Ednaldo Rodrigues, presidente da Confederação Brasileira de Futebol (CBF), afirmou que a entidade não tem a intenção de manter o calendário da Série A do Campeonato Brasileiro até o dia 8 de dezembro. No entanto, a decisão será tomada após todos os clubes serem ouvidos.
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Teremos uma reunião amanhã com todos os clubes da Série A, num Conselho Técnico Extraordinário, para buscar a melhor solução. Para que a competição não tenha uma extensão de calendário. A proposta da CBF é conciliar de uma forma que não traga consequências para todos os envolvidos, os clubes, os patrocinadores, os atletas, para não acrescerem seu período de férias. E também para não impactar no calendário de 2025
disse Ednaldo Rodrigues. E emendou:
– A proposta da CBF é exatamente de manter o calendário de 2024, até dia 8 de dezembro. Lógico que vamos conversar com todos os clubes. A CBF vai dar várias soluções para que a competição possa terminar dentro daquilo que foi planejado.
O presidente da CBF também rechaçou qualquer possibilidade dos times não serem rebaixados. Pela entidade
– Da parte da CBF não vai acontecer (times não serem rebaixados). Porque rebaixamento são normas, estatuto, respeito e, também, a Fifa no seu estatuto disciplinar. A Conmebol também, a Lei Pelé. A Lei Geral do Esporte, Estatuto da CBF, Lei da CBF. Portanto, é uma situação que não vai ocorrer.
LOS ANGELES — The Blue Jays lost a heartbreaker on Monday, an 18-inning slog that tied for the longest in postseason history in which they used every position player and reliever on their roster. Their heart and soul and one of the best October players of all time, DH George Springer, is out with an oblique injury for an unknown period of time. They arrived at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday to face the greatest player who ever lived, a man so dangerous that they intentionally walked him a postseason record four times the night before—and he was also starting the game on the mound.
So naturally, they won Game 4, 6–2, to even the World Series at two games apiece.
“There’s no choice,” said righty Shane Bieber, who warmed up on Monday to pitch the 19th inning and instead held the Dodgers to one run in 5 ⅓ on Tuesday. “What, are you going to feel sorry for yourself? It’s the World Series. We’re down one game. So now we find ourselves even, with a chance to take the lead, and take the lead back to Toronto after tomorrow.”
If indeed this is the David vs. Goliath matchup some have cast it as, it might be worth remembering that David won the battle.
In today’s game, there is no greater giant than Shohei Ohtani, and at first, it seemed that Game 4 would only burnish the legacy he is writing. In Game 3, he reached base a record-smashing nine times—three more than anyone else ever had in a postseason game. When most starting pitchers would be resting and studying the next day’s hitters, Ohtani was collecting two doubles and two home runs, then racking up five walks—four officially intentional, one unofficially intentional.
In the moments after Freddie Freeman hit a walk-off homer to bring the game to a merciful end, the Dodgers gathered in the clubhouse, almost punch-drunk. Manager Dave Roberts told them he had never been more proud of them and reminded them that it would take the entire roster to win a World Series. He referenced the way Ohtani had insisted that his masterpiece in Game 4 of the NLCS—six scoreless innings, three home runs—had been a team effort. “Enjoy the s— out of it,” Roberts encouraged. As they cheered, he pointed at his wrist. “Hey!” he added. “We got a game later today!” Behind him, the most important person on that roster giggled as he raised his arms skyward and pantomimed his pitching motion.
Then he got out of there. Immediately after the game, he had told SI’s Tom Verducci, “I need to go to bed.” It was perhaps the only relatable thing Ohtani has ever said.
He left the ballpark at 12:10 a.m., sipping a sports drink, and he was guzzling another 16 ½ hours later as he warmed up in left field. He worked around a walk and a single in the first.
Four and a half minutes later, he was standing on first base. Blue Jays manager John Schneider acknowledged after Game 3 that he did not see much point in pitching to Ohtani going forward, and indeed, even to lead off the game, Bieber walked him.
Finally, in the third, Bieber pitched to him—and by staying low and tight to the zone, he got Ohtani to strike out on a foul tip.
It marked Ohtani’s first out at Dodger Stadium since Oct. 16. In the meantime, he hit three home runs and walked in NLCS Game 4; hit those two homers and two doubles and took those five walks in World Series Game 3; and walked in the first inning of Game 4. He struck out again, this time looking, in the fifth, and grounded out in the seventh.
Shohei Ohtani, left, went 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts at the plate in Game 4, and took the loss on the mound by allowing four runs in six innings. / Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
Meanwhile, the Blue Jays looked fresher than the Dodgers. L.A. put a runner on base in five of the first six innings but only scored once, fooled by Bieber’s ability to spin and locate the ball.
“He made pitches, man,” said Schneider. “It was fun to watch him navigate that.”
Ohtani the pitcher made his first mistake in the third when he threw a sweeper that didn’t sweep to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. with a man on first. Guerrero whacked it into the left-center field stands.
“I get that it’s easy to write Ohtani versus Guerrero,” said Schneider. “To us, it’s Toronto versus Los Angeles. But that swing was huge. A sweeper is a pitch designed to generate pop-ups, in my opinion. And the swing that Vlad put on it was elite. After last night and kind of all the recognition that went into Shohei individually and he’s on the mound today, it’s a huge swing from Vlad.”
The score remained 2–1 until the seventh, when Daulton Varsho lined Ohtani’s 90th pitch into right field and Ernie Clement followed with a ringing double to center. That was the end of the night for Ohtani the pitcher, who acknowledged after the game that given the state of the bullpen after Game 3, he had put extra pressure on himself to go seven. “It was regrettable that I wasn’t able to finish that inning,” he said in Japanese through interpreter Will Ireton. Indeed, in the sixth, Ohtani told pitching coach Mark Prior he had three more innings in him. After the game, asked multiple times, Ohtani refused to say he had been tired.
Besides, as Roberts pointed out, "Those guys went through the same thing we did."
Roberts summoned lefty Anthony Banda to face the left-handed Andrés Giménez, who worked a full count and then singled in an insurance run. Two batters later, pinch hitter Ty France managed an RBI groundout, and after the Dodgers intentionally walked Guerrero, righty Blake Treinen gave up consecutive run-scoring singles. It was a classic Blue Jays inning: four singles, a double, no strikeouts, two runs scored with two outs.
Roberts spoke of it almost longingly. “You see these guys grinding and using the whole field and putting some hits together and, obviously, the homer by Vlad and, you know, that seventh inning, they built an inning right there,” he said. “We just didn’t have an answer.”
The Dodgers attempted a rally in the ninth when Louis Varland, pitching for the 13th time in 15 Toronto postseason games, allowed a walk, a double and an RBI groundout, but he retired the next two hitters to end it. The win guaranteed another two games—but fortunately for everyone, those will not come until Wednesday and Friday.
أعلن الألماني هانز فليك المدير الفني لبرشلونة، تشكيل الفريق لمواجهة ريال بيتيس، في بطولة الدوري الإسباني، حيث يلتقي الفريقان مساء اليوم السبت.
ويحل برشلونة ضيفًا على ريال بيتيس في إطار مباريات الجولة السادسة عشر للدوري الإسباني “الليجا” على ملعب “لا كارتوخا”.
وتنطلق مباراة برشلونة وريال بيتيس، في تمام الساعة السابعة والنصف مساء اليوم السبت، بتوقيت القاهرة، الثامنة والنصف مساءً بتوقيت السعودية.
اقرأ أيضًا | مارك جويهي يحسم رغبته بشأن وجهته القادمة بين بايرن ميونخ وقطبي إسبانيا
ويتصدر برشلونة ترتيب الدوري الإسباني برصيد 37 نقطة، وريال بيتيس يأتي في المركز الخامس بـ25 نقطة.
وأجرى فليك تغييرات هجومية بتواجد ليفاندوفسكي ورافينها على مقاعد البدلاء، ودفع بفيران توريس وماركوس راشفورد أساسيان إلى جوار لامين يامال، وكذلك شهد تغييرات في خط الوسط، بتواجد روني باردجي أساسيًا. تشكيل برشلونة اليوم أمام ريال بيتيس
حراسة المرمى: خوان جارسيا.
خط الدفاع: جول كوندي، باو كوبارسي، جيرارد مارتن، أليخاندرو بالدي.
خط الوسط: إريك جارسيا، بيدري، روني باردجي.
خط الهجوم: لامين يامال، فيران توريس، ماركوس راشفورد.
Major League Baseball has approved a request from the Blue Jays for a medical substitution on their postseason roster for outfielder Anthony Santander, the league confirmed on Thursday night.
Santander was dealing with back stiffness following Toronto's Game 3 win on Wednesday. After treatment and evaluation on Thursday, it was determined that it would be a longer recovery time for Santander, prompting the Blue Jays to make a move.
"Today MLB has approved a roster substitution due to an injury to Blue Jays outfielder Anthony Santander, who will be replaced by outfielder Joey Loperfido for the remainder of the ALCS vs. the Mariners. By rule, Santander will be ineligible for the World Series should the Blue Jays qualify," the league said in a statement.
Santander was hitting just .200 with three RBI this postseason.
The winger, who has been a steady contributor for the MLS Cup hopefuls, talked to GOAL about his impressive season since returning to North America
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Emmanuel Sabbi knew Vancouver had what it takes from early on. All of the signs were there: a manager in Jesper Sorensen who was locked in and invested, a motivated squad, and a fanbase that was truly willing to get behind the team.
"When I got here, I saw the firepower we had. It's been next man up mentality since Day 1, since I got here, and we've really shown that, and it looked prevalent early. You know, our coach demands a lot from us," he tells GOAL.
But could he have ever hoped that they would be playing in MLS Cup? That's less certain. Still, the work has been put in:
"So it's just a testament of hard work, and the reality now is here," he says.
And it's deserved, in truth. Vancouver started hot, stayed hot, and then got that extra piece in Thomas Muller to take them over the line. Sabbi, meanwhile, has been a mainstay. He tallied double-digit goal contributions with seven goals and three assists for the Whitecaps and has been a steady presence in attacking areas all year. Where that lands him remains to be seen. He has one cap for the USMNT. There could yet be others. But first, there is a trophy to win. And it's a big one.
Sabbi joined GOAL Convo, a weekly Q&A with central figures in North American soccer, and talked about Vancouver's improvement, playing against Lionel Messi, and why he hopes to be in the USMNT conversation in the future.
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ON PREPARING FOR THE FINAL
GOAL: You're playing in MLS Cup, a massive final. What's going through your head?
SABBI: Yeah, I didn't really know what I was coming to. But yeah, I'm here, talked to Jesper [Sorensen] and Ryan Gauld, and got a real gist of what Vancouver is like, and ultimately made my decision to come. And it's been a great season.
GOAL: What has surprised you the most about playing in MLS?
SABBI: The pace, honestly. The pace is really, really high here. There are great, tremendous players around and, yeah, it's very pacey here. So I really like that.
GOAL: Do you think that suits your game?
SABBI: Definitely. You've just got to get into it, right? I mean, I came, got a little injury, and then just had to get up to speed. And once I got up to speed, it was really amazing to be in MLS.
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ON CONTENDING FOR MLS CUP
GOAL: When you came into the season, did you in the back of your mind say, 'MLS Cup is a reality,' or when did it start to really hit you that this is a contending team?
SABBI: When I got here, I saw the firepower we had. It's been next man up mentality since Day 1, since I got here, and we've really shown that, and it looked prevalent early. You know, our coach demands a lot from us. And also, we demand a lot from each other. Honestly, it looks like we would get here from all the games that we've played and how we perform. So it's just a testament of hard work, and the reality now is here.
GOAL: What makes Jesper Sorensen so unique as a manager? You always hear from players like, 'oh, this guy, he's, he's laid back,' or 'this guy is he's super tactically driven or focused.' What makes him special?
SABBI: He kind of has everything, honestly: tactically, he's sound mentally, he's prepared for every game. I think all-around, he's a great coach. He helps the young ones as well, as you've seen a lot of young players play and played a big role. So I think all-around, he is a great coach. He helps everyone. He's also into our personal lives. And it's really nice to have a coach like that.
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ON MIAMI
GOAL: Who is your favorite player?
SABBI: [Laughs] Lionel Messi.
GOAL: You played against Messi in the CONCACAF Champions Cup. What's it like playing against him?
SABBI: I mean, it's the best player of all time, and you're standing on the pitch with him and playing against him and trying to defend him. And, you know, it's surreal.
GOAL: What's your earliest Messi memory?
SABBI: Honestly, his first goal was insane. And just getting a pass from Ronaldinho like that, and just finishing it the way he did. It's insane. It's incredible to see that he's still doing it today, and yeah, hopefully he doesn't go against us!
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ON THE USMNT
GOAL: You've been capped before. Do you ever think about the possibility of being on the national team again?
SABBI: I hope so. My job was to try to have good performances and be consistent. And I hope that, you know, the national team has seen that, that I'm a candidate to try to make my mark there as well. And I'm just grateful for the opportunity to come back and play in MLS and show how good I am and that I'm ready.
GOAL: Was that part of your decision to come back to MLS, to get a little more visibility?
SABBI: Not really. I think the national team looks at all the leagues, honestly. And it was just a different choice for my family and me, and I listened to my family and talked to my agent, and then had a couple of calls with Vancouver, and that's how it became possible.
Their contribution to ODI cricket has been rooted in identity and belief
Greg Chappell23-Oct-2025Author and Philosopher Bo Bennett once said “Success is not what you have but who you are.”
In an era where cricket often bends to the whims of fleeting formats and instant gratification, two Indian giants stood tall, not just for the runs they scored but for the men they became. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, two pillars of modern Indian cricket, carved their legacies through distinct journeys, both marked by immense skill, fierce preparation, and an abiding respect for the 50-over format. Their contribution to ODI cricket wasn’t accidental – it was deeply personal, rooted in identity and belief.Kohli was never just a batter, he was a movement. He arrived on the ODI scene in 2008 with raw promise, and by 2017, when he was full-time captain in the format, he had seized the reins of a side in transition and reshaped it. He brought what few dared to – a warrior’s mindset. He turned India’s ODI side into a sharp, focused and supremely fit unit that played to win, home or away.But what truly set him apart, even from the legends who came before him, was his detachment from personal statistics. While the world raved about centuries and aggregates, Kohli cared only about the outcome. He once said that he played for India, not for records – a statement that defined his leadership. Individual feats were often the focal point of India’s cricketing narrative; Kohli sought something larger. His currency was legacy, not numbers.Related
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Under his watch, India beat Australia 2-1 in an ODI series in 2018-19. They held fort at home like a colossus, dominating bilateral contests and ICC events. Kohli made chasing a priority, fielding a crop of finishers who could rattle teams even in high-pressure chases. He transformed India’s attitude from reactive to relentlessly proactive.Where Kohli’s rise was meteoric and defined by intensity, Rohit’s journey was more about a slow-burn path to greatness. For years he dazzled in limited-overs cricket; his timing, poise and flair made him a household name. But it didn’t come easy: though he made his debut in 2007, inconsistency and middle-order struggles kept him from cementing a place, especially in big tournaments.Then came 2013. Promoted to open during a home series against England, he seized the opportunity with quiet confidence. There was a double-century against Australia. Elegant hundreds, of which the first came also against Australia that year. Sudden comfort against the swinging ball. Something had changed – not just in technique but in belief. What followed was one of the most remarkable second winds in Indian cricket. Rohit didn’t just adapt to ODI cricket, he conquered it.
Where Kohli’s rise was meteoric and defined by intensity, Rohit’s journey was more about a slow-burn path to greatness
His batting, so often described as “effortless”, now carried the weight of responsibility. The short-arm pull, the nimble footwork against spin, the patience outside off stump – all made for a batter who could both grind and grace. A blistering 264 against Sri Lanka in 2014 cemented his credentials as a record-breaker, while his measured leadership in the 2023 ODI World Cup showed a cricketer at peace with pressure.When Kohli stepped down as captain in 2021, it was Rohit who inherited the mantle – not by clamour but by quiet readiness. Where Kohli roared, Rohit observed. His captaincy was marked by calm decisions, clear planning, and unwavering support for younger players. He doesn’t chase the camera. He lets his cricket speak – and speak it does, fluently.Their captaincies were a study in contrasts, but both chased one of the same ends – Indian excellence in ODIs. Kohli led in 95 ODIs, winning 65 – among the top two highest by an Indian captain. His win rate of over 68% came against the best teams, in the toughest conditions. Rohit, newer in the role, led in just a little under half as many matches as Kohli and had an even better win percentage – 75%. Together they ensured that India remained an ODI superpower, not just a red-ball giant.Technically, Kohli’s game was forged in fire. His mastery of pace, particularly the searing quicks of Australia, England, and South Africa, made him a modern-day gladiator. His cover-drive became a symbol not just of class but of courage. Off the field, his dedication to fitness, diet and relentless improvement made him a trendsetter.Rohit, on the other hand, thrived on rhythm. His strokeplay is a masterclass in timing. Few play spin better; fewer still can pull like he does. He doesn’t impose himself on bowlers initially – he outsmarts them, and then dismantles them relentlessly. Mentally, both men were titans – Kohli driven by the fire of legacy, Rohit by the calmness of knowing his time would come.There were moments when they didn’t just shine, they paused the game itself. Kohli’s 183 against Pakistan in the 2012 Asia Cup, in a high-pressure chase, showed he wasn’t afraid of the big stage. His leadership in the 2018-19 Australia series win remains a defining Indian cricket moment.It’s one last time into the breach in Australia for the two•ICC/Getty ImagesFor Rohit it was the 264 against Sri Lanka, the innings that declared him an ODI phenomenon. Then the five centuries at the 2019 World Cup, where he tamed global attacks with poise. And more recently, his tactical nous through the 2023 World Cup campaign as captain.But beyond individual brilliance in ODIs lay something rarer: their love of and devotion to Test cricket. Kohli wasn’t shy about it – he spoke often, and passionately, about the purity of the format. He made it cool again to care about playing in whites. Rohit, through his transformation, showed that Test cricket rewards those who respect its tempo.In an age where players often chase leagues, fame, and IPL contracts, Kohli and Rohit were naturals who became the face of their franchises for over a decade. No matter the format, they dominated. They were never trying to be viral. They were trying to be vital.Praise for them came from everywhere. Michael Vaughan was effusive in his admiration of Kohli as an ODI player, and Ravi Shastri lauded his obsession with chasing success. Ben Stokes admired Rohit’s calm control. Steve Smith admired Kohli’s competitiveness. Ajinkya Rahane said once that Rohit always made you feel like the team came first. Their team-mates loved them. Their opponents respected them. Their fans, like us, will remember them as more than just batters, as torchbearers.Now, as the cricketing world moves forward, new names will rise. New captains will lead. But this golden chapter – the Kohli-Rohit era – will remain engraved not just in record books but in the hearts of every fan who understood what they stood for. Kohli’s passion, his refusal to settle, his belief in legacy over statistics. Rohit’s elegance, his humility, and his redemption arc, which reminded us all that timing is everything – in cricket, and in life.What they gave the game can’t be fully measured in runs or centuries or wins. They gave it belief, dignity, and character – which, as Bo Bennett reminded us, is the true measure of success.
Australia seamer pleased with how he bounced back after wayward start to first Test
Andrew McGlashan02-Dec-20250:54
Clarke: Australia going to a venue where they play well
Even when Mitchell Starc blew England away with seven wickets during the first innings in Perth it did not go unnoticed that, in an attack missing Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, the visitors had taken Scott Boland for more than six an over.It came following pre-series debate about how they would look to take on Boland after largely dominating him in the two matches he played in the 2023 Ashes. However, the second day was a different story. Boland’s three-wicket burst after lunch – removing Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope and Harry Brook in the space of 11 balls – turned the match on its head when England had been 105 runs ahead with nine wickets in hand.”It probably just proves to me that my good stuff, it doesn’t matter who it’s to, I think it feels like when I’m getting in the right areas it’s good enough to anyone,” Boland said ahead of the second Test at the Gabba. “I think that gives me a little bit of confidence that if I’m nailing my game… I’m good enough to compete with anyone.”Related
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Having overpitched too often in the first innings, Boland adjusted both his line and length in the second, hanging the ball wider, drawing Pope and Brook into drives away from their body. After the match, Andrew McDonald said the initial plans were partly to blame for the tactics Boland used with the new ball on the opening day.”I think Ronnie’s pretty nice to me there,” Boland said. “I just had one of those days where I just felt like I was over-pitching too much. Obviously, I wanted to start a little bit fuller than normal with the new ball, but I probably bowled seven or eight half-volleys and they all went for four. Some days half of them don’t and you think it’s [going] a little bit better.”I was pretty happy with how I bounced back in the second innings. I sort of went back to my natural length. Stuff that I know I’m really good at. I was obviously really disappointed with how I bowled in the first innings because generally I don’t bowl too many half-volleys.”On a pitch at the Gabba likely to have good pace and carry, if not perhaps to quite the level of Perth Stadium, Boland expects similar tactics to come into play. “I think we’ll get some good bounce here at the Gabba, which we usually do,” he said. “We went through what worked in Perth and what’s going to work here. It feels like a lot of the stuff is very similar.”Pope, who was tied down before losing patience and edging to Alex Carey, accepted there were things to learn but continued to see opportunity if Australia’s bowlers kept targeting a wider line.Scott Boland’s burst on day two in Perth helped swing the first Test•Getty Images
“It’s trying to learn the lessons, and take some positives,” he said. “I think it is just about being really precise with how you go about it. They can hang it out wide but as soon as they do miss their lengths it is about trying to put them under pressure there as well.”I look back on that [second] innings and the dismissal, [and] it’s just being that bit more precise, going about it in the same way but having that little bit more [precision] in my game.”Boland, who averages 13.16 from four day-night Tests, also sees the short ball being a threat again with England unlikely to back down from a challenge despite the bigger boundaries on most Australian grounds. However, he did note that their lower order had briefly rallied in the second innings, with Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse added 50 in 36 balls, when the quicks banged in the ball in.”Definitely the ground size plays a big part in that,” Boland said. “Perth Stadium is really wide, really big pockets. And the ground is quite similar here. Same as the MCG and SCG. Adelaide’s probably the only one that’s a little bit different. I think that worked in our favour.”They [England] tried some bouncer plans which worked well at different times. I think sometimes when you do go to that bouncer plan, you can leak runs pretty quickly. I think we had them 6 for 80 [88] and then we sort of went into some full-on bouncer plans and leaked [runs] a little bit [but] we got some wickets. First innings, it worked really quick and then second things, they played a little bit better. So I think we’ll just be adjusting on the fly.”There has been intrigue this week around whether Cummins could make a late entrance for the Brisbane Test, as he ramps up his return to bowling, despite not being named in the squad although a return in Adelaide remains the likely outcome. “He looked in red-hot form the other night, as good as you’ll see [from] a fast bowler charging in in the nets,” Boland said.Meanwhile, Hazlewood is due to join the squad on Thursday to continue his return to bowling after being ruled out of the first two Tests with a hamstring injury. He is considered unlikely to be in contention until either Melbourne or Sydney.
The fast bowler and his Canterbury team-mate Mitch Hay could make their Test debuts in the second Test against West Indies
Deivarayan Muthu06-Dec-20251:57
Latham: Can’t fault the effort when we were a couple of bowlers down
Uncapped fast bowler Michael Rae has been called up to New Zealand’s Test squad for the second match against West Indies in Wellington. Rae, 30, earned his maiden New Zealand call-up after Matt Henry (calf) and Nathan Smith (side) suffered injuries during the first Test in Christchurch.Both Henry and Smith are doubtful for the second Test, especially considering the quick turnaround between the first two games. The Wellington Test will begin on December 10, four days after the end of the Christchurch Test. Injuries to Henry and Smith reduced New Zealand’s attack to two frontline seamers and left them shouldering a heavy workload.Rae and Blair Tickner, who was the reserve fast bowler in Christchurch, could be in contention for the XI in Wellington.Rae started the second round of the Plunket Shield for Canterbury and took 3 for 65 in the first innings against Central Districts in Napier before he sat out of the second innings. Fraser Sheat replaced Rae in the second innings as the latter prepares for a potential Test debut.Related
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Blundell, Smith, Henry sustain injuries in Christchurch; Jamieson returns to Plunket Shield
At 6 feet 6 inches, Rae could give New Zealand’s attack a point of difference and replicate shifts that his Canterbury team-mate Kyle Jamieson put in for New Zealand in Test cricket. Like Jamieson, Rae is also capable of bowling fuller lengths and swinging the new ball.Along with Jamieson, Henry Shipley and Zak Foulkes, Rae has been part of a tall, funky Canterbury attack.”It’s got to be one of the tallest bowling attacks in the world,” Paul Wiseman, current Black Caps talent manager and former spinner, told ESPNcricinfo last year. “Jamieson at 6’8” and then you also have Michael Rae, who is probably 6’6”, and then the others are about 6’5”. Henners [Matt Henry] is shorter, but he’s a genius. I don’t know if we can get all those guys on the park at the same time but it will be a real test for any batter, I think. They are an exciting group and it would be great to see all of them fit in at the same time.”Rae, with his retro headband, has been a regular in domestic cricket in recent years. He has played 69 first-class matches so far, taking 205 wickets at an average of 33.06, including three five-wicket hauls.He also has some first-class exposure outside of New Zealand, having played five games for Warwickshire in county cricket, claiming 14 wickets at an average of 30.28. Gavin Larsen, the current New Zealand selection manager, has tracked Rae’s progress closely both at New Zealand domestic cricket and Warwickshire. When he was with Otago, he had also worked with current New Zealand coach Rob Walter.Michael Rae, in action, with his retro headband on•Getty Images
New Zealand’s team management will also carefully monitor the progress of Jamieson, who returned to the Plunket Shield for the ongoing round, and tearaway Ben Sears, who is currently playing white-ball club cricket in Melbourne. Sears, who is also prone to injuries, will not be rushed back to red-ball cricket.”I’d say he’s doubtful [for red-ball cricket] given he is going through more of a white-ball stepping stone over in club cricket in Melbourne,” New Zealand bowling coach Jacob Oram said on Friday. “Just to get him some cricket on grass, good facilities, and a good training environment around him, which he’s got over there with a contact we had internally here. Speaking to Ben the other day, I know that he’s feeling really good about his bowling but the Test series will be a bridge too far for sure.”With Tom Blundell sidelined from the Wellington Test, with a hamstring injury, Mitch Hay is poised to make his debut and take over the gloves from captain Tom Latham, who kept wicket across both innings in Christchurch in addition to scoring 145 in New Zealand’s second innings.”It’s been a long shift. I don’t think I’ve done that many amount of overs behind the stumps before,” Latham said on Saturday. “Usually 50 [overs] is about my cap, but obviously not ideal losing Tommy either, but giving to the group as much as you can in a role that I’m used to keeping. So from a familiarity point of view it was fine, just the duration was a little bit more than I’m used to.”In Blundell’s absence, Daryl Mitchell stepped in as a substitute and put in a long fielding shift in the slips though he hadn’t fully recovered from a groin injury. Mitchell Santner, too, was not available for selection in Christchurch because of his own groin injury.
Newcastle United are far from perfect this season, but there is enough quality at Eddie Howe’s disposal for the manager to craft another knockout campaign.
While the Magpies have claimed seven points from nine in the Premier League, they are 12th in the standings; however, the congested nature of the campaign means fourth-place Chelsea only hold a five-point advantage.
Whether Newcastle consolidate a fine run of form over the winter months – as they did last year – remains to be seen, but Howe will take understandable solace in his side’s more polished and coherent recent performances after a tumultuous transfer window.
However, it feels like some outside aid is needed, and with midfield emerging as a priority position for technical director Ross Wilson, it’s no surprise that Elliot Anderson continues to be linked with a return home.
The latest on Elliot Anderson to Newcastle
We all know the story. Newcastle’s PSR problems. Selling Anderson and Yankuba Minteh to circumvent a ban. Shaving fringe quality instead of selling a superstar.
But the 23-year-old midfielder has grown into a force to be reckoned with, Three Lions manager Thomas Tuchel going as far as to call him “one of the best midfielders in the Premier League”.
This is a sentiment shared by Howe, who was candid in discussing why Newcastle sold their prized homegrown talent to a Premier League rival, and underlined his desire to win him back.
Anderson is now a sensation, though, and Premier League tax has been levied by the Tricky Trees, who are set to demand in excess of £100m for a player now being chased by Manchester City and Manchester United too.
Newcastle will try, but this is sure to prove an elusive signature to land.
It’s important that the St. James’ Park side learn from their past mistakes, though, and don’t part with their new version of the Three Lions star.
Newcastle have an even bigger talent than Anderson
He’s had a tough time of late in regard to injuries, but Lewis Hall’s emphatic return to the field at Newcastle has remind English football of the calibre of their exciting up-and-comer.
The 21-year-old has now started three Premier League games in a row for Newcastle, and already he has reshaped the tactical fluency that was sorely missing in the early stages of the campaign. He was instrumental in taking control against Tottenham, and unfortunate not to have claimed three points.
Hailed as “the best player on the field” by reporter Andy Sixsmith, Hall has only just regained full fitness but is indeed reminding the Premier League of his elite quality.
Lewis Hall vs Tottenham
Match Stats
#
Minutes played
90′
Touches
75
Shots (on target)
3 (0)
Accurate passes
36/43 (84%)
Chances created
0
Dribbles
2/2
Recoveries
6
Tackles won
4/4
Interceptions
2
Clearances
4
Duels won
8/15
Data via Sofascore
He’s so defensively sound while playing dynamically and always looking to develop Tottenham’s attacking patterns through intelligent build-up work and calculated movement.
This is further evidenced through FBref’s data. The platform reveal the England international to rank among the top 10% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 18% for progressive passes, the top 7% for through balls, the top 19% for successful take-ons and the top 7% for tackles won per 90.
Journalist Harry De Cosemo claimed that the young full-back “makes such a difference” when starting from the opening, and no mistake there.
The vultures are bound to start circling before long, and while Newcastle may struggle to re-sign a homegrown talent in Anderson, they may have an even bigger talent in their ranks, and it is crucial that Howe is given the security to build around him.
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AC Milan have made contact with Nottingham Forest over a deal for a £26m Nuno signing who now wants to leave.
Forest on the up under the helm of Dyche
Ange Postecoglou didn’t last long after replacing Nuno earlier this season, but Sean Dyche has really managed to turn things around, with his side now four points clear of the Premier League relegation zone, after defeating Wolverhampton Wanderers last time out.
The Tricky Trees edged out a 1-0 victory against the bottom-placed side, courtesy of an Igor Jesus goal with just under 20 minutes left to play, meaning they finally have some breathing room, and survival is looking increasingly likely.
Dyche praised his side’s mindset in the narrow victory, saying: “They kept going and throwing things at us. I’m pleased with our mentality. You saw the way we dug it out, they threw a lot at us second half and we dealt with it well.”
In fairness, given that Forest qualified for the Europa League last season and spent heavily in the summer, relegation shouldn’t be on the cards, but it would be fair to say some of their recent additions haven’t hit the ground running at the City Ground.
Arnaud Kalimuendo, who arrived from Rennes for £26m, has particularly struggled to make an impact, having failed to score in his opening seven Premier League games, predominantly being utilised as a substitute.
According to a report from Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness), the striker could be offered an exit route soon, with it being revealed that AC Milan have made contact with Nottingham Forest CEO Lina Souloukou over a potential deal.
Kalimuendo now wants to leave Forest, amid a lack of game time, featuring for just 81 mintues across his seven Premier League appearances this season, and clubs from Italy are lining up to sign him, with AS Roma also being named as potential suitors.
Forest should sanction Kalimuendo departure this January
In truth, it is probably best for all parties if the centre-forward moves on this summer, given that he clearly hasn’t managed to impress all three of Forest’s managers this season, given the lack of game time in the Premier League.
The 23-year-old has impressed at times in the Europa League, most recently scoring in the 3-0 victory over Malmo FF, but he was unable to make an impact as a substitute against Brighton in the following match, failing to register a single shot.
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In fairness, it is difficult to have a major impact coming on late in the game, and Kalimuendo may need to be given a Premier League start if he is to prove himself.
However, with Jesus recently scoring his first Premier League goal, and Chris Wood still to return from injury, opportunities are likely to be even more limited going forward, and it may be worth Forest cutting their losses in the January transfer window.