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Quick looks back on ‘toughest day of Test cricket’ after bowling through the day with a fractured toe

Umar Farooq28-Dec-2020Neil Wagner was carrying the pain of fractured toes*, sustained while batting in the first innings of the first Test against Pakistan, but he persevered through that injury and bowled 21 overs in Pakistan’s first innings because it would have ‘taken a stretcher’ to carry him off the field where he would be sitting and watching his team-mates do the hard work.Wagner was struck on his right foot by a Shaheen Afridi yorker on the second morning, but was later cleared to play if he could tolerate the pain.”I do take a lot of pride in something like that,” Wagner said about bowling through the pain. “But it comes down to the team. There’s still a way of contributing for them. I wouldn’t be wanting to sit on the side with my foot up and watching the boys doing the hard work out there, and I can’t be there to help out. I feel I’ll be left out, I have a bit of FOMO. Injuries happen and it’s unlucky, but I can still walk, I can still do things, I can run. It’s not going to stop me. It’s sore and it’s uncomfortable but it’s just one of those things you have to deal with.Watch cricket on ESPN+

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“Test matches don’t come easy. Playing for your country is never anything you can take for granted. I know how bloody hard I had to work to get to where I am now and I’m sure as hell not going to sit on the side and watch other people do it. I want to be part of it and playing my part. Unless they carry me off on a stretcher, I’m going to try and do everything I can, I guess.”Related

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Wagner had continued to bat after being struck on the toe, getting treatment from the physio and eventually being the last man out for 19, to stretch New Zealand’s first-innings total to 431. Wagner then sent down 21 overs – three on the second day and 18 on the third – picking up 2 for 50 to bowl Pakistan out for 239. Wagner’s effort included a long spell of nine overs, during which he dismissed Fawad Alam before going off the field.Play on the third day was interrupted by several rain breaks, and taking a pain-killing injection in the first one helped Wagner soldier through till the end.”Hurts every time I walk, to be fair,” he said, responding to whether the pain was more acute while bowling. “Just walking to fine leg, doing anything, twisting, turning…as soon as you bend the toe a little bit. I guess obviously standing on it hurts. It’s just one of those things, I guess. Try and put it out of your mind and get on with it. Try to get into the battle and try not to think about it too much. Obviously that’s hard because it’s at the back of your mind the whole time. At the start it sort of felt like – not having to change my action but it felt a little bit awkward towards it. It wasn’t until the first rain break where I just went down and said I can’t bear the pain, got a jab done and that sort of took the pain away for a lot of it and it helped. It’s one of those things, you’ve just got to find a way and deal with it.”To focus his mind more on the task at hand than on the pain, Wagner said he didn’t keep track of the number of overs he had bowled either, and expressed confidence in being able to bowl again in the second innings.

“I know how bloody hard I had to work to get to where I am now and I’m sure as hell not going to sit on the side and watch other people do it.”NEIL WAGNER

“I’ve bowled – I don’t even know how many overs – didn’t want to count them and think too much about it,” he said. “So I’m pretty confident I can bowl again. It’s going to be damn sore, no doubt about it, but bowling is always… I’ve never bowled in a game where something doesn’t hurt, so it’s sort of part of it. It’s a different pain but I’ve just got to find a way of still being able to contribute to the team. There’s still a role to play out there and we still have to come back to get ten wickets again and try and win a Test match. So whichever way I can play a role, still going to have to try and do it.”Wagner called the third day one of the toughest he had experienced, harking back to a Test match against India in October 2016 for a comparable experience.”I went back in the change-room and said it was probably one of my toughest days of Test cricket I’ve ever experienced. Took me back to Kolkata against India, probably one of the toughest matches I’ve played. It was pretty hot and dealing with the heat, humidity and going off and changing your clothes after every four-over spell… I went through four sets and was just completely knackered off the exhaustion of the Indian heat. Today was right up there. It was pretty tough.The possibility of Wagner being available to bowl in the fourth innings will be a boost to New Zealand. Pakistan had collapsed to 80 for 6, and seemed in danger of falling well short of the follow-on mark, but fighting half-centuries from Mohammad Rizwan (71) and Faheem Ashram (91) meant they avoided that fate. New Zealand still have a handsome lead of 192, and are likely to press for quick second-innings runs and a declaration when they start batting again on the fourth day.Wagner praised Pakistan’s grit, but also lauded his team-mates for not letting the intensity drop.”The wicket’s deteriorating at the moment and we knew we had a big task to try and bowl them out today. I think today was the best time to bat, but also it was tough in periods because there was a bit of variable bounce and the ball went up and down a fraction,” he said. “Those cracks are starting to come into play a little bit more now, as the game goes on. But they batted really well. They’ve played well this whole Test match. They bowled really well which gave us nothing, and obviously took a lot of time out of the game. The way they batted – I thought we bowled really well and put them under pressure but they still managed to get a really good partnership. We kept throwing everything at them and they kept counter-attacking against us. But credit to all the guys, everybody kept running in and bowling for each other, working really hard. We bowled as a pack and knew rewards would come our way.”The second and final Test of the series starts on January 3, and it’s one Wagner does not intend to miss if he can help it.”Don’t want to look too far ahead, but you’re going to have to try and force me away,” he laughed. “We’ll sum it up after each day and hopefully it gets better. Hopefully we can do the job and get a couple of days rest for the foot, but we’ll see how it goes.”*This copy was updated on Dec 30 at 11.00am GMT to reflect that Wagner had two broken toes and not one.

MatériaMais Notícias

Nesta quinta-feira, o Pleno do Supremo Tribunal de Justiça Desportiva (STJD) reformou a plena aplicada ao técnico Enderson Moreira, do Botafogo, e, agora, ele pegou mais dois jogos de suspensão na Série B. Dessa forma, o treinador não estará na beira do gramado nas partidas contra o Londrina e contra o Náutico, válidas pela 23ª e 24ª rodada, respectivamente.

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Vale lembrar que Enderson já havia sido julgado em primeira instânciapor reclamação desrespeitosa e pegou dois jogos de suspensão – que já foram cumpridos. A Procuradoria do STJD, contudo, considerou a pena branda e, então, levou o caso para o Pleno. Como este é o último recurso do judiciário esportivo, não cabe mais recurso.A decisão foi proferida por maioria dos votos.

O caso aconteceu na partida contra o Confiança, válida pela 14ª rodada da Série B. Durante o jogo, Enderson se desentendeu com o quarto árbitro, o chamou de “despreparado” e afirmou que ele deveria “trabalhar com vôlei. Abaixo, relembre o diálogo:

– Você é um cara despreparado para poder trabalhar, cara. Cadê o rádio seu? Cadê seu rádio que quebrou? Tá vendo como você é despreparado? Tá vendo como você é despreparado? Você é despreparado, você tem que entender isso, você é despreparado, tá certo? Despreparado.

Enderson, então, é segurado pelo seu auxiliar e dispara para cima dele:

– Eu falei, po***, sai daqui cara***, sai daqui, sai daqui – diz Enderson, o empurrando.

Enderson se dirige ao árbitro, novamente, e diz:

– Eu falei po*** .

O quarto árbitro, então, responde:

– Eu não estou aqui para ouvir isso.

E Enderson volta a ofendê-lo:

– Ah, não? Então, está aqui para trabalhar com o que, então? Vai trabalhar com vôlei, vai trabalhar com outro esporte qualquer, cara. Tá certo? Você é despreparado. Põe lá no relatório o que eu falei para você ver. Põe lá o que eu falei. Você não tem capacidade para poder estar aí. Vai trabalhar aí o resto da sua vida.

Arsenal may now turn to a £34 million forward who's been called "similar" to former star Alexis Sanchez, following their failed pursuit of RB Leipzig starlet Benjamin Sesko.

Sesko signs new RB Leipzig contract as Arsenal miss out

On Tuesday morning, reliable transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano broke some bad news on Arsenal's chase for a prolific new striker.

Chelsea now battling to sign £120,000-per-week Arsenal ace

He could bolster a key area for Maresca.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jun 12, 2024

After chasing a Sesko deal for the best part of a fortnight, with Arsenal making a proposal for the Slovenia international alongside Chelsea and Man United (Fabrizio Romano), he instead opted to pen an improved contract at Leipzig to remain in the Bundesliga.

Benjamin Sesko's stats in all competitions for Leipzig last season	The numbers (via Transfermarkt)
Appearances	42
Goals	18
Assists	2
Minutes per goal	115
Minutes played	2,057

Since then, Leipzig have confirmed the agreement with Sesko, dealing a transfer blow to the Gunners with zero chance of a hijack at this stage.

It is now back to the drawing board for manager Mikel Arteta and sporting director Edu, who wish to bring in a prolific new front man. Arteta is believed to want a young partner for Kai Havertz in the forward area, and Sesko would have been ideal given the 21-year-old's £55 million release clause in his past contract.

However, with the 6 foot 5 striker now remaining where he is, alternative options for the Gunners are being mooted by sections of the press. Arsenal moves for the likes of Newcastle United star Alexander Isak and Brentford's Ivan Toney appear unlikely at this stage, according to journalist Ed Aarons, as well as Sporting Lisbon's Viktor Gyokeres.

The latter commands a marquee £86 million price tag, the value of his release clause, while Isak is also set to cost a pretty penny. Arsenal wish to strengthen other areas of the squad, as well as going forward, so they'll have to weigh their next moves pretty carefully.

Arsenal could turn to £34 million Joshua Zirkzee

As per Aarons, writing in a piece for The Guardian, Bologna star Joshua Zirkzee has re-emerged as a serious option for Edu.

Arsenal could turn their attention to Zirkzee after missing out on a deal for Sesko, coming after he helped Bologna qualify for the Champions League. The Dutchman's deal includes a £34 million release clause, and he's been called "similar" to ex-Arsenal star Sanchez, as per Football Transfers.

"I cannot compare him to anyone. He is Joshua, he is special, he enjoys his football and above all works very hard in training," said manager Thiago Motta, who's now set to join Juventus.

“Since the first day of pre-season, he has always been the first to arrive at the camp. He has become a leader and it’s all to his credit. We just need to keep accompanying him, because he is certainly on the right path.”

Moves away from a role she reshaped over the past two and a half years

Daniel Brettig29-Sep-2020Australian cricket has lost arguably its most capable executive after the former national captain Belinda Clark announced her intention to resign from employment with Cricket Australia.In a major blow to the community cricket department that she has extensively reshaped over the past two and a half years, Clark has chosen to finish up as a CA executive after first making it clear she had no intention of following Kevin Roberts into the role of chief executive. Nick Hockley is currently serving as interim, with a wider search still expected to be undertaken.As one of CA’s most accomplished performers over a long time, Clark held roles managing the National Cricket Centre in Brisbane, as head of junior cricket and then community cricket as a whole. Vitally, she worked as interim head of team performance following the exit of Pat Howard in late 2018, up until Ben Oliver and Drew Ginn were handed joint roles nine months later.This meant that Clark was in charge of the department responsible for the men’s and women’s national teams at the time that included the reintegration of Steven Smith and David Warner after their Newlands scandal bans. It also involved extensive planning for the difficult “double tour” of England for the 2019 World Cup and Ashes series. Australia’s cup campaign made it as far as the semi-finals before the Ashes were retained in a drawn series.”I have loved my time working for the sport and while this chapter is coming to a close after 20 years with CA, a further six years with Cricket New South Wales and a long-standing member of ICC Women’s Committee, I am committed to finding new ways to give back to the game that has given me so much,” Clark said. “The journey has been exciting and rewarding because of the many amazing people I have worked with across the community, State and Territory Associations, and CA.”I am grateful for their support and am so proud of what we have achieved together. “My dream is to help young girls develop the confidence, skills and courage to step forward when leadership opportunities arise. This shift in my focus is timely as we navigate through significant global challenges – many of which need strong local and diverse voices to overcome. Cricket has been a major part of my life since I was a little girl growing up in Newcastle and it will continue to be for many years to come.”Clark, 50, has started her own business, The Leadership Playground, which has been devised to educate and mentor young girls int he fostering of leadership skills between the ages of 10 and 15. CA on Tuesday denied the Clark was exiting the executive role so she could move immediately onto the Board as an independent director later this year.The nominations committee for board appointments is required to find an independent director to replace the outgoing Jacquie Hey, a director since 2012, with the strong preference understood to be for a highly capable female in the role.Cricket New South Wales had earlier made it clear that it intends to nominate the former state premier Mike Baird as a board director, while wanting to see its current director, Richard Freudenstein, retained as an independent on the nine-person board, comprised of six state-nominated directors and three independents including the chairman, Earl Eddings. Clark is currently a director on the organising committee for the Twenty20 World Cup.

After an excellent first season under Gary O'Neil, Wolverhampton Wanderers have shifted their focus towards the summer transfer window and handing their manager his first signing of the summer.

Wolves transfer news

The main focus at Wolves this summer should be keeping hold of star players. The last thing they'll want to become is the victim of their own success, with the likes of Pedro Neto and Rayan Ait-Nouri already linked with summer moves away. The former has enjoyed a particularly impressive season even amid his injury struggles, earning links to Arsenal as a result.

That said, there's still room for reinforcements this summer amid doubts over the future of key players. According to Football Transfers, Wolves are now in advanced talks to sign Che Adams upon the expiry of his current Southampton contract at the end of the season.

Wolves could make Cunha unplayable by signing £35m "monster"

This would be a real statement of intent as Wolves look to build on a good season under Gary O’Neil.

By
Angus Sinclair

May 15, 2024

A player with plenty of top flight and international experience, Wolves could look back on their deal as one of the bargains of the summer in English football, especially since Adams' current salary sits at a reported £30k-a-week, which hardly smashes the wage structure at Molineux.

They would also be dealing a potential Premier League side a frustrating blow with the Saints currently battling against West Bromwich Albion in the play-off semi-finals and looking to earn promotion if they get to Wembley.

What's more, by landing Adams, Wolves would be handing Hwang Hee-chan an ideal strike partner, who can not only step up in his absence but also work alongside him to help those in the Midlands maintain their place in the Premier League's mid-table. Everything is pointing towards a return to England's top-flight for Adams this summer even if Southampton fail to earn promotion.

"Fantastic" Adams can partner Hwang

Whilst swapping Neto for Adams would hardly be like-for-like, the forward's arrival would add a new element and perhaps result in a tweak in O'Neil's system to accommodate two forwards at Molineux next season. Given that he'd be arriving on a free deal too, if Wolves can ease any potential Neto blow with Adams this summer, then they'd be making plenty of profit.

League stats 23/24 (via FBref)	Che Adams	Hwang Hee-chan
Goals	16	12
Assists	4	3
Expected Goals	13.6	7.6
Key Passes	31	17

What's most impressive is how clinical both Hwang and Adams have been this season. Both have outperformed their expected goals tally in what is a sign of just how ruthless a partnership they could form if Wolves complete the signing of the Southampton man this summer, while Matheus Cunha would provide plenty of versatility and depth as well.

The forward has earned plenty of praise in the past, including from Ralph Hasenhuttl when Southampton were in the Premier League. The Austrian said via the Daily Echo: "He is a guy who is one day a little bit frustrated when he sees he doesn’t play but then when the game comes, he shows up immediately and this is fantastic. That’s why we brought him here.”

Glasgow Rangers may have to go through the remainder of the season without the services of Abdallah Sima, as the winger suffered an injury during the recent Scottish Cup semifinal against Hearts.

Having stuttered their way to a 2-1 win over St Mirren on the weekend, Phillipe Clement will be praying that the winger miraculously recovers as the Ibrox side struggled without his presence in the final third.

Abdallah Sima may have played his final game for Rangers

Having just returned from a hamstring injury which kept him out for a few months after he sustained it on duty with Senegal during the Africa Cup of Nations in January, Sima made an immediate impact in only his second game back against Celtic.

The on-loan winger was brought on for the second half before netting the second goal with just five minutes left, as Rangers scraped a 3-3 draw at Ibrox.

Against Hearts, however, he pulled up within 15 minutes and was subbed by Clement, who discussed his condition after the game, saying:

“We’re going to see and make an assessment tomorrow. He felt some tightness in his hamstring, I hope it’s not so bad. We hope we can have Abdallah in the next couple of weeks because he’s been really important in that period where he was fit and he was coming back now. So we will see.”

Goals

11

Assists

2

Key passes per game

0.9

Big chances created

2

Successful dribbles per game

1.3

With just five games left – four Premiership fixtures plus the Scottish Cup final – might the Ibrox faithful have seen the last of Sima?

Abdallah Sima’s stats for Rangers this season

Since arriving on loan last summer from Brighton and Hove Albion, Sima has been one of the club’s better performers in front of goal.

In 38 games, the 22-year-old has scored 16 goals while notching two assists, made even more impressive by the fact he missed a large chunk of the season due to his hamstring injury.

There is no doubt Clement will miss the player once he returns to Brighton this summer. Unless he can stump up the cash to sign him permanently, the Belgian will have to find a replacement who can fill the void left by the Senegal international.

The left-winger currently earns £8.5k-per-week during his loan spell, which is among one of the lowest wages in the squad, behind colleagues such as Kemar Roofe, Danilo and Rabbi Matondo, who haven’t contributed near as much as Sima has this term.

The Light Blues have a history of signing expensive flops on high wages, often failing to live up to the lofty expectations placed on them when they arrive in Glasgow.

One of the most notable recent examples is that of Cedric Itten, who arrived to plenty of excitement, only to stutter his way through two seasons at Ibrox.

How much Rangers paid for Cedric Itten

Ahead of the 2020/21 campaign, Steven Gerrard was desperate to bolster an attack that had stagnated in the months prior to the previous season being halted due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Before Christmas, the Gers were in the mix for the league title, yet a run of just four wins out of nine following the winter break ensured the club slipped out of contention.

That summer, Roofe was brought in from Anderlecht along with Itten, who Gerrard signed from Swiss side FC St Gallen for a transfer fee believed to be around £3m, which indicated that he was of high quality.

It soon became apparent that Gerrard had overpaid massively for the Swiss striker.

Cedric Itten’s Rangers statistics

Having scored 36 goals in just 63 games for St Gallen, it looked like Rangers had signed a player who certainly knew where the back of the net was.

His first season at the Light Blues was hardly a success, despite them ending a ten-year wait for a league title. Across 37 games, Itten managed to score just six goals, while grabbing a further three assists, hardly £3m worth of impact, let’s put it that way.

He was sent out on loan to German outfit Greuther Furth, netting just two goals in 12 appearances, although one did come against Bayern Munich.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst recalled him in January as he sought to give the striker a second chance at Rangers, yet he failed to grab the opportunity presented to him.

He scored just twice in seven games, surely ruining his chances of remaining with the club heading into the 2022/23 campaign.

That summer, he was sold for a cut price fee of just £1.5m, meaning the Gers had lost out on money by selling so cheaply as he returned to his homeland to join BSC Young Boys.

Cedric Itten's wage at Rangers

Not only did the centre-forward cost £3m to bring into the club in the first place, he was also earning £14k-per-week during his two-season stay, which included paying his wages while out on loan in the Bundesliga.

Combining his transfer fee plus total wages earned during his dismal spell in Glasgow, Itten rinsed the Ibrox side dry of around £4.5m. Considering he scored just eight goals in 48 appearances, it proved to be a massive waste of funds – earning even more than what Sima is currently making at the club.

Perhaps it was Scottish football that was the problem, as Itten has shone since returning to Switzerland. During his first season with Young Boys, he won the domestic double, registering 35 goal contributions – 23 goals and 12 assists – across 39 matches.

He may have only scored ten goals during his second season, but he is still performing fairly well.

Hopefully, Clement will avoid mistakes like those that were made by his predecessors as he looks to strengthen his first-team squad in the summer transfer window.

Itten is just one of a host of players who joined the club that failed to replicate their form which saw them secure a move in the first place.

With his budget uncertain, the Belgian may not have the funds to make expensive mistakes this summer.

Rangers could have a possible Sima replacement brewing in "exciting" teen

Rangers may have seen the last of Abdallah Sima at Ibrox…

ByRoss Kilvington Apr 27, 2024

Football, by nature, is fickle, with the shifting mood over at Tottenham Hotspur emblematic of the superabundance of feelings that can drift through the climate of a football club throughout a campaign.

Battered and bruised after a wretched 2022/23 campaign that led to an eighth-place Premier League finish that meant no European endeavours this year – it also meant that Harry Kane, who had scored 30 goals top-flight goals, opted to move abroad to Bayern Munich.

It also led to the shrewd appointment of Ange Postecoglou from Celtic, with the Australian's trophy-laden stint in Scotland and attractive brand of football winning Daniel Levy and Spurs bosses over.

Tottenham, objectively, have suffered from hard luck on the injury front that rooted out the high-flying form of the first few months that had supporters giddy with title aspirations and players oozing confidence and gusto as slick attacking play and newfound togetherness led fans to cry in unison: 'we've got our Tottenham back'.

And maybe so, maybe, a glimpse of what is to come was revealed to the north London club, rolled out like some prophetic piece of parchment to speak of the riches yet around the corner for Postecoglou's Tottenham.

It's year one – it's important not to forget that point. Defensive deficiencies and vaporised confidence have sent Tottenham's season in a spin, with Thursday's defeat the third on the trot – though hobble is probably the more apposite phrasing.

Still, trust the process. With Postecoglou signings like Micky van de Ven in the mix, there is just cause for optimism.

Micky van de Ven's season in numbers

A dismal defence and a lack of cohesion were the cruces of Tottenham's woes last term but the £43m signing of Van de Ven from German side Wolfsburg has proved to pay dividends in lifting Spurs back up the Premier League table, with Destiny Udogie's link-up with the squad restoring the left side.

As per Sofascore, the Dutch defender has completed 23 matches in the English top-flight this season, showcasing his elite athletic swagger and crisp, progressive style of play through an average of 5.6 ball recoveries per game, also completing 65% of his 0.6 dribbles per game.

This inborn strength and speed, belying his central defensive position, is further evidenced through metrics collated by FBref, with Van de Ven ranking among the top 2% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion and successful take-ons, the top 20% for goals scored and the top 16% for tackles per 90.

His goal threat and robustness in defensive phases are highlighted there too, and since he's averaging 2.0 tackles per game in the Premier League and winning 65% of his ground duels, it would be difficult to dispute his promise, still only 22, as a high-level, modern-day defender.

He wasn't cheap, sure, but Tottenham would turn over a healthy profit already, were they to cash in this summer (they won't), and given that he's earning £50k-per-week in north London, a relatively small salary in comparison to several high-profile teammates.

One such Spurs star, Timo Werner, earning a staggering salary, eclipsing that of Van de Ven, arrived to bolster the ranks in January but must now be ditched.

Why Spurs must ditch Timo Werner

Werner has several interesting qualities and his marauding presence down the left channel has added depth and dynamism at a crucial time, with Richarlison spending large portions of the past few months nursing a knee injury.

Signed on loan from RB Leipzig in January, the former Chelsea forward was hailed for his "lightning-quick" speed by pundit Paul Merson and indeed has showcased this quality, ranking among the top 3% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries and the top 7% for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90.

His deal expires at the end of the season but a buy option of £15m was inserted in the terms, with Postecoglou revealing that he hopes to keep the German at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

But Tottenham are a team with renewed ambition under Postecoglou's leadership; recent results must not dissuade supporters from the vision. However, Werner is not the answer in the long-term, with a permanent position in the first team, especially considering his sizeable salary.

1.

Heung-min Son

£190k-per-week

2.

James Maddison

£170k-per-week

3.

Timo Werner

£165k-per-week

3.

Cristian Romero

£165k-per-week

5.

Dejan Kulusevski

£110k-per-week

While Werner is a loanee, Tottenham are covering his full salary during his time at the club and, signing him for £15m will not whittle down such earnings with any significance, pulling him away from the upper level.

To illuminate how large his pay packet is, Werner is taking home on a weekly basis more than three times what Van de Ven earns. Moreover, Dejan Kulusevski, Tottenham's fifth-highest earner, is provided with a wage of £110k per week, so even combining the Swede's earnings with Van de Ven's would still fall short of Werner's weekly £165k-per-week salary.

In the Premier League, the 28-year-old has started ten matches, making three substitute appearances, scoring two goals and supplying three assists, completing 81% of his passes and averaging 1.2 key passes per game.

But he's not even averaging a dribble per match – 0.9 per game – nor is he proving himself to be a defensively sound member of the team, making just 2.1 recoveries each outing and winning just 42% of his duels, of which he is making a pitiful 1.9 per fixture.

Picking up a hamstring injury against Arsenal in his final appearance of the campaign – perhaps his final display in a Tottenham shirt.

Handed a 4/10 match rating by football.london's Alasdair Gold after an ineffectual opening 30 minutes that had people questioning why he had started over Brennan Johnson, Werner's influence is perhaps pinned to this point, that he has skills but that there are others who do them better.

Wingers Raphinha and Samuel Iling-Junior have been of interest to the Lilywhites while a striker is also understood to be a priority position, meaning Son could return to his natural role on the left flank with greater regularity.

Ange must immediately bin Spurs ace after 4/10 display v Chelsea

Postecoglou watched in horror as this Tottenham player lost nine duels at Stamford Bridge.

ByAngus Sinclair May 3, 2024

Tottenham need to be bold. Tottenham need to prove themselves eager to move with conviction to close down those at the forefront of the Premier League next season.

Tottenham need to allow Werner to leave this summer, with the winger's fleet feet and electric movements not compensating for a high salary and moderate levels of potency.

He must be ditched for a better addition.

Aston Villa are back in action in the Premier League once again as they welcome Chelsea to Birmingham in a clash at Villa Park this evening.

The Villans play host to the Blues, who were demolished 5-0 by Arsenal in their last match, as they look to take another step on the road to Champions League qualification.

Villa are six points clear of Tottenham Hotspur in fifth. However, Spurs have two games in hand and Unai Emery's side may not be able to afford to slip up if their rivals win their matches.

This means that this clash with Chelsea could be crucial to their hopes of finishing inside the top four and securing Champions League football for the 2024/25 campaign.

Emery's men come into this game off the back of a 3-1 win over Bournemouth at home last time out. Despite his team picking up all three points, the Spanish head coach could make at least one change to the starting XI.

Douglas Luiz is set to be available for selection after serving a two-match suspension and Youri Tielemans should be ruthlessly ditched to make way for him.

Why Youri Tielemans should be ditched from the starting XI

The Belgian midfielder was selected to start in the middle of the park alongside John McGinn against the Cherries, with Luiz unavailable and Boubacar Kamara out through injury.

He put in a solid display in midfield and did not disgrace himself with his performance for the Villans, as the right-footed whiz provided calmness on the ball and strength out of possession.

Tielemans completed 92% of his attempted passes, which shows that he rarely gave the ball away, and won seven of his nine duels across the 90 minutes, which speaks to his combative nature on the day.

The Belgium international, who has started 15 of his 30 appearances in the Premier League this season, was signed on a free transfer from Leicester City last summer and has been a fine addition to the squad.

Appearances

30

Goals

1

Assists

6

Pass accuracy

86%

Tackles + interceptions per game

1.8

Duel success rate

53%

As you can see in the table above, Tielemans has held his own in physical battles throughout the campaign and has chipped in with seven direct goal contributions.

The 26-year-old maestro has also contributed with one goal and one assist in nine Europa Conference League outings, which shows that the talented ace can make an impact in possession from a midfield position.

He has not been a poor performer for Villa, nor was his performance against Bournemouth one that means he deserves to be dropped, but Luiz has been a star for the club this term and is the better option out of the two.

This is why Emery must ruthlessly drop Tielemans to the bench, in spite of his strong showing, to bring the former Manchester City starlet back into the starting XI this weekend.

Why Douglas Luiz should start

The £75k-per-week dynamo has been in terrific form in the Premier League for Villa so far this season with his fantastic work in and out of possession.

Luiz currently ranks within the top 17% of midfielders in the division for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.17), the top 25% for assists per 90 (0.17), and the top 15% for shot-creating actions per 90 (3.79) this season.

These statistics show that the Villans whiz has been one of the top-performing players in the league in his position when it comes to scoring and creating goals.

The Brazil international also ranks within the top 28% of his positional peers for progressive passes per 90 (5.48), which shows that he can break lines and progress play from deep, whilst also being able to make things happen in the final third.

Appearances

31

30

Sofascore rating

7.36

6.93

Goals

9

1

Assists

5

6

Big chances created

9

5

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.4

1.8

Ball recoveries per game

5.5

3.1

As you can see in the table above, Luiz has the beating of Tielemans in a host of key metrics, in and out of possession, in the Premier League this term.

The former Cityzens youngster has offered more to the team from a defensive perspective, with more tackles, recoveries, and interceptions, whilst also delivering more goals and 'big chances' created in the final third.

This means that the 25-year-old wizard, who has been described as "smooth" on the ball by analyst Ben Mattinson, could have a greater chance of making an impact than Tielemans against the Blues.

Therefore, Luiz, who has started all 31 of his league appearances, should be brought straight back into the starting XI for this clash with Chelsea tonight.

The alternative options to start in midfield for Villa

Academy graduate Tim Iroegbunam is the alternative option for Emery in that midfield position, as the youngster has been part of the first-team squad this season.

He was an unused substitute against Bournemouth last time out but was selected to play from the start in the 4-1 defeat to Manchester City earlier this month, a game in which the youngster lost 60% of his duels (6/10) and was dribbled past twice.

Appearances

7

Starts

1

Goals + assists

0

Pass success rate

90%

Tackles + interceptions per game

1.3

Duel success rate

50%

As you can see in the table above, the 20-year-old battler has been a bit-part figure for Villa in the Premier League so far this term, having spent the 2022/23 campaign on loan with QPR in the Championship.

He has not been trusted to play regular football in the top-flight as of yet and this makes it seem unlikely that Emery would throw him in against Chelsea tonight, with Tielemans, John McGinn, and Luiz all set to be available for selection.

Therefore, Iroegbunam should make up one of the places on the bench once again tonight and hope to make an impression if given an opportunity to shine as a substitute at some point during the match.

This would leave McGinn and Luiz as the starters at the base of the Villa midfield, with Tielemans and Iroegbunam on the bench as back-up options.

Raphael Varane shared a message on social media after officially completing his move to Serie A side Como on Sunday.

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Article continues below

Article continues below

• Varane joined Como on a free transfer
• Shared a message on social media
• Como will face Al-Nassr on Monday

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The French defender left Manchester United earlier this summer after spending three years at Old Trafford. He was initially linked with a move to Inter Miami and clubs in the Saudi Pro League, but eventually decided to play under Cesc Fabregas at Como as he penned a two-year deal.

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• WHAT RAPHAEL VARANE SAID

  After the official confirmation came from the Serie A side, Varane took to X as he quoted the club's post and wrote: "I’m super excited, incredibly proud and can’t wait to get started!!"

• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The former Real Madrid defender experienced an injury-hit campaign in his final season with United as he remained sidelined for over a month with a muscle injury. He eventually appeared in 32 matches across all competitions, including the FA Cup final as they beat rivals Manchester City to lift the FA Cup.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Fabregas' side will be next seen in action Monday as they take on reigning Saudi Pro League champions Al-Hilal in a pre-season friendly. Varane, however, could appear for the Italians for the first time on Saturday as they next face Wolfsburg in a second friendly clash.

Tottenham are trying to convince a £34 million player, who featured at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, to join Ange Postecoglou's side this summer.

Ange makes transfer admission as Spurs eye another centre-back

Spurs and links to new centre-backs have been a common theme for many seasons, but they were particularly heightened after star defender Micky van de Ven's hamstring injury earlier this season.

Related Ange hands Tottenham employees transfer mission now star could leave

Postecoglou has gave clear instructions ahead of the summer window.

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The Dutchman is a vital presence in Postecoglou's back four, as his searing pace allows the Australian to deploy his favoured high line. When van de Ven was sidelined midway through the campaign, Spurs' winning run came to an abrupt halt and their form plummeted, leading to demands for chairman Daniel Levy to bring in a quality alternative.

They ended up putting pen to paper on a deal for Radu Dragusin for £25 million from Genoa, and many would've expected that transfer to mark the end of Spurs' search for new central defenders.

However, that actually isn't the case, as explained by Postecoglou himself.

“If you’re saying, ‘Is it an area we can strengthen?’, yes it’s an area we will probably look at”, said Postecoglou on signing another centre-back this summer.

“With all these things, it’s about trying to strengthen the group as much as anything else. If you think about when I first arrived, we had maybe six or seven centre-backs at the club. So it’s not just numbers. It’s more about the ability of those players to play the football we want and to fit in to what we’re trying to build here. I think it is an area of the park we will look to strengthen, but I think we’ll look to strengthen all areas of the park come the end of the season. That is planning that’s already underway, and other people are in charge of it at the moment.”

They've been linked with a few interesting options in that area of the pitch. Spurs are believed to be interested in Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo, and Bournemouth's Lloyd Kelly, as both top flight defenders could be available at zero cost with their contracts expiring in June.

As well as the soon-to-be free agents, a centre-back abroad who's turning heads at N17 is Bayer Leverkusen's Piero Hincapie.

Tottenham trying to convince Hincapie to sign for Ange

According to Sport Bild, as translated by Sport Witness, Tottenham are "courting" Hincapie and trying to convince him to join them, with his valuation standing at around £34 million.

The Ecuador international has made 21 Bundesliga appearances for Xabi Alonso's title chasers this season, and has previously been called a "really impressive" player.

Piero Hincapie's best Bundesliga games for Leverkusen this season

Match Rating (via WhoScored)

Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 Bayern Munich

7.59

Werder Bremen 0-3 Bayer Leverkusen

7.57

RB Leipzig 2-3 Bayer Leverkusen

7.52

Bayer Leverkusen 4-0 Bochum

7.41

Union Berlin 1-0 Bayer Leverkusen

7.34

"We knew he had the potential," said former Leverkusen head coach Gerardo Seoane.

"But the way he's rising to the challenge and coping with the intensity levels is really impressive. We're pleasantly surprised with how he's performing in the Bundesliga and Europe."