Darren Bravo wins first recall since post-World Cup axing, Rovman Powell and Fabian Allen fit again
ESPNcricinfo staff03-Feb-2020
Shimron Hetmyer has been left out of West Indies’ squad•IDI via Getty Images
Shimron Hetmyer and Evin Lewis have been left out of West Indies’ ODI squad for their upcoming tour of Sri Lanka after failing fitness tests.Lewis was the leading run-scorer in the side’s series against Ireland last month, with 208 runs in three innings, but both he and Hetmyer failed to “attain the new minimum standard fitness requirements in recent fitness assessments,” according to a Cricket West Indies (CWI) release.Darren Bravo, the experienced top-order batsman, has won a recall following an impressive domestic season in which he made 481 runs at an average of 96.20 in the Super50 Cup, while allrounder Rovman Powell also makes the cut following an impressive run of his own: in the same competition, he scored 412 runs at an imperious strike rate of 160.93 for Jamaica.Fabian Allen, who missed the India series with a knee injury, also finds a place in the squad, which will depart for a pre-series camp in Colombo on Saturday.”Evin Lewis and Shimron Hetmyer missed out due to the fact that they came up short in the fitness test,” said Roger Harper, CWI’s lead selector. “They will be missed.”Lewis was the team’s best batsman in the recent series against Ireland where he batted with great composure and proved the bedrock for the team’s series win. Hetmyer appeared to be getting his act together and was an integral part of the team’s batting group.”I look forward to the team building on its recent performances against Afghanistan and India in the subcontinent and against Ireland at home – playing consistent, smart cricket to win the series. Sri Lanka are a very good team in their own conditions. I do not expect it to be easy but our team has shown that it is very capable.”West Indies squad to play Sri Lanka: Fabian Allen, Sunil Ambris, Darren Bravo, Roston Chase, Sheldon Cottrell, Jason Holder, Shai Hope (wk), Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Keemo Paul, Kieron Pollard (captain), Nicolas Pooran, Rovman Powell, Romario Shepherd, Hayden Walsh Jr.
Barcelona may turn to Kingsley Coman if they miss out on signing Nico Williams – with Bayern Munich offering the winger to the Catalan side.
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Barcelona ready to sell Coman
Flick wants the Frenchman at Barcelona
Catalans can't afford to buy the forward
WHAT HAPPENED?
Barcelona were closely linked with a move for Nico Williams earlier in the summer, however, the Spain international decided to stay back at Athletic Club. After seemingly missing out on the young attacker, the Catalan club went ahead for Dani Olmo and is now on the verge of sealing a move for the attacking midfielder.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Now according to a report from Sky Sports, Bayern Munich are ready to release Kingsley Coman in the ongoing transfer window as Blaugrana boss Hansi Flick is eyeing a move for him. The German manager, who earlier managed the winger at the Bavarian club, is known to be an admirer of the player.
DID YOU KNOW?
However, despite the coach's wishes, Barcelona will not be able to sign and register any more players unless they sell an important first-team member due to their current financial constraints.
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WHAT NEXT FOR KINGSLEY COMAN?
The Bundesliga giants have reportedly made it clear that Coman does not fit into Vincent Kompany's plans. If Barcelona are unable to sign him this summer, the Germans could consider selling the forward to his former club Paris Saint-Germain.
Tottenham Hotspur's hopes of securing Champions League qualification suffered an undoubted blow last weekend following the dismal defeat away to London rivals Fulham, yet with the Lilywhites still just three points off the top four, all is certainly not lost just yet.
There's no denying that things haven't gone quite so smoothly for Ange Postecoglou's side of late – having also lost at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers just a few weeks ago – yet that should not cloud what has been a hugely positive first season in charge for the former Celtic boss.
Among the many success stories this season for the 58-year-old has been the remarkable improvement of Pedro Porro, with the former Sporting CP having been "outstanding all year", in the words of his manager.
Now back involved at international level for Spain, the 24-year-old has shaken off what was a slow start at Spurs following his arrival in January 2023, after contributing just three goals and three assists from his wing-back berth in the second half of last season.
Despite now operating as part of a back four, the one-time Manchester City asset has thrived under Postecoglou's tutelage, racking up eight assists and providing one goal so far in 2023/24, having also created ten 'big chances' in the Premier League to date.
25 games (25 starts)
7 assists
0 goals
10 'big chances' created
1.7 key passes per game
2.8 tackles per game
5.8 balls recovered per game
2.5 clearances per game
56% successful dribbles per game
7.40 avg. match rating
Such form has unsurprisingly sparked some unwanted attention from rival suitors – namely his former club City – although while Daniel Levy and co should do everything in their power to keep hold of him for now, it may not be too long before they are able to unleash a potential successor.
The player who could succeed Pedro Porro at Spurs
As stated above, losing Porro just 18 months into his stint in north London would be a travesty, yet an exit a little later down the line may not sting too greatly if Postecoglou has had time to bed in a promising talent from the academy before then.
Step forward, Leo Black, with the 18-year-old earmarked as one of the most exciting prospects at the club's disposal at present, having only recently been named by The Standard as part of their list of the top 50 youngsters in London academies.
Interestingly, as the piece notes, the teenager has shown his suitability as a possible replacement for Porro in the near future having operated as an inverted right-back this season in the youth ranks, with Postecoglou very much keen for his full-backs to drop into a central role when possible.
'One of the most improved players in the Spurs academy over the past 18 months' – as per the Standard – Black has the tools to be able to thrive when inverting having also lined up in a central midfield role on occasion this season, with such versatility also likely to be music to the ears of the first-team boss.
Ange Postecoglou
A promotion to the senior ranks should be on the cards before too long…
Leo Black's season in numbers at youth level
Although yet to actually feature for Tottenham's U21 side, the suggestion is that Black has already proven himself to be far "too good" for the U18s, according to club insider John Wenham, with the respected source also going on to note that the emerging gem "is a real talent" who has "developed immensely".
Taking that next step will be needed before life in the first-team squad can be contemplated, although, as Wenham suggested, the Englishman's form at U18 level is certainly cause for excitement, having dazzled with his attacking quality.
Much like Porro has shone going forward for Postecoglou's side, Black has also been a real menace from his right-back berth of late, registering four goals and six assists in just 17 Premier League games at that age group.
In The Pipeline
Football FanCast's In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.
Part of the side that reached the last eight of the FA Youth Cup – prior to losing narrowly to Man City last month – the rising star is certainly a figure that Postecoglou and Levy should be paying close attention to.
With chances having only recently been given to the likes of Jamie Donley in the first-team, the pathway is there for Black to also make the leap to become Spurs' next Porro…
The NWSL playmaker tells GOAL why she is feeling positive about the future despite the toughest year of her career to date
Ashley Sanchez doesn’t need much time to think about whether or not the last 12 months have been the most difficult of her career to date. Between seeing no minutes for the United States women’s national team in its historically bad Women’s World Cup last summer, a shock trade from the Washington Spirit to the North Carolina Courage that left her “heartbroken”, and being left off the USWNT roster since October, she’s endured more difficult moments in this past year than ever before.
But when she speaks to GOAL on what has been a very hot summer’s day on the east coast, as the Courage prepares to enter the NWSL’s mid-season break, despite answering that question with a rather quick “definitely”, Sanchez is upbeat. She’s had time to process all that the sport she loves has thrown at her, she’s adjusted her mentality and seen the silver linings.
“I think this last year has been absolutely wild, but I do think that I've been very fortunate with injuries and setbacks and different things like that. I haven't really experienced anything and I think all the greatest players in the world have experienced something like this,” she tells GOAL. “It's really easy to be like, 'Poor me', but I felt like [the trade] was meant to happen and it was just going to be the start of something different.
“I thought that if I just changed my mindset to want to grow and get better and be the best player I can be, that's pretty much the only option I had, because I already wasn't with the national team, I just got traded and there's a lot of things that could have been a downward spiral. But instead, I was like, 'Well, now the expectations are low, I might as well try my best to create bigger expectations of myself, play the best that I can and just help my team in any way'.”
USA TODAY SportsHeartbreaking few months
It all started last summer when Sanchez was told by then-USWNT boss Vlatko Andonovski that, despite making the World Cup roster, she wouldn’t be seeing any gametime. As the team endured its worst-ever performance at a tournament it has won four times, exiting in the last 16, the 25-year-old’s exciting, match-winning qualities were unused. It was a surprise to say the least.
Then came the trade, which was even more of a shock. In her time with the Washington Spirit, Sanchez formed a deadly duo with Trinity Rodman, the pair helping to fire the club to its first NWSL Championship title in 2021, against all odds. But that partnership and her four years in D.C. came to an end with an unexpected phonecall during the NWSL Draft in January. Soon enough, she was moving to Raleigh and joining a roster which featured only one player she really knew, that being USWNT goalkeeper Casey Murphy.
“I was definitely really heartbroken when it happened,” Sanchez admits, but she caveats that with how “thankful” she is for what has turned into a really positive experience with her new team. When GOAL asks if that is one of the toughest things about the NWSL, that an unwanted trade can happen at the drop of a hat and take a player away from a team they love, Sanchez laughs. “It's definitely an interesting thing that we've got going on here!” she replies. “But in my case, it was definitely a blessing in disguise.”
AdvertisementUSA TODAY SportsChange of mindset
That’s not to say it didn’t take the playmaking midfielder some time to process things. She did that in the off-season, in the weeks that followed her move to North Carolina, and got herself in a positive mindset ahead of her first year with the Courage. “I think that I just found peace in the thought that, if North Carolina was that excited to have me, then I should be excited to be there,” Sanchez explains.
“They wanted me so bad and I felt like I should just be as excited as they were and not look at the team that kind of didn't want me, you know? I feel like once I switched it from that, it was a lot easier because I was like, 'North Carolina really does want me and they value me, and that's where I want to be. I want to be with a team that values me'. Once I put it that way, it was a lot easier.”
Coming into a “kind and welcoming” group has helped, with standards so high that “the only thing I could really compare it to would be national team”. Sanchez fits into the style of play nicely, too.
“North Carolina is more of a possession-based team and Spirit was definitely more transitional, which I think, for the type of player I am, I didn't really fit into that exactly, and I felt like there were games where I'd get bypassed a lot,” she explains. “Whereas I feel like here at North Carolina, I'm actually getting on the ball and able to create and be [in] more of a possession team. I think that fits me as a player a lot better.”
USA TODAY SportsClosure
That was certainly evident at the end of June when Sanchez returned to D.C. and scored the only goal of the game as the Courage beat the Spirit. Having never got to say a proper goodbye to many at the organization, there were wonderful moments for the 25-year-old with the fans and many of the staff and players, even if she came back to haunt them. It was an outing that further helped her process her departure, too.
“I was kind of dreading it at the beginning of the week and then as the days got closer to the game and we landed, I felt really at peace with everything,” she says. “After the game, I was like, 'That was exactly the closure that I needed'. I got to see all these staff and players and just different people that I didn't get to say bye to. It was just a really great experience, honestly, giving everyone hugs and seeing everyone again. I think that it definitely felt like closure for me and it kind of just made me feel more at home in North Carolina.”
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That’s something you can see when Sanchez takes to the field, too, as no player on the Courage’s roster has more direct goal involvements in the NWSL this season than her seven (four goals, three assists). She’s adamant that there is even more to come as well, stressing the need for her to be “more consistent”.
Particularly exciting is the way she talks about Kerolin, the Brazil star who won the league’s MVP award last year. A cruel ACL injury struck the forward down before the 2023 playoffs could begin, but she is nearing a return now, just in time for North Carolina’s charge to make the 2024 post-season.
“Me and Kero haven't played together yet but we've been training together a lot now that she's coming back from injury and off the bat, we just understood each other's game really well,” Sanchez says, giving an answer sure to delight Courage fans everywhere. “I think it's going to be a really good partnership in the future. I'm so excited to play with her. After every single game, she comes up to me and she's like, 'I'm so excited to play with you'. We're just both really ready to get things going.”
Celtic progressed through to the semi-finals of the SFA Cup on Sunday as they came away with a less-than-comfortable 4-2 win over Livingston at Parkhead.
The away side pegged the Hoops back twice during the game but a hat-trick from Daizen Maeda, on his 100th appearance for the club in all competitions, and a late strike from Kyogo Furuhashi secured the win.
Brendan Rodgers brought the Japan international off the bench to find the back of the net, after Adam Idah failed to score for the second match in succession – having also missed a penalty against Hearts.
Kyogo Furuhashi
The Ireland international, who was brought in from Norwich City on loan on deadline day during the last summer transfer window, has enjoyed a strong start to life in Glasgow.
However, Celtic could have had an upgrade on Idah and a perfect striker for Rodgers had they not cashed in on Greek star Giorgos Giakoumakis under Ange Postecoglou last year.
How much Celtic sold Giorgos Giakoumakis for
The Scottish giants decided to part ways with the striker in February 2023 as MLS outfit Atlanta United swooped in to secure his services for a fee of £4.3m, which included £3.5m up-front.
That came under two years on from their £2.5m deal to sign him from Dutch side VVV-Venlo in the summer of 2021, which was Postecoglou's first window in charge of the club.
The Hoops won the Scottish Premiership title by the end of the 2021/22 campaign under the Australian head coach, and Giakoumakis played a key role in that success.
Former Celtic striker Giorgos Giakoumakis.
He plundered an eye-catching 13 goals and one assist in 21 top-flight appearances for the club, despite only 11 of those appearances being as a starter. The talented marksman was also the club's top goalscorer in the division that term, as Kyogo finished behind him with 12 goals.
Giakoumakis, who was hailed as "underrated" by journalist Josh Bunting, then found game time hard to come by during the following season as Kyogo was on fire with 27 goals in 31 league starts for Celtic.
The Japanese forward's sublime form meant that the Greek international was restricted to just four starts and 15 appearances in total in the top-flight. However, he did still manage to fire in six goals and assist one in that time, before his £4.3m move to Atlanta.
This meant that Giakoumakis ended his Celtic career with a staggering return of 19 goals and two assists in 15 starts, and 36 appearances overall, in the Premiership.
The 29-year-old ace, who scored 26 goals in 57 matches in all competitions, proved himself to be lethal in the box as a traditional number nine, and his goalscoring talent has been on full display since his move to the MLS last year.
Giorgos Giakoumakis' MLS stats for Atlanta United
Having arrived from the Hoops for £4.3m in February 2023, there may have been an expectation that Giakoumakis would hit the ground running in America.
However, they may not have envisaged it going quite as well as it has, as the impressive number nine has been prolific, to say the least, in the MLS.
Appearances
30
Starts
24
Expected Goals
14.82
Goals
19
Assists
2
Big chances created
4
As you can see in the table above, the Greek international plundered an outstanding return of 19 goals in 24 starts, with a goal every 108 minutes on average.
19 goals from an xG of 14.82 perfectly illustrates how lethal the former Celtic striker is in front of goal. He rarely passes up a good opportunity to find the back of the net, with his ruthless finishing inside the box.
Giakoumakis has also enjoyed a dream start to the 2023 MLS campaign. The devastating forward has scored three goals – from 1.75 xG – in two appearances, with a hat-trick against New England over the weekend.
This means that the experienced striker has scored 22 goals in 26 starts for Atlanta in the MLS, on top of the 19 goals in 15 league starts he managed for Celtic, and the 26 goals in 30 Eredivisie starts for VVV-Venlo during the 2020/21 campaign before his move to Scotland.
A sensational return of 67 goals in 71 league starts for those three clubs since the summer of 2020 illustrates his clinical nature, and shows why he would have been the perfect striker for Rodgers, and an upgrade on Idah.
Adam Idah's stats this season
The Ireland international joined the Hoops on deadline day after a return of six goals in 28 appearances – and 12 starts – in the Championship for Norwich during the first half of the season.
Last month, Rodgers highlighted Luis Suarez's development under him at Liverpool by narrowing the centre-forward's play to ensure that he is focused on his actions inside the box and in the final third, and used that as an example for Idah to follow.
Luis Suarez
Instead of dropping deep or moving out wide to go and get involved in matches, the attacker has been urged to stay central and be in the right place at the right time to score.
It appears to have worked for the 23-year-old dynamo so far, as the Irish gem has plundered five goals and one assist in six appearances and four starts in the Premiership, although he has failed to score in two SFA Cup outings.
Appearances
30
34
Starts
24
16
Goals
19
11
Expected Goals
14.82
9.52
Goals per start
0.79
0.69
Stats via Sofascore & WhoScored
As you can see in the table above, Giakoumakis would still be an upgrade on Idah – in spite of his improvement under Rodgers – based on their respective form in front of goal.
The Greek international, who also outscored his number of starts during his time with Celtic, scored more frequently than the Ireland international, and outperformed his xG by more, which suggests that he is the better finisher out of the two.
Giakoumakis is the perfect striker for Rodgers as he is a typical penalty box centre-forward, with only 0.4 dribbles completed and 0.8 key passes per game in the MLS last year, who does not waste much time getting involved in matches away from the area.
Therefore, the Hoops had already fumbled the dream number nine for the Northern Irish head coach before his return to the club later that year.
However, hindsight is a wonderful thing, and it would be harsh to overly criticise the Bhoys for that decision as it was made with Postecoglou, who favoured Kyogo in that role, in charge at the time.
قرر البرتغالي جوزيه جوميز المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي الزمالك، منح اللاعبين راحة من التدريبات غداً الاثنين.
وخاض الزمالك مباراتين وديتين، اليوم الأحد، أمام إيستر كومباني وانتهت بالتعادل الإيجابي بهدف لكل منهما وأمام زد انتهت بخسارة الأبيض بثلاثية مقابل هدفين.
طالع..مدرب فاركو يعلن موقفه من بيع محمود جهاد إلى الزمالك
ومن المقرر أن يستأنف فريق الزمالك تدريباته يوم الثلاثاء على ملعب النادي، استعداداً لبطولة كأس السوبر المصري.
ويستعد الزمالك للمشاركة في بطولة كأس السوبر المصري المقرر إقامتها في الإمارات خلال الفترة من 20 وحتى 24 أكتوبر الجاري بمشاركة أندية الأهلي وبيراميدز وسيراميكا كليوباترا.
ويلتقي الأبيض، مع فريق بيراميدز وصيف الدوري وبطل الكأس في مباراة نصف النهائي من السوبر المصري، وتقام المباراة الثانية بين الأهلي وسيراميكا كليوباترا.
وتغادر بعثة الأبيض إلى أبو ظبي يوم 17 أكتوبر الجاري، للمشاركة في البطولة والتي يترأسها حسام المندوه أمين الصندوق.
It's been a season full of frustration for Newcastle United, who made such significant progress in the previous campaign by qualifying for the Champions League. After a summer of transfers to forget, followed by a limited winter window, they could now see their misery compiled by the potential exit of a vital cog in the St James' Park machine.
Newcastle exit news
Throughout the January transfer window, the likes of Callum Wilson, Miguel Almiron and Kieran Trippier were among the players to be linked with moves away from Newcastle, who found themselves walking a profit and sustainability tightrope due to their reported £155m in losses over the last three seasons. Despite that figure, however, Eddie Howe kept hold of his stars.
It remains to be seen whether that will be the case during the summer though, with Joelinton potentially one to keep an eye on. The Brazilian's contract runs out in the summer of 2025 and Howe admitted that he could yet leave, saying via BBC Sport: "He has 18 months left on his contract so it's a possibility he'll be sold in the summer."
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This would be some coup…
ByTom Cunningham Feb 14, 2024
Making matters worse, it's not just those on the pitch that the Magpies have to worry about. According to Wayne Veysey of Football Insider, Dan Ashworth has agreed terms with Manchester United to become their first-ever sporting director. Ashworth – currently the sporting director at Newcastle – would take a lengthy period of gardening leave before completing his Old Trafford switch to join up with Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
It would be some blow for Newcastle, given how vital Ashworth's been to their project since 2022, building a squad capable of reaching the Premier League's top four. Just who they get in to replace the former Brighton & Hove Albion man is not yet clear, but Luke Edwards has claimed that former Liverpool man Michael Edwards is a name which has crept up in conversations.
Major blow for Newcastle
One of the most impressive in his role, Ashworth's exit, should it occur, could leave Newcastle's project under PIF in tatters. Meanwhile, Manchester United would be getting the perfect sporting director to finally start to organise the chaos of Old Trafford.
Gary Neville has already given his seal of approval when it comes to Ashworth too, posting on X back in November of last year:
At a time when Newcastle have been left more frustrated than ever off the pitch under PIF, Ashworth's exit would be coming at the worst time possible ahead of a vital summer transfer window. Not only will the Magpies have to think about incomings to improve Howe's side, but also restructuring away from St James' Park, potentially forced to replace their sporting director.
After Tottenham Hotspur failed to qualify for European competition last season, finishing eighth in the Premier League, it was pretty clear where the crux of the issues lay.
63 goals shipped was not a laudable figure, with only the relegated trio and promoted outfits Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest yielding deeper concession rates.
Taking the helm in the summer after closing the door on an illustrious tenure with Celtic, Ange Postecoglou did not solve the problem instantly, instead attending to other issues and completing the £43m transfer of Micky van de Ven on August 8th – over two months after his arrival.
This actually bespeaks the Australian's astuteness, his wits, ensuring his outfit welcome the correct addition to improve the backline, beating divisional rivals Liverpool to his signature.
Two-month injury layoff notwithstanding, the 23-year-old has proved a huge success, playing an integral role in the club's early-season endeavours and leading pundit Jamie Carragher to laud the "out of this world" introduction to the English game.
Could it be that Postecoglou is lining up a move for a Premier League star who could even eclipse Van de Ven's potential?
Spurs eyeing Premier League defender
According to a recent report from the Daily Mail, Tottenham are in contention to sign Everton centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite in 2024, though they will have to fight against the likes of Real Madrid for his signature.
The Toffees have been resurgent this term despite a ten-point deduction in the Premier League, and it's understood that figures as high as £100m have emanated from the Goodison Park camp.
Spurs have strengthened in defence and added to their summer business with the £27m acquisition of Radu Dragusin from Genoa this month, but Branthwaite is an elite talent and would enhance the backline for years to come.
Jarrad Branthwaite's style of play
In the early days of October, Everton announced that Branthwaite had signed a new long-term contract with the club, which would keep him on Merseyside until 2027.
It was necessary, with a host of suitors circling and the 21-year-old producing some commanding performances across the opening months of the campaign.
An unused substitute across both of Everton's opening top-flight fixtures, Branthwaite has played the full 90 in all but one game since (absent against Burnley due to a one-match suspension), described as "an absolute wall" by talent scout Jacek Kulig.
jake-o'brien-jarrad-branthwaite-everton-opinion
As per Sofascore, the £35k-per-week colossus has averaged 2.1 tackles, 4.7 clearances and 6.4 ball recoveries in the Premier League this season, winning 67% of his contested duels to emphasise his monstrous defensive acumen.
To put that in perspective, Spurs stalwart Cristian Romero – who Lionel Messi once outrageously claimed is "the best defender in the world" – has won 70% of his duels in the league this term, so Branthwaite is making fine progress indeed.
Moreover, the Toffees titan ranks among the top 16% of central defenders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year this season for tackles and the top 14% for interceptions per 90, as per FBref, and as he continues to improve over the coming years such metrics might even snowball.
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A significant presence at 6 foot 5, Branthwaite is composed, cultured and commanding in front of Jordan Pickford's goal and has demonstrated his worth as a future England international and a leading defender on the European scene.
If Spurs added his qualities to the project, Postecoglou's chances of enjoying a silver-laden future in the capital would increase and then some.
Jarrad Branthwaite could eclipse Van de Ven
Of course, there is an important point to be made here. Van de Ven and Romero make up a defensive axis of formidable ability, with their presence on the pitch this season certainly felt.
Both have been inflicted with injuries and suspensions (the latter in Romero's case) to stifle the stunning start to life under their enterprising new manager, but there's no doubt that with both fit, flanked by Destiny Udogie and Pedro Porro, the Lilywhites boast a backline of immense fluency and dynamism.
12
8
3
1
15
2.25
9
4
1
4
16
1.44
Source: Transfermarkt
Indeed, just look at the contrast in results during Van de Ven's period of convalescence over the past few months, returning last time out against Manchester United at Old Trafford in a 2-2 draw but a result that highlighted Spurs' superiority in cohesion and intent.
A player with electric pace and remarkable agility nimbleness for a man of 6 foot 4, the Netherlands international offers a singular skill set that makes him a brilliant tool within Postecoglou's project.
Van de Ven ranks among the top 10% of positional peers for pass completion, the top 8% for progressive carries and the top 4% for successful take-ons per 90 to emphasise this point.
During his time in the English game, the £50k-per-week star has completed 95% of his passes, succeeded with 61% of his duels and averaged 1.6 tackles, 5.0 ball recoveries and 2.9 clearances per game.
Tackles
2.11
1.65
Tackles won
1.06
1.04
% of tackles won
81%
75%
Tackles & interceptions
3.89
2.00
While he might be the crisper distributor, Van de Ven doesn't appear to be as naturally gifted a defender as Branthwaite, who has indeed been commended for his "Rolls-Royce" qualities by one Everton insider.
Evidently, the Everton man surpasses his Dutch counterpart across nearly all defensive metrics and given that Tottenham have actually conceded 31 Premier League goals this season compared to the Blues' 28, it's hard to argue that Branthwaite hasn't been one of the most robust and reliable players in the business.
Of course, Van de Ven has been absent for some important parts of the campaign and Tottenham have felt the thorns of his absence most severely, but Everton were defeated across both of their opening fixtures of the season with Branthwaite on the bench and Sean Dyche wisely placed him into the starting line-up henceforward.
Pulling off a deal for Branthwaite would be nothing short of a major coup, but despite the complications that would likely arise from this venture, there's little question about his immense potential and just how impressive he might be once integrated into the Spurs fold.
عقد اتحاد الكرة، برئاسة جمال وأحمد دياب رئيس رابطة الأندية المصرية المحترفة، اجتماعا مع الأندية في الدوري المصري من أجل مناقشة العديد من الملفات التي تخص المسابقة المحلية.
وتواجد ممثلو أندية الدوري، في وجود محمود الخطيب وحسين لبيب ممثلان عن الأهلي والزمالك على الترتيب.
طالع..خاص | اختبارات بدنية للحكام استعدادا للموسم الجديد من الدوري المصري
وناقشت الأندية، مشاكل وأزمات التحكيم الفترة الأخيرة، وطالبوا بضرورة إيجاد حل، في المقابل وعدهم جمال علام بتطوير منظومة التحكيم بشكل كامل في الفترة المقبلة.
وأعلنت رابطة الأندية عن التعاقد مع الشرطة الألمانية التي تنظم بطولات الويفا و الدوري الألماني و الإماراتي و التركي لتبدأ عملها مع الدوري المصري مع بداية الموسم الجديد.
وتواجد خبير أجنبي، ممثلًا عن الشركة الألمانية لعرض تصورات الدوري على الأندية خلال الاجتماع بحسب انفراد بطولات في وقت سابق..طالع التفاصيل
يذكر أن النادي الأهلي، قد توج ببطولة الدوري المصري الموسم الماضي، حيث من المقرر أن يتسلم الدرع يوم السبت المقبل في استاد القاهرة عقب مباراة جورماهيا الكيني في دوري أبطال أفريقيا.
Arsenal have performed to an extremely high standard this season, which has secured them a spot in the Champions League knockouts and seen them lead the way in the Premier League.
The Gunners have only lost two of their 17 Premier League games, with both occasions ending in a 1-0 away defeat.
With that in mind, Mikel Arteta wants to improve his squad and strengthen the centre-forward position in January.
Arsenal transfers latest – Ollie Watkins
According to the Daily Mail earlier this week, Arsenal have noted Ollie Watkins as a potential target, with Edu and Co having been monitoring the Aston Villa forward.
For Villa to let go of their star man, it would reportedly cost at least £75m, as per another outlet, but it would take a lot to tempt Watkins away from his current club.
However, due to limited funds and financial fair play guidelines, it is believed that the Gunners may focus on other positions in January.
How Ollie Watkins compares to Victor Osimhen
Victor Osimhen has been linked with a move to Arsenal for some time now, but the Nigerian has a release clause of £112m – as per the Daily Mail – which is clearly extremely expensive. Therefore, Edu may turn his head towards a Premier League-proven forward who has been described as “unstoppable” by Jamie Carragher.
Watkins is a true centre forward who thrives inside the opponent’s box, using elite movement and goal-scoring instincts to find space away from the opposition defenders. He is also a composed finisher who can comfortably score with both feet and his head.
That brief profile breakdown sounds very similar to the 24-year-old forward, with FBref duly noting that the pair are 'similar players'. But how do they compare based on statistics from their respective leagues this season?
Watkins vs Osimhen Stats
Stats (per 90)
Watkins
Osimhen
Goals
0.55
0.70
Assists
0.36
0.20
Shots total
3.03
3.87
Touches (Att pen)
6.42
8.25
Completed passes
11.99
7.15
Touches
26.7
25.5
Take-ons attempted
1.76
1.78
Carries
16.2
15
Progressive carries
1.64
1.68
Stats via FBref
Based on the above, it is clear that both players are number nines who like to stay on the fringe of the game and not get involved in buildup, like Harry Kane, for example. The most you would find is a lay-off out wide and a dart into the box.
The chances are that if a good ball is put into the box, the duo will get on the end of it and most likely score according to their high goals per ninety-minute statistic. Indeed, so far this season, Watkins has 14 goals in all competitions and Osimhen has registered eight strikes.
That said, there is more to their play than just finding the net. They are both intelligent and despite wanting to score for themselves, their awareness allows them to set up teammates who may be in a better shooting position.
Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins.
Furthermore, Watkins and Osimhen are both fast and mobile, continuously running the channels and stretching the play. The Villa man is particularly effective at this, drifting over to the left and finding himself in 1v1 scenarios frequently.
Ollie Watkins: Most similar players
#1 Dominic Solanke
#2 Terem Moffi (Nice)
#3 Victor Osimhen (Napoli)
#4 Erling Haaland (Man City)
#5 Habib Diallo (Al Shabab)
Data via FBRef.
As you can see, Watkins could serve as a cheaper alternative to the Nigerian while still providing similar traits and qualities. Furthermore, the ex-Brentford forward is reliable and doesn’t have unfortunate continuous injury issues like the Napoli star.
Opting for the Villa forward who is in the form of his life looks like a very smart decision, with the remaining funds being used to strengthen elsewhere.