All posts by n8rngtd.top

Vitor Roque has opened up on the "bad times" he went through at Barcelona while admitting he idolises Lionel Messi's great rival Cristiano Ronaldo.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Roque opened up on Barca nightmare
• Joined Real Betis on a season-long loan deal
• Idolises Messi's rival Ronaldo

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Roque's dream move from Athletico Paranaense to Barcelona in January turned into a nightmare in the span of just six months as he left the club on loan to Real Betis ahead of the 2024-25 campaign. The miserable spell with the Catalan giants saw the Brazilian score just two goals across all competitions in 16 appearances. He clocked only 353 minutes on the pitch and started in only three matches under Xavi.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The 19-year-old, however, has made a fresh start to his journey in Europe at Betis, scoring five goals in 14 matches so far this season. The youngster has now revealed that he is loving life at his new club after coming through the "bad times" at Barca last season. He also confessed his admiration for Barcelona legend Messi's eternal rival Ronaldo.

• WHAT VITOR ROQUE SAID

  In an interview with Real Betis' official television channel, the Brazilian was asked if he rushed his move to Barca, to which he replied: "Yes, yes, the truth is that I was in Brazil and I didn't know if I was going to come or not. I found out that I was going to come to Spain about a week before, I was on vacation, I didn't know.

  "And when I arrived I had few opportunities, I didn't have time to adapt either. The truth is that I had some bad times there, but they serve as a learning experience, you know? I'm very happy to be here. The things I've learned there help me today and I'm very happy."

  When asked about his childhood idol, the teenager said: "Cristiano. And I really like Neymar too, for his way of playing, his Brazilian magic. But Cristiano too, to be honest."

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR BARCELONA?

  After offloading Roque, new Barca manager Hansi Flick signed Spain's Euro 2024 hero Dani Olmo, who has shown early promise at the Catalan club, having scored five goals in eight appearances. Flick's men will be back in action this Saturday as they take on Celta Vigo in La Liga, with Roque set to line up for Betis against Valencia on the same day.

New Zealand still on course but India could pounce if they slip up

S Rajesh03-Nov-2021India
Before the game against Afghanistan, India’s net run rate was -1.609; after the match, it has leapt up to 0.073, while Afghanistan’s has dropped from 3.097 to 1.481. If India win their last two games – against Scotland and Namibia – by a combined margin of 120 runs (scoring 180), their NRR will improve further to 1.303. In that case, Afghanistan’s rate will stay above India’s only if they beat New Zealand by at least 12 runs (after scoring 150).New Zealand, meanwhile, will be hoping to beat Namibia and improve their NRR, before their last game against Afghanistan. If India beat Scotland and New Zealand lose one of their last two matches, then India will have everything to play for against Namibia. India’s advantage is that they play the last game of the group, which means they will know exactly what they need to do to qualify.New Zealand
New Zealand managed to get two points against Scotland, but the victory margin was narrower than they would have hoped for, which means their NRR only improved from 0.765 to 0.816. If they bat first, score 180, and win by 60 runs against Namibia, their NRR will be 1.391. However, even a one-run loss (chasing 150) against Afghanistan will reduce their rate to 1.094. That is an NRR that India can surpass with big wins in their last two games (as mentioned above).New Zealand can avoid all that NRR discussion if they win their last two games and finish on eight points. However, their schedule is a tough one: after playing in Dubai today, they travel to Sharjah for their game against Namibia on Friday, and then play Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. Afghanistan, meanwhile, have played their last two matches in Abu Dhabi, and have a three-day rest before taking on New Zealand at the same venue.Afghanistan
Afghanistan’s NRR has taken a beating after that 66-run defeat to India. Hence, not only do they need to beat New Zealand, but they might also need to do so by a certain margin to factor in a huge win for India against Namibia the following day. As mentioned above, if India win their last two games by a combined margin of 120 runs, Afghanistan will need a 12-run victory margin against New Zealand to stay ahead of India (assuming first-innings scores of 180 for India and 150 for Afghanistan).The NRR situation would be clearer for them by Sunday, as both India and New Zealand would have played another game before that, on Friday. Also, Afghanistan have the advantage of a three-day rest and familiarity of venue, having played their last two games in Abu Dhabi.

A statue of Harry Kane has finally been unveiled, but is being called the “stuff of nightmares” and likened to an infamous Cristiano Ronaldo bust.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Sculpture sits in east London
• First club saluting striker
• Critics less than impressed

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Bayern Munich and England striker Kane has been immortalised at The Peter May Centre in Walthamstow, east London. It was there, when turning out for Ridgeway Rovers, that the record-breaking frontman took his first steps towards superstardom.

Advertisement

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  In recognition of his achievements, Tottenham and England’s all-time leading goalscorer saw a sculpture commissioned by Waltham Forest Council – at the cost of £7,200. The piece in question is said to have been completed in 2020, but has sat in storage since then.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  It has now been installed in front of a mural dedicated to Kane, with the man himself on hand to witness the official unveiling, but the piece – which depicts Kane sitting on a bench and a holding a football on his thigh – has divided opinion.

• Getty
  

  WHAT ART CRITIC SAID

  Social media users were quick to brand it the “stuff of nightmares” while asking why statues of famous sportspeople “all look so bad”. Art critic Estelle Lovatt has added to : “If you think about it historically, a public statue was there to immortalise, show off and loudly boast of the achievements and accomplishments of the person. If it doesn't really bear a resemblance to the person, it's quite difficult to relate to it.

  “I just thought the Roman emperors wouldn't have put up with it, with this sort of standard. It's imposing because of its size and its fantastical because of its size, but it lacks any aesthetic creativity. When it becomes quite a laughable depiction, that doesn't empower the craftsman or the artist or indeed the master they are trying to capture. It sort of lets everybody down.”

Plays of the day from the fifth ODI between Sri Lanka and India in Pallekele

Abhishek Purohit in Pallekele04-Aug-2012Dhoni’s redemption
MS Dhoni had hurt his left hamstring while batting and struggled throughout with his wicketkeeping later. Lahiru Thirimanne and Jeevan Mendis had revived Sri Lanka’s chase when Thirimanne guided Zaheer Khan to Dhoni’s left in the 36th over. It wasn’t a very difficult take but Dhoni dived clumsily, managed to get only the left glove to the ball, and dropped it. Two balls later, Thirimanne was sent back when he attempted a tight run towards mid-on. Zaheer collected the throw from the fielder, and threw it to the other end where Dhoni charged forward, took the ball, and broke the stumps to run Thirimanne out.The comedown
Tiwary had been India’s best bowler in the previous game with 4 for 61. Thirimanne took just one over to remind him of his part-time status. With two left-handers at the crease, bringing on the legspinner Tiwary was anyway risky. Thirimanne ensured Tiwary did not get away, stepping out to loft him for two big sixes over deep midwicket. That was the only over Tiwary got today.The punch and the counter
For the first four balls of the 38th over, Lasith Malinga was on fire. He first had Manoj Tiwary fending a bouncer to short third man. The second ball, also short, consumed Suresh Raina. Dhoni somehow managed to keep the hat-trick ball down. The fourth ball pinged Dhoni on the helmet and flew over the keeper. The last two balls were pitched up. And Dhoni immediately counter-attacked, thumping them through the off side for consecutive fours.The celebration
Irfan Pathan was the allrounder Indian cricket had, then lost, and then regained in a toned-down version. He improved his batting, lost his bowling, went out, and returned claiming to have rediscovered himself. When he bowled Sachithra Senanayake to pick up his fifth wicket off the last ball of his tenth over, there was a mixture of happiness and relief on Irfan’s face. He smiled, jumped, raised his arms and looked up at the sky, as if thankful to have been able to come back to the side. Even after the end of the over, as he was walking to his fielding position, he continued to look up heavenwards.The unusual field setting
When Malinga lofted and drilled Ashok Dinda to the extra cover boundary for consecutive fours, Sri Lanka needed just 21 runs off 28 deliveries with only one wicket remaining. Dhoni pulled fine leg out and put in two extra covers. With fine leg vacant, and the off-side field packed, Malinga tried to hit down the ground, but ended up finding long-off on the edge of the rope. Game over.

Glasgow Rangers found out their Premiership fixtures on Thursday, with the Ibrox side facing a tricky start to the league season.

They visit Tynecastle to play Hearts on the opening weekend. Given the Jambos finished third last term, it could prove to be a tough first game and Philippe Clement’s men will need to be at their best to secure all three points.

Due to the delay on work at Ibrox, it remains to be seen where the Light Blues will play their ‘home’ fixtures during the early part of next term, but the most important thing is they begin the season well and win every game.

The Belgian has been hard at work in the transfer market as he seeks to bolster his squad, with another new signing recently announced.

Rangers sign a former academy graduate

With the Gers losing a few players at the end of last season due to their contracts expiring, it was important the manager acted swiftly in order to beef his squad up, especially with regard to signing home-grown talent.

The latest player to join the club is goalkeeper Liam Kelly, who signs on a two year deal from Motherwell.

Of course, Kelly came through the youth academy at Auchenhowie, but left Rangers in 2018 in a search for first team football.

It is a smart signing by Clement, but it might not be the only one to occur this week, as the club are closing in on a move for a striker they have been linked with for several weeks…

Rangers closing in on signing Hamza Igamane

According to Sky Sports, the Light Blues are closing in on finally signing striker Hamza Igamane from Moroccan side AS FAR after weeks of interest.

The Daily Record reported last week that the Ibrox side had struck a deal worth around £1.7m to sign the centre-forward as Clement aimed to strengthen his attacking options.

The report claimed that a medical was set, and the player would be announced shortly after, yet no news has been reported to say he is finally a Rangers player.

This update from Sky Sports suggests that the Belgian is close to finally adding him to his playing squad for next season as he shows no sign of slowing down in the transfer market.

Losing Kemar Roofe, Abdallah Sima and Fabio Silva following the conclusion of the 2023/24 season means the Gers urgently require some attacking reinforcements.

Igamane may be an unknown quantity, but his statistics speak for themselves last season.

Hamza Igamane’s statistics last season for AS FAR

Long gone are the days of the club signing marquee names from abroad which immediately caught the attention of the supporters.

Nowadays, Clement has to be smart in the transfer window, which indicates hunting far and wide for potential signings.

Igamane may have spent last season in Morocco, yet that shouldn’t take away from just how impressive he was in the final third.

Indeed, across just 23 matches in all competitions, the 21-year-old found the back of the net seven times, while grabbing six assists, showcasing his talents for both scoring and creating chances for others.

He is far from the finished article, yet regular game time in the Premiership and in European competition will give the youngster plenty of opportunity for growth in the next few years.

Domestically, Igamane averaged 2.9 shots per game while also succeeding with 1.9 dribbles per game – a success rate of 64% – and winning an impressive 6.7 total duels per game.

Not only does he love taking the ball past opposition defenders, but his physicality is scarily impressive for such a young talent. With the Scottish game filled with defenders who love to bully players such as Igamane, it is clear he won't be fazed by this should he join Rangers.

He was recently praised by journalist Beth Limb earlier this year, who said via X: “Confident with the ball at his feet, capable of shooting with both feet and links up play very well.

“One to watch in the future.”

The ability to link up well with his teammates will be something which could make him an important member of the squad, especially if Todd Cantwell operates behind him in a number ten role.

Why Hamza Igamane could flourish with Cantwell

Last season, the English attacking midfielder registered five assists in the Premiership while also creating seven big chances and averaging 1.7 key passes per game.

These statistics, although good, are hardly spectacular. Perhaps the former Norwich City starlet requires someone of Igamane’s talent to play in front of him in order to improve these numbers next season.

There is no doubting Cantwell’s obvious talent, yet he can be fairly inconsistent, which is of no use when the club need to win every single match.

The Moroccan is impressive when linking play in order to create chances and this could see Clement form a wonderful attacking duo between the pair next season.

Medical scheduled: Rangers closing in on dream Dessers replacement

Rangers could be closing in on another summer signing…

By
Ross Kilvington

Jun 17, 2024

Cantwell has everything in his locker to be a superstar in Scotland. If he hits the ground running next season, he will be vital for the Light Blues.

The early transfer business that Clement has done so far has been fairly impressive, with the bulk of the new arrivals aged 22 or under as he looks to lower the average age of the playing squad.

There are still two full months of the window left, however, which gives him plenty of time to bring in even more of his transfer targets.

With Igamane closing in on his well-documented move to the club, it will be interesting to see just how well he fits in at Ibrox, as it will be his first foray outside of Africa.

This can either make or break the talented striker, but with the incentives of trophies to be won and Champions League football to be played, the 21-year-old will surely be ready for the challenge of a lifetime.

The West Indian allrounder was part of St Kitts & Nevis Patriots’ successful campaign this CPL season

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Oct-2021Chennai Super Kings have named West Indian allrounder Dominic Drakes as injured Sam Curran’s replacement for the remainder of the IPL. Curran was ruled out of the ongoing IPL and the upcoming men’s T20 World Cup on Tuesday with a lower-back injury.Drakes, who was with Mumbai Indians as a net bowler in the UAE, will join Super Kings – who have qualified for the playoffs – ahead of their last league match, against Punjab Kings on October 7. The 23-year old, who was part of St Kitts & Nevis Patriots led by Dwayne Bravo in the CPL, played a crucial role in their successful campaign this season.The left-arm quick picked 16 wickets in 11 matches, but his most important contribution of the season came with the bat – he hit an unbeaten 48 off 24 in the final against St Lucia Kings and was named the Player of the Match. In 19 T20s so far, he has picked 20 wickets and has scored 153 runs at a strike rate of 159.37.Curran, meanwhile, played only two matches for Super Kings in the UAE leg. He had a poor season with the ball, leaking 56 runs and 55 runs in the matches against Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals respectively in addition to remaining wicketless. Overall this season, he picked nine wickets in nine games and scored 56 runs in four innings.

Analysis of individual batting and bowling performances in IPL 2012

Madhusudhan Ramakrishnan15-May-2012Almost all Australian players, who have entered IPL 2012 late following the tour of the West Indies, have made an immediate impact. While Shane Watson’s unbeaten 90 off just 51 balls in Royals’ seven-wicket win over Pune Warriors has taken the top spot on the list of best batting performances in IPL 2012, Hilfenhaus is in third position on the list of top bowling performances for his excellent spell of 2 for 8 in the win over Royals. Rohit Sharma also found form at the right stage and set up Mumbai Indians for a comfortable win over Kolkata Knight Riders with a superb century, which is third on the list of top knocks in IPL 2012. Royals dominated the bowling performances too with Ajit Chandila picking up a hat-trick on his way to a four-wicket haul against Warriors.Watson, during his 90 against Warriors, scored at a high strike rate of 176.47 in an otherwise low-scoring encounter. The rest of the batsmen, in sharp contrast, managed to score at a strike rate of only 90.41. Rohit’s century, his first in the IPL, comes in at No.3 behind AB de Villiers’ 59 against Royals. In the crucial match, Rohit came in at 15 for 1 and scored 109 off 60 balls enabling Mumbai Indians to reach 182. Rohit’s strike rate of 181.66 stood out in comparison to the rest of the batsmen who managed a combined strike rate of 121.66. Two other knocks from the previous week have made it into the top ten. While Mayank Agarwal’s 64 off 30 balls, which is ranked fourth, helped Royal Challengers recover from a shaky start against Mumbai Indians, David Warner’s blitz against Deccan Chargers made light work of a competitive target of 188. Warner’s hundred, his fifth in Twenty20s, is the fourth 100-plus score to find a spot in the list of top ten performances this season. Virender Sehwag is the only batsman to figure twice in the top ten, for his scores of 87 and 73 against Warriors and Royals respectively.

Chris Gayle, the highest run-getter in IPL 2011, has lifted himself to the top of the run-scoring chart yet again in this year’s IPL. Gayle has five half-centuries this season and has scored his runs at an impressive strike rate of 151. Gautam Gambhir, who slots in at second position, has also had a remarkable season scoring 519 runs in 13 matches. Cameron White and Shikhar Dhawan have been the stand-out batsmen for Chargers who have otherwise had a dismal run. AB de Villiers has been outstanding in the middle order for Royal Challengers and is ninth while Faf du Plessis, his South African teammate, is in tenth position following his highly successful run for Super Kings.

Chandila’s 4 for 13 against Warriors was comfortably the best bowling performance in the previous week. His economy rate of 3.25 was excellent in a match where the run-rate was 7.40 and all his wickets were those of top-order (top four) batsmen. In the Super Kings-Royals match, Hilfenhaus produced a superb spell of 2 for 8 and helped restrict Royals to just 126. Although the match by itself was not a very high scoring one (run-rate 6.62), Hilfenhaus’ economy rate of 2.00 was exceptional. Incidentally, three of the top five bowling performances have come against Royals. Sunil Narine, who is sixth on the list for his 5 for 19 against Kings XI Punjab, was brilliant once again (2 for 14 off four overs) in the game against Super Kings which ended in a last-ball defeat for Knight Riders.

Muttiah Muralitharan, who has had a great run so far, has displaced Lasith Malinga from the top of the list of best bowlers in IPL 2012. Muralitharan has picked up 13 wickets in eight matches at an excellent average of 14.30 and economy rate of 5.81. Malinga, the leading wicket-taker in the IPL, is above Narine, who has a stunning economy rate of just 5.29. Dale Steyn, Chargers’ best bowler by a distance, and Morne Morkel, the highest wicket-taker in IPL 2012, are in fourth and fifth positions respectively. A strong indicator of Kings XI’s bowling strength is the fact that three of their bowlers (Parvinder Awana, Azhar Mahmood and Piyush Chawla) are in the top ten for IPL 2012.

Gayle’s run of good form sees him maintain top spot on the list of top batsmen across all IPL seasons. Shaun Marsh, who has had a slightly below-par season, has slipped down in terms of points but continues to hold second spot. Watson’s recent performances have lifted him to third spot while Sehwag has fallen from fourth to sixth position. Sachin Tendulkar has averaged just 25.33 at a low strike rate of 115.73 and has dropped from sixth spot at the start of IPL 2012 to eighth presently. Suresh Raina, who has failed to score a single half-century this season, is likely to be displaced from his position by the in-form Rohit, who is currently in 12th position.

When it comes to the overall list of bowlers, Malinga retains the top spot with a comfortable lead over the second-placed Muralitharan. Muralitharan, by virtue of his superb show, has gone above Amit Mishra, who has dropped down to fifth owing to his ordinary performance this season. While Steyn has moved up one spot to seventh, Morkel has dropped three spots and is now ranked eighth. R Ashwin, who has a high average (35.77) but an impressive economy rate (6.31) this season, is in ninth position followed by Munaf Patel.

The summer transfer window officially opened for business on Friday and Celtic look set to dip into the market to bolster their squad ahead of next season.

Brendan Rodgers has already been linked with a move for Euros star Dominik Livakovic to replace Joe Hart and Dundee dynamo Luke McCowan this month.

It has also been reported that the Hoops are keen to secure a deal to bring Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney back for a second spell at Parkhead.

The Scotland international is said to be eager to return to Glasgow but the financials around the deal, whether it is a permanent or a loan, make it unlikely at this moment in time.

Why Kieran Tierney would be a good signing

The left-footed whiz knows the club and has already proven himself in the Scottish Premiership, which suggests that he could hit the ground running at Paradise.

Tierney came up through the academy system in Glasgow and worked his way into the first-team set up before completing his move to the Gunners in 2019.

Before his transfer to England, the Scottish talent racked up eight goals and 37 assists in 170 appearances for the Hoops in all competitions.

He is reportedly on roughly £108k-per-week at The Emirates, however, and no current Celtic player earns more than £37k-per-week, which suggests that it could be incredibly difficult for the Bhoys to land him unless Arsenal are willing to cover a large percentage of his wages as part of a loan move.

Rodgers could, however, save the club millions by unearthing Tierney 2.0 from the academy to compete with Greg Taylor for a starting spot, rather than spending money on a new signing to bolster that area of the pitch.

Why Matthew Anderson must be given a chance

20-year-old left-back Matthew Anderson spent the 2023/24 campaign on loan at Admira Wacker in the second tier in Austria as part of a link-up between the two teams.

The Scotland U21 international described it as being the "perfect" level for him as a first loan move away from Parkhead and his fantastic performances could earn him a chance to impress Rodgers in pre-season.

He placed within the top 10% of his positional peers in the 2. Liga with 0.63 key passes per 90 and 3.97 dribbles per 90 respectively, which shows how forward-thinking and progressive the former B team star is.

As you can see in the table above, Anderson provided a regular threat from a left-back position with an excellent tally of seven direct goal contributions in 21 appearances.

Tierney's 37 assists in 170 games for Celtic averaged out as an assist every 4.95 matches, 1.45 games more on average than it took the Admira Wacker loanee to register assists this term.

The Hoops starlet was also named in the 2.Liga Team of the Season last month, which further illustrates how impressive the young defender was in Austria.

Kelleher signs, £8m star bought: What Rodgers' dream Celtic XI could be

A look at what the Hoops team could be next season if they have a successful summer transfer window.

By
Dan Emery

Jun 15, 2024

Therefore, Rodgers could save millions by bringing Anderson into the first-team fold and providing him with a chance to prove that he can be the next Tierney to come through the ranks as an attacking left-back who can consistently provide assists.

It will then, of course, be down to the 20-year-old to take his opportunity and step up to the Premiership, but his performances out on loan suggest that the potential is there for him to do just that, which would prevent the club from needing to splash millions on a new left-back.

Barcelona boss Hansi Flick threatened to substitute any player who did not try and play his offside trap in the recent El Clasico win at Real Madrid.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Barcelona beat Real Madrid 4-0
• Ended Los Blancos' unbeaten streak
• Flick refused to drop high line at Bernabeu

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Flick's side ran riot at the Santiago Bernabeu last week, beating rivals Real Madrid 4-0 to extend their advantage at the top of La Liga. The German head coach prides himself on playing a high line and despite the pressure of the match, refused to drop it and even threatened to substitute any player who did not adhere to his wishes.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT FLICK SAID

  According to , Flick based his half-time team talk on the offside trap, saying: "Anyone who drops back a metre, I'll substitute them."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  His words worked a treat and Madrid were caught offside 12 times in the match. Eight of those offsides were given against Kylian Mbappe, who struggled in his first ever Clasico. Flick's impressive squad marched on and put a six-point buffer between them and their arch-rivals only 11 games into the season.

• AFP
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR BARCELONA?

  La Blaugrana take on city rivals Espanyol at home this Saturday, and they have a chance to put further distance between themselves and Real after their game against Valencia was postponed due to floods in southern Spain.

Former Arsenal star Jay Emmanuel-Thomas has denied a charge of smuggling cannabis worth £600,000 ($780,000) through Stansted Airport.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Emmanuel-Thomas pleads not guilty
• Trial to take place in 2025
• Last played for Greenock Morton

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Ex-Arsenal youngster Emmanuel-Thomas has pleaded not guilty to a charge of smuggling cannabis through Stansted Airport along with co-defendants Rosie Rowland and Yasmin Piotrowska. The former Gunners prospect is currently on remand at HMP Durham while Rowland and Piotrowska are on bail.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Emmanuel-Thomas was sacked by Scottish club Greenock Morton after being arrested in Chelmsford in September. The National Crime Agency made the arrest after border officials seized the drugs, worth £600,000, that were vacuum packed in suitcases after arriving from Bangkok in Thailand. A trial is currently planned for May 2025.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Emmanuel-Thomas came through the ranks at Arsenal but only made one senior appearance for the club. Having gone on a variety of loan spells, he left in 2011 to join Ipswich Town, and has gone on to play for Bristol City, QPR, MK Dons, Gillingham, PTT Rayong in Thailand, Livingston, Aberdeen, Jamshedpur in India, Kidderminster Harriers, and Greenock Morton before his sacking.

• Getty
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  Emmanuel-Thomas is now 33 and one has to imagine his football career is over, especially if he is found guilty when his case eventually reaches trial.