Sri Lanka were restricted to a sub-par total and a trio of fifties from Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi and Azmatullah Omarzai then powered an ice-cool chase

Madushka Balasuriya30-Oct-20232:55

Maharoof: SL lost the game between the 11th and 40th overs

For the second game running Afghanistan showcased exemplary calm in the chase, whittling down a sub-par target of 242 with ice-cold composure. A trio of fifties from Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi and Azmatullah Omarzai led the way, as Afghanistan leapfrogged Sri Lanka into fifth place on the points table with six points now on the board.Sri Lanka meanwhile are virtually out of the running for a semi-final berth, needing to essentially win all of their next three games – against India, Bangladesh and New Zealand – to stand any chance.For Afghanistan this was a win set up by their bowlers, who had stifled Sri Lanka’s batters on a deck that was for all intents and purposes tailor-made for batting, before their batters ran down the target with minimal fuss.Related

• Farooqi hits his straps to help keep Sri Lanka under wraps

• Afghanistan turn to careful cricket for unprecedented success

• Can Sri Lanka and Pakistan still make the semi-finals?

Fazalhaq Farooqi was the pick of the bunch ending with figures of 4 for 34, but the most intriguing quirk of this game was that despite being afforded a true surface with a lack of lateral movement and minimal turn, both sides rarely scored at more than five an over.Their reasons however differed. While Sri Lanka could be criticised for a criminal lack of intent, Afghanistan were simply following the breakdown devised for them by head coach Jonathan Trott. Several times over the course of the innings the broadcast camera would pan over his giant whiteboard with 10-over markers clearly laid out – “50 after 10”, “100 after 20”, etc. But despite it being offered up in as easy-to-digest a manner as possible, such was the efficiency with which Afghanistan went about their work, Sri Lanka were powerless to do anything about it.Sure Dilshan Madushanka tailed one in on Rahmanullah Gurbaz off just the fourth ball of the chase to dislodge middle stump, but Afghanistan had their playbook and they followed it to a tee. Even when the wickets did fall, Afghanistan were quick to snuff out any momentum Sri Lanka might have been looking to derive.Partnerships of 73, 58 and 111 – between Ibrahim Zadran and Shah, Shah and Shahidi, and then Shahidi and Omarzai – formed the spine of their chase. Throughout that effort, boundaries were never sought after but only accepted when offered, as they were content to wait for loose balls, rarely willing – or needing – to take a risk.Sri Lanka for their part began to look more and more broken as the innings wore on, running out of ideas and steam on a surface that offered them nothing and against a team that were equally unforgiving.Fazalhaq Farooqi finished with a four-wicket haul•Associated Press

But the tone for this game had been set from the very beginning, as having been asked to bat first – a decision Kusal Mendis said he would have taken even had he won the toss – Sri Lanka would proceed with an uncertainty conspicuously absent in their first five matches.Perhaps this was borne by this being Sri Lanka’s first real game of the tournament where a chance of a semi-final spot – however unlikely – was tangibly within grasp. Inhibitions had been shed in an improbable chase against South Africa, and that aggressive intent had cascaded through to their next game against Pakistan. Then against Australia, the confidence continued to flow before an unprecedented collapse stopped them dead.Maybe it was this that pushed Sri Lanka into a more conservative approach, but evidence of any shift didn’t prove forthcoming in games against Netherlands and England, where their intent, or lack thereof, wasn’t scrutinised to any great degree with a pair of middling chases calling more for caution than aggression.Against Afghanistan though, on a surface which had been described as a “batter’s paradise” during the pitch report, the inclusion of Dimuth Karunaratne betrayed the fear that had been driving Sri Lanka’s thinking.Rashid Khan leads Afghanistan’s lap of honour in what was his 100th ODI•ICC/Getty Images

Yes, Kusal Perera hadn’t made an impact aside from his 78 against Australia, but a surface such as this might have proved precisely the panacea for his batting troubles. Instead Sri Lanka were left frustrated as his replacement Karunaratne would play and miss a handful of shortish, wide deliveries on either side of the wicket – rare loose balls in otherwise tight opening spells from Fazalhaq Farooqi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman. Sri Lanka would end up striking just four boundaries in the first 10 overs.That powerplay would also see Sri Lanka end on 41 for 1, their lowest score after 10 overs in the entirety of the tournament. This pronounced lack of ambition would afflict them throughout an innings that only sporadically scratched the five an over mark, let alone the sixes and sevens that have been more prevalent across this tournament.The deference showed to the Afghanistan bowlers through the middle overs was incongruous to say the least when compared to how Sri Lanka had approached those first two games against South Africa and Pakistan.What this meant was that when the quality deliveries that Afghanistan’s bowlers are capable of inevitably arrived, Sri Lanka’s batters would fall having failed to effectively capitalise on the opportunities afforded elsewhere.Karunaratne would be the first to go, trapped lbw by one darting in from Farooqi, the on-field not out call overturned on review. A 62-run stand between Nissanka and Mendis would follow, before Omarzai would jag one in from a back of a length outside off and coax Nissanka to feather an edge through to Gurbaz behind the stumps – thus ending his streak of fifty-plus scores at four. Gurbaz was deputising for Ikram Alikhil, who was off the field receiving treatment after having dislocated a finger on his right hand while keeping.Dhananjaya de Silva was mostly clueless against Rashid Khan•ICC via Getty Images

Kusal Mendis was next to fall while going for his favoured slog sweep for a fourth time in four games. He would have been disappointed to find the man stationed for just such a stroke, but what was more jarring for onlookers might have been the reticent version of Mendis that had knocked around 49 deliveries prior to that for a modest 39; despite the lack of demons in the wicket, much like the rest of his team-mates, Mendis was shackled by a demure approach in an innings that saw just the three boundaries.Mendis’ dismissal, which followed a 50-run stand with Sadeera Samarawickrama, would prove the catalyst for a mini collapse that would see Sri Lanka tumble from 134 for 2 to 185 for 7.Samarawickrama, who had looked his usual industrious self in his 40-ball 36, was caught in the crease by a quicker one from Mujeeb that tailed in. Dhananjaya de Silva, who had put on 28 with Charith Asalanka, was then worked over beautifully by a Rashid googly through the gate, one that had been setup over the course of a nagging over in what was Rashid’s 100th ODI. Asalanka would miscue a pull to mid-off shortly after off Farooqi, while a chaotic and unnecessary run-out – Angelo Mathews calling for a run that would have kept him off strike for the start of the next over – would send Dushmantha Chameera packing.Only a rearguard stand of 45 from 42 between Mathews and Maheesh Theekshana, where the latter showed off his batting chops with some expansive stroke-play through the offside, took Sri Lanka to a total of any respectability. But on a true surface, and against a commanding Afghanistan side, it was never going to be enough.

Ruben Dias' ex-girlfriend has appeared to brand the Manchester City star a "monster" after he went public with TV personality Maya Jama.

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Dias begins dating TV personality JamaCelebrity couple go public with romanceMan City star's ex appears to call him a "monster"Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Mariana Goncalves, aka April Ivy, posted a video of her new song where she sings about an old relationship and calls her former partner a "danger". The singer does not name Dias, while saying in it she had "created a monster", but the Daily Mail claims the timing of it and lyrics used are suspicious, just as Jama and Dias went public with their romance.

AdvertisementGetty/GOALTHE GOSSIP

Dias, 28, was reportedly in a relationship with Portuguese pop star Ivy, 25, between 2018 and 2021 and lived together in Manchester after his £61 million ($81m) transfer from Benfica. They are said to have split over lifestyle differences and now Jama, 30, and Dias are dating.

WHAT IVY SAID

On her Instagram page, she sang: "I saw a picture. You guys look so good together. The both of you, you both look so happy. Just as everyone says, I created a monster. He learned everything with me, then became a danger and left. To give some context, what you see doesn't come from thin air. I know you're going to love what was tiring me. What he wears, I bought. His perfume, I gave. His favourite song, I showed. He is me. Keep him now, he's yours."

Getty WHAT NEXT?

Aside from subtle, or not so subtle, jibes, Dias will hope to lead City to FA Cup glory when they take on Crystal Palace at Wembley on Saturday.

Wrexham co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney received a warning from club director Shaun Harvey on how to conduct themselves on matchdays.

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• Reynolds and McElhenney received warning
• Advised not to wish opponents luck before match
• Wrexham set to compete in Championship

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Wrexham have had a fairytale journey since Hollywood actors Reynolds and McElhenney completed their takeover of the club in 2021. The Welsh club have secured three consecutive promotions from the National League to the Championship and are now eyeing a final dream move to the Premier League. The celebrity owners have regularly visited the SToK Cae Ras on matchdays and have shown their support for the team passionately.

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• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Reynolds, however, has revealed that he and McElhenney received a warning in the first week of the 2024-25 campaign from club director Harvey on how to conduct themselves at stadiums during matchdays.

• WHAT RYAN REYNOLDS SAID

  Speaking to the , Reynolds said: "At this season’s first home match, Shaun Harvey came running over to Rob and I to tell us to stop wishing the away team ‘good luck'. I was there, oh, just be horrible. That’s football – oh yeah, I get it now."

• Getty
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

  Reynolds and McElhenney are expected to spend heavily on transfers as the Red Dragons are all set to experience a busy summer window before they compete in the second tier of English football for the first time in over 40 years.

Ten months on from career-threatening injury, bristling innings answers critics in emphatic style

Andrew Miller21-Jul-2023For some cricketers, the agony of missing out on an Ashes century would be hard to endure. For Jonny Bairstow, however, the raw emotion that went into his stunning innings of 99 not out from 81 balls on the third afternoon at Old Trafford meant that his final numbers mattered not a jot. For Bairstow has fought back from genuine, career-threatening agony in the past year, and at the close of play he let it all pour out in a heartfelt pitch-side interview.”You just don’t know how bad it’s going to be. It could have ended my career,” Bairstow told Sky Sports’ Ian Ward, as he recalled the horrific slip on a golf course last September that brought an abrupt end to the most extraordinary season of his career, and left him instead with a leg that was broken in three places, plus a dislocated ankle and associated ligament damage.A less bloodyminded cricketer than Bairstow might not have even contemplated such a hard-fought comeback, let alone succeed in returning to action in time to take part in one of the most hotly anticipated Ashes series of recent memory. The fact that he did so as wicketkeeper, after the stunning impact of his batting replacement Harry Brook, was an extra burden.At times in the series, it has visibly weighed him down, with a succession of missed chances behind the stumps leading to speculation about his place for this Test. But, after plucking an outstanding one-handed chance off Mitchell Marsh in Australia’s first innings, he rode that confidence into a formidable display of power-hitting at the back-end of England’s reply, with his ten fours and four sixes helping to extend their lead to a daunting 275.”I’ve got nine pins, and a wire that goes through my ankle, and I’ve had nine months out,” he said. “I’m still only 10 months post-operation right now. So when you speak to the surgeon and he says ‘I’m surprised you’re walking and running, never mind playing professional sport’, I’m delighted to be where I’m at.”There’s times when there’s aches and pains and people are saying you’re limping, well, yeah, I am at times, because there’s a lot going on in the ankle, and other bits that people won’t understand. It’s been a rollercoaster. There’s been a lot that’s happened in those nine months. And to come out and take the field again, with a group of boys that I care a heck of a lot about, is a special place for me to be.”Asked about his struggles behind the stumps, Bairstow acknowledged that his lack of playing time had been a massive factor.”There’s been a couple I’ve put down. I’ve not kept wicket for three years,” he said. “I played a couple of games for Yorkshire, then straight into an Ashes series. I didn’t bat against Ireland because the boys played unbelievably well. I’m delighted as to where I am. From a physical point of view, it’s taken a heck of a lot of graft.”But you know what I’m like, you know my personality. It’s not for a lack of trying. I’m very, very proud of every time that I walk out and put on an England shirt, whether it be in a Test match or an ODI or a T20. I’m a proud, proud guy and it means a lot to me, and to get back and be available for selection for the Ashes is something that makes me immensely proud.”I couldn’t have done it without my friends and family, and all the support that they’ve given me throughout the winter. I’m just pleased to be playing. That’s exactly what it’s about. The people that have got your back, the people that are there through thick and thin.”That dressing room is so solid,” he said, gesturing at the England balcony. “We’ve got a special group of players in there, and a group of players that’ll fight tooth and nail for each other, and we’ve seen over the last 12-18 months, the direction that we want to go as a group.”I don’t think that’s changed throughout the series. Our approach has been questioned at times by you guys, but we’ve stuck to our guns all the way through. That’s exactly how we played our cricket ever since Ben [Stokes] came in charge of the side, and that’s what we’re sticking by. We’ve not taken a backward step, no matter who we’ve come up against. Whether that’s right or wrong, we’ll continue to do that because, there’s a bigger picture that’s been spoken about, with the game of Test cricket.”On his tactics on the day, Bairstow acknowledged that his own experience of being a wicketkeeper had helped him to judge which deliveries he could safely steal a bye and get his partner James Anderson off strike, and added of his own hitting options with Australia’s fielders set back on the rope: “When you’re downwind, you’ve got to go up.”With the squares as they are the moment, you’ve got to try and hit it as hard as you can across the square and let the rest happen. We’re fortunate to play on good pitches and the outfield has been quick, so it’s just a case of trying to pick the biggest gap and trying to hit it as hard as you can.”Related

England rue bad-light call as Ashes hopes slip away on dank day four

Bairstow bombs Australia before Wood leaves England in the pink

Lyon reveals how Bairstow fallout extended into Lord's dining room

Zak Crawley bats like no one is watching

Wood cracks open Australia's second innings after Bairstow blitz keeps England in control

Speaking afterwards on Sky Sports, Nasser Hussain remarked that Bairstow had been “ticking” throughout his innings, and credited Stokes for reading the situation perfectly after lunch. Instead of declaring with England nine-down and Bairstow unbeaten on 49 from 50 balls, he trusted his team-mate to keep attacking a tiring Australian attack and building England’s lead with the sort of statement innings that he tends to produce when he’s got a point to prove.”Everyone thinks that I play better when people go at me, it gets a bit tiresome to be honest with you,” Bairstow insisted. “I’ve played a lot of cricket now and to be keep being told that you’re rubbish. Well, if I was that was that rubbish. I wouldn’t have played 94 games …”I’ve been happy [with my form],” he added, obliquely referencing the controversy at Lord’s where his stumping on the final day of the match opened the door for Australia’s second victory. “There’s been a couple of interesting dismissals during the series … but it’s only a couple games ago that I got 70-odd, so it is what it is.”That’s part and parcel of the way that I want to play my cricket. I want to go out and enjoy it. I want to go out and entertain. People will have comments on the way that I bat, they always have done. That’ll carry on, but you can leave them to their comments, and I’ll just keep on doing what I’ll do in the middle.”On the Lord’s controversy, Bairstow stated: “I don’t have a view”. However, he acknowledged he had been extra mindful of staying in his crease throughout his innings at Old Trafford. “I’ve done that all series since that happened,” he added. “You’ve just got to be careful on those things, haven’t you.”It wasn’t the way that I wanted to be out down at Lord’s, but that’s part and parcel. We’ve seen it on other occasions, and I’ve even heard about it now in club cricket. That’s not necessarily what you want to be hearing about, when you’re looking at young kids coming up. You play it tough, you play it fair, and on a different day, it doesn’t happen but it is what it is.”

MatériaMais Notícias

da bet nacional： O jovem atleta Kevyn foi anunciado oficialmente pelo Barra FC. O jogador de apenas 20 anos chega para reforçar o clube na disputa do Campeonato Catarinense de 2023. O atleta vinha de três temporadas no América-MG. Kevyn falou sobre essa nova oportunidade na carreira.

-Estou feliz pela oportunidade de poder jogar mais um campeonato estadual profissionalmente. Para mim, é mais um passo rumo ao meu objetivo que é atuar no mais alto nível possível. Teremos um campeonato difícil, com grandes equipes e agradeço demais a oportunidade de vestir essa camisa- disse.

RelacionadasCruzeiroCruzeiro conhece rival da 1ª fase eliminatória da CopinhaCruzeiro10/01/2023CruzeiroBruno Valdez diz estar mais perto de fechar com o CruzeiroCruzeiro10/01/2023Atlético MineiroPatrick chega a Belo Horizonte para assinar com o Atlético-MGAtlético Mineiro10/01/2023

da betobet： Ao todo foram 63 partidas pelo América-MG, onde foi capitão da equipe Sub-20. O jogador tem no currículo um título do Campeonato Mineiro Sub-20 além de uma classificação para as semifinais da Copinha de 2022.

O jogador também estreou pela equipe profissional do Coelho em 2022, ao qual jogou duas partidas do estadual. Kevyn também acumula uma passagem pela base do Palmeiras. Em 2019 realizou 30 partidas pelo Verdão e conquistou a Copa do Brasil Sub-17.

O jovem chega para acumular experiência em uma competição profissional, visto que o atleta tem contrato com o América-MG até dezembro de 2023 em contrato que foi renovado ainda em julho do ano passado.

Board issues statement a day after the team’s 302-run defeat against India in Mumbai

Madushka Balasuriya03-Nov-2023

Sri Lanka Cricket has called for “an urgent and comprehensive explanation from the entire coaching staff and selectors” following the team’s 302-run defeat in their World Cup match against India in Mumbai.Sri Lanka lost five of their first seven games to South Africa, Australia, Pakistan, Afghanistan and India, and have beaten only Netherlands and England. Their last two matches are against Bangladesh and New Zealand, and Sri Lanka need an improvement in performance if they are to finish in the top eight in the World Cup, to ensure qualification for the 2025 Champions Trophy.”The recent overall performance and shocking defeats have raised significant questions about the team’s preparation, strategies and performance,” SLC said in a statement. “SLC management never interfered with the hired professional staff to carry out their duties and responsibilities as per the norms and regulations. However, SLC firmly believes in accountability, transparency and the importance of addressing subject concerns promptly.”The release lists four points which the coaching staff and selectors will be expected to address, namely: “Strategy and preparation: Providing insights into the team’s strategy, preparation and tactical decisions during the matches. Team selection: Justifying player selections for each match and explaining any changes made to the playing XI. Player performance: Assessing individual and team performance, highlighting strengths and weaknesses, and addressing any injuries or fitness concerns. Post-match analysis: Sharing post-match analyses conducted by the coaching team and explaining key takeaways.”While their on-field performances have been disappointing, Sri Lanka have also struggled with injuries throughout their World Cup campaign, with their captain Dasun Shanaka, and fast bowlers Matheesha Pathirana and Lahiru Kumara ruled out at various stages. They were forced to bring in Chamika Karunaratne, Angelo Mathews and Dushmantha Chameera as replacements, while Kusal Mendis stepped in as captain. They had also lost key legspinner Wanindu Hasaranga to injury before the tournament began.There have, however, been some positives: left-arm quick Dilshan Madushanka’s five-wicket haul against India took him to the top of the wicket charts in this World Cup, Sadeera Samarawickrama has emerged as Sri Lanka’s top-scorer, and Pathum Nissanka has improved as an opener.Sri Lanka’s next game is against Bangladesh in Delhi on November 6, and their final league game is against New Zealand in Bengaluru on November 9.

يستعد فريق ريال مدريد لكرة القدم، بقيادة المدرب تشابي ألونسو، لخوض مباراة ودية مساء يوم الثلاثاء، في ختام الاستعدادات التحضيرية للموسم الجديد المرتقب، 2025/26.

ويلتقي ريال مدريد مع خصمه فريق تيرول النمساوي على ملعب “تيفولي” مساء اليوم، في مباراة ودية.

وسبق أن خاض ريال مدريد مباراة ودية واحدة هذا الصيف، خلف الأبواب المغلقة، صباح يوم الجمعة الماضي حيث فاز على ليجانيس بأربعة أهداف مقابل هدف.

واكتفى ريال مدريد بالمشاركة في بطولة كأس العالم للأندية ذلك الصيف، في أمريكا، حيث خرج من دور نصف النهائي على يد باريس سان جيرمان.

ويبدأ ريال مدريد مشواره في الموسم الجديد من الدوري الإسباني، يوم الثلاثاء 19 أغسطس الجاري، ضد أوساسونا، بعدما فشلت كافة محاولاته لتأجيل ذلك اللقاء. موعد مباراة ريال مدريد وتيرول الودية اليوم

تنطلق المباراة في تمام الساعة 8 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة والسعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة ريال مدريد وتيرول الودية اليوم

تُذاع المباراة عبر قناة ريال مدريد الرسمية، بشبكة الإنترنت، في حين لم تعلن أي قناة عربية حصولها على حقوق إذاعة ذلك اللقاء، وسيتم التحديث حال ورود أي جديد.

ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنـــا.

da bwin： Potentially stealing the transfer headlines once again, a Premier League insider has now backed Aston Villa to lead the race in pursuit of one particular attacking reinforcement this summer.

Aston Villa transfer news

da 888： After grabbing the spotlight by signing Marco Asensio, Axel Disasi and Marcus Rashford on loan as well as welcoming Donyell Malen and Andre Garcia on a permanent basis in the January transfer window, Aston Villa look destined to return to the market this summer.

A recent 4-1 thrashing at the hands of Crystal Palace certainly suggests that there’s still plenty of work to be done in the Midlands and the Villans seem to be well aware of that with the transfer rumours coming thick and fast.

Among those who have reportedly emerged onto Villa’s radar is Porto’s Samu Aghehowa, who could yet arrive to replace Jhon Duran following his January exit to Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr.

The young forward has enjoyed an excellent debut season in Portugal, potentially sparking a Premier League battle for his signature when the summer arrives. He’s not the only attacking addition on Villa’s radar it seems, however.

Related Aston Villa lining up summer swoop to sign "aggressive" want-away £20m ace

He’s a wanted man…

Posts ByTom Cunningham Feb 27, 2025

Former Premier League scout Mick Brown now believes that Aston Villa will be in pole position to sign Ferran Torres from Barcelona this summer in a move that would bring the winger back to English football.

Aston Villa backed to enter pole position for "incredible" Torres

Speaking to Football Insider about Villa’s potential move to sign Torres, Brown said: “He’s got that Premier League experience with Man City and Villa would give him the chance to play more regularly than he is at Barcelona. Their contacts in Spain will allow them to do their work behind the scenes and probably move to the front of the queue to sign him.

“They could do with a right-winger in the summer, that’s somewhere Emery wants to strengthen. Bailey and his other options come into the side, they do what they do, but they’re not a shoo-in to play every week and that’s what they need.

“Emery wants a stronger option who can nail down his place in the side. He wants more firepower on that side as well, because their left-hand side is very strong with the likes of Malen, Rashford and others.

“Adding quality and balance on the right will make them even more lethal. So it’s definitlely a deal which makes sense for Villa and I think it’s one they’re going to work on.”

Previously praised for his “incredible sense of goal” by Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, Torres desperately needs a return to English football. The Spaniard has started just seven La Liga games all season and is unlikely to win his place back anytime soon amid competition from Lamine Yamal and Raphinha.

At Villa, meanwhile, if Rashford does not arrive on a permanent basis, then Torres could instantly receive the role he has been looking for since leaving Manchester City.

Ipswich Town’s woes on their own patch continue on as Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham Hotspur ran out resounding 4-1 victors over the dejected Tractor Boys on Saturday.

Indeed, Kieran McKenna’s men have only won one Premier League clash all season long at Portman Road, with this defeat, in particular, pushing them deeper into the relegation mire off the back of Wolverhampton Wanderers’ big win on their travels to AFC Bournemouth.

Now, the Suffolk underdogs are five points off Wolves who occupy that golden 17th spot in the division, but there were some positives for McKenna to hold onto come full-time, despite the grim reality of another home loss.

Ipswich's biggest positives vs Spurs

Ipswich actually finished the contest with more shots on goal – with 17 to Spurs’ ten – alongside offering up more big chances at a slightly heftier three to the away side’s one, but all of that would ultimately amount to nothing.

Still, the likes of Omari Hutchinson would trudge off the pitch at the end pleased with their efforts, as the ex-Chelsea man got his side back into the contest with a beautifully executed strike deep into the hectic first 45 minutes.

Away from that moment of ecstasy, Hutchinson also amassed three key passes in the game to try and gift his side more of a way into the clash before an unfortunate late collapse handed Spurs all three points.

Jack Clarke stood out down the left flank too, with his assist providing Hutchinson the chance to beat Guglielmo Vicario, whilst Liam Delap was his usual energetic self minus a finish rippling the back of the net.

But, away from those lively performers up top, the Tractor Boys defence did look porous throughout, especially down the left-hand side of the pitch when Heung-min Son was twisting and turning this shaky Ipswich body for fun.

Performance in Numbers

Want data and stats? Football FanCast's Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.

Ipswich's biggest underperformer vs Spurs

Whilst Jacob Greaves didn’t cover himself in much glory throughout, the ex-Hull City man at least lasted the full 90 minutes which can’t be said for another notable underperformer at the back.

Ben Godfrey, again, looked out of his depth pulling on Ipswich blue, with both of Spurs’ goals in the first half originating from Son constantly bamboozling the former Everton defender, before teeing up Brennan Johnson for a somewhat easy finish.

Godfrey’s horror show first half resulted in McKenna hauling him off the pitch at the half-time interval, with the ropey 27-year-old failing to win a single tackle or duel, alongside also only registering six accurate passes when attempting to build attacks away from being routinely under the cosh.

This isn’t the only time this campaign that the ex-Toffees right-back has been hooked off by his new manager after an out-of-sorts defensive showing, with Godfrey surviving just an hour or so on the pitch when Manchester City came to town in late January, as Pep Guardiola’s rampant visitors ran out convincing 6-0 winners.

Minutes played

64

45

Goals conceded

5

2

Touches

50

14

Accurate passes

34/40 (85%)

6/8 (75%)

Clearances

1

0

Blocked shots

0

1

Interceptions

0

2

Total tackles

0

0

Total duels won

2/3

0/1

Looking at the table above, it does feel as if Godfrey can’t cut it against some of the Premier League’s elite attackers, with a worrying seven goals shipped from his 109 minutes of action versus City and Spurs, among other negative statistics.

McKenna will presumably bring Axel Tuanzebe back into the side when his suspension ceases to be, with his replacement not exactly banging the door down for most first-team chances moving forward.

If Ipswich are to stay up, they cannot afford more leaky showings, with the Atalanta loanee needing to be ditched now to give his team a fighting chance at survival.

Ipswich must now sell £35k-p/w flop who McKenna said had a 'high ceiling'

Kieran McKenna could be ruthless this coming summer in ditching this expensive Ipswich Town flop.

1 ByKelan Sarson Feb 20, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur have endured their fair share of frustration this season, with Ange Postecoglou’s ambitious project stunted by an unrelenting surge of injuries.

It’s left Spurs stranded in 14th place in the Premier League, with the poor and lasting form eradicating any hopes of qualifying for European competition next season through the top flight.

However, Postecoglou’s side are still in the FA Cup, meeting Aston Villa at Villa Park later today, and finished fourth in the league phase of the Europa League, bypassing the additional knockout round.

There’s hope yet that an exciting finish to the campaign could be forged from the scalding flames of recent months, with Son Heung-min captaining the side and eyeing a maiden piece of silverware.

The skipper is now 32 and has come under fire for some of his performances this term, but he’s still a major influence capable of driving the Lilywhites forward.

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Son Heung-min's season in numbers

In 2015, Tottenham signed Son from Bayer Leverkusen for a reported £22m fee when he was 23 years old. The dynamic forward has since forged a fine career for himself in England, posting 172 goals and 92 assists across 440 appearances and being hailed for his “world-class” quality by Postecoglou last season.

Having taken the armband from the departed Harry Kane at the beginning of Ange’s tenure, Son has been the standout attacker, and even though he’s discernibly on the decline in regard to athleticism and energy this term, he’s still scored 10 goals and supplied 8 assists across 32 matches in all competitions.

Son’s still got enough in the tank to play a big part for his long-served side, but there’s no doubt that he’s struggling, and the recruitment to aid him on the left flank hasn’t been good enough.

Timo Werner is playing in his second successive loan spell at the club and was singled out for his lack of fight and determination by Postecoglou in December, with the Australian manager saying it was “not acceptable”.

Moreover, Wilson Odobert is dealing with a long-term injury after joining from Burnley for £25m last summer – the 20-year-old only featured three times in the league, failing to hit the target or create a big chance while also failing with 68% of his dribbles, as per Sofascore.

Rewarded for his loyalty with a new contract in January, the veteran forward needs to be playing with a higher calibre of support, more energy and impetus. He can’t play twice a week to the same level anymore, and given that Spurs are struggling for players to compete with Son, our mind is cast back to Steven Bergwijn.

Spurs must rue losing Steven Bergwijn

Son is still a potent attacking force. Technically, the South Korean captain is still one of Postecoglou’s best players and his goal record reflects his value.

However, his underlying energy has been diminished, with pundits such as Sky Sports’ Jamie Redknapp picking up on the changes.

With Son’s aforementioned positional peers struggling to impose themselves, Bergwijn’s particular approach could have gone down a treat in this Postecoglou system.

Plainly, Son is a victim of the system crashing this season and would have benefited greatly from a more stable, less injury-affected campaign, but instead, he’s toiling.

Bergwijn, 27, is now playing his third season since leaving the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but his energy and potency in front of goal would have been the perfect mix to lessen Son’s load and play off the left flank when he tires in Ange’s fast-paced team.

Tottenham signed Bergwijn from PSV Eindhoven for a fee in the region of £25m in January 2020, but the electric-paced winger only managed to score 8 goals across 83 matches for the north Londoners.

Embroiled in the thick of Antonio Conte’s downfall, Bergwijn was set up to fail.

Now playing for Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League, Bergwijn has enjoyed a healthy return of seven goals and seven assists over 24 matches this season, though his athletic metrics further underscore the quality that Tottenham are missing on their left flank.

He has averaged 4.3 successful duels, 1.8 dribbles and 1.2 tackles per game in the league this term, as per Sofascore, perfectly illustrating the kind of robust style of play that would be so well suited to Postecoglou’s free-flowing and high-octane football.

Moreover, the 27-year-old has been hailed as a “big-game monster” in the past by journalist John Cross – something that Spurs could have done with, for example, at Anfield earlier this week, with Son branded with a 5/10 match score by Football.london’s Alasdair Gold after his performance, where he was singled out for his inability to get on the ball against Liverpool.

The saving grace is that Tottenham were able to recoup £26m for the failed signing, who fled back to the Dutch Eredivisie to sign with Ajax in July 2022.

However, given that Spurs turned their transfer cannon toward Richarlison, signing the Brazilian for a whopping £60m fee, it’s perhaps less satisfactory.

Ultimately, Bergwijn was “unlucky at Spurs” – a comment made by pundit and ex-Spurs goalkeeper Paul Robinson – and it’s quite possible that in different circumstances, perhaps under Postecoglou, he would have enjoyed far greater success in the Premier League.

He’s still firmly in his ostensible prime years, and thus, the likes of Daniel Levy must have some big regrets about letting him leave, for he could have been the perfect option to mitigate Son’s struggles at present.

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