Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke has showcased a willingness to bring through and develop young academy talents throughout the season.

Teenager Archie Gray won the Championship Young Player of the Year award on Sunday, ahead of Birmingham's Jordan James and Norwich City's Jonathan Rowe, and has the German boss to thank for placing his faith in a 17-year-old out of position at right-back at the start of the campaign.

Many talented gems have come through Thorp Arch and gone on to enjoy successful careers, at Leeds or away from Yorkshire, including the likes of Kalvin Phillips, Jack Clarke and Lewis Cook.

A player the club hit the jackpot with after bringing him through the academy and into the first-team was left-back Charlie Taylor, who currently plays in the Premier League with Burnley.

Charlie Taylor's Leeds career in numbers

The left-footed battler came through the youth teams at Leeds, which meant that the club did not have to spend a penny to sign him as a youngster, and made his senior breakthrough in the 2014/15 campaign.

After loan spells with Bradford, York, Inverness, and Fleetwood in the previous three seasons, Taylor was given a chance to play regular football in the Championship and 23 league appearances in total.

Appearances

39

29

Minutes played

3,510

2,349

Assists

7

4

Goals

1

0

Yellow cards

3

4

As you can see in the table above, in his first two full seasons of second division football with Leeds, the left-back provided an impressive attacking outlet for the team with 11 assists.

However, a contract dispute with the club, with Taylor refusing to put pen to paper on an extension, towards the end of the 2016/17 campaign resulted in the defender asking not to play against Wigan on the final day, and manager Garry Monk suggested that the defender has been "terribly advised all season".

How much Leeds received for Charlie Taylor

In the summer of 2017, the Leeds academy graduate's contract expired and Premier League side Burnley swooped in to sign him to bolster their squad.

As the then-23-year-old was under the age of 24, a tribunal was needed to decide how much the Clarets had to pay in compensation and the Yorkshire Evening Press reported that a deal worth up to £7m was settled on.

Over the subsequent seven years, the 5 foot 9 ace's market value on Transfermarkt has never gone above €7m (£6m), which suggests that the £7m settlement was more than a fair amount of money for his services in hindsight.

The 30-year-old defender, who was linked with a return to Elland Road in January of this year, has racked up 217 appearances for his current club over the years.

This indicates that they have had value for money at their end of the deal, as they have had a solid servant, who has been described as "underrated" by journalist Josh Bunting, for more than half a decade.

Therefore, all parties involved seem to have benefitted from the move that went down in the summer of 2017, as Leeds struck gold with the money they raked in for the academy graduate, and Taylor and Burnley have enjoyed a fine relationship over the past seven years.

Tottenham Hotspur's recent draw against West Ham United in the Premier League highlighted the need for a few reinforcements this summer, though Ange Postecoglou's side remain in a good place to qualify for the Champions League.

Fifth in the English top-flight, Spurs are just two points behind Aston Villa in the top four having played a game less, with the resurgence from last year's struggle an illustration of Postecoglou's prowess and suitability in the dugout down at N17.

While much has been said regarding Tottenham's desire to secure a new striker this season to belatedly – and directly – replace Harry Kane, other areas of the pitch will need addressing too.

James Maddison has been superb since joining from Leicester City for £40m last summer but with Giovani Lo Celso unhappy at the club and likely to depart this summer, the cogs could fall into place to sign an exciting new star.

Spurs eyeing new midfielder

According to a recent report from talkSPORT, that fresh face could arrive in the form of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, with the Leicester midfielder available amid the Championship club's financial concerns.

Rated at £45m, Dewsbury-Hall has been the midfield lynchpin for Leicester this term as they target a swift return to the Premier League, but with Spurs tracking the player and Brighton & Hove Albion failing with a bid in January, Enzo Maresca will have a hard task keeping his hands on the player.

The 25-year-old might be plying his trade in the second tier but he is an immensely talented player and could make a real improvement to Tottenham's depth and dynamism.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's season in numbers

Dewsbury-Hall is a product of Leicester's academy and has now completed 123 senior appearances for the outfit after impressing in previous loan stints with Blackpool and Luton Town.

He's been tremendous for a third-placed Leicester side pushing for promotion this season and should they prevail in their pursuit, he will only have underscored his value as a top-class star.

Matches played

38

Matches started

36

Goals

11

Assists

13

Big chances created

19

Pass completion

84%

Shots per game

2.1

Key passes per game

2.6

Dribbles per game

1.3

Ball recoveries per game

5.2

Tackles per game

1.1

Duels won per game

4.8

As per FBref, Dewsbury-Hall ranks among the top 2% of midfielders across divisions similar to the Championship for goals scored, shot-creating actions and progressive carries, the top 1% for assists, the top 16% for progressive passes and the top 10% for successful take-ons per 90.

Such metrics from the table and FBref metrics above highlight just how impressive he is, clinical in his goalscoring and potent with his playmaking.

Dewsbury-Hall could follow Maddison's footsteps to cement a spot in Postecoglou's Tottenham team, with a protean ability and tactical flexibility that surely highlights his chances of succeeding at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Why Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall would suit Spurs

Firstly, Dewsbury-Hall has already proved himself in the Premier League, and still only 25 years old he would be a valuable asset for years to come, still capable of completing significant growth too.

Last season, Leicester plummeted into the second tier, but the dismal defence formed the crux of the demise and Dewsbury-Hall, much like Maddison, can hold his head high after a gallant attempt at keeping the Foxes afloat.

Maddison scored ten goals and supplied nine assists despite starting just 28 league fixtures. The England international suffered injuries that saw him miss just under a quarter of the campaign; were he more fortunate on that front, there's a solid case that Leicester could have survived, relegated on the final day after Everton narrowly beat Bournemouth.

Dewsbury-Hall also started 28 matches and while he didn't offer the same prolificness, posting two goals and two assists apiece, he was highly effective in progressing the play and creating openings for his peers, averaging 1.3 key passes, 1.7 tackles, 1.3 dribbles and 4.2 successful duels per match.

Unlike his backline-placed peers, his performances led to some big praise from those attentive, with correspondent Rob Tanner hailing his "integral" role last year and former City manager Brendan Rodgers, speaking to The Athletic, gushing over his sterling traits.

“Kiernan has made a huge impact for us this season,” Rodgers said. “He is a real throwback for me, a real all-round midfielder player from back in the day. A player who can get up and down, but also put his foot in. He loves a tackle. He is a proper midfield player.

“What has surprised me is the consistency of his performances. He is so hungry to prove himself. For me he has done it in the big games."

The player has likened himself to Manchester City assist machine Kevin De Bruyne, stating "the ideal player to describe myself as would be a mix between Paul Scholes and Kevin De Bruyne", and it's clear that he does indeed bear attributes that speak of his complete, rounded nature in the engine room.

Harking back to Dewsbury-Hall's current campaign performance, it's clear to see that he embodies many of the qualities that have cemented De Bruyne as one of the leading players in world football, with the five-time Premier League champion

The 32-year-old also ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals scored, assists made and shot-creating actions, the top 10% for passes attempted, the top 4% for progressive passes and the top 2% for progressive carries per 90.

The semblance in style is uncanny, and with De Bruyne described as "on a different planet" by footballing legend Thierry Henry, it's hardly surprising that the Lilywhite scouting network has fixed its sights on a player of similar skill set.

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It goes without saying that Dewsbury-Hall is not De Bruyne, he is not on his level – is anyone? – but Postecoglou would land a player who could make a real impact at the club, serving as Maddison's foil in the No. 10 role but also offering a multi-functioning approach that few, if any, in the Tottenham team could emulate.

The 2023/24 season has not been easy for Chelsea. Under new manager Mauricio Pochettino, the Blues have limped to ninth place in the Premier League, on 44 points. Whilst they have games in hand, they are currently a massive 16 points off fifth place, a potential Champions League spot.

According to Goal.com, Chelsea have spent an incredible £1b under the ownership of Todd Boehly. This includes smashing the Premier League’s record transfer twice, first signing Enzo Fernandez for £107m in January 2023, before their signing of Moises Caicedo for a fee of £115m last summer broke the record again.

Aside from Fernandez and Caicedo, some of Chelsea’s big-money signings include the likes of Raheem Sterling, who cost the Blues £50m from Manchester City, and French attacker Christopher Nkunku, from RB Leipzig, for £52.

However, there is one particular signing made by Chelsea who is slipping under the radar. The deal, completed in August 2022, saw Chelsea sign one of the best young talents in the Premier League and that certain someone could now finally step up following an injury to Fernandez.

The Argentine has displayed signs of his immense potential since arriving in England but is now nursing a knock which requires medical assessment ahead of their clash with Everton on Monday night.

A move that slipped under the radar

The man in question here is the former Aston Villa midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka, for whom Chelsea paid the Villans just £20m to acquire his services. Chukwuemeka, who was 18 years old when he joined the club, agreed to sign a six-year contract at Chelsea.

It was an impressive deal for the Blues to conduct, not least because they brought in one of the most exciting English midfield talents for a relatively small price considering the state of the modern-day transfer market.

Chelsea beat some of Europe’s top clubs to sign Chukwuemeka, including Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund, with London rivals Arsenal also rumoured to be interested at the time, according to Rob Dorsett of Sky Sports.

Chukwuemeka made 16 appearances for Aston Villa before departing for London in 2022, and he has already made 26 for Chelsea.

Why Chelsea must now unleash Chukwuemeka

Austrian-born Chukwuemeka has struggled with injuries during his time at Stamford Bridge so far, including a recurring knee injury he originally picked up against West Ham towards the start of the season, yet there is no doubt he is an exceptional talent.

This season, in his 26 appearances, the 20-year-old has scored twice, in the Premier League against West Ham and the FA Cup against Leicester, as well as picking up an assist in the Premier League against Liverpool.

He is superb between the lines, an attacking midfielder who loves to get on the ball and make things happen in the final third, where he averages 30.9 touches in the Premier League this season, as per Fbref.

Chukwuemeka is a progressive midfield player, whose first thought is always to look forwards. According to Fbref, only Cole Palmer averages more passes into the penalty area per 90 for Chelsea in the Premier League, with 2.62, just bettering Chukwuemeka’s 2.61.

The 20-year-old is a superb dribbler and despite his lanky 6 foot 1 frame, can slalom in and out of defenders with impressive agility.

Where Chukwuemeka excels most is in pockets of space between the lines, where he receives the ball on the half-turn, before turning and looking to progress Chelsea forward. This is largely a profile Chelsea have lacked this season, especially with constant injuries for Nkunku.

Back in 2020, Chukwuemeka was described as an “absolute 10/10 talent” by scout Jacek Kulig. Now, as he becomes more experienced as a professional footballer, that “10/10 talent” is looking to cement down a place in the Blues’ starting XI.

With injuries to star men disrupting Chelsea’s season, perhaps, now fully fit again, Chukwuemeka is the man to come into their team and make a place in the midfield his own.

The ever-improving Fernandez looks to be injured ahead of Chelsea’s next game against Everton and should the young Chelsea star be handed a start against the Toffees instead, he has a real chance to make a big impact on Pochettino’s side, and potentially secure a starting spot for the rest of the season.

MatériaMais Notícias

Dos mesmos criadores do “Desimpedidos”, a apresentadora Alê Xavier e a blogueira Luana Maluf comandam o “Passe a Bola”, canal no Youtubetotalmente dedicado ao futebol feminino.Esta quinta-feira marca a estreia do canal que tem o propósitode colocar na linha de frente as jogadoras profissionais e amadoras, aproximando a audiência e fortalecendo o protagonismo das mulheres no esporte.
+ Confira a classificação do Campeonato Brasileiro 2021!

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Apaixonada pelo futebol, a dupla faz tabelinha para trazer performance, informação e entretenimento sobre a modalidade.

Com mais de 250 mil inscritos em seu canal do Youtube “1×0 Feminino” e 356 mil fãs no Instagram, Luana Maluf é uma daquelas figuras que conseguem debater sobre qualquer tema relacionado ao futebol. Sobre a criação do canal, Luana conta como surgiu a parceria com Alê Xavier, influenciadora que assume o novo desafio mas continua noDesimpedidos,e com a produtora NWB.

-O Passa a Bola era um coletivo que reunia 200 meninas semanalmente em um complexo de quadras, mas eu sempre vi um potencial maior. Liguei para a Alê porque queria transformar o projeto em uma marca, em algo que contribuísse diretamente para o desenvolvimento do futebol no país. Na minha cabeça, ela era a própria história do sonho de ser jogadora. Sempre soube na pele o que é viver o futebol feminino no Brasil. Ela me respondeu imediatamente dizendo que estava pensando em algo grandioso também e resolvemos tirar todas as ideias do papel – disse Luana.

Em seguida, Alê Xavier também aborda seu antigo comenta a importância da NWB, detentora do canal “Desimpedidos”, para fortalecimento do futebol feminino.

-A NWB, como empresa, está buscando cada vez mais entrar no mundo do futebol feminino e as transmissões são um passo importante pra isso. O Desimpedidos consegue dar uma visibilidade que a modalidade nunca teve antes. Além disso, acredito que a NWB estando por trás de um canal feminino, como o Passa a Bola, fará com que a empresa seja ainda mais reconhecida nesse meio. E pro PAB é ótimo ter a NWB como investidora, com todo o posicionamento de mercado e de Youtube que tem para ajudar também o canal a ter transmissões de futebol feminino no futuro – completou.

Apesar de não ser a principal bandeira do “Passe a Bola”, elas também abordam a importância do canal para a mudança de mentalidade machista que permeia na sociedade sobre o futebol feminino.

-Não existe mais espaço no mundo atual para inferiorizar as mulheres na mídia esportiva. Temos grandes representantes em todas as áreas: comentando, apresentando, reportando e criando conteúdo na internet. De uns tempos para cá, houve um movimento de libertação, coragem e apoio. Sempre fomos capazes, talvez antes o medo nos impedisse de ir mais longe. Mas percebemos que não somos feitas dos rótulos que nos impuseram, dos preconceitos que vêm formados desde a infância por uma sociedade que lida com o futebol de forma machista- afirmou Luana Maluf.

-A ideia do canal é mostrar o futebol feminino como entretenimento, mas sem esquecer a luta da modalidade e das mulheres. Durante décadas, a modalidade foi vista como sofrida, o que não deixa de ser verdade. Mas, convivendo no meio das jogadoras, a gente sabe que a resenha também existe e é bem forte. E nosso objetivo é mostrar isso pros inscritos do canal, sendo com jogadoras, jornalistas, influenciadoras ou mulheres ligadas ao futebol de alguma forma – ponderou Alê Xavier.

Por fim, não deixaram de lado o crescimento exponencial do futebol feminino no mundo todo. Para elas, a modalidade construiu uma base que a possibilita “nunca mais vai dar um passo para trás”.

-O futebol feminino teve um crescimento muito importante depois da Copa do Mundo, na França. Foi ali que tivemos visibilidade, recordes de audiência e até final em TV aberta, mesmo sem a participação do Brasil. Desde então, batemos os números de torcida em estádios para ver futebol feminino por aqui. Acreditamos que a modalidade nunca mais vai dar um passo para trás – levantou a ex-Desimpedidos.

– A perspectiva é de cada vez mais crescimento. Dessa forma, conseguimos ver mais patrocinadores nos clubes e torneios, mais investimento nos campeonatos, aumentos nos salários, times de base, profissionalização das atletas e por aí vai. E isso tudo faz com que a modalidade siga evoluindo de uma forma saudável – concluiu a blogueira Luana Maluf.

Além do protagonismo do esporte praticado por mulheres, a NWB apoia um futebol mais justo e igualitário além das quatro linhas. Ao longo desse ano, em parceria com a CBF e patrocínio da Centauro, o Desimpedidos transmitiu 13 jogos do Campeonato Brasileiro de Futebol Feminino que somaram mais de 4 milhões de visualizações, 1.8 milhões de espectadores únicos e mais de 497 mil horas assistidas, com destaque para o confronto entre São Paulo Corinthians com recorde de espectadores simultâneos.

*Estagiário, sob supervisão de Ricardo Guimarães.

خسر الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي الزمالك، بهدفين مقابل هدف، أمام النصر الليبي، في المباراة التي جمعتهما اليوم الجمعة، ضمن مهرجان اعتزال خالد حسين.

ويحل الزمالك ضيفًا على النصر الليبي، في ملعب شهداء بنينا، وذلك خلال فترة التوقف الدولي الحالية.

طالع.. طبيب الزمالك يعلن آخر تطورات حالة الونش

ولعبت تلك المباراة، بعد طلب فريق النصر خوض مباراة ودية في مباراة اعتزال خالد حسين نجم منتخب ليبيا وفريق النصر، ووافق الزمالك على خوض اللقاء.

سجل شادراك الهدف الأول للنصر بعد 12 ثانية من بداية اللقاء، بعد كرة طولية وصلت إليه من خلف دفاعات الزمالك استغلها بتسديدة داخل الشباك.

وأحرز جيفرسون كوستا هدف التعادل للزمالك بعد وصول الكرة له أمام المرمى الخالي بعد مرورها من الحارس الليبي، وذلك في الدقيقة 26.

وجاء الهدف الثاني لصالح النصر بعد كرة عرضية من الجانب الأيمن اصطدمت بـ عيد مقدم ودخلت الشباك وسط ارتباك داخل دفاعات الزمالك في الدقيقة 87. أهداف مباراة الزمالك والنصر الليبي اليوم

The former India captain and CoA member even floated the idea of a change of captaincy to enable Harmanpreet to play her “natural game”

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Feb-2020Former India women’s captain Diana Edulji believes T20I captain Harmanpreet Kaur and top-order batter Jemimah Rodrigues must “pull up their socks” heading into the T20 World Cup, which begins on February 21 with hosts Australia taking on India.Edulji’s views came close on the heels of an India collapse of 7 for 29 in the tri-nation series final against Australia in Melbourne that cost them what looked like a likely victory, given the visitors needed only 41 runs off 35 balls with seven wickets in hand. The dismissal of half-centurion Smriti Mandhana in the 15th over exposed the infirmity of the middle order yet again.

They are so lazy that they never try for a second. These are the things that make all the difference. It is a single or a boundary, there is nothing in between.Diana Edulji on India’s running between the wickets

Edulji, whose 33-month tenure as a member of the Supreme-Court appointed Committee of Administrators involved a controversy around Mithali Raj’s omission in the 2018 T20 World Cup semi-final, even floated the idea of a change of captaincy to enable Harmanpreet to play her “natural game”.”Both Harmanpreet and Jemimah need to pull up their socks,” Edulji, who played 20 Tests and 36 ODIs for India, told PTI. “Maybe Harman should give up captaincy and play her natural game. Something seems to be troubling her. But who else takes over then. If Smriti is handed captaincy, it might affect her batting too.”Even though Mandhana topped the run-charts in the tri-series with a tally of 216, the rest of the line-up spluttered for form, fluency and consistency – the middle order in particular – resulting in a league-stage defeat against England and Australia each, and then the chastening collapse in the final.ALSO READ: Harmanpreet ‘not afraid to give chances to newcomers'”They are so lazy that they never try for a second,” Edulji said. “These are the things that make all the difference. It is a single or a boundary, there is nothing in between.”Vinod Rai, Diana Edulji and Vikram Limaye, the BCCI administrative panel appointed by the Supreme Court•AFP”There is something wrong with this team. This is a team which can win every game and it does win from an unlikely situation but the next game it is losing from a comfortable position like it did today. They are simply not consistent enough.”They have all the facilities at their disposal now, at par with men, and yet they have not been able to play consistent cricket and win ICC trophies. If they play like the way they are playing, they will make the semi-finals again [at the T20 World Cup], but I don’t see them winning the trophy.”Pooled alongside defending champions Australia, New Zealand, and Bangladesh, India have picked only three pacers in a largely spin-heavy bowling contingent for the T20 World Cup. The efficacy of that strategy was on view in the tri-series, where the spin attack pulled India back in the game on multiple occasions, left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad even going on to top the wicket-charts. Edulji, however, had a different take on India’s reliance on spinners.”It just shows there are no quality pacers in domestic cricket,” Edulji said. “You only have [swing bowler] Shikha Pandey of some calibre. What is being done to produce pacers? We are bound to play with a spin-heavy attack if there are no pacers around. We are not concentrating on junior cricket enough. How come Australia have pacers who can bowl at 120 kmph and we don’t?”

Famous rap artist Drake helped newly promoted Serie A side Venezia escape bankruptcy last year.

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Drake saved Venezia from bankruptcyFinished third in Serie B to secure promotionPhone call convinced rapper to bail them outWHAT HAPPENED?

The Venice-based club were on the brink of declaring themselves bankrupt after spending heavily to strengthen their squad during the 2022-23 season in order to keep themselves afloat in the Italian second division.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The club signed close to 30 players to survive relegation to Serie C during the 2022-23 season, but the massive spending took a toll on their financial health as they then had to sell players to raise money, or risk falling to Serie D. That is when club co-owner Brad Katsuyama got in touch with Drake's brand officer Matte Babel to explain their situation. Soon enough, the musician was on board to bail the club out financially.

WHAT HAS BEEN SAID

Speaking to on the deal between Drake and the club, Babel said: "I got a call from Brad, co-owner of Venezia and a good friend of mine. He laid out the problem to me in a simple way: Venezia has to raise €10 million in a couple of weeks, and then at least €30 million in a few months, or the club will go bankrupt.

"Venice is an incredible city and Venezia has always been a special club. I spoke to Drake, then Brad and I discussed the details of how we could help. Within two weeks we had a deal, raised the money needed to pay the salaries and avoid bankruptcy."

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Venezia FCWHAT NEXT FOR VENEZIA?

Drake's contribution helped the Winged Lions massively as they finished third in Serie B in the 2023-24 campaign and secured a place in the top division. They will kick off the new season on Sunday with a game against Brescia in the Coppa Italia.

Liam Livingstone again shone, but the Perth Scorchers face a battle to secure a spot in the finals

Report by Andrew McGlashan24-Jan-2020

The Adelaide Strikers went back up to second in the BBL table, in a tight tussle for the second-chance place in the Qualifier, with a solid all-round display against the Perth Scorchers as Liam Livingstone’s six-hitting display was not enough to lift a lethargic effort by the rest of the order.When Phil Salt, with 31-ball 59, was cutting loose the Strikers were well placed to touch 200 but the Scorchers came back well in the second half of the innings and their final total was only considered around par on a good batting strip.Crucially, though, they did not allow the Scorchers to race away in the chase – despite the best efforts of Livingstone – and the asking rate escalated into double figures. With the Strikers chipping away, Livingstone’s presence became ever-more vital and the game was up when he fell to Wes Agar.The result leaves the Strikers vying with the Sydney Sixers for second place the Scorchers in the mid-table squeeze for fourth or fifth place.Powering awayThe ball came onto the bat nice in the early overs with Salt and Jake Weatherald taking advantange. Salt was given an early life on 4 when Ashton Agar couldn’t reel in a tough chance over his shoulder running from backward point. It was Weatherald who initially found a higher gear – after his labored innings in the previous match against the Melbourne Stars – when he took Chris Jordan’s first three balls for 14. Even though the last over of the powerplay, bowled by Mitchell Marsh, only went for 4 the Strikers were 0 for 60. The ball after Weatherald clobbered Agar into the deep, Salt deposited the same bowler over long-on and soon reached his half-century off 27 balls. With more than half the innings remaining there was a chance for Salt to make a really big score, but he charged and missed at Agar and from there things became tougher for the Strikes.Second-half stallTravis Head and Alex Carey consolidated nicely for their third-wicket was the stand of 42 came off 27 balls – including 19 off Marsh’s second over – until Carey fell to Jordan’s short ball. At that point the Strikers were 2 for 139 in 14.2 overs and, with a fair wind, could still have pushed 200. However, they fell well short of that as the remaining 34 balls brought just 42 runs. Although Head struck two sixes he could not quite increase his tempo before falling at the start of the final over. None of the last five overs went for double figures as Jordan, Jhye Richardson and Matt Kelly all finishes strongly. As a side note, Ashton Turner’s one over – the 13th – was his first in professional cricket for more than a year.Livingstone threatens but Strikers squeezeThe Liam Livingstone-Josh Inglis pairing has been the most dominant opening partnership of the season. They did not get going as a duo this time, with Inglis finding mid-off against Wes Agar, but Livingstone – who continued to take some painful blows around the body – again played impressively. He opened his sixes account with a monstrous 106-metre blow over long-on against Michael Neser and twice deposited Head over the rope when the Strikers captain gambled on bowling himself again inside the powerplay. It was tougher work at the other end, however, leaving a lot on Livingstone’s shoulders. Kurtis Patterson struck two boundaries in his first four balls but managed just nine off his next 11 before edging the rapid Billy Stanlake.Agar the man (again)Few players have shown as much improvement from one season to another – across all formats – as Wes Agar for South Australia and the Strikers. After a career-best 4 for 33 two games ago against the Hurricanes he was a key weapon again with 3 for 36. Having claimed Inglis in the powerplay he returned to make huge blows to the middle order – Marsh hooked to long leg and then, in a match-defining moment, Livingstone found deep midwicket as he attempted his eighth six. Between those dismissals, Carey produced a magnificent running and diving catch to hold Turner’s scoop. It felt like it was all on Livingstone. When he went, so did the Scorchers’ hopes.

West Bromwich Albion's 1-1 draw away at Millwall this weekend won't have been the end of the world for the Baggies, who still find their spot in and amongst the play-off pack secure after John Swift scored late on.

However, Carlos Corberan's men will hope they can pick up a win on Easter Monday instead of another point being notched, when Tom Cleverley's Watford troops travel to The Hawthorns after an encouraging 2-2 draw with Leeds United last time out.

The West Midlands outfit will be dreaming about a Premier League return if they can keep up this positive run of form, hoping that they can finally mark a comeback to the top flight.

If they do return, they'll aim to be a little more cautious with how they spend their money, with one notable Baggies dud still hurting those with connections to West Brom when they reminisce.

Brown Ideye's time at West Brom

Back in 2014, West Brom must have thought they had hit the jackpot after signing Nigerian centre-forward Brown Ideye off the back of his goalscoring exploits elsewhere.

The now 35-year-old would become a record purchase at £10m, having bagged 42 goals from 103 games playing out in Ukraine with Dynamo Kyiv.

Yet, despite everything pointing towards a purchase that would go on to set the Premier League alight for the Baggies, Ideye undoubtedly flopped at The Hawthorns.

Described as being a "powerful" attacking force after signing by West Brom head coach Alan Irvine, in truth, Ideye would fade in and out of contests rather than being an imposing menace.

Ideye would go on to net a poor return of seven goals from 31 appearances before being moved on to Olympiacos, with just four of those coming in top-flight action.

Five of those strikes would come in February and March of his debut campaign, with much of his time in the West Midlands barren and frustrating, in contrast to this mini purple patch.

£10m at the time looked like a colossal waste of money, but when casting an eye over TotallyFootball's Transfer Index today, the ill-fated deal looks even worse in the context of 2024's inflated market.

Brown Ideye's transfer value in 2024

If West Brom went about this deal again now, Ideye would cost Corberan and co an eye-watering £20.4m.

Consequently, Ideye would rise back up the rankings to become West Brom's record arrival once more – beating past major signings such as Salomon Rondon and Nacer Chadli in the process.

The Baggies will hope they don't splash the cash in a similar fashion to Ideye flopping and it backfiring if they do jump back up to the Premier League, with Corberan wanting to keep his tight-knit group of Jed Wallace, Kyle Bartley and other seasoned professionals together over flashier individuals.

Ideye did redeem himself after relocating to Greece directly after exiting The Hawthorns, bagging 28 goals from 65 games for Olympiacos before becoming a nomad to see out his varied career.

Yet, there's no doubt in anyone's mind with connections to the Championship promotion hopefuls that Ideye goes down as a dud in the history books who wasn't worth pursuing.

Chelsea captain Reece James shared an emotional farewell message to Conor Gallagher after the midfielder completed a transfer to Atletico Madrid.

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Gallagher sold to Atletico MadridCame through academy with JamesCaptain shared touching messageGetty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?

After 18 years at Chelsea, academy graduate Gallagher was sold to the Spanish side in a £36 million ($47m) deal. The Blues' treatment of the midfielder sparked anger among the club's fans as he was banished from the first-team despite his long service in London.

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James and Gallagher joined Chelsea around the same time as eight-year-olds, having previously been at grassroots club Epsom Eagles together. They then came through the academy to reach the first team, but there long journey side by side has come to an end with Gallagher off to continue his career in La Liga.

WHAT JAMES POSTED

Sharing on an Instagram story an image of the pair as children in Chelsea's academy, James posted an emotional message to his former team-mate. He wrote: "From Epsom Eagles days to nights at Stamford Bridge, you have come a long way, my friend. It was a real honour to share the last 18 years together and play at the highest level. We were both the last ones in our group to get professional contracts, but we made it out together and come on to achieve the dream we wanted as little boys. Good luck on your new chapter, brother."

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WHAT NEXT FOR JAMES?

While Gallagher settles in at his new club, his fellow England international James is recovering from a fresh hamstring injury that he suffered during pre-season. The full-back is back in training, at least, and will hope to soon put his injury nightmare behind him, having seen the last two seasons plagued by fitness troubles.