Tag Futebol

Ajinkya Rahane believes mental preparation is the key in a team that rates versatility

Alagappan Muthu in Indore23-Sep-2017

Soon after returning from the tour of Sri Lanka, Ajinkya Rahane visited the nets at the Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai to train, where he ran into Sachin Tendulkar.” told me, ‘back your game. Opportunities will come sometimes, and they will be missing sometimes. It is not in your hand. You need to work on mindset – because the better the mindset, the better you do on the field.'”That advice is fairly pertinent to Rahane because he has been designated the back-up opener in the squad. He spent the entire Champions Trophy carrying drinks, but then, on India’s next 50-over assignment, he made 336 runs from five innings and was named Man of the Series. In Sri Lanka, he was relegated, again.In such cases, a batsman can be moved to making drastic changes to his game, but in that conversation Rahane had with Tendulkar, he was told there was only one thing he needed to concentrate on. “He did not tell me anything much about the technical stuff. He mostly spoke about the mental preparation, about aggression.”Then there was some opposition research.”He has played so much against Australia, so he spoke to me about how to prepare mentally, and pointed out the lengths they generally bowl. It was great having the chat with him, and it gave me a lot of confidence speaking to him.”Rahane made his 23rd fifty-plus score in 79 innings, in Kolkata and at the start of that innings, he was set a very strong offside field. Only there was no one at cover. Australia were hunting for the outside edge and they wanted the Indian batsmen to drive away from their bodies.So Rahane negated the risk by making sure he only punched the ball, without too much of a follow through, and his timing took care of the rest. He kept driving through the covers, collecting five fours, until Australia had to plug that gap in the ninth over and look elsewhere for wickets.”I just tried to make sure I didn’t repeat the mistakes I made in the first match [when he was caught behind for 5 chasing a wide ball], and after the first couple overs, the aim was to put pressure on Australia, on how to counter-attack. When Rohit got out and Kohli and I were batting, [the] plan was to make sure we even hit their good balls and counter-attack so we can build pressure on them.”Though India wasn’t able to captalise on an excellent start from their top order, the eventual margin of victory, 50 runs, and the way the bowlers rallied to produce it pleased Rahane.”You can’t expect to score 300 or 350 every time you bat. There will be times when you score 240 or 280 but it’s more important when you defend such totals as well,” he said. “This team has the quality to defend any total. The bowling attack is so good that the team is confident that we can defend and win matches despite not putting up huge totals. We are confident that we can restrict any opposition. When a couple of batsmen get set and score big, you tend to get enough totals. But when you end up winning matches even after scoring 240-ish totals, you establish yourself as the No. 1 team.”India believe they have another asset as well – a roster full of people who aren’t worried if their roles aren’t perfectly defined.”The best thing about this side is that the guys can all bat anywhere – so that flexibility is there,” Rahane said. “I have batted at No. 3, 4, and 5. It is important how you deal with the situation. Adjustment is completely in the mind. Technically, you can adapt anywhere, but it’s the mindset that matters.”

An update has emerged on Celtic and their plans to bolster their defensive options ahead of the 2023/24 Scottish Premiership campaign…

What's the latest Celtic transfer news?

According to the Scottish Daily Mail's Stephen McGowan, Brendan Rodgers is keen on a deal to sign Volendam central defender Xavier Mbuyamba during the summer transfer window.

Sky Sports reported in May that the Hoops were keeping tabs on the Dutch colossus.

This suggests that the interest has been carried on by the Northern Irish tactician in spite of Ange Postecoglou's departure.

McGowan's report also notes that Turkish side Fenerbahce are interested in signing Israel international Liel Abada, which would be another blow to the club's wide options after Jota's permanent move to Al Ittihad.

How good is Xavier Mbuyamba?

The jury is still out on just how good the former Chelsea academy prospect is as the 6 foot 5 titan has only played one full season at senior level.

However, his debut campaign with Volendam was impressive and suggests that the potential is there for him to develop into an excellent option at the back for Celtic.

Mbuyamba's arrival at Paradise would be terrible news for current Hoops defender Stephen Welsh, as it was reported by Football Insider in May that the club would be willing to ditch him this summer if they managed to sign a replacement.

The 23-year-old enforcer has only made 14 Premiership appearances over the course of the last two seasons, as he has struggled to nail down a regular place in the side ahead of Cameron Carter-Vickers and Carl Starfelt.

Celtic seemingly do not believe that the Scottish defender has the potential to develop into a first-choice option, given their willingness to sell him, and Mbuyamba could now come in to take his place.

The towering Dutchman would arrive with time on his side to improve as he gains more experience, given that the ex-Barcelona gem does not turn 22 until December.

He could learn from Carter-Vickers (25) and Starfelt (28) before breaking into the team in the future, as his form for Volendam last season suggests that the quality is there for him to be a superb defender for Rodgers.

Mbuyamba averaged more interceptions (1.2), tackles (2.3), and clearances (5.4) during the Eredivisie campaign than Welsh did in the Premiership, whilst no Celtic player in any position averaged more in each of those respective defensive statistics.

Therefore, the impressive youngster could make a greater impact in defence in comparison to the former Scotland U21 international, due to his ability to read the game and cut out opposition attacks more frequently.

The Volendam star's five-goal haul was also two more league goals than any Hoops centre-back managed, which suggests that he could provide Rodgers with an upgraded aerial threat from set-pieces.

At the age of 21, Mbuyamba, who was hailed as "dominant" by scout Jacek Kulig, would be able to come in as a backup option initially and be afforded the time to adjust to Scottish football before kicking on.

That is another reason why he could be a fantastic signing to replace Welsh, who could be on his way out of Parkhead if another central defender comes through the door to further restrict his potential playing time.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsMeg Lanning strolled to her 11th ton, the most in women’s ODIs•Getty Images/ICC

This was a mismatch on paper. Sri Lanka were ranked eighth. They had never beaten Australia, the defending champions, in eight previous meetings. Chamari Atapattu, however, showed cricket isn’t played on paper, but out on the field. By smashing the third-highest score in women’s ODIs – an unbeaten 178, two more than Sri Lanka’s previous highest of 176 against Australia – she gave them more than a shout of pulling off a mighty upset with a score of 257 for 9. But, as was the case against New Zealand, poor fielding and catching let them down, and the defending champions broke open the deadlock and razed to an eight-wicket win in Bristol.Nicole Bolton should have been out on 4 when wicketkeeper Prasadini Weerakkody fluffed a straightforward chance in the third over. Bolton made Sri Lanka pay by going on to make 60 – her second successive fifty-plus score of the tournament. While she couldn’t carry on, Meg Lanning, scratchy to begin with – scoring runs off edges – recovered from early rust to bring up her 11th hundred, the most in women’s ODIs. That meant Australia didn’t even have to flex their muscle to kill Sri Lanka’s hopes halfway through the chase. Lanning fittingly finished it off with a six, ending on her personal ODI best of 152 not out.Lanning and Bolton exposed Sri Lanka’s one-dimensional spin-based attack during the course of their 133-run second-wicket stand. Ellyse Perry, who had an off day with the ball – conceding 52 off her eight overs – made up by backing the captain in an unbeaten 124-run stand. She remained unbeaten on 39 as Australia, who won with 37 balls to spare, hauled themselves to the top of the points table thanks to a superior net run rate after two rounds.The manner in which Lanning asserted her authority early against spin, particularly off Shashikala Siriwardene, was the hallmark of her effort. Where Atapattu was all belligerence, Lanning punctured the bowling softly. She used her feet well to get to the pitch of the ball and drive inside-out, and put away anything in her driving arc on a surface where Australia’s spinners exposed a hint of grip if tossed up. Bolton slipped into the role of an accumulator, but was equally punishing against the long hops that came in routinely. This meant there was no pressure on Australia for most of the chase, not even when Sri Lanka finally got a breakthrough with Bolton’s wicket in the 26th over.Yet, for its sheer audacity, Atapattu’s third ODI century was the standout innings of the game. During the course of her 143-ball vigil, she effortlessly showed different elements of her game – timing, ability to rotate strike and muscle in the end overs. She laid down the marker early, off Perry, who was getting the ball to bend back in to the left-hander. She followed a streaky top edge to fine leg with two glorious drives on the up. But her partners didn’t help one bit, by throwing away wickets, some to injudicious shots: the cream of the top order was out sweeping to full deliveries.Lanning and Australia were briefly caught off guard by Sri Lanka’s fightback in the form of a 52-run stand for the fifth wicket between Siriwardene and Atapattu, before Sri Lanka lost two wickets in the space of four deliveries. At 130 for 6, Atapattu had no option but to go for broke. She lined herself to play the pull on demand and, on a flat deck, Australia were guilty of feeding her short balls, which she nonchalantly pulled. She hit 22 fours and six sixes in all to make up for close to 70% of her team’s runs, a record.The other batsmen combined to make 60 off 157 balls, and it was perhaps there that Sri Lanka, despite Atapattu’s heroics, lost the plot. Sri Lanka’s best chance was to make early inroads and expose the middle order against the new ball, but that wasn’t to be. It wasn’t quite a mismatch, yet Australia’s utter dominance exposed the gulf that exists between both sides, who were at opposite ends of the points table early in the tournament.

Arsenal have been linked with Porto striker Mehdi Taremi; however, he is not 'on the radar' for the time being at the Emirates Stadium, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

How good is Mehdi Taremi and who has been linked with signing him?

Taremi is a player with a knack of finding the back of the net and enjoyed a masterful campaign for Porto last season, registering 31 goals and 14 assists in 51 appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

WhoScored take into account that Taremi was extremely consistent for the Portuguese giants in 2022/23, recording an average match rating of 7.47/10 in Liga Portugal alongside taking on 2.9 shots per game.

His clinical form in front of goal has attracted interest from the Premier League and O Jogo via TEAMtalk have reported that Arsenal and Manchester United among others are keen to secure the £29k-a-week ace's services in the off-season.

The Sun have picked up on a potential hint from Taremi's agent Borna Khoramdel, who is the CEO of Arvand Sport, that he could be on his way to join Manchester United following a post on Instagram that showed a picture of his representative at Old Trafford.

Sky Sport cite that AC Milan are big admirers of Taremi and claim that Porto have lowered their asking price for the Iran international to €20 million (£17.09 million) plus bonuses. Roma and Saudi Pro League outfit Al Hilal are said to be monitoring his situation.

Football Insider mooted back in April that Mikel Arteta could look to bring another striker to north London this window that possesses a different profile to current options Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah, targeting a physical presence in the frontline.

Nevertheless, transfer insider Jones doesn't think that Arteta will move to bring in an alternative forward to add to his options in the final third.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jones stated: "Yeah, I mean, Mehdi Taremi is suddenly being linked with a lot of clubs. Whenever that happens, I'm always a little bit cautious about whether he's just being touted around and what the meaning is behind it.

"I haven't heard too much on this one in terms of Arsenal's genuine interest. As far as I've been told, a forward of this sort of mould isn't really on the radar at this sort of time."

What else is going on at Arsenal this transfer window?

The Gunners have already already secured their first signing in the summer in the form of Kai Havertz, who has moved across London from Chelsea for a fee in the region of £65 million, as per Sky Sports.

West Ham United captain Declan Rice and Ajax defender Jurrien Timber have both underwent medicals at the club and will be officially announced this week, according to The Evening Standard.

Speaking to The Residency quoted by 90min, Arsenal midfielder Jorginho admitted that he has 'no idea' when both deals will be announced.

Southampton star Romeo Lavia is another midfielder that is under consideration from Arteta as he aims to bulk up his midfield, as per The Guardian, signifying that some exciting times may be in store at the Emirates in the next few weeks.

Aston Villa may have overperformed in the second half of last season, coinciding with the appointment of Unai Emery, but some of the players who helped them qualify for the Europa League might find that has come at a cost.

The Villans have inevitably been linked with a number of players in the early stages of the summer window, even more so following the confirmation of Monchi as their new transfer chief.

Youri Tielemans has already been brought in, and it may well be that Emery looks to strengthen at the back with a couple of new central defenders.

Villarreal and Spain star Pau Torres has long been touted as a target for Villa, while Football Insider claims Villa remain in the running to sign Manchester United skipper Harry Maguire, though they face competition from Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United and some overseas clubs.

What could Harry Maguire offer to Aston Villa?

Maguire's time at Old Trafford appears to be drawing to a close after losing his place in the side following Erik ten Hag's appointment at the start of last season.

The England international started just eight Premier League games in 2022-23, which is a massive drop from his previous three seasons at Old Trafford when starting 28, 34 and 38 top-flight matches.

Maguire hardly disgraced himself when called up by Ten Hag, though, and he continues to impress at the back for England, including in Friday's 4-0 Euro 2022 qualifying victory in Malta when playing a full part.

Indeed, with 65.75 attempted passes per 90 minutes over the past 12 months, as per FBref, Maguire ranks in the top 17% of his positional peers across Europe's top five leagues, while he is in the top 13% for touches per 90 (1.27).

In the more defensive metrics, Maguire is in the top 11% for blocks (1.66 per 90) and top 12% for aerials won (3.01 per 90). In short, when Maguire plays he still impresses in multiple areas.

Described as a "colossus" by Simon Jordan in the former Crystal Palace chairman's role as a pundit for talkSPORT, albeit after also labelling the defender a "liability", United are reportedly holding out for a £35m fee for their skipper.

Those aforementioned qualities would work particularly well alongside fellow target Torres, who struggles aerially – he is ranked in the bottom 29% of defenders across Europe's top five leagues for duels won – but thrives in terms of taking the ball forward.

In fact, Torres is in the top 1% for progressive carries (2.24 per 90 minutes), top 4% for progressive passes (5.81) and top 3% for successful take-ons (0.77). Torres effectively performs well in areas Maguire perhaps lacks, making them a perfect pairing at the back for Emery.

That would spell bad news for Ezri Konsa and Tyrone Mings – Villa's best pairing at the back last season – but not many can argue against Maguire and Torres being an upgrade, particularly in the case of the latter.

For while Maguire's reputation may have nosedived, Villa Park could provide the platform for the centre-back to kick-start his career alongside a player Emery has described as being like no other.

Celtic officials will back Brendan Rodgers in the transfer market after terms were agreed to bring the manager back to Parkhead, Sky Sports report.

What’s the latest Celtic news involving Rodgers?

The Hoops have been on the search for Ange Postecoglou’s permanent replacement in recent weeks and have explored a number of options, including Enzo Maresca and Daniel Farke.

However, Rodgers, who left Glasgow back in 2019 for Leicester, will return to the club. The Northern Irishman, who tends to play a 4-2-3-1 system, won seven major honours with Celtic in 169 games in charge and has been out of work since April.

Sky Sports have now said that Rodgers and Celtic have agreed terms on a long-term deal for the 50-year-old to return to Parkhead, with an official announcement made on Monday morning.

Rodgers will reportedly earn more than his previous Celtic contract, which will once again make him the highest-paid manager in the club's history.

There was some exciting transfer news within the update as well. Sky Sports were also told that ‘Celtic's board will back Rodgers in the transfer market to help him deliver domestic success and compete in the Champions League’, hinting that there could be a summer spending spree on the cards at Parkhead over the coming months.

Who could Celtic sign under Rodgers?

The Hoops will be looking to continue the good work of Postecoglou, who won the treble before leaving for Tottenham at the end of the season. Champions League football is also on offer at Celtic for the 2023/24 season, something which could appeal to potential targets.

One player who has been heavily linked with a move to Glasgow is Valerenga midfielder Odin Thiago Holm, with a £2.6m fee agreed between the two clubs. Medical and personal terms still need to be agreed, but it seems as if the 20-year-old could be the first through the door under Rodgers.

Los Angeles FC forward Kwadwo Opoku is another player on the transfer wishlist, with the attacker potentially costing just £3.1m. Finally, Liverpool youngster Leighton Clarkson has also been linked with a move back to the Scottish Premiership with Celtic, but it appears as if Aberdeen are leading the race at this moment in time.

It is good to see that Celtic are willing to back Rodgers, though, and he’ll more than likely have some immediate targets in mind once he is confirmed as the club’s new manager, making it a possible busy summer for the Hoops.

سجل فريق مانشستر سيتي هدف التعادل في شباك مانشستر يونايتد، في مباراتهما الجارية حاليًا في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

ويستضيف ملعب “الاتحاد” مباراة الفريقين في قمة منافسات الجولة السابعة والعشرين من البطولة (لمطالعة التفاصيل من هنا).

وأحرز النجم الإنجليزي فيل فودين هدف التعادل لصالح مانشستر سيتي، في الدقيقة 56 من عمر المباراة.

الهدف جاء بعد تمريرة من رودري، حيث وصلت الكرة إلى فيل فودين الذي استغلها وهز شباك الكاميروني أندريه أونانا، معلنًا التعادل 1-1. هدف فودين أمام مانشستر يونايتد

وطالب مانشستر يونايتد بإلغاء هدف فودين بداعِ وجود خطأ ضد برونو فرنانديز، ولكن الحكم رفض ذلك وأشهر البطاقة الصفراء ضد المدرب إريك تين هاج بسبب احتجاجه.

England vice-captain Anya Shrubsole has been ruled out of the first two ODIs against West Indies due to a side strain. But she is working towards being fit for the final three matches of the series, which begin from October 14 in Kingston and count towards the Women’s Championship. England are at third, with nine wins from 15 games.Shrubsole picked up the injury playing a warm-up match against a Jamaican representative XI on Thursday. The 24-year old seamer had been named England’s player of the year for 2015. She is also No. 9 on the ICC bowlers’ rankings in ODIs.”Anya Shrubsole is a world class cricketer and our vice-captain, so of course we want her fit and helping the team to win matches for England,” England women’s coach Mark Robinson said. “But her absence from the first two matches here in Montego Bay creates an opportunity for someone else to put their hand up and show what they can do. The squad is ready and raring to go tomorrow.”The top four teams from the Women’s championship gain direct entry into the 2017 World Cup. Australia have already qualified. West Indies are at second place with 10 wins from 15 games.

Aston Villa have made contact regarding a potential summer deal to sign Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Hwang Hee-Chan, according to reports.

Who is Hwang Hee-Chan?

Hwang is a South Korean international who permanently arrived in the Premier League from RB Leipzig last summer following a successful loan period at Molineux the season before, as per Transfermarkt, where he’s since clocked up 63 appearances across both spells to date.

The Old Gold forward still has another three years remaining on his contract, but having established himself as Julen Lopetegui’s third best-performing offensive player this campaign, has caught the eye of Unai Emery.

The Midlands outfit comfortably secured their safety in the top-flight weeks ago now, but as a result of experiencing issues with Financial Fair Play, they could be forced to cash in on some of their most prized assets to help balance the books during the upcoming window, the 27-year-old being one of them, which has alerted the manager to his potential availability.

Who is signing Hwang?

According to The Mirror, Aston Vila have “registered an interest” in landing Hwang alongside AS Roma, with Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United also “monitoring” his situation in the Premier League. Wolves are “under pressure” to decrease the size of their squad in the weeks and months ahead with it being stated that some players “will have to be sold”.

Lopetegui is “loathe to lose” the striker, but he wants all of his transfer business to be completed “as quickly as possible”, so NSWE will therefore have to “show their hands” soon should they want to reach an agreement.

Would Hwang be a good signing for Villa?

Aston Villa will know that Hwang only made 12 Premier League starts in 2022/23 due to sustaining a hamstring injury earlier in the term, but he’s still shown what a “dangerous” poacher he can be when fit, as hailed by Sky Sports pundit Kevin Campbell, so he has the potential to be a great addition for Emery.

The World Cup participant, who currently pockets £30k-per-week, posted seven goal contributions (four goals and three assists) across all competitions this season, but he’s also capable of getting stuck in defensively, ranking in the 99th percentile for most tackles and blocks.

Finally, Hwang would add wonderful versatility to the Spaniard’s squad with his ability to operate in five different positions over the grass, including out wide on both flanks and even deeper in the midfield alongside his natural centre-forward role, and he would only develop even further under the guidance of Emery at Villa Park.

Celtic could be about to wave goodbye to James McCarthy, with Football Insider reporting that the club will now accept an offer from an unnamed club during the summer transfer window.

What is the latest on James McCarthy leaving Celtic?

The Scottish Premiership side have once more climbed to the top of their domestic league, with a victory over Hearts sealing yet another title for the club. Under the guidance of manager Ange Postecoglou, the SPL outfit have stormed to 95 points and have impressed many along the way.

Whilst the most of the squad have thrived, midfielder McCarthy has gone the other way. He's struggled to break into the first-team this campaign and has largely spent the season sat on the sidelines. Limited to just two appearances in the Scottish Premiership – and not a single start – he has played for just 24 minutes all year. It's even smaller than the amount he managed when he first joined Celtic in 2021/22, although he still managed just four starts during that campaign.

Now, the Premiership outfit are ready to flog the player this summer transfer window. According to Football Insider, the Scottish side are about to accept an offer for the boyhood Celtic fan during the close season as they look to try and free up some funds in their wage budget. However, no team has been named in the report in terms of who could be snapping up the midfielder this summer – so that remains a mystery.

Should Celtic sell James McCarthy?

There is clearly no room in the team for the midfielder at Celtic, with Ange Postecoglou opting for a multitude of other options in his position instead. He's managed just over 411 minutes of action for the side during his time there – and that's over the course of two campaigns. It amounts to just 4.6 lots of 90 minutes.

That is nowhere near enough playing time for any footballer, especially one who will want to continue to prolong his career now that he is into his thirties. McCarthy will want to get more action, so a deal that would see him leave and get regular gametime elsewhere would suit both parties.

McCarthy is still a capable option in the centre of the field too. His first season with Celtic produced a 6.40 WhoScored rating despite him featuring only a handful of times and the last season in which he featured in over ten games for a club (Crystal Palace in 2019/20) he had a score of 6.29, which is respectable in a struggling Premier League side.

Whilst not as solid as he perhaps once was, McCarthy can still do a decent job when given regular minutes in the centre of the field and there will no doubt be a club prepared to take a gamble on the midfielder this summer window.