All posts by n8rngtd.top

Bryce Parsons and Jason Smith put up a late fight for Dolphins before they eventually fell short

Firdose Moonda22-Oct-2021Final: Knights beat Dolphins by seven runs
Patrick Kruger’s 61, and handy contributions from Rilee Rossouw, Pite van Biljon and Farhaan Behardien set up Knights’ title-clinching win against Dolphins in the final in Kimberley. Knights ended up posting 176 despite starting sedately after being 37 for 2 at the end of the powerplay. That is when Kruger and van Biljon added 86 for the third wicket in less than nine overs, with van Biljon cracking 42 off 25 balls, including three fours and sixes each. Behardien’s finishing touches then propelled Knights, before Migael Pretorius and Alfred Mothoa struck with the ball early. Although Sarel Erwee and Khaya Zondo put on 51 stand to stage a brief recovery, Dolphins were eventually left with 63 to get in the last five overs. Bryce Parsons and Jason Smith put up a fight for Dolphins, with their late assault once threatening to eclipse Knights’ score, before they eventually fell short by seven runs.Semi-final 1: Dolphins beat Titans by four wickets
Ottniel Baartman put Dolphins in the driving seat by taking two wickets in his second over which, along with Ruan de Swart and Odirile Modimokoane’s early strikes, left Titans at 38 for 4 after seven overs. Gihahn Cloete’s 62, and contributions from Ferreira and Corbin Bosch, who scored 26 and 21, respectively, pushed Titans to a reasonable total. Baartman finished with 4 for 18, as Titans were bowled out for 138. Dolphins were in some trouble on 33 for 2, but Erwee’s 33 steadied them before Zondo took control. They needed 40 runs in the last five overs and 18 in the last two. Zondo scored 15 of the 16 runs they got in the penultimate over to put the victory beyond doubt and finished unbeaten on 58 off 45 balls.Semi-final 2: Knights vs North West: No result
North West will feel aggrieved not to have advanced from the semi-final after having the Knights at 127 for 7, and being well on track to chase the target. They were 42 without loss in the third over when rain washed out the match. As a result, Knights advanced on a higher net run rate, despite North West being in control of the game. Eldred Hawken took 3 for 37 and Senuran Muthusamy bagged 2 for 12, as only two of Knights’ batters, Pite van Biljon and Gerald Coetzee, scored more than 15, and their usually strong line-up stuttered. North West’s openers Wesley Marshall and Eben Botha hit seven fours and a six in the 15 balls they faced, but heavy showers in Kimberley put Knights into the final.File photo: Rilee Rossouw hit a century to become the competition’s highest run-scorer•Getty Images

Quarter-final 1: Titans beat South Western Districts by 54 runs
The only Division 2 team to qualify from the group stage, South Western Districts (SWD) ended their run in the last eight with the biggest margin of defeat in the knockouts. Things started well for SWD, who had Titans 44 for 2 at the end of the powerplay. However, a 33-ball 48 from Theunis de Bruyn, two half-century stands for the fifth and the sixth wicket, and a 29-ball 55 from Donavon Ferreira took Titans to 192. SWD’s 82-run opening stand put them on track to pull off a coup, but they lost all ten wickets for 56 runs to tumble to 138 all out inside 18 overs. Wickets were shared between the Titans’ attack, with captain Aaron Phangiso earning the best returns of 2 for 18.Quarter-final 2: Knights beat Western Province by four runs
Rossouw continued his remarkable run in the competition and became the highest run-scorer of the season with a century to add to his two fifties, as he propelled Knights to 223 for 3 against Western Province. He shared a 130-run third-wicket partnership with Behardien, a stand which came off just 64 balls, with Behardien scoring 57. None of the Cape attack conceded at less than nine runs an over. Western Province looked out of contention on 105 for 5 in the 12th over, but their captain Wayne Parnell had other ideas. He smashed remarkable a 29-ball 80 at a strike rate of 275.66 and kept them in the hunt until the final over, which they entered on 195 for 7. In the end, Migael Pretorius conceded 24 runs off the last over, including a no-ball six, but Western Province still fell short by four runs.File photo: Janneman Malan added 108 for the opening wicket with his brother Pieter•AFP/Getty Images

Quarter-final 3: Dolphins beat Warriors by six wickets
Daryn Dupavillon had Warriors at 8 for 3 in the third over, before Diego Rosier and Sinethemba Qeshile put on 42 to save their line-up’s blushes. Dupavillon finished with 4 for 18 as Warriors ended on 127 for 9. When they had Dolphins on 33 or 4 after seven overs, it looked like Warriors may have scored enough; but Keegan Petersen built diligently before Jason Smith took it on himself to see Dolphins over the line. They needed 34 runs off the last five overs, and Smith scored 20 of them to finish unbeaten on 60 off 41 balls to complete the chase with four balls to spare.Quarter-final 4: North West beat Boland by three runs
The best quarter-final was saved for last when North West beat Boland by three runs in a thriller. North West’s innings started shakily when they were reduced to 45 for 4 in the seventh over, before Eben Both and Lesego Senokwane put on 59 for the fifth wicket to take them over 100. Duan Jansen’s 21-ball 27 helped set Boland a target of 158, which they should have easily reached after the Malan brothers, Janneman and Pieter, had an opening stand worth 108 in less than 13 overs. But that is when they collapsed, losing 6 for 44 in the next 41 balls: two each to Jansen and Caleb Seleka, one to Lwandiswa Zuma and another to a run-out. Boland needed four off the last ball, but Janneman could only find a single.

Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Wasim, Shahnawaz Dahani and Zahid Mahmood are all in line to make their 50-over debuts

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Sep-2021Pakistan have named four uncapped players – Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Wasim, Shahnawaz Dahani and Zahid Mahmood – in their 20-member squad for the three-match home ODI series against New Zealand.Iftikhar Ahmed and Khushdil Shah have been recalled while Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Sohaib Maqsood, who were part of the ODI series against England in July have been dropped. Haris Sohail, who withdrew from that series having sustained a hamstring injury, has also been left out.Related

• Mohammad Nawaz tests positive for Covid-19 ahead of New Zealand series

• What the upcoming tours mean for New Zealand

• Pakistan to allow 25% capacity crowds for New Zealand series

• NZ to tour Pakistan for first time in 18 years

“The series against New Zealand is extremely important for Pakistan as the matches are part of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 qualification,” chief selector Mohammad Wasim said. “While we have tried to put together a formidable and a balanced unit, we have continued to ensure that we give opportunities to high performing players while looking into the future so that we can develop a strong bench-strength.”Wicketkeeper-batter Haris was impressive in the 50-over domestic Pakistan Cup, where he made 289 runs in nine matches playing for champions Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, at an average of 41.28, making a century and two fifties. Fast bowler Wasim, who made his Pakistan debut in the T20I series against West Indies recently, has now earned a call-up to the ODI squad too. He was particularly impressive in the first T20I where he picked up one wicket in two overs in the rained-out encounter.”Mohammad Rizwan remains the first-choice wicketkeeper, as such, it has been decided to include 20-year-old Mohammad Haris in place of Sarfaraz Ahmed. This is not only to reward Haris for his outstanding domestic performances in the previous season, but also to give him a taste and flair of international cricket along with its rigours and demands and to ensure that we continue to groom young wicketkeepers who are fit and ready to step up when the opportunity presents itself.”ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Legspinner Mahmood has been outstanding in the domestic circuit for Southern Punjab over the last two seasons. In 2020-21, he picked up 52 wickets in 10 matches in the first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and 19 wickets in 10 matches in the Pakistan Cup. He was called up to the Pakistan squad for the T20Is against South Africa earlier this year, and in the solitary match he played, he picked up three wickets in his four overs.Dahani had a dream debut season in PSL 2021, taking 20 wickets in 11 matches. He seems to have impressed the selectors with his ability to provide breakthroughs in regular intervals, which also made him Multan Sultans’ trump card in the tournament.Meanwhile, Iftikhar returns to the ODI set-up for the first time since the Super Over encounter against Zimbabwe in November 2020 in Rawalpindi. Khushdil’s only ODI appearance was also in the same match.”Middle-order has remained our concern and, as such, after trying a few options, we have decided to give another run to Iftikhar Ahmed and Khushdil Shah,” Wasim said. “The two batters have played sufficient 50-over cricket at the domestic level and boast the required firepower to utilise the slog overs. We are optimistic they will come good in home conditions.”This will be New Zealand first tour of Pakistan in 18 years. The tour starts with three ODIs in Rawalpindi scheduled on September 17, 19 and 21 and culminates with five T20Is in Lahore. Crowds up to 25% capacity will also be allowed in the stadium, which means the ODIs taking place in Rawalpindi will be open to 4500 spectators each.

Nadir stood in 46 internationals, after a long domestic career playing for some of Bangladesh’s top clubs

Mohammad Isam10-Sep-2021Former international umpire Nadir Shah passed away in Dhaka on Friday, after a prolonged battle with cancer. He was 57. Nadir stood in 40 ODIs and six T20Is, after a long domestic career playing for some of Bangladesh’s top clubs.After a recent bout of illness, Nadir was taken to a hospital last month. He was recovering from respiratory complications, but two days ago, he had to be given life support after his condition deteriorated.Nadir was the youngest of seven brothers, one of whom, Jahangir Shah played five ODIs for Bangladesh. Four other brothers also played league cricket. Nadir moved into umpiring in the mid-1990s, before making his international debut as umpire in 2006.Nadir was known for his obsession with cricket from his youth, right up to the current Bangladesh-New Zealand series when he was in hospital. He was a friendly character who could strike up a conversation with anyone, provided the topic was cricket. During the 1997 ICC Trophy, Nadir helped out the Bangladesh team with scouting other teams in Malaysia.Cricketers knew him as someone who was fair as an umpire, but one who would also give suggestions to batters and bowlers if they were not showing good technique.Bangladesh’s sports minister Md. Zahid Ahsan Russel led the tribute. “Nadir Shah was a renowned face on the cricket field,” he said. “His death is an irreparable loss for the country’s sports arena. The nation will forever remember his unique contribution to the advancement of cricket in the country.”BCB’s chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury said that Bangladesh cricket will miss Nadir. “Nadir Shah was a most affable person who was loved and respected by all in the cricket fraternity. He will be missed. He lived for cricket and had always executed his responsibility as an umpire with fairness. We pray for the salvation of his soul,” he said.

More runs for Eoin Morgan and a half-century for Ben Stokes provided further good news for England’s liberated one-day side, but this time the plans came unstuck at a crucial stage

Alan Gardner at the Ageas Bowl14-Jun-2015″Fantasy is an exercise bicycle for the mind,” wrote the late author Terry Pratchett about the genre in which he made his name. “It might not take you anywhere but it tones up the muscles that can.” At the moment, England are attempting to play a bit of fantasy cricket. It didn’t take them very far on this occasion but it might just end up getting them into shape.In the sylvan setting of West End, not far from Hambledon, supposedly the cradle of the game, England’s future cricket zig-zagged a little further down the path of self-discovery. Eoin Morgan and Ben Stokes led the way in a fizzing-but-flawed display with the bat, only for the bad old days to return in the shape of a late collapse and a welter of dropped catches that ultimately handed New Zealand victory.Talk has been of learning lessons during this series and England will know they have to study hard. None of the batsmen to pass 50 – Morgan, Stokes and Joe Root – went on to the hundred required, while in striving to go higher England ended up falling short of a more competitive total.In response, Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor carved out centuries that defined the course of the match. Williamson’s hundred, from 88 balls, still came at a lick that would once have been deemed nigh-on reckless, particularly in these parts – two years ago, when Martin Guptill made 189 on this ground, he reached three figures from his 111th delivery – yet it was characterised by a level of savvy missing during the England innings.Still, England have set out their stall and are prepared to try and aggressively flog the product. Late wickets narrowed the gap between the sides but the comfort with which Williamson and Taylor added 206 in 32.2 overs for the third wicket would have left Morgan undeterred about his strategy, even if the execution was wanting.Confirmation of Morgan’s appointment as limited-overs captain – he took over from Stuart Broad in T20 as well – was filed under “any other business” when Andrew Strauss took charge as director of England cricket in May. Absolving Morgan of any blame for the embarrassment of the World Cup was in part recognition that his power was circumscribed by having taken charge just weeks before the start of the tournament, following the sacking of Alastair Cook.

England collapse no drama for Morgan

Eoin Morgan said he was unconcerned about England being dismissed without using up their overs, suggesting it was a price worth paying in order to change the team’s mindset in pursuit of bigger scores.
England lost 5 for 14 to be bowled out in the 46th over of their innings and a total of 302 eventually proved inadequate as New Zealand took a 2-1 lead in the series.
“It’s not a huge thing for me that we have to bat 50 overs, it doesn’t disappoint me,” Morgan said. “We’re trying to change our process and mindset with the bat, which may take time.
“We’ve come a long way in the last three games, scoring 300-plus in each of them – which is a huge achievement, and a big turnaround. I want the guys to continue with that mindset, and not worry about batting 50 overs.
“I think that makes guys hesitate and question their natural way of playing. I don’t want that to happen. For a long time we looked like getting 350 to 360. That’s a huge plus for us, because for a long time we’ve never even thought about getting that sort of score.”
Asked if there was a time when a more conservative approach might be worth considering, Morgan said: “Yes, there is, absolutely, but we’re trying to get as much natural ability out of the new guys, and those around them, as we can.
“I think, as early as we are into changing things, at the moment there’s no need for it – unless things go drastically wrong. But they haven’t and guys are really enjoying playing the way we are.”

This new-look side, selected with Morgan’s involvement, has been given the most attacking remit in England’s limited-overs history. That much is clear from their approach with the bat but Morgan made the thinking explicit in an interview for the official series programme.”If there’s one thing we have learned from the World Cup, it’s that we need to play positive cricket in order to be competitive in all conditions,” Morgan said, “I’ll be asking my teams to take the game forward and not be safe in any way. That sort of message would excite anyone.”There was certainly no sense of them playing it safe as England were dismissed with 28 deliveries left unbowled. At Edgbaston, England had gone from 202 for 6 to 408 for 9 as they resolutely refused to take their foot off the gas, with Jos Buttler warning afterwards that things would not always go so well – particularly with a side findings its way. Here was the proof.Morgan’s assertiveness has extended to moving up the order to No. 4, a berth he has occupied infrequently during the previous six years of his England career. This innings, which actually demanded a more cautious approach early on after two wickets fell in conditions that could be described as “fresh”, was his third consecutive half-century and pushed his average as captain back towards 50 (it is 47.16 from 20 innings).His dismissal, attempting to hit across the line against a non-turning Williamson offbreak, would in previous times have invited criticism for failing to go in. Instead, with England well placed on 194 from 33 overs, it seemed merely to demand that someone else take up the standard and continue the cavalry charge.While Morgan’s style is that of the ice-cold assassin, Stokes is a saucepan permanently on the boil. He hits with such power that he could be serviceably plugged into the National Grid and, after the tentative failures of 2014 that ultimately cost him a place in England’s World Cup squad, he appears ready for a marauding role with the bat at No. 5. This, following two Catherine Wheel innings during the Lord’s Test, was only Stokes’ second one-day fifty, at the 22nd attempt.When England had cruised to a score of 267 for 5 after 40 overs, they had looked well set for another jumbo total. Stokes was striking the ball majestically down the ground while Sam Billings scooped like a kid in a gelateria but both fell in quick succession as England galloped ahead of themselves. It was still enough for England to make three successive scores of above 300 for the first time in ODIs but, on another good pitch, the total left an inexperienced bowling attack exposed.Should England have ensured they batted out their overs? It is not a question that is likely to be asked in the dressing room, at least not at this stage. As a counter example, when England took on Sri Lanka at the World Cup, they finished on 309 for 6 only for their opponents to knock off the runs one wicket down with 16 balls to spare. This England have decided that it’s okay to be in the gutter as long as they are reaching for the stars.

Arsenal are on the verge of completing their first signing of the summer, according to a new report.

So close, yet so far for Arsenal

It was another case of having to settle for second for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal as they watched Manchester City clinch their fourth successive Premier League title win on Sunday.

Taking it to the final day, the Gunners did their job with a win over Everton but City's 3-1 win against West Ham ensured that the title remained at the Etihad once more, despite Arsenal breaking plenty of their own club records in pursuit of the Cityzens.

Arsenal have promised to be back though. Speaking to the fans after the game, Arteta demanded that they return better after the summer.

"We’ve been fighting so long for the big dream. We were so close. I’m so proud of the boys, so proud of the team, the fans. I'm so proud of the progress we are making.

"We’ve changed the club and I think you all believe in us now.

"But we are on the right path, the right journey and to see the evolution so quickly happening, I haven't seen it before. So, we're on the right trajectory and now we need really to pull the teeth and bite into it because we really want more."

Some changes to the squad will be needed before that though, with the likes of Reiss Nelson, Eddie Nketiah and Aaron Ramsdale expected to leave this summer, while Cedric and Mohamed Elneny's contracts expiring in north London. Now, the first fresh face of the summer may be on his way.

Official planning trip to finalise deal

That comes in the form of Fenerbahce star Ferdi Kadioglu, who is fast becoming the "superstar" that talent scout Jacek Kulig predicted back in 2020.

Arsenal were linked with a move for the defender in January, while Aston Villa, Tottenham and Manchester City have also all shown interest. However, it was reported just last week that talks between the Gunners and the player's entourage were at an advanced stage, with only talks with Fenerbahce still to take place.

Edu must finally sell Arsenal star after 5/10 Everton display

It wasn’t a happy end to the season for Arsenal.

By
Matt Dawson

May 20, 2024

Now, Turkish outlets back up those claims, reporting that Arteta's side are "at the negotiating table" and "pushing to finalise" a deal for the 24-year-old defender. Kadioglu himself is keen on the move, and it is added that an Arsenal official will travel to Turkey in June to "start official contacts" with his club, who value the defender at 30m euros (£26m).

Capable of playing on either side of defence, Kadioglu's arrival would provide yet more competition at fullback for the Gunners, who welcomed Jurrien Timber back in the final game of the season after the Dutchman missed the whole campaign with a knee injury.

Sunderland will be looking to keep a firm grip on some of their young starlets ahead of next season, even if recent reports suggest that this could indeed be a tall order for the struggling Black Cats.

16-year-old midfield sensation Chris Rigg looks set to be in the middle of a major bidding war in the summer despite still only being a teenager, with the likes of Manchester United and even Sunderland's arch-rivals in Newcastle United sniffing about for his services.

Jobe Bellingham is another who could also have his head turned by the allure of a higher-up suitor soon, with Serie A titans Lazio reportedly keen on the former Birmingham City gem.

Sunderland will just be thankful that they've had some great luck with their current crop of young stars to try and forget about their significant blunder in 2011 with this flop, who would never settle in at the Stadium of Light after being hyped up to be the next best thing.

Connor Wickham's transfer to Sunderland

Joining for a bumper £8m 13 years ago, the world was expected of Connor Wickham when relocating to Wearside under Steve Bruce's watch, after bursting onto the scene at former club Ipswich Town at a rapid speed.

At just 17 years of age, Wickham would win Young Player of the Year for the Tractor Boys at the EFL awards after proving to be a goalscoring menace for the Suffolk club whilst still learning the ropes as a youngster.

His final season with Ipswich would see him tear up second-tier defences, leading to that coveted accolade being picked up by the then-teen striker before Sunderland came calling.

Sunderland must have thought gambling on a major move for Wickham would pay off, with the imposing 6 foot 3 forward becoming a reliable source of goals in the Premier League after initially taking time to get used to his new top-flight environment.

Instead, despite Wickham terrorising Championship defences as an up-and-coming gem with Ipswich, he would never truly fit in at the Stadium of Light with wasteful performances becoming more commonplace over his previous blistering best in Suffolk.

The now 31-year-old striker would only score once during his debut season for the Black Cats in the Premier League, with his best tally for a campaign coming in at a meagre six from his four disappointing years situated in Wearside.

Looking at TotallyMoney's Transfer Index, this £8m deal would look even more like a colossal waste of money when you examine today's inflated costs.

Sunderland will just hope they can recoup some money if the likes of Rigg and Bellingham do end up walking away, rather than setting it alight in this example.

Wickham's transfer value in 2024

If this same disastrous move went through in 2024, Wickham would have cost Sunderland and Bruce even more of a bomb at an eye-watering £21.5m, as per Totally Money.

That would push the misfiring forward up to being the most expensive signing in Sunderland's history, ahead of Didier NDong's excessive £13.6m fee, further reinforcing his tag as a huge flop.

Former Sunderland legend Niall Quinn even dubbed Wickham as having the potential to be "Sunderland's Alan Shearer" in 2014, only to be very much proved wrong by the injury-prone attacker's forgettable time playing for the Black Cats – hardly getting close to Shearer's return of 260 Premier League goals, it's fair to say.

Crystal Palace also suffered as a result of taking a punt on Wickham after his Sunderland exit, with the 31-year-old – who is now without a club after most recently turning out for Charlton Athletic – missing a ridiculous 999 days of action for the Eagles owing to injuries.

The Black Cats will aim to purchase more raw gems in the summer to boost their squad, hoping to not have a repeat of this cursed deal which never lived up to the Shearer-esque billing.

Sunderland could finally get Rusyn firing by appointing Still alternative

Sunderland fans will hope this bold new manager can turn Nazariy Rusyn into a goal-machine.

By
Kelan Sarson

May 7, 2024

The start date for Manchester City’s 115-charge Financial Fair Play (FFP) case has been set, with the Premier League giants set to learn their fate.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Blues accused of monetary mismanagement
• Deny all allegations of any wrongdoing
• Fighting case before judgements are delivered

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The reigning kings of English football discovered early in 2023, following a long-running investigation, that they would be charged with supposed monetary misdemeanours. The charges against them date back to 2009 – shortly after Sheikh Mansour completed his takeover of the club.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  City stand accused of failing to provide accurate information regarding their overall finances, as well as player and manager payments. Those at the Etihad Stadium – who made history last season when securing a fourth successive top-flight crown – deny any wrongdoing and are defending their case at an independent inquiry.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  It had been reported for some time that City’s FFP hearing would begin in September, and be completed by the end of the calendar year, and it has now been revealed that proceedings will be begin on Monday the 16th.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• Getty
  

  TELL ME MORE

  Once all relevant evidence and arguments have been presented, heard and considered, a final judgement will be made. There has been talk of City being stung with points penalties – similar to those handed out to Everton and Nottingham Forest last season – hefty fines or even demotion out of the Premier League.

After succumbing to Bayern Munich and Aston Villa in quick succession midway through April, Arsenal are well and truly back in form after dispatching Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur in the space of five days in the Premier League.

There were several standout players from the club's two London derby victories, such as Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice, but one star who was benched for both was Gabriel Jesus.

The former Manchester City ace has not had quite the impact he would have hoped to have this season, and based on recent reports, he might soon find himself replaced in North London.

Arsenal's search for a striker

According to a recent report from GIVEMESPORT, Arsenal have maintained their interest in Bologna striker Joshua Zirkzee and are now considered the player's 'preferred destination' ahead of a potential move this summer.

The report has revealed that, alongside the Gunners, several Serie A sides, such as Juventus and AC Milan, are keen to add the former Bayern Munich ace to their squads in the summer, but the Italian clubs are now worried that the marksman is himself eager to hold out for the north Londoners to make an offer and not to join a domestic rival of Bologna.

The good news keeps coming for Arsenal, as according to a report from ESPN in March, the Rossoblu currently value their star marksman at around £51m, and while that is still a hefty price tag, it isn't absurd in the current market when, for example, Rasmus Hojlund joined Manchester United for £72m last summer.

Everything seems to point towards a relatively straightforward transfer for the north Londoners if they do wish to sign the Dutchman. While that's great for Edu Gaspar and Arteta, it could spell trouble for Jesus, especially after it was revealed earlier this week that the club are willing to cash in on him this summer.

How Zirkzee compares to Jesus

So, if the North Londoners were to press ahead with this deal and bring Zirkzee to N5 in the summer, would they be making the right decision, and how does he stack up to Jesus?

When looking at the pair's pure output this season, the 22-year-old comes out comfortably ahead of his potential competition, scoring 12 goals and providing seven assists in 35 games to his eight goals and seven assists in 33 games. Therefore, the Brazilian averages a goal involvement every 2.2 games this season, while the Schiedam-born dynamo averages one every 1.8 games.

What about their underlying numbers, then? Does the vastly more experienced Arsenal man have the edge over his potential replacement in this area?

Well, it's a bit of a mixed bag here. While he does come out ahead in more metrics than not, it isn't by very much, and he comes out second best in a few crucial ones, such as goals-to-shots-on-target, actual goals, and things like progressive passing. In essence, he has the better underlying numbers overall, but not significantly so.

So, with the prospective replacement beating out the four-time Premier League winner on actual output but coming up second best regarding underlying numbers, what else can separate them? Injuries.

In the last two seasons, the former Palmeiras gem has missed 33 games for Arsenal – a third of the games he could've played – whereas the "complete" Bologna star, as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has missed just eight, making him the far more reliable player of the two.

Ultimately, if Arsenal have the chance to sign Zirkzee for around £51m this summer, they should go for it. His record this season is seriously impressive, and while he might need a season or two to match Jesus' underlying numbers, he will likely be far more reliable and, therefore, useful for Arteta as the club continues their search for a Premier League title.

Arsenal lead race for Partey replacement who'd be "disgusting" next to Rice

The incredible talent could be the perfect man to take over from the veteran midfielder.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

May 2, 2024

Vivianne Miedema admits to dreaming of being “up front with Robin van Persie” in the men’s game when professional women’s football “wasn’t a thing”.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Limited options for striker as a youngster
• Has reached the top of her chosen profession
• Pays little attention to breaking records

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  As a starry-eyed youngster, the prolific Dutch forward never imagined that the day would come when she could strut her stuff at the very highest level and get paid for the pleasure. In order to achieve that, teenage Miedema believed that she would have to prove her worth alongside the men.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  WHAT MIEDEMA SAID

  She did just that at youth level, as doubters were silenced in spectacular style, and has told of childhood ambition that saw her targeting a spot alongside a former Arsenal and Manchester United star in Rotterdam: “Playing professionally with other girls wasn’t a thing back then. I thought I’d be up front with Robin van Persie at Feyenoord one day. I remember a game where the opposing team said: 'They have a girl, this should be fun.' We won that match 11-0, I scored six goals and provided five assists. Who’s laughing now?”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Miedema went on to make her professional debut for Heerenveen at 15 years of age, before taking in memorable stints at Bayern Munich and Arsenal. She is the Netherlands’ all-time leading scorer, boasts the most goals ever scored in the WSL, won the Golden Boot at the 2021 Olympic Games and has three Ballon d’Or Feminin nominations.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• Getty
  

  DID YOU KNOW?

  Miedema does, however, consider records to be little more than “nice to have”, adding on her exploits: “Records are there just for others to break. Ultimately, I play for the team’s results and to keep growing myself, both on and off the field.”

There could well be a summer of major change at the Stadium of Light on the horizon, not just with a managerial switch taking place.

The powers that be at Sunderland could well look to freshen up the playing squad here and there as well, especially if the likes of Jack Clarke depart for pastures new in the Premier League after being a constant ray of light for the Black Cats this turbulent season with 15 Championship strikes.

There might also be a clear-out of some high earners on Wearside who might not fit into next season's new-look identity, with one out-of-sorts winger in danger of being sold on soon to free up more space on the wage bill.

Patrick Roberts' numbers at Sunderland this season

Patrick Roberts has had a frustrating season in truth to match his side's overall underwhelming campaign, only picking up a pitiful two assists from 31 Championship matches with zero goals also registered.

That is a major decline in form from last term under Tony Mowbray, where the ex-Manchester City man helped himself to five goals and seven assists to steer the Black Cats to a playoff finish.

The 27-year-old attacker hasn't been blessed with the best luck when it comes to injuries this campaign, however, with the experienced forward missing for large chunks of 2024 to the detriment of his youthful side who could have done with a more seasoned head up top in big games.

Still, with Sunderland looking at appointing a new and exciting manager to replace Mike Dodds, Roberts' days could be numbered as a figure of the Black Cats camp that has, arguably, become stale.

Roberts' high wage will also be a factor as to why Sunderland could look to get rid soon, with the diminutive winger earning four times Trai Hume's wage despite the Northern Irish defender being a more settled part of the Black Cats team all season long.

Roberts' wage compared to the Sunderland squad

The ex-Celtic loanee finds himself in the top five earners of Dodds' camp still remarkably, all whilst the forward has only been fit for action eight times this year in the Championship.

Raking in a sizeable £12.5k-per-week, according to Capology, Roberts is currently sitting pretty as the fourth highest earner at the Stadium of Light despite other more notable first-team faces earning far less.

Anthony Patterson is earning £2.5k-per-week less than Roberts when scanning the top earners table above, with the first-choice goalkeeper feeling a little harshly done by considering he's been an ever-present figure for Sunderland this season under the various managers that have been in and out of Wearside.

Hume only earns £3k-per-week compared to Roberts' far heftier £12.5k-per-week wage too, even with the 22-year-old defender being on the radar of Leeds United once upon a time after starring in patches for the topsy-turvy Black Cats in the second tier.

The Northern Irishman could well be demanding a pay increase for next season, therefore, to keep him around at the Stadium of Light with Roberts being let go of potentially enabling Sunderland to mess about with pay packets more.

It would be a very sad severing of the ties if Roberts was let go of in the off-season, having once been referred to as "magic" by ex-boss Mowbray, but one that could allow Sunderland more freedom to strengthen next campaign.

Sunderland could appoint an “unbelievable” John O’Shea alternative

Sunderland could look towards this John O’Shea alternative as their next manager.

By
Kelan Sarson

Apr 22, 2024