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India lost to the conditions, but could they have been braver with the bat?

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

As they come to terms with another World Cup heartbreak, India may wonder if their middle order could have taken a few more chances

Sidharth Monga19-Nov-20233:38

‘We kept losing wickets at critical intervals’

Rohit Sharma looked like he was trying to hold back tears. Mohammed Siraj couldn’t. Jasprit Bumrah, who doesn’t let results sway his emotions, consoled him. KL Rahul sank to his knees. Virat Kohli hid his face in his cap. Mohammed Shami walked back dejected.The spirit had left them.It hurts. The ones who will not play another World Cup will be hurting even more. The morning after will be even worse. It is good they have their families with them. There’s more to life than a World Cup. They will need that reinforced come Monday morning when there is no training to go to. The ones who don’t have families with them will need their team-mates to do the reinforcing for them.Related

  • Rohit: 'It was not so easy to just move on' from World Cup final defeat

  • India's heartbreak is most poignant in the dashed hopes of Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid

  • Advance Australia, inevitably

  • Rahul Dravid: 'We haven't played any fearful cricket in this final'

  • Head hunts down victory as India fall prey once again

That is the cruel nature of a league-knockout hybrid format. It will hurt India more than any team knocked out earlier in the tournament. That’s the price you pay: to fight for the biggest joy, you must risk the biggest heartbreak. It will hurt them more than it can hurt anyone on the outside.All those runs and wickets will feel empty, just like the seats emptied by people who had moved on to more mundane things like avoiding traffic jams well before the last ball had been bowled. All the joy and the noise they had bathed in for a month-and-a-half suddenly gave way to a hollow hum. Rohit scored more runs than any captain ever has in one tournament. Kohli scored more than any batter ever has. Shami was the highest wicket-taker despite not playing four matches. These facts mean nothing to them in the moment.However, in a cricket world with so much professionalism, with the top-three sides having equal access to knowledge, facilities, technology and talent, it is still rare that you can beat the conditions. In the league match against Australia, India were on the right side of the conditions. In the final, they lost to the conditions.The many faces of despair – India’s World Cup dream goes up in smoke•Getty ImagesAn example of how much the pitch changed is how often Marnus Labuschagne dabbed the ball gently behind square for singles; those easy singles hadn’t been available to India. The pitch had been so slow in the afternoon that there was risk involved in manipulating the bat face to pick up singles once the field spread out and the ball became old. Kohli was dismissed in exactly this manner, inside-edging Pat Cummins on to his stumps.If Rohit’s words at the toss – he said he would have batted first had he won it – actually reflected the team management’s thoughts (sometimes a captain’s words can be just a front), it would be fair to say India misread the conditions. That didn’t matter because Australia won the toss, and they decided to play a different game.India expected the pitch to keep getting slower and offer more turn, which happened in the Kolkata semi-final. They hoped they could capitalise on the brittleness of Australia’s chasing.Australia went by recent trends. During this World Cup, batting has consistently become easier under the lights in Ahmedabad. They banked on the pattern continuing, and expected a drier-than-usual pitch to be at its most difficult in the afternoon. They wanted to exploit India’s relative weakness on slow pitches.The second ball he faced from Josh Hazlewood, who had dismissed him in the teams’ league meeting, Rohit charged and crashed the ball through the covers for four. Rohit was playing the World Cup final like it should have been: just another game. All through the tournament, he had made it easy for India’s middle order by scoring quicker than anyone else in the first powerplay.5:24

Dravid: ‘We gave it everything we had’

It was even more important that Rohit did it here. Kohli got off to a great start too. Having seen Shubman Gill get out early, Kohli stuck to the team plan and ditched the risk-free game that had brought him 700-plus runs in the tournament. He took a risk off the ninth ball he faced, dragging Mitchell Starc over wide mid-on. It wasn’t a perfect shot, but Kohli knew he needed to take that chance during the powerplay.With the ball, India had their early plans spot-on. They got Shami to open the bowling because of his superior numbers against left-hand batters. They would have been pleasantly surprised by the help Bumrah and Shami got but that zip and that movement came at a cost. In the evening, as it most noticeably happened for New Zealand against England in the tournament-opener, the pitch had quickened up, and the ball gripped much less.Once Australia weathered the early storm, once the movement died down, only a genius delivery from Bumrah, a final reminder of the magic India have created through this tournament, got them a wicket, that of Steven Smith with a viciously dipping slower one. The rest of the story we have heard before in many a chase in India. Would India have won at the Wankhede 12 years ago had there been no dew?There will of course be a review within the team. Perhaps Rahul could have been braver through the middle overs. Kohli has the game to keep scoring at the strike rate of 80 to 90 without having to hit boundaries. Kohli got a delivery that lifted on that slow pitch and got big on him. On another day the inside edge could have run past the leg stump. Not in this final.Others have to take risks. It is no rocket science why Rahul didn’t take risks. India’s batting is shallow. I have asked the coaches on more than one occasion at press conferences how the batters have reacted to India not having any batting after No. 7. Particularly now their outlook to risk has changed. The coaches have maintained that they don’t even want to think about it because the top seven are good enough to do the job. It didn’t look like that at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday.1:37

‘Rohit and Kohli stood up for India in every moment – Anil Kumble

They will look back at just the nine boundary attempts in 180 legal balls in the middle overs and wonder if that was sufficient. It meant India scored just four boundaries outside the first powerplay, the joint-lowest in any ODI since 2005. On a slower pitch, bowlers do have a larger margin for error, but only India can answer if they couldn’t have tried to push the bowlers off their lengths a little harder.It is not like no batting lower down the order was a selection error. What Shardul Thakur brings at No. 8 is often notional. There is no reason to believe Siraj doesn’t offset that notional depth with what he brings with the ball as compared to Thakur. The problem is, none of India’s first-choice bowlers bat as well as even, say, Starc and Pat Cummins.You might look back and say the India fast bowlers could have bowled more cutters, perhaps the spinners could have gone slower in the air to try to get the ball to turn because the pitch had something in it not too much earlier. They could have perhaps trusted Suryakumar Yadav more and not promoted Ravindra Jadeja to face a poor match-up against spin, as a result of which overs 30 to 36 featured no intent at all.However, these are marginal issues. Had Rahul taken more risks, they might have come off but we also know the flip side of it. The players will not say it, but the change in the conditions from afternoon to evening was the biggest deciding factor. It doesn’t make them chokers or mentally less strong or less courageous. They have played so much cricket that they know they just have to roll with it.And yet it will be the toughest thing for them to do. They have known this feeling before, but it never gets easier. And this time they came closer than ever since 2011. To fight for the biggest joy, you must risk the biggest heartbreak.

'We don't think about the things we don't have' – How a reenergised Dutch unit made it to the World Cup

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Positivity, diversity, respect for opponents, and a captain who quietly puts his head down to get the job done have all been part of the story

Firdose Moonda08-Jul-20232:08

How Netherlands beat the odds to qualify for ODI World Cup

Around the time that cricket was considered a major sport in the Netherlands – the 1860s – one of the main methods of transportation in the country’s capital, Amsterdam, was by boat. So when Ryan Cook was looking for a team activity ahead of the World Cup Qualifiers, he rolled back the years and took his charges to the canals”We were in rowing boats and in teams of fours and it was a nightmare. For the first 15 minutes I was like, ‘Get me off this boat, I don’t know how to do it.’ We were terrible,” Max O’Dowd said at the team’s Harare hotel ahead of the World Cup Qualifier final. “But by the end of it, we kind of got the flow and once we got going, it was alright.”The lesson, of course, was about working together to move forward and it’s something the Dutch were reminded of before their most important game of the current campaign, against Scotland. “Cookie got us all little oars and we had to write our name on it and what we were going to bring to the team. The morning of the Scottish game, Bassie (Bas de Leede) wrote, ‘Something special.’ And then he took five wickets and scored 100, so that was pretty special.”Related

  • From Andhra Pradesh to Auckland to Amsterdam – Teja Nidamanuru's journey to the World Cup

  • Sri Lanka finish ODI WC qualifier with spotless record after bowlers script big win in the final

  • Bas de Leede's five-for and 123 put Netherlands in World Cup

  • Bas de Leede shoots his shot to ignite Netherlands' party

  • Bulawayo experiences the Harare hurt as Zimbabwe crash out

As for O’Dowd, he wrote “comfort”, because “I just wanted the guys to come chat to me or whatever, because everyone used the classics like ‘energy’ or ‘100%’ and all that kind of stuff. And I thought I will do something different.”In the end, the only people who needed comfort were the Scots, who have come close at a second successive qualifying campaign but remain just as far from the ODI World Cup. After their victory, the Dutch were so acutely aware of the pain their opposition was feeling that when they returned to their hotel, where Scotland were also staying, they reminded themselves not to make too much happy noise until they were out of earshot. The celebrations resumed in the team room but publicly, the commiserations continue. “There were four other teams at this tournament who should be going to the World Cup as well,” O’Dowd said.The Netherlands players have tried their hands at rowing – to good effect•KNCBO’Dowd was referring to the entire Super Six contingent, which also included Oman, the hosts Zimbabwe and two-time former champions West Indies, who will miss out on the World Cup for the first time and whose tournament was ultimately derailed when they lost to the Dutch. Chasing 375, Netherlands tied in fifty-overs and prevailed in the one that mattered: the Super Over. “We believe we can beat a lot of big teams. But when a team scores over 370, you know you are going to have to do something pretty special to knock it off,” O’Dowd said. “We have a mental coach who does a lot of work with us. And he was talking about luck and magic. Magic is something that you can’t control and I don’t think it was magic. I think it was a little bit of luck here and there. And then that just spurred us on the rest of the tournament.”While West Indies were guilty of dropped catches, sloppy fielding and a tactical blunder in the Super Over, the Dutch also created their own luck with electrifying running between the wickets to take small bites out of an elephantine target. Running twos has been a hallmark of their approach to this qualifier.They have run 155 of them, more than any other team, and there’s a reason that goes beyond simply putting the opposition under pressure. “Running is such a funny thing because there’s so many times in ODI cricket where you knock one down to long-off or you hit one into the cover sweeper, and you kind of just jog that first one. And then the next ball is just not as energised,” O’Dowd said. “We’re sprinting from ball one. Even if you nick it to [short] third or you hit it straight to mid-off, even if you know it’s one, we’re trying to create that energy.”

“You can’t go wrong with Scottie. He has been amazing, very calm, and works extremely hard. And he isn’t glamorous. He just puts his head down and works and doesn’t really thrive off negativity. He really only focuses on positives.”Max O’Dowd on his captain Scott Edwards

That attitude starts at the top. Scott Edwards has led this vibrant style of play and is what O’Dowd describes as the “epitome” of the Dutch game. “You can’t go wrong with Scottie. He has been amazing, very calm, and works extremely hard. And he isn’t glamorous. He just puts his head down and works and doesn’t really thrive off negativity. He really only focuses on positives. And that’s really important,” O’Dowd said. “In the past, or with other teams I’ve been involved in, something negative can fester and it gets bigger and bigger and then, all of a sudden, it becomes quite a big talking point. Whereas now if we spot something negative, we might acknowledge it but then we just move on from it. Scott is very good at that. A working-class man is what I call Scotty. That’s the way I describe him and I think he’s been really good for us.”At an event with high-performing leaders like Shai Hope, whose team have failed to emulate his consistency, unbeaten skippers like Dasun Shanaka and inspirational characters like Richie Berrington and Craig Ervine, Edwards, who is soft-spoken, may not immediately stand out. But watch him on the field, and there’s a quiet intensity to the way he controls the team and he is happy to leave the rest to the extroverts, of which O’Dowd is one.He is a favourite of the Zimbabwe Cricket Supporters’ Union for the special interest he has taken in one of their songs. It’s a Castle Corner anthem about drinking (of the alcoholic variety) but it’s the tune, not the words, that O’Dowd took to. “The first time I came here I heard some people singing something in the background, and I didn’t make much of it. And then we came back for the recent series, I was on the field more this time and they were singing the song. It was just the catchiest song I’d ever heard. Our local liaison told us about the song and it’s kind of caught on. I happened to be humming it as we arrived in Zimbabwe this time, because I just love it,” he said. “Some guy on Twitter was filming me and that kind of went viral within the Castle Corner community. Every time I’m down in that corner, now they sing the song and I love it. I don’t know the words, but I know how it goes.”

The ZCSU have asked their members to turn up in numbers at Harare Sports Club on Sunday, despite the home side’s absence, partly to thank the ICC for holding the qualifiers in Zimbabwe and partly to cheer on their second side. “The Zimbabwe people have made us feel so welcome and made us fall in love with the culture,” O’Dowd said. “The people have been amazing. The hospitality has been great. People are so kind and always willing to help.”The Dutch may find they have as much support in Zimbabwe as they do at home, where their achievement is yet to make the really big news. The newspapers are filled with stories around the football transfer window, Formula One superstar Max Verstappen and tennis player Botic van de Zandschulp, who is currently competing at Wimbledon. Cricket has gone from being one of the most popular sports in the country in the 19th century to a niche interest in the 21st but those who are involved are heavily invested. “It’s a community of about 6,500 people in the Netherlands who really know what cricket is and love it,” O’Dowd said. “That community live and die for cricket. They absolutely love everything about it. And they’re so passionate. I’m pretty sure everyone’s pretty proud of what we’ve achieved over this last month.”Especially because resources remain limited. While there are around 50 clubs in the country and a few thousand active cricketers, even some members of the national squad (such as Teja Nidamanuru) have full-time jobs that they juggle around cricket, and there are only five grass pitches in the top league. O’Dowd’s club plays on one of them. “My home ground, VOC, is turf – a grass pitch, a beautiful ground. We have a football field next to it but when we play at another club, it’s a football field with an artificial cricket pitch in the middle. One day you’re playing on a beautiful cricket oval and the next day you could be playing on a football field with another 16 football fields next to it.”

Players with Netherlands central contracts

  • Scott Edwards

  • Max O’Dowd

  • Vikram Singh

  • Bas de Leede

  • Shariz Ahmad

  • Teja Nidamanuru

  • Aryan Dutt

  • Viv Kingma

But the Dutch don’t let that get to them. “We don’t think about the things that we don’t have,” Logan van Beek said. “We are grateful for the things that we do have and we maximise the things that we do have.”What that is, is diversity. The Dutch team is made up of players from a variety of backgrounds: from Asian expats, who make up 70% of male cricketers in the country, to New Zealanders (like O’Dowd and van Beek) and Australians (like Edwards) with Dutch passports. They are making concerted efforts to reach out to the Afghan refugee community and include them in their development programmes. “The power of diversity brings different flavours and different types of mindsets. If everyone’s open and willing to accept all that, it’s amazing what you can discover. The flavour we’ve put together these last few weeks has been the most special team environment that I’ve ever been part of,” van Beek said.In the last eight months, the Dutch have taken down South Africa (at the 2022 T20 World Cup), Zimbabwe (in an ODI in March this year), and West Indies (at this event). Cook said the first of those was the start of his players proving to themselves what was possible if they played to their own potential. “I felt like we just played really good cricket and South Africa weren’t terrible,” O’Dowd said. “In the past, we’ve won games where we’ve been exceptional and the opposition has been pretty poor but in that game I felt like we just did what we do well, and South Africa just didn’t play as well as they probably should have. But it wasn’t anything crazy. It didn’t feel surreal or anything. It didn’t feel like an amazing miracle.”That came later. The Volksrant, a Dutch newspaper, described the win over West Indies as the “miracle of Harare”. There may yet to be one, or many, more. Netherlands play Sri Lanka in the final in what is nothing more than an exhibition match, before nine World Cup matches in India, all against Full Members. Doubtless the oars will come out again, as the Dutch look to navigate the biggest of cricketing seas.

£5m Leeds summer signing raises new concern for Farke with MCL injury

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Daniel Farke, manager of Leeds United, has provided an update on injuries within his squad ahead of their Sunday clash with Nottingham Forest.

Last season, at the second time of asking, Farke led Leeds back to the Premier League as centurions and winners of the Championship. After 10 games in the top flight, the Whites have picked up 11 points as, alongside Sunderland and Burnley, the newly-promoted teams have enjoyed promising starts to the campaign.

Leeds are certainly at their best when at home, having lost only to Tottenham Hotspur in five games at Elland Road. On the road, however, Leeds have just one win, which came against Wolverhampton Wanderers. Not only have they lost the other four matches, but excluding the win over Wolves, Leeds have not scored away from home.

The Whites are next in action on Sunday when they travel to face Forest, who have not won in the Premier League since their opening day victory against Brentford.

Sean Dyche oversaw a victory against Porto in the Europa League on his debut as Forest manager, having since lost to Bournemouth as well as draws with Man United and Sturm Graz.

Ahead of their visit to the City Ground, Farke has revealed which of his players have faced fitness setbacks.

Farke reveals Leeds pair are struggling with injury

Signed for just over £5 million in the summer from Wolfsburg, Sebastiaan Bornauw was recruited to serve as depth to pre-existing centre-back options Pascal Struijk and Joe Rodon, along with fellow summer addition Jaka Bijol.

Yet to make his Premier League debut for the Whites, Bornauw has played just once for the club, when he featured against Sheffield Wednesday in the Carabao Cup. Farke has now revealed that the Belgian is struggling with a new injury suffered behind closed doors.

Elsewhere within the team, it will be a “late call” whether Dominic Calvert-Lewin can play against Forest. The former Everton striker has been brilliant for Leeds, giving them a physical outlet up front that has allowed them to compete in the Premier League.

Lukas Nmecha is a serviceable back-up option, but Leeds will hope that both Bornauw and Calvert-Lewin are not absent for too long. Given that, including Joel Piroe, no Leeds striker has been a consistent goal threat this season, it may be that Farke could soon turn to some younger options within his squad.

"Dangerous" striker could be open to Leeds switch in January

Forget Xhaka: £9.5m “colossus” is Sunderland’s best signing under Le Bris

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Do not pinch yourself, Sunderland fans, your beloved team does actually sit in a mind-blowing fourth position in the early Premier League standings right now.

Ever since Regis Le Bris’ transformative appointment last summer, the Black Cats have found themselves slowly but surely rising to absurd new heights, with a dramatic promotion via the playoffs, now being met with an incredible five victories from their opening nine top-flight contests.

The Wearside underdogs even got the better of Chelsea last time out in the Premier League to secure that amazing top-four position, as a last-gasp Chemsidine Talbi effort left Robert Sanchez rooted to his spot.

The Black Cats’ away end was anything but stationary, though, as flailing arms galore were seen at Stamford Bridge, as the hardened travelling masses try to grow used to their side competing with the big boys, and even beating them.

It’s been quite a breakneck journey for Le Bris and Co. since the ex-Lorient boss was handed the Stadium of Light reins back in the summer of 2024, with the Black Cats very much putting the transfer market to good use in signing some fantastic gems over the last year or so.

Sunderland's best signings since Le Bris joined

There would have been plenty of apprehension in the air when Le Bris was first announced as Sunderland boss, as the then-Championship underachievers gambled on a managerial option that had never taken charge of an EFL game before.

Thankfully, their left-field thinking paid off, with Wilson Isidor undoubtedly sticking out as one of the Frenchman’s finest bits of business since moving to England.

Already, Isidor has shown he can cut it in the Premier League with four top-flight strikes next to his name, with the sweetest effort of them all arguably being this instinctive effort that got the ball rolling for Le Bris’ men in West London.

With 13 Championship goals also under his belt, which ensured the glory of promotion was achieved, he is certainly a firm fan’s favourite now, after also being seen as an out-there purchase when initially joining the ranks on loan from Zenit St. Petersburg.

Isidor’s fellow compatriot in Enzo Le Fee is also in this conversation, with Le Bris flexing his Ligue 1 connections to bring in the ex-Roma midfielder in January, proving to be a crucial moment in their hunt for promotion.

Without Le Fee’s added star quality, the Black Cats might well have come up short in their goal to finally return to the Premier League, with two assists picked up from their three cagey playoff matches, resulting in the number 28 being seen as an ice-cold customer on Wearside in tense moments.

Le Fee entering the building on loan and then staying put permanently arguably paved the way for Sunderland to be very ambitious this summer, with faces such as Omar Alderete leaving the glamour of La Liga behind for a chance at Premier League success with Sunderland, a wild thought when the Black Cats were once marooned in the second tier.

Of all the standout purchases this summer, Granit Xhaka is surely the one that sticks out the most, with the Swiss international a regular once upon a time at Arsenal, before becoming a Bundesliga-winning warrior with Bayer Leverkusen.

It almost felt too good to be true; therefore, when the 33-year-old battler ditched Germany for Sunderland this summer, with there surely being a catch along the way.

Yet, Xhaka has proven to be a fine wine on his return to England, with the £13m summer buy currently ranking fifth in the division for big chances created (four), despite being in the supposed twilight years of his career.

Chipping in with three assists, too, it must still be hard for Sunderland fans to come to terms with the spectacular talents their side can now convince to move to Wearside, with Le Bris commenting after the Chelsea win that his brand-new captain is “setting the standards” for everyone around him.

While Xhaka is rightly stealing the headlines for being a masterstroke of a signing, there is another figure who has slipped under the radar, who could be deemed as an even better signing that Le Bris has pulled off, away from the number 34’s wild return to England.

Sunderland's best signing under Le Bris

If Xhaka were to have an off-day, the Frenchman thankfully has fellow midfield talent Noah Sadiki to call upon, with the summer signing from Belgium yet another face who has been “incredible” this season, as he was recently labelled by journalist James Copley.

In the heart of defence, though, Sunderland are arguably not blessed with the same levels of depth, with an ageing Luke O’Nien perhaps not cut out for the pressures of the Premier League, in reserve.

Thankfully, ever since his £9.5m arrival to the building during the action-packed summer transfer window, Nordi Mukiele has been a trustworthy component of Le Bris’ side in this spot on the pitch, with the assured number 20 already being referred to as a “colossus” by journalist Andy Sixsmith, off the back of him looking near faultless since entering the Black Cats ranks.

While Xhaka has also looked equally imperious and confident, he already knew all the rhymes and rhythms of the unforgiving division, having been put through the wringer at Arsenal.

Mukiele’s PL stats

Stat – per 90 mins*

Mukiele

Games played

7

Goals scored

1

Assists

0

Touches*

65.1

Accurate passes*

32.6 (81%)

Tackles*

3.0

Ball recoveries*

3.7

Clearances*

7.4

Total duels won*

7.3

Clean sheets

3

Stats by Sofascore

Mukiele, on the other hand, only knew Ligue 1 and the Bundesliga before his switch, but has since stepped up to already be seen as an undroppable part of Sunderland’s unfolding success story, as can be seen by looking at his phenomenal Premier League numbers to date.

Amazingly, despite the ex-Gunners midfielder also holding a fierce reputation for being a “monster”, as he was once labelled by Arsenal-based writer Connor Humm while still at the Emirates, Mukiele has managed to win more duels on average this season with a commanding 7.3 duels conjured up, next to Xhaka’s slightly lesser 6.2.

To further back up the argument that Mukiele is Le Bris’ best bit of business since leaving Lorient behind for Wearside, the 27-year-old has also been vital so far this season with his ability to be adaptable and versatile for his team’s cause, with a goal even coming his way against Wolverhampton Wanderers in mid-October, when drafted out to a right-back spot to fix some injury concerns.

Landing such a committed character for just £9.5m, which is also cheaper than the modest amount forked out to win Xhaka, surely means he is a frontrunner to be seen as Le Bris’ smartest move since becoming Sunderland manager, with Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley even stating last month that he “can’t believe” the Premier League newcomers managed to pick him up.

The concern, too, with their captain is that he is 33 years of age, with more seasons on the agenda where he’s running himself into the ground – past this campaign – perhaps a tall order.

Whereas, Mukiele has time on his side, with a hope that his full-blooded efforts just continue on, as Sunderland strive to remain near the top of the Premier League tree for as long as possible, courtesy of their never-say-die number 20.

Le Bris can axe Traore for £18m gem who’s "grown into the Sunderland shirt”

Regis Le Bris could be looking to replace Bertrand Traore with this Sunderland star.

By
Kelan Sarson

Oct 25, 2025

Leeds dud who's "not Premier League quality" is on borrowed time under Farke

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Leeds United now have time to dust themselves down and reassess with another international break in play.

It has been far from a nightmare start for Daniel Farke’s Whites back in the Premier League, with two league wins already on the board, but that could well have been bumped up to three last time out, if it wasn’t for some fortunate deflections handing Tottenham Hotspur a 2-1 victory at Elland Road.

While there were plenty of positives to cling onto as Noah Okafor grabbed another strike in West Yorkshire, there were also other individuals on the day that let the side down, who will be fearing for their starting spots when Leeds travel to Burnley when the break has finished.

Leeds' biggest underperformers vs Spurs

Dominic Calvert-Lewin is one figure who will surely be anxious about his starting position as Leeds’ main marksman after another goalless showing versus Thomas Frank’s side.

So far this season, the former Everton striker has already missed five big chances, with another added to his unwanted resume when squandering a major opportunity against Spurs.

Mathys Tel would show Calvert-Lewin how to finish in style; on the contrary, as the Frenchman only needed 13 touches of the ball to place a fierce effort past Karl Darlow.

Gabriel Gudmundsson also looked uncharacteristically shaky during the Saturday lunchtime kick-off, after a solid start to his Elland Road career otherwise, with the number 3 run ragged by Mohamed Kudus’ pace for Spurs’ second-half winner.

Still, with Calvert-Lewin scoring against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Gudmundsson winning 4.9 total duels per match this season in the Premier League, there is some credit in the bank on both ends.

While both are likely to keep their place once Premier League football returns after the break, the same cannot be said for one of Leeds’ longest-serving players.

Leeds star is now on borrowed time

Time be given to both the Englishman and the Swede, with Calvert-Lewin a proven Premier League goalscorer when he gets going, while his Scandinavian counterpart will require time to get up to speed with what is expected of him week in week out on English soil.

On the other hand, patience could be wearing rather thin with long-standing Leeds servant Pascal Struijk now, especially after both of Spurs’ goals last time out were deflected off the “unfortunate” Dutchman, as he was branded by Leeds journalist Beren Cross.

Still, Struijk standing off the lightning quick number 20 almost invited him to have a pop at Darlow’s goal, with the 26-year-old looking in over his head again when it comes to consistently battling it out in the top-flight.

To date, the former Ajax youth product turned Leeds first-teamer only has a worrying 13 Premier League sheets next to his name from three full seasons at the level, with iconic journalist Phil Hay even noting that “he might not be Premier League quality” way back in 2023.

Struijk’s overall PL numbers for Leeds

Stat

Struijk

Games played

92

Goals scored

4

Assists

1

Completed passes

4032 (85%)

Total tackles

198

Total duels won

401

Clean sheets

13

Sourced by Premier League/Sofascore

With 92 games at the very top of the English game now under his belt with Leeds, the overarching worry will be whether Struijk will ever improve and not look so shaky in the daunting division, having also been a part of the Whites’ defence that was humbled 5-0 by Arsenal earlier this season.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Jaka Bijol might well fancy his chances of coming in and taking over from the 26-year-old imminently, having been dubbed a “monstrous” presence previously by analyst Ben Mattinson for his assured performances in Serie A.

Bijol, who cost Leeds a significant £15m this summer, would jump at the chance to impress, having picked up eight clean sheets last season in Italy, when also winning 4.8 duels per Serie A clash.

However, the forceful Slovenian is yet to get up and running at Elland Road, with a recurring spot on Farke’s bench all he has been afforded so far in the Premier League.

This could soon change, though, with a concern that Struijk staying put in the heart of defence might culminate in another devastating relegation occurring.

Not just Aaronson: "Superb" star has saved his Leeds United career

This Leeds United star has revived his career at Elland Road and it is not Brenden Aaronson.

By
Dan Emery

Oct 6, 2025

Revealed: Virgil van Dijk contacted Real Madrid over free transfer before signing Liverpool contract as Spanish giants opted to pursue Dean Huijsen instead

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk was in contact with Real Madrid through his entourage last season regarding a potential free transfer in the summer. Van Dijk rejected offers from several other clubs, including Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal, as his priority was to join Madrid. However, the Spanish side chose to look elsewhere and instead signed defender Dean Huijsen.

  • Van Dijk's wish to play for Madrid

    According to Spanish outlet AS, Madrid were reportedly unconvinced about signing Van Dijk due to concerns over his age and the serious ACL injury he suffered in 2020. Despite having a contract extension offer on the table from Liverpool last season, the Dutch defender was keen on a move to the Spanish giants and offered his services to them through his agents. Van Dijk’s desire to join Madrid saw him turn down approaches from several other clubs, with Al-Hilal offering a lucrative deal.

    However, Madrid ultimately choose instead to sign young defender Huijsen from Bournemouth as part of their long-term defensive planning. With Madrid no longer an option, Van Dijk eventually accepted Liverpool’s two-year contract extension. 

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    Van Dijk's glorious career at Liverpool

    Van Dijk joined Liverpool from Southampton in January 2018 for what was then a world record fee for a defender. Since his arrival, Van Dijk has made 333 appearances for the club, scoring 30 goals. The Dutchman has been a key figure under both Jurgen Klopp and current manager Arne Slot, helping Liverpool secure major trophies including two Premier League titles, one Champions League and one FA Cup. His influence goes beyond team success, as he redefined the role of a modern defender with his consistency, positioning, and reading of the game.

    Individually, Van Dijk was named UEFA Men’s Player of the Year for the 2018–19 season and finished second to Lionel Messi in the 2019 Ballon d’Or rankings, recognition of his outstanding performances and immense contribution to Liverpool’s rise to the top of European football.

  • Van Dijk in for criticism amid Liverpool struggles

    Liverpool have struggled for consistency this season despite retaining Van Dijk and investing heavily during a major summer transfer window. The Reds began the campaign strongly, winning seven consecutive matches across all competitions, but their form has since dipped sharply. A series of poor performances has raised concerns about the team’s balance and defensive stability. Their slump was highlighted by six defeats in seven games, including four consecutive losses to Crystal Palace, Galatasaray, Chelsea and Manchester United in the Premier League and Champions League. The disappointing run has cast doubt over Liverpool’s ability to challenge for major honours despite their strong start and talented squad.

    The recent results have drawn criticism towards Van Dijk, with United legend Wayne Rooney questioning his leadership. Rooney said: "Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah, they've signed new deals but I don't think they've really led that team this season.

    "I think body language tells you a lot, and I think we're seeing slightly different body language from the two of them. They are the top two players in that team and if their body language is not right, that affects everyone else."

    Meanwhile, Real Madrid sit comfortably at the top of La Liga, five points clear of rivals Barcelona following their recent 2-1 victory in El Clasico. Xabi Alonso’s side have been in exceptional form, losing only once across all competitions this season. Their success has been built on a solid defensive foundation, boasting the best record in La Liga with just 10 goals conceded. The signing of Huijsen has proven instrumental, further strengthening Madrid’s already resilient backline.

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    Liverpool facing Madrid test

    Liverpool will host Real Madrid at Anfield in the Champions League today. Van Dijk will be aiming to help turn Liverpool’s form around and silence his critics with a big performance and a crucial win over Madrid.

Virgil van Dijk reveals he called players meeting after Man Utd loss but claims Liverpool not in crisis mode

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has revealed he took the drastic action following the damaging 2-1 defeat by Liverpool in a bid to halt the Premier League champions worrying slide, which had seen them lose four matches on the bounce. The Netherlands international made the intervention ahead of the Champions League clash with Eintracht Frankfurt, which the Reds won comfortably 5-1.

  • Champions' difficult second season

    Liverpool have endured a challenging season, their second under Dutch boss Arne Slot, marked by a sharp decline in results and overall performance. The defending champions have struggled with uncharacteristic inconsistency, highlighted by a four-match losing streak across all competitions before the Champions League win in Germany. Defensively, the team has lost some structure and stability, conceding 18 goals in just 13 games, which is a stark regression from last term. The once-vaunted pressing system has appeared uncoordinated, allowing opponents to exploit large spaces in midfield, this has also exposed a damaging vulnerability from set-pieces, costing the team crucial points. Though Liverpool often dominate possession and create opportunities, a lack of cutting edge has meant they fail to convert chances into goals. This combination of tactical and structural failings has left the team searching for the consistency that defined their previous success.

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    Mega-money signings fail to gel

    Liverpool invested heavily this summer in a bid to refresh the squad and mount a major bid to defend their Premier League crown, but expensive summer signings, Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz, have struggled with inconsistent performances and fitness issues. Isak cost an eye-watering £125 million ($166.4m) but has scored just one goal in his first seven games across all competitions while attacking midfielder Wirtz has shown glimpses of brilliance, but taken time to adapt. Though his recent two-assist performance in the Champions League has been hailed as a breakthrough moment. Hugo Ekitike has performed well, the overall integration of the new talent has been hugely difficult for Slot.

  • Liverpool leader demands action

    Speaking after the win in Germany, Van Dijk said: "On Monday, everyone was sad because we lost to United at home. We haven't lost many games at home during my time at Liverpool. It was tough under the circumstances so on Monday we came together, but it wasn't a crisis meeting. We all know how things can change. We're only in October. Obviously, we also had a proper debrief with the manager but we also had a separate one as players. I wanted to say some things. It's not something I do after every game. Let's keep it that way. The only way to get out of a situation like that is to stay together, keep your mind on the task ahead, try to improve, keep the confidence, embrace the moment. They are all things that are easier to say than actually do. But if you want to get out of it, you have to do it. We live in a world now where there is always noise, always something to be said, always someone who knows better. We have to stay focused on ourselves. Before my meeting, yes (the mood was low) but after my meeting, everyone was happy!"

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    Small steps as Reds rediscover form

    The win in Frankfurt was a timely boost for Liverpool’s Dutch boss, but many questions remain over the performance levels of key stars and he has a host of injuries to deal with, too. Can he get a tune out of high-profile summer signings and he’ll keep his fingers crossed the likes of Alisson, Ryan Gravenberch, Jeremie Frimpong and Alexander Isak return to fitness as soon as possible. Another win this weekend would be very welcome too as the Reds travel to London to face Brentford. 

Man Utd let “little Iniesta or Xavi” go for £0, now he looks like Carrick

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

One of the areas Manchester United were reportedly looking to strengthen for Ruben Amorim over the summer was in midfield. In the end, the Red Devils never brought someone in to play in the middle of the park, but it was a key focus for the club.

They were heavily linked with Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Carlos Baleba. It was reported at the start of August that United had made contact via intermediaries to sign the midfielder, although the move never happened.

Indeed, over the last few years, United have struggled to sign a permanent replacement in midfield for the great Michael Carrick.

Man Utd's struggle to replace Carrick

It often feels like Carrick does not get the praise he deserves. You do not play 464 times for United if you aren’t a top-level player. As Rio Ferdinand once said, he was “the most underrated and undervalued player in the league” throughout his career.

So, replacing him was never going to be easy for United. Unfortunately, it still seems like the Red Devils are yet to find the man who can properly fill Carrick’s boots. Since his retirement at the end of 2017/18, the Red Devils have signed seven midfielders.

Bruno Fernandes has been the only true success. United’s captain can also be grouped with Donny van de Beek and Mason Mount as players who are attacking midfielders rather than a number six like Carrick was.

Another two of those midfield signings have now left the club. Fred was a marmite figure among United fans, although left to join Fenerbahce last summer. Sofyan Amrabat was only at the club on a season-long loan, and now plays at Real Betis.

So, that leaves Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte. The Brazilian legend has had peaks and troughs at Old Trafford, although at 33 years of age, he hasn’t played for the club in his prime.

As for Ugarte, he’s struggled to cement a place in the midfield under Amorim – as evidenced by his lack of action in the Europa League final – and does not possess the quality of Carrick.

So, the wait goes on to replace Carrick. However, United may have had an academy star on the books who could have been the perfect option.

United’s in-house Carrick replacement

Replacing a midfielder as important and talented as Carrick was never going to be easy for the Red Devils. Often, their esteemed Carrington academy is the place to turn for exciting young talents.

Well, back when Erik ten Hag was the club’s manager in 2023, they chose not to offer Ethan Galbraith a new contract. Described as a “little Iniesta or Xavi” by former Northern Ireland manager Ian Baraclough, the 24-year-old could have been United’s Carrick replacement.

He has previously been called “Carrick-esque” by journalist Richard Fay of The Manchester Evening News. It might be with regret for the higher-ups at United to see him doing so well at his current club, Swansea City.

This season for the Swans, he’s nine games across all competitions, scoring and assisting one apiece. The 24-year-old also featured twice for Northern Ireland in the most recent international break, where he impressed against Germany.

His stats from the season so far in the Championship highlight Galbraith’s ability with the ball at his feet.

For example, he averages 2.12 progressive carries and 6.72 progressive passes per 90 minutes, which rank him in the top 3% and 17% of Championship midfielders, respectively.

Galbraith – 25/26 Championship

Stat (per 90)

Number

Percentile rank

Progressive passes

6.72

83rd

Passes into penalty area

1.06

72nd

Assists

0.18

86th

Progressive carries

2.12

97th

Carries into penalty area

0.53

97th

Stats from FBref

It is easy to see how Galbraith compares to Carrick. The former United number 16 had “wonderfully varied, extremely creative passing range, is two-footed and glides across the pitch”, according to his former manager at West Ham United, the late Glenn Roeder.

Galbraith certainly ticks those boxes, as the stats and the eye test both show. If only United had kept hold of the rising star a couple of years ago, he could have been a key part of their midfield under Amorim and their Carrick replacement.

Not Sesko: Bruno has found his new Martial & Rashford in Man Utd "machine"

Bruno Fernandes appears to have a new partner in crime at Manchester United…

By
Robbie Walls

Sep 24, 2025

'It's not his fault' – Juventus squad simply not good enough as Antonio Cassano warns Serie A side against sacking 'great coach' Igor Tudor

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Antonio Cassano has jumped to the defence of Juventus boss Igor Tudor after their 1-0 Champions League defeat to Real Madrid, insisting the Croatian shouldn’t be blamed for the team’s poor run. The outspoken former striker instead called out the Bianconeri’s squad quality, warning the club that sacking Tudor would be a huge mistake.

  • Cassano backs Tudor after Real Madrid defeat

    Juventus’ winless run stretched to seven games after a 1-0 defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League, leaving boss Tudor under growing scrutiny. Despite the result, the Italian giants showed flashes of promise at the Bernabeu, pushing Madrid for large spells before English starlet Jude Bellingham’s close-range finish decided the game.

    Former Italy striker Cassano has, however, leapt to Tudor’s defence, claiming the problem lies with Juventus’ underwhelming squad rather than the manager. Speaking to , Cassano praised the Croatian’s tactical organisation and mentality, arguing that the 46-year-old is doing his best with limited resources.

    “Igor Tudor is great: a great person, a great coach, a great communicator, he has a great personality, and I'm on his side,” Cassano said. “At the Bernabeu, he showed that he played a great match, in a world-class stadium. He could have scored a couple of goals, he could have conceded, he played the game brilliantly. But then, guys… what kind of players does Juve play with?”

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    ‘Tudor is not the problem’ – Cassano's verdict

    Cassano continued his defence by stressing that Juve’ tactical discipline and effort under Tudor were clear to see in Madrid. Despite missing several chances, including Dusan Vlahovic’s late opportunity denied by Thibaut Courtois, the Bianconeri competed toe-to-toe with Xabi Alonso’s side for much of the contest.

    “Juve played a great 65 minutes, they attacked, they had space to attack, but then when they finished… guys, they don't have Juve-caliber players,” Cassano said. “And it's not the coach's fault, he's trying to get what he can out of them. And Juve played a great match. Real Madrid didn't steal anything because they had their chances, but if you have 3-4 players of a certain level at your disposal in that team, this time you'll score three or four goals against Real Madrid. Maybe you concede four, but if you score three, you scare them.”

    His comments reflect growing frustration among pundits who believe Juve have been weakened by years of poor recruitment and short-term planning. Tudor, who took over amid a turbulent period, has been credited with bringing back intensity and structure, but Cassano warned that without better players, results will remain inconsistent. “With a team like that… Tudor is the best coach right now, the one who can keep the ship afloat,” Cassano concluded.

  • Juventus improving under Tudor but still lacking bite

    Tudor’s Juventus have shown signs of tactical evolution, especially in defensive structure and pressing organisation. The Croatian deployed a 5-4-1 system against Real Madrid, ensuring defensive solidity while allowing width through wing-backs Andrea Cambiaso and Pierre Kalulu. Players like Teun Koopmeiners and Khephren Thuram brought physicality in midfield, while Vlahovic led the line alone.

    The plan initially worked, and Juventus frustrated Real for long spells, creating several chances before Bellingham’s decisive strike. However, the lack of a clinical edge and creative spark continues to haunt the Turin side. Key absences, including Federico Chiesa and Nicolo Fagioli, have also limited their attacking variety.

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    Lazio clash offers chance for reset

    Juventus now turn their focus back to Serie A with a crucial away fixture against Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday, October 26. The Bianconeri have not won in seven matches across all competitions, piling pressure on Tudor to deliver a turnaround.

    Statistically, Juve remain one of Serie A’s most active attacking teams, ranking third for total shots behind Inter and Napoli. However, their conversion rate and decision-making in the final third continue to undermine their efforts.

    Juventus have historically dominated this fixture, winning 87 of their Serie A meetings with the Biancocelesti. Yet Lazio, backed by their home crowd, will be eager to exploit Juve’s fragile confidence.

    For Tudor, the message from Cassano is clear, Juventus must hold their nerve, but Cassano’s warning could prove timely if Juventus are to avoid yet another managerial reset.

Mikel Arteta says £10m+ a year Arsenal star is getting "better and better"

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is confident the goals will soon start to flow for forward Viktor Gyokeres.

Sweden striker Gyokeres, on more than £10m per season, has drawn a blank in his last five matches having been frustrated again in Wednesday’s 2-0 Champions League win over Olympiacos.

However, it was the 27-year-old’s shot which was deflected on to a post to allow Gabriel Martinelli to score Arsenal’s opener, while he was also denied by some last-ditch defending.

The Gunners face struggling West Ham at home in the Premier League on Saturday, when the floodgates could open for Gyokeres.

“I don’t know, but hopefully, yes, and hopefully it will be on Saturday,” added Arteta.

Bukayo Saka came off the bench to wrap up another satisfactory night’s work in Europe for Arsenal, who now have six points from their opening two games.

Spanish midfielder Martin Zubimendi played the full 90 minutes in his first taste of the Champions League at Emirates Stadium.

“I’m really happy,” he told the club website: “The atmosphere was amazing. We scored two and kept a clean sheet.

“It was really demanding. We started really well but at the end they pushed a lot in the second half. I think we suffered in some moments where we shouldn’t have.

“We want to keep the momentum and win as many games as possible. We will recover well and prepare for the next game against West Ham.”

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