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“Winning or losing today is not important. There’s no point bringing a good coach if this is their shot-selection”

Mohammad Isam23-May-2021Nazmul Hassan, the BCB president, has called into question Bangladesh’s shot-selection in the first ODI against Sri Lanka, their preparation ahead of this series, and the merit of using Liton Das as an opener in this format.Hassan made his comments at a press briefing during the innings break after Bangladesh had made 257 for 6 on a tricky surface in Dhaka, an unusually prompt response from the board chief, who usually waits till the end of a match before offering his reactions.”The BCB is trying to find out what’s happening, and why it is happening,” Hassan said. “Winning and losing today is not important. How many good balls or brilliant fielding got us out? Was our shot selection right? There’s no point bringing a good coach if this is their shot selection. We will talk about the coach later. First, we have to sit with the players to find out their mentality. Some of the outs [dismissals] were very ugly. There was no need to play those shots in that situation.”Hassan acknowledged that some of the Bangladesh batters were going through a lean patch, and said that “in his opinion” Das, who bats at No. 7 in Tests, would be better suited down the order in ODIs as well. Das and Mohammad Mithun both fell for ducks, with Das flaying outside offstump and Mithun trapped lbw while playing a paddle sweep.”Liton Das, Soumya [Sarkar] and [Mohammad] Mithun are capable players. People go through bad times. We will have to talk to the players and coaches. I can’t just take a sweeping decision from the top. It will become negative.”[Liton] can open in T20s, but my personal opinion is that he is better at No. 5 or 6. We have to sit with them. I don’t want to force anything on them. I don’t do that anymore. I think we will have a solution.”While Hassan said head coach Russell Domingo would have his contract renewed this year, he stressed on the need to ask questions and “find out the problem”.”If we don’t renew his contract, we would be needing someone as a back-up. We don’t have any such thoughts in this Covid situation with a World Cup coming up. This is the reality.”We haven’t had the chance to test them. If we ask him [Domingo] why they batted badly, he will point towards their shot-selection. What will be my reply? We first have to find out the problem. I can’t even sit with the players due to Covid. They don’t even allow me into the bio-bubble. What can I do?”Related

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Domingo wants Bangladesh 'to stick to basics, not try anything fancy'

While Bangladesh could theoretically top the World Cup Super League table if they win this series, their form across all formats has been erratic. The team has lost nine out of the last ten international matches. In fact, since the 2019 World Cup, Bangladesh have won only one international game against a higher-ranked side – the first T20I versus India in Delhi in November 2019.Besides a 3-0 ODI win against West Indies at the start of the year, Bangladesh have lost every other series they have played in 2021, including six consecutive defeats in New Zealand across formats.Hassan was displeased with Bangladesh’s preparation ahead of the Sri Lanka series.”Is this any type of preparation? We played ODIs and T20s in New Zealand after playing Tests. Then we played Tests in Sri Lanka. We are not having our usual procedure of preparation.”How much did they practice after coming back [from Sri Lanka]? They couldn’t practice one day due to rain. Then another day was missing due to permission. The bond of a training camp, where everyone is around, is missing. It is a difficult environment for us – continuously playing and being in repeated quarantines.”We are going to Zimbabwe, and then Australia, New Zealand and England are coming here. We have to abide by Covid protocols in every series. It is a problem for everyone but there are some countries who are continuously playing.”

Liverpool are yet to spend a penny this summer, which is perhaps surprising given they have a new manager. Arne Slot took over from Jurgen Klopp last summer, and whilst he has got off to the perfect start on the pitch, with two wins from two, his side have not yet signed anyone.

However, with mere hours left of the window, that could all change for the Dutchman. The Reds are believed to be pursuing one player who could add strength and depth in attack.

Liverpool target Serie A winger

The player in question here is Juventus and Italy international winger Federico Chiesa. As reported by Fabrizio Romano, the Merseysiders are close to agreeing personal terms with the player, with a "four-year contract ready" following talks earlier this week.

This comes after David Ornstein broke the news that the winger could move to Anfield for a remarkably low fee of around £13m, with Romano adding that an agreement still needs to be reached over the official price tag.

Why Chiesa would be a good signing

Last season for the Turin outfit, the 26-year-old winger featured 33 times in Serie A, scoring nine times and registering three assists. He also scored once in four Italian Cup appearances, as Juve went on to lift the trophy.

In the Serie A in 2023/24, the former Fiorentina attacker was second in the charts for most combined goals and assists as per Sofascore. His 11 goal involvements were only beaten by Dusan Vlahovic, who scored and assisted 20 times.

His 11 goal contributions in the top flight last term would have placed him fourth amongst the Liverpool players, behind five others including three players who got 13 goals and assists. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Mohamed Salah came out on top, with 28, according to Sofascore

One of the players who ranked above him on that list, coming in second place, was Darwin Nunez. The Uruguayan has struggled to hit the ground running since his initial £64m move from Benfica, having scored 33 goals in 97 games for Liverpool.

Recently, the 25-year-old has been linked with a move away from Anfield, with Premier League rivals Arsenal believed to be the club considering a potential deal. The Reds could well be lining the Juve attacker up as a replacement for the former Benfica attacker.

Under Klopp, Nunez proved to be a handy utility man, capable of playing on the left wing or at centre-forward. It is safe to assume Slot would utilise this too, so if they sold their club-record signing before Friday’s deadline, they might well want to replace this versatility.

Luckily for the Merseysiders, the Juve number seven is one of Europe’s most versatile attackers, something he has proven throughout his time wearing the famous black and white stripes of the Old Lady.

Position

Games

Goals

Assists

Second striker

47

10

6

Left winger

37

5

8

Right winger

14

7

2

Left midfield

10

4

3

Right midfield

9

4

3

Centre-forward

3

1

0

Attacking midfield

1

0

0

Even if the Reds do keep hold of their Uruguayan number nine past the close of the window, it could be bad news for the 25-year-old. There is every argument to say the Italy international is a direct replacement for him, given his versatility and similar record in front of goal.

With Nunez already finding himself on the bench in the early weeks of the season, a further attacking addition could spell even more trouble for the towering marksman and his hopes of truly catching fire at Anfield.

Chiesa was described as a “galactico” by football analyst Ben Mattinson, and it is certainly easy to see why. Although he struggled last term, he is an enterprising and versatile attacker, who could be the dream replacement in Slot’s squad for Nunez.

Liverpool hit gold on Klopp signing worth nearly 5x more than Chiesa

He’s had his detractors but he sure is the real deal…

ByAngus Sinclair Aug 28, 2024

AC Milan are set to double the wages of Tijjani Reijnders, one of their best players this season, to keep him at the club until 2029.

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Reijnders to remain at MilanWill sign new deal until 2029Wages set to be doubledFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Central midfielder Tijjani Reijnders has reached an agreement with his employers AC Milan over a new deal that will not only see him remain at the club until 2029, but will also result in the doubling of his current wages, according to Calciomercato. Reijnders has been among the best midfielders in Serie A since arriving in Milan in 2023, and his dominating displays in the centre of the park have now been duly rewarded with a bumper new deal.

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Reijnders is among the most important players for Milan manager Paulo Fonseca, and his growing reputation and importance within the team has already attracted interest from Premier League outfits such as Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur.

However, it was reported in November that the Rossoneri are extremely happy with the Dutchman and want to tie him down to a new contract. Now, the most recent report from Calciomercato further reinstates that claim, as Reijnders' current annual wage of €1.7 million will be doubled to €3.5 million plus bonuses, based on individual and team-based objectives. His current contract ends in 2028, but the new one will see him tied to the club until 2029.

DID YOU KNOW?

Reijnders is not the only one whose contractual situations are being worked on, though. In recent weeks, there has been a lot of development on the contract renewal front for players such as Christian Pulisic and Theo Hernandez. In fact, recently reported that Hernandez's agent had met Milan CEO Giorgio Furlani and had reached an agreement over a new deal. Calciomercato, in their latest report, also claimed that French goalkeeper Mike Maignan will also sign his renewal until 2029.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR TIJJANI REIJNDERS?

With his future seemingly resolved for the foreseeable future, Reijnders will be determined to act as a catalyst to turn around the fortunes of a misfiring Milan unit. The 2021-22 Serie A champions are reeling in eighth spot in the league and have registered only one win in their last five games in the top-flight. Their next fixture in Serie A is scheduled on Friday, December 20, when they will travel to Verona.

Manchester City went into the first international break of the 2024/25 campaign at the top of the Premier League table with three wins in three matches.

The Citizens secured wins Chelsea, Ipswich Town, and West Ham United to maintain a perfect start to the season, with Erling Haaland scoring hat-tricks against the Tractor Boys and The Hammers.

Pep Guardiola's side have won the last four Premier League titles and are on the hunt for a fifth, whilst also looking to compete in all competitions.

They were knocked out of the League Cup, the FA Cup, and the Champions League in the 2023/24 campaign, which meant that the league title was the only major honour won last term.

City need to have quality strength in depth to compete on all fronts, due to the rotation needed and injuries caused by playing in multiple competitions, and one player who needs to step up is Jack Grealish.

The England international was d eployed in a number ten role and, as you can see in the clip above, scored against Ireland for Lee Carsley and the Three Lions on Saturday, after a difficult period at The Etihad. Jack Grealish's struggles with Manchester City

Grealish has started one of the club's three Premier League matches so far this season, featuring in two of them, and did not contribute with a goal, assist, or 'big chance' created.

The 28-year-old star also ended the 2023/24 campaign as an unused substitute in the last three games, including the FA Cup final defeat to Manchester United.

Signed from Aston Villa for a whopping £100m in the summer of 2021, the versatile midfielder, who can play out wide or in the middle, has not been totally convincing for the Premier League giants.

Appearances

20

Starts

10

Goals

3

Assists

1

Key passes per game

1.4

Dribbles per game

0.9

As you can see in the table above, Grealish struggled for game time last season and failed to contribute with much in the way of quality in the final third, with four goal involvements in 20 appearances in the top-flight.

Since his move to The Etihad, the England international has contributed with 14 goals and 18 assists in 127 outings in all competitions for the club.

The £100m-rated forward has not hit double figures for goals or assists in a single Premier League season with the Citizens in his three campaigns to date.

Ultimately, City have not got value for money on the £100m they spent to sign him from Aston Villa over three years ago, as Grealish has not made a consistent impact in the final third as either a scorer or a creator of goals.

He has also only started 11 league games since the start of last season, which suggests that Guardiola believes he has better options on the flank and in midfield.

The City boss could have had another superior alternative to Grealish if the club had not fumbled talented youngster Jamie Bynoe-Gittens back in 2020.

Manchester City fumbled Jamie Bynoe-Gittens

Manchester City swooped to sign the teenage whiz from Reading in the summer of 2018 and had the promising talent in their academy for two years.

The England youth international made two appearances for the club at U18 level, as he was still in the early stage of his academy career, and contributed with one goal before making the decision to move on in 2020, at the age of 16.

He had not signed a professional contract with the Cityzens and that meant that Borussia Dortmund were able to make him an offer without having to agree a fee with the English outfit.

Bynoe-Gittens decided, after watching former City academy star Jaden Sancho thrive after a similar move, to part ways with City and make the switch to Germany in the summer of 2020, with the potential of first-team football reported to be one of the deciding factors.

It was reported that the Bundesliga giants only had to pay €90k (£76k) in compensation for the young gem, which now looks to be an incredible piece of business by Dortmund.

Bynoe-Gittens has gone from strength to strength since his move to Germany and has outperformed Grealish since the start of the 2023/24 campaign.

Why Man City must rue losing Jamie Bynoe-Gittens

Firstly, Transfermarkt currently has the winger's market value at €28m (£23.6m) and that is significantly more than the £76k that the Cityzens raked in for his services just over four years ago.

This shows that City lost a hugely valuable asset for a virtually inconsequential fee when they failed to convince him that The Etihad was the best place for him to continue his development.

Phil Foden, Rico Lewis, and Oscar Bobb emerging as first-team stars for Man City in recent seasons shows that Guardiola is willing to give chances to young players, but Bynoe-Gittens seemingly did not believe that he would get the game time he needed.

Since his move to Dortmund, the England U21 international has starred at youth level – with 11 goals and five assists in 20 academy games – and worked his way into the first-team.

Appearances

27

22

Starts

15

11

Goals

3

3

Assists

4

1

Big chances created

4

3

As you can see in the table above, Bynoe-Gittens has made more appearances and more starts, whilst also being involved in more goals, than Grealish at league level since the start of the 2023/24 campaign.

Last season, the 20-year-old starlet produced two goals and eight assists in 34 appearances in all competitions, whilst Grealish managed three goals and three assists in 36 outings.

These statistics suggest that Bynoe-Gittens, who was hailed as a "threat" in transition by U23 scout Antonio Mango, has outperformed his compatriot at club level over the past 13 months or so.

This is another reason why Man City must rue losing the young forward, who is eight years younger than Grealish, as he is a terrific prospect who has already shown great quality at first-team level for his age and could have been a big asset for Guardiola to work with.

Man City messed up with £300k sale who's now worth more than Lewis

The Cityzens allowed the talented young defender to move on before his career flourished.

1 ByDan Emery Sep 6, 2024

Manchester United have been told that Cole Palmer "probably wants to play" at Old Trafford, but could potentially cost £200 million ($251m).

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Palmer has shone since joining Chelsea57 goal contributions in 63 matches for BluesHas been tipped to join Man Utd in the futureFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Palmer has taken the Premier League by storm since his move to Chelsea in 2023. The transfer, which cost the Blues £42.5 million, initially raised eyebrows given Palmer's limited experience at the top level. Fast forward to today, the former Manchester City academy product has silenced critics with a stunning contribution of 36 goals and 21 assists in just 63 appearances for Chelsea.

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Palmer's roots in Manchester, specifically the Wythenshawe area, and his allegiance to Manchester United as a childhood fan have sparked debates about his future. However, he will not come in cheap as the England international has a contract with the Blues until 2033.

WHAT STAM SAID

Former Manchester United defender Jaap Stam recently weighed in on the matter, expressing his thoughts on the prospect of Palmer donning the iconic red jersey.

"Seeing the potential of Cole Palmer and him being just next door, you do wonder how Manchester United missed out on him, or maybe they did try and couldn’t get a deal over the line," he shared with .

However, Stam also acknowledged the immense challenge of bringing Palmer back to Manchester.

"It would still be great to see him at Manchester United and being a fan of the club he’d probably like that to happen as well," he said. "However, in his current form there might not be any clubs who can afford him. He might one day be worth £200million the way he is going."

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT?

While the thought of Palmer returning to his boyhood club is enticing, Manchester United’s current financial situation makes such a move highly improbable. With Chelsea valuing Palmer at well over £100 million, the Red Devils simply lack the resources to compete for his signature, especially given their existing commitments and rebuilding plans. Meanwhile, Chelsea, understandably, have no intention of parting ways with their star asset. Palmer has quickly become a cornerstone of the Blues’ squad, delivering performances that have justified his initial transfer fee and then some.