United States coach Gregg Berhalter has spoken with Giovanni Reyna for the first time since the dispute that resulted in the former's temporary exit.
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Trevor Bayliss has described speculation over Alastair Cook’s future as captain as “a pain in the backside” and insisted that the dressing room is united in its support for him
George Dobell13-Dec-20162:32
Cook form outweighed by spin problems
Trevor Bayliss has described speculation over Alastair Cook’s future as captain as “a pain in the backside” and insisted that the dressing room is united in its support for him.Cook’s future has been called into question since he gave an interview to the magazine on the eve of the Bangladesh and India tours in which he said: “Deep down I don’t know how much longer I am going to carry on. It could be two months, it could be a year.”Suspicions he was preparing to step down only escalated after Cook described Joe Root as “ready to captain” following defeat in the Mumbai Test. That result meant England had lost three Tests in succession, four of their last five and five of their last seven. From a position where England were a result or two from reaching the top of the Test rankings in August, they are now facing the prospect of dropping to fifth if they lose the final Test of the series against India in Chennai.But Bayliss, the England coach, is clearly in no doubt that he wants Cook to continue. Describing Cook’s record as “fantastic”, Bayliss acknowledged that talk of him standing down had become a distraction.”I think everyone, to a man, in the dressing room would be disappointed if he wasn’t captain,” Bayliss said. “But when it’s constantly in the media all the time, it’s a bit of a pain in the backside. Especially when no one around the team believes that or thinks that. It’s a little bit aggravating.”I suppose anyone who’s done the job for that long, there’s always going to be questions towards the twilight of his career. But the job he’s done with the group, I think, has been fantastic.”Bayliss was especially frustrated as talk over Cook’s future had, he felt, detracted from “all the good things” England have achieved on the tour. And it is true that, while the scoreline is grim, England can take some comfort in the emergence of a couple of promising top-order batsmen, in Keaton Jennings and Haseeb Hameed, and the improvement in Adil Rashid’s legspin bowling.”It takes the focus away from all the good things we’ve done on this tour,” Bayliss said. “I think we’ve played some good cricket here. We’ve got to give credit where credit’s due: we’ve played good cricket and they’ve played even better cricket.”Bayliss now plans to speak to Cook and Andrew Strauss, the managing director of the England team, to resolve the uncertainty over the captaincy.”We’ve had some discussions in the past,” he said. “But those two guys – Cook and Strauss – have obviously had a big history. I’m sure we’ll have a chat between the two or three of us.”Bayliss has previously stated that he expected Cook to be captain for the Ashes series in 12 months’ time. “He’s talking about the next Ashes series and being out in Australia,” Bayliss told the BBC last week. “Sometimes there are little comments made along the way and they get blown out of all proportion.”He’s certainly up for the fight. I haven’t had any discussion with him any other way and that’s what we’ve been working towards. I was as surprised as anyone when I saw that in the papers.”
Manchester City are plotting to try and snap up Mateo Kovacic from Chelsea this summer, according to Football Insider.
What is the latest on Mateo Kovacic to Man City?
Pep Guardiola's side have surged to the top of the Premier League table once more and are also challenging in the Champions League still – they also have an FA Cup final against Manchester United to contend with in June.
It's the strength of City's squad that has allowed them to compete on all fronts but the side could be set to take a hit this summer, with some potential exits on the horizon. One such departure could be experienced midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, who the club feel might leave when his contract comes to a close. Kalvin Phillips is another midfielder who could leave, with West Ham one of the latest to register an interest in the player – although reports have suggested he may opt to stay at the Etihad Stadium.
City have already looked towards Jude Bellingham as a potential reinforcement in the centre of the field for them but with no offer made and the Borussia Dortmund man also wanted by Real Madrid, it means the side may have to look elsewhere.
It appears that instead, Pep Guardiola could launch a move to bring in Mateo Kovacic from Chelsea. Football Insider reports that Pep Guardiola is a "big fan" of the former Real Madrid player and is prepared to try and lure him away from Stamford Bridge during the upcoming transfer window. The Blues haven't got him to put pen-to-paper on a new deal yet and it means he could now depart the club in the summer.
Should Man City sign Mateo Kovacic?
The 29-year-old has struggled more than usual this season, managing only 16 showings in the Premier League and producing a rating of just 6.52 via WhoScored this campaign. However, this has come as part of a Chelsea side that has toiled at times in the top flight this year and away from the Blues, he has thrived.
For Croatia, he was a first-team regular and stood out for his country too, with a rating of 7.00. When given the chance to shine on a European stage too in the Champions League, his rating increases to 6.73.
The talent is still there from Kovacic then and that is also apparent when you consider how he has been praised by other footballers in the game. Declan Rice called him "incredible" speaking to BT Sport (via 101 Great Goals), and added that his dribbling ability is "unbelievable."
The midfielder then could find his best form again at a new team like Man City. He could be given the chance to not only feature more regularly but to bring his game up to the highest level because of the ability of the rest of his teammates – and when at his best, he has already proven he can be outstanding for a club.
Mark Wood, the Durham fast bowler, has been recalled by England for the one-day series against Pakistan
ESPNcricinfo staff16-Aug-2016Durham fast bowler Mark Wood has been recalled by England for the one-day series against Pakistan. His county team-mate Ben Stokes has also been included in the 15-man squad after a calf injury curtailed his Test series against Pakistan, following a knee problem earlier in the season against Sri Lanka which had required surgery. James Vince, however, has been dropped.This is the first squad Wood has been included in since injury ended his tour of the UAE last year, after which he underwent ankle surgery which kept him out of action until last month. He takes the place of Steven Finn, who picked up a hamstring injury on the fourth day at The Oval and has been ruled out for four weeks.Both captain Eoin Morgan (chipped bone in finger) and Jos Buttler (fractured thumb) are expected to be able to start the series following their recent injuries. However, while Stokes has been included, he is likely to start the series playing as a batsman only, before gradually being re-introduced as a bowler.England ODI squad v Pakistan
Eoin Morgan (capt), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Liam Dawson, Chris Jordan, Alex Hales, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood
“Ben’s made really significant progress over the last three weeks and our medical team are pleased,” James Whitaker, the national selector said. “He’s progressing nicely towards bowling over the next week or so, and while we hope that initially he might just play as a batter he will lead into the series as an allrounder eventually.”He’s worked really hard on his rehab and it’s given everyone a lot of confidence. To have him around again will be a huge bonus for Eoin Morgan and his team.”Mark Wood has had a couple of operations, and with his hard work and advice from our medical team he’s now able to take part in this series. Just over the last month he’s progressed very well and we’re very happy for him. We got him back into the Lions initially, he’d just played a couple of games for Durham before, and he played really well for the Lions and he’s continued that form since.”Vince’s omission means he can return to four-day cricket with Hampshire in a bid to regain form and push for a touring spot to Bangladesh and India. He finished the Test series against Pakistan with 1 and 0 at The Oval and in seven Tests this season did not manage to pass fifty, while the familiarity of his dismissals – edging behind to the keeper or slips – became a concern.There is better news for another Hampshire player, however, with Liam Dawson handed an ODI call-up. Dawson, the left-arm spin-bowling allrounder, took 3 for 27 on his T20I debut earlier in the season against Sri Lanka and he provides a third spin option alongside Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid.”He came into the squad for that one-off game and really impressed,” Whitaker said. “He’d previously impressed the coaches on the Performance Programme in the winter, and over the last two years he’s been very consistent for Hampshire. So it’s good for him and I’m really pleased he might get a go.”The selectors have resisted resting any players after the Test series meaning that Chris Woakes, who was Man of the Series, and Joe Root are both included. That also means there are no places for the batsmen who impressed recently for England Lions in the triangular series against Pakistan A and Sri Lanka A.Ben Duckett, the Northamptonshire left-hander, had been tipped for a maiden call-up after making unbeaten scores of 220 and 163 in the tri-series while Sam Billings, the Kent wicketkeeper-batsman who has already featured for the full side, plunder 175 against Pakistan ADawid Malan, who captained the Lions, was another to impress with an unbeaten 185 against Sri Lanka A. He was part of England’s T20 squad against Sri Lanka earlier in the season and along with Duckett and Billings has a good chance of being involved for the T20 against Pakistan next month. The squad for that will be named towards the end of August.”Players like Ben Duckett, Sam Billings and Dawid Malan have all been performing very well in the Lions – and James Vince, although he’s not in this squad, remains in our plans. So there’s three or four players there pushing for batting spots – I think that’s incredibly healthy for English cricket,” Whitaker said. “We’ve had a lot of confidence come out of our one-day team over the last 18 months, and this selection just emphasises how well they’ve done.”
Arsenal are reportedly keen to sign Mason Mount this off-season…
Arsenal transfer news – could they sign Mason Mount?
According to GOAL, the Gunners are monitoring the Chelsea midfielder's situation at Stamford Bridge as they look to mould their transfer plans ahead of the summer window.
It's thought that Mount is expected to leave the Blues in the summer, having rejected a new contract, and Arsenal could rival Liverpool for his signature with the club eyeing top-quality additions to bolster their position in both the Premier League and Champions League.
The Athletic's David Ornstein has also spoken on the situation.
“ I don’t think it was a key priority position [defence] and maybe it still isn’t because of the need in the midfield. The holding position at six and maybe even an eight. There have been some links with Mason Mount and he is a player that Arsenal, along with some others, Manchester United, Liverpool and Bayern Munich, like," he told the Handbrake Off podcast.
Is Mount a perfect fit in north London?
Given that Mikel Arteta has the likes of Martin Odegaard, Emile Smith Rowe and Fabio Vieira available to play in attacking midfield, a move for Mount would be surprising but that said, it's not one they should ignore.
The 24-year-old has been one of the most exciting young talents to grace the Premier League in recent years, with his career-best returns coming during the 2021/22 campaign where he scored 11 goals and laid on ten assists, via WhoScored.
What makes those figures even more remarkable is the fact that only two current Arsenal stars have matched it this season, despite the side running Manchester City close for the title – Bukayo Saka (13 goals and 11 assists) and Gabriel Martinelli (15 goals and five assists).
Mount would be right at home alongside the aforementioned England international and other Three Lions colleagues such as Ben White, Aaron Ramsdale, Eddie Nketiah and perhaps even his best mate, Declan Rice, who remains the Gunners' top target for the no.6 role.
Even though the £65m-rated dynamo has struggled for form and for minutes this term, he still ranks among the top 8% for progressive passes per 90 and the top 11% for tackles per 90 when compared to his positional peers in Europe's 'big five' leagues, via FBref, who also liken his ability to Manchester United star Bruno Fernandes and Martin Odegaard in terms of statistical profile.
It's perhaps why the versatile midfielder has been lauded as "a special talent" by Alan Shearer, as well as "generational" by Daily Mirror journalist Benjamin Lynch earlier in the campaign.
Mount could fulfil a number of roles under Arteta, whether that be as a marauding no.8, cover for Odegaard in the 10 or even on the flanks and given his vast experience for club and country already at such a young age, and his homegrown status, he would surely be a perfect fit for the Spaniard heading into next seaso
Kolkata Knight Riders’ openers laid the foundation for a total of 164 and their bowlers overcame the threat of a Glenn Maxwell fifty to go to the top of the table
The Report by Alagappan Muthu04-May-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsGautam Gambhir struck his 30th IPL fifty to help Kolkata Knight Riders post 164•BCCI
“One interesting decision and everyone forgets you hit a fifty in the last game.” It seemed Glenn Maxwell was still smarting from an incorrect caught-behind decision in Kings XI Punjab’s previous game against Gujarat Lions. He couldn’t score any runs then, but on Wednesday, it was almost like he couldn’t be stopped.Almost, because Piyush Chawla found a way, and did so at the perfect time. Maxwell fell for 68 off 42 balls with his side still 45 runs away from a target of 165 with only 26 balls in hand. A well-populated Eden Gardens reveled in the tension. So did a bowling attack that featured six internationals. Kolkata Knight Riders closed out a victory by seven runs and climbed to the top of the table.Andre Russell had 11 runs to defend in the final over and he did so by picking up one wicket, apart from two run-outs, to finish with 4 for 20 in four overs. He was Knight Riders’ battering ram, but he needed Chawla to make that decisive dent. By contrast, Kings XI were reliant on one man and he had far too much to do.Maxwell took on the challenge though. He came in with the score on 13 for 3 and his determination to contribute was apparent in the shots he played – flicks and cuts against the Knight Riders quicks, who bowled too short at him, and powerful lofts down the ground against the spinners. Essentially, Maxwell wanted to limit the risks he took. His fifty came off only 29 balls, by which time he had played only one reverse sweep.Towards the end of his innings, the cross-batted shots kept coming out and one of them did him in. Maxwell misread a googly from Chawla, played a reverse sweep against the turn and was adjudged lbw by umpire Anil Chaudhary. The batsman walked off unhappy because he felt he was hit outside the line of off stump, and while replays indicated more than half the ball had been outside the line, some of his anger may have been directed at himself. He was the only Kings XI batsman who showed any kind of control and with him out of the way, Knight Riders breezed past the finish line.The result seemed never in doubt when Russell had knocked over Marcus Stoinis and Vohra in his first two overs. Morne Morkel had M Vijay caught at mid-off in the fourth over as the Kings XI top order paid the price for not taking time to understand a slow pitch.Knight Riders fared better in that department as well. Gautam Gambhir and Robin Uthappa struck fluent half-centuries and added 101 runs for the opening partnership. Though the run-rate they maintained was only 7.48, they laid an excellent foundation for the big-hitters down the order by punishing a bowling line-up that couldn’t get their length right.On a sluggish pitch, short-pitched bowling allowed the batsman time to pick his spots, as Stoinis found out in the third over when Gambhir pulled a couple of fours away. It also allowed time to recover after making a mistake, as Mohit Sharma found out in the fourth over when Uthappa came forward to a back of a length delivery and was still able to drive it past point.On top of that, Kings XI dropped Uthappa three balls after Gambhir was run-out. The culprit, Mohit, recovered well though. He and Sandeep Sharma switched to a mix of yorkers and slower deliveries for the last five overs. That meant Yusuf Pathan and Russell could not bring their power-hitting into play and Knight Riders had to settle for only 43 runs in that period.Kings XI have dropped to the bottom of the table with six losses in eight games. They went in with only three overseas players on Wednesday – Maxwell, Stoinis and David Miller – after Shaun Marsh’s back injury ruled him out of the IPL two days ago. Hashim Amla, who was brought in as a replacement, sat out because he had arrived in India on the day of the match and had had very little time to prepare.
Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi is being targeted by Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur ahead of the summer window, according to reports.
The Lowdown: Rise to prominence
The Eagles centre-back isn’t out of contract at Selhurst Park until 2026, but being a regular feature this season having started 27 of the 28 top-flight games, has been rewarded for his performances.
England manager Gareth Southgate recently called the 22-year-old up to his Three Lions squad for the Euro 2024 qualifiers which has raised his profile among clubs eyeing possible targets.
Roy Hodgson will know that the 6 foot star will be looking for a move elsewhere in the upcoming window should the club get relegated, and if that is the case, he isn’t short of a potential suitor.
The Latest: Spurs eyeing Guehi
According to Football Transfers, Tottenham ‘want to bolster’ their defensive ranks with the addition of Guehi ahead of the 2023/24 term.
Manchester United are also credited with an interest in the star but it’s reported that Antonio Conte’s side are the ‘closest’ to wrapping up a deal later in the summer.
Reporter Steve Kay delivered a further update on Spurs’ current stance. He said:
“Spurs are interested in signing Marc Guehi in the summer. Palace want £65m. Spurs apparently won’t pay that – they’re looking at paying around £45m.
“Tottenham have been looking for a young, versatile defender for quite a while now, and they have recently inquired about Aymeric Laporte and Pau Torres.
“They want someone who can play as a left- or right-sided centre-back in place of Eric Dier, who is a midfielder playing in a centre-back role, and Davinson Sanchez, who has been at the club since 2016 but simply hasn’t hit the heights expected of him.”
The Verdict: Keep hold of him
Guehi has been lauded a ‘leader’ at Crystal Palace by talent scout Jacek Kulig so Hodgson and the hierarchy need to do everything they can to keep hold of him beyond the summer window.
The Cote d’Ivoire native is currently averaging 3.7 clearances and 1.6 tackles per league game, alongside recording an 86.3% pass success rate, displaying the rock he is at the heart of the backline and how comfortable he is playing out from the back (WhoScored).
The England international is also strong in the offensive aspect of his game having scored four goals and provided one assist during his time at the club, highlighting the threat he brings to set pieces (Transfermarkt).
Finally, Guehi adds versatility to the squad with his ability to also operate at left-back and right-back and even the thought of losing him will be a huge blow to Palace.
Wolverhampton Wanderers are eyeing up a summer swoop for Newcastle United defender Jamaal Lascelles as Julen Lopetegui looks to continue the major rebuilding of his squad.
What’s the latest on Jamaal Lascelles to Wolves?
According to the Northern Echo, the Magpies are willing to listen to offers for Lascelles during the summer window, with the Old Gold and Nottingham Forest holding an interest in the defender.
The report states that Wolves have scouted the 29-year-old in the past and with just 18 months remaining on his current £40k-per-week contract, Loeptegui would be able to secure him for a bargain fee most likely.
Could Lascelles become Lopetegui’s next Craig Dawson?
The Molineux outfit signed Dawson from West Ham United during the January transfer window, having pursued him since the summer window and it looks as though the £3.3m fee could prove to be a bargain.
His opening two matches for the club have seen the 32-year-old receive an average rating of 7.4/10 via Sofascore, while he even scored on his debut against Liverpool, and having conceded just one goal in those two matches, it is already looking like a move that could pay off handsomely.
Lascelles has had his issues this campaign, playing only four matches in the Premier League, however his experience and leadership qualities would be a big bonus for Lopetegui.
Toon boss Eddie Howe praised the centre-back in November, saying:
“He has been and will be our leader.
“He hasn’t been on the pitch as much as he probably would have liked but his status in the group, everyone looks to him as captain. His work rate and training standards have been exemplary.”
Magpies legend Alan Shearer even claimed the defender “gives everything” and a player like this would a wonderful addition to the Wolves squad – even if he wasn’t a regular starter.
Indeed, despite his lack of top-flight matches this term, he has shone in the League Cup, averaging a rating of 7.2/10 across three appearances, scoring once, averaging 61.3 touches and 1.3 interceptions per game while winning a staggering 75% of his total duels, clearly proving he can still perform when called upon.
Lopetegui could repeat his Dawson masterclass by signing Lascelles, a player who is ready to move on from his current club, and by adding another English player, he will also boost the club’s homegrown quota in the process.
Celtic kicked off their Champions League campaign with a disappointing defeat away to Feyenoord as they lost 2-0 on Tuesday night.
The hosts took the lead through Calvin Stengs as his free-kick from distance curled and bounced up in front of Joe Hart, which prevented the former England international from being able to keep it out.
Hart then made up for his error as he saved a penalty from Igor Paixao but he could do nothing to stop Alireza Jahanbakhsh from smashing the ball into the top corner after a clearance fell kindly for him in the box not long after Odin Thiago Holm was sent off for a late challenge. However, he wasn't the only one to head for an early bath.
Why was Gustaf Lagerbielke sent off against Feyenoord?
The Swedish summer signing was given his marching orders by the referee after he was adjudged to have fouled the Feyenoord player racing through on goal, which led to the saved penalty.
It was his second booking of the match and resulted in a red card. However, it was a contentious decision as the opposition forward appeared to go down rather easily under minimal contact from the central defender, although Lagerbielke put himself in a dangerous position by holding onto him at all.
1 tackle
0 interceptions
1 duel won
2 duels lost
The 23-year-old stopper only won one duel in his 63 minutes on the pitch and recorded a game-low Sofascore rating of 5.7 out of all starters, which illustrates just how poorly the ex-Elfsborg titan performed on the night.
That said, alongside Lagerbielke, another player who let Brendan Rodgers down badly on the night was Honduras international Luis Palma as he struggled on the wing.
How well did Luis Palma play against Feyenoord?
The summer signing from Aris FC was handed a big opportunity to put a marker down after his move to Scotland and failed to do so.
He left much to be desired in and out of possession against Feyenoord in his 58 minutes on the pitch before Rodgers decided to haul the 5 foot 10 forward off.
As per Sofascore, Palma lost eight of his 11 duels (73%) and failed to make a single tackle, block, or clearance, whilst he was also dribbled past twice. This suggests that he did not provide Greg Taylor with much protection from the opposition forwards down that side of the pitch.
The 23-year-old did not make up for his lack of defensive work with quality wing play either. As per Sofascore, the former Aris star only completed two of his six attempted dribbles and did not create a single chance for his teammates. To make matters worse, his 38 touches were also fewer than Hart's 52.
Throughout the match, Feyenoord dominated Palma as they prevented him from being able to dribble past them or play dangerous passes to his teammates, meaning that he was ineffectual on and off the ball throughout the 58 minutes he was on the pitch.
The score was only 1-0 to Feyenoord until the 76th minute and there was plenty of time for Celtic to find an equaliser to change the game but Palma, along with the likes of Kyogo Furuhashi and Daizen Maeda, failed to provide the requisite quality to make something happen in the final third.
Newcastle United have brought a new exciting youngster into the fold under Eddie Howe despite the transfer window being closed, as per reports.
What's the latest Newcastle news?
According to Football Insider, Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes is close to signing a new deal at St James' Park that would make him the highest-paid player in club history.
The report states that the new deal will be worth around £200k-a-week and will also put an end to speculation linking Guimaraes with moves to the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and Real Madrid. No release clause will be present in the Brazil international's new contract as the Saudi Public Investment Fund have refused to include them in any negotiations since taking over in the North East.
In some international break-themed news involving the Magpies, Newcastle United winger Harvey Barnes is considering changing his international allegiance from England to Scotland after being snubbed once again by Gareth Southgate, as per The Times.
Barnes is eligible through his grandparents and could opt to work under former Newcastle United assistant Steve Clarke, who is in charge of the Scottish national side. Scotland stand on the brink of securing EURO 2024 qualification following a run of five wins from their first five group fixtures, as per Sky Sports.
In a separate piece from Football Insider, it has been revealed that Fabian Schar could be handed a new contract at Newcastle United, with his current terms set to run out at the end of this campaign.
Former Bournemouth boss Howe is keen to keep hold of Schar despite being in the market for another central defender in the summer. Crystal Palace's Joachim Anderson was targeted by the Magpies and it is believed that the Eagles threw out a late deadline day bid for the Denmark international worth over £30 million.
Who have Newcastle signed?
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has taken to social media platform X to share that Newcastle United have brought in a new talent despite the transfer window closing in England. Romano stated:
"Official, completed. Talented 2007 born winger Trevan Sanusi joins Newcastle from Birmingham City. Newcastle won competition to sign Sanusi as more than five clubs were involved in the race."
Trevan Sanusi, who has been described as a "really exciting young player" by Birmingham boss John Eustace, has yet to make a senior appearance in his career; however, he has trained with Birmingham City's first-team on several occasions and has a growing reputation as a rising star in the English game.
What now for Newcastle?
Newcastle United will wait for the rest of the international break to play out before returning to action next weekend on September 16th against Brentford in the Premier League.
In the summer, CaughtOffside claimed that Newcastle were rebuffed in an approach to try and bring in Inter Milan midfielder Nicolo Barella; however, he could be available for around £77 million next year.
Football Insider report that Newcastle United may look to expand their portfolio abroad by purchasing a top-division Belgian club and they have already held talks about the possibility of doing so.
Bournemouth's Lloyd Kelly is on the radar at St James' Park and could be courted in January as a potential addition to Howe's defensive ranks, so it could be a bust few months for the Magpies.