Stuart Broad averaged over 36 with the ball in 2017, his worst year since 2010, but currently sits on 399 Test wickets

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Feb-2018Stuart Broad has been honing his bowling action ahead of England’s Test series in New Zealand next month where he will arrive sitting on 399 wickets.In a pair of tweets posted on Tuesday, Broad explained how he was working on getting more side-on on his delivery stride. In recent times he has found it harder to move the ball away from right handers.”Working on my action to get more side on. More twist in my shoulders to get my front arm more towards the target, helping my feet align much better,” Broad wrote alongside a short video. “Walk throughs give me a great feel of how my body is moving. Some balls come out great, some horrible, but I always say try different things in training cause if something clicks for you it can help your game, no one cares if you get it wrong in the aim for improvement!”The Ashes was largely a struggle for Broad as he claimed 11 wickets at 47.72 – five of them coming in the fourth Test at Melbourne – his most expensive return in a series of more than three matches, while he finished with his worst Test figures of 0 for 142 in Perth.

Working on my action to get more side on. More twist in my shoulders to get my front arm more towards the target, helping my feet align much better. Walk throughs give me a great feel of how my body is moving. Some balls come out great, some horrible, but I always say try… (1) pic.twitter.com/P2cJDlgYBX

— Stuart Broad (@StuartBroad8) February 13, 2018

Broad came in for heavy criticism after the performance in Perth, with former England captain Michael Vaughan questioning his place in the team, but responded with his best outing of the series in Melbourne.Throughout 2017, Broad found Test wickets harder to come by than previous years, finishing with 30 scalps at 36.06 – his highest average since 2010.Broad claimed his 399th Test wicket early in Australia’s first innings at the SCG last month – when he bowled Cameron Bancroft with his second delivery – but remained short of his next landmark through 29 overs as Australia amassed 649 for 7. He will become the second England bowler after new-ball partner James Anderson to reach 400 wickets.The first Test against New Zealand, a day-night match at Eden Park, starts on March 22.

Ange Postecoglou has been fairly ruthless when it comes to farewells at Tottenham Hotspur since taking charge, with his rebuild resulting in a number of departures around the squad, or players simply being frozen out.

It must be said, though, that as ruthless as Postecoglou has been, it has worked wonders so far in North London, with an unbeaten start representing the turnaround that the former Celtic boss has overseen so quickly.

Now, even with the transfer window shut, the Australian is making moves to improve his side, which could reportedly see yet another player depart, in what would be perhaps the most surprising exit since Harry Kane's transfer to Bayern Munich earlier this summer.

What's the latest Spurs transfer news?

According to Fabrizio Romano, Spurs are on the verge of signing 16-year-old centre-back Luka Vuskovic from Hajduk Split, beating a reported five other clubs to the highly-rated teenager's signature in the process.

The deal represents Spurs' improvement in the transfer market, as they continue to plan for the future. The deal for Vuskovic is not without its cost, according to reports, however, with a first-team player heading in the other direction.

According to Croatian outlet tportal, the deal for Vuskovic has opened the option for Ivan Perisic to go in the opposite direction, and join Hajduk Split in his home country of Croatia.

The move would come as quite the surprise, given that Vuskovic is reportedly set to stay at Split until he turns 18-years-old, before then officially making the move to Spurs.

Should Spurs sell Ivan Perisic?

Whilst Perisic is getting no younger at 34-years-old, he has remained an important member of the Spurs squad, even under Postecoglou. So far this season, he has made an appearance in all five games in all competitions, including one start in the Carabao Cup.

In such a young Spurs squad, too, with the likes of Micky van de Ven and Yves Bissouma still relatively new to the team, Perisic's experience can prove to be priceless for those in North London – swapping that experience out for a 16-year-old centre-back may prove to be a costly decision. If Spurs can get their deal done for Vuskovic without bidding farewell to Perisic, then it would be an ideal transfer.

The former Inter Milan man's versatility is an asset in its own right on top of his experience, meanwhile, having played in midfield, wingback, and in an offensive role throughout his career. That is, once again, priceless.

Perisic has earned plenty of praise during his short time at Spurs, too, including from Alasdair Gold, who said, via Football London, after the defender impressed against Sporting: "Crafted a couple of first half chances for Richarlison and Emerson and further opportunities in the second half that should have been put away.

“An excellent creative outlet down the left for Spurs and used all of his experience for much of the match. One of Spurs’ better players other than one moment of iffy defending when Edwards left him in his wake.”

With that said, the Vuskovic deal is certainly one to keep an eye on, especially if Hajduk Split pursue a deal of their own for current Spurs man Perisic in the coming days.

Aston Villa have been a club on the up since the arrival of Unai Emery in November 2022, with the Spaniard rocketing the Villans to a European finish in his first spell in the Midlands.

The former Arsenal boss has transformed the outlook at Villa Park, even more so after the summer transfer window, in which he made some stellar signings, most prominently the record-breaking capture of Moussa Diaby.

As well as welcoming five new faces to the squad, Emery bid farewell to a host of talent through sales, with one academy star in Cameron Archer leaving after rumours of him eventually breaking through.

How much did Aston Villa sell Cameron Archer for?

Archer worked his way from the academy to eventually gain minutes with the first team and then thrive on loan.

However, despite penning a new deal in 2022, the Englishman departed to Sheffield United on a permanent basis.

In a deal worth £18m, the striker has already shown his worth with the Blades, scoring on his Premier League debut at Bramall Lane.

Who could replace Cameron Archer?

While the sale of the 21-year-old was a good move for the player due to the current pecking order in the position at Villa, his move leaves a door open for another up-and-coming talent to eye a sporadic role around the first team.

The club have a list of budding talent currently excelling at Bodymoor Heath, as well as those that are relishing loan spells, with one being Louie Barry, who has already had a contrasting journey in the early days of his playing career.

From the highs for departing for the infamous La Masia set up in Barcelona to struggling loan moves following his switch to Villa, Barry looks to be finding his feet again in League Two, with the hope that his future could still be in claret and blue.

How good is Louie Barry?

Lauded as “very intelligent” by former manager Ben Garner during his loan at Swindon Town, the versatile forward could have a part to play under Emery in the future.

The 20-year-old, who can play on either flank or as a striker, impressed back in the 2020/21 Premier League 2 season, in which he showcased his goal-scoring prowess by netting 13 goals in 17 appearances at academy level.

Such success prompted the loan move to Swindon, where he continued to impress in League Two, scoring six in 14 appearances as he rediscovered his form back in England after his quick spell in Barcelona.

Last term was a difficult one for the youngster, who endeavoured on two loans, firstly in League One with MK Dons in which he netted one goal, followed by a drop-down to League Two where he only scored twice for Salford City, via Transfermarkt.

It seems as though his current spell at Stockport County back in the fourth tier could decide his future with reference to his parent club.

With three goals in six appearances so far, things are going swimmingly for the winger, who could still make an impact at Villa Park should he be given a route to success, earned by his application while at Stockport.

Given Archer’s successful stint in the Championship prior to his move, the striker was a far more accomplished forward for the Villans to call upon if needed, with Barry’s claim to replace him still far from considerable at present.

A strong loan spell can make the difference, and at just 20 years old, the future is bright for the winger, who could find sanctuary under Emery, with other Premier League managers having already sung his praises.

Back in 2021, Jurgen Klopp dubbed Barry a “proper threat” after he scored against Liverpool in the FA Cup, telling of how high his potential is should he get the ball rolling once more.

While the international break is now upon us, it does not look set to be a quiet week or so as far as Manchester United are concerned, with talk dominated by the situation involving manager Erik ten Hag and struggling winger, Jadon Sancho.

With the former Borussia Dortmund trickster having been a notable absentee from Sunday's matchday squad for the trip to Arsenal, Ten Hag subsequently confirmed that the player had been left out of the trip to the Emirates as a result of his underwhelming displays in training.

That surprise admission was followed by a quick response from the player on Twitter, with the 23-year-old insisting that such accusations were "untrue", while also going on to claim that he had been made a "scapegoat" at Old Trafford in recent times.

Such a statement is unlikely to go down well with a manager who has already ruthlessly shown Cristiano Ronaldo the door and stripped Harry Maguire of the captaincy in his tenure to date, with the end potentially nigh with regard to Sancho's time at the club.

What has happened to Sancho at Man United?

Quite what has gone wrong for the Englishman at the Theatre of Dreams is hard to ascertain, with it not too long ago that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer lauded his shiny, new £73m signing as a player who would "form an integral part of [his] squad", following his arrival from Germany in 2021.

Having been forced to wait to get their hands on the one-time Manchester City asset – after failing to clinch a deal a year earlier – the hope was that Sancho would make up for lost time and hit the ground running in his new surroundings, after previously recording 114 goals and assists in 137 games for his previous employers.

As it has proved, the £350k-per-week enigma has since endured a particularly turbulent and underwhelming stint in red, notably missing a fair chunk of last season after being afforded time to address his "physical and mental" issues, as per Ten Hag.

That spell away from first-team action had seemingly been with one eye on helping to rejuvenate the misfiring marksman, although Sancho ended the season with just seven goals and three assists to his name in 41 games in all competitions.

With just 12 goals and assists in total in 82 outings over the past two years, it is easy to see why reports have indicated that the Red Devils were willing to cash in on the player over the summer for a fee of £45m, with Ten Hag said to have been growing 'increasingly impatient' with his shortcomings.

With that in mind, United may well rue their failure not to sign an adequate replacement for the London-born winger, with new West Ham United gem, Mohammed Kudus one such figure who could well have blossomed.

Did Man United want Mohammed Kudus?

As a player who worked under Ten Hag previously at Ajax, it was perhaps inevitable that Kudus would be the subject of speculation regarding a move to Old Trafford, with the Manchester Evening News naming him as a possible summer target amid his form at the World Cup in Qatar, after scoring twice for Ghana in the competition.

The Athletic's Andy Mitten also noted back in December that the 23-year-old was of interest to the United boss, among a handful of other targets, with the Dutchman said to admire the 'skill and dynamism' of his former asset.

Kudus' record under Ten Hag

Ajax

Games

42

Goals

5

Assists

4

Yellow Cards

3

Minutes Played

1332

Stats via Transfermarkt

That was followed by further reports during the recent summer window that indicated that the Premier League giants were ready to enter the race for the forward's signature, with the player himself said to be keen on a reunion with Ten Hag.

Despite that apparent interest, the versatile gem – who can operate in midfield, on the flanks or in a centre-forward berth – ultimately sealed a £38m move to West Ham United last month, ensuring he could well wreak havoc on those at Old Trafford in the near future.

How good is Mohammed Kudus?

While the one-time Nordsjaelland sensation is yet to show his quality in the Premier League – having made just a late, stoppage time appearance for the Hammers against Luton Town at the weekend – he did dazzle in Amsterdam last term, scoring 18 goals and providing seven assists in 42 games in all competitions.

Hailed as a "star boy" by ex-teammate Calvin Bassey, Kudus was particularly eye-catching in the Champions League after netting four goals and contributing two assists in just six group games, including scoring in a 2-1 defeat away to Liverpool at Anfield.

The left-footed speedster appears to be particularly adept at dribbling past opponents with ease as he ranks in the top 1% among his European peers for successful take-ons, at an average of 4.37 per 90.

That record is far superior to what Sancho has achieved across the last 365 days as the United man averaged just 1.95 for that same metric, with pundit Tim Sherwood noting that he now "plays too safe", after losing that confidence and desire to try and beat his man.

Former Arsenal striker Kevin Campbell even went as far as to suggest that Kudus shared a likeness to current Gunners gem, Bukayo Saka, with the pundit stating that the new Irons ace "plays a bit like Saka", as he "welcomes the contact and shifts away from it".

Saka, of course, has been in sparkling form for the north Londoners in recent times after bagging 14 goals and providing 11 assists in the Premier League last season, with that a far greater return than that man Sancho, who registered just nine top-flight goal involvements in 2022/23.

To have been able to find their own version of the Arsenal wizard in the form of Kudus would have been simply a dream scenario for those at Old Trafford, although Ten Hag may have to instead witness the West Ham dynamo shining at the London Stadium.

In the meantime, the 53-year-old is stuck with a player in Sancho who is struggling to deliver and has openly hit back at his comments, with some sort of resolution needing to be found sooner rather than later in what is yet another unwanted distraction for the club.

اكتمل عقد الفرق المتأهلة إلى منافسات بطولة الدوري الإيطالي الموسم المقبل، 2024/25، وذلك مساء يوم الأحد.

كان كل من بارما وكومو قد تأهلا إلى منافسات النسخة المقبلة من السيري آ، بعدما أنهيا موسم الدوري الإيطالي الدرجة الثانية في المركز الأول والثاني، على الترتيب.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ترتيب هدافي الدوري الإيطالي 2023/2024

في حين خاض فينيزيا وكريمونيزي، صاحبا المركزين الثالث والرابع، ملحق فاصل، من مباراتين ذهابًا وإيابًا، لتحديد الفريق الثالث المتأهل إلى الدوري الإيطالي الموسم المقبل.

وتمكن فينيزيا من حسم الملحق بعدما فاز على كريمونيزي بهدف دون رد.

وتجدر الإشارة إلى إنه قد هبط كل من ساليرنيتانا، ساسولو وفروزينوني من منافسات الدوري الإيطالي إلى الدرجة الثانية الموسم القادم. الفرق المتأهل إلى الدوري الإيطالي 2024/25

بارما.

كومو.

فينيزيا.

In less than three days, the physios were called upon seven times to treat batsmen hurt by deliveries that misbehaved on the Wanderers pitch

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Jan-2018South Africa, 1st innings
3.3
Bumrah to Elgar, no run, wow, hit on the hand. Like Pujara, even Elgar is wearing a few. This one jags back in from outside off, beats Elgar on the inside edge and whacks him on the elbow. That’s a very painful blow. He needs some treatment, and more importantly, time.29.2
Sharma to Amla, no run, strikes him under the ribs and he needs medical attention. Vicious delivery, which probably moves off a crack in the good length area of the pitch. Ishant nails it, with a wobbly seam, and it snarls in at Amla, who is worse off because of that exaggerated shuffle across off stump. His bat has no chance of getting across in time and he takes a pretty painful blow where there is no protection51.5
Sharma to Amla, 1 run, walks right across and is surprised by the bounce – where he expects it to hit the middle at knee-height and find runs through midwicket, it rears up, taking the glove and going to the left of the wicketkeeper. Parthiv does his utmost but even after a dive he is nowhere near close to the ball. Amla needs a little treatment for a painful blow on the fingers.56.6
Kumar to Philander, no run, Philander cops a blow on the glove! A good length ball on off stump explodes off the pitch and hurts Philander. It was more or less similar to the ball that he punched to the cover boundary earlier this over. But this one kicks up and surprises him63.5
Bumrah to Morkel, no run, bouncer on leg stump, Morkel tries to hook it away, past leg gully, but there is just too much bounce to middle these shots. Morkel gets hit on the left index finger and needs treatment.India 2nd innings
30.2
Rabada to Kohli, no run, back of a length and lifting up outside. Looks to defend on the front foot and takes this on the thumb. Calls for the physio straight away.34.1
Rabada to Vijay, no run, rapped on the left glove. Signals for the physio again. Lifts from a length and raps him as he looks to avoid it.

An update has emerged on Sunderland and their plans to add to their attacking options before the summer transfer window slams shut this evening.

What's the latest Sunderland transfer news?

According to journalist Alan Nixon, via his Patreon, the Black Cats are eyeing up a deadline day swoop to sign Jesurun Rak-Sakyi from Crystal Palace on loan.

The reporter has claimed that the Championship side are keen on a deal to snap up the 20-year-old winger on a temporary basis as there are growing concerns over a possible exit for current forward Patrick Roberts.

Sky Sports' Keith Downie has also claimed that Southampton made an offer of £5m for the former Manchester City prospect on Thursday and that a deal could be done for the English maestro.

How good is Jesurun Rak-Sakyi?

The Eagles youngster is a terrific prospect who could come in as an upgrade on Roberts and alleviate any fears that losing the 26-year-old would weaken the squad significantly.

If Rak-Sakyi can translate his performances in League One on loan with Charlton last season over to Championship football with Sunderland this term then he could be a sensational option for Tony Mowbray out wide as a player who can score and assist goals on a regular basis.

The 5 foot 10 winger showcased his creativity with eight assists and 1.3 key passes per game for the Addicks across 43 outings in the third tier, which shows that he has the potential to split open the opposition's defence on a regular basis to provide his teammates with opportunities in front of goal.

Roberts, meanwhile, assisted seven goals and produced 1.4 key passes per match over 42 Championship clashes for Sunderland during the 2022/23 campaign, which indicates that there may not be a great deal to separate the pair when it comes to creating chances.

However, Rak-Sakyi's goalscoring potential from a wide position is where the talented prodigy could be a big upgrade on the flank for Mowbray's side.

The Palace wizard, whose balance was hailed as "wonderful" by ex-boss Ben Garner, racked up an outstanding 15 League One goals for Charlton last season, which is more than any Sunderland player managed in the Championship.

Roberts only found the back of the net five times for the Black Cats and that came after the former Celtic loanee produced two goals in 17 League One matches for the club throughout the 2021/22 campaign.

These statistics suggest that Rak-Sakyi has the potential to offer more quality on a consistent basis in comparison to Roberts as a scorer, whilst they both offer a similar level of creativity from the flank as left-footed forwards.

Sunderland could improve their team by securing a last-gasp swoop for the Palace youngster on loan and a deal for him could provide his compatriot with superb competition out wide, or it could allow the club to sanction his exit without worrying about the hole that it would leave behind.

Therefore, Mowbray and Kristjaan Speakman must work hard to sign the Eagles talent on loan as it could be a shrewd piece of deadline day business.

Richard Halsall has resigned as Bangladesh’s assistant coach because of family commitments. The 49-year old who joined as fielding coach in 2014 and later promoted as Chandika Hathurusingha’s assistant two years later, will step away with immediate effect.Halsall’s last assignment with the national team was the tour of Sri Lanka in January and February. He was granted leave for the Nidahas Trophy that concluded in Colombo on Saturday. His exit leaves BCB with another vacancy to fill.They are already without a full-time head coach since Hathurusingha took up a similar role with Sri Lanka in November. Courtney Walsh stepped in as the interim head coach for the Nidahas Trophy.”Richard [Halsall] has officially submitted his resignation,” said Nizamuddin Chowdhury, the BCB CEO. “We understand that his decision is from family considerations and he wishes to stay close to home especially to be by the side of his ailing father. The board respects his priorities and has accepted the resignation.”Richard has been an integral member of the Bangladesh team management during the last four years and part of many successes of the national team. The board would like to thank Richard for his contribution to Bangladesh cricket and wishes him the very best for his future.”Halsall, in a statement via the BCB, spoke glowingly of his time in the country. “I wish to thank the board for four brilliant years with the national team. I have worked alongside some excellent colleagues, and have had so many opportunities to grow and develop in my career.”I will always be grateful for how my family was accepted and treated and the great memories of famous victories versus England, Pakistan, India, South Africa, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Australia will always remain with me. I will never forget my time with the Bangladesh Cricket Team and wish them every success in the future.”

MatériaMais Notícias

Após os últimos resultados na Taça Santos Dumont, a diretoria do Rio São Paulo decidiu mudar o comandando técnico da equipe, demitindo treinador Palinha. Em contra partida, os dirigentes agiram rápido e anunciaram a chegada do experiência Júnior Gomes.

O treinador que vinha fazendo uma ótima campanha comando o Gonçalense, chega com a certeza que a equipe do Campinho tem tudo para brigar na parte principal da tabela.
.
“Eu vejo um clube com uma estrutura que muitos da B1 não tem. Vejo um grupo muito bem montado, um grupo rápido. E pelo que vi, penso que esse time vai brigar na parte de cima da tabela, chego com esse pensamento, não pode ser diferente. Estou muito feliz em chegar nessa família, agora espero implantar a minha metodologia, que os jogadores entendam e a gente consiga avançar na competição”, disse Júnior Gomes.

Junior Gomes já está concentrado e assume o comando na quinta-feira. Nesta quarta-feira, o time enfrenta o Audax, em Miguel Pereira, pela 8ª rodada da Taça Santos Dumont, eserá comandando pelo auxiliar Jorge Perreco.

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During pre-season, if you asked Erik ten Hag what a nightmare start would look like for Manchester United in the Premier League this season, then he would have likely painted a similar picture to the one we're currently seeing at Old Trafford.

The Red Devils have just not got going, resulting in defeats against both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, as well as unconvincing victories over Nottingham Forest and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The excuse can't be spending, either. Throughout the summer, the Premier League giants welcomed a total of seven reinforcements, from Andre Onana and Mason Mount, to Rasmus Hojlund. Even after their arrivals, though, United somehow look a shadow of the side that finished third and won the Carabao Cup last season.

Their poor form has led to criticism, including from former defender Paul Parker, who took aim at one struggling player, in particular.

What has Paul Parker said?

One player who has failed to make an impact this season has been Anthony Martial. The Frenchman is yet to score or assist, having played three Premier League games as summer signing Rasmus Hojlund gets back to full fitness.

Recognising Martial's struggles, Parker didn't hold back, telling Spilxperten, via The Express: "If he (Hojlund) doesn’t start against Brighton, then all fans will want Erik ten Hag fired, and it would almost be justified. It wouldn’t make any sense if he started on the bench.

“Martial shouldn’t even be on the bench. There must be a youth player who is better who can sit on the bench, and Hojlund can be the first striker. All Manchester United fans are fed up with seeing a player with a lousy attitude, who always sulks and complains, and it’s a blessing that Man Utd finally has an attacker who plays with enthusiasm.

“I actually don’t agree that you can’t already judge Hojlund based on the minutes he had against Arsenal. You certainly can because he made a huge difference when he was substituted in.

“It was the best thing that could happen to him, that he had to replace Martial because he knew he couldn’t do worse than him. When he came on the pitch, he used his physique and pushed Gabriel, almost sending him flying out of Emirates. Martial has never done that. He just lies down on the ground and cries."

"He ran deep with his tremendous speed, something Martial has never done either. Martial is like a greyhound because a greyhound never runs past the hare, and that’s how Martial is.”

Should Ten Hag drop Anthony Martial?

With every year that goes by, the infamous Ballon d'Or clause in Martial's contract represents more and more just how badly things have gone for the forward at Old Trafford – that clause once made sense. Years later, and it has become nothing more than a stick to poke fun at the Red Devils.

Hojlund's arrival should see Martial's time in Ten Hag's starting line-up come to an end, however, given that United spent a reported £72m on the forward.

Up next, the Red Devils square off against a Brighton & Hove Albion side who have just comfortably dispatched of Newcastle United, making it imperative that Ten Hag gets his selection right.

Those around Old Trafford will certainly be hoping to see their new striker start his first game for the club.