All posts by h716a5.icu

It was a World Cup final to beat all World Cup finishes, and even at the end of it, there was almost no winner

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Jul-2019
England innings
0.1: Boult to Stokes, 3 runs, full slower one on off stump, clears his front leg and slogs but doesn’t get hold of it. Loops in the air between short third man and backward point, and lands out of reach of both. They can run three, but it leaves Stokes winded.0.2: Boult to Buttler, 1 run, full on middle stump, swiped away along the ground to deep square leg. Didn’t look like a particularly threatening ball, neither fast nor an obvious change of pace. Still, just a single.0.3: Boult to Stokes, FOUR runs, full again, a bit of late inswing towards middle and leg, and that’s a super shot from Stokes! Gets down low and sweeps with a roll of his wrists to beat deep midwicket throwing himself to his left on the boundary.0.4: Boult to Stokes, 1 run, full-toss wide of off, was looking for the wide yorker. Sliced to the fielder at backward point, Ferguson.0.5: Boult to Buttler, 2 runs, in the blockhole on off stump, makes a bit of room and jabs it away towards sweeper cover, where Nicholls sees it late and is slow coming in to attack the ball. That means they can run two.Looks like Archer will bowl England’s over. He’s sitting by the edge of the boundary, ball in hand.0.6: Boult to Buttler, FOUR runs, Buttler finishes with a boundary, and England end their Super Over with 15. Looks for the yorker again, but it’s a low full-toss, and he whips it away firmly to the left of deep square legNew Zealand innings
0.1 (wide): Archer to Neesham, 1 wide, looks for the wide yorker, ends up bowling a wide. Marginal, just beyond the tramline, but beyond it is, and Neesham doesn’t even play at it.0.1: Archer to Neesham, 2 runs, in the blockhole close to off stump, stabbed down towards long-off, rolls slowly through the outfield and they can take two.0.2: Archer to Neesham, SIX runs, JIMMY NEESHAM, JIMMY NEESHAM, JIMMY NEESHAM! Full, but this time he doesn’t nail the yorker. Clears his front leg and whips it over the deep midwicket boundary, over the shorter boundary.New Zealand require 7 runs off 4 balls.0.3: Archer to Neesham, 2 runs, fullish outside off, swiped away to the left of deep midwicket, and Jason Roy, swooping down on the ball, gets up too early to throw, and ends up fumbling, allowing an easy second. New Zealand need five off three!New Zealand require 5 runs off 3 balls.0.4: Archer to Neesham, 2 runs, full, pretty close to the blockhole, clipped to the right of deep midwicket this time, and they run two again! The throw at the non-striker’s end is good, but Guptill beats it easy.Williamson’s padded up. Of course he is.New Zealand require 3 runs off 2 balls.0.5: Archer to Neesham, 1 run, digs it in short, gets it up to Neesham’s front shoulder. Swings too early through the pull, and he only manages an inside-edge into his body. They sneak the single. Guptill is on strike.Two to win off one ball. If it’s tied, England win it. They’re ahead on the boundary count: 26 to 17.Two of one ball. Guptill gets just the one ball. What a final. What a crazy, beautiful final.0.6: Archer to Guptill, 1 run, OUT, full, angling into the pads, and he clips it towards deep midwicket, who has to run in off the rope, but not too far. It’s a risky second, but they have to take it to win it. A tie isn’t good enough, given the boundary count. The throw’s at the keeper’s end, and Buttler has to take it in front of the stumps. Guptill dives, Buttler dives to break the wicket. It isn’t a photo finish. Guptill is well short. England have won the 2019 World Cup. Can’t say New Zealand have lost, though.

Italy star Federico Chiesa has admitted it was hard to hear manager Luciano Spalletti's instructions during their Euro 2024 win over Albania.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Italy start Euro 2024 with Albania winGame played at a noisy WestfalenstadionChiesa unable to hear Spalletti on the touchlineGetty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

The Azzurri came from behind to beat Albania 2-1 in their opening game of Euro 2024 on Saturday. Italy were stunned when Nedim Bajrami put Albania ahead in the first minute, scoring the fastest ever goal in European Championship history, but the defending champions hit back with goals from Alesssandro Bastoni and Nicolo Barella to secure the win.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The game was played at a very noisy Signal Iduna Park which saw Albania fans outnumber their hosts and provide a vibrant atmosphere. Chiesea admitted that the noise at the stadium made it difficult for Italy fans to hear what their coach was trying to tell them during the match.

WHAT CHIESA SAID

He told reporters: "He wants to see consistency in terms of play and movement. He wants to dominate proceedings and that’s what he’s been telling us ever since he came to Coverciano last September. That’s what we tried to show on the pitch. He gave us this advice, but hearing him on the other side of the pitch was quite hard. There was a wonderful atmosphere, it was fabulous. Even if the Italians were outnumbered it was a magnificent experience."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR ITALY

Italy have made a strong start to the defence of their title but now face crunch games against Spain and Croatia in Group B. La Roja are up next and head into the match after an impressive 3-0 win over Croatia which should make for a fascinating game between the two sides at the Veltins-Arena on Thursday.

A "hugely important" Newcastle United player could start in his side's Premier League clash with Nottingham Forest, according to an update from reliable journalist Keith Downie.

Newcastle injury news

The Magpies are back in action on Saturday evening, making the trip to the City Ground for an important league fixture for both sides.

Eddie Howe's men will still have aspirations of finishing strongly in the European places this season despite a below-par campaign on the whole, and victory over Forest would be another big step in the right direction.

As has been the norm in 2023/24 to date, however, Newcastle have injury problems to contend with, with a number of key players out of Saturday's match. Joelinton is a long-term absentee, for example, while Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak are also missing, which acts as a big blow. Sandro Tonali is still serving his ten-month suspension for breaching betting rules.

It does look as though some positive injury news has now emerged for the Magpies, however, giving the supporters a real boost ahead of the trip to Nottingham.

Callum Wilson could start for Newcastle

Writing on X, Downie provided an update on several players and said that Callum Wilson could start for Newcastle against Forest, having only featured once since the turn of the year.

"Anthony Gordon & Alexander Isak both missing for Newcastle tomorrow. (neither injury are as serious as first feared). Callum Wilson is in line to come in and start through the middle. Hope is Joe Willock will be ready to return by the end of February."

This is fantastic news for Newcastle, especially with Isak ruled out, with Wilson someone who can provide match-winning quality in the final third. The Englishman's season has been disrupted by injury, which has been frustrating, but having him back for a sustained period could be such a boost to the Magpies' European hopes.

Howe himself has made it clear how highly he rates his striker, waxing lyrical over him during the 2022/23 season, saying:

"He’s a hugely important part of our team, a focal point. We rely not just on his goals but his movement, his work rate. His appearance in the team gave us confidence."

Wilson may only have managed seven Premier League starts this season, but he has also scored seven goals in that time, highlighting how prolific he remains. At 31, age isn't necessarily on his side when looking at the long-term picture, but he is going to be a vital figure between now and the end of the season as injuries continue to bite.

No Turner, “outstanding” gem starts in Forest's predicted XI v Newcastle

Nuno Espirito Santo will make plenty of changes this weekend.

ByTom Lever Feb 9, 2024

Newcastle could find Forest tough to break down on Saturday evening, so it may require a moment of magic or a ruthless finish to find the net. This is where Wilson is such an important player for the Magpies, and it would be just like him to score on his first start in months.

He does things that are in essence truly remarkable, but does them with such banality that in the end they are barely remarked upon

Andrew Fidel Fernando in Galle16-Aug-2019If New Zealand are the team that do great things that barely get noticed in the wider cricket world, BJ Watling is the New Zealand of New Zealand. Pull up to a cricket ground when he is in action and watch him closely. Take in his every movement, observe every run he scores, note the difficult takes and the fine catches, drink in his cuts and pulls, revel in Watling, breathe Watling in.Then go home and describe Watling to a friend.He was vital to the team’s cause, and…. oh yeah, he contributed to key moments. But beyond that, be honest, you can’t really remember much. I mean, were you even really watching him? Or were you too busy seething at a Ross Taylor dismissal? Or salivating over a Trent Boult spell? No one would really blame you. Least of all Watling himself. This is his calling in life – to do things that are in essence truly remarkable, but to do them with such utter banality that in the end they are barely remarked upon. You sense he wouldn’t have it any other way.In Galle, on day three, he struck one of those quintessential Watling innings, making 63 not out. Quintessential because, as is often the case, this good Watling innings came with his team in deep trouble, effectively 64 for 4. Quintessential, also, because although the scorecard says he hit five fours, you can barely bring them to mind. Was one of them off a sweep? Come to think of it, does he even play a sweep? A batting style so bland, so nondescript, if it ever committed a crime, you wouldn’t pull it out of a police lineup.And what he does for this New Zealand side, one packed with more great players than you suspect a New Zealand side ever has been, has routinely been the difference between victory and defeat. Specialising in crises is the making of many great players. It is inherently a magnetic and heroic endeavour. When Watling does it though – and man does he do it often – it’s like he is doing no more exceptional a thing than walking down the road to buy groceries. The Galle pitch is treacherous. It has made a fool of all-time greats. Watling negotiated it, no fuss, no chances given, no look-at me shots. Just smart, scrappy batting, and concentrated stubbornness.Ninety-nine innings into his Test career, Watling has six hundreds and 17 half-centuries, but where he really excels is at putting up partnerships. He has been part of two record sixth-wicket stands, with Brendon McCullum, and Kane Williamson, but because he played second fiddle in both, no one really remembers him being in them. When he does lead a partnership, it is generally one of those vital stands with a tailender, and as such do not send any meaningful records tumbling, so no one remembers those for long either. But then what if they had never happened? Where would New Zealand be in this game without the 54-run seventh-wicket stand with Tim Southee? When he bats with the lower order, even normally aggressive tailenders suddenly become workmanlike.Sri Lanka wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella is often accused of playing flashy and insubstantial innings, and is basically the opposite of Watling in every way. In this Test, as if even being in the same ground as Watling is enough, Dickwella produced a jaw-droppingly responsible innings (by his standards at least) and put up his own big partnership with No. 9 Suranga Lakmal.All of this is to say nothing of Watling’s keeping, which of course, as with everything, is sublimely proficient, and deeply unsexy. He doesn’t kick up his heels on the diving takes, doesn’t over-celebrate the great stumpings. His appeals are earnest but not pleading. Precise footwork, soft hands, good anticipation – this, instead, is where Watling makes his honest living. He has twice taken nine catches in a match, which is outstanding, but still two catches short of being a record. He has 2.05 dismissals per innings across his career, which again is super, but puts him at only fourth on the all-time list (for keepers with more than 200 career dismissals), behind Adam Gilchrist and Brad Haddin and a certain gloveman from Pakistan. How strange is the space Watling inhabits, that he is both statistically the greatest purveyor of his craft his nation has produced, and yet has slightly worse numbers than Kamran Akmal.If the defining quality of this New Zealand team is to be better at what they do than most imagine they are, no one embodies those virtues better than their wicketkeeper-batsman. In an alternate universe, New Zealand were bundled out for 120, and Sri Lanka have already won this Test. This universe is no sexier for Watling’s presence in it. But it definitely is better.

Ange Postecoglou is a really, really good manager, and while narratives can change like the wind in football, Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy will likely envisage a long-term future with the Australian at the helm.

Spurs are fifth in the Premier League after 25 matches, just two points behind Aston Villa in fourth place, and while the side's season has been marked by inconsistency once again, there is a vision, a purpose and synergy, that speaks of the possibilities down the line under Postecoglou's wing.

But a recent home defeat against Wolverhampton Wanderers – who have now completed the league double over Postecoglou's team – has yet again maintained the ebb and flow of Tottenham's fluency.

5/10 Spurs star who lost the ball 22x was as bad as Son in Wolves defeat

Tottenham fell out of the top four as Wolves did the double over Ange’s side.

ByAngus Sinclair Feb 17, 2024

Nonetheless, last year's troubles are a far cry from the current efforts, with chairman Daniel Levy forced into sacking Antonio Conte back in March as Spurs slumped to an eighth-placed finish in the top-flight, Harry Kane's decision to leave for Bayern Munich a by-product of the issues.

The tide is turning. Tottenham have a plan and incremental gains will hopefully be made over the coming months and years, ending the years of inaccuracy and inconsistency, both on the pitch and in the market.

Levy is nurturing a precocious youth crop that rivals any on English shores, but now Tottenham must ensure that talent is properly assessed and promising gems do not slip away, much like the exit of Noni Madueke several years back.

Noni Madueke's time at Spurs

Of course, Madueke has not quite nailed himself as a first-choice star in Chelsea's team but the 21-year-old winger is one of England's most talented up-and-comers and may yet become a starring figure at Stamford Bridge.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.

Many are unaware of the attacker's Lilywhites beginnings, but the starlet was indeed on Tottenham's books and even made an appearance in the U18 Premier League back in 2016/17, such was the strength of his prodigious roots.

Speaking of this fledgling phase in an interview with Sky Sports, Madueke said: "Tottenham was a great academy and they’ve got a great development plan. I’d been offered a scholarship agreement at Tottenham but I’d seen a lot of the boys – that were good as well – just kind of get lost in the system and I just didn’t want that for me.

“Going to PSV is not going to harm my development at all and if I’m good enough, I’m going to play quick in the first team, so that was really my mindset. I’m thinking ‘if I jump the queue, I’ll just be better than all my peers because whilst they’re playing Under-18’s and Under-21’s, I’ll be playing against men.”

Lost in the hubbub of youth football, Madueke moved to PSV at age 16, delving down an alternative route as he looked to sculpt himself into a top-class star down the line.

Now, he's back on English shores with Chelsea, and Spurs may yet rue the failure to keep him tethered to north London.

Noni Madueke's Chelsea career so far

Madueke has chalked up 31 displays for Chelsea so far since completing a £30m transfer from Dutch Eredivisie giants PSV Eindhoven in January 2023, where he had earned repute for his electric displays and led talent scout Jacek Kulig to gush over his "crazy good" ability on the ball.

#

Player

Club

1.

Dejan Kulusevski

Tottenham Hotspur

2.

Miguel Almiron

Newcastle United

3.

Felipe Anderson

Lazio

4.

Bernardo Silva

Manchester City

5.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

Napoli

Source: FBref

Madueke was part of the unrelenting influx as Chelsea's new regime looked to make lucrative investments and build from the smouldering ashes of Roman Abramovich's machine-like success in west London, but it hasn't clicked together yet.

In fairness, while he has largely been on the fringe under Mauricio Pochettino, the 5 foot 9 ace has scored four goals and supplied one assist from only eight starting appearances across all competitions, so there's evidence enough that he has the making of a high-class winger.

As per FBref, Madueke ranks among the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries and touches in the attacking penalty area, the top 3% for successful take-ons, the top 2% for clearances and the top 16% for blocks per 90.

His fleet-footedness is truly edging into the realm of the elite, and if he can tweak and fine-tune his end product and decision-making in decisive moments, Madueke could yet blossom into one of the Premier League's most fearsome forwards.

Principally a right-sided wideman, Madueke would be a valuable asset under Postecoglou's wing, with his power of progression and technical skill slotting right into the Australian's high-octane, fluid-moving set-up.

Perhaps, like at Stamford Bridge, he wouldn't start every week at this primitive stage of his career, but were his youth development handled with more tact then he could be pushing for a prominent role down the N17 right now, in what might have precluded the need for a large outlay in signing Brennan Johnson last summer.

How Noni Madueke compares to Brennan Johnson

Johnson signed for Tottenham from Nottingham Forest in a £47.5m move on summer deadline day, having played an instrumental role in the City Ground side's successful bid for survival last year, posting ten goals across all competitions.

The Wales international has produced some promising stuff across the past months, starting 13 Premier League matches and clinching three goals and four assists.

He's only averaging 0.6 dribbles per game though and for someone of such a high-paced profile, there's little doubt that Postecoglou would hope to see more energy and penetration in possession.

Madueke, in comparison, is averaging 1.1 dribble per fixture in the Premier League despite his scant action (his aforementioned FBref metrics also corroborate the claim that he is the superior dribbler), also completing 86% of his passes to underpin the technical crispness that Postecoglou cherishes within his ranks.

Madueke has not quite managed to slot himself to the forefront of Pochettino's plans but there is no question that the Englishman boasts frightening qualities that could yet establish him as one of Europe's standout wingers.

In fairness, Johnson is also young in his career and has offered flashes of the high-class potential that prompted Levy to part with such a sizeable sum for his services.

But had Tottenham been a touch more scrupulous in their transfer activity over recent years, Madueke could have been guided to the first-team, preventing Johnson's acquisition from ever taking place.

Ultimately, only time will tell which star will enjoy the richer career…

The India opener scored a half-century in difficult conditions on the first day of the Jamaica Test

Aishwarya Kumar at Sabina Park31-Aug-20191:34

‘It was important for Virat and me to stitch a partnership’ – Mayank Agarwal

Mayank Agarwal edged a couple to the boundary in the 38th over, off Kemar Roach, the second four getting him to his third Test fifty in 117 balls. The edges and the eventual cut to slip that ended his innings were proof of the difficult batting conditions the Indians faced against West Indies at Sabina Park.Rahkeem Cornwall nonchalant about Test debut

The 26-year-old Antiguan not only made his Test debut today, but was involved in the first three wickets to fall. He dismissed Cheteshwar Pujara, reducing India to 46/2 after 17 overs. Plus, he took two stunning catches in the slips to dismiss KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal.
“It was a good feeling to get my first Test wicket. It was nothing really new to me, but it was a new feeling,” he said calmly at the press conference at the end of day’s play.
“The seamers put the ball in the right areas. When I saw the first ball come in [at slip] I just said I have to hold it and be confident and go from there.”
Cornwall wasn’t surprised that his debut came on a green pitch in Jamaica instead of the dry one in Antigua in the last Test. He simply said, “When I get the opportunity, I will bowl the ball in the right areas.”
Accustomed to bowling long spells in regional cricket, the offspinner got through 27 overs and gave away only 69 runs on a day that went largely okay for the hosts. “One [more] wicket would have been comfortable, but I think we are in a good position to bowl tomorrow and take the rest of the wickets.”

“[Conditions were] challenging. I thought the first session – the ball was doing a bit. Kemar Roach and [Jason] Holder bowled great areas. It wasn’t easy – there was a lot of moisture and the ball was doing a bit,” Agarwal said at the press conference afterwards.He also praised Holder, who ended the day with three wickets – those of himself, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul. “I think Holder is bowling great areas, he is not giving you an inch. He is there pegging in those areas, pegging on length and short of length. And you know he doesn’t give free deliveries for you to score off of,” he said.”So, the pressure is always there even if you defend him off – the first spell he bowled six-seven overs in that he’s given three or four maidens, so as a batsman you know you’re not getting much out of him.”Agarwal faced some tough delivers from the offspinning debutant, the six-and-a-half-foot Rahkeem Cornwall, who claimed Cheteshwar Pujara as his maiden Test wicket.Mayank Agarwal acknowledges the claps from the dressing room•AFP”Rakheem is very, very [consistent], he forms good clusters and he keeps bowling those areas, keeps bowling those areas,” Agarwal said. “I thought it wasn’t very easy to score off him. We took our time and it was very important for Virat and me to actually get a partnership going and it was important that one of us went on to score big.”He definitely gets a lot more bounce compared to many other spinners. He just keeps hitting those lengths.”Speaking of his 69-run partnership with Kohli, Agarwal said the captain had batted beautifully to “negate the time before lunch and then to come out after lunch with that kind of positivity was amazing – he gets a lot of intensity when he comes to bat”.The conditions got steadily better as the day progressed and the sun beat down, Agarwal said. “I can say it got a little better to bat on after the first session – the wicket got a lot harder as the sun beat down – the wicket lost some of its moisture. It just kept getting a little better to bat on, but I think credit must be given to the West Indian bowlers, especially Roach and Holder – they kept coming and kept coming and kept bowling tight lines.”India ended the day at 264 for 5 with Hanuma Vihari and Rishabh Pant in the middle. Agarwal said he was pleased with the team’s performance and the goal now would be to “pile on as many runs as possible”. “We are in a great position. To have just lost five wickets on a track like that was a good effort from our side.”

The abject Azzurri suffered an embarrassingly meek exit at Euro 2024, losing 2-0 in Berlin to a vastly superior Switzerland side

Italy's reign as champions of Europe is over – and about time too. The Azzurri may have illuminated Euro 2020 with their uncharacteristically adventurous style of play but their title defence in Germany has been seriously tough to watch.

Indeed, the one good thing about their Euro 2024 campaign is that it was brought to a mercifully premature end by Switzerland on Saturday evening, with Murat Yakin's side sealing a fully deserved spot in the quarter-finals with a shockingly comfortable 2-0 win.

Remo Frueler took advantage of some non-existent Italian tracking to give the Swiss the lead just eight minutes before the break, as the defending champions fell behind the fourth time in four games in this tournament.

The Swiss struck again immediately after the interval, with the impressive Ruben Vargas given all the time in the world to pick his spot before bending the ball past the completely unprotected Gigi Donnarumma and into the top corner of the Azzurri net.

Below, GOAL rates all of the Italy players on show as Luciano Spalletti's side were dumped out of the Euros with embarrassing ease by the Swiss, who will now face the winners of England's last-16 meeting with Slovakia…

Getty Goalkeeper & Defence

Gianluigi Donnarumma (6/10):

The only Italy player that could leave the field with his head held high. Made a good save from Breel Embolo before being twice betrayed by those in front of him.

Giovanni Di Lorenzo (3/10):

His lack of pace was once again brutally exposed. Genuinely remarkable how steeply he's declined since captaining Napoli to the Serie A title in 2022-23.

Gianluca Mancini (2/10):

Riccardo Calafiori's stock has only risen after seeing how his replacement struggled in his stead. Completely out of his depth – against Switzerland.

Alessandro Bastoni (4/10):

Hard not to feel sorry for the Inter man. Not at his very best but deserves to have much better players around him.

Matteo Darmian (4/10):

Offered nothing like the same threat as an in-form Federico Dimarco (which we didn't see in Germany, in fairness) but was solid enough, winning a fair bit of possession. By no means the worst Italy player on show, which is not saying much obviously.

AdvertisementGetty Midfield

Bryan Cristante (2/10):

Italy fans feared the worst when they saw the Roma man included in the starting line-up – and rightly so. His passing accuracy was decent but only because he took zero risks. May as well have not been on the pitch.

Nicolo Fagioli (3/10):

Strange that he even made the squad after missing most of the season because of a betting ban. Why he was selected here is anyone's guess. Made a couple of tackles but his awareness of midfield runners around him was non-existent and he consistently gave the ball away.

Nicolo Barella (2/10):

If we're being kind, we could say that he was hindered by injury coming into this tournament, and he picked up an early knock here, but he's made a mockery of his reputation as a world-class midfielder in the last few games. Meant to be the one Italy midfielder capable of picking a pass and causing problems in the opposition box but offered nothing going forward. Picked up a booking borne of pure frustration before being hooked midway through the second half.

Getty Attack

Federico Chiesa (4/10):

Always wanted the ball but did very little with it. Depressing to see how much he's regressed since Euro 2020.

Gianluca Scamacca (3/10):

Once again horribly isolated up front but failed dismally to prove a decent out-ball for his side. Italy's lack of striking options is truly shocking.

Stephan El Shaarawy (2/10):

Hadn't kicked a ball in the group stage yet inexplicably selected to start here with predictably disastrous results. Subbed at half-time after 45 painfully ineffective minutes.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

Getty Subs & Manager

Mattia Zaccagni (5/10):

Entitled to ask why El Shaaraway started ahead of him after his crucial goal against Croatia. Brought on during the break and at least showed some energy and enthusiasm.

Mateo Rategui (5/10):

Thrown on in place of Barella in the 64th minute but never looked like scoring.

Lorenzo Pellegrini (N/A):

Only came on for the last 15 minutes.

Andrea Cambiaso (N/A):

Part of a double substitution with Pellegrini, replacing Darmian. Not enough time to make an impact.

Davide Frattessi (N/A):

Came on for Fagioli with seconds to go.

Luciano Spalletti (3/10):

It has to be acknowledged that the former Napoli boss is working with a terribly weak group of players but even still, this was the worst performance of a seriously underwhelming campaign from the Azzurri – and by some distance. Some of Spalletti's selections were utterly bizarre and his formation didn't work at all, meaning the notoriously combustible coach is going to come under serious scrutiny in the coming days. An acrimonious exit cannot be ruled out, particularly when one considers Italy only made the last 16 thanks to a 98th-minute equaliser against Croatia.

Barbados Tridents’ chase of 150 went haywire after Patriots captain Carlos Brathwaite triggered a mid-innings collapse

The Report by Peter Della Penna29-Sep-2019A match that was a slow burn for most of the first 30 overs came alive in the last quarter of play with a series of dramatic twists and turns that ended with St Kitts & Nevis Patriots booking their place in the CPL 2019 playoffs with a one-run last-ball win over Barbados Tridents at Kensington Oval. A first-innings fifty by Shamarh Brooks set up a fighting total of 149 for 7 after Patriots had opted to bat. Tridents’ steady reply then went haywire after Patriots captain Carlos Brathwaite sparked a collapse with the key scalp of Shakib Al Hasan.With 12 to get off the final over and two wickets in hand, Raymon Reifer looked like he would take Tridents across the line after striking an audacious six over extra cover off the first legal ball – the first ball of the over had been a wide – to bring the equation to five off five. But Reifer inexplicably ran himself out coming back for a non-existent two on the next ball. The last-wicket pair of Chemar Holder and Harry Gurney then took it down to two off the final ball to win, or a single to force a Super Over, before Dominic Drakes beat Gurney for pace with a length ball that pegged back off stump.Brooks’ home-ground heroics for Patriots
Two days short of his 31st birthday, Brooks produced a career-best maiden half-century in T20 cricket on his return home to his native island. Brooks came in to bat after Mohammad Hafeez had struggled through four overs to make 6, and fired from early in his knock, with back-to-back fours in the fifth over off Chemar Holder.He survived a massive lbw appeal from Hayden Walsh Jr on 28 after going deep in his crease missing a flick to midwicket. Brooks then rubbed salt into the wound by smashing the legspinner for four and six in the 14th just a few days after Walsh had taken the season’s best figures with 5 for 19 against Trinbago Knight Riders. Walsh eventually got Brooks out bowled slog sweeping off the final ball of his spell in the 16th. Brathwaite then fell at the start of the 17th to an arm ball from Shakib to leave Patriots struggling again at 114 for 6 but a late burst from Fabian Allen and Keron Cottoy gave the visitors life heading into the break.Shakib’s impact with bat and ball
The Bangladesh star had started off the match with a maiden, finished with returns of 1 for 14 in four overs, and was no less a menace with the bat after arriving in the third over of Tridents’ chase. Regularly using his feet to the spinners, Shakib played some gloriously elegant drives through extra cover for four and over long-on for six off Hafeez in the fourth over.He was undeterred when Alex Hales fell to a brilliant catch by Sheldon Cottrell in the eighth over, and continued to steer the innings in tandem with JP Duminy. After 11 overs, Tridents were 83 for 2 and needed just 67 off 54 balls, seemingly well on course for a stress-free conclusion.Brathwaite’s rescue act
The Patriots captain resuscitated his side’s chances with a game-changing 12th over that claimed both Shakib and Jonathan Carter. Shakib found Brooks with a miscued drive to long-on off the third ball for 38. Carter then helped the pendulum swing back closer to the Patriots when his misguided attempt to open the face for a single to third man instead produced an edge dragged on to the stumps.Rayad Emrit, who had taken Hales’ wicket, then induced a slap to mid-on by Jason Holder in the 14th over. Cottrell trapped Ashley Nurse with an inswinger in the next over before another ill-fated steer by Duminy resulted in Brathwaite’s third wicket, edged behind to Devon Thomas, completing a slide of five for 14 to make it 99 for 7 from 85 for 2.With 37 needed off three overs, Reifer battled back fiercely, striking sixes in consecutive overs off Brathwaite and Cottrell to keep Tridents in the hunt. Then came his six off Drakes to start the final over to bring the equation down to a run a ball before madness set in. Tridents must now come back on Sunday for a do-or-die clash against St Lucia Zouks. Only one point separates Tridents and Zouks and the winner will claim the final playoff spot in CPL 2019, regardless of the result of Tridents’ last league stage match at Queen’s Park Oval against Knight Riders.

Les Bleus have made the Euro 2024 quarter-finals but not one player has yet scored from open play, making changes essential against Portugal

After France had fluked their way into the quarter-finals of the Euro 2024 with a dreadfully dull 1-0 win over Belgium, William Saliba argued that Les Bleus "deserve some credit" for the way they play. They're not going to get any, though – not if they continue sending supporters to sleep with their boring brand of football.

There may be plenty to admire about the way in which Saliba & Co. contain opponents – they've kept more clean sheets than any other team in the tournament thus far – but the media's attention remains firmly fixed on France's malfunctioning forward line. And rightly so.

Didier Deschamps has a wonderful array of attacking talent and yet his team have scored only three goals in Germany – two own goals and a penalty. It's a shocking statistic, utterly embarrassing in fact. Deschamps doesn't care, though. He never has.

GettyWater-carrying winning machine

As a player, Deschamps was derided by Eric Cantona for his lack of creativity and flair but the "water-carrier" won it all, with Marseille, Juventus and France. This was a character who fully embraced and eventually came to epitomise the (in)famous Bianconeri ethos that "winning isn't important, it's the only thing that counts." It's not in the least bit surprising, then, that he's proven the most conservative of coaches.

"At the highest level, if you don't have a solid defensive base, you can't get by," he once said. "In one match, yes. But over a whole competition? No."

It was a comment that evoked memories of the old Sir Alex Ferguson line that "Attack wins you games, defence wins you titles" – but the stubborn Scot was never as negative as Deschamps.

AdvertisementGetty Images'Repeat, repeat, repeat'

Deschamps has argued, with some degree of justification, that pragmatism is imperative in international football. "It's hard to evolve when you only have 15 days or three weeks to practice and correct and change tactics," he pointed out six years ago. “The players are smart, but they play a particular way with their clubs. The Real Madrid coach won’t ask for the same things as the Paris Saint-Germain coach or the Chelsea coach. So, you need to find a tactical plan that works for all of them. For me, the goal is to make the most of each player, and then repeat, repeat, repeat."

The problem is, though, that doing the same thing over and over again may create the "good habits" Deschamps hailed after the Belgium game, but it also runs the risk of making a team painfully predictable. Indeed, in Germany, France are playing without any imagination, which is perhaps the inevitable consequence of 12 years of being subjected to such a defensive dogma.

Getty'Results in Russia proved me right'

It was hoped after winning the 2018 World Cup that Deschamps might let the handbrake off, but his attitude was very much, 'If it ain't broke, why fix it?'

"You can win the World Cup in other ways," Deschamps admitted, "But should I change just to please my critics? The results in Russia proved me right."

Deschamps is just as convinced he'll be vindicated at the Euros, too. In fact, he's already claimed, like Saliba, that France are not getting sufficient praise for their performances in Germany and he was annoyed by the suggestion that the celebrations that followed the 1-0 win over Belgium were excessive.

"I'm immensely proud to be in the quarter-finals," he told reporters in Dusseldorf on Monday evening. "Even if we are expected to be here, you can't trivialise [the achievement]. It was a high-level match, very close, and when we win, we are demonstrative. You have to enjoy every moment. We're not going to get carried away, but we're in the quarter-finals."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

Getty 'I'd like us to create more chances…'

The question is, though, what now? Because France's no-risk strategy feels unsustainable.

In the history of the European Championship, there have been five instances of teams winning 1-0 thanks to an own goal – Deschamps' France are responsible for three of those victories, and while he's always argued that a team needs a bit of good fortune once in a while, their luck is likely to run out eventually.

Deschamps defended the "waiting game" his side played against a Belgium team he rather amusingly labelled "cautious" without an apparent trace of irony, but he also acknowledged, "you can't win through possession alone. I'd like us to create more chances."

Playing a more offensive line-up against France would be one way to achieve that objective.

Leeds United brought in a manager well-known for his work with young players when they appointed German head coach Daniel Farke last summer.

The 47-year-old tactician developed the likes of Max Aarons, James Maddison, Ben Godfrey, and Emi Buendia, among others, during his previous stint in England with Norwich City.

His willingness to bring through youth players has already been on full display this season as Mateo Joseph and Archie Gray have emerged as first-team options for the Whites.

Former Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa was cut from the same cloth as he was also prepared to develop academy talent. However, not every player who debuted under him went on to be a success, with Kun Temenuzhkov being a prime example.

Kun Temenuzhkov's time at Leeds

The Bulgarian centre-forward was snapped up from Barcelona's U18 side in the summer of 2017 to link up with Carlos Corberan's U21 outfit in Yorkshire.

He arrived in England off the back of an exceptional return of 30 goals in 30 league matches for the Spanish giants at U18 level, to secure a league title for his team, which earned him a comparison to his idol Luis Suarez by The Guardian, who cited his predatory instincts in the box.

After around 18 months with Leeds in their academy, Bielsa decided to hand him a first-team debut for the club against Queens Park Rangers in the FA Cup in January 2019.

Temenuzhkov played 11 minutes off the bench in what turned out to be his only senior appearance for the Whites before his release in the summer of 2022.

Between that appearance against QPR and his exit from Elland Road, the young forward spent time on loan with La Nucia and Real Union, but only scored six goals in 47 matches for the two sides combined.

Where Kun Temenuzhkov currently plays

The Leeds prospect never kicked on after Bielsa provided him with a first-team opportunity and was eventually released by the club ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

Since then, Temenuzhkov has played for three different teams and now finds himself playing in Gibraltar for Lincoln Red Imps, who he joined from Spanish outfit Zamora in January of this year.

Appearances

34

Ten

Seven

Goals

Eight

One

Three

Assists

One

Zero

Three

Now 24, the ex-Barcelona starlet is yet to enjoy a truly prolific season as a striker at first-team level as his eight goals for Navalcarnero during the 2022/23 season remain the most he has plundered in a single term.

However, the Bulgarian dynamo has produced three goals and three assists in six league matches for Lincoln in 2024, which suggests that he is on his way to finding his feet as a regular scorer.

The caveat to that is that Gibraltar is currently FIFA's 201st worst nation based on their world rankings, only slightly above San Marino in 210th, and that does not say much for the standard of opposition the former Leeds forward is up against each week in comparison to the major European leagues or the Championship.

Hopefully, Temenuzhkov will go on to enjoy a successful career, as he still has plenty of time left at the age of 24, after it did not work out for him at Elland Road.