Marcus Rashford is aiming to add an extra "one per cent" to his game as he returned to Aston Villa following international duty with England.
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Rashford back from England dutyShowed off his training regimeIs flying on loan at Aston VillaFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The attacker made his first England appearance in a year as England won their first game under new boss Thomas Tuchel against Albania last week before starting again as they beat Latvia. He is gearing up for Aston Villa's FA Cup clash against Preston this weekend by doing some individual training in the gym.
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The 27-year-old shared images of his training regime on Instagram, writing in the caption: "The extra 1%".
He also posted a picture of himself on a training pitch.
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Rashford has enjoyed a resurgence since joining Villa from Manchester United on loan in January, making four assists in their six-game winning run before the international break.
Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR RASHFORD?
The winger will hope to fire Villa through to the semi-finals of the FA Cup when they face Preston on Sunday.
ESPNcricinfo staff24-Feb-2016Australia required 131 at the start of the final day. Joe Burns and Usman Khawaja took them closer with a solid stand•Getty ImagesTim Southee removed Usman Khawaja for 45, caught by McCullum at first slip.•Marty Melville/AFP/Getty ImagesSteven Smith, however, ensured that Australia coasted towards the target with a brisk fifty•Getty ImagesJust before lunch, Smith asked for the extra 15 minutes to finish the match. In the search for quick runs, Burns lost his wicket after a patient 65•Getty ImagesAustralia cruised to a seven-wicket win, and in the process, became the No. 1 ranked Test side after winning the series 2-0•Getty ImagesMcCullum signed off his international career with his final presentation ceremony. “Thanks for buying in, and accepting we have to play the game differently.”•Getty Images
Rob Yates makes century but time running out to force status-preserving victory
ECB Reporters Network27-Sep-2022Rob Yates completed his seventh first-class century but Warwickshire and Hampshire were again kept largely inactive on the second day of their crucial LV=Insurance County Championship tussle at Edgbaston.It was a deeply frustrating day for Warwickshire, who must win to have any chance of avoiding relegation, and equally so for the spectators. They saw a dearth of cricket in the day, just 32.1 overs, while both lunch and tea intervals were taken in dry weather and then the last ‘session’ was ended prematurely for bad light…with the sun shining!Warwickshire declared on 272 for four, Yates having made 104 (185 balls) and Ian Holland taking three for 85, before the visitors replied with four without loss in 19 balls before the close.With Yorkshire in jeopardy on a turning track at Bristol, the escape hatch is still ajar for the champions. They have enough bonus points to overhaul Yorkshire (assuming they lose) but the Bears still need to win this match.Taking 20 wickets with an injured-ravaged bowling attack on a good batting pitch, with likely further interference from the weather, is unlikely. Their hopes of a status-salvaging victory may lie in collusion as Hampshire need five points to be sure of fending off Lancashire’s challenge for runners-up spot.After the loss of 55 overs on the first day, Warwickshire resumed on 138 for two but rain and bad light soon made a nuisance of themselves. The first three fragments of cricket brought 66, 37 and 16 balls respectively.Yates, 77 not out overnight, advanced to his century from 179 balls with 19 fours and added 85 in 23 overs with Sam Hain before both fell in four balls. Yates was bowled by Holland’s first ball after an interruption and Hain (44, 76) edged a fine delivery from Fuller to wicketkeeper Aneurin Donald.Hampshire’s seamers got a few past the bat but the pitch is good for batting and Will Rhodes (28, 23) and Dan Mousley (27, 29) added an unbroken 58 in 51 balls before yet another interruption.That triggered the declaration as Warwickshire sought to move the game on. Hampshire avoided damage in the awkward little session though Felix Organ should have gone in the first over when he edged Olly Hannon-Dalby but Hain grassed the chance at second slip.Then the players were taken off for bad light and, though the sun came out immediately, there was no getting them back out. Sometimes, county cricket shouldn’t be allowed out.
Julen Lopetegui seems to be on the brink of losing his job at West Ham, having only won once in their last five games, including their most recent 3-1 loss to Leicester City.
Whilst the Hammers have improved in certain metrics this season, holding more of the ball (46.4% possession), taking more shots (14.7 per match), and conceding fewer shots (15.8 per game), the results have not followed, as they sit 14th in the Premier League.
This has led to the owners drawing up a shortlist of potential managers who could take over if they do pull the trigger and sack Lopetegui, and two favourites seem to have emerged.
West Ham's managerial shortlist
Three main names have emerged on the West Ham shortlist according to journalist Ben Jacobs, with Graham Potter, Sergio Conceicao and Edin Terzić.
Terzic, who made his way to the Champions League final with Dortmund last season, losing 2-0 at the final hurdle against Real Madrid, is said to be on the list, but the other two names seem to be gathering more traction in the media.
Potter, whose last job was with Chelsea in the 2022/23 season, has taken his time off to assess, and wait for the right opportunity to get back into management. In his time at Chelsea, they held the fifth most possession in the division (58.8%), took the eighth most shots per game (12.7), and conceded the seventh fewest shots per match (11.5).
There are many coaching qualities to like about Potter. He is an adaptable manager who will change things in order to give his side the tactical edge, and he has proven himself in the league already, mainly in his time at Brighton.
However, one thing to consider would be his time out of management, and how he struggled with the pressure at Chelsea, and this West Ham job wouldn’t be an easy one to come into with the state it is currently in.
Conceicao, on the other hand, was in a job at Porto from 2017-2024, only leaving the Portuguese giants this summer, after delivering the Portuguese Cup for a third time. In his final season at the club (2023/24), Porto averaged the highest amount of possession in the division (63.6%), averaged the second most shots per game (16.8), and conceded the second-fewest shots per match (8.3).
All of these metrics show how Conceicao would be a brilliant appointment, with an ability to deploy a good defensive strategy, keeping opposition shot totals low (something the Hammers have really struggled to do this season). However, the Portuguese coach has never managed in England, and the risk would be implementing his style at speed in another country, in order to turn things around quickly at the club.
Football manager Sergio Conceicao
That leads us to possibly the best option for the Hammers, someone not even on this list, and instead an ex-player, who is now showing his class in management, generating the highest xG in the Championship so far this season, with 33.1 in 18 games played.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
West Ham's best option to replace Lopetegui
Michael Carrick’s Middlesbrough side have been rampant in the Championship this season, currently sitting fifth in the league on 30 points, just eight points off 1st placed Sheffield United. Carrick’s side have scored the second most goals in the Championship, with 32, and are averaging the second most shots per game, with 16.1.
The 43-year-old coach played for West Ham, Tottenham and, of course, Manchester United in his playing days, before starting his coaching journey as the Manchester United assistant manager back in 2018, keeping that role until 2021. He then took over as caretaker manager for three games, winning two of the three, before Erik ten Hag took the reins, leaving Carrick out of a job.
Middlesbrough managerMichaelCarrick
But in 2022, Middlesbrough hired the ex-midfielder, and since then, he has taken charge of 107 matches, averaging a points per match of 1.67, and brandishing a lovely style of play that mirrors that of the elites. This is the type of football West Ham want to play, and Carrick could be the perfect appointment to bring that to the club, whilst also connecting with the fans.
Carrick sets his team up in a 4-2-3-1 from the start, often adopting that familiar 3-2-5 shape in possession, and adjusting how he forms that shape on the ball, depending on which players he has on the pitch. The most common rotation includes the left-back providing width, with the left-winger drifting inside, to become that second number ten behind the striker.
And it’s the formation of this exciting attacking triangle (left-winger, number ten, striker) that has seen Carrick’s Middlesbrough side blow teams away this season, so who could fit the bill in these roles for him at West Ham?
The West Ham players who would thrive under Carrick
West Ham’s two key men last season, Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus, would both thrive in this system, allowing them to get into these central pockets of space closer to goal, and create chances for themselves and one another.
Instead of seeing the left-back overlap to provide width, West Ham could deploy the right-back in this fashion, allowing Bowen to drift infield from the right wing, whilst Kudus could then start at number 10. This would form a triangle of Bowen, Kudus and a striker, which could improve the Hammers’ ability to score goals, getting their best players into dangerous areas.
Goals
0.31
0.23
Assists
0.19
0.12
xG
0.20
0.37
Progressive Carries
3.72
4.63
Progressive Passes
3.80
3.17
Shots Total
2.84
3.60
Key Passes
2.34
1.10
Shot-Creating Actions
4.45
4.02
Carries into Pen Area
1.68
2.07
Touches in Pen Area
4.45
5.61
By getting these higher shot-volume players into these central areas, and allowing them to be the difference makers, it would undoubtedly see an increase in attacking output for the Hammers. Something Carrick has done well with Middlesbrough is platform his best players, in order to get the best from them, which has an overall positive effect on the team.
Not only would Carrick be a young and exciting manager for the fans to get behind, but he is also well-known in England, has managed in the country before, and plays a style which is guaranteed to translate to the Premier League, which could be exactly what the Irons need to get back on track.
Better than Potter: West Ham eyeing up 3x title winner to replace Lopetegui
Lopetegui’s time at West Ham could be up with an appointment even better than Potter
With the January transfer window edging ever closer, Tottenham Hotspur have now made an enquiry over an “unreal” attacker, according to a report from Sky Sports.
Tottenham transfer news
In light of the recent ankle injury which is set to rule Guglielmo Vicario out for months, Ange Postecoglou may have been expected to make a move for a new goalkeeper this January, but the Tottenham manager has been quick to praise back-up Fraser Forster, saying:
“Fraser is such a strong character within the group and ready to play.”
As such, a new goalkeeper might not be one of the manager’s priorities, but Postecoglou will no doubt be looking to strengthen other areas of his squad, and there is no shortage of potential options for the Australian in attacking areas.
Recent reports have indicated Spurs are running the rule over Real Valladolid winger Raul Moro, while Real Sociedad’s Takefusa Kubo could be brought in as an alternative to James Maddison.
Tottenham eyeing "top" winger compared to Grealish ahead of potential move
The Lilywhites are running the rule over him.
1 ByEmilio Galantini Nov 28, 2024
Borussia Dortmund’s Jamie Gittens is a younger player that Postecoglou is also currently considering, and there have now been reports that Tottenham could be looking at one of the Eredivisie’s top players to bolster their attacking options.
Tottenham make Tillman enquiry
According to a report from Sky Sports, Spurs have now made an enquiry over PSV Eindhoven attacking midfielder Malik Tillman, but they may have to fend off competition from a number of other Premier League clubs.
Both Manchester United and Aston Villa are credited with a concrete interest in the PSV star, who recently scored a match-winning brace against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League.
There is a release clause which comes into effect this summer, meaning Tillman could be a very affordable target, as the clause is believed to be in the region of €30m-€40m (£25m-£33m).
Playing in the Premier League is said to be a major goal for the 22-year-old, and there is ample evidence that he could be a quality addition to Postecoglou’s squad, given his output for PSV so far this season.
The midfielder has weighed in with five goals in 13 Eredivisie games, and his goal-scoring ability in the Champions League has been equally impressive, amassing five goal contributions in as many games, including three goals.
The two most recent of which came in PSV’s 3-2 victory against Shakhtar, with the American inspiring a sensational comeback:
Lauded as “unreal” by ESPN writer Bill Connelly, the former Rangers man appears to be ready to realize his dream of playing in the Premier League, given that he is averaging a 7.39 WhoScored match rating in the league this season, the highest of any player.
Tottenham already have a breadth of attacking talent, but it is evident that they want to bring in additional reinforcements and Tillman has proven he is ready to take the next step in his career by signing for one of England’s biggest clubs, making this one to watch.
Parthiv Patel, Vinay Kumar and James Franklin are part of the coaching staff too, while Robin Singh is the general manager – cricket
ESPNcricinfo staff17-Sep-2022Shane Bond, the bowling coach at Mumbai Indians in the IPL since 2015 – a job he will continue to do – has been named head coach of MI Emirates, the Mumbai Indians-owned team in UAE’s ILT20. The staff also has Parthiv Patel [batting coach] and Vinay Kumar [bowling coach] making their debuts as coaches, and James Franklin will be the fielding coach. Additionally, Robin Singh will be the general manager of cricket.While the fixtures for the ILT20 are not out yet, the tournament will be played in the same January-February 2023 window as the SA20 league in South Africa. That required the Mumbai Indians group to appoint multiple coaching teams, since they have teams in both the competitions.With the latest round of appointments, that exercise is complete.Related
IPL team owners buy all six teams in SA20
Jayawardene, Zaheer elevated to global roles with MI
Pollard, Boult, Pooran, Tahir picked up by MI Emirates
Mark Boucher, who will step down from his position as the head coach of the South Africa men’s national team at the end of the team’s campaign at the upcoming T20 World Cup in Australia, has been signed up to be the head coach at Mumbai Indians in the IPL.That position opened up after Mahela Jayawardene, the Mumbai Indians head coach since 2017, was elevated to a more global role within the Mumbai Indians group. Jayawardene has been made the group’s global head of performance. He will be overseeing the scouting and coaching of all three teams that the owners have – at the IPL, the ILT20, and the SA20. And Zaheer Khan, earlier the director of cricket operations, has been made the global head of cricket development for the three teams.Simon Katich, meanwhile, has been made the head coach of MI Cape Town, the SA20 team. Katich will be assisted by Hashim Amla as the batting coach, while Robin Peterson will be the team’s general manager. James Pamment will take charge as fielding coach [and continue in the same role with Mumbai Indians at the IPL too].MI Emirates have Kieron Pollard, Trent Boult and Dwayne Bravo, among others, in their roster of non-UAE [overseas] players already.”Having been an integral part of MI for various periods of time, the coaching team is exceptionally well-versed in the values that make MI what it is,” Akash Ambani, chairman of Reliance Jio Infocomm, which owns the three teams, said in a statement.For his part, Bond said, “It’s always exciting to build a new team and I’m looking forward to furthering the MI legacy and inspiring our players to take the game to new heights.”Bond, the former New Zealand quick, has been a part of the coaching set-up of a number of teams in the past. Apart from being the New Zealand bowling coach and part of the team’s backroom staff at various stages, he has also been the head coach at Sydney Thunder in the BBL, a position he held between 2018 and 2021. He has also been part of the England team as a bowling consultant in the past.
England duty has become a family affair for the Bellinghams, with Jude joining teenage brother Jobe at St George’s Park.
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Real 'Galactico' forms part of senior ranksBlack Cats playmaker in U21 squadPreparing for action against Albania & FranceFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱GettyWHAT HAPPENED?
Real Madrid ‘Galactico’ Jude forms part of the senior Three Lions ranks, having been called upon by new head coach Thomas Tuchel in his first selection. The 21-year-old has become a talismanic presence for his country and already has 40 caps to his name.
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Younger sibling Jobe forms part of the U21 squad, having made two appearances at that level. He is earning international recognition after catching the eye at Sunderland – who are pushing for promotion into the Premier League.
DID YOU KNOW?
Both of the Bellinghams will be in action on Friday, as Jude lines up against Albania at Wembley in a 2026 World Cup qualifier and Jobe heads to France for a friendly encounter. For now, they are enjoying rubbing shoulders at England’s training base at the Football Association’s national football centre.
InstagramWHAT NEXT?
Jude has been taking in an eventful spell at Real, with a controversial red card and subsequent ban accompanying Champions League progress to the quarter-final stage and a minor knock. Jobe, meanwhile, is generating transfer talk on the back of his performances for Championship play-off hopefuls Sunderland.
ESPNcricinfo staff26-Aug-2015Morne van Wyk was a bit slower, making 58 off 100 balls, but his innings kept South Africa together on a slightly difficult Durban pitch•Getty ImagesNew Zealand’s bowlers were quite skillful, but they fluffed several chances. Doug Bracewell dropped van Wyk in the ninth over for 17•Getty ImagesGrant Elliott, with his accurate medium pace, took 2 for 41, incuding van Wyk, to keep the game even heading into the final overs•Associated PressBut AB de Villiers struck a 48-ball 64 to become the fastest to 8000 ODI runs. His innings was followed by a 28-ball 40 from Farhaan Behardien to lift South Africa to 283 for 7•Getty ImagesMartin Guptill departed early in the chase to Dale Steyn, but his opening partner Tom Latham made 54•Associated PressKane Williamson and Latham put on 84 for the second wicket in 19.1 overs•Getty ImagesImran Tahir broke through when he bowled Williamson for 39. New Zealand were not able to build any partnership of note after that and were dismissed for 221 to cede the series 1-2 to the hosts•Getty Images
While Shikhar Dhawan will be keen to prove his fitness, Karun Nair, Naman Ojha, Ravindra Jadeja, and Varun Aaron will look to stake their claims for international matches later in the home season
Sidharth Monga26-Sep-2015While other batsmen in the nets around him have been going hard at the white ball in India’s pre-season preparatory camp, Shikhar Dhawan has faced only throwdowns with a red ball and bouncers with wet tennis balls dug into a wet cement pitch. Before Dhawan can get into the first T20 against South Africa, there is a small matter of playing Bangladesh A in a three-day match in Bangalore. Dhawan injured his right hand in the first Test in Sri Lanka, which forced him to miss the rest of the tour. This is the same hand he had injured in the nets in Brisbane late last year. Dhawan might have been selected for India’s limited-overs squad even before his fitness was assessed, but this three-day match is his fitness test.If this match is important for Dhawan to test his fitness, at least four other players will be looking to stake their claims for international matches later in the long home season. Arguably Karun Nair, Naman Ojha, Ravindra Jadeja and Varun Aaron have more at stake than the others. Ojha was 32 years old when Wridhhiman Saha injured himself in Sri Lanka. The Madhya Pradesh wicketkeeper could have been forgiven for not being too optimistic about his international future at that point, but the injury to Saha has now given him a brief opening. Ojha’s Test debut showed he had worked on his wicketkeeping, and there were brief glimpses of a batsman who can counterattack.Jadeja, about whom it was said clearly in an earlier press conference that he had been dropped, has been handed a brief opening too. In the past Jadeja has shown that on a turning track he is well more than a handful. He has exceeded any expectations those outside the team had of him, but he has also had his worst time in international cricket since the Lord’s Test last year that he helped India win. It all began with the dropped chance on the first morning in the next match, which arguably cost India the Southampton Test. A shoulder injury followed and culminated in total loss of form with the ball and confidence with the bat. An in-form Jadeja, though, can more than fill that third spinner’s vacancy in Tests. He will have to show the selectors he is close to that form.If Jadeja is looking to rediscover his accuracy, Aaron is looking to discover it. Among those who have bowled a minimum of 350 balls in Test cricket, Aaron has the worst economy rate. Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri like him, but he will have to show he is more than just a few really good and quick deliveries. That he can string together good spells. With Ishant Sharma banned and Mohammed Shami not sure he will be back by then, Aaron could stake solid claim for the Mohali Test here. Aaron plays domestic cricket for Jharkhand, but Chinnaswamy Stadium is spiritually his home ground, and unfortunately because of all the injuries the adjoining NCA almost his home.Aaron has been with the Indian team for a while now, but he has spent more time on the bench than in the XI. Karnataka batsman Nair experienced being on that bench when he was sent in as cover for an injury-ridden side in Sri Lanka. He now knows the selectors have some faith in him. He will want increments in that faith. For the others, too, there is no better time than just before the start of an international season to start putting in reminders to the selectors. Bangladesh A are no small opposition either.Shastri, India’s team director, will have a close half an eye on this match. “I am going to have a chat with Rahul [Dravid, India A coach] at some time today to find out because he is in the best position to actually know who are the guys who can come through the ranks,” Shastri said two days before the start of the A game. “With the amount of cricket he has played he will understand very quickly who is the bloke who can bridge the gap [between A level and international cricket]. It’s all very well getting heaps of runs in domestic cricket, but there is also a talent, which comes with experience. Where you know that that guy might have got fewer runs but he will be ready for the top level because of certain things he does.”On a lazy Sunday morning, a day after most of the laidback city of Bangalore will have struck work, 11 of the 15 best Indian cricketers outside the limited-overs squads will look to do those “certain things” that India are after.
Mary Earps really is living the dream, with the Euro 2022-winning Lionesses goalkeeper sharing a "crazy" throwback post that proves as much.
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Keeper dreamt of turning out at WembleyHas won major silverware on that pitchA lot has happened in the space of 10 yearsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Back in 2015, Earps was preparing to sever ties with Bristol Academy and could never have imagined how her professional career would take off. A decade ago, she posted an image on social media of Wembley Stadium alongside the message: "I’d love to play here one day."
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Little did she know that her dream would come true. Earps made her senior England debut in 2017 and has passed a half-century of caps for her country. She was a key figure for the Lionesses in their memorable European Championship triumph – which took place at Wembley.
DID YOU KNOW?
Earps – who won the FA Cup with Manchester United in 2024 before heading to Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent – has graced the home of English football on a number of occasions, at domestic and international level.
WHAT MARY EARPS SAID
The 32-year-old is still having to pinch herself – as a two-time winner of the FIFA Best Women’s Goalkeeper award – and said to her Instagram followers when reminiscing about her Wembley post from 10 years ago: "Posted 11th of March 2015. Wow. So grateful for this crazy life."