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Kathryn Bryce spearheads bowling as Freeborn-Wraith stand falls short of rescuing Warwickshire

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay24-Jul-2025A rain-hit 50-overs match on a club ground might bear little resemblance to a T20 at the Kia Oval but The Blaze will draw some confidence from a 47-run victory over Warwickshire Women in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup as a dress rehearsal of sorts for Sunday’s Vitality Blast semi-final.After Marie Kelly’s List A career-best 66 and opening partner Georgia Boyce’s 46 had laid the foundations for a total of 218 for 6 after opting to bat first in a match reduced to 39 overs-a-side, The Blaze dismissed Warwickshire for 171, despite a determined effort by Abbey Freeborn (56 off 73 balls) and Nat Wraith (75 off 71) to give the visitors a chance after being reduced to 13 for 4.Kathryn Bryce (3-18), Georgia Elwiss (3-26) and Grace Ballinger (3-26) shared the bowling honours for The Blaze, for whom Sarah Bryce had made an unbeaten 32, with two wickets each for Warwickshire’s Georgia Davis and Amu Surenkumar.Winning the toss and electing to bat in a match reduced to 39 overs per side after morning rain at the Lindum Sports Club Ground in Lincoln, The Blaze established a strong foundation as Kelly and Boyce shared an opening stand of 106, Kelly hitting eight fours and a six.Kelly, making her first List A appearance of the season, pulled Surenkumar for her maximum early in the innings, generally driving and pulling strongly. She found the boundary three times in the same over off Davis, completing a 47-ball half-century against her former county when she swept Millie Taylor for her seventh four.Taylor, making her List A debut for Warwickshire and unique in the English county women’s game as a left-arm wrist spinner, broke the stand when she turned one past Kelly’s bat for a stumping. Boyce, back with The Blaze after playing for Yorkshire in the Women’s Vitality Blast, was in sight of a fifty of her own when she miscued to mid-off.Kathryn Bryce – reprieved when given out leg before on 13 on the grounds of being distracted by bowler Hannah Baker’s cap dropping out of her pocket – added another 10 before she was stumped.Elwiss, Heather Graham and Ella Claridge all fell cheaply, but Sarah Bryce (32 off 19) and Sarah Glenn added 37 off the last 18 balls of the innings – 26 at the expense of England seamer Issy Wong.Needing to chase at 5.6 an over, Warwickshire suffered a disastrous start, slumping to 13 for four inside five overs.After Bethan Ellis had been caught at square leg off the next, Ballinger took wickets with the last ball of her second over and the first of her third as Lucy Higham took a fine catch at backward point to remove Davina Perrin and Sarah Bryce an easy one as Sterre Kalis skied a top edge, Kathryn Bryce holding a return catch as Surenkumar departed.An inswinging delivery from Bryce accounted for Katie George, leaving Warwickshire 28 for 5 after 10 overs.Freeborn and Wraith rebuilt well, the former clocking up her third half-century off 60 balls, Wraith her second of the campaign off 50, with three boundaries each and some enterprising running between the stumps, their partnership passing 100 in the 28th over.Yet once the breakthrough came, breaking the stand at 112, the home side made it count. Freeborn, who had survived a sharp caught-and-bowled chance to Kirstie Gordon on 52, fell shortly afterwards, leg before attempting to ramp Elwiss. Wong then came and went quickly, top edging Elwiss into the off side, before catcher Glenn combined with Elwiss again to run out Taylor off the next ball.Ballinger returned to have Davis caught on the legside boundary before Wraith departed as the last wicket to fall, caught at wide mid-off off Elwiss.

The Athletic’s Patrick Boyland was full of praise for one Everton star, who played a pivotal part in Thierno Barry’s first goal for the club against Nottingham Forest.

Everton ease past Nottingham Forest

After battling to beat Bournemouth in midweek, Everton had the chance to move up to fifth in the Premier League with victory over Nottingham Forest and David Moyes’ side duly obliged. The Toffees had the perfect afternoon against former manager Sean Dyche, with Barry capping off a fine afternoon with his first goal since arriving for £27m in the summer.

It’s been some time coming for the summer signing, who has smashed the woodwork, had VAR intervene and everything in between before finally getting the chance to wheel away in celebration at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

It’s Moyes who should take plenty of credit. After all, it is the veteran manager who decided to stick with his goal-less forward, only to reap the rewards 90 minutes later.

Everton now ready to compete in race to sign "physical" La Liga star in £35m deal

The Toffees are seeking a defensive reinforcement.

ByTom Cunningham 7 days ago

Aside from the forward’s first goal for the club, it was a fine display from the Toffees all round. The hosts wasted no time before getting going, with Nikola Milenkovic’s own goal handing them the lead as early as the second minute.

It was then Everton’s to lose and Barry’s effort just before the break all but put them out of sight, before Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall added a third in the 81st minute.

For all their goalscorers, however, it was another player who received the praise of Boyland for the role he played in Everton’s second goal before the break. The Athletic reporter dubbed Iliman Ndiaye “brilliant” in the build-up as the Frenchman continued his role as the Toffees’ talisman.

Boyland heaps praise on "brilliant" Ndiaye

Boyland watched on as Everton struck Nottingham Forest on the counter on the brink of half-time, praising Ndiaye as “brilliant” when he raced past the halfway line before finding goalscorer Barry.

Barry will steal the headlines, but Ndiaye deserves plenty of credit. He has been Everton’s main man since arriving last season and has more than played his part to take Moyes’ side into the top five, for the time being at least.

By the time that the final whistle sounded against Forest, the winger had one assist to his name and had even completed 13 defensive contributions – summing up his impact at both ends.

If those at the Hill Dickinson Stadium are to secure a shock European place this season, then Ndiaye’s role will be more important than ever.

Everton launch enquiry to sign "superb" £40m South American forward for Moyes

It would be fair to say that Chelsea’s transfer strategy has delivered mixed results over the last few years.

On the one hand, players like Cole Palmer and Moises Caicedo are unquestionably world-class and would get into any side in the Premier League.

On the other hand, players like Raheem Sterling, Mykhaylo Mudryk and Axel Disasi have been massive wastes of money and time.

Someone who fits in neither category, as he’s still a recent signing, is Alejandro Garnacho, but if reports are to be believed, his place in the squad might already be under threat.

Chelsea target Garnacho upgrade

It’s not even December, and Chelsea have already been linked with a host of sensational talents from the Premier League and beyond.

Transfer Focus

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

For example, Crystal Palace’s incredible Adam Wharton has been touted for a £100m move to Stamford Bridge, and as if that wasn’t exciting enough, Marseille’s up-and-coming number nine, Robinio Vaz, has also been mentioned as a target.

However, as brilliant as those two players are, neither would be a threat to Garnacho were they to join the West Londoners, unlike Nico Williams.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, Chelsea have reignited their intense interest in the Athletic Bilbao superstar.

In fact, the report goes further than that, revealing that the Blues have already made an offer of around €70m for his signature, which is about £62m.

Interestingly, the Pensioners aren’t the only London side to make an offer for the young winger, as rivals Tottenham Hotspur have submitted the same bid of around £62m.

It could therefore be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Williams’ ability and potential, one worth fighting for, even if his arrival would be bad news for Garnacho.

How Williams compares to Garnacho

So, it should be said that while he has not blown anyone away yet, Garnacho has not had a terrible start to his Chelsea career.

In fact, his return of two goals and two assists in ten games matches what Williams has been able to produce for Bilbao so far this season.

However, looking back at their records from last season, it becomes clear that the Spaniard is a far more dangerous winger.

For example, despite having a slow start to the campaign, the 23-year-old ended it with 11 goals and seven assists in 45 appearances, which is an average of a goal involvement every 2.5 games.

In contrast, the Argentine amassed a tally of 11 goals and ten assists in 58 appearances, which is an average of a goal involvement every 2.76 games.

Games

10

10

Goals

2

2

Assists

2

2

Games

45

58

Goals

11

11

Assists

7

10

Games

27

50

Goals

8

10

Assists

18

7

Unfortunately, things only get worse when you go back another season, as the Pamplona-born “level-raiser,” as dubbed by respected analyst Ben Mattinson, ended the 23/24 season with a tally of 26 goal involvements in 37 appearances, which is an average of one every 1.42 games.

The former Manchester United ace, on the other hand, ended that year with a haul of 17 goal involvements in 50 appearances, which is one every 2.94 games.

Now, on top of clearly being the more reliable source of goals and assists, the Bilbao star has also amassed more top-level experience, especially when it comes to the international theatre.

For example, he’s now 30 senior caps for Spain and even scored a goal in the European Championships final last year.

In contrast, the Blues ace has just eight caps for Argentina, although he has yet to win one this year.

Ultimately, Garnacho is a talented footballer and someone who could be a useful squad player, but Williams is clearly the better player, and therefore, Chelsea should be doing all they can to sign him.

Forget Santos: Chelsea star is their closest thing to peak Lampard in years

Enzo Maresca now has Chelsea’s closest thing to Frank Lampard in a long time in this exciting midfield star.

ByKelan Sarson Nov 24, 2025

Beleaguered Liverpool boss Arne Slot has finally been able to share some good news with an injury update on three key players ahead of the Premier League clash with West Ham. The Reds have lost nine of their last 12 games, putting Slot under massive pressure, but the Dutchman has delivered positive updates on key stars Florian Wirtz, Allison and Hugo Ekitike.

• Ray of light for Liverpool boss

  It's been a diabolical few months for Liverpool, the defence of the Premier League crown is already in tatters and they face an uphill battle to secure an automatic qualification place in the Champions League. High-profile summer signings have failed to integrate into the team and defensive frailties have been their Achilles heel in a series of demoralising defeats, culminating in the 4-1 defeat by PSV Eindhoven at Anfield. Liverpool were without goalkeeper Alisson who pulled out with illness, marquee £116 million signing Wirtz missed out after picking up an injury while on international duty and there were worrying scenes as Ekitike hobbled off on the hour against PSV. 

  But Slot has been able to offer a glimmer of hope for Reds fans ahead of the trip to east London.

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  Slot: 'It shouldn't be a big issue'

  Slot told reporters at a pre-match press conference: "Ali (Becker) trained again with the team today, so we hope and expect him to be available at the weekend. Florian will have his final day of rehab tomorrow. So, if that all goes well, he could train with the team on Saturday." 

  And on Ekitike, he added: "They (medical staff) don't expect that it has to be a big issue, but the games come fast so let's see for the weekend. But it shouldn't have to be a big issue." 

• Dutchman defiant over Anfield future

  Just hours after watching his team be dismantled at Anfield by PSV the Dutch boss spoke with the press and was confident his job was safe after having discussions with Liverpool hierarchy. He told reporters: "We've had the same conversations that we've had since I got here. We fight on. We try to improve, but the conversations have been the same as they have been for the last one and a half years." 

  When pressed on what he can change to stop the rot, Slot added: "That's not so easy to say. It's normal to reflect on a game with decisions you have made. Maybe you do it a little bit more if you lose. In the end, it's about doing what this club is about. Keep fighting no matter how difficult it is. It would be nice if we reward ourselves in the moments we play well. People are focused on the parts we don't play well but there are large parts where we do play well."

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  All eyes on the London Stadium

  Such is Liverpool's form that hosts West Ham, who are languishing in 17th place, will believe they have the chance to land three points against the Merseysiders on Sunday afternoon. The Hammers have begun to turn a corner under boss Nuno Espirito Santo and are unbeaten in their last three matches. Meanwhile, the Reds have lost each of their last five away league games against London sides, as many as in their previous 31. 

  But Slot has remained tight-lipped on whether he will make wholesale changes for the match, saying: "Everyone trains with us every single day, and they can prove themselves in that moment. It's always a balance. There was a period where I lost, and I made a few changes and people complained that I made too many changes. Of course, I consider but I can not tell you the end decision of what I've considered for Sunday."

  Anything other than a victory for Slot on Sunday will pile even more pressure on the beleaguered boss ahead of a midweek visit from Sunderland in the Premier League.

With 14 needed off the last over, Shamar Springer bowled four dot balls to Kieron Pollard to give Falcons the match, and the No. 1 spot on the points table

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Aug-2025

Obed McCoy struck twice in the fifth over•CPL T20 via Getty Images

It came down to 14 runs needed off the last six balls. Nathan Edward took a single on the first ball, bowled by Shamar Springer, putting Kieron Pollard on strike. Game over, you’d think, and two-in-two for Trinbago Knight Riders in CPL 2025. Except that Pollard swung and missed the first two, got enough bat on the fourth ball but chose not to run, and then connected well but not well enough to get the ball to the fence. Four dot balls. He dug a yorker-length ball out for a four off the last, but Springer was the hero for Antigua and Barbuda Falcons, while Pollard had fluffed his lines.Knight Riders came into the game having won their first match, and gave themselves enough chances to earn their first win over Falcons after two losses last season. In the end, though, they let the game slip through their fingers.First, all the bowlers bar Sunil Narine – 4-0-17-0 – got at least wicket, and Falcons looked out of it at 77 for 5, all their premier batters gone, by the 14th over.Fabian Allen scored quick runs towards the end to give Falcons a competitive score•CPL T20 via Getty Images

But Fabian Allen walked out, took off straightaway, and smashed 45 in 20 balls, to go with Imad Wasim’s unbeaten 27-ball 39, to take them to a competitive 167.The second ball Allen faced, off Usman Tariq, went for six over long-on. Then overs 15, 16 and 17 went for 22, 17 and 15, Allen doing most of the hitting, but Imad was slow only by comparison. Knight Riders needed to stop the bleeding, and Narine’s last over was the answer. It went for just four runs, and Narine could have had Imad’s wicket, except the ball was hit with great power back towards him, and though the bowler stuck his hand out, he couldn’t make it stick.Mohammad Amir picked up his 400th T20 wicket in the next over, that of Allen, but Imad and Springer finished strongly, taking Edward for 18 runs for the momentum to well and truly be on Falcons’ side at the break.Kieron Pollard’s innings featured some big hits and plenty of dot balls•CPL T20 via Getty Images

Enter Colin Munro, and the advantage swung Knight Riders’ way quickly. Not instantly, as Imad gave away just three in the first over, and Jayden Seales nine in the second. But in the third, by Imad again, Munro went 4, 4 and 6 off the first three balls, and finished with another four, to put Knight Riders on their way. Fifteen came off Seales’ next – all Munro, with Alex Hales, the other opener, facing just eight balls at that stage and scoring just 4.At 47 for no loss, Knight Riders were on top, but for the second time in the game, Falcons hit right back. This time, through Obed McCoy, who sent back Hales and Munro in the fifth over.That was a proper momentum-breaker, and from the end of the fifth to the end of the tenth, Knight Riders scored just 20 runs, and lost the wicket of Nicholas Pooran. The script didn’t change after the ten-over mark either, with 13 runs coming off the next three, plus the wicket of Darren Bravo. And at 83 for 4 after 13, and the asking rate at 12.14, the chase looked dead in the water.Keacy Carty got some sort of impetus going with a 16-run over, the 14th, but it was back to single-digits after that: 7, 3 and 8. Till it came down to 36 from 12. Pollard, at a-run-a-ball 17 at that stage, finally found his hitting range – he took three sixes and a four off the penultimate over, bowled by McCoy, to put the game in the balance. And then came that last over from Springer.

The Athletic’s Patrick Boyland was full of praise for one Everton star, who played a pivotal part in Thierno Barry’s first goal for the club against Nottingham Forest.

Everton ease past Nottingham Forest

After battling to beat Bournemouth in midweek, Everton had the chance to move up to fifth in the Premier League with victory over Nottingham Forest and David Moyes’ side duly obliged. The Toffees had the perfect afternoon against former manager Sean Dyche, with Barry capping off a fine afternoon with his first goal since arriving for £27m in the summer.

It’s been some time coming for the summer signing, who has smashed the woodwork, had VAR intervene and everything in between before finally getting the chance to wheel away in celebration at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

It’s Moyes who should take plenty of credit. After all, it is the veteran manager who decided to stick with his goal-less forward, only to reap the rewards 90 minutes later.

Everton now ready to compete in race to sign "physical" La Liga star in £35m deal

The Toffees are seeking a defensive reinforcement.

By
Tom Cunningham

7 days ago

Aside from the forward’s first goal for the club, it was a fine display from the Toffees all round. The hosts wasted no time before getting going, with Nikola Milenkovic’s own goal handing them the lead as early as the second minute.

It was then Everton’s to lose and Barry’s effort just before the break all but put them out of sight, before Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall added a third in the 81st minute.

For all their goalscorers, however, it was another player who received the praise of Boyland for the role he played in Everton’s second goal before the break. The Athletic reporter dubbed Iliman Ndiaye “brilliant” in the build-up as the Frenchman continued his role as the Toffees’ talisman.

Boyland heaps praise on "brilliant" Ndiaye

Boyland watched on as Everton struck Nottingham Forest on the counter on the brink of half-time, praising Ndiaye as “brilliant” when he raced past the halfway line before finding goalscorer Barry.

Barry will steal the headlines, but Ndiaye deserves plenty of credit. He has been Everton’s main man since arriving last season and has more than played his part to take Moyes’ side into the top five, for the time being at least.

By the time that the final whistle sounded against Forest, the winger had one assist to his name and had even completed 13 defensive contributions – summing up his impact at both ends.

If those at the Hill Dickinson Stadium are to secure a shock European place this season, then Ndiaye’s role will be more important than ever.

Everton launch enquiry to sign "superb" £40m South American forward for Moyes

Retired tennis great and Real Madrid supporter Rafael Nadal has advised Vinicius Junior to "respect the authority" of Xabi Alonso amid speculation that the Brazilian's relationship with the head coach has reached a breaking point. Nadal emphasised on the need to hold conversations in order to preserve both the image of the club and the unity within the Real Madrid dressing room.

• 'Crisis' spoils Alonso's dream start to Madrid spell

  Alonso's start to life as Real Madrid manager could barely have been any better. In the first 14 games this season, Madrid managed to win 13 games, with the only blip coming in the form of a 5-2 thrashing from cross-city rivals Atletico Madrid. While they also produced a convincing win against Barcelona, all hell broke loose during this month's Champions League visit to Anfield. Los Blancos faced a Liverpool side that had lost six of its previous eight matches going into the clash. Yet Alonso’s team collapsed, looking bereft of ideas in a flat, uninspired performance. Since then, the Reds have dropped two more games, making this current Madrid side appear even worse with every new Liverpool defeat.

  The loss to Arne Slot's men seemingly dampened the spirits within the Madrid dressing room. Indeed, in the previous two La Liga outings, they have failed to record a win, with their winless run now stretching to three games. It has been a difficult away stretch for Alonso and his players, failing to beat either Rayo Vallecano or the newly-promoted but highly entertaining Elche. 

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  Nadal sends advice to Vinicius

  Amid the ongoing crisis, Spanish media reports suggest that Alonso has lost the backing of a significant portion of the Madrid dressing room. Journalists have highlighted Vinicius' angry reaction to being substituted during last month’s Clasico as a potential turning point, with some claiming the Brazilian now maintains only a “strictly professional” relationship with the Bundesliga-winning former Bayer Leverkusen manager.

  Speaking to on Monday, one of tennis' all-time greats Nadal, who is an avid Real Madrid fan, addressed the recent rumours of a fallout between Vinicius and Alonso. He explained how the duo can overcome their alleged problems.

  “I think it can be resolved through dialogue, with everyone on the same page," said Nadal. "I believe Vini needs to understand who is in charge and respect that authority, and also the club, given what it means to be a Real Madrid player. But I think he's doing his best, and those things that come out of him, which sometimes aren't well-received, can be corrected through dialogue and an awareness that things can be improved. 

  “The first person who needs to want to explore that path of improvement has to be him. When I hear him speak in interviews, saying that he wants to improve in every aspect, I think he needs to find strong allies, and I'm convinced that Real Madrid will have the right people, and he will be there to advise him.

  “The basic principle is wanting to do it. And Real Madrid has in Vinicius an asset that they can't devalue and that they have to protect, regardless of any performances that might not be to everyone's liking. As a player, he's a club asset; it's a situation that Real Madrid, being the immense club it is, knows how to manage, and I think they've done it well.

  "The proof is that Vinicius' performance is now better than it was before. Football has a problem that is also a great strength; ultimately, many stories are written every week, and that magnifies things, but footballers are people, and that's how things are resolved, as human beings, by talking, understanding each other, and trying to project an image – one that is truly genuine – of unity, respect, and everyone pulling in the same direction."

• Vinicius reportedly tells Madrid he won't renew due to Alonso

  Earlier this week, reported that Vinicius, whose contract with Madrid expires in 2027, has informed the club of his intention to not renew "while his relationship with head coach Alonso remains so strained." This could come as a huge blow to Madrid's future, with the club viewing their dashing No.7 as a valuable asset. 

  However, amid all the talk in the media, Alonso ensured that they "haven't fallen apart." Speaking to reporters in the aftermath of the 2-2 draw against Elche on Sunday, he said: "We haven't fallen apart. We're still competing; the context of each match is different. The result is what matters, and we're aware of that and self-critical. The spirit is good; we have to respond to adversity. This is Real Madrid. We live with criticism; we want to improve.

  "The connection is improving; we have more time and interact more, we know each other better. We're all in the same boat, we celebrate victories. We suffer if we don't win. The connection is good. We need to turn this situation around, starting with Athens."

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  Madrid need to turn things around immediately

  Madrid face three consecutive away fixtures, starting with Wednesday’s high-stakes Champions League trip to Greek giants Olympiacos. A win in Europe now feels essential – both to stem the rising noise around Alonso’s leadership and to jolt a struggling squad back into the confidence they so clearly need.

  Despite dropping four points in their previous two league games, Madrid sit at the top of the table, albeit with just a one-point lead over a Barcelona side that seems to have regained their form following losses to Paris Saint-Germain, Sevilla, and the 15-time European champions. 

Less than two years after hoisting the World Series trophy, the Rangers and Bruce Bochy have "mutually agreed to end his managerial tenure with the organization," the team announced Monday. The Rangers also announced that they have offered Bochy a role in the front office in an advisory capacity.

The Rangers join the Giants and Twins as teams who parted ways with their managers on Monday after the conclusion of the 2025 regular season.

Bochy came out of retirement after the 2022 season to become the manager of the Rangers. In his first season with Texas in 2023, he led them to a 90-72 record and their franchise's first World Series victory. After the Rangers failed to make the playoffs in either of the last two seasons, they have decided to search for a new manager.

Bochy has been an MLB manager for 28 seasons with the Rangers, Padres and Giants. He's led every team he's managed to a World Series appearance, won four World Series, and has compiled a 2,252-2,266 (.498) career record.

Though offered a role in the Rangers' front office, the 70-year-old manager could be a contender for other vacancies, including the Giants, his old team. Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey, who played under Bochy in San Francisco simply said Monday, "I don’t know what his status is yet. I haven’t heard, so I can’t speak to that.”

Florian Wirtz has been compared to Luka Modric, with Liverpool's struggling £116m signing being backed to silence his doubters just as the former Real Madrid midfielder did. Wirtz was considered one of the brightest midfield talents in the world at Bayer Leverkusen, but the Germany international has experienced a major dip in form since moving to the Premier League.

• Wirtz's underwhelming start to Anfield journey

  Liverpool spent a whopping £116 million ($154m) to sign Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen during the summer transfer window. The talented German midfielder had also attracted interest from Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich and Manchester City, but he opted to join the Premier League champions.

  Anfield fans were very excited at the time of Wirtz's arrival as they expected fireworks on the pitch from a world-class talent, but the 22-year-old has failed to live up to his potential and has been a disappointment at the start of the 2025-26 campaign. The Germany international has faced fierce criticism in England, but it has not affected the midfielder or his family, as his father Hanz recently told : "My thought from the very beginning was to wait and see how the first ten league games went," he said. "We and Florian are perfectly happy with that. The incredible speed, the back and forth, that was very impressive for the first few games. The distances covered and the speed were significantly greater. The style of play is sometimes enormously different because it doesn't seem as organised, but rather more focused on pace."

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  Wirtz compared to Modric

  Amid all the negative chatter around Wirtz's performances, former Premier League star David Bentley has come to the midfielder's defence while drawing a comparison to Real Madrid and Croatia legend Luka Modric. When Modric initially arrived at Tottenham Hotspur, he was initially panned by critics, however, the Croatian eventually went on to establish himself as one of the greatest footballers of all time, winning the Ballon d'Or in 2018.

  Speaking to , ex-Spurs winger Bentley said: "He is an unbelievable player, so talented, fans and pundits have to stick by him. Yes he’s exactly the same [as Modric]. When Modric came through the door, he was exactly the same in the way he receives the ball, scans, he knows what he is doing. He was an unbelievably technically gifted player, and both can set the tone and tempo of a football match, so you have to stick with him."

• Nagelsmann defends Reds star

  Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann has also backed Wirtz during this difficult period of his career. He even aimed a dig at the Liverpool attackers for failing to convert the chances Wirtz has been creating. Speaking to reporters, the Germany boss said: "Liverpool could also help him out by scoring some of the chances he creates. They somehow don't like to shoot the ball in. To be honest, the overall situation doesn't make it easy for Flo either. The whole club isn't as stable this year as it was last year. It's much harder to slip into the team now. If you look at the game against [Manchester] City, they were actually the worse team over the 90 minutes. So it's also difficult for Flo to make a big impact. Ultimately, the overall situation is such that he just needs a little more time, which is normal; you see that with other players who move to the Premier League too. 

  "We all know what he's capable of, and it's perfectly normal for a player of his age to go through a bit of a dip in form. We can't expect him to perform at the same level for three years straight. Instead, we all need to support him a little bit so that he can clear his head here, and then maybe Liverpool could also help him out by scoring some of the chances he creates. That would be one idea, because he does not create few chances, it's just that… they somehow don't like to shoot the ball in, that's also part of the truth."

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  Wirtz eyes comeback with Germany

  Wirtz has made it into the Germany squad for their upcoming World Cup qualifying matches despite his poor club form. The former Leverkusen star will hope to make the most of the chances he gets during the international break to help Germany secure a World Cup berth and regain his form before returning to Anfield later this month. Germany are scheduled to take on Luxembourg on November 14, before facing Slovakia three days later.

Leeds United moved out of the relegation zone in the Premier League this week with an impressive 3-1 win over Chelsea at Elland Road on Wednesday night, in a game that was underpinned by Daniel Farke’s structural changes.

The German head coach, who has typically deployed a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-3-3 formation during his time at the club, opted to start with a 3-5-2 system against Enzo Maresca’s team.

It worked wonders for the Whites as they went on to claim all three points, thanks to goals from Jaka Bijol, Ao Tanaka, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Why Leeds United's formation change worked so well

Changing from a 4-3-3 to a 3-5-2 worked so well for the Whites because it allowed Jayden Bogle, who assisted the second goal, and Gabriel Gudmundsson to push higher up the pitch with three centre-backs providing enough cover defensively.

It also meant that the Whites could play with two strikers, instead of leaving one isolated on their own, and that led to Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha causing plenty of problems.

The two centre-forwards combined to win 13 duels against the Chelsea defenders and won four fouls, without committing any, per Sofascore, which shows that they were a nightmare to deal with throughout the game.

Nmecha, in particular, has benefitted from having Calvert-Lewin’s physicality alongside him. The German forward, who has scored four Premier League goals, has lost 69% of his ground duels this season, per Sofascore, which shows that he struggles with the physical side of leading the line on his own.

Having another, more physical, striker alongside him means that he can focus on making runs in behind and pressing opposition defenders, which is what makes it such an effective pairing, or at least what made it so effective against Chelsea.

In The Pipeline

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Whilst Nmecha and Calvert-Lewin got the job done on Wednesday, Harry Gray could be perfect for the new role that Nmecha is now playing for Leeds.

Why Harry Gray should be unleashed in Lukas Nmecha's new role

Bringing young players into the first-team is difficult in any circumstance, but even more so in the Premier League with all that is at stake in a relegation battle.

Academy talents are not used to the physicality of professional football and may need time to adapt, particularly strikers, which is why this new role that Nmecha has could be perfect for Gray.

Farke must finally unleash the 17-year-old centre-forward for his Premier League debut in the coming weeks because playing alongside an experienced striker like Calvert-Lewin could be an ideal introduction to regular football at senior level.

Gray, who was described as the club’s “newest Wonderkid” by talent scout Jacek Kulig and his contributor Joe Blackburn, has scored a whopping ten goals in 11 games in all competitions for the academy this season, per Transfermarkt.

Appearances

3

Goals

2

Conversion rate

50%

Assists

1

Dribbles completed per game

2.0

Ground duel success rate

52%

Aerial duel success rate

38%

As you can see in the table above, the teenage forward has scored two goals in three EFL Trophy games, playing against League One and League Two sides, but has struggled with the aerial duels in those games.

This suggests that he would not be well-suited to playing as a lone striker in the Premier League for Leeds, as he would need to duel with towering top-flight centre-backs and hold the ball up under intense pressure, which is also where Nmecha struggled earlier this season.

Therefore, playing alongside Calvert-Lewin, who won six of his nine aerial duels against Chelsea (Sofascore), could be the perfect way for him to be introduced into the first-team this season.

Gray’s return of 14 goals in 20 U21s games and eight goals in 11 U18s matches for Leeds, per Transfermarkt, shows that he has the technical and goalscoring qualities to potentially make an impact for the Whites, but it is the physicality that is questionable.

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This change in formation from Farke, though, may alleviate those concerns because of how the two-striker system works, and that is why the manager should unleash the teen sensation in Nmecha’s role in the coming weeks.