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Former captain is scoring runs for fun and revelling in the moment
Vithushan Ehantharajah05-Jul-2022
Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow are all smiles after their match-winning partnership•Getty Images
“It’s like being a kid again. It’s great. It’s like how it felt when I first started playing.” With the first answer of his press conference, Joe Root summed up exactly what he and the rest of this England side are experiencing at the moment.An hour before sitting down in front of the microphones and cameras, Root had walked off on 142 not out, Jonny Bairstow by his side with 114 of his own having chased down 378 like it was nothing. Certainly not the record chase by an England Test team that it is now.The final 119 runs required were polished off with ease inside 19.5 overs, as Root and Bairstow registered career centuries No. 28 and 12, with five and six already in 2022, respectively. There was no jeopardy, no anxiety beyond the very start where perhaps standard English doom-mongering could not be helped. But for those in the dressing room, there was nothing but calm. As they have been for the three previous chases before this one.Related
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Ben Stokes: England approach means opposing teams will now 'fear' third innings
“I think once you’ve done it once, you know you can do it and you prove to yourself you can,” Root said on the fact England have chased down four 250-plus targets in the last month. “It does make it that little bit easier. It makes it a little bit more believable.”I imagine there will be sides around the world looking at the way that we’ve been playing and feeling a little bit intimidated by what we’re capable of doing. You don’t want to be too into what other teams are doing and how they’re approaching things. But again, that can only breed more confidence within you and you think sides could be very wary of what you’re capable of.”The difference here was that the scale of the chase meant a little more forethought. Even after Zak Crawley and Alex Lees blitzed the fastest opening stand by a pair of Englishmen, a collapse from 107 for no loss to 109 for 3 just after tea threatened to derail the charge. But Root and Bairstow steadied the ship and ticked over without taking unnecessary risks. It was only when Root had passed his century and victory was more or less assured that he began to have some fun, charging Shardul Thakur for four down the ground then reverse-ramping him for six.Of the outrageous cricket English fans are starting to get used to, perhaps the Root ramps are the one thing many are still struggling to get theirs heads around. The idea that a player deemed not imaginative enough to play a role in England’s hell-for-leather T20 side – his last appearance came in May 2019 – and perhaps even unnecessary for the 50-over format could add such an expansive string to his bow.He admits to be still battling with two sides. One of how he has done things before Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes decided to shake things up, which got him 1708 runs and six centuries in 2021, and two more before the start of the summer. And the other of batting without a care in the world.”The Yorkshireman inside me is still saying ‘dig in, play straight and get behind it’,” he said with a smile. “Then there’s the captain on the other shoulder saying ‘be a rockstar’. So you’re fighting between the two of them, sometimes.”It is clear, though, he welcomes this new approach, not least because it is skewering old whims and unwritten rules. Players are being encouraged to play for enjoyment without losing sight of the bigger goal of victory. And the key has been to rid themselves of the emotional baggage of form and the weight of tradition that have, ultimately, felt like a burden.”It’s scripted out how you need to play in Test cricket. Sometimes being unpredictable is very difficult to bowl at. Sometimes the gaps look bigger, and you know where the ball is going to be because of generally how sides bowl for long periods of time.”For me it’s about making good decisions for long periods of time. There have been occasions this summer I might have played some unusual shots, if you look at the history of Test cricket. But they’ve felt like pretty low-risk options in the moment. I guess it’s just trying to manage the game more.”As incredible as Bairstow has been, Root may be the best example of the nourishing qualities of the current environment. Since a boy he was ordained to be an England cricketer, and through his talent bestowed the FEC (Future England Captain) tag. As well as he has carried both, it meant his career has largely been dictated by those who came before him.Now, you can say with some certainty that for the first time in his England career, certainly for the first time in five years having given up the captaincy in March, he is playing the most expressive, enjoyable cricket. It just happens to be at the very highest level.”It’s how it should be,” he reiterated. “And hopefully the way that we’re playing at the minute can inspire a lot of youngsters to take up the game and enjoy it and get excited about test cricket and love it as we do.”As for how to describe the current ethos, he wasn’t bothered about the buzz phrases that have emerged over the past few weeks. “You can call it whatever you like but it’s great fun to play and great fun to be a part of.”
Last night’s game against Liverpool in the League Cup was an enormous one for Tottenham Hotspur, and the players did themselves proud.
Ange Postecoglou’s side might be falling apart in the Premier League, but after yesterday’s superb performance, they are now just 90 minutes away from a final and have a one-goal lead to take to Anfield.
There were brilliant displays across the pitch for the Lilywhites, from the newly signed Antonín Kinsky in goal to the ever-impressive Dejan Kulusevski in midfield and the constantly dangerous Dominic Solanke up top.
However, two starters really stood out for us, and one of them was none other than Lucas Bergvall.
Bergvall's game vs Liverpool
So, one of the two best players for Spurs last night was the 18-year-old prodigy Bergvall, who started in midfield and looked cool, calm and collected from the first minute to the last.
On top of covering what felt like every blade of grass for Postecoglou, the former Djurgården ace was also a creative spark in the middle of the park and, most importantly, made the perfect run into Liverpool’s penalty area to put away the winner in the 85th minute.
Unsurprisingly, the watching press were full of praise for the talented midfielder with football.london’s Alasdair Gold awarding him a 9/10 at full-time, writing that he was ‘busy’ throughout and that he’s ‘adapting so quickly’ to first-team football.
Such a glowing appraisal of the young Swede is more than backed up by his statistics from the game.
For example, in 98 minutes of football, he scored a goal, created two big chances, played three key passes, took two shots on target, took 44 touches, won one foul, made two interceptions and completed three tackles.
Bergvall’s game in numbers
Minutes
98′
Goals
1
Big Chances Created
2
Key Passes
3
Shots on Target
2
Touches
44
Fouls Won
1
Interceptions
2
Tackles
3
All Stats via Sofascore
In short, it was a simply sensational performance and one that has to keep him in the starting lineup for every important game going forward, which is exactly what can be said about Djed Spence as well.
Spence's game vs Liverpool
Yes, the other starter who really caught our eye was Spence.
The talented full-back made just his sixth start of the campaign, and as has been the case in most other appearances he’s made this season, his performance was so good that it simply raises more questions about why he hasn’t started more games.
The “unbelievable” ace, as dubbed by the iconic Ian Wright, was absolutely rock-solid at the back, so much so that we forgot Mohamed Salah was even playing, as well as a useful outlet in attacking moves.
Like his Swedish teammate, the 24-year-old star seriously impressed Gold, who awarded him another 9/10 match rating and wrote that it was an ‘excellent display’ from the former Middlesbrough gem and that ‘he really is challenging now to keep his spot for the longer term.’
That might all sound like hyperbole, but it really isn’t, and his statistics from the game prove as much.
Spence’s game in numbers
Minutes
98′
Touches
78
Passing Accuracy
36/43 (84%)
Duels (Won)
12 (8)
Interceptions
1
Tackles
2
Clearances
6
Dribbles
2
All Stats via Sofascore
For example, in his 98 minutes on the pitch, the 6 foot titan took 78 touches, made 36 passes, won eight of 12 duels, made one interception, two tackles and six clearances and completed two dribbles.
Ultimately, it might only be half-time in the tie, but Spurs were superb last night, and while there were brilliant performances across the pitch, Bergvall and Spence stood out and simply have to start every important game from here on out.
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ByJack Salveson Holmes Jan 8, 2025
She plays pinch-hitter to perfection before taking a wicket in four miserly overs
ECB Reporters Network18-May-2022Issy Wong starred with bat and ball as Central Sparks beat holders South East Stars by 34 runs in the Charlotte Edwards Cup at Guildford.Wong, renowned for her quick bowling, excelled in the role of pinch-hitter with 45 in 28 balls and was well supported by England wicketkeeper Amy Jones with 40 as Sparks rattled up 170 for 6 after being invited to bat, Alice Davidson-Richards the pick of the host’s attack with 2 for 27.Chelsea-born speedster Wong returned to the day job, taking 1 for 14, including three frugal overs at the top of the Stars’ innings. She was ably assisted by Sparks’ spin twins Hannah Baker, who took 2 for 19, and Sarah Glenn (2 for 22), while Grace Potts added 4 for 36 mopping up the tail, meaning that despite 41 from skipper Bryony Smith, Stars finished well short on 136 all out.From the moment Wong clubbed Alice Capsey over the scoreboard at mid-wicket in the first over, Sparks were on the charge.Wong treated Tash Farrant’s bowling with similar disdain and with fellow opener Eve Jones taking a heavy toll on Freya Davies at the other end, the 50-stand came off 30 balls.Davidson-Richards made the breakthrough when Eve Jones top edged to mid-on, but the bowler was out of luck when new batter Amy Jones hoisted her to Emma Jones at deep mid-on only for the fielder to grass the chance.Emma Jones would partially atone when she caught Wong at cover, but the drop proved costly as Amy Jones forged on, driving powerfully to hit six fours before Smith had her caught at cover.Smith and the impressive Davidson-Richards kept some level of control, but impressive cameos from Ami Campbell and Gwen Davies saw Sparks post an imposing target.Smith got the chase off to a rattling start with three boundaries off the first over from Potts and Saturday’s half-centurion Aylish Cranstone caught the mood almost hitting an Emily Arlott delivery into the road.Wong gave Smith a life on 19 when she shelled a catch on the square leg boundary, Arlott the aggrieved bowler, but the boot was on the other foot in the following over when she too dropped Smith off Wong. Wong though wouldn’t be denied, removing Cranstone via a top edge bagged by Amy Jones as Sparks reached 44 for 1 at the end of the powerplay.The fielding lapses continued, Abi Freeborn dropping Capsey off an attempted reverse sweep. However, Baker struck twice in four balls as first Smith skied a catch behind and then Amy Jones stumped Capsey, who had given the bowler the charge.Glenn followed up with two in two to despatch Farrant and Emma Jones before Potts cleaned up.
Prepared to get ruthless, Manchester United are now reportedly likely to show one player the door in a free deal to make room for two fresh faces in Ruben Amorim’s squad in the summer.
Man Utd transfer news
Unsurprisingly, the rumours have been coming thick and fast since Amorim’s arrival at Old Trafford. There’s plenty of work to be done to undo the damage done by the last year or so of Erik ten Hag’s reign and the recruitment that coincided with the Dutchman’s time at the club. From central defence all the way to the new manager’s offensive line, there’s an argument that the Red Devils need to welcome fresh faces.
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ByBen Browning Dec 1, 2024
With that said, names such as Viktor Gyokeres and Morten Hjulmand have already been mentioned regarding a move to Manchester United when 2025 arrives, with both potentially following Amorim from Sporting Club to the Premier League giants. Gyokeres is someone who instantly stands out these days, of course, given his place as one of Europe’s most clinical goalscorers.
As INEOS prepare for further incomings, however, they look set to open the exit door for one particular player. According to Sky Sports’ Florian Plettenberg, Christian Eriksen is now likely to leave Manchester United as a free agent when his current contract comes to an end in the summer and Amorim targets two midfield reinforcements.
The beginning of a new era, the Red Devils have no choice but to get ruthless when 2025 arrives, which should see an ageing Eriksen swapped out for a more ambitious option.
Eriksen exit could only be the start at Man Utd
The fact that a 32-year-old Eriksen on £150,000-a-week still has the quality to earn a starting place in the current Manchester United midfield is more of a comment on just how disappointing the Red Devils’ recruitment has been in the last two years rather than a credit to the Dane, himself.
Eriksen’s not the only one who has played a greater role than expected at times, either. It’s worth noting that 36-year-old Jonny Evans has gone from a player likely to act as more of a background and dressing room figure to an important part of Manchester United’s squad. Like Eriksen, the central defender should be swapped out for a younger option when the summer arrives.
On the midfield front, signing a familiar face for Amorim wouldn’t be a bad idea. Of course, INEOS will want to repeat the mistake they made with Ten Hag by reuniting the former Ajax manager with one player too many, but those like Hjulmand represent the calibre of midfielder that could step in alongside Manuel Ugarte to finally take a struggling Casemiro’s starting place.
Starting with Eriksen, INEOS must get ruthless when 2025 arrives.
Giovanni Van Bronckhorst’s spell at Glasgow Rangers was certainly a mixed bag, that’s for sure. Of course, he ended the club’s 13-year winless drought in the Scottish Cup, with the Gers defeating Hearts 2-0 in 2022.
The Dutchman was also the man in charge of the side which reached the Europa League final that very same season, masterminding stunning wins over Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig on the way to Seville.
That showpiece in Spain may not have ended in favour of Rangers, but hopes were high that they could win trophies under Van Bronckhorst heading into the 2022/23 campaign.
His record domestically wasn’t the greatest, as the swashbuckling European style didn’t exactly work to the same degree at grounds such as Tannadice and Easter Road.
The former defender also had a poor record in the transfer market, spending money on players who failed to really live up to expectations…
During his first summer transfer window, the manager spent £4m on signing Ben Davies from Liverpool, £3m on Rabbi Matondo from Schalke and £1.8m on Antonio Colak from PAOK.
Elsewhere, John Souttar and Tom Lawrence arrived on free transfers, while Malik Tillman joined on a loan deal until the end of the campaign.
It was a mixed bag indeed, with only Matondo, Souttar and Lawrence still part of the current squad. This window wasn’t as bad as the January one, however.
Van Bronckhorst made three loan signings which were expected to bolster his squad during the second half of the 2021/22 season: Aaron Ramsey, James Sands and Amad Diallo.
|
Rangers signings under Giovanni Van Bronckhorst |
|
|---|---|
|
Player |
Club signed from |
|
Aaron Ramsey |
Juventus (loan) |
|
James Sands |
New York City (loan) |
|
Amad Diallo |
Man United (loan) |
|
Mateusz Zukowski |
Lechia Gdańsk |
|
Malik Tilllman |
Bayern Munich (loan) |
|
John Souttar |
Hearts |
|
Tom Lawrence |
Derby County |
|
Antonio Colak |
PAOK |
|
Ridvan Yilmaz |
Besiktas |
|
Ben Davies |
Liverpool |
|
Rabbi Matondo |
Schalke |
|
Via Transfermarkt |
|
While Ramsey went down a storm among the supporters, the other two failed to inspire much confidence, especially as Celtic were fighting hard for domestic honours.
Diallo was certainly a wildcard signing, but he didn’t make the most of his time in Glasgow, which, considering his age and experience, was perhaps expected.
The young winger cost Manchester United a staggering £19m in January 2021, despite playing only five senior games for Atalanta.
It was a massive gamble by the Old Trafford side, with Diallo making nine appearances for the club before moving to Glasgow on loan.
The Ivorian had plenty of talent and promise, but it was evident that the physical nature of Scottish football could prove detrimental to his development.
After just five minutes of his debut, however, this theory looked like it would be proven wrong as he netted the opener against Ross County.
He started the next game, a chastising 3-0 defeat to Celtic in which he barely had a sniff of the ball, and it clearly affected his confidence. The winger started just four more games for the Light Blues after that, scoring twice.
He did end up with a Scottish Cup winners medal, but bringing someone with such little experience as the club was chasing honours, both domestically and in Europe, was a strange one.
Fast-forward two and a half years and Diallo is finally making his mark for United, showcasing the talent that made the club splash out nearly £20m to sign him in the first place.
Before making it at the Red Devils, Diallo continued his apprenticeship out on loan, this time during the 2022/23 campaign with Sunderland.
In 42 games for the Black Cats, the winger scored 14 goals and grabbed four assists as the club secured a spot in the playoffs.
He returned to United a better player, but a knee ligament meant his first appearance of 2023/24 didn’t arrive until the end of December.
Overall, 12 appearances, two goals and one assist hardly signify the best of times, yet Diallo became a hero for the club as he scored an extra-time winner against Liverpool in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup. By the end of the season, he had added a winners medal to his collection, setting himself up nicely for the current campaign.
He enjoyed fleeting moments of promise under Erik ten Hag, but it was under the tutelage of caretaker manager Ruud van Nistelrooy when Diallo came alive.
Two goals and an assist during his four matches in charge indicate Diallo could be a big success for Ruben Amorim.
“He has been incredible actually in training, he was never affected by not playing. He always trains well and is asking me to do more. That’s an example.” Said the former striker following United’s win over PAOK in the Europa League.
Where Are They Now
Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.
If he can remain fit, there is no reason why the Ivorian cannot keep his place out wide under the new manager, especially when everyone will be starting from scratch.
While it was clear the club overpaid for the player three years ago, it now looks as though he is finally beginning to increase his market valuation.
Indeed, according to Transfermarkt, Diallo is now valued at €22m (£18m), with this number continuing to rise, especially if his performances improve in the near future.
The move to Rangers came a bit too soon in his career, although he did show flashes of his genius during his spell in Scotland.
In the end, Diallo was never going to get the time to thrive on the ball, especially with defenders earmarking him as a weak spot in the starting XI.
There is no doubt Rangers have missed the boat on him now, as he looks to cement his place in the starting XI under Amorim, who could push the African to new heights over the coming months, that’s for sure.
A flop at Rangers, but a star in the making at United. Diallo is trending upwards. For that is a certainty.
Rangers wasted £6.8m on Van Bronckhorst flop who earned more than Danilo
Rangers wasted a fortune on a player who is currently out on loan…
By
Ross Kilvington
Nov 12, 2024
Glasgow Rangers’ success in the transfer window has been minimal over the previous few years, with only a couple of signings truly proving to be a hit among the Ibrox support.
Allowing Michael Beale free rein with a decent-sized budget could haunt the club for the next few years, as millions were spent on Sam Lammers and Cyriel Dessers, with both players looking short of the quality required to fire the Gers to a Premiership title.
Philippe Clement appeared to be going down a different route this summer, looking ahead to the future by signing a host of talented youngsters who could potentially make the club a serious profit in the next few years.
This is a system that Celtic have enjoyed plenty of success with in recent years. Indeed, players such as Matt O’Riley, Moussa Dembélé, Kristoffer Ajer and Jota all joined for relatively small fees, before raking in fortunes for the club.
By following a system like this, if a player succeeds in Glasgow, he will have plenty of suitors, especially from down south, thus making millions for the club in the process.
Jota is the best example of this, as he shone during his time at Celtic, especially during Old Firm matches…
Jota's success at Celtic
The winger was signed by Celtic from Benfica in the summer of 2021 on an initial loan deal, before this was made permanent ahead of the following campaign.
During his two seasons in Glasgow, the Portuguese gem scored 28 goals and grabbed 26 assists in all competitions, which included being the scourge of Rangers on numerous occasions.
He scored four goals and recorded an assist in ten games against the Light Blues, and it was clear if the Ibrox side were to re-establish their dominance in Scotland, signing a player like Jota was how they could go about it.
He ended up moving to the Middle East in a deal worth around £25m, joining Al Ittihad and the move allowed Celtic to make a stunning profit on the winger.
Despite losing someone of his talent, they have replaced him well, which is something Rangers have struggled with over the years.
Could the Ibrox side have had their own version of Jota a few years previously, however? As one former manager made what looked like a few exciting signings dur
Pedro Caixinha’s Rangers signings
It wouldn’t be entirely fair to say that every single one of Pedro Caixinha’s signings at Rangers were flops. Ryan Jack and Alfredo Morelos buck that trend, with both players enjoying success at the Gers during their respective stints with the club, winning the Premiership title and the Scottish Cup.
The less said about the rest, the better, that’s for sure. Money was spent on Eduardo Herrera and Carlos Pena, who scored a grand total of seven goals between them all season.
Elsewhere, Fabio Cardoso arrived, along with Bruno Alves and Graham Dorrans. On the surface, they all looked like solid signings, but the reality was rather different.
One youngster who joined up with the club on a season-long loan was Dalcio, who – like the aforementioned Jota at Parkhead – made the temporary switch from Benfica.
Player
Club signed from
Alfredo Morelos
HJH Helsinki
Ryan Jack
Aberdeen
Carlos Pena
Chivas
Eduardo Herrera
UNAM Pumas
Graham Dorrans
Norwich
Fabio Cardoso
Vitoria Setubal
Bruno Alves
Cagliari
Declan John
Cardiff
Dalcio
Benfica
Daniel Candeias
Benfica
Aaron Nemane
Man City
Given their reputation for producing quality talents from their academy, it looked like Caixinha had landed a massive coup.
Unfortunately, his spell turned out to be a waste of time for all involved.
Dalcio’s Rangers statistics
Speaking on his arrival, the winger said: “What attracted me was the history of the club, the size of the club, and mainly, the supporters – the amazing fans the club has.
“The gaffer was a real influence on me too. I know he is really competitive and ambitious, and that was the reasons I wanted to join him.”
Prior to joining Rangers, Dalcio made 50 appearances for Benfica B, scoring twice and registering six assists, and it looked like he could offer something different, especially from the bench.
He started the game against Progres Niederkorn as the club secured a 1-0 victory, before being brought on at halftime during the second leg, which the Gers went on to lose, being knocked out of Europe before the domestic season had even begun.
A one-minute cameo against Hamilton in September proved to be his only other appearance for the Glasgow side, finally leaving in May 2018 after his unsuccessful loan spell.
He had the potential to showcase his talents in Scotland – much like Jota later did – and perhaps secure a permanent deal, yet his signing was arguably one of the worst in the club’s recent history, for that there is no doubt.
What Dalcio did after leaving Rangers
The 28-year-old found some success in Greece, making 67 appearances for Panetolikos before moving to Cyprus, where he shone for APOEL Nicosia, scoring seven goals and grabbing ten assists for the club and this secured him a move to Red Star Belgrade.
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Remarkably, Dalcio has played in the Champions League qualifiers for his new side, making 15 appearances in all competitions for the Serbian outfit.
It’s fair to say he didn’t kick on during his time in Glasgow. Whether it was pressure, or the lack of match fitness, the winger struggled to make an impression, and it was clear he wasn’t quite ready for senior football.
Over the previous few years, he has improved and his move to Red Star is evidence of this. The former Benfica youngster could have been Rangers’ very own Jota-type figure during his loan spell, yet he was just another poor signing made by Caixinha.
Some players blossom later on in their careers and this appears to be exactly what Dalcio is doing. Aged just 28, he still has a few more years left to shine at the highest level.
He's a free agent: Rangers could ditch Clement for "ambitious" 4-3-3 coach
Rangers could approach a free agent should Clement leave Ibrox
ByRoss Kilvington Nov 22, 2024
The power went down at the Gabba and England went down with it as Nathan Lyon finally claimed his 400th Test wicket and Australia claimed a one-nil series lead after another calamitous collapse from the visitors handed the hosts a comfortable nine-wicket win.Lyon took four wickets on the fourth morning, including that of Dawid Malan’s for his 400th to start the rot prior to the new ball being taken, while Cameron Green claimed the prized scalp of Joe Root for 89 as England lost 8 for 74 to be bowled out for 297 and set Australia just 20 runs to win.Related
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Australia’s only concern came when David Warner did not come out to bat in the fourth innings. He did not field during England’s second innings after he was hit in the ribs by Ben Stokes during his first-innings 94. Cricket Australia released a statement on day three saying he had bruised ribs and Warner told on the morning of day four that he was sore but would bat with the aid of some pain killers. However, with only 20 runs required to win Warner did not take to the crease raising concerns about his fitness for the second Test in Adelaide, with just four days to recover.Alex Carey opened alongside Marcus Harris. It was just the third time Carey has opened in first-class cricket having opened in just his third first-class match back in 2013. He tried to play positively. He was nearly run out twice before Ollie Robinson found his outside edge with a superb delivery that nipped off the seam. Harris was far from convincing early as the new ball zipped around but played a glorious cut shot and equally good square drive to bring up the winning runs without Marnus Labuschagne having to face a ball.Earlier, England regressed to their mean on the fourth morning after the sublime day three partnership between Root and Malan had sprung hopes of a 2010-style Gabba revival, having erased 220 of the 278-run first-innings deficit just two down.But hope springs eternal as Lyon snuffed out any chance of a miracle removing Malan in the fourth over of the morning. Lyon had been stuck on 399 wickets for 326 days and Malan revealed to ABC radio after play on day three that Lyon should have had him out caught and bowled in the afternoon when a ball ballooned off his pad and brushed the glove on the way back to Lyon but the Australians did not appeal.Lyon finally got him a similar manner for wicket 400 with Malan deceived in flight as he skipped down to the wrong length. He groped in defence only to get a thick inside edge onto pad with Labuschagne claiming the chance at a well-placed silly mid-off. The relief for Lyon and the Australians was palpable as he celebrated becoming the 17th Test bowler to claim 400 wickets, and just the third Australian behind Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath.Cameron Green roars in celebration after dismissing Joe Root•CA/Cricket Australia/Getty Images
But the biggest wicket of the morning came from the unlikeliest source. Green bowled a superb spell with a 70-over old ball to fill a hole for his captain Pat Cummins while Australia’s thoroughbred quicks were held back for the new ball. Green banged away at a good length at 140kph/87mph for several overs and finally found a hint of outswing, luring Root into a false prod outside off stump and catching his outside edge. Root fell 11 short of his 7th century of 2021 and is still yet to register three figures in Australia.Lyon then picked up Ollie Pope, whose struggles against spin continue. He tried to cut a ball that bounced and spun back from outside off and succeeded in only gloving it to slip.The game went dark for a period of five overs after Australia took the new ball as a power outage at the Gabba saw the entire television feed go down. Josh Hazlewood returned to the bowling crease after questions were raised about his fitness having only been used for eight overs out of 70 on the third day, but only those at the ground could see it.Television pictures were restored just in time for Cummins to pick up Stokes for the second time in the match. Stokes was squared up again by Cummins, this time from over the wicket, as he closed the bat face to a ball that leapt from a length. Green held the leading edge at gully with ease.Jos Buttler was unable to produce the same counter-attack he offered in the first innings, poking meekly wide of his off stump at Hazlewood to give Carey his seventh catch of the match. Lyon and Green cleaned up the tail handing Lyon a well-deserved four-wicket haul after toiling without reward on day three, while Carey claimed a record-breaking eighth catch to end the innings in a flawless display behind the stumps. It is the most catches on Test debut by a wicketkeeper and the equal-most dismissals alongside fellow Australian Brian Taber and England’s Chris Read.
With Nick Pope set to turn 33 years old before the end of the season, Paul Mitchell has reportedly sent intermediaries to join the race to sign a replacement for the Newcastle United shot-stopper.
The Magpies would certainly be wise to plan ahead in hope of avoiding the situation they’ve already found themselves in this season, with squad depth quickly becoming an issue for Eddie Howe. The Newcastle boss has been forced to deploy Anthony Gordon at the centre of his frontline, whilst also forming makeshift backlines whilst Fabian Schar was suspended.
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He’s a man in-demand…
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Tom Cunningham
Oct 10, 2024
It’s the type of problems that saw Howe’s side fall short of European qualification last season and the type that will only see a repeat of that if things aren’t solved in 2025. On that front, rumours are at least beginning to emerge, with Newcastle already linked with statement moves for the likes of Leroy Sane and Antoine Semenyo.
Sane would particularly represent a standout deal, given his experience as a Premier League winner and his place amongst the best wingers that European football has to offer. Get that deal over the line and any of the Magpies’ summer shortfalls will quickly be forgotten, especially if they also go on to find a top successor for Pope.
According to AS Roma Live, Mitchell has sent Newcastle intermediaries to join the race to sign Mile Svilar from AS Roma, who reportedly value their goalkeeper at €35-40m (£29m-£33m).
Those at St James’ Park won’t be without competition for the 25-year-old’s signature, however, with Liverpool also looking to land a second goalkeeper in the space of a year, having already added Giorgi Mamardashvili to their ranks in the summer.
With both Premier League sides interested in Svilar, he will undoubtedly be one to watch in 2025 when he could make the biggest move of his career yet, swapping Italy for England.
As Pope begins to fall away from his prime, Svilar represents an ideal option to turn to next year at just 25 years old. The Roma shot-stopper still has plenty more to come and may well be the beginning of a fair few defensive additions if Newcastle’s struggle for options is anything to go by.
|
League stats 24/25 (via FBref) |
Mile Svilar |
Nick Pope |
|---|---|---|
|
Saves per 90 |
2.86 |
4.46 |
|
Save Percentage |
84% |
81.1% |
|
Clean Sheets |
3 |
2 |
|
Goals Conceded |
5 |
7 |
The Serbian has earned high praise throughout his career, even when he made a mistake for Benfica against Manchester United at a young age. Jose Mourinho instantly spoke highly of Svilar, saying via The Mirror: “He is a phenomenon, he is amazing. Only great goalkeepers suffer goals like this. Either Benfica has a top goalkeeper for many years, or the president should prepare a big suitcase (for the money).
“Only top keepers concede these goals. Because bad keepers stay on their line; bad keepers don’t come out for crosses; bad keepers don’t try to analyse the game; bad keepers don’t use their space to give cover like he did in the first half a few times. I knew before the match – this keeper is phenomenal.”