All posts by n8rngtd.top

Time is running out and he’s under immense scrutiny. Time will tell if Delhi ODI is make or break with the big prize looming

Deivarayan Muthu in New Delhi12-Mar-2019If you’re Rishabh Pant, every step you take, every stumping you miss, every run you score, every catch you take and every move you make has the potential to be scrutinised, even more so now with India in their final stretch of World Cup preparation.Pant was handed an opportunity in the fourth ODI after MS Dhoni was rested for the final two games. He showed his boundary-clearing ability during his 24-ball 36 – no worries as far as the batting goes – but Pant, the keeper, struggled to collect the ball cleanly.His two missed stumpings – when Ashton Turner was on 38 and 41 – elicited chants of “Dhoni! Dhoni! Dhoni!” from the Mohali crowd. A cheeky attempt to underarm flick the ball onto the stumps resulted in an overthrow.Earlier, he had missed a more difficult stumping chance via a deflection off Peter Handscomb’s pads when left-arm wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav drew the batsman out of the crease. Handscomb was on 105 at that point. He added 12 more to his tally before being dismissed, but Turner made India pay dearly, blasting 84 off 43 balls to tip the chase of 359 Australia’s way.Clearly, it wasn’t his night. Turner announced himself in style, in just his second ODI, to win the match and give Australia World Cup selection headaches. What about Pant, who is also trying to make that flight to the UK?It can be intimidating for a 21-year old, but Pant is now into his third year of international cricket. Having become an IPL star and a Test regular, he must be familiar with such pressure, but there’s no doubt the spotlight will be on his wicketkeeping. However, both Shikhar Dhawan and bowling coach Bharat Arun defended Pant’s wicketkeeping ability.Not too long ago, Dinesh Karthik was India’s finisher and he even said that this version of him relished high-pressure situations. In the past two years in ODIs, Karthik has been unbeaten in seven out of ten matches India have won while chasing. Only Joe Root (nine), Virat Kohli (eight) and Dhoni (eight) have been better in this period.While Karthik has had a fairly extended run since the Champions Trophy – he had played 17 ODI innings – Pant has got only three innings in this period. Yet, he has been deemed good enough to earn a Category A central contract, the the second-most lucrative retainer. The team management is impressed with his six-hitting ability and is prepared to be patient despite his limitations as a wicketkeeper and outfielder.The reason why they’re heavily invested in him is for the six-hitting prowess he brings to the middle order, a factor that could be crucial if Hardik Pandya isn’t available. But now, he’ll return to his home ground with the series on his line. Among the existing options, Vijay Shankar doesn’t bring such raw power: he is more a technically correct batsman who provides a few tight overs with the ball. Can Pant capitalise?Virat Kohli insists the IPL will have no impact on World Cup selection, effectively meaning Wednesday presents Pant one last chance before the World Cup. Karthik has already shown the management what he’s capable of, and by the time Pant was fumbling behind the stumps in Mohali, Karthik was having fun at his good friend and Tamil Nadu team-mate Abhinav Mukund’s wedding. Who’ll have fun at the World Cup: Karthik or Pant?

If their ambition is to be a top side, even in this World Cup, they have to press the accelerator harder at times

Mohammad Isam in Southampton24-Jun-2019Mushfiqur Rahim looked over his shoulder a couple of times at his batting partner Mahmudullah as they ran past each other three times. The Afghanistan fielders had bungled up a relay throw and then missed the back-up, allowing the three runs. Mushfiqur checked on his brother-in-law, who by now was limping visibly because of a calf injury.Mahmudullah added to Bangladesh’s approach of taking advantage of Afghanistan’s sub-standard fielding. When they batted on the slow pitch of the Hampshire Bowl, one that offered turn and held back at times too, Bangladesh were surprisingly alert to every opportunity to pick up ones, twos and threes. It was a change of pace in their batting, as they looked to take advantage of every mistake Afghanistan made.Their only problem seemed to be the spin trio of Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, which isn’t unexpected for any batting line-up. Keeping them at bay on a slow pitch must, perhaps, be Plan A for every team this World Cup. So like a tactically-sound team, Bangladesh not only planned rightfully, but executed them almost to perfection.Mushfiqur struck only four fours and a six in his 83. He anchored the innings from the 18th to the penultimate over, with a change in his approach unlike how he had accelerated against Australia, who possess a stronger bowling attack although, on a flatter pitch.WATCH on Hotstar (India only) – Mushfiqur’s inningsBatsmen around him – like Shakib Al Hasan, Soumya Sarkar and Mahmudullah – also batted like Mushfiqur, hardly deviating from their set plan of not attacking the Afghanistan spinners.They followed a similarly conservative approach while bowling. Bangladesh didn’t bowl spin at all in the Powerplay, and then when they had extracted the sting out of Afghanistan’s batting line-up in the middle overs, they again applied a safety-first approach. One can ask if they should have attacked at that point with enough space between the runs needed and balls to be bowled.The only hitch in Bangladesh’s approach was how they were rigid with their plans they had set even before the match started. They pushed Soumya Sarkar in the middle order so that he didn’t have to face much of Mujeeb although the left-hand batsman doesn’t have a known weakness against offspinners. Soumya, ironically, was later trapped lbw by Mujeeb without scoring a run off the six balls against the spinner.Getty ImagesBangladesh’s approach against the three spinners in the last 10 overs was also baffling. The plan was to shut them out as much as possible, so much so that they stopped looking for boundaries even off bad deliveries. It also affected how they approached the other bowlers. Bangladesh scored at just above six an over in the remaining 20 overs against Dawlat Zadran, Gulbadin Naib and Rahmat Shah. The pitch played a role too, and perhaps the combination of the pitch and the spinners strengthened their strategy.But they had options to explore, particularly with wickets in hand in the last 15 overs. Perhaps two right-hand batsman could have been a bit more attacking against Nabi, a conventional offspinner who turns the ball into the batsmen. Mujeeb flighted the ball to Mushfiqur, who hardly brought out the slog-sweep, his pressure-releasing shot. Rashid was the best bowler on show, but the batsmen in the Bangladesh dressing room will exchange high-fives for keeping him wicketless and collecting over five an over off his 10 overs.ALSO READ: Shakib’s brilliance, Mashrafe’s mental strength raise Bangladesh’s semi-final hopesNumbers also reflected Bangladesh’s approach, as their most twos and threes in this World Cup came against Afghanistan, as well as the least fours and sixes. As a result, the percentage of runs with boundaries was as low as 28.24. Incidentally, the last time they had taken more threes in a World Cup game was also against Afghanistan, in 2015.Bangladesh tried to play like the bigger team in the park, doing the smaller things well – picking singles and twos whenever the chances arrived, and also being alert for overthrows. But they also had the option of tinkering with their overall strategy once the Afghanistan spinners stopped attacking the stumps. Instead, their default format was to second-guess the might of the spin trio.These are conventional decision-making and strategies Bangladesh stuck to. As long as they want to remain a mid-table team in the long run, they are more likely to find success with this approach against Afghanistan or other lower-ranked teams. But if their ambition is to be a top side, even in this World Cup, they have to press the accelerator harder at times.Ultimately, not giving Rashid, Nabi and Mujeeb the control mattered, and their approach on a slow pitch would have been satisfying. But in a tournament where they are trying to tell the world that they are among the big guns, they should also start adding ruthlessness to their system.Bangladesh bossed Afghanistan. But in a nice way.

His World Cup dominance was the result of meticulous preparation, from pushing for the No 3 spot to using his long IPL downtime

Mohammad Isam07-Jul-2019Shakib Al Hasan played only three matches during this year’s IPL, ceding his spot in Sunrisers Hyderabad’s combination to Rashid Khan.The Bangladesh allrounder is not used to being dropped. He could well have spent that time as other benched players do, swimming in the hotel pool, living the life of the idle rich sportsman, seeing the bank balance go up without much effort. But he had a plan. With the World Cup just weeks away, Shakib called up his mentor Mohammad Salahuddin and brought him to Mumbai for extra batting sessions. He worked on his fitness, lost weight and retained focus.That hard work – completely off his own bat, pardon the pun – paid off spectacularly in England. Shakib left the campaign as the first cricketer in the tournament’s history to score more than 600 runs and take 11 wickets. Only Neil Johnson’s tally of 367 runs and 12 wickets in the 1999 edition comes statistically close to Shakib’s performance, which included two centuries, five fifties and a five-wicket haul.ESPNcricinfo LtdOn Saturday, Shakib reflected on that plan with more than a degree of satisfaction. “Personally, it was a good World Cup,” he said. “I am very happy. I am satisfied in the way I have achieved what I had hoped for, particularly after the way I had prepared for the tournament.”When he said he knew it would go well from the start, it was believable – not just because of his preparations but because he usually starts World Cups with fifties. And so, after that customary good start against South Africa in Bangladesh’s spectacular tournament opener, he knew the trick was to continue through the tournament. “I was hoping to get the momentum, and then hold on to it.”ALSO READ: Jarrod Kimber on why there aren’t more true allrounders like Shakib in ODIsOnce again, Shakib’s planning was evident. He struck consecutive centuries against England and West Indies, highlighting how well he had prepared against the short pitched deliveries. He scored 67 runs off the 43 short balls that West Indies’ fast bowlers sent down in Taunton, and 72 off 70 similar deliveries by the England bowlers in Cardiff.

Played, Shakib.
Undoubtedly the best Bangladesh player ever…. #EngvBan #CWC19

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) June 8, 2019

Shakib’s sustained assault was quite different from how he had approached bouncers in the past. He would just hook at everything, often losing his wicket as a result. But here, he was happy to duck under Jofra Archer, Mark Wood and Sheldon Cottrell and pick the right moment to play the aggressive shot. He would often get a boundary early in the over, riding his luck with a few top edges, and with the bowler under pressure, sustain the run-rate with singles and twos off back-foot shots on the leg side.Shakib, and the rest of the Bangladesh batsmen, had three days of intense net sessions against bouncers ahead of the West Indies game, often getting hit on the chest or hand. The training sessions paid off as Cottrell and co kept bowling bouncers, which became too predictable by the end.

Shakib @Sah75official On the prowl… showing not only that he is the Worlds No1 allrounder but making a statement that he is a World class batsman too. Congratulations #CWC2019 #BANvsWI Wonderfull knock

— Russel Arnold (@RusselArnold69) June 17, 2019

Shakib’s true all-round performance came against Afghanistan when he scored a fifty and took a five-wicket haul. Defending a competitive total, Bangladesh only got into the game when Shakib was introduced into the attack. And suddenly we weren’t at the Rose Bowl. We were back in Mirpur.Using a pitch comes from experience and at times opponents have struggled against Shakib simply because he read the conditions quicker than they did. It happens all the time at home but even somewhere like Christchurch, couple of years ago, the New Zealand batsmen took a while to figure him out because he kept changing the pace on another slow pitch (despite the deceptive grass cover on it)Shakib also showed a lot of patience when he batted in the Afghanistan game. He didn’t go charging unnecessarily against their spinners. “It was challenging to tackle the Afghanistan bowling attack, mainly because of their high-quality spinners on that type of pitch,” he said yesterday.Shakib was among the most impactful performers at the World Cup•Getty ImagesBy the time he got to the last two matches – against India and Pakistan, when he also made fifties – he was running on reserves. “I was mentally fatigued in the last two matches, but I think my fitness levels have helped me stay in the game. I think I might have done better had I worked on my fitness for a couple of days, but tiredness came in the way. It was difficult to balance the two, so the last couple of matches was challenging.”You could say Shakib’s preparation for this success began even before that IPL downtime – it began with his insistence on moving up the order to No 3. He had built most of his career as a No 5 batsman, but had, for some time, been pushing then coach Chandika Hathurusingha to promote him to first drop.Hathurusingha kept insisting that Shakib was better off lower down the order. Shakib didn’t budge, and, after Hathurusingha left, he still managed to convince the rest of the team management to give him the No 3 spot. He averaged 43.92 in the 15 innings at the position leading up to the World Cup.Shakib has always been this confident, always been this calculating, ever since he took guard for the first time as a teenager in the BKSP sports institute. The story goes that when he and Mushfiqur Rahim started batting there, the coaches predicted they would be playing for Bangladesh one day.So, really, nothing has changed in Shakib to suddenly make him a run machine. He has always backed himself to the fullest, particularly when he is committed to a cause. And this World Cup showed how sheer strength of will made him into such a successful cricketer.

First win in six attempts is vindication for new regime, but that’s not the whole story for South Africa

Firdose Moonda in Centurion29-Dec-2019It’s too easy to say that this is what happens when you get successful former players involved. It’s too easy to say that this performance was engineered by Graeme Smith, Mark Boucher and Jacques Kallis, too easy to believe that the stardust from the greats sprinkled over the next generation and produced self-belief, and too easy to put the five defeats that preceded this win down to a coaching staff was that was disconnected with its job, either because they were facing ultimatums like Ottis Gibson or facing the impossible like Enoch Nkwe. But there was nothing easy about this win.It came after minimal, but intense, preparation. With two debutants in the side. Under pressure from sections of the country who believed the new regime represented only a small elite. Against the backdrop of an administration in chaos and debt. It came from a herd of wounded buffaloes, some more badly injured than others. All still desperately proud. And it came to the sounds of Shosholoza – the anthem sung by the mine-workers from Zimbabwe which has become the sound of both struggle and success – a fitting combination since that is what South Africa have been through.2019 has been an annus horribilis for South African cricket, on the field and off it. The problems seemed to be bottomless until two weeks ago, when a structural overhaul promised a new dawn. Of course, that was immediately followed by fears it would be false, especially when Dean Elgar was strangled down the leg side with the first ball of the home summer.At 111 for 5, the line-up hinted that the more things change, the more they stay the same but then the lower-order rallied. A first-innings lead and a target over 350 at a venue where 251 is the highest successful chase took South Africa to the brink of safety but it was the way they bowled on a tense final day was the strongest suggestion that the team is turning. South Africa need to spend the rest of the series aiming for the full circle.It will start with selection. At SuperSport Park, South Africa got their balance right with two allrounders, which gave them five frontline bowlers and eight batsmen. The second allrounder, Dwaine Pretorius played a key role in the victory. He featured in an 87-run sixth-wicket stand with Quinton de Kock in the first innings which ensured South Africa reached a par score and then set the tone for the victory push on the final morning by ensuring South Africa kept the pressure on an England team whose memories of Headingley and miracles are still fresh.Anrich Nortje roars in celebration after dismissing Jofra Archer•Associated PressIn the morning session, South Africa conceded at a rate of two runs an over, and took two wickets thanks to Pretorius and his partner Anrich Nortje, who were instrumental in tightening the cord. Pretorius was the unlikely aggressor and used the short ball to good effect, with some help from a surface on which the bounce has become more inconsistent and unpredictable. He hit Joe Denly on the glove with a ball that kicked up, then rapped him on the front pad with a ball that was pitched up and clipping leg stump for umpire’s call. When Ben Stokes arrived, Pretorius kept him quiet with a fuller length, bowling on fourth and fifth stump and forced Stokes to defend.On the other end, Nortje turned the heat up, especially against the England captain. He struck Joe Root, first on the bottom hand with a ball that spat up, and then on the top wrist, where there is less protection. Nortje’s pace hovered around the 145kph mark consistently – and once touched 148kph – while maintaining a tight line. Between them, their 10 overs cost 23 runs. It was the “investment session” South Africa needed and it brought the afternoon’s rewards in which seven wickets fell for 64 runs, including six for 46 in 12 overs with the new ball. While Kagiso Rabada was the man with the most wickets, the supporting roles of Nortje and Pretorius cannot be underestimated. The match was won by a collective that was made up of the right kinds of players.While team composition can be credited with some aspects of this victory, attitude was responsible for the rest of it and will be crucial to the way South Africa approach the rest of the series. The ability to go for the kill was thought to have been eroded from South Africa’s cricketing DNA.After they lost a series to Sri Lanka at home and were whitewashed in India, it was difficult to see any fight in the side. They had, by Faf du Plessis own admission, lost confidence and belief. They were going through the motions, hoping, but not really knowing how they would land on their feet. And they didn’t.ALSO READ: South Africa end Test drought with 107-run winAt home, Kusal Perera played one of the two best innings of the year to make history; in India, du Plessis lost all the tosses and his batsmen were victims to India’s seamers long before the spinners had a say. South Africa were sitting ducks, allowing cricket to be played around them. There was little in the way of initiative or imagination.That changed today. Keshav Maharaj was kept on against Ben Stokes despite being hit for three fours off the second over of his spell. In his third over, Stokes played on and South Africa had broken through. That moment changed the game, and South Africa knew it. Stokes played the second of those two innings of 2019, with his match-winning century at Headingley. It was eerily aligned that then, he walked out to bat with 218 needed. Today, the situation was the same. South Africa were first-hand witnesses to Perera, they did not want to have to be on the receiving end of another effort like that.With Maharaj opening the door, the quicks burst through and the smallest crowd of the four days, only 4,844 people attended, started to celebrate something they have waited most of the year for: a Test-match win. They drowned out the travelling supporters, whose cries of “Rooooooooot” were the most audible through the day and reminded the English that, while they have the Barmy Army and Jerusalem, South Africa’s own promised land is here, at SuperSport Park.They have not lost at the ground in more than five years, since February 2014, and have lost just two Tests in 25 at this venue all told. There was nowhere else for them to take the first steps into their new era. Difficult steps. They’ll hope it gets easier from here.

It is now a batsman’s name which is spoken in chai joints, pulao restauarants and on the streets of Karachi

Andrew Fidel Fernando in Karachi22-Dec-2019Imran Khan is prime minister. Wasim Akram is on half the TV ads. But who now has the heart of Pakistan?Late night, in dimly-lit Islamabad chai joints, bonfires ward off the mountain chill, and over the the crackle and hiss of the flames, over and over again is heard the name of a batsman. !In the eighties, there was Javed of Karachi. But also, there was Imran: the lion of Lahore. Imran, in whom were vested the privileges of the eastern Punjabi elite, the soul of a northwestern Pathan, the withering pace to thrill all those who loved cricket, and the withering good looks to besot everybody else. What was Javed supposed to do against all of that? That Imran also batted very well – that he averaged over 50 for the last eight years of his career – is all but forgotten. The Imran of the mind’s eye has his whites unbuttoned to the sternum, ball in hand, surging in.In later decades Saeed Anwar, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Yousuf, and Younis Khan came through. But could they ever truly delight in a place that glowed for something else? There are not just Imran’s locks, there is also Waqar’s mini-fro, Shoaib’s middle-parted flowing mane and the Sarfraz Nawaz mop-and-moustache combo.Pakistan may only have potato-quality YouTube replays to call upon, but its roadside conversations bring to vivid, technicolour life Wasim ball in Chepauk, the one that swung late, seamed later, pitched leg, hit off, and cut no less a giant than Rahul Dravid in two. A place whose memory bursts with Waqar yorkers that dived at the stumps like snakes suddenly smelling prey. Where Shoaib’s furious run to the crease is a source of roaring pride. Flying stumps, electric spells, the two balls that turned a World Cup final, braced front legs, strong wrists, and – here is what sets pulses racing.Into this, drop Babar Azam. On top of all the other stuff, his cousins did him no favours. As if to make up for their disappointments, he began to score and score and score, but that was in the shorter formats. It is only on the last 12 months that he has had this shining Test blossoming.Babar Azam kisses the badge on his helmet•AFPEven in those early Test innings, though, you knew. This guy… ufff. On a damp, windswept November day in Hamilton, all the way back in 2016, he was princely on a lurid green pitch, disdainfully cutting and pulling bowlers that had decked the rest of the top order – the scoreline at one stage 51 for 5. He was 90 not out having run out of partners in that innings, but the hundreds eventually came. In foreign climes, obviously. In Dubai, his 127 helped set Pakistan on track for an innings victory. A year later, a hundred against a fearsome Australia attack at the Gabba – as difficult a venue as could be imagined for a young, Asian batsman. Soon after, 97 at Adelaide.ALSO READ: Babar’s breakthrough the big positive – Azhar AliIn the last two weeks as cricket has broken a 10-year drought, Pakistan has not seemed to be awaiting the return of Tests so much as awaiting the arrival of Babar. He is spoken of in freezing chai joints, yes, but also evoked with adoration by waiters in pulao restaurants, weekend taxi drivers, rangers patrolling Karachi streets, and the thousands that have come to the grounds. When Rawalpindi’s clouds finally broke, they chanted his name all through that day, the regal drives, flicks and sweeps from their object of love prompting more cries, and those cheers, in turn, spurring him. In Karachi, they bayed for him during his fifty on day one. When Abid Ali, clearly the player of the series, reviewed his dismissal on day three, Karachi was chanting Babar’s name at ear-splitting volume before the final decision even came in.He could not have rewarded them more handsomely. In three Test innings in Pakistan, Babar has doubled his Test-match century count, two unbeaten hundreds and a 60 sending his average in the country to 262. No majestic shot of his has gone unplayed. No louder cheers have been heard this series than when he reached triple figures.With luck, he will be seen in his whites all over. In Multan and Faisalabad, where after ten years without international cricket, the stadiums require renovation. In Lahore, where, when he was little, his father put him on the front of a bicycle and rode him from cricket ground to cricket ground until a club accepted him.Take him in Pakistan. Breathe him up, study him, applaud, dissect, imitate, adore, revel. The exile years were were defined by staid and stately men – Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan, who made the best of the circumstances handed to them.The next decade may perhaps be nothing like that. The thousands who braved the cold in Rawalpindi; the multitudes that roared his name in Karachi, the kids who stood on seats to get a glimpse when he raised his bat, the aunties and uncles whose hearts spilled over in the stands, they know. They’ve seen him.Babar Azam is home.

Whilst there were goals aplenty involving the other Premier League sides dotted around London on Sunday, Brentford versus Chelsea would unfortunately produce a 0-0 stalemate.

Enzo Maresca’s side did manage to amass 21 shots on the Bees net, however, but wasteful finishing throughout would be their downfall, with the goal-shy Blues only registering three goals now across their last five clashes in all competitions.

Off the back of another drab showing – this time against Thomas Frank’s men – Maresca’s ever-thinning confidence with Christopher Nkunku could now be at an all-time low, with the former RB Leipzig attacker hooked off at the half-time interval after a dire first 45 minutes.

Nkunku's performance in numbers

The ex-Leicester City boss must have regretted pushing the hot-and-cold Frenchman back into the first-team spotlight, having gone with an alternative face in Nicolas Jackson up top last time out as Chelsea beat Tottenham Hotspur 1-0.

Only firing home three Premier League goals all season long, Nkunku would squander one big chance during his brief stint on the Gtech pitch, with a goal finding the back of the net coming against the run of play arguably, as the Bees fashioned a whole host of opportunities courtesy of Bryan Mbeumo and Co.

Away from this one missed effort, however, Nkunku was largely anonymous with just 22 touches of the ball tallied up before he was put out of his misery at the half-time break.

Moving forward, Maresca will surely persist with Jackson as his main marksman over the 27-year-old, but he could also begin to feel short on patience when it comes to one of Nkunku’s attacking teammates, despite the attacker in question only just recovering from an injury issue.

Madueke's performance in numbers

Alongside Maresca changing up the look of his starting XI to accommodate for Nkunku, the Italian also gifted Noni Madueke the start at Brentford, with the Barnet-born ace now presumably free of his hamstring concern.

Unlike Nkunku, Madueke has regularly impressed Chelsea fans this season in the demanding Premier League, with the former PSV Eindhoven winger up to ten goal contributions alone in the top-flight.

Still, as the table above illuminates, everyone is prone to an off-day.

Indeed, the below-par 23-year-old would only manage to muster up one effort on Mark Flekken’s constantly busy net, alongside also failing to register a single accurate cross across his meagre 28 touches.

Moreover, Madueke’s bite which has seen him three duels on average this season in the Premier League was notably missing, with the Blues number 11 failing to win a single duel from four attempts.

Therefore, it wasn’t the greatest shock to anyone inside the Bees’ home ground when Maresca substituted him off just shy of the hour mark, with a low 5/10 rating also coming his way from the Express’ Charlie Gordon post-match, who simply stated that he offered ‘very little.’

Maresca will likely reinstate faces such as Cole Palmer and the aforementioned Jackson for Chelsea’s barrage of games to come, with other personnel such as Nkunku and Madueke fearful of their starting spots if this goalless draw is anything to go by.

Better than Isak: “Best striker in the world” wants to sign for Chelsea

Chelsea can make an even better signing than Isak with “best striker in the world” wanting to join.

By
Connor Holden

Apr 5, 2025

The talk around Arsenal and their needs in the transfer window has primarily focussed on signing a striker.

It’s not hard to see why, as while Mikel Arteta’s side look set to have the best defence in the Premier League for the second season running come May, they have scored 11 goals fewer than Liverpool in as many games.

Moreover, in both cup exits earlier this season, the team had numerous chances to put the ball in the back of the net but failed to do so.

However, with Martin Odegaard only producing four assists in the league this season, there is a real argument to be made that the side also need more creativity in the team, an argument the board may well agree with, as recent reports have linked them with an up-and-coming star who’s been compared to Mesut Özil.

Arsenal's transfer targets

So, as mentioned above, it would appear as if the primary area that Arsenal are looking to strengthen this summer is the striker position, and perhaps the most significant link has been to Viktor Gyokeres.

Reports from late last week claimed that the Swede’s representatives will be in attendance for the Gunners’ Champions League clash with Real Madrid tonight and that he could be available for a fee of around £58m.

While a lot of money, such a fee could be worth it as the former Coventry City star has already amassed an incredible tally of 44 goals and 11 assists in 44 appearances this season, which could make him the dream partner for another of the club’s supposed targets: Arda Güler.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal are one of a few teams incredibly interested in signing the Real Madrid gem this summer.

In fact, while Los Blancos are in no rush to sell the youngster, they could be tempted by the right offer, and according to the report, the Gunners are preparing a bid in the region of €30m, which comes out to about £26m.

It could be a complicated transfer to get over the line for Arsenal, but given Güler’s talent and immense potential, it’s one worth fighting for, especially as he could be their new Ozil.

Why Güler could be Arsenal's new Ozil

So, before going into the other reasons why Arsenal should be looking to sign Güler, it’s worth examining this comparison to Ozil and where it comes from.

Well, the first thing to say is that it’s not just us who have noticed the similarities, as when speaking to the Turkish media, as relayed by GOAL, in 2023, İlkay Gündoğan made the link between the two midfielders.

While it might sound somewhat hyperbolic at the moment, there are some other similarities, such as the fact that both players have played for Fenerbahçe, Real, and, if he makes the move, Arsenal.

Moreover, while the 20-year-old can play off the right, he’s also more than comfortable in attacking midfield, and considering Bukayo Saka is practically undroppable, that’s likely where he would play at the Emirates.

Additionally, while the Ankara-born dynamo is yet to achieve anything close to what the World Cup winner did in his career, the expectation is that by the time he retires, he will have.

For example, respected analyst Ben Mattinson has argued that he “could become Ballon d’Or level” in time, and journalist Dean Jones has previously described him as a “generational talent.”

Furthermore, he’s already scored three goals and provided seven assists in just 1170 minutes of first-team football this term, and he has some seriously impressive underlying numbers to back up that output.

According to FBref, he sits in the top 4% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for pass completion, the top 6% for passes attempted, the top 9% for progressive passes, the top 10% for non-penalty goals and shot-creating actions and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, while he’s not on the level of a peak Ozil at the moment, Güler is an undeniably promising player, and given the lack of creativity that can sometimes hinder Arsenal, he is someone they should be going all out to sign in the summer.

Arteta must ruthlessly axe Kiwior & unleash Arsenal's "warrior" instead

The incredible ace has always been a reliable player for Arsenal.

4

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Apr 8, 2025

Aston Villa have made some statement signings in the last few months, with the January transfer window a really impressive one for the West Midlands side.

Two of their notable signings were loanees, Marco Asensio from Paris Saint-Germain and Marcus Rashford from Manchester United.

The Spanish attacking midfielder has impressed for Villa. He has featured 16 times so far for the club, scoring eight goals and grabbing one assist. Rashford, meanwhile, has been electric, and has four goals and six assists in 17 appearances for the Midlands outfit.

They were both ambitious signings for Villa, and they might not be the last of them. The West Midlands side are reportedly close to signing Sverre Nypan, who is wanted by several of Europe’s biggest clubs.

The latest on Villa’s pursuit of Nypan

What a sensational coup this would be for Villa, if they do manage to get the signing of Nyapn over the line.

According to a recent report from Fabrizio Romano, the Villans are ‘are closing in on the agreement’ for the Norway star.

It would be some addition to the squad at Villa Park with Nypan highly rated across Europe. Indeed, football talent scout Jacek Kulig has suggested that he has a “huge future ahead” of him in professional football.

His stats for Rosenborg in 2024 show exactly why he is so highly rated. The 18-year-old midfielder played 28 top-flight games for his boyhood club in the last calendar year, scoring eight times and grabbing seven assists, including a hat-trick against Lillestrom.

The price Villa would have to pay for Nypan is cheap, too. As stated in a report from Birmingham Live, he may be worth around £10m, which seems an incredibly cheap deal for someone of such promise.

Aston Villa already have their own Nypan

While Nypan is evidently one of the hottest prospects in Europe, Aston Villa have already signing a player with similar traits. He’s also now worth a great deal more than the Norwegian after a scintillating campaign in the Midlands.

It has been an exceptional season for Villans attacker Morgan Rogers. The Villa number 27 became an England international this term, having been rewarded with his first caps off the back of the form he has shown at Villa Park.

Indeed, the 22-year-old, who has only been a Villa player for 18 months, has become a vital player in Unai Emery’s side. He has played 49 times in all competitions, and has 14 goals and 13 assists to his name.

One competition where Rogers really stepped up this season was in the Champions League. It was a fairytale run for Villa who reached the quarter-final before Paris Saint-Germain knocked them out. In 12 appearances, he managed seven goal involvements, including a hat-trick against Celtic in the final group game.

At the start of the season, former Liverpool defender turned Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher said Rogers is an “unstoppable” force. Well, that is a claim that has certainly been proven right, given how well the Villans’ number 7 has played this term.

In fact, Rogers’ stats via Sofascore from the 2024/25 campaign are exceptional and showcase the high levels he has shown throughout. For example, he has played 66 key passes and has an expected goal involvement tally of 15.48 xGI (expected goal involvements).

With all that in mind, it might not be a surprise to hear Rogers’ estimated transfer value, which is 330% higher than the fee Villa will have to pay for Nypan. The England international is now valued at £43m by Transfermarkt.

The impact the England attacker has had in a Claret and Blue shirt so far has been sublime. As his high value shows, he has been a fantastic investment so far, and will surely only get better over the coming months.

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Chelsea are set for a huge end to the 2024/25 season. They are within touching distance of a European final, currently leading Swedish side Djurgarden 4-1 on aggregate. Given the tie is at Stamford Bridge, they go into it as strong favourites.

On top of that, Enzo Maresca’s side are pushing for a top-five finish in the Premier League. Sunday’s 3-1 thrashing of newly-crowned Premier League champions Liverpool was a huge win in that sense.

Then, of course, the Blues are participants in the Club World Cup, where they will face Mexican side Club Leon in their first group game.

With the transfer window opening earlier to accommodate that tournament, the West Londoners could be looking to add to their squad in the coming weeks.

Chelsea target Premier League attacker

There are no lack of options for Maresca in wide areas. So, it might be a surprise that the Blues are looking to add new wingers to their squad.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Yet, rumours linking them to Manchester United star Alejandro Garnacho do not seem to go away.

Now, according to a recent report from Football Insider, Chelsea are thought to be ‘plotting a new move to sign’ the 20-year-old. The Red Devils are ‘open to letting him leave’ this summer, given they need to raise transfer funds of their own.

However, the Argentina international will not come cheap for Chelsea. According to a recent report from The Daily Star, United are likely to ask for a fee as high as £65m from the West Londoners.

Given the Blues have already tried, and failed, to sign Garnacho last January, it seems like they could well meet that demand.

How Garnacho compares to Noni Madueke

It has been a fairly bleak campaign in 2024/25 for United. However, Garnacho has definitely been a bright spark at times. Despite a lull in form around Christmas, he has really picked up again in recent weeks.

This term, the young attacker has managed 11 goals and ten assists across all competitions in 54 appearances. He has scored six times and provided two in the Premier League, having played 34 games in the top flight.

Impressively, there are only seven players under the age of 21 with ten or more goals and ten or more assists this season. That list includes Lamine Yamal, Jude Bellingham and Garnacho. His most recent strike came against Brentford, a sublime long-range effort in a 4-3 loss.

Perhaps Garnacho can have a similar impact at Stamford Bridge as Noni Madueke has made this term. The former PSV Eindhoven star has also been in electric form this term, and has managed to chalk up 11 goals and five assists in all competitions.

Former Bues player Jason Cundy was full of praise for Madueke recently, after his goal against Djurgarden in the 4-1 Conference League thrashing.

The defender-turned-pundit explained that, as a defender, you know that “when he goes past you, he stays past you”, suggesting he is hard to keep quiet.

Interestingly, there can be statistical comparisons drawn, courtesy of FBref, between United’s number 17, Garnacho, and Chelsea man Madueke.

For example, Garnacho averages 0.21 goals per shot on target and 1.47 key passes per 90 minutes. In comparison, Madueke averages 0.23 goals per shot on target and 1.49 key passes each game.

There are certainly similarities between Garnacho and Madueke, and they could both play together, given they favour opposite flanks. If the Argentine star can have anyhwere close to the impact the English winger has made at Stamford Bridge, it will have been a successful signing.

Although £65m is a steep fee, Garnacho is a “special talent” according to football statistician Statman Dave, and Chelsea might not want to miss out on this market opportunity.

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Tottenham Hotspur star Lucas Bergvall will miss at least the rest of the season and the next round of international fixtures, according to reports in Sweden.

Bergvall injured as Spurs hunt Europa League glory

There’s no question the Lilywhites won’t have 100 per cent of their focus on the all-London clash with West Ham this weekend, despite the unquestionable morale boost a win over the Hammers would provide.

Ange Postecoglou’s side travel to Norway next week with a 3-1 aggregate lead over Bodo/Glimt, knowing if the manager can fulfil his second season trophy promise it would not only rescue a diasastrous domestic campaign but also present more opportunities in the transfer market with Champions League football on offer.

They will have to do it without perhaps their player of the season however, with Swedish starlet Bergvall injured in training and since spotted wearing a protective boot.

Explaining the problem in his pre-West Ham press conference, Postecoglou said he expects the 19 year-old, who has just signed a new contract, to miss most or all of the remaining matches: “Just something you see all the time. It wasn’t a tackle, he was on his own, he just went to turn and just his ankle gave away, so it’s just one of those things.

“Sometimes life works in mysterious ways and it’s denied Lucas the opportunity to play in a big game last night (Thursday). He’s been a massive contributor to us, but I’ve got no doubt he’ll come back stronger from that.”

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Swedish media share Bergvall return date

According to Swedish outlet Fotboll Direkt, translated by Sport Witness, Bergvall is without a doubt set to miss the entire Spurs fixture list, including a potential all-English Europa League final in Bilbao on May 21.

However, Ange may have underplayed the issue, with this update suggesting the teenager’s return is “at least eight weeks” away, meaning he would also miss Sweden’s matches against Hungary on June 6 and Algeria on June 10, as well as the opening stages of Spurs’ pre season, with a return date expected around July 1.

This would of course be a massive blow for a player who has taken huge strides this season, having featured in 27 top flight matches and 12 more in European competition.

The young midfielder expressed his delight this week after signing a new deal that will keep him at the club until 2031, but will now have to wait until the middle of the summer to continue that journey.

As for Ange, he will have to rely on a combination of Pape Sarr, Rodrigo Bentancur and Bergvall’s compatriot Dejan Kulusevski to fill the gap against West Ham, in Norway on Thursday and beyond.