All posts by h716a5.icu

Former Hibernian manager Lee Johnson finally paid the price for leading the team to a poor start to the 2023/24 campaign.

Despite reaching the Europa Conference League playoff round, defeating Swiss side Luzern in the third round, Hibs’ woeful Premiership form was the catalyst.

They have lost their opening three league ties and are currently rooted to the bottom of the table.

The question is, who will be the next person in to lead the team?

Who will be the next Hibs manager?

There will likely be a few candidates lining up to put their name forward for the role, although one name which has cropped up could be a surprising choice.

Current Australia manager Graham Arnold has emerged as a potential heir to Johnson according to Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph, who said: “Australia manager Graham Arnold is in the frame for the Hibernian job, as the club draw up a shortlist of candidates for their managerial vacancy.

“It's understood the 60yo is keen to consider the role, but is also attracting interest from two English Championship clubs.”

The two other sides haven’t been named but unless the board show greater ambition, Hibs will be the underdogs in a potential move for the 60-year-old, especially considering their chances – barring a miracle – of securing European football until Christmas.

Could Graham Arnold improve Hibs?

Johnson spent 15 months in charge of the Easter Road outfit, winning just 20 of his 54 matches in charge and securing just 1.31 points per game.

Hardly the most eye-catching statistics and the poor start just created the need for change. Arnold will bring a wealth of experience to the role should he be appointed, having managed not only the Australian national side but also Central Coast Mariners and Sydney FC, averaging 1.71 and 1.90 points per game across both clubs respectively.

He has won two league titles and an Australian Cup during his managerial career also and would bring a winning mentality to Hibs, something that they badly need considering they have won just two major honours this century.

Arnold is perhaps best known for his spell in charge of the Wallabies and in particular, impressing at the 2022 World Cup.

During that tournament, they became the first Australian men’s side to win two matches at the FIFA World Cup as they secured progression to the last 16 for the first time since 2006.

Eventual winners Argentina proved to be a game too far, yet they gave their all and scored in every single match.

Reporter Vince Rugari praised Arnold recently while discussing the Matilda’s head coach Tony Gustavsson during their own chase for glory, saying: “Worth pointing out, as I did in the below, that it's not all over. Graham Arnold was facing similar criticism with the Socceroos in WCQ – but he pulled it out of the fire. His decisions against Peru and beyond were perfect. Gustavsson has the chance to do the same against Canada.”

It would be an interesting move for Hibs, yet with Celtic enjoying vast success with Australian coach Ange Postecoglou, it could work out well indeed.

The Delhi batsman has been forced into a liquid diet and “might need surgery”, but he has opted to delay it to continue playing in the Vijay Hazare Trophy

Deivarayan Muthu06-Feb-2018Despite suffering a nasty blow on the jaw while training with Delhi ahead of the ongoing 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy, Unmukt Chand played the side’s tournament opener against Uttar Pradesh in Bilaspur and cracked 116 off 125 balls, which underpinned a 55-run win. The Delhi batsman has been forced into a liquid diet and “might need surgery” for a cracked jaw, but he has opted to delay it to continue playing in the tournament.The injury was a freak one: while he was doing his core drills lying on the ground, the ball flew from the nets and hit him on the jaw. “I was doing one of my usual training [routines] on the mat; somebody was bowling to the batsman in the nets, and the ball came from nowhere,” Chand told ESPNcricinfo.” I was not aware and the ball straightaway hit my jaw, and I obviously needed medical attention. The doctors say I might need surgery but I just want to play and don’t want to skip any games.”In addition to opening the batting on Monday and lasting nearly 45 overs in the first innings, Chand took the field in the second. He hoped that he could work his way around the injury and play the rest of the tournament.”As long as my hands and feet are okay, I thought I could play,” Chand said. “Sudden movements of the jaw will hurt but I took some precautionary measures to avoid such sudden movements. Sometimes, you’ve got to get on with it.”From winning the Under-19 World Cup in 2012 to being dropped from the Delhi team to going unsold at the IPL for two successive seasons, Chand has seen the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. Recently, he was jettisoned from Delhi’s Ranji Trophy team in favour of Kunal Chandela after he had managed only 128 runs in six innings at an average of 25.60. He was also left out of the squad for the league phase of the 20-over Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, before the state selectors made a U-turn by recalling him for the knockouts. He bagged a duck on return but scored a measured 53 in the final to help Delhi secure the title. However, he attracted no bids at the IPL auction the next day.”Cricket is my life, these difficulties and mental problems keep coming but you have to overcome that,” Chand said. “When I wasn’t playing games, I knew it would not last forever. I knew I had to be ready when the opportunity comes. Mentally, I am strong enough to focus on things which I need and not focus on things which I don’t need.”Chand revealed that the frustration of warming the bench at Mumbai Indians forced him to leave the franchise. He got a total of seven games in his stint with Mumbai in 2015 and 2016.”To be very honest, it was a deliberate decision to leave Mumbai Indians. I did not get much games,” he said. “To me playing games was very important rather than sitting on the bench in the IPL. So I had opted out of Mumbai Indians and unfortunately I did not get selected in the IPL auction two years in a row.”I did not get much games in this season’s T20 tournament; it should not have happened. The scouts were there but I did not get chances, and they could not see me. These things hurt but I have had enough of these in my short career so far. I know IPL will come again, and when you have a bigger goal, you can get over these things. Playing for the country is more important.”Injured jaw and all, Chand faces the possibility of surgery and subsequent recovery, but he just wants to “get on with the job”. That job is to keep firing in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.”I don’t want to categorise it [hundred v Uttar Pradesh] as very important. It might seem so from an external point of view – comeback innings and playing with a cracked jaw and all that. Pain and that sort of things are there but, if I go to an office, I’ve got to get on with the job.”

Newcastle United have made a poor start to the 2023/24 Premier League season, and a reliable journalist has delivered an update on the future of Eddie Howe.

What's happening at Newcastle right now?

St. James’ Park chiefs first appointed Howe back in November 2021 having taken a bit of time out of work following his departure from Bournemouth, as per Transfermarkt, and during his almost two years in the northeast, the positive impact that he’s made both on and off the pitch is clear to see.

The Magpies, however, have only won one and lost three of their opening four games of the new top-flight campaign, via Sky Sports, which sees them sitting 14th in the table on just three points, and these underwhelming results compared to last term could potentially raise questions surrounding the 45-year-old at the helm.

The Amersham-born manager will also be aware that the level of competition won’t be getting any easier having been drawn in a group with Paris Saint-Germain, Borussia Dortmund and AC Milan in the Champions League, so the boss will be aware that he’s got a big job on his hands to maintain the high standard that was set last season.

Are Newcastle sacking Eddie Howe?

Writing in his column for CaughtOffside, Fabrizio Romano shared what he’s heard on Howe’s future at Newcastle. He said:

“It’s not been the best start to the season for Newcastle United, who have lost three in a row since their opening day win over Aston Villa. Of course this is a disappointment after the superb achievements of last season, but I think fans can be calm.

"My understanding is that Eddie Howe is absolutely not under pressure, it’s all quiet. The Newcastle owners love the manager and there are no issues at the moment. Of course Howe will have time to play Champions League football as Newcastle coach, there are no messages in a different direction at this moment in time.”

What is Eddie Howe's record at Newcastle?

During his time at Newcastle, Howe has taken charge of 78 matches, winning 39, drawing 19 and losing 20, meaning that he’s picked up 136 points from a possible 234 whilst averaging 1.74 points per match, via Transfermarkt, which is an impressive record in the grand scheme of things.

The Wasserman client, who has a preferred formation of 4-3-3, has also been individually recognised for his impact from the dugout since putting pen to paper with the black and white stripes having twice won the Premier League Manager of the Month award, with his positive impact resulting in him receiving plenty of plaudits and accolades.

Despite Howe's struggles this season, PIF will be aware of the fantastic relationship that he's built with supporters, not only himself but the whole of the squad, and there's no doubt that it would be difficult to find a replacement that could come in and work the same magic as he has, so it's completely the right decision to stick with him and give him the opportunity to turn things back around.

The team management is still unsure of the extent of the batsman’s quad injury, which he aggravated while diving to complete a second run, and are yet to take a decision on his participation in the series decider in Christchurch

Andrew McGlashan in Dunedin08-Mar-2018New Zealand coach Mike Hesson has revealed that consideration was given to Ross Taylor retiring hurt when he suffered a leg injury in Dunedin before he rampaged to a career-best unbeaten 181 to set up a series decider in Christchurch on Saturday.Taylor will spend the next 24 hours in a race to recover enough to take his place for the final match of the series, but there is no chance he will be 100% fit and won’t be risked if there could be a long-term impact on him despite the importance of this match. New Zealand’s season concludes with two Tests against England in Auckland and Christchurch at the end of March.Taylor, who missed the third ODI in Wellington with a quad injury, aggravated the problem when he dived to make his ground coming back for a second run. That was then compounded when he suffered cramp and New Zealand pondered whether, with Taylor struggling between the wickets, they would be better served with a fully fit batsman in the middle.Ultimately the decision was made that while Taylor was still able to bat he would remain in the middle: from the moment he injured himself he went on to score 72 off 41 balls as New Zealand chased down 336 with three balls remaining.”We talked about it,” Hesson said of bringing Taylor off. “Kane [Williamson] and I talked with Tommy [Latham] as well. We thought if Ross could get us another 20-25 runs at that point quickly that will keep us in the game. If he’d come off it would have been very difficult to go back on because he could seize up. The fact Ross got more than 25 was obviously very helpful for us.”Hesson described Taylor’s innings, the highest score by a New Zealand batsman in a chase and the third highest overall, as “great”, but a sensible decision will have to made with regards the deciding match.”Ross, he’s got some very, very, good hundreds for us. You don’t use the word great often, but that was a great hundred. Any side in the world, that would be considered a great hundred,” he said. “It was a high-class innings. Even put the injury to one side, 181 not out in a chase like that and a crucial game, was great. We needed something special and we certainly got it”We need to know the extent of it and whether it’s one of those injuries that can get worse or whether you can grin and bear it. We’re just not sure yet…potentially he could be out for months. Once we know that we can make an educated decision over whether it is worth the risk or whether he genuinely needs a good break before the Tests.”Taylor himself, speaking the morning after the innings and on his 34th birthday, acknowledged he will be patched up if he does make the Christchurch encounter.”I obviously won’t be 100% but we’ll have to wait and see with the next couple of days off and give it the best chance possible,” Taylor told . “I was just cramping in the forearm. I was thinking ‘oh no’. It was locked forward when I hit it out to cover. How embarrassing.”I hurt my hip in the last game. Just the hip and quad. It wasn’t [one of] the most elegant dives you’ve ever seen. Just felt it a little bit. So got the physio out and as I batted on, cramp started setting in as well.”Mark Chapman, who played the second and third ODIs as cover for Williamson and Taylor, has been brought back into the squad.

When West Ham United appointed David Moyes for a second spell in December 2019, it was met with mixed response from supporters, with some waxing over the suitability of a manager who knows the club and can orchestrate an exit from relegation danger, and others scratching their heads.

Many thought his arrival was somewhat regressive, a wariness in ambition and a failure to act with conviction and propel the club into the upper end of the Premier League.

He had previously led the Hammers for a short stint and departed upon the expiry of his contract after just six months in charge, but his return catalysed a club seeking a return to prominence, and he has now orchestrated illustrious success unseen in east London for many decades.

Indeed, after successfully preserving the Hammers' top-flight status with improved form in the latter phase of the 2019/20 campaign, Moyes has since led his team to successive European campaigns, making shrewd signings and developing a rock-solid collective understanding of the system and individual roles on the pitch.

Despite struggling in the Premier League last season, West Ham triumphed in the Europa Conference League and brought home the first slice of major silverware since 1980, when the club won the FA Cup.

And now, a successful summer transfer window has rekindled the verve in its entirety, with three wins from the opening five matches of the league season setting the club in good stead for a shot at landing a European spot once again.

That's despite the departure of Declan Rice to Arsenal in July, with the Irons' club-record sale, as formidable as he is, proving to have been a stunning piece of business after rising through the youth ranks.

When did West Ham sign Declan Rice?

At age 14, Rice was released from Chelsea's prestigious Cobham academy, and after a brief trial period with Fulham, it was West Ham who decided to nurture the precocious youngster's talents in 2013, guiding him through his formative years with a belief that he could one day break into the senior set-up.

And that he did. Rice signed his first professional contract at 16 years old and proclaimed himself a "leader", oozing age-belying confidence in his future at the highest level.

Big words? Maybe. But Rice was bang on the money and always knew that his blend of application and natural talent would serve him well as he ascended the ranks, and after making his competitive debut in May 2018 in an away win in the English top-flight over Burnley, handed by Moyes during the Scotsman's first stint at the outfit, interestingly, he swiftly asserted himself as one of English football's most promising talents.

Football Transfers has documented the player's meteoric rise over the years, with Rice quickly moving from an unknown commodity to a £13m-rated prodigy in 2020, having started all 38 fixtures across the 2019/20 league campaign and even captained the side on multiple occasions, still just a teenager.

How much is Declan Rice worth now?

Hailed a "force of nature" by journalist Rob Blanchette, the understanding of the calibre of midfielder that Moyes had on his hands was crystalising, and as his imperious performances showed no sign of waning, he started to attract attention from some of the juggernauts.

They all wanted a piece. Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United all held a vested interest in 2021, and while West Ham held on to their man for as long as possible, it was actually Arsenal who convinced the player to make the cross-London move in July 2023, completing a British record £105m transfer, albeit this was trumped less than one month on as Chelsea signed Moises Caicedo for £115m.

This remarkable, lucrative departure for a player who had made 245 appearances and played a central role in an impressive rise to prominence must go down as a tremendous piece of business.

Having been rated at just £13m only three years before, Rice's value flew up by 708% over that period, and while it stings to see him ply his trade elsewhere, the summer acquisitions look to have been made with a clear vision, and West Ham have retained their overall quality as a club capable of competing for Europe domestically and for titles while on the continental stage itself.

Why is Declan Rice worth that much?

Interestingly praised as a “very good finisher” by former West Ham teammate Thomas Soucek, Rice boasts a multi-functional midfield skill set and one that prompted Arsenal to part with such a staggering sum of money for his services.

Indeed, Rice has only played five times in the Premier League for the Gunners but has already bagged his maiden goal at the most crucial of moments, bundling in from close range to give the Emirates Stadium side the lead in the dying embers of a thrilling 3-1 win against Manchester United.

To summarise his all-round skillset, as per FBref, the 45-cap England international ranks among the top 21% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 16% for pass completion, the top 17% for progressive passes, the top 14% for progressive carries and the top 6% for interceptions per 90.

The £240k-per-week phenom had also been previously heralded while on West Ham's books for his “monster” – as dubbed by ESPN’s David Cartlidge – presence in the centre, and without his rise to the fore under Moyes' wing, it's more than a little unlikely that the outfit's exploits over recent years would have been quite so emphatic.

It's not long into life without Rice at West Ham, but the early signs hint at great promise for Moyes' outfit; while the Englishman was the fulcrum in the middle, immensely talented and all-encompassing, the moves made on the summer transfer market tantalises further riches for West Ham.

The club return to Europa League competition this week, and despite defeat against Pep Guardiola's City last time out, three wins and a draw from the opening five Premier League matches is as good a start as Irons fans could have hoped for.

Rice will eternally remain a beloved figure in east London, with his qualities integral to the illustrious success of recent years, and while his departure this summer was a poignant moment, the club hit the jackpot in cashing in for a staggering sum and effectively replacing him with a talented clutch of exciting new additions.

After echoing the Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland in apologising to fans of the game, Australia’s captain for now, Tim Paine, believes his team must forge a new and better identity out of the wreckage of Newlands

Daniel Brettig in Cape Town25-Mar-2018Australia’s captain for now, Tim Paine, believes his team must forge a new and better identity out of the wreckage of Newlands, where the infamy of the ball-tampering fiasco was rounded off by the humiliation of an abject 322-run defeat.Smith offence worse than mine – du Plessis

South Africa’s captain Faf du Plessis believes Australia’s ball tampering at Newlands was a more serious offence than his “ball shining” offence in 2016, but admitted feeling some sympathy for his opposite number Steve Smith after he and David Warner were compelled to step down by Cricket Australia pending an internal investigation into the affair.
“For me, yes,” du Plessis responded when asked whether the Australians’ offence was more serious. “Ball shining versus ball tampering is two different situations, and one is more serious than the other.
“It’s difficult for me to give an answer which I think is right. It’s so difficult to say which is right and which is wrong. Obviously he is trying to take responsibility, so there is right in that. There is also right in holding other people responsible for their own actions. I can understand it’s a really tough time for him to be in now. The situation I was in was really difficult for me because people were attacking me, my personality and my character and I felt it was wrong, it wasn’t fair. I don’t know how he feels but I imagine it is a really tough time.
“He’s a very good batsman and somehow we’ve managed to keep him quiet. Its almost like losing two players in one because he’s such a strong batter. I also feel his leadership is good for the team so he’ll be a big loss for them.”

After echoing the Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland in apologising to fans of the game, Paine admitted the team had not been prepared for the sheer scale of the reaction that has flowed from across the Indian Ocean over the past 24 hours. He also said that Steven Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft were all struggling personally after their respective parts in the affair.But Paine said it was no excuse for a fourth-innings combustion from 57 for 0 to 107 all out, which left the touring team needing to win in Johannesburg to preserve a share of the series, and maintain an unbeaten record in South Africa over the past 24 years. Looking ahead, he showed the first acknowledgement that the Australian team’s wider culture and image needed to change, starting with the way they behaved and performed at the Wanderers from Friday.”There’s ammunition enough but it’s a difficult situation that some guys are going to get an opportunity from, so it’s trying to grab hold of the one positive that may come of it is guys are going to get an opportunity to play for their country,” Paine said. “The whole opportunity for us going forward now is something we can learn from.”Something we can try to control is how we are seen going forward by our Australian public and become the team that we want to become and they want us to be seen as. So that’s an opportunity going forward. I don’t think we all would have expected this to be as big as it has been and particularly the fallout that we have seen from back home, I think the reality and enormity of it has sunk in.”Through the extraordinary circumstances of this tour, Paine found himself elevated to the captaincy a matter of months after he was a surprise choice as Australia’s Ashes wicketkeeper when not even Tasmania’s first-choice behind the stumps. There is no small irony here, for as far back as 2010, he was touted as a leader of the future. This is not the way anyone imagines it happening.4:29

Voges: We will see changes to Australia’s hierarchy

“Strange, not the circumstances that anyone would like to be sitting here, really bizarre, strange, horrible 24 hours,” Paine said. “We had a quick chat as we do as a team every morning and Steve and Dave both announced that they were stepping down and then I was told by the chairman of selectors that I would be captain for the day.”It was extremely difficult, that’s no excuse for what you saw in the last 45 minutes, we are still the Australian cricket team and we are expected to put up a better effort than what we did today. It was in some trying circumstances and probably circumstances we brought on ourselves. No one likes losing and no one likes losing in the circumstances that we have today.”Asked about the state of Smith, Warner and Bancroft, Paine said the trio were coming to terms with the gravity of their situation, with the Cricket Australia integrity officer Iain Roy en route to South Africa to conduct an internal investigation. “They’re not great, it’s been a horrible 24 hours,” Paine said. “They’re struggling, but probably the reality and the enormity of what’s happened is starting to sink in.”All we spoke about today as a team was when we crossed the line to go out and do our jobs and to compete and for the first half of the day I thought we did that reasonably well with the ball then started ok with the bat. Unfortunately, [we] fell apart in a really ordinary manner which only rubbed salt into the wounds of what’s been a horrible 24 hours for us.”Unsurprisingly, Paine had no definitive answers to questions about the captaincy tenure of Smith and the coaching role of Darren Lehmann, and nor did he feel ready to discuss his own captaincy prospects. For Paine and the rest of the squad, this is very much a journey into the unknown.”That’s I think something that might come up this week,” he said of whether Smith and Lehmann could continue, “but there’s an internal review that’s going to take place in the next few days and until that’s happened no one will be making any comment on anything like that.” As for his own leadership future: “I’m not sure what’s going to happen, I don’t think anyone is, so it’s an impossible question to answer.”Apart from knowing that things must change around the Australian team, Paine and the rest are bracing for what happens next. Based on trend set by the events of the past 24 hours, it could be absolutely anything.

Presenting the full and – nearly – final schedule of the 2019 World Cup. It was approved by the ICC’s CEC (chief executives’ committee) and will be presented to the ICC Board, for final approval, on Thursday in Kolkata

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Apr-2018ESPNcricinfo LtdHome advantage?
Hosts England will be hoping to break their World Cup duck (they’ve been runners-up three times), but unlike other sides they won’t play at the same ground more than once in the round-robin phase. They have matches at The Oval, Nottingham, Cardiff, Southampton, Manchester, Leeds, Lord’s, Birmingham and Chester-le-Street. This schedule means they will have played at the three venues holding the knockout games: Manchester, Birmingham, and Lord’s.The day-night divide
Three* of the ten teams – England, India and Sri Lanka – won’t play any day-night matches in the round-robin phase. New Zealand will feature in four of the seven day-night matches in the tournament, while Australia and Afghanistan play three each. The semi-finals and final are all day games.Manchester the city to be in
The World Cup will be played in 10 cities and 11 venues, across the length and breadth of England and Wales. But fans in Manchester will relish a bumper schedule. Old Trafford will host the tournament’s big one – India-Pakistan – as well as another India game, against West Indies. On July 6 fans can expect an Australia-South Africa cracker and if all that wasn’t enough, Old Trafford will also host the first semi-final.1992, but longer
The last time the World Cup was played this way, with each side playing the other in a round-robin format, was in 1992 in Australia and New Zealand. It ranks among the most beloved of World Cups. From start to finish that tournament took 33 days. In 2019, the World Cup – with one more team than 1992 and a far smaller geographical area to cover – will take 46 days, or nearly two weeks longer. However, there will be 48 matches in 2019 compared to 39 in 1992. The 2015 World Cup, which had a different format, featured 14 teams playing 49 matches in 44 days.More downtime, for most
One benefit of a longer tournament is that sides get more recovery time in between games: some teams have gaps as long as four or five days. Possibly because of their later start in the tournament, India are one of only two teams who will have to play two games in three days – when they take on England on June 30 at Edgbaston and then Bangladesh on July 2 at the same venue. The other team is Afghanistan, who play India in Southampton on June 22 and then Bangladesh on June 24.

West Ham United kick off their EFL Cup campaign against Lincoln City away from the London Stadium this evening as they look to bounce back from their defeat at the weekend.

The Hammers were beaten 3-1 by Liverpool at Anfield in the Premier League and now have a chance to get back to winning ways against lower-league opposition.

This cup clash with the League One side will provide David Moyes with the opportunity to give players vital minutes to keep them fresh and sharp for the upcoming Europa League and English top-flight matches to come.

One player who must be unleashed from the start is summer signing Mohammed Kudus, who joined from Dutch giants Ajax, as he could form an exciting partnership with Lucas Paqueta at the top end of the pitch.

How many chances has Paqueta created this season?

West Ham's brilliant Brazilian has created eight chances in six Premier League matches to go along with one in one Europa League outing so far.

Paqueta has showcased his ability to split open the opposition's defence to create an opportunity for one of his fellow attackers and has averaged an impressive Sofascore rating of 7.43 in the top-flight.

James Ward-Prowse (7.62) is the only outfield player at the club with a higher average league Sofascore rating, which illustrates how impressive the former Lyon man has been in the middle of the park.

Kudus could benefit from the 26-year-old's creativity as the Ghana international can potentially provide a significant goal threat for the Hammers if he can replicate his form for Ajax.

How many goals did Kudus score for Ajax?

The 23-year-old maestro scored 27 goals in 87 matches in all competitions during his time with the Dutch side and that included 18 goals in 42 games last term.

Kudus racked up 11 goals and three assists in 19 Eredivisie starts throughout the 2022/23 campaign. Meanwhile, no West Ham player produced more than six Premier League goals last season.

This suggests that the talented youngster, who was dubbed "fantastic" and a "superstar" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has the potential to be an outstanding scoring option for Moyes in the final third if he can carry that form over to English football.

His first start against TSC in the Europa League last week showcased his threat at the top end of the pitch as the ex-Ajax star scored two goals in a 3-1 win for the Hammers.

The summer signing's outstanding full debut showed that he has what it takes to be a star within this West Ham team and it is now down to him to show that he can be consistent over the course of the season.

To do that, though, Moyes will need to offer him enough opportunities to find his rhythm and that is why the Scottish boss must unleash the Ghana international from the start this evening in order to get more minutes under his belt.

Playing him alongside a terrific creative threat like Paqueta could also provide the 5 foot 9 dynamo with the chances that he needs to find the back of the net against Lincoln.

A double century from James Vince, an injury to Jack Leach and questions of succession planning make for a fascinating announcement on Tuesday

George Dobell14-May-2018Before Ed Smith picks his maiden Test squad in the coming hours, he is sure to have asked himself what the team’s aims are for the next few years.Smith, England’s new national selector, has suddenly become one of the most powerful men in English cricket. With none of Joe Root (England’s Test captain), Paul Farbrace (England’s assistant coach) or Andy Flower (the England Lions coach) officially selectors – though they will surely be consulted – and Trevor Bayliss simply too busy to get around the counties as he would like, the onus of selection falls on one man more than it has for some time. Yes, Angus Fraser and Mick Newell continue to provide their thoughts, but it is Smith who will pick his own deputy and Smith who appears to have been given more power than his predecessor, James Whitaker.And Smith’s problem – one of his problems – is that planning for the future could compromise England’s short-term aspirations. So while he is naturally keen to win this summer’s home series against Pakistan (who drew with England on their last trip) and India (who look far better equipped than they were on their last visit), he will also have an eye to the future and a determination to improve their current Test ranking of fifth.If England are content with home success then their current formula requires little tinkering. Armed with Dukes balls and surfaces that help their seamers, they are a formidable side. There is a home Ashes series little more than a year away and, in the past, that milestone has blinded everything beyond it.But if Smith’s ambitions are greater – and they surely are – his thoughts will extend beyond the English summer. He will know that, to reach the top of the Test rankings, they must improve their grim away record. They have not won any of their last 13 Tests away from home and, in both India and Australia, the limitations of their bowling tactics – which is basically to bowl tight and wait for errors – has been shown-up by flat pitches and high-quality opposition with the hunger to bat all week. If England keep fielding four right-arm, fast-medium seamers – especially the same four right-arm, fast-medium seamers – that is unlikely to change. They need more variation. They need more pace. They need better spin. And they need to plan for life after James Anderson and Stuart Broad.That’s not to say that Anderson – aged 35 but still England’s best bowler – and Broad – aged 31 but bowling better than he has for some time – should be dropped. Far from it; they should be savoured. But it does mean that, in the coming weeks and months, Smith needs to find a way to introduce new players with a view to the challenges beyond the next two series. Players who can unlock good batting line-ups on the surfaces expected in India. Bowlers who can get something out of the surfaces expected in Australia. Players who can revel in the spin-friendly conditions expected in Sri Lanka and the Caribbean. Bowlers with the pace or skill to shape games rather than try to suffocate them.Such players are out there. While the likes of Sam Curran and Olly Stone are not the finished articles – batsman who have faced Stone in recent weeks talk of a sharp variation in pace which might be due to a tendency to lose his action at times – they have the potential to make a difference. Josh Tongue, too, is one to keep an eye upon. It would be stretching a point to compare him to Glenn McGrath but there is just a hint of that sort of bowler about the way he hammers a length that challenges the top of off stump and the outside edge. This squad probably comes too soon for all of them, but they may well represent the future.Dominic Bess and Amar Virdi could play a part soon, too. The two offspinners, aged 20 and 19 respectively, might have anticipated a summer learning their trade in the county game. But now, with Mason Crane and Jack Leach injured and Moeen Ali having not bowled a red ball in anger since he was dropped in New Zealand, there may be an opportunity to accelerate their promotion. Matt Parkinson, the 21-year-old legspinner from Lancashire, might be an outside bet, too.Mark Wood back in action for Durham•Getty ImagesIn the short-term it seems Mark Wood, Chris Woakes and Craig Overton are probably vying for the final place in the seam attack. All are fine cricketers. But expecting Wood to play three or four Tests in a row despite all the evidence to the contrary seems optimistic, while Woakes – with a home Test bowling average of 24.28 (even better than Anderson’s) and an away-Test bowling average of 61.77 – might provide a microcosm of England’s issues. Overton looked as if he had the temperament but not the pace in Australia. There might be room for one of Curran, Stone or Tongue to replace them.Smith’s main choice, at first glance at least, might be whether to stick or twist with two of England’s top-order. The case of James Vince, for example, offers one of the more problematic selection quandaries of recent times. In his 13 Tests to date Vince has shown he has plenty of time for the ball and plenty of shots to prosper at the top level. The one thing he does not have – as an average of 24.90 shows – is plenty of runs. The sense remains that, with a bit more time, he will surely come good and his double century against Somerset may be very well timed. There will be generations of former England players wishing they had been given such patience, however, and with Joe Clarke scoring runs in a struggling team, Vince will know he really does need to reward the faith shown in him almost immediately.Mark Stoneman, too, has looked the part at times. But a top-score of 60 after 10 Tests is disappointing and the fact he has made such an unpersuasive start to the season – he has failed to reach 30 in seven innings – will have done him few favours. Nick Gubbins, a fine player of pace but with something to prove against spin, may well become Alastair Cook’s latest partner; the 13th since Andrew Strauss retired.James Vince pulls during his lengthy innings•Getty ImagesThe struggles of his opening partners – Stoneman, Alex Hales, Adam Lyth et al. – has shifted attention from Cook. But his recent record – he has reached 40 only once in his last 17 Test innings – is modest and, if there is a temptation to retain him with a view to next year’s Ashes, it might be noted that his averages in the three previous Ashes series held in England are 24.66, 27.70 and 36.66.It is to Cook’s advantage that potential rivals for his spot – the likes of Haseeb Hameed and Ben Duckett – have endured horrid starts to the season. His long-term record makes a compelling case for his retention, too, while the the fact that Smith defended Cook’s place in the ODI team even after he was dropped just ahead of the 2015 World Cup suggests he will be reluctant to make such a change. Cook is more vulnerable than he has been for some time, though. Rory Burns, benefiting from the relatively flat Oval surfaces, and Keaton Jennings are among those waiting in the wings.Ben Foakes is pressing for selection, too. There’s no doubt he is a fine keeper, perhaps the best in the English game now that James Foster is 38, and an accomplished batsman. But to take the gloves off Jonny Bairstow now would be odd reward on several years’ investment and offers uncertain rewards in terms of the effect on his batting.There are other options for various positions. James Hildreth, at 33, is now regularly scoring runs under pressure and could provide three or four years’ service, while Samit Patel, also 33 and a fine player of spin and an increasingly reliable left-arm spinner, might also be an asset over the next 12-months on the surfaces anticipated in Sri Lanka and the Caribbean. Selectors often favour potential over maturity but perhaps Smith may prove different.Possible Lord’s XI Alastair Cook, Nick Gubbins, Joe Root, James Vince/Joe Clarke, Dawid Malan, Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow, Mark Wood/Chris Woakes, Dom Bess, James Anderson, Stuart Broad

Following on from what was a dismal 2022/23 campaign for Leeds United, the newly relegated side were forced to endure something of a mass exodus during the summer transfer window, with a host of first-team assets choosing to jump ship rather than ply their trade in the Championship.

Despite having been largely responsible for the club's drop back into the second tier – amid the chaos in the dugout – those figures seemingly couldn't get out the door quick enough, with 15 senior players ultimately moving on before the September deadline.

Among those to depart were a number of players who had only been signed over the previous 12 months during Jesse Marsch's ill-fated time in charge, with the likes of Brenden Aaronson and Rasmus Kristensen moving out on loan following their dismal debut campaigns.

There were also exits for the likes of Marc Roca and Max Wober – two players also signed under American – with such additions ultimately proving something of a wasted venture for the Leeds hierarchy as they failed to stave off the drop.

One asset that the Whites were likely more frustrated to see depart, however, was United States international, Tyler Adams, with the 24-year-old having been an "instrumental" cog in Leeds' midfield machine last season, as per pundit Kevin Campbell.

While an undoubted blow to see the former RB Leipzig man depart during the recent window, it does look as if the Yorkshire side were able to play a blinder with the sale of the midfield maestro, amid his plummeting valuation since departing Elland Road.

How much did Leeds pay for Tyler Adams?

The New York native had spent the previous three years in Germany prior to eventually making the move to Leeds last summer, with the defensive-minded ace having initially begun his career on the books at MLS side New York Red Bulls.

With 103 appearances under his belt for Leipzig in all competitions – scoring twice and recording just four assists in that time – the American was targeted by Marsch and co as the man to replace Kalvin Phillips in the centre of the park, following the latter man's £45m move to Manchester City.

Having worked under the then-Leeds boss previously, Adams was seemingly keen on a reunion with his compatriot as a £15m deal was ultimately sealed, joining his international colleague, Aaronson in also making the move to Elland Road that summer.

How good was Tyler Adams for Leeds?

Initially, the signing of the 5 foot 9 sensation proved a real masterstroke for the Whites, with the "tackling machine" – as hailed by Campbell – cementing himself as a truly dominant and destructive asset in front of the back four.

Amid a positive start to the campaign which saw Leeds and Marsch win their opening three Premier League games, the suggestion was that Adams had smoothly picked up where Phillips had left off before him, as pundit Noel Whelan stated:

"He’s aggressive, he reads the game, he’s never flat-footed – and watching him every week, I have to say that he’s one of the best defensive midfielders in the league at the minute. It’s what Kalvin Phillips used to do and he’s stepped right into his shoes. I don’t think we would’ve expected anyone to be just as good as Kalvin was in that area."

Such class was evidenced by the fact that the 36-cap international ultimately ended the season ranking joint-fourth in the division for tackles made – alongside Casemiro – with that coming despite missing the final 12 games of the season.

A player who also averaged 5.2 tackles and interceptions per game from his 24 league outings that season, Adams was evidently crucial to everything that was good about the club in the early phase of the campaign, hence why things unravelled following his injury setback in March.

24 games

24 starts

0 goals

0 assists

5.2 tackles and interceptions per game

57% total duels won

82% pass accuracy rate

1.0 key passes per game

Stats via Sofascore

With Leeds ultimately winning just two of those final 12 games that the midfield 'machine' was absent for, it could even be argued that such a loss culminated in their eventual relegation, with few managing to step up in his absence.

How much did Leeds sell Adams for?

Following on from that frustrating end to 2022/23, rumours were unsurprisingly rife that Adams would be on his way following the drop into the second tier – with a shock move to rivals Manchester United having even been heavily mooted.

Despite coming close to sealing a high-profile switch to free-spending Chelsea – only for the deal to collapse – it was AFC Bournemouth who ultimately won the race for his signature towards the close of the window, with the Cherries forking out a reported fee of around £24m.

Not only did that represent a profit of around £9m in the space of just a year, but such a sale also allowed new boss Daniel Farke to acquire the likes of Joel Piroe (£12m), Ethan Ampadu (£7m) and Glen Kamara (£5m) – as TEAMtalk's James Marshment noted – three players that could be crucial in the promotion push this season.

Of course, there may have been those hoping to have sold Adams for an even greater price considering the nature of the modern market, although the player's current valuation would suggest that the club played a blinder by selling him for as much as they did.

How much is Tyler Adams worth now?

It is fair to say that it has been a frustrating start to life at the Vitality Stadium for the £60k-per-week asset, having thus far failed to feature after struggling with injury in the early weeks of the new season.

Those woes have contributed to the fact that the Bournemouth man is now said to be worth just €10m (£9m), according to CIES Football Observatory, with that representing a decline of £15m since his exit just under a month ago.

While that situation may change once Adams is fit and firing again, it is not as if Farke and co are particularly missing him at present, with the aforementioned Ampadu, in particular, already shining, as the Yorkshire Evening Post's Joe Donnohue has stated:

'At 22, he remains younger than predecessors Tyler Adams and Kalvin Phillips when they each rose to prominence at Elland Road, but has already demonstrated a proficiency at the base of Daniel Farke’s midfield allaying fears that Leeds would not, or could not, adequately replace the aforementioned duo.'

As such, much like Adams briefly filled the void of Phillips, the American's place in the side has now been adequately filled by Ampadu, with those at Leeds hardly left to rue the exit of the one-time Leipzig man.