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The centre-forward position at Chelsea has been filled by many quality players recently, but none of them have quite set Stamford Bridge alight.

Nicolas Jackson had a relatively successful debut campaign, scoring 14 Premier League goals, but he’s not quite the Erling Haaland-type striker that Chelsea needs.

Unsurprisingly, the Norwegian ace won his second Premier League Golden Boot last season, scoring 27 goals, which proves he’s the definition of a goal-scoring monster.

However, with Chelsea in the market for a new forward, Todd Boehly will without doubt be looking to find his own Haaland, and he could have just found him.

Chelsea’s search for a new number nine

According to a report from journalists Simon Phillips and Ben Jacobs, Chelsea are confident that they can sign Benjamin Sesko this summer with their interest now described as 'very serious'.

It’s said that Sesko is the 'preferred' number nine target for the Blues, becoming one of the 'top priorities for that position.'

The Slovenian forward is set to be at the centre of a transfer battle between a host of English clubs, such as Arsenal.

It’s been reported that Chelsea are keen on signing the youngster due to the fact that he’d cost less than the likes of Victor Osimhen, for example.

How Sesko compares to Haaland

Since bursting onto the scene with 29 goals and 11 assists in 79 matches for RB Salzburg, Sesko has been regarded as one of the biggest prospects in Europe.

Last season, he joined RB Leipzig, and the fact that plenty of European giants are now chasing him proves how impressive he’s been.

The 21-year-old’s record in the Bundesliga last season was simply incredible, boasting a return of 14 goals and two assists in just 17 starts.

His pathway to England could follow the exact same steps as that of Haaland, who tore up the German top flight for Borussia Dortmund before moving to Manchester City, but what else makes him the “Slovenian Erling Haaland,” as scout Jacek Kulig labelled him?

Starts

29

17

Goals

27

14

xG

29.32

7.66

Big chances missed

34

8

Shots (per game)

3.9

1.5

Assists

5

2

Touches (per game)

22.5

19.1

Passes completed (per game)

9.5

6.9

Firstly, the biggest similarity between the two young forwards is that they’re the definition of goal-scorers.

Their only aim is to put the ball in the back of the net, as shown by their fewer touches and creative stats, and they’re at their best in the penalty area.

Furthermore, the duo are incredible athletes who possess impressive speed, which is rather unusual considering Sesko stands at 6 foot 5 and Haaland at 6 foot 4.

Yet the biggest difference between the two is clearly how clinical Sesko is in front of goal, as shown by the xG stats, which highlight that the Leipzig ace can truly score from absolutely anywhere.

For context, Chelsea’s current first-choice striker, Jackson, is the complete opposite, underperforming his xG by 4.64 and missing 24 big chances.

With the creativity of Cole Palmer and the possession-based approach of Enzo Maresca, Sesko would be an absolute "monster", as dubbed by data analyst Ben Mattinson, due to the sheer number of chances he’d get.

The new Chelsea boss also proved that he ensures his centre forward gets opportunities to score last season at Leicester City, with Jamie Vardy netting 18 in the league.

Therefore, it’s absolutely clear that Chelsea must do all they can to sign Sesko, especially before a Premier League rival secures him first.

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Maresca could hit the jackpot from the off by completing this transformational deal.

ByAngus Sinclair Jun 3, 2024

The incumbent No. 3 will be the batter under pressure ahead into the World Test Championship final in June

Andrew McGlashan13-Feb-20252:15

Marnus in or out? Finch and Clarke pick their WTC Final XIs

Aaron Finch believes Australia should drop Marnus Labuschagne for the World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord’s in June with his lean run having extended too far to be accommodated.Australia face some tough selection calls for the final following the recent successful debuts of Sam Konstas, Beau Webster and Josh Inglis which has led to a battle for batting spots.Related

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Travis Head, who opened in Sri Lanka, said he expected Konstas to regain his position at the top of the order against South Africa while Cameron Green is in the frame to play as a specialist batter as he recovers from the back surgery that ruled him out of this season.It leaves Labuschagne, who has one century in his last 51 Test innings and an average of 31.54 since the start of the 2023, under significant pressure for his spot for the first time since establishing himself in 2019.”I’ve gone with Cameron Green or Josh Inglis. They’re at No. 3,” Finch said on ESPN’s when the panel was asked to pick their XIs for the WTC final.”And the reason is, I just think that [Labuschagne’s form] is such a concern because it’s been over four series. If it’s over two or three, I think that you can say, you know what, he’s just around the corner. But the fact that it’s been four, to me, that’s a really alarming sign.Marnus Labuschagne is the Australia batter under scrutiny•Getty Images

“Josh Inglis, I think to get him into the side, he will get that opportunity. Or if Cameron Green is healthy, he just provides so much extra to that bowling line-up as well as with the batting. He’s got the ability to bat anywhere in the order.”However, Michael Clarke and Callum Ferguson retained Labuschagne in their sides for the decider although Clarke said it could be make or break.”I hope they pick him for the Test Championship [final],” Clarke said. “It’s completely different conditions against a different team. He’s played a lot of county cricket. He knows English conditions as well as anyone.”Remember, he bats in the hardest place as well. I think No. 3 is the hardest place to bat in Test cricket. You’re right, the numbers don’t tell a lie. He’s out of form. He’s due.”And to me, I reckon the Test Championship…could be his last opportunity. Going to West Indies, I would like to think that’s an opportunity to give a young player a go if Marnus makes no runs in this Test Championship. If he does, then no doubt he holds his spot because he’s been a wonderful player.”Ferguson, meanwhile, would include both Labuschagne and Green with the latter batting at No. 6 and backing for frontline bowlers.”I’m backing the four bowlers in to get the job done in a one-off hit out in a Test match,” he said. “We didn’t use Mitch Marsh a lot over the last few years. He’s been in that No. 6 position. So we’ve played effectively without that stone cold all-rounder in that position, bowling 10 overs a day. So that’s how I see it.”Stand-in captain Steven Smith backed Labuschagne to emerge for his slump, seeing similarities in how he was low on runs before making four centuries in his last five matches.”Marn’s similar to me, in a way,” Smith said. “I’ve said this a lot of times about myself, there’s a difference between being out of form and out of runs.”I don’t think he’s out of form, personally. I’ve watched him train, I’ve watched him play and a lot of the things that he’s done so well are there. He knows he’d love to score more runs, we’d love him to score more runs, but in my opinion, it’s just around the corner.”

Raphinha has welcomed Marcus Rashford to Barcelona with a firm message, warning the Manchester United loanee about the fierce competition for places at the club. The Brazilian insists that increased rivalry in the squad will only push players to improve as Barca look to compete for major trophies again this season after their great debut season under Hansi Flick.

• Rashford joins Barcelona on loan from Manchester United
• Raphinha welcomes competition, says it drives improvement
• Brazilian star focused on winning Barcelona’s sixth UCL title

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Rashford joined Barcelona this month on a season-long loan from Manchester United. The England international will compete with Raphinha, Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres in a star-studded attack. The Brazilian, who is said to be in line to be one of the captains for Barcelona for the upcoming season, has now fired a warning to Rashford about the necessity to be prepared for competition.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT RAPHINHA SAID

  Speaking to Diario Sport, Raphinha said: "When you play with this jersey, with this club, you need to be prepared for all the competition that there is. In my opinion, the more competition we have, the better. It means that one helps the other progress and that is the most important thing if we want to win titles."

  Speaking about the only title that eluded Barcelona last season, the Brazilian added: "The Champions League is a personal challenge in my career. It's also a club goal, to win our sixth Champions League title. I, in particular, will do everything possible to make it happen. And I'm sure the players are thinking the same thing."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Raphinha is coming off his most productive season yet, with 34 goals and 25 assists across all competitions. His form in the Champions League was particularly strong, with 13 goals and nine assists. Despite Rashford’s arrival, the Brazilian has extended his contract until 2028. The Brazilian added: "I always try to find my best form in training, games, the season. I tried that last season, it was better than the previous one, and I will try for this coming season to also be better than the last."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR RASHFORD?

  Barcelona will now aim to integrate Rashford quickly into their system as they prepare for another title push. Raphinha, meanwhile, remains determined to keep improving and fighting for his place and the internal competition could prove key in Barca’s pursuit of domestic and European glory.

Erik ten Hag’s second campaign as Manchester United manager hasn’t exactly gone according to plan thus far.

It seems like the whole squad has suffered from injuries this season, with the return of one player often followed by a setback to another.

However, there have been some unlikely heroes this term, with one of those being Scott McTominay, who’s become the ultimate super sub.

Despite the Scot’s heroics, he doesn’t feature in the first-choice midfield, and therefore, there is a potential signing who could be a huge upgrade on the 27-year-old.

Man Utd’s search for a midfielder

According to reports from Italy via TEAMtalk, Man United are interested in acquiring the services of Teun Koopmeiners.

The midfielder is thriving in the Atalanta squad, and the Red Devils have been scouting him throughout the campaign.

Juventus are set to challenge United for his signature, but the Serie A club are set to demand £47m, which inevitably puts the English side in pole position.

Atalanta are willing to sell Koopmeiners for the right price, and given that outgoings are almost guaranteed at Old Trafford, a move is far from impossible.

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ByTom Lever Apr 10, 2024 Why Koopmeiners is a huge McTominay upgrade

There’s no two ways about it: McTominay has been the definition of clutch this season, netting seven league goals in 27 matches, but only three of them have occurred when featuring in the starting lineup.

The United academy graduate has mainly played as a box-to-box midfielder this campaign, which makes his goal tally impressive; however, he often struggles to offer anything else other than finding the back of the net.

A goal-scoring midfielder is an incredible asset in any team, but the problem with McTominay lies in the lack of impact he has when playing in the middle of the park, with even the basics not being performed at times.

However, the signing of Koopmeiners would enable Ten Hag to still have a midfielder who knows where the back of the net is, but also one who’s extremely well-rounded.

Goals

0.45

0.40

Passes completed

35.93

24.68

Key passes

1.98

0.46

Progressive passes

5.58

3.08

Shot-creating actions

3.80

1.20

Touches

58.04

43.95

Tackles won

0.87

1.20

Firstly, the Dutch midfielder has versatility in abundance, as he can comfortably play as an attacking midfielder, a number eight, and as a defensive midfielder, which makes him so valuable.

This season, he’s mainly played slightly further forward, hence why the former AZ Alkmaar ace has netted an incredible 13 goals across all competitions, which is more than McTominay and even Bruno Fernandes, who has ten.

It’s quite clear that the Scotland international and Koopmeiners have completely different profiles, with the former relying on athleticism and physicality rather than technical class like the 26-year-old, as shown by all the passing statistics.

Furthermore, considering the number 7s job in the Atalanta side demands far fewer defensive actions than McTominay's, it’s interesting to see that their tackle statistics are relatively similar, but Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig has previously alluded to the fact that he's previously played as a centre half.

Overall, the “brilliant” Koopmeiners, as dubbed by Kulig, offers everything that McTominay does and more. His signing would definitely improve the Red Devils.

The mood has changed for the better at West Ham United after two successive victories in the Premier League.

How fickle football is, with David Moyes, architect of such illustrious success down at the London Stadium, facing scrutiny over the longevity of his tenure after a poor run of results, the Scotsman's pragmatic style of play creating something of a schism.

Still, the holding Europa Conference League champions – who await Freiburg in the last 16 of the Europa League this week – indeed seem to have put the recent malaise to bed and have reclaimed a seventh-place spot in the table, just two points behind Manchester United.

Defeating Everton at Goodison Park last time out, the Hammers overcame adversity to rattle the hosts with a late flurry, all three scorers (Kurt Zouma, Tomas Soucek, Edson Alvarez) and assist-makers (James Ward-Prowse, Mohammed Kudus, Jarrod Bowen) signed under Moyes' leadership.

The 60-year-old has sculpted a bright future, and while he is out of contract at the end of the season, his influence is unrivalled across the club's recent history, with the players reflecting this.

David Moyes' best West Ham signings

West Ham have certainly had something of a chequered history on the transfer front, especially in the years preceding Moyes' reign, with finances disbursed on high-profile stars who arrived with much promise and fanfare only to leave with a whimper.

Sebastien Haller and Felipe Anderson are two salient names who spring to mind, but that is not an exhaustive list by any stretch, and one of Moyes' hallmarks is the focusing and polishing, of transfer strategy.

Just one month after he was re-appointed in December 2019, Bowen was signed from Championship side Hully City in a £20m plus add-ons deal. Soucek arrived on loan that same window and completed a permanent move worth roughly £18m in the summer.

Declan Rice was not exactly signed under Moyes' leadership but the England star was nurtured to the fore from the academy en route to silverware, joining Arsenal in a £105m transfer last summer.

The money recouped from the midfield talisman's sale was invested in exciting new additions such as Alvarez, Kudus and Ward-Prowse, who will all continue to play a big part in the future success.

This is all a roundabout way of paying homage to Moyes' efforts, transcending the expectation and belief in east London. For all these successful acquisitions, one of the shrewdest, most underrated of the lot has to be Vladimir Coufal, who still doesn't earn half the respect he deserves outside Irons spheres.

Why West Ham signed Vladimir Coufal

Back in 2020, West Ham pulled off the signing of right-back Coufal from Slavia Prague for a fee totalling just over £5m, the Czech international joining compatriot Soucek in the English capital.

Ryan Fredericks had been forced off during West Ham's 4-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers and indeed only started six Premier League matches during the 2020/21 campaign, while Coufal had Champions League experience and an enlivening tenacity down the flank.

His energy and ability to dart up and down, box to box, has been especially important to allow Bowen and more recently Kudus to flourish, with these attacking wingers reliant on their goalscoring form and thus equally dependent on a hard-working right-back to ensure they have a license to sweep inside and wreak shell fire on opposing goalkeepers.

In total, the £35k-per-week ace has amassed 140 appearances for United since making his debut several seasons ago, and while he has yet to find the back of the net himself he has chipped in with 19 assists and proved himself a dynamic and determined member.

Vladimir Coufal's season in numbers

Last term, Coufal played an important role for West Ham in their journey toward silver-laden success, completing 38 appearances in total and starting nine matches in the Conference League, but he only chipped in with one assist as a declined sense of fluency and verve on the domestic front warranted a more resilient, danger-thwarting approach.

This season, the Czech Republic international has thrived in a role of increased attacking success, having posted six assists from 25 Premier League fixtures.

As per Sofascore, he has averaged one key pass, two tackles, 1.4 interceptions, 4.3 ball recoveries, 2.7 clearances and 4.2 successful duels per game.

Presenter Dan Woffenden argues that Coufal is one of the club's best signings in recent history and it's certainly difficult to take a credible stand against this; given the paltry transfer fee and the "ridiculously consistent" football that Coufal has blessed West Ham with, he represents an exceptional value-for-money venture, with a slice of silverware to rubber stamp his signature as one of success.

Premier League 23/24: Most Assists from Defenders
#	Player	No. of Assists
1.	Kieran Trippier	10
2.	Pedro Porro	7
3.	Vladimir Coufal	6
4.	Alfie Doughty	6
5.	Malo Gusto	5
Stats via Premier League

As per FBref, Coufal ranks among the top 13% of full-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 11% for interceptions, the top 6% for clearances and the top 16% for aerial duels won per 90, highlighting the rounded skill set that has made him such an excellent asset for Moyes.

Newcastle United's Kieran Trippier and Tottenham Hotspur phenom Pedro Porro are the only defenders in the Premier League to have surpassed his assist tally this term, which is incredible given that both adversaries rank in the top ten for corners taken in the top flight this term. Coufal, by comparison, has taken one corner.

Perhaps somewhat understandably, Coufal has not seen his market value skyrocket during his time at West Ham but there is no doubt that the 31-year-old has forged quite the underrated career for himself under Moyes' stewardship.

A constant, steady outlet down the right channel, Coufal is proof that delving down the less-trodden path can often unearth sparkling success.

It's one that West Ham would do well to replicate with their future transfers. It hasn't exactly gone wrong over the past few seasons, has it?

da 888casino： It's been a decent week for Arsenal in the Premier League. Their draw away to Manchester City and wins at home to Luton Town have kept them within touching distance of league leaders Liverpool.

da lvbet： Mikel Arteta's side will need to win most, if not all, of their remaining games to lift the title this season, but with their goalscoring form since the turn of the year, that's entirely possible.

However, at the start of next term, Gabriel Jesus could find his game time more limited; at least, that looks like it could be the case based on recent reports linking the club to a new number nine who has been compared to Harry Kane in the past.

Latest Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from the Italian publication Gazzetta dello Sport, Arsenal are among several top fight clubs across Europe interested in signing Bologna's talented striker, Joshua Zirkzee, this summer.

The report revealed that while AC Milan would likely be the forward's preferred destination, he would not be opposed to moving to the Premier League, with both the Gunners and Manchester United being the most interested English clubs.

Bayern Munich has a buyback clause worth around €40m – £34m – but it appears clear that neither party is interested in making that happen, so the Rossoblu will be able to name their price once the window opens.

The Italian report claims that Bologna considers Zirkzee's situation similar to Rasmus Hojlund's last summer. So, a price tag of around €75m has been discussed for clubs outside of Italy, which comes to about £64m. While that would be a serious investment from Arsenal, he might just be worth it.

How Zirkzee compares to Jesus

So the first and arguably most important thing to consider with any new potential striker signing is how their output compares to the forward they could replace, and in this case, Zirkzee comes out just ahead.

Zirkzee vs Jesus

Player

Zirkzee

Jesus

Appearances

31

27

Goals

11

8

Assists

6

5

Goal Involvements per Match

0.54

0.48

All Stats via Transfermarkt

In his 31 games this season, the Dutchman has scored 11 goals and provided six assists, meaning he is averaging a goal involvement every 1.8 games. In contrast, Jesus' return of eight goals and five assists in 27 appearances means he averages a goal involvement every two games.

Okay, so what about their underlying numbers, then? Well, here it is a lot closer, and it's actually the Brazilian who just about edges it in the most relevant metrics for a starting number nine.

Zirkzee vs Jesus

Stats per 90

Zirkzee

Jesus

Expected Goals + Assists

0.51

0.63

Goals

0.40

0.30

Assists

0.12

0.22

Progressive Passes

2.69

2.67

Progressive Carries

1.70

2.22

Shots on Target

1.03

1.26

Goals per Shot on Target

0.31

0.24

All Stats via FBref for the 2023/24 League Season

For example, the former Manchester City ace produces higher expected goals and assists figure, provides more actual assists, completes more progressive carries, and takes more shots on target per 90.

However, it isn't all that one-sided, as Bologna's "insane athlete", as data analyst Ben Mattinson described him, scores more goals, completes more progressive passes, and has a better conversion rate from his shots on target, all per 90.

Moreover, while it seems from the surface that Jesus is the better creator, Mattinson has argued that it is the ineffective attack of Bologna that is hampering the 6 foot 4 titan's creative numbers and that, in reality, his "his intelligence as a creator & facilitator is out of this world."

The respected analyst has drawn comparisons to former Tottenham Hotspur forward Kane, in that Zirkzee is burdened with the vast majority of the creative work in his current side and if he was placed in a team with goalscoring wingers and midfielders, his "productivity would sky-rocket."

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Ultimately, Arsenal have a great forward in Jesus, and he's likely to play some sort of role at the club for a number of years to come, but if they have the opportunity to sign Zirkzee this summer and bring him into a team with the likes of Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka out wide, they absolutely should.

Having seen the havoc that Kane – who boasts 213 Premier League goals – has wreaked across north London, snapping up a similar figure would be a welcome treat for the Emirates side.

India ended the Kenyan fairy tale, Sourav Ganguly leading the way with an unbeaten ton

Anand Vasu14-May-2020India set up a much awaited final against Australia in the 2003 World Cup as it ended the Kenyan dream, brushing aside the minnows in a comprehensive 91-run semi final triumph at Kingsmead, Durban. It was a strong Indian contingent at Durban that held its breath willing away the rain as India scored 271/5 on a wicket that was far from ideal for batting and then dismissed the Kenyans for 179 in 46.2 overs.It was probably not the tough semi-final that the Indian think tank would have liked in the lead up to the big game against the Australians, who are so far unbeaten in this tournament. Sourav Ganguly can however take heart from the fact that the Indian side played strongly as a unit, stuck to the basics and made sure they controlled the flow of play right from the outset.The wide grin on Ganguly’s face when he won the toss was enough indication of the fact that the side winning the toss had an advantage. Quickly electing to bat first, Ganguly’s Indians made sure that they kept the Kenyan opening bowlers at bay.Moisture under the surface and clouds hovering menacingly around the ground meant that conditions did not make for big hitting. Realising this, Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag tweaked their style of play. Sehwag left several deliveries alone that he would normally drive at, Tendulkar put his booming drives back in the cup board and the Indian openers put caution ahead of aggression.While the Kenyans did well enough to extract what life they could from the wicket, they still supplied Tendulkar and Sehwag with just enough loose deliveries to keep the run rate from dipping to an alarming low. An opening partnership of 74 ensured that India had the start they wanted. Even the fall of Sehwag (33) did not deter the Indians in undue fashion.Having got a good measure of the wicket, Tendulkar proceeded to milk the bowling, striking the loose balls to the fence, being especially severe on anything short of a length. With the ball not really coming onto the bat, Tendulkar checked his trademark booming drives and concentrated on low risk shots.The fact that he struck just four boundaries and one six in his 83 tells you how hard it was to go after the bowling. When he finally did fall, it was with a century well in his sights, pulling the off-spin off Steve Tikolo straight down the throat of the man on the leg side fence.Ganguly too began in most circumspect fashion. Once he got set however, there were few problems for the Indian captain. The advantage of being able to come down the wicket and loft the ball effortlessly helped Ganguly keep the run rate up at a healthy level.In his unbeaten knock of 111 (114 balls) Ganguly smote five boundaries and five cracking sixes – one of which went clean out of the ground. The spinners and pacemen alike came in for the treatment as the smile re-appeared on Ganguly’s face. The left-hander’s shot selection was spot on, with the exception of one across the line heave to a Collins Obuya googly.That blip apart, Ganguly’s innings was one that flowed well, peaking at the right time. When he walked down the wicket and launched Martin Suji into the stands at long on to reach three figures Ganguly brought up his third century of this World Cup, the 22nd of his career.Mohammad Kaif bustled about for 15 before he was run out and Yuvraj Singh (16) provided the impetus at the end of the innings to take the Indian total on to 270/4.The total was just too much for the Kenyans.With an eye on the clouds and a Duckworth/Lewis print out in his pocket, the Indian skipper urged his troops to get through the overs quickly. It seemed as though the Indians had a clear game plan as they used seam to knock out early wickets and supplemented it with plenty of spin from Harbhajan Singh and part time bowlers to save time.To kick things off the Indian seamers did a great job at the top, removing the first four Kenyan wickets with just 36 runs on the board.Bowling a probing line and length Zaheer Khan trapped Ravindu Shah plumb in front when the opener had scored a painful solitary run off 17 balls.Peter Ongondo, sent in as a pinch hitter hit Ashish Nehra straight to Zaheer Khan fora duck.Kennedy Otieno looked all at sea opening the innings and was struck on the helmet and body more than once as he handled the short stuff very awkwardly. He was finally put out of his misery in the 14th over, caught behind for 15 off a perfectly pitched Javagal Srinath delivery.Thomas Odoyo (7) and Maurice Odumbe (20) also fell as the Indians ran through over after over, reaching the all important 25-over mark with Kenya reeling on 82/5.The rain that was forecast failed to show up, apart from one slight drizzle and India made sure that there were no surprises as they qualified for their first World Cup final since 1983, where they beat the West Indies.Only Steve Tikolo (56) stayed at the wicket long enough to make a sizable score, but his was a case of too little too late. With no one to partner him, Tikolo’s runs bolster his average, but did nothing to change the result of the game.One over off Yuvraj Singh in particular got the Kenyan supporters to their feet as Tikolo smacked two sixes and a boundary in an over that yielded 21 runs.With the bulk of the job done early on however, Ganguly did not want to risk injury to any of his key bowlers and used his part time bowlers generously. While this extended the Kenyan innings to 46.2 overs, it did not get in the way of India registering an easy win.Zaheer Khan with (3/14) and Ashish Nehra (2/11) were the pick of the Indian bowlers.Australia are yet to lose a match this tournament, India have failed just once, against the Aussies. A country of a billion will be hoping that old scores will be settled as India lift the cup at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on the 23rd.

King and Russell tore into the SL attack to chase down a modest 155 with three overs to spare

The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando06-Mar-2020

It rained sixes with Andre Russell at his destructive best•Associated Press

Sri Lanka limped their way to 155 for 6 on a good track in Pallekele, as West Indies put in a strong collective bowling effort. The target was no match for West Indies’ batting might, as the visitors flew at over 10 an over in the Powerplay, before the middle order kept the score ticking, and Andre Russell then finished the game in a hail of sixes. They needed only 17 overs to complete the chase and complete a 2-0 whitewash of the T20I series.Sri Lanka stutter through the early/middle oversNone of Sri Lanka’s first six partnerships were worth more than 33. That would almost be passable, if they had managed to score quickly. But they didn’t. Against West Indies’ varied and canny attack, most in the top order could not consistently find timing, with no one in the top five breaching 25.Just as a partnership seemed to be developing, and it would be time for the pair to raise the tempo, the attempted big shot would go awry. Avishka Fernando was bowled by Oshane Thomas, swinging across the line. Kusal Perera holed out to point trying to cut Fabian Allen. Shehan Jayasuriya was caught at deep midwicket, and Kusal Mendis sent a legside flick straight down the throat of deep square leg.Despite a good final partnership between Thisara Perera and Dasun Shanaka, Sri Lanka had ceded too much ground earlier in their innings. Their total of 155 always seemed at least 15 short. Against this West Indies batting line up, it was probably 30 short.King of the PowerplayWest Indies hit 61 in the Powerplay, getting themselves well ahead of the rate. Of those runs, Brandon King had made 43. He’d also hit every single one of the boundaries. He started with a flick of the wrists to send a wayward Lasith Malinga ball skimming away behind deep square leg for four, before busting out the big power shots. He blasted Angelo Mathews’ first ball through the covers, then clipped him beautifully behind square for a four later in that over.Malinga bowled the final over of the Powerplay, and it was here that King really put West Indies well ahead of the required rate. He edged the third ball past the keeper for four, but later, launched Malinga over long on for six, before clobbering him over cow corner for another one. He faced each of the balls in that over and reaped 19 runs. He’d be out in the eighth over for 43 off 21, but by then, West Indies were flying.Cyclone RussellAt the other end of West Indies’ chase, an even more devastating innings. From who else, but Andre Russell? He came to the crease in the 13th over, when West Indies needed only 53 off 44 balls, but man, did he make sure this good chance of victory was emphatically grasped. He hit six sixes in his 40 off 14 balls – that’s a strike rate of 286.71, by the way, if you’re struggling with the maths. No fours, because why bother? The third six, off Thisara Perera, flew high over cow corner, and out of the Milky Way, probably.Malinga’s bowling plans get messed upFirst of all, Malinga himself was having an off night, conceding 12 runs off his first over, and eventually finishing at none for 46 off 3 – an economy rate of 15.33, thanks to Messrs King and Russell. Then, his prize spin-bowling asset, Wanindu Hasaranga, pulled up lame chasing a ball at deep square leg in the second over and had to be rushed off to hospital for scans. This meant Sri Lanka’s best wicket-taking weapon of the tour didn’t get to bowl a single delivery, and Malinga had to make up those overs with others, with predictable results.

Arsenal are a club renowned worldwide for various things, such as the Invincibles season, the magic of Thierry Henry, the genius of Arsène Wenger, and the inventiveness of Herbert Chapman.

However, there's something else, a policy that has seen the club handsomely rewarded over the years, both financially and in results, trusting in the youth.

The Gunners have always been a club that give youth players a chance to break into the first team, be that their prospects from Hale End, such as Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe, or youngsters from other teams, like Cesc Fàbregas and Gabriel Martinelli.

The north Londoners have a proud history of developing some of the best talents in English football. However, for every hit, there are multiple misses, as is the nature of football. Yet, there is one player who has to go down as one of the biggest misses in recent memory, a player who was once compared to the electric Ronaldinho.

Arsenal's Japanese Ronaldinho

The player in question is Japanese winger Ryo Miyaichi, who looked set to take the world by storm when it was announced Arsenal had signed him in December 2010.

However, there was something unique about his transfer as he wasn't signed from a professional football team in Japan; he was signed directly from High School. The then-18-year-old dynamo had trialled with the Gunners in the summer beforehand and then went on to represent Chukyodai Chuyko High School in the All Japan High School tournament.

It was an unusual way for an English club to sign a player, but Wenger, who managed Japanese side Grampus Eight before joining the Gunners, argued: "It's very important that Asia is represented at our club."

The 6 foot attacker officially joined Arsenal on January 30th 2011, but given his age, frame and lack of top-flight experience, he was immediately sent out on loan to Eredivisie giants Feyenoord for the second half of the season.

Looking back, his short stint in the Netherlands can be viewed both positively and negatively. It was undoubtedly a success from a footballing perspective, as the teenager scored three goals and provided five assists in just 12 appearances for the club.

The fans and media loved his explosive style, and he was given the moniker 'Ryodinho', which was the supporters' way of comparing him to the iconic Ronaldinho.

In an interview with Arsenal a few years later, Miyaichi explained his appreciation of this comparison: "I felt very accepted by the supporters at Feyenoord. I appreciated that nickname. When it comes to comparing Ronaldinho and myself, there is still a world of difference, but I will try my best to get close to him."

However, his few months with Feyenoord represented the pinnacle of his European career, and he was never able to live up to such lofty comparisons.

Miyaichi's loan nightmares

Upon his return from Feyenoord, he was given a couple of outings in the League Cup before he was sent to the reserves, where he would deal with a minor ankle sprain for a month or so – a sign of things to come.

Once the January window opened, he was again sent out on loan, this time to Premier League strugglers Bolton Wanderers, and while he started brightly with a goal in the FA Cup, he quickly faded.

He returned to N5 with just a single goal and two assists from his 14 appearances, a haul which certainly didn't scream the next Ronaldinho.

So, at the start of the 2012/13 season, he was again sent out on loan, this time to Wigan Athletic, but he suffered a torn ankle ligament in November of that season and missed around 21 games of first-team action, and he returned to the Emirates with just seven appearances and one assist for the Latics under his belt.

The following season saw the then-20-year-old stay at Arsenal due to a string of injuries that left him sidelined for 155 days between August 2013 and September 2014.

Things were starting to look quite bleak for a player who only a few years ago was seen as the next big thing, so in one final attempt to kickstart his European career, Arsenal sent Miyachi on loan to Dutch side FC Twente for the 2014/15 season, and while he was able to stay injury free for much of the time, the quality just wasn't there.

Season

Days Out

2010/11

0

2011/12

30

2012/13

212

2013/14

93

2014/15

62

Total

397

He would make 14 appearances for the club's U21 side, but just 11 for the senior side, and in those 11 games, he failed to score a single goal or provide even one assist. For all intents and purposes, his time as a footballer in a top-five European league was over.

New club, same problems

Once Miyaichi's loan at FC Twente was over, Arsenal finally cut their losses and let him join Bundesliga 2 side FC St. Pauli on a free, where, as he had been for the last couple of years, he was blighted with injuries.

The young winger hadn't even been in Germany for a month when he suffered a cruciate ligament tear that saw him sidelined for 247 days.

In his six years at the club, the once sought-after prospect missed a whopping 972 days of football through injury, or 2.66 years, or almost half of the time he was a St Pauli player.

The only positive story to come out of Miyaichi's unfortunate time in Germany is that St Pauli offered him an extra year to make sure he could recover from his injuries at the club, with then-director of Sport of Uwe Stöver saying, "Rather than leave him alone with it, we wanted to show that we're behind him."

Appearances

80

Goals

8

Assists

9

Days missed through injury

972

However, when his contract expired in 2021, he left the club with just eight goals and nine assists in 80 appearances.

A Japanese homecoming

After giving it everything he had to forge a career in European football, the former Arsenal man returned to his homeland and signed with J League side Yokohama F. Marinos, with just 12 senior goals to show for his 11 years in Europe..

He's still been blighted with repeated injuries in recent seasons, but a return of eight goals and four assists in 53 games is the most effective he's been since his first loan spell with Feyenoord all those years ago.

They haven't been meaningless goals either, as he scored a late winner against Kashiwa Reysol last summer to help his side complete an impressive 4-3 comeback.

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Ultimately, he still has the security of a contract that runs until January next year, and with the J League set to get underway later this month, the former Gooner – and potentially unluckiest winger of all time – has another chance to show the footballing world that he still has something to give.

MatériaMais Notícias

da realbet： Revelado nas categorias de base de Bragantino e SEV Hortolândia e com passagem pelo Grêmio Osasco, o volante Lucas Silva hoje vive o melhor momento de sua curta carreira na Caldense. Titular e capitão da equipe semifinalista do Campeonato Mineiro na última edição, o jovem de 21 anos tornou-se uma referência no elenco da Veterana por seu perfil de liderança dentro e fora de campo.

– Fico muito feliz, todo atleta trabalha para ser importante para a equipe, e quando você é jovem e consegue ter essa importância na equipe é com certeza muito gratificante. A postura dentro de campo é fundamental, o jeito de ser impor dentro de campo acredito que seja um diferencial. Sempre tive todo o suporte desde a base até os dias atuais, principalmente na minha formação como homem e profissional. Carrego todos os ensinamentos comigo e tenho certeza que tem influenciado positivamente na minha vida – disse o jogador.

>> Confira a tabela do Campeonato Mineiro e simule os próximos jogos

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da stake casino： Se hoje Lucas Silva colhe os frutos e é reconhecido e valorizado pela Caldense, nem sempre foi assim. O jovem teve sua primeira passagem pelo clube mineiro em 2018, logo em sua primeira oportunidade como atleta profissional, mas a experiência durou pouco e ele seguiu outro caminho. Após a reestruturação do clube, o volante retornou à Veterana e deu início à sua trajetória de sucesso até aqui. Se em 2020 bateu na trave, em 2021 Lucas Silva e a Caldense buscam a vaga para a final do Estadual.

– Minha primeira passagem pela Caldense foi em 2018, meu primeiro time profissional e acabei ficando menos de dois meses aqui após ficar sabendo que não iria ser utilizado no grupo. Voltei em 2019 para a Série D após nova parceria e joguei todos os jogos, inclusive com a classificação em primeiro lugar entre os 64 times. Em 2020 chegamos à semifinal do Campeonato Mineiro, ganhando de grandes equipes. E esse ano começamos bem o campeonato, espero consolidar mais um grande ano aqui na Caldense. Nós sabemos que não vai ser fácil, mas com certeza a equipe desde o começo almeja fazer um grande campeonato, e se Deus quiser chegar à grande final – projetou.

Lucas Silva tem 21 anos e 35 jogos com a camisa do clube mineiro, sendo seis nesta temporada.