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Chelsea still have plenty to play for over the next two months as they fight to end the 2024/25 campaign with a trophy to show for their efforts on the pitch.

The Blues have one foot in the semi-finals of the Conference League after they travelled to Poland to hammer Legia Warsaw 3-0 in the first leg of their quarter-final clash on Thursday evening.

Tyrique George opened the scoring, with his first senior goal for the club, and Noni Madueke scored twice to secure a comfortable victory for Enzo Maresca’s side.

The Blues will be hoping to win their first Conference League trophy to claim a piece of silverware in the manager’s first season at the club, whilst also attempting to qualify for the Champions League.

Chelsea are fourth in the Premier League and now know that the top five in the division will qualify for Europe’s premier cup competition, which means that they are in a great position at this moment in time.

Despite the fact that it could be a successful end to the season, the Blues are reportedly active in the market ahead of the summer – with Liam Delap one player who is of interest to the London giants.

Why Chelsea want to sign Liam Delap

It was recently reported that Chelsea are serious about a deal to sign the England U21 international, and that they have already opened talks to snap him up from Ipswich Town.

The 22-year-old striker is set to be relegated to the Championship with the Tractor Boys, who are 12 points adrift with seven matches left to play, and the Blues could take advantage of that to bring the forward to Stamford Bridge this summer.

Despite Ipswich’s struggles in the Premier League this season, the former Manchester City centre-forward has proven his ability to find the back of the net on a regular basis.

He has scored 12 goals in 30 appearances in the division, despite his team having only scored 31 times in 31 games in the league, and outscored current Chelsea number nine Nicolas Jackson.

As you can see in the graphic above, Delap has been significantly more clinical with the ‘big chances’ that have come his way than Jackson has for the Blues this term.

This may be why Chelsea are interested in signing the English youngster when the summer transfer window opens for business later this year, because he could improve the team’s ruthlessness in the final third.

The Blues, however, have now been linked with interest in a player who could be a even better signing than Delap from another Premier League team.

Chelsea have made contact to sign Premier League star

According to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, Chelsea are one of a number of clubs interested in a deal to sign central defender Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The report claims that Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United, and Liverpool are the other Premier League sides keen on a swoop for the Spain international, who has caught the eye with the Cherries this season.

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It states that all four of those clubs, as well as Chelsea, have made contact with the player’s representatives to see where his head is at ahead of the summer.

Ornstein’s report adds that the Spanish centre-back has a £50m release clause in his current contract with Bournemouth, which would allow teams to snap him up without having to have drawn out discussions with his club.

It reveals that the Cherries and Huijsen both want a transfer, or for him to commit to staying at the Vitality, as early as possible in the window, to avoid any late drama.

This means that Chelsea could get a deal for the young central defender wrapped up early, allowing them to focus on other positions later i the window.

Why Huijsen would be a better signing than Delap

Whilst Delap would be an excellent addition to the squad, for the reasons mentioned earlier, Huijsen would be an even better signing for the Blues for several reasons.

Firstly, the Spanish colossus is three years younger than the Ipswich sensation and this means that Chelsea could get more out of him in the long-term, assuming both players are successful and go on to be long-serving performers at Stamford Bridge.

Secondly, Huijsen is already accustomed to playing in a team that wins games fairly regularly, as Bournemouth are tenth in the division and have won 12 and lost ten. This means that he could hit the ground running for the Blues in a team that is on the front foot and expected to perform well as a team.

Whereas, Ipswich have only won four of their 31 matches and this means that Delap has often been chasing long balls or trying to fashion chances for himself against the run of play, which would be completely different to the way that Chelsea play with their possession-based football under Maresca.

That is not to say that the English ace could not adapt to the new style, but it suggests that Huijsen is less of a gamble and has a greater chance of hitting the ground running.

Delap is also yet to show that he can create chances for his teammates on a consistent basis, with 0.7 key passes per game, three ‘big chances’ created, and just two assists in 30 league matches.

Whereas, Huijsen, who football talent scout Jacek Kulig hailed as “extremely dominant”, has excelled at both parts of the game in his respective position at centre-back, by offering consistent quality in and out of possession.

Non-penalty goals

0.09

Top 10%

Shot-creating actions

1.64

Top 5%

Progressive passes

4.49

Top 20%

Progressive carries

1.45

Top 8%

Blocks

1.50

Top 25%

Interceptions

2.10

Top 1%

Clearances

6.78

Top 4%

As you can see in the table above, the Spain international ranks incredibly highly among his positional peers when it comes to progressing play to create chances in possession, whilst also being an outstanding defender who is typically in the right place at the right time to make vital interceptions and clearances.

This suggests that there are not many, if any, flaws in the 19-year-old star’s game, whilst there does seem to still be some gaps in Delap’s development, and that is why he could be an even better addition than the England U21 international.

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The Blues could bolster their squad by signing both of these young talents in the summer transfer window, but – for the reasons listed here – Huijsen should be their top priority.

England’s attack-at-all-costs philosophy needed to adapt, and it has. How will it acquit itself against the acid test that Australia will throw at it?

Greg Chappell18-Nov-2025The Ashes in Australia has always served as Test cricket’s most unforgiving crucible, and for England, the coming series offers the ultimate stress test. Under the stewardship of Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes, they have undergone a profound psychological and stylistic shift.The name “Bazball” came about informally, coined by ESPNcricinfo’s UK editor Andrew Miller in the summer of 2022, shortly after McCullum was appointed head coach alongside new captain Stokes. McCullum, a naturally aggressive player, and Stokes, a captain defined by his proactive approach, provided the perfect psychological environment for this new style to flourish.The philosophy, at its heart, was about giving players mental freedom and eliminating the fear of failure. It was intended to import the fearless, results-oriented methodology of short-form cricket into the five-day game, resulting in an unprecedented run rate of 4.8 per over until mid-2023. Bazball must now mature if it is to succeed against the pace, bounce, and the Australian milieu.Related

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• Duckett: England evolving from being 'entertaining, reckless at times'

This proactive style yielded immediate, sensational outcomes in England. It was liberating for a team that had long struggled. They transitioned from a dismal 6% win rate in the 17 Tests prior to the regime change to a robust 61% success rate overall since. The highs were dramatic, epitomised by a run of record-breaking fourth-innings chases in 2022, where England successfully hunted down four targets of 275-plus, including a monumental 378 runs against India. Their bold declaration against Pakistan in Rawalpindi later that year, giving the hosts a tempting target of 343 runs that eventually led to a memorable 74-run England victory, was immediately hailed as proof of the positive, find-a-way-to-win mentality.However, a deeper analysis reveals a stark geographical dependence that exposes the limits of Bazball 1.0. England’s win rate at home starting with the 2022 summer has been 68%, but away, this figure is 50% – a 26% gap that suggests the revolution is dependent on neutered designer pitches.This statistical difference is directly linked to the environmental context of English cricket. The home success of Bazball has hinged on wickets deliberately prepared to be flatter and more benign than traditional English seaming Test pitches. Stokes explicitly requested fast and flat pitches upon assuming the captaincy, leading to surfaces that minimised the lateral movement that once defined the challenge of playing in England. James Anderson, the master of seam and swing, publicly lamented that the Edgbaston pitch for the 2023 Ashes Test was “like kryptonite” for him, confirming the conditions were hostile to traditional seam-bowling skills.Furthermore, the shorter boundaries at many English Test grounds, which are exempt from strict minimum-size rules, fundamentally mitigate the risk inherent in frenetic batting. An aggressive horizontal-bat shot that clears a short square boundary in England might be caught easily on the expansive fields of Australia.9:19

How should England line up for the first Test?

The inevitable consequences of this high-risk strategy, when those environmental cushions are removed, are spectacular collapses. The team’s rapid implosion against India in Rajkot, where a strong position of 224 for 2 turned into 319 all out, and the stunning eight-wicket defeat against Sri Lanka at home – labelled by some as the worst batting of the Bazball era – serve as stark reminders of the volatility inherent in the approach. Bazball cannot become an excuse to avoid doing the hard yards that Test cricket demands.The key narrative heading into this Ashes series is that England have learnt this lesson and are now moving away from the unbridled, all-out assault of Bazball 1.0.England opener Ben Duckett, a key beneficiary of the aggressive approach, who has averaged 49 (with a strike rate of 87) in home Tests, recently confirmed that the side is evolving from being “entertaining, reckless at times”. Instead, the focus is on a strategic maturation: “reading moments”. Duckett cited the need to “just get through it” when facing five difficult overs at the end of a day, prioritising survival so as to be present the next morning rather than seeking runs at all costs.This subtle, but critical, evolution has not gone unnoticed by the opposition. Australia spinner Nathan Lyon observed that England are now “thinking about ways to win games, not being totally reckless”, while Steve Smith has said England have started to play the situation. This shift, from “reckless entertainment” to disciplined, high-intent positivity – marks the necessary birth of Bazball 2.0.The Australian challenge will be severe. The pitches, starting with the pace and true bounce of Perth, are ideal for an even contest between bat and ball. These are surfaces that reward discipline and sound judgement.While Australia have suffered the loss of Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood to injury for the opening Test, their veteran pace unit remains skilful enough to punish reckless batting. The core of the attack – Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland and the indefatigable Lyon – are key parts of one of the most enduringly successful bowling units in history. Hazlewood’s loss, on top of that of Cummins, is disappointing for the sake of the series. Hazlewood is arguably the most dangerous bowler against batters bearing a purely aggressive mindset. His absence in Perth will be dispiriting for Australia and noticeable.7:41

What can we expect from Harry Brook on his first Ashes tour?

The outcome of this series will pivot on how England’s top order navigates the conditions in Perth and Brisbane.Zak Crawley has been persevered with specifically because he is seen as someone who will flourish on the bouncy wickets with his stand-and-deliver methods. However, he will need immense discretion; attempting to drive too freely on the up against the extra bounce on Australian wickets will see him nick off regularly. Duckett, while he has bloomed in the Bazball era, will find that partnerships become more important than explosive starts, demanding he focus on absorbing pressure as much as on scoring quickly.Meanwhile Ollie Pope, who often seems to be under constant pressure to hold his spot, will need a strong showing in the first two Tests. Should he fail to score significant runs, the calls for the exciting but unproven young talent Jacob Bethell to replace him will inevitably grow louder.Joe Root remains the established star, a bedrock of consistency whom the others will lean on. Harry Brook, the cricket meteor on the rise, is arguably England’s greatest batting prospect. With his minimal movement at the crease and ability to use the angle of the delivery, he reminds me of a young Sachin Tendulkar. Brook’s record is similar (better, in fact) to Tendulkar’s at the same stage of his career. If this burgeoning superstar can adapt quickly to the conditions and temper his ambition with discretion, he could cement his reputation as a world-class talent. Jamie Smith is another exciting batter but one who needs to forget his recent poor New Zealand form.The England team that takes the field in Australia will still be upbeat. We should not expect to see their unbridled early days of Bazball 1.0 again. What we should expect, however, is a fiercely competitive bunch who have finally matured into a tough, aggressive, and calculating unit. Their success will not be measured by run rate but by their willingness to buckle down and undertake the hard work that is required in the demanding conditions of Australia.With the loss of Cummins and Hazlewood for Perth, the balance has shifted inexorably towards England.

Dangerous driving in the damp leaves innings on the skids, but runs on the board

Vithushan Ehantharajah27-Jul-2023There’s something to be said for Test matches like these, when the terms are so clear.Everyone knows the Ashes are beyond England’s reach. Australia have them safely tucked away, already packed in their cases for when they board their return flight home after three months on these shores.Even at 10am on this first morning of the match, the Bee Hive pub – a Moeen Ali flicked six away from the Kia Oval – was rammed with punters spilling out into the streets. All to be expected on a Test-match Thursday. Routines are routines, and each of us has our own. Right down to whether you choose to get out at Vauxhall or Oval Tube Station.It was also clear this was going to be a different fifth Ashes Test to 2019’s version. That also began with Australia 2-1 up, but the backdrop was far less invigorating – subdued, almost, given the limp manner in which England had surrendered their Ashes hopes at Old Trafford after the high of Stokes’ Headingley heroics.This one, however, was going to be different. The tourists had a wrong to right by winning a series here outright for the first time since 2001. England’s motivation to triumph was geared towards boasting of a superiority on points, depending on which of the judge’s scorecards you wanted to believe the most. Even after a physically and emotionally taxing six weeks, both groups have spent the days between Tests talking up their respective aims. At the very least, this was an opportunity to go at each other one last time (one last time ever, in the cases of the senior core of both teams) and be done with it.Yet, arriving here on Thursday morning, there was a whiff of uncertainty about the place. The skies were overcast, yet the sun burned bright enough to shine through and let us know it was here. Wednesday’s rains now hung in the air, creating a humidity you only appreciated when the chilled winds picked up. Pat Cummins, despite suggestions from team-mate Marnus Labuschagne to call heads this time, was finally rewarded for five calls of tails with a first toss win of the series.Given the conditions, there were no qualms about asking England to bat first. And, as ever when such a call is made, to be batting by the end of day one, on 61 for 1 after 25 overs, vindicated Cummins. A straightforward decision had produced the desired result. Australia thought they had a decent day.Typically, so did England. But for the actual scoreline, it would be hard to gauge who is ahead in this “well, actually” of an Ashes series. And as their first innings of 283 all out from 54.4 overs swirled around with ice in their glasses at the end of the day, their appraisal – certainly that of top-scorer Harry Brook – seemed sincere.Moeen Ali was bowled by Todd Murphy for 34 after stepping up his tempo following a groin strain•Getty Images”We were all talking about 250 being a decent score at lunchtime and got 33 more than that,” Brook said, after top-scoring with 85 from 91 deliveries. “We were happy with the way we scored our runs.”As were those in the stands, for the most part. The runs came at 5.17 an over, the 12th time an entire England innings has come at a pace in excess of five since Ben Stokes filled this old car with his rocket fuel and Brendon McCullum kick-started it with a flick of his cigar. Only one other team – Bangladesh against Afghanistan last month – has done similar in that period.The 11th, last week in Manchester, was the most spectacular. The trio of Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood were taken for hundreds each as England peeled off 592 in their only innings of the rained-off fourth Test. But with the elements in their favour this time, the same three recalibrated their lines, pulled back their lengths – but not by too much – and asserted control. And yet there were still moments when they were put on the racks.How you reflect on those moments is based entirely on your own opinions of England’s approach to batting in this era. Much like the viral phenomenon of whether the dress is black and blue, or white and gold, Bazball is either the reason they made it to what looks a decent score on a tough wicket, or why they spurned the chance for a hundred more runs.They made hay early on, Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett strumming to 52 after 10 overs – only the second time England had reached that stage without losing a wicket, for their highest score, no less. Having made it to 62 for 0, three wickets fell for 11 in 22 deliveries, before a further stand of 111 off just 18 overs between Brook and Moeen Ali, whose untimely groin injury persuaded him it was time to “tee off”. Then came the second collapse of 4 for 28, before Chris Woakes and Mark Wood, the heroes of the Headingley chase, reunited for 49.Pick your fruits or poison among all that. There were stunning boundaries, whether it was Duckett charging Hazlewood and almost flaying him through Crawley’s shins, Brook’s flipped six off Hazlewood in the penultimate over before lunch, or a lame Moeen lifting Cummins over square leg, struck sweetly off the middle of a bat that had earlier been used as a walking stick for a “quick” single.Related

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But among the good passages seemingly relinquished – notably 184 for 3, and Brook’s chasing of a wide Starc delivery when looking nailed on for a first century of the series – were other incidents for Australia to rue. Duckett was dropped on 30, Brook on five, who then benefitted from a wayward throw from Cummins which should have run the Yorkshireman out on 50. There were edges through gaps, balls passing just past stumps as batters gave themselves room to thrill. And by stumps, the match was in a very familiar position of not quite knowing who was the more correct of the two teams, but knowing this argument of philosophies had chalked up another thrilling day’s play.It’s worth looking at the scorecard of this corresponding Test in 2019 for some contrast rather than context. England were inserted in similar climes and eked out 294 from 87.1 overs. They are in broadly the same position in the match, yet with more to lament given how they had things their own way. But you always have to remember, this approach is taken with the view that – had they opted for survival, with straight bats down the line of the ball – they probably would not have made it to a competitive score in the first place.As ever with this England team over the last month, winning this match will dictate they were right. And losing it might, too.If 2019’s Oval Test had an end-of-term feel, this was very much the Last Night of the Proms. A few classics from the last months, and still some familiar hits to come from what has been a show-stopping series.

There isn’t much domestic cricket locked in yet, but should Covid-19 allow here’s some names with plenty to play for

Andrew McGlashan23-Sep-2021The Australia domestic season remains very piecemeal at the moment with only a handful of games confirmed and two states – Victoria and New South Wales – still unsure when they will start due to Covid-19 border closures.However, following the opening Marsh Cup game on Wednesday the Sheffield Shield will begin in Adelaide on Friday so, in the spirit of positivity and in the hope that there will be plenty more cricket in the next few months, it’s a chance to assess which players could have the chance to make a case for the Test side. There’s at least one batting spot up for grabs and maybe two, plus the likelihood that extra quicks are needed.Some who could be in the frame but are part of the T20 World Cup squad will have very little, or no, opportunity to play first-class cricket before the Test group is selected. Mitchell Marsh has opted to stay focused on white-ball cricket rather than play South Australia this week, although team-mate Josh Inglis will feature while Mitchell Swepson (Queensland) is expected to play Tasmania.While it seems doubtful players will get as much Shield cricket as had been hoped for before the Test season – which now seems unlikely to feature Afghanistan in Hobart – here are some names who will be up for discussion.Travis Head (South Australia)
Despite losing his Test place against India last season, and then his Cricket Australia contract, he is probably the favourite for the No. 5 spot. Having been named in the squad for the postponed tour of South Africa, he finished last season very strongly in domestic cricket where he made 893 runs in the Sheffield Shield although did not have such a good time in county cricket for Sussex where he failed to make a fifty in six Championship matches.Usman Khawaja (Queensland)
There is potentially a vacancy at the top of the order (more on that in the names to follow) and it could be that the experience of Khawaja, who averages 96.80 in five Tests opening the batting, again attracts the interest of the selectors. A strong school of thought remains that given this isn’t the strongest era of Australian batting that he should have already returned since his omission during the 2019 Ashes. He recently attempted to put to bed any talk of a rift with coach Justin Langer.Related

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Marcus Harris (Victoria)
The incumbent Test opener (if you can remember all the way back to January) is actually Harris after he replaced the injured Will Pucovski for the final match against India in Brisbane. With 10 months between Tests it remains to be seen how much that counts for, but Harris did himself no harm with a productive county season for Leicestershire with three centuries in eight matches. However, as with all players from Victoria and New South Wales it remains uncertain when he’ll actually get the chance to bat.Will Pucovski (Victoria)
He marked his Test debut against India with a half-century at the SCG before damaging his shoulder in the field. It led to him needing reconstructive surgery and though he is currently able to bat without issue his fielding is likely to be impacted for most of the season which could make it difficult to select him in the Test side.Alex Carey (South Australia)
Tim Paine is confident of being fit for the Ashes but as with any major surgery there is the risk of complications. Inglis’ development perhaps makes the wicketkeeping succession a little less clear cut but Carey likely remains the frontrunner (he averages 51.66 in first-class cricket over the last two seasons) and having been left out of T20 World Cup squad could get a run of matches depending of what the schedule looks like beyond the opening round. Looked in great touch in the first Marsh Cup game.Alex Carey has an impressive first-class record•Getty ImagesSean Abbott (New South Wales)
Abbott’s plans for the off-season didn’t work out when he suffered an injury in his first match with Surrey and was soon a plane back home which also meant he wasn’t an option to bolster Australia’s depleted limited-overs squads. He is fit to start the season (whenever that is for New South Wales) and last summer was part of the Test bubble, although he may struggle to push ahead of the other pace-bowling options barring a spate of injuries.Michael Neser (Queensland)
There isn’t much more Neser can do to push his claims for a Test cap – it is now just a question of whether he is next in line should the Big Three be broken up. With a degree of hindsight he should have come in to freshen up the attack for the final Test against India last season and with an acknowledgement that rotation will need to be part of this summer that elusive cap could be his.Jhye Richardson (Western Australia)
Richardson made a promising start to his Test career with six wickets in two matches against Sri Lanka (and averages 23.74 in his first-class career) but through a combination of injury and limited-overs selection has not played a first-class match since November 2019. Having slipped out of Australia’s T20 plans he now has a chance to refocus on his red-ball game to keep himself in the frame as an Ashes reserve.James Pattinson (Victoria)
He was part of the Test bubble last season before an unfortunate injury at home sidelined him. At peak form, he remains one of the best fast bowlers in Australia and will certainly come into mix should his body hold up and Covid-19 allows him enough opportunity to impress. He recently told that this could be his last chance. “This year is a big one for me, if I can crack in and try and get an opportunity at Test level. Then if not, then I probably wouldn’t mind just looking to try and enjoy my cricket somewhere towards the back-end of my career.”

Arsenal remain top of the Premier League table for another week.

On Saturday evening, in a game that was far from thrill a minute stuff, Mikel Arteta’s team battled to a 1-0 victory at Craven Cottage against Fulham; Gabriel’s flick-on from a corner bundled over the line by Leandro Trossard’s thigh.

Cue the familiar song: set piece again, olé olé!

That makes it five wins on the spin across all competitions for the Gunners while, in a second successive Premier League match, their opponents failed to register a single shot on target, the first time Arsenal have achieved this since doing so against Birmingham and, coincidentally, Fulham during the Invincibles season of 2003/04.

While man of the match Bukayo Saka and match-winner Trossard, more on him in just a second, will get the headlines, another of Arteta’s most-trusted disciples also underlined his importance to this team in West London.

Arsenal's star man against Fulham

With Eberechi Eze deployed centrally to fill Martin Ødegaard’s void, the biggest team selection headache facing Arteta on Saturday was who to deploy on the left wing.

Both options had been on target during the international break; Trossard netted for Belgium in Cardiff, while Martinelli scored for Brazil in Tokyo, but Arteta will certainly feel vindicated in his decision.

Having scored as a substitute against Athletic Club and Port Vale last month, Trossard has started each of the last five Premier League and Champions League fixtures, forcing over the line his first league goal of the campaign at the weekend, and what an important one it could prove to be.

This, though, is nothing new, with the Belgian taking his tally to 31 goals and 25 assists for the Gunners, averaging a goal contribution every 130 minutes.

In fact, since his debut in January 2023, only Saka (42 goals) has scored more times for Arsenal than Trossard, just ahead of Kai Havertz and Martinelli, both on 29 goals.

So, while Trossard will rightly get plenty of plaudits, which other Arsenal player deserves to be spotlighted for their eye-catching performance at Craven Cottage?

Mikel Arteta's new favourite chaos merchant

The emergence of Myles Lewis-Skelly was one of the key storylines of last season.

In the space of only five months, the teenager went from playing in the EFL trophy in front of 2,400 people to starting Champions League quarter-finals and semi-finals against Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.

This season though, the England international is yet to start a Premier League match, through no fault of his own, it should be reiterated, purely because Arteta is enamoured with what Riccardo Calafiori offers.

The Italy international accumulated just 1,497 minutes during his first season in North London, starting only 16 matches across all competitions, but has started all eight Premier League fixtures to date this time round, so far managing to remain injury-free.

His performance at Fulham on Saturday evening was Calafiori at his chaotic best.

Expected goals

0.04

9th

Shots off target

1

3rd

Defensive actions

5

6th

Clearances

4

4th

Accurate passes

27

9th

Pass completion %

87%

9th*

Duels contested

9

6th

Aerial duels contested

5

4th

Touches

50

9th

Average rating

6.8

11th

*minimum 16 passes completed.

As the table outlines, while Calafiori’s statistics don’t stand out for any one metric in particular, he ranks highly for a wide variety of numbers, underlining that he is contributing all over the pitch.

Early in the first half, the £42m Italian thought he had broken the deadlock, only for his thunderous volley to be disallowed due to offside, one that journalist Charles Watts posits may be one of the best disallowed goals in modern Arsenal history.

Now that you’re thinking about it, Pépé vs Chelsea in the FA Cup Final, Trossard at Leicester and Gabriel against Bournemouth are the other leading contenders.

Back to Calafiori, he continues to impress, with Andrew Mangan of Arseblog labelling him ‘defensively very solid again’ while, paradoxically, James Benge of CBS asserts that he is “the most electrifying man in sports entertainment”.

Chalkboard

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

To support this, amazingly, the left-back has attempted 16 shots in the Premier League this season, scoring at Old Trafford on the opening day of course, the second-most of any Arsenal player, behind only centre-forward Viktor Gyökeres.

It’s for that reason that he has, undoubtedly, been just as important as star man Saka of late.

Indeed, the fact the defender is able to combine being an excellent defensive presence with being a chaotic on-ball contributor, something this Arsenal team often lacks, especially when coming up against a low block, is absolutely invaluable.

Saturday saw Arteta’s team keep their eighth clean sheet in just 11 matches across all competitions this season, staggering numbers that would not be possible if one quartet of their back four was in any way a defensive liability.

William Saliba and Gabriel rightly get plenty of plaudits, while Jurriën Timber’s exceptional performances this season have earned plenty of praise too, but Calafiori’s contribution should not be overlooked, given that he offers this team so much, literally all over the pitch.

As bad as Gyokeres: Arteta must boldly drop 6/10 Arsenal star after Fulham

Arsenal won 1-0 at Craven Cottage but it wasn’t all plain sailing for Mikel Arteta’s side.

ByJoe Nuttall Oct 19, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

Brasil e Jamaica se enfrentam neste sábado (1º), em jogo amistoso. A bola vai rolar a partir das 17h (de Brasília), na Arena Pernambuco, em Pernambuco (RE), com transmissão da TV Brasil, Sportv e Canal GOAT.

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Confira todas as informações que você precisa saber sobre o confronto entre Brasil e Jamaica (onde assistir, horário, escalações e local).

✅ FICHA TÉCNICA
BRASIL X JAMAICA
AMISTOSO
🗓️ Data e horário: sábado, 1º de junho de 2024, às 17h (de Brasília);
📍 Local: Arena Pernambuco, Pernambuco (RE);
📺 Onde assistir: TV Brasil, Sportv e Canal GOAT;
🟨 Árbitro: sem informações;
🚩 Assistentes: sem informações;
🖥️ VAR: sem informações.

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BRASIL (Técnico: Arthur Elias)
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Rich Hill is back in baseball.

The 45-year-old lefty has agreed to a minor-league deal with the Kansas City Royals, the team announced Tuesday. He's expected to report to Triple-A Omaha, where he'll join the Storm Chasers' rotation.

If promoted to MLB, the Royals would be the 14th franchise that Hill has played for throughout his lengthy career in the big leagues. Should he get the call to the bigs, he'd be tied with Edwin Jackson for the most MLB teams that one player has played for in league history.

Hill debuted in 2005 with the Chicago Cubs. He's made 386 pitching appearances in his career, having played for almost half of the teams in MLB, including the Cubs, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Guardians, Los Angeles Angels, New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics, Los Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota Twins, Tampa Bay Rays, New York Mets, Pittsburgh Pirates and San Diego Padres. He spent the most time with the Red Sox throughout his career, having played a total of six seasons in Boston.

Hill last pitched in MLB in 2024, when he made four relief appearances for the Red Sox and recorded a 4.91 ERA with five strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings.

Tottenham Hotspur supporters have often been blessed with numerous elite-level wingers, many of whom have given the supporters memories to last a lifetime in the final third.

Heung-min Son joined the Lilywhites from Bayer Leverkusen way back in the summer of 2015, making himself a cult hero in North London – after racking up over 400 appearances in North London.

The South Korean international captained the Lilywhites last season, leading them to European glory and subsequently helping them end their near-two-decade wait for silverware.

Gareth Bale was another, scoring countless strikes off the right-hand flank, even leaving in a club-record £85m deal to join Real Madrid back in the summer of 2013.

The Welshman is arguably one of the most talented players to ever grace the Premier League, with current boss Thomas Frank no doubt wishing he had a player of his calibre at his disposal.

However, one of Bale’s compatriots has ultimately failed to reach the levels many expected, which has brought his long-term future in North London into huge question.

Brennan Johnson’s decline at Spurs in the last 12 months

Brennan Johnson has endured somewhat of a rollercoaster spell in his two years at Spurs, with many being taken by surprise by his performances in North London.

The winger originally joined in a £47.5m deal from Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2023, with many supporters raising eyebrows at the nature of the transfer fee.

His spell at the club certainly didn’t get off to the best start in 2023/24, with the 24-year-old only scoring five times in his 32 appearances during his debut year.

The early stages of 2024/25 weren’t much better for the youngster, with his dismal displays leading to unacceptable abuse from a selection of supporters on social media.

In turn, Johnson deactivated all of his accounts, allowing him to focus on his football and subsequently shutting up his doubters – ending the year on 18 goals across all competitions.

He was also responsible for the biggest goal in the Lilywhites’ recent history, as he poked home the winning goal in the Europa League triumph against Manchester United back in May.

Frank’s arrival during the same period should have handed the winger the perfect chance to build on his success, but so far, he’s endured a huge drop-off in form, with his numbers massively suffering as a result.

Johnson averaged a superb 2.2 shots per 90 in the Premier League last season, but in the first 11 outings of the new campaign, he’s only been able to post an average of 0.96 per 90.

Such a drop is a 56% decline in the space of just a matter of months, showcasing that the player is currently suffering from a huge lack of confidence in North London.

He’s also seen a significant drop in terms of his touches in the opposition box per 90, with the Welshman also unable to get himself into threatening positions on a consistent basis.

Last season, the 24-year-old averaged a total of 5.9 touches in the 18-yard box per 90, but at present, he’s only notching a total of 2.6 – a drop of around 57%.

The Spurs star who can end Johnson’s Spurs career

After Son’s departure to join LAFC in the summer window, Spurs and Frank have massively lacked the depth and quality needed on the left-hand side of the attack.

Over the last few weeks, the Dane has utilised various players in such a role to try and bridge the gap between now and the upcoming January transfer window.

Richarlison operated in such a role in the 2-2 draw with Manchester United, with the Brazilian struggling to adapt to operating in a somewhat unfamiliar position.

Johnson himself has even filled the void over the last couple of months, but like the aforementioned star, he’s been unable to nail such a role down as his own.

His performances in such an area will no doubt have contributed to his recent slump in form, with the Welshman being kicked out of his right-sided role after Mohammed Kudus’ arrival.

However, the 24-year-old could find his career in North London over the coming months, especially if winger Wilson Odobert is able to build up a strong run of starts in the first team.

The Frenchman joined the Lilywhites in a £25m deal from Burnley last summer, but has often had to bide his time for an impact in the first-team over the last 18 months.

The 20-year-old only made a total of 16 Premier League appearances for the Lilywhites last season, but still managed to net his first top-flight goal against West Ham United.

Odobert, who’s been described as “a mixture of Barcola and Aaron Lennon” by one Sky Sports analyst, also managed to net two goals during the Europa League-winning campaign, managing to provide the goods when called upon by Ange Postecoglou.

However, since Frank’s arrival during the off-season, he’s only made three starts in the Premier League, whilst also making just seven appearances off the bench.

He’s only appeared for a total of 379 league minutes to date, with the manager desperately needing to show more faith in the youngster in the months ahead.

Frank did allow Odobert the chance to shine against United on Saturday, with the Frenchman taking full advantage of the chance handed his way by the manager.

He registered an assist for Richarlison after coming on at the break to replace compatriot Randal Kolo Muani, who was replaced at the break after fracturing his jaw.

Wilson Odobert – stats against Man Utd

Statistics

Tally

Minutes played

45

Touches

25

Passes completed

100%

Chances created

3

Dribbles completed

2

Crosses completed

2

Duels won

100%

Fouls drawn

1

Stats via FotMob

Despite only featuring for 45 minutes, Odobert did manage to complete the most dribbles of any player on the pitch (2), whilst also creating the most chances (3).

He also managed to complete 100% of the passes he attempted, with such a cameo showcasing to the manager why he should he starting in North London on a regular basis.

As a result, Johnson will certainly be lucky to maintain his starting role, with the Welshman now extremely likely to drop down to the substitutes bench in the coming games.

Given his mammoth sum, the hierarchy may now look to cash in on his services in the winter to try and avoid losing a whole heap on their £47.5m investment for his signature.

Related Frank can end Bentancur's Spurs career by unleashing "future £100m" talent

Tottenham Hotspur have a huge talent on their hands, but his progress is being halted by Rodrigo Bentancur.

Posts ByEthan Lamb Nov 12, 2025

Bethell set to become England Men’s youngest-ever captain during Ireland T20Is

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Aug-2025

Sonny Baker has caught the eye of the England selectors•Getty Images

Sonny Baker has won his maiden England call-up for the forthcoming ODI series against South Africa, while Jacob Bethell’s rapid rise continues after he was named captain of the T20I side to tour Ireland immediately after.Bethell is set to become England’s youngest men’s captain when he deputises for Harry Brook in three T20Is. Still only 21, Bethell will beat the mark currently held by Monty Bowden, who was 23 and 144 days when he led England against South Africa at Cape Town on the Test tour of 1888-89.Related

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South Africa will arrive to play three ODIs and three T20Is next month, which will conclude England’s home season. Brook will then sit out the three-match trip to Ireland, along with four other all-format players – Jofra Archer, Brydon Carse, Ben Duckett and Jamie Smith – as part of workload management.Assistant coach Marcus Trescothick will also take the reins from Brendon McCullum for the games in Malahide.Baker impressed with England Lions over the winter, which led to him being awarded an England development contract. Capable of bowling around the 90mph mark, he has caught the eye with Hampshire and Manchester Originals this summer.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

He joins an ODI squad that is largely unchanged from the group that beat West Indies 3-0 in Brook’s first series as permanent white-ball captain earlier in the summer. Gus Atkinson, Luke Wood and Tom Hartley drop out, though Wood is included in both T20I squads and Hartley will travel to Ireland. Atkinson will likely build up his red-ball loads ahead of the winter’s Ashes.Rehan Ahmed returns to the ODI group and is included in all three squads after a prolific summer with the bat. Baker is also in the Ireland T20I squad, as is Matthew Potts, who debuted in the format against West Indies.”Jacob Bethell has impressed with his leadership qualities ever since he has been with the England squads and the series against Ireland will provide him with the opportunity to further develop those skills on the international stage,” England men’s selector, Luke Wright, said.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

“Sonny is a player we have identified for a while and he was impressive during the England Lions tours last winter. He has carried that form into this season in white-ball cricket with Hampshire and Manchester Originals and deservedly gets his opportunity.”England ODI squad to face South Africa: Harry Brook (capt), Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Sonny Baker, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler, Brydon Carse, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Saqib Mahmood, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jamie SmithEngland T20I squad to face South Africa: Harry Brook (capt), Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler, Brydon Carse, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Saqib Mahmood, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Jamie Smith, Luke WoodEngland T20I squad to face Ireland: Jacob Bethell (capt), Rehan Ahmed, Sonny Baker, Tom Banton, Jos Buttler, Liam Dawson, Tom Hartley, Will Jacks, Saqib Mahmood, Jamie Overton, Matthew Potts, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Luke Wood

Trent Alexander-Arnold has revealed that he and Jude Bellingham share the same barber, who they regularly fly out to Madrid from the UK to cut their hair. The Real Madrid defender explained that he and the midfielder started using the same barber at the European Championships and now that they are both at the same club, choose to have the barber get a flight to the Spanish capital.

• The life of a celebrity barber

  Footballers are well known for getting their haircuts regularly and many keep the same barber for years, even when moving clubs. In an interview with Amazon, Alexander-Arnold revealed that he and Bellingham choose to fly their barber out to Madrid regularly. This means that the pair, who get their hair cut almost weekly, are consistently forking out for return flights to and from the Spanish capital for their trusted man.

  The actions of the Los Blancos pair are not uncommon. Earlier this year, popular Premier League barber Senyo revealed that former Chelsea midfielder Ramires had him fly from London to China every month to give his hair a trim.

  He explained: "People didn't understand it. But you know when you're quite particular about the person who cuts your hair, sometimes it is impossible to just get anyone to do it. It is the relationship you build with these boys, the trust that you build, once they recommend you that means that you're official."

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• Flights to Madrid

  The Englishmen in Madrid must be especially particular about the man who cuts their hair. When asked by Alex Aljoe for about haircuts in the Madrid team, Alexander-Arnold explained: "[Bellingham] takes his hair very, very seriously. His hair is very serious to him.”

  When questioned how often the midfielder gets his hair treated, the defender admitted that they have the same barber and so they get haircuts the same number of times. He added: "[I met him at] England camp, it might have been the Euros, even. You bring your barber once a week, maybe.

  "And then, some of the lads will jump on. I jumped on with him on [and got] a nice, fresh haircut."

  Questioned whether the barber lives in Madrid, the defender said: "No. [He lives] in the UK. He comes regularly, yeah."

• Anfield homecoming for former Red

  Alexander-Arnold and Bellingham might not have to fly their barber to continental Europe this week, with the pair set to play at Anfield in mid-week. The game will mark the right-back’s first ever game against Liverpool and a return to the club that made him the player he is today.

  Despite departing a Premier League champion, the former Reds academy star left Merseyside unceremoniously in the summer and was even booed by his own fans following the announcement of his desire to move to Los Blancos. Now set to start the game up against his former team-mates, Alexander-Arnold could be set for a hostile reception.

  The game will offer Bellingham and the rest of the Madrid squad a chance to make up for their failings at the same ground in last year’s competition. The Reds were dominant and saw off the Spanish giants 2-0, a game in which Kylian Mbappe missed a penalty for the visitors.

  The French forward, fresh off winning the European Golden Shoe, is in sublime form and will be hungry to get on the scoresheet. The Reds defence has been under immense scrutiny this season and, despite winning this weekend, Liverpool remain in patchy form.

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• Getty Images
  

  Madrid leading the pack

  Madrid have been strong this season and, under new management of Xabi Alonso, are racing clear at the top of La Liga. Los Blancos are five points clear of bitter rivals Barcelona, who narrowed the gap with victory over Elche on Sunday.

  Madrid have also been faultless in the Champions League. They will be hoping to make it four wins from four against Liverpool to keep the pressure on the sides above them, including Arsenal, Inter Milan, Bayern Munich and current holders Paris Saint-Germain.