All posts by h716a5.icu

Captain thanks team’s supporters as Afghanistan battle back from brink of elimination with typical resilience

Liam Brickhill in Harare23-Mar-2018Afghanistan captain Asghar Stanikzai dedicated his team’s win over Ireland “to all the people of Afghanistan back home who supported us”. Afghanistan’s five-wicket victory over Ireland in the final Super Six match of the World Cup qualifying tournament secured their place at the 2019 World Cup in England.”I can’t express how happy they will be back home,” said Stanikzai. “Because everyone likes and supports this game back home. We didn’t even have a 10% chance to qualify after the first round, but after some support from people back home, the prayers of the people of Afghanistan, all the messages we received, all the messages on social media, it was not just the dream for our guys, but it was the dream of all Afghanistan as well. I can’t express how important it was for us, and for Afghanistan, to qualify for the 2019 World Cup. We especially want to dedicate this game to all the people of Afghanistan back home who supported us.””It was the dream of every senior player to qualify for the World Cup, because they knew it may be their last World Cup,” said Stanikzai. “So it was a dream for them, and it’s come true. You can see the joy in their celebrations, and they deserve it, the way they played. We are very happy.”Afghanistan made a disastrous start to the qualifying tournament, losing their group games to Scotland, Zimbabwe and Hong Kong. They were without the belligerent presence of Mohammad Shahzad at the top of the order and behind the wicket after he was handed a two-match suspension after falling foul of the match referee during Afghanistan’s defeat to Zimbabwe in Bulawayo. They were also without their captain, Stanikzai, who had to undergo an emergency appendectomy soon after the squad’s arrival in Zimbabwe. Stanikzai said that his side were no strangers to hardship, or to the come-from-behind campaigns that have marked their ascent in world cricket.”If you look at the history of Afghanistan in qualifying tournaments, in the beginning we have struggled in the initial rounds of previous tournaments as well,” said Stanikzai. “This time unfortunately I got an operation for appendicitis, and I was much needed by the team, but in the second round I came back, the morale was up, and they knew, really knew, how important each game was for us. We had, somehow, hope. Especially before the UAE-Zimbabwe game. After that game, we knew our chances were increased, and now we’ve done it. I’m really happy with how the guys bounced back, it’s a great achievement. “Stanikzai returned to lead the side to a win over UAE earlier this week, and played a vital hand today with a quickfire 39. He reached the boundary repeatedly in his innings, despite being in obvious discomfort following his operation.”I’m not feeling that well, not 100%. I only had my operation two weeks ago. I still feel pain inside, especially when I was playing big shots. It was very hard for me to control. But this is us, we are the youngsters, we have to fight and sacrifice for our country. And that’s what we did. And I have done it. When the country needs me, I will be there. I will forget about the pain or whatever, the operation, and I’m proud that I have done this, my little contribution to my country.”Afghanistan’s win today ensured that they will take part in their second World Cup, but Stanikzai insisted that participation alone was no longer enough for his quickly developing team.”We would like not only to participate in the World Cup, but to perform and to even beat more countries because we’re not an Associate any more. Now we have to win because the higher you go, the higher the expectation.”Definitely we will accept that challenge.”

Arsenal have been guilty of some of the worst transfer missteps in recent history, as they strived to ease the pain that Arsene Wenger’s inevitable exit would cause.

The Frenchman had enjoyed 22 successful years in north London, cementing his status as one of the game’s greatest-ever tacticians alongside Sir Alex Ferguson.

He would win three Premier League titles among numerous other domestic honours, with his stature made immortal earlier in the year with the unveiling of his statue outside the Emirates. An action befitting such a legendary character.

So, when he stepped down, the man chosen to succeed him was always bound to struggle, in a similar way to how David Moyes did following the retirement of his compatriot at Old Trafford. The Scotsman would last just ten months in Manchester before his sacking, with his tenure a doomed one.

However, despite being given more time, Unai Emery still failed to earn success, making way for Mikel Arteta’s current regime which finally has them seemingly headed back towards good times.

That being said, the current Aston Villa boss was handed a rough start to life, inheriting all of the duds that Wenger brought in as his truly special tenure wound down. As such, he not only had to build up his own philosophy but also break down the one that came before him by pushing out these failures.

In the end, many of the players painfully outlived the 51-year-old tactician.

Who is Arsenal’s worst-ever signing?

Whilst the title of the Gunners’ worst-ever signing could be handed to any number of players, the last decade has been particularly startling given the inevitable transitional period that Wenger’s departure invoked.

Nicolas Pepe, Lucas Perez, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Francis Jeffers are just a few names that spring to mind over their recent history, but arguably with regard to the biggest disappointment, few compare to Shkodran Mustafi.

Joining as a World Cup winner with Germany, the 31-year-old had been shining for Valencia and deservedly earned his move to England's top flight. The expectation was that he would take to life in a new country with ease, instantly translating his ball-playing and physical profile to become an instant fan favourite in north London.

Whilst he would enjoy some early-tenure success, this proved to be a false dawn, with Mustafi’s true form showing its ugly truth towards the end of his time in north London.

His debut campaign boasted a 7.14 average rating and was upheld through his 83% pass accuracy, 2.4 interceptions, 2.1 tackles and five clearances per game. Crucially, he would not make a single error leading to a goal that year, via Sofascore. By the time his contract had been terminated, a reputation had already been built for making mistakes.

Comparing such figures to the final few seasons endured, and this could not be more unlike how he started. Arsenal legend Ian Wright even launched into a scathing criticism of the 20-cap flop back in 2020, noting: “He's had multiple chances at Arsenal and he continues to let them down.

"I'm not digging him out or anything. He is not good enough. They are playing him because they've got no choice and that's unfortunately why Arsenal can't get rid of him."

Even when they did finally remove him from the playing squad, journalist Charles Watts still summed up his torrid tenure with some choice words:

“So ends the Mustafi era at Arsenal. Horrendous signing. Had some good games, but up there with one of the most costly errors of judgement the club has ever made.”

Whilst Pepe might have been the most expensive flop produced thus far, Mustafi is understandably a contender for their worst-ever acquisition due to the unfulfilled expectation the dud left.

How much did Shokdran Mustafi cost Arsenal?

That’s not to suggest that the centre-back did not set the club back significantly too, with his £35m fee a huge sum for the time.

For context, in that same summer, Manchester City signed John Stones for just £15m more at £50m, and Liverpool brought in Sadio Mane for £36m.

What makes this even more amusing is that The Express rated Pep Guardiola’s business at a mere 6/10, suggesting the “jury’s still out”. Meanwhile, Mustafi’s deal garnered an 8/10, with James Dickenson writing: “Another great piece of business.”

What was Shokdran Mustafi’s salary at Arsenal?

Such a lucrative fee was always bound to draw an equally sizable salary, and by tying him down on a five-year deal, they were locked in.

The north London outfit were forced to pay him £92k-per-week, and across the time he spent with the club, he amassed £21.5m from wages alone.

2020

€12m (£10.3m)

20% decrease

2019

€15m (£12.9m)

39% decrease

2018

€25m (£21.4m)

17% decrease

2017

€30m (£25.7m)

N/A

2016

€30m (£25.7m)

N/A

Not only did Wenger pay out a huge initial fee, but the now 73-year-old’s unwavering faith in the 6-foot stopper also made him a consistent drain even after his departure.

How much has Shokdran Mustafi earned in his career?

Mustafi did not endure a completely torrid career though, despite what many will remember when viewing his his time at Arsenal in isolation.

Successful spells with Sampdoria and Valencia set up the foundation for a thoroughly impressive career that was unfortunately halted in England, with those national team performances a frustrating example that poor displays for the Gunners were in isolation.

As such, he has merited some of the $38.99m (£31.2m) career earnings amassed, although the bulk of that came from Wenger’s generosity.

Did Shkodran Mustafi deserve to earn £92k-per-week?

It is certainly fair to say that Mustafi was not good value for his £92k-per-week paycheck, given how he would struggle as his time at the club went on,

Despite that, the current-Aris Thessaloniki FC ace would go on to make 151 appearances for the club, enjoying some positive spells at the very least. Although, for the total fee he cost the club, you would hope so.

Adding those aforementioned wages to the transfer fee, the former Everton ace took a total of £56.5m from Arsenal across his years there, costing around £374k per game.

How much did other Arsenal players earn?

To emphasise how clueless a period this was, despite his torrid tenure, Mustafi actually earned more than many of his starring peers at the club.

Club captain Laurent Koscielny and Santi Cazorla were both on a level salary with the flop, whilst stars such as Jack Wilshere, Hector Bellerin and Granit Xhaka all earned less, via Capology.

It seems that Wenger made a truly catastrophic error in investing so much in Arsenal’s former number 20, which somehow has managed to age terribly even despite the huge influx of additional money in recent years.

Arsenal's work on the pitch has been impressive, but the way that they have improved as a club off the pitch must also be commended.

The Gunners are no longer losing star players to rival clubs, or missing out on their top targets. Instead, it could be argued that the Emirates is one of the best places to be in the Premier League, proven by the flurry of recent contract extensions.

Mikel Arteta and co have ensured that the likes of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Odegaard and William Saliba have put pen to paper on new deals, sealing their future at the club, as they look to go one better than last season by winning the Premier League. Sporting director Edu Gaspar isn't stopping at Odegaard, Martinelli, Saka, and Saliba, either, according to reports, with another key player set to be offered a new deal and a wage increase.

What's the latest Arsenal news?

Arsenal have combined their good work off the pitch with some fine work on it, securing their return to Champions League football last season, before picking up where they left off in the current campaign. It is still early days, though, and Arteta will be well aware of the need to avoid any early slip-ups.

When the title race does inevitably heat up, the Gunners will need their best leaders to avoid a capitulation similar to last season, and that's where the extension of Oleksandr Zinchenko's contract could come into play. According to Pete O'Rourke of Football Insider, Arsenal are ready to offer the full-back a new long-term deal at the club, which will see his wages increase.

Viewed as a leader both on and off the pitch at the club, Zinchenko's deal may well be another important piece of business in the recent flurry of new contracts. It's certainly a sign that Arteta values the left-back in his side.

How has Oleksandr Zinchenko performed this season?

Zinchenko has had an interesting season so far at Arsenal. Whilst he is viewed as a leader off the pitch, he struggled for starts early on. A positive sign that his game-time could be about to change is that he started in Arsenal's recent 4-0 thrashing of PSV Eindhoven in their highly-anticipated return to the Champions League.

The Ukraine international will certainly hope to earn his place back in Arteta's side on a regular basis, particularly if he puts pen to paper on a new deal at the club. The Spaniard has previously been full of praise for his defender, too, saying, via Goal:

"First of all, his mentality. He’s used to winning – winning is the only thing and winning in the right way. He’s a perfectionist and a really demanding boy, I know him so well, and after that he brings qualities that we didn’t have in the squad. He gives us a different option to play within the role in different spaces, and I’m really happy to have him."

With that said, Zinchenko will certainly be an interesting one to watch this season, as he attempts to break back into Arsenal's starting 11, and potentially puts pen to paper on a new deal.

Yorkshire were under the cosh during the first morning before recovering to 256 and driving the contest from then onwards, claiming 21 points to three

ECB Reporters Network23-Apr-2018
ScorecardYorkshire dotted the i’s and crossed the t’s on a Specsavers County Championship win by 164 runs over Nottinghamshire at Emerald Headingley, claiming the last two wickets within the first hour of play on the final day.Their fast progressing seamer Ben Coad finished with six wickets in the second innings and 10 in the match as Notts forlornly pursued a target of 403. Coad finished with 6 for 81 in the innings and 10 for 130 in the match.Notts started the chase at tea on day three and lost eight wickets before close, including one in the extra half hour. Tom Moores and Jake Ball, however, forced a final day before playing nicely during the opening hour of the day to post a ninth-wicket stand of 66 inside 16 overs.They both played some eye-catching strokes, particularly down the ground, before Coad switched ends to the Kirkstall Lane End and immediately uprooted Ball’s off stump for 30 and had Harry Gurney caught at slip.This was Yorkshire’s second match of the season, yet their first action after last weekend’s opening round clash with Essex here at Headingley was abandoned without a ball bowled due a wet outfield.They were under the cosh at 93 for 5 during the first morning before recovering to 256 and driving the contest from then onwards, claiming 21 points to three.”We’ve spoken a lot about when the game’s in the balance, someone’s got to put their hand up (with the bat), and that’s what we have done in this game. I thought we were ruthless at times,” Andrew Gale, Yorkshire’s coach, said. “There were certain partnerships, Ballance and Leaning in the second innings and ones at the back end of the first innings and second, that took the game away from Notts.”At some periods, I didn’t think we were at our best. But to win games of cricket, you need to be ruthless when it’s in the balance. That’s exactly what happened in this game. We can take a lot from that.”For Notts, it has been a mixed start to life back in Division One after their bowlers dismantled Lancashire at Old Trafford last weekend.They will be looking to bounce back against Worcestershire at New Road, starting on Friday, when England Test bowler Stuart Broad will be available for the first of three matches prior to the early summer series against Pakistan next month. Broad has been preparing with his team-mates here for the last two days.”I just think we’ve been outplayed, basically,” Steve Mullaney, the Notts captain, said. “It was a good chance to bowl first up and we bowled well. We were in a decent position with them at 250 because it was a decent wicket. But we messed up first innings. We’ve also let the tail get away twice bowling. That can happen, but I think our first-innings batting really let us down.”I’ve been through every emotion as a captain during these two weeks, that is for sure. But I’m not worried. We’re one and one. We outplayed Lancashire last week and have been outplayed by Yorkshire this.”The Worcestershire clash also represents their third successive away game to start the season in order for building work at the Radcliffe Road end of Trent Bridge to be completed. Worcestershire have started life in Division One with two defeats from two.Yorkshire’s third fixture of the campaign is at Taunton against Somerset, who started their summer with a home win over Worcestershire this weekend.Last season, Yorkshire beat Somerset by three runs in a thrilling contest there, and it proved to be crucial as they ended up avoiding relegation to Division Two by just two points.Their England Test players, Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow, are unavailable until the following round when they visit champions Essex at Chelmsford. They will also play against Surrey at The Oval.

The opener smashed his sixth IPL hundred and 21st overall in T20s to lead Kings XI Punjab to 193 for 3, a score that proved too much for Sunrisers Hyderabad

The Report by Deivarayan Muthu19-Apr-2018
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details5:26

Agarkar: Sunrisers lacked firepower in the chase

Prior to the start of IPL 2018, Kings XI Punjab’s director Virender Sehwag said Chris Gayle would be worth the money spent on him if he were to win his team two or three games. Gayle has now played two match-winning innings in two matches. Four days after his 33-ball 63 against Chennai Super Kings, Gayle shellacked his sixth IPL hundred and 21st overall in T20s to consign Sunrisers Hyderabad to their first defeat of the season.On Sunday, Gayle lined up CSK’s medium-pacers, but adopted a different approach against a formidable Sunrisers attack. He saw off Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s first spell and later unleashed a brutal assault on Rashid Khan’s legspin. All told, Gayle smashed 42 off 16 balls from Rashid at a strike-rate of 262.50.Gayle batted through the innings for his 104 not out off 63 balls, which also included four twos. In pursuit of 194, Sunrisers lost early wickets as well as Shikhar Dhawan to an elbow injury, and there was no way back for them, despite fifties from their captain Kane Williamson and Manish Pandey.Tye’s knuckle balls do the job

Andrew Tye, the Kings XI Punjab seamer, finished with figures of 4-0-23-2. Those two wickets included those of Kane Williamson and Deepak Hooda, both deceived by knuckle balls. Here’s Tye at the post-match press conference:
On choosing the knuckle ball: “It all depends on how I’m feeling at that time – whether the knuckle ball or the offcutter or the legcutter, back of the hand or anything – all depends on what I feel is working for me on the day. Today it was the knuckle ball, so I stuck with it and bowled a lot of them. Sometimes it works, sometimes I get hit into the crowd and look like a bit of an idiot.”
On the advantage of bowling second: “As a bowler [we] look what the opposition has done, what bowlers have worked for them. [Today] we summed it up to this: it was skidding on a bit, so a good hard length when the ball was new was sort of not bouncing. So you could pull it back a little bit, and [use] the slower balls to hit hard on that wicket to give the batsman no freedom to hit in the arc.”

Kings XI’s Jekyll-and-Hyde start
After becoming the first captain to opt to bat this season, R Ashwin reckoned Kings XI would be better off setting a target as opposed to chasing one against the best attack in the tournament at one of India’s larger grounds. Gayle and KL Rahul began cautiously against the swing and change-ups of Bhuvneshwar and Chris Jordan, and played out 12 dots in the first three overs. Gayle then launched Kings XI’s innings when he hit four boundaries in seven balls, including three leg-side sixes off Jordan and Rashid. In between, he was dropped on 14 by wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha off Rashid’s first ball – a difficult chance off the toe end when he looked to cut.Rahul, at the other end, had an early scare when he was given out lbw on 5, but he survived after a review thanks to a thin inside edge. Rahul moved to 18 off 20 before being pinned in front by a Rashid skidder. Rahul’s Karnataka team-mate Mayank Agarwal flickered briefly before slicing Siddarth Kaul to backward point for 18 off 9; by then Kings XI were 83 for 2 in the 11th over.Chris Gayle raises his bat upon reaching his 21st T20 century•BCCIGayle v Rashid: round-II
With two wickets falling in quick succession, Gayle slowed down and brought up his fifty off 39 balls. He then kicked into top gear and became only the second batsman, after AB de Villiers, to take Rashid for four sixes in an over. Gayle did so off successive balls, in the 14th over, which cost 27 runs.When Rashid erred too full, Gayle simply opened up hips and put the sightscreen in danger, and when Rashid dragged his length back he mowed the ball over the leg side. The visual moment of the over, though, came when he hared back for a second run off the last ball and wore a wry smile.With their premier spinner leaking runs, Sunrisers were forced to look beyond their frontline options. Deepak Hooda, however, could not do much with his part-time offspin.Gayle’s party continues
After getting to his first fifty off 39 balls, Gayle surged to his second off only 19 balls. He moved to 99 with his 11th six – the most by a batsman this season – and raised the landmark by guiding one past backward point in the 19th over. He brought out the ‘cradle’ celebration and later dedicated the knock to his daughter, who will turn two on Friday.Gayle found supporting hands from Karun Nair (31) and Aaron Finch (14*) as Kings XI finished strongly at 193 for 3. Rashid, the best T20 bowler right now, was left nursing his worst figures of 4-0-55-1.Sunrisers sink in chase
Sunrisers suffered a major setback in the first over when Dhawan retired hurt after taking a blow to the elbow, and he did not return to bat. Mohit Sharma varied his pace excellently and bowled both Wriddhiman Saha and Yusuf Pathan to leave Sunrisers at 37 for 2 in five overs.Williamson and Pandey worked past the early strikes with a 76-run stand for the third wicket, but they struggled to keep in touch with the soaring asking rate. Mujeeb Zadran’s mystery spin, Andrew Tye’s knuckle balls, and the bigger boundaries in Mohali did not help Sunrisers’ cause either. When Williamson holed out for 54 off 41 balls in the 15th over, Sunrisers were left needing 81 off 34 balls. It was just too much for a middle order lacking muscle.

West Ham United have welcomed their fair share of academy talent through the ranks over the years, with east London proving to be the foundation of more than a few illustrious careers on English soil.

Of course, there is a graduate of recent years that every fan of Premier League football will know well: Declan Rice. The tenacious, all-action midfielder had been instrumental in the Hammers' rise under David Moyes over the past several years before he departed for pastures new in the summer, completing a staggering £105m transfer to Arsenal.

Frank Lampard, Rio Ferdinand, Gareth Barry, even Glen Johnson. There have been a plethora of aspiring hopefuls who hung up the boots as icons of the game to have started that far-stretching odyssey at Upton Park, and while the London Stadium is now West Ham's stomping ground, the vibrant crop of talent persists.

Divin Mubama is probably the most salient of the current crop of academy players to be creeping toward a prominent role in Moyes' first-team squad, having already posted a goal and assist apiece from six outings for the Irons.

But with talented midfielder George Earthy signing a new three-year contract with the club just days ago, perhaps there is soon to be a new star from the youth ranks ready to take the league by storm.

Earthy is a creative and attack-minded player, and while he's yet to make his senior debut, it may be no coincidence that the exciting new step in his development has coincided with recent high-profile news surrounding Jesse Lingard.

When did West Ham sign Jesse Lingard?

In January 2021, West Ham signed Lingard on loan from Manchester United, with the England international linking up with former manager Moyes after falling firmly out of the Red Devils' plans.

Lingard had always been an "intelligent footballer", as was said by pundit Rio Ferdinand, but he has found sustaining prolific form prove to be slippier than an eel on too many occasions, and it was perhaps warranted that Manchester United sought a route out for the playmaker in 2021 after he contributed just one goal during the 2019/20 Premier League season, and that coming on the final day against Leicester City.

The 32-cap international arrived just days after Said Benrahma's loan move with West Ham was made permanent for around £20m, and while Benrahma still plies his trade at the club to this day – and does so very well indeed – the Englishman arguably enjoyed one of the most resounding loan spells in Premier League history.

How many goals did Lingard score for West Ham?

When Lingard joined the fold in east London, it's fair to say that some were somewhat confused at the signing of a player who looked past his fleeting best days, but he proved to be a masterful addition to a fast-rising Hammers squad.

Indeed, the 30-year-old plundered nine goals and five assists from just 16 outings for the club in the Premier League, proving to be the dynamic, first-rate talent they needed to achieve their seasonal goals.

And achieve them they did; West Ham, charged by Lingard's emphatic exploits, maintained an incredible seasonal purple patch to take them to a sixth-placed finish, qualifying for the Europa League and sitting smugly above London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur.

2020/21

16

Nine goals, five assists

14

2017/18

33

Eight goals, six assists

14

2018/19

27

Four goals, three assists

7

2015/16

25

Four goals, one assist

5

2016/17

25

One goal, two assists

3

As the table displays, Lingard matched his most productive campaign ever in the Premier League with his Old Trafford side under Moyes' Irons leadership, bettering his goal tally and doing so in half as many fixtures.

Lingard was also lauded for his "sensational" impact at West Ham by pundit Nigel Winterburn, and indeed complemented his direct contributions with 1.1 key passes per game, an 84% pass success rate, and 2.6 shots per outing, as per Sofascore.

Discussions were held over a permanent move but nothing materialised, and while the Irons engaged in talks in the summer of 2022, after the expiry of Lingard's contract, ultimately it was decided that that ship had sailed and his time at the club was to be preserved on the pedestal that it rightfully depicts – the fleeting success of a talented star, instrumental in the rise of this successful squad.

There were, however, recent rumours that he would join the club this summer, and following the expiry of his one-year contract with Nottingham Forest, the 5 foot 8 dynamo has been training with his former loan outfit, who were considering an offer to bring him back to the fold.

Last weekend, The Athletic's Roshane Thomas delineated the news that the club had ended their interest and that he will now train with Saudi Pro League club Al Ettifaq in hopes of landing a lucrative contract in the Saudi Pro League.

Well, that's that then. But fear not, Irons faithful – the aforementioned Earthy could be the man for the job for years to come.

How good is George Earthy?

Lauded for his "fantastic attitude" by Mark Noble upon putting pen to paper with a new contract, Earthy has been impressing at youth level and could prove to be the latest star to ascend to the first-team, clearly entrusted with a position to do just that.

The 19-year-old – who can play across the centre of the midfield – is very much a distinguished and thriving member of West Ham's academy, having made 89 appearances, scoring 30 goals and supplying 21 assists.

He has started the current campaign in fine fettle, netting in a tremendous victory over League One side Bristol Rovers in the EFL Trophy and posting a goal and two assists from five matches in the Premier League 2 thus far.

With Manuel Lanzini departing the club on a free transfer in the summer, there's technically room for an heir in Earthy's mould, albeit such would be difficult considering the first-rate phenoms that produce for Moyes domestically and continentally at present.

But for such a precocious talent, surely there will be an opportunity to make his senior debut this term, especially with the Europa League group phase offering chances against ostensibly weaker opposition and the forthcoming Carabao Cup tie against Lincoln City opening the door for rising stars such as Earthy to prove their worth.

It won't be easy, but Earthy, who has been praised as a 'technically-gifted player' by the Evening Standard's Malik Ouzia, looks to boast the quality to wedge his way into his boyhood club's plans sooner rather than later.

Back among Europe's elite, Newcastle United's need for squad depth is arguably greater than ever as they look to cause shocks in the Champions League whilst balancing a push for consecutive top-four finishes in the Premier League. They did well in the summer to welcome the likes of Harvey Barnes and Sandro Tonali to bolster their side, but the Magpies could yet turn their attention towards future additions.

From Eddie Howe's perspective, it may be a case of the more talent, the better when it comes to his Newcastle squad. He will know that, with the right players, the sky is the limit at St James' Park. And, with that said, reports suggest that Newcastle are on alert regarding a particular Premier League star.

What's the latest Newcastle United transfer news?

During the summer transfer window, Newcastle spent a reported €153m (£133m) on reinforcements, and have reaped the rewards for splashing the cash ever since, maintaining a six-game unbeaten run in all competitions, including the recent 4-1 thrashing of Paris Saint-Germain. The only way is up for the Magpies, who look better than ever under Howe.

Things could yet get even better, too, with TalkSport's Alex Crook recently providing a Jarrod Bowen transfer update. According to Crook, the West Ham United winger's contract talks are moving slowly, and as a result, Newcastle are on alert. Howe is reportedly a "long-term admirer" of the England international, who has also been linked with Liverpool.

As things stand, Bowen's current West Ham contract comes to an end in the summer of 2025, meaning that he will be entering the final year of his deal as of next season. If the Hammers fail to negotiate an extension, they may be forced to cash in sooner rather than later in a situation similar to that of Declan Rice, who completed a move to Arsenal for a reported £105m in the summer just gone.

How has Jarrod Bowen performed this season?

Bowen has once again been the main man for West Ham this season, finding the back of the net five times in eight games in all competitions and assisting a further two goals. His impressive form makes Newcastle and Liverpool's reported interest of little surprise, especially given that he has outperformed some of Howe's current options at St James' Park in certain areas in the Premier League, as per FBref:

5

1

10

4

0

8

1

1

3

2

0

4

His performances throughout the last year or so have resulted in deserved praise, including from West Ham manager David Moyes, who said via the club's official website back in April: "Look, I think Jarrod in recent weeks has been the one who has been providing the assists for us. He makes the goal last week against Fulham and even midweek he made the goal. Overall, I think he seems to be the one who's making chances. What we’ve missed a little bit is his goals.

“(Against Arsenal) he gets on the end of one and finishes it, which was great. It's what he wants to do, and hopefully, if he can add another half a dozen goals between now and the end of the season, it would be great.”

Northants are bottom, without a win in four games, but Alex Wakely’s unbeaten half-century has given them a decent chance of improved fortunes

ECB Reporters Network10-Jun-2018
ScorecardAlex Wakely’s first half-century of the season in the Specsavers County Championship put bottom-of-the-table Northamptonshire on top against Leicestershire at Wantage Road, as they took a lead of 152. by the close of the second day with seven second-innings wickets remaining.Winless after four games, unable to deliver what many predicted would be a promotion-chasing campaign, Northants are reasonably well placed to set up a victory platform on the third day.With batting not easy on a pitch that yielded 20 wickets in four-and-a-half sessions, Wakely settled well and struck seven fours and a six in reaching the first fifty of the game in 81 balls.He skipped down the wicket to swing Callum Parkinson’s left-arm spin into the Wilson Stand for six before slapping four more through midwicket and twice cutting the same bowler for boundaries.Wakely shared stands of 51 with Ricardo Vasconcelos for the third wicket and an unbroken alliance of 44 with Adam Rossington that took Northants to the close in a strong position.Until the evening session, the game had been a nip-and-tuck affair with Leicestershire nudging into a 13-run first-innings lead after making 217.They resumed 64 for 3 and lost four wickets in the morning session to slip to 146 for 7. Nightwatchman Gavin Griffiths went to the 11th ball of the morning, chipping Rory Kleinveldt to midwicket without adding to his overnight 1. Colin Ackermann and Neil Dexter then settled into a stand of 45 for the fifth wicket before Ben Cotton struck at midday with a ball that moved away from Ackermann’s drive to take out middle and off stumps.Lewis Hill only made 7 before being caught at short-leg pushing forward to Rob Keogh’s offspin and when Dexter feathered an edge behind off Ben Sanderson, Leicestershire were behind in the game.But a response was provided by Zak Chappell who followed up his first-innings 6 for 44 with 40 with the bat to raise a batting point for the visitors and bring Leicestershire on terms.A limping Rob Newton saw Northants make a solid start to their second-innings. Newton picked up what looked like an injury to his right knee taking a single. He needed a runner but battled through to 30 before being bowled by Mohammad Abbas after Ben Duckett had dragged Ben Raine into his leg stump for 17.When Vasconcelos fell for 37, hooking at Raine and getting a top-edge into his helmet that looped to short-square leg, Leicestershire hoped for a strong end to the day but Wakely and Rossington ensured Northants took the initiative into the third day.

West Ham United had an interesting summer transfer window, with the alarm bells initially ringing over the fact that Declan Rice had departed. The arrival of players like James Ward-Prowse and Edson Alvarez silenced that alarm, and the Hammers have since got off to an impressive start in the Premier League this season to make the academy graduate's exit a forgotten woe.

David Moyes will be well-aware of the need to avoid any further damaging exits, though, making the January transfer window a particularly interesting one. Reports suggest that West Ham do have a plan if one star leaves the club in the winter window, however, with a potential return for a summer target that they missed out on.

West Ham transfer news: Zouma and Maguire

The latest West Ham transfer news, as per 90min, has seen Kurt Zouma linked with a move to Saudi Arabia in January, which would leave the Hammers without one of their most important defenders. The Frenchman has started every Premier League game so far this season, and has taken the captain's armband following Rice's exit.

Moyes is undoubtedly a fan of his captain, previously praising the defender, telling Football London: "We are trying to challenge the top teams because I want to be right there at the top and those players can show they are good enough to play for the international teams. Kurt has played really really well for us. He’s been a colossus in the games he has played so his form will not go unnoticed."

If the former Chelsea man does depart, the latest Harry Maguire transfer news has indicated that West Ham could return for the out-of-favour Manchester United centre-back.

According to 90min, those at the London Stadium are still interested in the England international, despite a move in the summer collapsing after a £30m deal was agreed. West Ham know all about the defender's quality, too, given Maguire's record against West Ham, which has seen him end the day on the winning side eight times throughout his career.

The London club, of course, reinforced their defensive options in the summer window with the arrival of Konstantinos Mavropanos, but the exit of Zouma would leave them back to square one, and in need of yet another arrival within Moyes' defensive line. When the January transfer window does arrive, the Hammers will certainly be an interesting club to watch, especially if they suffer yet another high-profile exit.

How has Harry Maguire performed this season?

Despite remaining out-of-favour, injuries to Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane have seen Maguire thrown back into the Manchester United side at times this season. And he has, much to his credit, impressed at times, recently earning the praise of England teammate Marc Guehi, who told BBC Radio 5Live, via The York Press: “He is a top professional, a great guy to have around the camp, one of the leaders.

“I think people forget things very quickly, but he was Manchester United captain, someone who has played for England at many, many top competitions and has helped the team and the nation to get where they are today. So, let’s not forget what he has done in a hurry because he is definitely a top player and an even better person for sure.”

Jason Holder’s second five-wicket haul in three Tests consigned Bangladesh to another embarrassing meltdown

The Report by Mohammad Isam13-Jul-2018Jason Holder leaps to celebrate a wicket•CWI MediaBangladesh were bowled out for 149 in reply to West Indies’ 354, producing yet another inept batting display. Jason Holder led the home side’s bowling attack with superb spells on either side of the tea interval. He removed three of Bangladesh’s four most experienced batsmen – Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur Rahim – before completing his third five-wicket haul with the wickets of Mehidy Hasan and Abu Jayed.West Indies opted against enforcing the follow-on, but lost Kraigg Brathwaite, whose series ended with a low score when he was bowled by Shakib in the day’s last over. It was a minor slip-up in an otherwise superb day for West Indies, which they ended on 19 for 1.Till the tea interval, the two teams had taken one session each. Bangladesh had taken six West Indies wickets for just 59 runs in the first session, as the home side were bowled out for 354. But Jason Holder and Shannon Gabriel brought them back in control with two wickets each in the middle session, before a Keemo Paul beauty gave the fast bowler his first Test wicket. Tamim Iqbal, who had survived two reviews, a dropped catch by Devon Smith at slip and several close shaves, finally fell for 47 in the final session. Paul beat his outside edge with an angled delivery that many experienced fast bowlers find hard to create.Next ball, he had Nurul Hasan lbw for a golden duck although replays suggested that he had been struck outside off. But Mushfiqur at the other end didn’t offer any help as Nurul walked away.Mushfiqur’s stay didn’t last long either. He was caught by Shai Hope at gully, to give Jason Holder his third wicket. Miguel Cummins joined in the act with Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s wicket, another lbw decision that was upheld after the review.Holder’s fourth wicket was Taijul Islam, bowled through the gate with Bangladesh still five runs short of avoiding the follow-on,The second session had begun badly for Bangladesh as they lost Liton Das and Mominul Haque quickly. Liton was slightly unlucky as replays showed that the Gabriel delivery would have missed his leg stump. Liton, too, didn’t review.Mominul’s difficulty dealing with the full ball continued when he edged to gully for the second time in the series while on the move. His dismal scores read 1, 0 and 0 so far.Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim handled the West Indies attack better thereafter, adding 59 runs for the third wicket. They struck a number of fours through point and cover, but had loose moments. An over after he was dropped, Holder removed Shakib with an incoming delivery that he misread and attempted to cut. Mahmudullah was then trapped leg-before for a second-ball duck.Bangladesh’s batting difficulties made it easy to forget how well Jayed and Mehidy had bowled in the morning session. Shimron Hetmyer, through his second Test fifty, showed glimpses of a classy left-hander willing to find gaps in the off-side ring. But on the second morning, there was no solidity of Kraigg Brathwaite at the other end, with whom he had shared a 109-run stand on the first day. Jayed removed him for the addition of only two runs to his overnight 84. Roston Chase followed soon, continuing his difficult year in Test cricket, as Jayed trapped him leg-before for 20.Mehidy removed Paul and Cummins to complete his five-for, but some lusty hitting in a last-wicket stand of 35 helped the hosts stretch past 350.