Tag Futebol

Liverpool maintained their 100% Champions League record after a win over Spanish outfit Girona. It was not an easy three points for the Reds, who were made to work hard for the win, but they managed to hold on and triumph again in Europe’s premier competition to stay top of the table.

Few things of note happened in the first half, although both sides missed some good chances to take the lead. In the second half, the Reds kept chipping away and were eventually rewarded.

Colombian winger Luis Diaz was brought down in the penalty box by former Manchester United midfielder Donny van de Beek, which was eventually deemed by VAR to be a foul. Mohamed Salah stepped up and, unsurprisingly, converted to give the Reds the lead.

Arne Slot’s side managed to see the remainder of the game out safely, to take an important three points back to Merseyside. There were some impressive performances from the Reds, with Salah once again a standout player.

Mo Salah’s stats vs. Girona

There is an inevitability about Salah. It is almost a certainty that Liverpool’s number 11 will score or assist this season; he has only failed to do so on five occasions all season. He now has 16 goals and 12 assists in 22 games in all competitions, simply ridiculous numbers.

His influence in the game against Girona was not as great as you may assume, and he did not have as much involvement as he may have hoped. As the stats on Sofascore show, the winger had just 45 touches of the ball, competing two dribbles and creating one chance.

When he did have the ball, the Egyptian attacker was an influence, as shown by the big chance he created. Salah’s penalty was composed, sending Paulo Gazzaniga the wrong way and firing home on the left-hand side of the goal.

It was a vital goal and saved the blushes of one Reds teammate who missed a few big chances in the game. That man is Darwin Nunez.

Nunez’s stats vs. Girona

It was a tough night for the Uruguayan striker who missed some critical chances. One of Nunez’s shots was well saved by Gazzaniga, using his foot to prevent a shot across his body from nestling into the far corner. It would have been a huge goal for the Reds.

His stats reflect just how poor Nunez was against Girona. Incredibly, he managed just 16 touches and completed just 50% of his passes, a really disappointing rate. On top of that, the Liverpool number nine missed two big chances and won just one from four duels.

Nunez stats vs. Girona

Stat

Number

Touches

16

Pass accuracy

50%

Passes completed

4/8

Big chances missed

2

Ground duels won

1/3

Aerial duels won

0/1

Stats from Sofascore

He received a 5/10 from Liverpool Echo journalist Ian Doyle. He explained the striker looked like he was ‘short of confidence’ and had a second half with ‘diminishing returns’. It was certainly a tough night at the office for Nunez, with his performance fortunately overshadowed somewhat by the clinical nature of teammate, Salah.

It will be interesting to see if Slot keeps his faith in his number nine ahead of the weekend’s clash against Fulham.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Expand Collapse

With Diogo Jota perhaps making a return from injury, and Cody Gakpo an option, Slot should well decide to rotate Nunez and bring in a fresh face against the Cottagers.

Related Slot must axe Szoboszlai & unleash Liverpool's very own Bellingham instead

Liverpool are expected to make rotations against Girona in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Dec 10, 2024

A number of factors are weighing the visitors down in New Zealand, and not all of them are cricketing

Firdose Moonda18-Feb-2022

South Africa’s support staff are struggling to put a finger on why the team’s form has swung so dramatically from their victories against India to staring at an innings defeat after two days in New Zealand. “The energies are way below par,” head coach Mark Boucher said on Friday, but not solid explanation has been forthcoming. It could be a combination of factors: the experience of a ten-day hard quarantine for the first time; an unfamiliar venue – South Africa have never played a Test at Hagley Oval before; off-field issues, with Boucher’s disciplinary hearing pending; and a lack of clarity around selection. Not to mention New Zealand’s outstanding command of their own conditions.Related

South Africa in the doldrums after top-order collapse and Nicholls century

Stats – South Africa's worst since 1932

Boucher obliquely addressed all of them in his press conference on the second day, which ended with South Africa 34 for 3 in their second innings, trailing New Zealand by 353 runs. “It’s extremely disappointing, especially after the series we just had against India. There was high expectation from everyone,” he said. “We just haven’t come out and given the energy that’s expected of us. I can see the energies are way below par.”Asked if South Africa’s history of being slow starters may have been taken to a new level, Boucher was unsure but said the preparation for the series had been as thorough as always. “We haven’t started well here at all and it’s not the first time it’s happened. It’s something that’s been happening for quite some time. We are trying to find out the reasons for that,” he said. “We do a lot of talking and planning throughout the series and the plans are right, but we haven’t been able to execute on those plans. The energies have been low. We can’t put our finger on it. We have to try to find a way to become better at the start of the series.”South Africa came into this series on a high after a come-from-behind Test series win against India, at home, but also on the back of the news that some of the current squad members would be asked to testify at Boucher’s disciplinary hearing in May. The individual players who may appear at the hearing have not yet been named and, with proceedings still ongoing, Boucher could not comment on whether it has been affecting the players. “I can’t answer that for the players,” he said. “What’s happening in my personal stuff stays personal. There’s a process that’s going on and we will leave it at that.”Boucher faces charges of “gross misconduct” over racial issues and CSA is seeking his dismissal over matters, including his handling of the Black Lives Matter movement over the last two years. One of CSA’s accusations is that the changeroom was divided by race and Boucher addressed the white players while team manager Kgomotso Masubelele, who is black, held discussions with players of colour. Both Boucher and Masubelele remain in their roles and it is not known if Masubelele will also appear at the hearing.Even if that alleged incident is not directly affecting the team at the moment, conversations around race are never far away in South African cricket. ESPNcricinfo understands that reserve batter Ryan Rickelton, who was with the squad during the India series and has scored three hundreds in his last five first-class innings and averages 118.25 this summer, was the favourite to be selected as the extra batter at No. 7. But transformation considerations led to Zubayr Hamza, in the squad because Keegan Petersen was ruled out after contracting Covid-19, being picked instead.All Boucher said on the matter was, “There was the seventh-batter option and we decided to go with Zubayr Hamza. That’s just how we felt the line-up needed to be.”On the subject, South Africa’s selection convener Victor Mpitsang told ESPNcricinfo, “it’s not a target issue” and “experience was a factor” in picking Hamza, who has played five Tests and double the number of first-class matches as Rickelton. Hamza has played four first-class matches this season and has scored 253 runs at an average of 36.14, but scored 125* against India A in December.”We will keep going back and looking back at how best we can continue to prepare the players for tours”•Getty Images

As such, South Africa’s targets are not applied per game but on average – six of colour, of which two must be black African – over a season.The other change in the line-up was Sarel Erwee replacing Aiden Markram in the opening spot and Markram moving to No. 3 in Petersen’s absence. Neither have covered themselves in glory – and to be fair to them, no-one else has either – but Erwee has waited long enough to be given a decent run. He has been part of South Africa’s squad over the last 18 months, in which Markram’s form has dwindled. After averaging over 50 in his first ten Tests, Markram averages 25.47 from his next 20 and 9.7 in his last ten innings.Boucher believed a lack of self-belief has had an effect on Markram’s game, as well as on others’. “There’s a lack of confidence and sometimes you go through bad periods in your game,” he said. “The wickets we’ve played on have been tough, especially for opening batters. And certain guys’ personal form is not where they want it to be and that’s added to not only the (struggles) in the opening partnership but in the top order.”South Africa have collapsed in both innings so far, on a green, bouncy track, with New Zealand’s quicks getting enough movement in the air. They were shot out for 95 in their first innings and teetered on 4 for 3 in their second, after New Zealand piled on 482. That’s an indication that the pitch was not unplayable and of the difference in precision and skill in the two attacks. But Boucher said it should not erase the progress South Africa made against India.”The three-match series against India was a long series. A lot of grit was shown in that series,” he said. “To wipe that series out with two really poor days in conditions guys haven’t played in before wouldn’t be fair, but I can see why people are saying it. We haven’t been good enough in all three departments. We will keep going back and looking back at how best we can continue to prepare the players for tours.”

In their final international before the Women’s World Cup starting next week, India managed to shake off their run of losses on New Zealand soil

S Sudarshanan24-Feb-2022

It was an event in itself. Harmanpreet Kaur hit a six for the first time in ODIs since March 2021. In the 24th over of the chase, she came down the track to left-arm spinner Fran Jonas to smash one high and long over deep midwicket. The full swing of the blade was visible and it was punctuated by a bear-hug from batting partner Smriti Mandhana.Mandhana and Harmanpreet were involved in a 64-run partnership that took only 65 balls coming and it was part of the three successive half-century partnerships India stitched to successfully chase down the 252-run target in the fifth ODI at the John Davies Oval in Queenstown. In their final international before the Women’s World Cup starting next week, India had managed to shake off their run of losses on New Zealand soil, ending the five-ODI series 4-1.Mandhana, who played her first game on tour in the fourth ODI, was up and about even as India lost Shafali Verma early. She displayed her full array of strokes in a second-wicket partnership of 60, in which Deepti Sharma, promoted to No. 3 with Yastika Bhatia absent, appeared to be struggling to rotate the strike. The introduction of spin saw Deepti being stuck at the striker’s end, facing 11 dots out of the 16 leading up to her wicket.Mandhana set about milking the bowling, before hitting a powerful sweep off Amelia Kerr’s legspin to bring up her 20th half-century in ODI. The knock was not without its chances but the left-hander was quick to brush them aside and march forward.Harmanpreet is in the middle of a difficult phase in her career. Her place is under scrutiny. And she was “rested” for the previous game. On Thursday, she walked in with India still a fair distance from comfort. With Mandhana motoring along at the other end, she took her time to get her eye in before that six off Jonas got her going. A couple of overs later, she hit offspinner Frances Mackay for consecutive fours after being dropped a ball earlier.Mandhana fell an over later for 71 off 84, but Harmanpreet took the onus to push India forward in the company of captain Mithali Raj, who hit her eighth 50-plus score in her last 12 ODI innings. Harmanpreet got to her first half-century in a year but fell for a 66-ball 63 with India on the doorstep of victory. In the end, quite aptly, Raj shepherded her side to their first win of the tour.India would have been chasing much more than 252 had it not been for their spinners, who picked up seven wickets between them. Kerr continued her rich vein of form and hit her fourth successive fifty-plus score – to go with an unbeaten century – this series. There has been only one player who has made more runs than her 353 and taken more wickets than her seven in the history of all bilateral series cricket. Sri Lanka’s Tillakaratne Dilshan.Along with Sophie Devine, Kerr helped New Zealand progress rapidly, adding 68 off just 76 deliveries. Devine took the attack to India’s spinners, carting Rajeshwari Gayakwad for a six off her first ball in the game. But offspinner Sneh Rana got enough bite from the surface to apply the brakes on the hosts’ scoring and dismiss Devine for 34.Deepti then had Amy Satterthwaite and Kerr dismissed in the space of four overs to help India wrest back control. Lauren Down, though, found the going easy before Hayley Jensen’s cameo of 30 off 33 balls powered New Zealand towards 250.The spinners ended up bowling 38 of the 50 overs for India and barring Gayakwad, the trio of Rana, Deepti and Poonam Yadav had the economy rate well under five an over.

With one eye on the Scottish Premiership and another on the transfer market, Celtic could reportedly move to sign a Premier League midfielder worth just £15m for Brendan Rodgers in 2025.

Celtic transfer news

The Bhoys have barely missed a beat in the current campaign, despite losing star man Matt O’Riley to Brighton & Hove Albion in the summer. The Dane’s exit dealt the Scottish champions a major blow and forced them to bid farewell to yet another talent to the Premier League following the likes of Kieran Tierney a number of years ago.

Those at Celtic Park could yet fall victim to their own success once more in 2025 too, with Nicolas Kuhn recently linked to Premier League side Crystal Palace. A man in form, Kuhn would be following in O’Riley’s footsteps by starring at Celtic before swapping Scotland for England’s first tier.

It’s a trend that the Bhoys should be desperate to bring to an end and reverse by welcoming a Premier League talent of their own. According to Caught Offside, Celtic could now make a move to sign Wataru Endo from Liverpool in a deal worth €15-18m (£12-15m) next year. The Japan international reportedly wants out at Anfield amid his struggle for game time, potentially presenting Celtic with an ideal opportunity.

They’re not the only side reportedly interested, however. Fulham, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Ipswich Town are also eyeing a move for the Liverpool midfielder in a busy race for his signature, which looks destined to end in an Anfield departure.

Related Celtic hit with Doak repeat as English clubs race to sign "spectacular" gem

He’s stealing the headlines from the academy…

Posts 2 ByTom Cunningham Nov 9, 2024

Now 31 years old, Endo has fulfilled his role at Liverpool better than most expected and is now playing a lesser role thanks to the emergence of Ryan Gravenberch. If Celtic is to be next for the midfielder, then the Bhoys could be getting a player who may ease into the Scottish Premiership.

"Machine" Endo would be impressive coup

Although struggling for game time at Liverpool, Endo could slot straight into Celtic’s midfield alongside fellow Japan star Reo Hatate to take the Bhoys up yet another level at the heart of Rodgers’ side. If Rodgers did welcome Endo, meanwhile, then he will be signing a player who Jurgen Klopp loved in his final season at Liverpool.

Speaking to reporters after a young Liverpool side defeated Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final last season, Klopp said via Sqawka: “I’m pretty sure in three [or] four years Wataru will sign another long-term contract at Liverpool just because he might be 30 or 31 on his passport but he’s not.

“He’s a machine. He is footballing-wise exceptional. His defensive brain is outstanding. He gives us a lot of freedom for a lot of things. Yeah, top development. Very helpful, very helpful.”

For the price of £15m, Celtic may need to act quickly to win the race for Endo ahead of Premier League sides and, in doing so, reverse the trend of top talents swapping Scotland for England.

حدد حسام حسن المدير الفني لمنتخب مصر الأول شرطًا واحدًا لقبوله خوض مباراتين وديتين أمام منتخبي كوريا الجنوبية واليابان، في شهر نوفمبر المقبل.

وعلم بطولات أن حسام حسن اشترط إقامة مواجهة كوريا الجنوبية واليابان في إحدى دول الخليج، للموافقة على خوض المباراتين خلال فترة التوقف الدولي المقبلة في شهر نوفمبر.

اتحاد الكرة والجهاز الفني للمنتخب تلقيا عرضًا رسميًا لخوض وديتين أمام المنتخبين الآسيويين، لكن حسام حسن أبدى تحفظه على فكرة السفر إلى شرق آسيا وخوض اللقاءات على أرض المنافسين، مفضلًا إقامة المواجهات في أجواء أقرب إلى بيئة المنتخب المصري، ما دفعه لاقتراح إقامتها في إحدى الدول الخليجية.

شادي محمد: أتمنى أن يحتوي حسام حسن لاعب الأهلي “الاستثنائي”

يأتي هذا القرار ضمن استراتيجية حسام حسن للإعداد الأمثل للمنتخب خلال المرحلة المقبلة، حيث يسعى لتجنب إرهاق اللاعبين برحلات سفر طويلة، خاصة مع ازدحام جدول المباريات محليًا وقاريًا، إلى جانب توفير أفضل الظروف الفنية واللوجستية التي تساعد على تحقيق أقصى استفادة من المباريات الودية.

ومن المنتظر أن يناقش اتحاد الكرة المصري هذا الشرط مع مسؤولي اتحادي كوريا الجنوبية واليابان، للبحث عن إمكانية تعديل مكان إقامة اللقاءين، قبل اتخاذ القرار النهائي بشأن خوض المواجهات أو البحث عن بدائل أخرى خلال فترة التوقف الدولي المقبلة.

ويستعد منتخب مصر خلال الفترة الحالية لمباراتي إثيوبيا وسيراليون المقرر لهما يومي 21 و 25 مارس الجاري  في التصفيات الأفريقية المؤهلة لنهائيات كأس العالم 2026.

Neymar says it feels like he is going "back in time" after sealing an emotional return to boyhood team Santos.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Neymar has Al-Hilal deal terminated
• Joins boyhood team Santos
• Sends emotional message on return

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 32-year-old's contract at Al-Hilal was terminated this week after a disastrous, injury-ravaged 18 months in the Middle East. Now, the Brazilian has confirmed he is moving to Santos, a club he played at between 2003-2013 before joining Barcelona.

Advertisement

• WHAT NEYMAR SAID

  He said in a video montage: "Hey, guys. Feels like I'm going back in time. I'm here with my friends and family and they helped me to write a few things. I just can't hold it in until tomorrow (Friday). My family and my friends already know my decision. I'll sign the contract with Santos. I want to thank my fans from all over the world wishing for this moment to come true for a long time. It's been nearly 12 years since I left for the most famous club in the world and it seems like yesterday. My feelings for the club and fans have never changed."

  He added: "Now I need to play again. And only a club liek Santos can provide the love I need to prepare for the coming challenges in the next few years. And all of you, regardless of your club, know very well what I mean. I hope you're all with me on this next step of my life."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Neymar is in desperate need of a fresh start after his disastrous €90 million (£77m/$98m) move from Paris Saint-Germain to Al-Hilal in 2023. The forward may yet be able to resurrect his career and what better place to do that than at his old stomping ground, Santos.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• (C)Getty Images
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  Neymar seems set to play for Santos in Serie A next season after the Brazilian giants' promotion to the top-flight in late 2024.

Celtic have enjoyed a sensational start to the 2024/25 campaign by winning all eight of their competitive matches in all competitions, conceding just four goals.

The Hoops have won all five of their games in the Scottish Premiership and are yet to concede a single goal, as Brendan Rodgers targets a second successive title since his return to the club last summer.

Because of the club’s success and the huge standards in the first-team squad, it is incredibly difficult for young players to make the breakthrough from the B team to the senior group.

One player who appeared to be on his way to bridging the gap was Ireland youth international Rocco Vata, before his exit from Parkhead in the summer transfer window.

Rocco Vata's potential

The 19-year-old starlet scored 23 goals in 34 appearances for Celtic B and was given opportunities in the first-team by Ange Postecoglou and Rodgers.

Vata scored his first goal for the senior side under the Northern Irish head coach last term, against Buckie Thistle, and ended his career at Parkhead with that being his only strike in six appearances.

The teenage whiz opted to turn down the chance to sign an extension at Paradise and signed for Championship side Watford, with compensation to be agreed between the two teams due to his age, and he came off the bench for the Hornets in their 2-1 League Cup defeat to Manchester City on Tuesday night.

Vata appeared to be a great prospect for Celtic, given his 23 goals for the B team and his smattering of first-team outings, but will now not have the chance to fulfil his potential at Parkhead.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast's In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Rodgers, however, may already have a bigger talent than the 19-year-old Irishman brewing in the academy in the form of centre-forward Daniel Cummings.

Daniel Cummings' goal record for Celtic

The 18-year-old star, who only turned 18 in April, has been in prolific form for the B team in the 2024/25 campaign, with a stunning 12 goals in eight appearances.

Cummings has scored ten goals in seven Lowland League games this term, and also fired in 12 goals in 19 Lowland League matches last season, which means that the forward has racked up 22 goals in his last 26 league appearances for the B team.

That works out as a goal every 1.18 Lowland League games on average, compared to Vata’s return of 23 goals in 34 matches for the same team – a goal every 1.48 matches on average.

The Scotland U17 international has scored two goals and provided one assist in six appearances in the UEFA Youth League, whereas Vata only managed one goal and zero assists in 12 outings in that competition for Celtic.

These statistics suggest that Cummings, who is a year younger than the Watford man, has the potential to be a greater goal threat as a centre-forward, as he outperformed his former teammate in the same competitions.

It is now down to the 18-year-old marksman to prove to Rodgers, if given the opportunity, that he has a future as a regular starter for Celtic, as he could be a star for the Hoops if his B team form can be translated to the first-team.

Sold for £20m: Celtic struck gold selling ace who's now worth millions less

The Hoops hit the jackpot when they decided to cash in on the centre-forward.

By
Dan Emery

Sep 25, 2024

MatériaMais Notícias

O Red Bull Bragantino foi uma das gratas surpresas da temporada 2021 e terminou o ano com uma vaga na próxima edição da Libertadores da América.

+ Veja no aplicativo do LANCE! o resultado dos jogos da rodada

Um dos bons valores do time é o atacante Tomás Cuello, que falou sobre o ‘merecimento’ do grupo comandado por Mauricio Barbieri.

‘Foi uma temporada muito boa, com muitos jogos e tivemos que suportar muito bem. Chegamos na final da Sul-Americana e fizemos uma grande campanha no Brasileirão, sendo coroado com a vaga na fase de grupos da Libertadores. Nosso grupo merece tudo isso que está acontecendo, pois é fruto de muito trabalho’, declarou o jogador após a vitória contra o Internacional ao Premiere.

Futuro

Com os direitos federativos presos ao Atlético Tucumán, o Red Bull Bragantino trabalha nos bastidores para prolongar a continuidade de Cuello no elenco.

RelacionadasCoritibaPresidente do Coritiba explica desistência por HyoranCoritiba20/12/2021LibertadoresConmebol muda regulamento e Athletico-PR será cabeça de chave na Libertadores: veja projeção dos potes para a fase de gruposLibertadores20/12/2021Athletico ParanaenseAlberto Valentim e Paulo Autuori ficam no AthleticoAthletico Paranaense20/12/2021

Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap can be an 'important player' for England, according to Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Maresca talks up Delap potential
• Ipswich striker has impressed
• England opportunity could await

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  With Chelsea due to face Ipswich in the Premier League on Monday evening, Maresca was asked about Delap, having worked with the emerging talent during a previous job as an assistant coach at Manchester City. The Italian spoke highly of the 21-year-old, who has impressed in an otherwise struggling Ipswich side since making the permanent switch during the summer.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Delap's six Premier League goals so far this season account for nearly 40% of Ipswich's team total and have repaid the faith shown in him with a £20 million ($25m) transfer fee – so much so, the club could potentially turn a profit even in the event of relegation – there are already links with Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and a swift return to Manchester City. He has been capped at every England age group since Under-16s and appears well placed to step into a senior Three Lions squad without a natural successor to Harry Kane.

• WHAT ENZO MARESCA SAID

  "Liam is a fantastic player, and also for his age. I think we spent one year together [at Manchester City] and I think he scored 22, 24 goals and he is a very good striker," Maresca told reporters at a press conference.

  "In England they have many like him and they have many good players, good strikers and he’s working hard off the ball, on the ball, he understands the game and can score goals. And also because of his age, I think he can be an important player for England."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  The next opportunity for Delap to get a maiden senior England call-up will be in March when 2026 World Cup qualification begins with back-to-back home games against Albania and Latvia. It will also be the start of the Thomas Tuchel era, making it doubly likely there will be opportunities for new players to work their way into contention. Before then, however, attention will be on dragging Ipswich out of danger amid a tough fixture list against exclusively top half sides throughout January.

Allrounder hasn’t played for England since September but could make T20 comeback after six years

Alan Gardner20-Jun-2021Chris Woakes has conceded that his winter of inaction with England “felt like a bit of a waste”, and revealed that he had received an apology from the team management and the ECB over the shared car ride that led to him having to self-isolate on arrival in Sri Lanka in January.Woakes has not played international cricket since last September, having travelled to South Africa, Sri Lanka and India without making it into the starting XI in any format of the game. He was recalled this week to the T20I squad for the first time in almost six years, and while admitting that had come as a surprise he said he would be hoping to push himself into the selectors’ thinking ahead of the T20 World Cup later this year.”I haven’t been in this squad for a while and I look at this as an opportunity” he said. “It is great for me to be back amongst the squad. I don’t take any squad selection for granted, I am certainly not just here to make up the numbers – if I get a go I will be trying to stake a claim. I also realise there are a few injuries knocking around but that doesn’t take anything away from me being part of this England team and putting my hand up to be part of this World Cup – with two World Cups around the corner.”T20 is the only format Woakes has had any game time in recently, initially at the IPL and then with Birmingham Bears in the Vitality Blast. After being named PCA Men’s Player of the Year last summer, Woakes was part of the ODI squad that flew to South Africa only to return without playing a game after concerns over bio-security. He then missed the first Test in Sri Lanka – a game he felt he was “a shoo in to play” – after being deemed a close contact of Moeen Ali, who tested positive for Covid-19 on arrival in the country.When the Test team moved on to India, Woakes was repeatedly overlooked before returning home as part of the ECB’s rotation policy, then missed the three ODIs due to the logistical demands of travel and quarantine required to rejoin the England bubble. “I just want to put it behind me really and look to what’s ahead,” he said. “It’s certainly been a tough seven or eight months since last September.Related

Woakes flies home from India after lengthy spell on sidelines

Woakes makes his mark on winning return for Birmingham Bears

Bairstow ankle scans clear but batter doubtful for first SL T20I

“It all bubbles up to a really frustrating time. Not playing a single game all winter, after the summer I had, almost felt like a bit of a waste for me. Still great to be with the squad but you want to be playing cricket and making the most of your form when you’re hot.”On the decision to send him and Moeen in a shared taxi from Birmingham to Heathrow, despite the multitude of protocols in place to protect players from potential Covid-19 transmission, Woakes said that he had “vented” his frustration at the time, with his period in isolation effectively costing him his place in the side.”I felt like I was kind of a shoo in to play that first Test match in Sri Lanka, and obviously having had what happened, therefore obviously it did have a knock-on effect, [if] the team wins or the team does as well, all of a sudden it becomes hard to break back in. It doesn’t mean that I’d have played all the Test matches for the winter, but it might mean that I’d have had an opportunity to put my hand up before in a strong performance. And then the thoughts around selection for further Test matches might have been different.”I vented my frustration at the time, and apologies were given. [No] stone was [left unturned], but unfortunately that was the one thing that we did not quite get it right, and I did pay a price for that.”Having opted to go to the IPL after being picked up at auction by Delhi Capitals, Woakes then missed England’s two-Test series with New Zealand earlier this month. That decision was agreed between the player and ECB, with Woakes saying time away from home had “taken its toll mentally” – but he was keen to find a way to press his case for a Test return against India later in the summer, despite few opportunities to play red-ball cricket over the next six weeks.”I spent a lot of time away from home in that period and it had kind of taken its toll mentally,” he said. “The IPL was very much a decision which I took on, it’s on my shoulders, but I felt it was a great opportunity to learn and play some cricket after the winter I’d had.”Those two Tests versus New Zealand were put in [the schedule] quite late and I think the issue was as soon as getting out of isolation in London I’d have had to have a few days at home then play for Warwickshire to make myself available for any part of that Test series. Then there’s the tricky side of Covid restrictions and getting back in that bubble. Once we’d made the decision it was never really an option to play the second Test match. You’d have had to be in the bubble from the start.”It’s a real tricky situation. I felt I needed a refresh and some time at home with the young family. I kind of put up the pros and cons of missing that two-match series. It was very much in our hands, I spoke to Spoons [head coach Chris Silverwood] and the rest of the backroom staff here and they said ‘as much as we feel you probably should have a breather and get away from cricket, it is on you. If you want to be part of that we’ll definitely let you’.”I decided that little break would do me good in the long run. They certainly know I want to play Test cricket, don’t get me wrong. I haven’t played much red-ball cricket but they know I want to be a part of that Test squad and I believe they want me to be part of it so hopefully come that India series I’ll be fit and firing and ready to play a big part of that.”