Category Uncategorized

Such was the draw of WG Grace that after a public spat with Gloucestershire, who he had captained since its formation in 1870, he was able to move to London and help establish a side that within a year had been given first-class status

Martin Williamson27-Jan-200682 pp, hb

Much has been written about WG Grace – perhaps more than any other cricketer with the exception of Don Bradman. But while his 19th-century exploits are well documented, less is known about the twilight of his career, and in some ways that is one of the most interesting periods. Such was the draw of the man that after a public spat with Gloucestershire, who he had captained since its formation in 1870, he was able to move to London and help establish a side that within a year had been given first-class status.Brian Pearce’s Cricket At The Crystal Palace helps to fill in the gaps about the brief history of the London County Cricket Club (by 1905 it had lost its first-class status, a victim of financial troubles and poor attendances). But in those five seasons, it was jazz-hat cricket at its best. Led by Grace (he only missed one of their first-class matches), LCCC attracted some of the best players of the era and also took on a quasi-MCC role of nurturing and encouraging the best young cricketers. The club was dominated by the Old Man, and Pearce manages to convey the sense of what it must have been like to play with and under him.This book is not just about WG. It gives the story of the Crystal Palace, which dominated the whole enterprise and ultimately led to its demise, and of the LCCC. Pearce injects colour and life into the narrative, and the illustrations are copious and interesting.This is clearly a labour of love but Pearce has managed to produce a book well worth buying. It’s not long – 82 pages in all – and if there is a criticism it is the rather slapdash and poorly formatted statistics. But that is one minor gripe which does not really tarnish the overall product.

Matchweek Five sees the first-ever meeting between Fulham and Luton Town in the Premier League when the Hatters travel to Craven Cottage on Saturday afternoon to take on the Cottagers. Football FanCast has everything you need to know about the fixture before the two sides go head-to-head in the Premier League this weekend.

Well, technically, all of Luton’s first 19 games this season will be the first time that fixture has been played in the Premier League due to this season being the club’s first foray into England’s top division in its current guise. And even though it’s still early in the season, the five games played by Fulham and the four by Luton can give us a small insight into their form and how they might fare in this upcoming clash.

Fulham started the season strong with a 1-0 away win against Everton, but have seriously struggled since with a 3-0 defeat to fellow West Londoners Brentford and a 5-1 thumping away to treble-winning Manchester City. Granted, they came away from the Emirates with a point, but it’s hard to say that their performance merited one, given that they had less than a third of the possession, and the Gunners ended the game with 11 shots on target.

That said, they were able to halt Ange Postecoglou’s new-look Tottenham Hotspur at home in the EFL Cup thanks to a penalty shoot-out win, which looks to be no small feat at the moment.

Luton, on the other hand, have had an interesting start to their first campaign back in the top flight, as despite looking quite good at points against Brighton & Hove Albion and West Ham United, they came away from both games empty-handed. They also suffered a pretty heavy 3-0 defeat away to Chelsea, with their only win so far coming against Gillingham in the EFL Cup.

Ultimately, neither side has started the new season how they would’ve liked and with Fulham in 13th place and Luton all the way down in 19th, both will be desperate to get some more points on the board as soon as possible.

Fulham vs Luton: What's their head-to-head record?

Despite never facing off against one another in the Premier League, Fulham and Luton Town are no strangers to one another, having played each other 47 times across all competitions since their initial meeting in January 1908, over 100 years ago.

While 47 games is a relatively significant number, it also seems much smaller than you might expect, given that their first encounter was over a century ago. Well, the reason the number isn’t much higher is the 20 year gap between their first meeting in 1908 and their second in 1928. They also went another 20 years without meeting between 1999 and 2019.

This is because, in those periods, Luton were often in the leagues below Fulham, falling all the way down to the Conference from 2009 to 2014.

You’d probably expect then that because the Cottagers have spent more time in the top flight than their Bedfordshire opponents, the history of this fixture would be heavily weighted in their favour, not necessarily.

While the West Londoners have won more games – 22 to be exact – Luton aren’t far behind, with 16 to their name. In all, this is quite the competitive fixture, and there’s no reason this weekend’s encounter will be any different.

Fulham Wins

22

Draws

8

Luton Town Wins

16

Fulham vs Luton: What's their Second Division record?

The two sides have only ever met in the old First Division twice in their entire history, in the 1959/60 season, with both sides winning their home ties. So it seems more apt to compare their records against one another from their far more frequent encounters in England’s second tier. These games took place both pre and post-Championship.

The numbers here, perhaps unsurprisingly, mirror the overall record between these sides, with Fulham just about edging things. In total, the West Londoners have won 18 of their 37 second-tier encounters with Luton, giving them a win rate of 48.6%.

The Hatters, on the other hand, are just behind with 14 wins, giving them a win rate of 37.8%, while there have been just five draws.

Fulham Wins

18

Draws

5

Luton Town Wins

14

Fulham vs Luton: What's their record at Fulham?

Well, while the fixture on a whole has tended to be reasonably balanced, with the Cottagers just about edging things, this certainly isn’t the case when they play host. In the 24 games played at Craven Cottage, Fulham have won a seriously impressive 16 times, which means they hold a 66.6% win rate at home.

For their part, Luton have won just three games at the Cottage, one less than the number of games they’ve drawn. We’re sure Rob Edwards will be hoping to buck the trens come Saturday.

Fulham Wins

16

Draws

4

Luton Town Wins

3

Fulham vs Luton: What's their record at Luton?

The Hatters have been able to establish some dominance of their own at Kenilworth Road over the years, even if it doesn’t quite stack up to Fulham’s. In total, the Bedfordshire side have played host to the West Londoners 23 times and come away winners on 13 occasions – a win rate of 56.5%.

Fulham have put up a better fight when away from home compared to the hosts, winning six times and earning at least a point four times.

Fulham Wins

6

Draws

4

Luton Town Wins

13

Fulham vs Luton: Which team has the most goals?

Well, given their slight edge in this game over the years, it probably shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to hear that it’s Fulham who have scored more goals against Luton and not the other way around. That said, with only 19 goals separating the sides, It’s once again a reasonably close affair.

The Whites have scored 85 goals against their Bedfordshire opponents in their 47 games, meaning they score an impressive average of 1.8 goals per game. Whereas, Luton’s 66 goals give them a still respectable average of 1.4.

Fulham Goals

85

Luton Town Goals

66

Tottenham Hotspur star Son Heung-min absolutely cannot wait for a "raw talent" at Spurs to make his debut, with the South Korea star heaping praise on Brennan Johnson.

Who did Spurs sign this summer?

Lilywhites boss Ange Postecoglou and chairman Daniel Levy brought in a host of new signings over the summer transfer window.

Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, centre-back Ashley Phillips, defender Micky van de Ven, playmaker James Maddison, winger Manor Solomon, striker Alejo Veliz and Johnson all put pen to paper on moves to N17 before September 1.

Seven new additions in total now arrive to bolster Postecoglou's options ahead of a long and challenging 2023/2024 season at Spurs.

The north Londoners have taken to the new Premier League campaign with real gusto so far; showcasing their new brand of attacking, all-out football under Postecoglou.

Spurs sealed impressive wins against Man United, Bournemouth and Burnley just prior to the international break; scoring nine goals in just three matches.

Tottenham's new manager has been lavished with praise since, and things may only get better as summer signing Johnson is still yet to make his debut in the forward areas.

Son, speaking in a recent press conference on international duty with South Korea, heralded the 22-year-old and explained exactly why he is buzzing to play alongside him.

The winger said that with Johnson's arrival, they will play "even better" football.

"I think that by coming to Spurs (Johnson) wants to improve and go to the next step," said the South Korea captain (via BBC).

"He will feel the pressure as well but I can't wait to have him in our team, playing even better football, better attacking, better fast football, but I think everyone has to take that responsibility.

"Everyone has to take a big responsibility because certainly we've lost 30 goals. Now everybody has to step up to make those 30 goals together which is very important."

How good is Brennan Johnson?

The Wales forward stood out among Forest's best players during their successful fight against relegation last term; scoring eight goals and assisting three others in 38 top flight matches (WhoScored).

International boss Rob Page, speaking to the media last summer, also claimed the sky is the limit for Johnson, whilst journalist Mitch Fretton has called him a "raw talent".

“Brennan could potentially have had a move in January,” Page said in 2022.

“But he decided to stay because he’s at a club where he was going to play and enjoy his football. That speaks volumes about him. He didn’t go chasing the money.

“He’s almost the finished article now and Forest have got a wonderful player on their hands. I’ve been to watch him a few times and he’s playing with freedom. He’s really enjoying his football.”

Manchester United winger Antony registered his first goal of the season during Sunday’s 4-2 win over Newport County in the FA Cup.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Antony scores first goal of seasonPlans to 'close' himself off to focusWants to turn around season for Man UtdGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

After making a huge transfer from Ajax in the summer of 2022, the £86 million ($109m) signing has struggled with form. The criticism was intensifying since Antony had failed to score or assist all season – until the win over Newport County, when his dreadful streak came to an end. Antony provided a first-half assist for Bruno Fernandes' early goal. Then, after Newport equalised to tie it 2-2, the Brazil international scored on a rebound. The Brazilian has now vowed to close himself off and use his first goal to help himself turn his season around.

AdvertisementWHAT ANTONY SAID

Speaking to the media, Antony said: "I fought hard to reach the levels of playing for this club, I know I can build on yesterday’s performance and continue to show my qualities. I pushed myself day after day for better performances.

"I will continue to completely close myself off to improve & play the football that United hired me to do. The whole club, every fan, deserves the best from each one of us. United is one of the main clubs in the world, where everyone wants to be and it's where I want to build my story.

"I know it hasn't been an easy season, we didn't get the results we wanted as a team, but we never stopped working and focusing on what needed to be done to improve."

Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Erik ten Hag will be fully hoping that Antony can turn his season around as his side has been suffering in the final third of the field, lacking that finishing touch with all of his forwards having misfired so far this season. The Red Devils will have a tough battle ahead of them if they want to make it to the Champions League places for next season as they sit eighth on the Premier League table, 11 points off Aston Villa in fourth.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

WHAT NEXT FOR ANTONY?

The Brazilian is likely to be starting for the Dutchman's side on the right side of attack when they take on Wolves on Thursday, February 1 at the Molineaux as he looks for his first goal contribution in the Premier League this season.

Leeds United have finally got their season underway, but Daniel Farke will be keen to ensure his side do not rest on their laurels after claiming a first Championship win in four attempts…

Who are Leeds United signing?

It has been a tumultuous summer for the Whites, who despite welcoming five new faces into Elland Road have seen their window marred by the numerous outgoings. Despite the bulk of a lucrative squad underperforming, they were seemingly unwilling to stay and help pull the club out of the mess they created.

As such, the German boss will be keen to bolster his side further, having showcased their attacking talents with a splendid win yesterday over top-of-the-league Ipswich Town.

For all the benefits plucked from such a hearty display, the shining light was to see their new striker instantly get off the mark, firing home from close range to add their third of the day.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

Now, perhaps in an effort to place their faith in Joel Piroe, the new manager could be set to build his squad around the Dutchman, with their reported interest in Djed Spence clearly seeking to do so.

The attack-minded full-back is massively out of favour at Tottenham Hotspur, and valued at just €12.9m (£11m) by FootballTransfers.

How good is Djed Spence?

Although his career has stuttered since his £20m switch to north London, the former England U21 international still remains a promising young star surely raring to reignite a career that once promised much.

Especially after his 2021/22 season, where he caught the eye whilst on loan for a Nottingham Forest side that claimed promotion to the top flight.

He was dynamic, relentless, and a breath of fresh air down the right flank for Steve Cooper, earning huge praise from former Forest star Brian Laws:

"He has been the standout player in the Forest side and we are talking about a full-back. Full-backs do not tend to get many headlines. He grabs them by the handful. In every single game, he has a positive impact.

"He has power going forward, he has electric pace, he has an abundance of skill, he can drop his shoulder, step over, go inside or outside — he is a major threat. I’ve been impressed with his one-to-one defending. He is decent on the back post, he is strong in the air. There is nothing I have seen that you could call a weakness.”

This attacking impetus showed up in his numbers too, as the 23-year-old scored twice and assisted four, all whilst averaging one key pass, 1.5 interceptions and 1.4 tackles per game throughout that Championship term, via Sofascore.

You only have to imagine him powering down the right to deliver for Piroe, who has scored 19 and 22 in his last two league campaigns, and things are finally looking promising once again for the Yorkshire outfit.

Spence is certain to aid in the potential improvement of those figures, with his presence set to forge plenty of chances should he recapture his form of old – especially given that, when compared to other full-backs across Europe, he sits in the top 8% for pass completion per 90, the top 7% for progressive carries per 90, and the top 5% for successful take-ons per 90, via FBref.

At the very least his tireless running will provide enough of a threat to draw the interest of defenders, affording more space for the former Swansea City hitman to light up his new environment.

The hope will be that this combination can be struck instantly, to help forge plenty of goals for the Elland Road crowd to enjoy, and fire them back into the Premier League with ease.

Jordan Henderson is already breaking records at Ajax, with his No.6 jersey becoming the fastest-selling in the club’s long and distinguished history.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

England international bid farewell to Saudi ArabiaFormer Liverpool captain now back in EuropeArrival in Amsterdam has caused quite a stirWHAT HAPPENED?

The England international midfielder finds himself in the Netherlands after bringing an unhappy six-month spell at Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq to a close. The former Liverpool captain has returned to Europe and signed a two-and-a-half-year contract in Amsterdam.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

His arrival at Ajax has caused quite a stir, with fans scrambling to claim a piece of official merchandise. Henderson's new No.6 jersey tops that wish list, with previous sale records posted by Dusan Tadic and Daley Blind being smashed. Henderson has shifted more shirts in 24 hours than the aforementioned duo managed in a week.

DID YOU KNOW?

The only Ajax jersey that has outperformed Henderson’s is the Bob Marley special edition shirt from 2021-22. When it comes to an individual player, the latest recruit at the Johan Cruyff Arena now stands in a league of his own.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

WHAT NEXT FOR HENDERSON?

It is not only in the Netherlands that Henderson has proved popular, with his past ties to Premier League giants Liverpool ensuring that he is also a big draw in Asia. He has taken the No.6 vacated by Davy Klaassen and, if he is registered in time, will hope to make his debut in Sunday's Eredivisie clash with RKC Waalwijk.

The 19-year-old centre-back, renowned for his speed and leadership qualities, is the fifth academy graduate to make his debut under Erik ten Hag

Manchester United have had to make a few unorthodox selections this season due to their injury crisis, but none of the surprises Erik ten Hag has pulled this season can rival fielding 19-year-old Willy Kambwala away to West Ham on December 23.

Kambwala was so obscure that his name could not be found on the matchday programme at the London Stadium. He had only once before been named in the matchday squad, the previous week at Anfield, and wasn't part of United's main group on their pre-season tour to the United States, while many other youngsters featured.

So who is the defender that Ten Hag has thrown into the deep end? GOAL has all you need to know…

Where it all began

Kambwala was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo on 25 August 2004 and moved to France with his family at the age of five. He was raised in the town of Les Ulis in the southwestern suburbs of Paris and got his footballing education with French side Sochaux.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesThe big break

Kambwala made a stir in French youth football and captained the France side at Under-16 level, which attracted the attention of United. Just a few months later, aged 16, he joined the Red Devils for a fee of £3.5 million on transfer deadline day in October 2020 amid reported competition from Liverpool as United moved to sign a host of young stars from abroad, including both Alejandro Garnacho and Alvaro Fernandez as well as Kambwala.

How it's going

After a decent first season in England, Kambwala was forced to sit out the majority of his second campaign after suffering a serious ankle injury in October 2021 that forced him to miss 11 months of action, including United's FA Youth Cup triumph in 2022.

He returned the following season and began to make his mark on the U21s side, with whom he travelled to the U.S. separately from Ten Hag's squad, and he featured for just 17 minutes against Wrexham during the trip.

Then, having trained alongside the first-team squad for a short period, he was included in the matchday squad against Liverpool on December 17. With Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, Victor Lindelof and Raphael Varane all ruled out due to injury or illness, he was handed his debut six days later against West Ham as he partnered Jonny Evans at the heart of the United defence.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesBiggest strengths

Despite his age, Kambwala is very strong physically and is remarkably tall, measuring 6'4. On his debut for the U18s team against Derby County, his speed and intelligence shone through. He is also known for his leadership qualities and has given motivational speeches to younger players, advising them on how to make it as a footballer.

West Ham United are preparing an official offer to sign Southampton central midfielder James Ward-Prowse this summer, according to fresh reports.

Is James Ward-Prowse leaving Southampton?

The St. Mary’s academy graduate has been a hugely integral member of his squad over the course of his 409 senior appearances on the south coast, being made captain and named Russell Martin’s overall best-performing player last season with an average WhoScored match rating of 6.95.

With the Saints having suffered relegation from the Premier League, it’s likely that they will have to cash in on some of their prized assets to help rebuild their team, and the 28-year-old, you would expect, is the player to be at the top of the list of those being let go, and Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has backed this up.

Speaking on his Here We Go podcast, he said: “I think this is [a] typical deal for [the] final weeks of the transfer window or maybe for late July because, of course, he is a very good player and so there is some clubs who [will] decide to go for him.”

Earlier this month, Football Insider reported that the Irons saw a verbal proposal rejected by the England international, though it’s believed that this hasn’t put them off taking a second bite of the cherry by this time around tabling a serious financial offer.

Are West Ham signing James Ward-Prowse?

According to Football Insider once again, West Ham are set to “formalise their interest” in Ward-Prowse by submitting an “official bid” in the weeks ahead.

Southampton have placed a £40-50m price tag on their skipper’s head which is seen as a “sticking point” for David Moyes’ side, and whilst that fee is one that the club are “unwilling to pay”, it’s stated that chiefs “hope to get things moving” in the right direction with their incoming offer.

Whilst Ward-Prowse is naturally a central midfielder, West Ham will know that he is much stronger in the attacking aspect of his game having been dubbed "world-class" by his former manager Nathan Jones, so whilst £40m is a big sum, it's one that would well be worth paying in order to secure his services this summer.

The Portsmouth-born talent clocked up 13 goal contributions (nine goals and four assists) in 38 Premier League matches last season so was not only prolific in the final third, but also more than helped to produce chances for his fellow teammates in the red and white stripes.

As per FBRef, Moyes' target recorded a total of 241 crosses and 127 shot-creating actions over the course of the previous campaign which was more than any other member of his squad, showing his desire to get involved with the action at the top end of the pitch.

Finally, Ward-Prowse shares the same agent, CAA Stellar, as Gianluca Scamacca so this existing connection that his representative already has to the club could potentially hand them a small extra advantage when trying to get a deal across the line in the coming weeks.

Somerset moved into third place in the NatWest T20 Blast South Group with a 14-run victory over Hampshire in front of a 6,000-plus crowd at Taunton

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Jul-2017Lewis Gregory gave Somerset a powerful start•Getty Images

Somerset moved into third place in the NatWest T20 Blast South Group with a 14-run victory over Hampshire in front of a 6,000-plus crowd at Taunton.Opener Lewis Gregory led the way after the hosts had won the toss, smacking 43 off 20 balls, with nine fours, in a total of 204 for 9. Jim Allenby contributed 37, while Gareth Berg claimed 3 for 35.In reply, Hampshire were bowled out for 190, Lewis McManus top-scoring with 34. Tim Groenewald was the pick of the home attack with 2 for 28 from his four overs.Somerset made a whirlwind start to their innings thanks to some sweet timing from openers Gregory and Steve Davies and some woeful Hampshire bowling that saw the second over from Kyle Abbott feature two over-stepping no-balls and cost 25.By the end of the fourth over Gregory and Davies had taken the score to 61, the former being dropped on 24 by Berg off Brad Wheal, a tough chance, with the skied ball arriving over his shoulder.It was a relief for Hampshire when James Vince produced a good catch above his head at mid-on to dismiss Davies for 32, made from just 13 balls, Shahid Afridi the successful bowler.Man-of-the-match Gregory holed out to deep midwicket off Berg, having looked in prime form and by the end of the six-over Powerplay Somerset had raced to 83 for 2.Allenby took time to play himself in before producing some cracking shots. Peter Trego fell cheaply, but James Hildreth ensured there was no let-up for the bowlers with a breezy 25 off 18 deliveries.Allenby drove a catch to extra cover off Berg, but Michael Leask hit Wheal for six and two more maximums in the same over by Roelof van der Merwe, including a ramp shot, had Somerset on course for 220.But the 18th over saw van der Merwe run out and Abbott strike twice to dismiss Leask and Groenewald, forcing last pair Craig Overton and Max Waller to exercise caution.Hampshire replied positively despite losing Rilee Rossouw to only the eighth ball of their innings, bowled by Overton, whose opening over still coast 14.Vince cracked 33 off 15 balls, with seven fours, before being bowled by a full ball from Gregory. But George Bailey quickly followed, a victim for Groenewald, who put an early brake on the scoring rate.Carberry was dropped on 2 by Hildreth at short fine-leg off Overton as Hampshire ended the Powerplay on 51 for 3. He and Sean Ervine added 49 in good time before the latter was bowled by van der Merwe for 19 attempting a scoop shot.Carberry had progressed to 30 and was looking dangerous when run out by Groenewald in a mix-up with Lewis McManus over a second run. At 93 for 5 in the 11th over, the visitors were in trouble.McManus lofted successive sixes off van der Merwe in the 13th over, but the next saw Waller beat Afridi’s defensive shot and bowl him for 18.When McManus was caught by Allenby at extra cover off a skier to give Waller his second wicket, Hampshire were left needing 53 off four overs, with only three wickets in hand.Despite the best efforts of Berg (31 off 21 balls), they were always falling short and when he was run out the innings ended with three balls remaining.

England Lions stunned South Africa A with a late burst of six wickets in 16 overs to capitalise on a superb unbeaten century by Ben Foakes on a fluctuating second day of the first-class match in Canterbury.

ECB Reporters Network22-Jun-2017
Scorecard Ben Foakes celebrates reaching his hundred for England Lions•Getty Images

England Lions stunned South Africa A with a late burst of six wickets in 16 overs to capitalise on a superb unbeaten century by Ben Foakes on a fluctuating second day of the first-class match in Canterbury.Foakes, who was on 77 overnight, ended unbeaten on 127 in a total of 386, his first Lions century and his seventh in first-class cricket.The tourists responded with an aggressive opening partnership of 164 inside 41 overs between their young captain Aiden Markram and Heino Kuhn, a 33-year-old who has made seven T20 international appearances.But Jamie Overton dragged the Lions back into the game with a superb spell from the Pavilion End in the evening session.Then Jamie Porter followed up with a burst of three wickets in three overs – his first for the Lions.Tom Helm chipped in with the prize scalp of Temba Bavuma, and when Sam Curran trapped Dane Piedt lbw, the tourists had lost six wickets for 31. They will resume on Friday on 227 for 7 – still 159 behind.Overton’s first wicket was a gift from Markram, who top-edged a pull to long leg where Helm took a cool catch.
But Overton then stunned Kuhn with a rapid yorker which won an lbw decision, shortly after he had reached a 114-ball century.The Somerset bowler could easily have had at least one more wicket but it was Porter who claimed the third breakthrough as Theunis de Bruyn, another of the six members of this South African team with senior international experience, pulled a short ball to Haseeb Hameed at midwicket.The 23-year-old Essex seamer then dismissed Khaya Zondo and Heinrich Klaasen in the space of four balls, both snapped up at second slip by Lions captain Keaton Jennings.Earlier Foakes had continued to play with positive intent, punching the first two balls of the morning from Beuran Hendricks through the covers for four.He reached his century from 151 balls with 13 fours and added four more, helped by lower-order support from Helm and Jack Leach in stands of 44 and 53 respectively – although the morning session was interrupted by a violent electrical storm.Porter fell quickly to leave Foakes 14 short of his career best, and after 284 minutes at the crease he trotted back to the pavilion to change into his wicketkeeping gear – meaning he has now been on the field for every ball of well over four sessions.