Allrounder Bulbulia to lead SA in Under-19 World Cup

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

South Africa have been placed in Group D, where they will face West Indies, Afghanistan and Tanzania

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Dec-2025South Africa have named a 15-man squad for the ICC Under-19 World Cup, with allrounder Muhammed Bulbulia appointed captain for the tournament, to be staged in Namibia and Zimbabwe from January 15 to February 6 next year.Bulbulia, who has impressed in recent youth competitions, will lead a group looking to secure South Africa’s first Under-19 World Cup title since their only triumph in 2014.South Africa have been placed in Group D, where they will face West Indies, Afghanistan and Tanzania.Before the main event, South Africa will sharpen their preparations with three Youth ODIs against India at Willowmoore Park, Benoni, from January 5 to 7.Head coach Malibongwe Maketa praised the squad’s development and maturity, noting the progress the group had made since coming together at lower age-group levels.”What has impressed me most is the growth these players have shown,” Maketa said. “From meeting them as 16-year-olds to seeing who they are now, it’s clear we’re developing not just cricketers, but good young men for this country.”Cricket-wise, their understanding of the intensity required at international level has been outstanding. They’ve gone back to work with their coaches and returned with a new level of intent at every session — exactly what’s needed to compete at a World Cup.”I’m very confident in this group. The progress they’ve made, combined with a culture built on hard work, resilience and putting the team first, gives me real belief. They’ve embraced those values with hunger and quiet confidence.”South Africa open their World Cup campaign on January 16, taking on Afghanistan at the HP Oval in Windhoek.Squad: Muhammad Bulbulia (capt), JJ Basson, Daniel Bosman, Corne Botha, Paul James, Enathi Khitshini Tembalethu, Michael Kruiskamp, Adnaan Lagadien, Bayanda Majola, Armaan Manack, Bandile Mbatha, Lethabo Phahlamohlaka, Jason Rowles, Ntandoyenkosi Soni, Jorich van Schalkwyk.

FAQ: All you need to know about the India vs West Indies Test series

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

India’s 2025-26 season kicks off with a visit by West Indies in October

Abhijato Sensarma29-Sep-20253:28

What does the squad for the WI Tests tell us?

So West Indies are playing Test cricket in India?Yes, and the double-take is justified. Probably. It’s been exactly seven years since West Indies last toured the country for a Test series, way back in October 2018.The first Test starts in Ahmedabad on October 2 and the second one is in Delhi on October 10. The matches start at 9.30 am local time.Should I bother tuning in?Yes! With World Test Championship points in play, every game matters. India’s results in the home series against West Indies, followed by South Africa, will be crucial to their chances of making it to the final at Lord’s in two years’ time.Woah, slow down… remind me how the WTC works again?Ah, yes. The format has befuddled some of the best cricketing minds of our times.Now in its fourth edition, the format remains the same. Each team plays six series over a two-year cycle – three at home, three away. They get 12 points for a win, six for a draw, and none for a loss. Also, in case of over-rate offences, one point is deducted for each over they are deemed to be behind in the final match tally.The points they win are then converted to a percentage total, based on the overall points available to them, and this percentage-based ranking determines the top two teams, who play the final. All quite simple, really.Umm, sure… Remind me how India and West Indies are doing, again?India are third on the table, with 46.67 percentage points. Their first assignment was an all-timer of a Test series in England, which they drew 2-2. The draw still leaves them needing strong showings across the four home Tests this season to guarantee a good position on the table.West Indies are ranked sixth but that’s only because the three teams below them have not played any Tests in the new cycle. They lost 3-0 at home to Australia in what was an all-timer of a drubbing too. They were dismissed for 27 in the final Test, which led to an emergency meeting of the who’s who of Caribbean cricket.6:18

Aaron on Bumrah pick: India not taking any chances after NZ drubbing

What happened the last time these two teams met in India?The results were quite one-sided in the 2018 series – India won the first Test by an innings and 272 runs, the second one by ten wickets. In fact, the last time West Indies defeated India either home or away was in… 2002.The 2018 series also came when India were in the middle of a dominant home run. They didn’t lose a single series from 2013 to 2024.Something happened in 2024, didn’t it…Yes: the infamous 3-0 loss to New Zealand at home. That result re-contextualises this entire series. India will be looking to prove that it was an aberration, but their side is still recovering from the fallout of those events. Former captain Rohit Sharma, their long-term No. 4 Virat Kohli, as well as the first name on the team sheet at home, R Ashwin, have all retired.Right. Ashwin won’t be around for this oneYes – it is quite the loss, too. Since his debut in 2011, Ashwin did not miss a single one of the 65 Tests India played at home. His impact across all these games – 383 wickets at an average of 21.57 – will be tough to replace.But India have a promising spin trio lined up for the West Indies series. It might finally be time for Kuldeep Yadav to get an extended run in the side. He has 56 wickets at 22.16 but sat out all five Tests against England. Axar Patel wasn’t in that squad altogether but will play a prominent role with his proven all-round ability at home. Washington Sundar will look to match him, having already shown quality with the bat.Leading them all will be Ravindra Jadeja, nearing his 15th year in Test cricket and the vice-captain of the side in the absence of the injured Rishabh Pant.2:05

Is there a role for Nitish Kumar Reddy in home Tests?

How does the rest of India’s squad look?Despite gaining crucial experience in England, this is still quite a new-look side. Shubman Gill will lead India for the first time on home soil. He’s coming off a record-breaking run-spree in England, with four centuries, one of which he turned into a double. Pant is out, still recovering from the fractured left foot he sustained in Manchester. Dhruv Jurel is likely to take up the wicketkeeping duties, while N Jagadeesan slots into the squad after having flown to England as the back-up keeper for the final Test.Karun Nair finds himself outside the Test side after scoring just one fifty in eight innings in England. The selectors say that Devdutt Padikkal “offers more” at this stage.How about West Indies?They are looking for a reboot after the Australia defeat as well, reflected in how they have dropped their former captain and 100-Test veteran, Kraigg Brathwaite. Alick Athanaze and Tagenarine Chanderpaul have been recalled, with their ability to play spin being a crucial factor in the decision.Shai Hope made it back to the Test side for the first time since 2021 during the Australia series, but will be looking to improve on a performance where he scored 118 runs at 18.83 across six innings.That said, for West Indies to be competitive against India, they will need their own spinners to come good. Vice-captain Jomel Warrican and left-arm spinner Khary Pierre and captain Roston Chase have a big job ahead of them.A 2-0 clean sweep still seems like the most probable outcome, no?It is certainly a mismatch. However, West Indies will know that this is the most vulnerable India have been at home for a long time. They’ve lost their stalwarts. Their No. 3 – Sai Sudharsan – is still a work in progress. Jasprit Bumrah may be rested for the first Test given it starts just three days after the Asia Cup final. There are opportunities for an upset.ESPNcricinfo will be covering every moment of the series, so stay tuned.

Man City willing to launch £100m+ bid to sign 18-y/o star who’s been compared to Yamal

by z3u9t.icu Uncategorized

Manchester City are now reportedly willing to launch a stunning £100m+ move to sign a young talent who’s been compared to Lamine Yamal.

Guardiola: Man City "had everything" in Sunderland win

Say it quietly, but we might just have a Premier League title race on our hands. After Arsenal slipped up against Aston Villa, courtesy of a dramatic Emi Buendia winner, Man City took full advantage. The Citizens shoved Sunderland aside in vintage fashion as goals from Josko Gvardiol, Phil Foden and a Ruben Dias stunner sealed all three points.

Arsenal’s lead at the top has now been cut to just two points and Pep Guardiola couldn’t hide his delight at full-time, telling reporters: “It had everything. It was one of our best performances of the season, against a great team, considering what they have done so far.

“Definitely [pleased to get a clean sheet], as they don’t concede much. One action from Ruben [Dias] when he lost the ball and they had a chance, but the rest of the match we were composed. We created a lot.”

The Spaniard, a title veteran, also assured reporters that there’s still a long way to go before the season concludes, saying: “Many things are going to happen still. It’s down to the way we play, not how many points behind we are. It’s the way you perform. The players are not stupid, consistency doesn’t come from one result.

Man City now most interested in signing "pacy" £40m+ Arsenal target club chiefs love

The Citizens could get one over on their title rivals.

ByTom Cunningham 6 days ago

“In the last 9 to 10 games, we have been good. We have suffered a lot but we have to learn from it so it doesn’t happen again. When you score five goals against Fulham, you are doing good things.”

Back in their groove on the pitch, City are now reportedly willing to send shockwaves away from the action with a stunning bid to sign Chelsea’s Estevao Willian.

Man City willing to launch Estevao offer

According to reports in Spain, Man City are now willing to launch an offer to sign Estevao worth as much as €120m (£105m). The Brazilian has enjoyed a sensational rise since arriving at Stamford Bridge and is now recognised as one of the best young players in the world.

The 18-year-old recently stole the spotlight from Yamal when he scored an excellent solo goal against Barcelona at Stamford Bridge and that only added credit to Gus Poyet’s comparison between the two.

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has also been full of praise for the teenager, dubbing him “special” earlier this season. Everything is pointing towards a generational star that Man City should be desperate to sign.

Chelsea hatch Mykhailo Mudryk plan in 'carefully considered' roadmap to rescue career

Power-hitters and left-arm spinners flourish; catching continues to be sloppy

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Laura Wolvaardt and Deepti Sharma had World Cups to remember, breaking some records and closing in on other ones

Namooh Shah04-Nov-20253:00

Rapid Fire – moments from the World Cup

A batting boom like never before

The 2025 edition produced batting numbers at a scale never seen before in the women’s game.There were 11 275-plus totals, one better than the previous edition. The tournament also saw 15 individual hundreds, surpassing the 14 in 2017. As many as 21 batters crossed 200 runs this tournament, with 20 of them striking at above 75, a big leap in scoring tempo.The previous edition had 15 of the 19 batters with 200-plus runs going at a 75-plus strike rate. Before 2025, just 46 of 131 batters with 200-plus runs in women’s ODI World Cups had done so at that tempo.

Run rates vs economy rates = knockout teams

The teams with the best difference in batting scoring rates and bowling economy rates were the ones that made the semi-finals. Australia stood out with the best differential of +1.10, followed by South Africa (0.63), India (0.52) and England (0.06). These were also the four sides with positive differentials.

Boundary blitz and six-hitting surge

If the last two World Cups hinted at a bit of a revolution in power hitting in women’s cricket, 2025 confirmed it. The tournament witnessed a record 133 sixes, 22 more than the 111 in 2017. This edition also had the balls-per-boundary ratio (9.8) go below ten.Balls per boundary at CWC 2025•ESPNcricinfo LtdFor the first time, the overall run rate in an edition breached the five-run mark, finishing at 5.14, a sharp rise from 4.69 (2017) and 4.68 (2022).

Left-arm is right

No bowling type exerted more influence at this World Cup than left-arm spin. It delivered the lowest balls-per-wicket ratio of all bowling types – 29.99, around four balls fewer than the next best, which was right-arm legspin. There was also the most wickets by left-arm spin in an edition, 110, which was 33 more than the record in 1982.

Lower-order comebacks

If top-order dominance was a headline, the resilience of the lower order was the other. The last five wickets averaged 20.1 runs in 2025, the best in a women’s ODI World Cup, and scored at 5.3 runs per over. Those translated to nearly 100 runs in 19 overs.

The star performers: Wolvaardt and Deepti

Laura Wolvaardt scored 571 runs, the most by any batter in a women’s ODI World Cup edition, and a record 336 runs now in the World Cup knockouts. Her overall tally of 1328 runs is now the second-highest in the history of the tournament after Debbie Hockley’s 1501.Deepti Sharma, meanwhile, became the first woman to score 200-plus runs and take 20-plus wickets in an ODI tournament. She joined Greg Chappell (1981-82) and Kapil Dev (1985-86), both at the Benson & Hedges tournaments in Australia, as the only players to achieve that double.Catching efficiency at CWC 2025•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Catches continue to go down

Dropped catches continued to plague teams throughout the competition. Nearly one in every three chances went down, with a catch efficiency of 67.3%, a dip from the 72.9% in 2022. England (76.9%) and New Zealand (75%) were the sharpest, while Bangladesh (44.4%), India (63.3%), South Africa and Australia (both 66.7%) found themselves at the other end. In a tournament where batting flourished, fielding often failed to keep up with expectations.DRS at CWC 2025•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

The Desperate Review System

If the DRS was meant to bring clarity, it revealed desperation on the part of the teams instead.On average, teams managed one successful review every three attempts. India led the way for the wrong reasons, with 11 unsuccessful calls out of 15, followed by Australia (6/10). Only Bangladesh stood out with an 80% success rate in five reviews, no other team crossed 45%.

فيديو | فودين يسجل هدف مانشستر سيتي الثالث أمام سندرلاند

by h79snht.top Uncategorized

تمكن فريق مانشستر سيتي من تعزيز تفوقه في مباراته الجارية حاليًا ضد نظيره سندرلاند، في إطار منافسات بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

ويستضيف ملعب “الاتحاد” مباراة مانشستر سيتي وسندرلاند في خضم منافسات الجولة الخامسة عشر من الدوري الإنجليزي، موسم 2025/26.

ونجح مانشستر سيتي في تسجيل الهدف الثالث في شباك سندرلاند، في مباراتهما الجارية في الوقت الحالي، في الدقيقة 65.

جاء الهدف عن طريق فيل فودين، بعد تمريرة مثالية من ريان شرقي، لتصل إلى الإنجليزي الذي سددها برأسه في الشباك، معلنًا عن هدف ثالث لكتيبة بيب جوارديولا.

Dave Roberts Reveals Dodgers' Pitching Plans for NLCS vs. Brewers

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

The Dodgers are gearing up for their second consecutive NLCS appearance in hopes of defending their 2024 World Series title. After disposing of the Phillies in four games in the Division Series, Los Angeles will now set its sights on the Brewers, with Game 1 of the best-of-seven series slated for Monday night.

On Sunday night, Dave Roberts spoke to reporters and detailed what the Dodgers' pitching plans for the upcoming series would be, via Fabian Ardaya of . Roberts indicated that the team intends for starters Blake Snell and Yoshinobu Yamamoto to each start two games of the series and that Shohei Ohtani is also set to pitch "at some point," though he didn't specify when.

Snell is scheduled to start Game 1, and Roberts said the Dodgers would turn to Yamamoto in Game 2.

Tyler Glasnow also figures to start at least a game in the series, though he also pitched in relief earlier this postseason and had plenty of success doing so. It's possible he'll start Game 3 and Ohtani would then go in Game 4.

As for the Brewers, they've yet to name a Game 1 starter, though Freddy Peralta is in line to start in Game 2 against Yamamoto.

First pitch for Game 1 is scheduled for 8:08 p.m. ET from American Family Field in Milwaukee on Monday.

Pedrinho e Felipe: Ídolos do Vasco retornam ao clube para tentar recuperar o futebol

by h79snht.top Uncategorized

MatériaMais Notícias

Após goleada sofrida no Maracanã no último domingo, o presidente Pedrinho se apressou para fazer mudanças no futebol do Vasco para o decorrer da temporada. Felipe ‘Maestro’ é nomeado como diretor técnico do Cruz-Maltino e é mais um ídolo da Colina a voltar ao clube.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Gigante agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Vasco

Em comunicado nas redes sociais, Pedrinho diz que a contratação já estava nos planos, mas decidiu antecipar a mudança após vexame no clássico: “Um jogo inadmissível, resultado que não tem explicação”. A dupla chegou e assistiu junta a derrota na arquibancada do Maracanã.

Revelados no Vasco, onde chegaram aos seis anos de idade em 1983, os jogadores amadureceram na Colina e fizeram parte de uma das gerações mais vitoriosas da história do Cruz-Maltino, que conquistou, dentre outros títulos, dois Campeonatos Brasileiros e uma Libertadores da América.

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Não será a primeira vez que os amigos irão trabalhar juntos fora de campo. Felipe e Pedrinho já foram, respectivamente, técnico e auxiliar do Tigres do Brasil nas primeiras rodadas do Campeonato Carioca em 2017. Mas a parceria durou apenas sete jogos, sendo uma vitória, três empates e três derrotas.

Felipe chega ao Vasco após comandar o Volta Redonda no Carioca deste ano, onde conquistou 14 pontos em 11 rodadas e acabou terminando em 10º lugar. Segundo Pedrinho, a escolha para o parceiro de longa data para o cargo é a recuperação de uma identidade do clube.

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– Dentro desse DNA que é o Vasco da Gama, por ter nascido ali, eu percebi que falta isso dentro do futebol. Falta a essência vascaína, falta as pessoas entenderem o que é o Vasco, entenderem o tamanho do Vasco, entenderem quais são os objetivos do Vasco e a grandeza desse time. Resgatar essa essência é uma das minhas obrigações.

Além de Felipe, Edmundo é mais um ídolo do Cruz-Maltino que, apesar de não ter nenhuma cargo oficial dentro do clube, é sempre muito engajado com as políticas internas do Vasco, e um grande amigo do presidente Pedrinho. Dentro de campo, é inegável que o trio conhece bem o futebol, mas o desafio é tentar buscar o resultado além das quatro linhas.

Como diretor técnico, Felipe vai trabalhar diretamente com o diretor de futebol Pedro Martins para buscar reforços nesta janela de transferências. Em coletiva de imprensa, Martins deixou claro que o Vasco não pretende fazer movimentações bruscas de mercado e que visa primeiramente a segurança financeira do clube.

A principal esperança para o torcedor vascaíno é a chegada do cria Philippe Coutinho, que está em conversas avançadas com o Vasco, e aguarda liberação do Aston Villa, da Inglaterra, para avançar nas negociações. Pedrinho se reuniu com o jogador nesta quarta-feira (05). Seguindo a linha do ‘resgate do DNA vascaíno’, o volante Souza, sugerido por Coutinho, pode ser mais um nome em pauta para retornar à Colina.

Aroldis Chapman Rips Yankees, Says He’d Rather Retire Than Play for Them

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Aroldis Chapman has seen both sides of the Yankee-Red Sox rivalry, having pitched for New York for seven seasons and now Boston this past season. And, as Chapman made crystal clear during a recent appearance on the podcast, he doesn't intend on ever going back to the other side of the rivalry.

"No way, not even dead," Chapman said in Spanish in response to being asked if he'd ever play for the Yankees again. "If I were told that I was being traded to New York, I'd pack my things and go home. I'll retire right on the spot if that happens. I'm not crazy. Never again."

Why does Chapman feel so adamantly about never playing for the Yankees again?

"I dealt with a lot of disrespect [with the Yankees]," Chapman said. "I put up with a lot of things. I knew that they just wanted to find a way to get rid of me, but they didn't know how. And I just dealt with it quietly, kept playing, and doing what I always do."

Chapman was dealt to the Yankees in December of 2015 in exchange for four minor league players amidst allegations into a domestic violence incident allegedly involving the talented relief pitcher. Citing conflicting accounts and insufficient evidence, prosecutors declined to convict Chapman, though he received a 30-game suspension from MLB.

Chapman, after recording a 2.01 ERA and 20 saves in his first 31 games with the Yankees, was dealt to the Chicago Cubs at the 2016 trade deadline, then later reunited with the Yankees on a five-year deal that ensuing winter.

Chapman, a hard-throwing lefthander who routinely hits triple digits with his fastball, was largely effective during his tenure with the Yankees. From 2017 to 2022, he recorded the fifth-most saves in MLB, a 3.05 ERA and posted a 37 percent strikeout rate.

Unfortunately, for Chapman, his Yankee tenure was remembered more for two key home runs he allowed in the postseason, a 2019 American League Championship Series-winning dinger served up to Astros star Jose Altuve and a ninth-inning go-ahead blast to then-Rays infielder Mike Brousseau in the 2020 American League Division Series.

Chapman and ths Yankees also didn't seem to end their relationship on the best of terms.

Chapman's disappointing end to Yankees' tenure

In August of 2022, his last season in the Bronx, Chapman was placed on the 15-day injured list due to a "pretty bad infection" arising from a new tattoo he had recently got at the time. While the Yankees publicly showed no signs of frustration with the flamethrowing closer amid the unfortunate situation, that would soon change later that year.

Days before the Yankees were set to take on the Guardians in the ALDS, Chapman, after disappointing for much of the season, skipped a mandatory team workout and was then fined and subsequently left off the ALDS roster. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman was openly critical of Chapman, calling his absence "disappointing" and questioning whether the eight-time All-Star was "all in."

Judging by Chapman's words, it seems pretty clear who he directs his ire towards with the Yankees.

"I got along well with all the players," Chapman said. "Never had a problem with anybody, even the manager. We're friends and we talk and everything. The bosses are the ones who make those decisions."

Chapman bounced from the Royals to the Rangers—with whom he won his second World Series title—and the Pirates before signing with Boston last winter. He pitched to a 1.17 ERA with 32 saves for the Red Sox in '25.

Standout attacker ‘will soon sign’ for Arsenal with talks in ‘full swing’

by h79snht.top Uncategorized

Arsenal are now expected to sign one club’s highly-rated standout attacker, with talks believed to have been held ahead of January.

Arsenal look to bounce back against Club Brugge

Arsenal arrive in Belgium tonight determined to maintain their flawless Champions League record while rebounding from Saturday’s agonising 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa.

The loss ended their previous 18-match unbeaten streak, but Mikel Arteta’s side have every reason to be very confident heading into their clash with Club Brugge.

Arsenal remain the only team with a 100 per cent record from five matches in the Champions League, sitting atop the 36-team standings following impressive victories over Bayern Munich, Atlético Madrid, Slavia Prague, Olympiacos and Athletic Club.

So, victory at the Jan Breydel Stadium would virtually guarantee automatic qualification to the knockout stages.

However, Arsenal’s defensive crisis has deepened significantly ahead of the 20:00 kick-off.

Gabriel Magalhaes (thigh) and Cristhian Mosquera (ankle) remain sidelined for several weeks, whilst William Saliba continues recovering from a knock.

"I'd be really worried" – Carragher says Arsenal now have a "huge problem"

The Sky pundit has shared a fresh concern for Mikel Arteta.

ByEmilio Galantini 3 days ago

Riccardo Calafiori’s fitness also remains uncertain after he was spotted limping off at Villa Park, though his Premier League suspension doesn’t apply in European competition.

Fresh concerns have emerged with Declan Rice missing the trip through illness and Leandro Trossard aggravating his calf problem. Gabriel Jesus provides welcome news, though, having returned to the Champions League squad after exceeding recovery expectations from his lengthy injury absence.

Arteta is expected to rotate heavily, with Myles Lewis-Skelly, Christian Norgaard, Ethan Nwaneri and Viktor Gyokeres all pushing for starts. Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Eberechi Eze could be rested ahead of demanding domestic fixtures.

Club Brugge, meawhile, are an opposition in disarray.

Nicky Hayen was sacked following two victories from seven matches, with Ivan Leko appointed as his successor ahead of a baptism of fire.

The Belgian side have collected just one point from their last four Champions League fixtures and currently sit 26th in the league phase. Their defensive vulnerabilities prove very alarming, having conceded 24 goals across 11 Champions League matches in 2025 — only Barcelona have shipped more.

Both first-choice goalkeepers, Simon Mignolet and Nordin Jackers, are also fitness doubts, though the former has returned to training.

Arsenal boast impressive Belgian form, winning three of their last four visits. Brugge’s solitary victory against English opposition this century came against Aston Villa thirteen months ago, offering little encouragement ahead of facing Europe’s most dominant team this season.

All signs point towards a straightforward victory for Arsenal this evening, but off the field, sporting director Andrea Berta is making plans to strengthen the squad.

Toni Fruk 'expected' to join Arsenal soon after talks

According to Sport Klub, the Italian has set his sights on HNK Rijeka star Toni Fruk.

The attacking midfielder, who SK believe is the Croatian National League’s ‘best’ footballer and ‘most valuable’ player, is said to be attracting serious interest from N5.

Arsenal have held talks over a deal for Fruk, and the outlet reports that there is an expectation he will ‘soon sign’ for Arteta with the Gunners in pole position ahead of other sides.

Negotiations are apparently in ‘full swing’, but the financial details of this potential deal are still unclear.

The 24-year-old, who’s won five caps for the Croatia national team, has played as a both a number 10 and as a centre-forward this season — bagging 10 goals in all competitions already.

Fruk, who was once on the books at Fiorentina before returning to his homeland with Rijeka in 2023, could also be a very astute signing when considering his deal currently expires in 2027.

The highly-rated forward has also impressed scouts from both Liverpool and AC Milan this season, so he could be a real one to watch.

Carragher was "baffled" by £40m Liverpool signing, now he's their most clutch

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Liverpool ended a run of three successive defeats in all competitions by claiming all three points against West Ham United at the London Stadium in the Premier League on Sunday.

Arne Slot’s team had lost 3-0 to Nottingham Forest and 3-0 to Manchester City in their last two outings in the top-flight, which is why it was so important for them to bounce back with a win against the Hammers.

Alexander Isak scored his first league goal for the Reds after his £125m move from Newcastle United in the summer, as part of an attack that looked very different after some impressive tweaks from the head coach.

The key tactical tweaks Liverpool made against West Ham

Instead of playing Curtis Jones or Dominik Szoboszlai at right-back, Slot opted to go with a natural defender in Joe Gomez in the back four and it was a tactical decision that paid off big time.

The former England international was not dribbled past a single time in the 90 minutes on the pitch, per Sofascore, and provided an assist for the second goal with an excellent cross after Szoboszlai, who was able to play further up the field, did well to lay the ball off to him.

Slot also played Florian Wirtz in the number ten role, after he was left on the bench against PSV, and the Germany international completed 93% of his attempted passes in a controlling and metronomic display in the middle of the park.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast’s ‘First Impressions’ series has everything you need.

The Liverpool boss also made the bold call to drop Mohamed Salah from the starting line-up to play Szoboszlai out wide on the right, days after Alan Pardew suggested that the Egypt international has looked “lost”.

In Salah’s absence, though, Reds forward Cody Gakpo showed that he is the manager’s most clutch player this season with an impressive display.

Liverpool's most clutch player

In March of last year, the £40m signing from PSV was criticised by former Liverpool defender and pundit Jamie Carragher, who claimed that the Dutchman “plays like the game is in slow motion”.

Believe it or not, that’s not the first time the former centre-back has criticised the Dutchman.

Indeed, just after he signed, Carragher wrote that he was ‘baffled watching Gakpo’s early performances,” further stating that ‘Gakpo is not a typical Klopp signing, lacking lightning pace and the capacity to lead a high press.’

There is a languid demeanour to the way that Gakpo plays for Liverpool on the wing, but that is not an inherently bad thing because it is not down to a genuine lack of effort, as shown by his output this season.

The Netherlands international added a goal and an assist to his tally in the 2-0 win over West Ham, setting up Isak for the opener before burying a finish late on to seal the win.

With Salah out, Gakpo once again showed that he is the most clutch player in the squad in the Premier League this season, because he has been the most productive player in front of goal.

Last season, Salah was the player Liverpool looked to when they needed a goal, as he ended the campaign with a staggering 29 goals and 18 assists, per WhoScored.

xG

3.8

1st

Goals

4

1st

Big chances created

7

1st

Chances created

25

1st

xA

2.6

1st

Assists

3

1st

Goals + assists

7

1st

As you can see in the table above, it is Gakpo who has been the go-to man for Slot in the top-flight so far this term, leading the way in pretty much every significant attacking metric.

These statistics show how clutch the Dutchman has been for the Reds this season, because he has been their main star for both goals and creativity at the top end of the pitch, which was on full display with a goal and an assist on Sunday.

Until Salah is able to get back to his best in the Premier League, which will hopefully happen in the coming weeks, Gakpo should be considered the most clutch player in the squad for his output so far.

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