All posts by h716a5.icu

Celtic had a frantic summer as Ange Postecoglou and Dominic McKay got to work quickly on repairing the rubble of a disastrous 2020/21 campaign at Parkhead.They added a host of first-team names to their ranks while also bolstering the reserves who are taking part in the Lowland League this term.What’s the word?The window only slammed shut just under 48 hours ago but the Hoops are already plotting who they want to sign in January.They have been targeting two players in the top-flight of Irish football after initially turning to Liam Scales in the transfer window.One of the players who Celtic are planning to scout this week is Drogheda teenager Killian Phillips.They will watch the player on Friday and then decide whether to bring him to the club on a permanent basis in a few months time.That’s according to reporter Daniel McDonnell who initially took to Twitter to say: “Celtic are tracking Sligo Rovers prospect Johnny Kenny. He’ll be watched on Friday and is on their long term radar. Drogheda’s Killian Phillips is also being monitored.”Their new Ajer?At just 19 years of age, Phillips is very much a player for the future.Coincidentally, he also looks like a similar type of player to Liam Shaw. Celtic signed the youngster from Sheffield Wednesday after agreeing to a deal before the summer got underway.That being said, despite his versatility as a defender and a midfielder, he is yet to make his debut for the Bhoys.That characteristic reminds us of a certain Kristoffer Ajer. The Norwegian arrived at Celtic as a 17-year-old but he was a defensive midfielder when he walked through the door.Ajer was transformed into a centre-back and it’s there where he’s really cut his teeth as a professional footballer.He’s now signed for Brentford in a deal worth £17.5m but his heir apparent – Leo Hjelde – also headed for an exit.However, by signing Phillips, they could make up for the loss of Hjelde.The Drogheda teenager is a midfielder by trade but is also capable of playing further back in defence. It’s that versatility that reminds us the most of Ajer when comparing the duo.Phillips also played on the wing in Ireland last season. That wasn’t something that Ajer had in his locker but he did feature as a rampaging full-back on the odd occasion.Although the Irishman wouldn’t be an instant player for the first-team, his future in the game looks immense.AND in other news, Celtic may have just repeated their John McGinn howler…

Bournemouth winger David Brooks is the type of player Steve Bruce would have liked Newcastle United to sign during the transfer window, claims former Premier League forward Dean Windass.

TalkSPORT (via The Star) reported at the end of last month that Newcastle had made a bid for the 24-year-old, who had also been linked with a move to St James’ Park the year before.

However, nothing materialised, meaning Joe Willock was the Magpies’ only permanent signing of the summer.

From Windass’ point of view, it will come as a disappointment to Bruce, with the ex-Hull City star believing Brooks is a player he would have really wanted.

“You can’t just rely on Callum Wilson,” Windass said in an exclusive interview with FFC. “Brooks is a good player. He can play in the Premier League and he is the type that Steve would probably like. Welsh international, did very well in the Premier League when Bournemouth played there, young boy as well.”

Brooks certainly did impress during his time in English football’s top flight. Back in the 2018/19 season, when he was fully fit, he registered 12 goal contributions in 30 appearances.

His form that campaign saw him win many plaudits, including from ex-Newcastle midfielder Jermaine Jenas, who compared him to the likes of Dele Alli and Raheem Sterling.

Robin Uthappa, the Indian batsman, has hopes of making a comeback to the national team for the World Twenty20 to be held in England in June

Cricinfo staff15-Mar-2009
Robin Uthappa last played for India in the Asia Cup in July 2008 © AFP
Robin Uthappa, the Indian batsman, has hopes of making a comeback to the national team for the World Twenty20 to be held in England in June. Uthappa was left out of the Indian team after a relatively disappointing run of performances where he managed just one half-century in his last ten innings and averaged 21.75. However, he has since struck form with a century for Karnataka in their Ranji Trophy match against Andhra, and a couple of impressive knocks while representing South Zone in the Duleep Trophy.”I would love to be part of the second edition of the Twenty20 World Cup,” he told . “It will be great to be again a part of the side that won the first Twenty20 World Cup.”Uthappa, who is currently playing for South Zone in the Deodhar Trophy, is banking on his recent form to win him a place in the competition. He last played for India in the Asia Cup in July 2008. “It’s a process of learning and I am taking it positively. I am taking this time to grow as a cricketer. I am taking this time to understand my batting, bowling and fielding … To contribute to the team more,” he said. “I have been fielding, bowling well and keeping as well. I have been a ‘keeper and can bowl a bit. These are things that will obviously count in a Twenty20 cricket or one-dayers. These are options that I have kept open.”I do feel the pinch that I am not there in the side but am not dejected. Yet, I believe without going down you can’t come up. Greats like Anil Kumble, Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly have gone through the lows. Only because they have gone through the lows that they have come up so hard and high. I believe it’s a matter of time that I will be back in the side.”Uthappa led Karnataka in the Ranji Trophy and has dealt with the additional responsibility reasonably well. His team managed to qualify for the quarter-finals of the tournament, and he ensured the burden of captaincy had a positive impact on his batting. “This Ranji Trophy season has been a very good for me. I have been captaining the side as well as taking responsibility while batting,” he said. “I have to make sure that I need to score every time I go in the middle and give the side a good foundation.”Captaincy is something that has come as a surprise to me and it’s working quite well for me. I am enjoying the responsibility. I worked with Rahul , learnt a lot thing from him [and] Anil .”I have learnt a lot about myself, what my limitations are and how to be successful with those limitations, how do to go about playing in different conditions.”

Monty Panesar’s Northamptonshire coach has said one of the reasons for the spinner’s poor form over the winter could be traced to the “disruptive” period in the England dressing room during the Pietersen-Moores reign

Cricinfo staff10-Apr-2009Monty Panesar’s Northamptonshire coach has partly ascribed the spinner’s poor form over the winter to the “disruptive” period in the England dressing room during the Pietersen-Moores reign.Panesar averaged 52.09 for his 11 wickets in five Tests, including the abandoned match in Antigua, between December and March. England failed to win any of the seven Tests they played against India and West Indies over the winter.David Capel, Panesar’s county coach, said he bowled well when the atmosphere was less turbulent. Kevin Pietersen, appointed captain in August, stepped down six months later amid reports of a rift between him and Moores, the then England coach.”I’m not going to say what I think Monty needs as an individual, but I’m aware how he ticks and what gets the best out of him,” Capel was quoted as saying in the . “For any cricketer it is an advantage to have a stable existence within the dressing room – anyone would thrive on that.”But Capel said Panesar had showed a marked improvement since returning to his county side. “I believe he’s back in a position where he should be involved with England. I’ve budgeted for him to leave us on May 3 to play in the first Test. He’s been practising all the different variations – arm ball, changing his angle of delivery. But more importantly, he’s been practising that dynamite stock ball, the one that pitches on middle stump and hits the top of off.”What he has bowled so far has got him to over 120 [Test] wickets in very quick time. It would be very churlish to ignore.”Panesar said missing three Tests against West Indies had given him a chance to hone his skills. “[I] managed to work a bit more closely with Andy Flower, a world-class player of spin. All the best spinners are very adept at making the right tactical decisions. And I think when we got to the last Test my variation of speed was much greater.”West Indies will tour England next month for two Tests – the first starts on May 6 at Lord’s.

Former Premier League star Dean Windass is worried that Leeds United simply do not have enough pace in their defence.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side have struggled at times this season and have yet to keep a clean sheet in the top-flight.

Already, they have been thumped 5-1 by Manchester United at Old Trafford, drawn 2-2 with Everton, and drawn 1-1 with both Burnley and Newcastle United.

Against United, Leeds fielded Liam Cooper and Pascal Struijk as they shipped five, while they switched to a back three against the Toffees, with Luke Ayling joining Cooper and Struijk in defence. Diego Llorente came in to play in the back three against Burnley, with Ayling pushed further forward.

They were unable to get a shutout after taking the advantage at St James’ Park on Friday with Windass believing that there isn’t enough speed in the backline, and he also believes that the club could continue to struggle throughout the campaign if they continue to play with the same kind of defenders.

Speaking to Football FanCast, Windass said: “I just think that you’re in the Premier League now and the two centre-halves for Leeds United, I’m not being disrespectful but the trouble is, if you don’t have pace at the back in the Premier League, you’re going to struggle.”

Crystal Palace have entered a new chapter of their history following the departure of Roy Hodgson after four relatively successful if pragmatic years.

New manager Patrick Vieira has been backed considerably in the transfer market with several new exciting additions adding significant strength to his first-team squad.

One of the reasons that the Palace hierarchy were able to finance such an overall was due to their previous work in the transfer market over the last few years.

Chairman Steve Parish had been prudent in the transfer market in recent windows, only spending over £10 million on one player – Eberechi Eze – since the summer of 2017, when Mamadou Sakho arrived from Liverpool.

Another player who arrived in the same season was Alexander Sorloth. The 6 ft 3 beast landed on English shores in the January window for £8.1m after departing FC Midtjylland and he was expected to fire Palace up the top-flight table.

However, things didn’t work out as expected for the now 25-year-old. He started four Premier League games in a row throughout February and March, and after losing all four and failing to find the back of the net, found himself on the bench for the remainder of the campaign.

The following season failed to produce a turnaround in Sorloth’s fortunes as he remained goalless in his first 12 league appearances of 2018/19, leading to a loan spell at KAA Gent.

Another loan spell at Turkish outlet Trabzonspor followed, resulting in the struggling forward producing the best form of his career to date. He managed a magnificent return of 33 goals and 11 assists in 49 outings for the Black Sea Storm, leading to a hotly contested race for his signature.

Norwegian outlet Dagbladet (as relayed by Sport Witness) states Sørloth’s time at Selhurst Park was “brutal”, which is why he was labelled a “failure and flop” at Palace, but after resurrecting his career with Trabzonspor, he had a large selection of potential suitors to choose from.

In the end, he opted to join Bundesliga giants RB Leipzig in an £18m deal just 12 months ago, meaning Palace made a healthy profit on a player who never scored a league goal for them.

The proceeds received from his departure provided a significant boost to the capital club’s coffers, allowing Vieira to bring in his own players following his arrival.

Sorloth only lasted one season in German football after bagging just six goals in 37 appearances for the Red Bulls and has so far failed to find the back of the net for new side Real Sociedad, indicating Palace struck gold by securing such a high fee for his services.

And, in other news…Signed for £26m, released for free: Parish endured Palace nightmare over 31y/o dud 

Harbhajan Singh has said the main reason why India have been able to build on the winning momentum in the recent past is that the players are no more insecure about their place in the side

Nagraj Gollapudi11-Apr-2009Harbhajan Singh has said the main reason why India have been able to build on the winning momentum in the recent past is that the players are no more insecure about their place in the side. According to Harbhajan this separates the previous teams he was part of from the one led by MS Dhoni. Harbhajan, who finished the recent New Zealand series as the leading wicket-taker with 16 at 21.37, felt the team management’s belief in the players has helped them counter all sorts of conditions.”Why we are winning is because we are playing good cricket,” Harbhajan told Cricinfo in Mumbai. “Everyone is performing, everyone is willing to be a champion. A lot of credit must go to the support staff and team management for giving the surety to all the players that they would be getting at least 10-15 games. That gives a player a lot of confidence.”Still to visit hometown Jalandhar after his return from New Zealand Harbhajan, who is busy doing promotional ads for his IPL team Mumbai Indians, said he was looking forward to making a comeback to the tournament after being shunted out last year for slapping Sreesanth. “I missed the whole IPL last year because of reasons well-known. But I’m looking forward to come back and it should be nice against Andrew Symonds, Matthew Hayden and all these big guys.”Harbhajan said while Twenty20 was a “batsman’s game”, he had learnt how to evade the batsman’s assault and his performance in New Zealand would help him lead the Mumbai bowling attack. The New Zealand trip was his first overseas series after Anil Kumble’s exit and Harbhajan said he just “wanted” to do well being the lead spinner. This was also his third tour to New Zealand and he wanted to make amends for the below-par performance on the previous occasions.”It is always challenging bowling abroad – you don’t get much spin, bounce. You do get bounce but you don’t get sideways spin. It is always drifting kind of spin you get. Also with Anil not being there it was challenging and there was a lot of responsibility on me as the senior spinner to do well. This was my third tour there and I’m glad that my wickets came at the right time – we won the game in Hamilton and we almost won it in Wellington, too.”Harbhajan’s six-wicket haul in the second innings in Hamilton inspired India to a ten-wicket win, their first in 33 years in New Zealand. Then in the final Test in Wellington, bowling marathon spells against the wind he almost sealed victory with a seven-wicket match haul, but bad weather robbed India of a 2-0 victory. Harbhajan believes he wouldn’t have managed to excel without the team’s support . “As a team we did really well, forget my wickets. We deserved to win. This team can beat any side.”

One day I will get my hundred. I would like to spend time with Sachin, who has got so many centuries, and probably he can advise me to slow down or what I need to do to get from 60 to 100Harbhajan Singh

After Dhoni took over the Test captaincy during the home series against Australia last year India have been in top form, beating England at home, winning the ODI series in Sri Lanka and now in New Zealand. Never have India looked as insurmountable and Harbhajan felt it was because each player was contributing for the team and not himself. “Look at Gautam [Gambhir] – his performance now and earlier is so different. This team has a lot of talent of course like Viru [Sehwag], Gautam, Yuvraj [Singh], [MS] Dhoni, [Suresh] Raina and others, too, who have been doing big things which helps us believe we can win anywhere in any sort of conditions. Probably that was lacking earlier, but now everyone is confident. They are not worried about their places, people go out to play for the team rather than playing for themselves.”Apart from his bowling Harbhajan is now setting his sights on a Test century. He is eager to have a chat with Sachin Tendulkar, his captain in the IPL. Since January 2008 Harbhajan has scored four half-centuries, with each coming in a situation where the odds were against India. His 60 in the first innings in Wellington helped India avoid a mid-innings stutter. “One day I will get my hundred. I would like to spend time with Sachin, who has got so many centuries, and probably he can advise me to slow down or what I need to do to get from 60 to 100.”He even wants to bat higher up the order in the IPL so that he can “smack” the ball round the park. Harbhajan insists the Twenty20 format is “murder” for the bowler, a thought he expressed before the World Twenty20 in 2007 that India went on to win. “It is tough on bowlers. You need to be little more brave and smart and go with the flow. In this format you need to be smart rather than bowling magic balls.”

Aston Villa enjoyed their biggest win of the new Premier League season with a superb victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon.

Dean Smith’s side produced unquestionably their best defensive performance of the campaign, and it was one of those in the back-line who delivered all three points.

Kortney Hause capped off a fine display with a powerful header from Douglas Luiz’s corner, and while he and Tyrone Mings were equally impressive, Ezri Konsa’s performance showed exactly why there have been loud calls for him to make the England squad.

As per SofaScore, the 23-year-old blocked the second most shots of any Villa player, while he also ranked second when it came to total clearances.

Defensively he was as solid as a rock, and his six duels won out of nine were the joint-most of any of his teammates – in fact, even if you added the duels won by both Hause and Mings, that would only amount to half of Konsa’s tally.

The centre-back was equally as impressive in possession, exuding a real calmness under pressure – his 91% pass accuracy was the best of any Villa player, while he lost the ball only twice over the course of the 90 minutes, by far the lowest of any Villa starter.

Writing initially on Twitter, the Birmingham Mail’s Ashley Preece said: “Ratings from a historic afternoon at Old Trafford. There’s some sore shins in that away end, sheer pandemonium. Hero Hause, Mings and Konsa all outstanding. Douglas Luiz classy in there. So much to like about this group!”

In a follow-up post-match ratings article for the news outlet, the journalist gave him the joint-highest rating of a nine, adding: “Missed a golden chance from inside the six-yard box as he headed over following Douglas’ dangerous and pinpoint corner. It was bodies-on-the-line stuff from Konsa, he blocked countless balls into Villa’s box. Brilliant once more.”

If England manager Gareth Southgate was watching, he would have left suitably impressed by Villa’s English back-three, and Konsa in particular.

The former Brentford man was arguably Smith’s real hero at Old Trafford.

Meanwhile, Villa could unearth a new Ezri Konsa in this gem…

After a thoroughly dominant performance against Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore are jostling for a share of the top spot

The Bulletin by Siddarth Ravindran03-May-2009
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
Dillon du Preez had a debut to tell the grandkids about•AFPWhat a difference a week makes. Last Sunday, Royal Challengers Bangalore were at the bottom of the table, had slumped to their fourth consecutive defeat, and were looking ahead to surviving without two key batsmen, Rahul Dravid and Kevin Pietersen. Now, after a thoroughly dominant performance against Mumbai Indians they are jostling for a share of the top spot. The reversal of fortunes was illustrated by the two men who blunted the powerful Mumbai bowling, Jacques Kallis and Robin Uthappa, who shrugged off their forgettable starts to the tournament with superbly paced half-centuries.The star of the first half for Bangalore was little-known South African allrounder Dillon du Preez who had an IPL debut to tell the grandkids about, taking three early wickets with his medium-pacers. A resilient Mumbai though recovered, first through Sanath Jayasuriya’s half-century before Dwayne Bravo and Abhishek Nayar slammed 48 runs off the last three overs to lift their side to what-had-seemed a competitive total.du Preez started off with that rarest of beasts in Twenty20s – the double-wicket maiden, and it included the scalp of Sachin Tendulkar. Handed the ball in the fourth over there were a quiet couple of balls before he induced an outside edge off Tendulkar to the safe hands of Rahul Dravid at slip, to spark wild celebrations. The hint of away movement in the next delivery had Ajinkya Rahane giving catching practice to slip.The Boys’ Own story continued for du Preez in his next over, with his first poor delivery also fetching him a wicket; Duminy went for an ill-advised pull to a long hop angling away from him, only under-edging it to the wicketkeeper. du Preez’s figures were a scarcely believable 1.2-1-0-3, and Mumbai were gasping at 23 for 3.Jayasuriya then began reviving Mumbai with a steady partnership with Bravo. After a watchful beginning – he was on 11 off 20 at one stage – he broke free in the eighth over, muscling a fractionally short ball over mid-on’s head, and then hammering the next delivery into the crowd behind midwicket. There were also the Jayasuriya trademarks, powerful slaps over point and some nimble running between the wickets. Despite all that, Mumbai reached the strategic time-out at an unsatisfactory 53 for 3.Prime Numbers22.83 Sanath Jayasuriya’s average after six innings10 The number of wickets picked up by Anil Kumble, the highest for Bangalore66* The total runs added for the fifth wicket by Abhishek Nayar and Dwayne Bravo, a record this season69* Runs scored by Jaques Kallis today, the best by a Bangalore batsman126* The runs added by Kallis and Robin Uthappa for the second wicket, the second best partnership for any wicket9 and 11 Bangalore win by nine wickets with 11 balls remaining. The second most comfortable win this season in terms of wickets and also by balls remaining in the second innings8.70 Dwayne Bravo’s economy rate, the worst for a Mumbai bowler who has bowled more than 15 overs Bravo was following the Jayasuriya method of taking his time to gauge the pitch. There were some stylish flicks, and deft dabs to third man but it wasn’t till the 18th over – 12 overs after he came in – that he hit his first boundary. Mumbai were 101 for 4 after 17 overs, but a spell of frenetic hitting from Bravo and Nayar took them towards 150, a score which has proved eminently defendable in this tournament.As usual, Bangalore had a new combination at the top of the order, Kallis and Wasim Jaffer, but the start was completely different from those earlier in the tournament. Kallis began aggressively, with a couple of boundaries off the first over, and his response to the introduction of the bowler of the series so far, Lasith Malinga, was exceptional. He was welcomed with a clip over square leg for six, and two balls later there was a powerful uppercut – a shot Kallis used frequently all innings – for six more. Seventeen came off the over, and Bangalore had sprinted to 41 for 1 after four overs.Jaffer fell early, bringing in Uthappa, who started scratchily against the side he represented last season. It wasn’t till the spinners came on that he found his touch. On 5 off 11 balls, the pressure was beginning to tell on him but a loose over from Harbhajan Singh gave him confidence. With the asking-rate in check, both Uthappa and Kallis were content to nudge the ones and twos – there were no boundaries for nearly four overs till the 13th, but they never needed more than eight an over.Uthappa feasted on some buffet bowling from Tendulkar in the 14th – helping himself to three boundaries – after which the result wasn’t in doubt. Bravo was pounded over midwicket by Uthappa for the biggest six of the tournament in the next over, and it wasn’t long before a six and a four off Jayasuriya sealed one of the biggest wins of the season.

Some Wolves fans have criticised Jose Sa after he nearly made a costly error in their game at Southampton in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.

The Portugal international almost got caught on the ball late in the first half in front of his own goal, which could have gifted the Saints an opening goal at St Mary’s.

Bruno Lage’s team looked very shaky at times when trying to play out from the back, and the defence certainly did not seem confident when the 28-year-old made that mistake.

He has big boots to fill after Rui Patricio left Molineux to sign for AS Roma in the summer transfer window, but errors like these will certainly not help his cause in trying to win over the Molineux faithful, even if he did make amends with a splendid double save early in the second half.

Wolves fans on Jose Sa mistake

These Wolves supporters blasted Sa on Twitter following his pre-interval scare, with one claiming that they are ‘not convinced’ by him, while another fan even went as far as to say that the ‘keeper is ‘hopeless’:

“And Sa was supposed to be an upgrade was he?”

Credit: @OldGoldShirt

“How people even put Sa and Patricio in the same sentence is beyond me, nothing but a downgrade on Patricio”

Credit: @Jord_XD

“He’s hopeless, definitely a downgrade on Patricio – definite accident waiting to happen.”

Credit: @TheAdmiral2153e

“Mistake waiting to happen”

Credit: @Treborm44

“I’d actually play Ruddy over Sa. Not convinced by him yet”

Credit: @olliewolves

” ‘José Sà playing his way into trouble’, literally all he does”

Credit: @Feith122

In other news, one of Sa’s team-mates also came under fire from some Wolves fans this afternoon