All posts by h716a5.icu

As Arsenal begin to prepare for next season, the key to maintaining their high level of performance is depth.

Last season, Mikel Arteta largely stuck to the same starting lineup, ultimately hindering his side as their form drastically tailed off at the crucial stage.

One area that requires adjustment is right back, as Ben White was forced to deputise in his unfavoured position to accommodate for the persistent injuries to Takehiro Tomiyasu.

Therefore, Timothy Castagne has been suggested as a possible addition to the high-flying Gunners.

What’s the latest on Timothy Castagne to Arsenal?

According to the Leicester Mercury, Arsenal, as well as Atletico Madrid, Fulham, and Crystal Palace are all interested in the 27-year-old.

The Belgian has already revealed that he is plotting his exit from the King Power Stadium following the Foxes' unexpected relegation to the Championship.

At a recent press conference, he said: “A decision will be made. It's delicate, of course. The objective is always a top club, but the risk is to wait too long and find yourself with nothing.

“I let my agent do what he has to do, then a choice will have to be made, of course. He is having discussions."

Fabrizio Romano has confirmed it will take an offer of around €15m (£13m) to sanction Castagne’s departure.

Who can Timothy Castagne replace at Arsenal?

Since the defender joined Leicester in the summer of 2020, he has emerged as one of the club’s most valuable and consistent assets.

This campaign, the right-back made 42 appearances in all competitions, the joint-most of any player in the squad to emphasise his reliability.

Despite Leicester’s desperately poor term, the £65k-per-week man has still displayed his defensive solidity – showcased by his rank within the top 25% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for tackles, clearances and aerial wons per 90.

He has also been lauded for his attacking strength too, having been described by Josh Bunting as a “constant threat” from the flank and his offensive style perfectly encapsulates the role of the modern-day full-back.

From an Arsenal perspective, a player of this availability emphatically trumps Tomiyasu, who has barely featured this season.

The Japanese star only started 13 games and was restricted to the bench due to White’s superiority or forced absence because of recurring injury issues.

With the North Londoners juggling domestic and Champions League football for the first time since 2017, Arteta must be afforded as many options as possible.

In Castagne, you have a seasoned top-flight and European football veteran, who can bring a wealth of quality and experience to a young team.

This signing would be an extremely astute piece of business for such a modest fee in the current market.

Queensland secured a 97-run win on the fourth day in Townsville, where Western Australia were dismissed for 237 chasing 335

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Nov-2016
ScorecardMitchell Marsh picked up six wickets for the match (file photo)•Getty ImagesBen Cutting and Mitch Swepson bowled Queensland to victory on the final day in Townsville, where Western Australia were dismissed for 237 in pursuit of a target of 335. The morning began with Queensland on 4 for 130 and they batted on to add 122 to their total, declaring on 6 for 252 with captain Chris Hartley and allrounder Michael Neser both unbeaten on 53.Opener Jonathan Wells moved briskly to 47 for Western Australia before he was bowled by Cutting, and Cameron Bancroft was lbw to Neser for 19. Allrounder Mitchell Marsh, who had finished with 4 for 38 in Queensland’s second innings and took six wickets for the game, was bowled by Peter George for a second-ball duck to leave the Warriors wobbling at 3 for 74.Hilton Cartwright warmed up for a possible ODI debut next week with 41 at better than a run a ball before he was caught off the bowling of Jack Wildermuth, and the Bulls could sense an opportunity when they ended Michael Klinger’s stay on 65. Legspinner Swepson, who had already caught and bowled Ashton Turner for 49, picked up the wickets of Ashton Agar and Sam Whiteman in quick succession.Western Australia’s hopes of hanging on for a draw ended when David Moody fell to Cutting for a 17-ball duck, with Jason Behrendorff unable to bat due to injury. Cutting and Swepson finished with three wickets each.

Celtic are on the lookout for a new first-team manager after Ange Postecoglou opted to depart Parkhead in favour of a switch to the Premier League.

The 57-year-old's exit was confirmed earlier this week, and this has left majority shareholder Dermot Desmond and chairman Peter Lawwell, alongside the rest of the board, in need of finding a replacement.

The Hoops are coming off the back of winning a domestic treble, thanks to their success in the Scottish Premiership, League Cup and FA Cup, and could use their platform as a team that is able to win trophies on a regular basis to lure an excellent manager to the club.

One manager who has recently been linked with the vacant post is Italian coach Francesco Farioli, who could be a superb appointment by the Scottish giants.

Who is Francesco Farioli?

The 34-year-old boss is out of work after deciding to leave Turkish side Alanyaspor at the end of the 2022/23 campaign after finishing fifth and tenth in the Super Lig and the tinkerer could be Desmond's own version of Brighton & Hove Albion's Roberto De Zerbi at Parkhead.

Prior to joining the Seagulls, the Italian had finished eighth or lower in five of his last six league seasons as a coach – winning the title with Shakhtar Donetsk in the other.

He then led the Premier League side to a sixth-placed finish and secured European football in his first campaign in England, whilst playing exciting progressive football.

Farioli, who was hailed as a "talented coach" by journalist Fabrizio Romano, is known in Italy as the 'young De Zerbi' after working with the Brighton boss for three seasons at Benevento and Sassuolo.

He soaked up knowledge from the now-Premier League chief and used his experience with him in the Serie A to form his own coaching career, with both managers deploying a high-pressing 4-2-3-1 system that encourages brave play on the ball from technically gifted attacking players.

Speaking about his style of play, Farioli once said: "I think it's important to build a team of players with passion for what they do. They must enjoy the ball, approach the game in a brave and proactive way."

The Italian is yet to win his first trophy in management at the incredibly young age of 34, but he is a coach with potential who could go on a journey with Celtic and build something special in a similar way to how De Zerbi has transformed Brighton into a European side.

It would not be a safe or easy appointment for Desmond to make but it could be one that is a gamble worth making if he can instil an exciting brand of football and become a success at Parkhead in the years to come.

India coach Anil Kumble has said he was heartened by Hardik Pandya’s performance with the new ball on his ODI debut, and that the team management would give the allrounder the freedom to bat and bowl without specific instructions

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Oct-2016India coach Anil Kumble has said he was heartened by Hardik Pandya’s performance with the new ball on his ODI debut, and that the team management would give the allrounder the freedom to bat and bowl without specific instructions. Pandya opened the bowling along with Umesh Yadav in Dharamsala and was responsible for New Zealand’s batting meltdown. His figures of 3 for 31 from seven overs earned him the Player-of-the-Match award.”[Pandya] is someone who obviously gives us the right balance,” Kumble said on the eve of the second ODI in Delhi. “He can not only bowl but also bowl at a pretty decent pace as well. [Bowling with the new ball] was certainly the strategy MS [Dhoni] wanted Hardik to try. He certainly has the potential and he showed his potential in the limited opportunities that he has got, whether it be the T20s or in the ODI. With him giving us those seven-eight overs, sometimes even 10, certainly gives us a better balance in the team.”When asked if Pandya’s ball-striking ability gave India lower-order insurance, especially with MS Dhoni moving up the order, Kumble said the team backed Pandya to play the way he wanted to. “For someone who is just starting his international career, we don’t want to put pressure on him by giving him definite plans as to this is what is expected of him,” he said. “He is someone who likes the freedom and that’s exactly what we have given someone like a Hardik. Even with regard to his bowling, we have told him to bowl with freedom and not worry about getting hit.”The moment you start putting pressure saying we want you to bowl six deliveries in one spot… it doesn’t work like that in international cricket especially if someone is just starting his international career. So even with his batting, he has all the freedom; it doesn’t matter what the situation is when he walks in. I’m sure he’ll play the way he wants to play rather than how you want him to play.”Kumble backed Manish Pandey to continue batting at No.4, but said the batting order remained fluid and would change according to the situation. “In one-day cricket it is not necessary that you need to have certain positions fixed as far as batting goes. It all depends on the situation,” he said. “So, you could see someone else walking in at No. 4 [depending upon] if we bat first or we bat second. We have a couple of options [for No.4]. Obviously Manish is someone who has done really well in the recent past and he started off well even in Dharamsala.”He comes into international cricket with solid domestic performance over the years. So that certainly gives him the additional advantage of knowing exactly what to do in different situations. Yes, he is certainly your No.4, but it depends on the situation, you could see someone else walking in at No. 4 as well.”Kumble, however, said Ajinkya Rahane would continue opening the batting through the series, and that it was premature to pencil in a permanent opening combination. “At the moment I think Rahane certainly fits in at the top of the order and that’s something that we will persist with,” he said. “Yes, it does give us an option once Shikhar [Dhawan] and [KL] Rahul are fit.”But we will only look at that probably post the England Test series, when England come for one-dayers. Looking at the Champions Trophy, we will then decide as to who will be our opening batting combination and then who will bat at 4, 5, I think all that will come in much later.”

Manchester United's takeover situation is still ongoing, and it will not be resolved before they appear in the FA Cup final, journalist Ben Jacobs has claimed.

What's the latest on Man United's ownership situation?

There is still a lack of clarity over what Man United's current owners, the Glazers, will do moving forward, following multiple bids for ownership from Sir Jim Ratcliffe's consortium and a Qatar-backed group led by Sheikh Jassim Hamad Bin Al Thani.

Ratcliffe's bid will likely see the Glazers keep some of their shares in the club, whilst Jassim's latest bid, which falls short of the asking price, is for a full takeover.

The situation has dragged on for months, and manager Erik ten Hag will have been hoping for a resolution before the end of the season. However, speaking to GiveMeSport, Jacobs revealed that there is to be no answer ahead of United's final match, the FA Cup final against Manchester City.

“It's still fluid. There are still less formal talks taking place behind the scenes," he stated.

"Unfortunately for all parties, nothing has moved, and it may not move until after the FA Cup Final.”

What could happen next for Man United?

Man United's current focus will be on the cup final, which could play a crucial role in stopping their local rivals from completing a treble, a feat only achieved by United in English football.

The lack of progress on a deal may cause frustration, but with no resolution in sight, the Glazers may be waiting until the season ends before any announcement, given the potential for protests at the cup final if an unfavourable decision is reached.

There have been protests from sections of the United fanbase calling for a full sale of the club, rather than a takeover which will see the Glazers remain in any capacity.

The American family have been heavily criticised since taking over United in 2005, having seen a large buildup of debt and a steady decline in on-field performance since. The Red Devils have not won a league title in ten years, and have had to watch their biggest rivals in City and Liverpool consistently compete for major honours since.

A resolution will be necessary soon to allow Ten Hag to operate in the transfer market, following a promising first season of progress under the Dutchman. United secured a third-placed finish and won the Carabao Cup, their first piece of silverware in five years, and will be hoping to challenge for the title next season.

Manchester United are reportedly interested in signing highly-rated Sporting CP centre-back Goncalo Inacio in the summer transfer window.

Who is Goncalo Inacio?

At just 21, the Portuguese has already become a key man for one of the biggest clubs in his homeland, producing a string of hugely impressive performances at the heart of their defence.

Inacio started 26 games in the Primeira Liga in 2022/23, as well as six and five in the Champions League and Europa League respectively, enjoying a 90% pass completion rate in the former. He looks like a player of massive potential, possessing a level of maturity beyond his years, and Sporting will do well to keep hold of him this summer.

The youngster has been linked with a move to various club before the start of next season, with a move to the Premier League potentially on the cards. United are one of the club who are reportedly in the mix to snap him up, with the likes of Liverpool and Newcastle United also thought to be keen.

Could United make a move for Inacio?

According to Monday's edition of Portuguese newspaper O Jogo [via Man Utd News], United are "closely following" Inacio's situation, ahead of a potential summer move for the £17,000-a-week star. Sporting are aiming to make their player's release clause as high as €60m (£51.7m), as they look to ward off interest in one of their most prized assets, with Paris Saint-Germain also thought to be in the conversation.

Inacio could be such an exciting signing by United if they manage to pip others to his signature, coming in as a long-term acquisition with a high ceiling. Granted, he is a left-footed and left-sided central defender, like Lisandro Martinez, but the Reds could do with that level of competition in key areas moving forward.

The Sporting ace would be an upgrade on Harry Maguire, who looks increasingly likely to leave Old Trafford this summer, with the two-cap Portugal international being hailed as a "complete" centre-back by football talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Not only would Inacio be a great signing in his own right, but the fact that United had beaten the likes of Liverpool to his signature would also be a major signal of intent, further suggesting that they remain a huge pull for any player. Three assists in the league this season, as well as an average of 3.5 clearances per game in the Champions League this season, outline his quality both in and out of possession.

Vishaul Singh’s career-best 161 and offspinner Rahkeem Cornwall’s fourth five-wicket haul in as many matches led West Indies A to a 333-run win over Sri Lanka A in the second four-day game

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Oct-2016
ScorecardFile photo – Rahkeem Cornwall took his fourth five-wicket haul in as many matches•AFPBatsman Vishaul Singh’s career-best 161, and offspinner Rahkeem Cornwall’s 6 for 91 led West Indies A’s 333-run rout of Sri Lanka A in the second four-day game at the Pallekele International Stadium. West Indies A levelled the three-match series with the win.West Indies A were put in to bat by Sri Lanka A captain Dimuth Karunaratne, and discarded Test opener Rajendra Chandrika, who had not scored in double figures in his last four innings, roared back into form with 84. Chandrika overcame a niggle, which forced him to retire hurt on 51, on the first day and returned on the second day to continue his innings.In Chandrika’s absence, Vishaul and Jahmar Hamilton, who missed his fourth first-class century when he was run out on 99, powered them to 331 for 5 at the end of the opening day.Chandrika joined Vishaul, who resumed on 81, on the second morning, and added 54 more for the sixth wicket. Vishaul batted on after the partnership ended, and was the ninth man dismissed, with West Indies A having amassed 509. Offspinner Charith Asalanka took 4 for 104 for Sri Lanka A.In reply, Sri Lanka A were reduced to 37 for 4. Karunaratne (68) led a fightback through a fifth-wicket stand of 97 with Niroshan Dickwella, who top-scored with 88. However, only other batsman, Asela Gunaratne (46), got into double figures as Sri Lanka A folded for 245. Cornwall finished with 6 for 91 his fourth five-wicket haul in as many matches.Having taken a 264-run lead, West Indies A declared their second innings at 216 for 3 in 41 overs, courtesy half-centuries from Chandrika (68), Brooks (53 not out) and Hamilton (56 not out). Brooks slammed three fours and two sixes, and Hamilton slapped five fours and four sixes in his 30-ball knock as West Indies A plundered their last 80 runs off 51 balls.Set 481 to win, Sri Lanka A lost both their openers with the score on seven, and thereafter slid continuously. Legspinner Jeffrey Vandersay’s career-best 47 at No. 9 only delayed the inevitable as Sri Lanka A were shot out for 147. Delorn Johnson, Kemar Roach, Gudakesh Motie and Keon Joseph took two wickets each. Cornwall added one more to his first-innings six, and now has 52 wickets in his last 13 innings.The final game begins from October 18 in Dambulla.

Michael Klinger scored 87 off 78 to stud Western Australia’s 6 for 190 in 28 overs, before Andrew Tye took three wickets to ensure that Victoria fell 41 short of their revised target in a rain-affected match at the WACA

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Oct-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAndrew Tye took 3 for 10 in three overs and also effected a run-out•Getty ImagesMichael Klinger scored 87 off 78 to stud Western Australia’s 6 for 190 in 28 overs, before Andrew Tye took three wickets to ensure that Victoria fell 41 short of their revised target in a rain-affected match at the WACA ground in Perth.Victoria won the toss and started well, dismissing Shaun Marsh for 15 and Adam Voges for a ten-ball duck, leaving the hosts at 2 for 30. But Klinger and D’Arcy Short then put on 92 off 87 for the third wicket, with Short contributing 52 off 43 before falling to Jon Holland. Klinger batted on, though, hitting three fours and three sixes in his knock as Western Australia added 66 in the last eight overs.With more rain disrupting play, Victoria found themselves chasing a D/L-adjusted target of 140 in 18 overs. But at no point were they able to even approach the required run rate. The opening stand added 25 in 5 overs and was ended by Jason Behrendorff, who got Marcus Harris caught behind. Behrendorff then got Glenn Maxwell for 9 in his next over. By the time Tye dismissed Dan Christian in the ninth over, Victoria had only managed 54 runs.That wicket opened the floodgates – a further six wickets fell for 28 runs in 36 balls to leave the visitors at 9 for 82 in the 15th over. They managed to scrape together 16 more runs and avoid being bowled out, but that would have come as scant consolation.Meanwhile, Western Australia, who tied their first match and lost their second, would be relieved to have their first win on the board.

Arsenal could be set to reignite their interest in an old target, pouncing on the dwindling contract of a top star.

What's the latest on Sergej Milinkovic-Savic to Arsenal?

That's according to Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness), who reveal the Gunners' interest in Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic. Having been linked before in the past, this is a move that could finally come to fruition given the Serbian maestro's £99k-per-week deal is due to expire in 2024.

The report notes that, whilst he is waiting to finish the season, his agent is already taking the necessary steps to mastermind his move away. His plan is to re-establish connections with clients of the past and given they arguably held the greatest interest, the north London outfit has emerged as top of his priority list.

With the 28-year-old keen on a switch to the Premier League too, and space in Mikel Arteta's midfield having just opened up with the impending exit of the long-serving Granit Xhaka, it seems this opportunity could have presented itself at the perfect time for the Spanish tactician seeking to bridge the gap between themselves and Manchester City.

Sky Italy have also previously outlined a €35m (£30m) price tag.

How good is Sergej Milinkovic-Savic?

To think of the success that their Swiss general gained in a more deep-lying creative role, having recorded 16 goal contributions in all competitions alongside Martin Odegaard, the thought of replacing him with Milinkovic-Savic is a truly frightening one.

Lazio's main man has boasted some of the most impressive attacking statistics in Europe for someone operating so deep, with a technical proficiency that means he could play as a holding midfielder, from box to box, or even in the no.10 role. This versatility lends itself to Arteta's system, which relies on two midfielders to shine at the apex of his box midfield.

As the Norway international scored 15 goals and assisted a further eight, displaying his deft creativity, adding the 6 foot 4 powerhouse beside him would make the duo a near-unstoppable pairing, one without a real weakness.

After all, from central midfield in Serie A, the attack-minded monster recorded nine goals and eight assists of his own this season.

This served to support Maurizio Sarri's notion, who suggested last year: "I’ve coached great midfielders, like Zielinski and Hamsik, and he’s one of the best. He really is a complete player with great quality."

FBref serves to emphasise his creative excellence, as when compared to other midfielders across Europe, he ranks in the top 1% for non-penalty goals, the top 7% for total shots and the top 8% for assists, as well as the top 2% for aerials won per 90.

The latter of these figures also offer a fine alternative to Arteta's usual measured style too, as if all else fails the hulking Serbian could turn into an offensive bully to cause the necessary chaos to afford Odegaard some additional space.

Also, as Milinkovic-Savic sits in the top 18% for progressive passes received per 90, and Odegaard in the top 10% for progressive passes per 90, the nature of their partnership can be visualised further already.

With a midfield partnership that would cover all bases with regard to work rate, offensive threat and physicality, sure to improve upon Xhaka's outstanding term too, this marks a no-brainer for Arsenal to hand their 24-year-old star the perfect ally with which to terrorise the Premier League further.

Test cricket in winter could become a reality in South African cricket after the experiment to host New Zealand out-of-season was declared a success by players and administrators alike

Firdose Moonda01-Sep-2016Test cricket in winter could become a reality in South Africa after the experiment to host New Zealand out-of-season in August was declared a success by players and administrators alike. The Durban debacle aside, SuperSport Park in Centurion produced a good pitch and pristine outfield, and drew sizable crowds on all four days.”We want to play Test matches at home as much as possible so if that means we have to do it in the winter, we are all for it. Especially in Centurion,” Faf du Plessis, South Africa’s stand-in captain, said. “Everything about the field was really good. The weather was really good, the pitch played well and the outfield was beautiful.”The possibility of dead pitches was one of the reasons why cricket in winter hadn’t been mooted by Cricket South Africa previously. Dry winters everywhere except the Cape – where rain makes it difficult to play – leave surfaces barren. But at Centurion, a significant grass covering ensured assistance for seamers throughout.”This was a great Test wicket – you had all the different combinations and all the factors come into play,” du Plessis said. “Day one, your seamers must play a big role, the wicket must move around and you must be tight as a batting unit. Day two and three must be good batting conditions and then day four and five must bring its different challenges. Maybe the only thing we didn’t see in this match was spin on day four and five, and also, we didn’t see reverse swing. It didn’t happen because the outfield was beautiful, nice and lush, so those are the only things we didn’t see.”Kane Williamson, who regarded South Africa’s first innings total as being ” hugely influential” in the outcome, was a little more measured in his praise of the pitch, which thought may have deteriorated a little too quickly. Batting became progressively difficult as uneven bounce became a factor from the second day.What both captains agreed on was that the outfield was as pleasant to play on as it was to look at. The playing area was re-laid with winter grass for this Test after both South Africa and New Zealand complained of the outfield being too hard, during an ODI series in July-August 2015.The de-seeding process, which involved planting different grass to the usual summer carpet, took place in April. It was far different to the work done at Kingsmead in Durban, where the outfield was decompacted in June, making it hard to recover in time for the first Test.That doesn’t mean Durban is completely unsuitable for winter cricket. Had flash floods in July and unseasonal downpours on the second day of the first Test not taken place, more play may have been possible. Durban’s warm days could be factored in while drawing the winter schedule. However, it is likely that concentration of out-of-season activity is likely to be on the Highveld where clear skies and mild sunshine are a guarantee.One venue that is particularly keen to continue hosting winter cricket is the SuperSport Park. “It’s like asking a kid if they want ice-cream,” Jacques Faul, Titans CEO said. “We would definitely do it again. We considered it a huge success.”While the stadium did not see a sell-out crowd, the local association was happy with the numbers they got. Faul put down the response to proliferation of sporting activities at this time of year, which includes rugby. Attendance swelled to 9000 on days one and two – a Saturday and Sunday – and dropped to around 3500 on day three and 2000 on day four.”That’s what we budgeted for,” Faul said. “We would have liked to start on Friday but that was impossible because of the regulations about the number of days teams needs between Tests. Ideally, we would like to have it Friday to Tuesday.”