All posts by h716a5.icu

Former Aston Villa star Jack Grealish recently responded to a story by Ashley Preece of Birmingham Live, and a number of Villa fans have hit out at the 25-year-old’s reply on social media.

Grealish is currently on international duty with England and recently spoke with ITV regarding his British record £100m move to Manchester City in the summer, admitting that he needed to be playing Champions League football to enhance his international career.

Preece then gave his thoughts to Grealish’s comments, describing the interview as a shocker which lacked class. The Birmingham Live reporter posted a link to his story on Friday via Twitter, with Grealish replying directly to Preece upon reading the article.

Grealish labelled the story as the ‘most one-sided article’ he’s ever seen and pulled up Preece on the “classless” and “jealous” claims.

Villa fans react

As to be expected, a lot of Villa supporters were quick to reply to their former captain, with many in Preece’s corner. One even made unfavourable comparisons with Fabian Delph, who in 2015 reneged on his apparent desire to remain with the club, instead transferring to Manchester City.

“You don’t act like it though do you, stuff you’ve been saying, Fabian Delph was nicer”

Credit: @LewispAVFC_

“mad that you notice someone being classless but not when it’s you doing it.”

Credit:  @SKl_AV

“I’m so disappointed in you. Shown us no respect, fans, supporters, and Dean. Would love to see Pep at Walsall and Brentford without the oil money, enjoy your wealth!”

Credit: @MarkCuzner

“Yeah the “this has made my year” comment on seeing the 10 on a Man City shirt was pretty classless – considering that many Villa fans were convinced that they’d never see JG in anything other than a Villa shirt.”

Credit: @brendanogo

“Your club but you insisted on a release clause”

Credit: @AdamClinton9

“Show us a bit more respect rather than running your mouth as to how your move has ‘100%’ made you a better player in a month. You bailed out on the project you said you believed in less than 12 months into a 5 year deal”

Credit: @paulgogs77

In other news: Gregg Evans claims that Johan Lange wants Dean Smith to give £48k-p/w man a chance at Villa Park. 

On Friday, MS Dhoni (or perhaps Virender Sehwag) will lead his charges at the Basin Reserve in pursuit of a victory that would end a 41-year drought in New Zealand

The Preview by George Binoy02-Apr-2009Match factsFriday, April 3, 2009
Start time 11.00am local (22.00 GMT)India will be hoping that MS Dhoni will be declared fit on Friday morning•Getty ImagesThe Big PictureIn 1968, Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi’s men triumphed by eight wickets in Wellington to take a 2-1 lead. A win in the next Test sealed what is still India’s only Test series win in New Zealand. On Friday, MS Dhoni (or perhaps Virender Sehwag) will lead his charges at the Basin Reserve in pursuit of a victory that would end a 41-year drought in New Zealand. The Indians had an opportunity to close out the series in Napier but instead they had to produce a tremendous batting performance spanning more than two days to save their 1-0 lead.New Zealand bounced back admirably from a thrashing in the first Test to stretch India at McLean Park. They dominated the first three days: the batsmen answered Daniel Vettori’s request to bat 120 overs by scoring 619 in 154.4 before the bowlers secured a 314-run lead. After enforcing the follow-on on the third evening, they were thwarted by India’s batsmen who were determined not to repeat their first-innings mistakes on the most placid of pitches. It was hard to say who held the upper hand at the end of the Test. Had it been a boxing match, like Iain O’Brien said, New Zealand would have won on points, but the fact was that they could only take 14 Indian wickets despite one of their best efforts.India, on the other hand, will take confidence from their series-saving effort in Napier. They cannot lose the series and they will be hoping their chances of victory are boosted by the return of Dhoni, who missed the second Test because of back spasms and is not a certainty for the third. Without Dhoni, India lacked their edge in the field and his replacement Virender Sehwag appeared bereft of ideas and inspiration when Ross Taylor, Jesse Ryder and Brendon McCullum were plundering runs. Dinesh Karthik was also an inadequate replacement both behind the stumps and with the bat.Test form guide (last five matches, most recent first)
New Zealand – DLDDL
India – DWDWW
India beat Australia, England and New Zealand over their last five games, while New Zealand suffered heavy defeats against Australia and India during this period.Watch out for …Jesse Ryder has excelled in all disciplines during this series. He’s bowled steadily and broken partnerships, taken athletic catches, and scored buckets of runs. He made 102 in Hamilton, 201 in Napier and his presence in the middle-order has bolstered a batting line-up that has a brittle top. Ryder credited coach Andy Moles and John Wright for his success and said he was eager to carry on. He was visibly upset at being dismissed the ball after reaching his maiden double-century and said it was because, “I just wanted to keep going and get as many as I can. You don’t really get many opportunities in Test cricket once you get to 200. I just wanted to go on and break Martin Crowe’s record [of 299].”Virender Sehwag destroyed the New Zealand attack in the one-day series but he has got himself out after aggressive starts in the two Tests. His captaincy was bland in Napier and his shot-selection was appalling and so it will be absorbing to see how he goes about his game if he has to lead the team again in Wellington. He’s got off to quick starts in two out of three innings so if he can restrain himself from trying to smash the spinner’s every ball out of Basin Reserve, he might succeed in Wellington.Team newsNew Zealand still have an injury concern over Daniel Flynn who looked good while batting in the nets on the eve of the match. They will take a call on his participation in the Test only on Friday morning and continue to have Jamie How, who failed at McLean Park, on stand-by. James Franklin was also poor, going wicketless in both Tests, but he scored a half-century in Napier and is likely to retain his spot.”I’ve been impressed with how James has bowled,” Vettori said. “He’s been unlucky. That he hasn’t taken wickets, I know, has disappointed him but talking to the guys behind the stumps, they’ve been impressed with the way the ball’s been coming through and that’s an encouraging sign. So I would say he will make the team, we just have to figure out of the rest of the balance.”The other decision New Zealand will have to make is whether to play the second spinner Jeetan Patel. They haven’t played two spinners in Wellington since the Zimbabwe Test in December 2000 but a brown, dry, and hard pitch could work in Patel’s favour. New Zealand will have to choose one among Patel, Kyle Mills and Tim Southee for the final spot.New Zealand (likely): 1 Tim McIntosh, 2 Martin Guptill, 3 Daniel Flynn/Jamie How, 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Jesse Ryder, 6 James Franklin, 7 Brendon McCullum (wk), 8 Daniel Vettori (capt), 9 Jeetan Patel/Kyle Mills/Tim Southee, 10 Iain O’Brien, 11 Chris Martin.India’s only concern was Dhoni’s fitness. Dhoni said his back had improved a lot but would take a call only on the morning of the game. He batted and kept wickets while training but wore a sort of belt to support his back. “It has improved a lot, but we have to see how I am before the game because that will be very vital,” Dhoni said. “It’s a Test match, not a one-day game, where you know the maximum you have to keep for is 50 overs. In a Test match, on a good flat track, you should be ready for 120 overs. I’ll have to see how I am tomorrow morning.”India (likely): 1 Gautam Gambhir, 2 Virender Sehwag, 3 Rahul Dravid, 4 Sachin Tendulkar, 5 VVS Laxman, 6 Yuvraj Singh, 7 Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt & wk)/Dinesh Karthik, 8 Harbhajan Singh, 9 Zaheer Khan, 10 Ishant Sharma, 11 Munaf Patel.Pitch & conditionsVettori wanted a pitch that would assist his bowlers since New Zealand need a victory to level the series but he saw a brown, hard surface without any live grass. “I’ve never seen a Basin wicket like this in my life so I’ll say it’s not [a typical Basin Reserve wicket], but that isn’t to say it’s not a good Test-match wicket,” Vettori said. “We’ll have to wait and see because I haven’t seen a Basin wicket as brown as this, or as dry or as hard as this, before. You normally expect the Basin wicket to have a bit in it before it settles down. Days two and three are pretty good batting days and then there’s some inconsistent bounce later on.”Dhoni said he was “expecting a green track” and was “a bit surprised” at the pitch. “Looks like a nice track, so the bowlers will have to put in a hard job again. If batsmen are careful and their approach is good, you may see big scores on the board.”Dhoni, however, felt that the wind would aid the bowlers. “There is no pavilion, and the wind blows across the field, so definitely there will be swing for the fast bowlers and the same breeze can be used by the spinners to drift the ball. But it depends – today you know is warm, nice and cool, with not much of breeze around. But if it is breezy, like Wellington normally is, there will be a bit of help for the bowlers.”On the eve of the Test Wellington was sunny and not very windy. Similar conditions were expected on the first day but the winds could pick up on the weekend.Stats and trivia New Zealand have won four, and lost as many, out of the ten Tests they have played at the Basin Reserve since 2002. India have won only one of their five Tests here and lost the other four. In the last ten Tests here, since 2002, fast bowlers have taken 254 wickets at an average of 26.47. The average for spinners – who have taken only 55 wickets during this period – is exactly ten runs more.Kyle Mills has the best average in Wellington among the current New Zealand bowlers. His 15 wickets in four Tests have come at just under 24 apiece.Quotes”It’s not a line of thinking [risking a 2-0 loss to go for a win here]. We realise a 1-1 series would be a great result for us, so any opportunity that we have to win the Test match, I think we have to take. If that means putting ourselves under pressure with loss, yeah we’ll definitely go down that road.”
.”We certainly don’t do any strategising around playing for a draw. We want to go and win every Test match and that’s going to be our intention in this one.”

Manchester City travel to face Leicester City on Saturday as they return to Premier League action following the international break.

Whilst having a two-week break from action after back-to-back 5-0 wins was not the ideal situation for Pep Guardiola, it has given some of his players time to get themselves fit and firing to be ready for selection.

John Stones was a crucial member of the team at centre-back next to Ruben Dias last season, but is yet to make his first appearance in the Premier League this term. Nathan Ake and Aymeric Laporte have filled in alongside the Portuguese beast, but now could be the time for Guardiola to bring in the England international for his first start of the 2021/22 campaign.

The £100k-per-week enforcer started two of England’s three games over the international break, with his side conceding once in those two matches. This shows that he picked up some valuable minutes ahead of his return to Manchester, which could put him in good stead for a start having been left on the bench against Spurs and Arsenal and omitted from the matchday squad against Norwich (Transfermarkt).

Bringing Stones into the starting line-up could help to deal with the threat of Leicester striker Jamie Vardy. The Foxes forward has scored two goals in three games this season and ended the previous campaign with 15 league strikes.

In the 2020/21 campaign, Laporte averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.99 and won 66% of his duels in the Premier League. Stones averaged a score of 7.22 and won 70% of his duels in the top flight, suggesting that he is the superior option for Guardiola out of the two centre-backs as he proved over the course of an entire league season.

Therefore, the 27-year-old could be the man to come in and deal with Vardy, with the help of Dias, on Saturday. Vardy is renowned for his speed and Stones is no slouch. The former Everton defender’s return could be a huge boost if he is able to recapture his form from last season to make an impact against the Foxes, helping to keep Vardy quiet throughout the afternoon at the King Power Stadium.

This is why Guardiola must hand him a start and offer him the chance to show that he is capable of continuing his fine form from 2020/21 and carrying it over to the current campaign. Whilst it may be harsh on Laporte, the full-time result against Leicester will hopefully prove that it is the correct decision.

AND in other news, Exclusive: Steve Howey raves over Man City star in new role, labels him “devastating”…

Former Premier League midfielder Carlton Palmer has told The Transfer Tavern that he cannot believe Wilfried Zaha is still at Crystal Palace.

Zaha has constantly been linked with a move away from Selhurst Park, including in the lead up to the recent summer transfer window, with Goal previously reporting that both Tottenham and Everton were interested in the £40.5m-rated winger.

Nothing materialised, though, resulting in Zaha remaining at Palace, which has shocked Palmer.

Speaking exclusively to TT after the Ivory Coast international’s excellent display against Tottenham, the ex-Leeds United player said:

“The one I cannot get my head around, the one I cannot get my head around. He’s only 28. Why has no big club taken Wilfried Zaha? I don’t get that. Something must be wrong somewhere.

“That boy’s got everything, that boy’s got everything. No disrespect to Crystal Palace, he should be playing at a top-five club.”

When you look at his performances, such as his recent one against Tottenham, Zaha certainly does look capable of playing for a team competing in Europe.

He caused Nuno Espirito Santo’s men so many problems, opening the scoring that day from the penalty spot before setting up Odsonne Edouard’s first goal for the club. Palace fans, though, will obviously not be complaining.

Bangalore take on Mumbai in Johannesburg as the fight for places in the middle of the league heats up

The Preview by George Binoy02-May-2009Match factsMay 3, 2009
Start time 16.45 (14.45GMT)Roelof van der Merwe’s unorthodox power-hitting has given Bangalore a boost•AFPBig PictureThe fight for places in the middle of the league is heating up as the 2009 season of the IPL moves towards its second half. The increased competition for semi-final berths is largely due to Kings XI Punjab and Royal Challengers Bangalore recovering from poor starts in the tournament. Bangalore have strung together two consecutive victories, after four defeats in a row, but their push for a hat-trick of wins will be against tough opposition. The Mumbai Indians are currently third in the tournament with three wins out of six games (one washout). Bangalore have three out of seven matches and a victory at the Wanderers will take them into the top half of the league.Bangalore scrapped hard for their victories but those wins were largely due to their bowlers who restricted Kolkata Knight Riders to 139 and Punjab to 137. A misfiring top-order, the problem that led to Bangalore’s terrible start to the season, still remained. Jesse Ryder and Robin Uthappa have been the biggest disappointments with the bat and they were 84 for 6 at one stage against Punjab. Bangalore’s shaky batsmen will face one of their toughest tests against Mumbai’s bowling attack, which is led by Lasith Malinga, the best bowler of the tournament so far, and Zaheer Khan, who found form in his last outing against Kolkata.Mumbai are a formidable all-round team but while their bowlers are in prime form, their batsmen have slipped in the last two games. Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya have failed twice in a row after the Kolkata massacre in Port Elizabeth: Mumbai failed to chase 120 against Punjab and needed JP Duminy to rescue them from 96 for 5 against Kolkata.Form guide (completed matches, most recent first)Mumbai Indians – WLWLW
Tendulkar and Jayasuriya are Mumbai’s biggest stars but their best batsman has been Duminy with scores of 9, 47, 18 not out, 59 and 52. Tendulkar’s their highest runscorer with 198 runs in five innings but Jayasuriya has a disappointing average of only 17. Malinga has been a class apart with the ball, with 11 wickets and an economy of 4.36. Their two other main bowlers – Zaheer and Harbhajan Singh – have also conceded less than seven runs an over.Royal Challengers Bangalore – WWLLL
Bangalore don’t have a consistent performer with the bat – Jacques Kallis is their top-scorer with 151 runs in six innings – and have relied on several small contributions for their totals. Roelof van der Merwe, however, provides them with a power-hitting option in the lower-order but he ideally needs a platform to launch from. Kumble has been Bangalore’s stand-out bowler with ten wickets in seven games with an economy-rate of 5.59.Watch out forRoelof van der Merwe v Lasith Malinga: Don’t expect orthodox strokes from van der Merwe. He prefers to clear his front foot out of the way and send the ball soaring over long-off and point while appearing to hit towards leg. If he misses, however, Malinga’s low and deadly accurate yorkers will nail him.Team newsRyder’s continuing struggle for runs could prompt Bangalore into bringing back Dale Steyn to bolster the pace attack, which had no genuinely quick bowlers in the previous game. With van der Merwe proving competent with the ball, KP Appanna’s place could also come under scrutiny if the track isn’t spinner-friendly.Bangalore 1 Robin Uthappa, 2 Sreevats Goswami, 3 Jacques Kallis, 4 Virat Kohli, 5 Rajesh Bishnoi, 6 Mark Boucher (wk), 7 Roelof van der Merwe, 8 Praveen Kumar, 9 Anil Kumble (capt), 10 Dale Steyn, 11 KP AppannaThe only change Mumbai are likely to consider is whether to bring back Dwayne Bravo, who was rested in the last game, instead of Graham Napier, who has returned to England.Mumbai 1 Sachin Tendulkar (capt), 2 Sanath Jayasuriya, 3 Ajinkya Rahane, 4 JP Duminy, 5 Abhishek Nayar, 6 Dwayne Bravo, 7 Saurabh Tiwary, 8 Harbhajan Singh, 9 Zaheer Khan, 10 Pinah Shah (wk), 11 Lasith MalingaHead-to-head recordBoth Mumbai and Bangalore had dismal campaigns last season, and they split their two games in 2008. Bangalore won the first match at the Wankhede by five wickets, and Mumbai crushed Bangalore in the return leg by nine wickets at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Gibraltar’s Christian Rocca and Bahrain’s Imran Sajjad have been reprimanded for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct during the World Cricket League Division 7 in Guernsey

Cricinfo staff21-May-2009Gibraltar’s Christian Rocca and Bahrain’s Imran Sajjad have been reprimanded for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct during the World Cricket League Division 7 in Guernsey. The pair were reported by the on-field umpires Niels Bagh and Paul Baldwin and third umpire Richard Smith and found guilty of “using language that is obscene, offensive or insulting” during the match between the two sides on May 19.David Jukes, the match referee, said: “Both players failed to meet the prescribed standard of behaviour which was set out in the pre-tournament captains meeting. Having both recognised their shortcomings in this respect by pleading guilty and apologising they have each received an official reprimand and have been warned of their future conduct.”Both Rocca and Sajjad pleaded guilty to the charge and apologised to each other for their actions.

Some Manchester United fans were left blasting the display of Juan Mata in their 1-0 loss at home in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team simply did not do enough as they were knocked out by West Ham United after Manuel Lanzini struck very early on in the first half at Old Trafford.

Mata was one of many fringe players given a chance to impress his manager, but failed to do so in the eyes of some Red Devils, as he lost out on three of his duels in the game, and also lost possession of the ball on 10 different occasions, as he was eventually subbed off for Bruno Fernandes when United needed to get back into the match (Sofascore).

Man Utd fans on Mata display

These MUFC supporters blasted his performance on Twitter, with one even going as far as to claim that he was a ‘snail’ as he looked so far off of the pace:

“Mata needs to be sold in January”

Credit: @Jesse_F_Jacobs

“Not good enough from #mufc fringe players tonight. Matic and Mata way off the pace. None of them can complain about not getting any game time after that.”

Credit: @Petehooper

“I hope they take off Mata and Martial… Have been dreadful….”

Credit: @SirCDecker

“It’s painful to watch Mata get bullied off the ball a dozen times in 45 mins. Just retire man. Or go the the MLS. Bruno on at half-time please.”

Credit: @TheManc14

“Mata the snail”

Credit: @GSNComedian

“Hat’s off for everything Mata has done for the team, but this should be his last game! Awful”

Credit: @NovakiDaniel

In other news, find out whose display was also slammed here!

Steve Harmison’s chances of pushing for an England recall have been hit after he picked up a shin problem with concerns it could develop into a stress fracture

Cricinfo staff15-May-2009Steve Harmison’s chances of pushing for an England recall have been hit after he picked up a shin problem with concerns it could develop into a stress fracture.He is being sent to see a specialist having had similar problems earlier in his career and has certainly been ruled out of Durham’s remaining Friends Provident Trophy matches after missing the defeat against Yorkshire on Wednesday.Harmison was left out of the England squad to face West Indies after a disappointing winter where he failed to impress in India or West Indies. He played in two Tests in the Caribbean, managing four wickets at 36.75 and it has been made clear by Geoff Miller what is expected of him as a strike bowler.However, his form this season has been unconvincing and since taking 4 for 76 in the opening Championship match against Yorkshire he has collected just four wickets.

Kevin Phillips has offered his thoughts on Liverpool’s potential interest in Watford winger Ismaila Sarr…

What’s the talk?

Former Premier League striker Kevin Phillips has suggested that Liverpool might go in for Watford winger Ismaila Sarr in the January window.

Phillips has said that the ‘top-quality’ Sarr would improve Liverpool’s attacking options, which is why they could swoop for him in the winter.

He told Football Insider:

“They might look at him again in January.

“Yes, Liverpool have players that can step in and do a job but do they have enough options at the top end of the pitch. [Divock] Origi and [Takumi] Minamino got amongst the goals in midweek and perhaps that can kickstart both of their seasons.

“Liverpool want to be challenging this season though and I fear they haven’t got the depth in their squad to cope with an injury to Mane or Salah. They might have to dip into the transfer market to bring someone in who is going to give them goals.

“Sarr is certainly a top-quality player and he would definitely be an upgrade on what Liverpool currently have in reserve.”

Fans would be gutted

Watford boss Xisco Munoz must avoid a January nightmare over Sarr following these comments from Phillips on potential interest from Liverpool. The Hornets cannot afford to sell one of their key players midway through the campaign as they bid to avoid relegation straight back down to the Championship, an eventuality that would leave fans gutted.

Norwich sold their Player of the Season Emi Buendia in the summer and are now bottom of the Premier League with six defeats in six games. This highlights the level of impact cashing in on your star player can have in a top-flight season, which should serve as a warning to Watford heading into January.

Sarr has already shown the level of quality he is able to produce at this level. The winger has scored four times in six Premier League matches with all of those strikes contributing to Watford’s seven points. This shows that he has the ability to win games for his side in the top-flight and that could be the difference between staying up and being relegated.

Therefore, fans would be gutted to see him leave in the January window. They would surely be furious if the club opted to sell such an important figure midway through the season, potentially increasing the chances of relegation due to the loss of his goalscoring powers. This is why Munoz must stand firm and refuse to part ways with the forward.

AND in other news, 10 duels won: Watford dynamo with three key passes stole the show vs Newcastle…

Cricinfo presents the plays of the day from the ICC World Twenty20 Super Eights match between India and South Africa at Trent Bridge

Andrew McGlashan at Trent Bridge16-Jun-2009Boos of the day
You have to feel a little sorry for Ravindra Jadeja. He is only 20 and is taking a lot of the blame for India’s defeat against England after being promoted up the order, even though he was only batting where he was told. When the teams were read out before the start of play there were cheers for most of India players, but the crowd didn’t offer the same to Jadeja who was greeted by a chorus of boos. No wonder being a cricketer is a pressurised job in India. Against England he was No. 4, here Ravindra Jadeja found himself pushed down to No.8 and could do nothing to stop India finishing with another defeat.Cheer of the day
However, the fans were soon back in fine voice as India took the field, and when Herschelle Gibbs dragged RP Singh into his stumps a sea of blue shirts rose from the stands to cheer him. The roars continued for each wicket and if anyone had just turned up from Mars for this game they could have been forgiven for thinking India were on the verge of winning the trophy again. Instead they are on their way home (or to West Indies for those selected) but at least the supporters were making the most of watching them. However, by the end of the day the cheers had disappeared again.Waste of the day
This is an old one, but it always seems strange when the floodlights are shining away on a lovely English summer’s evening. The 5.30 starts in this tournament are all classed as day/night matches, but on a fine, sunny day the game could easily be completed in natural light. Then, of course, you get the situation that occurred at The Oval yesterday when people were asking why the match had to be reduced to a nine-over chase when the lights were available. There has to be a cut-off time for spectators and TV, but it’s another aspect of cricket that would tough to explain to an alien visitor.Run-out of the day
Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni became stuck against South Africa’s spin bowlers as the ball spat and bounced from a crumbling surface. They could barely get the ball away, but the return of Morne Morkel offered them some extra pace to work with. However, it didn’t pan out that way. Morkel’s sixth ball was fired down the leg side and as Mark Boucher parried it, Dhoni thought there was a single. Yuvraj, his back turned to see Boucher, didn’t agree and by the Dhoni tried to return to his crease it was too late as Morkel did well to backtrack and take the ball.Equation of the day
Net run-rates have been a key feature of this tournament and were relevant to this match when it came to deciding whether South Africa or West Indies would finish top of Group E and therefore where they would play their semi-final. The hardworking ICC spokesman tried to make it clear to the press pack. India had to chase down the runs in 15.4 overs or less to force South Africa below West Indies except, that was, unless they won it with a six when scores were level which allowed them until 16.1 overs. Following? After all that, though, it didn’t matter.Statement of the day
When Harbhajan Singh was hit on the heel by Morne Morkel the pain was enough to require a runner. Out strode MS Dhoni, a man who has faced plenty of criticism during this tournament. Was this one final statement of togetherness in a struggling team? Whatever his motives he wasn’t in the middle for long. After turning down a single, followed by some hand-waving at Yuvraj, his job was done next ball when Harbhajan chipped to midwicket. Another defeat beckoned.