All posts by h716a5.icu

A report by journalist Nizaar Kinsella has shared some transfer hope for Tottenham Hotspur after their verbal offer to sign Chelsea's Conor Gallagher.

Will Spurs make a deadline day signing?

Spurs and new manager Ange Postecoglou have finally sealed a unique replacement for star striker Harry Kane after his multi-million pound move to Bayern Munich earlier this summer.

Wales international Brennan Johnson – who now looks set to be a cog in Postecoglou's fluid, new-look Tottenham system – is on his way to north London after they agreed a deal in excess of £40 million plus add-ons with Nottingham Forest (Fabrizio Romano).

The transfer comes as big boost for Postecoglou, who long foresaw Kane's exit to Bayern after conversations with the 30-year-old.

“I had a conversation with Harry the first day he arrived and he was up front and honest, and I was the same,” Postecoglou said ahead of their opening top flight match against Brentford.

“You get an indication there that he kind of made up his mind: that if the clubs agreed he would go, particularly if it was before the first game. That was my preference as well.

“There's nothing along the way that's sort of made me feel there's anything other than this outcome."

Now that Johnson is signed and sealed, putting an end to Spurs' search for a Kane heir, attention turns to who else Tottenham could bring in before the deadline day 11pm cut off.

Bournemouth's Lloyd Kelly has been subject to late interest from the Lilywhites, while Chelsea midfielder Gallagher is a candidate to replace the potentially departing Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

There has been an update on Gallagher courtesy of The Evening Standard, and their reliable reporter Kinsella, who writes that Spurs have made a verbal bid of around £40 million for the Englishman.

Despite that latest attempt not being enough to sway Chelsea, who are holding out for around £50m, Gallagher's potential last gasp switch to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is still alive.

Indeed, Kinsella says that both Spurs and Chelsea still "believe a deal could be struck in certain circumstances" for Gallagher, with lines of communication remaining "open".

A move would be dependent on Postecoglou's side offloading Hojbjerg, as previously reported.

How good is Conor Gallagher?

Over 2021/2022, during his loan spell at Crystal Palace, the 23-year-old ranked as their best-performer per 90 whilst chipping in with eight goals and three assists in the top flight alone (WhoScored).

Gallagher has showcased his true ability when playing at the very highest level; something which has perhaps enticed Postecoglou and chairman Daniel Levy into a late attempt.

Former Spurs midfielder Jermaine Jenas, speaking to Match of the Day (via The Sun), even called the homegrown ace a possible "game-changer".

“He reminds me a lot of Lampard," said Jenas.

"I think he is a game-changer aswell Conor Gallagher. He’s the type of player that you bring on and he has an impact on the game.

“He presses, gets himself in the box and creates chances. Also, he’s won a World Cup. He was part of the U17 World Cup-winning side so he understands tournament football and I’m pleased for Conor.”

There has been a twist concerning the future of Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg after reports that he is not in Ange Postecoglou's plans.

Who has left Tottenham this season?

Spurs have seriously reshaped their squad over the summer and through to now, with a plethora of players making way to free up space in Postecoglou's team.

Perhaps the most high profile of them is star striker Harry Kane, who left for Bayern Munich last month in a multi-million pound deal; coming as one of the headline transfers of the summer window.

Tottenham also waved goodbye to Sergio Reguilon, Joe Rodon, Djed Spence, Harry Winks, Alfie Devine, Troy Parrott and Dane Scarlett – who all sealed moves away last month and beforehand.

Most recently, thanks to the Turkish transfer window remaining open until September 15, Spurs have been able to offload both defender Davinson Sanchez, who has left on a permanent deal, and midfielder Tanguy Ndombele (loan) to Galatasaray.

The Premier League high-flyers have enjoyed an electric start to the season under Postecoglou, winning three of their opening four matches; so far proving the Spurs head coach's decisions totally right.

Another player who has been rumoured to not be a part of Postecoglou's plans at Tottenham is Hojbjerg, who was linked repeatedly with a Spurs exit right through to deadline day.

The likes of Atletico Madrid and Fulham were apparently chasing a late deal for the Denmark international, and with both the Saudi and Turkish windows open, there's been reason to believe he could still depart.

However, journalist Pete O'Rourke has now shared an update on Hojbjerg's future, with there being a twist to the tale.

It is believed Spurs are now ready to block any proposed out-of-window exit for the former Southampton star, despite some interest from Turkish sides.

Hojbjerg has featured fairly regularly in the last few games, even starting their Carabao Cup second round clash away to Fulham, and Spurs' inability to sign a replacement means he now looks set to stay.

Tottenham were apparently eager to bring in a transfer fee for the midfielder, but as the British window is closed, any proposed departure to the Far East will be blocked by the north Londoners – as per O'Rourke to Football Insider.

Spurs aren't willing to lose Hojbjerg now, and it will be interesting to see if he can indeed become a cog in Postecoglou's new-look, fluid system.

How good is Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg?

The 28-year-old was a mainstay for Spurs last term and one of their best-performing players per 90, according to WhoScored, and he has been praised for his elite contribution in recent years.

Spurs podcaster Bardi even said this on Hojbjerg all the way back in 2020, although sharing some concerns at his lack of mobility:

“Our track record of defensive midfielders hasn’t been great," said Bardi to The Extra Inch Podcast (via TIF).

"So now all of a sudden we’ve got Hojbjerg there who’s very smart, very talented, [a] very skilful player, we’re looking at him going ‘he’s like the new Deschamps’ or something.

“I like him, it’s great. I’m just concerned with someone so combative and someone who does get around the pitch whether or not he’s going to go injury-free this season, because when he went down for the extended period, my stomach went kind of like when it does when [Harry] Kane goes down.”

Keshav Maharaj and Morne Morkel picked up three wickets, but South Africa were no better off than 24 hours earlier as Australia’s lead reached 402 at stumps on day three

The Report by Brydon Coverdale03-Mar-2018
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsIt was a long shot that South Africa could significantly improve their situation on the third day at Kingsmead, and long shots rarely get up. They fought hard, took wickets, fielded well, kept Australia to a fairly modest score – and still ended the day facing a near-record Test chase. It was always likely. The morning began with Australia 189 runs in front, and ready to start their second innings. What South Africa really needed was an all-out 47 a la Cape Town 2011. What they got was Australia on 213 for 9 at stumps.That meant that for all South Africa’s hard work, little had changed in the match situation. Australia’s lead stood at 402 runs, with the possibility of adding more on the fourth morning. South Africa would need at the very least the fifth-highest successful chase in Test history to win. They would also have to better by 60-plus runs a record that has stood for 60-plus years – the highest target ever successfully chased in a Test in South Africa was 336, achieved on this ground when Neil Harvey struck an unbeaten 151 in 1950.If South Africa want encouragement, they can look to more recent history. In 2002, also at this venue, they chased down Australia’s target of 335, so the two highest-successful pursuits in South Africa have come at Kingsmead. And the second-highest successful chase in all of Test history was the 414 that South Africa achieved against Australia in Perth in 2008. If the conditions are different, at least some of the players are the same: AB de Villiers made 106 not out in that chase, and Hashim Amla contributed a fifty.But enough nostalgia. Kingsmead 2018 is all that matters now, and on the third day of the Test, Cameron Bancroft eased some of the immediate pressure on his place in the side with a half-century; Usman Khawaja got out reverse-sweeping before he had reached double-figures; Dean Elgar made Steven Smith his bunny by dismissing him for the second time in Test cricket; Keshav Maharaj took his match tally to eight wickets; Morne Morkel took his career tally to 297; Kagiso Rabada bowled impressively and claimed 2 for 28; and perhaps significantly for the chase, Elgar hurt his hand late in the day.Bancroft and David Warner started the innings with a solid 56-run partnership but on 28, Warner threw his start away by trying to force Rabada through leg and instead sending a catch to mid-on. Khawaja then completed a disappointing Test personally when he tried to reverse-sweep Maharaj and a catch popped up off his glove to Quinton de Kock, ending his innings on 6.Australia’s lead was already in comfortable territory but Bancroft still had much to play for, seeking to justify his retention ahead of Matt Renshaw for this tour. If he didn’t fully put his stamp on the position as Warner’s opening partner, he at least showed a glimpse of what he can do, striking 10 fours on his way to a 76-ball half-century, and using his feet well to the spin of Maharaj. At least, for a while. It was that same footwork that brought him undone, when on 53 he failed to reach the pitch of one and Maharaj turned it past his edge to allow an easy stumping.Left-arm spin also accounted for Smith, but from an unlikely source. Faf du Plessis took a gamble on the part-time spin of Elgar and it immediately paid off, when on 38 Smith tried to sweep and was lbw. Remarkably, it was the second time in Tests that Elgar, who has 14 wickets from 46 Tests, had dismissed Smith, the world’s best Test batsman. Four years ago almost to the day, he had bowled Smith in Cape Town with a hop so long it could have won Olympic gold in the triple jump.Smith had already survived a close call on 30 when he was adjudged not out lbw to Maharaj, and South Africa’s review found that – by the slimmest of margins – he had been struck in the umpire’s call zone on off stump. In general, South Africa might have been frustrated by close calls going against them on the third day, though du Plessis was also saved from wasting reviews on two occasions when the umpire Kumar Dharmasena decided he had taken too long.South Africa continued to pick up wickets fairly regularly. Mitchell Marsh edged to slip off Rabada for 6, Tim Paine was taken at slip off Maharaj for 14, Shaun Marsh spent 99 balls over 33 before he too edged to second slip off Morkel, and Nathan Lyon likewise sent a catch into the cordon off Morkel. The one who wasn’t caught behind the wicket was Mitchell Starc, who crunched Morkel to cover, where Elgar took a sharp catch but immediately left the field for medical attention to his hand.The day finished – early once again, due to bad light – with Pat Cummins on 17 and Josh Hazlewood on 4. And with South Africa, for all their best efforts, no better off than they were 24 hours earlier.

Ben Stokes and Chris Woakes struck spirited fifties to lead England’s fight in Auckland, but New Zealand eventually prevailed for an innings victory

The Report by Nikhil Kalro26-Mar-2018
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsGetty ImagesMarch 26, 2013, Auckland. England lost their seventh wicket, Ian Bell to the last ball of the penultimate session. Caught Tim Southee, bowled Neil Wagner. England hung on for a draw.March 26, 2018, Auckland. England lost their seventh wicket, Ben Stokes, to the last ball of the penultimate session. Caught Southee, bowled Wagner. But New Zealand triumphed this time, overcoming two days of play lost to rain and another dogged England rearguard to complete an innings win under lights at Eden Park.Stokes and Chris Woakes survived close to the entirety of the second session to provide England with an opportunity to salvage an incredible draw, a distant dream when they were dismantled for 58, their sixth-lowest Test score, on the first day. On the stroke of another break though, for the third successive session, England lost a vital wicket as Stokes top-edged an attempted cut to backward point off Wagner.New Zealand chipped away at England’s middle order in the afternoon, but lacked the penetration in the second session. Stokes and Woakes cut England’s deficit from 152 to 69 and, more importantly, faced a combined 185 balls. The Barmy Army found their voice, but then the match turned again before dinner.Early in his innings, Woakes was surprisingly satisfied with chasing wide deliveries in the search for quick runs. If New Zealand created a chance or the ball beat the bat, Woakes subsequently tightened his technique, playing close to his body.With the lower order, Woakes was stolid, taking the majority of the strike and latching onto scoring opportunities to reduce the deficit. There wasn’t much he could do to avoid his dismissal, though, fending a brute of a bouncer from Wagner to short leg.Stokes was more selective, strategically picking lengths to score against. Apart from cross-batted strokes against Wagner’s short-ball strategy, he played largely with the full face, driving straight and through cover – 32 of his 66 runs, close to 50%, came in these regions. After reaching his fifty however, off his 128th delivery, Stokes appeared fatigued, losing his energy about as quickly as Auckland was losing natural light, resulting in an uncharacteristically loose shot.It was a much better batting performance from England, aided by improved underfoot conditions. Fuller-length deliveries were easily negotiated with the old pink ball not swinging, and the shorter ones were more comfortable to handle too, a slow fifth-day pitch allowing batsmen the time to adjust.Jonny Bairstow contributed a 72-ball 26, but was reprieved twice: a thick inside edge down leg not collected by BJ Watling, diving to his left, and then a drop by Trent Boult, at mid-on, off a long-hop from legspinner Todd Astle who was in his first spell of the Test. In a bizarre period of play, Bairstow pulled another long-hop, 11 balls later, to midwicket, where Kane Williamson leapt to his right to take his second terrific catch of the match. Astle eventually finished with 3 for 39, the best returns of the second innings.

Celtic return to action in the Scottish Premiership for the first time since the first international break of the season as they face off against Dundee at Parkhead this afternoon.

What was Celtic's last result?

The Hoops maintained their position at the top of the league table with a 1-0 win in the Old Firm clash in their last game before the national team matches kicked off.

Kyogo Furuhashi scored a stunning goal to secure all three points against Michael Beale's side at the start of the month. The Japan international raced in behind Connor Goldson, from Matt O'Riley's clever header, and rifled a terrific volley into the bottom corner and past Jack Butland.

Brendan Rodgers was without the likes of Maik Nawrocki and Cameron Carter-Vickers but Liam Scales and Gustaf Lagerbielke produced solid displays to keep a clean sheet intact throughout the 90 minutes.

What's the latest Celtic team news?

The Northern Irish head coach has revealed that Reo Hatate is back in training and could be available for selection against Dundee this weekend.

Marco Tilio, who is yet to make his Celtic debut, has also recovered from his injury issue but may need time to work his fitness levels back up and get used to the group before he hits his stride.

Meanwhile, Cameron Carter-Vickers is closing in on his return to action and could be back over the weeks to come, although he will not be in contention to start this afternoon.

The Hoops have, however, been dealt a huge blow in the build-up to this match as Liel Abada is set to be out for between three and four months with a thigh injury that was sustained on international duty, Rodgers has confirmed.

Football FanCast already published an article explaining why South Korean ace Hyun-jun Yang should come into the starting XI in place of the Israel international.

However, there could also be a change on the other flank as Luis Palma could be in line to make his Hoops debut after joining from Aris FC during the summer transfer window.

Will Luis Palma start against Dundee?

Rodgers should unleash the Honduras international from the start on the left wing as the talented ace has the potential to offer more than Daizen Maeda at the top end of the pitch.

The 23-year-old forward, who was described as "ambitious" by his new manager, was as an unused substitute against Rangers earlier this month and went on to enjoy an excellent international break with his country.

Palma produced a phenomenal performance against Grenada as he recorded a Sofascore rating of 9.1 and contributed with one goal and one assist, along with five shots on target and three chances created for his teammates across the 90 minutes.

The £3.5m signing also arrived at Celtic off the back of a terrific start to the season with Aris in Greece. He racked up two goals and three assists in five matches in all competitions, which included two goals and two assists in four Europa Conference League qualifiers.

As per Sofascore, the 5 foot 10 magician created four chances, one 'big chance', and assisted one goal in his only top-flight appearance for Aris this term, which earned him a rating of 7.7.

Palma came into the 2023/24 campaign after an impressive season last term, as he proved himself to be a reliable goalscoring option from out wide.

The gifted wizard averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.12 across 20 Super League starts and chipped in with 11 goals and four assists, along with 1.4 key passes per game.

He also contributed with two goals and four assists in seven cup appearances for Aris, including three assists in four Europa Conference League qualifiers, which meant that he scored 13 goals and provided eight assists in total throughout the campaign.

How many goals did Maeda score last season?

Maeda, on the other hand, scored 11 times and assisted seven in 49 matches in all competitions for the Hoops during the 2022/23 campaign.

The Japan international averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.78 across 35 Scottish Premiership games, which included 25 starts, and chipped in with eight goals and five assists.

This means that the attacker was directly involved in a goal once every 1.92 league starts on average last term, whilst Palma produced one goal involvement every 1.33 starts on average for Aris.

These statistics indicate that the £3.5m-rated whiz has the potential to provide goals and assists with greater regularity than Maeda on the wing, if he can translate his form from Greece over to Scottish football.

The Honduras international's aforementioned 1.4 key passes per game also suggest that he could provide more creativity than the Japanese marksman as he only conjured 0.8 per match last season.

So far this season, Maeda has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.03 and assisted one goal, whilst he has failed to find the back of the net once in four Premiership starts for the Bhoys.

He has already missed four 'big chances' in front of goal, which comes after he spurned 11 of them last term, and this shows that the 25-year-old gem has been wasteful at the top end of the pitch.

Whereas, Palma has only missed one 'big chance' in 30 league games since the start of last season to go along with his 11 goals in that time, which means that the 23-year-old maestro could be a far more reliable option in the final third for Rodgers in comparison to Maeda.

Therefore, the Northern Irish head coach must now move the Japan international aside and onto the bench for this clash with Dundee in order to offer Palma the opportunity to showcase his quality on the left wing.

The talented whiz is coming off the back of an impressive international break and could, therefore, be full of confidence and ready to produce a big performance on his debut for the Scottish giants this afternoon.

Maeda has not provided a regular source of goals or assists over the last 12 months or so and Palma's statistics for club and country during that period indicate that he could be an upgrade on him, if he can adapt to life in Scotland and hit the ground running today.

Neeraj Kumar, the former police commissioner of Delhi, has been retained as Advisor for the unit till March 31, 2018

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Mar-2018The BCCI has appointed Ajit Singh, a former DGP of Rajasthan, as the head of its Anti-Corruption Unit ahead of the 2018 IPL season. Neeraj Kumar, the former police commissioner of Delhi, has been retained as Advisor for the unit till May 31, 2018.According to a BCCI release, Singh retired from his role as DGP in the Rajasthan Police in November 2017 and has 36 years of experience with the Indian Police Service. He has worked in various anti-corruption operations apart from investigative work and field policing. Singh also headed Rajasthan’s anti-corruption bureau for four years.Apart from its own ACU, BCCI will also engage with the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit for the 2018 IPL season.

Heart of Midlothian have so far endured a tough start to the 2023/24 season, despite enjoying a positive first couple of weeks.

Since defeating Partick Thistle in the League Cup 4-0 on 20 August, Hearts proceeded to lose their next four matches, scoring just one goal and conceding eight as they crashed out of Europe at the hands of PAOK while suffering Premiership defeats to Dundee and Motherwell.

Steven Naismith now has a massive job on his hands and if he is aiming to retake third spot which was cruelly taken away from them towards the end of last season, then something has to change at Tynecastle in the coming weeks.

Over the course of the summer, the Scot managed to bring in seven new arrivals, with a mix of permanent and loan signings, in order to bolster his squad.

The likes of Alex Lowry and Frankie Kent could prove to be inspired signings, yet some of the better performers this season are players who were signed by former manager Robbie Neilson.

Lawrence Shankland has continued where he left off last term, already scoring five goals and grabbing an assist in the first nine games of the season.

Defender Kye Rowles is also improving all the time and the centre-back has also seen his value rise since joining the club last summer.

What is Kye Rowles market value?

Having reached the Scottish Cup final and finishing third in the Premiership table during the 2021/22 season, Neilson was looking to strengthen his side ahead of another tough campaign.

Shankland was one of the key arrivals, yet it was Rowles who has gone on to become a key performer for the Jambos recently.

Neilson snapped him up from Central Coast Mariners and their manager, Nick Montgomery, praised him, despite losing one of his best players.

He said: "He was outstanding for us over the course of the whole of last season. We had a really young team but even though he's young himself, he showed fantastic leadership.

"He's a fantastic person and was outstanding in the qualifiers for Australia. To step in and perform the way he did spoke volumes for him and Hearts is a great move for him. I'm so excited for him.

"It's a good time for young players to be in the national team. They could stay in it for the next 10 years and hopefully for the country, it can keep producing players like Kye.

"Hearts are getting an honest, good defender who's hard-working. As a manager he's a joy to work with. He trains hard and he puts 100% in. That's what the Hearts fans will love. He puts his body on the line, 100%."

According to Football Transfers, the Australian is valued at €1.3m (£1.1m), although this has dipped slightly from the €2.4m (£2m), that he was valued at in July, but more strong performances, and he should see his value continue to rise again.

Why is Kye Rowles valued that much?

Before joining the Gorgie outfit, the 25-year-old had shone in the A-League, winning the Players’ Player of the Year and Coach’s Player of the Year awards at Mariners during the 2021/22 season and he clearly felt moving to Hearts was the best place to continue developing.

Last season, the defender averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.96, which was good enough to rank him fourth among the Hearts squad, while he also ranked first for accurate passes per game (43.9) and clearances per game (5.1), demonstrating his passing abilities.

Not only that, but Rowles showcased his physical presence by winning 4.3 total duels per game – a success rate of 55% – and his displays during the early part of the season even secured him a spot on the Australian squad for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

On the global stage, he exuded the qualities which allowed him to shine in Scotland, playing 90 minutes across all four of their games as the Wallabies reached the last 16 at the World Cup for just the second time in their history, and the first since 2006.

They lost out to Argentina, yet Rowles was a monster at the heart of the defence, winning a staggering 70% of his total duels, while losing possession only 5.8 times on average per game.

The former Brisbane Roar defender was ranked second only to Fran Karacic in terms of overall Sofascore rating (7.1), while also finishing second for accurate passes (41.3) per game, third for tackles (two) and first for interceptions per game, clearly emerging as one of his nation's finest players on the global stage.

These performances naturally attracted attention, yet Hearts chief executive Andrew McKinlay warned off potential suitors following his heroics in the Middle East, saying: "Kye played all four games at the World Cup, played well and got to the last 16, so you think he would attract attention.

"But we've had no approaches and we don't welcome any approaches for any of our players. We budgeted for no player sales this year and we are genuinely not in a situation where we have to sell anyone.

"Anyone who does leave this club, it would have to be on our terms. I don't want to put a number on it but Kye's worth a lot of money, in my opinion. I am not encouraging (bids) at all. But it would be a mind-boggling offer that would even make us think it was something we would consider.”

Rowles has continued to impress for the Jambos during the current campaign, despite their poor form, forging a solid partnership with fellow defender Kent.

Indeed, the duo rank in the top three with regard to Sofascore rating (7.48 and 7.25), while they also currently lead the way in terms of accurate passes per game (76 and 61.8) as the pair exude their forward-thinking nature that allows the club to work the ball out well from the heart of defence.

Rowles has been a masterstroke of a signing and there is no doubt when he does leave Hearts, the defender will make them a massive profit in the process.

It would be hard to describe this season as anything other than a failure for Tottenham Hotspur.

The North Londoners have had to deal with an astounding number of injuries to key players, but even then, their domestic form has been nothing short of shambolic, with a run to the League Cup semi-final their only saving grace in that respect.

Moreover, while the club backed Ange Postecoglou with three first-team additions in the winter transfer window, we can’t help but think he needed one or two more.

Alternatively, perhaps the club were too quick to sell a player in the summer who has since won comparisons to the incredible Jude Bellingham.

Spurs' 2024 departures

Quite a few first-teamers finally left Spurs during the summer, so before getting to the player in question, it’s worth seeing how a couple of them got on, starting with Emerson Royal.

The Brazilian full-back joined the Lilywhites in August 2021 but was never quite able to justify his £25.8m price tag and, after consistently underwhelming, eventually became something of a scapegoat, with former Tottenham player turned pundit Jamie O’Hara going as far as calling him a “liability.”

He was finally sold to AC Milan for around £13m in August, and it would be fair to say that his start to life at the San Siro was somewhat rocky, with Italian football expert James Horncastle writing that his move looked ‘like the biggest donation in the history of Fondazione Milan as the club charitably tries to make his wish to become a footballer come true.’

Appearances

26

Starts

22

Wins

14

Draws

5

Losses

7

Points per Game

1.81

Goals

0

Assists

0

However, he has since become a reasonably important part of the first team, and before his recent calf injury, he had made 26 appearances across all competitions, of which 22 had been starts.

Another defender who left the club in the summer was Joe Rodon, who moved to Leeds United on a permanent deal for around £10m after spending last season on loan with the club at the same time as Archie Gray went the other way.

Thus far, it looks like a move that has panned out perfectly for the Welshman.

Thus far, the centre-back has started 100% of league games for the Whites and played 100% of the minutes, which, when combined with his one start in the FA Cup and League Cup, means he’s made 35 appearances this season for a team that looks destined to win promotion at the second time of asking.

With that said, while both Rodon and Royal are doing well for their respective teams, we can’t imagine Ange regrets letting them leave, which might not be the case for a player who has won comparisons to Bellingham.

The former Spurs ace compared to Bellingham

As a modern midfielder, there probably isn’t a more complimentary modern-day comparison than that of Jude Bellingham, as the former Birmingham City gem has already established himself as one of the best in the world and played a pivotal role in Real Madrid’s La Liga and Champions League triumphs last season.

So, it might surprise some Spurs fans that their former player, Giovani Lo Celso, who was eventually sold back to Real Betis for just £8m in the summer, has recently been likened to the Englishman.

The comparison primarily stems from FBref, which compares players in similar positions in La Liga this season, then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and, in this instance, has concluded that the former Borussia Dortmund star is the ninth most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Argentine dynamo.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.45

0.49

Shots

2.09

2.16

Completed Medium Passes

17.0

17.3

Goal-Creating Actions

0.43

0.50

Tackles + Interceptions

2.96

2.87

Successful Take-Ons

1.22

1.38

Carries

41.0

43.6

The best way to see where this comparison has come from is to look at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including, but not limited to, non-penalty expected goals plus assists, shots, goal-creating actions, tackles plus interceptions, successful take-ons, carries and more, all per 90.

On top of their statistical similarities, the pair can also fulfil a few different roles in the middle of the park, such as attacking, central, or even, at times, defensive midfield.

However, away from the comparison to one of the game’s most exciting superstars, the former Spurs ace has also been having a great season from an output perspective, as even though he’s playing for a midtable side, he’s been able to rack up a haul of eight goals and one assist in just 20 appearances, totalling 1363 minutes.

That comes out to a brilliant average of a goal involvement every 2.22 games, or every 151.44 minutes.

Ultimately, Spurs had to clear out a number of players over the summer, so while it was probably the right choice in the long term, we imagine Postecoglou would love to have Lo Celso in his squad today.

Sold by Conte: Spurs dud has seen his valuation soar 2300% since leaving

The talented attacker has enjoyed a relatively successful few years since leaving Spurs.

2 ByJack Salveson Holmes Feb 20, 2025

Virat Kohli steered his side to 175 in Bengaluru, but the KKR top order fired collectively to win with five balls to spare

The Report by Nikhil Kalro29-Apr-2018
3:11

Agarkar: KKR doing the basic things better than RCB

Kolkata Knight Riders gained two significant advantages even before a ball was bowled in Bengaluru. First, Dinesh Karthik chose to bowl at a favourable chasing ground. Then, Knight Riders found out that AB de Villiers was out with a viral fever. Both those factors had a decisive impact as Knight Riders chased down a target of 176 with relative ease, with five balls to spare, consigning Royal Challengers to their fifth loss in seven games.Without their highest run-scorer of the season, Royal Challengers had to employ a less attacking approach, aiming for par instead of a 200-plus score, like the one they got in the previous game against Chennai Super Kings after losing the toss. All they could manage was 175 – the par score in day-night games at this ground in the IPL since 2015 has been 172 – even with a terrific, 44-ball 68 from Virat Kohli.Even on a pitch that was turning appreciably, Knight Riders had too much firepower. Led by Chris Lynn’s 62, along with rapid cameos from Sunil Narine, Robin Uthappa and Dinesh Karthik, Knight Riders cruised home against a bowling attack that lacked penetration and sufficient defensive skill.Sussing out conditionsBrendon McCullum was brought into the XI due to de Villiers’ sickness. Quinton de Kock, despite coming off a half-century in the previous game, hadn’t quite found his fluency. For Royal Challengers’ batting line-up, already weakened significantly, a strong start was imperative.ESPNcricinfo LtdMcCullum and de Kock scored 40 runs in the Powerplay, 11 runs below their average score in the period this season. McCullum soon found his hitting rhythm, though, with two fours and two sixes in two overs after the Powerplay, lifting the scoring rate to over eight.Soon after the time-out, however, Royal Challengers lost their way. De Kock holed out to deep cover. McCullum toe-ended a pull to the keeper. Two balls later, Manan Vohra was bowled off the inside edge. A score of 67 for 0 quickly turned to 75 for 3.Kohli owns the deathDe Villiers’ absence also hampered Kohli’s scoring template. Aware that his presence in the death overs could marginally increase the utility of Royal Challengers’ score, Kohli was cautious early in his innings. He took 18 balls to score 20, but with Royal Challengers at 100 for 3 in 14 overs at that point, Kohli couldn’t wait any longer.Royal Challengers hit nine boundaries in six overs thereon; Kohli hit six of them. Royal Challengers scored 75 from there; Kohli hit 48 of them. His innings included three sixes, two of which were a direct result of a strong bottom hand through the line of the ball, hit in the arc between long-on and deep midwicket. Royal Challengers had 175, a score that seemed below par given the ground dimensions.Theatrics of T20sBefore the start of the chase, Knight Riders’ target of 176 – one less than the score Royal Challengers needed to beat Delhi Daredevils earlier this season and one more than the score Knight Riders needed in the reverse fixture against Royal Challengers at the Eden Gardens – seemed insufficient.Lynn and Narine made a strong start before a rain interruption that lasted 30 minutes. Then, with Knight Riders seemingly in control, the game drifted on with the illusion of control. Royal Challengers made a strong comeback in that period, including having Andre Russell caught for a golden duck on his 30th birthday.The equation by then came down to 43 off 24 balls. But just when the game seemed in the balance, Knight Riders broke the chase open, much like those two previous games Royal Challengers were involved in.

Follow ESPNcricinfo’s live report of Afghanistan’s entry to Test cricket, against India in Bengaluru

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Jun-2018