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He has been called up on the back of his impressive performances in the T20I series, where he made 290 runs in five matches

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Apr-2023Mark Chapman has been added to the New Zealand ODI squad for their upcoming five-match series against Pakistan that begins in Rawalpindi on Thursday.Chapman has been called up on the back of his impressive performances in the T20I series, where he finished as the highest run-scorer with 290 runs in five games. His runs tally is the most by any player in a five-match T20I series. The series ended 2-2, with Chapman scoring an unbeaten 57-ball 104 in the fifth T20I to stun the hosts after New Zealand were 26 for 3 in a chase of 194.Chapman has played seven ODIs so far, of which two have been for Hong Kong. He played his first ODI for New Zealand in 2018 and last played in the format in July 2022, when he scored a match-winning 101* against Scotland.”The way Mark’s played against one of the best T20 bowling attacks in the world has been nothing short of outstanding,” New Zealand head coach Gary Stead said. “His match-winning knock in the fifth and deciding match was particularly special and we’re happy to have someone in such strong form added to our ODI squad.”Tom Blundell and Henry Nicholls will join the squad in Rawalpindi for the ODIs, while Dane Cleaver, who was part of the T20Is, will return home.The ODIs begin in Rawalpindi on April 26, with the last three matches set to take place in Karachi. The final game takes place on May 7.New Zealand ODI squad (updated): Tom Latham (capt),Tom Blundell, Chad Bowes, Mark Chapman, Matt Henry, Ben Lister, Cole McConchie, Adam Milne, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Henry Nicholls, Rachin Ravindra, Henry Shipley, Ish Sodhi, Blair Tickner, Will Young

Chelsea have received a fresh stadium blow as Todd Boehly has been warned over his £500m plan for a new home at Earl's Court.

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• Chelsea looking to build a new home
• Blues have been in talks with various stakeholders
• Must submit a swift proposal to avoid further obstacles

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to Chelsea’s ambitious plan to relocate to Earl’s Court has hit a potential roadblock, with club co-owner Todd Boehly warned that delays in submitting a bid could cost them the opportunity. Since Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital took over Chelsea in 2022, increasing the 40,343-seat capacity of Stamford Bridge has been a major priority. However, due to the complexity of redevelopment, the club has been exploring alternative locations. Talks have taken place with key figures involved in shaping the future of Earl’s Court, a prime site for a new stadium.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Chelsea’s proposal faces significant hurdles due to a competing project by the Earl’s Court Development Company (ECDC). The ECDC is advocating for a mixed-use development that does not include a football stadium. Their public consultation process has already been completed, and a final decision is expected this year from Hammersmith and Fulham Council and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council.

  If ECDC’s plan is approved before Chelsea make an offer, securing the site could become more difficult. Sources suggest that while an agreement could still be reached, the price of the land—currently estimated at £500 million—would increase significantly. Additionally, the political backing needed for Chelsea’s stadium plans could become harder to obtain, as local politicians are more inclined to support ECDC’s proposal for new housing over a football venue.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Despite the obstacles, Chelsea may still have a strategic advantage in negotiations. Some London planning experts believe that ECDC’s proposal might be financially unviable, opening the door for the Blues to present their alternative plan. Sources indicate that there is private political support for Chelsea’s stadium project, as a multi-use football arena could boost the local economy while still allowing for the inclusion of affordable housing.

  Chelsea have pinpointed the Lillie Bridge depot as a potential site for their stadium. The club has previously held discussions with Transport for London (TfL) and real estate developer Delancey, both of whom are key stakeholders in the Earl’s Court site. However, no formal agreements have been reached.

  One major issue holding up Chelsea’s progress is the lack of an official bid. Until the club makes a public declaration of interest, serious negotiations with political and planning figures cannot move forward. Reports suggest that part of the delay stems from internal tensions within Chelsea’s ownership. There have been claims that Boehly and Clearlake Capital have explored buying each other out, raising concerns about the club’s long-term direction. It is also unclear when the Chelsea board last discussed stadium plans, adding to the uncertainty surrounding the project.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

  While relocating to Earl’s Court is viewed as the most practical long-term solution, Chelsea have not completely abandoned the idea of redeveloping Stamford Bridge. However, this presents significant logistical and financial challenges. One major obstacle is the stadium’s proximity to railway lines, making reconstruction difficult. A stand-by-stand renovation has been considered but is seen as impractical, while a full demolition would force Chelsea to play at a temporary venue—likely Wembley—for up to seven years. In 2023, Chelsea acquired a 1.2-acre site next to Stamford Bridge from the Stoll charity, securing additional space for a potential redevelopment. However, before making any final decision, the club must reach an agreement with Chelsea Pitch Owners (CPO), who own the freehold of Stamford Bridge.

Arsenal picked up their fourth win in as many games last night and, in doing so, kept the Premier League title race very much alive.

Mikel Arteta’s side were not at their sparkling best against Manchester United, but put in a determined display and deservedly came away with all three points.

However, just because the attacking players somewhat flattered to deceive at the Emirates, there were still a handful of standout performers for the North Londoners.

Moreover, one of said performers was rumoured to be up for sale next month, but now looks utterly indispensable.

Arsenal's standout stars vs Manchester United

Before we get to the player in question, let’s look at some of the other Arsenal players who stood out for the right reasons last night, starting with the man who broke the deadlock, Jurrien Timber.

The Dutch international put in another scintillating display at right-back, getting forward to support Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard but then also giving Alejandro Garnacho absolutely no joy in defence, so it wasn’t a surprise to see the Standard’s Simon Collings award the former Ajax star an 8/10 match rating at fulltime.

However, he wasn’t the only defender who put the ball in the back of the net, as to his left, William Saliba was once again monstrous at the back.

The Frenchman, who also received an 8/10 from Collings, blocked, intercepted and tackled everything that came his way while also playing some exquisite passes of his own to help the North Londoners launch their attacks.

Lastly, while he didn’t score a goal, Declan Rice was just as impressive as his defensive teammates. The former West Ham United captain was a constant threat from corners, an impassible wall in midfield and, as Collings wrote, ‘gave Arsenal the injection of energy they needed’ in the second 45 after a slightly underwhelming first half.

With all that said, all three of these players have, justifiably, received plenty of praise since last night, but there’s another defender who should be receiving just as many plaudits, a defender who has surely just made himself indispensable.

Arsenal's unsung hero vs Manchester United

So, to get straight to the point, the Arsenal player who was as good as the aforementioned players last night was Jakub Kiwior.

That said, his performance was potentially more important than anyone else’s, at least from a personal point of view, as according to reports from last month, the club were looking to sell the Polish international in January for a fee as low as €25m, which is just £25m.

However, with Gabriel Magalhaes and Riccardo Calafiori out injured for last night’s must-win clash, Arteta had no choice but to start the former Spezia ace in his preferred position of left centre-back, and he more than repaid his manager.

The “extraordinary” 24-year-old, as dubbed by the iconic Robert Lewandowski, put in an intelligent display against the Red Devils, stepping off players when necessary and only going in for a challenge when it was clear he’d come out victorious.

Moreover, he showed fans that he’s no slouch with the ball at his feet either, playing some brilliant passes in the second half, including an excellent one into the path of Leandro Trossard, who really should have done something with it.

Unsurprisingly, Collings was equally impressed with the Tychy-born titan and gave him an 8/10 rating on the night, writing that while he ‘flew under the radar’ somewhat, he ‘had a great game with and without the ball.’

This appraisal is more than backed up by the statistics from the night, as in 94 minutes, the 6 foot 2 star made four clearances, won 100% of his ground duels and two of three aerial duels, made two tackles, took 61 touches, played one key pass, wasn’t dribbled past even once and didn’t commit even a single foul.

Ultimately, while he isn’t a regular starter for Arsenal, Kiwior demonstrated last night why he is an indispensable player for the club, as he came in for an injured Gabriel in a must-win game and didn’t put a foot wrong.

Forget about Saliba: 8/10 Arsenal star was a "different beast" vs Man Utd

Arsenal cruised to a 2-0 win over old rivals Manchester United.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Dec 5, 2024

Stats highlights from the SSC where 15 wickets fell on the third day of the third Test between Sri Lanka and India

Shiva Jayaraman30-Aug-20152001 Last time an India fast bowler before Ishant Sharma took a five-for in Tests in Sri Lanka. Venkatesh Prasad had returns of 5 for 72 in the second innings of the Kandy Test in 2001. Ishant’s 5 for 54 are the best bowling figures by an India pacer in Sri Lanka and only the fourth five-wicket haul by an Indian in Sri Lanka4 Five-wicket hauls by Ishant in 12 Tests since 2014; in 53 Tests before 2014, Ishant had taken only three five-fors. Since 2014, he has taken 48 wickets at an average of 30.95 and a strike rate of 53.0. He had taken 149 wickets at 38.81 before that and had a strike rate of 69.7.154 Runs conceded by India to Sri Lanka’s last five wickets after they had reduced the hosts to 47 for 5 in their first innings. Including this innings, the last five times India have had their opposition 5 wickets down for less than 100 runs, they have allowed more than 100 runs for the last-five wickets each time – 586 and 108 v New Zealand in Wellington, and 272 and 123 versus Sri Lanka in the Galle Test.15 Wickets that fell on the third day of this Test – equal the third highest in a day’s play at the SSC. In a Test between the hosts and England in 2001, 22 wickets fell on the third day, which are the most in a day at this venue. In the last Test as well at this venue, 15 wickets fell on the fourth day’s play.3 Number of India batsmen to carry their bat before Cheteshwar Pujara in India’s first innings. The first India batsmen to do it was Sunil Gavaskar against Pakistan in Faisalabad in 1983. Virender Sehwag did it against Sri Lanka, in Galle in 2008. The last one to do it was Rahul Dravid at the Oval in 2011. Click here for a list of batsmen who have carried their bat in Tests. Pujara followed up his first innings effort with a duck in the second innings thus becoming only the fourth batsmen to carry the bat in one innings and get out for a duck in the other innings of a Test. Bill Woodfull of Australia was the first, in the first Ashes Test in 1928-29. Geoff Boycott remained unbeaten on 99 in the second innings after getting a duck in the first in Perth in 1979-80. The last such instance was Saeed Anwar’s 0 and 188 in the Kolkata Test in 1999.6.36 Average runs scored by opening partnerships in this series – the second lowest in a series with ten or more innings. Sri Lanka and India’s first wickets have totally made just 70 runs from 11 innings with a highest stand of 15 between Dimuth Karunaratne and Kaushal Silva in the first innings in Galle.6 Number of times Pujara has batted on to make at least 135 runs out of his seven Test centuries, including his unbeaten 145 in India’s first innings. The only time he didn’t do that was against West Indies in Mumbai in 2013 when he got out for 113.8 Number of single-digit scores by Sri Lanka’s openers out of ten innings in this series. The three openers played by Sri Lanka so far have together scored 120 runs at an average 12 and a highest of 51 by Kaushal Silva in the second innings at P Sara Oval.1970 The last time three different openers made centuries in a series for any team before Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul and Pujara for India in this series. John Edrich, Geoff Boycott and Brian Luckhurst had made hundreds as openers for England in the 1970-71 Ashes. Including the latest instance by India, this has happened only five times.5 Number of Sri Lanka wicketkeepers to hit a fifty-plus score on debut before Kusal Perera in this Test. Including Perera Sri Lanka’s last-three wicketkeepers have made at least a fifty on debut. Niroshan Dickwella and Dinesh Chandimal – Sri Lanka’s previous two wicketkeepers – had also made fifty-plus scores on debut.49 Runs by Rangana Herath in Sri Lanka’s first innings – the highest by a Sri Lanka No. 9 batsman at the SSC. The previous highest was Upul Chandana’s 40 against South Africa in 2004. Herath fell one run short of what would have been only the fourth fifty by a No. 9 on this ground. Amit Mishra had made 59 – the highest by a No. 9 at this venue – in India’s first innings in this Test.108 Runs by No. 9 batsmen in this Test – the second highest in Tests between Sri Lanka and India with two more innings possible in the match. Ajit Agarkar and Malinga Bandara had together scored 113 runs in the Ahmedabad Test in 2005, the highest by No. 9 batsmen in Tests between the two teams.

Desperately searching for the reinforcements that could result in Premier League survival, Southampton have reportedly been handed a fresh price-tag boost in pursuit of a Bundesliga talent.

Southampton transfer news

Sat rock bottom and five points adrift of safety, things couldn’t be much more bleak for Southampton as a hectic festive period approaches to potentially compile their misery. Russell Martin’s side came ever so close to causing a major upset against league leaders Liverpool, only for Mohamed Salah to drag the Reds to victory as he so often does. The performance, however, is certainly one that the Saints should build on.

When the January transfer window does arrive, meanwhile, those at St Mary’s must hope that the situation is salvageable enough for reinforcements to make a much-needed impact, with the likes of Vasco De Gama’s Rayan and even Real Madrid’s Endrick already linked to Southampton ahead of 2025.

Endrick could be a particularly sensational arrival on loan from the La Liga giants. If anyone’s got the quality to sharpen the Saints’ attack, it is a Real Madrid gem. But he’s not the only attacking reinforcement to have been mentioned as of late.

According to Graeme Bailey for The Boot Room, Southampton have now been dealt a fresh price boost in pursuit of Romano Schmid, whose agent is now pushing for a move away from Werder Bremen. The Bundesliga side will now reportedly accept an offer lower than £10m to potentially hand the Saints a bargain deal if they manage to fend off interest from both Fulham and Aston Villa.

Southampton make first enquiry to sign "powerful" £15m player in January

Southampton’s hierarchy have made a move to sign a player who has been linked with a switch to the Premier League before.

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By
Brett Worthington

Nov 21, 2024

Primarily an attacking midfielder, Schmid can also play off the left-hand side and in a deeper central midfield role in what would offer Martin some welcomed versatility at the heart of his side.

"Talented" Schmid can form Dibling partnership

By completing a move to Southampton, Schmid could have the chance to form a partnership with one of the Premier League’s most exciting young talents in Tyler Dibling. The winger caused Liverpool all sorts of problems and with a player of Schmid’s calibre next to him, Dibling may thrive even further to potentially fire the Saints to safety.

Impressing in the previous campaign, scoring four goals and assisting another seven in all competitions, Schmid’s rise is one that Werder Bremen saw coming since securing his signature at 18 years old.

Instantly praising the midfielder, Werder Bremen sporting director Frank Baumann told the club’s website after welcoming Schmid: “Romano is a talented player, who’s received really good training, originally in Graz and then in Salzburg. We’re delighted to be able to secure his services.”

Now 24 years old, Schmid looks destined to leave the Bundesliga club with his agent reportedly pushing for an exit ahead of 2025. In what would be his biggest move yet, the Austrian could swap the Bundesliga for the Premier League and the chance to play a pivotal part in keeping Southampton afloat in England’s top flight.

The batter feels the attack-first mantra he has now instilled in his Test-match batting puts him in a better position defensively

Andrew McGlashan25-Feb-2023Travis Head had “robust” conversations with Australia’s selectors after he was surprisingly dropped for the opening Test in India but believes he has shown he can find success in challenging conditions amid a hasty switch to opening the batting.Head was left out in Nagpur despite a prolific home summer based on his poor returns in Pakistan and Sri Lanka last year. He admitted that having worked hard to adapt his game ahead of the tour, he was shocked by the decision but swiftly returned to the side in Delhi albeit the reasoning was curiously linked as much to his bowling as batting.”The conversations were robust, I guess, and everyone has different opinions,” Head said. “But I respect the coaching staff and selectors. I have a really strong relationship with them so think that’s what made the conversations the way they went because there’s respect both ways and we are able to voice our opinions.Related

• Points to ponder – what Australia need to do to revive a flagging campaign

• Head recalled for bowling ability, Kuhnemann leapfrogs Agar

• Head-less Australia's horses-for-courses approach backfires

• Green '100% ready to go' for the Indore Test

• Cummins to miss third Test against India after remaining home

“It’s something I didn’t expect coming here, but sometimes that happens and thought I was able to go through that week and prepare myself for another chance… Now it’s making the most of that.”Head made 12 in the first innings in Delhi before edging Mohammed Shami to slip and then produced a sparkling 43 when he opened in place of the concussed David Warner. It was an innings that had put Australia ahead in the game, only for things to come crashing down on the third morning after Head edged R Ashwin.Head’s outstanding form at home – where he has averaged 73.50 over the last two seasons – has come with a blistering approach which has seen him strike at 91.20. He struggled to replicate that in the subcontinent last year, going at 48.40 in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, but was encouraged by the way he was able to counter Ashwin in Delhi where he scored at better than a run-a-ball against him during the second evening flurry.”I was pleased with the way I was going forward and back, watching length, and a few things I’ve worked on,” Head said of his innings. “It was a small sample piece but over here small sample pieces can be a little bit of gold to hopefully push forward for the next two Tests.”Felt like the way I played the other day was a step forward in that direction. Would have loved to have done it in the previous series, but that’s development, that’s understanding, that’s watching other teams go about it and other players and trying to learn on the go with not much experience in the subcontinent.”Head feels the attack-first mantra that is now instilled in his Test-match batting also puts him in a better position defensively and it was not being able to commit to that philosophy that brought his downfall on earlier tours.”[In] Sri Lanka, especially, when it was more spin-friendly than Pakistan, I found myself sitting on the crease a little bit and probably looking more to defend and waiting to attack, whereas here I’ve come with the approach that I want to attack first and defend second,” he said. “When I do that, and I’ve found it in Australia, my feet move better and I’m in better positions.”With Warner having been ruled out of the final two Tests, Head is all but certain to continue to open the batting in Indore next week. While Warner was defiant about his own future when he returned to Australia, it is far from guaranteed he will have the opportunity to resume his Test career in the World Test Championship final – should Australia qualify – and the Ashes.Whether Head is a viable long-term option remains to be seen – he appears inked in as the ODI opener heading towards the 2023 World Cup – but having been jolted by his omission in the first Test, he is more determined than ever to make himself valuable in any role.”Honestly, after missing out in the first Test, I would bat anywhere the team needed me to get a game. I’ve always said that. I didn’t come here expecting to open the batting last innings but whether it’s opening or No. 5, I’ve got to find a way in both of them if needed for the team.”Australia had a final training session in Delhi on Saturday before flying to Indore, which was hurriedly handed the third Test in place of Dharamsala. Mitchell Starc is expected to return to replace absent captain Pat Cummins who has remained in Australia with his seriously ill mother while Cameron Green will also be back from injury.

The lack of a backlift restricts the Australian opener’s range of strokes, especially the drive, but he has managed to use his limitations to his advantage

Aakash Chopra15-Jul-2015Chris Rogers went deep inside the crease to chop Moeen Ali’s short ball through the third-man region for a couple to reach another fifty, and with it to become the fifth batsman and the first opener to score seven consecutive Test half-centuries. Considering the number of runs (24,000, and 186 scores of 50 and above) he has scored at first-class level, his consistency shouldn’t come as a surprise. But since he was so late in making it to the international scene, every landmark he achieves raises eyebrows.While many Australians start their international careers fairly late, Rogers seems to be a little different. It won’t be too off the mark to assume that a paucity of batting talent in Australia forced the selectors to look at him, for his style of play isn’t really Australian. While a player like him would traditionally be rated highly in England, in Australia even his successes are received with some amount of cynicism. Even though the decline in Australian batting quality is quite apparent, their mindset hasn’t changed much: they still prefer picking players who can assert themselves on the game and opposition, and more importantly can take the game forward. Rogers does neither. Instead, he plays the traditional brand of cricket that dictates leaving everything outside off if it’s full and waiting for bad balls to come his way. He is the sort of player who is effective but will rarely change the flow of the game in a session or two.Rogers’ batting is built around minimising risk, and for that, minimal movement of the bat and feet. While most Australian batsmen grow up learning the importance of standing tall and cocking the wrists while taking the bat upwards in the backlift, Rogers crouches in his stance and breaks his wrists while taking the bat upwards in the backlift. In fact, the way he lifts the bat, the wrists have little role to play, for the weight of the bat is not distributed between the forearms and the wrists; in his case, it’s the forearms that bear nearly all the weight.The position of his right arm in his stance is similar to how it would be if you were cradling a baby. The advantage of this position is that the batsman can achieve the perfect pendulum movement, for the bat comes down in one direction, following the same path every time.

Like all good Test openers, Rogers has acquired a good sense of where his off stump is and takes pleasure in allowing balls to go through to the wicketkeeper

On the other hand, players with a high backlift run the risk of minor deviations in the path as they take the bat upwards and bring it down in the stroke. For Rogers, the flip side is that breaking the wrists so early means the bat does not going higher in the backlift regardless of the flight of the ball or whether he wants to play an aggressive shot or not.In an ideal world, the bat must go higher if the bowler has flighted the ball a little more and if you want to play an aggressive shot. By doing that, you use the momentum generated in the downswing to hit the ball harder. Rogers gives himself no such luxury and depends solely on the pace provided by the bowler. It isn’t surprising that his favourite areas of scoring against pace are either behind square on the off side or off his legs on the on side. He is a reluctant driver of the ball; in fact, he rarely plays the big, booming drive. His backlift (or the lack of it) dictates that he simply pushes the ball down the ground and makes peace with whatever he gets in return.Ricky Ponting was a powerful driver of the ball partly because of his emphatic backlift•Getty ImagesBowling to someone like Rogers is straightforward: you must not bowl short or provide width, while bowling an off-stump line, and you must stay away from his pads. In theory, every international bowler should be able to execute this, and Rogers ought to find it difficult to score runs. But years of playing the game have made Rogers acutely aware of his own game. He knows what he’s good at, and more importantly, knows what he isn’t capable of doing. Since he does not play the big, booming drives, he in effect pushes balls that are really full and hittable through the off side. Like all good Test openers, he has acquired a good sense of where his off stump is, and takes pleasure in allowing balls to go through to the wicketkeeper. His near non-existent backlift means that his hands are reasonably soft on the bat handle, and that enables him to present a dead bat while defending, which means soft edges often don’t carry to the slip cordon.Rogers’ batting is a throwback to an era gone by. At 37, he doesn’t have too much international cricket left in him. There aren’t too many of his ilk left, and we ought to enjoy him while he lasts, as he goes about using the pace to put the ball behind point and nudging it off his pads.

The former Canadian national team player, current Apple TV analyst joined Mic'd up to discuss Messi, MLS, Jesse Marsch

Kaylyn Kyle has covered virtually every soccer league you can name. She has been there for the Premier League and Ligue 1. She has watched on – and played at – the Olympics and the Women's World Cup. But in her estimation, nothing quite compares to MLS.

"It's one of the most exciting, because you genuinely don't know who's going to win every single weekend," she tells GOAL.

Kyle's journey has been a somewhat chaotic. From Canadian national team standout to high-profile MLS analyst, the former midfielder has been involved in the game at all levels – on and off the field. And now, she has settled in the Apple TV studio, hosting MLS 260 and regularly appearing as a sideline reporter for some of the biggest games. MLS, and its ever changing world, makes her life as interesting as ever.

"I gotta be honest, because you go into the season thinking, 'OK, yeah, I'm set. I know exactly what I'm talking about.' And then the transfer deadline, 24th hour, there's 17 different changes, player movements, in and out, and you're like, 'Oh, Jesus, where's this player from?' " Kyle says.

But she's uniquely placed to keep track of everything. She has done a bit of everything – from hosting, to reporting, to actually playing the game – and established herself as a relevant, and often loud voice in the American soccer landscape.

Kyle talked MLS, NWSL, Canadian soccer and more in the latest edition of Mic’d Up, a recurring feature in which GOAL US taps into the perspective of broadcasters, analysts and other pundits on the state of soccer in the U.S. and abroad.

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  ON THE 2025 MLS SEASON

  GOAL: What have you made of the MLS season so far? Has it been better than you expected?

  KYLE: I've covered every league under the sun, and since coming to MLS, I think it's, for me, it's one of the most exciting, because you genuinely don't know who's going to win every single weekend. Whereas when you're you're looking at the Prem, you're looking at La Liga, you have those top, top, top teams that seem to get the job done. Yes, there's the one-offs, like Nottingham Forest, that catch you by surprise. But I feel like with Major League Soccer, they make us do these preseason predictions, and the fans go crazy and they're so upset, and they're like, "You don't know what you're talking about. You're an idiot. You shouldn't have your job.' "

  But it is so hard because there is so much movement in the offseason. Now there's the new rule in Major League Soccer, which I absolutely love, where teams can buy players from other teams, which, for me, was a game-changer this year. I mean, you saw [Dejan] Joveljic from LA Galaxy going to Sporting KC. You saw Evander move. It's a very cool rule, and I love it, and I think it's added so much. But, yeah, it's chaotic, I gotta be honest, because you go into the season thinking, "OK, yeah, I'm set. I know exactly what I'm talking about." And then the transfer deadline, 24th hour, there's 17 different changes, player movements, in and out, and you're like, "Oh, Jesus, where's this player from?" Then you throw in the homegrown players… so it's chaotic, it's a lot of fun, and it's a league that I feel like just keeps you on your toes at all times.

  GOAL: You got that sense from the playoffs last year, that literally anything can happen.

  KYLE: Everyone's like, "What's the playoffs? Like, the team who just won the Supporters' Shield should win the league. It's the biggest trophy." But I'm like, "Americans, we love the playoffs." You tune into the NHL for the playoffs. You tune into the NFL for the playoffs. It's fun, it's entertaining. Those underdog teams can sneak in now, with that play-in-game. It's fun.

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  ON INTER MIAMI

  GOAL: We have to talk Inter Miami. How would you summarize Lionel Messi's impact on MLS?

  KYLE: The thing is, is everyone's like, "Oh, he's changed Major League Soccer" – and he hasn't. He has in a way, for sure, he's gotten more eyes on it from maybe other leagues from around the world or other countries that didn't rate Major League Soccer – and now they tune in because of him and are like, "Oh, this is actually a really good league." But every league that Messi has gone to people tune in. I mean, you look at Ligue 1 for example, there's four really top teams. I'm going to get killed by by French supporters, but like Marseille, Lyon, and PSG. And when he went to PSG, I didn't know a lot about the league. I didn't watch the league. And then obviously, we started covering it with BEIN sports. So he does that at every league that he goes to. I mean, people tune in to watch Lionel Messi. So I think what he's done for Major League Soccer is incredible, because I think he's gotten eyes on it in a way where now people look at the league differently.

  He had multiple clubs in Europe that he could have gone to, and he chose Major League Soccer, and he chose Inter Miami, which I think people are like, "He's at the tail end of his career." He was fresh coming off a World Cup in 2022 winning with Argentina, and arguably was one of the best players in the tournament. So I hate that narrative of like people saying "It's a retirement league" because it's not, and now it's also a development league of young, up-and-coming South Americans that then gets sold for $15 or $20 million over to Europe, like we saw with Miguel Almiron. So I just think the league has done such a great job in the short amount of time. It's not the EPL where, you know, it's hundreds of years of people being born into supporting Everton or Liverpool or Man City.

  But you can already see the impact of what Messi has done with the league, where these stadiums that weren't filled, and now they are filled, and they're having to change venues so they can accommodate ticket sales of people wanting to see Lionel Messi. So I think it's incredible what he's done. I think it won't stop when he does retire, because now you're starting to see more and more players tuning in because of Messi and being like, "Oh, actually, this looks like a little bit of me." I mean, Emmanuel Latte Lath for Atlanta United, or Kevin Denkey at Cincinnati. It's been really cool what he's done, not only on the pitch, but the awareness that he's bringing off the pitch as well.

  GOAL: What do you make of Javier Mascherano as a manager?

  KYLE: He's done an extremely good job, and I think there was a lot of pressure on him when he went in, because you have a manager like Tata Martino, in 18 months, they lifted the Leagues Cup. They set the points record and they lifted a Supporters' Shield. Yes, he does have Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, Luis Suarez and Messi, I understand that. But the pressure on Miami is to win everything, whether it's the CONCACAF Champions Cup, whether it's the Club World Cup, whether it's the league, the Supporter's Shield… they have the players to do so, so and one of the deepest benches here in Major League Soccer, and then obviously the pressure because he played with Messi. So the narrative of "You got the job because of Messi" is there, but I think he's done an extremely, extremely good job.

  They lost a lot of key pieces last year, like Diego Gomez, Matias Rojas, and they've had to fill it. They went out, they found Tadeo Allende. They found Telasco Segovia, two players that have played massive roles. People are talking about disciplinary stuff, you know – three red cards already early on in the season – but it's not really any different of a story than what we saw last year from Inter Miami. But he's done a great job having to rest Messi for a few games and manage his load and bringing in players to get the job done. And they're second in the Supporters' Shield under Vancouver Whitecaps right now top in the Eastern Conference.

  GOAL: Four matchdays in, who's your way-too-early favorite to win it all?

  KYLE: I gotta go Inter Miami. They've come back, to win down to 10 men in two matches. And then you have Messi. And you just can't bet against him. I feel like they will go back-to-back years winning Supporters' Shields. Anything can happen in the playoffs, but I don't see them having an early exit like we saw last year against Atlanta United.

• GOAL
  

  ON THE USL, DIVISION ONE LEAGUE, PRO-REL

  GOAL: USL is getting a Division One league with promotion and relegation. Should MLS be worried?

  KYLE: It's always great when you have competition. When I grew up as a player, if you don't have competition, it doesn't make you better. And I think you know, with what the USL is doing, I think it's a fantastic platform for players to improve and get better and get professional games, because we have seen a lot of USL players make the jump to Major League Soccer, and we have seen a lot of Major League Soccer players make the jump to USL. Competition is always good, and I think it only will improve the sport here, and it's also showing the growth of the sport here in North America, which is incredible to see.

  What I will say with Major League Soccer, though, in just 25 years, and since Don Garber has taken over as commissioner, he took it from 10 teams to 30 teams. We now have soccer specific stadiums that sell out. We now have soccer specific training grounds that are multi million dollar training grounds that are quite honestly, better than a lot of European training grounds. So I will say what Major League Soccer has done in a short amount of time, and the infrastructure that they've created, for me, is some of the best in the world. Again, not I'm not talking about the Barcelonas, the PSGs, but I am talking about those, maybe teams 20 to 13, when you look at some of their training grounds, and then you look at a Columbus Crew training ground, even an Inter Miami training ground… It is amazing to see the growth in Major League Soccer and the growth here with the USL, and, you know, just getting more and more competitive.

  GOAL: And promotion-relegation, which was recently announced by the USL. Is it necessary?

  KYLE: For USL, I think, the more you can innovate, and the more that you can add growth, the more the game gets better. So if that's the way they thought they could get better and add maybe a few more eyes on the USL, get more fans in the stands, make it more competitive. I don't know the ins and outs of the USL as well as I do with Major League Soccer, but I will say I love seeing change, and I love seeing growth. My husband played in the USL, I love the USL. Competition is great.

• AFP
  

  ON NWSL TRANSFERS

  GOAL: I wanted to touch on the NWSL a little bit. You played in the league, you had quite an influence in the women's soccer sphere. There have been some significant departures, though, to Europe this offseason. What do you think this means? Should the league be worried?

  KYLE: It's continuing to grow. There's expansion clubs that are slowly starting to come in. I was there at the beginning where places didn't have training grounds, we didn't have breakfast. So where the NWSL has gone from to where it is today has been night and day. So well done to the NWSL. But what I will say is, when you are a player, you want to play in the Champions League. We don't have that here in North America, obviously. And I do think it's almost a similar situation as Major League Soccer. When you do make that jump to Europe, I feel like when you make the jump to England, I don't think it's isn't competitive for team one to 10. I think they have team one to 5, where it's very competitive, they pay good money, they have proper training grounds, and they're in the Champions League. Ultimately, every player would love to play in the Champions League. I wish I would have!

  So I do feel like when you are losing a player, because I got both sides of it. When the girls are talking about it, they're like, "It won't hurt the league." But it will hurt the league, because you want your biggest and best stars in the league. But what I will say, a lot of players that have played in Europe come to the NWSL and they realize this is a very difficult league. It's very transitional, it's very athletic, it's very competitive from team one to team 10. But yeah, obviously, when I look at it, you never want big stars to leave a league, because ultimately that hurts.

Captain Meg Lanning said “we all support Ash and her feelings around the day”

AAP23-Jan-2023Meg Lanning has declared the Australian women’s team are united in support of indigenous star Ashleigh Gardner and her criticism of the side playing on January 26.Gardner made her views clear on the subject on Sunday, when she said the day was a “day of hurt and a day of mourning” for indigenous Australians.The reigning Belinda Clark Award holder will line up in the T20 against Pakistan but has said playing on that date did not sit well with her.The second T20 against Pakistan was initially scheduled for January 27 in Canberra but was moved to the 26th in Hobart when South Africa abandoned their men’s ODI series, which had included a scheduled game in the southern city.In a move driven by players, Australia will wear an indigenous jersey, wristbands and socks with indigenous colours for the match in Hobart.The issue is understood to have been first raised months ago by players, who were keen to lead an education space on the issue once being told they would be scheduled to play on January 26.”It’s something that we can’t control in terms of the scheduling and playing on that day,” Lanning said. “But something we would like to do is acknowledge the sadness and grief that day brings for First Nations people.”We’re going to try to use the opportunity we have to educate ourselves and try to create a better understanding of what it means and their culture. It’s a really united front in the group and we all support Ash and her feelings around the day.”Lanning said Gardner was doing “pretty well” after receiving online abuse following her statement, and labelled the allrounder’s action as brave. Gardner was with the Australian team at training on Monday, amid a throng of media focusing on the issue.The subject of January 26 has been a constant challenge for Cricket Australia in recent years, and a subject about which the governing body takes regular input from its indigenous advisory committee.The organisation dropped the term “Australia Day” from all marketing two years ago, which was met with criticism by then Prime Minister Scott Morrison.Indigenous elements will also become part of all Big Bash League uniforms from next season, with the women’s team to wear a First Nations jersey throughout next month’s T20 World Cup.”It’s something that we’ve been working on as a group for a number years,” Lanning said. “We’ve been trying to use every opportunity that we get to educate ourselves and try to celebrate the culture of First Nations people as well and try to make a point of that.”We’re doing a cultural tour the day before [January 26)] to learn a little bit more. It’s something as a group that we’ve spoken about for the past few years, it hasn’t just come up now. We’ll continue to do that because we think it’s important.”The advisory committee’s co-chairman and former CEO of Reconciliation Australia Justin Mohamed told AAP he understood a busy schedule meant games would be played on January 26, and stressed his personal view was that the tone of the event was crucial.”I can only reflect on Anzac Day and the [AFL] fixture with Collingwood and Essendon. The respect they show to Anzac Day only enhances and educates,” Mohamed said.”People who go to that game know this is a significant time, and there have been losses. [January 26] is a day of mourning, but also there is a day of survival. Where Aboriginal culture and language and history have survived all this.”The 26th will always be the 26th. Even if we change the date to celebrate Australia Day on, the 26th is a date all Australians should know and shouldn’t be lost.”Mohamed said the team had been proactive in their response to the scheduling.”Straight away they said, ‘This day has a strong significance for First Nations people, we need to learn more about this’,” he said.

Virgil van Dijk has claimed that there has been no progress in contract talks with Liverpool as the Dutch defender edges closer to free agency.

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• Van Dijk provided update on his contract situation
• 'No idea' if he'll still be at the club next season
• Dutchman focused on winning Carabao Cup and Premier League

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Van Dijk might have played his final Champions League game for Liverpool on Tuesday as they crashed out after losing 4-1 on penalties against Paris Saint-Germain in the second leg of their round of 16 fixture. After the loss at Anfield, the Dutch defender was asked about his future at the Merseyside club, to which he replied that contract talks have stalled with the Reds at the moment.

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• WHAT VIRGIL VAN DIJK SAID

  Speaking to reporters, the Dutchman said: "I have no idea. I still have no idea at the moment. Genuinely. I have no idea at the moment. It is not on hold. Nothing on hold. There’s just… I keep saying the same thing. Listen, there are ten games to go, and that is my full focus. If there is news, you guys will know it.

  "I don’t even know myself. Everyone knows there are some conversations behind the scenes, but that is about it. At the moment, I don’t even know what will happen next year. If anyone says they do know, they are lying to your face."

• (C)Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  After the loss against the French champions, Van Dijk sent Liverpool fans into a panic as he was spotted speaking with PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and sporting director Luis Campos. Liverpool have also yet to finalise new contracts for Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

• AFP
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?

  The Reds will now aim to bag their first trophy of the season on Sunday as they gear up to face Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley.