All posts by h716a5.icu

The race to finish inside those coveted Champions League spots in the Premier League is heating up with Chelsea having to make sure the wins keep flowing to stay put.

Chelsea do have a potential Conference League final on the horizon, but the main focus for the Blues this May will centre on ensuring they finish inside those top five spots, even as tense games against Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest present themselves as upcoming hurdles.

The Blues will also be aware that a place amongst Europe’s elite again will help them out in the transfer window, with Enzo Maresca’s men looking to splash the cash once more if the rumour mill filtering out of Stamford Bridge is anything to go by.

Chelsea's growing list of targets

This summer won’t just see a whole host of incomings arrive through the door you imagine, with some players in Maresca’s camp also needing to be offloaded, as seen in the growing likelihood that Blues flop Christopher Nkunku will reportedly depart shortly.

New attacking recruits are already being lined up, with Viktor Gyokeres one centre-forward routinely linked with a switch to West London, on top of fresh winger additions in the form of Jamie Gittens.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

But, it’s not all just attackers on Chelsea’s varied shopping list, with Ajax centre-back Jorrel Hato another face that has also been linked incessantly with a move to England away from the Eredivisie giants.

However, with Liverpool and Arsenal also sniffing around for the Dutch powerhouse, this could see the Blues opt to try and snap up long-term target Ousmane Diomande instead.

New reports from Spain indicate that Chelsea are in the running to finally snap up the Sporting titan for a fee around the £68m ballpark with Maresca personally keen on adding him to the Stamford Bridge ranks.

When comparing the 21-year-old’s strengths next to Hato’s, he could well be a dream alternative and even an upgrade on the Rotterdam-born youngster.

Why Diomande is be a dream alternative to Hato

Whilst there is so much hype around Hato’s name as a starlet tipped for big things, Diomande could be just what Chelsea need right now, particularly when it comes to his experience on stages such as the Champions League.

Indeed, this season saw Diomande line up for nine Champions League contests, whilst his Dutch counterpart had to make do with appearances for Ajax in the lesser Europa League.

Moreover, the 6 foot 3 enforcer has proven across 99 games in the Portuguese capital that he has an eye for goal, with six goals – usually powered home via a header – tallied up by the 21-year-old.

Hato does possess a similar reputation of being a young and hungry defender capable of joining in with attacks, but his goal number for Ajax currently sits at a lower four, even from nine more senior outings.

Attempted passes

58.63

76.51

Pass completion %

89.4%

93.8%

Progressive passes

4.15

3.04

Touches in attacking penalty area

1.40

1.71

Total shots

0.57

1.15

Tackles

2.15

1.29

Interceptions

0.82

1.05

Clearances

2.11

2.69

Aerials won

1.68

2.97

The table above further validates why Chelsea splashing out £68m for Diomande could prove to be a golden buy over snapping up the 19-year-old.

Indeed, the Ivorian betters Hato in multiple different areas of their respective defensive games, including when playing as both a composed passer of the ball, but also when it comes to regularly winning duels and being a full-blooded presence at the back.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has even lauded the Blues target as an “elite talent” previously, with Diomande himself perhaps edging for a chance to impress away from Sporting in a more challenging environment to further back up his glowing praise.

Chelsea have had their fair share of fighters defensively over recent years that can also put in classy displays – with the likes of Thiago Silva and John Terry springing to mind – with a hope that Diomande can also cement himself as a first-team regular if he’s given a shot at Stamford Bridge.

Best signing since Palmer: Chelsea could land a £60m Gyokeres alternative

Chelsea should sign a “clinical” Premier League striker instead of Viktor Gyökeres

ByBen Gray May 4, 2025

Leeds United might well have a reported £100m in the bank to spend on new players ahead of their Premier League voyage, but the Whites have plenty of talent already being organically grown on the youth pitches at Thorp Arch.

After all, even when Championship promotion was narrowly missed at the end of the 2023/24 campaign, Archie Gray stood out as a homegrown gem, leading to a £30m deal with Tottenham Hotspur being agreed.

Moreover, if we move away from more recent examples with Daniel Farke at the helm, Marcelo Bielsa also had a huge part to play in Kalvin Phillips turning into an England regular, with the Leeds-born midfielder still eternally grateful to his hometown side.

Kalvin Phillips' unbelievable rise at Leeds

Nobody could have quite anticipated the unbelievable rise Phillips would enjoy at Elland Road, with the local starlet eventually leaving the comforts of West Yorkshire behind when a £45m move to Manchester City came to be.

Eight years prior to his big move to the Etihad, however, Phillips was a wide-eyed starlet attempting to cut his teeth with the Whites, with his first moment in the senior spotlight coming during the 2014/15 season under former youth coach Neil Redfearn.

The rest is now history for the 29-year-old, with those opportunities under Redfearn catapulting Phillips into a first-team regular, before Bielsa went on to refine the midfield battler’s game even more when he took over duties in the Elland Road dug-out.

By the end of his celebrated spell at Leeds, Phillips would notch up 14 goals and 13 assists from 234 total clashes, with his heroics also helping his beloved outfit gain promotion up to the Premier League under the eccentric South American.

Amazingly, there is another gem entirely of Leeds’ own making that has just tasted the glory of promotion, with the potential here for another new starlet to surpass Phillips and become an even brighter talent.

Leeds' finest young talent since Phillips

Unfortunately, the 29-year-old has experienced a lot of pain since exiting Elland Road, with only 31 first-team appearances coming his way at the Etihad to date, on top of other unmemorable loan moves just not working out, namely at West Ham and Ipswich Town.

So, who’s the next cab off the rank? Well, Harry Gray could well look up to Phillips and indeed his brother, Archie, when examining the potential for minutes at a first-team level.

Much like Redfearn before him with Phillips, Farke gifted the teenager his first ever senior clash in Leeds white at the end of the 2024/25 campaign, with his outrageous numbers in the youth set-up for some time now making this somewhat of an expected promotion.

Indeed, across just 18 appearances for both the U18s and U21s to date, the forward has bagged a deadly 11 strikes, living up to his billing as “one of England’s best prospects in his generation,” in the words of data analyst Ben Mattinson.

1. Tom Elliott

16 years, 2 months, 25 days

4

2. Aaron Lennon

16 years, 4 months, 7 days

43

3. Harry Gray

16 years, 6 months, 13 days

1

4. James Milner

16 years, ten months, 6 days

54

5. Neil Aspin

16 years, ten months, 8 days

38

It’s rather frightening how ahead Gray already looks with his development, considering it would take Phillips a number of seasons before he was fully settled into first-team life.

With the new Thorp Arch sensation, however, he looks ready to already make an impact to keep his blistering goal record at youth level up.

Nobody can accurately predict what the future holds for Gray, but if he can continue to learn and grow under the tutelage of Farke, he could one day be an even bigger sale than Phillips, and perhaps even solidify himself as more of a Premier League worthy talent than his counterpart ever managed.

Time to go: 49ers must axe Leeds ace who's played even less than Schmidt

The Leeds United man who played less than Isaac Schmidt should be let go this summer.

ByDan Emery May 8, 2025

Newcastle United are thought to be showing serious interest in a player who has been likened to his team’s version of Lionel Messi, according to a new transfer report.

Newcastle preparing for vital final Premier League day

The Magpies are now so close to sealing a return to the Champions League that supporters can almost taste it, following an excellent season overall, not least the legendary EFL Cup triumph back in March.

Victory at home to Everton on the final day of the Premier League season on Sunday afternoon will secure a place back at Europe’s top table for Newcastle, with Eddie Howe fully focused on getting the job done this weekend:

“We’re still in a strong position and it’s in our hands, and I think we have to look at this as a positive. I think calmness is going to be key at this moment in time. It’s a week before we play. We’ve got to be very calm, make good decisions, and train and prepare well for the game. Nothing changes. The emotion will be there in the game, I don’t think we have to spell that out to the players.”

It has the potential to be a nervy afternoon at St James’ Park, however, with everyone associated with Newcastle aware that things could go wrong, ultimately having a major detrimental impact on their summer transfer business. Hopefully, Champions League football will be achieved, though, allowing them to target elite options.

Newcastle "very serious" about signing £20m+ goalkeeper

According to Sport [via Sport Witness], Newcastle United are “very serious” about signing Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia in the summer transfer window. Aston Villa, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Barcelona and Real Madrid are all mentioned, too.

It is claimed that the Magpies could snap him up for as little as £12.6m if his side are relegated from La Liga this weekend, but £21m is more likely to be needed as Espanyol are two points clear of the relegation zone going into the final day of the 2024/25 campaign.

Garcia is arguably one of the best goalkeepers in Europe currently, with WhoScored pointing out that he is in the top five highest-rated players in his position this season.

Not only that, but Manolo Gonzalez has even said that Garcia’s impact at Espanyol is akin to that of Lionel Messi, in terms of being a difference-maker on the pitch time and time again:

“Joan Garcia is going to be a global reference, no doubt about it. I really hope so, because he deserves it, both for his ability and for who he is. It’s like when Barcelona had Messi. There were tough matches, and Messi would resolve them. Well, we have that in goal with Joan Garcia.”

Newcastle in huge race to sign in-demand £10,000-a-week Liverpool talent

He took centre stage at St James’ this season.

ByHenry Jackson May 19, 2025

At 24, the Spaniard is still young, especially for a goalkeeper, and Newcastle could see him as the perfect long-term replacement for Nick Pope, who can arguably be improved upon at this point in his career.

It might’ve only opened a few days ago, but the transfer window is already in full swing, and Arsenal need to get a move on.

After three years of coming close but failing each time, Mikel Arteta’s side need to ensure they finally get over the line in the Premier League next season, although to do that, the board need to provide them with some game-changing additions, or they’ll be left behind by their rivals.

For example, Manchester City have signed Tijjani Reijnders, Chelsea are close to signing Liam Delap, and perhaps most worrying of all, Liverpool look dead set on securing the sensationally gifted Florian Wirtz as soon as possible.

Yet, there might not be a need for fans to worry too much, as reports are now linking Arsenal to another tremendously exciting talent who could be their own answer to the Bayer Leverkusen gem.

Arsenal's transfer news

Before getting to the star in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other potentially game-changing players Arsenal have been linked to and could still sign in recent weeks, like Eberechi Eze and Rafael Leao.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The former has a release clause in his current deal, reportedly worth around £68m, which would be a fee more than worth paying, as in just 43 appearances for Crystal Palace this season, the FA Cup winner scored 14 goals and provided 11 assists.

Likewise, Leao enjoyed a stellar campaign of his own, scoring 12 goals and providing 13 assists in 50 appearances, although with a release clause reportedly worth a staggering £145m, he might just be out of reach this summer.

However, there is another, arguably even more exciting, name now linked with the North Londoners: Xavi Simons.

According to a recent report from TEAMtalk, Arsenal are one of several teams keen on the RB Leipzig star this summer.

The report has revealed that, alongside the Gunners, rivals including Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur are all interested in signing the Flying Dutchman, who is valued at about £65m by the German outfit.

It would be a costly and somewhat complicated transfer to get over the line, but given his ability and potential, one Arsenal should fight for, especially as he could be their answer to Wirtz.

Why Simons would be Arsenal's answer to Wirtz

So, there are actually several ways in which Simons could be looked at as Arsenal’s own Wirtz – should this transfer happen – and the first is that he’s already won comparisons to the Leverkusen star.

For example, FBref compared players in similar positions in the Bundesliga this season and came to the conclusion that the German was the fourth most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Dutchman.

The best way to understand how this conclusion was reached is by looking at some of the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, such as non-penalty expected goals plus assists, key passes, passing accuracy, passes into the penalty area, tackles and more, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.48

0.50

Non-Penalty Goals

0.21

0.23

Passing Accuracy

78.6%

78.3%

Key Passes

2.13

2.18

Passes into the Penalty Area

2.51

2.49

Tackles

1.17

1.23

On top of their undeniable statistical similarities, the pair would also seriously improve the attacking output of the teams they may be set to join.

For example, in the league alone this season, the Liverpool target racked up a brilliant haul of ten goals and 13 assists in 31 appearances, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.34 games.

It’s safe to say the former PSV star has really showcased why he’s “one of the best 10s in the world” in the words of one analyst on social media, scoring ten goals and providing seven assists in 25 league appearances, which comes out to a still sensational average of a goal involvement every 1.47 games.

Finally, both stars would be moving from the Bundesliga to the Premier League at 22 years old to inject more creativity and cutting edge into two title rivals for next year.

Ultimately, while he might not be as exciting a name, Arsenal should do what they can to sign Simons this summer, as he could very much be their answer to Wirtz.

The dream XI Arsenal could build: £85m star & the "new Haaland" both sign

After another disappointing season, Arsenal have a big summer of transfers ahead of them.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 3, 2025

West Ham United find themselves in the hunt for new attacking options and could look to steal a march on Everton to land a striking target, according to a report.

West Ham look to bring attacking flair to the London Stadium

The Hammers struggled for goals last term and weren’t helped by Michail Antonio’s unfortunate injury struggles, while Niclas Fullkrug and Evan Ferguson weren’t able to deliver often enough in his absence. Danny Ings has also left under freedom of contract.

Addressing potential targets, former manager Martin Allen believes Aleksandar Mitrovic would be an upgrade on West Ham’s current striking options if they are to push forward in a bid to sign the Serbia international from Al-Hilal.

He explained: “West Ham certainly need somebody up front. Mitrovic was at Fulham and did so well there. Can West Ham afford £40m for him? I’m not sure they can. Would he fit into their team and do well? I personally think he would, he’d be an improvement on what they’ve got.”

West Ham are reportedly keen on adding Mitrovic to their forward line, even if his former club Fulham and the might of Manchester United stand in the way, though he is far from the only name linked with a move to the London Stadium.

Approach made: West Ham now in contact to sign "incredible" £20m defender

The Hammers have come forward for a centre-back, who they are now seriously interested in signing.

ByDominic Lund May 25, 2025

Tammy Abraham could move to the Hammers after a frustrating loan spell at AC Milan, albeit that would depend on whether parent club AS Roma feel now is the right time to let the England international return to more familiar surroundings.

Speculation is beginning to mount with the window now open and West Ham are looking to brush Everton aside in the race for a talented young forward, per recent developments.

West Ham hold talks to beat Everton to Adama Bojang signature

According to The Express, West Ham are eyeing a move for Gambian striker Adama Bojang, who spent the entirety of last campaign on loan at Grasshoppers Zurich from Stade de Reims.

Coming in with a return of six goals and two assists in 27 appearances across all competitions, he has previously attracted interest from the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City before settling on a £3m move to France.

Adama Bojang in 2024/25 – Swiss Super League (Fotmob)

Shots

41

Shots on target

21

Chances created

13

Completed dribbles

14

Touches in opposition penalty area

93

Labelled “The Gambian Hurricane” as his rise to prominence continues, Everton and Brentford are also interested in his services, but the Hammers hold a key advantage after initiating talks over a potential deal.

Reims are hesitant to let him depart. Nevertheless, their relegation to the second-tier could mean they have to sell players to balance the books.

Bojang is unlikely to be a first-team starter straight away, though any notion of an agreement could see West Ham bring down the age of their strikeforce further after they brought in Daniel Cummings from Celtic to kickstart their summer business.

Leeds United appear to be falling away in the race to sign Senegal international Habib Diarra from Strasbourg during the summer transfer window.

Journalist Ben Jacobs reports that a move to Elland Road for the central midfielder is “unlikely” because of issues in negotiations over personal terms with the player.

Jacobs, as seen in the post above, adds that the Championship champions did put a bid in for him last week, which shows that the Whites are in the market to sign a new central midfielder for Daniel Farke this summer.

However, that new midfield signing does not look set to be Diarra, given this latest update. That means that Leeds will have to look elsewhere in that position, and that is exactly what they are doing.

Leeds eyeing move for Diarra alternative

With a move for the Strasbourg midfielder on the rocks, the 49ers are now targeting an alternative option to bolster the team in that area of the pitch.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

According to Leeds United News, the Whites have looked at a potential deal to sign Raphael Onyedika from Belgian side Club Brugge this summer.

Reporter Graeme Bailey told Leeds United News: “I’ve been told one name who West Ham like is Onyedika at Club Brugge. Leeds have looked at him as well. They want that type of player, that physicality.

“He’s a very good player and it wouldn’t surprise me either. He’s a threat, West Ham are looking at him as a replacement for Soucek. But he’s one player Leeds are looking at, and Leeds have got loads of options.”

The outlet quotes a price tag of around £26m, £25.6m to be precise, for the 24-year-old talent, but it remains to be seen whether West Ham or Leeds would be willing to pay that much for him.

Why Leeds should sign Raphael Onyedika

The Whites should push to beat the Hammers to his signature before the end of the summer transfer window because he would be an even better signing than Diarra.

Leeds will be battling to avoid relegation from the Premier League next season, given that the last six teams to come up from the Championship have come straight back down, and this means that they should be targeting players who can win duels and compete defensively in tight games.

This is why Onyedika would be a better signing in midfield for what the Whites need in the middle of the park, because he is a combative midfielder who can make tackles and win duels regularly.

Tackles won

26

13

Duels won

120

99

Duel success rate

49%

48%

Interceptions

22

13

Ball recoveries

153

90

Blocks

10

7

Aerial duel success rate

53%

43%

As you can see in the table above, the Nigeria international significantly outperformed Diarra at league level during the 2024/25 campaign when it came to their respective work out of possession.

These statistics suggest that Onyedika is far more effective defensively than the Strasbourg star, as he makes tackles, blocks, recoveries, and interceptions far more frequently than the Senegalese ace does.

This is why the 24-year-old star, who played 51 times in all competitions for Club Brugge this season, would be far more suited to playing in a team that is set to battle against the drop next term.

Therefore, Leeds should push ahead with a deal to sign Onyedika after their move for Diarra stalled, as he could be even better than the Ligue 1 gem due to his excellent defensive attributes.

Big Aaronson upgrade: Leeds close to agreeing deal for £30m "magician"

Leeds are confident that they will sign this star, and he would be a big upgrade on Brenden Aaronson.

1 ByDan Emery Jun 17, 2025

Liverpool aren’t messing about this summer, pulling in high-level signings from every which way. However, this is not so much scattergun spending as the product of calculated, expeditious planning.

Florian Wirtz, for example, was brought in from Bayer Leverkusen for £116m, the British record, after Jeremie Frimpong’s £29.5m release clause was activated. Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez has since finalised his move to Merseyside.

While Wirtz is the cream of the crop, heralded as a “generational talent” by Bundesliga commentator Dan O’Hagan, Liverpool still need a striker, especially as uncertainty around Luis Diaz’s future continues to rumble on.

Why Liverpool need a striker

Arne Slot led Liverpool to the Premier League title last season without a focal frontman. Well, without an in-form central striker, at least. Such were Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez’s woes that Diaz was redefined as a false nine, almost exclusively used on the left wing by Jurgen Klopp.

Mohamed Salah

38

29

18

Luis Diaz

36

13

7

Cody Gakpo

35

10

5

Diogo Jota

26

6

4

Darwin Nunez

30

5

3

Federico Chiesa

6

–

1

So then, it seems pretty justified that Slot wants a new centre-forward, especially as Nunez is currently in the process of signing for Napoli, a move that’s definitely not done yet.

And with Diaz also facing rumours of a summer exit, FSG are perhaps going to need to dip into the coffers once again. Slot’s Colombian star, who is 28, is frustrated that Liverpool are prepared to run his contract down, expiring in two years, instead of cashing in or discussing a renewal, and would consider leaving as Barcelona and Saudi Arabian suitors circle.

We all know Alexander Isak is the glinting jewel in the eyes of Liverpool’s overlords, but Newcastle United aren’t really willing to part with their star man, pricing him at an exorbitant £200m.

Luckily, Liverpool’s sporting director, Richard Hughes, knows his stuff and has already earmarked an exciting alternative.

Liverpool eyeing Isak alternative

As per transfer insider Graeme Bailey, Liverpool are interested in signing Benjamin Sesko this summer, having done their due diligence on the RB Leipzig striker.

Newcastle are ready to make Isak the highest-paid player in their history, so it makes sense that Hughes has turned toward Sesko.

The Slovenian star is only 22 but has made waves in the Bundesliga over the past couple of years. It must be said that Arsenal are leading the race, with Sesko valued between £68-85m, but Liverpool may yet shift the odds by tabling an official offer.

Why Liverpool want Benjamin Sesko

Sesko isn’t the only striker on Liverpool’s radar. In fact, Bailey’s above-mentioned report reveals an interest in Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres too, but the 27-year-old Sweden international would be the wrong choice for FSG to make.

Now, Sesko is still loading on the striking scene, but he’s already revealed himself to be a sensation in the making in Germany, hailed as a ball-striking “monster” by analyst Ben Mattinson after scoring 39 goals and adding eight assists across 81 Leipzig appearances.

Athletic, powerful and rangy, Sesko has all the properties to become a superstar on Premier League shores, even dubbed “the new Haaland” by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

RB Leipzig

24/25

45

21

RB Leipzig

23/24

42

18

RB Salzburg

22/23

41

18

RB Salzburg

20/21

37

11

RB Salzburg

20/21

1

0

FC Liefering

20/21

29

21

FC Liefering

19/20

15

1

Manchester City’s goalscoring talisman needs no introduction, and if Liverpool could get their hands on their own version, Slot would move one step closer to defending his Premier League title.

It might seem that Gyokeres would be the better pick for the Merseysiders; he’s scored 97 goals across 102 matches for Sporting, after all.

However, this isn’t so. Liverpool, let’s not forget, signed Nunez after his 34-goal campaign with Portuguese giants Benfica in 2021/22, and for a towering £64m fee (the full £85m payment has not been reached).

Nunez’s prolific streak over on Iberian territory hasn’t translated to life in the Premier League, where life is tougher, the opponents stronger, the pace faster. A maverick though he is, Nunez has struggled to bring it all together, not just profligate but prone to drifting through games.

The 6 foot 4 Sesko might not be the finished article, but he’s definitely got more about him from an athletic standpoint, ranked among the top 11% of centre-forwards across Europe last season for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.

Of course, to discredit Gyokeres’ qualities simply because he walks the same ground as Nunez before him would make a feeble argument, but he’s 27 and has yet to prove himself in one of Europe’s big five leagues, whereas Sesko has demonstrated his qualities in Germany, scoring incredible strikes such as this one against Bayern Munich.

Furthermore, Sesko only failed to convert ten big chances in the Bundesliga last term, as per Sofascore, scoring 13 times. This illustrates a natural-born goalscoring prowess, of course, but also composure and the level-headedness required to hit the ground running in the Premier League. Gyokeres, for comparison, missed 23 big chances over in Portugal.

With a Haaland-esque style of play and several years of invaluable experience cutting his teeth in Germany’s top flight, Sesko is ready to make the leap over to England and start expanding his potential on the European stage.

While Sesko is raw, an uncut gem, he’s a jewel all the same, and one who would arrive at an Anfield side both fronted by an elite coach in Slot and thick with incredible creative players such as Wirtz and Mohamed Salah.

Gordon upgrade: Liverpool open first talks to sign "generational" £85m star

Liverpool might need to replace the sought-after Luis Diaz in the summer transfer market.

ByAngus Sinclair Jun 27, 2025

“We had a few warnings in earlier games, and it’s something we do talk about.” USA coach Stuart Law says

Sidharth Monga12-Jun-2024USA became the first team to be penalised according to the new stop-clock regulations put in place to speed up the pace of play in T20Is.They suffered the penalty – which is imposed if the fielding side fails to start the next over within a minute of the previous one ending thrice in an innings – during a crucial phase of India’s chase in New York.At the start of the 16th over of their T20 World Cup group game, India needed 35 runs and were in a tricky position on a tough batting pitch, but the equation was reduced to 30 off 30 balls after the penalty. India went on to beat USA by seven wickets with ten balls to spare.The stop clock to help speed up over rates became a permanent feature in men’s ODIs and T20Is from June 1. The relevant regulation says: “The clock will be used to regulate the amount of time taken between overs. If the bowling team is not ready to bowl the next over within 60 seconds of the previous over being completed, a five-run penalty will be imposed the third time it happens in an innings.”The trial for this playing condition had encouraging results in terms of over rates. “The results of the stop-clock trial were presented to the Chief Executives’ Committee (CEC), which demonstrated that around 20 minutes per ODI match had been saved in time,” the ICC had said when ratifying the regulation for all international limited-overs cricket played by men. During the trial period, no team was found to have exceeded the one-minute limit between overs three times in an innings, which makes this the first five-run penalty for this offence.The umpires were seen explaining what had happened to Aaron Jones, USA’s stand-in captain in the absence of the injured Monank Patel.Following the defeat, USA were left needing a win or a no-result in their final match against Ireland to qualify for the Super Eight. If they get no points from their last match, their chances of progressing could come down to net run-rate. India have sealed their place in the Super Eight with three wins in three games.Related

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It’s not like the penalty took USA by surprise.”Yeah, we talk about this,” USA coach Stuart Law said at a press conference after the game. “We had a few warnings in earlier games, and it’s something we do talk about to get through faster between the overs. It’s just one thing that we can improve on. I think that we’re only a fledgling team. There’s plenty to learn.”There’s not just the cricket aspect of the game of cricket, but there’s also the other intricacies that need to be embedded [among the players]. It’s a rule that’s only just come in. A lot of our players wouldn’t have heard about it before we played in the Bangladesh series or the Canada series earlier this year. So, look, it’s something that we need to address, we’ll sit down and talk about, but we can improve it, yeah.”Law said the umpires had said they had warned the USA players twice before imposing the penalty.”Players know the rule, but it’s something that if you haven’t played with it for a long time, it’s very difficult to have it embedded in your brain,” Law said. “So, the information coming from the umpires was, they were given two clear warnings, then it’s up to the players to respond. And we didn’t respond fast enough, we didn’t do it well enough, and that’s something we can address.”One thing for every team to learn from this is that Law didn’t put the defeat down to it despite the critical moment it came at. He said it didn’t even affect the players because eventually it was just five runs in a 40-over game.

“It didn’t affect the result of the game as many people will suggest. But to lose five runs was crucial at that time. But, once again, it may have just taken us to the 19th or 20th over, rather than finishing it in the 18th”Stuart Law

“I don’t think it affected the outcome of the game,” he said. “Five runs wasn’t going to affect the outcome of the game so I don’t think it rattled [the players]. No, I thought we stuck to our guns, we fought hard, we fought to the death. I thought we showed some fantastic character against one of the best teams in the world.”Law had no issues with the ICC trying to speed up the game. He was asked if such measures might compromise the quality of cricket played, and replied, “I think there needs to be a pace of play. I think if you’re dragging games out that should last three-and-a-half hours, they’re going for four-and-a-half hours, that’s a bit much. The ICC are there to install rules and regulations. We as coaches and teams are there to follow those rules and regulations.”If there’s enough voices saying that it may be detracting from the game, I’m sure the ICC will act to it. I don’t see it as a bad thing, I see it as a good thing. The game continues to move. When momentum is with you, you want to keep that momentum running quicker and put the opposition under pressure that way.”So it’s neither here nor there. It didn’t affect the result of the game as many people will suggest. But to lose five runs was crucial at that time. But, once again, it may have just taken us to the 19th or 20th over, rather than finishing it in the 18th.”

The new coach will be in charge for three and a half years and in all formats

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Jul-20241:52

Is Gambhir the right fit to be India head coach?

Gautam Gambhir will be India’s next head coach, succeeding Rahul Dravid, who ended his tenure after overseeing India’s victorious T20 World Cup 2024 campaign. BCCI secretary Jay Shah made the announcement via X (formerly Twitter).Gambhir’s first assignment in charge will be a white-ball tour of Sri Lanka, comprising three ODIs and three T20Is, later this month.”India is my identity and serving my country has been the greatest privilege of my life,” he said on X. “I’m honoured to be back, albeit wearing a different hat. But my goal is the same as it has always been, to make every Indian proud. The men in blue shoulder the dreams of 1.4 billion Indians and I will do everything in my power to make these dreams come true!”In its official press release confirming Gambhir’s appointment, the BCCI indicated that the tenures of the assistant coaches who had worked with Dravid – Vikram Rathour (batting), Paras Mhambrey (bowling) and T Dilip (fielding) – had come to an end. “The BCCI values their contribution and wishes them the best going forward,” the release said.

It is with immense pleasure that I welcome Mr @GautamGambhir as the new Head Coach of the Indian Cricket Team. Modern-day cricket has evolved rapidly, and Gautam has witnessed this changing landscape up close. Having endured the grind and excelled in various roles throughout his… pic.twitter.com/bvXyP47kqJ

— Jay Shah (@JayShah) July 9, 2024