Shakib Al Hasan put together another masterclass against West Indies
ESPNcricinfo stats team17-Jun-2019Successive hundreds, the leading run-scorer, and a handy haul of five wickets from four games: Shakib Al Hasan has been in stunning form in the World Cup so far, and against West Indies he was once again the standout performer for Bangladesh, winning his 20th Man-of-the-Match award in ODIs; the second-best for Bangladesh is 14, by Tamim Iqbal.WATCH on Hotstar (India only) – Liton Das’ unbeaten 94Shakib was indisputably the top performer of the day, and Smart Stats only confirms that. Smart Stats takes into account not just the runs scored and wickets taken, but also the match context in which those performances came about. It takes into account the quality of batsmen dismissed, the pressure when the runs were scored or overs bowled, and the economy rates/strike rates of other bowlers/batsmen in the match. All of those factors are quantified, with batting and bowling performances put on an equal scale, and player impact is calculated by summing up the batting and bowling values.ESPNcricinfo LtdDoing all that, and putting a percentage value to Shakib’s numbers compared to the total contribution value of all players to the win, his percentage is an extremely high 29.3. Shakib’s 124 was worth 128 smart runs, when taking into account the support he received, and the pressure on him, in terms of the required rate, when he scored the runs.In Shakib’s case, he received excellent support from the other batsmen, especially Liton Das. While Shakib scored 124 from 99, the batsmen at the other end together made 127 runs from 100 balls. Shakib also get extra points for taking the crucial wickets of Evin Lewis and Nicholas Pooran.Shakib was the biggest contributor to the win, but Liton was outstanding too. He came in to bat after Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim had fallen in quick succession, and Bangladesh were still 189 away from victory. In that unbroken partnership with Shakib, Liton was the major contributor, scoring 94 from 69 while Shakib contributed 80 off 66.Liton’s impact contribution was a healthy 17.2%, while Mustafizur Rahman came in next at 13.1%. Mustafizur’s three dismissals included the crucial wickets of Shimron Hetmyer and Andre Russell, and he also bowled superbly at the death, conceding only nine runs off 12 balls in the 47th and 49th overs.
From Chemar Holder to Laurie Evans to Mark Deyal, there are a number of relative newcomers who can set the pulse racing
Deivarayan Muthu04-Sep-2019Chemar Holder (Barbados Tridents) Much like fellow Bajan Jason Holder, Chemar can generate steep bounce and swing the new ball as well. It was on bright display during the four-dayers against India A, where Chemar was the joint-highest wicket-taker with 15 strikes in three games. Chemar has been similarly impressive in List A cricket, but has only played three T20s so far, managing three wickets at an economy rate of 9.81.ALSO READ: Why you shouldn’t miss CPL 2019However, he has been part of Cricket West Indies’ emerging players’ camp in the past and is on the fringes of national selection. A few eye-catching performances this season could well see him play alongside the other Holder for West Indies.John Campbell (St Lucia Zouks) Campbell is just eight limited-overs internationals old, but has shown enough attacking enterprise as an opening batsman. In May, Campbell combined with Shai Hope and amassed the biggest opening stand (365) in ODIs, in Dublin. He had also given a good account of himself in the domestic 50-over tournament last year, hitting 298 runs in seven innings for Jamaica at a strike rate of 94.30.The method behind the left-hander’s hitting is simple: clear the front leg, maintain a still head, and belt the ball through the leg side. If he can do that consistently and give St Lucia some rousing starts, Colin de Grandhomme and Thisara Perera will have a platform to launch themselves from.Laurie Evans goes off-side during a Vitality Blast game•Getty ImagesLaurie Evans (St Kitts & Nevis Patriots) England’s Evans is no Chris Gayle or Andre Russell, but has become a T20 globetrotter of sorts, making it to the Bangladesh Premier League, Pakistan Super League, Afghanistan Premier League and now the CPL, after making a splash in the T20 Blast. Evans, however, found no takers at the IPL auction. He is set to fly out to the Caribbean after completing his Sussex duties in the ongoing Vitality Blast.All eyes will be on Alex Hales this CPL, and, as the only other English player in the tournament, Evans will likely fly under the radar. Unless he can do what he can do consistently enough – that could earn him an IPL gig as well.Mark Deyal (Trinbago Knight Riders) Having a mystery spinner is the fantasy of every T20 team. Believe it or not, Trinbago Knight Riders have the luxury of two of them – who can also pitch in with the bat – in their ranks: Sunil Narine and Mark Deyal.Deyal was part of Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel in the CPL previously as a middle-order batsman. He has since added mystery spin to his repertoire – he can turn the ball both ways with his knuckles – and in the inaugural Global T20 Canada, he even doubled up as a pinch-hitter at the top of the order. Deyal also has the experience of playing in number of leagues in the USA. Can he make a bigger leap and do a Narine with Narine this CPL?Mohammad Hasnain (Trinbago Knight Riders) “I have never seen [an] 18-year old bowl at such pace. Hasnain’s control over his length and swing is very impressive and he varies his pace very well.”Shane Watson, Hasnain’s Quetta Gladiators team-mate in the Pakistan Super League, delivered a glowing appraisal of the teenager ahead of his ODI debut against Australia in the UAE in March. Heck, Waqar Younis sees shades of himself in Hasnain.
Hasnain hit speeds north of 150kph and was the Man of the PSL final earlier this year. He subsequently broke into Pakistan’s ODI side and pinged Aaron Finch on his helmet with a 147kph thunderbolt on debut.Hasnain, 19 now, is not yet proven at the top level, but his out-and-out pace has excited TKR. Unfortunately, he will be available for the side’s first three games only. It is understood that Hasnain has been granted an NOC till September 12 and will then return home for domestic duties. It will indeed be a short stint, but his new-ball partnership with USA’s Ali Khan promises to set the pulse racing in the opening week.
There have been some big changes for the title holders but Aaron Finch has full faith in the set-up
Alex Malcolm17-Dec-2019When new Melbourne Renegades recruit Shaun Marsh caught wind of whispers that his former Perth Scorchers opening partner Michael Klinger was in the race to replace departed coach Andrew McDonald, he shot a text immediately to captain Aaron Finch.You won’t find a bad reference from anyone who has ever dealt with Klinger in Australian cricket, but a reference from Marsh carried extra weight given Klinger had no head coaching experience to assess, aside from his combined role as player, captain, and T20 mentor at Gloucestershire in the T20 Blast.For Finch, who sat in on the interview process for the coaching role, that reference, Klinger’s work at Gloucestershire and his phenomenal record as a player was enough to seal the deal.”I think what really won everyone over was the experience Maxy [Klinger] has had at Gloucestershire,” Finch said. “To run their T20 program, a lot of captaincy experience as well and then ultimately to take a side that wasn’t on paper the highest-profile side and to continually make the finals with Gloucestershire, I think his experience in that regard shone through really well.”ALSO READ: Michael Klinger named new Melbourne Renegades coachKlinger’s appointment was a whirlwind experience. He was all set to be the Melbourne Stars’ batting coach this season working under new coach David Hussey. He was also in the mix for the Australia selector job but withdrew after getting the Renegades role, with the job eventually going to George Bailey.But the Renegades do things a little differently. Having a captain sit in on coaching recruitment is unusual but given the way Finch operated with McDonald last season in terms of strategy and selection, to ultimately take the title, it made sense.The Renegades are a data-driven team built around maximising resources. Their title last season was a masterclass in how to squeeze the most out of the sum of their parts, with a squad cobbled together from all corners of the globe.They are far from an old mates’ club. The Renegades made the decision to release title-winning experienced player, and long-time Victorian servant Cameron White to recruit the country’s most inform senior domestic pro in Western Australian Shaun Marsh to bolster their top order.
We have guys coming from all over Australia but the good thing is the culture and the comradery that Andrew has built up in previous years is obviously going to be there, and I’ll certainly look to continue thatMichael Klinger won’t be reinventing the wheel
Klinger joins the squad with no intentions of shaking that mentality up despite experiencing a lot of success with Australia’s best example of a one-team, year-round culture in the Perth Scorchers.”I think the biggest thing is getting the group really close as quick as you can and to be honest,” Klinger said. “Andrew McDonald was very good at that and with only a few changes we’ve already got a really good camaraderie within the group, and a good atmosphere and culture, so there will only be a bit of tweaking at the start and obviously the guys getting to know me at the start of the tournament.”The Scorchers and some of the other states where it is, not a combined program, but you have similar staff and you’re looking after guys over 12 months of the year and that can be a big advantage as we’ve seen and this will be different. We have guys coming from all over Australia but the good thing is the culture and the comradery that Andrew has built up in previous years is obviously going to be there, and I’ll certainly look to continue that.”Klinger shares a similar philosophy to McDonald in the use of data. McDonald detailed the level of the Renegades planning to ESPNcricinfo in a podcast earlier this year after claiming the title against the Melbourne Stars. He outlined that he and assistant Andre Borovec worked with their analyst to nail down key match-ups and plans for each game, but they only disseminated that information to three senior players – Finch, Dan Christian, and Tom Cooper – so as not to overload those who didn’t need it.Harry Gurney sports a smile•Getty Images”I’m big on using the data,” Klinger said. “That’s something I’m really big on is getting the information. The key with that is how you distribute it to the players because some players love it, and some players don’t. As a head coach and as a coaching staff you need to be really flexible with that. You certainly don’t want to overload players with too much information if some guys just like to go out and watch the ball and hit it and play on instinct and don’t like that information. So, in terms of the players using it that will certainly be up to them but we’ll certainly provide them with a lot of information.”But there is no sense that Klinger will be a carbon-copy of McDonald. The former coach was very flexible in his approach to individual preparation, encouraging players to come up with a formula for themselves and working with them to execute their skills in games, provided the ends justified the means. He will have senior assistants in Borovec and Lachlan Stevens which will aid with continuity from that perspective.But they will add former Australia fast bowler Shaun Tait as bowling coach, replacing Dimitri Mascarenhas. Klinger has also called upon former AFL player Brad Green as a leadership consultant. Prior to his 254-game career with Melbourne Football Club, Green represented Tasmania and Australia in cricket at underage level. Green has also been an assistant coach at two other AFL clubs. Klinger’s former coach, Justin Langer, used a lot of AFL coaching and leadership philosophies at the Scorchers. Klinger himself spent a week at Melbourne Football Club earlier this year, the club he supports, shadowing the coaching staff to get an inside look at how they operated.Finch believes Klinger’s meticulous nature could well have a huge impact on all of the Renegades players.”How structured Maxy is and disciplined he was as a player – that’s something that not just experienced players but young players in particular can really learn off, the preparation, the attention to detail I think is so important,” he said. “People can often gloss over that in T20 and see it as you take your chance, you go out and smack a few but there’s a lot of planning and preparation that goes into a T20 innings. That will be great to work with Maxy on that and our other senior players.”The Renegades have been thrown some curveballs on the eve their title defence. Pakistan pair Usman Shinwari and Faheem Ashraf have been withdrawn, meaning a new overseas player is needed to be found at short notice, with Lancashire’s Richard Gleeson filling the breach while Harry Gurney will return for the entire tournament.However, Klinger is confident they can go back-to-back. “We know we’ve got a good list,” he said. “We’ve got a good mix of experienced players and some really good young guns coming through. My job will obviously be to support them and mentor the experienced ones and keep developing the younger ones and give them the best opportunity in a relaxed atmosphere to go out and play with freedom and aggressively.”
A Bangladesh fan revels in the joyous atmosphere at the first day-night Test in India, despite a familiar tale of disappointment
Tawhid Qureshi25-Nov-2019Choice of game
The distance between Kolkata and Dhaka is around 200 miles. Exploring the close bond between Bengali-speaking people on either side of the India-Bangladesh border was one of the reasons to escape from cold London to Kolkata and watch cricket in India for the first time. Only after I had booked my flights was it announced that it would be a day-night affair at Eden Gardens, which made it even more interesting. Sourav Ganguly, the BCCI president, would ensure it was a “prince”ly occasion in Kolkata.The pink effect
Approaching the Eden Gardens, it was obvious this wouldn’t be a run-of-the-mill Test. From afar, I could see the huge floodlight towers that were covered in pink lights. Once inside the ground, in every corner the pink-ball theme was apparent, from the pink lettering on the old manual scoreboard to the pink fabric covering every pillar in the stands. Before the first ball was bowled the emcee ratcheted up the anticipation with ever-louder appeals to the crowd to show appreciation towards the gathered dignitaries, with a marching band in brilliant white uniforms providing the soundtrack. In attendance were the who’s who of Indian cricket, with Sachin Tendulkar, Anil Kumble, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman all around. The emcee also ensured Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina didn’t go unnoticed by the crowd.A no-contest
After all the pomp and ceremony, when the cricket did begin it took on a slightly frenzied, turbo-charged feel. Bangladesh lost four wickets in the first hour, eventually capitulating for 106, with two players substituted for concussion. It was disappointing to see the Bangladesh batsmen making elementary mistakes, with angled bats and feet being firmly planted in the crease resulting in a predictable outcome. Ishant Sharma took full advantage by claiming a five-wicket haul; his commitment was perfectly encapsulated during the tea break on day two, when he was practising his bowling.Wow moment
Rohit Sharma’s catch to dismiss Mominul Haque was an excellent low diving grab, but it was probably bettered on day two when Taijul Islam caught Virat Kohli on the leg-side boundary; had Taijul not intervened, Kohli’s nonchalant flick appeared to be heading for a six. Similar to Ben Stokes’ World Cup wonder-catch, Taijul caught the ball mid-air while diving backwards.BCCIWhat I’d change
After watching a fair amount of cricket in Bangladesh, I’ve become accustomed to the spectator experience in south Asia, with the absence of queuing and questionable food hygiene being two features. The lack of clean seats is something that I hadn’t remembered, so it was a clear mistake to wear a pair of white shorts to the game; some would consider it a mistake in the fashion sense too!Crowd meter
My first experience of boisterous Indian crowds certainly didn’t disappoint. The stands at Eden Gardens looked full throughout the opening day and the noise generated reached a crescendo on either side of the tea break. The party vibe continued during the tea break, with local musicians performing on the outfield and a lap of honour from former India captains. An even bigger music and dance show was promised at the close of play, but I had to miss it as my jet-lag proved to be a party-pooper.Eden Gardens came to prominence in my mind during the 1996 World Cup semi-final; the volatile crowd that day setting fire in the stands and forcing an abandonment. Happily the Eden crowd I experienced were only good-natured, showing an enormous amount of warmth and goodwill towards the Bangladesh players and the small pockets of Bangladeshi supporters. The affection was such that it felt like a Bengali bromance was being revived. It would make sense for the boards of both countries to take note and arrange a regular fixture at Eden Gardens; there’s certainly an appetite among the fans.Marks out of 10
A resounding 9, the sense of occasion and ceremony were unparalleled, even though Bangladesh’s batsmen failed to live up to the billing. I’m already looking forward to my next Indian cricketing adventure. Want to do a Fan Following report? Read our FAQ here.
Celtic’s amazing head coach of recent times, Ange Postecoglou, achieved great success during his two years at Parkhead before a move to England.
The Australian boss, who won the domestic treble in his final campaign at Celtic, won the Scottish Premiership title in both of his seasons with the club.
Ange Postecoglou.
Underpinning his success at Paradise was the excellent work done in the recruitment department, signing the likes of Jota, Kyogo Furuhashi, Joe Hart, and Cameron Carter-Vickers among others.
Jota was, arguably, the greatest signing of Postecoglou’s tenure as he joined the Hoops for a reported fee of £6.5m, after thriving on loan in his first season at the club, as shown in the graphic below.
After his exceptional form in the 2022/23 campaign, Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad swooped in to sign the winger for a reported fee of £25m, representing a huge profit for the club, and the winger has since returned on a permanent deal from Rennes in January for £8m.
Not all of Postecoglou’s signings at Celtic paid off, though, and one of the most infamous, for lack of a better word, moves was the addition of James McCarthy in the summer of 2021.
The curious case of James McCarthy
Ahead of the 2021/22 campaign, the Scottish giants confirmed the double signing of Joe Hart on a permanent deal from Tottenham Hotspur and McCarthy on a free transfer from Crystal Palace.
At the time of that double deal, Postecoglou said: “I’m delighted that we have signed two top-class players in Joe and James. Both of them have a wealth of experience at both club and international level, and that is something which can only benefit the squad, and I’m looking forward to working with both of them.”
Hart went on to live up to that “top-class” tag with 64 clean sheets and only 145 goals conceded in 153 matches – less than a goal conceded per game – in three years at the club.
McCarthy, however, has not had the best of times at Parkhead so far and only played 22 times, racking up 739 minutes of action, in the 2021/22 campaign.
He followed that up with just 62 minutes on the pitch in five appearances in all competitions in the 2022/23 term, missing significant time through an injury picked up midway through the season – per The Scottish Sun.
Since the 2022/23 campaign, McCarthy has not made a single appearance for the first-team – playing two times for the B team in the Lowland League last season – and his current status is incredibly unclear.
James McCarthy’s Celtic career
Season
First-team appearances
Yearly wage
24/25
0
£728k
23/24
0
£728k
22/23
5
£728k
21/22
22
£728k
Wage via Salary Sport
As per The Scottish Sun earlier this year, there is a mystery surrounding the Irish midfielder because he has been removed from the club website, was not in the team picture in pre-season, and has not made a senior appearance since the 2022/23 campaign, yet Celtic have never confirmed his departure.
Per Salary Sport in the table above, the Hoops are still paying McCarthy £728k-per-season and Transfermarkt reports that the Irishman’s current deal does not officially expire until this summer, which means that the club appear to be paying a significant sum of wages for, essentially, nothing in return.
Celtic midfielder James McCarthy.
It is a bizarre situation and one that may be officially resolved in the summer if and when they confirm that he has left the club at the end of his deal.
Celtic, however, have another player who is fast becoming the new McCarthy, as another flop on fairly big wages despite rarely being seen on the pitch, in the form of Anthony Ralston.
Why Ralston is becoming the new McCarthy
Per Salary Sport, the Scotland international is on a weekly wage of £14k at Parkhead this season, with McCarthy being the only other player in the squad on the same wage.
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This means that he is currently on more money per week than Kasper Schmeichel (£13k), Nicolas Kuhn (£12k), Paulo Bernardo (£11k), and Luke McCowan (£8k), among other first-team stars.
That is despite Schmeichel being the number one goalkeeper and Kuhn delivering excellent performances this season, racking up 18 goals and 14 assists from a right wing position for the Scottish giants.
The German winger has, therefore, made a huge impact at the top end of the pitch for the Hoops in all competitions, providing quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals.
Ralston, on the other hand, has only started five matches in the Champions League and the Premiership combined in the 2024/25 campaign, after starting six times in those two competitions last season.
The Scottish defender, who came up through the academy system, did start 61 Premiership matches between the 2019/20 and 22/23 campaigns, but has fallen down the pecking order in recent years.
Anthony Ralston’s Celtic career
Season
League starts
Yearly wage
24/25
5
£728k
23/24
6
£728k
22/23
14
£728k
21/22
25
£442k
20/21
1
£286k
19/20
21
£286k
18/19
3
£234k
17/18
7
£234k
16/17
1
£130k
Wages via Salary Sport & stats via Transfermarkt
As you can see in the table above, he has only started 11 league matches – alongside zero in Europe – since the start of the 2023/24 season for the Hoops, earning the best part of £1.5m in wages in that time.
The rarely-seen defender is, therefore, fast becoming the new McCarthy at Celtic as his number of league starts each season has declined year-on-year for the last four campaigns, despite still being a relatively high earner.
Celtic defender Anthony Ralston.
Ralston is currently earning more in wages than players, like Kuhn and Schmeichel, who offer far more on the pitch for the Bhoys, which suggests that the Hoops are throwing money down the drain with the reserve defender.
With this in mind, Celtic should consider moving the full-back on in the upcoming summer transfer window before his lack of minutes on the pitch reaches McCarthy’s territory.
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Celtic must move on from the forward who earns even more than Daizen Maeda.
4
By
Dan Emery
Apr 9, 2025
Unless Ralston can find a way to put himself back in Brendan Rodgers’ plans as a regular in the first-team, the 26-year-old flop is well on his way to becoming a forgotten man at Parkhead.
With no defeats from their last five Championship games, Leeds United are definitely in pole position when it comes to being crowned champions of the notoriously punishing division.
At one stage, it looked as if Daniel Farke’s Whites had fluffed their lines once more in the promotion race with defeats and draws aplenty seeping into their game, but two victories on the trot has now seen them thankfully push away from third-placed Sheffield United to the summit of the league.
Leeds United manager DanielFarkeapplauds fans
Still, not every win that is being collected is the most easy-on-the-eye spectacle to watch, leading to rumours beginning to emerge that the table-toppers are looking at bringing in some new strikers.
Leeds in contact over deal for "phenomenal" star
As per a fresh report by TEAMtalk, the Whites are prioritising a number of signings ahead of potentially voyaging up to the Premier League, with the striker department one area that will likely be boosted by fresh personnel.
The report states that Leeds are especially taken aback by current West Ham United loanee Evan Ferguson, even with the Irishman’s notable struggles under Graham Potter to date.
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After all, the 20-year-old attacker has shone in the past with parent employers Brighton and Hove Albion, meaning there is a potential there for him to light up Elland Road.
Moreover, the report further elaborates that Leeds are monitoring the 6 foot forward’s situation ahead of his return to the Seagulls, with contact already being made over a deal happening in the near future.
Winning the services of a readymade Premier League striker could signal the end for Joel Piroe as Farke’s main marksman, with the Dutchman putting in one too many ineffective performances for the promotion-chasers as of late.
Why Ferguson would be a Piroe upgrade
The former Swansea City man is yet to taste any action in the top-flight across his career, but if his continued wastefulness in front of goal in the second tier is anything to go by, he would struggle to adjust to the sharp step-up in quality.
Whilst he does boast a healthy 15-goal return in the Championship this season, Piroe has also been guilty of squandering 12 big chances across his 42 league outings and counting, with three of those coming about when Leeds just narrowly beat Preston North End 2-1 last time out.
Whereas, Ferguson – at the peak of his powers for Brighton – has proven himself to be a cool and deadly finisher under pressure by notching up an impressive 17 strikes from 80 Seagulls appearances, which included a devastating hat-trick coming his way against Newcastle United way back in 2023.
The worry would be that the 20-year-old has significantly gone off the boil on loan at the Hammers – with a worrying zero strikes hitting the back of the net from six West Ham contests – but Farke will view the previously potent attacker as an upgrade on Piroe regardless, based on what has come before.
Ferguson’s PL numbers at Brighton (22/23 + 23/24)
Stat
22/23
23/24
Games played
19
27
Games started
10
15
Goals scored
6
6
Assists
2
0
Big chances missed
5
4
Stats by Sofascore
From just 25 combined starts across the campaigns above, Ferguson would fire home a lethal 12 goals, with just nine big chances given up across those two seasons also.
Around this time, the much-talked-about Irishman was even being heralded as a potential £100m sensation, with BBC pundit Danny Murphy also weighing in on the conversation surrounding Ferguson by labelling him a “superstar” in the recent past.
Of course, it would now be ludicrous to suggest the Brighton number 28 is worth anywhere near that crazy sum.
But, with Piroe only managing to find the back of the net once from his last ten encounters for Farke’s men, Ferguson would be seen as a big upgrade, particularly if Premier League football is clinched.
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It might be over two decades since they won the Premier League, but Arsenal have had some sensational players represent them since then.
The likes of Cesc Fàbregas, Robin van Persie, Pierre Emerick Aubameyang and Alexis Sánchez were all near enough unstoppable on their day, even if they couldn’t deliver the club the biggest prizes.
However, perhaps the star who felt most likely to drag the North Londoners back to the pinnacle when he arrived was Mesut Özil.
The German playmaker was an unreal talent, but unfortunately, his Arsenal career fizzled out into nothingness, and now there’s a player in the current squad in danger of having the same happen to him.
Ozil's Arsenal career
On transfer deadline day 2013, Arsenal announced the shock £42.4m signing of Ozil – to fan delirium – and there was a level of hope that the former Real Madrid superstar would be the one to bring the glory years back to N5.
For the first few seasons, while there was no league title or European glory, the World Cup winner certainly delivered on his end of the bargain, racking up 61 goal involvements in his first three seasons and helping the club win some FA Cups.
However, as time passed, and especially after signing a new £350k-per-week contract, the former Werder Bremen gem seemed to become less and less effective.
In fact, once Arteta was appointed manager in 2019, the German superstar eventually saw himself frozen out of the team entirely, with fans and pundits alike lambasting his apparent lack of effort off the ball.
Eventually, after over a year of barely playing for the club, he left for Fenerbahçe for free in January 2021.
Ozil remains a popular figure with much of the fanbase today and left with an impressive tally of 44 goals and 75 assists in 254 appearances, but there is no denying that he left the club failing to achieve what many thought he would, and on a low rather than a high.
Unfortunately, a current Arsenal player might be falling down the same path this season, a player the boss should look to drop from the starting lineup for some time.
The Arsenal star emulating Ozil
On the back of Tuesday night’s defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, it would be easy to lambast the entire starting lineup for not playing well enough, but in retrospect, it wasn’t quite the battering some may try to portray it as.
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Arsenal had their chances to score, and for much of the game, the likes of Declan Rice, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Bukayo Saka and David Raya did their jobs.
However, there was one starter who was as bad as everyone initially said: Martin Odegaard, who was anonymous at best and actively ruining attacks at worst.
The Norwegian fully deserved the 4/10 match rating he received from the Independent’s Jamie Braidwood, and the worrying thing is that it wasn’t a massively surprising performance either.
Yes, even though he picked up his second successive Player of the Year Award last season, the “frustrating” playmaker, as dubbed by podcaster Rohan Jivan, has been seriously poor all season, and as content creator Rimedi pointed out earlier this year, he’s just “not at the level.”
In all, the player who is supposed to be the team’s creative hub has amassed just 15 goal involvements in 39 games this season, which is undeniably underwhelming and feels eerily similar to Ozil’s slow decline.
As this collapse in form is showing no signs of reversing, Arteta should take him out of the team for the next game at least and start Ethan Nwaneri in the middle of the park, as he looked more likely to make something happen in just five minutes of action on Tuesday.
Odegaard’s 24/25
Appearances
39
Minutes
2982′
Goals
5
Assists
10
Goal Involvements per Match
0.38
Minutes per Goal Involvement
198.8′
All Stats via Transfermarkt
Ultimately, Odegaard is an incredibly talented player, but at the moment, he is not showing it, and therefore, he should be dropped and given time to figure out what’s going wrong, lest his Arsenal career end the same way Ozil’s did.
Better than Trossard: Arsenal want to sign 'one of the best in Europe'
The vastly experienced dynamo could be just what Arsenal need.
Celtic could now make a move and sign an “excellent” 19-year-old, who is taller than every Hoops player, according to a new report.
Celtic begin preparations for the summer
The Hoops will be slowly turning their attentions to the summer, as they plan a recruitment drive that can not only help them stay top of the Scottish Premiership but can also help them when it comes to competing in the Champions League.
Rodgers must drop Idah to unleash Celtic star who "raises the bar"
Rodgers must drop Adam Idah from the starting line-up to unleash this Celtic star.
By
Dan Emery
Apr 26, 2025
It’s been reported that Celtic remain interested in signing Million Manhoef from Championship side Stoke City, despite the fact that he is valued at £10 million. The Hoops are also in the race to sign striker Moussa Soumano from AC Ajaccio, but they face stiff competition as Premier League-bound Leeds United are also keen on the player.
Signing a striker seems a priority for Brendan Rodgers this summer, as West Ham’s Danny Ings has also been mentioned as someone the Scottish champions could look to sign at the end of the campaign.
But as well as looking at proven players, Celtic are also in the market for young, exciting talents, and according to TBR Football, the Hoops have spoken to the representatives of Jesse Derry, who currently plays for Premier League side Crystal Palace. There are several teams from Britain and abroad who are chasing the signature of Derry.
Celtic could sign 19 y/o gem who is taller than every Hoops player
Derry is not the only young star the Hoops are chasing ahead of the summer, as according to George Shields, manager of Tayport, Celtic could be interested in signing goalkeeper Nathaniel Nwosu.
Nwosu is currently playing for Tayport, who are a team in the sixth tier of Scottish football, and the shot-stopper claimed his fourth clean sheet in a row on Wednesday evening. Shields has revealed that the Hoops could be about to make a move for his goalkeeper.
“He’s six foot eight, and I can see him getting a contract someplace, especially in Scotland,” he told The Herald.
“I don’t think he’ll have a problem getting a contract up here if I’m being honest. He’s only 19 years old, so he has plenty of growing to do. Maybe not physically, but he can clearly play at a good level. There is some word that Celtic might want a look at him, as well but we’ve not had confirmation of that yet.
“He has done really well playing for me at Tayport up to now, and we’ve put him in the shop window for these clubs. There’s no question that he has all the attributes to play at a high level.”
Nathaniel Nwosu’s height compared to Celtic’s tallest players
Nathaniel Nwosu
1.93m
Adam Idah
1.90m
Auston Trusty
1.90m
Viljami Sinisalo
1.90m
Nwosu, who has been dubbed “excellent” by Sheilds for his distribution, could join Kasper Schmeichel, Viljami Sinisalo and Scott Bain at Parkhead.
Liverpool are now stepping up their pursuit of a £84m striker, with FSG considering the addition of a marquee signing this summer.
Reds eyeing striker with Nunez heading for exit
It appears as though Darwin Nunez’s time at Anfield could be coming to an end this summer, having fallen down the pecking order, often being utilised as a substitute rather than being a regular starter in the Premier League.
Nunez is now attracting widespread interest from across the continent, with bids in the region of £50m being made by Serie A side Napoli and Bundesliga team RB Leipzig, which means the Reds could recoup a large portion of the £85m they paid for the Uruguayan.
While the 25-year-old has played a sporadic role for Arne Slot’s side this season, the manager will need to bring in a replacement this summer, should he decide to cash-in, and FSG are now weighing up the addition of a marquee signing.
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That is according to a report from GiveMeSport which states Liverpool are stepping up their pursuit of Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike, with scouts set to watch the striker in action for the German side this weekend.
A summer deal for Eiktike will not be cheap, with Frankfurt setting an asking price of £84m, which FSG have reservations about paying, so a delegation of scouts will watch the Frenchman against SC Freiburg to assess whether he is worthy of such a hefty price tag.
Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike
Should the Reds be impressed by what they see, they could enter negotiations over a deal for the forward over the coming weeks, with the player himself willing to consider a move to the right club.
"Phenomenal" Ekitike could be Nunez upgrade
The move to Paris Saint-Germain early in the 22-year-old’s career may not have worked out, but he has certainly managed to prove his worth to Frankfurt in the Bundesliga this season, picking up 22 goals and 11 assists in all competitions.
Football scout Ben Mattinson has been particularly impressed by the Frankfurt star’s performances, taking to X to lavish him with praise earlier this season.
There are also clear signs the Reims-born forward could be an upgrade on Nunez, having outperformed the Uruguay international across a number of key attacking metrics over the past year.
Statistic per 90
Hugo Ekitike
Darwin Nunez
Non-penalty goals
0.51
0.35
Assists
0.27
0.17
Successful take-ons
1.95
0.69
That said, Liverpool are right to have concerns about forking out £84m, given that Ekitike is yet to prove himself over a sustained period of time, and they should look to get a deal done for a lower price if possible.
Whilst Birmingham City did splash out some serious cash to land Jay Stansfield last summer, the Blues did also operate rather shrewdly before the 2024/25 campaign got underway.
The eventual League One champions didn’t go overboard when landing potent goal machine Alfie May, with the decision to fork out a respectable £775k for the 31-year-old’s services more than paying off, considering the ex-Charlton Athletic man would go on to bag 17 strikes in all competitions.
Already, Birmingham have displayed this astute approach once more by recently snapping up Phil Neumann on a free transfer, with another rumour now suggesting that Chris Davies’ men aren’t finished there with savvy purchases.
Birmingham could soon land another golden deal
Unsurprisingly, the Tom Wagner-backed Blues have also been linked with some star names ahead of Championship action returning to St Andrew’s.
Indeed, Che Adams has been heavily linked with an audacious move back to the second-tier side, alongside Kwame Poku also being tipped to swap Peterborough United for a fresh location in the league above.
But, one move that is slipping under the radar in contrast is Birmingham’s hunt for Kanya Fuijmoto, with journalist Sebastião Sousa-Pinto revealing via his social media that Davies’ men are now moving towards an advanced stage in their attempts to sign the Japanese ace on a free transfer having already submitted a bid for the player.
If they were to land the Gil Vicente midfielder for nothing, this might go down as yet another golden deal where Birmingham don’t lavishly break the bank.
Further, Fuijmoto has the potential to be as popular as Tomoki Iwata in the midfield department at St. Andrew’s, with Iwata once a rather unknown entity to Blues fans – much like his fellow Japanese counterpart – before he more than exploded into life.
How Fuijmoto could be Birmingham's Iwata 2.0
Away from sharing the same nationality, the pair also possess a similar eye for goal and carving out chances centrally.
After all, Iwata would close out his debut campaign in England with a high eight goals and two assists from 47 overall contests.
Akin to the former Celtic man, the Vicente number ten would pick up five goals and five assists himself from 31 games over the same time span, with a hope in the air that he can potentially adapt to the hustle and bustle of Championship life well by putting in similarly electric performances in attack.
He could well offer more competition to the aforementioned Stansfield in the number 10 spot just behind the main centre-forward, therefore, alongside also being capable of slotting into a more traditional central role next to his Japanese compatriot based off his numbers below.
Iwata’s league numbers (24/25) vs Fujimoto’s (24/25)
Stat – per 90 mins*
Iwata
Fujimoto
Games played
40
30
Goals scored
6
5
Assists
1
5
Touches*
67.1
34.6
Accurate passes*
49.7 (89%)
20.3 (83%)
Big chances created
4
8
Big chances missed
1
3
Stats by Sofascore
As can be seen looking at the table above, both players in question stand out as classy operators on the ball.
A “silky” midfielder – as he’s been previously lauded by analyst Ben Mattinson – he is more of an attack-oriented body that will push forward, compared with Iwata who will likely sit back and then burst into attack when necessary.
This could well be an intriguing partnership to watch next season as they work out each other’s varied games, with the extra addition of Fujimoto perhaps boosting Davies’ men even more in the forward areas as they embark on an initially challenging Championship step-up.
Whatever does happen, at least Birmingham aren’t dropping lots of money on the 25-year-old’s services.
But, as was shown with Iwata – who entered for around the £800k range – sometimes these are the deals that end up being the standout swoops.
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