U.S. international Tim Weah has a knack for timing, delivering his first Marseille goal in dramatic fashion on Tuesday. Weah scored the opener against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu in the club’s opening Champions League match of the season. The winger was assisted by Mason Greenwood, who found Weah running to his right in the 22nd minute.
AFPOpening his account
Weah had struggled to make an impact in attack for Marseille in his first four matches with the club, registering an xG of 0.01 during that stretch. Some of that was down to shuttling between playing defense and as a winger. But against Madrid on Tuesday, Weah played on the left wing and delivered a clinical finish.
AdvertisementWatch the goalGetty Images SportBack and forth match
Despite OM taking an early lead, Madrid responded almost instantly, thanks to a penalty from Kylian Mbappe in the 29th minute.
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Looking ahead
Following the Madrid Champions League match, OM will take on heated rivals Paris Saint-Germain in Le Classique this weekend.
It’s hardly been a summer transfer window to write home about for West Ham United supporters so far.
The main talking point still hanging in the air is the disappointing £55m sale of Mohammed Kudus to arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur, with the recent free transfer purchase of Kyle Walker-Peters from Southampton at least offering a slight ray of positivity amidst a gloomy window to date.
There will surely be a desire on the part of Graham Potter to push on with more signings, as the list of strikers being linked with a move to the London Stadium increases.
West Ham considering move for £26m forward
Indeed, it does appear as if the Irons are hunting down reinforcements up top.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
One target in this department is FC Metz hotshot Idrissa Gueye, who is a far cry from the other name constantly circling in Callum Wilson – a player who has reportedly even agreed personal terms with the Hammers.
The 18-year-old hotshot is an up-and-coming talent in France, contrasted with the ageing 33-year-old now searching for a fresh club as a declining free agent.
Newcastle United'sCallumWilsonsalutes their fans after the match
West Ham might well meet in the middle, instead, with another centre-forward target in the form of Cagliari star Roberto Piccoli, with Italian journalist Gianluigi Longari taking to X recently to reveal that the Hammers are considering a move for the €30m (£26m) attacker.
He might well be a better option to go after than settling for the ex-AFC Bournemouth veteran, with Piccoli just fresh off a goal-laden season in Serie A, whilst Wilson faded into the background on Tyneside.
Roberto Piccoli celebrates scoring for Cagliari.
How Piccoli compares to Wilson
Wilson hadn’t always found himself stuck on the periphery at St James’ Park, however.
At one point in time, the Coventry-born marksman was Newcastle’s leading man – before Alexander Isak stormed onto the scene – with a hefty 35 of his Premier League collection of 88 strikes coming for the Toon.
Unfortunately for Wilson, only nine of those efforts have fallen across his last two seasons, and whilst the 33-year-old’s game has noticeably waned for Eddie Howe’s Magpies, Piccoli was coming into his own for his employers in Italy.
Last campaign, the Cagliari number 91 would play a key role in his lowly Serie A side beating the drop, with ten goals being powered home from 37 games.
Piccoli’s league numbers (24/25)
Stat – per 90 mins*
Piccoli
Games played
37
Goals scored
10
Assists
1
Shots*
2.6
Big chances missed
26
Total duels won*
5.2
Stats by Sofascore
In a Hammers environment where he has the likes of Jarrod Bowen to bounce off, he could well live up to his “prolific” billing even more, as he was once labelled by football talent scout Jacek Kulig.
Of course, Piccoli isn’t the finished article – as seen in his glaring 26 big chances missed last season in Serie A action – but his aggressiveness to throw himself into duels, which saw him 5.2 duels on average across that same span, should stand him in good stead for the challenges ahead, away from just being viewed as a promising, centre-forward figure with room to grow and develop.
Cagliari'sRobertoPiccolicelebrates scoring their first goal
On the flip side, Wilson has been deep in the twilight of his playing days for some time now.
Worryingly, Jamie Carragher way back in 2023 had highlighted that the Premier League regular had just “not been the same” amid concerns about his sluggish displays for the Magpies. Wilson himself has even been critical of his drop-off in form, too, having noted the 2024/25 season as being “one of my worst.”
Newcastle striker Callum Wilson
That has now culminated in him drawing consistent blanks, with West Ham far better placed to go after the services of Piccoli, over hoping that the 33-year-old reaches his peak again.
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Manchester United supporters had their first chance to see Matheus Cunha in action for the club in their friendly clash with Leeds United on Saturday.
The Red Devils were held to a 0-0 draw by the Championship champions, who will be in the Premier League next season, and the Brazil international started the match.
Matheus Cunha
Cunha played the opening 45 minutes of the match, as one of the two number tens behind Chido Obi Martin, before being replaced by Mason Mount at the break.
In those 45 minutes, the former Wolverhampton Wanderers man completed 92% of his attempted passes for the Red Devils, but failed to create any chances or register a shot on goal.
Manchester United manager RubenAmorimtalks to the fans after the match
These games are largely about building up fitness for Ruben Amorim’s side, though, and United supporters will know that there is not too much you can read into that performance, as it was his first outing in pre-season after playing for Brazil over the summer.
The exciting forward is already a proven Premier League performer who has been there and done it with Wolves in the division, which suggests that he will be fine when the real action gets underway.
What Matheus Cunha will bring to Man Utd
Amorim will be hoping that Cunha will provide a huge threat at the top end of the pitch as both a scorer and a creator of goals, whether that is as a number ten or as a centre-forward, as he has played in both positions in his career.
Cunha produced an impressive return of 17 goals and six assists in all competitions for the Old Gold in the 2024/25 campaign, whilst he was unfortunate to only register six assists based on the quality of chances that the forward created.
The former Atletico Madrid starlet created 13 ‘big chances’ for his teammates in the Premier League, but his teammates only managed to find the back of the net six times. This suggests that wasteful finishing from his fellow forwards let him down in that respect.
Appearances
32
33
xG
9.49
8.63
Goals
12
15
Big chances created
7
13
Key passes per game
0.9
1.8
Assists
7
6
As you can see in the table above, Cunha also scored 27 goals in the Premier League in the last two seasons, which shows that he knows how to find the back of the net on his own, outperforming his xG in both campaigns.
The 26-year-old attacker, therefore, is likely to bring goals and assists to the United team next season, given that he has already proven his quality in the division and could hit the ground running without having to adapt to the league.
It remains to be seen who the club’s first-choice number nine will be, though, and the Red Devils are reportedly interested in a Premier League striker who could be lethal with Cunha.
Man Utd hold talks to sign Premier League striker
According to BBC Sport journalist Nizaar Kinsella, Chelsea centre-forward Nicolas Jackson is a potential signing that Manchester United could make before the end of the summer transfer window.
The reporter claims that the Premier League giants have “held talks” with the player’s agent about a possible transfer for the Senegal international, who is facing increased competition for his place at Stamford Bridge.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Chelsea have signed Liam Delap and Joao Pedro to bolster their number nine options ahead of next season, which could open the door for United to swoop in for his services.
Kinsella adds that the club will have to do “a lot” in terms of outgoings before being able to pursue a deal for Jackson, but that it is a move that could happen in the “right circumstances”.
The BBC reporter does not reveal how much Chelsea would want for the 24-year-old number nine, but it has previously been reported that the Blues value him at up to £100m.
Why Man Utd should sign Nicolas Jackson
If the Red Devils can reach an agreement with Chelsea for a fee that works for all parties, United should push to bring Jackson to Old Trafford because he could be lethal alongside Cunha.
Jackson is far from the perfect centre-forward, and that is to be expected at the age of 24, but he is a player who has scored goals at a respectable rate during his time in England.
A haul of 30 goals and 11 assists in his first two years in English football in all competitions is nothing to be sniffed at. He has shown that he can make a big impact in front of goal, but it is his consistency that needs work.
It is hardly a secret that the Senegal international is not a world-class finisher who is going to score week-in-week-out without getting regular service from creative midfielders, which is why he could be lethal alongside Cunha.
As aforementioned, the Brazil international has showcased his creative quality in the Premier League during his time with Wolves, which suggests that he has the ability to consistently create ‘big chances’ for Jackson to find the back of the net.
Appearances
35
30
xG
18.64
12.34
Goals
14
10
Minutes per goal
200
224
Big chances created
8
6
Assists
5
5
As you can see in the table above, the Chelsea striker has hit double figures for goals in both of his seasons in the top-flight, but he has also underperformed his xG both times.
This shows that Jackson, who was hailed as “unbelievable” by Peter Crouch, does have the quality to score goals on a regular basis, whilst also creating high-quality opportunities for his teammates, but he needs plenty of service to do so.
Wolverhampton Wanderers'MatheusCunha
That is why he could be lethal alongside Cunha in the final third for United because the Brazilian magician has the creative quality to provide Jackson with the chances that he needs to score regularly.
Overall, whilst the Chelsea forward may not be the perfect option, given his finishing issues, he is a Premier League proven goalscorer who could come in to hit the ground running alongside Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo.
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Nissanka’s calm century delivered a consolation victory for the visitors inside four days
Valkerie Baynes09-Sep-2024
Angelo Mathews and Pathum Nissanka secured Sri Lanka’s win in the Oval Test•Getty Images
“Too soon!” That was the mood as autumnal conditions enveloped an Oval ground which, it felt like only yesterday, had hosted a packed-out Men’s Hundred eliminator tie in stunning summer twilight, T-shirts, shorts and sunglasses everywhere in the stands.But as a crowd of 9,860 raided the back of their wardrobes for more suitable attire and turned up on a chilly Monday morning to see Sri Lanka overhaul a target of 219 and claim a consolation victory over England, the mood among those clad all in white was more like: “Finally!”Related
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It had all come together at last for the tourists, albeit too late when they were 2-0 down. The eventual 2-1 series scoreline didn’t matter though to Pathum Nissanka, whose calm century delivered victory inside four days and could well have cemented his place in Sri Lanka’s top order after two years in the wilderness.It took Sri Lanka 25.3 overs on the fourth day to complete their first Test win in England since 2014, their speed entitling spectators to a 50% refund on their tickets. The visitors resumed on 94 for 1 and needing 125 more. Nissanka’s unbeaten 127 off 124 balls built on his first-innings 64 and saw his side home by eight wickets.There was also a hint of relief that this match was over and done with for an England side that had dropped their bundle in the second innings and proved far from potent on the final morning when they managed to extract just one of the nine wickets they still needed after Chris Woakes’ return catch had removed Dimuth Karunaratne cheaply the previous evening.Bear in mind that no matter what the weather says, “summer” is far from over for England’s white-ball players who have a series looming against Australia from Wednesday, only the magnitude of Sri Lanka’s victory ensuring a gap of more than 48 hours in between.Gus Atkinson, who is nursing a thigh problem which kept him out of the attack for the second half of Sri Lanka’s first innings on Sunday, took the only other wicket to fall.He gingerly jogged halfway to Shoaib Bashir, who made up the rest of the ground from fine leg where he had taken an excellent catch running in and diving full-stretch to his left to remove Kusal Mendis for a brisk 39 in the fifth over of the day.But Nissanka, supported by Angelo Mathews, kept at Sri Lanka’s task in impressive time. He moved to 95 by threading a Woakes delivery that was too short and too wide behind point and raised his century running three with a neat cut off Atkinson to deep point.Nissanka soaked up the applause with arms spread wide and a warm bear-hug from Mathews, marking his second ton from 10 Tests, although this was only his second match in the format since mid-2022.Pathum Nissanka brought up a century•Getty Images
After bringing up the milestone, Nissanka clobbered an Olly Stone short ball over the fence at deep backward square and, two balls later, he saw Bashir spill his ramp to deep third.A facsimile six from Nissanka off Stone’s next over took Sri Lanka past the 200 mark and, fittingly, he hit the winning runs cutting Bashir to the boundary at deep backward point.The win was emphatic but followed a see-sawing contest which Sri Lanka’s bowlers seized control of on the third day.After missing a trick in favourable conditions on Friday, their seamers bundled England out for 156 in their second innings, Lahiru Kumara and Vishwa Fernando particularly effective against a home side kept afloat only by Jamie Smith’s thunderous half-century.They may want to forget it, but England will also have to examine their first-innings collapse from 261 for 3 to 325 all out.Meanwhile, this is a victory Sri Lanka will remember long after the boys of summer have – finally – gone.
Mikaela Greig named in squad of 16, Lea Tahuhu to join for T20Is after second child is born
ESPNcricinfo staff05-Jun-2024
Lauren Down pushes one towards mid-on•Getty Images
Lauren Down is back from maternity leave and will tour England with New Zealand’s ODI squad later this month.Down, who has played 28 ODIs and 13 T20Is, last travelled with the White Ferns as part of their squad for the 2023 T20 World Cup in South Africa before taking a break from cricket to become a first-time mother.”We’re really pleased to have Lauren back,” Ben Sawyer, White Ferns head coach, said. “She’s been working hard over the past four months to get herself into a position where she feels confident to play, and this tour feels like the right time to bring her back into the fold.”Related
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Down is joined by fellow middle-order batter Mikaela Greig as part of a 16-strong touring party named ahead of three ODIs and five T20Is against England starting in Durham on June 26.Greig’s selection follows her international debut in March when she was called up from the New Zealand A squad and featured in the first T20I against England in Dunedin, where she was run out for a duck.Pace bowler Rosemary Mair has been ruled out of the trip by back pain which excluded her from New Zealand’s home ODI series against England in April.Seamer Lea Tahuhu will remain in New Zealand for the birth of her second child and join the squad for the T20I series starting in Southampton on July 6.Off-spinner Leigh Kasperek will also link up with the squad for the T20I leg.Molly Penfold returns as a seam bowling option following strong performances against England A in March, when she finished as the team’s second-highest wicket-taker behind Hayley Jensen.Getty Images
Jensen was not considered for selection as she continues rehabilitation for a calf injury sustained during the New Zealand A series but the rest of the senior squad is unchanged from that which hosted England earlier this year.Sawyer said recalling Down and Greig was in indication of long-term planning for pinnacle events ahead of the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in October and the 50-over tournament in India next year.”Every series is an opportunity to test what our best playing XI looks like, and with T20 and one-day World Cups looming it will be good to see where Lauren and Mikaela could fit in,” he said. “The players have spent the past six weeks training incredibly hard and we’ve been ticking all the boxes that we can to get ready.”England won their T20I series in New Zealand 4-1 and won the ODIs 2-1.”When we faced England at home we didn’t get the results we were after but we did see gutsy performances from a range of players, which was really promising,” Sawyer added. “Anytime you play a world-class team like England in their own backyard it’s going to be a challenge. But with the work that’s been put in, we’ve got ourselves into the best position possible to succeed.”Sawyer will be assisted on the tour by batting coach Dean Brownlie and tour coach Gareth Davies, who is also head coach for Loughborough Women and Worcestershire CCC Women as well as an assistant coach for Birmingham Phoenix Women.New Zealand squad: Sophie Devine (capt), Suzie Bates, Eden Carson, Lauren Down (ODI), Izzy Gaze, Maddy Green, Mikaela Greig, Brooke Halliday, Fran Jonas, Leigh Kasperek (T20I), Jess Kerr, Melie Kerr, Molly Penfold, Georgia Plimmer, Hannah Rowe, Lea Tahuhu (T20I)
Tottenham Hotspur need to reinforce multiple areas of the squad this summer, especially in preparation for their first campaign back in the Champions League since Antonio Conte’s time in charge.
Tottenham plan transfers now that Ange's fate is sealed
Before their triumph against Man United in the Europa League final, trusted media sources like The Telegraph reported that the north Londoners were set for a ‘sell to buy’ summer.
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However, after Ange Postecoglou ended the club’s 17-year wait for a piece of silverware and secured Tottenham their first European trophy since 1984, things are looking a lot more positive in the transfer market.
Son Heung-min
7.00
James Maddison
6.98
Pedro Porro
6.95
Dominic Solanke
6.84
Dejan Kulusevski
6.83
via WhoScored
Unfortunately for Postecoglou, this wasn’t enough for the Australian to keep his job, with Spurs announcing on Friday afternoon that they’ve decided to part company.
His parting gift to supporters was an historic night in Bilbao and an undoubted boost when it comes to their club’s transfer activity, even if Postecoglou himself won’t be around to bear the fruits of his labor after a torrid domestic campaign.
Spurs actually have a lot of wiggle room when it comes to PSR, which was with or without Champions League qualification. The Athletic even suggested recently that chairman Daniel Levy could spend £200 million this summer and still be in line with financial regulations.
The issue actually lies in whether they have the cash to pull off mega-money investment into the squad, but with their Champions League status now confirmed, Spurs are set for a much more “comfortable” summer with the incoming cash-flow from competing in Europe’s most prestigious competition.
Sky Sports recently claimed that Tottenham will prioritise the signing of a new forward and midfielder, if Cristian Romero stays. But, if the Argentine does end up leaving, most likely to Atletico Madrid, their need for a centre-back will suddenly increase ten-fold.
The Lilywhites have identified targets in the event Romero does depart N17, with Genoa defender Koni de Winter attracting interest from Tottenham as one option, according to some reports in Italy.
Another very intriguing possibility is a deal for Inter Milan defender Yann Bisseck.
Inter Milan's YannBisseckin action with AC Milan's Theo Hernande
The Germany international was a regular under former Inter boss Simone Inzaghi last season, playing 46 matches in all competitions, and featured in almost all of their Champions League matches en route to their final defeat against PSG.
Tottenham have been pushing to sign Inter Milan defender Yann Bisseck
According to a report in Italian newspaper Tuttosport, via Calciomercato.it, the 24-year-old is “increasingly close” to leaving San Siro.
Inter Milan defender Yann Bisseck
The prospect of him following Inzaghi out of the door is a very realistic one, and they claim that Tottenham have been pushing hard to sign Bisseck this summer given his availability.
They also moot the hint at the potential for a player exchange, with the Nerazzurri said to hold a serious interest in Radu Dragusin, although this is just a “hypothesis” with no real movement on that possibility just yet.
He would be affordable from Levy’s perspective, as other Serie A reports suggest Inter have set an asking price of around £34 million. Bisseck has been called a “diamond” by members of the Italian media, with the Bundesliga’s official website also comparing him to Micky van de Ven.
“He’s also making a name for himself with the way he’s playing,” said Inzaghi about Bisseck. “My technical staff and I have faith in him. He must continue to work in this way.”
Chelsea have certainly had their issues in front of goal this season. Whilst the Blues are up there with some of the top scorers in the Premier League, finding the back of the net on 63 occasions, they have certainly left a little to be desired at times.
As per Understat, they are grossly underachieving on their expected goals tally. Enzo Maresca’s side have an expected goals of 70.51xG, meaning they are over eight goals behind where they should be this term. Amongst the sides with 60 or more goals, they are the sides underachieving gon their expected goals the most.
Christopher Nkunku for Chelsea.
Well, perhaps one reason why they have struggled of late could be the form of Cole Palmer.
Palmer’s recent form for Chelsea
Despite Jamie Carragher describing Palmer as “the best player in the Premier League” back in October, it has been a lean few months of form for the England international.
He has certainly seen a drop-off in the number of goals and assists in recent weeks.
This term has, overall, been fruitful for Palmer once again, from a goals and assists point of view. He’s managed 24 of them combined in total, having featured in 36 games for the Blues in the Premier League.
However, the 22-year-old did go on a lengthy goal drought recently. He actually went 12 games without a goal, picking up just three assists in that time, too. He ended the run with a penalty against Liverpool in a 3-1 win.
Palmer’s goal drought surely impacted Chelsea’s struggles in front of goal, but perhaps so did the fact that goals were tough to come by from elsewhere, too. As per Sofascore, Nicolas Jackson is the only other person in double figures for goals this season.
Chelsea'sColePalmerreacts
Given Palmer has created 23 big chances, it certainly seems like they need another presence up front to make their talisman unplayable once again. They have recently been linked with someone who could provide the answer to their struggles.
The signing who can help solve Chelsea’s goal drought
So, it really does seem like the Blues need a number nine to help put the ball into the back of the net more often. Well, as reported by BBC Sports’ Nizaar Kinsella earlier this week, a move for one of the most heavily-linked forwards, Victor Osimhen, ‘isn’t being ruled out at this stage’.
Galatasaray's VictorOsimhencelebrates scoring a goal that was later disallowed
The striker, who was valued at £64m by Tuttosport last month, might be just the man Chelsea need to fix their issues in front of goal. He is currently enjoying a successful season in front of goal for Galatasaray, where he is on loan from Napoli.
This term, the Nigerian international has managed a remarkable 33 goals in 38 games for the Turkish club, with six of those coming in seven Europa League appearances. That included two strikes against Chelsea’s London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the group stage.
The 26-year-old certainly has an eye for goal, which was also the case throughout his Napoli career. He bagged 76 goals in that famous Blue shirt of Gli Azzurri, coming in just 133 games. The Scudetto-winning season of 2022/23 saw him find the back of the net 26 times in 32 games.
Osimhen’s underlying numbers from the last 365 days, courtesy of FBref, show just why he can help Chelsea score more goals and take Palmer to even greater heights, given all the chances he creates. For example, the striker averages 0.88 goals per game, which ranks him in the top 4% of strikers in Europe.
Osimhen key stats in last 365 days
Stat (per 90)
Number
Percentile
Goals
0.88
96th
Shots on target
3.36
99th
Expected goals
1.27xG
99th
Shot-creating actions
3.65
94th
Aerials won
4.24
91st
Stats from FBref
There is no doubt that, whilst the £64m reportedly needed to sign Osimhen is a big investment, it might be a necessary one for the Blues. Palmer is a chance-creation machine, and with the striker’s record and excellent underlying stats, he could be the guy to make him reach even greater heights, getting on the end of all the opportunities he creates.
This seems like a deal that Chelsea need to get done before anyone else can beat them to it. As Statman Dave said, he is “the best striker on the market” at the moment, and the Blues simply can’t miss out.
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This summer feels like it will have to be another one of significant change for Tottenham Hotspur.
Following a campaign that seems to go from bad to worse on a near-weekly basis, the pressure continues to mount on Ange Postecoglou, and it seems like he is on the precipice of losing his job.
However, it’s not just the staff that could change, as Daniel Levy and Co have to look to bring in some first-team quality players and shift those deemed surplus to requirements.
Tottenham Hotspur chairmanDanielLevybefore the match
In fact, there is one player who was signed by Antonio Conte, who has cost the club a significant amount of money over the years and simply has to be sold.
Spurs players who should be moved on
Before we get to the player in question, it’s worth examining some of the other members of the squad who should be moved on or sold in the summer, such as Yves Bissouma.
Tottenham Hotspur's YvesBissoumareacts after being substituted
The Mali international kicked off the season by getting banned for using laughing gas, and while he hasn’t done anything like that since, he has been incredibly disappointing when he’s played.
For example, when he started against Fulham before the international break, he was hooked at half-time and earned a 3/10 match rating from journalist Alasdair Gold, who described his display as ‘dreadful’ and ‘panicked’, which is not what you want from your central midfielders.
Another player signed in the same window who has to be sold or simply let go is Richarlison, who cost £60m, earns £90k-per-week and is never fit enough to play for the team.
In the almost three years since he moved to N17, the Brazilian international has made 80 appearances, in which he’s only been able to score 18 goals and provide nine assists.
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Unfortunately, there is yet another Conte signing who should be sold in the summer, someone who can be a serious liability at times.
The Spurs dud who must be sold
So, when it comes down to players who could be described as expensive mistakes, there are, unfortunately, quite a few at Spurs, but in this case, we are talking about Pedro Porro.
The Spanish full-back joined the club on loan with a £40m obligation to buy in January 2023, and to start with, there was a lot to like about him.
For example, in his first season and a half at the club, the former Sporting CP star racked up a brilliant haul of seven goals and ten assists in 54 appearances and looked like he could become the club’s own Trent Alexander Arnold thanks to his ability to whip a ball in.
Unfortunately, this season has seen his output drop to just two goals and seven assists in 42 appearances, and that has shone far more light on his defensive ability, or lack thereof, more accurately.
The Don Benito-born ace is a complete liability at the back, and we have seen that on multiple occasions.
For example, the time Leandro Trossard completely embarrassed him at the Emirates, his abysmal performance at home to Ipswich Town, which journalist Mitch Fretton described as a “horror show,” or his “absolutely terrible” showing at home to Bournemouth, as one podcaster put it.
What makes it all that much worse is the fact that he’s also making £85k-per-week, which means he’s amassed around £9.6m in wages so far, which means he’s cost the club about £49.6m in total.
The Finances of Porro’s Spurs deal
Transfer fee
£40m
Total Wages
£9.6m
Appearances
96
Cost per Appearance
£516k
Goal
9
Cost per Goal
£5.5m
Assists
17
Cost per Assist
£2.9m
Goal Involvements
26
Cost per Goal Involvement
£1.9m
All Stats via Transfermarkt
That breaks down to about £516k-per-appearance, £5.5m-per-goal, £2.9m-per-assist or £1.9m-per-goal involvement, which is hardly value for money.
Ultimately, while Porro showed some initial promise at Spurs, he has since become a total liability in defence, and therefore, the club should look to sell him as soon as possible.
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Victoria, Western Australia and South Australia came away with victories as the selectors watched closely
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Openers stall
You may have noticed, but Australia’s specialist openers are not banging down the door. Marcus Harris dug in for two hours at the MCG but was then undone by Mitchell Starc. Cameron Bancroft’s nightmare start to the season continued and his returns now read 0, 0, 8 and 2 – three times caught behind nibbling outside off then top-edging to fine leg. Matt Renshaw collected 2 and 21 against South Australia. Sam Konstas showed some promising signs in the second innings against Victoria before giving it away against Todd Murphy. It’s hard to know who, if anyone, is leading the race.Related
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Labuschagne: 'Anyone's guess' who will open, but Smith at No. 4 'pretty simple fix'
Steven Smith’s lean outing
We know he’s moving back to No. 4, but Steven Smith cut a frustrated figure at the MCG. Caught down the leg side off Fergus O’Neill in the first innings he was then less-than-impressed by the lbw decision against Scott Boland although there didn’t seem much wrong with it. “I actually felt pretty good out there, to be honest, for the 3 that I scored,” he said with a hint of a smile after the first innings. It now seems likely that the rest of Smith’s build-up to India will be against the white-ball with a One-Day Cup match against Victoria then the ODI series against Pakistan.
The McSweeney solution
Nathan McSweeney has made an excellent start to the season – scores of 55, 127 not out, 37 and 72 – to build on his success of last summer when runs were hard to come. He is certainly in the mix for Test selection; beyond who opens there will also need to be a spare batter in the squad. Despite the quick abort of Smith opening, there is a world where the selectors again go down the route of non-specialist which could open a space for McSweeney in the XI. He captains Australia A next week against India A.Nathan McSweeney has started the season strongly•Getty Images
Keepers flying
Might Australia’s most in-form player heading into the Test summer be their No. 7? Alex Carey is churning out the runs following his successful return to the ODI side in England last month. He has now crunched two centuries and a 90 in four innings this season. Remember he also finished the New Zealand series in March with an unbeaten 98. Talk about his form feels a long time ago. But he’s not the only gloveman in fine fettle.Josh Inglis has played superbly for Western Australia and, like Carey, has two hundreds in two matches. If you were looking at the best six or seven batters on form, he’d be there. There is recent precedent for Australia playing two wicketkeepers in their Test side: Matthew Wade featured alongside Tim Paine from 2019 to 2021, including during India’s last visit when he also opened the batting for two Tests.Josh Philippe (45 not out and 88) also continued his impressive start to the season on a tricky MCG pitch after the move to New South Wales and Jimmy Peirson (94) led a Queensland fight back against South Australia. Both are in the Australia A squad.
Starc looking good
Now, this looked encouraging. Mitchell Starc hit his straps at the MCG, finding swing at high pace. He could easily have had more than one wicket in the first innings then collected six in the second, although it wasn’t enough to turn things around for NSW. However, he produced some crackerjack deliveries and was gliding smoothly to the crease in his first red-ball outing since March. “Wickets aside, I think the rhythm was there,” Starc said. “I felt probably the best I have felt for a while actually. Across the two innings, it feels like it’s in a good spot.” In the last series at home against India he averaged 40.72 so will hope to improve on those numbers.Alex Carey has been prolific early in the summer•Getty Images
The ones we aren’t talking about (much) – Khawaja, Labuschagne, Marsh, Lyon
It’s easy to forget, given all the chatter, that most of Australia’s squad for the first Test is locked in. It was a relatively lean week for Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne (who is bowling a lot of medium-pace bouncers) although the pair made runs in the opening round. Mitchell Marsh fell cheaply twice against Tasmania and didn’t return to the bowling crease as he had previously suggested he would. Nathan Lyon got through another 41 overs of work against Victoria. In the same game, Boland finished with the fewest wickets of the home side’s quicks (three) but was shaking off the early-season rust nicely. His around-the-wicket spell to Nic Maddinson was classy. His likely challenger as the back-up Test quick, Michael Neser, picked up four wickets against South Australia while Sean Abbott produced a reminder that he should remain in the conversation. Nathan McAndrew may not be a million miles away, either.
What’s next?
Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood will feature for NSW in the One-Day Cup match against Victoria on Friday. Then the focus turns to the first Australia A vs India A match in Mackay which begins on October 31 and runs concurrently with the next round of Shield. Konstas, Harris, Bancroft and McSweeney are in the Australia A squad as is allrounder Beau Webster. Boland and Neser will also suit up in one of the matches. Of those left in Shield cricket, Renshaw and Maddinson will be in action in Sydney as NSW face Queensland. Lyon is expected to play that game, too, as his last outing before the Test series.
Takeaways from the six matches that India played against New Zealand and Sri Lanka this month
Deivarayan Muthu25-Jan-20232:10
Takeaways for India: Malik, Gill stand out but Kishan underperforms
.Siraj leads the attack in Bumrah’s absenceMohammed Siraj has cemented his position as one of India’s premier fast bowlers – with or without Jasprit Bumrah. When there is juice in the pitch, he gets the new ball to swing and seam, and when there isn’t, he unleashes his wobble-seam variation which has proven even harder to handle. His 14 wickets in five ODIs against Sri Lanka and New Zealand even helped rise to No.1 on the ODI bowlers rankings.”The more cricket he [Siraj] has played, he has become better in terms of understanding his bowling,” India captain Rohit Sharma said. “In this game it’s about understanding what you can do, what is your ability, the moment you understand that you can be more effective for the team… Siraj has exactly done that in last couple of years that he has played whichever format be it. He has done really well, he understands what the team is expecting from him: to come and take the new ball, swing the ball, get early wickets, in the middle overs.”3:45
Rohit on Gill: ‘He has great maturity, the way he thinks about and approaches the game’
Gill locks in his opening spotBefore the start of India’s home season, there were questions around Shubman Gill’s place at the top because an ODI double-centurion had to make way for him. Now he himself is an ODI double-centurion, the youngest in the history of the format. His coming of age was always on the cards but nobody expected this.”Honestly, the way he was batting in this series, [and] even before the series, I don’t think much needs to be told [to him],” Rohit said. “He understands his game very well, he paces his innings very well. That is what you want in one-day cricket, you want big [scores], you want to go deep into the game. He has shown it, he has got big hundreds, no matter how flat the pitch is to get a double-hundred is not easy. It shows he was calculative and he understood [that] he needs to bat deep. The set batsman needs to bat as long as possible. That is what the reason we got 350-plus total in that game. He has got great maturity in the way he thinks about the game and the way he approaches the game. That is all I can say. I have not had played lot of cricket with him but from the first time I saw him in Australia in Test series, we all know how he batted at that Test match at the Gabba.”3:05
Can Thakur be India’s third seamer at the World Cup?
Thakur is back and how!After being left out of the side for the Sri Lanka ODIs, Shardul Thakur proved his all-round value against New Zealand, strengthening his case to be India’s No. 8 at the World Cup. In the first ODI, Michael Bracewell gave India an almighty scare by taking New Zealand from 131 for 6 to within two sixes of levelling their score (349). And it was Thakur who closed that game out by trapping Bracewell with a dipping yorker. Then, in the third ODI, on a ground with 60m boundaries on all sides, Thakur proved the difference between the two sides by breaking the back of New Zealand’s middle order all in the space of 10 balls.”He has got the knack of taking wickets at crucial times for us,” Rohit said. “We have seen it, not just in ODI cricket but also in Test cricket. There are so many instances that I remember [when] there is a partnership building from the opposition and he came in and got us through. He is very critical to us, we know where we stand as a team, what he brings to us is very critical. I just hope that he keeps putting up performances like this and it will only do good for the team.”He is very smart, he has played lot of domestic cricket, he has come up through the ranks, and he understands what needs to be done. In this format you need to use your skill and Shardul definitely has some skills. He has a good knuckle ball; he bowled it to Tom Latham today, that was nicely planned in the middle by few players and I was not included in that (laughs). It was Virat, Hadik and Shardul; so it was a good plan. At the end of the day, if a plan works for the team, we all are happy.”1:08
Jaffer pleased with India’s aggressive batting approach
India rack up dew-proof totalsIndia batted first in four of the six ODIs against Sri Lanka and New Zealand, piling up totals of 373 for 7, 390 for 5, 349 for 8 and 385 for 9. Wary of the effect of dew later in the evening, they showed greater attacking enterprise to combat the conditions.Rohit himself has been at the forefront of India’s new, gung-ho ODI approach by going much faster and harder in the powerplay. “If you see, we have scored perhaps four times in excess of 350 in these six games, so it tells you that we want to play with a specific approach,” he said. “When you want to achieve all of those things, you are definitely not going to look at those numbers. Even if you are on 99 and if the ball is there, you should go for it. That’s the kind of message, thought-process and the mindset I want the guys to have. It’s important to play fearless cricket but at the same time, you need to show smartness. You cannot heave wildly. We need to be smart and at the same time not be afraid of taking risk.”It is going to be Yuzvendra Chahal vs Kuldeep Yadav from now on•BCCIKuldeep keeps himself in World Cup mixAfter Yuzvendra Chahal suffered a shoulder injury during the ODI series against Sri Lanka, Kuldeep Yadav stepped off the bench and put in a Player-of-the-Match performance at Eden Gardens. The left-arm wristspinner’s 3 for 15 restricted Sri Lanka to 215 and served a reminder that he could still cut it in ODI cricket.In the absence of Chahal, Kuldeep also had his moments in the first two ODIs against New Zealand before the duo were reunited for the third match in Indore. Despite the tiny boundaries there and dew making it hard to grip the ball, Kuldeep kept creating opportunities for India and kept beating the New Zealand batters in the air.The third ODI was a rare instance of India fitting both the wristspinners in their XI and testing them out in tough conditions. With the team set to play at least one fingerspin-bowling allrounder in the World Cup, the narrative will shift to Kuldeep vs Chahal once again during the three-match ODI series against Australia in March.