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Gary O’Neil looks set to remain in the Wolverhampton Wanderers hot seat for the time being, despite his side’s recent set of dreadful results in the Premier League.

The 44-year-old has been given the dreaded vote of confidence by the Molineux hierarchy, but no doubt a defeat this coming weekend to Ipswich Town would again ramp up speculation that the former AFC Bournemouth boss is soon to be a goner.

Emotions abruptly change in football after all, with a number of rumoured faces being linked to the Old Gold job post whilst O’Neil is yet to be axed.

Rumoured names to replace O'Neil

The name with the most weight behind it at this moment in time does seem to be Graham Potter, who is also being heavily linked with a move to West Ham United who have just beaten Wolves 2-1 funnily enough.

Talks had even allegedly taken place between the ex-Chelsea man and the relegation candidates, but nothing has obviously yet materialised with O’Neil still in the dug-out.

Moreover, other left-field shouts have included Carlos Corberan and David Moyes when looking at the ongoing rumour mill, with Corberan a potentially controversial appointment, considering his current side West Bromwich Albion are fierce rivals with O’Neil’s men.

But, away from those named so far, there is another spectacular option reportedly available to the Premier League strugglers who could become the club’s next Nuno Espirito Santo if he is handed the reins shortly.

Wolves chasing the next Nuno

Wolves fans would love to have Santo back in an alternate reality, as the former Old Gold favourite has Nottingham Forest in an unbelievable fifth spot in the top-flight rankings currently.

Whilst he is obviously out of reach, Fenerbahce boss Jose Mourinho isn’t, who could love a return to English shores after once honing his craft as the ‘Special One’ in the Premier League before going on to succeed all across Europe.

Reports from Turkey seem to suggest that Wolves have bid £5m to try and get Mourinho out of his current contract at the Super Lig giants, with the 61-year-old more than well-equipped to turn around the Old Gold’s stuttering fortunes.

Of course, Mourinho didn’t win that much-talked-about nickname by chance, with a stunning three Premier League titles collected whilst at Stamford Bridge, but it will be the defensive stability he could bring to proceedings at Molineux that will catch the eye more considering Wolves’ lowly predicament.

Stat

Mourinho

Santo

Potter

Games managed

363

158

141

Wins

217

59

41

Draws

84

40

50

Losses

62

59

50

Goals scored

625

190

152

Goals conceded

305

209

169

Looking at the table above, Mourinho – whilst at the helm of the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United alongside the Blues – had only seen his teams leak 305 goals from 365 Premier League games, helped of course by the fact he once had the likes of John Terry at his prime to call upon when at Chelsea.

But, he would be more likely to get a tune out of the downtrodden Wolves camp than Potter, who only has 41 top-flight victories next to his name from 141 career clashes, with just seven of those coming when in charge of the West London club.

The Portuguese icon is also unlikely to put up with any poor performances based on his past outbursts in the Premier League, with a number of Wolves underperformers perhaps raising their game if such an esteemed appointment was made.

As his compatriot Nuno – who Jamie Carragher dubbed “Jose Mourinho lite” in the past – has shown this season for Forest, a defence-first approach can work in guiding your team up the league, with his side conceding fewer goals than Manchester City at 18 from 15 games, whilst the Old Gold have shipped a disastrous 38.

The “outstanding” manager – as he was once labelled by Joe Cole – has only overseen 13 goals being leaked in league action back in Turkey, with this managerial coup having the potential to turn Wolves’ dire season around, away from simply sticking with what they have.

After notably securing promotion and qualifying for Europe during Nuno’s time at Molineux with a defensive-minded set-up – having been dubbed a “pragmatic coach” by Carragher – the appointment of another former Porto man in Mourinho could help to get this struggling side back to those previous heights.

Better than Corberan: Wolves can finally axe O'Neil by appointing "genius"

Wolverhampton Wanderers could soon be welcoming in a new boss if Gary O’Neil is sacked.

ByKelan Sarson Dec 11, 2024

Liverpool ceded ground in the Premier League title race in midweek, with Caoimhin Kelleher’s late error allowing Fabian Schar to score from an acute angle and give Newcastle United a point at St. James’ Park.

The hosts were well worth their point, truth be told, but Liverpool will be frustrated by the manner in which their winning streak was sliced, for Mohamed Salah had swept the visitors into a lead with two goals and an assist for Curtis Jones.

Having previously won seven on the trot in all competitions and secured successive Anfield victories over Real Madrid and Manchester City last week, Liverpool have established a commanding position in the Premier League and the Champions League, at the summit of both tables.

However, Arsenal and Chelsea are snapping at their feet in joint-second-place (albeit from a seven-point distance) while Pep Guardiola’s City are masters at putting together imperious runs of form toward the business end of the campaign.

Liverpool cannot afford to lose more ground in the Premier League. They must defeat Sean Dyche’s men. It won’t be easy: this is the Toffees’ final season at Goodison Park, and oh how they’d love to silence the Redmen one last time on their fabled home soil.

Liverpool team news

Slot and his squad will of course be confident in their quality and chances of defeating their neighbours, but Liverpool do have a host of frustrating injuries to contend with.

Alisson Becker is on the cusp of a comeback, but is not quite ready. Kelleher has been brilliant between the sticks in the Brazilian’s absence, and will be desperate to put Wednesday’s blunder behind him.

Further issues abound across the outfield ranks, with defenders Kostas Tsimikas, Ibrahima Konate and Conor Bradley all out of contention.

Moreover, Diogo Jota and Federico Chiesa are still sidelined up front in a damaging blow; in particular, Jota’s clinical edge would be greatly appreciated. Even though the Portuguese is not yet ready to return, Darwin Nunez must not reprise his starting berth at the front of the attack.

Why Darwin Nunez must be dropped

Nunez has some particular qualities that make him an interesting asset to have up front. He’s lively, energetic and tenacious, but the Uruguay international also struggles to produce clinical results.

Across 18 matches under Slot’s wing, the 25-year-old has posted three goals and two assists. Not great. Against Newcastle, Nunez’s predatory sense (or lack thereof), proved to be Liverpool’s undoing, for he squandered opportunities and failed to produce the fluent football required for the system to purr.

The Liverpool Echo’s Ian Doyle branded him with a 5/10 match rating after a troubled St. James’ Park showing, criticising Liverpool’s record signing for his lack of influence and missed chances, albeit acknowledging his work rate and determination.

This forthcoming fixture is so important, and it’s for that season that Slot must push him back to the bench.

While several key options are sidelined, there are several choices to pick from. The answer to the quandary has to be unleashing Luis Diaz as the focal frontman to terrorise Jarrad Branthwaite and co.

Why Luis Diaz must start up front

With Nunez still erratic and Jota still injured (typical cases both), Slot must indeed unleash his Colombian menace at number nine.

The highly-charged Diaz has been in fine fettle this season, starting with a bang. It’s true that he’s fizzled out across the past couple of months, having gone nine Premier League matches without a goal, but he still carries a significant threat and scored a hat-trick from centre-forward against Bayer Leverkusen last month.

He’s got the shifty movement and electric pace to cause problems at the front of the ship, emulating, in a way, the role that Nunez plays so well for Liverpool.

The thing is, Diaz’s hat-trick matches Nunez’s total haul across the current term, with his bluntness in the final third starting to see Reds supporters’ frustrations boil over.

With Cody Gakpo thriving on the left flank, it makes perfect sense to play Diaz in the middle, where he can act as a kind of roving focal point to create opportunity for overlaps, namely from Gakpo and Salah.

As per FBref, the Colombia international also ranks among the top 4% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion and the top 8% for shot-creating actions per 90, highlighting the technical skill and link-up quality that he will bring to the Goodison grass.

Left winger

15

8

2

Centre-forward

2

3

0

Right winger

3

1

0

It goes without saying that Liverpool will see more of the ball than their counter-attacking neighbours, but this does not mean Everton cannot win. They will look for openings and seek to break Liverpool’s high line apart. Then charge. Then pounce.

Liverpool, as funny as it sounds, will need to ensure they succeed when presented with counter-counter transitions, which would be when, say, Virgil van Dijk dispossesses Dominic Calvert-Lewin on the break and looks to reorient the flow of the play toward Jordan Pickford’s goal.

The £55k-per-week Diaz will be essential in making the most of such patterns, for he is crisp on the ball and immensely creative besides. The 27-year-old also carried a deceptive strength, and won’t be easily outhustled by the likes of the heavyset Branthwaite.

Harking back to Nunez a moment, take a look at the clip below. It’s great that Liverpool scored and all that, but Nunez’s sloppy side pass almost broke down a promising passage.

Given that the Uruguayan only completed eight passes across 90 minutes on Tyneside, there’s a case to be made that he might prove ineffective against a Toffees team that will need to be outstyled in Liverpool’s final third, broken down and breached.

Branthwaite – who notably diverted Marcus Rashford’s effort into the net at Old Trafford last week – has yet to recover last season’s imperious defensive level, but he’s still a titanic young centre-back and will be tasked with nullifying whoever Slot deploys at centre-forward. Would Nunez really have greater success than Diaz in open play?

Described as a “livewire” by journalist Peter Hall, Diaz’s fleet-footed style, his tricks and slipperiness, could be what Liverpool need to leave Goodison Park one final time with three points in the bag.

Branthwaite – who Liverpool have been linked with in recent times – could well be in for a tough afternoon…

Ignored by Klopp: £32m Liverpool flop is now outscoring Salah in 2024

Klopp sold a star at the beginning of his Liverpool era, and now that very flop is outscoring Mohamed Salah in 2024.

ByAngus Sinclair Dec 6, 2024

أعلن نادي أتلتيكو مدريد الإسباني، تعاقده رسميًا مع أحد لاعبي فريق برشلونة، بعد رحيله عن الفريق الكتالوني.

وتوصل أتلتيكو مدريد لاتفاق مع اللاعب لضمه بعقد يمتد حتى يونيو 2028، بحسب ما أوضح عبر موقعه الرسمي.

وفي بيان رسمي اليوم، أكد برشلونة توصله إلى اتفاق مع لاعبه الفرنسي كليمنت لينجليه لإنهاء عقده ورحيله.

وعقب ذلك أعلن أتلتيكو مدريد في بيان، تعاقده مع لينجليت بعقد يمتد حتى يونيو 2028، وضمه في صفقة انتقال حر.

ولعب لينجليت لصفوف أتلتيكو مدريد معارًا من برشلونة خلال موسم 2024-2025، وخاض 34 مباراة مع أتلتيكو مدريد، مسجلاً ثلاثة أهداف ومقدماً تمريرتين حاسمتين.

كان لينجليه انضم إلى برشلونة عام 2018 من إشبيلية، وشارك في 160 مباراة لـ 4 مواسم، وسجل سبعة أهداف وقدم ثلاث تمريرات حاسمة.

Pant vs Karthik is India’s major selection debate in a contest full of star-studded match-ups

Vithushan Ehantharajah09-Nov-20226:53

Key match-ups: Kumble feels Suryakumar will put Curran under pressure

Big picture

The self-anointed big boys of world cricket are going at it at the Adelaide Oval. The neutrals may struggle to pick a side, but one thing is certain – it will be a blockbuster occasion.Familiarity will breed competition in this instance, given what’s at stake. Just a few months ago these two sides spent a concentrated fortnight at one another’s throats, with India taking the T20I leg with a pretty convincing 2-1 series win. But things are different now, very much in a good way. Jos Buttler is a more accomplished captain, settled in the rigmarole of the job and his tactics. Meanwhile, Virat Kohli has rediscovered his mojo.England will feel they have an edge of sorts, what with two must-win games ticked off against New Zealand and Sri Lanka to get them out of Group 1. There is a renewed confidence about them as setters having long been chasers, to the extent that the toss may be academic provided evening dew is minimal.Related

• How Sam Curran evolved to become England's go-to death bowler

• India vs England at World Cups: From Amarnath's heroics to an Adelaide cakewalk

• AB de Villiers approves of 360-degree comparisons with Suryakumar

• Tactics Board: Bhuvneshwar vs Buttler, Wood vs Suryakumar

• Hardik Pandya: the gold standard for a T20 allrounder

As for India, the only team to have won four matches in the Super 12 stage, the pressure to go on to a reunion with Pakistan at the MCG in Sunday’s final will be great, though no greater than what their players usually contend with. Quite apart from their obvious strength is a cerebral approach to their T20 work that gives them a unique edge over opponents before they have set foot on the park. Much of England’s public preparation has been on bigging that up while privately racking their brains to take them down a few pegs.The shorter square boundaries in Adelaide, as detailed in our Tactics Board, will play to the strengths of both batting line-ups. That no Englishman other than openers Buttler and Alex Hales have hit more than one six in the tournament speaks of a middle order that hasn’t quite come to the party. And while it’s tempting to say they are “due”, India will no doubt be focussing on keeping them quiet. One expects Sam Curran’s emergence as Buttler’s go-to death bowler will also face its sternest test against a side who are striking at 11.90 at the death.Wherever you look, there are match-ups that could be regarded as game-changing bouts. Don’t miss any of them.1:14

Watch: India tune up for the semi-final

Form guide

India WWLWW (last five completed T20Is, most recent first)
England WWLWW

In the spotlight

In a team of superstars, Suryakumar Yadav strides above them all as the man of this World Cup. No one has had a more profound effect on his team – and opponents – quite like this 32-year-old phenom equipped with more scoring options than Erling Haaland. The numbers he’s posted so far – 225 at a strike rate of 193.96 – are remarkable, the strokeplay drawing admiration from all quarters, even AB de Villiers who is the only one that springs to mind when it comes to the consistent destruction this man is serving up. Can he be stopped?Reliable with the ball, the usual excellence in the field and, against Sri Lanka, finally a score of note with the bat. Picking Ben Stokes in this section is as clear as the blue’s SKY. But in Dawid Malan’s likely absence, the allrounder is the only batter likely to hold the innings together and take things deep in the event of early losses. They say the big moments find him, and few come bigger than this.

Team news

The only debate for India is whether to play Rishabh Pant or Dinesh Karthik. Pant can upset Adil Rashid being a left-hand batter but Karthik is the finisher who can hit from ball one. Also Pant will have Moeen Ali’s offspin to deal with. Going by India’s training session, it looks like Karthik will play, having engaged in keeping drills while Pant did not. It is touch and go.India (possible): 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 KL Rahul, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Suryakumar Yadav, 5 Hardik Pandya, 6 Dinesh Karthik/Rishabh Pant (wk), 7 Axar Patel, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Mohammed Shami, 11 Arshdeep Singh.Neither Mark Wood nor Dawid Malan were fully fit at the time of the captain’s press conferences but England are willing to give them as much time as possible. Malan batted for a bit with one pad on, while Wood bowled about two overs max – with England understood to be ready to play Chris Jordan in his stead. It was notable that Phil Salt batted for a long period in the nets. Those changes in themselves will bring a degree of uncertainty given England have named unchanged XIs for their World Cup games so far.England (possible): 1 Jos Buttler (capt & wk), 2 Alex Hales, 3 Dawid Malan/Phil Salt, 4 Ben Stokes, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Liam Livingstone, 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Sam Curran, 9 Chris Woakes, 10 Chris Jordan, 11 Adil Rashid.In the possible absence of Dawid Malan, Ben Stokes could play a key role in holding England’s batting together•AFP/Getty Images

Pitch and conditions

Yes, this will be a used pitch, but it was last used on November 4 for the match between Australia and Afghanistan. The groundsman has assured Jos Buttler that he has had enough time to prepare what should not behave like a tired pitch. Buttler said: “I think having talked to the groundsman, his team is really confident that he’s had a lot of time to get some really good work into the wicket. He seems very comfortable that it’s going to be a really good surface and a consistent surface. At the moment I have no worries about the pitch.”For what it’s worth, the pitch for Australia vs Afghanistan started off slow and inconsistent in bounce, but it skidded on nicely at night. Afghanistan came close to chasing down 168. Chasing upon winning the toss might be a good idea, though much of the week leading up to this match has been quite hot so there might be more pace in this pitch. The forecast is fine, albeit with a morning shower predicted. Nevertheless, this should be an uninterrupted match.

Stats and trivia

• India have won their last four bilateral T20I series against England – two in England, two in India, all four by one-match margins.
• The two teams have not met at a T20 World Cup in this period, though. The last of their three meetings came in 2012, when a Rohit Sharma half-century and a four-wicket haul from Harbhajan Singh led India to a 90-run win in Colombo. In all, India have a 2-1 lead in T20 World Cup meetings.
• Virat Kohli needs 42 runs to become the first batter to 4000 in T20Is. Alex Hales, meanwhile, is 13 short of the 2000 mark.

Quotes

“These guys are quite dangerous. They’ve played some really good cricket in the tournament as well, which is why they’re here. So we’ve got to be at our best to win the game.”
“Well, we certainly don’t want to see an India-Pakistan final, so we’ll be trying all we can do to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

Sikandar Raza spent his formative years preparing to become a fighter pilot in the Pakistan Air Force (PAF). An eye condition prevented him from becoming one, but the time he spent in his childhood dreaming to be a fighter pilot, and the training he went through in the PAF college, have shaped his outlook in life and cricket to become a fighter, he says.Raza went on to become a software engineer, and then a cricketer after starting quite late in the sport. After nine years in the international circuit, Raza is in red-hot form. In the last few weeks, he has been the Player of the Tournament in the T20 World Cup Qualifiers, the Player of the Series against Bangladesh in the T20I series, and the Player of the Match for his unbeaten 135 against Bangladesh in the first ODI on Friday.Chasing 304, Zimbabwe were 62 for 3 in the 14th over. They hadn’t beaten Bangladesh in 19 ODIs across nine years. The way Raza rescued Zimbabwe from there with his knock of 135 off 109 and took them across the line, it showed he wasn’t too fazed by the pressure.Related

• Sikandar Raza pleased with Zimbabwe youngsters stepping up in absence of senior players

• Domingo: Bowlers repeating mistakes 'the most disappointing thing'

• Sikandar Raza is flying high, and Zimbabwe are soaring with him

• Tamim: 'Poor catching had to cost us at some point, today was the day'

• Stats – Zimbabwe's first ODI win against Bangladesh since 2013

“There’s pressure to do well and win the game, there’s pressure. I won’t lie,” Raza told ESPNcricinfo on Friday. “Of course, it helps that I am from an Air Force background. We don’t give up. I get hit, I get hurt, broken fingers, toes, etc. I don’t care. I personally feel it helps spending the three-and-a-half years in PAF college. I will always be a fighter within myself. I couldn’t become a fighter pilot. But I think as a person, I will always be a fighter. The training mentally and physically is paying dividends now.”Zimbabwe were chasing with the knowledge that the hard-hitting Ryan Burl, who suffered a side strain while bowling, may not bat. Raza was batting with the newcomer Innocent Kaia, and against a Bangladesh bowling attack hungry for wickets. He was also fighting pain after an inside edge slammed into his inner thigh earlier.”I usually go out with a blank mind,” Raza said. “I want to watch the ball. It is an ODI so I want to leave well if I can. Just play a couple of shots that will give me my boundary options. Otherwise, I make sure my shape is good. Make sure I am picking the length early enough.Innocent Kaia and Sikandar Raza added 192 runs for the fourth wicket•Associated Press

“The innings was starting to flow. Innocent was playing magnificently, so the pressure was off me. We hit a few boundaries and then it was just momentum. The plan was to win the game but we broke it down to small parts. We wanted to achieve those small targets, and take it from there.”Raza was going well until the 25th over when the Zimbabwe pair seemed to have hit a wall. They batted quietly for about five overs but when Raza blasted Mustafizur Rahman down the ground for a six to bring up his half-century, Zimbabwe had turned a crucial corner.”I think the secret to my six-hitting is my cricket bats,” he explained. “I don’t do anything different than what the other guys do. I just have good enough bats.”I look for one or two balls that gives me the boundary. I make sure I time the ball well. Once I start timing the ball well, Allah has blessed me with the fact that if I hit it well, I can clear the big boundaries. Once you have the confidence, and you get the ball that you wanted, it is what it is after that. There’s no real secret, basically.”Raza was also full of praise for Kaia, who struck his maiden hundred in only his fourth ODI. “He played a proper quality and class knock. It was a special innings. We play franchise cricket together. We spend a lot of time with him. I always told him that when the opportunity comes, I know that he will shine. His century was very satisfying to watch from the other end.”This was a big win for Zimbabwe, particularly in a format they have struggled in lately. “It was great to break that shackle. We didn’t beat Bangladesh in nine years,” Raza said. “They were 19-0 up on us. The wins are coming at the right time. India is coming. We are going to Australia. We have the World Cup to look forward to. It is a good time for Zimbabwe.”Raza, however, remained wary about Bangladesh’s quality as an ODI side with two games still left in the series. “We can’t take away the fact that Bangladesh is a big cricket country. They are sitting No. 1 or 2 in the [World Cup Super League] table. They won 2-1 [3-0] in West Indies. I refuse to disrespect Bangladesh. They are a powerhouse. Zimbabwe would love to win the series on Sunday. We want to turn up with the right attitude.”

He takes over from Lalchand Rajput, who will now work with the side as technical director

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Jun-2022Former Zimbabwe batter Dave Houghton has been appointed the side’s new head coach, ahead of next month’s T20 World Cup qualifier that will be held in the country. The 64-year-old takes over from Lalchand Rajput who will now assume a new role as technical director.Rajput’s coaching contract was extended recently in March by Zimbabwe Cricket, but the board has now revamped the support staff.Houghton had also coached Zimbabwe in the late 90s, and was at the helm during their memorable run to the Super Six stage of the 1999 World Cup in England, following memorable group-stage wins over India and South Africa. Houghton has also had coaching gigs with Derbyshire, Middlesex among various other teams in English county cricket. His most recent coaching stint was with Mountaineers in domestic cricket.Houghton captained Zimbabwe in their inaugural Test against India in 1992, and scored a century on debut. It was the first of four that he made in 22 Test matches, scoring 1464 runs in total at an average of 43.05. His 266 against Sri Lanka in Bulawayo in 1994 remains Zimbabwe’s highest individual Test score.Zimbabwe’s prep for the T20 World Cup qualifier is in some disarray – they were recently swept 3-0 at home by Afghanistan – but Hamilton Masakadza, the former batter and current director of cricket at ZC, hoped Houghton’s appointment would help reverse their fortunes.”We are delighted to be bringing in Dave and we count ourselves fortunate and privileged to be able to appoint such a vastly experienced and highly respected head coach at a time we are looking to improve our on-field performances,” Masakadza said in a media statement.Houghton will be assisted by Lance Klusener who has already rejoined Zimbabwe’s support staff as batting coach.”With Lance having also bounced back as batting coach, we believe we now have a formidable technical team that can push for World Cup qualification and ensure our players put in consistently competitive performances,” Masakadza said. “I would also like to thank Lalchand who has been in charge of the team for the past four years, an incredibly challenging period for our cricket.”

Al-Hilal have reportedly lodged a 'super offer' for Real Madrid star Rodrygo as they seek to replace expensive flop Neymar.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Neymar leaves Al-Hilal for Santos
• Saudi side target Rodrygo as replacement
• Make 'super offer' for Brazilian

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Al-Hilal cut ties with Neymar earlier this week, with the 32-year-old joining Santos instead. Now, Marca reports the Saudi Pro League team have made a 'super offer' to recruit Madrid ace Rodrygo and want to make him one of the best paid players in the division's history.

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Neymar's move to Al-Hilal from Paris Saint-Germain in 2023 ended up being one of the biggest transfer flops of all time. Marca adds the cash-rich Saudi league wants to make Rodrygo the face of Al-Hilal around the world but the 24-year-old wants to succeed at Madrid.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Rodrygo, whose contract with Madrid runs until 2028, has scored 67 goals and bagged 47 assists in 245 appearances in all competitions for the Spanish giants.

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  It remains to be seen if Al-Hilal step up their efforts to sign Rodrygo, with the league hoping to make the forward the 'main image' of the 2034 World Cup in Saudi Arabia.

All the qualities that once rendered Andy Flower the perfect man for the job – his intensity, his attention to detail and his demanding personality – have now become the reasons he needs to go

George Dobell at the MCG29-Dec-20130:00

#Politeenquiries: Are both teams just hometown bullies?

It is a simply a question of ‘when’ not ‘if’ now. England’s defeat in Melbourne – and the manner of it – has rendered Andy Flower’s position as coach all-but untenable.Flower has done a magnificent job. Appointed with the team in disarray – he inherited a side who had just sacked their captain and coach and, in his first game in charge saw the side bowled out for 51 in Jamaica – he instilled a discipline and unity of purpose that saw the team rise to No. 1 in the rankings in all three formats. He was exactly the man required when appointed and has exceeded expectations. Despite recent events, he should still go with his head held high and great pride in what he has achieved.But all things must pass. All the qualities that once rendered Flower the perfect man for the job – his intensity, his attention to detail and his demanding personality – have now become the reasons he needs to go. England need refreshing. They need to rediscover their joy in playing the game. They need a change.For that reason, it is highly likely that, sometime over the next few days or weeks – probably in the aftermath of the Sydney Test – Flower will take the decision to resign. He will reflect on what he has seen and come to an honest decision over whether he is the man to inspire a resurgence in this England team. Anyone who has seen them disintegrate over recent weeks can come to only one conclusion.He will not be sacked. An odd situation has arisen where there is arguably no-one with the authority to do so. Hugh Morris, the managing director of England cricket, has just stepped down and it is asking a great deal of his successor, Paul Downton, to make such a decision on his first week in the job. David Collier, the chief executive, is more suited to overseeing financial matters and long-term planning, while the idea that a non-paid chairman like Giles Clarke could take such a decision is ludicrous.One goes, one stays: Andy Flower and Alastair Cook are unlikely to be working together much longer•Getty ImagesDespite the current debacle, the ECB will not be without a succession plan. Ashley Giles remains the frontrunner to take control of the England teams in all formats and with a new head coach invariably comes a new back-room team which means the roles of Graham Gooch, the batting coach, and David Saker, the bowling coach, are extremely vulnerable especially after the batting collapses during this tour and the lack of a role for any of England’s tall quicks.

To have picked a side with an inadequate reserve wicketkeeper, a lack of reserve opening batsmen, three tall drinks waiters and a reserve spinner who came into the tour with serious doubts over his readiness to return to this level, has been proven to be folly

Graeme Welch, Giles’ right-hand man when he oversaw Warwickshire County Championship success in 2012, will be a strong contender for the bowling role and Paul Collingwood would be a viable candidate for the batting role. Graham Thorpe would, in normal circumstances, be a favourite for the batting position due to his links with England Lions but there is some doubt over his willingness to tour.There may be questions about Alastair Cook’s captaincy, too. Again, it is highly unlikely that Cook will be sacked. Rightly so, too: it is only a year since he led England to victory in India, and a few months since the previous Ashes and a home season that included taking the side to the brink of their first global ODI trophy. However, though he said what he had to after the Melbourne defeat, whether Cook has the appetite for the challenge after this dispiriting reverse remains to be seen.As his senior spinner wilted and his wicketkeeper flapped like a drowning seal, Cook looked a broken man on the fourth day. Stuart Broad, the captain of the Twenty20 side, and Ian Bell, the Test vice-captain and a particularly impressive leader at domestic level, would be the only viable candidates to replace him.The selectors need to reflect on their contribution to the current state of disarray, too. To have picked a side with an inadequate reserve wicketkeeper, a lack of reserve opening batsmen, three tall drinks waiters and a reserve spinner who came into the tour with serious doubts over his readiness to return to this level, has been proven to be folly. Several of those errors could have been averted had they simply taken more notice of results in county cricket.While there will be the inevitable calls for a complete cull from the side, that would prove a mistake. Kevin Pietersen remains, whatever his army of critics say, the prize wicket for every opposition side, while James Anderson showed in Melbourne that he remains a skilful operator. England’s early bowling on the fourth morning by Anderson, Broad and Ben Stokes was impressive. They created four chances before lunch but, partly due to Jonny Bairstow’s obvious deficiencies with the gloves, two of them went begging. Suffice it to say, Matt Prior had a good game in Melbourne.However, it’s hard to see how changes won’t be made for Sydney. Tim Bresnan and Michael Carberry are vulnerable but Monty Panesar, slinging down his left-arm medium pace with a horribly ragged action, was wretched and will almost certainly be replaced by the young legspinner Scott Borthwick. Borthwick is not the finished article but as a fine fielder, a decent batsman and a fresh face, he offers hope for the future. And, in a grim chapter for England cricket, hope is about the best that can be offered.

Warwickshire 293 for 7 (Lamb 106) trail Surrey 428 for 8 dec by 135 runsImmediately after the Grand National delivered yet another heartwarming story, Warwickshire and Surrey trooped back onto the field at Edgbaston after a rain delay. The Championship is far too earnest these days to suggest that the two facts were remotely connected, but in a more easy-going age county cricket has been known to briefly come to a halt to glean the result of the 2.30 from Uttoxeter, never mind the 5.15 from Aintree, so it might be a good thing if they were.When it comes to heartwarming stories, the Championship in early April struggles to deliver, although the enterprise of Matthew Lamb’s second first-class century was something to celebrate. It takes place at this time purely because administrators can’t agree upon a sane fixture list in an era when three formats are still jostling for attention so just take the easy way out. Its default position is cold and drudgery and four-day cricket on ECB-approved flat pitches, without warmth or sunshine, can be like nuts without bolts. It is valued only by coaches, aficionados and those who purport to be. At Aintree it was good to soft, but at Edgbaston it was heavy going.The players are professional, and fulfil their obligations. The best can turn their suffering into England recognition, such as Ben Foakes who made a resolute hundred on the second day here. Old stagers like Stuart Broad nod wisely and say, seven games in seven weeks, in such cold, with an England place to recover, no sorry, that’s not for me? Few really enjoy watching it in April unless the ball hoops around. The members insist upon their quota of four-day cricket, but not many turn up. It is a game staged for statisticians, a game staged to keep up appearances, a game best loved from afar.That made Lamb’s hundred all the more welcome. On a third day that for the most part was a gruelling watch, as Warwickshire responded to Surrey’s 428 for 8 declared by defiantly mapping out what appears to be a successful two-day route to draw points, he blissfully struck 106 from 138 balls. By the time the follow-on was averted, the rest of Warwickshire’s batters had mustered 169 from 463. Or to put it another way, his hundred came at more than twice their scoring rate. It felt less like a century than a blood transfusion.”I was a little bit frenetic for the first ten balls but then settled down,” he said. “I just went out there to be as positive as I can and I know that, in the past, when I have had that mindset I have got into much better positions and that has allowed me to score more freely.”He resisted, as did Sam Hain, a threatening first-hour assault from Kemer Roach and Reece Topley, but Lamb then drove with elan on a surface where others just dug in, adopting an assertive approach with three fours in an over against the young seamer James Taylor, who looks to have filled out a bit and otherwise bowled with great promise.Most fun was had, though, when Roach and Topley returned for second spells with an understandable desire to test him out against the short stuff, move the game on a bit, trade runs for wickets. Lamb had a couple of swishes against slower bouncers, but hooked and pulled Roach to enter the eighties, and did likewise against Topley to bring up the 90s. A fulsome leg-side pick-up against Roach to move from 92 to 98 was wonderfully out of keeping with much of the day and seemed to have been transplanted from a night at the Blast. By now, the adrenalin was flowing, and when he pulled Topley to long leg, he would have run two for his hundred anyway even if the hapless fielder had not chested it over the boundary.The gambit having failed, the old ball seemed to age 20 overs within moments. It required an exceptional piece of fielding to remove him. Lamb mistimed a pull at Topley and Jacks plunged low to his right at deep square leg, 10 metres in from the boundary as Surrey retained an attacking intent, to pull off a spectacular one-handed catch.From 41 for 4, facing a follow-on figure of 279, Warwickshire had been committed to a day of toil. At 198 for 5, they were still 81 short and quick wickets would have put them under pressure but Dan Mousley, whose place is under threat once the South Australian Nathan McAndrew arrives in time for Essex’s visit to Edgbaston in two weeks’ time, joined Hain in a stand of 65 in 36 overs despite a break for rain and ever retreating temperatures.Hain (78 from 228) and Mousley (43 from 128) both responded virtuously. Neither looked in good touch but, in a way, every mistimed stroke made their virtue all the more apparent. Hain got out to a leave-alone – a suitable end – as Jordan Clark nipped one back when the follow-on figure was in sight; Mousley fell at slip, whipping Clark, three balls after it had been averted, his concentration perhaps momentarily released. Their concentration had been more reliable than some of us who watched them – and they could take pride in that.It is a rum thing to consider that avoiding the follow-on remains such a thing even when many captains no longer bother to enforce it. For all that, the dirge was eminently justifiable. In football, lack of entertainment can often indicate a lack of desire – just look at Ralf Rangnick’s Manchester United. But in cricket, the situation is often what matters. And, for those who don’t know, it was a helluva finish in the National.

Two West Ham United players who featured in the draw against Fulham are now set to be deemed surplus to requirements and sold in the next transfer window, according to a recent report, just four games into Julen Lopetegui’s reign.

West Ham's tricky start

After being one of the Premier League’s most active sides over the summer transfer window, it has been an underwhelming start to life under Lopetegui’s management at the London Stadium.

Four games into the season, the Hammers have hardly set the Premier League alight. They currently sit 14th in the league with just a single win to their name, coming against Crystal Palace.

A tough fixture list means that they have tasted defeat at the hands of reigning champions Manchester City and European hopefuls Aston Villa, both at the London Stadium.

But perhaps more concerning was their performance against Fulham, with Lopetegui’s side seeing less of the ball than their hosts, as well as having fewer shots on target and fewer touches inside the opposition penalty area, hardly hallmarks of an upwardly mobile Premier League side as the Hammers are looking to be.

West Ham vs Fulham match stats

West Ham

Fulham

Possession

45.5%

55.5%

Shots

21

11

Shots on target

5

3

Touches inside the opposition box

29

13

Blocked shots

3

8

They were rescued deep into stoppage time by Danny Ings, who was found inside the Fulham penalty area by Jarrod Bowen before firing low into the corner past Bernd Leno to salvage a point for the visitors.

And changes are already being planned by Lopetegui as he looks ahead to January, with Ings among those who could depart.

West Ham pair could leave in January

That comes courtesy of a report from Football Insider, who claim that both Ings and Michail Antonio could both be allowed to leave in January as the Hammers look to continue their rebuild.

Antonio led the line for the first half against Fulham in the absence of summer signing Niklas Fullkrug, while Ings came off the bench to score.

However, the report suggests that the duo, who are set to be free agents next summer, could be shifted in the next transfer window.

This is because their exits would “free up some space within the squad” as well as helping “lower the wage bill”, with Antonio taking home £100,000 a week at the London Stadium, while Ings is on an even more lucrative £125,000 a week contract.

Signing a new striker is seen as a “top priority” at the London Stadium, with previous links to Jhon Duran over the summer before a deal broke down. Though they ultimately signed Fullkrug, they are keen to add another forward to their ranks to complement the quality in wide areas already at the club.

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Should they be able to find buyers for either Ings or Antonio, it could have the added benefit of adding more funds to the transfer kitty available to Lopetegui, who spent freely in the summer and is yet to see any early returns on that investment, though performances are only likely to improve as his new signings begin to gel.