Category Uncategorized

Stuart Broad leads the line with three wickets in rare county outing

George Dobell16-Apr-2021Nottinghamshire have given themselves an excellent opportunity to secure their first win in first-class cricket for almost three years by dominating the second day of the Championship match against Warwickshire.Notts have gone 27 Championship matches without a win – it’s 28 if you include all first-class games – with the most recent victory coming in June 2018.But at the halfway stage of the match against Warwickshire, they lead by 200 runs with eight wickets in hand. On a surface offering just a little bit of variable bounce, batting fourth could prove challenging.To make matters worse for Warwickshire, they look set to be without Dom Sibley for the rest of the game. Sibley was diagnosed with a small fracture of a finger on his right hand after dropping a chance at slip on the first day and was unable to bat in the first innings. While Warwickshire have not ruled out his further involvement, it does seem highly unlikely – not least as they will be reluctant to risk further damage to that finger.While the injury is not thought to be serious – he should have recovered long before the Test series against New Zealand – he is likely to miss the next few rounds of games. With that in mind, there might be more thought given to playing Pieter Malan and Hanuma Vihari in the same side. Malan, who now has his visa, is expected to be available from May 6.The short-term loss of Sibley is significant, though. He averages 205.50 against Nottinghamshire in first-class cricket – albeit over a sample size of just three games – with a lowest score of 87. The last time these teams met, in 2019, he made an unbeaten 215 in the first innings and 109 more in the second.If Nottinghamshire do go on to win, they will be grateful for the contribution of Stuart Broad. In claiming three of Warwickshire’s top four – albeit one of them a nightwatchman – Broad gave his side a grip on the game which they show no sign of relenting.It was typical modern Broad, really. Threatening the stumps relentlessly, he struck with the second ball of the day – the left-handed Will Rhodes edging one which demanded a stroke from round the wicket – and returned to dismiss the stubborn Danny Briggs with one that held its line.Stuart Broad picked up valuable wickets in Warwickshire’s first innings•Getty ImagesThat Briggs wicket took Broad to something of a milestone: his 150th first-class wicket for Nottinghamshire. The fact that it has taken Broad so long to reach the figure – he made his first-class debut for the side in 2008 – is a reflection of the modern game. England duty has dominated ever since he made his Test debut that same year. His more-than-respectable average of 23.88 confirms his commitment on the occasions he has been available.It bears reiterating that it was Broad’s choice to play in this game. The England management originally had him scheduled to take another week off. But such is his enthusiasm to play, he asked to return early and has led the attack with authority.”It’s great to be training and playing here again,” he said afterwards. “Even without the crowds there is an aura about the place and it is always easy for me to feel at home again when I come back.”I pride myself on trying to set the tone so it was nice for me to get wickets early in my spells. I thought as a bowling unit the pressure we created all day was pretty strong and we almost deserved a little bit more, but we put a few chances down.”This was a satisfying day for Nottinghamshire. As well as seeing their seam attack combine well, they watched a couple of their talented young batters, Joe Clarke and Haseeb Hameed, batted with assurance and fluency in reaching half-centuries in the second innings.Hameed’s forcing strokes off the back foot – reminiscent of Mike Atherton – were pleasing, but Clarke’s back-foot drive for four off Olly Stone was the shot of the day; a thing of real beauty. Given the depth of talent in this squad, it really is hard to fathom that they have gone winless for so long.It’s wasn’t perfect, though. Warwickshire’s batsmen had three reprieves within the space of a few minutes in the morning session, with Sam Hain (on 24) and Briggs (on 19) both surviving edges to the slip cordon where Lyndon James was unable to cling on. The unfortunate bowler on both occasions, Dane Patterson, also had Briggs (still on 19) caught and bowled, only to learn that he had delivered a no-ball.Related

Ian Holland, Sam Northeast tons set Middlesex a mammoth target

Brydon Carse keeps Durham's victory push on track as Essex show the fight of champions

Dom Sibley, Hanuma Vihari reminded of humbling powers of sport with Warwickshire

Essex's Fortress under siege as Durham close in on famous Chelmsford victory

Mohammad Abbas hat-trick and six-for leaves Middlesex feeling abashed

Patterson won belated rewards at the end of the innings. He claimed Warwickshire’s final three wickets without conceding a run. Figures of 3 for 61 will feel much better than 0 for 61.In Sibley’s absence, only Hain mounted meaningful resistance in recording his highest first-class score since September 2019. This is a big year for Hain. While his long-term first-class record is respectable – he averages 35.90 – he hasn’t quite lived up to early expectations. He made his debut for Australia U19 as a 16-year-old, after all, and, as an 18-year-old, broke Ian Bell’s record to become Warwickshire’s youngest first-class centurion. Not long afterwards, he became the club’s youngest double-centurion, too. There were six centuries in his first 18 first-class games up to July 2015.But there have only been four more since. And while his List A record remains phenomenal – at 59.78, he has the highest average in history of anyone with a minimum of 50 innings – he averaged only 18.25 in first-class cricket in 2020 and has slipped some way down the reckoning for a Test place. That red ball, nipping around laterally far more than its white counterpart, tends to expose technical flaws.You can see why the selectors might have some reservations. His predilection for the leg side renders him something of a leg-before candidate – invariably bowlers have their hands to their heads even while the ball is skipping over the square-leg boundary – while the limitations of his front-foot approach were demonstrated when the distinctly sharp Zak Chappell persuaded one to lift sharply from just back of a good length. Hain, unable to move out of the way, was fortunate to see the ball fly just out of reach off the shoulder of the bat.The talent is obvious, though. Leaving well outside off, he invites bowlers to straighten their line and is then merciless off his legs. In partnership with the admirably determined Briggs, he added 73 for Warwickshire’s fourth wicket and, while he was there, gave his side hopes of parity. It was something of a surprise when he missed a straight one from Liam Patterson-White.It may be the dismissal of Tim Bresnan that most concerns Warwickshire, though. He was caught off the glove by one that reared off the surface and ballooned to point. It was not an encouraging sight for a team likely to be chasing a demanding target in the fourth innings.

England will go into the final match of their tour of India hopeful of claiming the ODI series 2-1 but already confident that exposure to local conditions will enhance their chances of success at this year’s showpiece white-ball event, the 2021 T20 World Cup.Jos Buttler, standing in for the injured Eoin Morgan as England captain, said that the side took great pride from the way they had stuck to their philosophy of aggression in levelling the series in Pune on Friday, and pointed to the strength in depth that had enabled them to pull off a chase of 337 without the services of two of their best ODI batsmen, in Morgan and the rested Joe Root.With all limited-overs contests being looked at through the lens of the T20 World Cup, to be held in India in October and November, the performances of Liam Livingstone, who struck a composed 27 off 21 balls on debut to help seal victory, and Reece Topley, whose temperament and variations stood out in only his second ODI since 2016, added to the sense of healthy competition in England’s ranks.Related

• India's conservative starts batting first in ODIs hurting them

• 'We don't really fear too much' – Stokes after crushing target of 337

• First ODI: England and India's differing methods of ODI batting

England were defeated 3-2 in the T20I series, having been 2-1 up, but have held their own against India across the white-ball leg of their tour.”The T20s were a great – I don’t want to say exercise – but a fantastic series for learning about playing in this part of the world as a side, with the T20 World Cup looming in the near future,” Buttler said. “I know Eoin and Chris Silverwood talked about building that pool of players who are exposed to international cricket and being exposed to playing against India in India is as hard as it gets in international cricket.”Lots of guys have had opportunities. It was great to see Liam Livingstone make his debut yesterday, brilliant to see Reece Topley to come back in and bowl so well. It’s fantastic for these guys to get exposure and come in and perform in the fashion that we like to play as a side. It’s great to see someone like Liam to fully commit to his way and it’s great to see someone do that on debut.”Another plus has been the form of Jonny Bairstow, who reinforced his credentials as one of the best limited-overs batsmen in the game with an 11th ODI hundred to set up England’s successful chase in the second game. Bairstow’s last seven ODI innings have seen him rack up scores of 82, 4, 84, 0, 112, 94 and 124, giving him an average of 52.41 and strike rate of 108.89 since converting to opener in 2017.His latest effort in Pune also elevated Bairstow to fourth among England’s century-makers in the format, leaving him to suggest that one of his aims was to top the list.Buttler on Bairstow: “That’s fantastic, the form Jonny is in, and there is no reason why he shouldn’t go on and break all those records”•Getty Images

“Jonny has been in unbelievable form for the last few years for us,” Buttler said. “He has been one of the world’s leading batsmen in ODI cricket and it’s been amazing to watch. If those numbers drive him on, that’s fantastic. For us as a side, we all want to push boundaries of what we are all capable of as a team and, of course, individuals want to do that as well.”That’s fantastic, the form Jonny is in, and there is no reason why he shouldn’t go on and break all those records. If you look at his numbers since becoming an opening batsman in ODI cricket, it is quite extraordinary, the averages and the strike rate he manages to score at, it’s fantastic. It’s brilliant to have him in our side and we love watching him play.”He’s our leading player really. It’s just been brilliant to watch the consistency he shows to play in the fashion he does, which is what makes it so impressive. It’s very intimidating to bowl at. I know having played against Jonny in the IPL and in the bowlers meeting [people] saying ‘What should we bowl to this guy?’ [There are] not too many answers to be honest. He’s hugely appreciated within our side and I think everyone knows really just what special player he is.”Amid debate about India’s mode of playing the ODI game, which contrasts with the all-out-attack methods that have seen England secure a World Cup and the ICC’s No. 1 ranking, Buttler echoed the suggestion of Morgan that white-ball cricket is “always on an upward slant” and said the influence of T20 had changed the players’ approach to risk versus reward.”I think the two games are probably as close as they’ve ever been,” he said. “T20 has given people probably a greater understanding of risk and reward, and that’s sort of coming into the 50-over game, especially for us, the six-hitting capability and boundary-hitting capability. The guys’ attitude to risk is probably quite different compared to how it was a number of years ago and I think T20 has sort of made people realise that they can operate at a level above what they used to be able to do for longer periods of time so bringing that into 50-over cricket.”When the conditions suit it’s certainly made for some high-scoring games, but I think one of the beauties of 50-over cricket – go back to the World Cup in 2019, we probably expected to see higher scoring games that we did. So, there are certain times when the game does differ and move further away from T20. But I’d say they are certainly closer aligned than they probably ever have been.”

Head coach Misbah-ul-Haq has dismissed concerns Pakistan are heading into the T20 World Cup later this year unsure of their best side, pointing to a “nucleus of seven-eight players that were almost the same”. With the side ringing the changes once more for the T20I squad, the current Pakistan unit is a far cry from the one that was ranked No.1 when Misbah took over as head coach in 2019. There have been several changes from one series to the next, though Misbah felt the side – especially the batting line-up – now had a “settled” look to it.”Your nucleus is important in T20I cricket,” Misbah said during a virtual press conference, “and about seven-eight players that we have are almost the same wherever we play. Even in a 15-man squad, about 10-12 players remain the same. The batting nucleus remains the same, with only one-two changes in terms of form. This team, and the overall line-up of our T20 batting looks settled. Shaheen Afridi, Haris Sohail, Hasan Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Shadab Khan, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Haider Ali, these form the core of our side. In terms of players, we are very much clear about where we are going to be come the World Cup.”Related

• Buoyed by limited-overs record, Misbah quietly confident of Pakistan's chances in South Africa

• Misbah defends Sharjeel selection, insists fitness not compromised

If the names Misbah mention appear to provide stability now, that wasn’t always the case in the past two years. In his first squad as chief selector and head coach – a T20I series against Sri Lanka, Misbah named a number of players currently out of the side for a number of reasons, including Umar Akmal, Ahmed Shehzad, Usman Shinwari, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir and Haris Sohail. The squad for the following T20I series – in Australia – saw another revamp, with Mohammad Hasnain, Khushdil Shah, Musa Khan Abdul Qadir and Mohammad Irfan being included. Pakistan went on to lose all completed T20Is in both series.The chopping and changing has continued, though not quite to that extreme, of late. However, there continue to be concerns around the form of a number of middle-order players who were considered staples of the T20I side. Iftikhar Ahmed and Khushdil have struggled to find form in the format, while Haider Ali lacks consistency. Mohammad Hafeez, not part of those initial squads, is now a key part of Pakistan’s plans, as is Mohammad Rizwan, whose sudden form has blindsided just about everyone. Misbah, however, expressed satisfaction with the progress of the side, saying the immediate focus remained on the tour of South Africa and Zimbabwe.”We’re looking ahead to this challenge at the moment,” he said. In terms of bounce and pace, it’s different in South Africa. The Wanders and Centurion are grounds we have performed well at in the past in white-ball cricket. Besides, with the emergence of fast bowlers like Shaheen and Hasnain, as well as allrounders like Faheem, the balance of our side is really good. We also have good spinners. In the past, we might have had problems with our balance, but we’re in a good position to hopefully win the white-ball series there.There will be plenty in Pakistan still upset that a side which was nailed-on favourites for this T20 World Cup now go to the tournament at a time when they are mid-table, at best, but the extra year afforded to them by the pandemic has allowed a relatively young squad to begin to settle once more. They might have a challenge getting so far as the semi-finals – let alone walking away with the trophy – but Misbah seems to feel there is more to be optimistic about than he might have cared to admit a year earlier.

Liverpool are a team with distinct flaws, and yet they are also breathtaking and brilliant when firing on all cylinders.

Too often this season, Arne Slot’s side have failed to get going, outthought and outfought across the past few months, losing six of seven matches across all competitions before a controlled win over Aston Villa in the Premier League stopped the rot.

The 1-0 victory over European nemeses Real Madrid was something different, though. Anfield roared and cheered Virgil van Dijk and his Redmen, bayed and bellowed at Los Blancos and ex-Liverpool man Trent Alexander-Arnold, who received a frosty reception when welcomed after 80 minutes.

1

Goals

0

2.51

Expected goals (xG)

0.45

17 (9)

Shots (on target)

8 (2)

4

Big chances

1

111.4km

Distance covered

112.7km

38.8%

Possession

61.2%

4

Corners

2

45%

Duels won

55%

This is the Liverpool we know. Energy and intensity and purpose across every area of the field. However, while Van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate stood firm against Kylian Mbappe, with the full-backs excelling too, the plain truth remains of the Merseysiders’ desperate need for reinforcements in central defence.

Liverpool searching for a centre-back

Of course, Liverpool did sign a centre-back this summer, adding Giovanni Leoni to their ranks for a £26m fee. The 18-year-old is worth his wait in gold, but ruptured his ACL on his debut against Southampton and now sits sidelined for around a year.

The inability to prise Marc Guehi away from Crystal Palace, however, is surely the bigger blow. A deal was almost in place on deadline day, but the Eagles had not found a suitable replacement, and with such little time to pull out the stops, the move disintegrated, with the player having been permitted to carry out a medical with the Anfield side.

It still could come together. Guehi, 25, has entered the final year of his contract at Selhurst Park and has no desire to pen a fresh deal. The issue now is that a host of Europe’s top outfits want his signature, though Spanish paper AS have confirmed with week that, alongside Bayern Munich, the Reds are still leading the race, ahead of the likes of Real Madrid.

Liverpool will hope to snap Guehi up on a Bosman by the end of the campaign, but if they fall short in that race, sporting director Richard Hughes has lined up the perfect alternative in Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni.

As per further Spanish sources, Liverpool have been named as potential suitors for Italian defender Bastoni, with FSG considering making a €100m (£87m) bid this January.

The veracity of this developing story is uncertain at this stage, but the 26-year-old is undoubtedly talented enough to stand out under Slot’s wing, with the style and experience to make a marked difference as Van Dijk inches ever closer to the autumn of his illustrious Anfield career.

What Bastoni would offer Liverpool

Liverpool need a centre-back; they’ve needed one for some time. While Guehi was the first-choice option this summer, Bastoni might actually prove a more compelling option for the Anfield side, having been hailed for his “world-class” ability by commentator Matteo Bonetti.

This is a defender who is at the top of their game, one of the most important cogs in an I Nerazzurri machine that has won two Scudettos and two Coppa Italia titles in five recent seasons, winner of the 2021 European Championship with Italy besides.

And, aged 26, he falls into a similar bracket as Guehi: a centre-back with the talent to make an instant impact and the prime years still ahead to grow deeper into their role in Slot’s squad and reach entirely new levels of performance.

He’s one of the best players in his position worldwide. In Serie A this season, Bastoni has scored a goal and supplied two assists across nine outings, winning 70% of his aerial duels and averaging 1.8 tackles per game (data provided by Sofascore).

A strong passer and outside-the-box thinker, he could even trump Guehi across ball-playing metrics, with the Palace man renowned for his cool, composed and creative presence on the ball.

Goals

0.05

0.06

Assists

0.05

0.09

Touches

89.54

60.67

Pass completion (%)

86.5

83.5

Progressive passes

5.29

4.09

Shot-creating actions

2.36

1.53

Progressive carries

1.88

0.77

Successful take-ons

0.31

0.26

Ball recoveries

3.53

4.12

Tackles + interceptions

2.62

3.12

Clearances

2.85

4.56

Aerial duels won

1.53

1.91

As you can see, Guehi has been more active in defensive contributions over the past year. This you would expect from an outfit like Palace in the Premier League when compared to Italian giants like Inter. But Bastoni is slicker and more able on the ball, and that when Guehi shines in that regard.

Sure, Guehi is a free agent come the end of the campaign, and that counts for a lot, but whether Liverpool and FSG would be willing to pass up an opportunity to sign a talent of Bastoni’s ability is another question entirely. After all, the reports suggest that a bid is currently being packaged together.

Here is a fearsome centre-half with the passing range of a maestro. Liverpool could do a lot worse than add Bastoni to their ranks, securing a long-term Van Dijk heir with the perfect skillset to ease the agony of his moving on.

Bastoni. The perfect, elite bastion to secure Liverpool’s backline for many years to come. He has a wealth of experience at the highest level and the hunger to achieve even more.

He is immensely talented, perhaps more so than Guehi, and Slot’s defence would reach frightening levels of security and balance and progression with him added into the mix.

Not Bradley: Liverpool have found the new Trent & he's not even a defender

Arne Slot has now uncovered Liverpool’s next Trent Alexander-Arnold, and it’s not Conor Bradley.

ByKelan Sarson Nov 6, 2025

Chelsea are a force to be reckoned with in the transfer market and could now be set to launch an ambitious bid to land Vinicius Jr at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues have endured an intriguing start to the campaign, where their Premier League form has been a little inconsistent, albeit a confidence-boosting EFL Cup victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers in midweek will serve to benefit Enzo Maresca.

Ill-discipline is a factor that will need to be rectified. Despite his return from injury, Liam Delap was dismissed for two cheap bookings against the Old Gold, leaving his side in the lurch as they narrowly saw it through to claim a place in the quarter-finals.

Bereft of attacking options at times this season, Maresca has needed to turn to the likes of Marc Guiu and Tyrique George to step into the breach. While both have shown potential, there is a need for more experience in the final third to convert chances.

Undoubtedly, BlueCo’s signing model has been based on identifying stars with potential to become world-class. Estevao is a prime example of Todd Boehly’s operation in action, though you get the feeling there is room for another exciting reinforcement to arrive.

With that in mind, the Blues have identified a world-leading star they believe could now become a central part of their plans at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea "ready to bid" for Vinicius Jr amid tensions with Xabi Alonso

According to reports in Spain, Chelsea are set to launch a January bid for Real Madrid winger Vinicius Jr, who is set to find himself out of contract in the Spanish capital in 2027 and is at odds with manager Xabi Alonso.

BlueCo see him as a “market opportunity, a high-impact signing” and believe he could be the focal point of their project.

After a return of five goals and four assists in 13 appearances this term, the Brazil international has attracted interest from the Blues, Manchester City and Manchester United. He is seen as someone who could become central to the Stamford Bridge project.

Dubbed the best player in the world by Cristiano Ronaldo, the Champions League winner is expected to have a high release clause value and also earns around £350,000 per week, placing challenging obstacles in the way of a deal being completed.

Risk is involved in any transfer, and Chelsea will know that he won’t come cheap. However, his situation is said to be the most uncertain of his career, proving that his seemingly untouchable status at the Santiago Bernabeu may be at risk.

Vinicius Jr is in the top 10 of 2026 Ballon d'Or power rankings

Incredibly, Fotmob calculate the 25-year-old has already created 23 chances and perfected 24 dribbles in La Liga this term, and he appears to be at the top of his game before Brazil head to the 2026 World Cup intent on securing glory.

Chelsea are wise to these developments and feel the right time to make an offer will be when the transfer window opens, making this one to keep an eye on over the next few months.

Former Premier League star Kevin Doyle, who represented the likes of Wolves and Reading in his playing days, has been caught on camera appearing to call Dominik Szoboszlai a “Liverpool c***”. Said words were allegedly uttered during the wild celebrations which accompanied the Republic of Ireland’s dramatic World Cup qualifying win over Hungary.

• Luck of the Irish: Parrott hat-trick secures play-off berth

  Ex-Ireland international Doyle was helping to cover that game for RTE Sports. The 42-year-old lost his composure after seeing Troy Parrott complete a historic hat-trick at the Puskas Arena. Said effort was recorded in the 96th minute of an epic encounter that saw Ireland trailing a must-win contest with just 10 minutes remaining.

  One-time Tottenham striker Parrott, who is now plying his trade in the Netherlands for AZ, helped to turn that tie on its head. With the Irish going on to prevail 3-2, they have now booked a World Cup play-off berth – presenting them with a shot at qualification for the 2026 finals.

Advertisement

• What ex-Ireland star Doyle said during wild celebrations

  Jubilant Doyle was left wheeling around the RTE studio after seeing Parrott land himself a match ball in Budapest. An edited version of his celebration was posted by RTE, but the full scenes were captured off camera – with an uncut video making its way onto social media.

  In that, Doyle appears to bellow in the direction of current Anfield star Szoboszlai: "Suck on that you Liverpool c***!” He then apologises to former Reds midfielder Dietmar Hamann, who was also on punditry duty.

  Doyle hung up his boots in 2017 having finished his career in MLS with the Colorado Rapids. He has moved into media work since then, while also stepping up his long-standing interest in horse racing.

  While he was left beaming at the end of Ireland’s stunning victory over Hungary, Szoboszlai – who has been putting his versatility to good use at Premier League champions Liverpool this season – said when asked how much his heart aches after missing out on a World Cup berth: “Very much.”

• Emotional Parrott reacts to historic hat-trick for Ireland

  Ireland hero Parrott – who also bagged a brace when downing Portugal in a game that saw Cristiano Ronaldo sent off – told as emotion spilled out of him on the back of becoming the first man to net a hat-trick away from home for The Boys in Green: “I'm really really emotional right now…sorry. They're tears of joy. What a night. What a night.

  “I'd rather have that pressure on me and whatever happens will happen, rather than put it on somebody else and leave it out of my hands. I can't believe it. I really can't believe it. This is why we love football because things like this can happen.

  “Look, I love where I'm from. So this means the world to me. My family is here…this is the first time I've cried in years as well. It's unbelievable. Everyone's crying. I said against Portugal that this is what dreams are made of but tonight, I don't think I'll ever have a better night in my whole life. It really is a fairytale. You can't even dream about something like that. Honestly, I have no words to describe the emotions right now.

  “Everyone wrote us off at the start of the group. But I couldn't have said it enough, that there's always a chance. And we've taken the chance. Everyone should be proud of the group of players that are over there. To go down twice and come back like that, it's beautiful.”

• Getty Images
  

  2026 World Cup play-off draw: When is it & who could Ireland face?

  Ireland will now take their place in the play-off draw, which will be held on November 20. The semi-finals are set to start on March 26, 2026, with the finals getting underway five days later. There are 16 teams fighting for just four places at the World Cup finals.

  Having kept themselves in the hunt for tickets, Ireland could be paired with the likes of Wales, Slovakia, Scotland, Czechia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania and Kosovo. They will fear nobody when looking to complete a fairytale run to another major international tournament.

Whilst many opt for either the Saudi Pro League or the MLS these days, there remains a select few players who have decided to drop down divisions to complete some of the most unexpected moves away from the Premier League.

Premier League Player Power Rankings 2025/26

The best players in the Premier League right now.

2 ByBen Goodwin Dec 4, 2025

We’ve seen players go from Liverpool to the Isthmian League and even watched on as Paul Konchesky joined Billericay Town as a player before becoming the assistant manager there alongside Jamie O’Hara. So, it’s not always the sunny beaches of Miami that come calling. Ocassionally, it’s a cloudy away day at Southend.

Andy Carroll has also made some interesting moves over the years. The 36-year-old has reiterated time and time again that he simply wants to play football rather than chase a higher paycheck. He revealed that “it’s never been a question of money” when asked about his move to fourth-tier French side Girondins Bordeaux.

Now playing at Dagenham & Redbridge in the National League South, the former Newcastle United striker has stayed true to that verdict and has since watched on as others have followed in his path.

Perhaps in the most unexpected move yet, however, one former Liverpool player has now been spotted playing for a United Arab Emirates third division side, having only been a Premier League midfielder two years ago.

Shelvey opens up about shock third-division move

Jonjo Shelvey didn’t quite get the memo of moving to the likes of Saudi Arabia and the UAE for the chance to earn a life-defining amount, did he? In fact, he’s done the complete opposite. The former Liverpool midfielder has made the move – playing for Arabian Falcons in the third division – but revealed that his “brother earns more” working in a London hotel.

To put into context the difference in his earnings from 2023 to now, Shelvey reportedly brought in around £75,000-a-week at Nottingham Forest. Based on his verdict about the current pay in the UAE third division, it would take him around four years to earn that amount these days.

That said, like Carroll, it’s not about the money from Shelvey. He’s enjoyed the highs of his career, from Anfield to St James’ Park, and is now enjoying the quiet life whilst still playing the game he loves.

With the World Cup just months away, GOAL looks at how the U.S. squad might look in the upcoming October camp.

The time for experimenting is just about over for the U.S. men's national team. Manager Mauricio Pochettino noted as much when he announced his September squad, saying it was "the last camp to have the possibility for us to see players, new faces."

The process of narrowing the player pool towards a World Cup-ready squad is now truly beginning, and it gets going this October. After a back-and-forth September camp featuring a loss to South Korea and a win over Japan, the USMNT is set to face Ecuador and Australia in October as they continue their march towards the 2026 World Cup.

Ahead of the last gathering, Pochettino made it clear that this roster would be different. For one, it would be more hyper-focused on World Cup contenders. In addition, it would be one made with MLS in mind, with the coaching staff hesitant to yank players out of playoff races, even if they are established USMNT regulars.

So who's in and who's out? What are the tough calls Pochettino will have to make? GOAL takes a look.

Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games now

• Getty Images
  

  GOALKEEPERS

  GOAL's picks: Matt Freese, Zack Steffen, Matt Turner

  While MLS teams do play during the international break, neither Freese's NYCFC nor Turner's New England Revolution are among the clubs with games on the schedule, freeing them both up for participation in this camp. Freese, of course, has earned his spot as the No. 1 in recent months, but with Turner back as a starter in New England, that battle remains one to watch on the road to 2026.

  This camp, then, should give some indication of where Pochettino's head is at: is it still a two-horse race that includes starts for both, or is it Freese's job to lose as he continues to get a bulk of the minutes?

  As for the third goalkeeper, there are multiple candidates. Steffen's Rapids also don't play during the break, so he's one to keep an eye on. Same with Schulte and the Crew. Pochettino could also look to someone like Klinsmann in Europe as he continues to play well in Serie B with Cesena. 

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  DEFENDERS

  GOAL's picks: Max Arfsten, Sergino Dest, Mark McKenzie, Tim Ream, Chris Richards, Joe Scally, Antonee Robinson, Miles Robinson

  With the new switch to a three-at-the-back system, deployed by Pochettino against Japan, all eyes are on the centerbacks. Richards and Ream seem to be locks, but who joins them?

  McKenzie seems an obvious candidate, even if he was left out of the last squad. The Toulouse defender plays in a similar system with his club, making him an ideal fit for this setup. Same with Miles Robinson, who should be comfortable due to his similar role with FC Cincinnati. The three-back system, it seems, is the way forward, so Pochettino might as well lean on guys who are more than comfortable playing it.

  For the fullbacks, with Pochettino saying previously he's eager to avoid disrupting MLS, Freeman could stay home this camp to help out Orlando City. That opens the door for Joe Scally's return as an option on that right-hand side. Scally, too, could get a look at center back as he's played there in the past with Borussia Monchengladbach in the Bundesliga.

• Getty Images
  

  MIDFIELDERS

  GOAL's picks: Brenden Aaronson, Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie, Aidan Morris, Yunus Musah, Tanner Tessmann, Malik Tillman

  A largely European-based contingent here, one that features most of the regulars. Notable possible inclusions are Tessmann, who has been on fire for Lyon to start the season, and Morris, who impressed in his initial looks under Pochettino and has certainly earned another shot with his efforts at Middlesbrough.

  They would join a holdover in Adams and the returning McKennie and Musah as options in deeper midfield spots. With that group, Pochettino should, largely, feel pretty good as that should be somewhat close to his first-choice midfield.

  As for the ones that could play higher up, Tillman is back, having recently gotten into the swing of things with Bayer Leverkusen, while Aaronson, fresh off a good performance in the Premier League, could take Luna's spot as he is left behind for Real Salt Lake's playoff push. McGlynn is a candidate there as well, too, with the Dynamo not scheduled for any games during the break.

• Getty Images
  

  FORWARDS

  GOAL's picks: Folarin Balogun, Christian Pulisic, Josh Sargent, Tim Weah, Alejandro Zendejas

  No doubt about wingers and No. 10s here. Pulisic is Pulisic. Weah provides pace and depth at multiple positions. Zendejas, meanwhile, is in incredible form and proved last camp that he belongs in this mix. With the previously mentioned Tillman as the likely starter next to Pulisic behind the striker, there are no real concerns at that spot on the field.

  As for striker, Balogun is in after his performance last camp, but who joins him? Pepi is potentially dealing with an injury, so likely not him. Pochettino has previously said he wants players to have increased chances to settle in new environments, so that likely means no Agyemang either.

  If that is the case, it leaves a decision between Sargent, Downs, and Wright, one that will be a tricky one for the coaching staff to make.

На презентации Gamescom 2021 компания Marvel анонсировала новую пошаговую RPG под названием Midnight Suns. За разработку отвечает студия Firaxis, авторы XCOM и XCOM 2.

Игра основана на мрачной сюжетной арке комиксов The Rise of the Midnight Sons, появившейся в 1992 году. Сюжет крутится вокруг команды героев и антигероев, которые должны сражаться вместе, чтобы победить Лилит, мать демонов.

Firaxis подтвердила, что среди играбельных персонажей будут Железный человек, Капитан Америка, Капитан Марвел, Доктор Стрэндж, Блейд, Росомаха и многие другие. Всего будет представлено 13 героев.

Релиз Marvel’s Midnight Suns запланирован на март 2022 года на Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC (Steam и Epic Game Store), Xbox One и Xbox Series X.

Геймплей покажут уже 1 сентября.

✨ По «Звёздным войнам» скоро могут анонсировать крупную игру

+1

Поделиться:

PCXbox OneXbox One X Xbox Series X/SPS4 PROPS5Nintendo SwitchPS4 Новости XCOM: Enemy UnknownНовости XCOM 2: War of the ChosenНовости Marvel's Midnight SunsвидеоИгровые новостиНовоститрейлерыFiraxis GamesMarvelDisneyGamescom

After the incredible highs of smashing Manchester City 4-0 at the Etihad, last week was a real downer for Tottenham Hotspur.

First, the North Londoners drew at home to Serie A side AS Roma, and while that’s not necessarily the end of the world, it was the manner in which it happened that hurt the most, a last-minute equaliser after having ample chances to put the game to bed earlier.

Then, despite taking the lead once again and being a man up for the last 15 minutes or so, they drew with Fulham in the Premier League, which was the fourth game in all competitions that the club have dropped points at home this season.

Premier League

Fulham (H)

1-1 (D)

Europa League

AS Roma (H)

2-2 (D)

Premier League

Man City (A)

4-0 (W)

Premier League

Ipswich (H)

2-1 (L)

Europa League

Galatasaray (A)

3-2 (L)

So, with a game away to the high-flying Bournemouth to come tonight, Ange Postecoglou has plenty of decisions to make, and one of those is dropping arguably the team’s best performer from Sunday afternoon.

Spurs' best performer against Fulham

So, the truth is that the list of best performers on Sunday afternoon for Spurs is tiny, with perhaps only a few names on it.

However, one of those names is certainly Timo Werner, who actually looked reasonably effective at times, providing the assist for Brennan Johnson in the second half, creating two big chances and earning himself a 6/10 match rating from journalist Alasdair Gold, who claimed he was the ‘most threatening of the front three.’

Yet, if Postecoglou wants to give his team the best chance of picking up all three points against the Cherries this evening, he must boldly drop the German international, for as good as he was, he still wasn’t good enough to help his team win the game.

Moreover, while his form has certainly improved in recent weeks, the former Chelsea ace still has the capacity to seriously underwhelm when it matters most, and his tally of one goal and three assists in 16 appearances this season is hardly good enough to demand his continued selection, especially not when there were far more dangerous players on the bench against the Cottagers.

The player Ange must start vs Bournmouth

So, with Johnson being his most effective off the right and Son Heung-min being even more disappointing than Werner against Fulham, the ideal candidate to start off the left against Bournemouth is Dejan Kulusevski.

Now, it’s certainly true that he’s more experienced off the right, but with his Welsh teammate now a nailed-on starter in his old position and there being few, if any, genuine options off the left, it almost feels like the manager must start the Swede there.

Moreover, the former Juventus star is undoubtedly one of the club’s most technically gifted and naturally talented players and has some experience playing off the left from his time in Italy.

Furthermore, as talent scout Jacek Kulig points out, the 24-year-old is an absolutely “world-class” player, and as this season has shown us, he’s more than capable of transitioning to a new position within the team.

For example, of his nine goal involvements this season, the Stockholm-born maestro has produced seven of them from midfield, showing that he is incredibly adaptable.

Appearances

20

Starts

13

Minutes

1300′

Goals

2

Assists

7

Goal Involvements per Match

0.45

Minutes per Goal Involvement

144.44′

Ultimately, if Postecoglou wants to give himself and his team the best chance of winning tonight, he needs to ensure he’s starting his best and most inform players, which means Kulusevski simply has to start, even if its off the left.

Spurs wasted £38.6m on Mourinho dud who's earning more than Van de Ven

The talented defender’s move to Spurs has been a disaster.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Dec 3, 2024