All posts by h716a5.icu

Unsurprisingly, Burnley are already beginning to be linked with a number of new signings ahead of their return to the Premier League next season, with Arsenal's Albert Sambi Lokonga reportedly on Vincent Kompany's shortlist.

Could Burnley sign Sambi Lokonga?

According to The Sun, the 23-year-old is considered surplus to requirements at Arsenal after failing to make the grade in Mikel Arteta's squad, with the Belgian loaned out to Crystal Palace in January.

The report suggests that the young midfielder, who joined in a £17m deal, isn't wanted by Palace permanently and could be allowed to leave the Emirates for just £15m, which could represent a bargain for Kompany as he looks to improve upon his midfield options following the Championship title win.

Would Lokonga be a good signing for Burnley?

Lokonga is well-known to Kompany having come through the ranks at Anderlecht during the 37-year-old's time managing in Belgium, and he would sing his praises on Rio Ferdinand's Vibe with Five YouTube channel.

"You've got to watch this guy, he's the new Yaya Toure," he said.

"The point is you need players who are not afraid to have the ball when the going gets tough. As a centre-back, your job stops at a certain point on the ball. And you need to be able to give it to people who see the next pass, see the next move, take responsibility, take people on and put that tempo in when there's no tempo in the game anymore.

"For me, that's what Sambi has that makes him special."

While Lokonga hasn't set the world alight since signing for Arsenal, or indeed on loan at Selhurst Park, with no goals or assists across 48 appearances for both sides, Kompany clearly appreciates his ability on the ball, and in a possession-heavy Burnley side, he could be a big success.

Josh Brownhill and another familiar name from Anderlecht in Josh Cullen were two of the top performers at Turf Moor this season, according to WhoScored, ranking first and seventh respectively, but reinforcements will be necessary if Kompany's side are going to continue their upwards trajectory in the top flight.

WhoScored suggests that the Arsenal man excels at passing and FBref also backs this up, ranking him in the top 3% of players for pass completion per 90 when compared with other midfielders across Europe's top five divisions.

In many ways, Lokonga could be the perfect signing for Burnley this summer as he is available for relatively cheap, has good Premier League experience despite his age and evidently suits Kompany's style of play, so the Clarets should definitely be looking at bringing him to Turf Moor.

William Perkins has been suspended for the remainder of the CPL for handing his Players/Match Official Access pass to a third party for the side’s league game against St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in Lauderhill

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Aug-2016Trinbago Knight Riders batsman William Perkins has been suspended for the remainder of the CPL for handing his Players/Match Official Access pass to a third party for the side’s league game against St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in Lauderhill on Sunday.Perkins accepted the charges for breaching the ICC’s Minimum Standards for Players and clauses 10.1.1 and 10.1.2 of the player contract. Members of the CPL security team along with ICC Anti-Corruption manager Richard Reynolds had obtained Perkins’ pass, resulting in his immediate suspension. Perkins played four CPL games this season and scored 75 runs at an average of 18.75.Knight Riders face St Lucia Zouks in the second playoff match in Basseterre on Thursday.

Charles Watts has noted that Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus was furious after not winning a penalty after he appeared to be found in the club's recent draw.

What's the latest on Arsenal and VAR?

It was a disappointing outing for the Gunners on Saturday evening as the Premier League title hopes officially ended with defeat against Nottingham Forest.

Indeed, the loss means Manchester City cannot be caught and so will win the division yet again as they continue to dominate under Pep Guardiola – albeit with 115 alleged breaches of financial rules still held against their name.

On the day, it was a single goal from Taiwo Awoniyi, scored in the first half, which was enough to decide the game and so it will come as no surprise to learn that the Arsenal players were desperately scrapping for every decision.

For instance, as noted by Watts on Twitter, when Jesus appeared to be fouled, he remonstrated with the referee in vain as he hoped for a penalty.

The journalist noted: "Not surprised Jesus was angry there. Only seen one replay but looked like a pretty blatant pull back by the defender."

How bad was Jesus against Forest?

Despite the big shout for a spot kick, referee Anthony Taylor seemed completely unmoved and actually booked the Brazilian striker for dissent as he tried to argue his case.

That incident just about summed up the afternoon for the Gunners as they really were far from their best, finishing the game with 82 per cent possession, but only three shots on target – with Forest scoring from one of their only two efforts to work Aaron Ramsdale (via BBC).

Jesus certainly had a day to forget as he grew more and more frustrated and failed to have much of a positive impact on proceedings.

This was noted by journalist Kaya Kaynak in the football.london player ratings as he handed the £265k-p/w striker a 5/10 score for his tame efforts.

He also wrote: "The Brazilian has exhibited a bit of a petulant streak when things have gone against him recently. It was on full display at the City Ground where his impact was once again limited."

While Mikel Arteta and co may be annoyed that this refereeing decision did not go against them, a point against Forest would have surely only delayed the inevitable anyway with Man City so close to wrapping up the title regardless of any outcome at the City Ground.

There will always be next season at least…

Arsenal's starting XI has proven its ability to battle with anyone this season, and had they have all remained fit there was reason to believe that Mikel Arteta would have led them to the Premier League title.

However, as is always the way with these arduous campaigns, things did not go to plan.

Losing one or two key men makes it somewhat possible to account for, however, when the alternatives are so poor, it makes for a frustrating viewing. For example, given William Saliba's absence, the next-best alternative then became Rob Holding, who has never really been at the required level to play regularly for the Gunners.

Some roles are more bolstered than others, but with reports linking Kieran Tierney with an exit from the Emirates, perhaps the Spanish boss and Edu will seek to offer Oleksandr Zinchenko some ample competition in the form of Ferland Mendy, whom they are set to be offered the chance to sign according to reports.

Given their unbridled success in prying Martin Odegaard from Madrid's grasp, with the Norwegian having been dubbed surplus to requirements in Spain, perhaps they could gladly welcome another Real Madrid outcast who can blossom into a similarly important player as their current captain for just a £17.5m fee.

How has Ferland Mendy played at Real Madrid?

To emphasise his importance to this current side, the creative 24-year-old boasts 15 goals and eight assists in a league campaign in which they are set to just fall short of Manchester City.

Everything good offensively within this team often comes through their midfield magician in Odegaard, and in Mendy, they could find a defensive alternative.

Having enjoyed a tumultuous time in Madrid since moving from Lyon, the 27-year-old is now a well-established star who would upgrade most teams. Although this season has not been his best, just last year he proved imperative for Carlo Ancelotti's Champions League and La Liga-winning side.

Starring in the latter, the left-back retained a 7.00 average rating in which he scored twice and maintained a 92% pass accuracy, 0.9 key passes and 1.1 tackles per game, via Sofascore.

It seems that even strong showings of this ilk do not make you immune from the chopping block at a club the size of Real Madrid, as even Odegaard maintained a 7.23 average rating in his final full season before moving to north London on an initial loan. Despite this, their loss would definitely be Arsenal's gain.

Given the remarkable care he takes of the ball, whilst also being branded a "1v1 beast" by writer Raj Chohan, it seems Edu is set to once again prey on the Spanish giants' reject pool, which has already proved profitable once before.

Australia’s stand-in coach Justin Langer believes Matthew Wade could become the best wicketkeeper in the country if he was to follow the hard work ethic of predecessors Ian Healy and Adam Gilchrist

Brydon Coverdale28-Jun-20161:33

Langer backs Wade to become the best

Australia’s stand-in coach Justin Langer believes Matthew Wade could become the best wicketkeeper in the country if he was to follow the hard work ethic of predecessors Ian Healy and Adam Gilchrist. Wade was key to Australia’s win in the tri-series final against West Indies thanks to his unbeaten 57 from 52 balls, and Langer said his batting form at practice was outstanding throughout the tour.However, Wade’s glovework has rarely matched the sharpness of previous Australia wicketkeepers such as Healy and Gilchrist, and earlier in the tri-series Wade himself nominated Peter Nevill as the best gloveman in Australia. Earlier this year, the selectors chose Test wicketkeeper Nevill ahead of Wade in the squad for the World T20 in India, leaving ODIs as the only format in which Wade is the incumbent.Wade has played 12 Tests and was the first-choice Test wicketkeeper during 2012 and early 2013, until the selectors went back to Brad Haddin for the Ashes campaign in England. Now 28, Wade’s international future appears more likely to be in the shorter formats with Nevill well established in the Test side, but Langer said there was no reason Wade could not push his case for a recall.”What often happens is you only highlight the mistakes,” Langer said. “But you don’t notice him very often and that’s a really good sign. My advice to him, I was very lucky to play with Ian Healy and Adam Gilchrist and they always had the best work ethic of anyone in the squad, so if he just continues to work hard there’s no reason [he can’t improve].”I heard him say a couple of weeks ago Peter Nevill is obviously the best wicketkeeper in Australia. Well, I’d like to think Matthew Wade is aspiring to be the best wicketkeeper in Australia. He’s in the one-day side, if he works hard, if he has a Healy and Gilchrist work ethic, then there’s no reason why he can’t be the best wicketkeeper in Australia. But that’s up to him if he really wants to work at that.”During the tri-series, Wade spilled a one-handed chance that allowed Marlon Samuels to go on and score a century, but, after Australia’s win in the final, captain Steven Smith acknowledged that the pitches in the West Indies made it a tough place to keep wicket.”It has been difficult,” Smith said. “He’s missed a couple of opportunities but it is a tough place to keep. There’s lots of balls that were bouncing before him and the ball was reversing and doing a bit. It is a difficult place to keep.”Wade’s batting has always been a plus at the selection table, with two centuries from his 12 Tests and an average of a touch under 40 in first-class cricket. His innings in the tri-series final earned high praise from Langer, who was coaching the side in this tournament due to the absence of Darren Lehmann.”He showed maturity, he’s the captain of Victoria at the moment,” Langer said. “He showed really good leadership and he batted very well. A big innings under pressure, that’s when you earn respect from your team-mates, that’s when you earn respect from the selectors, that’s when you earn respect from the public and the media.”

Chris Rogers enjoyed himself hugely on his return to Lord’s as he scored 104 not out against his former county to guide Somerset to 219 for 2 on the opening day against Middlesex

ECB Reporters Network22-May-2016
ScorecardChris Rogers ticked up another century at Lord’s•Getty ImagesChris Rogers enjoyed himself hugely on his return to Lord’s as he scored 104 not out against his former county to guide Somerset to 219 for 2 on the opening day of their Specsavers County Championship Division One match against Middlesex at Lord’s.Former Australian Test opener Rogers, who made 4,812 runs at an average of 50.12 in four seasons at Middlesex from 2011 to 2014, the last two as captain, was joined by James Hildreth in an unbroken third wicket stand of 125 in 44 overs. Play ended 16 overs early due to bad light and rain.Hildreth made an unbeaten 60 after Rogers had been initially joined Tom Abell in a hard-working second wicket stand of 85 in 30 overs against disciplined bowling after the early loss of Marcus Trescothick.Trescothick, playing his 600th first-class innings in his 350th match, was leg-before for 8 propping half-forward in the sixth over when Toby Roland-Jones straightened one back up the slope.The impressive Roland-Jones followed up a new ball spell of 8-4-10-1 by returning immediately after the interval to tempt opener Abell into a loose drive and have him caught at the wicket for a 109-ball 41. So far Roland-Jones has 2 for 33 from 16 overs.From 94 for 2, however, Rogers and Hildreth took the game away from Middlesex’s bowlers on another excellent Lord’s pitch. This was a typical Rogers innings, accumulative in his familiar crabby style but also including some top-class strokes, especially the square cut and off drive.It was his 74th first-class hundred, fourteen of which came in the 60 first-class matches he played in Middlesex colours, and he clearly relished batting against his former team-mates after winning the toss to secure first use of a placid surface. It was his first century for Somerset, his fifth county.Abell, the 22-year-old opener, also did a valuable job for his side – especially early on against the pace and accuracy of Roland-Jones, against whom he clipped one beautiful boundary past mid wicket’s left hand. There was also a perfectly-struck offside four when he advanced one or two steps down the pitch to drive Ollie Rayner’s off spin through extra cover.He had batted for two hours and 20 minutes, hitting six fours, when Roland-Jones drew him into a rare false stroke but that was as good as it got on day one for Middlesex who, like Somerset, are still searching for a first Championship win of the season after five straight draws.Rogers only had a few alarms, surviving a big appeal for lbw by James Franklin when he had made 66 and, on 91, playing and missing when he aimed a drive at James Harris.  He reached his hundred from 201 balls, in four and three-quarter hours, and has so far hit nine fours.Hildreth’s fifty took him 118 balls, and he took his cue from his captain in playing very much within himself as the partnership built. In all, Hildreth has faced 144 balls, hitting five fours, and his championship run-tally for the season now stands at 471 at 78.50 – with power to add.

Newcastle United would need to underperform majorly in their remaining fixtures to miss out on finishing in the Premier League top four, according to journalist Keith Downie.

What's the latest news involving Newcastle United?

Newcastle United sit in a commanding position in the race for the Champions League slots, having accumulated 65 points from their 33 Premier League matches and sit six clear of Liverpool in fifth place, having played a game less than Jurgen Klopp's men.

Last Sunday, the Magpies had to come from a goal down against Southampton at St James' Park, with a double from Callum Wilson and an own goal from Theo Walcott securing three points for the home side, as per BBC Sport.

Eddie Howe's men find themselves in blistering goalscoring form, having netted 13 times from their last three fixtures against Tottenham Hotspur, Everton and relegation-threatened Southampton.

In light of his side's recent form, Howe has also been nominated for the Premier League Manager of the Month award for April alongside Unai Emery, Roy Hodgson, Pep Guardiola and Gary O'Neil, as cited by Chronicle Live.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Downie believes that the Toon Army's convincing victory over Southampton has put them in pole position to clinch a top-four place.

Downie told FFC: "I mean, I don't see anyone usurping them now, I really don't. You're talking about a team who have only lost four league games all season and I think, by my reckoning, they would need to lose three or four for there to be a chance and even then, you'd be relying on either Liverpool or Spurs or Villa winning all their games.

I feel Newcastle are riding on the crest of a wave. They're so strong at the moment that I can't see them losing that many games irrespective of what the other teams do. I said before the Spurs game, this feels like a shootout for the top four and if Newcastle win it, I firmly believe they'll be playing Champions League football next season, which I can't believe I'm saying to be honest, but I never envisaged them winning by such a big margin as what they did."

Can Newcastle United get Champions League qualification over the line?

It's looking pretty likely at this point, though Newcastle United do have some tricky opponents still to face in their last five Premier League matches.

The Magpies have still to take on Arsenal, Leeds United, Brighton & Hove Albion, Leicester City and Chelsea before the close of play, with all having something tangible to compete for except for Chelsea, who languish in the bottom half of the table.

Nevertheless, Newcastle United are in a confident mood and would fancy themselves against most sides in the top-flight right now and they will likely go full throttle to ensure they finish the season with a flourish.

If Howe can deliver a top-four finish at St James' Park this term, he would surely be in the conversation for the Premier League Manager of the Season award if he can get the Magpies over the line.

Pundit Frank McAvennie has been left "baffled" by chairman Daniel Levy after hearing he consulted Tottenham Hotspur players about sacking Antonio Conte.

What's the latest Spurs manager news?

It's been over a month since Spurs and Conte parted ways, coming after the Italian launched a vicious attack on the club, players and even the hierarchy in a post-match interview.

The tactician's rant resulted in both parties severing ties with Levy and the north Londoners still looking out for Conte's permanent replacement.

The likes of Julian Nagelsmann, Arne Slot and Brendan Rodgers have been mentioned as possible candidates for the permanent job recently with Burnley's Vincent Kompany also apparently contending.

Spurs are currently falling behind in the race for a Premier League top four finish, with Levy's decision to hire former interim boss Cristian Stellini ultimately backfiring.

After Stellini was sacked – due to an humiliating 6-1 defeat away to Newcatle – Ryan Mason was handed the reins until the end of this campaign as Spurs continue to hunt for the perfect coach to take them forward next season.

Speaking to Football Insider, McAvennie heard something which baffled him about Conte's departure from Tottenham, claiming Levy consulted the players about sacking their ex-manager.

The former Celtic and West Ham striker has criticised Levy as a result, claiming football is going 'crazy' and the Tottenham chief should take full responsibility with the decision himself – without having to consult members of the squad.

He explained:

“I heard something that baffled me.“The chairman Daniel Levy spoke to a consortium of players, people like Eric Dier, about sacking the manager.“What is all that about? I can’t understand that. Football is going crazy.“What has it got to do with the players? You are Daniel Levy, you are the chairman. You speak to the guy that owns it and you do it, you do not speak to players.“

Did Levy make the right decision?

There is an argument to be made that Tottenham's chairman shouldn't need to liaise with the team on such matters, but it is also imperative that the squad are kept informed on such calls to maintain communication whilst ensuring it is indeed the right move.

The importance of not disrupting harmony within the team and making sure their opinions are heard is surely a crucial aspect of running Spurs, so we can understand why Levy consulted the players in this instance.

It wouldn't surprise us atoll if Tottenham's stars also have a fair say on who could be their next manager after Conte, with reports previously suggesting they wanted to hire ex-boss Mauricio Pochettino.

West Ham have seven games left to further secure their Premier League safety, but how will they get on between now and the end of the season?

The Hammers's 2022/23 campaign has been disappointing overall, having failed to kick on from last year's efforts and instead finding themselves threatened by relegation. There have been clear signs of improved form in recent weeks, however, with the spirited 2-2 draw at home to leaders Arsenal followed up by Sunday's hugely important 4-0 victory away to Bournemouth.

With seven matches remaining, though, it is important that West Ham remain ruthless in pursuit of survival, improving on their current 13th-place position in the process.

Here's how we think David Moyes' side will far in those aforementioned fixtures.

West Ham fixtures 26 April: Liverpool (h) 29 April: Crystal Palace (a) 3 May: Man City (a) 7 May: Man Utd (h) 14 May: Brentford (a) 21 May: Leeds (h) 28 May: Leicester (h) West Ham vs Liverpool

The triumph at Bournemouth will surely feel like a huge shot in the arm for West Ham, and they may need it for a tough assignment on Wednesday night. Liverpool head to the London Stadium for an entertaining-looking fixture, having won their last two Premier League games, not to mention also coming from 2-0 down against Arsenal, like the Hammers.

There is a feeling that the Reds have a turned a corner, in terms of their ruthlessness and confidence, so this could be a bigger test for Moyes' men than it would have been a month or so ago. For that reason, Liverpool may just edge it, even though the hosts will be buoyed by one of the standout results of the season last weekend.

Prediction: West Ham 1-2 Liverpool

Crystal Palace vs West Ham

April ends with the short trip to south London on Saturday, as West Ham take on a Crystal Palace side who have been absolutely revitalised under Roy Hodgson. The veteran manager has excelled since replacing Patrick Vieira in charge at Selhurst Park, picking up ten points from a possible 12.

This will, therefore, be a big test for the Hammers, who will likely be content with a point before moving on to their May schedule and what is hopefully a strong end to the season.

Prediction: Crystal Palace 1-1 West Ham

Man City vs West Ham

Quite simply, May couldn't get off to a harder start for West Ham, who make the daunting trip to Manchester City, who are right at the peak of their powers again.

Having dipped below their top level earlier in the campaign, Pep Guardiola's side are now closing in on Arsenal in almost inevitable fashion, with Erling Haaland looking more unplayable than ever.

Anything other than a convincing defeat would feel like a bonus here, even though anything is possible, and it really is difficult to see City not taking home all three points.

Prediction: Man City 3-0 West Ham

West Ham vs Man Utd

When Manchester United come to the London Stadium, it always feels like a big fixture for the Hammers, and they can often be eye-catching encounters. Moyes will be out to dent his former club's Champions League aspirations here, and given their recent dip in form, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the east Londoners earn at least a point.

United aren't in the same place they were in a few months ago when Marcus Rashford was in sensational form, and they do feel as though they are crawling over the line a little at this point.

We'll go for a share of the spoils on this one.

Prediction: West Ham 1-1 Man Utd

Brentford vs West Ham

The Hammers' penultimate away fixture of the campaign is a trip to Brentford, in what is their last all-London clash of the 2022/23 season.

The Bees have exceeded expectations throughout the campaign, playing some lovely football along the way, as highlighted by their 2-0 win at the London Stadium back in December. We think West Ham are going to avenge that loss, however, potentially partly due to the Bees being 'on the beach'.

Prediction: Brentford 1-2 West Ham

West Ham vs Leeds

Next up is the visit of Leeds United, as the West Ham faithful hopefully see their side bow out in style for the last of their home fixtures. The Whites are similarly having a season to forget and they are still far from safe from the drop, and they will be underdogs to prevail here.

We predicted a draw between the pair last week, but the weekend's results really showed who the more in-form team is, so a home victory should be expected.

Prediction: West Ham 2-1 Leeds

Leicester vs West Ham

West Ham's final match of 2022/23 will hopefully be relatively meaningless for them, but for Leicester City, it could be massive. The Foxes are 17th in the Premier League and only out of the relegation zone on the goal difference, and who knows where they will be by the time this games rolls around.

A draw feels like the most likely outcome here, although if this is suddenly a must-win game for the Hammers, we would back them to scoop all three points.

Prediction: Leicester 2-2 West Ham

Predicted run-in points: 9 Predicted total points: 43

Everton's financial issues are particularly startling given the lack of quality within their first team. Farhad Moshiri has somehow come to Merseyside and taken a side that has boasted Romelu Lukaku, John Stones and Ross Barkley, spent hundreds of millions, and turned that into Neal Maupay, Michael Keane and an archaic Idrissa Gana Gueye.

Whether they remain in the division or not, the latter of which would plunge the club into further disrepute, something drastic has to change with regard to their recruitment.

At one time the Toffees' U23s were regarded as the best in the country, having won the Premier League 2 twice across three seasons back in 2016. Yet the promotion of those players was scarce, and their careers stalled as a result. Their Iranian owner had been led astray by the shiny alternatives the transfer market could bring, stuttering the growth of numerous youngsters all at once.

Perhaps the main shift in focus, both to save money and to profit from this incredible academy they are blessed with, could be to look to promote youngsters with more regularity to fill places within the squad.

One example might be, instead of tying the permanently-injured Yerry Mina down to another contract or signing the underwhelming Conor Coady from Wolverhampton Wanderers, Sean Dyche could look at Paul Tait's U21s and pluck someone ready for first-team action; someone like Ryan Astley.

Who is Ryan Astley?

Having been handed his debut in the U21s at the tender age of 16 by David Unsworth, putting in what he described as a "magnificent performance", the 21-year-old has since gone on to feature countless times for the various youth teams before earning his first taste of senior football.

Having spent this year on loan at Accrington Stanley, the League One club has proved a perfect fit for the promising Welshman, where the defender has made 32 appearances across all competitions, scoring four times.

A 6.77 average rating perhaps belies the importance of the youngster, who records on average 2.4 tackles, 3.1 clearances and 1.7 interceptions per game, via Sofascore, for a side that could be resigned for relegation.

Such experiences lower down the football pyramid, where each clash pits the centre-back against battle-hardened opposition, are sure to prepare the Wales youth international for the trials of England's top flight.

He even outlined back in 2020 just how much he'd grown, citing Unsworth as a vital factor in such progression: "He’s taught me the basics of how to defend the goal. He’s also helped me improve my game with and without the ball. He’s made me a more mature defender."

With a season in League One soon to be under his belt too, this claim is only exacerbated.

Although the reported £4.5m buy-out clause in Coady's loan deal is tempting, a 6.77 rating is no great improvement on Astley. Mina, meanwhile, has started just three league games all season and has a £120k-per-week contract that expires this summer.

If the club are truly interested in saving money and utilising their illustrious academy once again, then Dyche's first port of call after this season should be to ditch these two relics in favour of the potential future of their back line.