Jamaica Tallawahs can’t wait to get on the first plane out of Fort Lauderdale after their disastrous three-game ‘home’ stretch in Florida ended with yet another defeat

Peter Della Penna in Lauderhill23-Aug-2018Steven Smith made a half-century before getting out in bizarre fashion•Peter Della Penna

Jamaica Tallawahs can’t wait to get on the first plane out of Fort Lauderdale after their disastrous three-game ‘home’ stretch in Florida ended with yet another defeat. Steven Smith was the architect of their woes, striking a half-century to lead Barbados Tridents to a total of 156 and following it up with a match-winning spell of 2 for 19 in three overs.Tallawahs appeared well on course at 80 for 0 in nine overs, but Smith pierced the opening stand, removing both Johnson Charles and Glenn Phillips in the space of five balls. The former Australia captain has now modelled his bowling action on Shahid Afridi, and early indications are that it’s totally working.Though they lost only three wickets in the whole innings, Tallawahs couldn’t score quickly enough in the final few overs, with Andre Russell never making it to the batting crease. All that meant Tridents felt immense relief. They had dropped five catches in the innings but somehow pulled off a coup to move up to fourth place on the CPL table.From Boca with loveSmith got warm receptions in King City while suiting up for the Toronto Nationals at the Global T20 Canada. The reaction wasn’t too much different south of the border in the USA on Wednesday night in Lauderhill.Of the 13 CPL matches held in Lauderhill since 2016, the Tallawahs v Tridents showdown was by far the least attended with only about 700 fans at the ground. Among them were five Australians who moved from Sydney to Boca Raton last year and drove 20 miles south to Lauderhill carrying a sign with painted on message, “Go Steve Smith Aussie Aussie Aussie!”Tim and Jane Anderson came with their three young kids – Bella, 9; Will, 7; and Maddie, 5. When Will was asked who his favorite player was he didn’t hesitate to shout, “Steve Smith!” then yelled “David Warner!” was his number two, showing Sandpaper-gate hasn’t scandalised every young cricket fan.The Anderson family’s drive was made all the more worthwhile as Smith looked in vintage form while making 63 off 44 balls, his best score since Sandpaper gate. He clubbed five fours and three sixes in his knock, with the pick of the lot a wristy scoop over point for six off Russell’s bowling in the 18th over.Smith lost his wicket in equally eye-catching fashion, his backswing knocking the bails off to be hit-wicket while his shot found its way into the hands of Rovman Powell at long-on.Double, double, toil and troubleTridents fielding was abysmal with Ashley Nurse and Raymon Reifer dropping two catches each. Nurse was his own worst enemy in the sixth over after he couldn’t hang onto a firm drive from Charles, who was on 28 at the time and eventually went on to make 42. Worse was to come in the 12th and 13th overs when Reifer and Nurse dropped three chances in the space of eight balls.Smith had just taken two wickets in his previous over – Charles caught by Martin Guptill at deep midwicket and Phillips on a dubious caught behind decision for 36 – when Kennar Lewis, on 2 off 7 balls at the time, skied a slog between Guptill and Reifer at long-on. Guptill was approaching in position to take the catch but was waved off by Reifer, who then got his hands into an awkward position and parried the ball over the rope.Early in the next over, Lewis was on 9 when he sliced a delivery from Mohammad Irfan towards the third man boundary but Reifer was slow to react, his last-ditch dive not enough to convert the chance. Lewis took two runs off the drop, then skied a drive off the next delivery toward Nurse at long-on, who fumbled it so badly it went for six. Fourteen runs came off those three balls, but Lewis’ luck ran out soon after with Irfan having him caught behind.Reifer’s redemptionTallawahs had plenty of wickets in hand, but were not exactly coasting to victory as 29 from 18 become 20 from 12 with Taylor and Miller at the crease. Tridents had a golden chance to break the stand in the 19th over when Miller, on 20, top-edged a pull off Wahab Riaz to Shai Hope running in from deep midwicket. Hope was there in plenty of time, but shelled a simple chance.Nine runs were needed off the final over and Reifer was given the ball rather than captain Jason Holder keeping it for himself. The decision was justified as the left-arm quick kept nailing his yorkers and denying the Tallawahs. Russell, their leader and one of the best finishers in T20 cricket, could only watch from beyond the boundary.

Moeen Ali ended India’s spirited pursuit of a victory target of 245 with a series-sealing display of patient, probing offspin.

The Report by Andrew Miller02-Sep-2018
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsMoeen Ali was England’s star turn on another gripping day of Test cricket at the Ageas Bowl, as he ended India’s spirited pursuit of a victory target of 245 with a series-sealing display of patient, probing offspin.Bowling with renewed confidence after his first-innings five-wicket haul, and with a juicy dinner-plate of rough to aim outside the right-hander’s off-stump, Moeen finished with match figures of 9 for 134, having effectively sealed the contest either side of the tea interval.Bowling significantly slower than his India counterpart, R Ashwin, who had been so notably ineffective on day three, Moeen was able to find more purchase off the pitch as a result, even though it took him until the 17th over of a previously luckless day’s work before his rewards started to come in a torrent.First, he broke India’s determined fourth-wicket stand of 101 with the massive scalp of Virat Kohli for 58. Then, five overs later, he added Kohli’s steadfast partner, Ajinkya Rahane, for 51. By then, he had also out-thought Rishabh Pant, caught in the deep for a cameo 18 from 12, as India slumped from a threatening 123 for 3 to 184 all out.The end of India’s challenge came in a jubilant rush for England – Ben Stokes cemented his side’s post-tea dominance by removing the dangerous Hardik Pandya with his third ball after the break, before extracting a less-than-convincing lbw against Ishant Sharma to send India’s birthday boy on his way, also for a duck.Four years ago on this very same ground, Moeen had sealed England’s restorative victory over India with second-innings figures of 6 for 67. Today he went one better for the match when Mohammad Shami smoked him to James Anderson at long-on, and though Ashwin and Jasprit Bumrah made England wait for their glory in a long-handled alliance of 21, the contest was fittingly sealed by the young gun, Sam Curran, whose batting in both innings had been so vital to England’s hopes. Ashwin wandered across his stumps and was sent on his way lbw for 25.Like Ishant’s dismissal, Ashwin’s was shown on replay to have been missing leg stump, but India by then had burnt through their reviews – one of them used rather imperiously by Kohli himself, who had been caught at short leg by Alastair Cook after Moeen had clearly snagged his glove with another tweaker on off stump.Moeen Ali has Virat Kohli caught at short-leg•Getty ImagesIt was the pivotal moment of the day, but England by that stage had been seriously aggrieved by a key let-off for Kohli early in his stay. On 9, he had once again propped forward to Moeen and was thumped on the front pad for a vociferous appeal. England lost their subsequent review, however, when the third umpire Joel Wilson deemed Kohli to have got an inside edge on his shot. England’s collective reaction to the big screen told its own story.Almost before the dust had settled on that moment, Kohli persuaded England to burn their second review when, on 15, he was pinned on the back leg by a massive offbreak from Moeen that kept low as well. Umpire Dharmasena, to his credit, immediately shook his head, recognising that Kohli had set himself up outside off stump to negate that very dismissal. Sure enough, replays showed he had been struck outside the line, and as Rahane rose through his own gears to match his captain’s inevitable levels, India began to believe.They were forced to find their belief in the wake of another top-order failure, however. Though England’s second innings had been sawn off for the addition of 11 runs inside the first five overs, with Stuart Broad falling to the first ball of the day before Curran was run out for 46 while trying to farm the strike, their senior bowlers responded to that disappointing preamble by striking hard and early with the new ball.Broad, bowling with predatory intent once again, sent shudders through India’s dressing room by torpedoing KL Rahul with an off-stump grubber in his second over, having showcased the pitch’s increasingly variable bounce with two high-kicking snorters in quick succession. James Anderson then found more sharp movement off the seam to dislodge the rock of India’s first innings, Cheteshwar Pujara, for 5, and having troubled Shikhar Dhawan with a brace of lbw appeals that might have clipped leg stump, soon added India’s remaining opener for 17 via a thick outside edge to gully. At 22 for 3, India were in the soup.Kohli, however, was not about to let his resolve crumble with a shot at a series-levelling victory in his sights. Unusually in this series, his initial duel with Anderson was short-lived, as England turned quickly to the spin of Moeen (and latterly Adil Rashid, who bowled tidily for seven overs but never quite posed the same questions as his offspinning sidekick).But that inevitable battle was rejoined in the 38th over, when Anderson returned to the fray and immediately started extracting some skilful reverse swing from the dry and now abrasive deck. Kohli was beaten on a handful of occasions as the ball exploded outside off, but latched onto a rare leg-stump half-volley to bring up his fifty from 114 balls, and continue a stunning personal series in which he has now gone past 500 runs, with a fifth Test still to come.Rahane, at the other end, briefly got the better of Moeen, sending him into a mid-spell lull by stretching confidently forward to smother his wiles. But England, to their credit, never stopped believing that the rewards for their endeavours would come, and one ball after Cook had dropped a tough chance off Kohli at short leg, he clung onto the one that counted, to prise the opening, at 123 for 4 – the precise halfway mark of the chase – that England needed. The rest was not exactly a formality, but the belief in India’s ranks had visibly drained.”England were braver in tough situations than us,” admitted Kohli in the post-match presentations. India’s captain himself was unbowed after a stellar personal summer, but he will know that this series – much like the South Africa tour earlier in the year – represents a massive opportunity squandered by his world No.1 team.

Chelsea were beaten 2-0 at home by Brentford in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon, so which players at Stamford Bridge should be fearing for their place under Mauricio Pochettino?

Chelsea 0-2 Brentford

Chelsea hosted the Bees in a west London derby on Saturday lunchtime, looking to continue their improved recent form. Granted, the manner of the 2-2 draw at home to Arsenal last weekend was disappointing, but there have still been reasons for positivity until now.

Ethan Pinnock's second-half header proved to be the difference between the two sides, in what was a damaging loss for Pochettino's men, with Bryan Mbeumo providing an assist for the opener and a late goal after Robert Sanchez went forward for a corner. Here's how we rated each Chelsea player against Brentford as they suffered a grim home defeat…

Chelsea Player Ratings

GK: Robert Sanchez – 6/10

After a big error against Arsenal last weekend, Sanchez enjoyed a more boring day at the office, as Chelsea dominated for much of proceedings. He could do nothing about Pinnock's goal and made a great one-on-one save in stoppage time.

RB: Axel Disasi – 4/10

Disasi was used slightly out of position at right-back, and while he didn't always look like a natural down the right flank, he showed plenty of effort, albeit without much end product. Was caught napping for the goal, though, switching off at the back post as Pinnock made it 1-0.

CB: Thiago Silva – 5/10

Now 39 years of age, Silva continues to cruise through many games as if he is about ten years younger. Like most of the defenders, the Brazilian was largely untroubled for large chunks by an ineffective Bees attack, yet he has to take some blame for the second-half capitulation.

CB: Levi Colwill – 7/10

Having often been at left-back this season, Colwill was in his preferred central role and he did well alongside Thiago Silva. The young Englishman was a cultured presence a lot of the time, but Brentford grew in stature after the break and he looked more susceptible.

LB: Marc Cucurella – 6/10

Cucurella was a solid performer at left-back, as he looks to rebuild his Chelsea career after a disappointing start to it last season. He offered some forward running down the wing, but ultimately he didn't have a big enough impact in the final third.

CM: Moises Caicedo – 5/10

After a poor start to life at Chelsea, Caicedo has been undoubtedly growing as a player, but this was a forgettable outing next to Conor Gallagher. The Ecuadorian was neat and tidy, but more was needed from him as Chelsea searched for an equaliser.

CM: Conor Gallagher – 6/10

Gallagher has benefited from an extended run in the team, and he cut a confident figure on Saturday, using the ball well and covering plenty of ground. Like so many, as Chelsea got worse, so did he, but his effort levels never waned.

RW: Noni Madueke – 6/10

Madueke was a threat from the right wing all afternoon, curling one wonderful effort off the crossbar in the first half, and always looking dangerous cutting inside. A little one-dimensional, however, and while he completed 97% of his passes (Chelsea 0-2 Brentford statistics), he only won one out of six ground duels.

AM: Cole Palmer – 7/10

Playing centrally as a No.10, Palmer was bright for large periods, always looking likely to make things happen with his left foot. Missed a wonderful chance to equalise in stoppage time, however, prior to Mbeumo making it 2-0.

LW: Raheem Sterling – 5/10

Sterling has shown some promising form so far this season, but his final ball was really disappointing here, with too many passes and crosses not finding their man. Always a threat with his pace and movement, but far from a vintage outing.

ST: Nicolas Jackson – 4/10

Jackson led the line with his usual hustle and bustle but didn't manage to offer a huge amount, curling harmlessly wide before the break. He's not really an out and out lone number nine, and it shows, with no shots on target in the match.

Substitutes

Reece James (67' for Disasi) – 5/10

Looked rusty and couldn't have his usual influence.

Ian Maatsen (67' for Madueke) – 4/10

Failed to affect the game in a positive manner.

Lesley Ugochukwu (81' for Caicedo), Deivid Washington (81' for Cucurella) – N/A

Manager

Mauricio Pochettino – 5/10

After the disappointment of blowing a 2-0 lead at home to Arsenal last time around, Pochettino failed to get a good performance out of his team against Brentford.

His decision to play Palmer centrally was shrewd, with the 4-2-3-1 largely working well at times, but the manner in which the display went downhill is a concern. The jury is well and truly still out, as he seems incapcable of switching things up when his side run out of ideas.

Lancashire have accused Somerset of producing a pitch that was “below average verging on poor” after 22 wickets fell on the first day of their Championship match at Taunton.Questions about the quality of the surface could leave Somerset open to a points penalty, as it is less than 12 months since they were reprimanded by the ECB for producing a “below average” pitch for their final game of the 2017 season. With Somerset second in Division One and attempting to keep pace with leaders Surrey, any deduction would likely have an impact on the title race.The result at Taunton could also have repercussions at the other end of the table. Lancashire went into the match in fifth, but only nine points ahead of bottom-placed Worcestershire, having played a game more.Although Paul Allott, Lancashire’s director of cricket, admitted that there had been “indifferent batting” on both sides, he referred directly to ECB regulations when interviewed on BBC Radio Lancashire. Having asked for and won a toss, Lancashire chose to bat only to be dismissed for 99, left-arm spinner Jack Leach taking 5 for 28; Somerset were then bowled out for 192, and Lancashire lost two more wickets before the close, both to Leach.”It’s the beginning of day two, so the game is still fully in progress,” Allott said. “And I’d just like to start by quoting the ECB pitch regulations.”The precursor to these is quite clear, it says for the purpose of maintaining the highest standard of pitches in all matches, the relevant provision is the following: ‘Each county shall actively seek to prepare the best quality cricket pitch that it can for the match that it is staging.’ And I firmly believe that that is not the best possible pitch that could have been prepared for this game”It’s disappointing because obviously the situation for both teams is an intriguing one, it’s hugely important for Somerset and for Lancashire. Somerset looking to put pressure on the leaders and try and win the County Championship and Lancashire obviously in a dogfight to avoid relegation.”I will say that yesterday even though 22 wickets fell there was some indifferent batting and that Somerset overall edged us in performance. But to be perfectly honest that pitch is below average verging on poor in my view. It looks like a fifth day Test match pitch, it’s worn, it’s pitted and there are some areas in it that are hugely conducive for spin bowling.”Paul Allott, Lancashire’s director of cricket, discusses the Taunton pitch with Cricket Liaison Officer Dean Cosker•Getty Images

After the first day, Jason Kerr, Somerset’s head coach, said he was not worried about a pitch penalty and suggested many of the wickets had gone down as a result of “very bad cricket”. He added: “I have not spoken to the Cricket Liaison Officer and probably won’t do so until the end of the game, but I don’t foresee a problem.”Any decision about the state of the pitch will rest with Dean Cosker, the former Glamorgan spinner who is the CLO present at Taunton, after discussion with the standing umpires, Paul Baldwin and Jeremy Lloyds.However, the threat of a penalty hangs over Somerset, after they were marked down for the pitch provided for their match against Middlesex last year – a relegation decider in which Somerset’s 231-run victory helped preserve Division One status by a single point.”I’ve no issue with what Jason Kerr says, it’s not my prerogative to agree or disagree with him,” Allott said. “All I can say is that in my view that pitch is not the best that could have been prepared and it’s disappointing to come all this way down to Taunton and be confronted with those conditions in such an important game.”

Things are on the up for Arsenal, as Mikel Arteta has his sights set on securing the club their first Premier League title since 2004 after falling short last season.

The Spaniard has unearthed the next generation of heroes at the Emirates, nurturing his young squad to become some of the best on show in Europe with Champions League football restored.

Returning to the class of Europe’s elite was a high point for the Gunners in the 2022/23 campaign, however the vast signs of progression within the team were overcast by missing out on the league title by five points.

All in all, Arsenal have taken a turn for the better after a testing few years at the club, where players have come and gone without hitting the heights that have been met by Arteta’s stars of today.

The north Londoners underwent a spell of mediocrity by their standards, highlighted by their change in the trajectory of activity in the transfer market, with Arsenal now looking like the place to be rather than a place to end up.

There were many transfers that epitomised the lack of pull at times at the Emirates, with one notably being an absolute fail as Arsenal hoped to make one club's trash their treasure.

When did Arsenal sign Petr Cech?

In the summer of 2015, it was announced that Arsenal had agreed a deal to sign Chelsea legend Petr Cech from the Blues.

The goalkeeper, who signed at 33 years old, had spent 11 years at Stamford Bridge and had won most domestic accolades available during his tenure.

It wasn’t the first time that the Blues had exchanged business with Arsenal, as Cech joined a host of players that had made the move from west to north London, a list that now sits at eight players long.

Players that have directly moved from Chelsea to Arsenal
William Gallas	2006
Lassana Diarra	2007
Yossi Benayoun	2011
Petr Cech	2015
David Luiz	2019
Willian	2020
Jorginho	2023
Kai Havertz	2023

From the Champions League to four Premier League titles, Cech arrived at Arsenal as one of the most decorated players in England, but his £10m arrival was a sign of the difference in outlook between the Blues and the Gunners.

The 6 foot 5 shot stopper had run his course at the Bridge, and his time was up as Chelsea saw Thibaut Courtois as their number one, handing their rivals their leftovers to attempt to make something good from it.

How good was Petr Cech?

Having secured 494 appearances for the west Londoners, the Czech Republic international had managed to keep a phenomenal 228 clean sheets throughout his time with the Blues.

Cech conceded just 393 goals during his 11 seasons at the club, an impeccable feat for a goalkeeper who was consistently regarded as one of the best in Europe, supported by his four Golden Glove wins in the Premier League.

The consistency of Cech’s level of performance was made even more remarkable by the fact his career was almost cut short in 2006, suffering an injury that could have cost more than his time as a player.

In a match up against Reading, the legendary shot-stopped was involved in a costly collision, seeing him suffer a life-threatening skull fracture, which resulted in him having two metal plates fitted into his skull during emergency surgery.

Three months later, the keeper returned to training sporting a protective skull cap that became a trademark in the Premier League and a badge of bravery and resilience to continue playing the sport.

From his heroics at the 2012 Champions League final, handing Chelsea their first win of the prestigious prize, to his impeccable reliability between the sticks for over a decade, Cech was wished well as he endeavoured on a new challenge in north London.

While the 124-cap international will forever be remembered as one of the best to play in the Premier League, his time at Arsenal was far from the glitz and glamour of his time at Stamford Bridge.

How did Petr Cech perform at Arsenal?

Arsenal were aware that they’d signed a Chelsea veteran in 33-year-old Cech, however the limited version of the goalkeeper they had purchased was a shell of the colossus that charmed the Blues.

To put into perspective just how poor the Premier League legend’s time was in north London, he kept just 54 clean sheets in 139 appearances for the Gunners, conceding 158 goals in that time.

Considering that Cech had conceded 101 goals fewer than his total number of appearances for Chelsea, it was new territory for him to be so exposed between the posts, as Arsenal quickly realised they hadn’t signed the hero that had previously been on show in England.

Petr Cech's career record at Arsenal and Chelsea
	Arsenal	Chelsea
Appearances	139	494
Clean Sheets	54	228
Goals conceded	158	393
Figures via Transfermarkt

In a wider perspective, prior to his move to the Emirates, the most goals the keeper had conceded in a Premier League season was the 39 he let in during the 2011/12 campaign.

His worst record was quickly updated in north London, as he saw 48 goals go past him in the 2017/18 campaign at the Emirates, signalling the drop off in his game and the challenges he was presented with in Arsene Wenger’s side.

Once described as being “terrible with his feet” and even “worse with his hands” by media network Men in Blazers, Cech’s reputation at Arsenal was far from his at Chelsea as it became increasingly obvious that the keeper was nearing expiration.

On the back of his high-conceding tally in 2017/18, the shot-stopper – who was also dubbed "terrible" at one stage by journalist Phil McNulty – fell down the pecking order to Bernd Leno, who was signed in the summer of 2018, all but confirming the end of his playing career.

In 2019, Cech retired from football, and returned to west London to be named Chelsea’s Technical and Performance Advisor, with his heart firmly at Stamford Bridge after his woeful spell at Arsenal.

How much did Petr Cech cost Arsenal?

Despite arriving at the Emirates past his prime, the Gunners handed the then 33-year-old a salary that matched the one he’d received at Chelsea.

Picking up £100k-per-week during his first two seasons at Arsenal, his salary was boosted to £110k-per-week in his final two campaigns, taking his total earnings in north London to almost £22m, via Capology.

What is Petr Cech doing now?

Cech’s time as Technical and Performance Advisor ended in 2022, as the scene higher up at the club changed dramatically when Todd Boehly took the hot seat.

After dedicating his life to sport, it wasn’t an option for the goalkeeper to hang up his boots to adhere to his business duties, as he instead opted to pick up his skates and play ice hockey.

In 2019, Cech joined division two NIHL side Guildford Phoenix, where he assumed the role of goaltender and subsequently added to his career accolades by winning the treble with the Phoenix in 2021/22.

This summer, the 41-year-old joined Oxford City Stars, where he was this month commended for his performances and handed man of the match for making 62 saves from 64 shots in a game, via the Daily Mail.

From Premier League hero, to Arsenal zero, to ice hockey sensation, Cech has lived the highest of highs in his sporting career, with plenty of time for the decorated shot-stopper to widen his achievements on the ice.

Things are on the up for Arsenal, as Mikel Arteta has his sights set on securing the club their first Premier League title since 2004 after falling short last season.

The Spaniard has unearthed the next generation of heroes at the Emirates, nurturing his young squad to become some of the best on show in Europe with Champions League football restored.

Returning to the class of Europe’s elite was a high point for the Gunners in the 2022/23 campaign, however the vast signs of progression within the team were overcast by missing out on the league title by five points.

All in all, Arsenal have taken a turn for the better after a testing few years at the club, where players have come and gone without hitting the heights that have been met by Arteta’s stars of today.

The north Londoners underwent a spell of mediocrity by their standards, highlighted by their change in the trajectory of activity in the transfer market, with Arsenal now looking like the place to be rather than a place to end up.

There were many transfers that epitomised the lack of pull at times at the Emirates, with one notably being an absolute fail as Arsenal hoped to make one club's trash their treasure.

When did Arsenal sign Petr Cech?

In the summer of 2015, it was announced that Arsenal had agreed a deal to sign Chelsea legend Petr Cech from the Blues.

The goalkeeper, who signed at 33 years old, had spent 11 years at Stamford Bridge and had won most domestic accolades available during his tenure.

It wasn’t the first time that the Blues had exchanged business with Arsenal, as Cech joined a host of players that had made the move from west to north London, a list that now sits at eight players long.

Players that have directly moved from Chelsea to Arsenal

William Gallas

2006

Lassana Diarra

2007

Yossi Benayoun

2011

Petr Cech

2015

David Luiz

2019

Willian

2020

Jorginho

2023

Kai Havertz

2023

From the Champions League to four Premier League titles, Cech arrived at Arsenal as one of the most decorated players in England, but his £10m arrival was a sign of the difference in outlook between the Blues and the Gunners.

The 6 foot 5 shot stopper had run his course at the Bridge, and his time was up as Chelsea saw Thibaut Courtois as their number one, handing their rivals their leftovers to attempt to make something good from it.

How good was Petr Cech?

Having secured 494 appearances for the west Londoners, the Czech Republic international had managed to keep a phenomenal 228 clean sheets throughout his time with the Blues.

Cech conceded just 393 goals during his 11 seasons at the club, an impeccable feat for a goalkeeper who was consistently regarded as one of the best in Europe, supported by his four Golden Glove wins in the Premier League.

The consistency of Cech’s level of performance was made even more remarkable by the fact his career was almost cut short in 2006, suffering an injury that could have cost more than his time as a player.

In a match up against Reading, the legendary shot-stopped was involved in a costly collision, seeing him suffer a life-threatening skull fracture, which resulted in him having two metal plates fitted into his skull during emergency surgery.

Three months later, the keeper returned to training sporting a protective skull cap that became a trademark in the Premier League and a badge of bravery and resilience to continue playing the sport.

From his heroics at the 2012 Champions League final, handing Chelsea their first win of the prestigious prize, to his impeccable reliability between the sticks for over a decade, Cech was wished well as he endeavoured on a new challenge in north London.

While the 124-cap international will forever be remembered as one of the best to play in the Premier League, his time at Arsenal was far from the glitz and glamour of his time at Stamford Bridge.

How did Petr Cech perform at Arsenal?

Arsenal were aware that they’d signed a Chelsea veteran in 33-year-old Cech, however the limited version of the goalkeeper they had purchased was a shell of the colossus that charmed the Blues.

To put into perspective just how poor the Premier League legend’s time was in north London, he kept just 54 clean sheets in 139 appearances for the Gunners, conceding 158 goals in that time.

Considering that Cech had conceded 101 goals fewer than his total number of appearances for Chelsea, it was new territory for him to be so exposed between the posts, as Arsenal quickly realised they hadn’t signed the hero that had previously been on show in England.

Petr Cech's career record at Arsenal and Chelsea

Arsenal

Chelsea

Appearances

139

494

Clean Sheets

54

228

Goals conceded

158

393

Figures via Transfermarkt

In a wider perspective, prior to his move to the Emirates, the most goals the keeper had conceded in a Premier League season was the 39 he let in during the 2011/12 campaign.

His worst record was quickly updated in north London, as he saw 48 goals go past him in the 2017/18 campaign at the Emirates, signalling the drop off in his game and the challenges he was presented with in Arsene Wenger’s side.

Once described as being “terrible with his feet” and even “worse with his hands” by media network Men in Blazers, Cech’s reputation at Arsenal was far from his at Chelsea as it became increasingly obvious that the keeper was nearing expiration.

On the back of his high-conceding tally in 2017/18, the shot-stopper – who was also dubbed "terrible" at one stage by journalist Phil McNulty – fell down the pecking order to Bernd Leno, who was signed in the summer of 2018, all but confirming the end of his playing career.

In 2019, Cech retired from football, and returned to west London to be named Chelsea’s Technical and Performance Advisor, with his heart firmly at Stamford Bridge after his woeful spell at Arsenal.

How much did Petr Cech cost Arsenal?

Despite arriving at the Emirates past his prime, the Gunners handed the then 33-year-old a salary that matched the one he’d received at Chelsea.

Picking up £100k-per-week during his first two seasons at Arsenal, his salary was boosted to £110k-per-week in his final two campaigns, taking his total earnings in north London to almost £22m, via Capology.

What is Petr Cech doing now?

Cech’s time as Technical and Performance Advisor ended in 2022, as the scene higher up at the club changed dramatically when Todd Boehly took the hot seat.

After dedicating his life to sport, it wasn’t an option for the goalkeeper to hang up his boots to adhere to his business duties, as he instead opted to pick up his skates and play ice hockey.

In 2019, Cech joined division two NIHL side Guildford Phoenix, where he assumed the role of goaltender and subsequently added to his career accolades by winning the treble with the Phoenix in 2021/22.

This summer, the 41-year-old joined Oxford City Stars, where he was this month commended for his performances and handed man of the match for making 62 saves from 64 shots in a game, via the Daily Mail.

From Premier League hero, to Arsenal zero, to ice hockey sensation, Cech has lived the highest of highs in his sporting career, with plenty of time for the decorated shot-stopper to widen his achievements on the ice.

أكد محمد جمال، عضو مجلس إدارة الإسماعيلي، أن النادي لن يتخلى عن نجمه الموهوب عمر الساعي بسهولة، إلا في حال تلقي عرض ضخم لا يمكن رفضه.

وأوضح جمال في تصريحات عبر قناة “أون تايم سبورت”: “عمر الساعي نجم كبير ومن أهم لاعبي مصر، وحزنا بسبب عدم انضمامه للمنتخب الأولمبي، ولكن الفريق يحتاج له”.

وأضاف: “النادي تلقى اتصالات شفهية من أندية مصرية وأخرى خارجية مهتمة بضم اللاعب، لكنه لن يرحل إلا بمقابل مادي ضخم يتناسب مع قيمته الفنية”.

طالع أيضًا | الإسماعيلي يٌعلن خوض مباراة ودية أمام الاتفاق السعودي

وتابع: “الإسماعيلي حدد 2 مليون دولار كحد أدنى لبيع عمر الساعي، مُبررًا ذلك بكونه مهاجمًا وبالتالي قيمته السوقية أعلى من اللاعب المدافع مثل إياد العسقلاني الذي رحل مؤخرًا مقابل 1.5 مليون دولار.

وأشار جمال إلى أن قرار البيع النهائي مرهون بموافقة الجهاز الفني، مؤكدًا أن النادي “لن يبيع عمر الساعي إلا إذا وصل له عرض لا يُمكن رفضه”.

ويحتل الإسماعيلي المركز الرابع عشر في جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري الممتاز برصيد 31 نقطة، حضل عليها من 30 مباراة، بواقع 7 فوز و10 تعادلات و13 هزيمة.

Liverpool have shrugged off the malaise of the 2022/23 campaign, but it's perhaps understandable that there are some residual problems despite the successful midfield rebuild.

Such issues were evidenced in bleak light at Kenilworth Road last weekend, where newly-promoted Luton Town stifled the Reds with a dogged, resilient display, with Luis Diaz's emotional late equaliser salvaging a point that was perhaps not quite deserved.

Nonetheless, Liverpool claimed a point on the road and advanced to third place in the Premier League following Arsenal's defeat against Newcastle United – should Tottenham Hotspur fail to beat Chelsea, Jurgen Klopp's side will be just three points off the peak.

The priority will be securing defensive reinforcements to the backline and midfield, strengthening the squad and establishing balance.

However, such needs have not stopped Florian Wirtz's name from entering transfer speculation, with the talented Germany international potentially unlocking a new level of the Reds' frontline.

Liverpool transfer news

According to the Star – via the Daily Mail – Liverpool have identified Wirtz as a potential successor to Mohamed Salah's role as the Anfield side's all-conquering forward force.

Valued at around £80m, European juggernauts such as Chelsea, Manchester City and Bayern Munich are also hoping to secure the Bayer Leverkusen prodigy's signature, but Klopp hopes to use his contacts in his homeland (and Liverpool's link to Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso) to seal the deal.

Manchester United, while keen admirers of the dynamic star, are reportedly out of the running given the circumstances surrounding the club, which could pave the way for Liverpool to enter formal negotiations in 2024.

Florian Wirtz's style of play

Described as an "elite talent" by informed scout Jacek Kulig, Wirtz is blooming into quite the player and has been at the heart of his German side's resounding start to the season, who top the Bundesliga table after ten matches, two points ahead of Bayern Munich.

The 12-cap star has scored 29 goals and supplied 39 assists from 118 senior appearances for his outfit, though his remarkable start to life on the senior stage took a big, bruising blow after an ACL injury two years ago.

The £42k-per-week ace rebounded from his injury with an impressive reintegration last season, however, clinching four goals and four assists from just 19 starts across all competitions.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Key passes

Aerial duels

Dribbling

Passing

Through balls

Ball retention

*Sourced via WhoScored

As per FBref, the 20-year-old ranks among the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists and attempted passes, the top 3% for shot-creating actions and progressive passes and the top 4% for successful take-ons per 90.

These metrics encapsulate the scope of Wirtz's ability, really highlighting just how effective he is in attacking sequences, belying his age and the shocking injury that could have tainted his development.

While his supplementation has been noted, Wirtz is also growing into a clinical presence, and though his nine assists from 15 matches are breathtaking numbers for one so young, he has also scored six goals, having unleashed two shots per game in the Bundesliga.

Liverpool's interest might come as a surprise to some given the importance of signing a sturdy anchor for the midfield and adding to a backline that clearly needs buttressing, but Klopp is seemingly enamoured by his prodigious countryman, and will monitor his progress regardless.

His versatility is evidently a factor, basically capable of impressing across the park; deep-lying midfield, destructive wideman, dynamic centre-forward, Wirtz has the whole gamut and could prove to be Klopp's very own Heung-min Son, who he has drawn comparisons to.

How Florian Wirtz compares to Heung-min Son

It's hard to believe that one so talented and effective in their craft is still in the embryonic stage of their career, but Wirtz's rise speaks volumes of his skill set and ability to cement a spot at the very forefront of the game.

Son has recently been playing – very well – centrally, but has typically been utilised on the left wing since signing for Tottenham from, as it happens, Bayer Leverkusen in a £22m transfer in 2015, having now posted 153 goals and 81 assists across 383 outings for the London club.

#

Player

Club

1

Dejan Kuusevski

Tottenham

2

Heung-min Son

Tottenham

3

James Maddison

Tottenham

4

Bryan Mbeumo

Brentford

5

Marco Reus

Borussia Dortmund

*Sourced via Football Transfers

As the table delineates, Wirtz is both an incisive forward and a seamless, prolific creator, and seems to be something of a hybrid between Son and James Maddison of Tottenham Hotspur, with Dejan Kulusevski also likened.

Spurs' deadly attacking duo, Maddison and Son play rather different roles in Postecoglou's system, with the former serving as the chief playmaker in the centre of the park, and doing so with aplomb, while the South Korean menace wreaks havoc in the final third.

Indeed, following Harry Kane's sale to Bayern Munich in the summer, there were perhaps a few arched eyebrows after Postecoglou opted not to replace the club's record scorer with an established, first-class finisher.

Why? Tottenham already wielded one of the finest strikers in the Premier League, and since Son's shift into the centre-forward role this term, he has plundered eight goals from seven matches, illustrating his prowess at the focal point.

Wirtz might thrive in a No. 10 kind of role, picking passes and dragging defenders around like a lion toying with fatigued prey, but he has often been deployed on the left flank and has more recently been utilised in a striking role, playing off the striker.

Described as an "extraordinary player" by sporting director Simon Rolfes, Wirtz is indisputably one of the most exciting offensive talents in Europe right now, and has indeed found success in his finishing ability, chance creation and silky motions through the half-spaces.

Should Liverpool get their hands on him, he could play a role on the left side of the attack and could even fill in as the central spearhead.

The first port of call for Klopp's transfer team might be to shore up the defensive side of the squad, but in the long-term, there are few attacking outlets of greater potential that could wreak havoc in the final third than Wirtz, and if an opportunity arises, he simply must be signed.

نجح فريق الكرة الأول بنادي الزمالك في تسجيل الهدف الرابع بشباك نظيره بروكسي في المباراة الجارية بينهما الأن، لتصبح النتيجة 4-2.

ويواجه الزمالك نظيره بروكسي على أرضية استاد القاهرة، في إطار منافسات دور الـ32 من بطولة كأس مصر.

وأحرز هدف الزمالك الرابع، عبد الله السعيد في الدقيقة 81 من عمر اللقاء عن طريق ركلة جزاء نجح في تنفيذها.

وكان الزمالك قد تقدم بثلاثة أهداف في الـ8 دقائق الأولى من وقت المباراة عن طريق مهاب ياسر ويوسف أوباما وناصر ماهر.

ثم أحرز هدف بروكسي الأول، حسام عادل في الدقيقة التاسعة عشر من عمر اللقاء عن طريق ركلة جزاء نجح في تنفيذها.

ثم أضاف أدهم عبد الله الهدف الثاني في الدقيقة 22 من عمر اللقاء بتصويبة أكثر من رائعة من خارج منطقة الجزاء.

فيديو | في 6 دقائق.. الزمالك يسجل 3 أهداف أمام بروكسي في كأس مصر

ويرغب جوزيه جوميز المدير الفني للزمالك ولاعبيه في تحقيق فوز كبير أمام بروكسي من أجل مصالحة الجماهير البيضاء بعد التعادل السلبي الأخير أمام بلدية المحلة بالدوري المصري.

وفي المقابل يأمل فريق بروكسي في تحقيق المفاجأة وتخطي عقب الزمالك والتأهل إلى دور الـ16 في إنجاز تاريخي.

ويلتقي الفائز من مباراة الزمالك أمام بروكسي مع فريق طلائع الجيش في إطار لقاءات دور الـ16 لـ كأس مصر. هدف الزمالك الرابع أمام بروكسي

Leeds United have enjoyed an impressive start to life back in the Championship this season under German head coach Daniel Farke, who replaced Sam Allardyce over the summer.

The Whites were relegated from the Premier League, after three years at the top table of English football, earlier this year and are now looking to bounce straight back up.

They are currently sitting in third place in the division and have only lost three of their opening 14 matches as the new manager has been able to get the feel-good factor back at Elland Road.

The summer transfer window was crucial for the Yorkshire-based outfit as they were able to bring in a host of fresh recruits to revitalise the squad.

Joel Piroe, Jaidon Anthony, Karl Darlow, Ethan Ampadu, Glen Kamara Ilia Gruev, Sam Byram, Joe Rodon, and Djed Spence were all brought in, either on loan or permanently.

However, if reports are to be believed, Leeds are already looking at ways to improve their group of players when the January transfer window opens for business.

Leeds transfer news – Jhon Arias

TEAMtalk have reported that the Whites are one of a number of clubs showing an interest in Fluminense forward Jhon Arias with just under two months to go before the next window.

The outlet has claimed that Premier League sides Crystal Palace, Wolves, Leicester, Burnley, and West Ham have all sent scouts to watch the talented gem, alongside Leeds.

Scottish giants Glasgow Rangers and fellow Championship outfit Leicester City are also named among the teams eyeing a possible January move for the 26-year-old whiz.

This shows that Farke and Leeds look set to face significant competition for his signature as they may have to convince him to turn down top-flight clubs who could offer him Premier League football, as well as the Foxes – who are top of the second tier and 14 points clear of the Whites.

It is stated that his current contract with the Brazilian side is due to expire in 2026 but he could be available for a transfer at the start of next year. Although, there is no mention of how much it would cost to secure his services.

Leeds transfer news – Wilfried Gnonto

Amid the club's interest in Arias, there has been a fresh report on Wilfried Gnonto and clubs eyeing him up ahead of the January transfer window.

TEAMtalk have claimed that Serie A sides Lazio and Roma are two of the latest teams to consider a move to sign the talented teenager at the start of next year.

It states that Everton have also retained an interest in the Italy international, who is now valued at £25m, after they failed to snap him up over the summer.

Gnonto wants to play Premier League football and the outlet reports that he agreed a deal to join the Toffees before Leeds pulled the plug and opted against allowing him to move on.

The 19-year-old ace also went on strike in an attempt to force a transfer to Goodison Park but the Whites dug their heels in and were able to keep hold of the young gem.

However, the January window could provide the club with an opportunity to finally cash in on him after an underwhelming start to the season, and Arias could come in as a dream replacement for the ex-Inter prospect.

Gnonto's season in numbers

The drop down to the Championship provided Gnonto with a chance to hit his stride at Elland Road and showcase his quality on a consistent basis at a lower level, in comparison to the Premier League.

However, the versatile forward has not been able to do that as he has only contributed with one goal and one assist in eight league outings for the club this term – starting six of those games.

He has missed two 'big chances' in front of goal and has not created a single 'big chance' for his teammates in his time on the pitch so far this season.

This less-than-impressive form comes off the back of his return of two goals and four assists in 24 top-flight matches for the Whites throughout the 2022/23 campaign.

The Italian dynamo has not been able to provide goals and assists on a regular basis at Premier League or Championship level so far and Farke could improve his side in the present by cashing in on Gnonto and signing Arias.

The statistics that show why Arias could replace Gnonto

He is seven years older than the Leeds gem and is, therefore, more experienced and refined as a player, which means that there could be a greater short-term impact on the pitch, although the potential and room to improve may not be as big given the age gap.

Arias has the quality to provide goals and assists with regularity if he can translate his form in Brazil over to the Championship during the second half of this season.

Since the start of the 2022 campaign, the 26-year-old whiz has scored an impressive 12 goals and assisted 13 in 57 Serie A matches for Fluminense.

Statistic

Arias in the 2023 Serie A (via Sofascore)

Sofascore rating

7.08

Appearances

24

Goals

Five

Assists

Three

During the 2022 season, Arias contributed with seven goals, ten assists, and 15 'big chances' created in 31 league matches, alongside 2.2 key passes per match.

Only Georgino Rutter (2.5) and Crysencio Summerville (2.6) have created more chances per game in the Championship for Leeds this season than the Colombia international managed last year.

The Fluminense ace has showcased his creativity on a regular basis in Brazil and has proven himself to be a fantastic attacking option at that level.

He is also a versatile player, like Gnonto, who can operate in any position across the frontline. However, the left flank is where the talented hotshot has played the majority of his football to date.

This suggests that, from a positional perspective, Arias would be a dream replacement for the Italian teenager as he can be deployed in a variety of roles in attack to cover where needed.

His aforementioned statistics in comparison to Gnonto's form this season also indicate that the Leeds target could be an upgrade for Farke's team if the 5 foot 6 magician can hit the ground running in England, which is why this could be a fantastic piece of business by the club.