All posts by h716a5.icu

Aaron Finch stole the show at the BBL season opener, with an audacious century that lead his unfancied Renegades to a comfortable eight-wicket win over the Stars

The Report by Alex Malcolm 07-Dec-2012
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsShane Warne’s night was a train-wreck•Getty ImagesThe script was written for opening night. It was supposed to be the Warne and Muralitharan show, and the cavalcade of stars in the Melbourne Stars line-up was supposed to prove too strong in the Victorian derby. But no one told Aaron Finch as he stole the show with an audacious century to lead his unfancied Renegades to a comfortable eight-wicket win.Finch, who is the only Renegades player in their entire squad to play in their two victories last season, clobbered an unbeaten 111 from just 65 balls, with 12 fours and four sixes, to run down what appeared to be a competitive total.The star everyone came to see, Shane Warne, had a win at the toss but thereafter his night was a train-wreck. The opposing captain Finch crushed 19 from Warne’s first over, including two enormous sixes. First a slog sweep over midwicket, and then inside-out over cover. The Stars captain later dropped a simple chance offered from Faf du Plessis at midwicket. Warne then returned for a second over only have Ben Rohrer launch him twice into the stands.Rohrer’s cameo was typical of the New South Welshmen. So often underrated and forgotten, he entered with the game still in the balance and compiled a fabulous unbeaten 34 from 20 balls. He was the perfect foil for Finch as the paired mixed brutal power, with perfect placement and exceptional running in their unbroken 75-run stand.Earlier the Stars started brightly after electing to bat. After the early loss of Rob Quiney, Luke Wright and Brad Hodge attacked the eclectic Renegades attack.But at 1 for 74, halfway through the ninth over, a mix-up on a misfield resulted in Hodge being run out by du Plessis. Symbolically, and ironically, the stumps for the BBL feature red LED’s that light up when broken, and the red lights halted the Stars progress.They managed just a run-a-ball over the next four overs against the spin of Aaron O’Brien and Muttiah Muralitharan, before Wright fell for 53 trying to break the shackles with a reverse-sweep. The experience of David Hussey (41) and Cameron White (20) combined to help the Stars to 5 for 167.But in the end Finch made light work of the target as the Renegades ran riot over their more fancied cross-town rivals.

On paper, this is a match between two lowly ranked sides in the ODI hierarchy, but it will have huge implications in terms of progress to the next round

The Preview by Sidharth Monga24-Feb-2011Match FactsFebruary 25, Mirpur
Start time 14:30 local time (08:30 GMT)
Ed Joyce is back in the Ireland set-up after playing the 2007 World Cup for England•Associated Press Big PictureFor the last week, it has been somewhat quiet in Dhaka, but come Friday it won’t be so. On paper, this is a match between two lowly ranked sides in the ODI hierarchy, but it will have huge implications in terms of progress to the next round. Bangladesh know it will be near impossible to make the quarter-finals, something the passionate fans and the team want desperately, if they fail to beat Ireland. Ireland also harbour ambitions of making the next round, and they know this is their best chance of beating a Test side. They also know they will need to beat at least two of them if they are to extend their stay in the event.The implications of this game, however, are deeper than that. On one side is a team many believe got Test status too early and too easily, and is still struggling to justify it 11 years on. On the other side is a team many believe has done enough to at least merit a full-time ODI status: Ireland have beaten Bangladesh in the two major events the teams have played each other in. With Ireland also rests the flag of the beleaguered Associate nations, because they have been the best Associate side over the last four years or so.Bangladesh might have lost to Ireland in the world events, but they will take heart from having beaten them 3-0 the only time they have met each other in Bangladesh. A similar trap – a low and slow pitch – is likely to be laid. Given the conditions will obviously suit the Bangladesh spin army, and the kind of crowd that this match will attract – something Ireland will never have encountered before – the hosts will start favourites. That said, it will be tough to keep a spirited side down, a side that gets one chance in four years to show the world what it is capable of. That is motivation enough.Form guide (Most recent first)
Bangladesh: LWWWL
Ireland: WLLWLPitch and conditionsExpect a surface that will assist the Bangladesh spinners. It might be difficult to prepare a square turner in Mirpur, but it is likely to stay low. The expected dew played a role in Shakib Al Hasan’s decision to put India in last week – a tactic that backfired – and Shakib says he isn’t expecting much dew now. He said there hasn’t been much dew around. William Porterfield, the Ireland captain, though, said there was a little bit of dew when the team practised under lights two nights before the match.Watch out for…Tamim Iqbal struggled against India while the other two left-hand batsmen in the top order got off to good starts. Tamim decided to fight, and didn’t hit out. One school of thought suggests that is just the kind of defeatist mentality Bangladesh need to get rid of – the tendency of batsmen going for batting practice when the target is big. The other school of thought, Bangladesh’s, suggests Tamim started hitting the ball well by the end of the innings. Tamim said he was feeling better about his form after that scratchy knock, and we can expect the real Tamim in the next game.Ed Joyce is back in green. After playing a crucial role in Ireland’s qualification for the 2007 World Cup, Joyce chose to play for England and pursue a Test career, which is not possible with Ireland. He didn’t savour the journey his home team embarked on in the Caribbean, nor has he managed to represent England in Tests. Now he is back, and is welcomed with open arms. “If I can bring something in terms of calmness in the middle of the innings where, perhaps, it wasn’t there before, that would be nice to offer,” he told last week.Team newsBangladesh have had injury scares coming into the match, but Imrul Kayes is fit despite getting hit in the forearm in the nets on Wednesday. He batted in the nets on match eve, and will open with Tamim. However, Shafiul Islam, who took a bad fall during fielding practice on Wednesday, is not a sure starter. That could prompt Bangladesh to think more of their traditional strength, and perhaps go with four spinners. There has also been talk that Mohammad Ashraful might be back, but at No. 7, as a Powerplay specialist.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Imrul Kayes, 3 Junaid Siddique, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 5 Shakib Al Hasan (capt), 6 Raqibul Hasan, 7 Mohammad Ashraful, 8 Mahmudullah, 9 Naeem Islam/Suhrawadi Shuvo, 10 Abdur Razzak, 11 Rubel Hossain.Ireland will be happy to welcome back Boyd Rankin (coming back from injury) and Joyce (coming back from England). That gives them real decisions to make when they sit to pick the XI, but expect two spinners in it.Ireland (probable): 1 William Porterfield (capt), 2 Paul Stirling, 3 Andre Botha, 4 Ed Joyce, 5 Niall O’Brien (wk), 6 Kevin O’Brien, 7 Andrew White, 8 John Mooney, 9 Trent Johnston, 10 Boyd Rankin, 11 George Dockrell/Albert van der Merwe..Stats and triviaBangladesh lead the head-to-head against Ireland 4-2.In the 2007 World Cup, Ireland had only two professional cricketers; this time they have only two who don’t play cricket full time.Since August 2009, Tamim has averaged 37 as opposed to a career average of 30, and has gone at a strike-rate of 94, which is also a huge improvement over his career strike-rate of 79. Two of his three centuries have come in this period.Quotes”[Ireland might have beaten us at world events], but when they played at Mirpur in 2008, we beat them three games in a row. So we have the home advantage. I don’t think they like to play in these conditions.”
.”Obviously 2007 was quite a while ago. We won on that occasion, but it’s going to be different in these conditions as opposed to what it was in the West Indies. Bangladesh are playing at home, they have got the home support, they have got the home conditions, so it is a completely different occasion.”

Celtic sent scouts to watch Hammarby IF defender Mohanad Jeahze this week, according to Swedish newspaper SportExpressen and Fotboll Direkt (translated by Sport Witness). 

The lowdown: Hoops’ interest

This comes after an original report from the same source claimed that the Hoops were eying a £1.6million move for the Iraq international left-back this summer.

Formerly of Mjallby AIF, Jeahze has amassed 124 senior appearances during a professional career spent exclusively in Sweden.

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Now, a move to Glasgow could be on the cards as Ange Postecoglou steps up the transfer plans…

The latest: Scouting mission

As per the Swedish outlet, translated by SW, Celtic sent a representative to observe Hammarby vs Malmo on Monday night in the Allsvenskan.

The match ended goalless with Jeahze replaced on 68 minutes following a 7.10 rated Sofascore display containing 3/4 successful duels, one key pass and 79 touches.

Meanwhile, Hammarby sporting director Jesper Jansson has admitted that there is ‘certainly an interest’ in the 25-year-old when quizzed about the links to Celtic Park.

The verdict: Bargain move

The suggested fee for the four-cap Iraq ace makes this move a no-brainer as Postecoglou looks to add senior competition for places to the squad.

So far this season Jeahze – who was hailed as ‘class’ by Darijan Bojanic – has scored once and provided five assists in 14 appearances across all competitions, eclipsing the four direct goal contributions for Bhoys left-back Greg Taylor this term.

Overall, the Sweden-born star has earned an impressive 7.63 average Sofascore rating this season, making 2.7 tackles and 2.3 interceptions per game on average, showing he does his defensive duties with aplomb too.

Despite being untested amongst Europe’s elite, Postecoglou has already proven to be a savvy operator in the market and should be backed to sign whoever he sees fit, whether they’re a household name or not.

In other news… a Celtic ace has been backed to make a permanent move away from Parkhead this summer.

Kumar Sangakkara has said Sri Lanka’s lack of practice at the country’s World Cup venues, which are yet to be completed, will rob them of some home advantage during the tournament

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Feb-2011Kumar Sangakkara has said Sri Lanka’s lack of practice at the country’s World Cup venues, which are yet to be completed, will rob them of some home advantage during the tournament. Construction delays have prevented Sri Lanka from training at the new stadiums in Hambantota and Pallekele.”We would love to train at all the grounds [in Sri Lanka], but we need to have the proper facilities to train,” Sangakkara told after beating West Indies on Sunday, in Sri Lanka’s last international fixture before the World Cup. “We need to have side [practice] wickets and gyms at the venues, otherwise it is difficult.”We’ve accepted the fact that we’ll have to play World Cup matches on those grounds without knowing the conditions too well.” Sri Lanka have, however, played a rain-marred Test against West Indies recently at Pallekele.Hambantota and Pallekele will host five Group A matches in all, with Sri Lanka featuring in two of them, one at each of the grounds. After the ICC delegation’s final inspection of the stadiums on January 22, Sri Lanka’s World Cup director Suraj Dandeniya had said the stadium at Pallekele was 99.9% complete, while the “finishing touches at Hambantota, the roofs and the roads leading to the stadium” were pending.Sangakkara said the players were happy with the facilities at Sri Lanka’s third World Cup venue – the renovated R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo – where the squad has played a few domestic matches recently. “We’ve got to prepare as well as we can in the two weeks [before the tournament begins] with the best facilities and those facilities are here in Colombo.” Sri Lanka play their first match at Hambantota on February 20 against Canada.

Ricky Ponting says it is now decision time on the cloudy matter of his playing future

Daniel Brettig27-Mar-2011Ricky Ponting faces several days of introspection and decision-making after returning home from his team’s deflating World Cup defence.While still stressing his desire to continue as both a leader and a player, Ponting admitted he will have to weigh up the value of doing so following a galling six months, in which a dreadful Ashes reverse was compounded by the limited-overs team’s failure to advance beyond their first knockout match on the subcontinent.Despite an admirable century in Australia’s quarter-final loss to India in Motera, Ponting’s place will still be deliberated over by the national selectors ahead of their announcement of a team to tour Bangladesh for three limited overs matches next month.”The last couple of weeks there’s been a few differing opinions out in the papers and out in the news about me and my future as leading the team,” Ponting told reporters at Sydney airport. “It’s been nice the last week especially to hear some endorsement from Cricket Australia (CA) and the selectors about that position.”But that’s where the next few days are crucial to me as well. I have to really decide what I think is right for me and the team going forward. I still think I’ve got a lot to offer the team as a player and a leader.”Should he keep playing both forms of the game to which he is still committed, Ponting’s path beyond Bangladesh will include tough tours of Sri Lanka and South Africa, before a home summer that takes in series against New Zealand and India.At 36, Ponting believes he can still enjoy the type of renaissance that has sustained Sachin Tendulkar in recent times, but that may entail a drop down the batting order and also his abdication from the captaincy.”If that is what they and I believe is the best way forward for Australian cricket, that’s the way it has always been,” Ponting said of such changes. “Whatever I have done in the role to this date has always been with Cricket Australia backing – it is not as though I pick myself as captain. I am picked as captain every tour we have been on for the past six or seven years and thoroughly enjoyed that.”But if there is someone out there better and more suited to the role than me right now then I have no problems at all about that.”Glancing towards Bangladesh, Ponting was adamant in his enthusiasm for the sort of tour he might have been rested from in earlier years. “I will go to Bangladesh if selected, the team hasn’t been picked yet, and I will look forward to that tour then have a decent break after that to prepare for Sri Lanka and South Africa and the Australian summer.”As I have said for a number of months now I have never seen a finish line, I have never come up with a time or a date or a game that might be my last. What I want to do is focus my time and energies to be the best player I can be.”I will know the right time for me not to be playing but I haven’t found that time just yet; I guess with making runs in this last game and getting that good feeling back about my batting again might be the kick start for a bit of a Tendulkar-type rebirth if you like.”Given the commencement of a new rankings cycle with the Bangladesh series, Ponting doubted too many first-choice players would be rested. “I don’t think we will be sending a second string team there. The feeling I have got at the moment is hopefully we will be sending our best team to win that series, and win it comfortably.”

Parvez Rasool, the Jammu and Kashmir allrounder, has been included in the 14-member India A squad to play the warm-up one-day match against England on January 6 in Delhi

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Jan-2013Parvez Rasool, the Jammu and Kashmir allrounder, has been included in the 14-member India A squad to play the warm-up one-day match against England on January 6 in Delhi.Another notable inclusion in the squad is fast bowler Sreesanth, who returned to competitive cricket last month after nearly a year out with injury. The side will be led by Tamil Nadu opener Abhinav Mukund, and does not have any players from the teams that qualified for the Ranji quarter-finals, which start this weekend.Rasool has been rewarded for a strong showing with both bat and ball in J&K’s otherwise disappointing run in this year’s Ranji Trophy. He finished on top of both batting and bowling charts for the team with 594 runs, including two centuries, and 33 wickets.He thanked former left-arm spinner Bishan Bedi, who is J&K’s coach, for playing a big role in his development. “Bedi sir has a huge role in my success,” Rasool told . “Initially, I was a batsman who could bowl part-time off-breaks but it was at his [Bedi] insistence that I began to concentrate more on developing my bowling skills.”Bedi made us realise that we are here to compete and not just to participate. Earlier, J&K players used to play for the heck of it but now we believe in ourselves. We believe that we have the talent to be among the best.”Rasool has become the first cricketer from the Jammu and Kashmir team to be selected in an Indian team to play an international side and the fourth – behind Abid Nabi, Surendra Singh and Abdul Qayoom – to be picked in a national-level squad.Qayoom was the first J&K cricketer to play the Wills Trophy (the Irani Trophy of the ODIs) for the Wills XI in December 1990 and also played in the Deodhar Trophy in 1996-97. Surendra represented North Zone in the 2000-01 Duleep Trophy and played for India B in the 2001-02 NKP Salve Challenger Trophy.Rasool was detained for questioning three years ago in Bangalore in connection with a suspected presence of explosives at the Chinnaswamy stadium ahead of a Champions League match. He was given a clean chit a few days later.Other Ranji performers who were called up include Ishwar Pandey, the Madhya Pradesh seamer, who is the top-wicket taker in the tournament this season. Haryana seamer Mohit Sharma, who is fourth on the wicket-takers list, has also been included.India A squad: Abhinav Mukund (capt), M Vijay, Robin Bist, Kedar Jadhav, Ashok Menaria, Rohit Motwani (wk), Jalaj Saxena, Akshay Darekar, Ishwar Pandey, Sreesanth, Rishi Dhawan, Paras Dogra, Mohit Sharma, Parvez Rasool

It will be interesting to see if India will become more aggressive in the third Test, for attacking consistently will go against what has worked for them in recent times

The Preview by Sidharth Monga19-Nov-2010Match factsSaturday, November 20
Start time 9.30 (0400 GMT)India will be wary of Brendon McCullum with the bat and in the field•AFPBig PictureIn the late 90s and early 2000s, Australia was the country where teams went to get clean-swept. Pakistan, India and West Indies had managed the distinction in sequence, and the same was expected of New Zealand in 2001-02. Not least because of the form they carried across the ditch, having fought to draw a home Test series against Pakistan and having lost home ODI series to Zimbabwe and Pakistan, along with unsuccessful forays into tri-series in the subcontinent. Yet the top team in the world had to bowl wide outside off to draw the first Test, and then save the final through batting contributions from Shane Warne and Adam Gilchrist. Series result: 0-0.Not too different, in a way, from New Zealand getting Bangla-washed on their way to India, a team looking to extend its reign at the top, its broadcasters selling the series as “Mission Domination”. Score line going into the final match: 0-0, with India being made to save one of those Tests.Still there are differences, outside the obvious reiteration that New Zealand should never be taken lightly. New Zealand then had a much stronger side through the presence of Chris Cairns, Stephen Fleming, Craig McMillan, Nathan Astle and Dion Nash, along with two promising youngsters in Daniel Vettori and Shane Bond. Also, the conditions in Australia aren’t as alien as the ones in India are. Which is what makes the performance in India so far every bit as sweet for New Zealand, if not sweeter.The way the top team played then and the way the top team is playing now cannot be more different. Australia made bold declarations, setting targets such as 284 runs in 56 overs. India are so used to playing on flat tracks that they send a deep point out the moment the leading wicket-taker still playing the game is hit for one boundary. With the exception of Virender Sehwag, India have shown no inclination to set the pace.It will be interesting to see if India will become more aggressive in the decider, for attacking consistently will go against what has worked for them in recent times: damage-control to stay in the game until the wickets arrive. Failing to win a home series against the No. 8 team in the world, though, might require much more damage-control than deep point and deep midwicket can provide.Form guide(Most recent first)
India DDWWW
New Zealand DDLLWWatch out for…Gautam Gambhir scratched through in Hyderabad for his first half-century in 10 months. Those 10 months have featured an evil concoction of injury and poor form, the latter possibly a result of the former. There were signs, though, that he might be getting back to his free-flowing self. Still, being a man who is often too hard on himself, Gambhir can do with a century before he goes to South Africa.

Brendon McCullum invited pressure when he gave up the wicketkeeping gloves to concentrate on his batting. Two Tests into the exercise McCullum already seems to have made a change, albeit in a country that doesn’t test openers as much as some of the others do. Twice in three innings, his impetus at the top has put India on the defensive. India will be wary of his batting, and also keep an eye out for that flying object in the covers.Pitch and conditions The tracks in this series so far have received a lot of negative attention from the home team, who will be hoping for a better pitch in Nagpur. Both the captains have found this pitch to be drier than the ones in Ahmedabad and Hyderabad, but neither of them expects a raging turner designed to give the home team the best possible chance of a win.
More than the pitch now, weather has become the centre of attention, with unseasonal rains washing out both of India’s practice sessions ahead of the match. The main pitch and the bowlers’ run-ups have stayed covered, but puddles have formed in the outfield. A delayed start won’t come as a surprise.Team newsZaheer Khan, India’s best bowler at the moment, has been ruled out with a groin strain, and Ishant Sharma is likely to take his place in the XI. Despite two draws, India are not going to make any other dramatic changes to their combination.
India 1 Virender Sehwag, 2 Gautam Gambhir, 3 Rahul Dravid, 4 Sachin Tendulkar, 5 VVS Laxman, 6 Suresh Raina, 7 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 8 Harbhajan Singh, 9 Ishant Sharma, 10 Pragyan Ojha, 11 SreesanthNew Zealand are likely to bring in the left-arm pace of Andy McKay ahead of Brent Arnel’s steady seamers.New Zealand 1 Tim McIntosh, 2 Brendon McCullum, 3 Martin Guptill, 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Jesse Ryder, 6 Kane Williamson, 7 Daniel Vettori (capt), 8 Gareth Hopkins (wk), 9 Tim Southee, 10 Andy McKay, 11 Chris MartinStats and trivia India are sure to lose rating points irrespective of the result of this match. Even if they win the match, they will lose one point; a loss and a draw will cost them six and four points respectively. Six out of India’s top seven batsmen, Virender Sehwag being the exception, have scored at less than 50 runs per 100 balls. New Zealand last won an away Test, not counting Zimbabwe and Bangladesh, in 2002 in the West Indies, which was also the last time they won an away series.Quotes”If you look at the schedule players like myself and Suresh Raina have been playing non-stop cricket since the Sri Lanka tour … So there has not been enough time to switch on and switch off.”

“We are not satisfied because once we are satisfied, it will be the start of our downfall.”

Craig Hope has revealed some big Newcastle United team news ahead of their game at home to Everton in the Premier League next Tuesday night.

The Lowdown: Wood ‘concern’

Shields Gazette journalist Dominic Scurr previously raised a ‘concern’ with regards to Chris Wood, who was away on international duty with New Zealand. The All Whites suffered a virus outbreak in their squad, which forced them to postpone their game against Uzbekistan on Tuesday.

It was not clear whether Wood was one of the players affected, but having likely come into contact with some of his affected teammates, it would naturally have raised some question marks over his participation against the Toffees next week.

The Latest: ‘Should be fine’

Taking to Twitter, Daily Mail journalist Hope has now revealed that Wood ‘should be fine’ to play in the match, as the Newcastle striker travelled back to the UK.

The reporter tweeted: “Chris Wood should be fine for Newcastle game v Everton on Tuesday & is travelling back to UK. There had been a Covid outbreak in New Zealand national-team camp which forced cancellation of yesterday’s game against Uzbekistan.”

The Verdict: Relief

It will most certainly come as a relief to the Toon Army that Wood is fine to play, given the injury to Callum Wilson.

It means that the former Burnley striker should now be able to play against Everton, against whom he has scored three times previously, including a fine finish at Goodison Park last season with Burnley.

His presence would give the Magpies a focal point in attack as they look to secure another vital three points in their race to avoid relegation from the Premier League.

In other news, find out who may have played his last game for NUFC

Ex-BBC pundit Noel Whelan believes that Celtic will be continue to lose their brightest youngsters to Premier League clubs. 

The lowdown: Precedent set?

This comes after the Hoops lost talented young winger Ben Doak to Liverpool, with the 16-year-old confirming the switch on his Instagram profile last week.

A recent report from the Daily Record claimed that Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool once more were looking at emerging playmaker Daniel Kelly, whilst full-back Mitchel Frame was also attracting interest from the English top flight as the Hoops attempt to stave off potential suitors.

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However, with an apparent production line coming out of Lennoxtown, the Glasgow giants may face a conflict of interest when it comes to keeping the brightest prospects at the club.

The latest: Whelan fears the ‘inevitable’

Speaking to Football Insider, former Aberdeen striker Whelan has claimed that Celtic need to sell their prized assets in order to compete at the senior level.

He stated: “It’s inevitable. Even the giants of Celtic and Rangers, the stature they have in Scotland and in Europe and the big sides they are, they can’t afford not to sell. This is what keeps them surviving and being competitive in Europe and then the Scottish Premiership. They have to sell certain players to bring money into the football club.

“That allows them to progress and keeps them at that level. It’s not ideal. But if you go and ask any of the top players if they would have a chance to move to the Premier League in England? That’s their pinnacle.

“They start off at a club. Inevitably if you become successful and do very well, I can’t see them staying there too much longer. Especially if one of the Premier League clubs come in.

“Because of the wage structure and the gap between finances between Scotland and England, it’s very hard to turn down. The managers must be really frustrated, but it’s just the order of things.”

The verdict: Change coming

Financially, Celtic may previously have needed to operate as a selling entity in order to remain competitive in the Premiership. However, that may be about to come to an end as the Hoops stand on the brink of a spot in the Champions League group stages for the 2022/23 campaign.

That brings with it a healthy windfall believed to be in the region of £13.4m simply for participating at the stage, with further income dependent on results.

Champions League participation also brings a certain allure which could also help the Parkhead hierarchy to persuade the club’s best young talents that Celtic is indeed the right place to be in order to reach the very pinnacle of their game.

In other news, journalist urges Celtic to offer key backroom man a new deal. Read more here.

Everton are likely to sign a couple of players on transfer deadline day as the club moves closer to appointing Frank Lampard in the manager’s dugout at Goodison Park.

What’s the word?

This has been a chaotic transfer window for the Toffees and on deadline day this Monday, it’s set to get even crazier.

As well as being on the verge of appointing Lampard, they are set to welcome Donny van de Beek to the club on loan from Manchester United.

But, the new boss won’t stop there in his pursuit of new signings according to reporter Alan Myers.

The journalist was asked on Twitter on Sunday whether the Dutchman would be the club’s final addition but he responded; “I doubt it.”

Myers then added in another tweet: “I’d guess 2 to 3 [signings] maybe.”

Fans buzzing

After all of the protest and rage that has engulfed Goodison this month, it looks as though Everton are set to end the month on a high.

The appointment of Lampard is ambitious and will take the club in a new direction after the previously appointed Carlo Ancelotti and Rafa Benitez; two individuals with far more coaching experience under their belts.

However, what Lampard has in common with those two, is a lure, particularly for young English players or footballers looking to get their careers back on track.

Van de Beek perfectly fits that description and with Jesse Lingard and Dele Alli also on the club’s radar, this could be a captivating finish to the window.

Myers doesn’t mention who may follow the Man United midfielder through the door but the fact that Lampard is wasting no time in looking to strengthen his squad should be music to the ears of supporters.

After all, this is a team that sit in 16th place in the Premier League after just one win in their last 14 top-flight encounters.

AND in other news, Everton gifted late transfer boost that may save their season, Lampard will be a hero…