Category Uncategorized

Leeds United must bring in new signings in the January transfer window after a poor start to the season, according to reliable journalist Phil Hay.

The Lowdown: Another defeat for Leeds

The Whites had another disappointing Premier League outing on Sunday, losing 2-1 to Spurs at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Dan James’ opener wasn’t enough to get Marcelo Bielsa’s side a positive result and they now sit 17th in the table, just one place above the relegation zone.

Leeds’ squad has felt stretched at times this season, with key players such as Luke Ayling and Partrick Bamford injured, so January signings wouldn’t go amiss.

[freshpress-quiz id=“375277″]

The Latest: Hay calls for January signings

Taking to Twitter on Monday afternoon in sharing an accompanying article for The Athletic, Hay delivered a 13-word verdict calling for the Whites to make mid-season reinforcements.

He said that it “no longer feels like they have the luxury of sitting this window out”, adding that “Full-strength Leeds have ample quality but they rarely are full strength, to the point where it seems as if they are being compromised.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-25/” title=”Latest Leeds United news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=“none”]

The Verdict: Makes perfect sense

While there is no need for Leeds to go overboard in January – the return of key figures will bolster Bielsa’s options – it is important that a new face or two comes in to supplement the existing squad, as Hay has understandably pleaded.

It would bring a much-needed freshness to the playing pick at a time when a relegation fight is becoming increasingly likely, allowing for rotation between January and May and hopefully leading to a rise up the table.

Failure to make any signings could threaten to make things become even more stagnant, potentially leading to the threat of a return to the Championship, at a time when the expansion of Elland Road could be impacted negatively.

In other news, three Leeds players struggled in the defeat to Spurs. Find out who they are here.

With Antonio Conte heading into his first Premier League fixture in charge of Tottenham Hotspur this weekend, the 52-year-old will certainly be hoping for a much-improved performance than in Spurs’ last league outing, a 3-0 thumping at Old Trafford.

And, with the Italian manager switching Tottenham’s set-up to a 3-4-3 formation in the club’s 3-2 Europa Conference League victory over Vitesse on Thursday, in which Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Oliver Skipp started as the central midfield duo, it can be assumed that the former Inter Milan boss will stick with this tactic for the trip to Everton on Sunday afternoon.

However, rather than Skipp lining up alongside Hojbjerg in the middle of the park, it would seem likely that the Italian will call upon a player who he reportedly attempted to sign during his time at the San Siro – Tanguy Ndombele.

Indeed, while the 24-year-old started Thursday’s European fixture on the bench, upon his introduction to the match midway through the second half, the France international proved to be something of a game-changer for Spurs.

Despite featuring for just 18 minutes of the tie, the £40.5m-rated midfielder made two key passes, created one big chance, made one interception and won one duel.

In comparison, while Skipp is quite clearly a different profile of player to Ndombele, the 21-year-old was rather less creative during his 73 minutes on the pitch, making no key passes and creating no big chances, although he did make two interceptions and win three duels.

As such, with Spurs more than likely requiring a little more creativity and attacking impetus than against Vitesse if they are to take all three points from Goodison Park on Sunday, Conte simply must unleash the man who Tim Sherwood dubbed a “maverick” against the Toffees. The £120k-per-week Ndombele undoubtedly has the ability to terrify an Everton side who have lost three Premier League fixtures on the bounce.

In other news: Paratici must seal Spurs deal for “complete” £75k-p/w machine, Conte would “love” him

Steve Rouse, the Edgbaston groundsman, believes England should resist the temptation to call in Steve Harmison for the third Test on a wicket he predicts will be flat and sluggish

Alex Brown28-Jul-2009Will Steve Harmison and Andrew Flintoff be smiling once they set foot on the Edgbaston pitch?•PA PhotosSteve Rouse, the Edgbaston groundsman, believes England should resist the temptation to call in Steve Harmison for the third Test on a wicket he predicts will be flat and sluggish. Rouse also forecast a torrid outing for the likes of Andrew Flintoff, with rain making for a heavy playing surface that will make “bowling 25 overs feel like 35 overs”.Harmison combined with fellow England squad member Graham Onions to force the only first-class result at Edgbaston this year; a ten-wicket win for Durham. The England pacemen claimed 16 of the 20 Warwickshire wickets to fall, and Harmison has continued his rich vein of form since with three further five-wicket hauls this season.Rouse, though, insists Harmison’s bang-it-in approach would not be suited to an Edgbaston pitch softened by recent rain. Bowlers who maintain a fuller length, he suggested, will stand a greater chance of success from Thursday.”Steve is a back of a length bowler,” Rouse told Cricinfo’s Switch Hit podcast. “If you bang it in on that, it will dent the surface and come off slowly, and good players – quality Test players – have always got time to play. I don’t think Steve pitches it up enough. I think it’s a kiss-the-surface wicket.”The outfield will be heavy. You’ll get a wet ball. Nobody likes bowling with a wet ball because the seam goes soft and it doesn’t swing, and it will be bloody hard work on the bowlers’ legs out there as well because it is heavy. If you bowl 25 overs a day it will feel like bowling 35 overs a day, that’s how heavy it is.”Rouse made headlines last week when he described the rain-soaked surface as “jelly”, but believes the wicket has improved dramatically in recent days. Michael Clarke, the Australian vice-captain, noted with surprise on Tuesday that the Test strip was “quite dry”, while Ian Bell predicted another “good batting wicket”.But their forecasts could be overshadowed by those from The Met office, which is predicting plenty of rain for the West Midlands over the coming days.”I think it will be pretty slow and low,” he said. “We haven’t had any really hot weather to dry it out to a depth. The top three quarter inches is firm, I wouldn’t say it’s hard, but firmer than it was three days ago. If we could have had another three days’ sunshine and wind it probably would have had a bit of pace in it.”I said the pitch (was like jelly), not the wicket. The pitch meaning the outfield, and that is still very, very wet indeed. You only have to look where they’ve been training this morning .. and they’ve cut it to shreds. We’ve actually asked England if they would train and play on the same side the Aussies did so we don’t have to cut it in two different places and save the fuel bill.”Rouse found himself at the centre of attention four years ago when Ricky Ponting infamously defied modern history and sent England in to bat on an Edgbaston wicket that looked particularly green after a period of inclement weather, which included a tornado. Rarely has a pitch’s hue and a captain’s decision provoked such public curiosity and debate, but as England stormed to 407 on the first day, all eyes turned to Ponting and the playing surface he had apparently misjudged.Steve Rouse: “It will be bloody hard work on the bowlers’ legs out there as well because it is heavy. If you bowl 25 overs a day it will feel like bowling 35 overs a day”•PA PhotosOr had he? In a surprising development, Rouse admitted that he had agreed with Ponting’s call to bowl first; a decision that was lambasted by many within the media, and allegedly led to a dressing room disagreement between the Australian captain and his senior bowler, Shane Warne. Rouse’s assessment, however, will provide little comfort for Ponting, who presided over a two-run loss at Edgbaston and an eventual 2-1 series defeat in 2005.”I still think Ponting was probably in the right to bowl first,” he said. “There was a lot of moisture underneath it. The fact that they didn’t bowl well, nobody says anything about that.”Knowing what I know what was underneath and being a bowler, I would have bowled first anyway. This has got a fair bit of moisture under here at the moment. (ECB pitch consultant) Chris Woods has just been to stick the old pin in the top, and he said it’s incredible how it’s changed from last Tuesday, where his probe went in nine or ten inches and now he had to really press through the top. That’s how much it’s dried.”The Edgbaston pitch has played host to 16 draws from its last 20 first-class matches, and is regarded among the flattest in the country. Risking a showdown with Warwickshire’s director of cricket, Ashley Giles, Rouse said he had been unsuccessful in his attempts to convince the county to leave more grass on the strip which, he feels, would bring bowlers back into the contest.”I’m always onto Ash about leaving more and more grass on,” he said. “I get sick to death of watching boring cricket. I can see no point in getting 650, that’s two-and-a-half days gone, then the next side goes in because they want their batting points. They go and get 400, declare at tea time on the last day and go home. To me, that’s four days totally wasted. If I could leave a lot, lot more grass on so there’s more pace and more carry you’d encourage the quick bowlers, plus it helps people play their shots more. But they’re frightened to lose. If you’re frightened to take a gamble, you’re not going to win anything. Never.”

Match facts

May 20, 2009
Start time 12.30 pm (10.30 am GMT, 4.00 pm IST)
Ravindra Jadeja has been Rajasthan’s mainstay in a crumbling middle order•Associated Press

Big Picture

The IPL, much like India’s political system in an era of coalition governments, is resembling a numbers game with spots for the semis set to be narrowed down by net run-rate and the fortunes of other teams. Kolkata Knight Riders’ upset win over Chennai Super Kings in Centurion gave an indication of their prominent role in spite of being knocked out, and they may wreck another team’s hopes of reaching the top four on Wednesday.The scenario for Rajasthan is: lose and you’re out of the tournament, win and stay alive. A victory does not guarantee them a place in the semi-finals; they’ll have to rely on other results and net run-rates to see where they finish. More than a win, Rajasthan will have to beat Kolkata by a large margin to boost their chances, as their negative net run-rate may work against them. But their task is a stiff one, for Kolkata – who saw off a horrific run of eight consecutive defeats – have finally redeemed themselves somewhat. They will be strongly determined to end their IPL on a high by inflicting a heartbreak on their opponents.

Form guide (completed matches, most recent first)

Rajasthan Royals – LWLLW
Rajasthan have serious problems with their batting. They’ve shuffled around the openers but none have proved consistent, including Graeme Smith. In the middle order, Yusuf Pathan’s slump has hurt them badly. He’s managed 53 runs in his last five innings, but is one among several who’ve failed. Nos. 3 to 8 have only averaged 14.81 between them in the same period, indicating a let down across the board.Kolkata Knight Riders – WLLLL
Kolkata’s batting is in good health with Brendon McCullum returning to form, Brad Hodge remaining highly reliable and David Hussey marking an excellent return to the IPL. Their pace attack has been their major weakness, and McCullum has often had to turn to Murali Kartik and Hodge to stem the scoring. Ajit Agarkar has been especially poor, going at over ten runs an over over in each of the last three games.

Watch out for

Ravindra Jadeja – In an ailing middle order, Jadeja has proved the mainstay, notching up scores of 27, 19*, 42 and 24 in his last four appearances. With the batting around him crumbling, he does merit a promotion up the order. He’s also proved extremely useful as a left-arm spinner, taking six wickets at an average of 23, but had an off day against Mumbai Indians when Sachin Tendulkar took him for 18 in an over.Brendon McCullum – The innings of 84 against Bangalore sparked a reversal in fortunes, and his 81 against Chennai immediately brought back memories of his murderous assault in the IPL opener last year. He’s struggled as captain, which had affected his own form, and despite the encouraging win in the last game, he is likely to step down after tomorrow.

Teams

For a must-win game, Rajasthan have to consider their options carefully. They have to strengthen their batting, and may just draft in Swapnil Asnodkar. Abhishek Raut has hardly made any contribution in the last five games, scoring 19 in three innings, and hasn’t done much with the ball. He could step out to make way for Asnodkar. Naman Ojha has been disappointing in his last four games, managing just 26 runs but given the untested reserves, leaving him out could prove a big gamble.Rajasthan Royals (probable): 1 Rob Quiney, 2 Graeme Smith, 3 Swapnil Asnodkar, 4 Ravindra Jadeja, 5 Yusuf Pathan, 6 Johan Botha, 7 Naman Ojha (wk), 8 Shane Warne (capt), 9 Amit Singh, 10 Siddharth Trivedi, 11 Munaf Patel.Kolkata might make some changes, giving those have spent all their time at the bench a look-in for their final game of the tournament. Charl Langeveldt’s inclusion is long overdue, and he should come in for Ajantha Mendis. Agarkar’s continued presence in the playing XI has surprised many, and after three successive failures, he could make way for Shoaib Shaikh, who didn’t do anything in his debut game.Kolkata Knight Riders (probable): 1 Brendon McCullum (capt), 2 Sourav Ganguly, 3 Brad Hodge, 4 David Hussey, 5 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 6 Laxmi Shukla, 7 Ajit Agarkar, 8 Charl Langeveldt, 9 Murali Kartik, 10 Ashok Dinda, 11 Shoaib Shaikh.

Stats and trivia

• Munaf Patel conceded 25 runs in the 19th over of the game against Delhi Dardedevils, the second-most expensive of the tournament.
• Both Munaf and Shane Warne are the highest wicket-takers for Rajasthan with 14 each.
• McCullum scored 62 of his 81 runs against Chennai in boundaries, the third-highest in the tournament.
• The 90-run stand between Hodge and McCullum is the highest for any wicket for Kolkata this IPL.

Head-to-head record

The teams fought a thrilling tie earlier in the tournament, which was then decided by a super over where Yusuf knocked off 18 in four balls off Mendis to shut out Kolkata. Last year, Asnodkar and Yusuf helped Rajasthan thump Kolkata by 45 runs in Jaipur. Yusuf again starred for them in the second game between the two teams, making a quickfire 48 to seal a comfortable six-wicket win.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Flamengo acertou os últimos detalhes da negociação com o técnico colombiano Reinaldo Rueda. As partes já estavam apalavradas há dias, mas, enfim, resolveram pendências que ainda travavam a negociação. A informação foi divulgada inicialmente pelo portal Globoesporte.com. Agora, o clube carioca aguarda a chegada do treinador de 60 anos para, enfim, sacramentar o acordo em papel. O novo comandante deve assinar até o fim de 2018.

Cautelosa como de praxe, a diretoria rubro-negra evita falar sobre a negociação e só vai se pronunciar quando o acordo foi oficializado.

O auxiliar técnico de Rueda, Bernardo Redín – ex-jogador da seleção da Colômbia – já estuda o Botafogo, adversário da quarta-feira, pela semifinal da Copa do Brasil.

-Gravei a partida e vou assistir hoje (nesta sexta-feira) à noite – disse Redín ao Correio Braziliente.

O flerte do Flamengo com Rueda surgiu após muitos pedidos da torcida nas redes sociais. Ainda quando Zé Ricardo dirigia o time, os rubro-negros lançaram a campanha #RuedanoFlamengo.

No Flamengo, Rueda terá dois compatriotas à sua disposição: o volante Cuéllar e o seu ex-comandado Orlando Berrío, com quem conquistou a Libertadores do ano passado pelo Atlético Nacional.

Reinaldo Rueda estava sem clube desde o dia 21 de junho. No fim do ano passado, o técnico chegou a ser procurado pelo Corinthians, mas não aceitou vir para o Brasil.

A primeira opção do Flamengo para substituir Zé Ricardo era contratar Roger Machado. Mas o ex-treinador do Atlético-MG recusou a proposta rubro-negra, pois só pensa em voltar a trabalhar no Brasil em 2018.

RelacionadasBrasileirãoDe favoritos a decepção? Galo e Fla se encaram com mudanças da estreiaBrasileirão11/08/2017FlamengoVeja com que idade craques marcaram pela primeira vezFlamengo11/08/2017Mais EsportesCampeonato Carioca de basquete é canceladoMais Esportes11/08/2017

The Rajasthan government has accused Lalit Modi, the IPL chairman, of acting out of spite in taking the league’s matches away from Jaipur because he had recently lost an election to head the local association

Cricinfo staff20-Mar-2009

The Rajasthan government has accused Lalit Modi, the IPL chairman, of acting out of spite in taking the league’s matches away from Jaipur because he had recently lost an election to head the local association. Shanti Dhariwal, the state’s home minister, claimed they had asked for only two matches of the Rajasthan Royals to be rescheduled as per the IPL’s revised schedule but failed to get a response from Modi.”Modi has pulled the IPL out of Jaipur,” Dhariwal said. “We wanted only two out of six dates rescheduled. He [Modi] never negotiated with us. In an election, one party wins and the other loses, like in matches, but that doesn’t mean you leave the state and walk away with the matches. The people of Rajasthan will never forgive him for this.”Jaipur and Delhi do not figure in the IPL’s re-revised list, Modi had said, because local police there could not confirm security for the event without support from central forces who will be deployed for general election duty at the same time. Delhi is understood to be making hectic efforts to get back on the schedule while Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra have confirmed that they are willing to host the IPL.The , meanwhile, published a letter from a senior official of Rajasthan’s home department to the Rajasthan Royals franchise, which claimed the state was willing to hold matches in Jaipur as long as they were not held between May 4 and May 10. Elections in Rajasthan are scheduled on May 7.Modi, however, told the newspaper that the state government could not reach a consensus with the central government on the use of central security forces. “I went back with a new schedule, with five matches in Jaipur, but the government once again said it wanted paramilitary forces to provide security. Why would I want to keep Jaipur out?” Modi said. “What can I do if a consensus cannot be reached?”Sundar Raman, the IPL CEO, later issued a press statement on the matter. “There have been media reports about the Rajasthan Royals home matches being deliberately shifted out from the Pink City,” he said in the statement.”To set the record straight – Jaipur was one of the first venues to express interest in hosting IPL and the initial schedule that IPL submitted to the Home Ministry had 5 matches scheduled in Jaipur. However the confirmation from state government of Rajasthan had a rider – which required central forces support. The ministry of home affairs had made it clear that no central forces will be available. The schedule has since undergone multiple iterations. We are operating with constraints and it would be unfair to call this a deliberate effort on the part of IPL for changes in the schedule that have been necessitated,” the statement said.Modi was elected president of the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) in 2005 and held the post till late last year with the backing of the previous government. However, a change of state administration resulted in Modi losing the post last month.

Sheffield United defensive midfielder Sander Berge is attracting interest ahead of the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Football League World, who claim that a number of clubs, including Newcastle United and Glasgow Rangers, are keeping a very close eye on the progress of the 23-year-old in the first half of the season, ahead of a potential move for the Norway international in the winter market.

Reports back in July had claimed that Arsenal, Atalanta and Napoli were all also keen on a move for the midfielder, however, Sheffield United’s £35m asking price saw Berge remain at Bramall Lane upon the closure of the summer transfer window.

Jokanovic must avoid disaster

Considering just how poorly Sheffield United have started their 2021/22 Championship campaign, having picked up a mere two points over their opening five fixtures of the new season, it would appear fair to suggest that losing the services of a player who is undoubtedly one of the most talented Slavisa Jokanovic has in his first-team squad in January would be something of a disaster for the Serbian boss.

While, admittedly, Berge has not exactly been in breathtaking form so far this term, averaging a SofaScore match rating of 6.76 over his five Championship appearances, the 23-year-old has nevertheless proven in previous campaigns that he has the ability to play a starring role for the Blades in this season.

Indeed, over his 14 Premier League appearances immediately following his move from KRC Genk back in January 2020, the £16.2m-rated man scored one goal, registered one assist and created one big chance for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 0.4 shots per game.

The player Albert Stuivenberg dubbed a “leader” also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, making an average of 0.7 interceptions, 1.6 tackles, 0.9 clearances and winning 5.5 duels per league fixture.

These returns saw the £38k-per-week midfielder earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.90, ranking him as United’s seventh-best performer in the top tier of English football that season.

As such, it is undeniable that Berge has the ability to help get the Blades out of their current mess, as well as the talent to fire his side towards the top of the Championship table.

However, should Jokanovic decide to cash in on the Norwegian in January, it would very much appear as if the 53-year-old would be waving goodbye to any hope of promotion he may this season – no matter how slim.

In other news: Get rid: Jokanovic must ruthlessly axe £5.4m-rated SUFC flop, he’s stealing a living

Rodrigo Moreno was named as Leeds’ man of the match against Newcastle United on Friday by supporters.

And a number of Whites fans have been reacting to the club post on social media.

The Spaniard played a key role in Leeds’ opener in the 1-1 draw at St James’ Park, dummying Raphinha’s dangerous cross to go all the way in.

The 30-year-old also made three key passes, completed two dribbles and had three shots in a busy display, as per WhoScored.

Rodrigo played the entirety of the fixture for the first time under Marcelo Bielsa this season, and his positive performance was recognised by several Leeds fans.

He collected just over 38% of over 13,000 votes by Whites supporters on social media when asked for their man of the match.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-16/” title=”Latest Leeds United news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Leeds fans react

Leeds shared the final vote on their official Twitter page. This is what these fans had to say in reply, with many delighted for Rodrigo.

“Have that haters. Right player.”

Credit: @petelovesleeds

“Big positive from yesterday”

Credit: @robmulholland

“Wow”

Credit: @brandonsboxing

“That’s the Rodrigo we all want to see, so happy for him that he performed to well, such a quality player.”

Credit: @Chadology_

“Was very good last night, hopefully kicks on!! – ps. He’s much better when KP and Klick are in midfield”

Credit: @AidanCampbell94

“Love how he’s not let his head drop, had a good game last night and a very unselfish “assist”. Real side before self mentality”

Credit: @NickyNickste

In other news: ‘Be a big boost’ – Paddy Kenny lauds ‘brilliant news’ from Leeds United source. 

According to reporter Marcelo Bechler, Tottenham are preparing a late offer for Barcelona’s Emerson Royal.

The Lowdown: Not much time left

We are now into the final 48 hours of the summer transfer window, and Spurs may still have some business left in them before the end of Deadline Day.

They have so far brought in four fresh faces (Transfermarkt), and it seems that they may be looking to bring in another new player.

The Latest: Spurs eye Emerson Royal

It seems that Tottenham are looking to capture right-back Emerson from Barcelona.

They are already said to have made an offer of €20m (£17.2m) plus Serge Aurier for the Brazilian (ESPN), but that was rejected. Spurs are preparing a new offer, but the Blaugrana are looking for €30m (£25.7m, TNT Sports).

The Verdict: Late dash

Spurs have made a positive start to the season, with their three 1-0 Premier League wins putting them top of the table (Sky Sports), while they are also through to the group stages of the inaugural Europa Conference League. However, this will be a long season, and Nuno Espirito Santo needs a strong squad to cope with all its demands.

Royal has only made three appearances for Barcelona since signing for them in July, but the Spanish club’s financial problems (Bloomberg) means that any player could be for sale at the right place.  In 79 matches for Real Betis, he scored five goals and provided ten assists, showing his ability to make an impact in the final third.

The 22-year-old could be a real threat for Spurs if they were to capture his services.

In other news, Spurs are also chasing a move for this Premier League midfielder

MatériaMais Notícias

A quarta rodada da Série D do Brasileirão teve mais um dia agitado neste domingo, quando 22 partidas fecharam mais uma rodada da quarta divisão.

Duas goleadas foram destaques neste domingo: pelo grupo A2, o São Raimundo venceu o Baré por 4 a 0, se isolando ainda mais na liderança do grupo e se aproximando da classificação à próxima fase. Pelo Grupo A17, o São José-RS também venceu o PSTC por 4 a 0, passando o Ituano na classificação e ficando cada vez mais próximo da vaga para a fase seguinte da Série D.

Confira os resultados deste domingo na Série D:
São Raimundo 4 x 0 Baré
Gurupi 2 x 0 Fast
Rio Branco 3 x 1 Genus
São Raimundo 2 x 2 São Francisco​
Cordino 1 x 1 Tocantins
Santos 1 x 1 Altos
River 2 x 1 Potiguar
Guarany de Sobral 2 x 1 Maranhão
Globo 1 x 0 América-PE
​Parnahyba 2 x Guarani de Juazeiro
Coruripe 1 x 0 Sousa
Atlético-PE 2 x 2 Itabaiana
Campinense 0 x 0 Fluminense de Feira
Jacobina 1 x 0 América-RN
​Sete de Dourados 0 x 0 Luziânia
União-MT x Aparecidense (ainda não encerrado)
​URT 2 x 1 Audax
São Paulo-RS 1 x 1 Brusque
​Inter de Lages 1 x 0 Novo Hamburgo
Foz do Iguaçu 2 x 0 São Bernardo
São José-RS 4 x 0 PSTC