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There’s plenty of substance, and little that’s flash, in Brad Haddin, who is not about to let Adam Gilchrist’s vast reputation cramp his style

Andrew Miller26-Jun-2009Of the 16 players in Australia’s Ashes squad, only six have previous experience of an Anglo-Australian Test match, and of those, only four – Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke, Simon Katich and Brett Lee – have sampled the unique atmosphere of a Test series in England. In an era when Twenty20 cricket is threatening to turn people’s attention away from the game’s most venerable traditions, it’s a dwindling bunch of cricketers who can pinpoint exactly what it is that makes this rivalry so special.But the Australian tourist best placed to explain the enduring significance of the Ashes is also the one most used to being overlooked. Few players have waited on the sidelines as long or as uncomplainingly as the wicketkeeper, Brad Haddin, a man whose fate it is to be defined in terms of a man who can never be replicated. When Adam Gilchrist retired from international cricket at the end of the 2007-08 season, he closed the book on a career that transformed the expectations of a generation of glovemen, but his reputation didn’t make the vacancy any less sweet for Haddin to fill.”I think we talk a lot about icon series. You talk about India being the powerhouse of world cricket, and we’ve just been playing a very successful South Africa side over a pretty extended period,” Haddin told Cricinfo. “But as a young kid growing up in Australia, the icon series for us was a five-Test series against England. We’re pretty excited about the whole theatre of the event, and from a personal point of view, I can’t wait to get involved right from the start of the first session in Cardiff.”Haddin toured England in 2005, but didn’t get a look-in, while 18 months later, during the 5-0 whitewash Down Under, he was a distant observer, quietly plying his trade in state cricket for New South Wales. But now, at the age of 31, and almost a decade on from his first appearance for Australia in a one-off ODI against Zimbabwe in January 2001, Haddin is the man in possession and he’s revelling in the opportunity. “If the opportunity had never arose I would still have been a happy man,” he said. “I did everything I possibly could, I just happened to be behind one of the best ever to play the game.”Haddin has certainly been forced to earn his recognition the hard way. He was limited to just 21 ODI appearances in his first six years in the national set-up, and in that time he never played more than five games in a row. But metaphorically speaking, he managed not to drop the ball whenever he was called upon, and as a reward for his reliability, his tally began to rise after Gilchrist retired in early 2008. His most treasured possession, however, his baggy green cap, was not presented to him until Australia toured the Caribbean in May 2008.Even then, the hard yards of his journey to the top had not been completed. During his debut appearance he fractured the ring finger of his right hand, but not only did he play on through the pain during the final two Tests of the series, he shrugged off an infection that set in as a result.”I think Test cricket is the pinnacle,” Haddin said. “Growing up in Australia, you want your baggy green cap, and you want to be tested over five days. It’s the true test of where your cricket is at. Other forms are exciting and very good for the game, but Test cricket is the pinnacle.”His current Test average of 37.54 is testament to the fact that he’s not about to let Gilchrist’s vast reputation cramp his style. Haddin’s longevity in the eyes of the selectors is down to the composure he brings to his performances. There is little that’s flash but there’s plenty of substance, as befits a cricketer with nearly 6500 first-class runs to his name.”I see myself as a wicketkeeper-batsman,” he said. “I think Adam changed the perception of how wicketkeepers are viewed, but I think if you talk to him he would also say he’s a keeper first and a batter second, and I don’t think that’s changed. I’m a true believer that you should pick the best wicketkeeper available. You’re a keeper first, and then a batsman.”From a personal point of view, I’ve spent 10 years keeping to Stuart MacGill at the SCG. They talk a lot here of how the ball wobbles after it goes past the bat. But the beauty of Test cricket is that you do play in different venues, all around the world. I played 10 years of first-class cricket, travelling state to state and getting used to the conditions, but one of the attractions of Test cricket is going to India, West Indies, and all over the international stage, and testing yourself in all different conditions.”

“If the opportunity never arose, I would still have been a happy man. I just happened to be behind one of the best ever to play the game.”

It didn’t take long for Haddin’s first examination of this Ashes campaign to come about. In glorious conditions at Hove on Wednesday, on the opening day of Australia’s first competitive outing since the World Twenty20, their batting malfunctioned in the mid-day sun, as they slipped to 114 for 5 against a rookie attack led by a South African journeyman of Italian extraction, Pepler Sandri.By the close, however, the scoreline had been transformed. Brett Lee and Nathan Hauritz eventually made the game look pretty simple as they piled on the runs in an eighth-wicket stand of 117, but Haddin’s performance was the one that made the difference. He top-scored with a cool 69 from 119 balls, an innings of class and intent that reiterated, regardless of the low-key environment, that he has sturdy enough feet to fill some of the most daunting boots the game has ever known.”I didn’t find it tricky at all, stepping into Adam’s role,” he said. “The one thing I tried to do was make sure I was ready. I couldn’t control when Adam was going to retire, if at all, so the bottom line is, all I was trying to do was make sure I was the best cricketer I could possibly be, and if the opportunity came down the track, all well and good, I’d be ready for the challenge of stepping in. I didn’t waste too much energy thinking about what ifs, because it’s something I couldn’t control.”I enjoyed my time on tours with Adam, because I could look at the set-up of Australian cricket, and learn how the elite players train. But taking over his role wasn’t at the forefront of my mind. Six years before that I may have thought about it too much, but for the last five years it wasn’t in my thought processes as much as people think.”Haddin was 30 when he eventually got his extended run in the side – coincidentally just two years older than Gilchrist himself had been in November 1999, when he finally took over from his own immoveable predecessor, Ian Healy. If nothing else, the two careers that preceded him proved to Haddin how precious it is to have the opportunity to represent your country. With that in mind, the succession couldn’t really be in better hands.

Arsenal are enjoying another thrilling season of football this year and with 17 games gone, they currently find themselves atop the Premier League table with just one game to go until Christmas – a first vs second clash at Anfield.

Mikel Arteta's men might not be quite as free-flowing as they were last year, but their seriously impressive defensive displays have put them in pole position to end their two-decade title drought if they can maintain their current trajectory.

The board looks set to do all they can to help with that, as the latest player touted for a move to the Emirates could become the Gunners' own Rodri, and he has been far more impressive than Chelsea's Moises Caicedo to boot – Douglas Luiz.

Arsenal can sign the next Saliba in "insane" star who could fetch £86m

The young Dutchman could become one of the best defenders in the world.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Dec 19, 2023 Arsenal transfer news – Douglas Luiz

According to ESPN, Arsenal are looking to shuffle their midfield setup in the January window and are seriously interested in adding Aston Villa's maestro to their ranks.

The Brazilian midfielder was the subject of two failed bids from the Gunners last summer but signed a new deal with the Villans in October 2022, which is set to run until 2026.

With three years to run on his current deal and his importance to the Claret and Blue, the transfer is likely going to be very costly, with former England international Joe Cole telling TNT Sports (via the Mirror) that he expects the 25-year-old to move for a fee comparable to Caicedo and Declan Rice, so in the £100m range.

The former Chelsea man seems to believe he is worth it, though, saying: "He has been performing in the same league as them, performing better than Caicedo, arguably."

And with how well he measures up to Manchester City's Rodri, it would be hard to disagree.

Douglas Luiz could be Arsenal's Rodri

Now, some might argue that the outstanding performances of summer signing Rice suggest there is no need for the club to go and break the bank for a player like Luiz. Still, his arrival would allow the Englishman to move into a left-eight role and have an even more significant impact on the game.

Furthermore, FBref has named Rodri the seventh most similar player to the former City midfielder across Europe's top five leagues, which is quite the compliment considering everything the Spaniard has achieved at the Etihad.

This similarity is evident when you compare the pair alongside Caicedo to test Cole's claim that the Villa star is outperforming the Ecuadorian.

The former Brighton & Hove Albion ace – who was linked with a move to the Emirates over the summer – comes last in every important comparative metric, while the other two trade blows and come out on top in various statistics.

Rather surprisingly, Luiz and Rodri produce the exact same non-penalty expected goals and assists figures, while the former is far more likely to cross the ball and the latter more likely to recover the ball.

Luiz

Rodri

Caicedo

0.24

0.24

0.09

4.94

9.47

4.92

2.27

2.14

0.61

3.38

0.38

0.45

1.56

1.37

1.14

2.99

3.36

2.88

0.00

0.15

0.08

6.56

7.71

5.83

Their defensive output isn't too far off either, with the "underrated" Luiz, as described by former Arsenal player Paul Merson, winning more of his tackles but Rodri making more tackles and interceptions overall.

Ultimately, if Arsenal can get this deal done, they absolutely should, as the opportunity to sign a Rodri-esque player doesn't come around often, and Rice would be given that bit more freedom to get involved in the attack as well.

Liverpool haven't been short of attacking quality in their lineups over the past couple of years, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane feared components of a Reds forward line over a number of seasons – both players routinely slotting in alongside Mohammed Salah to terrorise Premier League defences week in week out.

Jurgen Klopp's choice of fresh blood in attack ever since Firmino and Mane uprooted to Saudi Arabia have performed adequately in the absence of their two former star men, with Cody Gakpo relocating from the Netherlands to play under the German head coach at Anfield last December whilst Luis Diaz has now entered into his third straight season with the Reds this campaign after departing FC Porto in 2022.

Both players have shown glimpses of quality this season to date – with Diaz scoring at the death versus Luton Town last time out to steal a share of the points for his team – but eyes are shifting towards young Liverpool attacker Mateusz Musialowski now who is currently outscoring both the Dutchman and the Colombian at youth level.

Diaz and Gakpo will hope they can improve their numbers, looking over their respective shoulders apprehensively at Musialowski who is edging closer to a first-team berth if he continues his current rich vein of form.

Liverpool's attacking numbers this season

Gakpo has been utilised mainly as a substitute option by Klopp this campaign so far, only scoring two goals in top-flight action as a direct consequence with the 24-year-old last finding the back of net in a 2-1 away defeat to Tottenham back in September.

#1 Mohamed Salah

10

#2 Darwin Nunez

7

#3 Diogo Jota

6

#4 Luis Diaz

4

#5 Cody Gakpo

4

Stats via Transfermarkt.

The Dutch attacker's recent cameos off the bench have left much to be desired, only garnering a 6.1 overall Sofascore rating from his 24 minutes on the pitch against Luton – losing possession three times on the Kenilworth Road turf, alongside hitting one of this two efforts wide.

Gakpo's poor individual display on top of Liverpool's overall underwhelming performance was fortunately bailed out by Diaz's late goal on the night, the Colombian forward netting his first Reds goal since the second matchday of the season as a result to help his team draw 1-1.

Musialowski will hope that both players continue to blow hot and cold for Klopp's men, with the German manager unafraid in the past to call upon certain youngsters to make an impact in his starting eleven – Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones springing to mind who have slotted into the first team after breaking through at youth level.

Musialowski's numbers this season

Described as "supremely talented" by Liverpool social media channel TheRedmenTV, the Polish attacker is excelling in his current age bracket for the Reds.

Linked with a move away from Liverpool this summer per reports, Musialowski has stayed focused on his game away from rumours and is playing out of his skin for the U21s as a result.

The Polish winger has bagged six goals in all competitions for the youthful Reds side after eight matches, assisting a further two goals to provide for his teammates. The latest of those goals came on Tuesday evening as the club fell to a 2-1 defeat against Barrow in the EFL Trophy.

Musialowski's effort versus Morecambe in the EFL Trophy recently saw Liverpool's number 92 remain persistent, hitting a deflected effort in eventually after the ball returned to his feet off the back of a slaloming run into the area.

Dubbed the "Polish Messi" for his tricky feet at youth level, the 20-year-old will hope his continued goalscoring exploits at U21 level means he's given the chance to impress in Klopp's first team sooner rather than later.

This could come at the expense of Gakpo and Diaz, with competition heating up in the attacking spots at Anfield.

The sight of three left-arm wrist spinners bowling at England in the nets at Edgbaston underlined the extent to which the talk of spin bowling has dominated the lead-up to this series.It’s not just England’s reputation against such bowling or the dramatic impact made by Kuldeep Yadav at the start of the limited-overs series between these sides. It is that England has experienced a prolonged spell of unusually hot and dry weather. Even if the squares were heavily watered, it was argued, the dry outfields would draw moisture out of them and leave the pitches dry and dusty.So, Akhil Patel (the brother of Samit Patel), William Blackwell (a club cricketer at Coggeshall in Essex) and Sam Wisniewski (a Yorkshire Under-17 cricketer) were all recruited to bowl to England’s batsmen in the nets. And, had Jake Lintott, a left-arm wrist-spinner of the fringe of the Hampshire side been available, he would have done so, too. Dom Bess and Jack Leach also took part.But a first look at the Edgbaston surface suggests such talk may have been overplayed. The pitch looks similar to the surfaces seen here for the 2015 Ashes – when England’s seamers took 19 of the 20 wickets to fall – and the 2016 Test against Pakistan, when England’s spinner, Moeen Ali, took just two of the 20 Pakistan wickets.Not only has Birmingham seen the dry spell end in recent days – the city experienced minor flooding in some areas on Saturday after torrential rain – but the groundstaff at Edgbaston have pumped millions of litres of water onto the outfield in recent weeks. At one stage, they were putting as many as 47,000 litres of water on to the outfield in 36-minute bursts. Even on Monday night, the groundstaff were spraying seaweed onto the outfield in order to ensure the grass retained moisture even if another hot spell occurs during the game.As a result, conditions are remarkably similar to usual despite the extreme weather. Indeed, it might be the sort of surface where the captain winning the toss has a tricky decision to make over whether to bat or bowl first. The first session is likely to prove hard work for batsmen and the pitch is unlikely to deteriorate much over the first three days at least.It therefore seems most unlikely that India will play three spinners and means there is every chance that Kuldeep will not be selected.The Edgbaston surface two days before the first Test•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

It is also quite possible that, even after the furore into Adil Rashid’s selection, he could be omitted. While Moeen was informed a few weeks ago that he would subsequently be considered only as a second choice spin bowler, he looked back to his best in the recently concluded Championship match against Somerset – he claimed the 10th five-wicket haul of his first-class career – and has, at least, had a chance to play some first-class cricket. Rashid has not played a first-class match since September.It is 25 years since England played two frontline spinners (Moeen is being classified as a frontline spinner for the purposes of clarity) in an Edgbaston Test. On that occasion, England fielded two offspinners against Australia – Peter Such and John Emburey – and slumped to an eight-wicket defeat.While Jeetan Patel has enjoyed a good season with Warwickshire – who are based at Edgbaston – he usually gains little help from the surface and sometimes benefits from the footmarks left by Keith Barker, the club’s left-arm swing bowler. The legspinner Josh Poysden also claimed a five-wicket haul at the ground when playing as a second spinner, though he would be the first to admit than some poor batting from Glamorgan played a large part in that haul.With Moeen and Ben Stokes offering all-round depth, England are blessed with many options. They could play two spinners without weakening their seam bowling. If, for example, they omitted a batsman – Dawid Malan – they could bat Moeen at No. 7, with Rashid at No. 8 and James Anderson, Stuart Broad and, probably, Jamie Porter to follow.While Sam Curran could also come into the equation, it could be that his left-arm angle counts against him: England, despite the possibility of playing five left-handers in their top seven, are unlikely to want to provide R Ashwin and co. with any help from Curran’s footmarks. Malan, it might be noted, averages 29 in Test cricket. Moeen averages 32.40.Either way, it seems spin may not play the prominent role in the match that was originally anticipated. Whether by accident or design, Edgbaston appears to have survived the warm spell with its characteristics intact. It looks, in short, a good, English, Test surface with some encouragement for seamers but where batsmen can also prosper.

The November 1 ODI has been moved to Thiruvananthapuram after leading voices in football including Tendulkar, the co-owner of the Kerala Blasters franchise, raised concerns over potential damage to the turf in the Kochi stadium

Nagraj Gollapudi22-Mar-2018

BCCI

The Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) has decided to shift the November 1 ODI between India and West Indies from Kochi to Thiruvananthapuram with the issue gaining a political dimension. The decision was taken after the southern Indian state’s sports minister intervened in the matter and asked the KCA to shift the venue.Last week the BCCI’s tours, programmes and fixtures committee finalised the itinerary for West Indies’ tour of India, which comprises two Tests, five ODIs and three T20Is. One of the ODIs, scheduled for November 1, was to be hosted at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium in Kochi.The Kochi ground has predominantly become a venue for football in recent years. It was one of the six venues for the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in October 2017 and is also home base for the Kerala Blasters in the Indian Super League (ISL). The last cricket match played at the venue, in 2014, was also against West Indies, a big win for the visitors.Since then, only one other international match has been played in Kerala, a T20I against New Zealand last November at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram, which India won. Critics of the KCA asked why the association was so keen to host the ODI in Kochi when another ICC-certified cricket ground was available in Thiruvananthapuram.As soon as the BCCI announced Kochi as the venue for the West Indies ODI, a number of leading voices in football including Sachin Tendulkar – a co-owner of the Kerala Blasters franchise – raised the red flag. On Tuesday, Tendulkar posted a message on his Twitter feed, saying he had “urged” Vinod Rai, chairman of the Supreme-Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) that is supervising the BCCI, to look into the matter.”Worried about the potential damage to the FIFA approved World class Football turf in Kochi. Urge the KCA to take the right decision where cricket (Thiruvananthapuram) and Football (Kochi) can happily coexist,” Tendulkar tweeted.Rai had already been made aware of the issue by another prominent voice, Shashi Tharoor, the Minister of Parliament from Thiruvananthapuram, who called the KCA move to play the match in Kochi a “suspect” and “bizarre” decision. Tharoor told Rai to review the decision only because the Kochi turf would need to be dug up to get the venue ready for the ODI, which would would prove detrimental to its footballing use.Since both the grounds in Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram are owned by the state government, the Kerala sports minister AC Moideen held a meeting with the KCA top brass on Thursday to chalk out a solution.According to Jayesh George, the KCA secretary, the state cricket body has signed a MoU with the government to get both the grounds on lease. Accordingly the KCA has invested money in uplifting the infrastructure at both venues and felt it has the right to choose the ground for cricket matches.However the MoU also states that both grounds, being multi-purpose venues, can host football too. “Till today we planned to host the ODI in Kochi,” George told ESPNcricinfo. “Since 2011 we had maintained the stadium in Kochi. But the government took possession of the ground last year for the Under-17 World Cup.”George said Moideen assured the KCA that the government would grant land to develop a cricket-only stadium to avoid such issues in future. “Since the government has intervened and advised us to conduct the match in Thiruvananthapuram, we are doing that.”

The captain’s unbeaten 88 against Nepal led Scotland into the Super Sixes stage of the World Cup Qualifier and one step closer to the showpiece event in England in 2019

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Mar-2018
ScorecardScotland celebrate progress into Super Sixes•IDI via Getty Images

Kyle Coetzer might well remember his 27th List A fifty with a great amount of fondness. His unbeaten 88 against Nepal led Scotland into the Super Sixes stage of the World Cup Qualifier and one step closer to the showpiece event in England in 2019.Considering he only had to chase 150, the bowlers deserve a lot of credit as well. Stuart Whittingham and Safyaan Sharif ran through Nepal’s top order with the new ball, taking four wickets in the first five overs. With Nepal struggling at 14 for 4, captain Paras Khadka (63) did his best to keep the scoreboard ticking along. He helped Nepal reach 100 in the 29th over, but fell soon after and the tail was left with too much to do.Opening batsmen Matthew Cross (14) and the captain Coetzer were watchful at the start of Scotland’s chase. They added 33 at the top before Cross fell to Sandeep Lamichhane’s legspin. Basant Regmi, too, took two wickets as Scotland’s middle order wobbled just a bit, but Coetzer’s half-century ensured they could overcome it and seal victory with four wickets and 51 balls to spare.

The benches and bullpens emptied during the sixth inning of Game 4 of the American League Division Series after a play at second base involving Kansas City Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia and New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe. With Garcia at first base, Royals second baseman Michael Massey grounded into a double play. Garcia appeared to slide hard into second base towards Volpe, whose forearm also appeared to make contact with the Royals infielder's upper body during the slide.

Garcia took exception to the play and immediately got right into Volpe's face, prompting both Yankees and Royals to emerge from their respective dugouts and bullpens.

After the game, which the Yankees won 3-1 to advance to the American League Championship Series , third baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. told reporters that he felt Garcia "tried to go injure" Volpe during the play, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.

"I just felt like he tried to go and injure Volpe because he was being a sore loser," Chisholm said. "He was talking a lot on Instagram and Twitter and stuff."

"I do the same thing, but I'm not gonna go and try and injure somebody if they're winning a game, and I didn't like that so I told him we don't do that on this side and I'm always gonna stick up for my guys."

Chisholm indeed was one of the first Yankees players to approach Garcia after the play, and the two exchanged some words on the field.

Both Garcia and Chisholm Jr. had been vocal off the field during the series as well. Following the Royals' Game 2 victory, Garcia took to X (formerly Twitter) and seemingly took a shot at Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodon, then said that Kansas City doesn't fear anyone.

Then, Chisholm drew the ire of Royals fans when he said that Kansas City had gotten "lucky" in the Game 2 victory.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone, perhaps believing the play between Volpe and Garcia was blown out of proportions, referenced the days of the heated Yankees-Royals rivalry of the 1970s and 1980s.

"If there was some kind of upset over the slide or whatever, we just go back and show a little Hal McRae and Willie Randolph and we’ll all laugh at ourselves," Boone said.

The Yankees will await the winner of Saturday's Game 5 of the Cleveland Guardians-Detroit Tigers ALDS.

Liverpool kick off 2024 this evening as they welcome Newcastle United to Anfield for their first Premier League match of the calendar year.

The Reds will be hoping to retain their place at the top of the table as they bid to secure their first top-flight title since the 2019/20 campaign.

Jurgen Klopp’s men head into this fixture off the back of a 2-0 win over Burnley last time out at Turf Moor, thanks to goals from Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota either side of half-time.

The German head coach will be without a number of players, including Andy Robertson, Kostas Tsimikas, Joel Matip, and Thiago, due to injury and could look to rotate his side to avoid further issues.

One player he must unleash from the start this evening is central midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai, who should come in for Ryan Gravenberch in the middle of the park.

Gravenberch's performance against Burnley in numbers

The Dutch whiz played 66 minutes against the Clarets and did not do enough to make him a nailed-on starter against the Magpies today.

He lost six of his eight duels as Burnley players found it far too easy to get the better of him in physical duels, and the summer signing failed with both of his attempted dribbles.

Appearances

14

Sofascore rating

6.69

Goals

Zero

Assists

Zero

Duel success rate

40%

Gravenberch, who created one chance at Turf Moor, has not hit the ground running since his permanent move from Bayern Munich earlier this year.

As you can see in the table above, the central midfielder has not made a significant impact at the top end of the pitch and has been too much of a lightweight in physical battles throughout the Premier League season.

Why Szoboszlai should replace Gravenberch

Meanwhile, Szoboszlai has been an impressive performer for the Reds in midfield since his summer switch from German side RB Leipzig.

The Hungary international has not been at his very best as an attacker in recent weeks, with no goal contributions in his last four Premier League outings, but his work out of possession should put him ahead of Gravenberch.

He has made 6.4 ball recoveries per match in the top-flight for the Reds so far this season, compared to his Dutch teammate's 3.6 per game.

The £120k-per-week whiz, who was once dubbed a "Magician" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has the engine and drive to win the ball back for his side at an impressive rate, which helps Liverpool to control games and cut out opposition attacks.

Szoboszlai also has the potential to chip in at the top end of the pitch. He has produced two goals, two assists, and five 'big chances' created in 19 Premier League matches so far this season.

This shows that the former Leipzig star has the quality to make an impact in the final third as both a scorer and a creator of goals, which is a trait that Gravenberch has yet to display.

Therefore, Klopp must ditch the Dutchman this evening and bring Szoboszlai back in from the start to line up in midfield at Anfield against the Magpies.

Chelsea are fearing the worst over an injury to one of their first-team stars as well as the issue with Marc Cucurella, according to a reliable reporter.

Cucurella injury update

During the Premier League 2-0 defeat to Everton, Cucurella was forced off the pitch with a serious lower leg issue, and following further assessments with knee and foot specialists, the defender is set for an extended spell on the sidelines.

After undergoing surgery, Mauricio Pochettino’s star is still recovering in hospital and isn’t expected to return to the grass until February at the very earliest, and if the following is to be believed, he’s not the only one who the manager will have to cope without having at his disposal for the foreseeable future.

Fabrizio Romano shares injury news out of Chelsea on "spectacular" player

More bad news for Pochettino…

ByTom Cunningham Dec 17, 2023

At Goodison Park, Reece James was also withdrawn prematurely and replaced by Levi Colwill after just 27 minutes, which will have sparked plenty of concern among supporters considering the misfortune that the right-back has suffered since the start of the season.

The Blues captain has made just five starts in the top-flight so far this campaign due to being ruled out of action with a hamstring problem (WhoScored – James statistics), and it sounds like the club’s medical staff are extremely concerned about the 24-year-old’s situation this time around.

James may need hamstring surgery

Writing in his column for CaughtOffside, Fabrizio Romano revealed that Chelsea are worried about James and confirmed that they have entered discussions to decide whether he needs to go under the knife.

“A final decision on whether or not the full-back will undergo surgery will be made within the next few days — that’s the plan internally. Make no mistake though, for sure Chelsea are worried.

"They want James to be in the best possible condition to perform at the highest levels — the player wants the same, but this is not the case at the moment. Chelsea are in talks with medical specialists about how to help and prevent this issue from becoming an even bigger problem. Everybody hopes James can come back even stronger.”

While James is naturally a right-back, Chelsea will know that he’s stronger in the offensive aspect of his game having posted 32 direct contributions – 21 assists and 11 goals – in 156 senior appearances during his time at Stamford Bridge (Transfermarkt -James statistics).

The England international also currently ranks in the 96th percentile for successful take-ons, highlighting his desire to use his pace to dribble past his marker and create as many chances as possible for both himself and his fellow teammates in the final third (FBRef – James statistics).

Having been dubbed “world-class” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Pochettino will therefore know that not having his skipper available for selection for a while is a huge blow, so everyone associated with the club will be hoping that he is able to stage his comeback as soon as is safe to do so.

Liverpool went through a big summer of change after the 2022/23 campaign failed to bear any fruits for Jurgen Klopp's side, with the midfield receiving more than just a spruce-up after failing to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in seven seasons.

While Klopp had crafted a successful, compelling outfit on Merseyside over a number of years, it all came undone as the midfield struggled to charge the engine room and the backline failed to display the kind of strength and synthesis as a collective, too often coming unstuck.

Frankly, Liverpool were outthought and outfought all too often, and it's little surprise that there was a mass exodus over the summer months, with the likes of Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo arriving to chart a course back to the forefront.

Such additions have been important but they have augmented the existing members that were not given the chop, with Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones both playing important roles in the Reds' campaign thus far.

Spaniards Thiago Alcantara and Stefan Bajcetic also played big roles last year but have both been plagued with injury since the summer; the latter, Bajcetic, was a diamond in the dirt last season and proved to be a real asset as he guided his senior peers through the darkness of last year, even being praised as a "special" talent by Klopp.

Bajcetic, aged 19, is evidence that Liverpool's youth ranks boast quality enough to break into the senior set-up, following in Trent Alexander-Arnold's footsteps, but it doesn't look like he will be the last to rise to the fore under Klopp's wing, with a rich crop of talent bubbling under the surface right now.

Not least with prodigy Trent Kone-Doherty continuing to produce some scintillating displays…

Trent Kone-Doherty's season in numbers

Describing himself as "fearless", Kone-Doherty has blitzed up the ranks at youth level and posted 16 goals and four assists from just 29 outings so far, though he is still awaiting his senior debut.

The six-cap Republic of Ireland U17 international has been hailed for his "blinding pace" by Foyle Harps chairman Gerry Doherty, who also declared him a "flying machine".

Signing for the Anfield side for a reported fee of £150k, the 17-year-old is part of a revolution at formative level at the club, with an inpouring of exciting potential arriving to give Klopp more than a little food for thought.

The revered gaffer's history of providing Reds starlets with chances to impress will only convince Kone-Doherty that he can wedge his way into the reckoning, with Bajcetic and Alexander-Arnold not the only youngsters to be brought to the surface.

Indeed, Ben Doak and Jarell Quansah are perfect examples of why Liverpool might be the place for a prodigious talent such as Kone-Doherty to grow into his skin.

Another rising star who was destined for a position of prominence was Kaide Gordon, who had caused a storm among those of a Liverpool persuasion before a detrimental injury culled his growth, but with the fleet-footed winger now returning, Klopp may have to contend with the rise of two competing prodigies.

Kaide Gordon's career so far

Signed from Derby County for around £3m in 2021, Gordon, aged 19, has been regarded as one of Liverpool's most exciting attacking talents since his acquisition and demonstrated his talent through some excellent showings, scoring 11 goals and providing five assists from 27 matches.

Dubbed "exceptional" by Klopp, Gordon was beset with horrendous luck on the injury front and returned to full training this summer after 17 months sidelined with a pelvic growth issue.

There have been minor setbacks that have hindered him from returning to action with regularity as yet, but there is a feeling that Gordon is now ready to dazzle once again with his dynamism, lightning speed and natural finishing instinct – he is left-footed, and prefers to ply his trade as an inside forward from the right.

Apps

Goals

Assists

G/A Rate

U18 Premier League

Kone-Doherty

19

12

3

0.79

Gordon

15

9

3

0.80

Premier League 2

Kone-Doherty

3

1

0

0.33

Gordon

10

4

1

0.5

*Sourced via Transfermarkt

When he arrived at Liverpool, he was dubbed 'the best 16-year-old in the country', and Liverpool, having warded off attention from Manchester United, felt that they had secured a star in the making.

Injury has hindered his development, but it doesn't have to be detrimental, with plenty of time to nurture his innate quality back to its peak.

However, with Kone-Doherty now coming for his throne, Gordon will need to ensure that he puts his heart and soul into his performances over the coming months to reclaim a place in Klopp's first team.

While Kone-Doherty has only just burst onto the scene in the Premier League 2, he got himself off the mark nice and early, scoring a crucial goal in a 1-1 draw against Derby in August.

And given that he's only a few months into his 17th year, there is ample time for him to sculpt the perfect foundation over the coming years, using this as a launchpad to ensconce himself in Klopp's senior team.

Gordon has already demonstrated that such lofty ambitions can be realised, having racked up four senior showings and bagging his first professional goal against Shrewsbury Town in the FA Cup third round in 2022, a goal among many in a conquest to the trophy, defeating Chelsea on penalties in March.

Despite only recently returning to action after his interminable wait for full fitness, Gordon has already been called up to the senior squad and earned a place on the bench against Toulouse earlier in November; this speaks volumes for Gordon's quality and chances of earning opportunities alongside the likes of Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez this term.

Should Kone-Doherty hold onto his 'fearless' nature and continue to sharpen his natural attacking expertise, there is every possibility that he could surpass Gordon and knock on Klopp's door as the most promising youngster on the books.

The German manager has much to consider, but deciding who deserves a chance is the type of conundrum that every manager hopes for.