As Arsenal continue to build towards eventually dethroning Manchester City in the Premier League, they could lose one of Mikel Arteta’s mainstays amid interest from Barcelona.
Arsenal transfer news
The Gunners already find themselves level with Man City and just one point behind league-leaders Liverpool in what is shaping up to be another title race full of twists and turns. They will hope that their summer recruitment continues to make a difference following Riccardo Calafiori’s strong start in North London, which has even featured a stunning strike in Arsenal’s breathless 2-2 draw at the Etihad.
When 2025 arrives, the Gunners may even choose to add more fresh faces in an attempt to finally gain the edge over Manchester City. The likes of Jonathan David and Antoine Semenyo have already been linked to the Emirates in recent weeks in two additions that would hand Arteta’s side a needed attacking boost.
Those at the Emirates may not just be busy on the incomings front, however, amid recent reports linking one man with a move away. According to reports in Spain, Barcelona are now eyeing a move to sign Thomas Partey in a free deal at the end of his Arsenal contract next summer.
The £200,000-a-week midfielder has looked destined to depart for some time, but seven starts in seven Premier League games suggests that the former Atletico Madrid man is still seen as an important part of Arteta’s plans, turning his potential exit into a frustrating blow.
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He’s a man in-demand…
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If Partey does swap North London for Barcelona, then the Gunners will hope to fall back on new arrival Mikel Merino to step up. The summer signing suffered an early injury setback at the start of his Arsenal career, but is now back and ready to compete for Partey’s place.
Merino should replace "fantastic" Partey
Merino’s summer arrival suggests that Arsenal have been well aware of Partey’s contract decision for some time, with the exit door now seemingly set to open once and for all at the end of the campaign. The transition between the two midfielders should begin to take place throughout the current campaign, especially now that the Spaniard is back from injury.
Minutes
788
2,482
Progressive Passes
8.18
5.91
Tackles Won
1.25
1.56
Ball Recoveries
6.36
7.14
Whilst the numbers show that Merino should have little trouble stepping into Partey’s role, it’s worth noting that Arteta was once full of praise for the Ghana international.
The Spaniard told BBC Sport after Partey’s performance against Rapid Vienna in 2020: “I think he held the midfield by himself in the second half when we were a little bit more open. He started to take more chances attacking certain spaces with some players. I think he was fantastic and there is much more to come from him.”
When Partey’s Arsenal career is judged, injuries will steal the headlines but when fit, the conclusion should be that he was always a solid option for those in North London.
“I’d be lying if I said it didn’t have an impact on us as a team as many members have been named in the testimonies.”
Firdose Moonda23-Aug-2021South Africa head coach Mark Boucher has addressed the national team to explain the accusations made against him by former team-mates at the Social Justice and Nation-Building (SJN) hearings. Boucher, along with other players from the 1990s and early 2000s, has been named in several testimonies alleging racial discrimination and an exclusionary team culture and has provided the SJN with a written response. He is also expected to make a public statement and has already explained himself to the team, who have been affected by the SJN proceedings.”I’d be lying if I said it didn’t have an impact on us as a team. It’s publicly known that members of the team have been named in the testimonies. Our coach, Mark Boucher has addressed us as a team, speaking to the accusations against him,” Temba Bavuma, South Africa’s white-ball captain, said. “He provided clarity and context and it was more about keeping the guys in his confidence and comfort. As much as we operate as a team and we try to control everything that is in our circle, those matters do come within the team and it’s important that we deal with it internally and ask whatever hard questions that we need to ask of each other to make sure we can keep growing within the team.”Related
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Mark Boucher to respond to SJN allegations
Bavuma said members of the current squad support the SJN initiative and hope to use what they have heard to ensure the divisiveness of the past is not repeated. “The large majority of the guys welcome the initiative of the SJN and understand its necessity in terms of allowing current and former guys to speak about their experiences in the past and for us effectively to be ale to learn from those experiences and those mistakes by certain individuals which can help us pave the way forward,” Bavuma said. “That’s what we’ve taken out of it as players. As players now, in this era, we have got an opportunity to shape the environment, to shape the team, in the way that we would like so that down the line we don’t look back and say we could have done things in a different way. Most of the guys are following the SJN and we look forward to the good of it that is happening.”The SJN will continue throughout South Africa’s tour of Sri Lanka, with those who have been adversely implicated due to respond in the coming weeks. Chief among the allegations are that of an overpowering clique of white players and a toxic team culture, which the likes of Roger Telemachus, Paul Adams, Loots Bosman and Ashwell Prince, all spoke about. While Bavuma acknowledged that a poor culture may have existed before, he said the South African team is much more unified now and also more welcoming to new players.”In 2021, things are very different to the early 2000s. – whether you look at it from an exclusivity point of view or whether you look at it in terms of guys walking into the team and feeing a lot more comfortable,” he said. “I can think of when I joined the team in around 2014 or so, it wasn’t a big struggle. I would really really like to think that things are different now than they were in the past. In saying that, there is always good in looking at the past and seeing how best we can do things.”Bavuma said the team would continue to keep a close eye on SJN proceedings, which will conclude when the ombudsman Dumisa Ntsebeza submits his report with recommendations for the future to CSA, and will use what they have heard to continue to work on a team culture of inclusion.”I think the biggest take for me is that you want to create an environment that allows guys to have a strong sense of belonging; that allows guys to be themselves and to express themselves,” Bavuma said. “I think there has to be that acceptance. We all have different backgrounds which in turn shapes our perspectives.”I think being able to put all of that together and have a space where guys can express themselves and their beliefs is something I’d like to leave behind within this team. It starts with having those hard conversations, [regardless of] whether those conversations stem from happenings from outside of the team. We are having those hard conversations as a team. We are putting each in uncomfortable spaces and positions of vulnerability. Not so that we can expose each other, but just to find a better way going forward.”
Aston Villa supporters will be reasonably happy with the way their side have started this season back in the thick of it in the Premier League, with three wins and one loss notched up from their opening four top-flight encounters.
Of course, the 2-0 defeat at the hands of Arsenal is a stain on an otherwise flawless league start, but Unai Emery’s men showed a lot of character last time out to beat Everton 3-2 to ensure another loss wasn’t next to their name, after finding themselves two goals down early on.
Unai Emery
The popular Villa manager will hope his team can stand up to the almighty test of Champions League football that is now in front of them as well, with their opening clash in the esteemed tournament against Swiss outfit Young Boys taking place on Tuesday evening.
Emery will know he will have to rotate here and there to ensure there is a level of freshness to his side against their European opponents, but will also be abundantly aware that fans travelling out to Switzerland won’t want to watch a second string XI take to the pitch.
With that in mind, here is what the Villa line-up could look like for the trip to Young Boys, with players such as Amadou Onana potentially dropping out amidst three changes…
1 GK – Emiliano Martínez
Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.
It is likely that the long-standing Villa number one goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez will be given the nod to start in his side’s opening Champions League test, having been everpresent under Emery so far this season in league action.
He did struggle last time out in the dramatic 3-2 win over the Toffees, with zero saves made as Everton netted twice, but the Argentine shot-stopper will pride himself on being a man for the big occasion, having played in the World Cup and won it for his South American nation. This big stage is certainly made for him.
2 RB – Lamare Bogarde
Lamare Bogarde for Aston Villa.
With Matty Cash still sidelined with an injury, Emery will be prepared to throw young Villa prospect Lamare Bogarde in at the deep-end of the Champions League, having been impressed with his individual display against Everton.
The lively 20-year-old won seven duels facing off against Sean Dyche’s visitors, whilst also making five total tackles, with his reward for a bright showing potentially being another starting spot this Tuesday night.
3 CB – Ezri Konsa
Ezri Konsa
Ezri Konsa also stands a good chance at retaining his spot in the Villa XI for the trip out to Switzerland, having only lost one of the five duels that came his way in the back-and-forth contest versus the Toffees.
Moreover, he’s a steady presence Emery will be able to rely on in high stakes situations to come in the Champions League, with Konsa now up to 192 first team appearances for his side, having also played on the big stages of the European Championships just a few months ago.
4 CB – Pau Torres
Aston Villa central defender Pau Torres.
Joining Konsa in the heart of defence could well be Pau Torres, who is yet to miss a single minute of Premier League action so far this season, and for good reason.
His display on the opening day was particularly impressive, as the Spanish centre-back won all of the duels that came his way against West Ham United, on top of only misplacing nine of his 56 passes.
Torres is well versed in what it takes to play in the Champions League too, having played in the competition 12 times before moving to England, and will be perfect for the big occasion that awaits.
5 LB – Ian Maatsen
The final part of the back four could be adjusted, however, with Ian Maatsen potentially pushed into the starting line-up over Lucas Digne; the first of three changes.
That could well be the case owing to the fact the former Chelsea youth prodigy was impressive from off the bench late on against Everton, with hree key passes managed from just 21 minutes of action on the Villa Park turf.
Digne could also do with a rest, leading to Maatsen – who played in last season’s Champions League final – being given time to shine in the spotlight.
6 RM – John McGinn
Aston Villa midfielder John McGinn
John McGinn will be another face, much like Torres, that Emery will feel he can rely on in pressurised games to come in the Champions League, having built up plenty of experience of being a top performer in massive matches for Villa.
Comfortable at playing down the left or right flank, as well as operating centrally, he could be given a starting spot versus Young Boys from the right wing, having played here against Dyche’s visitors for the full 90 minutes.
7 CM – Ross Barkley
Another switch-up on Emery’s end could see Amadou Onana miss out for tomorrow’s big clash, owing to the fact the Belgian midfielder was hooked at half-time by his manager after a dire first half performance against Everton.
Whilst Onana underperformed, Barkley sparkled against his former employers and could be starting from the get-go in Switzerland, having only misplaced just one of his 45 passes in a stylish second half cameo.
8 CM – Youri Tielemans
Youri Tielemans might partner Barkley in the centre of the park – as opposed to lining up next to his fellow compatriot – in a more attack-oriented role.
This would suit his game well, having seen his creativity come to the forefront in that recent 3-2 victory, with two key passes managed from his staggering 147 touches.
This change in set-up to a 4-4-2 formation would see Morgan Rogers miss out, who underwhelmed against the Toffees, with the Villa star wastefully surrendering possession 15 times.
9 LM – Jacob Ramsey
Jacob Ramsey in Premier League action for Aston Villa.
The option down the left flank that Emery could call upon is Jacob Ramsey, with the homegrown Villa product a mature and established Premier League player now, away from his humble beginnings.
He wasn’t quite at his most electric against Everton, but has done enough this season so far to warrant a starting spot mid-week, with an assist falling his way on the opening day as a substitute.
10 ST – Ollie Watkins
Emery will be tempted to switch up the formation and go with two strikers up top to try and catch Young Boys off-guard, but also to ensure he has the maximum firepower at his disposal that he wants.
There is an argument to rest Ollie Watkins here, with the England international only just back from injury, but his brace against Everton suggests he will be purring to bag more this Tuesday night.
Carlo Ancelotti's side picked up a signature away win, with their big names delivering to get their European campaign back on track
Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappe all got on the scoresheet and Real Madrid defended well to secure a 3-2 win at Atalanta in the Champions League. It was nervy at times for Los Blancos – and Carlo Ancelotti's injury woes mounted – but they showed enough on the night to take three points from a side that hasn't lost since September.
Mbappe was the main man early on. He saw an effort well denied early on, before opening the scoring with a delightful touch and finish. He could have bagged a second soon after, only to see his fizzing strike pushed away. But Los Blancos saw their influence on the game wane as it wore on. Mbappe's exit due to a non-contact injury did little to ease concerns.
And Atalanta worked their way back into the game. Charles De Ketelaere leveled things at the break from the spot after Aurelien Tchouameni gave away a silly penalty. Los Blancos retook the lead early in the second half, Vinicius Jr finding the bottom corner after a kind deflection gave him half a yard inside the box. They added a third in no time, Bellingham cutting inside before finishing with his weak foot.
But the home side refused to go quietly, Ademola Lookman beating Thibaut Courtois at his near post with a fine angled finish. Madrid dug in thereafter, holding off relentless Atalanta pressure to squeak out what was ultimately a nervy win – one that might just set their European campaign back on track.
GOAL rates Real Madrid's players from Gewiss Stadium…
Goalkeeper & Defence
Thibaut Courtois (6/10):
Could do nothing about either goal. Made a few important saves, too.
Lucas Vazquez (6/10):
Scrappy as can be, and seemed to relish the battle with the lively Ademola Lookman – even if he lost it at times.
Aurelien Tchouameni (5/10):
Gave away such a meaningless penalty, and didn't ever really look comfortable. He's really struggled this year.
Antonio Rudiger (7/10):
Solid defensively, making blocks and dealing with the dangerous Charles De Ketelaere with aplomb.
Fran Garcia (6/10):
Full of energy, and good in his one-on-ones.
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Midfield
Dani Ceballos (6/10):
Sat in a defensive midfield position effectively. Kept it tidy and cut passing lanes at times, but he doesn't offer much in terms of ball progression.
Federico Valverde (6/10):
Lost track of the channel in the lead up to Atalanta's equaliser. Made a few silly fouls and lacked his usual edge – although some of his off-ball work was as wonderful as usual.
Jude Bellingham (9/10):
Absolutely everywhere throughout. Did his defensive work well, moved the ball, and created a few chances. Scored a brilliant third to cap it off.
Brahim Diaz (6/10):
A bit mixed. Some lovely touches and turns alleviated pressure, but he feels misused when he's so far from the goal.
Attack
Kylian Mbappe (8/10):
Seemed really up for it. Scored a wonderful goal. Had two denied, and then went off with an injury. Madrid will hope it's not too serious.
Vinicius Jr (7/10):
So-so on his return from injury. Looked a little rusty at times, and didn't always have his usual on ball-quality. But he scored a fantastic goal.
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Subs & Manager
Rodrygo (5/10):
Replaced Mbappe after 30 minutes, and didn't impact the game much at all.
Luka Modric (N/A):
No time to make an impact. Surprised that he didn't come on earlier.
Raul Asencio (N/A):
Likewise given little time on the pitch.
Arda Guler (N/A):
Ditto, came on at the end.
Carlo Ancelotti (7/10):
Went with a very attacking setup, which mostly worked out, especially against an aggressive Atalanta press. He got goals from his big names, and a much-improved defensive showing. Job done.
أقام الاتحاد الإفريقي لكرة القدم “كاف”، مساء اليوم الإثنين، مراسم قرعة منافسات بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا 2025، التي من المقرر إقامتها في دولة المغرب.
ومن المقرر أن تقام بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا خلال الفترة من 21 ديسمبر 2025 إلى 18 يناير 2026، بمشاركة 24 منتخبًا.
وأسفرت قرعة كأس أمم إفريقيا، عن مواجهات قوية ومرتقبة، حيث وقع منتخب مصر في المجموعة الثانية بجانب زيمبابوي – أنجولا – جنوب إفريقيا.
وسيلعب منتخب مصر مباراته الأولى في المجموعة الثانية لبطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا ضد زيمبابوي.
بينما تواجد منتخب المغرب صاحب الأرض في المجموعة الأولى مع كل من جزر القمر – زامبيا – مالي.
ستكون المباراة الافتتاحية لبطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا 2025، بين منتخب المغرب ضد جزر القمر. المنتخبات المشاركة في كأس أمم إفريقيا 2025
منتخب مصر، تونس، جزر القمر، المغرب، الجابون، بوتسوانا، نيجيريا، بينين، غينيا الاستوائية، الجزائر، أنجولا، السودان، كوت ديفوار، زامبيا، الكونغو الديمقراطية، تنزانيا، مالي، موزمبيق، الكاميرون، زيمبابوي، أوغندا، جنوب إفريقيا، بوركينا فاسو والسنغال. تصنيف المنتخبات المشاركة في كأس أمم إفريقيا 2025
المستوى الأول
مصر – الجزائر – المغرب – السنغال – نيجيريا – كوت ديفوار.
المستوى الثاني
الكاميرون – مالي – تونس – جنوب إفريقيا – الكونغو الديمقراطية – بوركينا فاسو.
Coach Peter Fulton and players Henry Nicholls, Will Williams and Matt Henry praise the team’s efforts
ESPNcricinfo staff06-Apr-2021
The victorious Canterbury side poses with the Plunket Shield trophy•NZC
Canterbury were crowned Plunket Shield champions on Tuesday, with the club amassing its fourth trophy of the 2020-21 domestic season in New Zealand. The women had already won the one-day Hallyburton Johnstone Shield and the Super Smash titles and now the men have joined them by adding the first-class title to their Ford Trophy triumph from earlier this month.Canterbury’s quadruple became official following a draw with Central Districts in Napier, though they had already been confirmed winners with two rounds remaining. This was their first Plunket Shield win since the 2016-17 season, with their coach Peter Fulton describing it as “most special”.”It probably makes for a strange season when you know you’ve won the competition but you’ve still got two games to go,” Fulton said. “[It’s] a little bit different to the other times when we’ve won in the last round of the season, but… to do it with two rounds to go in an eight-round competition just shows how well the guys have played.”Canterbury pacer Will Williams was the season’s highest wicket-taker with 31 strikes in eight games at an average of 17.03 and an economy rate of less than two runs an over. His team-mate, the experienced Matt Henry, reserved special praise for Williams’ efforts and described him as an “asset” to the side.”The way he’s bowled all season in all forms [of cricket] has shown what an asset he is in this team and what he can do,” Henry said. “He’s bowled some incredible spells over a long period of time. He’s always hungry to get better and learn, and it’s just great to see him do well this year.”But Canterbury were given a jolt before the season began when their left-arm pacer Andrew Hazeldine was diagnosed with cancer. As a result, he missed the domestic season for the eventual winners of two men’s trophies, but he was never too far off the team’s thoughts.”He’s [Hazeldine] been a part of our thoughts the entire way through,” Williams said. “Before our T20 semi-final, he actually Zoomed in the group and told us that he’s cancer free. He’s been around the group when he can.”Williams also hailed the pack of pace bowlers he is part of, with Fraser Sheat third on the wicket-takers’ list with 27 strikes at 20.92 and Sean Davey further down with 15 in just four games while averaging 18.60, including a seven-wicket haul.”Fraser Sheat and Sean Davey… complement already established guys like Matt Henry and Ed Nuttall,” Williams said. “They are all bowling well at the moment, so it’s a really good group of seamers we have got here.”Senior batsman Henry Nicholls, meanwhile, praised his batting colleagues for their contributions and said the talent available boded really well for the group. “Guys like Ken McClure and Leo Carter stepping up this year and contributing… to winning games and putting us into a position where we can challenge for the title,” Nicholls said. “You see a guy like Harry Chamberlain – [in] his second game here against a good Central Districts attack scores a tough hundred. It is pretty cool as a group to have those guys come in full of confidence.”
Three days before the IPL 2021 auction, Australian allrounder Glenn Maxwell has said he wouldn’t mind playing for the Royal Challengers Bangalore as that would allow him to fulfil the desire of playing alongside his “idol”: AB de Villiers.”That’ll be awesome. AB [is] one of my idols and one of the guys I’ve always tried to watch the way he goes about [things],” Maxwell said during a media interaction on Thursday from New Zealand, where he is part of the Australian squad for the upcoming T20I series. “It’ll be awesome to work with him, and he’s always been really helpful to me along the journey. Whenever I’ve caught up with him, he’s been brilliant. So to be able to work with him first hand will be pretty cool.”Having released several players including Chris Morris, Shivam Dube and Moeen Ali – the Royal Challengers are likely to be on the lookout for an allrounder. Maxwell is a batsman who can go in at the start of the innings and play the finisher’s role, while also providing a solid fingerspinning option. Maxwell said that he “gets along” well with the Royal Challengers’ captain Virat Kohli, too. “I get along with Virat pretty well. It’ll be certainly nice to work under Virat and will certainly enjoy batting with him – that’s for sure.”Related
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Kings XI's big purse and the return of 'Chinna Thala'
If the Royal Challengers do manage to hire Maxwell, they will become the fourth franchise the Australian would play for in the IPL. In the past, he has turned out for the Mumbai Indians, the Delhi Daredevils (now Capitals) and twice with the Kings XI Punjab.The key question for the Royal Challengers team management – comprising Kohli, Mike Hesson (team director) and Simon Katich (head coach) – would be whether they want to spend a large chunk of their purse on Maxwell in case rival teams enter into a bidding war, as was the case in past auctions, especially the smaller ones.In 2013, Maxwell was the only IPL millionaire after being picked by Mumbai for US$ 1 million. The next most expenisve buy that year was Sri Lanka’s Ajantha Mendis at US$ 725,000.In 2018, the Daredevils released Maxwell, just a season after paying INR 9 crore (US$ 1.4 million approx then) for him. Maxwell opted out of the IPL to focus on the home season in Australia and the ODI World Cup, but that did not hurt Maxwell’s stocks much. In the 2020 auction, he ended up being the second-most expensive buy after the Kings XI paid INR 10.75 crore (US$1.514 million approx) for him.Despite all the promise and potential, though, Maxwell struggled in the last IPL, which was played in the UAE, making just 108 runs and picking three wickets in 13 matches. It did not come as a surprise then, when the Kings XI released him. However, that did not stop Maxwell from listing his base price in the highest bracket of INR 2 crore (US$ 274,000 approx).Maxwell said he has cherished every IPL experience – whether for Mumbai or for the Kings XI or at the Daredevils – and he was even elevated to the Kings XI captaincy in 2017, a season in which he smashed 310 runs at a strike rate of 173.Glenn Maxwell wouldn’t mind having the other jersey on come IPL 2021•BCCI
“I suppose to have the luck to go back there [for] most years has been awesome for my cricket,” he said. “It’s been great to have the experience of playing around the best players in the world and learn from different teams as well.”We’ve had different coaches – Punter [Ricky Ponting at Capitals], Sanjay Bangar, [Virender] Sehwag [both at Kings XI] – and it’s been awesome. People ask me if my cricket would be different if I didn’t go for that [IPL], but I have no idea. But I don’t think it would because I don’t feel I’ve changed too much as a person.”Maxwell is once again anticipating an “exciting” auction, which he will be following on Thursday in New Zealand with the rest of the Australia team-mates. “The Australian team is generally together for a one-day series somewhere in Australia and we get to watch it together and congratulate and commiserate each other depending on what they went for or if they didn’t go. So it’s stressful day for a lot of people, and I’ve been lucky to be on the good side of it a fair few times.”
Agha Salman and Kamran Ghulam are the other two players dropped from the original list
Umar Farooq24-Jan-2021
‘We are having extraordinary training sessions, with dedicated sessions to bring improvements’ – Pakistan head coach Misbah-ul-Haq•AFP/Getty Images
Agha Salman, Abdullah Shafique and this year’s leading first-class run-scorer in Pakistan, Kamran Ghulam, have been dropped from the original 20-man for the first Test against South Africa. The PCB insist they are very much part of the larger squad but won’t be considered for selection for the opening Test starting January 26 in Karachi.The 20-man squad, named on January 15, was always meant to be whittled down to 16 two days before the Test but the PCB ended up naming 17 instead. ESPNcricinfo understands that the board wrestled with the choice between Haris Rauf and Tabish Khan but ended up retaining both, even though neither is expected to make their Test debuts in Karachi. The squad now has four spin options and five fast bowlers including Mohammad Nawaz and Faheem Ashraf as allrounders.With Shafique now out of contention, the team has only two potential openers – Abid Ali and Imran Butt – who is set to be handed a debut. The spot was left vacant after Shan Masood was dropped from the larger squad following a dismal run. Saud Shakeel – who holds the second best first-class average (48.81) in Pakistan over the last five years – has been retained. He was also the second leading first-class run-getter this season with 970 runs at 57.05. Agha, who accumulated 924 runs at 48.63 missed out.Head coach Misbah-ul-Haq said his side is “fully ready”. “Understanding how poor we were in the field on our previous New Zealand tour, we have given fielding much importance while preparing,” said Misbah. “We are having extraordinary training sessions, with dedicated sessions to bring improvements. We are overall ready and looking forward to taking on South Africa.”The PCB, for once, have relayed a sense of empowerment for the captain Babar Azam, giving him a much stronger say in choosing the starting line-up. Misbah downplayed concerns his role with the side had been reduced, but said the captain needed to independently develop his strategies and ideas.”Even when I began, like everyone else, I started from zero,” said Misbah. “You have to start somewhere and the important thing is that when we did some scenario practice, there were discussions with me, the coaches, the bowlers, about what plan we take forward and how we execute it. Babar is an intelligent cricketer and if anyone who scores runs like he does at this level, they should understand cricket mechanics and how to deal with the opposition . Babar should be given a free hand to plan, so he learns how to handle things on the field and hopefully he will learn and improve his captaincy along the way.”The series holds a major significance as this is South Africa first tour to Pakistan since 2007 and the result from it can directly reflect on Misbah’s future as head coach. The PCB had already intended to bring about changes in team management after the New Zealand tour but the cricket committee recommended a stay of execution, opting against making a knee-jerk reaction and resolving instead to meet again after the home series against South Africa. The committee believed a series in home conditions can have “no points for second place”.Misbah knows the pressure is on him but he cut a relaxed figure at the press conference. “Nothing really matters right now, I played cricket under pressure, my whole life” he said. “Here [in Pakistan] it’s not like you have the certainty and security so the most important thing I have learnt is that you have to do well with the job in hand in the moment. I am not thinking about what is going to happen ahead and the only focus right now is to perform and learn from our mistakes.”Pakistan: Abid Ali , Imran Butt, Azhar Ali, Babar Azam (capt), Fawad Alam, Saud Shakeel, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Yasir Shah, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Tabish Khan
Steven Smith is far from the only long-term captaincy option in the eyes of the Cricket Australia board, after the Test skipper Tim Paine’s flourishing display in Adelaide served largely to kick the leadership can down the road into 2022 and beyond.An outstanding innings of 73 from Paine at No. 7, combined with seven catches and sharp captaincy to help deliver a stunning three-day victory over India, took much of the earlier urgency out of leadership discussions that had been forced by an injury to Aaron Finch during the T20I series, causing Matthew Wade to act as stand-in.Opinions within Australian cricket are divided about who might ascend to the top roles with the men’s team whenever Paine or Finch choose to retire, but the former’s display in Adelaide made it clear that on a performance basis he will likely be around until at least after next summer’s home Ashes series. That much means that a CA board debate around the merits of Smith or the current vice-captain Pat Cummins, to name two possible candidates, is still some way off.Earl Eddings, the CA chairman, was eager to broaden the discussion when asked how the board now viewed Smith’s standing as a leader more than two and a half years after the Newlands scandal and a little over 14 months since he returned to Test cricket in a blaze of Ashes run-making glory.Related
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“First of all we’ve got three great captains in Meg, Aaron and Tim,” Eddings told ESPNcricinfo. “We’ve got some great young leaders coming through. So it’s not just about should Steve take over, it’s about what’s best overall. Steve’s a great young man and he was a good captain when he was there. Like any succession there’s planning in place. Have we sat down as a board specifically to discuss the next captain? No we haven’t.”But I think over a period of time we’ve given a range of people options to be vice-captain, Matthew Wade was already vice-captain, so we’re seeing that and it gives us an opportunity to look at the future leaders of Australian cricket. We’ll be guided by the recommendations of the selection panel, they always come back to our board at the right time with their recommendation, and we’ll go through it in detail when they do that.”Smith was generous in his praise of Paine on Tuesday after watching the 36-year-old carve out the precious first innings runs under lights that enabled Cummins and Josh Hazlewood to bring the Adelaide Test to a swift and violent conclusion on the third afternoon. Paine has freed up his previously conservative approach somewhat, allowing him to score 342 runs at 42.75 and a strike rate of 52.29 in eight matches since the end of the Headingley Test in 2019 – he’s also claimed 39 catches and two stumpings in that time.Whether Steven Smith returns to the Australia captaincy continues to a topic of debate•Getty Images
“He’s another one who will take a lot of confidence out of the way he played the other day,” Smith said of Paine. “He took the game on, he was scoring at a good rate and changed the momentum of the game. We’ve always known Tim’s had such a good ability with the bat and I think he’s just getting better.”If he can keep having those performances and change the momentum, think that’s part of his job as No. 7, a wicketkeeper, the guys who do that the best around the world are willing to play the situation and take the game on. Whether it’s pushing a total up or getting us out of a bit of trouble by playing aggressively, I thought he did that the other day and hopefully he can keep doing it.”Paine’s strong displays, plus the understanding that Finch will likely carry on as white-ball captain until the 2023 ODI World Cup in India, mean that Eddings and the board can concentrate on their next major succession task, that of settling upon the next permanent chief executive to replace Kevin Roberts.”At the moment Nick Hockley is doing a fantastic job, he’s delivered a summer of cricket when at times we were thinking ‘how are we going to do this’, but he’s done that in very difficult circumstances, so he’s doing a great job and so are the rest of the team,” Eddings said. “We’ll start a process early in the new year and we’re thinking through what we think the needs are for the next five years for a CEO.”Stakeholder management is critical, the depth and breadth of stakeholders in Australian cricket and international cricket is paramount, someone who is a strategic thinker, and given the challenges we’re seeing in media rights around the world, where are our next revenue streams coming from, they may look very different in five years’ time. Also managing the ICC. So there’s a range of different requirements and it’s a tough gig.”Unusually, both CA and the Australian Cricketers Association are searching for chief executives at the same time. The seasoned figures of Todd Greenberg, David Gallop and Stuart Clark have all been linked to the ACA role, while the current FICA chief executive Tom Moffatt, recently relocated back to Australia, is another option.Eddings himself is up for re-election in October next year, and is yet to declare his hand about seeking a second term in the chair. “First of all I’m there at the behest of the board and the members, so it’s up to them to make that call,” he said. “Succession is really critical and we’re always talking about succession. My comment around longevity is you don’t want to stay around too long, however with the dynamic of the ICC, it takes a long time to build relationships.”If we didn’t spend time building a relationship with India this summer could have been in jeopardy. So it takes time to build those relationships. You don’t want to be just getting there and then having to start again. You need to balance out the needs of your standing at the ICC to allow Australia’s needs to be met.”
Kobbie Mainoo will reportedly miss seven Manchester United matches as the full extent of his hamstring injury has been revealed.
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Mainoo picked up a injury against VillaSidelined for over a monthMaguire also unavailable against BrentfordFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The 19-year-old picked up the muscle injury during United’s 0-0 draw against Aston Villa on October 6 which forced him to withdraw from the England squad last week. Now, the Red Devils have confirmed that Mainoo will remain sidelined until the next international break, expected in about a month’s time.
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Mainoo’s absence comes at a crucial time for United, who are set to face a series of challenging fixtures. He is expected to miss the upcoming Premier League match at home against Brentford, followed by the Europa League trip to Fenerbahce. In total, Mainoo’s absence could span over seven games, leaving manager Erik ten Hag with significant selection dilemmas in the midfield as Manuel Ugarte picked up a thigh injury during Uruguay’s 0-0 draw against Ecuador. If he does not recover in time, Ten Hag may only have two fit senior central midfielders available – Christian Eriksen and Casemiro – to contain Brentford at home over the weekend.
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In a bit of positive news, some of United’s injured players are making progress in their recovery. Mason Mount, who missed United’s last two matches due to head and muscle injuries, is reportedly recovering well. Left-back Luke Shaw, who has not played for United since suffering a calf injury during pre-season, is also making steady progress. Moreover, full-back Noussair Mazraoui, who had been sidelined after undergoing minor heart surgery following a scare during the Aston Villa match, has rejoined the squad. Alejandro Garnacho and Amad Diallo have also resumed training after missing international duty due to minor injuries, providing Ten Hag with some much-needed reinforcement ahead of the congested fixture list.
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As Ten Hag grapples with the challenge of assembling a competitive squad amidst these fitness concerns, the next few weeks will be crucial not only for the club’s performance on the field but also for the manager’s future at Old Trafford. The team’s depth will be tested as Thomas Frank's men are expected to pose a stiff challenge to the Red Devils and it remains to be seen how they will fare without key players like Mainoo and others.