NBA legend and Mallorca co-owner discusses the club's resurgence and Messi's influence on American soccer
Nash praises Mallorca's recent performances in La LigaFormer NBA star shares insights on ownership challengesDiscusses Messi's transformative effect on MLSGetty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?
Steve Nash, the NBA Hall of Famer and co-owner of RCD Mallorca, has opened up about the Spanish club's recent success in La Liga. Nash, along with fellow NBA legend Steve Kerr and former USMNT player Stu Holden, has been instrumental in Mallorca's resurgence since joining the ownership group in 2016. The two-time NBA Most Valuable Player opened up about his time with the La Liga side and how he, and the rest of the ownership group, attempted to turn things around for the Spanish side.
“When we started, I was on the board and then when I coached, I had to get off the board, just too busy and not on the board anymore, but always in touch, always speaking with the chairman and he keeps us connected. And so really at this point, really being a fan, watching the games on the weekend and following the team. And that's great,” Nash told Flashscore.
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“I mean, it's fun. You know, I got my weekends are busy with my kids' stuff. And then I also follow Mallorca, Tottenham, and the Vancouver Whitecaps. So it's a nice fandom for me to follow our three teams and to root for them. So just being a fan of Mallorca and that connection to the place, to the island, to the history is really special."
AdvertisementWHAT STEVE NASH SAID ABOUT LIONEL MESSI
“This guy [Lionel Messi] is unbelievable. For me, the greatest player to ever play the game. You know, he is still scoring a million goals and making highlights and has brought such an incredible lens or attention to the MLS. You know, what a feather in the cap of the league to have, you know, perhaps the greatest player of all time in your league and still scoring goals, you know, just coming off the back of a World Cup,” Nash said.
“And so, you know, I know he's at the end of his career, but the things he still does, the way he still impacts games, scores goals, is remarkable. So it's been awesome to have him in America and in the MLS and I still can't take my eyes off him. So it's great for the league.”
DID YOU KNOW?
In addition to his love of soccer, Nash had a Hall of Fame NBA career — being named MVP twice in the NBA.
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GettyWHAT’S NEXT?
Both Real Mallorca and Lionel Messi are having a good start to their respective seasons as Mallorca sit in 8th place with 10 wins, six draws, and 10 losses after 26 matches played. Messi’ Inter Miami, on the other hand, sit third on the Eastern Conference table after their second league game with four points and face Cavalier S.C. next in their next game in the Concacaf Champions League Round of 16.
Karnataka beat Mumbai, Andhra win thriller against Jammu and Kashmir, and other action from the 50-over tournament
Saurabh Somani11-Dec-2021
Ruturaj Gaikwad tops the Vijay Hazare Trophy run charts•Maharashtra Cricket Association
Gaikwad’s century, Tripathi’s 99Gaikwad hit 124 off 129, following scores of 136 and 154* in the first two games, but apart from Rahul Tripathi’s 99 off 108, no other Maharashtra batter made more than 20. Those two innings powered the team to a sizeable 291 for 8, with pacer MD Nidheesh taking 5 for 49. Maharashtra had the match seemingly sewn up, with Kerala 35 for 4 in the 11th over, but Sanju Samson – batting at No.6 – and Jalaj Saxena dug them out of that hole with a 72-run stand in just 11.1 overs. Although both fell in quick succession to leave Kerala at 120 for 6, Vishnu Vinod then got together with Sijomon Joseph for a stunning, unbeaten 174-run stand in just 141 balls. Vinod hit a century off just 82 balls while Joseph was unbeaten on 70 off 71, as victory was achieved with 1.1 overs remaining.Elsewhere, 20-year-old Aryan Juyal and Shivam Mavi, who recently turned 23, combined as Uttar Pradesh downed Delhi by nine wickets. Mavi took 4 for 48, rising to joint-highest among the wicket-takers for the tournament with nine strikes overall. Delhi’s 243 all out was made to look inadequate, with wicketkeeper Juyal – rated well since his Under-19 days – smashing 120 not out off 134 in a nine-wicket win.File photo – Prerak Mankad dented Hyderabad’s line-up•Shailesh Bhatnagar
Karnataka romp past Mumbai, star players shine for PunjabIn a heavyweight clash, Karnataka defeated Mumbai by seven wickets with 4.3 overs to spare, the defending champions only mustering 208 for 9. Yashasvi Jaiswal (61 off 91) and Armaan Jaffer (43 off 66) had put on 95 for the opening wicket at a steady pace, but Mumbai couldn’t build on that. Legspinner Praveen Dubey, drafted in for this game, took 4 for 29, ripping out the middle order. His wickets included Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube. In reply, Karnataka’s openers bettered their Mumbai counterparts, R Samarth staying unbeaten with 96 off 129 and Rohan Kadam making 44 off 79; both able to pace their innings given the below-par target.Punjab demolished Assam by ten wickets, with the bowlers skittling Assam for just 125, and the openers rattling off the runs in 15.2 overs. Arshdeep Singh led the attack, taking 4 for 30 in 6.5 overs, while Mayank Markande wasn’t too far behind with 3 for 27 in 7 overs. Abhishek Sharma had a fine all-round day, picking up 2 for 14 in five overs and then coming out to belt 56 not out off 38. His opening partner, Prabhsimran Singh, stole the batting show, however, with an unbeaten 73 off 55, including three sixes and nine fours.Mankad’s all-round showPrerak Mankad helped Saurashtra ease past Hyderabad, turning up with both bat and ball. He took 4 for 54 as Hyderabad were bowled out for 221, all his four wickets being among the top six batters. His victims included top-scorer Ravi Teja for 63 and the in-form Tilak Varma for 20. Mankad then came out to bat at No. 4 and contributed 49 off 50 balls in a sturdy chase where victory was achieved in only 39 overs, shaped around opener Harvik Desai’s unbeaten 101 and Sheldon Jackson’s 65.In a thrilling game, Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) lost to Andhra by two wickets. J&K had been reduced to 99 for 9, but Ram Dayal shepherded the last-wicket stand with Umar Nazir Mir, as 109 runs were added in 93 balls. Mir contributed 27 off 44 before falling in the 49th over, leaving Dayal unconquered on 116 off 100 balls, having done remarkable heavylifting in the final stand. Andhra didn’t have one batter going through, though Ricky Bhui’s 56 steadied the top half of the innings. Auqib Nabi took 3 for 25 in ten overs, while the other bowlers also chipped in, but Andhra scampered home in 49 overs.
It’s been an extraordinarily tough start to Premier League life for Ipswich Town this season, with games against Liverpool, Manchester City, Aston Villa and Brighton & Hove Albion all before November.
However, despite this challenging schedule, the Tractor Boys sit above the relegation zone with four draws to their name, suggesting that survival is well and truly on the cards.
That said, with two losses in their last two games, Kieran McKenna has to make some changes ahead of the clash with Brentford this afternoon if he wants to pick up the club’s first win of the campaign, notably out on the right.
Why Wes Burns should be dropped
Yes, ahead of the game this afternoon, McKenna has to make an attacking change, and based on his performance against Everton and the form of his teammates, Wes Burns should make way.
To his credit, the Welsh international has been an effective outlet for the Tractor Boys in the seasons following his move from Fleetwood, but he has been underwhelming so far this year, failing to score or assist a single goal in his six appearances thus far.
Moreover, he was particularly poor against the Toffees, offering little going forward and giving the ball away for their opening goal, which helps to explain the paltry 4/10 rating he received from the East Anglian Daily Times’ Alex Jones after the game.
That may sound like a harsh rating, but it’s one justified by his statistics, as in his 63 minutes of action the 29-year-old didn’t take a single shot, failed in 100% of his crosses and long balls, didn’t attempt a single dribble, lost 100% of his duels, lost the ball eight times and was dribbled past once.
In all, it was a shocking display, and McKenna must take him out of the lineup, especially as he has a far more talented attacker who could come in for him and add that little bit more to the team going forward.
Why Sammie Szmodics should start
So, the player who should come in for Burns on the right is none other than summer signing Sammie Szmodics.
Now, the first thing to recognise is that yes, the 29-year-old has rarely played on the right-hand side in his career, but he has also rarely played off the left before this season, and if he can play there as a right-footed player, why couldn’t he adapt to life on the right?
Moreover, while the Irishman hasn’t had the most explosive start to life in Suffolk, scoring once in eight games, he showed last season that when settled and given a run of starts, he can be a game-changer for his team.
For example, in just 48 games for Blackburn Rovers last year, the “ridiculous” talent, as dubbed by journalist Josh Bunting, found the back of the net on 33 occasions and provided four assists for good measure.
This meant that he averaged a goal involvement every 1.29 games for a team that didn’t even get promoted, and unsurprisingly, he was also the Championship’s top goalscorer.
Appearances
48
Goals
33
Assists
4
Goal Involvements per Match
0.77
Ultimately, while fans can’t expect that same level of output in the Premier League, Szmodics’ talents are undeniable, and while the right of midfield might not be his natural position, McKenna has to start him ahead of Burns this afternoon as he will surely be able to add that extra spark to Ipswich’s attack.
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“Just keep imposing ourselves on the opposition is the way we’ve championed trying to play”
Andrew Miller31-Oct-2021
Buttler: “We want to put the opposition under pressure in all facets of the game with bat, ball, in the field and the way we run as well”•Getty Images
Jos Buttler says he had been given the licence to “throw caution to the wind” during his exhilarating 71* from 32 balls against Australia on Saturday, as England’s batters seized on the opportunity to drive home their dominance after another outstanding bowling display.Buttler’s remarkable innings – featuring five fours, five sixes and innumerable bewildered head-shakes from his team-mates in the dugout – enabled England to cruise to victory with 50 balls to spare, and cement their standing at the top of Group 1 with their third crushing win in a row. It was an opportunity for Buttler to reaffirm the all-guns-blazing mentality that has transformed England into the pre-eminent white-ball team of the era, and lay down a marker for the rest of the tournament.Related
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Buttler's 'clinic of white-ball power hitting'
“It was a fantastic team performance,” Buttler said, after a bowling display led by Chris Woakes and Chris Jordan had limited Australia to a sub-par total of 125. “Early wickets in the powerplay really set us on our way and it was great fun to chase those runs down.”We didn’t have any scoreboard pressure. ‘Just keep imposing ourselves on the opposition’ is the way we’ve championed trying to play. We don’t try and play it safe. So if we talk that way, we have to go out and play that way as well.”To that end, Buttler credited his opening partner, Jason Roy, for setting England’s agenda, as he galloped to the pitch of his first ball from Josh Hazlewood, and slammed him through wide long-on for four – an important statement shot given Hazlewood’s ability to drum out an awkward length. Roy then repeated the dose with a big six in Pat Cummins’ first over, and when England reached 48 for 0 after five overs, Buttler knew it was time to put the hammer down.4:00
Jayawardene: Batting depth allows Buttler, Roy to go hard in the powerplay
“I think you get quite inspired by Jason at the other end when he is running down first ball against Hazlewood and running down against Cummins,” he said. “These are top bowlers and the way he can impose himself inspires at the other end. When you get to the last over of the powerplay none down, it felt like an over to really throw caution to the wind and just go for it.”Once you get in that hitting mode, it is [about] just allowing yourself to keep going. Sometimes you think ‘I’ll rein it back in a little bit’, but then you catch yourself half-hearted. So especially with the position we were in, in the game, it was more ‘I’m just gonna keep going’. And keep trying to take advantage of being in a good zone.”As Buttler’s innings progressed, so the shots became more outrageous – a brace of swings through the line for six off Mitchell Starc were followed by another heave over long-off as he failed to reach the pitch of an Adam Zampa legbreak, but trusted his eye to punish the ball high into the stands.”The mental side of things is something I try to work on a lot,” he said. “Some of the practice wickets have been a bit tricky but [on Friday] I managed to have some great practice. It’s nice to put your hands through a few again, have some fun and freedom.”If you practise it, the confidence stays. Your adrenaline is going but you’re trying to remain quite level in your brain and relaxed in the top half. When guys are bowling fast, you have that level of adrenaline.”Nor was there any respite for Australia in England’s running between the wickets. Buttler twice managed to turn pinpoint yorkers into threes with deft wristwork, including a firm drive off Hazlewood to the edge of the cover boundary, and his understanding with Roy was instrumental in keeping the score ticking throughout the powerplay.”We want to put the opposition under pressure in all facets of the game with bat, ball, in the field and the way we run as well,” Buttler said. “I think we’re an incredibly fit team. That gives us another dimension, especially on fields like this where there are bigger gaps at times and you can push twos. It’s another area that we can push to try and play at the level we want to play.”Buttler on Roy: “These are top bowlers and the way he can impose himself inspires at the other end”•Getty Images
Though Buttler is familiar with the Dubai stadium through his time in the IPL, this campaign is his first visit to the venue with England since the 2015-16 series against Pakistan, where he cracked a 46-ball century in the fourth ODI, England’s fastest of all time.”That’s obviously a while ago now but every time you come and play here, there are obviously great memories,” he said. “We were in the same dressing-room as well on that day. It just has a nice feel about it, remembering that sort of day. So absolutely that gives you confidence to know you are coming back to a ground where you have probably played your best innings at.”With three comprehensive wins from three, Buttler admitted that England could not be better placed in their push for a semi-final berth. And though they have had the advantage of chasing in each of their three games to date, he did not feel that the conditions – in particular the onset of dew in the second innings – had played an undue part in their success.”The format doesn’t allow much room for error so to be three from three – including wins against West Indies and Australia as well, no disrespect to Bangladesh – and to play as convincingly as we have has been awesome,” he said. “The games we have played, we’ve pegged back the opposition really early. We have restricted teams to under-par scores, so I wouldn’t say we’ve seen big benefits of batting second.”As the tournament goes on and the wickets become more tired, maybe the advantage will swap to batting first,” he added. “That is one challenge we are going to have to work out as a side. If we lose the toss or we choose to bat first, how are we going to approach our innings to get to a score that we think is defendable.”
In her 200th game for England, Danni Wyatt set about finding her new niche with a middle-order performance that sealed Player of the Match honours and an unlikely victory for her team.Wyatt’s aggressive style makes her a natural T20 opener but, having struggled to get an ODI game this summer, she came in to No. 7 to replace the resting Katherine Brunt with devastating effect in the second of five 50-over matches against New Zealand in Worcester.Her 63 not out included a record 10th-wicket stand of 51 with Tash Farrant and helped lift England from 85 for 5 to what proved to be a surprisingly defendable 197 all out when Charlie Dean took four wickets in just her second game to bowl New Zealand out well short of their target of 183, revised on the DLS method.”I had a lot of time out there and had to get my head down and bat for the team,” Wyatt said. “I thought, ‘I’ve just got to knock it around, build partnerships and bat long’, which is what I talked about with batting coach Jon Lewis just before I went in so I’m really chuffed with how it went today.”Related
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It was Wyatt’s 78th ODI but her first since England’s winter tour to New Zealand in February, when she opened alongside Tammy Beaumont. Since then, Lauren Winfield-Hill has partnered Beaumont at the top of the order in ODIs against India and New Zealand.In fact, Wyatt was struggling for T20I runs until her series-sealing 89 not out in the final match against India at Chelmsford in mid-July, her first fifty in the format in 19 innings going back to December 2019.In ODIs, Wyatt has played 30 innings batting in the middle order – most recently during the 2019 Ashes – scoring 519 runs in all at an average of 22.56. That compares to 465 runs in 23 innings as an opener at 20.21 and her overall tally of 1109 runs at 20.16.As an allrounder, Brunt’s return changes the balance of the side and, in Thursday’s opening ODI, she played a match-turning role of her own with bat and ball. Asked whether her own knock on Sunday posed a selection headache, Wyatt was circumspect.”It’s not down to me but all I want to do now is keep scoring runs whenever I’m out there in the middle feeling in good nick,” she said. “I’ve changed a few things technically and it seems to be going well at the minute so hopefully it continues.”I’ve been training really well and been speaking a lot with Jon Lewis and [head coach] Lisa Keightley about my game and possible role in the team, which is middle-order now… it was really good to get some runs and show everyone what I can do in the middle order.”Wyatt admitted she “didn’t run well” in a mix-up that saw she and Winfield-Hill stranded at the non-striker’s end, the latter unfortunate to be run out for 39 when bowler Leigh Kasperek threw the ball to wicketkeeper Katey Martin after Wyatt had retreated halfway through a second run.”I didn’t think too much, I just went out there and batted, just hit the bad ball and ran well, although I didn’t run well with Lauren,” Wyatt said, having told Sky Sports she’d given her team-mate a hug in apology.Danni Wyatt and Lauren Winfield-Hill end up at the same end•Getty Images
Sophie Devine, the New Zealand captain, said the defeat was tough to take but praised Wyatt’s efforts. Having been 111 for 4 when rain stopped play, the White Ferns were all out for 169 as England won by 13 runs with 18 balls to spare.”We need to have an honest look at ourselves and at how we’re going to win games like that because I back the side to win that sort of chase nine times out of 10,” Devine said.”You’ve got to give a bit of credit to their batters, they went all right. Danni Wyatt was a bit of a pest for them, working with their lower order. That’s one of the things we’re going to have to have a look at in terms of how we’re going to kill off games like that. We were close, we just obviously weren’t close enough.”In the opening match in Bristol, Amy Satterthwaite got New Zealand within reach of England after a top-order collapse had the tourist staring down a much heavier defeat.Devine has moved down the order to No. 5 in this ODI series, a position she hasn’t played since 2018. She said there was no likelihood of her playing a floating role after her side struggled again with the bat.”I’m a solid No. 5,” Devine said. “We’ve spoken at length as a leadership group and the coaching staff as well around what’s best for this team and for me that’s batting at No. 5.”I guess we haven’t shown it yet because we haven’t been able to piece it all together, but I’m really comfortable and confident in batting at No. 5. I’m really excited about the opportunity and I think with the rest of the squad that we’ve got, it makes for a greatly balanced side.”
Kent 232 (Leaning 75*, Crawley 50, Parkinson 4-68) and 262 (Stevens 107*, Parkinson 5-75) beat Leicestershire 109 (Logan 3-9) and 253 (Mike 70, Barnes 70*, Milnes 6-53) by 132 runsKent registered a first LV= Insurance County Championship win of the season as Leicestershire were beaten by 132 runs inside three days at the Uptonsteel County Ground but only after an extraordinary afternoon that saw the home side avert humiliation with a defiant rearguard action.After 45-year-old Darren Stevens had completed a superb unbeaten century against his former county, pace bowler Matt Milnes finished with a career-best 6 for 53, but that told only half the story of a bizarre two sessions of play.Needing to score an unlikely 386 to win on a pitch aiding spin and in swing-friendly overhead conditions, Leicestershire slumped to 20 for 6 at lunch. But an aggressive Ben Mike hit 70 off 52 balls to set off a vigorous wag of the tail that saw Ed Barnes match him with an unbeaten 70 and Will Davis make a career-best 42 as the last four wickets added a scarcely credible 233.Stevens lit up the early part of the day, transforming his 55 overnight into an unbeaten 107 off just 28 deliveries before Leicestershire were able to winkle out his final partner.The veteran lofted Mike and swept Callum Parkinson for four sixes over the short boundary and, as he celebrated his 37th career first-class century, Leicestershire needed no reminding that he should have been out on the second evening on 40 when he hit Barnes in the air to midwicket but neither of two converging fielders made the catch.Stevens scored 107 of the 120 runs added for Kent’s last five wickets before Colin Ackermann bowled James Logan to claim the one outstanding overnight. Stevens hit 13 fours and six sixes, facing just 70 balls.What was always a daunting target then soon looked impossible for Leicestershire. Milnes made his first breakthrough in his third over as Hassan Azad was trapped in front and he could not have imagined he would have a five-for under his belt 21 balls later.He had Ackerman caught at second slip off a yorker-length ball, bowled Louis Kimber, celebrated a fourth success as Harry Swindells misread the line and a fifth when Lewis Hill was caught behind down the leg side, sending Leicestershire to lunch six down from 12.1 overs, Stevens picking up the other wicket with an inswinger to Sam Evans.But Mike began the afternoon by driving, hooking and pulling three fours in an over to see Milnes removed from the attack and continued apace as he and Parkinson added 77 in 10.3 overs before the introduction of Logan’s spin saw the latter caught behind.Mike ultimately sliced Logan to wide long-off and though the result never looked in any doubt Barnes delayed it with an impressive second first-class fifty, adding 33 with Chris Wright, who was unlucky to be given out caught behind from a ball that appeared to come off his helmet as he went to hook Milnes, and 92 with Davis before the latter slashed at one from Nathan Gilchrist and Kent could finally celebrate.
The frustration around Newcastle United’s disappointing summer has generally been discarded, which bears testament to Eddie Howe’s tactical success since the season started less than six weeks ago.
The transfer window, moreover, slammed down its shutters less than three weeks ago, and though residual annoyance at the failure to sign Marc Guehi lingers still, fans know that victory over Fulham in the Premier League on Saturday will send the Magpies flying to the top of the table.
Marc Guehi
Ah, it will be on a… pro-tem basis though. Manchester City face Arsenal in the clash of the titans on Sunday, so the law of probability rules that barring an absurdly high-scoring Newcastle win at Craven Cottage, they would have to settle for a lower platform on matchweek five’s podium.
Of course, United have to win the match to validate such discussion, and Marco Silva’s Cottagers are as drilled and determined an outfit as any in England’s top flight.
Newcastle record vs Fulham (PL H2H)
Season
Date
Venue
Result
2023/24
06/04/24
Craven Cottage
1-0 win
2023/24
16/12/23
St. James’ Park
3-0 win
2022/23
15/01/23
St. James’ Park
1-0 win
2022/23
01/10/22
Craven Cottage
4-1 win
2020/21
23/05/21
Craven Cottage
2-0 win
2020/21
19/12/20
St. James’ Park
1-1 draw
2020/21
12/05/19
Craven Cottage
4-0 win
2020/21
22/12/18
St. James’ Park
0-0 draw
Stats via Transfermarkt
As you can see above, Newcastle have rather enjoyed their contests against Fulham over the past four years. Should they avoid defeat on Saturday, the Toon’s unbeaten run against them will extend to ten matches.
It won’t be easy though, especially since Newcastle have been rocked by some injury news, with Alexander Isak a fitness doubt…
Alexander Isak might miss out
Isak has been a revelation as St. James’ Park’s centre-forward over the past couple of years, joining in a club-record £63m transfer in 2022 and since scoring 36 goals and adding six assists across 72 matches.
Hailed as “one of the best number nines in the league” by his Tyneside manager, the Sweden international bagged 21 top-flight goals from 30 matches last year, behind only Cole Palmer and Erling Haaland in the final rankings.
And though he’s only returned one strike from four appearances in the Premier League this season, the 23-year-old has been a constant threat and can change a game in a flash.
But he might be forced to sit the forthcoming fixture out. According to the Daily Mail’s Craig Hope, Isak has injured a toe in the build-up to the match and is a major doubt.
The news is compounded by Callum Wilson’s ongoing recovery from a back problem. The 32-year-old sharpshooter has yet to feature this season and may not be given the green light until the end of the month.
Newcastle striker Callum Wilson
This means that Howe could be forced into thinking outside the box. Luckily, he has a dynamic forward who could be up to the task in Anthony Gordon.
Howe could unleash Anthony Gordon at No. 9
Gordon was crowned Newcastle’s Player of the Year for 2023/24 after a truly fantastic campaign, posting 12 goals and 11 assists across all competitions and dazzling with his pace and power and potency down the left wing, whipping past defenders in a blur of black-and-white stripes and flaxen hair.
Liverpool target Anthony Gordon in action for England at EURO 2024.
But his intelligence and tactical flexibility saw him feature in a more traditional striker’s position on occasion, with Howe acknowledging his qualities in times of need. Times such as this weekend.
It’s no wonder that teams such as Liverpool and Manchester City were interested in signing Gordon this summer in deals worth £75m. It didn’t materialise in the end but this is a credit to Newcastle’s resilient standing against lucrative adversity.
He’s an absolute “menace”, as has been said by journalist and scout Antonio Mango, and having scored against Bournemouth already this year, Gordon will be hungry to take the next step and prove to his manager that he is his main man above all else, capable of stepping up in a different area to continue the exciting purple patch.
Gordon, furthermore, has scored 12 Premier League goals since the start of last season despite only missing ten big chances, speaking of a prolific nature that could serve Howe’s unit well in a repackaged role.
Anthony Gordon: 2023/24 Stats by Position
Position
Apps
Goals
Assists
Left winger
39
10
8
Centre-forward
5
1
0
Right winger
3
1
3
Attacking midfield
1
0
0
Stats via Transfermarkt
He’s no stranger to the middle lane, and Gordon’s ball-carrying threat could be perfect against Fulham’s intense defensive approach.
And anyway, with Harvey Barnes starting and in form, there will be a sustained degree of fluency. As per WhoScored, 43% of Newcastle’s attacking play has come from the left flank, with Nottingham Forest the only team with greater pressure from this area, averaging 48% of their attacking play from the left.
Gordon’s tenacity can also be something that will not only enhance his focal ability up top but also dynamise the attack and influence the performances of those around him, namely Barnes on the left and either Miguel Almiron or Jacob Murphy on the alternate side.
As per Sofascore, the England international has averaged 1.8 dribbles per game in the Premier League this season while also winning a whopping 63% of his ground duels.
Contextualising this feat: Dan Burn has won just 45% of his ground duels in the league so far.
Howe is renowned for his meticulous nature. The 46-year-old likes everything just so. He’s entrenched in his ways but this is what makes him a high-class manager. Without wending off on a dour tangent, there’s a reason why he is so highly coveted by the Three Lions set-up…
But Howe’s tactical nous means that long ago he would have assessed Gordon’s suitability in a central striking role, and might just find that it could be a move worth making against Fulham’s compact defensive shape, stretching and contorting.
Let’s wait and see, but Gordon has proved his worth and might just have the clinical ability to succeed, maintaining Newcastle’s excellent record against Saturday’s opposition.
Newcastle star was worth £10m when Howe arrived, now his value's risen 200%
The talent has developed rapidly in a short space of time under Howe.
The September international break is behind us, and while Liverpool fans are still giddy from watching Trent Alexander-Arnold obliterate any ridiculous notion that he cannot perform for England – at right-back – fans longing for another week without the Premier League would be few and far between.
Liverpool have enjoyed a masterful start to life under Arne Slot, whose three victories and three clean sheets from three matches to start his reign have cast any doubts far into the depths of the River Mersey.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot
But there's always an element of fear that international action, freezing domestic excitement, will stifle the fluency, and return certain members to their clubs nursing blows.
Liverpool, sadly, must contend with such a setback in the shape of Harvey Elliott, whose frustrating start to the season has been compounded.
Harvey Elliott's injury blow
Elliott's role under Jurgen Klopp grew as the 2023/24 campaign went on, and the dynamic midfielder actually ended up being one of Liverpool's most impressive players toward the business end, instrumental in winning the Carabao Cup and recovering form at the end of the year.
He's reverted to a bit-part role since the summer, though it's difficult to use the opening three matches as a reliable yardstick, with Slot looking to instil his methods and style as seamlessly as possible before expanding his team.
Elliott is an expert technician with ball-playing qualities that offer something distinctive and deadly to Liverpool. Klopp revealed that the 21-year-old's comparative lack of playing time last year was one of his only regrets as he touched the Anfield sign for one final time.
24/25
1 (0)
0
0
23/24
53 (27)
4
11
22/23
46 (25)
5
2
21/22
11 (6)
1
0
20/21*
1 (1)
0
1
19/20
8 (6)
0
1
The England U21 international is criminally underrated, among the finest young talents that the country's rich and expansive prospect pool has to offer. He will now watch from the side as Liverpool continue to adapt to this new way of life.
The diminutive midfielder fractured his foot earlier this week while on duty with England U21s, meaning that he will miss up to six weeks of action and thus unlikely to return to action until the end of October, after the second international break of the season.
The significance of this blow should not be understated. Elliott has not enjoyed more than 13 minutes of football under his new boss but would have been expected to feature prominently over the weeks ahead, with the games coming thick and fast, two a week after Liverpool welcome Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Saturday.
Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones celebrate
His sharp creativity is such a brilliant asset. As per FBref, Elliott ranks among the top 1% of central midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 4% for shot-creating actions, the top 17% for passes attempted, the top 9% for progressive passes and the top 3% for progressive carries per 90.
The man to replace Harvey Elliott
He will not be easily replaced, but an unlikely replacement could emerge in 25-year-old Cody Gakpo, who has proved his positional flexibility since signing from PSV Eindhoven in January 2023.
Gakpo has been an important member of Liverpool's team since signing off the back of an exceptional campaign at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, with the versatile forward scoring 23 goals and supplying nine assists from 46 starting appearances.
He's usually a centre-forward or an in-cutting left winger, but he's played across myriad roles and could be an unlikely Elliott replacement, here's why.
Assists
0.25
Top 17%
Shot-creating actions
4.19
Top 7%
Passes attempted
31.88
Top 11%
Progressive passes
4.19
Top 7%
Progressive carries
2.36
Top 20%
Successful take-ons
1.62
Top 12%
Tackles
1.16
Top 11%
While the data extracted above does not run against attacking midfielders and wingers, Gakpo has displayed an aptitude for ball-playing and specifically playmaking, with new RB Salzburg manager Pep Lijnders hailing the "special skill set" that makes him such an interesting multi-functional option.
Of course, Dominik Szoboszlai looks set to continue his role as Slot's starring number ten, but the Hungarian will not be expected to feature from the start on every occasion, especially when considering the congested run of forthcoming fixtures headed Liverpool's way.
Dominik Szoboszlai
One of the principal questions boils down to whether Slot feels his slick and control-focused style of football can be successfully implemented with Gakpo in a deeper-lying role than he might have anticipated, but the table above and the Dutchman's past crispness suggests that he does indeed have the tools to succeed.
Moreover, Gakpo won 51% of his ground duels in the Premier League last year, as per Sofascore, suggesting that he has the combativeness to succeed in a deeper role, something that Klopp clearly noted.
Last season, the Netherlands international played seven times for Liverpool in a middle-situated role, particularly impressive during his team's 3-0 victory over Brentford in December.
Indeed, he completed 91% of his passes and won four of his seven contested ground duels before being replaced by Elliott in the final phase, so he's definitely a viable option: Slot would simply be taking a leaf out of his predecessor's books.
The £120k-per-week talent has yet to really showcase his style under the new management on Merseyside, in a competitive setting, but Slot is going to have to start shuffling the pack with the strong stream of matches flowing Liverpool's way, and Elliott, the likely candidate to alternate with Szoboszlai, finds himself under the shadow of the sideline.
Is he going to make this move? Alexis Mac Allister can perform in an advanced midfield role, and so can Curtis Jones. Federico Chiesa could also offer an interesting take on the position after signing from Juventus in August, but the Reds will wish to blood him slowly and avoid a recurrence of past injury misfortune.
Gakpo could be the man for the job. He'll be itching to prove himself in any case.
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The talent has endured a rapid decline in recent years.
It's finally back; after a long summer of international football and transfer rumours, the Premier League made its triumphant return over the weekend, and Arsenal resumed their quest to topple Manchester City from their throne.
Mikel Arteta's side had a kind opening fixture, with a home game against Wolverhampton Wanderers, and while it wasn't a stroll in the park, the North Londoners came out 2-0 winners.
There were several stand-out performers for the Gunners, from Kai Havertz to Bukayo Saka and even David Raya, but one starter who wasn't quite as good as fans were hoping he'd be was Gabriel Martinelli.
Following a poor campaign last season, the Brazilian international must show his worth in the coming games, but the club could be ruthless and sign a replacement before the window slams shut.
Gabriel Martinelli's uncertain future
Now, the first thing to state is that, no, Martinelli wasn't particularly bad against Wolves on Saturday, but it would be fair to say that he was underwhelming, and his performance did little in the way of bolstering his case for the season going forward, especially when the other starters in the frontline both scored and assisted a goal.
However, the doubts around the Brazilian's suitability to start in Arteta's title-challenging side aren't a product of Saturday's game; they result from his performances last season, in which he was notably poorer than the previous campaign.
For example, while he racked up a seriously impressive haul of 15 goals and six assists in 46 appearances in 2022/23, he could only manage eight goals and five assists in 44 appearances last season.
This means that his average dropped from a goal involvement once every 2.19 games two years ago to one every 3.38 last year, and while he did have to contend with a few knocks in 23/24, they weren't the sole reason for his poor form.
In all, while there is an undeniably talented winger in there, Martinelli wasn't able to show that last season, and as such, he could be at risk of losing his place in the team entirely, especially as the club were linked to someone who'd be an ideal replacement earlier this summer.
Why Donyell Malen could replace Martinelli
Yes, the player in question is Borussia Dortmund ace Donyell Malen, who was touted for a £34m move to the Emirates back in July.
Donyell Malen for the Netherlands.
If this potential deal were to happen, it would be a return for the Dutchman, as he first joined Arsenal as a 16-year-old in 2015 before scoring 44 goals in two seasons for the youth side and then returning to the Netherlands to play for PSV Eindhoven.
The Wieringen-born dynamo enjoyed a stellar few years with the Eredivisie giants, in which he scored 55 goals and provided 24 assists in 116 appearances before earning a £27m move to Westfalenstadion in July 2021.
Since then, the "unstoppable" star, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has made 112 appearances for die Schwarzgelben, growing in importance with every campaign.
Unsurprisingly, given the interest of clubs such as Arsenal, last season was his best yet, as he racked up 15 goals and five assists in just 38 appearances, equating to an average of a goal involvement every 1.9 games, which is even better than Martinelli's average from 22/23 and significantly better than his last year.
Appearances
38
44
Goals
15
8
Assists
5
5
Goal Involvements per Match
0.52
0.29
Interestingly, the "sizzling" attacker, as described by U23 scout Antonio Mango, can also play across the frontline with no trouble, having made over 60 starts on both wings and down the middle. However, with Arteta's track record last season, it's unlikely he'd be getting much game time on the right or as the starting nine.
Ultimately, while Malen might not be the biggest name at the moment, he proved that he was an elite attacker last season, and if Arsenal signed him this summer, he could spell trouble for Martinelli.
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Both players currently part of IPL 2021 picked for series likely to start on May 23, the same day that IPL’s league stage ends
ESPNcricinfo staff01-May-2021The Bangladesh selectors have named both Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman in Bangladesh’s 23-member preliminary squad for the ODI series against Sri Lanka later this month. The group is scheduled to start training from May 2, although it is not clear whether either Shakib or Mustafizur, both currently playing in IPL 2021, will join the camp on time.Related
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Shakib missed Bangladesh’s Test series against Sri Lanka after being granted leave by the Bangladesh Cricket Board, to play in the IPL. Rahman was also given an NOC to take part in the IPL, after he wasn’t included in the Test squad. Shakib is part of the Kolkata Knight Riders squad, while Rahman is with the Rajasthan Royals, who have already lost four players due to a variety of reasons this year in Jofra Archer, Ben Stokes, Andrew Tye and Liam Livingstone. That has left them with just four overseas options, including Rahman. The other three are Jos Buttler, Chris Morris and David Miller.Both Shakib and Rahman are, however, expected to join the ODI team for the three-match series, which is likely to start on May 23. The IPL’s league stage also concludes on May 23, with the final on May 30.The preliminary squad, which also includes Imrul Kayes who last played an ODI in 2018, will train till May 9, after which they will get a seven-day break for the Eid festival. Most of the preliminary squad is made up of cricketers who played in Bangladesh’s recent white-ball tour of New Zealand.The three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka is part of the ICC’s Super League.Bangladesh’s preliminary squad: Tamim Iqbal, Mohammad Naim, Imrul Kayes, Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mohammad Mithun, Mahmudullah, Afif Hossain, Mosaddek Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Nasum Ahmed, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mustafizur Rahman, Rubel Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam, Shohidul Islam.