Rio Ferdinand believes Lamine Yamal could be a legitimate Ballon d'Or contender if Barcelona conquer Europe this season.
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Marcus Harris also made a century while WA lost an injured Joel Paris from their attack
AAP19-Oct-2022If Victoria skipper Peter Handscomb earns a dream Test recall this summer, he should send a few Western Australia players a big thank you.In reply to WA’s 466, Handscomb and Marcus Harris posted tons to lift Victoria to 4 for 446 at stumps on day three of the Sheffield Shield clash at Junction Oval.Handscomb hasn’t featured in the Test team since 2019, while Harris played the last of his 14 Tests in January this year. Both players are in strong form and desperate to add to their Test careers.Handscomb’s century on Wednesday follows on from his ton against South Australia earlier this month, but it was aided by a fair chunk of luck. The 31-year-old was on 41 when Cameron Bancroft dropped a tough chance low to the ground at backward square leg.The star batter was lucky not to be stumped on 58 and next ball Handscomb was gifted another reprieve when Corey Rocchiccioli dropped an easy looping opportunity at mid-wicket.Handscomb, the leading Shield run scorer from last season, made the most of the let-offs to post his 19th first-class century.He brought up his 150 late in the day and was given another life shortly after when an airborne Hilton Cartwright couldn’t hang on to what would have been one of the catches of the season.Harris started the day on 67 and he brought up his century with a glorious drive in a ton that featured 14 fours and one six. It continued a purple patch for the former Test opener, who posted scores of 85 and 42 in Victoria’s draw against South Australia earlier this month.WA paceman Joel Paris went off injured during his 19th over with a hip complaint and is no guarantee to bowl on day four. Jhye Richardson worked hard all day without reward in his first Shield appearance of the season.WA breathed some life into the contest during the middle part of the day by snaring three quick wickets, resulting in Victoria slipping from 1 for 225 to 4 for 278.Bancroft inspired the mini collapse by taking a superb one-handed catch at short mid-wicket to end the innings of Harris. Aaron Hardie claimed his second scalp when Nic Maddinson fell for 2 and the WA allrounder pulled off a sharp catch at slip to dismiss Matt Short for 17.But Handscomb’s early reprieves came back to haunt WA as the star Victorian took the game away from the visitors.
Still looking to welcome the first signing of the Ruben Amorim era, Manchester United have reportedly set their sights on an in-form winger who has a release clause of just £17m.
Man Utd transfer news
The Red Devils at least eased the pressure on their new manager last time out in the Premier League by earning a 2-2 draw against high-flying Liverpool, even if they could have nabbed all three points at Anfield for the first time since 2015.
With the January transfer window now open, though, their performance hasn’t dominated the headlines for long, especially given Marcus Rashford’s search for a new club.
Frozen out of Amorim’s side since victory over Manchester City, Rashford admitted that he’s ready for a new challenge, and the reports have been centred around his future ever since. Even as United have struggled at times, he has remained an outcast at his boyhood club.
Meanwhile, as one winger heads for the exit door, another could arrive. According to reports in Spain, Manchester United have now set their sights on signing Yeremay Hernandez by triggering his €20m (£17m) release clause at Deportivo La Coruna.
A Real Madrid academy graduate, Hernandez has enjoyed life in Spain’s second division this month and all signs are pointing towards a player ready to step into the top flight – be that in the Premier League or elsewhere.
Man Utd now determined to sign £200k-p/w ace this month after intense talks
He could be a low-risk solution to a major problem at Old Trafford.
ByBen Browning Jan 11, 2025
Whether Manchester United push on and beat the likes of Newcastle United and others to his signature remains to be seen.
Hernandez an unexpected option
If Manchester United are looking to replace Rashford, signing a winger from Spain’s second division would certainly be an interesting choice – and one they’d have to see go well from the off if they are to get fans onside.
Whilst the likes of Bryan Mbeumo would steal greater headlines, the Red Devils have often gone down the route of buying proven stars and quickly regretting their choice. So, welcoming an unexpected rising star may well be the way forward at a £17m price.
Scoring seven goals and assisting another three in all competitions for Deportivo so far this season, Hernandez has arguably been a first-division player breezing through life a step below his true quality.
Indeed, the “flamboyant” winger has been highlighted for his potential in recent months by Football Talent Scout’s Jacek Kulig.
What’s more, if Manchester United miss out on European football in the current campaign, they’ll need to assess whether they’ll be in a position to welcome those of Mbeumo’s calibre. Currently sat as low as 13th in the Premier League and struggling to welcome Amorim’s top targets, those at Old Trafford could have no choice but to think outside the box.
As the January transfer window continues, they’ll be one of the most interesting sides to watch.
It is 6.30 on the final evening of Lancashire’s County Championship match against Somerset at Southport. The game ended about an hour ago and this proud ground is relaxing in the gentle perfection of a July evening; the light is barely removed from the sharp sunshine in which Keaton Jennings plundered a triple-century on Wednesday or in which Jack Morley took five wickets today. They will be Lancashire supporters’ chief memories of this fine game but more distinct still will be the recollections of Somerset’s Lewis Goldsworthy, who made a century when the match was young and then ushered proceedings to a rather tense draw by making 73 not out in 263 minutes.Goldsworthy’s first innings displayed his ability; his second revealed his temperament even more clearly. The 21-year-old said how much he liked Trafalgar Road on Monday evening and you can bet he loves it even more now. He is not alone. A lot can happen on a cricket ground in four days and not all of it can be recorded in a scorebook.The volunteers are still here but the cricketers have long departed. Both teams made a swift getaway once their work was done and everyone understood why. In something like 36 hours many of these players and coaches will be in Birmingham preparing for Vitality Blast Finals Day. The transition from an exceptionally well-attended four-day match on an outground to the steaming cauldron that will be Edgbaston on Saturday must be demanding. Already they will be thinking about match-ups and Powerplays.Meanwhile on this sacred field, ground chairman Paul Parker is making sure that chairs are cleared away and Trafalgar Road is made ready for the arrival of the two ladies’ teams for a Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy match on Saturday. The cricket festival lasts five days in Southport and people are determined not to flag now.Plenty of spectators remain in the pavilion. They are debating whether Dane Vilas should have declared last night and no doubt they are also reminiscing about other games at Southport. What no one seems to be doubting is that this final day was far richer and far more intriguing than seemed probable when play began at eleven o’clock…when Somerset were 178 runs in arrears… and when Morley’s career-best figures were 4 for 62 at Liverpool nearly two summers and a million years agoRelated
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The first suggestion of drama came about by accident. Morley was brought on as early as the sixth over at the Harrod Drive End only because Will Williams damaged his finger in brushing against the stumps during his follow through. Immediately the ball began to grip and bounce; left-handed batters who let it go placed their faith in a pitch that suddenly warranted no such trustIn the 12th over of the innings Matt Renshaw took the wicket out of the calculation but only drove a sharp chance back to Morley, who clutched the catch to his breastbone. It was a first breakthrough but for Lancashire’s cricketers, it betokened much more. Four overs later, Steve Davies nudged the ball off his hip to leg slip where Rob Jones had anticipated the catch. Another fifteen minutes of oohs, aahs and sundry other observations followed before George Bartlett was leg before when looking to work Morley behind square. Somerset were 44 for 3 and many spectators felt their attendance on this last day had already been justified by events. They lived every ball with the cricketers. They knew Somerset have had a collapse or two in them this season. Would this be another?For a while, it seemed not. Goldsworthy and Tom Lammonby took their side to 74 for 3 at lunch and one imagines Lancashire’s coaches were quietly telling Morley not to do anything very different but to maintain the quiet equilibrium that all spinners must possess. Whatever they said or didn’t say, it worked. Lammonby tried to reverse sweep Morley’s second ball after lunch but only gave a catch to Jennings at short leg. Yet again, the decibel level on the field increased as Lancashire’s fielders greeted every near thing, real or imagined. James Rew and Goldsworthy, meanwhile, took up where they had left off when putting on 145 three days previously. Goldsworthy reached his fifty and no wicket fell for 26 overs.Tea came and went and suddenly 18-year-old Rew had gone as well, caught at short leg by Jennings off Morley for a 115-minute 23. All the same, the England Under 19 batter looks a fine young player, a proper cricketer for most situations. Lewis Gregory arrived and hit six fours in a 45-ball 25. His partnership with Goldsworthy took Somerset into the lead but Gregory then holed out at cover off Williams. As though overawed by the gravity of the events it was recording, the electric scoreboard stopped working and the total had to be announced to the crowd at the end of each over.But Lancashire’s chances were diminishing. The runs/overs/wickets equation became more favourable to Somerset with every moment they survived. Roelof van der Merwe fended Luke Wood to Jennings but the game was nearly done. With seven overs left, two of which would have been lost to the change of innings, Somerset’s lead was 35 and they still had three wickets to fall. Vilas pulled off his wicketkeeper’s gauntlet and shook Goldsworthy’s hand.And now it is gone seven o’clock. Soon it will be time to close the laptop and go in search of supper. From the pavilion there is still the vibrant hum of conversation and the clinking of glasses. “The sounds that for these fifty years have been,” wrote Edward Thomas in “Aspens”. On the outfield there is much shoving and clanking as black sightscreens are put in place. The thoughts of club members are for the present: the ladies’ game, the first team’s fortunes, the hundred or so tasks that come with clearing up after a county match….But late on November afternoons, when the young buzzard has, with luck, returned to the outfield it calls home and when owls are in their roosts in the coppice on Regent Road, people round here will remember these four summer days when they did the state a service. They will remember that they shared these labours willingly… and they will smile quietly at the memory of it all.
MatériaMais Notícias
Equilíbrio. Esse foi o mantra do técnico Vítor Pereira após a vitória sobre o Fortaleza por 1 a 0, neste domingo (1), pelo Campeonato Brasileiro, na Neo Química Arena. Para o treinador, essa foi a marca de mais um resultado positivo do Corinthians, já que em sua avaliação apesar da boa quantidade de peças que tem à disposição, muitas ocupam o mesmo setor do campo, o que dificulta o encontro de uma maneira ideal de jogar.
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– Temos muitos meias ofensivos. Renato (Augusto), Paulinho, Giuliano, Luan… Temos que encontrar uma mescla. São muitos meias ofensivos. Nós temos muitos meias ofensivos. Já conversamos sobre isso, estamos desequilibrados. E minha função é arranjar soluções. E isso não é ter um time titular. Porque se montar o time titular com as peças que vocês querem, provavelmente não será equilibrado. Se formos olhar só para a qualidade técnica, não é equilibrado. Nós temos que equilibrar o jogo. O jogo de hoje é exemplo disso. Nós aqui não temos hipótese nenhuma de escalar todos eles juntos. Nós temos que ir gerindo isso bem para equilibrar isso, até para dar a eles suporte no seu jogo ofensivo.
Vítor se refere essencialmente às alterações que promoveu no decorrer do jogo e que promoveram uma mudança drástica de postura do Timão. Paulinho saiu contundido. E ele colocou Du Queiroz, com funções mais defensivas. No intervalo, sacou Renato Augusto para o lugar do zagueiro Raul.
– Foi uma primeira parte com grandes dificuldades. O Fortaleza nos criou muitos problemas, não estávamos encontrando o jogo, encontrando opções. Claramente a sensação que tinha é que não estávamos com capacidade, dificuldade de controlar, permitimos os cruzamentos deles, muitas situações perigosas na nossa área. E as alterações foram no sentido de simplificarmos mais o nosso jogo, controlar mais o adversário, jogar com três homens na frente para poderem pressionar mais os zagueiros deles. E, sinceramente, foi uma segunda parte em que jogamos de uma forma muito mais simples. Não foi aquele jogo brilhante, de circularmos, esse campeonato não é fácil, já vi que qualquer equipe pode criar muitos problemas. E o Fortaleza já foi mais controlado (na etapa final), conseguimos criar várias situações de jogo e controlamos muito mais o adversário.
O português revelou que estava em seus planos poupar Maycon e Willian, visando o confronto ante o Deportivo Cali, na Colômbia, na quarta-feira (4), às 21h, pela Copa Libertadores. Mas lamentou o fato de que não foi possível.
– Claramente treinador tem que fazer leitura do que está acontecendo. Estávamos com grandes dificuldades de controlar o jogo, trazendo o Willian muito abaixo, tirando ele de uma zona alta em que ele possa fazer a diferença, com necessidade de vir muitas vezes defender. O que nós pensamos, é preferível colocar o Willian mais alto, os três homens da frente mais altos, não deixar que eles cansem muito, que o fortaleza, faça o jogo circular como ele queira. Porque era o que estava acontecendo, eles nos empurraram muito. E era a única forma para voltar a pressioná-los. E deu resultado porque não vi o Fortaleza jogar na etapa final como na primeira. Foi a forma de dar resposta aquilo que estava acontecendo no jogo.
Agora Vítor tem mais um problema: Paulinho. O volante deixou o campo contundido e preocupa. E o lance motivou críticas do treinador.
– Não gosto de falar de arbitragem. Agora nós temos claramente que defender o futebol. Minha equipe tem que jogar um bom futebol, quando não é possível tem que ser na raça, como foi hoje, mas o espírito é o de sempre defender o futebol, principalmente de entradas maldosas, um limite da violência com os jogadores que dão algo a mais no futebol, tem uma técnica capaz de tornar o jogo muito mais bonito e interessante. Só que se leva uma primeira, uma segunda, se permite essas entradas eles não ganham confiança por conta das pancadas. Willian se fartou a levar pancada, Paulinho se fartou. E se nós não tivermos cuidado com isso, se não defendermos o futebol, serão mais jogadores desse nível, na minha equipe e nas outras, a sofrerem entradas como essa.
TABELA
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> Conheça o aplicativo de resultados do LANCE!
Celtic are back in action for the second time in 2025 in the Scottish Premiership as they prepare to welcome St Mirren to Parkhead this afternoon.
The Hoops are looking to bounce back from their horrendous day on the other side of Glasgow on Thursday, as they were beaten 3-0 by rivals Rangers at Ibrox.
It was a first defeat of the league season and the first time that Kasper Schmeichel had conceded more than two goals in a league match for the club, having only let in four goals in the previous 18 games.
Brendan Rodgers could react to the poor performance and result by making some changes to his line-up, starting with Reo Hatate coming out of the team.
Why Reo Hatate should be dropped
The Celtic manager should ruthlessly bin the Japan international from the starting XI after his dismal performance in and out of possession in the loss to Rangers.
Hatate was selected to start in the middle of the park alongside captain Callum McGregor and Portugal U21 international Paulo Bernardo, but failed to justify his inclusion with a strong display.
Minutes
75
Pass accuracy
65%
Duels won
1/3
Possession lost
16x
Errors led to shots
2
Tackles + interceptions
0
As you can see in the table above, the Japanese midfielder did not excel in any phase of the game at Ibrox, as he was incredibly wasteful in possession and failed to offer much in the way of defensive protection.
The 27-year-old star should, therefore, be ditched from the starting line-up after such an ineffectual performance, and that will open the door for Rodgers to bring summer signing Arne Engels back in.
Why Arne Engels should start
The Belgium international, who joined from Augsburg, was dropped to the bench for the Old Firm clash, despite an impressive display from the start against St Johnstone in the previous match.
Engels, who Rodgers claimed is “excellent” in training, produced a sublime cross to assist Kyogo Furuhashi’s second goal in that match, with the Japan international simply having “wow” to say in response to a question about the pass in his post-match interview.
It was his first assist in 16 appearances in the Premiership this season, but it was the fourth ‘big chance’ that he has created for his teammates, which suggests that he has been let down by wasteful finishing from others.
Engels has found the back of the net four times in those 16 matches, starting ten of them, and has recorded one goal and seven assists in nine outings in the Champions League and League Cup this term.
The 21-year-old dynamo, who has won 50% of his duels in the Premiership, is a midfield player who can pick up intelligent positions to create moments in the final third, as shown by the ‘big chances’ he has created and the assists he has racked up.
Therefore, Rodgers should immediately ditch Hatate, after his dismal performance against Rangers, and unleash Engels to cause problems for the St Mirren defence at Parkhead this afternoon with his creativity and quality.
Celtic can sign new Rogic in move for "special" star who's "like Odegaard"
Celtic are reportedly interested in a deal to sign the Premier League talent.
ByDan Emery Jan 2, 2025
Manchester City and Pep Guardiola are reportedly interested in completing the signing of a player who could play for “any of the best teams in the world”.
The reigning Premier League champions may have an enviable amount of quality in their squad, but that’s not to say that further additions aren’t being mooted.
Highly-rated RB Leipzig centre-back Castello Lukeba is one player who has been linked with a move to City, in order to bolster the defensive depth at Guardiola’s disposal. The 21-year-old is already a key player for his current club, starting seven Bundesliga games this season, as well as three Champions League matches.
With Kevin De Bruyne now in the autumn of his career, it is vital that a long-term successor for the Belgian legend is found, and Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz has emerged as a reported target for City. The Germany international helped inspire his club team to Bundesliga glory last season, and he already has four goals and two assists in the league this time around.
The Cityzens are also thought to have made contact with Atalanta midfielder Ederson over a move to the Etihad in the January transfer window, as they look to make up for the huge loss of the injured Rodri.
According to a fresh update from Football Insider, Manchester City and Guardiola are eyeing a move for Sporting CP winger Maximilian Araujo.
The 24-year-old has been turned into a top-quality player by Ruben Amorim at the Portuguese giants, and the Cityzens are ‘now set to keep a close eye on his development’.
Araujo could be a really exciting signing for City, at a time when their wide players aren’t necessarily setting the world alight this season.
In fact, Jack Grealish and Savinho haven’t scored a single goal between them in the league in 2024/25 to date, and Jeremy Doku has only netted once, suggesting that reinforcements are needed in that area of the pitch.
In comparison, Araujo has scored once in two Champions League outings, also getting on the scoresheet twice at Copa America earlier this year, and Eduardo Espinel has lauded him, saying:
“He has much more power, much more speed and more tactical ability. I have no doubt that he hasn’t reached its limit yet. He is ready to play for any of the best teams in the world, because after all, today the characteristics he has are those that the teams of the moment ask for – speed in processes, speed, one-on-one ability and solidarity. “If not Manchester City, he will certainly have a place at another big club.”
This highlights what an excellent signing Araujo could be for City, and at 24 years of age, there is still so much more to come from him in his career.
Man City now eyeing move for £80m "leader" who's been likened to Gvardiol
He’s a man in-demand…
By
Tom Cunningham
Nov 22, 2024
While generally a left winger, his versatility also allows him to play at left-back, which is an area of the pitch where a new signing is arguably needed at the Etihad. That could further appeal to Guardiola, acting as another key reason to sign the Sporting ace.
A Celtic exit in the summer of 2025 is “not out of the question at all”, according to a fresh update from a “superb” 24-year-old Hoops player.
The January transfer window isn’t a million miles away now, so it is no surprise to see Celtic being linked with plenty of potential new signings. Highly-rated teenage Motherwell midfielder Lennon Miller has emerged as an exciting target for the Scottish Premiership champions, but rivals Rangers are thought to be providing competition.
There are players who could head the other way in January, however, with Alexandro Bernabei one such figure, with the left-back reportedly playing his final game for Celtic, following a loan move to Internacional.
In terms of current injuries, Adam Idah was ruled out of the international break because of injury, with his involvement with the Republic of Ireland ending before their UEFA Nations League matches got underway. The hope is that he will be back in the fold sooner rather than later, though, with his withdrawal more precautionary than anything.
Speaking to Fotbollskanalen [via The Daily Record], Gustaf Lagerbielke admitted that he may leave Celtic for FC Twente permanently next summer, having moved there on loan earlier this year: “It is a straight loan until the summer. Then there is always the possibility that I will be bought. So far it’s felt very good there so we’ll see how it goes forward.
“There is always that [chance of going back to Celtic]. I still have a contract there. It’s not out of the question at all. Then I’ll have to see closer to the end of the season what happens with everything. But it’s a fantastic club.”
The fact that Lagerbielke was even allowed to leave Celtic on loan during the summer window suggests that Brendan Rodgers doesn’t see him as a future part of his plans. This is despite him being admired by his manager, who said of him last December after a winning goal against Feyenoord: “It was a great moment for him because he hasn’t been involved in squads, other guys have been in front of him.
“But his attitude in training in the main has been superb and he has always been ready. The irony of him being sent off and then getting the goal was great, a really nice moment for him.”
Lagerbielke has generally done well in a Celtic shirt, winning the league title and Scottish Cup last season, but he was limited to only seven appearances in the former and may feel that a move away next year is best for his development.
Celtic man just got embarrassed by an £88m sensation for his country
The Celtic defender had a howler on Sunday evening with a poor performance against England.
By
Dan Emery
Nov 18, 2024
His admiration for the Hoops is clear, but he is also seemingly happy at Twente and likes the idea of his temporary switch being turned into a permanent one at the end of the season.
MatériaMais Notícias
A Ponte Preta está em situação dramática na reta final da fase de grupos do Paulistão e começa a fazer contas para escapar do rebaixamento.
– VEJA A TABELA DA SÉRIE B
Com a derrota no último fim de semana, a Macaca alcançou a marca de cinco partidas sem vencer e precisa dar uma resposta imediata.
No próximo domingo, a Ponte Preta vai até a NeoQuímica Arena para encarar o Corinthians e sabe que, mesmo com o cenário ruim, precisa somar pontos.
Dentro do elenco, o atacante Lucca, um dos líderes do time, deu o recado aos companheiros de equipe.
‘Mais importante é entender que o momento é difícil e complicado. É difícil, mas ninguém falou que seria fácil. Quem não acredita não tem que estar aqui. Eu, como um dos líderes do grupo, posso dizer que vamos lutar até o fim, independentemente do que aconteça’, afirmou.
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Head coach worried about ability of players coming into side from domestic ranks
Matt Roller18-Jan-2022Phil Simmons has echoed his limited-overs captain Kieron Pollard’s analysis that West Indies “have a batting problem” but insists he is not worrying about his job as head coach after a shock 2-1 ODI series defeat at home to Ireland.West Indies were bowled out for 269, 229 and 212 in their three ODIs against Ireland at Sabina Park in Jamaica, with Pollard describing their scores in the last two games as “totally unacceptable”, adding that “overall, holistically, I think we have a batting problem”.Speaking from Barbados ahead of West Indies’ five-match T20I series against England, which starts on Saturday, Simmons said that his batters were failing to translate their progress in training into results on the pitch, but stressed that scapegoating players already in the squad would only serve to mask the systemic failings to develop them at a domestic level.Kensington Oval at 50% capacity
CWI have launched ticket sales for the T20I series against England with a strict 50% limit on capacity due to Covid-19 regulations in Barbados.
Only fully-vaccinated fans will be permitted entry, and those in the ‘party stand’ will also require negative antigen tests, while all fans will be encouraged to socially distance and wear masks.
Tickets are half-price for Barbados nationals and CWI said there was “a high chance” all games would sell out.
All five games will be played at Kensington Oval, with the first T20I on January 22.
“It’s there to see: our batting quality is not there,” Simmons said. “Everything comes from lower down: if you’re coming into our squad and you’re averaging 30s when you come to the top level, you’re not going to average 40 or 50.”The holistic approach means that all through the ranks, all the way from the Under-19s, we have to be looking at preparing people to play at the international level. Averaging 20s and 30s at the domestic level doesn’t prepare you for the international level.”How much the players are assessing the situation and playing the situation… it’s not really happening. Yes, [Sabina Park] was a difficult pitch to bat on for all three days at the start [of the innings], but we got through most of the difficult period and then things went astray. It’s about bad shot selection … that’s a huge part of the batting failure.”Simmons, who was re-appointed as head coach in October 2019 and oversaw West Indies’ failed defence of the T20 World Cup he won with them in 2016, insisted that he was only focused on improving the players at his disposal, not his future in the role.”If I start worrying about my job then I have problems,” he said. “I am worrying about the success of the team and I am worrying about how we get players to be playing their roles. That’s all I’m concerned about. You’re always under pressure as coaches when the team’s not doing well, in any sport you play, and when the team is doing well, the coaches are forgotten. That’s the nature of the job.”I enjoy it everyday. My role is seeing the players and working with them, trying to bring out different things in them. To be honest, when we practise, there’s a lot coming out, there’s a lot being shown. It’s just how they adjust and assess the situation when they cross the rope … because that’s where it’s falling down.Related
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“Every ball is a situation in the game and we’ve got to be able to assess that situation and know how to play. If you’re 20 for 3, you play differently to if you’re 40 for 0. These are the situations that we need to highlight and need to assess properly.”West Indies’ squad for the England T20Is contains only six players who made appearances during their Super 12s exit at the T20 World Cup, with a handful of young players including Dominic Drakes, Romario Shepherd and Odean Smith included. The trio all featured in December’s 3-0 series defeat in Pakistan – where the squad was depleted due to a Covid-19 outbreak – and Simmons said that he hoped they would continue to bring “energy” to the group.”There’s a lot of difference from the World Cup, as you saw in Pakistan,” he said. “Yes, we lost the three games, but there was a lot more energy, a lot more enthusiasm and that’s the same with this group for this series against England. There’s an influx of maybe six or seven guys who were not there against Ireland and there’s a lot of energy coming in.”It [would be] a difficult situation if we had the same team from the World Cup but we have a lot of new faces and a lot of guys who want to make an impression and be a part of the team going forward. From that point of view, it’s not as difficult as it might seem.”We as a cricketing nation always have players who have the ability to hit the ball over the fence and it’s something I don’t want to take away from my players, but I also want my players to be clinical. In situations where you don’t need to do that, well, we must be able to get ones, to get twos.”[I want them] to bowl yorkers at the end instead of missing them, and hitting them more consistently than we are right now. There’s a few things that we haven’t been doing properly and we’re working very hard on them. The important thing now is for the youngsters to come in and hone their skills and be able to execute them in the middle, not just in practice.”