Category Uncategorized

Blackwell’s one-year contract will extend her domestic career into a record-equalling 19th season

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Aug-2019

Getty Images

Sydney Thunder have re-signed Alex Blackwell and Rachael Haynes for the upcoming season of the Women’s Big Bash League, with the latter named captain after Blackwell opted out. While Blackwell has signed a year’s contract with the franchise, Haynes’ deal extends to two years.The extension means that 35-year-old Blackwell, who is also Thunder’s all-time leading run-getter, will be playing a record-equalling 19th season of domestic cricket. She will join West Australian Lauren Ebsary as the longest-serving Australian domestic female player, since women’s players went to a full season with the creation of the Women’s National Cricket League in 1996-97.”Continual improvement as a batter and team member is what I always look to achieve,” Blackwell told . “This season I will be juggling more responsibilities away from the playing field and I’m confident this will enhance my enjoyment of playing the game.”The other responsibilities Blackwell mentioned are to do with her position as director on the Cricket New South Wales board and her job as an associate genetics counsellor at Sydney Children’s Hospital.”It’s a great foundation Alex and Jo [Broadbent, NSW Breakers mentor] created and I am looking forward to continuing that on,” Haynes told . “It’s something I’ve done throughout my career and I’m comfortable in my ability to lead the team.”Alex was really supportive about me taking over. We’re really happy she has decided to go another year, her presence will be really good to have around the group.”Sydney Thunder will begin their campaign in the first-ever standalone WBBL with a derby clash against Sydney Sixers on October 18.

Tottenham Hotspur's best chance of silverware this season slipped away when Nathan Ake's scrappy goal silenced the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the FA Cup fourth round last Friday.

Losing to the FA Cup holders – who are also the Premier League holders and the Champions League holders – is nothing to be ashamed of but Spurs were outfought in key battles and nullified in attack and will now play their football exclusively in the English top-flight over the remainder of the season, currently eight points behind table-toppers Liverpool.

An eighth-placed finish last term prevented a foray into continental competition this term and an untimely Carabao Cup exit against Fulham in August closed that door rather abruptly.

But it's all about perspective and Ange Postecoglou has done a remarkable job thus far in reinvigorating last year's beleaguered-looking squad and sprinkling several impactful additions to chart a course for success down the line.

Radu Dragusin and Timo Werner have joined this month and injuries and international absentees are filtering back into contention, but Tottenham could yet pull off one more surprise before the window shuts on Thursday.

Late drama as Spurs could hijack deal

Earlier in January, Fabrizio Romano reported that talks had taken place between Tottenham and Club Brugge for the transfer of Antonio Nusa, with Postecoglou pushing hard to complete a deal for the prodigious winger.

However, in recent days Brentford have taken the lead in the race and even looked poised to complete a move, offering guaranteed game time and allowing him to remain in Belgium on loan until the summer.

Now, according to Het Laaste Nieuws – via Sport Witness – Spurs are prepared to hijack the move following the Bees' concerns during Nusa's medical. It's said that Postecoglou's side 'really want' to bring the player in.

Brentford had agreed a £31m package for the attacker and the Lilywhites would surely be required to match this figure if they are to pull off a remarkable twist in the window's late stage.

Antonio Nusa's style of play

Nusa is only 18 years old but has already demonstrated his calibre as one of Europe's most exciting youngsters during his time at Club Brugge, amassing 64 senior appearances and being coined the 'Norwegian Neymar' in his homeland for his gliding gait, slick skills and lightning ability with the ball at his feet.

This season, the left-flanking forward has posted four goals and three assists but has been hampered by a back injury and has made just six starts in the Jupiler Pro League, impressing regardless.

Indeed, as per Sofascore, Nusa has created five big chances in the league this term, completing 81% of his passes, averaging 1.2 key passes, 1.1 tackles, 3.1 ball recoveries, 5.1 ball recoveries and 2.5 dribbles per game, showcasing a rounded style that belies his youthful years and inexperience on the major stage.

As per FBref, Nusa ranks among the top 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers across divisions similar to the Jupiler Pro League for goals scored, the top 9% for shot-creating actions, the top 1% for progressive carries and successful take-ons, the top 20% for tackles and the top 19% for blocks per 90.

Such metrics highlight his breakneck brilliance down the left channel and the singular skill set that has drawn comparisons to Neymar, with talent scout Jacek Kulig heralding the youngster's "special" start to his career.

Transfer specialist Dean Jones has been among those to flute over the ability of this rising star, speaking to GIVEMESPORT about why Tottenham must prioritise securing his signature.

Jones said: "Nusa is one that I've heard a lot more about, and I know that his style of play has captivated them in recent times. What this guy can do on the ball is absolutely ridiculous, but he's also got a real work rate about him. The age that he’s at means he can still be moulded to fit what Postecoglou is going to want from someone in that front line over the coming years."

Antonio Nusa: Biggest Strengths
# Dribbling
# Key passes
# Passing
# Tackling
# Defensive contribution
Source: WhoScored

With such remarkable energy down the left side, Postecoglou could forge a stunning duo with Nusa's acquisition, turbo-charing Destiny Udogie.

Imagine Antonio Nusa & Destiny Udogie

Tottenham signed Udogie from Italian side Udinese for £15m in the summer of 2022 but loaned him straight back for the 2022/23 campaign, where he scored three goals and supplied four assists across 33 Serie A outings at left-back, very much catching the eye.

Taking to life in the Premier League seamlessly, the 20-year-old has been dubbed "sickeningly good" by footballJOE's Hunter Godson, with the journalist also claiming that he "gets into nearly every team in the world already."

He's definitely earned his stripes over the past six months, an unrelenting ball of energy down the left in the Premier League, completing 18 appearances, clinching one goal and two assists, completing 87% of his passes and averaging 2.7 tackles, 5.6 ground duels and 6.4 recoveries per match.

More importantly, perhaps, Udogie ranks among the top 16% of full-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 12% for progressive carries, the top 10% for successful take-ons, the top 18% for tackles and the top 13% for interceptions per 90.

Such an all-encompassing skill set would aid Nusa in his offensive efforts directly while also providing the four-cap Norway international with the security and stability from behind to showcase the ambit of his skill set.

The £75k-per-week whiz is still in relative infancy as a Premier League force but is proving himself to be a major player for many years to come and would benefit from another electric winger in Nusa joining the fold.

Overlapping and working in flux, the duo would prove dominant in offensive breaks and could allow Postecoglou's fluid system to take the next step in its development, with the multi-functional Heung-min Son wreaking havoc from a central attacking position.

Ultimately, Nusa's is not an easy name to secure and competition from elsewhere will look to stifle Tottenham in their pursuit of a bid, but Postecoglou will be aware of the dynamism that could be created and the lasting effect it could have as his side surge toward new levels of success.

Manchester United are keen to wrap up some deals in January to reinforce their squad, and it looks like Jadon Sancho may finally leave to make room for new faces, as Fabrizio Romano shares details on his exit talks.

United's new era under Sir Jim Ratcliffe

Manchester United are set to embark on a new era under Sir Jim Ratcliffe and company and there is an excitement at Old Trafford regarding the potential shift in dynamics at the club concerning the football operation's department.

According to The Indpendent, Ratcliffe is keen to make Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise one of his first signings at the Premier League giants; however, he would most likely be a summer pursuit for the Red Devils as the Eagles have ruled out a mid-season departure for the France Under-21 international.

Man Utd's rumoured centre-back targets for January	Latest update
David Alaba	18th December
Fikayo Tomori	16th December
Ronald Araujo	11th December
Jean-Clair Todibo	3rd January
Marc Guehi	9th December
Leny Yoro	1st January

Despite signing a new contract at Selhurst Park last year, Olise has a release clause inserted into his agreement that would kick into action at the end of this campaign, which is understood to be significantly more than his previous £35 million breakout stipulation.

According to The Athletic, Serhou Guirassy, Eric Choupo-Moting, Thomas Muller and Timo Werner comprise a four-man striker shortlist at Old Trafford, with Erik Ten Hag keen to add some extra firepower to his attack.

Nonetheless, financial muscle isn't something that the Red Devils have alot of this window as they seek to find suitable cover for Rasmus Hojlund and Anthony Martial. On the flip side, Manchester United could now get one first-team man off the books after interest in his services has emerged, according to Romano.

Jadon Sancho set to leave Manchester United

According to Romano, Manchester United winger Sancho is now in talks over a potential return on loan to Borussia Dortmund, as the world-renowned journalist explained on social media platform X:

The England international has been frozen out at Old Trafford ever since his public spat with Ten Hag back in early September, where he claimed that he had been made "a scapegoat for a long time" following criticism from the Dutchman over his performances in training.

In his time at the Red Devils, the 23-year-old, who has previously been labelled "very strong" by Michael Zorc, has failed to set the heather alight, registering 12 goals and six assists in 82 appearances across all competitions (Sancho statistics – Transfermarkt).

Five similar players to Jadon Sancho (FBRef)
Player	Club
Jack Grealish	Manchester City
Chris Fuhrich	Stuttgart
Florian Wirtz	Borussia Dortmund
Takefusa Kubo	Real Sociedad
Kingsley Coman	Bayern Munich

Changing scenery would undoubtedly be a wise move by Sancho as he looks to leave a toxic last few months behind him and a clean break between the London-born man and Manchester United may eventually be the best solution for both parties.

Stokes stole the plaudits, but England’s stunning fielding against South Africa was a major factor in their win

George Dobell31-May-2019If you required proof that this England team was different to those which have preceded it at recent World Cups, it came not just in the result at The Oval but in the performance in the field.Ben Stokes’ boundary catch – an effort that seemed to defy both gravity and logic – dominated the headlines. But the game also contained numerous examples of outstanding ground fielding which saw England’s analysts rating it as one of the team’s best performances since the last World Cup. It was also a rare example of England out-performing South Africa in an area where they are habitually excellent.One man who stood out was Jason Roy. Making several incredible interventions at backward point, Roy not only saved runs – sometimes turning what appeared certain boundaries into dot balls – but ensured pressure built on frustrated batsmen.”We’ve been incredible with the bat and ball, but our fielding has sometimes let us down,” Roy said. “We pride ourselves on our fielding, but we have been disappointed quite a lot with our fielding over the last year.”As a collective it was very good at The Oval. Everything gets logged and the analysts told us it was our best ever fielding performance. The best ever recorded in the four-year period, anyway. Sixty runs were saved, which is pretty impressive.”Indeed, it is. The actual figure for England – calculated on an index devised by England analyst Nathan Leamon – was +35, which means they saved 35 runs in the field more than might be expected. South Africa, meanwhile, saved 30, leading to a match figure of +65. That is the highest ODI figure CricViz have recorded since May 2016. The +35 figure is England’s second-best in ODI cricket following a +51 score registered against New Zealand in 2018.”We’re really proud,” Roy said. “You get a buzz out of it. You know that if you’ve saved a one and that guy is on strike and then there’s a wicket, you feel like you’ve played a part in it.”I’m not a bowler, so if I don’t do so well with the bat then I can add to my performance. In this game I got a fifty and would have liked to go on, but if I’ve saved 20 runs in the field then that is like a 70-run contribution. That fielding performance is as good as it gets from us so far.”ESPNcricinfo ball-by-ball commentaryThe one exception in the field was Jos Buttler. Buttler has been struggling a little with the gloves for a few months now and, on another day, his drop of Rassie van der Dussen on 6 might have proved crucial. Andile Phehlukwayo may have survived another chance on 4.England have surely learned from previous campaigns that there is little to be gained from tinkering with key positions at this stage, but Buttler’s struggles will not have gone unnoticed by the management.Roy admitted he was surprised by South Africa’s decision to open the bowling with Imran Tahir. “I saw Quinton de Kock turn round and ask for his helmet,” he said. “And I thought, you can’t be standing up to Rabada here, surely?” And while the decision brought the early wicket of Jonny Bairstow, Roy also felt it offered “a lot of boundary options”. Tahir’s third over cost 13 including two fours – one swept, the other cut – for Roy.”There are more boundary options against a spinner than a seamer,” he said. “If a seamer came in on that pitch and tried to hit the top of off, it was hard to get it away.”Perhaps South Africa’s error was not entrusting the other new ball to Kagiso Rabada. With Lungi Ngidi opening the bowling from the Pavilion End, Rabada didn’t come into the attack until the seventh over. By then, there was minimal chance of any conventional swing, the batsmen had some time to settle and any moisture there may have been in the surface had all but gone. It seemed a bit of a waste of a special bowler.England may also have had a bit of luck with the surface. When they looked at the pitch on Wednesday, they were surprised – and just a little disconcerted – by the amount of grass on it. Facing Rabada at 10.30am would have been a huge challenge, whereas they had already decided to pick Liam Plunkett ahead of Mark Wood largely on the basis that Wood might benefit from a few more days to gain full match fitness.ALSO READ: ‘No way! You cannot do that!’: What they said about Stokes’ catchBut, ahead of the game, the groundstaff cut the grass again. As a result, the pitch was drier and more responsive to slower balls and spin than had been anticipated. It allowed Plunkett, in particular, to gain purchase with his cutters and he responded with two key wickets: Quinton de Kock and Hashim Amla. Wood, for all his extra pace, may not have enjoyed the surface as much.Perhaps that is more a reflection of England’s options with bat and ball. They have pace, swing, seam and spin available to them. They have a man coming in at No. 11 who has scored 10 first-class hundreds. And they have some fielders who look as if they could catch Lord Lucan. They really should be able to adapt to most conditions.”That score was probably 30 over par,” Roy said. “It was a tough pitch. But we put on a score and that shows a huge amount of spirit and gives us a massive confidence boost. Trent Bridge [the venue for their next match against Pakistan] is known for being flat.”These are early days, though. India, Australia, New Zealand et al. still lie ahead. And however impressive England looked in London, Eoin Morgan acknowledged his side’s occasional propensity to crash when saying “We are going to lose games throughout the tournament” even while reflecting on the victory.Bearing in mind Pakistan’s struggles against the short ball at Trent Bridge on Friday, it would seem there is a good chance Wood could come in for Plunkett on Monday to add further pace and hostility to the attack.Meanwhile the ECB confirmed that Mark Ramprakash was to leave the organisation in June. Ramprakash was removed as the Test team’s batting coach in March but remained employed as one of the ECB’s lead batting coaches. “I feel the time is now right for me to move on from my role at the ECB and seek to further and broaden my career,” he said.

The big-hitting batsman said KKR could gain strategically by sending him up the order and forcing opposition captains to use their best bowlers earlier

Sreshth Shah in Kolkata19-Apr-20194:18

I wouldn’t mind batting at No. 4 – Russell

Andre Russell’s devastating form in IPL 2019 has raised the question of his batting position for Kolkata Knight Riders. While he has often demolished bowling attacks at the death, experts and laymen alike have asked whether his team would be better served if Russell walks in with more overs remaining. After Knight Riders slumped to a fourth consecutive defeat, Russell added fuel to the fire by suggesting that he should have batted higher up the order, instead of walking in with an asking rate of 16.53 after Royal Challenges Bangalore had piled up 213 for 4.”Look, we were chasing 214 runs and weren’t in the best state when I went out to bat,” Russell said after the match, which Knight Riders ended up losing by only ten runs. “When Nitish (Rana) asked what I thought, I said ‘I bat one way – and that’s positive.’ (But) to go out there and chasing 14-15 per over, it’s not the best way you want to start as a batsman. I’m used to these situations, but why I say it’s a sweet and sour feeling is because we need to learn from this, as a team. We need to learn that we can get 214. And to lose by 10 runs, well, we were just two hits away.”I believe that [I should bat higher up the order],” Russell said as he put a finger to his lips, as if to suggest it was something he wanted, but couldn’t speak about. “Honestly, you have to sometimes be flexible as a team. When you look at the make-up of our team, I don’t mind going to bat at No. 4.”Knight Riders’ first two wins of the season came from near-impossible situations, driven by Russell. They chased down more than 50 runs in less than three overs on both occasions, against Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kings XI Punjab, but Russell believed those weren’t ideal scenarios in the first place. He pointed out that him batting higher up would force opposition captains to use their best bowlers earlier in the game, thereby leaving their weaker bowlers for the difficult death overs.”When I’m at the crease, Virat Kohli will bowl the best bowlers to get me out, and those best bowlers will therefore have less overs remaining in the back end,” Russell said. “So even if I score 60 off 25 balls and give the team the early pump, then the type of bowlers like Dale Steyn will have only one over to bowl at the death, or they may bowl out. So I think me going to bat early would definitely be good for KKR, but with our make-up as a team… yeah, [stopping himself], that’s a good answer.”Russell also suggested that Knight Riders had suffered against Royal Challengers due to a lack of urgency in the middle overs, which contributed to the defeat. He walked in at No.6, with the team 79 for 4 and needed 135 to win off 49 balls. Russell ended up smashing 65 off 25, adding 118 runs in eight overs alongside Rana (85* off 46), but was eventually left with too much to do as Knight Riders ended on 203 for 5.”You know when you lose cricket games like these, it’s a sweet and sour feeling,” Russell said. “I just think that a four and six could’ve got us over the line. We lost the game in the middle overs. Even though we should’ve restricted RCB for less than 200, I think the ball was in our court and we tossed the ball to their side. That’s what happened tonight.”If we batted faster in the middle period, we would definitely get the runs with even balls to spare. Well batted to Nitish, but this is something [of concern].”Knight Riders sit at sixth on the points table, having lost five of their nine games. With three away games in their last five matches, including two against a Mumbai Indians side that they haven’t beaten in five years, the road to playoff qualification has become a tough one at the business end of the tournament.

Manchester United are in the market for high-profile additions in January and could now look to strengthen their forward line under Erik ten Hag, according to a report.

Manchester United prepare for January…

All things considered, the last few days haven't been too bad for Manchester United after Sir Jim Ratcliffe agreed to buy his 25% stake in the club, with football operations now set to come under the banner of INEOS, alongside £236 million becoming available to redevelop Old Trafford.

On the pitch, the Red Devils picked up a much-needed 3-2 victory over Aston Villa to move up to sixth in the Premier League table following a dramatic late strike from Denmark international Rasmus Hojlund; however, Ten Hag will be keen to ensure his side inherit adequate cover in the January window to equip them for the second half of the campaign.

Plenty of rumours are starting to do the rounds regarding potential targets at Old Trafford and the acquisition of a striker has been floated as a major area of priority.

Serhou Guirassy

19th December

Nico Williams

19th December

Donyell Malen

8th December

Max Moerstedt

7th December

Timo Werner

1st December

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, transfer insider Dean Jones has claimed that Galatasaray striker Mauro Icardi moving to Manchester United would be "box office" amid recent links connecting the player and club, as he stated to the outlet: "I’ll be honest, while the signing would be box office I can’t see someone like Icardi arriving as we head towards January but across the course of next month a lot can change."

Now, a separate report has emerged claiming that the Red Devils have an alternative target in mind as Ten Hag looks to give support to Hojlund.

Manchester United want Viktor Gyokeres

According to reports in Portugal cited via Sport Witness, Manchester United are keen on Sporting Lisbon striker Viktor Gyokeres and could look to trigger his €100 million (£86.6 million) release clause in the January transfer window, which would leave Sporting powerless.

Labelled "brilliant" by former boss Mark Robins, the 25-year-old has been in some excellent form this term, registering 17 goals and eight assists in 20 appearances for his new club (Gyokeres statistics – Transfermarkt).

Viktor Gyokeres key statistics in 2023/24 – Liga Portugal (Sofascore)

Expected goals

5.82

Shots per game

2.9

Shots on target per game

1.3

Expected assists

2.25

Big chances missed

3

Average match rating

7.85/10

The outlet claim that the Sweden international has promised to see out the season at the Portuguese giants, something which will mean that the Red Devils will need to put a good argument across as to why he should swap the sunnier climbs of Lisbon for Old Trafford; nonetheless, hype continues to build over his next destination.

Scandinavian have a long, proud history at Manchester United and Ten Hag could now once again turn to an individual from the region to help add some extra firepower to his forward line in January.

Everton have already begun their ascent out of the relegation zone in the Premier League with a massive victory away against Nottingham Forest on Saturday afternoon which was boosted by Luton Town's defeat at home to Arsenal on Tuesday night.

Despite receiving a ten-point deduction during the November international period, the Toffees are now merely two points from safety and a win tonight against a high-flying Newcastle United would take Sean Dyche's men outside of the bottom three.

Not many changes are expected from the starting eleven that put Forest to the sword at the weekend, but one surprise candidate could be given the nod by the manager.

Seamus Coleman returns in Everton's predicted lineup vs Newcastle

Dyche could drop this £26m and start club captain Seamus Coleman ahead of Everton’s clash at Newcastle United.

ByAdam Scully Dec 6, 2023 Jack Harrison's performance in numbers vs Forest

Jack Harrison's ball at the far post to Dwight McNeil was the pass that earned Everton all three points at the City Ground on Saturday after the latter emphatically finished his opportunity. However, the Leeds United loanee struggled to make much of an impact before and after the goal, despite staying on the pitch for the game's entirety.

Throughout the match, Harrison boasted a passing accuracy of just 54% while having 51 touches of the ball. Furthermore, the winger failed to complete a single take-on, cross or tackle. The assist in the second half, which put Harrison top of Everton's creative leaderboard, made up for what was quite a dire display.

The Liverpool Echo handed the ex-Manchester City man a 6/10 match rating, claiming he "laboured for long periods" of the game. Additionally, Sofascore ranked the 27-year-old as the worst performer on the pitch with a 6.2 rating out of 10, having lost possession of the ball 25 times.

If there is one player that could find themselves out of the starting lineup for tonight's visit from the Magpies, it's Harrison. Dyche could potentially do so for tactical reasons too.

Ashley Young's stats this season

Seamus Coleman has been on the bench for Everton's last two games but was an unused substitute on both occasions. The club captain will be champing at the bit to get back out on the grass, having not featured for the club since last May, after sustaining a nasty knee injury in a 2-2 draw with Leicester City.

The return of the man that ex-boss Frank Lampard once called a "warrior" could trigger a genius tactical switch from Dyche by bringing the £73k-per-week star back into the fray instead of Harrison.

Ashley Young has been Everton's primary right-back this season and has started every single game for the club since a 1-0 win over West Ham United at the end of October, a fixture he missed due to being sent off in the Merseyside Derby a week prior.

Nevertheless, the former Premier League winner has played all over the park during his illustrious career, including on the left wing, the right wing, up top, as a wingback and as a fullback. The veteran has played 42 times as a right-winger across almost 700 professional appearances and could do an excellent job for Everton in that position this evening.

Newcastle United will likely have Tino Livramento and Anthony Gordon linking up on the left flank, meaning Dyche will need to ensure he has two very capable players on that side who can handle the duo defensively. With the £40k-per-week Young starting on the right of the midfield over Harrison, partnering with Coleman behind him, the manager will have just that as the 38-year-old boasts much better defensive stats this term than Harrison.

Tackles

1.5

1.59

Tackles Won

1

0.43

Interceptions

0.92

0.43

Clearances

2.08

1.16

Blocks

0.92

0.87

Dribblers Tackled

0.92

0.58

Harrison's lowly tackling numbers look quite worrying when faced with the prospect of defending against Gordon, who has attempted 4.07 take-ons per 90 this term, and Livramento, who has attempted 2.29 take-ons per 90 with a 62.5% success rate, as per FBref.

It could be wise for Dyche to utilise two defensive players on that side by bringing Coleman back into the starting lineup, pushing Young into a more advanced position in the process.

Wolverhampton Wanderers face Fulham tonight in the Premier League, looking to put two consecutive wins together in the top flight for the first time this season, having put Tottenham Hotspur to the sword prior to the international break.

However, one of the stars of Wolves' showing against Spurs will be absent in London as Craig Dawson is suspended for the trip to Craven Cottage for picking up too many yellow cards this term.

In the short term, head coach Gary O'Neil could simply look to make a like-for-like replacement for the ex-West Ham United defender, but the manager could also choose to make a bold tactical decision which would affect the rest of the team.

Craig Dawson's stats this season

Losing Dawson through suspension is a big miss for O'Neil and for Wolves as a whole. The experienced centre-half moved to Molineux back in January for a nominal fee of £3.3m, after spending the last three years with West Ham in what was the most fruitful spell of the Hammers' history since the Premier League began.

Wolves "colossus" who won 100% duels was the hero alongside Lemina

Wolves roared home to a late win at Molineux yesterday, with this player standing out alongside goalscorer Lemina.

By
Kelan Sarson

Nov 12, 2023

In fact, Dawson even earned himself a Europa Conference League winner's medal in June despite the fact that he hadn't featured for the east London club for five months.

The 33-year-old has been a rock at the back over the past year for the Old Gold and ranks well above average in a whole host of key defensive metrics when compared to all other centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues.

Craig Dawson
Per 90 Metric	Percentile Ranking
Blocks	94
Shots Blocked	99
% of Dribblers Tackled	81
Clearances	75
Passes Blocked	80
Shots	83
Shots On Target	74
Stats via FBref.

Dawson is particularly efficient when defending in his own box, hence why he ranks in the top 6% for blocks per 90, the top 1% for shots blocked per 90 and the top 25% for clearances per 90.

Against Spurs a fortnight ago, the veteran completed two tackles, competed in four aerial duels and even blocked one of the opposition's six shots on goal as Wolves clinched the victory in the game's dying stages. Nevertheless, the Midlands club will have to make do away at Fulham without Dawson's defensive nous.

Pablo Sarabia's stats this season

Wolves deployed a 5-3-2 formation in the win over Tottenham two weeks ago, with Dawson employed in the centre of the back three, supported by Max Kilman and Toti Gomes either side of him.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, O'Neil admitted that the most like-for-like replacement for Dawson is £8.5m summer signing Santiago Bueno, who has yet to make a single start in the Premier League.

The Uruguayan defender has featured for just six minutes for Wolves this season, coming off the bench during a 1-1 draw away at Luton Town back in September and so it could be seen as a risk to throw the 25-year-old into the deep end this week. However, O'Neil also has the option to change the team's formation completely.

Wolves' 5-3-2 worked wonders against Spurs prior to the international break but O'Neil has also chosen to set his side up in a 4-2-3-1 this term. While the former Bournemouth boss may not want to change a winning team, the absence of Dawson could allow O'Neil to revert to a back four by shifting Toti alongside Kilman in the heart of the defence and dropping Rayan Ait Nouri deeper as a left-back, freeing up the wings for Pablo Sarabia.

Sarabia moved to Molineux in January for £4.4m, like Dawson, but has failed to become a regular in the first eleven, having made just two starts in the Premier League this term. Nevertheless, the Spanish playmaker has registered five assists this season in all competitions. Only Pedro Neto has boasted more for Wolves.

The 31-year-old changed the game for Wolves last time out, coming off the bench to score the equaliser and assist the winner, leading Joe Cole to label his leveller as "brilliant". Sarabia starting would also cause Hwang Hee-chan to push over to the right wing in O'Neil's 4-2-3-1, leaving Matheus Cunha alone up top, although this could offer a nice blend of goalscoring and playmaking brilliance on the flanks for the visitors.

While O'Neil may not be keen to change a winning side, it will be difficult for the coach to ignore Sarabia's calls to start after his heroic late display against Spurs.

Spinner disappointed to concede lead, but backs bowlers to thrive if they have a good total to defend

George Dobell15-Nov-2018

England endured a tough day in the field•Getty Images

Jack Leach admitted England were disappointed to have conceded a first-innings lead to Sri Lanka on the second day in Kandy.Sri Lanka’s last four wickets added 171 runs to give them a lead of 46 on first innings. But while that is not unsubstantial in what appears to be a relatively low-scoring encounter, Leach was hopeful that bowling last on a dry wicket could provide England with a key advantage.If they are to take that advantage, however, Leach feels they need to bat well in their own second innings and then bowl with more discipline in Sri Lanka’s.”We’re a little bit disappointed that they’ve got a lead,” Leach said. “At one point we were hoping we might have that lead going into our batting, but we’re feeling good about bowling last on that wicket.”We feel if we can put pressure on them with our batting, get a good total, then we feel we can win the game. Going into the fourth innings, hopefully the pitch will have broken up more.”Despite figures of 3 for 70, Leach accepted he could have bowled better than he managed in Sri Lanka’s first innings.”I thought I could have put a few more balls in the right areas,” he said. “On these wickets you have to be extra patient and always ask questions of the batter. I feel I could have done that a little better.”I liked seeing it spin but sometimes you bowl a lot of balls that miss the outside edge. Those balls look great, but they’re not creating a chance. The craft, I feel at times, is to take some spin off the ball and maybe get one to slide or just grip a little bit.”With the [new] hard ball it felt it was doing things a little bit quicker. One would skid and one would spin and bite quite aggressively. But as the ball got older, it slowed down off the pitch and made batting easier. It was consistently spinning, but you can still score runs on it.”In the fourth innings, it will be even more crucial to be patient and put meaning on every ball.”Leach completed a memorable day by opening the batting in England’s second innings and playing out the last over as a nightwatchman.”I’ve taken Tres’s [Marcus Trescothick’s] spot at the top of the order,” he joked, in reference to his Somerset team-mate, who enjoyed a fine career as an England opener. “I didn’t expect to be opening the batting. Joe Root asked me. I panicked getting my stuff on and turned round and said ‘who’s coming with me?'”I knew I had to get through one over and make it last as long as possible [to ensure there was not time for another one]. I could hear the crowd cheering every ball so that got me going a little bit.”

أعرب عماد النحاس المدير الفني لفريق المقاولون العرب، عن سعادته بعد الفوز على الزمالك بهدفين مقابل هدف، خلال المباراة التي جمعت بينهما ببطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

والتقى الزمالك مع المقاولون العرب، على ملعب الأخير، في إطار المباراة المؤجلة بينهما، من الأسبوع الـ 19 لبطولة الدوري المصري. 

وقال عماد النحاس في تصريحات خلال المؤتمر الصحفي: “كل فريق يلعب على هدف مختلف عن الفريق الآخر، الزمالك أراح لاعبيه وجاء من مباراة كبيرة ضد بيراميدز، ويستعد للمستقبل، ونحن في موقف صعب كل مباراة لا نفوز بها تقربنا من منطقة الهبوط”.

طالع أيضاً.. فيديو | الزمالك يقع في فخ الهزيمة أمام المقاولون العرب بثنائية بـ الدوري المصري

وتابع: “مباراة كبيرة أمام فريق كبير، والمكسب يجعلنا نُحافظ على مُحاولاتنا لبقاء المقاولون في الدوري، الزمالك عنده أفكار معينة ونحن في موقف صعب، لكن مهما كان الزمالك ناد كبير حتى لو لعب بعناصر الشباب لأنهم يحصلون على خبرة من اللاعبين الكبار مثل شيكابالا وعمر جابر وروقا والمثلوثي وسيف الجزيري، وفرصة لهم لكي يثبتوا وجودهم”.

وأتم: “بالنسبة لنا مكسب مهم وننتظر الهدايا من الفرق الأخرى، أدينا ما علينا اليوم خسرنا أمام إنبي وتعادلنا مع فيوتشر واليوم حققنا الفوز والقادم إن شاء الله يكون خير”. تصريحات عماد النحاس بعد مباراة الزمالك والمقاولون العرب