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Tottenham Hotspur have made gains under Ange Postecoglou's leadership, and perched in fifth place in the Premier League, a place in next season's Champions League proper is now palpable.

That said, Saturday's chastening 4-0 defeat on Tyneside issued a stark reminder of the canyon still placed between Spurs and success.

Aston Villa, fourth, picked up a huge 2-0 win at the Emirates Stadium against Arsenal on Sunday to send Tottenham further away from the top four, and, with the Gunners up next in the Premier League, Postecoglou will be desperate to find a solution.

Defensive issues were rife on Tyneside and while he's been superb since signing from Wolfsburg for £43m last summer, Micky van de Ven suffered his worst performance at the club by a distance after a spate of costly errors.

Still, he's a massive upgrade on the crop of last year, with Eric Dier certainly a level below his Dutch successor.

Eric Dier's market value in 2024

Dier, aged 30, completed 365 matches for Tottenham across almost ten years, signing from Sporting Lisbon for £4m in 2014 and playing a large part throughout an exciting and successful phase of the club's modern history.

But he was never the standout star in the backline and he endured a truly wretched 2022/23 campaign as Spurs conceded 63 goals in the Premier League and finished eighth – only Bournemouth, Nottingham Forest and relegated sides Leicester City, Leeds United and Southampton shipped more.

Dier, while starting 31 Premier League games last year, struggled to perform and was branded a "liability” by writer Mitch Fretton for his part in the struggle.

As such, despite signing for Bayern Munich in January after sitting miserably on the fringe under Postecoglou this season, Dier now has a market value of just £9m, according to Football Transfers.

Given that, at the height of his Tottenham career, his worth was marked at £35m, this is a bitter representation of a gradual decline in north London, but he's still worth more than one current first-teamer who is surely heading for the exit door in several months.

Bryan Gil's market value in 2024

The man in question is Bryan Gil, who Tottenham signed for a fee approaching £22m back in 2021 after a prodigious start to professional life in Spain.

A winger of immense talent, the 23-year-old has been said to possess a "left foot made of pure gold" by talent scout Jacek Kulig in the past but has been nothing more than disappointing since moving to N17, with Fretton noting that he is "unwanted" by Postecoglou.

Jamie Carragher even noted that he "looked like a boy playing in a man’s game" after Spurs' Premier League fixture against Manchester City back in November, and having averaged only 0.3 key passes, 1.1 successful duels and 1.6 ball recoveries per match this term, as per Sofascore, it really is clear how far he has fallen.

And indeed, Gil is worth just £8m after several years of lacklustre performance. While Spurs are currently focussed on relieving the books of his signature at the moment, even believed to have received a formal proposal from Dutch Eredivisie champions Feyenoord, it's hardly likely that Daniel Levy will collect a fee resembling the 2021 outlay for his services.

While he's one of the Tottenham first-team's lowest earners with a £40k-per-week salary, Gil has still chipped away at the coffers and has actually cost the outfit in excess of £27m, having contributed with just two assists and no goals across 42 fixtures.

Tottenham are improving under Postecoglou but must now axe this wage-draining player to ensure that the trajectory heads in the right direction.

Wage Burners

Football FanCast's Wage Burners series explores the salaries of the modern-day game.

To succeed at the height that an ambitious manager such as Ange Postecoglou strives for, a football club needs to ensure every department is improving and united in a single goal.

Take Tottenham Hotspur's fiery London rivals: Arsenal. Mikel Arteta joined back in December 2019 and took an outfit that was lacking purpose, presence and identity, instilling his tactical vision over a number of years, ensuring recruitment was sharpened and streamlined, freeing the Emirates of the flotsam and jetsam that had marooned the club on the fringes of success.

Arsenal had, candidly, become something of a laughing stock after interminably struggling to enter the ascendency post-Arsene Wenger, but now thrive as one of the Premier League's title contenders, with a framework that seems purposed to last.

But the real locus of a top-flight club's prosperity lies in the robustness of the youth academy. Manchester City are the cream of the crop in this regard, while Chelsea's Cobham academy notoriously churns out a remarkable line of teenage talents.

Tottenham, now under Postecoglou's guidance, are starting to reap the rewards of bringing the younger generation to the fore; Harry Kane is one of the finest footballers to emerge from an English club in several generations but he is something of a rarity in the Lilywhites' case.

But his career showcases the riches that can be plundered by entrusting the younger with a platform to prove their worth.

Harry Kane's career so far

Kane posted 280 goals and 64 assists over 435 fixtures for Tottenham and left last summer as the club's record scorer. Moreover, he is England men's top scorer with 62 strikes from 89 caps.

He was widely accepted as a "world-class" striker – as has been said by the likes of Antonio Conte, and is one of the most complete attacking players currently competing.

He joined Bayern in an initial £82m deal in August 2023 after scoring 30 Premier League goals in a frankly awful Spurs side last season, deciding to depart after slumping to an eighth-placed finish. He'd given his all.

But while Kane never got his hands on silverware with Tottenham, he unquestionably established himself as a true English great, with his remarkable rate of scoring in the Premier League and leadership at the front of the Spurs team leaving all onlookers in awe – Pep Guardiola, for example, has remarked that Kane remains "one of the best strikers" he has ever seen.

1.

Alan Shearer

441

260

0.59

2.

Harry Kane

320

213

0.67

3.

Wayne Rooney

491

208

0.42

4.

Andy Cole

414

187

0.45

5.

Sergio Aguero

275

184

0.67

Since moving to Bayern, Kane instantly hit the rich vein of form that many expected, scoring 40 goals and adding 13 assists from 41 matches in all competitions.

As per FBref, Kane ranks among the top 2% of centre-forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 12% for assists and the top 8% for progressive passes per 90, highlighting his elite quality in the final third and his ball-playing mastery.

Kane's incredible ability to drop deeper and influence plays speaks of elite-level skills that few of his position could emulate, if any to the same degree.

His start to life in Germany has been described as "astonishing" by his manager Thomas Tuchel, and while Die Roten have been subpar this season, the forward is serving as the offensive fulcrum that could yet see the struggling German giants secure the shiniest of silverware this season.

Tottenham supporters might watch on wistfully but the Spurs legend devoted many years of service to the north London side, and while his exit is still keenly felt, a new star in the form of Mikey Moore might just prove to be the latest prodigy emerging from N17.

Why Spurs must unleash Mikey Moore

Moore is only 16 years old but he possesses that natural style and confidence that suggests he is suited for a career right at the very top.

The Evening Standard recently put together a list of London's most exciting prospects and described Moore as the pick of the bunch: 'Widely considered one of the best young talents in the capital. A strong, skilful player with a powerful build who has caught the eye with his dribbling and finishing.'

The road from Wonderkid to world-class phenom is long and freight with peril, but it is doable and if Moore's development is managed right, if he is nurtured and plies his trade diligently, then there is every chance that he can carry the quality that has earned high praise at this early stage.

Postecoglou certainly seems to think so, having allowed Moore to train with the first-team after an incredible campaign, having scored 16 goals and supplied nine assists from just 14 fixtures for the U18s this season.

This return, not including a run of six goals and four assists from five matches with England U17s and U16s, has even led transfer guru Fabrizio Romano to herald the versatile teenager as a budding "superstar."

And why not? Aged just 16, Moore has completed a week's worth of training sessions with the Spurs senior squad and is creeping toward a debut.

A series of injuries this season have hindered the teenager – he was expected to cement a place in Wayne Burnett's U21 squad, top of the Premier League 2, but for a fractured leg suffered while on international duty. Still, he's overcome adversity and his prolific record bespeaks his immense powers of recovery.

There's every chance that Moore will find a place in Tottenham's pre-season plans, and should he make a good impression, a senior debut might even be less than one year away.

Manchester United legend and assistant coach Ruud van Nistelrooy has opened up about the most valuable lesson he ever learnt under Sir Alex Ferguson.

Article continues below

Article continues below

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• Van Nistelrooy hired as Man Utd asst. coach
• Summarises most valuable lesson from Ferguson
• Tipped to take over from Erik ten Hag at Man Utd

• (C)GettyImages
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Van Nistelrooy worked under the legendary Manchester United coach, Ferguson, between 2001 and 2006 as the Dutchman claimed the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award for the 2001/02 and the 2002/03 seasons. The former striker is now working under Erik ten Hag as Manchester United's assistant coach and he has revealed a few valuable lessons he learned from Ferguson.

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• WHAT VAN NISTELROOY SAID

  Speaking to The Guardian, Van Nistelrooy said: "As a player, the most important thing I took from working with Sir Bobby Robson and Sir Alex Ferguson was their relationships with the individual. It’s not a football player; it’s a person. When you reach that connection, you get the best out of people – and from there on you can help them build their careers. I never let that thought go out of my mind.

  "Sometimes you have to be tough on them and sometimes you have to get your arm around them. That mixture is important, but the most important thing is to always be honest and straight. When you have knowledge about the game and what is necessary at the highest level, you must share it.

  "As a coach, you just try to help players reach their goals. And it is something that makes you feel really proud when you see young players develop. Gakpo went on to Liverpool and Noni to Chelsea, but there are a couple more from that time who are now in the PSV first team. The feeling I get when I see this is comparable with winning a league, really.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Van Nistelrooy started his coaching career as the assistant manager of the Dutch national team under Guus Hiddink and his latest job as PSV head coach was his first experience as the manager of a senior team. Former Manchester United star Dwight Yorke has also tipped the 48-year-old to take over from ten Hag in case of the Dutchman's untimely sacking

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• WHAT NEXT FOR VAN NISTELROOY?

  The Dutchman will now travel back to the United Kingdom with the Red Devils following the end of their United States tour as they look to begin preparations for the start of the Premier League.

As the next ten games represent a make-or-break moment for Tottenham Hotspur's pursuit of the Premier League's top four, it will not be good news for the Spurs faithful to hear that one of their star players is currently representing his national team despite sustaining an injury.

Spurs' season plagued by injury crisis

If Spurs do fall short of Champions League football this term, it will likely leave fans wondering what could've been if so many of their stars had not fallen victim to injury.

It's time for Spurs to cash in on their £70k-p/w Pochettino signing

The Spurs ace has struggled to adapt to the Premier League since joining in 2019.

ByTom Lever Mar 25, 2024

Whilst the last few weeks have seen key players James Maddison and Son Heung-min return from their respective knocks, there are a number of Spurs' important players still in the treatment room, with the second issue of the season for breakout star Micky van de Ven particularly frustrating.

Spurs' current injury list

Return Dates (via Premier Injuries)

Ryan Sessegnon

03/06/2024

Fraser Forster

27/04/2024

Micky van de Ven

30/03/2024

Manor Solomon

13/04/2024

With further injuries the last thing Ange Postecoglou needs, the news of a Spurs star continuing to represent his country despite suffering a knock could make for uncomfortable reading for the Australian.

Bentancur to play through broken toe for Uruguay

As first reported by Sport Witness, Rodrigo Bentancur has revealed that he has been playing with a fractured toe for the last few weeks after sustaining the injury in Spurs training.

Speaking to the media after Uruguay's 1-1 draw with the Basque national side over the weekend, the 26-year-old said: “I broke it two or three weeks ago, but I’m still playing the same. I broke my phalanx. I had to stop for three or four weeks for it to knit up, and it was impossible. It was before the game against Crystal Palace in training, but here I go, recovering. Once I warm up, I forget”.

Bentancur is expected to take part in his nation's second fixture of the international break despite the ongoing issue, a friendly against Ivory Coast in France on Tuesday evening.

Since arriving in North London in January 2022, Bentancur has struggled with injury, missing a number of crucial games during his time at Spurs. The worst of these issues saw the Uruguayan miss around eight months of action after the midfielder ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in his knee during Spurs' damaging 4-1 defeat to Leicester City back in February 2022.

The 26-year-old managed to return from this setback in October 2023, but only managed a four-game run in the Spurs side before suffering a torn ankle ligament during November's loss to Aston Villa. Missing much of the festive period, Bentancur returned to the team in the new year, but has struggled at times owing to his prolonged period on the sidelines.

Despite his issues, Bentancur is still a part of Marcelo Bielsa's Uruguay side, with the midfielder set to play again on Tuesday night when they take on the Ivory Coast in a friendly match. With Bielsa's brand of 'murderball' well known to English fans from his time with Leeds United, it is unlikely that Bentancur will be able to take it easy during his next game.

With the Lilywhites involved in the close race for the top four, the last thing that the Spurs faithful would want to see would be one of their key players miss even more games due to injury.

Sunderland will take this International break as an opportunity to regroup and refresh on the training ground, with Mike Dodds' dire Black Cats winless in their last seven Championship games.

The loss of their main attacking spark in Jack Clarke to the Stadium of Light treatment room has really hurt the Wearside outfit, who now find themselves in mid-table obscurity off the back of this poor run of games when talk of promotion was once potentially on the cards.

The lack of potent strikers has also really killed Sunderland throughout the season as a whole, especially the continued blanks being fired by Chelsea loanee Mason Burstow up top.

Yet, even as Burstow manages to remain wasteful in Sunderland red and white with just one goal from his stint to date, one former £9m Black Cats buy now finds himself worth less than the 20-year-old flop.

Wahbi Khazri's time at Sunderland

Purchased for a bumper £9m by legendary Dutch manager Dick Advocaat, Wahbi Khazri would never quite acclimatise to this new English surroundings when relocating to Sunderland in 2015.

The 74-time Tunisia international would demand such a fee off the back of his exploits in France, where the ex-Black Cats man would muster up 30 goals and assists across just two seasons at FC Girordins Bordeaux.

Sunderland fans would never quite see this same magic unfold when Khazri pulled on a Black Cats strip, however, with the now 33-year-old attacking midfielder only managing three goals and two assists from 42 games.

This would result in the Wearside club taking a sizeable financial hit when offloading their ex-number ten in 2018 to Saint-Etienne – offloading their former £9m buy for an initial £6m to the Ligue 1 side five years ago.

It would go down as an underwhelming capture, with the current Montpellier man never quite able to regularly dazzle the Sunderland masses like he did with a wonderful strike against Chelsea during his first season.

Looking at Khazri's transfer value now, the decision to splash the cash looks even more of a waste of money with the 33-year-old midfielder worth less than Burstow playing in Ligue 1 towards the back-end of his career according to Football Transfers.

What Wahbi Khazri is doing in 2024

The 5 foot 9 creator's transfer value is now all the way down at €1.4m (£1.2m) in 2024, a far cry away from the bumped-up figure Sunderland once paid to land his services.

It's a massive decline from the amount Saint-Etienne even paid to land Khazri after his lacklustre time at the Stadium of Light, with the one-time Black Cats dud remarkably now coming in as being cheaper than Burstow – who is estimated to be worth €1.7m (£1.4m) – despite the loanee's torrid loan switch to date.

Khazri hasn't helped matters by being largely anonymous this campaign for his French employers, only tallying up a single goal and assist from 24 games in total.

His dire showing against the might of PSG last match showcased Khazri's career ending with a whimper playing for Montpellier, managing just 18 touches in total against the reigning French champions before being hauled off after 59 minutes. Still, he isn't the first to find life a little tricky against the Parisian outfit.

Games played

21

Goals scored

1

Big chances missed

4

Goal conversion rate

3%

Average touches per game

22.5

Successful dribbles per game

0.6

Possession lost per game

6.6

At least, in the case of Burstow, Sunderland can move on knowing the Blues loanee didn't significantly dent their bank account when he returns to Stamford Bridge at the end of this disappointing season.

Whereas, when you see how much Khazri's transfer value has tumbled, the Black Cats must still regret forking out the amount they did to land the dud during the height of their Premier League days before their notable demise occurred down the divisions.

Nottingham Forest’s most recent home game in the Premier League was a convincing 2-0 win over West Ham United, and if it wasn’t for poor finishing, they could have defeated Manchester United in the week.

But since Nuno Espírito Santo’s excellent start to life at the Tricky Trees, beating Newcastle United and the Red Devils in December, they’ve won once in the league.

However, Forest have the chance to turn their form and their season around this weekend, as they face Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at a player who simply must feature in the starting lineup, alongside Taiwo Awoniyi.

Why Taiwo Awoniyi must start vs Liverpool

The number nine has been fantastic for Forest since joining for £17.5m at the start of last season, scoring 16 goals and providing four assists in 42 appearances.

This season, his progress has been hindered by injuries, but when he has started up top, Forest have looked far more deadly, with Awoniyi netting six goals and three assists in 12 league starts.

The Nigerian is a striker who won’t just score goals but will also be a relentless outlet up front, which will be vital against Liverpool, a side that will dominate the possession.

Awoniyi is also a selfless striker who is willing to give 100% for his team off the ball, whether that be by leading the press or covering space to prevent progressive passes.

The former Liverpool centre-forward also knows how to score against his old team, netting in the 1-0 win over the Reds in this exact fixture last season, ensuring he would be a welcome return to the fold – alongside any of those who started on the bench in midweek…

Nottingham Forest star had one of his best game under Nuno vs Man Utd

He’s failed to reach the levels he achieved at times last season.

ByEthan Lamb Feb 29, 2024 Why Nicolas Dominguez could be key against Liverpool

Nicolas Dominguez has been one of the most consistent midfielders in the league this season, with his performances often going under the radar.

The versatility of the midfielder is what makes him so “impressive,” as labelled by analyst Statman Dave, with the Argentine having the ability to feature in multiple roles within one match.

However, it’s his defensive qualities while having the ability to affect the game in the final third that could make him key this afternoon.

The number 16’s performance against West Ham recently provides evidence of that, where he was deployed in the double pivot of a 4-2-3-1, which is where he should start today.

Tackles

6

Ground duels won

6

Assists

1

Pass accuracy

93%

Touches

57

As is shown in the table above, the former Bologna star thrives during the physical side of the beautiful game, breaking up the play and frustrating the opponent, as shown by his six tackles and six ground duels won.

However, he has also shown his ability to control the game and give his side a breather by retaining the ball once it’s been retrieved rather than wasting it, which will be vital later on. Against the Hammers, Dominguez had a pass accuracy of 93% and 57 touches while also registering an assist.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Dominguez’s tenacity and engine in the middle of the field will be incredibly important. The Argentine and Awoniyi could just hold the keys to a huge upset this weekend.

The Lazio winger came off the bench to score a last-gasp goal that keeps Italy's title defence alive – but almost certainly eliminates Croatia.

What a finish! Seriously, what a finish! In every possible way. On an incredibly dramatic night in Leipzig, we saw the end of a glorious era of Croatian football, with Luka Modric's men knocked out of Euro 2024 thanks to the most sublime finish from Mattia Zaccagni with the last kick of the game.

The goal cancelled out Modric's opener, which had come just seconds after the legendary No.10 had seen a penalty saved by the brilliant Gigi Donnarumma, and means Italy progress to the last 16 at the expense of the Croats, who, with just two points to their name after this 1-1 draw, have next-to-no hope of progress as one of the third-place finishers.

Below, GOAL rates all of the Italy players on show as the defending champions kept their title defence alive with a stunning strike in the eight minute of injury time that sets up a meeting with Switzerland in Berlin on Saturday evening…

• Getty
  

  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Gianluigi Donnarumma (8/10):

  It looked like the goalkeeper's heroics were going to go to waste, which would have been so harsh on Donnarumma, who made some fantastic stops, the pick of which was his penalty save from Modric.

  Matteo Darmian (6/10):

  Brought into the team to form a back three that looked so comfortable until the penalty sparked chaos. Darmian, though, was decent for the most part.

  Alessandro Bastoni (6/10):

  Rather damningly, Italy's most dangerous weapon, but twice failed to put away two great chances. Hoovered up possession for Italy but also appeared to duck out of the way of the cross that led to Modric's goal.

  Riccardo Calafiori (8/10):

  The benefits of playing the versatile Bologna defender on the left-hand side of the back three were there for all to see, as he created two chances in the first half alone before creating the equaliser with a characteristically brilliant break into enemy territory.

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• Getty
  

  Midfield

  Giovanni Di Lorenzo (5/10):

  Credit where it's due, he recovered well from being torn to shreds by Nico Williams, winning plenty of duels. His passing wasn't great, though, and he was too slow to react on Croatia's goal.

  Nicolo Barella (6/10):

  Caused Croatia problems with his precise and progressive passing in the first half but his influence faded in the second half – when Italy needed their best midfielder most. Still, he kept running – and perhaps more importantly – keeping the ball moving right until the end.

  Jorginho (6/10):

  A much, much better display from the Arsenal man (which wasn't hard after his shocker against Spain!). He helped Italy take control of the game after a sluggish start, but he was sacrificed in the dying stages as Italy pressed for an equaliser as he was offering nothing offensively.

  Lorenzo Pellegrini (4/10):

  The only midfielder to really get into dangerous areas in the first half, while he also made a couple of timely interceptions, but he was withdrawn at the break after giving the ball away nine times in 45 minutes.

  Federico Dimarco (3/10):

  A shockingly ineffective display from the highly-rated Inter wing-back, who contributed little defensively and absolutely nothing going forward before being hauled off before the hour mark.

• Getty
  

  Attack

  Mateo Retegui (6/10):

  Seriously lively in the first half, going close with a fine header from an inviting Calafiori cross, but Josko Gvardiol's head deflected the strike wide. Still, probably did enough to hold onto his starting spot.

  Giacomo Raspadori (6/10):

  A surprise starter and he justified his inclusion by creating four chances in total and working his socks off until he was taken off late on.

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  Subs & Manager

  Davide Frattesti (3/10):

  Replaced Pellegrini during the interval and almost immediately gave away a penalty with a stray arm.

  Fedierico Chiesa (5/10):

  Brought on right after Croatia broke the deadlock and was full of intent but only created one decent chance.

  Gianluca Scamacca (N/A):

  Thrown on for the last 20 minutes after being dropped for this game, but couldn't get on the end of Chiesa's cross.

  Nicolo Fagioli (N/A):

  Not enough time to impress himself on the game after taking over in midfield from Jorginho.

  Mattia Zaccagni (7/10):

  Only came on with just over five minutes of normal time remaining but he earned Italy a 1-1 draw – and qualification for the last 16 – with a Del Piero-esque finish right at the death.

  Luciano Spalletti (7/10):

  The personnel and formation changes worked. Italy played impressively for nearly an hour, looking comfortable at the back and menacing going forward. A minute of madness turned the game on its head but the Azzurri recovered and deservedly got a draw thanks to one of Spalletti's subs, Zaccagni, who also impressed off the bench against Spain.

Lahore University of Management Sciences struck a partnership with the PCB in 2016 which now sees the fifth ICC-accredited biomechanics facility in the world set up in Lahore

Umar Farooq25-Jul-2019Ten years of planning to get an ICC-accredited biomechanics facility built in Pakistan has finally translated into tangible results, with the facility set up at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) securing ICC accreditation. That makes it the fifth lab in the world to be ICC-accredited, joining those in Brisbane, Chennai, Loughborough and Pretoria.With the much sought after accreditation secured, the lab can now carry out official bowling tests of international and domestic bowlers whose actions are reported for being illegal.”The accreditation of the biomechanics lab at LUMS is a significant development and it is a step in the right direction in line with PCB’s aim of equipping the board with modern and world-class facilities,” PCB managing director Wasim Khan said. “The facility will help us identify and rectify faulty bowling actions at an early stage. In the past we didn’t have a testing centre and a number of Pakistan bowlers were called both at the domestic and international level and then had to undergo remodelling of their action, often at a stage where it was tough for them to regain their effectiveness.”The lab will also be available to players from around the world and we will work closely with the ICC to make the facility readily available for testing of suspect bowling actions. The facility won’t be restricted for bowling actions only and players at all levels can sort out their technical deficiencies through biomechanical analysis under the supervision of coaches and experts.”The PCB first planned to set up a biomechanics lab in 2008 under the chairmanship of Nasim Ashraf. The equipment was purchased with a view to having a facility up and running at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) by December that year. But a change in board administration, as well as an ensuing financial crunch, led to the project being stalled. Plans to revive it in 2013 were further hampered by a battle for board control between Zaka Ashraf and the current chairman Najam Sethi.But in 2016, under the tutelage of then chairman Shaharyar Khan, the PCB formed a partnership with LUMS that allowed the university to use the equipment the PCB had bought in 2008, and set up a lab on its premises.Mian Muhammad Awais, an artificial intelligence professor, has overseen the running of the lab since the day it was installed in LUMS. He has been working with the ICC over the last year and, as part of the accreditation process, travelled to Pretoria twice to understand how to use and apply ICC protocol for testing. In most cases, whenever a bowler undergoes a test, an ICC official is also present to ensure protocols are followed, especially with regards to guaranteeing bowlers under testing in the lab are accurately replicating actions they use in competitive matches.James Ngoche examines footage of his action•ESPNcricinfo Ltd./Umar Farooq”It’s good for the country and for the cricketers in the country as well,” Awais told ESPNcricinfo. “We have been accredited by the ICC and this facility is going to help the region as well. I want to see players from around the region come to this laboratory to have their actions tested, but most of all, this facility has already proved beneficial for local players in Pakistan. We have a good set of professional coaches who are working with us, and we are growing dramatically after very humble beginnings.”Obviously we started from scratch with a lot of questions raised about whether we would be able to manage it, but here we are now, with ICC accreditation. There are people like Muddassar Nazar (NCA director) and Hissan ur Rehman (PCB) who have dedicated themselves to making this venture successful. Now we have in place a much-improved facility, and also ICC accreditation. This is our asset and it is there for cricketers across the country to utilise it. The scope of this biomechanics lab isn’t limited to simply testing the legality of bowling actions, it will also help enhance the performance of cricketers, with our research likely to contribute to producing better cricketers in the country.”The original equipment the PCB had purchased – a number of high-speed cameras and markers which cost nearly half a million dollars – still meets the requirements of the ICC. They have upgraded to the required software that allows every report of an action from around the world to be reviewed and validated centrally by the ICC.Over the last three years, the lab has been working with the PCB to help international bowlers rehabilitate their bowling actions. Kenya offspinner James Ngoche was tested at the facility in August 2016 while he was in Lahore as part of a training programme.Given Pakistan’s history with illegal actions over the years, the facility may best be utilised for bowlers while still in the first-class set-up, or even for bowlers set to participate in the Pakistan Super League. Saeed Ajmal and Mohammad Hafeez are a couple of high-profile recent bowlers who were handed bans because of illegal bowling actions, while over the past two decades, Shoaib Akhtar, Shabbir Ahmed and Shoaib Malik were also reported.In the aftermath of Ajmal’s suspension in 2014, the then head of PCB domestic cricket Intikhab Alam said they had identified 35-40 bowlers in domestic cricket whose actions were faulty. The lab later tested over 24 bowlers, with most of their actions found to be exceeding the 15 degrees level limit of tolerance permitted under the regulations.

Carlos Corberan is getting the most out his threadbare West Bromwich Albion squad to date, arguably helping the Baggies punch above their weight in fifth spot in the Championship so far with an extensive injury list continuing to curse the second tier side.

Josh Maja's recent serious ankle ligament injury had those at the Hawthorns understandably panicking, leaving Brandon Thomas-Asante as the only readily available out-and-out striker with Daryl Dike also still on the mend.

With Maja ruled out for four months, this month will see Corberan target a new striker to add to his injury-ravaged group to give Thomas-Asante some much-needed competition.

The Baggies boss could well have found the striker he wants if transfer reports are correct coming out of the West Midlands, a proven Championship goalscorer one potential incoming through the door at the Hawthorns this January.

West Brom transfer latest – Kieffer Moore

The Sun reported earlier this week on the possibility of AFC Bournemouth striker Kieffer Moore leaving the Vitality Stadium this month, with a whole host of Championship clubs scrambling to win his services if he was given the green light to depart.

West Brom were just one name among many included with the likes of Leeds United, Ipswich Town and Middlesbrough all also touted to be in for the towering attacker, with Alex Crook of talkSPORT further speculating that Moore's ex-club Cardiff City would test the waters over a possible reunion too.

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The Baggies will hope the allure of coming in and being a key part of the West Brom squad can tempt Moore to swap the south coast for the West Midlands this January, easing the pressure on Thomas-Asante's shoulders tremendously and allowing Corberan not to worry about another injury being critical.

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Scoring 47 goals in the Championship over his nomadic career so far – which has seen the 6 foot 5 attacker even play in far-off Norway – Moore would be an asset for any second-tier side this January near the top-end of the division.

25 of those came in a fruitful spell in Wales for the Bluebirds, before the Cherries came calling to win his services.

In contrast, Maja – who has experienced success by playing Ligue 1 football in his fledging career to date – has only amassed three Championship goals with fixed first-team forward Thomas-Asante only boasting 40 EFL goals in total across his back catalogue.

West Brom will hope Moore can pick up from where he left off and return to his potent best in the second tier if signed, with the likes of Jed Wallace and Grady Diangana licking their lips at the potential of the Welshman joining.

Wallace in particular will utilise Moore's height well with countless whipped crosses into the area directed at the imposing attacker to connect with, potentially adding more assists next to his name with his season tally currently at three.

Likewise, Diangana will know that a typical mazy run forward could well be converted by Moore sticking a leg out or firing home emphatically – the Congolese winger wanting to enhance his assist output with the prolific forward joining the club.

Once described as a "focal point" by Welsh centre-back Ashley Williams when talking about the lofty striker's importance for his nation in an article for BBC Sports, Corberan could base his entire Baggies team around Moore finishing off opportunities as a lone dangerman.

With Thomas-Asante still relatively inexperienced when it comes to Championship football, and Maja due to be out for an extended period of time, signing Moore should be a priority for West Brom this month to improve their odds of winning promotion to the Premier League.

With just one week to go until the January transfer window slams shut, Rangers are yet to solve some key issues within Philippe Clement's squad. The Gers signed Fabio Silva on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers at the start of the month, but have been unmoved when it comes to further additions.

Given their particular need to sign a new left-back, however, they could be in for a busy seven days, with a new target reportedly emerging.

Rangers' left-back problem

Whilst it's easy to focus on Rangers' attacking issues, especially following the news of Abdallah Sima's long-term injury blow, Clement and co should have their attention on welcoming a new left-back this month. As things stand, the Gers have just Ridvan Yilmaz and Borna Barisic to call on, with the former's future in doubt and the latter set to leave upon the expiry of his contract this summer. In the worst-case scenario, Rangers will be left without a single left-back to call upon by the end of the season, meaning that now would be an ideal time to act.

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Throughout the winter window, the Scottish giants have been linked with the likes of Cameron Pring and David Jurasek, but they have now reportedly shifted their focus elsewhere in search of a new left-back. According to The Daily Mail, via Rangers News, Rangers are eyeing a "deadline beating" move to sign Luke Thomas. The Leicester City full-back was on loan at Premier League side Sheffield United, before seeing his loan terminated. Now back at the Foxes, he could yet seek another departure.

With Premier League experience to his name, Thomas could certainly put an end to Clement's left-back woes, but it remains to be seen whether Rangers will turn their interest into a serious move to sign the defender before the end of the month.

"Brilliant" Thomas can solve Clement's problem

Still only 22-years-old, Thomas can provide Clement with a long-term solution to his left-back problem if Rangers made their move for the Leicester man this month. Thomas, himself, could do with the move too. He struggled to make an impact at Sheffield United, starting just 11 games, and is now in need of the fresh start that the Scottish Premiership could offer.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers certainly knows all about the player that his rivals could be getting, having worked with Thomas at Leicester previously. Rodgers is among those to have praised the 22-year-old, even as he missed a penalty in a Carabao Cup tie against Liverpool back in 2021. He told The Leicester Mercury: “I said to him afterwards that he was brilliant during the game.

"He’s developing so well. It’s another great experience for him. The atmosphere was great as it always is at Anfield. It was a really good game. It was unfortunate for him to miss the penalty, but in the game he was exceptional. He’s a tough boy and he will move on.”

Now, it could be Clement and Rangers who benefit from the Celtic manager's early work with their latest left-back target in what would be a welcome twist in the Scottish Premiership.