All posts by h716a5.icu

Newcastle United have now reportedly been ‘alerted’ to the possibility of signing Eden Hazard in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Tough time at Madrid

Hazard has had a tough time at Real Madrid so far, as he has been hit with a lot of injury problems (Transfermarkt).

He has only managed to play in a mere 52 games in total over all competitions across the last three consecutive seasons, scoring just five goals and making nine assists (BBC) to the Spanish capital.

Nonetheless, he is still a world-class player on his day, and perhaps a fresh start in a familiar league is exactly what he needs.

The Latest: Newcastle alerted

As per ESPN, the St. James’ Park faithful have now been ‘alerted’ to the possibility of signing Hazard in January, along with his former club Chelsea.

However it is unclear at this stage just how much interest there is in the Belgium international, and whether he would like to leave Madrid.

The Verdict: Avoid

There is no doubt that Hazard has been a great servant to the beautiful game down the years, notching up a total of 198 goals for both club and country in over 700 appearances, largely from a wide-midfield position (Transfermarkt).

However he is currently on a whopping £381,000-per-week at the Bernabeu. Even though money is no object to the new owners on Tyneside, Hazard is 30 years of age now, and penning an out-of-form and unfit player to a long deal on those sorts of wages simply cannot be justified.

Comparing his stats from this season alone, he has not yet managed to score a goal and only has one assist to his name (Transfermarkt).

With Allan Saint-Maximin already an option in the left-wing position as well, he would arguably not even start in his favoured role based on current form – the Frenchman has two goals and three assists this term – and so it would be a waste of money to sign him.

In other news, find out which ‘outstanding’ Premier League captain NUFC may make a move for in January here!

VM Muddiah, the former India offspinner who had been ailing after suffering a stroke, has died in Bangalore aged 80

Cricinfo staff02-Oct-2009VM Muddiah, the former India offspinner who had been ailing after suffering a stroke, has died in Bangalore aged 80. He played two Tests in 1959-60 and was also part of the squad for the 1959 tour of England, taking 30 wickets in the matches against the counties but failing to make the side for the Tests. His Test appearances were curtailed due to the great spin trio of the fifties – offspinner Ghulam Ahmed, allrounder Vinoo Mankad, and legspinner Subhash Gupte.Muddiah had plenty of success on the domestic circuit during a 13-year first-class career with Services, Karnataka (formerly Mysore) and Hyderabad. He made a dramatic entry to high-level cricket, grabbing 8 for 54 in the first innings of his Ranji Trophy debut in 1949. He finished with 175 first-class wickets at 23.76, including ten five-fors and one ten-wicket haul. A proud Air Force man, he retired as a Wing Commander, most of his domestic career was with Services. He took a hat-trick for them against Eastern Punjab in 1955-56.He is survived by his wife Malathi, two daughters and a son.

The Pakistan batsman hoped that his electric performance in the ongoing Quaid-e-Azam Trophy would fast track his return to the national team

Cricinfo staff24-Oct-2009Pakistan batsman Misbah-ul-Haq was hoping that his electric performance in the ongoing Quaid-e-Azam Trophy would fast track his return to the national team after he was dropped for the upcoming series against New Zealand. Barely a day after being axed from the one-day, Twenty20 and Test squads, Misbah scored a career-best 284 for Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) against Lahore Shalimar at the Lahore City Cricket Association Ground.He shared a Pakistan record of 479 with Usman Arshad (183), 41 short of the world record for the fifth wicket in first-class cricket, set by Cheteshwar Pujara and Ravindra Jadeja for Saurashtra against Orissa in India last year.”Naturally it’s disappointing to lose your place, but I have played a big innings, which I badly needed to revive my career, and I will prove that my career is not over,” Misbah said. “There is no better way to prove your critics wrong than by scoring runs, and I will prove that my age is not a hurdle in my career. I will definitely work my way back into the team.”The 35-year-old right-hander, who has played 15 Tests, 56 ODIs and 23 Twenty20 internationals, fared poorly in Pakistan’s Test and one-day defeats in Sri Lanka in July-August and managed just six runs in Pakistan’s opening match of the Champions Trophy against the West Indies. He was overlooked for the match against India, and managed 41 against Australia in the last league game before being left out for the semi-final against New Zealand.However, Misbah said he would stay positive. “I am a positive cricketer and will try my level best to get my place back.”Pakistan will play three ODIs in Abu Dhabi and two Twenty20 internationals in Dubai against New Zealand, beginning November 3. After the limited-over series, the teams will fly to New Zealand to play three Tests.

Leeds United are reportedly battling with two other Premier League clubs to acquire the services of Espanyol forward Raul de Tomas.

The Lowdown: De Tomas shines for Espanyol

The 27-year-old has made a flying start to the season, scoring six goals and registering two assists for Espanyol in 11 La Liga appearances.

The former Real Madrid marksman has an impressive overall record for his current club, netting 34 times in just 64 matches. De Tomas’ form could eventually see him snapped up by another club and it appears as though Leeds could be a potential destination.

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The Latest: Leeds keen on De Tomas

According to Fichajes, the Whites are eyeing up a move for the €45m-valued (£38m) attacker, along with Premier League rivals West Ham and Tottenham.

His current Espanyol deal runs until the summer of 2026, though, so it is unlikely that Leeds will be able to sign him on the cheap.

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The Verdict: Would be an excellent addition

De Tomas could be an ideal addition for Leeds at a time when Patrick Bamford’s absence has led to a lack of firepower, with Marcelo Bielsa’s side scoring just 10 times in as many Premier League games this season.

At 27, the Spaniard has the experience to come straight in and make an immediate impact, providing competition for Bamford and offering some much-needed squad depth at a time when the Whites are contending with several injuries.

There is also no guarantee that the ex-Chelsea ace will necessarily perform at last season’s level again, so De Tomas could even be considered a long-term upgrade given his current performances.

In other news, one pundit has made a plea to Leeds regarding their January transfer business. Read more here.

Cameron Borgas has been named as a late inclusion for South Australia’s Sheffield Shield match to start in Adelaide on Saturday after Mark Cosgrove failed to prove his fitness

Cricinfo staff06-Nov-2009Cameron Borgas has been named as a late inclusion for South Australia’s Sheffield Shield match to start in Adelaide on Saturday after Mark Cosgrove failed to prove his fitness. Cosgrove suffered a hamstring strain in the Redbacks’ draw with Victoria and sat out of Wednesday’s one-day game.He was named in the 12-man squad to take on Queensland but at training on Friday he was deemed unfit and Borgas joined the group. Borgas is in fine form, having struck 90 in the FR Cup loss to Victoria this week, and is the only change to the four-day squad.The Redbacks have one win from two matches and they face an in-form Queensland outfit that sits on top of the table with a victory and one set of first-innings points. The Bulls have named Nathan Rimmington in their 12-man group after he missed their previous game with an ankle injury, and he has replaced Nathan Reardon.South Australia squad Daniel Harris (capt), James Smith, Tom Cooper, Michael Klinger, Cameron Borgas, Aaron O’Brien, Daniel Christian, Tim Ludeman (wk), Matthew Weeks, Cullen Bailey, Jake Haberfield, Peter George.Queensland squad Ryan Broad, Nick Kruger, Lee Carseldine, Glen Batticciotto, Wade Townsend, Chris Simpson (capt), Chris Hartley (wk), Chris Swan, Nathan Rimmington, Ben Cutting, Daniel Doran, Scott Walter.

An update has emerged on Newcastle’s transfer plans for January, regarding Bournemouth centre-back Lloyd Kelly…

What’s the talk?

According to 90Min, the Magpies are interested in a deal for the Cherries defender as they look for alternative options to Burnley’s James Tarkowski.

The Clarets centre-back is said to be an unlikely target due to Burnley being unwilling to sell to a rival, with Kelly now being eyed instead.

Imagine him & Lascelles

Eddie Howe must ensure that he is reunited with the England under-21 international, having managed him at Bournemouth, as he could be a superb addition to the squad. His arrival could end being a dream deal as he could form a strong bond with Jamaal Lascelles at centre-back.

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The £9m-rated Cherries beast has averaged an excellent SofaScore rating of 7.11 in the Championship this season, winning 64% of his duels and making an outstanding 5.2 clearances per game. This shows that he is playing to a high level in the second tier and could be ready to make the jump to the Premier League.

Ex-Bournemouth coach Jonathan Woodgate previously hailed Kelly as a ‘Rolls-Royce’ of a defender and pointed to his pace as an eye-catching attribute. He said:

“He’s got talent. He’s got a lot of attributes which Premier League teams look at. But he needs to be consistent week in, week out now.

“At the minute he just looks like a bit of a Rolls-Royce doesn’t he? He looked very, very good (against Bristol City).

“I was impressed to be honest with you, especially when (Antoine) Semenyo tried to run him down the line and Semenyo gave him two yards and Lloydy overtook him. It’s eye-catching when things like that happen, especially as a fellow defender. When you see things like that, it’s like ‘you’ve got a bit’.”

This highlights one of the reasons why he could form a formidable partnership with Lascelles at the back. The Magpies skipper is not renowned for his turn of pace and these comments from Woodgate suggest that Kelly could be the sweeper of the two and cover runs in-behind, allowing Lascelles to avoid being caught out due to a lack of pace.

It could also allow Howe to deploy a higher line across his defence as the pace of Kelly would facilitate it. Playing a high line with slow centre-backs is a recipe for disaster due to how easy it would be to turn them and get in-behind, but having a defender who can cover ground quickly will alleviate that particular issue. Therefore, the arrival of Kelly could get the best out of Lascelles and be a dream signing for Howe…

AND in other news, NUFC played blinder with “outstanding” gem whose value has soared 1900% in 2 years…

Sussex have confirmed that they have granted permission for Rory Hamilton-Brown to have talks with Surrey about a move to the Oval that will see Hamilton-Brown takeover as captain.

Cricinfo staff09-Dec-2009Sussex have granted permission for Rory Hamilton-Brown, the 22-year-old allrounder, to talk to Surrey about a move to the Oval that will see Hamilton-Brown take over as captain.Hamilton-Brown has played just eight first-class games and is currently with England’s performance squad in Pretoria as a level B player, meaning the selectors view him as being one to three years away from international level.Sussex, who signed Hamilton-Brown from Surrey in 2008, did not welcome the approach initially, saying they had no intention of losing Hamilton-Brown and had already offered him an improved contract before Surrey’s approach.On Wednesday, Jim May, the Sussex chairman, reiterated the club’s position but admitted they would have to allow Hamilton-Brown to speak to Surrey.”The position of Sussex remains unchanged in that we have no wish to see a player of Rory’s potential leave the Club and our immediate aim is to agree an extended contract with him,” he said. “However, we recognise that to achieve this aim it is appropriate to give Rory time to talk to Surrey about their opportunity.”At this stage, the Club has granted permission to talk only. We remain strongly of the view that Rory’s cricket development is best served by remaining at Sussex and we will be meeting him subsequent to his meetings with Surrey to discuss matters further.”

Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey is an injury doubt for his side’s Premier League clash with Liverpool at Anfield.

The Lowdown: Crucial Premier League clash

The Reds return to action on Saturday evening, taking on an Arsenal side who are now fifth in the table and just two points behind Jurgen Klopp’s men.

A big response is needed from Liverpool after the defeat to West Ham and the home draw with Brighton, with more dropped points feeling costly in the title race.

They could face a tough examination from Arsenal, though, who have won their last three league outings and seem to finally be gaining some momentum with their young squad.

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The Latest: Partey could miss out

One player who could be absent for the Gunners is Partey, with Arteta confirming as much in his pre-Liverpool press conference on Friday [via Football Daily on Twitter].

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The Verdict: Good news for Reds

Partey has been a key figure at the heart of Arsenal’s midfield of late, averaging two tackles per game in the league this season, so him being out would be a boost for Liverpool.

Not only that, but the 28-year-old was a dominant force for Atletico Madrid in the Champions League at Anfield in March 2020, receiving a match-high 7.55 rating from WhoScored as Diego Simeone’s side progressed to the quarter-finals.

Arsenal’s midfield would suddenly look more open without Partey in it, especially with Granit Xhaka still injured, so him being fit or not could be key to the eventual outcome.

Paul Scholes has hailed the Ghanaian as ‘brilliant’, which is high praise, and Liverpool could find it easier to create chances without him around to break up their attacks on Saturday.

In other news, some Liverpool fans have reacted to a Reds injury update. Read more here.

Newcastle United are reportedly ‘in the running’ with clubs currently competing in the Champions League to sign Darwin Nunez.

The Lowdown: Interest there

Record (via Sport Witness) reported earlier in the month that the St James’ Park club were ‘tightening the siege’ for Nunez, implying that interest is well and truly there to bring him to Tyneside.

He is certainly catching the eye this season, with eight goals and two assists in 15 matches across all competitions with Benfica, including three goals in five Champions League matches (Transfermarkt).

His agent Edgardo Lasalvia claims that the striker is ‘destined for great things’, and at 22 years of age, the Uruguay international should only get better.

The Latest: Nunez update

According to Record (via Sport Witness), Newcastle are ‘in the running’ along with Champions League quartet Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Manchester City and Atletico Madrid for his signature.

Benfica are reluctant to sell him in the January transfer window, and it would require a club to pay his astronomical release clause, currently standing at €150m (£126.2m).

Therefore, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) consortium at St James’ Park may need to wait until the summer if they wish to bring Nunez in.

The Verdict: Wait until summer

Nunez is certainly a player with a lot of promise, but paying £126.2m for him, even for the new mega-rich owners, is simply far too much.

The Magpies must wait until the summer before they make their move, as their fate will also become clear as to whether they have avoided relegation from the Premier League.

However, if they are still in the top flight, and if they can get him for a reasonable price, then Nunez is someone they should pursue.

With a 6 foot 2 frame, the forward has both the physical and aerial attributes to thrive in the Premier League, and his agent has even claimed that he has ‘a lot of things in common’ with Manchester United beast and fellow Uruguayan Edinson Cavani, a man who has scored an abundance of goals wherever he has played.

If he goes on to score as many goals and be as ruthless as Cavani has been over the next few years, then Newcastle would have a real player on their hands.

In other news, NUFC are eyeing up a move for this ‘exciting’ midfielder with a Kante-like engine

Chris Jordan and Ajmal Shahzad claimed three wickets apiece as the England Performance Programme continued their impressive run of results with a 75-run victory over the Northern Titans at Pretoria

Cricinfo staff11-Dec-2009England Performance Programme 425 for 9 (Denly 217, Tredwell 70) and 155 for 4 dec beat Titans 235 (du Plessis 124*) and 270 by 75 runs
ScorecardChris Jordan and Ajmal Shahzad claimed three wickets apiece as the England Performance Programme continued their impressive run of results with a 75-run victory over the Northern Titans at Pretoria. Following a declaration set up by Michael Carberry’s quickfire 76, the Titans were left chasing a nominal 346 for victory, but were bundled out for 270 inside 60 overs.Having secured a first-innings lead of 190, EPP resumed on 44 for 1 in their second innings, and though the Yorkshire pair of Joe Sayers and Andrew Gale fell quickly in the morning session, Carberry received solid support in an 83-run stand for the fourth wicket with Rory Hamilton-Brown, who made 38 not out. The innings came to an end on the stroke of Carberry’s dismissal.In reply, Titans fared considerably better than they had done first-time around, when each of their top three was extracted without scoring, with Hendrik van der Dussen and Tumelo Bodibe adding 44 for the first wicket inside ten overs. But Shahzad struck the first blow when Bodibe fell for 18, and five balls later Steven Finn bagged K Pienaar for 1.Faf du Plessis, who knows his opponents well from his time with Lancashire, counterattacked in spectacular style with a 30-ball 42, but Jordan trapped him lbw before Sajid Mahmood removed van der Dussen for the same score.Thereafter, the Titans innings slipped away. Jaco Booysen made 26 before falling lbw to Shahzad; while Christiaan Schoeman and Graham van Buuren both succumbed in sight of their fifties. The spinner, James Tredwell, pitched in with two late wickets to hasten the defeat, before Shahzad bowled the No. 11, D van Onslem for 10 to seal the victory.