All posts by h716a5.icu

West Bromwich Albion have been without the services of Daryl Dike for a long period of time, but Carlos Corberan has now delivered a fresh update as to when he's likely to stage his return to action in the Championship.

What's the latest injury news at West Brom?

At the Hawthorns, Corberan currently has John Swift, Jeremy Sarmiento, Josh Maja, Adam Reach and Martin Kelly all out on the sidelines, but Dike is one of the players to have been missing the longest during his recovery from his incident earlier this year.

During the 2-1 victory over Stoke City back in April, USA’s international sustained a serious achilles problem and had to be stretchered off the pitch, later discovering it meant that he had to undergo surgery, and he’s been out ever since.

The Baggies striker first joined the club from Orlando back in January 2022, but due to his previous injury history, he’s only been able to make 27 senior appearances during that time (Transfermarkt – Dike statistics), and here is a look at all of the 23-year-old's past absences…

2022/23 – Achilles

184 days

2022/23 – Thigh

98 days

2021/22 – Hamstring

52 days

2021/22 – Shoulder

25 days (Data via Transfermarkt)

Daryl Dike injury update

Speaking to The Express and Star whilst offering an injury update on Daryl Dike, Corberan admitted that his centre-forward isn't expected to make his comeback to domestic action until, at the very earliest, January.

He said: "The same process, he’s very committed with the club. He’s very committed with his recovery, but it’s a very long-term injury, so he’s one player that I cannot expect to play until January. He will be one of the new players for January, in the January market we will add to the squad.”

How many goals has Daryl Dike scored?

During his time at West Brom, Dike has posted eight contributions (seven goals and one assist) in 27 first-team outings, which is a decent return, but that number will have definitely been much higher if he would have been able to stay fit for longer.

The Edmond native was also averaging 2.4 aerial wins per game in the second tier last season which shows how much of an ideal target man he is (WhoScored – Dike statistics), with his physical stature, presence and ability to bully defenders having seen him dubbed the “American Lukaku” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Furthermore, Corberan’s £32k-per-week earner (West Brom salaries), has the versatility to operate out wide as a right-winger alongside his usual role when leading the line through the middle, but this versatility is another quality that the boss has been missing out on, not that he's short of attacking options on that side of the pitch in the final third.

With Brandon Thomas-Asante still at his disposal, Corberan is completely right not to rush Dike back too early to the point where it could set him back even further, but at least now there is a realistic timeframe in place so supporters can expect to see him again in early 2024.

Leeds United romped to just their third win of the new Championship season with a comfortable victory over Watford at Elland Road on Saturday afternoon, with Daniel Farke's men stretching their league unbeaten run to six games following that 3-0 triumph.

Fresh from having held on for a draw against Hull City in midweek – despite Joe Rodon's red card early in the second half – the Whites were in rampant mood against the visiting Hornets, with goals from Jaidon Anthony and Sam Byram sealing all three points, following a well-crafted opener from summer signing, Joel Piroe.

How did Joel Piroe perform against Watford?

As The Athletic's Phil Hay noted, it was a truly "high-quality performance" from the hosts today, with that man Piroe having been one of the key players in helping to fire the Yorkshire giants into the playoff places after bagging his fourth goal for the club.

The former Swansea City man – who arrived on a £10m plus deal last month – appears to be showcasing the type of clinical form that was evident during his time in south Wales, having scored 41 league goals across the previous two seasons combined at the Liberty Stadium.

In truth, a player of the Dutchman's quality was unlikely to spurn the opportunity that was presented to him on a plate by teammate Daniel James this afternoon, with the wing wizard whipping in a delightful cross which the 24-year-old duly dispatched to give the home side the lead.

That crucial opener marked what was an all-round classy display from the one-time PSV Eindhoven marksman as also registered two key passes from his number ten berth, indicating that there is merit in deploying him behind club-record signing, Georginio Rutter, rather than through the middle himself.

Piroe, however, wasn't alone in having superbly clicked into gear in the forward line, with compatriot Crysencio Summerville also looking particularly "impressive" – as per Yorkshire Evening Post writer, Leon Wobschall.

How did Crysencio Summerville play against Watford?

With Wilfried Gnonto facing a potential stint on the sidelines, it looks as if it could be Summerville who proves the man to fill that void on the flanks, with it having been 'another electric performance from the winger' – as per Leeds Live's Beren Cross.

The Netherlands U21 international had previously been particularly lively after replacing the stricken Gnonto in the early knockings of the midweek stalemate, with Cross writing at the time that he had been 'by far the best attacking outlet on the night.'

While it was the aforementioned James who bagged two assists this time around – as well as the highest Sofascore match rating of 8.1 – it is fair to say that Summerville simply stole the show, both due to his attacking contribution, but also his relentless work ethic.

The tricky winger was a constant menace from his left-wing berth having completed four of his five attempted dribbles and won three fouls for his side, as 'nobody in white was more direct or dangerous', in the words of Cross.

Although the 21-year-old did lose possession on 23 occasions in his 80-minute outing, that was simply a marker of his desire to make things happen for his side, as the £15k-per-week gem also registered three shots on target.

As also alluded to, what set Summerville apart from those around him was his willingness to muck in defensively as he won a mammoth nine ground duels, more than any other player on the pitch.

While the Rotterdam native was not able to cap his dazzling outing with a goal or an assist, such a performance will have proven to Farke that he can be the man to take on Gnonto's mantle moving forward.

Sri Lanka posted their first home win in a T20I against Pakistan as Shashikala Siriwardene’s four-for flattened the visitors to 72 all out in Colombo

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Mar-2018Sri Lanka posted their first home win in a T20I against Pakistan, as spinners Shashikala Siriwardene (4 for 9) and Sugandika Kumari (2 for 15) bowled the visitors out for 72 in Colombo. The victory was Sri Lanka’s largest in terms of balls remaining, with 34 of them left unused when Siriwardene hit the winning runs.Pakistan were 37 for 1 in the eighth over after opting to bat when Siriwardene orchestrated the collapse, which saw them lose four wickets for 10 runs in the next two overs. The middle order’s Nida Dar and Kainat Imtiaz lost their wickets to run-outs as Pakistan were left reeling at 54 for 6. Sana Mir chipped in with 13 but after her dismissal in the 18th over soon led to the end of the innings.Spinners Ghulam Fatima and Mir kept Sri Lanka’s scoring tight as the hosts lost their openers within six overs, but a 29-ball 19 from Rebeca Vandort helped them regain stability and eventually level the three-match series.

Australia’s vice-captain is one demerit point away from a ban after he accepted a level two charge from the ICC for his part in the stairwell confrontation with Quinton de Kock

Daniel Brettig and Firdose Moonda07-Mar-2018Australia’s vice-captain David Warner is one demerit point away from a ban after he accepted a level two charge from the ICC for his part in the stairwell confrontation with Quinton de Kock in Durban.De Kock, however, has contested the level one charge against him and will attend a hearing – along with South Africa captain Faf du Plessis and manager Mohammed Moosajee – in Port Elizabeth on Wednesday evening. Match Referee Jeff Crowe will adjudicate on the matter.Warner was hit with three demerit points for the offence and also fined 75% of his match fee, about A$13,500, after meetings between the match referee Jeff Crowe and Australian team management on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. Warner joined Kagiso Rabada and Faf du Plessis on the South African side in this series, as players who will be suspended if they are found guilty of one more disciplinary infraction.CCTV footage from the fourth day of the Durban Test showed Warner walking up the stairs to the players’ dressing room, engaged in heated conversation with someone else. As the clip rolled on, it emerged that he was talking to de Kock, and at several points had to be restrained by his team-mates until the Australia captain Steven Smith came out to pull his vice-captain away from the scene.

Nottingham Forest have now been provided with an update regarding the future of Emmanuel Dennis, with the striker now making a decision about whether to stay at The City Ground.

What's the latest Nottingham Forest transfer news?

Although the Premier League's transfer window slammed shut just over a week ago, Forest could still be set to lose some members of their squad, with The Athletic recently reporting that goalkeeper Ethan Horvath could be on the move "in the coming days."

Defender Giulian Biancone is also poised to leave the club, with the Frenchman joining Olympiacos on a permanent deal after a difficult spell at The City Ground, rupturing his ACL in training last October, which has ruled him out of action ever since.

Dennis' future has been up in the air this summer, with Roy Hodgson pushing for Crystal Palace to sign the striker back in August, and there was a belief he would have been keen on a return to London, but the move did not transpire before the deadline.

As such, a move abroad is now the only option on the table for the 25-year-old, who is yet to make an appearance for the Tricky Trees this season, after having a total of 19 outings in the 2022-23 campaign.

With the transfer window still open in Turkey, a move to the Super Lig is on offer for the forward, where he has attracted the interest of a number of clubs, including Trabzonspor, although they would have to make room in their foreign quota first.

Consequently, Adana Demirspor have now swooped in to sign the out of favour attacker, and Sports Digitale journalist Yagiz Sabuncuoglu has now revealed an agreement has been reached on personal terms, suggesting he is keen on the move.

Not only that, but Adana Demirspor and Forest are now "close" to reaching an agreement, indicating the Nigerian could be on the move in the very near future, although it is unclear what sort of fee he is likely to command.

How many goals has Emmanuel Dennis scored for Forest?

The Abuja-born marksman was a big-money signing for the Reds, joining in a £20m deal last summer, but he has failed to hit the heights expected of him, so it is no wonder Steve Cooper has been hesitant to hand him game time this season.

After a promising 2021-22 campaign with Watford, during which he registered ten goals and six assists in 33 Premier League appearances, the centre-forward only managed to score two goals in a Forest shirt last term.

Although there was still time for Dennis to come good at the City Ground, having previously been lauded as "talented" by Claudio Ranieri, it is probably the right decision to recoup some of the money paid for him, as Cooper has some other top strikers at his disposal.

Taiwo Awoniyi has scored three Premier League goals in as many games this season, while Divock Origi, who has 22 Premier League goals to his name, arrived on a season-long loan from AC Milan on transfer deadline day.

Dhananjaya Lakshan’s 120-ball 101 and captain Kamindu Mendis all-round show took Sri Lanka to a win over Ireland in their opening match

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Jan-2018
ScorecardDhananjaya Lakshan celebrates his century•Getty ImagesDhananjaya Lakshan’s 120-ball 101 and captain Kamindu Mendis’ all-round show took Sri Lanka to a seven-wicket win over Ireland in the rain-reduced 48-over Under-19 World Cup match in Whangarei.Electing to bat, Ireland were off to a strong start, with openers Jamie Grassi (75 off 117 balls) and Mark Donegan (36 off 53 balls) adding 73 runs, before Mendis (3 for 35) broke their partnership in the 20th over. A collapse followed, with no one from No. 3 onward making more than 25.In reply, Sri Lanka were reduced to 9 for 2 within four overs, but a subsequent 42-run stand between opener Lakshan and Krishan Arachchige resurrected their chase. Mendis (74 off 73 balls) then joined Lakshan at the crease, to add 157 runs off 154 balls to take Sri Lanka home. Not only was their partnership match-winning, it was the highest fourth-wicket stand for the team in Under-19 ODIs.

Everton have recently wrapped up a £30m deal for Udinese striker Beto to combat a dismal start to the season that has yielded no points or goals after three matches.

Sean Dyche's side have been busy on the transfer front since beating Bournemouth on the final day of the 2022/23 campaign to preserve their Premier League status, signing Ashley Young, Arnaut Danjuma, Jack Harrison, Beto and Youssef Chermiti.

But it certainly hasn't gelled thus far, and now the Toffees' director of football Kevin Thelwell now needs to slot the cogs into place to eradicate the malaise that has seeped into Goodison Park already this term.

What's the latest on Danny Ings to Everton?

A sure-fire way to get the supporters on the squad's side would be to restore the attacking impetus, and while Beto could be the catalyst in this regard, he could benefit from a striker partner to bounce off, and West Ham United's Danny Ings could be the man.

Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE…

According to The Sunday Mirror [27th August, page 77], Everton are considering a late-summer swoop for the Englishman, who is already deemed expendable in east London despite joining for £15m in January (via the Liverpool Echo.)

How good is Danny Ings?

Ings has been on a bit of a nomadic journey over the past several years, and if he signs for Everton this week it will be his fourth club in little over two years. He is no stranger to Merseyside, of course.

Having previously been dubbed a "goal machine" by journalist Joe Prince-Wright, Ings enjoyed his most fruitful fortunes for Southampton, posting 46 goals and 10 assists from 100 matches for the south coast club, notably netting 25 strikes during the 2019/20 campaign.

While he is a "lethal" goalscorer – as has been said by Chris Sutton – the 31-year-old is also praised for his defensive contribution by WhoScored, actually ranking among the top 10% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for tackles and the top 8% for blocks per 90, as per FBref.

While he has not found a regular starting role of late, starting only 15 times in the top-flight last term – albeit scoring eight goals – Ings would be a superb addition to an Everton team desperate for some success in the offensive third.

Beto scored 21 goals across the 2021/22-2022/23 Serie A campaigns and was praised for his "amazing" ability to "spook defenders" by journalist Sam Tighe, and given his ability to dictate the flow in attacking moments, Ings could bounce off the Portuguese striker and restore Everton's fluidity.

The 25-year-old ranks among the top 21% of positional peers for successful take-ons per 90, highlighting his knack at using his power and explosiveness to bypass defenders, and by drawing opposing players toward him, Ings could find opportune moments to pounce.

With that being said, Thelwell would be wise to complete a deal for a new strike partner for Beto, with a freshening of the attacking ranks perhaps finally unlocking the potential of this Everton side and halting the decline once and for all.

Twenty-one Pakistan players, including Saeed Ajmal and Imran Khan, found themselves in a pay dispute with the Afro T20 Cricket League organisers and decided to return home without completing the tournament

Umar Farooq21-Dec-2017Twenty-one Pakistan players, including Saeed Ajmal and Imran Khan, and commentator Aamer Sohail found themselves in a pay dispute with the Afro T20 Cricket League organisers and decided to return home without completing the tournament. The players’ return tickets were also cancelled at one point but according to Ajmal, their flights were rebooked for December 21 after talks with the Uganda Cricket Association (UCA).The Afro T20 Cricket League, featuring eight teams, is supported by the UCA and was approved by the ICC, according to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). The tournament started on December 17 and was scheduled to run until January 1. However, a few days into the tournament, the organisers were not releasing payments for players. The league had reportedly set USD $50,000 for the winning team with each player having a contractual agreement. Ajmal said he got multiple verbal assurances from the organisers who later flew to Dubai with yet another promise that they were going to arrange the payments and return.”The organiser wasn’t paying us and we insisted for our payments as per the contractural agreement,” Ajmal told ESPNcricinfo. “But he deserted us with a promise that he is going to Dubai to arrange payments and will return but he hasn’t and we decided to return in protest. Our return tickets were blocked and we had informed Uganda Cricket Association and with some pressure we managed to rebook our return flight for December 21. But we are perfectly fine in Uganda, we are in touch with the Pakistan consulate as well and things are under control.”The PCB issued a press release saying the ICC had been in touch with the board about the availability of the players for the league, and things were firmed up by the PCB on that basis. The board said it is looking into the matter and will decide how to act once the facts are established, while also stating that it had been up to the players to negotiate their terms with the organisers.*”PCB received applications from players to participate in the Afro T20 League being played in Uganda. Upon inquiring of the bonafides of this League from ICC, we were advised by the ICC that Afro T20 League has been approved by them and that it is been played under the umbrella of Uganda Cricket Association (UCA). The ICC sent us a list of players which were provided to the ICC by the League organisers and asked us to allow them to take part in the tournament. Upon receiving confirmation from ICC, PCB issued NOCs to all Pakistani players who were mentioned in the approved list.”PCB is currently looking into the incident which has taken place in Uganda during the Afro T20 League and once complete information is received, further course of action will be advised.”It may be mentioned that it is the responsibility of the players to negotiate the terms of their engagement and not that of the PCB whose role is confined to the issuance of NOCs on the condition that the players are not required for PCB duty at home or abroad.”*

Everton have enjoyed a solid if unspectacular transfer window so far. Sean Dyche has signed Ashley Young, Jack Harrison, Arnaut Danjuma and Youssef Chermiti, marking a fine mixture of youth and experience.

However, their 2023/24 Premier League campaign didn’t exactly get off to the best start, with the Toffees losing 1-0 to Fulham last weekend, as despite having 19 shots in total, they couldn’t find the back of the net.

Dyche will be aiming to fix this key problem before the window shuts in under two weeks, and he is showing interest in a player who starred in Ligue 1 last season…

Will Everton make more signings?

Journalist Mike Minay provided an update on Everton’s interest in Troyes forward Mama Balde on Twitter, saying: “Burnley, Sheffield United and Everton are interested in signing Mama Balde from Troyes.

Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE…

“The Guinea-Bissau winger scored 14 goals last season in Ligue 1 including a double against PSG.

“It’s expected a deal could be worth around €8m.”

Although facing competition for his signature, a fee of €8m (£6.8m) could represent a wonderful piece of business for Dyche as he looks to inject some more firepower into his starting XI.

Who is Mama Balde?

Last season, Everton netted just 34 league goals as they narrowly avoided relegation to the Championship, and this is an area which badly needs to be corrected before too long.

Danjuma and Harrison will add a threat from the wings, whereas youngster Chermiti is perhaps too inexperienced to expect much of an impact straight away, hence the need for another striker.

Neal Maupay endured a shocker against Fulham, missing two big chances whilst having four shots during the match without scoring – and Balde could be a major upgrade on the former Brighton & Hove Albion forward should he join the Toffees.

Indeed, last season, the Troyes gem registered more domestic goals and assists (15 v 2), shot-creating actions per 90 (2.16 v 1.45) and succeeded with a higher percentage of successful take-ons per 90 (45.2% v 36.8%), clearly indicating that he could be a more dangerous attacking threat should he be trusted to lead the Everton frontline.

Balde also proved he could do it against the best teams, having netted a double against Paris Saint-Germain in an eventual 4-3 defeat, while also scoring against AS Monaco and Marseille last term.

This big-game mentality would stand him in good stead should he move to the Premier League, as Dyche could count on him to perform when it really matters.

Journalist Josh Bunting described him as Troyes’ “key man” in 2022, and he certainly delivered throughout the season. Maupay, on the other hand, has scored just once for the Goodison Park side since arriving last summer for a fee of £15m, and it’s evident that the move just hasn’t worked out at all.

They could land Balde for less than half the sum they shelled out on the Frenchman and find a player who is a much bigger threat in the final third.

It’s a no-brainer for Dyche, though he will need to act swiftly in order to secure his signature.

The former Australia bowler believes the visitors have enormous mental hurdles to overcome if they are to keep the Ashes series alive in Perth, even reckoning that Alastair Cook is contemplating retirement

Daniel Brettig11-Dec-2017Mitchell Johnson believes England have enormous mental hurdles to overcome if they are to keep the Ashes series alive in Perth, reckoning that Alastair Cook is contemplating retirement while the England captain Joe Root will be questioning his decision to send Australia in to bat in Adelaide.As the spearhead of Australia’s 5-0 Ashes sweep of England four years ago, Johnson watched Steven Smith’s team train at the WACA Ground on Monday and said he could see major parallels between that series and this one in terms of the escalating mental battles being fought by the visitors. The 2013-14 series ended in the resignation of Andy Flower as coach, plus the withdrawal of Jonathan Trott from the tour and the retirement of Graeme Swann. Kevin Pietersen, meanwhile, never played for England again.Having been in complete control of his mental and technical sides to dominate that series, Johnson said he could see England’s players doubting themselves and their decisions. “England will struggle mentally,” Johnson said about the remainder of the series. “You’ve got guys like Alastair Cook struggling. He can’t find form. And I’d say he’s thinking about retirement. He has played 150 Test matches; it’s got to take it out of you.”Joe Root is the skipper, and there’s a lot of pressure on him with what’s happening outside the game but also winning the toss and what he did last game was debatable and that’s got to mentally take its toll on him as well. He’ll be questioning and doubting himself. We’re still talking about [Ben] Stokes and then there’s [Jonny] Bairstow who I thought was a little bit up and down, whether he was going to be their next senior player to step up, and we haven’t seen that yet. They don’t really have a lot going for them to be honest, and I can say that now sitting on the outside – its’ easier to say. That’s just what I see.”Watching the series from the sidelines, Johnson also felt that the short ball in the hands of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins was also beginning to take an accumulating toll on the English psyche. “It’s not easy coming here [to Perth]. After seeing in the first two Tests, once the wickets had quickened up a bit – Brisbane, Adelaide – the short ball was really effective and this is not going to be any easier for them,” he said. “[From] what I’ve seen now the Australian team is focused on what they need to do. Very similar to 2013-14, we just knew we needed to prepare ourselves the best way at trainings and then get ourselves physically and mentally right for the game. And it wasn’t thinking we were 2-0 up, it was just starting a new game. Seems like they’re in that sort of mind frame too.”England seem like there is a lot of stuff going on off the field at the moment for them. I think there’s a lot of distractions. Think they’ll be deflated from the last performance because it was talked about that was their best chance of winning in Adelaide: pink ball, conditions suited them more. And we saw what Jimmy Anderson did for the team: he bowled 11 overs straight when the conditions suited him and his bowling, which I found quite interesting [and] his comments after that as well.”They were on a high and then to be deflated the way that they did, probably coming into the last day thinking they were going to win, and then for the Aussies to get that early breakthrough and roll through them, that’ll be mentally hard for them to come up into this Test.”Currently in preparation for the Big Bash League with the Perth Scorchers, Johnson admitted he chose not to bowl to the Australians because he did not want to disrupt their current rhythm. “I definitely would have had a bowl, I’m in my season now,” he said. “Been bowling with a red ball at training down at my club, so would have been nice to come and have a bowl but, at the same time, I think I would have been a bit nervous if I did slip a short ball in… especially not this part of the series, we’re going along really well.”I didn’t talk to the bowlers about much, more how they’re feeling and giving a little bit of feedback on what I’ve seen. Just rhythm and lengths and stuff like that. I still think they’ll get better throughout the series. They haven’t all clicked together and, I think, once they do click, we’re going to see a pretty potent attack.”The [quicks] all bring something different and the good thing about these guys is they’ve played a lot of junior cricket together, they know each other really well – which is a huge bonus, to be able to know your mate who you’re bowling with at the other end… you could sit at mid-on or mid-off and you’re helping your mate when he’s bowling in a spell, if he’s not going so well you know what to say to him, if he’s going well you know what to say to him.”