da winzada777： O Flamengo segue a sua sequência de jogos no Maracanã para, desta vez, receber o Sporting Cristal-PER, às 21h30 (de Brasília) desta terça-feira, pela sexta – e última – rodada do Grupo H da Libertadores. O Rubro-Negro já está classificado às oitavas de final do torneio. E como primeiro colocado (tem 13 pontos, no momento).
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da bwin： Além das baixas por lesão, o Fla não terá Willian Arão, suspenso. Há a possibilidade de Paulo Sousa poupar titulares em um jogo que, a efeito de colocação no grupo, não mudará o posicionamento dos brasileiros. Já os peruanos, na lanterna (dois pontos), ainda almejam uma vaga na Copa Sul-Americana via terceiro lugar.
> Veja e simule a tabela da Libertadores
FICHA-TÉNICA Flamengo x Sporting Cristal – 6ª rodada do Grupo H da Libertadores Local: Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro (RJ) Data/Horário: 24/5/2022, às 21h30 (de Brasília) Árbitro:Alexis Herrera (VEN) Auxiliares:Carlos Lopez (VEN) eJackson Diaz (VEN) Onde assistir:SBT, ESPN/Star+ e em Tempo Real no LANCE!/Voz do Esporte
FLAMENGO (Técnico: Paulo Sousa) Hugo Souza; Matheuzinho, Rodrigo Caio (David Luiz), Pablo e Ayrton Lucas; João Gomes (Thiago Maia), Andreas Pereira, Lázaro, Everton Ribeiro (Diego); Bruno Henrique (Pedro) e Gabigol.
Suspenso: Willian Arão. Pendurados:Gomes, Matheuzinho, Andreas Pereira e Thiago Maia. Desfalques: Santos, Diego Alves, Fabrício Bruno, Gustavo Henrique, Filipe Luís, Matheus França (lesionados), Arrascaeta e Vitinho (poupados).
SPORTING CRISTAL (Técnico:Roberto Mosquera) Duarte; Madrid, Chávez, Merlo e Loyola; Castillo, Calcaterra, Yotún e Christofer Gonzales; Ávila (Olivares) eLiza.
At least six debutants are expected to feature in South Africa’s first Test in over seven years
Firdose Moonda17-Jun-2022Marizanne Kapp, Lizelle Lee and Sinalo Jafta have all been included in South Africa women’s squad to play their first Test in more than seven years, against England later this month. The trio missed out on the white-ball tour to Ireland – Kapp after contracting Covid-19 for the fourth time – but have been named in both the Test and ODI squad for the England series. The T20 squad, along with the group for the Commonwealth Games, will be named next month.South Africa last played a Test against India in Mysore in 2014 and four of the members of that XI – Kapp, Trisha Chetty, Lizelle Lee and Chloe Tryon – are in the current squad. Only one other current South African player has featured in a Test – Shabnim Ismail in 2007 against Netherlands – which means South Africa will field at least six debutants against England in Taunton. Chetty is the only player to have two Test caps.Related
Tryon wants South Africa's concentration higher than usual against England
Shabnim Ismail's three-for, fifties from Andrie Steyn, Lara Goodall help South Africa take unassailable lead
Kapp, Lee and du Preez ruled out of Ireland white-ball tour
Dane van Niekerk, the other current South African women’s player who has played a Test, remains unavailable for selection as she continues to recover from the ankle injury that has sidelined her since January. She has returned to training with the aim of being available for the T20Is and Commonwealth Games. Masabata Klaas, who injured her shoulder at the World Cup, is also unavailable. Tazmin Brits, Raisibe Ntozakhe, and Delmi Tucker, who are involved in the ongoing series against Ireland, will return home.South Africa will play a red-ball warm-up match next week, in preparation for the Test.”With the red ball, the main thing is to find our feet as a team again in the format and we take it one day at a time, then we can only progress into it and players can have an opportunity to go into a three-day prep,” coach Hilton Moreeng said. “Those that haven’t had the opportunity when we were back home can also start getting their aim of the red ball. Post that we know we are heading into ODI cricket and T20Is to build up into the Commonwealth Games.”South Africa beat Ireland 2-1 in the T20I series and lead the one-day series, which is part of the ICC Women’s Championship, 2-nil. Their matches against England do not form part of the Women’s Championship (South Africa are due to host England for Women’s Championship matches) but are an opportunity to solidify their strategy as a squad.”We are happy that we could come to Ireland and be able to play in these conditions which are similar to where we are going to. It has been very good and the exciting thing is that the crop of youngsters have started to put in the right performances. Now that we are going to England, we know that we are going to start with a format that most of them haven’t played in a while other than the preparation that we had, so it is exciting times, especially as a young cricketer in the squad,” Moreeng said.”We are up against a very competitive team, a team that plays well in their conditions. It’s going to be tough as we go along but at the end of the day, we are excited with the group that we have and we now have an opportunity against the hosts to be able to win a series in England.”South Africa squad for England tour (Test and ODIs): Anneke Bosch, Trisha Chetty (wk), Nadine de Klerk, Lara Goodall, Shabnim Ismail, Sinalo Jafta, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Lizelle Lee, Sune Luus (capt), Nonkululeko Mlaba, Tumi Sekhukhune, Andrie Steyn, Chloé Tryon, Laura Wolvaardt
Test quick’s stunning wicket-taking form continued, taking four out of five for Victoria as Jake Weatherald smashed a century and Daniel Drew finished 96 not out
Alex Malcolm09-Feb-2022Scott Boland picked up where he left off in the Ashes claiming four of five wickets to keep Victoria in the hunt after a century from Jake Weatherald and 96 not out from Daniel Drew put South Australia in a strong position on the opening day at Adelaide Oval.Boland was a one-man band for the visitors after the Redbacks won the toss and batted on a good batting strip. He knocked over Jake Carder and Travis Head in the same over before returning later to remove Weatherald for 122 and Test keeper Alex Carey.Boland claimed all four left-handers from around the wicket. He pinned Carder and Head on the crease and both were plumb lbw in almost identical fashion, within three balls of each other, to leave the Redbacks wobbling at 3 for 77. Head, who was player of the series in the Ashes, fell without scoring.But Weatherald and Drew took control of the match with an excellent 153-run stand. Weatherald put a difficult summer with the bat behind him striking 10 fours and two sixes on his way to his eighth first-class century. He played with typical aggression square of the wicket, punishing anything loose. Drew, playing in just his second first-class match and his first since 2019, struck 13 boundaries in his 243-ball stay. His 13th boundary came in the final over the day to move within four runs of a maiden first-class century but he faced three dots from Jon Holland to finish unbeaten on 96 at stumps.Drew might have got there without Boland’s disruptive spell with the second new ball. He picked up Weatherald from around the wicket with the opener closing the face to a ball that straightened off the seam and the leading edge ballooned to cover. Carey attempted a booming drive eight overs later and was bowled off the inside edge by a ball that just nibbled back off the seam.The only other Victorian bowler to break through was Mitchell Perry who removed Henry Hunt early in the day. Sam Harper took an outstanding juggling catch diving to his right for the first wicket of the morning.
Leeds United appear set for a busy end to the summer transfer window as they only have a few days left to complete the rest of their business.
The Whites have brought in Joe Rodon, Joe Rothwell, Largie Ramazani, Alex Cairns, and Jayden Bogle to improve Daniel Farke's options across the pitch so far.
Meanwhile, Charlie Cresswell, Archie Gray, Glen Kamara, Crysencio Summerville, and Georginio Rutter have all left Elland Road on permanent deals.
With the deadline coming up on Friday, Leeds are still eyeing new signings and reportedly have their eye on a potential addition from the Premier League.
Leeds eyeing Premier League defender
According to the Yorkshire Evening Post, the 49ers are considering a late swoop to sign English full-back Max Aarons from Bournemouth this week.
The report claims that the former England U21 international is one of the full-backs on the club's radar as they look to strengthen in that area of the park before the deadline.
It states that Aarons went as far as to have a medical at Thorp Arch last summer, ahead of a proposed move from Norwich City, before he ended up signing for Bournemouth in the Premier League.
Daniel Farke and Max Aarons at Norwich.
They are now hoping that it will be second time lucky in their pursuit of the defender, who did not make the bench for the Cherries in their Premier League draw with Newcastle on Sunday.
If Leeds can tempt Bournemouth into cashing in on the versatile full-back in the coming days then it would be a dream signing for Farke, who was an influential figure for Aarons at the start of his career.
Why Max Aarons would be a dream for Daniel Farke
Firstly, the 24-year-old ace is a versatile defender who can play at right-back, left-back, or further forward on the right flank, which means that he can cover several positions for the German coach.
Secondly, Farke handed Aarons his senior debut and the young gem went on to play 141 times for him at Norwich. Christoph Zimmermann (182) is the only player to feature more for the manager in his career to date.
In that time, the Leeds target won the Championship twice and was named in the PFA Team of the Year both times, in the 2018/19 and 2020/21 campaigns.
Appearances
41
45
Goals
2
2
Assists
6
2
Tackles + interceptions per game
2.7
1.6
Duel success rate
58%
53%
As you can see in the table above, Aarons produced quality at the top end of the pitch and held his own in physical duels in both of those seasons.
The 24-year-old star, who was once described as "outstanding" by Farke, made 20 appearances in the Premier League for the Cherries last term and won 60% of his ground duels, which suggests that his defensive strength is still prominent in his game.
He could provide great competition for Bogle, who has given away one penalty in three games for the club so far, whilst also offering back-up to Junior Firpo on the other side, which is another reason why Aarons would be a dream addition for Farke – who already knows and trusts the Cherries defender.
Farke could forget about Rutter in Leeds swoop for "magnificent" wizard
The Whites have been linked with an interest in the attacking midfielder this month.
تعرض حارس مرمى فريق ميلان، مايك ماينان، لإصابة قوية خلال مباراة اليوم ضد أودينيزي، في إطار منافسات بطولة الدوري الإيطالي لكرة القدم.
وتلاقى الفريقان في إطار منافسات الجولة الثانية والثلاثين من الدوري الإيطالي، حيث فاز ميلان بأربعة أهداف دون رد.
وشهد الشوط الثاني من عمر المباراة حدثًا مؤسفًا بعدما تعرض حارس مرمى فريق ميلان، مايك ماينان، لإصابة خطيرة على مستوى الرأس.
اقرأ أيضًا | الإعارة الثالثة تفشل.. ميلان يرفض استمرار جواو فيليكس
وبعد مرور 10 دقائق على بداية الشوط الثاني، اندفع ماينان خارج منطقة الجزاء لتشتيت هجمة خطيرة من أودينيزي، ولكنه اصطدم بقوة بزميله أليكس خيمينيز، على مستوى الرأس، ليسقطان على الأرض.
إصابة خطيرة يتعرض لها مايك مانيان حارس الميلان بعد هذا الاصطدام القوي ⚠️📹#أودينيزي_ميلان#الدوري_الإيطالي pic.twitter.com/bLrPLeT65k — ADSportsTV (@ADSportsTV) April 11, 2025
وظهر أن ماينان فقد وعيه لفترة وجيزة، وهرع الطاقم الطبي من أجل إسعافه على أرض الملعب وإفاقته، قبل نقله على محفة طبية على الفور.
وأكد ميلان في بيان رسمي أن الحارس لفرنسي كان واعيًا عند خروجه من الملعب، في حين ذكرت تقارير أنه نُقل إلى المستشفى من أجل إجراء المزيد من الفحوصات الطبية الدقيقة.
كما تم استبدال خيمينيز في وقت لاحق، حيث استكمل اللعب بعد إصابته رغم استغراب الجمهور، قبل أن يتقرر خروجه حيث بدا في حالة من عدم التركيز.
Defending champions knocked out as India set up semi-final clash against Australia
Sreshth Shah29-Jan-2022
India Under-19s get together after one of Ravi Kumar’s three strikes against Bangladesh Under-19s•ICC/Getty Images
Bangladesh’s hopes of defending their U-19 World Cup title ended in the quarter-final stage as India’s bowlers rolled them over for 111.Left-arm seamer Ravi Kumar took three wickets in his first spell. Left-arm spinner Vicky Ostwal then took two. Two Bangladesh batters were run out, and if it wasn’t for SM Meherob’s 30, India could’ve been chasing even lesser.Although India had a brief hiccup in the chase, they eventually got home with five wickets in hand.The returning Yash Dhull opted to field on a surface where the Afghanistan-Sri Lanka quarter-final had produced only 264 runs across both innings, and Ravi found swing and rattled Bangladesh with his 3 for 14 up top. He first broke through Mahfijul Islam’s defense before Iftakher Hossain cut a wide ball to backward point. Then, soon enough, Prantik Nawrose Nabil was walking back after edging an attempted drive that was going across him.From the other end, Rajvardhan Hangargekar troubled Bangladesh with his pace, his yorkers, and a mean short ball. Together, Ravi and Hangargekar strangled the run flow, aided by sharp fielding inside the circle.Left-arm spinner Ostwal then found grip off the surface and was rewarded when he had Ariful Islam nicking. Then he clean bowled Md Fahim as he attempted a reverse sweep. Aich Mollah, the No. 4, batted patiently for 47 balls to make 13 before he was run out. At this point, Bangladesh were tottering at 56 for 7.Meherob, the No. 8, offered a brief resistance by putting on a 50-run partnership with Ashiqur Zaman (16) to drag Bangladesh’s score into triple digits. But both fell in one over and Hangargekar then finished off the innings with a short ball.India lost Harnoor Singh for a duck, but Angkrish Raghuvanshi (44) and No. 3 Shaik Rasheed (26) consolidated by reining in their shots early on with Mondol and Zaman bowling full to induce them to drive.The longer they batted, the more Bangladesh erred, with boundaries a common fixture in the second half of their 70-run partnership. Raghuvanshi whipped boundaries off his hips, Rasheed played in the ‘V’, and both put away half-trackers offered by the spinners.Their stand effectively quashed whatever little hope Bangladesh had despite both falling in quick succession. Mondol returned to take three more wickets to finish with 4 for 31, but it was too little too late for the defending champions.Dhull, back into the XI after a Covid-enforced break (along with vice-captain Rasheed), remained unbeaten on 26 along with Kaushal Tambe (11*) as they he saw off what could’ve been a tricky final period of play. The match was sealed when Tambe hit a six over long-on.India now face Australia in the second semi-final on February 2. The first semi-final is on February 1 between England and Afghanistan.
Pep Guardiola has been accused of "arrogance" by Fabio Capello, who believes the Manchester City boss "takes credit away from his players".
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Man City going through a rough patchJuve defeat another bitter pill to swallowCapello takes aim at struggling Guardiola Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
City suffered a 2-0 defeat to Juventus in Turin which marked their seventh loss in 10 matches. Their recent rough patch has sparked heated discussions about Guardiola's leadership, with former England manager Capello and Paolo Di Canio criticising his decisions and approach while working as pundits on
AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHAT CAPELLO SAID
Capello suggested that Guardiola’s tactical choices are often motivated by a desire to highlight his own brilliance rather than empowering his players.
Capello said: “Guardiola is a great coach, but he is far too arrogant and presumptuous. At times, he has even lost trophies because he wanted to prove that he was the one winning and not the players, so he dropped key figures from the side in the big games. That was, in my view, an attempt to take the spotlight and the credit away from his squad.”
This criticism harkens back to the 2021 Champions League final, where Guardiola’s surprising decision to exclude both Rodri and Fernandinho from the lineup and rely on Ilkay Gundogan as a lone defensive midfielder was widely criticised. City lost that final to Chelsea 1-0, with fans and pundits alike accusing Guardiola of “overthinking.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
City’s struggles have not been limited to tactical missteps. Goalkeeper Ederson has also faced heavy criticism for his recent performances. His costly errors contributed to a 3-3 draw against Feyenoord at the Etihad just two weeks ago and was once again at fault when he inadvertently pushed a header from Dusan Vlahovic into his own net, gifting the Italian side their opening goal.
“Ederson has talent, but he is so arrogant that he makes these mistakes due to sheer over-confidence and trying to show off, like a back-heel flick when under pressure," Di Canio said.
Capello echoed Di Canio’s sentiments, labelling Ederson a “disaster” and urging Guardiola to bench him until he regains focus and humility.
DID YOU KNOW?
City’s defeat in Turin leaves them in a precarious position in the Champions League standings. They currently sit in 22nd place, just a point away from slipping out of the competition entirely. With automatic qualification for the last 16 now likely out of reach, Guardiola’s side must deliver strong performances in their remaining group-stage matches to secure a spot in the play-offs. Their next European fixture is a daunting trip to Paris Saint-Germain in January, followed by a home game against Club Brugge.
يلتقي منتخب تونس نظيره مالاوي، اليوم الإثنين، ضمن منافسات التصفيات المؤهلة لبطولة كأس العالم 2026، المقامة في الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية وكندا والمكسيك.
ويستضيف تونس، نظيره مالاوي على الملعب الأولمبي حمادي العقربي براداس، ضمن منافسات الجولة السادسية من التصفيات المؤهلة للمونديال.
ويقع منتخب تونس في المجموعة الثامنة رفقة منتخبات ناميبيا وليبيريا ومالاوي وغينيا الاستوائية وساوتومي وبرينسيب.
طالع.. ليبيريا تطلب إعادة مباراة تونس في تصفيات كأس العالم
ويبحث نسور قرطاج عن الفوز في اللقاء من أجل الحفاظ على صدارة المجموعة، حيث يقع في المركز الأول برصيد 13 نقطة، بفارق نقطتين عن ناميبيا.
وفي المقابل يقع متخب مالاوي في المركز الرابع من المجموعة برصيد 6 نقاط، جمعها من فوزين و3 هزائم. موعد مباراة تونس ومالاوي اليوم في تصفيات كأس العالم
ومن المقرر أن تنطلق مباراة تونس ومالاوي في تمام الحادية عشر مساءً اليوم الإثنين 24 مارس 2025 بتوقيت القاهرة والثانية عشر منتصف الليل بتوقيت السعودية والعاشرة مساءً بتوقيت تونس. القناة الناقلة لمباراة تونس ومالاوي اليوم في تصفيات كأس العالم
وتنقل قناة SSC1 HD مباراة تونس ومالاوي عبر شاشتها. معلق مباراة تونس ومالاوي اليوم في تصفيات كأس العالم
وأسندت القناة الناقلة مهمة التعليق على المباراة للمعلق حماد العنزي.
ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنـــا.
da bet7： Newcastle United have been utterly transformed under the management of Eddie Howe. The Toon were turned toward the skies financially following the PIF-backed takeover in 2021, but a lesser manager would have failed to pump such glitter and gusto into St. James' Park.
da casino： Last season, Newcastle performed in the Champions League and gave a good account of themselves, contentiously finishing bottom but impressing despite being plagued by injuries.
It was such injuries that pulled at the Magpies throughout the campaign, and now depth is needed to restore the squad to its former verve. Additions are required across the frontline, and new sporting director Paul Mitchell is centring on an exciting player indeed.
Newcastle transfer news
As per GIVEMESPORT, Newcastle are interested in signing Manchester City talent Oscar Bobb this summer, having made contact with the Premier League champions to determine the feasibility of a transfer, in the form of an enquiry.
Manchester City's Oscar Bobb
Bobb made his senior debut at the Etihad Stadium last September, in a 5-1 league victory over Fulham, and played a valuable part in the Citizen's top-flight title triumph.
Borussia Dortmund have also enquired about the versatile attacking midfielder's availability, and GMS reveal that City are in serious danger of losing the rising star before the transfer window slams shut in just over one month.
What Oscar Bobb would bring to Newcastle
Man City boss Pep Guardiola has recently hailed Bobb's "incredible potential" and indeed it's clear that this is a player with the propensity for show-stopping moments fitting for a club of such a stature.
Last season, he posted two goals and two assists apiece across all competitions, and while he featured 26 times, only seven appearances started with the opening whistle.
Dynamic and versatile, he is confident across the frontline and could benefit Newcastle immensely in this regard, plying his trade wherever Howe deems beneficial to the outfit as a whole.
Oscar Bobb: Top Stats vs Positional Peers (23/24)
Statistic
Per 90
Percentile
Goals
0.35
Top 17%
Pass completion
87.7%
Top 1%
Key passes
2.25
Top 20%
Shot-creating actions
5.88
Top 6%
Goal-creating actions
1.04
Top 1%
Progressive passes
5.37
Top 20%
Through balls
0.52
Top 13%
Successful take-ons
2.42
Top 18%
Interceptions
0.87
Top 7%
Stats via FBref
Sure, Bobb played a limited amount of football last season, with his 819' minutes played across all competitions less than that of Lewis Hall (967'), but he managed to showcase his talents expertly, clearly a menace in the final third with sharp playmaking qualities and "electrifying" pace and dribbling, as was said by journalist Antonio Mango.
While Guardiola hopes to provide the 21-year-old with greater opportunities this term, it's unlikely that he will perform beyond a bit-part role in the all-conquering City machine, and so Bobb might be wise to take a leaf from Cole Palmer's book and emulate the now-illustrious Premier League superstar.
Why Bobb could be Cole Palmer 2.0
Palmer, 22, signed a £40m deal with Chelsea one year ago after graduating from City's youth academy and scoring in the Community Shield and UEFA Super Cup at the start of the 2023/24 season. Despite such success, it was clear that he would play second fiddle to the likes of Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva, and so he searched for pastures new.
It's hard to argue against his decision. The Blues might have struggled for the second successive season but Palmer was mesmerising in his attacking performances, scoring 25 goals and adding 15 assists for the west London club across 45 appearances.
Cole Palmer in-article graphic
It's a surprise to absolutely nobody that the praise has flowed like a river for one of the country's most exciting attacking talents in a long time, with Chelsea captain Reece James even claiming that he is already "one of the best in the world", only one year into his career as a fully-fledged Premier League phenom.
In the Premier League, Palmer ranked among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the 2023/24 edition for goals scored, the top 10% for assists, the top 8% for shot-creating actions, the top 15% for passes attempted and the top 3% for progressive passes per 90.
Already, similarities can be drawn between the £75k-per-week talent and his erstwhile City teammate, Bobb. Chelsea's man has been breathtaking, so clinical, so awe-inspiring, but he was confined to a peripheral role throughout the early stage of his professional career in Greater Manchester.
Bobb can play that role, especially when considering the technical aptitude that has been on display throughout the maiden stage of his Premier League career already, completing 88% of his passes, winning 56% of his duels and succeeding with 65% of his dribbles per game, as per Sofascore.
Of course, the Norwegian ace might seek to take inspiration from Phil Foden and continue to ply his trade at the club that nurtured him through the academy, fostered his sparkling talent. Foden was anointed as the Premier League's Player of the Season last year after scoring 19 goals and supplying eight assists en route to his sixth title.
But with such a rich crop of players under Guardiola's wing, Bobb would surely be better off opting for the shrewd route of moving away, especially since Newcastle would offer the platform to grow into his skin quickly and even become one of the central figures at the club, linking up with Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon in a formidable prospective frontline.
In Palmer's care, the leash was taken off. Premier League outfits across the country watched in envy as a star was born, and you wouldn't bet against Bobb having not thought of emulating the England international with a move of his own.
Having already been capped by Norway, Bobb is looking to announce himself as one of the Premier League's most exciting youngsters after impressing intermittently last year. Newcastle yield a talented offensive crop but St. James' Park could truly be the perfect stomping ground to create Palmer 2.0 – and this time, on Tyneside.
Jarrod Bowen 2.0: Newcastle make opening bid to land £36m star
The attacker could be the perfect alternative to Jarrod Bowen.
Chelsea should be eyeing an improvement on last season as they aim to return to the Champions League whilst also competing for major trophies.
Mauricio Pochettino was relieved of his duties at the end of the 2023/24 campaign after the Argentine boss failed to lead the team to a top four finish and did not lift a single piece of silverware.
Todd Boehly has brought in Italian boss Enzo Maresca, who won the Championship with Leicester City last term, to replace the former Tottenham Hotspur coach.
He is now tasked with getting the most out of the talented squad at his disposal, whilst there is also over a month left of the transfer window to make further additions to the group.
A new attacker is on the agenda for the London giants after they struggled with their finishing as a collective in the Premier League last season.
The Blues only scored 76 goals from their xG tally of 80.18 in the top-flight and 11 goals from their xG tally of 14.07 in the League Cup, which illustrates how wasteful they were in front of goal.
Chelsea's interest in Premier League marksman
According to Football Insider, Chelsea are preparing a bid to sign England international Ollie Watkins from Premier League rivals Aston Villa this summer.
The report claims that the club want to add a 'marquee' number nine to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch before the end of the transfer window.
It states that, as a result of that desire, they are now willing to push the boat out to secure a deal to sign the English star ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
Ollie Watkins celebrates for England
Football Insider adds that Villa and Chelsea have already held extensive talks throughout the summer over different deals, as the Blues had previously been keen on Jhon Duran whilst the Villans tried to sign Connor Gallagher.
The outlet now reveals that the London giants are prepared to offer Gallagher to Unai Emery's side as part of a deal for Watkins, who was at the European Championship with the midfielder for England this summer.
However, it does not state how much Chelsea would be willing to offer in cash alongside the former Crystal Palace loanee, or if Villa are even open to entertaining the idea of such a transfer.
If Boehly and his recruitment team can get a move for Watkins over the line before the end of the window then he would come in as a big upgrade on Nicolas Jackson.
Nicolas Jackson's debut season with Chelsea
The Blues swooped to sign the Senegal international from Villarreal on a permanent deal last summer to lead the line for Pochettino last season.
He ended up enduring a mixed campaign in front of goal for the Premier League giants as he showed plenty of signs of promise whilst also leaving a lot to be desired from his performances overall.
A mixture of his electric movement in the final third and Chelsea's creativity, namely from Cole Palmer, meant that Jackson ended the season with the fifth-highest xG tally in the top-flight at 18.64.
Nicolas Jackson
However, the 23-year-old's finishing let him down too often as he was only able to find the back of the net 14 times and missed a staggering 24 'big chances'.
Jackson scored 17 goals and provided six assists in 44 appearances for the Blues in all competitions last term, which shows that he was not a complete flop as the 23-year-old forward still provided a decent goal threat.
Appearances
35
xG
18.64
Big chances missed
24
Goals
14
Assists
5
Big chances created
8
As you can see in the table above, the Senegalese forward was incredibly wasteful with the opportunities that did come his way in the top-flight.
19 goals and assists in a debut season in England for a 23-year-old striker is a fine debut campaign on paper but the underlying numbers suggest that it could, and perhaps should, have been so much better.
His inconsistency in front of goal could be why Chelsea are now looking for a 'marquee' centre-forward signing to lead the line under Maresca next season, and Watkins could be the dream signing to arrive as an upgrade on the ex-LaLiga attacker.
Why Chelsea should sign Ollie Watkins
Firstly, he is a homegrown and proven player who would have a good chance of hitting the ground running due to his experience in the league.
The 28-year-old star has scored 59 goals and provided 26 assists in 146 Premier League appearances for Villa throughout his career, after a return of 45 goals in 132 outings in the Championship.
19 of his top-flight goals came in the 2023/24 campaign under Emery at Villa Park, as the England international enjoyed a terrific year to help his team qualify for the Champions League – finishing above Chelsea in the process.
He ranked within the top 19% of forwards in the division for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.53) and the top 1% for assists per 90 (0.36), which illustrates how impressive his performances were in the league.
Watkins, who scored 27 goals in 53 games in all competitions for his club last term, would come in as a big upgrade on Jackson immediately for Maresca.
Appearances
37
35
xG
16.93
18.64
Goals
19
14
Big chances missed
22
24
Big chances created
11
8
Assists
13
5
As you can see in the table above, the English attacker produced significantly more quality in the final third in comparison to the Chelsea striker.
The former Brentford star, who was hailed as "spectacular" by journalist Ryan Adsett, fired in five more goals despite having less xG created for him by his teammates.
This suggests that Watkins is a far better finisher than Jackson and would, therefore, turn Chelsea's fortunes around in that respect, as they could go from underperforming their xG to overperforming – making the most of Palmer's creativity.
The Villa sensation also created more 'big chances' and assisted more goals than the Senegal international, which means that he could provide more quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals.
This is why Chelsea must now press ahead and convince the Villans to part ways with the forward as he would be a huge upgrade on Jackson next season.
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The Blues have admired the talent over the last 12 months.