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Few home comforts at Chelmsford for nominal series hosts, but plenty of lessons for the international game

Andrew Miller10-May-2023They came in droves. From Newham and Whitechapel, from Dagenham and Redbridge, all #BackingGreen as the Cricket Ireland hashtag implored, and turning an improbable suburban enclave in Essex into the ultimate home-from-home.Unfortunately for the nominal hosts Ireland (although not, it must be said, unexpectedly), the #Green in question had a more tigerly tinge to it, as London’s Bangladeshi community seized on the chance for a raucous day out in Chelmsford – and by the time they’d all been sent hurtling back towards the tube network by a dramatic late-afternoon thunderstorm, it was as if they’d come armed with Dhaka’s rainy-season weather too.And so, when Mark Adair spoke afterwards to Ireland’s lone media representative in front of an abandoned, waterlogged outfield, to reflect on the washout that had ended his side’s hopes of automatic World Cup qualification, the day’s prior events all felt a bit like a fever dream.Related

Bangladesh enhance their ODI credentials with dramatic Chelmsford win

Ireland vs Bangladesh washout gives South Africa ODI WC ticket

Rain intervenes after Mushfiqur fifty helps Bangladesh to 246

The flags, the drums, the face-paint, the cuddly tiger toys. None of that remained, just a desperately dank media marquee with raindrops sheeting down the plastic windows – which, ironically, was perhaps Ireland’s first true taste of home (dis)comfort, seeing as a washout in temporary facilities at Malahide was exactly what they had been seeking to avoid when the decision was made to outsource this, their final Super League campaign.But, with apologies to Ireland’s now-deferred tilt for World Cup qualification, this had still been one of the more notable rain-wrecked ODIs. Not so much for the performances (mighty though Mushfiqur Rahim’s birthday half-century had been), but for the lessons that were learned about the resilience of the format.At a time when the international game is feeling the squeeze like never before – with the return of Ireland’s star seamer, Josh Little, from the IPL embodying the wrench of priorities that the world’s leading players are currently feeling – there was a vitality to the day’s events that underlined what stands to be lost if an endless treadmill of T20 leagues becomes the norm.All things being equal, Ireland versus Bangladesh is precisely the sort of contest that even the most fervent of cricket fans could be forgiven for overlooking, but if the Chelmsford experience reminds us of anything, it is that passion cannot be faked. It may be the smallest ground on the county circuit, but with more than 3000 Bangladesh fans packing out its stands, it offered up a stage on which those supporters could celebrate the ties that still bind them to a homeland that, in many cases, they left behind several generations ago.The top deck of the Tom Pearce Stand throbbed all day long, with its oversize Bangladesh flag shimmering to every half-chance, and with the whole crowd bursting into a rendition of “Happy Birthday” (complete with specially printed banner) as Mushfiqur made his way to the middle in the 22nd over of the day.They came in droves, and turned an improbable suburban enclave in Essex into the ultimate home-from-home•Cricket IrelandAnd even when the rain arrived to ruin a keenly poised contest, a significant throng stayed back to the bitter end, braving the lightning strikes that at one stage even fried the grimly static replay screen, so that they could line the route from the pavilion to the team bus to bid their heroes goodnight.”When the crowd comes to see the match, players always enjoy,” Najmul Hossain Shanto said at the close. “It is always helpful for our game. Some of the players have family here, probably they will come in the next match as well. The crowd here was 80-90% from Bangladesh. We didn’t feel that much [like visitors].”And so the inevitable question arises. Could any of this be adapted to help safeguard the long-term future of international cricket? Of course, the notion of neutral-venue internationals isn’t exactly a new one. It’s 111 years since the 1912 Triangular drowned in weather not dissimilar to Chelmsford’s denouement, while Pakistan spent more than a decade in the desert – metaphorically and otherwise – after their security situation drove them from their homeland in 2009.Prior to setting up a new base in the UAE, Pakistan also played two memorable Tests against Australia in England in the summer of 2010, including a second Test at Headingley that tapped into Yorkshire’s diaspora every bit as effectively as Chelmsford did for East London’s. The fact that that ECB-PCB relationship did not continue into future seasons owed rather more to the events at Lord’s later that summer than to any sense that the bottom line did not add up.This time, however, you wonder if the timing feels more apposite. Perhaps not for Ireland in the short term, whose years as a Full-Member Nation have inadvertently come to epitomise the international game’s slow-puncture (although let’s judge the strength of their own diaspora if cricket ever manages to tap into the US market).

“A day like today is a celebration of the trust and confidence in our relationship with the Bangladeshi community”Arfan Akram, Essex’s East London Operations Manager

But for the international game as a whole – faced with a haemorrhaging of TV revenue that hastens a vicious spiral of decline – there’s never a bad time to be reminded that the game exists because of its fans, and not because of its rights deals. Bangladesh’s supposed lightweight status has meant that latter factor has been allowed to determine their value to England – by whom they haven’t been invited in a bilateral capacity since 2010 – even though the sheer joy that they bring to their support has lit up two of the last six English summers, thanks to their involvement in the 2017 Champions Trophy and the 2019 ODI World Cup.And there’s another pressing factor at play too, one that Essex in particular recognise all too well. English cricket’s ongoing racism reckoning is set for another seismic moment when the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) finally sees the light of day, and when it does, the game as a whole can expect a litany of criticism on the grounds of class, race and gender. What’s more, Essex themselves are also braced for the findings of Katherine Newton KC’s report into specific allegations at the club, many of which were raised by their former player, Jahid Ahmed, who also happened to be the first British Bangladeshi to play county cricket.And, right there, is the nub of the issue for the English game. Tower Hamlets, where a third of London’s Bangladeshi community lives, is barely half an hour door-to-door from the County Ground while Jahid himself was born in the city of Chelmsford, even though he described the club on his doorstep as “a white man’s world where brown people were outsiders”.It is all evidence of a huge and shamefully untapped market. And yet, those same fans who flocked to Tuesday’s game might not have turned out in such force had it not been for the chance to congregate around their heritage, and effectively embrace that outsider status. It all points to a design flaw at the heart of international cricket – one that effectively runs counter to the expectations of multiculturalism – and if the ICEC is to offer any sort of closure to English cricket, it will be obliged to map out a resolution that cuts both ways.BCBBut to judge by an undeniably uplifting afternoon at Essex, English cricket is already better prepared to deal with whatever fallout awaits, not least because the concessions required to make Bangladesh’s fans feel welcome on such an occasion – the installation of a prayer room in the indoor school, for instance, or the provision of halal food, and the scaling-back of alcohol outlets in anticipation of a predominantly Muslim crowd – are now part of the club’s everyday considerations, rather than just tacked on reluctantly at the end of a planning meeting.”A day like today is a celebration of the trust and confidence in our relationship with the Bangladeshi community,” Arfan Akram, Essex’s East London Operations Manager, told ESPNcricinfo. Akram’s remit includes the ECB’s acclaimed new hub in Leyton, where much of the face-to-face engagement with those communities takes place. On any given night in the nets, club players are likely to rub shoulders with current Essex players such as Feroz Khushi or Aron Nijjar, and even the former Bangladesh spinner Enamul Haque, who is now a coach at Newham College.And the net effect of that grassroots outreach has already been felt in the lead-up to these three matches, as Akram explained.”Demand for cricket in East London is outstripping supply,” he said. “The beauty of these three games is that we haven’t been using a central sales platform, it’s us sending WhatsApp messages and the system going mad in ticket sales. That can only happen if there’s a culture in the club that people want to be a part of.”The historic incidents will need their time, and fair process, and we’ll be able to move forward when we have closure. But this will help us in the long-term transition of the club.”None of which is of any immediate consolation to Ireland, of course. On the eve of the game, their captain Andy Balbirnie had conceded that his team’s presence in England for such a crunch contest was “slightly disappointing”, and that their “home” status was set to be anything but. And yet, here they were regardless, embracing the fanaticism that their opponents brought to the occasion, and accepting into the bargain that the health of one is the health of all when it comes to the fragile ties that keep international cricket viable.

All of them approach batting differently and have thrived without the fear of consequences

Sidharth Monga19-Jan-20212:34

‘This win would mean the world to Pant’ – Aakash Chopra

If this series so far had been an esoteric Bob Dylan song, here is a more straightforward one for the man who laid the finishing touches.For a day, it would appear Dylan might have had Rishabh Pant in mind when he wrote ‘. Just as this team had doubters after 36 all out, Pant has had doubters within the team and outside it for playing a game they don’t really understand.Imagine – he is coming off a Test when he got out on 97 trying to hit a six with India fighting to somehow stay alive. He has been nearly stumped trying to hit another here in Brisbane, when India are thinking of the unthinkable on the final day with much more in the pitch than at the SCG. Then he sees a ball turn more than a metre. And jumps out next ball to hit a six against the turn.There will be many waiting to take credit for the way Pant has “matured”, but he played the way he has always played. His childhood coach, Tarak Sinha, told last week that more than fitness, more than “maturity”, Pant needed his bat swing back. If he gets out, he will live with the consequences. If he gets out blocking a ball he could have hit, it will be tougher to live with it. That’s batting for him.In Sydney, and in Brisbane, Pant just batted. In a 16-Test career — 14 of them played away from home, three as the third-choice keeper and three as the second choice — Pant is already among the top-15 six-hitters from India, with 23 such hits. Nineteen of them have come off spinners, including his first runs in Test cricket. He can get out playing any of those shots, and people wouldn’t be talking of the mature Pant then, but he knows the percentages are with him. He knows he is that good.Just imagine being the Australia captain and bowling unit. What do you do when a man simply refuses to care the way you want him to? A man who just bats. Doesn’t think of win, draw, loss on the final day of an epic series. This is not the beat Test cricket is played to. There are cracks on the pitch, you are up against a tiring but excellent attack, you know wickets can fall quickly, you know one shot can undo 17 days of incredibly hard work that has brought you this far, within a shot of history. You know what happened in Adelaide in 2014-15. You know what happened at The Oval in 2018.You should take a draw that is greater than a win, but you just want to bat. You want to back yourself. You are a madman. You are on the verge of securing the Border-Gavaskar Trophy if you just bat out 12 overs. It is going to be the greatest comeback ever, but you risk it all by playing a reverse-sweep? You see, it is not a risk for Pant. He backs his reverse-sweep with that field set. He knows all these incredible chases over the last two-three years – Ben Stokes, Kusal Perera, Jermaine Blackwood – have been sealed by batsmen just batting the way they do. And you can’t bat if you are clouded by consequence.After it was all done, Pant was hugged by every Indian team member, from teammates to coaches to the other support staff. The batting coach and the coach held on to him, the throw-down expert probably received a big thank you with the hug, R Ashwin was like a big brother, but as Pant reached Cheteshwar Pujara, everything went into slow motion. Pujara didn’t want too strong a hug. He had worn so many blows – head, side of the neck, forearm, ribs, gloves, all told 10 in one innings on a pitch increasingly uneven in bounce – that a half-decent squeeze from Pant would surely have hurt him.Shubman Gill batted with calmness and poise•Getty ImagesIf Australia couldn’t force Pant to care enough to doubt himself, they couldn’t get Pujara to care less than enough to make a mistake. Session after session, day after day, match after match, Pujara makes them bowl their best ball to get him out. If it is not good enough, it will not get Pujara out. And it takes Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood. Not even Mitchell Starc.And when Cummins bowls that unplayable ball to get him lbw by the barest of margins on the tracker, he is bowling his 157th over of the series, more than he has ever bowled in a series of four matches or fewer. Pujara has faced 42.5 overs of those from this incredible bowler who hardly gives a freebie and has a habit of bowling unplayable deliveries. Overall he faced 928 balls, close to a fourth of the balls faced by India in the series. And yet everyday he must get to hear how he doesn’t hurt the bowlers no matter how long he plays, how he is responsible for others getting out, how the game needs to keep moving.Despite all that is happening around him, Pujara does so almost in trance. Even when he is getting hit, the hands holding the bat are always going down. Even when he is hit on the bottom glove, it is in the process of going off the handle. This is survival batting but Pant and Shubman Gill can keep attacking because they know Pujara is there. If someone needs to shut shop, Pujara can do so even if he is staggering and stumbling. And no amount of blows can push him back to a ball he should be forward to. In fact he goes on to target Starc and upper-cut him, unsurprisingly so. In doing that Pujara is lending a hand to the new one. This old road is not rapidly agin’.One of the new ones is Gill, representing the depth in Indian cricket. Debuting after 36 all out, at a position where batting has never been tougher in the history of the sport, Gill has announced himself regally. In him and Mohammed Siraj lie the riches of Indian cricket. Just as Siraj, Gill has shown he has come ready for the highest level and format of the game. Siraj lost his father during the tour, Gill must be worried about his, given the farmers’ protests in the biting cold of northern India. The personal challenges these players are facing can’t be overlooked.Can you imagine a tougher initiation into Test cricket than the first two overs Gill spent in the middle? From the non-striker’s, he saw Starc swinging it back in to Mayank Agarwal at 145-plus, seam one away, and then rip the pad off with the inswinger. At the striker’s, he saw Cummins continuously seam it this way and that. Yet he never looked out of place, never late, never rushed into playing a shot he doesn’t want to play.All the series’ hard work – for returns of 45, 31*, 50, 31, 7 – finally, for a change, brought him easier batting conditions on the final morning. No one deserved the harvest more than Gill. The morning session was perhaps the easiest for batting all series, likely because of the moisture from the overnight rain, which can tend to re-bind the surface. You need someone to cash in on these conditions without getting out and thus nullifying the advantage of the conditions.Gill has the game for it. He batted with a control percentage of 95, which is scarcely believable for this series. So good is his stroke-play he scored at a strike rate of 62 without taking risks. Batting is an imperfect art. It yo-yos from Pant to Pujara, who bring their own unconventional survival tools, but Gill gets as close to perfection as might be possible when accounting for all the vagaries you have to deal with in Test cricket. Foot movement is precise, defence is solid, the shots are all there, and the eye is quick. If you are a batting enthusiast, this is what you dream of watching on a mildly cold Sunday morning.Even when the ball started to misbehave around lunch and Australia went short, Gill moved his guard towards off, and didn’t give up hooking. He knew he couldn’t control them all, but scored 34 runs off 26 short balls.Between them, Gill, Pujara and Pant represent the might of Indian batting. This is a side that was bowled out for 36 a month ago. Now it has breached Fortress Gabba with a chase of 328. These are chases that will come off only once in a while, but if the batting riches of India find a way to just go out and bat the way they know best, India will keep putting them in positions to pull them off. Tim Paine and Justin Langer perhaps knew it all along or they would have declared sooner.

The Boston Red Sox have been without star third baseman Alex Bregman for over a month, as the 31-year-old has been sidelined with a right quad strain since late May.

Bregman took to social media Wednesday and dropped a major hint about his potential return from the IL, suggesting it won't be long before he's back in Boston with the team. On Instagram, Bregman shared a video of himself hitting a home run at Fenway Park. He used an emoji that says "SOON" underneath an arrow as the caption for the post.

While Bregman didn't get into any specifics about his impending return, Red Sox manager Alex Cora acknowledged that there's "a really good chance" the veteran infielder returns prior to the All-Star break, via Ian Browne of MLB.com.

Boston's last series before the midseason break is set to begin Thursday—a four-game series against the rival Tampa Bay Rays at home. It seems likely Bregman will be back in the lineup at some point during that series.

Prior to sustaining the injury, Bregman had been off to a roaring start to his career with the Red Sox. In his first 51 games for the organization, he slashed .299/.385/.553 with 11 home runs and 35 RBIs.

Liverpool and Arsenal are now both reportedly eyeing the chance to sign a Paris Saint-Germain attacker in 2026.

Salah's rant compiles Liverpool misery

Ao Tanaka’s late equaliser was the last thing that Liverpool needed. The Reds only had themselves to blame after going from comfortable 2-0 leaders to level at 2-2 then throwing their 3-2 lead away at the death. In 99 minutes of action, the Premier League champions had their problems laid bare for all to see.

For a third-consecutive game, meanwhile, Mohamed Salah watched on from the bench. And for the second time in those three games, the Egyptian didn’t even get on the pitch. When Liverpool needed a goal, last year’s Golden Boot winner and top playmaker was forced to watch on and to say he wasn’t happy would be an understatement.

The Anfield icon went rogue at full-time, unleashing an explosive rant about Arne Slot’s recent decisions, saying: “After what I have done for the club it really hurts. You can imagine, really.

Liverpool join race to sign "aggressive" gem who's been compared to Szoboszlai

The Reds could deal Newcastle another blow

ByTom Cunningham Dec 6, 2025

“After going from home to the club and you don’t know if you are starting. I know the club too well, I have been here many years. Tomorrow [Jamie] Carragher is going to go for me again and again and that’s fine.

“I have been at this club, scoring more than anyone in this generation since I came to the Premier League, I don’t think anyone has scored more goals and made more assists than me. In the whole Premier League. If I am somewhere else, everybody would go to the media and defend the players. I am the only one in this situation.”

It doesn’t get much more damning than that for Liverpool, who could now have a decision to make. Do they back Salah or do they back Slot? That’s the question and if the manager wins the war then they must find a replacement for one of their best-ever players.

Liverpool battling Arsenal in Barcola race

According to Le10 Sport in France, as relayed by Sport Witness, Liverpool are now a very active contender to sign Bradley Barcola alongside Arsenal, as the PSG winger continues to deliberate over signing a new deal in Ligue 1.

As things stand, his deal doesn’t run out until 2028 but PSG have been attempting to secure new terms to avoid any potential exit in the coming years. Barcola, however, is still hesitating to put pen to paper on a new contract – potentially leaving the door ajar for Liverpool.

Minutes

760

1,118

Goals

5

4

Assists

0

2

Key Passes

18

27

If Liverpool’s search for a Salah replacement has just become more urgent then Barcola should be on their list of candidates. The Frenchman has outscored the Egyptian in less minutes so far this season and is destined to get even better at just 23 years old.

Described as “one of the best wingers in Europe” by European football expert Zach Lowy, Barcola’s contract situation is one to watch, especially if Liverpool come calling next year.

"Annoying" Liverpool star showed why FSG have to sign Semenyo

The New York Yankees delivered a heartwarming surprise to starting pitcher Clarke Schmidt ahead of Thursday's game against the Texas Rangers.

Unbeknownst to Schmidt, the Yankees invited his father, U.S. Marine Corps Colonel Dwight Schmidt, to throw out the game's ceremonial first pitch. Dwight, who was in New York City for Fleet Week, surprised his son at Yankee Stadium and the two exchanged a big embrace before Clarke got the opportunity to catch the first pitch from his father.

Have a look at the wholesome moment below:

Not a bad first pitch from Dwight either.

Schmidt had a big grin on his face after catching the ceremonial first pitch from his father, and the two exchanged another hug and posed for pictures with some other service members.

Meredith Marakovits, clubhouse reporter for the YES Network, provided some additional background information on the game's broadcast, saying, "Clarke credits his dad Dwight for his mental toughness. [Dwight] was deployed in Afghanistan twice, he was flying F-18 aircrafts… and Michael [Kay], he even flew the Yankees charter a couple times…" she said.

A heartwarming gesture from the Yankees organization.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank has sent out a strong message on talk of a potential blockbuster £100m Spurs transfer. Since the Lewis family took full control of the Premier League side from former chairman Daniel Levy, they have pumped in funds of £100 million to demonstrate that they are aiming to achieve sustained success at the north London club.

• New ownership, renewed hope at Spurs

  The financial boost from the Lewis family came at a time when Tottenham are fighting for a top five finish this season, and have suffered only three Premier League defeats in 11 matches under new boss Thomas Frank, a considerable improvement from where they were under Ange Postecoglou last season. While £100m might not stretch far in today’s highly inflated football economy, many are calling it "the beginning, not the end" of a new financial drive at Spurs. Behind the money is a new face of Tottenham power, Vivienne Lewis, daughter of the late billionaire patriarch Joe Lewis. Alongside her brother Charles and son-in-law Nick Beucher, Vivienne has taken personal charge of the family’s football jewel, regularly attending matches and meetings to steer the club’s new direction. 

  Since ousting long-serving chairman Daniel Levy in September, the Lewis family has tightened its grip, rebuffing three separate consortium offers from Saudi, Chinese, and American investors. A source close to the family had earlier told , "This is initial additional funding. As the club's management decides what's needed to deliver success, more money will be available. The Lewis family is committed to backing the club to be successful."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  'They definitely said they are all in for the club'

  Speaking on the new club owners, Frank told reporters: "They [the Lewis family] definitely said they are all in for the club, that they want to be here for the long term and they want to have success. That’s, of course, a little bit big headlines. We’ll see what happens in the future, but I’m confident they will back us to do everything we can to build a successful club.

  "I’m very good at talking up here [to the media], but it’s about showing it out there on the pitch consistently and after setbacks. The same with them. In the best positive way, that’s what we need to do together."

• Will Tottenham spend £100m on one player?

  Addressing the club's plan for the January transfer window and whether they would spend the entire £100m on one player, Frank added: "In the next 50 years? Then yes! It’s very evident that every successful club, not for one year. Over five, six, seven years, to build, you need a combination of time and processes. Then, of course, investment. If you want success in football, you need to invest in players. Hopefully, do it cleverly and we want to do it smart, so we don’t invest too much on the wrong players. But you need to invest… £100m? I don’t know. Let’s see. I don’t think we are close to spending £100m, put it that way. But I don’t know, let’s see what happens in the future.

  "So you need to be good at developing the players, which I believe we are and we will be very good at. But then you also need to invest in the right potential of a player. He could be 22, or 26. Declan Rice is a good example. How old was he when he joined Arsenal? 24? That’s important. Nobody achieves the top without investing."

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• Getty Images
  

  Spurs eye win in North London derby

  At the moment, Spurs and Frank remain focused on maintaining consistency on the pitch and remain among the top five teams in the Premier League. Up next is the north London derby on Sunday, where Frank's side will lock horns against arch-rivals and league leaders Arsenal. Spurs will hope to win the season's first derby and reduce their gap with the Gunners. 

Nicholas Pooran has been named Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) captain ahead of CPL 2025. He will take over from Kieron Pollard, who has led the team since 2019, when he replaced Dwayne Bravo in the role.”It means a lot, first and foremost, to represent Trinbago Knight Riders. It is a privilege that I’m getting the opportunity to lead this franchise,” Pooran said. “I want to give it my best shot, and hopefully make as many correct decisions as I can. It’s a responsibility that has been passed on from Bravo to Pollard, and now to me.”For me, the most satisfying thing is that Pollard is still playing; Sunil [Narine] and Andre [Russell] are here too. That’s a lot of experience I can bank on. To lead them on the field – it means a lot to me.”Related

• TKR appoint Dwayne Bravo as new head coach

• Five rookies who could make a splash in CPL 2025

• Bravo bros' reunion, ageless wonders, and more: everything you need to know about CPL 2025

Pooran, who is one of the most sought-after players on the T20 circuit, made his debut in the format as a 17-year-old in the inaugural season of the CPL for TKR, who were then known as Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel. He switched to Barbados Royals (BR) and Guyana Amazon Warriors before returning to TKR in 2022. He’s played in all the CPL seasons so far except for 2015, when he was out injured due to an accident. Overall in the CPL, Pooran has 2447 runs at a strike rate of 152.27 in 114 matches. At present, he is also the captain of MI New York in the MLC and MI Emirates in the ILT20.Under Pollard’s leadership, TKR not only won their fourth CPL title in 2020 but had a record unbeaten season – with 12 out of 12 wins – before making two more playoff appearances. In 2024, they lost the Eliminator to BR. Bravo was named head coach this season after he retired last year.”I believe grooming the next generation is very important,” Pollard said. “With Bravo coming on board this year as the new head coach, we felt this is the right time to get a new captain in. Pooran is homegrown, and I think this is the right opportunity for him. We’ve actually been preparing him for this over the years.”I don’t know how much longer I’m going to be playing for, but I’m happy for the opportunity to still be on the field and help Nicholas ease into this role. He’s someone who we’ve seen grow in front of us and he understands our values and principles. He understands how we want to play cricket, he understands the winning culture that we want to create, and he shares a lot of respect with a lot of players around the world. So for me, it was an easy decision to hand over the captaincy to Pooran.”TKR start their CPL 2025 campaign against St Kitts & Nevis Patriots on August 17.

Tottenham Hotspur’s exit from the Carabao Cup last night was evidence of the hot and cold nature of Thomas Frank’s tenure at the helm so far in 2025/26.

Coming into the clash against Newcastle United, the Lilywhites claimed a superb 3-0 victory against Everton in the Premier League – but such a showing at St James’ Park was the polar opposite.

Fabian Schar and Nick Woltemade’s efforts either side of the break secured the win for Eddie Howe’s men, with Frank’s first chance of claiming a trophy in North London evaporating in front of his eyes.

The Dane only made four changes from his starting eleven that defeated the Toffees on Sunday night, but little players failed to cover themselves in glory on Tyneside.

One player in particular was handed a second successive start last night, with such a run now expected to come to an end after his dismal display against the Magpies.

Brennan Johnson’s evening to forget against Newcastle

After Mohammed Kudus’ summer arrival from West Ham United, winger Brennan Johnson has often had to resort to minutes off the bench to make an impact for Spurs.

Such a decision may have come as a surprise to many of the Lilywhites faithful, especially after the Welshman ended last year on 18 goals – even scoring the winner in the Europa League final.

However, 2025/26 has been a different story for the 24-year-old, with his performances night and day from his spell under Ange Postecoglou last campaign.

His showing against Howe’s side was yet another disappointment – with his withdrawal in just the 65th minute highlighting his lack of positive impact in the North East.

Johnson only achieved a total of 28 touches, whilst losing possession on 14 occasions, subsequently gifting the ball back to the opposition every other time he was in control of the play.

Other figures such as zero dribbles and crosses completed further demonstrate his lack of creativity, something which Kudus has possessed in abundance – as seen by his tally of four assists for the Lilywhites.

Such was the level of disappointment around his showing, one Spurs analyst labelled the former Nottingham Forest star as a “passenger” – which proves Frank made the right decision by replacing him with the Ghanaian this summer.

The Spurs player who now looks finished under Frank

Alongside Johnson, numerous other players struggled to match the expectations placed upon them by the Spurs faithful ahead of the meeting with Howe’s men.

Joao Palhinha has been an excellent addition for the Lilywhites, offering the side the perfect ball-winning option at the heart of the midfield, but he was forced to operate out of position last night.

The issues at the back saw the Portuguese international drop into a centre-back role – ultimately taking away his best quality, as seen in his tally of zero tackles won.

Despite his lack of impact, Palhinha certainly left more of a positive impression than Richarlison, with the centre-forward once again ensuring an evening to forget.

After being dropped to the bench against former side Everton on Sunday, Frank recalled him to his starting eleven – handing the Brazilian the opportunity to prove his worth.

However, for the eighth game in a row, the 28-year-old was unable to find the back of the net, with his underlying figures showcasing his lack of impact against the Magpies.

Richarlison managed to complete just nine passes during his 78-minute display, whilst also losing possession on eight occasions, often being unable to provide the local point Frank has craved.

Richarlison – stats against Newcastle

Statistics

Tally

Minutes played

78

Touches

29

Passes completed

9

Possession lost

8x

Big chances missed

2

Dribbles completed

0

Chances created

0

Crosses completed

0

Stats via FotMob

In front of goal, the Brazilian was just as wasteful, registering three shots on target, but two of which were defined as big chances missed – leading to one analyst labelling his showing as “unacceptable”.

His dismal display was further highlighted by his inability to complete any dribbles, crosses or create any chances for his teammate, with the manager desperately needing a solution to his problems.

Randal Kolo Muani was brought on in the second half, with the Frenchman producing numerous mazy runs which could see him handed the chance to start from the off against Chelsea.

As for Richarlison, his double on the opening day of 2025/26 has certainly fooled people into thinking he can be the talisman Frank needs to achieve success in North London.

However, there’s no denying that the Brazilian has ultimately failed to match those standards in recent weeks, as seen by his goal drought, which dates back to the 20th of September.

It’s clear he’s not the man the Lilywhites need to progress to the next level, with his career at the club pretty much all but over – which should open the door for a potential January exit.

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Tottenham Hotspur were held to a 0-0 draw by Monaco in the Champions League last time out, but it was the hosts who had the better chances to win the match.

The French side created five ‘big chances’ in the game, compared to Tottenham’s one, and Guglielmo Vicario prevented a whopping 2.68 xG with eight saves.

Whilst Thomas Frank will be concerned that his goalkeeper needed to make so many saves, the Spurs head coach should be concerned about the lack of potency in the final third.

Tottenham have struggled at the top end of the pitch under the former Brentford boss in the Premier League so far this season, as shown in the table below.

1

Crystal Palace – 33

Crystal Palace – 22

2

Man City – 27

Man City – 17

3

Liverpool – 24

Liverpool – 17

4

Chelsea – 23

Leeds – 14

5

Arsenal – 22

Man Utd – 14

6

Man Utd – 22

Arsenal – 13

7

Brighton – 18

Newcastle – 11

8

Leeds – 17

Nottingham Forest – 11

9

Newcastle – 15

Chelsea – 10

10

Everton – 15

Everton – 10

Spurs do not rank within the top ten Premier League sides for ‘big chances’ created or missed, as they sit 15th in the division for ‘big chances’ created with 13, per Sofascore.

On top of struggling to create chances on a consistent basis, it also remains to be seen whether or not the Lilywhites have a striker who can provide consistent quality in front of goal.

Ranking Tottenham Hotspur's striker options

Mathys Tel, Richarlison, and Dominic Solanke are the main centre-forward options at Frank’s disposal this season, although Solanke is currently making his way back from an ankle injury.

Despite scoring a goal against Leeds United last month, Tel may rank at the bottom of the manager’s options in the number nine position, because he is still a young and inexperienced player.

The France U21 international has scored four goals in 28 appearances in all competitions for the club, per Sofascore, which shows that he still has development to go through before he can offer a consistent threat.

Richarlison is currently the first-choice number nine, in Solanke’s absence, and he has scored eight goals in 37 matches since the start of last season, per Sofascore, including three goals in eight Premier League outings this term.

Appearances

27

Starts

25

xG

10.97

Goals

9

Big chances missed

12

Minutes per goal

245

xA

1.15

Assists

3

As you can see in the table above, Solanke scored more goals in the Premier League alone last season than Richarlison has managed in all competitions since the start of the 2024/25 campaign.

This suggests that the England international is the best striker in the current Spurs squad, but the club are reportedly keen on a player who is even better than him.

Spurs ready to pay up for Serie A striker

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, as relayed by TuttoJuve, Tottenham Hotspur are one of a number of clubs interested in a deal to sign Juventus centre-forward Dusan Vlahovic.

Transfer Focus

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

The report claims that Fabio Paratici is eyeing up a potential swoop for the Serbia international, but will face competition from Premier League rivals Chelsea and Manchester United.

It adds that all three clubs are willing to pay the fee that Juventus are looking for, which is up to £22m, as they look to move on from Vlahovic in the upcoming January transfer window.

The experienced striker’s contract in Turin is set to expire at the end of the 2025/26 campaign, which is why the Old Lady are keen to move on from him in January to avoid losing the forward for nothing in the summer.

Why Spurs should sign Dusan Vlahovic

Paratici should push to secure a deal for Vlahovic ahead of both Chelsea and Manchester United because he could arrive in North London as an instant upgrade on Solanke.

The Serbian number nine’s form last season and throughout his career at the top level suggests that he would offer a far more clinical and lethal presence at the top end of the pitch for Spurs.

Vlahovic scored 17 goals in all competitions during the 2024/25 campaign, including the summer Club World Cup, and hit double figures for goals in the Serie A, per Sofascore.

Starts

21

25

Goals

10

9

Minutes per goal

180

245

Shots on target per game

1.0

1.0

Assists

4

3

Aerial duels won per game

1.3

1.7

Aerial duel success rate

48%

43%

As you can see in the table above, Vlahovic was far more prolific than Solanke at league level, as shown by their respective minutes per goal ratios, whilst he also won a higher percentage of his aerial duels and provided more assists.

These statistics suggest that the Juventus striker, who was described as an “absolute monster” by reporter Carlo Garganese, would provide more quality than the Englishman in the final third.

That is further backed up by their respective career finishing statistics. Per UnderStat, Solanke has scored 38 goals from 52.23 xG in his top-flight career, whilst Vlahovic has 89 goals from 90.73 xG in his time in the Serie A with Fiorentina and Juventus.

This suggests that Vlahovic would provide a level of clinical finishing and goalscoring prowess that Frank does not currently have at his disposal in North London this season.

Therefore, Paratici needs to do all he can to convince the Serbian marksman to turn down potential moves to Manchester United and Chelsea to join the Lilywhites in the upcoming January transfer window, as he would improve the current first-team squad.

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Qualifier 2 started two hours late due to rain in Ahmedabad

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Jun-20252:26

Moody on how PBKS can prepare for Bumrah

Innings High-intent innings from Suryakumar Yadav (44 off 26), Tilak Varma (44 off 29) and Naman Dhir (37 off 18) gave Mumbai Indians a total of 203 for 6 against Punjab Kings with a spot in the final on the line. Qualifier 2 started two hours late due to rain in Ahmedabad.The innings was filled with punches and counter punches. PBKS landed the first one, using Marcus Stoinis, who had bowled only four balls in the powerplay this season, to get rid of Rohit Sharma early. But Jonny Bairstow kept attacking. He helped ensure 43 runs were taken through overs three, five and six. PBKS rallied from there, getting rid of Bairstow immediately after the powerplay. Suryakumar had a quiet start – 3 off 6 – but as soon as he hit his first boundary – a swept six off Yuzvendra Chahal – he looked in the zone. Prior to today’s game, his strike rate against the PBKS legspinner in the IPL was 117. Here, he went at 206. With 717 runs this season, Suryakumar claimed a world record – the highest aggregate by a non-opener in any T20 league, surpassing AB de Villiers’ record (687) in IPL 2016.Once again, PBKS found a way back, dismissing Suryakumar – Chahal having the last laugh – and Tilak in the space of three deliveries. But Dhir played a lovely cameo at the end, taking down Arshdeep Singh in the death to lift MI to a strong score on a pitch that looked like it was a little tacky. Slower balls had grip. PBKS bowled 27 of them to pick up two wickets. Kyle Jamieson changed his pace once every 2.67 deliveries on average and finished with figures of 4-0-30-1.