West Ham supporters have been handed a big update on the future of manager David Moyes by talkSPORT presenter Jim White.
The Lowdown: Moyes pressure mounts…
Despite a 2-0 win over AEK Larnaca in the Europa Conference League Last 16 on Thursday, the pressure is still well and truly on Moyes with supporters very much still dissatisfied.
The Premier League strugglers spent £172 million since last summer and Moyes has arguably failed to get the very best out of his squad, even if the Scotsman has also had to deal with injuries.
West Ham have won just once in their last five league games as members of the fanbase grow worried over their top flight status.
The Latest: White shares big Moyes update…
Speaking to talkSPORT, via their live feed [March 9], there is now a feeling at West Ham that Moyes could carry on even if they’re relegated.
White explained:
“I’ve been speaking to someone of authority at West Ham.
“The feeling there, what is dominating their thoughts at this stage of the season is Premier League survival and winning the Europa Conference League. Those are their targets.
“There is also the feeling that even if West Ham go down, David Moyes would carry on.”
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The Verdict: Bizarre…
The former Everton boss has undoubtedly built up plenty of credit in the bank, guiding West Ham to two successive campaigns in Europe and a famous Europa League semi-final run last year.
However, given the state of their standings, there is a very real argument that Moyes has taken the east Londoners as far as they can go now.
Perhaps a fresh face with new ideas is the best solution to really get the likes of Lucas Paqueta and Gianluca Scamacca firing, yet according to this update, the board appear set to keep faith in their current boss.
Time will tell whether this is the right decision but it may be an unpopular one with some West Ham supporters.
Plays of the Day from the one-off T20 international between England and West Indies
George Dobell at Trent Bridge24-Jun-2012Disappointment of the Day Alex Hales’ dismissal for 99. In a game where personal milestones sometimes obscure team achievement, the disappointment of Hales and his home crowd was perfectly understandable. Had Hales scored just one more, he would have become just the seventh man to record a century in a T20 International and it would have been the first for England. He later said that he could not have asked for a more obliging delivery from which to score his century – it was a quick half-volley, really – but instead he was bowled. He need not worry: it is a team game and here he produced the matchwinning contribution.Wicket of the Day West Indies recovered well through Dwayne Smith, Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard, but the early wicket of Chris Gayle was still a vital moment in this match. It meant West Indies endured a sluggish start – they scored only 38 off their first eight overs – and, despite some steep acceleration towards the end of their innings, they never fully made up time. Gayle was the victim of good planning and good fast bowling: cramped for room by a sharp, short ball from the distinctly hostile Steven Finn, Gayle was unable to control the stroke and top-edged to fine leg. It was the first of two very well judged catches from Jonny Bairstow and also reward for some smart captaincy from Stuart Broad, who had just moved the deep fielder from square to fine leg.Catch of the Day Sometimes, given his skill in the outfield, it is hard to remember that Bairstow is also a wicketkeeper. His catch to dismiss Lendl Simmons, running in from the midwicket boundary and diving, was exceptionally good. Bairstow not only covered the ground quickly but, despite the potential distraction of Hales, running back from midwicket, threw himself forward to cling on to the ball. It was an example not only of Bairstow’s value to England, but also of the team’s athleticism and skill in the field. In a format where games can be decided by such moments, it provides England with a substantial advantage.Shot of the Day As ever in T20 cricket, there were several contenders for this: Ravi Bopara, with some elegant cuts, and Hales with a series of pulls and hooks, were impressive, but for sheer power West Indies’ batsmen were hard to beat. Smith, in particular, hit the ball murderously hard and struck five sixes in all. The second of them, a lovely straight drive off Graeme Swann, landed in the second tier of the Radcliffe Road Stand and almost hit a cameraman. It was an enormous hit.Milestone of the Day So long has Broad been a fixture of the England team that it can easily be forgotten how youthful he remains. Broad celebrated his 26th birthday at Trent Bridge and, while some people might balk at the idea of working on their birthday, the prospect of leading his side to victory on his home ground would have softened the blow. Already the most-capped player in this side, Broad could have the best part of a decade of international cricket ahead of him and may well break every England wicket-taking record in all formats. He and Graeme Swann already hold the record (41 apiece) for most T20I wickets for England.
Mickey Arthur and Graeme Smith could hardly have dared to dream of the triumphs they would achieve after proclaiming, following a disappointing end to their 2007 World Cup campaign, that the focus for the next two years would be on Test cricket.The Proteas have achieved an unprecedented run of success, culminating in a first series win by any South African team in Australia. That victory was South Africa’s ninth win in ten series going back to the 2006-07 season.The ledger for 2008 shows 11 wins, two draws and two defeats in 15 Test matches, spread over six series, of which five were won and one shared.South Africa’s one-day performances were less impressive than might be suggested by a superficial glance at a record of 12 wins, four defeats and one no-result. Seven wins were achieved against the negligible opposition of
Bangladesh and Kenya and five against West Indies. In their most challenging series, South Africa were beaten 4-0 by England, with a fifth match washed out. The one-day side was hit by the retirement of Shaun Pollock, the loss of “death” bowler Charl Langeveldt to a Kolpak contract in England, and a sudden dearth of hard-hitting bowling allrounders.With two years before the next World Cup, Arthur and Smith will devote energy to building a one-day unit to match the success of the Test side. The selection of untried youngsters such as Wayne Parnell, Vaughn van Jaarsveld and Lonwabo Tsotsobe for the forthcoming one-day series in Australia is part of that process.It was South Africa’s Test cricket, however, that commanded attention in 2008, as they disposed of West Indies at home and Bangladesh away before beating India by an innings in Ahmedabad. Leading 1-0 in the series they
were caught on a disgracefully under-prepared pitch in Kanpur as India earned a share of the spoils. The first series win in England since unity – and only the third of all time – was a highlight, but nothing surpassed their victory in Australia.All the essentials of a winning team were in place, with the possible exception of excellence in spin bowling. A settled top six played in every match, with the exception of the injury-enforced absences for one match of Neil McKenzie and two by Ashwell Prince. When Prince was put out of action before the first Test in Australia,
the prodigious talent of Jean-Paul Duminy was revealed on the Test stage. After making an unbeaten half-century in the thrilling pursuit of 414 in the final innings in Perth, Duminy turned the second Test, in Melbourne, on its head with a magnificent 166.Duminy had been on no fewer than four Test tours before he finally made his debut – a situation he accepted with the calm pragmatism that he showed when his opportunity finally arose. Now Prince, who scored 900 runs at 64.28 during the year, may find himself the man waiting for an opening.Prince was just one of five of the regular top six who averaged above 50 for the year. Remarkably, the odd man out was Jacques Kallis, who nevertheless played a prominent role with bat, ball and his safe hands in the slips during the first two Tests in Australia.While runs on the board are a crucial foundation for winning cricket, the ability to take 20 wickets was the clincher during the year. Dale Steyn led a potent if not wholly consistent fast bowling attack. The 2008 ICC Test Cricketer of the Year finished the year with 74 wickets in 13 matches at 20.01. When Steyn was good he was excellent, bowling at high pace and getting late away-swing.Rather like Allan Donald before him, Steyn is a bowler who needs a match or two to find his rhythm, and he was not at his best early in the series in England and Australia. Any suggestions that he owed his impressive record to
a preponderance of matches against weak opponents – notwithstanding five-wicket hauls in both Pakistan and India – were blown away, however, by a sensational ten-wicket haul in Melbourne.After a decade of lung-bursting effort, Makhaya Ntini, at 31, showed signs of losing his sting, but a break after the England tour and a spell in domestic cricket seemed to be the tonic he needed. He finished the year with 54 wickets at 28.46.The tall Morne Morkel was seen as South Africa’s next great match-winning bowler. He produced some unplayable deliveries and took 43 wickets, but his best days lie ahead.Kallis and Paul Harris provided competent support to the main strike bowlers.South Africa’s catching throughout the year was excellent, particularly in the all-important cordon, where wicketkeeper Mark Boucher and Smith, Kallis and AB de Villiers in the slips held almost every offering that came their way.
The ultimate hero was the captain. Smith was an impressively mature leader and led by example with the bat. He scored six of South Africa’s 23 centuries, including a monumental unbeaten 154 not out in the decisive run
chase against England at Edgbaston, a century that set up the record pursuit in Perth, and 75 in the final innings in Melbourne.What was most remarkable about Smith’s 1656 runs at 72.00 was that for almost half the year he battled against the pain of a chronic tennis elbow injury. Not for the first time, he refused to allow extreme physical discomfort to deter him from contributing to his team’s cause.New kid on the block
Duminy looked a player of genuine quality when he played two key innings against Australia in his first two Tests.Fading star
After eight years of harrumphing and hassling opponents with his muscular fast bowling, the international career of Andre Nel seemed to have run its course.High point
Edgbaston? Perth? Melbourne? The most dramatic of three successful run-chases was Edgbaston, the most remarkable Perth, and the most significant Melbourne.Low point
An anti-climactic final-Test loss in England was followed by four limp performances in the one-day series.What 2009 holds
A return series against Australia and a home series against England will provide further Test challenges while South Africa will seek improved performances in one-day internationals and the World Twenty20 in England.
Sunderland are plugging along in the Championship and new manager Michael Beale has managed to guide the side back into the playoff spots. However, the Black Cats are clinging on by just a point.
The same issue continues to crop up under Beale as it did during Tony Mowbray's tenure concerning the Wearside club's struggles in front of goal. Sunderland are inside the bottom half of the table regarding goals scored in the league this season.
Nevertheless, with the January transfer window open, Beale could dip into the market to add much-needed quality to his attacking department.
Sunderland transfer news – Jay Stansfield
Over the past few days, Sunderland have been linked with a move for Bournemouth centre-forward Kieffer Moore, with The Sun revealing that the Black Cats currently lead a race with several other Championship clubs for the Wales international.
A couple of days before the winter window commenced, it was reported that Sunderland were keen to bring Fulham centre-forward Jay Stansfield to the Stadium of Light to be Beale's first-choice striker for the remainder of the campaign, ending his loan spell with Birmingham City.
However, it had been widely claimed that Ipswich Town were set to come out on top in the pursuit of the 21-year-old's signature. Nevertheless, no move has come to fruition yet with the Tractor Boys, meaning Sunderland still have a chance of capturing the young striker.
Said to be on just £10k-per-week on his current deal, Stansfield could be a very affordable option on loan until the end of the season.
Jay Stansfield's stats this season
Right now, Sunderland need a centre-forward with experience in the Championship and one who can score goals at this level. Stansfield ticks both of these boxes. Amid Birmingham's woes on the pitch, particularly during Wayne Rooney's tenure at St. Andrew's, the former Exeter City loanee has found the net seven times and recorded two assists in 23 appearances in England's second-tier.
The number nine position has been the weakest part of Sunderland's team this season. The ex-Premier League outfit currently have five different frontmen on the books this campaign; Nazariy Rusyn, Mason Burstow, Eliezer Mayenda, Hemir Semedo and Jewison Bennette. Between them, they have scored one goal which came from Rusyn in a 2-0 win over Preston North End on New Year's Day.
Jack Clarke has been the club's talisman this season, having bagged 12 goals in 26 matches and is directly responsible for 33.3% of Sunderland's league goals. Beale needs to add quality up top to ease the goalscoring burden off Clarke.
While Moore has been a prolific goalscorer in the Championship in the past, having found the net 47 times in 155 matches in the second tier, he is now on the wrong side of 30 and boasts worse stats than Stansfield this season.
Goals
7
2
Expected Goals
4.9
1.1
Assists
2
0
Progressive Carries Per 90
2.67
0.91
Shots
54
10
Shots On Target
17
4
Goals Per Shot
0.13
0.2
Key Passes
24
1
Stats via FBref
Stansfield is younger, hungrier and looks like a natural finisher already, with Fulham boss Marco Silva even claiming that the forward "can score easily" which has been backed up by his seven goals already this term.
To keep in line with the club's recruitment strategy in recent years of signing young players, the Black Cats should throw the kitchen sink at Fulham to take Stansfield on loan for the rest of the campaign.
Wolverhampton Wanderers continued their solid start to the 2023/24 Premier League campaign as they beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 in dramatic fashion over the weekend.
The Old Gold came from 1-0 down to secure all three points with stoppage time goals from Pablo Sarabia and Mario Lemina turning the game around.
Brennan Johnson had handed the away side the lead inside the opening minutes but the hosts never stopped fighting and Gary O'Neil's men eventually earned their reward with two goals right at the death.
Wolves have only lost one of their last seven top-flight matches and have recorded impressive victories over Spurs and champions Manchester City in that time.
Luton
1-1 draw
Man City
2-1 win
Aston Villa
1-1 draw
Bournemouth
2-1 win
Newcastle
2-2 draw
Sheffield United
2-1 loss
Tottenham
2-1 win
Despite being unavailable for the last two games, Pedro Neto has been one of the stars of the show so far this term for O'Neil with his terrific performances out wide.
The Old Gold are reportedly hopeful that the Portuguese maestro will be back in action before the end of 2023 but his injury has highlighted the club's lack of natural wide options within the first-team squad.
Whilst they could dip into the transfer market in January to remedy the situation, Wolves may already have their next version of Neto out on loan away from the club in Theo Corbeanu.
He is currently with Zurich in Switzerland and has caught the eye with his performances this term, having been out on a host of loans in recent years.
Corbeanu's academy statistics with Wolves
The talented youngster arrived at Wolves from TFC Academy in Canada ahead of the 2018/19 campaign and went on to rack up seven goals and two assists in 32 U18 matches after his move to England.
He worked his way into the U21 set-up and produced seven goals and two assists in 26 outings at that age bracket for the Old Gold before his first loan move in the 2021/22 season.
Corbeanu joined Sheffield Wednesday on a temporary basis but failed to make a consistent impact at the top end of the pitch with two goals and two assists in 13 League One matches.
Wolves forward Theo Corbeanu.
The Canada international joined MK Dons for the second half of that term and only managed one goal and one assist in 16 third tier appearances.
He then spent the 2022/23 campaign on loan with Blackpool, in the Championship, and Arminia Bielefeld, in the 2. Bundesliga, and struggled once again. The 6 foot 3 forward only produced three goals and one assist in 32 league outings for the two clubs combined.
His statistics up to that point did not suggest that Corbeanu had a bright future as a first-team player for Wolves. However, his current loan spell with Zurich may have provided the club with far more optimism over his prospects.
Corbeanu's season for Zurich in numbers
The left-footed whiz, who is currently out injured, has enjoyed a superb start to life in Switzerland and has showcased his creative quality from a wide position.
Like current Wolves star Neto, he can play on either flank and has the ability to cut inside onto his favoured left foot from the right side of the attack.
Corbeanu, who was once hailed as "tidy" by journalist Josh Bunting, has produced one goal and five assists in nine league starts, alongside three substitute outings, for the Swiss giants so far during the 2023/24 campaign.
The 21-year-old magician has created six 'big chances' for his teammates and conjured up 2.1 key passes per game, which shows that the young gem can consistently unlock the opposition's defence to provide his fellow attackers with opportunities in front of goal.
Appearances
12
Sofascore rating
7.12
Goals
One
Big chances missed
One
Assists
Five
Big chances created
Six
Meanwhile, only Neto (2.5) has produced more than 1.5 key passes per match for Wolves in the Premier League so far this season, and this suggests that the Zurich loanee could be an excellent creative presence for the club if he can translate his current form over to the English top-flight.
Of course, there is no guarantee that Corbeanu would be able to provide the same level of production in the final third from the Swiss top division to the Premier League.
However, at the age of 21, the academy graduate has plenty of time to develop and improve as he gains more experience and there is seemingly a creative wing threat who could be unearthed by O'Neil.
Pedro Neto's season in numbers
Corbeanu could develop into being the manager's next version of Neto, as the Portugal international has been a terrific creator as a left-footed wide player for the club this season.
The 23-year-old wizard has racked up one goal and seven assists in ten Premier League matches for his side throughout the 2023/24 campaign.
Interestingly, though, Neto has only created five 'big chances' for his teammates – one fewer than the Zurich star – and has produced 2.63 xA, which suggests that his fellow attackers have made the most of the opportunities that have fallen their way from his passes and crosses.
The young dynamo does, however, lead the way for Wolves with 2.5 key passes per match and has, therefore, been their outstanding creative presence out wide this term.
Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Pedro Neto.
He has shown marked improvement in his performances for the club in the Premier League during the 2022/23 campaign, when the talented ace struggled to deliver quality at the top end of the pitch.
Neto failed to provide a single goal or assist in 18 top-flight outings for Julen Lopetegui's side last term and O'Neil has been able to get the best out of him since his arrival over the summer, after being relieved of his duties by Bournemouth.
The Wolves boss, therefore, has proven that he can develop a system to get the best out of a player like the former Lazio forward, which bodes well for Corbeanu's future at Wolves.
He is a similar player to Neto, as a creative left-footed winger, and could be a future gem for the club if they decide to bring him back in January or give him a chance next season.
It’s been far from an easy ride at Everton over the past few years, as Sean Dyche continues to attempt to combat the on-pitch issues that have previously threatened the club with relegation.
Fans had to wait until matchweek four to see the Toffees net their first goals of the 2023/24 campaign, and matchweek six to see their side claim their first three points of the season, after a dreadful start to the campaign.
Last term, almost identical to the year prior, Everton were forced to have their fate decided on the final game of the Premier League season, as they flirted with demotion to the Championship due to poor form and lack of inspiration.
Change in personnel within the squad and from a managerial aspect has delayed any type of progression for the Merseyside outfit, however with three wins in their previous four games, there is hope that Dyche’s side can finally build some form.
Everton manager Sean Dyche.
With a squad replenished in the summer transfer window, there are vacancies there for new heroes to emerge at Goodison, with those that brought joy before, now just a memory.
One name that was a constant source of hope for the Toffees amid their relegation battle of the 2021/22 campaign was Richarlison, who departed the club that summer after cementing himself as a fan favourite on Merseyside.
While it was a painful goodbye to the Brazilian, hindsight has shown that the Blues got a strong deal in the sale of the forward, despite having to let go of his influence on the squad.
When did Everton sign Richarlison?
In the summer of 2018, Everton announced the signing of the highly-rated Richarlison from Watford, paying £40m for the striker who was 21 at the time of his move.
The Brazilian arrived at Vicarage Road the year before, and made a statement in his debut campaign in Europe by having a hand in ten Premier League goals, scoring five and assisting five to capture the eye of the Blues.
richarlison-watford
Marco Silva, the former Hornets boss who guided Richarlison at Vicarage Road, was the Everton manager responsible for bringing the forward to Goodison in 2018, where he praised him as an acquisition that was “very good technically” at the point of his arrival.
How much did Richarlison earn at Everton?
In making the move to Merseyside, Richarlison subsequently more than doubled his salary, improving his £1.3m-per-year wage at Watford to £4.6m at Everton, equating to a weekly wage of £90k, via Capology.
It was clear from the off how highly the Blues regarded the young marksman, as they handed him a wage that ranked him joint-fourth of the club’s highest-earners in the 2018/19 season.
The faith shown by the Toffees was quickly repaid by Richarlison, as he almost instantly made a name for himself, scoring two goals on his league debut in August 2018, where he was lauded as an “animal” by journalist Liam Canning.
How many goals did Richarlison score?
At the end of his first season, the Brazilian had found himself on the score sheet 14 times in all competitions, netting 13 in the Premier League to get fans excited about what was yet to come.
The following campaign, Richarlison replicated his scoring tally in the league with another 13 in the 2019/20 season, as well as scoring two goals in the Carabao Cup that year.
Along with Dominic Calvert-Lewin, the versatile forward was repaying the price the Blues had paid to bring him to the club at 21, ending his stay on Merseyside with 53 goals and 14 assists in 152 appearances in all competitions.
Excluding the 2020/21 campaign, the £40m man never failed to score under ten goals in the Premier League while at Everton, with his lowest tally being the seven he claimed that season.
In his final term, amid the struggles going on at Goodison, the Brazil international had a hand in 15 goals in the league, scoring ten and assisting five, maintaining form in the wilted side that caught the attention of other clubs in the top flight.
How much did Everton sell Richarlison for?
They say all good things must come to an end, and that was the narrative that played out for Richarlison at Everton, as he bid farewell to the club after four years in the summer of 2022.
Tottenham Hotspur were the side that opted to splash the cash to sign the then 25-year-old, paying £60m for his services after their opening offer of £40m was rejected by the Blues.
As relayed by Sky Sports at the time, Everton were hoping for more for their talisman, but made the decision to sanction the move in order to hand manager Frank Lampard additional funds to orchestrate change in the transfer window to take forward.
By selling the 48-cap Brazil international, the Toffees generated a profit of £20m from the £40m they paid for him in 2018, highlighting the grasped opportunity for them to optimise their finances in what was a difficult time for the club.
In hindsight, the deal was an integral and successful one, as the now 26-year-old has seen his market value crash, and his form follow, suggesting that he played his best football at Goodison.
How much is Richarlison worth now?
To say that Lampard cashed in on Richarlison at the perfect time is an understatement, as his current market value sits at just €36.3m (£31m), £29m less than the price that he was sold for just a year ago, as per Football Transfers.
Richarlison's Premier League scoring record
Season
Club
Apps
Goals
2017/18
Watford
38
5
2018/19
Everton
35
13
2019/20
Everton
36
13
2020/21
Everton
34
7
2021/22
Everton
30
10
2022/23
Spurs
27
1
2023/24 TBC
Spurs
8
1
Figures via Transfermarkt
The dip in the forward’s form is answered solely by his abysmal displays in the final third during his first season at Spurs, another indication that Everton offloading him at the ideal time.
In the 2022/23 campaign, the 6 foot hotshot scored once in 27 appearances, scoring his only goal of the entire Premier League season in April after a period of stagnancy relating to the element he was signed to thrive in.
There remains hope that the former Toffees sensation can rediscover his confidence in front of goal, with signs there that this season may be more encouraging as he matched last campaign’s league tally on match week five of this term.
Regardless of whether Richarlison can salvage the form he showcased at Goodison, Everton struck gold by selling the striker for £60m, especially when seeing how dramatically his value has dropped in the year following his departure.
Arsenal fell to a shock defeat on the road on Tuesday night, as they could not follow up their emphatic Champions League curtain-raiser with another fine performance.
Instead, in front of a hostile French atmosphere, Mikel Arteta saw his men whimper to a disappointing 2-1 loss against RC Lens.
What went wrong for Arsenal vs RC Lens?
In a game that came down to the respective cutting edge each side boasted in front of goal, despite the Gunners taking the lead, a string of squandered chances afforded their hosts the opportunity to turn the game around.
As such, goals either side of half time saw them sneak in front, and despite boasting 67% of the ball and raining down 11 shots on goal, the north London side could not find a response.
The clash was also marred by the injury to Bukayo Saka, who had been a doubt for the past few fixtures but remained ever-present. Last night proved a step too far, and despite assisting the opener, the England international was withdrawn after 34 minutes.
Thus instigated Arteta's big issue, as his replacement, Fabio Vieira, narrowed their formation aggressively. Both he and Leandro Trossard were desperate to come to feet for possession rather than spin in behind and stretch the stubborn hosts, and as such once he was brought on, their attack was largely blunted.
However, this was hardly aided by the disasterclass suffered by the usually-magical Belgian wizard.
How did Leandro Trossard play vs RC Lens?
Starting on the left flank, it was a decidedly anonymous display from the former Brighton and Hove Albion man, who many expected and hoped would start, to replicate his Champions League form from their PSV Eindhoven clash.
Having scored and assisted in that emphatic 4-0 win, the 28-year-old could not have posted a more differing display last night, with his lack of influence emphasised due to the fact that even goalkeeper David Raya enjoyed more touches of the ball (32 v 52).
However, that was not all that underpinned a torrid night for Trossard, who remained profligate with what little possession he did enjoy.
Although it was far from a vintage performance from Arsenal, the £27m trickster could have put the game to bed with a golden opportunity, which he squandered. The winger received the ball from Kai Havertz inside the penalty area before chopping back onto his right foot and sticking a tame effort at Brice Samba. Then, to make matters worse, the £90k-per-week dud would go on to lose 75% of the eight duels he competed in, outlining a lack of physicality to match such a disastrous night.
Emphasising this disappointment further, the words of journalist Dan Kilpatrick stand as supporting evidence, who wrote the following before handing him a dismal 4/10 rating following the match: "Might have done better from close range but his shot was tame and easily saved. Faded and replaced."
Writer Phil Costa would then seek to outline that aforementioned narrowness issue, suggesting that should such a trend continue it could pose a worry for him and Arteta: "Our offensive distances were too big and I worry now with Trossard and Vieira wide – both who want the ball into feet – about being able to stretch the game."
Whilst hardly likely to curtail their entire Champions League campaign, the Spanish tactician will quickly want to figure out where the issues stemmed from and put them right. After all, he can afford hiccups at this stage, but if he is serious about challenging for elite honours, such a tactical and technical shocker cannot be afforded later on in the competition.
Twelve state associations of the BCCI have informed the Supreme Court that they are ready to implement the Lodha Committee reforms barring four exceptions, the board’s acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary said a day before a fresh Supreme Court hearing.
State associations that have sent the undertaking to the amicus curiae
Andhra
Assam
Goa
Jharkhand
Kerala
Mumbai
Rajasthan
Railways
Tripura
Universities
Uttar Pradesh
Vidarbha
The Tamil Nadu Cricket Association, which is believed to be against the reforms, is not among the 12 that have agreed to implement them. Maharashtra is the 13th association to have agreed, but because it has run into legal trouble lately, Choudhary didn’t count it. According to the BCCI constitution, a three-fourths majority is required for the reforms to be implemented.The Supreme Court had asked the BCCI office bearers – who had given an undertaking they would ensure the reforms were implemented – to submit their suggestions regarding difficulties in implementing the reforms. The four points the 12 associations found difficult to implement were ‘one state, one vote’, the three year cooling-off period after a term, the constitution of the all-powerful apex council, and the distribution of power and functions between elected representatives of the board and its professional wing.The most significant suggestion put forward by these 12 states is for the board to have six representatives in the apex council as opposed to the one suggested in the Lodha reforms. “The apex council as presently contemplated has three office bearers, which will go up to five,” Choudhary said. “There will be one who represents the board, which will be 37 members, and two for players. Insofar as the board is related, the country is very, very large, therefore my submission is that each zone including a separate zone from northeast, so six representatives.”The implementation of ‘one state, one vote’ and the cooling-off period “doesn’t seem practical” to these 12 associations. The argument against ‘one state, one vote’ has been made in the past, and revolves around the role played by the traditional associations such as Mumbai, Baroda, Saurashtra in big states. They are against the cooling-off period because, according to them, if the two other restrictions – an age cap of 70 years and a total cumulative tenure of nine years – of an official’s tenure are implemented successfully, “the further restraint becomes unnecessary”.”Besides this, you have to contemplate the situation that the office bearers run for three years, then totally new faces come up,” Choudhary said. “That will mean no continuity.”Regarding the exception to the strength of the national selection committee – three now as opposed to five earlier – the 12 states are happy to comply given the team has managed with three for a while now. Given the amount of cricket played in India, though, they would still prefer five selectors.However, in its draft constitution submitted in December 2017, the court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) had effectively put aside most of the objections raised.”Each State shall be represented by a state cricket association duly recognised by the BCCI and such associations shall be Full Members,” the draft states. “No State shall have more than one Full Member at any given point of time.” In states with multiple current members, the Full Membership – and its rights and privileges – shall rotate annually among them. The basis of that rotation will be framed by the BCCI.”No office bearer – whether in the BCCI or the state association – shall have consecutive terms,” the draft says. “Further, once an office bearer has completed a term of three years he/she shall not be a member of the governing council or any committee for the next three years.”
He bowled three solid overs, in the mid 130s or thereabouts, and all the damage to England was done elsewhere. Still, both India and Shami will be breathing a sigh of relief
Hemant Brar28-Jan-2025Rajkot is probably the last venue a fast bowler would want to make his comeback at. Before today, the average first-innings total in T20Is here was 186. In his pitch report for the third India-England T20I, Murali Kartik called the playing surface “as bald as my head”, while Nick Knight labelled it a “#belter”. But Mohammed Shami would not have minded any of that, especially after being out of international cricket for 14 months.Shami’s last outing for India was in November 2023: the ODI World Cup final against Australia in Ahmedabad. He was nursing his ankle throughout the tournament and underwent surgery in February 2024.His previous T20I was way back in 2022: the World Cup semi-final against England in Adelaide. Since then, India’s approach to T20 cricket has shifted tectonically. Luckily, that shift has to do with batting, not bowling. So Shami did not have to change anything.Related
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After he was named in the squad for the England T20Is – by now the focus of the Indian cricketing circle had moved from his ankle to his knees – many expected him to play right away. He bowled in the nets ahead of the first two T20Is with knee support, but did not play in either. Was he still not 100% fit, or did team composition play a role? We do not know the answer yet. But on Tuesday, India rested Arshdeep Singh and gave Shami a go.After Suryakumar Yadav opted to bowl, Shami was into the action straightaway. With his very first delivery, he showed what India had been missing. It was a good-length ball, the seam angling towards deep third. Phil Salt threw his hands at it but was beaten as the ball swung away.Whenever a fast bowler returns from an injury, the eyes automatically shift towards the speed gun. It read a satisfactory 134.6kph. That the wicketkeeper collected it on the bounce had to do with the pitch.That was a cue for Shami to take the slip out. On the next ball, Salt found a boundary down the ground, even though he barely middled the punch.Shami then decided to attack the stumps and bowled an inswinger; Salt worked it towards short midwicket. Speed? 134.1kph. Hovering around that mark, Shami conceded only six in his first over.He started his second over with his trademark dead-straight seam. Jos Buttler had a waft at it, but the ball seamed away. It looked like there might have been a faint edge. It would not have mattered, though, as Sanju Samson fumbled it behind the stumps.For left-hand batter Ben Duckett, Shami went around the wicket. The batter used the angle and scooped him over the keeper’s head for a six. After two overs, Shami’s figures read 2-0-15-0.As India trained ahead of the England series, the returning Mohammed Shami had his knee(s) strapped•AFP/Getty ImagesBy the time Shami returned for his third over, the 19th of the innings, Varun Chakravarthy’s five-for had England reeling on 151 for 9. Shami went for hard lengths and slower ones but could not prevent Adil Rashid and Mark Wood from taking ten (plus a bye) from the over. The only time he tried a yorker, it ended up as a beamer.Shami finished with none for 25 from his three overs. It was not a dream comeback but it was not shabby either. Given there were no signs of discomfort, both Shami and the team management would be pleased with it.Because in the last few months, whenever Shami tried to make a comeback, he had a setback. He was expected to feature in the home Test series against Bangladesh last year, but that did not happen. The same was the case for the New Zealand Tests.A few months later, he appeared for Bengal against Madhya Pradesh in a Ranji Trophy match and bowled 43 overs across two innings. Following that, he played in all nine games at the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy, taking 11 wickets with an economy rate of 7.85.Just when it started looking like he could be part of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, the knee issue came up. As he increased his workload to be ready for Test cricket, his left knee started swelling, and ruled him out of the Australia tour.Therefore, even though he bowled just three overs tonight and failed to pick up a wicket, India would consider Shami’s return a big positive, especially with the Champions Trophy on the horizon and then the Test series in England later in the year.
West Ham United's slump in form is alarming, they've lost four of their last five matches in all competitions, with the only anomaly in that run being a fantastic 3-1 victory over Arsenal in the Carabao Cup as the Hammers booked their place in the quarter-finals.
While that domineering display wasn't backed up with a similar performance against Brentford on Saturday as they slipped to a 3-2 defeat in the Premier League, David Moyes will be seeking revenge against Olympiacos tomorrow night after they ended their 17-match unbeaten run in Europe two weeks ago.
Moyes will want to field a strong starting side to ensure complacency doesn't slip into their performance as the talented triumvirate of Jarrod Bowen, Lucas Paqueta and Mohammed Kudus are all likely to start.
The Scotsman could pick this starting XI for the visit of the Greek giants in tomorrow's Europa League clash, with five changes from the weekend loss…
1 GK: Lukasz Fabianksi
Lukasz Fabianki for West Ham
A reliable cup keeper these days, Lukasz Fabianski could come in to replace Alphonse Areola after starring in their 3-1 victory over the Gunners. The giant Pole has only conceded three goals in four appearances this term.
2 RB: Thilo Kehrer
Thilo Kehrer
A serial starter in the Europa League, having played in all three matches so far, Thilo Kehrer is David Moyes' chosen right back in this competition and the reliable German should get the nod over Vladimir Coufal on Thursday night.
3 CB: Konstantinos Mavropanos
West Ham defender Konstantinos Mavropanos.
Arsenal's former centre-back Konstantinos Mavropanos has featured in every minute of their Europa League campaign so far. The towering Greek international, who was once hailed as "fearless" by Ian Wright, should continue that run here.
4 CB: Nayef Aguerd
West Ham defender Nayef Aguerd.
Once dubbed as "exceptional" by Gary Lineker for his performances in claret and blue, Nayef Aguerd is the rock at the back for the Irons. The 27-year-old has only started once in the Europa League this term, but after Angelo Ogbonna's horror show in Greece, Moyes can ill-afford to risk the Italian once more.
5 LB: Aaron Cresswell
regan-clayton-aaron-cresswell-west-ham-opinion
With his contract expiring in the summer, it looks as though West Ham are going to bid farewell to Aaron Cresswell, but the 33-year-old could get a rare chance to impress ahead of Emerson on Thursday.
6 CM: James Ward-Prowse
Wolves midfielder James Ward-Prowse.
West Ham's technically gifted midfielder, who is renowned for the ability to play high-quality final balls to attackers, has showcased that vision in the Europa League this term with three assists in as many matches. He'll be looking to add to that total.
7 CM: Tomas Soucek
West Ham United'sTomasSoucekwith Declan Rice.
Once hailed as "incredible" by former midfield partner Declan Rice, Tomas Soucek is an ever-present figure in West Ham's midfield and has featured in all three of their European matches this season and even scored against TSC Backa Topola.
8 CM: Edson Alvarez
Edson Alvarez.
The Mexican summer signing was forced to sit out the weekend defeat to the Bees through suspension, although it could be wise to reinstate the former Ajax maestro against the Greek outfit to provide some much-needed solidity – only Pablo Fornals has made more interceptions for the Hammers in the competition so far.
9 RW: Mohammed Kudus
thomas-soucek-kudus-west-ham-opinion
Kudus is in fine form for West Ham currently and the Ghanian has cemented his place on the right flank following a strike against Arsenal and a sensational scissor-kick against Brentford on Saturday.
10 LW: Lucas Paqueta
Lucas Paqueta
Lauded as a "maverick" by David Moyes for his exceptional performance against Freiburg last month, the Scotsman could return Paqueta to the side after the £150k-per-week Brazilian missed out through suspension at the weekend. The 26-year-old has two goals in three matches in the competition thus far.