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The final nets are over, there are about 18 hours to the start of the Test. How do cricketers spend that time?

Aakash Chopra24-Sep-2009You may have wondered why Matthew Hayden sits on the pitch on the eve of a match. Does he meditate sitting there? Or why Rahul Dravid shadow-practises shots at both ends? Hasn’t he played enough in the nets? Chris Gayle also does the same thing, albeit in the middle of the pitch. What are these guys up to?All of them use an extremely important tool for preparation, visualisation. Hayden visualised everything, good and bad, that could happen in a match, so as not to be surprised during the match. All of us, knowing or unknowingly, do it.I had my formal introduction to this technique just before the first Test against Australia in Brisbane in 2003. John Bell, an Australian coach I had met in Holland, told me about its application and importance. He told me to walk out from the dressing room on the eve of the match assuming that I was walking out to bat on the first morning of the game.I had to psyche myself into seeing the packed stadium, the Australian team waiting in the middle along with the two umpires. I also had to imagine my partner, Virender Sehwag, was walking alongside me. Then I did my ritual, running a couple of mock runs, before settling in to take strike. To avoid looking completely insane, I skipped the part where I asked the imaginary umpire for a leg-stump guard. Apart from that, I did everything I would in the real match. I mentally drew a line just outside the off stump, to use as a marker for letting balls go. Anything pitched outside that line would be allowed to go through to the keeper and the rest were to be played. Then I’d stand in my stance and visualise all the Australian bowlers running in and bowling in different areas. It is a routine I’ve followed ever since.Ground reality
Every ground and track has a different feel and the earlier you get used to it the better. Batsmen identify certain shots for certain tracks. For example, on slow and low tracks you realise the need to get onto the front foot as much as possible and play with a straight bat. Similarly, on tracks with more bounce and pace, you prepare yourself to stay on the back foot and play horizontal bat shots. That’s exactly why players shadow-practise while standing in the middle. Bowlers also identify the areas they’ll be expected to bowl in, and do mock run-ups to get a feel of the approach to the stumps.Individual approach
Batting and bowling in the nets on the eve of the match is strictly according to each individual’s liking. No one tells you to bat in the nets if you aren’t comfortable, and the support staff does everything to help you get into the groove. Rohan Gavaskar wouldn’t play a single ball in the nets, while Viru likes a long hit. Similarly Gautam Gambhir needs his throw-downs before every match, while Sachin Tendulkar’s batting in the nets depends purely on how he’s feeling about his game at that point of time. While Sachin didn’t bat too often in the nets during the 2003-04 series, when he did, he made someone bowl at him from 15 yards most of the time.There was one extraordinary instance of Dravid and Viru missing the practice session and watching a movie instead. It was before the memorable Adelaide Test in 2003. Sometimes, simply unwinding is the need of the hour.

You often find cricketers sitting together till very late on the eve of a match. That’s to ensure that the moment they walk into their rooms they fall asleep. There’s also the tendency to get up a few times during the night to check if you have slept through the alarm, only to find that dawn is still a few hours away

At the end of the practice session, most batsmen take their match bats with them to the hotel. Some batsmen shadow-practise religiously in their rooms. Others just want the bat handy in case they feel like doing so.Sleepless nights
Sachin didn’t sleep well for 15 days leading up to the match against Pakistan in the 2003 World Cup. He would stay awake planning how to handle each bowler. He admits that he played the entire innings in his head way before it happened on the field. Gautam couldn’t sleep the night before the 2007 Twenty20 World Cup final.You often find cricketers sitting together till very late on the eve of a match. That’s to ensure that the moment they walk into their rooms they fall asleep. The anxiety doesn’t let your mind rest, and that makes it very difficult to sleep. There’s also the tendency to get up a few times during the night to check if you have slept through the alarm, only to find that dawn is still a few hours away.A common dream for batsmen is that a wicket has fallen and you’re slated to go in next. But you haven’t put on the leg-guards and panic sets in. You try your best to get ready but something or the other always goes wrong. In reality, gearing up is a two-minute exercise that has been done a million times, but dreams seldom follow a logical pattern.The morning of the match
Every player has his own routine on the morning of a game. Some, like Dravid, wake up well in advance, read newspapers and have breakfast before boarding the bus. Others sleep till the last possible minute and rush to the bus, grabbing a muffin on the way. Then there are those who indulge in incessant chatter all the way to the ground – and often occupy the last rows of the bus. Still others, like Sachin, listen to music. These routines depend a lot on temperament: some can’t handle the anxiety and hence rush through everything, while others want everything in peace.After reaching the ground
Almost everyone rushes to the square immediately after getting to the field. Although nothing dramatic can happen, since you’ve seen the track the previous day, you need to be certain. It’s like going through your notes one last time before an exam. You want to be 100% certain that you didn’t misread the pitch.Then there’s the eternal wait for the toss. While one part of you wants it to be delayed for another couple of hours so you can hit a few more balls against throw-downs, the other part wants to be done with the suspense. Openers and fast bowlers watch the toss with great interest, and depending on the result of the toss, either prepare or relax.Instead of warming up with cricket, most teams prefer playing a different, non-contact sport, like volleyball, just before the game. It lightens the atmosphere and helps you ease into the match day. Contact sports like football and touch rugby are generally avoided because the chances of getting injured are higher.Gary Kirsten gives Sachin Tendulkar throw-downs after a net session•Getty ImagesBatting first
The environment in the dressing room becomes a lot quieter if your team is batting. Even though the bowlers slip into a relaxing mode, they avoid making unnecessary noise. Both the openers and the batsman at No. 3 are left alone. Everyone wishes the openers luck as they go through their last little routines before stepping onto the field. But there are some batsmen who don’t like to be wished before walking out to bat. One such was Sunil Gavaskar.Some batsmen will watch every single ball being bowled, as they wait their turn, either on TV or from the balcony, and then there are others who’d read newspapers and magazines (Mohammad Azharuddin) or sleep (Sir Vivian Richards) while waiting for their turn to bat. VVS Laxman likes to listen to music, while Yuvraj Singh prefers chatting.I can’t stop myself from watching. Thank god I’m an opener.Bowling first
While batsmen relax, the bowlers are required to be on the field 10 minutes before the start of the game to warm up. But bowlers have the luxury of easing into the match, as they’re not absolutely required to be at their very best right from the beginning. One mistake doesn’t mean the end of the innings for them; an advantage that gets evened out with the heavy workload they have to bear. Their planning and plotting happens more on the field and during the match.The opening batsmen start their preparation again when the opposition loses its eighth or ninth wicket. You see them standing in their stance and looking down the pitch every now and then. They also tend to go quieter in the field after the loss of the ninth wicket.My endeavour through this three-part mini-series on preparation was to tell my readers what goes into the making of a good ball, a marvellous catch, an unsparing shot, a great cricketer. I hope that from now on every time you see a batsman fail or a bowler bowl a half volley, you remember that lack of performance is not necessarily because of lack of preparation. It’s just that, in the game of cricket, like in any other walk of life, it’s only human to err.

Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi are the three venues the PCB is planning to host the two-week tournament in

Osman Samiuddin01-May-2024The PCB’s schedule for the 2025 Champions Trophy could have India based in one city for the entire tournament, as the board looks for ways to accommodate a potential first visit by India to Pakistan in nearly 17 years.Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi are the three venues the PCB is planning to host the two-week Champions Trophy in. ESPNcricinfo understands the draft schedule has India based in and playing all their matches in Lahore – where the final is also scheduled to take place.Basing India in one city is thought to have been proposed because it avoids what could be considerable logistical and security headaches around their travel. Additionally, by being based in Lahore, which is close to the Wagah border crossing between the two countries, it allows Indian fans a relatively easier option to visit.PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi said earlier this week that the board had sent a draft schedule of the tournament, likely to be staged in mid-February next year, to the ICC. Discussions on it involving the eight participating members will take place, with the major sticking point likely to be whether the India team travels or not.

Since the return of international cricket to Pakistan in 2015, however, every single team involved in the Champions Trophy has toured and played in Pakistan, except India

No Indian team has played in Pakistan since the 2008 Asia Cup. Relations between the two governments have deteriorated steadily and often sharply since, especially after the Mumbai terror attacks the same year. Those attacks ended a rare period of bounty in the rivalry, the sides having played each other in four bilateral series in the preceding four years.Last year, when Pakistan hosted the Asia Cup, they were forced to deploy a hybrid model in which India played all their games – including those against Pakistan – in Sri Lanka. The final of the tournament, won by India, was held in Colombo.Though Pakistan had raised the prospect of a hybrid model for their presence in the ODI World Cup in India last year, it was never pursued seriously. They ended up playing all their games in India, across five venues, before they were eliminated in the group stages.The final decision on whether India do visit Pakistan for the Champions Trophy will be in the hands of the Indian government, rather than the BCCI.The craze around India vs Pakistan games, limited as they are, is to be seen to be believed•Arun Sankar/AFP/Getty ImagesOn Tuesday evening in Karachi, Naqvi expressed the hope that “all eight teams” will come to Pakistan for the event, though he was not drawn into specifics about India’s position.The Champions Trophy is the first ICC event Pakistan will be hosting since the 1996 World Cup, when they were joint hosts with India and Sri Lanka. Pakistan was due to stage the event in 2008, but it was postponed and then relocated to South Africa because of the security situation in Pakistan at the time. Pakistan also lost out on co-hosting duties for the 2011 ODI World Cup, with the 2009 terror attacks on the Sri Lanka team meaning no international cricket in the country for the next six years.Since the return of international cricket to Pakistan in 2015, however, every single team involved in the Champions Trophy has toured and played in Pakistan, except India.Pakistan are the defending champions of the event, last held in 2017.

MatériaMais Notícias

Luís Castro ainda não encontrou um time titular em 2023. O treinador vem realizando diversas reformulações neste começo de temporada e não conseguiu achar uma escalação ideal que desse padrão de jogo e entrosamento ao Botafogo.

No ano passado era fácil prever os titulares. O Botafogo tinha uma base e conseguiu protagonizar boas atuações na reta final do Brasileirão. Hoje, não se sabe ao certo qual nome ganhará uma oportunidade ou será sacado do time.

+ATUAÇÕES: Tchê Tchê, Gabriel Pires e Di Plácido vão mal em empate do Botafogo na Sul-Americana

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+Torcedores do Botafogo cobram time na chegada ao Rio de Janeiro

DEFESA MANTIDA

O sistema defensivo alvinegro foi raramente alterado pelo técnico em 2023. O time vem jogando com Lucas Perri, Di Plácido, Adryelson, Víctor Cuesta e Marçal. Do meio-campo para frente, no entanto, diversas modificações têm ocorrido de um jogo para outro.

+Autor de um dos gols do Botafogo, Eduardo lamenta empate sofrido: ‘Estávamos com um homem a mais’

MEIO-CAMPO

No começo do ano, Tchê Tchê, Patrick de Paula e Gabriel Pires eram os meias do Glorioso. Depois, Marlon Freitas, Danilo Barbosa e Lucas Fernandes ganharam espaço. O setor de criação rodou muito e atuou pouco tempo junto neste começo de temporada.

+Luís Castro pondera empate do Botafogo: ‘Deveríamos ter ganho, mas não hipotecamos o nosso futuro’

ATAQUE

Gustavo Sauer, Víctor Sá e Tiquinho Soares eram os atacantes do Botafogo no início nesta temporada. Em seguida, Carlos Alberto, Lucas Piazon e Luis Henrique receberam oportunidades. Atualmente, é difícil prever os titulares do ataque alvinegro.

+ANÁLISE: Botafogo não consegue se impor, comete falhas e desperdiça chance preciosa na Sul-Americana

EM BUSCA DA EVOLUÇÃO

Esta indefinição na escalação vem sendo uma das principais marcas do time de Luís Castro em 2023. O treinador ainda não conseguiu dar uma cara para equipe alvinegra e precisa encontrar um time ideal para dar padrão de jogo e entrosamento ao elenco.

O Botafogo terá um mês de abril difícil pela frente e, se não apresentar atuações convincentes, corre risco de ser desclassificado das disputas da Copa do Brasil e Sul-Americana nas próximas semanas.

Alexi Lalas adds that move to Olympique Marseille under Roberto De Zerbi will be pivotal career moment for the U.S. international

• Gomez questions player-coach dynamic
• Notes the manager's disciplinarian approach
• Lalas says Weah could play in 2026 World Cup

• AFP
  

  WHAT HAPPENED

  Analyzing Timothy Weah's transfer to Marseille, former USMNT star Herculez Gomez questioned whether the U.S. international can thrive under coach Roberto De Zerbi's management style.

  “I'll tell you where he won't be comfortable and that's with Roberto de Zerbi,” Gomez said on the Futbol Americas podcast. “Now, this is a very stern, very firm coach… He's going to be a firm hand, but I actually think that serves Timothy Weah some good right now. This is Timothy Weah, who goes to Juventus and was a wing back – and all through those moments you would see ‘Wow, pretty good assist. Wow, very good play. Wow, pretty good goal’. 

  "So, he doesn't have a lot of mileage in those legs. In the last couple years, since Qatar, at the club level, Timothy Weah has been non-existent… Do what it takes day in day out, and training field to earn your spot. Every single weekend, be an impact player with Marseille. This is going to be one of the defining moments in Timothy Weah’s career. He's in a place that, because of his father, the limelight will be on him. He's in a place right now because of the World Cup where it's do or die for this player – and he still has much to prove to Mauricio Pochettino."

  Gomez said the move could be career-defining, especially since the USMNT has a new manager with new expectations.

  “We can no longer keep that same stance or that same bar with these players, because Mauricio Pochettino has proven, he doesn't care," he said of past performances. "He's proven that he'll go with MLS player, go with the player who proves it to him in that training session. So, if I'm Timothy Weah, this has to work out because there are a lot of players right now. If the biggest player in USMNT pool, in their orbit, Christian Pulisic, is in doubt… what do players, like, Timothy Weah, have to look forward if they're not on? What do they have to look forward if they're not playing well?”

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  WHAT ALEXI LALAS SAID

  Former USMNT star Alexi Lalas also offered his assessment of the move to Marseille, and remained optimistic that Weah's place in the starting lineup still holds.

  “So yes, he's versatile,” Lalas said on his State of the Union podcast. “I still will argue that he, over the last cycle, was the most consistent and most dangerous and uniquely dangerous player from an attacking perspective over there on that right hand side. And that's kind of where I want to see him now. The fact that we still haven't found somebody up top, who knows, maybe Pochettino gets creative?

  "But ultimately, if Tim Weah is playing on that right hand side and doing good things, I think it's going to be hard for a Diego Luna or anybody else to come in and take that spot."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Weah has signed for Marseille on loan from Juventus, with the move set to be made permanent at the end of the 2025-26 season. The American spent two years at Juventus, making 78 appearances for the Old Lady, contributing to 14 goals.

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• WHAT’S NEXT?

  Upcoming friendlies against Korea and Japan will provide Pochettino an opportunity to evaluate all attacking options.

MatériaMais Notícias

Após não renovar seu contrato com Cruzeiro, Luvannor tem recebido sondagens de clubes brasileiros. O LANCE! apurou que Grêmio, Juventude, Atlético-GO e Goiás manifestaram interesse na contratação do atacante.

Além destes clubes,Luvannor também vem sendo monitorado por equipes da Ásia e da Europa. Apesar do interesse dos times do exterior, ele prefere continuar atuando no futebol brasileiro na próxima temporada.

+Quem foi a revelação da Copa do Mundo? Veja os votos da redação do LANCE!

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+Cruzeiro mira contratação de William, ex-Internacional

O jogador chegou ao Cruzeiro em abril deste ano e caiu rapidamente nas graças da torcida. O atacante foi um dos destaques da equipe celeste na conquista da Série B, mas acabou não prolongando seu vínculo por mais um temporada.

O jogadoré naturalizado brasileiro, mas se consolidou na carreira por conta dos anos jogados nos Emirados Árabes.Com 32 anos, Luvannor espera construir uma história vitoriosa em outra instituição.

Wojciech Szczesny sees no 'red flags' in Lamine Yamal's behaviour on or off the field and compares the Barcelona teen to Neymar.

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Szczesny praises Yamal’s unique personalityWarns against putting pressure on young starsBarcelona renew Yamal’s contract until 2031Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Szczesny has spoken publicly about Barca wonderkid Yamal’s off-field behaviour, dismissing claims that the 17-year-old is showing any “red flags.” On the veteran goalkeeper compared Yamal’s personality to Neymar’s, urging the footballing world to let the teenager enjoy the game rather than over-scrutinising his personal choices.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Yamal has had a spectacular season with 18 goals and 25 assists in 55 games for Barca, but has also made headlines for partying with Neymar while on holiday. Some critics claim fame might be getting to him, but Szczesny insists that personality and flair are part of what makes the Spanish wonderkid so special, much like Neymar. He added that such players should be supported, not micromanaged.

WHAT SZCZESNY SAID

The Polish international insists there’s no cause for alarm and drew comparisons with the Brazilian hero: "I believe everyone has their own path, and as of today, I don't see anything in Lamine Yamal that would raise a red flag. I believe his approach to football, to life, makes him the player he is. It's a bit like you can't change a person's temperament. Someone today might say, for example, that Neymar could have achieved much more in football if he had a different attitude. If Neymar had a different attitude to football, to life, he wouldn't be the Neymar who puts on such a show."

He added: "I believe that such personalities shouldn't be put under too much pressure, but rather be attentive and let them enjoy their football. Their joy is contagious not only to their teammates but also to millions of people around the world who are about to fall in love with football. I think this is more the role of Yamal's entourage than of him himself. The boy is still 17 and has the right, and perhaps even the obligation, to make youthful mistakes. Let's hope that if he does, it won't be without major consequences. His surroundings will certainly be important to him," he noted on the Foot Truck channel.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR YAMAL?

Yamal, who recently agreed to sign a new deal until 2031, will now look to build on coming strong as the pre-season is approaching. While the Barca forward continues to develop on the pitch under Hansi Flick, the club will aim to strike the right balance between encouraging his personality and shielding him from external pressure.

Ex-Northants assistant adds “scaffolding” to support young quicks, according to women’s head coach Lewis

Andrew Miller10-Nov-2023

Jon Lewis, England Women’s head coach, believes that the recruitment of Chris Liddle to the women’s performance programme will help to provide the “scaffolding” needed for the team’s crop of young fast bowlers to thrive, in the wake of Issy Wong’s high-profile struggle for form last summer.Liddle, the former Northamptonshire assistant coach, was announced as England Women’s performance pace bowling coach on Friday, ahead of the forthcoming England A training camp in Oman, as well as the senior squad’s T20I and Test tour of India.And with Lewis declaring that fast bowling is the “biggest area of growth” in the women’s game, Liddle will now work closely with Matt Mason, England Women’s fast bowling coach, having been on London Spirit’s books in the Women’s Hundred for the past two seasons.”It’s an incredibly exciting time to be joining England Women and I’m really looking forward to getting started,” Liddle said. “The demand on the fast bowlers has increased over the years and I want to be able to provide them with the skills required to grow and develop to be successful over a long period of time.”The shoring-up of England’s pace-bowling set-up comes in the wake of Wong’s tough time in the English season just gone. Having been overlooked for the T20 World Cup at the start of the year, she featured in a solitary T20I against Sri Lanka in Chelmsford in September, but struggled visibly with her run-up as England slumped to a shock eight-wicket defeat.In the wake of that loss, England’s captain, Heather Knight, blamed Wong’s loss of form on the fact that she had been “listening to a lot of different voices” – a not-so-veiled suggestion that her handling at Birmingham Phoenix had been at fault. In the course of their winless campaign, Wong claimed a solitary wicket in five appearances, but bowled just one set of five deliveries in four of those games.At the age of 21, however, she remains one of the most promising young talents in the country, and has now been named as part of a 21-player training camp for the Oman leg of England’s winter. She is also due to feature for Mumbai in the forthcoming WPL season, having claimed a memorable hat-trick in the tournament’s first staging last year.”Issy obviously had a really tough summer,” Lewis said. “There’s no doubt that she’s a really spirited competitor, but after the Sri Lanka series, I said we would scaffold as much support around her as possible. She’s been practising really well up in Loughborough, and the next step for Issy is to move back into competitive cricket.Related

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“But I think to push her straight back into an England jersey would be a mistake after what happened in the summer. I want to give her time, to show us that she’s more certain about where she’s going to land the ball when it comes out of the end of her fingers. The A side is a really good way to do that. We hope the work that we’re doing with her will be really clear for everyone to see.”At her best, Wong remains one of the fastest bowlers in the women’s game, and an obvious heir across formats to Katherine Sciver-Brunt, who brought down the curtain on her 19-year career in August.However, with other young England fast bowlers now competing for international recognition – most notably the 17-year-old left-armer Mahika Gaur, and Lauren Filer, 22, the break-out star from this year’s women’s Ashes – Lewis said that Wong’s difficult development should be taken as a warning for others coming through the system.”There’s definitely an upward trajectory,” he said of Wong’s return to action. “But is she the finished article yet? No. She’s a young fast bowler. All young fast bowlers go through ups and downs. Especially young fast bowlers who haven’t played much cricket.”It takes a long time, and a lot of balls, for fast bowlers to control the ball as they would really wish,” he added. “I would expect all of our young fast bowlers to have bumpy journeys over the next two, three, four years, until they get to the age of probably 26-27, when they’re much more in control of not only their bodies, but their minds.”We’ll see some ups and downs across the across the next two or three years, but we’ve got an incredibly exciting group, and now two excellent fast-bowling coaches in Matt Mason and Chris Liddle. I’m really pleased that we’re putting the right support around our fast-bowling group, because I really believe that fast bowling in the women’s game is the biggest area of growth.”

Barcelona have reached an agreement to sign Nico Williams on a six-year contract as he edges closer to a blockbuster transfer from Athletic Club.

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• Barcelona agree on personal terms with Williams
• Forward set to sign a six-year deal
• Will earn €12m in annual wages

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to , the Blaugrana have reached a pre-agreement with Williams for a six-year contract that would keep him at Camp Nou until the summer of 2031. The explosive winger is now close to linking up with teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, with whom he has built up a strong relationship for the Spain national team. Forming a dynamic new wing partnership in Hansi Flick's attacking plans, Williams is set to earn €12 million (£10m/$14m) at Barca if the deal goes through.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Barcelona’s interest in Williams dates back more than a year. The club initially made him a top target last summer, but the acquisition of Dani Olmo had significantly strained the club’s limited transfer resources, shelving plans for another marquee signing. Moreover, club president Joan Laporta has reportedly been impressed with Williams' determination to wear the Barcelona shirt. Several recent meetings between the winger’s camp and club executives have been held to iron out the framework of the proposed transfer. Williams will be free to complete the transfer once Barca agree on a fee with Athletic Club, who are said to be demanding €60 million for the winger.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Williams has enjoyed a meteoric rise over the past two seasons, and his latest campaign with Athletic was no exception. He contributed five goals and five assists in 29 La Liga appearances, while playing a pivotal role in their Europa League campaign, scoring five times and assisting three more en route to a semi-final finish. His performances earned him a spot in the Europa League Team of the Season.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR WILLIAMS?

  Barcelona’s breakthrough in negotiations with Williams comes at the expense of several major European clubs. Arsenal, Chelsea, and Bayern Munich had all expressed strong interest in the Spain international. Chelsea were believed to be monitoring his situation throughout the season, while Bayern reportedly engaged in talks shortly before their squad travelled to the United States for the Club World Cup. Ultimately, Williams’ preference to stay in Spain and join a project that includes fellow La Roja talent Yamal appears to have swung the deal decisively in Barcelona’s favour.

With no Premier League victories coming their way during the early stages of 2025, Ipswich Town do look set to fall immediately back down to the Championship.

The Tractor Boys haven’t completely disgraced themselves with memorable wins against Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea at least sticking out, but there just doesn’t seem to be enough in the tank at Portman Road to maintain their top-flight position past this fleeting visit.

One factor that has arguably hindered Ipswich has been their hit-and-miss approach in the transfer market, with a number of loanees entering the building going on to have contrasting fortunes in Suffolk.

One of which is January arrival, Ben Godfrey.

Where Ben Godfrey ranks among Ipswich's loan signings

It has to be said that the Tractor Boys have at least been proactive in the market to try and give themselves a fighting chance at survival, regardless if many of their temporary signings haven’t been overwhelming success stories.

The additions of Jens Cajuste and Kalvin Phillips have boosted the underdogs somewhat, with Cajuste even picking up two Player of the Month accolades for November and December, off the back of the Napoli loanee winning an encouraging 3.3 duels per league clash.

Moreover, the ex-Leeds United man has also shown flashes of his class by winning 3.9 duels per match but it hasn’t been smooth sailing for every loan recruit.

Indeed, Julio Enciso has found his stint in Suffolk so far to be mainly injury-ridden, whilst the aforementioned Godfrey has largely found his spell away from Atalanta to be crushing for his confidence when looking at the sheer number of goals he’s leaked lining up in defence.

Looking at the numbers, Godfrey has looked out of his depth on his return to English soil, further leaving Ipswich full of anguish that they didn’t sign anyone better over the winter.

As it happens, a fellow full-back is now starring after a loan spell at Portman Road many years ago.

Ipswich loan star is now a Ben Godfrey upgrade

As is the case with a large quantity of EFL clubs, the loan market proves to be invaluable in gifting your side some additional star quality on a short-term basis.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

When Ipswich were routinely competing towards the top end of the second tier, Portman Road was home to many a standout loanee, including ex-Arsenal youngster Ainsley Maitland-Niles during the 2015/16 season.

At the time, Maitland-Niles was just a wide-eyed product of the illustrious Gunners academy eager to prove a point in the senior game, rated at just £210k, according to Transfermarkt.

Fast forward past his formative time in Suffolk and Maitland-Niles would eventually go on to make a name for himself, with the versatile presence picking up an impressive two goals and three assists from 32 appearances when regularly lining up as a right winger.

The five-time senior England international had to spread his wings away from Arsenal to fully show off his best game, however, but his current spell at Olympique de Lyonnais is definitely playing to his strengths as an attack-oriented right-back.

As a consequence of a handful of England caps and his performances in Ligue 1, his transfer valuation has gone all the way up to £8m during his time with the French giants, representing a major 3852% increase from his once meagre price-tag.

Hailed as “tremendous” by football journalist Rob Sills during a different loan adventure out at Southampton, there must be some woe on Ipswich’s end that they can’t call upon Maitland-Niles in the right-back spot now when you take into account his six clean sheets for Lyon this campaign among other glowing numbers.

Capable of playing in midfield too, he could really have given McKenna a useful utility body, but the relegation-threatened side will simply have to make do with what they’ve got.

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It might not feel like it, but there have been at least a few positives for Tottenham Hotspur this season.

Ange Postecoglou’s side may have fallen down the Premier League table and out of both domestic cups, but the massive number of injuries they’ve had to deal with has seen several youngsters and lesser fancied players come into the fold.

For example, Archie Gray has become an integral member of the first team at full-back and centre-back, while Djed Spence has come in from the cold and now looks undroppable.

Yet, as brilliant as the pair have been, one of their teammates is still worth more than both of them combined.

How Gray and Spence stack up to other full-backs

As most fans know, Gray is primarily a central midfielder, with respected analyst Ben Mattinson even claiming he’s a “future £100m” star in that position.

However, due to the sheer number of injuries Postecoglu has had to contend with, the youngster has played in defence more than anywhere else this term, making seven appearances at right-back and five at left-back.

So, as someone filling in, how does he stack up to other full-backs?

Well, according to FBref, when compared to others in the same position across Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, he does quite well, sitting in the top 1% of players for medium passes completed, shots blocked, the top 2% for carries, the top 5% for progressive passing distance, the top 6% for live ball passes and more, all per 90.

Likewise, Spence, who looked like he was on the way out of the club in the summer, has now become an indispensable part of the first team, racking up 20 appearances in all competitions, in which he’s scored two goals and provided two assists.

He, too, comes out looking good when compared to other full-backs, with FBref placing him in the top 2% for shots blocked, the top 3% for all blocks and successful take-ons, the top 5% for short pass completion, the top 7% for tackles won, the top 10% for carries into the final third and more, all per 90.

In all, both players have more than made their mark on the team this season, yet one of their defensive teammates is worth millions more than the pair combined.

The Spurs star worth millions more than Spence & Gray

While he hasn’t played as much football this season, Destiny Udogie is the defender worth millions more than both Spence and Gray.

According to Football Transfers, the former Middlesbrough star is worth up to €12.3m, which is about £10m, and the former Leeds United gem is worth up to €40.7m, which is about £34m.

However, the Italian international is priced at up to a staggering €66.7m, which is around £56m, or about £12m more than both Spence and Gray combined.

Now, that may sound excessive to some of you, and perhaps it is somewhat, but such a valuation will be mostly based on his incredible form last season.

For example, in what was his first taste of English football, the Verona-born “monster,” as dubbed by journalist Travis Levison, made 30 appearances, in which he scored two goals and provided three assists.

On top of that, the 22-year-old was also the first Tottenham player ever to be nominated for the Premier League’s Young Player of the Season award.

Finally, as well as still being young and therefore having plenty of time to get better, the former Udinese gem also has a contract set to run until the summer of 2030, which will undoubtedly impact his valuation.

Ultimately, Spurs now look to be in an incredible position when it comes to their full-back options – when all fit – and it’ll be interesting to see who becomes Postecoglou’s go-to option on either side in the future.

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