Category Uncategorized

England arrived at Lord’s as underdogs and left as favourites

Matt Roller29-Jun-2023England arrived at Lord’s as outsiders on Thursday morning, and left the ground 10 hours later as favourites. Not bad, for a team derided in several quarters as “brainless” and forced to defend their approach on a day where they gained a foothold in an Ashes series that had threatened to slip away from them.After 61 overs, England are 278 for 4 against a team whose spinner looks highly unlikely to bowl again in this match and are only 138 runs behind on first innings. Yet the focus has fallen squarely on a passage in which they lost three wickets for 34 runs, largely ignoring the 244 for 1 they added either side.Jonathan Agnew, the BBC’s cricket correspondent, interviewed Ben Duckett moments after stumps were drawn. “What about the general mood in the dressing room [about the fact] that three frontline batsmen get out in that fashion with such a clear plan, and with the spinner off the field injured?” he asked.Duckett was bemused. “I’m not sure how to answer that,” he said. “I’m surprised about the question. We’ve played positive cricket for the past 12 months and we’re certainly not going to change. We’re very happy with the position we’re in. If we can eke closer to them and even get a lead, I think we’re on top in this game.”The exchange laid bare the extent of the transformation in England’s attitude towards risk. Once, there was a right way to play, an unwritten moral code which dictated that the superior way to get out is while defending; now, there is no stigma involved in attacking, no tacit understanding that certain shots are off limits.Related

• Lyon injury could yet define this Test

• England loosen grip on Lord's Test in the face of short-ball barrage after Duckett 98

• Lyon suffers 'significant' calf strain to leave Ashes future in doubt

England lost three wickets to the short ball in that period after tea, all of them playing attacking shots. Ollie Pope toe-ended Cameron Green to deep backward square leg; Duckett hooked Josh Hazlewood to deep fine leg; Joe Root plinked Mitchell Starc to square leg, where Steven Smith dived forward to take an excellent low catch.And it could have been worse. Root had earlier gloved behind to Alex Carey, only to be reprieved when replays confirmed Green had over-stepped, while Harry Brook – perhaps the most frenetic of England’s batters during a chaotic passage – was put down by Marnus Labuschagne at square leg, again taking on the short ball.This was, unquestionably, Australia’s moment. A frontline bowler down on a pitch that Smith described as “pretty flat and benign”, their change in plans – a short-ball barrage with fields set to match – brought them three quick wickets and brought them back into a game that had wriggled out of their control.But to hammer England for getting out playing attacking shots misses the point completely. Their mini-collapse did not exist in a vacuum, but in the context of a day where they had been so dominant that Australia – the recently-crowned World Test Champions, no less – were forced away from their own strengths: “We had to revert to different tactics,” Smith conceded.Ben Duckett cuts through point•PA Images via Getty ImagesEngland did not reach 188 for 1 by ducking, weaving, blocking and leaving, but by playing in the manner that comes naturally to a team filled with batters who have been brought up in the T20 era and who trust their attacking shots more than their defence. “I’m not happy I got out, but I’d rather get out like that,” Duckett said.Duckett rode his luck through his innings, with a handful of miscues that did not go to hand, but an element of risk is built into his game. Across his innings, he only left two balls, neither of which he felt he could have reached, and played 21 pull shots; the 21st got him out, but the first 20 brought him 23 runs.”10 metres either side of him there and I’ve got 100,” he reflected on his dismissal for 98. “I’d only have been disappointed if I’d have gone away from my natural game and it’s a shot that I play and it’s a shot that I’ve scored plenty of runs over my career doing so I’m not happy I got out, but I’d rather get out like that.”In another era, Pope would have walked back through the Long Room fearing a verbal barrage after being caught on the boundary on 42. Not now. “No-one in that dressing room will be disappointed with how he got out,” Duckett said. “Everyone will be a bit gutted that it didn’t go for six.”Popey said, ‘I’m going to get that side of it, and smack it into the stands.’ I said, ‘Go and do it.’ He was so unlucky to get a toe-ender there. If that’s anywhere near the middle, or even a top edge, it’s going miles back for six. It’s the way we play our cricket. If they’re going to have plans like that and we’re going to go into our shells and just get bombed out… that would be going totally against what we do.”Only when Ben Stokes walked out did England’s innings regain a semblance of calm – and even then, Brook did his best to further his commercial relationship with Major League Baseball by slugging another Green short ball for three through mid-off, either side of two more cross-batted swings for four through the leg side.Perhaps England could have batted differently for that half-hour. “Most of the bowlers probably didn’t want to keep charging in and bowling short stuff,” Smith said. “If you get under [duck] a few, it might stop but they kept taking it on.” Perhaps they could have been more ruthless, and reached the close two or three wickets down.But to fixate on three miscues risks missing the bigger picture. On Thursday, England scored at 4.55 runs an over against the best seam attack in the world, forcing their way into the ascendancy barely 24 hours after inserting Australia under heavy cloud cover and taking three wickets for 316.England have won 11 out of 14 Tests by embracing their strengths, dialling up the aggression and taking bowlers on – and they might well win this one, too. 18 months on from the limpest defeat in recent Ashes history, they can be forgiven for briefly leaning too far the other way on a day they dominated.

Fall-out at county is bound to be painful, but necessary, after seismic few weeks for cricket

George Dobell08-Nov-2021Sometimes you have to tear things down to rebuild.That is the stage we are in with Yorkshire County Cricket Club. It will pain many to hear the club they love – and some of the players they have admired – criticised over the next few weeks.But it is a necessary phase. The first step towards rebuilding was acknowledging there was a problem. After many months of denials, Yorkshire – or at least their new chairman – has done that.There is still much to admire in this great cricket club: it still produces fine players; it still plays admirable cricket. A cancer has long existed within it, though. And instead of cutting it out years ago, it has been allowed to grow. There is, no doubt, a racism and inclusion problem across society and within the sport of cricket which reflects it. But the situation in Yorkshire, at club and county level, seems far worse than elsewhere.The evidence for this? Copious first-hand testimony. Testimony that would have been given to cricket’s authorities if only the complainants had any confidence in them. Instead they turned to the media.Remember, it has been reported in recent months that four Yorkshire players of Asian heritage – Adil Rashid, Ismail Dawood, Azeem Rafiq and Rana Naved – have made complaints of racism at some stage. We know, too, that several other players of the same heritage have made complaints in private. Until now, they have largely been ignored.Most of all, there has been Rafiq. Partly because he was a man with nothing left to lose – never forget, he lost a child in the midst of this saga – he wouldn’t give up. Not when the club refused to listen, not when his union told him he didn’t have a case and not when all the people who told him he would have their support melted away. He might turn out to be the most stubborn man in Yorkshire. And that’s a competitive field.At every stage, his story shows up a grim culture. For a start, he should never have faced the abuse he did. He should never have been called ‘Rafa the Kaffir’; he should never have been called a ‘P**i’; he should never have felt he had to drink alcohol to fit in.More than that, though, he deserved to have his complaints taken seriously. He should never have been driven, in despair and frustration, to the brink of suicide. And, even after it took the media’s intervention to ensure there was an investigation, he deserved better than the sham of a report which concluded that use of the ‘P**i’ word was “banter”. At every stage, the game let him down.Azeem Rafiq refused to give up in his bid for vindication at Yorkshire•Getty ImagesLord Patel spoke well on Monday. In acknowledging a “flawed investigation” and “the need for change” he came as close as he could at this stage to admitting institutional racism at Yorkshire. In the end he stopped just short of that conclusion, but it may well follow in the coming days. It’s impossible to reach any other conclusion, really.Patel and Rafiq have much in common. Both were born overseas but grew up in Bradford and Barnsley respectively where the scourge of racism was a daily threat. Both have had their fair share of turning blind eyes and deaf ears to such behaviour. And both are now in a position where they will not do so any more.There is a word of warning required here, though. Roger Hutton, the former Yorkshire chairman who resigned last week, held many of the same views as Lord Patel. He attempted to settle Rafiq’s legal action in April and, initially at least, felt he could bring the club’s executives with him “on a journey” of education and improvement; words Patel also used on Monday. In the end, that reasonable attitude counted against Hutton. Patel must know that some journeys are best made without baggage. There are those at the club who have had every chance to educated themselves and change. Now is the time to cut them loose.Let’s be clear: there is no way Yorkshire can repair its tattered reputation with the same executive team in place. Equally, there’s no way most of the current coaching team can remain; they have presided over the most shameful episode in the club’s history. There has to be a new start at Yorkshire.There will, no doubt, be more uncomfortable moments in the days ahead. Neither Rafiq nor Hutton, the chair who stepped down last week, look set to hold back when they speak to the DCMS (the Department of Culture, Media and Sport) hearing next week. Equally, in the coming days, it seems inevitable that more of Yorkshire’s report into his allegations will leak out. There are other prominent players – including prominent former England players – mentioned in the report. In the case of at least two of them, whom ESPNcricinfo has chosen not to name, Rafiq’s complaints against them were upheld. Given that his complaint against the player who called him a P**i was not upheld on the grounds that it constituted “banter”, those ‘upheld’ verdicts look damning.It’s not just Yorkshire who will be embarrassed, either. The Professional Cricketers’ Association also have things they can learn from the episode. Their representative in this case admitted taking no notes from the meeting in which Rafiq made his complaints and then not recalling a specific complaint on the issue of racism. As a former Yorkshire player who had colleagues who were accused in the meeting he was, no doubt, in a difficult position. But the process failed Rafiq and the PCA know they have to find better ways to act in such conditions. It may be relevant that every one of their staff – and they have 24 full-time members of staff – is white. The representative who worked on this case, whom ESPNcricinfo has chosen not to name, has left the organisation in recent days.An anti-racism banner hangs outside Yorkshire’s Headingley Stadium in Leeds•AFP/Getty ImagesAnd then there’s the ECB. They have, in recent days, done all the right things. And, to most reasonable judges, they handled the Ollie Robinson affair pretty well, too. But they were aware of this case many months ago (Tom Harrison first spoke to Rafiq in August 2020; they received his statement in November 2020) and, for all the warm words they have uttered, we are still awaiting tangible action. Perhaps it is inevitable that the wheels of progress in such a bureaucratic organisation move slowly and there will be, no doubt, much benefit in the establishment of a “Commission for Equity in Cricket”. But sometimes we need to see sanctions and suspensions to know there are bites behind the barking. In short: words are easy. Now it’s time to shut up and show us.It’s going to take a long time for each of these organisations to win back the trust of non-white communities. In recent months, those of us working on such stories have been inundated with the testimony of those who have suffered similar experiences. Often, they do not want those stories publicising; they just want to be heard and for Rafiq to know he has their support. In almost every case – and we are talking several dozen – they feel they tried to alert the authorities and were ignored. In other cases, they felt that there was simply no point trying. They key point is that Rafiq’s experiences are anything but aberrational.In the short term, the ECB will set up a confidential hotline which will field such calls. The hope is this will at least enable the sport to understand the extent of the problem. In time, it might also build more trust. Surrey have already released a statement asking any “Surrey player, coach, official or employee at any level of representation” to contact them if they “feel they have ever suffered racism or prejudice on any occasion during their time at Surrey CCC”. Other clubs need to follow. Some of the results of this “truth and reconciliation” process, as Lord Patel termed it, may be painful, but it’s the only way to progress.Related

• Yorkshire chairman Roger Hutton resigns in racism probe fallout, bemoans ECB 'reluctance to act' earlier

• Tom Harrison: Yorkshire's handling of racism crisis was leading the sport into serious disrepute

• Yorkshire bring in Lord Patel of Bradford as chair after emergency board meeting

• Yorkshire settle employment tribunal with Azeem Rafiq as Lord Patel takes the helm

In the long term, all cricket lovers – even those Yorkshire supporters who currently resent the disruption they may feel he is causing – may come to reflect they owe Rafiq plenty. Like English cricket’s other whistle-blowers in recent years – the likes of Tony Palladino, Don Topley and Ian Pont – he has endured his share of abuse and isolation. But when they tried to buy his silence, he shouted louder. He wouldn’t be bought or bullied or broken. He has persisted and he has prevailed. We may well look back on this as a watershed moment for the game.There will be some – you know the sort – who claim a pay-off was always Rafiq’s aim. But, by declining to sign a non-disclosure agreement, he limited his options in this regard long ago. Instead, his aim has always been change. He simply doesn’t want anyone else to suffer as he has.ESPNcricinfo understands Yorkshire’s settlement with him (which includes his legal costs) also includes the creation of a bursary, in Rafiq’s name, to enable cricketers from Asian backgrounds to enjoy more opportunities within Yorkshire cricket. It was perhaps more telling, though, that moments after agreeing the settlement, Rafiq committed himself to contributing to another bursary. In recognition of the role the cricket media played in bringing his case to wider attention, he will contribute to the Bethan James bursary; a scheme set up by the Cricket Writers’ Club in the name of Bethan, a 21-year-old journalism student who died suddenly and aimed at helping aspiring cricket journalists from working-class backgrounds. Bethan was also the daughter of former England and Glamorgan top-order batter, Steve James.So, where does all this leave us? With a mess, no doubt. Construction sites often look that way. And things may look uglier before they look prettier at Yorkshire. We’re in for a bumpy few weeks.But we also have an opportunity. For far too long, our professional game been growing more exclusive and less reflective of those playing it at recreational level. We have, thanks to Rafiq’s determination and bravery, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get to grips with this issue. We have to seize the chance. And, if we do, we’ll have a sport – and a Yorkshire – of which everyone can feel proud.

Monday was a night to remember for the Raleigh family.

With his father, Todd, pitching on the mound and his 15-year-old brother, Todd Jr., catching behind the plate, Mariners slugger Cal Raleigh hit 18 homers in the final round—and 54 overall—to take home the 2025 MLB Home Run Derby crown. He became the first catcher and switch hitter to capture the crown.

"It means the world," Raleigh said to Jeff Passan on the ESPN broadcast after the final round. "I could've hit zero home runs and had just as much fun. I just can't believe I won. It's unbelievable!"

Raleigh batted first in the final round and mashed 18 homers from the left side of the plate. The other finalist, Rays infielder Junior Caminero, fell just short with 15 homers.

But "Big Dumper" nearly didn't advance past the first round.

Raleigh hit 17 homers in the opening round, tied with Brent Rooker for fourth place out of eight batters behind Oneil Cruz (21 homers), Caminero (21) and Byron Buxton (20). Raleigh and Rooker went to a tiebreaker to determine who advanced—and MLB announced after the round that the Mariners slugger's longest home run traveled about an inch further than Rooker's longest dinger.

Raleigh's longest homer was measured at 470.617 feet, narrowly defeating Rooker's distance of 470.535 feet.

"You know, maybe if they have it to the decimal point, they should display that during the Derby and not wait till everyone's done to bring out that information that might be helpful," Rooker said to reporters after the Derby.

In the second round, Raleigh cruised past Oneil Cruz with 19 homers to his 13.

Raleigh is the first Mariners player to win the Home Run Derby since Ken Griffey Jr. did it three times in 1994, '98 and '99. And, coincidentally, Griffey was in attendance at Truist Park on Monday night working as a photographer for the event.

And does Varun Chakravarthy have the best bowling figures in a losing cause in T20Is?

Steven Lynch05-Feb-2025Sri Lanka used only four bowlers in Australia’s huge total in the first Test. Was this a record? asked Aditya Agarwal from India
Australia’s first innings in Galle last week reached 654 for 6 before Steve Smith declared. You’re right that Sri Lanka used only four bowlers, who sent down 154 overs between them.It was not only the highest Test total in which only four men bowled – previously Australia’s 528 against India in Adelaide in 1981 – but also the highest in all first-class cricket. That mark was previously 533, by South Africa in an unofficial Test against an Australian XI in Port Elizabeth early in 1987.There have been two Test innings longer than 154 overs to feature only four bowlers. In Rawalpindi in 1997, Pakistan used only four in 167.5 overs as South Africa made 402. But the most deliveries came in Sydney in 1951, when England used only four bowlers in 129 eight-ball overs – equivalent to 172 of six balls – as Australia reached 426. One of those England bowlers, Denis Compton, sent down only six overs – but Alec Bedser delivered 43, John Warr 36 and 40-year-old Freddie Brown 44.Three of Sri Lanka’s bowlers last week conceded more than 180 runs: this has happened only once before in a Test innings, in Sri Lanka’s own record total of 952 for 6 declared against India in Colombo in 1997. The bowlers then were Rajesh Chauhan (1 for 276), Anil Kumble (1 for 223) and Nilesh Kulkarni (1 for 195 on debut; his wicket came from the first ball he bowled).Gudakesh Motie top-scored in the match as West Indies beat Pakistan last week. How often has the highest individual innings in a Test come from a No. 9? asked Shane Chintamani from Guyana
It turns out that Gudakesh Motie, who made 55 in the second innings of West Indies’ dramatic series-squaring victory over Pakistan in Multan last week, was only the tenth man to make the highest individual score in a Test match from as low as No. 9 in the order.The list includes Reggie Duff, a batter who usually opened but who went in at No. 10 on his debut for Australia against England in Melbourne in 1902, and scored 104.The other No. 9s who top-scored in an entire Test were Clem Hill (160) for Australia against England in Adelaide in 1908 (he usually batted much higher, but had been ill), Ian Johnson (73) for Australia vs India in Madras in 1956, Asif Iqbal (146) for Pakistan vs England at The Oval in August 1967, Warren Lees (89) for New Zealand vs Sri Lanka in Christchurch in 1983, Wasim Akram (66) for Pakistan vs West Indies in Faisalabad in 1986, Fanie de Villiers (67 not out) for South Africa vs India in Ahmedabad in 1996, Brett Lee (62 not out) for Australia vs West Indies in Brisbane in 2000, and Shaun Pollock (111) for South Africa vs Sri Lanka in Centurion in 2001.Was Usman Khawaja the oldest man to score a maiden Test double-century? asked Emil Chandran from Australia
When he reached his double-century against Sri Lanka in Galle last week, Usman Khawaja was 38 years 43 days old. He was the 12th man to score a Test double-century after turning 38: Don Bradman of Australia and India’s Vinoo Mankad both made two.The oldest man to score a Test double-century remains the South African opener Eric Rowan, who was 42 when he made 236 – his first and only double – against England at Headingley in 1951. Jack Hobbs was 41 when he scored 211 (also rather surprisingly, his maiden Test double-century) for England vs South Africa at Lord’s in 1924. Another Englishman, Patsy Hendren, reached his maiden Test double-century on his 41st birthday, against West Indies in Port-of-Spain in 1930. Graham Gooch of England and South Africa’s Dudley Nourse both also scored Test doubles after their 40th birthdays. Mankad and England’s Andy Sandham were also older than Khawaja when they reached their maiden Test 200s. For the list, click here (note that the ages given are at the start of the match in question).Varun Chakravarthy is the only bowler to have taken two five-fors in losing causes in T20Is•BCCIVarun Chakravarthy took a five-for in a T20 international against England the other day and lost – and it was the second time he’d done that. What are the best T20I figures by someone who ended up losing? asked Lakshmi Narayanan from India
The Indian legspinner Varun Chakravarthy took 5 for 24 in the second T20I against England in Rajkot last week, but he still finished on the losing side, as he did when he claimed 5 for 17 in Gqeberha last November.In all there are 28 instances of a bowler taking five or more wickets in a losing cause in a men’s T20Is, and Chakravarty is the only one to have done it twice. The best figures in a defeat are 6 for 12, by the Hong Kong seamer Nasrulla Rana against Papua New Guinea in Kuala Lumpur in 2023; Chakravarty’s 5 for 17 are the best figures in vain in a match between two Test-playing nations.There were 53 men’s Test matches in 2024. Was this a record? asked Andrew McKenzie from England
The number of men’s Tests in 2024 has been exceeded only twice before: there were 55 in 2001, and 54 in 2002. What’s noticeable is that there were 12 draws in 2001, and eight in 2002, but only three last year. The last time there were as few as three draws was 2020, when Covid meant there were only 22 Test matches all year.For the list, click here. Note that this is worked out by the start date, which means a few Tests which straddle the new year are not credited to the second year. This does not affect any of the top 25 or so entries, except 2013 and 2014 – one Test started on December 30 and continued into January 2014 (so arguably the totals for those years should be 43.5 and 41.5).Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

CI chair Brian MacNeice met with players to address concerns about lack of fixtures

Matt Roller19-Sep-2025Cricket Ireland (CI) hopes that India’s men will tour for a white-ball series next summer on their way to England.India will travel to England for five T20Is and three ODIs from July 1-19 next year, and ESPNcricinfo understands that CI officials have held discussions with their BCCI counterparts over a potential visit before that tour begins. India’s men have toured Ireland three times for short T20I series in the past seven years (in 2018, 2022 and 2023) and attracted strong crowds at Malahide on the outskirts of Dublin.Paul Stirling, Ireland’s captain, said on Tuesday that he was “disappointed” that his side had played so little home international cricket this summer, and described them as “underprepared” to face England in their ongoing T20I series. Brian MacNeice, CI’s chair, said after Friday’s washout in Malahide that he had met players and staff to address their concerns.Related

Stirling 'frustrated' by Ireland's sparse summer schedule

Dublin downpour leads to Ireland-England washout

“I opened the meeting by saying, as far as I’m concerned, the quantum of cricket that we’re playing in ’25 isn’t good enough to prepare you guys to play international cricket and to be competitive at ICC tournaments,” MacNeice said. “I’m not hiding from that.”We mapped out our views and thoughts on what the schedule for ’26 and ’27 looks like, and I wanted to get their input not just on the international schedule, but also the domestic schedule… It was a really positive session yesterday. There’s more work to be done, honestly, but it was a good session.”Sunday’s third T20I against England will be Ireland’s ninth and final home men’s international of the 2025 summer, with four of the first eight lost to weather. Their slimline fixture list is, in essence, the result of the high costs they incur while converting club grounds into international venues and the relatively low value of their broadcast rights deals.”[The players] understand the challenges that we’re facing and some of the reasons why we had what we had, but they also are very clear about what we’re trying to achieve. I think they’re fully bought into that,” MacNeice said.Per the ICC’s Future Tours Programme, Ireland are due to host New Zealand (one Test), Bangladesh (three ODIs and three T20Is) and Afghanistan (one Test, three ODIs and three T20Is) next summer. “There’s still a couple of variables that have to be figured out before we lock in the final schedule, but we’ll be hosting Test cricket here next year,” MacNeice said.MacNeice also said that Ireland’s new stadium project at Abbotstown on the outskirts of Dublin is “very much on track”, and said that he has held positive meetings with senior ECB officials this week around the 2030 men’s T20 World Cup, which Ireland, England and Scotland will co-host.He confirmed that he would be “very supportive” of a proposal for a two-division World Test Championship featuring Ireland, and said that the process of hiring a new chief executive to replace Warren Deutrom is going “really well”, with the hope of making a recommendation for his successor to the board in late October.MacNeice was appointed chair of the board for the planned European T20 Premier League (ETPL) on Thursday, with Deutrom becoming the league’s director. The ETPL was due to launch in 2025, but its inaugural season was postponed to 2026 after it struggled to find buyers for franchises.

Newcastle United’s topsy-turvy campaign continued away at Brentford on Sunday afternoon.

Fresh off collecting another Champions League victory versus Athletic Club at St James’ Park in mid-week, the hope would have been that Eddie Howe’s Magpies would travel to the Bees and start to turn around their stuttering domestic campaign.

Unfortunately for the travelling masses at the Gtech Community Stadium, Newcastle would, instead, crash to their fifth defeat of the Premier League season already, as an Igor Thiago-inspired comeback clinched a 3-1 win for Keith Andrews’ hosts.

Eddie Howe has nowhere to hide after “another awful away day” as journalist Craig Hope brutally put it, with Dan Burn’s sending off late on starting the demise, which saw Brentford sneak home two quickfire efforts inside the final 12 minutes.

The 6-foot-7 warrior wasn’t on his own, though, in putting in another disastrous defensive display, as one of his partners on the day in Sven Botman, was also exposed as a weak link throughout the 3-1 loss.

Botman's poor performance in numbers

This is the second Sunday in a row where Newcastle have travelled to London and surrendered a one-goal lead, with West Ham United also getting the better of them by the exact same scoreline to start November.

In both defeats, the Dutchman has looked shaky and susceptible, with Botman even managing to score an own goal against the Hammers.

While he was spared his blushes in this regard against the Bees, he was still a liability in the centre-back positions throughout, as Thiago’s late 95th-minute game-clinching strike saw the below-par number 4 fail to keep a close eye on the action.

Away from being run ragged by the 24-year-old hotshot, Botman also trudged off at the end with only two of his six duels being won, alongside failing to win a single tackle to try and stop a Brentford side who only grew in confidence, the more the game went on.

Howe might well be tempted to throw Fabian Schar back into his starting XI if Botman keeps up these shoddy performances, with the 25-year-old only managing to collect a slim two clean sheets in league action this season when featuring for the up-and-down Magpies.

With Burn now suspended for Newcastle’s next league tie after the international break against Manchester City, and Nick Pope taken off towards the latter stages of the 3-1 loss, it could be a new-look defence that takes to the field against the revitalised Citizens, as another underperformer at the back fears Howe’s selection wrath.

Newcastle star was just as bad as Botman

Howe is now being stung for being too loyal towards long-standing St James’ Park servants, with Burn very visibly not at the required level anymore to be a starting left-back.

Kieran Trippier also struggled throughout on the right flank against Andrews’ hosts, with the return of Tino Livramento from injury – who Howe stated could be back for the clash against Pep Guardiola’s men – only troubling the 35-year-old’s starting position going forward even more.

Trippier’s performance in numbers

Stat

Trippier

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

81

Accurate passes

47/60 (78%)

Accurate long balls

2/5 (40%)

Accurate crosses

0/5

Possession lost

20x

Dribbled past

2x

Total duels won

4/11

Stats by Sofascore

Often, the ex-Atletico Madrid defender’s saving grace is his ability to conjure up an opening from nowhere, with an inch-perfect free-kick delivery getting the ball rolling in the Champions League last Wednesday night, as Burn then headed home the right-back’s inviting delivery.

Against Brentford, though, this split-second creativity was nowhere to be found, with Trippier failing to register a single accurate cross, which led to Nick Woltemade cutting an isolated figure up top, once more.

Trippier also gave up possession a high 20 times, while also looking rusty when Brentford attacked with pace and energy – much like Botman – with only four of his 11 duels being successfully won.

Livramento’s return from injury has possibly come at the perfect time, so Howe doesn’t have to persist with selecting his declining captain, with Burn also fearful he will be removed from the team for good, for Lewis Hall to take over left-back duties.

Howe stated at the full-time whistle that there are “no excuses” after the Toon succumbed to their fifth Premier League defeat of the season to date, with Newcastle needing to return after the international break refreshed and ready to break out of their inconsistent form, with both Trippier and Botman dropping down to the substitutes bench.

Related Newcastle star dubbed "utterly embarrassing" was just as bad as Burn vs Brentford

An afternoon to forget for the Magpies.

Posts ByTom Cunningham Nov 9, 2025

While he has been on the receiving end of plenty of stick so far this season, not all of it warranted, Viktor Gyokeres has not had a bad start to his Arsenal career.

The Swedish marksman has scored three goals in six Premier League games, and on another night, he would have bagged himself at least one more against Olympiacos.

Moreover, his physicality and monstrous desire to run in behind opposition defences have given Mikel Arteta’s side another dimension.

However, at 27 years old, he needs to start putting more chances away, as he was a win-now signing, unlike another youngster coming up through the academy who seems destined to be worth more than Gyokeres at some point.

Arsenal's Hale End gems

Arsenal have made it a habit of producing brilliant first-team-ready talents from Hale End in recent years, and it looks like that trend is set to continue, considering the gems they currently have in the academy.

In The Pipeline

For example, centre-forward Andre Harriman-Annous continues to impress, and even though he now plays exclusively in the U21s, the 17-year-old has already scored three goals in just six games.

Able to play across the frontline, it feels like just a matter of time until he is handed his competitive senior debut by Arteta, especially as he played in pre-season and has already featured in the senior squad.

Another incredible talent to keep an eye out for is Alex Marciniak.

The 17-year-old Welshman is primarily a left-winger and has built on a strong campaign last season, already producing four goal involvements in just five games.

Described as an “insane” talent by academy expert Will Balsam, the youngster clearly has an eye for goal, but is also blessed with brilliant technique and “tidy footwork,” per Balsam.

Finally, another U18s gem who could make the move up the age groups this season is Ceadach O’Neill.

The Northern Irishman has been in red-hot form so far this year, scoring four goals and providing one assist in just six appearances.

However, there is one teenage talent that currently sits above all others, one that most would agree seems destined to reach a valuation higher than Gyokeres’.

The Arsenal gem on track to be worth more than Gyokeres

While an argument could be made for the likes of Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly fitting this description, the Hale End gem in question is even younger than them: Max Dowman.

The 15-year-old gem was one of the big talking points from Arsenal’s campaign near the start of this season, and it’s easy to understand why.

Following his incredible form in the youth teams last season, which saw him score 19 goals and provide five assists in just 23 appearances, he was taken on the pre-season tour.

Appearances

23

Minutes

1945′

Goals

19

Assists

5

Goal Involvements per Match

1.04

Minutes per Goal Involvement

81.04′

Despite still being so young, Arteta decided to give him 30 minutes of action against Newcastle United, and it proved to be an excellent decision.

Instead of cowering away from the season professionals, the youngsters took them on time and time again, eventually winning a penalty and, as respected analyst Ben Mattinson put it, “humiliating Premier League players.”

With a few more appearances in pre-season, the Chelmsford-born gem was given his senior competitive debut at home to Leeds United in the Premier League.

Once again, he took the fight to the visitors, constantly beating his man and then won another penalty as fouling him was the only way they could stop him.

At this point, talent scout Jacek Kulig’s claim from a year ago that the Englishman was the “most exciting prospect” he had seen “since Lamine Yamal” started to seem far more reasonable.

Ultimately, it’s clear that the Hale Ender is destined for the very top of the game, and if he’s already toying with seasoned professionals at 15 years old, it also feels like he is destined to one day be worth more than the £64m Arsenal paid for Gyokeres.

Arsenal have signed a "powerhouse" who looks like a new Saka-type player

Arsenal may have found a new talisman, akin to Bukayo Saka.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 2, 2025

Newcastle United’s Carabao Cup campaign continues. Eddie Howe’s fine record against Tottenham Hotspur continues. The sense that the Magpies are gearing up for yet another glittering chapter in this incredible story grows stronger.

A pair of headers got the job done against Thomas Frank’s Spurs, courtesy of centre-back Fabian Schar and new striker Nick Woltemade, who arrived from Stuttgart for a club-record £69m fee in August, replacing Alexander Isak.

The German striker faced his detractors upon that high-profile and much-scrutinised move to the Premier League, but he’s passing each test with flying colours, and he proved his worth once again with a strong performance in the cup.

Nick Woltemade continues to impress

Woltemade, 23, has scored six goals from just 11 matches in a Newcastle shirt. That’s quite the return for a raw, up-and-coming forward trying their hand in a new country for the first time.

Premier League

6

482′

4

Champions League

3

86′

1

Carabao Cup

2

92′

1

But he’s been immense, and his confident header against Tottenham, latching onto Joe Willock’s cross, underscored the quality and potential still to come.

Woltemade has drawn all the plaudits, with onlookers singing his praises once again as he helped his team advance to the quarter-finals. Yet again, he proved he’s more than just a goalscorer, creating two chances and winning four duels (as per Sofascore).

However, he wasn’t the best player on the pitch, and that’s a testament to the outfit Howe has crafted.

Indeed, there’s one man in particular who is starting to look like one of the very best in the business.

Newcastle's "absolute joke" outplayed Woltemade

Newcastle are defined by their recruitment, and while you could pick any number of Howe signings as jackpot additions, none stand taller than Sandro Tonali, whose rise has been well-documented over the past year, and yet he still shocks onlookers with his quality.

After a tough maiden year in England, the Italy international has grown into his skin and is now one of the Premier League’s best players. He simply has so many dimensions to choose from, and was praised to no end for his Man of the Match performance.

Described as an “absolute joke” who “just keeps getting better and better” by journalist Andy Sixsmith, there’s a feeling across Tyneside that the 26-year-old could be the key to shattering expectations this term, and he took Newcastle that step closer with a controlled performance against the Lilywhites.

Schar opened the scoring in the first half, but it was Tonali’s inch-perfect delivery that found the Swiss’s head. This is a man of many talents, who won both of his tackles and made seven ball recoveries besides.

But most impressive of all is that the 92-touch Tonali lost the ball only three times on the evening. He was sitting in the centre of the park, and yet he was almost untouchable as he orchestrated and engineered.

The Shields Gazette were blown away by the tireless performance, hailing Tonali’s 9/10 display and drawing attention to his energy and quality. In a sentence: he was peerless in the middle of the park.

Tonali just continues to be so effortlessly good. His football is a work of art, but he’s tenacious and gripping too, absolutely a completely-shaped midfielder.

Woltemade might be the goal-getter, and someone like Bruno Guimaraes the stylish leader, but Tonali is the metronome, making everyone tick.

Not just Joelinton: Newcastle's "true legend" may now be on borrowed time

Newcastle may well part ways with this Howe mainstay at the end of the campaign.

ByAngus Sinclair Oct 29, 2025

تحدث سيد عبد الحفيظ، المرشح لعضوية مجلس إدارة النادي الأهلي، عن رؤيته المستقبلية للقلعة الحمراء وموقفه من عدد من القضايا الكروية، مُشيرًا إلى فلسفته في العمل الإداري، وموقفه من التعامل مع الزمالك.

وقال سيد عبد الحفيظ في تصريحات عبر برنامج “اللعيب”، على قناة “mbc masr”: “لم أفكر في رئاسة النادي الأهلي إطلاقًا، دائمًا أقول الأهم هو أن تترك أثراً في نفوس الناس، حتى إذا لم تكن في منصب، الخير ممكن أي أحد يقدمه سواء من خلال عمل أو مساعدة أو رأي، لكن ماذا سيحدث غدًا؟ لا أعلم”.

وبسؤاله، هل نظرتك ستختلف في التعامل مع الزمالك بعد دخولك مجلس إدارة الأهلي؟، أجاب عبد الحفيظ: “الزمالك سيظل رقمًا كبيرًا في المعادلة والجماهيرية، فهو صاحب الشعبية الثانية الأكبر في مصر والوطن العربي”.

طالع أيضًا | خالد مرتجي: ضحيت بمنصب نائب الرئيس من أجل الأهلي.. والخطيب أصابني بالقلق

وتابع: “هناك توقيت تقول فيها بعض النقاط بمنتهى العقل والأدب، لكن عندما نتكلم في التاريخ والأرقام، فهما من يتحدثان، لأن التاريخ والأرقام ليس فيهما وجهة نظر، الأهم يكون هناك احترام متبادل، والاحتراف شيء مختلف”.

وبسؤاله، هل مدرستك ستعتمد على ضم لاعبين من الزمالك، أكد: “هي نفس مدرسة الزمالك، القلعة البيضاء في وقت سابق ضمت كلا من أحمد حمدي وناصر ماهر وعبد الله السعيد وجميعهم كانوا لاعبين في الأهلي، ما يؤخذ عليك فقط هو الاحترام والتقدير، لكن كما قلت الاحتراف شيء مختلف”.

وأوضح: “ما زلت لم أتول ملفًا بشكل رسمي في مجلس إدارة النادي الأهلي، أشكر الكابتن الخطيب الذي أعلن أنني سأكون مشرفًا على ملف كرة القدم، لكن لم أكلف رسميًا حتى الآن”.

واختتم: “الأهلي منظومة عمل جماعي، كل فرد له دور واختصاصات، المنظومة وارد الأسماء تتغير وتختلف، ولكن النظام دائمًا واحد”.

أبدى أندرو روبرتسون، نجم نادي ليفربول، سعادته بفوز فريقه أمس الأربعاء على أينتراخت فرانكفورت بدوري أبطال أوروبا، كاشفًا في الوقت ذاته ما قاله المدرب آرني سلوت للاعبي الريدز قبل بداية اللقاء.

ليفربول حول تأخره بهدف أمام فرانكفورت إلى فوز مثير ومستحق بخمسة أهداف مقابل هدف أمس الأربعاء، ضمن دوري أبطال أوروبا لحساب الجولة الثالثة من مرحلة الدوري.

وعول سلوت على روبرتسون بشكل أساسي في مركز الظهير الأيسر على حساب ميلوس كيركيز، والذي بقى على مقاعد البدلاء.

ولعب روبرتسون بشكل رائع وساهم في أول فوز لليفربول منذ أربع مباريات هزم فيها الريدز جميعًا.

وقال روبرتسون في تصريحات لموقع ليفربول الرسمي: ”عندما تكون في سلسلة هزائم كما كنا، من المهم أن نسعى للفوز مهما كلف الأمر، لكننا قدمنا ​​أداءً جيدًا أيضًا وكانت هذه رسالة المدرب قبل المباراة، حيث قال لنا ركزوا على الأداء وركزوا على القيام بالأمور بشكل صحيح، وإذا فعلتم ذلك، فستأتي النتيجة، وأعتقد أننا فعلنا ذلك”.

وأضاف: ”من الواضح أننا تأخرنا في النتيجة وأعتقد أن رد فعلنا كان ممتازًا من حيث عدم الخوف، وهو أمر طبيعي لدى الكثير من الفرق عند تلقي أربع هزائم متتالية، أعتقد أن رد الفعل كان رائعًا فقد تقدمنا ​​بفارق كبير ثم لم نتراجع أبدًا”.

وأوضح: ”في الشوط الثاني، كنا مسيطرين تمامًا ولعبنا بشكل جيد للغاية وكان بإمكاننا تقديم أداء أفضل، ولا أعتقد أنهم حصلوا على فرصة في الشوط الثاني أيضًا، وهو أمر مرضي لنا”.

وأردف: ”سيطرنا على الكرة بشكل ممتاز، أعتقد أن كورتيس جونز في خط الوسط كان رائعًا فقد قدم هو ودومينيك سوبوسلاي مباراة رائعة، وحصل فلوريان فيرتز على حرية في الملعب نوعًا ما ورأيناه يتطور باستمرار مع مرور الوقت، أعتقد أنه كان رائعًا”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ديفيد جيمس عن جلوس محمد صلاح كبديل مع ليفربول: سلوت يوجه له تحذيرًا

وتابع: ”هؤلاء الثلاثة قدموا أداءً رائعًا واحتفظوا بالكرة بشكل ممتاز، ثم كان علينا أن نحافظ على دفاعنا جيدًا ونتجنب الهجمات المرتدة وما شابه، ثم نحاول اختيار التمريرات والاحتفاظ بالكرة أيضًا وأعتقد أننا فعلنا ذلك طوال المباراة”.

وواصل: ”كان التقدم الهجومي ممتازًا أيضًا، لذا كانت هناك العديد من العوامل المشجعة، لكنه فوز واحد فقط ونعلم أن أمامنا الكثير من العمل، نعلم أننا بحاجة إلى مواصلة العمل الجاد ومواصلة تحفيز بعضنا البعض ومحاولة مواصلة التقدم، لدينا مباراة صعبة يوم السبت وكان التركيز منصبًا عليها تمامًا منذ صافرة النهاية”.

واستكمل: ”يتحدث اللاعبون دائمًا وربما أكثر قليلًا عند حدوث نتائج كهذه، لكن رسالة متصدري المجموعة كانت أنه لا وقت للقلق، إذا نظرتم إلى مباراة مانشستر يونايتد نهاية الأسبوع، كان الأمر محبطًا للغاية أن نخسر المباراة لكن الفرص التي أتيحت لنا وأشياء من هذا القبيل، كان من الممكن أن تسير الأمور بشكل مختلف تمامًا”.

وقال: ”كنا نعلم أن مستوى الأداء ضد مانشستر يونايتد لم يكن كما هو عليه، وهذا ما كان يجب تغييره، كان يجب رفع مستوى الأداء قليلًا وأعتقد أننا فعلنا ذلك”.

وأضاف: ”لقد تحدثنا جميعًا وقلنا ما لدينا وكان التدريب جيدًا منذ ذلك الحين، حاولنا فقط استيعاب ذلك في هذه المباراة، ولعبنا بثقة وحاولنا تصفية أذهاننا، أعتقد أنكم رأيتم العديد من اللاعبين يفعلون ذلك ولحسن الحظ حققنا نتيجة إيجابية بفضل ذلك”.

وأوضح الدولي الاسكتلندي عن مواجهة برينتفورد بالدوري الإنجليزي واللعب ضد زميله السابق جوردان هندرسون: ”الأمر كله يتعلق بالتعافي الآن، إنها فترة قصيرة جدًا، لطالما كانت مباريات برينتفورد خارج أرضنا صعبة للغاية وأعلم أنهم تحت قيادة مدرب جديد، لكن المبادئ نفسها موجودة نوعًا ما”.

وأردف: ”هم فريق صعب اللعب ضده، خاصة عندما نواجه قائدنا السابق، ما فعله هندرسون لنادينا مذهل، إنه أسطورة ولقد ساعدنا على الفوز بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز هنا لأول مرة منذ فترة طويلة ورفع كأس دوري أبطال أوروبا، إنه أسطورة حقيقية لهذا النادي”.

وتابع روبرتسون في حديثه عن هندرسون: ”لقد انتقل هندرسون وعاد إلى برينتفورد ويقدم أداءًا جيدًا تلو الآخر هناك، لذا سيحتاج خط وسطنا إلى بذل قصارى جهده، لأنني أؤكد أن جوردان هندرسون سيبذل قصارى جهده”.

واختتم: ”لقد كان هندرسون يقدم أداءًا رائعًا كل يوم معنا وهذا لن يتغير في برينتفورد، علينا جميعًا أن نقدم أداءً جيدًا ومن المهم أن نرتاح ونتعافى، لكن تركيزنا منصبٌّ بالفعل على برينتفورد وسنبدأ الاستعداد لذلك”.