All posts by h716a5.icu

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has enjoyed a number of huge successes in the transfer market over the years throughout his time at Anfield.

The likes of Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, and Alisson were all signed by the German head coach and went on to become influential players for the club, with some of them remaining key figures to date.

Who are Klopp's most expensive Liverpool signings?

Klopp has not been afraid to splash the cash when provided the chance to do so by FSG and has struck gold a number of times since his move to the club in 2015.

Virgil van Dijk

£73.8m

Darwin Nunez

£69.7m

Dominik Szoboszlai

£61m

Alisson

£54.5m

Naby Keita

£52.3m

Whilst it is easy to focus on the big-money signings who caught the eye and became stars for the club, Klopp also played a blinder with the bargain signing and then sale of winger Xherdan Shaqiri.

He was a solid and reliable performer for the Reds during his spell at Anfield and the German boss went on to sell him at the perfect time before his market value plummeted.

How much did Liverpool pay for Shaqiri?

The Reds reportedly splashed out a fee of £13.5m to sign the Switzerland international from Stoke City in the summer of 2018 after they activated a relegation clause in his contract with the Potters, who dropped down to the Championship that year.

Klopp described it as a "perfect" move and a no-brainer for the club as the talented forward had already proven his quality at Premier League level. Coincidentally, he'd also proven himself to be a little like one former Red. After scoring at Euro 2018, just a month before his move, one football writer Andrew Beasley said: "That Shaqiri goal reeks of Suárez against Everton at the Kop end in 2014."

The Swiss joined Stoke from Italian giants Inter in the summer of 2015 and enjoyed an impressive few years at the club with 15 goals and 15 assists in 92 appearances in all competitions.

His most productive season in a Potters shirt came during the 2017/18 campaign as he contributed with eight goals and seven assists in 36 Premier League starts.

The Switzerland forward averaged a phenomenal Sofascore rating of 7.24 which happened to be the highest score within the squad, ahead of second-placed Kurt Zouma's 7.07.

Shaqiri was unfortunate to end the season with only seven assists as the left-footed winger created a whopping 14 'big chances' for his teammates and provided 2.1 key passes per game, as per Sofascore, 1.2 more per match than any other Stoke player with more than one league appearance.

That sublime form came after the ex-Bayern Munich prospect produced four goals and two assists in 21 Premier League starts during the 2016/17 campaign. In that time, he created five 'big chances' and delivered two key passes per outing.

These statistics show that Liverpool were bringing in a player who had already proven himself to be an effective forward in the top-flight of English football for a relatively low fee.

How many goals did Shaqiri score for Liverpool?

The Switzerland star racked up eight goals in 63 appearances in all competitions for the Reds in three seasons with the club before his exit in 2021.

Shaqiri, who joined as a back-up to the likes of Mane and Salah, caught the eye when called upon by the ex-Dortmund head coach throughout his first season on Merseyside.

The talented attacker scored six goals and provided three assists in 11 Premier League starts for the Reds, which worked out as an average of one goal contribution every 1.2 starts. Evidently, he was a reliable option for Liverpool to bring in when one of the frontline options needed a rest or missed a game through injury or suspension.

Only Roberto Firmino, Mane, and Salah scored more league goals for Liverpool than Shaqiri during the 2018/18 campaign, illustrating how impactful he was in spite of his limited game time on the pitch.

He also provided two assists in two Champions League starts for the club that season as Klopp's side went on to win the competition with a 2-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in the final.

However, Shaqiri then struggled even more for minutes on the pitch over the next two years as he managed seven Premier League starts in his final two campaigns at Anfield, in which time he chipped in with one goal and two assists.

Where is Xherdan Shaqiri now?

Liverpool ended up playing a blinder with the Swiss gem as they opted to sell him to Lyon in the summer of 2021 after his lack of game time. Since then, his value has plummeted, suggesting a sale was made at precisely the right time.

Football Transfers rated his Expected Transfer Value (xTV) at €11.2m (£9.8m) in December of 2021, shortly after his move to France.

Shaqiri only played 16 matches for the Ligue 1 outfit and contributed with two goals and three assists before a move to MLS side Chicago Fire in 2022.

He has racked up 12 goals and 11 assists in 59 appearances for the American team to date and has scored three goals and produced three assists in 26 MLS outings in 2023 so far.

At the time of writing (25/09/2023), FootballTransfers has his xTV at €2.9m (£2.5m), meaning that his market value has dropped by a staggering 74% in just two years since his move from Liverpool.

Klopp clearly made a terrific decision to cash in on Shaqiri when he did as the 31-year-old has struggled to get back to his best and currently finds himself playing outside of Europe's major leagues with a decreasing market value.

Liverpool picked him up for a fairly cheap price and enjoyed his talents throughout the 2018/19 season and, although they may be disappointed with how the next two years went, have now been able to watch on as he has struggled since moving on from Anfield.

Liverpool are still smarting from what happened away to Tottenham over the weekend, and a fresh injury blow has sent the Reds' weekend from bad to worse.

What happened to Liverpool with VAR?

The Reds suffered one of the cruelest defeats in Premier League history on Saturday evening, in what was a crunch clash with a similarly in-form Spurs side at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Liverpool ended up playing with nine men for a chunk of proceedings, following a somewhat harsh red card for Curtis Jones and a soft sending-off for Diogo Jota, and it was Joel Matip's last-gasp own goal that consigned his side to a 2-1 defeat in north London.

The worst part of the entire match was Luis Diaz's disallowed goal during the first half, however, with the Colombian finding the net but being adjudged to have been in an offside position. It turns out that he was in fact onside, but those in charge of VAR inexplicably failed to tell referee Simon Hooper that that was the case.

It was an incident that has left anyone of a Liverpool persuasion fuming, and on Sunday night, the club released an official statement, saying: "That such failings have already been categorised as 'significant human error' is also unacceptable. Any and all outcomes should be established only by the review and with full transparency."

Away from the VAR farce, the Reds have now also been handed an injury blow, following a new update that has emerged.

Which Liverpool player is now injured?

Taking to X, Dutch journalist Rik Elfrink claimed that Cody Gakpo could now be missing for Liverpool for "several weeks", having limped off after scoring the equaliser against Spurs:

"Cody Gakpo is expected to be out for several weeks at Liverpool. If all goes well, a few weeks. The Dutch matches in October do not seem feasible for the former PSV player at the moment."

Gakpo took his goal at Spurs brilliantly on Saturday, but as soon as he looked in pain after finding the net, it was clear that he was in serious discomfort, having been down injured shortly before scoring as well.

In truth, the fact that the Dutchman was seen in a knee brace after the game means that several weeks on the sidelines could actually be deemed semi-good news for Jurgen Klopp, considering there is the risk that he could be out for months of action instead. However, there is no question that Gakpo will be a big miss, with his manager saying he is someone who "eats football", in terms of his dedication and intelligence as a player.

The 24-year-old has often been trusted as Liverpool's first-choice option down the middle of the attack, linking with others in Roberto Firmino-esque fashion, and that ability to knit things together will make him a big loss in the coming weeks, even though the likes of Darwin Nunez and Jota bring different attributes to the team.

Hopefully, Gakpo is only out of action until the October international break has finished later this month, but that could be wishful thinking, following this latest update on his fitness.

The former Afghanistan coach is on a three-month deal, which might be extended based on results

ESPNcricinfo staff20-May-2018Former India batsman Lalchand Rajput has been appointed Zimbabwe head coach on a three-month deal, which might be extended based on the results.Rajput replaced Heath Streak, who, along with the entire coaching staff, was sacked in March after the team failed to qualify for the 2019 World Cup.Rajput’s first assignment will be a rather challenging one, with Zimbabwe set to play a home T20I tri-series against Australia and Pakistan in July.Rajput had also coached Afghanistan in the last two years. “They [Zimbabwe Cricket] called me up and showed an interest in me. For now, the deal is for three months. After that, if both parties agree, it will be extended,” Rajput told the ICC. “I am really happy with this, because this is what I was looking for after the job with Afghanistan.”Afghanistan did exceptionally well when I was the coach there, so the people in Zimbabwe must have seen something that impressed them. But yes, it’s a challenge. Challenges get the best out of me. I think people know me for that.”Zimbabwean cricket has been marred with crises in the last few years, especially on the financial front. In the current climate, Rajput said he needed to ensure the players playing as a unit.”My first job will be to get the players ready for the triangular series. I have not yet met the players; I will go there and slowly find out everything, meet them, understand them, motivate them,” he said. “There is a lot of talent there, but I need to turn things around quickly and hopefully take them to the next level. The main thing is to get the players together and get them to perform as a unit.”Rajput also coached India U-19s previously, and was the senior team’s manager at the inaugural World T20 in 2007, which they won. He has also coached IPL team Mumbai Indians. Rajput was in the race to become the India coach in 2017, before Ravi Shastri was appointed.

As north London forever blasted out across the Emirates Stadium tanoy yesterday evening, carnage was unfolding among Arsenal supporters.

They have taken to that song like they've sung it all their lives, and it could well remain their good luck charm the longer this Mikel Arteta reign goes on.

Sunday's rendition was perhaps the loudest we've ever heard in N5. Who can blame the fans, either? Particularly after defeating Manchester City.

Gabriel Martinelli's late goal was a statement strike as Arteta defeated his former employers in the league for the first time in his managerial career. It was a stunning win, and their first over the Citizens in the top-flight since 2015.

The last time Arsenal took all three points were the days of Arsene Wenger and Manuel Pellegrini. How times change.

Now, City are treble winners. They've won a European crown and the Gunners have got their swagger back too. They may not have won a trophy last season but days like these reminded everyone that they could well be mentioned in the same breath as the elite come the end of this season.

Their squad depth is even improving, something that was seen with the winning goal as three substitutes, including the aforementioned Martinelli and Takehiro Tomiyasu combined. The Brazilian will get many of the plaudits, but let's pause for a moment and celebrate the performance of Arteta's Japanese defender.

What impact did Tomiyasu have against City?

When Arsenal were defeated by Pep Guardiola's side last February, Tomiyasu was one of the figures to blame.

His back pass sold Aaron Ramsdale short which allowed Kevin De Bruyne to steel in and send the ball soaring over the goalkeeper and into the back of the net.

It was one of many decisive moments in the fight for the title, but the former Bologna man more than made up for it on this occasion.

Sent on for Oleksandr Zinchenko with 15 minutes remaining as part of a three man substitution including Kai Havertz and Thomas Partey, they all combined for the goal.

Tomiyasu was charged with playing at left-back but found himself marauding forward for the winner. The 24-year-old found himself operating as the furthest man forward, peeling off the last defender and latching onto a lofted ball forward from Partey.

The Japan international was totally aware of his surroundings and knocked the ball into Havertz who was duly supporting his colleague. The German took the ball down nicely before laying it perfectly into the path of Martinelli. The rest is history.

It was a vital touch from Tomiyasu who more than proved he has what it takes to operate in central areas, a key facet of Arteta's full-backs. Just ask Zinchenko.

However, he's an incredibly reliable defender too, with the manager having waxed lyrical about him only last week, saying: "I always said that I’m really confident that the moment Tomi has consistency, he’s going to be a tremendous asset for us.

"He already is. He can play in any position in the backline, any formation in the backline, we don’t have another player like him. At defending, he’s probably one of the best that I’ve seen in many situations."

So with that in mind, what better time to unleash him as a more permanent fixture in the Premier League starting XI?

Who could Tomiyasu replace in the Arsenal side?

As Arteta says, Tomiyasu is incredibly capable of playing anywhere in defence. That makes him a remarkable asset in this side, and it also means that no other defender should be relaxed about keeping their place.

The £55k-per-week earner initially broke through at Arsenal as a right-back, but has also been seen in the middle and more so this season at left-back following Jurrien Timber's long-term injury.

Such an eventuality could mean that it's Zinchenko who begins to lose sleep about his home in this side. Technically one of the most proficient players in the squad, there are few better in the global game at playing the inverted role. That said, he can be lapse in possession and his defending has at times left some in the media to lament the Ukranian as a "liability."

Zinchenko was part of a "dominant" backline – as per broadcaster Sophie Nicolaou – but it wasn't all plain sailing for the 26-year-old versus City. He ultimately won 100% of his defensive battles, dealing with the threat of Kyle Walker for most of the game, and robustly tackling substitute Jeremy Doku with the Belgian's first action.

That said, he was guilty of squandering possession, giving it up five times in total. Defensively the full-back was astute against City, but we know that isn't always the case. The very fact he's only played the full 90 minutes once this season is indicative that when Arsenal go into the defensive trenches, he isn't the best to see out the game.

There isn't necessarily anything wrong with that, everyone has their roles, but Tomiyasu now deserves his chance to show what he can do with a consistent run in the side.

Erik ten Hag has described Manchester United being without a recognised left-back for the rest of the season as one of his "biggest frustrations".

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Reguilon had loan spell cut shortLeft-backs Malacia and Shaw injuredTen Hag opens up on injury frustrationsGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

The Red Devils cut short Sergio Reguilon's loan spell from Tottenham in January after Ten Hag said his medical staff assured him left-backs Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia would both be fit and available in January. While the former returned, the England international then suffered a muscle injury five games into his comeback and is set to miss the rest of the season. With Malacia also sidelined, Ten Hag hinted United would have kept Reguilon had he known he would have been short of defenders.

AdvertisementGetty WHAT ERIK TEN HAG SAID

He told reporters: “In December I had talks, internally, with the medical and performance [staff]. They assured me they will both be fit in January and so you will have two left full-backs. Then you have a third one, so I would have to always disappoint one full-back [Reguilon]. We're talking about one of the biggest frustrations. You can accept in one position that a player is not available, but when two players are not available over the course of the season, that's very frustrating. It's very difficult to catch up as a team, but we've dealt with it in the best way, but of course it's a disadvantage.”

GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

United have had a lengthy injury list this season but they have still been out of sorts throughout much of the campaign. However, Ten Hag, who has won 60 matches as United boss, feels they would have won a lot more games with a fully fit squad and the team's future is bright.

“Imagine if we had many more players available and not setbacks and injuries. It could easily have been 75 wins and that tells the bright future of this team. When you compare it with other managers, other teams, or previous managers in this big club, you can see there is a bright future. No team can deal with so many injuries. We missed so many key players over the part of the season. We've had big setbacks, but we keep going and have a strong mentality. We keep fighting and keep pushing the team in the right direction," he added.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

WHAT NEXT?

Ten Hag's United, who sit sixth in the Premier League and suffered early Carabao Cup and Champions League exits, host relegation-threatened Everton at Old Trafford in Saturday's early kick-off.

George Dobell at Old Trafford02-Jul-20181:24

Morgan ready to experiment with batting line-up

It’s not just that Australia are currently lacking half a first-choice team due to injury and suspension, and it’s not just that India are currently rated No. 2 in the ICC’s ODI and IT20 rankings. There’s little doubt that, after a 6-0 start to the white-ball leg of England’s home summer, the true examination of their limited-overs progress is just about to begin.After all, this India side contains at least two of the best batsmen in limited-overs history – certainly Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni qualify in that category – and a bowling attack that contains an enduring source of heartbreak for England teams: good-quality spin bowling – in particular wrist-spin.If that sounds like an exaggeration, consider the last time these teams met in this format. On that occasion we were treated to a batting collapse to rate with some of the most dramatic in England’s history (and the competition for that accolade is pretty stiff) when, confronted with the potent mix of a demanding target (203) and a good leg-spinner (in Yuzvendra Chahal), they lost eight wickets for eight runs on the way to a 75-run loss.To make matters worse – for England, anyway – both these limited-overs series are set to be played in conditions that should encourage spin and negate any advantage England might have had from ‘home’ conditions. With the country in the middle of an unusually hot and dry spell – by English standards, anyway – the surfaces encountered in this series (and probably the Test series that follows) might be expected to assist spin more than normal. The distinctive smell of burning wood – there are two major moorland fires near Manchester – provides an even greater sense that this first match might as well be taking place in an Indian city.”Generally, it is a different challenge when you play against subcontinent teams,” England’s captain, Eoin Morgan, said. “It normally exposes sides like ourselves, South Africa and Australia to spin and reverse swing: different challenges to that we are normally used to. But we are in the middle of our summer and we have played a lot of cricket. Hopefully we will be able to deal with it”The weather normally has a big impact on the pitch that’s produced. The grounds we go to in the T20 series normally take a bit [of spin] as well.”Like everything, if you play against a side with good players and you focus on one or two of them, say the spinners, it’s more than likely it’s the seamers who will actually get the wickets. It can have a completely different impact if you focus on two guys too much within a team. They are a strong side and have other components to their game. It’s going to be a difficult challenge.”There are reasons for optimism from an England perspective. For a start, they are a better side than many of those that preceded them and they are, after overwhelming Australia home and away, playing joyful, confident cricket.Perhaps more importantly, the sense of mystery that once accompanied them in any series against overseas sides – and India in particular – has been diluted by exposure to the IPL. Ten of this squad (including the injured Ben Stokes and Tom Curran) have IPL experience and one of them (Moeen Ali) played alongside Chahal for RCB.Yuzvendra Chahal was among the wickets once again•Getty Images”That has a big impact,” Morgan said. “When I was coming through to the international team, playing against somebody like a Chris Gayle for instance, who you’d built up as quite a significant player in the game, you felt a million miles away from that, whereas our guys are rubbing shoulders with the best, competing and doing quite well.”I think our experience of playing in the IPL is of benefit to us. It exposes our players to the biggest competition in the world. We had nine players picked up in the auction, with 13 eventually going including replacement players, which is the most we’ve ever had. It’s great experience and exposure for our players, but it also shows where we are at as a team.”Whatever happens over the next few weeks, England’s eyes will remain – in this format, at least – upon the next World T20 tournament in Australia in late 2020. Gone are the days of using the format to take a look at players with a view to the ODI side and gone are the days of resting players with a view to keeping them fresh for Test cricket. With a global event on the horizon – albeit distant at present – the format will take greater precedence.That was a point confirmed by Morgan ahead of the series. As well as stating he would like to continue as captain to that World T20 tournament, he said England would continue to tinker with their line-up – and batting order, in particular – with a view to finding their optimum strategy over the next 12 months or so.”I’d love to do it [the captaincy],” Morgan said. “2020 [and the World T20] is where all our plans are going in this format.”You will see more experimentation [in this series]. I think we have to be open to what might be the best combination down the line. I don’t think here and now that making a solid decision and sticking with it for the next two years is productive or healthy. We have to be as adaptable as we can be, going forward with one eye on the World T20 in Australia. And we have also the Big Bash: some of our guys might go down there and absolutely tear it up. So you have to be open-minded.”Two men who are clearly in with a chance of selection are Reece Topley and Matt Fisher. Both were considered for selection for this squad once it become clear that Tom Curran was not fully fit. Fisher, aged 20, has long been thought of as a promising player and made his Championship debut for Yorkshire aged just 17, while Topley has recently recovered from a stress fracture of the back and was overlooked for Hampshire’s team that won Saturday’s Royal London One-day Cup final.Ultimately, the England management raised some eyebrows with the decision to select a batsman – Dawid Malan – to replace a bowler (Curran). But they reasoned that allowing Topley and Fisher to play for England Lions against India A may be more beneficial than calling them to Old Trafford with little realistic prospect of playing.

Alex Djiku revealed the harrowing experience he endured as Fenerbahce faced violent attacks from Trabzonspor fans following their 3-2 Super Lig win.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Fenerbahce players attackedTension boiled over after the final whistleDjiku opens up on experienceWHAT HAPPENED?

At the final whistle, scenes of violence unfolded as Trabzonspor fans stormed the pitch, targeting Fenerbahce players. Fenerbahce goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic was punched, while players Michy Batshuayi and Bright Osayi-Samuel found themselves embroiled in altercations with home supporters.

AdvertisementGetty/XTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The longstanding rivalry between the two clubs has been fraught with tension, escalating since the dramatic 2011 league title win by Fenerbahce, secured on goal difference to the detriment of their opponents. And the late victory in Sunday's match, which kept Fenerbahce two points behind title rivals Galatasaray, further heightened tensions between the clubs.

WHAT DJIKU SAID

In an interview with Djiku expressed the fear that gripped him and his teammates during the violent onslaught.

"There was a feeling of fear for our lives, because when a supporter is ready to do battle you never know what might happen," he said.

"The start of the game went very well, both on and off the pitch, with us winning 2-0. In the second half, the fans started throwing water bottles, coins and smoke bombs.

"The referee, the stadium announcer and the Trabzonspor players repeatedly asked the fans to calm down to avoid stopping the match. At the final whistle, we celebrated the victory in the middle of the pitch – as we do at every match – given that we were playing against the third-placed team and that Galatasaray had won against Kasimpasa. We saw one fan enter the pitch and within seconds several more, until the stewards were completely overwhelmed. Hundreds of people were coming towards us and the pitch was completely invaded.

"We all went in at the same time on the recommendation of the stewards and with the help of the Trabzonspor players. It all happened very quickly. Some of my team-mates had no choice but to defend themselves to save their lives. Personally, I was lucky not to have been hit, unlike my team-mate Livakovic and some others."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

INVESTIGATION UNDERWAY TO NAB THE CULPRITS

The reprehensible actions of the supporters have drawn widespread condemnation, with Turkey's interior minister Ali Yerlikaya and FIFA President Gianni Infantino both denouncing the violence. An investigation has been launched to address the incident and hold those responsible to account.

"When we arrived in the dressing room we were still in shock and dismay at what had just happened," said Djiku. "We didn't think that celebrating a victory could lead to so much happening. The safety of footballers should be the sole responsibility of clubs. We felt that it was extremely sad for both teams and for Turkish football in terms of the images that were sent back."

Wolverhampton Wanderers secured a crucial Premier League victory over Bournemouth on the weekend and Gary O’Neil is finally leading the club to some consistency.

They have not been defeated in the top flight since Liverpool claimed a 3-1 win back in September and the mood around Molineux is positive for once after a couple of turbulent seasons.

With some more excellent performances and a little bit of luck, the Old Gold could aim for a top half finish and O’Neil must dive back into the transfer market come January to potentially reignite a move for Burnley midfielder Josh Brownhill.

Could Wolves sign Josh Brownhill?

In August, the Molineux side made an approach for the 27-year-old, according to TEAMtalk, as they aimed to strengthen their midfield options.

The £45k-per-week star will be out of contract at the end of the season and this could tempt O’Neil into making a more concrete move for the player when the winter transfer window opens.

He could either wait to sign the midfielder on a free next summer or secure him for a knockdown price due to his contract scenario, and it is a move the former Bournemouth manager has to make.

How good is Josh Brownhill?

Brownhill has made 141 appearances for Burnley since joining in 2020 and played a key role in their Championship triumph last term, scoring seven goals and grabbing eight assists.

He has found the back of the net just once this term, but O’Neil could sign his very own James Ward-Prowse if he convinces Brownhill to join Wolves.

The duo are statistically similar and the former Southampton star has enjoyed a wonderful start to life at West Ham United.

The 28-year-old has scored twice and registered six assists across just ten matches for the Hammers, and he certainly looks like he could turn out to be one of David Moyes’ finest-ever signings.

According to FBref, Ward-Prowse is the second most comparable player to Brownhill and given his impact at the highest level over the previous few years, it is not a bad comparison to have.

Indeed, they have registered similar statistics with regard to shots per 90 (1.4 to 1.58), shot-creating actions per 90 (4.01 to 3.94), tackles won (nine to six), and touches in the attacking third (136 to 179), indicating that they both like to generate shooting chances for others, while always aiming to get forward as often as possible.

The Burnley star was previously hailed as “brilliant” by his teammate Jack Cork back in 2022 and while he has not quite had the same sort of impact in front of goal as he did last season, perhaps a fresh start could give him more freedom.

Wolves lost Ruben Neves and Matheus Nunes during the summer transfer window and while they raked in plenty of money for the duo, they have left some big gaps to fill in the heart of their midfield.

Brownhill would not be expected to be a replacement for either of those two, yet his similarities to Ward-Prowse make him an ideal candidate for O’Neil’s project in the Midlands.

His contract situation at Turf Moor could open the door for a move at the start of next year and Wolves should look to take advantage of that to add an attacking threat to their midfield ranks, just as West Ham did when they raided Southampton this summer.

No jackets in the Long Room … the hottest day yet of an abnormally sweltering English summer has claimed a notable etiquette casualty

Andrew Miller26-Jul-2018The hottest day yet of an abnormally sweltering English summer claimed a notable etiquette casualty on Thursday evening, as Marylebone Cricket Club announced a relaxation of its strict dress code for members entering the Pavilion at Lord’s.Spectators attending Middlesex’s Vitality Blast match against Hampshire were informed prior to the start of the match, at 6.15pm, that there was no longer a requirement for them to wear jackets in the Long Room, due to the “abnormally warm” weather.Temperatures in London touched 34C on Thursday afternoon, with the possibility of an even hotter day to come on Friday – potentially threatening the hottest ever recorded in the country, 38.5C in August 2003.Ordinarily, Lord’s dress code for men states: “Gentlemen shall wear lounge suits or tailored jacket and trousers, shirt, tie or cravat and shoes with socks.” Women must wear: “dresses; or skirts or trousers (which may be cropped below the knee) or culottes, with blouses or smart tops, and formal shoes, boots or sandals.”However, a tweet from @homeofcricket, the official Lord’s Cricket Ground account, ahead of the match read: “Due to the abnormally warm temperatures, MCC has decided to dispense with requirement for gentlemen to wear jackets in the Pavilion and arrive wearing one. This applies to Members of MCC and Middlesex and their guests.”

Due to the abnormally warm temperatures, MCC has decided to dispense with requirement for gentlemen to wear jackets in the Pavilion and arrive wearing one.

This applies to Members of MCC and Middlesex and their guests. pic.twitter.com/KP07HK1eSl

— Lord's Cricket Ground (@HomeOfCricket) July 26, 2018

It comes after India’s touring team short their ongoing warm-up match against Essex, from four days to three, for what was believed to be concerns about the parched outfield at Chelmsford, and the desire to more closely manage their workloads ahead of next week’s first Test at Edgbaston, starting on August 1.While Lord’s has long held a reputation for inflexibility when it comes to dress codes – and other codes, for that matter: it wasn’t until 1999 that women were finally admitted to the Long Room – in reality, MCC has relaxed many of its regulations in recent years.A loosening of the club’s famous egg-and-bacon tie – both literally and metaphorically – was first undertaken a decade ago by the club’s then-chief executive, the liberally minded Australian Keith Bradshaw, whose efforts to portray the club in a new light also included his championing, on MCC’s behalf, of pink-ball floodlit cricket. Further relaxations have been proposed ahead of the launch of the ECB’s new city-based competition in 2020, which, with its family-friendly remit, may involve permitting children into the pavilion.Certainly the club seems slightly less set in its ways than the other two big beasts of the British Social Season – Wimbledon, where in 2015 Lewis Hamilton was ejected from the Royal Box after an “unfortunate misunderstanding” with the dress code, and Royal Ascot, which actually beefed up its dress code this year in a bid to keep a tighter rein on spectator behaviour.”Additions to the official dress code in 2018 make socks a requirement for gentlemen,” according to the Royal Ascot style guide. “Our dress code is traditional, woven into the very fabric of our history.”There wasn’t a whole lot of tradition on display at Lord’s on Thursday night, where – as Hampshire wilted in the evening heat, losing their last nine wickets for 54 runs in a 22-run defeat – a “kiss-cam” was scouring the stands and zeroing in on amorous couples.And while they may have been unusually hot under the collar, it is not thought that the cameras lingered too long on the members at this stage of the club’s evolution.

Chelsea booked their place in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals after beating Blackburn Rovers 2-0 at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night.

Mauricio Pochettino made four changes to the side that lost against Brentford and in a season that has been plagued with injuries and the Argentine would have been delighted to see one of his stars return to the starting lineup and open the scoring as Benoit Badiashile sent the Blues on their way to the last eight.

He wasn't the only player to return to the first eleven as Reece James gave a good account of himself on his return from injury, with the pair coming off unscathed in the 61st minute, just after Raheem Sterling put the icing on the cake with a curled effort into the top right corner.

Raheem Sterling's stats vs Blackburn

Described as "clinical" by journalist Ben Jacobs for his well-taken finish against the Championship side, Sterling showed shades of being back to his best.

The Englishman terrorised the visitors with his electric pace and explosive ball-carrying, fashioning space for his team while wreaking havoc in the Rover's defence.

Touches

60

Accurate Passes

26/32 (81%)

Key Passes

2

Dribble Success

5/9

Possession Lost

16x

Duels Won

8/17

Stats via Sofascore.

Sterling's strongest asset is his fleet-footed dribbling and he showcased that to devastating effect on Wednesday night, recording the most completed dribbles out of anyone on the pitch (5), as per Sofascore.

The 28-year-old's approach play was exceptional, expertly fashioning space to create a chance and complimenting that positive play by supplying the end product to match.

He was a constant thorn in the Rovers back line, making two key passes, creating one big chance and successfully completing 81% of his passes.

Perhaps more impressively, Sterling's hard work to press and win possession back for his team didn't go unnoticed, throwing himself into challenges and making two tackles while winning eight of his 17 attempted ground duels.

The former Manchester City man set the benchmark for a positive Chelsea performance on the night but midfield maestro, Enzo Fernandez, somehow managed to eclipse his impact with an outstanding display.

Enzo Fernandez stats vs Blackburn

When the Blues captured Fernandez for a British record £106.8m from Benfica in the January transfer window, many anticipated him to transform the midfield and lead their charge up the Premier League table.

Unfortunately, the Argentine has been a central figure in a woefully underperforming side over the last ten months, typifying the club's struggles in piecing together a squad capable of challenging.

On Wednesday night, however, the 22-year-old rose to the occasion and showed his truly world-class talents.

Touches

131

Accurate Passes

102/110 (93%)

Key Passes

7

Duels Won

11/13

Times Fouled

5

Tackles Won

6

Stats via Sofascore.

A midfield metronome, who likes to control the tempo of a football match with his exceptional passing range, Fernandez was central to everything positive that Chelsea did, with journalist Nizaar Kinsella describing his performance as "ridiculously dominant".

That evaluation couldn't be closer to the truth as the World Cup winner recorded a Sofacore match rating of 9.0 – the best of any player for either side – made an astonishing 131 touches and completed 93% of his incredible 110 passes, as well as seven key passes.

If Fernandez was exquisite in possession, his desire to ferociously press and win the ball back was absolutely phenomenal, rarely giving the visitors a moment's peace in the engine room.

He came out on top in a whopping 11 of his 13 ground duels and made the most tackles in the match (6), putting in the sort of defensive performance that brought his South American roots to light.

When in this sort of form, Fernandez is a joy to watch and if he can translate that level of performance to the Premier League, the critics will soon realise why Chelsea shelled out a triple figure sum to lure him to Stamford Bridge.