All posts by h716a5.icu

Liverpool failed to qualify for the Champions League after a terrible campaign, and while a late-season purple patch instiled optimism back into Anfield, it was too little, too late.

Despite failing to finish in the top four for the first time in seven seasons, there will be optimism that the 23/24 term can bring brighter fortunes for Jurgen Klopp's outfit, especially considering the onus is on patching up the midfield this summer – the crux of the club's problems this year.

While few, if any, supporters of the Merseyside outfit will welcome Europa League football next season, it presents an opportunity for Klopp to complete the whole gamut of silverware during his tenure while simultaneously opening the door for the younger, more peripheral players of the squad to impress on the European stage, especially in the maiden phase of the competition.

One such starlet who could find opportunities easier to come by is Layton Stewart, who has been a talismanic force for Liverpool's U21 team over the past few years and might finally be able to complete the ascent to first-team prominence.

Who is Layton Stewart?

While Liverpool's senior side have been floundering for much of the 22/23 campaign, posting 11 goals and two assists from just 12 starts in the Premier League 2 and adding another in the EFL Trophy, scoring against Salford.

It's all the more impressive when considering the detrimental ACL injury that the 20-year-old sustained in March 2021, effectively halting the progress he had made by 18 after scoring 15 times from ten appearances in the U18 Premier League in 20/21, dubbed "prolific" by journalist Glenn Price.

According to the Liverpool Echo, he has even been likened to former Reds phenom Fernando Torres, who signed for the club in 2007 for a – then – club-record £20m, and went on to plunder 81 goals and 20 assists from 141 displays, once praised as a "world-class talent" by former captain and teammate Steven Gerrard.

How could Layton Stewart perform next season?

Speaking to Football FanCast, The RedMen TV's Ste Hoare explained how Liverpool's forthcoming Europa League campaign could actually be a blessing in disguise for some of those frequenting the bench with regularity, and Stewart, who is awaiting his breakthrough to Klopp's first-team, could benefit.

Hoare said: "Maybe Europa League; that's an option for young players. In the ideal world, you'd go through the Europa League group as quick as you can and give some young players experience. Jurgen [Klopp's] done that.

"Even the Champions League, we played a dead-rubber in Milan and he picked a very inexperienced team there. So that's one option."

It certainly looks to be the perfect platform from which a precocious talent such as Stewart can use as a foundation for a prospectively 'prolific' career under Klopp's wing, and he could use the opportunity to form a deadly partnership with prodigious midfielder Stefan Bajcetic.

The 18-year-old Spaniard made 19 appearances this term and scored one goal, a surging effort against Aston Villa, and brought intensity and youthful exuberance into the squad at a time they had plummeted from prominence, with Ben Bocsak stating he looks "so mature and composed for his age".

Bajcetic would see his "exceptional" – as Klopp described – breakout season cruelly ended in March after an abductor injury ruled him out of contention until the summer, and while the Merseyside outfit are bolstering the midfield ranks ahead of the 23/24 campaign, the midfield machine will surely still play a part after his blistering maiden success.

Stewart's talismanic aura could complement Bajcetic's all-encompassing central game, and with the duo only set to continue their ascent over the next few years, the Europa League could be the perfect starting point for what could be a starring duo on the major stage for Liverpool's ambitious manager.

The allrounder batted for more than three hours to make 75 off 159 balls in the tour game against India A, who responded in kind with Shreyas Iyer smacking an unbeaten 85 off 93 balls

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Feb-2017
ScorecardMitchell Marsh followed in his brother Shaun’s footsteps, with a fifty-plus score in the tour game against India A to perhaps bolster his chances of a Test recall. He spent over three hours at the crease in Mumbai, making 75 off 159 balls with 11 fours and a six to help the Australians declare on 469 for 7 on the second day.Australia have been struggling for an allrounder to make the No. 6 spot their own and Marsh had himself enjoyed a considerably long run before he was dropped after the home series loss to South Africa late last year. He averages only 23.18 from 19 Tests so far and bowls seam up, which may go against him considering the conditions in India and the fact Australia already have Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood in their squad to swing the new ball and reverse the old.However, with his 17th first-class half-century, Marsh has done his bit to stay in contention. His nearest competitor appears to be Glenn Maxwell, who has his own issues with regards to playing up to potential in Test cricket. He is not established as a batsman, but on his day can still be explosive and can also chip in with a few overs of part-time offspin.”I’ve certainly batted more than ever over the past few weeks, just trying to get better and trying to learn as much as I can,” Marsh said of the opportunity presented by the need to rest his bowling shoulder. “You never want to get injured but it was nice to get a couple of weeks off, I’m feeling really strong at the moment so hopefully the body can hold up.”Probably the biggest thing for me has just been softening my hands, in my defence and also in my attack as well. The later you hit the ball, the easier it is to hit gaps especially in the subcontinent when it’s turning. If you have a solid defence, you can attack the balls that are there to attack and really back your defence.”That’s something I’ve learnt, playing in the subcontinent a couple of times now through my own experiences. I think I’ve just faced a lot more spin over the time, and I’ve learned that rotating the strike is really important, especially in the subcontinent for getting off strike.”India A’s batsmen too profited on a Brabourne stadium pitch that was quite true. Shreyas Iyer smashed 85 off 93 balls with five sixes and seven fours at No. 3. He was unbeaten at stumps, alongside Rishabh Pant, who was batting on 3.For the Australians, Jackson Bird was highly economical with a spell of 11-7-15-2 while Nathan Lyon provided the first wicket of the innings, dismissing Akhil Herwadkar and later accounted for Priyank Panchal, the top-scorer in India’s premier domestic first-class tournament, the Ranji Trophy, in 2016-17.

AB de Villiers rallied the middle and lower order to help South Africa score 271 for 8 before their fast bowlers scripted New Zealand’s collapse for 112

The Report by Andrew McGlashan in Wellington25-Feb-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details1:38

McGlashan: NZ batting beginning to look a little flaky

AB de Villiers had called on his batsmen to take responsibility for an innings and he showed the way in Wellington as South Africa surged to a crushing 159-run victory. De Villiers’ controlled 85, during which he became the fastest player to 9000 ODI runs, turned the tables after a middle-order slide, then the pace bowlers combined with unnerving accuracy to dismantle New Zealand for 112 in the 33rd over.Another Latham duck

6 Number of lower scores at home for New Zealand than the 112 they made against South Africa. This was also New Zealand’s lowest score against South Africa in ODIs. The previous lowest was 134 at Newlands in 1994.
3 Ducks scored by Tom Latham in his last four innings. Latham has scored 13 runs in this period.
5 Consecutive fifties for Quinton de Kock in ODIs. He equaled the record for most consecutive fifties for South Africa joining Jonty Rhodes. The overall record for most consecutive fifties is held by Javed Miandad who made nine such scores in 1987.

On a slower-than-normal pitch that offered assistance for seamers, especially in the evening, South Africa’s 271 for 8 – bolstered by a seventh-wicket stand of 84 in 10.4 overs between de Villiers and Wayne Parnell – had the makings of a demanding chase and it soon proved that way.Kagiso Rabada, back in the side after missing Christchurch, set the tone with an exemplary new-ball spell. He was followed by Andile Phehlukwayo and Dwaine Pretorius who removed the cream of New Zealand’s batting by nabbing Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor in the space of five deliveries. The pair bowled nine overs between them in their first spells, returning figures of 4 for 16, in the sort of seam-friendly conditions that could be on show in the Champions Trophy. Pretorius finished with 3 for 5 from 5.2 overs.New Zealand had entered this match buoyed by their batting performance at Hagley Oval, but this display will raise a few concerns as they fell in a heap in a manner not often seen. Tom Latham collected his third duck in four ODI innings and there was another failure for Neil Broom.They had made one change, replacing legspinner Ish Sodhi with the pace of Lockie Ferguson and may ponder if that was correct after he went for 71 in his 10 overs – the most expensive bowling performance of the day.Quinton de Kock, with his fifth 50-plus ODI score in a row, and Faf du Plessis led South Africa to 114 for 1 in the 23rd over but then followed a collapse of 5 for 66. Colin de Grandhomme gave New Zealand the control they strived for, claiming two wickets in four deliveries and bowling his 10 overs straight through, while Mitchell Santner produced another impressive performance of left-arm spin.De Grandhomme removed du Plessis who riffled a drive low to mid-off, then in what is becoming a habit on this tour, de Kock picked out the leg-side field having set himself for a century. He hung his head and could barely drag himself off.De Villiers was greeted by a hostile delivery from Ferguson which rammed into his gloves but quickly ticked off the five runs he needed to jump past Sourav Ganguly to top the 9000 list. However, senior batsmen came and went. JP Duminy, who had struggled for fluency, was run out by a direct hit from Tim Southee at backward point and David Miller chipped a low catch to midwicket which was upheld by the third umpire.AB de Villiers scored his 51st ODI half-century•AFPIn each of the three matches in this series, someone from the lower order has stepped forward for South Africa. It wasn’t Pretorius this time – he was bowled by Ferguson – but Parnell helped de Villiers stop New Zealand in their tracks.De Villiers had been above a run-a-ball early in his innings, but bided his time as he lost partners for the closing overs. Back-to-back boundaries off Ferguson, rasping shots through midwicket and cover, hustled him through the 40s and the half-century came from 59 deliveries. He went from 39 off 51 balls to 85 off 80; it was not one of de Villiers’ more explosive innings, but it was a masterclass in repairing damage, judging conditions and not overreaching.And his efforts were soon put into context. Latham middled a square drive but picked out point. Dean Brownlie then feathered to the keeper off Rabada who found considered seam movement and proceeded to work over Williamson.Williamson was dropped at slip on 4 by Hashim Amla off Parnell and alongside Taylor weathered the new balls for a period although scoring was always hard work and the pressure did not relent.Phehlukwayo had conceded just four runs into his third over when Williamson, trying to dab the ball to third man, played into his stumps and in the next over, Taylor fell across a full, straight delivery from Pretorius. He was not far off walking for the lbw decision. The stuffing had been knocked out of New Zealand’s innings and there was precious little else on offer. Broom’s poke outside off against Phehlukwayo was a poor shot and Pretorius’ miserly spell, as he nipped the ball around off the seam under the lights, also accounted for Mitchell Santner.New Zealand’s total was their lowest completed innings at home since being bowled out for 73 by Sri Lanka, in Auckland in 2007, and the result their heaviest runs defeat to South Africa.

Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane is believed to be open to a potential move away to Bayern Munich this summer but Daniel Levy will not make any deal easy.

How much is Harry Kane worth?

Despite the north London club enduring a seriously underwhelming 2022/23 campaign, it was not a season to forget for Kane on a personal note.

Indeed, the 29-year-old striker enjoyed one of his best individual Premier League campaigns after returning an impressive 30 league goals.

To put that into context, his return was only six short of the Golden Boot winner, Erling Haaland, who was operating in a Manchester City side which won the title.

And it is apparent his stunning displays across his career at Tottenham has earned him a lot of interested potential suitors.

The likes of Manchester United have been heavily linked with a possible move for the England captain this summer, but are believed to have since pulled out of the race.

Now, it seems as if a potential move abroad could potentially be opening up for the 29-year-old with the Bundesliga champions reportedly making their move in the last few days.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano has claimed the striker is believed to be open to a possible move to Munich but any deal would be made difficult by Levy:

"From what I understand, and I always said even when he was linked with Real Madrid, Daniel Levy – Tottenham chairman – is going to make this deal very difficult. He wants to keep the player the club is still dreams of Harry Kane as Tottenham player for the next season and for the future."

"They don't want to give up on the story for Harry Kane also because they feel that the player will be open to make this move happen. So Harry Kane is not saying no to Bayern and this is why they sent an official bid and this is why they want to insist but it's also crucial to understand Tottenham's position in this story. They don't want to make it happen."

Should Harry Kane leave Spurs?

There was certainly a lot that went on in north London last season which could potentially make the England captain keen to find a new adventure this summer.

Tottenham's eighth place finish was largely as a result of the stunning form in front of goal shown by the 29-year-old who after he scored 43% of the club's leagues goals.

However, another season showing similar form in front of goal could potentially take him within 30 goals of matching Alan Shearer's all-time record.

It is apparent Levy will be in no mood to see his prized assed leave this summer under any circumstances which could potentially lead to a messy affair in north London.

But if Kane is adamant on leaving, then next summer would allow him free rein over his options and would even allow him a bigger scope to negotiate a better deal for himself.

There promises to be a lot of change at Spurs this summer with the arrival of Ange Postecoglou and the expected signing of James Maddison.

And perhaps the early signs being shown from Levy to wrap up the signing of Maddison, for example, may be enough to persuade Kane to give Spurs one more chance.

South Africa advanced determinedly towards a 3-0 whitewash of Sri Lanka by taking just 17 overs to dismiss the opposition on the third morning

The Report by Alan Gardner14-Jan-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsDuanne Olivier claimed five wickets in the match on debut•Gallo ImagesSixteen wickets, 228 runs, 59.3 overs. South Africa’s pace attack delivered a swift and brutal dismemberment to seal victory at the Wanderers inside three days and confirm a 3-0 sweep in the series. Sri Lanka only managed one half-century in the match – although that was an improvement on the second Test – and could not even last long enough for the possibility of a Johannesburg thunderstorm to provide a stay of execution.Faf du Plessis had hesitated to enforce the follow-on in Cape Town but showed no search mercy as the Bullring bayed for blood. Kagiso Rabada and Vernon Philander started the job, Wayne Parnell and the debutant Duanne Olivier took sadistic pleasure in twisting the knife. Parnell finished with six wickets in the match and Olivier five, heartening performances for South African cricket after a week spent in the shadow of Kolpak.Having capitulated in the morning session to concede a 295-run deficit, Sri Lanka lost a wicket in the second over of their second attempt and needed Dimuth Karunaratne’s 50, as well as some lost-cause humpty for the eighth wicket, to prevent total humiliation. Karunaratne, having avoided a pair, survived being dropped on 16 to record his highest score of the series but there was little resistance forthcoming from elsewhere.South Africa’s bowlers gave an exhibition in how to hunt tentative prey on a fast pitch but some of the catching was just as spectacular. They saved their best efforts in the field for Sri Lanka’s captain, Angelo Mathews, who was dismissed twice in the day. Quinton de Kock had produced a pearler in the first innings but du Plessis surpassed him with another one-handed effort (without the aid of gloves) at second slip, from a fierce, top-edged hack by Mathews, leaping to take the ball high above his head before landing on his knees and roaring like a gladiator over a vanquished opponent.When Rabada burst through to rattle Karunaratne’s stumps shortly before tea – which was put back to make up for time lost on day two – the end was in sight. Suranga Lakmal proceeded to thrash 31 off 26 during a 43-run frolic with Upul Tharanga to take Sri Lanka past their first-innings 131 but another brilliant running catch from JP Duminy ended the fun as Parnell and Olivier shared the last three wickets without conceding a run to seal a hefty innings win.Rabada had been held back until second change in the first innings but this time du Plessis gave the crowd what they wanted. His opening salvo was a beast of a delivery: Kaushal Silva reacted as if bitten by a cobra but could not remove his glove in time as the ball reared at him from a length.Kusal Mendis almost suffered the same fate to his first ball and also edged short of first slip but Sri Lanka made it to lunch one down. Rabada beat Mendis with the regularity of a sheet-metal worker as the close catchers prowled and supporters on the grass banks hooted encouragement; Mendis responded by shifting his stance on to leg stump and trying to come down the pitch to Philander. It was a high-wire act and, after striking five boundaries, Mendis chopped an inswinging delivery from Parnell into the top of off stump.Parnell ought to have had the wicket of Karunaratne earlier in the over but Dean Elgar could not hold a low edge going two-handed to his right from third slip. The second-wicket stand did yield 37 runs but Sri Lanka were trying to construct a cardboard fort in a howling Highveld gale, as Dhananjaya de Silva and Dinesh Chandimal both fell providing catching practice to the slips.During the morning session, South Africa claimed the six wickets they required to make Sri Lanka bat again in just 17 overs. With a lively Wanderers surface at their disposal, Du Plessis judged correctly that his attack had enough left in the tank, having lost some 25 overs on the second evening and with the possibility of rain returning at some point.It had threatened to be a carve up from the moment South Africa had the ball in hand and, without the bad weather to delay them, the bowlers were quickly back into their work. In his second over of the morning, Philander moved the ball seductively away from Chandimal to graze the outside edge and provide a catch for de Kock.Mathews fell to the same manner of dismissal – at least as far as the scorecard was concerned. He had already successfully reviewed Bruce Oxenford’s lbw decision off Philander, saved by a thin inside edge with height also in question, when he fended at a rapid delivery from Rabada that held its line outside off. The edge may have been travelling straight to Hashim Amla at first slip but de Kock got there first, intercepting one-handed at full stretch, a magnificent catch even if it didn’t quite stick cleanly in the glove at the first attempt.Sri Lanka had raised three figures by that point but would not get much further. Olivier claimed his first Test wicket with a venomous bouncer that Rangana Herath could only dolly to square leg via an awkward contortion and a brief flurry of blows from Tharanga could not delay the inevitable.Lakmal chipped Parnell lackadaisically to extra cover and Olivier then achieved some extra bounce from a length to take the shoulder of the bat and extract Tharanga. Nuwan Pradeep was the last to fall, popping a catch back to the bowler; Parnell adjudged to have taken the ball just above the turf after several replays for the third umpire. A few hours later he was celebrating finishing off the Sri Lanka innings for a second time.

Jose Mourinho has quit his position on the UEFA football board following his spat with referee Anthony Taylor after AS Roma's Europa League final loss.

What happened between Jose Mourinho and Anthony Taylor?

The Portuguese manager was incensed with the referee after his side lost on penalties in the final to Sevilla, and he quickly let him know about it.

The situation led to Taylor receiving abuse from numerous Roma fans shortly afterwards – with his family harassed at an airport – and an Italian man was even arrested for his role in the abuse.

For his role in inciting the incident, Mourinho – who was spotted waiting for the referee in a car park after the final – has been punished with a four-match ban which will come into effect at the start of next season.

Clearly unhappy with the decision, the former Chelsea manager has let the UEFA football board know he was immediately stepping down from his role with the group, reports The Athletic.

How did Jose Mourinho quit the board?

After finding out about his four-match ban, Mourinho immediately quit the board, informing UEFA Chief of Football Zvonimir Boban in the form of a letter.

The letter read: "In thanking you for the invitation you extended to me to be a member of the UEFA football board, I regret to inform you that, effective immediately, I will be renouncing my participation in this group.

“I kindly ask that you also communicate my decision to the President Mr. Aleksander Ceferin.”

Roma are expected to launch an appeal to overturn Mourinho's ban but will hold off until they receive UEFA's written reasons for the ban, before moving forward with it.

Has Jose Mourinho been involved in any other controversy in the past?

The incident is far from the first controversial moment of Mourinho's career, though, with the former Chelsea boss prone to some pretty wild moments.

One example of the Portuguese coach making headlines for the wrong reasons was his incredible seven-minute rant following Chelsea's 3-1 loss to Southampton in October 2015.

Enraged by the result, he went crazy in his post-match interview, calling out match officials, even saying the following: "I think it’s time to be a little bit honest and to say clearly that referees are afraid to give decisions for Chelsea."

Another controversial moment in his career was calling former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger a "specialist in failure" followings a war of the words between the two coaches in 2014.

Love him or hate him, there's no denying that Mourinho is one of football's biggest characters, and it's almost certain that this latest episode of controversy won't be the last in his career.

Fast bowler Kamrul Islam Rabbi will replace Shafiul Islam who has been ruled out of the limited-overs matches against New Zealand

Mohammad Isam07-Dec-2016Fast bowler Kamrul Islam Rabbi has been named as a replacement for Shafiul Islam in Bangladesh’s 22-man preliminary squad that will train in Sydney from December 11 in preparation for the tour to New Zealand.Shafiul was ruled out after he injured his left hamstring while fielding for Khulna Titans in Qualifier 1 of the BPL against Dhaka Dynamites on December 6, just three days before Bangladesh were scheduled to leave Dhaka. Shafiul took 18 wickets in 13 matches during the tournament, and showed rare consistency in form and fitness. But now, he needs at least three weeks to recover from the Grade 2 strain.Shafiul’s injury is the latest blow to Bangladesh, who already lost Mohammad Shahid to a knee injury. However, chief selector Minhajul Abedin said they were still hoping Shafiul would recover in time for the Test series which begins on January 12. “Shafiul is ruled out of the limited-overs matches, but if he recovers early, he will be considered for the Tests,” he said.Rabbi, who made his Test debut against England in October, was picked ahead of pacemen Al-Amin Hossain and Alauddin Babu who are among the standbys. Rabbi was also among the standbys and was not included in the 22-man squad after which he took seven wickets in eight BPL games for Barisal Bulls.Minhajul said that Al-Amin’s disciplinary record also played a part in him not being considered. “We have heard negative things about him from other places, so we didn’t bring him in our discussion,” he said.

Tottenham Hotspur could be set to revisit an old acquisition, seeking to make a questionable loan permanent.

What's the latest on Clement Lenglet to Tottenham Hotspur?

That's according to Spanish publication Sport, who suggest that Ange Postecoglou is keen to add Clement Lenglet to his squad for the foreseeable future, despite the French defender having struggled in north London.

The club have reportedly reaffirmed in recent months their satisfaction with his performances in a Spurs shirt, and therefore their willingness to strike a deal with Barcelona.

With three years left on his whopping £200k-per-week deal at the Spanish club, and the Catalan giants once again strapped for cash, they are seeking out a figure of around €12m (£10m) to recoup a portion of the €36m (£31m) they first invested.

Would Clement Lenglet be a smart signing for Tottenham Hotspur?

Whilst such a small fee would represent good value to add some depth to the squad, his performances for the Lilywhites were nothing short of abysmal in their most recent term.

Although it had been claimed so back in 2020, he really proved journalist Roy Nemer correct this season, who had branded him a "defensive liability". It could even be argued that the 27-year-old was even worse than Eric Dier, who acted as something of a lightning rod for criticism under Antonio Conte.

The England international may have been poor, but his 6.86 average rating was a far cry from the left-footed flop that Lenglet turned out to be. This figure was upheld by his 86% pass accuracy and 1.1 interceptions, 0.9 tackles and 3.3 clearances per game in the league, via Sofascore.

For comparison, the former Sevilla stopper saw his average rating plummet to 6.65, made worse due to his positional culpability and failure to dominate as expected. He would only muster 0.7 interceptions and 2.6 clearances per game in the league, also per Sofascore.

Even at the Nou Camp, his most recent year saw an average rating of 6.67 maintained too.

Despite this, it was the former Everton youth product that was most often lambasted, with talkSPORT pundit Darren Ambrose grouping him up with others who were "not good enough" for the club. He has become an easy target for ridicule in recent years.

It seems an easy excuse to rush at Dier for his failures, forgetting that the 29-year-old has been an ever-loyal servant to this club, making 361 appearances and enjoying some truly impressive spells. As recently as the 2021/22 season did he record a 7.01 average rating.

For all his shortcomings he at least deserves some credit, especially ahead of this loanee whom he actually outperformed during their most recent torrid campaign.

Lenglet could mark a bargain, but if he performs consistently like he did last term, at a level way below one of the club's most polarising figures, then it is a deal not even worth spending £10m on.

Liverpool youngster Fabio Carvalho just doesn't fit the system at Anfield, claims RedMenTV host, Ste Hoare.

The 20-year-old joined the Reds last summer and after initially impressing early on this season, things haven't quite gone to plan.

In fact, he's played just eight Premier League minutes in 2023, and that could be down to Jurgen Klopp's tactics.

What's the latest on Fabio Carvalho's future at Liverpool?

The former Fulham midfielder has been linked with a move away from Anfield, but the club are only prepared to let him go out on loan, recently rejecting a £10m bid from Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig.

With the arrival of Alexis Mac Allister, and reports suggesting Liverpool are pursuing several midfielders, there's going to be plenty of competition in the middle of the park for the club, and it seems Carvalho won't fit into plans this season.

A number of Premier League sides, including his former club Fulham are interested in taking the Portuguese youngster on loan, with several offers currently on the table, but it remains to be seen where he'll end up.

What has Ste Hoare said about Fabio Carvalho and Liverpool?

Despite Carvalho's struggles at Liverpool this season, Hoare believes it's not down to talent, but a lack of fit in Klopp's system that has caused the £16m-rated midfielder problems this year.

Speaking to Football FanCast, the RedMenTV host said:

"It's mad because Liverpool tried so hard to sign Carvalho. They beat so many teams, they paid more than they needed to make sure they got him.

"They really liked what they saw and by all accounts, he is a good player, he just doesn't fit the system."

How did Fabio Carvalho perform this season compared to last year?

While making the move from Fulham and Championship football, to one of the Premier League's biggest sides in Liverpool was always going to be tough, Carvalho's spell in Merseyside has seen his game time and output drop drastically.

Across the board, the 20-year-old's statistical numbers have all decreased this year, which is hardly a surprise given his lack of regular minutes.

Last year, the midfielder completed 1.2 dribbles per game for Fulham, seeing that number drop dramatically to 0.2 per game for Klopp's men this season, whilst his WhoScored average rating dropped from 7.11 at Fulham to 6.37 for the Reds, and he went from completing 1.7 key passes per game at Craven Cottage, to a measly 0.1 this campaign.

At 20 years old, there's still plenty of time for Carvalho, who is sponsored by Nike, to turn his Liverpool career around and a spell out on loan may be the catalyst in that, but if he doesn't fit the system now, who's to say he will when he comes back.

Australia coach Darren Lehmann said that the team did not need any more members added to the support staff, to aid the spinners, saying that they have often used spin consultants for Asian tours

Daniel Brettig28-Nov-2016Australia’s coach Darren Lehmann bristled at suggestions that he or his support staff needed further change or “reinvention” following a drought-breaking victory over South Africa in Adelaide, at the same time revealing how much pressure he has been under in recent weeks.Lehmann did not enjoy being told through the press by team performance manager Pat Howard that he needed to “reinvent” himself as a coach following the recent run of five consecutive defeats, a streak that also coincided with the release of an autobiographical book, , which outlines his philosophies.”I was going to wear a suit to the press conference,” Lehmann quipped when asked about Howard’s words. “I didn’t. I chose not to.”Lehmann was also unhappy to be quizzed on the role of spin coach John Davison, who has a strong working relationship with the team’s No. 1 spin bowler Nathan Lyon but is only seen sporadically on tour with him. Australia is a rare case of an international team not having a full-time spin coach, not only to work with spin bowlers but also to hone the part-time skills of batsmen who bowl spin.After a recent dry spell, Lyon bowled beautifully in Adelaide with the benefit of Davison’s presence, and he has historically tended to perform at his best when his trusted mentor is nearby. However, Lehmann said he did not want to add to the number of support staff already with the team, and argued that other consultants had been used for Asian tours.”So you want another staff member on tour?” Lehmann replied to a question about Davison. “A lot of people say it’s a question of numbers. John’s obviously got other roles as well, so he has been working with Nathan throughout the preparation phase of all Test matches. So he has been around, just Adelaide he stayed around.”I would have thought we’ve had Murali [Muttiah Muralitharan] and had Sri [Sridharan Sriram], so we’ve had a couple around the place. Davo’s come around on tours. When we’re away, we normally take one. I don’t think we haven’t taken one to the subcontinent.”Lehmann admitted that Lyon had responded well to criticism he had faced from both outside the team and within. “I’m just pleased for the players. The players have copped a lot over the last few weeks and they’ve responded really well,” he said. “Obviously, a change of players as well. You feel sad for the blokes who missed out in this Test match, but the guys who came in did a really good job. Steve [Smith] summed it up – a new young group going forward, really pleased for them.”Overall, [Usman] Khawaja was outstanding in the first innings. He put away his cover drive and really summed up conditions well. They all did their job. It was great to see Nathan Lyon, who has copped a lot from everyone – including us, I suppose, as staff and selectors. He really did a great job for us this game as well.”Public pressure on Lehmann and the selectors was underlined by his assertion that Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood will play in the ODI series against New Zealand that now takes place before the Pakistan Tests. “We get in trouble if we don’t play them,” he said. “Not sure about that [resting them]. But they’re going to play. At some stage.”We gave them a break, didn’t we? So they should get through the summer. But we got in trouble for that as well. You’re damned if you do, damned if you don’t. The simple fact is day-night Test match, day off, helps us in the three one-dayers. So they should be fine there.”Then, it’s a day-night Test match in Brisbane, so they should be right to get through the summer and it’s a pretty important summer as we know, it’s very important. They led our attack really well and stood up for us.”They’ve just got to be really fit and fresh, as much as you possibly can. There’s so much cricket all year round. Do you learn your lesson along the way? You do. But, as long as they’re fresh and going okay, there’s no problems playing them. But the advantage we had in them not going to South Africa as such is that Hazlewood’s fresh as a daisy. He’s going really well. And bowled probably the best he has bowled in the last couple of summers, I thought, in this series.”