A day after India’s defeat at Newlands, the four players who had sat out the Test match – KL Rahul, Ajinkya Rahane, Parthiv Patel and Ishant Sharma – went to the nets for an intense training session
Sidharth Monga in Cape Town09-Jan-2018On a quiet Tuesday, as the Cape Town suburbs poured into offices in town, four India players woke up nice and early, packed their bags, and made their way to the Newlands nets. This is rare for Indian teams to do: to go straight into the nets after a defeat. The players in the nets were those who didn’t play in the XI – KL Rahul, Ajinkya Rahane, Parthiv Patel and Ishant Sharma – but, still, it is a move that suggests India realise they need all the help they can muster after their batting struggled badly and their bowlers let the game slip before making a stellar comeback.This is something that should please traditionalists such as Sunil Gavaskar who keep asking India to go to the nets and prepare harder after losing. The team’s refrain usually has been: “What will an extra nets session achieve?” The team didn’t even train a day before this Test, sending Sanjay Bangar, the batting coach, to look at the pitch and address the pre-match press conference, which is usually handled by the captain.The four players who turned up for nets could well be called upon in the rest of the series. Rahane seemed a certainty to start in Cape Town, but lost out to Rohit Sharma based on “current form”. As Shikhar Dhawan struggled with his “minor injury” at the start of the tour, Rahul would have thought he would make the playing XI, but Dhawan recovered, and his left-handness prevailed. Ishant was not well three days before the Test, but the team management says that was not the reason he was left out to make way for Jasprit Bumrah. Parthiv could be a left-field choice if Wriddhiman Saha continues to struggle against quick bowling.The order in the nets was unusual. One was kept for throwdowns from Bangar, throwdown specialist Raghavindra and fielding coach R Sridhar. The other net was where Ishant and the net bowlers bowled. Two batsmen would go into the nets, and the third would wait outside. They would face an over each and switch: the idle batsman would take one of the nets, the batsman in that net would switch to the other net, and the remaining batsman would watch from the outside.Ishant bowled with new balls, and the throwdowns were intense, not shy of bouncing the batsmen. This could be more of an individual enterprise than a team order for players who feel they could be asked to play as the series wears on. If they are going to be asked to play, then it makes complete sense to prepare as hard as they can, because the word around is that the pitches up in the north are going to test India even more without necessarily seaming as much as the one in Cape Town did.If Rahul comes in, he will have to replace Dhawan. To fit Rahane in could be trickier because Rohit now has only had one chance. Ishant’s selection, too, may pose a few challenges, considering Bumrah made an impressive comeback in the second innings of the Newlands Test. If he plays as the fourth specialist fast bowler, that could further weaken the batting. The decisions only become tougher as India travel north, but it seems they want everybody prepared should those changes be made.
After months of stagnancy in the transfer window, Wolverhampton Wanderers are set for a dramatic end to deadline day, as another target has emerged.
The Old Gold have already announced both the £53m sale of Matheus Nunes to Manchester City and the capture of Tommy Doyle from the treble winners on loan, with reports pointing to more action to come.
Who could Wolves sign on deadline day?
As reported by Sky Sports News (relayed via Football Daily), Strasbourg midfielder Jean-Ricner Bellegarde has emerged as a target for the Midlands club to chase ahead of the 11pm deadline, with the two clubs locked "in talks over a potential deal."
Recent reports in France (via Get Football News France) claim that Strasbourg have turned down an €8m (£7m) bid from Wolves for the 25-year-old, who is said to have even agreed personal terms with the Premier League side.
With just hours remaining of the summer window, Gary O’Neil must act fast in the quest to secure the talented Frenchman, who was reportedly not in training for the club today.
Who is Jean-Ricner Bellegarde?
Deployed in a host of areas on the pitch, but primarily in central midfield, the 25-year-old machine could be the ideal capture for O’Neil this window, however, it’s clear as to why Strasbourg are reluctant to let him leave.
In the opening three Ligue 1 fixtures, the Wolves target has had a hand in four goals, scoring two and assisting two to assert his importance in his side’s midfield.
Named as one of the “crazy” talented midfielders that France have at their disposal by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Bellegarde could be the missing piece of the puzzle in O’Neil’s side.
Sales this summer have generated Wolves some critical funds, however have equally left the squad short in some areas due to the calibre of talent lost.
jean-ricner-bellegarde
Bidding farewell to both Ruben Neves and Matheus Nunes leaves Molineux without two star creators, which is where the Strasbourg ace could come in and bolster the options in such an area.
While Wolves will undoubtedly miss the quality of Nunes, the Portuguese whiz is not irreplaceable, certainly not for the £57m gained for his transfer.
In fact, when revising the numbers accumulated by the former Sporting CP whiz in comparison to Bellegarde in their respective 2022/23 campaigns, the averages pose an interesting read.
As per FBref, the Frenchman averaged 5.69 progressive passes and 3.87 progressive carries in Ligue 1 last term, as well as averaging an impressive 2.12 key passes per 90 to account for his nine assists that year.
At Molineux, Nunes fell far short of the Wolves target last season, averaging 3.06 progressive passes, 2.15 progressive carries and 0.99 key passes per 90 for the Old Gold, via FBref, suggesting that the 25-year-old could in fact be a stronger fit.
Taking into consideration that the Portuguese ace was adapting to the Premier League, it was perhaps a wise moment for Wolves to sell him, considering that he had not yet hit true form at the club, as highlighted by his two goal contributions in 34 league appearances.
With an opening offer turned down, O’Neil will have to work to secure the signature of Bellegarde, in a signing that could prove to make those at Molineux forget all about the talent of Nunes.
Arsenal boast one of the most prolific and successful academies in English football history, having consistently produced a steady stream of stars who have either shone within their first team, or gone on to enjoy fine careers elsewhere.
The likes of Tony Adams, Paul Merson, Ashley Cole and more of days gone by all owe their success to the platform handed them by the Gunners, with there being no end in sight for the sensational talents that Hale End continues to spit out.
It marks such a profitable endeavour to boast an academy as incredible as theirs, and whether those stars help them progress, the alternative funds secured are vital in their continued compliance with FFP. For example, despite their huge spending spree this summer, the £35m sale of graduate Folarin Balogun offset that massively.
However, above all else in that regard at the moment is Bukayo Saka, who marks the crown jewel of their academy production, and the man on whom Mikel Arteta will be holding much of his future success upon.
How long has Bukayo Saka been at Arsenal?
Saka has been at the club since the tender age of seven, meaning Arsenal was always going to hold a special place in the 21-year-old's heart, as he slowly rose through the ranks with both club and country.
With appearances for every England setup from U15s onwards, having since amassed 28 caps for the senior squad, it is fair to say that he has more than made it now.
Gareth Southgate, the current England manager who nurtured him into his setup, even recently noted when asked if he thought Saka could become an elite player: "I think he is already there. He broke into a team [Arsenal] having a difficult time and performing at a high level, then when the team was playing well he’s still performing. That says everything. He’s exceptional to work with."
It is a testament to his quality that he performs so admirably on any stage handed to him, with the winger having only just been presented with the England Men's Player of the Year award for the second consecutive year too.
However, it is his work with his boyhood club that has truly caught the eye, as an ever-present fixture of Arteta's ever-evolving outfit.
How many goals has Bukayo Saka scored for Arsenal?
The youngster has featured in every Premier League match for two successive seasons now too, since breaking Merson's record for most consecutive league starts.
It is amazing just how consistent the £103m-rated maverick manages to be, as a goal threat and creative influence who is more than willing to track back and help out his side too.
As such, last term marked his finest to date, as he scored 14 and assisted a further 11 in the league, building upon the 18 goal contributions he posted the year prior. It's a tally that has taken him to 40 goals at the age of just 22.
amario-Cozier-Duberry
Former Tottenham Hotspur boss Tim Sherwood was keen to voice his admiration for the trickster on Sky Sports’ Soccer Saturday (26/08/2023): "He wants to work hard, he wants to prove to Mikel Arteta that he is the real deal. The durability of him to play that amount of games, everyone talks about now, ‘Oh the games come thick and fast and they need a break and rest period’, this boy doesn’t.
"This boy is made of different stuff. You know, if you left him out and said, ‘I want to rest you’, he’d be devastated. He wants to play every single week and why wouldn’t you?”
“He’s at one of the biggest clubs in the country, he’s got all the facilities in the world. He’s got a magnificent young manager who believes in him…I can’t speak highly enough of him, from the academy, the best player they had last season and probably going to be the player of the season this year, one of their own.”
His kind of technical quality cannot be overstated, but the mindset he pairs it with will truly take him to the very top. However, in keeping with their immense academy production, murmurs are emerging in north London that suggest a Saka clone is currently in production. Meet Amario Cozier-Duberry.
Who is Amario Cozier-Duberry?
"He reminds me of Bukayo Saka, plays in the same position as him, needs to get better with his decision-making like Bukayo did, but he’s definitely exciting," noted Jack Wilshere on Amario Cozier-Duberry, the 18-year-old winger seemingly billed as the next big thing to emerge at the Emirates.
And with good reason, given his recent performances for various youth teams, where the teenage sensation has put himself on the map with his quick feet, scorching pace and lethal left foot.
Last season saw him score five and assist a further four in the Premier League 2, whilst also notching eight goal contributions across just six FA Youth Cup matches as they ran riot on their way to the final before failing to beat West Ham United.
Not only that, but throughout their participation in the Football League Trophy, his 7.95 average rating was upheld by three goal contributions, and perhaps more importantly 1.5 tackles per game, via Sofascore.
It seems that Cozier-Duberry shares that work rate that has made Saka so feared, with the England international having recorded 1.7 tackles per game of his own last term in the Premier League.
Equally as clinical in front of goal as he is magic in possession, with this sprawling attacking skillset it is no wonder that Arteta has included Cozier-Duberry in the senior match-day squad on occasion.
In fact, when Wilshere was allowed to continue speaking on his young star, he even admitted that the Spaniard was already keeping a close eye on his progression: "His super-strengths are his ball-carrying and ability to take people on. He’s an exciting footballer, but (has) loads to learn. Amario is very exciting and Mikel likes him. In some moments he’s unplayable. You give him the ball and he can make things happen."
With a preference for the right flank, allowing him to cut inside on his favoured foot, it seems that somehow they have done it again with the production of a gem with striking similarities to the otherwise unparalleled Saka.
The hope will be that Arteta can come to some solution that allows the two stars to shine within the same side in the near future, as Arsenal's famed academy hopes to be the catalyst that brings the elite honours back to north London.
In Savar, Jahurul Islam’s century helped Gazi Group Cricketers beat Prime Bank Cricket Club by seven wickets
ESPNcricinfo staff10-Mar-2018Prime Doleshwar Sporting Club rose to the second position in the Dhaka Premier League after their three-run win over Abahani Limited at the Shere Bangla National Stadium. With Abahani needing 10 runs from the last over, Ariful Islam Sobuj offered them some hope with a four and two but off the fifth ball, Arafat Sunny had him caught behind to bowl them out for 229 runs.It was Mohammad Mithun who took Abahani close to Doleshwar’s score, with his 61-ball 60 that had four boundaries and a six. But there were no big partnerships as Abahani lost wickets regularly, until Ariful struck 21 off 15 balls, with two sixes and a four, in the last five overs. Sunny and Farhad Reza took three wickets each.Doleshwar were put in a strong position by a 132-run fourth wicket stand between Fazle Mahmud and Farhad Hossain, both getting out in the sixties. But from 171 for 3, they slipped to 187 for 7, and were later restricted to 232 for 9 in 50 overs. Manan Sharma took four for 44.Solid contributions from the top-order and Mohammad Azim’s four-wicket haul powered Mohammedan Sporting Club to a 38-run win over Shinepukur Cricket Club.Batting first, Mohammedan posted 306 for 6 in 50 overs with Rony adding 95 for the first wicket (regular opener Irfan Shukkur was out injured in the seventh over) Jony Talukdar, his younger brothers. Rony struck five fours and four sixes in his 73-ball 77. Shamsur, who made 60 off 65 balls, then added 88 runs for the third wicket with Raqibul, who chipped in with a 52-ball 55.Saeed added the main fireworks, striking five sixes and two fours in his unbeaten 58 off 25 balls, all of which came in the last 6.2 overs. Mohammad Saifuddin finished with 3 for 55.Shinepukur slipped to 95 for five before Saifuddin and Shuvagata Hom added 74 runs for the sixth wicket. Both made fifties but it wasn’t enough as they were bowled out for 268 in 48.1 overs. Apart from Azim’s four-wicket haul, Taijul took three for 64.Jahurul Islam’s century helped Gazi Group Cricketers beat Prime Bank Cricket Club by seven wickets. More importantly, the win at the BKSP-3 ground took Gazi Group out of the relegation zone. They are now currently in ninth position with eight points.Batting first, Prime Bank posted 257-9 in 50 overs with Yusuf Pathan top scoring with 72. He struck four sixes and as many fours in his 60-ball knock. Offspinner Nayeem Hasan took 4-53.In reply, Jahurul and Asif Ahmed added 121 runs for the third wicket before Jahurul, having made 103 off 113 balls with eight fours and three sixes, retired hurt with cramps. Asif remained unbeaten on 91 off 105 balls with six fours and a six.
England’s one floodlit training session was washed out on Wednesday, leaving Ben Stokes short of bowling practice ahead of the first Test
Andrew McGlashan in Auckland21-Mar-2018New Zealand may have gained a small advantage over England before a ball has been bowled in the day-night Test at Eden Park after England’s one floodlit training session was washed out on Wednesday.They had been due to train from around 6pm but were restricted to a kickabout on the outfield before being forced indoors. It meant they did not get a net in the evening under the lights that have been rigged up over the nets on Eden Park 2 and neither could they undertake any fielding drills. New Zealand had their evening practice session on Tuesday in fine weather and their day-time session on Wednesday was also uninterrupted.England did play two days of pink-ball cricket in Hamilton last week but they would have been keen for a final tune-up before the first Test.It also meant that Ben Stokes was denied another outdoor bowl ahead of his Test comeback, which follows a week where he has been nursing back stiffness following the one-day series. It was the second time in three days that rain had hampered Stokes after his solo net on Monday was also forced indoors. On that occasion he bowled five overs inside, but it is understood he did not bowl on Wednesday.When Joe Root spoke before the scheduled training session he said he knew his XI but wouldn’t name it because he hadn’t told those not playing. Pressed on Stokes’ role he said he was confident of him playing a part with the ball, but hinted a final decision on how much could rest on the final training session so it remains to be seen if the rain has caused Root a headache.”There’s still stuff that needs to come out of today to be very sure of that, but I’m quite happy that Ben will play a part within the game,” Root said.England do come into this Test with more recent pink-ball Test action than New Zealand who have not played one since they faced Australia in the first of its kind in Adelaide in late 2015. England have faced West Indies and Australia in the last seven months.”Having a Test outside of England with the pink ball will give us good preparation and a lot of the guys played in that,” Root said. “But New Zealand are at home and will know how the surface will play. We have to get accustomed to that as quickly as we can. If we get in front we need to drive that home.”Both Root and Kane Williamson said it was important not to get too wound up on the pink-ball aspect of the match and remember the fundamentals.”You don’t want to get ahead of yourself and how you want to operate,” Williamson said. “It’s a Test match, yes there’s some subtle differences, and over the past few pink-ball Test matches we have seen some trends, but I guess you play a Test match in England when it’s overcast and the lights are on and things happen differently, and there’s probably less talk about that, then about when that might happen with a pink ball.”Root added: “The basics are there and proven to work across all three formats never mind day-night cricket with a pink ball. You know what you need to do, generally plans are similar to batsmen and with the bat it’s about making scores of 400-plus.”
Leeds United's start to the Championship season, when taken in isolation, marks a torrid start towards earning their goal of an instant Premier League return.
They have won just once in five attempts, and the summer window just gone saw them lose plenty of their star men, including Tyler Adams, Luis Sinisterra and Rodrigo.
However, when delving deeper, it is worth noting that not only have the Whites actually played well in those fixtures, but they also recruited shrewdly in the market to plug those holes created. Amidst all the turmoil, Daniel Farke has actually come out the other side relatively unscathed and is now surely ready to truly kickstart their league campaign.
He has a wealth of talent at his fingertips, both young and old, and should the German find the perfect blend whilst mixing around his starting side, it could prove devastating for the rest of the division.
Leeds United manager Daniel Farke.
It is likely that the former will uphold his side though, with the likes of Archie Gray, Wilfried Gnonto, Crysenco Summerville and Jamie Shackleton all growing into mainstays despite their inexperience.
A truly bright future is on the horizon once again at Elland Road, with this newfound hope sure to spur on a year of excitement rather than the gloomy period they endured in the English top flight.
Who are Leeds United's best young players?
With such a starring cast of thrilling youngsters, it marks a very difficult task to choose just one as the outstanding player.
Wilfried Gnonto was the recipient of plenty of interest over the summer, with a £25m bid having even been turned away such was his value to the club. Meanwhile, Gray has been ever-present in the midfield, with the 17-year-old general providing the foundation for Summerville to have enjoyed a frightening start to the new term.
Even Shackleton, who was perhaps a forgotten man after his quiet loan spell last season, has announced himself as a creative utility man capable of deputising in a number of roles.
However, perhaps one of their brightest talents is one which has already performed in the Premier League, and should he be given a chance, would surely be able to lead them back to that level. Joe Gelhardt is the young finisher Farke is craving.
Having joined under Marcelo Bielsa's leadership, the 21-year-old marksman has remained throughout numerous different managers now, having featured for most as a clinical youngster with an exciting future.
The forward was instrumental during the 2021/22 campaign where they narrowly avoided the drop, as his two goals and four assists in the league game at crucial moments to earn them survival.
Then, having been sent out on loan the year following as his chances dwindled, he scored three and assisted three across just 16 Championship starts with Sunderland.
Such persistent proficiency was always bound to draw praise, with journalist Phil Hay even branding him a "goal machine".
This kind of acknowledgement from such a well-respected writer should go a long way towards painting the picture of Gelhardt's talent, which has been well-documented given his meteoric rise to the top of the game.
How much was Joe Gelhardt worth at Wigan Athletic?
However, the Liverpool-born finisher was not a true product of the Whites' infamous academy, with Thorp Arch not quite able to take the plaudits for his production.
It was instead Wigan Athletic who handed the youngster the platform to shine, as his five goals in as many U18s games earned him 21 first-team appearances before his eventual sale.
joe-gelhardt-championship-leeds-united
To emphasise just how far Gelhardt has come, it is worth outlining that Football Transfers valued Leeds' number 30 at just €70k (£60k) in 2019, the year before he moved. Unsurprisingly, his exposure and instant adaptation to top-level football with the Yorkshire outfit has seen that figure skyrocket.
How much did Leeds United sign Joe Gelhardt for?
As the Latics were plagued by crippling financial issues, the likes of which saw them earn points deductions that would send them spiralling out of the Championship, Leeds were one of the beneficiaries who swooped in to acquire their talent for a cut price.
Soccer Football – Championship – Hull City v Wigan Athletic – KCOM Stadium, Hull, Britain – September 14, 2019 Wigan Athletic’s Joe Gelhardt celebrates scoring their second goal Action Images/Ed Sykes EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for
It was impossible for a club in administration to turn down the £1m that Bielsa had offered, and so the young striker moved in the hope that the fee he attained would aid his former employers in their survival bid.
Although the DW Stadium outfit have bounced between the second tier and League One for the past few years, at the very least Shaun Maloney seems set to offer some stability to an institution that has been sorely lacking it in recent memory.
What is Joe Gelhardt's market value now?
To gauge the growth of Gelhardt, it is worth viewing the change in his value, which can be affected by a number of different factors.
His age, the level which he has and currently plays at, nationality and skill level all come into play, but given how lowly Football Transfers once valued him, it is certain that a profit can be guaranteed.
2023
€14.7m (£12.6m)
58% increase
2022
€9.8m (£8.4m)
65% increase
2021
€4.9m (£4.2m)
136% increase
2020
€1m (£860k)
N/A
That is certainly the case when viewing Football Transfer's expected Transfer Value (xTV) for the starlet, which seeks to estimate an accurate fee that might be paid in the current market for a player's services.
The €14.7m (£12.6m) figure they have handed him is a fair representation of his current level and the potential he holds to star in the near future.
In total, across a senior career that has largely spanned across the two valuations mentioned, the 5 foot 9 poacher has seen an 1160% increase in value. Bielsa certainly worked wonders with this deal.
Why is Joe Gelhardt worth that much?
To outline why Gelhardt has seen his valuation soar in such a manner is just to hear the glowing commendation sent his way by former employers and current ones.
Paul Cook, who managed over him at Wigan, was one of the first to issue such glowing praise: "He's got that unique talent to find space in a telephone box. He's such a natural, good footballer. To get a goal like that in front of his own fans was a special moment.
"A lot of young footballers coming into the game are not very nice people. We're just lucky to have a boy with his humility playing for us – the game is easy for him. He'll be starting soon if he carries on like that. He's a young boy that needs minding though. It's a very special goal from a very special player."
Given his growth since then, which is well laid out by these aforementioned shifts in valuation, it remains to be seen just how high Gelhardt could go under Leeds' new leadership.
England will play their first three-Test series in Sri Lanka in 11 years, but the tour – which also features five ODIs and a T20I – may also clash with the island’s northeast monsoon
Andrew Fidel Fernando15-Mar-2018England will play their first three-Test series in Sri Lanka in 11 years, but the tour – which also features five ODIs and a T20I – may also clash with the island’s northeast monsoon.England’s tour of Sri Lanka 2018
Oct 10 – First ODI, Dambulla Oct 13 – Second ODI, Dambulla Oct 17 – Third ODI, Pallekele Oct 20 – Fourth ODI, Pallekele Oct 23 – Fifth ODI, Khettarama (Colombo) Oct 27 – Only T20I, Khettarama Nov 6-10 – First Test, Galle Nov 14-18 – Second Test, Pallekele Nov 23-27 – Third Test, SSC
The matches will be played in Dambulla, Galle, Kandy and Colombo, with the SSC set to host the only Colombo Test. As it is the Tests – set for November – are more likely to be affected by rain than the limited-overs games, which end by October.SLC generally only hosts sides in November if there is no alternative, and given both teams’ busy 2018 schedule, that does appear to be the case. November Tests were last played in Sri Lanka in 2012, when both matches against New Zealand yielded results. However the previous series that began in November – the 2010 Tests against West Indies – were infamously rain-affected, and all three games ended in draws.The ODI series kicks off the tour on October 10, before the one-off T20I is played on the 27th of that month. There are then nine days before the first Test – time perhaps for England to play at least one warm-up encounter. The Test series begins in Galle on November 6, then moves to Pallekele, before the tour finishes up in Colombo.England last played Tests in Sri Lanka in early 2012, that two-match series finishing 1-1. Their most-recent three-Test tour of the island was in 2007.
Newcastle United are a club like any other, they've had their fill of success stories and endured their burden of talented starlets to have failed to kick on after such tantalising early promise.
Football is enthralling, awe-inspiring; a sojourn from the harsh realities of life and a chance for camaraderie, revelling in the highs and nursing the wounds of chastening defeats with those suffering the same inflictions.
For those actually playing the beautiful game, it's the opportunity for a spot in the limelight and a lucrative career that wide-eyed, far-dreaming kids all so dearly yearn for.
But it doesn't always work out. So many fall prey to the unrelenting pressures of an unrelenting business, and for those that do fall by the wayside – be that in their formative years or after graduating and initially bursting onto the major scene with a flourish – football can be a cruel mistress indeed.
Players like Mehdi Abeid and Sammy Ameobi both flattered to deceive after an exciting introduction to life on Tyneside, while Remy Cabella – older when signing at 24, mind – arrived at St. James' Park with such fanfare, only for the attacking midfielder to founder and scored just once from 31 matches before leaving with his tail between his legs.
Perhaps one of the most poignant failures of recent years is that of Rolando Aarons, who actually plied his formative years with Newcastle as a player of immense quality, and despite dazzling upon his breakthrough, has now plummeted into the murky abyss.
When did Newcastle sign Rolando Aarons?
Released from Bristol City as a 13-year-old youth, Aarons was faced with a future of the worst kind for an aspiring footballer, the kind that feels like a veritable quagmire, so much hard work amounting to nothing.
Newcastle provided the Jamaica-born winger with some incredible respite, offering him a place in their academy ranks with the view to nurturing him to the first team.
What excitement the fleet-footed prodigy held; across the 13/14 campaign, a teenage Aarons would score three goals and supply an assist from 13 matches in the Premier League 2, alerting erstwhile manager Alan Pardew to his talents.
It was then that Aarons' budding career started to build steam, with a date with prominence surely awaiting over the hill.
What was said about Rolando Aarons when he first joined Newcastle?
After dazzling in pre-season in 2014 and earning a place in Newcastle's senior Premier League squad at the maiden stage of the 2014/15 season, the ace, then aged 18, was touted as a precocious player capable of filling the void left by a disgruntled Hatem Ben Afra's departure on loan to Hull City.
And he announced himself to the stage with deadly, prodigious promise, scoring two goals and supplying an assist from just six outings across the 2014/15 campaign, including a goal and assist apiece in just his second match, a cameo in the English top-flight against Crystal Palace.
Sadly, what hinted at being a remarkable entrance to the big time was detrimentally disrupted by injury, with a hamstring problem sidelining the gem for almost the entirety of that year.
Indeed, those around him were waxing lyrical as a confident, electric and ferocious wide forward demonstrated skills requisite for success at the highest level, with sports performance expert Ray Wilson holding the then-teenager in high regard in 2015.
He said, “I believe he can go all the way. He’s got the right mentality. He’s not afraid of hard work. If you throw a hurdle at him he’s brave enough and strong enough he will attempt it. And if he can’t succeed today he’ll make all the small steps that he needs tomorrow."
The Daily Mail's Craig Hope even envisaged a future to match that of the burgeoning Raheem Sterling in 2014, who at the time plied his trade with Liverpool, with the reporter writing that 'Aarons boasts all of the same attributes as the Liverpool star and is strikingly similar in build and style.'
Former Liverpool winger Raheem Sterling.
Sterling had just starred for Liverpool during the historic 2013/14 title-challenging season, with the deadly Anfield strikeforce ultimately failing to stop Manchester City from claiming the Premier League title.
A young Sterling claimed nine goals and seven assists during his breakout year and looked a talent set for the top, soon earning a £49m transfer to the Citizens – and the rest, as they say, is history.
Where is Rolando Aarons now?
A career tainted by injurious injustice; a possible England star stained by his hapless luck in the medical room. Aarons would only play 27 times for the Magpies, scoring four goals and providing three assists, before finally leaving the club with more than a little pathos.
A range of loan spells – including stints with Scottish side Motherwell, Sheffield Wednesday and Serie A outfit Hellas Verona – all bore rotten fruits.
In fact, having scored four times for Newcastle, Aarons has actually found the net just four more times across the rest of his career so far.
Football Soccer – Carabao Cup – Second Round – Newcastle United vs Nottingham Forest – Newcastle, Britain – August 23, 2017 Newcastle United’s Rolando Aarons celebrates scoring their second goal Action Images via Reuters/Ed Sykes EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contac
Now 27 years old, the two-cap Jamaica international is without a club after an inauspicious, two-year spell with Huddersfield Town, where he played just 12 times and failed to register a single direct goal contribution.
Injuries have ravaged his chances of sustaining minutes with any meaningful regularity, and Aarons will now just be hoping to find a club to rekindle his career as soon as possible.
A sobering story that epitomises the strife that many players must endure after being lionised in the embryonic period of a hard, gruelling fight to cement a starting berth at a first-rate football club, Aarons will forever rue the woes on the injury front that hindered his career from really taking off.
For a player who could have emulated his homeland peer in Sterling, it's a case of what could have been. But injuries aside, supporters will hold Aarons in an endearing light, having captivated so many when waltzing onto the pitch with such swagger all those years ago.
Despite falling to successive defeats in the Premier League, the feel-good factor is still present for West Ham United, who have ostensibly just faced the toughest teams in the division.
Having won the Europa Conference League last season, the Hammers have continued their European journey and tread the path to glory once more, back in the Europa League in pursuit of more silverware.
Declan Rice, midfield man mountain, was sold to Arsenal for £105m in the summer but scarcely looks missed in east London, as David Moyes has bolstered the squad with a spread of exciting additions.
How are West Ham playing this season?
After six matches in the English top-flight, West Ham have achieved three victories, suffered two losses and completed one draw, perched in seventh place with ten points.
West Ham United manager DavidMoyes
The London Stadium side have also made a successful start to the continental journey after dispatching Serbian side Backa Topola in the opening match of the Europa League.
Rice, unequivocally, is a big miss, but with James Ward-Prowse posting seven direct goal contributions from six matches thus far, he looks to be a bona fide steal; likewise, Edson Alvarez, holding midfielder, has been "absolutely perfect" – according to Joe Cole – since arriving from Ajax in the summer.
West Ham boast a considerable squad more than capable of qualifying for Europe once again, and perhaps even pushing for another major honour, and while optimism prevails despite another setback against Liverpool, centre-back Nayef Aguerd continued his stuttering start to the season, and Moyes must now consider dropping him.
How did Nayef Aguerd perform against Liverpool?
The Moroccan machine has been a rock since joining from French side Rennes for £30m in June 2022 (well, he spent considerable time in the first half of the 2022/23 campaign sidelined with an ankle injury sustained in pre-season) but he excelled once fit.
Completing the term with a European trophy, 30 appearances under his belt and praise for his "superstar" showings by reporter Mohamed Salad, the 34-cap international has been a solid and dependable member of Moyes' thriving outfit, and will continue to play a big part as the season stretches on.
West Ham defender Nayef Aguerd.
However, against Liverpool, the 27-year-old continued an error-strewn start to the season, with The Athletic's Roshane Thomas noting that "defensive errors are holding him back".
On Merseyside, the defender made five clearances and blocked three shots but was dribbled past and committed the foul for Mohamed Salah's opening penalty, as per Sofascore, with West Ham starting the match the better, slicker team.
The £50k-per-week ace also only won one of his four contested ground duels (losing 75%), while completing just 73% of his passes and committing two fouls, hardly the inspiring, resolute display needed against the Anfield din.
As per FBref, the 6 foot 2 titan does rank among the top 5% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 17% for blocks and the top 18% for clearances per 90, but he no doubt needs to ensure lapses in decisive moments are eradicated, especially with a dynamic force in Konstantinos Mavropanos now competing with the Moroccan for a starting berth.
Kurt Zouma has captained the Hammers across every league outing this season and thus will hardly be dropped, and after another display that left much to be desired, his Greek confrere could now be pushing for his maiden Premier League start under Moyes' wing.
Especially after receiving praise from journalist Dan Woffenden for his "impressive" performance in the Europa League last week.
Aguerd is a commanding, iron-fortified centre-half who deservedly has a spot in West Ham's regular starting XI, but having completed a substandard start to the season, he must now be dropped for Mavropanos, who deserves a chance to strut his stuff on Premier League grass.
In their second rain-curtailed game against Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Daredevils survived a brutal Jos Buttler attack to lift themselves off the bottom of the table
The Report by Varun Shetty02-May-2018 4:04
Manjrekar: Expected the revised target to be much steeper
Delhi Daredevils had a lot of things different about them against Rajasthan Royals in their second meeting of the season – the captain had changed, the batting order was different and they’d posted a massive score batting first. It was a rain-curtailed game again, but this time they managed a different result too to rise above Mumbai Indians at the bottom of the table.Defending 150 in 12 overs, Daredevils came under a brutal attack from the promoted Jos Buttler, whose 18-ball fifty helped Royals smash down more than half the required runs with six overs and ten wickets still in hand. But a middle-order slide engineered by Amit Mishra and Trent Boult saw Daredevils pull things back.Earlier, Prithvi Shaw, Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant had combined to put up 166 of the 196 runs Daredevils made in 17.1 overs.Young and freeWhen he lost the toss, Iyer said conditions would be easy and “not dewy” when his team went out to bat. Just over 20 minutes later, the groundstaff were pulling the covers on to keep the outfield dry. The rain reduced the game to 18-overs-a-side.Colin Munro faced his first ball against Royals this season, but when his inside edge against Dhawal Kulkarni was taken by Buttler, it became his second duck against them. Royals, who had replaced Rahul Tripathi with Ben Stokes at first slip, barely found another edge after that.First, they got acquainted with the middle of Shaw’s bat, which often met the ball above waist height but always with full control; the teenager, not the tallest of men, frequently stayed put in his crease and followed rising short-of-a-length deliveries with just his hands to comfortably clear the infield, in the ‘V’. In the middle of all that, he mistimed a full toss and offered a return catch in the third over that Kulkarni couldn’t hold on to. It took a change in pace – the legspin of Shreyas Gopal – to get Shaw as he tried to hit another one through the line. He had made 47 off 25.The finishing touchesPant has taken a couple of balls in the mid-riff this season while attempting to play the hook shot. Essentially, his falling over into the off side when the ball is pitched short has put him in trouble often.It’s not something he has tried to remedy, though. After copping one on the body from a Stokes bouncer, the left-hander continued to get inside the line of the ball when it was pitched short and even managed a six on one instance as he tried to avoid flicking the off stump with his back leg. He made 24 runs behind the square region.The rest of his runs came where they usually do – through the covers and at cow corner. Pant hit at least three boundaries through the off side that couldn’t have been more than five yards away from the closest fielder. They were just as helpless on those occasions as they were when he slugged three sixes on the leg side. In his 50th T20 match, this innings of 69 off 29 was the perfect tribute.At the other end, Iyer made his fourth fifty in five games as a sorry Royals attack’s most economical bowler went at 9.33.The Buttler specialIn a team trying to jam several specialist openers into the top order, Buttler had been reduced to the No. 5 slot. But Royals decided they needed him at the top to set the tone for a very steep chase, that was revised to 151 from 12 overs, and he delivered like only he does – with flat drives over the bowler, loopy ramps over the keeper and indiscreet slaughtering of short deliveries. Avesh Khan, with his predisposition for hitting the deck and skidding the ball on, was perhaps exactly what Buttler has been looking for in a season where he hadn’t yet made 30-plus. On the night, he made 34 in 10 balls of just Avesh.The moments that could’ve changed thingsWhen Iyer tossed the ball to Glenn Maxwell with 52 required off three overs, it was ideal for Royals – Short hit the first three balls for sixes and fell off the fourth. In doing so, he had made the runs against the part-timer and also allowed for finisher K Gowtham to come in. Iyer then kept them in it a second time. With 10 to win off the two balls, he not only dropped Gowtham at deep midwicket, but also conceded four runs.However, a mishap during the 15th over of Daredevils’ innings might have made the biggest difference. Jaydev Unadkat’s second ball was an offcutter that deflected off Pant’s glove into Buttler’s path. The wicketkeeper shied at and hit the non-striker’s stumps as the batsmen ran through.The ricochet had rolled harmlessly towards Stokes who was backing up in the mid-off region. But the allrounder had barely made it halfway to the ground with his lazy effort to the left as Daredevils picked up four overthrows.