Wrexham are financially stable enough to challenge the big hitters next season if they secure promotion to the Championship.
That’s according to football finance expert, Kieran Maguire, who broke down the ambitious Welsh club’s current financial standing.
The Red Dragons sit second in League One, three points above fellow promotion chasers Wycombe with eight games to play.
At the very least, Wrexham are poised to contest the playoffs and the opportunity to scoop a third consecutive promotion.
The north Wales club is bankrolled by Hollywood duo Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenny who completed a takeover in February 2021.
The pair are estimated to share a combined wealth of $636 million (£309m), and that could rise further in the event of another successful campaign.
Promotion this season would see Wrexham just one step away from their dream destination of the Premier League, having never featured in the top flight in the club’s history.
Wrexham owners Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds hold the Vanarama National League Trophy. Photo by Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Images.Source: Getty Images
But it’s one step at a time for the club that, under Reynolds and McElhenney, has built a global brand thanks partly to their popular ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ documentary.
The show, which has posted three series’ so far, has won eight Primetime Emmy Awards and two Critics’ Choice Television Awards which has helped put the club firmly on the map and extend their global reach to a new demographic of fans.
Their savvy sponsorship deals coupled with smart recruitment leaves Wrexham in a strong position in the event of promotion.
And if promotion to the Championship is sealed, Maguire says they would compete financially with clubs dropping out of the Premier League that receive parachute payments.
“Wrexham made three times as much as any other club in League Two, more than any other club in League One and they would be in the top half of the Championship,” Maguire told talkSPORT.
Ryan Reynolds and actor Hugh Jackman meet Wrexham fans. Photo by Malcolm Couzens/Getty Images.Source: Getty Images
“Therefore they’re not that far behind the Championship’s big hitters – the likes of Stoke and Norwich. It’s an incredible achievement in terms of bringing in money.
“It’s also their ability to become an international brand which has really driven this.
“I was teaching in Charlotte, North Carolina last year and the only shirts I saw were those of Wrexham, which is an amazing achievement and that’s on the back of the documentary.” Wrexham’s long-term vision is to reach the grandeur of the Premier League and, although a possible stint in the Championship is likely to present the club’s biggest challenge to date, Maguire believes they should be well placed to further invest in the squad.
“If they get promoted this year that adds another £8m of TV money because they will be in the Championship,” he added.
Ryan Reynolds is now a cult hero. Photo by Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Images.Source: Getty Images
“So that would put them fairly close to all of the clubs except for those who will be in receipt of parachute payments in the Championship.
“I think that they are in a very strong position from a PSR (Profit and Sustainability Rules) point of view. Last year they lost £2.5m, they can lose £39m over three years when they get to the Championship.
“They have the capacity to invest in players and invest in improving the infrastructure and I think they will be an exhilarating proposition to watch because everybody’s eyes will be on them.
“They will be up against some really big teams who have just been relegated from the Premier League, whereas they can point to two years ago being in the National League.” Maguire continued: “They have Hollywood stardust attached to them and that’s allowed them to sign these amazing sponsorship deals with some big-hitting international and global brands they wouldn’t have got ten years ago.
“Everybody’s heard of Wrexham and that’s off the back of the documentary and Reynolds and McElhenney who have done very well out of this as well.
“They are smart cookies as well as being very gregarious. They’ve allowed the club to piggy back on their brand and become this globally-known name.”
North London is red, light at the end of Tottenham’s tunnel of Premier League woe is no nearer, and talk around Ange Postecoglou’s future at the club is ramping up.
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Postecoglou’s side entered the derby still hobbled by a slew of high-profile injuries, most notably to star defenders Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Destiny Udogie, while he was forced to field 21-year-old Antonin Kinsky, the youngest goalkeeper in more than 13 years of North London derby history.
Arsenal was favoured to win and, despite going behind to a Son Heung-min strike against the run of play, the title challenger scored twice in four minutes late in the first half to claim a lead which it never surrendered.
However, it’s the accumulation of bad results that has now, for some, become too hard to ignore despite how handicapped Postecoglou has been.
Spurs’ loss to Arsenal is the club’s 11th in the Premier League this season — the joint-most it has suffered in a league campaign after 21 games.
Arsenal legend Emmanuel Petit said on TalkSPORT that he believes the end is now near for Postecoglou, pointing to the mood around his biggest stars as part of the reason why.
“I think things are probably coming to the end for him. I think that something has to change,” Petit said.
“We can see the league, we can see the faces of the players tonight on the pitch and they look so miserable, nobody looks like themselves.
“As I said, I think something has to change at Spurs, so I think he will get the sack.”
Petit acknowledged the injuries working against Postecoglou but claimed that, ultimately, it wasn’t enough to excuse the depth of Spurs’ slump.
“Look at the players on the pitch, look at Son – he was amazing on the pitch for five years. (James) Maddison this season – Maddison last year was such a great player, what has happened to him?
Controversial winner costs Ange’s Spurs | 02:41
“Something is broken in this team and you can’t sack all of the players and so you have to make the easiest decision and that’s to sack the manager.
“I don’t like saying that and I feel for Postecoglou, but he deserves to be sacked because they’re going down game after game so change something.”
Petit’s former Arsenal teammate Martin Keown was of a similar opinion, saying on TNT Sports that Postecoglou is now “skating on thin ice”.
Aside from injuries and the exciting brand of football he’s brought to Tottenham Stadium, Postecoglou’s saving grace has been his side’s League Cup run. Spurs lead Liverpool 1-0 in their semi final, with the second leg at Anfield on February 7.
But former Tottenham winger Aaron Lennon says that that Cup run offers only a thin veneer between club harmony and serious internal rumblings.
“Disappointed” Ange refuses to blame ref | 03:42
“One win in nine – it’s not good enough at all,” Lennon said on TNT Sports.
“This puts a lot of unrest in that camp. If they weren’t in the Carabao Cup semi-finals there would be big problems.”
Spurs’ standard of play, and Postecoglou’s allergy to more pragmatic tactics in favour of a break-neck, attacking style of play, has also rung alarm bells among Premier League legends, and the Australian himself.
Not for the first time, Postecoglou was brutal in his reaction to the loss, describing his side’s performance as “not good enough,” “way too passive”, and “unacceptable”.
It’s worth nothing that Postecoglou has not looked to hide behind his club’s injury toll during the horror run, despite its undeniable impact.
Even so, the injuries have been a common let-off among pundits during Tottenham analysis. That is, until now, with the narrative taking a worrying turn against the Australian.
“Without doubt the Tottenham fans have to be concerned,” legend striker Alan Shearer said on Match of the Day.
“I know they have injuries but you can’t go up against your rivals and your manager come out at the end of the game and say that the team were nowhere near their levels.
“That is unacceptable.”
Manchester United champion Rio Ferdinand was of a similar opinion, saying the quality of the Spurs players who remain has been poor.
“It’s like watching an academy under-18s game when the kids are working it out for themselves,” Ferdinand said.
LONDON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 15: Ange Postecoglou during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Tottenham Hotspur FC at Emirates Stadium.Source: Getty Images
Of Postecoglou’s all-or-nothing approach, he added: “Maybe he has to be more adaptable with his tactics.
“I understand and respect Ange’s principles but, with the injuries, surely you have to adapt them. Adaptability would be sensible at this time.”
The Guardian’s Jonathan Liew also noted Spurs’ tactics in his post-match musings, which aimed to discern whether this Tottenham team is just unlucky, or “supremely naive”.
Liew wrote that Spurs once again paid the price for showing a lack of composure and game management that allowed Arsenal to win from behind.
He wrote: “There is a really good side in here. Maybe lacking in passing sophistication, but exciting and youthful and aggressive and reared in a common style and with a devastatingly high ceiling.
“But it is also a side addicted to danger, impulsive and impatient, perennially on the wrong end of fine margins because this is what happens when you play like there are no consequences and infinite excuses.”
Alexander Isak fired Newcastle into the Premier League’s top four on Wednesday, scoring twice in a 3-0 cruise against Wolves as David Moyes endured a miserable return to the Everton dugout.
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Red-hot Isak found the net for the eighth league match in a row as the Magpies leapfrogged faltering Chelsea into fourth spot in the table.
The Swedish international put the home side ahead in the 34th minute when his shot took a huge deflection off Wolves defender Rayan Ait-Nouri, leaving Jose Sa wrong-footed.
The striker is just the fourth different player to score in eight successive Premier League appearances, after Jamie Vardy (twice for Leicester), Ruud van Nistelrooy (twice for Manchester United), and Daniel Sturridge (for Liverpool).
Isak doubled Newcastle’s lead shortly before the hour mark, controlling Bruno Guimaraes’ pass before firing home for his 15th league goal of the season and Anthony Gordon added a third.
Eddie Howe’s men, who have now won six straight league games, have recovered strongly from a lengthy poor spell to make a powerful case for a Champions League spot next season.
Taking advantage of the faltering form of Manchester City and Chelsea, they are just three points behind third-placed Nottingham Forest.
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND – JANUARY 15: Alexander Isak of Newcastle United celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the Premier League match between Newcastle United FC and Wolverhampton Wanderers FC at St James’ Park on January 15, 2025 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
– Villa ruin Moyes’ return –
Moyes, in the first game of his second spell in charge of Everton, watched his toothless side lose 1-0 to Aston Villa at Goodison Park.
Ollie Watkins broke the deadlock in the 51st minute, slotting past England teammate Jordan Pickford after he was sent clear by Morgan Rogers.
Everton huffed and puffed but showed a lack of creativity — unsurprising for a team who have scored just 15 league goals in their 20 matches this season.
The result lifts Unai Emery’s Villa to seventh in the table but Everton remain in deep trouble, just one point above the relegation zone in 16th spot.
David Moyes’ return as Everton manager failed to muster a response from the toothless Toffees in a 1-0 home defeat to Aston Villa.Source: Getty Images
The Liverpool club’s new owners, the American-based Friedkin Group, sacked Sean Dyche last week and brought back 61-year-old Moyes, who enjoyed success during an 11-year stint at Goodison Park from 2002 to 2013.
But the Toffees, ever-present in the top flight since 1954, have battled relegation for the past three seasons and are once again in deep trouble.
Ruud van Nistelrooy’s Leicester suffered their sixth straight league defeat, losing 2-0 to Crystal Palace to leave the Foxes second from bottom of the table.
Jean-Philippe Mateta put the visitors ahead early in the second half and Marc Guehi made the points safe with a late second.
Arsenal, winless in three matches in all competitions, are hosting injury-hit Tottenham in the late kick-off on Wednesday.
There were incredible scenes on Thursday morning (AEST) as Socceroos gun Alessandro Circati sealed promotion to Italy’s top flight with his Parma side.
A 1-1 draw with Bari – in which Circati played every minute – guaranteed Parma’s promotion given they are seven points clear of third-placed Venezia with two games to play.
They are also on the verge of winning the Serie B title thanks to a three-point lead over second-placed Como.
20-year-old Circati has been a key figure for Parma this campaign, with the centre-back featuring 31 times this season across all competitions.
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Circati missed out on the Socceroos’ poor Asian Cup campaign in January, with Socceroos coach Graham Arnold omitting the one-cap international in the hope that Parma would release him for the Olyroos U-23 Asian cup campaign last month that doubled as Olympic qualifiers.
But his importance to the Crocati meant the Italian side refused to allow him to join the Australian under-23 side – though he has now been rewarded with a place in Italy’s top flight next season.
He’ll be hoping to compete against Cristian Volpato, the talented 20-year-old who is in an international selection tug of war between the Socceroos and Italy. Volpato has played 20 times in Serie A this season for Sassuolo, but the Neroverdi are in a dire relegation battle – stuck second-last with four games to play.
He’s not the only Australian hunting promotion to a top European division this season, with Massimo Luongo and Cameron Burgess this week moving just one point away from reaching the Premier League with Ipswich Town.
Centre-back Harry Souttar’s Leicester City confirmed their return to the Premier League at the first time of asking by topping the Championship ahead of Ipswich Town, but the Australian has been in virtual exile this season and looks set to leave the club when the transfer window opens.
Jackson Irvine and Connor Metcalfe lead Bundesliga 2 with FC St Pauli after Irvine scored the only goal in their win on the weekend. With two games to play, St Pauli is guaranteed at least a playoff spot in Germany’s promotion race, though automatic promotion is also in their reach.
Promotion, meanwhile, ends a three-year stint in Serie B for Parma, who were relegated from the top flight in 2020/21 after a nightmare campaign featuring just three wins.
The club was in the fourth tier as recently as 2016 amid a financial crisis.
Scot Pollard, a former NBA big man who became a cult hero because of his funky hairstyles and appearance on “Survivor,” is in need of a heart transplant.
In new photos his wife, Dawn Pollard, shared on Jan. 10, she said the one-time NBA champion has been through a flurry of operations and tests as he struggles from a genetic heart issue stemming from a virus he contracted in 2021 — the same way his father, Pearl Pollard, died 30 years ago.
“3 failed heart ablations, pacemaker/defibrillator, all the drugs and side effects, heart biopsies, heart catheter tests, CT/MRI scans, countless viles of blood taken, ER trips, myocarditis, pericarditis-all over the past 3 years…and now heart transplant list,” Dawn wrote on X.
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“It’s an odd situation to sit here and ponder for an undetermined amount of time,” he told the Indianapolis Star about needing a transplant. “The surgeon here said it’s like winning the lottery. We might get lucky next week, next month, next year. It might be longer. It’s like Tom Petty says: The waiting is the hardest part.”
Pollard, 48, who played 11 seasons in the NBA with five different teams, capping off his career with a championship in Boston in 2008, guessed it had been three years since he had gone on a walk with his wife in an interview with the paper.
Given his 6-foot-11 frame, the former centre needs a large man to provide the donation, an issue that his father also faced.
Pollard won a title with the Celtics in 2008 (Photo by Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images)Source: FOX SPORTS
Pollard has registered at three hospitals to fight those odds, including Ascension St. Vincent in Indianapolis and the hospitals at Vanderbilt and the University of Chicago.
“The donations go regionally,” he says, “and they’re not going to fly a heart anywhere. The heart won’t come to me – I have to go to the heart. Vanderbilt does more (heart transplants) than anyone in the country, and the range typically is a four-hour drive. They accepted me even though it’s five (hours to Nashville).
“I told them my wife will get me there in four if they give me the call.”
After mounting a surprise title tilt last season, with Granit Xhaka enjoying one of his finest campaigns for the Gunners, Mikel Arteta still believed he could find an upgrade in the centre of the park – and he splashed a Premier League-record £105m for Declan Rice.
Now, Rice is becoming an integral cog in the engine room as the Gunners remain firmly in the mix for the title.
What impresses Arteta most about Rice? “The way he dominates key aspects of the game,” replied the manager.
“First of all, it’s the way he reads the game, his intelligence, his decision-making on and off the ball, when to pass the ball, how to pass it, where to look, how to execute, and the timing of that, which is very, very relevant, especially in his position.”
He’s only growing more and more connected with his teammates. He could be the key to going one better than last season and finishing with the coveted trophy.
Although the Gunners rounded out the first half of the season with a disappointing defeat at the Emirates to West Ham, it doesn’t take away from what’s been yet another dazzling run for Arteta’s side.
Declan Rice has looked worth every bit of Arsenal’s major investment. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
ASTON VILLA (3rd, +15 GD, 39 pts): A
Mid-season MVP: Douglas Luiz
Plenty of expert predictions for this season had Villa finishing well out of the title race. Manchester United great Gary Neville predicted a sixth-place finish, while former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher had them out of the top six. It’s fair to say precious few predicted a genuine title challenge, but that’s what Unai Emery’s men have served up. A staggering 15-game win streak on home soil came to an end just before Christmas, though they salvaged a draw with a 97th-minute equaliser against Sheffield United.
Villa’s inability to beat a number of lower-table teams this season — see Nottingham Forest, Wolves, Bournemouth and now Sheffield United — is their biggest blemish this season.
Three of those four games also came away from home, so if Villa are serious about a top four finish they must find a way to take maximum points when expected, especially against those who are struggling.
Ollie Watkins continues to turn in several all-action displays up front, contributing nine goals and six assists to date this season.
But the player most vital to Villa’s transformed fortunes is Brazilian midfielder Douglas Luiz who orchestrates every deadly move from midfield.
Luiz’s box-to-box displays have been something to behold as he breaks up opposition attacks only to drive the team up the field and thread the needle with aplomb.
Douglas Luiz is the midfield lynchpin driving Aston Villa forward. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP)Source: AFP
BOURNEMOUTH (12th, -5 GD, 25 pts): B+
Mid-season MVP: Dominic Solanke
Last season was a shemozzle, a mess, a rollercoaster (but not the fun kind). Remember the 9-0 thumping from Liverpool that saw Scott Parker sacked in August? Then came an ownership takeover, a slump to last place in March, before a late-season resurgence to finish 15th under Gary O’Neil, who probably deserved to win manager of the season.
They embarked on a stunning spending spree in the off-season, with a whopping net spend of €126.19m – sixth in the Premier League and in front of Liverpool and Newcastle United. Then they sacked manager O’Neil before the season began. The new owners had high expectations – but while there’s been some promising signs, things haven’t been smooth sailing. They were 19th and winless after nine games (three points), but have since turned things around impressively to rack up 22 points from the next nine games (W7 D1 L1).
After a 6-1 defeat to Man City they could have fallen apart, but instead they’ve been one of the form teams in the league to soar out of the relegation battle.
The big difference from last season has been Solanke’s form, with the ex-Liverpool striker hitting 12 league goals in 18 games – more than last campaign’s top scorer Philip Billing (7) managed in a full season. If he stays at Bournemouth (amid interest from Tottenham and West Ham), the Cherries could even threaten a top-half finish.
Dominic Solanke is enjoying an absurd goalscoring run. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
BRENTFORD (14th, -3 GD, 19 pts): C-
Mid-season MVP: Bryan Mbuemo
It was always going to be a tall task spending half a season without star striker Ivan Toney, but Brentford have managed to survive.
Toney was banned from playing until early January after breaching the FA’s gambling rules, meaning the Bees had to rely on other sources for goals.
Cameroonian winger Bryan Mbuemo has largely shouldered the burden and has a club-leading seven Premier League goals to his name.
However, Brentford — and this will be a constant theme for a lot of these teams, so bear with us — have been crippled by serious injuries throughout the season.
Kevin Schade, who turned his loan move to Brentford into a permanent one in the summer, was meant to help share the goalscoring duties but has been out of action since late September with no return date set in.
Star defender Rico Henry is out for the season while right back Aaron Hickey has also been sidelined for several months among others.
The Bees’ form this season has also been quite patchy, winning just one of their first eight games before four victories in their next six. But they’ve now lost four in a row and six of their last seven, seeing them slide towards the relegation zone.
With Toney due to return in mid-January, it could be the boost Brentford need to kickstart their season once again.
Brentford have struggled without their star striker Ivan Toney this season. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
BRIGHTON (8th, +5 GD, 30 pts): B-
Mid-season MVP: Pascal Groß
After the lofty heights of a sixth-place finish last season, high expectations had been set for the Seagulls in the 2023/24 campaign.
But a bright start in which Brighton won five of their opening six games is in the distant past, as Roberto De Zerbi’s side have tasted victory just three times in the following 12.
Although De Zerbi’s great entertainers have been kept scoreless just once this season, they have scored two or more goals just five times since a 3-1 win over Bournemouth in late September.
What is most alarming about Brighton this season is the number of goals they’ve shipped, which stands at 33.
For reference, 16th-placed Nottingham Forest and 18th-placed Luton Town have conceded 34.
Part of this is no doubt down to a backline crippled by injuries.
Star left back Pervis Estupinan had been out for some time before marking his return to action with a screamer against Tottenham, while Tariq Lamptey and Adam Webster have also spent time on the sidelines.
De Zerbi has also switched between Jason Steele and summer signing Bart Verbruggen in the goalkeeper position, offering little consistency in a crucial part of the field after Roberto Sanchez’s exit to Chelsea.
One shining light of consistency this season has been German stalwart Pascal Groß, who continues to be a vital cog in De Zerbi’s Brighton machine.
Another bright spot for Brighton is the goalscoring prowess of Joao Pedro, who joined from Watford for a club-record fee of £30 million.
And despite all of the things that have gone awry for the Seagulls this season, they’re still just three points away from the Europa League spots.
Joao Pedro (centre) leads the goalscoring charts for Brighton. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
BURNLEY (19th, -20 GD, 11 pts): D
Mid-season MVP: Josh Brownhill
Burnley won the Championship last season at a canter but life in the Premier League has most certainly not been kind.
There was plenty of intrigue as to whether Vincent Kompany’s brand of football at Turf Moor would hold up against the best England has to offer and so far, the answer has been a resounding no.
Kompany took a significant risk going into the season with the youngest squad in the Premier League with an average age of 24 years and 170 days.
So far, it is a risk that has not paid off as Burnley sit 19th and have conceded the second-most goals in the league.
Burnley lost 11 of their first 13 games, achieving a win and a draw over fellow relegation candidates Luton Town and Nottingham Forest respectively.
But apart from that, there hasn’t been much to sing about on the terraces of Turf Moor although a much-needed 2-0 victory away at Fulham will give Kompany’s troops a needed lift going into the second half of the season.
Skipper Josh Brownhill has been one of the few shining lights in this Burnley team, providing a wiser head in a team brimming with young and eager minds.
Staying up this season will be a mammoth task but with Kompany’s remarkable leadership skills, don’t count out the Clarets just yet in the fight for survival.
Vincent Kompany has a massive job on his hands to keep Burnley in the Premier League. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
CHELSEA (10th, +2 GD, 25 pts): F
Mid-season MVP: Cole Palmer
If Chelsea fans thought last year would be the worst of it, well, can only provide our condolences.
A fresh start under new manager Mauricio Pochettino as well as several of the players becoming more familiar with the Premier League had Blues fans hoping for the world.
Instead, they’ve been delivered an atlas.
Chelsea managed to ship off $AUD435 million worth of talent (per Transfermarkt) elsewhere including Kai Havertz (Arsenal), Kalidou Koulibaly (Al-Hilal), Mateo Kovacic (Manchester City) and Mason Mount (Manchester United) to name just four.
But the players brought in — at an estimated total expense of $756 million — have simply not lived up to the billing.
Defensive midfielder Moises Caicedo was the most expensive of the lot, joining Chelsea from Brighton for an eye-watering $187 million.
Yet the Ecuadorean continues to struggle to live up to his price tag and doesn’t look at home in Pochettino’s system.
Sure, Pochettino has been dealt a somewhat rough hand with injuries as skipper Reece James continues to spend more time off the pitch than on it while the likes of Ben Chilwell, Wesley Fofana and Marc Cucurella are sidelined for some time.
Yet for a team that has been so expensively assembled and one of Chelsea’s grand stature, just six wins from 17 league games is simply not good enough.
One summer signing who has looked sharp since arriving is Cole Palmer, who looked to be a seriously risky piece of business at $76 million.
But the Manchester City youth product has delivered several crucial performances for Pochettino’s side and is cold as ice when stepping up to take penalties.
Despite Palmer’s emergence, it cannot be ignored that Chelsea are a serious risk of failing to qualify for European football for a second-straight season.
And if that happens, it’s safe to say Chelsea’s answer will be to throw more money at it and hope it fixes itself.
Despite heavy investment in the summer, Chelsea are still struggling badly. (Photo by Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
CRYSTAL PALACE (15th, -9 GD, 18 pts): C-
Mid-season MVP: Eberechi Eze
After Roy Hodgson steered the club away from relegation at the end of last season, Crystal Palace rewarded him with a one-year extension.
It’s taken just 19 games for Hodgson, a boyhood Palace fan, to have the Eagles once again nervously looking over their shoulder at the drop to the Championship.
After just two defeats in the first eight games, Hodgson’s troops have suffered a massive nosedive in form.
Palace have lost seven of their last 11 fixtures, with only one win — against 19th-place Burnley — in that run.
The main issue crippling Palace is their inability to find the back of the net, with their tally of 19 goals the third-lowest in the league: only Burnley (18) and Sheffield United (15) are worse.
Talk is heating up about the Palace top brass eyeing up a move for Steve Cooper, who was recently sacked by Nottingham Forest, as a mid-season replacement for Hodgson.
It could be what the team needs if it is to surge up the table and unlock the attacking talent it possesses.
The dynamic duo of Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze is one of the league’s most exciting on paper, but largely due to injuries they have not been able to share the field.
If those two can start to fire, Palace theoretically should pull away from the danger zone.
Roy Hodgson has overseen a worrying run of form at Crystal Palace lately. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
EVERTON (17th, -1 GD, 16 pts): B+
Mid-season MVP: Dwight McNeil
It’s worth starting with the obvious: Everton copped a Premier League-record ten-point penalty for financial breaches last month that dropped them to 19th and level on points with the bottom-placed team. Without it, they’d be in the top half of the table right now. But the players have responded brilliantly to that hefty blow, beating Newcastle and Chelsea comfortably in recent weeks to climb out of the relegation zone. They are doing so even after recording a €42.30m transfer profit in the off-season – one of only four teams to receive more than they spent. After narrowly avoiding relegation in recent seasons, the points penalty has ignited a fire in their collective belly and they look set to push well clear of danger.
The key marker of improvement behind Everton’s resurgence is their defensive record, a hallmark of Toffees boss Sean Dyche.
Everton have conceded just 25 goals this season, a figure equal with heavyweights like Newcastle and Manchester United.
Although Everton have improved as a collective, one star who looks especially rejuvenated under Dyche is winger Dwight McNeil.
The winger burst onto the scene at Burnley during Dyche’s tenure and the two are once again getting the best out of each other, with McNeil constantly whipping in dangerous crosses that have opposition backlines scrambling.
Despite a 10-point deduction, Everton have not been feeling sorry for themselves. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)Source: AFP
FULHAM (13th, -8 GD, 21 pts): C
Mid-season MVP: João Palhinha
After losing talismanic striker Aleksandar Mitrovic to Saudi club Al-Hilal in the summer, serious questions were going to be asked about Fulham and Marco Silva this season.
Would they have the same goalscoring credentials? Will Silva tweak his team’s style of play to mitigate the loss of Mitrovic?
Could they actually replace Mitrovic and achieve the same results?
In short, no.
Summer signing Raul Jimenez and Willian lead the club’s goalscoring charts in the Premier League with just four to their names, followed by Bobby Decordova-Reid and Alex Iwobi who have three each.
However, Fulham somehow managed to score 16 goals in the space of four games, including back-to-back 5-0 wins at home over Nottingham Forest and West Ham United.
Throw in a recent 2-0 defeat at home to relegation battlers Burnley and you start to see why Fulham are just a very, very odd team this season.
One man crucial to Fulham’s hopes of a comfortable mid-table finish this season is defensive midfielder Joao Palhinha, who almost joined Mitrovic out the exit door but to German giants Bayern Munich instead.
Palhinha could have easily downed tools given the move of a lifetime didn’t come off, but the opposite is true.
The Portuguese start leads the league in tackles by a massive margin and will be crucial to Fulham’s efforts in the second half of the 23/24 campaign.
Fulham are all but certain for a comfortable midtable finish. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
LIVERPOOL (1st, +23 GD, 42 pts): A+
Mid-season MVP: Mohamed Salah
They’re scoring goals for fun, have the best defensive record in the league and if it weren’t for an egregious officiating error, would be undefeated.
Oh, and they’re sitting in first place too.
It’s been some start to the season for Liverpool who have won 12 of their 19 league games so far.
Unsurprisingly, Mohamed Salah has been pivotal to Liverpool’s success this season thanks to his 12 goals and seven assists in the Premier League.
The new-look Reds midfield has also impressed, especially summer arrival Dominik Szoboszlai.
Despite all of the Reds’ success this season, they have not been without their flaws.
Liverpool have had to come from behind to either win or draw on eight occasions this season and of those eight games, a goal has arrived in second-half stoppage time.
One side of that argument plays into Jurgen Klopp’s previous comments about his players being “mentality monsters”.
On the other hand, it is an unsustainable trend that could come back to bite Liverpool dearly.
Of course, the biggest question that faces Klopp’s side is how they will cope without Salah when he takes off for the African Cup of Nations with Egypt.
Given he has been involved in 19 of Liverpool’s 39 league goals this season, his absence takes away the team’s best goalscoring threat.
But Klopp is one of the best managers in the world for a reason and will have devised a plan to make up for Salah’s absence.
Just how well that plan works will likely prove the difference between winning the Premier League and falling agonisingly short yet again.
Mohamed Salah is vital to Liverpool’s title hopes. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)Source: AFP
LUTON TOWN (18th, -13 GD, 15 pts): C-
Mid-season MVP: Ross Barkley
They’ve got no money, the smallest ground in the league, and it’s fair to say they were given no chance of survival. From the start of the season, they showed they were up for the fight. But the big question was always around whether they had enough quality.
In their first 12 games, they had six points and had scored just 10 goals. It felt like they probably deserved more – they gave Man Utd a huge scare and came within inches of beating Liverpool.
But they turned things around after that. Since then, they’ve scored 10 goals in six games and racked up nine points!
After being all-but-written-off in pre-season, they’re mounting a genuine run at avoiding relegation.
The Hatters have now won both games since captain Tom Lockyer suffered a cardiac arrest, including a genuine ‘six-pointer’ over Sheffield United.
Ex-PL defender Stephen Kelly told BBC Radio: “Sometimes it can be a horrendous moment like that that galvanises you as a group of players.
“Quality-wise I don’t think Luton are there when it comes to the Premier League and they can’t compete with the finances. But they compete with hard work, energy and desire.”
Maybe the magic touch of quality comes from Barkley, who has slotted in perfectly after joining from French first-tier team Nice in the off-season.
The former Everton and Chelsea midfield star is shining in a deeper role, picking up the ball deep and driving forward. His long balls and ability to draw in defenders has been crucial for Luton’s attack. The 30-year-old is undergoing a career resurgence – and it might just carry the Hatters to survival.
Ross Barkley is enjoying a career resurgence at Luton Town. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
MANCHESTER CITY (4th, +22 GD, 37 pts): A-
Mid-season MVP: Rodri
The status that comes with winning four Premier League titles in a row explains why this season so far feels a little below par for Manchester City.
It’s been a rather bizarre season for Pep Guardiola’s side, who found themselves in fourth at the halfway mark of the 23/24 season.
Some things remain relatively normal: Erling Haaland leads the golden boot race with 14, City are the league’s highest scorers with 43 and have conceded the third-fewest goals (21).
But there’s a feeling City, for the first time in a long while, might be a little vulnerable.
The absence of star Belgian midfielder Kevin de Bruyne has no doubt played a major role in that sentiment, while Haaland’s recent injury has lightened the load on opposition backlines.
Yet there’s one alarming stat which suggests those two aren’t the vital pieces to City’s title charge.
Instead, it’s Spanish midfielder Rodri.
Granted he’s not going to provide the mind-boggling assist and goal numbers De Bruyne and Haaland provide.
But from the three games City have not had Rodri available, they have lost all three: a 2-1 loss to Wolves as well as 1-0 defeats to Arsenal and Aston Villa.
City also could and perhaps should have a better defensive record, if not for the 4-4 and 3-3 goalfests against Chelsea and Tottenham respectively.
In fact, City have conceded goals in the 90th minute and beyond for three of their four draws this season, pointing to a serious concentration issue that has crept in for Guardiola’s side.
However, there’s always a sense of inevitability with City given they know exactly when to peak during the final run-in and simply cannot be counted out until it’s mathematically impossible.
Manchester City have not won when Rodri has been absent. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)Source: AFP
MANCHESTER UNITED (7th, -4 GD, 31 pts): B-
Mid-season MVP: Bruno Fernandes
Let’s start with the positives. They’re seventh on the ladder and still in top-four contention. Bruno Fernandes is putting together a season for the ages when it comes to playmaking (more on that below). But it’s fair to say there are still big problems.
Ten times this season, Manchester United have conceded more than one goal in the space of 10 minutes or less. This month alone that has included two in five minutes (Villa), two in six (West Ham), two in five (Bournemouth).
Then there’s the attack. United have scored just 21 goals this season, which is the equal-third fewest of any team in the Premier League.
Before their impressive comeback win over Aston Villa, United’s forwards had scored a combined four league goals from open play in 18 games. The team had gone over 420 minutes without scoring before Garnacho’s opening goal against Villa. Big-money signing Rasmus Hojlund’s goal in the game was his first in the league … in his 15th appearance!
“Too many people talk about the strikers at Man Utd,” Garnacho said after the game.
United fans will be hoping their forwards can finally find some form and shut up the critics.
Thankfully, they’re getting plenty of service from Fernandes, who keeps creating chances at a remarkable rate. His expected assists this season stands at 6.47 per understat, while his actual assists is just three. If his teammates can stop missing so many chances, United can still make something of this season.
Bruno Fernandes is providing chances but his United teammates are struggling to finish them. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)Source: AFP
NEWCASTLE (9th, +12 GD, 29 pts): B-
Mid-season MVP: Anthony Gordon
It was always going to be a difficult ask for Newcastle to build on the wild ride all the way to the Champions League they enjoyed last season.
And so far, that’s exactly what it’s proving to be.
A 5-1 win over Aston Villa and an 8-0 thrashing of Sheffield United are distant memories as Eddie Howe’s side limped its way to the halfway mark, losing four of their last five games.
The depth of Eddie Howe’s squad has been tested beyond belief as the addition of a European schedule has placed plenty of strain on a playing group desperately short on depth.
Couple that with lengthy injury spells to key players like Nick Pope, Harvey Barnes and Sven Botman to name three and it’s easy to understand why the Magpies are suffering this season.
There’s also been the unwanted distraction of marquee summer recruit Sandro Tonali’s suspension for gambling, robbing Newcastle of a player deemed pivotal to their domestic and European hopes.
But amid all the doom and gloom in the Toon, winger Anthony Gordon has been a shining light.
Gordon wears his heart on his sleeve and it’s his relentless energy that has resulted in vital goals for Newcastle.
The 22-year-old has six league goals to his name but, most crucially, has started 17 of 19 games.
Having guided Newcastle back to the Champions League last season, Howe’s job is extremely likely to be safe despite the team’s struggles this season.
But given it is the first sustained period of on-field woes, it will be extremely intriguing to see how patient Newcastle’s Saudi ownership are.
Newcastle are struggling to emulate the highs of last season. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
NOTTINGHAM FOREST (16th, -12 GD, 17 pts): D
Mid-season MVP: Morgan Gibbs-White
It wasn’t anything close to the transfer extravaganza prior to their Premier League return last year, but Nottingham Forest still decided to loosen the pursestrings and bring a raft of stars to the City Ground, including star wingers Callum Hudson-Odoi and Anthony Elanga.
Despite the high-profile additions, Forest boss Steve Cooper couldn’t quite get them firing when he needed to and as a result the cult hero was sacked.
Looking at Forest’s results this season and it’s hard not to see why club owner Evangelos Marinakis lost patience with Cooper.
Things appeared reasonably bright for the Reds at the start of the season having lost just four of their opening 11 games and even then, those defeats were to Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool.
But after a surprise 2-0 win at home against Aston Villa, the wheels fell off for Cooper and his team.
Four straight losses — including a 5-0 humiliation away to Fulham which resulted in Marinakis hurling his matchday accreditation into the front garden of a home near Craven Cottage — cranked up the pressure on Cooper.
A 1-1 draw against Wolves only proved to be a brief stay of execution, as a 2-0 loss to Tottenham the following week brought an end to Cooper’s time at the club.
Former Wolves boss Nuno Esperito Santo has now arrived and although he tasted defeat amid controversial circumstances in his first match in charge, Forest looked a brighter side in a 3-1 win away to Newcastle.
Although Forest may privately harbour aspirations bigger than just survival, Nuno’s remit will no doubt be to avoid the drop.
Dynamic forward Morgan Gibbs-White will be vital to achieving this aim, as will the goalscoring prowess of Kiwi striker Chris Wood.
Morgan Gibbs-White (left) is one star who is set to play a big role in keeping Forest up. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
SHEFFIELD UNITED (20th, -32 GD, 9 pts): E
Mid-season MVP: Gustavo Hamer
The Blades have lacked a cutting edge (sorry) up front, but they’ve also been sliced apart defensively. They’ve got the worst offensive and defensive record in the league by some distance. In fact, after 19 games, they hold the second-worst defensive record in Premier League history. Their 47 goals conceded is second only to Barnsley 1997-98 (50 conceded).
But to be fair, expectations were low this season, especially when they sold two key players in Iliman Ndiaye to Marseille and Sander Berge to rivals Burnley. At times they have been a shambles that feels more like a bunch of individuals than any sort of united team. They’ve lost two games 5-0 and another 8-0, sacked a manager and need a miracle to avoid relegation. It’s been a sorry season.
Hamer, a 15 million pound signing, has been a rare shining light. He struck an absolute screamer on his Premier League debut and has impressed with his workrate on and off the ball. He is creative and courageous – which sometimes results in gifting possession to the opposition too frequently – but he has the kind of intensity and drive to win that is infectious. At least, Sheffield fans will hope so, otherwise it will be straight back to the Championship for the Blades.
Sheffield United are favourites to be relegated. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
TOTTENHAM (5th, +11 GD, 36 pts): A
Mid-season MVP: Ange Postecoglou (we had to!)
From leading the league in October, to managing to find a way to score goals after losing arguably the club’s greatest-ever striker Harry Kane, and most importantly playing an attractive style of football, it’s been one hell of a start to the season for Spurs. They’ve faced a major injury crisis that’s about as bad as any team in the league, and took out two of their star signings (and most important players overall) James Maddison and Micky van de Ven.
At the same time, they’ve been struck down by suspensions – like Cristian Romero, who sums up their season with his two red cards followed by a big injury.
Sure, they had a poor November, but overall the first half of the season has been more than impressive.
They lost 14 games last season. At the mid-point of this season, they’ve lost five.
And if Postecoglou thought he had already undergone a brutal test with a casualty ward at capacity as well as constant suspensions, he’s got a nightmare scenario in the very near future.
He’s about to lose star midfield duo Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr to the African Cup of Nations as well as club captain Heung-Min Son to the Asian Cup.
But the Australian boss has never shied away from a challenge and he won’t be about to do so now.
Perspective is also needed when viewing Postecoglou’s achievements amid the brutal hand he has been dealt when it comes to the unavailability of several of his first team stars.
When he’s had everyone free to play, we’ve seen just how good this Tottenham team can be.
Postecoglou has enjoyed a true rollercoaster of a Premier League season and we’re only at the halfway mark. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
WEST HAM (6th, +3 GD, 33 pts): B
Mid-season MVP: Jarrod Bowen
Prior to the season, the big question surrounding West Ham was about how they would navigate life without talismanic midfielder and captain Declan Rice after his £105 million move to Arsenal.
Granted, a direct replacement of Rice’s quality was just about impossible.
But thanks to the summer additions of Edson Alvarez and James Ward-Prowse, Rice’s absence is not as keenly felt as first feared.
Hammers boss David Moyes also began the season as one manager tipped as a likely chance of getting sacked and, for a brief period this season, it looked like that could have eventuated.
A run of five defeats in seven games heaped pressure on the Scot, but in typical Moyes fashion, he managed to turn the ship around.
Since that run, West Ham have lost just once — a rogue 5-0 hammering at the hands of Fulham — and have won six of their last eight to rocket up from 12th place all the way to sixth.
Pivotal to this uptick in form is the dynamic trio of Lucas Paqueta, Mohammed Kudus and Jarrod Bowen.
Paqueta leads the league in the most through balls with 19, ahead of the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Bruno Fernandes and Martin Odegaard, and has five assists to his name.
After a slow start, Kudus has found his feet in the Premier League and has four goals in his last six league games.
But it is Bowen who has been the real shining light of West Ham, with his 11 goals to date proving vital.
His pace and ability to stretch opposition backlines is crucial to the Hammers hitting teams in transition and, as it stands, should be considered a lock for England’s squad at EURO 2024.
Jarrod Bowen is in sensational form for West Ham this season. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
WOLVES (11th, -4 GD, 25 pts): C
Mid-season MVP: Matheus Cunha
When Julen Lopetegui resigned on August 8, many Wolves fans would have been forgiven if they feared the worst going into this season.
The relatively underwhelming appointment of Gary O’Neil — who was sacked by Bournemouth not long after the end of the 2022/23 season — did little to allay those fears.
Despite the initial fears, Wolves fans backed O’Neil to the hilt and that bond has strengthened over the course of this season.
The highs have been very high for Wolves so far, with home wins against the likes of Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester City giving the Molineux faithful plenty to sing about.
But the one thing that has tightened the bond between Wolves fans and O’Neil is the fact the club has been on the wrong side of an alarming number of VAR calls.
It began in the first match of the season when Wolves were denied what looked like a stonewall penalty after Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana clattered into Sasa Kalajdzic.
Wolves also had two penalty calls go against them in the 3-2 defeat to Fulham, with O’Neil even claiming referee Michael Salisbury told him he made a mistake in awarding one of the penalties.
It led O’Neil to state his team had lost seven points as a result of VAR’s ineptitude, but it also helped create a siege mentality amongst the entire club.
To an extent it’s paid off, with Wolves sitting 10 points clear of the relegation zone and only six points off seventh, the position which qualifies a team for the Europa Conference League.
Matheus Cunha, who joined on a permanent deal in the summer, is a big reason for Wolves’ improvement this season as are the goals from Hwang Hee-Chan.
Cunha’s four goals and five assists goes some way to explaining the attacking threat he provides for O’Neil’s team and will look to continue to be a nuisance for the opposition.
Lesson number one when playing against a basketball giant, don’t bother jumping.
Tacko Fall, the former NBA player, reminded the basketball world why he remains a devastating force on the court with a dunk for the ages over the weekend.
At 229cm, Fall is the third-tallest player to ever grace the hardwood in the NBA. His time in America however came to an end following the 2021/22 season after playing 37 games with the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers across three seasons.
He’s now plying his trade in the Chinese Basketball League with the Nanjing Tongxi Monkey Kings and he showed why he was such a fan favourite.
In his recent game the basketball giant received a perfect pass in the paint with an open lane to the rim.
He planted his feet and rose up to jam the ball home, but it was an opponent’s brain fade that made the clip spread around the internet like wildfire.
Fall threw the dunk down with reckless abandon and sent his opponent flying in the process, making the dunk even nastier than it should have been.
Why did he think this was a good idea.Source: SuppliedIt was at this moment he knew…Source: SuppliedI’ll just have a nap right here.Source: Supplied
The clip of Fall’s poster quickly whipped around social media with basketball fans far and wide losing their minds over the play.
Despite the absurd moment, the Shanghai Dongfang Sharks had the last laugh as they secured the 98-95 victory.
Fall finished the contest with 12 points on 5-10 shooting and 14 rebounds after 22 minutes of playing time.
But it was his poster dunk that stole the show and put him back into the basketball spotlight.
It brought memories of DeAndre Jordan’s murderous throw down over Brandon Knight from back in 2013.
It’s not the first time the basketball giant has taken over social media, with Fall becoming an instant cult hero when he joined the Celtics.
Fans routinely chanted for coaches to insert him into games with the big man only really seeing court time during blowout contests.
But much like it was throughout Yao Ming’s career, Fall became an instant meme for making fellow stars look minuscule.
He also sent basketball fans wild when he recreated one of the NBA’s most iconic photos. In the 1980s, 231cm giant Manute Bol posed with his teammate and the league’s shortest player Muggsy Bogues (160cm), Fall and the 178cm-tall Tremont Waters of G-League side Maine Red Claws did the same.
Australian star Josh Giddey’s remarkable trajectory shows no signs of slowing down while a glaring omission could prove to be the fuel Ben Simmons needs to set the NBA alight this season.
Instead, it is an aggregate of a panel made up of nearly 150 basketball reporters, editors, analysts and producers who compile the rankings based on 15,000 different match-ups and deciding which player will have the better 2023/24 season.
The powers that be evidently believe Giddey is in for another special season, with the Oklahoma City Thunder sensation ranked at No. 53, a significant improvement on his 2022 ranking of 81st.
That ranking places him ahead of the likes of Chris Paul, Draymond Green and Zion Williamson to name three.
But if Giddey is to crack the top 50 next season, ESPN NBA reporter Ohm Youngmisuk believes there’s one element of the Aussie’s game that must improve.
“The Thunder are expected to take a leap forward this season,” Youngmisuk wrote.
“If so, Giddey will have to take another one himself.
“But can Giddey show big improvement in his shooting after averaging 48.2 per cent from the field and 32.5 per cent from 3?”
Giddey rose in the rankings after an impressive sophomore season. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
As for Simmons, he has dropped off the rankings entirely having been ranked 76th last season, but that could be explained by his lack of game time as a result of injuries.
But the omission could turn out to be yet another receipt Simmons could keep as he looks to remind the NBA world of his qualities that made him a three-time NBA All-Star.
Although the top 50 rankings are yet to be revealed, no other Aussies are expected to be ahead of Giddey.
Outside of Giddey and Simmons, there were some other big moves in the rankings.
Los Angeles Clippers star and future Hall of Famer Russell Westbrook slipped from 65th all the way down to 94th in the rankings after a turbulent 2022 season.
However, he too could bounce back in a big way having enjoyed a full pre-season with the Clippers.
Chris Paul took a major tumble down the rankings from 21st to 76th, although that could be explained by his injury troubles and a diminished role at the Golden State Warriors compared to his big impact during his tenure at the Phoenix Suns.
Chris Paul will likely have a smaller role with the Warriors than what he had with the Suns. (Photo by EZRA SHAW / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)Source: AFP
So too did Minnesota Timberwolves centre Rudy Gobert who plummeted from 18th to 64th.
Gobert was traded from Utah to Minnesota last season but endured a torrid time, as several questions surrounding his fit alongside Karl-Anthony Towns remain.
One player who’s trajectory continues to raise alarm bells is that of Zion Williamson.
The New Orleans Pelicans star was ranked 40th last year but has dropped to 57th.
For someone tipped to be a superstar in the sport, he continues to battle injury issues and has played more than 30 games just once in his four-year NBA career.
Although there were several players who dropped in their rankings, one player who has exploded onto the list this year is Los Angeles Lakers cult hero Austin Reaves.
The Arkansas native became a fan favourite for his playoff exploits where he averaged 16.9 points per game for the Lakers along with 4.6 assists and 4.4 rebounds, earning him a four-year, $56 million contract extension.
As a result, Reeves finds himself 66th on the list having not been ranked previously.
England Ashes heroes Harry Brook and Zak Crawley are heading Down Under after being picked in the Big Bash League draft on Sunday night.
Brook is on his way to the Melbourne Stars, while Crawley is poised to replace Cameron Bancroft in the Perth Scorchers’ top order.
And South African blaster and one-time Australian antagonist Quinton de Kock is also on his way to Melbourne after being selected by the Melbourne Renegades in the first round.
Having lost Adam Zampa to the Renegades, the Stars were in need of a spinner but changed tack after missing out on Rashid, opting instead for Brook, who posted four half-centuries during the Ashes including critical knocks in England’s victories at Headingley and The Oval.
Brook was in recent weeks controversially left out of England’s 50-over World Cup squad to make way for the returning Ben Stokes.
Crawley, England’s top runscorer in this year’s Ashes, blasted 189 off 182 balls in the drawn fourth Test at Manchester and is headed to back-to-back reigning champions Perth after being taken with the final pick of the second round.
Perth was looking to bolster its batting after Bancroft moved to the Sydney Thunder.
The Renegades meanwhile dearly needed a wicketkeeper after Sam Harper moved to the Stars in exchange for Zampa and missed out on Matthew Wade after a foiled trade from Hobart.
In de Kock, the Renegades have found a gloveman who is also a world-class white-ball batter with a long history against Australia including his infamous scuffle with David Warner during the toxic 2018 ball tampering series. But the South African’s availability for the BBL is an issue given he is due to leave for the SA20 series beginning on January 10.
Ex-South African captain Faf du Plessis was however snubbed after playing with the Scorchers last season.
Rashid is one of several others unlikely to play out the season, with the leggie committed to playing in the more lucrative ILT20 competition in the UAE, a tournament that coincides with the BBL finals.
Clubs were broadly loyal to those they had seen first-hand before, with Tom Curran and James Vince (Sydney Sixers), Alex Hales (Thunder), Colin Munro and Sam Billings (Brisbane Heat), Haris Rauf (Stars), Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Renegades), Adam Hose (Strikers) and Laurie Evans (Scorchers) joining Rashid in returning to the team at which they had previously played.
The Stars eventually opted for a tweaker in the final round, picking Pakistani leg-spinner and Usama Mir, also dangerous lower-order a hitter.
Several clubs also left spots open to take players post-draft.
The BBL has reverted to a 10-game per team regular season however clubs will remain hamstrung when it comes to Australian Test player availability this season, with the home Test summer pushing into late January owing to the one-day World Cup in India.
Some of world cricket’s biggest T20 stars including Rashid Khan, Dawid Malan and Quinton de Kock headline Sunday’s Big Bash League international player draft with speculation drama is set to unfold at the selection tables.
While the Strikers are almost certain to match any bid by Melbourne Stars to use their No.1 draft pick on the world’s premier T20 bowler Khan, it’s what unfolds throughout the platinum and gold selection battles that will shape this year’s BBL season.
Will teams only draft players able to commit to the full BBL schedule, or will we see clubs gamble on short term players that can help set their season up before heading to rival T20 leagues elsewhere?
CODE Sports cricket experts have done the hard yards and analysed every clubs’ current roster, what your team needs and who just might be the best choice when the draft takes place on Sunday night.
ADELAIDE STRIKERS
Finish last year: 7th
Draft picks: 2, 10, 23, 26
Current Squad: Wes Agar, James Bazley, Cameron Boyce, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Travis Head, Henry Hunt, Thomas Kelly, Chris Lynn, Ben Manenti, D’Arcy Short, Matt Short, Henry Thornton
The one player they must draft: Rashid Khan (Afghanistan) It’s like the retention pick was created for Adelaide and Rashid Khan. He is their cult hero, and it feels wrong just thinking about him playing in any other colour. He’s the only platinum player the Strikers are retention-eligible for and he’s the only one they need. As Strikers’ GM Tim Nielsen said: “It’s not just about this year because the retention carries on…as soon as you give up the opportunity to have him, other people will definitely jump in.”
What they really need to achieve in the draft: The pieces are there for the Strikers, but they just need some consistent star power to get them over the line. Naseem Shah could be an exciting pace option with Peter Siddle having left and would partner well with Henry Thornton, but their bowling options are pretty well stocked. With Head and Carey likely on Australian duty, they need dependable batters, ideally, who can also contribute some overs. Jamie Overton had a great season in The Hundred, while all-rounder Adam Hose could come into consideration once more. “It’s more or a middle-order batting that we’re looking at for the balance of our side,” Nielsen said. And with Khan not available for the entire tournament, the focus will be on getting other players with as large an availability as possible.
Key draft options: They badly needed an all-rounder last summer and plumped for Colin de Grandhomme, but that isn’t an issue after the arrival of James Bazley. Peter Siddle has been their man at the death for several summers and after his switch back to Victoria, they need an experienced late-over bowler. Someone like Reece Topley would really complement their attack but I think their ultimate signing would be Naseem Shah. Imagine an attack with him upfront and at the death and Rashid Khan piling on pressure in the middle overs. The other need is an experienced middle order player. Thomas Kelly looks a talent, but they could use someone to keep the momentum rolling if the Shorts and Chris Lynn launch in the power play. They might see Adam Hose as that man but I think their dream signing would be someone like Colin Munro to bat No.4. I suspect he’ll be retained by the Heat though.
BRISBANE HEAT
Finish last year: 2nd
Draft picks: 7, 15, 18 and 31
Current Squad: Xavier Bartlett, Josh Brown, Max Bryant, Spencer Johnson, Usman Khawaja, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan McSweeney, Michael Neser, Jimmy Peirson, Will Prestwidge, Matthew Renshaw, Mitch Swepson (two spots to fill)
The one player they must draft: Colin Munro – might not be the biggest name but the Kiwi veteran provides the effervescent Heat batting line-up with both stability and strike power at the top. Another calm leader and old head who should be available for the bulk of the tournament.
What they really need to achieve at the draft: At least one other quality bat who is available for most of the regular season to bolster the Brisbane rookies, and a unicorn. The gun allrounder or death bowler who can take wickets, defend totals and produce runs at the end if asked to bat . . .which will be on the watch list of all clubs.
Key draft options: Bowling all-rounder: Options: Platinum – Tom Curran (Sixers have retention rights) Other rounds – Bas de Leede, George Garton, Jason Holder, Wayne Parnell, Sikhander Raza, Jamie Overton.
Top-order batter (at least for early in tournament). Platinum (Harry Brook, Quinton de Kock, Dawid Malan). Later rounds – Max O’Dowd, Shan Masood.
HOBART HURRICANES
Finish last year: 6th
Draft picks: 3, 11, 22, 27
Current Squad: Iain Carlisle, Tim David, Paddy Dooley, Nathan Ellis, Peter Hatzoglou, Caleb Jewell, Ben McDermott, Riley Meredith, Mitch Owen, Billy Stanlake, Matthew Wade, Mac Wright
The one player they must draft: Having a genuine allrounder like Shadab Khan worked well for the Hurricanes last season and are likely to bid for him again.
What they really need to achieve at the draft: Batting all-rounder (For No.6/7 finisher role). Platinum: Shadab Khan (likely retention pick). Other rounds – Tom Abell, Corey Anderson, David Weise. The ‘Canes have a strong local cast but need more from their overseas imports.
Key draft options: Batting all-rounder (For No.6/7 finisher role). Platinum: Shadab Khan (likely retention pick). Other rounds – Tom Abell, Corey Anderson, David Weise.
Fast bowler (to support Ellis/Meredith). Platinum: Tom Curran, Chris Jordan, Haris Rauf (would be a dream signing but I expect Stars to match an early bid). Other rounds – Josh Little, Richard Gleeson, Saqib Mahmood, Naseem Shah, Josh Tongue.
PERTH SCORCHERS
Finish last year: 1st (Champions)
Draft picks: 8, 16, 17, 32
Current Squad: Ashton Turner (capt), Ashton Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Cooper Connolly, Aaron Hardie, Nick Hobson, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kelly, Mitch Marsh, Lance Morris, Jhye Richardson, Andrew Tye
The one player they must draft: Phil Salt. An elbow injury to Faf du Plessis and Quinton de Kock being unavailable for the second half of the tournament could force the Scorchers to look to England again. They need to replace the important runs of Cam Bancroft and they always prefer players who will be in the tournament as long as possible. Phil Salt is available as a retention pick and strikes the ball as well as anyone. He hit 86 off 32 balls in his one major contribution during The Hundred.
What they really need to achieve in the draft: The success of the Scorchers has been their ability to keep their core group together, which they’ve done again for the most part. But no Bancroft and no Hatzoglou is a big blow. Additionally, they’re now considering options if Mitch Marsh has a Test-filled summer after his Ashes breakthrough. But loyalty is front of mind for Scorchers general manager of high performance, Kade Harvey: “There are some players there that have been good for us that we’d be really keen to have back.” So expect the likes of Stephen Eskinazi and Tymal Mills to come into consideration, especially the latter if they want some pace-bowling cover again.
Key draft options: Perth is a lot like the Sixers in that they like to be loyal to their players and imports. They wanted to have BBL11 hero Laurie Evans return last season before his drug ban and he should be available later in the draft to fill a middle-order role. Adam Lyth was underwhelming so I wouldn’t suspect he returns, but Faf du Plessis would be a great retention pick after losing Kurtis Patterson and Cameron Bancroft. Phil Salt is the other option if his availability is going to be better than du Plessis. Losing Peter Hatzoglou to the Hurricanes leaves a hole in their spin stocks, but maybe it’s Cooper Connolly who provides the support for Ashton Agar instead. Based on their draft history and loyalty to players, I would not be surprised if the Scorchers went for du Plessis, Tymal Mills and Evans. They could do with an extra frontline spinner though in case anything happens to Agar or he’s taken away for international duties.
MELBOURNE RENEGADES
Finish last year: Fourth (third after regular season)
Draft picks: 4, 12, 21, 28
Current Squad: Nic Maddinson (capt), Aaron Finch, Mackenzie Harvey, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Kane Richardson, Tom Rogers, Jonathan Wells, Adam Zampa, Peter Siddle, Will Sutherland
The one player they must draft: A foiled trade move for Matthew Wade, combined with the decision to offload Sam Harper in the play for Zampa, has left the Renegades without a clear wicketkeeper. There are bigger names available but Joe Clarke has done an excellent job for the Stars in recent seasons and should be available for most of the tournament.
What they really need to achieve at the draft: A ‘keeper – ideally one who can bat at the top of the order – is a must, so Quinton de Kock is an option in addition to Clarke. Spinner Akeal Hosein did an excellent job last summer so would be tempting to complement Zampa given the Renegades are unlikely to see much of Lyon this summer.
Key Draft Options: They committed heavily to spin with success in the draft last season and won’t get access to Nathan Lyon until late in the tournament. Akael Hosein was more impressive than Mujeeb so I suspect that might be where their retention pick goes. The biggest hole in the Gades’ line-up is the No.6/7 power hitter who can bowl. They haven’t really had one since Nabi in his pomp. I think someone like Corey Anderson suits them perfectly. Englishman Tom Abell and Wayne Parnell would be other options for this spot, as would Sikhander Raza if the Gades wanted a spin-bowling all-rounder. I’d love to see them sign an extra international quick too. Someone like Reece Topley jumps out off the list and he’s been with the Gades before.
MELBOURNE STARS
Finish last year: Eighth
Draft picks: 1, 8, 24, 25
Current Squad: Tom Rogers, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Joe Burns, Marcus Stoinis, Beau Webster, Glenn Maxwell (capt), Hilton Cartwright, Nick Larkin, Campbell Kellaway, Sam Harper, Mark Steketee, Scott Boland
The one player they must draft: In an ideal world it would be Rashid Khan and they will almost certainly force the Strikers’ hand here, however realistically the best spinning option may be Mujeeb Ur Rahman, on whom a bid can be matched by the Renegades. The Renegades have Zampa though, so spin is less likely to be their priority.
What they really need to achieve at the draft: With Maxwell back from his broken leg, things don’t look quite as dire for last summer’s wooden spooners. With Zampa gone, spin is clearly a priority – they failed in a bid for Matt Kuhnemann – all the better if it’s someone who can also hit down the order. Power play wickets are always in demand so Haris Rauf is likely to tempt again although availability is a concern.
Key draft options: Haris Rauf with pick 1 in the draft should ensure the Stars are able to use their retention pick on English keeper-bat Joe Clarke. Although there’s an argument they might not need him after landing Sam Harper in a swap deal with Adam Zampa. So much might be dictated by how much Marcus Stoinis is going to be bowling. Zampa was the Stars’ frontline bowler for so much of BBL12 so you would assume a frontline spinner will be a priority. They won’t get Rashid Khan but there’s no shortage of other options – Qais Ahmad, Imran Tahir and Imad Wasim stand out while Izharulhaq Naveed was impressive for the Sixers last season – Sydney is likely to have burned its retention pick on someone else. Hayden Walsh Jr is another option. They have been a middling team in the middle order in recent summers and unless Marcus Stoinis is going to bat 4, 5 or 6, they would love a player like Nicholas Pooran to launch at the back end. It was only in the US league, but his 137 not out off 55 balls was something else.
SYDNEY SIXERS
Finish last year: 2nd regular season, losing challenger finalists
Draft picks: 6, 14, 19, 30
Current Squad: Moises Henriques (capt), Sean Abbott, Jackson Bird, Joel Davies, Jack Edwards, Daniel Hughes, Hayden Kerr, Todd Murphy, Steve O’Keefe, Kurtis Patterson, Josh Philippe, Jordan Silk
The one player they must draft: Tom Curran. Sixers face a tough choice about who to retain out of the English all-rounder and England’s top order batting ace James Vince. Curran might give the Sixers the better overall balance following Dan Christian’s retirement.
What they really need to achieve at the draft: If the Sixers do decide to let stalwart Vince go to another club, it would mean they would need someone to bat at the top with Josh Phillipe. Tom Banton (Heat retention option), Joe Clarke (Stars retention option) could become prospects. Someone like Imad Wasim might complement their team nicely and slot in at No.7 behind Curran. England quick Chris Jordan is odds on to return if he stays available long enough in the draft as the Sixers have been very loyal to past imports.
Key draft options: I think they go for Curran over Vince as their retention pick after Dan Christian’s retirement. I would not be surprised if the Heat then make a move for Vince. That would mean they would need someone to bat at the top with Josh Phillipe, unless they plan to back Jack Edwards. Later options – Tom Banton (Heat retention option), Joe Clarke (Stars retention option). I also think someone like Imad Wasim would complement their team nicely and slot in at No.7 behind Curran. Wouldn’t be surprised if they draft Chris Jordan again as they have been very loyal to past imports.
SYDNEY THUNDER
Finish last year: Fourth regular season, losing eliminator finalists
Draft picks: Pick 5, 13, 20, 29
Current Squad: Jason Sangha (capt), Cameron Bancroft, Ollie Davies, Matt Gilkes, Chris Green, Nathan McAndrew, Blake Nikitaras, Alex Ross, Daniel Sams, Gurinder Sandhu, Tanveer Sangha, David Warner
The one player they must draft: There has been some mail floating around that perhaps the Thunder might not retain England opening batting star Alex Hales because they know they have David Warner and Cameron Bancroft locked in as a top order pairing. But South African all-rounder Rilee Russouw was underwhelming last year so Hales still stands out as their best retention pick.
What they really need to achieve at the draft: Thunder could do with another frontline quick so someone like Saqib Mahmood could be a prime target. Mahmood played for the Thunder two years ago and went OK. someone like Richard Gleeson would suit the Thunder’s needs with the new ball or left-arm Pakistan quick Junaid Khan – the latter has a very impressive record spanning 172 T20 matches.
Key draft options: Rilee Russouw was underwhelming so I suspect they would use their retention pick to grab Alex Hales as a platinum player. They have a really well-balanced squad but could do with an extra frontline quick, especially after losing Brendan Doggett who played 12 games last season. I could see them making a play for Saqib Mahmood who played for the Thunder two seasons ago and enjoyed success. They also have retention rights to Fazalhaq Farooqi but his exit was controversial so he seems unlikely. Maybe someone like Richard Gleeson would suit with the new ball or left-arm Pakistan quick Junaid Khan – the latter has a very impressive record spanning 172 T20 matches.
