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Poor use of resources and not utilising Impact Player rule to best effect eventually cost them a playoff spot

Sidharth Monga22-May-20233:13

Moody: Rajasthan Royals were hurt by the batting form of Buttler, Samson and Hetmyer

Right from the time Shane Warne put together his motley crew in the inaugural season, Rajasthan Royals are a T20 hipster’s team. They don’t play to a formula. They experiment. They push the boundaries. They invest in lesser-known players. Like other teams from the north, they don’t have a parochial fan base, but they do appeal to a neutral observer.In this run itself, Royals have used R Ashwin in a way that helped rejuvenate his T20 career, they have used a pinch anchor, then retired him when his job was done, they have played a part in the beautiful development of Yashasvi Jaiswal by gradually expecting more from him, and they have nominated a captain who talks about T20 as a different sport to the rest of cricket.There is so much to like about Royals, but they are no longer a hipster team now. Two years ago they had Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer, among the best that money can buy. Their bowling attack now has three IPL champions. They have a whole analytics wing that helped them develop metrics for players to go after in the auction. They don’t fly under the radar anymore; more is expected from them.Related

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Hours after their hopes of making it to the playoffs had ended with Mumbai Indians’ win in the penultimate match of the league stage, the Royals leadership would have experienced the cruelty of it all. Royal Challengers Bangalore lost their match in 19.1 overs, thus tipping their net run rate just below Royals’. You wonder how much some of the questionable tactics are hurting the Royals personnel now that they have ended the season in the fifth position, just one win short of qualification for playoffs.In the decisions that are made before the start of the match, which probably include the coaching staff and the analytics team, Royals were the only team that didn’t make proper use of the Impact Player.In 13 matches that they used the Impact Player, the substituted player and the substitute put together created a total impact of 99.4 according to ESPNcricinfo Smart Stats, easily the worst among all teams. The next lowest was 128.2. It gets way worse for matches they batted first in. In seven matches, the Impact Player created a total impact of 6.9, the next worst being 61.6.It should come as no surprise. In most matches, Royals’ XI was the same for batting first and fielding first: six batters, five bowlers. It defeated the whole purpose of the Impact Player: extra depth in each innings.This was the year Royals’ long-term investment in Yashasvi Jaiswal blossomed•Associated PressThanks to the quality of their attack – which also was hampered by the non-availability of Trent Boult for a few games – they didn’t feel the pinch that much when they bowled first because they would end up with seven batters in the chase.That is probably why they chose to chase in their sixth and seventh matches – against Lucknow Super Giants and Royal Challengers, respectively – when the ideal choice, especially in a day match in Bengaluru, was to bat first. In both these matches, they failed to use Jason Holder’s batting at all, sending him behind Ashwin, who has improved a lot and has been used superbly as a disruptor by Royals but is still less of a limited-overs allrounder than Holder.In the failed chase in Bengaluru, they sent in debutant Abdul Basith, who had played 73 balls in all T20 cricket, ahead of Holder.Trying to fit into the middle-overs enforcer role that the injured Prasidh Krishna used to play, Holder didn’t quite deliver what he and his team would would have expected. Not using Holder the batter, and not getting the best out of Holder the bowler, Royals just wasted an overseas slot, which could have been used to build the trio of world-beating spinners with Adam Zampa joining Yuzvendra Chahal and Ashwin.Trent Boult picked seven first-over wickets in IPL 2023•Associated PressIt didn’t help that Kuldeep Sen, who made a superb start to his season and could have been the third fast bowler, injured himself during his first match, in Chennai.Scarred twice when chasing, Royals now began to choose batting in every game instead of asking more of the batters in the chase, even in a night match at Wankhede. That promising start to the season – four wins in their first five matches – was now whittling away, and it all came to a head against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Jaipur.This was a perfect storm of pre-game and in-game calls that kept going wrong. On a pitch that they felt they needed three spinners, Royals couldn’t play Zampa because they also wanted to reinforce the batting with Joe Root. Then they picked Obed McCoy, who hadn’t bowled at all since the T20 World Cup in Australia last year, as the Impact Player but proceeded to bowl legspin in the 14th over. M Ashwin, who had already gone for 23 in his two overs, went for 19 more.Chahal dragged the game back for Royals, but they didn’t bowl their best bowler in the 19th, instead giving Kuldip Yadav that over and keeping Sandeep Sharma for the last. In the end, it came down to a no-ball from Sandeep on the last ball, but it needn’t have.This is not to say that Samson or the team management didn’t have the team’s best interests in mind, but they made too many tactical errors to be able to maximise their potential. It will hurt all the more that this was the year in which their long-term investment in Jaiswal blossomed, they found a solution for the Riyan Parag problem in Dhruv Jurel, the two spinners bowled well while their home venue provided them pitches conducive for them, and Boult kept giving them first-over wickets.The quality of the individuals in the side still brought them to the brink of qualification, but they just made one mistake too many.

Use of Adil Rashid and Matt Parkinson in the same side points at attacking option for UAE tournament

Matt Roller18-Jul-2021The second ball of Imad Wasim’s third over gave it away.Imad has admitted in the past that he hardly tries to spin the ball in this format but by the second half of England’s innings it had become clear that with the Headingley pitch baking in 30-degree heat, the pitch was offering something. Imad tossed the ball up, slower than usual, outside Liam Livingstone’s off stump and it gripped in the surface as he punched to cover. If England’s decision to pick two frontline legspinners for the first time in T20 internationals hadn’t already made it clear that this was a day for spin, Imad – – turning one sharply on a length confirmed it.Pakistan’s two spinners, Imad and Shadab Khan, ended up returning 3 for 70 between them in a combined eight overs, and England’s response was immediate at the start of the chase. Adil Rashid was thrown the new ball, reprising the role he filled so successfully in India four months ago, but it was in the middle overs that England’s spin-heavy strategy became apparent.Related

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Every ball between the end of the Powerplay and the start of the 17th over was bowled by a spinner – either Rashid, Matt Parkinson or Moeen Ali – and in those 60 balls, England won the game, conceding 81 runs and taking five wickets to rip through Pakistan’s middle order. Never before had they bowled so many overs of spin in a single T20I – even though Livingstone, whose bowling has helped springboard him into contention for a starting spot in the World Cup, went unused.The strategy stood in contrast to that used by England in India earlier this year, when Eoin Morgan’s assessment of the Ahmedabad pitches was that fingerspin would be completely ineffective against a strong home batting line-up. Instead, this game served as ideal preparation in the event that the pitches served up in the UAE for October’s World Cup – which will have been used for the remainder of the IPL immediately before – turn out to be dustbowls.The biggest beneficiary of their strategy was Parkinson, who only a month ago was seen as England’s fifth-choice spinner behind Rashid, Moeen, Livingstone, and Liam Dawson (who is not involved in this series following his self-isolation). Parkinson’s method stands in stark contrast to Rashid’s, tossing the ball up above batters’ eyeline and almost exclusively bowling legbreaks with the occasional slider thrown in for good measure, but after his confidence was dented by a tough 10-game stretch in the T20 Blast this year, his stock has risen sharply in the past two weeks since his last-minute ODI call-up.He had started brightly at Trent Bridge on Friday night, conceding only 11 runs from his first two overs without conceding a boundary, but was targeted by Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan in his final two, who hit him for three sixes towards the short boundary at midwicket even as he hung the ball wide outside off. Four overs for 47 was not far below par on a night where 433 runs were scored in 39.2 overs, but it was a chastening end nonetheless.In Leeds, he recognised that conditions were in his favour and stuck to his strengths. ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball data recorded 24 legbreaks and no variations in his four-over spell, and his speeds ranged from 44-50mph (71kph-80kph). He conceded a single boundary, when Imad Wasim launched him over his head for six, and roared in celebration with both fists clenched when Azam Khan walked past the final ball of his spell to leave him with 1 for 25.ESPNcricinfo LtdThe contrast between Parkinson and Rashid was particularly apparent when they were bowling in tandem, and hinted that it might not be impossible for them to play in the same side more often – even if it means sacrificing some of the batting depth which has been so key to their approach. Rashid’s wealth of variations means he is more comfortable bowling to left-handers or when defending a short boundary, and on a turning pitch, Parkinson is a much more attacking option than Dawson, albeit without his batting or his ability to bowl in the Powerplay.Equally significant for England was Moeen’s success, with bat as well as ball. His 16-ball 36 was a vibrant, modern T20 innings, taking down his match-up by carting a four and a six in the three balls he faced from Shadab, and cracking Haris Rauf away through the ring to make the most of the final Powerplay over. With the ball, he conceded 32 from his three overs, but his sharply-spun offbreak to Fakhar Zaman which beat his outside edge and slid into the top of off stump was the perfect fingerspinner’s dismissal. Pakistan’s approach – in particular, their decision to send Mohammad Hafeez in ahead of Zaman and Azam Khan – might be called into question, but England’s execution was near-perfect.”The two legspinners in particular bowled fantastically well: Parky and Rash complemented each other brilliantly,” Moeen said. “They’re very different, but both very skilful. If conditions come the World Cup do spin, we’re going to have to bowl well.”I’ve not bowled for England for a while but today was great conditions for a spinner. It’s not always going to be a high-scoring game – when it’s spinning and it’s quite a small ground, you’re skill going to see high scores. Sometimes it’s not like that when it’s a complete dustbowl but it was a great toss to lose.”The result is that England seem better-placed than many would think if they end up playing on a slow, used pitch in the T20 World Cup, not least after Friday’s draw saw them avoid any Asian sides in the group stage (barring qualifiers from the first phase). Their batters have both the attacking intent and the skill to take down spin, and their spinners have the quality to exploit conditions to their advantage; as a dry run for a dry pitch, this could hardly have gone better.

The 2025 summer transfer window was a crazy period for Newcastle United. Eddie Howe’s side lost their star player, Alexander Isak, at the 11th hour, and whilst they had already replaced him with Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa, it took them some time to land their new pair of number nines.

The two strikers were not the only additions the Magpies made in the summer, but they were arguably the most important. With Isak and Callum Wilson leaving, there was certainly a need to add quality depth up front to combat the loss of their former strikers.

Whilst Wissa is yet to play a game due to injury, Woltemade has really hit the ground running.

How Woltemade and Isak’s Newcastle starts compare

There was always going to be lots of pressure on German striker Woltemade. The former Stuttgart star was a target for Bayern Munich too, but Newcastle ended up paying a club-record fee of £69m to secure his services.

However, it has been a fast start to life in the Premier League for the 23-year-old.

He’s only played four Premier League games so far, but has already bagged three goals in that time, including a strike on his debut against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Interestingly, that is the exact same start that Isak had in that famous Black and White shirt. In the same number of Premier League games, the Swede had bagged three goals, which included a strike on his debut.

To build on that even further, they both scored on their debut, a game in which both players came off the bench. They didn’t find the back of the net on their second appearance, but in the two that followed, each of the strikers scored.

There are certainly some interesting parallels between Woltemade and Isak’s first four games as a Newcastle player.

Despite Bayern’s honorary president, Uli Hoeness, suggesting the German “isn’t worth” the money they spent – having also been criticised by Karl-Heinz Rummenigge for their ‘idiotic’ deal – he’s made a fast start to life at St James’ Park.

However, the same cannot be said for another of their summer signings, who hasn’t performed at his best yet.

Newcastle’s summer signing who has struggled

Moving to a club the size of Newcastle is always going to be a challenge, especially after the PIF takeover back in 2021. Yet, Woltemade seems to have dealt with that pressure well, and Magpies fans will be hoping he can continue that form.

One of their summer signings hasn’t quite hit the ground running in the same way. Anthony Elanga, the Magpies’ “mega money” signing, as Statman Dave put it, has certainly not found his best form at St James’ Park yet.

Elanga cost the North Eastern giants £55m this summer, a fee which Jamie O’Hara said was an “inflated valuation” of the Swedish star.

Indeed, in ten games so far for the club, the former Manchester United academy graduate is yet to score or set up a goal. He did pick up the player of the match award in the Champions League, gameweek two.

Yet, the winger certainly has lots to offer his new club, despite the slow start he’s made in that famous Black and White shirt. He was excellent for Forest last season, racking up 17 goals and assists in 38 top-flight games.

That included this sublime solo effort against Man United.

On top of that, his underlying numbers from last term highlight his quality.

For example, Elanga averaged 1.8 chances created and made 3.2 ball recoveries per 90 minutes, showing how good he is both on and off the ball.

Elanga 24/25 PL – Key stats
Stat	Per 90 mins	Season total
Goals and assists	0.7	17
Chances created	1.8	49
Take-ons completed	0.9	25
Fouls won	1.7	47
Ball recoveries	89	3.2
Stats from Squawka

So far, Elanga has not lived up to the huge price tag that Newcastle spent on him, with there perhaps a feeling that the club and PIF might have overpaid, considering his current market value only rests at €42m (£36m), as per Transfermarkt.

Certainly, though, Newcastle fans will be hoping the Swede’s Magpies career can take more of an upward trend and he can start chipping in with goal involvement.

Newcastle's "monster" duo are becoming their best pairing since Gordon & Isak

Newcastle have found a new elite partnership to lead them to success.

By
Angus Sinclair

Oct 7, 2025

It might not have led to a Premier League title, but Arsène Wenger still had some sensational players in his later years at Arsenal.

The likes of Alexis Sanchez and Aaron Ramsey, for example, became some of the most entertaining players in the league.

However, arguably the best of the lot was Mesut Özil, who sent the fan base into delirium when he joined the club on transfer deadline day in 2013.

The World Cup winner was an artist with the ball at his feet, capable of things most would only dream of, and now, based on reports, it looks like Arsenal could be going after someone who could become Mikel Arteta’s version of Ozil.

Arsenal target their new Ozil

Arsenal went big in the summer window, signing more players than perhaps even the most optimistic of fans would’ve expected.

Transfer Focus

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

However, with a title on the line, the club appear to be in the market for more reinforcements ahead of the winter window, and have been linked to a host of players.

For example, Nottingham Forest’s Murillo has been touted for a £79m move to the Emirates, as has Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola.

However, while both players would be excellent additions to Arteta’s squad, neither could really be described as the next Ozil, unlike Arda Güler.

Yes, according to a recent report from Caught Offside, Arsenal are one of several sides interested in signing the Turkish international.

In fact, the report has revealed that the Gunners are now stepping up their pursuit of the 20-year-old, although the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United appear to be doing the same.

In addition to the competition, a potential roadblock for this deal is that, per reports last month, it could cost as much as £88m to get the playmaker out of Real Madrid.

However, while it could be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, it’s one Arsenal should fight for, as Güler is an extraordinary talent and could be Arteta’s own Ozil.

Why Güler could be Arsenals new Ozil

Now, while it’s still early in Güler’s career, and it will take some time before he reaches the heights Ozil did, there are still apparent similarities between the pair.

Firstly, were this transfer to happen, then, like the World Cup winner over a decade ago, the young talent would be swapping the white of Real Madrid or the red and white of Arsenal.

Secondly, the 20-year-old is a sensational talent who still has so much room to grow and, like the Gunners’ former star, is someone whose future appears to be more central than out wide.

For example, while he has played on the right and several other positions, attacking midfield is where he has played most of his football and where he has been thriving this season.

Speaking of this season, the Ankara-born wonderkid is proving he is both a goalscoring threat and a creative force for his teammates.

In his 21 appearances, totalling 1365 minutes, the “generational talent”, as described by journalist Dean Jones, has scored three goals and provided seven assists, averaging a goal involvement every 2.1 games, or every 136.5 minutes.

Unsurprisingly, the young dynamo’s underlying numbers also help to justify such labels.

xAG: Exp. Assisted Goals

0.38

Top 1%

Progressive Passes

7.98

Top 1%

Key Passes

3.27

Top 1%

Passes into Final Third

6.49

Top 1%

Live-ball Passes

59.32

Top 1%

Touches

77.43

Top 1%

Pass Completion %

85.3%

Top 2%

Through Balls

0.95

Top 2%

Shot-Creating Actions

6.08

Top 2%

Carries

47.71

Top 3%

Assists

0.41

Top 5%

Tackles Won

1.16

Top 7%

Switches

0.54

Top 8%

Crosses

5.42

Top 9%

Goal-Creating Actions

0.70

Top 10%

According to FBref, he ranks in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for expected assisted goals, progressive passes, key passes, touches and more, all per 90.

Finally, if you still aren’t convinced, just listen to İlkay Gündoğan, who in 2023 made a clear link between the two midfielders.

“If there is a Turkish football player who is similar to Mesut Özil, the first name is Arda Güler. I see his future bright.”

Ultimately, while there is still a long way to go for Güler to reach the level Ozil did at his peak, he is clearly on his way. He was ranked second in the 2025 Golden Boy awards, living up to writer Neal Gardner’s billing that he is “the single best midfield prospect in world football.”

Therefore, Arsenal should do all they can to sign him

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ByJack Salveson Holmes 6 days ago

Manchester City have hit some extraordinary heights under Pep Guardiola’s tutelage. The Spanish coach will go down as one of the greatest managers in the history of the game, and his Citizen side have written themselves into the English and European history books.

Last season, City fell off a proverbial cliff, their four-in-a-row domination of the Premier League coming to an end. They rallied, but it was a campaign to forget about, and many felt that it marked the end of Pep’s illustrious tenure.

But he’s not done yet, rebounding emphatically after signing a two-year contract extension last November. And Guardiola isn’t the only one who is resurgent at the Etihad, with this optimistic new season coinciding with the tentative resurgence of Phil Foden.

Why Foden is improving for Man City

There’s no denying it: Foden fell by the wayside last season. But he’s picked himself back up. The Three Lions superstar still has gears to shift through before he recalls his finest form, but this is an essential comeback, should City hope to reclaim their Premier League title and ensure the peerless Erling Haaland has a strong complementary force in the final third.

He hasn’t found prolific form yet this season, but the 25-year-old is undoubtedly producing more polished and cultured results, having been placed deeper to influence and dictate play.

He has been more convincing in the duel and is seeing more of the ball on average. There is also a clear tactical maturity, Pep’s teachings seeping into Foden’s brain. He might not be the headline stealer at this stage, but Foden is unquestionably operating at a higher level, and City’s wider system are feeling the benefits.

Matches (starts)

28 (20)

9 (8)

Goals

7

1

Assists

2

1

Touches*

43.5

59.4

Accurate passes*

27.0 (89%)

39.7 (89%)

Chances created*

1.5

2.3

Dribbles*

0.5

0.7

Ball recoveries*

2.2

4.1

Tackles + interceptions*

0.8

1.3

Duels (won)*

2.3 (45%)

3.1 (54%)

Foden is one of the best in the Premier League, and he is on his way to reminding everyone of that fact. However, he’s not the only member of City’s squad doing such a thing right now, with his younger countryman emerging as the latest starboy fashioned under Guardiola’s wing.

Man City's homegrown talent is now one of PL's best

Manchester City’s academy is a thing to behold. Truly, the dominant Premier League force have welcomed some of the country’s most exciting talents to the scene, and the likes of Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers are among those plying their trade elsewhere, such is the bloated nature of the club’s youth scene.

But City learn from their mistakes, and when Chelsea came calling for Nico O’Reilly in January, they were flat-out rebuffed in their advances, despite The Athletic’s David Ornstein confirming the interest was very much genuine.

This time last year, the 20-year-old was on the fringes of Guardiola’s outfit. Now, he is emerging as the first-choice left-back for club and country.

He impressed for the Three Lions after making his debut last week, playing 90 minutes against Serbia and then Albania, keeping clean sheets on both counts. As per Sofascore, he lost only one duel across those two clashes, recovering eight balls and completing 92% and 93% of his passes.

Already, he has nailed down a prominent position in City’s first team. Naturally a centre-midfielder, the boss has repeated hisown spectacular trick and redefined his technically sound up-and-comer into a dynamic, inverted full-back. O’Reilly has started seven of the last eight Premier League matches, defending resiliently and getting forward and arcing inward to create overloads and help service Haaland.

Continuing to look at it from a wider scope, the 6 foot 4 star ranks among the top 16% of positional peers in the Premier League this season for passes attempted, the top 9% for progressive carries and touches in the attacking box, and the top 6% for tackles per 90, as per FBref.

He’s only going to get better, and given the high regard he is held in by Guardiola and for the Three Lions under Thomas Tuchel, there’s little question that City have found their latest superstar in the making.

It is important, typically, not to overburden up-and-coming prospects. But O’Reilly is different, so cultured and convincing across the various phases of play.

One Man City content creator was left speechless after the club’s recent win over Liverpool, hailing O’Reilly as “our best academy graduate since Phil Foden”.

That might just be the case. Even Roy Keane agrees. The Manchester United legend remarked that the versatile defender “could surprise everybody” by securing a starting berth at the 2026 World Cup next year. Clearly, this is a player becoming one of the best in the Premier League, if not the world.

Perfect for Haaland: Man City can sign Foden 2.0 in "Ballon d'Or level" star

Another Phil Foden-esque talent could elevate Man City’s final third quality even more

ByJoe Nuttall Nov 20, 2025

The Atlanta Braves are shoring up the bullpen by agreeing to acquire veteran right-handed relief pitcher Scott Blewett in a trade with the Baltimore Orioles, according to a team announcement.

The Braves will be sending cash considerations to Baltimore in exchange for Blewett, who is in his fifth MLB season. Additionally, left-handed pitcher Jose Suarez has been designated for assignment to open a roster spot for Blewett.

Blewett, 29, has appeared in four games this season, two with the Orioles and two with the Minnesota Twins. He owns a 1.00 ERA with one earned run, 11 strikeouts and just one walk in nine innings on the mound.

Last season, Blewett pitched in 12 games for the Twins and recorded a 1.77 ERA with 18 strikeouts in 20 1/3 innings.

Atlanta's pitching has struggled as a whole in 2025, ranking 23rd in MLB with a team ERA of 4.36. They've converted in just four of seven save opportunities on the year, too.

The Braves have limped out to a disappointing 8-13 start to the season and sit in last place in the NL East. They're next scheduled to play on Monday, April 21, which will be the first game of a home series against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Manchester United can count themselves lucky that their unbeaten run is still intact. The Red Devils secured a late point away to Tottenham Hotspur, drawing 2-2 in North London, after a largely uninspiring performance once again from Ruben Amorim’s team.

Last season, the Lilywhites were something of a bogey team for United, who lost to Spurs four times. However, when Bryan Mbeumo scored just past the half-hour mark, it looked like that run could be coming to an end.

It was a good goal too, with Amad swinging a cross in for the Cameroonian attacker to guide home with his head.

The Red Devils were passive for most of the game, happy for Spurs to dominate the ball. Eventually, they did buckle under the pressure. In the 83rd minute, Mathys Tel saw his strike take a deflection and fly past Senne Lammens after excellent back-to-goal play.

Eight minutes later, in the first of six added minutes, Richarlison got his head on Wilson Odobert’s shot to direct it home. United seemed dead and buried, but Matthijs de Ligt was the saviour, heading home Bruno Fernandes’ corner to secure a draw.

It was a lacklustre performance from Amorim’s side, with De Ligt a key man at the back.

De Ligt’s stats vs. Spurs

Dutch international De Ligt capped off a good week for him personally by getting on the scoresheet. He was also recalled to the Netherlands squad after a fantastic start to the season at Old Trafford.

His last-gasp header to earn a point for United was an impressive effort.

He managed to shake off his marker and ghosted towards the back post, rising unmarked to head past Guglielmo Vicario in the Spurs goal.

Defensively, the former Ajax star impressed. He was the player whose deflection sent Tel’s strike into the back of the net, but it is hard to blame him after good centre-forward play.

Aside from that, De Ligt made six clearances and three recoveries, mainly operating at right centre-back, having largely bullied the likes of Richarlison ahead of him.

The heroic late goal from the Dutchman, meanwhile, would have brought relief to United fans and players alike. That includes another starter, who struggled against Spurs.

The United star who struggled against Spurs

Despite the performance of De Ligt, United were disappointing against Thomas Frank’s side. It was a largely toothless performance going forward, with Amorim’s side managing just five shots in the entire game.

Chalkboard

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

One of those attacking players who struggled was Matheus Cunha. The Brazilian has shone this season as something of an Amorim favourite, but, operating as a number nine on Saturday, was largely anonymous.

He certainly had a tough day going up against Cristian Romero and Mickey van de Ven.

In fact, Cunha didn’t really manage to get himself into the game at all. The former Atletico Madrid star only managed 35 touches in the 72 minutes he played, less than Lammens’ 37.

He also had four touches in the Spurs box and won one out of seven ground duels.

Touches

35

Passes completed

17/24

Touches in opposition box

4

Ground duels won

1/7

Passes into final third

2

Shots

1

Well, it was a performance which MEN writer Steven Railston also seemed to think left a little to be desired. He gave Cunha a 5/10 for his afternoon’s work, and said the 17-cap Brazil star was ‘not at his best’ at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

It will certainly give Amorim something to think about. United’s next game sees them take on Everton, and with two more physically imposing centre-backs in Michael Keane and James Tarkowski, he might decide against starting Cunha against the Toffees.

There are other options if he decides to rotate the Red Devils’ number 10 out of the lineup. Benjamin Sesko is, of course, one player who could start, although he picked up an injury against Spurs. Joshua Zirkzee is another player Amorim could turn to, and his hold-up play could be important against the Toffees.

Whatever decision the United boss chooses, he will need his side to create more going forward. On another day, they could have easily been put to the sword in North London.

Forget Mbeumo: "Phenomenal" Man Utd star was the real player of the month

Bryan Mbeumo has won the Premier League Player of the Month, but one other Manchester United star may feel hard done by.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 7, 2025

Unbroken 197-run stand with Kane Williamson leaves Northants in the mire

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay22-Jul-2025

Max Holden carves the ball away•Getty Images

Middlesex 319 for 1 (Holden 137*, Williamson 88*, Robson 57) vs NorthamptonshireMiddlesex’s Max Holden plundered an unbeaten century as he and New Zealand star Kane Williamson piled up runs on the opening day of their Rothesay County Championship clash against Northamptonshire.Holden, opening to accommodate Williamson’s red-ball debut for the county at number three, batted right through the day for 137, his third ton of the season, with the pair adding an uninterrupted 197 to reach 319 for one at Merchant Taylors’ School.Sam Robson (57) shared a stand of 122 with Holden before Williamson – sampling his first taste of Championship cricket since he featured for Yorkshire in 2018 – weighed in with an unbeaten 88.It was a testing day for Northamptonshire, with Ben Sanderson their only successful bowler after they inserted the hosts in overcast conditions, while Rob Keogh sustained a serious-looking finger injury attempting to catch Williamson’s ferocious drive.With Northamptonshire skipper Luke Procter absent for personal reasons, Lewis McManus took the reins for the first time in red-ball cricket and fulfilled his first duty by winning the toss.However, his bowlers went through the morning session wicketless, despite a tricky opening spell by Sanderson – with Holden taking his time to settle, facing 20 deliveries before he got off the mark with a single.First change Dom Leech struggled for consistency and Robson took advantage to steer him for successive fours as Middlesex picked up the pace, with Holden also unfurling a couple of classy straight drives to the boundary.Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal entered the attack as early as the 15th over, extracting turn as he began with two maidens, but Holden danced down the wicket to take him on, driving and sweeping with confidence.Having reached lunch with 90 on the board, the Middlesex pair advanced their partnership into three figures and Robson won the race to his half-century, pulling Liam Guthrie for two boundaries in an over.But the opener departed in the next, caught behind leg-glancing Sanderson and that slowed the batting side’s progress, although Williamson opened his account with a sweetly-driven cover boundary off Liam Guthrie.Holden moved on to 50 with a swiped hook that flew to the rope, but soon afterwards the left-hander survived a sharp chance to short leg off Chahal – now operating in an all-spin attack alongside Keogh.Displaying exquisite timing and placement, especially on the off side, Williamson mastered the bowling and progressed to his half-century just three balls ahead of Holden’s hundred, courtesy of a back-foot punch for four off Chahal.The Indian spinner returned for another spell earlier than expected after tea, with Keogh forced from the field after making a valiant but unsuccessful attempt to catch Williamson’s rocket drive off his own bowling.Holden pummelled Leech for another four to lift the partnership beyond 150 and, following the last of the day’s three brief rain stoppages, he and Williamson resumed the Middlesex offensive.Williamson cut Saif Zaib to the fence and then lifted his next ball effortlessly over the top for six but, with the new ball due and the light continuing to worsen, the umpires called a halt to proceedings.

It’s been a rough few weeks for Chelsea.

A draw against Brentford, a loss to Manchester United, and a wholly unconvincing win over Lincoln City in the League Cup have led some to question the direction of the team.

However, we are still early in the season, and the Blues have a squad full of brilliant talents from Joao Pedro and Estevao in attack to Moises Caicedo in midfield and Reece James in defence.

Moreover, one of the players in Enzo Maresca has the ability and potential to someday surpass the greatness of superstars like Mohamed Salah and Eden Hazard.

Hazard & Salah's peak seasons

With the Premier League being the biggest in world football, it has attracted some generational world-class talents, such as Salah and Hazard.

There will always be debates over which player was the best, and while we aren’t necessarily here to weigh in on that debate, it’s worth looking at their best individual seasons.

Both of them have a number of campaigns you could pick from, but when it comes to the Liverpool star, it is impossible to look past what he achieved last season.

For example, in addition to winning the title, the Egyptian superstar amassed a staggering tally of 34 goals and 23 assists in 52 appearances.

That means the dynamic winger was able to maintain an average of 1.09 goal involvements every game, or one every 78.96 minutes.

When it comes to the Belgian, we’d suggest he was at the peak of his powers in the 14/15 season, as even though he produced more goal involvements in 18/19, he did not win the league.

Across his 52 appearances in the former, totalling 4442 minutes, the retired superstar scored 19 goals and provided 13 assists.

In other words, he averaged a goal involvement every 1.62 games, or every 138.81 minutes.

Overall, both Salah and Hazard are some of the best players to ever play in the Premier League, and for our money, Chelsea have someone in their current squad who could surpass both.

The Chelsea star who could surpass Hazard & Salah

Now, as we’ve already mentioned, there are more than a handful of incredibly gifted players in this Chelsea squad, from Pedro to Estevao and more.

Chalkboard

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

However, to even get close to matching, let alone surpassing, the levels of Salah and Hazard, you’ve got to be more than just a special talent.

Fortunately, the Blues do have a certain player who looks like he could go on to be a future Ballon d’Or winner: Cole Palmer.

Yes, of course, the Englishman is the player we are talking about, as he just finished eighth in the prestigious award earlier this week, which represents a significant improvement over his 25th-place finish last year.

However, while already featuring on those lists twice, at 23 years old should tell you enough about the talent we are talking about here, let’s take a look at some of his numbers since moving to Stamford Bridge.

In his first season with the club, the “world-class” superstar, as dubbed by Pat Nevin, scored 25 goals and provided 15 assists in 3613 minutes, which comes out to a goal involvement every 1.12 games, or every 90.32 minutes.

Then, last season, the former Manchester City gem scored 18 goals and provided 14 assists in 52 appearances, totalling 4,247 minutes, which comes out to a goal involvement every 1.62 games, or every 132.71 minutes.

Finally, so far this season, he has scored two goals in four appearances, totalling 235 minutes, which is one every other game or every 117.5 minutes.

Overall, the England international has already amassed a tally of 45 goals and 29 assists in 101 games for the club, and while he’s out injured at the moment, we have no doubt those numbers will only improve.

Appearances

101

Minutes

8095′

Goals

45

Assists

29

Goal Involvements per Match

0.73

Minutes per Goal Involvements

109.39′

Ultimately, Palmer still has some way to go before he surpasses either Salah or Hazard, but based on what we’ve seen from him over the last couple of years, we have no doubt he’ll get there eventually.

Maignan makes Chelsea or Man United decision after Maresca's transfer demand

The France number one could agree a pre-contract in January.

ByEmilio Galantini Sep 25, 2025

Harry Kane returning to the Premier League "isn't even a question" at the moment, claims ex-Bayern Munich star Dietmar Hamann, but "things can change quickly" when it comes to movement in the transfer market. Prolific former Tottenham striker Kane is said to have a release clause in his contract at the Allianz Arena that can be triggered during the summer of 2026.

Kane clause: What is the transfer trigger in Bayern contract?

Teams around the world have been made aware that Kane could be prised away from the reigning Bundesliga champions for around £54 million ($72m). He will turn 33 in July 2026, with inevitable questions being asked of whether such a sizeable sum represents value for money to any of Kane’s many suitors.

He has, however, been able to maintain remarkable individual standards in Germany, registering 105 goals for Bayern through 108 appearances in all competitions. With there no sign of him slowing down, as the longevity of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo is emulated, teams in the Premier League and La Liga have been credited with interest.

AdvertisementGettyTrophy focus: Why Kane is giving no thought to transfers

Kane has offered no indication that he is considering a move, with it suggested that he could retrace steps to Spurs or take on a new challenge in Spain with Barcelona or Real Madrid. Hamann can appreciate why no thought is being given to a change of scenery in a season that has Bayern chasing down more domestic and continental honours.

He told when asked about the Kane rumours: "He has a clause which means he can leave Bayern in January or the summer, but whether anyone pays the £54 million in his contract, I don't know. Obviously, a lot will depend on how he plays in the World Cup.

"However, he's very settled and happy, at the moment, returning to the Premier League isn't even a question. Then again, things can change pretty quickly in football, but right now, he seems like a very happy chap to me. I think leaving Munich in the summer is probably one of the last things on his mind."

Premier League temptation: Will Kane head home?

Hamann has previously told GOAL of Kane potentially heading back to England and chasing down Alan Shearer’s all-time Premier League goals record: "Well, he’s got two years left, and obviously Bayern were very, very keen on Nick Woltemade this summer, which in the end they didn’t get.

"A lot of people have been saying that Kane might leave, or will probably leave, after the World Cup. I don’t know whether people know more than I do, I’ve not heard anything, but a lot of people suggested it.

"It’s obviously the last year of his contract that Bayern Munich can get a fee for him. But then people said he might want to go back to England and play in the Premier League for one or two more seasons. It’s certainly something I can see.

"Obviously, Bayern haven’t got a replacement now because Woltemade didn’t come, [Nicolas] Jackson is only there on loan. It’s a long way away; you need to see what happens in the World Cup. But I think there’s a possibility that he might leave after the World Cup."

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GettyEngland's GOAT: Will Kane grace another Euros?

Hamann is of the opinion that Kane has plenty of football left in him at the very highest level, with it possible that next summer’s World Cup will not be the last major international tournament that the fearsome No.9 graces.

Ex-Germany midfielder Hamann added: "There might be an outside chance he could play in the next Euros. However, I can't see him playing in four years' time because he'll be 36 or 37.

"Forward players tend to have shorter careers than midfielders or defenders. There aren't many offensive players past 35 because, as I said, even though he doesn't rely on his pace, as he's never been the quickest, I think once you go past 33 or 34, it becomes very hard to compete at the top level."

Kane has reached 76 goals for England, meaning that a century of strikes for his country is a realistic target. He is also closing in on Peter Shilton’s record of 125 caps – having acquired 110 of his own – and is considered to be staking a claim to GOAT status with the Three Lions.