Craig Overton likely to share new ball with Woakes after Robinson left out of 12-man squad

Cameron Ponsonby06-Mar-2022

Chris Woakes is set to be England’s attack leader in the Caribbean•Gareth Copley/Getty Images

Chris Woakes has spoken of his excitement about being given another chance in an England shirt after fearing he may have been dropped in the wake of their disastrous Ashes series.Woakes is set to share the new ball in the first Test in Antigua, starting on Tuesday, with Somerset’s Craig Overton after Ollie Robinson, who suffered a back spasm in the warm-up match last week and did not train on Sunday, was left out of the 12-man squad.”[Robinson has] had a great start to his Test career so naturally he’ll be a big miss,” Woakes said. “At the same time, it gives people opportunities. This tour is not just solely about opportunities, we’re trying to win games of cricket, but at the same time it does give that chance to someone to potentially make their Test debut or who’s been waiting in the wings for quite a while, and show that they can do it at this level.”England 12 for first Test

Joe Root (capt), Jonny Bairstow, Zak Crawley, Ben Foakes (wk), Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Alex Lees, Saqib Mahmood, Craig Overton, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood

Speaking after training at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, where England are due to commence their three-Test series against the West Indies, Woakes insisted that he expected a tough start to Operation Red-Ball Reset as the tourists look to embrace a new mentality.”By no means is this going to be an easy Test series for us,” he said. “We haven’t won a lot of Test matches here in the last 50 or 60 years from what I’ve heard so it’s not by any means going to be a walkover.”I think it’s more of a mindset, really. In Australia, we maybe got into a place where people were thinking more internally, thinking on personal levels rather than thinking fully about the bigger picture and about how to win games of cricket as a team.”We’re trying to focus on that in particular, the last week or so we’ve tried to focus on how we can get better at doing things as a unit rather than individually. Naturally it’s a game that produces individual performances but we still need to be better as a collective, we can’t just rely on certain individuals to always step up and put their hand up. We need to do it as a group and that’s something we’ve tried to focus on in the 10 days we’ve been here.”Woakes was one of many to endure a poor Ashes series, taking just six wickets in three matches at an average of 55.33. His performance furthered concerns about his contrasting home and away records, which has seen him average 22.63 from 25 matches with the ball in England, but 52.38 from 17 matches away. With a mass overhaul planned, Woakes worried that his time may have been up.”Yeah, definitely. Pretty much everyone would have been bar maybe a few. It would have been silly not to. [I’m] delighted to be here, to be backed and have another opportunity to have a crack at it. I’d have liked Australia to go better but obviously it didn’t.”It’s clear my away record isn’t as good as my home record, but I don’t prepare in any different way. I look at conditions and try to figure out how best to perform on any given surface. I’ve never played a Test in the Caribbean so I’m excited about the challenge of that. It is a Dukes ball here so I’m hoping it might suit me a little better.”Related

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Far from being dropped, Woakes has instead been a main beneficiary of interim managing director Andrew Strauss’s comments ahead of the series that these matches represent a chance for, “some of the bowlers that have been playing in the team to play either a slightly different role or more of a senior leadership role”.For Woakes, his role is both slightly different and more senior. In the absence of James Anderson and Broad, Woakes will take the new ball – something he has only done for England in 13 of his 42 Test matches. He will also be the de facto attack leader, with Overton expected to play his seventh Test in Robinson’s absence and England banking on Mark Wood’s availability after illness for extra pace; the uncapped Saqib Mahmood is the other seam-bowling option in the 12.”It’s something that I’m excited about,” Woakes said, “it’s not like I’m putting any more pressure on myself, I think we’ve spoken a lot over the last ten or so days and something I took away from Australia is making sure you don’t take playing for England for granted.”We worked so incredibly hard to get to this point, to become an England player and to get to this environment. You know it’s easily taken away from you. It’s making sure that every game is really important to you, you’re wearing the Three Lions and you give the best of yourself every time you step out there.”

Ipswich Town have reportedly agreed a deal to sign a former Liverpool player ahead of their Premier League opener next weekend.

Ipswich Town’s summer business

The Tractor Boys managed to keep hold of manager Kieran McKenna earlier in the summer and have made a number of new signings during the transfer market. The club have spent more than £60m and have also moved on a number of players from last season with weeks remaining of the window.

Ipswich Town summer signings	From	Fee (Transfermarkt)
Omari Hutchinson	Chelsea	€23.5m
Jacob Greaves	Hull City	€21.5m
Liam Delap	Manchester City	€17.85m
Arijanet Muric	Burnley	€9.55m
Conor Townsend	West Brom	€590,000
Ben Johnson	West Ham	Free transfer

McKenna is currently preparing his side for the first game of the season at home to Liverpool, however, behind the scenes, work is still ongoing in regards to further additions.

Recently, the club have been linked with a move for Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Oliver Skipp, however, fellow promoted sides Leicester City and Southampton are also showing an interest.

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Elsewhere, Ipswich have made contact over the potential signing of Napoli midfielder Jean Cajuste, although reports do not state whether the approach has been made with the player, the Serie A club or both parties.

However, Ipswich appear to be making progress over another deal with a club abroad, with a fee now agreed.

Ipswich Town agree fee to sign Ryan Kent

According to reports in Turkey, Ipswich have had an offer worth €3m (£2.5m) accepted to sign Fenerbahce winger Ryan Kent. Jose Mourinho has given the green light for Kent to leave, and it is claimed that the club have handed Kent permission to speak with Ipswich.

Should personal terms be agreed, the winger will head to England in the coming days, with Ipswich on course to beat Leeds United to a deal after the Whites were linked with a move of their own in recent weeks.

Kent, previously of Liverpool and Rangers, has been with Fenerbahce for just over 12 months but during his first season in Turkey, only made 19 appearances, scoring once and providing two assists.

Speaking back in 2022, former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O'Hara wanted Kent plying his trade in north London. "I don't want to pull him away from Rangers but I really like him, what a player he is. I would have him at Spurs. He should be in the Premier League, he is a top player."

Kent was also praised by former boss Steven Gerrard during their time in Glasgow, who said back in 2020: "He is so sharp and he has added a different dimension to his game. He is a pleasure to watch and coach and we just need to enjoy him. He has got the hunger and the desire and he is putting in the application to improve his numbers.”

Now, a return to England could be on the cards at Portman Road, making this one to watch.

With Friday's transfer deadline approaching, West Ham United chiefs are reportedly in talks with Real Sociedad to show the door to one of their first-team players in the final hours of the summer transfer window.

West Ham transfer news

It's been a positive summer for West Ham, who are undoubtedly among the winners of the window. The likes of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Jean Clair-Todibo and Crysencio Summerville have all arrived, among others, to hand Julen Lopetegui the perfect start to life in London.

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The pressure will certainly be on the Spaniard now, however, and rightly so. What certainly helped ease that pressure was his side's first three points of the season against Crystal Palace, which saw them bounce back from opening-day defeat against Aston Villa.

Alas, with so many fresh faces arriving, sales were always inevitable in the latter stages of the window and that's exactly what the Hammers' have focused on as the market comes to a close for the summer. The likes of James Ward-Prowse and Nayef Aguerd are among those potentially heading for the exit door, with the former reportedly closing in on a deal to join Nottingham Forest on loan.

Meanwhile, according to Jacob Steinberg of The Guardian, West Ham chiefs are in talks to loan Aguerd out to Real Sociedad in a deal that will see them get rid of the defender who has fallen down the pecking order amid the arrivals of Max Kilman and Todibo.

Earning a reported £50,000-a-week, it's no major surprise that West Ham are looking to show Aguerd the door, and one would presume Sociedad will cover some of those wages.

The centre-back was left out of Lopetegui's squad in both Premier League games so far this season and suffered the same fate in the Hammers' Carabao Cup victory over Bournemouth, creating the need for a late exit. With time running out though, Sociedad will undoubtedly need to act quickly to secure Aguerd's signature.

"Quick" Aguerd is no longer needed at West Ham

It speaks volumes that Lopetegui failed to turn towards Aguerd even in the Carabao Cup. Suddenly, the defender finds himself in a fairly dire situation and in desperate need of a move away. Sociedad would be a solid next step too. The La Liga club are likely to compete for European football once again in Spain to hand the defender a sideways step over a downward move.

West Ham, meanwhile, have the chance to clear £50k-a-week from their wage bill by showing the door to a player who once found himself at the centre of David Moyes' praise when he first arrived. Joining the Hammers in the summer of 2022, Aguerd battled back from injury to impress Moyes, who said via The Evening Standard: “I don't want to put too much on him.

“I want to give him time. But he's a good reader of the game. He's quick and he's good in the air. But because he's not played any Premier League games, it's difficult for us to give an overall judgement.

"I don't think he's ready for the Premier League games but we'll see for this European games. He's keen and he's a good character. I've got to say, we think he's a really stylish footballer."

“There’s only one explanation: we batted poorly. After batting well in the first innings in Durban, we couldn’t repeat it”

Mohammad Isam11-Apr-2022Bangladesh’s captain Mominul Haque has admitted that his team has been out of sorts ever since the first innings of the Durban Test, which the visitors lost by 220 runs. Bangladesh’s poor form with the bat continued into the second Test as well, as they were bowled out for 80 in the fourth innings in Gqeberha, their second sub-100 score in the series. For the second straight game, Bangladesh capitulated against spin, losing all 10 of their wickets to Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer.”There’s only one explanation: we batted poorly,” Mominul said. “We couldn’t play team-wise. After batting well in the first innings in Durban, we couldn’t repeat it again in the Test series. Batting by session, batting for time, these things went missing. You have to play well in every session. We have to improve a lot. We are not the No. 1 team in the world. But we are still at the same place before the (Mt Maunganui) win.”Related

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Mominul claimed that Bangladesh don’t play spin well, even though it is quite well known that the players are born and bred in spinning tracks. The only difference between the pitches in Bangladesh and those in South Africa during this series was the bounce.”Everyone knows we don’t play spin well, except one or two of us. We have to improve our square-of-the-wicket shots. (Yasir Ali) Rabbi and I shouldn’t have tried to play those shots over the top. It would have been better had we tried to play it square of the wicket. The better option was to play it along the ground.”There is a fundamental difference between wickets here and the sub-continent. In our conditions, one can use sidespin. Here, it doesn’t really work. Here, overspin is useful. Our bowlers are more used to sidespin. One has to go through a lot of technical changes for overspin. There’s also the difference between domestic and international level.”Mominul said that Bangladesh couldn’t afford to play with five bowlers, mainly because they usually want to have seven batters in their line-up at all times.”Do we ever play with five bowlers? It is tough for us to play five bowlers. Our batting gets weakened. We are a lower-ranked team. We are not the No. 1 team in the world. When we can be a No. 4 or 5 ranked team, we can play with five bowlers. I think this is logical.”

da jogodeouro： Over the years, West Ham United have been home to numerous midfield talents who have helped the club in various different ways during their respective periods at the club.

da lvbet： Arguably the most iconic in the club’s recent history would be Mark Noble, with the now-retired 37-year-old making 521 appearances for the Hammers over a 16-year stint as a player.

Noble is now the club’s sporting director after announcing his retirement at the end of the 2021/22 Premier League campaign – going down as one of the club’s most loved players for his time in East London.

Since his retirement, the club have kicked on in their recruitment to try and take the Hammers to the next level, with the likes of Guido Rodriguez and Edson Alvarez just two of the elite European players plying their trade at the London Stadium.

However, the club is no longer to one player who starred during his time in the first-team under former boss David Moyes, making the club a huge profit after his departure.

Declan Rice’s time at West Ham

Midfielder Declan Rice came through the club’s academy after joining as a youngster following his release from Chelsea – going on to make over 200 appearances for West Ham’s first team.

After making his debut back in the 2016/17 season, he quickly became a regular member of the senior side, cementing himself as a mainstay in the following campaign.

The 25-year-old made over 30 appearances in every season between 2017 and 2023, capturing the hearts of the fanbase – even helping them end their long wait for a major European title after clinching the Europa Conference League trophy with victory over Fiorentina back in 2023.

It was almost the perfect send off for the England international, before departing to join Arsenal in a record transfer for an English player, totalling a mammoth £105m.

Whilst it was a huge fee that massively improved the club’s finances, it would leave a huge hole in the middle of Moyes’ midfield, with new additions needed to try and fill the void left by the talented ace.

The Hammers made moves in the transfer market, investing in two separate talents to try and combat Rice’s departure – but one of which has unfortunately already been a victim of Julen Lopetegui’s appointment this summer.

The man brought in to replace Rice

The aforementioned Alvarez was brought in for a reported £35m fee from Ajax, but the club also splashed £30m on James Ward-Prowse from Southampton, with both players possessing different qualities to soften the blow of Rice’s exit.

An article from The Athletic claims that the Mexican was seen as a deep-lying ball-winning option, whilst the Englishman was brought in to operate as a box-to-box option – both separate qualities that the departed Rice possessed during his time at the London Stadium.

Whilst Alvarez remains a key part of Lopetegui’s system, Ward-Prowse has already been moved on by the Spaniard, joining fellow Premier League side Nottingham Forest on loan for the 2024/25 campaign.

It was a decision that took many by surprise especially considering his record last season, which saw the 29-year-old register seven goals and 11 assists in all competitions under Moyes – with his set-pieces causing havoc for the opposition.

He’s already settled into life during his temporary stint in the East Midlands, featuring in the club’s 1-0 win against Liverpool last weekend – producing a magnificent midfield display during the victory.

Ward-Prowse’s stats vs Liverpool for Forest

Statistics

Tally

Minutes played

90

Touches

53

Passes completed

31/38 (82%)

Duels won

4/8 (50%)

Interceptions

4

Tackles won

1

Fouls won

1

Stats via SofaScore

Given his form last term and his immediate impact at Forest in 2024/25, there must be a sense that Lopetegui may come to regret his decision to allow the Englishman to leave on loan.

Whilst it’s only temporary and he will return to the club for the 2025/26 campaign, he does possess a lot of qualities and Premier League experience that could help the Hammers enjoy a successful first season under the Spaniard.

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Sunderland, albeit only after three games of the new Championship season, sit proudly at the top of the pile, keeping Watford off the summit on goal difference.

Three league wins from three has allowed Regis Le Bris to have a dream start in the Stadium of Light hot seat so far, with Portsmouth next up in league action, after the transfer window slams shut the evening before.

There could even be new recruit or two for the Frenchman to call upon for this clash down on the South Coast, if the Black Cats do end up making some last-minute deals, with this defensive midfielder reportedly on the agenda.

Sunderland in talks to land new midfield star

According to French outlet L'Equipe, Le Bris could be set to raid his home nation for some last gasp gems, as Lens holding midfielder Salis Abdul Samed is allegedly in talks to join the table-toppers on a loan deal, with negotiations said to be 'progressing positively'.

FC Nantes, Brest and Saint-Etienne have all also been named as interested parties looking at the in-demand 24-year-old, but the Lens number six might well fancy a fresh challenge abroad in England, over staying put in France.

Playing in the Champions League last season for his current employers, with Samed even starting against Arsenal in the illustrious competition when Lens shocked the Gunners 2-1, this would be seen as a coup, and another sign that Sunderland mean business in trying to become serious promotion challengers.

Securing a deal for Samed might open the door for Sunderland to sell on Pierre Ekwah before the window closes too, with Ligue 1 outfit Saint-Etienne rumoured to be going after his services previously.

Snapping up the 24-year-old would also see Sunderland gain a calm and measured option in the middle of the park comfortable with defending, which might give the likes of Jobe Bellingham even more freedom to attack, knowing that their new recruit can excel at the back.

What Samed can offer Sunderland

The Ghanaian midfielder averaged a mightily impressive 88.9% pass accuracy last season per match in Ligue 1, according to FBref, before his employers unfortunately suffered relegation down a division.

When at the top of his game in the French top-flight, Samed – who has been dubbed "tenacious" by talent scout Jacek Kulig – would also show off his battling nature, with 3.8 total duels won on average during the 2022/23 campaign, as Lens clinched Champions League football and a chance to face off against Mikel Arteta's side.

Bellingham's numbers vs Burnley
Stat	Bellingham
Minutes played	90
Goals scored	0
Assists	0
Touches	41
Accurate passes	24/31 (77%)
Key passes	3
Total duels won	5/8
Stats by Sofascore

He could well end up partnering Bellingham in games to come in the Championship, with the 18-year-old sensation showing signs of his immense promise against Burnley without ever really exploding into life, with three key passes tallied up from his bright 90 minutes against Scott Parker's Clarets.

With Samed next to him, who will be more than happy to sit back when you consider he only has two career strikes next to his name from 124 games, Bellingham will feel less shackled by his defensive responsibilities. The teenager did compete admirably against Burnley with five duels won, but it came at a cost, with zero shots managed on the opposition net as a result.

The former Birmingham City starlet showed what he can do last season when full of confidence and allowed to play further up the pitch, with seven goals and one assist registered from 47 total appearances.

Samed would have to displace Dan Neil on his arrival, but he will be given an instant chance to stake his claim for a starting spot if signed, with the Sunderland stalwart having to sit out his side's next clash at Fratton Park owing to a suspension.

Valued at £6.7m, according to Transfermarkt, Sunderland could pull off a masterstroke by gaining Samed on a loan basis, with Ekwah then potentially moving elsewhere.

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Callum Parkinson has testing first day as Leicestershire’s new red-ball captain

ECB Reporters Network19-May-2022Worcestershire 159 for 2 (Ali 60*, Haynes 42*) lead Leicestershire 148 (Barnard 3-45) by 11 runsCallum Parkinson experienced a testing first day as Leicestershire’s new red-ball captain after his decision to bat first backfired in the LV= Insurance County Championship match with Worcestershire at New Road.The Running Foxes were dismissed for 148 in 52.2 overs with Worcestershire’s loan signing, Matthew Waite, picking up two wickets.They struggled to deal with a disciplined attack who had secured maximum bowling points by the 42nd over.Jack Haynes and Azhar Ali, with his fourth successive half-century, pressed home Worcestershire’s advantage with an unbroken stand of 106.Parkinson, has stepped up from vice-captain to lead the County Championship side for the rest of the season, replacing Colin Ackermann, who will remain as T20 skipper, with Lewis Hill continuing to captain the club’s 50-over side.Related

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Waite has joined Worcestershire on a short-term loan move from Yorkshire as a replacement for Joe Leach, who has a back injury.Waite has not played for Yorkshire since featuring in the Vitality Blast quarter-final against Sussex at the Emirates Riverside last August.Parkinson won the toss and elected to bat but his side were soon on the back foot against the probing Worcestershire attack.Leicestershire would have been reasonably content to lose only one wicket in the first hour – Hassan Azad lbw to Pennington – on a slowish wicket with some up and down bounce.But then Charlie Morris and Ed Barnard turned the game in Worcestershire’s favour with four wickets between them for just three runs in the space of 32 balls.Rishi Patel was undone by a delivery from Morris which stopped on him and popped up a catch to short mid wicket.His dismissal brought Ackermann to the crease in need of runs after only 24 in the previous six innings, including a pair against Middlesex. But his poor run of form continued as he made only a single before nicking Barnard to first slip.Lewis Hill went leg before to a Morris delivery swinging into him and Wiaan Mulder departed after a brilliant catch by Josh Baker at third slip off Barnard.Rehan Ahmed became the 500th player to play first-class cricket for Leicestershire but it was not a day he will remember fondly. He went to pull Pennington and top edged to Pollock at first slip without troubling the scorers.Ben Mike and Harry Swindells decided attack was the best form of defence before Waite was rewarded with two wickets in two overs.Swindells got in a tangle and ballooned the ball onto the offside where Jack Haynes, running across from second slip, took the catch and Mike (16) played down the wrong line and was bowled.When Ed Barnes chopped on to Josh Baker, Leicestershire were still two runs shy of a hundred but resistance came from the last-wicket pair of Parkinson (22) and Chris Wright (27 not out) who added 50.Barnard claimed his third scalp when Parkinson presented Pollock with his third catch of the innings.Pollock was in typically aggressive form with a series of boundaries when Worcestershire launched their reply.Jake Libby, a century-maker against Derbyshire, also looked in good nick as the pair put on 48 in 9.3 overs.Mulder checked their progress when trapping Libby lbw for 17 and he followed it up with the wicket of Pollock (32), who picked out Ed Barnes at deep backward square leg.But Azhar and Haynes featured in a century partnership for the third successive match. The duo had shared in stands of 195 versus Durham and 187 against Derbyshire.Azhar produced some delightful drives and cut shots and brought up his half-century from 71 balls with six fours. Haynes also continued the form which had brought centuries in the previous two games.

da bet7： Liverpool have often been praised for their recruitment over the past decade, bringing in fewer “household names” and opting for those who are showing great signs in the data charts.

da winzada777： The likes of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mané, Roberto Firmino, Georginio Wijnaldum, Diogo Jota, Andy Robertson, and Alexis Mac Allister are just some of the names that fit this recruitment model.

Jürgen Klopp did a great job in his time at the club, implementing these data-led signings, along with some high-profile, big-money acquisitions such as Allison Becker and Virgil van Dijk, and, of course, some youth talent, the biggest one being Trent Alexander-Arnold.

But there is another player who has come up through the academy ranks and is now a consistent feature in matchday squads for the Reds, someone who will be competing with the brilliance of Ryan Gravenberch – another data-led signing – for a spot in the starting XI.

Ryan Gravenberch's breakthrough season

Gravenberch joined Liverpool back in 2023, for a fee of around £34.2m from Bayern Munich. However, the 22-year-old midfielder is only now becoming a key figure in this Liverpool side, under new manager Arne Slot.

Slot tends to deploy a 4-2-3-1, with the double pivot consisting of Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister so far this campaign. The Dutch midfielder has started seven of eight games for Liverpool this season, the only one he missed being an EFL Cup game, where he was left out of the squad for rest purposes.

Gravenberch has provided Liverpool with a great balance in midfield, using his powerful frame to cover ground in the middle of the park, winning duels and protecting the defence, whilst also being able to drive forwards at times and help circulate possession with the defenders, using his excellent press resistance qualities.

That was on display against Wolves on Saturday afternoon where the Dutchman won 100% of his duels and also completed 92% of his passes.

Gravenberch stats vs Wolves

Stat

Gravenberch

Minutes

90

Touches

73

Accurate Passes

57/62

Pass Completion

92%

Long Balls

1/1

Ground Duels

7/7

Aerial Duels

1/1

Tackles

3

Stats taken from Sofascore

The 22-year-old is now valued at around £29m by Transfermarkt, but if he remains in this rich vein of form for Liverpool, his estimations are sure to increase. After all, he’s still an extremely young player who is yet to enter his prime years.

Gravenberch isn’t the only talented young midfielder in their ranks, as Liverpool also have a man that cost them £0, who is now also valued at that same £29m price tag as Gravenberch.

Market Movers

Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?

Expand Collapse Curtis Jones' rise through the ranks

Curtis Jones joined Liverpool at just nine-years-old, spending eight years in the Liverpool youth system before signing his first professional contract in 2018. The academy graduate made a combined 81 appearances for various age groups ranging from U18-U21, scoring 41 goals, and providing 15 assists.

The 23-year-old made his debut in the 2018/19 season, playing in the FA Cup third round against Wolves. Since then, the midfielder has gone on to make 137 appearances for the senior team, scoring 16 goals, providing 15 assists, and totaling 7,469 minutes played.

The English midfielder has been held in high regard, Graeme Souness being one to praise him, saying “he’s got the ability, the athleticism, he looks to have the attitude” when speaking about Jones back in 2021.

Much like Gravenberch, the youngster possesses a powerful stride, helping him win duels in the middle of the park, go box to box, and stamp his authority in all phases of play. Now his task is to wriggle his way into Slot’s starting XI, as his competition has started the season so strong.

Jones (23/24) vs Gravenberch (24/25) comparison

Stats (per 90 mins)

Jones

Gravenberch

Goals

0.22

0.00

Assists

0.13

0.11

Progressive Carries

2.49

2.71

Progressive Passes

5.14

6.43

Shots Total

1.81

0.33

Passes Attempted

61.3

62.7

Pass Completion %

90.8%

89.1%

Key Passes

1.16

0.29

Passes into Final Third

5.14

6.00

Tackles

2.02

2.29

Blocks

1.62

1.57

Interceptions

0.62

2.33

Stats taken from FBref

Due to Jones only managing 127 minutes so far this season, we compared his metrics from last campaign, and how they differ from the successful start of Gravenberch so far this season.

From March 2023 to March 2024, Jones’ value increased by more than double, going from €17.00m (£14m player to a £29m player in the eyes of Transferamrkt, which is the same value as Gravenberch according to Transfermarkt, just to underline his impressive development.

The metrics compared between the two midfielders give us a good idea as to why the latter has been chosen ahead of the academy star under Slot. He adds more defensive stability in the middle of the park, to provide balance alongside other midfielders such as Mac Allister, and Dominik Szoboszlai.

Gravenberch has averaged 2.29 tackles and 2.33 interceptions per 90 this season, more than Jones who averaged 2.02 tackles, and only 0.62 interceptions per 90 last season. Slot’s desire to have a midfielder who can cover large distances, and win the ball back for his side, has seen Gravenberch picked every game but one this season.

But as previously mentioned, Jones is a player that can cover large distances, often playing as a box to box midfielder under Klopp. With time in this system, and an understanding that he has to protect the middle of the pitch, winning duels and being a primary ball winner for Liverpool, the 23-year-old could challenge his Dutch colleague for the mantle of this role.

He has similar attributes, the ability to carry forwards, progress play through the lines, and use his body to resist the press, allowing Liverpool to keep possession and play through teams under immense pressure.

The main goal would be converting the Liverpudlian into a more disciplined and stationary player in central areas, as opposed to his box to box role, joining the attack, arriving in the box, and looking to take shots/score goals.

This showed last season, taking 1.81 shots per 90 – compared to only 0.33 of Gravenberch – and the 0.22 goals per 90 last season.

These numbers show the transformation Jones would have to undergo to get ahead of his teammate in this starting XI, but it is definently possible, and if Slot can do this, they will have two excellent options for that role, negating the need to move for a number six next summer. Regardless of that, the fanbase certainly can’t complain at one of their own now being a prominent figure of the first team. Klopp and Co certainly struck gold when they cherry-picked him from the academy.

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Liverpool man becoming as important as Salah

Posts ByConnor Holden Sep 29, 2024

Nottingham Forest conceded 67 goals in the Premier League last season, the fifth-highest number conceded in the division. Whilst this is one fewer goal than they conceded in the 2022/23 campaign (68), it is still one of the worst defensive records in the league.

This Forest side have made 28 signings in the past two seasons, making it difficult to establish a starting back four (back five including the goalkeeper), which in turn has seen the Tricky Trees struggle defensively over the past few years.

Forest's number one goalkeeper, Matz Sels, made 16 appearances for the club after signing in January last season, keeping one clean sheet, and conceding 27 goals in 1,440 minutes played.

It's safe to say he's not quite as good as this famed stopper on Trentside…

How much Forest signed Brice Samba for

Fan favourite Brice Samba joined Forest back in 2019, signed from SM Caen for €2.10m (£1.7m). Samba had only made 49 appearances for the French side, conceding 66 goals and keeping 15 clean sheets, making a name for himself and earning his move to English shores.

The gloveman went on to make 133 appearances for Forest, keeping 45 clean sheets, conceding 124 goals, and totalling 11,995 minutes played. His best season by the Trent came in 2021/22, making 45 appearances, keeping 16 clean sheets and conceding 39 goals.

Samba made some huge saves for Forest, helping them in their Championship play-offs, even being called the "hero" after saving a penalty in the penalty shootout to beat Sheffield United, and progress to the Championship play-off final.

Brice Samba's form in 2024

Since leaving Forest for only €5.00m (£4m), joining Lens in 2022, Samba has made 84 appearances for the French outfit, keeping 32 clean sheets, conceding 83 goals and totaling 7,590 minutes played.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.

Samba is now valued at €15.00m (£13m) by Transfermarkt, more than triple the value he was sold for only two years ago. Since then, Forest have signed Matz Sels, Matt Turner, and Odysseas Vlachodimos trying to replace Samba, as well as loan moves for Dean Henderson, Keylor Navas and Wayne Hennessey.

The 30-year-old shot-stopper has been so good that he was nominated for the Yashin Trophy award in 2023, coming off the back of a runner-up campaign in Ligue 1 with RC Lens, making 37 appearances, conceding 28 goals and keeping 15 clean sheets.

Samba was nominated among many of the world's best, including Real Madrid's Thibaut Courtois, Barcelona's Marc Andre Ter Stegen, and Manchester City's Ederson.

Goals Against

1.19

1.46

Saves

3.07

2.17

Save %

76.1%

60.2%

Passes Attempted

29.1

22.5

Throws Attempted

4.59

3.40

Clean Sheets

0.35

0.11

Shots on Target Against

4.22

3.51

The metrics show Samba is far outperforming Sels, facing more shots on target per 90, keeping more clean sheets, conceding fewer goals and making more saves per 90, averaging 3.07 saves compared to the Forest 'keeper's 2.17 saves per 90.

Having a 15.9% higher save percentage than Sels shows the difference in their shot-stopping ability, whilst the former Forest star is also averaging more passes attempted per 90, and more throws attempted per 90, but this may come from playing in a ball-dominant side where he gets more touches.

Forest could have saved themself a lot of time and effort, as well as money, when replacing Samba, if they could have held onto him. Indeed, he has quickly proven himself as one of the best goalkeepers in the world, earning himself a France call-up along the way.

Nottingham Forest struck gold on star who's worth more than Elanga & CHO

He was wanted by a PL rival this summer

ByJoe Nuttall Sep 9, 2024

Barcelona are reportedly prepared to sell Frenkie de Jong at a discounted rate after falling out of favour under Hansi Flick.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• De Jong has a contract until 2026
• Midfielder no longer features in Flick's plans
• Barca ready to offload him at a throwaway price

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Catalan club sought to extend his contract, which runs until June 30, 2026, during the previous season, but according to reports from, the renewal efforts have since been shelved due to a lack of response from the player. This has left his position within the team increasingly precarious. Once a fan favourite, he no longer commands the same admiration or sense of indispensability he did upon joining the club.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Barcelona's midfield is now stacked with young talent, leaving De Jong struggling for consistent game time. The emergence of players like Marc Casadó, Pedri, Gavi, Fermín López, and Dani Olmo has pushed the Dutchman further down the pecking order. Even Marc Bernal, currently sidelined with an injury, is regarded as a key player and could be well ahead of De Jong in the hierarchy. While De Jong's technical abilities are not in question, his inability to consistently deliver high-intensity performances demanded by Flick has raised concerns, which has prompted the club to consider selling him to avoid losing the player for free in 2026.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Barcelona believe they could secure a transfer fee of at least €20 million for the midfielder, despite his recent struggles. However, should De Jong resist a transfer, Barcelona might impose harsh measures, including reducing him to a bench-warmer. This could significantly impact his preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as he remains a regular for the Dutch national team.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR DE JONG?

  Despite his current predicament at Barcelona, De Jong is likely to attract interest from clubs across Europe or in Saudi Arabia. His age, combined with his proven quality at the international level, makes him an appealing option for teams seeking midfield reinforcements. However, Barcelona’s evolving priorities suggest a changing tide for the Dutch midfielder’s career at the club.