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Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke has bolstered his options in the middle of the park with the additions of Sean Longstaff and Anton Stach in the summer transfer window.

The German boss moved to add physicality to his options in midfield to go along with the technical quality that Ethan Ampadu, Ao Tanaka, and Ilia Gruev offer to the team.

Ampadu’s absence in midfield was felt in the 5-0 loss to Arsenal at The Emirates on Saturday, as the Gunners found it far too easy to get past Gruev to run at the Leeds defence.

The midfield area of the pitch was so important to the West Yorkshire outfit when they were last promoted to the Premier League under Marcelo Bielsa, who led the club to a top-half finish.

Leeds enjoyed a sensational first season back in the top-flight to finish well clear of relegation, and a key part of their success was having a strong midfield.

Academy graduate Kalvin Phillips played a significant role in how effective the team was in the middle of the park, with his fantastic performances in his first year in the Premier League.

How Kalvin Phillips earned an England call-up

The Yorkshire-born star started 37 times in the Championship in the 2019/20 campaign, per Sofascore, as Leeds romped their way to the title, which was clinched in lockdown.

Phillips won 4.0 tackles and interceptions per game, winning 54% of his overall duels in the division, but there was still a question mark over whether or not he would be able to handle the step up in quality from the Championship to the Premier League.

Boy did he answer that question and leave no doubt. The Leeds number 23 hit the ground running in the Premier League and bossed the midfield for the Whites to help them achieve a top-half finish in the 2020/21 campaign.

In fact, after just one season in the Premier League with Leeds, Phillips was described as one of the best midfielders in world football by teammate and captain Liam Cooper.

His statistics in the top-flight for the Whites in the 2020/21 campaign show that he was among the top players in England, at least, when it came to being a defensive monster in midfield.

Tackles

2.74

Top 12%

Interceptions

1.67

Top 18%

Blocks

1.82

Top 9%

Clearances

1.96

Top 9%

Aerial duels won

1.11

Top 39%

Passes blocked

1.30

Top 15%

As you can see in the table above, Phillips ranked highly among his positional peers, and it did not go unnoticed by Gareth Southgate, who made him a key part of the England side at the European Championship in 2021.

The English star started seven times on on his country’s way to losing in the final to Italy, and the Whites are now interested in a star who could follow in Phillips’ footsteps.

Leeds eye ambitious move for England star

According to MOT Leeds News, Leeds United are eyeing up an ‘ambitious’ approach to sign Manchester United and England central midfielder Kobbie Mainoo.

The report claims that the injury to Ampadu has sparked a bit of a concern at Elland Road, and that the Red Devils academy graduate has emerged as a transfer target for them late in the summer transfer window.

Transfer Focus

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

It adds that Leeds would like to sign one more midfielder before next week’s deadline and Mainoo is being lined up as a possible loan target for Farke’s side.

The outlet reveals that Mainoo would be open to a transfer away from Old Trafford, but Manchester United are unlikely to sanction a loan deal this late into the window.

MOT Leeds News does claim, though, that the situation could change and an opportunity could open up if the player decides to push for a move in the coming days.

Why Kobbie Mainoo should sign for Leeds United

Ditching Manchester United, even if just on loan, for Leeds may not seem like an obvious career move for Mainoo, even in spite of the situation the Red Devils find themselves in, but it could be the right one for his career.

It is a World Cup year for players, with the World Cup taking place in Mexico, USA, and Canada next year, and that means that they need to be playing regularly, and playing well, to push for a place at the tournament.

Mainoo has been an unused substitute in Manchester United’s first two matches of the Premier League season, despite his team picking up just one point from those games, and does not appear to have much hope of crashing into Ruben Amorim’s two-man midfield.

However, Farke’s switch to a 4-3-3 this season could provide Mainoo with the perfect platform to excel as one of the two eights ahead of a number six, which is not something that he has the luxury of in Amorim’s system.

At the start of last season, pundit Robbie Earle said: “You hear the term generational talent when you talk about this guy. He controls the game for Man United, he’s got the maturity and ability to slow the game down and make sure people are in place.

“He plays like a 29-year-old not a 19-year-old, he’s got poise, athleticism, ability in and around the box, he’s an absolute jewel, you build a team around him.”

United did not heed these words because they then hired a manager who played a system that did not suit his talents, hence why he has now found himself as an outcast at Old Trafford.

Take-ons attempted

2.71

Top 20%

Take-ons completed

1.42

Top 18%

Take-on success rate

53.4%

Top 28%

Goal-creating actions (take-ons)

0.09

Top 4%

Goal-creating actions (shot)

0.09

Top 2%

Goal-creating actions (fouls drawn)

0.05

Top 9%

As you can see in the table above, Mainoo excelled in the 2023/24 campaign, prior to Amorim’s arrival and change in system, as a midfielder with the license to carry the ball and take players on.

As part of a midfield three, the England star could excel at Leeds by being given the perfect platform to showcase his best attributes in the middle of the park as a regular starter in the Premier League.

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This is why Mainoo should push to complete a loan move to Elland Road in the coming days because he could follow Phillips in using Leeds as the place to make his push for a starting berth for England in a major tournament at the end of the season.

تتواصل الأنباء حول اقتراب النادي الأهلي من التعاقد مع مدرب أجنبي جديد لقيادة الفريق خلال المرحلة المقبلة، بعد رحيل الجهاز الفني السابق، وسط تكهنات عديدة بشأن الأسماء المرشحة.

ومن بين الأسماء المطروحة، يبرز البرتغالي برونو لاج، المدير الفني السابق لفريق بنفيكا، حيث أكدت مصادر مقربة أن الأهلي فتح بالفعل خطوط اتصال معه لبحث إمكانية توليه المهمة.

اقرأ أيضًا.. مدرب عالمي يرد على عرض الأهلي: أريد “Crazy Money”

جواو كاماتشو، وكيل المدرب البرتغالي، تحدث في تصريحات خاصة لـ بطولات، كاشفًا تفاصيل المفاوضات بين الطرفين.

وقال كاماتشو: “هناك بالفعل مفاوضات واتصالات مع النادي الأهلي للتعاقد مع المدرب، لكن ليس هناك اتفاق بعد”.

وأضاف: “المدرب يحتاج لبعض الأيام للحديث مع عائلته وطاقمه الفني للرد على الأهلي”.

وتابع وكيل برونو لاج: “المفاجأة أن هناك وفدًا من الأهلي من الممكن أن يسافر إلى البرتغال خلال ساعات للحديث وجهًا لوجه مع المدرب”.

وبحسب ما علمه بطولات، فإن لاج منفتح للغاية على الاجتماع بمسئولي الأهلي في البرتغال، وهو لا يمانع مناقشة تفاصيل العرض بشكل مباشر.

Celtic have been fairly busy in the summer transfer window as they look to improve their squad ahead of the 2025/26 campaign getting underway next month.

However, there have not been many big splashes in the market for Brendan Rodgers and his side, as the £2m deal to sign Benjamin Nygren is the most they have spent on one player so far.

The Hoops have brought in Kieran Tierney, Ross Doohan, and Callum Osmand on free transfers, and brought in Shin Yamada and Hayato Inamura in from Japan alongside the move for Nygren.

Celtic may have more work to do yet in the transfer market, potentially with bigger deals made to improve the team, after they were hammered 5-1 by Ajax in their most recent pre-season friendly.

After the match, Rodgers claimed that Celtic need to improve the squad if they really want to be ambitious and progress as a club, which shows what he thinks about what needs to happen in the coming weeks.

You do not just need to bring in big-money players from abroad to significantly improve the squad, though, as the Hoops have had success in the domestic market in the past, perhaps most notably with Scott Brown.

Celtic hit the jackpot with Scott Brown

The Scottish Premiership giants hit the jackpot with the central midfielder because they snapped him up from one of their league rivals and he went on to be a legend for the club.

Celtic reportedly paid a fee of around £4.4m to sign the midfield star from Hibernian in the summer of 2007, and that remains the biggest deal between two Scottish teams in history.

It was a deal that turned out to be well worth the money for the Bhoys, though, as Brown went on to play a staggering 618 matches for the club in all competitions, scoring 46 goals and providing 63 assists from the middle of the park.

The former Celtic captain won ten Scottish Premiership titles and 12 domestic cups in his time at Parkhead, whilst he also won the Player of the Year in the league in both 2009 and 2018, which shows that the midfielder enjoyed an incredibly successful time on the pitch.

Celtic struck gold by splashing the cash on the Scotland international because they were signing a young player who had already proven his quality in the division with Hibernian, which meant that he was able to hit the ground running as a proven star.

He did not need any time to adapt to the league or the country, and that made Brown a fantastic short-term signing, which then laid the foundation for him to go on to be a phenomenal long-term signing for the Scottish giants.

The Scottish star was not a player who was then sold on for millions in profit but they more than made back the money they spent on him through the trophies that he helped the team to win over the years.

Celtic have long-term interest in Premiership star

The Premiership champions could repeat their Scott Brown masterclass by splashing the cash on another midfielder from a fellow Scottish team this summer.

Transfer Focus

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

According to The Scottish Sun, Celtic are long-term admirers of Motherwell central midfielder Lennon Miller, who looks set to be on the move in the coming weeks.

The report claims that Serie A side Udinese are leading the race to land the Scotland international’s signature, as they are preparing a fresh bid to sign him.

It adds that Bologna and unnamed clubs from Germany are also interested in signing the 18-year-old starlet, and it is said that a move abroad currently appeals to the player.

The Scottish Sun claims that he has a price tag of £5m, which means that the Hoops will need to break the Scottish record that was set by the £4.4m move for Brown if they are to beat the likes of Udinese and Bologna to his services this summer.

Why Celtic should sign Lennon Miller

Celtic must push to convince Miller to turn down interest from clubs abroad to complete a Scottish record transfer for £5m this summer because he could be a fantastic addition to their squad.

The Scotland international turns 19 in August and this means that the Hoops would be signing a central midfielder who has plenty of time left ahead of him to replicate the kind of success Brown had at Parkhead.

Whilst he may not go on to play over 600 matches for Celtic, as the club’s model is to develop and then sell players, Miller could still enjoy a lengthy career in Glasgow before potentially moving on in the future.

As Brown did when he arrived from Hibernian, the teenage central midfield star could hit the ground running at Parkhead as a player who has already proven his quality in the Premiership, after an impressive 2024/25 campaign that led to him earning a senior Scotland call up.

Tackle success rate

68%

Top 28%

Duels won

5.84

Top 36%

Duel success rate

53%

Top 31%

Interceptions

1.38

Top 14%

Ball recoveries

6.52

Top 10%

Blocks

0.48

Top 28%

As you can see in the table above, Miller was among the best in his position in the Premiership when it came to making defensive interventions last season, ranking highly in a host of key defensive metrics.

To go along with his excellent work out of possession, the £5m-rated star also scored two goals and provided eight assists from the middle of the park, which shows that the youngster can offer a threat at the top end of the pitch as well as being combative and effective off the ball.

These statistics show that Miller, who has been hailed as “ridiculous” by pundit James McFadden, is a fantastic box-to-box player who has the potential to impact games by contributing in and out of possession in the Premiership, much like Brown did during his time as a player in Glasgow.

At the age of 18, the Scottish maestro also has plenty of time to grow and develop as a player, which means that Celtic would be signing him for the future as well as for the here and now.

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Therefore, the Hoops could repeat the masterclass they played with Brown by paying £5m to sign a proven Premiership star and fantastic young talent this summer.

Derby County face Blackburn Rovers in the race to sign a versatile midfielder with the same agent as Craig Forsyth, according to a new report.

Forsyth signs new Derby contract as Eustace targets attackers

Earlier this week, Derby announced that experienced defender Forsyth has signed a new two-year contract to remain with the Rams. The left-back’s contract was set to expire at the end of this month, but John Eustace, who was a teammate of Forsyth’s during his playing career, has decided to keep the 36-year-old at the club until 2027.

Derby County now want "fantastic" Blackburn star loved by John Eustace

The Rams could strike in a headline deal…

BySean Markus Clifford Jun 12, 2025

Forsyth played 39 times for the Rams in the Championship last season, as they avoided relegation to League One. In those appearances, the defender managed to score an impressive three goals and grab four assists. This latest contract will see Forsyth extend his football career to 20 years, and this contract will also see Derby support him in getting his coaching qualifications.

As Eustace decides to keep valuable experience in his defence, in a fan forum held at Pride Park, the Derby boss has revealed that signing new attackers is a priority for the club this summer, given their lack of goals last season.

Eustace said, via BBC Sport: “I’d love to play a back four, some exciting attacking wingers and two good strikers.”

This comes as the Rams have agreed a deal with Luton Town to sign striker Carlton Morris, who is set to undergo his medical once he returns from holiday.

Derby face Blackburn in race to sign Russell

The arrivals at Pride Park don’t look to be stopping there, as according to Football League World, Derby are keen on signing midfielder Jon Russell from League One side Barnsley.

It isn’t just the Rams looking at the 24-year-old however; Blackburn Rovers, Oxford United and Stoke City are also keeping an eye on the player’s situation ahead of a potential move.

Russell, who is a former Chelsea academy graduate, has been with the Tykes since January 2023, when he joined from Huddersfield Town.

The Jamaica international has been a key contributor for Barnsley in his two full seasons at the club – he played 31 times during the 2023/24 League One season, as Barnsley reached the play-offs. He then bettered that last term, as he played 40 times in the league, scoring an impressive 11 goals, as well as grabbing two assists.

Apps

40

Starts

34

Goals

11

Chance conversion

19%

Assists

2

Touches per game

38.9

Key passes per game

0.8

Big chances created

4

Duels per game (won)

4.0 (50%)

This report doesn’t claim how much the League One side would want for Russell, but given his contract expires next summer, Barnsley may have to consider cashing in on the midfielder now, before he leaves for nothing.

In further good news for Derby, they may hold an advantage in this race, as Russell, who can play in a defensive role as well as an advanced role in midfield, has the same representatives, Two Touch Agency, as Derby defender Forsyth, who they have of course recently concluded positive talks with.

After lots of speculation hinted at the possibility, Ryan Mason is now officially the brand-new West Bromwich Albion manager ahead of the 2025/26 campaign kicking off in the Championship.

It’s a bold next step for Mason, considering he has only ever taken the reins at Spurs on an interim basis, but his work behind the scenes has been praised in North London, meaning he could be the breath of fresh air needed at the Hawthorns to kickstart a promotion push.

The 33-year-old could well rely on these Spurs connections when looking to make some impactful summer signings, with one or two young faces at the Premier League titans already being linked to make the switch to reunite with Mason.

Mason could use Spurs connections

The Baggies had frequently utilised the loan market when the likes of Carlos Corberan and Tony Mowbray stood in the dug-out.

Transfer Focus

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

Indeed, raw gems such as Will Lankshear (0 goals in 11 games) and Lewis Dobbin (0 goals in 18 games) failed to ever get going at the Hawthorns, away from the more experienced Adam Armstrong who was also a disappointing capture, having netted three times in 16 matches.

Therefore, Mason will hope – if he’s given permission to raid his ex-side for some up-and-coming starlets – that these deals go swimmingly instead and aren’t categorised as similar failures, with Spurs attacking hotshot Jamie Donley one notable name previously linked with a move to the West Midlands.

This could go down as a big success story when you consider Donley is just fresh off collecting 18 goal contributions for Leyton Orient on loan, but Mason’s dream first Baggies signing could centre on one of the 20-year-old’s teammates.

Amazingly, if all went to plan, Mason might well win himself the club’s new Tom Fellows, with West Brom’s attacking personnel undoubtedly boosted by potential activity in the market.

Mason could sign the next Fellows

Whilst West Brom would depressingly let a playoff spot slip out of their grasp last campaign, Fellows still managed to be a bright spark for his boyhood club throughout the bumpy season.

By the close of the season, the dynamic 22-year-old had four goals and 14 assists next to his name in Championship action, with one Spurs youngster in the form of Mikey Moore wanting to follow in Fellows’ footsteps if he were to don Baggies blue and white shortly.

The time does feel right for Moore to spread his wings and gain an EFL education, with the 17-year-old now off the mark in the senior side when scoring the strike above in the Europa League earlier this year.

But, away from impressing here and there under Ange Postecoglou, the teenager needs regular minutes to fully strut his stuff with an appropriate platform surely coming his way now under Mason.

Reports do suggest that Mason has Moore on his early West Brom shopping list, and whilst the 17-year-old has lined up as a centre-forward and attacking midfielder during his fledgling Spurs career to date, he could well come into the Baggies step-up and terrorise defenders down the flanks much like Fellows.

After all, 18 of his Spurs appearances and counting have come down the left channel, with West Brom needing more numbers on the left too, owing to Mikey Johnston being the only recognised figure in Mason’s camp capable of wreaking havoc on this wing.

LW

18

4

6

AM

8

6

4

CF

7

11

4

RW

6

1

0

He can even slot in down Fellows’ trusty right-hand side if needed, but based on the numbers, Moore comes into his own as a creative force – much like the assist-heavy 22-year-old – when featuring on the left.

That is perhaps his best position with James Maddison having previously described him as “fearless” and a bit like Neymar in that role.

It will be intriguing to see if the North London prodigy can acclimatise well to the instant pressures of the Championship. If he can, Mason will have pulled off a dream first buy in the Hawthorns hot-seat.

West Brom targeting "fantastic" EFL ace who could be Mason's first signing

The Baggies are set to hold talks with Ryan Mason.

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If Arsenal needed any more motivation to get over the finishing line next season, Tottenham Hotspur have just provided them with it.

With second place in the Premier League now practically secured, the board and new Sporting Director Andrea Berta can turn their attention to the summer transfer window and the hunt for a new striker.

Two of the strikers most heavily linked with a move to the Emirates over the last few months have been Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres and Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak, although, with the former lacking experience in a top-five league and the latter potentially costing upwards of £150m, other options have also been floated.

In fact, if recent reports are to be believed, Mikel Arteta and Co are now interested in an ideal Gyokeres alternative who has won comparisons to the Toon star.

Arsenal's striker search

Before getting to the player in question, it’s worth going over some of the other strikers who have been linked with Arsenal in recent weeks, like Benjamin Sesko and Liam Delap.

Transfer Focus

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

The former has enjoyed another impressive season with RB Leipzig, scoring 21 goals and providing six assists in 45 games, although such a rate of return has reportedly seen his release clause increase to around £75m.

Delap, on the other hand, has a release clause worth just £30m in his current contract, although, with 12 goals and two assists to his name in 36 Premier League games this season, he’d represent more of a gamble.

Moreover, if Arteta and Co really want someone who’d be a genuine alternative to Gyokeres, they’d have to be a proven goalscorer, such as Julián Alvarez.

According to a recent report from journalist Matías Palacios via the Spanish football program El Chiringuito, Arsenal are one of several teams very interested in the Atletico Madrid star.

In fact, the journalist claims that the Gunners, Bayern Munich and Liverpool all “want” the Argentine this summer and that “meetings with the interested clubs will begin” next week.

A potential price tag for the striker is not mentioned, but as he cost the La Liga giants around £82m only last summer, we wouldn’t be surprised to see his valuation hit nine figures, especially as the CIES Football Observatory price him at €125m, which is about £105m.

With that said, Arsenal should do what they can to sign Alvarez, as not only could he be an ideal alternative to Gyokeres, but he’s also won comparisons to Isak.

How Alvarez compares Isak

So, before we look at some of the other reasons Arsenal should be looking to sign Alvarez this summer, we should examine this comparison to Isak and where it comes from.

Well, in this instance, it stems from FBref, which compared players in similar positions in Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, and concluded that the Swede is the tenth most similar forward to the Argentine across the last 365 days.

We can better understand their similarities by looking at some of the underlying metrics in which they rank closely, including, but not limited to, expected assisted goals, progressive carries, shots on target and goals per shot, key passes, shot-creating actions and more, all per 90.

Expected Assisted Goals

0.17

0.15

Progressive Carries

2.79

2.77

Shots on Target

1.23

1.32

Goals per Shot

0.19

0.21

Passing Accuracy

74.6%

74.7%

Key Passes

1.45

1.39

Goal-Creating Actions

0.45

0.47

On top of the clear statistical similarities, the former Manchester City star has also scored a similar number of goals as the Newcastle ace this season.

For example, in 53 appearances, the “world-class” forward, as dubbed by City content creator It’s LB, has scored 29 goals and provided six assists.

In comparison, the former Real Sociedad star has scored 27 goals and provided six assists in 41 games for the Magpies this term.

Finally, on top of the goals and similarities to one of the best strikers in the world, the Gunners should seriously consider signing Alveraz because he’s a proven winner, having won the treble with City in the 22/23 season.

Therefore, whatever it costs, Arsenal should look to bring the World Cup winner to N5 this summer, even if that means not signing Gyokeres.

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The Portugal has admitted something to teammates.

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Leeds United are reportedly weighing up a move for a “sensational” England international this summer as they gear up for a return to the Premier League, according to a new report.

Leeds planning for Premier League after smashing Stoke

Thanks to a crucial Good Friday victory over Oxford United and a complete demolition job of Stoke City, Leeds United are now within touching distance of promotion. With top-flight football now looking extremely likely, speculation is already mounting over summer reinforcements, as manager Daniel Farke looks to strengthen his squad to ensure survival next season.

Several names have already been linked with a potential move to Elland Road, including Norwich City goalkeeper Angus Gunn, Sporting CP and Japan midfielder Hidemasa Morita, and West Ham United’s Tomas Souček.

According to Claret and Hugh, Farke is an admirer of the Czech Republic international and has identified him as a potential addition to his Premier League plans.

“Leeds are planning for next season — Daniel Farke has already started preparations for the summer window. He likes Souček, but there’s already a Premier League offer in for him,” the publication reports, citing an insider.

The same source also claims that Leeds have an interest in Irish striker Evan Ferguson, who is currently on loan at West Ham from Brighton & Hove Albion.

Lilywhites considering swoop for Johnstone

Another name reportedly on Leeds United’s radar is Wolverhampton Wanderers goalkeeper Sam Johnstone. The 32-year-old, who has earned four caps for England, joined Wolves last summer in a deal worth around £10 million.

However, his opportunities have been limited – he’s made just seven Premier League appearances, with his last outing coming back in October. Since then, manager Vítor Pereira has preferred Dan Bentley and José Sá in goal.

According to journalist Alan Nixon, Leeds are now showing strong interest in Johnstone and are considering a summer move as they seek a replacement for Illan Meslier, who is expected to depart after recently losing his place in Daniel Farke’s starting XI.

Nixon reports that Wolves would only sanction Johnstone’s departure if they receive an offer matching the £10 million they paid Crystal Palace for him just eight months ago.

Sam Johnstone Premier League Stats 2024/25
Games	7
Clean Sheets	0
Goals Conceded	17
Penalties Saved	0/2
Pass Accuracy	62.7%

Johnstone has previously earned praise from former England international and pundit Gary Lineker for his outstanding reflexes. While playing for West Bromwich Albion, Johnstone pulled off a stunning last-minute save to deny Harry Maguire a potential winner in a match against boyhood club Manchester United – securing a vital point for the Baggies.

Newcastle United took another step towards challenging for a place in the top five in the Premier League by beating Leicester City 3-0 away from home on Monday night.

The Magpies moved up to fifth in the division, having still played a game fewer than Chelsea and Manchester City, as they look to secure Champions League football for next season.

Eddie Howe’s side found themselves 2-0 up inside the opening 11 minutes, scoring after just two minutes, and one of the stars of the show was winger Jacob Murphy, who was heavily involved in the early blitz.

Jacob Murphy's performance against Leicester

The English forward, who is yet to be capped by the Three Lions, brilliantly timed his run to the back post to get on the end of Tino Livramento’s cross after just two minutes, tapping the ball into a virtually empty net.

Murphy quickly added to his and Newcastle’s tally nine minutes later when he was the only one to follow up on Fabian Schar’s long drive that hit the crossbar, giving the winger all the time in the world to control the ball and slot past Mads Hermansen.

The former Norwich City sensation was unable to complete the first hat-trick of his Magpies career, unfortunately, but it was his two goals that gave his team control of the match early on, leading to a fairly comfortable evening for Howe’s men.

Chalkboard

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

Murphy, who did not create any chances for his teammates, was not the only top performer on the night. Fabian Schar was just as good as the winger and proved that he is as undroppable as Alexander Isak.

Why Schar is as undroppable as Isak

Firstly, Isak is, clearly, undroppable for Newcastle because of the quality he has provided on a consistent basis at the top end of the pitch, scoring 20 goals and providing five assists in 27 appearances in the Premier League.

The Swedish star is the main man in the final third, making him crucial to what the Magpies want to do in attack, whilst Schar has been a consistent presence in defence, helping to provide a solid platform for the team to build from.

So far this season, the Swiss titan has started 25 of his 26 appearances in the Premier League and made 2.4 tackles and interceptions per game, along with 4.2 ball recoveries per match.

Schar, who earned a player rating of 8/10 from the Shields Gazette, provided another reminder of the quality he can offer at centre-back in the win over Leicester, further proving that he is undroppable.

Minutes

90

Clearances

3

Blocks

1

Tackles + interceptions

3

Dribbled past

0x

Duels won

4/6

Pass accuracy

85%

Long ball accuracy

5/11

As you can see in the table above, the long-serving defensive colossus was dominant out of possession to cut out Leicester attacks, whilst also being reliable in possession of the ball.

It was his strong challenge and sensational effort from long range that created the second goal for Murphy, which perfectly summed up the qualities he can offer on both sides of the game.

Newcastle now open talks to sign 20-goal striker who once owned Lascelles

He could form quite the partnership with Isak…

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Schar was as good as Murphy, due to his strong defending to keep a clean sheet and his involvement in the second goal, and Howe must continue to select the impressive defender from now until the end of the season.

They used one of their three trump cards and had almost everything with their four experienced batters go right for them

Sidharth Monga24-Jun-20254:09

Gambhir: We had opportunities on all five days

India’s big guns have all fired. Rishabh Pant has scored two creative centuries, the openers have each hit a classy one in each innings, the captain has notched up a regal one, their gun bowler has exhausted one of the three Tests he is going to play and has delivered a five-for. And yet they are down 1-0. They have lost the unlosable Test.Let’s get the obvious out of the way. Their last four aggregated nine runs in both innings put together, becoming parts of collapses of 7 for 41 and 6 for 31 in pretty flat conditions. They dropped more catches than any team in a Test in England in the last 20 years. Their third and fourth fast bowlers provided them neither control nor penetration. They could have batted England out on the second day; they didn’t. They could have secured a huge lead had they held their catches; they didn’t. They could have batted England out again on the fourth day; they didn’t.It was a proper baptism by fire for captain Shubman Gill, having to lead a transitioning bowling unit on one of the more idiosyncratic grounds of the world against a side that might not have the quality of some of India’s recent opponents but are intimidating frontrunners. A new slips cordon had to come to terms with fielding about a foot or two below the pitch level, bowlers needed to quickly adjust to running in up and down the slope, and their mistakes with the bat forced them to defend more than they could attack on a notoriously difficult-to-defend ground with pitches running all the way to the boundary. He also has to deal with his lead bowler playing only three Tests.Related

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However, Gill will need to lay down the law here. It wasn’t long ago that the India tail used to dig in and fight for whatever runs they could claw out. On their last trip to England, India got the lead because of the runs the lower order scored. It’s not that Nos. 8 to 11 aggregated only nine runs in two innings. Dismissals can happen. Even to specialist batters. It was more the nature of the dismissals. They batted like millionaires without getting a feel for the conditions despite having a proper batter at the other end. They played Shardul Thakur precisely to provide them batting depth, but he was out playing expansive drives eighth ball and 12th balls.Gill just needs to imagine what would have happened if the tail had displayed such a casual attitude when Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma was captain. Once, leave alone twice, in the same match. Gill will soon learn it is nice to have a great atmosphere and respect in the dressing room, but there needs to be some fear of the leaders as well.The lower-order flop is not the only reason why India lost the unlosable Test but it was a symptom of general drops in intensity that a captain needs to watch out against. Test cricket is more about playing good cricket for longer periods of time than flashes of brilliance. This is why an attack of four good fast bowlers is better than one world-beater, one good bowler and two bowling ordinarily. You need fitness, intensity, and ruthlessness to be up six hours a day, each day for five days, or however long it takes.3:26

Harmison: Not sure India believed they could get Duckett out

On the final day, when finally none of the big guns fired, India didn’t seem to have a plan on how to put together a consistent set of overs. Jasprit Bumrah should be allowed to have a day on which he is not bowling an unplayable delivery every over. The bowling choices need to be made based not just on numbers that day. Mohammed Siraj, the best bowler on display on the final day, wasn’t bowled from overs 42 to 80, a period of not just 39 overs but also two rain breaks. Ravindra Jadeja took a little too long to shift his line wider, into the rough, to challenge Ben Duckett’s reverse-sweeps. At one point Ben Duckett punched Jadeja towards mid-off, and he looked up to see there wasn’t one. Not short, not wide, not deep. Just no mid-off at all.In a Test that you make only one or two such mistakes, they can have only a trivial impact on the eventual outcome, but all these things add up.This was also collectively India’s worst fielding performance in a long time. Thakur misfielded because he slipped, but took forever to get back up and retrieve the ball. As Rishabh Pant could be heard saying on the stumps mic, “It is okay to misfield, but you need to recover.” It should have come from Gill. If you zoomed-out a little and looked at the whole field as events unfolded during the final day, it was hard to tell if Gill was in charge. At various times, Pant and KL Rahul set the fields and talked to the bowlers.1:59

Why were Indian seamers ineffective on day 5?

The most important job for Gill and Gautam Gambhir will be to lift the team after they have lost a Test in which they used one of the three trump cards given to them and had almost everything with their four experienced batters go right for them. As has been said in this space before, Gill’s real test will be if he plays Thakur as the bowling allrounder and it doesn’t work out. The ideal response will be to double down on the need to take 20 wickets and bring in a proper bowler – possibly Kuldeep Yadav – but their collapses have given them every reason to be conservative.A captaincy debut which started like a dream for Gill has ended up being a nightmare. This was only his sixth first-class match as captain. He needs to be cut some slack, but this is a job that comes with a lot of prestige and also responsibility. He has no option but to learn quickly on the job. There is no magic potion that can maintain the love and care but still instil fear and accountability.This is not to say the players are not hurting for this loss. They are hurting more than anyone on the outside can. They will all have to dust themselves off and do the good things again but also make sure their intensity doesn’t drop. The England bowling attack can be taken down. They just need their bowlers to be in the good areas more often than at Headingley, and then be switched on in the field.If there is any consolation, it has been done before. Kohli’s first Test as captain is remembered for his brilliant twin hundreds, but even that game featured ordinary selections and lower-order disasters. In his first series as the full-time captain, Kohli lost what seemed like the unlosable Test in Galle to start off with. You can quibble with other things, but it is hard to remember drops in intensity in the side after that.

Despite coming first change, the seamer effectively ended the match with her three quick wickets

S Sudarshanan16-Dec-20233:14

Kaur: ‘Muzumdar’s experience helped; trusted his decisions’

The ‘Bay H’ stand at the DY Patil Stadium was the place to be on Saturday. The 100 school kids brought in as part of a CSR exercise by a multi-national company, and a few fans who had long booked their tickets and made it for the weekend – the last two days of the Test – were making the noise that we are so used to during a cricket match in India. Close your eyes and you wouldn’t know it was a sparsely-filled stadium for a women’s Test.Rhythmic chants of “let’s go, Deepti” were followed by banging of the plastic seats. And the chant for the star of the day? ” [Who is our superstar]? Poooojaaaa Vastraakaaaar!”India had declared overnight and set England a mammoth 479. Out of the 182 overs bowled across the first two days of the Test, India’s contribution was just 35.3. Their bowlers were well rested and, on a colder-than-usual Navi Mumbai morning, India felt they were better off bowling.Related

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While England seamers bowled in lines outside off, Indian seamers attacked the stumps. As per ESPNcricinfo logs, India attacked the stumps 48 times in the first ten overs in two innings with England managing to score only 15 off such deliveries. The corresponding numbers for England’s bowlers and India’s batters were 34 and 17.India’s plan to have catching fielders for an uppish flick also continued on Saturday morning. In the sixth over of the day with a backward short leg and a square leg in place, debutant Renuka Singh managed to swing one in sharply and rap Tammy Beaumont on the back leg. After going to the top of her run-up, she gestured towards one of those fielders before running in again. Perhaps reminding Beaumont of the presence of the two close-in fielders. She bowled the next one wide of the crease, landed it on a fullish length on off, got it to straighten and took the off stump. Beaumont, rooted to the crease with the wicketkeeper standing up, was beaten on the outside.Just like in the first innings, Harmanpreet Kaur opted for a pace-spin combo to start with, and brought Vastrakar as the first change in the tenth over. And Vastrakar effectively killed the match. After Sophia Dunkley cut a length ball straight to backward point, she struck a telling blow, dismissing Nat Sciver-Brunt, who had scored 59 in the first dig. She angled a length ball in, which Sciver-Brunt looked to defend off her front foot but left a huge gap between bat and pad to be bowled for a first-ball duck.Not long after, Vastrakar got one to hold its line and dismissed Heather Knight caught behind to have England 68 for 4. Vastrakar had dismissed Knight in the first innings as well, that time with a nip-backer to trap her lbw.Nat Sciver-Brunt, England’s batting mainstay, fell for a first-ball duck to Vastrakar•BCCIVastrakar bowled only one more over after that and finished with 3 for 23 before Deepti Sharma and Rajeshwari Gayakwad picked up the last six wickets.”The more you play Test cricket, long-form cricket, the better your skills get,” Harmanpreet said after India’s 347-run win, the biggest win in women’s cricket. “That’s why we backed her [Vastrakar] for this Test, so that she bowls more and gains confidence. In Tests, you can try certain things and set the field accordingly. You start trusting your skills. We saw her confidence as she bowled and picked up wickets.”Every pacer wants to bowl with the new ball, because there is movement. But as per the team’s plan, we give Renuka the opportunity to bowl first. Pooja supports that and she is ready to bowl first-change. Even today, the first 40 minutes were important, and she was okay to come later on.”Vastrakar offers a skillset that is rare in Indian cricket – a fast bowler who can bat and hit big, much like Hardik Pandya in the men’s set-up. She can hit speeds north of 110kph – the delivery that dismissed Sciver-Brunt was bowled at 111kph – and cause even set batters discomfort.”They [the India seamers] managed to get a little bit of nibble, the seam movement, this morning when you hit a good area,” Knight said later. “That accounted for a few wickets in the top order. Pooja, in particular, was outstanding, especially the late seam [movement] she got off the wicket. She is really tricky when she bowled the wobble ball at a good length. Didn’t give us a lot of opportunities to score.”Apart from troubling the batters who grew up in seam-friendly conditions in England, Vastrakar also showed her athleticism on the field multiple times, no less in the run-out of Beaumont in the first innings – swooping towards square leg from short midwicket and nailing the direct hit. Not to forget the couple of not-outs with the bat.”The wicket didn’t bounce much, particularly as the game went on, and so getting forward was really important,” Knight said about countering seam. “Most of the seamers’ wickets were lbw or bowled, apart from a couple of nicks. [We tried] to bat out of our crease, trying to hit really straight down the ground, trying to combat that seam movement… For Renuka, for example, getting on to off stump and trying to get outside the line if it doesn’t nip back in.”For far too long, Harmanpreet – and other India captains before her – have resorted to spinners whenever the match situation gets out of hand. Here, too, Deepti stole the show with her nine wickets, but Vastrakar showed during her short spell that she, too, could turn the games around.