It’s been almost a year and a half since Ange Postecoglou was appointed manager of Tottenham Hotspur.

The Australian has undoubtedly had his issues in North London, but it would be fair to say he has successfully brought attacking football back to N17 after José Mourinho and Antonio Conte subjected fans to years of dire displays that were no more successful.

However, while the majority of fans were happy to see the back of the latter last year, he was at least responsible for a few successful signings, including one who’s now being compared to a £60m superstar.

Conte's other star signing

So, before we get to the player in question, let’s look at another of Conte’s best signings he made while at Spurs, Dejan Kulusevski.

The Swedish international joined the Lilywhites on an initial 18-month loan deal with an obligation to buy in January 2022, which was made permanent in the summer of 2023.

However, it was under the Italian manager that the incredible talent first made his way to North London, and while there have been a few issues along the way, it would be unfair to describe his time with the club as anything other than a roaring success.

In all, the former Juve gem has made 116 appearances for the club, in which he’s scored 17 goals and provided 26 assists, equating to a goal involvement every 2.69 games, and based on his form this season, we wouldn’t be surprised to see that average continue to improve.

We say that because, even though he has been an essential player throughout his time at the club, Postecoglou’s decision to move into midfield more regularly this year has seen him become practically undroppable.

For example, of his nine goal involvements this season, seven of them have come when he’s played in attacking or central midfield, and it was in the middle of the park that he became the first away player since the 03/04 season to create nine chances from open play at Old Trafford.

Overall, signing Kulusevski was undoubtedly one of the very best things Conte did while at Spurs.

However, signing another first-teamer, now being compared to one of the best in his position, was a close second.

Spurs' megastar in the making

So, the player in question is right-back Pedro Porro, who, like Kulusevski, initially joined Tottenham on a loan deal under Conte, only this time it was in January 2023, and the deal included an obligation to buy for £40m.

The Spaniard didn’t get much time to play with the former Chelsea boss, as he left that March, but he still enjoyed a reasonable first six months in London, making 17 appearances, scoring three goals and providing three assists.

Fortunately, Postecoglou opted to keep the “titanic” defender, as dubbed by The Athletic’s former Spurs correspondent Charlie Eccleshare, in his team, and across all competitions last season the Don Benito-born dynamo made 37 appearances, in which he racked up a seriously impressive tally of four goals and seven assists.

It’s been more of the same this year as, in just 16 games, the 25-year-old has already scored twice and provided two assists, which is the sort of form that makes his comparison to the sensationally talented Trent Alexander Arnold, who has a career tally of 102 goal involvement, unsurprising.

Yes, according to FBref, which compares players in similar positions in Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and in this instance, has concluded that the Englishman is the most similar full-back to the Spaniard across the last 365 days.

Progressive Passes

5.54

5.19

Progressive Carries

2.85

2.21

Assists

0.08

0.10

Attempted Passes

63.8

64.1

Passes into the Penalty Area

2.00

1.73

Live Passes

52.3

50.9

Shot-Creating Actions

3.24

3.07

Successful Take-Ons

0.31

0.48

While their incredibly attacking ability is already a massive similarity between the pair, we can gain a better understanding of how FBref has reached its conclusion by examining the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, such as progressive passes and carries, assists, live and attempted passes and shot-creating actions, all per 90.

Now, seeing one of your starters compared to someone widely regarded as one of the best in their position is already reason enough for Spurs to celebrate, but it also suggests that the former Sporting ace could be worth a small fortune.

For example, according to FOTmob, the Liverpool star is currently worth around €72m, which is about £60m, and if Porro is the same age, playing a similar role, and producing incredibly similar underlying numbers, why shouldn’t he be worth just as much?

Ultimately, while Conte got a lot wrong during his time at Tottenham, signing the Spanish full-back was not one of them, and if the club are ever to sell him for a massive profit, they may owe him a thank-you.

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Perhaps the right way to look at it would be to acknowledge that Tottenham Hotspur were cruising against Manchester United on Thursday, and only entered anxious territory through two inexplicable Fraser Forster blunders.

Forster, 36, has done well since stepping in for the injured Guglielmo Vicario earlier in the month but is not a natural ball-playing keeper and thus struggles to implement Ange Postecoglou’s vision to its maximum degree.

Still, Spurs just about held their nerve and advanced to the Carabao Cup semi-final, setting up a two-legged tie with Liverpool. Of course, the two teams meet before that New Year showdown, with Arne Slot’s side making the trip to London later today.

The Premier League leaders have been near indomitable this season though have dropped points in successive top-flight matches, and Spurs will be confident that their attacking play can overpower Slot’s drilled and dynamic team.

Of course, any hint of a blunder must be immediately snuffed out, for Mohamed Salah is playing some of the best football of his storied career and will pounce on the slightest opening.

Spurs have to stop Mohamed Salah

Liverpool’s talisman has supercharged Slot’s impressive start to life in England, with his clinical contributions providing the Reds with routes toward victory on numerous occasions, even when performing some way below their best.

Most Goals + Assists – Europe’s Top Five Leagues (24/25)

Rank

Player

Goals

Assists

G/A

1.

Mohamed Salah

13

9

22

2.

Harry Kane

14

7

21

2=

Omar Marmoush

13

8

21

4.

Raphinha

11

8

19

5.

Robert Lewandowski

16

2

18

Stats via Transfermarkt

It will be a tough task stifling him, for the Egypt star is set to be up against both of Spurs’ first-choice defensive axis, Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, with the centre-backs out until the New Year with injuries.

Destiny Udogie missed out in midweek with a setback but is expected to reclaim his place at left-back from Djed Spence, and though the Italian hasn’t been at his best this term, there’s no question that his athleticism and power could prove to be a thorn in Salah’s side.

Tottenham need an answer, and that’s not just from a defensive standpoint. He didn’t start against the Red Devils, but Brennan Johnson should certainly be unleashed from the outset against Liverpool.

Brennan Johnson can be Ange's answer to Salah

Liverpool have a brilliant strikeforce but Tottenham’s frontline isn’t exactly shoddy. Today’s hosts have already scored 36 goals in the Premier League this term, whereas the Merseysiders have 31, albeit having played a game less.

Johnson has been a massive plus in this regard, unlocking a new level to his finishing and posting ten goals from 22 matches in all competitions this season.

Curiously, this means that the 23-year-old has already doubled his tally from last season, having played 16 matches fewer. It’s no wonder Ange has hailed his “great vein of form” this season, but then the Australian manager isn’t the only one.

Indeed, content creator HLTCO waxed lyrical about the Wales international’s qualities during the 2023/24 campaign, saying:

“Brennan Johnson is such an exciting player to watch. He’s got frightening pace and directness; constantly looking to make something happen, it must be an absolute nightmare to defend against him.”

Salah will be hungry for goals but so too will Spurs’ attacking members. Heung-min Son is sure to reprise his spot on the left flank, while Dominic Solanke will have a point to prove at number nine, having been sold by Liverpool during his younger years.

Bukayo Saka is the only player to have created more (19) than Son’s 12 big chances in the Premier League this year, suggesting that the South Korean will mix his output but maintain an emphasis on providing for his fellow forwards.

Premier League 24/25 – Big Chances Created

Rank

Player

BCC

1.

Bukayo Saka

19

2.

Heung-min Son

12

2=

Cole Palmer

12

4.

Leif Davis

10

4=

Lucas Digne

10

Stats via Premier League

The fluency between Tottenham’s attacking aces bodes well for the squad’s chances against the Redmen. Solanke and Johnson in particular could combine wonderfully to send the visitors packing.

As per FBref, Solanke ranks among the top 16% of Premier League forwards this season for successful take-ons and the top 10% for goal-creating actions per 90, making an interesting comment on the dynamic style that convinced Daniel Levy to fork out a club-record £65m sum for the 27-year-old.

With a brace against United on Thursday, Solanke’s tally is up to nine goals and four assists from 22 appearances this season, but his quality is more indefinable than that of goal contributions.

His movement, hold-up play, and deceptive creativity are exactly why Tottenham paid for his signature, with reporter George Sessions further backing this up by describing him as a “pressing monster.”

And therein lies the link to Johnson. By applying pressure on the Liverpool backline, Solanke can create spaces for Johnson, darting through the lines and entering promising positions from which Alisson’s goal can be peppered.

The right winger will be eager to get his name on the score sheet this afternoon, sure, but he will also provide energy to stretch the likes of Robertson and negate the electricity of Luis Diaz, who will be forced to drop back and deal with his positional rival.

Both Liverpool and Tottenham have demonstrated attacking skills this season and defensive fragilities, and there’s perhaps a consideration that the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium could be in for a barnstormer.

For all the promise around Postecoglou’s project, it’s important to remember that the Lilywhites are currently tenth in the divisional standings and with only one win across their past four top-flight fixtures.

Johnson’s performance could be key. With Salah in their side, Liverpool won’t be short of power. Fire must be met with fire.

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أشاد محسن صالح رئيس لجنة التخطيط السابق بالنادي الأهلي، بالمدرب السويسري مارسيل كولر، بعد تعادل الفريق أمام صن داونز، في المباراة التي أقيمت اليوم السبت.

وتعادل الأهلي مع صن داونز، سلبيًا، في إطار مواجهة الذهاب لمباريات دور نصف النهائي من بطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا، على أن تكون مباراة العودة والحسم في القاهرة يوم الجمعة 25 أبريل.

وقال صالح خلال تصريحات عبر قناة “الأهلي”: “لا بد أن نشيد بأداء كولر اليوم، من جهة الإعداد الجيد للاعبين قبل المباراة، ومن جهة التشكيل المناسب”.

وأضاف: “كولر اختار النهج المناسب، صحيح هو تخلى عن أول ربع ساعة من المباراة بحذر مُبالغ فيه، ولكن هذا كان مطلوبًا حتى لا يتلقى الفريق هدفًا في البداية يؤثر على الناحية النفسية وتكون الخسارة، لكن أستطيع أن أقول إنها مباراة أهلاوية خالية من الأخطاء الفنية، سواء من جهة التشكيل أو من جهة إدارة المباراة أو من خلال التغييرات”.

طالع.. فيديو | الأهلي يتعادل سلبيًا مع صن داونز ويؤجل الحسم لمباراة القاهرة في نصف نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا

وتابع: “أداء الأهلي في الشوط الأول كان مُبالغًا في الحذر، ربع ساعة خارج السيطرة، ربع ساعة مضغوطين، ولكن بعد ذلك حدث التحول السريع وظهور المهارات الفردية والثقة في تمرير الكرة، واللعب بمبدأ الأمان في المواقف الصعبة بالتشتيت وهذا ليس عيب في كرة القدم، وبدأت بصمة الأهلي تظهر في الملعب من خلال تصويبات ومحاولات جادة، يُشكر عليها إمام عاشور الذي بذل مجهودًا كبيرًا خاصة في الشوط الأول، لدرجة أننا خشينا عليه من الإجهاد والإصابة، ولكن واضح إن الناحية النفسية للفريق جيدة”.

وواصل: “مهم جدًا الإعداد النفسي للمباراة، سفر الكابتن محمود الخطيب معهم كان مهمًا جدًا، قرار سليم منه وهذا الدور الذي عودنا عليه، ولم يُعاند كولر في هذه المباراة، ووضع اللاعب المناسب في المكان المناسب، في بعض المباريات السابقة كان يقلق من تغيير نجم معين، لكن اليوم لم يكن عنده أي تردد”.

وأكمل: “الخط الدفاعي بثلاثة قلوب دفاع كانت مناسبة جدًا، صن داونز لم يستطع كسر خط الدفاع الأهلاوي الصلب طوال الـ90 دقيقة، كلها كانت تصويبات عشوائية لا تجعلنا نقلق أو نتوقع إنهم يسجلون هدف، وحتى لو كان دخل مرمانا هدف كان ممكن نعوضه”.

وأتم: “نتيجة جيدة وإذ كنا حققنا الفوز بهدف كانت ستكون أفضل، لكن صن داونز لا تأمنه، النقطة المتخوفين منها إن الخروج بالتعادل لن يؤثر على صن داونز، لأن لديهم الإصرار والعزيمة لأنهم اعتادوا بأنهم يقدموا أداءً جيدًا في استاد القاهرة”.

For both the USMNT and Canada, the Nations League third-place match has nearly as much at stake as the tournament finale

LOS ANGELES – In an unexpected way, Mauricio Pochettino and the U.S. men's national team actually got exactly what they were looking for: a competitive game with real stakes. Canada, CONCACAF Nations League, Sunday – only the kickoff will be in the afternoon local time, not the prime-time slot.

This won't be a tournament final – rather, the third-place game. There will be no trophy to lift. The USMNT's 1-0 loss to Panama in the semifinals Thursday ensured that. It also ensured that, for the first time in this competition's four-year history, someone other than the U.S. will be the champion – either Mexico or Panama.

Tough pill to swallow.

Yet … this isn't a normal third-place game. These are typically after-thought affairs, a chance for rotation after a deflating defeat. Not this time. This game is suddenly pressure-packed, with nearly as much on the line as the tournament finale – or perhaps more. Both the U.S. and Canada have so much to prove, so much to show after their semifinal defeats.

The U.S. will need to show something different. They were flat and uninspired against Panama, despite all that was at stake. They can't afford that again. Pochettino will likely make changes, but there is a question of who and how many. He'll need Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie his stars to help his team play their way out of this self-inflicted mess.

"I think that game didn't describe and doesn't describe how we are as a team, as individuals, as players, as coaches, as a U.S. men's national team," Pochettino said. "For different reasons, that can happen, but we need to improve.

GOAL takes a look at five key storylines as the USMNT take on Canada at 6 pm ET at SoFi Stadium.

• Getty Images
  

  Gio Reyna, Diego Luna and creating

  In the second half of Thursday's loss, it became glaringly obvious: the USMNT needed a creative spark. Panama were making the game narrow and spaces were getting tighter. The USMNT was going to need to find a way to play through a wall, to thread a needle to get their goal.

  To their credit, they did twice. Patrick Agyemang had two opportune looks on goal, but couldn't put either home. The chances were there, but without someone to jump on them – someone such as Gio Reyna or Diego Luna. Both have their drawbacks: Reyna's lack of form and Luna's lack of experience.

  At that point in the game, though, the risk would have been worth the reward. The U.S. needed someone on the field who was willing to try things, with Pochettino saying players "need to trust that they can make a mistake and that the mistake is to not try again. For me, that is the most important. People that take risks is what we want, what we love – and we cannot play football without risk."

  Winning the possession battle, which the USMNT overwhelmingly did, means little without scoring.

  "It's like we played without goals, but the objective is to score," Pochettino said. "We prepare and we attack the opponent and that's about finding the possibility to go after it and scoring. We really enjoyed keeping possession and playing and playing and playing, but we didn't score."

  Pochettino admitted that he was prepared to turn to both Reyna and Luna in extra time – but a Panama goal in the 94th minute ensured that the USMNT never got there.

  He should have made the switch earlier. With Panama struggling to threaten, the U.S. had four central midfielders on the field in various spots and none were consistently creating. The double pivot of Tanner Tessmann and Tyler Adams wasn't necessary. The introduction of Jack McGlynn made some sense, but he didn't solve the problem.

  Pochettino said that you can expect to see Luna and Reyna on Sunday, and rightfully so. Both have a point to prove and both will offer something that the U.S. was sorely lacking. It's too late to change that outcome, but Pochettino will hope that one of those two can make an impact against Canada.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  The need for goals

  While the ability to create goalscoring chances is crucial, actually finishing those chances is even more important. The USMNT lacked that on Thursday, too.

  There were a number of opportunities against Panama, and if any one of them had gone the USMNT's way, it would be a different discussion. It was a perfect combination of wastefulness and bad luck.

  "I don't want to say that you don't care, but I think you take it in a more relaxed way," Pochettino said of the approach. "I think that game, we all felt that the opportunity would appear and that we would score and win the game and we celebrate and go to the final on Sunday. I think that was the feeling on the pitch, for you, for players, for us.

  "That is the wrong feeling because you need to score, you need to be aggressive. You need to score two, three, four and then, OK, maybe relax in the few minutes. But, until then, that was a problem."

  Josh Sargent had two of those chances, one off the post and one ruled out due to an offside call long before he hit the back of the net. Patrick Agyemang had a one-on-one saved before then flipping a Christian Pulisic pass up and over the bar. Four looks at goal, any of which could have booked the USMNT a spot in Sunday's finale against Mexico.

  Now they're against Canada, who have a clinical striker of their own in Jonathan David. Sargent has been fantastic for Norwich, but that clinical finishing has been absent from his USMNT game for years. He hasn't scored since 2019 in a U.S. shirt. It would be a damn good time to get one. As for Agyemang, this was his third cap and you give him credit for making an impact off the bench.

  One of the strikers needs to step up – and that explicity means scoring. Goals are a striker's currency, and the USMNT can't afford to have their forwards remain broke through Sunday.

  They could also use a jolt from Pulisic, who completed just 23 of his 35 passes, had just one shot off blocked away and failed to create a chance against Panama.

  "Just lacking a bit of aggressiveness and creativity in the final third," Pulisic said after the match. "We're still building our identity. This is a tough loss. We've won this tournament a couple of times now and it didn't go our way this year, but we just have to keep going from here."

• Imagn
  

  A decision in net

  Let Tony Meola explain it.

  "That ball can't end up in the back of the net," the former US goalkeeper said on CBS after Thursday's match. "I look at the angle Matt Turner took and… yes, the pace of the shot, not going to take anything away from the goalscorer, but in this moment, at this time, Turner is a bit tucked in there [at goal] and… his feet are planted and he doesn't have that explosion. I'm not blaming Turner, but those are moments where you have to find a way."

  Meola offered a theory as to why Turner couldn't quite find a way – his lack of playing time at the club level. It's no secret that Turner hasn't played much this season. After months of this conversation, it's time to ask: should Turner continue to start?

  Pochettino, ultimately, is the one to make that call. He has Patrick Schulte and Zack Steffen in the team, and both will feel they've done enough to earn this chance. Turner, though, has history on his side. It would be harsh to rule him out based on one tough goal. Turner will have much to prove if he is given the nod again.

• Getty Images
  

  Containing Canada

  This may be a third-place match, but that doesn't mean it will be easy. Canada is a team that is at an entirely different level than Panama, which means Sunday's game will look very different.

  While Panama were content to sit back and pick their spot, Canada will certainly believe they can play with the USMNT. They have reason to. They beat the U.S. 2-1 last September after finishing fourth at a Copa America in which the USMNT got grouped. The 2-0 loss to Mexico Thursday was frustrating, yes, but Canada had their chances and left SoFi Stadium feeling hard done by VAR.

  Of the two teams, Canada are arguably more dynamic. Alphonso Davies is incredible. Jonathan David is the best striker in CONCACAF. Cyle Larin is a proven weapon, while newer faces like Ismael Kone and Moise Bombito are coming into their own. You can't fall asleep against Canada. They will punish an opponent much more viciously than Panama can.

  "The U.S., from what I've heard from the camp, is internally disappointed with the performance," said Canada boss Jesse Marsch. "The media here in the U.S. has been very aggressive about how disappointed they were in this team and now have turned a little bit and put it towards the players.

  "We would be foolish if, based on those two factors, we don't expect a hard, real game and a big response from the USMNT. That being said, our guys are excited. we're excited about the challenge."

  For the USMNT, that challenge is going to be difficult. Canada will also be feeling pressure to prove themselves on the road to 2026. This is a measuring stick for both, and whoever loses will have a lot of thinking to do.

Hosts consider playing Mosaddek Hossain as third spinner; visitors remain uncertain about availability of Vishwa Fernando

Mohammad Isam22-May-2022

Naveed Nawaz served as Bangladesh’s Under-19 coach for four years•SLC

As was the case when Sri Lanka last played a Test match in Dhaka, they have a secret weapon up their sleeve this time too.Back in 2018, it was Chandika Hathurusingha, who switched jobs from Bangladesh to Sri Lanka head coach barely months before the tour. This time, it is Naveed Nawaz, the assistant coach of the touring side, who is in his first job in the senior circuit after serving as Bangladesh’s Under-19 coach for four years. In fact, he was one of the architects of Bangladesh’s Under-19 World Cup triumph in 2020.Chris Silverwood, Sri Lanka’s new head coach, has leant on Nawaz to give him intel on the Shere Bangla National Stadium pitch, coincidentally curated by Gamini Silva, the former Sri Lankan umpire who is often maligned in the Bangladesh media for dishing out only raging turners.Related

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“I haven’t seen this wicket, but I do have someone who you all know is in my coaching staff, who knows these conditions,” Silverwood said ahead of their training session on the eve of the second Test.”I will speak to my assistant coach so that we fully understand how this wicket will play. We will be using his knowledge from his time in Bangladesh, and the statistics of this ground to make sure the captain has the best possible bowling attack to exploit the conditions.”Sri Lanka hired Nawaz ahead of this tour, having even briefly considered him as head coach; such has his reputation grown from being a development coach since retiring from his playing days.The Dhaka pitch’s characteristics make it a hot topic of discussion ahead of every Test. What has become apparent is that the home side have been beaten by their own strategy of preparing turning pitches in the last 12 months. West Indies in 2021, and Pakistan late last year beat Bangladesh with the help of spin and patient batting, ideas which Sri Lanka will definitely try to apply this week.Silverwood said that the two teams fought a close contest in Chattogram last week – closer than the result showed – but the game will have a faster pace in Dhaka, for which they will have to be prepared to react quickly.”I don’t think this is going to be an easy game at all. Both teams want to win this game,” he said. “I think the last game was a close-fought contest. The momentum swung both ways; rapidly at times. Bangladesh had us on the ropes at times.”We had to fight back hard to make sure that we got back into the game. I think this will be similar. The game will go forward at a quicker pace. We have to be ready for that. I am looking forward to some exciting cricket.”Considered a batting allrounder in red-ball cricket, Mosaddek Hossain may feature in Bangladesh’s XI in Dhaka•Associated Press

Meanwhile, Bangladesh captain Mominul Haque has a lot on his plate. Apart from his own poor batting form and attempt to revive his captaincy, he has to pick a bowling attack that is ravaged by injuries to Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Nayeem Hasan and Mehidy Hasan Miraz.And while Mominul has two frontline spinners in Shakib Al Hasan and Taijul Islam, Bangladesh have traditionally picked three specialist spinners in Dhaka.Mominul suggested that Mosaddek Hossain, considered a batting allrounder in red-ball cricket, is likely to feature in the XI. However, he also hinted that they might go in with three seamers.”Looking at our spin department, Taijul has been doing well in the last one or two years,” Mominul said. “Shakib bowled well in the last match. If Mosaddek plays, he will have a different role. We have to use him intelligently. But I am confident that with Taijul and Shakib alongside me [as a part-time spinner], we will get over this situation.”I don’t know if I have ever led with one pacer. I don’t think we will just have one seamer. There might be three seamers. Taskin was bowling well, while Shoriful was contributing to the Test team. It is a huge opportunity for those who will replace them. We can have a look at them as well. As a captain, I want a big group of fast bowlers who have healthy competition among them.”Meanwhile, Vishwa Fernando’s availability for Sri Lanka remains uncertain after he missed most of the Chattogram Test due to a blow to the head while batting, giving Sri Lanka a selection headache of their own ahead of the game.Sri Lanka have all the cards close to their chest, but Kasun Rajitha and Asitha Fernando gave a great account of themselves by bowling all-out, hostile spells in the back-end of the Bangladesh innings in Chattogram.”I thought Kasun and Asitha were excellent. I thought the way that they continued, the heart and fight that they showed – in what was a flat wicket – was exceptional,” Silverwood said. “Kasun bowled well. He got movement on a flat deck. He held his line and length beautifully. He got rewarded too. I was really pleased with how the seamers bowled. I thought we got better in all departments as time went on.”There is [the possibility of changing the XI from Chattogram]. Looking at the statistics, we will select a squad that gives us all the options whether that’s picking one seamer or whichever way we decide to go. We will make sure there are plenty of options for the captain in that squad for tomorrow morning.”

Says he is in the “happiest phase” of his life and is “batting well” despite the numbers not showing as much

ESPNcricinfo staff19-May-20226:02

Shastri: ‘Difficult for an all-format player to maintain form, hunger and passion’

Virat Kohli is open to the idea of taking a break from cricket to “rejuvenate” himself mentally and get himself out of the lean patch he has been going through of late. At the same time, Kohli said he was going through the “happiest phase” of his life and he was “batting well” despite struggling for consistent starts across formats. Winning the Asia Cup and T20 World Cup were his two main goals for 2022, he said.Kohli, 33, last scored a century in any format in November 2019 and currently averages 21.45 in the ongoing IPL – his lowest in the tournament since 2008, when he averaged 15. His strike rate of 113.46 this season is also well below his overall IPL strike rate of 129.26 and his lowest in the tournament since 2012, when it was 111.65.While there have been many voices raising concerns over Kohli’s batting struggles, it was former India head coach Ravi Shastri who first said the former India captain was “overcooked” and suggested he go on a break.Kohli said he had heard Shastri’s words and agreed that a break was a “healthy” option for him especially as he has been moving around on cricket’s conveyor belt for more than a decade, including a significant amount of time as a captain.Kohli said he would “definitely discuss” it with the Indian team management, including head coach Rahul Dravid.Related

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What is ailing Virat Kohli?

“It’s not a lot of people who mentioned it (taking a break),” Kohli told in an interview. “There is one person precisely who has mentioned it which is Ravi and that’s because he has seen from close quarters over the last six-seven years the reality of the situation that I have been in. The amount of cricket that I have played and the ups and downs and the toll that it takes on you to play three formats of the game plus the IPL for 10-11 years non-stop with the seven years of captaincy in between…”Last year after Ben Stokes became the first high-profile cricketer to take an indefinite break to recoup from the pressure of operating inside a biosecure environment thrust on cricket due the pandemic, Kohli supported the England allrounder’s decision calling it “refreshing” and “necessary”.Kohli said a break, if he took that option, could allow him a “mental reset”, which was needed to perform at the highest level. “It is definitely a thing that one needs to consider because you don’t want to do something which you are not a part of 100% and I have always believed in that in my life. So to take a break and when to take a break is obviously something that I need to take a call on, but it is only a healthy decision for anyone to take some time off and just rejuvenate yourself mentally and physically. Not so much physically because physical fitness you keep up with through the course of playing cricket all the time, but it is a mental kind of reset that you need, and you want to be excited for what you are doing. You don’t want to feel like you have been forcing yourself into any situation.”So I don’t think there is anything wrong in that. It’s a very healthy thing to think of especially with the amount of cricket that we play nowadays and the amount of cricket that I have played in the last 10-11 years as I mentioned. It’s only a thing of creating a balance and finding that balance which is right for you as an individual moving forward and I’ll definitely discuss this with all the people involved – Rahul , the Indian team management, everyone to chart out whatever is best for myself and for the team definitely.”

“I want to win India the Asia Cup and the World Cup; that’s the motivation”Kohli on his goals after the ongoing IPL

“Want to learn from current phase”
Kohli said his struggles in the IPL are dissimilar to 2014 – when his technique was exposed by James Anderson on the tour of England, which he finished with an average of 13.40 in 10 innings – as there is no pattern to his dismissals. He has been caught at different positions seven times, bowled twice, lbw once and even run out twice. The only thing that tells a story is his low scores: he has been dismissed for under 10 runs on six occasions so far, including three golden ducks.”I am not looking to put this phase behind me, to be honest,” Kohli said. “What happened in England was a pattern so something that I could work on, something that I had to overcome. Right now, there is nothing that you can point out saying there is a problem here. So that for me is an easier thing to process because I know that I’m batting well and at times when I start feeling that rhythm back then I know I am batting well, which wasn’t the case in England [where] I didn’t feel like I was batting well at all. So I had to work hard on one thing that I could be exposed to again and again which I overcame. Right now, that’s not the case. I know where my game stands and you cannot come this far in your international career without having the ability to counter the situations and counter conditions and counter different kinds of bowling.”So this phase for me is the easier phase to process but I don’t want to put this behind me. I want to learn from it and understand that what are the core values that I have as a sports person and as a human being. As long as I’m ticking those boxes… I know these are ups and downs and when I come out of this phase I know how consistent I can be. I know how motivated I will be once the scores start coming to make sure it’s one after the another. I know that I have that drive in me to go back to back to back, which motivates me more as I mentioned in contributing towards my team’s cause and making my team win. So these things drive me and propel me way more than the setbacks that I have.”I am very aware of what’s going on and I am absolutely, as I said, at ease with myself. And very, very confident about the fact that I will keep getting more and more balanced as a human being. Eventually that’s what I want to get out of all these experiences because there is so much life beyond this that we don’t understand the value, the true value of finding this balance.”I am not sitting in a position where I am desperate to prove anything to anyone. For me God’s been so kind and I’m only grateful for everything that has been blessed upon me for over so many years. So much love I am getting from people, so many wishes. It is showing me another side of things that I probably haven’t experienced first-hand before because I was so lost in what I was doing all the time. So I’m feeling more grateful and more grounded with the fact that I have been able to have all these experiences as a normal person.”Virat Kohli has had a forgettable IPL season so far•BCCI”I care for my own well-being way more than I would have in the past”
Kohli also stressed that he will not be bogged down by his performance on the field because he has started to value his “well-being” more.”My experiences are sacred to me – whatever I have experienced in this phase or in the past as well. One thing that I can vouch for is that I have never valued myself more as a person. Because I’m experiencing now that there is a big sense of identity that is created by the world for you, which is far more different, so far away from the reality of you as a human being. So I am experiencing now that I value myself and I care for my own well-being way more than I would have in the past. And actually, contrary to a lot of belief or a lot of perceptions as I mentioned on the outside, I’m actually in the happiest phase of my life.”I am not finding any self-worth or value on what I do on the field. I’m way past that phase. This is a phase of evolution for me. Not to say that I don’t have the same drive, my drive will never die down. The day my drive goes away I will not be playing this game, but to understand that some things are not controllable. The only controllables you have are the things that you can work towards which is working hard on the field and in life as well. And from that point of view, I feel more balanced that I have ever been.”And I am happy with who I am and how I am leading my life. If I start valuing myself with my [on-field] achievements then these achievements are not going to be possible after a stage where I stop playing the game anyways, so where will I get that validation from? So I have started to value myself way more as a person and I’m not finding any source of encouragement or disappointment by what happens on the field. In the heat of the moment, in that moment, because you are a competitive sportsman and it is your profession, it is something that you prepare very well for, you feel disappointed when you are not able to contribute to the team’s cause as much as much as you want to.”[But] this is not about myself. This is about the fact that I have not contributed to my team’s cause as much as I would have wanted to, or I pride myself on.””Want to win India the Asia Cup and the T20 World Cup”
Despite the turbulent run of form, Kohli found time to joke about his batting struggles during a separate chat on with former India team-mate Harbhajan Singh. “Jos Buttler came to me, after the Rajasthan Royals match and said, ‘I want to ask you something’, and I told him that you’re wearing the orange cap what do you want to ask me, I am not able to make runs – and we had a laugh about it,” Kohli told Harbhajan.Asked by Harbhajan what his goals were after the IPL, Kohli said he was focused on making India win two big titles this year.”I want to win India the Asia Cup and the [T20] World Cup; that’s the motivation,” he said. “I have to move forward maintaining a balance, get some rest, some rejuvenation, once I’m in the mindset then there’s no looking back and [it’s] great fun. My main aim is to help India win the Asia Cup and the World Cup and for that I am ready to do anything for the team.”

Liverpool have now set their sights on a “sensational” full-back, having already made contact with his agent, according to journalist Christian Falk.

Liverpool's plans in January

One of the Reds’ main priorities this winter will be to tie down Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold to new contracts, given that all three of their deals are set to expire at the end of the season.

However, Arne Slot may also look to bring in some reinforcements in January, with Fulham’s Antonee Robinson viewed as an ideal replacement for Andy Robertson, amid the left-back’s struggle to find his best form so far this season.

Given that Alexander-Arnold could leave in the summer, with La Liga’s Real Madrid becoming increasingly confident about completing a deal, the manager may also have to strengthen on the right side.

Liverpool are said to have registered their interest in signing Chelsea’s Malo Gusto as the doubt over Alexander-Arnold’s future continues, but the 21-year-old is not the only option they have in mind.

BILD reporter Falk has now revealed that Bayer Leverkusen winger Jeremie Frimpong is of interest to Slot, given his versatility in being able to play in a number of positions, including on the wing and at full-back.

Falk said: “True: That Jeremie Frimpong is on the shortlist at Liverpool. He’s a very special player. He can play many positions and that makes him so interesting for Liverpool. There are no concrete talks yet at the moment, but he’s in their sights.”

Falk also revealed that Frimpong has a €40m (£33m) release clause included in his contract, which the Reds will seemingly need to pay to get a deal over the line. Liverpool are said to have already spoken with the winger’s agent, going as far as inviting him to Anfield earlier in the campaign, although they are not yet at the stage of negotiating the conditions of a deal.

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Given that Alexander-Arnold is well-known for his attacking exploits, it may make sense to replace him with another attack-minded full-back, should he move to Real Madrid at the end of the campaign. Throughout his career so far, Frimpong has been utilised at both right-back and right wing, showcasing his attacking talent this season by chipping in with two goals and four assists in 14 Bundesliga outings.

Guardian columnist Dominik Diamond was particularly impressed with the Dutchman during the Netherlands’ friendly against Canada back in the summer.

As such, although Liverpool fans will not want Alexander-Arnold to leave under any circumstances, Frimpong could be a fantastic replacement.

Everton once again frustrated a team near the top of the Premier League this weekend as Chelsea became the latest title chaser to fail to find the back of the net against a dogged Toffees outfit.

This isn’t even Everton’s first victim when it comes to high-flying teams from London either, as Sean Dyche’s men travelled to Arsenal last time out and shut up shop at the Emirates Stadium in a very similar fashion, before then getting under Chelsea’s skin back on their own turf.

Dyche would have loved the resilience on display from his side, with Enzo Maresca left to curse how well-drilled the hosts were defensively at the full-time whistle.

Everton's defensive heroics vs Chelsea

Whilst the likes of Leicester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers have shipped goals for fun near the foot of the league, leaking 37 and 40 strikes respectively, the constantly switched-on Toffees have only given up 21.

Jordan Pickford is already up to seven clean sheets for the season as his reputation for being a dependable option between the sticks only increases in strength, with his showing against the unusually goal-shy Blues seeing him make four saves, which included an expert denial of Nicolas Jackson from point-blank range during the first 45 minutes.

Moreover, the likes of Jarrad Branthwaite and Vitaliy Mykolenko stood out across the back four, with the Ukranian full-back lively throughout by winning seven duels, whilst his partner in crime in Branthwaite won 100% of his own duels alongside registering four tackles.

Dyche’s side would have definitely trudged off at the end happier with the final scoreline, but Dominic Calvert-Lewin would have been left frustrated by his individual showing once more regardless of the points being shared, as another league game without a goal rudely greeted him.

Calvert-Lewin's performance in numbers

Not finding the back of the net in the Premier League since the middle of September, it’s fair to say Calvert-Lewin isn’t loving his football at the moment.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

In truth, this hasn’t just been a sharp decline in form that’s come out of nowhere this campaign, with his numbers gradually dwindling over the years amidst recurring injury problems.

24/25

16

2

23/24

32

7

22/23

17

2

21/22

17

5

20/21

33

16

The Sheffield-born striker will desperately want to reach his 2020-21 peak again, but even as he is now relatively injury-free, the 27-year-old looks completely short of confidence.

That was definitely the case against Maresca’s visitors, as the anonymous Everton number nine failed to register a single shot all game before being hooked off the pitch on the 73rd-minute mark.

Other worrying numbers from the goalless affair saw Calvert-Lewin complete just seven accurate passes from his minimal 24 touches of the ball (fewer than Pickford’s 45), alongside only winning two of his 11 duels on the day, meaning he lost 81% of his duels whilst Chelsea number four Tosin Adarabioyo showed off his prowess in the air.

Dyche could be prepared to roll the dice and drop his misfiring striker for the trip to Manchester City on Boxing Day, therefore, with Beto perhaps preferred as the lone attacker at the Etihad.

That might well be a personnel switch that catches a lacklustre Man City off-guard, with Liverpool Echo journalist Paul Wheelock handing out a mediocre 6/10 rating to Calvert-Lewin after the dust had settled on the uneventful contest, stating that he had ‘no chance’ of breaking his goal drought.

An absolute stalwart of Everton XIs over recent years when fit, Dyche will just want his team to be more of a threat going forward in games to come, which could result in Calvert-Lewin having to become more familiar with a spot on the substitutes bench.

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Clint Dempsey is "worried about the future of this USMNT" after so-called "Golden Generation" experience "two big failures"

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Crashed out of 2024 Copa AmericaSemifinal heartache in Nations LeagueQuestions ahead of home World CupFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The United States will host, along with Canada and Mexico, the 2026 World Cup. An exciting group of players were expected to build towards that tournament ready to make a potentially historic contribution to a global showpiece on home soil.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

They have, however, endured concerning losses in a couple of continental competitions. Failure to make it out of the group stage at the 2024 Copa America led to managerial change, but ex-Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino has been unable to deliver CONCACAF Nations League glory after suffering a shock semi-final defeat to Panama.

WHAT CLINT DEMPSEY SAID

USMNT legend Dempsey is concerned about what the immediate future holds for a group of players that are failing to live up to expectations. A man with 141 caps to his name said on the CBS broadcast: "People talked about this team being the ‘Golden Generation’. They qualify for the World Cup, they had a pretty strong performance, but then you look at the steps back – Copa America, not getting out of the group there, on home soil. Here, as we get closer to the World Cup, another failure so close to each other. It doesn’t give you a lot of hope.

"You look at us in our situation right now and it just doesn’t give you a lot of confidence, going towards this World Cup and having those two big failures so close to each other. Now we have the Gold Cup coming up – not going to have all of our best players because some are going to play in the FIFA Club World Cup.

"You look at the strength of schedule after that, who are the teams that you are playing against that are going to get you ready? I’m a little nervous and I’m worried about the future of this U.S. men’s national team."

GettyWHAT NEXT FOR THE USMNT?

Pochettino is able to call upon the likes of Christian Pulisic, Gio Reyna, Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah and Tyler Adams – who are all playing at the highest level in Europe – but the USMNT are yet to find a formula that brings the best of talented individuals when they are asked to work together as a collective. They play Canada in the Nations League third-place match Sunday.

Sunderland are now without a win in their last six games in the Championship after a Friday night defeat to new league leaders Sheffield United.

The 1-0 loss that closed out a drab November for the Black Cats also meant that Regis Le Bris’ men had fired blanks in four out of six league contests in the harrowing month, as the strain of being near the top of the second tier pile continues to trouble the Wearside outfit.

Ultimately, the Frenchman will hope this is just a blip on the way to Sunderland rediscovering their best form down the line, as he attempts to get more out of his young squad across a hectic December.

The best of Sunderland's young team this season

Sunderland boasted the youngest average age of a lineup this season in the Championship, with the Black Cats XI that took to the field against Burnley at the end of August having an average age of just 22.7.

This approach of fielding up-and-coming youngsters paid off at the start of the campaign too, with the second-tier side’s only goal of the game against the Clarets coming courtesy of Romaine Mundle, as the 21-year-old went about breathing life back into his Sunderland playing days.

The former Tottenham Hotspur man has ended up being a shrewd replacement for Jack Clarke, with Mundle equally as tricky and slick for Le Bris’ men as their former star once was, having amassed four goals and two assists in the league before a recent injury setback.

Mundle has also been joined in midfield this season by Chris Rigg and Jobe Bellingham – who are only 17 and 19 years of age respectively – but are important parts of the jigsaw under the former Lorient boss’ guidance nonetheless.

That amazing back-heel finish is just one of three strikes Rigg has managed in Championship action, whilst Bellingham has two goals and one assist next to his name as another dangerous midfield presence.

Le Bris could be looking at what he has at his disposal in the U21 fold soon to try and uncover another young gem at the Stadium of Light, with a striker potentially the next in line for a senior opportunity.

Sunderland's next Maja is ready to be unleashed

Of course, unlike the examples above where Sunderland have managed to keep hold of the cream of the crop that come up the ranks, Josh Maja is one that left the Stadium of Light before he had fully blossomed.

The now 24-year-old departed Wearside in the summer of 2019 after an explosive vain of form saw him net 15 strikes during the 2018/19 season in League One from just 24 encounters, with his golden touch in front of goal not letting up this campaign for West Bromwich Albion.

Maja has ten strikes next to his name from 18 second-tier contests, with Wilson Isidor five goals off that total at the moment in league action as one of Sunderland’s main outlets.

Therefore, Le Bris might well want to experiment with his options up top and chuck 17-year-old Trey Samuel-Ogunsuyi in at the deep end soon, hoping he can be the club’s goalscoring sensation from the academy, just like Maja.

U18s

25

9

U21s

16

7

Senior team

0

0

Appearing on the bench here and there under the Frenchman, his first-ever appearance in the senior fold might well come about shortly, with Samuel-Ogunsuyi helping himself to eight goals from his last seven games playing for both the U18s and the U21s.

With Maja also helping himself to seven goals for the U21s before being bumped up to the first team, that could be what comes next for the “super” youngster – as he was labelled by football talent scout Antonio Mango recently.

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