Newcastle United are keen to add a new forward to their ranks after a difficult start to the season in front of goal, according to reports.
The Magpies have scored just 13 goals in the Premier League this term, which is the joint fourth-lowest total in the division. Having been beaten 2-0 by struggling West Ham United on Monday night, they’ve also now failed to find the net in three of their last six top-flight matches.
Club
Goals
League Position
Southampton
9
20th
Crystal Palace
10
19th
Everton
10
15th
Newcastle United
13
10th
Ipswich Town
13
18th
Manchester United
13
12th
After the defeat to the Hammers, Newcastle boss Eddie Howe was asked if his side’s goal return this season is a cause for concern. He replied: “Yes, it is. I can’t say anything other because it’s the most important aspect of the team.
“We need to score, we need to feel that confidence, to feel that belief, and we’ve had that for such a long time. “We’re probably still not as fluent as we have been previously, and so that’s stuff for us to try to fix.”
Semenyo wanted at Newcastle
To fix the problem, Newcastle are reportedly eyeing a move for Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo. According to Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas, the Cherries frontman has emerged as a January target for the Magpies following his impressive displays on the South Coast this season and last.
Semenyo has scored four goals in 12 games this term for Andoni Iraola’s side, while last year, he managed eight in 33 games.
Thomas claims that Newcastle are keen on the 24-year-old, ideally in the New Year, but would be unlikely to sign him in the upcoming transfer window unless other players leave the club.
Liverpool are also tracking Semenyo, according to Thomas, who says the Reds are assessing future targets that could play for Arne Slot.
Cook on Semenyo: "He's got a lot better"
Semenyo, who is valued at £16.7 million by Transfermarkt, joined Bournemouth in January 2023 from Bristol City, where he made 125 appearances and scored 21 goals across six seasons.
Though he had a slow start to life at the Vitality Stadium, he’s come into his own since the appointment of Iraola last summer, establishing himself as one of Bournemouth’s top stars.
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Following Bournemouth’s 3-1 victory over Southampton back in September, in which Semenyo was on the scoresheet, Cherries midfielder Lewis Cook heaped praise on the Ghana international, who has been capped 25 times by his country.
“As a team, we knew the quality he has and we saw that last year. He’s got to just keep working hard – being aggressive and being clinical.
“He’s got a lot better at running back and helping out the team too. He’s a powerful lad and has all the ability in the world. Hopefully he can continue to show that.”
Chelsea return to Premier League action today as they prepare to take on Thomas Frank’s Brentford side at Stamford Bridge in the evening kick-off.
The Blues beat Astana away from home in the Conference League on Thursday, winning 3-1, thanks to two goals from Marc Guiu and one from Renato Veiga.
Enzo Maresca handed chances to a number of young stars in a heavily rotated side, with the likes of Veiga, Guiu, Sam Rak-Sakyi, and Carney Chukwuemeka all featuring.
The Chelsea head coach should go back to his Premier League regulars for this clash with Brentford, though, and Cole Palmer is, perhaps, the most nailed-on player to come back in.
Cole Palmer's form this season
The England international, who was not included in the Conference League squad, has been in sensational form in the top-flight this term and should start tonight.
Palmer started the last Premier League clash against Tottenham Hotspur last Sunday and scored twice in the 4-3 win, with both of his strikes coming from the penalty spot.
The left-footed wizard has now scored 11 goals, created 11 ‘big chances’, and registered six assists in 15 appearances in the league so far this season for the Blues, which speaks to his importance in the final third.
Cole Palmer for Chelsea
Palmer has the quality to be a match-winner and difference-maker for Chelsea at the top end of the pitch and should come straight back into the starting XI this evening.
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However, it may be as important for Maresca to start another Blues attacker against Brentford, as Jadon Sancho has been in fantastic form of late.
Why starting Jadon Sancho is important for Chelsea
The English magician, whose £25m permanent option price tag was hailed as an “amazing bargain” by Ian Wright, has produced two goals and one assist in his last four matches for Chelsea in all competitions, including a strike against Spurs on Sunday.
His goal against Tottenham came at a crucial time for the Blues. They were 2-0 down after 11 minutes and Sancho’s sensational drive inside from the left and low finish into the bottom corner from distance pulled a goal back and started the comeback for the away side.
The Manchester United loanee’s all-round play in the game was also vital for Chelsea because his composure and intelligence on the ball are conducive to high-quality football.
Touches
66
69
Pass accuracy
87%
79%
Passes completed
47
33
Possession lost
10x
16x
Open play shots on target
2
1
As you can see in the table above, Sancho completed more passes, with a higher success rate, and managed more open play shots on goal than Palmer did, despite the left-footed ace having more touches.
The former Borussia Dortmund star thrives on linking up with teammates and playing the extra pass to create the best possible outcome for his team, which was best illustrated by his excellent pass to release Moises Caciedo in the box, who then won the first penalty that Palmer scored from.
Sancho’s decision-making, reliability, and quality in possession on the wing make him an incredibly important part of Maresca’s attacking unit, as illustrated by his recent goal contributions and his exceptional performance against Spurs.
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That is why unleashing him from the start against Brentford this evening is as important as bringing Palmer back into the starting line-up is, as they are both crucial to the attack.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers will surely be delighted with his team’s start to the 2024/25 campaign after they went into the last international break of the year in first place in the Scottish Premiership.
A 2-0 win over Kilmarnock on Sunday ensured that the Hoops are top of the division on goal difference, after Aberdeen’s 4-1 win over Dundee on Saturday had put them in first initially.
Goals from Callum McGregor and Nicolas Kuhn extended the club’s record to ten wins and one draw, which came against the Dons, in 11 league matches this season.
The Scottish giants have also caught the eye with their performances in Europe, beating RB Leipzig and Slovan, and drawing with Atalanta, although they were beaten 7-1 by Borussia Dortmund.
Despite the club’s fantastic start to the season, the recruitment team and Rodgers will constantly be looking at players who could come in to improve the group.
The squad is constantly evolving and there will be players who move on in the January transfer window, or next summer, and that will open the door for fresh recruits to bolster the side.
In fact, Celtic are already reportedly looking at a star who could come in to give the squad and potentially Arne Engels a boost ahead of the second half of the 2024/25 campaign.
Arne Engels' form for Celtic this season
The Belgium international joined for a club-record fee from Bundesliga side Augsburg during the summer transfer window and has had mixed success so far.
He has racked up three goals and six assists in 14 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants so far, which is a more than respectable return for a 21-year-old adapting to life in a new country.
His most recent showing against Kilmarnock on Sunday was disappointing, though, as Football FanCast published an article outlining his struggles on the artificial pitch, with one ground duel won and 16 losses of possession without creating any chances.
Appearances
8
Goals
2
Big chances created
3
Assists
0
Tackles + interceptions per game
0.7
As you can see in the table above, Engels is unlucky to have not registered a single assist in the Premiership this season, with three ‘big chances’ created.
However, he has struggled to make an impact out of possession, as was the case against Kilmarnock, with less than one tackle and interception combined per match, and that is where this potential new signing could take some of the pressure off him.
Celtic interested in Premier League midfielder
According to CaughtOffside, Celtic are keen on Liverpool’s Wataru Endo and are far from the only team interested in signing the central midfielder.
The report claims that the Hoops are one of a number of sides eyeing up the former Stuttgart dynamo, with AC Milan, Fulham, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Ipswich Town also said to be lining up a move for the Reds outcast.
It states that all of those clubs, including Celtic, have ‘shown’ an interest in the Japan international and could swoop for him when the January transfer window opens for business.
Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo
CaughtOffside adds that Endo is open to completing a move away from Anfield after the turn of the year because of his lack of minutes on the pitch under Arne Slot, with zero starts and five substitute appearances – totalling 25 minutes of action – in the Premier League this season.
The outlet claims that Liverpool could accept a fee of up to €18m (£15m) for the former Bundesliga battler, but does not outright state that Slot wants to cash in on the rarely-seen midfielder.
A fee of £15m for a player who turns 32 this season, in February, does not seem like a viable move for Celtic, when you consider that their club-record is the £11m that they paid for Arne Engels this summer.
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Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
However, the Hoops could possibly attempt to convince Liverpool to sanction a loan in the second half of the season, which could bolster Rodgers’ squad and provide Endo with a chance to shine and increase his value and number of suitors with strong performances.
The Japanese midfielder, if he can recapture his best form, could be a signing that would allow Engels to shine even brighter in the middle of the park.
Why Celtic should sign Endo
If the Hoops can secure a loan deal for the second half of the season, the Liverpool midfielder could provide a combative presence in the middle of the park to make up for Engels’ struggles in that department.
The Japanese gem has rarely got on the pitch this term but did play 29 times under Jurgen Klopp in the Premier League last season and averaged 2.4 tackles and interceptions per game, along with 2.9 ground duels won per game.
He also ranked within the top 33% of midfielders in the league for progressive passes per 90 (5.28), which shows that he can cut out opposition attacks and build forward moves for his own team when in possession by progressing the ball forward.
Endo, who was hailed as “exceptional” and a “machine” by Klopp, also showcased his quality out of possession during his time with Stuttgart in the Bundesliga, prior to his move to Liverpool in the summer of 2023.
Appearances
33
Goals
5
Assists
4
Tackles + interceptions per game
2.9
Duel success rate
52%
As you can see in the table above, the 31-year-old star provided quality on the ball, with nine goal contributions, but was also strong at winning the ball back for his side, cutting out opposition attacks with vital interventions.
His 2.9 tackles and interceptions per game are impressive when you consider that no Celtic midfielder has managed more than 2.6 per outing, and Paulo Bernardo (2.6) is the only midfielder with more than 1.7 per match.
Liverpool's Wataru Endo chases Julio Enciso
Endo has the defensive quality to be a stopper in the middle of the park and that could free up Engles, as well as the likes of Reo Hatate, Bernardo, and Luke McCowan to push on and not exert as much energy defensively.
Therefore, signing the Japanese whiz to compete with the captain for a spot at the base of the midfield could help the club’s record-signing, who has struggled off the ball.
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Retirement hasn’t quite sunk in with the New Zealand batter focused on bouncing back from the Mount Maunganui defeat against Bangladesh
Alagappan Muthu07-Jan-2022
“Much love, Ross”•Getty Images
Ross Taylor will soon be spending a lot less time on the cricket field and there’s at least one person who’s going to be fairly happy about that.”My daughter still hasn’t grasped the concept of five-day cricket yet. When I got out the other day she said, ‘Come on, Dad, let’s go home’.”Come Sunday, Taylor will be playing his final Test match of a career that began in 2007. He has seen great highs – hitting the runs that made New Zealand the first-ever Test world champions – and great lows, especially during a captaincy stint that went horribly wrong.”It doesn’t feel like it, my last game,” he said. “It hasn’t really dawned on me just yet. I suppose when you’ve still got one-dayers to go… if it was my last game full stop, then definitely it might feel a little bit different.”Related
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New Zealand will play Australia across three ODIs and three T20Is later this year. Perhaps that might be the time Taylor really figures out what it means to hang up those well-worn boots. For now, his focus is on bouncing back from 1-0 down against a fighting Bangladesh in Christchurch.”It’s all to play for here at a ground that we know well. I still think we’re learning how to play in the Mount,” he said. “But we know what to expect a lot more here than we did in the Mount (Maunganui), I think. It’s going to have bounce and carry the whole time. There’s going to be a lot of grass on it. It’s conditions that us batters are used to and I’m sure our bowlers are as well.”So, if we win the toss, we’re more often than not going to bowl and if you’re batting first, you’ve got to scrap through. Sometimes our lower order has got us out of trouble. So just trying to scrap to 200 can be well above par. We’ll just have to wait and see.”New Zealand have played eight Test matches at Hagley Oval. And they have lost only one of them. Mount Maunganui is a relatively newer ground which has hosted only three Test matches so far, and Ebadot Hossain, in particular, used it to throw up a challenge that, in Taylor’s estimation, they weren’t ready for.”They were patient, they brought the stumps into play, they made us hit straight down the ground and a lot of our players probably haven’t faced reverse swing for a majority of their careers,” he said. “It’s probably only been sporadic in the domestic circuit. And they bowled very well with it. Got it going both ways. But here, in Christchurch, the conditions will suit us a lot more than they probably did in the Mount.”So are things falling in place for a memorable Taylor farewell?”As a team, we definitely want to try and turn things around and send him off in a nice, positive way,” team-mate Devon Conway said. “It’s been a real honour to play alongside him even though it’s been sort of five Test matches for me personally but just to be in and around Ross in that change-room, it is an honour.”We spoke about it as the game ended in the Mount last week. We said we needed to try and bounce back and send him off on a positive note and try and remind him as to what he’s done throughout Test cricket.”The last New Zealand player who retired at Hagley Oval went off with a proper bang. Brendon McCullum exited the stage having struck the fastest hundred in all of Test cricket. What’s it like having to be his follow-up act?”Aw, jeepers – he’s set the bar very high,” Taylor said. “Jeepers! As I said, it’d just be good to have a win, I think. Get our first win of the summer under our belt. But in terms of being Bazesque, yeah, I don’t think there’s going to be many people who are going to be able to do what he did in his last match.”If there was one thing that Taylor did want from his final Test, it was to do well for his friends and family. “They’ve been a big part of my career today,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of the young kids that are in the side and I’ve been fortunate now that my kids are a bit older that they’ve been able to see me play, watch Dad go through the ups and downs and they’ve experienced a lot of things that I’m sure if it wasn’t for cricket they wouldn’t have been able to see. So yeah, it’s cool to have them here and hopefully we can turn up and play cool.”And will he miss the grind? “Oh 100%. But there’s aspects that I won’t miss as well,” Taylor said. “But, you know, all good things have to come to an end. I’m just looking forward to this Test match, then hopefully a few more one-dayers, and then on to the next chapter.”
Manchester United staff have been warned against leaking information as Sir Jim Ratcliffe's INEOS group continue brutal cost cutting.
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Man Utd staff warned by INEOS group
Sir Jim Ratcliffe to continue cost cutting
Will reduce number of club scouts worldwide
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WHAT HAPPENED?
Per , INEOS has sent out an email to their staff warning employees against 'damaging leaks' regarding the company's policy of cost-cutting at Old Trafford. The email was sent to convey that Sir Jim Ratcliffe's company will conduct a restructuring meeting in February. The email read: “Any leaks, whether accidental or intended, can be damaging to colleagues and the wider club."
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Earlier this week, reported that INEOS is considering making up to 200 redundancies and a final decision is expected to be made in the next two weeks. According to , INEOS is also planning to reduce the number of club scouts. The Red Devils currently employ 80 scouts worldwide, out of which 30 are full-time employees while 50 are there on a part-time basis. According to the report, the company want to significantly reduce the number.
DID YOU KNOW?
Since purchasing a minority stake at the Old Trafford outfit, INEOS and Ratcliffe have made several controversial decisions, including 250 redundancies among staff, ending Sir Alex Ferguson's ambassadorship and significantly slashing the salaries of club legends like Bryan Robson, Denis Irwin and Andy Cole, who serve as global ambassadors.
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WHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?
United will aim to get back to winning ways in the Premier League on Sunday as they take on Tottenham Hotspur in north London.
Aston Villa has had some amazing goalkeepers in the Premier League era, the likes of Brad Friedel, David James and Peter Schmeichel being the ones that spring to mind.
Friedel made 131 appearances for Villa, conceding 171 goals, and keeping 36 clean sheets. James made 84 appearances for Villa, conceding 83 goals, and keeping 27 clean sheets. Whilst Schmeichel only joined Villa at 38-years-old, making 36 appearances for the club, conceding 45 goals, keeping ten clean sheets, and even scoring a goal.
But perhaps the best of the lot, is their current goalkeeper, Emiliano Martínez, who was bought for just £17m from Arsenal, and is now considered the best “in the world” in his position, have been labelled this by Argentina teammate Lionel Messi.
Emiliano Martínez rise to the top
Since joining in 2020, the 32-year-old has made 168 appearances for Villa, conceding 204 goals, keeping 57 clean sheets, and totaling 14,960 minutes played.
In this time, Martinez has also made 47 appearances for his country, winning the Copa América twice, and the World Cup in 2022.
According to GIVEMESPORT last year, Martinez was valued at around £60m by Aston Villa, with Dean Jones stating he would consider leaving to “step up a level”. Since then, Villa have qualified for the Champions League, and the shot-stopper seems to be content at the club, competing on all fronts.
Martinez continues to impress, making ten appearances this season in all competitions so far, conceding just ten goals, and keeping three clean sheets in 900 minutes. The Argentine is now worth more than triple the cost he was bought for back in 2020, as he sits at the table with the world’s best goalkeepers.
Martinez compared to some of the world's best
Some top names also considered in this elite category, are Alisson Becker of Liverpool, Thibaut Courtois from Real Madrid, and Yann Sommer from Inter Milan. Of course, some other top names are David Raya, Ederson, Mike Maignan, Manuel Neuer and Marc-André ter Stegen.
Stats (per 90 mins)
Martinez
Alisson
Courtois
Sommer
Goals Against
1.00
0.38
0.73
1.00
Shots on Target Against
4.10
2.66
2.91
4.22
Saves
3.00
2.28
2.27
3.11
Save %
78.0%
85.7%
75.0%
78.9%
Clean Sheets
0.30
0.51
0.36
0.44
Crosses Stopped
1.50
0.25
0.80
0.33
Defensive Actions Outside Pen Area
0.90
1.65
0.40
0.44
Passes Attempted
35.7
38.4
45.5
37.8
Pass Completion %
78.4%
80.5%
86.2%
87.6%
When you compare the metrics of Martinez so far this season with other top tier names, you can see why he is viewed in this bracket of players. Villa face more shots than the likes of Liverpool and Real Madrid, with Martinez facing 4.10 shots per 90, Alisson facing 2.66, and Courtois facing 2.91.
Despite this, Martinez’s save metrics are still excellent, also only conceding 1.00 per 90 (same as Sommer), and stopping the most crosses with 1.50 stopped per 90, compared to the other names who all average below 0.80, with the second-best being Courtois for this metric.
Villa will want to hold onto their superstar keeper, despite his meteoric rise in value, and the performances he is putting in week in, week out, are bound to have Villa battling for the top four again this season.
A member of the Arsenal squad has opened up about the fear he’s experienced as he gets treated for a “bad” injury, with the player also working hard to get back to full fitness.
Arsenal players sidelined through injury
Mikel Arteta is currently without a few key players, and they’ve done well to come through what has been a testing period undefeated.
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Arsenal beat Tottenham 1-0, courtesy of a goal from Gabriel Magalhaes, with goalkeeper David Raya taking all the headlines in Bergamo as the north Londoners grabbed their first Champions League point of the season against Atalanta..
They also came away from the Etihad Stadium with a 2-2 draw, and they could’ve even won the clash. Arsenal were leading Man City 2-1 for the majority of the game and did well to hold them when down to 10, but John Stones’ dramatic late leveller meant they had to settle for a draw.
Arsenal’s next five Premier League games
Date
Leicester City (home)
September 28
Southampton (home)
October 5
Bournemouth (away)
October 19
Liverpool (home)
October 27
Newcastle United (away)
November 2
These results have been made all the more impressive considering Mikel Merino is sidelined with a fractured shoulder, while left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko has been out for weeks after his calf injury.
Takehiro Tomiyasu is still out with a knee injury as well, and David Raya, Jurrien Timber and Ben White are doubts to face Leicester City as well. Kieran Tierney remains absent with a thigh problem too, so Arteta has a bit of an injury crisis right now.
There is also their biggest miss, £30 million club captain and chief creator Martin Odegaard, who suffered ankle ligament damage on international duty with Norway.
Odegaard admits to fear after "bad" ankle injury
Sharing his own update, Odegaard has shed light on his “bad” ankle injury at Arsenal, all while explaining how his recovery is coming along as he hopes to return as soon as possible.
“It was a bad twist to my ankle, and I damaged some ligaments there,” said Odegaard in his programme notes pre-Bolton.
“But it’s part of football and now I’m just trying to recover as quickly as I can. I’m moving forward, making progress and I’m feeling more positive every day. I’m working hard and my only thought is to get back as soon as possible.
“I’m at the Sobha Realty Training Centre basically every day now, working hard and doing everything I can do to get better. I have to be careful not to push it too much, but at the same time do what I can to make sure I come back as strongly and quickly as possible. I’m trying to support the team in a different way now, if I can’t be on the pitch. That’s my situation, and I have to make the best out of it.
“It’s something I’m not used to. I’ve been quite fortunate, if that’s the word, or have done well to avoid injuries in the past, but this is football and I have to get on with it. I think it was unfortunate to get the injury in the way that I did, but also it could have been worse. It was not a nice twist, and when it happened I felt it could be serious. I’ve injured my ankle before and the pain felt a bit different this time. That’s what scared me, but from what happened it could have been worse, so in that sense I got away with it a bit.
“Like any player, the first thing I asked the medical team was how long I would be out for, but it’s a bit tricky to say at the moment. In the early stages, it’s crucial to get a proper rest and to make sure everything heals well. After that it’s about getting stronger and building it up again.”
أكد البرتغالي جوزيه بيسيرو، المدير الفني لنادي الزمالك، أنه طبق طريقة لعب جديدة في مباراته أمام الأهلي، موضحًا سبب تغيير نبيل عماد دونجا وحقيقة حزن صفقة الفريق الجديدة، التونسي أحمد الجفالي، بسبب عدم المشاركة.
وتعادل الأهلي والزمالك، 1-1، في اللقاء الذي أقيم اليوم السبت، ضمن منافسات الجولة 15 في قمة بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.
وقال بيسيرو خلال تصريحات في المؤتمر الصحفي بعد المباراة: “الأهلي بدأ بشكل أفضل في الشوط الأول، لكن دون فرص حقيقية بخلاف كرة إمام عاشور في العارضة، وفي الشوط الثاني أيضًا الأهلي بدأ بشكل أفضل، لكن نجحنا في الدخول بالمباراة بعد ذلك”.
طالع | الزمالك يتلقى ضربة بعد التعادل مع الأهلي في الدوري المصري
وأضاف: “طبقت طريقة لعب جديدة في مباراة اليوم، وتدربنا عليها لمدة أسبوع فقط ونحتاج الوقت للتعود عليها، وفي الشوط الثاني أنهيناه بشكل أفضل من الأهلي، راض عن النتيجة، كنا نستحق ركلة جزاء، مثلما كان لنا ضربتين جزاء في مباراة بتروجيت، الجميع يخطئ لكن كان يجب مراجعة الكرة للتاكد من صحتها”.
وأردف: “نمتلك لاعبين أصحاب جودة عالية، وسعيد جدًا بالجماهير لمساندتنا طوال المباراة، أهتم حاليًا بالشق الدفاعي ونحتاج تركيزًا أكبر من اللاعبين، نمتلك لاعبين مميزين ولا أحتاج آخرين، لكن أتمني عودة المصابين والإيقافات”.
وعن خروج دونجا، أوضح: “استبداله بسبب تلقيه إنذارًا، وليس لعدم تنفيذ التعليمات”.
وأتم: “أحمد الجفالي صفقة الزمالك الجديدة، لم يكن حزينًا مثلما روج البعض، هو سعيد لأنه متواجد في أحد أكبر أندية إفريقيا، ويحتاج فقط التأقلم، أبحث عن خلق عائلة واحدة داخل النادي، أعامل اللاعبين كأولادي واللاعب لم يشتكي لأحد”.
Worcestershire brushed aside their West Midlands neighbours, Birmingham Bears, with ease in a match that they will hope was as good as a quarter-final eliminator. Much has still to be decided in the final week, and Birmingham have the chance to turn the tables in the return derby at Edgbaston next Friday, but a heavy defeat such as this and a long list of absentees will not imbue them with confidence.Birmingham’s chances of a place in the last eight cannot be entirely discounted. They now trail Worcestershire by three points with two to play but Northants are also visitors to Edgbaston next weekend for the second of two home games which Birmingham hope might yet provide them with an escape route.But this was New Road, not Edgbaston, a ground where unwary batters of a romantic frame of mind might gaze blithely upon the Cathedral on a sunny evening and not spot the demons lurking beneath their feet. Birmingham utterly failed to come to terms with a low New Road surface as they surrendered to Ish Sodhi, a legspin bowler of proven pedigree, and the jaunty, but the less-feted, legspin of Brett D’Oliveira. Their combined figures of 7 for 39 in eight overs told their own story. D’Oliveira began the slide; Sodhi finished the job off.Only Ed Pollock, with by his standards a restrained half-century, formulated any response as Birmingham were dismissed for 125. His departure, for 53 from 35 balls, left Birmingham 101 for 6 after 13.4 overs and as good as ended the contest. The prolific Sam Hain, who had earlier been bowled in D’Oliveira’s first over, was defeated by lack of bounce, but his reckless race down the pitch to attempt a hit over long-on might have said to the England selectors “If you won’t even consider me for a B team, I might as well just start slogging it.”All over the country, as the group stage reaches its climax, Blast teams are being drawn together from whoever is available. Injuries and England calls (two squads no less) have meant a succession of changes with gaps being filled with untried youngsters, loan signings and whichever overseas player can make it through customs.Birmingham are as bereft as any side when it comes to absentees. Their latest setback was to lose Danny Briggs, the leading wicket-taker in Blast history, but a left-arm spinner whose England days had seemed to be behind him. They gave Ryan Sidebottom his first taste of T20 at the age of 31. If he arrived in first-class cricket fashionably late, he has come to T20 with the food long since served and people already planning a taxi home. Still, he now has his first wicket – Ross Whiteley, bowled on the pull.Worcestershire exist on meagre rations. They essentially pick the same top six every week. The rest have barely faced 100 balls all season – and they are 12 games in. If Moeen Ali is unavailable, as happened again here, the likelihood is that everybody just shuffles up one. That top six barely convinces, but everybody knows their role and an awkward square and a strong bowling hand, which includes not just Sodhi but their second overseas recruit, Ben Dwarshius, often gets them through.Their need is to post a competitive total. The opening pair of D’Oliveira and Riki Wessels, their biggest run-scorers this season, pretty much assured that with an opening stand of 70 in seven overs; their 64 in six was their highest Powerplay of the season. D’Oliveira revealed that he was on song with replica extra cover drives in Craig Miles’ first over and then responded to Sidebottom’s Championship length by planting him over his head for six.Will Rhodes, on his way to 4 for 34, removed both in successive overs – Wessels was bowled attempting the largest slog-sweep in history, D’Oliveira fell at midwicket for 45 from 25 balls. Then the match settled. Or rather, sunk, because Jake Libby is a rarity in T20, an under-powered and cirumspect batter who has found a side where such a limited approach is valued. T20 looks unnatural for him but Worcestershire make the best of it, and so make the best of him.At No. 3, Libby is scoring at a strike rate of only 106.55 – the lowest rate among the top 50 run-makers in the competition this season. As far as runs go, he is no better than 31st. He produced a classic Libby innings of 18 from 20 balls after the openers had given Worcestershire their best Powerplay return of the season: his only boundary coming from a full toss from the left-arm spinner, Jacob Bethell, which begged to be driven to the extra cover boundary. Seeking a second boundary as he slapped Miles low to deep midwicket, he fell to Sidebottom’s excellent diving catch.An energetic contribution from Ben Cox (43 from 28 balls) ensured Worcestershire achieved the 170-plus score their start demanded.At 81 for 2 at midway (Charlie Morris hitting the stumps to remove Adam Hose and Rhodes), Birmingham could not be discounted. But D’Oliveira changed the course of the game with three wickets in nine balls, following Hain’s unexpected foray down the pitch by bowling Matt Lamb and Michael Burgess. Then Sodhi took a hand. Pollock struck him over midwicket for six before skying the next ball to the wicketkeeper – a horrible leg-side slog at a wide one. Bethell, Rob Yates and Jake Lintott were rounded up in the same over as the Bears succumbed to desperation.
West Ham United needed a reset after David Moyes' reign came to an end before the summer. Julen Lopetegui was welcomed in his place as the London club's first head coach – as opposed to manager – emphasising the structural shift that is in line with much of modern football.
Technical director Tim Steidten has certainly succeeded in a show of ambition, with over £120m paid for a list of new first-teamers: Niclas Fullkrug has joined as the side's new centre-forward; last year's Championship MVP Crysencio Summerville adds electricity to the left flank; Max Kilman and Jean-Clair Todibo have signed to shore up the leaky backline.
West Ham head coach Julen Lopetegui
That's not an exhaustive list but the east Londoners still need a bit more fizz in attack; after losing their Premier League opener 2-1 on home turf against Aston Villa, such concerns have been heightened, and an exciting addition is being targetted.
Who West Ham could still sign
Lopetegui is keen on landing a new midfielder to improve the fluency and attacking impetus. According to a recent report from The Guardian, Paris Saint-Germain's Carlos Soler has been earmarked as the perfect addition.
Given that Soler, a fine playmaker with an eye for goal, would join on a loan spell with an obligation to buy, there could be shades of Jesse Lingard about the potential deal, with the former England international enjoying a cult-status spell of success at the club.
Before such exciting thoughts can be realised, though, Steidten needs to engineer a couple of departures, and failure to do so would end the pursuit.
Who West Ham could sell
The most obvious player to free from the books would be Danny Ings, who is one of the highest earners while having scored only four goals across 53 appearances.
1.
Jarrod Bowen
£150k-per-week
2.
Lucas Paqueta
£150k-per-week
3.
Danny Ings
£125k-per-week
3.
Kurt Zouma
£125k-per-week
5.
Alphonse Areola
£120k-per-week
Ings, who is 32 years old, has entered the final year of his Irons contract and is being pushed toward the exit. The transfer window invariably heats up at the final stage and he could definitely be plying his trade elsewhere come September.
James Ward-Prowse has also been linked with a surprise exit, one year on from his £30m transfer from Southampton. The Times have named the free-kick specialist one of the most likely to be sold, and Soler would be a more dynamic and fully-packaged replacement.
Why West Ham have to get the deal done
Ward-Prowse enjoyed a decent campaign with West Ham, scoring seven goals and supplying 12 assists across all competitions, but while his set-piece ability is top-notch, he has faced criticism for his overall performances.
Soler, conversely, has been described as the "complete midfielder" by former Valencia player Curro Torres in the past, for his influence across the park speaks of a skillset that would survive the rigours of the Premier League.
Goals scored
0.17
Top 13%
Assists made
0.17
Top 19%
Passes attempted
63.51
Top 19%
Progressive passes
6.10
Top 24%
Touches (att pen)
2.59
Top 7%
Despite only starting 12 Ligue 1 matches last season, the Spaniard maintained a good rate of goals and assists, and with a more important role at the London Stadium, he might even prove to be Lopetegui's own version of the aforementioned Lingard.
Lingard's career form has definitely ebbed and flowed, with the 31-year-old enjoying significant moments of success at Manchester United but also spending plenty of time on the periphery, but inarguably his most potent period came when he joined Moyes' West Ham side on loan.
A deal was struck in January 2021. Moyes reunited with Lingard following his Red Devils days and optimism was perhaps tentative after a protracted period of inactivity under Ole Gunnar Solskjær. Few envisaged what was to come.
Pundit Trevor Sinclair hailed his "outstanding" resurgence as he found his Midas touch and wreaked havoc for the fast-improving Hammers, with his haul crucial for the side's sixth-place Premier League finish and consequent Europa League qualification.
As per Sofascore, Lingard's sojourn in the capital reaped prolific rewards, having bagged nine goals and provided four more across only 16 matches.
Alternating between central striking and wide-flanking roles, the dynamo also completed 84% of his passes and averaged 1.1 key passes per game.
It's for this reason that West Ham might be interested in striking a deal that would repeat the feat. Soler is itching for a chance to restore his status and he will have every confidence that he has the requisite skills to grow into his skin as one of the Premier League club's main men.
Soler, for example, plundered 11 goals and supplied five more assists across the 2021/22 campaign in La Liga, his last before signing for PSG.
george-earthy-jesse-lingard-west-ham-opinion
Valencia's creative star also averaged 1.7 key passes per game and won 54% of his ground duels, backing up Torres' earlier-mentioned claims that he is indeed the 'complete midfielder'.
He would be unlikely to perform in the same kind of advanced position. The 27-year-old is dynamic and positionally pliable, but Lopetegui could recreate the success that his predecessor found – perhaps this time succeeding in tying down the talent in question to a permanent deal.
Therefore, it would appear crucial that Lopetegui gets his wish and lands Soler to add impetus to the midfield. While the squad is well-stocked with talents such as Ward-Prowse, he's seemingly considered expendable and his sale would allow the club to turn a profit while further shaping Lopetegui's design.
West Ham can land instant Summerville competition with £25m signing