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In the wake of Australia’s defeat to South Africa at the WACA, Steven Smith focused on the side’s need to build bigger first-innings totals

Daniel Brettig07-Nov-2016

Australia’s captain Steven Smith has refused to blame an unusual schedule for his side’s poor display in the first Test of the summer, a defeat that made it four in a row and the first opening loss of a home season for 28 years.In order to cater for a second day-night fixture in the summer in Brisbane, the traditional Gabba opening was swapped for a first Test in Perth, where South Africa have never lost a Test match.Additionally, the early November start meant that Australia’s players had only one Sheffield Shield match, with a pink ball, to prepare for the WACA ground. By contrast, South Africa’s squad had two warm-up matches before the first Test and will have another under lights before the third Test is played under flood lights in Adelaide.”Look I can’t comment on scheduling that is put in place pretty early,” Smith said. “So for me it’s about making sure that the guys prepare as well as they can and I think we all had a Shield game, all the batters who played, most of the batters scored runs in that Shield game and had some valuable time in the middle.”We were in a position to be able to drive the game having bowled South Africa out for 240 and then getting to 0 for 150. We had another big collapse of nine for 100, and we weren’t able to capitalise on what the openers did to put us in a great position.”Smith focused on the way Australia’s first innings unravelled virtually from the moment Dale Steyn was injured, meaning the hosts were unable to place any pressure on the South Africa’s bowling attack, led superbly by the man of the match, Kagiso Rabada. Such collapses have become troublingly commonplace for the Australians.”It has happened a little bit of late, which is disappointing and the batters really have to continue to work hard to try and rectify what they are doing out in the middle there,” Smith said. “We have to form some more partnerships and get big first-innings totals. And if I think if we were able to build quite a big lead on that wicket, it would have been a different story.”I guess for us it was just about trying to spend time out in the middle and I guess grind them down. When you have two fast bowlers, I guess the way they used them and the way we thought they’d use them, to use the quicks from one end and some spin at the other end. So, if you keep them out there for long periods of time they can’t continue to do that for a long period of time.”But we weren’t able to capitalise after Dale went down and we let them get back into the game and run away with it. So, credit to the way South Africa played, I think in their second innings the partnership between Duminy and Elgar really took the game away from us and we ween’t able to come back from there.”Looking ahead to Hobart, Smith said the team needed to find a lot of improvement in a short space of time. “When we get out in the middle we have to do things better. We haven’t been able to do that for a while and if we want to stay in this series we have to turn it around quickly in Hobart.””When you are playing international cricket you are always under some sort of pressure, the guys have prepared well, they were excited for this series, we know South Africa are formidable opponents and they outplayed us in this Test match. We are going to have to play a hell of a lot better if we want to compete with them in the next game.”

أفادت تقارير صحفية، بأن أحد مهاجمي فريق ليفربول الإنجليزي، على وشك الرحيل المفاجئ خلال انتقالات الصيف، على خطى المدرب الألماني يورجن كلوب.

وفي يناير الماضي، أعلن كلوب قرار رحيله عن ليفربول بنهاية الموسم الجاري في يونيو 2024.

ووفقًا لصحيفة “ذا صن” البريطانية، فإن لويس دياز على وشك الخروج المفاجئ من ليفربول هذا الصيف إذا تمكن النادي من إقناع محمد صلاح بالتوقيع على عقد جديد.

وانضم دياز إلى ليفربول قبل عامين ويعد عنصرًا أساسيًا في تشكيل المدرب كلوب، رفقة محمد صلاح وداروين نونيز.

اقرأ أيضًا | ذا أثليتك ترد على تصريحات ميدو بشأن توصل محمد صلاح لاتفاق مع ناد سعودي

ويوضح التقرير أن أولوية ليفربول هي التوقيع مع مدرب بديل لكلوب، وتجديد عقود كل من محمد صلاح وفيرجيل فان دايك وترينت ألكسندر أرنولد.

وأشار التقرير إلى أن احتفاظ ليفربول بمحمد صلاح سيكلفه الكثير، ولذلك قد يخطط النادي للاستفادة من بيع لويس دياز، خاصة وأن هناك اهتمام من أندية إسبانيا بالتعاقد معه.

ويثق ليفربول في لاعبيه الشباب، ويعمل على منحهم فرص الظهور في الفريق الأول، مثل جايدن دانس وهارفي إليوت.

وفي الوقت ذاته ليفربول لن يتسرع في مفاوضات التجديد إلا بعد تعيين مدير رياضي جديد.

Manchester United are reportedly plotting a shock summer swoop for Leeds United defender Robin Koch, as manager Erik ten Hag seeks to strengthen his defensive ranks ahead of next season.

What's the latest on Koch to Man United?

According to Sky Sports Germany reporter, Florian Plettenberg, the Red Devils are said to have made contact regarding a move for the 26-year-old, with the German centre-back seemingly set for an exit from Elland Road following the club's recent relegation.

Writing on Twitter, the transfer insider revealed: "News #Koch: He‘s on the shortlist of ManUtd! Loose talks took place. Confirmed. #MUFC."

While there has been some suggestion that the former Freiburg man – who has just 12 months to run on his existing deal – could be available on a free transfer due to a possible relegation clause in his contract, further reports have revealed that a fee would be required if a move is to occur.

Would Koch be a good signing for Man United?

There may be those among the Old Trafford faithful who are scratching their heads at that shocking transfer rumour, with it hard to see the benefit in signing a player who was no doubt culpable in Leeds' return to the Championship in 2022/23.

The £40k-per-week dud – who has previously been branded "horrible to watch" by journalist Beren Cross – was part of a backline in Yorkshire that shipped 78 Premier League goals in the most recent campaign, the worst record in the division.

On an individual basis, Koch was no shining light as he racked up an average match rating of just 6.63, as per Sofascore, with that figure ensuring he would rank just 21st among Ten Hag's current squad at the Theatre of Dreams.

There also may be a concern at United at the prospect of snapping up another asset from the Championship, with the Red Devils having perhaps been stung by their signing of Daniel James from Swansea City back in 2019.

While Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and co did ultimately make a profit on that £15m signing – having moved the Welshman on to Leeds, ironically, for £25m in the summer of 2021 – the wing wizard rarely looked of the quality required to make the grade in Manchester, scoring just nine goals and registering only nine assists in 74 games in all competitions.

Despite possessing something of an "X-Factor" due to his breathtaking speed – according to Solskjaer – James was simply just "not a Manchester United player", as per talkSPORT pundit Gabby Agbonlahor.

Also described as "headless" by pundit Darren Bent, the 25-year-old has hardly set the world alight since his Old Trafford exit after scoring just four times in 40 games for Leeds, before enduring a bit-part role on loan at Fulham in 2022/23 in which he made just 23 outings across all fronts.

While that's not to suggest that any move for a newly-relegated or second-tier player will prove to be a mistake, United must question the wisdom in looking to the Championship to find new recruits – such as Koch – with a Champions League campaign and potential title challenge on the horizon.

With Tottenham Hotspur now plotting to strengthen following the appointment of Ange Postecoglou, one transfer rumour that has particularly caught the eye is the links to Manchester United winger, Jadon Sancho.

According to a recent report from the Daily Star, the Lilywhites are said to be interested in making a £50m move for the England international this summer, with the 23-year-old having initially made the switch to Old Trafford on a £73m deal back in 2021.

The former Borussia Dortmund ace looks likely to be moved on by the Red Devils this summer amid claims that Erik ten Hag is willing to cash in on the 5 foot 11 trickster, with an asking price of around £60m having been suggested.

The one-time Manchester City youth product is currently facing such uncertainty at the Theatre of Dreams having provided just 18 goals and assists in 79 games across all fronts over the last two seasons, although those at N17 may well be hoping that they can revive the £350k-per-week forward's fortunes if he is to make the move to the capital over the coming weeks and months.

Should Tottenham sign Jadon Sancho?

There is no denying that Sancho is not looking like the player who previously burst onto the scene at Dortmund, having notably racked up 114 goals and assists in just 137 games for the Bundesliga side, prior to making his return to England.

That stellar form had unsurprisingly earned the wide man rave reviews, with his compatriot and former teammate Jude Bellingham having dubbed him "frightening" and "scary" back in 2021 due to the sheer scale of his talent.

That version of the London-born whiz would no doubt be a real bonus for Spurs if they could wrap up a deal, with there a potential for Sancho to form a devastating attacking partnership with his England colleague, Harry Kane, at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

With it looking as if Kane will not be sold by chairman Daniel Levy this summer, the club's record scorer is set to lead the line yet again next term, having only recently ended the 2022/23 campaign with a staggering haul of 30 league goals to his name.

As Sancho's assist record in Germany would illustrate – a total of 64 assists in all competitions – the playmaker could well help to provide quality service to the 29-year-old in attack, while the current United man has also shown a willingness to try and make things happen at the top end of the in recent times, as he ranks in the top 8% among his European peers for touches in the attacking penalty area.

Even amid his current woes, the fleet-footed ace still ranks in the top 20% for shot-creating actions as a further marker of his creative ability in the final third, again suggesting that he could be the man to deliver the goods to Kane on a regular basis.

Of course – as the most recent campaign has shown – the latter man is almost able to make the difference on his own, yet having a fit and firing Sancho alongside him in the attack could be a truly mouthwatering proposition.

أنهى الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالنادي الأهلي، تدريباته استعدادًا لمواجهة يانج أفريكانز التنزاني، المقرر لها مساء غد الجمعة في دوري أبطال إفريقيا.

ويصطدم الأهلي بنظيره يانج أفريكانز في السادسة من مساء غدٍ الجمعة على استاد القاهرة، ضمن منافسات الجولة الأخيرة لدور المجموعات بدوري أبطال إفريقيا.

رسميًا | كهربا يسدد غرامة الزمالك كاملة ويُنهي الأزمة

وأدى الأهلي مرانه الأخير على ملعب مختار التتش بالجزيرة، والذي شهد السماح لوسائل الإعلام بحضور 15 دقيقة في بداية المران وفقًا للوائح الاتحاد الإفريقي.

وفي الوقت ذاته بدأ محمد الشناوي، حارس مرمى الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالنادي الأهلي، تدريبات الجري حول الملعب، على هامش المران الختامي للفريق.

وبدأ الشناوي تدريبات الجري حول الملعب، وفقًا للبرنامج الذي يخضع له منذ الإصابة التي تعرض لها بالكتف، خلال مشاركته مع المنتخب الوطني ‏ببطولة كأس الأمم الإفريقية.

وأكد أحمد جاب الله، رئيس الجهاز الطبي بالنادي، أن حالة الشناوي في تحسن مستمر، ويتقدم بشكل كبير في تنفيذ مراحل العلاج الطبيعي والتأهيل.‏

كان جاب الله قد أكد أنه بمجرد الانتهاء من المرحلة الأولى في البرنامج التأهيلي سيتم تحديد سفر قائد الفريق إلى الخارج، لتنفيذ المرحلة الثانية في ‏التأهيل أو بقائه في مصر، وجميع الاحتمالات قائمة، وذلك بما يخدم مصلحة اللاعب، لافتًا إلى أن الاتجاه الأقرب إلى الآن خوض الحارس الدولي ‏الفترة الثانية من البرنامج التأهيلي خارج مصر.‏

الجدير بالذكر، أن الاجتماع الفني للمباراة قد أسفر عن الاتفاق على أن يرتدي الأهلي زيه التقليدي المكون من القميص الأحمر والشورت الأبيض والشراب الأحمر، ويرتدي حارس المرمى الطاقم الأزرق بالكامل، فيما يرتدي فريق يانج أفريكانز القميص الأصفر والشورت الأسود ويرتدي حارسه الطاقم البنفسجي بالكامل.

West Ham have been linked with a move for Burnley star Maxwel Cornet recently and the 25-year-old could solve a key issue for David Moyes at the London Stadium ahead of next season.

What’s the word?

According to journalist Pete O’Rourke, the Hammers could ‘definitely’ make a move to sign the Ivorian this summer, following Burnley’s relegation to the Championship.

He told GIVEMESPORT:

“I could definitely see West Ham making a move for Cornet. This relegation release clause makes Cornet very attractive to a number of clubs, not just in the Premier League but probably abroad as well.

“I think Cornet had a good debut season in the Premier League for Burnley; he was one of their better players.”

Although he only joined Burnley last summer, the former Lyon man will surely be keen to continue his stay in the Premier League after a standout season that saw him finish as the Lancashire side’s top scorer in the top flight.

He is also reportedly available for just £17.5m due to a relegation release clause in his contract, so would represent a fairly cheap option for the Hammers this summer.

Solving a key headache:

It is a common consensus among West Ham fans that their season dropped off last year due to a lack of squad depth and January signings, as players were regularly forced to play twice a week after their run to the Europa League semi-final.

Moyes lacked a backup striker to Michail Antonio and with the Jamaica international sadly quite injury-prone, it was always going to be difficult for the Hammers to maintain their early season form throughout the campaign.

They could also be said to lack depth at left-back, with Arthur Masuaku inconsistent at the best of times, and Aaron Cresswell showing his vulnerability with costly red cards against Lyon and Eintracht Frankfurt.

Cornet’s performances last season earned a lot of plaudits, including from Roy Keane, a man who is notoriously difficult to impress.

He said: “He started the season really well with some real quality goals.

“Brilliant strike rate and technique. He is obviously a big plus to Burnley. He hit the ground running, with some brilliant strikes. Fantastic.”

Therefore, signing someone as versatile as Cornet, who is more than capable of playing as a left-back, winger or striker, would make a lot of sense for Moyes and would give him a lot more depth and cover ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

And, in other news… West Ham could land next £75m star in 30-goal gem who’s “similar to Hazard”

Recent reports have seen Arsenal heavily linked with re-signing Germany international Serge Gnabry from Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, the 26-year-old having initially joined the Gunners’ youth ranks in 2011, before departing five years later after failing to establish himself in the first team at the Emirates.

With just ten Premier League appearances for the north Londoners under his belt, the Stuttgart born gem joined Werder Bremen on a permanent deal in 2016 after a disappointing season-long loan stint at West Bromwich Albion.

The 31-cap speedster was famously deemed not good enough for the Baggies by then-boss Tony Pulis during his dismal period at the Hawthorns, although has since made that assumption look truly ridiculous, having gone on to win a plethora of major honours at the Allianz Arena.

Having joined his current side in 2017 – initially spending the first campaign on loan at Hoffenheim – Gnabry has gone on to score 64 goals and register 40 assists in 174 appearances in all competitions, notably winning four successive league titles as well as the Champions League in 2020.

Once moved on by Arsene Wenger for just £7m, the latest indication is that the £115k-per-week menace could now cost as much as £34m, with that figure having only been reduced due to his contract expiring next summer.

There is, as expected, a great deal of excitement regarding a potential return to English football, although one club that will no doubt be fearing the worst is rivals Tottenham Hotspur, with the Lilywhites having been on the wrong end of a Gnabry masterclass a few years ago.

Then Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino saw his side completely dismantled by Hansi Flick’s rampant Bayern outfit in a brutal Champions League group stage mauling back in October 2019, with the hosts suffering the further ignominy of being torn apart by the aforementioned former Gunners gem.

In a scintillating showing at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Gnabry hit four in a remarkable 7-2 victory for the eventual tournament winners, with the result seemingly contributing to Pochettino’s sacking just a month or so later.

The encounter had been relatively even heading in at the interval as the visitors led 2-1, before a blistering second period saw Flick’s men surge to victory in ruthless fashion, with the former Arsenal man becoming the first player to hit four second-half goals in a Champions League game.

His first illustrated his lightning speed as he tore past a lunging Davinson Sanchez before cutting onto his right foot to unleash a remarkable precise finish past Hugo Lloris, before bettering the Frenchman again with a composed finish off the post with his weaker left foot.

The £63m-rated man then put the game out of sight late on with another quick-fire double, wrapping up his hat-trick after racing clear to again slide the ball past a helpless Lloris, before completing his haul with a divine strike across goal that gave little chance to the flailing ‘keeper.

In truth, his greatest impact for Arsenal did in fact come in the red of Bayern, as the Gunners supporters revelled in that display, before he again punished a London outfit by netting twice against Chelsea in the last-16 a few months later.

Not living on past success, however, he has again impressed in the most recent campaign, netting 17 goals and ten assists in all competitions for the German champions, while he also compares remarkably well to those in his position across Europe’s top five leagues, ranking highly in a string of attacking metrics as per FBref.

Once described as “magic” by Transfermakrt’s Stefan Bienkowski, the lethal forward has that rare quality to make an impact at the highest level on a consistent basis, with his arrival only set to bolster Arteta’s hopes of returning to Europe’s premier competition.

If not to aid them in getting back into the top four, Arsenal simply must sign Gnabry so that he can torment their north London rivals once again.

In other news, Arsenal eye bid for £76.5m-rated “fighter” who “always creates”, he’s better than Saka

Tottenham manager Antonio Conte has made a major transfer decision involving former Spurs star and current midfield target Christian Eriksen, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Reunion on the cards?

As per a recent report by The Telegraph, after the 52-year-old secured Champions League football for Spurs next season, the Lilywhites are set to offer the Italian six summer signings in a plea for him to stay in north London.

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It is believed that the Premier League giants will let Conte lead the way in terms of summer targets with ex-Spurs playmaker and fan favourite Eriksen on a list of potential targets.

Transfer chief Fabio Paratici will apparently fly to Italy to hold talks with the manager over plans for the upcoming window, but according to a fresh claim by Football Insider, it appears that Conte has already made a big decision regarding the Denmark international, whom he managed at Inter.

The Latest: Conte green-lights Eriksen move…

According to Football Insider, the Tottenham manager has ‘sanctioned a move’ for Eriksen this summer as his contract with current club Brentford nears its end.

The club have apparently ‘already been in contact’ over a potential agreement, while a source from the outlet explained that the 30-year-old ‘would be keen’ on a ‘sensational’ return to Spurs if a deal can be struck.

The Verdict: Promising update?

Going by this fresh update, it appears that a return for Eriksen to Tottenham could be growing increasingly likely.

We believe that N17 is a perfect landing spot for him given that Spurs can offer the midfielder Champions League football and a chance of working with a manager he knows well in Conte.

Having finished the season as Thomas Frank’s best player going by average match rating, all while making more key passes per 90 than any Bees player (WhoScored), it’s clear that Eriksen still possesses the creativity to be an asset at Hotspur Way.

Pontus Jansson summed up his team-mate’s pedigree by branding him a ‘superstar’, and that perhaps highlights why Conte and co are interested in landing the ex-Spurs star on a Bosman deal.

In other news: ‘Told Spurs are ready…’ – Dam Kilpatrick has exciting transfer news for supporters! Find out more here.

After his performance in the League One play-off Final, Alex Pritchard could be a vital piece in Sunderland’s Championship campaign next season.

The Spurs youth graduate has enjoyed a prosperous campaign on a personal level, having chipped in with eleven assists in League One this season.

And whilst he was able to show consistency throughout a successful league season, he’s demonstrated that he can perform in the big games, starting three appearances in the League One play-offs and providing two assists to help the Black Cats realise their Championship promotion ambition.

The 29-year-old’s performance in the final had chief Sunderland writer Phil Smith waxing lyrical about the former Spurs man in his player ratings, giving Pritchard a rating of nine, making him the joint man of the match with Elliot Embleton also handed a glowing review.

Commenting on Pritchard’s performance, Smith said this as per Sunderland Echo: “Alex Pritchard – 9; Pressed really well and pulled into some excellent areas throughout the first half. Superb work rate and got his reward with the assist for Stewart’s fine second goal. What a moment. 9.”

Operating primarily as a central attacking midfielder in Alex Neil’s alternating systems of 3-4-1-2 and 4-2-3-1, Pritchard – who has scored 43 goals across the course of his career –  has managed to rejuvenate his career at the Stadium of Light and now finds himself as a Championship player once more, in a system that tactically fits him well.

One of the biggest difficulties for Sunderland and indeed the largest priority for Neil will be keeping hold of the core members of this squad.

Pritchard, who was dubbed “especially impressive” for his performance on Saturday, is one of those core players, and having garnered the majority of his experience in England’s second-tier, he knows exactly what it takes to survive at that level.

In the prime of his career at 29, he could be a vital piece for Sunderland in the Championship, and a player who consequently saves them millions of investment in the transfer market.

In other news: Forget Pritchard: £13k-p/w SAFC tank with 11 duels won was the real promotion hero 

Everton were saved from relegation by the skin of their teeth on Thursday night in a stunning comeback win over Crystal Palace.

The Toffees had looked in trouble following their defeat against Brentford, and knowing that a win against Palace would secure their Premier League status regardless of other results, it was the biggest win for the club in years.

The hero of the night? Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

It’s no secret that there hasn’t been a standout player this season for Everton, with Frank Lampard toiling by the week with a struggling side. However, if the 25-year-old marksman can get back to the form that the fans know he is capable of, then next season could be very different for the team.

Calvert-Lewin transfer blinder

The Merseyside club pulled off a blinder with his signing, having bought him from Sheffield United for a mere £1.5m in 2016. His market value as of March 2022 stands at £37.8m, with a high of £40.5m in December 2020.

His rise to stardom and England honours has been wonderful, and it’s a testament to his belief and talent that he has gotten this far in his career – and that there is probably still plenty to come.

If Everton were relegated, the likelihood is that Calvert-Lewin would have left the club and remained in the Premier League, with recent reports linking him with a move to Newcastle United.

His goalscoring record at Goodison Park rose exponentially until niggling injuries and a lack of goals dented the player’s confidence. Having struck 36 times in all competitions in the two campaigns prior, he has just scored five league goals this season, albeit with the most recent of those the most important one in the club’s modern history. Nonetheless, he will be aiming to improve that return next season.

Whatever happens, Everton could make a huge profit on the striker if they really wanted to this summer, especially with another three years left on his current contract.

Lampard will be desperate to keep the player, whose ability in the air was dubbed “prodigious” by academy coach John Ebbrell. Given Calvert-Lewin’s obvious talent, it’s easy to see why.

AND in other news, Forget Richarlison: Everton “nightmare” with 17 duels won was ther real star against Palace