All posts by h716a5.icu

Since the Asia Cup in UAE, the opener has managed a mere 376 runs in 15 innings at 26.85. Has he become a concern for the Indian think thank?

Deivarayan Muthu in Nagpur05-Mar-2019It might not be panic stations yet, but with the World Cup in under three months’ time, the Indian team management will be twitchy over Shikhar Dhawan’s form.Since the Asia Cup in the UAE, where he cracked a chart-topping 342 runs in five innings at an average of 68.40 and strike rate of 102.08, Dhawan has managed a mere 376 runs in 15 innings at an average of 26.85.During this period, he has moved to double-digit scores ten times, but has passed fifty only twice – both half-centuries coming on the relatively flatter tracks in New Zealand.In the home series against West Indies late last year, Dhawan was rushed by the hit-the-deck bustle of Oshane Thomas, who kept scything through his defences. In New Zealand, Lockie Ferguson also took him down with a scorching 151kph yorker while Trent Boult swung him out on lively pitches.Ashley Nurse, the offspinner, had also troubled Dhawan by cramping him for room, and restricted him to 13 off 14 balls while claiming his wicket twice.In the second ODI against Australia in Nagpur, Dhawan had another start after seeing off the early swing generated by Pat Cummins and Nathan Coulter-Nile. Anything that was full and on the pads was nonchalantly put away through the leg side. Aaron Finch then experimented by drafting in Glenn Maxwell as the first change ahead of the frontline spinners Nathan Lyon and Adam Zampa.Maxwell fired one dart after another at Dhawan’s pads and cut off the opener’s happy space: the arc between backward point and cover. He eventually nipped out Dhawan with a slider from around the wicket that coaxed the batsman into attempting a pull when it wasn’t quite short enough. Gone for 21 off 29 balls. Another start not converted.ESPNcricinfo LtdThe opponents have been paying attention to Dhawan’s weakness and are gradually taking advantage of it. Incidentally, according to , in the past year, Dhawan has averaged just 20 against offspinners – his lowest against any type of bowling in ODIs.India’s openers, meanwhile, average only 33 this year – in comparison to 40-plus averages in the past five years – and Dhawan’s lean patch has somewhat contributed to the dip.With India just three ODIs away from the World Cup and KL Rahul breathing down his neck, Dhawan can’t afford to prolong this run. On the eve of the ODI series opener, Virat Kohli was particularly enthused about Rahul, saying his exquisite strokeplay had strengthened his case for the World Cup.Rahul likes the new ball coming on to the bat, but isn’t as fluent against the old one, so you can’t quite fit him into the middle order, which has also wobbled recently.So, is Dhawan’s World Cup spot in danger? That might be too strong a conjecture at the moment, considering he has been India’s most prolific batsman in global tournaments since the 2013 Champions Trophy, where he finished as the top scorer.Even before the 2015 World Cup in Australia, Dhawan was searching for his off stump and answers against late swing. He brushed everything off in the World Cup and emerged as India’s highest run-getter with 412 runs from eight innings.More recently, Dhawan was dropped midway through the home series against England in 2017, but then returned to set the Champions Trophy alight with 338 runs in five innings – his opening partner Rohit was the only other batsman to top 300 in the tournament.While Rahul can play a variety of explosive shots, including the lofted drive, the last thing India would want is to break up one of the most successful opening combinations in ODI cricket.The key question for the Indian think tank would be: how to help Dhawan regain his rhythm? Will they look to rest him for a game or two and allow him to reset his mind and technique? Or will they just retain him for the remaining three ODIs of this series and hope that he finds form?

Gollapudi: ‘What, if anything, has changed for West Indies at this World Cup?’

Nagraj Gollapudi at Old Trafford27-Jun-20191:13

Hussey: India’s well-balanced bowling unit makes them extremely hard to beat

If you are a West Indies fan should you feel angry that the dream of Jason Holder’s team has been extinguished? Should you feel sad about the dream dying once again? Should you feel embarrassed supporting a team that has broken your trust again? Your faith? Your belief?No, we are not dramatising. We are not overdoing this, Jason and Co. You might say no one knows the pain better than you. But do you, really?If you did, why did you let Australia escape from 79 for 5 to 288, with Nathan Coulter-Nile, a bowling allrounder, hitting a career-best 92?Watch on Hotstar (India only): Highlights of India v West IndiesThen, with 79 runs needed from the final 12 overs, with five wickets in hand, Andre Russell, T20 cricket’s best finisher, got sucked in by Mitchell Starc, swinging the momentum Australia’s way. And it stayed like that.Against Bangladesh, despite having a solid target to defend, your bowling plans were muddled, allowing Shakib Al Hasan to stage a coup.What about the New Zealand game? The hopes blossomed with Chris Gayle showing all intent to make the day his. But then Shimron Hetmeyer and Holder got out in quick succession. The fans refused to give up only because Gayle was still around. Except that he lost his cool going for a big stroke. It hurt more as Gayle had watched Kane Williamson resuscitate New Zealand from a similarly hopeless situation to put up a winning target. Williamson had shown patience till the very last ball. Gayle gave up midway.The flower of hope lay smudged in the Manchester twilight. However, stunningly, the hope suddenly got rekindled as Carlos Brathwaite decided he was going remind cricket he exists. The soft-spoken Barbadian gathered the courage and the power to mount a fightback and brought West Indies to the doorstep of a historic win. With six runs needed from seven balls, Brathwaite then pulled Jimmy Neesham into the hands of the fielder in the deep. Gleaming with sweat, Brathwaite collapsed to his knees. Hopes extinguished. Brathwaite. Yes, we remember the name. Two unforgettable innings. Honest trier. What was the need to go for big one when there was another over remaining?Incidentally, Brathwaite has also been the go-to death bowler for West Indies this tournament. You wonder why exactly? What did a medium-fast bowler, who has an economy rate of 10-plus, possess for the ball to be given to him in the most crucial phase where momentum is snatched? Was that a failure of strategy or the lack of faith in the other quicks?Even on Thursday, against India, West Indies failed to take the chances that came their way, like the stumping opportunity against MS Dhoni, allowing Virat Kohli’s men to regain their footing quickly and take charge of the match.On Wednesday, Gayle called an impromptu press conference. He was chatty, jovial and indulgent. He called himself one of the Caribbean greats. No doubt about that. But then he left everyone dumbfounded saying he wanted to play one more Test, but would “definitely” play the home ODI series in August against India. This after saying he would be retiring from the 50-overs format post-World Cup.Chris Gayle struggles against a yorker•Getty ImagesWas Gayle being arrogant, entitled? Minutes later, Holder said it was news to him. Michael Holding summed up the scenario nicely saying he was not aware Gayle had appointed himself the chairman of selectors.Gayle is a team man, no doubt. Has respect for the game. But what about his fitness? Known as ‘Cramps’, due to his various niggles over the past several years, Gayle this tournament was spending time in the dressing room when West Indies were fielding. He is the vice-captain. Would Holder not have wanted more insights, more guidance, more motivation from the last of the West Indies’ greats?Unfortunately, the man who loves being called Universe Boss, who can evoke cheerful emotions from a full house, as evident in Manchester, has failed to impose himself. As he walked out haltingly one step at a time, after top edging a short ball from Mohammed Shami, Gayle might have been even angry at himself. He had said that he was desperate to get a century in his last World Cup. He desperately wanted West Indies to make the last four, to get hands on the World Cup which West Indies last won in 1979. Two matches to go, Gayle might fulfil his personal ambition, but West Indies will return home empty handed.WATCH on Hotstar (US only): Full match highlightsWhat about Russell? Why did the team management decide to play him when he was leaving the field unable to finish even a handful of overs?When Jimmy Adams, Cricket West Indies’ director of cricket, and his team review the tournament, one key pattern that would strike them is the West Indies batsmen’s failure to stitch together partnerships. There have been just two 100-plus stands so far. Gayle and Hope have been their two best batsmen, but the rest have failed to show application, composure, mindset to withstand or create pressure.Along with Hope, Hetmeyer, Nicholas Pooran and Evin Lewis have been talked about as the future of West Indies batting. Yet only Hope has shown the temperament and the skills to rotate strike and hit the odd boundary, a strategy successful batsmen use in ODIs, to succeed. The other three players are young, but they have played with a T20 mindset, which can be dangerous for their overall growth.Summing up the campaign, Holder was honest to admit the ODI format remains their “weakest” suit. “We let ourselves down significantly,” Holder told the host broadcaster. “I don’t think we seized the crucial moments in this tournament as we should have. We missed crucial chances in the field which cost us. The bowlers had a reasonable campaign to be fair – everything we asked of them they came and delivered. We didn’t really support (them) as well as we liked in the field. We let ourselves down tremendously in the field. In terms of batting we were just too inconsistent.”It all brings us to the question of what, if anything, has changed for West Indies this World Cup? They were one of the dark horses at the outset solely based on the mighty power of their batsmen. The horse burst through the gates in Nottingham, leaving Pakistan in its wake with memorable spells of fast bowling. But very soon, the ride became rough. They started to limp. The rivals began either skirting past or galloping easily over.Holder’s men entered the tournament as one of the most dangerous teams, the captain saying the tournament was about trying to create their own legacy.They will walk out of the World Cup heads down. No legacy yet. The dream stillborn.

There’s no stopping Amazon Warriors, while Patriots script a remarkable turnaround to get into the playoffs

Hemant Brar01-Oct-2019Patriots turn it around, Amazon Warriors maintain winning streak
After losing four out of their first five games of the season and looking down for the count, St Kitts and Nevis Patriots bounced back to register four wins in their next five matches to become the second team after Guyana Amazon Warriors to qualify for the playoffs.Patriots captain Carlos Brathwaite, who triggered the turnaround with an all-round performance in a Super Over win against Trinbago Knight Riders last week, was again the star of a last-ball win against Barbados Tridents. Chasing 150, Tridents were cruising at one stage but Brathwaite’s three quick wickets had them stumbling from 85 for 2 to 99 for 7. Raymon Reifer took the game to the last over but with two required from the final delivery, Dominic Drakes bowled Harry Gurney to seal the game.ALSO READ: Khary Pierre – Trinbago Knight Riders’ master of thriftTridents themselves qualified for the playoffs on Sunday as Harry Gurney and Hayden Walsh Jr helped them defend 141 against St Lucia Zouks. Their victory also ensured Knight Riders a top-four spot.Warriors, meanwhile, stretched their winning streak to eight games – a new CPL record – and booked a top-of-the-table finish with two games still in hand.On the other end, Chris Gayle’s homecoming didn’t prove auspicious for Jamaica Tallawahs as the two-time champions failed to make it to the top four for the first time in the seven years of the CPL.Fastest CPL fifty and the Pollard-Holder send-offs
During the Tridents v Knight Riders game, JP Duminy put on a show with the bat, the ball and in the field as Tridents snapped their eight-match losing streak in home games. Building on a 110-run opening stand between Johnson Charles and Jonathan Carter, Duminy raced away to the fastest CPL fifty – off 15 balls – breaking Evan Lewis record – 17 balls – set earlier this season. During his 20-ball 65, Duminy smashed seven sixes and four fours.JP Duminy dispatches one over deep midwicket•Getty ImagesBut he wasn’t done yet. During Knight Riders’ innings, his brilliant running catch – he sprinted from long-off to complete the catch at long-on – sent a dangerous-looking Colin Munro back. Then he picked up the last two Knight Riders wickets to cap a perfect outing.During the same match, the two captains – Kieron Pollard and Jason Holder – were involved in a dramatic sequence of send-offs. It started with Pollard dismissing Holder during the first innings and escorting him till the boundary line. Holder then returned the favour when he caught Pollard near the long-off boundary and ran all the way to third man to see off the batsman. However, a hug after the game suggested there was no hard feelings between West Indies’ new ODI team captain and his predecessor.Batsman of the week
Warriors’ Brandon King continued his good form with an unbeaten 81 off 59 balls against Zouks. Chasing 162, King played the anchor’s role when his opening partner Chandrapaul Hemraj was going at it and took to attack only in the second half of the chase. Having reached to 32 in as many balls, he struck three sixes and a four in his next five balls to shatter Zouks’ hopes.With scores of 12, 81*, 51*, 59 and 49 in his last five innings, King propelled his tally to 287 runs (average 47.83, strike rate 142.78), and is now third on the run-charts.Bowler of the week
After Sandeep Lamichhane left for the national duty, USA international Walsh stepped up for Tridents and returned figures of 5 for 19 – the third-best in CPL history – in Duminy game. At one stage, he had figures of 2-0-4-4, including a three-wicket over. The legspinner not only overcame the dewy conditions but also a star-studded batting line-up. His scalps included Denesh Ramdin, Pollard, Jimmy Neesham and Darren Bravo.In the next game, Walsh got 2 for 37 against Patriots before causing another collapse against Zouks, picking up 4 for 26 that included another three-wicket over. Despite playing only five games, he is currently the leading wicket-taker in the tournament with 15 scalps at an average of 9.80 and a strike rate of 7.8.

During the 201 overs England spent in the field, their lack of penetration with the Kookaburra ball and on flat pitches was brutally exposed

George Dobell in Mount Maunganui24-Nov-2019There must have been a time – a simpler, more optimistic time when all things seemed possible – before BJ Watling scudded in to bat but, for a long time at the Bay Oval, it was hard to remember it.Some say that, when Watling’s innings began, the lava dome that is Mount Maunganui had not yet been formed and moa still grazed happily around the boundary edge. Whether strictly accurate or not, the fact is that when Watling came in to bat, New Zealand were slightly precariously placed at 127 for 4. And by the time he departed, more than 11 hours later, he had not only given his side an opportunity to press for what would be a really impressive victory but crushed any hopes England had into the dust. He had also raised – perhaps reprised would be a more appropriate word – some serious questions about England’s game in such conditions.Let’s start with the basics. Only twice this century – at Cape Town in 2016 (when England bowled 211 overs as Hashim Amla compiled a double-hundred) and Antigua in 2004 (when they bowled 202 and Brian Lara scored an unbeaten 400) have they spent longer – in terms of overs bowled – in the field in a single innings. And during the course of the 201 overs England spent in the field here, their lack of penetration with the Kookaburra ball and on flat pitches was brutally exposed. Truly, there have been more competitive seal clubbings.Also read: All the records BJ Watling broke on his way to 205It was not a display without merit from an England perspective. In the morning session, for example, Jofra Archer bowled 60 balls and conceded runs from just two of them and, in tandem with the frugal Stuart Broad helped England deliver six successive maidens. Archer’s final two balls of the session – balls at the end of his 38th over – were both timed at 90 mph. England conceded just 19 runs in the first 16 overs of the day.There was no lack of effort. After a couple of fielding errors on day three, the standards were tightened on day four. At one stage, with the score beyond 500 and the situation desperate, Ollie Pope sprinted and dived to save two on the mid-wicket boundary. The bowling figures may be ugly, but the performances weren’t.Eventually, though, the dam broke. Even Broad, who conceded his runs at a rate of under two-an-over across the whole innings, was taken for three fours in an over, and over the last hour or so of the New Zealand innings, this was something of a massacre. Not knowing where to bowl, England eventually conceded a Test record 22 wides. They looked exhausted and out of ideas.There will be those who point the finger at Joe Root for this lack of success. And it is true, there were times when he looked out of ideas. But it does bear reiterating, this was a very slow wicket. Even when England began their reply, a couple of edges from Rory Burns’ bat off the seamers and the new ball failed to carry to the cordon; that’s not the sign of a good pitch. Besides, it is not immediately obvious who would have done a better job for England. Still, Root could do with leading from the front with the bat on day five. For if he is not scoring runs or producing miracles as a captain, his position will become vulnerable.It was a frustrating day for Jofra Archer•Getty ImagesNow, you might have thought that New Zealand’s example had provided England’s batsmen with the insight of how to prosper in such conditions. But no. While New Zealand were content to play out the tight bowling and wait, England went searching for scoring opportunities and perished in the process. Burns top-edged an oddly aggressive sweep – a poor selection of shot on a worn wicket showing signs of uneven bounce – and Dom Sibley was drawn into poking at a wide one. It was a clever piece of bowling – Mitchell Santner had set him up with balls angled in from wide on the crease – but a naive piece of batting. It may well be the bowlers who take the flak for this performance, but it should probably be the batsmen. Their failure to post a match-defining first-innings total squandered winning a valuable toss and gave New Zealand a foothold in the game.But let’s focus on the bowling today. For all that time in the field exposed serious issues within the England set-up. For one thing, it saw Archer, England’s jewel of a fast bowler, obliged to deliver an eye-watering 42 overs. It would be an onerous requirement for a spinner but for a once-in-a-generation fast bowler (from an England perspective, anyway) it was a worryingly heavy workload. Only Jack Leach was required to bowl more. To put that figure in perspective, in his 133 Test career, Broad has never bowled more than 36 in an innings.Leach by no means had a shocker. But while his final figures were just a little expensive – he conceded 3.25 an over – it was more the comparison with Santner which was most unflattering. Santner, who came into this game with a Test bowling average of 39.08, gained turn and bounce from the surface that was absent for Leach. It was enough to make you reflect just how extreme some of those surfaces at Taunton may have been.But while the length of this innings was extreme, it wasn’t a complete aberration. Since the start of the tour to India in 2016, England have bowled in excess of 100 overs in the opposition’s first innings 15 times out of 19. In that period, they have, on average, taken 132 overs to bowl out the opposition. They have also now conceded more than 600 on five occasions in 16 first innings. You don’t have to be a genius to work out teams spending that long in the field don’t win many matches. Ahead of this game, England had won four (including three in a row in Sri Lanka and one, in the Caribbean when using a Dukes ball), drawn three and lost 11 of their last overseas Tests.The unavoidable conclusion of all that is that England simply don’t have the potency of bowlers to contest regularly on flat pitches and when using anything other than the Dukes ball. England can’t keep saying they are encountering impossibly flat pitches any more than a batsman can keep saying they are encountering unplayable balls. If these things keep happening, it’s a sign that something is wrong.So, what is to be done? Well, there will be some that suggest England should adopt the Kookaburra ball on County Championship pitches. By doing so, county bowlers may learn some of the skills demonstrated by England’s opponents. At present, on seaming wickets and with a ball that darts round corners, a lot of English seamers are flattered by their returns. Such cricket is doing little to prepare the England team for cricket in conditions like this. Or indeed, in Asia, Australia or South Africa.That would be a shame, though. Test cricket in England is both entertaining and popular in terms of ticket sales and the use of the Dukes ball is a factor. So it may be that improving county pitches is a more appropriate method to help the development of potential Test players.That won’t be easy. With the Championship programme pressed up against autumn and spring, pitches offer too much assistance to seam bowlers at present. And with groundsmen employed by their counties, there will always be a temptation to produce surfaces to suit the home attack.So if the new England management want to improve matters, they may have to fight for a better schedule – a huge issue with The Hundred squatting in the prime weeks of summer – and centrally contracted groundsmen. Ashley Giles, the new ECB director of England cricket, is keen to see Championship cricket played in the window provided for The Hundred which would, at least, make it easier for groundsmen to produce better surfaces. But if the best 90 or so players are absent, you wonder how high the standard will be.None of this should come as a huge surprise. England keep getting exposed on flat surfaces and they will keep getting exposed until things change. The ECB say they value Test cricket. Well, now is the time to prove it.

New Zealand arrive in Australia as the higher ranked side and have been granted the Boxing Day and New Year Tests

Andrew McGlashan08-Dec-2019Part one of New Zealand’s mission to secure a lasting legacy for this group of Test players has been achieved with victory over England. It may not have had Championship points attached but the 1-0 result maintained an impressive home record. That will be tested again when India visit in February, but now comes arguably the toughest part of the triumvirate of series this season.New Zealand arrive in Australia as the higher ranked side – second against Australia’s fifth – and quite rightly billed as the headline act of the season as for the first time since 1987-88 they have been granted the Boxing Day and New Year Tests. However, for all that there will be a mountain of goodwill behind them from home support (and neutrals), they will have to defy history. Their Test record against Australia reads eight wins in 57 Tests and just three of those in their backyard.Two of the wins in this country came in the Richard Hadlee-inspired 1985-86 triumph and the other, by just seven runs, in Hobart in 2011 when David Warner, playing just his second Test, was left stranded on 123. They came within a dodgy lbw decision of winning their previous Boxing Day Test 32 years ago, came close to snatching the 2001-02 series and pushed Australia hard in the inaugural day-night Test in Adelaide in 2015, but there have been some hefty defeats along the way.While close neighbours, New Zealand have come as far as they could to start this series in Perth and will have to contend with only training sessions ahead of a day-night Test. The game regularly talks about how touring sides struggle; there could not be a clearer example of why than this. The slow, low pitch of Seddon Park to the (expected) pace and carry of Perth Stadium, plus the time difference which will have them starting a Test day at 6pm New Zealand with five days to adjust the body clocks and temperatures forecast to be in the 40Cs.However, the WACA was the scene of their series-clinching victory in 1985-86, their near-miss in 2001 and four years ago, Ross Taylor scored 290 in a high-scoring draw. So, perhaps, it could have been worse (at least it’s not the Gabba).Lockie Ferguson is set to make his Test debut over the next two months•Getty ImagesIf the New Zealand team of now was playing Australia of a year ago they may have been termed favourites. They should still arrive with confidence and belief, but they come with the home side re-establishing beast-mode on home soil, although New Zealand should not repeat the basic errors that afflicted Pakistan. The key for them will be staying in the game because Australia are fantastic front-runners. Barring the opening session of the series against Pakistan, Australia were never behind the game (and 0 for 57 at lunch hardly represented a crisis). Whether with bat or ball, New Zealand must keep the home side in their sights in the early days of the series.Three Tests gives a chance to come back if things do go wrong in Perth but they can ill-afford an early chasm opening up. That’s what happened on the previous tour in 2015-16 when a side that had shown promising signs – although not the consistency and battle-hardened qualities of this team – watched Australia pile up 2 for 389 on the first day in Brisbane. Tim Southee and Trent Boult were part of the attack that day (Neil Wagner did not make the XI during the tour) and what they are able to do with the pink ball in Perth, especially if they can get it under the lights, will be vital. You suspect it wouldn’t have made a difference, but in Adelaide last week Australia did not have to face a new ball in the evening: the first day ended at 73 overs.While pace is not everything, it is a lot in Australia, so the time may be right to throw Lockie Ferguson into the Test arena after he was withheld from some back-breaking work on the slow pitches of the England series. How they get him in the side is another question – Southee, who averages 50 with the ball in Australia, could be vulnerable unless New Zealand are brave and leave out an allrounder.With the bat New Zealand are much more than just Kane Williamson – Henry Nicholls is in the top ten of the rankings and Tom Latham sits at 11 – but he remains the talisman. His head-to-head with Steven Smith, two of this eras premier batsmen, will hopefully be compelling for the runs scored and also the contrasting ways they are made. Around Williamson they is plenty of solidity – with only Jeet Raval’s form a significant concern – but Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood will examine the very best.Except for the centuries of Babar Azam and Yasir Shah, this has been a very one-sided Australian season so far with the five T20Is and two Tests never being in doubt. Even after all the trials and tribulations that the game in this country went through last season this summer needs more than Australia steam-rolling their way to victories. Whether New Zealand can go against history is one thing, but it’s over to them to live up to their billing.

There are still a couple of months of the season left to play, and following Tuesday night’s sensational result in the Champions League, we aren’t sure many Arsenal fans will be thinking about the transfer window.

However, the club certainly are, and they seem intent on improving the first team to make sure Mikel Arteta’s side have a far more successful Premier League campaign next year.

Moreover, while signing a new striker will undoubtedly be one of the club’s key objectives, there are other areas of the team that need reinforcing.

Recent reports suggest this is an opinion shared by the board, as the latest player touted for a move to the N5 is a winger who’d not only improve the starting lineup but also help the incredible Myles Lewis-Skelly reach another level.

Arsenal transfer news

On top of playing them off the park, reports have come out in recent weeks claiming that Arsenal are keen on signing Real Madrid’s 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.

The North Londoners are supposedly keen on paying around €30m for the Turkish prospect, which is about £26m, and considering he’s racked up a tally of ten goal involvements in just 1170 minutes, that might prove to be great value.

Another young talent the club are said to be interested in is German wonderkid, Florian Wirtz.

The Bayer Leverkusen star has scored 15 goals and provided 13 assists in just 39 games this season, but would cost around £112m, making it a transfer that seems rather unlikely, which might not be the case regarding Nico Williams.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, the Gunners are planning to ‘secure the signing’ of the Spain international this summer.

The report further reveals that the bid for the Athletic Bilbao star is now ‘underway.’

However, to ensure they get their man, the North Londoners will have to stump up enough cash to activate his €60m release clause, which converts to around £52m.

It would be an expensive deal to get over the line, but given Williams’ ability and potential, it is one worth fighting for, especially as he’d help Lewis-Skelly reach another level.

Why Williams would help Lewis-Skelly

So, if Arsenal are able to get their man in the coming weeks, there are two fundamental and intertwined reasons why Williams would be great for Lewis-Skelly, and the first is his output.

Since the start of last season, the Spain international has proven himself to be “one of the best wingers on the market” in the words of data analyst Ben Mattinson. He’s been a reliable source of goals and assists for Bilbao, scoring 17 of the former and providing 25 of the latter in just 76 appearances.

That means that despite still being just 22 years old, the Pamplona-born “level-raiser,” as Mattinson dubbed him, is averaging a goal involvement every 1.80 games.

Appearances

37

39

Minutes

2729′

2752′

Goals

8

9

Assists

18

7

Goal Involvements per Match

0.70

0.41

Goal Involvements per Minute

104.96′

172′

Now, just imagine how a consistent level of output like that from the winger in front of the Hale Ender would improve his own, be that from getting on the end of passes and slotting home the ball himself or playing a perfect ball over the opposite full-back for the winger to get on the end of and finish a move.

Lewis-Skelly has already proven himself a fantastic progresser of the football and the idea of him playing alongside such a dazzling winger on the left is a tantalising one. Ranking in the top 14% of positionally similar players in the top-flight for passes into the final third, Williams would know he’s going to receive plenty of service, and exceptional service at that.

Having such a frightening winger may well also free up extra room for the teenage superstar to operate in. Lewis-Skelly attracts and glides through opponents like a knife through butter as it is but with Williams in tandem, the left side of Arsenal’s attack would be truly menacing.

Ultimately, signing Williams would be good for the whole Arsenal team, but having him start ahead of Lewis-Skelly could help get so much more out of the already incredible teenager.

Arsenal have struck gold on "unplayable" star who's their own Bellingham

The incredible talent looks destined for greatness with Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 9, 2025

Liverpool are interested in completing the signing of a “really fantastic” Premier League midfielder this summer, according a new transfer report.

Liverpool's midfield in need of defensive nous

Arne Slot’s side may have stumbled of late, including losing 3-2 away to Fulham on Sunday afternoon, but they are still in a wonderful position to win their second Premier League title.

Liverpool have excelled in midfield throughout the season, with Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai making up Slot’s go-to trio in the middle of the park. Curtis Jones, Wataru Endo and Harvey Elliott have also been good options, but there is still a feeling that one more signing is needed there this summer.

Atalanta ace Ederson has been linked with a move to Anfield in the summer transfer window, with the Brazilian potentially exactly what the Reds need. His tenacity in front of the midfield could add more balance to the team, as well as allowing more rotation and increasing the competition for minutes.

VfB Stuttgart midfielder Angelo Stiller has been mentioned as an option for Liverpool in recent months, too, with the 24-year-old registering five assists in the Bundesliga so far this season, also winning three Man of the Match awards from WhoScored.

Liverpool eyeing move for Premier League midfielder

According to a new report from Caught Offside, Aston Villa midfielder Boubacar Kamara is a target for Liverpool this summer, with Chelsea and Arsenal in the race to snap him up, too.

In fact, the Reds are “actively monitoring” the 25-year-old, with Inter Milan another team who are mentioned as potential suitors. As much as £51m could be required to prise him away from Villa Park.

Kamara could be absolutely ideal for Liverpool this summer, adding the defensive quality and energy that Slot wants alongside the guile of the likes of Mac Allister and Gravenberch in the middle of the park.

Appearances

19

31

Starts

14

31

Minutes played

1200

2658

Goals

0

0

Assists

0

3

Tackles per game

2.3

1.8

Clearances per game

2.1

1.6

Pass completion rate

89.1%

89.4%

The Frenchman has averaged 2.3 tackles per game in the Premier League this season, which is superior to Gravenberch’s tally of 1.8, and Villa manager Unai Emery is a big admirer.

“He has talent, but he works and he helps the other players on the field, he provides the cover and he has such versatility. He has played as a centre-back, a midfielder, a right-back, and he is always ready to do it, always focused on his new task. He is really fantastic and I appreciate this versatility a lot, and how he is showing us that his mind is open to everything we are trying to do.”

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Kamara isn’t out of contract at Villa until 2027, so Liverpool may not find it easy to sign him, but the five-cap France international stands out as a great option, especially as he has already proven himself in England, making 63 appearances in the Premier League.

Chelsea have now registered their interest in signing a “monstrous” Premier League star who has been in extremely impressive form this season, according to reliable reporter David Ornstein.

Blues keen to bring in new centre-back

The Blues’ form in the second half of the season has taken a significant downward turn, with the 2-1 loss at home to Legia Warsaw the latest setback earlier this week, underlining the need for Enzo Maresca to strengthen his squad this summer.

One area in which the west Londoners are particularly keen to strengthen is centre-back, making contact to discuss a move for Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae, with the South Korean now keen to leave the German club this summer.

The 28-year-old is on Maresca’s shortlist, but a different centre-back has emerged as the priority target for the summer, namely AFC Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen, and talks over a deal for the 20-year-old have already been held.

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Huijsen’s impressive performances for Bounemouth this season mean he is now in the Blues’ sights, but he is not their only target from the Premier League, according to Ornstein (via Nottingham Forest News).

The reliable reporter has now revealed Chelsea have registered their interest in Nottingham Forest defender Murillo, amid the Brazilian enjoying an incredible season with the Tricky Trees, who continue to push for Europe.

A whole host of potential centre-back targets have been identified, however, with Ornstein naming Huijsen and Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite as other options.

A deal for the Forest star will not be cheap, with previous reports revealing the Blues’ Premier League rivals are set to hold out for £80m, which would make the Brazilian their record sale.

"Monstrous" Murillo starring for Forest

Forest are making an unexpected push for Europe this season, and the defender has been among their most consistent performers in the Premier League, averaging a 6.99 WhoScored match rating, the joint-third highest in the squad.

The 22-year-old has been an indispensable member of Nuno’s side, making 31 appearances in the Premier League, and he received high praise from journalist Ryan Taylor for his performance against Liverpool earlier this season.

Not only has the Brazil international impressed defensively, but he also ranks highly on some attacking metrics over the past year, placing in the top 2% of all defenders for successful take-ons per 90.

Statistic

Average per 90

Successful take-ons

0.79 (98th percentile)

Blocks

1.95 (96th percentile)

Clearances

6.79 (94th percentile)

Having proven himself as a top defender in the Premier League, Murillo could be a fantastic signing for Chelsea this summer, and at just 22-years-old, he could be a key figure at the back for many years to come.

Tottenham Hotspur are now in the race for an “unbelievable” England international, but they may need to qualify for the Champions League to compete for his signature, according to former goalkeeper Paul Robinson.

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Spurs’ season now hinges entirely on their Europa League campaign, and they should be in a very strong position to reach the final in Bilbao, given that they are set to come up against Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt in the semi-final.

A Europa League triumph would end the Lilywhites’ long wait for a trophy, while also granting them access to next season’s Champions League, which should place them in a strong position to bring in some top players this summer.

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In a recent interview with Football Insider, Robinson has now provided an update on a player Tottenham could target this summer, although he believes they will only be able to compete for his signature if they win the Europa League.

The former goalkeeper said: “Tottenham are in the race for Marcus Rashford; but without Champions League football, without the Europa League trophy, and Tottenham 17th in the Premier League? Sorry, you’re not in the conversation.”

As Rashford’s relationship with Ruben Amorim has “broken down”, the England international is expected to leave this summer, with a move to Barcelona potentially on the cards, while a permanent switch to Aston Villa remains a possibility.

The 27-year-old is not the only England international Spurs have their eye on, however, with a recent report revealing they are also serious contenders to sign Manchester City’s Jack Grealish.

"Unbelievable" Rashford impressing at Aston Villa

After falling out with Amorim, it was clear the left-winger needed to leave United in January, and he has started to look more like his former self since moving to Villa, picking up four goals and six assists in 17 matches.

Having once been lauded as “unbelievable” by Harry Maguire, it is clear the £300k-per-week forward has bags of talent, but United has been a graveyard for top players in recent years, and it is good to see him reignite his career elsewhere.

Should Tottenham manage to win the Europa League, a move to north London could be attractive to Rashford, but the signs are not good heading into their crucial semi-final against Bodo/Glimt.

Spurs have lost their last three Premier League games on the spin, and even if they manage to reach the final, it will be a very difficult task to beat Athletic Bilbao in their own stadium, or three-time Champions League winners Man United in a European final.

The signing of Niclas Fullkrug has not worked out as expected for West Ham United. The German joined the club from Borussia Dortmund for £27m with plenty of Champions League pedigree, having reached the final of the competition last season. He also featured at Euro 2024 for Germany, scoring two goals for the hosts.

However, the 32-year-old has struggled with two fairly lengthy injuries and has been unable to adapt to the Premier League. He has managed just three goals and two assists in 15 top flight appearances this term. It has certainly been a struggle for Fullkrug.

Despite his woes, the Hammers might look to bring in another German forward this summer to bolster their attack.

West Ham target German forward

It has been a tough time in the Premier League so far for Timo Werner. The former Chelsea man, now on loan at Tottenham Hotspur, will not remain in North London beyond this season, which has seemingly opened up the door for a potential transfer elsewhere in the Premier League.

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Well, according to a report from talkSPORT, the 29-year-old might be set to stay in London, with West Ham one of the sides who are ‘on alert’ to his availability in the coming weeks. His parent club, RB Leipzig, seem willing to sell him this summer.

However, the Hammers are not the only London outfit linked with a move. West Londoners Fulham are also believed to be interested, if the attacker becomes available.

A price is not yet confirmed, but given Spurs had a buy option of £8.5m in their loan deal, it seems safe to assume hw will be available for a similar price this summer.

Why Werner would be a good signing

Make no mistake about it, the 2024/25 campaign for Werner has been underwhelming. He is far from the attacker who tore the Bundesliga to shreds back in the 2019/20 season, where he scored 28 goals and grabbed eight assists in just 34 games. That sort of form led Statman Dave to describe him as “very special”.

This term has been at the other end of the spectrum for the former Stuttgart attacker. He has played 27 times for Spurs across all competitions, featuring for 946 minutes. That equates to just 10.5 full 90-minute games. Since the turn of the year, he’s played just 70 Premier League minutes.

Werner has only managed one goal this term, too. That came against Manchester City in the Carabao Cup fourth round, a game which his Spurs side won 2-1. It was a strong finish too, meeting a cross from Dejan Kulusevski and firing home.

Should the Hammers bring Werner to East London this summer, he could prove to be a replacement for Mohammed Kudus. In the same talkSPORT article, it is reported that Arsenal are targeting the Ghana international, with West Ham ‘willing to cash in’ on the attacker.

It has actually not been the easiest season for the Hammers’ number 14, either. He has featured in 29 games in the Premier League this term, but has only managed four goals and two assists in that time.

That is just three goal involvements more than Werner in 11 more games.

There are underlying statistics via FBref to suggest that Werner would not be a bad replacement for Kudus. For example, the German international averages 0.52 goal-creating actions and 1.75 key passes per 90 minutes, compared to Kudus’ 0.26 goal-creating actions and 1.08 key passes each game.

Expected goals

0.18xG

0.26xG

Key passes

1.75

1.08

Goal-creating actions

0.52

0.26

Progressive carries

7.37

3.46

Ball recoveries

3.16

4.76

It might be an outside-of-the-box option, but for a fee that could be £8.5m, the £165k-per-week Werner might be an ideal replacement for Kudus. Like the Ghana international, he has had a tough season, but at his very best, he can hurt teams, having been hailed as a “nuisance” and a “threat” by Sky Sports pundit, Roy Keane.

For such a cheap fee, it seems like a relatively risk-free deal, and one that could enhance the Hammers’ attacking options next term.

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