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Ben Stokes says Durham quick has “a massive engine on him”

Vithushan Ehantharajah13-Dec-2024

Matthew Potts will replace Chris Woakes in England’s line-up for the third Test•Getty Images

Matthew Potts will earn his 10th Test cap as England make one change for their final Test against New Zealand at Seddon Park. Chris Woakes, who played the first two Tests, will be the one to miss out.Potts has taken 31 wickets at 29.22 since making his debut in the summer of 2022, playing the first five matches of Ben Stokes’ tenure as captain. The first three were against New Zealand, with Potts excelling with 14 wickets.However, after being left out for the returning Ollie Robinson for the second Test of the South Africa series that summer, the Durham quick has found his opportunities limited.Related

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The 26-year-old played just one Test in 2023 (against Ireland at Lord’s), and, after playing the first two Tests against Sri Lanka this summer, was left out for the third as England opted to have a look at Leicestershire left-arm seamer Josh Hull. A solitary appearance on the Pakistan tour came for the second Test in Multan, on a surface tailored towards the home spinners though Potts took respectable match figures of 3 for 85 in 31.2 overs.With England 2-0 up and the series secure heading into Hamilton, Stokes has decided to give give Potts an outing in the team’s 17th and final Test of 2024. He is likely to take the new ball in Woakes’ abscence.”It’s another opportunity to look at one of the fast bowlers that we see playing a big role going forward,” said Stokes on Potts’ selection. “Two-nil up, you obviously put yourself in an easier position to make the change.”Pottsy’s got a massive engine on him. He can go all day, bowl a lot of overs, but not just that, he’s a very skilful bowler, which he’s got better at by being here, working with Jimmy [Anderson] on a few things here and there. He’s someone who is another versatile bowler, you can use him with the new ball, the short-ball plan that we go to because he’s so fit. He can bowl you 20 overs one day, then rock up again and bowl you another 20.”Stokes also praised Woakes’ output on this tour. The 35-year-old has taken six wickets at 29.16 with the Kookaburra ball as the leader of the attack. That has included Kane Williamson twice.An overseas average of 51 coming into the winter has been reduced slightly to 48.93. And though there is uncertainty as to whether Woakes makes the trip to Australia next winter for the 2025-26 Ashes, Stokes believes the Warwickshire veteran has shown his class.”Chris Woakes came into the winter tours with a bit of scrutiny behind his away record but I think what he has done over the winter has proved a lot of people wrong,” said Stokes. “He’s been fantastic, he was great in Pakistan and pretty influential over here.”

It’s hardly been a summer transfer window to write home about for West Ham United supporters so far.

The main talking point still hanging in the air is the disappointing £55m sale of Mohammed Kudus to arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur, with the recent free transfer purchase of Kyle Walker-Peters from Southampton at least offering a slight ray of positivity amidst a gloomy window to date.

There will surely be a desire on the part of Graham Potter to push on with more signings, as the list of strikers being linked with a move to the London Stadium increases.

West Ham considering move for £26m forward

Indeed, it does appear as if the Irons are hunting down reinforcements up top.

Transfer Focus

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

One target in this department is FC Metz hotshot Idrissa Gueye, who is a far cry from the other name constantly circling in Callum Wilson – a player who has reportedly even agreed personal terms with the Hammers.

The 18-year-old hotshot is an up-and-coming talent in France, contrasted with the ageing 33-year-old now searching for a fresh club as a declining free agent.

West Ham might well meet in the middle, instead, with another centre-forward target in the form of Cagliari star Roberto Piccoli, with Italian journalist Gianluigi Longari taking to X recently to reveal that the Hammers are considering a move for the €30m (£26m) attacker.

He might well be a better option to go after than settling for the ex-AFC Bournemouth veteran, with Piccoli just fresh off a goal-laden season in Serie A, whilst Wilson faded into the background on Tyneside.

How Piccoli compares to Wilson

Wilson hadn’t always found himself stuck on the periphery at St James’ Park, however.

At one point in time, the Coventry-born marksman was Newcastle’s leading man – before Alexander Isak stormed onto the scene – with a hefty 35 of his Premier League collection of 88 strikes coming for the Toon.

Unfortunately for Wilson, only nine of those efforts have fallen across his last two seasons, and whilst the 33-year-old’s game has noticeably waned for Eddie Howe’s Magpies, Piccoli was coming into his own for his employers in Italy.

Last campaign, the Cagliari number 91 would play a key role in his lowly Serie A side beating the drop, with ten goals being powered home from 37 games.

Games played

37

Goals scored

10

Assists

1

Shots*

2.6

Big chances missed

26

Total duels won*

5.2

In a Hammers environment where he has the likes of Jarrod Bowen to bounce off, he could well live up to his “prolific” billing even more, as he was once labelled by football talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Of course, Piccoli isn’t the finished article – as seen in his glaring 26 big chances missed last season in Serie A action – but his aggressiveness to throw himself into duels, which saw him 5.2 duels on average across that same span, should stand him in good stead for the challenges ahead, away from just being viewed as a promising, centre-forward figure with room to grow and develop.

On the flip side, Wilson has been deep in the twilight of his playing days for some time now.

Worryingly, Jamie Carragher way back in 2023 had highlighted that the Premier League regular had just “not been the same” amid concerns about his sluggish displays for the Magpies. Wilson himself has even been critical of his drop-off in form, too, having noted the 2024/25 season as being “one of my worst.”

That has now culminated in him drawing consistent blanks, with West Ham far better placed to go after the services of Piccoli, over hoping that the 33-year-old reaches his peak again.

Perfect Paqueta replacement: West Ham target move for "exquisite" £34m star

With Lucas Paquetá likely to leave West Ham United this summer, the Irons are interested in sign an “exquisite” talent who once cost as much as £32m.

ByBen Gray Jul 30, 2025

Lamine Yamal this, Lamine Yamal that. Arsenal have their very own budding wonderkid in the effervescent Ethan Nwaneri.

Making his Premier League debut in 2022 at the age of just 15, making him the top-flight’s youngest-ever player, Nwaneri has now become a household, truly bursting onto the scene in 2024/25.

The teenager is now 18 and has cemented himself as one of the best young players in Europe, having scored nine goals in his 37 senior appearances last season.

He scored in the Champions League, he scored against Manchester City and now he’s rivalling teammate Myles Lewis-Skelly for the PFA Young Player of the Season award.

Nwaneri then crowned his campaign off by winning the U21 European Championships with Lee Carsley’s England a week ago.

So, surely he’ll go on to become a modern-day Arsenal great, right? Well, he could actually leave.

The latest on Ethan Nwaneri's future at Arsenal

Cast your mind back to the summer of 2023, before Nwaneri signed his first professional deal at the Emirates Stadium, and there were rumours that the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City could land the talented youngster.

Thankfully for those of an Arsenal persuasion, Nwaneri stayed to develop under Mikel Arteta’s watchful eyes.

However, his first pro deal actually expires in a year’s time and according to Fabrizio Romano, he wants assurances over game time before committing his future to the club.

It’s a worrying development for the Gunners, particularly as Romano actually reveals that Chelsea have been showing interest in the player and could move if he fails to agree a new deal in north London.

Transfer Focus

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

Well, with assurances over playing time in mind, perhaps signing another creative midfielder might not be the best idea if they want to keep him.

Arsenal targeting move for a new no.10

One of the club’s main targets this summer has been Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze. Some reports suggest that personal terms have already been agreed but club-to-club talks are yet to take place.

A potential alternative could be RB Leipzig midfielder Xavi Simons. That’s according to Italian journalist Orazio Accomando, who has revealed that Andrea Berta is ‘working to deliver another coup’ for Arsenal.

He reveals that ‘talks are ongoing’ with Leipzig over a deal and although no fee has been mentioned, previous reports have indicated it may take £68.8m to prise him away from the Bundesliga.

Why Xavi Simons is bad news for Ethan Nwaneri

While a certain Emmanuel Eboue isn’t always the voice of football, he has delivered one statement that reveals why Arsenal need to do all they can to keep hold of Nwaneri.

“I think Ethan can be better than Yamal if he works hard and respects the game,” the former Arsenal defender once commented.

Whether or not you believe that remark, it shows the considerable amount of hype the teen has been generating.

“The touches he produces in and around the box, I don’t want to say it, but it’s like Messi,” Joe Cole also once said.

Losing him, therefore, would be a colossal blow. So, Arsenal need to present him with game time. Where is that most likely? Well, at the moment, he’s done a mighty fine job playing second fiddle to Saka on the right wing but he’s an attacking midfielder by trade, a central player blessed with close-touch control and a goalscoring ability.

During the 2023/24 season, his final as an academy player, Nwaneri played 18 times as a no.10 and scored 13 goals in the process. His best position is clearly there but he has to get past Martin Odegaard first.

Attacking midfield

45

20

7

Right wing

20

4

2

Centre-forward

9

11

2

Left wing

1

0

1

Despite scoring just three Premier League goals last term, the club captain isn’t going to be moved aside very easily. Thus, if the Gunners sign Simons too, Nwaneri surely isn’t going to get much of a look in his favoured role.

That isn’t to say the Dutchman wouldn’t be a good signing though. Born out of Barcelona’s famed La Masia, Simons was once a wonderkid with the world at his feet, just like Nwaneri.

However, after never making the grade as a senior pro at Barca and struggling for game time at PSG after moving to France, he’s gone the long way round to find a home in senior football at Leipzig.

During his time with the German outfit, the 22-year-old has cemented himself as “one of the best 10s in the world” in the words of one data analyst.

Why? Well, he’s not only a brilliant creator, but he’s also full of goals. In 2023/24, the young Netherlands international scored ten and supplied 15 goals. In 2024/25, he found the net on 11 occasions and registered eight assists.

Goals

0.42

0.40

Assists

0.40

0.20

Shots

2.09

2.42

Key passes

2.13

1.62

Progressive passes

5.86

3.33

Shot-creating actions

4.52

2.93

Progressive carries

3.56

4.65

Successful take-ons

1.38

3.74

On that evidence, he is the ideal player to provide competition for an out-of-form Odegaard.

Now, while he would certainly add an undoubted amount of extra quality to the Arsenal side, Arteta and Berta must weigh up what this move means for Nwaneri, particularly with Chelsea registering an interest.

The Gunners feel like they’re in a win the title at all costs scenario, but they must think of the long-term here too. Either way, it’s not as though Nwaneri, one of England’s best young prospects, couldn’t help them win a title now either.

Just look at Lewis-Skelly. Also aged 18, he is now a regular starter and starred in the Bernabeu as Arteta’s men defeated Real Madrid.

This will be an intriguing dilemma should Arsenal decide to further their interest in Simons.

The dream squad Arsenal could build: £235m stars & "the new Haaland" sign

Here’s what the Arsenal squad could look like at the end of the summer.

ByMatt Dawson Jul 6, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur are seen as favourites to sign a marquee player this summer, giving new manager Thomas Frank a potential boost as the north Londoners seek to build upon their trophy-winning 2024/2025 campaign.

Tottenham ready to pay asking price for £100k-a-week star, he wants the move

Spurs could make him their latest marquee signing.

8 ByEmilio Galantini Jun 27, 2025

Frank has considerable shoes to fill after Ange Postecoglou ended the club’s long wait for a piece of major silverware.

Spurs’ historic 1-0 win against Man United in the Europa League final will live long in the memory, and while the Australian led Spurs to a torrid domestic campaign, breaking their record for most Premier League defeats in a single season (22), Postecoglou will go down in Lilywhites folklore as the manager who won their first European trophy since 1984.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

Postecoglou was also a popular figure among the players, with James Maddison, Pedro Porro and Lucas Bergvall among the squad members to speak out in public defence of their former manager.

Nevertheless, with the 59-year-old now gone, and linked with a surprise MLS move to Los Angeles FC, Frank must now steady the ship and regalvanize his new squad ahead of a vital campaign where they’ll be back in the Champions League.

Chairman Daniel Levy reportedly has every intention of backing his preferred candidate to replace Postecoglou, and Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze is widely rumoured to be one of their top attacking targets.

The England international’s 14 goals and 11 assists in all competitions last season tell just half the story of Eze’s undoubted quality. The 26-year-old was a vocal point under Oliver Glasner throughout 2024/2025, bagging the winner against Man City in their 1-0 FA Cup final win over Pep Guardiola’s side – a result which ended Palace’s history-long wait for a major trophy.

It is little wonder there are suggestions that Tottenham are ready to pay Eze’s £68 million release clause, especially considering 2024/2025 may have been Son Heung-min’s last season at Spurs, as clubs in Saudi Arabia consider poaching the club legend after 10 years in N17.

Tottenham favourites to sign Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace

The major worry for Levy is Arsenal’s concrete interest in Eze, and there is apparently every possibility that Mikel Arteta’s side could hijack Spurs’ pursuit of the former QPR sensation.

However, despite the stiff competition for his signature, journalist Graeme Bailey has told TBR Football that Tottenham are currently leading the race for Eze, and are the “most advanced” of every team in pursuit of the “wonderful player”.

“Eberechi Eze is expecting to leave Crystal Palace this summer, that is no secret,” said Bailey.

“He has a release clause and Steve Parish is open to taking installments to a certain degree but any agreement will need to be reached with Palace. Eze himself has made it clear he is open to options, and a host of Premier League clubs have made contact.

“As we have reported, the most advanced are Tottenham, and we are told the player would welcome a move.

“But Arsenal have indeed made enquiries as they see him as a potential option on their left – but same with Liverpool, Chelsea, Man United, Newcastle and Aston Villa – they have all made enquiries to some extent this year.”

Heung-min Son will go down as a modern-day legend at Tottenham Hotspur, spending the last decade at the club and producing countless moments of magic.

The 32-year-old has registered over 450 appearances for the Lilywhites, reaching double figures in all but one of the ten seasons he’s spent in North London.

However, despite signing a new deal at the club a couple of months ago, he could be set to leave during the off-season, with numerous Saudi Arabian sides circling for his signature this window.

It’s been reported that Thomas Frank isn’t going to force him out the door, but would allow him to leave should he wish to – with multiple sides in the Middle East willing to pay £34m for his services.

It would be a shame to see a fan favourite depart, but he’s ultimately a shadow of his former self, opening the door to potential reinforcements arriving before the end of the summer.

The latest on Spurs’ hunt for a new winger this summer

Antoine Semenyo is a player who has firmly been on their radar over the last few months, with the Bournemouth star impressing massively in the Premier League throughout the 2024/25 season.

The Ghanaian international registered 13 goals and six assists across all competitions, with the Cherries open to selling the attacker if they receive an acceptable offer for the 25-year-old.

However, he’s not the only Premier League winger on their radar this summer, with West Ham United star Mohammed Kudus emerging as a key option, according to The Guardian.

The report claims that Spurs are preparing a £50m bid for the 24-year-old attacker, who currently has an £85m release clause with his contract at the London Stadium.

It also states that the offer is seen as a low ball, but one that could unsettle the forward, who’s registered 19 goals for the Hammers after joining them from Ajax back in the summer of 2023.

Why Kudus would be as an exciting addition as Mbeumo this summer

Since Frank’s appointment, Spurs have appeared to step up their interest in Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo, potentially securing a reunion between him and his former boss.

The Cameroonian international has enjoyed his best-ever top-flight campaign in 2024/25, registering 20 goals for the Bees, which has seen his stock rise as a result.

His current employers are demanding a fee in the region of £70m to part ways with him this summer, a fee that may be slightly out of the Lilywhites’ budget this window.

He’s also expressed his desire to move to Manchester United during the off-season, which has resulted in Frank’s men cooling their interest and targeting other options.

One of which appears to be Kudus, with the Hammers star a more than capable alternative, with the youngster impressing during his short spell in England’s top flight.

He’s proven that he’s capable of filling the void should Son depart in the near future, whilst his potential addition could see the club forget about a deal for Mbeumo.

The 24-year-old, who’s been labelled “generational” by journalist Gary Al-Smith, has registered more shots and a higher goal per shot on target rate, demonstrating his quality within attacking areas.

Games played

32

38

30

Goals & assists

8

27

16

Shots taken

2.6

2.1

2.3

Goals per shot on target

0.4

0.4

0.2

Pass accuracy

84%

66%

78%

Passes into final third

1.8

1.6

1.7

Take-ons completed

3.2

1.3

1.2

Take-on success

48%

46%

34%

Kudus has also completed more passes and registered a higher tally of passes into the final third per 90, handing other players in and around the attacking areas to improve their own tallies.

His dominance is further reflected in his take-ons and higher success rate, always liking to drive the ball into forward areas, which hands Frank another superb option at his disposal.

If he is to move across London this summer, it would be a sensational signing and one that would help the club in their attempts to rise up the Premier League table.

Whilst Mbeumo may remain their main target, they should look past a move for the Bees star and prioritise a move for Kudus, with the Ghanian offering a replacement for Son should he leave this summer.

Frank's new Wissa: Spurs make approach for "one of the most prolific" CFs

Tottenham Hotspur could be about to make a move for a star who could complete their potent attack.

1 ByEthan Lamb Jun 18, 2025

It seems like Chelsea will try and sign a new winger in the summer transfer window. With Jadon Sancho potentially returning to Manchester United, if they decide not to buy him permanently, they could well need reinforcements in wide areas.

Enzo Maresca’s current crop of wide men are certainly not uninspiring. Aside from Sancho, those permanently at the club include the likes of Pedro Neto and Noni Madueke.

Those two wingers have six and 11 goals to their names across all competitions, respectively, this season. In recent weeks, Tyrique George has broken through, and Cole Palmer now plays a more central role.

However, they could well look to sign an additional player in wide areas, and are seemingly plotting an ambitious move this summer.

The latest on Chelsea’s pursuit of a winger

Chelsea have been linked with a number of options should they try and sign a new winger this summer. One of those players is another Red Devils star, Alejandro Garnacho. News broke on Thursday, courtesy of talkSPORT’s Alex Crook, that Chelsea are ‘interested’ in the 20-year-old.

Transfer Focus

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

Alternatives are also seemingly being considered, as the Blues could well be set to target Real Madrid star Rodrygo, according to Caught Offside. The report suggests the West London outfit are ‘stepping up their pursuit’ of the Brazilian forward this summer.

According to the article, Chelsea are the side who ‘are currently leading the race’ to sign the Los Blancos superstar, but they are not the only team in the hunt.

Their Premier League rivals, Manchester City ‘are keeping a close eye on the situation’ and could also make a move. Whichever side win the race, Madrid could command a huge fee of £101m.

Why Rodrygo would be a good signing

Make no mistake about it, Chelsea would be signing a global superstar if they manage to bring Rodrygo to Stamford Bridge. Described as “terrifyingly good” by Sam Tighe, a football journalist and broadcaster, he has been fantastic for Madrid once again this term.

It has been a productive season again for the Brazilian this season. Across all competitions for the La Liga giants, he has found the back of the net 14 times and provided a further ten goals for his teammates in 51 games.

In fact, the 24-year-old’s underlying numbers from this season from Sofascore reinforce the fact that he has played well. For example, he has averaged 2.1 key passes and 2.1 successful dribbles in those 51 appearances this season.

Key passes

78

2.1

Big chances created

10

0.3

Dribbles completed

77

2.1

Tackles and interceptions

71

1.9

Expected goal involvements

12.12xGI

0.32xGI

If there is one competition that the winger thrives in, it is the Champions League. Rodrygo has a strong record in the competition, with 39 goals and assists in 64 games. Football talent scout Jacek Kulig rightly pointed out that he “loves the UCL”.

It is a competition that Chelsea are hoping to be in next term, and they will hope Rodrygo can turn up on the biggest stage again.

Should the West London side bring Rodrygo to the club, he could be the second coming of Diego Costa. Not in the sense of how he was as a player, of course, given the former Atletico Madrid star was a striker and Rodrygo is a winger.

Instead, the similarities between the two are the fact that they are both Brazil-born, high-profile La Liga stars, who were expensive, too. Sky Sports reported that the then-25-year-old striker cost Chelsea £32m, which in today’s money, according to The Transfer Index, would be £61.5m, a steep fee indeed.

Costa was sensational for the Blues. The Spain international, who has not yet retired but is currently without a club, scored 59 goals and registered 21 assists in 120 games.

Across three Premier League seasons, they won two titles, and Costa scored 20 league goals in both of those.

If Rodrygo can have anywhere near the impact at Chelsea that Costa managed, then it would be an excellent piece of business. Of course, the fee is expensive, but to acquire a player of his talent, you have to pay that kind of money.

Costa joined the Blues from La Liga and became a club legend, taking the West Londoners to astronomical heights. They will surely want Rodrygo to do the exact same thing if he moves to Stamford Bridge.

Could be another Sterling: Chelsea lead Arsenal in race for "superstar"

Chelsea are looking to add depth to their side this summer

ByJoe Nuttall May 22, 2025

A week is a long time in football, and Tottenham Hotspur are currently a testament to that.

While the Lilywhites’ domestic campaign has been an utter disaster this year, the fans probably don’t care at the moment, and following their impressive win on Thursday night, they are now in the Europa League final.

However, while the players and supporters can dream and look forward to that game, the board need to continue their preparations for what has to be a massive summer of transfer business.

It seems they are doing just that, as once again, reports have come out linking them to Bournemouth’s star defender Dean Huijsen for £50m, though thanks to an incredible youngster on their books, they may not need to sign the Spaniard at all.

Why Spurs want Huijsen

So, before we get to the player Tottenham could promote instead of splashing the cash on Huijsen, it’s worth taking a moment and looking at why they reportedly want to sign the Bournemouth star in the first place.

One of the most significant reasons will be the seriously impressive speed at which he’s adapted to and come to thrive in English football.

For example, despite only turning 20 in April and this being his first campaign in the country, the Amsterdam-born monster has made 33 first-team appearances for the Cherries, in which he’s scored three goals and provided one assist.

On top of that, the former Juventus gem has also made two appearances for the senior Spanish side and played a significant role in them making it to the Nations League final.

Last but most certainly not least, the highly-sought-after defender also boasts some genuinely impressive underlying numbers, with FBref placing him in the top 3% of centre-backs in Europe’s top five leagues for non-penalty expected goals plus assists and interceptions, the top 4% for clearances, the top 5% for sho-creating actions and more, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.15

Top 3%

Interceptions

1.97

Top 3%

Clearances

7.05

Top 4%

Non-Penalty Goals

0.12

Top 5%

Shot-Creating Actions

1.61

Top 5%

Progressive Carries

1.45

Top 8%

Total Shots

0.73

Top 16%

Progressive Passes

4.67

Top 17%

In short, Huijsen is an exceptionally promising young centre-back, but Spurs might be better off not signing him this summer, as they look to already have a bigger talent on the books, albeit out on loan.

Spurs' bigger talent than Huijsen

While some out there might think we are talking about the promising Ashley Phillips, who just spent the season on loan with Stoke City, they’d be mistaken.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Instead, you’ve got to go just a little further out to Belgium, where Luka Vušković is spending the season on loan with KVC Westerlo alongside fellow Spurs loanee Alfie Devine.

So, why do we think the incredibly exciting young Croatian might be a bigger talent than Huijsen? Well, we’ll break it down into two areas: his defensive abilities and offensive abilities.

Starting with the former then, and despite only turning 18 in February, the 6 foot 6 “monster of a CB,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, has been incredibly effective at the back for his side this season.

According to FOTmob, he sits in the top 7.8% of centre-backs in the league for aerial duels won, ball recoveries and blocks and the top 22.2% for overall duels won – which is undeniably outstanding for someone so young.

Then, when it comes to his attacking prowess, he’s in a league of his own.

For example, the “crazy” talent, as dubbed by Mattinson, has managed to score seven goals and provide three assists in 34 games this season, which for a centre-back is incredible, and works out to a goal involvement every 3.4 games.

Appearances

34

Goals

7

Assists

3

Goal Involvements per Match

0.29

Ultimately, while it’s impossible to be certain until he plays in England, it does appear that Spurs have already signed a bigger talent than Huijsen in Vušković.

Forget Porro: 9/10 star with 96% passing is looking like Spurs' best player

It was a sensational performance from the Spurs star.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes May 9, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur returned to winning ways yesterday after a 3-1 victory over Southampton in North London, condemning the Saints to an immediate return back to the Championship.

A double from Brennan Johnson and a late penalty from January addition Mathys Tel secured all three points for Ange Postecoglou’s side, making amends for Thursday’s defeat against Chelsea.

The result moves the Lilywhites ahead of Everton and West Ham United, but still sitting in the bottom half of the Premier League table in an all-round season to forget.

The summer remains a huge one for Postecoglou to try and make amends in 2025/26, with funds needed to turn around their dismal run over the last couple of months.

However, numerous players will also need to be moved on, with one player nowhere near the levels he’s previously procured at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium.

Heung-min Son’s stats against Southampton

Over the years, attacker Heung-min Son has often been the go-to man in terms of contributions in the final third, as seen by his tally of 173 goals and 94 assists in his 450 appearances.

However, the South Korean has struggled to replicate such levels in the last few months, only managing to score two league goals in the first four months of 2025.

His showing against the Saints yesterday was yet another disappointing one, featuring for just 57 minutes before being replaced by youngster Wilson Odebert.

The 32-year-old only managed a total of 39 touches, completing just one of his four attempted dribbles, whilst also only managing a single effort on goal.

After such a showing, it’s fair to say he’s no longer one of the first names on the teamsheet, with one other first-team member going from stride to stride with regular minutes over the past few months.

The Spurs star who’s more important than Son

Spurs have invested in young talents over the last couple of years, with their transfer strategy coming into question – especially considering the lowly league standing in 2024/25.

The decision to put funds into youth rather than players into their prime has often been a poor call, but it’s safe to say one player has been an anomaly to that trend.

Midfielder Lucas Bergvall has gone from strength to strength over the last few months, often being a regular in Postecoglou’s side – highlighting his impressive development.

The 19-year-old started the clash with the Saints yesterday, impressing massively during his 80-minute performance before being replaced by Yves Bissouma.

The Swede registered 43 touches during his display, completing 83% of the passes he attempted, being the shining light in the middle of the park despite his tender age.

He also created two chances, completing four passes into the final third, often looking to play forward at any opportunity – impressing at both ends of the pitch.

Lucas Bergvall’s stats for Spurs against Southampton
Statistics	Tally
Minutes played	80
Touches	43
Passes completed	24/29 (83%)
Passes into final third	4
Tackles won	1
Interceptions made	2
Recoveries made	6
Stats via SofaScore

Bergvall also won one tackle, two interceptions and six recoveries, highlighting his ability as a box-to-box midfielder – undoubtedly having the potential to star at the heart of the side for many years.

As a result of his showing, he was handed a 7/10 match rating by Football London’s Rob Guest, further demonstrating how impressive he was during the triumph.

Such a showing has undoubtedly cemented his place at the heart of the side, with the position now his to lose despite his tender age – looking to be a phenomenal pickup.

As for Son, he’s entering the back end of his professional career, with age starting to become apparent, with Postecoglou having a huge call to make over his future this summer.

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The disappointing Spurs flop has to go at the end of the season.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Apr 5, 2025

In less than an hour’s play on an epic 25th morning, England and India’s series touched rare heights

Vithushan Ehantharajah04-Aug-20255:16

Harmison: Siraj never looked like running out of steam

56 minutes of hell. 56 minutes of heaven.56 minutes of the wildest ride of your goddamn life. 56 minutes that will change you forever.It is enough time to move from the northern-most part of the Victoria Line to its lower reaches, brush shoulders as you walk up the escalator of Vauxhall Station and turn into the Harleyford Road to see the Kia Oval on the horizon. Enough time to find yourself a whole new world.Enough time to believe in new heroes. Enough time to laud old ones. Enough time to have your heart broken. Enough time to count yourself lucky that Test cricket, handed down by older generations more than it is ever picked up by newer ones, was handed to you.Related

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Enough time, on this rare occasion, to pick it up as a new convert. Because there would have been some in this pocket of south London who will have experienced Test cricket for the first time on Monday. Firstly, welcome. Usually, it lasts longer than this. And no, you will never see anything like this again.The very existence of List A and T20 cricket – and yes, the Hundred, which begins on Tuesday – comes from the idea that the longest format is too long, too convoluted, too inconvenient to really grab you. Who knew all it takes was a small taste of the hard stuff to grab you by the throat and stir your soul.This was 100% proof, undiluted, unhinged Test cricket. All you needed was a shot of 56 minutes. No human body, not even those reared on it, including those out there providing the action, could have dealt with much more.Day five at the Kia Oval was sold out well before this match threatened to spill over from Sunday’s longer-form chaos. The gripping finale of the third Test, on the other side of the river at Lord’s, had resulted in Surrey selling over 5000 day five tickets in 24 hours. Eventually, 17,545 punters had what, unbeknownst to them, would prove to be the most golden of tickets.At only £25 a pop for adults (20 for members) and £1 for kids, it was a sound investment given that refunds would be given if the day saw no play. Rarely has just 8.5 overs felt like a steal.The Indian team celebrates their Oval win•Associated PressSuch pricing usually brings a different kind of crowd to the first four days – especially at Lord’s – but, down at The Oval, the mix of English and Indian fans was as it had been throughout the match already. The state of the game, however, created a more feverish atmosphere, making this bowl ground feel taller and deeper, and even more self-contained. For 56 minutes, there was no outside world, for the outside world was every bit as transfixed with what was going on in here. Even the construction on the new apartment blocks in the old Gasholders ground to a halt.The clamour as the players entered the field was louder than it had been all match. The English roars when Jamie Overton pulled the first ball for four were more guttural. The Indian jubilation when victory was sealed in Mohammed Siraj’s 186th over of the series came crashing back and forth like Atlantic-sized waves in a goldfish bowl.The overnight break helped add to the tumult, even amid the fury of Sunday’s hastily called stumps, though an extra night’s sleep brought anything but. A new day’s new opportunity was now riddled with even more jeopardy.How on earth did 35 more runs turn into the impossible job when 301 of the 374 had been cleared with such ease? Since when has getting through a tail that includes a man with only one functioning arm come replete with truly eternal legacy-making rewards and, thus, incomprehensible pressure?There were simpler questions, too. Who wanted it? And the one we were all asking ourselves – who could bear it?Gus Atkinson loses his off stump as India seal their narrowest Test win•Getty ImagesA familiar trope of Test cricket is that, at its best, it is a universal force. Happening to people, beyond their control and comprehension.But that does a disservice to the protagonists. To Joe Root and Harry Brook, who dragged this fourth innings into legendary territory. And, finally, Siraj, who had bowled on 18 of the 25 days of these five Tests, sending down 50 or more balls on 12 of them. And his 1122nd delivery (including extra balls), sent down with as much vigour as the previous 1121, was his fifth-fastest of them all at 89mph/143kph. And the one that will live forever.Moments like these always give you heroes. But they also give you kindred spirits. Those you are drawn to as much for their heroics as their fallibility.Akash Deep, face down in the green beyond the boundary at midwicket, palms still stinging from Gus Atkinson’s heave to cow, wondering if he’d be to blame for an impending loss. Dhruv Jurel wanting that same turf to swallow him as Siraj and Shubman Gill berated him for missing the stumps with an underarm that would have sealed the match. His shot at immortality scuttled a yard past the striker’s stumps.1:15

Monga: India’s series was all about Mohammed Siraj

Atkinson crestfallen, one hit away from a tie that would have given England the series win, doubled over, smelling the earth where his off stump used to be. A lionhearted Chris Woakes, dislocated left shoulder strapped to his torso, secured by a sleeveless jumper, arm guard on his “wrong” side with a view to batting southpaw.Even umpire Ahsan Raza, assuming the role of good Samaritan, helping the infirm Woakes readjust himself after sprinting the bye Jurel failed to prevent, a moment that left his left arm loose despite all the binding.And hey, let’s hear it for the Dukes ball. Pilloried for the last seven weeks but thriving in its final 85.1 overs of the English Test summer.Was 2-2 a fair result? On balance, yes. But England’s failure to punch their card for a hat-trick of 370-plus chases against India should be regarded as a misstep from 301 for 3 and 332 for 4.That only enhances India’s feat in squaring the series, even if they will depart a long tour with issues of their own. Selection decisions remain inconsistent, and their batting needs to take cues from their bowling when it comes to getting a grip of sessions that are turning against them.1:50

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With the best will in the world, who cares about any of that right now? As both sets of players reflected on how such a hard-fought series could reach such a climax, they would do well to appreciate how lucky they were, too.Test cricket has been going on for almost 150 years, and we were still treated to a one-of-a-kind finish. And perhaps more importantly, at a time when other Test-playing nations are unwelcome and unable to participate in series that allow such fairytales, both sides should count themselves lucky. Lucky to play regularly in a format that can lift you to higher plains. Lucky to afford to do it.As it happens, Monday was the 20-year anniversary of the start of the 2005 Edgbaston Test between England and Australia. A Test that, ultimately, defines an Ashes series regarded as the greatest ever.That two-run victory was England’s slimmest margin. Here in 2025, India bagged theirs, by six. Maybe the universe is up to something.Many have wondered throughout these five Tests if the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy could rival 2005’s offerings. In these 56 minutes, it did.

Heading to Manchester after similar defeats at Headingley, Australia saw a changed approach four years on

Andrew McGlashan17-Jul-2023Australia have been here before. Preparing for an Old Trafford Test on the back of a defeat at Headingley. But this time things have been done very differently to 2019.Four years ago, the team was forced by coach Justin Langer to watch back the closing stages of England’s remarkable chase. It was not well received and the looks on players’ faces can be seen in the first season of the documentary.There was then a tour match against Derbyshire which included some intense warm-ups as players took out their lingering frustrations while time off was cancelled.Related

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In 2023, Australia have not been forced to watch back Harry Brook, Chris Woakes and Mark Wood. When Mitchell Starc was asked if they expected a dressing down from the coach this time, he replied with a wry smile: “Wouldn’t have thought so.””Much to the chagrin of most of the players, the next morning we sat in the hotel boardroom and watched the entire Stokes and Jack Leach partnership on video. You could cut the air with a knife,” Langer wrote in his most recent column.”The objective from my point of view was to tackle the disappointment head on, take lessons from the experience and then let it go and move forward. Who knows if it had an effect, but I am certain it galvanised the group.”From the boardroom the entire squad travelled together to Derbyshire for a practice game…it wasn’t popular, leadership rarely is, but the learnings were invaluable. The reason it was unpopular with some, was that some of the players had promised to take a few days off and retreat from the pressures of the game with their families.”Stokes’ miracle of 2019 was a more galling defeat for the Australians to take than the 2023 version. After dismissing England for 67 they had a stranglehold on the game. Then they had the home side 15 for 2 in the chase of 359 and 73 were still needed when Jack Leach joined Stokes.This year, although Australia had stages when they were in control at Headingley, not least when England were 142 for 7 at lunch on the second day, it was a closer-fought affair throughout where advantage often swung session to session.Mark Wood and Chris Woakes sealed victory for England in Headingley 2023•Getty Images”It wasn’t one big partnership,” Pat Cummins said after this year’s Headingley loss. “This game ebbed and flowed the whole way through, whereas I think that one and 2019 we were probably ahead for most of it.”In 2019 they would go on to win in Manchester and retain the Ashes before losing the final Test to share the series.This time many didn’t touch a cricket bat for the best part of a week. Most of the players scattered for time off, heading to among other places Paris, Scotland and Spain. Steven Smith indulged another passion – tennis – with a trip to Wimbledon. Starc went to Bristol to support Alyssa Healy in the Women’s Ashes.A few went straight to Manchester and a handful trained on Friday, but there will be just one full session before the fourth Test. Of the squad, only Michael Neser has played cricket having returned to Glamorgan where he hit a career-best 176.The gap was long enough to have a tour match, but the intense nature of six Tests in two months, along with a view in the Australia camp of their declining value, meant they did not take that option.”The training we can do now with how big the squad is as a collective, during the games is as good, if not better, than playing a game of cricket,” Marcus Harris, who declined the opportunity to play a county match, said. “I know last tour it felt very encompassing all the cricket all the time, we didn’t get any time off at all. As a group we are going to benefit from having a week or 10 days off. It’s nice to be able to get away from it, I’ve been here since the start of April. I have played plenty of cricket.”More broadly, this approach reflects the evolution of how the men’s team has operated under Cummins and Andrew McDonald. The intensity Langer brought to the job was a big part of what ultimately proved his downfall, not helped by life in Covid bubbles during the 2020-21 season. The team were ready to do things differently.After the crushing loss to India in Delhi earlier this year, which ended their hopes of a series win, the players were given a break with some heading to Dubai, although there were also more days of full training than this Ashes break. They responded with a famous victory in Indore.Speaking earlier in the tour, after the victory at Edgbaston, Usman Khawaja talked about how players are now trusted to know what they need.”It’s hard to quantify it, but I think everything that is being done with the team, with Pat and Andrew McDonald, [is] in terms of just cutting out the fluff,” he said. “Cutting out the box-ticking stuff. Really stripping down the game, saying what’s important, what do we think is important?”People joke about it all the time…but even warm-ups every morning now are optional, do whatever you need to. Think that kind of stuff empowers players. It’s empowered us. We take onus on ourselves.”Who wants the train today? Okay, you don’t want to train, fine. At the end of the day you are responsible for your own performance because that in itself impacts the team. If you are letting the team down in any way, that’s on you. We are all professionals and adults here and think it’s the first time for a long time that we’ve really been treated like adults and think that’s made a big difference.”It’s a method that has served them well over the last 18 months, with a World Test Championship title to show for their efforts. But many in this squad need an away Ashes series to secure their legacy. They won’t want to leave it to The Oval.