Na tarde desta segunda-feira (27), após dois dias de folga, o Palmeiras deu início à preparação para a final do Campeonato Paulista, diante do Água Santa, que ainda terá data confirmada pela FPF. O zagueiro Murilo, aniversariante do dia, falou sobre o intenso ritmo de treinos visando a grande decisão do estadual.
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O Santos não vive uma situação financeira confortável. Com a vontade de trazer novos reforços após um estadual fraco, o Peixe, até o momento, não anunciou novos nomes. O técnico Odair Hellmann, que tenta driblar o momento atual como pode, comentou, em entrevista ao programa Sportscenter, da ESPN, sobre a realidade econômica do clube e a dificuldade em trazer novas peças.
– A gente está visualizando um mercado atento às dificuldades. Nós temos uma dificuldade financeira, temos feito esforços até acima da sua capacidade real. Em alguns momentos a gente não consegue, em outros a gente consegue seguir em frente. A gente está atento e aberto a boas oportunidades para conseguirmos fortalecer o grupo. As competições que vem pela frente, e principalmente o Brasileirão, vai exigir muito de um grupo forte – declarou Hellmann
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Como o LANCE! antecipou, o Santos tem impeditivos para ter Jean Lucas no elenco. A cláusula de compra obrigatória após o final do empréstimo e o alto salário pedido, que gira em torno de R$ 1 milhão, tornam o negócio inviável.
Além do meio-campista, o volante Diego Pituca, vice-campeão da Libertadores 2020 pelo Santos, tem obstáculo parecido. Mesmo identificado com o Peixe, os altos vencimentos do jogador afastam um reencontro do atleta com o clube da Vila Belmiro.
Focado no Campeonato Brasileiro, que começa para o Santos no dia 15 contra o Grêmio, Odair projeta uma competição bastante complicada e forte. Por conta disso, o treinador citou a necessidade de um grupo forte e com possibilidades de disputas internas por vagas na equipe titular.
– Para mim vai ser um dos Campeonatos Brasileiros mais difíceis esse ano. Portanto, a gente precisa ter um grupo competitivo, gerar essa competição interna para termos uma equipe forte e disputarmos em alto nível essa competição – comentou o comandante alvinegro.
O Paulistão desanimador do clube gerou pressão da torcida santista sobre o treinador. Questionado se já pensou em pedir demissão do Santos, Hellmann disse que as dificuldades impulsionaram a vontade de querer melhorar as coisas no Peixe.
-Da minha parte eu nunca tive esse pensamento. Pelo contrário, a cada dificuldade eu me fortalecia muito mais com a minha comissão técnica. Tentava fortalecer os jogadores nesse sentido para que a gente continuasse o trabalho e o processo acreditando, não é fácil, mas a gente tem capacidade e a gente vai conseguir. Vamos seguir em frente mesmo com as dificuldades que tivemos aqui para conseguirmos dar resultado – cravou Odair.
But, on a lighter note, “just don’t turn up – it’s too hard,” she says when asked how Australia can be beaten
Valkerie Baynes27-Feb-20235:18
“The gap between Australia and everyone else just keeps on growing”
“As many as there is out there,” Beth Mooney said when asked how many more titles Australia had left in them. And that is the key to this side’s remarkable success.After claiming their third straight T20 World Cup title with a 19-run victory over hosts South Africa on Sunday, their sixth in the format overall and 13th when you include the ODI event, this team never tires of winning and always strives to be better.”We don’t get tired of it,” Mooney, Player of the Match for her unbeaten 74 from 53 balls on a tricky batting surface at Newlands, said. “Something we speak about as a group is making sure we’re always evolving along the way. We’ve seen in this tournament there are teams around the world getting better and better as the years go on and we know that we’re being hunted. People are looking at us for what we do and how we go about it, so certainly it won’t last forever, but we’ll enjoy it for as long as we can and hopefully we can keep piling up those trophies.”Related
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Yes, Australia did snuff out the host nation’s dream of winning the title after becoming the first senior South African cricket team to reach a World Cup final, but that’s what they were here for.All tournament, there was an unsurprising admiration for Meg Lanning’s side, which went through undefeated, mixed with unmistakeable undertones of ‘oh no, not them again’ and ‘wouldn’t it be nice if someone else won for a change?’Sune Luus, the South Africa captain who told Australia during the on-field presentations that they were “really annoying”, even rolled her eyes when asked in her post-match press conference about the fact that it was them on the podium yet again. But she acknowledged that the Australians had long been setting the benchmark in terms of professionalism, pathways structures.So while it can feel like the rest of the world wants Australia to apologise for being so good (we know they never, ever will) and thinks having a different winner would be good for the game, Australia’s unmatched success is equally good for the game in that it shows the way. Their domestic structure and long-established WBBL have been emulated elsewhere – notably in England and India, which holds its first WPL immediately after this tournament, as well as in the West Indies with the Women’s CPL.Mooney on Lanning: “She’ll go down as one of the greatest ever for our team and we’re very lucky to have her”•ICC via Getty
Beth Mooney: Every team is evolving at a rapid paceThere are indications that the gap is closing, too. Australia were pushed by India in their semi-final, winning by just five runs, while South Africa upset England to reach the title decider.And then Australia do something like Mooney’s dive at long-on to save two runs from Nadine de Klerk with South Africa still 23 behind with only three balls left in the match, and it’s easy to see how they stay ahead.”The game’s never over till it’s over so I think that’s what keeps bringing us back,” Mooney said. “We fought really hard against India. It was an exciting contest but we know if we’re half a per cent off here and there in T20 World Cups, you can lose the game – so for us it’s never boring. I think we’re always in the contest and always in the fight.”Asked how she would coach a side against Australia, Mooney joked “just don’t turn up – it’s too hard, don’t bother going” to plenty of laughter. Then she added: “I’ve played in a lot of teams – it probably starts within yourself more than anything, rather than worrying about what other people do. If I give too much away we might start getting beaten. But the good part about the game at the moment is every team is evolving at a rapid pace and the game’s evolving at a rapid pace too, so I’m really excited for what’s to come and the challenges that are ahead of us.Alyssa Healy raised eyebrows in the lead-up to the final when she told ABC Sport in Australia that she had run Harmanpreet Kaur out in the semi-final not because Harmanpreet had been unlucky enough to get her bat stuck in the pitch short of her crease, as the India captain had contended, but because she hadn’t run fast enough or stretched far enough. It laid bare the contrast between a player capitalising on a small opportunity and one who, in Healy’s opinion, hadn’t.Meg Lanning tops Ricky PontingMeanwhile, Lanning overtook Ricky Ponting as the captain with the most ICC titles, adding her fifth to the 2014, 2018 and 2020 T20 World Cup and 2022 ODI World Cup crowns. That followed her return from a five-month break from the sport.No one was happier about Lanning’s comeback at the start of this year than Mooney, who was thrilled to have her coffee and “game-day breakfast buddy back”.”When Meg retires – hopefully not for a few more years, hope you’re listening Meg – she’ll go down as one of the greatest leaders, not just in cricket but in sport and just generally as well,” Mooney said. “She’s got an immense cricket brain. She’s cool, calm and collected under pressure and she’s got empathy as well, she understands how people feel in certain situations because she’s been there before and she’s experienced a lot as a person and as a leader and as a cricketer. Absolutely she’ll go down as one of the greatest ever for our team and we’re very lucky to have her.”This Australian team has made a seamless transition under new head coach Shelley Nitschke, who took over from Matthew Mott when he became England men’s white-ball coach last year.Nitschke, who won her first World Cup as a player in South Africa at the 2005 ODI tournament, has come full circle with this latest victory in Cape Town, but she’s nowhere near done and neither are her players.”The fact is that we are getting pushed and that is pushing us,” Nitschke said. “We were playing South Africa here in their first T20 World Cup final so the game just continues to grow, our challenge is to evolve with it.”It’s about continually looking at trends in the game, looking at where we can be better and just challenging our players to continually improve. We’re lucky, we’ve got a really good pool of talent in Australia, so it’s just about making sure that we’re always looking to evolve and stay ahead of the curve, which is becoming increasingly difficult as the game continues to grow. And we saw how South Africa played today so it’s a challenge but it’s one that we’re definitely up for.”Rest of the world, take note.
Lancashire and England seamer says it will be “weird” not playing for Manchester Originals
Matt Roller25-Mar-2023
Northern Superchargers used their first pick to sign Kate Cross for £31,250 in the Hundred’s draft•AFP/Getty Images
Kate Cross, the England seamer, has revealed her shock at being signed by Northern Superchargers in Thursday’s Hundred draft, having captained Manchester Originals in the competition’s first two seasons.Cross had spoken to the Originals ahead of the draft, who gave her a verbal guarantee that they would sign her for £25,000 with their second pick if she was still available. But the Superchargers gazumped them by using their first pick to sign her for £31,250.Related
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The Hundred 2023 – Women's draft picks
Since the Originals had already used their first pick to sign South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt, they were unable to use their Right-To-Match (RTM) card to bring Cross back – much to her surprise, as she watched on from her regional team Thunder’s pre-season tour to Mumbai.”I didn’t look at the money at all,” Cross said on , her BBC podcast with Alex Hartley. “I wasn’t bothered about that. But I knew I wasn’t playing for Manchester, and I’d been picked up by their rivals, the Superchargers, who are based in Yorkshire. For a Lancashire girl, it’s quite a big move…”Cross has spent her whole career playing for Lancashire or teams affiliated with them, like Thunder and the Originals. “It’s just such a big thing to get my head around, the fact that I won’t be playing in the environment that I’ve grown up playing in,” she said. “For a long time, all my cricket has been in one environment, one club, one place.”And then I’m just over the Pennines! It’s going to be weird playing against Manchester; it’s going to be so weird not playing Manchester.”Thursday’s draft was the first time that a recruitment process in the women’s Hundred has been broadcast publicly, and Cross said it had been difficult to deal with hearing about a surprise move at the same time as the rest of the world.”It’s so strange to find out information at the same time as everyone else,” she said. “Whenever we normally get this information, we find out two weeks before it goes out to the public: selections, all that kind of stuff.”It comes out in public and you’ve dealt with it, you’ve processed it, whereas we found out when everyone else found out, which is the thing I’m struggling with the most.”To watch yourself literally get sold live on TV, and for a price that someone values you at… I can’t even describe that feeling.”Each women’s team in the Hundred has eight confirmed players after Thursday’s draft. They will now fill their squads over the coming months, with their remaining contracts agreed mutually on the open market.
Second time in Championship history a side has chased over 500 to win, after Middlesex beat Notts in 1925
ECB Reporters Network14-Jun-2023
Ben Foakes celebrates his century•Getty Images
Surrey rewrote history with almost casual ease in the LV= Insurance County Championship on Wednesday, chasing down a target of 501 to beat Kent by five wickets at Canterbury.What threatened to be a pulsating final day instead turned into a one-sided procession as Dom Sibley and Ben Foakes batted mercilessly, eclipsing Surrey’s previous highest chase of 410, made at this venue in 2002, to finish on 501 for 5.Foakes made 124, while Sibley scored what’s believed to be the slowest ever century in the County Championship over the course of 511 minutes and 368 balls. He eventually finished on 140 from 415 balls, seeing Surry home with Jordan Clark after a magnificent feat of concentration and endurance.Three days of violent momentum swings, luck, individual brilliance and human error had left the match almost perfectly poised at the start of day four, with Kent needing seven wickets and Surrey 238 runs.It was the human factor that added the intrigue: without the dropped catches, the “poor” shots and the “bad” balls this would have been a torpid 700 v 700 bore draw. The final day, however, offered almost none of the drama of the previous three.Only once in the history of the Championship had a side chased over 500 to win: when Patsy Hendren hit an unbeaten 206 as Middlesex scored 502 to beat Notts by four wickets at Trent Bridge in 1925.The reigning champions did it with a determination that belied everything that had gone before. Needing under three an over, they homed in on the target like an armour-plated milk float: slow but bombproof.The morning session was almost ideal for Surrey. Foakes and Sibley saw off the new ball and scored predominantly in singles, at one point going ten overs without a boundary. Foakes survived an lbw appeal from Wes Agar but they were otherwise unthreatened.At lunch it was 335 for 3 and a Surrey win was looking as inevitable as an Arsenal title collapse. There was a fleeting moment of controversy when Kent were convinced Hamid Qadri had Foakes, on 73, caught behind, but it was an isolated outbreak of excitement during an almost catatonic afternoon.Sibley finally reached three figures when he drove Joey Evison for four, beating the previous record, understood to be Jason Gallian’s 453-minute ton for Lancashire against Derbyshire at Blackpool in 1994. He just beat his partner to the landmark: Foakes took two from Jack Leaning in the next over to bring up a relatively quickfire hundred from 198 deliveries.With the target now under a hundred, Surrey swapped the milk float for a Lamborghini. The 130th over went for 20 but Foakes then holed out to Joe Denly and was caught by Matt Quinn on the boundary, ending a partnership of 207.It was 452 for four at tea, by which time Kent’s members had long been delivered from the hell of hope and the smattering of Surrey fans by the Old Dover Road entrance were savouring every minute.Will Jacks was out for 19 caught by Agar off Arshdeep Singh but by then just 40 were needed. Clark sealed the win with a single off Denly and Surrey exited the field to a fully deserved ovation from home and away fans alike.
“I felt we were 15 or 20 runs short on a pitch that wasn’t as bad as we played in the first ten overs”
ESPNcricinfo staff22-Mar-2024
Faf du Plessis: “We lost a little bit too many wickets in that first seven overs”•AFP/Getty Images
Faf du Plessis pointed to the faltering display with the bat in the powerplay as the reason for Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s loss in the IPL 2024 opener against Chennai Super Kings.Du Plessis, the RCB captain, got off to a flier after electing to bat in Chennai, smashing seven fours in the first three overs. But du Plessis fell to Mustafizur Rahman in the fifth and RCB slumped from 41 for 0 to 42 for 3 soon after.”Unfortunately, we lost a little bit too many wickets in that first seven overs, which meant that the guys needed to bat a little bit and stable the innings again,” du Plessis said on the official broadcast after the game. “And, at the end, I felt we were 15 or 20 runs short on a pitch that wasn’t as bad as we played in the first ten overs.”When you play here, you feel like you have to almost get ahead of the game a little bit in that first six overs because CSK is a very good team in the middle overs. For so many years, they squeeze you with the spinners.”Anuj Rawat and Dinesh Karthik’s 95-run stand helped RCB fight back from 78 for 5 and finish with 173, a score that Karthik, at the halfway mark, suggested was under par. That proved correct as CSK won with eight balls in hand.Rachin Ravindra’s flier handed CSK a 62-run powerplay, but RCB struck back with a few wickets to have CSK at 110 for 4 in the 13th over. That’s when Shivam Dube and Ravindra Jadeja got together. Dube was peppered with short balls – the IPL has a new two-bouncers-per-over rule – a ploy that got him out of his comfort zone. But he didn’t give it away.”We were always a little bit behind in terms of trying to get ahead of the game,” du Plessis said. “They were batting at a place where they were always still in front of the game even though we were pulling it back. We were trying to somehow find some opportunity to get wickets.”Obviously, Dube there you could see, with the short ball, he wasn’t comfortable with that. So, just trying to expose [the weakness] and trying to get some wickets through the middle overs. But at the end, it showed it just was not enough runs.”
KKR and Royals are the only unbeaten teams in IPL 2024 at this stage, while Capitals have just won their first game after two losses
Ashish Pant02-Apr-2024
Once team-mates at Delhi Capitals, Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer will go head-to-head•BCCI
Match detailsDelhi Capitals (DC) vs Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) Visakhapatnam, 1930 IST (1400 GMT)Big Picture – Whose home ground is it anyway?Visakhapatnam might be Delhi Capitals’ alternate home venue, but it was a sea of yellow when they played here a couple of days back. That was mostly down to them playing against Chennai Super Kings – more specially, MS Dhoni. When they play Kolkata Knight Riders, Capitals will hope for some more red and blue in the stands as they look to climb up the points table.Capitals know what it’s like to fall behind early in the IPL. They lost their first five games in IPL 2023, which made coming back into the tournament tough. The victory against CSK was important keeping that in mind.Related
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Pant: 'Whatever happens, I had to be back on the ground'
They don’t have the batting depth that some of the other teams boast of, and will need their top order to fire again, and keep firing through the tournament.Crucially, Prithvi Shaw, who was among the runs in his first outing in IPL 2024 in the game against CSK, and David Warner have excellent numbers against KKR – no one has scored more than Warner’s 1075 against KKR, while Shaw averages 45 against KKR, and his highest score of 99 also came against them, in 2019.Rishabh Pant’s move to No. 3 against CSK showed positive intent from Capitals, and he repaid the faith with a quick half-century.But they will want runs from the other batters, too.It won’t be easy against KKR, who have won both their games so far this season. They had a scare in the opening game of the season against Sunrisers Hyderabad but scored a clinical win against RCB. KKR don’t have a lot of holes to plug, but the one area that needs sorting is their powerplay bowling.It’s still early days in the tournament, but KKR have the poorest powerplay economy among all the teams so far – 10.75. That is partly down to Mitchell Starc having a nightmare start to his IPL season. The fast bowler has been taken for a combined 100 runs and is yet to take a wicket. In conditions which might aid swing and seam, Starc will hope for better returns.As will the batting pack with the exception of Andre Russell, Phil Salt and Venkatesh Iyer.Rishabh Pant scored a 32-ball 51 against CSK•BCCI
Team news and Impact Player strategyDelhi Capitals Capitals brought in Shaw for the previous game, a move that paid off. He was later subbed off with Rasikh Salam coming in. If Capitals bowl first, depending on the surface, there is a chance Salam or Lalit Yadav get into the first XI, with Shaw coming in later. Vice versa if they bat first.Kuldeep Yadav missed the game against CSK because of a niggle, and Capitals would hope he returns soon, for this game if possible.Another concern for Capitals is the form of their two overseas players Tristan Stubbs and Anrich Nortje. Stubbs was cleaned up for a first-ball duck against CSK, while Nortje has looked rusty in his two outings so far. Jhye Richardson bowled at full tilt in the nets ahead of Capitals’ previous fixture, and could slot in if they want to give a break to Nortje. Capitals could also consider bringing in Jake Fraser-McGurk in place of Stubbs.Probable XII: 1 , 2 David Warner, 3 Rishabh Pant (capt, wk), 4 Mitchell Marsh 5 Tristan Stubbs/Jake Fraser-McGurk, 6 Axar Patel, 7 Abishek Porel, 8 Anrich Nortje/Jhye Richardson, 9 Mukesh Kumar, 10 Ishant Sharma, 11 Khaleel Ahmed, 12 Kolkata Knight Riders Varun Chakravarthy bowled just two overs in KKR’s previous game before being subbed off for Angkrish Raghuvanshi. Legspinner Suyash Sharma is another option for that spot, with Raghuvanshi the Impact Player once more swapping places with Suyash or Chakravarthy.Venkatesh seemed to have tweaked his back in KKR’s previous game and was seen hobbling, but bowling coach Bharat Arun confirmed he was “fit and rearing to go”.Probable XII: 1 Phil Salt (wk), 2 Sunil Narine, 3 Venkatesh Iyer, 4 Shreyas Iyer (capt), 5 6 Rinku Singh, 7 Andre Russell, 8 Ramandeep Singh, 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Anukul Roy, 11 Harshit Rana, 12 Mitchell Starc has had a horror start to IPL 2024•BCCI
Pitch and conditionsThe pitch for the first game in Vizag had a decent covering of grass. It aided swing and seam movement almost throughout the 40 overs, and even swung even more under lights. Similar conditions could be expected for the DC vs KKR game, too. There’s also a warning for excessive heat and humidity in Vizag, so something for the teams to note.In the spotlight – Can Mitchell Starc have an impact?After being overlooked for the first two games, Prithvi Shaw “came out of the gate like a raging bull”, in the words of Mitchell McClenaghan on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut.Shaw has had a rough time of it on and off the field in the recent past, but on Saturday, as he strode out for his first hit in IPL 2024, he seemed to be in great touch, scoring a 27-ball 43. Shaw’s form is important to Capitals’ hopes of going deep in the tournament, and they will be delighted with the way he has begun.Every time Mitchell Starc comes on to bowl, it comes with that INR 24.75 crore price tag attached to him. Playing in the IPL for the first time since 2015, Starc has leaked runs big time. He went for 53 in his opening game against SRH and then 47 against RCB and is yet to figure in the wickets column. He will dearly hope to turn his fortunes around the next time he is out in the park.Stats that matter – Rishabh Pant in sight of 3000 Pant needs 65 runs to reach 3000 runs in IPL. If he gets there, he will be the 22nd player in the league to achieve the mark. Kuldeep picks up a wicket every six balls against KKR, his former franchise. In three matches to date, he has ten wickets with best bowling figures of 4 for 14. Warner has smashed Sunil Narine for 195 runs in 123 balls in 16 IPL innings, only falling to him twice. Pant strikes at 195.00 against Andre Russell in the IPL but has also fallen to the fast bowler three times in six innings.Quotes”I hope the crowd will be with DC this time and will support us. We will also make sure the crowd is enjoying. We want to finish on a nice note because it is our last game here in Vizag.” “He is one of the most experienced bowlers around the world and also someone who understands the conditions and adapts to them very well. You will see a different version of him in the future. He knows what it takes to succeed.”
Arsenal laboured to a draw against Everton at Goodison Park, but not for the first time, it wasn’t a match without its contention.
The latest setback in the Premier League means Liverpool are all but confirmed to lift the title in May, and that the Gunners are heading toward a third successive second-place finish.
Though Arsenal weren’t at their best against the Toffees, they did take the lead after the opening half hour through Leandro Trossard’s crisp, driven finish.
However, that was cancelled out by Iliman Ndiaye’s strike from the spot shortly after the break, with Myles Lewis-Skelly deemed guilty of a costly foul.
Lewis-Skelly's performance vs Everton
Mikel Arteta bemoaned the decision to award Everton a penalty kick after the interval when Lewis-Skelly was adjudged to have bundled Jack Harrison to the ground. Contact was slight at best, and you could make a case that the 18-year-old left-back was knocked himself in the tussle.
It was a soft decision for sure. Arsenal will rue their lack of incisiveness in the final third but it must be frustrating for the players to see their building momentum snuffed out by another controversial call.
Lewis-Skelly remains a raw prospect, but his high ceiling is indisputable, showing flashes of brilliance on Merseyside as he won six duels and made a striking surge upfield that resulted in a free-kick on the edge of the area, as per Sofascore.
Hale End’s influence continues to grow, and Arteta will be absolutely delighted with MLS’s progress, making an impression even on an off-day, which bears testament to his ever-improving level.
Myles Lewis-Skelly concedes a penalty
In any case, it was a contest that was in some ways a dead rubber, with Arteta happy to enforce a range of changes ahead of Tuesday night’s Champions League tie against Real Madrid.
One of those changes was handing prodigious teenager Ethan Nwaneri a starting berth, but it didn’t pay off against David Moyes’ side.
Arteta must drop Ethan Nwaneri
Nwaneri, 18, has blitzed onto the major scene this season, becoming an important feature for an Arsenal side that has suffered with injuries this season, namely to their frontline.
Ethan Nwaneri for Arsenal
Bukayo Saka has now returned, but he’s missed the start of 2025 with a hamstring issue, while Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus languish in the infirmary still.
Nwaneri has been the brightest shining light of the season, a rousing tonic who has scored eight goals and supplied two assists across 31 appearances in all competitions this season, with his efforts leading academy coach Jack Wilshere to remark that he’s “unplayable” at times.
The data certainly suggests he’s something special. As per FBref, Nwaneri ranks among 11% of attacking midfielders and wingers for goals scored, the top 17% for progressive carries and the top 2% for successful take-ons per 90, illustrating his pedigree.
However, he’s hardly the finished product and this was underlined by his struggles against a resilient and well-drilled Everton side, with Jarrad Branthwaite in particular expertly snuffing out any danger that came his way.
Ethan Nwaneri – Stats vs Everton
Match Stats
#
Minutes played
45′
Goals
0
Assists
0
Touches
23
Shots (on target)
0 (0)
Accurate passes
7/8 (88%)
Key passes
1
Dribbles
0/1
Tackles
1
Duels won
2/3
Stats via Sofascore
Hooked at half-time, it wasn’t a display to write home about for the young buck, with the London Standard branding him with a 5/10 match rating after the game, noting that he struggled to get into the game despite Ben White’s willingness to overlap, which is backed up by his 23 touches – even fewer than goalkeeper David Raya (50).
As talented as he is, the youngster has work to do. His off-the-ball movements leave something to be desired, and there’s a question to be raised as to where his optimum position is. Out wide, as he has been played, or perhaps in a more central playmaking role?
Having made just seven passes for an Arsenal side who saw the lion’s share of possession against their Evertonian adversaries – 66% of the ball in the first half, to be exact – Nwaneri didn’t do himself justice here, and those who would argue for his starting inclusion over Saka under the European lights would either be mad or looking to bear witness to an Arsenal defeat.
Ethan Nwaneri for Arsenal
Lewis-Skelly might have been culpable for drawing a foul inside the penalty area, but there’s little question that Nwaneri was the worse of the two teenagers here, with Arteta taking him out of the firing line at the break.
It’s rather clear where Arteta’s priorities lie as we head into the crunch period of the campaign. Multiple stars were rested ahead of the forthcoming clash with Real Madrid.
With Saka fit once again, Nwaneri should not be earning a starting spot in either tie, though that’s not to say he’s not one of the world’s foremost young talents and couldn’t make an impact off the bench.
Worth way more than Williams: Arsenal hit gold on "monster" Emery signing
The exceptional attacker has proven his worth at Arsenal.
Arsenal are now convinced they’ll sign a “world-class” player by June, with talks ongoing for what would be new Gunners sporting director Andrea Berta’s first deal since arriving in the Premier League.
Andrea Berta's transfer wishlist as Arsenal plan "big" summer
Mikel Arteta recently admitted that the north Londoners are set for a “big” summer following Berta’s official appointment late last month, with hundreds of millions potentially available for the Italian to bolster Arsenal’s squad.
£18m forward in "ongoing" talks to join Arsenal as club plan replacement
There is a serious prospect he moves to north London.
ByEmilio Galantini Apr 15, 2025
GiveMeSport stated in the last few weeks that Arsenal could orchestrate a summer investment of around £300 million in as many as seven new arrivals before next campaign, including a back-up goalkeeper, full-back, two midfielders, a left-winger, right-winger and a striker.
Arsenal’s next five Premier League games
Date
Ipswich Town (away)
April 20th
Crystal Palace (home)
April 23rd
Bournemouth (home)
May 3rd
Liverpool (away)
May 11th
Newcastle United (home)
May 18th
Arsenal lost out to Liverpool in the Premier League title race this year by some distance, with Arteta and Berta aiming to mount a far more successful challenge for the club’s first domestic crown in over two decades next term.
Reinforcing Arteta’s engine room is seen as a key aim for Berta in particular, with midfield duo Thomas Partey and Jorginho both set to leave on free deals this summer as their contracts expire on June 30th.
There are some suggestions that Berta has recommended Arsenal to target a move for Newcastle United star Bruno Guimaraes this summer, who may be available for just £60 million if the Magpies fail to seize Champions League qualification (Eduardo Burgos).
However, the name who’s been on everybody’s lips over these last few months is Real Sociedad star Martin Zubimendi.
Arsenal entered advanced talks for Zubimendi in the winter, as they attempt to agree a pre-summer deal for the Spain international and plan to trigger his £52 million release clause (Fabrizio Romano).
Since then, many reports indicate that Berta and co remain in pursuit of him, but the likes of Real Madrid have threatened to hijack their move.
Arsenal convinced they'll wrap up Martin Zubimendi deal by June
Now, talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook has another update.
The reporter, writing in a column for the broadcast giant, states that Arsenal believe they’ll strike a deal for Zubimendi by June, and talks are progressing well despite interest from other parties.
The 26-year-old would be Berta’s first signing of the summer if all goes to plan, one year after Zubimendi rejected Liverpool’s advances in dramatic fashion to remain at boyhood club Sociedad.
Arsenal have also informed Sociedad that they’re ready to trigger Zubimendi’s exit clause, so Berta has no qualms paying the fee needed for a player who’d undoubtedly upgrade their midfield.
Kieran Tierney knows the player well from their time together in La Liga, when the Scotsman spent a brief stint on loan at Sociedad. He branded Zubimendi a “world-class” player, and his numbers undoubtedly support this theory.
The Spaniard is an indispensable member of Imanol Alguacil’s starting eleven, making 42 appearances in all competitons, but it looks like this could be his final season at the Reale Arena.
Following rumours that Premier League sides are interested in signing Pierce Charles this summer, Sheffield Wednesday are reportedly ready to sign a young shot-stopper in a bargain deal.
Pierce Charles attracting Premier League interest
At just 19 years old, Charles has been a true bright spark for Sheffield Wednesday even as issues away from the pitch attempt to rain down on what has otherwise been a solid season for Danny Rohl’s side. Even as owner Dejphon Chansiri has continued to struggle financially – resulting in a two-point deduction for the Owls – Rohl has kept his side away from the threat of Championship relegation two seasons on the trot.
Sheffield Wednesday manager DannyRohl
As the summer approaches, however, even the German may not stay put in Sheffield, with reported interest from the likes of Leicester City and Southampton reportedly emerging. Losing Rohl, more so than any player, would arguably be Wednesday’s greatest loss.
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Meanwhile, their No.1 could also be joining Rohl on the list of departures. According to Graeme Bailey for EFL Analysis, Sheffield Wednesday are in danger of losing young goalkeeper Charles this summer amid interest from Fulham, Brentford and Everton.
Those at Hillsborough need no reminding of Charles’ quality, especially after the goalkeeper’s importance was recently recognised by the Sheffield Star when they awarded him with their Player of the Season award.
With that said, losing such a player and one whose best years are yet come would be an undoubted blow for all involved at Sheffield Wednesday, who could find themselves picked apart this summer.
Should Charles answer the Premier League call, the Owls will need to make finding a replacement one of their top priorities. And that could see a former Premier League goalkeeper arrive at a bargain price.
Sheffield Wednesday ready to sign Zeitzen
According to The Star, Sheffield Wednesday are now ready to sign Michael Zeitzen from Stoke City this summer, with the 18-year-old currently on trial at the club ahead of a potential decision. With his contract coming to an end at the Potters at the end of the current campaign too, the Owls would be landing a bargain deal to possibly replace Charles.
Zeitzen has primarily played U18 football this season, making 11 appearances in the U18 Premier League and two in the FA Youth Cup whilst keeping two clean sheets in a frustrating campaign. Now, as his time at Stoke City comes to an end, he desperately needs his next move to go right.
It wasn’t so long ago that the teenager was an Arsenal prospect before struggling to gain first team opportunities at Stoke. But at just 18 years old, Zeitzen’s story is far from finished and may yet be Sheffield Wednesday who help him realise the potential he was once showing in North London.
If Charles leaves, then welcoming a young goalkeeper at a bargain price would certainly make sense for the Owls, who could be in for a busy summer on all fronts.