for the Hammers.

Paqueta has since gone on to make 98 appearances for the club so far, scoring 15 goals, providing 14 assists, and totalling 7,411 minutes.

Much like Odegaard, the “special” midfielder – as David Moyes described him – operates as a number 8 or number 10, looking to create for his side with moments of creative brilliance, taking the ball in tight spaces, and being a reference point for his teammates to bounce off of.

The 27-year-old works hard, is involved in the defensive phases of the game, and is an important part of the Hammers press, contesting duels and pressing as a striker at times, again, all similar to Odegaard’s role with Arsenal.

Goals

0.19

0.00

Assists

0.00

0.27

xG

0.22

0.14

xAG

0.13

0.18

Progressive Carries

0.80

3.04

Progressive Passes

5.60

9.29

Shots Total

1.31

1.64

Key Passes

1.40

3.04

Passes into Final Third

5.40

6.07

Shot-Creating Actions

3.30

5.00

Tackles + Interceptions

2.70

1.67

When comparing the metrics of the two midfielders so far this season, Odegaard comes out on top in eight of the 11 statistics analysed, with Paqueta only bettering the Norwegian in tackles + interceptions, goals, and xG generated per 90.

The creative numbers of Odegaard are much higher than Paqueta’s due to their roles in their respective teams. While the Brazilian is similar in playing style, West Ham do not hold as much possession as Arsenal, and therefore Paqueta averages fewer touches, and has less responsibility in build-up due to their lower level of control.

It is actually Paqueta who has the potential to hurt the Gunners most, due to their tactical system, and the exploitable factors of that set-up, being something the former Lyon man has the qualities to unlock.

How Paqueta can hurt Arsenal

Arsenal tend to set up in a 4-3-3 on paper, but Mikel Arteta’s side make plenty of rotations in possession in order to get their best players into dangerous areas and sustain pressure in the opposition half.

The way in which they do this is by inverting both of their full-backs alongside the lone defensive midfielder (Thomas Partey), creating a 2-3 base shape, configured of the two central defenders behind the three which comprises of inverted fullbacks and one defensive midfielder.

This allows the two other central midfielders, often Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard to push forwards into the half spaces. One of Arsenal’s best qualities is sustaining pressure on the opposition, and that is done via their counter press.

The five players mentioned above are brilliant in the moment of a turnover, converging on the ball as a unit to regain possession as quickly as possible inside their half.

West Ham can exploit this via Paqueta’s passing qualities, looking to find channel balls in behind where the wide defenders have inverted from and exploit the space left by their movements. It is important that Lopetegui’s star midfielder looks to make these passes instantly, whilst the Arsenal fullbacks remain out of position, as that is the moment they are most vulnerable.

Michail Antonio will also be key to this, as he is a strong and willing runner, who will keep the central defenders honest, causing them problems on the break and stretching the pitch for the Hammers.

West Ham will have to be at their best if they are to get anything against Arsenal, but this could well be their best route, and it comes at a good time, with Paqueta coming off the back of his best performance of the season against Newcastle on Monday night.

West Ham ace is now totally undroppable after his "best game" for the club

Julen Lopetegui’s West Ham side claimed three vital points against Newcastle last night.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 26, 2024

Belgium's No.1 goalkeeper Koen Casteels has quit the national team in frustration over the decision to bring Thibaut Courtois back into the fold.

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Courtois clashed with previous Belgium boss TedescoNew manager keen to reintroduce himCasteels fuming over decisionFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱AFPWHAT HAPPENED?

Having previously clashed repeatedly with former manager Dominic Tedesco – with Courtois reportedly angered by the decision to make Romelu Lukaku Belgium's captain instead of him – the Real Madrid shot-stopper has not played for his national team since June 2023. However, the appointment of Rudi Garcia has opened a pathway to an international return for Courtois, and Koen Casteels, the man who has filled in as No.1, is not happy about the decision to "roll out the red carpet" for him.

AdvertisementWHAT CASTEELS SAID

Casteels, who plays his club football for Saudi outfit Al-Qadsiah, told the Belgian podcast : "It's strange that the football association has turned 180 degrees and is rolling out the red carpet and welcoming him back with open arms… I think it's a bit strange that Courtois can decide for himself whether he can come back. It is not so much towards Thibaut, but mainly towards the football association. That does not fit in with the standards and values that I have about what a team sport or a sporting organisation should have. As of today, I am no longer available [for the national team]."

AFPTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Casteels' decision to rule himself out of selection due to Courtois' return may come as a shock to new Belgium boss Garcia, although he'll be relieved about his recent conversations with the Madrid keeper, which reportedly went well. Having Courtois between the sticks is a huge boost; the two-time Champions League winner is considered one of the best goalkeepers on the planet and at the age of 31 he still has a key role to play during a transitional period for Belgium.

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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR BELGIUM?

With Courtois back in goal, Belgium will now prepare for an important international break coming up later this month. Garcia's side is scheduled to face Ukraine twice in back-to-back UEFA Nations League games, one on Thursday 20 March and the other on Sunday 23 March. Their new manager will be desperate to make a strong start to his tenure.