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Novak Djokovic is part of a team of famous investors who have bought a stake in French Ligue 2 club Le Mans, along with two former F1 drivers.
Djokovic and ex-F1 stars invest in Le MansSecond-tier club could follow Wrexham & Birmingham examplesClub only founded 40 years agoFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Djokovic and former drivers Felipe Massa and Kevin Magnussen have bought a stake in the second-tier club. Le Mans were promoted to Ligue 2 last season and have shown their ambition to continue a rapid rise up French football with this new investment from elite-level sporting figures such as Djokovic. No financial figures have been revealed by the club.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE
High-profile investment has become more commonplace in football in recent years, with Hollywood-backed Wrexham and Tom Brady-affiliated Birmingham City key examples of investment working in the English game. Overseas, David Beckham famously co-owns Inter Miami in the MLS.
WHAT LE MANS SAID
Le Mans president Thierry Gomez said in a statement: "The uniqueness of this fund lies in its contribution from high-level athletes. Novak Djokovic, Felipe Massa, and Kevin Magnussen will be part of the adventure."
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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR DJOKOVIC AND LE MANS?
It will be interesting to see the level of investment which is given to Le Mans by Djokovic and Co. as they prepare for life back in the second tier. The club have spent time in Ligue 1 previously in their short 40-year history, but have not been in the top tier since 2010 amidst significant financial issues in the years which followed. It appears the time may be now for the club to take strides forward as they aim to take their place amongst French football's elite.
MatériaMais Notícias
Com muita chuva no Nilton Santos, o Botafogo venceu o Madureira de virada por 2 a 1 no primeiro jogo da final daCopa Rio Sub-20 OPG. Pelo resultado obtido, os alvinegros precisam apenas de um empate no duelo de volta para conquistar o título.
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+Acertamos? Lembre quem o LANCE! apontou em 2018 que poderia estar na Copa de 2022
Mesmo com um jogador expulso no início da partida, o Madureira abriu o placar no primeiro tempo comGustavo. Apesar do placar adverso, o Glorioso não desistiu da vitória e conseguiu virar o jogo com gols deRaí eReydson.
+VÍDEO: Torcida do Botafogo vaia jogadores após derrota no Nilton Santos
Madureira e Botafogo voltam a campo na próxima quarta-feira, às 15h, no Conselheiro Galvão, pelo segundo jogo da final daCopa Rio Sub-20 OPG. O Glorioso vai com tudo em busca do bicampeonato da competição.
FOGOOO! 🔥
Raí aproveitou cruzamento de Bernardo e mandou para o fundo do gol, empatando o jogo contra o Madureira em 1 a 1. #CopaRioOPGSub20 #BFRBaseForte
📺 Acompanhe ao vivo e com imagens na BOTAFOGO TV
🔗 https://t.co/EYGTcnR1x0 pic.twitter.com/I3IYF3ehwA— Botafogo F.R. (@Botafogo) November 2, 2022
Raí cobrou escanteio e Reydson empurrou para o fundo do gol virando a partida para o Fogão. 🔥 #CopaRioOPGSub20 #BFRBaseForte
📺 Acompanhe ao vivo e com imagens na BOTAFOGO TV
🔗 https://t.co/EYGTcnQtHs pic.twitter.com/PUziWPckWq— Botafogo F.R. (@Botafogo) November 2, 2022
The hosts and favourites for the 2023 World Cup are up and running. But as clinical as India’s six-wicket victory over Australia looks on paper, there was far more jeopardy out on the field in Chennai.Ravindra Jadeja’s exemplary 3 for 28 restricted Australia to 199, but the pursuit of a modest target began with a historically bad start. India were reduced to 2 for 3 – the first time in ODIs three of their top four were dismissed without scoring; Mitchell Starc removed Ishan Kishan for a first-ball duck before Josh Hazlewood’s double-wicket maiden snared captain Rohit Sharma lbw and Shreyas Iyer, caught tamely at short cover.But from the ruins rose Virat Kohli and KL Rahul – two of India’s “been there, done that” world-beaters. A stand of 165 turned a problematic start into a cakewalk of a finish. So much so that while Kohli fell for 85 – he was dropped on 12 – Rahul was able to manoeuvre himself into a position for an outside shot at ODI century number seven.With 91 to his name and five left to get, a four and a six would have taken him to three figures. Alas, too sweet a connection on a lofted drive off Pat Cummins cleared the boundary sponge at extra cover, finishing the match and leaving the keeper-batter dismayed on 97 not out.It was particularly chastening for Australia for the match to end in such one-sided circumstances. Cummins’ decision to be the first captain to win the toss and choose to bat at this World Cup looked optimistic, especially as the second innings wore on and the ball stopped talking.Halzewood’s 3 for 38 ended up being the only plus point in the second half. But one imagines most of the post-match debrief will centre around the inability to combat the turn and nous of Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav and R Ashwin.Ravindra Jadeja dismissed Steven Smith with a ripper•Associated Press
India’s spin amigos shared six wickets between themselves, instigating an inescapable chokehold epitomised by the 16.5 overs worth of dot balls within their collective 30. The control assumed throughout the guts of Australia’s innings was primarily through Jadeja, who was introduced in the 20th. Australia had made a steady start before an eight-over-straight spell of 3 for 28 from the Chennai Super Kings stalwart on familiar conditions demolished those foundations.Despite losing opener Mitchell Marsh for a six-ball duck – edge found by Jasprit Bumrah, well-taken by Kohli tumbling to his left at first slip – David Warner was typically breezy, moving past 1000 ODI World Cup runs in just his 19th innings, setting a new benchmark for the feat having done so in one knock fewer than Sachin Tendulkar and AB de Villiers.A return catch for Kuldeep’s first of two dismissals ended his stay on 41, and a stand of 69 with Steven Smith, who himself made it to 46 before losing his off stump, beaten on the outside edge and losing his off stump. It was the first of three wickets to fall in the space of 10 Jadeja deliveries.Marnus Labuschagne was adjudged caught behind off a sweep, before the Alex Carey lasted just two deliveries before behind adjudged lbw in front of middle. Both batters took Australia’s two DRS reviews back to the dressing room.At 119 for 5, the onus fell on the last two remaining “full-time” batters Glenn Maxwell and Cameron Green to conjure a partnership of note. Maxwell was able to strike Jadeja through extra cover for the first boundary in 73 deliveries, but an awry shot across the line to Kuldeep followed by Green’s lazy cut to backward point off Ashwin took the score from 140 for 5 to 140 for 7 in the space of four balls.Starc and Cummins were valiant in pursuit of late runs; the latter striking the first six of the innings midway through the 40th over (Kuldeep heaved over deep square leg) before the former bashed the second over the same region off Bumrah.Starc would be the last to fall, holing out into the leg side to bring the innings to a close with three balls to go. But within four balls of the restart, the left-arm quick had Kishan departing first ball, slashing to Green a first slip.Virat Kohli and KL Rahul piled up pressure on Pat Cummins and Co•AFP/Getty Images
Hazlewood followed with his double-hit in his opening over and, just like that, India’s task looked far from academic. But the fact there was only 197 to clear in 48 overs when Kohli and Rahul came together meant no undue risks needed to be taken.And yet, India should have been 19 for 4 when a top edge from Kohli on 12 – hurried by a skiddy bouncer from Hazlewood – fell through the hands of Marsh running in from square leg after some miscommunication with Carey behind the stumps. Kohli then survived an edge past his own stumps off Cummins on 13.Kohli was soon back into his work, supreme through midwicket for back-to-back fours off Green – the first just his second boundary in 50 deliveries. The pair exchanged strike regularly, until Rahul struck three fours – two fine of third, then a drive through cover – to take 13 off Adam Zampa’s opening over to jump-start his innings.That the legspinner was held back until the 17th over spoke of the loss of that early movement with the two new balls under lights, dissipating Australia’s incisiveness. By then, Starc had changed his angle to over the wicket to both right-handers, hoping to elicit either movement or a mistake off the straight.Kohli would win the race to the half-century, whipping a Cummins bumper off his nose to reach fifty for the 114th time in ODIs, off 75 balls. Soon after the century stand was reached, Rahul square drove his 72nd delivery for a 16th fifty in the format. ODI hundred number 48 looked odds on for Kohli, only to fall 15 short when pulling Hazlewood straight to Labuschagne at midwicket. His walk-off suggested a desire to take the side home, but with 33 required off 74, the finish line was in full view.And so came the sprint finish. Pandya charged Hazlewood to muller him over wide long off for India’s first six of the tournament. Rahul then followed with the second in the next over, planting Maxwell into the stands down the ground.Perhaps a century for Rahul would have been the neatest of bows on a professional opening win. As far as consolations go, sizeable red ink and victory by 52 deliveries should more than make up for it.
MatériaMais Notícias
O presidente do Corinthians, Duílio Monteiro Alves, ultrapassou, no segundo semestre deste ano, a metade do seu mandato à frente do clube alvinegro. No entanto, o cartola ainda tem pouco mais de um ano de gestão e neste período não focará somente no futebol, mas, também, na parte estrutural.
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+112 anos do Timão: relembre 12 momentos marcantes na história do Corinthians
O comandante do Timão tem dois objetivos até entregar o cargo, que não possui reeleição: a ampliação da Neo Química Arena, e a construção de um alojamento para os atletas das categorias de base.
NEO QUÍMICA ARENA
No caso do aumento de capacidade de público do estádio corintiano, é um sonho um pouco mais distante, pelo menos neste primeiro momento. Isso porque o próprio Duílio admite que a prioridade da direção é quitar o acordo costurado com a Caixa Econômica Federal para o pagamento da Arena.
No fim de julho, o Conselho Deliberativo corintiano aprovou um novo acerto, onde o Corinthians começará a pagar a partir do ano que vem, sendo que as parcelas anuais iniciaram o seu processo de quitação em 2025. Antes, as tratativas costuradas em 2020 previam com o Timão que já teria que iniciar o pagamento no fim deste ano.
– Temos um estádio maravilhoso, conseguimos um acordo muito importante com a Caixa e com a Odebrecht. A recuperação judicial já foi aprovada por unanimidade, o juiz já homologou e agora tem o prazo que temos que aguardar para ver se aparece alguém contra. Temos que primeiro cuidar desta parte, porque temos o estádio para pagar – disse Duílio em entrevista nos bastidores da live show que comemorou o aniversário de 112 anos do Corinthians, na última quinta-feira (1º).
Ainda que cauteloso, Duílio reconhece a necessidade de ampliação da Neo Química Arena, que hoje tem capacidade para cerca de 48 mil torcedores, e que nesta temporada tem média de público um pouco maior de 37 mil presentes. É o maior registro médio anual desde a inauguração do estádio, em 2014.
Além disso, hoje o Timão tem uma base de 116 mil sócios, o que aumenta a concorrência na hora da busca pelos tickets, através do rating.
Mesmo assim, o mandatário corintiano demonstra preocupação em realizar esse processo pensando, acima de tudo, na saúde financeira do clube alvinegro.
+ Confira a tabela do Brasileiro e simule os próximos jogos
– A gente trabalha em cima disso, mas com responsabilidade para fazer a ampliação, mas de uma forma que não prejudique o clube, como temos feito. É uma ideia, enxergo como uma necessidade, porque temos 160 mil fiéis torcedores pagantes e teremos mais dificuldades de espaço quanto melhor o time estiver. É algo que está nos planos, mas com calma, responsabilidade, para não dar um passo maior do que a perna e não sofrer, de novo, o que já estamos passando – destacou Duílio.
Uma possibilidade aventada, principalmente após o vazamento de uma reunião da direção corintiana, o técnico Vítor Pereira, e membros da Gaviões da Fiel, principal torcida uniformizada corintiana, era a de retirada de cadeiras de alguns setores ou até mesmo a redução do tamanho dos acentos, de 45cm para 40cm. Isso, no entanto, foi descartado por Duílio.
ALOJAMENTO PARA A BASE
Após adiar a entrega do Centro de Treinamento para as categorias de base, prevista para 2020, mas estendida por conta da pandemia do novo coronavírus, o Corinthians encerrou o processo de construção do local, que fica instalado ao lado do CT Joaquim Grava, que abriga a equipe profissional.
Contudo, o complexo ainda não conta com um alojamento para abrigar parte desses jogadores.
O Timão possui a ‘Casa do Atleta’, no bairro do Tatuapé, mas o espaço comporta apenas 40 pessoas. A ideia é que, no CT, o Timão consiga receber em torno de 160 jovens.
Duílio se mostrou cauteloso sobre entregar o projeto até o fim do seu mandato, mas deixou claro que essa será uma das suas prioridades,
O cartola também destacou a importância da base, e admitiu que o Corinthians perde atletas nas suas categorias de formação por falta de alojamento para fornecer.
– Existe, sim (a possibilidade de entregar o alojamento). É ruim falar isso aqui, depois não entrega, mas é a prioridade número um terminar o alojamento da base. Nós estamos vendo a qualidade dos jogadores da base. Muito se fala que a base não é boa, mas vemos aí grandes jogadores, no mundo todo, que saíram da base do Corinthians e fazem muito sucesso, na Seleção Brasileira, em grandes ligas e também no nosso time. É o exemplo claro de que a base funciona – disse o presidente corintiano.
+Quem escalar no Cartola FC? Veja cinco dicas por posição para a 25ª rodada do Brasileirão
– Nossa base é muito boa, e com alojamento conseguiremos melhorar bastante. Hoje o Corinthians perde muitos atletas para clubes que têm condições de alojar. É uma responsabilidade muito grande, para alojar um jogador temos que ter uma estrutura perfeita para não correr nenhum risco e dar condições aos atletas de terem uma vida tranquila, educação e parte esportiva também. Corremos todos os dias para achar soluções para construir, e esta é uma prioridade – concluiu.
Ainda ao falar de base, Duílio relembrou que duas das vendas que a instituição realizou na temporada, o representa um terço do cumprimento da meta de negociações de ativos que o clube tinha neste ano, são frutos das categorias de base: o zagueiro João Victor, vendido para o Benfica, de Portugal, e o meia-atacante Gabriel Pereira, o GP, negociado com o New York City, dos Estados Unidos.
Juntas, a vendas desses dois atletas significa algo em torno de R$ 75 milhões aos cofres corintianos.
Além dos negociados, o presidente corintiano relembrou investidas de outras equipes por outros ativos oriundos da base, como o lateral-esquerdo Lucas Piton, e o volante Du Queiroz.
– Neste ano tivemos vendas de Gabriel Pereira, João Victor, propostas para Du Queiroz, Lucas Piton sempre tem procura e outros também – pontuou Monteiro Alves.
Além da dupla mencionada, o zagueiro Robert Renan também é alvo de agremiações da Europa, principalmente na Inglaterra. O atacante Adson é outro que tem sido monitorado por algumas equipes do exterior.
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Lancashire have confirmed that Saqib Mahmood has been diagnosed with a recurrence of the back stress fracture that sidelined him for much of 2022.Mahmood has only played five games this summer and, as revealed by ESPNcricinfo, was sent for a specialist consultation amid concerns he could miss the rest of the season.No timeline has been put on his return and he will undergo rehabilitation under the guidance of Lancashire and the ECB, with whom he has an pace-bowling development contract.Mahmood, 26, has been capped in all three formats for England, most recently playing in the ODI series in Bangladesh in March. He made his Test debut on the 2021-22 tour of the West Indies, but was diagnosed with a lumbar stress fracture shortly after returning from the Caribbean.As well as being ruled out of action for Lancashire, Mahmood will also miss the Hundred, for which he was part of Oval Invincibles’ squad. Surrey allrounder Tom Lawes is set to be brought in by Invincibles as an injury replacement.
Everything you need to know about Emiliano Martinez's salary at Aston Villa
Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez joined Aston Villa in 2020 after spending eight long seasons at Arsenal. Despite his time in North London, Martinez saw limited first-team opportunities and endured multiple loan spells across various clubs before making a permanent move to Villa Park.
He quickly became a fan favourite at Aston Villa, showcasing a commanding presence between the posts. Martinez has also been instrumental for his national team, playing a key role in Argentina’s Copa America triumphs in 2021 and 2024, as well as their 2022 FIFA World Cup victory.
Martinez is currently under contract with Aston Villa until 2029, though he is widely expected to depart the club in the upcoming summer transfer window.
The Argentine also commands a high salary at Villa Park, ranking among the club’s top earners.
So, exactly how much does he earn?
GOAL delved into the numbers with Capology and found out!
*
Emiliano Martinez's wages at Aston Villa in numbers
Martinez's current contract with Aston Villa gives him a weekly salary of £150,000 ($199,112), making him the fourth-highest paid player at the club. His yearly earnings are £7.8 million ($10.3m).
Player
Nationality
Weekly wages in GBP
Weekly wages in USD
Annual wages in GBP
Annual wages in USD
Emiliano Martinez
Argentine
£150,000
$199,112
£7,800,000
$10,353,844
Advertisement(C)Getty imagesTop earners at Aston Villa
Marcus Rashford, on loan from Manchester United, is the top earner at Aston Villa. Boubacar Kamara, Youri Tielemans, and Emiliano Martinez have the same salary, following Rashford. Donyell Malen is fifth in earnings.
Player
Nationality
Weekly wages in GBP
Weekly wages in USD
Annual wages in GBP
Annual wages in USD
Marcus Rashford
English
£225,000
$298,669
£11,700,000
$15,530,766
Boubacar Kamara
French
£150,000
$199,112
£7,800,000
$10,353,844
Youri Tielemans
Belgian
£150,000
$199,112
£7,800,000
$10,353,844
Emiliano Martinez
Argentine
£150,000
$199,112
£7,800,000
$10,353,844
Donyell Malen
Dutch
£140,000
$185,838
£7,280,000
$9,663,588
Top 5 earners in the Premier League
Erling Haaland is the highest-paid player in the Premier League, with a contract at Manchester City until 2034. Kevin De Bruyne ranks second, followed by Mohamed Salah in third.
Casemiro is the only Manchester United player in fourth place, and Liverpool's Virgil Van Dijk is fifth.
Arsenal players do not appear in the top five highest-paid players in the league.
Player
Club
Weekly wages in GBP
Weekly wages in USD
Annual wages in GBP
Annual wages in USD
Erling Haaland
Manchester City
£525,000
$703,974
£27,300,000
$36,606,644
Kevin De Bruyne
Manchester City
£400,000
$536,361
£20,800,000
$27,890,776
Mohamed Salah
Liverpool
£400,000
$536,361
£20,800,000
$27,890,776
Casemiro
Manchester United
£350,000
$469,316
£18,200,000
$24,404,429
Virgil Van Dijk
Liverpool
£350,000
$469,316
£18,200,000
$24,404,429
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Getty Images SportHighest paid players in the world
Premier League salaries are substantial, but these players are not the highest earners worldwide.
Cristiano Ronaldo, the top scorer in Champions League history, earns the most at Al Nassr. His former Real Madrid teammate, Karim Benzema, is next.
Riyad Mahrez, formerly with Manchester City, is third, while Sadio Mane and Kalidou Koulibaly from Senegal are fourth and fifth.
Player
Club
Weekly wages GBP
Weekly wages USD
Annual wages GBP
Annual wages USD
Cristiano Ronaldo
Al Nassr
£3,270,519
$4,385,050
£170,066,890
$228,022,620
Karim Benzema
Al Ittihad
£1,635,259
$2,192,525
£85,033,490
$114,011,310
Riyad Mahrez
Al Ahli
£853,605
$1,144,498
£44,387,482
$59,513,904
Sadio Mane
Al Nassr
£654,104
$877,010
£34,013,396
$45,604,524
Kalidou Koulibaly
Al Hilal
£567,435
$760,806
£29,506,621
$39,561,925
Bilateral international cricket feeling the squeeze from the growth of T20 tournaments
Matt Roller22-Feb-2023
Rob Key was appointed as England’s managing director last year•Getty Images
Rob Key has admitted that England players without central contracts are taking “huge” dents to their prospective earnings by turning down franchise deals to play bilateral international series.An England squad will arrive in Bangladesh this week for a short white-ball tour comprising three ODIs and three T20Is starting on March 1, with several players absent on Test duty in New Zealand or after opting to play in the Pakistan Super League instead.And Key, England’s managing director of men’s cricket, said that non-contracted players are being offered “life-changing amounts of money” which significantly outstrip the tour fees and match fees paid by the ECB.”At the moment, we can’t physically get our strongest team to every single game England play,” Key told during an extensive interview. “The other thing that’s coming – and it’s here now, really – is the cost; the difference in what they get paid for England compared to what they’re getting offered around the world.”You’re talking $500,000 or $600,000 for a few weeks’ work, in some cases. If you’re not on a central contract then the difference is huge. There’s not a person in the world that would actually sit there and go, ‘do you know what, I’m not bothered about that amount of money’. You’re talking about life-changing amounts of money.”These are the next things we’re having to negotiate. This is what the game has to try and work out what it’s going to do. And I don’t, at the moment, know the answer. These things have happened almost overnight. This was always coming, but it wasn’t until these two leagues in South Africa and the UAE where the money just went ‘voom’, went up, that it’s now started to be really competitive.”Only a handful of England players without central contracts have earned the sums Key mentioned in recent, non-IPL T20 leagues, but Alex Hales, Sam Billings and Liam Dawson – who has since flown home with an injury – all opted out of the upcoming Bangladesh tour in order to honour their more lucrative PSL contracts.Related
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More than 60 Englishmen have been involved in overseas short-form leagues this winter, with the Abu Dhabi T10, BBL, ILT20, SA20, BPL and PSL all proving popular destinations. Some players – Tom Kohler-Cadmore, for example – played in three different leagues in the space of 10 days.Elsewhere, Moeen Ali, Billings and Luke Wood were all recruited for the knockout stages of the Bangladesh Premier League at short notice, while ESPNcricinfo understands another England player without a central contract declined a $100,000 offer to play in the final week of the competition.The ECB have encouraged young players to sign up for franchise leagues in recent years and see the fact that the majority take place during the English winter as a competitive advantage over most Test-playing nations, using them as a development tool.”We’re lucky: our summer doesn’t run alongside these things,” Key said. “If you’re in Australia, your domestic players are going to get taken to these leagues that are running at the same time.”The global game, the international game, has to have a serious think and get-together about what it’s going to do to make sure that there’s meaning in the cricket that we play. That’s the key: it’s not just about money, we need the meaning to be there to make people want to play [international cricket].”
And just like that, Ipswich Town’s FA Cup journey is over for the season.
Kieran McKenna’s side made short work of Bristol Rovers in the Third Round and demolished Coventry City in the Fourth, but eventually fell to Nottingham Forest on penalties in the Fifth last night.
However, despite the stark difference in their Premier League position, the Tractor Boys managed to put up a good fight and scored the opening goal of the encounter through George Hirst.
1
Goals
1
54%
Possession
46%
1
Big Chances
0
22
Total Shots
11
4
Shots on Target
4
11
Corners
2
567
Passes
502
That said, it still wasn’t enough, and while there were several encouraging performances from the men in blue, there were more than a few poor ones as well, including from a starter who should be dropped for the next game.
Ipswich's lacklustre performers
There were a few starters from last night’s clash who were not as effective as some of their other teammates.
For example, while he was busy on the pitch, Massimo Luongo looked, as the East Anglian Daily Times’ Alex Jones put it, ‘a little off the pace.’
The Australian midfielder received a 5/10 match rating from the journalist, and, based on his statistics from the game, it’s not hard to see why, as in 67 minutes of action, he lost 100% of his aerial duels, committed two fouls, lost the ball five times, failed in 100% of his dribbles and lost four of six ground duels.
Minutes
67′
Aerial Duels (Won)
2 (0)
Ground Duels (Won)
6 (2)
Fouls
2
Lost Possession
5
Dribbles (Successful)
2 (0)
Just ahead of him in midfield, Jack Taylor also had a rather middling night at the City Ground.
He also picked up a 5/10 rating from Jones, who wrote that he was ‘surprisingly quiet’ and responsible for a ‘couple of sloppy passes.’
Moreover, the Irishman missed his penalty and produced some underwhelming statistics to boot.
In his 120 minutes of football, the 26-year-old completed just 73% of his passes, misplaced three of five crosses, was accurate in one of three long balls, failed to take a shot on or off target, failed in 100% of his dribbles, lost five of seven ground duels, lost the ball 18 times and was dribbled past once.
Minutes
120′
Passing Accuracy
29/40 (73%)
Long Balls (Accurate)
3 (1)
Crosses (Accurate)
5 (2)
Shots on Target
0
Shots off Target
0
Ground Duels (Won)
7 (2)
Lost Possession
18
Dribbles (Successful)
2 (0)
Dribbled Past
1
Unfortunately for McKenna, he had another 5/10 performance from one of his starters last night, a starter who should be dropped for the next game.
The Ipswich ace who should be dropped
Alongside Taylor and Luongo, it would be fair to say that Nathan Broadhead was one of Ipswich’s most disappointing players last night.
The talented Welshman looked somewhat lost at times and utterly ineffective at others, and he fully deserved the 5/10 match rating he received from Jones.
The journalist wrote that the 26-year-old attacker ‘lacked his usual spark’ and was guilty of holding ‘onto the ball for too long,’ losing it ‘in advanced areas,’ and ultimately not ‘taking his opportunity.’
Minutes
67′
Touches
35
Passing Accuracy
9/16 (56%)
Long Balls (Accurate)
0(0)
Crosses (Accurate)
0 (0)
Shots on Target
1
Duels (Won)
11 (4)
Lost Possession
16
Dribbles (Successful)
1 (0)
Dribbled Past
2
Unsurprisingly, while harsh, this opinion is more than backed up in the statistics, as in his 67 minutes of action, he took just 35 touches – 29 fewer than Alex Palmer – completed 56% of his passes, failed in 100% of his dribbles, lost the ball 16 times, was dribbled past twice, lost seven of 11 duels and took just one shot on target.
So, if Broadhead should be taken out of the starting lineup for the next game, who should start in his place?
Well, based on the last few weeks, we reckon it should be Jack Clarke.
The former Sunderland star has undoubtedly had a tough time adapting to life at Portman Road, but since the turn of the year, he has looked substantially more dangerous.
For example, the sometimes “unplayable” winger, as dubbed by pundit Adrian Clarke, has produced eight goal involvements in 26 games for Ipswich this season, but crucially, six of those have come since the turn of the year and three of those in the last round of the FA Cup.
Ultimately, with survival still a possibility this season, McKenna has to be ruthless, and when you consider their recent form, dropping Broadhead for Clarke makes perfect sense for Ipswich.
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