After missing out on promotion last term, a trip down memory lane is always a good way to lift the mood of a football club.
And that’s exactly what’s happened with Leeds fans who after experiencing a somewhat topsy-turvy start to pre-season where Marcelo Bielsa declined the chance to go on the first leg of their tour, were given a thick slice of nostalgia on Twitter.
A series on the social media channel sees videos being released under the hashtag #LegendsOfEFL, one of which demonstrated the abilities of Luciano Becchio.
Upon watching the footage, Leeds fans were foaming at the mouth over what he used to bring to the Yorkshire club.
One supporter claimed he was the best player in the division on his day whilst a further fan called him the best Leeds player of the last decade.
Another individual couldn’t help but dream of what he’d be like playing under Bielsa as another tweet saw one fan urge for him to be involved at Leeds in a coaching capacity.
In 219 games for the Whites between 2008 and 2013, the 35-year-old netted 86 times and also claimed 20 assists.
The Argentine is now retired but is currently employed as the assistant manager of Spanish outfit Atletico Baleares.
Luke Fletcher wins county prize, Alice Capsey voted inaugural Emerging Women’s Cricketer
ESPNcricinfo staff05-Oct-2021Yorkshire batter Harry Brook has been voted the Cricket Writers’ Club (CWC) NV Play Young Player of the Year, with Sophia Dunkley selected for the JM Finn Women’s Cricket Award. Meanwhile, retiring broadcaster Michael Holding was recognised by the CWC for his presentation of cricket to the public.Luke Fletcher won the LV= Insurance County Championship Player of the Year, while 17-year-old Alice Capsey was named the inaugural Sumaridge Estate Wines Emerging Cricketer of the Year. Brook and Capsey picked up equivalent awards from the Professional Cricketers’ Assocation last week.The Lord’s Taverners Disability Cricketer of the Year Award went to Alex Jervis, for his off-field work with Yorkshire.Brook becomes the 13th Yorkshire player to win the CWC Young Player award, which has been presented every year since 1950. Winners of the award must be aged under 23 at the start of the season. Recent recipients include England captain Joe Root (2012), Ben Stokes (2013) and Sam Curran (2018).Brook tallied 1286 runs across all formats in 2021, finishing as the fourth-highest scorer in the Vitality Blast and making an impact on the men’s Hundred for Northern Superchargers.Related
County Championship comes in from the margins in rejigged 2022 schedule
Root voted men's PCA Player of the Year, Capsey wins women's Young Player
Back to school for Capsey but England honours beckon
Brook unleashes full potential to win praise from England 'big dogs'
“I wrote down a few notes at the start of the year about what I wanted to achieve and the runs I wanted to
get in different formats and I nailed that,” Brook said.Dunkley, the 23-year-old middle-order batter, enjoyed a breakthrough summer with England to impress the CWC judging panel comprising members of the written and broadcast media. The first black woman to play Test cricket, Dunkley made an unbeaten 74 on debut against India, following that up with a match-winning 73 not out in only her second ODI.She was also part of the Southern Brave team that reached the final of the women’s Hundred, ending the tournament as third-leading run-scorer.”There have been a lot of highlights for me this summer but making my Test debut was
obviously very special, they don’t come around that often in the women’s game,” she said. “To go on to make my ODI
debut was also something I had dreamt of growing up as well.”Another star of the Hundred, Capsey helped Oval Invincibles to lift the title, scoring 150 runs to go with 10 wickets. She was also a leading performer for South East Stars as they claimed the Charlotte Edwards Cup.”It’s been incredible, a really special summer to be part of and one I’ll remember for a very long time,”
Capsey said. “To end the season with two trophies is great.
It was really special to be at Lord’s… I loved being in front of the crowd and I
felt like I belonged there. It was uplifting.”Holding, the former West Indies fast bowler and experienced commentator, won the Peter Smith Award – decided by the CWC awards panel – for his “outstanding contribution to presentation of cricket to the public”.The panel’s citation reads: “Michael Holding first became an icon of the game as ‘Whispering Death’, his
potent combination of grace and menace epitomising West Indies cricket in the 1970s and ’80s. He achieved
similar stature as a broadcaster with his unmistakable voice and his trenchant yet fair opinions. In the last 18
months, his searing words on racism and the Black Lives Matter movement have opened eyes and ears
around the world. He will be missed in his second retirement as much as in his first.”Notts fast bowler Fletcher was voted Championship Player of the Year after taking 66 wickets at 14.90 – the most in the country. “You don’t go into the season thinking you are going to get awards like that,” Fletcher said. “Thank you to everyone who voted.”The CWC Derek Hodgson Book Award was given to Nick Greenslade for The Thin White Line, which tells the story of the 2010 spot-fixing scandal.
This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…
Rangers will be left waiting on a potential loan move for Ryan Kent, with the winger set to join Liverpool on their tour of the USA, as reported by The Mirror.
What’s the story?
It had been reported earlier by The Daily Record that Rangers could land Kent as early as next week, with the 22-year-old not yet a confirmed participant of the trip across the Atlantic.
However, The Mirror say that Reds boss Jurgen Klopp is now keen to utilise the player in pre-season, blocking attempts from Leeds United and Rangers to land him on loan, with plans to play him against Bradford on Sunday and then take him abroad.
It means that the Gers will be left waiting on whether any loan move for the player will go through.
Other outlets, like STV, have reported the Ibrox club will have the first option on Kent if Liverpool do decide to let him leave on loan later in the summer.
You won’t believe which of Liverpool’s Champions League winning side of 2005 is still playing in the video below…
A chance for others
It’s not as if Rangers are struggling for options on the flanks right now, and a delay in Kent’s potential return means that others at Ibrox should get opportunities to impress manager Steven Gerrard.
Jordan Jones was the first to be utilised on the left wing against St Joseph’s on Tuesday night, gaining praise for the performance on his debut.
He appears to be the Ibrox boss’ go-to option on that flank for now and if he can chip in with goals and assists, complementing his direct pace and dribbling, then he could make the position his own while Kent’s future is still up in the air.
A Kent arrival next week, reported to have been possible, would have surely halted Jones’ progress in the first-team and severely limited his chances to off-the-bench appearances.
The 24-year-old doesn’t have a fantastic track record of direct goal contributions, managing just four goals and four assists at Kilmarnock last season, but he will now have the platform to prove he can do the job at Rangers.
Callum Parkinson takes four-for but Kent double score from 116 for 7
ECB Reporters' Network30-Aug-2021Leicestershire 66 for 5 (Stewart 2-10) trail Kent 232 (Leaning 75*, Crawley 50, Parkinson 4-68) by 166 runsA last-wicket partnership of 68 helped Kent recover from 116 for 7 before the visitors picked up five wickets in the final session to finish firmly on top after an entertaining first day of the LV= Insurance County Championship fixture at the UptonSteel County Ground, Grace Road.Kent captain Sam Billing’s decision to bat first raised eyebrows given the solid cloud cover, and Leicestershire’s veteran seamer Chris Wright certainly found plenty of movement through the air during a testing first spell, dismissing Jordan Cox in his first over with an outswinger that the Kent opener edged to Colin Ackermann at second slip.Zak Crawley and Joe Denly responded positively, getting forward as much as possible and putting away the bad ball in compiling a partnership of 76 for the second wicket. Crawley was particularly impressive off his legs against the seamers, but looked less assured against the left-arm spin of Callum Parkinson, and having reached his 50 off 68 deliveries, the right-hander went back to pull a shorter delivery from the spinner over midwicket only to find it was a quicker ball that hurried on to him, beat the stroke and bowled him off his back leg.Having made the breakthrough, Parkinson followed up in style, first by producing a delivery that turned sufficiently to take Denly’s edge, Ackermann taking a fine one-handed catch low to his right at slip, and then bowling Billings through the gate to send Kent in to lunch on 96 for 4.Three more wickets followed quickly after the break. Ollie Robinson top-edged an attempted sweep at Parkinson to give Lewis Hill a simple catch at backward square, before Wright had Darren Stevens caught at second slip without scoring and then won a leg before decision against Grant Stewart with a full delivery.Not for the first time this season, however, the Kent lower order dragged the innings back from the brink. Matt Milnes gave Jack Leaning solid support in a partnership of 42 for the eighth wicket before losing his leg stump to Ed Barnes, and although Nathan Gilchrist was run out without scoring James Logan saw Leaning through to his half-century and beyond before he too was run out.A score that looked no more than competitive looked positively formidable by the close. Sam Evans was caught by Leaning at third slip after chasing a widish delivery from Milnes before Stewart took the key wicket of Ackermann with a fine delivery which moved away just enough to take the edge.In gloomy light Stewart followed that by bowling Hill off the inside edge, Stevens had Hassan Azad caught behind and left-arm spinner Logan capped off the day by having Harry Swindells leg before with his first delivery.
Plays of the Day from the third ODI between India and South Africa, in Rajkot
Firdose Moonda and Rachna Shetty18-Oct-2015The dance moves
This is a season for celebration: the festival of Navratri, spread over nine days and nights, is perhaps most colourfully celebrated in the state of Gujarat, with numerous events held across the nine evenings. Some of that fervor spilled on to the cricket field. Between overs, while Amit Mishra geared up to bowl the 13th over, Virat Kohli walked to his fielding position between mid-on and midwicket. The DJ started playing some tunes and Kohli, getting into the festive spirit, did some shadow moves, cheered on by the crowd.The overstep
India had not bowled a no-ball in the series until the 26th over of the third match, when Mohit Sharma stepped over the line. And he could not have chosen a worse time. The rest of that delivery, one of his typical slower balls, tricked Faf du Plessis into attempting an aerial shot down the ground, which he promptly miscued into the hands of Virat Kohli. The celebrations had to be stalled when replays showed that none of Mohit’s heel was behind the line.The under-reach
Six balls after Mohit’s mistake, du Plessis offered India a genuine chance when he tried to flick an Axar Patel ball over the leg side but was surprised by extra bounce and got a leading edge to short cover. Suresh Raina was stationed there and, being a man of fairly small stature, had to stretch as much as he could to reach the ball. He leapt, opted to stick out just the right hand and found his fingers grasping only air as the ball went over him and du Plessis survived again.The non-repeat
Faf du Plessis flirted with danger twice but seemed to be enjoying the risks and scooped Mohit Sharma over MS Dhoni’s head to display some innovation at a time when South Africa’s innings needed acceleration. Du Plessis liked the shot so much he tried to do it again off the very next ball but could not find the same balance and toppled over, skying the ball towards the third-man boundary, where Bhuvneshwar Kumar took a good running catch.The lightshow
When fans in Indore turned on their mobile torches to create a scene worthy of a rock concert, it was noticed by MS Dhoni and the Indian team, so Rajkot wanted to show they could do it too. In the eighth over of India’s chase, fans in all parts of the stadium turned on their flashlights, in support of the side. The tiny dots of light created a magical scene, once again. Will Chennai match up?The stand-in drop
AB de Villiers would not have thought he’d need to keep wicket in the ODIs, but after Quinton de Kock’s exhaustion after batting, he was forced to. And showed that even a man of his skill needs practice before being perfect. The first chance that went his way was a deflection off Shikhar Dhawan’s bat as he tried to defend a full delivery from JP Duminy. It was a tough chance but de Villiers has been known to take those; this time, he could not hold on.The premature celebration
Virat Kohli’s struggle for runs finally ended when he was promoted up the order to No. 3 and given plenty of time to get his eye in, sans the pressure of needing to push on too quickly. Kohli had worked his way to 48 and was facing Imran Tahir, who the Indian batsmen were dealing well with, when he skipped down the track and sent the ball to long-on. MS Dhoni thought there was time for two runs and ran from the non-striker’s end fist-pumping only to find Kohli was happy to wait a little longer for the fifty. Kohli got there later in the over and allowed himself only a subdued celebration.
Chelsea’s erratic reputation has only strengthened this week, following the exit of Mauricio Pochettino.
The Blues have gone through five managers since 2022, with the Argentine having by far the best win percentage at 51%.
Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino.
European football was also secured after a rocky first half of the season, and it seemed that the former Tottenham Hotspur boss was finally discovering his best side and setup.
This makes the decision to mutually part ways even more confusing, but nonetheless, let’s take a look at who’s potentially being lined up as a replacement.
Chelsea want to replace Pochettino as soon as possible
According to reports, Chelsea are desperate to bring in a replacement for Pochettino quickly, rather than allowing their search for a new boss to enter the summer months.
talkSPORT revealed that the Blues have a few candidates on the list, including Roberto De Zerbi, who announced that he'd be leaving Brighton & Hove Albion last week.
Another name mentioned is Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe, who’s been tremendous for the Magpies since his arrival.
While both managers would be great options for the role, it’s Howe who could prove to be more suited, and some could argue he’s even better than the Italian.
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe
Howe vs De Zerbi 23/24 Premier League stats
Last season, Howe and De Zerbi both exceeded all expectations at their clubs, securing Champions League football and the Europa League, respectively.
Although this was a massive moment in the history of both clubs, especially the Seagulls, it did have a negative impact on their domestic performances.
Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi.
Both the Magpies and Brighton finished in a lower position than they did last campaign, with the increased fixture list causing plenty of injury issues.
Despite that, the former Bournemouth coach did secure Newcastle a spot in Europe next season, unlike De Zerbi’s side, who struggled to cope with the added stress.
Newcastle vs Brighton 23/24 PL Stats
Stats
Newcastle
Brighton
Position
7th
11th
Wins
18
12
Goals scored
85
55
Goals conceded
62
62
Shots (per game)
14.5
14.8
Avg possession
52.2%
60.2%
Via Sofascore
As you can see by the table above, the Magpies had a much better season than the Seagulls, from pretty much every perspective.
Even though the former Sassuolo boss’ style of play is extremely entertaining, football is a results-based game, and the statistics above really do speak for themselves.
Furthermore, De Zerbi’s complex approach – which has seen him tipped to succeed Pep Guardiola at Man City – may take the squad a much longer time to adapt to, and as we know, Chelsea don’t tend to give their managers time to fully install their philosophy and style of play.
On the other hand, Howe plays a very structured 4-3-3 where each player can focus on their individual role, which has clearly worked better this campaign.
Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe.
Howe seems to be able to get the best out of every individual in his team, as shown by his role in Bournemouth’s success, taking them from League Two to the Premier League, which is why Pochettino labelled him “one of the best coaches in England.”
He’s also continued to work with the most elite players in the league, and he’s able to ensure that big-money signings perform, such as Alexander Isak and Antony Gordon, who have 21 and 11 goals each in the league this season.
Overall, Howe could be an underrated option for the Chelsea job, but as long as he is shown support and backing, he'll have a great chance of success, perhaps more so than De Zerbi.
Chelsea in talks with Poch replacement who could make Mudryk unstoppable
The manager target is also of interest to Manchester United and Brighton & Hove Albion.
Manchester City have reportedly set sights on a rising Serie A star as a potential cover for Rodri who has suffered a season-ending ACL injury.
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Rodri sidelined for the entire season
Man City ramping up efforts to find a replacement
Samuele Ricci of Torino on their shortlist
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WHAT HAPPENED?
Pep Guardiola confirmed on Friday that the Spanish midfielder’s season was cut short after he went down unexpectedly in the first half, clutching his right knee after a non-contact incident. He has already undergone a successful knee surgery on Friday morning and now stares at a long road to recovery, which would see him sidelined for over eight months. This injury has forced City to consider their options for replacing Rodri, as they are fighting for silverware on multiple fronts.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
According to reports from , City are closely monitoring Torino’s rising star, Samuele Ricci, as a potential replacement. The Turin-based side are atop the Serie A standings and credit must be given to the 23-year-old Italian for being a standout performer.
DID YOU KNOW?
Ricci's versatility including his ability to dictate the tempo of the game, break up opposition attacks, and distribute the ball effectively has made him one of the most promising young talents in Italy. He is valued at around £30 million ($40m) and City might be willing to shell out the fee as he can provide immediate cover and has the potential to emerge as a long-term solution in midfield.
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WHAT NEXT?
Torino are enjoying a successful campaign and may be unwilling to part with one of their key players, especially if they continue to challenge for a Champions League spot. Ricci will be back in action when they take on Lazio on Sunday, whereas, Guardiola will lead his troops against Newcastle United at St.James' Park on Saturday.
Luis Suarez is being backed to extend his ‘Last Dance’ alongside Lionel Messi at Inter Miami
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Striker has been nursing knee problems
Fitness issues are not holding him back
Expected to prolong career in Florida
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WHAT HAPPENED?
The experienced Uruguayan striker, who is now 37 years of age, stated that retirement could be an option for him when mulling over his options at Brazilian outfit Gremio. In the end, long-standing knee problems were put to one side as the enigmatic frontman reunited with former Barcelona team-mate Messi in Florida.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Suarez only signed a one-year contract with the ambitious MLS outfit, but there has been talk of him agreeing fresh terms after netting 17 league goals this season – and 21 in total – to put himself in another Golden Boot race. Close friend Messi has at least 12 months left to run on his deal in Miami.
WHAT POYET SAID
Quizzed on whether Suarez, who has retired from international duty, could prolong his career in the United States, fellow countryman Gus Poyet – speaking in association with – told GOAL: “With Luis, we know how much he enjoys his football, how much he needs his family, how much he needs to be surrounded by people he wants to be with. I remember when he was living in Brazil and people were talking about different reasons and blah, blah, blah. I didn’t talk to him, but I knew the reason was ‘Ok, I’m going to be with Lionel Messi again, the families are going to be together and we’re going to be playing together’. Simple. The rest – the knee, too many games, rubbish.
“If both are enjoying it there and can stay for a few years, he will. At the moment he is playing as well. It’s not like the kind of situation where you have too much pain or you are hurting yourself and forcing your body. At the moment he is doing it naturally, so why not? It’s nice because they are taking American soccer to a different level. It’s everywhere the news, constantly, it doesn’t matter what happens. Before we didn’t get any. It’s going back to the times of David Beckham, when he went there.”
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DID YOU KNOW?
Suarez spent six years alongside Messi at Barcelona, winning La Liga titles and the Champions League. Even a player of his stature appreciates that opportunities to work with an all-time great should not be passed up or cut short. Poyet added on the appeal of working with eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi: “For any player it would be amazing, it would be a privilege, but when you are so close as a friend – wow. Sometimes we say in other parts of life, when you move to a city you have a best friend there, or when you go to study at uni and you go with your best friend. That kind of situation makes it easy for you. Playing football with your best friend, and the best in the world, what else could you want? I could see him playing a few more years.”
Chelsea travel away from Stamford Bridge as they prepare to take on relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest at the City Ground this evening.
The Blues have three matches left to play in the Premier League, starting with this clash against Nuno Espirito Santo's side, as they aim to secure a place in a European competition for next season.
Mauricio Pochettino's men come into this match off the back of an emphatic 5-0 win over London rivals West Ham United last time out in the top-flight, which suggests that they should be full of confidence on their travels to Nottingham.
Despite the convincing scoreline, the Argentine boss could drop Mykhailo Mudryk after an underwhelming performance on the left flank, which led to GOAL reporter Mark Doyle awarding him a match rating of 5/10 and describing the winger as the 'weak link' in the team.
Mykhaylo Mudryk for Chelsea
Pochettino must finally unleash Christopher Nkunku from the start in his place and pair him with Cole Palmer, who he could thrive alongside in the final third.
Cole Palmer's creative wizardry
The left-footed star has been a creative wizard in the Premier League this season and has the passing and crossing quality to create high-quality chances for the France international to find the back of the net.
He currently ranks within the top 11% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the division for assists per 90 (0.34), the top 7% for Expected Assisted Goals per 90 (0.36), and the top 8% for shot-creating actions per 90 (5.44).
23/24 Premier League
Cole Palmer
Appearances
31
Goals
21
Assists
9
Big chances created
14
Key passes per game
2.0
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Palmer has provided a fantastic creative threat at the top end of the pitch for the Blues with 14 'big chances' created in 31 matches.
Why Christopher Nkunku should start
The French dynamo made his return from injury off the bench against West Ham last time out and should be unleashed from the start over Mudryk, as his form for RB Leipzig last term suggests that the potential is there for him to be a big player for Chelsea.
He has missed a staggering 39 games through hip, hamstring, and knee injuries for the club this season, which has severely hampered his start to life at Stamford Bridge.
Last season, Nkunku showcased his lethal nature in front of goal with an eye-catching 16 goals in 20 Bundesliga starts for Leipzig, from an xG of 14.59.
The versatile attacker also scored three goals from 1.62 xG across six starts in the Champions League for the German side, which shows that he was lethal domestically and in Europe as the 5 foot 10 marksman outperformed his xG in the Bundesliga and the Champions League.
Nkunku racked up 70 goals and 56 assists in 172 matches for Leipzig during his time in Germany but has only managed two goals in 11 games for the Blues so far, due to his disrupted campaign.
The French star, whose awareness of space was hailed as "exceptional" by U23 scout Antonio Mango, has not had many opportunities to impress in England and must finally be unleashed for the first time since the 4-2 loss to Wolves in February.
Palmer's outstanding creativity could provide him with the chances he needs to thrive against Forest today, due to his xAG and shot-creating actions per 90, and that is why Pochettino should start them alongside each other in attack.
England's Jack Grealish played down the drama between himself and Ireland fans after he was booed during the Nations League clash between the teams.
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Grealish represented Ireland at youth level
Was booed by fans as he scored for England
Winger said there is 'no bad blood'
WHAT HAPPENED?
Grealish and his Three Lions co-star Declan Rice were targeted by the home team's fans throughout the match at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday. Both players represented Ireland at youth level, with Rice making three senior appearances, but ultimately switched to play for England instead.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Amid the boos, Rice went on to score the opening goal just 11 minutes into the clash before Grealish added a second 15 minutes later as England went on to record a 2-0 win in their first game under interim manager Lee Carsley.
WHAT GREALISH SAID
Grealish attempted to downplay the animosity with Ireland fans, telling after the game: "It was what me and Declan expected. We have nothing bad to say, we both enjoyed our time [playing for Ireland] – I certainly did and I have a lot of Irish in my family, so there's no bad blood whatsoever from my side."
After missing out on a place in England's Euro 2024 squad, Grealish was delighted to have returned to international duty with a goal, adding: "Going to the fans at the end and hearing them sing my name, listen there's no better feeling than playing for England, everyone will say the same thing, especially in games like this when you know the whole nation is going to be watching.
"Over the summer, it was one of the worst summers of my life because you can't not see everything that is happening in front of you. It was difficult but it's given me something to bounce back."
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WHAT NEXT FOR ENGLAND?
The Manchester City star will hope to impress once again when they meet Finland in their next game on September 10.