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The BCCI is looking to establish a “prime season” for the Indian cricket team at home much like it is in England and Australia, thus reducing the team’s touring commitments in the winter.BCCI president N Srinivasan said: “We are starting to look at and define our prime season, and during your prime season you should be playing at home.” Speaking exclusively to ESPNcricinfo, Srinivasan said formalising the Indian season would mean a structured calendar of teams touring India. “We want to have possibly one or two visiting teams during our domestic season, starting in September all the way up to March, and we’ll see the extent to which we don’t tour outside. Given the FTP that is there, we are going to see how we can adjust.”Domestic cricket would also be rescheduled to make home Tests the centre piece of the season, and encourage more international players to take part in the Ranji Trophy. Srinivasan said: “This year we also encouraged our big players and stars to play domestic cricket. This is a change from the last several years.” The Ranji format has been changed to three groups of nine teams each, the BCCI had been told by first-class players, that they wanted to play more cricket.The BCCI’s measures over the last few years, Srinivasan said, had sought to improve the quality of cricket particularly of the longer form of the game. “That is where the emphasis is. An uncapped player who has not played for India cannot play in the IPL unless he plays 60% of the Ranji Trophy games. So in more ways than one, we are pushing a player to the longer version.”In a wide-ranging interview, which will appear in full on ESPNcricinfo on Tuesday, Srinivasan spoke about issues concerning Indian cricket, the BCCI’s financial power in world cricket, its refusal to accept the mandatory application of the umpire’s Decision Review System (DRS), and the IPL’s growing influence on players all over the world and the longer form of the game.Srinivasan denied that the BCCI had taken an ‘obstructionist’ approach to the DRS. “We have not taken an obstructionist policy. We don’t believe in it, so after discussion members have agreed it should be bilateral. I don’t want to dictate to other people… our position has been clear from start. We don’t believe the technology is good enough.”He said the ICC’s statement that the DRS technology had “improved further” was in a way “acceptance that it was not good enough then” referring to the India tour of England last year. “But it was touted as being good at that point in time. Our problem is that when they say it is all right, then they say it’ll get better tomorrow, or an improved version now. So we concede the fact that there was less than adequate perfection. Which is our point, if you want to use technology it must be perfect.”Srinivasan also said that restricting the DRS to two referrals was in some ways a contradiction in itself. “If you don’t have faith in the umpire, which itself is a contradiction as in cricket the umpire’s verdict is final, if a player shows dissent you fine him. But now you’re saying that I have two attempts to question your decision. So the reconciliation between that is difficult. So if you take it to the end point of it, then you have two lampposts with coloured lights red, yellow and green, you don’t need an umpire at all, as you refer every decision, so let an automatic reply come from there after a review and you say red or green.”India’s unwillingness to use the DRS means that there are two officiating systems at work in world cricket, to which Srinivasan said: “It doesn’t bother me at all because, apart from all this, there is a cost to DRS and there are only one or two people involved. It’s a monopoly-area situation, which I am not going in to here. It doesn’t bother me if two other countries use DRS, they are happy, that’s okay.”The ICC he said had the right to use DRS in its own events, but the BCCI was very clear in its stand on its usage in any bilateral series featuring India. “We are clear in our mind, but I hope, slowly, people will see our point of view.”The IPL, the BCCI’s “showcase event” did not, he said, have a negative bearing on international cricket and the BCCI’s refusal to ask for a window for the event, was based on the acceptance of the overseas players’ packed international calendars. “The IPL management, the BCCI, franchise owners are aware that all the players won’t be available all the time, and we’ve sort of settled down with that.”The IPL he said was not putting “a strain” on other boards. The event’s popularity amongst overseas players were a reflection that, “it’s a free world. People and players make their choices and we can’t compel a person… I don’t think that it is all-consuming.” While the IPL attracts cricketers from all over the world, he said, “there are only so many players who can play in the IPL, because we have a cap on the number of players in the team. And from what I have seen, players may not be happy to sit out as we have a cap on foreign players. So squad size and the number of franchises have a limiting effect.”The BCCI he said was aware that there was “no real window” available on the international calendar for the IPL. “The BCCI has recognised that today you have ten Full Members, they play each other home and away once in four years. The number of ICC events has increased from ten years ago, so there’s a lot of clutter. So the BCCI accepts the fact that there is no real window and that whoever is available plays.”The BCCI’s reputation as a bully on the ICC board he said, was “not fair” – and denied that other boards would be wary of going against the BCCI’s wishes. “That is not a fact. In the ICC all members are sovereign. The ten full members are sovereign.”Despite India’s 8-0 defeats in England and Australia, Srinivasan said it was not fair to say that India got exposed when travelling abroad. “It’s not that we get exposed when we go abroad. Every country is used to its own conditions, whether it is England, South Africa, Australia, so they tend to play better in home conditions, which is what we also do.”He said the media in the other teams did not end up “berating their players for not doing well [abroad]” and that there had to be an acceptance and recognition of the “advantage of home conditions… So I don’t think we should run down our players by saying we did not do well abroad. Other teams don’t do well when they come to India. In the past, we have had teams that have done well both here and abroad, when players were possibly younger.”

In a summer filled with poor weather, organisers of the Cheltenham Festival, just like the Olympics, are praying for just two weeks without rain but it seems even that has been denied to them.

Alex Winter at Cheltenham12-Jul-2012In a summer filled with poor weather, organisers of the Cheltenham Festival, like those planning the Olympics, are praying for just two weeks of good weather but it seems even that has been denied to them. There were 49 overs on the first day of this match and we were lucky to get two more than that in on the second as rain drenched the college ground and may well prevent any play tomorrow.And the overs we did have produced little to get excited about. It’s been a very uncharacteristic start to the festival. An innings run-rate of less than three is practically unheard of on this ground, which produces fine pitches with short boundaries, particularly square of the wicket and particularly down the hill where the ball races away.But a slow pitch, an Essex attack that has been disciplined, and obviously the rain, has prevented this match from getting going. Ed Cowan played like a solid opening bat for his hundred – the slowest in the championship so far. He displayed the usual skills: leaving well, reasonably timing, good footwork to negate the movement of two new balls – but because it took 267 balls, the innings failed to inspire.He negated the slowness of the wicket by taking guard outside his crease and getting a big stride in. And when he became a touch frustrated at failing to find a way to progress against steady wicket-to-wicket operators, chiefly Greg Smith whose eight overs cost just nine runs, he came down even further, twice driving straight after advancing by a yard. But he consistently found the fielders – two short midwickets were placed to cut out his flick into the leg side – and he was made to wait 30 overs between his eighth and ninth boundaries.Hamish Marshall found things a little easier, looking in excellent touch: his form continuing after a successful Flt20. He went to 30 from 51 balls before also finding the nagging bowling difficult to score off. It was no wonder his used his feet to Harbhajan Singh – taking him over mid off and then wide of mid on. Harbhajan proved straightforward to negotiate and knock around, perhaps why he has only sent down 13 overs of the 100 in the innings. The star overseas spinner might have been expected to be used more often.But it was David Masters that did the lion’s share of the bowling and he was eventually rewarded shortly after lunch when Cowan, after driving into the pavilion to bring up his hundred, fell over a length ball around middle and off and was given out for the third lbw on the card. He walked off rather unimpressed with the decision but replays seemed to argue in umpire Tim Robinson’s favour, whose finger went up very quickly.The other lbw of the day was claimed by Reece Topley. His sent down the second ball of the day which trapped Alex Gidman plumb in front. It was Topley’s third wicket and was appreciated by his father Don, a former Essex seamer, who was part of a host of former cricketers in the PCA hospitality tent.”It’s not the easiest wicket to bowl on; we’ve had to remain patient,” said Reece Topley. “Thankfully it’s swung throughout the innings and that’s played to my strengths and I’ve come up trumps with three wickets.”I’m pleased to be back in the first team. I’ve had a good T20 spell and a good 50 over match against the Australians. I’ve worked hard on my white-ball cricket in the past year and now that’s paying off too.”Topley, who has four tattoos and an appetite for more body art, was the joint second-highest wicket-taker in the Flt20 group stages with 14 victims, helping Essex to a quarter-final against Somerset that he is very excited about. He is also looking to add to his nine caps for England U-19s, who play Ireland U-19s in two 50-over matches at Grace Road on July 18 and 20.

Australia will be watching Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s utilitarian stance for vast tracts of this Test series unless the visitors can find a way of forcing him to take uncharacteristic risks, the visitors’ vice-captain, Shane Watson, has said.Like so many touring sides before them, Michael Clarke’s team was entirely unable to dislodge Chanderpaul from the crease as he stayed for six-and-a-half hours, while compiling an unbeaten 103, before West Indies captain Darren Sammy declared. Chanderpaul, whose appetite for runs has not yet been sated at the age of 37, underlined his comfort in Barbados by passing Brian Lara as the highest run-scorer in Tests at Kensington Oval.Watson said Australia had to concoct a method of drawing Chanderpaul out of a mode of batting that was close to risk-free on pitches offering little in the way of steep bounce or sideways movement to the fast bowlers, or sharp turn to the spinners.”The way he plays, getting back and across and being able to use his hands to get the ball into the gaps, and he does it for such a long period of time, it’s hard to actually find a way for him to play a false shot because of the way he’s set up for these conditions here,” Watson said. “We’re going to have to [find a way], because we don’t want him to bat for as long as he did [in this innings] through this whole series.”We’ll just have to sit down … have to find a way to be able to get him to take some type of risk. He’s done it [risk-free batting] for such a long period of time and he is a true champion, so we’re going to have to bowl really well to him throughout the series to hopefully not let him have as much impact as he did today.”Chanderpaul said his 25th Test century, passing Lara’s milestone and contributing towards putting West Indies in a strong position had given him plenty of pleasure.”I never expected to be the person who had the most runs at Kensington, given I’m a guy from Guyana coming to Barbados. To have the most runs is a hell of an achievement at Kensington,” Chanderpaul said. “It’s always a very good wicket to bat on once you get in.”The young fellows, they’ve come into their own. We’ve been setting the plans and the goals for the team and they’ve been working hard towards it. We’ve all been working hard towards it. I’m happy to see that we actually achieved them today.”Chanderpaul played the silent partner at various times throughout the day, not least when Sammy was clattering 41 either side of a blow to the helmet from Watson. He then shepherded the tail through to the declaration, which did not arrive until all 11 home batsmen had got into double figures. “Whenever Sammy’s batting, things are pretty lively,” Chanderpaul said. “Look at the partnership. I was looking at it and I thought, ‘Geez, I’m not contributing here’.”We actually set team goals and the team goals were what we were working on. I didn’t set any personal goals. The team goals would help us achieve whatever we wanted to achieve individually. What we got on the board was what we set ourselves, guys making sure they bat right through the entire innings.”Sammy’s duel with Watson made for a bracing sight, both men exchanging stares in between bouncers, sixes and boundaries. Watson said Sammy’s straight six the ball after being struck on the head was a moment of pure nerve. However, he also noted that Sammy had not yet found the knack of building on his aggressive starts.”No [I’ve never been hit for six the ball after hitting a batsman before], especially after he took a bit of time to come around,” Watson said. “I thought that was the right ball to bowl at that stage – bowling a good-length ball – but he seemed to enjoy it and hit it over my head. It was a good duel, he took it very well and kept going. That’s what you expect of an opposition skipper, to really dig in like he did and keep going through. He was struggling a bit after that over. Darren’s a very nice guy and a tough competitor as well, it showed a lot of character by him.”There’s no doubt, the way he’s batting, he does take a few risks to be able to bat that way. There’s always going to be a chance that one shot you won’t execute exactly right. We knew that’s the way he bats, the way he bats best is when he’s taking us on. Let’s hope he doesn’t find the secret to getting a big one.”

Australia are wary of Sachin Tendulkar ahead of the SCG’s 100th Test, an occasion seemingly scripted to produce his 100th international century

Daniel Brettig at the SCG01-Jan-2012

Australia are wary of Sachin Tendulkar ahead of the SCG’s 100th Test, an occasion seemingly scripted to produce his 100th international century. Before the teams trained at the ground on New Year’s Day, Michael Hussey said Tendulkar’s return to the scene of three of his most satisfying innings carried portents of doom for the hosts.Tendulkar was denied a hundred in Melbourne by a sharp delivery from Peter Siddle in the first innings, then sank with the rest of the batsmen in the second. But in each innings he showed the sort of touch that may easily bloom into a large score at the SCG, and Hussey said he was “nervous” at the thought.”I am a bit nervous because the stars seem to be aligning with Sachin needing one more 100,” Hussey said. “The 100th Test match in Sydney – he’s made runs here before – it’s a little bit ominous but hopefully we can make him wait until after this series and he can get a 100 in the first game of the next series that he plays.”Enthusiasm for Tendulkar’s pursuit of his next 100 is vast among followers of the game both Australian and Indian, and Hussey remarked on the odd sensation of playing before a home crowd willing an opponent on towards success. “I do find that strange,” Hussey said. “I can assure you that everyone in our dressing-room does not want him to make a 100. I think our bowlers down in Melbourne did an outstanding job, not just to Sachin but to all of their batsmen.”They’ve got one of the best batting line-ups ever and the plans that we set and the way they [the bowlers] executed them were second to none. For a reasonably inexperienced attack to be able to do that job, and for long periods of time which is something we’ve been really working on, it’s a real testament to the bowling group.”Irrespective of how well Australia’s bowlers performed in Melbourne, they know Sydney may be quite a different scenario. While the pitch will offer some early assistance to the quicks, it shows less of the green tinge that has characterised its appearance in the previous two Test matches against England and Pakistan.”Just from walking across the ground, it [the pitch] looks a lot less green than it has been over the last few years,” Hussey said. “Certainly, in the last few years, I think the Sydney pitch has changed texture from when it used to be a real dust bowl and helped the spinners. The last few years have been really seamer friendly and there’s been overhead conditions to help that as well.”In 2004 India stacked up a leviathan 7 for 705 in the first innings at the ground, while four summers ago it was 532, before Australia recovered to win in dramatic and acrimonious circumstances. Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid played in each match and will want to emulate those tallies.”They’re very experienced players. They know their game so well. They’ve played in Australia before,” Hussey said of India’s batsmen. “So I would expect them to bounce back very hard and we’re going to have to make sure we’re ready for a real counterattack. They’ll be very determined.”[But] we can take a lot of confidence out of the game in Melbourne. The way our bowlers were relentless with their line and length to the Indian batsmen, they know they’re going to be in for a tough series.”

England’s women continued their dominance over South Africa, winning the opening Twenty20 in Potchefstroom easily after having sealed the ODI series 3-0

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Oct-2011
ScorecardEngland’s women continued their dominance over South Africa, winning the opening Twenty20 in Potchefstroom easily after having sealed the ODI series 3-0. Sarah Taylor and captain Charlotte Edwards shared an aggressive 96-run second-wicket partnership that ensured England chased South Africa’s 128 with time to spare.After reaching a middling total, South Africa struck in the first over of the chase. But it was a false dawn, as Taylor and Edwards took the game away from them. Taylor was the aggressor, smashing nine fours in her 50 off 33 balls. Edwards hit five boundaries and a six herself, on the way to 49. Both were dismissed in quick succession but by then England were well ahead of the asking-rate, and cruised home.South Africa had stuttered early in their innings, after electing to bat, and were reduced to 49 for 3. The run-rate stayed at around five an over till the 15th before Alison Hodgkinson launched a late onslaught. Hodgkinson hit seven fours and a six in her 51 and got South Africa to a competitive total but England made light work of it.Taylor was awarded the Player-of-the-Match award but said it was the bowlers who had won the game for England. “There was some great boundary-hitting from both teams today. Even the good balls went for four,” she said. “I feel in good nick and it was good to bat with Charlotte but the bowlers did the work for us today by restricting South Africa.”It’s a nice wicket and if you get your hands through the ball it just goes flying to the boundary; it’s such a quick outfield.”The second Twenty20 is on October 29 in Potchefstroom.

The WICB has requested written communication from the Guyana government on how it intends to involve itself in Guyana cricket

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Aug-2011The WICB has requested for written communication from the Guyana government on how it intends to involve itself in Guyana cricket. The West Indies board issued a release saying it had been informed that the president of Guyana Bharrat Jagdeo had called a meeting of various stakeholders in the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB), and had therefore asked Guyana sports minister Frank Anthony to inform the WICB what the government’s plans were for the GCB.The meeting called by Jagdeo was to help end the ongoing discord between the boards of Guyana’s three counties – Berbice Cricket Board, Demerara Cricket Board and Essequibo Cricket Board – and the GCB. The main issue within the GCB was the election of Ramsey Ali as GCB president on July 10. The Berbice Cricket Board filed a court injunction to restrain the functioning of the Ali-led administration, which was struck out. The judge in the case had recommended the intervention of the sports ministry in the issue, which ultimately led to Jagdeo calling a meeting.The result of the meeting was the appointment of an interim management committee to run the GCB’s affairs, which means Ali’s executives will for the time being not be in charge of the board. Keith Foster, president of the Berbice Cricket Board, told Guyana’s Government Information Agency that Jagdeo had requested that consultation be facilitated more frequently at the board level in the different counties. “It is a work in progress so we will have to wait and see because the different boards obviously will be having different ideas,” Foster said.What may be of concern to the WICB is that, at the ICC’s annual conference in June, the game’s global body took a firm stand against political interference in cricket boards. The ICC had given all its member boards two years to free themselves of government influence. Jagdeo, however, has repeatedly stated that the Guyana government needed to be involved in the running of cricket in the country. “Given that sports are so important to our wellbeing, particularly cricket in the West Indies to our psyche and everything else, we cannot help but be concerned about the state of cricket in the region,” he had said in July.Jagdeo had also taken up the case of Chris Gayle, when he was excluded from the West Indies team, criticising the WICB and appealing to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) heads of government to intervene.

Zimbabwe XI batted out the second day against Australia A as the game ended in a draw

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Jul-2011
Scorecard
Zimbabwe XI batted out the second day against Australia A as their game ended in a draw. Elton Chigumbura, the former Zimbabwe captain, led the response to an imposing 427 for 4 declared, top-scoring with 95. After being reduced to 54 for 3 at one stage, the Zimbabwe XI middle order put up a fight.Regis Chakabva supported Chigumbura in a stand of 80 for the fourth wicket, Malcolm Waller made a quick 25 and Forster Mutizwa contributed 67 in a partnership of 81 with Chigumbura. Mutizwa’s innings was an attacking one, coming off 70 balls with five fours and two sixes. Michael Beer, the left-arm spinner, was the star for Australia A, taking 6 for 109 but Zimbabwe XI put up a spirited performance in reaching 306 for 9 at the close.

England Lions opener Adam Lyth hit his third half-century of the season as Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire played out a draw on a rain-affected day at Trent Bridge

07-May-2011
ScorecardEngland Lions opener Adam Lyth hit his third half-century of the season as Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire played out a draw on a rain-affected day at Trent Bridge.With Yorkshire 17 without loss in their second innings and 123 ahead at the start of the day, heavy showers wiped out the morning session and ended any hopes either side might be able to force victory.Play began at 1.20pm and with little riding on the day’s play, Lyth took the opportunity to hit 52 from 114 balls with six fours before pulling Steven Mullaney straight to the waiting Mark Wagh at deep square leg. Lyth’s opening partner Joe Sayers had reached 45 when he was bowled by a spinning delivery from Samit Patel and in soporific batting conditions Yorkshire declared soon after tea on 113 for two, Joe Root unbeaten on nine and Andrew Gale six not out.Nottinghamshire theoretically had 24 overs to chase a target of 220 but chose to take the 10 points for the draw. Yorkshire, facing a points deduction because of their slow over-rate, opened the bowling with the spin of Adil Rashid and Root to get their over rate back on par.They managed to do this in the 13 overs that were bowled before stumps were drawn at 5pm, Mark Wagh finishing 25 not out and Neil Edwards undefeated on 6. The result leaves Nottinghamshire in second place in Division One on 73 points, one behind leaders Lancashire, while Yorkshire are sixth with 46 points.Given the position of the match midway through Nottinghamshire’s first innings and with many of their bowlers hit by injury, the hosts will be pleased to have avoided defeat.They were dealt a further blow overnight by the news that talented batsman Alex Hales had suffered a broken jaw when he was hit by an Ajmal Shahzad bouncer, which will put the 22-year-old out until at least June. But they will head to Hove next week to take on Sussex boosted by the availability of England bowlers Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann.

MatériaMais Notícias

Em cinco jogos à frente do São Paulo, todos em fases eliminatórias do Campeonato Paulista e da Copa do Brasil, Diego Aguirre usou 24 jogadores diferentes. Um número alto, mas que ainda não permitiu que todo o elenco fosse a campo com o uruguaio: até agora, 11 atletas não participaram do já conhecido rodízio do treinador.

Entre os nomes que não atuaram com o substituto de Dorival Júnior está Brenner, uma das principais promessas recentes vindas das categorias de base. Na busca por espaço, o volante Pedro, de 20 anos, outro vindo de Cotia, não vinha nem sendo relacionado com frequência e foi emprestado ao São Bento, de Sorocaba, para disputar a Série B do Campeonato Brasileiro.

O LANCE! detalha abaixo a situação dos 11 jogadores que seguem no elenco e ainda não foram usados por Diego Aguirre:

Brenner
O atacante de 18 anos, que chegou a ser titular com Dorival Júnior jogando aberto pelos lados ou como referência na frente, foi relacionado por Diego Aguirre em todas as cinco partidas do técnico no clube. Mas, embora seja o mais badalado da safra recém-promovida de Cotia, viu o uruguaio o deixar no banco para dar chances a concorrentes como o também garoto Caíque e Morato, que não atuava desde abril de 2017 por cirurgia no joelho direito.

Brenner tem 12 partidas na temporada, sendo oito como titular. A última vez que iniciou um jogo foi na derrota por 2 a 0 diante do Palmeiras, em 8 de março, no compromisso que gerou a demissão de Dorival Júnior. O camisa 30 não entra em campo desde a vitória por 3 a 0 sobre o CRB, em Alagoas, em 14 de março, quando saiu do banco com o técnico André Jardine como interino pela última vez, com Aguirre assistindo das tribunas do estádio.

Edimar
O lateral-esquerdo estava tratando de entorse no joelho direito quando Diego Aguirre foi contratado e voltou a ficar à disposição nos dois últimos jogos, permanecendo no banco em ambos. O lateral está atrás de Reinaldo na disputa pela titularidade na posição. Disputou oito partidas na temporada, saindo da reserva em duas delas.

Shaylon
O meia de 20 anos iniciou o ano prestigiado, como titular e com seu contrato renovado até janeiro de 2022. Mas perdeu espaço com a chegada de Nenê, ainda sob o comando de Dorival Júnior, e não atua desde o último jogo do ex-técnico, quando entrou no intervalo da derrota por 2 a 0 para o Palmeiras, em 8 de março. Shaylon disputou oito partidas na temporada e foi relacionado em todos os compromissos do time com Aguirre, mas sem jogar.

Anderson Martins
Aguirre, por enquanto, não tem responsabilidade nenhuma na ausência do zagueiro. Anderson Martins vem sofrendo com recorrentes dores na região dorsal e não atua desde o último jogo do time antes da estreia do técnico uruguaio, quando foi titular na vitória por 3 a 0 sobre o CRB, em Alagoas, em 14 de março. Recuperado, ele, que só atuou quatro vezes no ano, só voltou a treinar com o elenco nesse sábado e pode ser opção contra o Rosario Central, na quinta-feira, na Argentina, pela Copa Sul-Americana.

Aderllan
Como já vinha ocorrendo com Dorival Júnior, o zagueiro tem sido apenas uma opção na reserva com Diego Aguirre. O uruguaio só não o relacionou para o último jogo, contra o Atlético-PR, na quarta-feira. Emprestado pelo Valencia até dezembro, Aderllan, de 28 anos, só atuou duas vezes na temporada, sempre em partidas nas quais os titulares foram poupados – iniciou as vitórias sobre São Bento e Red Bull, pelo Campeonato Paulista.

Paulinho
O atacante de 19 anos foi promovido efetivamente para o elenco principal nesta temporada. Nunca foi titular e atuou só quatro vezes, ainda com Dorival Júnior, sendo a última na vitória por 2 a 0 sobre o CRB, no Morumbi, em 28 de fevereiro. Aguirre só o relacionou para os dois jogos contra o São Caetano, nas quartas de final do Paulista, deixando-o fora das três últimas listas. O São Bento já procurou o São Paulo para ter Paulinho por empréstimo na Série B.

Paulo Henrique
O meia-atacante de 20 anos, recém-promovido da base, só atuou duas vezes na temporada, ambas em janeiro – titular diante do São Bento, quando Dorival Júnior poupou titulares, e entrou durante a vitória por 1 a 0 sobre o Madureira, em 31 de janeiro. Aguirra o relacionou apenas para o jogo de ida contra o Corinthians, pela semifinal do Paulista, no último dia 25. Paulo Henrique também está nos planos do São Bento, que o quer por empréstimo.

Lucas Perri
Exaltado pela qualidade que mostrou nas categorias de base, o terceiro goleiro, de 20 anos, ainda não estreou pelo time principal e só foi relacionado enquanto Sidão estava machucado, ficando no banco com Aguirre apenas na estreia do técnico, na derrota por 1 a 0 para o São Caetano, em 17 de março, no ABC.

Lucas Paes
Também com 20 anos de idade, é o quarto goleiro do elenco. Aguirre deve relacionar Lucas Paes somente quando duas das três opções à frente dele (Sidão, Jean e Lucas Perri) na posição forem desfalque.

Bissoli
O atacante de 20 anos foi titular na primeira rodada do Paulista, quando Dorival Júnior poupou seus principais jogadores diante do São Bento, e só atuou mais uma vez no ano, entrando durante a vitória sobre o Madureira, em 31 de janeiro. Recém-promovido ao elenco principal, Bissoli ainda não ficou nem no banco de reservas com Diego Aguirre.

Gonzalo Carneiro
Mais um caso em que Aguirre não tem nenhuma culpa. O atacante uruguaio Gonzalo Carneiro foi contratado do Defensor por US$ 800 mil (cerca de R$ 2,5 milhões) com o aval do técnico, mas ainda nem poderia ser utilizado, já que aguarda a a regularização de sua documentação. Além disso, está em fase final de recuperação da pubalgia que não o permitiu entrar em campo neste ano.

Premier League safety is within touching distance for Leeds United but by no means is it guaranteed.

The Whites’ 0-0 stalemate with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Monday night moved them five points clear of Frank Lampard’s Everton, meaning their destiny is firmly in their own hands with five games left to play.

They won’t be easy fixtures either as the Yorkshiremen face league leaders Manchester City this weekend before heading to north London to face a red-hot Arsenal side, with Chelsea to come after that.

Failure to pick up any points during that run, combined with the possibility of the Toffees and Burnley making up ground, could leave manager Jesse Marsch sweating heading into the final few weeks of the 2021/22 campaign.

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He could do himself a favour, though, by axing two of his faltering stars in Mateusz Klich and Daniel James.

Both players were hooked prematurely on Monday.

The Poland international lasted until half-time before being replaced by Robin Koch, largely due to him being left an absolute passenger, whilst the Welsh winger was taken off for academy gem Sam Greenwood, a rather damning indictment on his performance.

Leeds’ disastrous duo have struggled for form throughout the season, and perhaps one is more worrying than the other given he is the club’s record £30m signing.

During his time at Manchester United, pundit Darren Bent described the winger as “headless” in his decision making and with only three direct goal contributions in the last 11 games, we’re starting to see that – none of which have been him finding the net either.

Some of his poor form can be attributed to the fact that he’s been filling in for the injured Patrick Bamford but apart from his speed, he has offered very little threat otherwise. Indeed, he currently ranks 12th for average WhoScored rating. Eight players are managing more successful dribbles per game than him, too.

Meanwhile, Klich ranks 17th, which is the worst of any player to have started 21 or more league games this term.

Earlier in the year, Sky Sports pundit Clinton Morrison described the Pole as being “non-existent” in midfield and we caught another glimpse of that earlier this week as he managed only 26 touches and 13 accurate passes in the 45 minutes he was on the pitch, per SofaScore.

It’s hard to make a case for either of the two stars to keep their place amongst the starting XI heading into some tough encounters. City, Arsenal and Chelsea all possess the firepower and strength to devour the struggling duo.

As such, Marsch must look to axe the pair of them as they continue to hold back his side during this relegation dogfight.

AND in other news, Alan Nixon: Leeds plot bargain bid for “special” 18 y/o, he could be the next Cancelo…