£35k-p/w Flop Should Never Start For Man Utd Again

Manchester United dropped yet more points in the Premier League, this time to West Ham United in a 1-0 defeat yesterday.

With Liverpool breathing down their necks in a race for a coveted Champions League spot, Erik ten Hag’s men seemed to have a position in Europe’s elite competition sewn up just a few weeks ago, however, that gap has narrowed significantly.

David De Gea was once again at fault for United, letting a weak shot from Said Benrahma escape through his grasp and settle in the back of the net. That horrendous error means the Spaniard has now made four errors leading to a goal this season.

The score remained 1-0 and it was yet another poor performance from the Old Trafford side, as it appears their gruelling fixture list has finally caught up with them.

It wasn’t just De Gea who was poor for the Red Devils during the loss, with Wout Weghorst once again failing to demonstrate the qualities which led Ten Hag to sign him on loan for the remainder of the campaign.

How did Wout Weghorst perform against West Ham?

The Dutchman was deployed in the number ten role, just behind Marcus Rashford, however, his performance was poor, and it’s clear he isn’t suited to an attacking midfield role, failing to score or assist across three games whilst playing in this position for the club.

The forward managed only 28 touches throughout, remarkably fewer than De Gea's 48, which considering he was looked upon to link the play between midfield and attack, is a woeful return. To make matters worse, he only completed 16 passes.

The on-loan Burnley man failed to prove any sort of meaningful attacking contribution aside from the fact he succeeded with one dribble and took one shot. Considering the 30-year-old has scored only once for the club, it’s a wonder why he started against West Ham in the first place.

Man United strikerWout Weghorst

Winning just two duels from seven attempts and being dribbled past three times suggests the £35k-per-week ace was easily bullied, and this lightweight nature proves that Ten Hag mustn’t start him again during the final four matches of the campaign, especially when there is still so much to play for.

The player was described by talkSPORT pundit Jason Cundy as looking “like a fish up a tree” due to him being thrust among these world-class players at United and his performances since arriving in January have certainly justified that hilarious quip.

Rituraj four-for hands Goa 34-run win

A round-up of the third day of Group C matches in the eighth round of the 2016-17 Ranji Trophy

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Dec-2016Four wickets from Goa medium-pacer Rituraj Singh trumped Ricky Bhui’s 71 to seal an exciting 34-run win against Andhra early on the third day in Dhanbad. Chasing 233, Bhui took Andhra till he was eighth out at 179. They were eventually bowled out for 198.Resuming on 99 for 3, Andhra’s overnight pair saw out the first 10.1 overs of the day before Shadab Jakati struck in consecutive overs to bowl Dwaraka Ravi Teja for 49 and have AG Pradeep caught behind for 1. From 127 for 5, Andhra pushed towards their target via a stand of 39 between Bhui and Bhargav Bhatt.But Rituraj wiped out the lower order, striking off consecutive deliveries to remove Bhatt and KV Sasikanth. At 168 for 7, Bhui was Andhra’s only hope. Once he was caught behind off Amulaya Pandrekar, Rituraj took the last two wickets to finish with 4 for 24. Bhui’s third half-century in as many matches could not get Andhra any points, while Goa took six. Jakati finished with 11 wickets in the match, having taken a career-best 8 for 53 in the first innings.Nakul Verma’s second successive century helped Services set Chhattisgarh a target of 281 in Mumbai. Services, who were stuttering at 19 for 3, drove ahead courtesy Verma’s stands of 106 with Shamsher Yadav and 175 with Rahul Singh (99), which helped them declare on 340 for 7, with Verma unbeaten on 156. Chhattisgarh batted out the last three overs of the day to finish on 6 without loss, with Sahil Gupta and Abhimanyu Chauhan at the crease.Hyderabad were six wickets from their third successive win as Jammu & Kashmir stumbled to 42 for 4 chasing 396 in Vadodara. J&K, resuming on 156 for 7, were bowled out for 169, with seamer Ravi Kiran taking 4 for 32. Tanmay Agarwal then struck his second century of the match, scoring 103, his 128-run stand with Akshath Reddy laying the foundation for he innings.S Badrinath, the captain, then added 116 with Agarwal to set up Hyderabad’s declaration on 244 for 1. Ravi Kiran struck early again to dismiss Ahmed Bandy with J&K on 20. Off the next over, CV Milind sent back Shubham Khajuria. Pranav Gupta and Ian Dev Singh fell soon after to leave them reeling by the end of the day. Ram Dayal and Aditya Singh will resume batting on Friday.Kerala, who conceded a first-innings lead, were 66 short of victory against Tripura in Cuttack, ending the third day 117 without loss. Mohammed Azharuddeen made a 98-ball 80, and had solid company from Bhavin Thakkar (37 not out).Iqbal Abdulla, the left-arm spinner, picked up three wickets to rip through Tripura’s middle order as they stumbled to 111 for 5 in their second innings. Akshay Chandran then completed the demolition as Tripura were bowled out for 162, with Smit Patel top-scoring with 54. Their second innings lasted just 70.1 overs. Four other batsmen got into double figures, with the highest score among them being 25 by Bishal Ghose.Himachal Pradesh were asked to follow on by Haryana in Valsad after they were all out for 233 in their first innings. They ended the day 142 for 1 in their second innings, trailing Haryana by 27 runs.Sanjay Pahal took his first five-wicket haul in first-class cricket as HP managed to add only 132 runs for their last seven wickets. Overnight batsman Sumeet Verma top-scored with 66 and stitched a 69-run partnership with Amit Kumar (37) for the seventh wicket – the team’s only significant one. The last four wickets fell for 19 runs.Still trailing by 169 runs, HP’s openers RI Thakur and Prashant Chopra added 140 for the first wicket. Debutant Thakur was dismissed for 45 by Pahal in the day’s last over as Chopra finished not out on 89 with new batsman Robin Bist (2) for company.

Leeds Could Appoint "Natural" 43 y/o Manager

Leeds United have confirmed this week that Sam Allardyce will not remain at the club beyond his short spell and now reports are suggesting that the club already have a list of replacements lined up.

What's the latest on Leeds' interest in Steven Gerrard?

According to The Telegraph, Steven Gerrard is one of the managers that Leeds chairman Andrea Radrizzani is eyeing up ahead of their return to the Championship.

As per the report, the former Aston Villa and Rangers boss is one of three potential suitors named and it is understood that Gerrard is interested in leading the Leeds squad next season.

Would Steven Gerrard be the right fit for Leeds?

It will come as no surprise that Gerrard is not only linked with the vacant job but is also keen on taking up the position, whilst he continues to carve out a career in management; the Leeds role could be too big of an opportunity to ignore in a bid to rebuild his reputation in English football.

The Liverpool legend seemed like he was destined for rapid recognition as a top up-and-coming manager following his impressive stint at Rangers where he won the club's first Scottish Premiership title in a decade whilst going invincible and made an instant positive impact on Aston Villa when he replaced Dean Smith at Villa Park mid-season.

However, after securing a 14th-place finish in the 2021/22 season and being significantly financially backed by the club's hierarchy, the 43-year-old failed to retain the high expectations set and his outstanding reputation was damaged faster than it took to build, resulting in his dismissal just 11 months into the Villa job.

Now there is a real opportunity for Radrizzani to snap up the services of a manager who has undeniable star quality in order to attract top talent to Elland Road this summer, whilst Gerrard will be looking for the right move in his pursuit to clean the stain marked against his managerial career.

steven-gerrard-leeds-united-championship-manager-news

It will also be incredibly important for the Leeds squad to bring in someone who can provide good man-management and build a positive culture in the dressing room after a difficult period for the Whites, and Gerrard's approachability has been one attribute that has often been hailed.

Former Rangers and England striker Jermaine Defoe heaped huge compliments on his ex-manager's approach to managing players during an interview with talkSPORT (via The Mirror):

"It’s a funny one because when I signed for Rangers, obviously you have a bit of banter in the changing room and the lads saying about how I’m pals with the gaffer and stuff like that, but he’s a natural.

"He’s approachable, which is really important as a manager.

"But with Steven, you can talk to him about anything. He reminds me a little bit of Harry Redknapp and Sam Allardyce where you can just approach them and speak about anything."

With that being said, Gerrard could play a key role in not only attracting the right players but also retaining a number of players who have their futures on the fence at present, so securing the Premier League Hall of Fame inductee as soon as possible would put Leeds in a great position to have a positive pre-season and transfer window.

The arrival of the former England star could be what Radrizzani needs to get Elland Road rocking again as the Yorkshire giants embark on a disappointing return to the second-tier.

Collapse was unexpected on flat wicket – Mashrafe

Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza has said he had hopes from some of the senior batsmen to take their innings close to the 252 target

Mohammad Isam29-Dec-2016Mashrafe Mortaza was left almost speechless after he saw Bangladesh’s fifth batting meltdown of the year. The latest one, losing seven wickets for 56 runs in 14 overs, resulted in their 67-run loss to concede the series to New Zealand.Chasing 252, Sabbir Rahman’s run-out in the 23rd over ended his 75-run second-wicket stand with Imrul Kayes, before Lockie Ferguson’s yorker left Mahmudullah with little time to bring his bat down in time. The next three of the four wickets fell to the part-time offspin of New Zealand captain Kane Williamson; Shakib sliced a catch to short third man, Mosaddek handed one straight to mid-off and Tanbir Hayder was stumped.Mashrafe said that set batsmen like Kayes and Sabbir should have carried the innings more towards the target, but there was still hope with Shakib starting to get settled before he fell for 7.”Teams from the subcontinent who tour New Zealand look for the sort of opportunities that we got today,” Mashrafe said. “In the first game we were in the game even though we had given away 40 runs too many. Today the batting collapse was unexpected because we were showing how flat the wicket was. We have let go of a big chance, and had we taken it, we could have played the next match comfortably.”Even after the run-out we had some of our successful players in the middle. But they couldn’t click today. I wouldn’t say we gifted them the wickets. I think we were hurrying to score runs but I think the batsmen can give you a better explanation. I think we could have been a lot more patient, especially after Imrul and Sabbir were getting into a flow. So there was a case of settling down again after spending a bit of time in the middle.”The same theme had unfolded recently in October when Bangladesh, placed comfortably at 271 for 4 chasing 310 against England in the first ODI, lost their last six wickets in 38 balls to fold for 288.Nine days earlier, Bangladesh had slipped from 138 for 4 to be bowled out for 208 in the second ODI against Afghanistan, who won the game by two wickets. In the first and third ODIs too, Bangladesh collapsed from positions of strength even though they ended up winning both games.These five collapses could be seen as a bug in the system that was first installed during the World T20 game against India in Bangalore, when needing two runs off the last three balls, they ended up losing by one run. The stink from that chase gone wrong still seems to be pervading the Bangladesh dressing room.

Azhar Ali likely to lose ODI captaincy after 4-1 thumping

Azhar Ali’s position as captain of the ODI side seems to be under threat after Pakistan’s 4-1 defeat in Australia

Umar Farooq26-Jan-2017

Pakistan’s ODI record since 2010 under various captains•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Azhar Ali is likely to be removed as Pakistan’s ODI captain after his side lost the series in Australia 4-1. Pakistan were beaten in the final ODI in Adelaide, slumping to the same score line they had suffered in England last year, and the PCB is keen to use it as an opportunity to replace Azhar with the T20 captain, Sarfraz Ahmed.The move, ESPNcricinfo understands, could be the precursor to eventually appointing a single captain for all formats, though any such decision will have to wait until the Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq takes a call on his future.Leadership issues were discussed in a meeting in Lahore during the fourth ODI of this series by PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan, chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq, and Mushtaq Ahmed, the head coach at the National Cricket Academy. They are thought to be united in their belief that Sarfraz should take over the ODI captaincy but will wait until Misbah retires to name a new Test captain.They differ as to whether Pakistan should move ahead with a single captain, but if they do go down that route it could mean that Azhar is overlooked as the Test successor to Misbah; Azhar is the Test vice-captain and, in Misbah’s absence, led Pakistan recently in a Test against New Zealand in Hamilton. It could also mean the end of an experiment begun after the 2015 World Cup, when, for the first time, Pakistan had three different captains – Shahid Afridi was then the T20 captain.If Azhar is axed, it will end a difficult tenure that began right after the 2015 World Cup. He was not in the squad for that tournament and had, in fact, not featured in an ODI since January 2013. What he did have going for him was a secure position in the Test side, and good form in List A cricket: in the domestic Pentangular Cup that season he was the leading scorer with 302 runs at an average of 60.40 and strike rate of 86.28. In the President’s Gold Cup, he scored 234 runs at a strike rate of 86.98.Under Azhar’s leadership, Pakistan’s slipped to a record-low ninth in the ODI rankings. They have since risen one place to at least be in the running for direct qualification to the 2019 World Cup, but they only scraped into this year’s Champions Trophy. Much of their decline in the limited-overs formats has been building for some time, but it has become much starker under Azhar.Pakistan have won only five out of ten bilateral series under Azhar, two of them against Zimbabwe, and one each against Ireland, Sri Lanka and West Indies. In all, Pakistan won 12 and lost 18 games.The PCB has been thinking of removing Azhar for some time. In September last year, following a 4-1 thumping in England, Shaharyar had asked Azhar to consider stepping down. Azhar decided to stay on, however, and led Pakistan to a 3-0 whitewash of West Indies in the UAE. That win left the PCB no choice but to retain him for the Australia tour. A day before the first Test in Brisbane, however, Shaharyar again raised concerns, telling ESPNcricinfo that Azhar’s place in the ODI side was on shaky ground and that they were considering replacing him.Azhar’s individual performances have not been poor in that time – he has scored 1152 runs at 37.19. He has expanded his limited-overs game, evident in the improvement of his strike rate. In his first 14 ODIs between 2011 and 2013, his strike rate was 64.84 – during his captaincy that jumped to 79.90. However, that improvement might not be enough to save his place as captain, or even in the side. Last year, Pakistan Super League franchise Lahore Qalanders also removed Azhar from the captaincy.What the PCB will be weighing up is the potential impact such a move could have on his position in the Test side. He was Pakistan’s most prolific batsman last year, scoring a hundred in England, a triple hundred in Dubai and then crowning it off with a double at the MCG in the Boxing Day Test; he scored more runs in a three-Test series in Australia than any Pakistan batsman before him.

Man Utd Could Finally Ditch £250k p/w Ace In Transfer Window

Manchester United could ditch forward Anthony Martial as he is a 'symbol' of their 'bad recruitment' in years gone by, according to journalist Alex Crook.

What's the latest transfer news involving Anthony Martial?

According to The Sun, Manchester United will listen to offers for Martial this summer as he ticks into the final 12 months of his £250k-a-week contract at Old Trafford.

The report states that the Red Devils are targeting a move for Tottenham Hotspur talisman Harry Kane and will focus their efforts on trying to land the £100-million valued star in the off-season.

As per FootballTransfers, Aston Villa are said to be weighing up a loan move for Martial as Unai Emery looks to secure a versatile attacker in the transfer window.

Erik Ten Hag isn't believed to have any plans for the Frenchman moving forward and will look to shift him out if appropriate interest in his services arises.

In 2015, Martial joined Manchester United in a deal that involved paying an initial £36 million fee that eventually could rise to £58 million, as per BBC Sport.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Crook thinks that Manchester United will look to offload Martial in the summer transfer window.

Crook stated when asked if Martial would be sold: "Definitely. I think he's only got a year left on his contract, so they won't want to lose him on a free at the end of the season.

"They're not going to recoup anywhere near the money they spent on him. He is a symbol of United's bad recruitment over the years, where they have been paying over the odds for players and then having to sell them for a much-reduced fee."

Should Anthony Martial be sold by Manchester United this summer?

Martial has been a decent focal point for Manchester United this campaign when available; however, the 27-year-old has endured frequent injury struggles during the last year and should probably be moved on to avoid a scenario where he runs down his contract.

In 2022/23, Martial made 28 appearances in all competitions for the Red Devils, registering nine goals and three assists in total, as per Transfermarkt.

Nevertheless, Martial obtained an average match rating of 6.59/10 for his exploits on the field for Manchester United, pitting him 16th out of a 26-man squad, suggesting room for improvement, according to WhoScored.

FBRef also show that Martial ranks in the bottom 32% of forwards across Europe's top five divisions for shots per 90 minutes across the last 365 days, managing just 2.25 per outing.

If Manchester United can recoup some money for Martial, selling him on may be the best solution for both parties due to his inconsistent level of reliability.

ZC condemns alleged racist abuse of Waller

Zimbabwe Cricket has released a statement condemning the alleged racist abuse of Zimbabwe batsman Malcolm Waller by a section of the home crowd during the second Test against Sri Lanka last week

Liam Brickhill13-Nov-2016Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) has released a statement condemning the alleged racist abuse of Zimbabwe batsman Malcolm Waller by a section of the home crowd during the second Test against Sri Lanka last week.Waller is understood to have lodged the complaint when abusive comments were directed at him after he dropped a catch on the morning of the fourth day of the Test. Fielding at square leg, Waller missed an easy chance off Asela Gunaratne’s bat in the middle of an otherwise tight spell from quicks Carl Mumba and Chris Mpofu. Zimbabwe went on to lose the Test by 257 runs, conceding the series 2-0.”Zimbabwe Cricket was deeply disturbed by the conduct of a section of fans who made abusive and racist chants targeted at our players during Zimbabwe’s just-ended Test series against Sri Lanka at Harare Sports Club,” ZC’s statement said. “We condemn any act of racism, abuse or intolerance in cricket, in particular, and sport, in general.”The chants appear to have come from the section of the ground known as Castle Corner, where fans traditionally gather in boisterous but good-natured support during international games. This is also the area where members of the Zimbabwe Cricket Supporters Union (ZCSU), an unofficial body that mobilises support for the national team during home games, can usually be found.”We are also disappointed by such racist rants, if they were really made,” Tapfumaneyi Vivian Banhire, chairman of the ZCSU, told . “Our supporters union has no such members who engaged in such behaviour.”Banhire confirmed his organisation’s position to ESPNcricinfo. “It wasn’t any of our guys,” he said. “Zimbabwean supporters are not racial at all.”During Zimbabwe’s last home series against India in June when the home side was thrashed in all of their matches, disgruntled Zimbabwe fans vented their frustrations by holding up a variety of homemade signs, some of which suggested that Zimbabwe cricket players should be arrested and “face treason” over their performances.”The fans made themselves clear during the India series and I believe the players had got the message, therefore there was no need to continue with waving such cards again,” Banhire said. “The fans are very happy that we have come this far.”ZC is continuing to investigate Waller’s complaint, and warned that it is “taking steps to introduce sanctions against those involved in such incidents”. The ICC’s anti-racism code requires members to impose punishments, including possible life bans, on anyone found guilty of racial abuse.

'The word 'traditional' doesn't belong in women's sports' – USWNT stars Tobin Heath and Christen Press on missing the World Cup, defining 'Gal Culture' and their goal to change media forever

GOAL caught up with the two World Cup winners to discuss their show and their plan to redefine coverage of women's sports.

At some point in the leadup to the World Cup this summer, both Tobin Heath and Christen Press had to acknowledge and accept the fact that they wouldn't be there with the U.S. women's national team. Injuries had robbed them of their chance to make a push for a third consecutive World Cup title, with both being key members of the teams that won in both 2015 and 2019.

So what did they do instead? They simply turned their focus toward an even more ambitious goal, one that has been in the back of their minds for some time. You see, with setbacks comes opportunity, and with the loss of a World Cup, Heath and Press can now solely focus on changing the way women's sports are covered forever.

Four years ago, Heath, Press, Megan Rapinoe and Meghan Klingenberg united to create re-inc, a lifestyle brand aiming to lead the conversation surrounding women's sports. This summer, re-inc unleashed The RE-CAP Show, starring Heath and Press, to breakdown the USWNT's road through the World Cup.

But this isn't a one-off or something for the two to use the pass the time until they're healthy again. Both Heath and Press are in this for the long haul. They have goals that extend far beyond a World Cup summer.

"Even when we've done interviews and stuff, we've always just been seen as talent," Heath tells GOAL, "but to be seen as actually the creators and the business owners is a massive step in changing the landscape of media. Media is being shaken up all over the place, and sports, for sure, is a big part of that.

"We always felt that, with women's sports, there was this idea of a sports house and women's sports got the guest room or the addition or like the garage of the house, right? We never really fit into it and we were always kind of like playing second fiddle until like a big thing like the World Cup, and even then, it's like we just felt like it didn't really represent us to the fullest. We thought we were very much pushed through a very small lens of what a women's athlete is. We have this massive opportunity this summer to be a part of the solution of that."

GOAL caught up with Heath and Press to discuss their thoughts on the World Cup, their adjustment to life in the studio and how they plan to define "gal culture" to the rest of the world.

GettyMissing the World Cup

Heath had known for some time that she wouldn't be heading to the World Cup. For Press, accepting that fact was a little bit harder.

The USWNT winger tore her ACL back in June 2022, and has since had four surgeries, with the most recent being on July 18. Throughout that process, Press had to come to grips with the fact that her body would not be able to handle what her mind wanted to do. There would be no third consecutive World Cup run.

"I have been on the road to recovery since June 2022, and it was not until the roster was named that I ever imagined I wouldn't be there," she says. "I think a lot of that is because I believe in manifestation, I believe in hopefulness and optimism. I'd rather be a fool than a pessimist. That's like a choice, a mental choice I make. I'd rather be called naïve than live with cynicism, and so it wasn't until the roster was named that I even processed this fully.

"I do miss being there and I've had moments in the World Cup where I felt nostalgic. The part that I feel most nostalgic for is that I know what the players are going through and I know how hard it is and I know how that creates a bond and a knowingness and an understanding. I miss that. I miss the quiet time in the hotel between meals. I miss getting coffee with my friends and knowing that no one else in the entire world can imagine what we're experiencing except for the people that are right there with you. I miss the bubble. I miss the intensity.

"When I've watched this whole World Cup, I've been overwhelmed with that sense. That doesn't happen 12 months out of the year with the U.S. women's national team. It is only happening for players in world championships because these tournaments are really like shooting star experiences. They're the highest intensity and it creates like a very unique environment."

As for her recovery, Press says she's doing as well as she can just days removed from surgery as she continues her extended rehabilitation process.

"I'm feeling fine! I'm on the bike, walking around, just waiting for the swelling to subside, waiting for my stitches to come out," she says. "Then I'll just be back at it strengthening and doing everything that I can get back on the pitch."

AdvertisementGetty ImagesStarting the show

Missing out on the World Cup, though, may just be a blessing in disguise. It led to the formation of The RE-CAP Show, after all.

The series, which is hosted by both Press and Heath, follows the USWNT's path through the World Cup. Through the show, the two are looking to provide analysis and insight with stories through their own playing careers, but both are also eager to bridge the gap between women's sports and life beyond it.

The two have already welcomed star-studded guests, with ex-USWNT boss Jill Ellis, OL Reign coach Laura Harvey and former USWNT star Lauren Holliday all joining so far.

Press wants to make one thing clear, though: the formation of this show isn't a reaction to being injured. It isn't something she and Heath are doing to stay involved with this World Cup. It's something that both are extremely passionate about, and will remain passionate about when healthy and beyond.

"I don't see this as like, 'Oh, I became injured and then I had to find something to find a purpose'," she says. "As an athlete, I was always yearning for purpose, always. I wrote a blog and I did broadcasting and I reupped a Player's Association and I negotiated CBAs and I always did a lot because for me, being an athlete, it is really important to also stimulate my brain because that's my personality. I like to use my brain in intellectual ways.

"Being injured is no change. I'm doing a lot. I've been a CEO of a startup for four years and I continue to be the CEO, co-CEO with Tobin, and running the show is a part of that.

"I think for me, it's really not reactionary. It's about how I am and who I am. I think the habits that I build over time, make it so that I don't view individual instances as hardships, but I do know that the rest of the world does."

GettyInside opinions from outside the bubble

Press and Heath know why so many are interested in hearing their opinions about this World Cup. Few people on this planet have resumes that can match up with theirs, and few have the knowledge and experience to break down what's happening at the highest level.

However, some parts of that are easier said than done. For decades, athletes have transitioned into media and many have found it difficult. It's not just the on-camera aspect that's hard, either, but the subject matter as a whole.

Many writers and pundits struggle with analysis, finding it difficult to strike the balance needed when it's time to be critical. So you couldn't blame Press or Heath if they'd find it hard to take shots at their former teammates, even when the moment calls for it. Both, though, are ready to do so.

Speaking after the USWNT's 1-1 draw with the Netherlands, Heath called the first half "disastrous". She said that the team looked like a group of individuals, not a finely-tuned machine. Heath also criticized Vlatko Andonovski's decision not to use Lynn Williams as a substitute, with Rose Lavelle being the only player to come off the bench.

"It's funny because when we're analyzing the game, we're hypercritical," Heath says, "because that's the way that we would be analyzing it as players. There's this general zeitgeist of what the media thinks is going on, and then there's the reality of what's happening with the girls and they're not the same thing.

"It's easy to get wrapped up in what the loud noises are being a fan and all of these things, but if you could actually just come at it from a player perspective and analyze the game, you're actually more critical probably than the fans from an analytical perspective. "

Press agrees. Given their experiences, both feel qualified to offer criticism in the right way, and both know what it's like on the other side to hear that criticism, especially coming from people you respect. They also both have a general idea of what goes on in USWNT camp and what impact, or lack thereof, outside opinions have on the group.

"Tobin and I have walked the walk," Press says, "and it allows us to, not share what is fair, I'm not a journalist, I share what I feel and I know that's subjective. I don't feel worried about that because I'm entitled to my feelings. I love his team, we've both given our life to this team, and the only thing that we want is for the team to succeed. We're not here to make news and drama, but we are here to amplify the message of sports and excellence that we have given our life to and continue to do so."

She continued: "The criticism is absolutely a part of it. It comes with the territory of greatness. When you're on your way to doing something great, people are going to criticize you and judge you along the way, and it's almost a signal that you're on the right path, and that's my analysis of that last game.

"I am curious, really, what it feels like in camp now because a single game in the World Cup doesn't win you the World Cup and it could go a lot of different ways. If the team is really oriented around an epic second half and a bit of momentum and really embodying the values of the U.S. women's national team with that or they're more focused on the tactics and the formation and the structure. That comes down to the staff and the player personalities and each team is really different in that."

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GettyDefining Gal Culture

One of the things that makes the RE-CAP Show so interesting is the hosts. Throughout her career, Heath, in particular, has generally been content to stay in the background while her larger-than-life teammates took center stage. She was always a player that let her game do the talking and, if you've followed her career at any point, you'll know that her game talked a lot.

So it was a bit of a shock for many to see Heath dive into content and place herself front and center. It's something that she, admittedly, has thought about for some time. Heath isn't necessarily in this to prove herself as some pundit or game analyst; she's in it to tell stories that haven't been told, simply because there haven't been many storytellers quite like her.

"It's been super liberating," Heath says. "Look, I can speak for myself personally: I was never represented in what I thought women's sports media content should look like. I want to create content that looks and feels like the diversity of what women's sports is so that little Tobin could have been included in that and would have been proud to stand in front of a camera and tell her story and use her voice. It was not always accepted. It just wasn't like that.

"Most of us, we do our talking on the field and we've done as much talking as possible and it's been incredible to be part of such a successful team, but more so the legacy off the field is what's really important to us. Part of this media division, which is the most important thing, is using the lens of what sports is to talk about much bigger issues, like pay equity, racial equality, women's health, queer culture. This is what women's sports is! This is the part that has been eliminated from women's sports for a really long time because we weren't the ones telling our stories."

The RE-CAP show is, for Heath, the first step in the process. This World Cup summer is a start, a beginning. The aim is to use this show as a springboard for larger goals as she looks to help define the culture and the narrative surrounding women's sports going forward.

"The end goal of this is to remediate or reimagine the way women are seen experiencing sports," she says. "What I want it to look like is, if you're watching a piece of content, immediately because of what they're saying, because you're seeing that there's this intersection between sports and progress and equity, that you're like, 'Oh my gosh, re-up did that, that's their culture!' It's Gal Culture, and we want you to be able to recognize our content for what it is because right now, and I say over and over again, Gal Culture hasn't been defined.

"Bro Culture permeates our sports content and Gal Culture isn't there yet. We want to be the ones to define it, to get the look tone, style and feel of it, and this is just our first piece of content to do that."

India to use DRS for England Tests

India have agreed to use DRS for the upcoming Test series against England on a “trial basis” to “evaluate the improvements made” in the system. India had played in the first series with umpire reviews, against Sri Lanka in 2008, but this will be their first bilateral contest since then with all the components of the DRS – including ball-tracking technology – in place.”We are happy to note that Hawk-Eye has institutionalised all the recommendations made by BCCI, and we confirm that this improved version of DRS will be used on a trial basis during the forthcoming series against England,” the BCCI president Anurag Thakur said. “Based on the performance of the system and the feedback that we will receive, further continuation in forthcoming series will be decided.”One of India’s biggest concerns with the DRS, the predicted path of the ball after it hits the pad in the case of lbw decisions, will be addressed by the use of ultra-motion cameras. The manual intervention in determining the point of impact will be minimised by the introduction of Ultra Edge, which according to a BCCI release had been approved by Massachusetts Institute of Technology [MIT]. It will also eliminate the possibility of another touch after the first impact affecting the predicted path or point of impact.”Earlier, there was a possibility that the operator would have missed a delivery and hence an lbw appeal could have been missed,” the BCCI release said. “Now, Hawk-Eye has developed the technology to record and save all images so that in case an operator fails to arm the tracking system, the images can be rewound and replayed.”Since their first experience with the system in its nascent stages, India were the biggest opponents of the DRS. The only times India used it since that 2008 series was in ICC events and in one Test series against England in 2011. In that series, the DRS was not used for lbw decisions.The BCCI’s sustained refusal to use the DRS meant that other countries would not use the system only when playing India. The board rarely articulated its opposition to the system in detail; India’s former Test captain MS Dhoni used to say they would use DRS only when it was 100% accurate.The current India coach Anil Kumble, who is also the head of the ICC cricket committee, had made a visit to MIT before he took over the India job to be apprised of the latest developments in the DRS technology. During the recent series against New Zealand, India’s current Test captain Virat Kohli had said India “definitely wanted to think about DRS”, which was the first significant departure from their previous stance.On October 19, the ICC general manager Geoff Allardice made a presentation in Delhi that was attended by Kumble. Two days later, India confirmed their acceptance of the system albeit on a trial basis.

Southampton identify Nathan Tella as key to next season

Southampton attacker Nathan Tella is set to be a key figure during the club's upcoming Championship campaign, according to talkSPORT transfer expert Alex Crook.

What is the situation between Nathan Tella and Southampton?

The Saints youngster has made 41 appearances for the Saints so far in his career, recording two goals and five assists, however, he spent last campaign out on loan at Burnley in search of more regular first team football.

The 23-year-old whiz shone in the Championship last season, scoring 17 and assisting five as Vincent Kompany's side won the title with 101 points, the sixth-highest in the division's history. Tella was named in the Championship Team of the Season as a result of his performances.

Burnley have engaged in talks with Southampton previously about turning the 5"8 forward's loan move into a permanent one according to Football Insider, with the Clarets boss desperate to keep his top scorer at the club ahead of their return to the top flight.

However, the South Coast side want to keep the winger ahead of their first Championship season in over a decade.

Soccer Football – Championship – West Bromwich Albion v Burnley – The Hawthorns, West Bromwich, Britain – September 2, 2022 West Bromwich Albion's Jed Wallace in action with Burnley's Nathan Tella Action Images/Matthew Childs EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please c

Crook has now suggested that Tella may well be a key piece for the Saints next season, telling GIVEMESPORT:

"Burnley have had conversations about taking Tella back, Southampton have made it pretty clear they want him to stay. What they've got there is somebody who has proven he can do it in the Championship as recently as this season. I think he could be quite central to Southampton."

When asked about his future at Southampton, the Clarets' top scorer was coy, refusing to give a definitive answer on the matter, with the player telling BBC Radio Lancashire:

"I haven’t really thought about it, I know I’m contracted to Southampton so I’m looking forward to going back there and doing pre-season."

What does the future hold for Nathan Tella?

Tella is expected to be part of the Southampton squad that arrives at Staplewood for the start of their pre-season campaign.

Burnley are expected to continue pushing and testing the Saints' resolve to keep the player, who was dubbed a "raw diamond" Kompany, at St Mary's throughout the window, and with the financial bonus that being in the Premier League provides, the Lancashire-based side could make an offer simply too good to refuse.

The homegrown youngster, who is valued at £13m by CIES Football Observatory, would also hope to be playing in the Premier League next season after his incredible loan spell in the division below, however, the South Coast could return to the top flight within the next couple of seasons, so the 23-year-old could well be rewarded should he display patience.

Wherever Tella ends up next season, he will be hoping to build on the incredible form he showed last season, whether that be in the Premier League or the Championship.

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