Arsenal are a completely different team from the one Mikel Arteta took control of in December 2019.

The Spaniard has overseen a total overhaul of the playing squad, philosophy, and mentality and has seen the club go from midtable mediocrity to genuine Premier League and Champions League contenders.

While the transfers made under his tenure have, for the most part, worked out, there has been the odd dud here and there.

One of those duds actually signed for Unai Emery's Gunners team and then again for Arteta a year later, all the while earning more than Gabriel Magalhães and Leandro Trossard make today.

Gabriel and Trossard's salaries at Arsenal

Gabriel joined the Gunners from French side LOSC Lille in September 2020 for just £23m, and while he was seen as a "liability", in the words of former professional John Giles, for the first couple of years at the club, he has now become one of Arteta's most essential players, with former great Kevin Campbell describing the defender as the "glue" that holds the backline together.

For his impressive displays over the last few years, the São Paulo-born titan has seen his wages rise from £50k-per-week when he first joined the club to £100k-per-week today, and while that's certainly not a small wage, it does seem like value for money in the broader context of Premier League wages.

Trossard only joined the club last January in a £27m transfer from Brighton & Hove Albion, so he is still on his first contract with the club, which stands at £90k-per-week.

In his short time in red and white, the 29-year-old has been nothing short of a revelation, scoring 16 goals and providing 12 assists in 65 games. This means he is averaging a goal involvement every 2.3 games, which is seriously impressive for a player who was originally seen as a backup option for Gabriel Martinelli.

Overall, it would be fair to say that both Arsenal stars are more than justifying their wages at the Emirates this season, which cannot be said for a midfielder who spent two campaigns in north London.

Dani Ceballos' salary at Arsenal

Yes, the player in question is Real Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos, although he doesn't get much game time in the Spanish capital, playing just 571 minutes in total so far this season. This lack of opportunity at his parent club was one of the reasons he was able to spend two seasons on loan with Emery and Arteta's Gunners in 2019/20 and 20/21.

Now, the first thing to say is that the Utrera-born ace was not a terrible player – far from it – but he was underwhelming and considering he was on a whopping £120k-per-week at the time, it would be fair to say that he didn't live up to expectations.

In his first campaign in north London, he made 37 appearances as a central and attacking midfielder, scoring two goals and providing two assists, and while that wasn't a dreadful return, it didn't justify his wages either.

His second year was even worse, as he scored no goals and provided just two assists in 40 appearances, making it crystal clear that he wasn't good enough to return for a third stint, or permanently, for that matter.

In all, the 27-year-old cost the club a massive £12.1m in wages across the two years he spent in N5, which breaks down to £157k-per-appearnce, £6m-per-goal, or £2.4m-per-assist, which is hardly value for money.

Ultimately, Ceballos wasn't a bad player for Arsenal, but he never truly justified the amount of money that was spent on him for two years, especially when you compare his performances to those of Gabriel and Trossard, who have done far more for the club for less money.

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Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have been told what Wrexham would require in the Championship, with a Hollywood “consortium” being mooted.

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Stunning takeover completed in 2021Have enjoyed back-to-back promotionsFurther investment required at some stageWHAT HAPPENED?

The Red Dragons welcomed famous faces into their boardroom when a stunning takeover was completed in 2021. Reynolds and McElhenney have been a breath of fresh air, with faith and funds being pumped into the Welsh outfit on and off the pitch.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Back-to-back promotions have been enjoyed, lifting Wrexham into League One, but the next step up the EFL ladder will be their biggest yet. They have already seen third tier rivals Birmingham – with NFL legend Tom Brady on board as an investor at St Andrew’s – flex their financial muscle in the transfer market and more investment will be required at SToK Racecourse in order for a meteoric rise to continue.

WHAT TRUNDLE SAID

Lee Trundle admits as much, with the former Wrexham star – speaking in association with – telling GOAL when asked how Reynolds and McElhenney will handle their toughest test: “That is what they have done well over the years, they have had a squad that is too good for the level they were at. In the National League, for me they had a League Two squad. Go into League Two and the players they bring in is for a League One team. That is something they have got to get right now, which they have started brilliantly, of trying to assemble a team that is going to go and challenge, if they get up, in the Championship.

“From League Two to League One, the gap is not that big. You look at what Wrexham have done up to now, that hasn’t been a surprise. I said at the start of the season I think at least they would be in and around the play-offs with the team that they have got. When you go up that next level, not only the quality of player but the quantity of money that you will have to spend to challenge, that will be a test for them. But, that is why you see other stars coming to the Racecourse – Will Ferrell and other actors. Are they setting themselves up to say ‘we have got to this level now, do you want to come aboard and start a consortium to try and challenge at that level?’ Once you go into the Championship, it is a completely different ball game to League One and League Two.”

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Getty/GOALDID YOU KNOW?

Reynolds and McElhenney have plenty of famous friends that could be brought on board, with many of those already paying visits to Wrexham. The current ownership team will continue to do all they can to keep Phil Parkinson’s side competitive, with Trundle saying when asked if more money could be spent in the January window: “I think if they need to they will – if you look at where the football club is going. You look at Birmingham and the amount of money that they have spent, it is massive but it doesn’t always work out.

“You go into League One and say ‘there is a lot of big clubs’, but it’s a lot of big names in clubs and you are where you are. Those big names are coming in the opposite direction to where Wrexham are going. They are clubs and fans dropping down from the Championship, that’s never nice. Wrexham are on the other way. You go back a couple of years and they were in the National League, and now they are in League One against the likes of Birmingham and clubs like that. The football club and the players are on the crest of a wave and they are enjoying every moment of it.”

Alka Rehani Bharadwaj, the representative of the Comptroller & Auditor General of India (CAG,) has asked the BCCI to “ensure” that only “eligible” office bearers attend the board’s Apex Council meeting on July 17. Although she has not spelt out any names, Bharadwaj’s letter puts a question mark over the participation of BCCI secretary Jay Shah, whose tenure has reportedly come to an end under the provisions of the current board constitutionIn an email sent on July 4, Bharadwaj has asked BCCI president Sourav Ganguly and joint secretary Jayesh George to check the eligibility of all those attending the July 17 Apex Council meeting. Bharadwaj pointed out that any office bearer whose tenure (six years) is complete would need to provide legal backing to justify their participation.”The President/ Joint Secretary BCCI (who would be presumably officiating as Secretary after vacation of Secretary BCCI post) need to also ensure that 4th Apex Council meeting is attended by only members, el(i)gible as per the Constitution,” Bharadwaj said in her email, accessed by ESPNcricnfo. “Any decision on this matter may please be backed by facts and endorsed legally. This is being reiterated only to ensure compliance with Honourable Supreme Court approved Constitution.”Bharadwaj was responding to an email from Shah on July 3, where he had listed the agenda for the July 17 meeting, which would be held over video conference. There is expected to be a discussion on finalising India’s domestic and international calendars for the 2020-21 season and another on the tax exemption issue for the 2021 men’s T20 World Cup. The ICC had threatened to take the 2021 T20 World Cup away from India if the BCCI does not secure a tax exemption from the Indian government.Along with Shah, Ganguly and George are due to finish six years as an office bearer soon. In April, the BCCI filed a second request with the Supreme Court, following the first one last December, asking it to consider a few radical amendments to the board’s constitution. Among them is a proposal to allow office bearers to continue for six years at one place (BCCI or state) which would ensure Ganguly, Shah and George remain in their posts until 2025, effectively bypassing the mandated cooling-off period.The court, which is currently in recess, has not yet heard the matter.Bharadwaj said that with five out of the nine members being office bearers, the Apex Council needed to be “reconstituted”. In fact, the Apex Council has been reduced to eight after Mahim Verma stepped down as BCCI vice-president recently. “In view of pending Honourable Supreme Court hearing on cooling-off period clause, the reconstitution of Apex council warranted due to ending/ coming to end of tenure of Vice President/Secretary/President BCCI needs to be kept as an Agenda item.”The Apex Council is the second-most powerful wing of the BCCI after the general body and governs all cricket-related activity in India. The Lodha Committee had recommended the Apex Council replace the working committee, which comprised representatives from state associations who could be vulnerable to the power politics in the board. The presence of the CAG official in the Apex Council, the Lodha Committee had said, would provide transparency and accountability in the world’s richest cricket board.Ganguly entered cricket administration at the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) in 2014 as a joint secretary under the late Jagmohan Dalmiya. In 2015, he became the CAB president after Dalmiya’s death and was re-elected for a second term last September before taking charge at BCCI. At the time, Ganguly had said he had 10 months as BCCI president until July.As far as Shah is concerned, it is not yet clear when his cooling-off period should begin. He was elected as joint secretary at Gujarat Cricket Association in September 2013. ESPNcricinfo has written to Shah twice in the last two months to check on when he would finish six years as an office bearer, but has got no response.As for George, who was the secretary at Kerala Cricket Association, his six-year term as an office bearer is due to end in August.

Glasgow Rangers could end the season with a treble, or if they stumble in the next few games, with just a single League Cup to their name.

Of course, being in a Premiership title race with just four matches remaining looked highly unlikely when Philippe Clement breezed through the Ibrox doors in October, which is surely testament to his managerial abilities.

Given how much effort the Light Blues have exerted to reel Celtic in, it looks as though their poor results over the previous few weeks could suggest they are just pipped to the post.

Regardless of what happens between now and the end of the season, Clement will be taking a long hard look at his squad and culling it as he sees fit.

This could see a large volume of transfer activity occurring when the transfer window finally opens in a few weeks, allowing him to bring his own targets to the club.

With this in mind, it appears as though the club could still be interested in a player who was linked with a move last summer…

Rangers transfer news

Under Michael Beale, signings came thick and fast last summer as he sought to beef up his first team squad ahead of the current season.

In total, nine new signings were made in a bid to build a side good enough to end Celtic’s recent dominance, but the early weeks of the season were far from impressive.

Beale had a few centre-backs in mind, yet only signed Balogun. One name that had been linked with a move to Rangers as far back as January 2023 was long-term target, Dion Sanderson.

This interest doesn’t appear to have gone away heading into the upcoming window. According to the Daily Record, Sanderson is still a player of interest to the Glasgow side as Clement aims to rebuild his team.

He was recently stripped of the captaincy and according to Football League World, City could be looking for a fee in the region of £2m – what they paid out to sign him – in order for any club to secure his services this summer.

Could he be an ideal replacement for Connor Goldson? Who is set to miss the rest of the season due to an injury sustained in training.

Connor Goldson’s statistics for Rangers this season

When speaking to the media ahead of the clash against Kilmarnock on Sunday afternoon, Clement delivered an injury update, saying that "he will be out for the rest of the season", while also describing it as a "big blow".

Season

Games

Goals

2023/24

48

0

2022/23

38

3

2021/22

61

4

2020/21

56

8

2019/20

52

4

2018/19

54

4

The defender currently has two years left on his contract, but his form in recent weeks was certainly subpar to the standards that the Ibrox faithful have come to expect from the Englishman.

Against Ross County, the Gers conceded three goals and the defence was at fault, while the former Brighton defender has been suspect to plenty of long balls over the top this term, especially against Aberdeen.

Until his injury, the 31-year-old had played 48 times for the Light Blues this season, adding the League Cup to his list of domestic honours.

Among his teammates, Goldson currently ranks third for accurate passes per game (60.1) along with ranking second for accurate long balls per game (5.6), yet with the title on the line, his performances in recent weeks saw him dropped from the starting XI for the Scottish Cup semifinal against Hearts.

If Clement receives an offer for Goldson – who has been linked with a reunion with Steven Gerrard – this summer that is too good to turn down, will he take it? Especially as it looks as though he is starting to deteriorate as a player.

Why Dion Sanderson could be a dream Goldson replacement

The 24-year-old started off his career at Wolverhampton Wanderers but made just one senior appearance for the Old Gold during his spell there.

He spent several seasons out on loan, which included two temporary spells at Birmingham, before sealing a permanent move there last summer in order to establish himself in the Championship.

Last season, Sanderson played 31 games in the second tier, showcasing his defensive abilities for the club. Not only did he win four total duels per game – a success rate of 54% – but he also helped his side keep eight clean sheets while making 1.6 tackles per game.

This season, the defender has played 36 games while losing possession just 6.2 times on average, while helping the club keep nine clean sheets, once again demonstrating how important he is to them.

Hailed as a “Rolls Royce” by his former manager at Sunderland, Lee Johnson, the 6 foot 2 titan has plenty of experience down south and could be a solid option for Clement to call upon next term.

Goldson has made over 300 competitive appearances for the Light Blues since joining back in 2018, becoming one of Gerrard’s first-ever signings.

He has won everything there is on offer during his time in Scotland, along with helping the Gers reach the 2022 Europa League final, their first major European final in 14 years.

If Clement wishes to take his side to the next level, however, perhaps stripping it down and selling off some of the parts is the only way to go, especially with his form dropping this season.

It looks as though the Belgian may have to offload a few bodies this summer before he can think about making moves to make any new signings, but a deal for Sanderson should certainly be considered, especially if the transfer fee was right.

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Strength in depth in this area will be paramount heading into the 2024/25 campaign and the Englishman – who has been lauded as "really strong and powerful" by writer James Hunter – could be an ideal addition to the first-team squad.

If Goldson does leave, then it will be with the best wishes of every single Rangers supporter, without a shadow of a doubt.

MatériaMais Notícias

Desde a chegada do técnico Sylvinho ao Corinthians, há cerca de dois meses, o sistema defensivo do clube foi ajustado. Atualmente, o Timão tem a segunda melhor defesa do Brasileirão, ao lado do Atlético-MG, com apenas 10 gols sofridos, perdendo apenas para Flamengo e Fortaleza, que foram vazados nove vezes.

A evolução coincide com o retorno do zagueiro Gil ao time titular. Em queda no primeiro semestre, o defensor havia perdido espaço com o ex-treinador corintiano, Vagner Mancini, mas ganhou voltou à titularidade com o novo comandante. O camisa 4 atuou durante os 90 minutos em todos os jogos do clube com Sylvinho.

– Confiança, isso é a coisa mais importante par uma atleta de futebol, ter confiança pra jogar e ter segurança. A nossa equipe ficou muito forte, com chegada do Sylvinho, o que ele tem implementado no Corinthians não só para a defensa mas em todos os atletas, porque a nossa marcação começa na frente – declarou o zagueiro em entrevista coletiva virtual concedida nesta sexta-feira (23).

>> Baixe o novo app de resultados do LANCE!
>> Confira a tabela do Brasileirão e simule os próximos jogos

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Além da mudança de peças, que culminou nas novas oportunidades a Gil, a chegada do novo técnico alterou um modelo de jogo que o Timão vinha atualizando com Mancini, a linha de três zagueiros. Em todas as partidas com o seu atual treinador, o Timão foi escalado com um sistema defensivo com quatro atletas, dois zagueiros e dois laterais, um de cada lado.

O defensor garante que não há preferência no modelo de jogo.

– Isso vai de cada treinador, cada um tem seu perfil e maneira de trabalhar. Sylvinho tem maneira dele, assim com o Vagner Mancini. Não tenho preferência, quando o jogador está apto a participar dos treinos e jogos ele não vê dificuldade.

Gil se autointitula fominha e afirma cobrar todos os atletas, até mesmo os que não atuam no sistema defensivo, quando a necessidade de uma forte marcação em todos os setores do gramado.

– Fico feliz em estar ajudando os companheiros, quando a gente conversa eu falo para eles que sou fominha, egoísta na parte de ter melhor defesa, e isso é um conjunto de todos que tem ajudado. Que a gente possa permanecer a assim e conseguir as vitórias que é o mais importante para a nossa sequencia no campeonato.

Nesta temporada, Gil tem 31 jogos disputados e um gol marcado. O único tento do defensor foi na goleada por 5 a 0 do Timão sobre o Sport Huancayo, pela penúltima rodada da fase de grupos da Copa Sul-Americana, sob o comando do interino Fernando Lázaro, atualmente auxiliar técnico de Sylvinho.

Rodrygo has joked that a teenage team-mate with Brazil and Real Madrid is “not Endrick anymore”, with a Bobby Charlton nickname beginning to stick.

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• Teenager a big fan of England legend
• Colleagues poking fun at youngster
• Rodrygo reacts to Ballon d'Or snub

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Brazilian wonderkid Endrick shocked many when stating – after scoring for his country in a friendly date with England at Wembley Stadium – that World Cup-winning former Manchester United and Three Lions star Charlton is one of his idols.

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  WHAT RODRYGO SAID

  Club and international colleagues have been quick to pick up on that, with Rodrygo telling of the fun being poked at a highly-rated youngster: “Now he's Bobby. He's not Endrick anymore. He's caught on to that joke. The reception he's had there (at Real Madrid) is good, not just from the Brazilians. We have a very good group at Real, and it's no different with him. We know his quality and how he can help us. He's become Bobby, that's it. He's taking it easy. There's nothing he can do, if he gets angry it's worse!”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Madrid stars flooded Endrick’s Instagram account with “Bobby” comments after seeing him net his first goal for the club. He is considered to be the hottest of prospects and a potential Ballon d’Or contender of the future – having only recently turned 18.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Rodrygo had hoped to be in contention for that prize in 2024 – after helping Real to La Liga and Champions League titles last season – and has said of being overlooked on France Football’s 30-man list of contenders: “I was upset, I think I deserved it. I had a good season and I deserved to be there. Without taking anything away from the players who are there, but I think I had a place in the top 30. It was a surprise. I expected it, but there's not much I can do, I'm not the one who decides these things. I just have to play, work every day, that's what I'm going to continue to do.”

Mikel Arteta has been the Arsenal manager for just over four and a half years, and while there have certainly been some significant blips along the way, the Spaniard has totally transformed the north Londoners.

From back-to-back eighth-placed finishes to consecutive Premier League title races, the Gunners might not be the finished article just yet, but they're once again one of the best teams in Europe.

Alongside Sporting Director Edu Gaspar, the Spaniard has thrown out the players deemed not good enough and replaced them with a slew of stars such as Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice, and even Gabriel Magalhaes.

However, with the summer transfer window just around the corner, he's likely to add several more, with Slovenian striker Benjamin Sesko being the latest name in the press – despite the Gunners already boasting a more valuable number nine in their side.

Kai Havetz's form this season

The player in question is, of course, German international and increasing fan favourite at the Emirates, Kai Havertz.

Arsenal completed the £65m signing of the talented forward from cross-city rivals Chelsea last summer, and while there were questions raised at the time and detractors such as former professional Gabby Agbonlahor, who described the 24-year-old as a "joke," it would be fair to say that the signing has been a success.

That said, it wasn't an easy start to life for the former Bayer Leverkusen ace in north London.

He spent the majority of the first half of the season playing in the midfield, where his return of six goals in 32 games highlighted his struggles. However, a move up top at the turn of the year saw him burst into life, and a return of seven goals and seven assists in 17 games has since made him one of Arteta's most clutch players.

In all, while it hasn't been a perfect debut season for the Aachen-born ace, his form as a striker has been undeniable, so it begs the question: Do Arsenal need another forward?

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from journalist Sam Dean, the Gunners are now believed to be in "pole" position to land RB Leipzig's star striker Šeško in the summer transfer window "should they choose to formalise their interest."

In Dean's report for the Telegraph he claims that one of the priorities for the Gunners in the upcoming window is to strengthen their frontline, even though the success of Havertz as the starting striker has 'lessened the club’s need to recruit a ready-made, experienced forward.'

This is where the 20-year-old Slovenian comes in, as while his form has been impressive in Germany this season – 17 goals and two assists in 41 appearances – he clearly isn't the finished article and could therefore represent a project-like signing for Arteta, one who grows with the team and ultimately rivals the former Chelsea man for the starting striker role in a couple of years time.

However, just because the "prolific" forward, as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig, isn't the finished article, doesn't mean this is going to be a cheap deal to complete.

The Telegraph have revealed that his release clause has now risen to £64m due to his exploits for Leipzig, and while that isn't prohibitively expensive in the modern game, it's still something the club have to consider, especially when their current marksman is worth so much.

According to the CIES Football Observatory, the "magnificent" Arsenal ace, as described by Kulig, is worth €100m, which converts to about £86m, or £22m more than the 20-year-old's release clause.

Ultimately, the expectation for much of the last year has been that Arsenal need to add another striker to their ranks in the summer, and while Havertz's incredible form over the last four months or so and subsequent soaring valuation certainly suggest they already have their man, adding the incredibly promising Šeško to the mix can't be a bad thing, and could be just another example of clever squad building from Arteta and Edu.

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SA’s director of cricket feels the rain rule is at least two decades out of date, especially in T20s

Firdose Moonda18-Aug-2020Graeme Smith, South Africa’s director of cricket, has advocated for a new method to adjust targets in rain-affected matches and argued that the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method is at least two decades out of date. In a Webinar hosted by the financial advisor network PSG, Smith said increased scoring rates, especially in T20 cricket, meant the current tools for calculating revised scores don’t match up with modern strategy.”I think Duckworth-Lewis has had its time. I think the game has moved past it with the scores, the way people think and what’s achievable now. It needs to be reviewed especially in the T20 game,” Smith said. “There’s too many times you look at it and you go, ‘that’s not right, its too easy for the team chasing’ or it hasn’t quite got it right. The modern-day nature of how the game is played now, Duckworth-Lewis is left in the 90s or the early 2000s.”ALSO READ: How the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method worksBut apart from that, Smith did not push for any other changes to the laws of the game because he believes cricket is difficult enough to understand as it is. “Cricket can get complicated. It’s a technical sport and keeping the rules as simple as possible can benefit the sport,” he said. “You try and introduce someone new to the game of cricket and its like ‘woah’. You’ve got a lot of technicalities. I was trying to explain to my wife the lbw rule the other day and I was head-butting the wall. It is a complicated sport and if you haven’t grown up with it or played it school or been around it, it takes time to understand it. Keeping the rules simple for fans is a good thing.”As intricate as the game is, and notwithstanding the fact that it already exists in three formats, Smith was part of a group that conceptualised a new three-team version that made its first appearance on July 18. The exhibition match featured 24 of South Africa’s top cricketers and Smith indicated the intention of the new format is to challenge the 50-over game, which he reckoned can sometimes meander aimlessly.

One of the challenges cricket has faced is the competition between bat and ball and keeping that at the forefront so I think it’s great when the ball does move around and it’s something that needs to be looked at going forward

“In one-day cricket, there’s too many slow patches at the moment and that’s one of the reasons we debated this three-team cricket,” Smith said. “It’s a new version of the game and we wanted to see how we can we take away some of these dead spots in the game, make it exciting, get three sets of fans in a stadium, try to keep it interesting and exciting with lots of talking points.”The ultimate intention for the three-team format is that it is played as part of a development project. Smith does not think it will replace the longest or the shortest versions of the game, even though he feels both face challenges for survival at international level. Smith believes Test cricket may only be played among teams who are at a similar standard and cautioned that T20 cricket is becoming the domain of independent leagues rather than national cricket boards.”The five-day game, when you have two good teams playing against each other, its enthralling. It’s the hardest version of the game. It tests you mentally, physically, your technique, everything is on show. It’s where we all want to be judged,” he said. “And then T20 has come in, it’s brought the commercial aspect to the game and it’s also brought its challenges because T20 leagues are popping up all over the world.”Think about the IPL, the financial gains that both owners and players have got, the TV deals, you cannot imagine how massive that beast is and what it’s done for players Players will earn more in that tournament than they will playing for South Africa and that creates its challenges but T20 has brought youngsters into the game and it’s kept us afloat as a sport in modern-day society. I hope Test cricket stays strong but I think it may become certain-nation-based in the future.”Test cricket has been the format whose playing conditions have been most affected by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, with the traditional method of using spit to shine the ball and facilitate swing no longer allowed. Smith hoped that would not take away from any advantage bowlers can gain in the game. “Watching England, the ball was still swinging but as a batter, I was happy if the ball didn’t swing, so not too much of an issue from my own side,” he said. “One of the challenges cricket has faced is the competition between bat and ball and keeping that at the forefront so I think it’s great when the ball does move around and it’s something that needs to be looked at going forward.”

Ahead of hosting the 2026 World Cup, the U.S. reportedly are in talks to take on the Three Lions in an international friendly

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• USA set to host 2026 FIFA World Cup
• USMNT appointed Mauricio Pochettino manager
• Now in talks to take on England in near future

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The USMNT are reportedly planning an ambitious international friendly against England ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, according to The Athletic. A location for the match has not been set, but the contest would likely take place on the East Coast of the United States in June of 2025, per the report.

  There is a caveat with scheduling the match, however. All matches scheduled with teams from Europe by U.S. Soccer will be dependent on results from the UEFA Nations League and UEFA World Cup qualifiers.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The U.S. recently appointed ex-Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino as head coach on a contract to lead them into the 2026 competition. The 2019 UEFA Champions League finalist with Tottenham Hotspur will hope to spark similar momentum with the USMNT, leading them from the touchline in the World Cup.

  In conversations with U.S. Soccer, Pochettino has revealed that the USMNT's target is making the quarterfinals of the 2026 competition, with the World Cup to be played in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  At the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the U.S. and England clashed in the group stage, playing to a 0-0 draw. The last time England played a match against the U.S. on American soil was in 2005.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR THE USMNT?

  Pochettino will take the touchline for the first time this October, when the U.S. face Panama and Mexico in a pair of international friendlies. It will be the Argentine's debut as USMNT manager, and will give fans a glimpse of what to expect under his leadership.

Opener’s 319-ball innings leads Pakistan to 326 before Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Abbas strike

The Report by Valkerie Baynes06-Aug-2020

A career-best innings from Shan Masood answered every question England had asked of Pakistan on the first two days of this opening Test.Masood batted for nearly eight hours and faced 319 deliveries for his 156, which highlighted an ability to adapt throughout the course of an innings and effectively told the story of his cricketing life so far.Not long into the evening session, it was Pakistan asking all the questions when Shaheen Shah Afridi trapped Rory Burns lbw with the fourth ball of England’s innings and Mohammad Abbas accounted for Dom Sibley and Ben Stokes to put the hosts under pressure at 12 for 3.By the close, Ollie Pope had played a steadying hand with an unbeaten 46, but it was going to take much more from him and Jos Buttler, who was not out 15, come the third day after Joe Root was dismissed by Yasir Shah for a battling 14.Masood resumed on 46 having played a supporting role to Babar Azam the previous day. As opener, Masood had navigated a tricky start in which Stuart Broad and James Anderson bowled tight opening spells.But England’s bowling attack had lost all potency post-lunch on the first day and Masood and Azam cashed in where possible without taking too many unnecessary risks, save for Masood’s ill-advised charge at Dom Bess which ended in a missed stumping by Buttler. Masood had earlier survived a dropped catch by the wicketkeeper off the same bowler.When Azam failed to add to his overnight score of 69 in the face of some improved England bowling on the second morning, Masood took the lead role, although he could have been upstaged had Shadab Khan not got too flashy and skied Bess straight to Root at mid-on after a knock of 45 from 76 balls that was, until that moment, very sharp.Most impressive from Masood has been his ability to show how far he has come after past disappointments against England – and particularly Anderson – learning from experience and changing for the better.Masood left balls on the fourth-stump line that he would prevoiusly have nicked off to and played with soft hands when he had to so as to avoid offering chances to the slips.So when Anderson struck with his sixth ball of the day, luring Azam into an attempted drive that ended up in the hands of Root at first slip, Masood didn’t panic.When Anderson and Broad bowled six maidens on the trot between them, Masood maintained the patient approach that had got him this far. Indeed, it was Asad Shafiq who scored Pakistan’s solitary run from eight overs bowled by Broad and Anderson in that period.Shafiq fell for to Broad for 7, caught by Stokes at second slip, followed by Mohammad Rizwan, caught behind off Chris Woakes, to leave Pakistan 176 for 5. That brought Shadab to the crease and, having negotiated their way to lunch, Masood adapted after the break. The pair fell into a lovely rhythm of shot-making and nabbing quick singles that frustrated England’s bowlers throughout a sixth-wicket partnership worth 105.England had only conceded 48 runs during the morning session but saw Pakistan regain the momentum immediately after lunch, as Bess and Root bowled ahead of the arrival of the second new ball. Masood then stroked his way through the 90s in half-a-dozen balls to bring up his hundred, loudly celebrated on the Pakistan balcony.The partnership should have been more but Shadab’s wild swing at Bess ended things, although it sparked another change in gears from Masood. What looked like being a rebuilding job, became something else when Jofra Archer dismissed Yasir and Abbas with consecutive balls, the former without adding to his score of 5 when he was dropped by Buttler off the bowling of Bess.Masood flicked the switch, seeking as many runs as he could get before he ran out of partners. He took 16 off one Bess over, including two sixes in three balls, was keen to run a second to bring up his 150 and did when Buttler’s relay shy at the stumps went wide and he wore a Broad short ball painfully on the elbow, all before tea.Masood didn’t last long after the break, falling lbw to a Broad delivery that nipped back and struck the back pad on line with leg stump. But by then he had more than done his job, racking up his third consecutive Test century after tons against Sri Lanka in December and Bangladesh in February, the fourth of his career overall.Pakistan’s bowlers kept up the good work with Abbas particularly damaging in picking up the wickets of Sibley and Stokes for nought in the space of eight balls. The delivery that bowled Stokes was an absolute diamond that found just enough late movement to beat the bat and kiss the top of off stump.Naseem Shah showed his pace with no reward and when Yasir chimed in with a faint edge off Root which went through to the keeper, England were left looking to Pope and Buttler to erase a deficit still north of 250.