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Pakistan lose 6 for 38 in small chase before No. 11 debutant Fatima hits boundary off the penultimate delivery to seal one-wicket win

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Mar-2018

International Cricket Council

ScorecardPakistan women maintained their all-win record on tour in Sri Lanka – they swept the ODIs 3-0 – but endured a fair few nerves en route a chase they looked set to kill very easily in Colombo. Cruising at 89 for 3 in 12 overs chasing 130, they lost six for 38 to set up a thrilling finish. In the end, No. 11 Ghulam Fatima, on T20I debut, hit the penultimate ball for a boundary to help Pakistan record their highest chase in the format.Sugandika Kumari, the left-arm spinner, orchestrated the collapse to pick three wickets, including that of Javeria Khan, but not before she smashed the fastest T20I fifty for a Pakistani woman. By then, Pakistan were within touching distance even though they kept losing wickets.Bismah Maroof, the captain and No. 3, helped consolidate early in the innings with a brisk 31-ball 42 that set the tone of the chase. With these two innings knocking off nearly three quarter of the target, the others needed to just chip in, which they barely managed in the end.That Sri Lanka were able to make a match of this was courtesy Anushka Sanjeewani’s maiden T20 half-century. Playing in just her eighth T20I, she struck eight fours in her 58-ball 61 at the top of the order, even as Sri Lanka endured a top-order collapse that reduced them to 38 for 5 in the ninth over. Sana Mir, the offspinner, and Diana Baig, the medium pacer, picked up four of those wickets between them to maintain a stranglehold over proceedings.Sanjeewani found support from Nilakshi de Silva, the No. 7 batsman, whose unbeaten 34-ball 35 during the course of a 84-run stand off just 11.5 overs helped Sri Lanka stage a remarkable recovery. Sanjeewani looked set to carry her bat through, but was run out off the penultimate delivery of the innings.

Tottenham Hotspur fell to their first Premier League defeat of the season in exceptional circumstances against Chelsea on Monday night, but Ange Postecoglou's side only strengthened their title-challenging credentials.

Two red cards and two injuries made for a miserable night, losing 4-1 to the Blues, but Spurs now sit just one point off Manchester City in first place and have eclipsed expectations following last term's woes.

The club owes the entirety of its budding renaissance to Postecoglou's leadership, taking the reins and guiding Tottenham back to the path after wandering astray last year.

The free-spirited Australian has revived the existing withered crop and fertilised the home ground's grass with impactful additions, and while the emphasis will be on challenging for a spot at the top of the table, it's clear that fresh faces will be needed to fight against forces such as Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool.

Tottenham transfer news

According to TEAMtalk, Leicester City face a battle to rebuff interest from Tottenham and Newcastle United who are plotting a bid for tough-tackling midfielder Wilfred Ndidi, a player key to the Foxes' push for promotion this season.

The Championship table-toppers have been immense this season following relegation, and while Leicester are desperate to keep a hold on their star midfielder, the level of suitors will make this difficult.

Further Premier League outfits Aston Villa and Brentford have registered intrigue, while overseas Atletico Madrid and Barcelona monitor the Nigerian's situation in Spain.

The £11m-rated midfielder – as valued by Football Transfers – is out of contract at the end of the season and has so far not agreed to a renewal with Enzo Maresca's side.

Spurs might be tempted to offer a contract and snap him up on a free transfer, but given the throng of attentive parties, it might be prudent to tie up a move swiftly for a cut-price fee.

Wilfred Ndidi's style of play

Leicester signed Ndidi from Belgian side Genk for around £15m in 2017, and he has since made 252 appearances (192 in the Premier League), scoring 14 goals and providing 16 assists, winning the FA Cup and Community Shield under Brendan Rodgers' tutelage.

Typically a defensive midfielder, Ndidi has demonstrated a more creative side to his arsenal this year, ranking among the top 1% of positional peers across divisions similar to the Championship for assists, the top 17% for shot-creating actions, the top 14% for progressive carries and the top 1% for touches in the attacking box per 90, as per FBref.

This kind of multi-functionality would be the perfect commodity to strengthen the Tottenham centre, which already boasts exciting options in Yves Bissouma, Pape Matar Sarr and Rodrigo Bentancur.

Wilfred Ndidi: Characteristics
Strengths	Weaknesses
Interceptions	Concentration
Blocking
Tackling
Short passing
Threat on the counter
*Sourced via WhoScored

A dynamic and energetic player, Ndidi could be a tailor-made arrival for Postecoglou's Tottenham, and while the 53-cap star has struggled with injury over the past few years, he would not be expected to play every minute in London, which actually works out well for all parties involved.

How Wilfred Ndidi would fit in at Tottenham

This season, Ndidi has played 15 times across all competitions for City, plundering three goals and four assists, having created 1.3 key passes per game, completed 79% of his passes in total, and also averaging 1.5 tackles and 3.5 ball recoveries per outing, as per Sofascore.

Such numbers are not the most robust, but that is not to say that he has been performing at a substandard level; far from it.

For example, Spurs' Sarr is averaging 5.6 ball recoveries and 1.1 key passes per game in the league this term, while also completing 90% of his passes in a similar role.

But Ndidi has failed to start more than 20 matches across both of his previous Premier League campaigns, and on an individual level is perhaps benefitting from Leicester's relegation, given that he can rebuild his former vigour against lesser opposition, thriving instead of floundering against the threat of relegation.

Postecoglou would be the perfect manager to bring the midfield "machine” – as he has been dubbed by BBC Sport analyst Raj Chohan – back to his peak, and the £51k-per-week star has more than proved his ability for City in the past.

Still only 26-years-old, Ndidi would also emulate his former teammate James Maddison in making the move to Tottenham, perhaps taking the next level in his development much like the England international, who is an early contender for the Premier League's Player of the Season.

James Maddison's season by numbers

Having lacked a creative midfielder despite scoring 70 goals in the Premier League last season – the fifth-highest total in the division – Tottenham moved swiftly in the summer transfer window to bypass Newcastle United's interest – who were "frontrunners" at one stage – and sign Maddison from Leicester City for £40m.

The Foxes had been relegated after a terrible campaign, but Maddison performed superlatively as his side's playmaker, scoring ten goals and supplying nine assists from just 29 starting appearances in the English top-flight.

Since his summer switch, Maddison has carried over his best attributes and developed them into something greater, homing his craft and now comfortably sitting as one of Europe's finest attacking midfielders, having posted three goals and five assists so far.

Having won the Premier League Player of the Month award for August and has been noted for being "on fire" by Sky Sports pundit Aaron Lennon

As per FBref, Maddison ranks among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 1% for shot-creating actions and the top 5% for progressive passes per 90.

The £170k-per-week maestro has been immense under Postecoglou's management, and Ndidi could be the next to rise to prominence in north London by departing from the King Power Stadium.

In an industrious, deeper role, Ndidi would offer the requisite depth for Postecoglou's illustrious vision, and could rekindle a bond with Maddison that saw the pair glean the FA Cup and Community Shield, enhancing and shaping that pursuit of greener pastures.

County cricket’s finest overseas signing talks of how he had to leave his country to get his due, and the change religion has made to his life and career

Sriram Veera14-Oct-2008

Going out with a bang: Mushy leads Sussex off the field after taking 13 wickets in their last game of his penultimate county season, 2007 © Getty Images
Some 15 minutes into our chat Mushtaq Ahmed sums his philosophy up in a nutshell: “You can’t buy respect with wickets.” Self-respect and right conduct are recurring themes through the conversation, and they figure prominently in the explanations for his absence from the Pakistan team during the years he shone for Sussex. So does talk of his faith, of course.The obvious question is thrown across early: How come he was not playing for Pakistan during his successful Sussex period? In 2003 Mushtaq became the first bowler in five years to take 100 wickets in an English season, helping end Sussex’s 164-year wait for the County Championship. He repeated the feat in 2006, and then took 90 wickets in the next season, taking Sussex to a two more titles, before retiring to play in the ICL. His last appearance for his country, though, came in 2003.”I didn’t get a single phone call when I played all those years for Sussex,” Mushtaq says. He isn’t bitter, however. “I have no regrets. I am at complete peace with my career and life. I have never ever criticised anybody and I won’t do it, but I am just raising this point so that the people know what was their mistake.”We are in an elegant mahogany-panelled room in a plush five-star hotel in Hyderabad, where Mushtaq is playing in the ICL for the Lahore Badshahs, led by his friend Inzamam-ul-Haq. When Mushy, smiling, robed in a flowing , came gliding in, looking serene, the room grew quiet immediately.Mushtaq rarely raises his voice through the interview, even when he has a strong point to make – and especially when it happens to be against the Pakistan board. If the board or selectors didn’t call him, couldn’t Inzamam, as the captain, have supported Mushtaq’s case? “I never asked him why I was not playing and he has never told me. He backed Danish Kaneria. Our base of friendship was never about cricket and it will never be, Inshallah. I never want any favours from my friends.”So just why does he think he wasn’t called by the selectors? “You have to go see them, say hi to them. It’s never about your ability. It’s everything to do with your contacts, and I don’t believe in that. People in the board think, ‘He has to come to us.’ They have ego.”Maybe I have my ego too,” he says with a smile, but quickly retracts, unhappy at the choice of word. It’s against his faith. “Ego is a bad word. For me it was about self-respect and morals.””When I have performed why should I go and tell them? Once, someone asked me why I was not playing. I told them I was playing in the domestics. I was the captain and the highest wicket taker. That is the best answer I can give – performance, right? In Pakistan you have to go see the selectors, say hi to them. It’s never about your ability. It’s everything to do with your contacts, and I don’t believe in that “He said, ‘You are not showing interest.’ I said, ‘How does one does that?’ He told me to go and tell them [selectors, board], ‘I want to play.'”I don’t want to do that. I played these games and got so many wickets. What does that show, that I don’t want to play for my country?”How did he handle that phase of his career? “I got my best support from religion,” Mushtaq says. “Once, the Prophet Mohammed’s companion asked him, ‘Who is the strongest among us?’ And he said, ‘The strongest is the one who forgives the other.’ That struck me a great deal. You tell me how difficult it is not to take revenge.”Talk turns to Kaneria and the words “decline” and “detractors” slip out. Mushtaq’s response is revealing of the man. “I have always backed Danish. There is no decline.” A slight pause before he adds, “He has taken 200 wickets in 47 or 48 Test matches. He was the quickest Pakistan spinner to get 200 wickets. He or Saqlain.” (Saqlain, as it happens, who reached the mark in 46 Tests, one less than Kaneria.)”And then on the other side there are bowlers who have not performed for Pakistan but still get more recognition. I don’t want to name them.”Shoaib Akhtar, maybe?”I don’t want to mention. People can guess. They will have a fair idea. Danish is not getting the recognition and respect he deserves. If the guy is performing well, taking wickets, and you get him down from the A category in the contracts to C, then what does that mean?” It’s a statement, not a question.Respect cuts both ways
We move on to the reasons for his success in county cricket. “The environment,” is the quick answer. “I was enjoying it. It’s like you want to go back home after a hard day’s work – you know your parents or your wife will make you happy and less tired. In Sussex I didn’t even have to ask, ‘Where are my socks?’ Everything was organised. If my family had problems, there was a guy who would take them to the doctor. So I didn’t have any worries, and I started enjoying it more and more. It’s natural that if you take care of me, I will do my best as well.”For their part, the English fell in love with Mushtaq too. After he retired, at least one newspaper wondered if he was the finest foreign player in county cricket history.”It’s a great honour for me,” Mushtaq says. “Last year Peter Moores left his practice and made a speech for me. I was very emotional and thanked Allah. Now they are organising a dinner for me, in January or February.”

“You realise destiny is not in your hand” © PA Photos
He tries to be analytical about why he got the respect and acclaim he did. “Obviously my performance was good, but more importantly the way you behave is very important. You can get five wickets, but if you are bad in the dressing room then you cannot get that respect. It doesn’t matter how big a player you are. You’ve got to respect others, be loyal to the team. Hopefully I have done that.”I was given a Citizen of the Year award. The previous year Fatboy Slim got it. I was the only Pakistani – in fact, the first foreigner to get that award. You don’t get that respect with wickets.”Finding my religion
How did the change from a boisterous young cricketer to this serene alter ego come about? Some have said the match-fixing controversy of the 1990s damaged Mushtaq, and that his religious turn was inspired by a desire for redemption.He only offers a lack of peace of mind as the reason. “I had got wickets, I had played for Pakistan, but peace was missing. If you have a new car and are getting worried that someone will smash it, then what’s the use of that car?”It was a former team-mate who first sowed the seeds of faith in Mushtaq. “Zulqarnain – you remember the Sharjah game where [Javed] Miandad hit that last ball six? He was the wicketkeeper – had turned religious and took lots of effort to teach me. He said we would have to leave this world sooner rather than later. ‘Have you prepared for the last world?’ he asked me.”I did take a little bit of time. He was a big influence. Then, of course, Saeed Anwar. The real change came after the 1999 World Cup.”Mushtaq’s concern about the afterlife has had a big impact on his here and now. It has helped his cricket flourish. “I didn’t worry about the results. You realise destiny is not in your hand. I started to enjoy the game more.”There is a prayer I say a lot: ‘Oh mighty Allah, show me the direction that you like and not what I like.’ As human beings, we make mistakes.”On that note, the chat is over and he gets up as he spots Rana Naved-ul-Hasan. “Rana, ” (Isn’t it time for Let’s go.)

In May, Football Insider reported that Leeds United were not planning to build their attack around Dutch centre-forward Joel Piroe in the Premier League next season.

It claimed that the Whites have doubts over his ability to make the step up to the top-flight as the first-choice number nine, but we are two months further on and no marquee striker signing has arrived at Elland Road.

Leeds had been linked with an interest in Brighton forward Evan Ferguson this summer, but he is now reportedly in talks to join Roma on an initial loan deal.

This means that the Ireland international may be one name that has to be crossed off the club’s shortlist of options to lead the line for Daniel Farke next season.

Leeds could make new offer for Serie A striker

Missing out on Ferguson to the Serie A giants may not be a major concern for the Championship champions, though, because they are keen on signing an even better striker who is already playing in Italy.

Transfer Focus

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

According to La Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno, Leeds United remain interested in a deal to sign Lecce centre-forward Nikola Krstovic to bolster their attack this summer, after seeing a bid turned down earlier in the window.

The report claims that the Whites are in the ‘background’ in the race to sign the Montenegro international at the moment, because he would prefer to stay in Italy or play for a team in a European competition.

However, the outlet adds that Leeds will make a new offer to bring the striker to England later in the window if he does not move elsewhere in the coming weeks, in the hope that the player will change his mind.

Why Leeds should sign Krstovic

If the Whites can convince the £21m-rated number nine to make the move to Elland Road, Farke could land an even better striker option than Ferguson for his side next term.

Krstovic has played for Lecce in the Serie A in the last two seasons and has proven his ability to find the back of the net at an impressive rate in one of Europe’s major leagues.

The 25-year-old Leeds target ended the 2024/25 season with an eye-catching haul of 11 goals in 37 games in the Serie A for Lecce, which is more goals than Ferguson has ever managed in a single senior campaign.

Season

23/24

24/25

23/24

24/24

Appearances

27

21

35

37

Goals

6

1

7

11

Minutes per goal

231

418

345

279

Big chances created

1

2

4

5

Assists

0

0

1

5

As you can see in the table above, Krstovic has outscored Ferguson by 11 goals at league level in the past two seasons, whilst also creating six more ‘big chances’ for his teammates.

These statistics suggest that the Lecce forward, who was hailed as “integral” by former boss Roberto D’Aversa, would be a much better signing for the Whites for next season, as he appears more likely to have what it takes to make a significant impact in front of goal on a regular basis.

At the age of 20, Ferguson is still learning and developing as a player, which is why he would have been a risky signing for the club. Krstovic, however, is in the prime years of his career at the age of 25 and could hit the ground running at Elland Road.

Therefore, the Whites should be doing everything possible to convince the player to ditch Italy for England this summer to bolster Farke’s options in the number nine position, as the Montenegro international could be the proven goalscorer they are looking for.

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Piroe is yet to score a goal in one of Europe’s major leagues in his career and the aforementioned report from Football Insider stated that there are doubts over his ability, which is why Leeds should sign Krstovic to fill that spot in the team.

Tottenham Hotspur will be expected to be fighting for Europe once again next season, with Thomas Frank the man who’s been tasked with taking the side back up the table.

The Dane was appointed as the Lilywhites’ new boss last month after owner Daniel Levy decided to fork out £10m to prise him out of his contract at Brentford.

He’s showcased in the Premier League that he’s capable of overachieving, helping the Bees register a top-half finish despite losing top scorer Ivan Toney last summer.

He will likely have much bigger funds to spend after taking the reins in North London, needing to make the changes he desires if he is to be a success in the role.

Frank has already wasted no time in identifying key options to help him in his quest at the club, already edging ever closer to landing his first signing since replacing Ange Postecoglou.

The latest on Spurs’ hunt for new additions this summer

Mohammed Kudus has been a player of huge interest in recent weeks and a deal for the West Ham United star was officially confirmed by the club on Thursday evening.

£55m appears to be the golden number between the two clubs, with the Ghanaian now arriving as Frank’s first addition this summer.

However, other moves have also been made in recent days, with Morgan Gibbs-White set to put pen to paper after the Lilywhites activated his £60m release clause at Nottingham Forest.

Another Premier League star could be inbound too, with Yoane Wissa potentially following Frank to Spurs, according to BBC Sport.

They claim that talks have been held over a deal to land the Congolese international striker, who managed to score 19 times in his 35 league appearances last campaign.

The report also states that the player himself is extremely keen on a move to link up with his former boss, but they are demanding a fee in the region of £50m to part ways with the 28-year-old this summer.

Why Spurs’ £50m target would be the dream CF for Kudus

Soon-to-be Spurs star Kudus is a player who will undoubtedly bring excitement to the fanbase in North London, given his spell in England with West Ham.

The 24-year-old has registered 19 goals over the last two years since his move from Ajax, often catching the eye with his mazy runs and incredible solo efforts.

He’s often scored numerous times after dribbling past the opposition effortlessly, but arguably his best strike was his bicycle kick against Manchester City in the 2023/24 campaign.

His pending move to the Tottenham Hotspur stadium would be a big-money one, no doubt, but one that would be worth every penny if he can replicate his form from the London Stadium.

Kudus could also link up with Wissa if he also completes a move, with the pair having the prospect of helping the Lilywhites rise up the Premier League table in 2025/26.

The Brentford star, who’s been labelled “remarkable” by journalist Zach Lowy, managed to score four goals with his head last campaign, something which could fall perfectly into the Ghanaian’s hands given his cross success rate of 26% last season.

Wissa also managed to register 1.3 shots on target per 90, able to link up with the £55m addition next season, especially considering his tally of 1.2 chances created per 90.

Games played

35

Goals scored

19

Shots on target per 90

1.3

Aerials won

46%

Pass accuracy

80%

Touches in opposition box

5.2

Fouls won

1.6

The Congolese star has further impressed by winning 46% of the aerials he’s entered, a superb record considering he’s not the tallest of players, standing at just 5”9.

Whilst it may be an expensive addition at around £50m this summer, it’s evident that Wissa would be a phenomenal addition given his previous spell in England’s top-flight.

The prospect of the Brentford talent linking up with Kudus in North London is one for the fanbase to get excited about, with the club potentially possessing two of the division’s leading talents going into 2025/26.

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Leeds United return to action in the Championship this evening as they travel away from Elland Road to take on Rotherham United across Yorkshire.

The Whites have the opportunity to cut the gap between themselves and the top two to within five points before Ipswich Town and Leicester City play their matches, which could put some added pressure on them before they play.

Daniel Farke's side are currently sat in third place and are eight points away from the automatic promotion places as they eye up an instant return to the Premier League.

Leeds have won their last three Championship matches and now come up against a Millers team that have only won two of their 16 league matches and find themselves within the bottom three of the division.

The Whites come into the game against Rotherham off the back of a 2-1 win over Plymouth, thanks to goals from Joel Piroe and Daniel James, prior to the international break.

Farke may have to make some alterations to his starting XI, though, as there are a number of injury situations to contend with heading into tonight's match.

Latest Leeds injury news

The Whites head coach has revealed that Sam Byram and Pascal Struijk have both returned to training this week, ahead of schedule, and could be involved after further assessment.

Djed Spence, Joe Gelhardt, and Jamie Shackleton are all also back and available for selection after their respective injury issues and could return to the squad.

However, Farke has urged for caution with Spence, who has not featured since the 2nd of September, and this does not suggest that the right-back will be thrown straight into the starting XI.

Leeds do look set for a gigantic blow to their side, though, as Georgino Rutter is said to be a major doubt with an abdominal strain, which has prevented him from training this week.

The former Norwich City tactician backed Patrick Bamford to step up in his absence and FFC have predicted the former England international to lead the line tonight.

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However, Farke could benefit from being bold and finally unleashing academy starlet Mateo Joseph alongside Piroe in attack ahead of the underperforming senior centre-forward.

Bamford's season in numbers

The 30-year-old marksman has not made the most of his opportunities off the bench so far this season and came into the 2023/24 campaign off the back of a dismal year in the Premier League.

Bamford scored four goals in 28 top-flight matches as Leeds were relegated back down to the Championship, having been managed by Jesse Marsch, Javi Gracia, and Sam Allardyce.

However, it was not a case of a lack of services coming his way as the former Middlesbrough number nine missed a staggering 13 'big chances' and ended the season with an xG (Expected Goals) of 8.61 in 18 starts.

This term, the English dud has made eight league appearances as a substitute and did not contribute with a single goal or assist for the side in those matches.

Again, the experienced forward, who has lost 67% of his ground duels so far, has not struggled in front of goal due to a lack of opportunities. Bamford has an xG of 1.16 and has missed a penalty – in the 1-0 loss to Stoke City – in those eight games.

This means that the Chelsea academy graduate has scored four goals in his last 36 league outings for the Whites and underperformed his xG by 5.77 in that period.

These woeful statistics do not suggest that Bamford is a reliable performer whom Farke can trust to lead the line effectively against Rotherham this evening, if Rutter is unable to feature.

The left-footed attacker has not shown many, if any, signs of getting back to his best in front of goal and that is why the manager should, instead, take a gamble on a young player – in Joseph – and throw the 20-year-old ace in at the deep end to see if he can swim.

Farke has already showcased his willingness to lean on academy players, as Archie Gray has played 15 Championship matches at the age of 17, and the England U20 international could be the next one to come through the pipeline.

Mateo Joseph's goal record for Leeds

Joseph joined Leeds from Spanish side Espanyol in January of last year and has been in impressive form in English football over the last 21 months or so.

The 5 foot 11 talent, who qualifies to play for England through his father, did not have the best start to life in Yorkshire, though, as he managed two goals and one assist in 11 appearances throughout the 2021/22 campaign for the U18s and U21s combined.

That was followed up with a phenomenal season for the U21s in his first full year with the Whites. The Spanish-born whiz racked up 17 goals and two assists in 24 appearances, which included 16 goals in 21 Premier League 2 outings.

His form was rewarded with 23 minutes of Premier League action across three matches at first-team level, which means that the talented youngster already has some experience of senior football.

Joseph, who has been on the bench twice without featuring in the Championship this season, scored one goal and provided one assist in a Premier League International Cup clash with Hertha BSC II. He has also produced two goals and one assist in two Premier League 2 clashes.

This means that the 20-year-old marksman has plundered 20 goals in 27 U21 matches since the start of last season, compared to Bamford's four goals in 36 league games for Leeds during that period.

The academy starlet's former boss Michael Skubala once hailed him as a "humble" person who is a "threat" for any defence, and the young ace could be a threat to Rotherham's backline if Farke decides to unleash him from the start.

Neither Bamford nor Joseph have the creativity to adequately replace Rutter, who has created a staggering 15 'big chances' for his teammates this season, but the U21s star's goalscoring record suggests that he has the potential to be a better option than the senior centre-forward this evening.

Unai Emery's policy on youth has been clear since taking the reins at Aston Villa. With the signing of young stars like Jhon Duran or the continued integration and development of Jacob Ramsey for example, it's shown that if you're good enough, you're old enough.

Alternatively, there are some that can slip through the Villans' net. A prime example of such is the high-flying Jaden Philogene-Bidace.

Where did Jaden Philogene come from?

Philogene-Bidace, although now playing without that second surname, is an electric 21-year-old winger. Born and raised in west London, Philogene somehow didn't get picked up in a formative academy fashion like so many youngsters in the city.

Instead, he got his start through the Pro: Direct Academy. Here, he shone and had a pick of Football League clubs back in 2018. He settled for Aston Villa and saw three years in the youth setup before making his senior breakthrough in 2021.

While he had shown great tenacity up to this point with academy showings, as well as consummate preseason involvements for Villa – Philogene found opportunities elsewhere with loan deals for Stoke and Cardiff City, respectively.

He may have been too late of a developer for Villa, yet Philogene had a safety net of multiple suitors primed on departure, and now he finds himself in the Championship with Hull City as well as flourishing in England's U21 side.

What has Philogene done since leaving Aston Villa?

Such has been the creative winger's attitude and skill, that his Premier League exit has done him little negative damage. At Hull, there have been more opportunities in a highly developmental side, and it has of course reaped further individual chances.

Of these chances, Philogene's momentum saw, of course, an England U21 debut with two brilliant goals against Serbia.

In just seven games this domestic season, Philogene has demonstrated his raw talents and looks to be keeping up with his former place competitor Moussa Diaby at Villa.

Diaby has five goal involvements (two goals, three assists) in eight Premier League games. Philogene has five goal involvements (one goal, four assists) in one less game. Add those aforementioned strikes at international level into the equation and he's even outscored the French summer signing in 2023/24.

It's said that despite a football academy grounding, Philogene was consistently the best player in his schooling. This raw tenacity looks to be bearing fruit and in future, this season could be seen as the true kickstart for his career.

FBref reflects a player who potentially needs to strengthen offensive output – yet the creative sparks are present. For his low non-penalty xG of 0.17, there's a high shot total of 2.76 per 90.

While he doesn't have high pass completion compared to others in his position at 71.8% per 90 – he has a brilliant successful take-on rate of 2.60 per 90.

Other high-scoring marks come with blocks (1.38 per 90) and tackles (2.64 per 90). Compared to others in his position (those stats put him in the top 15% and 3% percentiles), Philogene presents as this tenacious force raring to get stuck in. If he can tailor his raw craft to the effective stats, then Aston Villa will be ruing his £5m departure even more.

Newcastle have loved a cult forward or two over the years. Callum Wilson, now a seasoned scorer alongside the more exuberant Alexander Isak, is no exception to this trend. Still present at the ever-developing, ever-moneyed Newcastle – 31-year-old Wilson can look back on an impressive goal tally.

Wilson's scored more than you'd think. Perhaps it's a nod to the luxury of the league around him, as his 82 Premier League appearances for the Magpies with a prolific 42 goals somehow slipped under the radar. It's no wonder he's a fan favourite like he was at Bournemouth. However, this article isn't wholly about him.

In terms of cults on Tyneside, there's only really one man who epitomises the title. With a special onus on his 2011/12 season, as well as the fact he's still scoring at 38 – let's look at Papiss Cisse.

How good was Papiss Cissé at Newcastle?

For that one season in 2011/12, (and perhaps with the exception of 2014/15), Cisse was electric.

The Senegalese striker arrived in Newcastle after ripping up Ligue 2 with Metz and then the Bundesliga with Freiburg.

During the 2010/11 term, Cisse was second to Mario Gomez's 28 goals in the scoring charts with 22. An eventual total tally of 37 league goals is still a record for a Freiburg player, with that 22 itself being a season record for an African in the Bundesliga – surpassing Tony Yeboah's 20 goals for Eintracht Frankfurt back in 1992/93.

Newcastle's ears pricked up after this, as well as after a half-season where he scored nine in 17, and signed Cissé for £10m in January 2012. Here, the fun commenced.

In the second half of the sharp-shooting 11/12 campaign, fans saw one of the Premier League's most ridiculous runs of form as a leggy, frenetic Cisse bagged an insane 13 goals in 14 games with two amazing efforts coming against Chelsea. Stamford Bridge in May 2012. It's almost synonymous with Cisse.

The first goal sees Jonas Gutierrez find Davide Santon making a nice overlap. He jinks down the left channel before slipping the ball into Cisse. Don't look away. He's just on the edge of the box and in one movement, the ball's up and away. He's flicked it up and volleyed into the far right side with Cech no chance. He's made the skullcap-wearing maestro look like a playground kid. Up you get, Petr.

After seeing that first goal, it's easy to think 'it can't get better' – but obviously it always does.

Play is on the left-hand side and just out of the corner, big Shola Ameobi has chested it down. Again, I implore you, don't even blink – because on the bounce it's a pelter from with the outside of the right boot.

It's a dream of a strike and again, Cech may as well not even dive. Top right corner, disbelief. Look, even Drogba is clapping. Chelsea later ended the term sixth; a place behind Papiss-inspired Newcastle. This win not only helped to sway things. It stormed the goal of the month voting…

Where is Papiss Cissé now?

As hinted to briefly earlier, other than 2011/12's goal run, Cisse's next big season was in 2014/15 as he scored 11 goals in 22. Impressive, but he wasn't consistent enough – and feeling he'd had his time in the sun, he moved on in 2016 for around £5m.

Cue a goal-laden journey through China, three Turkish clubs and one near-death experience in a horrendous coach crash, before going back to Ligue 2 – the division where it all started.

In a beautifully Geordie-centric cyclic fashion too, at Amiens, he's up top with Andy Carroll who himself has gone off the beaten path.

Shandong Luneng – 2016/18

16

31

Alanyaspor – 2018/20

38

58

Fenerbahce – 2020/21

5

25

Caykur Rizespor – 2022

2

14

Amiens – 2022-

10

30

Stats via Transfermarkt.

Since leaving in 2016, Cissé has scored a whopping 80 goals and ten assists at club level compared to Wilson's 81 goals. That's not bad for a striker who is seven years Wilson's senior.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is “King of Kings”, with the AC Milan icon set to watch the 2024 Kings World Cup from his throne before handing over a $1m prize.

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• Swedish legend is now retired
• Will be involved in Kings League spectacle
• 32 teams competing for global crown

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Swedish legend is now officially retired, with an advisor role being filled at San Siro. He is, however, still passionate about football and has been drafted in to work alongside the likes of Gerard Pique, Neymar and Sergio Aguero when the Kings League takes a global competition to Mexico.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Ibrahimovic, with over 500 career goals to his name, will crown the winning team as a seven-figure cash reward is handed out. He is joining a number of celebrity team presidents – with that list including streamers, content creators and football superstars – at the Kings World Cup.

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• WHAT NEXT?

  The Kings World Cup will involve 32 teams – 10 from Kings Spain, 10 from Kings Americas and 12 foreign guests. FURIA FC, with Brazil’s all-time leading scorer Neymar part of their set-up, have already seen their presence confirmed. Ibrahimovic is now on board, with the promise of more big names to come.

Philippe Clement has enjoyed a dream start at Glasgow Rangers, but he must not get carried away just yet and keep his players grounded.

The Ibrox side have an excellent chance of winning their first trophy since May 2022 when they face Aberdeen in the League Cup final next month, while progress in Europe looks attainable.

With the January transfer window fast approaching, the Belgian may be able to delve into the market and sign a couple of players who could freshen up the squad while ditching a few who don’t seem to have a future at the club.

Ben Davies is a key example, and could he find himself moving away from Ibrox in the coming months?

Ben Davies’ season in numbers

The Englishman has been a regular in the Europa League, starting all four matches so far, yet he ranks 15th across the squad for interceptions per game (0.3) and seventh for possession lost per game (11.5), which suggests he hasn’t quite been at the races.

Domestically, Davies has started only four times in the Premiership so far, with the Gers conceding four goals across those matches.

For large spells during the summer, it appeared as though the former Liverpool centre-back was ready to leave the club, with Stoke City rumoured to be eyeing a swoop for him.

Nothing materialised, however, and he remains in Glasgow, until January at least. Clement must surely utilise the services of Leon Balogun on a more regular basis, especially judging by his displays under the Belgian.

Leon Balogun has impressed recently

While the decision to re-sign Balogun during the summer wasn’t exactly met with choruses of applause by the Ibrox faithful, his spell in Scotland between 2020 and 2022 was impressive.

Under the former QPR boss, however, he made just two appearances, in games that the Light Blues both won and it seemed as though his backup stature was working.

Under the 49-year-old, however, Balogun has started three of his first seven matches and performed admirably, especially against Livingston on the weekend.

The 35-year-old was a titan at the heart of the defence alongside Connor Goldson as he won all four of his ground duels along with nine out of his 11 aerial duels – working out as 86% of his total duels won – and the Livi forwards just couldn’t find a way past him.

The Nigerian wasn’t even dribbled past during the tie and made three interceptions, two tackles and four clearances in what was a commanding performance at a ground in which the club have occasionally struggled on in the past.

While not a long-term option for Clement, Balogun’s class has shone through over the last month or so and it's clear that the club have been better defensively in the games that he has started.

Rangers have yet to concede a goal from open play across Balogun’s five appearances thus far and this could make Clement’s decision on who should partner Goldson at the back slightly easier.

Davies has sparkled in spells, yet his lack of consistency could lead to him being moved on in the foreseeable future.