Newcastle United’s topsy-turvy campaign is raging on. When will Eddie Howe strike the balance needed for his team to kick on and reestablish themselves as a force in the Premier League?
Last weekend’s performance over Manchester City offered a glimpse into what United are capable of, dispatching Pep Guardiola’s side at St. James’ Park thanks to Harvey Barnes’ second-half brace.
But that win was built atop a run of three defeats from four in the Premier League, and Newcastle have since been defeated on the road in the Champions League, against Marseille in France.
It wasn’t the Toon’s worst performance of the season, but the emission of anxiety after Nick Pope’s costly mistake emphasises the issue in mentality when away from Tyneside.
Why Howe should drop Nick Pope
Pope has been a strong and convincing goalkeeper for Newcastle since joining the club from relegated Burnley in 2022, but, aged 33, the Three Lions star is allowing errors to creep into his game, the latest of which cost the Magpies dearly in Marseille.
Newcastle knew they needed to take something home with them from the Orange Velodrome, and indeed, Barnes’ finish secured an advantage at the interval.
Cool heads were needed, but Pope rushed out to claim a neat through ball and failed to match the pace of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, the veteran striker getting there first and then rounding Pope and scoring from an acute angle to restore parity. The one-time Arsenal hero then scored again from close range, smacking home from a few yards out following a fierce cross-box pass.
That frustrating display was hardly an outlier. This season, Pope has left plenty to be desired.
Given that loanee Aaron Ramsdale is waiting in the wings, it’s understandable that some supporters want to see a change between the sticks, and it’s perhaps something Howe should consider if he wishes to revive his team’s fluency and confidence on the road.
It’s not the only change that must be made, though, with another United man’s form this season emphasising the need for a permanent tweak on Howe’s part.
The Newcastle star who's a bigger liability than Pope
A core part of Newcastle’s success over the past four years, Joelinton’s chapter at the club may nearly be written, with the long-time star beginning to become a problem for Howe.
One of the most powerful and imposing midfielders in the Premier League, Joelinton’s form has suffered this season, and he’s noticeably regressed, and that is accentuated by the superstars around him.
Unlike last season, when Joelinton’s intense, pack-a-punch style was so integral in charging up the Newcastle engine, the likes of Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes are forming something of a partnership
Newcastle’s Italian midfielder, to be sure, is showing off new levels of athleticism and strength to match his natural elegance, and the skipper is as all-encompassing as ever in the middle of the park.
But Joelinton is waning, and this has been picked up by Toon observers. Indeed, journalist Mark Douglas noted earlier in the campaign that the 29-year-old has been “nowhere near his best”.
Sofascore record that Joelinton is winning only 2.9 ground duels per Premier League fixture, which is his lowest average since 2019/20, his debut term, when he principally played as a centre-forward.
Refashioned into an all-action midfielder, Joelinton has proved himself to be an iconic servant for Howe at Newcastle, but after so many rounds of unforgiving action, it may be that it is the right time for him to move on.
Howe’s Most-used Players at Newcastle
Rank
Player
Apps
1
Bruno Guimaraes
172
2
Dan Burn
166
3
Fabian Schar
165
4
Jacob Murphy
152
5
Joelinton
146
Data via Transfermarkt
Hailed as a “club legend” by content creator Adam Pearson, the Brazil international has had his day, and the fact that PIF are gearing up for an ambitious bid for Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson in 2026, the England midfielder having emerged from Newcastle’s academy, suggests that the mainstay is becoming expendable.
The suggestions that Pope should be extricated from his post between the posts are rising in volume, but the emphasis on pushing for a Joelinton upgrade must be just as loud.
For all the Brazilian’s robustness, he is no longer untouchable under Howe’s wing, and is perhaps becoming the weakest link in a team that needs to kick on.
PIF have signed an "explosive" talent who can end Gordon's Newcastle career
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The players from both teams stuck to their own routines, but the buzz is expected to grow when they face each other
Shashank Kishore06-Sep-202513:47
Runorder: What is India’s best XI for the Asia Cup?
Shortly after 7pm, all eyes at the ICC Academy turned towards the nets area of the Pakistan team. They’d just arrived for their final training session ahead of Sunday’s tri-series final against Afghanistan in Sharjah.Would there be a cross-over with India, who were already in the middle of their own preparations? Would players exchange pleasantries or keep their distance? Those hoping for a moment worth filming were left disappointed as both teams stuck to their routines.India’s session spanned nearly three hours in which each of their specialist batters spent more than an hour in the middle, before the allrounders padded up and whacked the ball into all corners to bring down what turned out to be more range-hitting than a net session aimed at players finding touch.Related
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Pakistan batted at the nets area tucked away in a quiet corner, away from the prying eyes. They prepped on surfaces that offered turn, bite and uneven bounce, perhaps simulating what’s in store against Rashid Khan, AM Ghazanfar and Noor Ahmad come Sunday. Away from the nets, Shaheen Shah Afridi took a few catches and did a light warm-up, while Haris Rauf ran laps.The assortment of surfaces at the ICC Academy, as many as 40 of them – largely Asian but also some that replicate bouncy conditions like at the WACA, Gabba and some that offer swing and seam – were put to good use by as many as 60 players over the last few days, including those from Oman and Hong Kong.By the time training wrapped up on Saturday, the organisers breathed a sigh of relief. Pakistan had a game to play on Sunday, and India announced a rest day.The evening began with India doing a bronco drill with cones placed at 20, 40 and 60 metres distances. The squad split into three groups of five. Trainer Adrian Le Roux called the shots, Sitanshu Kotak kept score, while head coach Gautam Gambhir turned cheerleader. The exercise wasn’t about results as much as it was about simulating match-day conditions in the event that India field first in the heat.Once the lights took full effect, the players shifted into full-fledged centre-wicket nets. Friday had been about easing in, but Saturday had a sharper edge, perhaps even giving us a peek into combinations that are slowly beginning to emerge.Purely on evidence of the first two days, it seems as if Jitesh Sharma may have a slight edge over Sanju Samson as India’s first-choice wicketkeeper. He underwent extended batting stints on Saturday, with Gambhir watching closely from behind the nets. At one point, he appeared to advise Jitesh about some of his premeditated attempts at scoops and pick-up shots.The Indian team during their first training session ahead of Asia Cup 2025•Shashank Kishore/ESPNcricinfo LtdSamson, meanwhile, only took throwdowns to begin with and sat watching the other batters go through their paces. Just before the session wound down, though, he padded up and hit the ball far and long. Out came the pulls, flat-bats and some heaves that had him occasionally grimace at losing his shape.All told, there was little to suggest anything was off. His timing was crisp and the sound it made off the sweet spot had those patrolling the boundaries and beyond repeatedly running distances to fetch the ball hit into the outer periphery of the ICC Academy Ovals, some even into Pakistan’s training area.Long before Samson took guard, Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Tilak Varma were the first to stride out, followed by Suryakumar Yadav, Rinku Singh, and Jitesh. For the next 90 minutes, they faced a mix of Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Shivam Dube and Hardik Pandya.Then came a battery of local net bowlers that included three wristspinners and two left-arm seamers, all instructed to go flat out. India’s two throwdown specialists jumped in periodically, cranking up the pace whenever the session needed a jolt. India completed a four-hour-long training session close to 9pm.Sunday is rest day, with the Indian team lined up to have two more sessions in the lead-up to their Asia Cup opening game against UAE on September 10.
Nepal legspinner Sandeep Lamichhane was suspended from his team’s second and third T20 internationals against West Indies in Sharjah, after he withdrew from the first match “45 minutes before the start.”A statement from the Cricket Association of Nepal said Lamichhane’s late withdrawal – 15 minutes before the toss – from the first T20I on September 27 had “a serious impact” on the team and Nepal cricket at large. The board said the team management had recommended that Lamichhane be benched from the remaining two games in the series.It is understood that when the team management spoke to Lamichhane later, his reason for withdrawing from the first game was that he was mentally not in a good space to play the match.Nepal beat the West Indies in the first T20I by 19 runs to record their first victory against a Full Member nation; they then won the second T20I by 90 runs to complete their first series win against a Full Member nation. They lost the third match – a dead rubber – by ten wickets.Nepal’s next assignment is the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Asia and East Asia Pacific Final in Oman, where they will be competing with Malaysia, Qatar, UAE, Japan, Kuwait, Oman, Samoa, and Papua New Guinea for two places in the 2026 men’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka in February and March. Lamichhane has been retained in the Nepal squad for the tournament.The nine teams are divided into three groups of three each. Nepal are in Group B along with Japan and Kuwait, whom they play on October 8 and 10. The top two teams from each group proceed to the Super Six round, and the teams that finish first, second and third there qualify for the 2026 T20 World Cup.
The last few months have been a whirlwind for Tottenham Hotspur supporters, especially considering the topsy-turvy nature of the 2024/25 campaign.
The Lilywhites won the Europa League under the guidance of Ange Postecoglou, with the Aussie delivering on his promise of always winning a trophy in his second season.
However, it was somewhat overshadowed by the 17th-place finish in the Premier League, which ultimately cost the 60-year-old his job in North London.
Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou
The responsibility of building on the triumph was handed the way of Thomas Frank, with the Dane joining the club from fellow top-flight club Brentford during the off-season.
Despite his arrival, some players have struggled to match the levels they produced last campaign, which will have no doubt been frustrating to the new manager.
The Spurs players who have struggled in 2025/26
After arguably his best-ever campaign in 2024/25, Brennan Johnson has endured a dismal current campaign and has often failed to deliver when called upon by Frank.
The Welsh international has only netted two league goals in 2025/26 to date, subsequently dropping down the pecking order and only making five starts since the Dane’s arrival.
He was even sent off in the latest Champions League clash against FC Copenhagen, which pretty much sums up the decline he’s endured over the last few months.
Johnson hasn’t been alone in struggling to match the levels he produced last season, with midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur another who’s been unable to produce on a consistent basis.
The Uruguayan international has only made eight starts to date, but his numbers from the current campaign showcase his dismal form in North London.
He’s ranked in the 43rd percentile for passes completed and has only been able to make 0.5 interceptions per 90 – often struggling to make an effect in and out of possession.
The Spurs star who needs to be offloaded
The decline of some players has led to the recent additions during the summer, with the hierarchy landing Mohammed Kudus in a £55m deal from West Ham United.
The Ghanaian international has since replaced Johnson on the right-hand side of the attack and has already made an immediate impact for the Lilywhites.
He’s scored once and registered four assists in the Premier League to date, with the latter of the two tallies the joint-highest of any player in England’s top-flight.
Kudus would have been joined in the final third by Dominic Solanke, but the Englishman has massively struggled with injuries and has been out of action since the end of August.
He’s been struggling with an ankle issue over the last couple of months, subsequently restricting him to a total of just 31 Premier League minutes in 2025/26.
As a result, the hierarchy decided to delve back into the transfer market to complete a loan deal for striker Randal Kolo Muani from French side PSG.
The 26-year-old’s move generated huge excitement within the fanbase, but after a couple of months, it’s safe to say that the deal so far has been a disaster for everyone involved.
He’s struggled to adapt to the demands of the Premier League, with the loanee subsequently failing to score in any of his eight outings across all competitions.
His underlying stats also showcase his lack of form since his transfer on Deadline Day, with the former Juventus star undoubtedly struggling to meet expectations in England.
Games played
4
Goals & assists
0
Shots taken
0.47
Touches in opposition box
1.4
Aerials won
0.4
Aerial success rate
37%
Fouls committed
1.6
Passes completed per 90
8.2
He’s only registered a total of 0.47 shots per 90 in England’s top-flight – with such a tally ranking him in the lowest 1% of all other attackers in the division this season.
Kolo Muani, who earns a reported £150k-per-week, has also registered just 1.4 touches in the opposition box and 0.4 aerials won per 90, which place him in the first percentile – further highlighting his lack of positive impact to date.
Such form backs up one content creator’s previous claim about the forward, with the Frenchman previously being dubbed “one of the most overrated players in the world”.
It’s evident that the move to date has been a huge failure, with the club desperately needing to cut ties and allow other players to stake their claim for a starting role.
His loan deal shouldn’t be made permanent in either of the two windows before it expires, but it’s crucial the club do invest big and land a new talisman for Frank.
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One Tottenham Hotspur star could be on borrowed time under Thomas Frank in the coming months.
Lionel Messi extended his remarkable scoring streak in the MLS Cup Playoffs, netting his ninth goal in seven matches to give Inter Miami a 1-0 lead over FC Cincinnati in the Eastern Conference semifinal. The Argentine legend struck in the 18th minute, showcasing his aerial ability as he rose to meet a pinpoint cross from young winger Mateo Silvetti, silencing the packed crowd inside TQL Stadium.
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Argentine connection
Messi gave Inter Miami a crucial advantage in their Eastern Conference semifinal against FC Cincinnati, heading home in the 18th minute to put the visitors up 1-0 at TQL Stadium. The goal came after a swift counterattack sparked by former Barcelona teammate Jordi Alba, who intercepted a misplaced pass from Nick Hagglund in midfield.
Alba quickly found Messi in a central pocket, and the forward slid a perfectly weighted ball out to Argentine winger Mateo Silvetti on the left. The youngster delivered a pinpoint cross into the box, and Messi met it with a bouncing header that beat goalkeeper Roman Celentano and nestled into the far corner.
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Miami's tactical approach pays dividends
Inter Miami's tactical setup under head coach Javier Mascherano has proven effective thus far, with the team looking to advance to its first Eastern Conference final since joining MLS in 2020. Despite playing away from home, Miami have executed their game plan perfectly, absorbing Cincinnati's early pressure before striking clinically on the counter-attack.
The hosts had their best chance in the 22nd minute when forward Ender Echenique narrowly missed equalizing, his shot sliding just inches wide of the far post. The goal also sparked something in Miami, as Rodriguez fired a shot at Celentano after being fed in the area by Messi, only for the keeper to parry it clear.
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Messi's playoff dominance showcases continued excellence
Messi's header against Cincinnati further cements his status as the most influential player in Major League Soccer. Since joining Inter Miami in 2023, the Argentine superstar has transformed the franchise from expansion strugglers to legitimate title contenders, bringing unprecedented global attention to the league.
With the pressure growing on Arne Slot, Xabi Alonso has reportedly made his mind up on taking the Liverpool job if it becomes available at the same time that he potentially leaves Real Madrid.
For the first time in Slot’s Liverpool career, serious questions are being asked about his tenure. Last season’s Premier League title win has provided him with plenty of credit but, as Jamie Carragher pointed out on Monday Night Football, not everyone is still convinced that he’s still the man for the job.
After eight defeats in 11 games, the Dutchman simply has to turn things around. The Reds backed him by breaking their transfer record twice in the summer and spending over £400m, but are yet to see that investment pay off.
The most concerning aspect of Liverpool’s recent run is that nothing has changed. Slot has persisted with the same system, which only provided false dawns against Real Madrid and Aston Villa.
Now, with Alonso also under pressure at Madrid, Liverpool could be presented with a tempting opportunity to make a sensational change.
Xabi Alonso makes Liverpool decision
According to Football365, Alonso is now ready to take the Liverpool job if Real Madrid decide to sack him. The Spaniard has been put under increasing pressure by reports that Vinicius Junior has decided against signing a new deal whilst the manager is in charge.
As Real Madrid are forced to decide between their star man and their new manager, it’s Liverpool who could take full advantage.
For many, the big question has centred around who would replace Slot if Liverpool decided to sack the Dutchman. In Alonso, they’d have the perfect answer.
The Reds were interested in a reunion with the Spaniard before they hired Slot and could now get what they initially wanted over a year later.
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Although a lot of pieces will need to fall into place, there’s little doubt that Alonso would be welcomed with open arms at Anfield.
"I'm told" – Romano shares what Slot thinks about his own Liverpool future
He didn’t get off to his usual quick start, yet ended up with an unbeaten 73 on a slow wicket to secure MI’s playoffs dream
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Aaron: Bowlers’ Plan B is Suryakumar’s Plan A
Suryakumar Yadav has a general cheery disposition towards life, but at the break between innings at the Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday, he sounded extra pleased with himself. This had been one of his anomalous knocks: he was barely a run-a-ball in the first 20 balls, got to fifty in 36, and ended up with a strike rate of 169.76 despite playing for as long as 43 balls.Yet Suryakumar knew he had taken Mumbai Indians (MI) to an above-par score on a slow pitch where the ball gripped for the spinners and the fast bowlers who bowled cutters into the pitch. Now imagine the level of adjustment needed. You think a night match at Wankhede, you think you need to score 200 at the very least if you lose the toss. Here, Suryakumar batted thinking 160 was par, and 180 came about only because the last two overs went for 48.At the break, Suryakumar said this was an innings he had been hoping for a long time. “That it’s a difficult situation, I go into bat and try to bat till the end. And get a score that is above par,” Suryakumar told the broadcast.Related
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Now Suryakumar has had the most unbelievable run of 13 consecutive scores of 25 or more, which is now a world record, but that is not enough for him. He was waiting for an innings where he stood out. “It’s been 13 games now,” Suryakumar said later. “My wife told me a sweet story today. She said, ‘you have got all the awards except Man of the Match’. So this award is really special today. From the team’s point of view, this knock was important. Also this trophy [was important] for her.”Elite athletes want to win games, but they also want to do as much as they can on their own. So far Suryakumar hasn’t really had a shot at a solo showing. With their qualification for playoffs on the line, this game was as good a time as any. As he said, it didn’t come easy. He walked in at 48 for 2 in the last over of the powerplay. It became 58 for 3 soon, and the spinners handcuffed him and Tilak Varma soon after.It is rare to see Suryakumar get beaten four times in the first eight balls of spin he plays. He just couldn’t get the right length to attack. You wondered where the sweep shot was. It arrived against the ninth ball of spin, and even that a mis-cue. This was a slow pitch not conducive to dominating spin. Suryakumar would have to adjust his sights much lower and bide for his opportunity.Suryakumar Yadav unlocked deep pockets to write Mumbai Indians’ playoffs story•BCCINot a fan of taking it deep, Suryakumar was forced to do so here as Delhi Capitals (DC) kept bowling their best slower bowlers to try to get him out. He scored just 27 off 23 balls from Kuldeep Yadav, Vipraj Nigam and Mustafizur Rahman.Suryakumar said he knew the pitch was going to be slow so it wasn’t really a shock to his system, but even that par assessment of 160 looked in doubt when the last two overs began. They would need to score 30 off the last two to give themselves an even chance, that too provided there wasn’t any dew.When he finally got pace on ball, Suryakumar scored 28 off eight balls in those last two overs from Mukesh Kumar and Dushmantha Chameera. With a little help from Naman Dhir, he had taken MI to 180. He scored only 26 of his 73 runs behind square, which is a rare event for Suryakumar. The conditions and smart bowling forced him to look deeper into his drawer. The most complete T20 batter of this age showed the drawer has deep pockets.
تحدث نجم كرة القدم الإيرانية المخضرم، مجتبي محرمي، عن مجموعتهم في بطولة كأس العالم، نسخة 2026، وذلك بعد إجراء القرعة مساء يوم الجمعة في مركز “جون كينيدي” في أمريكا.
وتستضيف كل من الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية، كندا والمكسيك نهائيات النسخة المقبلة من بطولة كأس العالم، في الفترة بين 11 يونيو و19 يوليو.
وتُعد تلك هي النسخة الأولى من بطولة كأس العالم، بعد استحداث نظامها، حيث سيشارك فيها 48 منتخبًا، سيتم تقسيمهم على 12 مجموعة، ويتأهل متصدر ووصيف كل مجموعة إلى دور الـ32، بالإضافة إلى أفضل 8 منتخبات في مركز ثالث.
وشهدت القرعة تواجد كل من: بلجيكا، مصر، إيران ونيوزيلندا في المجموعة السابعة في بطولة كأس العالم الصيف المقبل (لمطالعة التفاصيل كاملة عن القرعة من هنا).
وقال مجتبى محرمي، في تصريحات لوكالة الأنباء الإيرانية: “ليس في رأيي فقط، بل برأي جميع المعنيين بكرة القدم، لقد وقعت إيران في قرعة جيدة جدًا، ووُضعت مع فرق ليس من الصعب مواجهتها”.
وأضاف: “بوجودها في مجموعة تضم بلجيكا ومصر ونيوزيلندا، ستتاح لإيران فرصة التأهل إلى الدور التالي من كأس العالم لأول مرة في تاريخها الكروي”.
وواصل: “بلجيكا ستكون أقوى منافس لنا في هذه المجموعة، لديهم فريق كرة قدم معروف عالميًا، ولطالما أظهروا أداءً مقبولًا في مسابقات كأس العالم”.
وشدد: كان مدربنا قد صرّح سابقًا بأنه سيبذل قصارى جهده لكسب أربع نقاط على الأقل في كأس العالم، وفي رأيي، سيكون كسب النقاط التي وعد بها أمرًا سهلًا”.
وأوضح: “على المنتخب الوطني أن يحاكي مباراة مصر بخوض مباريات ودية مع منتخبات إفريقية، كرة القدم الإفريقية تعتمد على القوة والتكتيك، وعلينا مواجهة منتخبات تشبه مصر في أسلوب لعبها”.
واختتم لاعب منتخب إيران السابق: “على اتحاد كرة القدم أن يُجهّز المنتخب الوطني على أكمل وجه خلال الفترة المتبقية حتى كأس العالم، وأن يُنظم معسكرات تدريبية تُمكن إيران من خوض كأس العالم في أفضل الظروف”.
It was a steamy September Sunday night in Cincinnati in 2013, just another game in the inclined treadmill that is a single baseball season that, before you know it, becomes a career. It was Clayton Kershaw’s night to pitch, but there was a problem. His back was killing him.
Dodgers manager Don Mattingly and general manager Ned Colletti did not want him to pitch. Los Angeles had a fat, 11-game lead atop the National League West. Sure, the Dodgers had lost three games in a row. But there was no need to take a chance with the best pitcher in the game.
Remembers Colletti, “He begged me to pitch. We let him go.”
Kershaw grinded through seven innings in the 85-degree heat and left in a 2–2 tie. He threw 104 pitches. He gave up two solo homers to Jay Bruce, the third and final time he allowed two homers to a left-handed hitter in the same game. The Reds walked off the Dodgers, winning 3–2.
The final score or even his pitching line do not matter. What matters from that night is what best defines Kershaw. It was not the parabolic beauty of his curveball, which arrived one day in a spring training game in Vero Beach, Fla., in the same frightening manner of what the military calls an Unidentified Anomalous Phenomenon. It was so scary that the great Vin Scully immediately called it, “Public Enemy No. 1.”
It was not that herky-jerky, stop-and-start delivery, in which he mimed a man trying to step over a curbside puddle, only to change his mind midway, then resume the quest.
It wasn’t that backfoot slider that was to right-handed hitters—no matter how many times they read it they still could not figure it out.
It wasn’t the 222–96 record, the three Cy Young Awards, the three strikeout titles, the five ERA titles or the MVP Award.
It was a ferocious, almost maniacal will to compete. Kershaw, one of the great competitors of his generation, is leaving the arena by his own choice, the best way to go out. He announced Thursday that he will retire after this season, literally taking it to the house to be with his wife, Ellen, and their four children, with a fifth due in December. He will take the ball at Dodger Stadium Friday night in what could be his final appearance there, where he became as much of a fixture as the golden light at sunset on the San Gabriels. Nobody ever struck out more batters in any ballpark than Kershaw did at Dodger Stadium (1,645), having surpassed Steve Carlton’s total at the Vet in Philadelphia (1,615) earlier this year.
This is Kershaw’s greatest legacy, if not the source of his greatest unspoken pride: he is the toughest pitcher to beat in the 132 years since the mound was set at 60 feet, six inches from home plate. His career winning percentage of .698 is the greatest among all the pitchers who threw more than 1,500 innings in that time.
Hall of Famer Tom Seaver liked to say he was most proud of finishing his career more than 100 games better than .500 (311–205). Kershaw pitched 18 seasons—his start Friday will be career start No. 450—and he still has not lost 100 games.
No one is close to Kershaw when it comes to the most wins without losing 100 games. Behind him is Ron Guidry, with 55 fewer wins, and Sandy Koufax, his spiritual guru in both spin and Dodger blue and white, with 57 fewer wins.
“Sometimes,” Colletti says, “you almost had to protect him from himself. He would go out there in pain. The drive, the quest to always get better, never, ever wavered. I don’t think I ever saw him rest on his laurels, or say, ‘This is good enough.’”
When Kershaw won his first Cy Young Award in 2011, Joe Torre, his first manager, texted him to congratulate him.
“Next year,” Kershaw replied, “I have to be better.”
Kershaw made his debut just after his 20th birthday against the St. Louis Cardinals. / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Kershaw debuted for Torre’s Dodgers May 25, 2008, two months after his 20th birthday, in a start against the Cardinals. It was so long ago the Cardinals had no video on Kershaw; just written scouting reports. Skip Schumaker was his first strikeout, fanning on a 95-mph fastball.
“He definitely has good stuff,” Schumaker said then. “And he challenged us. You have to be impressed with what he did.”
Kershaw threw six innings, walked one and struck out seven.
“I thought he had good stuff,” Albert Pujols said. “He came at you pretty much. I think it’s fair to say he can have success at this level.”
His curveball was almost too good. Hitters did not want to swing at it. So, with the help of pitching coach Rick Honeycutt, Kershaw developed a slider to slip between his fastball and curve, in terms of velocity and break. He became a beast with such a fearsome three-pitch mix that he never really needed an off-speed pitch, though his tinkering with a changeup became something of a running gag.
At the height of his prowess, Kershaw put together a seven-year run (2011–17) in the dominant manner, if not the volume, of Koufax: 118–41 with a 2.10 ERA, three Cy Youngs, one MVP and seven straight years in the top five in Cy Young Award voting.
Proper acclaim eluded him because of his postseason record. Through 2019, Kershaw was 9–11 with a 4.43 ERA in 32 games. But what was lost in those numbers was the burden Kershaw carried. Only Andy Pettitte has started more postseason games on three days' rest than Kershaw. Mattingly and Dave Roberts would leave him in games because no one in the bullpen was better than a tiring Kershaw. And too often, as Colletti says, “when he was in trouble, he looked to throw hard, harder and harder.”
Kershaw did have his moments. In the 2016 NLDS, Kershaw beat Max Scherzer in Game 1, pitched two outs into the seventh inning of Game 4 on short rest, and volunteered to close Game 5 just 48 hours and three time zones later. That same year, he started the first postseason shutout at Wrigley Field.
In the 2017 World Series, after a gem in Game 1, he was undone by a ridiculous 13–12 loss at Houston during the height of the Astros’ sign-stealing scheme. He threw 39 sliders that night. The Astros swung and missed at only one of them. Houston pitchers were using multiple signs even with nobody on base. Kershaw was not. He was playing by an old honor code in a den of thieves and paid for it.
When I revisited that night with Kershaw the next spring, he told me, “The only thing that bothers me is the real-time stuff. I’m sure a lot of teams were going up to that line, but once [Houston] started doing it in real time and using technology in real time that’s what separates it.
“I’m sick of people saying that everybody was the same, that everybody was doing it. No. We weren’t all doing that. That was separated from everybody else.”
Kershaw celebrated his first World Series in 2020 after years of disappointments in the postseason. / Tim Heitman-Imagn Images
True satisfaction finally came in 2020. The Dodgers won their first World Series since 1988. Kershaw that postseason was 4–1 with a 2.93 ERA in five starts, including 2–0 with a 2.31 ERA in the World Series.
It seems odd now, as it was for the likes of Peyton Manning and Michael Jordan, to think Kershaw was once thought to be lacking in big moments. The drive was in his heart all along. Torre remembers Kershaw’s first spring training appearance with the Dodgers. They brought him over from the minor league complex. Kershaw was 19.
“It was a night game,” Torre says. “The first pitch he threw, he gives up a home run. I didn’t watch the home run. I watched him and his response. All he did was hold up his glove to the umpire to say, ‘Give me another ball.’ I absolutely loved it. A kid 19 years old pitching with the big club, normally he cringes at giving up a home run. That was impressive to me.
“He had a great confidence in himself. He never backed off anything. That first year I had to call him into my office to send him back to the minors. He could have burned a hole in me with the look on his face. This is where he wanted to be, and he felt he had the ability to be here.
“He’s got that fierceness. I remember how hard he worked on his hitting and his bunting. You trust him. That’s the bottom line. You trust him with your life.”
Many years ago, Braves Hall of Fame executive John Schuerholz gave Colletti a piece of advice: if you want to know about a player, just ask yourself if you can trust that player.
“And I always ask myself, do I trust the player, the person?” Colletti says. “There was never a moment since the day he showed up that I did not trust Clayton Kershaw. Never a moment where I wondered what I was getting from him or if there was more in there. Never.”
Over these 18 seasons, there are so many memorable nights. A no-hitter. World Series wins. Three thousand strikeouts. There are even more nights with less fanfare, like that sweatbox in Cincinnati for a meaningless game, when his effort knew no other level but the maximum.
And there are the many late afternoons at Dodger Stadium, when Kershaw, like Monet heading to the garden in Giverny, would walk alone to the Dodgers’ sun-drenched bullpen in his sleeveless T-shirt and shorts with a baseball and his glove. There he would pantomime his signature delivery over and over, without letting go of the baseball. In these shadow boxing sessions, while saving his arm from the wear and tear of throwing, Kershaw perfected this Rube Goldberg contraption of a delivery. Nobody ever released a baseball from darn near the exact same spot, regardless of the pitch or the inning or the year, than Kershaw. It happened not by accident. It happened in the same way Kershaw became the toughest pitcher to beat in the history of this game: with an iron will that never wavered.
O Grêmio planeja qual será o local para retomar os treinamentos, após a destruição causada no CT devido às intensas chuvas no Rio Grande do Sul, e conversa pela utilização da infraestrutura do RB Bragantino.
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➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte
As conversas estão em andamento e são consideradas complexas. Não há confirmação de datas, por exemplo, exatamente pela dificuldade logística que envolve a mudança dos gaúchos para o interior paulista. Atualmente, jogadores e outros trabalhadores do clube estão realizando ajuda humanitária à população do RS, além de prestar suporte às suas próprias famílias.
A questão logística também envolve mais obstáculos. Até porque uma mudança poderia envolver as famílias dos atletas e funcionários.
A cessão do espaço do Bragantino ao Grêmio vem através de uma relação colaborativa e não envolve aluguel ou qualquer negociação em dinheiro. O próprio clube paulista, nas últimas semanas, foi um dos que se disponibilizou a ceder as estruturas para contribuir com as equipes gaúchas. Além do Massa Bruta, Palmeiras, São Paulo e Corinthians foram outros que se colocaram à disposição dos times gaúchos.
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A ideia seria para o Grêmio treinar no novo e moderno CT do Bragantino, além de utilizar o Estádio Nabi Abi Chedid como casa provisória.
A informação sobre a conversa entre as partes foi publicada inicialmente pelo jornalista André Hernan e confirmada pelo Lance!.
As melhores e mais variadas ofertas para o Brasileirão estão no Lance! Betting! Abra já a sua conta!
O centro de treinamento está em terreno de em torno de 157 mil m², tem seis prédios, 86 quartos, três refeitórios, piscina e banheiras de hidromassagem, mini estádio e auditório. Clique aqui e veja fotos do espaço.
Os jogos de Grêmio, Internacional e Juventude, além de todos os outros clubes gaúchos, estão adiados em competições da CBF até 27 de maio.
CHUVAS NO RS
Segundo a Defesa Civil do Rio Grande do Sul, são 148 mortes confirmadas, 124 pessoas desaparecidas e quase 540 mil desalojados, em decorrência das enchentes no estado.