Category Uncategorized

Move over Moore: Rangers star proved why he's their "best player" vs Dundee

by z3u9t.icu Uncategorized

For the first time since February, Rangers have won three successive Scottish Premiership games.

On Sunday, the Gers demolished Dundee 3-0 at Dens, sporting their eye-catching luminous all orange fourth kit; that’s too many kits!

Nicolas Raskin broke the deadlock, heading home James Tavernier’s corner, Mikey Moore slotted home a second soon after before, after an uneventful hour or so, Djeidi Gassama rubber-stamped the points in stoppage time, curling into the top corner.

Danny Röhl’s side go into the international break in fourth, level on points with Hibs, five points below fierce rivals Celtic and 12 adrift of leaders Hearts, who dropped points elsewhere on Sunday.

When Rangers return to action against Livingston in a fortnight, which star can Röhl rely on following his outstanding display in the city of discover?

Mikey Moore's massive moment

Dens Park will always hold a special place in Moore’s heart, given that it is the venue at which he scored his first goal for Rangers.

When Moore joined on a season-long loan from Tottenham, he did so with sky-high expectations, with then-manager Russell Martin labelling him an “outstanding young player” upon his arrival.

However, he really struggled to make an impact under Martin, but in fairness, so did everyone, although he has become more of a regular under Röhl.

Well, he rewarded the new manager with a sparkling display against Dundee, attempting six dribbles, mustering two shots, registering two key passes and putting in a generally impressive display, as per Sofascore.

Speaking during Sky Sports’ Coverage, James McFadden believes that Moore is enjoying a lot more freedom under Röhl, expecting that he’ll get even better in the coming weeks, while Chris Sutton added that he has “flourished” more than any other player since the change of manager.

Thus, the teenager appears set to remain a key figure for Rangers, but which other key member of their squad shone during Sunday’s win?

Rangers star was as impressive as Moore

Martin made many mistakes during his ill-fated and historically short Rangers reign, but falling out with Raskin was arguably his most egregious misstep.

Raskin’s exclusion for home games against Celtic and Hearts, failing to win or score in either, was when supporters began to turn against Martin, a baffling decision considering he was the club’s player of the year last time round, as voted for both by fellow players and fans alike.

Röhl on the other hand has made him a central figure, and Raskin underlined why with a dominant display at Dens, not just scoring but proving dogged, winning 100% of his tackles and winning plenty of duels.

Goals

1

1st

Shots

2

3rd

Big chances missed

1

1st

Accurate passes

53

2nd

Key passes

2

1st

Defensive actions

6

6th

Interceptions

2

2nd

Duels contested

16

1st

Duels won

7

2nd

Touches

73

4th

SofaScore rating

8.4

2nd

As the table documents, Raskin put in a dominant display on Sunday.

He ranked in the top two for a whole host of statistics, including accurate passes, key passes, interceptions and duels contested, heading home his second goal of the season and he very easily could have scored another, denied by Jon McCracken who made seven saves all told.

During Sky Sports’ coverage, Kris Boyd asserted that Raskin is at his best when allowed to be “on the front foot”, believing he can rediscover his “outstanding” form from last season, with Sutton agreeing that he remains “Rangers’ best player”.

John Walker meantime labelled his performances “utterly sensational” earlier this year, expecting that when he does depart, is could well be for a club-record fee.

So, if Rangers harbour any hopes of salvaging this season, both domestically and in the Europa League, Raskin will certainly be a key figure.

Thelwell said he'd "flourish": Rangers flop is on borrowed time under Rohl

Following Rangers’ 2-0 Europa League home defeat to Roma, a summer signing backed to “flourish” by Kevin Thelwell is on borrowed time under Danny Röhl

Nov 8, 2025

Will Konstas put an end to Australia's musical chairs at the top?

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Australia have not found a replacement for Warner yet in Tests, and it’s not necessary the gap will be filled soon

Andrew McGlashan20-Dec-20241:33

Cummins: ‘Top three is a really hard place to bat’

A year that started with David Warner playing his final Test will draw to a close with Australia still searching for his long-term replacement, and a reality dawning that it might be sooner rather than later that they need another new opener as well.Rohit Sharma batted away suggestions that India had over-celebrated avoiding the follow-on at the Gabba and Pat Cummins said “can’t say I’ve ever been scared of momentum” when asked if the visitors took more from how that Test finished, but it feels like Australia have blinked first ahead of the crunch encounter at the MCG.Australia’s opening batting position was the major talking point heading into the series and whoever is selected in the role on Boxing Day – Sam Konstas is favourite but it may not be him – will mean that three players have had the job alongside Usman Khawaja, himself desperately short of runs this year, since the middle of January.Related

Konstas' MCG debut confirmed, Head faces a fitness test

Finch: Selectors may have to 'cherry pick' Hazlewood's Tests

Konstas handed Boxing Day Test call-up

Australia tried to manufacture openers out of Steven Smith and Nathan McSweeney with both being aborted. Josh Inglis has never opened in first-class cricket. Beau Webster has done it seven times, and scored 136 against New South Wales, but not since 2019. The door isn’t completely shut on someone else moving up.Konstas is a specialist opener and may yet prove to be the answer – it has felt like an inevitable path to international cricket and plenty of good judges have already anointed him – but the selectors didn’t think he was ready a month ago. He has, however, taken his opportunity to keep his name in lights in the last few weeks with a century for the Prime Minister’s XI against the Indians (minus Jasprit Bumrah), 88 against a good Western Australia attack and a dashing BBL debut, although caution needs to be used when assessing the latter.”What I can say is Sam has a self-confidence you don’t see in very many,” Sydney Thunder coach Trevor Bayliss said this week. “I’ve only seen it in a few over the years, and all of those players were outstanding Test players and international players, guys like [Michael] Clarke and [Brad] Haddin, Warner and Smith.”This decision will be picked apart a few days after former Australia coach Darren Lehmann said chair of selectors George Bailey was too close to the players and couldn’t make hard decisions. But it feels McSweeney, who had not opened before this season, has had the rough end of the deal having come up against Bumrah who is putting together one of the great series.His axing has come two Tests after his 39 in the first innings in Adelaide was lauded by team-mates as having been key in helping set up victory when he and Marnus Labuschagne survived the first evening under lights. He also came through a tricky opening day at the Gabba in the 13 overs sent down before the rain. However, perhaps crucially to his ambitions, he could not go on with either innings on the second day.1:37

Clarke: Everyone wants to see Rohit back to his confident self

Whoever gets the nod at the MCG is effectively being asked to do something no one else in that position has been able to manage: keep out, and score runs off, Bumrah.There has been much talk of the success of enabling Travis Head to come in after the 30-over mark in the first innings of the last two Tests when he has flayed thrilling centuries, but today’s decision appears to signal a change of tact from purely soaking up deliveries. It’s unlikely to signal a switch to something close to Bazball, but perhaps Ronball is going to make a comeback. Bailey stressed the importance of a left-hander opening, so the similarities between McSweeney and Labuschagne in the top three may have proved too great for not enough output.While McSweeney is the one to have paid the price, the sense is that plenty of the top are now on notice. “If you look more broadly I don’t necessarily the top six as quite functioned to the level that we need in this series as a whole,” Bailey said.Head is flying and Smith’s century was very timely, but Khawaja, Labuschagne and, lower down, Mitchell Marsh have made 214 runs in the series between them at 14.26. All three have credit in the bank, but it will be starting to run low.It is true that the evidence backs up what is becoming a well-worn trope about batting having become harder in Australia since the altered Kookaburra was introduced, combined with more grass being left on pitches – the “perfect storm” as Smith termed it after his century – but KL Rahul has shown that it is possible to make runs as an opener in the first innings, while Yashasvi Jaiswal had to get through the new ball before he could compile 161 in Perth.Amid all this, regardless of what happens in the final two Tests against India – and if Australia don’t regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy it will lead to a lot more questions being asked – there is likely to be plenty more movement at the top of the order in the next 12 months. Head is a good chance of opening in Sri Lanka, which is admittedly a very conditions-based call, and even if Khawaja gets his wish of finishing at next summer’s Ashes, it means we’ll be back here having another debate on replacements this time next year.Warner was joking when he said his phone was always on before this series began but, wherever anyone stands in their views of him, there can be no doubt the size of the task to filling those shoes. In a few days it will be someone else’s turn. Bumrah will be waiting.

As good as Thiaw: Newcastle star is now "one of the best" players in the PL

by rastrear-estafeta.com Uncategorized

Newcastle United have been a nightmarishly difficult team to predict this season.

One week they might look like one of the best teams in the country, and then the next they’ll struggle to win a match they’re favourites for.

Fortunately, Eddie Howe’s side showed the positive side of themselves on Saturday afternoon, demolishing Everton 4-1 away from home.

There were sensational performances across the board for Newcastle, particularly from Malick Thaw and another starter who is starting to prove he is one of the best in the Premier League in his position.

Newcastle's best performers against Everton

While it is hard to single out players following their performance on Saturday night, there are a few who stood out just that little bit more, like Lewis Miley.

Chalkboard

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

The academy graduate made just his fifth start of the season against the Toffees, and even though he’s still just 19 years old, he looked like a seasoned veteran.

Practically everything he tried came off, and on top of providing an assist, he scored his first goal of the season just 25 minutes into the match.

Speaking of goalscorers, summer signing Nick Woltemade was back in amongst it.

He got the Magpies’ third on the night with an audacious chip from close range and then could have had another were it not for a good save from Jordan Pickford in the second 45.

However, when it comes to the man of the match, it’s hard to look past Thiaw.

The German defender was monstrous at the back and more than made his mark going forward as well, scoring in the first minute to get things underway, and then grabbing a second in the second half.

Unsurprisingly, the five-capped international left quite the impression on the watching press, with Chronicle Live’s Lee Ryder awarding him a 10/10 match rating at full-time, writing that he ‘Rose like Shearer twice.’

Yet, there was another starter who put in a performance that, like Thiaw, shows he should be considered among the best in his position in the Premier League.

Not just Thiaw: Newcastle star has become one of the league's best

On top of those already mentioned, the Newcastle starter who deserves immense credit for his performance against Everton and has to be considered among the best in the league is Lewis Hall.

The former Chelsea gem was incredible on Saturday night and practically flawless in every aspect of the game, be that attacking or defending.

For example, it was his cross in the 56th minute that led to Thiaw’s second strike, and he certainly wasn’t to blame for Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s consolation goal.

The Chronicle’s Ryder was just as impressed with the full-back, writing that he ‘oozed class down the left’ and awarded him a 9/10 match rating at full-time.

While that might sound a little hyperbolic, it certainly isn’t, and the 21-year-old’s statistics prove as much.

In his 89 minutes of action, he produced an expected assists figure of 0.49, won 100% of his tackles, blocked one shot, recovered the ball twice, created two big chances, completed 50 passes, took 87 touches, completed three dribbles, and took one shot.

It was the sort of performance that lends real credence to talent scout Jacek Kulig’s claim that the Englishman is “one of the best left-backs in the Premier League.”

Minutes

89′

Expected Assists

0.49

Assists

1

Tackles (Won)

2 (2)

Clearances

1

Blocked Shots

1

Recoveries

2

Ground Duels (Won)

7 (5)

Big Chances Created

2

Key Passes

2

Touches

87

Dribbles (Successful)

4 (3)

Shots

1

However, while the wider league might only be waking up to that fact now, the Toon faithful have known this to be the case for some time.

After all, the team haven’t lost a game in which he has started this season, and it could be argued that he’s not even back to his very best yet after suffering from a hamstring injury earlier in the campaign.

Ultimately, he is still young, but there is no denying that Hall is an extraordinarily talented footballer, and so long as he keeps performing as he did on Saturday, it’ll become increasingly difficult to deny that he is one of the best full-backs in the Premier League.

“Special" Newcastle signing is now becoming the biggest disaster since Wood

Newcastle may have got this one wrong in the summer transfer market.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 29, 2025

Stats – India were at their best when Pujara was in the middle

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

The last five years of his Test career were not very prolific, but Pujara still ended with numbers that mark him as one of India’s best in the format

S Rajesh25-Aug-2025With an aggregate of 7195 runs in his 103 Tests, Cheteshwar Pujara ranks eighth in the list of top run-getters in the format for India. Only Rahul Dravid has more runs for India from No. 3 than Pujara’s 6529, which is a testament to his quality at the top of the order.However, with Pujara, the runs he scored only told part of the story. His true value was in the number of balls he consumed at the crease, ensuring that the batters who followed had the luxury of facing a ball and a bowling attack considerably less fresh than at the start of the innings.ESPNcricinfo LtdOver the duration of Pujara’s Test career – from October 2009 to June 2023 – only four batters faced more deliveries than his 16,217 in the format: Joe Root, Alastair Cook, Steven Smith and Azhar Ali. That, in a nutshell, illustrates Pujara’s value to the India team for almost 14 years. In terms of batting averages, Pujara sits at a modest 11th position among the 19 players who scored at least 5000 runs during his career span, but with him, just the runs scored doesn’t paint the complete picture.Related

Pujara: Australia's scourge, India's rock

In the 103 Tests, Pujara was dismissed once every 98.3 deliveries. That puts him in fifth position among those 19 batters mentioned above, which is significantly better than his rank based on averages. In an age when aggression and taking the attack to the bowlers is increasingly seen as the best approach, Pujara belonged to a dwindling tribe that believed in grinding down an attack. It is an approach that attracted a fair share of detractors, but it also fetched him over 7000 Test runs and 19 hundreds.

Among India batters, Pujara was clearly tougher to dismiss than the two others who made the 5000-run cut-off: Virat Kohli (8479 runs at 48.72 in that period) faced 88 deliveries per dismissal, while Ajinkya Rahane (5066 runs at 38.96) lasted only 78.5 deliveries per dismissal, almost 20 fewer than Pujara.Summoning his A game in AustraliaSome of his most impressive stonewalling efforts came in Australia, where he scored 993 runs in 11 Tests at 47.28. Even more impressively, he faced an astounding 2657 deliveries to score those 993 runs, that’s a strike rate of 37.37. That means he faced 126.5 deliveries per dismissal in Australia, which is easily the best among the 66 overseas batters who have played at least 15 innings in Australia since 1990. Pujara’s is almost 15 balls clear of the next-best, Gary Kirsten.Of those 993 runs, 521 came in one series – by far the greatest of his career – in 2018-19, when he faced a monumental 1258 deliveries in seven innings. In fact, two of his six Player-of-the-Match awards in Tests came in that series.

The man for big partnershipsAs with all batters whose strength is to bat time, Pujara’s value is gleaned not only by the runs he scored but also by the runs scored at the other end while he was at the crease, holding his end up. Pujara himself scored 7195 runs in 103 Tests, but while he was at the crease, India scored 16,258 partnership runs. As a percentage of total runs scored by India in those innings, Pujara’s contribution stands at a healthy 30.4. That means 30.4% of India’s total runs were scored while Pujara was at the crease (in the innings in which he batted).ESPNcricinfo LtdAmong the 28 India batters who have batted in at least 100 Test innings, only two have a higher percentage: Dravid (36.1%) and Sunil Gavaskar (34.9%). Following Pujara’s 30.4 are two other all-time greats of Indian batting, Sachin Tendulkar (29.7%) and Kohli (29.1%). Both Tendulkar and Kohli have strike rates in the mid-50s compared to Pujara’s mid-40s, which explains why the percentage is higher for Pujara. In the overall list for all teams with the same cut-off, Len Hutton is on top with 36.9%, followed by Dravid and then Steven Smith, at 35.5).Doing the same exercise with balls-faced data instead of runs scored, and comparing with his contemporaries instead of overall, Pujara is in sixth place among 42 players who have batted at least 100 times since his debut in October 2010. While Pujara faced 16,217 deliveries in his Test career, he was around at the crease when the opposition bowlers bowled 32,148 balls, which is 33.2% of the total deliveries faced by India in the innings he batted in. Only five batters have been around for a higher percentage of team deliveries faced in these last 15 years.

The prolonged dip in formHowever, while it’s true that his long stays at the crease were worth more than just the runs he scored, it’s also indisputable that the last five years of his international career were less than prolific. The 2018-19 series in Australia – where he scored 521 runs in seven innings – stood out, but it was one of only two series out of his last 13, where he batted at least three times, when his average touched 40. The other such series was against Bangladesh. In this period, since the start of 2018, Pujara averaged only 34.13 in 49 Tests, and scored only five hundreds from 86 innings. It’s a huge drop from an average of nearly 53 in his first 54 Tests (90 innings). The rate of scoring hundreds also fell away dramatically, from one every 6.4 innings to one every 17.2 innings.ESPNcricinfo LtdBecause of this huge drop in numbers, Pujara’s career average fell by more than nine runs, from the high of 52.96 at the end of 2017 to 43.6 at the end of his career. It isn’t quite the 50-plus career average he would have hoped for when he was at the peak of his powers, but it’s hardly a number to be scoffed at. The proof of that is in the numbers of No. 3 batters who have played for India since Pujara’s last Test: in 24 matches (45 innings), they have collectively averaged 31.95, which was only marginally better than what Pujara managed in his last 24 – 31.51 – despite his form dwindling. Even in that phase, he faced 81.2 deliveries per dismissal, compared with 56.3 by the No. 3s since then. As always, with Pujara, the runs only tell half the story.

New Zealand welcome England for no-strings frolics

by h79snht.top Uncategorized

Never mind the context of World Cups or Ashes, just let the good times roll in chilly Christchurch

Alan Gardner17-Oct-20252:42

What can England learn from their New Zealand white ball tour?

Big picture: Road to the Ashes World CupVery rarely does the international schedule seem to fit together in any logical way, but the next two weeks of bilateral white-ball competition should suit both England and New Zealand down to a tee (and not just because of the plentiful opportunities for golf).It’s true that for England, this tour comes hard on the heels of a long home summer and with a much-anticipated Ashes campaign looming in the background. But having already done their team-bonding thing down in Queenstown, the prospect of easing into the southern summer with some guilt-free tonking around some of world cricket’s more scenic venues should be right up their street – not least because of the local knowhow provided by Brendon McCullum, Jeetan Patel and Tim Southee.New Zealand, meanwhile, can look forward to bumper crowds – Saturday’s first T20I at Hagley Oval is already sold out – for what is otherwise an off-peak time of the season; so early in spring that the domestic programme hasn’t even got underway yet. Having made a bit of a false start against Australia earlier in the month, it’s also a good opportunity to try to get back on track with their T20 World Cup preparations.Related

Brook parks Ashes chat to train focus on New Zealand

Saker returns to England set-up as Ashes fast-bowling coach

Williamson to miss England T20Is, targets return for ODIs

Switch Hit: Black Caps and Pat's back knack

Quality trumps context as England, New Zealand prepare for early-season showdown

On that front, Mitch Santner returns after abdominal surgery and will retake the reins from Michael Bracewell. New Zealand are unbeaten in bilateral series since Santner was made permanent white-ball captain last December, and have plenty of T20I cricket to come – including five-game match-ups against West Indies (at home) and India (away) as they build into the World Cup.England are also led by a new-ish captain, with Harry Brook back from a mini-break (during which he also got engaged) that saw him miss last month’s trip to Ireland. No one in the touring party can avoid the pre-Ashes rumbling – Brook is fully aware of priorities for the winter – but this series will provide vital game time for a T20I side that is still coming together, with a three-match series in Sri Lanka their only other outing before the World Cup. Never mind whether Jacob Bethell can stake a claim for the Test No. 3 spot, Tom Banton has a T20 finisher role to nail down.Somehow, for the next three games, we have both context aplenty and the sense that this is a bit of a free hit. What’s not to like?Form guideNew Zealand LLWWW (last five T20Is, most recent first)
England WWWLWHarry Brook takes part in a traditional welcoming ceremony•Getty Images

In the spotlight: Jacob Duffy and Phil SaltJacob Duffy has had a phenomenal 12 months in T20I cricket for New Zealand, taking 30 wickets at an average of 12.76, and rising to the top of the ICC bowler standings (he currently sits in fifth). A tall right-arm seamer who is fast enough and has all the tools you need, 31-year-old Duffy is the epitome of under-the-radar New Zealand excellence. Alongside Matt Henry and Kyle Jamieson, he could provide the sort of Test-match examination in seamer-friendly conditions that may start English minds casting ahead to the Ashes (perish the thought).Phil Salt has proven over and again that he is a T20 gun, ending the English summer in record-breaking form (having begun it out of the side while on paternity leave). His fourth T20I hundred underpinned England’s mahoosive 304 for 2 against South Africa last month, and there is every chance that he could cause similar havoc on his first outing in New Zealand, where the boundaries tend to be small and the wind a useful aid to hitting. After all, the man is bound to have done his research.Team news: Santner and Ravindra fitNew Zealand have confirmed the return of both Santner and Rachin Ravindra to the XI after both missed the Australia series with injury. Devon Conway, Zak Foulkes and Bevon Jacobs are the squad members to sit this one out.New Zealand: 1 Tim Seifert (wk), 2 Rachin Ravindra, 3 Tim Robinson, 4 Mark Chapman, 5 Daryl Mitchell, 6 Michael Bracewell, 7 James Neesham, 8 Mitchell Santner (capt), 9 Kyle Jamieson, 10 Matt Henry, 11 Jacob DuffyEngland named their team more than 48 hours in advance, with Brook back and Jordan Cox dropping down to take on a finisher role in the absence of Will Jacks. The presence of Sam Curran and Bethell in the top seven means England can call on three seamers and three spinners. Zak Crawley is with the squad but must wait for a T20I debut.England: 1 Phil Salt, 2 Jos Buttler (wk), 3 Jacob Bethell, 4 Harry Brook (capt), 5 Tom Banton, 6 Sam Curran, 7 Jordan Cox, 8 Brydon Carse, 9 Liam Dawson, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Luke WoodPitch and conditions: Wrap up warmConditions are likely to be fresh this early in the New Zealand spring, with extra layers needed for a game under floodlights. Seamers have tended to prosper at Hagley Oval – Santner termed it a “spinners’ graveyard”. As well as a chilly breeze, there might also be some rain around to contend with.Stats and trivia England have previously played three bilateral T20I series in New Zealand, and won all of them. Their last trip came a few months after the 2019 ODI World Cup final and featured a tied game at Eden Park, with England again winning the Super Over. Since the last T20 World Cup, New Zealand have won 12 and lost five – their only series defeat a 2-0 loss to Australia earlier this month. Jos Buttler is 164 runs away from becoming the fourth man to score 4000 in T20Is. Brook is 84 shy of 1000 T20I runs; Jimmy Neesham needs another 20.Quotes”Some wins would be nice. It’s the start of a bit of a nice build-up for us: England, West Indies, India away before the World Cup. But first things first we want to win a series in front of our own fans here in Christchurch.”
“We’ve got a great opportunity here against a very strong side to go out there and try and capitalise on the momentum we’ve already made. The last game we played together as a full group, we got 300.”

Thomas Frank facing 'big blow' at Tottenham after news on £50m winger

by rastrear-estafeta.com Uncategorized

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank is reportedly facing a significant blow to his January transfer plans after news about a top winger target.

While the January transfer window is set to become a major topic of discussion soon, all attention is currently centered around this weekend’s North London derby clash against Premier League leaders Arsenal.

The statistics paint a pretty bleak picture for Frank’s side, with as many as 11 players either set to miss the clash through injury or are doubts at the very least.

Dejan Kulusevski

Knee

29/11/2025

James Maddison

ACL

01/06/2026

Radu Dragusin

Knee

22/11/2025

Ben Davies

Thigh

23/11/2025

Kota Takai

Ankle/Foot

23/11/2025

Mohammed Kudus

Knock

23/11/2025

Randal Kolo Muani

Jaw

23/11/2025

Yves Bissouma

Ankle/Foot

23/11/2025

Lucas Bergvall

Concussion

23/11/2025

Dominic Solanke

Ankle

23/11/2025

Archie Gray

Calf/Shin/Heel

23/11/2025

via Premier Injuries

Arsenal prolonged their unbeaten run against Tottenham to six matches in January this year, having also done the double over Spurs in 2023. The Lilywhites have also failed to chalk up a single victory against their fiercest rivals in three years, with their last win coming at the end of the 2021/2022 season under Antonio Conte.

Harry Kane’s brace and a goal from Son Heung-min handed Spurs a statement 3-0 victory on their run to qualify for the Champions League that year, but that remains their only triumph over Arsenal in their last nine meetings.

While the Emirates Stadium is a notoriously challenging hunting ground for Tottenham, having failed to win there in the top flight since 2011, Frank could actually be relieved this clash will be played out on enemy turf.

Frank’s side have lost three Premier League matches on home soil already this season, and their record at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium over the last 12 months has been abysmal with just four victories to show from 20 home league games.

They haven’t won at home at all in the league since their 3-1 win over newly-promoted Burnley on the opening weekend, leaving them second bottom of the home form table but sitting pretty atop of the away form standings (Footy Stats).

Tottenham will be handed some encouragement by Sunderland’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal just prior to the international break, but it is safe to say they’re up against it on Sunday, with there still being plenty of work to do on Frank’s squad as the Lewis family look to usher in a post-Daniel Levy era.

According to reports, Spurs are in the market for another winger this winter after missing out on Savinho in the summer, with Ademola Lookman believed to be on their radar as one potential signing.

Frank facing 'big blow' at Tottenham after news on Ademola Lookman

The Atalanta winger appeared to be exit bound last summer and even submitted a transfer request, but an exit failed to materialise. Tottenham were repeatedly linked with the Nigerian at the end of the last window, and those links have remained ahead of January.

Lookman bagged 20 goals in all competitions last season and took home 2024’s African Player of the Year award following his stunning performance in the Europa League final that year, which both won Atalanta the tournament and ended Bayer Leverkusen’s historic unbeaten run.

The 28-year-old, who is also out of contract in under two years, would undoubtedly be a superb signing for Spurs and one who can play in many different attacking positions, including as a striker.

However, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke for Football Insider, Frank faces a ‘big blow’ in his pursuit of Lookman, as it is now believed that new Atalanta boss Raffaele Palladino could now convince the player to remain in Italy.

Also, if Spurs were to lodge a bid for Lookman in January, Atalanta would demand a minimum of £50 million to consider selling, despite the player’s contract length.

All of this makes the prospect of a winter transfer to N17 looking more and more difficult for the ‘world-class’ forward, but there are alternatives.

Real Sociedad winger Takefusa Kubo is apparently tempted by the prospect of a move to Tottenham amid Real Sociedad’s dismal start to 25/26, and he has a release clause in his contract, which means Spurs could bypass club talks and go directly to the player.

Not just Mac Allister: Slot must bin Liverpool man who's "out of his depth"

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Aston Villa’s first Premier League win of the season didn’t fall until late September, but heading into Liverpool’s clash with Unai Emery’s side later today, the two sides are somehow tied on 15 points in the early league standings.

Of course, the West Midlands outfit has turned around its slow start, but it speaks more to how alarmingly quick the wheels have fallen off for Arne Slot’s machine in recent matches, with his side deep in a four-game losing streak in league action, alongside also tasting defeat in the Champions League and the EFL Cup along the way.

The under-fire Dutchman will surely be considering changes aplenty heading into this late-night clash against the Villans, with Alexis Mac Allister in danger of being dropped, as his own personal season shows no signs of improvement.

Mac Allister's drop-off at Liverpool

It’s not an exaggeration to suggest that Mac Allister was crucial to Slot and Co. last season as they romped home to the Premier League title.

Of course, Mohamed Salah stole most of the plaudits as everything he touched turned to gold, but the ex-Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder was also a sensational spectacle to take in all campaign long, with five goals and five assists heading his way, strengthening his presence as a constant livewire from the centre of the park.

Unfortunately for Slot, though, it looks as if the Argentinian’s days of hammering home strikes like this sweetly struck one against Fulham are long behind him, with Mac Allister now looking “like Fabinho in his final season”.

It’s been lethargic showing after lethargic showing all season long, in truth, with the number ten doing little to tighten his grip on a first-team spot against Villa when struggling, again, against Crystal Palace mid-week as a much-changed Reds XI crashed out of the EFL Cup as abject 3-0 losers.

Mac Allister would fail to hit a single shot at stand-in Palace keeper Walter Benítez, while also only managing to win a weak two duels centrally, as per Sofascore.

With news emerging that Ryan Gravenberch could be fit for the clash later today, it might be a case of swapping out the South American “disappointment” – as one analyst also branded him recently – for the returning Dutchman.

Mac Allister isn’t the only worrying drop-off Slot has had to contend with, though, as this high-profile summer signing is already in danger of being seen as a flop, based on his early days at Anfield, despite joining with such fanfare.

Liverpool star is looking "painfully out of his depth"

Liverpool demanded everyone’s attention in the hectic summer transfer window.

£415m was wildly spent, after all, with £40m of that huge amount being forked out to land blistering AFC Bournemouth defender Milos Kerkez, following a breakout campaign on the south coast.

His unbounded energy for Andoni Iraola’s men, which resulted in five league assists coming his way last season, must have made Kerkez a priority target for Liverpool, as they went about refreshing their defence in the wake of Trent Alexander-Arnold gallivanting off to Real Madrid.

Yet, while his extremely dangerous pace is clear for all to see in the above clip, Kerkez has yet to really find his Bournemouth groove again at Anfield, with two games on the trot against Chelsea and Manchester in October, seeing him attempt just one dribble.

Kerkez’s numbers vs Palace

Stat

Kerkez

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

76

Accurate passes

40/53 (75%)

Possession lost

19x

Tackles won

0

Total duels won

3/9

Stats by Sofascore

Much like Mac Allister, too, he struggled again when selected against the Eagles mid-week, with Ismaila Sarr having a field day up against the out-of-sorts Hungarian, leading to his two goals rubbing more salt into the gaping Liverpool wound.

Away from that one-on-one battle, Kerkez also only won three out of his nine duels on the night, on top of losing possession a high 19 times, with journalist Tim Spier’s comments that the number six is “painfully out of his depth” lining up for the red half of Merseyside very much ringing true.

Andrew Robertson might be a sensible replacement moving forward, as Slot attempts to put together a strong enough XI that can clinch a desperately needed win against Villa, with the “naive” full-back – as Gary Neville has labelled him – likely to drop out subsequently, alongside Mac Allister.

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By
Tom Cunningham

Oct 31, 2025

Ceremonies, speeches, felicitation – Mushfiqur soaks the attention in landmark 100th Test

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

The glitter went against a serious Mushfiqur’s pre-match routine, and was something his team-mate Mominul had never seen before

Mohammad Isam19-Nov-2025The air around the Shere Bangla National Stadium was, for once, sweet.Expectations of great gestures, a bit of ceremony, and a good day of cricket – as opposed to the usual cocktail of vitriol, disappointment and trolling – hung in every corner of this storied venue on Wednesday morning. Mushfiqur Rahim, the stadium’s most frequent visitor, was about to make history for Bangladesh.By the time the crisp morning gave away to a bright afternoon, and a cool evening descended on Dhaka, Mushfiqur was on his way to another landmark. Eventually, though, after remaining stuck on 99*, he left a bit of overnight anticipation for another sweet morning.Related

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The BCB felicitated Mushfiqur in a ceremony that lasted just ten minutes, but one that was done tastefully. His first captain Habibul Bashar gave him a brand new cap, while team-mates from his debut Test stood behind them wearing black and grey T-shirts. Mushfiqur’s family was in tow. He made a short speech after current captain Najmul Hossain Shanto. It was all over in a flash.Bangladesh cricket, enduring high winds accompanied by howls and squeals in the last couple of years, sorely needed a moment like this. Mushfiqur, the most loyal of servants of the game, made sure cricket remained on everyone’s lips for more than a day.Mushfiqur remains unbeaten on 99 despite his best efforts to reach the milestone before stumps. Ireland, however, slowed down the play significantly in the last half an hour to ensure they bowled 90 overs, and not one more, by 4.30pm local time.After the day’s play, though, Mushfiqur’s long-time teammate Mominul Haque said he is not worried about a nervous Mushfiqur in the hotel tonight.”He is not like you think he is. We actually joke with him a bit more these days” – Mominul Haque on Mushfiqur Rahim•AFP”We thought that he would do it today, but I think it didn’t happen because [Ireland] took their time,” Mominul said. “I am not too worried because we are talking about someone who has made hundreds and double-hundreds in the past. There is no panic, since he isn’t panicked. If it was someone else, I would have been slightly concerned, but not him. He will complete the century tomorrow.”Pressed if the team would be wary of speaking to Mushfiqur in the team hotel this evening, Mominul said those days are long gone. “He is not like you think he is,” he said. “We actually joke with him a bit more these days.”Still, Mushfiqur is the serious type. As his current and former team-mates and coaches said this week, his disciplined lifestyle is a cornerstone of his two decades in international cricket. It is what has made him, and got him to a hundred Tests.So when large banners hung over the walls at the stadium in Mirpur, one of them directly opposite the dressing room – or when the felicitation programme took place with his family around – it went very much against Mushfiqur’s pre-match routine.Bangladesh losing three wickets before lunch meant it was his turn to bat much earlier than he must have anticipated. If there’s anyone in this team with strong muscle memory for a crisis, it is Mushfiqur. Mominul, who was at the other end when Mushfiqur walked out to bat, saw the Mushfiqur he has known for the last 12 years.

“He was quiet calm when he was returning to the dressing room at the end of the day. He is the same person as he was before he played his 100th Test”Mominul Haque on Mushfiqur Rahim finishing the day on 99*

“When he arrived at the crease, he was calm and quiet going about his business,” Mominul said. “He was batting according to the situation. He was batting in a calm and controlled manner.”They set defensive fields from an early stage. They were allowing singles, so we were batting accordingly. We know that Ireland was playing with our patience, so we decided to be patient. We wanted to play for a long time, as it was the requirement here to get a good score. The outfield was slow, too, so it played a part in our approach.”When the century didn’t happen in the last over of the day, Mominul said that he didn’t notice anything different in Mushfiqur’s demeanour. “He was quiet calm when he was returning to the dressing room at the end of the day. He is the same person as he was before he played his 100th Test,” he said.Mominul, though, enjoyed watching Mushfiqur’s reception at the start of the day, even as it could usher in a new era of the BCB appreciating a player’s milestone.”Honestly, we haven’t seen this type of environment [where a player’s family was invited] before,” he said. “It even seemed like it was someone’s retirement; but then we realised that it was a celebration of a hundred Tests.”I mean, it looked like how other countries treat their player retirements. Honestly, it felt great seeing [Mushfiqur’s reception]. I realise now that the young generation will be inspired to play 100 Tests if this is how we maintain the culture. As for me, I am only thinking about what happens in this match.”The first day of the Mirpur Test, therefore, will not only be marked as the day Mushfiqur played his 100th Test. It was also a day when cricket got a bit more priority at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, as opposed to the usual focus on more hostile topics. Maybe, for the first time in many, many years, the stadium will get a half decent crowd on Thursday morning when play resumes on day two of the Test.

Chelsea now ahead of Arsenal in race for "unpredictable" striker, talks opened

by rastrear-estafeta.com Uncategorized

Chelsea have now moved ahead of Arsenal in the race to sign Marseille striker Robinio Vaz, having opened talks, and a January offer is now being explored.

The Blues’ interest in signing a new striker perhaps stems from the slow start Liam Delap has made to life at Stamford Bridge, most recently failing to find the back of the net in the 2-0 victory at Burnley, before being replaced by Malo Gusto in the second half.

Michael Owen was critical of some aspects of the striker’s performance too, saying: “I do think in this situation he needs to be a little bit more unselfish, he probably could have passed it a couple of times.

“If he plays this ball in [to Pedro Neto] and makes a run to take the defender away, he will leave Neto with a one-on-one in this area. I think he’s got to do that instead of being a bit selfish and thinking he’s going to score a goal on his own. He takes a pot-shot from 25 yards and it’s not great.”

Ultimately, Enzo Maresca’s side prevailed regardless, but it was another poor performance from the 22-year-old, who is still yet to open his account since moving to west London, and a new centre-forward is being targeted for the January transfer window.

Chelsea make contact to sign Robinio Vaz

According to a report from Caught Offside, Chelsea have now opened talks over a deal for Marseille striker Vaz, having made contact with both the French club and the 18-year-old’s representatives ahead of a potential January move.

The Blues are exploring the possibility of making a formal bid for the youngster this winter, and they have moved ahead of London rivals Arsenal in the race for his signature, with the Gunners taking a more patient approach.

A deal would be relatively affordable, with the Ligue 1 side looking to hold out for €20m – €30m (£18m – £26m), but they are in no rush to cash-in, having already knocked back an offer from an unnamed European club.

The Frenchman has been a breakout star for Marseille this season, managing to become a first-team regular, having only missed one Ligue 1 game, and he has weighed in with four goals and two assists in 12 outings.

Scout Ben Mattinson also clearly believes the starlet has a lot of potential, having singled him out for high praise when giving an overview of his key strengths on X back in February.

Vaz could be a future star, but with a Premier League title push potentially on the cards, Chelsea could do with bringing in a striker with a little more experience in January, rather than yet another youngster.

Enzo Maresca now driving Chelsea move for £79m Premier League star Enzo Maresca now driving Chelsea move for "incredible" £79m Premier League star

The Italian is looking to sign a new defender, who is viewed as an ideal fit for his system.

ByDominic Lund Nov 23, 2025

"My understanding" – Fabrizio Romano shares positive news on £540,000-a-week Man Utd duo

by z3u9t.icu Uncategorized

Manchester United are building for the future under Ruben Amorim, and he now appears to have made key decisions on two of his most high-profile Old Trafford stars.

The Red Devils have made a reasonable start to the Premier League campaign and could well make a push for the European slots if they can maintain momentum, though that is something that will be challenged over the festive period due to the African Cup of Nations.

Bryan Mbeumo, Amad Diallo and Noussair Mazraoui are set to depart next month, leaving roles to be filled in the squad during a busy schedule that is set to be fraught with intense action.

Still, Premier League sides have known the competition is part and parcel of their squad planning, making it an issue they should be able to handle without the need for mass panic.

Signings in January will be important and there is an obvious need for midfield reinforcements, especially with Casemiro drawing closer to the end of his contract at Old Trafford.

Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Joao Gomes is the latest name on Manchester United’s list, and discussions are said to be progressing well over a potential move to work under Amorim’s stewardship in January.

Rob Edwards has signalled his desire to keep the Brazilian at Molineux. Nevertheless, that hasn’t stopped the Red Devils making tracks, even if there could be a twist in the tale regarding the state of play on their engine room, courtesy of Fabrizio Romano.

Fabrizio Romano delivers contract update on Casemiro and Maguire

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano has confirmed that Amorim wants both Casemiro and Harry Maguire to stay at Manchester United, providing they reduce their wages in line with the club’s new salary structure.

He said: “My understanding is that the situation of Casemiro is a really similar situation in terms of strategy to Harry Maguire.

“Casemiro and Harry Maguire are out of contract in the summer of 2026 and for Manchester United, they are two really important players, especially now.

“We have to say congrats to Casemiro. In this video let’s focus on Casemiro, because he’s been able to change his situation at Manchester United.”

Later, he added: “So now the desire is from Man United, obviously, to continue with Casemiro, but in different conditions. So the salary he has right now is a salary that Manchester United don’t want to pay in the future, not because of Casemiro or Maguire, but because they want to change the salary structure.”

Between them, a pay packet of £540,000 per week is a major chunk of the Red Devils’ wage list, and with both edging closer to the twilight of their respective careers, it may be worth looking at younger reinforcements as their contracts look set to expire.

Man Utd progress in talks to sign £40m+ midfielder who gives "everything"

The Red Devils could be closing in on a deal to sign a talented Premier League star.

BySean Markus Clifford Nov 23, 2025

Conversely, experience is vital and cannot be understated. Over the coming months, it would be a smart decision to tie down both stars if they can agree to a wage reduction.

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