All posts by h716a5.icu

Tottenham Hotspur are yet to decide just who will be the permanent successor to Antonio Conte at N17, with the experienced Italian having been relieved of his duties last month following a toxic end to his time in north London.

Amid the mounting problems regarding the 53-year-old's latter days at the club – including limp exits in both the FA Cup and Champions League, as well as branding his players "selfish" following the draw with Southampton – one further issue was the former Chelsea man's inability to promote young talent, having rarely looked to the academy ranks.

As the Daily Mail noted back in March, there was said to be frustration brewing among the youth staff due to Conte's unwillingness to give youngsters a chance, with any new appointment likely needing to take a closer focus on the Lilywhites' potential stars of the future.

One such talent who is generating a lot of fuss at present is 18-year-old striker, Jamie Donley, with the Northern Irishman having scored eight goals and provided eight assists in all competitions this season, for both the U21s and the U18 side.

The marksman's record in that latter age group currently stands at a remarkable tally of 26 goals and ten assists in just 40 appearances, with it easy to see why the "natural finisher" – as per journalist Josh Bunting – has been heralded as the 'new Harry Kane', according to the Belfast Telegraph.

The prolific gem is not the only emerging starlet who could also go on to strengthen Spurs' forward line in the years to come, however, with fellow teen Jaden Williams having also been setting tongues wagging with his displays in the youth ranks.

Who is Tottenham's Jaden Williams?

Much like Donley, the young forward – who can feature through the middle or on either flank – has been in stunning form in the youth set-up in recent times, having scored 11 goals and provided four assists across all fronts this season, including 12 goal involvements in just 15 games at Premier League U18 level.

The 'lively' gem – as hailed by Tottenham's official website – is still waiting for his first taste of life in the first-team, although the belief is that the 18-year-old could well be another future sensation, with his overall record for the U18s standing at 22 goals and nine assists in just 41 games to date.

The London-born menace was notably lauded for such explosive form by Spurs insider John Wenham back in December 2021, with the respected source describing him as a "very powerful player" who has perhaps gone "under the radar" at times, after being "overshadowed" by Donley.

A Wenham went on to add, Williams is certainly "one to watch out for", with it hopefully not too long before the £180-per-week dynamo is able to showcase his worth at senior level, with any new manager set to have a real gem on their hands.

It is a truly mouthwatering prospect, indeed, to think that both the Englishman and Donley could potentially be unleashed in tandem in the coming years, with such an eye-catching duo potentially set to save chairman Daniel Levy millions on new recruits.

Everton, on a day when a win would have propelled them up the table, instead suffered one of their worst losses of the season at home to Fulham.

Welcoming Marco Silva's struggling outfit to Goodison Park, who were without Aleksandar Mitrovic due to his suspension, it seemed like the stars might align for the Toffees to climb the Premier League with a result. After all, with the tumultuous run-in they are set to face, it marked one of their easier games on paper.

However, slow starts in each half consigned them to an embarrassing 3-1 defeat, where the visitors admittedly played them off the park.

A catalogue of errors resulted in the Cottagers first, but that seemed to spark the hosts into life, culminating in Dwight McNeil's fine equaliser. Sean Dyche's men would press on further, seeking to take advantage of their superiority, but would only go in at the break with the scores level.

Golden chances had been spurned, and it always felt like this would come back to haunt them.

That was almost instantly the case, when Harry Wilson was able to power home from Willian's cutback to reinstate their lead, which they would not relinquish for a second time. Dan James added another with 20 minutes to go, and the atmosphere on Merseyside quickly turned toxic.

A fury and vitriol quickly descended upon the ground, aimed at those on the field who had caused such a mess. Whilst few covered themselves in any kind of glory, Demarai Gray was a standout passenger.

How did Demarai Gray play vs Fulham?

Returning to his preferred flank with the introduction of Neal Maupay, it was expected that the £25k-per-week wide man would play a key role in any offensive success the hosts might have enjoyed.

However, it quickly became clear that this was not to be the case.

An anonymous 90 minutes on the pitch culminated in just 40 touches, of which goalkeeper Jordan Pickford actually recorded more (45).

Such a distinct lack of involvement unsurprisingly led to dwindling influence on the game, as the 26-year-old completed zero successful crosses, recorded no key passes and even missed a big chance, via Sofascore. A torrid day at the office for the attacking asset who offered no offensive input.

Writer Peter Guy put it succinctly when summing up Gray's contribution yesterday, as he wrote on Twitter that he "never turned up".

What makes it even more frustrating is the lack of work rate from the Englishman, who would lose four of the whopping 17 duels he competed in. Dyche would likely excuse struggles up front, but this kind of work-shy behaviour cannot be allowed to stand.

Whilst most in Royal Blue let down the club yesterday, with his 6.0 rating the joint-worst of anyone on the pitch, few disappointed as heavily as the former Leicester City man.

Journalist Charles Watts has claimed that Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka should be fit to play this week despite doubts over his fitness.

What's the latest Arsenal injury news?

On Wednesday night, the Gunners have arguably one of the biggest games in their recent history as they travel to Manchester City.

Right now, Mikel Arteta's men sit at the top of the Premier League, but defeat at the Etihad would see that lead drop to just two points with City having played two fewer games.

With that being the case, Arsenal really need to get a result away from home and will be hoping to have Xhaka involved from the start.

However, the Switzerland international missed the club's 3-3 draw with Southampton, and according to manager Arteta, remains a doubt.

Speaking ahead of the game, the Spaniard explained (via Evening Standard): “Xhaka is hopefully able to train today, still a doubt.”

Despite this, while talking on his YouTube channel, Watts didn't seem overly concerned by the vagueness of Arteta's response.

Indeed, the journalist insisted: "I think Xhaka will play. I'll be surprised if he doesn't.

"Look, he's been ill… If he trains today, then he plays, in my opinion. I know Mikel's saying he is a doubt, but I'd be very, very surprised if Granit Xhaka doesn't play.

"If he's able to train today, if he's fit enough and healthy enough, and he's recovered from this illness in time to be able to train today, then he plays at the Etihad."

Will Granit Xhaka play against Man City?

Of course, Arteta sadly confirmed that key centre-back William Saliba will miss the game, saying (via Evening Standard): “There has not been real improvement unfortunately on him.

“So we are still waiting, we are still hopeful, but obviously it is another week that has gone by and he hasn’t been able to train with the team.

“At the moment, we don’t have him. We are preparing for this game without him and the next game is probably going to come too close as well, so we have to go week by week at the moment.”

With that being the case, it feels vital that Arsenal must get at least get £120k-per-week midfielder Xhaka back on the pitch against City.

After all, he's played in 31 of 32 league games this term – with an average WhoScored rating of 6.97 – showing how important he is to the team.

With that being the case, Xhaka has at least had a great fitness record up until now so he will hopefully be able to overcome this illness and take part on Wednesday night.

Journalist Lee Ryder has praised Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes after his brilliant displays in the club's most recent game.

What's the latest on Bruno Guimaraes and Newcastle?

The Magpies did their hopes of finishing inside the top four and qualifying for the Champions League a world of good on Sunday afternoon.

Indeed, they blew away rivals Tottenham Hotspur inside the first 21 minutes of the Premier League game, racing to a shock 5-0 lead at St James' Park.

Joelinton's strike was sandwiched between a Jacob Murphy double before Alexander Isak also grabbed a brace before halftime. While in the second half, Callum Wilson and Harry Kane got on the scoresheet to see things end 6-1.

While it was the sort of game where a number of Eddie Howe's men seemed to put in near-perfect performances, the club's Brazilian midfielder really caught the eye.

Indeed, when writing his player ratings for ChronicleLive, Ryder handed Guimaraes and 9/10 and dished out some high praise.

The journalist wrote: "Was sparkling in the middle. United's pass master with 67."

How good was Guimaraes vs Spurs?

When you look at his stats (via SofaScore), it's not hard to see why Guimaraes has been dubbed as the club's "pass master." Indeed, he finished the game with a 90 per cent passing accuracy (the best on the pitch). He also made four key passes (only bettered by Keiran Trippier's five) and completed the highest amount of long balls with nine out of 11 attempted.

What's more, Guimaraes was also great at winning the ball back as he managed two tackles and won six ground duels, while also being fouled three times.

Ryder wasn't alone in his praise for the £120k-p/w midfielder either. Indeed, in the player ratings for Shields Gazette, Dominic Scurr handed him an 8/10 and wrote: "Anchored Newcastle’s midfield nicely despite taking a slight knock. His composure in possession made a big difference in the first half."

With all that in mind, it's safe to say the Magpies look almost certain to finish in the top four with their Brazilian midfielder leading the charge. When quizzed on this after the game, however, manager Howe refused to admit as much.

He told BBC Sport: "It's not for me to say. I saw a very good team playing today, two actually. But there's a lot of games to go and a lot of points to play for."

Luis Sinisterra's recent goalscoring form begs the question of whether or not Leeds United would be in relegation trouble had he maintained his fitness throughout the season.

How has Sinisterra's first season at Leeds been?

The 1-1 draw against Leicester City in midweek was perhaps a microcosm of the summer signing's debut campaign in the Premier League, as he scored an impressive header and looked dangerous in the opening stages but was later forced off with an injury in the first half.

Since signing from Feyenoord in a deal worth £21m in the summer of 2022, the 23-year-old has gone on to make just 13 starts and six substitute appearances in the Premier League, in which he has scored five goals and provided no assists.

The spritely winger also scored in the League Cup and FA Cup so only trails Rodrigo in terms of goals in all competitions in Leeds' squad, which is an impressive feat when you consider how much of the term he has missed through injury.

His 6.58 average rating from WhoScored for his performances in the Premier League sees him ranked as the eighth-best performer in Javi Gracia's side, while he also ranks third for dribbles and shots per game, which emphasises just how dangerous he can be when on top of his game.

Yorkshire Evening Post writer Graham Smyth lamented Sinisterra after Tuesday night's game, in which Leeds fans saw the best and worst of the attacker.

He said: "Sinisterra limps off. Summerville comes on. Leeds haven't seen enough of the Colombian this season. Injuries have robbed them of a match-winner."

The Colombia international would register an impressive 12 goals and seven assists in the Eredivisie last season so is certainly capable of producing on a regular basis, but as Smyth suggests, Leeds just haven't seen enough of him, and his lack of appearances could certainly be considered a factor if the Yorkshire outfit succumbs to relegation.

Although Leeds' main problem this season has been conceding goals, with only Bournemouth shipping more in the top flight, Sinisterra was absent for all of November and much of February and March due to injury concerns.

In that time, Leeds dropped points against relegation rivals West Ham United, Everton and Chelsea, while also suffering narrow defeats against Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa, in which Sinisterra certainly could have made a difference.

With just five games of the season remaining, Gracia will be praying that the injury he received in midweek was a minor one and that he can be fit enough to help Leeds in their fight against relegation.

An update has emerged on Aston Villa and their interest in signing Ferran Torres in the upcoming summer transfer window…

What's the latest on Ferran Torres to Aston Villa?

According to Football Insider, the Villans are keeping tabs on the Spain international with the view to a possible swoop for his services in the coming months.

The report claims that the forward may be on the chopping block at Barcelona as the LaLiga giants face the prospect of needing to generate funds to alleviate their financial concerns.

It is stated that Unai Emery is a big fan of the ex-Manchester City attacker and that the Villa board are prepared to be ambitious in order to back the manager in the market this summer.

What is Ferran Torres' style of play?

The Spanish gem, who Barcelona paid £49m for, is a versatile forward who can play on either flank or through the middle as a number nine and uses his pace and ability on the ball to make things happen in the final third.

Emery has worked wonders with Ollie Watkins, who can also play anywhere across the frontline and uses his speed to punish opposition defenders, in the Premier League this season and could replicate that masterclass with Torres.

Since the World Cup break, the England international has plundered 11 goals and two assists in 17 top-flight appearances for the Spanish head coach. The attacker has been in phenomenal form and has established himself as a regular goalscorer for the Villans with the help of the boss' coaching.

Torres could enjoy similar success in a Villa shirt as the 23-year-old has shown plenty of promise in his short career to date. The winger has scored 14 goals and provided eight assists in 67 appearances for Barcelona, after managing 16 goals and four assists in 43 outings for Manchester City.

Across 28 Premier League matches under Pep Guardiola, the 6-foot machine scored nine goals 8.24 xG and this shows that the dynamo has the quality to be a lethal finisher in the English top-flight if provided with the right service.

Meanwhile, Watkins has scored 14 goals from 15.47 xG in the division this term, which suggests that there is the possibility of Torres coming in and being more clinical than the Englishman at the top end of the pitch.

Guardiola once claimed that the Barcelona marksman has "the smell" for goal and this, along with his impressive statistics at a young age, indicate that the forward could develop into an excellent option for Villa through the middle alongside or instead of Watkins.

The WICB has agreed to release captain Jason Holder, Darren Bravo, Carlos Brathwaite, Devendra Bishoo, and Denesh Ramdin for the Caribbean Premier League, starting June 30

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Jun-2016The WICB has agreed to release captain Jason Holder, batsman Darren Bravo, allrounder Carlos Brathwaite, legspinner Devendra Bishoo, and wicketkeeper-batsman Denesh Ramdin for the Caribbean Premier League, starting June 30, which is four days after the tri-series final in Barbados. They can remain with their franchises until July 11, ten days before West Indies’ first Test against India in Antigua.WICB announced a confirmation of the India tour last December, but they released the full itinerary only last week. A possible clash of dates with the CPL had been one of the main reasons for the delay.According to the WICB policy, the head coach and the national selectors had final say in determining whether their players would be free to participate in the CPL. It is understood that head coach Phil Simmons had no objections with his men playing the tournament’s initial stages, provided they returned in time to prepare for the four Tests against India, which are the only Tests in West Indies’ home season.Damien O’Donohoe, the CPL chief executive, welcomed the WICB’s decision and said that the players’ availability would would be a “tremendous boost”.”Our thanks to the West Indies Cricket Board, coach and chairman of selection committee for facilitating the release of the players for the opening weeks of the CPL,” he said. “It’s a tremendous boost for the competition and I have no doubt that each of the players will be motivated to add great value to their squads.”Ramdin, who is part of the onging tri-series against South Africa and Australia, was announced as the replacement for injured fast bowler Fidel Edwards, for St Lucia Zouks. Edwards had suffered a fractured ankle in the lead up to the final day of Hampshire’s County Championship match against Yorkshire at Headingley in April.

Fans online have reacted after Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan scored a stunning goal-of-the-season contender against Everton.

How did Ilkay Gundogan score against Everton?

After going toe-to-toe in their 1-1 Champions League draw against Real Madrid in the week, Pep Guardiola made four changes to his team to take on the Toffees.

Indeed, Aymeric Laporte replaced John Stones in defence, while Julian Alvarez, Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez come in for Kevin De Bruyne, Jack Grealish and Bernardo Silva further up the pitch – talk about depth, huh…

Despite the ‘weakened’ team, City were looking to extend their lead over Arsenal at the top of the Premier League title and the opposition fought hard to make things awkward in the early stages of the game at Goodison Park.

However, all that good work was completely undone by a moment of pure brilliance from Gundogan – who incidentally was making his 300th appearance for the club – in the 37th minute of the game.

Indeed, as you can see in the Sky Sports footage below, the midfielder arrives in the box to get on the end of a Mahrez cross. However, the ball is slightly behind him, so he has to quickly readjust.

With that being the case, as if operating in slow-motion, the £140k-per-week German takes the ball on his thigh and then pivots mid-air to flick the ball into the back of the net without even being able to see the goal behind him.

It was a Dennis Bergkamp-esque type finish that would have had Arsenal fans hoping for a City defeat groaning in frustration.

Fans on Twitter didn’t take long to flock to the footage though and these are some of the best reactions…

His value to this team can’t be underrated as he added an assist to his name just minutes later as he set up Erling Haaland to make it 2-0 and then later made it three with his second of the clash.

Cricket Australia has named an 18-man National Performance Squad for the upcoming quadrangular one-day series in Queensland, featuring teenage carrom-ball spinner Arjun Nair

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Jul-2016Cricket Australia has named an 18-man National Performance Squad for the upcoming quadrangular one-day series in Queensland, featuring teenage carrom-ball spinner Arjun Nair.New South Wales allrounder Sean Abbott is the most experienced member of the group, which will take on Australia A, India A and South Africa A in a tournament in Townsville and Mackay during August.Nair, 18, is an emerging spinner who played two matches for New South Wales last summer but is particularly notable in Australia for his varieties. Although yet to make his List A debut, he will have the chance to show off his short-form talent in the four-team series.In May, a 24-man Australia A squad was named for a winter campaign set to include four first-class games against South Africa A and India A as well as the one-day series, although specific groups for the one-day and four-day matches were to be confirmed closer to the games. Three men named in that squad – Matthew Renshaw, Sam Heazlett and Mitch Swepson – will play for Australia A in the first-class games and for the NPS in the one-day series.”All of these players have some degree of state experience as part of the Australian Cricket Pathway and this is just another step up in their development,” Greg Chappell, CA’s national talent manager, said of the NPS group. “Selection in this squad pays tribute to the hard work that these players have put in and acknowledges that performances are noted and rewarded in the current Pathway system.”The squad will be coached by Graeme Hick and Ryan Harris. Hick said the quadrangular series would provide valuable experience for the players, many of whom have had just a taste of state cricket.”Although the team’s success won’t be measured by win-loss ratio, we still expect this side to be competitive and with the talent in the team, a victory along the way isn’t out of the question,” Hick said. “Alongside the Australia A squad, these players are the future of Australian cricket and we are excited to see the progress they make in this important tournament.”National Performance Squad Sean Abbott, Hilton Cartwright, Kyle Gardiner, David Grant, Sam Grimwade, Sam Harper, Sam Heazlett, Clint Hinchliffe, Josh Inglis, Caleb Jewell, David Moody, Arjun Nair, Tom O’Donnell, Matthew Renshaw, Matthew Short, Mitchell Swepson.

Newcastle United have recently been credited with an interest in Villarreal ace Samuel Chukwueze, with manager Eddie Howe looking to bolster the flanks ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

What's the latest on Samuel Chukwueze to Newcastle?

According to reports in Spain (via Sport Witness), the Magpies and technical director Dan Ashworth 'have in mind' that Allan Saint-Maximin is expendable and have earmarked the Yellow Submarine's Chukwueze, who has been in fine form this term.

The Nigeria international has just one more year on his contract and reportedly shows little sign of renewing, sparking life into rumours that he could depart for pastures new imminently, with his exit becoming 'more and more clear’ every day.

Villarreal are holding out for a jaw-dropping €80m (£71m) fee, though it is unlikely any prospective suitors would meet that exorbitant valuation, and as such, could definitely whittle down the price to a less daunting figure.

Should Newcastle sign Samuel Chukwueze?

At just 23 years old, Chukwueze has blitzed into prominence in La Liga and was instrumental in his outfit's triumph in the 2020/21 Europa League, defeating Manchester United on penalties in the final.

Over the duration of his club career, having only plied his trade with Villarreal, Chukwueze has scored 37 goals and supplied 31 assists from 203 outings, but it is this year that he has truly blossomed into his own.

Indeed, the "extraordinary" gem and "crazy dribbler", as he has been hailed by Quique Setien, has plundered 13 goals and 11 assists this year from 46 displays, notably netting an emphatic brace during his side's 3-2 victory over Real Madrid last month.

The £32k-per-week star would bring a new sense of dynamism to the Magpies fold, gallivanting up the flanks and providing a consistent threat both as a direct striker and a creative option.

As per FBref, the "fantastic" machine, as he has also been heralded by Setien, ranks among the top 8% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues for progressive carries and the top 3% for successful take-ons per 90, underscoring his efficacy in transitional manoeuvre.

The statistical site lists him as a comparable player to Arsenal phenom Bukayo Saka, who has been nothing short of exemplary during Mikel Arteta's crafting of a Premier League team capable of competing for major honours once again.

Having risen through the Hale End youth academy, the 26-cap England phenom has clinched 37 goals and 40 assists from 177 matches, described as a "mentality monster" by FourFourTwo writer Mark White.

This term, he has scored 14 goals and provided a further 11 assists from 46 games, with a striking resemblance to Chukwueze's own prolific exploits.

With Newcastle hoping to make that next stride in their ascension to overtake title-challenging Arsenal next year, replicating a player of Saka's ilk could indeed go a long way to ensuring progress is not derailed.