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Geoff Boycott on the key to the opener’s success, India’s spin combination, and what makes Alastair Cook tick

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Nov-2012Siddhartha Talya: Hello and welcome to a special edition of Bowl at Boycs, and I say it’s special because Geoffrey Boycott is in Mumbai, and we’re speaking face to face. Geoffrey, you’ve been to Mumbai on several occasions after your retirement but you played your first Test here, didn’t you, back in 1980?Geoffrey Boycott: A memorable Test match. It was the Jubilee Test to celebrate 50 years of Indian cricket. I met the president of the cricket board, Mr Wankhede himself, I liked him. Surprise, surprise, you were so kind to us – which normally you’re not – you gave us a lovely pitch that seamed and swung. We were a bit better than you at that. We proved when you came to England and we beat you 4-0, and you’re much better when it turns.Ian Botham, you were up against one of the great allrounders, and he got 13 wickets and a hundred. We won by ten wickets, and all the time I’ve been coming here as a commentator, I’ve never seen one like it since. So it was a rare pitch, lovely moment and we played that on our way back from a series in Australia, three Tests and plenty of one-dayers.ST: And then you came back again a few years later…GB: I did, and you won the series then 1-0. So, you’re very tough to beat in India, very, very tough indeed. It was a one-off Test [in 1980] and anything could happen, but you gave us a pitch that was quite extraordinary.ST: We’ll come to the questions now. The first one comes from Anshul in India. He says this is probably the first time you’ve had a good look at India’s spin combination of R Ashwin and Pragyan Ojha. What’s been your first impression, given they’ve had wickets come easy in the first innings, but had to work hard for them in the next?GB: First of all, Ojha is an old-fashioned slow bowler. By that I mean, he tosses the ball up, he gives it air, with spin, but he’s the old-fashioned type of flight and guile. He’s not turned to the modern way – despite Twenty20 cricket – of firing it in because people are going to slog him out of the park. The ball is up in the air so long, he actually gives the impression that it should be easy to hit, but he isn’t. He’s got a simple, orthodox, textbook action. He’s a nice bowler and I have no reason to think he won’t get wickets, not at all. Everything looks nice and smooth in his action, he does spin it and he looks a good bowler.Ashwin is a bit different. His action is all arms, a bit all over the place. Quite frankly, after seeing him get 50 wickets, quicker than any other Indian bowler, I was disappointed. I really was. Why? Because his line and length was all over the place. For example, for too long he attacked Alastair Cook, bowling over the wicket aiming at Cook’s leg stump. There were a lot of the bowlers’ footmarks, rough, outside the left-hander’s off stump, which would have afforded him unpredictable spin, maybe some unusual bounce, the odd ball stopping and lifting and maybe the odd ball keeping low. If he’d bowled around the wicket and aimed there, consistently, often with patience, I think it would have been a much better plan to get Cook out. If you remember, he got Cook out driving off the front foot exactly that way [in the first innings]. If you got the guy out in the first innings like that, why the hell do you want to go over the wicket and bowl at his leg stump. Cook is much better at leg stump. The pitch [there] is not going to turn as much, it is much more pristine. And he hardly bowled there [outside the left-hander’s off stump] in the second innings.Even to the England right-handers, his line and length was all over the place. I don’t think his strategy and planning was good enough. He didn’t have enough patience. Every spinner should have a stock ball he can bowl pretty much at will on a good length and a good line, and he can do it time after time. An offspinner should be able to bowl an offspin ball to right-handed batsmen just outside off stump, pitching it up, on a pretty good length. He didn’t seem to have any consistency or patience. If you saw a map of his bowling, the ball was all over the place, different lengths, different lines. I thought, on a pitch which had such slow turn, that wasn’t the best way to go, so it was a disappointment. Let’s see how he bowls in Mumbai. But what I saw there, I wasn’t impressed.In fact, I think Harbhajan Singh at his best was, for me, a better bowler. But he lost form a little bit, bowling so flat in one-day cricket, which, I’m saying, could happen. It mentally makes the spinners bowl flatter, because if you toss it up, they’re going to hit you out for a six and you can’t afford that too often. Apparently Harbhajan’s coming back a bit. I don’t know. Ashwin’s got wickets so he must be a decent bowler. But, if you ask me, I give you the truth. What I saw was disappointing. That doesn’t mean he’s a bad bowler. There’s another three Tests so we’ll see what happens. Ask me then at the end.ST: Is this where someone like MS Dhoni comes into the picture as well. He’s the captain, he’s standing right behind the stumps. Given that Cook was playing Ashwin so well for such a long period of time, is this where Dhoni could have stepped in and told Ashwin to change his strategy a bit?GB: Yes, he could have. I don’t know what went on and I don’t want to guess what was said. Dhoni’s a good captain. He handles the players and the team and the situations pretty good, so I don’t know. But the bowler in Test match cricket ought to know. He’s been around the park a bit. He’s played IPL for a few years. He’s won two trophies and lost to Kolkata last year, so it’s not like he doesn’t know what he’s doing. Some young kid, playing his first Test, two or three, then maybe a player, ex-player or captain could say, “Hey, maybe you should do this.” But, he’s not exactly a young kid of 20, is he? How old is he?ST: He’s 26, he’ll be turning 26 this year.GB: Yeah, and he’s had a few years playing, so he ought to have been able to sort that out himself. And tell me, you bowl somebody out one way in the first innings, don’t you do that again? The batsman’s already thinking, “I don’t want it there, I’ve got out there.”ST: The Mumbai Test will be of special significance for another Indian player and that’s Virender Sehwag. He is playing his 100th Test overall. Related to that is a question from Srikkanth in the United States. He says: I don’t mean to compare Sehwag to Viv Richards, who was…GB:: No, don’t, There’s no comparison…ST: … and he elaborates, saying, Richards was destructive against superior bowling attacks at a time when helmets were not around. But what has been the key to Sehwag sustaining such a remarkable strike-rate of 82, especially with a consistency that’s given him an average of over 50 in Test cricket, and for such a long period of time?GB: Let’s take the average first. I don’t think we should get too carried away with averages or statistics. They don’t tell you everything about a player. They don’t tell you the type of pitches or the quality of opposition, you’ve already mentioned that. No helmets, fast bowlers, etc.All modern-day players have higher averages than they did 20 years ago. I don’t know what the total answer to that is but there are heavier bats, shorter boundaries, pitches are flatter and prepared better, certainly in England. They’re miles better, as are all over the world. They are a yardstick to measure the quality of a cricketer against other players of era. In the era he’s played, he has been superb.Virender has been a superb player. From my point of view, watching him, oh, he’s fun. He’s an entertainer, a guy who keeps people on the edge of their seats, because in a blink of an eye you could miss him, or miss some fantastic shots. For me, it’s a lack of fear in his batting. He plays by instinct, with superb timing. He is inventive with his strokeplay. And in his best period, he was blessed with great eyesight. That’s important because it means you pick up the line and the length slightly quicker than most people. To play all those shots he plays, he’s got to pick up the length very quickly. He’s always had an uncomplicated, free-flowing bat speed. He picks it up and he hits at the ball and it’s always a free flow. It’s a gift, which, together with his instinct to take on bowlers, particularly on subcontinent pitches, it’s worked brilliantly. He’s mesmerised bowlers in the subcontinent.It’s not so easy for him to play that way on some pitches abroad. That’s why his record is better in the subcontinent. He’s still done well, at times, abroad, but he’s also been shown up at times, like in England. And in his favourite environment where he grew up, which is India, he’s used to the pitches and they tend to have a low bounce that gets lower. And there is hardly any movement with the new ball. So he can hit through the line of the ball. It’s not going to move on him, and he does take the ball on the up, which is chancy. If anything, the pace of the ball is much slower in India and gets slower and slower as the matches go on.In England, that’s totally different. The normal pace is quicker than India and, many times, it will seam, it will swing. If you were playing on the up and extravagant shots and your technique isn’t pretty good – he’s never been a technical player, he’s been an expressive player – then that’s fraught with danger. In South Africa and Australia, some pitches aren’t quick, like Port Elizabeth, but there are others like Cape Town, you’ve got a Johannesburg, you’ve got a Pretoria, and much high above, sometimes in Durban you’re never quite sure what you’re going to get. Australia has bouncier pitches, they are faster and bouncier. All these conditions help the bowlers a little bit more, which give problems to the batsmen. Then it’s not so easy to play these risky shots on the up, over the top, with limited footwork. That’s the key, early on with limited footwork. We’re all playing much better when we’ve got runs, 30, 40, 50, then the footwork is brilliant. It’s early on, they get you out before you go in.It’s difficult for bowlers to bounce him in India. When they bang it in, it takes the sting out of the ball so it sits up nicely to hit. When he goes abroad they can bang it in with more pace and he does get into trouble a lot more. It gets high on the chest and it’s more difficult to handle. So I’ve tried to put the plusses and the minuses and to explain to you, not be detrimental or be highly critical. I love his batting, he’s been wonderful for the game, but when there’s been awkward bounce, and awkward movement, it makes his job or the way he plays much more difficult.He’s always had this quick eye to make up for his technique which isn’t special. And technique is much more vital when there’s pace and bounce and movement.

“There’ll be people with a wider range of shots, there’s Bell, Clarke, Kallis and Amla. But I don’t think they’ll be more effective than Cook. He’s just as effective as them and he’ll keep going on and on and on”

As he gets older, which he is beginning to, he’ll still be able to play, but maybe his eyesight and reactions might just slow down a little bit. It happens to all of us, not just him, and so he should find it a little more difficult to play that way when the ball moves around, bounces and so forth. But, when he’s on song, particularly going well on these slower pitches, going after bowlers in the subcontinent or the odd pitch abroad where it doesn’t move too much, he is exciting and absolutely impossible to bowl at.ST: He’s had a few big scores overseas but, as you said, there are certain technical aspects of his game that may not necessarily help him get more big scores outside of India. But have you noticed any technical adjustments he’s made to his game when he’s gone overseas? Or is the technique so firmly entrenched in his game that, subconsciously, even when you’re playing abroad, knowing that the pitches are much more difficult, it’s still difficult to change your game?GB: I don’t think he really wants to change. He’s got such a phlegmatic temperament. Nothing seems to bother him much. He’ll sing tunes and everything in the dressing room, he takes everything in his stride. That’s a wonderful asset. That’s not a criticism. If you’ve been so successful in a particular way, I think he just thinks, “Well, I’ve done pretty good, why should I change,” and I think he’s going to play that way till the end of his career. I don’t think he’s going to change very much.As you get older, you may lose a little bit of reaction time, a little bit of eyesight, it’s not quite the same, but you should have learnt and gained maturity from playing a lot of cricket around the world. You should have gained experience, you should have gained knowledge, shouldn’t you? So where you lose a little bit on one side, you should have gained something to a kid when you start. If you’re clever, you use one to offset the other, you may play slightly a different way. For instance, Sachin Tendulkar may have to do that, one of the all-time greats. I don’t see Viru doing that. He’s an uncomplicated individual. He’s comfortable in his own skin, comfortable with his own way of playing and, I think, he’ll go out the same way as he came in. And he’ll be remembered and loved.ST: Geoffrey’s favourite question for this show is related to technique as well. It comes from Prajot in India. He says: Alastair Cook has a better average in Australia, Sri Lanka and India than he does in England, showing he has an ability to adapt to conditions quicker than most. What is it about his technique that has brought him so much success? And have you noticed any adjustments he makes when he plays outside of England?GB: I don’t think he changes his technique, wherever he is. He has a very good technique but England is probably the most difficult place to be an opener, because the English climate of rain, cooler weather with small amounts of sunshine, leaves even well-prepared pitches open to more seam and swing. The new-ball bowlers exploit that and opening the batting is always going to be a bit harder in England, just the nature of the country.Cook’s technique is very simple. It’s to get as far forward as he can, whether he is playing spin or seam, so that the ball, after pitching, has the smallest distance to travel after hitting the pitch to him meeting it with his bat. And when it’s short of a length, he uses the crease and gets deep into it, and get as high as he can, to give himself more time to watch the ball spin or seam. That way, he can play pretty late, close to his body, and he is, sort of, over the top of the ball. He has a strong mind, always has had. Every cricket he’s played , every time he’s gone up a notch, he’s played well. He’s got a strong mind, patience, concentration, a good temperament that is unflappable, he is not really fazed by anything. He’s a tough, determined kid under that really nice mild manner. He’s always had a nice, mild manner.And he doesn’t sweat, which has been talked about recently, which helps him when he’s playing in the heat abroad. While playing long innings, you need to change your gloves which get wet. You’re sweating such a lot, you need to get towelled down a bit, it gets you a bit flustered. It doesn’t bother him that way, so that is a help.Apart from this excellent defence and determined strong mind, he does have certain areas or shots that he feels comfortable in. He uses them. Others, that are not his favourite areas, he doesn’t try early on. Some batsmen will have a much wider range of strokes than him. For instance, Bell and Pietersen, in the England side. But he’s clever. He sticks to what he knows he can play or he’s comfortable with. And he only plays the other shots when he’s in, when he’s getting runs, confidence, feet are moving well, and it’s very difficult to get him out of his comfort zone. So that makes a tough cookie to bowl at.Once he’s in, he will expand his range of shots a bit more. But there are certain shots… you don’t see him hooking, he’ll pull. He’s not really an on-driver through the on side, he’ll hit it off his hip on the back foot. I could go through his batting. He’s a very smart cookie. I’m not dissecting him out for criticism, I’m giving you a constructive appraisal where I think he’s a very, very fine player. Let me tell you.”He’s a tough, determined kid under that really nice mild manner”•Associated PressIf he does have a problem, sometimes early on, he doesn’t get right forward. He gets half a stride, so he’s quite a long way from the ball. And if he’s ever out of form, his footwork’s not great, he will get out putting his front foot on the wrong side of the ball. In other words, if you’re playing as a left-hander, your right foot, the front foot, should be on the leg side of the ball so the bat can come down straight and hit the ball. He will sometimes get his foot on the off side of the ball, then he can’t get at the ball with a straight bat, he has to go round his pad going towards midwicket. And as he’s going around, he tends to fall over with his balance. His head falls over because his foot’s in the wrong place. He had that trouble before we went to the last Ashes in Australia. There was talk about him: Would he get a run? Would they drop him? He played at The Oval, got a hundred then went to Australia and played unbelievably well, didn’t he? So, once he gets in good form, he doesn’t give it way, he tends to do pretty well.He’s fairly unflappable, he doesn’t get upset one way or the other. He’s pretty determined. And as batsmen go, there’ll be people more pleasing on the eye, like Sehwag, Pietersen when he’s going. There’ll be people with a wider range of shots, there’s Bell, Clarke, Kallis and Amla. But I don’t think they’ll be more effective than Cook. He’s just as effective as them and he’ll keep going on and on and on. So you better get him out early.ST: Did you see anything similar with Cheteshwar Pujara when he got that double-century? These are players who are in the age of Twenty20 but just seem to be made for Test cricket.GB: He’s not dissimilar. He has a good technique, strong mind, temperament, concentration, just the same and he didn’t change his game. He kept on going. And that’s the secret of making big scores. Just keep going. Why change? There’s an old saying: If it’s not broken, why fix it? So if you’ve got a good technique to get a hundred, why would you change and do something different? Go and get another one. It’s quite simple really. In the end, people talk to me about this shot and that shot, I say: Look it’s simple. It’s cricket. If you’re a batsman, I judge you on how many runs you make. If you’re a bowler, I judge you on how many wickets you take. I don’t judge you on what you talk about, or what you say you might do. I’m not interested in how unlucky you are because that swings on roundabouts. Just tell me how many runs are you going to make for the team, and how many wickets you’re going to get as a bowler. To me, that’s a very, very fine player. And he is.ST: And finally, before we go into the Bombay Test match which starts tomorrow, Stuart Broad missed a training session today, India are without Umesh Yadav, there’s no Steven Finn for the second Test. Not asking you to make a prediction or anything, but how do you see both teams in terms of their balance?GB: If you were to tell me one of the spinners has broken his finger or broken his foot, then that’s a big factor. But if I were a betting man and I was batting tomorrow, I won’t be bothered which seamer was bowling at me.ST: Let’s see how it goes. Thanks for that Geoffrey, we’ve come to the end of this show. We’ll speak to Geoffrey once again in a couple of weeks from now but do remember to send us your questions using our feedback form, and Geoffrey will be joining in from Kolkata.GB: Could be 1-1 then.ST: That will spice up the series but there’ll be a lot who would think otherwise.GB: [Laughs], I’m teasing you.ST: Thanks for that, Geoffrey.

The highly-anticipated annual competition has become a point of debate among fans, clubs and its organizing bodies

Gillette Stadium, in its romp, can seat 65,000 fans. New England Revolution, on an average matchday, fills 24,000 of them. On Aug, 9, most of the seats were empty. It was a Wednesday night, and the Revolution were hosting NYCFC in a Leagues Cup Round of 32 knockout match. The official attendance was reported as 7,267. Photos from kick off suggest that figure might be generous.

This was a win-or-go-home match in a competition promoted by MLS as the next big club event in North American soccer. And the stadium was mostly empty.

Such has been a recurring story of this year’s Leagues Cup. Now in the second campaign of the expanded iteration, the tournament hasn’t quite been the overwhelming success some had hoped. Concerns over attendance, fan protests, scheduling issues, and a contentious format have marred what should, in theory, be an ideal way of pitting two of North America’s top two soccer leagues – MLS and Liga MX – against each other.

The excitement around intra-MLS matchups has been low, with more than 10 fixtures played in front of fewer than 15,000 people. The semifinal between Philadelphia and Columbus was attended by just more than 12,000. And in the shadow of a fading U.S. Open Cup, an exciting idea has instead become a hot-topic issue.

“It's been a super fun tournament, but I completely understand people who don't want to go, and I don't begrudge them.” Cameron Collins, president of Sounders Supporters group Gorilla FC said. “I totally get the boycotts, and I think that's effective.”

The whole thing ended in dramatic circumstances, with Columbus Crew scoring twice in second half stoppage time to down Olivier Giroud's LAFC in the final.  The match was played before a sellout crowd of 20,190 at Lower.com Field in Columbus. Watchers couldn't really ask more from a tournament championship game. Still, there remain broader questions as to whether Leagues Cup is actually successful.

GOAL reached out to a range of players, fan groups, coaches, and executives about the state of the competition. Several coaches and executives declined to comment, while MLS and Leagues Cup also declined to give official statements – although MLS did provide some details regarding attendance.

Getty ImagesThe end of U.S. Open Cup?

For some, Leagues Cup is a competition that has severely impacted one of the great institutions of American soccer. The U.S. Open Cup has been fading for some time now, but was almost entirely gutted this campaign, when MLS decreased its involvement in the tournament to just eight senior teams, while stacking the competition with MLS Next Pro sides – effectively minor league affiliates for every top flight U.S. club.

The league faced immense scrutiny from USL, fan groups and veterans of the U.S. game for its decision, considered by critics as the beginning of the end of one of global soccer’s oldest tournaments.

At the time, USL commissioner Paul McDonough slammed the decision: "If soccer's going to grow in this country – I know [MLS] probably think differently – it's not going be built on the back of just the 30 or 32 MLS teams," McDonough said. "It's just not."

That opinion was shared by others in the U.S. soccer community.

“Globally, I think it's f—– brilliant," said David Wegner from Centennial 38, the Colorado Rapids’ Supporters Group, "but I think the timing is incredibly unfortunate. US Soccer and MLS can't figure out a way, so why not do both?”

MLS’s justification for its decreased involvement in the U.S. Open Cup centered around concerns of fixture congestion, and worries that a packed schedule could negatively affect player welfare. There was also apprehension about pitch quality, and the lack of a fully-fledged TV deal.

Yet, simultaneously, the league doubled down on the success of 2023’s iteration of Leagues Cup.

And on the surface, it’s easy to see why. Leagues Cup got a substantial spike in 2023 when Lionel Messi made his Inter Miami debut in the competition, complete with a magical last-minute free-kick to down Cruz Azul. It ended, too, with the great Argentine lifting a trophy after 11 rounds of penalty kicks. The whole thing was, at times, immaculate theater.

NYCFC head coach Nick Cushing can sympathize with fans who are disappointed with MLS’s handling of the U.S. Open, and the ensuing hesitancy to support Leagues Cup.

“I think the point of contention is really simple,” Cushing told GOAL. “There are soccer lifers from U.S. Soccer and they support soccer in America, and they want the Open Cup to exist. They support the Open Cup, and because the Open Cup has changed, they don't support the Leagues Cup.”

It has driven some fans to a point of protest – literally. Supporter groups from eight MLS clubs announced official boycotts of the tournament. Austin FC’s Austin Anthem refused to attend matches, and made their reasoning clear: “Our league and club care far more about the Leagues Cup than the US Open Cup, and by extension, care more about Apple TV money than our nation's soccer. We cannot support this.”

Chicago Fire’s Redline SG also announced their intent to boycott the tournament, and pointed out that they would spend the month “supporting the Red Stars and local grassroots soccer clubs across Chicagoland.”

Some, such as Gorilla FC, made symbolic gestures, such as turning banners upside down in protest.

“It’s a super important protest, no matter how teams are doing it. You have this 100-plus year history of this tournament, and it’s just a grassroots tournament,” Collins said.

AdvertisementMLS MediaScheduling complications

The way the tournament is set up has created its own set of challenges.

Last season, MLS changed its scheduling to predominantly play in set slots on Saturdays. The move was in part due to its new Apple TV deal for live-match streaming, and giving more consistency for its audience.

Leagues Cup, though, hasn't adhered to that same cadence. Instead, organizers have taken a somewhat scattergun approach, scheduling midweek games, short-notice turnarounds, and added some less-than-fan-friendly kickoff times. The Colorado Rapids, for example, kicked off its round of 16 fixture with Toluca at 8 pm local time on a Tuesday – an elimination game played out in front of 9,742.

“It's short notice, because we're in knockout rounds, which has been kind of crazy,” Collins said. “We have a game, and then four days later, if we win, we have another game, and then four days later, we win, we have another game. It's been just like, ‘OK, well, I guess I'm going because I opted in.’ “

Attendance issues

As a result of that confluence of factors, attendance has been mixed – a fact that has concerned some around MLS. The opening weekend drew crowds up 24 percent from last year’s tournament, but interest was inconsistent throughout. Images spread on social media and eye-witness accounts from reporters suggested that this was at times a poorly attended tournament, often defined by its empty seats.

“It's very challenging in the knockout stages,” Wegner said. “Very challenging to have Monday games, Tuesday games, Wednesday games. And I think that's where some of the unfair criticism is from a lot of supporters groups that are protesting it.”

Overall, Leagues Cup 2024 saw an attendance increase of 1% over the inaugural edition, with an average crowd of 17,131 for the 77 matches, according to Sports Business Journal. Leagues Cup attendance was below MLS’ regular-season average, which was a record 23,194 at this year’s All-Star break. SBJ also reported that Leagues Cup was supported by 15 corporate sponsors in 2024, up from nine in 2023.

A near-empty Gilette Stadium was perhaps an extreme example, but players have routinely taken the field in front of thousands of empty seats. MLS would not comment on the less-attended matches, but did point out that average attendance, overall, was up and that 1.28 million fans attended matches through the semifinals. Three matches that included major Mexican teams – Chivas, Tigres, and Cruz Azul – featured among the top five best-attended Leagues Cup matches in the competition’s brief history.

But outside of those big-name games, the numbers at many matches were less convincing. Intra-league contests, with MLS teams facing their domestic counterparts, were often been played out in front of near-empty stadiums – the Revolution’s quarterfinal with NYCFC just one of many such contests.

“I feel like the first couple of games were well attended. The ones where there was less time in between, it was, you know, I think a little bit less attended,” New England Revolution sporting director Curt Onalfo said.

They weren’t alone. Slightly more than 10,000 fans attended Miami’s round of 32 clash with Toronto at Chase Stadium – a game that Messi missed due to injury. Luis Suarez, Lorenzo Insigne and Co. played out a highly watchable 4-3 result in a half-empty arena.

Back at NYCFC, Cushing has heard similar complaints from the team’s fan base.

“I understand the fans,” he said. “I've spoken to all fans about it. I understand their frustration and their angle, and why they're not going to come to games.”

At home viewership has also changed. Although no Apple TV streaming data has been released, Fox Sports reportedly had an average viewership of approximately 30,000 per match – by comparison, 1.75 million watched last year’s Leagues Cup fixture between Miami and Cruz Azul.

The Messi effect, of course, cannot be ignored. There was palpable excitement around every Miami fixture last year – and in fairness to MLS, those numbers might have been significantly higher this campaign had he not been injured.

"Obviously, last year with Messi being part of every single game and part of the finals, obviously, more eyes and attention were probably on it," Crew midfielder Darlington Nagbe said. "But for me, it's just another trophy we get a chance to a chance to win and put in the trophy case. It's another big game for the city."

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MLS MediaThe benefits of a new competition

Still, the clubs themselves argue that reduced fan interest is outside of their control. There are many around the game who view the competition as imperative. The opportunity to face new opponents, for example, has broken up the grind of the MLS campaign.

“Playing against teams that you don't normally face is really positive,” Cushing said. “It brings a sort of different perspective, a different focus.”

The NYCFC boss also acknowledged the chance to rotate and see other members of his squad. Onalfo highlighted its importance for evaluating the squad.

“We're always looking to improve our players,” Onalfo said. “We have younger players that we also want to develop. When you have more games, more players get games. So from that standpoint, it's all positive.”

Some players have also acknowledged the benefits of a fresh competition. LAFC goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, a veteran who has fought for every trophy at the club and international level in a long European career, voiced his support.

"Obviously, this competition cannot replace the Champions League of CONCACAF, but it's still a trophy. We don't know if in 10 years, 15 years time, this competition will still be here, but I think the level is really interesting and it's good for helping all the clubs to grow and to continue the development because you need competitiveness to improve," he told GOAL.

Grace Harris had cut loose for defending champions Brisbane Heat but it wasn’t enough while the second game of the day provided an upset

AAP02-Nov-2024. “Just play attacking cricket but being smart about it. I thought that was probably about par. We knew we could chase that if we put our minds to it and get our heads down. Me and Lizzie just wanted to make the most of the powerplay and stick to our strengths … keep things simple and play aggressive cricket.”Lee’s dismissal for 38 failed to curb the momentum of Wyatt-Hodge, who struck six fours and three sixes in her game-changing innings. Heat removed Nicola Carey, victim to a sensational catch from Nadine de Klerk, and Wyatt-Hodge then continued to rally, leaving Hobart with a tricky equation of 33 runs from the final three overs.Legspinner Grace Parsons’ economical haul of 1 for 15 from four overs, including the all-important scalp of Wyatt-Hodge, gave Heat genuine hope of victory. But Elyse Villani’s reverse-swept boundary, her second four in a dramatic final over delivered by Charli Knott, secured the win.Courtney Webb led Melbourne Renegades’ chase•Getty ImagesMelbourne Renegades’ comfortable triumph over Perth Scorchers could prove one of the shocks of this season. Beaten in both of their opening games and wooden-spooners last year, Renegades bowled superbly to have heavyweights Scorchers all out for 140.Sophie Molineux was particularly brilliant with a tournament-best 4 for 17 from her four overs, bowling Amy Jones and Chloe Piparo in the middle before helping clean up the tail.All 10 of the Scorchers’ wickets fell to spin, with Hayley Matthews, Alice Capsey and Georgia Wareham taking two each as the pressure continually told.Beth Mooney hit 36 up top for the Scorchers, but after she fell trying to scoop Capsey it was only Alana King (26 off 15) that truly got going.Renegades then made light work of the chase, with Courtney Webb hitting Chloe Ainsworth over the long-on rope in the first over and taking 12 off the next from spinner Lilly Mills.In her 79th WBBL match, Webb finished with her highest score of 61, dominating a 102-run opening stand with Matthews that helped Renegades to victory with 14 balls to spare.The result leaves Sydney Thunder top of the ladder ahead of Heat with two wins and one loss, while two-time defending champions Adelaide Strikers are last with a 1-2 record early in the shortened 10-round season.

Constant chopping and changing and a lack of T20 vision have caused Australia much distress, and with a lack of good spinners and batsmen who can tackle spin, they will need to find a way of bringing their ‘A’ game

Brydon Coverdale16-Mar-20166:56

Chappell: Big Bash key component in Australia’s T20 readiness

Big PictureMuch like Mr Magoo, lack of Twenty20 vision has caused Australia all sorts of trouble over the years, at least when it comes to internationals. The Big Bash League is one of the format’s great success stories, but Australia are yet to translate that to the international stage. Just a month ago, they had slipped to eighth in the ICC’s T20 international rankings; they are now up to fifth, but by comparison, are No.1 in both Tests and ODIs. It is true that the rankings in the shortest form are especially fluid due to the limited number of games played, so note instead Australia’s record at the previous five World T20s: only once have they reached the final, when they lost to England in the West Indies in 2010. Their World Cup triumph last year was their fifth in the 50-over version, but the World T20 trophy is that rarest piece of cricket silverware: something Australia have never held.It is tempting to view T20 as something of a crapshoot in which anyone can win on any day, the long gaps between international matches preventing any sort of momentum. But Australia’s selection approach to the format has not helped, either. In the early years of the World T20, they selected conservatively, and too often, based on 50-over form; in recent years, they have used BBL form as more of a guide, but have handed out caps with almost complete abandon. Since the last World T20 in Bangladesh in 2014, Australia have played only 11 T20 internationals, yet have used 37 players. 37! The only team that has come vaguely close to such a turnover in the same period is Pakistan, who have used 32 players. But they have played nearly twice as many matches as Australia. Forget pick and stick; in T20, Australia pick and flick.Of course, the reason for that approach was to find the right group to take to India for this very tournament. The selectors hope that the proof of the pudding will be in the beating of other teams. And on paper, Australia’s squad looks good. Aaron Finch, Shane Watson, David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Steven Smith, Glenn Maxwell – that’s a pretty handy batting group to choose from. They will desperately miss the injured Mitchell Starc, though, and how their relatively inexperienced attack will contain teams in turning conditions is a big question.At the helm Just over a month ago, Aaron Finch was Australia’s T20 captain, having been appointed to replace George Bailey in late 2014. But when they settled on their World T20 squad, the selectors made the call to install Steven Smith as leader in all formats. “There has been a broader leadership transition in Test and One-Day International cricket with Michael Clarke retiring and Steve Smith assuming the captaincy in Test and one-day cricket,” national selector Rod Marsh said at the time. “We think now is the right time for Steve to lead Australia in all three forms of the game as it offers us important continuity, not only ahead of the World T20, but beyond that tournament as well.” T20 continuity has been lacking for Australia in recent years and Smith’s captaincy credentials are well established.Key Stat25That’s the number of players Australia have used in T20 internationals in 2016. It is quite an extraordinary tally when you consider Australia have played only six games. But in 2015, they played only one T20, which meant that in the new year, the selectors had much sifting to do quickly in order to find their best mix ahead of the world tournament. For the record, the ten men tried in 2016 and discarded ahead of the World T20 were Shaun Tait, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Matthew Wade, Cameron Boyce, Cameron Bancroft, Scott Boland, Travis Head, Kane Richardson and Chris Lynn.Leading Men David WarnerOne of the changes Australia made on the eve of this tournament was to shift Warner down the order. The presence of Warner, Aaron Finch, Usman Khawaja and Shane Watson means Australia are overburdened with opening options. During this month’s series in South Africa, Warner was used at No. 3 and No. 4, and scores of 20, 77 and 33 suggested the shift did not disagree with him. “But he could open in the first game. You don’t know, it just depends on the match-ups and what we like at the time,” coach Darren Lehmann said after the South Africa tour. “We’re going to be pretty versatile at this tournament. I think that’s one of our advantages, we have batsmen that can float and move.”Glenn MaxwellSpeaking of versatility, Maxwell should be a key man for Australia in this tournament with bat, ball and in the field. At No. 5, he can build on the solid platform of the top order or can change the game single-handedly if the first four have stumbled. In spinning conditions, Australia will likely use him as the second spinner, and there is arguably no better fielder in what is an outstanding fielding side.James FaulknerMan of the Match in the World Cup final last year, Faulkner is a player for big occasions. The absence of Starc means his left-arm variety will be important in the attack, but his striking down the order could be just as crucial. There is a reason Faulkner is renowned as one of the game’s finest finishers, and no chase ever feels out of reach while his wicket remains intact.Burning QuestionHow will they handle spin?
Both bowling spin and facing it loom as key issues for Australia, given the conditions in India. The previous World T20 in Bangladesh was a failure for Australia as they lost group matches to Pakistan, West Indies and India. They face two of those same teams again – Pakistan and India – this time around. Finch conceded after their recent loss in Durban that ego sometimes played a role in Australia’s batsmen going after spinners, and they will have to curb that in order not to be spun out in India. Additionally, settling on their own preferred T20 spinners took some time. Last time in Bangladesh, the Brad Hogg-James Muirhead combination had little effect. On this occasion, Adam Zampa and Ashton Agar have been preferred over Cameron Boyce and Nathan Lyon.World T20 historyIn 2007 they lost a semi-final, in 2009 they failed to pass the group stage, in 2010 they lost the final to England, in 2012 they lost a semi-final to eventual champions West Indies, and in 2014 they failed again to progress past the group matches. New Zealand, Pakistan and India are all stiff competition in 2016, and Australia will need to be at the top of their game to get through the early stages this time.Aakash Chopra on Australia’s strengths and weaknesses

Celtic continued their strong start to the new-look edition of the Champions League format with a hard-fought 0-0 draw away at Dinamo Zagreb on Tuesday night.

The Scottish giants have only lost one of their six matches in the league phase and are unbeaten in their last four matches in the competition, with one win and three draws.

This has left the Hoops in 19th place in the league and they are on course to make it through the play-off round, as the cut-off to be knocked out is 25th and below.

Brendan Rodgers’ side have also been fantastic domestically and have a League Cup final clash with Rangers at Hampden Park to look forward to.

The Bhoys are currently nine points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership table and have won an incredible 14 of their 15 matches in the division, conceding four goals and scoring a whopping 44 – beating Hibernian 3-0 most recently.

Celtic have been lethal at the top end of the pitch in the top-flight and one of the main reasons why they have been so impressive in the final third has been the form of German forward Nicolas Kuhn.

Nicolas Kuhn's form this season

The January signing from Rapid Vienna only managed two goals and two assists in 14 appearances in the Premiership during the second half of last season.

That five months allowed him to slowly settle into life in Glasgow and in the Scottish top-flight, though, and he used that experience to hit the ground running in the current campaign.

The left-footed wizard has already hit double figures for both goals and assists in all competitions, with an eye-catching 11 goals and 11 assists in 22 matches.

Kuhn is unfortunate not to have more assists in the Champions League, though, as the winger has created four ‘big chances’ and racked up 1.99 xA to only be rewarded with one assist, which suggests that his teammates have let him down with their wasteful finishing at times.

The 24-year-old star has also scored two goals from 0.65 xG in Europe and this illustrates the ruthless nature that he has displayed in front of goal this season for the Hoops.

As well as being a key performer in the Champions League, Kuhn has also been a major contributor for Rodgers as an attacking presence down the right flank in the Premiership.

Appearances

13

Starts

11

Goals

5

Big chances created

7

Key passes per game

2.3

Assists

6

As you can see in the table above, the former Bayern Munich and Ajax youngster has offered plenty of quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

However, Kuhn is currently going through a quiet spell, by his standards, with no goals or assists in his last four appearances in all competitions for the Bhoys.

Whilst the German forward is slowing down, another Celtic player is becoming the star man for Rodgers with his performances at the heart of the defence – Auston Trusty.

Auston Trusty's performance against Dinamo Zagreb

The USA international was selected ahead of Liam Scales to play on the left side of the centre-back pairing in the Champions League clash on Tuesday night and caught the eye with his superb display.

Celtic had 69% of the possession on the night and needed their defenders to be switched on and ready to defend in transition when the home side won the ball back and broke quickly.

Trusty was sharp throughout the match and showcased his qualities both in and out of possession, with three tackles, two blocks, and three clearances to help his team out defensively.

Ground duels won

3/4

0/0

Aerial duels won

5/9

2/4

Touches

123

110

Passes completed

106

99

Clearances

3

0

Blocks

2

0

As you can see in the table above, the summer signing from Sheffield United outperformed his centre-back partner with his play on both sides of the game.

Trusty was dominant in his duels, both on the deck and in the air, and was constantly looking to get on the ball to progress play with his passes, having more touches and completing more passes than Cameron Carter-Vickers.

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It was a performance in keeping with his outstanding form over the last couple of months, as the defender is quickly becoming the star man for Rodgers.

Auston Trusty's form this season

Starting from the 0-0 draw with Atalanta in the Champions League in October, Celtic have conceded three goals in Trusty’s last 11 appearances in all competitions.

Whilst defending and keeping clean sheets is a team game, Trusty – as shown by his outstanding display on Tuesday night – has played a major role in the club’s impressive clean sheet record.

The Scottish giants have kept six clean sheets in his nine starts in the Premiership and two clean sheets in his five starts in the Champions League, which shows that he has been an integral part of a rock solid defence.

Whilst Kuhn’s has had a minor blip, with his lack of contributions in the final third in recent weeks, Trusty appears to have found his top gear in a Celtic shirt, making himself undroppable at the back.

Goals conceded

0

0

0

Tackles made

3

2

3

Ground duels won

4/5

2/3

3/4

Aerial duels won

3/5

2/3

5/9

Touches

124

146

123

Possession lost

14x

5x

7x

As you can see in the table above, the American defender has only lost possession 26 times from a staggering 393 touches of the ball so far this month, which speaks to how incredibly reliable he has been, particularly this month.

He has also won the majority of his duels on the deck and in the air to keep three clean sheets in three matches in December, domestically and in Europe.

These statistics illustrate how influential Trusty has been in and out of possession for Celtic this month, and this season, and that is why he is becoming the star man for Rodgers with his sublime performances week-in-week-out.

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Latham (69), Mitchell (63), Guptill (57) and Conway (56) make short work of a chase of 302

Associated Press22-Aug-2022Four batters posted half centuries as New Zealand overhauled the West Indies’ total of 301 for 8 to win the third ODI on Sunday by five wickets and clinch the series 2-1.Tom Latham scored 69 and put on 120 for the fourth wicket with Daryl Mitchell (63) in a stand which paced the run chase and carried New Zealand in sight of victory.WI fined for slow over-rate

West Indies have been fined 40% of their match fee for maintaining a slow over-rate in the final ODI. They were found to be two overs short after time allowances were taken into consideration and, in accordance with the World Cup Super League playing conditions, docked two points from their tally.

Martin Guptill (57) and Devon Conway (56) had earlier combined to add 82 runs for the second wicket to give New Zealand a platform for a demanding chase.Mitchell was out with the score on 248 in the 42nd over and Latham at 259 in the 44th, with New Zealand still requiring 43 runs. Jimmy Neesham settled the issue with a decisive innings of 34 from 11 deliveries, taking 18 runs from the 45th over bowled by Yannic Cariah.Neesham hit a six from the bowling of West Indies captain Nicholas Pooran to end the chase with 17 balls remaining.”It was obviously nice to make a contribution,” Latham said. “I think the partnership that Daryl and I were able to make put them under pressure. We set a target of getting to that 40-over mark where we needed a run a ball.”Kyle Mayers acknowledges his second ODI hundred•AFP/Getty ImagesLatham appeared to have erred when he chose to bowl first and as the West Indies flourished in good batting conditions.Kyle Mayers made 105 in a 173-run opening partnership with Shai Hope, and Pooran smashed nine sixes in a rapid 91 for the West Indies.The pitch proved much better for batting than those on which the West Indies won the first match by five wickets and New Zealand won the second by 50 runs. The highest previous total in the series was New Zealand’s 212 in the second match.Mayers and Hope stayed together for almost 35 overs to shape the West Indies innings. Their partnership ended when Hope was out for 51 off 100 balls and, as often happens with large partnerships, Mayers was out two balls later and without addition to the total. Brandon King fell soon afterwards with the score at 181 for 3 in a sudden reversal for the West Indies.But Pooran picked up the pace again, posting a half-century from 33 balls. He had hit nine sixes and and four fours from 55 balls when he was out in the 49th over.Mayers and Hope made a cautious start to the innings as they found the pace of the new pitch, crawling to 24 after 10 overs, negotiating a short rain break in the seventh over.”I took my time in the powerplay and it gave me the chance to get in. The last two games I got out in the powerplay,” Mayers said in a television interview. “It’s not every day you bat the powerplay for 20 runs but it worked out well in the end.”

It’s no secret that Manchester United have been home to one of the very best academies in English football over the years, producing endless talents that have had a huge impact on the beautiful game – namely the ‘Class of 92’.

David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Phil Neville, Gary Neville and Paul Scholes were the six graduates who progressed into being key first-team players in Manchester.

The six players made over 3000 appearances for the club during their respective periods at the Theatre of Dreams, contributing to their success, which has seen them claim 20 English top division titles – making them the most successful club in the country.

Fast-forward to 2024, new boss Ruben Amorim is on the lookout for a new crop of stars to make the jump into his squad, potentially making his tenure in the Premier League a roaring triumph.

Manchester United’s U18 squad in 2024/25

Whilst the club’s first-team have failed to deliver during the opening months, leading to the sacking of Erik ten Hag, the academy side have thrived and impressed beyond any imagination in recent weeks.

During the U18 Premier League season to date, the Red Devils have played nine matches, winning all nine and sitting at the top of the table – sitting five points clear of rivals Manchester City, boasting the only unbeaten record in the division.

Their record is all the more impressive when delving into their stats, scoring 43 times in their outings – an average of 4.7 goals per game, whilst conceding just four goals in the process.

Winger James Scanlon has caught the eye, scoring nine times and registering four assists in his eight appearances, currently sitting as their top-scorer and playing a huge part in their attacking success in recent months.

16-year-old Chido Obi-Martin arrived in the summer from Arsenal, joining with high expectations after his record from 2023/24 which saw him score 32 times in 18 matches during the U18 Premier League campaign.

The Dane has already made a solid start to life in the North, registering four goals in his opening four matches, including a hat-trick on his debut against Nottingham Forest in the 6-0 victory.

However, there’s another youth prospect who could have a significant role to play under new boss Amorim, following in the footsteps of multiple current members of the 39-year-old’s squad.

The teen who could star under Amorim for Man Utd

Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho are two players currently plying their trade for United, making the step up from youth level to the professional game with ease.

The English man has already made his mark at international level, featuring under Gareth Southgate at Euro 2024, with Garnacho also featuring for Argentina, but also having a talismanic role in the opening weeks of 2024/25.

The 20-year-old has already registered seven goals and four assists in his opening 19 matches of the season, the most of any player in the Red Devils side.

Amorim could add another talented academy star into the mix in the coming years in the form of centre-back Godwill Kukonki, who has starred in the U18 setup despite being just 16.

He’s made eight appearances, playing a huge part in their defensive success in recent months, earning him an immediate call-up to Amorim’s squad.

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Kukonki, who’s been dubbed as “incredibly exciting” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has been involved in first-team training after his appointment, even travelling with the side for the game against Ipswich Town at the weekend.

1) David Gaskell

24/10/1956

16 years, 19 days

2) Jeff Whitefoot

05/04/1950

16 years, 5 months, 15 days

3) Duncan Edwards

04/04/1953

16 years, 6 months, 4 days

4) Angel Gomes

21/05/2017

16 years, 8 months, 20 days

5) Willie Anderson

28/12/1963

16 years, 11 months, 17 days

He may have a lot of developing before he’s able to make an impact at Old Trafford, but his 6 foot 5 frame could see him develop into a key figure over the years to come in the new-look back three.

The injury crisis at the back could allow the youngster to make strides into cementing a place under Amorim, with the former Sporting CP boss evidently showing a lot of trust in the stars despite his tender age.

Their academy has been a source of solace over the years, with Kukonki having all of the tools to become a part of United’s revival under the former Portuguese international during his tenure in the North West.

Man Utd star who Solskjaer sold for just £1.2m is now on par with Fernandes

The former Manchester United talent has still demonstrated his talents away from Old Trafford.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 27, 2024

Rodman believes her back issues will need to be carefully managed throughout the rest of her career

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Back injury that sidelined her in 2024 into 2025U.S. attacker says it won't ever "be 100 percent" againWinger played 64 minutes in Washington Spirit victoryFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

U.S. Women's national team star Trinity Rodman does not believe her back will ever be fully healthy again. The 22-year-old has been dealing with back spasms and related issues since her debut season with the Washington Spirit in 2021, and last September, she re-aggravated the injury that forced her to be wheelchaired off the pitch in a match against the Kansas City Current.

"Honestly, I don't think my back will ever be 100 percent," Rodman told reporters following Washington's 2-0 win over Bay FC Friday. "It's kind of an issue of it's not one specific thing, it's just the way that my back's structured. And it's more so management than like a curable fix.

"So I think we've managed it really well and I'm happy with the progression that we've had. But for me, I don't think my back will ever be the way it was my rookie year, which is unfortunate."

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Rodman played a crucial role in the USWNT's run to the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, scoring three goals during the tournament while being a part of the famed Triple Espresso group, featuring fellow attackers Mallory Swanson and Sophia Wilson.

However, Rodman has not featured on the international stage since due to the injury but was recently called back into the program for Emma Hayes' April camp – which features two matches against Brazil.

"It's tough for me coming off such a good season and the Olympics and then going into an injury and now trying to find my place again and find my tole and find my rhythm," Rodman said.

DID YOU KNOW?

In 45 appearances for the USWNT, Rodman has scored 10 goals and recorded nine assists.

GettyWHAT NEXT FOR RODMAN?

The international break begins Monday, with Rodman reporting to duty with the U.S., who clash with Brazil on April 5 and April 8.

Pakistan only scored 80 in the back 10 despite being only one down at the halfway mark

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Sep-2025Pakistan got to their highest T20I score while batting first against India, 171 for 5. If India win, it will be the highest successful chase of Asia Cup 2025. Yet, the total looked insufficient after the start Pakistan had. They scored just 80 runs in the back 10 despite being just one down at the halfway mark.There was a period of 39 legal deliveries without a boundary leading up to the death overs, which completely derailed what looked like a promising innings that could finally give the tournament a game to remember. It would have frustated Pakistan even more that they had got the better of India’s spin threat, hitting three sixes in the first three middle overs, but succumbed to the sixth bowler, Shivam Dube.Dube ended up with figures of 4-0-33-2, taking the wickets of the two set batters, Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub, who put on 72 for the second wicket after the latter’s demotion to No. 3. Farhan, who reached 51 off just 34 balls, ended up with just 58 off 45. It was only Faheem Ashraf’s unbeaten 20 off 8 in the end that gave Pakistan respectability.Pakistan, the slowest side bar Oman and UAE in the middle overs during this Asia Cup, had looked set to correct those numbers, but Dube’s breakthrough and the quality of Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav proved to be too big a challenge. Varun went for just 25 in four overs, and Kuldeep returned figures of 4-0-31-1.

Oftentimes in football, a team considered out of sorts need to get three points on the board before worrying about the slickness and style of the performance.

This isn’t the case for Liverpool, whose start to the season has seen them win plenty of matches, but lack any semblance of the control or snap of the previous title-winning campaign under Arne Slot’s wing.

So, against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday evening, the Reds need to bounce back from back-to-back defeats with a strong performance, especially with the Blues’ backline ravaged by injuries and suspensions.

Liverpool avoided any real fitness setbacks across Slot’s first year, but a few issues have crept in over the past few weeks, with Giovanni Leoni out for as long as a year after rupturing his Achilles against Southampton, and Alisson Becker now back for his habitual stay in the infirmary after landing awkwardly during the recent defeat to Galatasaray in the Champions League.

Less severe is the issue that Hugo Ekitike is dealing with after that midweek match, but it’s a concern all the same for Slot, who needs the in-form Frenchman as he looks to build consistency.

The latest on Hugo Ekitike

Since leaving Eintracht Frankfurt this summer and joining Liverpool in a £69m deal, Ekitike has established himself as one of the most dangerous forwards in the Premier League.

Nine games into his Merseyside career, the France star has scored five goals and assisted one. He has only played 582 minutes for the Reds, marking a direct contribution every 97 minutes.

However, the 23-year-old overreached for the ball in Istanbul after the hour mark and left the field with muscular discomfort. Fears that he has suffered significant damage have been allayed, but there is certainly concern over his availability for the weekend.

When Liverpool completed their summer of spending with the addition of Alexander Isak from Newcastle United for a record-breaking £125m fee, it was widely expected that he would be at the top of the pecking order.

Perhaps the Sweden striker still is, but his positional rivals incredible start will certainly have provided Slot with food for thought.

And with Isak, 26, still not quite match fit after his turbulent summer transfer window, Slot might even be inclined to keep the deadly number nine on the bench, instead unleashing another in his place at centre-forward.

Liverpool's left-field Ekitike replacement

Isak scored his first goal for Liverpool during the win over Southampton, and many more euphoric moments are sure to come for the Sweden star, but the Reds do have an alternative pick for this upcoming clash against Chelsea, should Slot choose to utilise them.

That would be Federico Chiesa, who missed out against Galatasaray due to an injury precaution but is raring to go ahead of the weekend. The Italian, 27, is enjoying something of a resurgence in England, having already scored two goals for the club this season in the Premier League, assisting both strikes against Saints too.

Described by journalist Carlo Garganese as one of Italy’s “generational talents” before devastating knee injuries, the versatile forward looks like he’s bouncing back, having sat on the fringe for most of the 2024/25 campaign, arriving last summer for a bargain £12.5m fee.

Given Liverpool’s proclivity for late goals at the moment, Isak might find that another cameo might not be the worst thing in the world, entering the fray with the Reds possibly seeking out a winner.

Chiesa, of course, has proven himself to be something of a menace in the last embers for Liverpool so far this season, but he was immense during the win over Southampton and could apply his energy and creativity and dynamism from the outset, ensuring Liverpool don’t toil their way through the first half of the tie in west London.

Revived and hungry to leave his mark on the English game, Chiesa has been deployed three times off the bench as a striker in the top flight this term, and he scored on the first and last of those appearances.

The £150k-per-week talent played a central role for Juventus across the 2023/24 season, before moving to Liverpool, and FBref record that he complemented his steady goal return with some interesting underlying numbers, ranked among the top 2% of positional peers in Serie A for shot-creating actions and progressive carries per 90.

Given that he has played such limited football this season, albeit more than he was receiving each week across his first year at the club, there’s every reason for Slot to hand his utility weapon a first Premier League starting berth of the year, perhaps knocking Chelsea’s tactical preparations out of kilter while doing so.

Hugo Ekitike

9

5 (1)

Mohamed Salah

9

3 (3)

Federico Chiesa

6

2 (2)

Alexander Isak

5

1 (0)

Cody Gakpo

9

1 (2)

Rio Ngumoha

5

1 (0)

Hailed for having a “finisher’s DNA” by sports editor Danny Gallagher, Chiesa is the perfect alternative option for Liverpool to deploy at the front of their ship.

In fact, Chiesa has registered a goal contribution every 96 minutes at Liverpool, underlining his natural potency. Whether this is sustainable in the longer stretch remains to be seen, but it’s curious to note that this eclipses even Erling Haaland’s record at Manchester City, with the unstoppable Norwegian having scored 135 goals and supplied 22 assists across 154 games in sky blue, equating to a rate of 1.01 contributions per game.

Given that Salah was dropped to the bench against Galatasaray, it goes without saying that Liverpool will start with the Egyptian King on the right flank.

And with Florian Wirtz perhaps being placed down the left channel to bring Dominik Szoboszlai into the midfield, restoring a measure of robustness to Liverpool’s engine room, this could be a move to finally restore Liverpool’s form, with Isak gearing up to enter the fray after a lively opening-half display from the Italian.

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