Luke Wood, Sam Cook chime in as Rockets bowl Spirit out for 122 in first defeat of season
ESPNcricinfo staff20-Aug-2022Trent Rockets spin kings Rashid Khan and Samit Patel launched their side to the top of the Men’s Hundred table as they won by six wickets against London Spirit at Trent Bridge.Returning for his final game of the Hundred, Khan produced his best, clean bowling three victims for 25 runs. Patel (2 for 29) took the prize wickets of Eoin Morgan (27 from 16 balls) and Ben McDermott (30 from 25 balls) as they both threatened big scores. Luke Wood also impressed with economical figures of 2 for 23, with the Rockets bowling Spirit out for 122.In reply, Colin Munro’s 67 not out from 37 balls and a confidence-boosting 41 off 28 balls from Tom Kohler-Cadmore were enough to take the Rockets home with 21 balls to spare. The result gives the Spirit their first loss of the season and puts the Rockets in prime position to finish the season in the top spot.Put in to bat, the Spirit got off to a flying start as Daniel Bell-Drummond (24 from 15 balls) caught the eye with consecutive sixes in the first set of 10. The Spirit did lose the in-form Adam Rossington, but at 41 for 1 from the powerplay, they’d have been the happier side.The next 25 balls would only produce 20 runs for the loss of two wickets, as the Rockets’ bowling attack fought back. Bell-Drummond was the first to go, miscuing off the bowling of Sam Cook. Dan Lawrence would join him soon after, bowled by a Khan googly, to leave the Spirit in a difficult position.The away side needed to rebuild and quickly if they were to post a defendable total. Morgan answered the call, striking two sixes in Khan’s next set. But when he attempted the same trick on the 64th ball against the ever-impressive Patel, he was caught at deep midwicket, leaving the Spirit 86 for 4.Sensing the moment to turn the screw, skipper Lewis Gregory threw Khan the ball and he delivered. The Afghan bowled Kieron Pollard and Jordan Thompson in a set of five which conceded just two. Three balls later, Patel would remove McDermott and the wickets kept falling. The Londoners lost their last five wickets for just 27 runs.Morgan’s team talk would have surely mentioned getting the Rockets’ in-form openers early and his side did just that. The first was by luck rather than design. Dawid Malan, run out from the first ball of the innings, his partner Hales looking sheepish as his teammate trudged off without facing. Hales was back to apologise sooner than the Rockets would have liked, caught at mid-on off the bowling of Ellis as they ended the powerplay 33 for 2.Hales’s wicket brought Kohler-Cadmore to the crease. Bought at the auction for a £125,000 fee, the Yorkshire player was in need of a big score to match his top-bracket price. He proved his value as the partnership with Munro brought 85 off 51 balls and all but secured victory. The Rockets crowd would have one last big roar as Gregory smashed a six to end the game and put his team top of the league.
Much of Tottenham Hotspur’s campaign this year has been defined by injury and a total collapse in Premier League form, but Wednesday’s win over Liverpool in the League Cup could potentially be the start of a turnaround.
The North Londoners were brilliant to a man, and while the likes of Lucas Bergvall, Dominic Solanke and new goalkeeper Antonín Kinský have received most of the attention since, understandably so, there is another starter who should be getting plenty of plaudits: Yves Bissouma.
The Mali international has made his fair share of mistakes this season, but he was solid against the Reds and more than deserving of the 8/10 match rating given to him by Alasdair Gold at full-time.
However, it might be a case of too little too late for the 28-year-old, as recent reports have now linked the club to someone who could be an upgrade on him, a player who could become Spurs’ own Declan Rice.
Tottenham Hotspur chase Rice-esque star
According to a recent report from Italian publication TuttoJuve, Tottenham are one of several teams interested in Juventus ace Douglas Luiz.
Alongside the Lilywhites, the report has revealed that fellow Premier League sides Arsenal and Manchester United are also keen on the former Aston Villa star.
The report does not mention how much a transfer might cost, but given his struggles and severe lack of game time this season, we would be surprised to see the Old Lady ask for more than the £42m they paid for him in the summer.
If that is the price they want, then that would still represent a significant investment for Spurs, but given how well he played in England and the fact he’s won comparisons to Rice before, it could be worth it, even if he’d be bad news for Bissouma.
Luiz's comparisons to Rice and Bissouma
Okay, before we look at how Luiz stacks up against the man he may replace in Spurs’ midfield, it’s worth examining his comparisons to Rice and where they have come from.
Douglas Luiz for Aston Villa
Well, it primarily stems from FBref, which compared players in similar positions in the Premier League last season, then created a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and, in this instance, concluded that the Englishman was the seventh most similar midfielder to the Brazilian.
The best way to see where this comparison has come from is to look at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including, but not limited to, key passes, duels won, tackles, blocks and more, all per 90.
On top of the statistical similarities between the pair, they are both more than capable of changing between a six and an eight depending on what their team need and some, such as former professional Jermaine Pennant, believe the former Villa ace “can do everything that Rice can do and better.”
With all of that said, how does the Juve ace stack up against the player he could potentially replace in N17?
Well, when comparing his underlying numbers from last season, when he was playing in the country, to the former Brighton & Hove Albion stars from this season, he comes out on top, and by some margin.
For example, the “amazing” midfielder, as dubbed by Unai Emery, comes out ahead in the majority of metrics, including but not limited to expected and actual non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive carries, key passes, crosses and passes into the penalty area, goal and shot-creating actions, blocks, ball recoveries, aerial duels won and more, all per 90.
Luiz vs Bissouma
Stats per 90
Luiz
Bissouma
Non-Penalty Expected G+As
0.28
0.06
Actual Non-Penalty G+As
0.30
0.19
Progressive Passes
5.05
6.21
Progressive Carries
1.80
1.36
Passing Accuracy
85.7%
89.4%
Key Passes
1.59
0.39
Passes into Penalty Area
1.17
0.68
Crosses into the Penalty Area
0.24
0.00
Goal-Creating Actions
0.30
0.00
Shot-Creating Actions
3.52
1.17
Tackles Won
1.14
2.04
Blocks
0.96
0.58
Interceptions
0.69
1.26
Errors Leading to a Shot
0.06
0.19
Successful Take-Ons
0.72
0.58
Yellow Cards
0.36
0.49
Ball Recoveries
5.53
5.15
Aerial Duels Won
0.75
0.29
All Stats via FBref for the 23/24 & 24/25 PL Season
Ultimately, while Bissouma put in a stellar shift against Liverpool on Wednesday, he has not been reliable enough for Spurs over the last couple of years.
Therefore, even if it’s just on loan to start with, Levy and Co should look to bring the “box-crashing” Luiz, as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, to North London this month, as he might just become their own Rice.
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A ruling in Manchester City’s FFP case “is not far off”, with Richard Keys claiming that a “big clue” to the outcome has already been dropped.
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'Trial of the century' verdict imminent
Keys thinks City will escape punishment
Points to 'big clue' from Sky Sports
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WHAT HAPPENED?
A Financial Fair Play cloud has been hanging over the Etihad Stadium for two years, with as many as 130 charges being levelled against the reigning Premier League champions. An independent hearing into supposed monetary mismanagement has been completed.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
No verdict has been delivered as yet, meaning that various punishments – ranging from points deductions to expulsion from the top-flight – continue to be speculated on. City have maintained their innocence throughout.
DID YOU KNOW?
Television presenter Keys, who now works for beIN Sports, believes that the Blues will get off lightly. He thinks that calls for Sky Sports journalists to rein in their criticism of City’s behaviour are an indicator that a slap on the wrists is about to be delivered.
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WHAT RICHARD KEYS SAID
Keys has posted in his : “I’m hearing we’re not far off from learning the outcome to the 130 charges City have faced. The smart money has got to be on a fudge. Why do I say that? Well – a number of reasons really.
“A big clue is Sky telling their pundits to go easy with their thoughts about the judgement. If City were going to get nailed I’m sure they’d be allowed to say what they like but I reckon their anger is going to have to be tempered.
“Just as the British govt got deeply involved in the decision to allow the Saudi’s to take over at Newcastle, it’s a certainty they’ll have had something to do with the outcome in this case. Boris Johnson didn’t want to p*ss MBS [Mohammed bin Salman] off – and Starmer can’t afford to fall out with the Emeratis. I might be wrong, but I don’t think so.”
They say a week is a long time in football, and in Tottenham Hotspur’s case, a fortnight is a lifetime.
It was almost two weeks ago that Ange Postecoglou’s side were wiping the floor with Premier League Champions Manchester City at the Etihad, and at full-time, there was an expectation that the North Londoners would then go on a run.
However, in the three games since, the Lilywhites have drawn at home with AS Roma and Fulham and lost away to Bournemouth, which makes the prospect of facing Chelsea and the sensational Cole Palmer tomorrow afternoon all the more terrifying.
What makes it worse is that a player Postecoglou sold in the summer is now playing out of his skin and could well have been Spurs’ own Palmer.
Spurs' summer sales
So, before we get to the player in question, let’s look at how some of Spurs’ other departures are getting on this season, starting with someone who’s not having a great time: Emerson Royal.
The Brazilian full-back joined Serie A giants AC Milan for around £13m, which Italian football writer Kaustubh Pandey described as “a deal for the ages,” although not for the right reasons.
In all, the 25-year-old has made 16 appearances for the Rossoneri so far, in which he’s failed to score or assist a goal and been so poor that Italian football expert James Horncastle described the fee paid as a charitable ‘donation’ ‘to make his wish to become a footballer come true’ – ouch.
Someone faring a little better away from North London is centre-back Joe Rodon, who joined Leeds United for around £10m at the same time as Archie Gray went the other way.
So far, the 47-capped Welshman has made 19 appearances for the Peacocks, who currently sit third in the Championship, just a point off of second place and three off of first.
However, while the 27-year-old defender is doing well in West Yorkshire, another former Lilywhites ace is doing even better and is showing that he could have been Postecoglou’s own Palmer.
The former Spurs ace playing like Palmer
So, to get straight to the point, the former Spurs ace in question is midfield marvel Giovani Lo Celso.
Yes, the Argentine international, who finally departed N17 for good this summer to join La Liga side Real Betis for £8.4m, has been in utterly sensational form and is beginning to play like Palmer.
Now, we say this for a couple of reasons. The first is that, like the Chelsea star, the “unbelievable” 28-year-old, as dubbed by journalist Alex Mitton, has become an increasingly important goal threat for his team this season and has already racked up six in just 11 appearances while also providing an assist for good measure.
However, the other reason is that, according to FBref, which compares players in similar positions in Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, the Englishman is statistically the fourth most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Argentine this season.
We can better understand how they reached this conclusion by examining the underlying numbers in which they rank closely, metrics including but not limited to expected assists, non-penalty goals, shots on target, key passing and goal-creating actions, all per 90.
Expected Assists
0.34
0.39
Non-Penalty Goals
0.58
0.60
Shots on Target
1.31
1.42
Goals per Shot on Target
0.44
0.42
Key Passes
2.75
2.69
Goal-Creating Actions
0.58
0.60
Ultimately, while the club couldn’t have foreseen such an uptick in form, it certainly feels like they could do with someone like Lo Celso in the squad right about now, and the fact he is performing similarly to Palmer at the moment is just further evidence of his incredible talent.
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Everton have reportedly already sounded out a potential replacement for under-pressure boss Sean Dyche, and they have even been given an answer.
Dyche on the brink at Everton
Everton are in serious danger of being dragged into a relegation battle in their final season at Goodison Park. Dyche’s side have slumped to 17th in the Premier League, having won just two games all season, and defeat to Wolves on Wednesday will see them drop into the relegation zone.
Though their 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Manchester United was not entirely deserved, it was self-inflicted with a series of errors from the Toffees, something that Dyche made clear must change.
Everton’s season so far
Metric
League rank
Wins
2
18th
Goals conceded
21
12th
Goals scored
10
20th
Expected goals scored
15.59
19th
Expected points
13.49
16th
“One mistake led to another mistake and before you know it you are 2-0 down, and then a third one straight after kick-off. That is my biggest gripe. It goes to show if you don’t stay tuned in all of the time, it doesn’t work for you and that was the case today.
“We have eradicated some mistakes from the start of the season. It is very difficult when you make such glaring individual mistakes. It is a very difficult task. This has to get parked quickly.
“I don’t expect our team to make so many mistakes again. They are well versed in this scenario, it has been here for three or four years at this club.”
However, with a tough run of games ahead and the Toffees showing little sign of improvement, reports suggest that the Everton boss could be in trouble should their poor form continue, and one even claims that the Merseyside outfit have set about seeking out his replacement.
Everton approach new manager
That comes according to French outlet L’Equipe [Via Sport Witness], who claim that Everton are one of several sides who have approached ex-Porto boss Sergio Conceiçao about taking over at Goodison Park. The former Porto boss has earned a reputation for making his side hard to beat and aggressive, not unlike Dyche, and is seemingly a man in demand.
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As per the report, “Nantes are looking at the former Porto coach as a possible replacement for Antoine Kombouaré”, while West Ham are also interested following yet another defeat under Julen Lopetegui.
It is claimed that Everton and West Ham have both “made convincing arguments to the Portuguese coach” about taking any potential vacancy at their club. However, it is added that Conceiçao would prefer to move to West Ham ahead of the Toffees, though a Premier League switch is more appealing than a move to Ligue 1.
Football manager Sergio Conceicao
A free agent, the 50-year-old would be a cheap option for a side looking for a new coach, and is a serial winner having scooped the Portuguese league title on three occasions and the Portuguese Cup four times.
It remains to be seen if Everton decide to move on from Dyche in the coming weeks, and should they do so, they will have to hope West Ham have looked elsewhere for a new manager if they stand a chance of landing Conceiçao.
“The young players just need to take that extra step so that they perform overseas all the time”
Mohammad Isam26-Feb-2022Jamie Siddons’ agenda in his latest stint in Bangladesh cricket, as batting consultant with the senior team, is to take the younger batters’ game to the next level.”My job is half-done because the class of players is already there,” Siddons said, having joined the Bangladesh side on February 21 ahead of the ODI series against Afghanistan after a bout of Covid-19. “We are playing against Afghanistan, who have three top spinners and a world-class fast bowler. When we go against South Africa, Australia and India, they have four of those [world-class fast bowlers]. They will have quality spinners coming at us too, so there’s no respite. There are no easy runs.Related
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“That’s where we will be challenged. That’s where we have to improve and be ready for it in their conditions. We have a long way to go to get to that point, but we are a really good cricket team. We need to continue to do that. The young players just need to take that extra step so that they perform overseas all the time.”Speaking about specific players, Siddons pointed to Litton Das, saying, “People like Litton have done it in Test matches. I see some little things I can help him with. It is going to take time to put that last bit of class in him where he can succeed against every bowler, whether really fast bowlers or great spinners, in the world.”It is my challenge, to make him a little bit better. Tamim [Iqbal] and those guys have reached a great level. Now we want the younger guys to even go further.”
“We have got some potential superstars here. We should give them opportunities without putting too much pressure on them. I have no doubt that they will be the new Shakibs and Tamims”
Siddons, who had worked as Bangladesh’s head coach from 2007 to 2011, stressed that patience must be shown with the current lot despite the inconsistent returns.”We have to remember that Tamim, Shakib [Al Hasan], Mushfiq [Mushfiqur Rahim] and [Mahmudullah] Riyad were all inconsistent when they started,” Siddons said. “We could have dropped them at any stage of their career. If Shakib wasn’t a good bowler, he would have been dropped as a batsman a lot of times before he started to succeed. But he held it together because he was a good potential batsman.”We have got some potential superstars here. We pick the right ones, give them time and nurture them. We should give them opportunities without putting too much pressure on them. I have no doubt that they will be the new Shakibs and Tamims.”Despite being one of the stalwarts of Bangladesh cricket, even someone like Tamim has been a bit inconsistent at times, and Siddons has plans for him too. “For me, a lot of it is footwork. Tamim wants to straighten up his front foot. It won’t happen really quickly, but we are talking about the long term. If he is going to play for the next three or four years, he has to straighten his front foot up a bit. He will have a lot more success. If he doesn’t get out lbw, they [bowlers] will find it very hard to get him out. I can see his best cricket is still ahead of him.””It is my challenge, to make him a little bit better” – Siddons on Litton Das•BCBSiddons had arrived in Bangladesh in early February and spent the first two weeks watching BPL matches in Dhaka and Sylhet. He was initially contacted to work at the BCB’s High Performance unit, but after Ashwell Prince resigned as the batting consultant, Siddons was given that role.Siddons’ immediate task, he said, would be to prepare the Bangladesh T20I side for their two-match series next week.”Afghanistan probably play better T20 cricket at the moment than they do ODI cricket, we know it is their favourite format,” Siddons said. “We know we have a lot of improvement to do from the World Cup, part of that is the first four overs, sustaining that smart aggression, and finishing the game. We have to score more runs quicker to win against Afghanistan.”T20s is the focus because it is the next World Cup. If we can be good T20 players by October and November, we can be a much better one-day team at the end of the day in India [in 2023]. We know we have to make big scores in India to win or play well in the World Cup. We can’t get away with 260-270. We will need 320.”
Cam Fletcher and Blair Tickner have earned their maiden Test call-ups, while Colin de Grandhomme and Hamish Rutherford have been recalled for New Zealand’s upcoming first Test against South Africa in Christchurch.”Cam has been excellent across the three formats for Canterbury over the past couple of seasons, producing consistent and often match-winning performances for his team,” New Zealand head coach Gary Stead said. “Blair’s been a consistent performer in the Plunket Shield over the past few seasons, and we felt his pace, bounce and aggression covered our bases should we lose a pace bowler to injury.”It’s pleasing to see Colin back in the Test side, having proved such an influential member before his foot injury last season. His form of late shows he’s clearly benefited from simply getting back on the park consistently, and it’s great to have his allround skills and experience to call on. It’s a really exciting time for Hamish to be back in the Blackcaps after a long time away, and I know he’s absolutely buzzing at the opportunity ahead.”New Zealand squad for first Test against South Africa•ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Wicketkeeper-batter Fletcher, who has been called up as a cover to Tom Blundell, has been Canterbury’s highest run-scorer in the ongoing Plunket Shield with 344 runs in four games. Meanwhile, Central Stags right-arm quick Tickner, who will provide back-up for the other pace bowlers, has taken 14 wickets in four matches in the current season. This is Fletcher’s first international call-up, while Tickner has appeared for New Zealand in eight T20Is since his debut in 2019.Rutherford has earned a recall to the Test side for the first time in seven years, having played his last match in 2015 – against Sri Lanka in Wellington. He has scored 371 runs in four matches for Otago this season, and was also the second-highest scorer with 588 runs in eight matches last season. The 32-year old has so far played 16 Tests after his debut in 2013, having scored 755 runs with a highest score of 171.Allrounder de Grandhomme had missed much of last season with a foot injury. He had opted out of India Tests last year due to bubble fatigue, and had been subsequently dropped for the Tests against Bangladesh.Hamish Rutherford last played for New Zealand in 2015•Getty Images
Regular captain Kane Williamson, who is yet to recover from his elbow injury, will sit out the two-match series, while Tom Latham will continue as captain in his absence. Trent Boult will miss the first Test as he awaits the birth of his third child, while Ajaz Patel could be added for the second Test depending on the conditions as well as his recovery from a left-calf injury.Stead was hopeful Williamson will be ready for the white-ball series against Netherlands at home in March. Williamson last played in the first Test against India in Kanpur last November, following which the recurrence of the elbow issue ruled him out for at least another two months.”He was desperate to be fit for the series but with the amount of loading required for Test cricket, we had to make the tough call for him to sit it out and focus on returning for the white-ball matches against Netherlands in March,” Stead said. “Kane loves playing for the Blackcaps – and especially in Test cricket – so it was a particularly hard call. However, the priority has to be trying to get the injury right and having him available long term.Related
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“It’s important to remember this squad is just for the first Test so we do have flexibility to make changes as required, with the likes of Trent and Ajaz potentially available for the second. We’re conscious the second Test pitch may differ from the first, so we’re keen to have the option of adding Ajaz if required. He’s targeting a return for the Stags in the Ford Trophy on February 20 to prove his fitness and availability.”According to an NZC release, the 15-member squad “will allow the selectors to better cover their options while mitigating the health-risk associated with bringing players into the team environment at short notice, should there be any injuries.” It also stated that NZC is currently working through the Covid-19 health framework for hosting some fans at the matches at the Hagley Oval.The first Test is scheduled to begin on February 17, with the second one to follow on February 25 at the same ground.
Marcado por um momento inusitado no empate da Seleção Brasileira com o Equador, nesta quinta-feira (27), o goleiro Alisson não se omitiu ao falar sobre o empate em 1 a 1 no Estádio Casa Blanca. Em entrevista coletiva após o jogo válido pela décima-quinta rodada das Eliminatórias, o jogador do Liverpool falou sobre os momentos nos quais o árbitro Wilmar Roldán chegou a expulsá-lo de campo. Roldán mudou sua decisão após revisar no VAR.
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-A decisão da arbitragem cabe mais ao árbitro falar. Na minha opinião, depois do uso do VAR, ele tomou as decisões corretas. E, tecnicamente falando, acredito que tomei as escolhas certas. Hoje, no futebol a gente tem que se adaptar a todas as circunstâncias externas – disse.
Alisson afirmou que a partida exigiu muito dos jogadores da equipe canarinha.
-Hoje foi jogo incrivelmente difícil, com todas as dificuldades do campo, os lances polêmicos que aconteceram, as escolhas que aconteceram dentro de campo. Não é o resultado que queríamos, mas hoje a gente teve que lutar muito pelo que aconteceu ao redor – declarou.
O goleiro da Seleção Brasileira ainda detalhou.
– O campo dificultou muito nosso trabalho. Mas conseguimos nos adaptar até certo ponto bem. Em alguns momentos conseguimos controlar o jogo, eles buscavam a classificação com muita dedicação, determinação, nos dificultando – afirmou.
O Brasil volta a campo no dia primeiro de fevereiro, próxima terça-feira, quando enfrenta o Paraguai, no Mineirão.
Celtic could not break free of Aberdeen at the top of the Scottish Premiership table as they were held to a 2-2 draw at Parkhead on Saturday.
The Hoops and the Dons had both won their openng seven matches in the division ahead of the clash at Paradise over the weekend, but neither side could continue their perfect start.
Reo Hatate and Kyogo Furuhashi had the home team 2-0 ahead at the break, and on course to move three points clear, before goals from Ester Sokler and Graeme Shinnie in the second half rescued a point.
Brendan Rodgers will be hoping that his team can put daylight between themselves and Aberdeen over the coming months to move closer to a fourth straight title.
Captain Callum McGregor, who turned 31 in the summer, is gunning for his tenth Premiership title, having won nine – as part of a 22-trophy haul – in his Celtic career to date.
The former Scotland international, who retired from national duty after the 2024 European Championships, is the current skipper after taking over from iconic Hoops midfielder Scott Brown.
Scott Brown's Celtic career in numbers
In the summer of 2007, the Scottish giants swooped to sign the ‘exciting’ 21-year-old central midfielder from rivals Hibernian for a fee of £4.5m.
It was reported that Rangers were initially expected to secure a deal for the talented youngster, who had played 124 first-team matches for Hibs by the age of 21.
Celtic were able to steal a march on their fierce rivals and landed his services ahead of the 2007/08 campaign, for a record fee between two Scottish sides at the time.
Scott Brown in action for Celtic during the 2016/2017 campaign.
The Scottish dynamo did not take any time to settle into life in Glasgow. In his debut season, Brown produced three goals and four assists in 34 appearances to help his team win the title.
He became a staple of the Celtic midfield for the next 14 years or so and racked up 46 goals and 63 assists in 615 appearances in all competitions before his move to Aberdeen in the summer of 2021.
In those 14 years, Brown won a staggering ten Premiership titles – a feat McGregor hopes to match this term – along with six SFA Cups and seven League Cups.
As the Scotland international, who was capped 55 times by his country, headed into the final years of his career at Parkhead, the club attempted to sign players with a view to being his long-term heir.
Celtic once thought they had found a dream replacement for Scott Brown when they swooped to sign Ivorian starlet Ismaila Soro at the start of 2020.
How much Celtic paid to sign Ismaila Soro
The Hoops reportedly splashed out a fee of £2m to sign the central midfielder from Bnei Yehuda in the January transfer window in the 2019/20 campaign, with Neil Lennon in charge at the time.
He endured a difficult start to his career in Scotland, as the youngster was not selected for a single Premiership game in the second half of the season.
At the start of his first full season with Celtic, Soro admitted that he had problems stepping into Brown’s shoes, as his understudy at the time, but that he remained in Glasgow during lockdown and worked hard to show Lennon that he had the quality to step up.
He claimed it was a “big challenge” to replace what Brown offered in midfield but added that he has a “strong” mentality and would work to make himself a worthy heir.
Appearances
19
31
Starts
11
25
Pass accuracy
90%
88%
Tackles + interceptions per game
3.1
2.8
Ground duel success rate
52%
53%
Aerial duel success rate
50%
58%
As you can see in the table above, Soro showed plenty of promise in his first Premiership season, which also happened to be Brown’s last in a Hoops jersey.
The Ivorian gem was more reliable than the veteran Scotsman in his use of the ball and made more tackles and interceptions combined per game on average, whilst winning a similar percentage of his duels on the ground.
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These statistics suggest that Celtic had a dream long-term heir to Brown on their hands, as he had already started to offer similar qualities and attributes as a combative midfield player in the 2020/21 campaign.
Ismaila Soro's Celtic struggles
Despite his promising form under Lennon in his first full campaign in the Premiership, Soro was unable to kick on and become Brown’s replacement after the captain left in the summer of 2021.
Ange Postecoglou came in to replace Lennon in the same summer and the Australian seemingly had different ideas for his midfield, signing James McCarthy ahead of the 2021/22 campaign, and then bringing in Matt O’Riley and Reo Hatate in the January transfer window.
Soro hardly got a look-in that season, featuring in eight Premiership games and starting one league game. In those eight games, the midfielder did not strengthen his case to play regularly, losing 65% of his duels and 76% of his ground duels in the division.
He also only featured in two of the club’s six Europa League group stage matches, as Postecoglou made it clear that the Ivorian was not a part of his long-term plans.
Soro was then sent out on loan to Arouca in Portugal for the 2022/23 campaign, in which he made 22 starts in the Liga Portugal, before being released for nothing in the summer of 2023.
Rodgers replaced Postecoglou that summer and seemingly did not want to give the 26-year-old another chance to impress, despite playing regularly in Portugal in the previous term, and allowed him to move on for nothing.
Celtic had a star who was "similar to Messi", then he left for nothing
The Celtic youngster never lived up to his potential at Parkhead, after being compared to Lionel Messi.
1 ByDan Emery Oct 22, 2024
Soro signed for Beitar Jerusalem on a free transfer and made 30 league starts during the 2023/24 campaign, which shows that he has finally emerged as a key player for a club.
Unfortunately, it did not work out for him as a replacement for Brown, after appearing to be his dream heir under Lennon, but he is now playing regularly again and still has plenty of time left, at the age of 26, to go on and enjoy a successful career.