Week 3 had stars old and new showing up, Super Overs, and genius captaincy.

Varun Shetty23-Sep-2019Super Ricky shows up, Allen’s stock rises furtherAfter an up-and-down show last week, St Kitts and Nevis Patriots needed to get points on the board and captain Carlos Brathwaite was at the forefront. He took two wickets as Trinbago Knight Riders made 216 on the back of a Lendl Simmons 90, then made a 30-ball 64 after coming in at 80 for 4 and helped them tie the game as birthday boy Jimmy Neesham followed up a 31-run first over by failing to defend 19 in the last.In the Super Over, he starred in both halves – making 17 not out and then warding off protests from his team-mates, the management, and pretty much half the dugout to take the ball and concede only five against Kieron Pollard, the man who took the T20I captaincy from him recently.Some physical contact ensued between Knight Riders’ Ali Khan and Patriots’ Evin Lewis during the Super Over, causing a bust up as the batsman wasn’t pleased. Both of them were fined.Fabian Allen continued to show off his new and improved batting dimension, putting in a breathtaking performance from No. 7 after Patriots fell to 82 for 6 against Jamaica Tallawahs. Allen made an unbeaten 27-ball 62 as Patriots finished with 176 and killed the momentum Tallawahs have long sought in this edition of the CPL.Perfect Malik and his perfect teamTallawahs were at the receiving end again when Guyana Amazon Warriors captain Shoaib Malik had the perfect game: his 37-ball 67 took them to 218, his bold strategy of starting the innings with eight straight overs of spin paid off against a powerful line-up, and he even added two catches and a run-out as they capped off an 81-run win.Malik went one better on Sunday, even getting his bowling into the picture. As one of three spinners alongside Chris Green and Imran Tahir, he conceded only 10 in his four overs, and took the wicket of Barbados Tridents captain Jason Holder. The trio took a combined 7 for 46 in 13.3 overs as Amazon Warriors made it six in six to seal a playoff spot with four games to go.Bowler of the weekIt could have been either one of Green and Tahir, but the offspinner snuck in a career-best four-for in the last match of the week to sneak ahead of the veteran. Green has gradually become a player of interest to many franchises over the last year or so – his specialist ability bowling in Powerplays and at the death still a rare combination in T20 cricket all these years later.Green took five wickets from three games at an economy of 6.00 this past week. Trailing closely behind on a concentrated list of bowlers with four wickets in that period were Holder with an economy of 5.63 and Tahir with an economy of 5.37.Batsman of the weekIt was a pity what happened around Glenn Phillips during his magnificent 87 against Patriots. Having singlehandedly kept them in the chase – no, really, he made 87 of the 123 they had when he was dismissed – he missed out on both a hundred and an entry into the newly-founded Order of Exceptional Individual Innings. His 40 against Amazon Warriors was an impressive stay too, and joint top score in the Tallawahs innings.

The fast bowler has become a BBL sensation out of nowhere, and could soon turn out for Pakistan

Umar Farooq10-Jan-20203:09

‘If I had support, I’d have been playing for Pakistan now’ – Haris Rauf

Haris Rauf went to Australia with the hope of a Hobart Hurricanes contract, but has instead hit the jackpot with the Melbourne Stars, lighting up the Big Bash with his exhilarating fast bowling. He was originally signed up for only three games as cover for Dale Steyn, but he has been retained for the whole tournament following an injury to the English quick Pat Brown and is expected to confirm an extension for next season soon.Rauf, 26, was only discovered three years ago in open trials by the PSL franchise Lahore Qalandars in Gujranwala, but became hot property within two weeks of playing the Big Bash. He already has a five-wicket haul and a hat-trick, taking 13 wickets so far in just four games to make him the joint-second-highest wicket-taker in the tournament. These performances in a highly competitive environment have instilled Rauf with the belief that he is close to fulfilling his dream of playing for his country.”It’s a completely different experience here,” Rauf told ESPNcricinfo. “The standard of cricket, the crowd and the atmosphere around make you truly absorbed in the game. Every moment in the field is enjoyable and the enthusiasm from the crowd really intensifies your passion. It is a really great time out here for me and I am making most out of it. I know I have proved my potential and my next goal is to play for Pakistan in the T20 World Cup, which is also in Australia.”I never really planned my future in cricket. I grew up playing with a tennis ball until 2017, and never thought that I could play for Pakistan. But this dream was given to me by Lahore Qalandars and Aaqib Javed’s persistence with me gave me direction. He has been a driving force for me. I had a feeling that a pure fast bowler bowling over 140kph can’t be ignored in Pakistan. I have the pace, the passion, and with all the development I started to believe that I can play top-level cricket.”ESPNcricinfo understands that Rauf was sent to Australia by Lahore Qalandars with the intention of attending trials with the Hurricanes, who wanted to have a look at him before signing a full season’s contract in November. During his stay he was linked with Glenorchy in Hobart, in Tasmania’s Premier League, and took 4 for 12 in a T20 game against Clarence including the wicket of the Australia and Hurricanes batsman D’Arcy Short.The Hurricanes didn’t pick him up, and Nick Cummins, the general manager, commercial and marketing, for the Melbourne BBL sides, called the Qalandars CEO Sameen Rana, offering Rauf a short-term opportunity when Steyn suffered a side strain.Haris Rauf is ecstatic after taking a wicket•Getty ImagesRauf shot to prominence alongside another fast bowler, Salman Irshad, when both were in the race for the third edition of the PSL. Rauf previously played for Western Suburbs Cricket Club in Sydney, where he was injured playing two-day cricket after bowling nearly 26 overs per day. Aaqib setHe was given a target by Aaqib, to add ten kilos to his 73kg frame in order to aid his development.”I was excited and was taking wickets and pushing myself hard,” Rauf said. “Fitness has been an issue because until 2017 I never really had any sense about it. Never thought about it because I had been playing tennis-ball cricket and never been disciplined with fitness and diet. I only started to hear about its importance when I signed with the Lahore Qalandars development program. In Pakistan when you grow up as an immature cricketer the word fitness is just an alien to you. You hear it, but you never really understood its significance.”But when I first came Australia with Qalandars, who linked me with a club, I saw the lifestyle around the sportsmen, how they train and how they enhance their performance. What are their routines and how they pull themselves together in the off-season to get ready for the active season. How they avoid injuries by getting fitter, so I learnt all this from here and the fitter you are, the more control you have of your game and performance.”Rauf missed PSL 3 and returned to Western Suburbs in 2018 with a promotion to the first grade and later earned a place in the Qalandars’ PSL side for the fourth edition of the tournament, his first major break. He took 11 wickets in 10 matches, with an economy rate of 7.41, including a match-winning 4 for 23 against the Karachi Kings.Rauf idolises Steyn and playing in his place was an “honour” for him. “I admire him a lot,” he said. “He has done great for his country, he is a tremendous fast bowler and is a perfect role model for any youngster who wants to become a fast bowler. With him around you have a lot to learn and sharing a dressing room with your hero is like a dream come true. If he isn’t playing it’s in a way a loss for me because I am not able to share the ball with him. His aggression is the thing I love about him. I obviously follow his work ethics, lifestyle and ability to control the line with outswingers.”

Rohit Sharma has been rested for a change, while Angelo Mathews returns for the visitors

Deivarayan Muthu03-Jan-2020Sri Lanka specialist Rohit rests, Bumrah returnsIndia v Sri Lanka. Over to you, Rohit Sharma, the stand-in captain. For a change, Sharma has been rested from the upcoming three-match T20I series at home against Sri Lanka, and the focus will instead be on the comeback men and the fringe players, who will be looking to use this series as a springboard for the T20 World Cup later this year in Australia.Since Jasprit Bumrah claimed a blink-and-you-miss-it 6 for 27, including a hat-trick, at Sabina Park in September last year, he hasn’t played any representative cricket. Having recovered from a back injury, India’s spearhead has only bowled in the nets since, but his return spruces up an attack that has been struck by injuries.Longer rope for Saini and Thakur?No timeframe has been set for the returns of Bhuvneshwar Kumar or Deepak Chahar, which might mean more game-time for Navdeep Saini and Shardul Thakur, who were part of the injury list not too long ago.In the ODI series decider against West Indies in Cuttack, Saini had shown that his extra pace and zip could give India’s attack an edge even on flat tracks, while Thakur snapped a blazing stand between Kieron Pollard and Nicholas Pooran, and followed it with a cameo with the bat to see off a tense chase.Navdeep Saini wheels away in celebration•BCCIThe second opener conundrumOn the batting front, there could be a direct shootout between a fit-again Shikhar Dhawan and the in-form KL Rahul for the second opener’s role behind white-ball vice-captain Sharma.In the absence of Dhawan, Rahul enjoyed a longer run at the top and reeled off scores of 62, 11, 91, 6, 102 and 77 in the limited-overs series against West Indies.ALSO READ: Rahul 2.0 makes strong case for regular limited-overs selection In 2019, Rahul had scored runs in almost every form of white-ball cricket he had played. Runs in the middle order at the World Cup: check. Runs at the top at the World Cup: check. Runs against West Indies: check. Runs at the top in the IPL: check. Runs in the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy: check. Runs in the 20-over Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy: check. But despite ticking all boxes, Rahul might not be guaranteed an opening slot alongside Sharma in the T20 World Cup down under.And hello again, Shikhar Dhawan. He’s returning to the white-ball fold after a second major injury in 2019, and his experience and calmness are too hard to ignore. He was the top scorer in T20Is in 2018, with 689 runs in 17 innings at an average of 40.52 and strike rate of 147.22. Sharma had occupied second place on that list with 590 runs in 18 innings at an average of 36.87 and strike rate of 147.50.Dhawan was also at it in IPL 2019, emerging as Delhi Capitals’ highest run-getter, with 521 runs in 16 innings. The strike rate had dropped to 135.67 in the IPL as he had come up against very sluggish tracks at the Feroz Shah Kotla.Sri Lanka look to the futureAs for Sri Lanka, which version of their side will turn up in India? Soon after their second-string team had whitewashed Pakistan 3-0 in Pakistan, their first-string team were swept 3-0 in Australia, which will be the scene of the World Cup. The margins of defeats were alarming – 134 runs, nine wickets and seven wickets – but Sri Lanka have kept faith in their youngsters.When Bhanuka Rajapaksa was racking up the runs at school level, he was earmarked to be a future Sri Lanka star. After some (unexpected) success in Pakistan, the 28-year-old seems to be belatedly living up to the hype, having earned a T20 gig in the Bangladesh Premier League and a T10 gig in the UAE.Avishka Fernando had everyone going ga-ga over his rousing strokeplay in the 50-over World Cup last year, but his T20I strike rate of 94.87 after ten matches needs some buffing up. Sri Lanka captain Lasith Malinga has confirmed that Avishka would be opening the batting alongside Danushka Gunathilaka.Avishka Fernando was the top-scorer for Sri Lanka•Getty ImagesSri Lanka look to the pastSri Lanka have also recalled an old pro in Angelo Mathews, who last featured in the shortest format in August 2018.Despite not having bowled a ball in eight months leading up to the 50-over World Cup, Mathews floated a 115kph delivery and dismissed Nicholas Pooran to add to a list of a crazy Sri Lankan victories in 2019. Does the 32-year-old still have it in him in T20 cricket?Sri Lankan young ‘uns v gung-ho IndiaThen, there are exciting allrounders in Wanindu Hasaranga and Isuru Udana. Hasaranga, the legspinner who can bowl a mean wrong’un, had bagged a hat-trick on ODI debut in 2017 and more recently took back-to-back three-fors in the T20I series in Lahore.Left-arm seamer Udana, who has a surfeit of slower balls in his repertoire, has come a long way since being fast-tracked into Sri Lanka’s T20 World Cup squad in 2009. He has evolved into a genuine wicket-taker and a powerful lower-order hitter, also attracting the attention of various T20 leagues around the world, including the IPL.India, too, have come a long way since their batting line-up was pinned down by Sri Lanka’s defensive bowling in the 2014 T20 World Cup final in Dhaka. They have now learned to adapt to the changing T20 landscape, and even did a West Indies on West Indies while batting first in the T20I series decider in Mumbai last month.Sri Lanka have lost their last five T20Is in India, but if their newbies stand up to pressure – like they did in Pakistan – they can spring a surprise on India.

Also, can the CPL stars and captain Pollard step up to the pressures of playing India in India?

Deivarayan Muthu03-Dec-20193:55

ODI, T20I captaincy was ‘sprung upon me’ – Kieron Pollard

Are the CPL’s best good enough?
Guyana Amazon Warriors opener Brandon King and CPL 2019 champion with Barbados Tridents Hayden Walsh Jr, the top run-getter and top wicket-taker respectively in the T20 competition, were fast-tracked into the limited-overs squads for the series against Afghanistan in India.While King did make a fairly compact 39 on his ODI debut from No. 4, he couldn’t quite adjust to the more sluggish tracks that Lucknow rolled out for the T20Is. Opening the batting in the shortest format, King scrounged scores of 4, 12, and 1.Walsh Jr has been picked for the wicket-taking threat he poses with his legbreaks as well as zippy wrong ‘uns, but he struggled for control against Afghanistan and proved to be expensive in both the ODIs and T20Is.Sure, these are still early days yet for the two CPL stars in international cricket, but a series against a full-strength India line-up in India brings with it greater pressure. The talent scouts from various IPL franchises will also keep a close eye on their performances in this series. Do they have it in them to stand up to this kind of pressure?Getty ImagesWho’s your No. 1 spinner?
Sunil Narine returned to the West Indies attack for the three T20Is against India in the USA and Caribbean earlier this year, but a finger injury sustained during CPL 2019 has sidelined him from this tour of India. Walsh Jr, the wristspinner, leaked runs in the ODIs and the first two T20Is, prompting the management to bench him for the decider. Trinbago Knight Riders left-arm fingerspinner Khary Pierre got a game instead and although he didn’t bowl a single over in the powerplay – his happy place in the CPL – he offered Pollard a semblance of control by attacking the stumps and hitting hard lengths.ALSO READ: Khary Pierre, TKR’s master of thriftSo, what do you want, West Indies – Pierre’s parsimony or Walsh’s variations? You can’t separate them when it comes to fielding, though. Both players are great athletes who can provide electric moments both in the infield as well in the deep.How will captain Pollard fare?
Pollard has led West Indies in only eight internationals so far – six of those came against Afghanistan in the previous series. He might be a bit of an unknown quantity as captain at the international level, but he has enough experience in franchise cricket.His in-your-face captaincy and aggressive approach saw him go from villain to hero when Tridents secured their maiden CPL title in 2014. There had been reports of protests in Barbados after Trinidadian Pollard had been appointed captain of Tridents ahead of locals Dwayne Smith and Kirk Edwards, but Pollard brushed off the incident and lifted the team to the title, eventually winning the approval of the locals. And, more recently, Pollard took over as Knight Riders’ captain and nearly lifted the team to the final.Pollard has also taken many youngsters like Nicholas Pooran and Pierre under his wing, passing on his wealth of T20 knowledge and making them feel comfortable in the dressing room.Is Fabian Allen good enough to fill the gap left by Dre Russ?•Getty ImagesHow can you fill the Russell-sized hole?
Russell is a monster-hitter and can crank it up to 140kph with the ball when he’s fit. How can you replace him? The simple answer is you can’t. West Indies have dropped former T20I captain Carlos Brathwaite and are now looking up to St Kitts & Nevis Patriots’ Fabian Allen to try and fill that void.In 2018, Allen was part of a West Indies B side in the inaugural Global T20 Canada. In less than two years, he has made a swift step-up to international cricket, and even represented West Indies in the 50-over World Cup earlier this year. His USP is his power-hitting, which has set the CPL alight in the past two seasons. Allen shellacked 177 off 79 balls between overs 16 and 20 at a strike rate of nearly 225 in CPL 2019.He can also bowl useful left-arm fingerspin, and is one of the best fielders in the world. If you don’t believe me, just watch this catch. Allen has just recovered from injury to make the trip back to India and it remains to be seen if he can reprise his CPL heroics against a well-rounded India side.Who should be the keeper?
Thirty-four-year-old Denesh Ramdin played his part in Knight Riders winning back-to-back CPL titles in 2017 and 2018, and continues to be a safe wicketkeeper, but could West Indies have invested in a younger keeper in Shai Hope? Or will Pooran take the gloves from the second T20I once his ball-tampering ban ends?Ramdin had been part of the T20I team that toured India last year and managed just 27 runs in three innings, at not even a run-a-ball. Before that, he had struggled so badly in the Pakistan Super League that his ability to rotate the strike – or the lack of it – in subcontinent conditions came under intense scrutiny.While Hope isn’t a big-hitter either, he is more adept at tapping the ball into the gaps and keeping the scorecard ticking, something that was on display in the Afghanistan T20I series decider in Lucknow. In the absence of the injured Ramdin, Hope stepped in and made a valiant fifty in a challenging chase against Afghanistan’s spin-heavy attack.Among the three keepers, though, Pooran seems to be better equipped to fit into a dual role: keep wicket and seamlessly slot into the middle order. Pooran strikes at nearly 144 in T20 cricket while the strike rates of Ramdin and Hope are 118.25 and 128.23 respectively.

West Ham United have struggled this season in the Premier League, switching managers back in January in an attempt to save their season. However, the Hammers still sit 15th in the Premier League after 31 games played.

Defensively, West Ham have improved under Graham Potter, but this has affected their offensive purchase, scoring just six goals in their last six Premier League games. The Hammers also rank 15th for xG generated this season, with 44.42 xG across their 31 Premier League games so far.

Their striker issue is a well-documented one this season, with both Michail Antonio and Niclas Füllkrug suffering from injuries, but this isn’t a new issue at the club, as the Hammers have struggled to nail down that number nine spot for some time.

West Ham's striker issues

In recent years, West Ham have had the likes of Sebastian Haller and Gianluca Scamacca join the club for big transfer fees, never really living up to the expectation, before leaving soon after to thrive elsewhere in Europe. These are just two examples of failed attempts by West Ham to address their need for a top-class number nine.

Haller was signed for around £45m, a club-record fee at the time, going on to make just 54 appearances for the club, scoring 14 goals and providing one assist in his 3,681 minutes played.

Meanwhile, Scamacca cost the Hammers around £35.5m, making 27 appearances for the club, netting eight times in 1,342 minutes.

But perhaps one of their worst was the loan signing of Simone Zaza from Juventus in 2016. The Italian only made 11 appearances for the Hammers, scoring zero goals, providing zero assists and totaling just 572 minutes played, before being sent back to Italy at the end of the season.

West Ham's newest Zaza

West Ham have looked to address their striker issues with a loan signing once more, bringing Brighton striker Evan Ferguson to the club in the January transfer window.

The 20-year-old has made six appearances for Potter’s side, totaling 137 minutes played with zero goals or assists so far.

Minutes

45

Touches

20

Big Chances Missed

1

Shots

1

Accurate Passes

7/9

Ground Duels Won

2/5

Aerial Duels Won

0/1

Possession Lost

8

Tackles

1

The 20-year-old striker was taken off after just 45 minutes against Wolves in their 1-0 loss midweek, being replaced by summer signing, Fullkrug. Ferguson only managed 20 touches in the game, losing possession eight times and missing his only “big chance”, with The Athletic’s Carl Anka outlining the Irishman’s “unfortunate” decline of late.

Potter didn’t hide his frustration with the first-half performance, stating “we weren’t happy with the overall performance in the first half”. But he was quick to praise the man who replaced Ferguson, stating “you can see he gives us a different option which we haven’t had”.

That resulted in Ferguson ultimately proving an unused substitute for Saturday’s 2-2 draw with AFC Bournemouth, with that man Fullkrug notably netting off the bench just after the hour mark. The Brighton man has then plummeted even further down the pecking order.

With games running out ahead of the climax of the campaign, this could prove to be yet another brief, unsuccessful loan swoop – much like the case of Zaza of before him.

Better than Bowen: West Ham’s 73 touch man showed why he’s undroppable

West Ham’s 73 touch man has shown why he’s even more undroppable than Bowen right now.

ByConnor Holden Apr 6, 2025

Following the news that Kevin De Bruyne is set to depart as a free agent this summer, Manchester City have now been handed a fresh concern by Real Madrid’s reported interest in signing one of Pep Guardiola’s star men.

Guardiola preparing for Man Utd revenge

In what will now go down as De Bruyne’s final Manchester derby, Guardiola and his Manchester City side will be seeking revenge over their rivals after Amad Diallo’s shock last-gasp winner left them on the losing side earlier in the campaign. In what has been a campaign to forget, the Citizens will be hoping to at least compile the misery on Manchester United.

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Posts ByEthan Lamb Apr 4, 2025

Guardiola reiterated that his side are currently in a good place ahead of the chance to earn revenge against their rivals, telling reporters: “Good. The last two games we were good and hopefully we continue in the last eight games in the Premier League and prepare. The people rest and tomorrow we’re going to prepare the game.”

However, the Spaniard’s main focus was on De Bruyne’s announcement and how he will miss the Belgian’s quality, saying in his pre-match press conference: “Sad day. It’s a happy day for the fact of the pleasure that I live this time that I have with him. He gave all of us his humanity and of course his influence in all our success. The last decade would not be possible to imagine without him.”

That said, De Bruyne may not be the only star man that Guardiola is left bidding farewell to this summer, with Real Madrid now readying a shock move to sign one particular Manchester City star.

Real Madrid readying Bernardo Silva move

According to reports in Spain, Real Madrid are now readying a move to sign Bernardo Silva this summer, with the midfielder keen to leave the Etihad and end an incredibly successful tenure in the Premier League. Like De Bruyne, Silva has played a pivotal part in City’s dominance over the years as a jack of all trades at Guardiola’s disposal.

After a difficult campaign, however, the Portugal international could be among those allowed to leave the club in what would arguably be coming at the right time for all involved.

Once dubbed “irreplaceable” by Guardiola, Silva is now struggling to keep up with the pace of the Premier League and must make way for a much-needed rebuild at Manchester City this summer. And if that means a move to Real Madrid, then not many could argue over whether a player of his success deserves such a move.

Leeds United fans must dread the business end of any season with the Whites now out of the coveted top two positions in the Championship, as just six games of the regular campaign remain.

Indeed, last season saw this exact same doomed scenario play out as Daniel Farke’s men had to settle for a place in the second tier play-offs, with a 1-1 draw away at Luton Town on Saturday lunchtime meaning Burnley leapfrogged the underperformers to the very top of the division.

There is still time to salvage some pride and points, but Farke will be scratching his head as to what side he should play moving forward, having boldly axed both Illan Meslier and Brenden Aaronson for the trip to Kenilworth Road.

Farke's bold team selection vs Luton

Both Meslier and Aaronson being dropped for the same game shows off how irked the German is by Leeds’ notable dip in form, with the Frenchman starting 39 of his team’s clashes this season in the Championship, alongside his American counterpart only missing three games from the start.

Those rash alterations didn’t pay off against the Hatters, unfortunately, with stand-in goalkeeper Karl Darlow unable to keep a clean sheet in place of Meslier, after Isaiah Jones was left unmarked to tap home this early first-half strike.

Moreover, Leeds’ overall attacking game wasn’t enhanced by Aaronson sitting out, with the likes of Joel Piroe unable to fire a single shot on the Luton goal, away from Daniel James thankfully thundering home the away side’s equaliser.

But, it was Aaronson’s direct replacement on the day in Wilfried Gnonto that looked way off the pace away from mentions of the misfiring Dutchman, with the Italian perhaps one who could face the boot in a similar manner in crunch clashes to come.

Why Farke could now drop 4/10 Leeds star

Despite only starting 21 of his 37 Championship appearances this season, Gnonto has managed to regularly provide the goods for his promotion-chasing outfit.

The explosive 21-year-old attacker has helped himself to a sizeable 11 goal contributions from those limited starts, but the often electric number 29 was largely anonymous on the road on Saturday, leading to Farke’s men looking rather limp when marauding forward.

Minutes played

63

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

23

Accurate passes

13/15 (87%)

Shots

0

Accurate crosses

0/1

Accurate long balls

0/1

Successful dribbles

0

Total duels won

4/8

Shockingly, Gnonto would end up amassing fewer touches during the contest than back-up shot-stopper Darlow, with the former FC Zurich forward managing just 23 touches of the ball next to the Welshman’s 38.

On top of that – much like the heavily criticised Piroe – Gnonto would also fail to register any meaningful effort on Thomas Kaminski’s net, alongside failing to register a single accurate cross, long ball or dribble to further reinforce his passenger-like offering.

He could well find he’s out of his manager’s starting XI when Leeds face off against play-off chasing Middlesbrough this mid-week, with Aaronson perhaps in line to return to the first-team fold subsequently.

Handed a low 4/10 rating post-match by Leeds Live journalist Isaac Johnson, Gnonto was just unable to grab the contest by the scruff of its neck, as yet another poor result was tallied up next to Leeds’ name to damage their automatic promotion bid even more.

It’s up to Farke now to inspire his bruised troops to leap back into those golden top two positions, with more fearless alterations potentially needing to be made to try and get a tune out of his low-on-confidence side.

94% duels lost: Farke must drop Leeds lightweight who was worse than Gnonto

The Leeds lightweight was even worse than Wilfried Gnonto and should be dropped to the bench.

ByDan Emery Apr 5, 2025

Away from their terrible form this season, there is something exciting happening at Tottenham Hotspur.

Ange Postecoglou might not be in the hot seat for much longer, but he has helped bring in some tremendously promising youngsters who could be the club’s future, like Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray, and Wilson Odobert.

It’s the first time in a long time that the North Londoners have had such an exciting crop of prospects, and so long as they keep developing, there is no telling how good they’ll be.

Moreover, Daniel Levy and Co appear to want to sign more up-and-coming stars, with reports linking the club with someone who’s previously won comparisons to Dele Alli.

Tottenham Transfer news

Alongside adding more young talent to the squad, Tottenham also seem keen to sign some first-team quality players, with Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo on their list.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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The Cherries ace is supposedly available for around £43m, which might prove to be good value, as not only is he capable of playing in multiple positions, but has also racked up a tally of nine goals and six assists in 35 games this season.

Another star who’d be able to slot into the first team right away is Eberechi Eze, who remains a target for the North Londoners and would be gettable for £60m.

So far this season, the England international has scored six goals and provided 11 assists in 33 games for Crystal Palace.

However, the latest player to be touted for a move to N17 could be the most exciting and possesses the most potential of the lot: Jobe Bellingham.

According to a recent report from Caught Offside, Spurs are one of several top sides keen on signing the Sunderland star this summer, alongside Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Palace, Brighton & Hove Albion, Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen.

The report does not mention how much the teenager might cost, but stories from last month revealed he could be available for around £20m.

It would be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Bellingham’s ability and sky-high potential, one well worth pursuing, especially as he’s been compared to Dele.

How Bellingham compares to Dele

So before we get into some of the other reasons why signing Bellingham would be a good idea, it’s worth examining this comparison to Dele and where it came from.

In this instance, it stems from former professional Adrian Clarke, who described the Englishman as possessing a “Dele Alli-style” in the way he plays, in that he often ghosts “in from that box-to-box role.”

Moreover, across his short career so far, the Sunderland gem has shown an impressive ability to play in several positions, like defensive, central and attacking midfield, and he’s even made a few appearances up top and out wide as well.

Likewise, while in North London, the former Spurs superstar could play almost anywhere on the pitch, from attacking midfield to second striker and, on occasion, as a deep-lying playmaker.

On top of their stylistic and positional similarities, the Black Cats’ “freak of nature,” as dubbed by teammate Dan Neil, would be another youngster with incredible potential moving from a lower league team to the Lilywhites, as the former MK Dons gem did back in 2015.

With all that said, and away from the comparisons, one of the reasons the North Londoners should look to sign the former Birmingham City prospect is that his underlying numbers are seriously impressive for someone so young.

According to FBref, the 19-year-old sits in the top 1% of midfielders in the Championship for long pass completion, the top 9% for passes blocked, the top 11% for goal-creating actions from take-ons and aerial duels won, the top 12% for ball recoveries and more, all per 90.

Bellingham’s FBref scout report

Statistic

Per 90

Percentile

Long Pass Completion

79.9%

Top 1%

Passes Blocked

0.48

Top 8%

GCA from Take-Ons

0.03

Top 11%

Aerial Duels Won

1.85

Top 11%

Ball Recoveries

5.81

Top 12%

SCA from Shots

0.25

Top 14%

Clearances

2.53

Top 14%

All Stats via FBref

Ultimately, while it might seem like a lot to spend on a teenager from the Championship, Bellingham would be worth it, and if he can make good on the comparisons to Dele, £20m will be a steal.

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In 2022, Liverpool broke their transfer record to reel in Darwin Nunez, a talented and robust centre-forward who had made quite the name for himself at Benfica.

Having scored 34 goals across 41 matches in 2021/22, he clearly had the trappings of an elite-level striker. Jurgen Klopp was convinced after he scored against the Reds in the Champions League knockout stage after firing three goals in against Bayern Munich and Barcelona earlier in the term.

We’re now three years on from all that, three years on from Klopp’s decision to agree to a deal worth £85m for the Uruguayan ace. It hasn’t worked out, with Fabrizio Romano confirming that Nunez is set to be sold this summer after a winter move to Al-Nassr fell through.

It’s important that FSG get it right this summer, pick out the perfect successor. The name on fans’ lips is Alexander Isak, but that might not be a deal worth pursuing.

Why Liverpool shouldn't sign Alexander Isak

Arne Slot has worked wonders this season, leapfrogging Arsenal, four-in-a-row champions Manchester City, and the like to move, inexorably, toward the Premier League title.

Since signing Ryan Gravenberch in August 2023, Federico Chiesa has been the only first-team signing made, bearing testament to the team that Klopp assembled over so many years and his successor’s ability to whip them into an even finer shape.

The summer ahead is expected to be a big one, though, and The Athletic are among those to have confirmed Liverpool’s interest in Isak, who has been hailed as “the best striker in the Premier League” by Jamie Carragher.

Obviously, he’d be nice to have in the ranks, but Newcastle are very much aware of their talisman’s talents and have slapped a £150m transfer fee on his name.

Liverpool shouldn’t go near a deal if the Magpies won’t budge on that valuation this summer. There are other options available and this would exhaust resources at a critical juncture.

This might feel a bit pragmatic, but Liverpool’s structure is firmly rooted in realism, and it’s paid dividends over the years.

See, for example, the decision in April 2023 to end interest in Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham and instead sign a range of talented midfielders to pack the Anfield midfield back together.

Those midfielders are on course to win the Premier League after lifting the Carabao Cup last year.

Liverpool do need a new number nine though. Luckily, Isak’s not the only elite marksman on the market.

Liverpool chasing top striker

As per Sky Sports, Liverpool have compiled a shortlist of strikers – including Isak – to replace Nunez this summer, and fans may be interested to note that Victor Osimhen is on the club’s radar.

Athletic, powerful, and deadly in front of goal, the Napoli forward, who is on loan at Galatasaray, is expected to leave Naples for good at the end of the season after relationships broke down and prompted him to move temporarily to Turkey.

Last year, Napoli set demands of a fee north of £100m for the Nigeria striker, but hopes have been tempered as he approaches the final year of his deal, with separate reports suggesting the 26-year-old could be available for £63m.

Why Liverpool should sign Victor Osimhen

Firstly, Liverpool should consider signing Osimhen because he’s one of the most prolific strikers in Europe and has the perfect profile to thrive in the Premier League.

His career with Napoli might have ended unceremoniously but Osimhen was the driving force behind the club’s incredible Scudetto success of 2022/23, scoring 31 goals from 39 matches in all competitions.

Last season was one of frustration for the Nigerian, whose injury issues exacerbated the Serie A champion’s dramatic decline.

However, he’s back among the goals with Galatasaray, indeed proving to be one of Europe’s most potent centre-forwards.

Standing at 6 foot 1, Osimhen has the frame and the strength to lead Liverpool’s line in the Premier League, bring goals, and a powerful focal presence to enhance the performances of those around him.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 10% of strikers in Europe over the past year for goals scored, the top 8% for shot-creating actions, the top 1% for touches in the attacking penalty area and shots taken and the top 7% for aerial duels won per 90.

It’s a fine representation of his quality, so active and present in the striker’s spot. Comparing him against Nunez, whose erratic and enigmatic style has left him isolated in the Premier League, and you can see why Liverpool are ramping up their interest.

Matches (starts)

22 (20)

24 (8)

Goals

20

5

Assists

4

2

Shots (on target)*

4.5 (1.8)

1.3 (0.2)

Big chances missed

17

6

Key passes*

1.1

0.4

Dribbles*

0 5

0.3

Duels won*

5.3

2.3

It goes without saying that Osimhen is more clinical than Nunez, but his goalscoring quality is built upon the dynamic and rangy skill set that has led BBC journalist Alex Brotherton to hail him as “unstoppable.”

His creative spark – having created ten big chances in the Turkish Super Lig, is something that could hold sway when Slot and Liverpool’s chiefs devise a transfer strategy.

Of course, Osimhen hasn’t been restricted to domestic success this term either, with his overall tally of 28 goals from 32 matches this season owing to a prolific burst in the Europa League, notably dismantling Tottenham Hotspur in the group stage.

This, if you refer back to the ‘goals scored’ graphic above, places him ahead of Isak, truly underscoring how prolific a goalscorer Liverpool could get their mitts on.

If Nunez is to be sold, this man would mark a significant upgrade, one who could make all the difference in keeping the frontline firing next year as Liverpool chase down more success under Slot’s wing.

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The final nail in Ipswich Town’s Premier League coffin could well have been handed to them on Saturday, as Vitor Pereira’s Wolverhampton Wanderers recovered well on the road to beat Kieran McKenna’s hosts 2-1.

Ipswich did race into a slim one-goal lead in the first half courtesy of Liam Delap, but it was to no avail as the Old Gold eventually clinched a dramatic three points, meaning the gap between the Tractor Boys in 18th and Wolves in 17th spot is at a sizeable nine points.

Therefore, McKenna will likely be preparing for Ipswich to drop back down to the Championship very soon, with a hope that Omari Hutchinson will stick it out in Suffolk if a bruising relegation is confirmed.

Hutchinson's heroics at Ipswich

After all, Hutchinson’s finest form donning Tractor Boys blue came about when Ipswich last found themselves in the entertaining EFL.

The ex-Chelsea man would fire home a hefty ten goals and pick up an impressive six assists during Ipswich’s promotion-winning exploits back in the 2023/24 season, leading to McKenna and Co landing Hutchinson for a bumper £20m.

He has since acclimatised to the demands of the top-flight well – even if an instant return to the Championship is on the cards for his employers – with this breakaway effort against Chelsea in December one of five goal contributions he’s managed from 27 league clashes.

If Hutchinson does stay put, he will hope he can wriggle free of any injury concerns that have made this season somewhat stop-start for him, with the 21-year-old missing from his side’s last crushing loss to Wolves.

But, regardless of what does occur with the Ipswich number 20 moving forward, McKenna will know he has his next Hutchinson in the making in this entertaining ace who has previously taken the Championship by storm.

McKenna's next Hutchinson in the making

Everyone associated with the Portman Road strugglers will hope when relegation is inevitably confirmed, all the building blocks are put in place for Ipswich to mount an instant return to the top-flight.

Already possessing a top talent for the division in Jaden Philogene-Bidace will make this mission easier to accomplish, with the ex-Hull City star twisting and turning second tier defences for fun when Ipswich were hunting down automatic promotion last time around.

Games played

44

32

Goals scored

10

12

Assists

5

6

Shots*

1.5

3.6

Big chances missed

4

6

Big chances created

7

7

As can be seen glancing at the table above, Philogene tore the second tier to shreds playing as a fast-paced loanee for the Tigers, with the 23-year-old actually bettering Hutchinson’s blistering numbers in the process by picking up three more goal contributions from 12 less encounters.

Therefore, McKenna will have full faith in Philogene to dust himself down and get back to his rampaging best if second tier football returns on the menu, with one audacious effort for Hull last season leading to him be recognised by FIFA as a Puskas award nominee.

Dubbed a “special” talent by his then-Hull boss in Liam Rosenior, McKenna will further hope he can be as impactful as Hutchinson by delivering the goods to see promotion be instantly achieved.

Philogene could perhaps be capable of even more on the books of Ipswich, considering the Tigers finished just outside the playoffs in seventh position despite their dazzling attacker’s heroics.

Whatever does transpire this summer, the Tractor Boys won’t want to dwell on matters for too long, with everything in place for a finish near the Championship summit if stars such as Philogene can be as exciting as Hutchinson proved to be.

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