All posts by h716a5.icu

Ollie Palmer admits Wrexham players are still getting used to the star treatment in the United States that Hollywood co-owners consider to be normal.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Red Dragons have seen their stock soarFamous co-owners made that possibleBack in America for another summer tourWHAT HAPPENED?

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have been at the Red Dragons’ helm since completing a stunning takeover in 2021. They have overseen back-to-back promotions and the relentless rise of a global profile that has been aided considerably by the award-winning ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ documentary series.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT PALMER SAID

Part of that success has allowed pre-season to be spent in America, with Phil Parkinson’s side returning to that part of the world in 2024. Experienced striker Palmer has told the of becoming household names in the States: “We’re very fortunate to play for Wrexham. These pre-season tours are special. These are top-10 Premier League pre-season tours where you get to go and travel, play in unbelievable stadiums against unbelievable competition. And we’re very lucky to be doing that. We’re aware of how big the docuseries is. When we first got to America on tour, we kind of realised how much people really enjoyed the show and taken to some of the players. That’s quite strange, you know, people coming up to you on the other side of the pond, you’re having dinner and some American person wants a picture.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

While embracing new-found celebrity status, Palmer concedes that Wrexham have to ensure that football remains their priority. He added, having benefited as much as anybody from the business acumen that Reynolds and McElhenney also bring to the Red Dragons party: “That’s [football] what we’re paid to do. That’s our full focus. Ryan and Rob have created a documentary, which has done extremely well. But that is on the side. Ultimately, we do just want to be players. But obviously when someone comes up and they say [nice] things, it makes you feel good. That’s why I think sports are important: it changes people’s lives, it gives people a purpose. It’s great to be able to do that for people.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

Getty/GOALWHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

Wrexham are readying themselves for a clash with Premier League side Bournemouth on Saturday. They will also face top-flight giants Chelsea while on the American west coast, before heading north to Canada for a meeting with MLS side the Vancouver Whitecaps in Reynolds’ home town.

Aston Villa struggled once again following a European tie in midweek as they battled to secure a 1-1 draw against West Ham United in the Premier League.

Unai Emery’s side may have demolished Ajax 4-0 just three days prior, but it looked as though this had caught up with some of the players as they went into the interval trailing 1-0.

Substitute Nicolo Zaniolo scored an equaliser with just over ten minutes remaining and that is how the tie finished after a last-gasp goal from Tomas Soucek was ruled out.

A point is better than none, but it was a big opportunity missed by Emery and his team as they look to secure fourth spot in the table.

Several players failed to match the levels reached on Thursday evening and Alex Moreno was one of them.

Alex Moreno’s game in numbers vs West Ham

The Spaniard started at left-back in place of Lucas Digne in what was perhaps a surprise given that he had played 90 minutes against the Dutch side.

Moreno failed to really sparkle against the Irons, as he completed only 82% of his passes while winning three of his six contested duels throughout the clash.

Touches

55

Total duels won

3/6

Crosses (accurate)

3 (0)

Key passes

0

Dribble attempts (succeeded)

2 (1)

The defender also managed to lose possession 12 times during the match – once every five minutes – and failed to make a key pass, succeeding with just one dribble in what was a below-par display.

Indeed, Birmingham Mail journalist John Townley gave him a match rating of just 5/10 for his display on Sunday, stating that the left-back ‘failed to make an impact down the left-hand side’.

The full-back was was eventually replaced by Digne with half an hour remaining.

The man to replace Alex Moreno at Aston Villa

Moving forward, it’s clear that Frenchman, Digne, should be the starting option on the left side of the defence.

Townley said in his match report that Digne’s introduction ‘helped change the tide in Villa’s favour’ against West Ham and during his brief spell on the pitch, the former Everton gem won two of his three duels, succeeded with 89% of his passes, delivered one accurate long ball and attempted four crosses, showing his intent to get forward as often as possible.

Once the international break is over, Digne should certainly be starting the clash against Wolves as he offers more than Moreno.

Digne has started just one league match since Boxing Day due to suffering injury issues, but it finally looks as though he is back to full fitness and could prove to be a huge asset for Emery between now and May.

Securing fourth spot will be a momentous effort, especially considering the Midlands side now have a European quarter-final tie to deal with.

Rotating his squad often will help with freshness once the domestic season resumes next weekend and the Spaniard will be looking at making a change or two to his starting XI from the 1-1 draw.

Digne should be in line for a start against Wolves, meaning Moreno will be dropped to the bench.

Following the success of Jeremy Doku – a classic winger who thrives in one-on-one situations – Manchester City have reportedly turned their attention towards repeating that piece of transfer genius this summer.

Man City transfer news

The Manchester club have signed a number of wingers over the years, with Pep Guardiola's search often going back and forth between players who are more disciplined and wingers who are more eccentric such as Leroy Sane, Riyad Mahrez and now Doku.

"Can confirm" – Fabrizio Romano namechecks Man City in Florian Wirtz update

He would flourish under Pep Guardiola.

ByTom Cunningham Mar 20, 2024

The latter's arrival last summer suggests that, as things stand, Guardiola has turned his system towards players more capable of driving forward rather than those who slow things down and pick out the perfect pass. And we could see even more signs of that change this summer, as City look to sign another player of Doku's calibre.

The slight adjustment doesn't come as too much of a surprise given that Guardiola very rarely isn't in the middle of developing his own system, but those at The Etihad will hope to see it at least play a part in a return to dominance after struggling to get a full grip on the Premier League title race in the current campaign.

What's more, part of that adjustment could yet include the arrival of Johan Bakayoko. According to Sacha Tavolieri, Manchester City scouts have been impressed with Bakayoko and the Premier League champions could secure a deal for as little as €35m (£30m) for the PSV Eindhoven winger this summer.

Bakayoko, still only 20-years-old and one year younger than Doku, has played with the Manchester City man on international duty with Belgium and represents the next era of their stars following the likes of Kevin de Bruyne and Vincent Kompany. Following Doku's success on the left-hand side, Guardiola could now land a similar player on the opposite flank in Bakayoko this summer.

"Electric" Bakayoko is similar to Doku

Two Belgian wingers of similar age, Bakayoko has more than earned the chance to follow in the footsteps of Doku this summer. The latter has enjoyed an excellent debut campaign in Manchester, scoring three goals and assisting a further five whilst lighting up the Premier League with his impressive one-on-one ability.

Goals

6

3

Assists

8

5

Take-ons Completed

70

73

Key Passes

53

37

Ball Recoveries

79

69

Lighting up European football, it's no shock that Bakayoko is reportedy attracting interest from the likes of Manchester City. If they are looking to replicate Doku on the opposite side, then they should turn to the PSV star, who has earned high praise from Football Talent Scout's Jacek Kulig.

When the transfer window swings open, City may get themselves one of the bargains of the summer if they manage to land Bakayoko for as little as £30m to repeat their Doku genius.

If CSA is unable to confirm an appointee, Enoch Nkwe will continue in his role

Firdose Moonda21-Nov-2019Cricket South Africa have missed their own deadline to make an announcement on the director of cricket position, effectively the most important role in the organisation.On Thursday, CEO Thabang Moroe told SAFM Radio that CSA would “make communication,” about it on Friday, even if it was to reveal that they would not be appointing anyone imminently. Moroe indicated CSA may widen its search to find the right candidate and if that was the case, Enoch Nkwe would remain in the team director position for the upcoming England tour, which begins in five weeks.When asked about the delay by ESPNcricinfo, CSA said they “will make an announcement when we have concluded all areas that require mutual engagement with the appointee, once we get to this point.”The director of cricket post was created in the aftermath of the 2019 World Cup and was filled in an interim capacity by CSA’s general manager Corrie van Zyl since August. Fresh interviews were conducted two weeks ago and at least three candidates including van Zyl, former captain Graeme Smith and former national selector and seasoned administrator Hussein Manack presented to a five-person panel.But Smith has since withdrawn from the race while van Zyl remains suspended for alleged dereliction of duty regarding the payment for players’ commercial rights during the last season’s Mzansi Super League. However, that does not necessarily make Manack the favourite and CSA is understood to be considering delaying the appointment to later next year and broadening their search.”We will make communication tomorrow about the director of cricket role. There has been a lot of talk about it and we ask the public to wait for the announcement. Even if we don’t announce a name tomorrow, we will communicate that. This person must be an allrounder on and off the field, must have administrative qualities too because there is a lot that needs to be done. We could even look internationally,” CSA CEO Thabang Moroe told SAFM radio.If CSA is unable to confirm an appointee, Enoch Nkwe will continue in his role as the interim national team director for the upcoming England tour that begins in five weeks’ time. Nkwe, the former Gauteng batsman and title-winning Highveld Lions and Jozi Stars head coach, took the national team to India where they drew the T20I series 1-1 but were whitewashed in the three-match Test series.If Nkwe is kept on, Moroe indicated the support staff would be beefed up for the England series. “Should we not be in a position to appoint the director of cricket tomorrow, then Enoch Nkwe will continue as coach of the Proteas when England comes here, but we will need to give him the necessary support,” Moroe said.If a director of cricket is appointed, it will be his or her prerogative to choose the next team director, which would leave Nkwe’s future uncertain.The announcement, whatever form it takes, will end some of the uncertainty that has dogged South African cricket in the last few months. Calls have come from several quarters including captain Faf du Plessis for the permanent appointments to allow the team to begin preparations for the immediate challenges of England, medium-term projects such as preparations for the next year’s T20 World Cup and the long-term succession plan for when du Plessis retires.

The record books are already being rewritten by the USWNT at the 2024 Olympic Games, with Emma Hayes and Lindsey Horan making history.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Perfect start made to quest on French soilComfortable victory enjoyed over ZambiaHistoric achievements for coach & captainWHAT HAPPENED?

The United States got their bid for gold medal glory off to the perfect start when easing to a 3-0 victory over Zambia. That game was over as a contest inside the opening 25 minutes, as Trinity Rodman broke the deadlock and Mallory Swanson scored a quickfire brace.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

There are tougher tests to come in Group B, with Germany and Australia yet to be faced. Early momentum is being established, though, with confidence beginning to flow through a squad that blends youth with experience.

DID YOU KNOW?

Former Chelsea boss Hayes is taking in her maiden competition at the helm, and has become the first USWNT coach to win her first major tournament match by a margin of three or more goals. Elsewhere, talismanic captain Horan is the first player to assist two goals in the opening 30 minutes of a tournament fixture – having teed up Rodman and the first of Swanson’s two efforts.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

WHAT NEXT FOR THE USWNT?

The USWNT, who have not claimed an Olympic gold medal since the 2012 Games in London, will be back in action on Sunday when facing Germany in Marseille. They will remain at Stade Velodrome for a meeting with Australia on July 31.

Shaun Pearson, who was Wrexham captain when Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney took over, hopes the Red Dragons reach “the very top”.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Takeover completed in 2021Enjoyed back-to-back promotionsFamous faces calling the shotsWHAT HAPPENED?

Two Hollywood superstars stunned the football world when acquiring the non-league team from North Wales in 2021. Few knew what to expect at that stage, but a remarkable journey has been enjoyed across three-and-a-half years.

AdvertisementFXTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Back-to-back promotions have carried Phil Parkinson’s side from the National League to League One, with emotional events – on and off the field – being caught on camera for the award-winning ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ documentary series.

WHAT PEARSON SAID

Pearson briefly figured in that production and has told of why he will always back Reynolds and McElhenney, despite seeing them limit his time on screen before returning to Grimsby: “I could not speak more highly of them. What you see is what you get. I don’t think it’s a charade. They are really good people. I was one of the people who was right behind it from the start. They would film us walking the kids to school, days out with the family. When I was on an overnight trip, they would go and film with my family. They weren’t pushy, but we were open to that.

“They never actually used much of the stuff from the first year for the series in the end. The guy who produced it sent me a message apologising for the amount of our time they had taken up. It was fine. I would have been more nervous if it had been used! But I had a wonderful time there. My little boy was born in Wrexham. The one thing I like to think that I have done is immerse myself in the community at both of my full-time clubs. I think supporters appreciated that. I hope they end up getting to the very top.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

GettyWHAT NEXT?

Wrexham are back in the UK after taking in a second pre-season tour of North America. They have completed more transfer business this summer and are counting down the days to a 2024-25 opener against Wycombe on August 10.

Young talent becomes youngest England batsman to score Test ton since Alastair Cook

George Dobell in Port Elizabeth17-Jan-2020Around the time he reached his half-century, a landmark achieved with successive cuts for four, Ollie Pope took his Test batting average above 40 for the first time.No young player comes with guarantees. Pope is probably no more talented than Graeme Hick or Mark Ramprakash and they probably didn’t, by the ridiculously harsh standards we set for these things, fulfil their potential as Test batsmen. But, as Pope celebrated his fifty, it was hard not to wonder if his average would ever dip below the mark again. It may well go significantly higher.Pope looks, by some distance, the best specialist batsman to come into this side since Joe Root in late 2012. He has a wide range of strokes, he seems to have plenty of time for the ball, and has the appetite to bat for long periods. He also has, now, a compact technique and an ability to leave well outside off stump, giving him a game which shows no obvious weaknesses. This first Test century will surely be the first of many.ALSO READ: Superlative Stokes approaches batting fulfillmentIt is worth listing those men who have scored Test centuries for England at a younger age than Pope’s 22 years and 15 days. They are: Denis Compton, Jack Hearne, Len Hutton, Alastair Cook, David Gower, Peter May and Colin Cowdrey. There are only seven names there and six (Hearne is the one to miss out) can probably safely be described as among the greats of English cricket. Already, Pope is in exclusive company.He is used to that, of course. After 30 first-class matches, he averaged more than any England player in history. He made his Test debut, aged just 20, after only 15 first-class game and is now England’s youngest maiden centurion since Cook in 2006. “That’s a nice little stat,” Pope said with a bashful smile afterwards. “He was a great player.”His first captain at Surrey, Gareth Batty, had never heard of him until he turned up to training one day. Pope was 17 or 18 at the time and had only just signed for the professional staff from the prolific Surrey academy. But he was taking apart Surrey’s first-choice T20 attack and the club captain’s attention was seized.”Jade Dernbach was reversing it sharply and Stuart Meaker was overstepping and bowling fast,” Batty recalled. “And Ollie was smashing it and scooping it everywhere. Straight away I thought, ‘Hello, what have we got here?’ He was obviously special.””He has to be in every side we have,” was the gist of Dernbach’s comments to Batty once the session finished. And he pretty much was, Surrey being Surrey. Until he was promoted into the England system, Pope was on the brink of a leadership role at the club, too, aged 20 and talked of as the captain after Rory Burns. “He’s definitely leadership material,” Batty said.Surrey deserve some credit for this success. The last four maiden Test centurions for England – Pope, Dom Sibley, Burns and Ben Foakes – all came through the Surrey pathway to one extent or another. While Foakes developed at Essex, the other three, including Sibley (who had moved on to Warwickshire by the time he represented England) all came through Surrey’s academy where Neil Stewart, brother of Alec, and Gareth Townsend, the coaches, are clearly doing a terrific job for club and country. Sam Curran progressed along the same path.But it speaks volumes for Pope’s character that it was from a setback that his game took its most pertinent improvement. At the start of the 2019 season, having been dropped by England, he suffered a dislocated shoulder which kept him out of the game for three-and-a-half months. Many young men, some of whom might well have played for England in recent times, could have taken the opportunity to get away from the game. To take a holiday. To chase girls, drink too much and enjoy the high life.Not Pope. Instead, he sat down with Vikram Solanki, assistant coach at Surrey, and worked out a way he could use the time constructively. And, reflecting on his first brush with international cricket, when a certain looseness outside off stump was exploited by better bowlers than he routinely encountered in county cricket, they worked out that he should change his guard so he was further across the stumps. That way, he could judge which balls to leave with greater certainty of where is off stump was.Ollie Pope reverse-laps•Stu Forster/Getty Images”I sat down with Vikram, and we decided the way I was getting out most was pushing at those fifth-stump balls that I should probably be leaving,” Pope said.”So we decided that I should move across slightly in my crease. From a technical point of view that was the main thing: allowing me to line up off stump so I could leave the ball well and actually defend close to my front pad. I’ve still got that strength of cutting and off my legs as well.”The period also reinforced to him how much he wanted to succeed in the game. He had experienced a first taste of the international game – two Tests against India in the English summer of 2018 – and he desperately wanted more. So he resolved to put away those airy drives and render himself a far tougher batsman to dismiss.”From a mental point of view, I go back to those three-and-a-half months,” he says now. “It gave me a real hunger to come back. It made me that bit hungrier, I think.”As he showed in the latter stages of his innings, though, he still has all the shots. To see him reverse-pull Kagiso Rabada, or ramp Anrich Nortje was to see a special talent just starting to blossom. He may play within himself most of the time, but he clearly has the ability to go up a gear when required. There’s no reason at all he shouldn’t thrive in England’s white-ball teams in due course, as well. They have a bit of a gem here.But limited-overs cricket can wait. As can a move up the order in Test cricket. It was a mistake to put him at No. 4 on debut and it was a mistake to hand him the gloves, albeit in an emergency, in New Zealand. He needs the sort of management Hick and Ramprakash lacked. With confidence to add to his talent, he can serve England for a decade and more.”A lot of people chat and say ‘he can do this, he can do that’ but you’re the one who has to go and do it,” he said. “So knowing I have it ticked off is nice going forward. It makes you feel more at home in the side. It makes you more confident in yourself and your ability.”There are other architects in this success. For a start, Pope owes a drink to Ben Stokes who persuaded him to call for a review in the nick of time when he was given out leg before on 74. “I thought I’d be walking back to the changing rooms,” Pope said. “Stokesey told me to review with two seconds left, but I thought we were clutching at straws. It was a great feeling to see the replays.”England’s top-order batsmen, Sibley and Zak Crawley in particular, contributed, too. As Pope put it, “the opening partnership set it all up. The amount of balls they faced meant they took the shine off the ball and we were able to capitalise.” This is a team game, after all, and it reflects well on Pope that, in his moment of triumph, he remembered the people who had helped him along the way.There are some caveats to all this. The Port Elizabeth pitch is unusually slow and Vernon Philander is clearly a man coming to the end of his international career. There were moments in the field when he looked as if he were performing a passable impression of Oliver Hardy. Australia will, no doubt, test him with the short ball – though Rabada and Nortje are hardly slow – and tours of Asia will, no doubt, test his ability to play spin. There will, of course, be some rainy days on his journey. But of all the players in this emerging Test side, perhaps only Jofra Archer has as bright a future.

The 2023/24 season has been another miserable one for Chelsea Football Club, with a defeat in the League Cup final, a multitude of poor performances in the Premier League and very little reason to be optimistic ahead of their FA Cup Semi-Final against Manchester City.

Mauricio Pochettino, the man who was supposed to lead this young Blues side to a better future, has looked out of his depth from the word go and has failed to build anything resembling a cohesive team in west London.

Unfortunately for the Argentine manager, it looks like his time in the dugout could be coming to an end, as recent reports have linked the club to someone who could well become Chelsea's next José Mourinho.

Latest Chelsea manager news

According to a recent report from Sky Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg, Chelsea are now "monitoring" the status of Sporting CP manager Ruben Amorim "should things not progress further with Pochettino in (the) summer" and, given how poor the team has been recently, it looks like things won't be progressing with the former Tottenham Hotspur boss.

Plettenberg has also revealed that, alongside the well-publicised interest from Liverpool, FC Barcelona are another side who hold the Sporting man in high regard and could challenge for his signature in a few months.

If the Blues were to push on and hire the Portuguese coach, they would have to pay around €10m – £9m – to activate his release clause, per Plettenberg.

It would represent a sizable investment in the up-and-coming coach, but given his track record in Lisbon and what happened the last time the Blues hired a much-sought-after coach from Portugal, it might well prove worth it.

How Amorim could be Chelsea's Jose 2.0

The first thing to note is that, no, Amorim and Mourinho do not play similar styles of football with their teams. The former prefers to employ a 3-4-3 formation and play an attacking brand of football, whereas the latter has become synonymous with practical and defensive football that prioritizes three points above all else.

However, three similarities could see the Sporting man compared to the former Blues boss, whether he likes it or not, should he take the hot seat at Stamford Bridge.

The first is rather simple; both men cut their teeth in Portugal's first tier. The former Chelsea great managed Porto for two and a half years before moving to London, while the Blues' current target has been in charge of the Leões since March 2020.

The next similarity is that both men would be very young in managerial terms when securing their big move to the Premier League. Jose arrived at the Bridge at just 41 years old, while the "incredible" Sporting boss, as talent scout Jacek Kulig described him, will still be 39 in the summer.

Lastly, both managers were and are, in Amorim's case, incredibly sought-after. In 2004, the 'special one' was coming off a miraculous Champions League triumph with Porto, which made him one of the hottest commodities in world football at the time. Likewise, the Lisbon-born man of the moment won the league title with Sporting at just 36 years old and has another three League Cups and a Super Cup to his name just for good measure.

So, while the similarities are certainly there, would Chelsea get an upgrade on Pochettino if they pursued their interest? Well, based on their most recent jobs, it would certainly appear so.

In his 40 games as Blues boss, the 52-year-old has overseen 20 wins, eight draws, and 12 defeats while averaging a rather paltry 1.70 points per game.

Games

203

40

Wins

142

20

Draws

30

8

Losses

31

12

Points per Game

2.25

1.70

In comparison, in 203 games as Sporting boss, his potential replacement has racked up 142 wins, 30 draws and 31 defeats while averaging an impressive 2.25 points per game.

Ultimately, it would be hard to describe Chelsea's situation as anything other than a disaster at the moment. While it certainly isn't entirely Pochettino's fault, he hasn't been good enough, and so if Todd Boehly and Co can hire Amorim to replace him in the summer, they should.

Chelsea were bled dry by Lampard flop who earned 3x more than Palmer

The Blues spent a lot of money for very little in return.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 3, 2024

That said, he'll have to be comfortable walking in the footsteps of a managerial giant.

There are just eight Premier League games left for Arsenal this season, and with Liverpool just two points ahead, it's all still to play for.

Mikel Arteta's side came away from the Etihad with a hard-fought point last weekend and with all three against Luton Town after a number of changes to the lineup on Wednesday.

However, the prospect of an away game against Brighton & Hove Albion this evening is a whole nother kettle of fish, and so Arteta should look to drop Leandro Trossard to the bench after his mediocre display against the Hatters.

Leandro Trossard's performance vs Luton

The first thing to clear up is that Trossard wasn't bad on Wednesday night. Like a few of his teammates, he was simply underwhelming, and if the Gunners want to take all three points away from the Amex, underwhelming won't do.

This is an opinion shared by the Standard's Simon Collings, who gave the Belgian's performance a 6/10 on the night. He wrote that while he 'turned his opposite number inside out more than once,' he still 'looks best as a false nine', which is a position Kai Havertz will likely keep for some time.

Collings' perspective is one backed up by the 29-year-old's statistics on the night as in his 94 minutes of action, he registered an expected assists figure of 0.27 and succeeded in three of his four dribbles, but he also maintained a passing accuracy of just 80%, failed to register a shot on or off target, lost four of his eight duels, lost possession 13 times and completed just one cross.

Minutes

94'

Expected Goals

0.05

Expected Assists

0.27

Dribbles (Successful)

4 (3)

Shots on Target

0

Shots off Target

0

Touches

46

Accurate Passes

24/30 (80%)

Key Passes

1

Possession Lost

13

Fouls

1

Crosses (Successful)

2 (1)

Long Balls (Successful)

1 (0)

In all, it wasn't a performance that should see him keep his place in the team for tonight's must-win encounter on the south coast.

Why Gabriel Martinelli should start against Brighton

Yes, the electric Gabriel Martinelli should be brought back into the starting XI for today's game instead of Trossard.

There are a few reasons, with the first relating to their effectiveness on the left wing. In Martielli's 31 appearances on the left this season, he's scored eight goals and provided five assists, meaning that he's currently averaging a goal involvement every 2.3 games.

In comparison, the former Seagulls ace has scored six goals and provided just one assist from his 22 appearances out wide, meaning that he is averaging a goal involvement every 3.1 games.

Player

Martinelli

Trossard

Appearances

31

22

Goals

8

6

Assists

5

1

Goal Involvements per Match

2.3

3.1

Moreover, the gulf in output was present last season as well – albeit slightly less significant – with the former Ituano gem averaging a goal involvement every 2.2 games compared to the Belgian's average of every 2.5 games.

The second reason for starting the "sensational talent," as U23 scout Antonio Mango described him, is his speed.

From looking at the heatmaps of Brighton's two primary right-backs, Tariq Lamptey and Joël Veltman, it is clear that while Roberto De Zerbi likes to build out from the back, they do tend to venture forward fairly often, which means a rapid left-winger could exploit the space behind before firing a cross into the box or having a go themselves.

Therefore, it would make sense to start the player Havertz described as the fastest in the squad, ahead of the more technical but slower Trossard.

Arsenal must cash in on £30m ace who completed 100% of his passes vs Luton

It is clear that he has no future in North London.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 4, 2024

Ultimately, Arsenal will remain the favourites for this game regardless of who starts, but Arteta could help tip the scales further in his favour by starting Martinelli on the left.

Seales and Forde shared seven wickets between them to bowl Australia out for 179

Sreshth Shah in Kimberley18-Jan-2020Jayden Seales and Matthew Forde shared seven wickets between them to bowl Australia out for 179, after which allrounder Nyeem Young dragged West Indies out of a precarious position to seal a win in the first Group B game of the 2020 U-19 World Cup.After legspinner Tanveer Sangha took four top-order wickets, West Indies seemed to be in plenty of trouble in their chase, but then Young combined in a 78-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Forde to stabilise their chase.The game had begun an hour late after a drizzle delayed the toss. It was reduced to 49 overs a side and West Indies chose to field. While opener Jake Fraser-McGurk was at the crease in the first innings, Australia looked set for a competitive first-innings total despite an early wobble, but his dismissal for a 97-ball 84 triggered a batting collapse that saw them lose their last six wickets for only 21 runs.There were two freak run-outs in their innings when their captain Mackenzie Harvey and Lachlan Hearne were dismissed at the non-striker’s end caught napping outside their crease. Both times, the on-strike batsman’s straight drive took a touch off the bowler before crashing into the stumps at the bowlers’ end.At that stage, Australia were 67 for 4, but Fraser-McGurk continued to pile on the runs at a healthy rate and added 91 for the fifth wicket in combination with wicketkeeper Patrick Rowe (40), but the former’s dismissal began Australia’s rapid slide.Forde, who bowled without any success in his first spell with the new ball, caused the most damage at the back end, bowling uncomfortable lengths to the Australia lower-order who ended up lobbing soft dismissals towards mid-on and midwicket. His wickets of Todd Murphy and Sangha – the last Australia wicket to fall – left him with figures of 3 for 24.Seales, who had his family cheering him on from the stands, capped his solitary wicket in his opening spell with three more in his second spell, dismissing the set Fraser-McGurk who holed out at mid-on. After that, his pace in the late 130s troubled the remaining Australian lower-order batsman, finishing with 4 for 49 in his eight overs as the first innings ended in the 36th over.West Indies’ chase began in a swift manner with Leonardo Julien smashing three fours and a six in the first five overs. That pushed West Indies’ run-rate beyond six but he couldn’t carry on, dismissed for a 22-ball 20. His opening partner and the captain Kimani Melius was out soon too, caught by the wicketkeeper off Sangha’s legbreak. Sangha went on to dismiss the next three batsmen as well, bowling out in a single spell with figures of 4 for 30 leaving West Indies at 92 for 5. He found the ball to turn, and Antonio Morris and Matthew Patrick fell.With Australia no longer having an attacking spin option, West Indies’ No. 6 Young saw off Corey Kelly’s offspin with not much trouble, occasionally finding the boundary to keep the required run-rate in check. He reached his half-century by drilling a drive through the hands of the fielder at cover and raised his bat towards the tiny West Indian contingent on the grass banks.With the score at 170 for 5, it looked like Young and Forde would see West Indies through to a five-wicket win, but both their dismissals at the same score briefly brought the game back to life. Unfortunately for Australia, they could not penetrate further, and West Indies’ No. 8 Joshua James and No. 9 Kirk McKenzie got the final ten runs needed. McKenzie finished the game off in style, cracking a six over extra cover to seal the win in front of a 1600-plus crowd.