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Chelsea hit rock bottom as they slipped to another Premier League defeat against Fulham, with new signing Joao Felix seeing red on his debut.

Life, death, taxes – and Chelsea beating Fulham in the Premier League. That's the way it's supposed to be. That's the way it's been ever since the Cottagers last avoided defeat against their dominant, less sophisticated neighbours all the way back in 2012.

But this isn't the Chelsea of old. This Blues team has a soft underbelly, don't know how to finish their chances and now look at their lowest ebb in recent history.

The 2-1 loss didn't always feel inevitable. The inclusion of new signing Joao Felix gave Graham Potter's team something resembling a fresh impetus in the opening exchanges, and even with Fulham entering half-time 1-0 up – thanks to a goal from former Stamford Bridge hero Willian – it felt like they could recover.

Those hopes increased when Kalidou Koulibaly bundled home, but things went very wrong very quickly after that. Clearly infected by the virus that is Chelsea's recent malaise, Felix left his brain in the dressing room and flew into a studs-up tackle on Kenny Tete. It resulted in him becoming the first Chelsea player to be sent off on his Premier League debut.

It was Fulham's game to win from there and they delivered – with Aleksandar Mitrovic stand-in Carlos Vinicius losing his man and powering a header home.

Defeat for Chelsea then. Just their eighth ever against Fulham, and their second in the Premier League era. We think you call that rock bottom.

Below, GOAL takes a look at the Chelsea winners and losers from a damaging night at Craven Cottage.

Getty ImagesThe Winners

Willian:

In the early exchanges of the derby a packed-out away end serenaded the former Blue, who won a pair of Premier League titles during his time at Stamford Bridge, but the affection they still hold for the Brazilian did little to soften the blow of him opening the scoring for Chelsea fans. After becoming a bit of a punchline during his Arsenal spell, Willian has enjoyed a wonderful renaissance by the River Thames, with the strike bringing his goal involvement tally up to five for the season.

Benoit Badiashile:

If Chelsea's new £34m signing from Monaco can't get in defence he may as well hang up his boots. Again, the Blues looked mightily uncomfortable whenever they were put under any form of pressure, while Chalobah and Koulibaly seemed to be competing to see who could make more individual errors in the first half. Whether Potter sticks with a back three or reverts to a back four, you'd have to expect Badiashile to feature in some capacity against Crystal Palace.

Liverpool, West Ham & Everton:

There always has to be at least one crisis club in the Premier League. That's just the way it works. And right now, Liverpool, West Ham and Everton will be delighted that the Blues are stealing that honour away from them. Another disastrous evening ensures Chelsea will be dominating the back pages once again and incredibly leaves them in an even weaker position than when they entered the game. It'll take some disasterclass to take the crisis-club crown away from them.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesThe Losers

Joao Felix:

Goodness gracious me, that was quite the eventful debut. A surprise inclusion in the starting XI before he'd even had time to drop his wash bag at Cobham meant all eyes were on Felix on Thursday night. And after a spritely but wasteful start to his Chelsea career, Felix's Premier League bow descended into farce. The forward's wild flying lash out was ironically a challenge that his arch-nemesis, Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone, would have been proud of. His current manager will be less pleased. Felix has just given Potter yet another selection headache to deal with.

Graham Potter:

Fulham fans revelled in informing Potter that he was "being sacked in the morning" throughout proceedings. While that is probably not true, there is now a genuine argument that he has guided Chelsea to their post-Abramovic nadir. This defeat leaves them a humiliating 10 points shy of fourth-placed Manchester United, with their Champions League prospects now fanciful. A battered and bruised Crystal Palace are next up for Potter and Co. Lose that, and parroting lines about the club being in transition simply aren't going to cut it.

Kepa Arrizabalaga:

Another Chelsea game, another appearance in the losers section for the most expensive goalkeeper in the world. My oh my Kepa, we thought you were past this? It would appear not. A second piece of game-changing goalkeeping – and not in a good way – on the bounce will have fans yearning for the return of Edouard Mendy between the sticks, but the Senegal international was in similarly shaky form pre-injury. Whatever way you spin it, it's not good news for Chelsea.

Getty ImagesChelsea Ratings: Defence

Kepa Arrizabalaga (5/10):

Made a few good stops, but spilled one on the stroke of half-time and might have been punished. All at sea as Fulham took the lead.

Trevoh Chalobah (4/10):

A slip, which allowed Bobby Decordova-Reid to rattle the crossbar, sent the tone for a nightmarish first half. Lost Vinicius for the goal.

Thiago Silva (6/10):

Emerged with some credit. Chelsea could really do with finding the fountain of youth so he can play for another five years.

Kalidou Koulibaly (5/10):

Guilty of some seriously sloppy moments in the opening exchanges. Partially redeemed himself by bundling Chelsea's equaliser over the line.

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Getty ImagesMidfield

Cesar Azpilicueta (5/10):

Had a few uncomfortable moments against the more athletic Antonee Robinson. Offered very little going forward.

Mateo Kovacic (5/10):

Usually one of the most accurate passers in world football, but tonight more than a few of his attempts failed to find their man. .

Denis Zakaria (6/10):

Fired up. He wasn't perfect, but it's that sort of intensity that'll help Chelsea out of their current funk. His injury is another big blow.

Lewis Hall (4/10):

Should have scored inside three minutes. Never looked comfortable and a tricky situation risks killing his confidence.

Centuries from Steven Smith and Joe Burns underlined a dominant day for Australia on the second day of the Christchurch Test

The Report by Daniel Brettig20-Feb-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsJoe Burns was patient in scoring his first overseas century•Getty ImagesIf day one in Christchurch was unforgettable for its exhilaration, day two was unmistakably about Australian resolve. Steven Smith’s team dearly want to return home with the No. 1 Test ranking in their possession, and a day’s relentless batting at Hagley Oval was a long stride towards doing so.Brendon McCullum’s world record had been that of the breathtaking daredevil, but the 289-run partnership between Smith and Joe Burns that stretched across the vast majority of play was something far sturdier, less explosion than construction. Even if the surface had flattened out considerably, both batsmen had to fight throughout against doughty bowling and McCullum’s ever-changing plans.One of his last brainstorms resulted in a pair of belated wickets, accounting for Burns and Smith on the pull shot. Those wickets detracted somewhat from Australia’s day, and left New Zealand with a glimmer of hope should they be able to cut through the middle order in the morning.Smith’s innings was marked by physical courage as well as mental application. Midway through the day he was struck painfully in the stomach and in Neil Wagner’s last over before tea Smith reeled after ducking into a bouncer. Shaken but unmoved, he faced up to the next ball and played a game pull shot.For Burns it was a first overseas century and a key marker of his progress as a member of the Australian top order – the sort of innings his predecessor Chris Rogers would have been proud to call his own. Smith meanwhile built another innings redolent of a leader, following up from his scene-setting 71 in Wellington. New Zealand started this tour seeming to have good idea of how to bowl at Smith, but he has ground them down admirably.New Zealand had entered the day knowing they needed to take advantage of a still newish ball and any remaining moisture in the pitch with quick wickets, and the early loss of Usman Khawaja gave them hope. But Burns and Smith combined in a steely stand that absorbed much of what McCullum’s men hurled at them.In the day’s early overs, the finest hint of movement was evident, and after getting underway with a neat square cut, Khawaja was defeated by a Trent Boult delivery that straightened down the line, caught the edge and was well held by McCullum in the slips cordon.That wicket put a spring in New Zealand steps, and both Burns and Smith had to endure plenty of testing deliveries in the next hour. Burns came within a centimetre or so of being out when he tried to leave a prancing delivery from Matt Henry.New Zealand went up in a unanimous and convincing appeal, the umpire’s finger was raised, and Burns immediately reviewed, walking down the wicket with a shake of the head. Replays showed the ball had grazed his shirt rather than glove, and the third umpire Richard Illingworth relayed an overturned verdict.That moment seemed to ease some of the tension, and from there Burns and Smith freed up with a handful of attractive strokes. There were still uncomfortable moments, epitomised by Smith receiving a painful blow to the midriff when trying to pull Boult, but by lunch Australia had done much of the hard work.Smith moved swiftly to his fifty when the afternoon began, but the majority of the session was taken up by hard graft. Over and around the wicket, straight fields and square, short balls and full, New Zealand probed every possible avenue on what had become a pleasant batting surface, but Burns and Smith were unmoved.Eventually, Burns reached 96 and went to three figures with an edge guided safely along the ground to the third-man boundary. His hearty celebrations were replaced by obvious concern when Smith was felled by Wagner, before the captain dusted himself off and resumed his calm occupation in the evening session.Surely enough, Smith went to his century with a slice behind point, clenching his fist with considerable passion at the milestone. So safe did he and Burns look that an unbroken stand at stumps seemed a likely possibility until Wagner and McCullum plotted another short-ball attack.Drained by their innings, Burns and then Smith both fell to this somewhat obvious trap, rolling their wrists to swivel balls straight to Martin Guptill at backward square leg. Adam Voges and the nightwatchman Nathan Lyon fought through to stumps, and will have more to do tomorrow.

A second Championship win for Essex, this one by an in innings, sees them get off the bottom of Division Two. Their 23 points achieved in three days work here takes them to sixth in the table, with nine left to play.

Vithushan Ehantharajah at Chelmsford16-Jun-2015
ScorecardGraham Napier helped whittle out the Derbyshire lower-order•Getty ImagesA second Championship win for Essex, this one by an in innings, sees them get off the bottom of Division Two. Their 23 points achieved in three days work here takes them to sixth in the table, with nine left to play. Should they go on a run reminiscent of last season’s home-straight of six wins out of their last seven they would be, as they say, “in and amongst it”.Certainly Essex are a side that thrive of momentum – not too surprising given the players they have: an array of attackers in each discipline that thrive with time on the field and wither without it. No one typifies that more than Graham Napier who has gradually been building up to a performance like today.His 4 for 64 in 23 overs, a season best, was a triumph of the endurance he has built up through managing niggles in the middle of an unrelenting schedule. At times in four-day cricket he has switched to an abbreviated run-up, mid-spell. On the third evening, there was nothing by half as he produced a match-winning cameo of six overs, 3 for 13. As the ball approached its seventies, it started showing signs of reversing. With that, it was handed to Napier at the Hayes Close End and he used it to gut the Derbyshire middle order. It was a reminder that Napier is one of the best reverse-swing bowlers on the county circuit.Paul Grayson, Essex head coach

On day one “It was a very important toss to win on day one with those cloudy conditions, but we exploited those conditions well. Young Jamie Porter bowled outstandingly well and we probably could have bowled them out for a bit less if we took our catches.”
On Essex’s sole batting effort “It was an interesting scorecard because we didn’t get a hundred – quite rare when you get a good score like that. It was great to have Cookie back, especially when he’s in this form. Browne looked great again and it was just a great first innings performance that we’d talked about as a group. We’ve got to take control of games more.”
On results up till now “We’ve felt like we’ve played some half decent cricket but we’ve been punished from mistakes in previous games. There were signs against Northants last week where we showed character and fight to get back into that match. We got a strong side out this game and I was expecting a strong performance.”
On Napier’s 23 overs, 4 for 64 “I think Napes was outstanding today when we needed him. He’s put a massive shift in today. He looks fit at the moment, he’s signed a new contract and he’s bowling well – long may that continue.”

Essex added 24 runs to their overnight score, 21 of which came from the bat of James Foster. It was Wayne White who kept the home entertainment to a minimum by removing Aron Nijar lbw and then dismissing Foster, who guided him perfectly to Billy Godleman at third man. The wickets gave White his second consecutive six-wicket haul, after a career best 6 for 25 against Kent in the previous round of matches.Derbyshire, 325 behind, got off to the worst possible start when Ben Slater chipped Jamie Porter’s fifth ball to Napier at mid-on, who pulled off an impressive jumping catch. It looked from a distance that the ball might have stopped in the pitch; Slater seemingly checking his drive, as if reacting late to the ball not quite coming onto the bat. Soon after Billy Godleman followed him back to the pavilion when he flicked Porter straight to Ryan ten Doeschate, who had been moved to leg slip a couple of balls earlier.And so began a third wicket partnership that would take 43 overs to break. The respective shapes, mannerisms and backgrounds of Chesney Hughes and Wayne Madsen suggests more buddy-cop flick than strong-willed resistance. Hughes used his power to punish anything juicy that came his way; Madsen simply drove and guided out of habit. Against the spin of Tom Westley and Nijjar, Hughes at times looked edgy, and frenetic. As it started to look like Westley had Hughes’ number – with Hughes on 25, Westley had a big lbw shout turned down – the Derbyshire No. 3 ended a sequence of nine dot balls against the offspinner with a powerfully struck six over midwicket. Madsen on the other hand was a picture of serenity. Still, they both took it in turns to pummel the back of Ryan ten Doeschate who, at short-leg, felt the full force of their cuts and pulls on five or six occasions.Their partnership of 166 showed that the pitch rewarded patience. But when Hughes departed for 80, bowled so emphatically by Ravi Bopara that just one stump was left standing, that was the end of any real accompaniment for Madsen.By the time the Derbyshire captain had reached his hundred from his 179th ball faced – his first of the season and career-first against Essex – Wes Durston had perished to the second ball after lunch. At that point, the deficit was down to 70 and there was a chance that Essex would need to bat again. Then Napier happened. The last six wickets fell for 33, with Ryder removing Scott Elstone thanks to a brilliant catch from Foster, diving high to his right, bowling White and then having Mark Footitt caught at mid-off to finish the match.But it was Napier’s spell that allayed any fears that Essex might not convert this to a win. When Madsen nicked him to Alastair Cook at first slip, the crowd jumped to their feet – well rose slowly, carefully and surely – in appreciation that one of their experienced first team bowlers was fit and firing.Speaking at stumps, Essex coach Paul Grayson confirmed that David Masters, who missed this match with a groin strain, is likely to play back-to-back on Thursday and Friday night in the NatWest T20 Blast. Currently, it remains to be seen whether he will be able to make it through a four-day game. An assessment will be made after Friday night as to whether he will make the squad for Gloucestershire on Sunday.As for Reece Topley, who spent the day as a net-bowler for England at Trent Bridge, things are a bit different. With the back problems he has had over the last year, a specialist has advised the club that the left-arm seamer cannot play two four-day matches in a row. Having played at Northampton, he was subsequently unavailable for this game and will come back into squad for the trip to Bristol. Essex and Grayson will operate on those terms until the end of the season before reassessing Topley in the winter.

Kyle Jarvis delivered his best bowling performance for Lancashire, who cruised to a crushing 250-run victory over Derbyshire

Press Association22-Apr-2015
ScorecardKyle Jarvis produced his best spell for Lancashire to set them up for victory (file photo)•PA PhotosKyle Jarvis delivered his best bowling performance for Lancashire, who cruised to a crushing 250-run victory over Derbyshire on the final day of their clash in Championship Division Two.The 26-year-old Zimbabwean produced an inspired spell of swing bowling from the City End at the 3aaa County Ground to take 5 for 10 in 39 balls as Derbyshire were routed for 114 in pursuit of a distant victory target of 365. Only Martin Guptill and skipper Wayne Madsen reached double figures.Resuming the final morning on 27 for 2, any slim victory hopes Derbyshire entertained vanished when Jarvis blew away the top order to finish with the excellent figures of 5 for 13 in nine overs.Derbyshire needed a solid start to sow some seeds of doubt in Lancashire minds, but they quickly lost nightwatchman Tom Taylor who edged Tom Bailey to third slip in the third over of the day. Guptill pulled and cut Peter Siddle for boundaries and the New Zealander was shaping well until Jarvis started the spell that undermined the home side so dramatically.His first ball found the edge of Guptill’s defensive bat, and Wes Durston chipped a gentle catch to square leg to leave Derbyshire’s chances of avoiding a heavy defeat resting on Madsen.He was fortunate to survive what looked an excellent lbw appeal from Jarvis, but the bowler had the last word when Madsen was trapped half forward by another swinging delivery. Shiv Thakor had narrowly avoided being caught off his first ball but he never settled and was lbw shuffling across after Alex Hughes offered no shot.Lunch was delayed when Harvey Hosein had his off stump plucked out by Bailey but Lancashire needed only two balls to complete an impressive session’s work with Simon Kerrigan trapping Mark Footitt.It was an impressive performance by Lancashire and Jarvis, who said: “It was great to finish the game off like that and great to get our season under way in such a good fashion. It all happened pretty quickly. I got a bit too full in the first innings and I knew I had to sort it out and that’s what I concentrated on, getting my lengths right.”I have been dying to play my part for Lancs and I’m happy to have got under way now. I never got going last season and I’m just desperate to help out the team in any way.”A heavy defeat for Derbyshire was compounded by the loss of a point for a slow over rate, but elite performance director Graeme Welch was able to take encouragement from the match.”Three hundred and sixty was always going to be a difficult chase and I think we could have bowled them out for around 220 in the first innings,” Welch said. “In the second innings we got three [early] wickets and when we identify passages of play it could have been a different story. Basically, out of the 10 sessions we’ve played, we’ve lived with one of the favourites to go up this year, so there are some positives to be taken out of this and some good performances.”

Fede Valverde has hailed former Real Madrid team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo for the rapid "progress" of the Saudi Pro League.

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Ronaldo first megastar to shift base to Saudi ArabiaNeymar & Karim Benzema followed suitValverde lauds Ronaldo for football revolutionGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

The Portuguese forward sent shockwaves across the world when he announced his decision to sign for Al-Nassr after the 2022 World Cup. His move to the Middle East ignited an influx of superstar signings in the Saudi Pro League over the summer, which included Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema and Brazilian forward Neymar, at Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal respectively.

Valverde had the fortune of sharing the dressing room with both Ronaldo and Benzema at Real Madrid. The Uruguayan midfielder hailed Ronaldo as a pioneer for the development of the game in the Middle East.

AdvertisementWHAT VALVERDE SAID

Speaking to reporters, Valverde said: "I think there’s been a lot of progress with the players who have come here. For example, Cristiano, who started all this. It shows what they want to do and to have players of that quality is important."

Getty Images THE BIGGER PICTURE

The Pro League continues to be a popular attraction among players for the hefty wage structures and even Liverpool's Mohamed Salah is being linked to a move to Riyadh. However, Valverde also made it clear that even a blank cheque would not convince him to choose Saudi at this point in his career as he is enjoying his stint with Los Blancos.

"It is really impossible for me to go to the Saudi League," he added to . "No chance. 10, 20 or 30 million will not change my life. I'm at Real Madrid, the best club in the world. I love my life in Madrid, the same goes for my family and that's it."

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GettyWHAT NEXT?

The transfer bandwagon to Saudi Arabia shows no signs of stopping and it is expected that it will only grow in the next few years. Michael Emenalo, the Saudi Pro League director of football, has insisted that they are still pursuing a deal for Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe, despite the forward rejecting a move in the summer transfer window. If they manage to pull off the Salah and Mbappe signings it will undoubtedly be another major coup for Saudi Arabia.

Steven Finn has said he is frustrated by his tag as a genuine speed merchant after he was overlooked for England’s tour to the West Indies

Alex Winter10-Apr-2015Steven Finn has said he is frustrated by his tag as a genuine speed merchant after he was overlooked for England’s tour to the West Indies and consigned to a spring in north London with Middlesex instead of the Caribbean. Finn spoke out at criticism that he has lost pace and said he should be judged on the wickets he takes.Finn, 26, last played a Test match in the opening game of the 2013 Ashes at Trent Bridge and has since battled back from the subsequent tour of Australia, where he was dubbed “not selectable” after a chronic loss of form. Despite returning to the England one-day set-up he is yet to break back into the Test reckoning. But he believes speed, or a lack of it, isn’t the issue.”I’ve never been a bowler to bowl 90mph all day,” Finn said. “That simply has never happened throughout my career. It frustrates me when people talk about, ‘you’ve lost pace’ – I haven’t. I bowl the odd spell up above 90, which is something I’m working towards, but consistently my pace is the same as it has been.”Because there’s other bowlers out there who are bowling 95mph on a regular basis, it’s like we’re searching for that and it’s fallen on my head that I’m the guy who can bowl very quick spells, so why aren’t I doing that all the time? If you’re taking wickets why does it matter if you bowl 87mph or 93? That to me is baffling and I find it stupid.”Finn, who has taken 90 wickets at 29.40 in 23 Tests, returns for Middlesex’s opening game of the new County Championship season against Nottinghamshire at Lord’s determined to find form ahead of England’s Test series with New Zealand and Australia. He was “gutted” to be left out of the West Indies squad and defended his record over the winter, which will forever be remembered for the 10 balls murdered for 44 by Brendon McCullum in Wellington during the World Cup.”I shrugged that off pretty quickly,” Finn said. “I came back in the next game and took three for 20-odd. I was England’s leading wicket-taker in both the tri-series and the World Cup. I’m not going to say I was hard done by.”I had a good sulk on me for about four days after I was told I wasn’t in the Test squad. I thought I might be in with a shout but I have to look on the plus side and I’ve had a few good weeks back at Middlesex working on things, getting to know the squad again and enjoying it again – I have my most fun when I’m playing here. Hopefully that will allow me to express myself in the opening weeks of the season.”If I bowl anything like I’ve done in the past I think I’d have a chance of being back in the team. I’ve come back with the goal of being the bowler I want to be – that’s quite a loose phrase but I know what I’m capable of and have been working towards that and if I can bowl like I can do in the first few matches of the season, hopefully that will put me in a good position for the summer Tests.”The place in the West Indies squad Finn might have filled has been taken by Liam Plunkett – a similar tall quick who has fought back from career problems himself. Finn is convinced the problems of 2013-14 – hitting the stumps with his knee, changing run-ups, the lot – are well behind him and he can push hard for an England Test spot once more, bowling with the freedom Plunkett now enjoys.”I’ve been told I’ve been doing nothing wrong but to be left out of the tour obviously I am doing something wrong,” Finn said. “The selectors have just told me to go and take wickets and enjoy bowling for Middlesex and I’m very much in their thoughts.”I feel like I can compete in international cricket – I did that this winter. It’s just finding a way to go from being a fringe player to in the team, I was there a few years ago but I’m not looking back thinking I want to be the bowler I was then, I want to be the bowler I know I can be. And if I do that I’ve got a great chance of being in the England team.”I know what I need to do. I’ve been working to get my action in a good place so I can go out there and just let the ball do the talking, that’s all I can do.”

The Blues' top scorer has been tearing Women's Super League teams apart this season – and now her country needs her to produce too

Just before the hour mark at Kingsmeadow on Sunday, Lauren James darted onto a perfectly-weighted Fran Kirby through ball. Bearing down on goal, Leicester City goalkeeper Janina Leitzig rushed out to meet her, while Foxes centre-back Julie Thibaud tried halting her progress with a crunching tackle.

But James was unmoved, channeling Hernan Crespo in the 2005 Champions League final by nonchalantly lifting the ball over Leitzig and into the back of the net. The goal was the 22-year-old's second of the 5-2 win, a performance which followed up a stunning hat-trick at Stamford Bridge against Liverpool and a sumptuous assist in the Champions League victory over Paris FC.

James has always been eminently watchable; no Women's Super League player justifies the punters' entrance fee more regularly than her. But now she's becoming truly terrifying: an absolute killer in front of goal.

Getty ImagesA generational talent – but a bit wasteful?

Of course, James has always threatened to become this effective. This is someone who was training with Arsenal's senior side at the age of 14, was featuring for Manchester United's relaunched women's team just over two years later and signing a unprecedented four-year contract at Chelsea before her 20th birthday.

After a string of niggling injuries kept her sidelined for extended spells during her maiden 2021-22 campaign with the Blues, James finally got to show her new club what she was all about last season. The anticipation was palpable and she did not disappoint, delighting the Kingsmeadow faithful with her unique ball-carrying abilities and creativity.

The hype was real, with the only criticism being James' lack of goals and assists. It took until Chelsea's sixth game of the season for her to break that duck, but she did it in some style, netting a brace and laying a goal on for Sam Kerr in a 3-1 victory over Aston Villa.

However, although there were plenty more magic moments that followed in a blue shirt, the questions over James' ability to consistently find the back of the net and register assists continued as the campaign progressed.

At times, she was holding onto the ball for too long to the visible frustration of her team-mates, while her finishing was far from elite. During the 2022-23 campaign she averaged 0.12 goals per shot, with over 50 players managing better figures, while less than 30 percent of her efforts ended up on target.

Chelsea boss Emma Hayes provided an honest assessment of James' development early in the season: "Her talent is clear, but most importantly we must keep doing the right things. If we all want her growth to continue in the direction it’s going – trust me, I’ve coached footballers for such a long time – you have to keep nailing the things around them, the habits. She’s still a young player and we’re still nailing those habits. I urge everybody to be calm with her. It’s important for us to nurture her in the way we do, but also without massive pressures and expectations, which I know is hard to avoid."

AdvertisementGettyCareer-defining tournament Down Under

In the end, James would finish the season with five goals from 18 WSL games, more than enough to earn her a place in Sarina Wiegman's England squad. And after the Lionesses underwhelmed going forward in their group-stage opener against Haiti, Wiegman played her trump card, introducing James to the starting XI on matchday two.

Denmark were England's opponents and the Chelsea star didn't take long to make an impact, netting a superb opener just six minutes into her World Cup debut. That goal turned out to be the winner too.

Things got even better when England faced China, with James dropping an all-time great Women's World Cup display. By the time the dust had settled on an astounding 6-1 victory, she had two goals and three assists to her name, and Wiegman was understandably delighted with her "special" talent.

By this point, LJ-mania was very much running wild back home. But things got hairy in the round of 16 when James was sent off for stamping on Nigeria's Michelle Alozie. The Lionesses did eventually triumph on penalties, but the naive moment derailed the hype train. "Obviously what we she did was wrong and she knows it was wrong and apologised for it publicly and now she faces the consequences," goalkeeper Mary Earps said at the time.

James' resulting two-game suspension kept her out until the final, and she could not atone for her error after coming on as a half-time substitute, with Spain triumphing 1-0 thanks to Olga Carmona's goal. It was a damp squib of an ending for James when it had seemed like being World Cup. But red card aside, her match-winning ruthlessness in front of goal in the first two games hinted at her growing maturity.

Getty ImagesDominating the WSL

And this trend has accelerated at Chelsea during the current season. After waiting so long to find the net in the WSL in 2022-23, James rose to the occasion in the Blues' curtain raiser against Tottenham, latching onto Niamh Charles' cross to double her side's advantage at a time when Spurs were threatening to rally.

It wasn't just her goal that was notable, though. With Kerr injured and Fran Kirby still not fully fit despite a cameo from the bench, James completely ran the game for the Blues, drifting all over the pitch to carve out her side's best opportunities.

There was a slight drop off in the two WSL games that followed against Manchester City and West Ham, with the caveat that hardly any Blues players impressed during those matches, which resulted in James being rotated out of the side for her side's trips to Everton and Real Madrid.

And if Hayes was looking for a reaction, James provided one against Liverpool in front of the Stamford Bridge crowd. Her hat-trick was the most compelling evidence yet of her growing composure in front of goal. All three were expertly-taken strikes, showcasing her world-class ability to beat defenders and newfound poacher instincts, and she further bloated her goal tally against Leicester with two more calm finishes.

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Getty Images'Everything I do I am thankful to Emma'

This recent glut of goals is an expression of James' development in the final third. This season, she's been far more clinical than in 2022-23, averaging a WSL goal for around every five shots she takes, while just under half of her strikes are going on target. This form has seen her rise to the top of the Golden Boot rankings, level on six goals with Manchester City's Bunny Shaw.

This emerging ruthless streak is bad news for Chelsea's WSL rivals and also a credit to the transformative effect Blues boss Hayes has had on James' career. Throughout her meteoric rise, the soon-to-be United States women's national team manager has been there to temper expectations, constantly reminding English football's most talked about starlet of the need to remain grounded and improve her game.

This tough love has not damaged the pair's relationship, though. Ahead of the World Cup in the summer, James paid tribute to Hayes for her role in getting her back back to her best following her injury struggles.

"Emma is always helpful, she’s played a massive role in just getting me back to being myself again. She just says ‘enjoy it’, like ‘start enjoying the moments’," she said. "I had two years of just like constant injuries. She managed me well and it’s allowed me to find my feet again. In the moment, everyone is like ‘why is Lauren not playing?’ and I want to be playing on the pitch, but in the long run it’s obviously paid out and it’s kept me on the pitch this season."

And when James scored that iconic Liverpool hat-trick, she immediately gave Hayes some of the credit. "Amazing, I think even better to do it at the Bridge. Obviously with the news of Emma [Hayes] leaving, everything I do I am thankful to her."

The England midfielder helped Spurs get the better of Chelsea while Alexis orchestrated a victory over Swansea, earning their places in the latest XI

Dele Alli and Alexis Sanchez are the highlight names in this week's Premier League team of the week after helping their respective sides to important wins.

Alli was the star for Tottenham with two goals as they came from behind to beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. His first, aided by his wonderful first touch to control a Eric Dier pass before beating Willy Caballero, stunned the onlooking crowd before he put the game beyond doubt to all but secure his side's place in the top four at the Blues' expense.

Alexis, meanwhile, shook off his early struggles at Manchester United to fire them to a win over Swansea City. With a goal and an assist, he gave Jose Mourinho's men a two-goal lead within 20 minutes to keep them in second place.

Check out the full team below…

GettyKasper Schmeichel | Leicester CityThe Leicester City goalkeeper has saved three of the 14 Premier League penalties he’s faced – the same number his father Peter saved during his time in the competition (21 faced).AdvertisementGettyDeAndre Yedlin | Newcastle United

As well as helping his side keep a clean sheet, Yedlin also made six crosses from open play down the right-hand side, creating two chances in the process.

GettyVictor Lindelof | Manchester United

The centre-back had the best pass accuracy of any Red Devils player in Saturday's 2-0 win, with no team-mate making more clearances or interceptions than his three of each.

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GettyJamaal Lascelles | Newcastle United

Lascelles was solid in defence in Newcastle's 1-0 win over Huddersfield – no Magpies player made more clearances than his eight or gained possession on more occasions than the 13 he did.

With no wins yet on the tour, Sri Lanka will hope to convert the glimpses of potential they have shown into a complete performance in the second ODI

The Preview by Andrew Fidel Fernando14-Jan-2015Match factsThursday, January 15, 2015
Start time 1400 local (0100 GMT)Sachithra Senanayake has made a stunning ODI return with a remodelled action•AFPBig PictureNine game days, three matches, and no victories so far – Sri Lanka had not expected to steamroll their opposition in New Zealand, but the disappointments have now begun to stack up, and a pattern to their woe has emerged.With the bat, they sustain too many early losses, and even when batsmen play sublime innings, as Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene already have done on tour, they cannot gain enough ground to make up for their teammates’ failures. With the ball, Sri Lanka have routinely made headway against the New Zealand top order, only to be scuttled by the batsmen lower down, who dig deep and summon meaningful partnerships.There have been encouraging glimpses, even from the younger group of players, but the visitors have not pulled together a complete performance yet. They are waiting for their bowlers to be penetrative throughout the game, and for their top order to set the likes of Angelo Mathews and Thisara Perera up with a solid foundation.New Zealand, though, have been breezing through in pole position. Every time the opposition appear to be gaining on them, the hosts blow a raspberry through the back window, and pull away some more. Their World Cup preparation seems to be about fine-tuning and staying intense.Martin Guptill has been in excellent List A form, but could do with a roaring ODI knock to put his place out of doubt, and get his confidence in order. Grant Elliott is fighting to make himself a top XI player. Some heftier contributions from Luke Ronchi’s bat would put New Zealand more at ease, as well.Form guide(last five matches, most recent first)
New Zealand:WWWLW
Sri Lanka:LWWLWIn the spotlightNew Zealand have put plenty of faith in Tom Latham in the past year, and though he has played innings in Tests to justify that trust, he is yet to discover ODI consistency. Ordinarily, he is shunted down the order to no. 5 – which is a tricky place for a young batsman, particularly if he is more used to batting higher up. But with Kane Williamson now absent for the next two matches at least, Latham is likely to come in at first drop, where he will hope to display more of his wares and firm up his place in the side.Sachithra Senanayake is so confident of his new action that he allows his elbows to flap away shamelessly in the wind, as he delivers an uncensored bag of tricks, still featuring a carrom ball and seam-up slider, in addition to his stock offbreak. His coaches are adamant he is even better than before, as he delivers the ball from a higher position, and as such gets more bounce. Having taken seven wickets in three games since his reintegration, so far Senanayake 2.0 appears at least as good a bowler as he used to be.Team newsTim Southee remains unavailable for this match, while Williamson has also been ruled out by a shoulder injury. Elliott missed training on Wednesday for family reasons, and it is not yet clear whether he will be available for Thursday’s match. Daniel Vettori also waits in the wings for a match, and New Zealand may be tempted to play him at his home ground for Northern Districts.New Zealand (probable): 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Brendon McCullum (capt.), 3 Tom Latham, 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Grant Elliott/ Daniel Vettori, 6 Luke Ronchi (wk) , 7 Corey Anderson, 8 Nathan McCullum, 9 Adam Milne, 10 Mitchell McClenaghan, 11 Trent BoultSri Lanka will likely stick with a similar XI, though Dinesh Chandimal is in the squad, putting pressure on the likes of Lahiru Thirimanne and Jeevan Mendis. Shaminda Eranga may make way for Suranga Lakmal or Dhammika Prasad, who should both have adequately recovered from their Test workload now.Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Dimuth Karunaratne, 2 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 3 Kumar Sangakkara (wk), 4 Mahela Jayawardene, 5 Angelo Mathews (capt.), 6 Lahiru Thirimanne, 7 Thisara Perara, 8 Jeevan Mendis, 9 Nuwan Kulasekara, 10 Sachithra Senanayake, 11 Suranga LakmalPitch and conditionsThe Seddon Park pitch is expected to be slower and more spin-friendly than the track in Christchurch, though the boundaries are also significantly smaller. The weather is expected to be fine for the duration of the match.Stats and trivia Senanayake’s seven wickets have come at 15.86 in the three matches since his suspension was lifted. Nuwan Kulasekara’s 2 for 43 in Christchurch was the first occasion on which he had taken more than one wicket in his last 10 matches. Nathan McCullum has played 14 matches against Sri Lanka – his most against any opposition. He averages 35.54 against them, compared with a career average of 48.01.Quotes”It’s nice to get the accolades, and you’ve got to try and be humble. Cricket can turn just as quickly against you. We’re on a bit of a high at the moment, but we don’t want to get carried away. We’re still a way away from the World Cup and we know the Sri Lankan team will bounce back. They’ve got the most experience out of any side in this coming World Cup, and I’m sure that will show in the next six games.”

On a day that Bhuvneshwar Kumar kept India in the Test with 4 for 46 in 23 testing overs, he acknowledged Praveen Kumar’s contribution to his success

Sidharth Monga at Lord's18-Jul-2014They could be twins. They amble up off a small run, keep the seam upright, use the wrist, swing the ball each way, were born in Meerut, play for Uttar Pradesh, love bowling in England, and are handy batsmen lower down the order. Except Bhuvneshwar Kumar is the calmer, more subdued, version of Praveen Kumar. On a day that Bhuvneshwar kept India in the Test with 4 for 46 in 23 testing overs, he acknowledged Praveen’s contribution to his success.The last time India came to England, Praveen was India’s most effective bowler on a horror tour. It was only natural that before embarking on this journey, Bhuvneshwar gave Praveen a call, who is sidelined now for what seems forever.”Praveen Kumar is my idol and I have watched him a lot,” Bhuvneshwar said. “I had a talk with him before I came here. He is like a big brother for me, and we play together for the same team. He still helps me with my bowling.”Praveen would only have reinforced Bhuvneshwar’s basics: bowl at the stumps, bowl full, let the pitch and the atmosphere in England take full effect. With assistance from the other two quicks and despite a wicketkeeping slip letting Gary Ballance score a hundred, India put together a quite excellent day in the field: bowling with discipline, moving the ball, not letting England get away.When asked if this was the best bowling day with spinners not involved in it that he had been part of, Bhuvneshwar responded in affirmative.”The wicket became a bit easier for batsmen after the first session,” Bhuvneshwar said. “We bowled in the right areas and kept them quiet. We did well to keep Ballance quiet, even his hundred was not an easy one. We didn’t give any easy runs.”The jury might still be out on which of the Kumars is a better bowler, but Bhuvneshwar has already shown better batting technique and temperament than Praveen. With two fifties in the first Test and 36 important runs here, Bhuvneshwar is leading not only India’s bowling but batting averages too.”I have been enjoying batting in England,” Bhuvneshwar said. “The partnership with Ajinkya was really satisfying. The ball was moving around, and we were in a bad situation, had lost seven wickets. So, from that point of view, it was a good effort and I think a better effort than in the first Test.”