Category Uncategorized

Durham need a further 46 runs to not only defeat Somerset but to improve their chances of winning the Specsavers’ County Championship after another day of extraordinary action

ECB Reporters Network05-Aug-2016
ScorecardRyan Davies was part of a lower-order rally•Getty ImagesDurham need a further 46 runs to not only defeat Somerset but to improve their chances of winning the Specsavers’ County Championship after another day of extraordinary action.However, they are making heavy weather of matters at Taunton. Chasing 176 to win, in their second innings, the visitors reached 130 for 5 at the close.It has been a remarkable game during which Durham’s seamers have taken 18 of the 20 Somerset wickets to fall and the Somerset spinners, Roelof van der Merwe and Jack Leach, have helped themselves to all but three of the 15 Durham wickets to tumble.”It was one of those mornings where we hardly played and missed. Every good good ball got the edge,” Matthew Maynard, the Somerset coach, said. “The first ball straightened on Marcus and he nicked it. One has come back to the skipper, quite sharply and then, Hildy got a good ball. They were got out by decent balls.”However, to be still in the game tonight from 33 for 6 is a great effort from the lads and especially our low middle order.”It has been an absorbing game of cricket. Fair play to them, they have utilised the new ball brilliantly, especially in the second innings, when we knew that if we got off to a good start we could push on. But their seamers have got a lot more out of this wicket than we thought they would.”After an opening day during which 17 wickets had fallen, the second day began with Durham resuming their first innings on 154 for 7. They lost Mark Wood and Chris Rushworth to Leach and van der Merwe respectively before Graham Onions was trapped lbw to Leach at 180 all out.Trailing by only five, on first innings, Somerset sensed an opportunity to build a big enough lead to put serious pressure on Durham, in the game’s fourth and final innings. It was not to be. They lost Marcus Trescothick, Chris Rogers and Tom Abell without scoring as Durham reduced their hosts to 0 for 3 in quick time. For Abell, it was a second first ball dismissal of the game.James Hildreth managed 8 before he was snapped up by Onions at 21 for 4 and when Peter Trego was trapped leg before by the former England seamer, Somerset were staring down the barrel of a humiliating defeat. Unfortunately, for Somerset, it got worse before it got better, with Jim Allenby, who looked relatively comfortable in reaching 15, becoming Wood’s first scalp of the day at 33 for 6.Craig Overton and van der Merwe showed what fighting spirit can achieve – either side of lunch. The pair added 72 for the seventh wicket before van der Merwe was finally out, three short of his half century at 105 for 7.Thirteen runs later, Overton was yorked by a decent ball from Adam Hickey and Leach followed in similar fashion, this time off the bowling of Wood.Wicketkeeper Ryan Davies, one of the shining lights with the bat in the first innings, played with great guts and gusto and with Tim Groenewald put on 52 for the final wicket. Davies looked odds on to reach his 50 when he chipped a Hickey delivery to midwicket.Having capitulated to the spinners in their first innings, Durham lost two early wickets to seamer Overton, at 1 for 1 and 19 for 2. Keaton Jennings departed without scoring and Scott Borthwick pulled a short ball to Hildreth at mid-on.Michael Richardson and Mark Stoneman were separated at 88 for 3 when the former was adjudged lbw off the bowling of Jack Leach and Stoneman followed at 118 for 4 when van der Merwe found a way through his defence.Somerset kept themselves in the hunt by taking the wicket of Gordon Muchall before the clock ticked over to six o’clock on a dramatic day.

Liverpool are plotting a summer raid to sign Alexis Mac Allister, with The Times journalist Paul Joyce reporting that the Reds have made the player one of their main targets.

What is the latest on Alexis Mac Allister to Liverpool?

The Reds have struggled to get going this campaign, already losing four times more games in the Premier League this season than they did for the entirety of the last one. Despite coming close to claiming a second ever Premier League title last time out, they have laboured to even finish in the Champions League places this year.

They're currently sat in fifth and a large part of their issues have come down to their midfield. Arthur Melo was added to boost the club's ranks in the centre of the field back in the summer but has spent months on the sidelines with a thigh injury. In addition, Thiago has struggled to keep himself fit and is now sidelined for the rest of the season while Stefan Bajcetic is another long-term absentee.

Those who have been fit for Liverpool have also faltered in form. Jurgen Klopp has admitted that Fabinho has not been "flying" this season and Jordan Henderson has also managed just 20 Premier League starts this campaign.

The Reds are therefore "preparing" deals for midfielders, says Joyce, revealing that Mac Allister is one of their main targets this summer for such a move, with the player set to be "high up" on their wanted list.

He could cost the side up to £70m in transfer fees but with Klopp's side struggling in that area, they could still splash that amount to bring him in.

Would Mac Allister be a good signing for Liverpool?

Liverpool are crying out for more options in the middle of the park – especially ones that have a knack for getting the ball forward and driving their team towards the opposition box – and Mac Allister fits the bill.

He's been outstanding for Brighton this season, managing eight goals and one assist, with a WhoScored rating of 7.03. Only two other Seagulls players have a better score than him this campaign. He's also proven he can cut it on the international stage too for Argentina, emerging as one of their best players during the World Cup with a rating of 7.11.

That led to high-praise from La Albiceleste legend Sergio Aguero, who admitted that Mac Allister is an "intelligent" player who has "great ball handling" ability. This is proven by his 51 progressive carries this campaign – his best total yet – and his take on success rate of 60.4% (via FBRef).

Mac Allister is continuing to grow and get better as a player and is now playing without fear – and that is something Liverpool need to add to their team during the summer.

Football writer Aaron Catterson-Reid has slammed the news that talented teen Charlie Patino now looks likely to leave Arsenal in the summer.

What's the latest Arsenal transfer news?

As the Gunners look to build a team that can consistently challenge for Premier League titles in the coming years, big moves can be expected in the summer window.

Indeed, there has already been plenty of talk in the media about Mikel Arteta potentially adding the likes of Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo to his midfield.

Of course, though, if one or both of those two were to arrive in North London, this could spell trouble for other options within the squad.

With that potentially in mind, it sounds as though talented youngster Patino no longer sees a path to first-team action with Arsenal.

Indeed, as per The Athletic, the 19-year-old is expected to leave on a permanent basis at the end of the season, with the club "receptive to his desire to seek" senior football elsewhere.

In reaction to this, Catterson-Reid warned that it could be a big mistake, writing on Twitter: "This is a Gnabry situation. That’s how good Patino is. This is such bad news for Arsenal."

Will Patino leave Arsenal this summer?

Arsenal fans will no doubt remember how they let Serge Gnabry football slip through their fingers as a youngster before ending up becoming a star with Bayern Munich. That must have scarred many supporters and they won't want to see the same happen with Patino.

After all, the teenager has shown the potential to be a future top talent having scored on debut for the Gunners and since excelled while out on loan at Blackpool this season.

Indeed, after scoring in the FA Cup against Southampton, his current boss Mick McCarthy said (via The Athletic.): "He has a right go at it, Charlie. He's a young man and sometimes he doesn't always get it right.

"He might press and get played past, but in the first half, he lost it in front of us about 20 yards into their half and won it back in the 18-yard box at the other side of the pitch. I said, 'If you can do that, you'll do for me'.

"The willingness to do it is great. I've loved working with him for the last few days, he's going to be a very good player."

No doubt, Patino has plenty of potential but there is no guarantee he will be a star. Even so, if he does leave in the summer, Arsenal would be wise to include some sort of buy-back clause in any contract as Manchester City have done with Romeo Lavia.

قدم وزير الرياضة المصري أشرف صبحي، الشكر لفخامة الرئيس عبد الفتاح السيسي بسبب زيارته لمعسكر منتخب مصر، قبل المشاركة في كأس أمم إفريقيا.

وقال الدكتور أشرف صبحي في تصريحات لقناة “صدى البلد”: “تشرفنا اليوم بزيارة فخامة رئيس الجمهورية الجديدة والتي أصبحت لها معالم كبيرة، من الإنجازات الكبيرة في هذه الفترة، سيادة الرئيس زار مدينة مصر الأولمبية، وتفقد المنشآت، كل عوامل المدن الحديثة موجودة فيها، وهذه المدينة انتهت قبل الأزمات الاقتصادية العالمية، نحن في حلم على المستوى الرياضي”.

وأكمل حديثه: “المنتخب المصري ندعو له بالتوفيق، لأنه المثال الحي لصورة الرياضة المصرية والمتحكم في مزاج الشعب، وزيارة الرئيس منحت اللاعبين دفعة معنوية، والتقط صورة تذكارية معهم”.

إقرأ أيضًا..وزير الرياضة يصطحب أبطال العالم بالألعاب المختلفة لحضور تدريب منتخب مصر

وتابع تصريحاته: “رسالة الرئيس دائمًا إن الرياضي المصري لا بد أن يكون مميزًا، وأفضل شاب رياضي في الدنيا، وأن يبذلوا جهد كبير، لأن الكرة تمثل شيئًا مهمًا للمصريين، والكابتن محمد صلاح قال إن كل الإمكانيات متاحة لنا، وهذا دورنا أن نوفر المناخ الكامل والباقي جهدهم”.

وواصل: “سيادة الرئيس لا يترك أي تفصيلة، ويساند الجميع، إنشاء استاد بهذا الحجم دعم لناس كثيرة، عندما قلنا المعسكر سيكون هناك لم يكن اللاعبون يتخيلون ما شاهدوه، وأعطى اللاعبين طاقة إيجابية أكبر، وهذا نُقل للمديرين الفنيين، المنتخب الأولمبي سبق وخاض المعسكر في هذا الملعب”.

وأتم: “سيادة الرئيس كان توجهه من البداية البحث عن المواهب وتطويرها ليكون هناك أكثر من محمد صلاح، والدولة قامت ببرامج متعددة مثل (الكابيتانو) لأن دورنا هو البحث عن المواهب ونُخطط لها”.

وزاد: “محمد صلاح قال إن المنتخب بذل جهدًا كبيرًا في النسخة الماضية ولكن التوفيق لم يُحالفهم، وأنا أيضًا أرى إن المنتخب كان قد بذل جهدًا كبيرًا، روح العطاء والإخلاص موجودة، وسيادة الرئيس أكد على هذا الأمر، الإخلاص والعطاء، ونحن وفرنا للاعبين كل شيء، وللمنتخب الأولمبي”.

إقرأ أيضًا..الرئيس السيسي يوجه رسالة لـ منتخب مصر.. ومحمد صلاح وفيتوريا يقدمان وعدًا

واستطرد: “كابتن محمد صلاح تقدم لفخامة الرئيس بقميص موقع من جميع اللاعبين، وهذا شعور جيد من اللاعبين تجاه القيادة السياسية، الرئيس يعرف كل اللاعبين”، وأضاف ضاحًكا: “ويعرف من جدد ومن لم يُجدد”.

واستمر: “هو متابع جيد على مستوى الرياضة وهو شخص رياضي، وحريص على رفع اسم مصر في المحافل العالمية”.

وقال عن كلمات محمد صلاح للرئيس السيسي: “محمد صلاح رجل وطني مُثقف، ونقل كلمة اللاعبين، وقال للرئيس إن شاء الله نفوز بالبطولة، وأكد على استعداد اللاعبين لبذل أقصى جهد”.

أما عن حوار سيادة الرئيس مع كهربا، قال وزير الرياضة: “الرئيس صافح جميع اللاعبين والجهاز الفني والعاملين، وجاء كهربا وقال لسيادة الرئيس وهو يُصافحه: أنا كهربا، قال له أعرفك”.

وأردف: “اللاعبون في حالة تركيز، والمنتخب في تصنيف جيد إفريقيًا، وفي روح جيدة، والمنتخب الأولمبي أيضًا تأهل للأولمبياد، وندعو لأولادنا بالتوفيق ونحن ليس علينا إلا المساندة”.

وصرح بشأن المدينة الرياضية: “تبلغ مساحتها 5 ملايين متر مربع، وهذا يعطي تنمية ونمو كبير، وهذه المدينة انتهت قبل الأزمة الاقتصادية وقيمتها الآن عالية جدًا”.

وختم: “لن نُقصر مع أولادنا، وزيارة الرئيس تمت تغطيتها بشكل واسع، وكانت لها 4 جوانب وهي أن يذهب الجميع لرؤية المدينة، والجانب الثاني يُنقل للمصريين ماذا يحدث في مصرة ، ثالثًا أن نكون مع أبطال مصر في كل الألعاب، ورسالة كبيرة من الرئيس أعطتنا طاقة إيجابية كبيرة، وأوضحت للجميع اهتمام الرئيس بالجانب الرياضي”.

The managerial merry-go-round season in the Premier League has well and truly begun, but the latest reports suggest that West Ham United won't be taking part.

What's the latest West Ham manager news?

The Hammers are one of just two sides in the bottom half of the top flight to have not sacked a manager so far this campaign, with Nottingham Forest also keeping faith in Steve Cooper following their promotion from the Championship last season.

Swapping managers at Everton, Wolves and Bournemouth has arguably had the desired effect, with those three sides looking more solid under new leadership, but it is still any three from eight in the Premier League who could go down, in what will surely go down as one of the tightest relegation battles in history.

Despite the Hammers enjoying regular top-half finishes under David Moyes in recent seasons, as well as impressive runs in the Europa League and Europa Conference League, there is no doubt that the Scottish manager has been one of the prime candidates for the sack this season, considering the perceived strength of his side compared to others in the bottom half.

The former Manchester United boss was on the brink of the sack ahead of the 4-0 win against Nottingham Forest and probably saved his own skin with another victory against relegation rivals Southampton last weekend, although the performance suggested that the long-term future under the 59-year-old is not bright.

Unfortunately for dissatisfied West Ham fans, the latest reports suggest that David Sullivan has no intention of sacking Moyes or bringing in the likes of Brendan Rodgers or Graham Potter, despite their recent sackings by Leicester City and Chelsea.

Will West Ham consider Rodgers or Graham Potter?

According to Claret and Hugh, West Ham won't look at Rodgers or Potter, despite previously claiming that there were no suitable candidates to replace Moyes, and that is why he was safe at the London Stadium.

This season has seen the experienced Scottish manager muster just one point per game in the Premier League, whereas Rodgers would average 1.59 points per game in his time at Leicester, and has previously impressed in spells with Swansea City, Liverpool and Celtic, notably winning several trophies in Scotland.

Potter, too caught the eye with Swansea in the Championship and worked wonders with Brighton, helping lay the groundwork for their phenomenal Premier League season this year, so he shouldn't be judged too harshly for his failure at Chelsea, where he was expected to keep a huge squad of players happy.

Both represent younger, more attack and possession-minded managers than Moyes, who has shown this season that he cannot get the best out of the talented squad available to him at the London Stadium.

With big players likely to depart in the summer regardless of the division West Ham find themselves in, sticking with Moyes could see Sullivan better his 2010 mistake of hiring Avram Grant, with the former Chelsea boss overseeing relegation to the second tier despite being handed a lengthy four-year contract.

So bad was that season that former goalkeeper Rob Green claimed "it was the hardest year of my career by a mile."

Now that two talented managers are available, Sullivan should be acting quickly to sack Moyes, before another club takes a chance on Rodgers and Potter.

They will surely not be short of suitors, and sticking with the current manager looks likely to end in another disastrous relegation.

Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that both Ineos and the Qatari group are preparing new bids to buy Manchester United.

The Lowdown: Takeover talks rumble on

It seems as though the Man United takeover took a big step forward last week as the two prominent bidders – Ineos and the Qatari consortium – both made the journey over to Manchester and visited both Old Trafford and the Carrington training base.

Following those visits last week it was reported that the Qatari group were lining up an imminent second bid to try and at least get closer to the £6 billion valuation the Glazers have slapped on Man United.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been a long-time admirer of Man United as even in 2022 it was being mooted about him wanting to take the club off the Glazer’s hands, although he thought they were unwilling sellers at the time.

The Latest: Both groups set for second Man United bid

Romano has admitted on his YouTube channel that both Ineos and the Qatari consortium are now planning and getting set to lodge second bids respectively, which may well be a sign of yet another step in the right direction.

He said: (3:30) “We can say that both groups, Ineos with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Qatari group with, of course, Sheikh Al Thani both of them are preparing new bids for Manchester United.

“The Glazers want around £6-7 billion to sell Man United and both the Qatari group and Ineos group are really interested after talks last week and last few days were very positive.

“Now, it is time to make a new proposal and enter into a crucial moment of the process. So, keep an eye on the Manchester United situation in the next days and weeks because now we enter into crucial moments of  the conversation.”

The Verdict: Crucial period for Man United and the Glazers

It will be huge for Erik ten Hag to know who will be owning the club ahead of the summer transfer window as it’ll help him to determine how much money he’ll have to spend and thus, decide which targets are plausible to go out and sign.

Last week it was reported that everything was looking positive in terms of getting a sale done and dusted prior to the summer transfer window opening, although if these next bids don’t get near the £6 billion valuation, things could being to be drawn out.

The Glazers have indeed slapped a monster valuation on the club, however, they are said to still be willing sellers, as long as they get a fair price for the club, although it remains to be seen here or not the Qatari group of Ineos are open to meeting that valuation.

Injury expert Ben Dinnery believes Leeds United defender Max Wober is a ‘major doubt’ for Saturday’s crucial fixture against Southampton.

The Lowdown: Everton injury

Wober once again got the nod at centre-back last time out against Everton but was forced off at the interval in a 1-0 defeat. The January signing appeared to dislocate a shoulder in the opening stages but managed to make it to half time before being replaced by Rasmus Kristensen.

Javi Gracia is the new man in charge at Elland Road and will hopefully be in the dugout this weekend, however, he may have to make do without Wober.

The Latest: Dinnery’s comments

Dinnery, who contributes for Sky Sports, was talking to GiveMeSport regarding Wober’s injury. The expert said that he has been ‘red flagged as a major doubt’ for the game this weekend but did claim that the fact Wober played through pain at Goodison Park is a ‘good sign’.

“You certainly can’t rule him out for a long period because there have been examples of players who have been able to return within seven to 10 days, while others can stretch up to three, four or even five weeks. It comes down to the severity of the problem.

“The fact that he was able to continue through until half-time, although obviously painful and sore, should be taken as a good sign. The possibility is that they will be working on that shoulder this week and then maybe getting some kind of supportive brace to protect that joint as well.

“Obviously, he has been red flagged as a major doubt this weekend. But, in the grand scheme of things, it certainly isn’t something which is too long-term or serious.”

The Verdict: Not ideal

Wober has been a regular in the side over recent weeks, so losing his services for the relegation six-pointer won’t be an ideal start for Gracia.

Hailed by Jesse Marsch as ‘very intelligent’, ‘gifted’ and a ‘real leader’, the Austrian has made the left-sided centre-back position his own in recent weeks alongside Robin Koch, making the biggest impact out of the club’s three winter window additions.

Therefore, Gracia may have to check on club captain Liam Cooper, who has also missed games in recent weeks through injury, or go with Pascal Struijk at centre-back, which will more than likely result in Junior Firpo continuing at left-back.

Crystal Palace defender Joachim Andersen has a 50% chance of returning from injury against Brighton this weekend, according to reporter Rahman Osman.

The Lowdown: Andersen’s absence

Andersen has missed the last three Premier League fixtures with a calf problem. Patrick Vieira’s side have failed to win any of those games and are now without a top-flight victory since New Year’s Eve.

A home fixture with rivals Brighton is next on the agenda for the Eagles, and it looks as if there could be some good news on the injury front.

The Latest: Andersen claim

Osman shared a story for London World in the last 48 hours, looking at Palace’s injury issues and potential return dates.

When it came to Andersen, he said that the centre-back has trained this week and there is a 50% chance he could return against Brighton on Saturday.

The Verdict: Fingers crossed

The 26-year-old has been hailed as a ‘massively important’ player by Vieira after making the move to Selhurst Park, and his potential return could be huge as Palace look for a first league win in 2023.

Andersen has actually been the club’s best-performing player this season alongside Wilfried Zaha, making more clearances and passes per game than any of his teammates as per WhoScored.

Zaha may not feature due to his own injury issues, so having Andersen back alongside Marc Guehi would be a welcome boost as the club aim for a sixth league clean sheet of the campaign.

Arsenal confirmed the signing of Jorginho from Chelsea on deadline day and his arrival could see Edu heal Mikel Arteta’s heartbreak from 2020.

The Italian midfielder made the switch across London on a deal until the summer of 2024, with an option for a further year, which sees the Gunners bolster their options in the middle of the park ahead of a crucial second half of the campaign.

Although he has made a combined 18 appearances in the Premier League this season under Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter, his contract was set to expire in the summer of 2023, so Arsenal’s £12m offer was clearly deemed too good to turn down.

While Arteta is unlikely to break up the trio of Martin Odegaard, Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey, adding someone of Jorginho’s experience could be vital for squad depth, especially if one of the starting three picks up an injury.

The Spanish manager has long been in the market for a deep-lying playmaker of Jorginho’s mould, with the Gunners seeing a move for Thiago Alcantara fail in 2020, as he joined Liverpool instead.

He has gone on to make 92 appearances for the Reds, contributing three goals and six assists, establishing himself as a key part of Jurgen Klopp’s side at Anfield.

According to FBref, the former Bayern Munich man is the fourth-most similar player to Jorginho when compared to other midfielders across Europe’s top leagues.

This season has seen the two maestros record extremely similar stats with regard to expected goals and assists per 90 (0.14 vs 0.12), final third passes (87 vs 86) and passes that led to a shot (29 vs 27).

WhoScored also suggests that both Jorginho and Thiago excel at passing, while they both also like to tackle, so they are clearly similar types of midfielders.

Although Jorginho is 31, so may be considered a short-term signing, it could prove to be a bargain for Arteta if he can live up to his “world-class” credentials, in the words of former Liverpool man Jose Enrique.

Therefore, with Arsenal having arguably lacked a pass-master in defensive midfield under Arteta’s reign, the Spaniard will no doubt be delighted that after missing out on Thiago three years ago the Gunners have put to bed that heartbreak by signing a similar player in Jorginho.

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly ‘already begun’ talks for Mauricio Pochettino to potentially replace Antonio Conte as manager.

The Lowdown: Conte’s future

As per Italian football journalist Gianluca di Marzio, Conte has asked to put the contract offer from Tottenham on ‘hold’, with his current deal set to expire in June.

Di Marzio adds that there is a ‘feeling’ that Conte will want to return to Italy, so may not take Spurs up on their contract offer.

The Latest: Pochettino ‘talks’

Taking to Twitter, TuttoMercatoWeb journalist Marco Conterio says that ‘talks have already begun’ for Pochettino’s return, and that the North London club are ‘already working’ on life without Conte:

“The #Tottenham is already working on the possible after Antonio Conte and talks have already begun for the return of Mauricio Pochettino to #THFC.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-developments-3/” title=”Tottenham latest developments!” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/cropped-tottenham-fans.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Get Poch back?

There is no doubt that Poch was adored by the Tottenham fans during his time at the Lilywhites, especially for getting them to a UEFA Champions League final.

In contrast, fans seem to be losing faith in Conte by each game, as his style of play has been criticised, and they are now struggling to get results, with just one win in the Premier League since the restart after the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, and a 2-0 loss at home to their biggest rivals Arsenal.

Sitting six points behind fourth-placed Manchester United, Conte looks like he may struggle to get Spurs into the Champions League spots this season, and so a change to Poch could be worthwhile in terms of getting the club back up to the heights of Champions League finals again.