West Ham Could Bin Soucek For "Dream" Who’s "Like Peak Frank Lampard"

West Ham United are reportedly still interested in signing Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher this summer and the England international's potential arrival at the London Stadium could allow David Moyes to finally ditch Tomas Soucek.

Could West Ham sign Conor Gallagher?

According to the Evening Standard, both Gallagher and Kalvin Phillips are high up on the Hammers' shortlist this summer as they consider how to replace club captain Declan Rice, who looks destined to leave in search of Champions League football.

With Phillips the more natural heir to Rice in the defensive midfield role at West Ham, Gallagher could prove to be a replacement for the struggling Soucek in Moyes' side, should the east London outfit spend big this summer and bring them both in, which of course would only be an option should they avoid relegation from the top flight this season.

It has also been an underwhelming season for the Chelsea academy graduate, who has failed to replicate his performances from his loan spell at Crystal Palace last season, where he became a key player for the Eagles and earned a call-up to Gareth Southgate's England side.

In 34 Premier League appearances for the Selhurst Park outfit, the young midfielder would manage eight goals and three assists with a strong WhoScored average rating of 7.09, which is comfortably more goal contributions and a better rating than anyone in the Hammers' squad so far this campaign.

Patrick Vieira sang the 23-year-old's praises after his brace in the 3-1 win against Everton, saying:

“Conor has this passion for the game when he is on the field like a Ray Parlour, but I would say he has maybe the quality finishing of a Frank Lampard.

“It is a manager’s dream to have a player like Conor because when he is on the field, he will give everything."

The comparisons with former West Ham and Chelsea favourite Lampard didn't end there however, as NBC Sports journalist Joe Prince-Wright described him as "like peak Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard rolled into one," which certainly bodes well for his future if he can rediscover his best form away from Stamford Bridge.

Could Moyes replace Soucek with Gallagher?

Given the huge sums of money being spent by Todd Boehly at Chelsea, Gallagher could become available this summer and could slot into a new-look Hammers midfield, which fans may well be hoping doesn't feature Soucek.

Despite featuring as a central midfielder, the Czech Republic international boasts one of the worst pass success rates in West Ham's squad with just 72.6% of his passes finding a teammate per Premier League game.

Gallagher also betters Soucek when it comes to key passes (0.7 vs 0.4), dribbles (0.7 vs 0.1) and crosses (0.4 vs 0.2) per game this season, which suggests that even though the young Englishman hasn't been at his best and has been limited to a lot of appearances from the bench, he has still performed better from an attacking perspective this season.

Therefore, surely the Chelsea man would be a preferable long-term option to the former Slavia Prague man in West Ham's midfield.

Antonio Conte comments on Spurs slammed

Antonio Conte and Spurs?

In their latest Premier League fixture, Spurs were unable to make the most of a two-goal lead as they conceded late on to drops two points in a 3-3 draw away at Southampton.

Indeed, Tottenham had led 3-1 thanks to goals from Pedro Porro, Harry Kane and Ivan Perisic but goals in the final 15 minutes of the match from Theo Walcott and James Ward-Prowse were enough to rescue a point for the Saints.

Speaking to the press after the match, a furious Conte delivered a few heated words aimed at his players and the club, saying: “They don’t play for something important, yeah. They don’t want to play under pressure, they don’t want to play under stress.

“It is easy in this way. Tottenham’s story is this, 20 years there is the owner and they never won something but why? The fault is only for the club, or for every manager that stay here. I have seen the managers that Tottenham had on the bench."

While talking about these claims on the BBC radio show 606, Sutton didn't seem to have too much sympathy for the Spurs manager as he said this poor form "is on him".

He explained (14:36): Basically, Antonio Conte says that he sees selfish players, players that don't want to help each other and put their heart into it.

"Hang on a minute, though, he's been there a while now he's not been in five minutes. He's been able to build a team, has brought a lot of signings in. This is on him."

After explaining what Conte had said, Sutton then added (15:46):

"I think his interview tonight, the words which he says tonight, stinks of a guy who wants out, who doesn't want to be there.

"I think a lot of Spurs fans feel the same way but, you know, it's coming to an unhappy ending, isn't it?"

Premier League, Southampton vs Tottenham Hotspur, Tottenham Hotspur news, Tottenham Hotspur latest news, Tottenham Hotspur performance, Tottenham Hotspur analysis, Spurs news, Spurs performance, Spurs analysis, Antonio Conte, Eric Dier

Why did Conte seem so upset about Spurs?

Sutton certainly does have a point about Conte needing to take plenty of responsibility for the result. After all, he has been backed in the transfer market to shape the squad as he likes with Richarlison, Ivan Perisic, and Pedro Porro all involved against the Saints after relatively recent moves to north London.

And if the Italian can't help his team control a two-goal lead against the team sitting bottom of the league, questions should be asked of the manager.

However, it's also true that many other top coaches such as Jose Mourinho and Mauricio Pochettino have spent time with Spurs but nobody has been able to win a trophy since 2008.

All in all, it looks like there is plenty wrong with the club from top to bottom. But after these quotes, it's hard to see Conte staying on as manager for much longer.

After such a vicious attack on the club that employs him, you can't help but half wonder if he's trying to get fired.

Spurs: Pochettino’s £265k-p/w disaster duo have bled Levy dry

Despite prior reports that new Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou was looking to move on a host of first-team assets following his appointment at N17, the window came and went with a number of the 'deadwood' having remained on the books.

The likes of Eric Dier and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg both stayed put despite claims that the north Londoners were open to offers for the experienced pair, while long-serving goalkeeper Hugo Lloris is also yet to find a new home, after previously stating his desire to move elsewhere.

There may well be a sense of frustration that those departures did not occur, although the Lilywhites have at least since been able to shift two more figures who appeared to be surplus to requirements, with Davinson Sanchez and Tanguy Ndombele – both of whom were signed during Mauricio Pochettino's time in charge – having joined Turkish giants Galatasaray.

Those long-awaited exits have brought to an end a tumultuous spell in the capital for the pair, with Spurs likely ruing the hefty investment that they made in the duo – with regard to both transfer fees and wages – over recent years.

How much did Sanchez cost Spurs?

In the case of Sanchez, the Colombian international was snapped up by Pochettino and co back in the summer of 2017, having caught the eye after playing his part in Ajax's run to the Europa League final during the previous season.

The promising talent had been acquired for what was a then club-record fee of around £42m, with the Lilywhites having been keen to provide greater depth in the centre-back ranks, behind the first-choice pairing of Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen.

Davinson Sanchez

Six years on from that high-profile switch to England, the 54-cap dud has since moved on to Istanbul for a reported fee of just £12.8m, with that representing a stark decline for a player who has been branded "one of the worst players" to have ever played for the club, according to talkSPORT pundit Jamie O'Hara.

What did Sanchez earn at Spurs?

Having "had question marks hanging over him ever since he came in", according to pundit Noel Whelan, the 2022/23 campaign proved to be a particular low point for the centre-back as he was restricted to just eight Premier League starts in total.

The 6 foot 2 enigma's time at the club also reached its undoubted nadir during the 3-2 defeat to AFC Bournemouth earlier this year, as he was brutally withdrawn by interim boss Cristian Stellini early in the second half, despite having only entered the fray midway through the opening period.

That error-strewn outing ultimately led to Sanchez being booed by his own support on the day, with there seemingly having been no turning back from such a disastrous day, hence the player's departure earlier this week.

Davinson Sanchez

In truth, it is fair to say that the one-time Atletico Nacional man – who made 207 appearances in total – did not warrant the £65k-per-week salary that he raked in after signing back in 2017, with that totalling up to roughly £20m in wages.

Such a sizeable outlay will no doubt sting for chairman Daniel Levy considering the defender's woes, with Whelan having perhaps best summarised just what a dismal signing Sanchez proved to be for the club:

"He’s been inconsistent, there are mistakes in him – very crucial mistakes which dictate the outcome of games."

It could be argued, however, that the addition of Ndombele proved to be even more of a transfer howler for both Pochettino and Levy, with the Frenchman having been a particularly costly mistake on reflection.

How much did Tottenham pay for Ndombele?

Despite having splashed out £60m on Richarlison last summer in order to prise the Brazilian from Everton, incredibly it is Ndombele who remains the club's record capture, having joined from Lyon on a £63m deal back in 2019.

As his recent loan switch to the Super Lig has indicated – a deal that includes an option to buy for the Istanbul outfit – the 26-year-old is no longer deemed a worthy squad asset for those at N17, having regularly flattered to deceive over the last four years or so.

While perhaps a victim of the sacking of Pochettino just a few months into his time in England, Ndombele didn't exactly do his best to try and win over the likes of Jose Mourinho and Nuno Espirito Santo, notably being called a "disgrace" by Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher back in 2020 for his apparent lack of work ethic.

Although there had been whispers that Postecoglou was willing to give the player a fresh start during pre-season, the news of a temporary departure will not have come as a shock to most, with the midfield maestro having spent the past 18 months at both Lyon and Napoli after falling out of favour at his parent club.

While those recent exits have helped to cover the cost of the maverick's hefty wages, like Sanchez the Frenchman has also rather bled Tottenham dry after being unable to warrant the faith in his talent.

What does Ndombele earn at Tottenham?

After spending four years on the books at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the 5 foot 11 dud has thus far scored just ten goals and provided only nine assists in 91 games in all competitions, hardly proving worthy of his reported £200k-per-week wages.

Excluding the time he has since spent out on loan, Ndombele's first two-and-a-half seasons in north London reportedly costly Levy and co around £25m – as per FBref – with his total cost coming in at around £88m, when factoring in his transfer fee.

Add to that the £42m fee that was spent on Sanchez – as well as the centre-back's £20m in wages – and, as journalist Paul O'Keefe alluded to, the club have forked out in the region of £150m on the pair in total.

That is a truly mammoth, eye-watering figure, particularly for two men who have distinctly underwhelmed during their times at N17, with the hope being that it won't be too long before Ndombele joins Sanchez in making a permanent exit from the club.

For many of a Tottenham persuasion, it will likely be a case of good riddance to the pair of them.

'I think I’m doing enough' – Curtis Jones sends Euro 2024 squad message to England manager Gareth Southgate and opens up on 'strange' Jurgen Klopp Liverpool departure announcement

Liverpool's Curtis Jones has sent a message to England boss Gareth Southgate as he believes that he is doing well enough to warrant a call up.

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  • Jones believes he deserves England call-up
  • Still uncapped by Southgate
  • Reveals Klopp shock after announcement
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    WHAT HAPPENED?

    With Euro 2024 coming up fast, Southgate has only two more games to finalise his squad for the tournament. The 53-year-old's future post the tournament is up in the air and a positive result this summer could see him extend till the 2026 World Cup. Jones has been flirting around the edge of the selection, but has never been capped despite featuring prominently for Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool. Later on in the same interview, Jones also discussed the shocking departure of the German from the Merseyside club.

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  • WHAT JONES SAID

    Talking to the BBC, Jones said: "It’s not easy. The lads I’m against are doing well. Gareth and the staff have got a choice, but I think I’m doing enough. Everything around me is going well, so we’ll see."

    On Klopp's announcement: "We were in the changing room, actually in the gym, and everyone was told we needed to come in at half 10. It was a bit of a strange one. We didn’t know what was going to be said, but I could feel it amongst the lads it was a little bit strange. He broke the news, it was tough to take. He’s his own man. You've got to respect he’s got his own things he wants to do with his family. He turned me from a boy to a man. I’m grateful for him, so are the teams, the fans, the city."

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    THE BIGGER PICTURE

    Jones was handed his professional debut for Liverpool by the German coach in 2019 when the midfielder played against Wolves in the FA Cup third-round clash. Since then, the 23-year-old has become a mainstay in the Liverpool squad, however, the same has not been the case for him with his nation as he hasn't got a single cap for the Three Lions' senior team.

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  • WHAT NEXT FOR JONES?

    If Southgate has any intention of integrating Jones in the England squad, he will only have two games to do so before the tournament. Before Euro 2024, the Three Lions have friendlies against Brazil and Belgium in late March, before facing Bosnia and Herzegovina and Iceland in early June ahead of the tournament.

Man Utd & Chelsea get Benjamin Sesko transfer boost as shock release clause for RB Leipzig striker revealed

RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko, who has been linked with Manchester United and Chelsea, has a low release clause that becomes active this summer.

  • Sesko moved to RB Leipzig in summer
  • Has release clause in current contract
  • Striker of interest to Premier League clubs
  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    Sesko snubbed a move to Manchester United in the summer when he left Red Bull Salzburg to join RB Leipzig on a five-year deal. According to , his contract at RB Leipzig contains a release clause of €50 million (£42m/$54m) that can be activated in the summer.

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    THE BIGGER PICTURE

    The news of Sesko's relatively low release clause is likely to be of interest to his admirers. United are in the midst of a disappointing season and could look to overhaul their squad in the summer, particularly as they have a striker shortage. Chelsea have also been linked with a move for Sesko as they look to boost their attacking options.

  • DID YOU KNOW?

    Sesko became the youngest player to score for RB Leipzig in the Champions League when he netted against Young Boys in September at the age of 20 years and 111 days.

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    WHAT NEXT?

    Sesko may well be tempted to move on if there is interest in the summer. The youngster is not a regular starter at RB Leipzig currently but has scored seven goals in all competitions for the Bundesliga side so far this season.

Man United Eye Move For £40m Eredivisie Dynamo

Manchester United are believed to be nearing the signing of Rasmus Hojlund, and now a fresh update has emerged on another potential target who could join the striker at Old Trafford.

What's the latest on Man United's interest in Mohammed Kudus?

According to Dutch football journalist Marcel van der Kraan, Ajax star Mohammed Kudus is on Man United's list of targets this summer.

Speaking on Football Daily, van der Kraan revealed:

"He [Kudus] is very keen on a move to the Premier League whether that be a top club in London or Manchester."

"But I think as soon as Ten Hag would knock on his door, he will go."

"He is on their list, he might not be the number one yet but if the players mentioned fail to come or talks break down, Kudus could be an ideal option."

How good is Mohammed Kudus?

It is no secret that Erik ten Hag has continued to have a huge admiration for his former Ajax squad, with a number of the Eredivisie club's players being linked with a move to Old Trafford since the manager was appointed last summer.

Antony, Lisandro Martinez and Andre Onana are all players that have followed their former Ajax coach to the north west of England, whilst the likes of Jurrien Timber and Frenkie de Jong have been previously linked too.

Now Kudus – who reportedly has a £40m price tag – could be the next Ajax ace to join Ten Hag's rebuild project at the Theatre of Dreams this summer, and would provide strong competition for the players deployed in the attacking threat, especially Antony who hasn't had the explosive impact desired so far.

Over 25 Premier League appearances last season, the Brazilian delivered just four goals and two assists, as well as missing four big chances in front of goal and failing to complete 54% of his dribble attempts, as per SofaScore.

antony-premier-league-man-united

When comparing Kudus' output to the Man United winger's last season, the Ghana international comfortably outperformed his positional competitor in a number of attributes including goal contributions (14 v 9), shots on target rate (39.1% v 32.1%), pass completion (85.5% v 79.1%), successful take-ons (62.3% v 42.7%) and shots on target per 90 (1.36 v 1.18), as per FBref.

Not only that, Dutch legend Marco van Basten spoke out on the former Ajax teammates upon Antony's big-money move to Man United, claiming that Kudus is a much better player:

"Kudus has much better technique, and he knows what he is doing. Antony may be faster, but Kudus is smarter and more technical.

"He is much more of a footballer, you can place him anywhere on the pitch, an all-rounder for the team.

"In fact, I like him much better than Antony. He's more fun to watch play."

Indeed, Kudus' great versatility in positioning means that the pair could play alongside each other for the Red Devils, with the 22-year-old experienced in playing central midfield, attacking midfield, in the centre-forward role, as well as on the right wing too.

However, providing competition for Antony on that right flank could ultimately unlock his true potential and push the winger to improve his performances, something that would put Ten Hag in a great position by having two young and hungry prospects vying to prove themselves next season, with Hojlund spearheading the attack through the middle.

With that being said, the signing of Kudus would be a great piece of business for Man United; adding depth to a number of key areas on the pitch and delivering Ten Hag another huge talent that can impact the attacking threat.

Burnley Could Sign ‘Unreal’ £15m Benson Partner At Turf Moor

Burnley announced their ninth signing of the summer on Thursday with the addition of Jacob Bruun Larsen, but Vincent Kompany still has time to make it double figures in terms of arrivals in time for the start of the Premier League season.

Who have Burnley signed?

Danish winger Larsen joined from Bundesliga side Hoffenheim on a season-long loan, meaning a reunion with Kompany after spending time together at Anderlecht in 2020-21.

Larsen follows in the steps of Zeki Amdouni, James Trafford, Dara O'Shea, Luca Koleosho, Nathan Redmond and young goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux in joining Burnley this summer, while Jordan Beyer and Michael Obafemi have been signed on permanent deals after starring on loan last season.

The Clarets' move for Larsen comes amid ongoing speculation that they are looking to sign fellow attacking midfielder Jack Clarke from Championship side Sunderland.

According to The Northern Echo, Burnley's latest bid of £10m plus various add-ons has been rejected by Sunderland, but the Black Cats would be willing to sell if offered £15m.

What position does Jack Clarke play?

Sunderland snapped up Clarke from Tottenham Hotspur on a permanent deal 12 months ago after he impressed during a spell on loan in League One.

The 22-year-old was one of the best players in the Championship last season, as he scored nine goals and set up a further 12 goals in 47 appearances for the Black Cats.

Those 12 assists were a joint-high among players in the Championship, level with former Coventry City star Viktor Gyokeres, who has earned a big move away this summer to Sporting CP.

Clarke's 0.48 goals or assists per 90 minutes in the regular season, as per FBref, was better than that of Burnley regulars Johann Berg Gudmundsson (0.46) and Josh Brownhill (0.38) last season, while Anass Zaroury (0.50) only fared marginally better.

That goes some way to showing that Clarke has the quality to be part of Burnley's squad, and his arrival could be particularly good news for Burnley's centre-forwards.

The former England U20 international played mainly on the left-hand side last season, which is likely where he would fit in at Burnley should he indeed sign, on the opposite flank to Manuel Benson.

Burnley winger Manuel Benson.

Benson scored and assisted a combined 14 goals last season – only Brownhill (15) could better than among Clarets players still at the club – as he played an integral part in the Lancashire side's dominant title win.

Having Benson on one flank and Clarke on the other would give many Premier League defenders a torrid time next season, especially when you factor in that the Sunderland ace was level with creative force Brownhill last season for shot-creating actions (147).

That metric takes factors such as passes and take-ons directly leading to a shot into account and gives a strong indication of the danger Clarke can cause in the final third.

Labelled an "unreal" player by football reporter Josh Bunting, Clarke – as is the case with many Burnley players – showed last season that he is ready to make the leap from the Championship to the Premier League.

If that is not with Kompany's Burnley, then it is surely just a matter of time before another club pounces.

'They can fight for the title' – Barcelona boss Xavi insists he hasn't been shocked by surprise package Girona ahead of clash with La Liga high-flyers

Barcelona boss Xavi believes that Girona can truly challenge for the title this season as La Liga's shock package continue to rise.

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  • Girona surpisingly sit second in La Liga
  • Tied on points with leaders Real Madrid
  • Xavi's Barcelona host them on Sunday
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    WHAT HAPPENED?

    Xavi continued to laud his team's next opponents as he expects Girona to continue impressing and fighting for the league title. Girona have lost just one game all season, to leaders Real Madrid, and have accumulated 38 points from 15 games in La Liga this season. Xavi's Barcelona, in contrast, have struggled for form and are four points off Girona and Madrid.

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  • WHAT XAVI SAID

    Xavi is not surprised by Girona's awesome form, saying: "For some people it's a surprise that Girona are co-leaders with Real Madrid, but for us, no. Michel is a great coach, with a system very similar to ours. Excellent, just congratulate them. They're playing with a spectacular flair but we won't vary too much. We will try to have continuity in the game. They can fight for the title and in fact they are four points ahead of us. I like the fact that they are fearless, how they attack. They are brave and that's what has put them there."

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    THE BIGGER PICTURE

    Despite Xavi claiming he was not surprised by Girona, few could have expected them to be challenging for the title prior to the start of the season. Led by the 37-year-old former Middlesborough flop Cristhian Stuani, Girona have drawn deserved praise for their performances this season.

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  • WHAT NEXT FOR XAVI AND GIRONA?

    Should Girona earn victory over their Catalan rivals, their title credentials will only be further strengthened. Xavi's Barcelona cannot afford to lose on Sunday night, with defeat leaving them seven points off the top.

Celtic: Rodgers Can Replace Jota With Swoop For £2.1m Wizard At Parkhead

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers was rocked by the exit of one of his star players earlier this month as Portuguese winger Jota completed a move away from Parkhead.

The 24-year-old phenomenon opted to join Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad, where he will play alongside French internationals Karim Benzema and N'Golo Kanta, in a deal reportedly worth £25m.

However, the Hoops will not see all of that fee as Benfica, who sold him to the Scottish giants last summer, are due to receive £7.5m from their 30% sell-on clause.

£17.5m is still a hefty profit on the £6.5m they paid to sign the exciting winger on a permanent basis in 2022 and it could provide Rodgers with the funds he needs to find a replacement.

Who could replace Jota at Celtic?

The Northern Irish tactician could find Jota's heir by securing a deal to sign Yang Hyun-jun from South Korean side Gangwon FC this summer.

Former Celtic winger Jota.

Football Scotland reported earlier this month that the club have agreed to a £2.1m deal to sign the young winger but the K League 1 outfit are pushing to keep their prized asset until January as they battle against relegation to the second tier.

Celtic must now push to bring him in immediately as the potential is there for him to be an exciting replacement for Jota heading into the 2023/24 Scottish Premiership campaign.

Yang's form for Gangwon in 2022 suggests that he could be an excellent addition for Rodgers as the 21-year-old magician impressed in spite of his team's average season.

The South Korean side scored 47 goals in 33 league matches and lost more games (14) than they won (13).

During that time, the South Korea U23 international plundered eight goals – 17% of the club's total – and created six 'big chances' for his teammates, which was rewarded with five assists.

The talented youngster, who was described as "highly creative" by FC Twente philosopher and analyst Joost van der Leij, was able to showcase his attacking quality as a scorer and creator without playing in a successful team.

Now, imagine what he could do as part of a dominant Celtic squad that scored 114 goals and won 32 of their 38 Premiership matches last season. 17% of that goal tally would work out as 19 strikes, which highlights the difference playing in a more productive outfit can make for an attacker.

Jota proved himself to be a consistent performer out wide as he scored 11 goals and provided 11 assists in 26 league starts for the Hoops, with only Kyogo Furuhashi (27) able to boast a better goal return for the club.

Yang, who is three years younger than the Portuguese ace, may not have reached those impressive numbers at the top end of the pitch in his career so far but his form for a struggling Gangwon side in 2022 indicates that he could thrive if given the opportunity to line up as part of a lethal Celtic attack next season.

Therefore, Rodgers could unearth a dream replacement for Jota by getting a deal over the line for the South Korean whiz and helping him to adjust to playing in a thriving team, which could – in turn – improve his output in the final third.

Back my stock ball, googly a variation to take wickets – Kuldeep

Kuldeep Yadav could feel the pressure of bowling to MS Dhoni on Wednesday evening. Despite being a spinner, Kuldeep was picked by Gautam Gambhir to bowl the 18th over of Rising Pune Supergiant’s innings with Dhoni and Steven Smith in a partnership of 35 runs from 21 balls. One batsman had regained his touch of smashing sixes in the end overs and the other has not gone out of form since landing in India for the Test series.”If you are a spinner there’s always pressure on you,” Kuldeep said after the match. “As a spinner, I believe that you can put the opposition under pressure by picking wickets. Like in the last over I took two wickets and they were under pressure. Bowling the 18th over is always tough; the captain needs to believe in you for that.”Kuldeep’s first ball to Dhoni in the match, in the 16th over, had been pulled for a flat six over midwicket. In the 18th over, Kuldeep deceived Dhoni with a googly. Dhoni stepped out to get to the pitch of the ball, but it turned away, beat his bat and was stumped.”Bowling to Dhoni is always challenging and I could feel the pressure,” Kuldeep recalled. “But I wasn’t scared that he would hit me for a six or a four. I flighted the ball and I was focused on getting him out.”Three balls later, Kuldeep had Manoj Tiwary on strike, Rising Pune’s best batsman this season in terms of strike rate (with at least five innings). Kuldeep had conceded only three runs in four balls until then in the over and he had Tiwary stumped even though the batsman did not step out to hit him. Kuldeep bowled another googly, Tiwary leaned forward to tuck the ball to the leg side with the spin but the ball went the other way and Tiwary’s back foot was outside the crease.Kuldeep, however, said the conventional legspinner was still his stock delivery as he used the wrong’un and the flipper mainly to get wickets.”It (googly) is only a variation and you can use it in T20s to confuse a batsman when he is attacking,” he said. “But I really believe in my chinaman bowling rather than the wrong’un and flipper. I back my stock ball more and I’m mainly a chinaman bowler; the wrong’un is a variation you use to pick wickets or stop the runs. But my main delivery is chinaman delivery. Obviously, the wrong’un gets you wickets and the batsmen keep wondering if the ball will come in or go out, they find it difficult to pick, especially the overseas batsmen. So if you dismiss Indian batsmen like that, it’s a big boost for confidence.”Kuldeep has so far gone wicketless in just one match this IPL and has collected eight wickets, joint with team-mates Nathan Coulter-Nile and Umesh Yadav, who have had the advantage of a pacer-friendly relaid pitch at Eden Gardens.Kuldeep has had an impressive run since the beginning of the domestic season. He was the highest wicket-taker and the leading run-scorer for Uttar Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy; he topped the wicket-takers charts in the Duleep Trophy too, with 17 wickets in three matches, and he shone on his Test debut with 4 for 68 against Australia in Dharamsala.”If you play the entire season and you’re highest run-getter or the highest wicket-taker, it becomes easier to play on the next level because of the momentum you are carrying,” Kuldeep said. “If you aren’t playing domestic cricket you might lack in some places. I’ve played Duleep Trophy, one-dayers, T20s, India A, so this season has been really helpful for me which is why I have a lot of confidence.”Knight Riders will play their next match against Delhi Daredevils on Friday.

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