Tag Futebol

The former soccer player turned commentator joined Mic'd Up to discuss the upcoming 2025 MLS season, the success of Liverpool under Arne Slot and more

Keith Costigan is an interesting figure in the North American soccer scene. Born in Ireland, he came to the U.S. on a college scholarship and fell in love with the domestic game. He played professionally with the Portland Timbers in USL, and with the Harrisburg City Islanders, too.

In a world full of overlaps, Costigan worked under assistant coach Mark Pulisic – father of USMNT star Christian – while with the Islanders.

He held training stints with the LA Galaxy as well, but his impact on the domestic game was never on the pitch, rather, it was off it — watching it with a keen eye through a unique perspective.

Costigan is now one of the lead commentators on Apple TV covering MLS, but worked as the voice of the Seattle Sounders for seven years, where he earned two Emmys. Prior, he worked for FOX Sports as the lead play-by-play announcer on the German Bundesliga, while covering the UEFA Champions League, Liga MX, the CONCACAF Gold Cup, and the European Championships.

It was all unintentional, though, he never had plans to become a voice of the domestic game; it was a "snowball" effect that saw him roll into the position.

"One day, somebody just came up to me and asked me about one of my teammates, Brent Sancho, playing in a World Cup qualifier when I put him in contact with him, and Nick Webster was the guy. And it snowballed into him asking me if I wanted to call the game with him. And I said no, it never, it never crossed my mind. Like, stupid, like I just turned down a great offer. But then he asked again," Costigan told GOAL. "He was like, come on, you should do it. And then I was like, alright, I'll do it…You know, playing the game is great, but obviously, at that level, you're doing it for the love, not for the money. And then? I just started working in broadcasting with FOX, and kind of went from there."

With FOX, Costigan worked on different shows and broadcasts, becoming a familiar face for many fans across North American soccer. Now, though, he is known as one of the most knowledgeable voices around the continent in domestic soccer.

Costigan weighed in on the upcoming MLS season for the Sounders, LAFC, reigning champions LA Galaxy, and Liverpool FC in the latest edition of Mic’d Up, a recurring feature in which GOAL US taps into the perspective of broadcasters, analysts, and other pundits on the state of soccer in the U.S. and abroad.

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  ON THE SEATTLE SOUNDERS

  GOAL: The Seattle Sounders recently acquired U.S. internationals Jesus Ferreira and Paul Arriola from FC Dallas. Will they be enough to lift their attack in 2025, ahead of competing in the FIFA Club World Cup, CONCACAF Champions Cup and the domestic campaign?

  COSTIGAN: Yeah, I like them. I talked to [Brian] Schmetzer a couple of weeks ago in Miami, and I was like, great moves. And Schmetzer’s always like, ‘you know, let's see….You know, we're happy with what we're doing,’ but he’s also kind of keeping his cards close to his chest…Jesus Ferreira is a known quantity in the league. He's a top striker for me. So that's a no-brainer… if you have the opportunity to add him, you do it.

  And Paul Arriola is someone that I think kind of lost his way a little bit at Dallas. But he can be a direct attacking threat. Can play a couple of different roles. And I think for me, I don't think the Sounders could have done any better business that you can look at and say they are going to be better. You could maybe sign a foreign player, and in the end, he ends up being outstanding. But that doesn't always work out. So I like the moves.

  I think going into Club World Cup for Ferreira in particular, he's looking at that maybe as a shop window as well because I think he still has desires to maybe go to Europe and to have a motivated player like that playing for the Sounders, it's a good situation. So I think Smith, [Seattle’s GM] Craig Waibel has done a really good job this offseason.

  GOAL: The Sounders Club World Cup group has been dubbed the with the likes of Botafogo, Atletico Madrid and Juventus all competing against them. Have they bolstered their roster enough this offseason for such a competition?

  COSTIGAN: It's funny, I'm working on a paper, I'm doing a sports MBA right now, and the paper is on the finances of football. And one of the things in the finances of football is the more you spend, the more likely you are to be successful. Now, obviously you look at the Manchester United’s of this world, and it doesn't always work out. You could talk about spending more, but you look at the clubs they're going to be playing against, they have much bigger budgets. They have deeper squads. The one saving grace for the Sounders is you're at home, you're on your territory. So that gives you an opportunity, but I think it's going to be really, really difficult.

  I don't necessarily know if you go out and spend 25 million on one player makes you better. You want the collective to work as a group. Sometimes you do that and one player is on so much more money than everybody else, it fractures the squad, etc. So, you know, I think Seattle would be competitive, and if they get out of the group, it will be a shock. Like, I'm not saying I will be shocked, I want them to get out, but if you get out of that group, when you consider the money the other teams have spent, in world football terms, it’s a shock.

  So I'm rooting for them, but you just look at the money of the other teams, the players that they find, you're like, oh, man, this is going to be tough, but it's why we watch the game. It's why we watch the game. And I'm excited to, you know, hopefully, be there for those games as well. And once that whistle blows, anything is possible, particularly when you play in front of your own fans. So it'll be fun.

  GOAL: Seattle's one X-factor heading into 2025 is a healthy Pedro De La Vega, who returned from injury later in the season in 2024, but only managed to appear in 16 league matches. What are the expectations for him in particular, considering the club spent $7.5M for him, and is banking on his prospects?

  COSTIGAN: That's a good question. It's just that they played a game in Marbella [Spain], a preseason friendly. They won 2-0. De la Vega scored and assisted. When I saw that… I'm like, OK, yep, at the end of last season, I saw glimpses. Oh, and there you go. There was a moment against LAFC in the playoffs where he made that run and set up a chance. And I went: I see it.

  Now, we didn't see it enough last year, but he was a young player who came in injured, and when you're playing catch-up like that, it's very, very difficult to find your feet. I expect them to be better. I expect them to be more creative. I expect them to get more goals. And he needs this preseason, so when I saw that performance in Marbella, it made me really happy. but it's also a case of staying fit, being available, getting to know your teammates, and getting to know what your role is…But I don't think there's any doubt, if he stays fit, we're going to see a better Pedro de la Vega…I hope he's right up there with the very best, but, you know, at the very least, I expect him to be a double-figure assist guy this year and chip in with some goals as w ell.

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  ON BRANDON VAZQUEZ

  GOAL: Another American on the move this offseason in addition to Ferreira was striker Brandon Vazquez, who left Liga MX side Monterrey to return to MLS, signing with Austin FC. Was this a good move for both him and , or does it seem like an odd fit from afar?

  COSTIGAN: I don't know. Brandon had some goals down there, but when Monterrey signed him, German Berterame was like the centerpiece of their attack, and it was like the way they play didn't really lend itself to two strikers. So I think again, just like Jesus [Ferreira], Brandon is a known quantity in the league, like he scores goals, you know what you're going to get from him…

  I think he brings quality there. I think he brings a presence he can get on the end of the crosses. But I've watched Austin over the last few years, and the No. 9 role wasn't the issue. I know Gyasi Zardes, and I'm a little bit biased, because I have a friendship with Gyasi as well, but other forwards went in and played. Nobody really scored goals in Austin because they didn't generate that many chances. They were quite defensive. Driussi’s drop-off last year was vast, and he's not going to be there this year. So it signals to me they're going to go a different way. They're going to go a different route. They have a new coach coming in Nico Estevez and he didn't have the greatest of times at his previous club FC Dallas.

  It's an interesting watch, but it's one of those clubs where I think the jury's really out, like, in terms of where they're going to be at…When someone brings up Austin, they go, yeah, they're making moves. But I still have no idea what to expect. Like, if they were down near the bottom of the West again, I would not be surprised.

  GOAL: Mauricio Pochettino came out and adamantly said, no matter where you play, as long as you're playing, I will look at you. Do you think a move back to MLS instead of going abroad perhaps hurts Vasquez's chances in the national team picture, or is he still right in there with this group?

  COSTIGAN: I've worked as a scout for U.S. Soccer and one of the most difficult things you have to do, when you're looking at a player, is take away the context of the level that they're playing at. It's not easy to watch someone and say it will translate, but I think that the very best can pick that out. They can say, this fits what I want to do. His ability fits what I want to do and my goal for the team. So I like hearing that [from Pochettino]…

  I think there are just a few soldiers left that are online that I don't even think have been to Europe in their life and they go “Europe is amazing. You gotta, go, you can’t stay in MLS” – Look at some of the setups in Europe. It isn't that great! The idea that you're going to be a big part of the team, that you're going to have the opportunity to flourish and play is big, but…

  For example, I don't know if Zack Steffen became a better goalkeeper at Man City. I don't know anybody that can tell me that. I remember people telling me Zack Steffen is going to hear from Pep [Guardiola] in practice that he's going to do this and that I'm like… Pep isn’t coming over telling Zack to like, change anything in practice. But I think you know, if a player is in an environment that fosters growth, it allows him to continue to evolve as a player, you have an opportunity to be involved. So Brandon should have no qualms about that. He has to deliver. But I like what Poch said. And I think any rational-minded football person would say the same thing as well.

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  ON CADE COWELL

  GOAL: Another player, like Vazquez, who had left MLS for Liga MX was winger Cade Cowell. Since he signed for Chivas, he hasn't quite found consistency for the club, but still shows glimpses of the pace, size and scoring ability we saw in San Jose. What next for him? Where does he fit in the picture in Liga MX, but also internationally with the USMNT?

  COSTIGAN: Cade is an interesting one. I cover Liga MX a little bit, and the keyboard warriors came after me when he played for the U.S. in one game, and I said, I didn't know when Cade was here, what he actually did to earn a U.S. Men's National Team call up initially. I was like, we're picking a player based on potential, when it's the national team, I think you have to have a bit of a track record, because it's the culmination of everything. Since, I've seen him develop, like last time he played, last time he played for the national team, I said, this is a player that's evolving. I saw him last year with Chivas and I said he's getting better. So he's taking steps…Does that future hold in Liga MX, going to Europe, [or] coming back to MLS? He has to continue to play…He's very Pacey, but sometimes he's one direction for me like he can change direction when the defender forces in one way, but I've seen real improvements in that. So I look at Cade, and I'm like, I wasn't being critical. I was saying, you need to do more. He's starting to do more. I'm excited about where he's going to go, but that must continue – his growth. So I like where he's at now, the most important thing is just to play and continue to become a better player, which he has been doing.

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  ON THE LA GALAXY

  GOAL: The LA Galaxy's 2024 campaign was brilliant, but how does Greg Vanney keep this squad together ahead of a potential MLS Cup repeat?

  COSTIGAN: It's tough. Like, I don't think, you know all the greats will tell you the best time to evolve is when you're when you're at your very best. If you wait, you play catch up. So I think we've seen them start to make moves…

  [Then you have the front tree]in [Gabriel] Pec, wow –what a season. You have a game changer in Dejan Joveljic, you have a No. 9 who will get 15 to 20 goals and in [Joseph] Paintsil, you'll have the same, so you add up the numbers of that front three again, they'll be there or thereabouts, which is what they were this year in the West. Right? They were right up there with number one. I know they lost on the final day of the regular season. I could see LA Galaxy being a third or fourth seed going into playoffs but with Ricky Puig finally back and ready in the mix. They're a man for everyone.

  By the way, Riqui Puig, for me… I know Messi is the greatest. I know I love watching him, but watching Riqui Puig is different, teams hate him and the opposition hates him. He loves contact. He loves winding people up. He's box office for me in MLS. So when he comes back in, if they're there or thereabouts, they're going to be a threat again. And by the way, it's the Galaxy – they make moves. This isn't a club that stands still so…I think it'll be a different Galaxy. But I still think they're a real contender to win it all based on that front three again.

Marcus Rashford is reportedly in line for a shock reunion with ex-Manchester United team-mate Mason Greenwood, as Marseille ask transfer questions.

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• Rashford out of favour under Amorim
• Seeing January move speculated on
• Could join familiar face at Ligue 1 giants

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  England international Rashford has fallen out of favour at Old Trafford under Portuguese coach Ruben Amorim. He is tied to a lucrative long-term contract, but United are open to offers for the 27-year-old forward as they look to raise funds and free up space in their squad for new additions.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Rashford has been linked with Paris Saint-Germain on a regular basis, but he could end up in a different Ligue 1 destination. reports that Marseille have expressed interest in reaching another agreement with Premier League giants United.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  They have found considerable value in the £27 million ($33m) deal that saw Greenwood swap Manchester for Marseille in 2024. Rashford may be offered the opportunity to tread a similar path as he looks to get his stagnating career back on track.

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• WHAT NEXT?

  Marseille are also said to be monitoring Bayern Munich forward Mathys Tel, who is registering on Chelsea’s January transfer radar, with the 19-year-old expected to leave the Allianz Arena in search of the regular game time that he is being denied while sitting behind Harry Kane in Germany.

شهد مقر استاد النادي الأهلي الجديد، اليوم الثلاثاء، حضور محمود الخطيب رئيس مجلس إدارة النادي الأهلي، لمتابعة سير العمل في استاد الأهلي الجديد.

وكان النادي الأهلي، أقام احتفالية كبرى، يوم 14 فبراير في معبد حتشبسوت بمحافظة الأقصر، للكشف عن تصميم استاد الأهلي الجديد وموعد الافتتاح، الذي سيكون بعد 200 أسبوع، أي ما يقرب من 4 سنوات.

ونشرت الصفحة الرسمية للنادي الأهلي على موقع التواصل الاجتماعي “فيس بوك”، صورا من زيادة الخطيب، بصحبته محمد كامل رئيس مجلس إدارة القلعة الحمراء المنفذة للمشروع من أجل تفقد سير العمل في موقع استاد الأهلي الجديد.

طالع.. بالفيديو | الكشف عن تصميم ستاد الأهلي

وعلى الجانب الآخر، يستعد النادي الأهلي لمواجهة حرس الحدود مساء غد الأربعاء، في إطار مواجهات الجولة 16 من عمر مسابقة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

ويحتل النادي الأهلي، المركز الثاني في جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري الممتاز، برصيد 33 نقطة.

Tottenham Hotspur fans can expect to see one of their newest stars fit and firing – potentially even starting – when they welcome rivals Arsenal to N17 next Sunday.

Tottenham vs Arsenal – team news

Ange Postecoglou and Spurs fans will be watching the dreaded international break from behind the sofa in the hope all their stars return free of injury, with a host of Lilywhites jetting off around the globe just three weeks into the new season.

All eyes will of course be firmly on the north London derby when domestic action returns, in what is no doubt the biggest fixture of the weekend and Premier League season thus far, with Ange looking to bounce back from his frustration at the wasted chances in the defeat at Newcastle before the break.

"It's another sore one unfortunately, where we haven't got the rewards for our play. But it's three strong performances from our first three games. The results don't reflect that," the Aussie said on the 2-1 defeat on Tyneside.

"The positives are that our football is good and has been in the past three games. We just need to get our rewards. If we continue to play like that, I know we will get them."

And he'll hope to capitalise on an injury-hit Arsenal squad to get those rewards, with the Gunners set to be missing Declan Rice through suspension and several players through injury. New signing Mikel Merino faces weeks on the sidelines with shoulder damage, while the likes of Gabriel Jesus and Takehiro Tomiyasu are also likely to miss out.

Arsenal dealt injury blow with potential fourth star set to miss Tottenham

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On the Spurs side, the boss can boast a mostly full bill of health outside of Richarlison, and Alasdair Gold has revealed in his latest fan Q&A that there is a big boost on the way as well.

Van de Ven and Solanke set to return from injury

After both Micky van de Ven and Dominic Solanke missed the clash with Newcastle due to injury, Gold expects both to be fit to take part against the Gunners, with Solanke's return to action a particularly big boost given the wastefulness on display at St James' Park.

"We can only go on Ange Postecoglou's words and he said Dominic Solanke will be ready to face Arsenal. He said last Friday that he was close for Newcastle but they wanted to 'err on the side of caution' and had previously dispelled any suggestion he would miss the North London Derby," Gold told Football.London.

"It sounded the same with Micky van de Ven as he said he was 'close in training this week but with the international break he's not quite 100%'. With a further two weeks of recovery and work under their belts you would imagine both will be in a position to face Arsenal, but we'll get the final word on Postecoglou on Friday."

Spurs fans have barely got to see their new goalscorer in action since his £65m move from Bournemouth in the summer, but he looked sharp in his debut at Leicester, firing three shots at goal, completing three dribbles and creating one chance.

If the Lilywhites are going to punish an Arsenal side who haven't quite got off to the rip-roaring start many in the media predicted this summer, then having Solanke – labelled a "phenomenon" by none other than Ian Wright – leading the line and taking some of the goalscoring burden off Son Heung-min will be a massive help.

It was an interesting summer of transfer business for Tottenham Hotspur this year.

Daniel Levy and Co splashed £65m to secure the services of Premier League proven striker and once-capped England international Dominic Solanke, but most of their business looked markedly different in approach.

Instead of bringing in another two or three older players who had the experience of consistently playing in the top flight, the Lilywhites opted to sign several young up-and-coming talents in players like Archie Gray, Wilson Odobert and Yang Min-Hyeok.

Signings like these might not get the fans off their seats at the moment, but they are all highly rated and have the potential to develop into something special.

Moreover, by focusing on younger players, the club can ensure they don’t miss out on the next big thing, as they did in the mid-2010s when, instead of listening to David Pleat about a future England star, players like Clinton N’Jie and Moussa Sissoko came through the door.

N'jie & Sissoko's Spurs careers

Okay, so let’s start with Sissoko first, as while he had his detractors early on, he did end up spending five mostly successful years in North London.

In fact, while many in the media dubbed him a £30m flop following his underwhelming debut campaign in N17, he quickly improved and soon became a genuinely useful player for Mauricio Pochettino during a period in which he had the club fighting for major honours.

The former Newcastle United midfielder played 202 games for the Lilywhites, scoring five goals and providing 16 assists, mostly from central and right midfield.

On the other hand, N’jie was an unmitigated flop. While he wasn’t egregiously expensive, his £12m fee was still reasonably sizeable for a young forward in 2015.

There wasn’t an enormous amount of pressure on the then-22-year-old at the time, as his job was to occasionally play off the left and be the backup for a then-still-young Harry Kane, but even then, he failed to deliver.

In 14 appearances across his one and only season with the club, he failed to score and provided just a single assist before he was sent on loan to Marseille for the following season. A year later, he eventually joined the French team permanently.

Overall, while Sissoko was eventually a successful signing, N’jie certainly wasn’t, and around the time the club signed the pair, Pleat was telling them to sign an encouraging talent from the lower divisions who could play all over the pitch.

Spurs missed out on Ollie Watkins

Yes, the youngster that Spurs missed out on signing is indeed England international Ollie Watkins.

According to an article from the Athletic, Pleat recommended a number of talented youngsters to Spurs in the mid-2010s, from James Maddison to Dele Alli and a certain ‘box-to-box midfielder’ from Exeter City.

Yes, before he was terrifying defenders up top, the Newton Abbot-raised marksman was, in his own words, a “utility man” who was happy to play anywhere, including but not limited to “left-wing back, centre midfield, right wing, striker.”

However, while he was at one point more familiar with the role Sissoko played, he soon developed into a seriously deadly attacker, and after wowing fans at Exeter’s St James’ Park, he earned a move to then-Championship side Brentford, where yet more impressive form finally earned him a massive £28m move to Premier League side Aston Villa.

Since his move to Birmingham, the dynamic goalscorer has gone from strength to strength and moved from the wing to the centre-forward position, and, so far, he’s racked up 70 goals and 27 assists in 172 games, which explains why the club value him at a whopping £75m.

Appearances

78

143

172

Goals

26

49

70

Assists

17

17

27

Goal Involvements per Match

0.55

0.46

0.56

However, he took another step up last season, as in 53 appearances, he scored 27 goals and provided 13 assists, which helped the Villans qualify for the Champions League and booked him a place at Euro 2024, where he scored England’s winner in the semi-final.

Ultimately, while clubs cannot sign every player recommended by their scouts, on this occasion, Spurs would have been better off listening to Pleat and bringing in Watkins alongside Sissoko instead of N’jie.

He left for £0: Spurs gem who Poch compared to Messi is outscoring Maddison

The talented attacker has thrived away from North London.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 10, 2024

Tottenham Hotspur fans can expect to see one of their newest stars fit and firing – potentially even starting – when they welcome rivals Arsenal to N17 next Sunday.

Tottenham vs Arsenal – team news

Ange Postecoglou and Spurs fans will be watching the dreaded international break from behind the sofa in the hope all their stars return free of injury, with a host of Lilywhites jetting off around the globe just three weeks into the new season.

All eyes will of course be firmly on the north London derby when domestic action returns, in what is no doubt the biggest fixture of the weekend and Premier League season thus far, with Ange looking to bounce back from his frustration at the wasted chances in the defeat at Newcastle before the break.

"It's another sore one unfortunately, where we haven't got the rewards for our play. But it's three strong performances from our first three games. The results don't reflect that," the Aussie said on the 2-1 defeat on Tyneside.

"The positives are that our football is good and has been in the past three games. We just need to get our rewards. If we continue to play like that, I know we will get them."

And he'll hope to capitalise on an injury-hit Arsenal squad to get those rewards, with the Gunners set to be missing Declan Rice through suspension and several players through injury. New signing Mikel Merino faces weeks on the sidelines with shoulder damage, while the likes of Gabriel Jesus and Takehiro Tomiyasu are also likely to miss out.

Arsenal dealt injury blow with potential fourth star set to miss Tottenham

The Gunners could be without a quartet of senior players for their trip across north London.

2 ByEmilio Galantini Sep 3, 2024

On the Spurs side, the boss can boast a mostly full bill of health outside of Richarlison, and Alasdair Gold has revealed in his latest fan Q&A that there is a big boost on the way as well.

Van de Ven and Solanke set to return from injury

After both Micky van de Ven and Dominic Solanke missed the clash with Newcastle due to injury, Gold expects both to be fit to take part against the Gunners, with Solanke's return to action a particularly big boost given the wastefulness on display at St James' Park.

"We can only go on Ange Postecoglou's words and he said Dominic Solanke will be ready to face Arsenal. He said last Friday that he was close for Newcastle but they wanted to 'err on the side of caution' and had previously dispelled any suggestion he would miss the North London Derby," Gold told Football.London.

"It sounded the same with Micky van de Ven as he said he was 'close in training this week but with the international break he's not quite 100%'. With a further two weeks of recovery and work under their belts you would imagine both will be in a position to face Arsenal, but we'll get the final word on Postecoglou on Friday."

Spurs fans have barely got to see their new goalscorer in action since his £65m move from Bournemouth in the summer, but he looked sharp in his debut at Leicester, firing three shots at goal, completing three dribbles and creating one chance.

If the Lilywhites are going to punish an Arsenal side who haven't quite got off to the rip-roaring start many in the media predicted this summer, then having Solanke – labelled a "phenomenon" by none other than Ian Wright – leading the line and taking some of the goalscoring burden off Son Heung-min will be a massive help.

Rangpur fight back but can’t hold off Dhaka Division, while Dhaka Metropolis cruise past Barisal

Mohammad Isam25-Mar-2021

Defending champions Khulna Division trounced Sylhet Division by eight wickets in Tier 1 of the National Cricket League’s first round. They completed the win shortly after lunch on the fourth day by chasing down 68 runs in only 9.3 overs.Sylhet had made 308 all out in their second innings after being asked to follow-on having scored 134 in the first innings. They were behind by 241 runs at the halfway stage after Khulna made 375 all out in 109.4 overs.Imrul Kayes and Tushar Imran both got out in the nineties in Khulna’s first innings. Imrul made 90 off 127 balls with ten fours and two sixes. He added 110 for the second wicket with Robiul Islam Robi. Imran’s 99 came off 117 balls with 13 fours and he held the innings together as wickets fell around him. Abu Jayed and Ebadot Hossain, both considered to be part of Bangladesh’s red-ball pace options, took three wickets each.Sylhet were however poor with the bat, getting bowled out for 134 runs in 60.4 overs. Masum Khan and Minhazur Rahman took four wickets each while Moinul Islam took two wickets.Sylhet’s Zakir Hasan however changed their approach in the second innings, hitting his sixth first-class century. He made 140 with 15 fours as they slowly went past Khulna’s score to avoid an innings defeat. He added 110 runs for the third wicket with Amit Hasan who scored 66 with nine fours and a six.Pace bowler Abdul Halim, who went wicketless in the first innings, took four wickets this time for Khulna. Moinul took three wickets too.Khulna then took only 9.3 overs to knock off the required runs in the fourth innings. Imran Uzzaman hammered four sixes and a four in his 26-ball unbeaten 33.Chittagong Division won only their third first-class match in seven years, defeating Rajshahi Division by 88 runs in the NCL’s Tier 2. This was also their first win over Rajshahi in more than eight years.Left-arm quick Mehedi Hasan Rana was Chittagong’s hero with a career-best seven-wicket haul that included 4 for 35 in the fourth innings in which Rajshahi were bowled out for 194, chasing 283. Ifran Hossain took three wickets while Hasan Murad picked up one wicket.Earlier Chittagong reached 287 in the first innings, thanks mainly to Shahadat Hossain Dipu’s maiden first-class hundred. He rescued Chittagong from 52 for 4, to add 88 runs for the fifth wicket with Yasir Ali, and 113 for the seventh wicket with Rana, who made 55.Rajshahi were then bowled out for 152 with pacer Noman Chowdhury taking four wickets and Rana picking up three wickets.Rajshahi fought back to bowl out Chittagong for 147 in the second innings but their own first-innings failings meant that they were chasing a stiff target in the fourth innings.Mehedi Hasan Rana was named Man of the Match for his match haul of seven and his half-century in Chittagong’s win•Walton

Dhaka Division fought off Rangpur Division for an 80-run win in their Tier 1 match at the BKSP in Savar.Batting first, Dhaka reached 365 all out powered by Saif Hassan’s 127, his fifth first-class century. Saif came to the crease with his side having lost both their openers for ducks in the third over.He was involved in several important partnerships to help Dhaka recover, and added 137 runs for the sixth wicket with captain Nadif Chowdhury as they closed in on a 300-plus total. Saif struck eleven fours and five sixes in his 233-ball essay, which spanned five hours and 27 minutes. Nadif made 69 off 105 balls with eight fours and two sixes. Alauddin Babu took four wickets.Rangpur made an even more dismal start to their innings as they slipped to 41 for 5 in reply. Nasir Hossain went on to make exactly half of Rangpur’s 230, as he notched up his eighth first-class century. Nasir’s 115 came off 252 balls with eleven fours and four sixes, and he was the last man out.He followed it up with a four-wicket haul that skittled out Dhaka for 128 in their second innings, leaving Rangpur chasing 264, a considerably lower target than expected given the 135-run lead Dhaka had taken after the first innings.But this time it was the left-arm spinner Nazmul Islam who took six wickets – to complete match figures of 10 for 153 – who became Dhaka’s match-winner. Rangpur were bowled out for 183 with Naeem Islam top scoring with 61.Dhaka Metropolis cruised to an eight-wicket win over Barisal Division. Shohidul Islam starred with both bat and ball, scoring his maiden first-class century batting at No. 8, and picking up three wickets in the match.Batting first at their home venue, Barisal were bowled out for 241, to which Dhaka Metro replied with 413 in 129.2 overs. Captain Marshall Ayub struck his 21st first-class century, finishing on 112 with 13 fours. But it was the memorable 140-run eighth wicket stand between Shohidul and Abu Hider that took Barisal completely out of the game. Shohidul struck 14 fours in his 106 off 150 balls, while Hider made 39.Barisal couldn’t improve on their first-innings score, this time getting bowled out for 208. Hider took three wickets while Shohidul and Arafat Sunny took two each. Left with 37 runs to chase, Dhaka Metro lost Anisul Islam Emon and Shamsur Rahman but duly got home.

Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane believes the current lack of outstanding No. 9s is down to the dominance of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Kane says game is changing
• Messi and Ronaldo impact being felt
• Young stars want to play off the wings

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Messi and Ronaldo have dominated world football for well over a decade, piling up dozens of trophies and winning 13 Ballon d'Or awards between them, with the Argentine superstar claiming eight. The influence of the duo has been felt across the world as they have set all kinds of new records and raised the bar for younger players coming through.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Kane also feels that players would much rather now be wingers than out-and-out strikers. The England captain believes there has been a "tactical shift" thanks to Ronaldo and Messi, which has led to a shortage of world-class No.9s in the modern game. Certainly some of the game's most potent forwards such as Lamine Yamal, Vinicius Jr, Mohamed Salah and Kylian Mbappe prefer to play off the flanks.

• WHAT KANE SAID

  Kane told : "The game is changing a little bit. The way coaching is now [means] a lot of players grow up wanting to be wingers. I think [Lionel] Messi and Cristiano [Ronaldo] dominated for a long, long time playing off the wings. I think a lot of players wanted to watch them. When I was growing up, I had some of the best strikers in the world [to watch], so I wanted to be a No. 9. That’s just the way football goes. I think, tactically, some managers play with a false nine, or a nine-and-a-half/10 position. It’s a shame because, ultimately, I think scoring goals is the hardest thing in football, so I would like to see more No. 9s coming through, but over the years you’ll see it come and go. But for sure, when I was growing up at No. 9 there were some incredible players."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Kane also revealed his admiration for former Brazil striker Ronaldo Nazario. He added: "I think we’re totally different players in the way we play, but ultimately, the way he used to finish was as good as anyone, as well as the way he moved with the ball. His dribbling ability. His movement. I think he was as good as anyone in the world. He had a lot more ability than me if I’m totally honest. He had good pace as well. But for me growing up, I tried to watch all the best strikers in the world, and he was in his prime at the time. It was a joy to watch him, and it’s been nice to score a few goals myself and take a few bits from his game."

Arsenal's summer started relatively slowly this year, with no genuine additions to the first team beyond the signing of David Raya on a permanent deal, although things have changed in the last week or so.

First, Mikel Arteta finally announced the signing of Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna, and now it appears that the signing of Spanish international Mikel Merino could be announced within a matter of days.

However, Edu Gaspar and Co are clearly not finished there.

Recent reports have touted another experienced international to move to the Emirates, and interestingly, they could be an ideal rival for Merino.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report by the Italian publication La Gazzetta dello Sport, Arsenal are one of several clubs in 'pole position' to sign Adrien Rabiot this summer.

The report claims that with the Frenchman now a free agent, he is evaluating his options, and while he'd like to move to England or Spain, Champions League football is essential.

The report names the Gunners and Liverpool as the two Premier League sides in serious contention to secure his signature thanks to their involvement in Europe's top competition next season, while Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid stand in good stead in La Liga.

It remains to be seen whether Arsenal can really break away from the pack and bring Rabiot to the Emirates this summer. While he can bring some baggage, his quality is undeniable, and he'd be an excellent rival for Merino in central midfield.

How Rabiot compares to Merino

Now, before we dive into their underlying numbers, let's compare the pair's raw output from last season.

In his 45 appearances for Real Sociedad, Merino scored eight goals and provided five assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 3.46 games, which really is quite an impressive rate of return for a central midfielder.

In comparison, Rabiot scored five goals and provided three assists for Juventus in 35 appearances, meaning he maintained a slightly less impressive average of a goal involvement every 4.37 games, although that's still not an average that should concern fans.

So, what do their underlying numbers look like? Is there a clear winner when we compare the two? Well, no, not really.

For example, the Spaniard emerges victorious in numerous metrics such as progressive passes, shots, passes into the penalty area, shot and goal-creating actions, tackles won, and aerial duels won, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists

0.25

0.23

Progressive Passes

4.08

6.10

Progressive Carries

2.45

0.92

Shots

1.23

1.35

Shots on Target

0.51

0.50

Passing Accuracy

82.2%

76.5%

Passes into the Penalty Area

0.78

1.07

Key Passes

0.88

0.84

Crosses into the Penalty Area

0.34

0.12

Shot-Creating Actions

2.17

2.52

Goal-Creating Actions

0.17

0.26

Tackles Won

1.25

1.48

Interceptions

0.99

0.63

Aerial Duels Won

1.84

5.98

However, the 6 foot 4 French "monster," as dubbed by football writer Robin Bairner, comes out ahead in a handful of other metrics, including non-penalty expected goals plus assists, progressive carries, shots on target, passing accuracy, key passes, passes and crosses in the penalty area, and interceptions, also all per 90.

Ultimately, when you look at what's going on under the hood, there just isn't much separating the pair, and to be honest, that's probably a good thing for Arsenal if they are planning to sign both of them, as their battle for a place in the team should hopefully push both to reach another level and help Arteta finally topple Manchester City.

Arsenal move for £40m Nelson upgrade with a better left foot than Merino

The talented winger has a wand for a left foot.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 1, 2024

Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill both fall after promising opening stand.

Vishal Dikshit09-Jan-2021After a promising opening stand of 71 by India, Australia’s relentless pace attack got rid of both Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill within half an hour to remind the visitors that they were still facing an uphill task of not just needing another 309 runs but also surviving 97 overs on the last day. With India 98 for 2, and Ravindra Jadeja dealing with a fractured thumb which may not let him bat, Australia could be only three wickets away from opening the tail and storming their way towards a 2-1 series lead.Related

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Australia propelled themselves into a dominant position with half-centuries from Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith and Cameron Green, who put on a display of belligerent hitting after crossing 50 with the help of four sixes that enabled them to score at 5.65 in the second session. Once Australia declared with a massive lead of 406 at tea, Sharma and Gill gave India a glimmer of hope by stitching a partnership of 71, but Gill fell to Josh Hazlewood’s stifling line outside off and Sharma pulled a short ball straight to fine leg to leave India 92 for 2.Paine sanctioned for dissent

Australia’s Test captain was fined 15% of his match fees for showing dissent at an umpiring decision. Paine expressed displeasure through an expletive-laden outburst after an unsuccessful lbw review against Cheteshwar Pujara in the final session on Sunday. He was handed one demerit point to his offence, his first in 24 months.

Sharma wasn’t unafraid to pull from the very first ball of the innings and the shot even fetched him a six off Green soon after he had unleashed two exquisite cover drives off Mitchell Starc in the previous over. Gill, too, exhibited elegant back-foot punches on the way to his 31 as the new ball barely moved around. India’s 34 overs also saw as many as four reviews taken, all off Hazlewood’s bowling.The first two came within a space of three balls in the eighth over when Hazlewood thought he had Sharma lbw with a delivery that jagged back in. Replays, however, showed the ball was going over the stumps. Two balls later, after Sharma nearly chopped on in between for a single, Tim Paine reviewed when they thought Gill edged one behind but the ball had only flicked the pad.Cameron Green unwinds and unleashes•Getty ImagesThe second set of reviews occurred in the 23rd over and this time Hazlewood tasted success by getting a thick edge off Gill’s bat. Gill somehow thought of reviewing that and lost his team a review. Three balls later, Paul Wilson adjudged Cheteshwar Pujara lbw on a duck but the batsman reviewed immediately after being hit on the thigh pad and was saved by ball-tracking’s projection of the ball going over the stumps.After reaching his half-century with a lofted swing for four off Nathan Lyon, Sharma departed when he pulled Pat Cummins straight to fine leg and walked back in disappointment.Another promising sign for the hosts was the temperament with which Green batted after Smith’s dismissal and switched gears to extend the lead. Three of his four sixes came against Mohammed Siraj after he saw through a tough spell from Jasprit Bumrah. Green looked at ease during his 132-ball stay, especially when scoring was not as easy in the first two sessions because of the slowness and the turn.The change in tempo from Australia was apparent much earlier when Smith started to attack after lunch that saw a Siraj over going for 12. Smith then swept R Ashwin for four and clipped Siraj for another before Ashwin trapped him lbw and used a review to send him back. India could have reduced their troubles had they held on to two dropped catches, both off Bumrah. The second was off Paine, on 7, when Sharma put him down at wide first slip and the first was on the second ball of the day when Hanuma Vihari dropped a straightforward catch off Labuschagne at backward square leg.Paine dealt in boundaries after he was dropped for a quick fifty stand with Green, who got to 50 with a thick edge that gave Ajinkya Rahane a very touch chance at gully off the second new ball. Green’s charge was paused by a crowd incident directed towards Siraj at the leg-side boundary which led to six fans being evicted from the ground. Once play resumed, Green drilled Bumrah down the ground for four and then hooked him for six. Green was closing in on a maiden century but on the last ball of the same over, he was given caught behind even without an appeal from Bumrah when he missed another heave. When Green reviewed, Snicko confirmed a thin edge, and Australia declared during the tea break.The first session belonged to the hosts as well. Labuschagne cashed in after being dropped on 47 and put on another century stand with Smith. He continued to score freely square of the wicket and Smith cracked a few cover drives to also cross 50. It took an excellent spell of 7-1-19-2 from Navdeep Saini, whose high-arm action extracted extra bounce to have Labuschagne caught down leg, and then have Matthew Wade poke at one outside off for 4. Smith steered Australia past 200 but once he was trapped lbw for 81 by Ashwin with a loopy offbreak, Green took over with Paine and flattened India further.