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Newcastle were pretty woeful during last nights defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates last night, with the side never looking like getting back into the game following the opening goal.

They gave possession away too easily throughout, lacked creativity and never looked capable of stringing passes together in a bid to unlock an Arsenal side that looked confident from the outset.

Fans must have lost count at the number of times Rafa Benitez’s side tried to play cross-field or diagonal balls, only for them to be off target — usually being yards short of a teammate — and just being swept up by a red shirt.

The stats do not make pleasant reading, with Newcastle only managing 286 passes to Arsenal’s 700, but only 185 of those were accurate, compared to Arsenal’s 600. That gave Benitez’s side just 65 per cent pass success — and most of those were across the back four, or negative passes back to them.

The one player with the vision and ability to consistently find a key ball, is Jonjo Shelvey, and the sight of him sitting on the bench, not even being brought on in the second half, will have even the most ardent of Rafa fans, questioning his decision.

It seems a strange situation. Shelvey was the first choice midfielder, and even during times when his form dipped, he was still able to find passes that none of his teammates could.

Then, of course, he got injured, as did Ki Sung Yueng and Mo Diame, which gave Sean Longstaff his chance, along with Isaac Hayden.

The young duo performed wonderfully well together, and so it made sense that when the elder trio returned to fitness they would not walk straight back into the starting lineup.

But then came Longstaff’s injury blow.

Ki was brought in to replace him, then Diame got a chance. But it has been noticeable, that Hayden has not performed as well with either of these two, than he did with Longstaff.

But whereas Diame and Ki both got opportunities, Shelvey has been limited to ten minute cameos, if he is lucky.

The Magpies desperately needed some inspiration from the middle of the park last night, and yet, Shelvey was left on the bench, with Ki coming on for Hayden, and doing a poor job when he did.

So the question is: what has happened between Rafa and Shelvey?

Clearly, there must be a reason why he is not getting game time, and the excuse of building fitness up following his injury spell, does not wash anymore.

Of course, we are not privy to what goes on behind the scenes, but with the rumours and speculation surrounding the former Swansea midfielder and West Ham refusing to go away, it makes you wonder if there were some knocks on the manager’s door in January asking about moves away.

But regardless, it is about picking up points first, and internal club politics second. After all, Hayden has been clear, open and adamant about wanting to leave, but he is still playing games.

It is a difficult thing for fans to work out, and after none of Diame, Hayden or Ki did themselves any favours last night, it will be very interesting to see if Benitez turns to Shelvey against Crystal Palace on Saturday.

With three points being an absolute must, the Geordie fans will be hoping so.

What do you think of the Shelvey situation? Should he be starting in the Newcastle midfield? Join in the debate and let us know your thoughts…

Some crazy times are unfolding at West Ham United right now.

Indeed, the Hammers pulled off the most remarkable of comebacks against Huddersfield Town, successfully avoiding back-to-back defeats against Premier League relegation contenders.

While Manuel Pellegrini’s men showed impressive fighting spirit to claw back from being 3-1 down to eventually steal it in the end, they should’ve never been caught in such an embarrassing predicament to begin with. Frankly, Huddersfield pounced on some shambolic defending from the Hammers, scoring goals which could’ve easily been avoided.

Complacency will be pointed out whenever debating the disappointing defensive showcase, but this isn’t the first time the Hammers have struggled to keep out lowly opponents. Their defence tends to switch off way too many times, resulting in too many near-disasters. The fact that they’ve only kept 5 clean sheets and conceded 46 goals this season proves their defence can’t be trusted.

If Manuel Pellegrini wishes to get back among the heavyweights, he needs to work on their defensive issues. Pablo Zabaleta needs a more dynamic replacement. Angelo Ogbonna tends to lose concentration and making silly mistakes much too often. Issa Diop isn’t mobile enough and needs a strong partner to get him functioning.

While Mark Noble and Declan Rice have both tried their best to shield their defence, their hard-work is often undone by defensive hiccups. West Ham needs to invest in defenders more than anything else. That’s a demand Pellegrini must take to David Gold and David Sullivan this summer. No doubt about it.

They need proper centre-backs, mobile full-backs and experienced candidates who can fend off the shakiness and protect them from being exposed by weaker opponents throughout Pellegrini’s tenure.

West Ham fans, which defenders would you want to sign this summer? Join the discussion by commenting below…

The notoriety of Portsmouth’s transfer news has lessened somewhat after the carnage of the last decade, and fans would be disappointed to hear that one of their modest recent targets is now excelling in the Premier League.

Before their desperately sad fall from the Premier League into the fourth tier of English football, Pompey fans had seen it all; players who had won Premier League titles; individuals who would go on to win major European competitions; proper, quality footballers who just couldn’t make it work on the south coast.

Now, fighting their way back up the football leagues, we take a look at one player who could have really made a difference…

Sean Longstaff – 2018

Sean Longstaff was a relatively unknown name before his rapid ascent to stardom in Newcastle and was a major target for Portsmouth at the start of the current season, according to the Shields Gazette.

In fact, the deal was almost done until Benitez cancelled (via the Chronicle) on the day he was due to arrive. Probably the right choice from Newcastle’s perspective, but a real nightmare for Pompey.

The young midfielder, who now turns out for Rafael Benitez’s side on a regular basis, scored his first goal for the club on Tuesday night in their victory over Burnley, continuing his run of good form.

Indeed, Longstaff is a truly tenacious player that’s made the most of a golden opportunity to prove himself, battling his way through the system and ultimately earning a place in the public eye.

And that’s exactly what Portsmouth could have done with this season: a quality player desperate to prove himself.

Yes – 4th place certainly isn’t the worst. But they had a great chance to earn an automatic spot into the Championship this season and they’ve all but squandered it to Barnsley and Luton, and potentially the ever-present Sunderland.

The move may have only been on a loan basis but with Portsmouth now struggling could have made a huge impact. Now described as ‘better’ than Declan Rice by BT Sport pundit Martin Keown (via the Daily Star), he could have helped Kenny Jackett’s side keep the pace in League One.

According to The Birmingham Mail, Aston Villa look unlikely to land target Harold Moukoudi this January. 

The 21-year-old defender is currently with Ligue 2 outfit Le Havre, but his agent has said that the player is more likely to join a Ligue 1 side rather than move abroad.

This would have been a great addition to Dean Smith’s squad, not only for this season, but for many years to come. He would have added security to The Villans’ defence, which looks disconcertingly barren at the moment. Furthermore, the Frenchman would have been a huge figure in the Villa defence next season for a promotion push, or even in the Premier League.

The Lions have already signed Kortney Hause this month on loan from Wolves, but that was surely not going to be enough for a defence that has only had one fit centre-back on a number of occasions this season. Aston Villa will want another new face at Villa Park in defence this January, and this latest news will therefore be a huge blow to Villa.

However, with over a week remaining in the transfer window to recruit a new name, Villa still have time, but it is certainly running out. Villa fans would be severely worried if it reaches the final days of the window and they have not signed someone else, but that could be a reality. Of course, a lot of this depends on FFP rules, as Villa have had a lot of financial problems, but fans and staff at Villa will be the first to say that the defence is still a problem for the club.

The 33-year-old striker has made a strong impact at Santiago Bernabeu despite the pressure on him to step into Karim Benzema's shoes

Prior to the second half of Real Madrid's eventual 3-1 loss to Atletico Madrid on Sunday, Carlo Ancelotti surveyed his bench. He peered over an admittedly thin unit, but an elite one nonetheless. He could call on midfielder Aurelian Tchouameni, No.10 Brahmin Díaz, or the dynamic Dani Ceballos.

Instead, with his team trailing, and the need to change the game, Ancelotti introduced a gangly, 6’3, 33-year-old striker: Joselu. He is not the archetype of human, never mind elite footballer, to change a contest of such magnitude. But it wasn’t exactly a poor selection from Ancelotti, either. Madrid were markedly better with the big striker in the second half, creating more chances, registering more shots, and enjoying a larger percentage of possession in the Atletico defensive third. Joselu did little to change the result, but Madrid’s performance undoubtedly improved.

The presence of this anti-Galactico has bolstered Madrid on a number of occasions already this season. Joselu is not a big-money signing who will break any records, or sell many shirts. But he is, undoubtedly, a presence, a player who will at the very least make things awkward for the opposition. And for a Madrid side lacking an attacking focal point, it's an invaluable attribute, as well as a fulfilment of a lifelong dream for a former Madridista whose career threatened to careen off course along the way.

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  Fitting in at the top level

  Strikers like Joselu don't exist for big clubs anymore. All centre-forwards — regardless of size — have to bring more to their game than just finishing. Harry Kane, for example, is big, but passes like a No.10. Romelu Lukaku is lethal when rolling his defender. And Erling Haaland is some sort of hyper-athletic, deadly Nordic alien. There isn't usually room for the slow, gangly tall guy who likes to run.

  But Madrid have found it for Joselu. Ancelotti's systems are more tactically intricate than he gets credit for, but the legendary Italian manager has won a lot at Madrid because he puts 11 very good players on the pitch, who can all play together. It is, after all, inherently limiting to ask Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, Vinicius Jr or Jude Bellingham to modify their role, or curb their footballing instincts.

  In the past, this all worked through the feet of Karim Benzema. The Ballon d'Or-winning striker was equal parts roaming forward and deadly finisher. He could both score in bunches and link play for others — sort of floating around as a false nine. His departure has left a hole — one that Bellingham has surprisingly filled this year with goals of his own. But the England midfielder does not offer the striker's presence that Benzema did.

  And that is where Joselu comes in. With Vinicius having missed a month of action through injury, the Spaniard has largely played alongside Rodrygo up front for Los Blancos, and generally lived in the box, taking on the opposing defence's biggest centre-back. He battles so Rodrygo can roam and Bellingham can ghost into the box. Joselu is effectively an elite facilitator — all without touching the ball.

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  Putting the ball in the net

  Joselu's signing was met by confusion for a lot of those outside Spain — and for good reason.

  But it's a largely unfair criticism. There are many elite footballers — especially Spanish ones — who simply do not make it in England. Iago Aspas, now a modern La Liga stalwart, flopped at Liverpool. Fernando Morientes, considered Spanish goalscoring royalty when he arrived in England in 2005, scored only eight times in 41 appearances. Alvaro Morata is remembered with chagrin by Chelsea fans, but has been a solid centre-forward for Atletico Madrid.

  Joselu fell victim to the same issue, and perhaps it was his stint in England that helped revive his career when he returned to Spain. Since arriving at Alaves in 2019, aged 29, he has scored double-digit goals every season, most recently bagging 16 for an Espanyol side that won just four games last campaign. This is a player who was handed his Spain debut at 32, and scored the winner in the Nations League semi-final to mark his second cap.

  At Madrid, on his return to his boyhood club, he has found the net on a couple of occasions. Two in six games doesn't jump off the page, but both have been in one-goal wins, and he assisted the winner against Celta Vigo, too. Madrid have won six games from seven in all competitions so far, and Joselu's contributions have been crucial in three of them.

• Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images
  

  Love of the club

  The smile on Joselu's face after scoring his first Madrid goal was one of those rare heartwarming things in football. It was May 21, 2011, and Madrid were thrashing Almeria. In the 86th minute, Joselu, introduced as a substitute, ghosted off the far shoulder of the last defender and met Cristiano Ronaldo's cross in stride, right as the ball pinged off the turf, striking it on the rise to make a very tricky finish look markedly easy. It was Madrid's eighth goal of the evening, but Joselu celebrated it like he had scored a last-minute winner.

  It took 12 years for him to bag his second for club, and that one was met with equal delight. This time, it was a rebound that fell kindly to the big Spaniard, who thrashed it home to equalise against Getafe. He needed a few seconds of an excited sprint towards the fans before realising that his team-mates were all returning to the centre-circle in the hunt for a winner.

  And perhaps those reactions are most emblematic of what Joselu brings. There are a lot of Madrid players who want to play for Madrid because of the name, the badge, the status. Bellingham, Madrid's other summer signing, said it himself: "Real Madrid is the greatest club in history and there aren't many players who get to play for such a magnificent and historic club. I'm very grateful to those who brought me here."

  Joselu, though, has a real connection. Although he came up through the Celta Vigo youth system, he was bought by Madrid as an 18-year-old, and impressed for Madrid's Castilla side, before being offered a chance at the first team two years later. And the energy of a 20-year-old trying to earn his spot at one of the world's biggest clubs still remains. The statistics tell some of the story — Joselu's numbers on clearances and interceptions are among the best in the world among strikers, per .

  But the eye test offers more. Joselu never stops moving. He presses the defensive line when Madrid push up. He drops into a deeper position when they soak up pressure. He makes the runs to the back post that don't matter. He offers himself in space for quick interchanges. These are all things that his predecessor was better at — of course Benzema was. But those gangly legs are always in motion, always for the badge of the club he loves.

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• Real Madrid
  

  Keeping Mbappe's seat warm?

  Real Madrid agreed to bring Joselu in on a loan deal with Espanyol, with a potential option to make the deal permanent at the end of the season. So far, it has seemed like a surprisingly shrewd signing for a team that didn't sign Kylian Mbappe — as many perhaps expected they would.

  But that will likely all change next summer. Mbappe has reportedly agreed on a deal to amicably exit Paris Saint-Germain in 2024. Madrid, by then, will presumably be able to pay whatever fees — to PSG or otherwise — are needed to make the deal happen. It's a presumptive move that will push Joselu further down the pecking order.

  For now, the Spaniard is a reliable fill-in for a side that is still growing into a new 4-4-2 formation. When Mbappe arrives, the system will likely change for him. It's hard to see Madrid needing a true No.9 in their squad as anything but an occasional cup option, or late sub to relieve one of their front three.

  So, Joselu effectively has his one season to make an impact. And maybe he hasn't picked the year made for the most success. Barcelona appear well poised to challenge Madrid for the title and there are undoubtedly more well-rounded teams in the Champions League. That this is likely Ancelotti's final season in club management won't help, either.

  Still, for Madrid's anti-Galactico, a player who has waited for his Bernabeu dream to come true, he might just have the kind of impact necessary to keep Madrid challenging on all fronts.

They may have struggled this season, but Southampton, Leicester and Leeds have plenty of talented players to sell this summer

The Premier League relegation battle is done and dusted, then, and boy did it get nervy. Southampton went early, and Leeds' fate was sealed early enough on the final day too, as they were battered by Tottenham.

For Leicester, though, there was hope and there was despair. There was light at the end of the tunnel, and then darkness when the final whistle came. Everton's win over Bournemouth condemned the Foxes, who become only the second Premier League winning club, after Blackburn in 1999, to drop into the Championship.

For all three relegated clubs, the consequences of falling into the second tier are huge. Managers will lose their jobs, fan will ask questions, there will be staff cuts and, in the case of Leicester in particular, serious financial issues will loom large.

Players, too, face uncertain futures. Relegation may be an occupational hazard for professionals, but it is still a stain on the CV, one which can and will impact their career thereafter.

There are, though, some extremely talented footballers who could now find themselves available this summer. And if any of these players are on the market, expect there to be plenty of clubs queuing up to sign them…

GettyJames Maddison

There is a case to say that Leicester possess the best collection of players ever relegated from the Premier League. Maddison, undoubtedly, is the jewel in their crown, and it is inconceivable that the England midfielder could be playing in the Championship next season.

With 10 goals and nine assists this season, the 26-year-old will surely have his eye on a summer move, even if the Foxes beat the drop.

Would suit: Anyone looking for more attacking output from midfield/the No.10 position. Tottenham could do a lot worse, and Newcastle are long-time admirers. Arsenal have been in the past, but do they really need him now?

AdvertisementGetty ImagesJames Ward-Prowse

Another England international who has carried the creative and goalscoring burden for his side, Ward-Prowse probably should have moved on a couple of years back, but at 28 the time has surely come for a change of scenery.

His set-piece prowess alone would garner interest, but he is also a solid all-round performer, a consistent presence, a good passer and a terrific professional. After over 400 games, he will leave St Mary's a hero, despite relegation.

Would suit: A team in need of consistent performers and solid characters. Tottenham perhaps, or West Ham when Declan Rice leaves?

GettyWilly Gnonto

Quite how the Italy international has found himself in and out of a Leeds side that has spent most of the season in the mire is anyone's guess, but one thing's for sure; Gnonto won't be at Elland Road next season.

At 19, this is a seriously-gifted young wide player, one capable of playing at the very highest level. He might not have consistency in his game yet, but it only needs a bit of careful coaching to bring that out, surely? Gnonto would improve just about every squad in the Premier League, and plenty of starting XIs.

Would suit: Assuming he were to stay in England, then Newcastle, Brighton and Aston Villa would be strong options. Plenty of Serie A clubs would love him, too.

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GettyRomeo Lavia

Lavia's first full season in professional football may have ended in disappointment, but there is no doubt that the 19-year-old has furthered his reputation in a big way since his move to Southampton from Manchester City last summer.

Sharp, technically excellent and smart tactically, the Belgian teenager is destined for bigger and better things, with a host of clubs already very enamoured.

Would suit: Just about any top club looking to add quality. Liverpool and Chelsea could do far worse, and City have a buy-back clause which comes into operation next year.

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Em entrevista após o clássico onde o Bahia venceu no Barradão o Vitória por 1 a 0 pelo Campeonato Baiano no último domingo (1), o vice-presidente do Tricolor, Vitor Ferraz, mostrou que o clube estava bastante insatisfeito com a atuação da arbitragem do BaVi. Em especial, com o assistenteAlessandro Matos.

Para ele, não havia motivo para a não marcação de penalidade no lance envolvendo o atacante Gustavo e o goleiro do rival, Lucas Arcanjo, ainda na primeira etapa. A sua avaliação foi, inclusive, em tom de questionamento sobre o porque Alessandro voltou a trabalhar em um clássico após longo tempo de “inatividade” nesse tipo de confronto:

-Queria reforçar o nosso aborrecimento com o nível da arbitragem. Um clássico dessa envergadura não pode ser apitado por alguém que não reúne condições técnicas. O pênalti foi grosseiro e assusta como um bandeirinha Fifa como Alessandro Matos não tenha dado. Foi na frente dele e ele se omitiu. Alessandro Matos ficou dez anos sem apitar um Ba-Vi. Por que ele voltou?

Amenizando um pouco o tom de suas palavras, o vice-presidente garante que não entende como ato de “ma-fé” por parte do assistente, mas reforçou que houve a apresentação de uma reclamação ao mandatário da Federação Baiana de Futebol, Ednaldo Rodrigues.

-Não estou dizendo que foi ma fé, mas quando se é flagrante que não se reúne condições para atuar, é necessário agir preventivamente. Já relatei a insatisfação ao presidente da Federação Bahiana de Futebol e vamos fazer uma representação oficial. É bom fazer isso quando a gente ganha, porque a arbitragem está deixando a desejar – ratificou Vitor.

A round-up of the Dhaka Premier League matches played on May 6, 2016

Mohammad Isam06-May-2016

Mohammedan Sporting Club leapfrogged Gazi Group Cricketers on the points table by beating them in Mirpur by seven wickets, thereby putting themselves in second place behind Prime Doleshwar Sporting Club.The win was set up through four-wicket hauls from left-arm spinners Enamul Haque jnr and Naeem Islam jnr. After being inserted, Gazi Group made a decent start but from 63 for two, they collapsed to 110 for 8. Only captain Alok Kapali hung around to make a 67-ball 48; he was the last man out in the 38th over, as Gazi Group were bowled out for 141. The two other wickets went to Habibur Rahman.Mohammedan lost Ezaz Ahmed early but Upul Tharanga and Shykat Ali added 76 for the second wicket to keep the chase on track, before Naeem Islam and Ariful Haque took them home in 31.5 overs.Kalabagan Krira Chakra secured their first win of the tournament by beating Cricket Coaching School by 49 runs in Fatullah. The win was set up by Hamilton Masakadza’s 104-ball 115, which included ten fours and two sixes. Opener Shadman Islam chipped in with 47 off 63 balls as Kalabagan made 270 for 9. The bowlers then, led by Abdur Razzak kept CCS to 221 for 8.Having been sent in, Kalabagan lost Jashimuddin early, but Islam and Masakadza laid a strong base with a 74-run partnership for the second wicket. After Islam offered a return catch to Rajin Saleh in the 18th over, Masakadza combined well with Tasamul Haque for a 77-run stand. Masakadza pressed on to score his seventh List-A century, also his second in the Dhaka Premier League, having made one in 2013. Nasum Ahmed took three wickets while Salman Hossain and Uttam Sarkar claimed two each.CCS began positively in the chase, with opener Pinak Ghosh and Saif Hasan taking their side to 89 for 1 by the 22nd over. Razzak then had Ghosh caught by captain Mashrafe Mortaza and a ball later, the left-arm spinner pinned Salman Hossain lbw for a duck. When Nasum Ahmed holed out for 5 in the 27th over, CSS were reduced to 106 for 5. Uttam Sarkar mounted late resistance, with 63 off 74 balls, but his team eventually came up short. Mashrafe complemented Razzak by picking up two wickets.Legends of Rupganj picked up their second victory in the competition by thumping Kalabagan Cricket Academy by 29 runs (D/L method) in a rain-affected match at the BKSP-3 ground.Batting first, Rupganj posted 239 for 9 in 50 overs with Asif Ahmed top-scoring with 82 and Sajjadul Haque making 70. Asif and Sajjadul revived their side’s innings with a131-run sixth-wicket after Rupganj had slipped to 81 for 5 in the 24th over. Seamer Abu Jayed took four wickets while Mehedi Hasan Miraz and Rifat Pradhan took two each.Rain reduced KCA’s chase to a 25-over innings, and their revised target was 171. KCA slipped to 85 for 7 inside 15 overs before Taposh Ghosh and Bishawnath Halder added 56 runs for the unbroken eighth-wicket stand. The Taposh-Halder stand, however, was not enough as KCA restricted to 141. Mosharraf Hossain and Nahidul Islam led Rupganj’s charge by picking two wickets each.

After whitewashing Zimbabwe and Pakistan in their last two home ODI series, Bangladesh will complete a hat-trick if they beat India in the third ODI in Mirpur

The Preview by Alagappan Muthu in Mirpur23-Jun-2015Match factsWednesday, June 24, 2015
Start time 1500 local (0900 GMT)3:02

Isam: Bangladesh are playing attacking cricket

Big pictureFrom the outside looking in, Bangladesh trouncing Zimbabwe 5-0 barely caused a blip. There was perhaps a double-take when Pakistan were served 3-0. If they whitewash India on Wednesday, the world will sit up and notice.The 14 men and the support staff on tour here already have. MS Dhoni has admitted his team was outplayed. He has wrestled questions on his captaincy, even bristled momentarily when the critique moved onto selection. R Ashwin, another player of the ‘keep calm’ variety, seemed to feel he was behind enemy lines at the pre-match press conference. He felt compelled to remind everyone that India had won 75% of their matches this season. Whether that was because of the scoreline of the series or the brutal spotlight that is on the team is debatable, but it was clear to see it does have issues to sort out. Besides the headache of why the batsmen who are touted to front up for the 2019 World Cup are misfiring all at once.A lot of the credit should go to Bangladesh. They have won key moments and ensured the momentum never dissipated. There is a pack mentality readily visible among the quicks. So much that India’s batsmen haven’t had any room to breathe. They have been bowled out twice, and the best partnership they have put on – one among only four that have crossed fifty – has been 95.”They’ve owned the Mirpur stadium,” was Ashwin’s assessment. New faces like Mustafizur Rahman, Soumya Sarkar and Litton Das have fit neatly into the one-day structure, while the old faithful Shakib Al Hasan and Mashrafe Mortaza have continued contributing. An 11th win on the trot at home would be the perfect way for them to sign-off in front of the loud, colourful and unabashedly partisan Mirpur crowd.Form guideBangladesh: WWWWW (last five matches, most recent first)

India: LLLWWIn the spotlightWith the squad bursting with performers, Mushfiqur Rahim hasn’t had much to do. He did seal the series with a sparkly cameo that indicated he was finding his best touch again. But perhaps he might like to put in a more substantial performance, considering the scrutiny over his wicketkeeping lately.Shikhar Dhawan has had a decent tour so far. He has restated his case for Test selection, and has taken home a half-century from the second ODI. What he and the rest of the India batting line-up haven’t been able to do is set up a big total. India have spoken about playing freely, a mandate Dhawan quite likes.Team newsBangladesh have added the legspinner Jubair Hossain to their squad for the third ODI. “”He was taken to increase the bowling options,” Faruque Ahmed, the chief selector, told ESPNcricinfo. “We will have a look at the wicket tomorrow and take a call on him.”Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Soumya Sarkar, 3 Litton Das/ Mominul Haque/ Rony Talukdar, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 5 Shakib Al Hasan, 6 Sabbir Rahman, 7 Nasir Hossain, 8 Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), 9 Rubel Hossain/Jubair Hossain, 10 Mustafizur Rahman, 11 Taskin AhmedAjinkya Rahane opted to train yesterday after being dropped for the last ODI. The rest of the team went through “a couple of quiet days,” Ashwin said. The morale isn’t as high as it normally is within the Indian camp.India (probable): 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 Rohit Sharma, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Ambati Rayudu/ Ajinkya Rahane/ Stuart Binny, 5 Suresh Raina 6 MS Dhoni (capt &wk), 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Axar Patel, 11 Dhawal KulkarniPitch and conditionsEvery day of play on tour has contained the threat of rain, and the trend doesn’t look to be changing. The players trained under cloudy skies on the eve of the match as well. As far as the pitch is concerned, there might not be much change. It is expected to be a touch slow.Stats and trivia Bangladesh will have 11 consecutive wins at home if they win the third ODI. That will leave them one short of the record held jointly by Pakistan (2000-03), West Indies (1986-89) and Australia (2003-04). This is the fifth time Bangladesh have won five or more consecutive ODIs, the longest being a nine-match streak in 2006. Bangladesh have currently won five back-to-back ODIs – three against Pakistan and two against India. Before this series, India had only lost one match to Bangladesh in a bilateral ODI series (Dhaka, 2004). They have already lost two ODIs in this series.Quotes”If there is no counter, then what can we do? Can we kidnap him?”
“We spoke in the dressing-room just before going out to training [on Tuesday]. We have told to be as serious as we would be if we had lost the first two games. We will not give an inch.”

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