Category Archives: Cf

The camera industry is moving toward SD and microSD cards for storing images, but there are still some holdouts, especially at the high end of the market, that use larger CompactFlash (CF) cards. For the ability to read those cards with the latest MacBook and MacBook Pro models, which use only USB-C ports, we tested the Iogear USB-C 3-Slot Card Reader/Writer ($20 MSRP; $16 on Amazon).

The adapter includes three ports to accommodate SD cards, microSD cards, and CF cards, with a single USB-C plug at the end of a short (3-inch) cable for connecting with the laptop. We found it to be a perfectly capable and affordable accessory, with a few quirks.

The primary function of an adapter like this is to transfer image and video files from a memory card to the computer. One of the selling points of Iogears accessory is that it supports USB 3.1 Generation 1 SuperSpeed mode, allowing data throughput of up to 5 Gbps, or about 625 MBps.

Thats great, but its also overkill: The fastest CompactFlash cards, rated as UDMA (Ultra Direct Memory Access) 7, read data at a maximum of 166 MBps. (A newer specification, CFast 2.0, can achieve up to a theoretical 600 MBps speed, but its not interchangeable with CompactFlash cards or readers.)

On the SD and microSD side, the Iogear adapter supports only UHS-I cards, which max out at a theoretical 104 MBps. Faster UHS-II cards include a second row of pins on the back that triple the throughput, but only work with UHS-II adapters that can read both rows.

That said, we found the Iogears performance to be solidly in the middle of the pack of other adapters we tested, which included the Cable Matters USB 3.1 Type-C Dual Slot Card Reader and SanDisk Extreme Pro UHS-II USB-C Reader.

To gauge read speeds, we copied 12.9GB of photos (684 JPEG and raw files) from a SanDisk Extreme Pro SD card rated at 95 MBps to a 2016 MacBook Pro in three passes. That resulted in an average time of 2 minutes 47 seconds, or a rate of 77.25 MBps.

We also copied 32GB of video (9 files) in three passes, occupying an average of 5 minutes 59 seconds, or a rate of about 89.5 MBps.

For the CompactFlash card, we copied the same 12.9GB of photos from a SanDisk Extreme 16GB card rated at 120 MBps (UDMA 7), which took an average of 2 minutes 14 seconds, or about 94.9 MBps. To test video copying speeds, we transferred 12.9GB (3 files, since this 16GB card was the only one available for testing), which took an average of 1 minute 46 seconds, or an impressive 121.7 MBps.

Megabytes per second (MBps). Longer bars/larger numbers are faster. Click to enlarge.

One downside to the Iogear adapter is that its somewhat bulky for what it offers, and its rounded design feels like an effort to make a utilitarian tool more friendly.

More surprising, in our tests we werent able to read more than one inserted card at a time. Mounting an SD card and then inserting a CompactFlash card would force-eject both of them, for instance.

If you need to transfer data from CompactFlash memory cards, or a mix of CompactFlash and SD or microSD cards, to your USB-C equipped MacBook or MacBook Pro, the Iogear USB-C 3-Slot Card Reader/Writer handles it with good speeds in a single package.

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Iogear USB-C 3-Slot Card Reader/Writer reader: Adapter for your CF ... - Macworld

CINCINNATI -- FC Cincinnati could not hold up for a full 90 minutes against Spanish giant Valencia CF but walked away from the international friendly feeling satisfied with the experience.

Valencia, one the biggest clubs in Europe, scored two second-half goals to beat FC Cincinnati 2-0 in front of 23,114 fans at Nippert Stadium as part of its preseason trip to North America.

GALLERY:International friendly with Valencia ends in 0-2 defeat for FC Cincinnati

FCC used 22 players, including giving forward Omar Cummings one last appearance before retiring to a position with the club's front office, and sustained a barrage of attacks by Valencia before finally breaking down in the 62nd minute.

Here's a look at the top 9 takeaways from the match:

1. A good experience for all

This match was never about winning, although though both teams obviously wanted to come away victorious.

Although FC Cincinnati had a lot to gain with a good result, the match likely meant more to Valencia, which is about three weeks from its La Liga season opener and still figuring things out under new coach Marcelino Garcia Toral. With the win, Valencia improves to 3-1 this preseason as it seeks to improve from a 12th place finish last year.

For FC Cincinnati, it was mostly about giving players a chance to compete against a high-quality opponent and perhaps learn a little more about some players who haven't played a lot of minutes this season.

"It's not very often when you lose a game it's OK to smile," FC Cincinnati coach Alan Koch said. "We all hate losing but tonight was more than winning and losing. It was obviously a great experience for our entire group. It was (22) players we got to play and we managed to get some good minutes for guys that played a lot and managed to get some minutes for guys that haven't played that much. I was happy with how the entire group embraced tonight."

2. Breaking down

FC Cincinnati's defense held up for more than an hour before finally breaking down to allow a goal.

Valencia midfielder Dani Parejo had been sending long balls into the attack all night with many opportunities waived because of offside calls, but it finally worked in the 62nd minute when Nando managed to stay onside for a far-post strike at the corner of the 6-yard box. Parejo set him up with a tidy pass over top of the FC Cincinnati defense and Nando curved the shot past reserve goalie Dallas Jaye.

RELATED:FC Cincinnati will get unique language experience when playing Spain's Valencia CF in friendly

Valencia had a series of similar tries late in the first half: One that Alvaro Negredo put into the net as the offside flag waived and a couple that negated Simon Zaza shots. FC Cincinnati midfielder Aaron Walker had made a goal-line clearance to keep the game scoreless just a few minutes before Valencia finally found the net.

Zaza added an insurance goal moments before the final whistle sounded, beating third-string goalie Dan Williams one-on-one for an empty netter.

3. Mixed lineups

As expected, both clubs held back some stars but didn't completely deny fans the sight of some regular standouts.

FC Cincinnati sat scoring leaders Djiby Fall and Danni Konig and rested the likes of Harrison Delbridge, Austin Berry, Justin Hoyte, Kenney Walker, Corben Bone and Matt Bahner for at least most of the game, but still started goalie Mitch Hildebrandt and forward Jimmy McLaughlin, as well as Kadeem Dacres and Aodhan Quinn, who were regular starters early in the season. Newcomers Kyle Greig and Sem de Wit got their first starts, while Josu Currais, the lone Spanish native on the squad, reportedly was unavailable with a swollen knee.

"The players that played a lot showed why they have been playing a lot, and some of the players that haven't played that much showed they should be given an opportunity, which is great because it creates healthy competition," Koch said.

Valencia didn't even bring its biggest name player on its North American tour, as Luis Nani stayed behind, but otherwise the visiting club played a good number of regulars for much of the game. Well-known goalkeeper Neto joined Zaza and Parejo as some of the more exciting players to watch.

Because it was a friendly, both teams were able to use as many subs as desired.

4. A test of possession

FC Cincinnati has not faced an opponent like Valencia before, and the La Liga squad brought a highly technical, quick-paced possession game.

Though Valencia had many opportunities in the first half, FC Cincinnati still managed to take away the ball a few more times than the visitors would have liked. Eventually, however, the superior team adjusted and the Orange and Blue couldn't keep up.

Valencia outshot FC Cincinnati 14-5 and had nine corner kicks compared to the home side's three. FC Cincinnati finished with a total of five saves.

"Valencia is an amazing team," Koch said. "There is a reason they are the club they are and they play in the league they do. You could see their team was a little rusty. It's their preseason, and that's to be expected, but you could also see individual moments that were sheer brilliance and it showed the difference obviously between playing in La Liga and playing where we're playing at this time."

FC Cincinnati midfielder Marco Dominguez said the quick pace of the game was challenging but he and his teammates just tried to keep things "simple" and that allowed FC Cincinnati an opportunity to be competitive overall.

5. See you later, Omar

Cummings, who played briefly in just three league games this season, announced his retirement Sunday night and was recognized in a halftime ceremony in which he was presented with a framed jersey.

The former University of Cincinnati and Cincinnati State forward then took the field to start the second half for one last appearance on the field and played 28 minutes. Cummings will be joining the FC Cincinnati front office in a role working with its youth academy and community initiatives.

"Cincinnati has given me so much, from an education from college to the opportunity to play soccer here in the city. To move on and get the opportunity to be drafted by Colorado and move on to a professional career and to finish my career in Cincinnati has been a joy," said Cummings, who was drafted 31stoverall by the Colorado Rapids in 2007 and went on to become Rookie of the Year that season.

Cummings hasn't been the same physically since his 2016 campaign ended with a knee injury in late August and said he considered retiring then but gave himself six months to recover. Had he not been ready by the preseason, he would have quit then, he said.

Still, he had played just 37 minutes prior to his arrival off the bench Monday, and Cummings said the emotions of the end of his career started to build during warmups.

Last season, he scored four goals, including one game-winner against Toronto FC, to go along with five assists to finish tied for third on the team with 13 points.

6. Strong game, weaker crowd

Attendance didn't come close to last summer's special against English Premier League club Crystal Palace, which holds the all-time Ohio soccer record at 35,061, but maybe that's a sign of how spoiled fans here have been this season.

Crystal Palace -- a team that has never finished higher than third in the EPL -- was the big event last year, while Valencia had to compete with a deep U.S. Open Cup run and an upcoming U.S. Women's National Team game drawing dollars from Cincinnatians' pockets.

RELATED:FC Cincinnati friendly with Valencia CF not selling tickets quite like Crystal Palace did last year

For some added perspective, Valencia's friendly against North American Soccer League club New York Cosmos drew just over 15,000 in Regina, Saskatchewan.

Still, the crowd reflects an apparent lack of knowledge to the significance to bringing a club from La Liga, winners of the last four Champions League titles.

Perhaps if the friendly was on a Saturday like last year it would have done better, but then again, fans came out in droves for midweek games against two Major League Soccer clubs that in all reality are much less competitive than Valencia, which is the third most supported in Spain and one of the biggest clubs in Europe.

Monday's crowd was the fourth best out of all matches this season at Nippert Stadium, topped by the home opener against St. Louis and two U.S. Open Cup games against MLS clubs.

7. Building a following

The reason international clubs such as Valencia travel to North America for preseason games is to build their brand and following overseas. It worked well for Crystal Palace last year, which seemed to gain some fans and, at the very least, name recognition it might have lacked on a large scale here before the match.

However, the relationship with Valencia might not come out as strong from this one. Fans seemed discouraged Sunday when the club canceled an open training and autograph session and then created more confusion by announcing via Twitter that it would instead just be pushing practice back -- to the same time as the scheduled VIP event. Valencia sent a few players to the event, while others practiced, but the session was closed and there were no other opportunities made public for fans to meet the team.

Despite any disappointment for fans Sunday, both sides expressed positive impressions from the experience.

"What a joy for our fans to see some big-time players," Koch said. "I can say personally I will be following Valencia more this year than I would have, so it made it unique from that perspective. Getting to interact with their players and coaches, we all do the same thing. ... I'm excited to see how they do this season."

Toral said his club felt well-respected by fans. Time will tell if Valencia was in fact able to win over some fans with its magisterial possession game and technical skill.

8. Valencia's take on FC Cincinnati

Valencia coach Toral said the turf was a big adjustment for his team, but in terms of the atmosphere, FC Cincinnati provided an experience comparable to his club's La Liga season.

With what he saw on a Monday night, FC Cincinnati has a bright future.

"I know in a short period, the main goal is for FC Cincinnati to get to MLS and that's what I really hope they will achieve," he said through a translator. "I think it's really important, with what I've seen tonight, on a Monday night the stadium was as full as it was. That really shows the engagement of the fans here, and that's really a good thing. I wish them all the best."

9. Up next

FC Cincinnati will take the day off Tuesday and return to training Wednesday in preparation for Saturday's home United Soccer League game against Rochester Rhinos.

Cincinnati heads into that match sitting in fifth place in the Eastern Division, while Rochester is seventh, four points back. The Orange and Blue are five points out of first, a position held by Charleston, which has played one less game.

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FC Cincinnati falls 2-0 to La Liga's Valencia CF in international friendly - WCPO

DEERFIELD, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CF) today announced that its Board of Directors has terminated the tax benefits preservation plan (the Plan) that it adopted on September 6, 2016. The Plan was designed to preserve the companys ability to utilize its net operating losses and certain other tax assets that were primarily related to accelerated tax depreciation of the companys capacity expansion projects, which were placed in service in 2016. The Plan was originally scheduled to expire on September 5, 2017.

In June, CF announced that it had received federal tax refunds of approximately $815 million due to the carryback of certain federal tax losses from the 2016 tax year to prior periods. The receipt of the federal tax refunds was earlier than CFs previously stated expectations for the third quarter of 2017.

Stockholders were well-served by the tax benefits preservation plan as it protected the companys ability to utilize its tax losses and receive $815 million in federal tax refunds, said Stephen A. Furbacher, chairman of the board, CF Industries Holdings, Inc. With the earlier-than-expected receipt of these tax refunds, the Plan has served its intended purpose and the Board believes that it is in the best interests of the company and its stockholders to terminate the Plan at this time.

About CF Industries Holdings, Inc.

CF Industries Holdings, Inc., headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois, through its subsidiaries is a global leader in the manufacturing and distribution of nitrogen products, serving both agricultural and industrial customers. CF Industries operates world-class nitrogen manufacturing complexes in Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States, and distributes plant nutrients through a system of terminals, warehouses, and associated transportation equipment located primarily in the Midwestern United States. The company also owns a 50 percent interest in an ammonia facility in The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. CF Industries routinely posts investor announcements and additional information on the companys website atwww.cfindustries.comand encourages those interested in the company to check there frequently.

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CF Industries Terminates Tax Benefits Preservation Plan - Business Wire (press release)

What to Expect from CF Industries' 2Q17 Earnings PART 1 OF 7

CF Industries (CF) is set to announce its 2Q17 earnings after the market closes on August 2, 2017. According to Wall Street analysts consensus estimate, the company is expected to report EPS (earnings per share) of $0.01 in the quarter, down from $0.33 in 2Q16.

While the company is expected to report a huge fall in its earnings, its stock has beaten the benchmark indexes. Lets take a look in more detail.

In the last year, CF Industries has returned 18%, beating the S&P 500 Indexs (SPY) return of 14.6% for the same period. The company has also beat the VanEck Vectors Agribusiness ETF (MOO), which hasreturned 14.3% in the same period.

The company has also beat its peers PotashCorp (POT), CVR Partners (UAN), and Agrium (AGU). These three stocks underperformed even the benchmarks discussed in the chart above.

In 2017, CF Industries stock has struggled due to continued pressure on nitrogen fertilizer players resulting from excess capacity pressure. While the industrys players are continuing to ration their capacity expansion projects, the upside on fertilizer prices remains in question for the near term.

CF Industries is one of the largest producers of nitrogen fertilizers in North America, and it enjoys a strategic advantage over international players. Because the United States is a net importer of nitrogen fertilizers, the company can supply to its customers at lower costs.

In this series, well discuss analysts expectations for the companys key financial metrics. Well also look at the companys valuation in the concluding part of this series.

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What to Expect from CF Industries' 2Q17 Earnings - Market Realist - Market Realist

CF Industries Holdings Inc. has announced that its Board of Directors has elected John W. Eaves, CEO of Arch Coal Inc., and Michael J. Toelle, owner of T&T Farms and former board chairman of CHS, Inc., as independent directors of the company.

The elections of Mr. Eaves and Mr. Toelle bring membership of the CF Industries Holdings Inc. Board of Directors to 12. They are expected to stand for re-election by stockholders at the companys 2018 Annual Meeting.

We are pleased to welcome John and Michael to the CF Industries Board, said Stephen A. Furbacher, Chairman of the board, CF Industries Holdings Inc. Johns extensive knowledge of the global coal industry and Michaels deep agricultural experience, along with their demonstrated leadership and understanding of commodity cycles, will benefit the Board and our management team greatly. We look forward to their insights and perspectives as we work together to create long-term value for our stockholders.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldfertilizer.com/nitrogen/25072017/cf-industries-welcomes-new-directors/

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CF Industries welcomes new directors - World Fertilizer

By John ChamblessStaff Writer

The best way to reach an audience online is with a compelling video, and the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District will be putting itself in the spotlight with six videos that will be filmed during the coming school year.

The U-CF School Board approved the $20,000 proposal as part of their brief meeting on July 17. Allied Pixel, a company based in Media, will produce six videos, which will run three minutes each, between September 2017 and May 2018.

Dave Listman, who leads the district's communications efforts, said that while the district has its own video production capabilities, Allied Pixel can easily produce a higher-quality result with a sleek, engaging, professional look.

The series of videos will complement our 'Success for All' presentation, Listman said. That helps us to achieve some of our communication goals specifically, more effectively engaging with our community. We have a goal to enhance communications within the community, targeting the taxpayers who are not parents. These folks pay for our program, and we all benefit by working closely together.

The videos will feature students, teachers and administrators, Listman continued. We expect the first video will focus on our shift to earlier school start times. The videos will be used on our websites, in emails and throughout social media. We plan to send a postcard mailer to the community that will focus on topics from our 'Success for All' presentation.

District superintendent John Sanville, who has shown the Powerpoint presentation to several groups around the school district this year, said, Responses to the presentation were great, and the initiative will grow in the coming year, enhanced and supported by these videos. 'Success for All' tells the story of the district as a place focused on its mission to empower students for success in life, while at the same time understanding its obligations to the community and respecting taxpayer support.

We excel in academics and we excel as good stewards of taxpayer dollars and operate in a transparent manner, Sanville said. The 'Success for All' initiative backs all of this up with numbers and with stories. The video pieces will enhance our ability to tell the stories.

Listman added, We know that video is an effective communications vehicle, and personal stories are better than charts and numbers.

Allied Pixel is owned by a local community member, and the business focuses on telling the stories of educational organizations and non-profits. They have a great portfolio and have previously done pro-bono work for one of our schools, Listman said.

The district has approved spending no more than $20,000 for the six videos, which Listman said is a considerable discount and a great value to the district. The company is discounting its usual costs by at least 25 percent. For its high-definition editorial work alone, the cost would normally be $16,200. The company has cut the cost by 65 percent, to $5,670, for that line item.

To contact Staff Writer John Chambless, email jchambless@chestercounty.com.

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U-CF School District will spotlight strengths in six new videos - Chester County Press

CINCINNATI -- FC Cincinnati gained global attention last summer with its sellout crowd for an international friendly against English Premier League club Crystal Palace.

Cincinnati has a long way to go to match that enthusiasm for Mondays summer special against Spains Valencia CF.

RELATED: What you need to know about Valencia.

Ticket sales only crossed the 15,000 threshold Wednesday, and FC Cincinnati holds a modest goal of drawing 20,000 to 25,000 fans, which has been an almost typical United Soccer League crowd atNippertStadium. The clubs first-ever international friendly last year -- on a Saturday in mid-July -- still holds FC Cincinnatis all-time attendance record at 35,061.

Well end up being north of 20,000 and from our standpoint if were in the 20-25,000 range thats what we projected, FC Cincinnati President and General ManagerBerdingsaid, noting the club is hoping for a strong sales push after its game Saturday against Harrisburg City. Its a Monday night, not a Saturday and we had two enormous Open Cup matches against Chicago and Columbus Crew SC and a U.S. Womens National Team game going on sale. Last years game against Crystal Palace was the first big match beyond theUSLfor FC Cincinnati and obviously were well beyond that now.

Were excited to host Valencia. Its been a little bit of a different challenge, but were likely going to be in 20-25,000 range and were very satisfied.

WCPOInsiders can read more about why tickets haven't sold as well for Valencia CF as they did for FC Cincinnati's international friendly against Crystal Palace.

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FC Cincinnati friendly with Valencia CF not selling tickets quite like Crystal Palace did last year - WCPO

Cystic Fibrosis campaigner Orla Tinsley. Photograph: Alan Betson

A GoFundMe campaign started for Cystic Fibrosis campaigner Orla Tinsley, who is in need of a double lung transplant, has gathered nearly 900 contributions totalling more than $50,000.

Ms Tinsley has spent years campaigning for better treatment for Cystic Fibrosis (CF) patients, and has written extensively about the condition for The Irish Times since 2005.

CF is an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system of about 1,200 children and adults in Ireland.

Her friend and fellow writer Belinda McKeon set up the GoFundMe page to cover the costs associated with a double lung transplant, which Ms Tinsley needs after going into respiratory failure last year.

The page had a goal of raising $50,000, which it has now exceeded.

Early on Monday, Ms Tinsley thanked donators and said she was deeply grateful for the support.

I am overwhelmed by the love and support, she said in an Instagram post, accompanied by a screenshot of the GoFundMe page.

You are all incredible. I am deeply grateful. Im going to print the positive msgs and create a wall of positivity so that love and support helps keep me strong. I will fight harder knowing you are there.

Ms Tinsleys activism drew national attention to the shortcomings in the level of care for CF patients in Ireland and led to the opening of a dedicated CF unit at St Vincents Hospital in Dublin in 2012.

In 2015 she wrote about the effect which the drug Orkambi had on her, calling on the Government to make it available to patients here.

I realised I no longer lived from month to month, beneath the weight of constant intense medical monitoring and painful evaluation of every single action I took and how that might affect my energy and health for the day, she wrote.

I lived in this explosion of the now. . . This was a miracle for me.

The drug Orkambi was approved for funding by Minister for Health Simon Harris this year after an extensive campaign by patients and their families.

Ms Tinsley lives in New York after taking up a scholarship at Columbia University in 2014 and is now on a waiting list for a transplant at Columbia New York Presbyterian Hospital.

Writing on the fundraising page, Ms McKeon said: Theres no way of sugar-coating this: Orla needs this transplant, its obviously a very serious surgery, and while her health insurance will thankfully cover the transplant, there are aspects of care and recovery (including copays, mediation, transport, oxygen and much more) which are not covered by insurance.

After-care is crucial, and its expensive. Thats where we can help.

She said: Orlas transplant team have advised that she should have a large contingency fund in place which can be put towards these costs.

Writing on the GoFundMe page herself, Ms Tinsley said: I am older now and my time is running out. Unless I get a life saving lung transplant I will die.

Transplant is about recovery and hard work afterward where I will have to rehabilitate and live with my new lungs. Hard work afterwards is what make the difference in survival.

I need to stay close to the hospital for one year until I recover and work hard at rehabilitation and take on all the other challenges post transplant life bring. I am ready for this.

But I need your help. I am so grateful to Belinda for being so supportive and taking the pressure off me at this time.

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CF campaigner 'overwhelmed' by donations for lung transplant - Irish Times

Jose Mourinho has challenged Anthony Martial to produce the goods on a more consistent basis after the Manchester United frontman caught the eye against Real Madrid.

Martial produced a scintillating weaving run to set up Jesse Lingards opening goal in Uniteds 1-1 draw against Real in the International Champions Cup at Santa Clara, California, on Sunday, albeit the French international blazed over from the spot in the penalty shootout that followed the draw.

The 21-year-old shone during his impressive debut campaign at Old Trafford under Louis van Gaal two years ago, yet struggled under Mourinho last season -- prompting speculation that he could be on the move this summer.

But after Martial looked back to his best, Mourinho admitted that talent is not the issue for the United forward.

Obviously, we want more consistency in his talent, said Mourinho. I think today was positive for him. Thats why I left him for 90 minutes on the pitch. He was enjoying it, trying things and its important in these friendly matches to try things, which he did. Thats only good for his confidence.

On the stroke of half-time, Martials quick feet saw him leave both Daniel Carvajal and Luka Modric for dead, before squaring the ball across the six-yard box for Lingard to tap home.

It was just reward for Lingard after he was the best player on the pitch during the first half, only a smart save from Keylor Navas keeping out a swerving shot from 25 yards in the seventh minute.

Jose Mourinho has called for more positive play from Anthony Martial after a good show in the penalty shoot-out against Real Madrid C.F. (REUTERS)

In their first pre-season outing, Real were understandably rusty during the first half, but they improved significantly after Zinedine Zidane changed his entire 11 at the interval and introduced a host of youngsters. They drew level when Victor Lindelof brought down summer signing Theo Hernandez in the area and Casemiro smashed home the resulting spot-kick.

Zidane said he was satisfied with the performance, particularly the contribution of the clubs hot prospects. But when asked about the depth of his squad and whether he was chasing a replacement for the departed Alvaro Morata, Zidane was cautious at being drawn over any transfer business.

Real Madrid C.F. manager Zinedine Zidane has said he was satisfied with the performance of Real Madrid C.F. (AFP)

Ive talked to the president, but we have a roster of 28 players and Im happy, said the Real boss. Ultimately, we will see. We have until August 31, but I have not asked for any (players).

United won 2-1 in a desperately low quality penalty shootout at the conclusion of the encounter, but it was an injury to midfielder Ander Herrera which was preying on Mourinhos mind afterwards.

The half-time substitute lasted just seven minutes before he was forced off with a rib injury.

For him to come off, it has to be very painful, Mourinho said. I want to wait and see what it is but I always say theres no risk in friendly matches. If you feel that something is coming, a little injury, then get off. The result is not important.

Herrera is expected to join Juan Mata on the treatment table when United round off their Stateside pre-season tour against Barcelona, in Landover, Maryland on Wednesday.

Happy with our pre-season

But despite a hectic period of five games in the space of 12 days, Mourinho feels the trip has been beneficial.

We managed to organize the pre-season in a way where we were based in LA for 15 days, he added. Its fantastic to always be in the same hotel, same training ground. The flights were quite short to go to Salt Lake, Houston. Now we go to (Washington) and thats halfway home, almost. In terms of jet lag, its halfway home. These next three days in DC are not a problem. After that, we have two more matches to play in Norway and Ireland. Traveling in the same day, short flights. Im really happy with our pre-season.

If Mata and Ander are not a problem in terms of injuries, then its a perfect pre-season for us.

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Manchester United FC beat Real Madrid CF on penalties in Champions Cup - Hindustan Times

NEW YORK, NY - JULY 17: Tommy Pham #28, Dexter Fowler #25 and Magneuris Sierra #43 of the St. Louis Cardinals celebrate after defeating the New York Mets on July 17, 2017 at Citi Field in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

St. Louis Cardinals: Takeaways from the Gonzales trade by Tito Rivera-Bosques

The St. Louis Cardinals signed Dexter Fowler during the offseason as a way to add a spark to the lackluster 2016 team. Fowlers long contract was supposed to secure speed and energy and a skilled center fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Then this year occurred. Fowler, to his credit, hasnt been terrible but has been battling a heel injury. We can safely stay there and avoid attacking his defense outright.

Additionally, Fowler was added to bring some pop to the lineup. Under Mike Mathenys inept leadership and pitiful hitting coaching by John Mabry, Fowler- a typical power threat in the lead-off spot- floundered there and most recently was moved to the number three spot to help the also-slumping Matt Carpenter return to his head-space-comfortable lead-off position.

These changes have helped but not the degree that the St. Louis Cardinals would have liked. Quickly let me add that Carp should remain in the lead-off spot but Im not sold that Fowler should be the number three hitter. Potentially more on that later.

Lets jump back to the defensive metrics. My gut had been telling me for a while that it might serve the St. Louis Cardinals better if Fowler were not patrolling center field. This morning, a huge shout-out to Cardinals Metrics, I saw this tweet that solidified my opinion:

Based on this metric alone, wouldnt it make better sense to put Tommy Pham in center and allow Fowler to slide to one of the corner spots? I would be more comfortable with the six defensive runs saved of Pham over the negative 13 runs saved by Fowler. Negative. Let me say again, negative!

If we look at offense, Pham is outpacing Fowler as well in BAbip. Through 277 plate appearances, Pham owns a .379 batting average on balls in play. That is a GREAT number. And Fowler? Through 325 plate appearances, Fowler owns a .271 BAbip. This advanced metric alone indicates that Pham is playing better than Fowler even when considering the larger sample size of Fowler.

Lets look at one more advanced batting metric ISO. This statistic considers only extra base hits. Fowler currently sits with a .215 while Pham owns a .220. Notice that Pham is hitting with greater pop but not by much.

Jumping to the chase, I am not advocating that Fowler be removed from games as I really like his play and his bat in the lineup. I am, however, advocating that Fowler NOT bat third and NOT play center.

I think there is a great deal of value in an experiment wherein Fowler bats lower in the lineup (taking the pressure of the three hole off his back) and wherein he patrols left or right field. In the same experiment, Pham would patrol center and would either continue to bat second or try him at the three spot.

What would the St. Louis Cardinals have to lose through such an experiment? Not much at this point in the season.

Oh, and perhaps moving Fowler to one of the corner spots could open the center field job for Christian Yelich should the St. Louis Cardinals and Miami Marlins arrange a trade before the deadline. Perhaps.

Want your voice heard? Join the Redbird Rants team!

Your turn; what would you do based on these stats? Would you move Fowler despite his saying he came to play center? Hit me up on Twitter and let me know. Thanks for reading!

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St. Louis Cardinals: Tommy Pham should play CF over Dexter Fowler - Redbird Rants