All posts by h716a5.icu

Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland has already enjoyed plenty of success against Nottingham Forest and he will look to repeat that when the two sides meet in the Premier League this weekend.

Pep Guardiola's side kept up their 100% record this season after coming from 1-0 down to secure an impressive 3-1 win away to West Ham, who had been in excellent form in the lead-up to the game.

It means the reigning champions are two points clear at the top of the table, with Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and Arsenal their closest challengers.

City began their Champions League campaign in midweek by welcoming Red Star Belgrade to the Etihad on Tuesday evening, and following another 3-1 success, attention returns to league action over the weekend.

Their next domestic assignment is a home clash with Forest on Saturday, in what looks like a fairly routine three points for Guardiola's men.

Ahead of the game, Football FanCast has had a look at how Haaland has fared against the Reds in the past.

What is Erling Haaland's goal record against Nottingham Forest?

Haaland has run amok in English football since making the move to City from Borussia Dortmund last summer, scoring goals for fun and becoming one of the leading players in world football. Very few sides have fared well up against him, and when it comes to Forest, they are no different.

The 23-year-old faced Steve Cooper's side in both Premier League fixtures last season and he scored three goals in that time, all of which came in the first half of their 6-0 victory at the Etihad last August.

What is Erling Haaland’s assist record against Nottingham Forest?

While Haaland has clearly enjoyed himself against Forest in front of goal in his first two matches against them, he is still searching for his maiden assist when facing them. He will be hoping that that changes this weekend, and you wouldn't back against it happening, even if creativity is necessarily the strongest part of his game.

How many goal contributions does Erling Haaland have against Nottingham Forest?

Attacking players are judged so much on their all-round brilliance in the modern game, with goals not always enough to prove that a striker is doing a good enough job for the team. While Haaland is clearly most renowned for being arguably the world's most fearsome goalscorer at the moment, he has also chipped in with 10 assists in his 60 appearances for City to date, which is a solid return.

That being said, a first assist against Forest has continued to evade him up until this point, affecting his overall goal contribution record when taking on the Reds.

What is Erling Haaland’s head-to-head record against Nottingham Forest?

It's fair to say that City are comfortably the Premier League's dominant force at the moment, winning three league titles in a row and starting the current campaign like a house on fire.

Guardiola's team are expected to overcome almost everyone they face, both home and away, so every player in the squad unsurprisingly has a strong head-to-head against most. That is no different with Haaland when it comes to Forest, although perhaps surprisingly, he didn't win both games in 2022/23, with a late Chris Wood earning Cooper's men a 1-1 at the City Ground back in February.

Erling Haaland's record against Notttingham Forest:

Games

2

Goals

3

Assists

0

Wins

1

Draws

1

Defeats

0

What is Erling Haaland’s record at home to Nottingham Forest?

As mentioned, Haaland enjoyed a dream first appearance against Forest when the Reds made the trip to the Etihad back in August of last year, on a day that saw the champions run riot.

The Norwegian had already completed a hat-trick before half-time, as he showcased his scoring genius early on at City. Joao Cancelo also got on the scoresheet in that game, while Julian Alvarez registered a brace during the second half.

Who has Erling Haaland scored the most goals against?

It is astonishing what Haaland has already achieved in his career, considering what a young player he still is, with years ahead of him to become an even more polished and world-class footballer. He is surely going to become one of the greatest strikers of all time, assuming he avoids serious injury, and so many records will likely be broken along the way.

The Norway international wreaked havoc during his time at Dortmund, and has continued to do the same thing in a City shirt, and countless teams have had to suffer the misery of him scoring endless times against them.

In terms of the side Haaland has netted more times against than anyone, that unwanted accolade falls to RB Leipzig, who he has enjoyed lots of success against for two different clubs. In fact, his total stands at a staggering 11 goals in six appearances, with five of those coming for City in their Champions League knockout stage win last season.

Impressively, Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich are next on the list, with Haaland netting seven times against them, showing that he can excel up against the biggest teams. Meanwhile, in the Premier League, Fulham and Burnley have been his most successful opponents to date, with five goals apiece scored when facing them.

RB Leipzig

11

Bayern Munich

7

Sevilla

6

Wolfsberger

6

Wolfsburg

5

Who does Erling Haaland have the most goal contributions against?

As for the team that Haaland has chipped in with the most goal contributions against, the club doesn't change, with Leipzig again top of the list, which shows why they must be sick of the sight of him. They have been drawn against City in the Champions League group stage this season, so more pain could be set to come their way in the coming months.

Interestingly, it is solely goals that have come Haaland's way when pitted against the German outfit, with no assists registered in his six appearances to date. Bayern are also second in the rankings, with the City ace getting a couple of assists on top of his seven goals, taking his goal contribution tally to nine.

Eintracht Frankfurt

4

Bayern Munich

2

Sevilla

2

SK Brann

2

Freiburg

2

How many goals does Erling Haaland have in September?

City look in frighteningly good form at the moment and it is hard to see when their first dropped points of the season are going to arrive. And Haaland has clearly played a massive part in their start to the season.

The former Dortmund man already has seven Premier League goals in the first five matches in 2023/24, which is three more than any other players, but how many does he have in September?

The answer is four, despite only playing twice, which is just another example of Haaland's staggering relentlessness in front of goal. A hat-trick came his way at home to Fulham at the beginning of the month, while in Saturday's aforementioned 3-1 triumph away to West Ham, he was on hand to complete the scoring late in the day.

Let's not forget that he has also been on international duty during September, with a goal coming in the 2-1 win over Georgia, taking his overall total for the month to five strikes.

What is Erling Haaland's overall Manchester City goal record?

When City completed the signing of Haaland from Dortmund last year, it was obvious that they had secured the services of a wonderful footballer who was going to be an enormous goal threat. Whether anyone expected him to be this good is up for debate, however, with incredible scoring feats produced over the past year or so.

At the time of writing, the Citizens star has scored 59 goals in just 61 appearances, which is worthy of being compared to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo during their peaks at Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively, with 52 coming last season.

To essentially average a goal per game is sensational in modern football and Haaland is showing absolutely no sign of letting up, and could even go on to improve his strike rate, if anything.

Bryne

16

0

Molde

50

20

Red Bull Salzburg

27

29

Borussia Dortmund

89

86

Manchester City

61

59

Norway

26

25

What is Erling Haaland's Premier League goal record?

Haaland's overall record for City in all competitions is remarkable, and it is no different when assessing how he has done solely in the Premier League. He has actually done better than a goal per game in the competition, bagging 43 strikes in just 40 matches, 36 of which came during his maiden campaign in the division.

It's fair to say that Forest have every right to be worried going into the weekend action, and it wouldn't be a shock to see Haaland complete a second consecutive home hat-trick against the Midlands side.

As you may expect, his goal record in almost every competition throughout his career is rather formidable:

Premier League

Manchester City

40

43

German Bundesliga

Borussia Dortmund

67

62

Austrian Bundesliga

Red Bull Salzburg

16

17

Eliteserien

Molde

39

14

OBOS-ligaen

Bryne

16

0

Champions League

Man City/Dortmund/Salzburg

31

35

Europa League

Salzburg/Molde

6

4

Super Cup

Manchester City

1

0

FA Cup

Manchester City

4

3

League Cup

Manchester City

2

1

Community Shield

Manchester City

2

0

DFB-Pokal

Borussia Dortmund

7

8

German Super Cup

Borussia Dortmund

2

1

Austrian Cup

Red Bull Salzburg

4

4

NM Cup

Molde

6

2

After a gap of five months, Ben Stokes resumed his England career against New Zealand at Hamilton. How did his first day back on the job pan out?

Andrew McGlashan in Hamilton25-Feb-2018After a gap of five months, Ben Stokes resumed his England career following his not-guilty plea to a charge of affray after the incident in Bristol last September. He missed the Ashes, the one-day series against Australia and the T20 tri-series. How did his first day back on the job pan out?1.30pm (New Zealand time)
Barring a bad reaction to his training workload, it is certain that Ben Stokes will be named in England’s XI. That is rubber-stamped when the team sheets are handed over moments before the toss. When his name is announced to the crowd there is a ripple of applause from the England supporters dotted around Seddon Park. Kane Williamson inserting England means he won’t be needed right away.3.30pm (22nd over, England innings)
Eoin Morgan is defeated by Ish Sodhi’s googly and chips to mid-off, meaning Stokes walks out to bat for England for the first time since September 24. He has a blank bat after he lost his New Balance sponsorship following the events in Bristol. He is greeted by warm applause and is off the mark first ball with a push down the ground.3.35pm (23rd over)
Stokes is offered an early life when he punches a low return catch to Trent Boult who can’t quite gather the ball by his bootlaces. In the next over from Sodhi, Stokes unfurls a superbly placed reverse sweep to collect his first boundary.3.55pm (29th over)
Stokes can’t make the most of his early life. Eyeing up the leg-side boundary against Mitchell Santner he gets a big top edge that lands safely in the hands of short third man. He swishes the bat in frustration as he walks off, but from Stokes’ point of view at least he’s back up and running.Ben Stokes broke the fourth-wicket stand between Ross Taylor and Tom Latham•Getty Images6.55pm (10th over, New Zealand innings)
His first major intervention in the field comes when Martin Guptill aims to carve Chris Woakes over the covers but finds Stokes on the edge of the circle. It’s a sweetly-struck shot, but Stokes plucks it out in front of his face then hurls the ball high into the evening sky in celebration.7.05pm (13th over)
With New Zealand set back in their chase after three early wickets, Stokes is handed the ball after David Willey’s six-over opening spell. All the talk over the past week has been about how fit he was looking and he quickly nudges up the speedgun to 142kph [88mph] as he slides one under an attempted pull from Ross Taylor. His first spell last four overs and he goes at under four an over.8.50pm (38th over)
England need some magic. Morgan returns to Stokes for the 38th over and the early signs aren’t promising as his first over back leaks two boundaries and 11 overall. However, Stokes then does the trick for his captain as Latham pulls to mid-on, then celebrates with a first-pump as his team-mates all jump on him. Then, in his next over, he has Colin de Grandhomme caught behind. There are signs of weariness in a loose eighth over and that is his work done for the night His two wickets appear to have put England on course for victory, but there is another twist in the tale – tellingly he is overlooked for the final over of the innings, eventually bowled by Chris Woakes.9.30pm – Postscript
Amid the disappointment of defeat, Eoin Morgan was delighted with Stokes’ effort. “I thought he adapted to conditions perfectly well, using slower balls well and it was something that we struggled to do while their partnership evolved. Two on the bounce causes pressure in the changing room and shifts momentum a lot. He’s delighted to be back, he’s told everybody that. It’s an awesome feeling, when you’ve been away and you’re back in a fun environment, with lots of good friends around. I can vouch for that. I spend a lot of time away while the Tests are on. You come back and it puts a smile on your face.”

If Leeds United want to earn promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking, then they're not exactly going about it in the best way, winning just once in five Championship games.

They were left without a win once more last time out, too, as newly-promoted Sheffield Wednesday came away with a well-earned point at Elland Road, having drawn 0-0.

The pressure will only continue to build on Daniel Farke, who was backed enough in the summer transfer window for those in charge at the Yorkshire club to be demanding better results.

Ethan Ampadu failed to hide his frustration with two particular teammates in the stalemate with Sheffield Wednesday, as revealed by Graham Smyth.

What did Graham Smyth say?

Speaking after the result, Smyth told the Yorkshire Evening Post: “Ampadu was an animated figure. He was dishing out words of wisdom to Piroe, gesturing for Rutter to run in behind to give him an option, growing frustrated with the lack of passing opportunities at times.”

With that said, Farke's problem is arguably clear for all to see, with his Leeds side lacking an out and out playmaker, leading to a disconnect between Ampadu, Archie Gray and the forward players.

Joel Piroe, although a goalscorer by trade, is one who will only improve with more time to build connections with his new teammates. As soon as the former Swansea City man builds a partnership with the likes of Ampadu, Leeds may well start firing on all cylinders.

The forward has, of course, already got one goal to his name for the Yorkshire club, scoring on his debut in their 4-3 victory over Ipswich Town, while he also has a rate of roughly one assist for every five goals he scores throughout his career.

Meanwhile, Georginio Rutter may need even more time than his new teammate. Since making the move to Leeds in January, the 21-year-old has struggled to make an impact, and has just one goal in five league appearances this season.

Farke will be desperately hoping to see both of his forwards find their form – with Piroe in particular the potential superstar playing just off of Rutter – and start firing Leeds towards promotion form.

How has Ethan Ampadu performed this season?

So far this season, Ampadu has been one of the few positives for Leeds, and is a player who will undoubtedly be at the centre of any good form that Farke's side potentially build in the coming weeks.

According to FBref, the midfielder is in the 98th percentile for blocks by players in his position, with an impressive two made per 90. Meanwhile, the Welshman is also in the 75th percentile for passes attempted, the 70th percentile for pass completion rate and 71st for tackles per 90. In a struggling side, Ampadu has done anything but struggle.

From Leeds' perspective, they'll just be hoping that others start following Ampadu's lead, resulting in a much-needed change in form.

After the conclusion of the international break, they square off against Millwall in what will be another tough test for Farke's side to potentially overcome.

The last thing they need is another game without three points. And, with that, Ampadu, at the very least, will need to continue his standout form.

“We have spent two years preparing for it. There will be emotions when we say goodbye. Even if we don’t go on to be a part of a senior World Cup winning team, we will have this to remember,” said India’s captain Prithvi Shaw

Shashank Kishore in Mount Maunganui03-Feb-20182:20

‘We were just eager to lift the cup’ – Kalra

Mohammad Kaif. Virat Kohli. Unmukt Chand. Now Prithvi Shaw. Each of them know what it takes to win the World Cup at the Under-19 level. There are images of each of them celebrating their triumph wildly. Shaw’s in comparison was the most mellowed.Shaw is up to many pranks at the best of times. At every press conference, he’s had a whacky answer here, a fun answer there. On Saturday, however, he was struggling to put words to his thoughts. The overwhelming feeling of reaching a goal they set themselves 18 months ago overpowered all else.’Feeling really good’ was repeated almost every second line, until he was self-conscious of it. In his moment of glory, he immediately thanked the fans who came out to support India. For close to an hour after India lifted the cup, he spent time posing for pictures, doing a lap of honour with the team and then sitting back to sign souvenirs.As he trudged in to a room with multiple cameras, the energetic Shaw just a few moments earlier became a lot more self-conscious. “This is the last match for us at the Under-19 level for a lot of us, but there are so many memories that stand out with this group,” he said, after a pause to gather his thoughts.1:59

Dasgupta: This U-19 batch is special

“I can’t pick out one moment right now, nothing comes to mind right now. I can’t express what I’m feeling. I’d like to thank the fans. We did not expect this fan support when we came here, they always had us pumped up. There’s been so much love in New Zealand.”All tournament, India have bossed over other teams, but there was a small worry in the camp at the halfway stage. The fear of taking things too lightly hit them gently, Shaw later said. He called his teams into a huddle as Australia’s innings finished, a first for this team, and was quite animated as he did all the talking.”We felt 217 wasn’t a big score, but I didn’t want us to be casual,” he said. “It’s a big match, a World Cup final. I just wanted to remind the team that. I told them to be calm, patient, build partnerships and do the little things that helped us get here.”Manjot Kalra, player of the final, later elaborated on the chat in the middle and in the dressing room. “(Rahul) Dravid sir told us how a casual dismissal in the Under-19 final in 2016 proved to be a turning point. Rishabh Pant walked out of the crease and was stumped, I think. He told us how he didn’t want us to repeat those kinds of mistakes and play with the same seriousness that we have shown all tournament.”As realization struck that this was perhaps the last time the current group would play together, Shaw reflected on the friendships. “We will play against each other, meet each other, so I don’t think there will be any emotions running high,” he had said in the build-up to the final. Now, with a winner’s medal around his neck and the Trophy beside him, the emotional side of him surfaced again.”This has been a fun journey. There’s been a lot of poking fun at each other,” he said. “We have spent two years preparing for it. There will be emotions when we say goodbye. Even if we don’t go on to be a part of a senior World Cup winning team, we will have this to remember. The entire team backed me right through he tournament. Gill was a superb vice-captain. Whenever I felt I was under pressure, the team was with me and that is a good feeling. To be sitting here with a World Cup medal is unbelievable.”

Leeds United seem to be one of the Championship's slow starters this season, as manager Daniel Farke seeks to figure out his squad and who he can rely on…

Who could Leeds United sign this summer?

The German has already shown form of acting when he comes to a decision on a role within the side, as the speed with which they completed the deal for Joel Piroe was startling.

It was actually fast enough to throw him straight into the side yesterday, with their efforts rewarded as he netted on his debut in a 4-3 win.

However, for all the goals scored, it marked yet another underwhelming defensive display for the Whites, who will surely know what position their next acquisition must be.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

Having already welcomed Joe Rodon on a temporary deal, perhaps they could seek to secure an alternative defensive stalwart permanently, reigniting their interest in Liverpool's Nat Phillips to boost that area of weakness.

After all, The Athletic reported back in late June that the 26-year-old was available for just £10m, which marks a small price to pay to perfect this outfit.

How good is Nat Phillips?

It almost felt like a matter of time before the west Yorkshire outfit began finding the net with regularity, given how they dominated their first few league matches despite failing to secure a victory.

After all, they have now managed to average 15.5 shots per game alongside their 57.8% average pass accuracy in four games, outlining their dominance, via Sofascore.

However, for all their control, they still remain wholly susceptible to swift counters, catching the defence napping.

As such, they have now conceded seven goals in just four games, as many as they have scored.

Their backline still needs bolstering, and the quality of Phillips could prove imperative in doing so for a cut price.

Especially given he has shone not only for a side that has earned promotion from the Championship but also in the Champions League for his current club.

Jurgen Klopp even sought to thank his exploits after they had reached the final of the competition last year, noting on Phillips and Rhys Williams: "In the end, we played with two incredible players – Rhys and Nat".

The German supplemented this with further praise for the latter, as he claimed:

"He's a brilliant guy, smart guy, intelligent, everything. He's not easy on the eye, he's not Messi but who cares? In the air, he's a monster! He was incredible. For the first game, I think everyone can imagine how nervy that must be after a long wait."

The 2020/21 Premier League season marked a standout for the Englishman as he maintained a 7.19 average rating, but it was his performances for AFC Bournemouth during the 2021/22 campaign that are more poignant, helping to support the notion that his introduction would perfect Farke's squad at this level.

After all, across 17 games he posted a 7.04 average rating, buoyed by his 82% pass accuracy, 1.5 interceptions and 4.1 clearances per game, via Sofascore.

For someone who has had limited exposure to senior football, he boasts incredible defensive awareness, and a clear ability to snuff out danger with ease.

His presence at the heart of their defence could be imperative in plugging their outstanding weakness, helping mimic his promotion heroics once again.

With the attack seemingly clicking into place, sorting out the other end of the pitch would offer the perfect balance needed to truly mount a successful push to return to the top flight.

West Ham United have gotten off to a great start in the Premier League this term.

A solid draw away to AFC Bournemouth was followed by a stunning win against Chelsea last weekend, ensuring that Mauricio Pochettino still has to wait for his first win.

Recent signing James Ward-Prowse was excellent in the 2-1 win, grabbing two assists and it clearly justified manager David Moyes’ decision to spend £30m in order to lure him from relegated outfit, Southampton.

Although he endured a slow start to his transfer activity during the summer window, it appears as though the Scotsman is making up for lost time, and he has already signed Edson Alvarez and defender Konstantinos Mavropanos, along with the aforementioned Englishman.

Could Moyes be about to complete his most ambitious deal yet, however?

Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku has been linked with the Hammers…

Could West Ham United sign Romelu Lukaku?

According to Caught Offside, the Irons have ‘asked for information’ regarding a potential swoop for the Belgian striker before the transfer window closes.

Having already sold Italian frontman Gianluca Scamacca, Moyes is looking rather short in terms of out-and-out strikers and a move for the Chelsea titan, while ambitious, certainly makes a lot of sense.

Read the latest West Ham transfer news HERE…

He is currently valued by FootballTransfers at €38.3m (£33m), although no fee has been mentioned as yet with regard to any potential transfer.

Could Romelu Lukaku improve West Ham United?

Last season, only three players at the club scored more than ten goals and only one of them was a striker – Michail Antonio.

The Jamaican international netted 14 goals across all competitions, and although this tally was actually one more than the previous term, at 33 years of age, Moyes surely won’t have long left to utilise him.

Lukaku could not only offer Moyes more in terms of attacking quality, but it may also give him the licence to ditch Antonio in the process.

Indeed, when compared to positional peers, the 30-year-old ranked in the top 2% for assists per 90 (0.32) while also ranking in the top 5% for shot-creating actions per 90 (4.21) and the top 7% for progressive passes received per 90 (8.69), clearly suggesting that he can set up teammates often while also getting into the best positions to score plenty of goals.

In contrast, Antonio fails to even rank in the top 30% when compared to peers for all three metrics, indicating that the Belgian would be an instant upgrade.

The former Inter Milan hitman has scored a total of 270 club career goals, adding another 75 for his national side, whereas Antonio has netted 124 goals and it’s evident who would be the bigger danger in front of goal.

Defender Leanardo Bonucci has previously lauded the player, saying:

“Romelu Lukaku has proven himself to be a complete striker. He can win games on his own. When you come up against him you have to be switched on for 100 minutes a game.

"Unfortunately for us defenders, we can’t disengage our brains even for 10 seconds because those 10 seconds might be lethal. You must never engage Lukaku in a physical battle or play touch-tight. Instead, be ready to drop off because when his team has the ball, he will try to run in behind.

"In the box, he’s great at playing man-to-man so you need to be on the front foot, try to read the game and play hard. If you let him take up a position and he gets ahead of you, you won’t be able to step out and anticipate what’s coming.”

There is no doubt he could improve West Ham and after a difficult year or two, a fresh start under Moyes at the London Stadium could be the ideal remedy for him to recapture his best form.

The U-19 coach is happy to have a squad that features some first-class experience heading into the showpiece junior event in New Zealand

PTI27-Dec-20171:58

‘Great to have players with first-class experience’- Dravid

India Under-19 coach Rahul Dravid’s aim is to see a few of the World Cup-bound players included in the A team within the next six to eight months.”The World Cup is an exciting challenge and provides a good opportunity for all these guys. There is a process now in place in Indian cricket: U-19 cricket to first-class cricket and then to India A and then the India national team, when the opportunity arrives,” Dravid said before the U-19 team left for New Zealand.”I have been talking to these players about other formats as well. If they can make it to the India A team in six-eight months, it will be great. We see this [World Cup] as a stepping stone.”The current India U-19 captain, Prithvi Shaw, has already played for the India A team during warm-up games against touring New Zealanders in October this year.Dravid refused to predict who among the current batch has the potential to make it big at the senior level. “I have learnt a lot in these years as coach of the U-19 and A teams. These boys are from a different generation and their thinking is different. They have to adapt to all three formats. It’s a huge challenge. The game has changed a lot.”I can’t say who can go on and make it or who cannot. All of them have the potential to play for their state and India in future.”On India’s chances in the upcoming global event in New Zealand, which starts on January 13, Dravid exuded confidence. The key would be adjusting to the conditions quickly, he said. “The conditions would provide a unique challenge in that no one in the team has played in New Zealand before. The key would be in adapting to the conditions well. We have tried to replicate the conditions in the Bangalore camp to the extent possible but it’s not possible to do it completely.”The squad is set to leave for New Zealand on Thursday morning. Three-time previous champions India, who finished runners-up in the previous edition, are in Group B alongside Australia, Zimbabwe and Papua New Guinea.The squad has a few players – like captain Shaw of Mumbai, Shubman Gill of Punjab, Himanshu Rana of Haryana, Ishan Porel of Bengal – who have been playing first-class cricket, which the coach termed as a plus for the side.”It’s always good to have players in team with some first-class cricket experience. This team too has a few. The team is similar to the one we had the last time, with only one major difference – that in the previous team there were people with more experience of having played the U-19 World Cup.”This team too has a good pace attack, good spin bowlers and a good batting unit like the last one.”Shaw was happy to have practice games to help the team get into the groove. “We are going to play a few practice games before the World Cup. That will help us. Playing first-class cricket will be of help to me in the World Cup,” Shaw, who already has five first-class hundreds to his credit, said.”It’s a great opportunity and as captain I want to take the whole team with me. Everyone in the team knows his role. I want to win the World Cup.”

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson said the team will have to improve on clinching the small margins in close matches, after they lost both the ODI and T20I series deciders in India by six runs

Vishal Dikshit in Thiruvananthapuram08-Nov-20171:41

‘It was a tricky surface’ – Williamson

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson did not look like an unhappy leader despite losing both the ODI and the T20I series in India. What pleased him about his team’s performance across both series was the way the visitors gave India a fight by turning the last match of each series into a decider and further taking it to the last over. In the third ODI in Kanpur, New Zealand nearly chased down 338, losing by only six runs, and in the deciding T20I in Thiruvananthapuram, they fell short by the same margin when chasing 68 in a rain-curtailed match.”I thought in both of them [deciders] we were very good, just not quite good enough,” Williamson said on Tuesday night. “That’s the challenge; both of them came down to the last couple of balls and when that is the case, there are such small margins that we look to make those improvements. But on a whole, as a unit we are constantly trying to improve and get better. And I think, we have seen that throughout the series but there’s still a way to go to where we want to be.”We’ve showed some really good signs, like I said such a fine line, especially in white-ball cricket and we saw that throughout the series. It was a really tough-fought series, both teams played really good competitive cricket and for a lot of games to come down to the last three balls makes for good watching but a shame to be on the wrong side.”The margins in the deciding T20I were also slimmer, with rain curtailing the match to eight overs a side on a new ground. The pitch at the Greenfield International Stadium turned out to be damp and assisted bowlers with turn and moisture.”Naturally, when it gets shortened to eight overs, you can sort of plan prior to going out with eight overs and only having to bowl four bowlers,” Williamson said. “It kind of means that you’re not too fluid in how you’re going to operate. So, the guys coming out were essentially playing death in terms of their batting from ball one. So it was more to do with the surface and what we wanted to finish with today but it’s something different because you don’t experience it too much, you get 20 overs each and this is something different. You have to think on your feet.Martin Guptill loses his off stump•BCCI”I suppose when the game is that short as well, to try and get a read on the surface is quite tough because you’re trying to generate a strike-rate straightaway and it was a tricky surface so to get eight an over on that, from India’s perspective was a good effort. We knew it was going to be tough and we got very close, just a shame we couldn’t get across the line.”Eight an over on that surface is fairly difficult. Perhaps a lot more difficult than on another surface. It is just trying to adapt as best you can, take the best options but even with eight overs, you don’t have to go silly. You need to play smart cricket because there is still a lot of balls that you need to score off and then you get a couple of boundaries away, it goes a long way to chasing that total down. But it was a very tricky surface and for it to be so close, I guess we go back to how we want to execute. You can look at a number of areas but it was so close and I think we keep competing well, keep improving as a unit and we will get some more wins.”While defending their score of 67, India had the added advantage of using their prime and in-form bowlers, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah, to bowl half their overs. India captain Virat Kohli also used them differently: he finished Bhuvneshwar’s quota by the halfway mark and gave Bumrah the penultimate over. The last over was bowled by Hardik Pandya.”In terms of a T20 generally, you have the start of the game and the death phase which is the last whatever depending on how many wickets they have lost so…five or six and you tend to see those two fantastic death bowlers bowling again,” Williamson said. “When it’s eight overs, they’re kind of on the defense because batsmen are coming out so aggressively. And the nature of the surface…it was taking so much turn. All bowlers were a threat out there and I suppose batsmen were trying their best trying to generate a strike-rate.”Four bowlers being allowed two overs each also meant New Zealand did not have to use their fifth bowler, an area that has been a weak link on the tour. They have mainly utilised allrounder Colin de Grandhomme and Colin Munro to make up for that fifth bowler and Williamson admitted that combination was new to deal with for them. He also said players were trying to adapt to their roles in the team after New Zealand made changes to their top and middle orders.”I suppose that fifth-bowling role for us is fairly new,” he said. “Colin – both Colins I suppose and some of the part-time spinners – they are relatively new to that role to make up those 10 overs. But we certainly know in some conditions how effective they can be and we saw Colin de Grandhomme throughout the IPL bowl exceptionally well for Kolkata [Knight Riders]. It is a balancing act on different surfaces. The batting unit has a really nice balance to it but it is just trying to adapt, read the game the best you can and seeing our bowlers adapt well.”

Manchester United have been scouting a "tenacious" midfielder for "a long time" and could turn their attention to him should a deal for Sofyan Amrabat not materialise, per transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

Manchester United news – what is the latest?

It's been a brilliant transfer window for United fans so far this summer, and while it may have started a little slow, with some fans worrying that the spending of other sides would blow them away, they have ended up with a significantly improved squad with half of August left to try and add even more quality where they can.

One of the names that has been most heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford this summer is Fiorentina midfielder and World Cup star, Amrabat. The 26-year-old had a brilliant 12 months for club and country and has been touted with a switch to the Theatre of Dreams for weeks.

However, whilst the three-time European champions remain the favourites to land their man – and his preferred destination – a deal has had to wait due to other deals taking priority and the need to offload players before outlaying even more on any incomings.

Read the latest Manchester United transfer news HERE…

With that in mind, should a deal for the Moroccan not materialise for whatever reason, the Red Devils have a list with several potential alternatives, including Everton's highly rated Amadou Onana, per transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

He explained the situation live on The United Stand's YouTube channel, saying:

"Onana from Everton is another player that United have always appreciated, and they have been scouting him for a long time, so I think they have multiple names into the list."

How good is Amadou Onana?

It should come as no surprise that with the interest the Belgian has garnered from the likes of Arsenal, West Ham United, and now Manchester United, he is a quality operator and would be an excellent addition to the majority of football clubs.

Last year was his first in England, but you wouldn't be able to tell from his performances as he was consistently one of the few bright sparks in an otherwise dismal season for the Toffees.

In his 29 league starts last year, the 21-year-old scored one goal, provided two assists, maintained a passing accuracy of 84%, won 1.8 aerial duals and averaged an impressive match rating of 6.71, per WhoScored.

His performances are only made all the more impressive when you consider the dysfunctional team around him, and had he not been playing, there is a very good chance Everton wouldn't be a Premier League team this season.

Described as both an "aggressive & tenacious tackler" whilst also possessing "above-average technical skills" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, the £100,000-a-week titan could be precisely the kind of "one-man army" ten Hag needs to round out his squad this season.

Even if the Red Devils can secure the services of Amrabat before the window slams shut on September 1st, it might be a good idea to try and land Onana as well, to help the team fight on multiple fronts this year.

After Farhad Reza’s impressive bowling limited Rangpur Riders to 134 for 5, Rajshahi Kings ran down the target with fluent fifties from openers Mominul Haque and Lendl Simmons

The Report by Mohammad Isam11-Nov-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsRaton Gomes/BCBAfter Farhad Reza’s impressive bowling limited Rangpur Riders to 134 for 5, Rajshahi Kings ran down the target with fluent fifties from openers Mominul Haque and Lendl Simmons. This was Rajshahi’s first win of the season in three attempts, and Rangpur’s second successive loss.Rangpur became the first team to opt to bat first this season, but most of their batsmen struggled on a two-paced pitch. Reza struck twice in his first over and was complemented by the frugal Mehidy Hasan. After being reduced to 33 for 3 in four overs, Rangpur recovered with a measured fifty from Ravi Bopara.But Mominul and Simmons, playing his first match of the season, added 122 runs for the opening stand and ensured the chase was a cruise. Both Simmons and Waller fell in the 16th over, before Rony Talukdar sealed the win with a pulled four in the next over.The action-packed overReza’s first over – the fourth of the innings – contained a mighty six, a dropped catch, and the wickets of Adam Lyth and Mohammad Mithun. Reza started the over with a leg-side wide, and watched Mithun charge out and lift the next ball over the long-on boundary. Reza then could have had Mithun caught behind with an outswinger, but Mushfiqur Rahim, the stand-in captain, shelled the chance, and the ball rolled away to the third-man boundary. Reza found success when he had Adam Lyth holing out to cover with his fourth legitimate ball. He followed it with the wicket of Mithun to round off an eventful over.The recoveryBopara, too, could have been dismissed on 2 when a nip-backer from Reza shaved the outside of the off stump but the bails stayed put. Bopara then staged a slow recovery with Shahriar Nafees, adding 49 for the fourth wicket in nine overs. Nafees, who needed 26 balls to find the boundary, fell for 23 off 31 balls in the 13th over, but Bopara went onto bring up a fifty off 49 balls.He came into his own when he hit three boundaries in the last two overs of the innings. Ziaur Rahman assisted him with an unbeaten 11 off 10 balls. In all, Ranpur took 44 off the last five overs to give their bowlers something to bowl at.Simmons, Mominul cash inPlaying his first match of the season, Simmons kickstarted the chase with two boundaries in three balls of Lasith Malinga. Mominul then started to time the ball well, hammering sixes over long-on off Mashrafe Mortaza and Nazmul Islam. Simmons survived a chance in the 11th over when replays showed his shot towards long-off fell short of an on-rushing Lyth. Mominul, too, had been reprieved on 1 when Nazmul had dropped a sitter at deep square leg, leaving Mashrafe Mortaza irate.Mominul cashed in and went onto hit his seven half-century in T20s. He reached the landmark with his third six – clean swing over the long-on boundary. Earlier in the same over, Simmons had blasted one over mid-off and helped bring up the century stand. Mominul struck four fours and the three sixes in his 44-ball 63 not out, putting Rajshahi on board.What they said
There was a bit of miscommunication. The coach [Tom Moody] told me to field or bowl first. I heard bat first. I think we should have bowled first on this wicket.”