Renee Slegers' side were in real trouble of losing ground in the race for Champions League football until a remarkable second half turnaround
Arsenal scored three goals in six second half minutes to come from 3-1 down and beat West Ham on Sunday, cancelling out some concerning frailties in defence with real fight and desire in attack to be on the right end of a 4-3 thriller. It looked like the Hammers were going to pick up three unexpected points when Shekiera Martinez raced clear and restored their two-goal cushion shortly after half time but the Gunners never gave up and produced an incredible flurry of goals to put themselves into the lead for the first time just before the hour, a lead they never let slip.
Renee Slegers' side went into the match outside the Champions League places, after Manchester City's win over Tottenham earlier in the day, and their chances of staying there increased dramatically when Amber Tysiak scored from two corners inside the first 12 minutes. Chloe Kelly's strike just before the break, her first for Arsenal in 2,829 days after returning to the club in January, seemed to give the Gunners the momentum they needed to turn things around, only for Martinez to catch the hosts on the break and make the scoreline more comfortable for West Ham again.
However, that goal only served to spark Arsenal into life. Five minutes later, Katie McCabe punished Kinga Szemik's poor positioning and beat the goalkeeper from a wide position, then Leah Williamson made up for some poor defending with a brilliant header and Mariona Caldentey's penalty, awarded due to Kirsty Smith's handball, had the Gunners in front just 11 minutes after West Ham had made it 3-1. The home side still had to survive an extremely late goal-mouth scramble in which Daphne van Domselaar came up with a match-winning save, allowing them to leapfrog Man City back into the Women's Super League's top three.
GOAL rates Arsenal's players from Meadow Park…
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Goalkeeper & Defence
Daphne van Domselaar (6/10):
Needed to do better with the second goal, after parrying the ball right into Tysiak's path, but came up with a match-winning save in the dying moments.
Emily Fox (5/10):
While good going forward, she and Williamson seemed to lack understanding at times at the back when West Ham caught them on the break.
Leah Williamson (6/10):
Decision to step in to try and intervene in the build-up to both West Ham's first and third goals left space in behind which was exploited, though she did make amends with a huge goal at the other end and a fantastic tackle to deny Martinez later on.
Steph Catley (5/10):
Was beaten far too easily for West Ham's third goal and often found herself too far away from Williamson, but that did at least change for the better in the second half.
Katie McCabe (7/10):
Was consistently good at both ends of the pitch, despite it being a tough game for the Gunners.
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Midfield
Kim Little (6/10):
Worked hard in the middle of the park and made some big defensive contributions. One of few decent performers while Arsenal were losing.
Lia Walti (5/10):
Was marking Tysiak for her opening goal and did very little to thwart her. Was not the only time she failed to track a runner effectively, though she can feel hard done by not to have won a foul to disallow the Hammers' second goal.
Frida Maanum (6/10):
Showed good movement off the ball and kept possession well while also regularly testing goalkeeper Szemik. A surprise to see her subbed off at the break but was more about Slegers getting Blackstenius on than getting Maanum off.
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Attack
Chloe Kelly (7/10):
Looked lively from the start and caused problems when she got on the ball, with it little surprise that she scored Arsenal's first goal as a result.
Alessia Russo (6/10):
On it from the first whistle, pouncing onto loose balls to cause West Ham problems in behind, but spurned her chances – including a huge one-v-one.
Mariona Caldentey (7/10):
Always seemed likely to provide the moment of magic to get Arsenal back into the game and it was her superb cross that Kelly converted to make it 2-1, as well as her clinical penalty which won the game.
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Subs & Manager
Stina Blackstenius (6/10):
On at the break and almost made an immediate impact, only to be offside when she found the back of the net. Gave West Ham something else to think about and created space for others as a result, even if she didn't get on the scoresheet.
Caitlin Foord (7/10):
An early second half sub, her desire to run at defenders consistently put West Ham on the back foot and helped Arsenal pile on the pressure that led to their comeback.
Kyra Cooney-Cross (7/10):
Brought great composure and tidy passing to the middle of the park.
Amanda Ilestedt (N/A):
Helped Arsenal see the win out as a late sub.
Beth Mead (N/A):
Made her return from a slight injury in the closing stages.
Renee Slegers (8/10):
Decisions to bring Little and Kelly into the line-up paid off as the pair were among Arsenal's best performers, even when the score wasn't going their way. Was proactive with her subs, too, and seemed to address at least some of the issues in defence at the break.
Glasgow Rangers are a club in turmoil. At the start of the week, the club’s finances over the previous 12 months were announced, stating that the Light Blues had suffered losses of around £17m.
This comes despite selling several players over the summer and releasing a few high earners off their wage bill during the summer, too. While this news comes as somewhat of a shock, it wasn’t the most harrowing aspect of the previous few days, as that came against Aberdeen.
Jimmy Thelin’s men had been the form team of the campaign heading into the clash against the Gers. With Philippe Clement under pressure, a win over the Dons would have alleviated this, maybe even leading to a resurgence in form over the coming weeks.
Aberdeen played Clement’s men off the park, resulting in the away side managing just one shot on target in the second half as they chased all three points
The circle appears to be never-ending. In 2021, Steven Gerrard left, and a year later, Giovanni van Bronckhorst was sacked. Last year, Michael Beale was removed at the start of October, and now it looks like the Belgian’s head is next on the chopping board.
Philippe Clement’s future at Rangers looks bleak
How has it come to this? When the 50-year-old arrived at Ibrox in October 2023, his change was immense. A few months later, Clement had not only led the club to the top of their Europa League group but also secured the League Cup, defeating Aberdeen 1-0 at Hampden.
At the start of March, the Gers were even neck and neck with Celtic at the summit of the Premiership table, having made an astonishing comeback from eight points behind a few months prior.
Rangers still ended up failing to win the league or the Scottish Cup, losing out to Celtic on both occasions, but hopes were high that the 2024/25 campaign could be a promising one for the club.
At the time of writing, however, the Light Blues have won just six of their ten fixtures thus far, trailing the Parkhead side and Aberdeen by nine points already.
It is not just the results either. The performances were underwhelming, as Clement’s side showed no tactical philosophy, resorting to long balls regularly, and failing to play to the strengths of several players.
After the midweek defeat, it looks more and more likely that the Belgian will not be in charge much longer. The question is, who will come in to replace him? As the job isn’t exactly the most enticing project in the world.
Although Clement is bearing the brunt of frustration from the supporters with regard to the performances and results this season, the players should also be evaluated, some more than others.
One first-team star who was arguably the Gers’ finest performer last year has become one of the biggest underperformers of the current campaign – James Tavernier.
James Tavernier attracted interest in the summer
The 33-year-old looked like he was on his way out of Ibrox during the summer transfer window, as a few teams were showing some interest in the defender.
Steven Gerrard was aiming to bring the Rangers captain to the Middle East in what may have been a lucrative offer for Clement, yet nothing materialised in the end.
Gerrard wasn’t the only former Gers boss who wanted Tavernier, however. Giovanni van Bronckhorst began to show interest at the start of June, having taken over the reins at Besiktas. Weeks rumbled on without as much as an offer, and it became clear that the Englishman was going to remain at the club for the 2024/25 campaign.
So far, it hasn’t been the best decision.
James Tavernier’s stats this season
The £30k-per-week right back was incredible in the final third last term. Not only did he score 24 goals throughout the entire season, but Tavernier also notched 12 assists across all competitions.
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This total of 36 goal contributions was five more than the next highest player on the list – Cyriel Dessers with 31 – which shows that the captain was in fine form with his involvement at the top end of the pitch.
In the top flight, Tavernier has succeeded with just 31% of his dribble attempts, averages a 79% pass success rate, and has lost possession 20.5 times per game on average. It looks like he has lost his sharpness on the ball, failing to offer as much going forward as he has done in the past.
Former footballer turned BBC Pundit Rory Loy stated earlier this season that Tavernier’s time with the club could be coming to an end, saying: “It just feels like it’s come to a natural conclusion. If Rangers were to hold on to him, they’re risking that toxic energy persisting.
James Tavernier’s Rangers stats
Season
Games
Goals
Assists
2023/24
58
24
12
2022/23
55
18
10
2021/22
58
18
17
2020/21
46
19
16
2019/20
46
3
16
2018/19
57
17
20
2017/18
46
9
9
2016/17
44
2
7
2015/16
50
15
23
Via Transfermarkt
“I don’t think he’s been particularly consistent this season and that’s a worry. I don’t think his body language looks the same as it has done in previous years. He just strikes you as a different character.
“He’s not been contributing goals this season so far. He doesn’t look happy. Sometimes, you just need to accept that maybe it is time.”
His contract expires in May 2026. Did the club miss the boat during the summer with regard to selling him on for a decent fee? As come January, the defender only has 18 months left on his current deal, which could deter any potential suitors from making a big bid for him.
James Tavernier
There is no doubt his form has dropped off a cliff this season, as shown by his declining statistics, and he should bear some of the brunt from the supporters due to his poor performances in recent months.
Therefore, Rangers must ruthlessly bin Tavernier from the club alongside Clement if they decide that they need to go in a new direction moving forward.
Fewer touches than Butland: Clement must now ditch 6-pass Rangers flop
Rangers suffered yet another league defeat on Wednesday evening
With Martin Dubravka on course to become a free agent and leave the club at the end of the season, Newcastle United have already reportedly lined up a potential replacement.
Newcastle transfer news
The Magpies seem to be thinking ahead this summer in what would be a refreshing change following the disaster of the previous summer window. Spending the majority of the open market on a failed pursuit to sign Marc Guehi, Newcastle ended the summer without several much-needed reinforcements and endured a slow start to the campaign.
Only recently getting back on track, Alexander Isak’s return to goalscoring form has helped Eddie Howe’s side put their slow start behind them and begin to look upwards, especially after defeating high-flying Nottingham Forest before the international break.
Qualifying for European football will undoubtedly be the aim, and that would go a long way towards welcoming a number of targets when it comes to the attraction of Newcastle’s project.
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However, one player who currently looks destined to head in the other direction is Martin Dubravka. The 35-year-old has been an admirable backup over the last few years at St James’ Park, but looks unlikely to sign a new contract and could leave on a free deal next summer.
As clubs in the Saudi Pro League reportedly circle for his signature, those on Tyneside have seemingly set their sights on a replacement. According to the Sunday Mirror, (via Sports View), Newcastle have already lined up James Trafford to replace Dubravka and will pursue the Burnley shot-stopper next summer.
Reportedly valued at just £20m, Trafford should be well within Newcastle’s range. They’ll want to make no mistake this time around, though, having missed out on the 22-year-old’s signature last summer to add to their woes amid profit and sustainability concerns. One of a few deals that they failed to get over the line despite their reported interest, Newcastle must not once again next summer.
"Brilliant" Trafford could push Pope all the way
Now 32 years old, the arrival of a goalkeeper 10 years his junior would no doubt leave Nick Pope at risk of losing his Newcastle place, either as soon as next season or in the years to come. Howe could swiftly swap the old for the new by welcoming Trafford into his side or perhaps wait for Pope to step aside courtesy of his age and have a ready-made replacement raring to go.
James Trafford for Burnley.
The Burnley star earned a lot of praise even as the Clarets were relegated last season, including from Arsenal legend Ian Wright, who said on Match of the Day (via the Burnley Express): “He was brilliant, I was delighted for him. Coming into the Burnley side after a £19m move, Vincent Kompany has shown a lot of faith in him and he made some very, very good saves.
"A lot of the Burnley fans weren’t quite sure simply because of [Arijanet] Muric and how well he had done to come up, but he made some fantastic saves."
The league phase of the 2021-22 Ranji Trophy is likely to be played between February 16 and March 5. As per the plan devised by BCCI, the 38 teams that take part in the Ranji Trophy are likely to be spread across nine shortlisted venues. These venues include: Chennai, Ahmedabad, Thiruvananthapuram, Bengaluru, Rajkot, Cuttack, Guwahati, Kolkata and Hyderabad.Keeping in mind the tight window in which it has to conduct the premier first-class tournament, the BCCI shortlisted venues with several grounds so that simultaneous matches could take place within a particular group.More than one state association, which houses the shortlisted venue, confirmed that they had unofficially heard the BCCI planned to have four teams per venue in the Elite Group. It could not be confirmed whether the six teams in the Plate group would be housed in one venue or more. The state associations said they were expecting an official confirmation from BCCI imminently.On January 27, BCCI secretary Jay Shah had confirmed that the board had decided to host the Ranji Trophy in two phases. While the league stage was set for February-March, the knockouts were slated for June, leaving the April-May window for IPL 2022.Related
BCCI's Ranji plan: League phase in Feb-March, knockouts in June
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The Ranji Trophy was originally scheduled to start on January 13, but had to be postponed indefinitely because of rising Covid-19 cases in India. When making the decision to hold the Ranji Trophy, Shah said that recovery rates from the third wave of the pandemic were encouraging, but the BCCI would continue to have biosecure bubbles for the tournament to mitigate any risks.”Ever since the decision on postponement was made, the board was working on several models to ensure that the tournament takes place as soon as the environment is safe and conducive,” Shah had written in a letter to state associations. “We will continue to have biosecure bubbles to mitigate any potential risk. The board is committed to providing a healthy and secure environment and seeks your support in ensuring a safe tournament for all our key stakeholders.”
Warwickshire’s new signing suspended for opening round of County Championship fixtures
ESPNcricinfo staff08-Feb-2022
Alex Davies joined Warwickshire ahead of the 2022 season•Getty Images
Alex Davies, the Warwickshire wicketkeeper-batter, has been banned for five matches – four of them suspended – and fined £1500 for a series of offensive tweets he posted as a teenager.Davies, who joined Warwickshire ahead of the 2022 season, was one of five Lancashire players investigated internally for posting social media messages containing “discriminatory language” last season.The reported in June that Davies, Liam Hurt, Luke Wells, Josh Bohannon and Richard Gleeson were under investigation, following the emergence of Ollie Robinson’s historic tweets during his England Test debut. The players were handed formal warnings by the club.A disciplinary panel convened by the ECB’s Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) found that Davies’ tweets were “in clear breach of the ECB’s anti-discrimination policy”, adding that “the gravity of this matter lies not just within the nature of the posts themselves, but because the message must be made clear to all who play the professional game, and to all those who play elsewhere, that such behaviour will not tolerated.”The CDC report said: “AD [Davies] acted in breach of these ECB directives because of his posting of a series of 17 offensive tweets from his Twitter account over a period of 19 months between September 3, 2011 and April 6, 2013, when he was aged 17 and 18.”At all material times he was a registered cricketer with LCCC [Lancashire]. He accepts that he received training in the use of social media throughout this period, although the panel accepts that the sophistication of that training has advanced significantly since.”These tweets contained a number of racist, sexist, disablist, homophobic and other offensive remarks. They were publicly accessible until June 2021, when AD deleted his Twitter account.”Related
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The report added that there were several mitigating factors in Davies’ defence. These included the time period – eight years – that had elapsed since his tweets were posted, a lack of previous disciplinary offences committed, his voluntary work within the sport, and character references “which persuasively demonstrated that a naïve and at times reckless young man has matured beyond his years, and is now regarded as both a leader and a role model by his peers in the professional game”.”AD’s remorse and shame are, in the panel’s view, both sincere and insightful,” the report added. “He expressed these sentiments in his early admission of guilt and ongoing cooperation in these proceedings, as well as a further apology made directly to the panel: these factors are very much to his credit.”Four of the five matches involved in Davies’ ban have been suspended, meaning he is only likely to miss Warwickshire’s opening County Championship fixture against Surrey in April. He has two weeks to appeal, but Mark McCafferty, Warwickshire’s chair, said the club expected him “to accept his punishment with good grace and focus now on being the best cricketer he can be, as well as working with us to ensure that the club is inclusive to all in every respect”.”We support the decision of the Cricket Disciplinary Committee to issue Alex Davies with a fine and match ban for comments he made on social media a number of years ago, prior to joining Warwickshire CCC,” McCafferty added. “There is no excuse for any form of discrimination, regardless of when it took place, and there has to be a real consequence for such actions.”That said, people need to be given the opportunity to learn from their mistakes and he is extremely apologetic, recognises that what he wrote as a young man was wrong and has since worked hard to improve his attitude to life, as well as support younger players as they transition to being professionals.”
تلقى نادي إنتر ميلان ضربة خلال مباراته أمام بارما في بطولة الدوري الإيطالي على ملعب إينيو تارديني، في إطار الجولة 31.
إنتر ميلان يستعد لمواجهة بايرن ميونخ يوم الثلاثاء المقبل في ذهاب دور الثمانية من بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا، على ملعب أليانز أرينا.
وأثار اللاعب الإيطالي اليساندرو باستوني مخاوف جماهير إنتر يملان، بعدما تعرض لإصابة في الشوط الأول وغادر الملعب متأثرًا بآلام في الركبة.
طالع أيضًا | مصائب السيدة العجوز تزداد.. إصابة جاتي وغيابه لمدة شهر عن يوفنتوس
خرج اللاعب الإيطالي وظهر على مقاعد البدلاء متأثرًا بالإصابة، مع وضع كيس ثلج كبير على ركبته، بعدما دخل بدلًا منه كارلوس أوجوستو.
وحسب ما أفادت شبكة “DAZN” الإيطالية، أن سيموني إنزاجي قرر خروج اللاعب كإجراء احترازي حتى لا تتفاقم الإصابة، مع غموض موقفه من السفر إلى ألمانيا مع الفريق.
ويغيب عن إنتر ميلان ستيفان دي فراي المدافع الهولندي ومواطنه دينزيل دومفيريس، ولم يتم حسم موقف الثنائي من المشاركة ضد بايرن ميونخ حتى الآن.
Bayern Munich have been urged to keep faith with Vincent Kompany as the Belgian coach gives Harry Kane and Co "more freedom" than Pep Guardiola.
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Bayern closing on on Bundesliga titleQuestions asked of Belgian coachLahm calls for patience at Allianz ArenaFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
That is the opinion of club legend Philipp Lahm, who worked under the most demanding of Catalan coaches at the Allianz Arena. Considerable success was enjoyed across three years with Guardiola at the helm, with the current Manchester City boss famed for his relentless pursuit of perfection.
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Kompany, who captained Premier League giants City under Guardiola’s tutelage, is now calling the shots in Munich. He appears to be on course to recapture the Bundesliga title, but questions are being asked of whether the 38-year-old will make it beyond one full season in the dugout.
WHAT PHILIPP LAHM SAID
Lahm has told of Kompany’s methods, with there still room for improvement: "It is obvious that Kompany was influenced by his former coach, Guardiola, who revolutionised modern possession football. Guardiola paid attention to absolutely everything in training. He was like a composer obsessed with every note that his orchestra played and would make his view clear to everyone about everything.
"Kompany is not a copy; every student goes their own way. He also favours possession and wants to dominate the game. His Bayern team defend courageously man-to-man, which means a high level of risk. However, he seems to give his players more freedom than Guardiola.
"The defence has stabilised under Kompany. In recent years, there has been a lack of concentration, no clear hierarchy among the players and many goals conceded. Now Dayot Upamecano and Kim Min-jae seem to form a secure duo. Joshua Kimmich’s role in central midfield is also more clearly defined. Kompany’s signature is evident in his organisation, but also in his patience when playing with the ball.
"Does his attacking style work at the highest level? There is still a lack of evidence. His team have difficulties with their overall balance and a few areas are not operating yet at the highest level. The midfield, for example, is susceptible to counter attacks. The possession can often be too slow, the progress towards goal is sometimes indecisive, and there is a lack of penetration in that final third, where attacks too often break down."
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Lahm added on the debate regarding the Belgian’s future: "Kompany needs time and support, and Bayern is not an easy club to work for given the need for success in the short term. After all, the last coach to stay longer than three years was Hitzfeld. That’s the downside of being a players’ club. But I trust him to develop the team and refine his playing ideas. He has the tools to succeed."
An “exciting” and “popular” member of Arsenal’s squad could be tempted by a transfer to fierce rivals Tottenham, with the Lilywhites now considering what is viewed as a surprise move.
Tottenham team news as Spurs prepare to face Aston Villa
Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou is now preparing his side to face high-flying top-four rivals Aston Villa, fresh off the back of a much-needed Carabao Cup win over Premier League champions Man City.
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The Australian is contemplating his arrival.
ByEmilio Galantini Nov 2, 2024
Their inconsistent run of form so far this season has yielded four wins, four defeats and a draw – while Villa are coming into this game boasting just one loss in the league all season, which came at the hands of Arsenal in August.
Tottenham vs Aston Villa
Sunday
Tottenham vs Ipswich Town
November 10
Man City vs Tottenham
November 23
Tottenham vs Fulham
December 1
Bournemouth vs Tottenham
December 5
However, the contrasting fortunes of both sides only tell half the story, with Villa boss Unai Emery admitting that Spurs deserve more points from their performances this season.
Unfortunately for Postecoglou, the Australian will be without star defender Micky van de Ven, in what is a real blow considering the Dutchman’s importance. Cristian Romero is also a doubt to face Villa, meaning Postecoglou could be forced to select a centre-back pairing of Radu Dragusin and Ben Davies in a worst-case scenario.
Timo Werner and Son Heung-min are also touch-and-go for the game, depending on late fitness tests. Emery called Spurs favourites to win their clash with Villa, but if Postecoglou is without this quartet, Villa would surely be fancying their chances to win this one.
“The boys worked hard the other night. The main one is Micky, and he has sort of strained a hamstring,” said Postecoglou on Tottenham team news.
“It is not too serious but probably [he will return] after the international break for him. The other ones who were a bit sore were Romero and Werner, but at the moment there is still a chance for the weekend. Sonny has trained today so if he gets through training tomorrow, he should be okay.”
Meanwhile, away from the field, it is believed technical director Johan Lange is plotting a head-turning transfer move to poach a rival player from across north London.
Karl Hein could be tempted to join Tottenham from Arsenal
As per Football Insider and journalist Pete O’Rourke, Arsenal goalkeeper Karl Hein is a surprise target for Spurs.
Current backup ‘keeper Fraser Forster is out of contract next summer and is set to leave on a free as things stand, with Arsenal’s 22-year-old Estonia international sticking out in Tottenham’s thinking as a possible replacement.
Currently on loan at Real Valladolid, the towering 6 foot 4 shot-stopper has only just penned a new deal at the Emirates, yet it is claimed that Hein could be tempted by a move to Tottenham as Postecoglou’s side consider swooping next year.
Other reports have claimed that Spurs are prepared to bid for Hein, so perhaps this is one worth watching. Despite his very young age for a goalkeeper, Hein already boasts 34 outings for his country and has plenty of time to surpass a century of international caps with ease.
Arsenal sporting director Edu Gaspar has also called him an “exciting” and “popular” player at the club.
Looking to land a player dubbed the next Xabi Alonso, Liverpool officials are now reportedly making regular checks to hijack Real Madrid’s pursuit and get one over on their European rivals off the pitch.
Liverpool transfer news
Liverpool’s season couldn’t have gone much better than it has done so far. Although Arne Slot is often quick to remind reporters of his side’s one defeat against Nottingham Forest, even he will be satisfied with a place at the top of the Premier League and Champions League. His players have continued their form in the international break too, with Curtis Jones scoring an audacious debut goal for England in a standout performance against Greece.
In arguably their strongest position to win the Premier League since their victory in the 2019/20 season, the Reds could be in a perfect position to welcome further reinforcements in both the January transfer window and next summer to take Slot’s side up yet another level.
According to Graeme Bailey for The Boot Room, Liverpool officials are now making regular checks on Javi Guerra and are looking to hijack Real Madrid’s move to sign the Valencia midfielder in 2025. The Spanish giants have been linked with the 21-year-old in the last year but could now lose out courtesy of the Reds.
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A player likened to Alonso and tipped to succeed his role for Spain in the future, Guerra will seemingly get the chance to pick between two of the Spaniard’s former clubs in an attempt to take a similar path to the midfield legend.
It would represent quite the statement of intent if Liverpool sealed glory in the current campaign and then beat Real Madrid in pursuit of a midfield reinforcement next summer.
"Intelligent" Guerra can follow Alonso path
One of the best midfielders of his generation, Alonso first swapped La Liga for the chance to join Liverpool in 2004 in what was truly the beginning of an incredible rise full of moments to savour. Now, Guerra can take a similar path. Like Alonso swapped Real Sociedad for Merseyside, the young midfielder can swap Valencia for a chance to reach Anfield stardom.
Valencia midfielder Javi Guerra.
Still just 21 years old, the Valencia star has quite the decision to make, that’s for sure. Of course, not many would be shocked by such a big move for Guerra, who was described as “intelligent” by Football Talent Scout’s Jacek Kulig earlier this year.
After Liverpool missed out on Martin Zubimendi last summer, Guerra could take the opportunity that the Sociedad star decided to reject next summer by completing Slot’s midfield once and for all. Amid such high interest, the Spaniard will be one to watch when 2025 arrives and Liverpool set their sights on reinforcements.
After two days of resolute batting, Jharkhand continued to pile the misery on a hapless Nagaland attack, finally folding for a massive 880 on the third day in Kolkata. Shahbaz Nadeem, who was on 123 overnight, finished on 177, while No. 11 Rahul Shukla remained unbeaten on 85, as the final-wicket stand yielded 191.While it was almost surprising to see Jharkhand continue to bat after they had ended day two at 769, Nadeem and Shukla’s intentions of getting quick runs was clear after a quiet first six overs of the day. Nadeem cracked three consecutive fours off Chopise Hopongkyu, and Shukla wasn’t to be left behind either. He quickly found boundaries off Raja Swarnkar before launching Shirkant Mundhe for six to get to his second first-class fifty.The partnership was past hundred by that time, and the pair resumed their attack after the drinks break, with Shukla smashing another four sixes – he hit six in total – as Nagaland ended up bowling more than 200 overs.Their reply with the bat wasn’t convincing either. Ashish Kumar cleaned up opener Sedezhalie Rupero for 8 in the fifth over of Nagaland’s innings before Shukla joined the action on the field by running Rupero’s partner Yugandhar Singh out for 9. Anukul Roy soon after had the captain Rongsen Jonathan caught for another single-digit score, as Nagaland stood at 43 for 3 at one stage.There was a brief fight with a 56-run fourth-wicket partnership between Mundhe and Chetan Bist, but Nadeem hit back with the ball after earlier frustrating Nagaland with the bat. He had Mundhe caught for 39, as the next man in Hokaito Zhimomi was forced to retire hurt on 5 for what seemed like a hand injury, meaning Nagaland were effectively five down.They ended the day a massive 750 runs behind, and with two full days of the game remaining, stare at a huge defeat unless something miraculous happens to rescue them.