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Tottenham Hotspur are "sounding out" Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic as a possible replacement for Harry Kane, a player they had plans to sign "last year".

Who will Spurs sign?

Spurs and new manager Ange Postecoglou are busy preparing for the 2023/2024 season behind-closed-doors, having already sealed deals for goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, playmaker James Maddison and winger Manor Solomon.

The trio join Dejan Kulusevski, who's put pen to paper on a permanent deal from Juve after 18 months on loan, and right-back Pedro Porro who's signed indefinitely from Sporting Lisbon.

Maddison, who signed from Leicester City for around £45 million, is a player who particularly excites Postecoglou – as the Australian explained in his most recent Spurs press conference.

“Really excited to get him as part of the group,” Postecoglou said on the England international.

“Any manager will tell you that part of the key to being a dominant team is having multiple attacking threats and having a midfielder who can score and create goals, they’re not easy to come by.

“We’re going to need leadership on the field and he feels like he can be a player who does that.”

While the north Londoners are thought to prioritising central defensive additions right now, leading to reports they're closing in on a deal for Wolfsburg's Micky van de Ven, there are suggestions Tottenham could add more firepower after Maddison.

According to Football Transfers, Tottenham are even "sounding out" Serbia international forward Vlahovic as a potential replacement for Kane should he leave.

The latter star is attracting serious interest from Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, and even though chairman Daniel Levy is reluctant to sell, there could be a decision to make given Kane is out-of-contract in just 12 months.

Vlahovic, as a result, is being targeted by Spurs with this FT report also claiming he is a player they "had plans" to sign "last year".

Juve are thought to be open to selling if they receive a suitable offer for their talisman, who finished last season as their top goalscorer in Serie A.

How good is Dusan Vlahovic?

The 23-year-old arguably didn't have his best campaign last term, scoring 10 goals in assisting two others in the Italian top flight, but he has previously shone.

Over the 2021/2022 season, Vlahovic bagged a brilliant 17 goals in just 21 Fiorentina starts before signing for Juventus – prolific numbers for such a young centre-forward.

His scintillating form for La Viola attracted praise from members of the media and pundts alike, with journalist Jack Gallagher calling Vlahovic a "perfect" front man.

Meanwhile, former Man City star Micah Richards called the £215,000-per-week star "lightning" in an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live.

“I have watched him a couple of times now,” Richards said (via The Independent).

“He is lightning. It’s ridiculous. He has got 16 in 18 this season. His left foot is like a wand. I am telling you now, he is everything, he is everything you need.”

The Argentina youth international bagged the winning goal for Los Blancos against Napoli, and now looks set for a bright future at the Bernabeu

Real Madrid's hero against Napoli was an unlikely one. With Los Blancos tied, 2-2, with the Italian side, and five minutes remaining, you wouldn't have guessed who would be the one to bag the winner. With Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo and Federico Valverde on the pitch, Nico Paz didn't seem like the match-winning presence.

But Paz provided the big moment all the same, expertly pivoting away from a defender before unleashing a 25-yard strike that found the bottom corner — via a ricochet from the gloves of Alex Meret.

After the game, Carlo Ancelotti didn't seem surprised: "He is a player for the future of Real Madrid. He has all the quality that a Real Madrid player needs to have."

Still, this is a player with rare talent, and excellent footballing pedigree. Paz's father played for an elite national team, while his Madrid academy education has ensured that he has been put in all of the right places to be a star for years to come. Add that he is a midfielder, hoping to break into a side that has some of the best in the world, and Paz has a real chance to get his minutes — while also being allowed to grow at his own pace.

But who is Nico Paz, why do Madrid rate him so highly, and can he really be the future of this storied club?

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  Where it all began

  Paz had something of an advantage from day one. His father, Pablo, was an excellent footballer in his own right, a centre-back who enjoyed a 21-year career starting in Argentina, before moving to La Liga, and ultimately finishing in the Canary Islands. He made 14 appearances for Argentina's national team, and was in the squad for the 1998 World Cup.

  Nico, then, was earmarked as a talent from early on. Born on the island of Tenerife, Paz was originally, like his father, a centre-back. But as he grew and developed, it became clear that he was better used further up the field. It was something that Madrid realised when they signed him to La Fabrica — their elite youth setup — in 2016. Paz quickly became a promising attacking player, before settling into a central midfield role.

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  The big break

  Paz's development in the Madrid ranks has been steady. Such is the quality of La Fabrica, that the player was offered time to grow and figure out his best position. He was training with Raul's Castilla side in 2021, and made his official debut for the team — Madrid's U-23s — in January 2022, then aged 17.

  His first goal for the team came less than a week later, Paz bagging the opener against Getafe less than three minutes into the game. He settled in after that, and continued to impress. Ancelotti, who has historically has been reluctant to use the academy, called the youngster up to first team training last summer.

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  How it's going

  A Madrid injury crisis has proved to be a blessing for Paz. With Vinicius Jr out, Luka Modric struggling for fitness, and Brahim Diaz not quite ready for a full game, there was room for the youngster to earn a few minutes in white.

  He made his debut against Braga in the Champions League, and worked his way into the side from there. Paz has now played for Madrid's senior side four times, and held his own in each instance.

  Most recently, Toni Kroos — a player who knows a thing or two about being a successful midfielder — highlighted Paz's quality, saying: "This boy should train with us every day because he is very good."

  And although he is a regular fixture on the Madrid bench, Paz's occasional showings for Castilla have been equally impressive; he has six goals to his name in 10 appearances.

  According to , Paz had hoped to work his way into the Spain squad. But with Luis de la Fuente showing little interest in the teenager, Argentina swooped in. Paz trained with the senior side ahead of the 2022 World Cup, and seems to be in line for a debut before too long.

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  Biggest strengths

  Paz is an interesting player in that he doesn't quite have a defined position. Nominally a "playmaker", Paz has switched from centre-midfield, to box-to-box, to No.10 when needed.

  Academy coaches highlighted his control in tight spaces, and corresponding strength to ensure that he doesn't get barged off the ball. He has an excellent right foot, and is also good in the air — his 6'1 frame allowing him to take on most central defenders. In a sense, then, all of the traits of a modern attacking player — versatility and all — are here.

Everton are interested in a move for Inter Milan forward Joaquin Correa, according to reports in Italy.

What's the latest on Joaquin Correa to Everton?

According to reports in Italy (via FC Inter News), both the Toffees and West Ham United have made contact with Correa so far this summer, with the forward and the Inter Milan looking to part ways after an unsuccessful spell.

Correa's current valuation is as low as £17m, as per FootballTransfers, which is a significantly lower price than the €30m (£27m) that Inter paid Lazio for the forward back in July of 2022.

The drop in valuation should help the Argentine's exit this summer, who looks set to leave the club just one year after making his deal permanent.

Linked with a move to the Premier League, it will certainly be interesting to keep an eye on just where Correa ends up this summer.

Should Everton avoid Joaquin Correa?

With their Premier League status hanging by a thread in the last two seasons, Everton can ill afford yet another transfer flop, particularly in attack.

Last season, the Toffees spent a staggering €78m (£67m) on reinforcements. And the season before that, they spent close to €40 million (£35m) on adding to supposed quality needed to comfortably survive.

Things were anything but comfortable though, as Frank Lampard and Sean Dyche were forced to keep their sides afloat on the final days of their respective seasons in charge, so the issue hasn't exactly been a lack of funding.

The problem therein lies with the recruitment in the transfer market.

In many ways, moving for Correa – a forward who scored just four goals all of last season – would be a classic Everton move of recent times.

In fact, it would almost mirror their £25.1m deal to sign Moise Kean back in 2019.

The Italian arrived with so much promise, before scoring just four goals in 39 appearances and eventually finding his way back to Juventus.

Those in Italy have not been impressed with the Juventus forward, either, with the Liverpool Echo reporting that Italian newspapers labelled the 23-year-old 'lazy' and 'the worst' back in September as the Serie A side struggled domestically.

Correa's stats are even more damming, however.

At least Kean showed signs of promise prior to his Goodison Park move. Correa, contrastingly, has never looked like bursting into life for Inter.

Statistically speaking, too, when comparing the Argentina international with the former Everton man during his time in England's top flight, it is Correa who comes out the worse player.

During the 2019/20 campaign, Kean had more goal involvements per 90, whilst also enjoying a better take-on success, as per FBref.

Perhaps a killer blow for Dyche, which should end all plans to sign the Inter flop, is his poor aerial duel success.

Last season, the reported transfer target won just 25% of his duels, something that would not bode well in an often scrappy, yet effective, Dyche setup.

The more that it's looked at, the more it seems as though Everton would be better off avoiding a Kean mistake in signing Correa, who writer Jerry Mancini claimed had been "awful this season" before the new campaign gets underway.

An Eddie Howe masterclass helped the Magpies secure a thumping European win over the French champions at St. James' Park

Newcastle secured a famous Champions League win over Paris Saint-Germain with a 4-1 win on Tyneside on Wednesday night. The Magpies took the lead in the 17th minute as they pounced on a defensive error from Marquinhos, and a few seconds later Miguel Almiron fired past goalkeeper Gigi Donnarumma.

Dan Burn doubled the hosts' advantage as he powered home a towering header shortly before half-time, and fellow local lad Sean Longstaff put his side into dreamland with a powerful strike that proved too hot for Donnarumma after the break.

Lucas Hernandez pulled a goal back for the visitors, who had more than 70 percent possession but registered just one shot on target, only for Fabian Schar to complete the rout in second-half stoppage-time with a long-range runner to give the hosts their first Champions League win in 20 years.

GOAL rates Newcastle's players from St James' Park…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Nick Pope (7/10):

  Didn't have a great deal to do despite the wealth of attacking talent PSG have at their disposal. Was perhaps a tad slow to follow the flight of a deflected ball for Hernandez's goal but saved well from Dembele late on.

  Kieran Trippier (8/10):

  Wasn't really troubled by arguably the world's best player in Mbappe and beautifully set up Longstaff for Newcastle's third of the night. He didn't track Hernandez's run into the box for PSG's consolation goal but a solid outing for the right-back.

  Jamaal Lascelles (8/10):

  Was defensively solid at the back in what was a rare start for the club captain. Put his body on the line as Botman was not badly missed.

  Fabian Schar (8/10):

  Missed a glorious chance to sweep home a clever corner from Trippier when unmarked but fired just wide. Apart from that, was relatively untroubled on the night. Put the cherry on the cake with a stunning curled effort from outside the box to make it 4-1.

  Dan Burn (7/10):

  Initially struggled at times against the pacey Dembele but powered home a towering header to make it 2-0. Was isolated on occasion but still was solid enough in defence.

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  Midfield

  Sean Longstaff (8/10):

  Took his goal well and helped Newcastle's midfield get the better of PSG's for long periods.

  Bruno Guimaraes (9/10):

  Had the wherewithal to cut out Marquinhos' floated pass in the build-up to Newcastle's opener and beautifully set up Burn with a dinked cross to the big defender. Never stopped running and is worth his weight in gold.

  Sandro Tonali (8/10):

  Was a real enforcer in the centre of the park. A good engine across the pitch and seemed to make the right decisions at the right time.

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  Attack

  Miguel Almiron (9/10):

  Showed excellent composure to drill a first-time effort into the corner to make it 1-0. Got the better of Hernandez as well. PSG couldn't get to grips with him for much of the night.

  Alexander Isak (8/10):

  Threatened PSG's backline with his pace and trickery, and his strike on goal set up Almiron's opener. Was bruised and bloodied but gave his all for his team, despite a quiet second half.

  Anthony Gordon (9/10):

  Continued his fine form this season with a tenacious and battling display on the left side of Newcastle's attack. Offered something both in attack and defence.

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  Subs & Manager

  Elliot Anderson (7/10):

  Looked lively when he came on and was keen to run at PSG's shaky defence.

  Jacob Murphy (7/10):

  Put in the hard yards for his team when he came off the bench in the second half.

  Eddie Howe (9/10):

  Something of a tactical masterclass from the manager. His side outthought and outfought the visitors, their high press worked wonders, and they played intelligent football throughout.

Sydney’s Test match has the duality of starting the year but ending the series

The Preview by Daniel Brettig02-Jan-2017

Match facts

January 3-7, 2017
Start time 1030 local (2330 GMT)3:28

Samiuddin: Pakistan could go for two spinners

Big Picture

Sydney’s Test match has the duality of starting the year but ending the series. Pakistan’s captain Misbah-ul-Haq has certainly been thinking about ending at the start of 2017, even if he’s now retreated somewhat from the openness he offered in the aftermath of the Melbourne defeat. By contrast, Australia would like the end of this series to be the start of the next assignment, as the squad selection for the SCG made patently clear. That being said, the captain Steven Smith isn’t exactly eager to place both eyes on the looming tour of India and its myriad challenges: a clean sweep of Pakistan, having spent much of the past six months pondering defeats rather than victories, would be a welcome outcome.Having spent four Test matches without an allrounder, Australia have returned to Darren Lehmann’s favoured formula, this time with Hilton Cartwright on debut rather than Mitchell Marsh on spec. Cartwright is a batsman first and a bowler later; the question remains whether Smith will fully trust someone who didn’t bowl a single ball at the SCG when he visited for a Sheffield Shield fixture earlier in the season. Instead the match was dominated by spinners – Steve O’Keefe, Will Somerville and Ashton Agar shared no fewer than 27 wickets between them. Agar has not been included in the XI, but can feel relatively secure of his place on the plane to India. Smith and Lehmann will be looking for signs that two quicks, two spinners and Cartwright can do a strong job this week. Also that neither Mitchell Starc nor Josh Hazlewood fall prey to overwork.Pakistan arrived in Australia with plenty of optimism, and had it somewhat bolstered by a resilient display in Brisbane. But the collapse of the team on the final day in Melbourne, after rain had made the draw by far the more likely result, raised plenty of old questions about temperament and consistency. A matter of months after ascending to No. 1 in the world, the visitors are now on the cusp of their worst ever losing streak in Tests. Whether or not Misbah chooses to finish up, he will be aware of the need to finish this series, at least, on a better note than that.

Form guide

(last five completed matches, most recent first)


Australia: WWWLL

Pakistan: LLLLL
As much as he’d like a clean sweep of this series, Steven Smith will also have an eye on the India tour that follows it•Cricket Australia/Getty Images

In the spotlight

No one can doubt Steve O’Keefe’s ability as a first-class performer for New South Wales. Nor can they question the way he bowled for Australia in each of his past two Test matches, one at the SCG last January and then one in Sri Lanka in July. But the fact that it has been close to six months since O’Keefe last played is attributable to a poor injury record, namely with calf and hamstring problems. Durability is a key element to any spin bowler’s career – a large reason for Nathan Lyon’s ability to keep bouncing back from questions about his future is that he is invariably fit and ready to go. O’Keefe offers consistency and craftiness that Smith in particular wants to utilise. But to do so he needs to see the bowler stay on the park.It has been more than 21 years since Mushtaq Ahmed fashioned Pakistan a victory over Australia at the SCG with outstanding wristspin, and Yasir Shah will be aspiring to do the same. For much of this series he has been a curiously muted presence, taking a largely defensive leg-stump line with fields to match. That this appears to have been by design is a pity for Yasir, given his ability to prosper in a variety of conditions in the past. At Sydney he can expect a more attacking commission, and will want to make the most of it.

Teams news

Hilton Cartwright is in for his debut and Steve O’Keefe for his first Test since the Sri Lanka tour. They have been included at the expense of Nic Maddinson and Jackson Bird.Australia 1 Matt Renshaw, 2 David Warner, 3 Usman Khawaja, 4 Steven Smith (capt), 5 Peter Handscomb, 6 Hilton Cartwright, 7 Matthew Wade (wk), 8 Steve O’Keefe, 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Josh Hazlewood, 11 Nathan LyonOne of Imran Khan or Rahat Ali can be expected to return in place of Sohail Khan. A second spinner may also be in the mix.Pakistan (probable) 1 Sami Aslam, 2 Azhar Ali, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Younis Khan, 5 Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), 6 Asad Shafiq, 7 Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), 8 Wahab Riaz, 9 Yasir Shah, 10 Mohammad Amir, 11 Rahat Ali/Imran Khan

Pitch and conditions

Sydney’s pitch has been spinning noticeably more this season, necessitating twin spin for the hosts. The weather forecast for the match features some rain, but less than Melbourne saw.

Stats and trivia

• Pakistan’s most recent Test victory in Australia came at the SCG in 1995.
• Australia’s captain Steven Smith is playing his 50th Test, having made his debut against Pakistan at Lord’s in 2010
• The inclusions of Cartwright and O’Keefe mean Australia have four overseas-born players in thier XI for the first time since their very first Test series in 1876-77 when they fielded five or more
• Pakistan have never lost six Test matches in a row

Quotes

“You want to play well every game you play for Australia. We can’t think too far ahead. The conditions are completely different. It’s a different kind of spin that you get out here than you do in India. We’re just focused on this Test match at this stage and hopefully we can have a clean sweep.”

Everton are reportedly ready to assert their dominance in the summer transfer window, as the club have been linked to a prolific forward.

The Toffees confirmed their Premier League survival in dramatic fashion on the final day, after what was a dreary season both on and off the pitch for the club.

Now that the Blues have sealed their fate in the top division, Sean Dyche will look to get to work this summer to make essential improvements in the bid to push on from a tough campaign at Goodison.

Having netted just 35 goals this term, Everton recorded their lowest-scoring tally over the past five seasons, however, the club’s latest transfer link could solve all woes in the final third.

What’s the latest on Yuri Alberto to Everton?

As reported by GOAL earlier this week, Everton are reportedly interested in Corinthians forward Yuri Alberto.

The report states that the Blues are considering a proposal to the Brazilian club for the striker, with them currently “keeping an eye” on the 22-year-old.

As per CIES Football Observatory, the Corinthians talisman is valued at €30m (£26m).

What could Yuri Alberto bring to Everton?

Operating over 2022/23 in the unfamiliar Brazilian league schedule, the striker has scored a total of 13 goals and registered six assists in 38 appearances in the Brasileiro Serie A and Paulista Serie A1 competitions – as per Sofascore.

At just 22, the forward has already had experience in European football, spending a season on loan in Russia representing Zenit St Petersburg, in which he contributed to ten goals in 15 appearances, scoring six and assisting four.

Lauded as being “dangerous” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the Brazilian has areas of expertise in most areas of his game acting as a number nine, with Kulig listing him as being a “complete forward”.

Everton have found joy in equipping a Brazilian forward to lead the line previously, with Richarlison having a similar feat in his homeland, scoring 11 goals and assisting seven for Fluminense before signing for Watford in 2017 – as per Transfermarkt.

The young striker could add so much to the Toffees squad, and even force Dyche to reconsider the solidity of Calvert-Lewin’s place at the club.

The Englishman enjoyed a formidable scoring run in the 2020/21 season, bagging 16 league goals, however since then has suffered prolonged injuries, leaving him scoring just seven goals over the past two seasons at Goodison – as per Sofascore.

While injury struggles are out of his hands, competition for starting places remain, and the introduction of Alberto would certainly raise the bar in terms of battling for the number nine spot.

When comparing the two players, the Brazilian showcases a higher threat on the ball than the Everton forward, averaging 2.62 shot-creating actions to Calvert-Lewin’s 1.85 per 90, highlighting his efficiency in attack.

A similar pattern is evident in terms of positioning and threat going forward, with the 22-year-old averaging 6.83 progressive passes received, to the Englishman’s 4.33 per 90 – all statistics as per FBref.

The most important thing for the club is to secure a goalscorer this summer, however, Alberto could offer a dynamic player with “killer instinct” to Dyche’s set-up.

A player that is still developing at just 22 could give Everton more than just goals, with the potential to be a leading name at the club should he continue to showcase his talent in the final third.

It could also mean the end of the road for the stricken Calvert-Lewin who is surely now running out of time to prove his worth in Merseyside.

Julian Nagelsmann was unhappy with Chelsea's recruitment process before deciding not to become their new manager, according to reliable journalist Mike Keegan.

How close was Nagelsmann to the job?

The Blues have gone through a tumultuous time of things this season, sitting in the bottom half of the Premier League as the campaign gradually reaches its conclusion. Both Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter have been sacked since August, with neither impressing in charge, and Frank Lampard is in the Stamford Bridge hot seat until the end of the campaign.

Since Potter's dismissal, the search has been on to find his long-term successor, and for a long time, it looked as though Nagelsmann was the clear front-runner to become the new Chelsea boss. He has since backed of the race, however, deciding against taking the job and looking elsewhere after his surprise sacking at Bayern Munich.

The news came a shock to many, but now the reasoning behind the 35-year-old declining the job has emerged.

Why didn't German take charge of Blues?

Writing for The Daily Mail, Keegan claimed that Nagelsmann wasn't enamoured by the entire process, growing frustrated when Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali turned their attentions towards Mauricio Pochettino and Vincent Kompany:

"Julian Nagelsmann pulled out of the running to become the next Chelsea manager after harbouring serious concerns over the recruitment process, sources have disclosed.

"The German is understood to have been under the impression that the job was his and that talks were a formality. However, unease grew following a succession of meetings, and reports that managers such as Mauricio Pochettino and Vincent Kompany were also being considered."

This update has to lead to question marks over the manner in which Chelsea handled this situation – essentially, they have blown the chance to land one of Europe's brightest manager because of their scattergun approach. Boehly and his right-hand man Egbali clearly have a way of going about things, and while they are within the right to do things exactly the way they want to, it feels like it has backfired in regard to Nagelsmann.

This is such a crucial period in Chelsea's recent history, in terms of getting the right man in and making sure the Blues keep in touch with their Premier League rivals, and having missed out on Nagelsmann, it is essential that the next-best option is hired, whether it be Pochettino, Kompany of somebody else.

At the moment, too many poor decisions are being made at the club, both on and off the pitch, and it is no surprise that the team are struggling because of it.

On a dead Lord’s track, the Championship leaders have got themselves into a position where they almost certainly cannot lose

Vithushan Ehantharajah at Lord's27-Jun-2016
ScorecardAlviro Petersen racked up 191•Getty Images

What ingredients there were for a high-quality encounter at Lord’s look already to be heading for a bland conclusion. That may seem melodramatic – should Middlesex collapse tomorrow, it may enter into “misguided” or “facetious” – but there were few other conclusions to draw from a day in which eight wickets fell yet only one was taken.Lancashire’s seven were shed in the pursuit of quick runs to hammer a tiring Middlesex attack further into the dust. Even Tim Murtagh’s shoulders, constantly in a slumped relaxed state, plummeted to knee height. Even Murtagh, a bowler who can make the ball talk for fun could barely muster a whimper from a pitch that does the long-form more harm than good.What should have been a compelling day’s cricket, in near-perfect conditions, asked spectators to find their own source of amusement. The evening session hosted a low sun and with it the chance for them to shed some clothing, get some colour and indulge in the sorts of conversations with opposing fans that only beer and minor heatstroke encourages.”So you see, it’s those bastards across the way – they’re the tight ones,” concluded one such tête-à-tête. It’s those across the way that Lancashire are looking to build a lead over: level on points with Yorkshire going into this match but leading Division One by virtue of number of games won.Middlesex, with their six draws from seven, sat 16 points off the Northern rivals. This fixture between first and fourth felt like it could set the tone for the next half of the season, when captains roll the dice and each session weighs heavier on the nerves.The opening exchanges were very much in Lancashire’s favour as they amassed their highest innings score of the season. Alviro Petersen was thoroughly unflustered, picking up where he left off to add 86 to an overnight 105: perhaps the only surprise was his failure to bring up his double hundred. Looking to move the game on, he was caught and bowled by Toby Roland-Jones, whose 31-over toil was made relatively worthwhile by four wickets.Flanking Petersen were the offerings from the middle order cavalry of Steven Croft, Karl Brown and Liam Livingstone. It was with Livingstone in particular that the most damage was done: 103 runs put on together at six an over – 67 coming in 11 overs after lunch, as Livingstone brought up a 54-ball half-century filled with reverse sweeps and the odd wristy thwack through the leg side. To nitpick, 500 perhaps should have come up easier than it did: a scampered single between Lancashire’s 10 and 11 that nearly resulted in a run out.But even with scoreboard pressure and a 12-over session before tea bowled by Kyle Jarvis and Neil Wagner – perhaps the best opening duo in the domestic game at present – Lancashire were unable to land a telling blow on the hosts. Even the one wicket they managed looked a tad lucky, though that is simply going by Sam Robson’s forlorn expression after he had been adjudged caught at first slip off the leg spin of Matt Parkinson. The disappointment was understandable: he had looked on the cusp of one of those Lord’s vigils he embarks upon when he basically invokes squatter’s rights.If anything, Robson’s wicket sharpened Nick Gubbins’ focus, who gave up driving for a while and worked his way to 71 at the close. He will recommence tomorrow with Stevie Eskinasi, who goes to bed on a new first class best of 43.Lancashire will be hoping that when they wake up tomorrow the pitch might too. Unfortunately this is yet another Lord’s track that needs a defibrillator rather than a roller. The new ball brings something out of it but not for long. From then on, whatever movement there is comes once the ball had passed the stumps. Steven Croft found that out the hard way as he scrabbled around to contend with the late dips and swerves. The skip in his step at the start of the final session had slowed to a trudge when stumps was called.If anything, perhaps the Lancashire bowlers might leave the match with a bit of sympathy for their Middlesex counterparts, whose charge has consistently been hampered by these sorts of pitches. Still, the Championship leaders have got themselves into a position where they almost certainly cannot lose. If they are not still bowling by this time tomorrow then they should consider that a victory.

Kent all-rounder Matt Coles has been suspended for two Championship matches by an ECB disciplinary commission

ESPNcricinfo staff06-May-2016Matt Coles has received an automatic suspension from the ECB’s cricket discipline commission and will miss Kent’s next two Championship games. Kent’s cricket chairman, Graham Johnson, has condemned the decision as “disproportionate”.Coles’ absence is a big blow to Kent who escaped a weather-affected start to the season by beating Glamorgan at Canterbury to move into the top half of Division Two of the Specsavers Championship but who remain relatively light on seam bowling resources.He was reported by umpires Nick Cook and Rob Bailey during Kent’s match against Glamorgan for a Level Two breach of the code – throwing the ball at or near a player, umpire or official in an inappropriate and dangerous manner.He had previously received a reprimand following three penalty points following a Level 1 breach in August 2014 and six penalty points following a Level 2 breach in September 2014. The penalty for a subsequent breach at Level 2 within 24 months is six penalty points.The ECB statement read: “Coles has therefore received a total of twelve penalty points, triggering an automatic suspension. He is suspended from all cricket under the jurisdiction of the ECB until and including Wednesday 18th May 2016 – a period which covers Kent’s next two First XI fixtures.”Coles took 67 wickets at 23.49 for Kent last summer after returning to his home county following a brief spel at Hampshire where he never settled.Johnson expressed frustration at the decision. “In the light of the steps taken by the ECB cricket discipline commission I feel it only right to defend the position of Matt Coles,” he said. “Since his return to Kent, at the start of last season, Matt has demonstrated that he has learnt from things in the past. He has applied himself to his role on the field and represented Kent Cricket, to good effect, in off field activities.”Players carry points over a 24 month period and the two previously reported incidents are from August 2014 whilst Matt was at Hampshire. Kent made representations to the CDC regarding the breach. However, the CDC Chairman’s nominee, Mr Chris Tickle, did not consider that the consequences of this penalty might produce a result that was manifestly unfair. Under the process relating to cricket discipline there is no opportunity to appeal the outcome or the CDC’s decision.”The outcome in this set of circumstances I believe is disproportionate, it does not reflect the seriousness of the recent incident and does nothing to help a cricketer who has made such big strides since returning to Kent.”Glamorgan’s Chris Cooke was reported by the umpires during the same match for a Level One breach of the code (abuse of cricket ground, equipment and/or fixtures and fittings). He was reprimanded.Stuart Broad also picked up a reprimand after he was reported by umpires Richard Kettleborough, Michael Gough and Richard Illingworth during Nottinghamshire’s Championship match against Yorkshire for a Level One breach of the code – showing dissent at an umpire’s decision by word or action).ic suspension.

When West Ham United signed Gianluca Scamacca last summer for a £35.5m transfer fee, it looked as though David Moyes had the final piece of his puzzle – a striker who could score 25 goals a season.

Unfortunately, it hasn’t quite worked out like that for the Italian hitman as he has largely struggled to get to grips with the English game. Across 18 domestic matches, the 24-year-old has scored just three times however he appears to have found his feet in Europe, scoring five goals and registering an assist in nine matches.

His poor form along with many other of his teammates has led to West Ham fighting a Premier League relegation battle and having scored just 24 league goals, the third-lowest total in the division, it’s clear Moyes’ goal-scoring woes could play a major part in whether they survive this term.

They could use the help of a world-class striker now and former player Carlos Tevez would be the ideal candidate to alleviate the club’s current woes.

How did Carlos Tevez perform at West Ham?

Considering how poor the Irons’ attackers have been this season, a prime Tevez would surely run riot in the Premier League under Moyes, instantly acting as an improvement on Scamacca and Antonio.

The diminutive Argentinian signed for the club way back in 2006 alongside Javier Mascherano in what was an astounding move, with Alan Pardew and the club somehow securing their services from Brazilian side Corinthians on permanent deals following their World Cup displays for Argentina.

This was a major coup for the Hammers and although Tevez didn’t score in the league until March, his performances during the final few months of the season were integral to the club retaining their league status.

Tevez played all of the club's final ten Premier League matches that term, scoring seven goals – including the winner against Manchester United on the final day – while grabbing three assists and this was just a taste of what was to come for the forward in England.

He moved to United not long after, before joining cross-city rivals Manchester City, scoring 117 goals combined for the two clubs. Overall, he has scored 257 club goals, notably being dubbed a "monster" along the way by journalist Sam Tighe.

West Ham would be nowhere near the relegation zone if Moyes had the opportunity to utilise the forward in the present day. Indeed, he would terrorise opposition defences to shreds.