All posts by h716a5.icu

West Ham United enjoyed a pretty successful transfer window, signing no fewer than four new first-team players, but they were arguably just one addition away from it being a perfect ten out of ten all round.

For the next few months, at the very least, manager David Moyes will only have one senior centre-forward at his disposal after one seemingly eluded him throughout the summer.

It’s certainly a risky game to play as an injury to Michail Antonio will leave the Scotsman with a massive selection nightmare. And that does seem likely considering the 31-year-old’s injury history. He hasn’t started more than 24 league matches in any of the previous four seasons.

Whilst last season’s top goalscorer has started the campaign like a house on fire, bagging four goals and providing three assists to top the Premier League individual charts, the prospect of him ever facing time out without a back-up is an alarming concern.

In fact, it’s an issue he has been faced with since January 2021, when club-record signing Sebastien Haller’s time at the London Stadium came to a premature end following his move to Eredivisie giants Ajax.

Ultimately, Moyes is going to have to find a temporary solution in the eventuality that the worst does happen. Yes, the likes of Jarrod Bowen and Said Benrahma could step up out of position, likewise with forgotten man Andriy Yarmolenko but there are also reasons against making such decisions.

With the first duo, you’d be taking away a key player from an important, familiar and successful role, whilst the Ukraine forward is hardly up to the standards, having started just one league game in 2020/21.

Perhaps the 58-year-old coach can dip into the club’s promising youth academy to find the next Declan Rice or Ben Johnson to breakthrough into first-team stardom.

With Ademipo Odubeko out on loan at Championship outfit Huddersfield Town, the door could open for summer youth signing Thierry Nevers, who is already making an impression at Rush Green.

The 19-year-old attacker has already found the net in back-to-back matches for the U23s in the Premier League 2, including a strike against the very impressive Arsenal academy.

That adds to his nine goals in 25 appearances for the Reading youth side in the very same competition last year.

‘Quick, skilful and possessing a razor-sharp eye for goal’ is how West Ham’s official website described the teenager upon his arrival.

Academy manager Ricky Martin also added: “Thierry is someone that we’ve been following for the last couple of seasons. He’s put in some very impressive performances, and we’re really excited to introduce him to the U23s squad. We hope he will have a very successful career at the Hammers.”

Nevers could well be in line for a chance in the first-team, even if Antonio remains fit, as rotation will be key across the Premier League, Europa League and the domestic cup competitions too.

The Athletic’s Roshane Thomas has already claimed that the young gem has “been on fire for the U23s” and that he “could feature in one of the cup games if he keeps up his form.”

Moyes could well find a temporary and short-term solution to West Ham’s alarming striker situation by unleashing Nevers whenever he’s needed.

AND in other news, West Ham “monster” sees value crash by 48.5% under Moyes, Sullivan won’t be impressed…

Vic Lewis, who found fame as a bandleader in the post-war period, died on February 9 at the age of 89

Cricinfo staff13-Mar-2009Vic Lewis, who found fame as a bandleader in the post-war period, died on February 9 at the age of 89.Lewis was famous for his jazz and, in later years, as a agent with connections to stars such as Elton John and the Beatles. His showbiz connections enabled him to indulge in his second great passion – cricket.In 1957 he formed the Vic Lewis Cricket Club, and until it was disbanded in 1984 it raised more than £3 million for charity, mixing top players with stars from showbusiness.He was also an active member of the Lord’s Taverners and had been a member of Middlesex for more than 60 years, as well as serving on the county committee between 1976 and 2001.Lewis was also famous for his collection of cricket ties, and was believed to have amassed more than 5000.

Pakistan has been stripped of hosting rights for the 2011 World Cup because of the “uncertain security situation” in the country, the ICC said, according to Reuters

Cricinfo staff17-Apr-2009Pakistan has been stripped of hosting rights for the 2011 World Cup because of the “uncertain security situation” in the country, the ICC said.”It is a regrettable decision (but) our number one priority is to create certainty and…deliver a safe, secure and successful event,” ICC president David Morgan said in a statement.ReactionsZaheer Abbas: “It’s time that Pakistan cricket breaks its silence over what’s been happening against it in recent times. The ICC took away the Champions Trophy and now it has deprived us of the World Cup. What else should happen before we break our silence? I would ask the PCB to make it clear to the ICC that we will boycott the World Cup if it is held in Asia. If Pakistan is unsafe for the event then there is no justification to have the World Cup in other parts of the subcontinent which are also within the range of terrorists. It’s a great loss for Pakistan cricket and for that I would blame the ICC and India which has pulled out its support when we needed it the most.”Saleem Altaf: “I don’t know what has transpired at the ICC meeting in Dubai for this decision to be taken. But it is disappointing as we were keen to host the World Cup matches and were working hard on a security plan to convince the ICC and other countries.”Javed Miandad: “Pakistan cricket is going through bad times and unfortunately the support and understanding we expect from the ICC and other countries is not forthcoming. There was still time left for the tournament and the board was willing to do everything to keep the World Cup matches and host them safely.”Ramiz Raja: “The World Cup is a global event and I don’t think the Pakistani people will like this ICC decision. How do you expect the sport to survive in Pakistan when the ICC is isolating Pakistan as a cricketing nation. This decision will hurt Pakistan cricket no doubt about that. It is a big setback for us.””However, our number one priority was and is to deliver a safe, secure and successful event and the uncertainty created by events within Pakistan created a huge question mark over our ability to do just that.”The ICC added that Pakistan was unlikely to resume hosting any cricket at all until 2011. It also said the World Cup secretariat would be moved out of Pakistan to a location to be decided by the organising committee. India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, the other co-hosts, will now share the 16 matches that were to be held in Pakistan.Ijaz Butt, chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, expressed regret. “It’s a disappointing decision but it can’t be helped. Nobody wants to play in Pakistan following the attacks in Lahore,” Butt said. He was referring to the attack on Sri Lanka’s touring cricketers in Lahore on March 3, in which eight Pakistanis were killed and seven Sri Lankan players injured.Pakistan were due to co-host the event with India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka but the deteriorating security situation has posed a serious problem for the PCB. The news came during the first day of the ICC board meeting in Dubai.Pakistan’s status as a host of international matches has been uncertain for some time – the Champions Trophy was shifted out last year and, in January, India became the latest country to cancel a tour when they pulled out of a bilateral series. However, the Lahore attack seemed to have sealed their fate on hosting the World Cup.The attack itself also came up for discussion at the meeting, with match referee Chris Broad, who was on duty for the Test, and Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jaywardane (via telephone) giving their version of what happened.It was decided that Lord Condon, chairman of the ICC’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit, would lead a task team – including ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat and directors Jack Clarke and Shashank Manohar – would conduct a review of security arrangements for all international cricket.The review, Lorgat said, would include an assessment of whether current security protocols employed by ICC Members were adequate and, if not, how they could be improved. It would also, if necessary, approach other sports to see if there was scope for information-sharing in the way security is conducted across major events around the world.

Crystal Palace secured their first win under new manager Patrick Vieira in emphatic fashion over the weekend, seeing off Tottenham Hotspur 3-0.

A brace from summer signing Odsonne Edouard following his late introduction and Wilfried Zaha’s return to form stole the headlines at Selhurst Park, but it was arguably their defensive showing that really showed the most promise.

The Eagles began 2021/22 with a disappointing defeat away at Chelsea when they conceded three goals without reply, yet there’s been plenty of improvements since.

An overhaul of the first-team squad saw experienced centre-backs Gary Cahill, Scott Dann and Mamadou Sakho depart south London over the summer as Vieira opted for a more youthful approach.

In their place arrived 21-year-old Marc Guehi and 25-year-old Joachim Andersen from Chelsea and Lyon, respectively.

Andersen was unavailable from the off for the curtain-raising loss at Stamford Bridge, and his introduction into the starting XI had an instant impact, with Palace holding newly-promoted Brentford to a goalless draw the following week.

Although West Ham United managed to get two strikes past them in another closely contested draw, Saturday’s magnificent display saw Palace pick up their second clean sheet of the campaign, something they only managed to do on eight occasions in the entirety of last term.

And the blossoming partnership between Guehi and Andersen is largely to thank for that. The £28.8m-rated duo appear to have a natural understanding of each other’s game after only a few appearances alongside each other, illustrated by their impressive underlying numbers.

In his four league outings, Guehi has averaged one tackle per game, 0.5 interceptions and 3.8 clearances, whereas his Danish colleague has managed 0.8 tackles, 0.8 interceptions and two clearances, as per SofaScore.

But they’ve both also show promise with the ball at their feet. Palace’s England Under-21 international defender has achieved a passing accuracy of 88%, losing possession just 8.8 times, compared to Andersen’s highly respectable tallies of 84% and 10.5.

Keeping the two new arrivals fit could be crucial to the capital club’s success this season and Vieira will be desperately hoping they continue to produce some dominant displays on a regular basis, providing a solid foundation for his promising Palace side to build on.

And, in other news…Get it done: Parish must sanction Palace swoop for £6.3m-rated beast, Vieira needs him 

Former Nottingham Forest star Nigel Jemson insists that the club’s owner Evangelos Marinakis has to be praised for backing the managers despite their poor start to the season.

Forest enjoyed a busy summer of recruitment, bringing in no fewer than nine first-team players, with five of those being loan deals.

Forest have, of course, sacked Chris Hughton after a terrible run of form that saw them lose six and draw one of their first seven games.

After the departure of the former Newcastle United boss, Forest won their first game of the season, against Huddersfield Town at the weekend, before appointing former Swansea City boss Steve Cooper to try and turn their campaign around.

Previously, the club had been linked with a swoop to sign former Sunderland striker Josh Maja from Bordeaux in Ligue 1, a deal that would have cost the club a total of £4m.

Jemson believes that such interest is a sign of just how committed owner Evangelos Marinakis is to the cause at the City Ground.

He said: “I think you’ve got to compliment the owner, he’s always given the manager money if he wants a certain player. It would have been an exciting prospect for him to come over but you don’t know the ins and outs, whether it’s more money or up front or installments or whatever it can be, or whether he’s turned it down, we don’t honestly know.

“But you have to be sure if you’re going to spend £4.5m on a player in the Championship, you’ve got to make sure he’s the right one.”

Frequent showers ruined the first match of Sunday’s double-header at Newlands, reducing the target required by Delhi Daredevils to only 54 in six overs, a goal they reached with all wickets intact

The Bulletin by George Binoy19-Apr-2009
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were outDaniel Vettori’s 3 for 15 completely derailed Punjab’s innings•AFPFrequent showers ruined the first match of Sunday’s double-header in Cape Town, reducing the target required by Delhi Daredevils to only 54 in six overs, a goal they reached with all wickets intact. The victory, however, was set up by Daniel Vettori’s remarkable spell which brought an abrupt halt to Kings XI Punjab’s burgeoning momentum and gave Delhi a manageable target to chase.The game was first reduced to 14 overs a side, and then to 12, and the boundaries were shortened to exclude wet parts of the outfield. The pre-match conditions – overcast skies and a green-tinged pitch – indicated that the fast bowlers would find assistance at Newlands and Delhi packed their side with four seamers. However, their inexperienced new-ball attack – Delhi left out Glenn McGrath – struggled to contain the Kings XI Punjab openers, Karan Goel and Ravi Bopara, who raced to 67 in the first six overs.Sehwag used his fast bowlers in one-over spells before the tactical time-out but turned to Vettori, the No. 1 spinner in Twenty20 internationals, soon after to stem the run-flow. Vettori had immediate success, trapping Bopara lbw with a straighter one, and bowled flat and straight, conceding only one run off his first over. Victoria fast bowler Dirk Nannes bowled another economical over to two new batsmen – Kumar Sangakkara and Yuvraj Singh – before holding a well-judged catch at short fine-leg off Sangakkara’s top-edged sweep to give Vettori his second wicket.With only three overs to go, Yuvraj found his timing, clouting Nannes and Vettori for sixes over wide long-on and midwicket. Just when Yuvraj seemed to be making a push towards a 120-plus score, Mahela Jayawardene called for an ill-advised run and Vettori broke the stumps with Yuvraj well short at the bowler’s end. Punjab then lost two more wickets within the space of three balls – Jayawardene was caught at long-off off Vettori and Piyush Chawla was run out without facing a ball. Vettori finished with 3 for 15 and was instrumental in pulling Punjab back to 104 for 7.Gautam Gambhir gave Delhi an ideal start by driving Irfan Pathan over cover and flicking through midwicket for boundaries. Thereafter, however, it was all Sehwag. He flicked his first ball, from Yusuf Abdulla, over fine leg for six and lofted his second to the long-on boundary. The drizzle that had been around from the half-way point of Punjab’s innings grew stronger and forced the players off with Delhi on 24 for 0 after 1.5 overs. When play resumed, Delhi needed only 31 more off 25 balls. Sehwag drove the first ball after the resumption firmly to the long-off boundary and effectively ended any slim hopes of a Punjab victory.

A round-up from the latest Friends Provident Trophy matches

Cricinfo staff04-May-2009

Group BFor the second day running Middlesex suffered a batting implosion as they crumbled to 65 all out against Somerset at Bath. Gareth Berg (30) was the only batsman to reach double figures as Peter Trego took 4 for 17. Trego picked up his first when Neil Dexter edged into his stumps, but had Justin Langer to thank for his next when the captain plucked out a screaming catch at short midwicket to remove Billy Godleman. The innings was soon it tatters at 22 for 5 when Trego dispatched Dawid Malan and Ben Scott with full-length swinging deliveries. Charl Willoughby had taken the key early wicket when he trapped Phillip Hughes leg before, not playing a shot, for 5. Somerset didn’t waste any time knocking off the runs as Craig Kieswetter hit 36 off 21 balls and the entire match lasted just 32.4 overs.Joe Denly put the disappointment of missing out on England’s Twenty20 squad behind him with a match-winning, unbeaten 97 as Kent completed a four-wicket win against Scotland at Canterbury with 10 balls to spare in their D/L altered chase. Kent’s top order had done most of the work as they reached 169 for 2 before Scotland gave them a scare. Former captain Ryan Watson grabbed two wickets as Kent wobbled to 190 for 6, but Denly held firm to prevent any upset. Scotland’s competitive total was based around another half century from new captain Gavin Hamilton (78) and 65 from Cameron Borgas, the Australian, who continued his good form.

Group AHD Ackerman showed all his one-day prowess to hammer 118 off 87 as Leicestershire over came a tough challenge from Ireland to win by seven wickets at Grace Road. In a match reduced to 31 overs by rain, Ireland managed to set a useful target of 199 after Paul Stirling made a career-best 80 and Kevin O’Brien used his hitting power with a run-a-ball 67. However, it was made to look a simple chase as Ackerman and James Taylor (48) added 107 for the second wicket then Ackerman and Paul Nixon put on 55 in six overs as the home side eased home with two overs to spare.Steven Davies, another player to vanish from the England scene since the Caribbean tour, slammed 82 off 59 balls as Worcestershire sped to a 10-wicket victory against Nottinghamshire at New Road. Davies and Vikram Solanki (49 not out) raced to their adjusted target of 138 in 26 overs with 17 balls to spare. Worcestershire’s new-ball attack put them on top early as Ashley Noffke and Gareth Andrew reduced Nottinghamshire to 13 for 3. Alex Hales was brought down to earth after his century against Ireland when he was trapped lbw first ball and Samit Patel also collected a duck. Mark Wagh did his best to anchor the innings with 85, while late impetus was provided by Mark Ealham’s 20-ball 42, but there was too much ground to make up.

Group CEd Joyce hit an unbeaten 103 as Sussex made easy work of Durham at Chester-le-Street with an eight-wicket win. After a disappointing batting display from the home side, Sussex were able to pace their chase comfortably. Joyce and Joe Gatting added 117 for the first wicket to do most of the work. Durham’s innings had never really got going with only Will Smith (65) posting a half century but it was a cautious innings off 105 balls. Sussex’s spinners played a key role with young legspinner Will Beer claiming 2 for 29 and Rory Hamtilon-Brown grabbing three.For a full report of Surrey’s victory against Yorkshire at Headingley click here

Group DAndrew Hall took four wickets as Northamptonshire saw off Glamorgan by 35 runs at Wantage Road. The match was reduced to 39 overs per side and the home side’s total of 200 didn’t appear too daunting. However, without Mark Cosgrove who injured his hamstring against Essex, Glamorgan struggled for momentum and after Lee Daggert took two wickets in an over the batting crumbled. They slid 95 for 8 as Hall struck more quick blows and Dean Cosker’s 50 only reduced the margin of defeat, though it completed a fine all-round day for Cosker as he earlier claimed 3 for 26.Essex bounced back from their high-scoring defeat against Glamorgan as they registered a comfortable six-wicket win against Derbyshire at Derby. Varun Chopra top-scored in the chase with 69 off 93 balls before Graham Napier added the finishing touches with 28 from 15 balls to make the win look even more convincing. Napier earlier took three middle-order wickets to slow Derbyshire’s momentum after a stand of 75 between Wavell Hinds and Garry Park had laid a platform. Hinds marshalled the rest of the innings with 81 but the target didn’t test Essex.

Group A Team Mat Won Lost Tied N/R Pts Net RR For Against

Worcestershire 3 3 00 0 6 +1.129 638/106.1 532/109.0 Nottinghamshire 3 2 1 00 4 +1.956 642/106.0 505/123.1Hampshire 3 2 1 0 04 +0.047 809/148.1 812/150.0 Leicestershire 4 1 3 0 0 2-0.904 848/179.0 898/159.1 Ireland 30 3 0 0 0 -1.781537/114.0 727/112.0

Group B Team Mat Won Lost Tied N/R Pts Net RR For Against

Somerset 33 0 0 0 6 +3.054629/92.3 517/138.0 Kent 3 21 0 0 4 -0.312 524/117.4629/132.0 Warwickshire 2 1 10 0 2 +0.899 454/80.4 454/96.0 Middlesex 3 1 2 00 2 -0.246 500/150.0 343/95.5Scotland 3 0 3 0 00 -1.958 527/144.0 691/123.0

Group C Team Mat Won Lost Tied N/R Pts Net RR For Against

Gloucestershire 3 3 0 0 06 +1.174 765/146.2 608/150.0 Yorkshire 4 2 2 0 0 4+0.016 840/183.0 837/183.0 Sussex 31 2 0 0 2 -0.005633/143.2 647/146.2 Surrey 3 12 0 0 2 -0.496 572/133.0638/133.0 Durham 3 1 20 0 2 -0.758 646/150.0 726/143.2

Group D Team Mat Won Lost Tied N/R Pts Net RR For Against

Lancashire 3 3 00 0 6 +0.842 723/141.2 641/150.0 Essex 3 2 1 00 4 +0.034 773/138.3 772/139.1Northamptonshire 3 1 2 0 02 -0.018 721/139.0 688/132.1 Derbyshire 3 1 2 0 0 2-0.093 638/139.0 640/136.4 Glamorgan 41 3 0 0 2 -0.620830/185.1 944/185.0

Liverpool striker Divock Origi is the subject of interest from Ligue 1 outfit RC Lens ahead of the January transfer window, according to Calciomercato. 

The lowdown

The 26-year-old has played a mere two minutes of Premier League football this season, having come on as a late substitute in the 3-0 win over Crystal Palace on Saturday.

However, he was handed a surprise start by Jurgen Klopp in the Champions League group stage opener against AC Milan last week, and Origi notched an assist in the Reds’ 3-2 victory, with his manager labelling him an ‘outstanding striker’ after the match.

The latest

The report from Calciomercato claimed that Lens are ‘ready to fight’ for the signature of the Belgium international in the January transfer window .

Origi may be open to the idea of leaving Anfield because he wants ‘more continuity on the pitch’ and Liverpool apparently value him at €12m, which equates to around £10.3m.

The verdict

Origi looked re-energised against Milan, raising hopes that this season may be a significant improvement on his last. If the Reds are willing to sell him mid-season, they need to have an immediate replacement lined up in the interests of preserving some semblance of squad depth.

Could that replacement be RB Salzburg’s sensational teenager Karim Adeyemi? It has been reported that Liverpool plan to hold talks with the Austrian champions.

You’d think many Reds supporters would accept that switch given Origi’s paltry goal tally over the last couple of years in comparison to the Salzburg starlet.

In other news, many Liverpool fans were left bemoaning this injury news. 

Tottenham Hotspur legend Glenn Hoddle has slammed the form of Sergio Reguilon following Spurs’ 3-1 defeat to Arsenal on Sunday.

The Lowdown: Reguilon struggling

Reguilon started against the Gunners at the Emirates Stadium at the weekend, with the opening goal coming from down his flank.

He was one of a number of players who struggled against Spurs’ fierce local rivals, losing possession 17 times and completing just two crosses, hardly ideal for an attacking full-back.

The Latest: Hoddle slams Reguilon

Speaking to Optus Sport after the match, Hoddle slammed Region’s form compared to his impressive start to life in north London. He said (via HITC):

“Reguilon came in, did very well, he competes well, gets forward, gets crosses in, he has gone off the boil.

“There are a lot of players at Tottenham at the moment who have just gone off the boil completely.”

The Verdict: Capable of better

Given £22.5m-valued Reguilon (Transfermarkt) provided the assist for Heung-Min Son’s consolation against Spurs, it was far from his worst performance, but he is capable of much more. After all, he comes from Real Madrid’s youth academy, and was signed for a fee that could rise up to £32m (Sky Sports).

The issue is, he is not the only player not at his best currently at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Three defeats in a row in the Premier League, with nine goals conceded during that time, illustrates just how poor Spurs have been, and the lack of confidence and form has seemed to spread through the team like a disease.

Even star striker Harry Kane remains without a goal after five league outings (Transfermarkt). Nuno Espirito Santo must do all he can to get the best out of his star talents once more, and hopefully Reguilon will be one of the first to kick start back to his prior showings.

In other news, Gary Neville took aim at these two Spurs talents.

A round-up of the latest County Championship action as Alfonso Thomas gives Somerset control and David Masters stars against his former club

Cricinfo staff17-Jun-2009Alfonso Thomas claimed 5 for 53 as Sussex suffered a poor day at Hove to give Somerset a great chance of consecutive Championship victories. Thomas demolished the top order as Sussex crashed to 9 for 3 when Michael Yardy drove to short mid-on. Matt Prior (58) and Ed Joyce (45) staged a recovery as they added 97 for the fourth wicket before Prior was brilliantly caught in the gully to give Thomas his fourth. Ed Joyce and Luke Wright both fell to loose shots – Wright becoming Thomas’ fifth wicket when he sliced to point – and despite some resistance from the lower Sussex conceded a lead of 170 although Justin Langer opted to bat again. Somerset had momentum from the start of the day when Peter Trego and Charl Willoughby flayed 53 in 5.2 overs as the final wicket added 69. Trego was left unbeaten on a season-best 92 when Willoughby was run out.Steven Davies hit a century on a rain hit second day between Worcestershire and Yorkshire at New Road. John Ward watched the actionMark Stoneman battled through an injury as Durham took on Warwickshire at Edgbaston. Click here for a full report.1st dayThere was no play on the opening day between Lancashire and Hampshireat Liverpool due to rain.Graham Napier’s impressive return to county action continued as he and David Masters shared eight wickets to put Essex in full control against Kent at Tunbridge Wells. They already had one apiece overnight and it was Masters, against his former club, who made the early impression with the first three wickets to fall. The third of those, Darren Stevens, was bemused by a slower ball and spooned to cover. Napier then had Martin van Jaarsveld caught behind as the home side slumped to 50 for 6. Justin Kemp and James Tredwell managed to add 56 before Napier returned to shift both and the innings folded for 123. Despite a lead of 157, Essex declined to enforce the follow-on – no doubt after Kent came from behind to win the corresponding fixture in early May – and increased their advantage to 266 by the close. Alastair Cook fell for 30, but Varun Chopra was unbeaten on 38.Surrey strengthened their position further against Leicestershire in the 36 overs allowed by the weather building a lead of 52 with eight wickets still in hand at Grace Road. Michael Brown, dropped on 75, and Mark Ramprakash carried their second-wicket stand to 148 before the home side made a breakthrough when Harry Gurney shifted Ramprakash.Rain limited play to 15.2 overs at Cardiff, but Glamorgan made good use of the short period of action as they took three Northamptonshire wickets. James Harris claimed two, spilt by a strike for David Harrison when Stephen Peters edged to second slip.