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Denis Irwin was the latest ex-Manchester United player to be rolled out for The Overlap, although he used his guest appearance to provide a refreshing verdict on one current Liverpool star.
The 59-year-old’s fellow Cork native and long-time Old Trafford teammate Roy Keane is a regular on the show and has been a frequent critic of Trent Alexander-Arnold’s defensive ability, targeting him once again after an admittedly awful performance when the two northwestern rivals met at Anfield earlier this month.
It seemed inevitable that the former Republic of Ireland left-back would be asked about modern-day full-backs, and in particular the Reds’ number 66.
Irwin heaps praise on ‘brilliant’ Trent
Whereas Keane never wastes an opportunity to lambaste the Liverpool vice-captain, Irwin provided a far more balanced analysis on the Stick to Football podcast.
The ex-Man United defender said of Trent (via The Overlap): “[He’s] brilliant. I think he’s David Beckham-esque in his delivery, you’ve gotta say that. As a full-back you can see the whole picture, and his delivery is as good as I’ve seen anybody in the game; it really is.”
When asked about the 26-year-old’s game defensively, Irwin replied: “You question that but that’s the modern-day full-back, isn’t it? United had kind of got at him, didn’t they, in that kind of area. He should learn as you grow up and get better defensively, but just in terms of attacking…
“He’s a modern-day full-back, isn’t he? He loves to go forward. If you’re playing for anybody in the Premier League now, you’ve got to be very comfortable on the ball.”
Irwin’s anaysis on Trent is refreshing
Irwin’s verdict on Trent is a breath of fresh air after years of listening to Keane savaging the Liverpool vice-captain, even when our number 66 has been thriving.
There are times when the Reds right-back can be susceptible to defensive lapses, such as the draw against Man United at the start of January, but any analysis of his game should incorporate his majestic ability in possession.
As per WhoScored , only six players have exceeded his total of 42 key passes in the Premier League so far this season, and they don’t all have to be long-range guided missiles – his assist for Darwin Nunez’s stoppage-time opener at Brentford last week showcased the 26-year-old’s presence of mind to give the ball first-time into an area from which the Uruguayan could finish.
Irwin would’ve seen Beckham up close for a number of years at Old Trafford, so for him to liken Trent’s passing ability to to the former England star is quite the compliment, and might be something for Keane to consider the next time he’s about to let rip about the Liverpool vice-captain.
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Veteran Center Rejected Knicks Offer
The New York Knicks imagine themselves as a championship contender, and those dreams looked like they may be rapidly approaching reality in last season's run to the Eastern Conference Finals. They've spent much of this offseason patching holes in their roster, requiring significantly more firepower from their bench to scare their opponents with a well-rounded rotation that they lacked in 2024-25. They're not looking to burst at the seams with reserve bucket-getters, but have done plenty to consolidate their backup guards and bigs with a summer of moves that's still continuing. Though their most recent on-court developments have provided the Knicks' hopes with real wind behind their sails, those wishes to bolster the frontcourt aren't new. New York reportedly tried to woo a veteran center in Daniel Theis over to last season's situation, but failed to seal the deal. Theis, now playing for AS Monaco, could have joined the Knicks mid-season last year before opting for a European return, according to BasketNews.com. He spent the first leg of the 2024-25 campaign with the New Orleans Pelicans, the sixth team that the 33-year-old's suited up for in the last five seasons. New York's offer gave Theis yet another chance to fill in as a role-playing big on another contender, but he chose to bet on himself. "I could have gone to the Knicks, for example, but it was more for insurance that Mitchell Robinson came back from a long injury," Theis said on a recent Euro Insiders podcast. "And then I talked to Tom Thibodeau and he said, 'Yeah, you will be like insurance in case he can't play and this and that.' It's like what I did with P.J. Tucker. "For me, it was like, 'Okay, if I sit for the rest of the year, what are my chances in the summer?' So if I’m like, 'Okay, I go overseas to Europe and play great, I might have a better chance.' That was my whole intention and thought behind it — just consider Europe and see what it is." Robinson did indeed manage to remain healthy when it counted, seeing the floor in all 18 Knicks playoff games after playing in just 17 during the regular season. His reliability as a defender and rebounder up front would have negated Theis' presence, as he would have spent all but a few garbage time minutes occupying the same seat on the bench that Tucker took in the postseason. Though he would've likely been constrained to a minimum contract that would've expired at season's end alongside other role playing veterans like Landry Shamet, Cameron Payne and Precious Achiuwa, he'd have been a little more playable than some other deep-cut Knicks as a rim-rolling center, and that's the sort of job that New York's looked to fill in the months since. Theis chose his path, and the Knicks stayed young in building a roster that's expected to blow every other 21st century Knicks team out of the water.
Mock Trade Sends Suns' Dillon Brooks to Lakers for $66 Million Duo
The Phoenix Suns are set to enter next season with an almost completely different roster than what they had last season after making major changes to it this offseason. Of course, the Suns broke apart their star trio of Devin Booker, Keivn Durant and Bradley Beal as they traded Durant to the Houston Rockets and bought out Beal’s contract, allowing him to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers. Now Booker is the only remaining star from their big three and he is set to be the centerpiece of Phoenix’s future after they signed him to a massive contract extension this summer. For the Suns, they have done a solid job of building a younger roster as they landed Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and Mark Williams via trades and also selected Khaman Maluach, Rasheer Fleming and Koby Brea in the 2025 draft. While the Suns have made some major moves this offseason, more could be on the way before the start of next season as multiple players continue to be in trade rumors. Suns predicted to send Dillon Brooks to Lakers With this in mind, SB Nations’ Jacob Rude recently released a mock trade that would see the Suns send Brooks to the Los Angeles Lakers for two players. In the trade, the Suns would send Brooks to the Lakers in exchange for Gabe Vincent and Maxi Kleber. This would be an interesting trade for both teams involved and one that does not make a ton of sense for the Suns to make. Of course, the Suns could look to trade Brooks at some point before next season’s trade deadline as they may try to add more young talent to their roster but to swap him for two veterans who struggled last season does not make a ton of sense for Phoenix. For the Lakers, adding Brooks to their roster would be a massive upgrade after losing Dorian Finney-Smith in free agency as the veteran forward would give them a solid scorer and great defender alongside Luka Doncic and LeBron James. Despite this, the Suns would likely want more in return in a potential trade for Brooks that would likely require Los Angeles to include draft capital and a young player. Because of this, it is highly unlikely that the Suns would consider this offer for Brooks, especially before he even suits up for their franchise.
Cardinals Announce Willson Contreras News After Leaving Rockies Game
The St. Louis Cardinals have been fighting to stay alive in the National League Wild Card race, entering Tuesday’s slate with a 61–59 record and three games behind the New York Mets. A huge reason for the team’s success this year has been Willson Contreras, who is playing in his third season for the Cardinals after joining the organization ahead of the 2023 season. The 33-year-old transitioned from catcher to first base to appear in the lineup more frequently and to fill the void at the position due to Paul Goldschmidt departing for the New York Yankees in free agency. Contreras has been a force at the plate, posting a .256 batting average, .787 OPS, 16 home runs, and 65 RBIs over 113 games. Willson Contreras Leaves Rockies Game Early During Tuesday’s game against the Colorado Rockies, Contreras was drilled on the foot by starting pitcher Kyle Freeland. He was replaced in the top half of the sixth inning at first base by Nolan Gorman. Moments later, the Cardinals announced that he had left the game with a bruised right foot. “Contreras has left game with a bruise on his right foot, per #stlcards official,” wrote St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Derrick Goold. Contreras Continues to Carry Cardinals Offense This comes at a disappointing time for St. Louis, as they just got All-Star second baseman Brendan Donovan back after missing three consecutive games, and Nolan Arenado is still out with a right shoulder strain. Contreras has kept the lineup afloat since his arrival, and if he is forced to miss extended time, it would be a massive blow to St. Louis’s playoff odds. Over three years in St. Louis, Contreras has a .261 batting average, .818 OPS, 51 home runs, and 168 RBIs, seemingly improving his game as a Cardinal after spending seven years with the Chicago Cubs to start his career. Contreras has made it clear that he intends on staying with the Cardinals for the long haul after his name surfaced in trade rumors at this year’s deadline.
Handicapping the 49ers' tight end competition: A Young TE is Emerging
One position to watch in the next two weeks is the San Francisco 49ers tight end room. The team may only keep three, but will likely keep four tight ends on their 53-man roster. They appear to have two locks and three players competing for the final two spots. Which depth players will make the San Francisco 49ers roster at tight end? George Kittle and Luke Farrell should be locked down. Kittle is the star tight end, and Farrell was given a modest free agent contract, solidifying that he would have a role this year. He played sparingly in the preseason opener, likely because he was new to the team, but he left the game early. The thought is that Farrell is an in-line tight end who takes pride in blocking. This will allow Kittle to be spaced out and used in mismatches that you do not see from a normal tight end. The final two spots will come down to Brayden Willis, Ross Dwelley and Jake Tonges. Is Brayden Willis a lock? Willis appears to be the frontrunner for the third spot. He is a former seventh-round pick who has developed in his first two years. Now, in year three, he is a better blocker than he used to be, which has given him a step up on his competition. Willis started next to Farrell in the preseason, indicating he would be the next man off the bench. He played 35 snaps with 28 as an in-line tight end. This is valuable as it shows he can step in and replace Farrell if anything happens, being a complement to Kittle, who allows him to remain a weapon. He has also been a special teams contributor over the past two years, so his spot feels safe. So, one spot may be down to Dwelley and Tonges. There are two ways that you can take this battle. The case of Ross Dwelley Ross Dwelley did not play any offensive snaps in the 49ers preseason opener, but he did play 12 special teams snaps. So, the team was not sitting him with the rest of the starters. The vibe was more that he was behind Farrell, Willis, and Tonges and was hoping to show that he can stick around with enough special teams value. A positive spin is that Dwelley was with the team from 2018-2023, so they did not need to see him on offense. His main role will be special teams, so of course, he played there. Meanwhile, Willis is still developing, Farrell is new, and they do not know much about Tonges. Is it that Dwelley is a lock, and they needed to see more from others, or that Dwelley is truly behind them? How do the 49ers view Jake Tonges? Tonges played three fewer special teams snaps than Dwelley, which can speak to the idea that Dwelley is a core player. However, Tonges played 38 offensive snaps, so he was the one with the chance to prove he belongs on the roster, while Dwelley could not. Still, while Tonges played 38 snaps, only 15 were as an in-line tight end. He has 13 snaps in the backfield, eight in the slot, and two as a wide receiver. If anything, the 49ers may not view Tonges as competition for the tight end role; they may view him as a backup to Kyle Juszcyk. If that is the case, they are likely going to push him back to the practice squad, where he was most of last year. The final two weeks will determine things, and you can spin the preseason usage however you want. It will be interesting to see how the room sorts out.
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