Two up-and-coming Premier League talents combined on Sunday evening, to find the net in style on the international stage.
The players in question? Dejan Kulusevski and Anthony Elanga.
Sweden played host to Norway at the Friends Arena a short time ago, in the respective countries’ 2nd Nations League Group H outing.
Tottenham star Kulusevski, days on from finding the net in a meeting with Slovenia, was, as expected, afforded his latest starting berth on the right wing for the clash.
Manchester United wide-man Elanga, though, was forced to make do with a spot on the bench.
And yet, as proceedings rolled into injury time late on Sunday, it was the latter who provided Sweden with a glimmer of hope of securing a share of the spoils.
This came after Norway surged out to a comfortable 2-goal advantage, courtesy of a double on the part of Manchester City-bound star man Erling Haaland:
With just a minute remaining in added time, though, Elanga was responsible for a moment of magic.
After being introduced from the bench, the 20-year-old picked the ball up on the left wing, before spotting the aforementioned Kulusevski in space on the edge of the visitors’ area.
Elanga, in turn, drilled a pass into the feet of the Spurs star, who went on to drag two defenders in tight, before returning the ball to his attacking partner in crime.
And Elanga, from here, made no mistake, bending a sumptuous finish into the far corner from 20 yards, to provide Sweden with a moment of renewed hope en route to an eventual 2-1 defeat:
16e et dernier but d’une folle soirée sur les antennes de L’Equipe ! Et le premier en sélection suédoise pour Anthony Elanga, le jeune attaquant de Manchester United ! #lequipeFOOTpic.twitter.com/adlxmCkGYr
Warriors star Steph Curry said yesterday that he’s feeling confident being down 0-1 because Golden State has done a great job of responding to adversity throughout the 2022 postseason.
(Via ESPN):
“I think look at how we responded from Game 5 to Game 6 in the Memphis series. Game 4 to 5 in the Dallas series. Even moments throughout the regular season where things are starting to get away from us a little bit at times and kind of have your come-to-Jesus moment, like we need to play right. How are we going to flip the script and get things back on the right track? We usually responded pretty well. It’s a collective effort of a focus on the defensive end first and foremost, and just an understanding of how we all work together to create good shots from the offensive end. You said it’s the first time we’ve been down 0-1. It’s the first time for a lot of things with this particular group. We are here in the Finals for a reason, because we figured it out along the way. If we’re going to get back in this series, we’ve got to figure it out again.”
An insight into the kind of financial package expected to be on the table for Robert Lewandowski at Barcelona has been provided on Sunday evening.
Links between Polish international Lewandowski and La Liga heavyweights Barca have of course been rampant for several weeks now.
This comes with the 33-year-old having made public his desire to seek pastures new this summer, on the back of a prolific stint in Germany with Bayern Munich.
Lewandowski: “My era at Bayern is over. I don’t see any possibility to continue playing for this club anymore” 🚨 #FCBayern
“Bayern’s a serious club and I believe they won’t keep me, I don’t want to play there anymore. A transfer is the best solution. I hope they don’t stop me”. pic.twitter.com/ieO3q0tEBO
The Camp Nou, meanwhile, is widely understood to be Lewandowski’s landing spot of choice, with Barca’s mutual interest in securing a deal meaning a transfer is viewed as altogether likely to come to fruition at some point over the coming months.
And now, as alluded to above, an insight into the financial terms likely to be on offer to the legendary hitman in Catalunya has been forthcoming online.
The info comes courtesy of Javi Miguel of Spanish outlet Diario AS, who points towards a wage cap being put in place at Barcelona moving forward.
Amid negotiations with the representatives of Liverpool star Mohamed Salah, the Blaugrana hierarchy are said to have made clear that they will no longer sanction contracts featuring wage packets which exceed 10 million euros net-per-year.
Lewandowski, as a result, is primed to take home a sum of nine million euro each season, should he ultimately go on to link up with Barca.
Va a ser muy complicado, por no decir imposible, ver a Salah de blaugrana. este verano pedia 17 millones limpios de ficha. en el Barça le dijeron que el tope en la nueva politica salarial eran 10 millones. Lewandowski cobrara 9. ningun fichaje sobrepasara esta cantidad nunca mas
The Celtics got an early control of the NBA Finals series against the Warriors by winning Game 1 in San Francisco. One of the key factors for Boston was this year’s Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart who scored 18 points.
Ahead of Game 2 he was asked about his mindset that keeps him locked in defensively for the entire game. The 28-year-old point guard likened himself to a hunting lion.
“For me I would probably describe it as lion out on the prowl hunting,” Smart said. “Playing against a team, like I said, that’s been here, knows what it takes. They’re the hunted, we’re the hunters right now.
“We’re trying to get to their level, to get to where they’re at. For me I’m just out, I’m stealth, I’m waiting for my time to strike and my opportunity.”
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, former NBA No. 2 pick Michael Beasley is returning to professional basketball and will sign a seven-figure deal with the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association.
Michael Beasley, 33, played 11 seasons for 7 teams, including the Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks. He averaged 12.4 points and 4.7 rebounds in 609 regular-season games. Beasley last played in the NBA for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2019.
Sources: Former NBA No. 2 pick Michael Beasley is returning to professional basketball and will sign a seven-figure deal with the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association.
Reports emerging from England over the weekend have suggested that Mikel Arteta will scale back his transfer plans for the 2022 summer window.
The Spaniard and Arsenal were expected to have another big summer transfer window as they continue their rebuild.
However, according to The Sun, the Arsenal boss is scaling back on his plans for a major spending spree after initially targeting up to seven new signings. It is believed that he will now focus on three signings for the upcoming season.
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The report goes on to claim that the Gunners’ failure to qualify for the Champions League at the end of the campaign has resulted in the decision to change Arsenal’s transfer plans.
“We are going to have certain resources. Not unlimited resources, certain resources. With those resources, we have to do what we have to do in the best possible way,” Arteta said at the end of the 2021/22 campaign.
And now, whilst Arsenal’s spending looks set to be limited this summer, Tottenham have given themselves a cash boost of £150m and have already signed Ivan Perisic from Inter Milan.
Antonio Conte’s squad are also, on the whole, a more experienced team than Arsenal who generally rely on young talent under the age of 25.
So, as well as seeing them miss out on Champions League football for one season, Arsenal’s collapse at the end of 2021/22 looks to have caused a major setback in their rebuilding process, handing Tottenham the advantage in the race to be England’s 4th-best club.
Pat Riley was the GM who brought big man Shaquille O’Neal to Miami, and the coach who led Shaq’s Heat to a title, but … not immediately. For a moment there, young Stan Van Gundy was Shaq’s coach. It didn’t end well, and a few years after their divorce, a seemingly minor on-court collision brought some behind-the-scenes beef into the public eye. Let’s talk about Shaquille O’Neal and the “master of panic.”
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Quick-hit thoughts and notes around the New England Patriots and NFL:
1. Mac’s edge: Patriots owner Robert Kraft said in March that quarterback Mac Jones was “respectful of coming in as a rookie” last season and that he believed Jones “has a little more edge that we’ve seen.”
It’s showing now.
The Patriots have two weeks remaining in their offseason program — with a three-day mandatory minicamp scheduled for Tuesday-Thursday this week — and Jones’ increased leadership has caught his teammates’ attention.
“It’s just at another level now,” receiver Kendrick Bourne told ESPN. “He’s more comfortable, more confident. He knows what’s going on, and the muscle memory is there [from having gone through it] — OTAs, then camp, and the season. He’s just more locked in, more secure in his position.”
As a result, Jones is positioned to become a team captain in just his second NFL season. If that’s the way it unfolds when players vote near the end of training camp, it would put him in rare company, joining Jerod Mayo and Devin McCourty as the only other Patriots to earn a second-year captaincy in Bill Belichick’s 23-year tenure as head coach.
“He connects with all the players really well. I’m proud of that dude, because it’s not easy,” said Bourne, who was among the visitors at Jones’ house for a hibachi party during the first night of the NFL draft. “Going into his second year after having a year like that, it’s going to be a challenge, but he’s a guy that likes challenges, like all of us in that Patriot building.”
Jones’ increased comfort level has manifested itself at practice when demonstrating to his pass-catchers what he’s looking for in their routes. At one point on Tuesday, he split out wide and ran a route as wide receivers watched intently.
Highlighting a top observation from Patriots practice: Mac Jones’ growing comfort level with WRs to express what he is looking for route-wise.
This video from Tuesday, after DeVante Parker takes a rep, shows one example.
“He’s a young guy but he’s developed as a leader. That’s what this team needs,” said receiver DeVante Parker, now in his eighth NFL season and first in New England after being acquired in a trade from Miami. “I’ve only been here a few weeks, but I still see it.”
Added veteran cornerback Malcolm Butler: “He has great energy on and off the field. His confidence, his swagger — I love that about him.”
2. Balancing act: Starting safety Adrian Phillips arrived in town last week to take part in the final couple of weeks of the team’s offseason program. He said he felt it was the right thing to do, even though it wasn’t easy leaving his wife, Camille, and their 8-month-old son, Dylan, back in Texas. Camille, a doctor, has a demanding job.
“I was at home being a dad and house husband,” Phillips said. “I’m sad that I’m away from him for an extended period of time, because this time is so pivotal. But I FaceTime with him every day and make sure he doesn’t forget my face.”
3. Post-McDaniels era: How has the transition been without Josh McDaniels at offensive coordinator? Spending time with Bourne last week at the 47th annual Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts Golf Classic, he shared one player’s perspective.
“It’s been dope so far. Joe Judge, our newest member [of the staff], he’s doing a great job,” Bourne said. “Really just new terminology, new words. Football is football, so it’s just about learning the new words, and getting the old words out. And it’s applying my abilities to the new system.”
How much the Patriots’ system actually changes — versus how much the staff is focusing on experimentation — is one of the greatest areas of intrigue surrounding the team.
“I think [Judge is] putting us in position to be successful. I’m excited so far,” said Bourne, adding that his abilities as a rusher (12 carries, 125 yards, 10.4 average in 2021) have been among the personal highlights. “Hopefully we’ll have a great year. We’ll see how it goes.”
4. CB questions: If there’s one position that stands out when asking the question “Do the Patriots have enough?” it’s outside cornerback. Veterans Butler and Terrance Mitchell have been paired there, along with top returnee Jonathan Jones in the slot. Jalen Mills and Joejuan Williams have been the others working on the outside, with Shaun Wade getting his initial work inside. Fourth-round draft pick Jack Jones of Arizona State, who has shown some stickiness in coverage, could also be a factor as he catches up to the more experienced players. “It’s a good group. A lot of competition,” Butler said.
5. Thornton’s arms: If Patriots second-round pick Tyquan Thornton has a successful rookie season as a receiver, how he uses his arms to become a more fluid route runner could be the key. That’s one area he’s focusing on this spring as he works to get “1% better each day.”
“Your arms, that’s your bread and butter, to get in and out of your breaks,” said Thornton, who is wearing a temporary No. 51 in practice, per Belichick’s annual spring tradition of assigning rookies unconventional numbers as a reminder to them of what should be most important.
6. Asiasi’s plan: When the second annual “TE University” takes place June 22-24 in Nashville, Tennessee, third-year Patriots tight end Devin Asiasi plans to be there. The primary goal for the 2020 third-round pick from UCLA — who has appeared in 10 NFL games while totaling two receptions for 39 yards and one touchdown — is to gain more knowledge from others around the league.
7. Keene’s state: This is a make-or-break year for tight end Dalton Keene, the Patriots’ other 2020 third-round pick whose best hope to stick might be as an H-back type, and it doesn’t help that he has been limited the past two weeks after suffering an undisclosed injury at the first OTA practice May 23. The setback, albeit seemingly minor, is a reflection of how the Virginia Tech alum has had a series of unfortunate breaks, which includes missing all of last season on IR.
8. Mandatory camp: This week’s mandatory minicamp figures to be an extension of the work the Patriots have been doing in the voluntary offseason program, and so notable storylines will include some of the players returning to town who haven’t been around — left tackle Isaiah Wynn, outside linebacker Matthew Judon and receiver N’Keal Harry among them. Harry, the 2019 first-round pick, is now a long shot to make the roster at his traditional position barring injuries ahead of him on the depth chart. Harry’s best chance might be to ask about a possible switch to tight end to compete with Asiasi and Keene as TE3 behind Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith.
9. Ernie in spotlight: In all his years as Patriots football research director, Ernie Adams kept a low profile before his retirement following the 2020 season. So it was a rare extended interview from Adams on the “Pats From The Past” podcast on Patriots.com, with co-hosts Matt Smith and Paul Perillo. What links Russ Francis and Rob Gronkowski, or the 1970s Patriots teams to the modern-day Baltimore Ravens? Few can answer those questions with the authority of Adams, who does so in an enjoyable chat full of rich football history.
10. Did you know? Veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who is set to retire after 17 seasons, appeared in 166 games, with 147 starts. The team he started against more than any other? The Patriots (13), followed by the Jets (12), Dolphins (10) and Colts (10).
Jayson Tatum opened his first NBA Finals with a poor shooting game as he made just 3/17 field goals, but manage to contribute to the Celtics by creating opportunities for his teammates with 13 assists.
Warriors veteran Andre Iguodala praised the 24-year-old forward, calling him the future face of the NBA. The three-time NBA champion also called him ultra mature for finding ways to help his team even when he has an off night shooting wise.
“He’s becoming the face of the league,” Iggy said about the Celtics star. “Up and coming young talent. We know how much pressure we try to put on those guys to kind of take the man off of who’s gonna be at the forefront of the next generation. His name’s there as well-deserved and it should be.
“He didn’t shoot the ball well but he made sure that he was effective in other ways. That just shows kind of the ultra maturity of what he is 23? He’s 24. Even that is very young.
“Understanding you’re going to have some off nights in the Finals and just the way you adjust it. Got to tip your hat to especially to a guy like him with al that’s coming with what’s in the fold for his career.”
My first two mock drafts have been/will continue to be based on a combination of talent/ability & team needs. Here’s my player rankings for the 2022 class to get a clearer look at what I think from an overall view.
Jabari Smith- Auburn
Paolo Banchero- Duke
Shaedon Sharpe- Kentucky
Chet Holmgren- Gonzaga
Jaden Ivey- Purdue
Notes: Like I said before, I think Jabari Smith is the best two way player in this class and Paolo Banchero is one of the best scorers we’ve seen in the last few drafts. I’m definitely way higher on Shaedon Sharpe than most people, as I have ranked ahead of possible #1 picks Chet Holmgren & Jaden Ivey. I just think that his natural scoring ability on offense is better than Chet & Jaden’s, and in today’s NBA with the hundreds of points being put up every game, that’s a huge need for any team, especially the bottom ones right now. My concerns with Holmgren are his body & scoring at a high level, and two concerns I have with Ivey are his shooting ability & playing off the ball. Nonetheless, both are still more proven players than Sharpe (never played past high school) with plenty of pro skills already who I’m certainly confident in.
Dyson Daniels- G League Ignite
Keegan Murray- Iowa
AJ Griffin- Duke
Jalen Duren- Memphis
Bennedict Mathurin- Arizona
Notes: Dyson Daniels & Keegan Murray’s composed skillsets and length make me convinced that they’ll have bright futures, but I believe aggressiveness is something that they will struggle with at times throughout their careers. AJ Griffin’s two way skills (shooting, ball handling, & defense) and his young age (doesn’t turn 19 until late August) bring quite the potential. Hopefully, he can stay healthy after missing a bunch of time in high school. To me, Jalen Duren is the best big man in this draft and another extremely young prospect (doesn’t turn 19 until mid November). At #10, Bennedict Mathurin’s size and shooting ability at the combo guard position excites me because of how different he is compared to Sharpe, Ivey, & Daniels. However, just like those guys, he has some question marks (ability to play in the halfcourt), but should be fine in the regular season (more fast paced than playoffs).
Nikola Jovic- Serbia
Jeremy Sochan- Baylor
Mark Williams- Duke
Jaden Hardy- G League Ignite
Ochai Agbaji- Kansas
Notes: At #11, Nikola Jovic’s ability to shoot and stretch the floor at his size are two areas I don’t see another prospect with when you get past the top ten (still questions on how that will translate in the NBA). Jeremy Sochan is the best wing defender in this draft and would fit well with any team, so that’s why I have him higher on my mocks and lower on my rankings (lacks offense right now). Mark Williams could be ranked above Jalen Duren, but it’s pretty close and Duren is the younger prospect/has more natural basketball moves. Another scorer in this draft I don’t see on others’ level is Jaden Hardy (working on his consistency right now). And for my #15 ranked prospect, Ochai Agbaji’s 3-point numbers & defense make him as NBA ready as it gets.
Johnny Davis- Wisconsin
Malaki Branham- Ohio State
TyTy Washington- Kentucky
Jalen Williams- Santa Clara
MarJon Beauchamp- G League Ignite
Notes: I already noted how Johnny Davis’ low 3-point numbers make me concerned at the NBA level, and something I didn’t mention yet was he only averaged 12.4 MPG at the FIBA U19 World Cup for USA. He was the best player on Wisconsin by far this season, so I question his consistency with fewer shots and his overall talent at the pro level. However, his defense, scoring ability, and ball handling are solid and I don’t think being ranked as the 16th best player in this loaded class is a bad ranking for him at all. Malaki Branham has made serious noise during predraft on & off the court with his interviews and work ethic, I think that professionalism should translate well. TyTy Washington at 18, much like Davis with his 3-point shooting (35.0% 3-PT but still a solid scorer & playmaker), may make it seem like I might be low on both, but again just speaks for their lack of shooting and the depth & talent of this draft. At #19, Jalen Williams’ 7-2 wingspan and playmaking ability are nice NBA qualities to have already, not to mention he shot 51.3% from the field and hit 39.6% of his 3-point shots this past year. Lastly at #20, MarJon Beauchamp did pretty much everything but shoot it well from deep during his time in the G League (still has the potential to be a better shooter), so I think he fits in with any team and should have a long career based on his versatility.
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