Tag Futebol

The goal for Arsenal this season has to be to finally get their hands on the Premier League title.

Mikel Arteta’s side finished the last three campaigns in second place and have been building towards finally getting over the line.

However, while the fans and team will be focused on the here and now, the board and powers that be have to take a longer-term view and plan for the next squad and the one after that.

It’s this approach that has seen the club sign one of the most exciting youngsters in the game, a player who could provide Arsenal’s own Ethan Nwaneri with real competition for the ten position a few years from now.

The future of Arsenal's ten position

After years of building it, Arsenal finally have a squad in which most positions have at least two players competing for a place.

Chalkboard

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

Expand Collapse

This is especially true when it comes to attacking midfield.

The two main competitors for that role this season have been and will likely continue to be Martin Odegaard and Eberechi Eze.

The former has held the position for the last few years but had an underwhelming campaign last year, registering just 18 goal involvements in 45 games.

Eze, on the other hand, racked up a brilliant haul of 25 goal involvements in 43 games for Crystal Palace in the ten role last year.

Neither one has genuinely made the position their own this season, but the Englishman has been more productive, racking up seven goal involvements there to his captain’s two.

Both players will need to start improving, though, as within a year or two they are likely to face more serious competition for gametime from Hale End stars Nwaneri and Dowman.

Nwaneri in 24/25

Appearances

37

Minutes

1378′

Goals

9

Assists

2

Goal Involvements per Match

0.29

Minutes per Goal Involvement

125.27′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

The former spent most of last season on the right, where he scored nine goals and provided two assists in 37 appearances, but is mainly seen as a number ten.

The latter, while still just 15, is seen as one of the best prospects to ever come through the club’s academy, where he once again spent most of his time playing in attacking midfield.

Overall, the future of Arsenal’s number ten position is hugely promising, and now, thanks to Andrea Berta and Co, another incredible talent will be competing to play there, which could be bad news for Nwaneri.

Arsenal's new Dowman-like Gem

With people like talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbing Dowman “the most exciting prospect” they’ve seen “since Lamine Yamal,” you have to be pretty special to be compared to him.

Fortunately, from what those in the know say, Holger Quintero seems more than special enough to warrant that comparison.

Arsenal completed the signing of the 16-year-old wonderkid and his twin brother earlier this month, but, due to rules on foreign-born youngsters, neither will be able to join the first team until they’re 18, in 2027.

The good news is that it will just give them more time to develop away from the spotlight.

Although, based on what is being said about them, like Dowman, they’d probably be able to feature on the snore side this season.

Subscribe to our newsletter for Arsenal youth insights Dive deeper into Arsenal’s emerging talents by subscribing to our newsletter — in-depth prospect profiles, development tracking and tactical context to follow the club’s next generation and transfer planning. Subscribe Subscribe to our newsletter for Arsenal youth insights Dive deeper into Arsenal’s emerging talents by subscribing to our newsletter — in-depth prospect profiles, development tracking and tactical context to follow the club’s next generation and transfer planning.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

For example, respected analyst-turned-scout Ben Mattinson has described Holger as “a decisive creator with a killer final ball” who has “excellent vision to see the whole game” but also “1v1 prowess to take on players.”

As if that wasn’t enough, Kulig has described the teenager as “one of the most exciting U17s in South America,” which is high praise indeed considering the level of talent coming out of the continent.

Finally, on top of everything else, U23 scout Antonio Mango described him as someone blessed with “high technical & intellect qualities.”

In all, the Ecuadorian wonderkid sounds like the perfect ten prospect, someone who can create chances through a brilliant range of passing, or be the goal threat himself due to his elite close control.

However, while the 16-year-old is unlikely to develop quickly enough to be a genuine rival for Odegaard and Eze, it seems he’ll be competing for game time with Dowman and Nwaneri.

Ultimately, while some might worry about the impact he could have on the two Hale Enders, finding enough game time for all three teenagers is a problem Arteta and Arsenal will probably be glad to have.

Related Arsenal can revive Gyokeres by signing "the best winger in the country"

The international game-changer could be just the player Arsenal needs to get Gyokeres firing.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes

A scare circulated around Adelaide Oval on Tuesday afternoon. David Warner, who had been struck on the left hand during fielding practice, reeled away in obvious pain, and disappeared into the Australian dressing room accompanied by Peter Brukner, the team doctor.As cameramen circled, journalists placed or received calls from editors and urgent snap stories were pulled together, it seemed Australia had a major injury problem on their hands. Warner, of course, had entered the season with a still healing left thumb, fractured during the ODIs in England that followed the Ashes. A re-break would require serious recovery work, and a long time out of the game. Live television news services speculated as such.But just as quickly as it happened, the Warner thumb “story” slipped away. The team media manager walked into the rooms to check on his injury and found him striding back the other way, padded up for the nets. Observers who saw Warner face mainly throw-downs needed to be reminded that this was not uncommon for the opener. Call backs were made, updates posted, stories spiked.All this spoke volumes for the goldfish-like attention span of the news cycle these days, but it was equally powerful as a reminder of Warner’s value. Were he to be injured, Australia’s batting strength would be severely affected, while the captain Steven Smith would be shorn of his deputy and most destructive player. Warner is growing increasingly aware of his own responsibilities too, if his unusually careful responses to questions before training were any indication.While most eyes are on the pink ball and the new concept of day-night Tests, Warner’s memory was filled with hurtful memories of 2011, when Australia gave up a 1-0 series lead over New Zealand in a low-scoring Hobart encounter. That day, Warner’s unbeaten hundred in the second innings was not enough to stave off defeat, and he is adamant that will not be happening a second time on what promises to be a more lively Adelaide pitch than those of Brisbane or Perth.”Going back to when we last played New Zealand here, to sit in the change rooms and listen to the Kiwis celebrate was quite tough,” Warner said. “We were expected to win that game down in Hobart, only chasing 240 on a seemingly deteriorating wicket where Doug Bracewell bowled fantastic and won New Zealand the game. We take those memories into this game.”We definitely want to win every game we can, but it would mean a lot to us if we can get up here in Adelaide. A drawn series, I think, we would consider that as a loss because we’ve played so well. And then for New Zealand to fight back in the last game, to bat the game into a draw was a credit to them. So now we’ve got to be on our guard to try and do what we can the best and that’s to try and get early wickets and put runs on the board again, and put pressure on them.”Something Warner has convinced himself about is that there will be minimal difference between facing a pink ball under lights and its white equivalent. He would not be lured into anything but the most rudimentary discussion of the concept, and flirted with the absurd when saying the verdant green square and pitch – devised to preserve the pink ball – was no different to that of the Gabba.David Warner – “A drawn series, I think, we would consider that as a loss because we’ve played so well”•Getty Images

The prominent grass on the surface is expected to be shaved back by the curator Damian Hough before Friday afternoon, but it is still likely to be the most lively wicket of the series. Warner counselled that an Australian batting line-up used to dictating terms over the first two Tests will need to leave their egos at the dressing room door this time around, and adopt some of the more painful lessons learned in England earlier this year.”The last two [Adelaide] wickets have been very batter friendly. It’s going to be a different story playing here and I think you’ll see the ball move around a bit off the wicket,” he said. “It did so during that Shield game, but it was a very good cricket wicket. That’s one thing: us as batters are going to have to take our ego out of it and say to ourselves: ‘we’ve had two very good wickets, now it’s about knuckling down and finding that respect again’.”There is going to be the new-ball factor with this wicket, we know that. I don’t know what millimetres they’re going to cut the grass to, but I’m pretty sure it’s not going to be anything like the last two wickets. We’ve got to be prepared to see out that first session, work out if it’s going to move off the wicket or swing, then go from there.”We know early on their key is swing bowling and if it happens to be swinging around here you’ve got to see that spell of bowling out like we have done in the last two Tests. I think that’s what we have done well as a top six batting unit. We’ve put on the runs that we have, we’ve actually been able to see through that spell and wait for the bad balls. That’s something Steve wanted us to do as a top six unit, to score all the runs, and at the moment we’ve been doing that and I think a lot of that has to do with the way we played in England as well.”Warner has struck another note of cautiousness in recent times, declining consistently to take first strike after a pair of cheap dismissals when doing so in the West Indies before the Ashes. In England, it was Chris Rogers facing up to the opening over, and so far here, Joe Burns has done likewise. Commonly referred to as the aggressor and the provocateur, Warner is evolving into something else: the pragmatist.”I think statistically something came up the other day about me facing only a certain amount of first balls so that hasn’t even come into my mind actually, I might have to think about that,” he said. “But nah, it’s just what I do. I just go out there and I think I have learnt from a lot of other experienced opening batters around the world, to just give the other person the first ball.”

Easy does it: Trescothick has been in encouraging form for Somerset, but will play no part for England during their winter tours © Getty Images

Marcus Trescothick has declared himself unavailable for September’s Twenty20 World Championship in South Africa as well as England’s winter tours of Sri Lanka and New Zealand.Trescothick hasn’t played for England since pulling out of the Ashes tour of Australia last November with a recurrence of the stress-related illness which dogged him throughout last year. And although he said two weeks ago was “delighted to be named in the [Twenty20] squad”, he insists he has not yet sufficiently recovered to give England his all – in South Africa for the Twenty20 World Championship, or for England’s other two tours.”Whilst I have been enjoying my cricket for Somerset this summer and feel that I am making good progress, I need to ensure that I am completely ready for a return to international cricket before making myself available for selection,” Trescothick said. “I recently informed the selectors that I was happy to be included in the 30-man squad for the Twenty20 World Cup to leave all options open but I am now clear that I should take more time to complete my recovery. I still have ambitions to play for England.”The Twenty20 World Championship had appeared to be the perfect halfway house for Trescothick’s comeback. Such a short tournament it would, as Trescothick himself admitted two weeks ago, have acted “as a way of testing myself in an international environment abroad”. And though disappointed, the England chairman of selectors, David Graveney, insists that Trescothick has made the right decision.”The selectors have been acutely conscious that it would be counter-productive to try to rush Marcus back into international action before he was ready,” Graveney said. “We appreciate the fact that Marcus has alerted us at the earliest opportunity of his decision which will avoid there being any disruption to the team’s one-day planning processes.”Marcus has proved himself to be a very special talent on the international stage and we look forward to his making himself available again for England when the time is right and to his pushing his case for selection through his performances for Somerset.”

John Wright, who was last summer’s World XI coach, has some more advice for Andrew Flintoff © Getty Images

John Wright has given England some Ashes series advice by telling them not to let the Australians know if they are overawed. Wright was in charge of India’s drawn series with Australia in 2003-04 and he has used his new book John Wright’s Indian Summers to outline his successful plan, which was initially devised from his time as a New Zealand opening batsman in the 1980s.”You don’t look up to them, you look down on them – if you give any hint of being overawed you are gone,” Wright told the India team as he stood on a chair to deliver his series address. “The players looked up at me with bemused expressions probably wondering if I planned to jump or fly.” The tactic worked as Sourav Ganguly guided India to a 1-1 result in Steve Waugh’s final series, although Australia gained revenge with a 2-1 win on their tour in 2004.Wright told The Courier-Mail the New Zealand teams of the 1980s just stood and watched the “guys in green and gold track suits”. “As soon as you start doing that you are losing the battle,” he said. Despite the attitude to their opponents, New Zealand won four of 16 Tests between the teams in the decade and beat Australia in consecutive home-and-away series in 1985-86.Wright, who scored two hundreds and averaged 38.69 in 19 Tests against Australia, told the paper touring teams also had to accept they would be targeted by the media. “It’s so predictable it really should be on the itinerary,” he said. “Some well-known ex-players start to talk then one of the current team chips in with his view. Depending on your view it’s either psychological warfare, cheap pointscoring or the same old bullshit. We were never intimidated in that series [in 2003-04], which is the key to playing in Australia.”England showed in the first session of the 2005 Ashes series that they would not be overawed, with their fast bowlers striking Hayden, Langer and Ponting. Despite losing the opening Test, the side recovered to seal a 2-1 victory that set up a thrilling rematch that starts at the Gabba in November.

Surrey are confident that they will get the go ahead from the Indian board for them to sign Harbhajan Singh for the 2005 English season.”We are currently at an advanced stage of negotiation with Harbhajan,” a club spokesman told the BBC. “We are hoping to secure his services and are waiting to hear.”Surrey have been looking for a replacement for Saqlain Mushtaq for several months. Saqlain, whose season was cut short by injury, was generally regarded to have been a disappointment and Surrey are in need of a cutting edge.Harbhajan has not played county cricket before. Although he was signed by Lancashire as their overseas player in 2003, injury meant that he had to withdraw from the contract.

Alex Tudor in full flight© Getty Images

The fast bowler Alex Tudor has signed for Essex for one year – but will join on a performance-related basis amid concerns about his injuries. Tudor, 27, moves to Chelmsford after being released by Surrey at the end of last season, following a career-threatening side injury.Essex had previously played down speculation of the move, after Graham Gooch, the former England captain who is Essex’s coach, joined Tudor when he went to Munich for treatment, prompting rumours that he would sign for Essex. Tudor has played ten Test matches since 1998-99, but never more than two in succession because of niggles and injuries.And for Surrey, he’s turned out for them in just 67 first-class matches since 1995 when he made his debut as a 16-year-old. He played just one County Championship game in 2004.But, despite his injury concerns, Tudor was confident of reaching his potential for Essex next season, and steer them back into the top flight. “I am determined to repay Essex for the faith they have shown in me by regaining my top form in 2005,” said Tudor. “This is a new start for me and I am now just itching to get out on the field. My aim is to help Essex get promotion.”David East, the chief executive of Essex, backed his new signing. “Alex is a proven performer who has had a difficult time with injury recently,” he said. “We are confident that, when fully fit, he will be a huge asset to the club.” Ronnie Irani, Essex’s captain, also lent his support. “I am absolutely delighted with the world-class signing of Alex Tudor,” said Irani. “Alex is an outstanding cricketer who will be a major factor with the new ball for Essex in the future.”

Members of the South African Cricket World Cup squad are meeting theirsupporters and doing signing sessions around the country before and duringthe ICC Cricket World Cup to give the players an opportunity to chat totheir fans and to sign autographs.Cape Town fans can come and meet the whole South African Cricket World CupSquad at the V&A Waterfront on Sunday 2 February to chat to them and wishthem luck for the ICC Cricket World Cup. Supporters may being any items fortheir cricket heroes to sign, but will be limited to two items per person.When: Sunday 2 February 20032:30pm to 4pmWhere: V&A Waterfront (amphitheatre)Johannesburg fans will have a similar opportunity at Eastgate ShoppingCentre on Thursday 13 February at 2.30pm to 4pm.

Queenslander Andrew Symonds won the Antipodean head-to-head with Northamptonshire’s Michael Hussey to ease Kent into the quarter-finals of the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy with a six wicket win achieved with 13-balls to spare.Symonds, the 26-year-old all-rounder who took over as Kent’s overseas player a fortnight ago following a knee injury to Daryll Cullinan, has yet to finish on the losing side since re-joining the club he served in 1999 and was clearly man-of-the-match in this one-sided encounter.The Birmingham-born, but Australian-raised player returned career-best bowling figures of five for 21 to limit Northamptonshire to a 50-over total of 200 and then hit 39 from 40 balls to steer Kent into the last eight at a canter.After winning the toss on a breezy, overcast morning, Kent’s acting captain Mark Ealham had no hesitation in asking Northamptonshire to bat first.The plan appeared to have backfired when Adrian Rollins and Mal Loye posted 50 for their first wicket inside 12 overs, but Ben Trott’s removal of Rollins to a miscued pull shot and the introduction of Symonds from the Nackington Road end changed to course of the match.Bowling his medium-paced seamers rather than the off-spinners he sent down for Australia in the recent NatWest Trophy international series, Symonds bagged five for six in 26 balls and five for 21 overall to reduce the visitors to 92 for seven.An eighth wicket stand between Paul Taylor, with a career-best 57 in his 200th one-day appearance for the club, and David Ripley (35) added a vital 93, but even at 200 all out Northamptonshire’s score appeared well below par.Kent lost James Hockley and Rob Key early in their reply, but leading scorer David Fulton (63) and Matthew Walker (36) joined forces to post 64 for the third wicket.Both fell in quick succession, but Symonds (39 not out) and his acting captain Ealham (27 not out) saw the hosts home in the best batting conditions of the day.

Tottenham Hotspur moved into the Premier League’s top four with a resounding win over Newcastle United on Sunday evening.

It was the visitors who took a surprise early lead after centre-back Fabian Schar curled in a free-kick that goalkeeper Hugo Lloris really should’ve dealt with better.

But Spurs hit back instantly through Ben Davies, who glanced home a cross from Heung-min Son. Matt Doherty then met Harry Kane’s ball in after the break before Son notched their third.

By the hour mark, things got even better, and it was another wing-back on the scoresheet in Emerson Royal, tapping home from close range. Late substitute Steven Bergwijn finished the rout with his fourth goal in under ten days, across both international and domestic matches.

Despite not getting on the scoresheet, it was leading talisman Kane who took home the ‘Man of the Match’ award but ultimately, any of the aforementioned named could’ve taken the crown, as could Cristian Romero.

The Argentina centre-back was an absolute “animal” for the north Londoners, just as teammate Pierluigi Gollini described him as back in September, also claiming that he was “perfect” for the Premier League.

Indeed, he has been showing that all campaign but this outing was particularly impressive, even if Newcastle rarely threatened.

As per SofaScore, Romero won a whopping match-high seven tackles, which was three more than any other player on the pitch and more than his defensive peers combined.

He also won eight of his ten ground duels (80%) and one aerial duel, as well as one clearance and one block too, proving to be a big influence defensively but the £36m-rated colossus was also cool and collected on the ball, making 94% of his 82 passing attempts.

Romero was frequently involved, often starting many of their attacks, having recorded the second-highest number of touches (94), also via SofaScore.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

‘Another dominant performance. Denied Joe Willock a certain goal with a flying block and lifted the crowd with two crunching tackles of Allan Saint-Maximin,’ described Evening Standard reporter Dan Kilpatrick in his post-match ratings, where the 23-year-old was graded a nine out of ten – tied with Kane, Doherty and Son.

On the above evidence, it’s hard to argue against Romero being a hero on the day. His aggression in defence and ball-playing ability makes him a hugely exciting talent and one that Spurs, and manager Antonio Conte, absolutely delighted to have him at the club.

AND in other news, Levy had a Spurs nightmare on £204.2m “alien” who has “magic in his boots”…

2013

October 8
News – Supreme Court appoints Mudgal Committee to investigate the case
November 2
News – IPL probe panel to meet Mumbai policeNovember 8
News – IPL probe panel meets SreesanthDecember 19
News – IPL probe panel meets Srinivasan, Gurunath

2014

January 19
News – Mudgal committee meets Ganguly, DalmiyaFebruary 10
News – Charges against Gurunath proved – IPL probe report
News – The rules Gurunath violated
Mudgal committee report – Full text
News – Many allegations of sporting fraud, says committee
News – Vet player agents properly – Mudgal report
Video – Do CSK have an escape route?
Features – Six astonishing lines from the Mudgal report
February 11
News – Mudgal Report not likely to hurt Srinivasan yet
March 27
News – ‘All players should not suffer’ – Justice Mudgal
April 9
News – BCCI seeks Dhoni’s deposition before Mudgal committee
April 22
News – Supreme Court asks Mudgal to continue probe
Video – Ugra: Mudgal makes BCCI uncomfortable
April 29
Video – ‘BCCI unwilling to play ball with Mudgal commission’
May 16
News – Mudgal to head investigation of IPL ‘sealed envelope’
June 8
News – Sourav Ganguly to join Mudgal probe panel
August 29
News – Mugdal panel submits interim reportSeptember 1
News – Mudgal Committee gets two-month extension for final report
November 3
News – Mudgal panel submits final report in IPL corruption case
November 14
News – Srinivasan named in Mudgal report
November 15
News – Mudgal committee clears three players named in Court
November 17
News – Srinivasan ignored player’s code of conduct violation, says Mudgal report
News – Investigations into Kundra ‘stopped abruptly’
News – BCCI could seek explanation from Sundar Raman
Profile – Who is Sundar Raman?
Video – Ugra: Srinivasan not in the clear yet

2015

January 22
News – New panel to take call on Kundra, MeiyappanApril 13
News – Board panel has 82 questions for BCCI bossesJuly 11
News – Lodha panel to announce punishment for Kundra, Meiyappan