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ECB board meet on Wednesday to discuss tournament

George Dobell29-Apr-2020

Moeen Ali believes it is “better for the Hundred to be delayed” for a year than to launch the tournament without overseas players or fans.The ECB board meet today (April 29) to discuss whether to postpone the launch of the tournament in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. While the Hundred is a central component of the ECB’s strategy to broaden the appeal of the game, there are concerns that any potential launch will be compromised by the current situation.Not only is there currently a ban on gatherings of any kind – meaning the tournament may have to be staged behind closed doors – but it is likely to prove hard to attract the overseas players whose presence was seen as a draw card.As a result, it could prove hard to build the momentum the ECB envisaged to ensure the Hundred makes the big splash that was anticipated. There will also be concerns that it struggles to justify its large budget. It is currently scheduled to start at the Kia Oval on July 17.While Moeen has long been an enthusiastic supporter of the competition – he has been named captain of the Birmingham Phoenix side – he now accepts that, with the prospect of a heavily abbreviated season and the absence of overseas players, it would be better to delay and ensure it is given every opportunity to succeed next year.”It is better for it to be delayed,” Moeen said. “As players we want the Hundred played with all the best players around the world available to come and play so it makes more sense that way.”If we can get other international players who were not available this year to make the Hundred even stronger for next year through a mini draft then we an attract a new audience to come and watch cricket. It is probably going to be too much to squeeze in the last couple of months of the season. It would be hard work to squeeze in the Hundred as well.”It is such a big deal for us in this country and we want it to be played when everything is right and no problems around the world.”An announcement on the tournament’s postponement is expected later this week, following today’s ECB board meeting.

Aston Villa have been in terrible form lately, and with a defence constantly leaking goals and a toothless front line, Steven Gerrard is under increasingly mounting pressure.

He has led his side to 16th this season and has won once in their last eight Premier League games. They have scored just seven goals in ten matches.

One such example of a player who has contributed to this lacklustre attack is Leon Bailey, who continues to be an incredibly expensive flop for the Midlands club.

The £100k-per-week forward has only scored three times in 28 games for his side and has just two goal contributions this season.

Perhaps Gerrard could revitalise his front line and potentially save his job, by bringing in youngster Louie Barry either in January or next season.

The winger surely cannot do any worse than the Jamaican.

The 19-year-old is currently out on loan with MK Dons, earning some vital senior experience at a side struggling in League One.

However, it is at youth level that he truly caught the eye.

Having scored eight goals in eight games for the U18s, he was moved up to the U21s. Once in that age group, he would score 15 times in 22; another division where he was arguably too good.

He probably earned most of his acclaim when he scored his side’s only goal in a 4-1 FA Cup drubbing against Liverpool, making his record one goal in one game for the Villa senior side.

It was a goal that had Ian Wright singing his praises too, dubbing it an “amazingly clinical finish.”

He continued: “Now what I’ve seen of him is enough for me to say I wouldn’t mind seeing him again, in a certain team, if you can get the ball to him.”

His performances for West Bromwich Albion even earned him a move to Barcelona’s youth academy, where he was signed by Villa from.

His versatility means that any of Gerrard’s attackers should feel threatened by his presence. However, given Bailey’s particularly bad performances, he surely must be the man to make way should Barry finally be unleashed in the Villans’ senior side.

Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman has ruled out the possibility of the club bringing in a free agent striker ahead of a return to Championship action in October.

Ross Stewart is currently out injured and Ellis Simms is working his way back to full fitness after a knock, which has left the club light in the centre-forward department.

Elliot Embleton and Alex Pritchard led the line in the 2-2 draw with Watford in the Black Cats’ last outing but the current situation will not force Sunderland into the transfer market.

Speakman told the Northern Echo: “I think if our model was to play two up top, we probably would have more numbers in that area because you’d be looking to play two every week. Our structure was to play one so naturally that would have been Ross. Then Ellis would fight that spot out.

He added: “We can go out tomorrow and get a number nine. But if he doesn’t get in front of Leon (Dajaku) or Amad (Diallo), then there is zero point in having him.”

With Simms potentially not being fit enough to start against Preston this weekend, Tony Mowbray must unleash Diallo from the start up front.

The on-loan Manchester United attacker, who has racked up 77 goals and assists in his club career to date, has caught the eye off the bench in Sunderland’s last two matches by creating three chances, including one ‘big chance’, in 44 minutes of action.

He has provided, what journalist Josh Bunting recently described as, “pure quality” as a substitute and he should now be given an opportunity to show what he can do in the starting XI.

Diallo ended the 2021/22 campaign with two goals and five chances created in three Premiership appearances on loan at Rangers and this highlights the level of quality he has the potential to produce on the pitch.

The wide man, who was once dubbed “wonderful” by his Manchester United teammate Luke Shaw, also caught the eye at Old Trafford whilst playing at youth level prior to going out on loan – scoring six goals and setting up four in five appearances for their U21s.

These statistics show that he has the potential to make a big impact at the top end of the pitch if he is able to hit top form in the Championship.

Therefore, Mowbray should unleash him against Preston to see if he is able to make his mark in English football. Indeed, he may make for a better option than Elliot Embleton who struggled in place of Simms against Watford with the attacking midfielder losing 75% of his individual duels and failing to register a single shot on goal or key pass, as he earned a SofaScore rating of 6.5.

Amad must now replace the Englishman in the starting XI at the Stadium of Light on Saturday, leaving Simms on the sidelines or on the bench as an impact substitute as he continues to work his way back to 100% fitness.

Sky Sports journalist Pete Graves has revealed that new signing Alexander Isak is ‘in line’ to make his debut for Newcastle United against Wolves in the Premier League this afternoon.

The Lowdown: Isak signs for Newcastle

The St James’ Park outfit confirmed the signing of the Swedish striker from Real Sociedad on Friday for a reported club-record £63m fee.

He has signed a long-term deal in the northeast and will wear the number 14 shirt.

The Latest: Debut today?

Taking to Twitter, Graves has revealed that Isak is ‘in line’ to make his debut for the Magpies at Molineux this afternoon, as the necessary paperwork was submitted in time to meet the weekend deadline for them to register their players ahead of the match.

The Sky Sports reporter stated: “Understand Alexander Isak is in line to make his Newcastle United debut on Sunday. Although #nufc are still awaiting international clearance, @SkySportsNews has learned that necessary paperwork WAS submitted by the club in time to meet the weekend deadline.”

The Verdict: Exciting

It is certainly exciting for the Toon Army to hear that Isak is able to make his Newcastle debut this afternoon, as they will be able to get a first glimpse of their new striker.

At Sociedad, he boasted a record of 44 goals in 132 games, while he also has nine senior goals for the Sweden national team (Transfermarkt).

Also, with Callum Wilson out injured at the moment, Isak should be able to come in to lead the line straight way, and it will now be up to Eddie Howe whether he plays him from the start against Wolves or uses him from the bench, with Chris Wood another option to start up top.

Southampton are reportedly looking to secure a deal for Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi before the end of the current summer window.

What’s the news?

In a recent Twitter post, journalist and transfer expert, Fabrizio Romano had this to say on the matter.

“Excl: Callum Hudson-Odoi could now leave Chelsea for regular game time. Southampton have already asked for CHO on loan, now pushing.”

Could he replace Walcott?

With 187 appearances to his name for the west London club across their senior and youth sides, the 21-year-old has found the net 47 times and delivered 40 assists along the way.

Last season saw the Englishman make 28 appearances for Chelsea across all competitions in which he scored three goals and provided six assists in the process.

In his 15 league appearances last season, the attacker racked up 51 shot-creating actions, which is more than the likes of Romelu Lukaku (44), Christian Pulisic (33) and Timo Werner (26) managed to make, an impressive accomplishment given their respective qualities.

In fact, only Ross Barkley (9.05), ended the campaign with a higher rate of shot-creating actions per 90 minutes than Hudson-Odoi (4.77), which shows just how dangerous he can be in the final third.

Having played in numerous midfield and attacking positions for the west London club last season, this sort of versatility could make him a very useful addition to Ralph Hasenhuttl’s squad.

Described as a “monster of a talent” by Nizaar Kinsella, it very much appears as if when he’s in form, he has the world at his feet.

Despite this move potentially only being on loan, his potential arrival at St. Mary’s could push one of their current attacking options out the door.

Having been linked with a move away from the south coast club back at the start of the summer, Theo Walcott’s performances last season showed why adding a player like Hudson-Odoi would be a smart move from the Saints.

With no goals or assists to his name in nine league appearances, the £72k-per-week winger ended the campaign as the lowest-rated Saints player in terms of overall performance rating, with WhoScored giving him a measly rating of 6.09/10.

Taking this into account, it could be said that the Chelsea attacker may not have too much trouble in terms of getting regular game time at St. Mary’s.

In comparison to Hudson-Odoi, the Southampton winger lacks any form of threat, ranking in the worst 92% of players in the same position across Europe’s top five leagues for shot-creating actions in 2020/21.

With that in mind, most players would be an upgrade on him, but the lively Chelsea youngster should be the man to finally push him through the exit door for the second time in his Saints career.

Aston Villa striker Keinan Davis will miss his side’s Premier League opener away to Bournemouth this weekend, reliable journalist Ashley Preece has reported.

The Lowdown: Villa begin new season

Steven Gerrard’s side make the trip to the south coast on Saturday afternoon, as what will hopefully be a successful 2022/23 campaign gets underway.

Villa are in a fairly healthy situation in the injury department going into the game but Davis is one player who has been struggling with an ongoing hamstring issue.

A key update has now emerged, as kickoff against Bournemouth edges closer.

The Latest: Davis suffers fresh setback

Writing in a Q&A for The Birmingham Mail on Friday, Preece claimed that the young striker will miss out after ‘another hamstring setback’, adding that he’s ‘intrigued’ by the player’s future at Villa amid speculation of a move back to Nottingham Forest.

The Verdict: Cruel blow for youngster

Davis is back at Villa after being loaned out to Forest last season and he will have been hoping to hit the ground running, impressing Gerrard and proving he deserves a permanent place in the squad.

Instead, his progress has already been halted and it could be difficult for him to break into the manager’s plans regularly once the likes of Ollie Watkins and Danny Ings are firing again, while Cameron Archer’s new contract suggests he’s also a threat to the pecking order.

While Davis isn’t necessarily seen as a key starter for Villa, having him fit again will provide Gerrard with much-needed depth, as he looks to prove his worth before his current deal expires in the summer of 2024.

Arsenal have Bayer Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsoba in their sights, according to Gianluigi Longari. 

The lowdown

Arsenal may have Gabriel, Ben White, the returning William Saliba, Rob Holding and Pablo Mari at their disposal, but it seems they want another centre-back.

Their primary target was Ajax’s Lisandro Martinez, but he’s now said to be ‘on his way to Manchester United’ (via Football Transfers).

Tapsoba, 23, has been with the Werkself since January 2020, when he made an £18.2million move from Portuguese outfit Vitoria Guimaraes.

The latest

Longari shared the news concerning the Burkina Faso international on his Twitter page.

‘Arsenal are preparing a move for Bayer Leverkusen star Edmond Tapsoba,’ he wrote.

In the attached story for Football Transfers, he reveals that Arteta and Edu have now identified the deal as a priority.

Leverkusen are said to value him between €40million (£34million) and €50million (£42.5million).

The verdict

Tapsoba is a centre-back who would appear to be very comfortable in possession. He ranks in the 88th percentile for passes attempted and the 78th for pass completion, while he’s also in the 84th for progressive carries (via FBRef).

The data would also suggest he’s someone who defends on the front foot and who reads the game effectively (67th percentile for pressures, 81st for interceptions).

Stylistically, FBRef compare him to Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate and Tottenham Hotpsur’s Cristian Romero.

Tapsoba, who played against the Gunners in the Europa League group stage during his time at Vitoria, boasts a ‘scary’ combination of composure and physicality, in the words of European football expert Alex Barker.

He also featured in the Africa Cup of Nations Team of the Tournament earlier this year, perhaps his most impressive achievement.

Overall, he looks like a strong plan-B after Arsenal missed out on Martinez.

Fabrizio Romano has dropped an update on the future of reported Leeds United transfer target Takumi Minamino.

What’s the talk?

In a recent post on Twitter, the Italian journalist revealed that, despite being heavily linked with a move to Elland Road this summer, the Liverpool forward is now set to join AS Monaco in a deal worth €15m (£13m) plus €3m (£2.5m) in add-ons.

The transfer insider went on to state that the 27-year-old has also agreed personal terms with the Ligue 1 side, with the deal expected to be completed imminently.

In his tweet, Romano said: “AS Monaco and Liverpool are preparing paperworks for Takumi Minamino deal. Liverpool will receive €15m fee guaranteed and €3m add-ons related to performances as they initially wanted €17m. Done, sealed. Minamino has also accepted personal terms conditions.”

Supporters will be gutted

Considering just how well-suited Minamino would have been to Jesse Marsch’s tactical setup at Elland Road, in addition to the fact that the 48-year-old manager has a previous relationship with the Japan international, the news that the forward is now set to join Monaco is sure to have left both the American and supporters of the club gutted.

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Indeed, during his 22 appearances for Marsch at Red Bull Salzburg, the £10.8m-rated attacker demonstrated just how important he can be within the manager’s starting XI, scoring nine goals and registering 11 assists under the Leeds boss – including two goals and three assists in six Champions League fixtures.

Furthermore, while the 27-year-old was far from a first-team regular during his time at Liverpool, Minamino still managed to return impressive numbers, scoring 14 goals and providing three assists over 53 appearances – averaging a direct goal contribution every 125 minutes of football played.

As such, with Raphinha looking increasingly likely to move onto pastures new this summer, the Japanese forward would very much have appeared to be something of a perfect replacement for the Brazilian, however, following Romano’s latest update, it would now seem as if Victor Orta will have to turn his attention elsewhere in the summer transfer market.

AND in other news: Forget Adams: Orta can seal “unreal” deal with Leeds bid for “irreplaceable” £35m ace

Everton want to sign Keane Lewis-Potter from Hull City, according to The i’s Mark Douglas.

The lowdown

Richarlison is attracting interest from Tottenham Hotspur, although the north Londoners have yet to make a bid for the 25-year-old. Everton are demanding a ‘huge’ fee for the Brazil international, but developments can still be expected in the next week.

Lewis-Potter could be a replacement, given that he’s capable of operating as a left winger and second striker in addition to playing on the right.

The 21-year-old Englishman is valued at £10.8m by Transfermarkt, and while his contract technically expires in 12 months’ time, Hull have the option to extend it for a further year.

The latest

The i’s northern football correspondent Douglas wrote that the Toffees would like to add Lewis-Potter to their ranks.

However, it’s thought that any such move would require ‘serious finance’, and Everton are still ‘tip-toeing’ around Financial Fair Play rules.

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The verdict

You can understand why Everton are interested in Lewis-Potter.

He’s already a very good footballer, scoring 12 goals and providing four assists in the Championship last season and scooping Hull’s Player of the Year award, and he’s surely going to get even better over the next few years.

Lewis-Potter received his first England under-21 call-up in March and opened his account at that level with a goal in a 5-0 win over Kosovo on Friday.

He has generated plenty of excitement, with journalist Richard Sutcliffe heralding him as a ‘smashing player’ and his former manager Grant McCann calling him a ‘special talent’.

Everton fans may want a more established player to replace Richarlison, but it’s worth remembering where the Brazilian was at when he first came to Goodison Park in 2018. He only managed five goals in his first season in England with Watford and failed to score after 19 November in that campaign.

However, the Toffees saw something in the youngster and have reaped the rewards since, with the 25-year-old going on to score 53 goals for the Merseyside club. Also, Lewis-Potter is the same age now as Richarlison was when he came to Everton…

In other news, Everton have also enquired about this potential signing.

Nottingham Forest could be a destination for Manchester United youngster Amad Diallo this summer after the 19-year-old struggled to make an impact whilst on loan at Rangers this season.

That’s according to the Manchester Evening News, who suggest that alongside James Garner, Forest could swoop for the Ivorian winger as well as Facundo Pellistri should they secure promotion to the Premier League.

Steve Cooper’s side are one win away from a first top flight campaign since 1999 with Huddersfield Town their opponent at Wembley next Sunday for the Championship play-off final.

The East Midlands outfit has been the ideal club for Garner to develop at having joined on loan in January 2021 before rejoining for the 2021/22 campaign last summer.

For the Reds, the 20-year-old midfielder has scored eight goals and registered ten assists in 67 appearances which should provide Diallo with hope that he too could get his career in England up and running.

Forest must sign Diallo

Having been bought for £19m plus £18.2m in add ons by Manchester United, Diallo is a serious talent with hopes that he can one day become one of Europe’s biggest stars.

The former Atalanta prospect has struggled to make an impact at Old Trafford since arriving in England last January, making just nine first-team appearances for the Red Devils prior to making the move to Glasgow in January.

However, in just five appearances for United’s U23s, the 19-year-old has scored six goals and assisted four, suggesting that he is certainly ready for regular first-team football at a high level.

Furthermore, former United player Dan James labelled Diallo as “unbelievable” whilst Atalanta captain Papu Gomez claimed that the winger “plays like Messi.”

Granted, Forest will only be an attractive proposition for the Ivorian if they are of Premier League status. Should they beat Huddersfield next weekend, this summer will have to be busy in preparation for the top flight.

In terms of current forward options, loanee Keinan Davis’ is not for sale according to Aston Villa boss Steven Gerrard whilst Lewis Grabban’s contract is set to expire.

Moreover, plenty of Premier League clubs are interested in Brennan Johnson although promotion would surely see the 20-year-old remain at the City Ground for at least one more season.

Therefore, adding attacking quality to their ranks is an absolute must if Cooper’s side are to survive in the top flight, and bringing in Diallo for a season could provide a serious boost to their chances of staying in the Premier League.

AND in other news: Forest must secure deal for “strong” 21-goal monster, Cooper is already a big fan