Latest news with #LaurieWhitwell
New York Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
What to expect from Talk of the Devils in the 2025-26 season
The new football season is here — and Talk of the Devils is once again the place for all your podcasting needs. The Athletic's beloved Manchester United show is now back to at least two episodes a week until the end of the 2025-26 Premier League campaign, with bonus episodes continuing every other week too. Advertisement Laurie Whitwell, Carl Anka, Andy Mitten and host Ian Irving will bring you all the latest from Old Trafford as the team begin to bounce back from their worst finish in Premier League history. The big change for the show this summer has been their foray onto YouTube, with video episodes and bespoke social content available on their dedicated channels. 'The biggest strength of Talk of the Devils is the level of insight,' Ian says. 'Between the lads, they are across everything that's happening at Old Trafford — in Andy's case, everything that has happened at Old Trafford for a very long time. There's a depth of knowledge and insight that you don't get anywhere else. 'It's easy to know who to ask what question; whether it be about the very latest transfer news, a tactical breakdown of what Ruben Amorim is preparing for the new season or how old the floodlights are at Blundell Park, where United will play Grimsby in the Carabao Cup this month. Tune in before the match in a couple of weeks to find out. 'We always hope that it's as much fun to watch and listen to as it is to make.' After sold-out shows over the past few years, the quartet are going back on the road for a five-date tour of the UK and the Republic of Ireland later in 2025. To buy tickets to the live shows, click here. You can listen to every episode free wherever you get your podcasts, including via Apple and Spotify. The show's massive community is at its core and the guys love hearing from their audience. You can get in touch via the various options below: Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
New York Times
29-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Liam Delap has told your club he will not be joining this summer – who should they sign instead?
This is an updated version of an article that first appeared on The Athletic on May 6, 2025. Clubs across Europe hunting a striker in the upcoming transfer window were dealt a blow this week when they were informed that Liam Delap would not be joining them as he prefers a move to Chelsea. The Athletic's David Ornstein and Laurie Whitwell reported that news on Thursday, which could be an issue for the likes of Manchester United, Newcastle United, Everton, Nottingham Forest, Milan and Juventus, who had all been eyeing the 22-year-old. Advertisement Subject to agreement on personal terms and the requirements of Delap's £30million ($40m) release clause at relegated Ipsich Town being met, it is now expected that he will move to Champions League-bound Chelsea. Clubs will now need to sign an alternative to Delap. But who could they go for? The Athletic's data and tactics experts have taken a look. Using SkillCorner's data, we can narrow down some centre-forwards who are capable — and more importantly, constantly willing — to make those explosive, bustling runs towards the opposition goal as Delap does. The scatter chart below has been filtered for centre-forwards under the age of 25 across Europe's top seven leagues. First, we can use a bespoke SkillCorner metric known as Peak Sprint Velocity 99th percentile (PSV-99), that reflects the top speed of a player and their ability to reach it multiple times or sustain it for long enough. Secondly, we can combine Delap's favourite runs as outlined above — those in-behind the defence, ahead of the ball, and to get on the end of crosses — as a percentage of each player's total runs. Put the two together, and some familiar names stand out. It should be no surprise to see Erling Haaland direct such a high proportion of his runs towards goal, while Nicolas Jackson and Rasmus Hojlund — though much less prolific than the Norwegian — are notably quick and direct when it comes to their off-ball movement. Samu Aghehowa is as destructive as it gets with his blistering pace and muscular frame, but would not come cheap, with a €100million release clause inserted into his contract at Porto. Equipped with this extra information, along with a few eye-test favourites from The Athletic's data department, here are five players to consider. Standing at 6ft 5in (195cm), and Europe's fastest centre-forward per SkillCorner's PSV-99 metric, Emegha instantly fits the physical, line-leading mould. The 22-year-old is another forward bought and sold by Austrian side Sturm Graz, along with Hojlund and Monaco's man-of-the-moment Mika Biereth, a sure-fire seal of approval regarding his athletic, goal-poacher profile. At the top of an exciting Strasbourg side, Emegha is often the man to stretch in behind and keep opposition centre-backs on their toes. His opening goal away at Marseille back in January was almost comical as he recalibrated his run three times to get in behind a slack defensive line. Andrey Santos + Emanuel Emegha = FOOTBALL IQ 🧠🇧🇷🇳🇱 — Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) January 19, 2025 Emegha is less emphatic than Delap — more about bundling home from close-range and finishing his chances with finesse — but his shot map below illustrates just how much danger the Dutchman's darting runs can generate, with almost 97 per cent of his league shots this season falling inside the penalty area. Only five Ligue 1 players scored more than his 14 goals in the 2024-25 season. His expected goal (xG) value per shot of 0.28 is also the highest of any player in Europe's top five leagues this season, pointing to a striker who consistently gets himself into threatening positions, even if his finishing can sometimes leave a little to be desired. Despite his more slender frame, Emegha can still hold his own and create something from nothing with combative channel runs. Here, against Saint-Etienne, for example, he drifts out to the flank to take in a bouncing ball out of defence in frame one. Shielding the ball from defender Mickael Nade, he manages to squirm away from the challenge, sending the defender to the floor with a healthy shoulder barge, before picking out Diego Moreira on the edge of the box to score. On occasion, Emegha's height can work against him — he can sometimes look clumsy in front of goal while he sorts out his feet — but his speed, strength, and magnetism to high-value shooting opportunities make him an intriguing profile who will continue to cause damage as he sharpens his striking instincts. Villarreal's Thierno Barry is similarly tall and quick, but a bit more relentless in his running. Only one player across Europe's top seven leagues — Benfica's Vangelis Pavlidis — has made more runs in behind per 30 minutes of team possession this season, illustrating Barry's eagerness to attack whenever his team has the ball. Advertisement Barry is better in the air too — only four La Liga forwards have taken more headed shots than him since he joined from Swiss side FC Basel last summer — but there is an element of chaos to the 22-year-old's all-action game. He often opts for power over accuracy in front of goal, even taking to social media to apologise to playmaker Alex Baena after a 2-1 win over Real Valladolid for not converting all of the chances he slid his way. When he gets it right, however, Barry is difficult to stop. This thumping volley away at Getafe highlights his ability to hold up the ball, as he scraps with full-back Juan Iglesias and barges past two more in midfield before instantly looking to stretch the defensive line. He gets on the end of Ayoze Perez's chipped pass and smashes home first time. Por la jugada. Por la asistencia. Por el remate. Lo de @Barry29Thierno es un golazo 😮💨#GetafeVillarreal | #LaLigaHighlights — Villarreal CF (@VillarrealCF) April 1, 2025 Barry's tally of 11 goals in his first La Liga season is strong, the quantity and the variety of chances falling his way a direct result of his head-on approach. He took 10 shots against Real Sociedad in April, leading counter-attacks by himself, moving quickly in congested penalty areas, and running at players and cutting in from wide. Like Emegha, and Delap himself, the raw materials are certainly there for a team looking to take the chance. Barely out of his teenage years, Castro has led Bologna's attack this season as they lifted the Coppa Italia for the first time since 1974. A return of eight Serie A goals might sound modest, but only Saint-Etienne's Lucas Stassin and Barcelona's Lamine Yamal have scored more goals in Europe's top five leagues among players aged 20 or younger this season. In what has been a breakout campaign, Castro has filled the boots of Joshua Zirkzee in a Bologna shirt after arriving from his native Argentina in the summer of 2023. Advertisement A glance at Castro's shotmap depicts a penalty-box striker who snuffs out opportunities close to goal — with a healthy smattering of first-time finishes as he arrives at the right place at the right time. He might not look tall, but at 6ft with a strong leap and brave disposition, Castro's aerial ability means he has provided plenty of finishes with his head. However, don't be fooled into thinking his game is limited to that of a poacher. Castro is adept at dropping in between opposition lines, before turning and firing from distance. Strikes against Monza and Atalanta in the early weeks of the season are similar to some of the thumping finishes that Delap has shown in the Premier League. Given his country of origin, comparisons with Atletico Madrid's Julian Alvarez are not unfounded — with Castro's ability to come short or run in behind and stretch opposition defences. He might be raw at times, but an early purchase might save clubs millions if he comes close to fulfilling his potential. It feels like David has been linked with a move away from Lille in every transfer window since he joined the club in 2020. Somehow, the Canada international is still only 25 years old, but here is the kicker: his situation is particularly interesting this summer, given that he will be a free agent by the start of July as things stand. While a substantial signing-on fee would be required, any interested clubs should be on high alert for his services as he enters the peak years of his career. What stands out most about David is his unpredictability, as he can shoot with either foot. Trying to pin him to one side in particular is a fruitless task for opposition defenders — helping him to pull the trigger no matter the situation. This is underpinned by his shotmap since 2022-23, with nearly a third of his efforts coming with his 'weaker' left foot. Add in his aerial ability and this is a well-rounded striker to match anyone in Europe across recent seasons. 'If you want to be a top striker, you have to be able to shoot and be very good with both feet so players can't anticipate what foot you're going to use,' David told Canadian media in 2023. 'So that's why I've worked on both feet. I'd say my left foot is pretty good but I think I can still get better.' An average league goalscoring rate of 0.53 per 90 minutes across his five seasons at Lille in the French top flight suggests that David is definitely doing a lot right at the sharp end of the pitch. Parma's Bonny has six Serie A goals this season — two of them penalties. Not exactly world-beating numbers. But look closer, and there are signs he could handle a step up. Bonny arrived at Parma in 2021 from French third-tier side Chateauroux — the same club where Jean-Philippe Mateta got his start. He settled quickly in northern Italy, racking up over 100 appearances and scoring the promotion-clinching goal in a 1-1 draw with Bari last season. Parma average just 44 per cent possession — the fourth-lowest in Serie A — and, like Delap at Ipswich, that limits Bonny's touches in the opposition box. Dropping deep to offer an out ball and link play isn't optional in a side fighting for survival. As a result, Bonny — playing in the Italian city known for its ham — has to carve out chances himself, often from tricky starting positions. Take his last goal against Monza: he picks up the ball in the left channel near halfway, accelerates past two onrushing defenders, cuts inside, shapes his body, and buries a shot into the top-right corner. Like Delap, Bonny's physical attributes belie his age, helping him turn these low-percentage moments into real opportunities. His assist against Fiorentina on the opening day of the season showcased his imposing strength. Competing for a long ball, Bonny eased past Lucas Martinez Quarta, before rolling the ball across the box for Dennis Man to finish. But Bonny fuses strength with guile. Sharp touches, quick passes, and darting dribbles all feature in his build-up play. His flicked backheel assist against Lecce last season showed a flash of invention and an intuitive sense of where team-mates would be. Serie A strikers with bags of potential but patchy goal records are risky buys. Just ask Manchester United — their £70million punt on Hojlund is yet to bear fruit. But for clubs hunting the next big thing without breaking the bank, Bonny may just be your man. (Top photo of Emanuel Emegha: Sebastien Bozon/AFP via Getty Images)
New York Times
01-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Athletic Club 0 Manchester United 3 – Crushing win, penalty drama, Maguire the winger – and a Europa League final v Spurs?
Manchester United took a huge step towards reaching the Europa League final by beating the 10 men of Athletic Club 3-0 in a dramatic semi-final final first leg in Bilbao. Athletic looked sharper in the early exchanges, but after taking the lead through a Casemiro header after some remarkable Harry Maguire wing play, the game (and possibly the tie) turned on a penalty and a red card. Advertisement Dani Vivian was judged to have held back Rasmus Hojlund in the six-yard box and was sent off after a VAR review on 37 minutes, with Bruno Fernandes scoring from the penalty spot and then adding a third eight minutes later. United had chances to score a fourth in the second half but now return to Old Trafford next week in an incredibly strong position and on course to face Tottenham Hotspur back in Bilbao on May 21. Here, The Athletic's Laurie Whitwell, Carl Anka and Anantaajith Raghuraman break down the key talking points. Amorim reiterated his point about the Europa League being unable to save United's season on the eve of this game, a stance he made more forcefully ahead of the last-16 tie against Real Sociedad. He added nuance to that statement after first voicing it, admitting that the silverware and passage to Champions League football would at least set up next season better. 'We know that nothing is going to save our season, but this can be huge,' Amorim said. 'Winning a trophy and also to get in the Champions League, to have European games next year, could change a lot of things in our club, even in the summer.' United still need to finish the job at Old Trafford and win the final, but the way they could approach the transfer market would be transformed. A move for Matheus Cunha is looking promising, while talks have been held over Liam Delap, but a bigger budget and place at Europe's top table would open many possibilities to reshape Amorim's squad. Adding goals to the team is the main priority even if night's like Bilbao make it seem like that is no issue. Heading into the game Athletic held one of the meanest defensive records in Europe, but United had scored 28 goals in 12 Europa League games, not once failing to find the net. Their three goals nudged that figure higher. Laurie Whitwell Manchester United have lost 15 Premier League matches this season and sit 14th in the table. Tottenham Hotspur have suffered 19 defeats and lie in 16th. Yet both sides went about their semi-final first legs as if they were the best teams in England, playing with supreme confidence week-to-week. How have two underperforming English teams been so convincing in Europe? Manuel Ugarte's pre-match interview on Wednesday made the situation plain. Advertisement 'The main difference is the physical part,' said the defensive midfielder about how the Europa League compares to domestic misadventures, echoing previous statements made by his head coach. 'We have felt better playing in the Europa League. Then, as the coach said, we had games in the Premier League where we had opportunities and we didn't score.' This season has seen United and Spurs beaten up and bullied by Premier League sides that play with an increased focus on physicality and transitional play. Anthony Elanga needed fewer than 10 seconds to run from one penalty box to another to score against United at the start of April. Ange Postecoglou has bemoaned the injury issues that have affected his side (similar to Erik ten Hag last season), and his Spurs team have been particularly weak when guarding against counter-attacks in the Premier League. And yet when it comes to Europa League duties, the bullied become the bullies. Yes, the financial strength of the Premier League means both United and Spurs should have been heavy favourites to reach the May 24 Final in Bilbao, but it has been interesting to watch both groups of underperforming players find their stride during Thursday outings. Athletic Bilbao mustered the most intense pressing scheme United have faced in the competition. Unfortunately it still offered an additional fraction of a second on the ball. Casemiro, Maguire, Fernandes and others used that extra beat to flourish. Football fans in Bilbao have gone from dreaming about Athletic playing a possible dream Final at their home stadium, to wondering whether their city has enough hotels, pubs and police to deal with an all-English final. Carl Anka Manchester United in Europe this season have guaranteed goals… and red cards. After Jon Aramburu was sent off for Real Sociedad in the round of 16 and Lyon captain Corentin Tolisso saw red in the quarter-finals, Dani Vivian joined them tonight after a chaotic sequence of events. Having conceded just minutes earlier, Inigo Gallareta was dispossessed by a crunching Manuel Ugarte tackle near the halfway line. Ugarte found Rasmus Hojlund before peeling away to the left, with the United striker sliding a pass to Alejandro Garnacho on the right. Garnacho slipped as the ball reached him, controlling with his chest while on the floor but picked himself up to keep possession. That allowed Noussair Mazraoui to overlap at pace and Garnacho found him. Mazraoui sent a dangerous low cross towards the penalty spot with Hojlund, positioned between the centre-backs, stretching to reach it but falling short and then protesting he had been held. As Hojlund remained on the turf and frantically appealed for a penalty — along with Bruno Fernandes, Mazraoui and Ugarte turning to the officials — Vivian approached Hojlund and mouthed something to him before retreating as Patrick Dorgu collected the second ball before winning a corner. While the players lined up for the set-piece, referee lengthy VAR check was underway, with the Athletic players – who had not appealed when Garnacho received the original pass – now asking for a handball on Garnacho. The VAR check began with the clock at 32:10, with Vivian seemingly explaining to Hojlund why he thought it was not a penalty. Referee Espen Eskas took his time viewing the incident back on the screen before signalling for a penalty nearly two-and-a-half minutes later and sending Vivian off, to his shock, but the Athletic player was the last man and had not attempted to play the ball in committing the foul. Fernandes rolled in the resulting penalty, a kick in the gut for the hosts who had caused United one problem after another in the opening 20 minutes. What added to the anger of Athletic was that Garnacho appeared to have handled the ball while rising off the ground in the build-up, though that phase of play would usually also have been checked and cleared by the VAR. Anantaajith Raghuraman Harry Maguire saw Lamine Yamal's performance against Inter and said, 'Hold my beer.' When it comes to bold wing play, it seems there are few who can match Maguire for dazzling feet. Did somebody say Ballon d'Or? Picking up where he left off in the last round, Maguire created the opening goal in a way nobody expected. Having stayed up from a poor Bruno Fernandes free-kick, where he had peeled to the back post for a heading opportunity as against Lyon, Maguire was in space on the right wing to receive the ball once Alejandro Garnacho got back to his feet. Facing Mikel Jauregizar, Athletic's defensive midfielder, Maguire chose to try something rather than play it safe. First he drove with the ball down the line, faking a touch to create a gap, then came the cutback that totally threw Jauregizar. But rather than hand possession to a teammate nearby, Maguire beat Jauregizar again the opposite direction, adding a crucial nudge to get room for the cross. Maguire's delivery was perfect to Manuel Ugarte, whose glance on provided Casemiro with the simple finish. United having men in the box from the set piece made all the difference. Mike Phelan, who coached Maguire at Hull City and United, as assistant to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, told The Athletic on the eve of this match not to underestimate the 32-year-old. 'He likes scoring goals, he is more than just a defender, Harry,' Phelan said. 'He is a football player.' Maguire missed the 2021 Europa League final against Villarreal through injury. He will be desperate to play in the 2025 one. Laurie Whitwell All through the day around the city, then in the streets near the stadium, and finally inside the ground there was a real sense of a special occasion and something historic building for Athletic Club and their fans. By half-time the Basque team's dreams of playing for a European trophy in their home stadium were all but certainly crushed. But the San Mames atmosphere had shown itself well capable of hosting such a showpiece occasion. Advertisement Soon after United's previous visit in 2012, the old crumbling stadium was knocked down completely, with an all new modern bowl built over an extended footprint, which will host games at World Cup 2030. The facilities for fans (and media) are excellent, as are the acoustics — Bruno managed to ignore tremendous noise before calmly slotting his penalty, while ear-splitting whistles were aimed at the referee as he left the pitch at the break. Bilbao also has no shortage of bars and restaurants for visiting supporters — in the old town across the river, and the more modern streets around the stadium. The atmosphere in the city will be excellent for the final, although barring a spectacular turnaround there will be deep disappointment at their team having missed their chance to take part. Dermot Corrigan Sunday, May 4: Brentford (Away), Premier League, 2pm UK, 9am ET
