Aston Villa have been unstoppable at times under the guidance of Unai Emery, but their progress will be tested between now and the end of the season.
Last time out, the Villans defeated Nottingham Forest 4-2 at home, with Leon Bailey and Douglas Luiz starring.
Aston Villa players including Douglas Luiz
However, after their game against Luton Town this weekend, their attention will turn to the Europa Conference League, with the competition returning next week.
Villa’s squad depth will be tested to the maximum, but there was once a Villa player who would have significantly helped ease the injury blow to Boubacar Kamara.
Boubacar Kamara’s injury status
Kamara was enjoying a fantastic season at the heart of the Villa midfield, starting 20 games and developing a telepathic relationship with Luiz.
However, against Manchester United recently, the 24-year-old suffered a huge injury blow that is set to keep him out for the rest of the season, tearing his ACL.
The former Marseille star is an absolutely huge miss, and his absence has the potential to have a catastrophic impact on the side’s quest for European glory and a top-four spot in the Premier League.
Bar young prospect Tim Iroegbunam, John McGinn is the only replacement for Kamara in the entire Villa squad, but he isn’t exactly an outright defensive-minded midfielder like the French gem, with a figure of the past potentially having been an ideal candidate to fill that void…
Aston Villa's next Grealish is the “second biggest flop of all time”
The star is now playing his football in Qatar.
ByTom Lever Feb 27, 2024 Idrissa Gueye's record at Villa
In the summer of 2015, Idrissa Gueye swapped France for England, as he moved to Villa for a fee of £9m from Lille.
However, after making just 38 appearances and becoming known for his defensive tenacity with 4.1 tackles per game in the 2015/16 Premier League season, the Senegal star left Villa Park, joining Everton in 2016 for £7.1m.
Gueye would go on to show his qualities on Europe’s biggest stage during his time at Paris Saint-Germain, but he rejoined the Toffees at the start of last season.
During his time at the French Champions, the midfielder played 111 times, with former teammate Presnel Kimpembe full of praise for the 34-year-old:
“Gueye? He's a monster. He does us a lot of good in addition to being a hard worker, he is good technically.”
Fast forward to today, and Gueye would have been an excellent backup to Kamara, replacing the defensive security that the injured ace brought to the team, as can be seen in the table below showing the Everton star’s statistics from his recent performance against Tottenham Hotspur in the 2-2 draw.
Minutes
97
Pass accuracy
85%
Tackles
7
Interceptions
6
Duels won
11
It’s clear that Gueye would have been perfect alongside Luiz and much more suited to the defensive midfield role than McGinn.
Kamara boasts the most tackles and interceptions per game in the Villa squad this season; Sean Dyche’s number 27 would’ve most definitely provided similar attributes.
Blast from the Past
Football FanCast's Blast from the Past series takes a trip down memory lane. Do any of your classic icons of days gone by fit into a modern-day starting XI?
It’s always fascinating to think about what former players would be perfect for a current team, and Gueye would have been excellent in Emery’s side today.
Wolverhampton Wanderers have been in superb form as of late, but they failed to win their third consecutive Premier League game in a row last weekend.
Newcastle United were the side to prevent this streak, as they claimed a comfortable 3-0 victory over Gary O’Neil’s men.
Pedro Neto
Wolves were forced to start the game without two of their star attackers, Hwang Hee-chan and Matheus Cunha, due to injury, but their attacking options were decreased even further when Pedro Neto was subbed off at the break with a setback.
Due to that, the attack has been massively weakened, and with that in mind, let’s take a look at a player whose goals could’ve been useful.
Patrick Cutrone’s time at Wolves
Six years ago, Patrick Cutrone was regarded as one of the most promising youngsters in world football after netting ten goals and providing two assists in 17 Serie A starts during his breakthrough campaign at AC Milan.
The striker’s performances even earned him a high ranking of fourth in the 2018 Golden Boy rankings, even finishing way above Kylian Mbappe, which just highlights why Wolves made a move for him.
Cutrone joined Wolves after the following season in 2019 in a deal reported to be worth £23m, however, his time at the club didn’t exactly go as originally planned.
Despite initially impressing teammate Conor Coady, who called the Italian "brilliant," he only went on to make 28 appearances for the Wanderers, playing second fiddle to Raul Jimenez.
Over these games, the former Milan gem scored three goals and provided four assists, but what has his career looked like since?
£90k-p/w Wolves star could now be more vital than Pedro Neto
Wolves have a player in their squad who could be even more important than Neto between now and May
ByRoss Kilvington Feb 26, 2024 Cutrone’s career since leaving Wolves
Surprisingly, Cutrone only actually left Wolves permanently in 2022, despite spending most of his time out on loan to numerous clubs, but even then, he was unable to live up to the potential he once showcased.
Failed loan moves to Fiorentina, Valencia, and Empoli all took place, where the number nine scored just eight goals in 72 appearances for the three teams.
Former Wolves striker Patrick Cutrone.
Last summer, the forgotten star joined his hometown club Como for an unknown transfer fee, which is where he’s still playing his football today as a 26-year-old.
The side plays in Serie B in Italy, and in his debut season at the club, the 6-foot attacker netted nine times in 29 starts. However, things are looking much brighter this season, with Como challenging for promotion to the Serie A and Cutrone scoring ten goals in 23 starts.
Cutrone's Career Stats
Club
Games
G/A
AC Milan
90
35
Wolves
28
7
Fiorentina
34
8
Valencia
7
0
Empoli
31
5
Como
59
23
Via Transfermarkt
The former Wanderers flop has been on fire since the end of December, picking up five goals and one assist in his last six matches. It’s great to see Cutrone finally start to find his feet and confidence in front of goal after a tricky few years of frustration and underperformance.
With the unfortunate injuries to all of Wolves’ first-choice attackers, it’s interesting to wonder whether Cutrone would have had an impact on the side today, given his showings for Como.
Hopes remain of a maiden Championship title despite only 27.5 overs being possible
Paul Edwards at Taunton23-Sep-2019James Hildreth gets inside the line of a ball from Simon Harmer and sweeps it to the boundary just to the right of Gimblett’s Hill. The locals at the County Ground applaud the stroke and are momentarily buoyed by fresh hope. But it is a rare reverse for Harmer, who will shortly trap Hildreth and Tom Banton leg before wicket in the space of three balls. The offspinner has now taken 80 wickets in the Championship and is a bowler of rare skill and subtlety. He dismissed Hildreth for 32 when bowling round the wicket to cramp the batsman for room and then accounted for Banton in more conventional style from over the wicket. Both balls turned appreciably but this pitch has not yet behaved sufficiently erratically to send the pitch inspectors into a ferment.Despite a dismal weather forecast there is a large crowd at Taunton, which is only fitting on the first morning of the match which will decide the destiny of the County Championship. Sky are covering the game and there is a bevy of radio commentaries, both local and national. Everyone is focused closely on the immediate moment and the destiny of the greatest prize in English domestic cricket. In order to accommodate other media, the written press are housed in Portakabins, just as they were when Tom Abell made his maiden first-class century four sweet summers ago. That rehousing was necessitated by the construction of the Somerset pavilion, which is only the latest of Taunton’s new buildings and, in a glorious piece of eccentricity, the fourth of its pavilions.And yet, even on a ground so obviously clothed in modernity, the past exerts a powerful hold, an effect achieved not simply by the large pictures and brief biographies of Somerset cricketers which are placed every few yards on the perimeter wall and inside the Ondaatje Pavilion. Somerset’s history is fondly remembered partly because the county has been freakishly lucky in the quality of its cricket writers, many of whom worked in the old press box with its high desks and its scant acknowledgement of technological change.This was a good day for Essex. Sam Cook removed Murali Vijay and Steve Davies inside the first 20 minutes of the morning and when the predicted rain arrived at 12.10pm Somerset were 75 for 4. Their chances of posting the sort of total that might help them to embarrass their opponents in the remainder of the game have been significantly damaged. Yet this has still been a fine season for Somerset cricket and one wonders what men like David Foot and Alan Gibson might have made of it.Foot worked mainly for newspapers in the West Country and also for the . His books of essays, and , are as good as that form has produced. Rich in knowledge and insight, they capture a cricketer’s character in a phrase. Take this, for example, from “Twelve O’Clock Low”, Foot’s brilliant essay on Bill Andrews:Andrews’ bowling action was known as “Twelve O’Clock High”. The title of the essay refers to the depression with which this fine cricketer was cursed. Foot knew Andrews so well that he was able to see how an apparently extrovert character also suffered the sideswipes of fate.The old wooden stand from which Foot watched countless days of county cricket is gone; the famous Stragglers Bar is gone; and the old press box with those desks and its hot water urn chuntering in the background is gone, too. Yet time was when at least one journalist used to sit in that box comforted by the fact that it was where Foot and Gibson had worked.Alan Gibson’s reports in the were favoured both by those who played the game professionally and those who simply watched it. Sometimes he did not write about the play so much as the experience of attending a match. Railway stations featured as frequently as pavilions, a fact beautifully reflected in a glorious and very honest book, written and edited by Gibson’s son, Anthony, and lovingly produced by Stephen Chalke’s Fairfield imprint.There were occasions when all the inspiration Gibson needed was a chance meeting. Take this from 1971:Gibson concocted fine soubriquets for his favourite cricketers. Robin Jackman was the “Shoreditch Sparrow”; Colin Dredge was the “Demon of Frome”. As one watched Somerset battle away in this game they must win to take their first title, one wondered what Gibson would make of today’s cricketers. Would the Overton twins be “The Instow Monoliths”? Would Jack Leach be “Sainsbury’s Archivist”?But that’s the point about writers so rich in human sympathy and so bounteously endowed with talent as David Foot and Alan Gibson. Their writings live on, even through their palest imitators and even on damp days when the title may be slipping away from Somerset. “The past becomes the present inside your head,” says Margrethe, Niels Bohr’s wife, in Michael Frayn’s play .
Glasgow Rangers form in 2024 has been simply stunning. The Ibrox side have won every single game they have played so far – scoring 24 goals across nine matches while conceding only four – and this is the form of champions-elect.
Of course, there is plenty of time for more twists and turns in the Premiership title race, but Philippe Clement’s side have all the momentum currently.
The Belgian manager has also had to cope without the services of Abdallah Sima, who was arguably one of the Gers' better performers during the first half of the season.
Abdallah Sima’s injury woes
The winger arrived on a season-long loan deal last summer as Michael Beale sought to bolster his attacking options having lost the likes of Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos.
The 22-year-old took time to make his mark, scoring only twice in the opening nine matches of the season, but an injury to Rabbi Matondo gave him the chance to cement his spot on the left flank, and he took it.
Abdallah Sima
Between the end of September and the start of January, Sima went on to score 13 goals and register two assists as the Light Blues secured progression from the Europa League group stages while winning the League Cup.
Disaster struck when he was on international duty at the recent Africa Cup of Nations competition, however. Sima was struck down with a thigh injury and Clement lamented that the player was going to be out “long term” in what was a significant blow for the youngster and the rest of the team.
The Gers went out and signed winger Oscar Cortes from RC Lens on a loan deal until the end of the season, and he could soon prove to be an adequate replacement for Sima.
Oscar Cortes could replace Abdallah Sima
The young Colombian has already made five appearances for the club, and it looks like an inspired signing by Clement, especially judging by his early impressions.
He grabbed an assist on his Scottish Cup debut against Ayr United, while his performance during the second half of the recent 3-1 win over Ross County was a joy to behold.
The 20-year-old was brought on for Matondo at the interval and spent the second half looking to open his account with the Ibrox side.
Indeed, Cortes took five shots in total, missed two big chances, played four key passes, and succeeded with one of his three dribble attempts during his 45-minute cameo.
Despite his efforts, he didn’t score or provide an assist, but his willingness to get involved with the majority of their attacks suggested he could be key in the title race.
The Gers will need all their experienced players to take the lead and help the youngsters over the coming months, especially with the club now in a proper title race.
Imagine then, if Clement could call on a former Rangers wizard instead of Cortes on the left wing? One who won two league titles during his six-year spell in Glasgow – Peter Lovenkrands.
How much Rangers paid for Peter Lovenkrands
Following another season of success for the Light Blues during 1999/00, Dick Advocaat sought to add some more talent to his already bulging squad in order to claim a third league crown in a row.
New arrivals included the likes of Kenny Miller, Bert Konterman and Fernando Ricksen, but it was a little-known Danish attacker who would capture the hearts of the Ibrox faithful over the next few years.
Peter Lovenkrands for Rangers
Lovenkrands cost Advocaat just £1.3m from Danish side Akademisk Boldklub and considering how much the club had splurged on players since the Dutchman took charge in 1998, this represented a wonderful bargain for a young talent who would only improve.
The Danish winger would go on to repay this fee a few times over with his goals and performances helping the club win plenty of major honours.
Peter Lovenkrands would thrive under Philippe Clement
The former Rangers' winger tended to use his blistering pace to surge past opposition defenders with ease, while he was also excellent in the penalty area, being able to score from a multitude of positions.
He failed to score in his maiden season in Glasgow but exploded onto the scene during the 2001/02 campaign.
He registered six goals and six assists, yet none was more important than his added-time winner against Celtic in the 2002 Scottish Cup final to secure a 3-2 win for the Light Blues.
43
18
23
4
32
10
30
10
26
6
9
0
Over the next four seasons, Lovenkrands would score 42 goals for the Gers while winning five major trophies, and he emerged as one of the finest attacking talents in the country.
His ability to float between a slot on the left flank or as a centre-forward allowed him to demonstrate his skills across the frontline and his versatility was arguably his biggest asset.
Clement would thus be able to play him over Cyriel Dessers, for example, or to replace Cortes out wide, while having a player who could score important goals.
The Dane ended up playing in the Premier League for Newcastle United and his former Magpie icon Alan Shearer lauded the winger, saying:
“I know he made a big impression when he first came here, and I thought he started well against Chelsea before he had the injury.
“He can play in a few positions, and has scored a couple of important goals. If we need him, hopefully he can do the same again.”
It’s fair to say that Lovenkrands is still fondly remembered at Ibrox, especially for his goals against Celtic, and the Gers desperately need someone who can give them that edge against their Old Firm rivals, having lost their two previous clashes against them this term.
Blast from the Past
Football FanCast's Blast from the Past series takes a trip down memory lane. Do any of your classic icons of days gone by fit into a modern-day starting XI?
In an ideal world, the former Denmark international would link up with the likes of Todd Cantwell and Fabio Silva to create a devastating attack.
Alas, supporters of a certain age can only dream of what damage Lovenkrands would do to Premiership defences across the country this season if he was in his prime.
Tottenham Hotspur have invested a hefty amount of money since the arrival of boss Ange Postecoglou from Celtic back in June last year.
Owner Daniel Levy has invested around £232m on players over the last eight months, with the signings of players such as Brennan Johnson from Nottingham Forest and James Maddison from relegated Leicester City.
The spending continued into the January transfer window, with the signing of centre-back Radu Dragusin from Genoa for a fee in the region of £25m – with the Romanian rejecting a move to Bayern Munich for a move to north London.
Despite the big investment in recent times, Spurs could be about to splash more cash in the summer as Postecoglou looks to continue his rebuild of the Tottenham first-team squad.
adam-wharton-james-maddison-tottenham-opinion
Spurs eyeing ambitious summer swoop
Earlier this week, reports from Spain suggested that Postecoglou's side had submitted a sensational bid in the region of £51m for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong.
The 26-year-old joined the Spanish side for £73m from Ajax in July 2019, with the midfielder establishing himself as one of the best talents in recent years.
Despite Spurs' recent approach for the Dutchman, it appears it may take a higher fee to tempt Barça into any deal for the midfielder.
Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong
Goal reported this week that despite Spurs' bid for De Jong, it may take an offer of up to £85m before Xavi's side even negotiate a deal with any club interested in signing one of their prized assets.
However, with De Jong only having two years on his contract, the club may want to sell the former Ajax man before his price decreases. Given Barça's recent financial struggles, they may be forced to sell some of their key players whether they want to stay in Spain or not.
How De Jong compares to Christian Eriksen
There aren't many players that have had an impact like Christian Eriksen did during his seven-year stint at Tottenham, with the Danish midfielder scoring 69 times in 305 appearances in north London.
One of his best seasons for the club was during the 2017/18 Premier League campaign, where the former Ajax man achieved double figures for his goals and assists – with his set pieces playing a real part in his success.
Compare that to De Jong's tally so far this campaign, with the Dutchman scoring once and yet to register a single assist in La Liga. This isn't a surprise given the Barça man is often utilised as a box-to-box midfielder in comparison to Eriksen, who was more of a number 10 behind Harry Kane.
Christian Eriksen while playing for Tottenham
Given the role of De Jong, he sees a lot more of the ball and is more accurate with his passes than Eriksen was during the 2017/18 campaign. Although Eriksen achieved an exceptional number of assists, he trails the current Barça midfielder when comparing their respective pass completion rates.
The Dane averaged a 77% pass completion rate during his wonderful season. However, Barça's "incredible" midfielder – as dubbed by his boss Xavi – has averaged 91% blowing the former fan-favourite out of the water – ranking him within the top 3% of midfielders in Europe this year.
Manchester United transfer target Frenkie de Jong in action for Barcelona.
With the Dutch international operating slightly deeper, it allows for him to progress the play – a potential perfect fit to play behind Spurs' magician Maddison. De Jong's averaged 3.3 progressive carries this campaign, one more per game than Eriksen, with the Barça man once again ranking within the top 3% in Europe's top five leagues.
That said, in the last few years the Dane has started playing in a deeper role, similar to De Jong, with plenty of similarities on offer last term when Eriksen moved to Manchester United. They both register a similar number of key passes and shot-creating actions from central areas while their preference to stay back is illuminated by their touches in the offensive third of the play.
Frenkie de Jong vs Christian Eriksen: 2022/23
Stat (per 90 mins)
De Jong
Eriksen
Goals + Assists
0.21
0.39
Pass Success
91%
81%
Key Passes
1.60
1.58
Progressive Passes
9.89
7.19
Shot-creating Actions
3.91
3.12
Goal-creating Actions
0.39
0.39
Tackles Won
0.92
0.79
Touches (attacking third)
21.5
20.4
Stats via FBref.
With Tottenham looking to go to the next level under the guidance of Postecoglou, De Jong could well prove to be the final player to complete the Greek-Aussie's midfield transformation.
The Seleccao goalkeeper basically saved his skipper's international career with three brilliant stops in a 3-0 shootout win in Frankfurt
From tears to triumph in the space of about 20 minutes – Cristiano Ronaldo has had quite the career, but he's never known an evening like this. The Portugal captain looked a broken man after missing a penalty in Monday night's Euro 2024 last-16 clash with Slovenia, unable to control his emotions as his team-mates tried to rally around him.
In the end, it was Diogo Costa who came to his aid, keeping Portugal in the competition by bettering Benjamin Sesko in a one-on-one with in the closing stages of extra-time, before making three sensational saves in the shootout that followed this most dramatic of 0-0 draws.
Credit to Ronaldo, he had shown impressive strength in composing himself sufficiently to take – and score – his penalty, and he even immediately apologised to the fans for his earlier miss. Seconds later, he was thanking Costa from the bottom of his heart for extending an international career that looked to end in embarrassment, with the five-time Ballon d'Or winner having wasted one chance after another during normal time.
Below, GOAL rates all of the Portugal players on show as Roberto Martinez's men set up a quarter-final showdown with France after a dramatic 3-0 win over Slovenia on penalties…
Getty Images
Goalkeeper & Defence
Diogo Costa (9/10):
While Slovakia occasionally threatened on the break, the Seleccao shot-stopper actually had very little to do before making a massive save from Sesko in the dying minutes of extra-time. Then stepped up big time in the shootout.
Joao Cancelo (7.5/10):
Wound the clock back a couple of years with a dynamic display on the right-hand side. Indeed, Cancelo was actually far more dangerous than Bernardo Silva, particularly during the second half, when he appeared capable of beating defenders at will. Lucky to get away with a poor touch in a dangerous area, though.
Ruben Dias (7/10):
A pretty comfortable evening for the Manchester City man, who was typically dominant in the air and distributed the ball well, but when called upon, he made a vital block on a Verbic shot.
Pepe (4/10):
Nowhere near as commanding as he looked in the group stage. He passed the ball straight out of play at one point and was blessed that Sesko twice wasted incredible chances after first exposing Pepe's lack of pace, and then pouncing on a mistake. Taken off far later than he should have been.
Nuno Mendes (7/10):
Linked well with Leao down the left flank and also got back brilliantly to cut out a very dangerous Slovenian cut-back at one point.
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Midfield
Vitinha (7/10):
Strangely sacrificed for Jota. Had been so strong and precise in possession. Slovenia just couldn't knock him off the ball.
Joao Palhinha (7.5/10):
Did an incredible job in front of the back four. Made seven tackles in the first half alone and won the vast majority of his duels. Also went close with a good header.
Getty
Attack
Bernardo Silva (6/10):
Put over some terrific crosses from the right wing and created a lot of time, space and openings for Cancelo. But there was no end product, which is often the case with Bernardo in a Seleccao shirt. Still, his penalty won the game for his country.
Bruno Fernandes (5.5/10):
Arguably the biggest victim of Portugal's set-up. On paper, deployed as a No.10 but usually found in much deeper positions. Eventually moved back into midfield when Vitinha went off. Created more chances than anyone else on the field but also lost possession more than anyone else (40 times!). Made no mistake with his penalty, at least.
Rafael Leao (7/10):
We finally saw the real Leao in Germany, in the first half at least. With his pace and dribbling skills, the AC Milan attacker tormented Slovenia's defenders to such an extent that two of them ended up in the book. His influence waned in the second half but still entitled to wonder whywas taken off with 15 minutes to go.
Cristiano Ronaldo (3/10):
Looked dangerous in the first half but his efforts on goal became increasingly farcical and counter-productive. He was quite visibly far too fired up and his emotions clouded his judgement. His attempt to score from a free-kick wide on the left wing was as ridiculous as it was wasteful. Should have been saved from himself before his penalty miss prompted an in-game, Gazza-like meltdown – but he still showed admirable courage to take the first spot-kick in the shootout.
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Subs & Manager
Diogo Jota (7.5/10):
Introduced midway through the second half, slotting in alongside Ronaldo up top. He created a great chance for his skipper, too, but it was unsurprisingly squandered, as was the penalty he won with a tremendous surge right at the heart of the Slovenia defence. Deserves to start against France – but probably won't…
Francisco Conceicao (5/10):
Took over on the left wing from Leao and later moved to the right. Did little on either side, though he was neat and tidy on the ball.
Nelson Semedo (N/A):
Only came on with three minutes to go.
Ruben Neves (N/A):
Part of a late, late double-substitution with Semedo.
Roberto Martinez (3/10):
If you can't be good, be lucky! Martinez is blessed with a great group of players, but their performances to date have been so disappointing. Slovenia were excellent defensively, but his refusal to take off Ronaldo is just laughable at this stage. A last-16 game was basically allowed to become all about one team's attempts to get their captain on the scoresheet – and that reflects horribly on Martinez. It's going to be fascinating to see how he lines his team up against France!
Brazil coach Dorival Junior acknowledged the disappointment after his team lost a Copa America quarter-final penalty shootout against Uruguay.
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Coach reacts to Brazil's Copa America exitSelecao knocked out after one win in four gamesOptimistic over team's future potentialWHAT HAPPENED?
Dorival Jr. spoke openly following the 4-2 defeat from the spot, which came after a 0-0 draw over 120 minutes, admitting that responsibility lies with him as coach. Brazil also played with a man advantage for the last 15 minutes after Uruguay's Nahitan Nandez was sent off, only adding to the shock factor.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE
With a squad filled with glittering talent like Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo and Endrick, Brazil were favourites to win the Copa America. But Dorival's team underwhelmed in the group stage, beating only Paraguay and settling for draws against both Costa Rica and Colombia. It meant they finished second behind Colombia in the group standings and ended up with a tougher quarter-final against Uruguay as a result. Meanwhile, Colombia faced Panama and breezed through to the semis with a 5-0 win.
WHAT DORIVAL JR. SAID
Dorival Jr. said: "This type of work requires a great amount of patience. I do have to acknowledge that these weren't the expected results, and I take full responsibility for them, but I do think as well that this team has great room to grow and evolve and improve."
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DID YOU KNOW?
Brazil's last Copa America triumph came in 2019 – a ninth triumph in the competition's storied history – but their wait for a milestone 10th continential victory will have to wait until at least 2028. Prior to 2024, Argentina and Uruguay hold the joint record for most trophies with 15 each.
Victory at The Oval provides upbeat send-off for coach who delivered England’s maiden World Cup success
Andrew Miller15-Sep-2019Trevor Bayliss says that his proudest achievement as England coach was to over-see the “change of attitude” in England’s white-ball cricket that laid the groundwork for this summer’s maiden World Cup victory, as his four-year tenure ended with a 135-run win in the fifth and final Test against Australia at The Oval.Bayliss’s appointment by Andrew Strauss, back in 2015, came off the back of England’s dismal showing in that year’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, with the express remit of delivering a side that could win the next tournament, in four years’ time, on home soil.That goal was achieved in spectacular fashion in a final for the ages against New Zealand at Lord’s in July, a result that Bayliss described as the “cherry on the top” of his time in charge of England’s various squads.”A change of attitude [was required],” Bayliss told Sky Sports at the end of the Oval Test. “A change of the way we played the game. Looking back to the 2015 World Cup, England probably played the game in a little bit of an old-fashioned way, and [my role] was about bringing in players that were more attuned to playing the more modern style of game.”But it was about attitude as well, about the knowledge that whoever won that World Cup was going to have to play some bold cricket, and we stuck to our guns through those four years, and through some tough periods as well.”That allowed us to have some tough conversations with the boys, but they stuck to what they believed in and in the way they played, even though over a period of time thet learned how to adapt to situations.”In Test cricket, Bayliss’s record was more hit and miss – as an overall record of 27 victories and 25 losses in 59 matches shows. However, that same character that carried England to World Cup glory was evident at key moments of the Ashes – not least at Headingley, where Ben Stokes produced a performance for the ages to keep the series alive.ALSO READ ‘I want to be the man to bring back the Ashes’ – Joe RootBayliss’s role in helping Stokes to achieve his potential was lauded by Joe Root at the end of the contest – he was a key influence both in the wake of Stokes’ non-selection for the 2015 World Cup and subsequently in his rehabilitation after the Bristol incident in September 2017. But Bayliss insisted that the credit for his rise belonged to the player himself.”Look, I think Ben’s his own greatest success,” he said. “Coaches can only lead a team or players in in a certain direction but, in the end, it’s up to that player or those players to actually grab hold of that situation and be the ones to improve. And I think Ben, on and off the field, is growing unbelievably well.”One of the key selections of England’s summer was Jofra Archer, who bowled the decisive Super Over in the World Cup final, and also picked up 22 wickets in a stellar Ashes campaign, one that included the savage blow to the head that left Steve Smith with concussion in the Lord’s Test.Asked how England should seek to manage Archer, whose skills make him an automatic pick in all formats, Bayliss warned that it would be a “difficult and delicate” balance to protect him against burn-out, particularly given what an incisive and hard-working option he had been to Root throughout the Ashes.”I think maybe in Test cricket, I know Joe had relied on him to go with some longer spells this series, but I think looking forward it might be a case that he comes in a little bit shorter spells,” he said. “Four or five overs. Come on, bowl a few thunderbolts, and have a rest and then come back on a little bit later.”Reflecting on the final Ashes scoreline of 2-2, Bayliss said that pride had been at stake in the final Test even though the urn was out of reach, and the team had been motivated to end the summer on a high.”It was a fantastic effort,” he said. “Obviously we weren’t able to win it, but the boys had some pride at stake, and this new Test Championship [was added motivation]. It was a great effort and I thought we showed a lot of character.”I think 2-2 was a fair reflection,” he added. “We certainly didn’t play as well in the very first Test at Edgbaston when we had them 8 for 120, and Steve Smith played a wonderful innings, as good as Stokes in the third Test. So it’s a bit hard to be too disappointed.”
As he prepares to take charge as the BCCI president, former India captain Sourav Ganguly has said the welfare of the country’s domestic players will be his foremost priority. Ganguly, who is set to become the first president of BCCI since the board adopted the reforms recommended by the Lodha Committee, said he had no idea that he would emerge as the favourite in the presidential race, but said he would accept the “challenge”.He is already ready with his to-do list. “We will speak to everyone first as we take a decision, but my biggest priority will be to look after first-class cricketers,” Ganguly told PTI in the early hours of Monday.Ganguly said he had asked the Committee of Administrators (CoA) to provide financial security for domestic cricketers when the panel was appointed by the Supreme Court to supervise the BCCI and help it implement the reforms. “I have been requesting that to the CoA for three years. That’s the first thing I will do, look after the financial health of our first-class cricketers.”Ganguly admitted he was surprised at the turn of events at the meeting on Sunday in Mumbai, which was arranged by the powerbrokers of the board led by former BCCI presidents N Srinivasan and Anurag Thakur.ALSO READ: Sourav Ganguly likely to take over as BCCI presidentGanguly said he was a newcomer to the board politics and witnessed firsthand how quickly things change. Earlier on Sunday he felt former India opener Brijesh Patel was likely to become the BCCI president. However, a few hours later he emerged as the favourite, receiving the backing of the two former BCCI presidents, Srinivasan and Thakur. “I didn’t know I would be the president when I came down. You [reporters] asked me and I told you it’s Brijesh and when I went up, I came to know it has changed. I have never been in a BCCI election and I never knew it worked like this.”Ganguly did not want to dwell too much on the strong likelihood of him emerging as the sole nomination for the president’s post. As per the timeline laid out by the BCCI’s electoral officer, today is the deadline to file nominations for the five office bearers’ positions: president, secretary, joint-secretary, treasurer and one vice-president.”Whether unopposed or not, there has to be a responsibility as it is the biggest organisation in world cricket,” Ganguly said. “Financially, India is a cricketing powerhouse, so it will be a challenge.”He said the new job would be daunting but nothing compared to leading India on the field. “Nothing can beat being an India captain,” he said.One challenge for Ganguly could be the limited time he likely has as BCCI president. According to the new BCCI constitution, an officer bearer has to undergo a cooling-off period of three years if he has completed six consecutive years at state association and/or BCCI level. Ganguly has been an office bearer at the Cricket Association of Bengal (where he was recently re-elected as president) for five-plus years, and so he has about 10 months left before the cooling-off period should come into effect.For now, Ganguly is looking at the bigger picture. “I am taking over at a time when the BCCI has not been in greatest of position for the last three years. Its image has got hampered quite a lot. It’s a great opportunity for me to do something good.”