Jurgen Klopp established something of a dynasty at Anfield, building Liverpool up against superior financial powers to enjoy a period of illustrious success that transcended expectations.

Quite simply, no one foresaw what was coming when the German arrived, picking up a unit that had fallen by the wayside under Brendan Rodgers and had – one brilliant Luis Suarez-fuelled season aside – toiled for several painful years.

He built his team with shrewd signings, welcoming promising players and convincing them that they were elite-level stars. He transformed the Merseyside outfit from wall to wall.

While many young talents went from strength to strength under Klopp’s wing, not everyone managed to enter the Anfield ascendancy, with Taiwo Awoniyi a shining example of a talented prospect to failed to make the grade but has still forged an impressive career for himself.

Why Liverpool sold Taiwo Awoniyi

Liverpool actually signed Awoniyi, who is now 27 years old, when he was in the maiden phase of his career, plucking him from the Imperial Soccer Academy in Nigeria in 2015 for a £400k fee.

The promising forward never made an appearance for the Reds but he did enjoy spells across a range of clubs – though never in England as he failed to earn a work permit. In a cruel irony, he was granted one in May 2021, months before he would leave the club forever.

Awoniyi’s nomadic journey came to an end when Union Berlin decided to buy him for around £6.5m in 2021. He’d scored five goals from 21 matches as a loanee at the German club the year before, but went from strength to strength as a permanent star, bagging 20 goals from 43 matches in all competitions in 2021/22 – thus earning the attention of Liverpool’s new Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest, who pounced.

Taiwo Awoniyi's rise at Forest

Awoniyi completed a club-record £17.5m transfer from Union Berlin to Nottingham Forest in August 2022, shortly after the club’s promotion from the Championship.

His exploits in Germany had convinced the Premier League new boys that he had what it took to keep them afloat in the top flight, and they were right, with Awoniyi finishing the campaign as Forest’s top scorer, netting ten times in the division despite only starting 17 matches. Clinical.

The £50k-per-week talent is a powerful player but one of energy and mobile athleticism too. He plays in an advanced forward role but drops deep and makes intelligent bursts to stretch lines and help enhance the fluency of his team.

Described as a “monster of an athlete” by journalist David Hundeyin, there’s no question that Awoniyi is one of the most effective hulking strikers in English football right now, with sinewy strength and an imposing focal presence that made a telling, and accurate, comment on his capacity to succeed in the Premier League when he first arrived in Nottingham.

Awoniyi also bears a technical quality and soundness that will have been nurtured during his time in the Liverpool academy. Albeit, he spent most of his time on Liverpool’s books out on loan across the continent and will have been directed toward building himself up for a possible role in Klopp’s senior squad.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 12% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion achieved per 90 (78.2%).

Let’s also not forget that it was the hulking forward’s goal that condemned Liverpool to a dismal defeat at the City Ground, notching the winner in the Premier League clash in 2022 and sending the full-throated Forest crowd into a frenzy. After the game, pundit Jamie Carragher condemned Liverpool’s “awful” display at a point near the nadir of Klopp’s sweeping reign.

It’s a measure of how well he has done to establish himself as a reliable marksman and earn a sense of closure on his failed attempt to break into the Reds’ senior squad – though it was the closure that Klopp and co would rather he failed to achieve.

Taiwo Awoniyi: Premier League Stats – vs forwards (2022/23)
Stats	Per 90	Percentile
Goals scored	0.64	Top 8%
Ball recoveries	3.59	Top 20%
Dribblers tackled	0.38	Top 16%
Blocks	1.15	Top 18%
Clearances	1.28	Top 14%
Stats via FBref

The past couple of years might have been laden with injuries, but Forest fans got a taste of Awoniyi’s ability during their first term in the top flight under Steve Cooper. He also contributed effectively to the Tricky Trees’ defensive efforts.

Awoniyi's market value in 2024

This year, it’s not been the smoothest of starts, with his lack of action last year leaving him second in the pecking order to veteran goalscorer Chris Wood, who, in fairness, has been excellent of late, bagging three from five this season and scoring 15 goals from 24 matches in total under Nuno Espirito Santo.

He’s still valued at £23m though, as per Transfermarkt, which is a credit to his ability to turn on the potency when unleashed. Moreover, that figure stands as a 261% rise from the £6.5m fee that Liverpool collected for his sale and is also the current Transfermarkt value of Alisson Becker.

This is quite a thing. Alisson is only 31 years old (32 in less than a week) and has been Liverpool’s number one throughout the recent era of success, signing from AS Roma for £68m, a record deal for a shot-stopper, and is regarded as “the best goalkeeper in the world” by Klopp.

It’s simply a testament to Awoniyi’s rise and indeed the interest in his name. This summer, outfits such as West Ham United were found sniffing around for the Nigeria international’s signature.

Klopp praised the striker’s “sensational development”, and it’s not likely that there are any hard feelings even if Awoniyi did inflict misery on the Anfield side at one point after leaving.

The fact that he’s worth as much as Alisson even though his Premier League journey has been punctuated with injuries is a mark of his character and quality.

Liverpool have struck gold on £4m signing who's now worth 650% more

He’s such a talented player.

By
Angus Sinclair

Sep 27, 2024

Leeds United head into the international break with a sour taste in the mouth after a disappointing 2-2 draw away at Sunderland on Friday night.

The Whites appeared to be headed towards a brilliant 2-1 win at the Stadium of Light before an inexplicable error from Illan Meslier in the 97th minute handed the hosts a point.

Daniel Farke’s side had gone 1-0 down in the game during the first half after some sloppy defending allowed Chris Rigg to tap the ball into an empty net from close range.

However, the West Yorkshire outfit rallied brilliantly and found their equaliser through Joel Piroe, who superbly headed in a wonderful cross from Wilfried Gnonto on the flank.

Junior Firpo and Gnonto then linked up in the second half for the former to arrow a left-footed shot into the far bottom corner to put Leeds in front on Wearside.

Their fantastic work to get the game to 2-1 was then undone, though, deep into stoppage time as Meslier allowed a ball to bounce in front of him and then had to watch on as it spun away from his arm and into the back of the net.

It was another mistake from the French goalkeeper during his career at Elland Road, which has not gone from strength to strength as some may have hoped.

Illan Meslier's career with Leeds

In the summer of 2020, after the club’s promotion to the Premier League under Marcelo Bielsa, Victor Orta splashed out a fee of £5m to sign the shot-stopper on a permanent deal from Lorient.

That came after he had kept an eye-catching seven clean sheets in ten matches in the Championship during his initial loan spell, to help the side to the title.

In those ten games, Meslier conceded four goals from a post-shot xG faced of 4.8 and this means that he prevented 0.8 more goals than the average goalkeeper would have been expected to from the quality of shots against his goal.

Unfortunately, the young Frenchman has failed to kick on since that impressive early loan spell and has underperformed as a shot-stopper in all five of his full seasons as the number one at Elland Road.

The 24-year-old did help Leeds to finish inside the top ten in their first season in the Premier League under Bielsa in the 2020/21 campaign and conceded 3.4 more than expected, which is not a dreadful underperformance given it was in the top-flight.

However, the left-footed dud went on to concede 146 goals in the next two seasons in the division, the latter of which ended in relegation for the Whites.

20/21 Premier League

46.6

52

-3.4

21/22 Premier League

61.8

79

-16.2

22/23 Premier League

53.6

67

-12.4

23/24 Championship

34.9

40

-3.1

24/25 Championship

5.1

7

-0.9

As you can see in the table above, Meslier conceded a whopping 28.6 more goals than expected across those two campaigns, which illustrates just how poorly he performed.

Things could have been so different for Leeds, though, if they had landed one of their other goalkeeping targets in the summer of 2020 – Emiliano Martinez.

Leeds United's interest in Emi Martinez

The Whites had just been promoted from the Championship, winning the title, and were looking at additions to bolster their squad for the upcoming season.

One that got away

The transfers that nearly happened but never did. This article is part of Football FanCast's One That Got Away series.

In July of 2020, The Athletic’s Phil Hay replied to a supporter asking about interest in Manchester United’s Sergio Romero and revealed that the club were interested in Arsenal goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, likening the two of them as similar fits.

At the time, both players were back-ups at their respective clubs. Although, the Argentine colossus had played nine games in the Premier League during the 2019/20 campaign after an injury to number one Bernd Leno.

Martinez remained at Arsenal in July and August before Aston Villa swooped in to secure his services for a reported fee of £17m in September.

This meant that the Gunners giant was available for a transfer and attainable for Leeds had they decided to seriously pursue his services back in July, when Hay confirmed that the club were looking at him.

Ultimately, the West Yorkshire outfit ended that summer transfer window with Meslier as their permanent goalkeeper signing, and Martinez has gone from strength to strength in the midlands.

Emi Martinez's current market value

At the time of writing (06/10/2024), Transfermarkt has his current market value at €28m (£23.3m) and this shows that his value has soared during his time with Villa.

He has played 167 matches for the Villans in all competitions since his £17m move to the club in 2020, and kept 56 clean sheets in that time.

Martinez, who was hailed as “amazing” by Harry Kane after a 1-0 win for Villa over Bayern Munich in the Champions League this month, has been an impressive shot-stopper for the majority of his career with Villa so far.

20/21 Premier League

49.2

46

+4.2

21/22 Premier League

42.1

48

-3.9

22/23 Premier League

36.6

38

+2.6

23/24 Premier League

50.8

48

+6.8

As you can see in the table above, the former Arsenal titan has conceded fewer goals than expected, based on the post-shot xG of the efforts on his goal, in the Premier League to date – whereas Meslier conceded far, far, more than expected in his three seasons in the top-flight.

Martinez has also caught the eye on the international stage for Argentina, winning the World Cup once and the Copa America twice, and his exploits for his country helped him to win the The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year in 2022.

His performances were so good at the World Cup in 2022 that the great Lionel Messi, as you can see in the post above, lauded him as “the best” goalkeeper in the world.

This means that Leeds missed out on signing a player who went on to become the world’s greatest goalkeeper and a World Cup winner, and got Meslier instead.

Not just Meslier: Farke must drop Leeds man who's bottom 3% for duels won

The Whites central defender continues to endure a frustrating season.

1 ByDan Emery Oct 5, 2024

MatériaMais Notícias

No Clássico dos Milhões deste domingo, pelo Campeonato Carioca, as torcidas de Flamengo e Vasco lotaram as arquibancadas e fizeram belas festa nas arquibancadas do Maracanã. O LANCE! mostra, no vídeo acima, a disputa de cantos entre os rubro-negros e vascaínos na entrada dos times em campo. Confira!

Daniel Farke has dropped a positive 10-word update from Leeds United’s doctors regarding the injury suffered by key player Ethan Ampadu last weekend.

Leeds handed Ampadu injury blow

The Whites may have picked up an impressive 3-0 win at home to Coventry City on Saturday afternoon, putting them fifth in the Championship table after seven games, but there is of course one big negative from the game. Ampadu picked up a knee injury during the match at Elland Road, eventually having to be replaced Ao Tanaka after trying to continue, leaving Farke sweating over the fitness of arguably one of his most important players.

The Welshman has started all of Leeds’ Championship games so far this season, averaging 2.6 tackles per game at the heart of the midfield, proving to be an effective figure in front of the defence, allowing more flamboyant players to work their magic further up the pitch.

In some ways, Ampadu is Leeds’ version of Manchester City star Rodri, in terms of playing that disciplined and hugely important defensive midfield role, and Whites supporters will pray that he isn’t missing for as long as the Spaniard has been ruled out for, having sustained ACL damage against Arsenal earlier this month.

Leeds doctors believe Ampadu will avoid surgery

Speaking in his pre-Norwich press conference on Monday [via The Yorkshire Evening Post], Farke confirmed that Ampadu won’t require knee surgery, having received feedback from club doctors. The Welsh star will miss approximately ten weeks having damaged a ligament in his knee, but Farke’s message from the club doctors is a positive one given the other possibilities.

While Leeds are still going to be without Ampadu for a significant length of time, this has to be considered good news overall – not only would surgery force him out for longer this time around, there are also always question marks about players’ athleticism after undergoing major knee operations and recoveries.

Farke has made it clear how much he values the Wales international, saying of him last season: “Overall a fantastic season, we are more than happy how he has developed also since we signed him. You couldn’t predict that it would work that smoothly and on this level when we signed him because he had also a few tough, tough years.

“But he’s doing exceptionally well. I think had, especially in the beginning and after I would say game day six, many, many top, top class performances.”

Leeds now battling Premier League interest to sign "fantastic" new gem

He’s one for the future.

By
Tom Cunningham

Sep 30, 2024

Ampadu is still going to be a massive miss over these next 10 weeks or so, but while supporters may find it hard to be positive about the situation, they should be thankful that his return could potentially come before Christmas, rather than long after it.

Newcastle United had a curious summer transfer window in 2024.

They made five signings, although two of those were free transfers, namely experienced goalkeeper John Ruddy and defender Lloyd Kelly. On top of that, the signing of Lewis Hall was an obligatory agreement with Chelsea, following clauses met in his loan contract from the 2023/24 campaign.

The two other signings made by the Magpies were Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos and exciting young centre-forward William Osula, whom they acquired from Sheffield United.

Whilst the Magpies did not exactly spend big, compared to previous windows since the Saudi takeover, they have been linked with a big addition in the summer of 2025.

Newcastle target Premier League attacker

The player in question here is Crystal Palace and England international attacker Eberechi Eze. The 26-year-old, who is a crucial player for the Eagles, and made England’s squad for Euro 2024, was linked with a move away from Selhurst Park in 2024, but that did not materialise.

However, according to Football Insider over the weekend, Newcastle are among the clubs interested in prising the Palace star away from London.

Newcastle will not be alone in their quest to sign Eze next summer. The North East outfit are likely to go up against two longstanding Premier League rivals for Eze’s signature with the report noting that Tottenham and Liverpool want him too.

The England international had a £68m release clause in his contract in his contract over the summer which is inactive at the moment but can be activated again in the summer of 2025. That would see Eze become the Magpies’ all-time record signing, beating that of Alexander Isak in 2022, who cost £63m.

Why Eze would be a good signing

The 26-year-old attacking midfielder has been superb for the Eagles during his time at the club. He has so far played 133 times for the South London outfit, scoring 29 times and grabbing 18 assists.

The former QPR man was particularly excellent last season, scoring 11 goals and posting four assists in 27 Premier League games. This term, he has one goal in the first seven games, as well as two in the Carabao Cup to go along with an assist.

He was described as a “superstar” by football analyst Ben Mattinson, who explained that he thinks Eze thrives with less responsibility. He would certainly not be shackled by such an issue in a team that includes the likes of Isak and Anthony Gordon, to name two of the Magpies’ attacking options.

One player who the Eagles’ number 10 could replace in the Newcastle squad is Miguel Almiron. The Paraguayan was in talks to leave St James’ Park last season according to Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie, but ended up remaining at the club. He since has just 30 minutes in the Premier League under his belt this term.

There is no doubt that the signing of Eze would be an upgrade on Almiron, and that is something that is backed up by the stats, courtesy of Squawka. Last term in the Premier League, the England international outperformed the Newcastle number 24 in several key metrics.

Last term, he averaged 2.4 chances created per 90 minutes, compared to just 1.1 from the Paraguay attacker. Not only that, Eze played slightly more forward passes than Almiron, with 8.3 each game, as opposed to 8.1 from the Newcastle man.

Take-ons completed

3.1

1.1

Take-on completion rate

51.88%

51.11%

Through balls

0.4

0.3

Forward passes

8.3

8.1

Chances created

2.4

1.1

Eze is a spellbinding dribbler, who is a master in tight spaces. He is superb at using his quick feet to evade pressure and ride tackles. Last term, he completed 3.1 take-ons per game, with the Newcastle winger far less, just 1.1 each match.

There is little doubt that the Crystal Palace superstar would be an upgrade on Almiron. Whilst £68m is a steep fee, he would improve the side and the Saudi PIF did not exactly spend heavily at St James’ Park in 2024.

There is certainly scope for such a signing, and Eze would be a brilliant way to upgrade the side as Howe looks to guide Newcastle back to Europe.

Worse than Gordon: Newcastle star who lost the ball 13x let his team down

Newcastle United had to settle for a 0-0 draw away at Everton after Anthony Gordon’s costly penalty miss.

ByKelan Sarson Oct 6, 2024

The tournament has had to navigate the pandemic once again and this season it will begin with 20 games in Tasmania

Andrew McGlashan and Alex Malcolm12-Oct-2021Click here for all the fixturesAdelaide StrikersCaptain: TBC
Coach: Luke WilliamsLast season 6thSquad Jemma Barsby, Darcie Brown, Nell Bryson-Smith, Sarah Coyte, Meagan Dixon, Katie Mack, Tahlia McGrath, Tegan McPharlin, Dane van Niekerk (SA), Bridget Patterson, Maddie Penna, Annie O’Neil, Megan Schutt, Amanda-Jade Wellington, Laura Wolvaardt (SA)In Jemma Barsby (Scorchers), Nell Bryson-Smith, Meagan Dixon, Dane van Niekerk
Out Suzie Bates, Ellen Falconer (Renegades), Alex Price, Stafanie TaylorPre-season
It’s a largely stable squad from a local point of view for Strikers. Darcie Brown’s elevation to a Cricket Australia contract means she is now one of the club’s five marquee names. The withdrawal of Suzie Bates due to concerns about getting a quarantine space on return to New Zealand has seen the signing of Dane van Niekerk after she left Sixers; with both bat and ball that should be a valuable addition. Brown, Megan Schutt, Tahlia McGrath and legspinner Amanda-Jade Wellington make a very well balanced attack with plenty of wicket-takers. If they can put runs on the board they should be a major challenger.Player to watch
Remember that parried catch that went viral? It was one of the moments of the tournament last year. Tahlia McGrath was outstanding during the multi-format series against India with bat and ball. However, last season’s WBBL from a run-scoring perspective was underwhelming with 227 runs at 16.21 and a strike-rate of 82.24 opening the innings. Where she is used this season remains to be seen, but if it’s at the top again more impact will be needed in the Powerplay.Brisbane HeatCaptain: Jess Jonassen
Coach: Ashley NoffkeLast season (2nd) Semi-finalSquad Anneke Bosch (SA), Nadine de Klerk (SA), Poonam Yadav (Ind), Zoe Cooke, Nicola Hancock, Grace Harris, Ellie Johnston, Jess Jonassen, Laura Kimmince, Mikayla Hinkley, Charli Knott, Georgia Prestwidge, Georgia Redmayne, Courtney Sippel, Georgia VollIn Anneke Bosch, Zoe Cooke, Ellie Johnston, Poonam Yadav
Out Maddy Green, Amelia Kerr, Delissa Kimmince (retired), Lilly Mills (Scorchers)Jess Jonassen missed the series against India with injury•Getty ImagesPre-season
The late recruitment of legspinner Poonam Yadav could be a vital part of Heat’s jigsaw after they fell at the semi-final stage last season in their bid for a hat-trick of title. They were a long way out at the midway point of the campaign but surged into the knockout stages. The top order will again look to Georgia Redmayne but it is lower down where they have a real X-factor in the finishing skills of Laura Kimmince who had an eye-watering strike-rate of 205.81 last season. They will also hope for further development from youngster Georgia Voll. With the ball, South Africa allrounders Anneke Bosch and Nadine de Klerk could be tasked will filling the role of the retired Delissa Kimmince.Player to watch
As mentioned above, Laura Kimmince brings a dimension to Heat’s batting that few other teams can match in their middle order. Despite facing just 86 balls last season she finished third on the sixes chart with 12 and her strike-rate was way out on top as the only batter over 200. With 37 off 17 balls in the semi-final she was on the verge of taking Heat into the final before she was bowled attempting a switch it as part of a lower-order collapse.Hobart HurricanesCaptain: Rachel Priest
Coach: Salliann BeamsLast season 8thSquad: Rachel Priest (capt, NZ), Nicola Carey, Tayla Vlaeminck, Mignon du Preez (SA), Richa Ghosh (Ind), Angelina Genford, Maisy Gibson, Ruth Johnston, Sasha Moloney, Chloe Rafferty, Amy Smith, Molly Strano, Naomi Stalenberg, Belinda Vakarewa, Rachel TrenamanIn Molly Strano (Renegades), Mignon du Preez (Stars), Rachel Trenaman (Thunder), Angelina Genford, Richa Ghosh, Ruth Johnston
Out Corinne Hall (Thunder), Emma Flint (maternity leave), Chloe Tryon, Brooke Hepburn (retired), Hayley Matthews, Erica KershawA fit and firing Tayla Vlaeminck could be a huge weapon for Hurricanes•Cameron Spencer/Getty ImagesPre-season
Hurricanes have made some big moves in the off-season after finishing last for the third time in four seasons. They have not made the WBBL finals since 2016-17 and are hoping to change their fortunes on the back of some big-name recruits. They have lured the experienced Mignon du Preez from Stars and the exciting addition of Richa Ghosh means the batting line-up will have a great balance of youth and experience, as well as power and touch. They had also added Rachel Trenaman to the top order, but she will miss the entire season after rupturing her ACL. The bowling has also received a huge boost with all-time leading WBBL wicket-taker Molly Strano lured south from her beloved Melbourne Renegades. She brings so much experience and versatility to the side with her ability to bowl in the powerplay and in the middle overs. Hurricanes finally have a well-rounded attack if Tayla Vlaeminck and Maisy Gibson can stay fit, with Vlaeminck becoming a strike weapon around the reliable Strano, Belinda Vakarewa, and Nicola Carey.Player to watch
Tayla Vlaeminck has played 19 WBBL matches in her career with WBBL05 proving her only full season due to a raft of injuries. She did not play at all last season and has been nursed through the recent Australia-India series, only playing in the T20Is due to an Achilles flare-up during her preparation. She is arguably the fastest bowler in the world and strikes fear into international batters with her pace, bounce, and awkward action. Her value at domestic level is even greater and she could have a major impact in this tournament for the Hurricanes if she can stay fit. But they will need to use her judiciously as playing all 14 games plus finals might be too much to ask given the travel schedule in the second half of the tournament.Melbourne RenegadesCaptain: Sophie Molineux
Coach: Simon HelmotLast season 7thSquad: Sophie Molineux (capt), Georgia Wareham, Eve Jones (Eng), Harmanpreet Kaur (Ind), Jemimah Rodrigues (Ind), Makinley Blows, Josie Dooley, Jess Duffin, Ellie Falconer, Holly Ferling, Poppy Gardner, Ella Hayward, Carly Leeson, Rhiann O’Donnell, Courtney WebbIn Harmanpreet Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues, Eve Jones, Holly Ferling (Stars), Ellen Falconer (Strikers), Poppy Gardner, Rhiann O’Donnell
Out Molly Strano (Hurricanes), Maitlan Brown (Sixers), Lizelle Lee, Amy Satterthwaite, Lea Tahuhu, Erin Fazackerley, Courtney NealeHarmanpreet Kaur returns to the WBBL with Melbourne Renegades•Getty ImagesPre-season
Renegades have had a huge turnover of players and staff since last season with only a handful of familiar faces remaining following a poor campaign. Lachie Stevens departed as coach and Simon Helmot takes over, coming off winning the Caribbean Premier League title with St Kitts and Nevis Patriots. Sophie Molineux takes over as captain from Amy Satterthwaite while Lea Tahuhu also hasn’t returned. They have bolstered their batting with the signings of India duo Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues and Eve Jones from England while Jess Duffin’s return from maternity leave adds some much-needed experience. The bowling will be tested though without Tahuhu, Maitlan Brown and Strano. They still have a lot of spin depth, but they lack a little bit of strike power in the pace department. Holly Ferling adds some new-ball experience coming across from the Stars and there is some excitement around 16-year-old left-armer Poppy Gardner.Player to watch
There is plenty of quality in the top order but Georgia Wareham looms as an X-factor with both bat and ball. Her bowling is world-class as she has proved in T20 World Cups, but Renegades are very keen to continue to progress her batting in T20 cricket. She had the sixth-highest strike-rate last season (146.31) and found the boundary every five deliveries, ranking her only behind Laura Kimmince and Alyssa Healy, among those with more than 100 runs, and well above Meg Lanning and Sophie Devine. Wareham showcased her batting ability under pressure in the second T20I against India and the Renegades are keen to further develop her hitting ability.Melbourne StarsCaptain: Meg Lanning
Coach: Jarrad LoughmanLast season (1st) Runners-upSquad: Meg Lanning (capt), Annabel Sutherland, Maia Bouchier (Eng), Kim Garth (Ire), Linsey Smith (Eng), Lucy Cripps, Maddy Darke, Nicole Faltum, Tess Flintoff, Georgia Gall, Anna Lanning, Rhys McKenna, Erin Osborne, Elyse VillaniIn Kim Garth, Rhys McKenna, Anna Lanning, Maddy Darke (Sixers), Maia Bouchier, Linsey Smith
Out Alana King (Scorchers), Mignon du Preez (Hurricanes), Holly Ferling (Renegades), Katherine Brunt, Natalie Sciver, Bhavi DevchandIt is a significantly different Melbourne Stars from the one that fell just short last season•Getty ImagesPre-season
It will be a big ask for Stars to replicate last season’s run to the final given the amount of playing quality they have lost. Jarrad Loughman takes over as coach, but he won’t be changing much of the formula having worked alongside the departing Trent Woodhill last season. However, the turnover of international players is where they will be tested the most. England stars Nat Sciver and Katherine Brunt are unavailable while du Preez has moved to the Hurricanes. They have also lost some quality bowlers in Alana King and Holly Ferling. Kim Garth is an excellent addition having moved from Ireland to Melbourne permanently, while the recruitment of England left-arm orthodox Linsey Smith adds some international experience. Maia Bouchier comes off an England season where she made her international debut and will benefit from batting with the likes of Meg Lanning and Elyse Villani.Player to watch
Lanning and Villani are usually the keys to Stars’ success but the one player who could really take the WBBL by storm this season is Annabel Sutherland. She made her Test debut against India recently and her bowling appears to have taken another step forward. She has had limited opportunities with the bat in her brief international career so far but has shown promise on most occasions. She made one half-century in 11 innings in last year’s WBBL but in the absence of du Preez and Sciver she will shoulder far more responsibility in the middle order this season and her power game could set her apart.Perth ScorchersCaptain: Sophie Devine
Coach: Shelley NitschkeLast season (4th) Semi-finalSquad: Sophie Devine (NZ)(capt), Beth Mooney, Chamari Athapaththu (SL), Marizanne Kapp (SA), Samantha Betts, Mathilda Carmichael, Piepa Cleary, Ashley Day, Amy Edgar, Heather Graham, Lisa Griffith, Alana King, Lilly Mills, Taneale Peschel, Chloe PiparoIn Marizanne Kapp (Sixers), Chamari Athapaththu, Alana King (Stars), Lisa Griffith (Sixers), Lilly Mills (Heat), Ashley Day, Amy Edgar
Out Jemma Barsby (Strikers), Amy Jones, Sarah Glenn, Emma King (retired), Nicole Bolton (Sixers), Megan Banting, Georgia WyllieSophie Devine will again be key at the top of Scorchers’ order•Getty ImagesPre-season
Scorchers have once again had a high turnover of players but have added some quality to their line-up. The addition of Marizanne Kapp gives their attack some real potency while Alana King’s legspin adds some much-needed variety after they lost three good spinners in Sarah Glenn, Nicole Bolton and Emma King. Bolton is also a loss in the middle order, but Chamari Athapaththu will provide a different dynamic in terms of her power. She hasn’t previously produced her best in the WBBL with Renegades but has a superb record in Australia for Sri Lanka and produced two high-quality innings at the WACA in the T20 World Cup last year, with Scorchers scheduled to play three games there. Scorchers have the best opening combination in the WBBL with Sophie Devine and Beth Mooney set to star again but the team can be a bit top-heavy at times and will need both to produce all year and in the finals to claim the title.Player to watch
It seems obvious to say but Sophie Devine and Beth Mooney are difficult to ignore. Devine has the chance to win three consecutive Player of the Tournament awards while Mooney enters the competition on the back of impressive returns in the white-ball matches against India. They are two extraordinary cricketers who can carry their team on their shoulders. Devine has unfinished business having never won a title in Australia while Mooney is looking to claim a third having won twice previously with Heat.Sydney SixersCaptain: Ellyse Perry
Coach: Ben SawyerLast season 5thSquad: Ellyse Perry (capt), Jade Allen, Nicole Bolton, Maitlan Brown, Erin Burns, Stella Campbell, Lauren Cheatle, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Emma Hughes, Matilda Lugg, Angela Reakes Claire Moore, Shafali Verma (IND), Radha Yadav (IND)In Jade Allen, Nicole Bolton (Scorchers), Maitlan Brown (Renegades), Matlida Lugg, Shafali Verma, Radha Yadav, Claire Moore
Out Marizanne Kapp, Dane van Niekerk, Jodie Hicks, Sarah Aley (retired), Maddy Darke, Lisa Griffith, Hayley Silver-Holmes (injured)The Alyssa Healy-Ellyse Perry opening combination could be broken up•Getty ImagesPre-season
After two disappointing seasons where they have finished fifth to miss the finals there has been a revamp of Sixers’ squad. Earlier this year their new list manager Lisa Sthalekar said they had “fallen behind” in the T20 game, while Ellyse Perry told ESPNcricinfo there would be changes to how they play. The most significant of those may involve Perry who could move down the order with new signing Shafali Verma joining Healy in what could be an electric opening pair. The arrival of Maitlan Brown will need to compensate for the loss of Kapp’s overs while Bolton’s role with her offspin in the Powerplay could be significant. Pace bowler Hayley-Silver Homes is out of the whole tournament due to a hip injury and Erin Burns will miss at least the Tasmania leg for personal reasons.Player to watch
Through a combination of various events – including the rain at the beginning of the tournament then another concussion – Ashleigh Gardner only faced 69 balls in last season’s competition and 35 of those of those came in one innings when she made 53. Her strike-rate of 134.78 was second behind Healy and the freedom she is given to play with means low scores are an occupational hazard. But she will hope to have an impact over a longer period this season. A lot of work went into her offspin during the winter and that will again be a key part of the attack, particularly against opposition left handers.Sydney ThunderCaptain: Rachael Haynes
Coach: Trevor GriffinLast season (3rd) ChampionsSquad: Rachael Haynes (capt), Samantha Bates, Hannah Darlington, Jess Davidson, Corinne Hall, Sammy-Jo Johnson, Anika Learoyd, Phoebe Litchfield, Smriti Mandhana (IND), Kate Peterson, Olivia Porter, Deepti Sharma (IND), Lauren Smith, Tahlia Wilson, Issy Wong (ENG)In Jess Davidson, Corinne Hall (Hurricanes), Smriti Mandhana, Deepti Sharma, Issy Wong
Out Rachael Trenaman (Hurricanes), Tammy Beaumont, Heather Knight, Shabnim Ismail, Saskia HorleySydney Thunder’s depth will be tested as they defend the title•Getty ImagesPre-season
The defending champions have kept the core of their local players together although it remains to be confirmed how much of the season captain Rachael Haynes is available for while she takes maternity leave. As with Sixers there has been a complete turnover in the overseas players with England players unavailable and the injury to South Africa’s Shabnim Ismail. Smriti Mandhana will have a big load to carry with the bat – especially during Haynes’ absence – but comes into the tournament in terrific form. Keep an eye out for the pace of Issy Wong while it will be interesting to see if Phoebe Litchfield is able to get an opportunity higher up the order.Player to watch
Sammy-Jo Johnson had a big impact with the ball last season after her move from Heat with 22 wickets at 14.81. She formed a telling new-ball combination with Ismail – which peaked with their almost perfect display in the final – but without the South Africa quick this season, Johnson will have to take more responsibility. During the off-season she took part in the Hundred where she finished as the joint second-leading wicket-taker. Depending on how she is used with the bat, an increase on last year’s 108 runs could also be critical.

أطلق أحمد حسام ميدو، نجم الزمالك السابق وعضو اللجنة الفنية بالنادي، تصريحات مثيرة بالتزامن مع الجدل الدائر حول أزمة التحكيم قبل مباراة القمة بين الأهلي والزمالك.

ويستعد الأهلي والزمالك للمواجهة المرتقبة مساء اليوم الثلاثاء على استاد القاهرة الدولي، ضمن أولى جولات الدور الثاني من الدوري المصري الممتاز.

وكان النادي الأهلي قد اعترض على تعيين طاقم تحكيم مصري لإدارة المباراة، بعد إعلان اتحاد الكرة إسنادها للحكم محمود البسيوني، مطالبًا بطاقم أجنبي.

وفي هذا السياق، دعا مجلس إدارة الأهلي إلى اجتماع طارئ صباح اليوم، لحسم موقفه من مباراة القمة المرتقبة.

طالع أيضًا | ميدو: أبو تريكة يريد استعطاف الجماهير دائماً .. والأهلي خسر بظهوره في إعلان الاستاد

وفي ظل هذه الأجواء، كتب ميدو عبر حسابه الرسمي على منصة “إكس” رسالة غامضة جاء فيها: “عندما عادت الوجوه القديمة إلى الساحة مرة أخرى، عادت فلسفة الإدارة بأسلوب شيلني وأشيلك!!”.

وأضاف: “إللي بيشيل هي منظومة الكورة في مصر.. الجميع متضرر!!”.

ويحتل الأهلي، المركز الثاني في جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري برصيد 39 نقطة، بينما يدخل الزمالك المباراة وهو في المركز الثالث بـ 32 نقطة.

If selected, he will finish with 75 T20I appearances, to go with six Tests and 114 ODIs

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Oct-2021

Asghar Afghan holds the record for most wins by a captain in T20Is, one more than MS Dhoni’s mark of 41•Getty Images

Asghar Afghan, the 33-year-old former Afghanistan captain who is a part of his country’s squad at the ongoing T20 World Cup, has announced his decision to retire from all formats of the game at the end of their fixture against Namibia on Sunday. The Afghanistan Cricket Board has accepted it, saying that it “welcomes and respects his decision” and “expresses gratitudes for his services to the country”.Asghar – earlier Asghar Stanikzai – didn’t get a chance to bat in Afghanistan’s 130-run win over Scotland in their first Super 12s match at the T20 World Cup and scored 10 in seven balls in the defeat against Pakistan. That was his 74th appearance in a T20I, in which he has scored 1351 runs at an average of 21.79 and strike rate of 110.37.Having started his international career in 2009 with an ODI against Scotland in Benoni in a World Cup qualifying game, Asghar scored 2424 runs in 114 ODIs at an average of 24.73 and a strike rate of 66.77.He was Afghanistan’s captain in their inaugural Test match, against India in Bengaluru in 2018 and played six Tests, scoring 440 runs at 44.00.