Durham agree to host Lancashire’s quarter-final due to clash with Old Trafford Test
ESPNcricinfo staff26-Aug-2019
Liam Livingstone hits out•Getty Images
Lancashire have come to an agreement with Durham to host their Vitality Blast quarter-final at Chester-le-Street, due to a clash between the knockout stages and next week’s Old Trafford Ashes Test.Currently top of the North Group, Lancashire are guaranteed to finish in the top two spots and thereby gain the advantage of a home quarter-final. After exploring the possibility of using an outground, or even shifting the fixture to the following week, the club has come to arrangement with Durham, who are all but confirmed as outing the running for the last eight.Lancashire’s head coach, Glen Chapple, director of cricket, Paul Allott, and captain, Dane Vilas, were involved in discussions. Durham are set to make their groundstaff available to assist with pitch preparations – Chester-le-Street has been notoriously slow scoring this season, but that may well assist Lancashire’s spin attack. The club have won each of their last seven T20 visits to Durham.”Once it became clear we could not host a quarter-final, the club, with the input of myself, Dane and Paul, assessed our options and decided this would be the best venue in order for us to attempt to reach another Finals Day,” Chapple said.”With both Emirates Old Trafford and Liverpool Cricket Club unavailable, the next best option is to play at a neutral northern ground that can provide some element of cricketing home advantage. We feel Emirates Riverside is the best place for that and thank Durham for making their ground available to use.”Our recent Vitality Blast record at Durham is very good but that does not mean the team will be taking anything for granted. We will prepare as we would always would, and as with any knock-out fixture, expect it to be a tough game, and would appreciate the Members’ and Lancashire fans’ support.”The Blast quarter-finals are set to take place from September 4-7, with the exact dates and match-ups dependent on the culmination of the group stage later this week.Lancashire’s problems were exacerbated by the need for floodlights as part of TV coverage requirements, ruling out the use of Liverpool CC. Suggestions of moving the game to Monday, September 9 ran aground on the clash with a round of Championship games commencing the following day.”The lads have worked extremely hard to get the team into the top two and though it is disappointing not to be at Emirates Old Trafford, we are determined to get to Finals Day again,” Vilas said.”We had a good win at Durham earlier in the competition and will go up there full of confidence, no matter who the opposition are.”
Smith suffers brutal blows to neck and arm as Jofra Archer unleashes hell
The Report by Valkerie Baynes17-Aug-2019 Steve Smith was always destined to be the headline act, but the way he commanded centre stage at Lord’s could scarcely have been more dramatic.Australia’s fortunes in this second Test hung on Smith’s performance going into day four with his side desperately needing him to stand up again as they resumed at 80 for 4 in pursuit of England’s first-innings 258.By the end of a day in which Jofra Archer unleashed hell in the form of searing pace and destructive force and Smith had barely withstood the barrage, felled by a nasty blow to the neck and struck hard on the forearm, England held a 104-run lead with six wickets in hand.The hosts could have been much worse off were it not for two dropped catches at the hands – or not, more to the point – of David Warner, and a failure to review two not-out lbw decisions that replays suggested would have delivered the wickets of Rory Burns and Ben Stokes.Smith was to be monitored overnight for any delayed signs of concussion, having been cleared to resume batting after initially retiring hurt when he was struck behind the left ear by Archer’s short ball. Despite the ugliness of the hit, which knocked Smith off his feet and sent a hush over the shocked crowd as players and medical staff rushed to his side, it was the blow to his forearm, suffered six overs earlier that sent him to hospital for precautionary X-rays.Smith did not take the field for England’s second innings and was replaced by substitute Marnus Labuschagne, although he was later cleared of any fracture and returned to the dressing room, where he sat with his arm in ice. Sense would suggest he should perhaps have rested as a result of being hit on the neck anyhow, and Smith’s participation in the rest of the match will depend on how he pulls up on Sunday morning.The sight of any player being struck on the neck – Smith wasn’t using stemguards – was sure to evoke memories of Phil Hughes, the Australian batsman who died after being hit in a similar area in 2014. As awful as Smith looked having collapsed immediately after the blow, he calmed the worst fears by quickly removing his helmet and rolling on to his side and then his back.Those fears were eased further as Smith walked back to the pavilion, apparently reluctantly, retiring hurt on 80 with Australia 203 for 6, and, when he returned to bat again after Peter Siddle’s dismissal, it was to relieved and astounded applause from the crowd, which was blighted by some tasteless booing.Smith added 12 more runs, including consecutive fours plundered off Chris Woakes before Woakes had him out lbw for 92 two overs later. Smith called for a review, but his dismissal was upheld by the DRS.Before all the drama, Smith’s role had looked pivotal as he and Matthew Wade resumed for the day on 13 and nought respectively, not least in light of Smith’s twin tons and Wade’s century in the first Test. When Wade was out, Australia needed Smith to turn the match as much as they had at Edgbaston.Smith and Tim Paine, who made their Test debuts together at Lord’s in 2010, looked dangerous before Archer hit his straps with a menacing display that dismissed Paine and turned Smith’s body into collateral damage. In one over, Archer’s slowest delivery was 88mph and his fastest – at 96mph – did the least damage of the three that hit Smith. Batting with an arm guard two overs after the blow to his forearm, the ball smashed into Smith’s gloves as he guided it down safely in front of Jos Buttler at short leg.In England’s innings, Pat Cummins did his best to stretch the tension wire tight by claiming two wickets in as many balls in the fifth over. The hosts’ lead was just 17 when they fell to 9 for 2 with Jason Roy out for 2 and Joe Root registering a golden duck.Roy’s dismissal, on the first ball of the over, was somewhat bizarre. He got a leading edge to a short-of-a-length Cummins delivery which bobbled down the pitch slightly to the on side as Cummins pivoted from his follow through to collect the return catch. Cummins then found a thick edge as Root pushed forward and was caught behind by Paine.Warner put down a low chance to his right off the bowling of Siddle to give Joe Denly a second chance. Nathan Lyon then had an appeal for lbw turned down by umpire Aleem Dar when Burns was on 24 and as Paine declined to review and replays suggested the ball was hitting leg stump. Burns added just five more runs before Siddle had him caught behind. That was after Siddle dismissed Denly, caught and bowled.Again Australia failed to review as Lyon appeared to trap Stokes lbw, with Hawk-Eye confirming their error. That was after Warner had dropped a chance off Stokes, Lyon again the bowler.
Na presidência do União Suzano Atlético Clube desde dezembro de 2020, Jouber Andrade tem sido incansável ao longo da pandemia para não deixar o clube ficar parado. Com a sua chegada, a instituição passou também por uma grande reestruturação. Ex-jogador, com passagem pelo futebol europeu, e gestor experiente, Jouber, ao lado do seu grupo de trabalho, implementou um método inspirado no modelo de gestão do futebol europeu.
>>> Confira a tabela de classificação do Paulistão 2021
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As principais mudanças visando a nova temporada estão voltadas para a estrutura. Com esse pensamento, o União Suzano está próximo de inaugurar a sua nova sede. O local é composto por quatro áreas com média de 500m² cada, totalizando 2.143m² de área construída.
– Viemos para trazer para Suzano a modernidade com uma estrutura profissional para o futebol, e quando chegamos encontramos uma situação muito difícil. Então, busquei parceiros, conversei com amigos, e criamos esse metabolismo para buscar essa estrutura e qualidade de trabalho para os nossos atletas. Suzano tem muitas riquezas, por isso, sempre falo em estrutura. Preciso que a cidade entenda que precisamos do seu apoio, e que, vamos trazer benefícios para Suzano. Não vamos trabalhar apenas o futebol profissional, queremos fazer um trabalho impar na cidade – disse Jouber Andrade.
O Bosque do Javali, como vem sendo chamado pelos torcedores, conta com um alojamento padrão hotel cinco estrelas, com 29 quartos para acomodar atletas e comissão técnica do Sub17, Sub20 e Profissional. Além da sede, o clube contará com o Centro de Treinamentos do Ibar, onde já treina desde 2020. Além disso, mandará seus jogos na 2ª Divisão do Paulistão no Estádio Francisco Marques Figueira, o Suzanão.
– A cidade respira esporte e ama futebol. Por isso, estamos tão focados. Respeitando todos os protocolos, tomando todos os cuidados, mas nós não deixamos de trabalhar. Seja presencialmente ou em conferência através da internet, o trabalho não para. Claro que não temos treinado neste período, mas quando as coisas forem melhorando, nossos atletas vão chegar e iniciaremos o trabalho em campo visando as competições da temporada, principalmente a 2ª divisão – encerrou.
Eliminado na primeira fase do Campeonato Paulista na temporada passada, o União Suzano é apontado como um dos postulantes ao acesso deste ano. O clube aguarda o comunicado oficial da Federação Paulista de Futebol e a melhora no índice da pandemia do Covid-19 para iniciar os treinamentos em todas as categorias.
According to the England allrounder, friendly competition to score the quickest centuries and hit the biggest sixes is driving the team during the World Cup
George Dobell in Headingley20-Jun-20193:04
Swann: England truly believe that 500 is possible
Friendly competition to score the quickest centuries and hit the biggest sixes is driving England’s batsmen during the World Cup, according to Moeen Ali.Furthest six-hitting distances from England at World Cup
Jason Roy, 97m against Bangladesh Moeen Ali, 93m against Afghanistan Eoin Morgan, 92m against Afghanistan Joe Root, 91m against Afghanistan Jonny Bairstow, 86m against Pakistan Jos Buttler, 85m against Bangladesh Chris Woakes, 84m against Bangladesh Liam Plunkett, 79m against Bangladesh
Eoin Morgan set a new ODI record by hitting 17 sixes in his innings in Manchester last week. But while he may have hit the most, his team-mates left him in no doubt that theirs were bigger and that his 57-ball century was “a bit slow” by comparison to their own. Three men in England’s top seven – Moeen, Jonny Bairstow and Jos Buttler – have hit quicker ODI centuries.And that competition – combined with plenty of hard work – is rendering England “almost unstoppable” according to Moeen.”We were a bit surprised by the numbers the other day,” Moeen, who once made a 53-ball century against West Indies, said. “We were like ‘that’s a lot of sixes’. But I told him I hit the biggest. The first one off Rashid Khan was the biggest.”When players go past 53 balls then I can always say ‘yeah, it’s a great knock but still a bit slow for my liking.’ I’m always hoping they don’t push me further down the list.Moeen Ali steers one through the off side•Getty Images”We always talk about stuff like that. Jos came back after scoring 120 and I told him I’d hit the shot of the day. We have a bit of banter about it.”We’re just having a lot of fun and ripping each other all the time. We get stuck into each other about everything: about the football or about Fifa. Anything. It’s all part of team bonding. It’s all very natural.”While the team may good-naturedly compete for such accolades there is, according to Moeen, an acceptance that one man stands out.”Buttler is the biggest hitter,” Moeen says. “With ease. Some guys – like Jonny Bairstow – are brutal. Jason Roy is absolutely about power and Morgan does hit big sixes.”In the nets, Joe Root hits the most sixes. He tries to take us down all the time. I think everyone is capable of hitting big sixes and I think I’m the best of all of them. But Jos is the one guy that everyone knows is out front. Jos is power with timing.”But the serious side is that we work hard on it. You can’t just rock up and start hitting sixes for fun, you have to practice it and work on it.”As a team, once we get going, I’m sure everybody thinks that we’re almost unstoppable. When Jos, Morgs, Jason… we have some many players, almost everybody in the top eight. Who can do it. Once they get going, it’s almost unstoppable. That’s the great thing about the team.”
Tottenham Hotspur drew against Manchester United at Old Trafford last time out in the Premier League but Ange Postecoglou remarked that his side "deserved to win" after a spirited effort despite a host of absences.
After 21 matches in the division, Spurs are level on points with fourth-placed rivals Arsenal – who do have a game in hand – and have made promising gains since last year's malaise, only really inhibited this season by a lack of options – the lapse in form before the festive period was a by-product of this.
And while key players are now returning from injuries, midfielders Pape Sarr and Yves Bissouma and talisman Heung-min Son are unavailable for the foreseeable as they compete at AFCON and the Asia Cup respectively.
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Radu Dragusin and Timo Werner have already joined the fold this month and while Postecoglou might add a midfielder to close the play this month, plans are already being mapped out for the summer.
Spurs' striker search
According to Football Insider, Tottenham will wage transfer battle against Arsenal and Fulham to complete the transfer of Feyenoord striker Santiago Gimenez after the conclusion of the 2023/24 campaign, with the Eredivisie champions willing to discuss terms for around £30m.
Feyenoord strikerSantiago Gimenez.
West Ham United are interested in signing the player this month and have been tracking him ahead of a potential bid, but Feyenoord remain confident that they can ward off advances until the summer.
And this suits Spurs, who could now move for a midfielder to complete the winter spending before returning with full focus on securing the services of a shiny new talisman.
Santiago Gimenez's style of play
£30m is no small sum but would mark a stellar piece of business if Tottenham were indeed successful in beating off the competition to sign the Mexico international this year, with Gimenez posting 44 goals and eight assists from just 68 appearances since leaving homeland side Cruz Azul in July 2022.
Feyenoord striker Santiago Gimenez
Hailed for this "insane" prolificness by scout Antonio Mango, the 22-year-old was the focal frontman to fire his side into title success last season, and while PSV Eindhoven have established themselves as runaway table-toppers this term, Gimenez's return of 19 goals and four assists from 17 Eredivisie contests is quite something to behold.
To highlight his level as a high-class centre-forward, as per FBref, the 6 foot star ranks among the top 1% of positional peers across divisions similar to the Dutch top-flight over the past year for goals scored and touches in the attacking penalty area, the top 2% for total shots taken and the top 22% for progressive carries per 90.
His aptitude as an out-and-out scorer is something that Spurs don't really have, with Son dynamic as they come and providing a variegated approach to his offensive craft, clinical and creative, while Richarlison has fired himself into some excellent goalscoring form of late – with six goals from as many outings – but he is probably not the first-rate striker to lead the line for years to come.
And with the return of continental competition expected after the summer, strengthening the frontline with a player such as Gimenez is only a prudent move, enhancing and solidifying the squad's attacking impetus across multiple fronts.
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ByMatt Dawson Dec 18, 2023
While the likes of Son and playmaker James Maddison will be his creative kernels from behind, new addition Werner could also find himself reaching new heights when competing alongside the £19k-per-week gem.
Imagine Santiago Gimenez & Timo Werner
Dubbed the "Mexican machine" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, there's no question that Gimenez boasts a clinical quality that places him alongside the finest finishers on the continent. But, of course, Premier League football demands much more than innate ability.
Werner's style of play could be perfect in ensuring the Feyenoord forward has the tools to provide him with a steady flow of opportunity, having been praised for his "lightning-quick" pace by pundit Paul Merson.
Indeed, the 27-year-old ranks among the top 3% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues for progressive carries and the top 7% for passes attempted per 90, which highlights the qualities that would be well suited to supplementing a free-shooting phenom in Gimenez.
But only returning to London on an initial loan this month, with an option to buy for around £15m, the German international will need to build on a debut performance against the Red Devils that showcased his tenacious energy and wayward finishing it all its colour.
Timo Werner: Chelsea Career by Competition
Competition
Apps
Goals
Assists
G/A Rate
Premier League
56
10
13
0.41
Champions League
17
8
4
0.71
FA Cup
9
3
4
0.78
Carabao Cup
5
2
0
0.40
Club World Cup
1
0
0
0.00
UEFA Super Cup
1
0
0
0.00
Total
89
23
21
0.49
*Sourced via Transfermarkt
As the table portrays, Werner did not actually depart Stamford Bridge with a half-bad return, though ten goals from 56 appearances is not exactly the kind of return to evoke confidence in a player's capability to lead the line in the Premier League.
And having started just twice in the German Bundesliga this season before his return to England due to injury issues, an inevitable patina of rust enveloping his person on the pitch.
But his talent is still discernible and if he can add confidence and a cutting edge to his pace-endowed style, then Gimenez really could find the perfect partner in the future under Postecoglou's leadership.
As highlighted earlier through his FBref metrics, Gimenez's effectiveness in front of goal is built through his ability to unleash rifled efforts with frightening regularity – what he needs at Tottenham is reliable and consistent support, and Werner can offer this, a foil of sorts in the frontline.
Santiago Gimenez for Feyenoord.
Werner did bag an important assist on his Premier League debut for Spurs but will need to make improvements over the coming fixtures to ensure that he plays a prominent role as the season is pulled inexorably toward the business end.
Should he succeed in this endeavour and convince Postecoglou and club chairman Daniel Levy to wrap up a permanent transfer, then his protean threat could provide Gimenez with the constancy he requires to wreak havoc on English shores.
It's been reported that Chelsea and Todd Boehly will "look to reach an agreement" for one club's rising star "immediately" as they green-light his sale.
Pochettino requests Chelsea signings in January
Both publicly and behind-the-scenes, manager Mauricio Pochettino has requested the Chelsea board move to make new signings in January.
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According to some reports in the English media, Pochettino wants players of height to solve Chelsea's vulnerability in the penalty area, leading to reported interest in the likes of Wolves defender Max Kilman.
Meanwhile, it's been widely reported that the Blues are keen on signing a proven goalscorer. Chelsea are contenders for Brentford star Ivan Toney as a result, with Juventus star Dusan Vlahovic of interest to Pochettino as well.
Speaking to press around 10 days ago, Pochettino was adamant that Chelsea's directors should look to January, coming after his side fell to a 2-0 defeat away at Everton.
"After the first half of the season, we need to check. That is the reality. If we are not receiving enough, maybe we need to do some movement," said Pochettino (via Sky Sports).
"That is the thing to analyse with the sporting directors, to see if we can change this dynamic and improve in the second half of the season. We need to be more aggressive. Then it's a massive assessment and when the transfer window opens, we will see what we can do.
"I don't say if I am going to ask for more or less players. It's to see if the perception matches the reality. We are missing something. We need to improve our reality."
Chelsea also have a policy of buying Europe's most in-form, exciting talents. Boehly has moved to sign talent from all over Europe and South America since Clearlake Capital's takeover, with FC Copenhagen wonderkid Roony Bardghji now being targeted.
Chelsea will look to seal Bardghji agreement "immediately"
The winger, who scored Copenhagen's winner in a sensational 4-3 win over Man United in the Champions League earlier this season, is wanted across England. As well as Chelsea, Aston Villa, Brentford, Brighton & Hove Albion, Fulham, Manchester United and Newcastle United have held talks with Bardghji's agents ahead of a possible move.
However, Boehly and co are very eager to win the race. This is according to 90min, who also claim Chelsea "will look to reach an agreement" for Bardghji "immediately".
FC Copenhagen midfielderRoony Bardghji.
This comes after the development that Copenhagen are prepared to green-light his exit, giving Chelsea a push to go and attempt his transfer soon. However, any proposed deal would mean Bardghji joins at the end of the season and not now.
The 18-year-old is viewed as one of Sweden's most exciting talents, and has even been called his country's answer to Lionel Messi.
“He has an understanding of the game, as well as good balance and coordination," said Roger Franzen.
Deivid Washington
£14 million
Diego Moreira
Free transfer
Angelo
£13 million
Romeo Lavia
£54 million
Lesley Ugochukwu
£23 million
"He has exceptional technique with the ball at his feet. It's incredibly difficult to take the ball off him. He is good one-on-one and has a good shot. He can shoot with both feet, even if he is basically left-footed, he can finish with the right as well.
“That makes him very difficult to read for the defenders. Will he go right or left? It makes him difficult to handle.”
With Manchester United currently enduring what has been a rather dismal first few months of the campaign, supporters will likely already be looking ahead to the upcoming January transfer window in the hope of some fresh blood being brought in to bolster the ranks.
The Red Devils were notably particularly active during the winter window earlier this year after snapping up the likes of Marcel Sabitzer, Jack Butland and Wout Weghorst on short-term deals, albeit with the latter man, in particular, failing to fire amid a limp six-month stay at Old Trafford.
The Dutchman – who scored just twice for the club in total in 31 outings – had been brought in to plug the gap following Cristiano Ronaldo's departure, with a striking addition seemingly again required this time around, as Anthony Martial has just six months left to run on his existing contract.
Player
Goals
Scott McTominay
6
Bruno Fernandes
5
Rasmus Hojlund
5
Casemiro
4
Alejandro Garnacho
3
Marcus Rashford
2
Anthony Martial
2
Stats via BBC Sport
Amid that need for a genuine rival to young Rasmus Hojlund, recent reports have indicated that Stuttgart's Serhou Guirassy is of interest to United, even though the 27-year-old could well represent just another Weghorst as far as Erik ten Hag is concerned.
Man Utd transfer news – Serhou Guirassy
As reported by The Guardian's Ed Aarons last week, Ten Hag and co are believed to be interested in signing the Guinea striker and have even made contact with agents regarding a possible swoop in the New Year.
As per the piece, the former Ajax boss is chasing a suitable alternative to Hojlund with the Dane failing to score in the Premier League so far this season, while there is a potential for the club to try and 'find a buyer' for the floundering Martial.
Any deal for Guirassy is likely to be an attractive prospect due to his minimal release clause of just €17m (£15m), albeit with the Red Devils set to face competition from top-flight rivals Newcastle United, who also have the in-form marksman on their winter shortlist.
The stats to show why Man Utd shouldn't sign Serhou Guirassy
On the face of it, the 6 foot 2 brute looks like the perfect, bargain option to help ease United's attacking woes.
Available for as little as £15m, the former Stade Rennais man is among the top forwards in Europe at present with regard to his goalscoring form in 2023/24, having already netted 16 Bundesliga goals this season.
To put that into perspective, that figure is only bettered by former United target Harry Kane (18) in the German top-flight, while in the Premier League, Erling Haaland leads the way with 'just' 14 league goals.
Ruling out signing Guirassy may look rather foolish when the player is currently in such esteemed company, although as data analyst Ben Griffis has suggested, such a hot streak is a result of "xG over-performance" in front of goal.
According to Griffis, the forward's 'over-performance' is seemingly "very unsustainable", while he is also usually "wildly inconsistent" – hardly the words those at the Theatre of Dreams would like to hear.
While the one-time Lille man did net 11 goals in just 22 league games last season for Stuttgart, prior to that he had very much been a middling striker, never scoring more than ten league goals across his entire career in a single campaign.
Equally, as Ten Hag learned with Weghorst, success in the Bundesliga is not always a good judge of a player's talents, with the towering Dutchman, for instance, previously scoring 70 goals in just 144 games for Wolfsburg, prior to his woes at both United and Burnley – for whom he also scored just twice.
Having been stung by the frankly desperate signing of the current Hoffenheim man, the Red Devils must think again before repeating that mistake with regard to Guirassy, with it likely better to wait until the summer in order to land a target with a proven track record over a sustained period.
Leeds United are set to play host to Middlesbrough in the Championship at Elland Road this afternoon as they go in search of back-to-back victories.
The Whites head into this match off the back of a 3-1 win over Swansea City on Wednesday night and they are seven points adrift of Ipswich Town in second place.
Daniel Farke's side are chasing down the automatic promotion places as they attempt to secure an instant return to the Premier League.
The German head coach confirmed ahead of the game that Junior Firpo and Joe Gelhardt are the only fresh injury absentees who will not be available to feature today.
Despite no players from his starting XI against Swansea being unavailable, Farke could make one change by finally unleashing Djed Spence from the start.
The right-back was an unused substitute against the Swans and should be brought in to start this match, if fit, as he could form an exciting partnership with Wilfried Gnonto down the right flank.
Wilfried Gnonto's Leeds statistics
FFC have predicted the Italy international to start on the right ahead of Daniel James, who could be rested, for this clash with Middlesbrough.
The 20-year-old whiz has produced three goals and five assists in 21 league starts for Leeds since the start of the 2022/23 Premeir League campaign.
Leeds forward Wilfried Gnonto.
Gnonto is a versatile forward who has experience playing centrally and out wide and could thrive on the right side of the attack if he is an attack-minded right-back who can create overloads to exploit in the final third.
The Italian talent could use Spence's attacking thrust to come in to central positions from the right, both to create space for him in central areas around the box and to open up room for the full-back to sprint forward on the overlap to provide crosses.
Why Djed Spence should start against Middlesbrough
Leeds signed the right-back on loan from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer and his only appearance to date came at the start of September against Sheffield Wednesday.
However, his previous form at Championship level suggests that he has the attacking capabilities to provide more of a threat at the top end of the pitch than Archie Gray, who has been deployed out of position in the back four.
Gray has produced zero assists, one 'big chance' created, and 0.6 key passes per game across 17 outings in the second tier so far this season.
Leeds United's loan defender Djed Spence.
Whereas, Spence scored two goals, provided four assists, created six 'big chances', and made one key pass per game over his 42 league matches on loan at Nottingham Forest during the 2021/22 campaign.
Former Arsenal forward once hailed the 6 foot gem's "swashbuckling" full-back performance against the Gunners whilst the defender was at Forest, which is backed up by his impressive attacking contributions for the Tricky Trees.
His aforementioned statistics at Championship level suggest that Spence has the potential to offer more quality in possession than Gray, who is not a natural right-back and has been more reserved as a result.
Therefore, Gnonto – or James if he starts – would love the 23-year-old dynamo alongside him on the right flank to cause havoc for the opposition defence.
Houston Dash forward Maria Sanchez has confirmed that she has requested a move in an emotional statement, thanking fans for their support.
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Sanchez joined Houston just four months agoRecord NSWL signing already wants outAdmits experience has "taken a toll"WHAT HAPPENED?
Sanchez signed for Houston Dash just four months ago, penning a deal worth a then-NWSL record $1.5 million (£1.2m). However, it hasn't all gone according to plan, with reports circulating earlier this week that the Mexico forward had requested a transfer elsewhere. Now, she's confirmed the news via X, thanking fans for the support she's received in the last few days.
AdvertisementWHAT SANCHEZ SAID
"Thank you, everyone, for the outpouring of kindness and support," Sanchez posted on X, attaching a screenshot of a longer message. It read: "This has all taken a toll and it isn't an easy thing to talk about, but I want to confirm that I've requested an immediate trade. The club has been aware of this since late March and my expectations and reasons have been clear. I trust that my current club's management will honor my decision in a timely manner and proceed with accepting a trade."
USA TODAY SportsTHE BIGGER PICTURE
It's still a little unclear exactly what has happened behind the scenes at Houston Dash. The latest we've heard from the club itself was a simple statement that read "Maria Sanchez is under contract, a choice she made in free agency at the end of 2023."
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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR SANCHEZ?
The 28-year-old's statement seems to suggest she's confident that a trade can be agreed upon. It's worth noting though that Sanchez's contract is signed with the NWSL, not the Dash, so it would remain in place if she joined a new team and any interested parties would have to be able to pay that current deal.
Glasgow Rangers head coach Philippe Clement has enjoyed a terrific start to life in Scotland with six wins from his opening seven matches in charge.
The Belgian tactician, who replaced Michael Beale at the helm last month, is yet to taste defeat for the Light Blues since his move to the club.
It has been an impressive run of form from the ex-AS Monaco manager's side as he has not had the opportunity, yet, to sign his own players.
Glasgow Rangers managerPhilippe Clement.
Clement has not had a transfer window to shape his squad in order to have the players that he wants to perfectly execute the style of play that he and his coaches would like to deploy.
With this in mind, the upcoming January transfer window will be the first chance for him to make a signing and the Gers boss has already been touted with interest in a Premier League player.
Rangers transfer news – Ben Godfrey
Earlier this month, 90min reported that the Light Blues are one of a number of teams interested in a possible move to sign Ben Godfrey from Everton at the start of next year.
The outlet claimed that Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur are both keeping tabs on his current situation at Goodison Park as they have been long-term admirers of the former Norwich City star.
It was also stated that Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, Burnley, and Rangers are also keen on a swoop to secure his services, which shows that there is plenty of competition for the Scottish giants to beat off.
Everton are said to be open to offers for the central defender, who has fallen down the pecking order under Sean Dyche and found minutes difficult to come by, although there is no mention of how much it would cost, or if they would be prepared to send him out on loan.
The Toffees signed the former England international from Norwich for a reported fee of £20m in the summer of 2020, after they failed to snap up Fikayo Tomori – now of AC Milan.
Rangers may not be able to compete for a permanent deal if Everton want to recoup that fee, particularly if the likes of Newcastle and Spurs are involved in a bidding war. However, a loan move to Ibrox to build up his confidence before a permanent exit next summer could suit all parties involved.
In that scenario, Clement could secure a dream upgrade on his current left-sided centre-back option Ben Davies, who arrived from Liverpool at the start of last season.
Ben Davies' performance for Rangers
The English defender was signed by Giovanni van Bronckhorst to bolster his team ahead of their 2022/23 campaign, in the Scottish Premiership and the Champions League.
However, Davies did not prove himself to be an outstanding option at either level. Domestically, the former Preston North End star made 27 league appearances and averaged 0.8 interceptions and 0.9 tackles per game for his side, which ranked him seventh and 16th within the squad.
He also struggled in Europe with a dismal Sofascore rating of 6.23 across three Champions League appearances, in which time his passing left a lot to be desired.
Rangers defender Ben Davies.
Davies did not rank higher than the top 52% of his positional peers in the competition for progressive passes (3.12) or progressive carries (0.69) per 90.
The central defender also, alarmingly, ranked with the bottom 8% of players in his position for his pass success rate of 79.6%, which shows that he gave the ball away far too often and did not retain possession well for the team.
He has done relatively little to improve that aspect of his performances in the Europa League, a lower standard of European football, so far this season.
Davies does not rank higher than the top 41% of his positional peers for progressive passes (four) per 90 and has not completed a single progressive carry in four appearances.
These statistics show that the left-footed enforcer has struggled to progress the team up the pitch, whether that be through his passing or dribbling, on a consistent basis.
This can be harmful to Rangers from an offensive and defensive perspective as his lack of progression could stagnate attacks and cause turnovers, from which their opponents can counter from to create opportunities of their own.
The statistics that show why Godfrey could be an upgrade on Davies
Godfrey has endured a rough couple of seasons at Everton and it would be harsh to judge him on his recent performances as the versatile ace has been played out of his natural position and had others preferred ahead of him at centre-back.
He played the majority of his minutes throughout the 2022/23 campaign as a left or right-back, instead of at the heart of the defence, which did not allow him to display the best of his abilities.
However, his form for Carlo Ancelotti, who signed him in 2020, during the 2020/21 season suggests that there is an impressive defender to be unearthed there.
He averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.03 across 31 appearances and made 1.8 tackles and 1.1 interceptions per match for the Toffees, which immediately indicates that Godfrey could provide more defensive interventions than Davies at the back to cut out opposition attacks.
That season, the English brute showcased his progressive quality with 1.02 progressive carries per 90, which placed him in the top 23% of his positional peers at Premier League level.
Appearances
31
Sofascore rating
7.03
Goals
Four
Pass accuracy
90%
Clearances
109
All the way back in the 2018/19 Championship season, Godfrey was able to display his ball-playing abilities in a dominant team as he won the title with Norwich and ranked within the top 21% of his peers for progressive passes (3.35) per 90 and the top 13% for progressive carries (1.17) per 90.
These statistics show that the £75k-per-week titan is very capable of being able to consistently progress the ball up the pitch for his team, particularly by carrying it forward with his pace, strength, and dribbling qualities.
Couple that with his aforementioned defensive capabilities and the potential is there for the "immense" – as he was dubbed by famous Everton fan and boxer Tony Bellew – colossus to be a dream upgrade on Davies for Clement in January if he can recapture his best form in Scotland.