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Nobody in the past 20 years has gotten an autograph from Malcolm Marshall, and nobody ever again will

Samarth Shah04-Feb-2021Among my treasured cricketing memorabilia is a tie embroidered with the Lord’s logo, a USA cricket jersey, a photo with AB de Villiers at Kingsmead and a pavilion pass to the fifth day of the 2008 Chennai Test. However, my most prized cricketing possession is a simple piece of paper with a name written on it with a blue ball-point pen. And that name is Malcolm Marshall.Marshall was the most fearsome cricketer of my youth – a nightmare for opponents and an absolute terror to behold. I never saw Dennis Lillee or Jeff Thomson live. The great West Indies pace quartet of Andy Roberts, Michael Holding, Joel Garner and Colin Croft was before my time. I’ve also heard that the Indian spin quartet gave visiting batsmen sleepless nights. But I never saw any of those famous spinners in action, either. Viv Richards was the most intimidating batsman of my youth. He could pummel the ball and shatter a bowler’s ego, but he wasn’t out to cause you bodily harm. Imran Khan, Richard Hadlee and Ian Botham were all tremendously skilled, but not scary. No, to me, the most intimidating cricketer of the 1980s was Marshall.It’s hard to describe to a modern cricket-viewer what a terror Marshall was. In this T20 age, with sculpted batsmen, gigantic bats and all kinds of protective gear, there really doesn’t seem to be that intimidating a bowler. Sure, they may be quicker. They are most definitely taller and stronger. But they all go at eight-an-over in the IPL. Somehow, it’s hard for a viewer to feel the palms getting clammy when batsmen are dancing down the track to fast bowlers and when the scorecard reports how many sixes a bowler has conceded. It’s a different era: there are impressive bowlers, but none that send shivers down a lay viewer’s spine.Marshall wasn’t physically intimidating. He was about the shortest West Indies fast bowler there ever was. He was athletic, but not the fittest bloke in the West Indies team, let alone in world cricket. He was quick, but there were quicker bowlers before him and there have been quicker bowlers since. He wasn’t verbally menacing. Indeed, he rarely said a word to an opponent on the field. Marshall’s intimidation was through sheer skill and attitude. It is hard to put that fear into words, but I’ll try. The fear was that if he had a ball in his hand and you had all the batting gear available on earth, he could still ping you between your eyes if he wanted to. And he often seemed like he wanted to. Mike Gatting knows what I’m talking about. If your nose was such an easy target, your wicket was simply no match for him.”There are no cricketers like those seen through 12-year-old eyes,” wrote cricketer and author Ian Peebles. I met Marshall when I was 12 years old. He was hardly seven or eight inches taller than me. I stood straight, out of sheer respect. He leaned casually against a desk, a black bag slung over his shoulder. Since we were almost level, I could look him straight in the eye. He had joyful, dancing eyes and a wide, lop-sided smile on his face. He didn’t have a ball in his hand, and I wasn’t holding a bat. There was no intimidation, even though he was the greatest fast bowler in the world and I was a gawky Indian kid.Malcolm Marshall’s autograph•ESPNcricinfo LtdHe carefully put down his bag, gently took the autograph book and pen from me with each hand, and proceeded to slowly write his name in the book. He didn’t carelessly scrawl his name. He didn’t look elsewhere as his hands moved. He looked squarely at the target. He pressed the pen firmly down on the book. No half measures: the right hand that smashed a one-handed boundary at Headingley in 1984 – one-handed because the left hand was broken and in a cast – and then took 7 for 53 with the ball didn’t do half measures.Marshall’s autograph wasn’t a scribble: his handwriting was proud and neat. The autograph was so firmly signed, I couldn’t use the next page of the book because his writing got etched on that one as well. This, too, was reminiscent of his bowling. When he blew one batsman away, the next one entered the field shell-shocked, the previous ball etched in his mind. Ravi Shastri, who once walked in to face the ball after Yashpal Sharma retired hurt, knows what I’m talking about.Marshall returned the autograph book and pen, saying, “You’re welcome,” in response to my thanks. Still smiling widely, and lop-sidedly. If his autograph was reminiscent of his bowling, his manner was its exact opposite: slow and gentle. That evening, I showed my father the autograph book, with Marshall’s name slanting across the page, much like his bowling run-up. My father ran his fingers over the two heavily stressed capital s and remarked, “He puts more effort into his autograph than you put into your cricket practices!”Years later, my sister got an autograph from the great Carnatic classical singer MS Subbulakshmi, who was over 80 years old at the time. Her autograph reminded me of Marshall’s: it was meticulously inscribed, gouging a deep rut in the paper and in a handwriting so neat that it could have been print. My sister was, to borrow a phrase, bowled over by how polite and gentle the great singer had been to a teenaged girl.A decade after he signed my autograph book, Marshall was no more. He died of colon cancer at just 41 years of age. It was so sad that the most fearsome cricketer of his era was reduced to 25 kilos in the days preceding his death. I tried to imagine what a fully-grown man weighing 25 kilos looks like. Let alone wield a cricket bat or a 5.5oz ball, I imagined he might not have been able to write his full name with a pen. Never mind immaculate control over line and length, seam and swing.Nobody in the past 20 years has gotten an autograph from the late, great Malcolm Marshall, and nobody ever will again. My drawer of memorabilia might get another t-shirt or a tie with some logo or the other. Maybe someday a picture with Sachin Tendulkar or Shane Warne might be added to it. But its most precious contents will always remain that old piece of paper with the two blue Ms pressed deep into it.

The Milwaukee "average Joes" put MLB on notice this weekend after sweeping the Los Angeles Dodgers for the second time this season. The Brewers officially took down the Dodgers in all six games this season and are tied for the best record in the National League on Sunday. They are riding a 10-game winning streak, and are undoubtedly the hottest team in the league after defeating the reigning World Series champions.

Brewers manager Pat Murphy did not let it go unnoticed that the relatively unknown Milwaukee players swept a star-studded Dodgers team featuring multiple league MVPs and future Hall of Famers.

“It’s a bunch of guys nobody has ever heard of, a bunch of average Joes," Murphy said after the game, via The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

“It’s pretty cool to have all those guys, the Collins, the Durbin’s, the Perkins, the Ortizes know they’re a huge part of this thing.”

The Brewers didn't just beat the Dodgers, but left them frustrated. Meanwhile, Milwaukee has risen to the top of the National League Central, alongside the Chicago Cubs, as they aim to win their third straight division crown and postseason appearance.

Murphy still believes his team has a lot of room for improvement, but also took a moment to express that he is really proud of the players for the hunger and fire they've brought this season to defeat teams like the Dodgers.

“You gotta understand that this is a bunch of people that have gotten to this point and kept clawing away," Murphy said. "We’re hungry. I’m really, really proud of them. We’ve got work to do. We can improve in every way that we can. But you can at least feel like we’re capable.”

Leeds United secured a sensational win in the Premier League on Wednesday night. Daniel Farke’s side beat title challengers Chelsea 3-1 at Elland Road, to pick up a huge three points in their quest for top-flight survival.

The game started in perfect fashion for the West Yorkshire outfit.

Defender Jaka Bijol rose highest from a corner to head home, after making a darting run from the edge of the 18-yard box to the corner of the six-yard box before unleashing his powerful header.

Chelsea did not really threaten despite dominating possession, having 71% across the game. Leeds were able to double their lead on the stroke of half-time, thanks to a sublime effort from Ao Tanaka.

The ball broke to Jayden Bogle on the edge of the box, who laid it off to Tanaka. The midfielder smashed it in from range to put his side 2-0 up.

Enzo Maresca’s men were able to pull a goal back just five minutes after the restart through Pedro Neto. However, Leeds resisted their pressure and managed to get a third goal after a calamitous mistake from Chelsea allowed Dominic Calvert-Lewin to score.

It was a superb win for Leeds, with some standout performances across the pitch.

Leeds’ best players vs. Chelsea

One of the most impressive things about this Leeds victory was how hard everyone worked. That was certainly the case for captain Ethan Ampadu. Playing against his former club, the Welshman was the dominant force in midfield.

His stats from the game reflect how well he performed, both on and off the ball. Ampadu had 54 touches of the ball and had an 86% pass accuracy. He also won six duels and made six ball recoveries.

It was an all-action showing from the Wales international.

Another player who shone for the Whites was right wing-back Bogle. He was a real handful for Chelsea going forward, with his performance earning him an 8/10 rating from Graham Smyth, journalist for the Yorkshire Evening Post.

Smyth praised the fact that he ‘drove Leeds forward’, with the defender a real threat in attack.

That all came to a head with his assist for Tanaka, where he pounced on a loose ball before a Chelsea player could reach it, and quickly found his teammate with a first-time pass.

Ampadu and Bogle played well, but they were arguably outshone by one of their teammates.

Leeds’ best signing since Raphinha

It seemed to be a good night for wing-backs at Elland Road. Bogle was not the only one who stood out, with left wing-back Gabriel Gudmundsson one of the best players in a White shirt against Chelsea.

He enjoyed plenty of success defensively, coming up directly against the electric Estevao, and offered a threat going forward.

Gudmundsson won an exceptional 12 from 19 duels and five from eight tackles, as well as creating two chances.

Touches

55

Ground duels won

12/19

Tackles won

5/8

Ball recoveries

6

Crosses completed

2

Key passes

2

The excellent performance from the Swede was noticed by Smyth, who gave him a 9/10 for his efforts. The journalist praised him for how well he got forward, and credited him for the fact that he ‘got back in to defend and do his bit’.

As far back as September, the left-back was being called “the best” player in the Premier League in his position by journalist James Marshment.

The 26-year-old has made a brilliant start to life at Elland Road, featuring in all 14 of their top-flight games so far, and playing 90 minutes nine times.

There is a case to be made that the defender is Leeds’ best signing since Raphinha. The Brazilian was exceptional for the West Yorkshire side, and really hit the ground running in the Premier League. He managed 15 goals and assists in his first top-flight season.

Chalkboard

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

Well, Gudmundsson is making an equally fast start. To be branded as one of the best players in the league so soon is a testament to how well he has performed.

There haven’t really been any Leeds players who have started this fast, especially on the top-flight since Raphinha, with several of the players they have signed in previous Premier League campaigns now having left the club.

Farke will be desperate for this form to continue, and for Gudmundsson to prove he is one of their best signings since Raphinha.

Better than Calvert-Lewin: 9/10 hero had his best game for Leeds vs Chelsea

This Leeds star shone in their 3-1 win over Chelsea

ByJoe Nuttall Dec 4, 2025

West Ham United have now made an enquiry over the signing of Union Saint-Gilloise striker Promise David, amid doubts over Niclas Fullkrug’s future at the London Stadium.

West Ham have been much-improved from an attacking point of view since the beginning of November, scoring eight goals in their last three Premier League games, with Callum Wilson finding the back of the net three times in his last two outings.

Most recently, a first-half brace from the former Newcastle United man put the Hammers in a very strong position to pick up three points at AFC Bournemouth, but the Cherries fought back and Nuno’s side squandered a two-goal lead, which will undoubtedly be frustrating for the manager.

That said, Wilson’s recent form in front of goal is definitely encouraging, especially considering Niclas Fullkrug’s future with the Irons is now in major doubt, as revealed by Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg earlier this month.

West Ham lodge enquiry to sign Promise David

With Wilson’s current deal to expire in the summer, and the Englishman potentially in the latter stages of his career at 33-years-old, West Ham have now made contact over a deal for a new striker, namely Union Saint-Gilloise star David.

That is according to a report from Claret & Hugh, which states enquiries have been made about a deal for the centre-forward, with chief analyst Max Hahn particularly keen on bringing in players from the Belgian Pro League.

The 24-year-old remains under contract at the Belgian club until 2030, which puts them in a strong negotiating position, but there are signs it could be worth the Hammers paying whatever they ask for.

The eight-time Canada international is off to a flying start to the campaign, having already scored eight goals in all competitions, including one on his Champions League debut in the 3-1 victory against PSV Eindhoven back in September.

The Ontario-born centre-forward also caught scout Jacek Kulig’s eye as a result of his form during the 2024-25 campaign, being lauded as “outstanding” in March, before going on to finish the season on 24 goals in all competitions.

With Fullkrug looking to move on, it would make sense to bring in a new striker this January, especially given that there are still likely to be concerns over Wilson’s injury record, having spent long periods on the treatment table during the previous two seasons.

It would be a gamble to sign David, with the Canadian yet to prove himself in a major European league, but his goalscoring record in Belgium is certainly encouraging.

West Ham send scouts to watch the "best" striker in the Championship

West Ham now send scouts to watch the "best" striker in the Championship

The Hammers are hoping to be impressed.

By
Tom Cunningham

Nov 22, 2025

Mike Trout was involved in a Mookie Betts-like situation on Saturday when he had a fan reach into his glove to try to usurp a foul ball down the right-field line. Well, the animating event was pretty similar to the viral moment from last fall's World Series but the actions of the fan involved couldn't have been more different. This is a person who realized immediately that he goofed up and couldn't have been more apologetic.

With all the wildness going on around him, it's pretty impressive that the fan was able to realize his mistake right away, even if he didn't technically reach into the field of play. All the "sorrys" in the world were not enough to keep him out away from the long arm of the in-stadium security, which quickly escorted him out.

But there is a happy ending here as Mike Trout made sure to meet the guy he jostled with, as well as his son, after the game. It was a classy move and something this young baseball fan is going to remember for the rest of his life. And he's going to have quite a story to tell at school come Monday, complete with all the video evidence anyone could ever ask for.

Football really is a cruel game that can change in the blink of an eye, as Vitor Pereira has recently found out.

Indeed, back in the middle of September, Pereira was handed a new three-year contract at Wolverhampton Wanderers, with Old Gold chairman Jeff Shi even calling for a period of “stability” with the former Al-Shabab boss remaining at the helm.

Clearly, though, Wolves’ continued woes in the Premier League forced Shi’s hand into having to dismiss Pereira just 45 days on from his vote of confidence, with the West Midlands side stuck at the very bottom of the division on a measly two points.

James Collins and Richard Walker, who both work in the Wolves youth set-up, have since been handed interim duties for Saturday’s league clash with Chelsea.

This looks to only be a temporary measure, though, with new emerging reports now suggesting the relegation-doomed outfit has entered into talks with a number one candidate to succeed Pereira.

Wolves enter talks with EFL manager

Again, the beautiful game’s rapid speed is clear for all to see.

Sky Sports’ Lyall Thomas had revealed that a move for Rob Edwards to leave Middlesbrough behind to manage the club he previously played for was “unlikely.”

However, according to Football Insider, the Premier League’s basement club had entered talks with the ex-Luton Town boss. Journalist John Percy added further fuel to the fire by asserting that Wolves will make a formal approach for the Telford-born head coach to try and clinch his services.

Yet, this is a move that now looks unlikely with Boro so far rejecting an approach from the Old Gold.

Labelled as a job opportunity Edwards would find “hard” to turn down owing to his prior Molineux loyalties, according to journalist Graeme Bailey, it will be intriguing to see whether the 42-year-old does desert the Riverside Stadium for a chance back in the top-flight with Wolves.

After all, his valiant efforts at the helm of the Hatters in the Premier League surely mean he’s a standout Pereira successor, with Wolves resigned to crashing back down to the Championship with a whimper, if they hadn’t pulled the plug on the 57-year-old when they did.

Why Edwards can be a perfect Pereira successor

Of course, Edwards will know he has his work cut out for him if he does take on the vacancy at Molineux, with certain sectors of the media already claiming that Wolves’ drop to the EFL is “inevitable”.

Yet, the current Boro boss has had this inevitable tag hanging over him previously when he was in charge of Luton, with Edwards managing to turn the Hatters into a gutsy and tough-to-beat proposition, regardless, even as they competed near the foot of the daunting division all season long, during the 2023/24 campaign.

Nottingham Forest

17th

32

Luton

18th

26

Burnley

19th

24

Sheffield United

20th

16

At the end of the day, Edwards’ underdogs would only fall victim to relegation towards the latter stages of the campaign, when many expected them to be the Premier League’s basement club for the entirety of the season, with only six points separating the Hatters from Nottingham Forest in 17th spot.

The then Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp would even hail the job Edwards had done, under the pressure of being the top-flight’s noticeable minnows as “insane”, with the German also noting that the players at Edwards’ disposal had been “obviously top, top coached.”

The 42-year-old would surely love another shot at steering a sinking Premier League ship to safety, therefore, in the form of the Old Gold, having stated – towards the start of his fledgling days as a manager – that he wanted to be “like Pep [Guardiola] or Jose [Mourinho]”, as relayed by Luke Steele.

He would certainly be held in very high esteem, like the very successful Spaniard, if he were to somehow guide Wolves to safety, having also been boldly labelled as “one of English football’s brightest and best young coaches” in the past by pundit Adrian Clarke.

Edwards hasn’t done his managerial reputation any harm at the Riverside, either, with an impressive seven wins picked up in charge of Middlesbrough this season.

Yet, there must be a fire in his belly to come back to the Premier League and finally be a saviour-style figure he very nearly had in his grasp at Luton, with Wolves definitely better placed to try and beat the drop with Edwards at the helm, over sticking by Pereira.

Wolves decide on interim manager for Chelsea trip as three names crossed off shortlist

Wolverhampton Wanderers have decided who will take charge of their next game.

ByJames O'Reilly Nov 6, 2025

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta will be quietly thrilled by his side’s start to 2025/2026, and particularly their response after the defeat at Liverpool.

Arsenal enjoy impressive unbeaten streak in chase for Premier League title

Since losing on Merseyside, the Gunners have enjoyed a nine-game unbeaten streak in all competitions, boasting the most imperious defence in England and a 100 per cent win rate in the Champions League so far.

Arsenal’s unbeaten run since defeat to Liverpool

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Atlético Madrid were Arsenal’s latest victims as Arteta’s side put the Spaniards to the sword in a 4-0 demolition job, with summer signing Viktor Gyokeres bagging a brace and putting an end to his barren run without a goal.

Arsenal showcased their imperious attacking flair inside 14 exciting second-half minutes against Diego Simeone’s side, and Paul Merson was simply blown away by how the north Londoners swept Atlético aside in that manner.

After spending close to £270 million in the summer transfer window, Arsenal are in pole position to win their first Premier League title in over 20 years, but it is still very early doors.

So far, Andrea Berta’s major investments are paying dividends, but supporters have two key things to thank for their side’s exceptional form on paper right now.

Arsenal’s solidarity at the back and major threat from set pieces have been vital, with Gabriel and William Saliba showing exactly why they’re two of the best centre-halfs in world football.

The former has already tallied four goal contributions as a direct result of dead-ball situations, including a header and an assist against Atlético on Tuesday, with teams failing to find an answer to Arsenal’s gorilla tactics.

They’ve also proved menacing from long-throws, a fact which isn’t lost on Sky Sports pundit Jamie O’Hara.

Jamie O'Hara says teams are now trying to copy key Arsenal tactic

Speaking to Sky, O’Hara says that Premier League rivals are trying and failing to replicate Arsenal’s long-throws, but makes a rather bold claim that Arteta’s side are “killing” the division with their style of play.

O’Hara goes on to say that Arsenal are the best at long throws, and no other team can even dare to mimic how effective they are.

When looking back at the 2025/2026 season in years to come, if Arsenal do end up winning their first title in decades, supporters are far more likely to remember this year as a defining moment in both the club’s history and Arteta’s career.

How they manage to clinch the trophy is entirely up to them, and there is absolutely no argument that Arsenal’s use of dead balls is giving opposition teams absolute nightmares right now.

The pressure is well and truly on Arteta to deliver major silverware after a summer of lavish spending, and the Spaniard must use every weapon at his disposal — no matter how pleasing on the eye.

While Nottingham Forest try to grow accustomed to Ange Postecoglou in the City Ground dug-out, Sunderland look more than content with Regis Le Bris steering their own ship.

Indeed, off the back of another battling victory in the Premier League courtesy of Omar Alderete’s first-half header, Le Bris’ Black Cats find themselves sat in a dizzying third position in the current league standings, with the Frenchman looking to be the perfect fit for the Wearside outfit, even when performing up a division.

Alderete is yet another fine example of Sunderland striking gold in the transfer market, with the Paraguayan now six Premier League games down in the heart of the Black Cats’ defence without ever looking out of place.

Both Granit Xhaka and Robin Roefs also fit into this glowing assessment, with the gritty pair once again proving to be invaluable purchases this summer as more early Premier League points are accumulated.

How Xhaka and Roefs have become so important at Sunderland

Xhaka signing for Sunderland for just £17m did raise many an eyebrow this summer, with lots of outsiders looking in commenting on the top-flight newcomers winning themselves a golden bargain.

Again, he led by example against the Tricky Trees when donning the captain’s armband, with seven duels won, showing off plenty of energy centrally, while also winning three fouls to disrupt the home side’s flow and edge Sunderland ever closer to their first away win in the top-flight this campaign.

He even showed off his quality on the ball, too, when collecting his third assist of the season for Alderete to win the tight affair. But, Sunderland – again – had to thank their lucky stars defensively that they swooped in for Robin Roefs to boost their goalkeeper spot this summer.

Without the Dutchman’s timely saves, with Roefs tallying up a weighty six in total, a first win on the road would have been far trickier to collect. Amazingly, the ex-NEC Nijmegen stopper prevented 2.16 goals across the entire course of the frustrating contest for Postecoglou and Co.

With Roefs only shipping four goals all season long, Sunderland must be in dreamland at how easy he’s made the transition to English shores look.

However, he and Xhaka are not the only star performers purchased from Europe now making a name for themselves.

8/10 star is fast becoming one of Le Bris' best players

Of course, it’s unrealistic to anticipate that Sunderland will keep this unbelievable form up for the entire marathon ahead.

Yet, the early signs are clear that the Black Cats will be ready for any relegation battle that might ensue, particularly if Noah Sadiki keeps up his sensational performance levels in some dogged contests to come.

The determined number 27 shone once more against Postecoglou’s challenging hosts, with Sadiki going on to win six of his eight ground duels in the lively clash in a bid to protect the Sunderland defence.

But, much like Xhaka next to him, Sadiki also displayed flashes of his excellence when driving his team forward, misplacing just two of his 30 passes (93% success rate) on the day as a cool customer, while also completing one successful dribble when he wasn’t regularly getting stuck in.

Games played

6

Games started

6

Minutes averaged

89

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches*

46.7

Accurate passes*

28.8 (86%)

Ball recoveries*

2.2

Total duels won*

3.8

With Habib Diarra now out with a worrying injury, too, Sadiki’s importance to the cause will have only grown from the middle of the park, with the 20-year-old instantly becoming both a fan’s favourite with the Sunderland masses and a favourite of Le Bris, as well, with these all-around showings, as seen in his overall Premier League numbers in the table above.

Gifted a high 8/10 rating post-match by Roker Report writer Andy Tomlinson, who stated that Sadiki “covered every blade of grass” when needed, it’s becoming clearer by the game now that the former Royale Union Saint-Gilloise star is one of the first names on Le Bris’ teamsheet.

He might not be as instantly headline-grabbing as Xhaka or Roefs with goals, assists, and saves aplenty.

Still, if Sadiki can keep these sublime displays coming, he will surely be remembered as yet another vital part of this Sunderland team that made Premier League survival look like a walk in the park.

Modern Henderson: New star "valued by many" can lead Sunderland to survival

Sunderland look to former Arsenal captain’s leadership as they fight for Premier League survival.

2 ByWill Miller Sep 27, 2025

There is no hiding away from the fact that Glasgow Rangers have had a horrendous start to the 2025/26 campaign, domestically and in Europe, under Russell Martin.

The Light Blues swooped to appoint the former Scotland international, who had been out of work since being sacked by Southampton last season, but he has failed to win the supporters over yet.

It has been the worst start for the club in the Scottish Premiership in 47 years, with four draws and one loss in five games, after the 2-0 loss to Hearts on Saturday.

Lawrence Shankland, who was a reported target for Rangers last year, scored both of the goals for the Jam Tarts, as the Light Blues failed to offer a threat of their own at the other end of the pitch.

The Ibrox giants made 14 additions to their first-team squad during the summer transfer window, which means that there does need to be a degree of patience with some individuals as they get up to speed in a difficult environment, created by the team’s performances.

Rangers have seen it plenty of times in recent years when a player has a slow start to life at Ibrox before exploding into life. Malik Tillman is one notable example of that.

Rangers hit the jackpot with Malik Tillman

The Light Blues swooped to sign the USA international from German giants Bayern Munich on a season-long loan in the summer of 2022 to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch.

At the time of the announcement, Giovanni van Bronckhorst said: “He is an exciting young talent who will further add to our attacking options and myself and the coaching staff are looking forward to working with him.”

The Dutch head coach made it clear that he was a ‘young talent’ whom the coaching staff would work with, which is why it was not a surprise when he had a fairly slow start to life at Ibrox.

Tillman managed two goals and one assist in his first 12 appearances in all competitions for the Light Blues, as he struggled for consistency early on in his Glasgow career, per Sofascore.

However, the German-born star went on to end the campaign with 12 goals and five assists in 43 outings for the Scottish giants, which shows that he improved his output at the top end of the pitch as the season went on.

As you can see in the table above, Tillman ended up being one of the most impressive attacking midfielders in the Premiership in the 2022/23 campaign, as he ranked highly as a scorer, a creator, and as a dribbler.

This shows that the Gers hit the jackpot with the USMNT talent because they were willing to be patient with him as a loan player, which is something to keep in mind when judging the current squad.

Chalkboard

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

Whilst you may jump to Thelo Aasgaard as a direct comparison to Tillman, given that he is also an attacking midfielder and has failed to deliver a goal or an assist in his first three outings in the Premiership.

However, Martin is brewing the club’s next version of Tillman at Ibrox in a different underperforming Light Blues attacking signing – Mikey Moore.

Why Mikey Moore is the next Malik Tillman for Rangers

Unlike Aasgaard, Moore is similar to the former Rangers star in the sense that he is also a loan player from a big European club, Tottenham Hotspur instead of Bayern Munich, and is a young and inexperienced player.

Whereas Aasgaard is 23 and played 163 first-team matches for Wigan, as well as 17 for Luton Town, before his permanent move to Ibrox during the summer transfer window.

Moore arrived in Glasgow this summer with just three league starts in first-team football under his belt during his time with Spurs, as this is his first loan move away from the Europa League champions.

This is why it should not be a surprise to anyone that the 18-year-old talent has had a slow start at Rangers, despite his claim that he would like to be one of the best players in the world.

Moore has delivered no goals and one assist in five appearances in all competitions for the Light Blues so far this season, per Transfermarkt, assisting Nedim Bajrami for the opener in the 4-2 win over Alloa Athletic in the League Cup.

All of the teenage talent’s appearances for the Light Blues so far this season have come on the left wing, per Transfermarkt, but his career statistics suggest that he should be used more centrally.

As you can see in the table above, Moore has scored 17 goals and delivered eight assists in 15 outings as an attacking midfielder or striker, compared to five goals and seven assists in 27 games as a winger, on the right and left combined.

These statistics suggest that the English whiz, who was described as “fearless” by teammate James Maddison, would be far more effective for the Gers if Martin utilised him as an attacking midfielder or perhaps as a second striker behind Bojan Miovski or Youssef Chermiti.

Moore has looked a little lost on the left wing in the Premiership, completing 17% of his attempted dribbles this season per Sofascore, and playing him centrally could help to simplify his game and allow him to concentrate on making an impact in the box, rather than trying to beat three or four players with the ball.

Rangers had "athletic beast" on trial, now he's worth more than Chermiti

Rangers had a star on trial in 2023 who is now worth £7m more than Youssef Chermiti.

By
Dan Emery

Sep 12, 2025

Therefore, there needs to be a degree of patience with Moore whilst he finds his feet at Ibrox and Martin finds out how best to utilise his talent within the team, because his statistics in central positions suggest that he has the potential to explode in the same way that Tillman did.

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Em menos de uma temporada completa defendendo o Bahia (29 partidas com um gol e uma assistência), o lateral-esquerdo equatoriano Jhoanner Chavez vai retornar para seu clube formador, o Independiente del Valle. A informação foi confirmada pelo clube de Salvador nesta segunda-feira (31).

A transação em questão ocorrerá com caráter de empréstimo e terá vínculo somente até o fim de 2023. Fazendo, assim, com que o clube de Sangolquí tenha um velho conhecido para as disputas tanto do Campeonato Equatoriano como, principalmente, da Libertadores onde enfrenta o Deportivo Pereira nas oitavas de final. Com o Bahia, o acordo do lateral-esquerdo vai até 2027.

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Segundo detalhou o diretor de futebol do Esquadrão, Claudio Santoro, a ideia de ceder Chavez para a equipe que o formou tem, como principal intuito, dar possibilidades maiores de atuação ao atleta de 21 anos de idade. Considerando, principalmente, a alta concorrência existente no elenco do Bahia em seu setor:

– Chávez é um jogador talentoso, de enorme potencial, mas que precisa continuar jogando. Com a chegada do Camilo (Cándido), além das presenças de Matheus Bahia e Ryan, entendemos que o melhor seria emprestar ao clube formador, com possibilidade de jogar competições como a Libertadores, retomar a confiança e voltar para o início da próxima temporada.