The boys of summer

Last year did provide its own versions of drama and intrigue, as well as a bit of cricket on the side, and it can be relived on a three-disc DVD set. It amounts to over three hours of action and it is certainly value for money

Andrew McGlashan21-Jan-2007England’s Summer of Cricket 2006 Dd Home Entertainment, £24.99



The English summer of 2006 was always going to have a lot to live up to; 2005 had included Bangladesh beating Australia, a tied NatWest Series final, some dazzling one-day innings by Kevin Pietersen … oh, and England regained the Ashes.But last year did provide its own versions of drama and intrigue, as well as a bit of cricket on the side, and as supporters try to wrestle their way through a bleak midwinter the season can be relived on a three-disc DVD set.It amounts to over three hours of action and it is certainly value for money. Disc one takes in the drawn Test series against Sri Lanka (yes, England really did drop nine catches at Lord’s, Pietersen really was that amazing at Edgbaston and Murali was a magician at Trent Bridge).A nice touch throughout the collection is the way Mark Nicholas gives each Test a context by reviewing and previewing the action with the help of newspaper cuttings, which means the season unfolds in front of you the same way the stories developed at the time.This approach is especially useful for the second Test series, against Pakistan, which produced enough material for a three-disc collection all of its own. Before it started there was the introduction of England’s second stand-in captain, then Monty Panesar’s hand-clapping brilliance, not to forget Mohammad Yousuf’s three-foot wide bat. But, of course, as with all great dramas the extraordinary scenes are left until the end.August 20 began like many other Test days, with England fighting hard to stay in the match. However, it ended as an unwanted piece of history. We all know the story, but just to summarise it included the words Hair, balls and Doctrove (honest, he was there too). The saga is played out in full and it once again it leaves the feeling that the whole thing could so easily have been avoided. But then this DVD would have lost one of its main selling points.The action is brought to you by Sunset and Vine, the production company which revolutionised cricket coverage with Channel 4 and has gone on to produce the Channel Five highlights package. The footage is naturally faultless, but taking the terrestrial version does mean the viewer is limited to three commentators – Nicholas, Geoff Boycott and Simon Hughes – which can get a little tiresome by the end of the seventh Test.One-day cricket isn’t forgotten with highlights of both series, plus extended versions of Sri Lanka’s incredible chase at Headingley and rare colour ed-clothing victories for England at Trent Bridge and Edgbaston. Those wins included names like Yardy, Read and Broad. Nothing like sticking to a winning side. The extra one-day highlights come on disc three, which also includes ultra-motion footage and interviews with Pietersen, Andrew Strauss and Duncan Fletcher along with stats and the Analyst.It was a mixed summer for England – three proper Test-match victories, the emergence of some talented young cricketers, but no upturn in their one-day form. However, after watching the DVDs you are left with the sense that England would head to Australia with a strong chance of retaining the Ashes. Wouldn’t they?Click here to order at Cricshop.com for £21.99

‘I warned them!’ – Darwin Nunez explains wild gate-leap celebration during Liverpool’s Carabao Cup final win despite supposedly being injured

Darwin Nunez has explained his wild gate-leaping celebration during Liverpool’s Carabao Cup triumph, with the Uruguayan forward supposedly injured.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

South American ruled out of showpiece gameWatched on from the stands at WembleyRaced towards the field after Van Dijk scoredWHAT HAPPENED?

The 24-year-old South American was able to train in the build-up to a Wembley showpiece with Premier League rivals Chelsea, but was not fit enough to take up a place in Jurgen Klopp’s matchday plans. As a result, he was restricted to a seat in the stands alongside the likes of Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Curtis Jones and Dominik Szoboszlai.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Nunez did, however, look to be in decent physical condition after seeing Virgil van Dijk net a dramatic winning goal for Liverpool deep into extra-time. He was quick to brush team-mates aside as he raced down steps towards the field and hurdled over a gate and pitch-side advertising hoardings.

DID YOU KNOW?

Klopp told reporters when being made aware of the energetic celebrations from those that have been nursing knocks: “OK, Darwin and Dom are obviously not fit in the moment, that’s why they didn’t play, but the celebration looked at 100 per cent, let me say it like that. I’ll have to talk about that with the medical department!”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

WHAT NUNEZ SAID

Nunez has joked on social media that he was never going to be held back in Liverpool found a winner, saying: “I warned them that if we scored the goal I was going to jump.” He did just that and has cemented his cult hero standing among Reds supporters after displaying impressive passion for the collective cause.

Instagram

Liverpool: Signed for £0, Reds star is now worth a whopping £55m

Revered Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson once infamously claimed that his great challenge across his illustrious and lengthy tenure at Old Trafford was knocking Liverpool off their perch.

He succeeded, or at least, as the Red Devils prospered through the 90s and the noughties, Liverpool failed to glean silverware with any real regularity, a shadow of the domineering Anfield sides of the 70s and 80s.

Barring lone moments of success, Liverpool were yearning for a return to true prominence and found their catalyst in an eccentric German named Jurgen Klopp, who transformed the outfit upon his arrival in 2015.

What have Liverpool achieved under Jurgen Klopp?

After joining a Liverpool side lacking objective and drive following his dismissal from Borussia Dortmund, Klopp set to work in instilling a new mentality on Merseyside, and while his first few campaigns brought newfound promise, the end result remained the same.

Indeed, Liverpool fell at the final hurdle in the Europa League, Carabao Cup and Champions League under Klopp's wing before finally rising to the fore and triumphing in the 2018/19 Champions League final, opening the gates for a torrent of silverware.

Having now also won the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup, Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup, Klopp has crafted a dynasty, distinguished by astute work on the transfer front, identifying promising talents and turning them into first-class stars.

The likes of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Virgil van Dijk and Andrew Robertson are evidence of the success of this method, but one of Klopp's greatest, most emblematic phenoms comes in the form of Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose ascent from the academy ranks typifies the brilliance of the Anfield side over the past years.

How much was Trent Alexander-Arnold worth in 2017?

In August 2017, an 18-year-old Alexander-Arnold fired home a direct free-kick to hand Liverpool a 2-1 away lead in the Champions League play-off round against Hoffenheim.

It was the start of a sensational career as one of the creative centrepieces of a prosperous outfit; now aged 24, the England international will feel that his best days lie ahead.

According to Football Transfers, the right-back was believed to be worth around £7m at the time, and while the youngster was held in high regard, few could have predicted that seven years on he would stand as the most valuable of all positional peers worldwide.

Trent Alexander-Arnold

£55m

Reece James

£49m

Andy Robertson

£47.5m

Jules Kounde

£47.2m

Theo Hernandez

£44.5m

Marc Cucurella

£43m

Alphonso Davies

£42.7m

Across the 2017/18 campaign, the Liverpool-born ace would make 34 appearances, scoring three goals and supplying two assists, earning 18 starts in the English top-flight and playing a pivotal role in the Champions League conquest, losing the final to Real Madrid 3-1 on that ill-fated day.

Hailed as "phenomenal" and "top-class" by Liverpool's former stalwart James Milner upon winning the Young Player of the Year award in 2018, Alexander-Arnold has now played a crucial role in winning the whole gamut of silverware under Klopp's wing, and is rightfully considered among the best, most destructively creative players in the world.

What is Trent Alexander-Arnold's market value now?

Alexander-Arnold's performances with Liverpool have seen his market value skyrocket, with Football Transfers now valuing the player at £55m, which is indeed the largest value of any full-back in the game.

Simply indispensable to Liverpool's system, the £180k-per-week phenom has now made 277 appearances for his boyhood club, scoring 16 goals and supplying 73 assists.

The 20-cap England star is one of the most technically brilliant players around, with talkSPORT host Tony Cascarino even going as far as to say that he "has qualities that are not far off Lionel Messi".

A bold claim, but the innate ability at Alexander-Arnold's disposal is irrefutable, having cemented a starring spot in one of Europe's most devastating and delightful sides of the modern age.

Heralded for his "sensational" ball-striking ability by commentator Martin Tyler, there are few who can match the world-class talent and indeed very few teams across Europe to boast such a blistering creative force, let alone from the defence.

Why is Trent Alexander-Arnold worth that much?

Dubbed a "genius" by journalist Neil Jones, the 5 foot 8 full-back has dazzled with his defence-splitting passes and incredible rate of assisting on the domestic and continental scene.

In the Premier League, Alexander-Arnold has posted 55 assists despite being a defender and on the lower side of 25; in fact, teammate Robertson is the only defender to boast a higher tally, having placed 57 from 256 Premier League appearances – the Scotland captain's right-sided confrere has played 202 times in the English top-flight, 54 matches fewer.

Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold.

A superlative option, his work from the right channel has allowed the likes of Salah and co to wreak havoc for years, with FBref ranking the homegrown gem among the top 6% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 4% for shot-creating actions, the top 2% for passes attempted and the top 5% for progressive passes per 90.

It's not always been plain sailing for the Englishman, who has received sustained criticism across the duration of his senior career for lackadaisical defending and carelessness in protecting Alisson's goal.

Once branded a "training dummy" by reporter Casey Evans after a particularly ignominious display against Real Madrid in the Champions League last season, dismantled by the fleet-footed phenom Vinicius Jr.

Bewildered by the rebuke, Klopp claimed his star is truly "world-class", and it's hard to dispute that he sits in the pantheon of modern ball-players of the highest quality, even named as Liverpool's vice-captain this season following the summer departures of Milner and Jordan Henderson.

Having hit double figures for assists in three of the past five campaigns (supplying nine and seven across the other two), Alexander-Arnold is the fulcrum of the supplementation of Klopp's outfit, and after sustaining such unbelievable numbers across his career thus far, deservedly takes his place as the most valuable of his position worldwide.

Klopp's Liverpool tenure is steeped in success, and while his fantastic, transformative effect on the club is often characterised by the shrewd transfer business, which is rightfully lauded, it is the emergence of Alexander-Arnold which might have had the most profound influence on the reshaping and resurgence of the proud Premier League outfit.

Tottenham: Postecoglou Could Sign £50m "Handful" To Make Maddison Unplayable

Tottenham Hotspur have enjoyed a brief transfer break as the Premier League season has got back underway, but they could be set to return with a bang, adding another attacker to underpin the hopeful longevity of the new reign…

Who else could Tottenham Hotspur sign this summer?

With Ange Postecoglou now nearly three months into the job, his impact on the north London club is already vast.

With eight new additions having been made, including turning some loans into permanent deals, his transfer dealings have altered the mindset and makeup of a side reeling after last season's disaster. And yet, in just two league matches, his influence on the pitch has been equally as monumental, showcased in their fine displays against both Brentford and Manchester United.

Read the latest Rangers transfer news HERE…

However, having overseen a few competitive matches, perhaps the Australian boss could seek to supplement those who have stood out with some new faces that would help improve their chances of shining further.

That is clearly the case with their reported interest in Brennan Johnson, as the Daily Mail suggests Spurs are readying a bid for the Nottingham Forest winger.

He is valued at around £50m by the Tricky Trees, but it is expected that Daniel Levy will negotiate hard to cut this down.

How good is Brennan Johnson?

To touch back on that earlier sentiment, and bringing in such a dynamic, pacey winger would likely have the greatest benefit on James Maddison, given how blistering a start he has enjoyed since his June move.

Signing from Leicester City for £40m, many might have questioned the expenditure of such a mouth-watering fee despite his club having just been relegated.

However, in his opening two league matches, he has already begun paying it back.

brennan-johnson-1

Averaging a 7.90 rating, this is a figure buoyed by his two assists, 86% pass accuracy, 74.5 touches per game as well as 1.5 tackles and four key passes per game, via Sofascore.

It is the latter figure in particular that will catch the eye of Johnson, who will likely see every scything run in behind found by the former Midlands creator.

Not only this, but the amount of touches he averages is also conducive to his influence all over the pitch, suggesting that as long as the 22-year-old speedster keeps making the runs, he will almost always be supplemented.

Journalist Ethan Lamb sought to emphasise the pace of the wide man, writing: "Brennan Johnson has clocked the fast speed in the Premier League this season with 36.7km/h. Speed demon."

It is no surprise to see him branded a "special, special player" by fellow writer Louis Wheeldon.

To think, adding him alongside Maddison could see his numbers from last season skyrocket, where he scored eight and assisted three in the league for a Forest side that narrowly avoided the drop.

The danger that such an electric play style would bring could even help elevate the attacking midfielder to loftier heights, as the space that Johnson's mere presence would offer could prove devastating if it is the 26-year-old who takes it up.

Should he prove to be the "real handful" that journalist Antonio Mango suggested he was under Postecoglou, keeping defenders honest with his speed and ever-growing technical prowess, he could not only provide a fine outlet for Maddison to boost his numbers creatively, but also stretch defences so that the midfielder can pop up in dangerous areas to score more too.

Agent takes aim at Erik ten Hag for treatment of youngster Facundo Pellistri as winger's Man Utd future is thrown into doubt amid loan interest

Facundo Pellistri's agent has slammed Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag for mistreating his client, who is looking to seal a move out of the club.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

  • Pellistri's agent slammed Ten Hag
  • Accused manager of mistreating youngster
  • Pellistri close to joining Granada on loan
  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    The Uruguayan international, who is close to joining La Liga side Granada on loan, has clocked just 366 minutes on the pitch this season and has remained seriously out of favour under Ten Hag. His agent Edgardo Lasalvia has since slammed the Dutchman for mistreating his client, and accused him of not valuing the youngster properly at Old Trafford.

  • Advertisement

  • Getty Images

    WHAT Lasalvia SAID

    Speaking to , Lasalvia said: "Whether he returns to Manchester in the middle of the year will depend on the performance he shows. If Ten Hag continues, it’s going to be difficult. Ten Hag hasn’t used him, valued him, or treated him like a professional."

  • THE BIGGER PICTURE

    With the transfer window closing in a just a day's time, the 22-year-old is yet to finalise his next destination. While he is in advanced talks to sign for the Nazaries the deal is yet to be sealed. He has also attracted interest from several top European clubs.

  • ENJOYED THIS STORY?

    Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

  • Getty

    WHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

    The Red Devils, who have failed to register a win in their last two Premier League games, will next be in action on Thursday in a league clash against Wolves away from home.

Religious unrest disrupts domestic cricket in Pakistan

The PCB has decided to postpone the semi-finals and final of the National T20 Cup because of the “prevailing situation” of religious unrest in Pakistan, saying new dates would be announced later. The next round of the Quaid-e-Azam trophy has also been called off.The prevailing situation, as the board called it, began on Saturday, when police attempted to disperse a sit-in by a religious group at an interchange in Rawalpindi. They were unsuccessful in doing so, and the protests spread throughout the country. Educational institutions were closed on Monday and Tuesday in Lahore, where the recent T20Is against Sri Lanka and an ICC-sanctioned World XI took place. Access to social media sites Facebook, Twitter and YouTube was suspended across the country.”Due to the prevailing situation, the PCB management has decided to postpone the semi-finals and final of the National T20 Cup and Super 8 rounds of the Quaid-e-Azam trophy for now,” PCB’s media manager Shakeel Khan said. “The management will announce new dates later.”The semifinals were originally scheduled to be held on November 26, but they were called off as the protests began to widen and escalate. Teams had found themselves confined to their hotels, and roads leading to the Rawalpindi stadium had been blocked.The stadium is situated in a central location in Rawalpindi, Islamabad’s twin city, and the impact of the police operation disrupted life in both cities. As many as 8500 elite police and paramilitary troops in riot gear were taking part in the operation on Saturday by encircling the area. Protesters resisted fiercely, resulting in major disruptions, and all roads leading from Islamabad to Lahore and Karachi were closed off.Lahore Whites are scheduled to compete with Faisalabad in the first semifinal, while FATA face Lahore Blues in the other clash.The National T20 Cup has faced several hindrances this year. Earlier, it had clashed with the ICC World XI’s trip. When it was rescheduled, its dates clashed with the Bangladesh Premier League and the now-postponed Global T20 League in South Africa. Even then, smog in Faisalabad and Multan meant it had to eventually be relocated to Rawalpindi once and for all.The scheduling of the National T20 Cup created uncertainty on other fronts as well. In August, the board revoked the No-Objection Certificates of 13 players participating in the Caribbean Premier League and the English domestic season, asking them to return home and fulfill national and domestic commitments. However, a few days later, PCB chairman Najam Sethi said the National T20 Cup had been postponed and the players could return to their franchise sides and counties after undergoing fitness tests.

Ranking The Top 5 Most Satisfying Premier League Goals Scored

There’s no greater sound in football than the ball hitting the back of the net. It was the only benefit of pandemic football that we got to hear the noise echo around various stadiums.The noise can signal pure joy, ultimate disappointment, or pure admiration for a goal. Indeed, no matter how the ball has hit the back of the net, the sound remains one of the best.Some goals are especially satisfying, however, as they travel at the speed of light from 30 yards, or end a fantastic, free-flowing team move at a similar light-speed pace.Twitter users have recently been full of praise for such goals, too, sharing in this thread their most satisfying goals scored by Premier League sides, some of which have made our top five below.

5 Tomas Rosicky vs Sunderland

Arsene Wenger’s time at Arsenal featured some of the best team goals we’re ever likely to see in the Premier League, including Tomas Rosicky’s well-worked strike against Sunderland.

Arguably one of the most underrated players to ever wear an Arsenal shirt, Rosicky orchestrated the goal with his incredible movement, passing the ball onto the likes of Santi Cazorla and Jack Wilshere, before finding himself through on goal and finishing in expert fashion with a delightful dink.

4 Johan Elmander vs Wolves

Johan Elmander had a spell to remember at Bolton Wanderers, writing himself into the history books as a club legend, scoring 22 goals for the club, in total.

His best goal came against Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2010, however, when his piece of trickery evaded three defenders, before he found the bottom right-hand corner with ease.

It remains one of the most satisfying goals that we’ve seen in English football.

3 Didier Drogba vs Bolton

Back in 2009, Didier Drogba was in his pomp for Chelsea, terrorising defences across the Premier League.

And while the Ivorian striker scored goal after goal for the Blues, this one against Bolton has to rank among one of the finest in his illustrious career.

Nicolas Anelka cross the ball to Deco on the edge of the box, the midfielder then chested it on to Frank Lampard who flicked it behind him perfectly into the path of Drogba who cooly slotted home on the volley – exquisite!

2 Dimitri Payet vs Crystal Palace

It’s difficult to judge whether a free-kick is perfect, but we’re pretty sure Dimitri Payet’s effort against Crystal Palace back in 2016 is up there as a strong contender.

With a packed wall in front of him, many players would have struggled to get their strike up and over into the top left-hand corner. So, with that in mind, Payet chose the goalkeeper’s side, curling a stunning dipping effort around and into the top right-hand corner.

To get the ball to come down from such a height, and at such speed, looked impossible, but Payet somehow managed it, to score an unforgettable goal.

1 Jack Wilshere vs Norwich City

It had to be this one, didn’t it? There’s simply no goal more satisfying than Wilshere’s against Norwich City in 2013. It is arguably the greatest team move in Premier League history and sums up Wenger’s time at Arsenal.

Cazorla, Wilshere, and Olivier Giroud played incredible one-touch football on the edge of the area, before the goalscorer finished the move in emphatic fashion, side-footing home first time.

It remains, for us at Football FanCast at least, the most satisfying goal of all time.

Man United Interested In £900k-p/w Forward

Manchester United are still interested in signing Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe, with his future up in the air.

Could Man United sign Kylian Mbappe?

The Red Devils and Erik ten Hag are after a new forward this summer after securing moves for Mason Mount and Andre Onana from Chelsea and Inter Milan respectively.

Anthony Martial is reportedly up for sale, which could leave United with no recognised centre-forward heading into the new season, should the United man depart. Atalanta’s Rasmus Hojlund and Eintracht Frankfurt’s Randal Kolo Muani have both been linked with moves to Manchester and talks have been held over the pair.

However, previously, Mbappe has also been linked with a sensational move to Old Trafford, with potential new owner Sheikh Jassim feeling the France international belongs at Old Trafford. The Qatar group were thought to be planning a swoop for the PSG star if they completed a takeover, but as we know, there has been no real progress in recent months in regards to taking full control from the Glazers.

However, when it comes to Mbappe, it looks as if a PSG exit is on the cards this summer, with the player informing the club he would not take up the option of a one-year contract extension next summer and is now up for sale. Mbappe has even been left out of the club’s pre-season tour of Japan, and it looks as if United are still keen.

Reliable Spanish outlet Marca provided an update on Mbappe’s future in the last 48 hours, amid interest from Real Madrid, who he wants to join. They claimed that “an important offer from Saudi Arabia” is about to arrive for the forward.

Three sides in the Premier League are also keen, one of which are Man United. It is believed that the Red Devils are interested in Mbappe, regardless of whether or not a Qatar takeover at Old Trafford materialises.

kylian-mbappe-psg-arsenal-transfer-gossip-arteta-edu-thierry-henry

How much could Kylian Mbappe cost?

Mbappe, hailed as "unstoppable" in the media, is thought to be on £900,000-a-week and was valued at £170m when the Red Devils were linked with a move for the 24-year-old earlier this year.

However, reports previously suggested that United’s summer budget stood at around £100m this summer, a figure which they have already surpassed with a £60m move for Mount and £47m deal for Onana.

Therefore, you’d expect that a move could be extremely difficult for those at Old Trafford to complete, especially if Jassim and co fail to seal a takeover relatively soon. However, Mbappe could be a game-changing signing in Manchester, helping to take Ten Hag's side to the next level.

The France international, who has scored at Old Trafford in the Champions League, has netted 212 goals and provided 98 assists for PSG in 260 games, showing how he could be the missing piece of the jigsaw in the final third.

United may not be able to compete with the likes of Real Madrid or sides from Saudi Arabia financially, but by the looks of things, the Red Devils are still looking at a potential move, making it one to watch.

Arsenal Interested In £51m-Rated Attacking “Beast”

Arsenal could potentially explore a deal for Bayer Leverkusen winger Moussa Diaby this summer according to journalist Dean Jones.

How much does Moussa Diaby cost?

Reports have stated that the German side are holding out for £51m for one of their star assets

The report also mentions that Arsenal are joined in the race for the Frenchman by Manchester United, Newcastle United, and the forward's former side Paris Saint-Germain.

It's claimed the 23-year-old has his sights set on a move to the Premier League as his next career step after four successful seasons in Germany.

Leverkusen already seem to be preparing for the French international's potential departure, with the recent signing of German winger Jonas Hoffman from Borussia Monchengladbach paving the way for the forward's possible departure this summer.

Soccer Football – Champions League – Group B – Atletico Madrid v Bayer Leverkusen – Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain – October 26, 2022 Bayer Leverkusen’s Moussa Diaby celebrates scoring their first goal REUTERS/Susana Vera

According to Jones, who was speaking on The Football Terrace's Done Deal show, Diaby has been angling for a move away from the Bundesliga since January, and should the Gunners want to act upon their interest, they will have to wait until the "second phase" of the transfer window:

"Diaby, amazingly, still looking for a club. He's been linked with everyone since January and has not actually tied anything off. Definitely someone who has been of interest to Arsenal, so I wouldn't rule it out, especially if this window wears on, and he is still looking for a club.

"Moussa Diaby is someone that Arsenal do like, but again that would be for the second phase of this window. The focus has been so heavily on getting these three guys [Havertz, Rice, Timber] through the door that there is no certainty over who they go for in that position yet, so let's wait until the mini-clearout starts to take place."

Will Diaby play with Saka?

Should the north London side complete a deal for Diaby, he will offer some incredible competition for Bukayo Saka on the right-hand side.

One complaint that some Arsenal fans had last season was the lack of real competition and rotation for the Englishman, who played a whopping 3195 minutes in the Premier League for the Gunners. The winger ended the season having clocked up 4169 minutes across all competitions for club and country and the effects of fatigue were really showing, managing just two goals and one assist in the final eight games of a really grueling campaign.

The arrival of the Frenchman in conjunction with the new deal for academy graduate Reiss Nelson should allow manager Mikel Arteta to properly rotate his right-wingers, allowing Saka to focus on the biggest games and the biggest moments for the Gunners next season across both the Premier League and the Champions League.

Bukayo Saka for Arsenal

Diaby – hailed a "beast" – shares a very similar play style to Arsenal's number seven, with both forwards very direct in nature, whilst having the ability to create and score chances almost at will, as showcased by the pair's goal contribution numbers, with the Leverkusen man managing 14 goals and 11 assists in 48 games whilst the Gunners star produced 15 goals and 11 assists in 48 games.

The former PSG player is also a very versatile attacker, having played across the entire front three for his club last campaign, as well as in attacking midfield. This flexibility opens up a whole range of possibilities regarding the setup of Arsenal's attack and could allow both Saka and Diaby to play together.

'Not too keen about Pakistan tour' – BCB president

The BCB President said that after Pakistan turned down the tour of Bangladesh in July 2017, Bangladesh’s High Performance and U-19 teams will not be touring Pakistan later this year

Mohammad Isam27-May-2017Bangladesh will not consider or discuss tours to Pakistan, as relations between the two sides continue to remain cold.There had been talks – in April – of sending Bangladesh’s the High Performance or Under-19 team to Pakistan but those plans have been put to bed with the BCB making arrangements for them to play teams from New Zealand and England.”We haven’t spoken about going to Pakistan since we heard their decision from the media,” BCB president Nazmul Hassan said. “The national team [touring Pakistan] is out of the question. Our HP or U-19 [teams] might have gone there but when they made this announcement [of postponing the Bangladesh tour] we are no longer in talks. After this, there is no question of talking about the HP tour.”They will go elsewhere. We have confirmed programmes with New Zealand and England. We are in talks with two more countries. Within a couple of months, we will be releasing the specific schedules. Many of these series will be held at home.”Rather than forcing the Pakistan tour in July this year, the BCB want the Bangladesh players rest so they can be ready for the home Tests against Australia in August-September, the tour of South Africa in September-October and the Bangladesh Premier League T20 tournament in November-December.”I think we can rest our players during that time,” Hassan said. “Our boys are playing a lot these days. From Champions Trophy they’ll come home, play against Australia and then head off to South Africa. From there, they will come home and start with the BPL, and then they have more cricket.”I am not too keen about the Pakistan tour. But if we need to play [in that time], we have four or five countries lined up to play against Bangladesh. It won’t be hard to arrange matches, but right now we are not really keen on filling that gap either.”However, the only caveat is the ICC deadline for automatic qualification for the 2019 World Cup, which is on September 30 this year. Hassan said on Saturday, as he did couple of times last year, that the BCB are in touch with the ICC to find out what they have to do to make the cut for the World Cup.

Game
Register
Service
Bonus