CHELSEA LEGEND PAYS HEARTWARMING TRIBUTE TO BOBBY TAMBLING AFTER ICON'S DEATH

Ron Harris has paid tribute to former Chelsea team-mate Bobby Tambling after his sad passing.

The Blues legend, who spent 13 years at Stamford Bridge, has died aged 84

Chelsea legend Tambling has sadly passed away aged 84Credit: Getty

.Tambling scored 202 goals in 370 appearances for Chelsea between 1957 and 1970.

His tally made him the club's all-time top scorer until he was surpassed by Frank Lampard in 2013.

The former England striker also won the League Cup alongside Harris in 1965.

After leaving Chelsea, Tambling joined Crystal Palace before ending his career in the Republic of Ireland.

During his time in Ireland, he had spells with Cork Celtic, Waterford, Shamrock Rovers and Cork Alberts.

Tambling tribute

Following Tambling's death, Harris joined Ally McCoist and Gabby Agbonlahor on Thursday's talkSPORT Breakfast show.

Paying tribute to his former team-mate, the Chelsea icon said: "I played with Bob for many years.

"He was a fantastic player. A good trainer, came in every day, very seldom missed games and scored goals left, right and centre.

"I think he would have a field day today with people not allowed to tackle, whereas years ago in our time, people used to put some stick around and that.

"Bob was a fantastic trainer, a fantastic lad and a fantastic player."

Harris and Tambling were Chelsea team-mates for eight years during the 1960sCredit: Getty

Tambling had been tasked with replacing Jimmy Greaves in the side after his move to AC Milan in 1961.

Asked if those were big shoes to fill, Harris added: "That is true for somebody to do that, but Bob very seldom missed games.

"He was a good trainer, good lad and always worth a goal or two in games. He’s a fantastic lad. It’s sad that he’s passed away."

The former Chelsea captain continued: "Most of the lads were mingled together and had a laugh and a giggle.

"If somebody got invited out to a function or anything like that, Bob would be one of the first ones to put his name down to go and do a presentation and things like that.

"He was a great lad, Bob, on and off the field."

Harris played alongside Tambling at Chelsea for eight years after making his first-team debut in 1962.

The defender went on to become the club's all-time record appearance maker with 795 outings for the Blues.

As well as winning the League Cup with Tambling, Harris also lifted the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1971.

He left the club in 1980 to join Brentford before retiring three years later.

- Ciaran Wiseman

COLE PALMER ACHIEVES HISTORIC FIRST IN PREMIER LEAGUE ⚽️⚽️⚽️

Chelsea midfielder Cole Palmer has definitively etched his name into the history of English football this Saturday (7th).

According to Opta data, he became the first player in the entire Premier League era to score a hat-trick in the first half of three different matches.

This feat was achieved in Chelsea’s 3-1 victory over Wolverhampton. The Blues’ number 10 found the net at the 13th, 35th, and 38th minutes of the first half.

The first two goals were penalties, and the third came after a low cross from Cucurella, which Palmer finished almost inside the six-yard box.

The young Englishman had already scored a first-half hat-trick against Everton and Brighton previously, and now repeats the feat, showing remarkable composure in front of goal.

While many players spend an entire career trying to achieve a “hat-trick”, Palmer settles the game before halftime.

Record at Chelsea

The three goals against Wolverhampton also saw Palmer break an important record at Chelsea.

He became the player with the most hat-tricks in the club’s Premier League history, with four.

Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, all with three, are now behind him.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

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FRANK LAMPARD IS DOING WELL WITH COVENTRY

Frank Lampard's Coventry City remain unbeaten in the Championship this season, topping the league with 22 points after 10 games. 

They have scored 29 goals and kept a clean sheet in their last five games.

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1. Ronaldinho (Barcelona, Brazil) 225 Point

2. Frank Lampard (Chelsea, England) 148 Point

3. Steven Gerrard (Liverpool, England) 142 Point

4. Thierry Henry (Arsenal, France) 41 Point

5. Andriy Shevchenko (AC Milan, Ukraine) 33 Point

6. Paolo Maldini (AC Milan, Italy) 23 Point

7. Adriano (Inter Milan, Brazil ) 22 Point

8. Zlatan Ibrahimović (Juventus, Sweden) 21 Point

9. Ricardo Kaká (AC Milan, Brazil) 19 Point

10. Samuel Eto'o (Barcelona, Cameroon) 18 Point

11. John Terry (Chelsea, England) 18 Point

12. Juninho (Lyon, Brazil) 15 Point

13. Claude Makélélé (Chelsea, France) 8 Point

14. Juan Román Riquelme (Villarreal, Argentina) 7 Point

15. Petr Čech (Chelsea, Czech Republic) 7 Point

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FRANK LAMPARD CONFIRMED AS COVENTRY CITY MANAGER

Frank Lampard has been named as manager of Coventry City. Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images

Frank Lampard has been appointed as manager of Championship side Coventry City, the club confirmed on Thursday.

Lampard, who has signed a 2 ½ year deal, replaces Mark Robins, who was sacked on Nov. 7 after their seventh loss in 14 league games.

Robins first managed Coventry between 2012-2013. He returned to the club in 2017, guiding them to two promotions as they rose from League Two to the Championship.

They came close to winning promotion to the Premier League, losing the 2023 playoff final to Luton Town on penalties. Robins then led Coventry back to Wembley last season as they reached the FA Cup semifinal, losing again on penalties, this time to Manchester United.

Lampard's appointment comes with the club in 17th position in the table, 10 points off the playoff places.

"I am delighted that Frank Lampard has agreed to join our club as head Ccoach. Frank cut his teeth in the Championship and knows what is needed in this League to be successful," Coventry owner Doug King said.

The Chelsea legend last coached in 2023 as interim boss of his former club, which he also managed full time between 2019-2021.

He began his coaching career at Derby County in 2018, with a stint at Premier League side Everton in 2022-2023.

- ESPN

HARRY KANE MAKES ENGLAND CENTURY IN STYLE WITH DOUBLE TO SEE OFF ENGLAND

Sportsphoto

 If at first you do not succeed, try again. It has been a guiding ­principle for Harry Kane. Here, the England captain had numerous nearly‑but‑not‑quite moments and, if it were not him, it might have been possible to think it was going to be one of those nights.

This is Kane. And the red-letter occasion when he celebrated his 100th England cap was only going to end one way – him making it happen, getting through on the strength of his talent and remorselessness.

There were 57 minutes on the Wembley clock when Kane lashed high into the Finland net from just inside the area after a lovely first‑time pass from Trent Alexander-Arnold. It was Alexander-Arnold’s night, too; the weight and incision of his passing was sumptuous.

Kane did the rest. A touch with the ­outside of his right boot to cut inside ­Robert Ivanov; the hammer brought down. The ­cameras cut to Kane’s family in the stands and they would do so again before he was withdrawn to heartfelt applause.

Again, Alexander-Arnold was the architect, playing a beautiful return ball to the debutant, Noni Madueke, who had come on as a substitute. Madueke pulled back; Kane banged first time into the far corner. The captain had said on Monday that he wanted 100 England goals, which sounded like wishful thinking. It is never wise to question his targets. At the age of 31, he has 68.

The result gave the England interim manager, Lee Carsley, a ­second win in two games after the 2‑0 ­success against Republic of ­Ireland in ­Dublin on Saturday. For him, there was much to enjoy. ­Nothing more so than Kane.

It felt a little out of character to see Kane in sparkly gold boots but then again, the occasion had been built up pretty much exclusively around him. Why not adopt a few trimmings of the showman? He would collect more gold before kick-off – a special cap to commemorate his landmark, two other members of England’s 100 club, Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole, doing the honours. And then it was out to mine even more.

There were empty seats inside Wembley but it was still a huge crowd and they had come to see a Kane goal. He was central to virtually everything in the first half and yet the breakthrough eluded him.

Anthony Gordon had his full‑back, Adam Ståhl, for pace and when he crossed early on, Kane opted to look square for Bukayo Saka instead of going for goal. Finland got bodies in front of Saka; they would put them on the line time and again.

Kane watched a volley deflect high, he extended Lukas Hradecky with a low shot when he might have done better and he had the ball in the net with a header from Saka’s cross only to be pulled up for offside. Then there were the times when Finland’s last defender stretched to make a ­crucial clearance as Kane looked to get in behind.

Control has been Carsley’s ­watchword; the biggest thing he has wanted to see. Fluidity is another and the movements he demands were on show from the outset, most notably Alexander-Arnold up and inside from right-back. Rico Lewis, on his first start, had plenty of licence from left-back.

Alexander-Arnold was in the mood to make something happen; he even popped up on the left at times. He ­produced the moment of the first half, a delicious reverse ball that released Saka. The winger’s shot took a deflection and Hradecky had to throw up a hand to paw clear. Alexander-Arnold blasted a low shot past the far post and was wide with a free-kick.

AP

It was practically all England up to the interval and yet Finland did have their opportunities, none better than when Declan Rice was robbed by Rasmus Schüller and Topi Keskinen lashed high from the edge of the area. He ought to have played in Teemu Pukki.

Earlier, Lewis had to make a challenge to snuff out Pukki while Keskinen bent just wide, although the referee did whistle for an off‑the‑ball foul by Finland in the move.

Carsley gave a full debut to Angel Gomes and he saw plenty of the ball in a deep-lying central midfield role, moving it briskly and smartly. He also got his foot in to win it, sometimes high up. Carsley is right. Gomes is a different kind of midfield conductor, almost un-English-like.

The second half began as the first had left off; England ­pushing, Kane threatening. There was a free‑kick from him that Hradecky did well to save; then a scissors kick following a Finland defensive lapse. Same result. England had to remain patient because Rice and Gordon had gone close.

Finally, it happened, Carsley as jubilant as anyone when Kane ­showcased that lethal shooting ­technique, honed during those endless hours on the training ground. Ezri Konsa’s enforced withdrawal after he rolled his ankle was a worry but England pressed on, not wanting to settle for 1-0.

Madueke brought tricks and pene­tration; he worked ­Hradecky with a deflected effort while another substitute, Eberechi Eze, could not control another fabulous ­Alexander‑Arnold ball. The last word went to you-know-who.

- David Hytner

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