Glamorgan wrapped up a six-wicket victory on the final day of their LV= Insurance County Championship match against Leicestershire in Cardiff.Leicestershire resumed their second innings with three wickets in hand and just 41 runs in front. An excellent half-century from Ben Mike and 29 runs from stand-in captain Callum Parkinson took that lead to 149 before the final wicket fell.Glamorgan got off to a flying start in their pursuit of the victory target thanks to a brisk innings from David Lloyd but three wickets from Parkinson slowed their progress. While Parkinson was a consistent threat the Glamorgan batters chased down the required runs in 40.4 overs with Sam Northeast undefeated on 40.Leicestershire will be hugely disappointed to have given away such a strong position on day one and will need to work on their ill-disciplined bowling that saw them bowl 25 no-balls and concede 82 extras in the match.With the wicket of Harry Swindells falling to the last ball of day three Leicestershire were in urgent need of a partnership to give them any chance of setting Glamorgan a challenging target. That is exactly what they got from Mike and Parkinson.Mike narrowly missed out on a maiden first-class hundred in Leicestershire’s last match against Middlesex, with the final wicket falling with him stranded on 99 not out. In this match he carried on that good form as he made a counterattacking 64 to give his team a target that was potentially defendable.Leicestershire had looked frazzled during the last session of day three, and Glamorgan were in complete control. That was not the case on the morning of the fourth day as Mike and Parkinson put on an eighth-wicket stand worth 88.Mike’s enterprising innings was ended in the first over with the second new ball when an attempted pull shot and got a top edge off Michael Hogan that had serious hang time. Chris Cooke took the catch after waiting patiently underneath the skier.It was debutant Andy Gorvin who was given the new ball at the other end and he claimed the first wicket of his career when he had Chris Wright trapped lbw for 3. The innings was wrapped up when Hogan bowled Beuran Hendricks with Leicestershire 266 all out to set a victory target of 150.Lloyd was in no mood to hang around when the chase got underway as he raced to 36 from just 32 balls. He was bowled attempting to sweep, the first of three Glamorgan batters to fall playing that shot off Parkinson.Northeast and Kiran Carlson shared a match-defining partnership in Glamorgan’s first innings and they combined again in a stand worth 35 that got their team within touching distance of the target. Carlson was dismissed by Scott Steel but Northeast saw his side home.Glamorgan finished with 23 points from this match with Leicestershire claiming five bonus points.
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery will now have plenty of focus on the January transfer window after the club’s 3-0 loss to Newcastle United.
Despite the Spaniard having a wonderful group of players to call upon, adding in a new signing or two next month could inject some freshness into the first team, especially with the Midlands side still battling it out on two fronts.
Finances shouldn’t be a problem for Emery heading into the winter window. The question is, who is he looking at?
Aston Villa transfer news
According to Friday’s edition of Spanish outlet AS – via Sport Witness – Villa are battling it out to sign Real Sociedad attacking midfielder Brais Mendez.
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Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
It isn’t just Villa who are keen on luring him to the Premier League, however, as West Ham United are also showing interest in the player as they seek to bolster their squad.
The report goes on to state that Mendez has a deal at the La Liga side until 2028 which has a release clause of €60m (£50m) inserted into it.
Brais Mendez for Real Sociedad
With two English sides fighting it out, it won’t be easy for Emery and co to complete the deal, particularly with the Hammers said to be leading the race at present.
That said, if the Villans could nudge ahead it would represent a real coup, with Mendez statistically similar to a current Villa star, which could see him slot right into the starting XI with ease…
Brais Mendez could be John McGinn 2.0 for Aston Villa
This season, the Spaniard has operated either as an attacking midfielder or in a slightly deeper role at the heart of the midfield, registering three goals and three assists in all competitions for Sociedad.
In La Liga, the 27-year-old has showcased his talents by creating two big chances, averaging 1.1 key passes per game while winning 4.1 total duels each match, proving he can contribute effectively going forward and defensively.
Analyst Ben Mattinson heaped praise on the player at the start of 2024, saying he was “seriously underrated” which suggests he could be an ideal player to bring in next month to rival long-serving captain John McGinn.
The Scot has missed just four games all season for Villa, registering six goal contributions in the process and is one of Emery’s most consistent performers.
According to FBref, McGinn is the third-most comparable player to Mendez, which suggests that Emery could be signing a player with significant talent should the 27-year-old move to England next month.
John McGinn vs Brais Mendez – League stats (2024/25)
Metric
McGinn
Mendez
Goals
0
2
Assists
3
1
Total duels won per game
4.1
4.1
Big chances created
4
2
Tackles per game
0.9
1.1
Total shots per game
1.2
1.2
Stats via Sofascore
Indeed, this season, the pair have registered similar statistics across a range of metrics in their respective leagues, such as goals and assists (both with three), total shots (18 vs 19), shot-creating actions per 90 (2.68 vs 3.14) and tackles won (11 vs ten).
Bringing in another midfielder in January would take some of the pressure on those currently in the squad and, with Mendez showcasing the same sort of attributes as McGinn, it might be a wise investment by the club.
The transfer window cannot come quickly enough.
Aston Villa ready bid for £25m monster who could be a Morgan Rogers repeat
Aston Villa are eyeing a swoop for a Serie A defender…
Matheus Cunha saw his ban extended and a huge fine slapped on him for headbutting Bournemouth defender Milos Kerkez in the FA Cup.
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Cunha punched, kicked, and headbutted Kerkez
Was shown red for his attack
Has been handed a four-match-suspension by the FA
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WHAT HAPPENED?
Cunha played a crucial role in the game, scoring a stunning equalizer to push the fifth-round tie into extra time. However, his night quickly turned disastrous when he became involved in a heated altercation with Bournemouth's Kerkez.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
As the match edged towards penalties, emotions ran high, and Cunha lost control. In a moment of complete indiscipline, the Brazilian forward punched, kicked, and headbutted Kerkez, resulting in an immediate red card. The incident left Wolves a man down at a crucial stage, and they ultimately fell short in the penalty shootout, crashing out of the FA Cup.
WHAT THE FA SAID
Cunha has been handed a four-match suspension and a £50,000 fine following his violent conduct. An official FA statement read: "An Independent Regulatory Commission has imposed a one-match suspension and £50,000 fine on Matheus Cunha. The Wolverhampton Wanderers forward was charged with acting in an improper manner after he was sent off around the 121st minute of their FA Cup tie against AFC Bournemouth on Saturday 1 March. The player subsequently admitted the charge. The Regulatory Commission imposed his sanctions following a hearing, and its written reasons for them will be published in due course. Matheus Cunha will now be suspended from domestic football until Sunday 13 April."
DID YOU KNOW?
After the game, Cunha took to Instagram to express regret for his behaviour, acknowledging that he had let his team down.
"In the end, another game where you guys did your best. I couldn’t lose my head at the end. Sorry," he wrote.
The air of invincibility around Arne Slot’s Liverpool soured somewhat when Fabian Schar arced the ball past the hapless Caoimhin Kelleher’s net, claiming a draw for Newcastle United in the Premier League.
Liverpool’s nine-point lead has been reduced to seven, with Arsenal and Chelsea both winning and then Manchester City just behind.
Slot’s staggering standards have given rise to title dreams, but Liverpool aren’t a perfect team, and were proven to have chinks at St. James’ Park, a stadium known to swallow the mightiest of teams into its maw.
There was always going to come a point when Liverpool would drop points, but it is the manner of the Reds’ draw that rankles. Mohamed Salah inspired Liverpool once again, hauling two goals and an assist, but Schar’s late riposte was a by-product of lacklustre defending.
The backliners aren’t the only culprits, however. Darwin Nunez has long polarised the Liverpool and Premier League communities, and sadly, he did his detractors a favour with a woeful display on Tyneside.
How much longer will Slot keep him in the mix?
Darwin Nunez continues to frustrate
It’s been an interesting season for Nunez. Though he’s only scored three goals across 18 appearances under Slot’s wing, there’s a fresh, minimised focus to his tactical role, with headway made in dribble and duel success, for example.
However, the 25-year-old continues to be erratic and lacks the potency that his peers like Salah, Cody Gakpo, Diogo Jota and the rest have honed over the years. In a phrase: Nunez leaves plenty to be desired, and endured a torrid evening in Newcastle.
The difference between the Uruguayan and Alexander Isak was steep. Where Isak thrived, Nunez toiled; the Swede showcased keen-edged clinical qualities, his counterpart added more wasted chances to the thick catalogue.
Match Stats: Darwin Nunez vs Alexander Isak
Match Stats
Nunez
Isak
Minutes played
90′
90′
Goals
0
1
Assists
0
1
Touches
25
48
Shots (on target)
3 (0)
2 (1)
Big chances missed
2
0
Accurate passes
8/12 (67%)
19/25 (76%)
Key passes
0
5
Dribbles (completed)
2 (0)
9 (5)
Total duels (won)
13 (5)
16 (6)
Stats via Sofascore
Remarkably, Isak’s goal-and-assist performance against Liverpool also saw him win more duels than Nunez, complete five key passes to his rivals’ zero and, again, five dribbles to none.
You can’t help but wonder if Slot watched Isak strut his stuff with a taste of bitterness in his mouth, jealous of Eddie Howe’s number nine.
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe
Liverpool won’t be breaking the bank for a new centre-forward this winter, but appear to be doing due diligence on an upgrade up top ahead of next summer.
Liverpool eyeing new striker
Earlier this week, Italian outlet Calciomercato revealed that Liverpool are among the contenders for Inter Milan forward Marcus Thuram, who has been in fine fettle since moving to Serie A on a free transfer at the end of the 2022/23 campaign.
The Frenchman is athletic, pacy and powerful and has a proven track record of bringing goals home for his employer, crucial in winning the Scudetto last term. However, financial issues are what they are and he would fetch a lucrative reward for Inter.
Though Inter are willing to negotiate his sale, they would certainly be seeking to turn a hefty profit. Thuram’s release clause is understood to be set at €85m (£70m).
Marcus Thuram could be Slot's own Isak
Hailed as a “physical monster” by journalist Herve Renard, Thuram is dynamic and flexible in regard to positional placement. In fact, the Les Bleus star has played across a range of roles over the duration of his career and could be the perfect new weapon to stand proud at the front of Slot’s system.
Marcus Thuram: Career Stats by Position
Position
Apps
Goals
Assists
Centre-forward
164
59
42
Left winger
92
23
12
Right winger
6
2
0
Attacking midfield
1
0
0
Stats via Transfermarkt
It’s clear, however, that his goalscoring feats are best realised in a central striking role, where he has been exclusively deployed this season, returning ten goals and six assists across only 17 matches for Nezarruzi.
Aged 27, this would be the perfect time to bring Thuram into the mix, especially given that his movements and energy would make for a fitting Nunez replacement while also providing Liverpool with a new sense of security in the focal frontman.
Salah is an incredible asset, but Liverpool will come unstuck if relying on the Egyptian to bail them out too many times this season.
Sadly, Nunez is into his third campaign on Merseyside now, and it doesn’t look like he’s going to reach the free-scoring levels that clearly were envisaged. Thuram would be the perfect successor, not least because he carries not only similar properties to the South American but Isak too.
FBref record Isak to be a striker of similar likeness to Inter’s attacking titan, with his clinical edge married to a forward-driven mentality, ranking among the top 18% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries and the top 15% for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90.
Newcastle’s main man ranks among the top 7% for progressive carries per 90 and the top 18% for pass completion.
Isak is more energetic in his production and boasts a better goal record too. That said, he’s posted just six goals from 14 matches in 2024/25, albeit hitting brilliant form in recent weeks. Still, it’s a testament to Thuram’s levels.
Thuram is perhaps more combative than both Isak and Nunez, for he has not only won 56% of his contested duels in Serie A this season, as per Sofascore, but averaged 4.9 per game too – which is impressive for a striker, Nunez averaging 3.40 (39%) while Isak 2.40 (28%) per fixture.
He’s the real deal, at the height of his game and having developed a taste for silverware. Liverpool would score a winner with this one, and must ensure that they act on their interest, should the stars align, and take the next step in their exciting development under Slot.
0 dribbles, 0 key passes: 4/10 Liverpool man had his worst game under Slot
Arne Slot’s Liverpool dropped points in the Premier League to see their first-placed lead reduced to seven points.
Aston Villa and NSWE are interested in signing one of the “greatest talents” for Unai Emery who may cost them £19 million, according to a recent report.
Aston Villa transfer news
The Villans saw their winning run end over the weekend in what is becoming an up-and-down campaign for the Midlands side. Emery’s side still have a lot to play for, and with that said, he and the Villa board may see January as a good time to refresh certain parts of the squad.
Aston Villa keen on signing 21 y/o Real Madrid gem seen as ideal for Emery
He’s come through the academy.
ByCharlie Smith Dec 15, 2024
Ahead of the transfer window opening, Villa have been linked with a few high-profile players. Borussia Dortmund’s Felix Nmecha is one, as he is someone that Villa are interested in signing, and a deal could be possible as Dortmund are open to offers of around the £33 million mark.
Felix Nmecha for Borussia Dortmund.
Juventus’ Kenan Yildiz is also of interest to Villa, but this may be a more difficult deal to complete, as the player is happy in Turin and the club are also happy with the Yildiz. However, the Turkish international does have a £66 million price tag on him, and if that was to be met, they may consider a sale.
In a less high-profile target, Villa are also looking to refresh their goalkeeper department and are interested in signing Pierce Charles from Sheffield Wednesday. He has impressed scouts while playing for Northern Ireland, and Villa are now ready to move Robin Olsen on in favour of offering Charles their number two slot in the goalkeeper department, as his ability to play out from the back has impressed their scouts.
Aston Villa eyeing move for Stefanos Tzimas who may cost £19m
Now, according to Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, Aston Villa are interested in signing striker Stefanos Tzimas. The 18-year-old came through the academy at Greek side PAOK and remains a player of theirs, but this season is on loan at Bundesliga 2 side FC. Nuremberg.
Tzimas, who has been dubbed “one of the greatest talents in Greek football”, has been in impressive form in Germany this season. Tzimas has been very good in front of goal in a short space of time, and that has now put him on the radar of teams from England.
Plettenberg reports that Villa are interested in signing Tzimas and are keeping an eye on his situation. However, they may have to wait before they can add him to their squad, as Nuremberg are planning to activate their €18m buy option and then intend to sell him in the summer transfer window.
Apps
14
Goals
7
Assists
2
The German side are aiming for a net profit of €3-5 million, which means he may cost Villa up to £19 million. However, Emery’s side are not the only team interested, as Chelsea and Newcastle United are also keeping an eye on the situation, as well as Bundesliga side Stuttgart, but they deem the price too high. Tzimas is a player who still has a lot of development to do, but he could be a player that Emery believes could become a real star in the future.
Clarke, Moores combine to seal tight four-wicket win at Trent Bridge
ECB Reporters Network27-May-2022A half-century from Joe Clarke and 47 by Tom Moores saw Notts Outlaws launch their Vitality Blast campaign with a tight four-wicket win over Worcestershire Rapids at Trent Bridge.Seamer Luke Fletcher took a career-best five for 32 as the Rapids were restricted to 164 for nine in their 20 overs, before Clarke hit 52 from 34 balls and Moores clubbed three sixes in his 31-ball assault before Calvin Harrison hit the winning boundary with just two balls to spare.New Zealand big hitter Colin Munro, who spent the 2014 and 2015 seasons at New Road, began his third Blast campaign with the Rapids with 66 off 43 balls – his highest score in their colours.Otherwise, it had looked like a below-par display by the visitors after being asked to bat first, with Ben Cox’s 20 the next highest score, but with two wickets each from Brett D’Oliveira and Yorkshire loanee Matthew Waite the finish was closer than anticipated.Fletcher’s five-wicket haul came after his first three balls of the night had gone for four, six and six at the hands of Ed Pollock. Former England pace bowler Jake Ball, in his first match since last July after recovering from a stress fracture in the back, took two for 24 and skipper Dan Christian two for 22.Worcestershire had 56 runs on the board from their powerplay but lost a third wicket to the last delivery when a slow bouncer from Ball deceived Jack Haynes, who shaped to cut and succeeded only in nicking a catch to ‘keeper Moores. It meant that a dropped catch in the same over, when Haynes was put down at deep point, had cost only one run.The other casualties were Pollock, who attacked Fletcher in characteristic style with four-six-six as the Outlaws stalwart struggled to get his length right, only to hit a low full-toss straight into the hands of Alex Hales at mid-on. D’Oliveira was caught behind off Dan Christian in an attempted scoop.Rapids were 86 for three at halfway. Munro pulled six and cut for four off consecutive balls of Calvin Harrison’s leg spin and after Jake Libby skied Christian to mid-off a lot seemed to rest on the shoulders of the Kiwi.A big chance went begging when Moores missed a good stumping chance off Matt Carter when Munro was on 66, but in the event the error cost nothing as Munro top-edged a slow bouncer from Fletcher and was well caught at short third man, having hit seven fours and two sixes.Cox pinged a six over midwicket in the same over but fell two balls later attempting the same shot as the innings ended badly for the Rapids, who lost five wickets in the last four overs while adding only 28 runs, with Fletcher picking up two more in the final over.After the Outlaws lost Hales cheaply, Ben Duckett cleared the legside boundary twice in his 29 from 14 balls but after nonchalantly lofting the second of those sixes was caught at square leg attempting a repeat, rather throwing away the chance of a big score.At 66 for 2 from the powerplay, Notts were ahead, although they lost Samit Patel for four and Clarke too might feel he should have had more, going after D’Oliveira’s leg spin with fewer than 50 required in the 13th over and paying the price.A bad drop by Haynes at long on off D’Oliveira let Moores escape on 28 and though Moores and Steven Mullaney holed out off Matthew Waite in the penultimate over as the home side threatened to wobble at the death, Harrison found the boundary off Charlie Morris to see them home.
Home side fall to 11 for 4 inside two overs and end up recording joint-lowest T20 total
ECB Reporters Network31-May-2022
Keaton Jennings swings into the leg side•Getty Images
Lancashire Lightning ended a run of nine consecutive Trent Bridge defeats against Notts Outlaws by dismissing the home side for 91 – equalling the lowest score in their T20 history – and sending them crashing to a 87-run loss in this Vitality Blast North Group match, their heaviest defeat in the competition.Outlaws felt their bowlers had done enough to give them a chance of taking the points as the visitors, 88 for 1 after 10 overs, finished on 178 for 7, Keaton Jennings top-scoring with 55.But after a catastrophic start to their reply that saw them 11 for 4 after 11 balls, they were dismissed inside the 15th over. It was only through a late thrash by Luke Fletcher, who cleared the ropes three times in his 22, that they managed to drag their total to level with the 91 that Lancashire dismissed them for at Old Trafford in 2006.Outlaws lost Joe Clarke to a catch at long-on in left-arm spinner Tom Hartley’s opening over and then three in four balls in a calamitous over bowled by Richard Gleeson. The Lancashire seamer, who took a career-best 5 for 33 against Worcestershire Rapids on Sunday, had Ben Duckett caught behind, Samit Patel flicking straight to fine leg before Steven Mullaney was run out by a direct hit from mid-off after setting off for a single that was never there, all in the space of four deliveries.More trouble followed as Tom Moores was brilliantly caught behind off his former team-mate Luke Wood – called up earlier in the day by England – and the home side stumbled out of the powerplay at 34 for 5.Alex Hales, scratching around for form so far this season, offered hope of a recovery with three boundaries but managed only to pick out midwicket as he tried to dispatch a poor ball from Liam Livingstone, and after adding 22 with Dan Christian, Matt Carter was leg before to Hartley trying to pick up a second consecutive four.Christian was caught at deep backward square, Jake Ball holed out to long-on and Fletcher, who clubbed sixes off Matt Parkinson and Livingstone twice, fell victim to a third excellent outfield catch by Steven Croft as the rout was completed.After being asked to bat first, Lancashire had emerged in good shape from the powerplay at 56 for 1, although it should have been for two, Jennings given a let-off on 27 when Outlaws keeper Moores failed to take what should have been a routine catch after Ball had found the edge.Clubbed for four and six by Jennings in the same over, Ball could not hide his frustration, sensing he had a second wicket after dismissing Phil Salt via a catch that Moores did take. With Livingstone looking in the mood at the other end, smashing Dane Paterson for six over his head and pulling Fletcher for another, Lancashire were well set at 88 for 1 after 10 overs.But the second-wicket partnership was broken two balls into the 11th as Livingstone, who has an international T20 century on this ground, tried to clear the ropes again off Paterson but merely sent the ball upwards, Christian making himself rock steady to hold the catch at extra cover.After a 20-minute stoppage for rain, Tim David had picked out deep midwicket off slow left-armer Patel, and then Paterson picked up another big scalp as Jennings sent one soaring into the air behind square on the leg side, Fletcher watching it swirl around in the floodlights before completing the catch, keeping the ball firmly in his grip despite hitting the ground with a thud.Although Ball went for 17 in the 17th, the last five overs mainly demonstrated Outlaws’ strength at the end of an innings. Fletcher, mauled for 27 in his first two overs, gave over only 14 in his last two, picking up the wickets of Dane Vilas and Croft for good measure, Ball wrapping up with a much better final over as Lancashire finished with fewer runs than they probably anticipated at the halfway stage, although ultimately more than enough.
Manchester United have been urged to sign "big character" Victor Osimhen, while a "playmaker" should also be on their wishlist for the summer.
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United looking forward to the summer window
Hojlund and Zirkzee are struggling to deliver the goods
Amorim urged to sign Osimhen to solve attacking woes
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WHAT HAPPENED?
Despite investing heavily in their attack over the past two seasons – spending nearly £100 million to bring in Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund – United’s offensive struggles have persisted. Ruben Amorim’s team is on track for their lowest-scoring league campaign since 1990, a statistic that underlines the urgent need for more firepower up front.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
One name that has been frequently linked with a move to Old Trafford is that of Osimhen. The Nigerian international, currently on loan at Galatasaray, has been in fine form, netting 20 goals in 27 appearances across all competitions. With Napoli prepared to offload him permanently in the summer, his availability presents an opportunity for United to reinforce their attack. Osimhen’s release clause is set at €75 million (£62m/$78m), and reports suggest that Napoli are open to negotiating a deal involving Hojlund, while Osimhen heads to United in a potential cash plus player deal.
WHAT SAHA SAID
Former United striker Louis Saha has voiced strong support for Osimhen’s signing, emphasising the forward’s presence and experience at the highest level.
In an interview with he said: "Osimhen, I’m a big fan. He's a big character. He has experience at a very top level. He has to be managed, that's for sure, because as I said, he's a big character, but he's the type of player that can bring you something. That's the type of player that I want. In midfield, there is a kind of player who would suit, but less guarantee. The transfer market is a big challenge. So you can throw any names into a hat, and you will be surprised about the results."
DID YOU KNOW?
Saha also stressed the importance of signing a midfield playmaker to complement the attack, highlighting the need for creativity.
"There are no guarantees in football, but I would love the strategy when you try to recruit a goal scorer, or someone who has an impact on every game, like a playmaker," he added. "Someone that creates things, being extremely unpredictable, almost unplayable. We need more players. Those profiles are extremely rare. There are a few out there."
Derbyshire’s Championship debutants combine to restrict Middlesex at Chesterfield
Paul Edwards12-Jun-2022 If you walk westwards down Saltergate out of Chesterfield town centre, your attention will almost certainly be drawn towards two huge white statues that stand in front of an otherwise unprepossessing red-brick building. The offices within accommodate a firm of solicitors but the inscriptions on the statues’ plinths make it plain that it has not always been so.Both of them pay tribute to former officials of the Derbyshire Miners Association, William Edward Harvey and James Haslam, each of whom served the organisation for over thirty years around the turn of the 20th century. Fittingly, the statues are smeared black but their moustachioed subjects are wearing fine frock coats and they sport watch chains, like badges of affluence, across their waistcoats. Ozymandias could not radiate a greater air of entitlement than these relics of Chesterfield’s industrial past.Does some similar indignity lurk in the shadows for first-class county cricket?It seemed foolish to think so this perfect June morning when Queen’s Park was hosting its 409th red-ball game and some of the trees that witnessed the first in 1898 threshed in the playful breeze……And absurd again when over thirty former Derbyshire cricketers turned up to watch the opening day of this match, their eyes bright and their handshakes firm as they revisited old battles on this famous field and met some of the current team……And balderdash in spades as we saw Middlesex’s batters scrap their way to a very respectable 251 all out on a frisky wicket, eight batters reaching double figures for the Division Two leaders, with Luke Hollman, all sweeps and off-side punches, getting to 48 before he edged a catch to Wayne Madsen at slip.Then, as the evening cooled to conclusion, Shan Masood stroked a quartet of fours, each of them to a different boundary and we knew they were as good as anything we had seen all day. In the face of such riches, it was hard indeed to think the game in England was in peril.Related
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Yet you hardly need to be a cricket badger to know that there is talk about reducing both the number of the first-class games and the number of first-class counties and that the ECB is also thinking of applying firm criteria for outground venues (as though the counties did not have these already). If all these notions are implemented, whither Derbyshire, whither Chesterfield and, above all, whither Toby Pettman and Mark Watt?Both Pettman and Watt made their Championship debuts today and both have had to wait their turn while also being a trifle uncertain whether it would ever come. Watt has played four first-class games for Scotland but has also been seen as a shorter-form specialist. So one could understand his glee just before lunch when he turned one past the middle of Stephen Eskinazi’s bat and it brushed the outside edge en route to the off stump. Some four hours later he added Hollman’s wicket to his bag.Pettman, by slight contrast, came into this game with 33 first-class wickets on his CV but all were taken when he was at Oxford University, where he gained a double-first in Classics and you don’t get those with Nectar points. However, it was his seam bowling that caught the eye of the Nottinghamshire coaches and he is in the middle of his second one-year deal at Trent Bridge.A short loan spell at Derbyshire offered him a perfect opportunity to play some Championship cricket and he had both openers dropped in his first seven overs from the Lake End. Having conceded just 11 runs in that spell, he took his first wicket just after lunch when Max Holden’s authentic leg-glance was caught by Brooke Guest, and Pettman then removed both Thilan Walallawita and Tim Murtagh to end Middlesex’s innings just after the visitors had picked up their second bonus point.
Toby Pettman leaves the field after taking 3 for 40 on his debut for @DerbyshireCCC against @Middlesex_CCC at Chesterfield today… pic.twitter.com/zTO23lCX4U
— David Griffin Photography (@dgriffinpix) June 12, 2022
Of course, Watt and Pettman had help. Luis Reece took the first of his two wickets when he swung one back in to Sam Robson, and Anuj Dal’s 15 overs for a mere 13 runs also included the wickets of Mark Stoneman, taken at slip by Madsen for 37, and Robbie White caught behind for 26. The accuracy of Billy Godleman’s bowlers compounded Middlesex’s difficulties on a wicket we thought testing until we saw Masood make 27 not out on it. And as outfields are mown and pitches are covered across England spectators in Chesterfield can reflect on a day that two young Derbyshire bowlers, one seam, one spin, will also not forget.You see, the fundamental point about Pettman and Watt is that they have both needed time to develop their contrasting skills and no-one can yet be sure where their cricket will take them. What’s more, there are other players on both these sides in similar situations. Their destinations might not include the game’s gaudy palaces; Pettman might vote now and again but that’s as near to a franchise as he’s likely to get. But their careers and their contributions will be all the greater for their experience of first-class county cricket and this is a privilege it seems some would deny them.Most of those crowding the bank to the left of the pavilion or ringing the boundary at Queens Park today believe young cricketers should get opportunities to see what they can achieve in the game; Kevin Pietersen reckons they should get jobs in call centres. But then it was Ranji over a century ago who observed that some men “grow grey in the service of the game and are astonishingly ignorant about it.”All the same, this day was not about Ranji or Pietersen and it was not even about the old boys in their chocolate, amber and pale blue ties enjoying the hospitality in the marquee adjoining the press tent. County cricket is not a branch of the heritage industry and never should be. This day was about opportunity and how precious it is to young players like Hollman and White. Such things lie above nostalgia and even the warmth of reminiscence. They turn statues back into blocks of stone.
Leeds United fans will be somewhat frustrated with their team’s efforts near the top of the Championship, with the Whites very rarely blowing teams away in the second tier even when more and more victories are tallied up.
Daniel Farke’s men are also heavily reliant on their golden form at Elland Road in keeping their automatic promotion dreams ticking over, having won nine out of 11 games on their own patch this season in the league, compared to their struggles away from the comforts of West Yorkshire.
In stark contrast, the promotion chasers have only three of their ten away contests, with a last-minute own goal salvaging a draw last time out on the road away at Preston North End.
Mateo Joseph had a big part to play in that Jack Whatmough own goal finding the back of the net, as his effort went off the unfortunate Lilywhites man, with the Spanish hotshot another that the Whites will be proud of coming from their own production line.
Leeds' best modern youngsters
Leeds have produced some top-quality talent through their own academy in recent times, with the aforementioned Joseph the next star the Whites will hope can go on to achieve bigger and better things away from the Championship.
He hasn’t quite developed into a potent striker in the first team as of yet – with just two strikes coming his way so far this season in the second tier – but the 21-year-old’s goalscoring antics at youth level mean he could explode into life if given time, considering he has a healthy goal return of 20 playing for the U18s and U21s.
Farke’s promotion candidates will be well aware that if this does occur, many a higher-up suitor will be interested in their top asset, having had to sell a whole host of homegrown gems over the years when a mammoth bid has come in.
The most obvious name that springs to mind here is Kalvin Phillips, who left West Yorkshire behind in 2022 for Manchester City, after Pep Guardiola’s men had snapped up his services for a bumper £45m.
After all, the former Whites number 23 had become an icon at his hometown employers, with a promotion under his belt up to the Premier League making him a much-adored figure, alongside the fact he would amass 234 appearances before the grandeur of City proved too tempting.
There are other faces that graced Elland Road as a youngster and are also now very capable of playing at the top of the English game, with Lewis Cook one that is potentially dismissed as being an original Thorp Arch creation, having gone on to impressively notch up 150 appearances in the Premier League for AFC Bournemouth.
Bournemouth midfielder Lewis Cook
Leeds fans won’t have forgotten about another homegrown star yet, however, with the ace in question initially garnering hype in West Yorkshire when Marcelo Bielsa occupied the hot seat.
Archie Gray's rise at Leeds
Archie Gray is the player in question here, who is now on the books of Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham Hotspur despite still only being 18 years of age.
Age has always just been a number in Gray’s situation, however, as the teenager was amazingly warming the substitutes bench of the men’s team during Bielsa’s reign, even when Leeds were competing in the top-flight.
Gray would make up the numbers on the bench for Leeds when he was only the tender age of 15, with the Argentinian having to resort to throwing the versatile starlet in at the deep end for contests against Arsenal and West Ham United at the start of 2022, owing to a backlog of injury issues.
Whilst Bielsa was vocal in the fact he didn’t want to fast-track Gray into the intense spotlight of the first team so soon, he also waxed lyrical about what the youngster could go on the achieve, even labelling him as a potential “elite player.”
These were glowing words indeed from a man who is still revered at Elland Road to this day, with Gray going on to live up to the South American’s hype a matter of years after his departure.
Last campaign, the bold Leeds number 22 proved that he can play in many different areas on the pitch by lining up in the right-back spot 30 times under Farke, helping to address that problem area of the pitch well.
As well as excelling in defence, the table above also shows off his assuredness on the ball that made him another body Farke could rely on in midfield, with these top-notch performances in such a demanding division not going unnoticed.
Noted as being “superb” by former Leeds player Jon Newsome during his breakthrough campaign, promotion agonisingly passing Leeds by would ultimately lead to Gray upping and leaving his boyhood employers to the widespread dismay of the Elland Road masses.
Spurs would pick up the Leeds boy wonder for a hefty £40m, with Leeds then going after Jayden Bogle to fill the Gray-shaped hole at right-back, whilst also shrewdly acquiring Ao Tanaka and Joe Rothwell to boost numbers centrally.
Therefore, Farke and Co will feel pleased that they managed to play a starting role in Gray’s upward trajectory – alongside also gaining £40m for an academy-produced talent – as the 18-year-old now impresses Postecoglou in his new surroundings.
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Archie Gray's time at Spurs so far
Despite only starting two games to date in the Premier League so far, the 6 foot 2 starlet is still managing to leave his impression on his new fanbase.
He is again showing off his likeable versatility that made him a first-team regular for the Whites, with Gray surprisingly thrown in at centre-back last time out versus Southampton.
Gray’s numbers vs Southampton
Stat
Gray
Minutes played
90
Goals scored
0
Assists
0
Touches
102
Accurate passes
91/94 (97%)
Total duels won
2/2
Stats by Sofascore
He would walk off the St. Mary’s turf at the end happy with his individual showing, even if it was a quiet night for him at the back in the 5-0 win, with only three of his passes misplaced in what was a comfortable and composed display from him in an unfamiliar position.
If he can continue to impress when given chances in the senior mix at Spurs, the sky does really feel like it could be the limit for Gray as he goes about living up to Bielsa’s previous elite billing.
Leeds would have loved to have had Gray around for far longer, but this sale hasn’t derailed their promotion chances thankfully, as Farke and Co strive to jump up to the Premier League to face off against their ex-star in 2025.
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