Former Glasgow Rangers player Alex Rae hammered John Lundstram following his performance in the Gers’ 1-0 defeat to Dundee United on Saturday.

The Lowdown: Gers suffer loss

Last term, the Gers went the entire Premiership campaign unbeaten (thefishy.co.uk). However, it took them just two matches this time around to lose their first game (Sky Sports).

The £6.3m-valued Lundstram (Transfermarkt) was selected in the starting line-up by Steven Gerrard, just as he was against Malmo in the first leg of the Gers’ third round Champions League qualifying tie – the Light Blues were on the losing side on both occasions.

The Latest: Rae slams Lundstram

Speaking on Clyde1 Superscoreboard (via Ibrox News), BT Sport pundit Rae was far from happy with the 27-year-old’s display on Saturday. He said:

“You look at Lundstram in the middle of the park, I am struggling to see what he is actually bringing at the moment.

“I have to take on board that like most players that come to a new club he is trying to get up to speed, but I don’t know what he is bringing to the park.

“Rangers need someone to go from middle to front so that they can get runners going in behind, because when you are playing against a team that have a low block, two banks that you have to break, you need to get runners going in behind and get them stretched to find those gaps.”

The Verdict: Dilemma for Gerrard

It has not been the best start to Lundstram’s career north of the border. Having signed on a free transfer from Sheffield United (rangers.co.uk), many believed that the midfielder’s arrival would provide a big boost to the 55-time Scottish champions. So far, though, he has looked off the pace and has struggled to deal with what is being asked of him, already finding himself shipping criticism not just from Rae, but from numerous Gers fans.

The second leg of that Malmo clash is on Tuesday – after losing the first leg 2-1, the Gers must win to give themselves a chance of progressing to the play-off round. After this latest showing against the Tangerines, Gerrard now has a dilemma as to whether to include Lundstram in the starting line-up for the match against the Swedish champions.

In other news, Rangers are ready to listen to offers for this 22-year-old.

According to a report by L’Equipe (via Sport Witness), West Ham United have now tabled an offer to sign Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma this summer.

The Lowdown: West Ham eyeing Zouma…

As per numerous reliable sources, West Ham have been in talks over signing Zouma for the last three weeks with many twists and turns to the story.

The Irons first entered negotiations back in late July according to Sky Sports as manager David Moyes seeks to strengthen his options in central defence.

When a move for Zouma became unlikely, fellow defensive target Nikola Milenkovic was prioritised, and at one stage, it looked almost certain he would become a West Ham player.

However, now that move has broken down, the Chelsea defender is back on West Ham priority’s list as their primary target – with L’Equipe bringing an update.

The Latest: Irons table offer…

As per the French news source (via Sport Witness), West Ham and GSB have now tabled a bid for the 26-year-old.

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Indeed, it is claimed the Hammers have ‘come forward with an offer’ of around £25 million to sign Zouma this summer, but there is also a suggestion that it didn’t do enough to sway Chelsea or the player himself.

Nevertheless, while personal terms also still haven’t been agreed, there is a belief that the Frenchman would be more tempted by the idea of joining West Ham than Sevilla.

The Verdict: Get it done…

It may be a difficult move to pull off financially judging by this update, but Zouma could well be worth the trouble as manager Moyes looks to seriously reinforce his options.

Only Craig Dawson, Issa Diop and Angelo Ogbonna present themselves as senior options as it stands and the 6 foot 3 powerhouse could add a totally different dimension.

Amassing a 90.9% pass accuracy out from the back last season, far more than any of West Ham’s current defensive crop (WhoScored), he has also been called ‘unbelievable’ by Chelsea legend John Terry.

He started 22 Premier League matches for the Blues last season and even managed five goals in that time, meaning he can also deliver at the other end on occasion.

Zouma would be the perfect defensive addition for West Ham, but with time running out, they will have to move quickly.

In other news: West Ham source: GSB ‘set sights on signing’ 6 foot 3 powerhouse, find out more here.

Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba will not be leaving Old Trafford over what remains of the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by Fabrizio Romano, with the journalist revealing in a post on Twitter that, despite reports suggesting otherwise, the Frenchman will not be leaving United this summer, and the central midfielder was never discussed as a potential makeweight in the club’s proposals to Juventus in their signing of Cristiano Ronaldo.

In his tweet, Romano said: “Paul Pogba is also staying and he’s never been involved in any proposal to Juventus.”

Further reports have claimed that Paris Saint-Germain have been considering a move for the 28-year-old, who has just one year remaining on his current contract at Old Trafford – with no agreement reached between the club and the player concerning a new deal at present.

Music to the ears of fans

While it would indeed appear something of a priority to ensure that Pogba does put pen to paper on a contract extension this season, as the possibility of the midfielder leaving the club for nothing next summer is currently a very real one, Romano’s claim that the France international will remain a United player beyond Tuesday’s transfer deadline is sure to be music to the ears of fans.

Indeed, since his return to Manchester back in 2016, the 28-year-old has consistently been one of the club’s most consistent performers in the Premier League, earning seasonal SofaScore match ratings of 7.66, 7.40, 7.21, 7.13 and 6.98 over the past five top-flight seasons respectively.

And, the £54m-rated man has already highly impressed over his two Premier League appearances for the Red Devils this term, having provided a whopping five assists and creating one big chance for his teammates, as well as taking an average of three shots and making three key passes per game.

These returns have seen the £290k-per-week midfielder average a SofaScore match rating of 7.55, ranking him as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s third-best performer in the league.

As such, it is evident that Pogba is a crucial component within the Manchester United side, who will undoubtedly play a key role in any success the club manage to achieve this season.

So, Romano’s claim that the Frenchman does not look likely to leave the club over what remains of the summer transfer window is sure to delight Solskjaer and fans of the club alike.

In other news: Man Utd make contact over £27m-rated “complete midfielder”, Ole would love him

Bowler attributes much of his success to Kolkata Knight Riders team-mates

Cricinfo staff09-Sep-2008Bengal fast bowler Ashok Dinda said he was surprised after being included in the 14-member Rest of India squad for the Irani Trophy.”I was quite surprised initially, but moments later I realised that I was approaching my childhood dream,” he told Kolkata-based daily the . “It feels nice when things are getting brighter with each passing day. I am happy and want to work harder to make this chance count.”Dinda, 24, said he was disappointed after failing to make it to the India A squad for the tri-series against Australia A and New Zealand A beginning September 16. “I know my performances weren’t that good recently. I was bit upset after being dropped from the India A ODI side. I am thankful and really excited that I have my chance now.”Dinda made his first-class debut for Bengal in the 2005-06 season and has 45 first-class wickets from 16 matches at an average of 39.15. But, he came to the fore with his impressive performance for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL where he picked up 9 wickets from 13 matches at 28.88.The fast bowler attributed much of his success to his Kolkata Knight Riders team-mates in the IPL. “Obviously their advice has changed my thinking altogether. After the IPL, I would like to point out that I am a more mature player.”

MatériaMais Notícias

O Santos iniciou a venda de ingressos para o confronto com o Sporting Cristal, que ocorrerá nesta terça-feira, às 21h45, na Vila Belmiro, pela última fase de grupos na Libertadores.

A venda para sócios das categorias Black, Gold e Silver iniciaram na manhã desta quinta-feira pelo portal Sócio Rei. Para os demais sócios as entradas serão comercializadas a partir da 0h desta quinta. A compra para acompanhante não será permitida ao sócio – tanto pelo site, quanto no acesso ao Estádio, batendo a carteirinha-.

Para os não associados a venda terá inicio neste sábado, às 11h00. Por conta do jogo contra o Coritiba as bilheterias da Vila Belmiro não disponibilizarão as entradas para a partida contra os peruanos. Por isso, a venda será realizada no Estádio Ulrico Mursa (Portuguesa Santista).

Confira os valores e os pontos de venda:
​
Arquibancadas Superiores (Portões 7/8 e 24): R$ 60 (a inteira) e R$ 30 (a meia)
Arquibancada Visitante (Portão 21): R$ 60,00 (a inteira e R$ 30,00 (a meia)
Cadeira Térrea Lateral (Portão 26): R$ 80 (a inteira) e R$ 40 (a meia)
Cadeira Coberta de Fundo (Portão 22): R$ 100 (a inteira) e R$ 50 (a meia)
Cadeira Coberta Lateral (Portão 25): indisponível para venda (setor será utilizado pela Conmebol, conforme contrato)

Postos de venda na Baixada Santista, em São Paulo e no ABC

Estádio Ulrico Mursa (Portuguesa Santista) – Av. Pinheiro Machado, 240 – Santos – Venda somente no sábado (20), das 11 às 17h00

Estádio Urbano Caldeira (Vila Belmiro) – Rua Princesa Isabel, s/ nº – Vila Belmiro – Santos/SP – Bilheteria principal (próxima ao Portão 6). Demais dias, das 10 às 18 horas.

Estádio Paulo Machado de Carvalho (Pacaembu): Praça Charles Miller s/n – São Paulo – Bilheteria principal (próxima do portão principal) – Das 11 às 17 horas.

Subsede do Santos FC/SP – Av. Indianópolis, 1.772 – Planalto Paulista – São Paulo – Tel.: (13) 3257-4000 / Ramal 5000 – Das 11 às 17 horas

Quiosque Compre Ingressos/Redegol (Santos) – Rua Euclides da Cunha, 21 – Loja 22 – Shopping Miramar – 2º Piso – Gonzaga – Segunda à sábado das 10 às 18 horas. Domingo das 15h às 19 horas.

Santos Store (São Paulo/Rua Augusta) – Rua Augusta, 1931 – Cerqueira Cesar – São Paulo/SP – Tel.: (11) 3064- 1574 / (11) 3064-1576 – Segunda à sábado, das 11 às 17 horas

Santos Store (São Paulo/Shopping Metrô Tatuapé – Rua Domingos Agostim, 91 – Tatuapé – São Paulo/SP – Tel.: (11) 2091-9227

Santos Store (São Bernardo do Campo/SP) – Shopping Metrópole – Praça Samuel, 200 – Loja LN 25 – Centro/SP – Tel.: (11) 4336-5757 – Segunda à sábado, das 10 às 18 horas

Santos Store (Guarulhos) – Internacional Shopping – Guarulhos/SP – Piso Térreo – Loja D28 – Rodovia Presidente Dutra, saída 225. tel.: (11) 2114-3098 / (11) 9 4484-7331 – Segunda à sábado, das 10 às 22 horas; domingos e feriados, das 12 às 20 horas

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Dilip Vengsarkar, the BCCI’s former chairman of selectors, has said he will respond to Sourav Ganguly’s criticism of his selection committee at the end of India’s series against Australia

Cricinfo staff10-Oct-2008
Dilip Vengsarkar: “I won’t answer him now as this is not the right time because India are in the middle of a Test series and it might affect the focus of the team” © AFP
Dilip Vengsarkar, the BCCI’s former chairman of selectors, has said he will respond to Sourav Ganguly’s criticism of his selection committee at the end of India’s series against Australia and give him “more than what he asked for”.”I won’t answer him now as this is not the right time because India are in the middle of a Test series [against Australia] and it might affect the focus of the team,” Vengsarkar told .Ganguly had criticised the selectors saying if the new selection committee had been in place three years ago, today his situation would be different. “If there is a gun to your head all the time, how long can you bear this?” Ganguly told a Bengali daily. “I was tired of being humiliated again and again. I don’t want to play cricket at the mercy of others.”Ganguly was dropped from the Indian squad in 2006 for the home series against England and the tour of West Indies but made his comeback during Vengsarkar’s tenure that December on the South Africa tour. Ganguly said what hurt him more than being overlooked for India was the exclusion from the Irani Cup last month.Sunil Gavaskar, the former Indian captain, said Ganguly’s outburst was understandable but untimely.

Mitchell Johnson says having only one warm-up game in India before October’s Test series is not ideal for Australia, who are still hoping another tour match can be arranged. The postponement of the Champions Trophy has left Australia with limited cricket scheduled before the first Test starts in Bangalore on October 9.The reported that the BCCI was reluctant to organise a second warm-up game because it would mean rearranging India’s domestic cricket schedule. However, Cricket Australia has not formally requested an extra match and Johnson said the players would definitely welcome more time to acclimatise.”It’s probably not ideal [to have only one game],” Johnson told . “We probably want a few more games before that, but that’s the way it is.”We’ve got one game before so we’ll have to go back to our states and work pretty hard and try to do the best we can there to prepare as well as we can for India. It’s always hard to prepare for India, which has such different conditions than here, so it is going to be tough. I think we will manage.”Johnson will likely be a key part of Australia’s attack for the Test tour, having bowled superbly during last year’s one-day series in India. He said it would be a major step up to transfer that success to the five-day format.”Playing one-day cricket there I know how hard it is,” he said. “But to play Test cricket, with the wickets and playing five-day cricket, it’s going to be extremely hard, but it’s a challenge I’m looking forward to.”The gap in the calendar created by the Champions Trophy postponement means Australia have no international cricket between the three-match one-day series against Bangladesh, which starts on Saturday, and the India tour. Johnson warmed up for the Bangladesh games with 3 for 5 against the Australian Institute of Sports in Darwin on Thursday.

Fulham midfielder Jean Michael Seri could be edging closer to a departure from Craven Cottage this summer.

What’s the talk?

According to reports in France (via Football League World), Napoli and Galatasaray are keeping a very close eye on the situation of the 30-year-old ahead of a potential move in the summer transfer window.

The report continues by stating that the Serie A side are contemplating an offer for the Ivory Coast international as a result of an injury crisis, however, it is not mentioned whether they would want to sign the midfielder on a permanent or temporary basis.

It is also stated that, with Seri now entering the final year of his contract in west London, should the Cottagers wish to receive any kind of transfer fee for their £27m 2018 signing, they will have to do so this summer.

Stealing a living

It would be a difficult argument to make that Seri has been a successful signing for the Cottagers, as the midfielder has made just 36 appearances in all competitions over his three years at the club, having been twice sent out on loan – firstly to Galatasaray and most recently to Girondins Bordeaux.

Indeed, in the one full season the 30-year-old has spent at Craven Cottage following his arrival, the £3.6m-rated man failed to live up to expectations, averaging a disappointing WhoScored match rating of 6.55 over his 32 Premier League appearances back in the club’s 2018/19 campaign.

And, considering the man Xavi once claimed possesses “Barca DNA” is reported to earn a princely £65k-per-week at Fulham – the second-highest salary in the current Cottagers squad.

It would indeed appear highly advisable for Marco Silva to do all he can to move the midfielder on this summer, particularly as it seems the Portuguese boss has no intention of utilising Seri this season, with the former OGC Nice man being an unused substitute in the club’s season-opening fixture against Middlesbrough last weekend.

The diminutive 5 foot 6 ace would be merely stealing a wage by not playing and festering away in the reserves all season. It’s time to be ruthless and shift him out before this month’s transfer deadline.

In other news: Transfer update emerges on £22.5m-rated “machine”, Fulham fans will be devastated

Liverpool have been linked with a move for West Ham United forward Jarrod Bowen this summer as manager Jurgen Klopp looks to strengthen his forward line.

What’s the story?

The Reds were first credited with an interest in the versatile 24-year-old last month by The Athletic’s James Pearce, and now The Mirror’s David Maddock has substantiated those claims.

Maddock has stated (as relayed by The Anfield Buzz Twitter account) that Liverpool could sign Bowen before the end of the current transfer window, adding some much-needed firepower to Klopp’s first team squad.

Jurgen Klopp would love him

After bagging 52 goals in 117 Championship appearances for Hull City, Bowen earned a move to the Premier League in January 2020 when the Hammers splashed out £20m to secure his services.

During his time at the London Stadium, the stocky winger has impressed with his stamina and incredible work rate, assets which would make him an ideal fit for Klopp’s unique gegenpressing system.

With fringe players Xherdan Shaqiri and Divock Origi rumoured to be heading for the Anfield exit door, the enigmatic German is believed to be in the market for another attacking option this summer.

As the 20-time English champions are working with a limited transfer budget, Bowen could be a decent value for money option.

Klopp would surely love his pressing ability, playing style and versatility, even if some doubts remain surrounding his quality on the ball.

Despite Bowen finding the back of the net on a regular basis in the Championship, he has struggled somewhat to replicate his form in front of goal in the Premier League. A return of nine goals and ten assists in 53 appearances for West Ham is a respectable return, but not one expected of a Liverpool player brought in to fire them back to the top-flight summit.

However, the £27m-rated maestro has plenty of potential and Klopp could be the ideal manager to mould him into a ruthless goalscorer at the highest level.

It remains to be seen whether Liverpool’s director of football Michael Edwards makes a concrete offer for Bowen, but with the resources available, he could be an astute purchase perfectly suited to Klopp’s demands.

In other news… James Pearce reveals transfer update which will leave Liverpool fans gutted

A round-up of matches on the second day of the ICL 20-20 Domestic Tournament

Cricinfo staff24-Sep-2008Chennai Superstars clinched a low-scoring thriller against Chandigarh Lions off the penultimate ball of the match in Bangalore. Chasing a target of 126, Chennai scored 129 for 5 in 19.5 overs. Their top three batsmen got starts but failed to convert them and it was left to Rajagopal Sathish, who scored an unbeaten 38 off 40 balls, to guide the team home. Sathish had also taken 2 for 21 in four overs to help restrict Chandigarh to 125. Ganapathi Vignesh was Chennai’s best bowler, taking 3 for 23, while Jamaluddin Syed Mohammad took 2 for 12. Opener Chetan Sharma top scored for Chandigarh with 38.Delhi Giants scored a last-over victory over Royal Bengal Tigers in Hyderabad. Bengal were reduced to 44 for 3 after a couple of run-outs and lost wickets to slump to 136 for 7 in 20 overs. Rajiv Kumar’s 35 was the highest score while Asif Murtaza and Abhishek Sharma took two wickets each. Delhi’s openers were not at their best, but Jai Prakash Yadav and Abbas Ali scored 38 and 27 respectively to set up the victory. Pritam Das, who took 3 for 10 in four overs, and Abu Nechim, who had 2 for 24, were the only wicket-takers for Bengal.Ahmedabad Rockets made short work of Hyderabad Heroes’s total of 124 and reached the target in the 17th over with seven wickets in hand in Hyderabad. Sumit Kalia took three wickets to reduce Hyderabad to 77 for 4 after which Rakesh Patel struck twice to restrict them to 124 for 7. Ahmedabad lost Pallav Vora in the sixth over but the other top order batsmen – Sachin Dholpure, Bhima Rao, and Sridharan Sriram – made useful contributions and ensured victory.