All posts by h716a5.icu

We bring you all the analysis, stats, news and reaction from the second round of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, Pakistan’s premier first-class competition

Annesha Ghosh21-Sep-2019

Leeds United went in a new direction last year as they decided to part ways with sporting director Victor Orta and brought in Daniel Farke to be the club's new head coach.

The Whites moved on from the Spanish chief, in May, shortly before their relegation from the Premier League became official after his decisions played a part in their struggles in the top-flight.

Orta had replaced Marcelo Bielsa with Jesse Marsch and then subsequently brought in Javi Gracia, in managerial changes that ultimately failed to keep the club in the division by the end of the 2022/23 campaign.

The now-Sevilla mastermind had his fair share of masterclasses and disasterclasses in the transfer market when it came to selling and buying players.

Georginio Rutter, who has hit his stride this season, was snapped up for a club-record £35.5m in January of last year but did not hit the ground running to keep the team in the Premier League.

One move that Orta made that may have gone under the radar as a big howler by the Spaniard, however, was the sale of goalkeeper Elia Caprile, who has thrived since moving on from Elland Road and is now better than Illan Meslier.

Elia Caprile's time with Leeds United

The Whites swooped to sign the impressive young shot-stopper from Italian side Chievo in the January transfer window in 2020 under Marcelo Bielsa.

He had kept seven clean sheets in 40 appearances for Chievo's U19 side and seemingly did enough to convince Leeds that they needed to add him to their academy set-up.

The young gem did not make a single appearance for the Yorkshire-based outfit, at first-team or youth level, during the second half of the 2019/20 campaign.

However, he did go on to play 19 matches for the U21s throughout the 2020/21 season and kept five clean sheets for the youthful Leeds side.

During that campaign, Caprile played against Barrow first-team in the EFL Trophy for the Whites and caught the eye with an impressive display, as you can see in the table below.

Sofascore rating

8.2

Saves

Eight

Save success rate

80%

Penalty shootout saves

One

Pass accuracy

71%

Stats via Sofascore

His form for Leeds at U21 level attracted loan interest from Serie C side Pro Patria, who snapped him up for the 2021/22 campaign on a temporary basis.

Caprile went on to play 39 matches in all competitions for the third division side and kept 13 shutouts in total, including 12 in 36 league outings.

The Italian gem's performances were seemingly not good enough to convince Orta and Leeds that he had a long-term future at Elland Road as he was sold to Serie B outfit Bari for an undisclosed fee in the summer of 2022.

Elia Caprile's progression since leaving Leeds

The Italy U21 international immediately hit the ground running with his new club during the 2022/23 campaign as he became a star in the second division.

Caprile made 37 appearances in the Serie B and caught the eye with an impressive 14 clean sheets and a fantastic save success rate of 77% for Bari.

The talented youngster, who was lauded as a "superstar" by scout Jacek Kulig, only conceded 0.9 goals per match, and saved two of the five penalties he faced, as he provided a strong and consistent presence between the sticks for his side.

His sublime performances in goal for Bari in his first season after moving away from Elland Road caught the eye of Italian giants Napoli last summer.

The Serie A champions saw enough from him in the second tier to splash out a fee of £6m to secure his services ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, and they sent him out on loan to Empoli to develop further.

He started the current season on the bench but finally got his chance to play towards the end of December and has not looked back since, with a string of fantastic displays.

Appearances

Nine

Save success rate

75%

Sofascore rating

7.17

Goals prevented

0.86

Ball recoveries per match

7.3

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Caprile has been an impressive performer between the sticks in the top division of Italian football, as players have found it very difficult to get the better of him.

Since the start of last season, the 22-year-old colossus has conceded 4.2 fewer goals than expected based on the post-shot xG value of the shots on his goal, which shows that he has been an above-average shot-stopper in the Serie B and the Serie A.

The stats that show Caprile is better than Meslier

Whilst Caprile is currently starring in the Serie A for Empoli, having been signed by the champions Napoli, Meslier has endured a mixed campaign with Leeds in the Championship.

The French titan came into this season off the back of two poor years in the Premier League with the Whites, as the young talent struggled as a shot-stopper.

Meslier conceded a staggering 16.2 more than expected in the top-flight during the 2021/22 campaign, and 12.4 more than expected during the following season as Leeds were relegated from the division.

This means that the left-footed goalkeeper let in 28.6 more goals than the average shot-stopper would have been expected to based on the quality of shots on his goal, which illustrates how poorly the youngster performed.

This season, the 23-year-old gem has played 31 times in the Championship for Leeds and saved 68% of the efforts against him, which has led to 0.5 more goals conceded than expected based on post-shot xG.

Appearances

Nine

31

Save success rate

75%

68%

Goals prevented

0.86

-2.47

Sofascore rating

7.17

6.85

Run-out (sweeping) success rate

100%

88%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Caprile has been far more impressive between the sticks in the top-flight of Italian football than Meslier has been in the second division of English football.

The 22-year-old ace, who is one year younger than the Leeds number one, has been an above-average shot-stopper and incredibly efficient in his sweeping actions, whereas Farke's first-choice has room to improve in both of those aspects of his game.

Overall, their respective statistics in recent years, and this season in particular, given the difference in level they are playing at, suggest that Caprile is a much better, and younger, goalkeeper who Orta had a big howler with when he sold him to Bari in 2022.

Leeds may now live to rue their decision to part ways with the Italian colossus, whose current trajectory has him on course to become an excellent player at the top level, whereas Meslier has been average at best – as a shot-stopper – in the Championship.

World Cup winner Sir Geoff Hurst says he does not agree with recent criticism of the England team at Euro 2024 by ex-players.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

England criticised at Euro 2024Hurst says says comments are unnecessaryThree Lions already through to last 16WHAT HAPPENED?

Hurst, who won the 1966 World Cup with England, has voiced his disapproval of recent events after seeing former Three Lions striker and television host Gary Lineker thrust into the spotlight after branding Gareth Southgate's side as "sh*t" at Euro 2024. Captain Harry Kane has subsequently been quizzed on Lineker's comments as has Southgate himself ahead of the team's final group game against Slovenia.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

England have already qualified for the knockout stages but fans have been left underwhelmed by their performances so far. A narrow 1-0 win over Serbia was followed by a 1-1 draw against Denmark, with Southgate coming in for criticism for his use of Alexander-Arnold in midfield and fans also left disappointed by Foden's lack of form for the national team.

WHAT HURST SAID

Hurst has told Sky Sports: "One thing I don't get along with is that criticism but also what I don't think is good is the fact that Harry [Kane] has to go to a press conference and defend himself. I am totally against any player getting criticism and going on the box and being interviewed, trying to defend his position I don't think he should be pushed into that. I don't agree with that at all.

"Certainly in this particular time, I am absolutely against being critical of the team and individuals. I'm just not getting involved in it. I don't think it's necessary. I don't think it's necessary that the players themselves should have to defend themselves. It's maybe the manager's job to defend them but I don't think it's necessary to do so."

Hurst did concede we would like to make a change to the England team, adding: "One thing I would probably change is I'd play Anthony Gordon out wide on the left and I'd put Foden more in the middle of the park where Trent Alexander-Arnold is starting. I think his record at Manchester City in terms of scoring and creating goals is fantastic and wide on the left is not his best position and you have to put players in their best position. I think Foden is a fantastic player who should be more central and I think Gordon on the left gives Kieran Trippier, who is predominantly right-footed, more opportunities to play balls out wide on the left. They are the only changes I would make."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

GOALWHAT NEXT FOR ENGLAND

England's final group game is on Tuesday against Slovenia and fans will be hoping for an improved showing from the Three Lions. A victory for Southgate's side will ensure they top Group C and set up a last-16 tie against one of thefour best third-placed teams in the last-16.

Chelsea are close to signing Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall for £30m ($38m), with the Leicester star set to undergo a medical on Sunday.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Leicester must raise fundsChelsea targeting Dewsbury-HallClose to securing deal for midfielderWHAT HAPPENED?

Per Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea are closing in on a deal to secure Dewsbury-Hall's signature. Leicester need to sell players by the end of Sunday as they look to comply with Profit and Sustainability regulations, and the midfielder is now poised to undergo a medical in west London as he closes in on a reunion with former boss Enzo Maresca.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Dewsbury-Hall is set to sign a deal until 2026, and he is set to sign his contract on Sunday. Leicester have rushed the deal through to comply with Profit and Sustainability regulations.

DID YOU KNOW?

Dewsbury-Hall has also been linked with Brighton but it appears that Chelsea have beaten the Seagulls to the punch. There was some suggestion a player could be involved in a swap deal but that does not appear to be the case. Instead, Fabrizio Romano notes that Blues youngster Michael Golding will be joining Leicester in a entirely separate deal.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

GettyWHAT NEXT?

The deal is moving quickly as Leicester bid to avoid punishment from the Premier League when it comes to PSR. The switch will see Dewsbury-Hall link back up with Enzo Maresca, with whom he won the Championship with last season.

The 34-year old last played international cricket in 2015, an ODI against New Zealand in Christchurch

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Aug-2019Ajantha Mendis, perhaps cricket’s original mystery spinner in the video analysis age, has announced his retirement from all forms of the game. The 34-year old last played international cricket in 2015, an ODI against New Zealand in Christchurch.The inventor of what became known as the “carrom ball” – legbreaks produced by flicking the ball like a striker on a carrom board – took 70 wickets in 19 Tests, 152 in 87 ODIs and 66 in 39 T20Is.He made his debut against West Indies in an ODI in April 2008, when he took 3 for 39, but it is at the Asia Cup that followed which produced Mendis’ most famous memories. After 11 wickets in four games, he blew India away in the final in Karachi, taking 6 for 13 as Sri Lanka romped to a 100-run win. He would go on to become the fastest player to 50 ODI wickets, in just 19 games, a record he still holds.He soon received a Test call-up against India in July that year and he, along with Muttiah Muralitharan, went on to rattle India’s batting order, taking Sri Lanka to a 2-1 win. He picked up 26 wickets in three games, including eight wickets on his debut, a Test that saw Sri Lanka beat India by an innings and 239 runs.Mendis’ numerous variations, allowing him to spin the ball both ways or skid it on, proved particularly effective in T20 cricket. He holds the record for best figures in a T20I, with a 6 for 8 against Zimbabwe in the opening game of the 2012 World T20. He was impressive in the in 2009 (12 wickets in seven games) and 2012 (15 wickets in six games) editions of the T20 World T20s too, helping Sri Lanka reach the final both times. He is also the only bowler to take two six-fors in T20Is, the other one (6 for 16) coming against Australia in 2011.But once the mystery faded and batsmen began to figure him out, performances started to dip and he found himself falling down the famously replete Sri Lankan spin-bowling pecking order. Injuries played their part in hampering him in the last five years or so, and by now, Mendis had dropped off the selectors’ radars almost entirely.His success across formats earned him a World Cup spot in 2011, where he picked seven wickets in five innings. He regularly featured for Sri Lanka across white-ball formats until 2014, when his career was jolted with a back injury. He did not make the 2015 World Cup side, and then was unavailable due to injury through the middle of that year, after which he was picked for the West Indies ODIs in November that year when he took four wickets in three games. In his last ODI, a month later, he finished with 0 for 49 in Sri Lanka’s seven-wicket loss against New Zealand.In recent years Mendis has been captaining Police Sports Club in Sri Lanka’s domestic Tier B tournament, where he reinvented himself as a batting allrounder. In fact, in his last eight first-class innings he has four 50-plus scores.

Aston Villa got back to winning ways at Villa Park on Saturday, as they defeated Nottingham Forest 4-2 in an extremely entertaining game.

Leon Bailey and Douglas Luiz both starred, and they are two examples of players who have significantly improved under the guidance of Unai Emery.

The Spaniard has developed an incredible squad at Villa that has allowed them to challenge for the Champions League just 16 months after his arrival.

In January, the boss strengthened his squad further, but he had a particular focus on bringing in young talent, and there is one player who could break his way into the first team next season.

Why Alex Moreno & Lucas Digne could be replaced

Alex Moreno and Lucas Digne are the only two left-backs at Villa this season, which right now is the strongest, most in-depth position in the backline due to the injuries of Diego Carlos and Ezri Konsa.

The role has been shared between the two this season, with Digne starting the first 18 games of the season before picking up an injury against Manchester United on Boxing Day and Moreno starting every game since.

However, neither of them have been particularly impressive or convincing at both ends of the field this campaign, with the first choice still up in the air.

The duo are far better going forward than they are defensively, and although that clearly has its benefits, their defensive ability does make Villa vulnerable at times.

For example, the Spaniard ranks in the bottom 71% of Premier League full-backs for tackles won, while the former Everton star ranks even worse in the bottom 86%, as per FBref.

Aston Villa's exciting teenage upgrade

In January, Emery wanted to bolster his full-backs with youth, which led to the signings of Kosta Nedelijkovic and Lino Sousa.

The latter is currently on loan in the Championship, gaining vital experience for Plymouth, where he is starring.

Prior to the defender's arrival, Pilgrims manager Ian Forster described Sousa as “really exciting,” and went on to say:

"He's got a lovely left foot; he's athletic; he can handle the ball in tight areas; he can defend in 1v1 situations and he's good in the final phase as well.”

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast's In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

The former Arsenal gem has played five games already, making two starts in a left-wing back role, with the head coach trusting him to perform, and so far he hasn’t disappointed.

Minutes

64

Touches

50

Pass accuracy

88%

Passes into final third

2

Dribble success rate

100%

Tackle succes rate

100%

Clearances

3

Based on his performance against Coventry City, the 6 foot 1 youngster is capable of performing defensively and in the final third, which means he has a lovely balance to his game. The 19-year-old can bring the attacking threat that the current left-back options at Villa supply while also providing slightly more defensive security.

If Sousa continues to perform over the rest of his loan spell, there’s no reason why he cannot be handed an opportunity by Emery next season, and he certainly has the potential to be an upgrade on Moreno and Digne.

The contracts of director of cricket More and a string of other assistant coaches were not renewed

Peter Della Penna16-Oct-2019James Pamment, the 51-year-old former Auckland batsman, has taken the role of USA head coach on an interim basis through to the end of 2019. This comes after the contracts of USA director of cricket Kiran More and a string of other assistant coaches were not renewed following an initial three-month period. Pamment’s appointment had been rumoured since the start of the month but has since been confirmed to ESPNcricinfo by multiple USA Cricket sources.More had been appointed in July by USA Cricket to oversee their quest to qualify for the 2020 T20 World Cup in Australia, serving as a “senior operations consultant” according to a USA Cricket press release. But his arrival sparked a power struggle with USA head coach Pubudu Dassanayake, who had been in place since September 2016 and had led USA to ODI status in April at WCL Division Two. After mounting tension at a USA squad camp at Los Angeles in June, Dassanayake resigned, citing a “loss of freedom” in selection decisions.More did not to travel with the USA squad to Bermuda in August for the Americas Regional Final for the T20 World Cup Qualifier. Sunil Joshi was notified by email after the team arrived on tour that he would be the stand-in head coach in More’s place. Though USA headed into the four-team event as favourites after winning the sub-regional qualifier over Canada in North Carolina in September 2018, the team finished third after losing all four of their matches to Canada and Bermuda, who wound up advancing instead of USA to the T20 World Cup Qualifier in the UAE.A tentative plan had been discussed to extend More’s consultant contract through to the 2020 T20 World Cup had USA qualified, but once they failed in Bermuda, that became a non-starter. He oversaw USA’s ODI tri-series performances in Florida last month, where they went 3-1 in their opening round of Cricket World Cup League Two matches against Namibia and Papua New Guinea. Those were his last matches in charge. David Saker had left as fast bowling consultant coach to go back to Australia immediately after the Bermuda tour while batting consultant coaches Pravin Amre and Kieran Powell were not present in Bermuda nor Florida.Pamment had initially been contracted as fielding coach for USA when More came on board. However, he has been asked to remain to help oversee a transition period for USA’s next two tours – the CWI Super50 in Trinidad next month and a CWC League Two ODI tri-series against UAE and Scotland in Dubai in December – until a full-time appointment can be made in January 2020. Pamment is not expected to apply for the full-time role because, like More, he has a multi-year contract with Mumbai Indians in the IPL, having replaced Jonty Rhodes as their fielding coach in 2018.USA Cricket is seeking a full-time commitment after the failed strategy of hiring short-term consultants to replace Dassanayake for T20 World Cup Qualifier.Originally from Yorkshire, Pamment migrated to New Zealand early in his career and played 14 first-class and 33 List A games from 1993 to 1996. Aside from his stint with Mumbai Indians in the IPL, Pamment previously coached Northern Districts in New Zealand from 2013 to 2017.

Cristiano Ronaldo is reportedly yet to make a final decision on his Portugal future as he continues to reflect on his nightmare Euro 2024 campaign.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Ronaldo had miserable EurosFailed to score in five matchesForward still contemplating futureWHAT HAPPENED?

Portugal's journey at Euro 2024 came to a premature end in the quarter-finals after a penalty shootout defeat to France. This marked a challenging tournament for Ronaldo, who, at 39 years old, was expected to lead his team to greater heights. However, the Al-Nassr forward struggled to make an impact and failed to score at a major tournament for the first time in his career.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Amidst the speculation of his potential retirement, have claimed that Ronaldo is yet to make a definitive decision about his international future. However, the report adds that sources close to the striker expect him to continue representing Portugal.

DID YOU KNOW?

Despite pressure from the outside, Ronaldo does not feel an urgent need to make an immediate announcement regarding his future. He is believed to be carefully evaluating his performance in Germany – which saw him miss a penalty and several free-kick attempts going wayward.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR RONALDO?

Portugal are set to face Croatia in the Nations League in early September, providing an opportunity for Ronaldo to potentially silence his critics and showcase his prowess once again. Furthermore, the team will begin its qualification campaign for the 2026 World Cup in March next year, which would be another significant milestone for Ronaldo if he decides to continue.

Manchester United believe Erik ten Hag is refusing to adhere to INEOS' plans for the summer transfer window, due to his thoughts on the future of a struggling player.

Man Utd transfer & manager updates

This summer has the potential to be a very busy one at Old Trafford, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe no doubt desperate to bring in new players who can take the club in the right direction.

Numerous individuals have been linked with moves to United of late, with Benfica centre-back Antonio Silva a player who could make the move to Old Trafford this summer. This season, he has completed 92.7% of his passes in the Primeira Liga, which is bettered only by Lisandro Martinez (93.6%) out of the Red Devils entire squad to have started a Premier League game this season, suggesting he would fit into the manager's style of playing out from the back.

Highly-rated Juventus defender Dean Huijsen has also emerged as a target, with Tottenham targeting a move for him, too, with the 18-year-old making eight appearances in Serie A so far this season.

Meanwhile, there are also doubts over the future of Ten Hag as manager, with the Dutchman still not wholly convincing in the role, and it has led to Antonio Conte being linked with replacing him at the end of the season.

Zinedine Zidane is also being looked at as an option for United, with the Frenchman winning three Champions League titles during a legendary spell at Real Madrid, and Ratcliffe is believed to see him as a primary target. Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann is also considered a front-runner to come in and take the team into the future, with the 36-year-old set to depart his current role after Euro 2024 this summer.

Ten Hag disagress with INEOS over Antony

According to Football Insider, Ten Hag still sees a future at Manchester United for Antony, which is a different stance to INEOS, who want him to leave this summer.

"Erik ten Hag still believes in Man United winger Antony and is a big fan of the Brazillian, sources have told Football Insider. Ten Hag refuses to budge in his defence of the 24-year-old despite his poor performances in the 2023-24 campaign. INEOS’ recent investment has meant big recruitment plans are in place at Old Trafford – but the Dutchman still believes there is a place for Antony in the squad.

The fact that there are already potential clashes between Ten Hag and INEOS doesn't bode well for the manager – in truth, there is only going to be one loser in that situation if it continues.

While it is nice to see the manager showing faith in Antony, having previously managed him at Ajax and called him "outstanding", it makes complete sense to move him on this summer. This is down to a consistent lack of end product, with the Brazilian not registering a single goal or assist across 20 Premier League appearances this season.

Man Utd may already have a bigger prospect than Amad in “enormous talent”

The youngster has been on fire for the U21’s.

ByTom Lever Mar 1, 2024

To put that into context, even Aaron Wan-Bissaka (1), a defence-minded player, has more goal contributions than him in the league.

For an attacking player, that is a woeful return, and while Antony is still a relatively young player, he is old enough for more to be expected of him. United should cash in on him and sign a superior replacement, taking the hit on the £85m spent on him.

All summer in England, he had to ignore the verbal bile directed at him. Now after 18 months, he was engulfed by warmth of the home fans

Daniel Brettig in Adelaide27-Oct-2019David Warner spent most of this year’s England tour trying to ignore the verbal bile constantly directed his way. So there was not only relief but also revelation in the experience of a loud, supportive Adelaide Oval crowd on Sunday, as the exhortations of 16,268 spectators helped lift him to a first ever Twenty20 international century on his 33rd birthday.There had been queries as to exactly how Warner could be received in his first home match since the Newlands ban. Unlike Steven Smith, his public reputation hadn’t been bolstered by match-winning turns during the Ashes series. But from the moment he took to the middle, Warner was given plenty of adulation to feed off, and admitted that he had almost forgotten what it was like to get the support at home, his first appearance in more than 18 months.”It’s always fantastic to get that. You sort of sit back and watch highlights of other people’s packages and stuff, you forget how much it actually drives you when you’re out there,” Warner said. “We love the people’s support and we love the Australian crowds coming out and supporting us and we always try and put on a show for them.”But I don’t think they actually realise how much impact it has on us players while we are out there. I remember when I was supporting the [Sydney] Roosters in the Grand Final this year. When you’ve got that support behind the team or when you’re supporting someone else, it’s a massive boost, the confidence for us and for the other people out there playing.””Emotions were great. Another year older. Another game for Australia and coming out here in front of an Adelaide crowd. There’s no better place to play you know. You’ve always got a fantastic wicket, the curators are absolutely fantastic here. It’s a batting paradise. I absolutely love it out here.”The most notable element of Warner’s innings was the fact that in a T20I career dating back to 2009, he had never bettered the 89 he coshed against South Africa at the MCG on his storied international debut. More than a decade later, he was able to scamper a last ball single to go to three figures, a milestone that afforded him some light-hearted banter from Glenn Maxwell at the change of innings.Getty Images”You don’t even actually realise until you get it. It wasn’t even on my mind. You actually forget that you don’t have one,” Warner said. “Maxi reminded me and said ‘welcome to the club’ which is quite funny. It’s just one of those things to contribute, come out and play you free-flowing game from the start. Obviously the couple of balls where a little bit here and there. You don’t get to face too many deliveries back to back when someone’s going off.”For me it’s about keeping a calm head and making sure that I bide my time a little bit and try and pick the gaps as much as I can and run hard. [Last over] bat on ball and I was thinking obscure field so for me you know what you’re going to get. It’s going to wide and pretty much, I don’t lap or anything like that so whatever comes into my mind I try to get it out of my head.”It was in my head but you’ve got to try and pick your gaps. I think in Australia with those fields, you only have to hit the gap hard and it can beat the fielder and then you can run two. You’re always thinking at the start of the over about what do we need. Obviously we had plenty on the board so you’re just trying to hit gaps.”It wasn’t just Warner who enjoyed his place in the sun. Aaron Finch, Maxwell and Australia’s bowlers all responded with a combination of skill and flair that completely confounded a modest Sri Lanka, suggesting that if the Australians stay focused, they can set-up more pageants of adulation in Brisbane and Melbourne this week.”Very good from us. We all set out to come out and try be positive with the bat,” Warner said. “I think the way forward is exactly that, where we try and set the tone at the top and then Maxi coming in and doing what he does. For once the plan actually came off. Obviously starting well and then Maxi coming in and doing what he does. And yeah, someone batting through. That was all in all a great batting performance and obviously the bowlers finished it off there.”