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Strikers’ lack of power hitting resulted in a sixth defeat in seven games; Sams shines with four wickets for Thunder

Danyal Rasool31-Dec-2021

Getty Images

They won the Boost Point, but there was little else to cheer the Adelaide crowd up on an abject night for the Adelaide Strikers, who slumped to their sixth defeat in seven games. This one – a 22-run loss – came at the hands of a Sydney Thunder side ravaged by Covid-19-related absences, but Jason Sangha made up for all that with a blistering unbeaten 91 off 55 that powered them through to 187. That came despite something of a struggle in the first ten overs, in which they managed just 65, but a stunning onslaught that saw 79 come off the final five redressed the balance.The Strikers began positively enough but lacked the power hitting, both at the top and tail of the innings, to really threaten the target. As such, Thunder appeared to coast to victory almost by default, the bowlers maintaining their disciplines without needing to do anything remarkable. Chris Green did his thing, keeping it tight in the middle overs, while Daniel Sams chipped in with four wickets. At the 15-over mark, the Strikers were still a few runs ahead of Thunder at that stage, but despite the best efforts of Jonathan Wells – who finished with 46 off 25 – they ended up falling comfortably short.Sangha scorches StrikersUntil the final five overs of the innings, there was limited evidence Sangha would set a warm Adelaide evening alight. He’d managed 36 off 34 while Thunder stumbled along at a shade over seven, targeting 150-160 at best. But all that changed when Strikers captain Peter Siddle brought himself back on. Sangha greeted him with a boundary and two sixes off the next five balls, and as the gears shifted, something appeared to click for the 22-year-old. Those final five overs would see Thunder plunder 79 runs, with Sangha contributing 55 of them for off just 22 deliveries.It is a knock reminiscent of the one that Ben McDermott played for Hobart Hurricanes a couple of nights ago, where he bided his time before unleashing at the death. Sangha’s heroics had similarly devastating consequences for the Strikers.He even came on to turn his arm over in the second half of the innings, and took just three balls to pick up a wicket, further making his mark on a night that very firmly belonged to him.Garton’s struggles continueIt’s been a rough few days for English cricketers out in Australia. George Garton found out that wasn’t just limited to those wearing whites in the Ashes. In two of his last three games for the Strikers, the allrounder went for 41 in four and 48 in three, with the trend very much continuing tonight.He went for nine in the second over of the night, but things were going to get much worse than that. When he came on for the 13th over, Sangha had only managed 13 off 20 balls, but Garton found himself dispatched for a pair of sixes at the Australian began to find his feet. By the time he was thrown the ball for another go in the 19th over, Sangha was in full flow, and Garton on a hiding to nothing. Three sixes and a boundary meant his final involvement with the ball was the costliest over of the game, leaking 23 and setting Thunder on course for a comfortable victory.With the bat, Garton never found fluency, and an ugly swipe saw his innings end on 8 off 11.Strikers’ Powerless Power SurgeThe home side called for the Power Surge immediately after drinks, but it happened to coincide with the time Thunder were applying the squeeze especially effectively. Matt Renshaw struck a couple of boundaries off Saqib Mahmood to get things going. But when he chipped the last ball of the over to Green, the Strikers appeared to collapse in on themselves.Jake Weatherald, who had hung around for a pretty, if non-menacing, 31, also found Green at mid-off three balls later. Sangha would nail Thomas Kelly in the over that followed, and Strikers curiously opted against promoting Rashid Khan up the order even as the asking rate ballooned. The Strikers had fallen apart around the Power Surge, and in the absence of a Sangha-like figure, simply left themselves with too much to do at the death.

England spinner says he heard Vaughan question the number of players of Asian heritage in the Yorkshire side

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Nov-2021

Adil Rashid is currently with the England squad at the Men’s T20 World Cup in the UAE•Getty Images

Adil Rashid has confirmed he heard Michael Vaughan question the number of players of Asian heritage in the Yorkshire side during an incident in 2009.In a statement released to ESPNcricinfo Rashid not only confirmed Azeem Rafiq’s recollections of the incident, but pledged to participate in any official investigation aimed at stamping out what he called the “cancer” of racism.Vaughan, the former Yorkshire and England captain, revealed earlier this month that his name appeared in the Yorkshire report into Rafiq’s allegations of racism at the club. Vaughan admitted that Rafiq alleged he had noted the inclusion of four players of Asian heritage in the Yorkshire side playing at Trent Bridge and responded: “There are too many of you lot; we need to do something about it.”Related

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Vaughan continues to deny those allegations.But Rashid’s intervention is important. Not only is he the third member of that Yorkshire team to confirm he heard Vaughan making the comments – Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, the former Pakistan seamer, has already backed Rafiq’s version of events – but, as a highly respected and senior member of the England team, his words carry some weight.Rashid has long been reluctant to be drawn into the debate and, even now, has asked for “privacy” and space to focus on his cricket. But it could well be that his observations have a devastating effect on the reputation and future career of Vaughan. He has already been stood down from his Radio 5 Live programme, the , by the BBC.Rashid’s statement in full reads: “Racism is a cancer in all walks of life and unfortunately in professional sports too, and is something which of course has to be stamped out.I wanted to concentrate as much as possible on my cricket and to avoid distractions to the detriment of the team but I can confirm Azeem Rafiq’s recollection of Michael Vaughan’s comments to a group of us Asian players.”I’m encouraged by the fact that a Parliamentary Committee seems to be trying to improve the situation, whether that’s holding people accountable or getting changes made at an institutional level. These can only be positive developments. I will of course be more than happy to support any official efforts when the time is right.”For now though, these matters are of an intensely personal nature and I will not be commenting on them further. I ask you to respect my privacy and allow me to focus on my cricket.”I want to thank the ECB, the fans and especially my teammates for all of their support. We didn’t get the result we wanted in this World Cup, but I hope that the unity of our dressing room and the leadership of our captain [Eoin Morgan] will propel us forward to achieve what we deserve in the future.”Vaughan and Gary Ballance have both confirmed that they were named in the independent report, with Ballance admitting to using the word “P**i* in relation to Rafiq. Further revelations are expected when Rafiq gives evidence in front of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) select committee on Tuesday.Yorkshire’s handling of the investigation into allegations of institutional racism made by Rafiq has come in for sustained criticism, with the ECB stripping the club of its right to host international fixtures and a number of sponsors severing ties. Former chair Roger Hutton, former chief executive, Mark Arthur, and director of cricket, Martyn Moxon, were called to appear before the DCMS committee.With Moxon now unwell – he is suffering from a stress-related illness – Wayne Morton, the former England physio who now oversees the provision of medical treatment at Yorkshire, is to take his place.Lord Patel, Yorkshire’s chair, responded to Rashid’s comments in a statement issued by the club.”I am aware of the recent statement from Adil Rashid, and I welcome his courage in speaking up at what is a difficult and distressing time for all those who love this Club and the sport of cricket,” Patel said.”It is essential that those who have experienced or witnessed racism, discrimination and abuse are able to come forward to share their experiences. I have been in touch with Adil personally today so that we can talk through the issues as soon as he is ready and able.”

It’s been a topsy-turvy campaign for Tottenham Hotspur so far this season.

Ange Postecoglou’s side have won all of their League Cup and Europa League games but have struggled to find any real consistency in the Premier League.

The North Londoners currently find themselves in eighth place with just 13 points from nine games, and while they looked sensational against West Ham United just over a week ago, they looked bereft of ideas against Crystal Palace yesterday.

However, there was one small positive from the game: Mikey Moore made his first Premier League start, and while he looks set to explode this season, another lesser-known academy gem could do the same next year.

Why fans are excited about Mikey Moore

At this point, if you don’t know who Moore is or why people are so excited about him, then you have been living under a rock.

The 17-year-old has long been talked about as one of the most exciting youth players in the country, let alone at Spurs, and his ridiculous record of 19 goals and 13 assists in just 24 games for the U18s should tell you why.

However, as with all young players, there was still an element of doubt over how he might take to senior football, but after his cameo appearances this season, any such doubt can be thrown out the window.

The dynamic winger might not have been tremendously effective against Palace, but in his previous start, against AZ Alkmaar, he was sensational, picking up the Player of the Match award in what was just his second competitive start for the team.

It was entirely deserved, though, as while he looked good in the first half, he exploded in the second when he moved over to the left, constantly taking on the opposition and giving the fans something to cheer about whenever the ball was at his feet.

While it’s too early to pile the pressure on him, Moore does look like he’s destined to reach the very top, which could also be said about another of the club’s promising academy stars.

Why fans should be excited about Lucá Williams-Barnett

Yes, the academy star in question is the tremendously exciting Luca Williams-Barnett, who looks like he, too, could make an impact in the first team in the coming years.

The 16-year-old midfielder, whom U23 scout Antonio Mango described as a “pure talent”, made a number of appearances for the Lilywhites’ U18s last season that was impressive enough to see him make the jump up permanently this year, and to say he’s looked comfortable would be a massive understatement.

For example, in just seven appearances so far this term, the Luton-born gem has scored eight goals and provided three assists, meaning he is currently averaging a goal involvement once every 0.63 games, or in other words, he is producing 1.57 goal involvements per game.

Appearances

7

Minutes

615′

Goals

8

Assists

3

Goal Involvements per Match

1.57

Minutes per Goal Involvement

55.90′

Moreover, while he has scored hat-tricks and braces in his junior career, he is also producing a goal involvement in the vast majority of the games he plays in, and not stat padding against weaker sides in a way that could distort his actual ability.

Now, it’s essential not to rush youngsters into the senior side too soon nowadays, as the significant jump can be too much for some, but given Moore’s introduction to the first team this season and the way Postecoglou has eased him in, we wouldn’t be surprised to see the same happen with Williams-Barnett when he turns 17 next October.

After all, he’s showing such incredible promise every week for the U18s, so it feels more like a matter of when and not if he gets his chance with the first team.

Outshone by Moore: Ange must axe 5/10 Spurs dud who lost the ball 11 times

Spurs have a serious talent on their hands and a player whose future may well be elsewhere.

2 ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 25, 2024

As those at St James’ Park once again look to find a way past Premier League rules whilst welcoming fresh faces, Newcastle United have reportedly set their sights on one player who’d help them do just that.

Newcastle transfer news

The Magpies, of course, have had quite the battle against Premier League rules over the years, with PIF’s takeover taking some time to get over the line before Profit and Sustainability rules finally caught up to them in the summer transfer window and Newcastle were incredibly limited on the spending front. Remaining without a number of reinforcements as a result, their squad depth is already catching up to them after injuries to Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak.

Without Isak last time out against Everton, Eddie Howe was left feeling the frustration of his side’s 0-0 draw at Goodison Park, in which former Toffee Anthony Gordon saw his penalty saved by Jordan Pickford.

When 2025 arrives, however, Newcastle may be in position to spend big once again, which could see those at St James’ Park turn their attention towards a Premier League rival.

According to GiveMeSport, Newcastle now want to sign Jacob Ramsey, who has been valued at £50m by Aston Villa, in a deal that would help sporting director Paul Mitchell navigate a way through homegrown player rules.

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The Magpies could finally get their man…

Posts ByTom Cunningham Oct 9, 2024

The rules state that every side must have at least eight homegrown players in their 25-man squad, which Ramsey would count towards thanks to his status as an English academy graduate at Aston Villa.

Newcastle aren’t the only side interested in the midfielder though, with Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal also reportedly eyeing moves to sign Ramsey in what would be a frustrating blow for Aston Villa.

"Important" Ramsey would complete Newcastle's midfield depth

The return of Sandro Tonali has handed Newcastle one of the most underrated midfields in the Premier League, with the Italian standing alongside Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton to form quite the trio in the middle of the park. Beyond that trio, however, it could be argued that the Magpies suffer a dip in quality that Ramsey could quickly solve.

Likely leapfrogging Sean Longstaff in the pecking order, Ramsey would arguably complete Howe’s midfield depth once and for all in a major boost for what may well prove to be a bargain price for a homegrown star.

Premier League stats 23/24 per 90 (via FBref)

Jacob Ramsey

Sean Longstaff

Progressive Carries

3.47

0.79

Progressive Passes

2.95

4.75

Tackles Won

0.84

0.98

Ball Recoveries

4.42

3.93

Minutes

853

2,747

That said, Villa manager Unai Emery was quick to reiterate Ramsey’s importance during the summer and may well do so once more when 2025 arrives. The Spaniard said, via The Independent: “Jacob Ramsey is a very important player. He grew up in the academy and his progression is getting better. His level is increasing a lot and I want to keep him here with us. Of course, there are movements (speculation) around him.”

If there were any doubts over whether investing £9m into Adam Idah would be a wise move, Celtic’s number nine is swiftly easing those concerns amid what has been another impressive week at Paradise.

The Republic of Ireland international first raced home to round off Wednesday night’s thumping 5-1 win over Slovan Bratislava in the Champions League, prior to proving something of a rescue man after producing a quick-fire double to help see off a spirited Falkirk side on Sunday afternoon.

That latest brace against Championship opposition has now taken the 23-year-old’s tally to 12 goals in just 25 games since initially joining the club on loan in January. Not bad going for a player whom Celtic and Norwich City hero, Chris Sutton, suggested was a “long way from the finished article” upon making the move to Glasgow earlier this year.

The former Carrow Road starlet has quickly won over those at Parkhead, with the same situation now occurring with the summer’s other marquee signing, Arne Engels, with the promising Belgian helping to ease the blow of Matt O’Riley’s long-awaited departure.

Arne Engels' start at Celtic

Football can be a cruel mistress, can’t it. O’Riley, Celtic’s Mr Dependable for over two years – having scored 27 goals in 124 games in total – finally secured a dream move to the Premier League this summer, only to pick up a nasty injury just nine minutes into his Brighton and Hove Albion debut.

Not only has the Denmark international endured a difficult beginning in his new surroundings, but the playmaker will also have to observe the rise of a new star in his place back in Scotland, with that man Engels beginning to establish himself in Brendan Rodgers’ midfield trio.

It is, of course, early days, but the Old Firm side’s record buy – who cost a reported £11m from Bundesliga side Augsburg – has already slotted in smoothly, chipping in with four goals and assists in as many games thus far.

Described as a “machine” by teammate Liam Scales, the 21-year-old is already starting to repay his hefty transfer fee, with the hope that he can continue to build on this stunning start in green and white.

Consistency over an extended period is required, however, something that a certain Cameron Carter-Vickers has shown ever since his arrival back in 2021 under Ange Postecoglou.

Carter-Vickers' market value

There’s no getting away from what was a worryingly shaky start against Falkirk on Sunday, with the visitors taking a shock 2-1 lead into the break to spark fears of a stunning, surprise upset.

It is hard to imagine such a scenario having occurred had Celtic’s centre-back “warrior” – as hailed by ex-Rangers man Alan Hutton – been on the field, however, with Rodgers’ men simply a different outfit when Carter-Vickers starts at the heart of the defence.

The USA international was particularly imperious in midweek in European competition, recording a 95% pass accuracy rate, while also winning four of his five ground duels having been rarely troubled on the night.

5 games (5 starts)

115.8 touches*

93% pass accuracy

5 clean sheets

2.6 interceptions*

1.4 tackles*

3.6 balls recovered*

5.0 clearances*

71% total duels won*

7.8x possession lost*

Described as the “best defender in Scotland” by the man who brought him to the club, Postecoglou, the 26-year-old has been integral to the Hoops’ latest period of dominance in Scottish football, having now made 122 appearances in all competitions to date.

Such form – which includes five successive clean sheets in the league this season – has also been paralleled by the former Tottenham Hotspur man’s stunning rise in value following his eventual £6m permanent capture in 2022, with Transfermarkt now valuing him at around £12m – level with Kyogo Furuhashi as the most valuable player in the squad.

Market Movers

Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?

That figure thus eclipses the £11m and £9m fees paid for Engels and Idah, respectively, further showcasing just what a bargain Carter-Vickers has truly been during his time in Glasgow to date.

Long may it continue.

Unlike Idah & Bernardo: Rodgers must drop 6/10 Celtic man who "struggled"

The Hoops defender may not have earned himself a place in the starting XI on a regular basis.

3 ByDan Emery Sep 22, 2024

Kent have been forced to emulate the England men’s team in naming a brand-new squad for this week’s LV= County Championship fixture against Sussex at Canterbury, after one of their players tested positive for Covid-19.The player, who has not been named, returned a positive result following a PCR test on the eve of the match on Saturday, meaning that each of the squad members who featured alongside him in Kent’s Vitality Blast fixture at the Kia Oval on Friday will now be required to self-isolate for a period of ten days.Heino Kuhn, who was not a part of Kent’s nine-wicket win over Surrey, has been named as captain for the Sussex fixture, the start of which was delayed by an hour as the club set about assembling a new line-up for the fixture, comprising second XI players and homegrown prospects, all of whom were required to follow the usual testing protocols prior to their selection.Four players were handed first-class debuts – Joe Gordon, Harry Houillon, Dan Lincoln and Jas Singh – while former Sussex batter Harry Finch, who has been playing for Kent’s 2nd XI, gets a chance against his old club. Regular members of the Championship side, Harry Podmore, Matt Quinn, Nathan Gilchrist and Marcus O’Riordan, were all included.”With the emergence of the Delta variant and recent release in lockdown restrictions, the club has been conscious of the increased possibility of an outbreak,” Simon Storey, Kent’s chief executive, said.”Overnight, the club has worked swiftly to identify a replacement squad that will be ready to take on Sussex in the much-anticipated Canterbury Cricket Week, and will also be preparing for the final two matches of the group stages of the Vitality Blast, with a quarter-final berth already secured.”

European heavyweights Paris-Saint Germain are keen on signing a “top talent” at Arsenal, and one who is rated extremely highly, with the Gunners braced for interest from all corners of the continent.

Arteta commits long-term Arsenal future by signing new contract

Ahead of their looming North London Derby this weekend, some very good news came out of the Emirates Stadium, with manager Mikel Arteta putting pen to paper on a new contract till 2027.

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The Gunners are growing shorter of options.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Sep 13, 2024

The Spaniard’s previous terms were due to expire next year, resulting in speculation that he could leave at the end of this season, but Arteta’s decision to commit to a further three years has quashed all worries that Arsenal could soon lose their manager.

Arteta’s new deal sees him earn £288,000-per-week, which puts him in line with the Premier League’s highest-earning tacticians, and it is a welcome announcement for supporters after a week of consistent reports surrounding key absences for this weekend’s trip to Tottenham.

Tottenham (away)

September 15

Man City (away)

September 22

Leicester City (home)

September 28

Southampton (home)

October 5

Bournemouth (away)

October 19

Mikel Merino’s shoulder injury means he’ll be absent for the derby and beyond, while star midfielder Declan Rice will miss out through suspension. Martin Odegaard twisted his ankle on international duty with Norway earlier this week as well, so Arteta looks set to be without a host of key men for Arsenal’s face-off against Spurs.

Given the selection headaches for this weekend, Arteta has little time to celebrate his lucrative fresh terms. With the 42-year-old now set to be a key component of Arsenal’s long-term project for years to come, there are a few players he will be very keen to keep hold of.

One of them, star defender William Saliba, is said to be attracting interest from elite European sides. Real Madrid have been looking at signing Saliba, as have Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, according to recent reports.

This is hardly a surprise, considering he is one of the continent’s top defenders right now, and arguably has been ever since he began to form an exceptional partnership with Gabriel Magalhaes at the start of 2022/2023.

PSG eyeing William Saliba at Arsenal

Speaking to CaughtOffside, CBS reporter and Ligue 1 expert Jonathan Johnson backs reports that PSG are also interested in signing Saliba from Arsenal – but admits that the French champions face a real battle for the 23-year-old’s signature.

“We’ve seen some transfer gossip about William Saliba and it’s only natural that some of the top clubs in Europe would be interested in the Arsenal defender. PSG’s interest is nothing new – he’s Paris-born and hails from the Bondy region, like Kylian Mbappe and Randal Kolo Muani,” said Johnson.

“However, at the moment, whether it’s PSG, Real Madrid or another top European club, it’s very hard to see them being able to prise Saliba away from Arsenal. He’s one of their top talents at the moment, and one of the best defenders in world football, and after a strong showing at the Euros he’s shown he’s in that world class bracket. I think now that Mikel Arteta’s future has also been cleared up, I think Saliba will be looked at as a player that the Gunners hope to keep as a key cornerstone for the team.

“For the moment, I can’t see anyone going in for Saliba while he remains such a key part of that Arsenal project, but, depending on what happens this season, who knows, perhaps a scenario could develop that presents an opportunity for one of these top European clubs to sound out his situation.”

Saliba signed for just £27 million from Saint-Etienne in the summer of 2019 and has become one of the league’s standout bargain signings of the last decade. With Arteta remaining at Arsenal for the foreseeable, PSG could face an even bigger battle to lure him back to France.

Glasgow Rangers have already played two matches in the 2024/25 campaign and it seems as though supporters may have to be patient with Philippe Clement.

The Belgian boss has attempted to overhaul the playing squad, with several players moving on and arriving at Ibrox, but it has largely been the same players from last season playing in the first two matches.

Connor Barron, who arrived from Aberdeen, is the only player who was not at the club last season who has started in the first two games against Hearts and Dynamo Kyiv.

Jefte did come off the bench at half-time on Tuesday night, though, and Wolfsburg loanee Vaclav Cerny came on to assist Cyriel Dessers' last-gasp equaliser in the Champions League qualifier.

There is still plenty of time left before the summer transfer window slams shut at the end of this month, though, and this means that Rangers could yet make further additions to replace some of their current underperformers.

One player who must be replaced and dropped from the starting XI before the end of the window is attacking midfielder Tom Lawrence, who continues to underwhelm.

Tom Lawrence's struggles in a Rangers shirt

The Welsh whiz is not a terrible player who is of no use to Clement, as he could provide a decent option to bring off the bench, but he has not done enough to suggest that he should be starting games on a regular basis.

Attacking midfielders Ianis Hagi and Alex Lowry have reportedly been told that they are free to move on from Glasgow this summer, and fellow number ten Todd Cantwell has handed in two transfer requests.

This has left Lawrence as the only senior attacking midfield option for Clement to call upon, which was a concern ahead of these recent matches due to his lack of form last term.

23/24 Premiership	Tom Lawrence
Appearances	23
Goals	2
Minutes per goal	589
Assists	3
Big chances created	4
Key passes per game	1.1
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the former Derby County player rarely made an impact at the top end of the pitch, with five direct goal contributions in 23 appearances.

He scored one goal every 589 minutes in the Scottish Premiership for Rangers and that did not suggest that the club should rely upon him as a regular starter this season.

Lawrence has blanked in the first two games of this term, starting against both Hearts and Dynamo Kyiv, with zero goals and zero assists for the team, including just one chance created in 90 minutes in the league on Saturday.

At the age of 30, there may not be much – if any – development left for the Wales international to go through, which means that he may not improve his lacklustre returns in front of goal.

Therefore, Rangers must dip into the market to sign one of their reported transfer targets in order for Clement to drop Lawrence from the team.

Rangers keen on Premier League midfielder

It was recently reported by TEAMtalk that the Light Blues have identified Manchester United central midfielder Hannibal Mejbri as a potential target this summer.

The outlet claimed that the Scottish giants have already been in contact with the Premier League side to discuss a possible swoop for the Tunisia international.

It was stated that the Gers, in an ideal world, would like to bring the 21-year-old star in on an initial season-long loan with an option to make it permanent next summer.

However, Manchester United would prefer to cash in on the academy graduate on a permanent basis, rather than sanctioning a temporary exit from Old Trafford.

TEAMtalk claimed that the two teams have, though, held positive talks over a potential deal for the Tunisian prospect, which suggests that it may not be an impossible transfer for the club to pull off.

The report added that the Red Devils would be looking for a fee within the region of £7m for Hannibal and it remains to be seen whether or not the Gers would be willing to pay that kind of price for his services.

Nils Koppen and Clement must work hard to see if they can get a deal over the line for the midfielder, whether it is on loan or a permanent basis, as he could come in and replace Lawrence.

Why Rangers should sign Hannibal

The French-born starlet endured a difficult 2023/24 campaign, with just 11 league appearances for United and Sevilla combined, but that should not deter Rangers.

Prior to last season, Hannibal had emerged as an incredibly promising young talent thanks to his form at academy level for United and on loan at Birmingham in the English Championship.

Firstly, the 21-year-old whiz had produced six goals and 17 assists in 41 games for the Red Devils at U23 level, which showed that he is a midfielder who likes to get forward to make things happen at the top end of the pitch.

Hannibal was then given the chance to go out and play regular first-team minutes for Birmingham in the Championship and caught the eye with his performances in the middle of the park, leading to manager John Eustace dubbing him "phenomenal".

Hannibal vs midfielders
22/23 Championship	Per 90	Percentile rank
Assists	0.23	Top 7%
Expected Assisted Goals	0.18	Top 10%
Shot-creating actions	3.14	Top 24%
Key passes	1.62	Top 18%
Crosses into penalty area	0.28	Top 19%
Stats via FBRef

As you can see in the table above, the Tunisian maestro stood out among his positional peers in the division in a host of creative metrics in the second tier.

He produced five assists and created six 'big chances' in 21 starts for Birmingham, whilst Lawrence has managed three assists and four 'big chances' created in his last 24 league games for Rangers since the start of last season.

At the age of 21, Hannibal would also arrive at Ibrox with plenty of time left ahead of him to develop and improve, and the same cannot be said for the Welsh dud.

As bad as Souttar: Clement must bin 2/10 Rangers man after Kyiv no-show

The Light Blues attacker endured a frustrating evening in the Champions League.

By
Dan Emery

Aug 7, 2024

Therefore, Clement could ditch Lawrence from the starting XI and bring the United youngster in due to his potential to offer more creativity in the number ten role, whilst also having the scope to improve further.

MatériaMais Notícias

O meio-campista Pedro Castro exigiu que o Botafogo tenha atenção redobrada para o clássico diante do Vasco, que acontecerá neste domingo (7) em São Januário. Por mais que destaque a boa fase do Alvinegro na competição, o camisa 33 projeta um confronto bem acirrado.

>>>> Veja a classificação da Série B

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– Temos um clássico, um confronto gigante. Clássico tem como costume ser um campeonato à parte. A gente sabe da qualidade do adversário, mas todos também sabemos da nossa e do que queremos – afirmou, ressaltando a busca pelo acesso:

– Espero que a gente possa fazer uma grande partida para continuarmos focados no nosso principal objetivo na competição – completou.

O Botafogo tem 59 pontos e ocupa a segunda colocação na Série B.

Unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 112 in 9.3 overs between Krunal and KL Rahul rescues India’s innings

Alan Gardner23-Mar-20212:42

What makes Shardul Thakur so effective?

An ODI of fluctuating fortunes eventually went the way of India by a comfortable margin, giving them a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. The home side were grateful to a pair of fine debuts from Krunal Pandya and Prasidh Krishna, alongside vital contributions from several senior hands, as England collapsed after a dominant start to their chase had seen them reached 135 without loss in the 15th over.Like Shikhar Dhawan earlier in the day, Jonny Bairstow fell narrowly short of a century – though the openers enjoyed success via starkly different methods. Dhawan set himself to bat for much of the innings, and helped lay the platform in partnership with Virat Kohli, although India needed the spark provided by Krunal’s 26-ball fifty and an unbroken sixth-wicket stand with KL Rahul that yielded 112 from 57 at the death.Bairstow, meanwhile, epitomises England’s ultra-aggressive approach. He and Jason Roy had seemingly broken the chase by the time the first wicket fell, as the openers hared off to post their 12th century opening stand in ODIs. But England imploded spectacularly in the face of a renewed India bowling effort, led by Krishna and Shardul Thakur, both of whom recovered from expensive initial spells to share seven wickets between them.Related

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Krishna’s dismissal of Roy triggered a period in which England lost two wickets and scored just two runs from the next 17 balls, with Bairstow starved of the strike. It would have been worse had Kohli held on to an outside edge coaxed by Krishna from Eoin Morgan’s first delivery; the India captain immediately acknowledged his mistake by unsuccessfully trying to run out his counterpart, who had seemingly already begun to make his way back to the dressing room.It was not to prove costly, as England slumped further when Thakur had Bairstow caught splicing a hook towards the deep-midwicket boundary six runs short of a century. Two overs later, Morgan and Jos Buttler were dismissed in the space of four balls from Thakur to leave England 176 for 5 – still well ahead of the required rate, but short on batsmen available to knock them off.Moeen Ali and Sam Billings patched things up with a stand of 41 before Krishna struck again. There had been doubts about Billings’ continued participation after he left the field with a “sprained collar bone joint” during the India innings, and although passed fit to bat he was unable to reprise his finisher role from the 2020 summer as he chipped tamely to extra cover.Krunal Pandya and KL Rahul pushed India’s scoring at the death•BCCIWith night-time dew taking effect and Ali finally benefitting from some time in the middle – his only previous England outing all winter had come in the second Chennai Test – England were still in contention. But Bhuvneshwar Kumar extracted Ali with a sharply seaming lifter and Krunal collected a wicket to go with his batting cameo as the tail were rounded up cheaply.India’s chief concern come the end was a shoulder injury suffered in the field by one of their own, as Shreyas Iyer walked off in obvious pain after getting his hand to a powerful Bairstow drive. Rohit Sharma, too, played no part during England’s innings, having sustained a blow on the elbow from Mark Wood while batting.The differences in approach to ODI cricket between these two sides were typified by the opening pairs. Dhawan and Sharma have scored almost 5000 runs together at the top of the order for India, but their success has been based upon steady accumulation early on before cracking on once set. Here, after being inserted, they settled for a period of reconnaissance against the new ball, with 15 runs coming from the first six overs, and 39 without loss in the powerplay.By contrast, after allowing a few sighters from Kumar, the England openers opted for their big spoons. Bairstow was particularly belligerent, accelerating from 6 off 18 as England plundered the powerplay for 89 runs; he greeted the arrival of Kuldeep Yadav in the 12th over by clubbing him for four and six, raising a 40-ball fifty and England’s 100 from consecutive deliveries.India had taken until the 24th over to reach three figures, and they pushed a see-sawing innings beyond 300 only thanks to the efforts of Krunal and Rahul, who came together with the team on 205 for 5. The elder Pandya struck five of his first 14 balls for fours and added a couple of towering sixes for good measure on the way to the joint-fastest fifty on ODI debut – a milestone he celebrated with a thump of the helmet and a look to the skies.Krunal’s cap had been presented before play by Hardik Pandya and the brothers, who lost their father and mentor in January, shared another emotional embrace at the mid-innings interval.India had seemingly ground their way into the ascendancy at 169 for 1, with Dhawan and Kohli motoring along ominously during a century stand. But the return of Wood, who had bowled a sharp opening spell, saw Kohli taken on the deep-midwicket boundary – making it 42 innings (and 16 fifties) since his last hundred – as England re-established their early stranglehold.Stokes, who was playing his first ODI since the 2019 World Cup final, claimed three wickets including that of Dhawan, who pulled low into the hands of midwicket with his hundred beckoning. Iyer also departed attempting to hit Wood over the top, and with Hardik Pandya steering Stokes to slip India were in danger of falling short on a good surface.England were largely excellent in the field, bar Ali dropping a straightforward chance in the deep offered by Dhawan on 59, as India lost 4 for 36 just as they were looking to press on. But the death bowling went awry in the face of some savage hitting, Rahul clearing the ropes four times in 62 from 43 as India’s explosive finish ultimately proved enough to thwart their fast-starting opponents.