All posts by h716a5.icu

Flocking to Twitter, many West Ham United fans have been left overjoyed following an update by reliable club insider ExWHUemployee involving defender Kurt Zouma.

Manager David Moyes, looking to maintain his side’s fight on all fronts, has had to cope with mounting injuries at the back lately with two mainstay defenders ruled out for the foreseeable.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-latest-updates/” title=”West Ham latest updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Both Zouma and Angelo Ogbonna are currently unavailable for the Irons, prompting West Ham to look to the transfer market next month in search of possible central defensive reinforcements (The Daily Mail).

Zouma in particular was shining under Moyes before his injury with supporters eager to see him back in Claret and Blue as quickly as possible.

Now, as per ExWHUemployee, an encouraging update has come to light involving the 27-year-old in what is surely a big boost for Moyes.

According to his information, via The West Ham Way website, he is ‘ahead of schedule’ in the road to recovery with the club even opting to go down the ‘natural route’ and avoiding surgery.

While no return date is mentioned, this may well be an encouraging sign supporters may see him back sooner rather than later.

West Ham fans buzz…

Given the absence of Ogbonna, who did have to undergo surgery, this update comes as a big one given West Ham may not be waiting as long for Zouma’s return by comparison.

These Irons supporters were certainly overjoyed, find all of their best reactions down below:

“Excellent news!”

Credit: @WestHamRambles

“Amazing news zoumaaaaaaaaaaa”

Credit: @statoblue

“Can’t wait to see you on the pitch”

Credit: @fahrinaufal_

“ZOOOOUUUU”

Credit: @ryanjasper2302

“Best news today”

Credit: @prochyss39

“That would be great news”

Credit: @happy_hammers

“Great news about Zouma been a big miss”

Credit: @SimonBe70489508

In other news: West Ham set for Kretinsky backing as insider shares hugely exciting behind-scenes development, find out more here.

The January transfer window is well underway and business at Rangers has already begun with the impending sale of Ibrox defender Nathan Patterson.

Everton are reportedly on the verge of securing his services in what is set to be a club-record sale for the Gers. This could now leave the Scottish champions scrambling to find a replacement in the next few weeks so as not to leave Giovanni van Bronckhorst without an adequate pool of full-back options.

On the flip side of transfers, Rangers bringing a player in could result in someone losing their place and being axed from the squad, replacing them before they leave instead of after.

One player for whom the club have been linked with a move is Leeds United winger Crysencio Summerville, who is reportedly a loan target for the Gers.

Axe could fall on Wright

Bringing Summerville in on loan from the Premier League club could allow Van Bronkchorst to brutally axe Scott Wright from the squad. The £5.6k-per-week dud has struggled to make his mark this season and the addition of another winger could leave his career at Ibrox in the balance, as it could force him further down the pecking order.

In the Premiership this season, Wright has two goals and no assists in 12 games. He has averaged a WhoScored rating of 6.72, which places him 16th in the Rangers squad, highlighting his lack of form for the Light Blues this term.

The winger’s struggles could also be why the Gers are keen on a deal for Summerville, who could come in and take the Scot’s place in the side. The Dutch starlet has scored nine goals and provided eight assists in 24 games for Leeds’ under-23s, which suggests that he has the potential to arrive at Ibrox and contribute with plenty of goals and assists in the final third for Van Bronckhorst.

His teammate Jamie Shackleton previously heaped praise on the 20-year-old’s strength and ability on the ball, saying: “There’s specific drills in training that we’ll do. We’ll do those repeatedly. It’s also coming up against better players in training. Coming up against top-class forwards and wingers that we have inside the club definitely helps.

“Cry Summerville is a nightmare to mark. He’s really sharp. For his size he’s very, very strong. I do my best to keep up with him and the other wingers. We’ve got some very sharp wingers at the club.”

This shows the potential of the Dutch youngster as he has been able to cause Premier League defenders nightmares in training with his trickery. Therefore, the wing wizard could be an exciting potential coup for Rangers, and one which would allow Van Bronckhorst to brutally axe the underperforming Wright.

AND in other news, “In talks” – Jordan Campbell drops crushing Rangers transfer claim, it’s a nightmare for Van Bronckhorst…

Sri Lanka wrapped up a crushing 57-run win over a disappointingly lacklustre West Indies in Barbados

The Bulletin by Liam Brickhill07-May-201020 overs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
HawkeyeMahela Jayawardene scored freely all round the wicket to reach 98 against West Indies•Getty ImagesSri Lanka wrapped up a crushing 57-run win over a disappointingly lacklustre West Indies in Barbados after Mahela Jayawardene’s sublime unbeaten 98 from 56 balls took them to 195 for 3. Jayawardene took full toll of a shambolic West Indian fielding performance in a 166-run partnership for the second wicket with Kumar Sangakkara – the highest of the tournament so far – and when Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Chris Gayle fell early in West Indies’ chase, the fight went from their batsmen.The inept West Indian batting was merely a continuance of their fielding effort, as the rot set in when five straightforward chances went down to allow Sri Lanka to take their score into the stratosphere. Jayawardene, whose superb form carried his side into the Super Eights, displayed silky touch and superb manipulation of the bowling in his innings, and Sangakkara, while not quite in Jayawardene’s league at the moment, matched him almost shot for shot.Jerome Taylor, on his return to international cricket after a six-month lay-off, should have had Sanath Jayasuriya, opening in place of the wretchedly out-of-form Tillekaratne Dilshan, caught by Kieron Pollard at backward point from his second ball. It was a regulation chance for a fielder in that position, but Pollard couldn’t hold on to it, and the lapse set the tone for West Indies’ performance in the field for the rest of the afternoon.After Kemar Roach got rid of Jayasuriya, Taylor suffered another lapse from his fielders in his second over, as the normally-reliable Gayle put Sangakkara down at slip before he had scored. Jayawardene lifted the very next ball handsomely over wide long on for six. With that, the moment had passed and the rest of the match was entirely Sri Lanka’s.Both Sangakkara and Jayawardene flashed airily at the odd delivery, but were level-headed enough to keep their composure and capitalise on the bad balls that came, predictably, at least once an over. As the partnership gained momentum, West Indies seemed almost resigned to the fact that a large total was in the offing, and a missed caught-and-bowled chance from Pollard’s first ball of the match barely registered.As West Indies’ fielding became ever more ragged, a fourth chance was missed as Benn found bounce and turn to elicit a rare mistake from Jayawardene, who was tempted out of his crease by a flighted delivery. But Fletcher fumbled the take, allowing Jayawardene to scramble back. Three balls later, things became even more farcical as Jayawardene top-edged Benn almost straight up in the air, and Fletcher and Wavell Hinds, the two closest fielders, both stood back and watched the ball plummet down, each expecting the other to go for it.It looked as though Jayawardene would be able to reach his second hundred of the tournament when he took 10 runs from Bravo’s final two balls to reach 97 with six balls still to be bowled. He was stranded at the wrong end in the final over, unable to reach the landmark, but through him Sri Lanka were able to post a massive total.Chanderpaul began with a paddled six over deep backward square and a cracking off drive in Angelo Matthews’ first over, but was out next ball, top-edging an ugly swipe to be caught at short third man. Gayle followed him two balls later, undone by a touch of extra bounce and nip off the seam by the impressive Nuwan Kulasekara, and West Indies were 23 for 2. His wicket stunned the large crowd into silence, and a similarly shell-shocked Ramnaresh Sarwan and Dwayne Bravo trundled along at under a run a ball for the first 30 runs of their partnership.Their stand eventually crept past fifty, but soon after Bravo flapped Lasith Malinga straight to Matthews at cover with 120 needed off just 56 balls. With the hitting power of Pollard to come, it was still just possible that West Indies could get close, but inexplicably Andre Fletcher was sent in ahead of him, and struggled to get the ball off the square.When Sarwan departed, chipping a tame return catch back to Mendis, Pollard finally arrived, but the Sri Lankan spin attack, together with Malinga’s pinpoint yorkers, strangled every attempt to reach the boundary. The required run-rate rocketed up beyond 20, and even before Pollard skied Mendis to wide long on, the result was a foregone conclusion.

The Indian national selectors meet in New Delhi on Monday to pick the team for the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka, with the knowledge that they have had little gains from the tri-series in Zimbabwe

Cricinfo staff06-Jun-2010The Indian national selectors meet in New Delhi on Monday to pick the team for the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka, with the knowledge that they have had little gains from the tri-series in Zimbabwe. The only man to push the nine players who were rested is Rohit Sharma, who scored back-to-back centuries in Zimbabwe. The other big question will be the bowlers: none of the bowlers who represented India in Zimbabwe were first-choice.The selectors will also be hoping for a return to fitness for Virender Sehwag among others. If Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni are fit and willing to go, the final two places in the starting XI will be contested between Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Virat Kohli and Rohit. India could take all eight batsmen to Sri Lanka, but that would mean sacrificing one of the allrounders’. Yusuf Pathan is anyway pretty close to the end of the rope. The choice then could be between an extra batsman and R Ashwin, who impressed with bat and ball in the only chance he got in Zimbabwe.The selectors will hope Praveen Kumar is fit after a side injury forced him out of the World Twenty20. Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra should come back, leaving an interesting choice for the back-up seamer. Ishant Sharma could get the nod again. Harbhajan Singh will definitely walk back in, and Pragyan Ojha should pip Amit Mishra for the second spinner’s slot after an impressive showing in Zimbabwe.There were two unconfirmed reports late on Sunday evening that Tendulkar might pull out and that Yuvraj and Nehra might be left out as disciplinary action. Those, however, could not be confirmed with BCCI sources.Squad from: MS Dhoni (capt/wk), Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Harbhajan Singh, Pragyan Ojha, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Praveen Kumar, Ishant Sharma

A major update has emerged regarding Sunderland’s pursuit of Manchester City forward Patrick Roberts…

What’s the talk?

According to Football Insider, the Black Cats are expecting to seal a deal for the winger in the coming days and are only waiting on his loan with Troyes to be cancelled before bringing him in.

The report claims that all parties are happy with the move and have agreed to the transfer, with Lee Johnson poised to land his second signing of the January transfer window after Trai Hume.

Johnson will be over the moon

Johnson will be over the moon with this news, as it suggests that it is only a matter of time before Roberts is in front of a camera and holding up a red and white shirt.

Although the 24-year-old has not had the best of times in his recent loan spells, he has proven his quality in the past, and this move could be compared to the one which brought Alex Pritchard to the Stadium of Light. The Black Cats midfielder endured a rough spell at Huddersfield but has flourished since moving to the Lague One outfit.

Pritchard has two goals and five assists in League One this season, averaging a SofaScore rating of 6.92 in the division. He has created 1.5 chances per game and is showing that he can be a regular threat for the Wearsiders, having failed to register a single goal or assist in the Championship for the Terriers last season.

Meanwhile, Roberts produced only one goal and one assist on loan at Derby County in the second tier last term. This suggests that, just like Pritchard, he was struggling to find his best form at that level, so dropping down a division could help him to get back to his best in the same way it has done for the former Tottenham playmaker.

The Manchester City forward previously enjoyed a superb loan spell with Celtic in Scotland. He provided 18 goals and 26 assists in 78 games for the Hoops, suggesting that he could regularly chip in with contributions in the final third for Sunderland if he rediscovers his top form.

This is why Johnson will be over the moon with the news that a deal is expected to go through. He is now set to have the chance to work with the 24-year-old on the training pitch to ensure that the winger is in the best possible state to come into the Sunderland team and make an impact in League One in the second half of the season.

AND in other news, Johnson can brutally axe £6.5k-p/w Sunderland dud by signing this wizard who “can change a game”…

Many Everton fans were critical of the performance of Vitaliy Mykolenko in their 2-1 loss at Norwich City in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.

It was a damaging defeat for the Goodison Park club and Rafael Benitez, who is reportedly now set to lose his job after it.

Mykolenko, a recent signing in the January transfer window, seemed to crumble under the pressure to perform on his Premier League debut.

He lost out on five of his duels and also failed to record a single successful dribble, blocked shot, key pass or accurate long ball, while losing possession on 13 separate occasions in total, the joint-fourth most out of any of his teammates (SofaScore).

His blushes were also spared by Ben Godfrey after a horrendous pass across the Everton penalty area fell to Adam Idah, only for the Englishman to bail out his team-mate with a last-ditch tackle (Sky Sports).

Nonetheless, he is a new arrival and will need time to settle in, but several supporters of the Merseyside club were far from happy with his performance.

Everton fans slam Mykolenko

These Toffees fans slammed the Ukrainian’s display on Twitter, with one even going as far as to claim that the 22-year-old was ‘dreadful’ at Carrow Road:

“Mykolenko looks like he cannot cross a ball. Dreadful”

Credit: @rayfs22

“Mykolenko is not good enough for us”

Credit: @seamusbaines

“Mykolenko looks like a rabbit in the headlights.”

Credit: @SteveDodd75

“Mykolenko what are you doing?”

Credit: @DublinoToffee

“Mykolenko looks like he’s never played football”

Credit: @Stu17666455

“Mykolenko is genuinely making Josh Sargent and Max Aarons look like prime Messi and Alves”

Credit: @Chrisnixon1878

In other news, find out what ‘sublime’ Academy footage has been lauded by many Evertonians

Chris Gayle is keen on continuing as West Indies captain despite the team’s dismal run of form over the past few years culminating in a 0-2 reversal in the home Tests against South Africa

Cricinfo staff01-Jul-2010Chris Gayle has said he is keen on continuing as West Indies captain despite the team’s dismal run of form over the past few years culminating in a 0-2 reversal in the home Tests against South Africa.”Definitely I want to go on,” Gayle said. “Before the series I was brought into a meeting and had a discussion about my future and gave them my everything so we will see what happens.”Under his leadership West Indies have won only three of 20 Tests while tasting defeat nine times. His record is not much better in the shorter formats, losing 30 in 53 ODIs and 10 out of 17 Twenty20s. But Gayle was not ready to give up just yet.”I am still willing to go on. I am still pushing to go on. I still have a lot to offer in that particular area. There are a few issues I need to sort out before I progress,” Gayle said. “When you are not getting the support there is going to be a problem. So we need to address that as quickly as possible and see how well be can come up with a better system.”Gayle had a poor series against South Africa with the bat, managing just 159 runs at an average of 31 against South Africa, but he was quick to point that his batting record has improved with captaincy. “Since I have been captain, I didn’t even notice it but my average in Test cricket has been over 50 [1528 runs at 47.75, against a career average of 40.31] which is a tremendous achievement. It has helped me become a more mature person as well. I am willing to move forward and have better results for West Indies cricket.”Gayle’s attitude came under the scanner last year when he turned up in England barely 48 hours before the start of the first Test, preferring to play in the IPL than prepare for the tour. “I wouldn’t be so sad if Test cricket died out,” he had said then, a remark that caused much consternation.

The second one-dayer at the Harare Sports Club went right down to the final ball as Shaylin Pillay hit a boundary with two needed to seal a one-wicket win

Cricinfo staff05-Jul-2010
ScorecardSouth Africa were in a comfortable position before Zimbabwe hit back•Zimbabwe CricketThe second one-dayer at the Harare Sports Club went right down to the final ball as Shaylin Pillay hit a boundary with two needed to seal a one-wicket win four South Africa.Zimbabwe did a splendid job to make the hosts huff and puff, and by the final over, the game could have gone either way. Keaton Jennings was impressive yet again for the visitors with a half-century, but the rest of the batsmen didn’t look as assured in the chase of 224.Zimbabwe got off to a good start after losing the toss, with the openers Brian Chari and Kevin Hook adding 78. The hosts were going along well at 130 for 1 in the 29th over, but a slew of wickets saw them lose four for 19 runs. It was Chari’s dismissal for 62, off a run-out, which sparked the collapse. Zimbabwe were let down by four run-outs in total, and as a result couldn’t string together any big partnerships despite the solid start. Riyaad Henry, the right-arm seamer, took 4 for 39.South Africa were also guilty of a run-out early in their innings when Quinton de Kock departed for a duck in the first over. Jennings took charge of the chase with a half-century and while he was at the crease, South Africa were coasting. They kept pace with the required rate until the 41st over when Chari departed for 65, dismissed by the offspinner Gary Chirimuta.Zimbabwe were in with a sniff when the visitors slumped to 198 for 7 in the 47th over. Two more run-outs then put the pressure firmly on South Africa. Rabian Engelbrecht joined Pillay for the last three balls of the match but it was heartbreak for the hosts, having come so far, as Pillay hit a four to seal a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.

Crystal Palace have made a move for Celtic defender Mitchel Frame, Football Scotland report.

The Lowdown: Frame profiled

Frame is just 15 years of age and is a left-back who features for Scotland’s Under-16 side.

He is thought to be one of the top prospects coming through the academy at Celtic after joining the club at the age of just eight.

Frame is yet to pen professional terms with the Hoops, and it seems as if a move to England to continue his development is on the cards.

The Latest: Palace offer

According to Football Scotland’s Ryan McDonald, Palace have offered Frame a three-year professional contract.

Premier League rivals Tottenham and Wolves have done the same, with a move south possibly on the cards.

The Verdict: Shrewd move

Frame is clearly highly rated by Celtic, and he could well be the next big thing to come out of the club’s academy.

The Hoops have lost a number of youngsters recently, as McDonald mentions, including the likes of Liam Morrison and Barry Hepburn who joined Bayern Munich.

Leo Hjelde also moved to England over the summer and has since made his Premier League debut for Leeds United, so who knows, should Palace win the race for Frame, we could see him breakthrough at Selhurst Park to challenge Tyrick Mitchell over the coming years.

In other news: ‘We must rate him’ – Many Palace fans react as ‘class news’ on ‘beast’ is confirmed. 

New Zealand’s plan of loading their side with seamers paid off well as they bullied a carefree Indian top order under lights to register a 200-run win inclusive of a bonus point in Dambulla

The Bulletin by Nitin Sundar10-Aug-2010
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsRoss Taylor led New Zealand’s recovery•AFPNew Zealand’s plan of loading their side with seamers paid off as they bullied an alarmingly reckless Indian top order under lights to seal a 200-run rout and gain a bonus point. Ross Taylor and Scott Styris played risk-free yet attacking cricket to lift New Zealand from 28 for 3 to 288 before their bowlers let the conditions do the work for them as India’s technically inept batsmen crumbled without a fight to their fifth lowest score in ODIs, and fourth heaviest defeat batting second.It was a script that had worked well for India in the Asia Cup final at the same venue, but this time the boot was on the wrong foot. Virender Sehwag and Dinesh Karthik struggled to get used to the pace of the wicket, but survived the early overs and looked set to launch the chase before things began to go awry. Daryl Tuffey had started his spell with a gentle loosener outside off but gradually reworked his lengths to trouble all batsmen despite operating below 130 kph. Sehwag perished first, falling to his old weakness against the short ball aimed at the body. He had already survived a top-edge trying to pull Tuffey but, in the seventh over, he gloved Kyle Mills through to the keeper. Karthik got a rough decision in the next over, as Tuffey struck his pads with an in-ducker and Simon Taufel upheld the appeal though the batsman was well forward.In his short stay at the crease, Rohit Sharma had all his weaknesses as a batsman exposed, flicking uppishly, and playing around his front pad before guiding a short ball outside off lamely into Taylor’s hands at first slip. Suresh Raina was guilty of indecisive footwork, poking from the crease at another bait outside off from Tuffey. MS Dhoni attempted to stem the rot with singles but Tuffey would not have any of that either. Swooping in on a tap to the off side, he threw down the stumps with Dhoni out of his crease after being sent back by the non-striker. When Yuvraj stuck to the theme of the evening, edging a fuller one outside off into the cordon, India had lost their top six for 23 runs in under 10 overs and the chase was as good as over.While India’s reply was one-sided, New Zealand’s innings typified the ebb and flow of the one-day format. Taylor and Styris added 190 and throughout the stand were playing to a plan. They had identified around 260 as a defendable score, and were keen to not over-reach. Coming together with the innings in tatters, they survived some testing times mostly against Praveen Kumar before shifting gears.The introduction of spin allowed the pair to settle into a survive-and-steal mode. They eventually found their feet as the ball lost its shine, lashing through the packed off-side field for boundaries. Ravindra Jadeja bowled a listless spell, and his introduction in the 18th over signalled the beginning of New Zealand’s resurgence. Having threaded the spinners through the off side with an array of cuts, carves and glides in a relatively quiet fifty, Taylor eventually unleashed his favourite slog-sweep, tonking Sehwag with the spin over square-leg. The tide had turned and once Styris reached his fifty, New Zealand took the batting Powerplay in the 31st over.Styris chipped Jadeja over the top and latched on to the over-compensation in length by cutting him square for fours. Both batsmen read Ojha’s flight to pick fours in the 33rd as India began to feel the heat. Dhoni was forced to bring his seamers back but there was no respite: Styris creamed Nehra over point and down the ground, while Taylor swatted Praveen on either side of the wicket as 43 runs came in the five-over block. Abhimanyu Mithun had left the field with heat stroke after four overs and, on a pitch favouring the fast bowlers, India missed him badly.The force was clearly with New Zealand, and though Nehra came back well to stall them in the end overs, there was enough momentum to reach an imposing score.Things did not begin so well though. Within the first two overs, Praveen and Nehra showed what India had missed in the Tests: genuine swing. Praveen got the ball to move both ways, darting into the right-handers late, and holding back the length to hit the seam and take them away. Martin Guptill nicked one of the away-swingers to Dhoni while Nehra accounted for Peter Ingram in similar fashion. Kane Williamson, the debutant, was then nailed by one that darted away from the middle-and-leg line to hit off stump as he shaped to flick.Though Styris and Taylor began to play their shots, Dhoni kept attacking with close-in fielders and Styris almost fell for the trap. He stepped out against Ojha and missed the loft, but Dhoni fluffed the stumping with the batsman well out of the crease. It was the only error in an otherwise sprightly fielding effort, and it cost India plenty. Under lights, their batsmen made several more and it cost India the match.