تحدث محمد الشناوي، حارس مرمى الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالنادي الأهلي، عن التعادل السلبي في مباراة اليوم أمام إنتر ميامي، التي جمعت بينهما ضمن منافسات بطولة كأس العالم للأندية.
والتقى الأهلي مع إنتر ميامي، على ملعب “هارد روك”، في إطار مباريات الجولة الأولى للمجموعة الأولى من بطولة كأس العالم للأندية.
وقال محمد الشناوي في تصريحات عبر قناة “إم بي سي مصر”: “أهدرنا فرصًا كثيرة خاصةً في الشوط الأول وكان هناك سيطرة كبيرة، ونحن نعلم أننا لم نستغل تلك الفرص في ترجمتها إلى أهداف”.
طالع أيضاً.. عبد الحفيظ: الشناوي أنقذ الأهلي من إنتر ميامي.. ولن نلوم تريزيجيه
وأتم: “فريق إنتر ميامي لديه نجوم كبار، بالنسبة لنا كل المباريات في البطولة كبيرة، وغدًا سنستعد للمباراة القادمة أمام بالميراس، فهو منافس قوي ونعرفه جيداً وواجهناه مرتين من قبل”.
ومن المقرر أن يلتقي الأهلي مع بالميراس البرازيلي، في مباراته القادمة ضمن مواجهات الجولة الثانية من عمر بطولة كأس العالم للأندية 2025، يوم 19 يونيو الجاري.
Pat Cummins won’t reveal the make up of his team until the toss in Nagpur
Alex Malcolm08-Feb-20231:38
Cummins explains the difficulty of winning in India
Pat Cummins says he won’t reveal Australia’s first Test XI until the toss on Thursday, but Todd Murphy is firming to make his Test debut, while Peter Handscomb’s chances of a Test recall are increasing as Australia are wary of the problems too many left-hand batters might face on a made-to-order Nagpur pitch.The ground staff at the VCA Stadium were seen carefully curating the pitch two days before the start of the match, including doing selective watering of the surface. They watered the middle of the pitch and the areas outside the right-handers’ off stump at one end, but left those on a good length outside the left-handers’ off stump at both ends bone dry. There was also brushing and selective mowing of certain areas.Speaking from the team hotel on Wednesday morning, Cummins, the Australia captain, was not drawn into a discussion on pitch preparation, but did note that it would be a factor in Australia’s selection for the match.Related
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“I think it is a factor over here,” he said. “With so much traffic from the right-handers bowling, at times there is a bit more out there for the left-handers. The Indian line-up is going to be packed full of right-handers, so I think it plays a small factor.”Cummins ruled allrounder Cameron Green out of the series opener against India. Matt Renshaw had taken his place in Australia’s last Test match, but keeping him in for this one would mean five left-hand batters in the top seven having to deal with the bone-dry area of the pitch that is likely to get chewed up, as both teams have only right-arm quicks in their attack. While Cummins did not explicitly say that put Handscomb ahead in the pecking order, the chances of his recall seem to be increasing.Australia are set to play a four-man bowling attack with Cummins and Scott Boland to play as the two quicks in the absence of the injured duo of Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc. Nathan Lyon will be their lead spinner. That leaves left-arm spinner Ashton Agar and offspinner Todd Murphy fighting for the last spot in the XI.1:11
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“I think he’d be as prepared as he could be,” Cummins said of the uncapped Murphy. “He’s been bowling beautifully in the nets over here. He’s started really well for Victoria in first-class cricket. If he got the nod, he’s got Nathan Lyon down the other end that he can work with; he’s ready. Everyone in the squad here has had really good preparation. Whoever we pick is 100% ready to go.”The fear of playing two specialist offspinners – and leaving Agar out – against India’s right-hand dominant batting line-up may have dissipated within the Australian camp after seeing the pitch on Tuesday.”It’s a factor. These conditions, they really spin, so just really good bowling is what you’re after, being consistent time and time again,” Cummins said. “I don’t think you need to go searching for anything more; the conditions will come to you.”You’ve seen Nath be really, really effective over here [with] a lot of bat-pad, leg-slip catches for the right-handers. So ideally, you’ve got variety in any attack, but I don’t think it has to be the case just for that sake.”Cummins has had an incredible record of winning tosses as Australia Test captain, with seven of his last eight and nine of 13 overall so far falling in his favour. He is hoping to keep that run of success going in Nagpur, but believes the toss may not be as big a factor if the pitch is a raging turner.”I think we’ll bat,” Cummins laughed. “I think when the conditions spin from day one, it’s actually not. I think you’ve seen India’s record. They win just as many games batting second as they do batting first. I think it can be overstated when the conditions do spin really quickly.”
As Newcastle United get set to face Liverpool in the League Cup final, the Magpies will likely be missing a few key players.
Anthony Gordon is suspended for the game after being sent off against Brighton and Hove Albion, while Lewis Hall will miss the rest of the season having suffered a foot injury against Liverpool in February.
The long-term loss of the full-back, in particular, will provide a real headache for manager Eddie Howe…
Lewis Hall's major injury blow
Hall featured in all but one of Newcastle’s matches this season before the foot injury sidelined him until the 2025/26 campaign.
Lewis Hall in action vs Man City's Savinho
The 20-year-old was one of the most consistent performers in the Premier League for the Magpies this term. Indeed, he created five big chances, averaging 1.3 key passes per game while succeeding with 61% of his dribble attempts, proving to be a key component of the side going forward.
The youngster also won 54% of his total duels per game and made 2.1 tackles each match for the club in the top flight, and he will be a huge miss for Howe.
Matt Targett is the obvious replacement for him at left-back, but did Howe sell an upgrade on the 29-year-old during the January transfer window? A player who didn’t really get a chance at the club during the first half of the season.
Newcastle already sold the perfect Hall replacement
Targett has played just four times for the Toon this term, with only one of those coming in the Premier League.
Due to Hall’s injury, however, he could find himself slotted into the starting XI between now and the end of the campaign.
Matt Targett
Injury issues plagued him last season too, playing just seven games for the St James’ Park side in all competitions.
Howe allowed Lloyd Kelly to move to Juventus in January on an initial loan deal, before the Serie A club have an obligation to pay £20m to make the deal permanent this summer.
Kelly made just 14 appearances for the Toon before leaving, but he has already played six times for Juventus.
Hailed by former manager Gary O’Neil as “incredible”, the English defender can either play centre-back or left-back and would have solved the crisis Howe is now undergoing by slotting into the space vacated by Hall.
Lloyd Kelly’s PL statistics for Newcastle (Per 90)
Accurate passes
13.4
Tackles
0.5
Total duels won
1.8
Interceptions
0.1
Ball recoveries
1.9
Touches
22.9
Via Sofascore
Across his three Serie A games for the Italian giants, Kelly has averaged a pass success rate of 88%, while keeping two clean sheets, recovering four balls per game and winning 4.7 total duels per game.
An impressive array of statistics given he was thrown into the deep end in Serie A. Howe must regret moving him on during the winter window, although he wasn’t expecting Hall to miss the remainder of the season due to injury.
Targett must now come into the side and perform well, especially if Newcastle want to stand any chance of winning the League Cup, claiming their first major domestic honour in nearly 70 years in the process.
Forget Osula: Newcastle's 19-year-old starlet can spell the end for Wilson
Newcastle have an exciting forward pushing for a place in Howe’s squad – and it’s not William Osula.
If recent reports are anything to go by, Manchester United will be seeking out a new centre-forward this summer, with journalist Florian Plettenberg naming the likes of Benjamin Sesko, Viktor Gyokeres and Victor Osimhen among the club’s list of targets.
Not since the days of Robin van Persie have the Red Devils truly acquired a striker at the peak of the powers, with recent years having often seen short-term solutions favoured, bringing in the ageing duo of Cristiano Ronaldo and Edinson Cavani, as well as the shock loan signings of Odion Ighalo and that man, Wout Weghorst.
With only Bruno Fernandes reaching double figures for goals this season in all competitions, a new number nine appears a necessity, albeit with hopes high for teen “goal machine”, Chido Obi to blossom in the years to come, as hailed by analyst Ben Mattinson.
The 17-year-old sensation is yet to score in four substitute appearances for the Red Devils, although with 12 goals to his name in just nine U18 appearances, as per Transfermarkt, it surely won’t be long before the Danish youth international begins to fire at senior level.
The rise of teenage strikers has been a theme of the last decade or so, be it with Marcus Rashford’s emergence in 2016, as well as Anthony Martial’s arrival prior to that.
Anthony Martial's Man Utd record
It is worth noting that the Frenchman has actually outscored both Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund this season in his new surroundings, with the 28-year-old having scored nine goals across all fronts since joining Greek side AEK Athens on a free transfer last summer.
Despite his red-hot form, few will be regretting the decision to let the one-time Monaco man walk away following the expiry of his contract, with Martial – who scored 90 goals in 317 games – having largely been a peripheral figure in his final few seasons at Old Trafford.
Indeed, between the start of the 2020/21 campaign and the end of the 2023/24 season, the mercurial marksman scored just 12 Premier League goals in total, having actually only made five top-flight starts in his final year in Manchester under Erik ten Hag.
Plagued by injuries during Ten Hag’s stint, in particular, the long-serving striker – who was also sent on loan to Sevilla in January 2022 – endured a dismal end to a spell that had started so brightly, with the then-teenager having made an electric start to life in English football back in September 2015.
Signed from Monaco for an initial fee of £36m on deadline day, Martial famously marked his debut with a fine strike at home to rivals Liverpool, a moment etched in United folklore – not least for Martin Tyler’s iconic commentary.
Instantly catapulted into the limelight, the 19-year-old – who also memorably scored in the FA Cup semi-final win over Everton in stoppage time – ended that debut campaign as the club’s top scorer with 17 goals to his name in all competitions.
Further high points would follow over the next few years, including a haul of 17 league goals in 2019/20 during that Covid-impacted campaign, but did it ever really get better than that dazzling first season?
Martial
The fear will be that a similar situation could be occurring with United’s current leading man…
Man Utd may have found their new Martial
A potential part of the problem for Martial following that sparkling 2015/16 campaign was that new boss Jose Mourinho subsequently stripped him of the number nine shirt, instead handing it to summer signing, Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Reports at the time indicated that the £36m man was unimpressed by that decision, with his agent branding the club disrespectful, with Martial instead made the club’s new number 11 under Mourinho – before being reinstated to his prior jersey in 2019.
Such a minor detail may seem insignificant, but it certainly can’t have helped as Martial went on to endure a difficult second season, after scoring just eight times across all fronts, having been largely shunted out onto the left flank.
Selected strikers – Record for Man Utd
Player
Games
Goals
Assists
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
53
29
10
Romelu Lukaku
96
42
12
Odion Ighalo
23
5
1
Edinson Cavani
59
19
6
Cristiano Ronaldo (2nd spell)
54
27
5
Wout Weghorst
31
2
3
Anthony Martial
317
90
46
Rasmus Hojlund
82
24
4
Stats via Transfermarkt
Perhaps, a similar scenario has occurred almost in reverse for young Hojlund, with the 22-year-old – who took on the number 11 shirt upon his £64m signing last summer – now burdened with the number nine jersey and the responsibility of being the main man through the middle.
Much like Martial, the former Atalanta hotshot had enjoyed a promising first year after ending 2023/24 as the top scorer in all competitions with 16 goals, having particularly found his groove in the Champions League after netting five group stage goals.
Equally, in a similar vain to Martial, the towering Dane had caught the eye on debut in a statement clash with Arsenal, having proven a real nuisance for Gabriel and William Saliba, while producing a delightful flick in the build-up to Alejandro Garnacho’s late, disallowed ‘winner’.
Hojlund’s pace and power looked a frightening prospect at the time, with club legend Gary Neville highlighting that “aggressive” first outing from the new arrival, adding to the feeling that he was a “monster in the making”, according to talent scout Jacek Kulig.
Sadly, having fallen down the pecking order at the backend of last season – with Ten Hag opting for a strikerless system in the FA Cup final – Hojlund has again struggled this term, with Sunday’s well-taken strike against Leicester City just his eighth of the campaign.
A return of three league goals – one behind what Martial recorded in 2016/17 – is a grim return indeed, with that latest goal against the Foxes having ended a goal drought that stretched back to mid-December in all competitions.
There have been signs of life of late, not least with his clever assist against Real Sociedad last week, yet Hojlund is showing little consistency to suggest that he can be United’s attacking spearhead for the long term.
Patience, of course, is still needed with such a young talent, although having seen the issue with having a little too much patience in the likes of Martial, the Red Devils may need to get ruthless this summer.
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تحدث المدير الفني لفريق يوفنتوس، إيجور تودور، عن فوزهم في مباراة اليوم ضد الوداد المغربي في بطولة كأس العالم للأندية، نسخة 2025.
وتلاقى الفريقان في خضم منافسات الجولة الثانية من دور مجموعات البطولة، المُقامة حاليًا في أمريكا، وتمكن يوفنتوس من تحقيق الفوز بأربعة أهداف لهدف.
وقال تودور، في تصريحات نشرتها شبكة “فوتبول إيطاليا” منذ قليل: “كانت مباراة مختلفة، كذلك بسبب توقيت انطلاقها وإيقاعها البطيء، استعدوا لنا كذلك، سجلنا مبكرًا وهذا ساعدنا، في كرة القدم لا أحد يعلم، يجب أن تكون دائمًا متيقظًا”.
وأضاف: “أنا لا أهدأ أبدًا، ولا حتى عندما تكون النتيجة 3-1 أو 4-1، أشم رائحة الخطر دائمًا، أهنئ اللاعبين، فوزان جيدان”.
اقرأ أيضًا.. رجل مباراة يوفنتوس والوداد في كأس العالم للأندية
وواصل: “الليلة سيحصلون على أمسية راحة وعشاء في الخارج، لقد استحقوا ذلك، ثم نستعد لمواجهة مانشستر سيتي، إنه تحد كبير”.
وعن الجناح كينان يلدز، الذي تألق في مباراة اليوم وسجل هدفين وحصل على جائزة أفضل لاعب، قال: “هو وحده من يقرر إلى أي مدى يمكنه الوصول”.
واسترسل: “لاعبون مثله نادرون، إن اللعب في الهجوم وإحداث الفارق أثناء الجري كلاعب خط وسط نموذجي هي صفة نادرة، لديه عقلية قوية، لقد رأينا جميعًا قدراته، إنه لاعب ذهبي”.
O Botafogo está perdendo a paciência com o Godoy Cruz-ARG na negociação envolvendo Martín Ojeda. O Alvinegro topou o valor pedido pelo Tomba quanto ao jogador, esperava que, enfim, tudo se desenrolasse para um desfecho positivo, mas viu a equipe argentina continuar segurando o atacante de 23 anos.
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O desejo do Godoy é manter Ojeda até outubro. O Godoy, apesar da boa campanha no Campeonato Argentino nessa temporada, briga contra o rebaixamento porque o sistema de queda por lá é feito com uma média de pontuação nos últimos três anos.
A posição do Botafogo é de que nada tem a ver com isso. No começo, os valores rondavam perto dos 5 milhões de dólares (R$ 27 milhões, na cotação atual), mas já se aproxima dos quase 6 milhões (R$ 32 milhões), valor inicial pedido pelo Godoy – que serão pagos de forma parcelada.
O Alvinegro, que vê Ojeda como um jogador que já chegaria para ser um diferencial na equipe a curto prazo e ainda tem potencial de revenda no médio prazo, entende que é um investimento válido e por isso foi em frente. Mas o Godoy mesmo assim faz jogo duro. A paciência está acabando.
A diretoria do Glorioso promete fazer uma ação emergencial sobre a situação – o famoso “ou vai ou racha”. O desejo dos empresários de Ojeda é que o jogador se transfira para o futebol brasileiro e o estafe do atacante também tentará pesar para que a decisão seja favorável para o clube de General Severiano. Vale lembrar que tempo de contrato e salários já estão acertados com o atleta.
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Se, na teoria, o Botafogo quiser esperar até outubro por Ojeda, o clube só poderia utilizar o argentino na prática a partir do ano que vem. A janela e o tempo de inscrição de jogadores se encerra no fim de agosto.
Essa questão irrita dirigentes internamente e já vem causando dor de cabeça. Inicialmente a estratégia era de adotar paciência, mas o clube já pretende adotar uma postura mais firme. Não há previsão de dar um ‘ultimato’ ou algo neste tom, mas o Alvinegro vai passar uma visão mais forte para o Godoy Cruz.
Ramesh Mendis returned four second-innings wickets to hasten the end and skittle Ireland for 168
Andrew Fidel Fernando18-Apr-2023
Prabhath Jayasuriya picked up three second-innings wickets to go with seven in the first•AFP/Getty Images
Ireland’s collapse rolled into day three in Galle, as Sri Lanka’s spinners scythed through them twice, to secure an innings-and-280 run victory with Prabath Jayasuriya claiming a 10-wicket haul.Ireland were always likely to struggle here. They had never played in Sri Lanka before, and were thrust into unforgiving April heat, without so much as a practice match to acclimatise. But where they had given a decent account of their skills against Bangladesh, earlier this month losing the match in Mirpur by only seven wickets, they almost never strung together competitive passages in this Test.After Sri Lanka amassed 591 for the loss of only six wickets, Ireland lost 20 wickets for 311. They only managed two fifty partnerships across their innings – Harry Tector involved in both of those. After four Sri Lanka batters had hit hundreds, the highest individual score Ireland managed was 45 (Lorcan Tucker in the first innings).Day three was a blur of wickets. Ireland had begun the day on 117 for 7, but having added 23 to the overnight score, lost their last three in a heap, the team’s score at 143. Jayasuriya added two wickets to his overnight haul of five, trapping Tucker lbw, then having an advancing Mark Adair stumped two balls later. Offspinner Ramesh Mendis then claimed his first wicket of the game, getting Andy McBrine lbw with a sliding delivery – the not-out decision was overturned on review – to end the innings.His bowlers having delivered less than 53 overs in the first innings, and with Ireland still 448 runs behind, captain Dimuth Karunaratne could not have had many qualms in enforcing the follow-on.Ramesh Mendis hastened Ireland’s end in the second innings•AFP/Getty Images
Mendis, who struggled a little for rhythm on day two, would become Ireland’s primary threat in the second innings. But he did not get his first breakthrough until after left-arm seamer Vishwa Fernando had struck first. As in the first innings, Fernando removed Murray Commins for a duck, the batter picking up a pair. And then he also claimed the wicket of captain Andy Balbirnie for the second time in the match, seaming a back of a length delivery away, to collect his edge. Dhananjaya de Silva held on to a sharp catch at slip.From there, the spinners took over. Jayasuriya had James McCollum caught at slip, de Silva taking another good catch. In his next over, he also got Tucker lbw, the batter reviewing unsuccessfully. Mendis then had Peter Moor caught athletically at short leg by Nishan Madushka – the second excellent catch he’d taken in that position.Ireland then built the only partnership that might pass as a resistance, with Tector and Curtis Campher combining for 60 for the sixth wicket, before another spectacular Madushka grab ended it. Seeing Campher going down for a paddle sweep, Madushka shuffled to his right, anticipating the trajectory of the shot, and got both hands to the chance, that came at about knee-height.From there, a day-three finish seemed inevitable. George Dockrell struck six boundaries in his 54-ball 32, but Mendis charged on. And worse, for Ireland, they lost Tector to a terrible run out – Dockrell turning Tector back after Tector had called for an ill-advised single, before Tector slipped mid-pitch, lost his bat as he tried to turn back, and was short by more than a metre as he tried to dive back in.When Mendis had Mcbrine caught at gully, he equalled Ajantha Mendis’ Sri Lanka record for fastest bowler to 50 wickets, both bowlers doing it in 11 Tests. Mendis has only played two Tests outside Sri Lanka however, and eight of his Tests have been in Galle, where spinners are known to dominate.Jayasuriya, who had been straining for a ten-wicket haul, completed it with the last wicket of the game, getting Ben White plumb in front with a straightening delivery.
O técnico Vítor Pereira se retratou sobre a declaração dada após a derrota no Dérbi para o Palmeiras, pela 22ª rodada do Brasileirão, quando foi questionado por um repórter na coletiva sobre a pressão noCorinthians.
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Ao ser indagado se temia uma possível demissão, Vítor riu da pergunta feita pelo jornalista, foi enfático na negação e citou até sua conta bancária na resposta:
– Eu, nesta fase da minha vida, da minha carreira, ter medo de perder o emprego? Sabe quanto dinheiro eu tenho no banco, amigo? Eu tenho a vida estabilizada. Estou aqui no Corinthians e se não estiver no Corinthians, estou em outro clube qualquer. E quando eu quiser – disse o português.
A declaração não caiu bem na torcida. A Estopim da Fiel, uma das principais organizadas do clube, emitiu uma nota repudiando as declarações do técnico alvinegro.
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Ao jornal português “A Bola”, o treinador corintiano admitiu não ter se expressado da melhor maneira, condicionou a declaração ao nervosismo após o revés diante do rival e explicou que não veio ao Timão pelo dinheiro pois conseguiu atingir estabilidade financeira ao longo de sua carreira.
-De fato, não me expressei da melhor forma, reagi a quente, enervado, sem paciência, depois de uma derrota que para mim foi injusta mas, enfim, é futebol. (…) O que eu quis dizer, e provavelmente não me expressei da melhor forma, é que não vim para o Corinthians por dinheiro porque, graças a Deus, ao trabalho e à sorte, fui construindo a minha carreira sem me motivar por dinheiro – explicou o técnico.
>>> Assine o Premiere no Prime Video e acompanhe todas as emoções do seu clube no Brasileirão<<<
Vítor Pereira reforçou seu comprometimento com o clube e se sensibilizou com o sofrimento dos torcedores corintianos.
-Vim para o Corinthians por paixão e estou de corpo e alma no Corinthians e a perceber claramente o sentido de vida destes corintianos, desta gente do povo, que trabalha, que sofre e que, muitas vezes, para ir ao estádio gasta o dinheiro que não tem – comentou o português.
-Eu também vim de um meio humilde, sei o que são dificuldades, portanto não queria dizer aquilo no sentido que pareceu que estava a dar. O que queria dizer é que não estou no futebol com medo de despedimentos porque, graças a Deus, sou uma pessoa independente porque a vida me permitiu construí-la sem depender de ninguém, essa fase da minha carreira do medo de despedimentos já passou há muito tempo. E vou estar de corpo e alma, com paixão, neste clube enquanto o Corinthians quiser -concluiu Vítor Pereira ao jornal “A Bola”.
Mesmo com o momento conturbado na temporada – eliminação na Libertadores e distância para o líder Palmeiras em nove pontos – a diretoria alvinegra não cogita demitir Vítor, como apurou o LANCE!.
O comandante lusitano possui vínculo com o Timão até o final da temporada, e a ideia da cúpula alvinegraé ter Vítor Pereira até o fim do contrato, e depois avaliar com o português uma possível continuidade para o ano que vem.
A missão do treinador português é reverter a desvantagem de dois gols na Copa do Brasil. Na quarta-feira (17), às 21h30, o Corinthians recebe o Atlético-GO, na Neo Química Arena. Uma vitória corintiana por dois gols de diferença leva a decisão aos pênaltis.
Danni Wyatt and Alice Capsey also part of Test squad, Lauren Winfield-Hill to captain England A
Valkerie Baynes12-Jun-20231:52
England call uncapped Danielle Gibson, Lauren Filer in Ashes Test squad
England have named uncapped Western Storm duo Danielle Gibson and Lauren Filer in a 15-strong squad for the Women’s Ashes Test against Australia, starting next week.Allrounder Gibson was Storm’s joint-highest run-scorer and leading wicket-taker in this season’s Charlotte Edwards Cup and was a travelling reserve for the Women’s T20 World Cup in February. Filer, who has previously represented England Academy, has been a mainstay of Storm’s past two campaigns. She bolsters England’s seam-bowling options which were also without the retired Katherine Sciver-Brunt during the drawn Test against South Africa at Taunton a year ago.Related
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Australia have flaws to exploit in the Ashes – Winfield-Hill
With both in line to earn maiden international caps, England named an otherwise predictable squad including the XI which featured against South Africa, where Issy Wong and Lauren Bell made their international debuts as Sciver-Brunt’s successors.Emma Lamb and Tammy Beaumont, who opened in that match and have shown some fine touch in domestic cricket so far this season, were named in the squad while Danni Wyatt, the leading run-scorer in this year’s Charlotte Edwards Cup, and Alice Capsey, who had a breakout year in 2022, have a chance to make their Test debuts after earning a call-ups to the squad.Kate Cross, England’s most-experienced red-ball bowler, was also selected despite being laid low by a tropical illness during the opening weeks of the season.ESPNcricinfo Ltd
The Test squad will play Australia A in a three-day warm-up fixture in Derby from this Thursday ahead of the five-day Test at Trent Bridge from June 22. It will be England Women’s first Test over five days on home soil and their first visit to Trent Bridge since 2000. Following the Test, which is worth four points in the multi-format Ashes series, the sides will play three ODIs and three T20Is worth two points each.Jon Lewis, England Women’s head coach, described the Test squad as “nicely balanced” amid a fast-growing talent pool around the country.”Dani [Gibson] is one of the form cricketers in the country, she is improving both with bat and ball and if selected in the team, offers us a dynamic cricketer who can change the momentum of the game,” Lewis said. “Lauren is a genuine wicket-taking threat with good pace and swing. If selected in the playing XI, she offers us a point of difference in our bowling attack that could impact a Test match at any point in the game.”Lauren Winfield-Hill will captain the England A side to face the senior Australia Women’s team in a three-day warm-up in Leicester this week. She enjoyed some strong domestic form during 2022 and after dropping out of England reckoning midway through the 50-over World Cup earlier that year. She returned to the England fold during the winter tour of the Caribbean and has again performed well in the regional competitions so far in 2023 having lost her central England contract for the current season.ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Alice Davidson-Richards and Wyatt will play for England A in the warm-up match while also being part of the Test squad. Grace Scrivens, the England Under-19 captain who led her country to the age-group T20 World Cup final in South Africa earlier this year, was also named in the A side. An England A squad is yet to be announced for T20 and 50-over series against their Australian counterparts.England Women’s Test Squad: Heather Knight (capt), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Alice Capsey, Kate Cross, Alice Davidson-Richards, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Danielle Gibson, Amy Jones, Emma Lamb, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Issy Wong, Danni WyattEngland Women’s A squad for warm-up vs Australia: Lauren Winfield-Hill (capt), Maia Bouchier, Alice Davidson-Richards, Freya Davies, Charlie Dean, Sarah Glenn, Kirstie Gordon, Eva Gray, Bess Heath, Eve Jones, Paige Scholfield, Grace Scrivens, Danni Wyatt
Things are getting real at Anfield. A lot of Liverpool fans are going to be feeling rather glass-half-empty right now, what with Trent Alexander-Arnold all but confirmed as a Los Blancos Galactico.
It’s been a long time coming. The 26-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season and has been coy on his future for a long while, actually neglecting to discuss the matter for the past several months.
It would take something extraordinary and, frankly, unrealistic to see the England star pen new terms at his boyhood club. It is what it is, and now FSG must accelerate plans for a successor.
How Liverpool are going to replace Alexander-Arnold
When asked a question on whether Conor Bradley could succeed Alexander-Arnold in the event of his departure, Arne Slot responded evasively. Read between the lines, however, and you can ascertain that he answered in the affirmative.
Bradley, 21, is going to bear increased responsibility next term, but he’s certainly done enough through his maiden years as a professional thus far to prove he has what it takes. Indeed, even pundit Rio Ferdinand had to admit that the Northern Irishman was “phenomenal” when breaking onto the scene last year.
As you will see below, two very different widemen. This works in Liverpool’s favour, balancing Slot’s system with two dynamic and contrasting parts, but Liverpool’s loss will still cut deep.
Conor Bradley vs Jeremie Frimpong (past 365 days)
Stats (per 90)
Bradley
Frimpong
Goals
0.00
0.16
Assists
0.09
0.21
Shot-creating actions
2.06
2.90
Touches
77.92
45.43
Pass completion
84%
76%
Progressive passes
3.84
1.96
Progressive carries
4.21
4.51
Successful take-ons
0.84
0.99
Ball recoveries
5.34
3.04
Tackles + interceptions
3.65
1.61
All stats via FBref
It’s a shame Liverpool have to venture into the transfer market at all this summer. Plans were drawn several years ago to fully bolster Liverpool’s right-back department, but a prodigious young star has sadly fallen by the wayside after once being viewed as Trent’s heir.
Liverpool's forgotten Trent heir
Liverpool were a day late and a dollar short in the Premier League title race last season. That doesn’t look like it will be the case this term, and Alexander-Arnold will bow out as a two-time champion in the top flight.
Trent Alexander-Arnold is substituted
Bradley can serve in his stead, for sure, but there’s a question regarding the 21-year-old’s fitness levels, routinely sidelined this term. Liverpool actually have a long-forgotten Trent heir, Bradley’s age-mate, who was anticipated to become a mainstay in Jurgen Klopp’s Red side, but that doesn’t look likely anymore.
In June 2022, Liverpool moved to sign teenage right-back Calvin Ramsay from Scottish Premiership side Aberdeen for an initial fee of £4.2m. A further £2.5m in add-ons was agreed, but it doesn’t look like clauses will have been met for such a payment, on an individual basis at least.
Through a mixture of athletic ability, creativity and determination, Ramsay boasts the prototypical skillset of a modern full-back. Similar, in a way, to the talents of Bradley.
Although maybe it would be remiss to exclude the significance that was placed on his playmaking skills. BBC Scotland’s Liam McLeod even remarked following the youngster’s transfer to Merseyside that “the way he plays the game has been modelled” on Alexander-Arnold. The Athletic’s JJ Bull tipped him to be the “next Trent”.
In this way, there’s clearly a long-lost creative force that Liverpool could have used this summer to jostle with Bradley for the top spot, perhaps retaining Alexander-Arnold’s spirit as he ventures off for pastures new in the Spanish capital.
Injuries have unfortunately been the bane of the one-cap Scotland international’s fledgling career, but there truly was such a crackling of excitement regarding his potential.
During those early days at Aberdeen, the teenager posted a goal and nine assists across only 39 senior appearances, highlighting the playmaking quality which Trent has sharpened over the years.
The series of failed loan spells in recent years have, of course, kept Ramsay away from Liverpool’s first team. Injury problems emerged from the offing, limiting him to just two appearances under Klopp’s wing during his debut campaign in England, featuring off the bench against Napoli in the Champions League and playing the full 90 as Liverpool beat Derby County in the Carabao Cup.
Calvin Ramsay for Liverpool.
Against the Rams, he caught the eye even as Liverpool struggled, forced into a penalty shootout that saw Caoimhin Kelleher produce one of his many clutch performances between the sticks. The Liverpool Echo actually awarded the young Scot a 7/10 match rating, hailing his ‘impressive athleticism and tenacious defending.’
Ramsay was regarded as being tailor-made for Liverpool and specifically Klopp’s system, and his performance in the Carabao Cup only reinforced this notion, completing the most passes on the pitch at 105 and leading those such as Liverpool.com to predict he would be set for a big future.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.
Ramsay is now back out on loan, playing in Scotland with Kilmarnock. It’s the 21-year-old’s fourth short-term stint away from Anfield since the start of last season, with a catalogue of damaging injuries stunting his progress.
A depreciation in market value marks the defender’s struggles. Transfermarkt record that Ramsay is worth just £2m at present, even less than the sharp fee FSG paid for his services three years ago.
He’s still young and hopes will be high that the Scotsman can forge a successful career for himself after such exciting beginnings in his homeland. Sadly, it just won’t be at Anfield.
Once such an “exceptional” young talent – as was said by Klopp, commenting on his emergence at Aberdeen – Ramsay has endured a nightmare few years on Liverpool’s books. It doesn’t seem likely he will be serving as Alexander-Arnold’s heir any time soon.
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Arne Slot expects to arm his Liverpool side with new parts this summer.