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After a disappointing month that almost entirely dismantled their Premier League title charge, Arsenal look back to their best.

The North Londoners blew Nottingham Forest away at home before blitzing Sporting CP and West Ham United away to reignite their campaign and give their fans reason to hope.

However, with Liverpool now firmly in the driving seat, Mikel Arteta and Co must also think ahead to ensure they don’t encounter similar attacking issues that plagued them prior to the international break next season.

Fortunately, that seems to be happening, as recent reports have linked the club with a forward who’s been compared to Thierry Henry and someone who’d help Bukayo Saka reach yet another level.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal are still incredibly interested in Newcastle United’s star striker, Alexander Isak.

In fact, the Gunners are so desperate to bring him to the Emirates next year that the report claims they are prepared to make a club-record offer of €135m to make it happen, which converts to about £112m, or £7m more than they paid for Declan Rice last summer.

It would be a monumental sum of money to spend on a single player, but given his sensational ability, it could be worth it in the long run.

Moreover, the 25-year-old has been compared to the legendary Henry in the past and would surely form an incredible partnership with Saka.

Isak's comparisons to Henry and potential partnership with Saka

So, before looking at how he could help Saka reach another level, let’s examine this comparison with arguably Arsenal’s greatest player of all time, Henry.

In this instance, the comparison was made in April 2023 by sports presenter Daniel Hussey, who described the Swede as possessing “Henry vibes” following his mercurial assist for Jacob Murphy against Everton, and when you see it, it’s hard to disagree.

The former Real Sociedad ace races down the left-hand side of the pitch before dancing into the penalty area, beating four defenders and delicately dinking the ball into an almost empty net for his teammate to poke home.

It’s this ability to utterly humiliate defenders, particularly off the left, that makes so many fans and pundits make the comparison between the two players, especially as, like the Frenchman, the Toon star is more than capable of starting on the wing as well as down the middle.

However, beyond the positional similarities and the way in which the 25-year-old so often curls the ball into the back of the net like the former invincible, his attacking output is why so many clubs are after him and why he’d be a dream partner for the Gunners’ number seven.

Appearances

80

Starts

67

Minutes

5683′

Goals

40

Assists

7

Goal Involvements per Match

0.58

Minutes per Goal Involvement

120.91

For example, since joining the Magpies, the Solna-born monster has scored 40 goals and provided seven assists in 80 appearances, which equates to a goal involvement on average every 1.70 games.

Moreover, the “world-class” poacher, as dubbed by Eddie Howe, was utterly sensational last season, scoring 25 goals and providing two assists in 40 appearances, which is an even more impressive average of a goal involvement every 1.48 games.

In comparison, the North Londoners’ new starting striker, Kai Havertz, has scored 23 goals and provided eight assists in 70 appearances for the team, which equates to a goal involvement every 2.25 games.

So, if Saka has been able to rack up an outrageously impressive tally of seven goals and 11 assists in 18 appearances this season, just think how much more effective he’d be alongside the Magpies ace.

Ultimately, Arsenal are already an incredibly dangerous team in attack, but were they to add Isak to the mix in 2025, then they would reach another level entirely and there is no knowing how many goal involvements Saka would be able to amass alongside him.

Arsenal could sign one of the "best CMs in the world" after Edu leaves

The incredible talent would be an excellent addition to Arsenal’s squad.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Dec 3, 2024

More joy for Conners after his Lions debut completed South Africa rout

ECB Reporters Network14-Aug-2022Luis Reece hit his List A best score of 136 as Derbyshire kept alive their hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages of the Royal London Cup with a 47 run success over Worcestershire Rapids at New Road.The Derbyshire opener surpassed his previous best total of 128 – also against Worcestershire at Derby three years ago – in a perfectly paced innings which helped his side amass 312-9 on a hybrid pitch.He was given excellent support by Shan Masood and Anuj Dal in stands of 137 and 91 respectively.Reece also chipped in with two wickets after Sam Conners’s new ball blast had reduced the Rapids to 35-3. It was more joy for Conners after he ripped apart the South Africa tail on his England Lions debut at Taunton less than a week ago.Worcestershire captain, Jake Libby, responded with his maiden List A century to bring some respectability to his side’s reply although they were realistically never in the hunt as Derbyshire secured their second victory in the competition.The Peakites will probably have to win their final three games to have a realistic chance of progressing through to the next round.Related

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But Worcestershire remained rooted in bottom spot after a fifth successive setback in what has been a miserable summer of white ball cricket for the Rapids after picking up the wooden spoon in the Vitality Blast North Group.Hundreds of spectators took advantage of Worcestershire giving away tickets, to families affected by Storm Dennis 2020.Libby, elected to bowl first and Ben Gibbon was rewarded for a tight opening spell when Harry Came was caught behind after an expansive drive.Masood joined Reece and instantly got off the mark by leg glancing Gibbon to four to set the tone for his innings.Reece had played himself in before ramping Gibbon for six in the final over of the initial powerplay and the second wicket pair gradually flourished.A straight drive for four by Reece off Dillon Pennington enabled him to complete 5,000 runs in all cricket for Derbyshire.Reece completed an 82-ball half century with Masood needing only 46 deliveries to bring up his fifty.Derbyshire raced onto 163-1 in the 31st over before Adam Finch, the pick of the Worcestershire attack, struck twice in the space of three balls.Masood, on 63, was undone by a ball which bounced on him and edged through to keeper Ben Cox and Brooke Guest hooked his second delivery straight to Gibbon at deep square leg.Reece needed only a further 45 balls to move to three figures and he accelerated even further during the initial stages of the final 10 overs.Successive overs from Libby and Gibbon both yielded 20 runs before Reece’s excellent knock ended tamely on 136 when he struck a Taylor Cornall full toss straight to long off. His 142-ball innings contained three sixes and 15 fours. There was a further success for Cornall when Dal, having raced to 46 off 34 deliveries, picked out Ed Barnard at deep cover.Worcestershire collected a flurry of wickets in the closing stages of the innings. Mattie McKiernan (16) sliced Pennington to third man and the pace bowler accounted for Ben Aitchison and debutant Archie Harrison in his final over while Alex Hughes was bowled by Finch.Conners immediately had Worcestershire on the back foot with a three wicket burst with the new ball. Cornall was strangled down the leg side and Ed Pollock, recalled to the side in place of the injured Kashif Ali, drove to mid off. Azhar Ali gave keeper Guest a second catch off Conners at 35-3 in the ninth over.Reece came into the attack and struck in successive overs with Ed Barnard also nicking through to Guest and Ben Cox (12) bowled through the gate.Libby batted with plenty of fluency and reached an excellent half century off 52 balls with six boundaries. Henry Cullen chopped on when Aitchison returned to the attack, Joe Leach swung across the line to Dal and was lbw and Pennington (35) was bowled by McKiernan.Libby went past his previous List A best of 76 against Durham at New Road last summer before reaching three figures off 115 balls with one six and eight fours. Potts accounted for Finch and Gibbon to round off the innings and leave Libby unbeaten on 126.

The pace bowler is aiming to return in the second half of the WBBL

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Sep-2022

Hannah Darlington is hoping to return during the WBBL•Getty Images

Pace bowler Hannah Darlington will miss the first part of the WNCL and WBBL tournaments after suffering a knee injury late in pre-season training.She will undergo surgery on the meniscus on her left knee on Monday and is aiming to return in the latter part of the WBBL with Sydney Thunder which runs until late November.Darlington, who has played two ODIs and two T20Is, picked up the injury training in Canberra while attending the National Leadership Forum.Related

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“It was genuinely a freak accident actually,” she told news.com.au. “Just had a little bit of a fall while bowling, didn’t actually hit the ground…in quite a lot of pain straight away. I knew something was wrong – I tried to walk it off and couldn’t walk.”Darlington captained Sydney Thunder last season in the absence of Rachael Haynes. She was initially a reserve in the ODI World Cup squad but withdrew to manage her mental health.The injury means Darlington’s first opportunity in the 50-over WNCL with New South Wales will likely come shortly before Christmas when the competition resumes after the WBBL.New South Wales are currently without three bowlers who would push for the first-choice XI with Stella Campbell and Lauren Cheatle also sidelined.

Ipswich Town’s rise to the Premier League over recent years has been nothing short of remarkable, securing back-to-back promotions from League One – a feat unheard of in today’s game.

Boss Kieran McKenna is the man to thank for the club’s recent success, coming into Portman Road during a tricky spell on the field, before galvanising the first team, instilling belief into the players which led to their phenomenal achievements.

A season in England’s top flight would’ve been a distant dream to many supporters, but after McKenna’s magic, a generation of supporters will enjoy a season of a lifetime in 2024/25.

Unsurprisingly, the hierarchy had to splash the cash this summer to give the Tractor Boys a fighting chance of securing survival this season, with over £100m spent on new arrivals during the recent transfer window.

One signing in particular has caught the eye after his recent move to East Anglia, taking the Premier League by storm during his first full season at this level.

Liam Delap’s stats for Ipswich Town

After joining the club in a deal rising to £20m this summer, eyebrows were raised by many over a deal to sign striker Liam Delap from champions Manchester City.

The 21-year-old had spent last season on loan at Championship side Hull City, whilst only making two brief substitute appearances in England’s top-flight during his time at the Etihad.

However, the youngster has taken to the Premier League like a duck to water, making an immediate impact in the final third for McKenna’s side.

Delap has already notched four goals in his opening seven league outings for the Tractor Boys, currently sitting joint fourth in the top goalscorer charts.

His two goals against Aston Villa are undoubtedly the highlight of his time at the club so far, with his double securing a huge point against a side who finished within the top four during the 2023/24 campaign.

The striker backed up his brace with another goal in his most recent outing, against West Ham United, but unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to secure any points as they fell to a 4-1 defeat.

There’s no denying that this season will be tricky for Ipswich, but their chances will do no harm if the striker can keep up his excellent form in front of goal.

However, despite his stellar start at the club, one other first-team member earns the same as him per week, but it’s safe to say his wages don’t reflect his importance to McKenna’s side.

The man who earns just as much as Delap

Despite the influx of new additions during the transfer window, there are numerous first-team members still at Portman Road who secured promotion from the Championship last season.

One of those is goalkeeper Christian Walton, but the 28-year-old did only make a single appearance in the league last season, mainly utilised as a back-up to Vaclav Hladky.

However, despite his lack of minutes during the 2023/24 campaign, he did start the season opener against Liverpool before new addition Aro Muric took over the reins as the club’s number one between the sticks.

As a result, Walton is yet to feature since, taking his place on the bench as backup, but still pocketing a small fortune in the process.

The shot-stopper currently earns a reported £20k-per-week, a figure the same as starman Delap, with his huge earnings not reflected in his importance to McKenna’s squad.

Christian Walton’s stats for Ipswich Town (2021-2024)
Season	Games	Goals conceded	Clean sheets
2021/22	38	34	15
2022/23	47	35	24
2023/24	4	6	0
2024/25	1	2	0
Total:	90	77	39
Stats via Transfermarkt

Given his hefty wages, the club could look to offload the ‘keeper and allow for youngster Cieran Slicker to gain valuable experience as second-choice to Muric.

There’s no denying Walton is a capable talent, but given his current salary and lack of first-team action, it could see him offloaded at the next opportunity in January.

Ipswich let a "great" player leave for £0, now he's outscoring Szmodics

This former Ipswich Town player continues to shine away from Suffolk.

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Kelan Sarson

Oct 9, 2024

تقدم فريق برايتون بهدف ثالث أمام خصمه ليفربول، خلال مباراة الفريقين بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، مساء الإثنين.

ويستقبل برايتون نظيره ليفربول، في مباراة بالجولة السابعة والثلاثين وقبل الأخيرة لبطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز “البريميرليج”.

وسجل جاك هنشلوود الهدف الثالث لصالح فريقه برايتون في توقيت قاتل، بالدقيقة 85 من عمر المباراة.

اقرأ أيضًا | سلوت: دفعت بـ محمد صلاح أساسيًا أمام برايتون تجنبًا لرد فعله

الهدف جاء بعدما مرر مات أوريلي الكرة عبر منطقة الجزاء، وسددها البديل هنشلوود ببراعة في المرمى.

وعاد حكم المباراة لتقنية الفار للتأكد من صحة الهدف، ومن ثم أشار إلى احتسابه ليتقدم برايتون بهدف ثالث.

وجاء هدف هنشلوود بعد دقيقة واحدة من مشاركته كبديل في المباراة، حيث حل بديلاً لزميله يانكوبا.

وكان ليفربول قد تقدم بهدف هارفي إليوت، ثم تعادل برايتون بهدف ياسين العياري، وعقب ذلك تقدم الضيوف من جديد بهدف مذهل من دومينيك سوبوسلاي، في الشوط الأول، ومجددًا تعادل أصحاب الأرض بهدف ميتوما.

A 48-year-old coach is interested in taking over from Erik ten Hag at Manchester United, according to a new report.

Ten Hag’s position as United boss is under considerable threat, so much so that a meeting was set to be held in London on Tuesday between the club’s hierarchy, with the future of the Dutchman one topic being discussed.

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1 ByJoe Nuttall Oct 8, 2024 Man Utd eye Ten Hag replacements

Failure to beat Tottenham Hotspur, Porto, and Aston Villa in the last week has put enormous pressure on Ten Hag, so much so that the club are potentially eyeing replacements. Over the weekend, it emerged that the club could be prepared to wait until the summer to try and entice Xabi Alonso to become the next Man Utd manager.

Meanwhile, it was reported on Monday that Man United are lining up a move for Thomas Tuchel as another potential replacement for Ten Hag. Tuchel has been out of work since leaving Bayern Munich at the end of last season, and he was heavily linked with the role during the summer, holding talks with the club’s hierarchy.

Brentford’s Thomas Frank also emerged as an option for United, as the Dane is reportedly on a three-man shortlist to replace Ten Hag should that decision come. Frank has been impressing with the Bees after establishing the London side as a midtable Premier League team. But there is also another option United might consider, as a 48-year-old coach is now interested in replacing Ten Hag.

Van Nistelrooy interested in taking over from Ten Hag at Man Utd

According to Football Insider, Manchester United’s assistant manager Ruud van Nistelrooy would be interested in replacing Ten Hag as the club’s new manager. The former United striker returned to Old Trafford in a coaching role during the summer, and he now appears to be in the race to replace Ten Hag should the club’s hierarchy believe a change is needed.

Van Nistelrooy’s links to Man United and the fact that he knows the current squad due to his coaching role mean he is in the mix to become the new United manager. The 48-year-old is considered a “safe pair of hands” by the club’s chiefs if they decide to go down an interim route before appointing a permanent manager.

The report states that Van Nistelrooy wanting the job would be a deciding factor if the club decides to give him the role. It goes on to add that, should an offer arrive at Van Nistelrooy’s feet, then he would be interested in taking it.

Games

50

Won

34

Drawn

8

Lost

8

Points

110

Points per game

2.20

The Dutchman has experience already in management as he took charge of PSV from Roger Schmidt, and in the 50 games that he oversaw, he had a win percentage of 64.7, which helped him claim cup success in his homeland. The Red Devils may want to keep Van Nistelrooy on at the club whether he becomes their manager or not, as his links to the club and the fanbase make him a very popular character in that United coaching team.

La Liga heavyweights Barcelona are eyeing a 2025 move for one Arsenal mainstay, as it is believed he’s now “almost certain” to leave the club.

Arsenal prepare for Southampton after 2-0 win over PSG

Mikel Arteta watched his side put on an imperious display against French champions PSG on Tuesday night in the Champions League, a result which extended the club’s unbeaten run so far this term and made a real statement.

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The Premier League title hopefuls were rarely threatened by Luis Enrique’s side – which is a testament to Arsenal’s all-round solidarity and big game management – with Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka’s quick-fire first-half goals enough to seal a crucial three points in Europe.

Saka was bizarrely criticised for a “fringe” performance against PSG by pundit Darren Bent, despite his goal. That verdict aside, every Arsenal player, including the England international, contributed during an evening to remember at the Emirates Stadium.

Southampton (home)

October 5

Bournemouth (away)

October 19

Liverpool (home)

October 27

Newcastle United (away)

November 2

Chelsea (away)

November 10

Next, Arsenal take on Southampton at 3pm on Saturday, and it is a match which Arteta’s side are expected to win comfortably with the Saints bottom of the table. Arteta will be able to call upon summer signing Mikel Merino again, following the Spaniard’s debut against PSG and after his recovery from a shoulder fracture.

Merino’s absence left Arsenal short in midfield for a time, and sporting director Edu Gaspar will be thankful that he didn’t green-light an exit for midfield general Thomas Partey as a result.

Partey was heavily linked with a summer exit from Arsenal since late last year, but the Ghanaian remained in north London and has since been handed the nod by Arteta in each of Arsenal’s league games so far – starting every single one.

The 31-year-old’s stellar partnership with Declan Rice in midfield looks unbreakable right now, with Partey winning all of his duels against PSG during an excellent display against a star-studded team.

It is quite the return to form for a player who started just nine times in the league last season, and the former Atletico Madrid star is on course to smash past the number of appearances he made over 2023/2024.

Partey "almost certain" to leave Arsenal as Barcelona eye move

However, there is the matter of his contract lingering in the background. The £200,000-per-week mainstay’s deal expires next summer, putting a host of clubs on alert over his potential availability in 2025. Unless Edu and Arteta opt to negotiate fresh terms, the African could be on the move sooner rather than later.

Despite his value to the team this season, journalist Jorge Asensio claimed this week that Partey is “almost certain” to leave Arsenal. Understandably, clubs are queuing up to sign him for a potential bargain price.

Barcelona are understood to be one of the interested sides, alongside Juventus, Inter Milan and Saudi Pro League clubs. Many more teams could register their interest soon, with Arteta facing the prospect of losing a “really important” player at the end of this season.

da bet sport： Already turning towards the transfer market despite a busy summer window, Julen Lopetegui now reportedly wants West Ham United to sign a forward who has scored three times against the Hammers.

West Ham transfer news

da pinnacle： The attacking department was clearly one that sporting director Tim Steidten was looking to improve in the summer. Whether he achieved that improvement is still in doubt, however. The likes of Crysencio Summerville and Niclas Fullkrug arrived, but neither have hit the ground running thus far to spark regrets over the Hammers’ failed attempt to sign Jhon Duran.

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Whilst Fullkrug and Summerville have struggled, Duran has been playing the best football of his career to arguably become the Premier League’s most in-form striker alongside Erling Haaland, who stands in a category of his own. The Aston Villa star stands out as one that West Ham will rue missing out on, with no limit to his current goalscoring exploits.

Nonetheless, those at the London Stadium have seemingly put that regret to one side to instead shift their focus to further reinforcements. According to reports in Spain, Lopetegui now wants Steidten to sign Ayoze Perez from Villarreal, who could be in line for a shock Premier League return after finding his best form at 31 years old.

An experienced forward these days, Perez bounced back from Leicester City failure and Newcastle mediocrity in La Liga, first enjoying success with Real Betis and now starring at Villarreal with an impressive six goals in seven games so far this season. Perhaps seeking Premier League redemption, however, Perez could quickly end West Ham’s striker problems and come back to haunt Leicester when 2025 arrives.

West Ham know all about "excellent" Perez quality

It’s no surprise that West Ham are keen to avoid playing against Perez and instead add the Spaniard to their side, given that he’s scored three goals against the Hammers over the years at Leicester and Newcastle. With the form that he’s found this season too, those at the London Stadium would be striking at the perfect time.

Even during what eventually proved to be a disappointing spell at Leicester, Perez earned the praise of Brendan Rodgers, who told the club’s official website after the Spaniard’s strike in a 2-1 win over Sheffield United: “I thought he (Pérez) was excellent. He’s been unfortunate not to have played as much, but the team had been doing well and, in some moments, he wasn’t in the squad. I felt this was a game to give him that opportunity, and it was a really, really good finish.”

At 31 years old, the forward could now get one last chance to steal the headlines in England’s top flight, courtesy of West Ham and Lopetegui in 2025.

Near-strangers six months ago, Hamish Rutherford and Peter Fulton have a big role to play in driving New Zealand in England

Nagraj Gollapudi15-May-2013The contrast is obvious. Peter Fulton, 34, who stands at 1.98 metres, is bald and broad-shouldered, like a bouncer. Hamish Rutherford is nearly a foot shorter, sports a stylish crop of hair, and is every bit the youthful 24-year-old. Fulton loves baseball, a game Rutherford does not – and would not like to – understand. Fulton is quiet both in person and with a bat in hand. Rutherford is direct on both fronts.Yet, when brought together at the top of the order, during New Zealand’s home series against England earlier this year, the two batsmen – who had done little more than exchange casual greetings during domestic matches over the years – combined more effectively than expected.Rutherford’s memorable century on debut in Dunedin, his home ground, set the tone. His 171, the seventh-highest by a Test debutant, was the second-best start by a New Zealander after Mathew Sinclair’s 214 against West Indies in 1999.Fulton, who was recalled after a four-year hiatus, made news of his own when he struck two gritty centuries in the final Test in Auckland, becoming only the fourth New Zealander with twin hundreds in the same match. Unlike in his first stint of ten Tests, when he played mainly as a middle-order batsman who occasionally stepped in as an opener, Fulton was asked to fill in for the injured Martin Guptill at the top of the order. And he didn’t disappoint.Near-strangers before this year, the pair ended the series as important cogs in New Zealand’s wheel. Both started the series with a similar goal – of cementing their place in the team – and that helped them egg each other on and remain competitive. “I suppose we were running on adrenalin, both of us, with him making a comeback and me starting,” said Rutherford, sitting in the team hotel in Derbyshire.When Rutherford scored his century on debut, few were happier for him than his senior opening partner. “I was delighted for him to come in and score that century,” Fulton said. “When I look back at my career, if I had had the same start, things might have been different. I am sure he will have some ups and downs but to get that hundred is like getting the monkey off his back straightaway. It will make a massive difference to his career because he is always going to have that belief that he has done it right from the outset.”One of the unique aspects of their relationship is the ten-year age difference, uncommon among successful opening pairs across history.”I guess I have grown up around older people,” Rutherford said. “And while you are playing cricket you are generally among older players. So age is irrelevant once you leave school. You just mingle with whoever.” He added that he did not know if Fulton was the oldest player he has played with.

The numbers

• Fulton and Rutherford added 158 in their first partnership against England, in Dunedin in March. The last time New Zealand had a 150-plus opening stand before that was in June 2004, when Stephen Fleming and Mark Richardson added 163 at Trent Bridge. Between those two matches, New Zealand’s openers went through 122 innings over nine years with a highest partnership of 125.

• There were only three century stands in those 122 innings. Fulton and Rutherford’s 158-run partnership lasted 305 balls, the sixth-longest for New Zealand’s opening wicket in terms of balls faced (for all games for which balls-faced data is available). In terms of runs it’s the tenth-highest for the first wicket for NZ.

• It took Ken Rutherford ten Tests – 16 innings and nearly two years – to reach 171-plus Test runs, a score his son Hamish managed in a day. Rutherford senior averaged 1.71 in his first series (12 runs in seven innings in the West Indies) compared to Hamish, who ended the three-Test series against England with an average of 49.20.

Fulton saw his younger partner was “laidback” about everything both on and off the field, and that helped him relax too. “Test cricket is pretty stressful at times,” he said. “I am reasonably nervous to begin with. [So] it is nice to bat with someone who doesn’t get too carried away or get caught up emotionally.”Fulton was a makeshift opener during his first ten Tests, when he had Hamish Marshall and Michael Papps for partners. A long-term combination helps each batsman understand the little things about his partner, he said, which come of use in match situations.”We probably are different personalities in terms of the way we bat,” Fulton said. “Hamish [Rutherford] is pretty aggressive and plays a lot of shots, hits the ball in different areas and puts the bowlers off their line and length. I like to occupy the crease and wear the bowlers down. After seeing him get that hundred it motivated me a little bit more. In that third Test it made me bat that much more stronger.”Rutherford too has fed off Fulton. “He’s been there, done that. So that took a little bit of pressure off me, having no experience in international cricket. Because opening the batting is a daunting task. Bowling attacks like England are very good and they come quite hard. So if you can stay calm, have a joke now and then, it comes handy during the hard times.”Although his Test recall did not come as a surprise, Fulton admitted he was beginning to wonder if he was going to miss the bus. “I was getting to a stage when you are bit older and you might not get another chance.”Five years ago, he was consumed by the fear of failure. He walked out to bat thinking he would be dropped if he didn’t score. He has approached his second stint with more freedom. “I am looking at what I can achieve if I do well rather than worrying about what’ll happen if things go wrong,” he said.Fulton said he has more clarity now, especially since his marriage. “It does help if you have stability off the field. Then hopefully that can mean you don’t have too many ups and downs on the cricket field. The last 18 months, things have gone really well cricket-wise.”The results speak for themselves: he finished the home series against England at the top of the run charts. “Self-belief is the difference between a good player and great Test player – the self-belief that no matter what the situation of the game, no matter what you are feeling at the crease, you know you can score the runs,” said Fulton, whose role model is Steve Waugh. “He did not always look the most attractive, but he found a way to score runs. He was pretty hard-nosed, had great concentration, and never gave his wicket away.”Rutherford, on the other hand, who often uses the word “fun” in conversation, looks up to Matthew Hayden, who he calls an ideal opener. “He could not only dominate the bowlers but could also see through the tough periods,” he said. “My game plan is, see the ball and play as best as I can. The traditional openers like to leave the ball outside off stump a lot. I like to play those balls. That is my strength.”Rutherford’s debut century was followed by relatively meagre returns: the next four innings brought 75 runs, including a duck in the second dig in Auckland. He isn’t perturbed, though. Having weathered the first hour of the Auckland Test, the pair, he said, was moving in the right direction. His England tour began on a positive note: a week after our meeting he reeled off 126 against England Lions in Leicester.Fulton and Rutherford are aware they face competition in the form of Martin Guptill, an injury to whom brought them together in the first place. Guptill, who has since regained fitness, might fancy his chances in the swinging conditions in England, but he’ll need to wait: the New Zealand coach Mike Hesson revealed plans to give Fulton and Rutherford a long rope.The looming threat of Guptill, Fulton said, is a positive. “It is a good sign for our team that we have the depth. Everyone would like to know that their place is secure in the team for a long time, but sometimes it is a good thing and sometimes it can create complacency.”Rutherford agreed. “We have to do our job as openers: to bat for long periods, see the shine off the new ball, which is the main thing.”

da jogodeouro： Over the years, West Ham United have been home to numerous midfield talents who have helped the club in various different ways during their respective periods at the club.

da lvbet： Arguably the most iconic in the club’s recent history would be Mark Noble, with the now-retired 37-year-old making 521 appearances for the Hammers over a 16-year stint as a player.

Noble is now the club’s sporting director after announcing his retirement at the end of the 2021/22 Premier League campaign – going down as one of the club’s most loved players for his time in East London.

Since his retirement, the club have kicked on in their recruitment to try and take the Hammers to the next level, with the likes of Guido Rodriguez and Edson Alvarez just two of the elite European players plying their trade at the London Stadium.

However, the club is no longer to one player who starred during his time in the first-team under former boss David Moyes, making the club a huge profit after his departure.

Declan Rice’s time at West Ham

Midfielder Declan Rice came through the club’s academy after joining as a youngster following his release from Chelsea – going on to make over 200 appearances for West Ham’s first team.

After making his debut back in the 2016/17 season, he quickly became a regular member of the senior side, cementing himself as a mainstay in the following campaign.

The 25-year-old made over 30 appearances in every season between 2017 and 2023, capturing the hearts of the fanbase – even helping them end their long wait for a major European title after clinching the Europa Conference League trophy with victory over Fiorentina back in 2023.

It was almost the perfect send off for the England international, before departing to join Arsenal in a record transfer for an English player, totalling a mammoth £105m.

Whilst it was a huge fee that massively improved the club’s finances, it would leave a huge hole in the middle of Moyes’ midfield, with new additions needed to try and fill the void left by the talented ace.

The Hammers made moves in the transfer market, investing in two separate talents to try and combat Rice’s departure – but one of which has unfortunately already been a victim of Julen Lopetegui’s appointment this summer.

The man brought in to replace Rice

The aforementioned Alvarez was brought in for a reported £35m fee from Ajax, but the club also splashed £30m on James Ward-Prowse from Southampton, with both players possessing different qualities to soften the blow of Rice’s exit.

An article from The Athletic claims that the Mexican was seen as a deep-lying ball-winning option, whilst the Englishman was brought in to operate as a box-to-box option – both separate qualities that the departed Rice possessed during his time at the London Stadium.

Whilst Alvarez remains a key part of Lopetegui’s system, Ward-Prowse has already been moved on by the Spaniard, joining fellow Premier League side Nottingham Forest on loan for the 2024/25 campaign.

It was a decision that took many by surprise especially considering his record last season, which saw the 29-year-old register seven goals and 11 assists in all competitions under Moyes – with his set-pieces causing havoc for the opposition.

He’s already settled into life during his temporary stint in the East Midlands, featuring in the club’s 1-0 win against Liverpool last weekend – producing a magnificent midfield display during the victory.

Ward-Prowse’s stats vs Liverpool for Forest

Statistics

Tally

Minutes played

90

Touches

53

Passes completed

31/38 (82%)

Duels won

4/8 (50%)

Interceptions

4

Tackles won

1

Fouls won

1

Stats via SofaScore

Given his form last term and his immediate impact at Forest in 2024/25, there must be a sense that Lopetegui may come to regret his decision to allow the Englishman to leave on loan.

Whilst it’s only temporary and he will return to the club for the 2025/26 campaign, he does possess a lot of qualities and Premier League experience that could help the Hammers enjoy a successful first season under the Spaniard.

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Posts ByAngus Sinclair Sep 16, 2024