Category Uncategorized

Celtic find themselves linked with several options in the hunt for a striker, but further movement to address their forward line may depend on outgoings, according to a report.

Celtic's mission to retain Daizen Maeda this summer

For the first time in a while, Celtic have an abundance of striking options, albeit it is hard to determine whether they have the quality that Brendan Rodgers requires to navigate another campaign where his side will hope to compete on multiple fronts.

Callum Osmand, Johnny Kenny, Adam Idah, and incoming new boy Shin Yamada have added variety in the final third. Still, there is no doubt that reflections on the summer window would be vastly altered if Daizen Maeda were to depart before the close of play.

Despite operating on the wing for most of his time in Glasgow, the Japan international played centrally on a frequent basis last season and rounded off a magnificent campaign with 33 goals across all competitions.

It always felt unlikely that he would last the duration of the market period without drawing attention, which has been the case amid interest from Leeds United, Brentford and others in his situation, albeit this came earlier on in proceedings.

Fenerbache have also been cited as admirers of Maeda and were known to be in the running. However, like many of Celtic’s high-profile departures, they tend to occur towards the end of the transfer window when clubs begin to realise they need to conduct business fast.

Medical set for "impressive" star to join Celtic after departure announced

The Bhoys are closing in on another signing.

BySean Markus Clifford Jul 17, 2025

The Bhoys generally follow a similar policy regarding new additions. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see this topic of conversation come to life again over the next few weeks, and reports suggest this saga may be far from complete.

Celtic line up potential contingency if Daizen Maeda were to depart

According to TEAMtalk, Celtic have set their sights on Wycombe Wanderers striker Richard Kone as a potential replacement for Maeda, should the latter succumb to interest later in the window.

Tottenham Hotspur, Everton and West Ham United are reportedly monitoring his situation, while Brentford are clued in following their early groundwork on his unique profile.

Daizen Maeda in 2024/25 – all competitions

Appearances

51

Goals

33

Assists

12

Richard Kone in 2024/25 – all competitions

Appearances

52

Goals

21

Assists

5

Turning to the market, Celtic have identified Kone as a potential source of goals to replicate Maeda and scouted him on three occasions last season, even if a deal may prove tricky amid Wycombe’s stance on letting the Ivorian head elsewhere.

Setting out their stall, the third-tier outfit could demand £7 million for the Ivorian striker, which is said to be a figure the Bhoys are unwilling to pay unless they were to utilise funds generated by sales.

Brentford, Crystal Palace, Norwich City, Toulouse and Union Saint-Gilloise have been enticed by Kone, who managed to direct 40 of his 99 shots on target last season in League One.

Plates are beginning to spin for Celtic, but it is fair to say a fair level of complication stands in the way of being able to land the prolific 22-year-old, who has been labelled someone with a ‘huge amount of potential’ by West Ham insider ExWHUEmployee amid the Hammers’ interest in him.

Liverpool’s attacking unit has been truly frightening this season, undoubtedly playing a massive role in their ability to claim the Premier League title in 2024/25.

Mohamed Salah was undoubtedly the shining light in such a department, netting 29 goals and registering 18 assists in his 38 outings for Arne Slot’s men.

Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz shared the responsibility on the left-hand side, with the aforementioned duo netting 23 goals between them in the league.

However, the one complaint was with the centre-forward position, with the Reds needing an elite-level talisman to further increase their chances of retaining their crown next time around.

With Darwin Núñez and Diogo Jota both touted with moves away from Anfield, the hierarchy may have funds to play with, allowing Slot to get his hands on the star striker he greatly desires.

The latest on Liverpool’s hunt for a new striker this summer

Alexander Isak has been the dream option over the last couple of months for Liverpool, but his £150m asking price has scuppered any chances of landing the Swede’s signature this window.

Viktor Gyokeres is another name who’s been mentioned with a move to Merseyside, but like Isak, a deal looks unlikely after claiming he’s keen on a move to Arsenal.

Such situations have led the Reds to other targets, with RB Leipzig star Benjamin Sesko the latest talent in their sights, according to journalist James Wathland.

He claims that the hierarchy have already made contact with the Slovenian’s representatives over a move to Anfield, with Arsenal also in the race for his signature.

It’s also been reported that the player himself would be keen on a move to join Slot’s side, potentially moving to the Premier League off the back of a 21-goal campaign in Germany.

Why Sesko would be a better signing than Ekitike for Liverpool

In recent days, Eintracht Frankfurt star Hugo Ekitiké has been a man in demand, with numerous Premier League clubs registering interest in a move for the forward this summer.

Liverpool are just one side in the race, with Manchester United and Chelsea just two of the sides battling it out for his signature during the off-season.

His tally of 22 goals across all competitions in 2024/25 makes the interest no surprise, with the Frenchman potentially able to be the number nine the Reds have been hunting for.

However, if they are to agree a move with the 22-year-old, they would have to fork out a fee in the region of £84m, potentially being a deal worth walking away from.

Should they decide to move onto other targets once more, Sesko should be their number one target to fill the void, with the striker being labelled the “new Erling Haaland” by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

He possesses a very similar frame to the Norwegian, whilst also having a lethal strike, which has seen him score numerous long-range efforts during his time in Germany.

The 21-year-old is also a huge threat in the air, similar to that of the Manchester City star, with Sesko potentially being the final piece in Slot’s Liverpool puzzle.

When comparing his stats to those of Ekitike this campaign, he may have scored fewer goals, but has managed a better goal per shot on target rate – handing the club the clinical option they’ve been hunting for.

He’s also dominated aerially, winning more of the aerial duels he’s entered throughout 2024/25, with his skillset allowing for a focal point for the likes of Salah, Diaz and Gakpo to play off.

Whilst both players would likely improve the options currently at the manager’s disposal, it’s pivotal that the Reds pursue a move for Sesko over Ekitike, with his stats backing up why he’d be a more effective option.

Should he manage to follow in Haaland’s footsteps in England, it would be a bargain regardless of the price tag, handing the club the added threat in their pursuit of back-to-back league titles.

Perfect for Isak: Liverpool told £75m bid for PL star will be accepted

Liverpool may need to sign a new left-sided forward this summer.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jun 14, 2025

Bangladesh needed to chase down the target of 116 in 12.1 overs, but didn’t seem to push hard enough considering a place in the semi-finals was at stake

Mohammad Isam25-Jun-20241:53

Tamim: ‘Bangladesh should’ve gone for the chase’

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said his team gave up pushing for a place in the T20 World Cup semi-finals after they lost three wickets in the first three overs of their chase against Afghanistan in Kingstown.After restricting Afghanistan to 115 for 5 in the final Super Eight game, Bangladesh needed to win in 12.1 overs to go ahead of Afghanistan and Australia on net run rate and qualify for the semi-finals from Group 1 along with India.”The plan was to try [to win in 12.1 overs] if we get a good start in the powerplay,” Shanto said after the match. “We thought that if we don’t lose early wickets, we could take the chance [to go for the semi-finals]. When we lost three wickets, we had a different plan. We wanted to see how we could win the game. The middle-order didn’t take good enough decisions, which is why we lost the game today.”Bangladesh slipped to 23 for 3 in 2.5 overs and their subsequent slowdown sparked outrage among their fans, who could not fathom such an approach from a team that had a chance to qualify for the semi-finals.Former captain Mashrafe Mortaza said in a post on Facebook that Bangladesh shouldn’t have thought about merely winning against Afghanistan. “Litton’s intent and the non-strikers’ silence suggests that there was no clear message for the batting unit. Even if there was a message, it changed every one or two overs. It ended up with the decision to try to just win the game.”Today should have been just about winning in 12.1 overs. There was no other way of thinking. Everyone would have understood if they got bowled out for 50. If we had won this game, we would have lost to our conscience. This was not like ten other matches. We could have made history today.”Related

Bangladesh exit T20 World Cup as they entered, timidly

Gulbadin Naib's apparent cramp comes under scrutiny

Afghanistan storm into maiden World Cup semi-finals; Australia knocked out

Rashid: Semi-final is 'massive inspiration for youngsters' back home

Bangladesh were in the hunt at 75 for 5 at the end of the ninth over. Towhid Hridoy had struck Mohammad Nabi for two fours in the eighth over before Litton Das hit Rashid Khan for two more fours in the ninth. Forty-three runs to get in 3.1 overs was tough but not impossible, but then Mahmudullah played out a Noor Ahmad over with five dot balls and just one attacking shot that yielded a boundary. Rashid took two wickets in the 11th over to end Bangladesh’s chances of progressing to the semi-finals.”We wanted to win the match. It was the initial plan,” Shanto said. “When we saw 115 runs on the board, we had a plan to win in 12.1 overs. The batting group made a lot of poor decisions. It is frustrating and disappointing. We wanted to win this game. We had the chance in our grasp. We couldn’t take it.”Litton remained unbeaten on 54, carrying his bat as Bangladesh were bowled out for 105 in the 18th over to confirm Afghanistan’s place in the semi-finals at Australia’s expense.Bangladesh had made another tactical blunder by holding back Hridoy, arguably their best batter in this T20 World Cup, to No 6. Sending in out-of-form batters like Soumya Sarkar over Hridoy was costly but Shanto said the team wanted to have a left-right combination in the middle. “We mixed up the batting order because we wanted to keep left-right combination. There was Litton in one end. They had a lot of variations in their bowling. Everyone was clear, they knew we would do this.”Bangladesh’s net run rate situation need not have been this dire had they shown more urgency in their previous Super Eight game against India. Chasing 197 on a good batting pitch in Antigua, Bangladesh had managed only 146 for 8 in response. Tamim Iqbal, an expert for ESPNcricinfo, and Shakib Al Hasan had criticised the team’s attitude and tactics, dropping Taskin Ahmed to not showing intent in the powerplay.”We gave our 100% against India,” Shanto said after Bangladesh’s loss to Afghanistan. “We picked the extra spinner in Mahedi, who bowled well. We should have scored a few more runs on that wicket [in Antigua]. We didn’t utilise it properly. The scenario would have been different had we batted better [against India].”Shanto signed off by apologising to the Bangladesh fans for letting them down. His last word at the press conference in St Vincent was “sorry”. Bangladesh’s fans, however, deserve more than a perfunctory ‘sorry’ from their captain and the team management.

Glasgow Rangers need to change their transfer strategy if they wish to compete domestically next season.

Celtic will wrap up their fourth successive Premiership title soon, and if the Light Blues don’t change things this summer, the drought could go on for much longer.

Of course, much will depend on who becomes the new manager of the Ibrox side this summer as Barry Ferguson’s interim spell looks set to end in a few weeks.

Last summer, Philippe Clement signed players such as Hamza Igamane, Clinton Nsiala, and Jefte. This trio could potentially make the club plenty of money when the time to cash in arrives.

Signing a few experienced squad members is still important this summer, but the vast majority of transfer business should be focused on those who are yet to hit their peak.

With Lyall Cameron already making the move from Dundee to Rangers this summer, it appears the Gers are looking at raiding the Dens Park side for the second time in a matter of months.

Rangers target move for Josh Mulligan this summer

Journalist Joshua Barrie of the Rangers Review has recently stated that the Light Blues are interested in making a move for Mulligan in a bid to add more Scottish talent to their squad.

The 22-year-old’s contract is set to expire this summer, which means the club won’t have to pay a penny in order to secure his signature.

This type of move is one that could offer plenty of rewards for the Gers for such a low-risk signing, something which needs to happen more often.

With James Tavernier’s future uncertain as he enters the last year of his deal in Glasgow, Mulligan could be an ideal heir for the Englishman.

Why Josh Mulligan would be a great signing for Rangers

The Scottish U21 international can play across a range of positions. For Dundee this season, he has played in the centre of the midfield, on the right flank, and at right-back.

While he might not be able to match Tavernier for goal contributions – five assists across 36 matches this season for Dundee – Mulligan still has plenty to offer going forward.

Indeed, in the Premiership this season, he has created eight big chances while also averaging one key pass and one successful dribble per game in the top flight.

A move to Ibrox would allow Mulligan the chance to play for a team that will fight for domestic trophies, plus giving him the chance to feature in European competition, whether it be the Champions League or Europa League.

Josh Mulligan’s market valuation at Dundee

According to Transfermarkt, Mulligan is currently worth €600k (£500k) at the time of writing.

Given his impressive performances for a relegation-threatened Dundee side, this value will surely increase in the next few months, especially if he moves to Rangers and showcases his talents.

If, and it’s a big if, Mulligan shines at Ibrox and becomes the player everyone expects of him, he will make the club millions in profit.

At this moment in time, however, there is another Scottish youngster in the first-team squad who is currently worth a lot more than Mulligan – Connor Barron.

How Connor Barron has performed for Rangers this season

In one of the worst-kept secrets last summer, Rangers finally announced the signing of Barron after weeks of rumours.

The midfielder left Aberdeen upon the expiration of his contract, duly made the move south to Ibrox, and was essentially seen as an ideal replacement for Ryan Jack.

Following 76 appearances for the Dons, it was clear that Barron was looking like a solid signing. He clearly knew how to perform in the Premiership and had made six appearances in the Conference League for the Pittodrie side last season.

His performances were hailed by Scott Gemmill, Barron’s U21 manager at international level, who said: “Connor is very impressive on and off the pitch the way he conducts himself.”

It didn’t take long for him to make his mark at Rangers, starting both of the Champions League qualifying matches against Dynamo Kiev, along with operating in the starting XI for the first 13 league games.

Accurate passes per game

22.7

40.1

Pass success rate

80%

90%

Tackles per game

2.3

2.1

Balls recovered per game

4.3

3.4

Possession lost per game

7.9

7

2025 hasn’t been as productive, however, as Nico Raskin and Mohamed Diomande have established themselves as the main midfield duo at Ibrox in recent months.

This has left Barron resorting to appearances from the bench in order to get playing time. He did feature for 83 minutes in the recent 3-2 victory over Celtic at Parkhead and was even made captain for the 2-2 draw against Aberdeen a few weeks ago.

Overall, it has been a solid debut campaign in Glasgow for the young midfielder. In the Premiership, Barron averages a 90% pass success rate, makes 2.1 tackles, 1.1 clearances, and recovers 3.4 balls per game.

Furthermore, he loses possession only seven times per game and wins 50% of his ground duels each match for the Ibrox side, which suggests that he is reliable on and off the ball.

Connor Barron’s market valuation at Rangers

Although Barron initially arrived at Rangers for nothing, the Gers were forced to pay a fee of around £640k for the midfielder after they were due compensation because his career began at Aberdeen.

This still looks like it could become a bargain transfer for Rangers, especially considering his market value has increased recently.

Indeed, according to Transfermarkt, Barron is now worth €2.5m (£2m) following an impressive debut season in Glasgow.

This means that he is currently worth even more than Mulligan, who is valued at £500k, and that illustrates how much the Gers hit the jackpot with the Scotland international.

Much will depend on who the new manager will be, but Barron has laid the foundations for a potentially successful spell at Rangers.

He is worth a lot more than Mulligan, and this valuation should rise exponentially as time goes on.

Whatever happens, it appears as though the club are looking to bring in the best of Scottish talent this summer. With Barron and Cameron now part of the squad, Mulligan could be the next player to link up with Rangers.

Not just Butland: Rangers must axe 'shocking' star who Mourinho would hate

Rangers may have to make some changes to their squad if they decide to appoint Jose Mourinho.

ByDan Emery Apr 23, 2025

Aston Villa stand on the edge of glory. While their Champions League may have ended by PSG, Unai Emery’s side have a wonderful chance to reach a first FA Cup final since 2015.

The club have not won this competition since 1957. Indeed, they haven’t won a major honour since 1996, and it would be fitting to finally end this drought under a man who has lifted them from the doldrums.

2014/15

Liverpool

Won 2-1

2009/10

Chelsea

Lost 3-0

1999/00

Bolton

Won 4-1 on penalties

1995/96

Liverpool

Lost 3-0

1959/60

Wolves

Lost 1-0

In midweek, the Midlands side suffered a 2-1 loss to Manchester City in the Premier League. While not disastrous, it represented a chance to cement their place in the top five of the table.

Several of the starting XI failed to perform as expected, most notably Boubacar Kamara in the heart of the midfield.

Why Emery must drop Boubacar Kamara

There is no doubt Kamara has been excellent when called upon this season, but against City, he didn’t quite look himself.

He played the full 90 minutes alongside Amadou Onana for Villa and succeeded with 87% of his passes, but the Frenchman could only win one of his seven contested ground duels, along with losing possession eight times.

Kamara also failed to make a single tackle during the match and was dribbled past on two occasions. Despite his tireless shift, it wasn’t enough to see Villa take home all three points.

With an FA Cup final place at stake this weekend, Emery might just switch things up ahead of the match against Crystal Palace.

This could see Kamara dropped from the starting XI, with Youri Tielemans slotting back into a deeper role.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

If so, there is only one man who should be deployed as Villa’s number ten – Marco Asensio.

Marco Asensio must be unleashed by Aston Villa

The Spaniard has been a truly inspired signing by Emery, even if it is just on a temporary basis.

Indeed, the former Real Madrid starlet has scored eight goals and chipped in with a solitary assist for the club across 20 matches.

In the Premier League, Asensio has created one big chance, averaging 1.3 key passes and succeeding in 58% of his dribble attempts.

These statistics are made even better considering he has started only five matches in the top flight since arriving back in January.

Dubbed as “world-class” by former Arsenal and Birmingham City defender Matthew Upson in March after his exploits against Club Brugge in the Champions League.

If the club have a chance of signing him on a permanent deal, then Emery must do everything in his power to do so.

Starting him against Palace at Wembley could give Villa the best chance of reaching the final of the competition, no doubt about that, because of the attacking quality that he can provide with his ability to both score and create.

The PSG loanee has scored twice in the tournament so far, netting a double against Cardiff. If he is unleashed, expect him to conjure up some more magic for the Villa faithful.

Worth 330% more than Nypan: Aston Villa struck gold with "unstoppable" star

Aston Villa are reportedly closing in on a move to sign Sverre Nypan.

ByJoe Nuttall Apr 23, 2025

Bangladesh’s death-over expert was instrumental in their victories in their previous two games in the Asia Cup

Mohammad Isam and Shiva Jayaraman23-Sep-20254:47

Chopra: India lives in Bangladesh’s head rent free

Mustafizur Rahman equalling Shakib Al Hasan’s national record of 149 T20I wickets validates his stature as Bangladesh’s best bowler in the format. Seventy of those 149 wickets have come in the death overs (16-20) – the most by any bowler in this phase in men’s T20Is.He took 3 for 20 with his left-arm pace in Bangladesh’s first Super Four match of the Asia Cup, against Sri Lanka; his two wickets in the 19th over kept the opponents down to a target which his team’s batters were able to achieve. In the game before that, Mustafizur had taken 3 for 28, successfully spearheading Bangladesh’s defence of 154 against Afghanistan to earn two crucial points.Related

Bangladesh solve the middle-overs riddle

India go in as strong favourites against upbeat Bangladesh

Mustafizur is a proven death-overs specialist: in the last 18 months, he has an economy rate of 3.0 while bowling the 19th over. He’s done it over six matches, an incredible feat regardless of the opposition. For context, Jasprit Bumrah’s economy in the 19th over during this period is 6.5.His mix of offcutters from over the wicket that went away from the right-hand batter was all the rage when Mustafizur emerged in 2015. Even R Ashwin wondered how he managed to bowl that cutter and still got the ball to carry to the wicketkeeper standing back.Shoulder injuries, however, forced Mustafizur to expand his skills. Between 2019 and 2021, he worked with fast-bowling coaches Ottis Gibson and Allan Donald to bring the ball back into the right-hand batter. In recent years, he worked hard on angling the ball across the right-hand batters with his left-arm angle at decent pace, but mixing it up with offcutters.Mustafizur Rahman needs one wicket to become Bangladesh’s top wicket-taker in T20Is•Associated PressMustafizur has the second-best economy rate (7.94) among bowlers with at least 50 wickets from overs 16 to 20 in T20Is. When narrowed down to matches between Full Member nations, Mustafizur still has the second-best economy rate (6.48) in the death overs, behind Bumrah, since April 2024. To be anywhere near Bumrah is impressive.Mustafizur’s career has had ebbs and flows since his debut across formats in 2015. He is no longer picked for Tests and he isn’t as impactful in ODIs as he is in T20Is. Like most bowlers, he’s had his struggles against particular batters and he could face one of them against India on Wednesday. Hardik Pandya has a T20 strike rate of 212.50 against Mustafizur since 2024, and poses a threat to his death-over effectiveness.Ahead of the game, Bangladesh’s head coach Phil Simmons said Mustafizur was now the leader of the attack. “[Mustafizur] has been bowling really well – he’s been the main bowler,” Simmons said. “And he’s carrying that mantle of being the senior bowler on the team. And even in meetings and everything, he’s really stepping up. So it’s great to see him performing out there.”In his debut IPL season, in 2016, Mustafizur Rahman won the Emerging Player award•BCCIBefore the Sri Lanka game, Bangladesh’s fast-bowling coach Shaun Tait had said he tries to keep Mustafizur comfortable to get the best out of him. “He has all the experience; he doesn’t need me to talk to him too much about the way he’s bowling,” Tait said. “If he’s in an environment where he’s happy, I think he’ll perform well. My job with him is just to make sure he’s happy and confident. The rest he takes care of himself.”Many of the world’s best T20 bowlers have honed their skills in franchise leagues around the world, and Mustafizur has been among the busiest Bangladesh players on the circuit. After playing the BPL in 2015-16, his first T20 tournament, he represented Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in IPL 2016, winning the Emerging Player award after taking 17 wickets in his debut season. He also had successful IPL seasons in 2021 and 2024, taking 14 wickets in each year for Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings. Apart from the BPL and IPL, he has also played in the Vitaility Blast, PSL and LPL. While he’s built up his experience, his performance has been a rung or two below the A-listers, and hence he doesn’t evoke the same aura.For Bangladesh, Mustafizur is their go-to bowler at the death. He usually bowls his first over in the powerplay, his second in the middle overs, before returning for two overs at the end. His record against India reads eight wickets at an average of 57.37 and economy rate of 9.4. He will need to improve on that for Bangladesh to upset the reigning T20 World Cup champions.

The Australia fast bowler has bowled about 70% of his balls in the hard lengths and from his height, those are a handful for batters

Sidharth Monga27-Oct-2023The new ball has taken worse battering at this men’s World Cup than at any in the past. At 5.42 runs an over (before Pakistan vs South Africa), this World Cup has cost teams a good six runs more in the first powerplay than the next-highest World Cup for batting against the new ball.It is amazing, because on an average, the ball has swung and seamed more than it did in the last World Cup. However, it has done less than it was doing earlier in the year. Perhaps the batters are just relieved after what they have been facing for the last little while or they are trying to make the most of the new ball before it gets scuffed up as it has been doing in this World Cup.Whatever the reason, it is an opportunity for the really good bowlers to stand out. Among those who have bowled at least ten overs inside the powerplay so far, the second-most economical bowler is someone who, not long ago, was not considered a limited-overs bowler. Josh Hazlewood missed the 2019 ODI World Cup, and wasn’t fought over in IPL auctions. Now he is going at 4.35 an over with the new ball and averaging 21.75 with it. Jasprit Bumrah is going at an unbelievable 2.9 an over, and averaging 29.Related

Maxwell knew he had the fastest World Cup hundred

Maxwell defies the laws of physics in Delhi

World Cup trends: Where have all the thrillers gone?

Either Hazlewood’s workload was being managed or people thought he was too consistent, and thus predictable, in formats where variations were all the buzz. Whatever the reason back then, it is that predictability and consistency that have made Hazlewood the face of the resurgence of the banker bowler. An era that rewards a bowler who can put the ball where he wants is a welcome era. This kind of bowler is not picking up wickets by the truckload, but almost always maintaining an economy better than the going rate and hardly ever has a horrible day out.Pat Cummins, who takes on the role of mixing his lengths in the middle overs, is thankful for such a consistent bowler in the line-up. “He’s been consistent his whole career, he’s been a gun,” Cummins said on the eve of their match against New Zealand. “So, I don’t think him being predictable has ever been a problem. He, I think, even in some of those times when he wasn’t in the team, was ranked No. 1 or 2 in the world. So, he’s fantastic.”He can now bowl at any time [new ball, middle overs or at the death]. But you’re going to get quality up front and, as you said, consistent. Just rarely gets hit off his length and just again another real luxury having someone like him in the team.”In this World Cup, despite taking the new ball, Hazlewood has been bashing the hard lengths, which, when done from his height, can be a handful. Hazlewood has bowled about 70% of his deliveries in the hard length band. For every five of those stock balls, he has bowled one bouncer.Josh Hazlewood goes into Batista mode with his celebrations•Getty ImagesHazlewood has drawn a false response every four balls, which is right up there with Bumrah. It is when he has got into the fuller side of the hard length that Hazlewood has been most effective, drawing a false response every three balls, going at 3.49 an over and taking half of his six wickets. Yet, he has resisted going to the well too often. More than half of his deliveries have been in the shorter side of that hard-length band.That is always the temptation with these bowlers: should they actually bowl fuller more often? The answer probably is that they have great numbers in that fuller part because they do so only when there is assistance in the conditions. That short of a good length – seven-to-nine metres to be precise – comes with the handicap of being employed when there is not much in the pitch.In Dharamsala, one of the three venues with encouraging swing and seam movement, in a day game, you could expect Hazlewood to get more into the six-to-seven-metre band. What’s remarkable with bowlers such as him and Bumrah is that they will go more aggressive without overpitching. You won’t expect half-volleys from them even if they go searching.In the process, if Hazlewood does walk away with a bag of wickets – law of averages would suggest such a match is not a million miles away – he will have earned it.

The story of a leader who does “not walk away from pressure but walks straight into it”

Firdose Moonda 03-Mar-20221:29

Elgar: ‘Decision to bat first was purely about playing a positive brand of cricket’

A leader needs a defining trait to underline his era and in Dean Elgar’s case it’s the ability to walk the talk, according to South Africa’s coach Mark Boucher.”Dean talks a lot but he is prepared to follow it up with actions,” Boucher said as South Africa make their way back from drawing the Test series 1-1 in New Zealand.Their journey home will take 32 hours in total, leaving plenty of time for reflection on their comeback from losing the first Test by an innings and 276 runs to winning the second by 198 runs.Related

• Dean Elgar: 'I didn't come here to play second fiddle. I came here to win a series'

• Elgar: 'My character as a leader is not to take the easy way out'

• Nicholas: SA show fighting spirit that has always defined them

“One of the chats we had was that we were going to be under pressure in the second game. We didn’t want to run away from that. We wanted to walk towards that,” Boucher said. “Just by him (Elgar), winning the toss and batting, not that he is batting No. 5 or 6, but him being the opening batter speaks words for the character and individual that he is. He is prepared to go out there and front up like he did and . And then the rest of the team just gelled together. They look up to him. He has been fantastic, not just in this series but in the last series as well. The guys back him in a big way.”That will be exactly what Elgar, who is on the eve of completing his first year in the job, wants to hear. On March 4, 2021, he was named South Africa’s Test captain, ending an experiment that went wrong with Quinton de Kock and succeeding the highly popular Faf du Plessis. Elgar was not an obvious choice to take over but South Africa’s problem was that no-one else was either. He was one of very few players who had held down a regular place in the side over the last five years, was one of very few batters whose average was close to 40 and was the one who bristled at any talk of South Africa’s decline. So it was him that was chosen and so far, it’s worked out just fine.Under Elgar, South Africa have yet to lose a Test series, beating West Indies, India and sharing spoils with New Zealand. Though he has yet to score a century in the role, Elgar has contributed four fifties, including a match-winning and series-turning 96* against India in Johannesburg. He has spoken out about the administrative upheaval and criticised the way the coaching staff have been handled and has come out strongly in support of Boucher, who faces a disciplinary hearing in May.Dean Elgar has bristled at any talk of South Africa’s decline•AFP/Getty ImagesMost notably, he has led the team through a time when South African cricket is set for a sea charge, in the aftermath of the Social Justice and Nation-Building (SJN) hearings that have polarised the sport even further along racial lines. Elgar captains South Africa’s most transformed and diverse cricket team in history and he has managed to get them to band together even in the toughest of situations.”It’s one thing to lose a Test match but the way we lost the first Test was very disappointing,” Boucher said. “The nice thing was that there was no sense of panic. There was an understanding of what to bring to the table in the second Test match. The mental space the guys must have been in coming off the battering, to go out there and bat fist was very impressive for me. There were a couple of standout performances but as a unit, we managed to string together a very good Test match.”Boucher singled out centurions Sarel Erwee, who he called “a coach’s dream,” and Kyle Verreynne for their knocks in the second Test but also had a word for young bowlers Wiaan Mulder and Lutho Sipamla, who were brought into the XI after a period on the sidelines and were part of an inexperienced pace attack that bowled South Africa to victory.”If you look at the whole Test match, each individual had their part to play. There are always going to be heroes after Test matches and there’s probably going to be unsung ones who probably only get recognition in our change room. It’s important to recognise them,” Boucher said. “Lutho and Wiaan performed their roles within the side. Sometimes you don’t need wickets to go your way, you need to perform your role within the side. Everyone did that. It was a true team effort.”South Africa now lie in the top four on the World Test Championship points table and, with a home series against Bangladesh to com0,e could head into winter in a comfortable position to push for a place in the final. “This win will take us to a good situation and if we can carry on with where we left off, learn from mistakes, we are heading down the right road,” Boucher said.Whether they will have Boucher with them on that journey will only be known in the off-season but what is certain is that Elgar will take the team to England, where he first led them while du Plessis’ was on paternity leave. Then, Elgar did the job for one Test and could not hand the role back fast enough but that was almost five years ago. Elgar has changed his mind, in words and in deed.

LOS ANGELES — The laws of human performance cannot contain Shohei Ohtani anymore, so it was only right that on Friday, neither could Dodger Stadium. 

While he was two-hitting the team with the best record in the sport, after he clubbed the first leadoff home run as a pitcher in the history of the major leagues, as he was in the process of sending his team to the World Series to try to defend its 2024 title, Ohtani launched a cutter 469 feet to right-center field, over the wall and the stands and the pavilion roof and clear out of the ballpark. 

By the time it landed, his teammates had stopped cheering and started laughing. The smiles barely left their faces for the next hour as they finished their charge to the pennant 5–1 over the Brewers to cap a four-game sweep of the National League Championship Series.

In the most important game of Ohtani’s career, he produced simply the most magnificent game anyone has ever played. When he strode off the mound after six-plus innings to an instrumental version of “Jesus Christ, Superstar,” it felt understated. (Unfortunately, in his fourth at-bat, he hit a third home run—making him the 11th player to do so in postseason history, and the first to do so in between striking out 10 batters—rather than sacrificing.)

“This is just a performance that I’ve just never seen,” manager Dave Roberts said afterward. “No one’s ever seen something like this. I’m still in awe right now of Shohei.”

He had the three highest exit velocities (116.9 mph, 116.5 mph, 113.6 mph), the three top distances (469 feet, 446 feet, 427 feet) and 11 top pitch velocities (ranging from 100.3 mph to 99.2 mph) of the game.

And in the week leading up to it, most of the discussion about Ohtani was about whether he could do this at all. During a regular season that will almost certainly win him his third straight Most Valuable Player award and his fourth in five years, he began ramping up as a pitcher following his second elbow reconstruction. On the days he simply hit, he batted .285 with a 1.021 OPS. On the days he pitched, those figures were .214 and .848. (He had a 2.87 ERA in 47 innings, so the Dodgers were willing to make it work.) The problem became more acute in October, as he made his first postseason appearances as a pitcher. During the National League Division Series and the first three games of the NLCS, Ohtani was 3-for-29 with 14 strikeouts. 

German football legend Lothar Matthaus has issued a stark warning to Xabi Alonso, suggesting that Real Madrid superstars Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior may struggle to adapt to his rigid tactical demands after years of "freedom" under Carlo Ancelotti. The Spanish side's recent struggles have sparked claims the coach could be sacked, with his damaged relationship with the Brazilian a major point of contention.

Alonso under pressure already

The atmosphere at the Bernabeu has shifted from expectant to anxious in the space of a few turbulent weeks. Following the departure of Ancelotti, who delivered three Champions League and two La Liga titles, Alonso arrived with a mandate to modernise the club's tactical identity.

Arriving from Bayer Leverkusen with an unbeaten legacy and a reputation for meticulous, system-based football, Alonso was seen as the natural heir to the throne. However, the transition has been far from seamless. With Los Blancos trailing in the Spanish league title race and facing a mounting injury crisis, questions are already being asked about whether the squad's individualists can function within Alonso's "machine".

Writing in his latest column for , Matthaus offered a forensic breakdown of the cultural clash currently taking place in the Spanish capital.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportSuffocating the stars: Why Vini and Jude are struggling

The former Bayern Munich and Inter icon did not hold back in his assessment of the contrasting styles, pinpointing the loss of autonomy as a potential friction point for Madrid's most creative talents.

"He's a different kind of coach than Carlo Ancelotti," he wrote. "The Italian was more like a father figure, giving his players more freedom – especially on the pitch. Alonso, as everyone knew beforehand, values details like discipline, punctuality, and organization on the field. Under Ancelotti, Real Madrid relied more on the individual quality of its players. Alonso continues to give them freedom, but he also gives the stars more guidance on the pitch. Players like Jude Bellingham or Vinicius might not cope as well with that approach.

"For Alonso, the focus isn't on the individual player, but on the team. That worked well in Leverkusen. Florian Wirtz certainly had his freedom there. But Alonso expected all his players to contribute defensively. If a player doesn't like that, he'll have a hard time with the coach.

"You have to question yourself, you have to speak openly, you have to talk to each other. Ultimately, though, the coach decides how the team plays and who plays. And I'm convinced that Alonso is a good fit for Real Madrid, but in his own way."

The friction of transition

Under Ancelotti, Vinicius and Bellingham were the architects of their own destiny, often roaming from their positions to overload specific areas of the pitch based on instinct. It was a strategy of chaos that opposition defences found impossible to predict. Under Alonso, that chaos has been replaced by structure. While effective in the Bundesliga, the system places a heavy cognitive load on players who are used to playing on impulse.

The friction was evident during Sunday's disastrous 2-0 defeat to Celta Vigo as frustration boiled over spectacularly, with the team picking up three red cards, including a dismissal for Brazilian prodigy Endrick from the bench, signalling a loss of emotional control that was rare under the previous regime.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportA defensive crisis ahead of Man City showdown

To compound the tactical headaches, Alonso is currently navigating an injury crisis of biblical proportions. The loss of Eder Militao to a serious hamstring injury against Celta was the latest blow to a backline that has already been decimated.

With Dani Carvajal, Trent Alexander-Arnold and David Alaba all in the treatment room, and Ferland Mendy struggling for fitness, Alonso is trying to implement his complex high-line system with a defence held together by tape and prayers.

On Wednesday night, Madrid host Manchester City in the Champions League and the stakes are high. For Alonso, it is a trial by fire. Facing Pep Guardiola's side without his best defenders and with his best attackers reportedly struggling to "cope" with his demands, the Basque coach needs a result to silence the doubters. It has already been reported that the result may determine whether or not he stays in charge of the club.