Tag Futebol

Hazlewood: Australia need to come up with new plans against spin-heavy attacks

Deivarayan Muthu08-Oct-20231:19

Tom Moody: Australia did not have a plan for that sort of pitch

Chepauk was such a furnace on Sunday afternoon that it almost felt like 45 degrees in an air-conditioned press box. The spectators spread towels over their heads in the open stands. Australia’s batters took impromptu drinks breaks, and found shelter under umbrellas, with ice towels on their necks, during those breaks.Soon after the powerplay, Steven Smith and David Warner traded their helmets for caps. Chennai’s suffocating heat and humidity was getting to them. India’s spin trio of Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, and R Ashwin then suffocated them even further.India’s spinners bowled 16.5 overs worth of dot balls in their collective 30. They picked up six wickets among them for just 104 runs. They kept hitting Test-match lengths on a black-soil turner that also offered some variable bounce. Australia’s batters just couldn’t put the spinners off those lengths. Their lone specialist spinner then struggled in the evening once dew set in, leaking 53 runs in his eight overs while going wicketless.Australia did find some momentary breathing space when Warner and Smith forged a 69-run partnership for the second wicket after Mitchell Marsh had fallen for a duck. Hardik Pandya offered both batters drive balls, but the pressure was relentless from India’s spinners. Jadeja was a popgun firing darts on a good length around off stump. Kuldeep, too, attacked the stumps with his stock balls and wrong’uns. Ashwin let rip his carrom ball and reverse carrom ball, raising puffs of dust from the surface.Related

• Cummins and ODIs, not quite a love story just yet

• Kuldeep: Everyone told me to bowl quicker, but no one told me how

• Smith: 'We can learn a bit from this game'

• Fear flashbacks no more, India fans

• 'Play like it's Test cricket for some time' – What Kohli told Rahul when India fell to 2 for 3

Australia’s batters kept waiting for the loose ball, which never came. They couldn’t find other ways to counter the spinners either. They attempted just 13 sweeps for seven runs and stepped out to just nine balls against the spinners, managing only 11 runs, according to ESPNcricinfo’s logs. Sure, hitting good-length balls against spin was particularly tough on this track, and the straight boundaries are bigger than the square ones at Chepauk, but batters had to manufacture something to stay in the game here.Australia ended up with 199, which was about 50 runs short of a par total, according to their captain Pat Cummins. Their batters now face the unenviable task of dealing with a similar black-soil turner in Lucknow, where they will play back-to-back games next week against South Africa and Sri Lanka. South Africa will also have three spinners at their disposal – left-arm fingerspinner Keshav Maharaj, left-arm wristspinner Tabraiz Shamsi and offspin-bowling allrounder Aiden Markram. Though Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga are both injured, Sri Lanka have the services of left-arm fingerspinner Dunith Wellalage, legspinner Dushan Hemantha and offspin-bowling allrounder Dhananjaya de Silva.Australia need to come up with new plans against spin-heavy attacks, Josh Hazlewood has said. “Yeah, I think in particular batting in that first innings, that was probably as extreme as the conditions are going to get, I think, in terms of spin and playing spin throughout the middle and trying to find ways to score, keep that run rate ticking over without losing wickets,” he said at his post-match press conference. “So, there’s probably a good sort of examination on our batters to get that up first, probably against the best spinners in the tournament, arguably. Hopefully it gets a little bit easier from here on in and they’ll come up with some new plans and go from there.”Glenn Maxwell was knocked over by Kuldeep Yadav spinning one in sharply•Getty ImagesAustralia have a spin problem on the bowling front too: they have picked just one specialist spinner for an ODI World Cup in India. Ashton Agar, who helped them win a bilateral series in India in March earlier this year, is nursing a calf injury while legspinner Tanveer Sangha is only a travelling reserve with the squad.In the warm-up match against Pakistan in Hyderabad, Australia tested Maxwell out in the powerplay against the left-handed Fakhar Zaman and even coaxed out overs from Smith, Marnus Labuschagne and Warner, but they didn’t use those part-timers against India.Zampa conceded three fours in his first over on Sunday and lacked wicket-taking threat. Maxwell, who was introduced into the attack in the last over of the powerplay, well before Zampa, didn’t trouble India’s batters either. The ball also skidded onto the bat under lights in dewy conditions, making life even more difficult for Australia’s spinners.Hazlewood refused to admit that Australia are light on spin and echoed the thoughts of the team management, backing Maxwell to come good as a frontline spin option.”No, I don’t think so,” Hazlewood said. “I think our quicks are our strength probably upfront as we saw tonight. And then I think Glenn Maxwell is a frontline spinner, in particular in India. He’s bowled a lot here throughout IPL and throughout one-dayers. So yeah, I consider him a frontline spinner. So, we’ve got two spinners and three quicks as, you know, a lot of the other teams do so no, I don’t feel that we’re short at all.”Whether Australia have enough spin-bowling resources for the World Cup is still up for debate, but if their batting line-up plays to potential, they can actually throw the spinners off their lengths. Warner, Maxwell, and Alex Carey have a variety of sweeps in their repertoire. Smith and Labuschagne can manipulate the spinners into the gaps while Cameron Green’s big reach could open up scoring opportunities. Marcus Stoinis, who was Lucknow Super Giants’ spin-hitter in IPL 2023, batted for almost an hour and even had a decent workout with the ball in the lead-up to the game at Chepauk.Can they turn Australia’s campaign around in Lucknow?

Tide finally goes out for England despite wicketkeeper’s valiant attempt to avert defeat

Andrew Miller16-Aug-20216:25

Harmison: England openers have reached an all-time low

There is, as everyone is probably aware, a rather explicit message written onto the top of Jos Buttler’s bat-handle. It’s meant to serve as a reminder not to take this game too seriously, to keep a grip on his freedom of expression while navigating the sport’s ups and downs. It wasn’t meant to be a comment on the state of the game as he faced up to his opening delivery.For Buttler had an awful lot to ponder as he braced for the incoming Ishant Sharma in what was already an agonising rearguard. His arrival at the crease had been telegraphed by Jonny Bairstow’s departure from it 20 minutes earlier – pinned plumb lbw by Ishant on the very stroke of tea, to leave England listless at 67 for 4, with another 38 overs to come.Before Buttler had faced a ball, Joe Root was gone too – that man of every key moment of the day, Jasprit Bumrah, finding his edge with a snorter before Root could find his post-prandial footing. And as Root traipsed back to the pavilion, with 213 runs for the match banked but still 205 left out there, way, way beyond England’s collective reach, Buttler could at least take solace in the clarity of his renewed job spec. Block for your life, and then block some more.For it’s not always been obvious quite how Buttler’s meant to approach his Test batting. Circumspection has gnawed away at his natural, ball-striking game – and for all the advice staring up at him from that handle, a Test average of 33.65, and a strike-rate of 56, speak of a player trapped between mindsets, unable to unleash because the pitfalls of doing so can be bottomless in this format.Related

Bumrah, Shami, mindgames, and England's great malfunction

Jasprit Bumrah lights up Lord's on emotionally charged final day

Bumrah, Shami – 'lower order batters', not 'tailenders'

Siraj finishes England off as India script famous win

At Trent Bridge last week, he played an awful, agonised prod to the 18th scoreless delivery of his innings, to trudge off – sixth out – for the third of England’s four first-day ducks. It epitomised how trapped his game was feeling in a team that’s been set up to fail, with neither faith nor foundations on which to build a substantial whole.Three years ago, in the corresponding series against India, Buttler’s counterattacking game came good for England on numerous occasions, often from similarly backs-to-the-wall situations. But India’s bowling was not as relentless as it is now, and nor were England – with a spine of unimpeachable Test experience stretching from Alastair Cook at the top through Ben Stokes and Root in the middle, right down to James Anderson and Stuart Broad – quite so nakedly clueless as they have been in the clutch moments this year.Jasprit Bumrah reacts to Virat Kohli dropping Jos Buttler•Getty ImagesBut here, the narrative of England’s struggle was set in stone from the first ten balls of their reply. Ducks for Rory Burns, caught off a leading edge as Bumrah hooped one back from outside leg, and Dom Sibley, ripped asunder by a staggering ball from Mohammed Shami, served due notice of what was to come for England. And Buttler’s only role – lonely but essential as it was – was to present a firm bat, straight back down the line, and hope not to snick one.Not for the first time, his stay didn’t start promisingly. Virat Kohli informed Buttler shortly after his arrival that “this was not white-ball cricket”, but Kohli himself then missed a glorious opportunity to provide his own punchline by dropping a clanger at slip as Buttler nibbled – in loose, lofty, one-day fashion – at a short and wide one outside off.But by degrees, he began to epitomise the hope that can spring eternal in Test cricket even on the darkest, most soul-searching days. For two-and-a-half hours of stoic crease occupation, first with Moeen Ali, and then – after Sam Curran’s awkward week had been ended with the first king pair by an England batter at Lord’s – with the impressively obdurate Ollie Robinson, he presented the broadest bat he could muster, and dredged his technique and ticker for every residual ounce of gumption he could find.And as India’s quest for wickets slowed with the final hour approaching, the countdown was truly on. With 16.4 overs to come, the graphics gurus at Sky Sports offered a cheeky nod to the zeitgeist by flashing up the fact that there were “100 balls remaining in the day”, and Buttler, self-evidently, needed to face the vast majority of them.On the fourth day, a huge and ironic cheer had rung around Lord’s when Cheteshwar Pujara – with what hindsight now proves to have been a pricelessly dour innings of 45 from 206 balls – notched up his 100th delivery, for the cost at the time of 12 runs. And for as long as Buttler was lingering with similar resolve, the great escape was still on – much as it had been all those years ago at Cardiff in 2009, when “Brigadier Block”, Paul Collingwood, had seemed to be England’s only hope until Monty Panesar and that man Anderson held the line in the frantic denouement.Buttler and Kohli have something to say to each other•AFP/Getty ImagesBut suddenly, and inexorably, the end hove into view. Robinson, who had been greeted by Kohli as a “boring big mouth”, had once again displayed a rare aptitude for the Test battle before being found out by arguably the ball of the day from Bumrah, a stunning pacy offcutter that foxed even umpire Richard Illingworth as it smashed him on the back leg, halfway up the stumps.And with that, the spell was broken. Moments later, in the same over that could have delivered his 100th ball, Buttler prodded outside off to the relentless Mohammed Siraj to trudge off for 25 from 96. And as the tide went out for England with Anderson’s wicket three balls later, the shoreline showed a familiar pattern of beached, inadequate performances – and a familiar name poking fractionally higher than his team-mates.For even on a day when he failed by his own relentlessly high standards – and even on a day when he accepted personal responsibility for the abject hour of bowling chaos that had gifted India their route back to the ascendancy – it was Joe Root, rather than Buttler, who stood out in the final analysis with his 33 calmly crafted runs. His contribution was an echo of what could have been, even into the teeth of an outstanding, unyielding India attack, had there been an iota of similar knowhow from the men around him.”I expected us to be able to bat out the last two sessions and it’s disappointing that we didn’t,” Root said at the close. “There’s no hiding from it, we need to get better. The guys all know that. Everyone is hurting. It’s very raw right now. I feel the same as every single player in that dressing room, it is a missed opportunity. But it is not time to panic.”It might, however, be time to let out a rather large oath.

Cal Raleigh made MLB history on Sunday by hitting his 49th home run this season and becoming the record-holder for most home runs hit in a single season by a catcher.

Well, Raleigh followed up one historic game with another on Monday as he crushed his 50th homer of the year. With this home run, he joined two MLB legends in two separate records.

Raleigh is now just the second Mariners player in franchise history to record 50 or more home runs in a single season, joining Ken Griffey Jr. on the short list. Griffey logged 56 home runs in both the 1997 and '98 seasons with Seattle. Raleigh could be on his way to reaching, or surpassing, that Mariners record held by Griffey for nearly three decades.

Additionally, Raleigh is now just the second switch hitter in MLB history to record 50 or more home runs in a single season, joining Hall of Famer Mickey Mantle, per Mariners PR. The late MLB legend has remained the only switch hitter ever to hit this milestone since he did so in both 1956 and '61—that was until Monday night when Raleigh hit this mark. Mantle hit 52 homers in '56 and 54 in '61, so Raleigh could surpass both of Mantle's home run numbers in a single season.

There's still about a month left of the MLB regular season. Let's see what other history Raleigh makes.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot shared his thoughts on talisman Mohamed Salah after Saturday's 2-0 Premier League win over Brighton at Anfield. Slot started with Salah on the bench but turned to the forward in the first half after defender Joe Gomez was forced off injured. Salah went on to pick up an assist in the game in what was his final appearance for the Reds before heading to the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt.

Salah grabs assist on Liverpool return

Salah made his first appearance for Liverpool since criticising the club and his manager after the team's draw with Sunderland. The Egypt international has said he feels he has been "thrown under the bus" by the Reds and was subsequently left out of the club's Champions League trip to Inter in midweek. The situation has led to speculation that Salah could depart in the January transfer window, with Saudi Pro League clubs keen on the 33-year-old. However, he was back in action for Liverpool against Brighton on Saturday and provided an assist for Hugo Ekitike's second goal as the Merseysiders picked up all three points and moved into sixth place in the table.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportSlot speaks out after Liverpool win

Slot gave his verdict on Salah's performance and his decision to recall him to the squad after the match. He told Sky Sports: "I think he was a threat. The first ball he touched, he almost made an assist for Mac Allister. He was constantly involved in the fact we had Mo. Pleasing to see but not a surprise. It was an easy decision to put him in the squad. I have said many times before what has been said between us will stay between us. We needed him and he assisted to the 2-0 which is nice for us. We have been so many times this season on the wrong side of the set-piece battle. He goes to the AFCON and that means for us another player down. This is what we knew before the season started. Hopefully one or two players can come back from injury."

Salah makes history with latest assist

Salah added another record to his collection with his latest assist. The Egypt international has broken Wayne Rooney's record for the most Premier League goal involvements for a single club. Salah now has 277 goal involvements for Liverpool in the Premier League (188 goals, 89 assists), beating Rooney's previous landmark of 276 for Manchester United (183 goals, 93 assists).

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Slot thrilled with Liverpool win

Slot also spoke about his team's form after bagging a first home Premier League win since November 1st. He added: "Very pleased. I think you could see today what it means for the players if you have to play many games. We had three days rest and were facing a team that had a week to prepare. You could see the problems during the game with injuries but the mentality was great." 

The Liverpool boss also praised match-winner Ekitike after he followed up his two goals against Leeds with another brace, adding: "[He played] very well. But I think I can see the players we have brought in this season have progressed. They are getting stronger and stronger and fitter and fitter. I can see them getting stronger in the duels they play. Hugo is an example of that, but others are examples of that too."

MatériaMais Notícias

Vítor Pereira segue envolvido em polêmicas quando o assunto é Corinthians. Desta vez o alvo é Fábio Santos, que concedeu entrevista afirmando que o profissional português era uma pessoa difícil de lidar no cotidiano do Timão.

continua após a publicidade

➡️ Tudo sobre o Timão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Corinthians

O treinador chamou o ex-lateral de “covarde” e questionou suas falas. Além disso, ele cutucou o atual técnico do Corinthians, António Oliveira.

– Andou oito meses sorrindo para mim e para minha comissão técnica, de aparente boa relação com todos. Agora, após esse tempo todo, dar essa entrevista covarde. Lamento dizer isso, só de um covarde pode se esperar esse tipo de entrevista – disse, ao jornal “Record”, de Portugal.

continua após a publicidade

Fábio Santos afirmou que Vítor Pereira era um gestor “horrível”, apesar de ter “trabalho bom dentro de campo” no Corinthians. O treinador seguiu rebatendo as declarações do ex-jogador.

– Infelizmente, para esse senhor, e mais alguns, a única preocupação era renovar contrato e irem renovando ano a ano para terem acesso a uma reforma dourada, passando a maior parte do tempo no departamento médico. Comigo não é assim, vai para a corrida quem tiver andamento, quem tiver pernas para correr, e ele até me devia estar agradecido pela época que fez porque eu geri da melhor forma aquilo que ele nos podia dar e, devo dizer sem qualquer problema, que fez uma época conseguida. Basta compararem com a anterior à nossa chegada e com a seguinte à nossa saída.

continua após a publicidade

– Tenho alguma curiosidade em saber o que pensam dessas declarações o Balbuena, o Fausto Vera, o Gil, o Renato Augusto, Yuri Alberto, o Du Queiroz, o Mantuan, Adson, o Mosquito, o Piton, o Raul Gustavo, o Renan, o Cássio, o Marcelo Carpes. Tenho a certeza que as respostas não serão as mesmas e estarão incrédulos como eu – concluiu.

SOBROU PARA ANTÓNIO OLIVEIRA

Em recente entrevista coletiva, o atual técnico do Corinthians citou sua sogra, assunto polêmico quando se trata de Vítor Pereira. O português deixou o Timão no fim de 2022 com a justificativa de cuidar da parente. Pouco tempo depois, acertou com o Flamengo.

– É hora de deixar de falar do meu nome porque apesar das minhas explicações e do drama familiar que vivo há vários anos, nunca aceitaram a minha saída. E esse drama familiar mantém-se pelo que é lamentável que ainda agora tenha voltado a ser tema – disse VP, que está sem clube no momento.

Tudo sobre

António OliveiraCorinthiansFábio SantosVitor Pereira

Coach Andrew McDonald said the captain has had a ‘positive week’ but conceded time was running short for Perth

Alex Malcolm10-Oct-20251:14

Mitchell Starc: Smith ‘has been a great sounding board’ for Cummins

A decision on Pat Cummins’ availability for the first Ashes Test is set to be made next Friday with Australia coach Andrew McDonald admitting his captain is running out of time to be fit for Perth but there remains confidence that Cummins will play some part in the series.Cummins had a scan earlier this week on the lumbar bone stress in his lower back and McDonald confirmed on Friday that the injury had improved.But Cummins is still yet to bowl with just six weeks to go before the first Test begins in Perth on November 21 which has led to doubts over his availability.Related

Boland: 'I've got my own internal motivations'

Green ruled out of ODI series against India with side soreness, Labuschagne called up

Cummins says he's 'less likely than likely' to play in the first Ashes Test

Brook: Cummins' Ashes doubts 'play into England's hands'

Ashes tracker: Labuschagne shines as Konstas stumbles

McDonald said the latest scan had allowed Cummins and the medical staff to add some different elements to his training that has been restricted to lower leg strength work only over the past month. He added that a decision would be made late next week as to whether he can progress to bowling with an eye to playing in the first Test but admitted the timeline was getting very tight.”We still aren’t further advanced on whether he’ll play the first Test,” McDonald told reporters on Friday. “We are definitely running out of time around that. He’s added some variables into his training. I think by this time next week, we’ll be in a position where we’re better informed to make a judgment around what that first Test match looks like.”He’s had a positive week, and so we’ll just wait for that information to come in. Anyone that knows the nature of those injuries, you do add the variables in and it’s about how you recover from adding the variables into your training. It’s not as quick as everyone thinks it is. We look forward to a positive outcome next Friday and then making some decisions around what it looks like for the first Test match.”

“The biggest variable that we need to add in is bowling and if you looked at a reasonable time frame for Patty to get ready, we feel as though he can do a shortened preparation, unlike other bowlers that probably need a longer prep. But even if we were to shrink that prep down, we’d start to take on some risk around soft tissue [injuries], some skill readiness as well, making sure he’s prepared to do the job there.”Andrew McDonald on the balancing act with Pat Cummins

Even if Cummins was ruled out of the first Test, McDonald was reasonably confident he could play a part in the Ashes series.”I haven’t really delved into what it looks like without him for five Test matches because the information and the week that he’s had would suggest he’s going to play some part as it sits right now,” McDonald said.”Can that change with new information when we start to add some more variables into his training? Could that go backwards? There is a possibility of that. And for those who have had lumbar bone stress, they would understand that it’s a journey to add those variables in, how you pull up, recover, and that can ebb and flow a little bit across the rehab. So we’ll just see how it plays out. At this stage there’s no thinking that he will be ruled out for the whole series.”McDonald believes it is possible for Cummins to be ready for the first Test in Perth off a preparation of less than six weeks of bowling. But he said Cummins, the selectors and the medical staff would have to weigh up the risk and reward of rushing him back.”The biggest variable that we need to add in is bowling and if you looked at a reasonable time frame for Patty to get ready, we feel as though he can do a shortened preparation, unlike other bowlers that probably need a longer prep,” McDonald said.”But even if we were to shrink that prep down, we’d start to take on some risk around soft tissue [injuries], some skill readiness as well, making sure he’s prepared to do the job there and then is it advantageous for us to get him up and running in a series even if he’s a little bit underdone and grow throughout the series as well.”Pat Cummins has not bowled since the Caribbean tour in July•AFP/Getty ImagesIf Cummins were to be ruled out, McDonald was confident the team could cover his absence across all aspects of the game. Cummins’ bowling will be sorely missed but Scott Boland was already pushing for a first choice spot in the XI and has an incredible Test record in Australia where he averages 12.63.If another injury were to happen to one of Australia’s quicks then the likes of Brendan Doggett, Michael Neser and Sean Abbott will come into consideration.Doggett is set to be ruled out of a second straight Sheffield Shield game for South Australia with a minor hamstring issue but it is understood to be a conservative decision and that he will be fully fit for the third round that starts on October 28. Neser bowled well in Queensland’s first Shield match against Tasmania while Abbott is set to play his first four-day game of the season for New South Wales against Victoria next week after being left out of the ODI squad to face India. He has been named in the T20I squad which will rule him out of the third Shield round at least.Cummins’ calm leadership in what looms as a frenzied Ashes would also be missed if he were to be ruled out at any stage but McDonald believes Steven Smith, who is an outstanding tactician, would step in seamlessly if needed.”It’s highly likely that Steve would be that the person that we turn to,” McDonald said. “George Bailey would have to tick that one off. Steve’s incredibly experienced. He’s done a good job as recently as Sri Lanka, when Pat wasn’t on that tour. So that’s the person that we’ve turned to. I don’t see that changing.”Cummins batting contributions in recent years at No.8 have also been vital, particularly in pressure moments having won Australia two Test matches at Edgbaston and Christchurch in nail-biting run chases.McDonald was confident Mitchell Starc could step back up to No. 8 after a impressive performance in the World Test Championship final in June while he cited Boland and Nathan Lyon’s crucial tenth-wicket partnership against India at the MCG last summer as a sign of their ability. Josh Hazlewood has also had large 10th wicket stands in Test matches with Cameron Green and Starc over the last the last two years.

Pollard smashed the fastest half-century of this CPL, off 17 balls, but it wasn’t enough

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Sep-2025

Dwaine Pretorius scoops away a full toss for six•CPL T20/Getty Images

Dwaine Pretorius’ late sixes trumped Kieron Pollard’s in a tense chase of 168 to start Guyana Amazon Warriors’ home stretch with a victory and boost their playoff chances. They are fourth now on the points table, just one point behind Antigua and Barbuda Falcons, but with three matches in hand compared to one for Falcons. Trinbago Knight Riders, second on the table and already through to the playoffs, were lifted to a competitive score single-handedly by Pollard’s unbeaten 54 off 18, but it didn’t prove to be enough on a night where batting got easier later on, according to Pretorius.Amazon Warriors were in a spot of bother once their set batters Shai Hope and Shimron Hetmyer were gone by the 16th over and they needed 38 to win off 18. Pretorius, fresh on the back of his 53 off 34 against Barbados Royals two days ago, ended the 18th over, from Andre Russell, with consecutive sixes to bring it down from 19 to 12, and further eased the nerves in the last over, of which they needed nine, with a hack over wide long-on off Pollard before they reached the target with a ball to spare.TKR got off to a sedate start after they were put in to bat. They kept attempting boundaries, but kept losing wickets in the process as Romario Shepherd rattled Alex Hales’ stumps and Moeen Ali did the same to Nicholas Pooran, leaving them on 40 for 3 at the end of the powerplay. Moeen and captain Imran Tahir slowed them down further with a spin strangle, conceding just 18 in the next four overs with just one boundary. Moeen finished with 4-0-11-1 before Darren Bravo broke the shackles but soon holed out off Tahir for 33 off 35.On 100 for 4 after 16, TKR got a massive late lift when Pollard faced 17 off the last 24 balls and smashed the fastest half-century of the season, off 17 balls, studded with his trademark swings across the line after going back and across. He started with consecutive fours against Pretorius and smashed back-to-back sixes off Shepherd before Keacy Carty retired out for 29 off 34 at the end of the 18th. Pollard took on Tahir too, with a six that travelled 103 metres back over the bowler. The innings ended with a sequence of 6, 6, 4 and 4 as Pollard tore into Shepherd for a 21-run over.Amazon Warriors’ start wasn’t very impressive either, as Akeal Hosein sent back Moeen and Keemo Paul in his first eight balls. Hope, however, broke free with 6, 6 and 4 off Russell before Hetmyer hammered Usman Tariq for three sixes in an over to place them on an impressive 66 for 2 after six overs. But Amazon Warriors, too, slowed down after the powerplay, with the introduction of Sunil Narine. He added to the hosts’ woes by having Hetmyer hole out for 49 and trapping Hope lbw for 53. But Pretorious held his nerve by being prepared for yorkers and variations, and putting a bunch of them away to the ropes to see Amzaon Warriors home.

No player in the Premier League this season has directly contributed toward a greater proportion of their team’s goal involvements than Everton’s Jack Grealish.

The 30-year-old has resurrected his career. Plainly, had the silky playmaker left Manchester City for a bumper payday in the Saudi Pro League this summer, few would have been surprised, but his passion for success still burns strong, and he has charged David Moyes’ side so far this term.

He claimed the Premier League Player of the Month award for August after racking up some early assists, and has reminded English football of his elite quality.

But still the winger has been overlooked by England boss Thomas Tuchel. In fact, there are a range of Toffees players who would fancy a shot at the Three Lions squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup in the United States.

The Everton stars being overlooked by Tuchel

Toward the end of the 2024/25 campaign, Jarrad Branthwaite was playing out of his skin, instrumental in the early revival after Moyes replaced Sean Dyche.

Injury has now further reduced the defender’s prospects, but there are others of an Everton persuasion who will be angling toward a place on the plane.

At the forefront, Grealish aside, would be Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who completed a £27m transfer to the Hill Dickinson from Chelsea this summer and has swiftly nailed down a starting berth.

He has been the complete player in the middle, threading things together, and has this week expressed his desire to continue working toward a senior cap with his home country, rather than taking advantage of international ties with the Republic of Ireland.

Hailed as “one of England’s most exciting young players” by journalist Harry Watkinson, Tyler Dibling might also hope for more opportunities on Merseyside to prove he has what it takes to thrive on the international stage.

This one might come too soon for the 19-year-old, but there’s a more mature teammate at Everton who has been overlooked, and who might actually prove a shrewd wildcard pick for Tuchel.

Everton man could be England's wildcard pick

Jordan Pickford is a stalwart for his nation, unflappable between the sticks. The aforementioned players all have the quality to star over the pond next year, too, but competition will be thick.

Someone we haven’t mentioned, though, is James Garner, who might seem like a left-field pick but is a hard-working and dynamic player who has been given Moyes’ endorsement.

The 24-year-old has become an ever more important player for the Blues this year, playing every minute of the Premier League campaign so far.

Last month, Moyes hinted that he believes the intelligent, tempo-controlling midfielder has what it takes to weasel his way in, saying, “If I was on the England staff, Jimmy Garner would definitely be in my thoughts.”

James Garner – Everton Stats by Position
Position	Apps	Goals (assists)
Defensive midfield	32	0 (2)
Centre-midfield	27	1 (1)
Right midfield	9	0 (1)
Right-back	4	0 (0)
Left-back	3	1 (0)
Attacking midfield	3	0 (0)
Left midfield	1	0 (0)
Data via Transfermarkt

Not only can he cover multiple positions, but Garner is also a selfless player, hailed for his “relentless” approach to the midfield game by one prominent Everton fan in the past.

In the Premier League this season, he has averaged 2.9 tackles per game while completing 88% of his passes and winning 57% of his ground duels.

The £30k-per-week talent would be an underrated cog in the machine, the kind needed to make it all tick.

Garner earned 18 caps for England U21s and has worked hard as one of Everton’s most industrious players under Dyche and now Moyes’ management.

Be it in the middle of the park or in a makeshift role out wide, he will serve dutifully, and this is the kind of player the Three Lions need to weave amongst the superstars, balancing out a side fit to challenge for that elusive golden trophy.

Moyes has a bigger talent than Richarlison in Everton's "creator of chaos"

Everton must keep a hold of this talented player for as long as they can.

By
Angus Sinclair

Oct 29, 2025

Manchester City are constantly on the lookout for top talent and could now be set to pursue another exciting star who could arrive at the Etihad Stadium.

Man City looking to build Premier League title challenge

Despite Arsenal’s bold start to the season, Premier League fans would be naive to rule out the notion of Pep Guardiola taking his side to another title, and their tendency to kick on once the second period of the campaign kicks off will linger in the memory of their rivals.

Ultimately, January will be a decisive month as clubs look to recruit the missing pieces of their respective jigsaws to make the difference. Last year, the likes of Omar Marmoush were brought in to aid a top-four finish, and few would bet against another few shrewd additions to sharpen up their bid for silverware.

Peaks and troughs will happen between now and that point, meaning signings are needed to pick up the slack, and Manchester City are reportedly making enquiries to sign FC Koln winger Said El Mana, deemed to be one of Europe’s most direct wingers at this moment in time.

Guardiola is also personally keen on a move for Sporting midfielder Morten Hjulmand, though his side will need to fight off competition from Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur for the Denmark international.

Bernardo Silva and company have delivered countlessly over the years, though they will one day need to move on, leaving the Citizens with work to do in identifying long-term successors across key positions.

While that won’t be easy, their recruitment team are up there with the best around, and they may now be plotting a dramatic 2026 move for a star who could be a future dime at the Etihad Stadium.

Man City plot Lennart Karl move after scouting mission

According to CaughtOffside, Manchester City are plotting a potential move for Bayern Munich sensation Lennart Karl after sending scouts to watch him in action for the German giants.

The 17-year-old has shot to prominence and could command a transfer fee of just under £70 million, albeit Arsenal and Chelsea are also keeping close tabs on his situation.

Making 11 appearances this season, he has scored twice and delivered an assist against Hoffenheim and he appears to be thriving under the stewardship of Vincent Kompany, with Fotmob showing he has completed four dribbles so far in the German top-flight.

Earlier this year, Karl signed a new contract until the summer of 2028, meaning Bayern have leverage over his situation and could utilise their position to block any incoming offers.

With the summer looking the most likely time for a bidding war, the notion of ‘serious approaches’ from England could begin to take place, leaving the youngster with a huge decision in weighing up where best to continue his development.

Ultimately, his choice may boil down to game time. Manchester City are a breeding ground for elite talent, but they face stiff competition to push this one over the line.

While the glory is yet to arrive, Mikel Arteta has utterly transformed Arsenal over the last five years or so.

He took charge of a team that were stuck in mid-table and, within a few years, turned them into genuine challengers for the Premier League and Champions League.

This incredible evolution is certainly due in part to his philosophy and tactics, but it has also been aided by the exceptional players he has signed along the way.

That said, there is a superstar in the team today, signed by Unai Emery, whose valuation has exploded over the years, someone who has been pivotal to the evolution of the backline.

The evolution of Arsenal's backline

The first game of Arteta’s tenure was away to Bournemouth in December 2019, and to say the backline for that match was underwhelming would be an understatement.

GK – Bernd Leno

RB – Ainsley Maitland-Niles

CB – Sokratis

CB – David Luiz

LB – Bukayo Saka

CM – Lucas Torreira

CM – Granit Xhaka

RW – Reiss Nelson

CAM – Mesut Ozil

LW – Aubameyang

CF – Alexandre Lacazette

In fact, the only player still at the club is Bukayo Saka, and the idea of the Gunners’ now playing their best attacker at left-back is patently absurd.

Fortunately, Gabriel Magalhães was signed from LOSC Lille the following summer to replace Sokratis Papastathopoulos.

The manager still opted for a three or five-at-the-back system for the start of the 20/21 season, which was soon replaced with the four-at-the-back system that fans were clamouring for at the time.

That season saw Gabriel start most games, and then, depending on who was fit, it would be David Luiz or Robert Holding next to him, with Hector Bellerin or Maitland-Niles on the right and, again, when fit, Kieran Tierney on the left.

That summer saw another key figure join the club in Ben White, who, for the 21/22 campaign, became the other regular starting centre-back alongside the Gunners’ current number six.

The Englishman would move to the right-back position just a year later, the same summer Oleksandr Zinchenko joined the club.

Market Movers

Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?

However, his defensive fragilities would see him start to lose his place within 18 months and then altogether with the emergence of Myles Lewis-Skelly and the arrival of Riccardo Calafiori two years later.

Finally, the defence everyone recognises today was completed upon the return to fitness of Jurrien Timber, David Raya making the goalkeeping role his own, and a certain signing made by Emery, who is now worth a king’s ransom.

The Emery signing now with a fortune

Arsenal’s defence is now a beast but there’s one man, despite Gabriel’s best efforts, who always maintains the same standards.

That man is William Saliba, who joined Arsenal for around £27m in the summer of 2019 when, remarkably, Emery was still in charge.

He didn’t actually play a competitive game for the club until the start of the 22/23 season, when his arrival saw White move to the right.

Impressively, the Frenchman is now valued at a staggering €103m by the CIES Football Observatory, which works out to around £89m, or 229% more than he cost the Gunners over five years ago. To put that into context, CIES believe that he is the most valuable player in the whole squad, even ahead of Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka.

That is an incredible increase, but it’s one that his performances and potential more than justify.

For example, in just his first game for the club, away to Crystal Palace, he helped the team to keep a clean sheet and was named the Man of the Match.

He then went on to play a crucial role in the North Londoners’ surprise title challenge, which unsurprisingly started to come apart following his back injury against Sporting CP towards the end of the season.

Since then, he has undoubtedly become an even better defender, someone who is as capable of putting in a last-minute goal-denying challenge or pinging the ball from the defence up to Saka to create a chance.

Premier League

106

FA Cup

3

League Cup

6

Champions League

22

Europa League

4

Community Shield

1

For example, FBref ranked him in the top 1% of centre-backs in the Premier League last season for pass completion, the top 4% for live-ball passes, the top 6% for total shots, the top 8% for passes blocked and more, all per 90.

Moreover, he has also helped the Gunners produce the best defence in the league for the last two seasons, and considering they’ve conceded just three goals in seven games this year, it may well be three in a row come May.

It cannot be overstated just how vital the Bondy-born “monster,” as dubbed by content creator Connor Humm, is to Arteta’s project, and so the news that he signed a five-year contract extension last week was as exciting as a new signing.

Ultimately, Arsenal have created arguably the best defence in Europe over the last three years, and Saliba has been a massive part of that.,

"I can guarantee" – Arsenal player reveals exit timeline with next club already decided

He’s made an admission about his future.

ByEmilio Galantini Oct 8, 2025