Category Uncategorized

Tottenham Hotspur showed why, under Ange Postecoglou, that at their best they are a force to be reckoned with on Sunday afternoon.

Spurs have flattered to deceive at points this term, notably losing to a winless Crystal Palace a week ago, but since then have shown why teams should be scared of them, beating Manchester City in the cup and then smacking four past Aston Villa in a 4-1 victory.

No team in the Premier League up to this point have scored more than their 22 goals. They are full of life and can outscore pretty much any team they face.

Dominic Solanke – who scored twice at the weekend – will no doubt take the plaudits but another face was just as good, if not better, than the striker. It was a display that had shades of a certain Mousa Dembele.

Why Mousa Dembele was so loved at Spurs

“Dembele was probably the best player I’ve ever seen play football,” remarked Kyle Walker many moons ago. He was “a freak of nature” in the words of Eric Dier.

Gain such fine praise from your pears and it’s hardly a surprise that he was so loved at White Hart Lane.

Dembele had the poise and grace of the finest footballers in the game but he combined that with a steely physical nature. In essence, he had it all. He could score goals, he could tackle ruthlessly and he could pick a pass.

One of his finest campaigns on English shores came in 2015/16 and to give credence to the claims we’ve just offered, he was involved in four goals, registered 2.9 successful dribbles per game and won 3.6 tackles per match. Yeah, he was everywhere, he did it all.

So, when the Belgian decided to leave for China in 2019, it was a sad day for Spurs supporters. Arguably since that day, they have struggled to find a player with similar qualities. That’s perhaps until the win over Aston Villa.

Chalkboard

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

Tottenham's new Mousa Dembele

There were a number of key performers in that win over Unai Emery’s team on Sunday, not least Solanke who was the scorer of two goals.

However, Pape Matar Sarr deserves an equal amount of praise for a display that Football.London felt obliged to hand a 9/10 rating.

In the words of GOAL’s Mitch Fretton, the Senegalese was a “monster” in the middle of the park and although he perhaps didn’t show the same level of drive with the ball, failing to attempt a single dribble, he was very much Dembele-esque in a lot of the work he got through.

Sarr vs Aston Villa
Minutes played	90
Touches	80
Accurate passes	59/64 (92%)
Key passes	1
Shots	4
Ground duels won	2/7
Aerial duels won	1/2
Possession lost	7x
Clearances	3
Interceptions	2
Tackles	0
Stats via Sofascore.

In the process of winning three duels, completing a supremely impressive 92% of his passes and boasting more touches (80) than anyone on the field, his finest action came when helping Spurs score their third goal of the game.

If the fact he had more touches than anyone else didn’t give you Dembele vibes then the way he broke up the play for Solanke’s second of the day should.

Sarr pounced on Pau Torres’ loose ball before darting forward with his great lengthy strides and sending it through to Richarlison who laid it on a plate for the £65m signing to score from. It was one of two interceptions from the young 22-year-old who should now be one of the first names on the teamsheet.

He drives his team forward, breaks up the play brilliantly and covers so much ground for his team. All of a sudden he is vital to the way Postecoglou wants his team to play.

Spurs thought they'd signed the new Mousa Dembele, then he left for free

The promising star couldn’t make it work at Spurs.

2

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Nov 2, 2024

He says the backing from the team management has helped “take a bit of pressure off” as he makes a return to India’s squad

Shashank Kishore18-Sep-20225:50

How Harshal Patel has used his injury to become even better

Training without the fear of competition has been liberating for Harshal Patel.Having recovered from a rib injury that ruled him out of the Asia Cup that just finished in the UAE, Harshal is looking forward to life on the road again, which will soon include a maiden World Cup appearance. But first he has to deal with the T20Is against Australia starting on Tuesday in Mohali.Related

Suryakumar and Harshal ready for 'cold' Australian welcome: 'There's a few butterflies and lot of excitement'

Rahul: 'No one is perfect; strike rate is something I am working at'

Kohli is third opener but Rahul has Rohit's backing

Mohammed Shami tests positive for Covid-19, Umesh Yadav named as replacement

Harshal has spent the past four weeks in rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. The first two weeks were spent working on his physical conditioning, before he resumed bowling. One of his key focus areas has been to be ahead of the curve and continue as the X-factor bowler teams yearn for.”I want to be tighter with my execution,” Harshal told ESPNcricinfo in August. “And I achieved that more or less last IPL [19 wickets in 15 matches]. I will continue to strive for that. If I’m bowling one or two bad balls out of 24, [I want to see] if I can completely eliminate that.”You’re not going to be able to do that every single game, but if I can do that in two games out of five, or three games out of five, that will be a goal worth striving for.”Known for his terrific slower balls and a potent dipping yorker, Harshal vaulted to the top of the wicket-taker’s charts at IPL 2021 and has ridden that wave all the way to an India cap last November.Nearly a year on, he’s emerged as a key member of India’s T20I arsenal. The time off due to injury, he believes, has helped him explore different facets of his craft apart from working on their execution, which is the “tougher bit.” Two of those areas are his new-ball bowling and variations in lengths.”I’ve explored a little bit in terms of the lengths I can bowl with the slower ball,” he explained. “Usually when I bowl the slower balls, it’s mainly fuller or at the good length. But now I’ve started bowling more shorter slower balls which are working out very well for me. That’s one thing obviously.”I’ve also been working on my new-ball skills for a while. I started doing that mid-IPL. Just because in the IPL, what I was supposed to do [mainly middle-overs and death bowling], all my skills were top notch, so I didn’t need to work on them.”So, every time I’d go to practice, I’d take a new ball and start bowling with it because it’s good to have a skill and not need it than the other way round,. It’s just something I’ve been working on and if I get an opportunity, for India or for RCB [Royal Challengers Bangalore], I would love to do that.”Harshal is deeply analytical, and challenges himself to keep getting better. That the team management has been clear of what they expect of him has helped, too.Harshal Patel: My ability to bat at No. 8 is something they [team management] really value•Getty ImagesIn the 30 T20s this year, he has bowled 54 overs in the middle phase for 19 wickets at an economy rate of 6.61 and 41.1 overs at the death for 18 wickets at 10.17. In comparison, in the 11 innings where he came on in the first six, he has averaged just one over per game.”They [India coach Rahul Dravid and captain Rohit Sharma] have been nothing but supportive,” Harshal said. “Whatever the team ethos is, they have taken precedence over individuals, which is a great thing.”They told me my role exactly. They said, ‘we want you to be able to bowl in all three phases, not just middle and death’. They’ve been bowling me once at the end of the powerplay every single game just to get used to that.”It isn’t just his bowling that Harshal has been working on. He takes great pride in his ball-striking too. “My ability to bat at No. 8 is something they [team management] really value,” he said.”I have not been working a lot on my batting because of time constraints, because you’re constantly in competition. But during rehab, I’ve had a chance to hit 500-700 balls over two-three weeks. It’s something I’ve wanted to work on for quite a while because I really want to contribute in that capacity as well.”What has helped along the way is clarity of roles and backing from the captain and the coach. Harshal believes this is critical for individuals from a mental standpoint, because it helps in better decision-making, especially when players return from injuries.”It does take a bit of pressure off you,” he said. “Because sometimes people make foolish decisions when they’re returning to play. They’re either trying to do too much or trying to push too hard because they feel that their place is in danger or for whatever reason.”But if you know for a fact the team management will remember what you’ve done prior to getting injured, and those performances and contributions are not forgotten, then that gives you a sense of calm or comfort that once you go back into the team – obviously you will have to perform again and again and that goes for every single cricketer – you know that you will hold that place in the team.”As Harshal looks ahead, the mention of ‘World Cup’ brings a smile to his face. He grew up like any other kid dreaming of playing in one, and in about a month’s time, it will all come true.”Obviously I am super excited,” he said. “I will get nervous at some point, but at this point of time, I’m just excited. The two World Cups India have won in 2007 and 2011, I vividly remember where I was and what I was doing.”After we won the World Cup, like every kid, we took our scooters and went onto the roads to dance and jump and shout. It would be great if I could play and if we end up winning the World Cup, to have that circle completed would be a great feeling. But [right now] it’s going to be a lot of excitement and nervous energy.”

Fair to say, this season has not gone quite to plan for Glasgow Rangers and in particular, new Gers boss Russell Martin.

Last time out, Rangers played out statistically the most boring Glasgow derby of all time, the two fierce rivals accumulating a combined xG of just 0.31 at Ibrox.

This means, for the first time since 1983, the Light Blues have failed to win any of their opening four fixtures in a Premiership campaign, having previously played out 1-1 draws with Motherwell, Dundee and then St Mirren.

Scoring goals has certainly proved to be one of the many key issues Martin has faced as Rangers boss, with a lot of attacking talent departing Govan this summer, but could one of his summer signings ultimately solve this issue and turn out to be the new Václav Černý?

Václav Černý's importance at Rangers

Last season, across 58 matches in all competitions, Rangers scored a total of 115 goals.

Well, their top three scorers, namely Cyriel Dessers, Cerny and Hamza Igamane, contributed 63 of these goals (55%), but the trio have all departed during the summer.

Dessers was sold to Panathinaikos for £3.5m on deadline day, Igamane joined Lille for around £10.4m a few days earlier, while Černý did not return, following the expiration of his loan from Wolfsburg.

Instead, the Czechia international joined Beşiktaş for around £6m, but, considering the İstanbul-based giants failed to qualify for the league phase of any European competition, while Rangers are back in the Europa League, supporters may feel aggrieved that he isn’t heading back to Ibrox.

The table below underlines Černý’s importance last season.

Černý Rangers 2024/25 stats
Statistics	Černý	Rangers rank
Goals	18	2nd
Assists	6	4th
UEL goals	6	1st
Shots	136	1st
Big chances created	9	4th
Shot-creating actions	42	1st
Goal-creating actions	5	2nd
Progressive carries	40	1st
Key passes	14	2nd
Average SofaScore rating	7.40	2nd
Stats via FBref & Sofascore

As the table documents, Černý was a pivotal figure at Rangers last season, his six goals in the Europa League particularly noteworthy.

The 27-year-old took his tally to eight international goals on Friday night, bagging the second as Czechia beat Montenegro 2-0 in a World Cup qualifier in Podgorica, but could Rangers have unearthed a winger with even greater potential?

Rangers' Václav Černý​​​​​​​ upgrade

In a season that has so far produced very little for Rangers fans to cheer, the form of Djeidi Gassama has certainly been something to get excited about.

Chalkboard

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

The 22-year-old arrived in Glasgow for a reported fee of £2.2m, joining from crisis club Sheffield Wednesday, who are being completely run into the ground by wantaway owner Dejphon Chansiri, thereby sanctioning a fire sale of all the Owls’ assets.

Thus, it appears as though Rangers have taken advantage of the disastrous situation at Hillsborough and snapped up a bargain.

When he first arrived, manager Martin labelled Gassama “exciting”, adding that he will get fans “on the edge of their seats”, asserting that “he is on an upward trajectory… we look forward to seeing him in action.”

Well, the 21-year-old certainly made a good first impression, scoring four times during the early rounds of Champions League qualifying.

He spectacularly netted on his debut against Panathinaikos, also on target during the return leg in Athens eight nights later, before bagging a brace when Viktoria Plzeň was vanquished 3-0 at Ibrox in the third qualifying round.

As already outlined, what made Černý’s contribution so outstanding was his end product in European competition, something Gassama has already shown signs of being able to replicate.

In the Europa League league phase, the Gers will face: Genk (H), Sturm Graz (A), Brann (A), Roma (H), Braga (H), Ferencváros (A), Ludogorets Razgrad (H) and then Porto (A) on the final matchday.

Even when considering Rangers’ horrendous start to the season, there are certainly some winnable fixtures in that bunch so, if they’re to match last season’s run to the quarter-finals, or even better it, Gassama will be key to the Light Blues’ hopes.

The ex-Rangers striker who has scored 5x more goals than Miovski in 2025

This former Rangers centre-forward has enjoyed a terrific 2025 so far.

By
Dan Emery

Sep 5, 2025

تحدث الإنجليزي جيمي كاراجر، مدافع ليفربول السابق ومحلل قنوات سكاي سبورتس، عن هزيمة الريدز أمام مانشستر سيتي ضمن منافسات الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وواجه ليفربول نظيره مانشستر سيتي الأحد الماضي في المباراة التي جمعتهما ضمن منافسات الجولة الـ 11 من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وخسر رفاق محمد صلاح بثلاثية نظيفة بعد أداء باهت من جانب لاعبي ليفربول، في اللقاء الذي جمعهما على ملعب “الاتحاد”.

وقال كاراجر، في حديثه في برنامج The Overlap Fan Debate والتي نقلت تصريحاته صحيفة “ديلي ميل”: “أعتقد أن الإدارة التي اشترت اللاعبين والمدرب حاولوا استمرار اللاعبين الذين فازوا بالدوري الموسم الماضي لكن سلوت أراد أن يلعب كرة قدم أكثر إثارة ومتعة”.

وأكمل: “إنه يتحدث دائمًا عن باريس سان جيرمان، وأيضًا يُحب بيب جوارديولا كما تعلمون ويحاول دفع الفريق نحو لعب كرة قدم أكثر استحواذًا وتسجيل المزيد من الأهداف، وقد سار الدوري في هذا الإتجاه”.

وأردف: “لقد أصبح الدوري قويًا، هناك العديد من الفرق التي تنفذ الكرات الثابتة بشكل أساسي ومهم ورميات التماس الطويلة أيضًا، ولم يفعل ذلك ليفربول، لقد أخطئوا تقريبًا في طريقة التحضير للموسم”.

اقرأ أيضًا | روبرتسون عن مستقبله مع ليفربول: الجميع سئم الحديث عن محمد صلاح ولا أريد تكرار الأمر

وهاجم كوناتي، في تصريحات نقلتها “ليفربول إيكو: “أريد فقط أن أشاهد هذه المباراة بين كوناتي وهالاند، كان كوناتي مشاركًا بقوة في ركلة الجزاء مجددًا، وهو يمر بوقت عصيب للغاية ويبدو أننا نكرر هذا أسبوعًا تلو الآخر”.

واستطرد: “إنه أمر مخالف لمانشستر سيتي لأن هالاند لا يعرف الكثير عنه، انظر إلى قفزة هالاند مقارنة بكوناتي، إنه يحاول تمرير الكرة، وبصفتي مدافعًا، هذا هو الخيار الأخير”.

وأضاف: “إنه لم يزل على الأرض، ويحاول رمي الكرة، والقفز عاليًا قدر الإمكان، وإبعادها برأسه، لا أفهم إطلاقًا ما يحاول فعله، كوناتي مجددًا عندما يستقبل ليفربول هدفًا أو يتعرض لمشكلة، يكون هو السبب في ذلك”.

وأتم: “إنه يعاني من مشكلة كبيرة في المباريات خارج آنفيلد وهي عندما تحتاج إلى لاعبي قلب الدفاع حيث يحتاج مدافعو قلب الدفاع إلى اللعب بشكل جيد للحصول على نتائج، وفي كثير من الأحيان كان يغيب عن الملاعب”.

Worcestershire hit back with two late wickets on rain-truncated day

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay29-Jul-2025Hampshire 146 for 2 (Middleton 79, Weatherley 62) vs Worcestershire Worcestershire struck two late blows after Hampshire’s batters had laid a solid foundation on a truncated first day of their Rothesay County Championship match at Visit Worcestershire New Road.Hampshire, in search of their first championship victory since mid-May, closed on 146 for two having reached 127 without loss before losing openers Fletcha Middleton (79, 101 balls) and Joe Weatherley (62, 130) in a late burst of play in poor light.They were blows badly needed by Worcestershire, bottom of Division One and desperate for a win to sustain their slender hopes of survival.After a wet outfield prevented play before lunch, the home side chose to bowl in conditions still damp from morning rain, but the assistance for the seamers they hoped for did not materialise. Pakistan pace spearhead Khurram Shahzad was expensive as Weatherley and Middleton put 50 on the board by the 14th over.The Winchester-born openers, perhaps inspired by the adjacence of a cathedral, were little troubled by a Worcestershire attack bruised by last week’s heartbreaking defeat to neighbours Warwickshire. Having dominated the first half of the match at Edgbaston, the Pears suffered a devastating defeat as Warwickshire chased down 393 on the last day.Back on home turf, the Worcestershire attack, with Matthew Waite returning from paternity leave in place of Sussex loanee Bertie Foreman, again toiled. Middleton hurried to his half-century from 51 balls and Weatherley followed to his from 103.The openers were looking forward to a productive evening session only for the rain to return during the tea interval and prevent play until a late resumption at 6pm. Hampshire’s openers ventured back out with little to gain and everything to lose – and the home side took advantage of the murky, moist conditions. Middleton edged Tom Taylor to wicketkeeper Gareth Roderick, who took a superb catch in front of first slip, and Weatherly edged Ben Allison to Ethan Brookes at second slip.The wickets were an unwelcome postscript to a hitherto excellent day for Hampshire but they have still set down a solid platform from which to push for a victory that would lift them away from the relegation zone – and pretty much sentence Worcestershire to end the season in it.

There’s no denying Chelsea have been one of the biggest spenders in the transfer market over the last few years – subsequently playing a huge role in their Club World Cup success this summer.

However, the next step for Enzo Maresca is claiming Premier League glory – an achievement that hasn’t been done at Stamford Bridge since the 2016/17 campaign.

Over the last few days, a £40m transfer has been agreed with Manchester United for the signature of Alejandro Garnacho after tracking the Argentine all summer long.

The 21-year-old will add key depth to the left-wing department, potentially battling fellow new addition Jamie Gittens for a starting role in the Blues’ frontline.

His arrival will take the club’s summer spending to around the £300m mark, but it could yet reach new levels with a move for another talent before Monday’s deadline.

Chelsea’s hunt for new signings after Garnacho

Alongside Garnacho, Chelsea have previously been interested in a move for his United teammate Kobbie Mainoo, who’s rapidly dropped down Ruben Amorim’s pecking order.

The midfielder stated his desire to leave on loan earlier this week, but as it stands, the Red Devils are reluctant to allowing the 20-year-old to depart – even on a temporary basis.

However, another midfielder has emerged on their shortlist in the form of Barcelona star Fermin Lopez – that’s according to GIVEMESPORT journalist Ben Jacobs.

He’s claimed that talks have been held between Maresca’s side and the LaLiga giants over a move for the 22-year-old talent before Monday’s transfer deadline.

It’s also been confirmed that the player has spoken with the manager himself, but any deal would be an expensive one – with the Spaniard currently valued at €100m (£86m).

Why Chelsea’s £86m target is a bigger talent than Buonanotte

In an attempt to further the squad, Chelsea have turned their attention to Brighton & Hove Albion star Facundo Buonanotte – subsequently making a surprise move for his signature.

It was reported in recent days that a deal has been agreed for the Argentine, which will see him join the Blues on a season-long loan for the 2025/26 campaign.

Such a move doesn’t include a buy option at the end of the season, but they do have first choice on his future should they decide to want to make such a deal permanent.

Given his tally of 31 appearances in the Premier League throughout 2024/25, the 20-year-old has the experience needed to have an impact in the club’s quest for title glory.

However, he may be further down Maresca’s plans in 2025/26, especially if they were to land a deal for Fermin before the window slams shut on Monday night.

When comparing the pair’s respective stats from the recent campaign, the Barça star managed to dominate in key areas – potentially being an excellent addition despite his hefty price tag.

Fermin, who’s been labelled “incredible” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, achieved a higher tally of goals and assists – evidently offering a more potent threat in front of goal.

Games played

28

31

Goals & assists

11

7

Progressive passes

5.7

3.2

Pass accuracy

82%

76%

Key passes made

2.1

1.4

Passes into the final third

4.7

2.4

Take-on success

46%

33%

Carries into the opposition box

1.6

1.5

Crosses completed

3.4

2.5

His underlying stats are just as impressive, subsequently completing more progressive passes per 90, with more of his efforts being into the final third – highlighting the creative dominance he possesses over Buonanotte.

Lopez’s talents in possession are further reflected in his higher take-on success rate, whilst also producing more carries into the opposition box per 90.

It’s clear he can glide past the opposition, as seen by his aforementioned figures, but the Spaniard also has the end product – something which would massively aid Maresca’s hunt for top-flight glory this season.

£86m would be another mammoth addition given the previous money spent this summer, but it’s an investment that could prove worthwhile if the 22-year-old continues on his current trajectory.

Such a deal would be bad news for Buonanotte, subsequently dropping him further down the pecking order immediately after his own arrival – but it’s safe to say a deal for Lopez would be a massive statement from the hierarchy.

Better signing than Simons: Chelsea targeting "generational" £100m talent

Despite missing out on Xavi Simons, Chelsea could be plotting an even bigger statement move…

ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 30, 2025

حقق الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي الزمالك، الفوز على نظيره الجونة، برباعية مقابل هدف، في المباراة التي جمعتهما اليوم ضمن منافسات مسابقة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

والتقى الزمالك مع الجونة، في إطار مواجهات الجولة العاشرة من عمر مباريات بطولة الدوري المصري، على ملعب ستاد القاهرة الدولي.

طالع | “المركب غرقت ولا لسة”.. هتافات نارية لجماهير الزمالك ضد الإدارة في مباراة الجونة

 تمكن الزمالك من افتتاح التسجيل في الدقيقة الثامنة من الشوط الأول، وذلك بعد هجمة منظمة رائعة بعد عرضية من زيزو للمهاجم ناصر منسي، الذي ارتقى بشكل رائع وقابل الكرة برأسية مُحكمة سكنت الزاوية اليسرى لحارس مرمى الجونة.

تمكن الجونة من تسجيل هدف التعادل في الدقيقة 38 وذلك عن طريق اللاعب أحمد حسام.

وأحرز الجزيري هدف الجزيري الثاني في الدقيقة 64، بعدما استغل خطأ من مدافع فريق الجونة أحمد حسام عقب ارتداد الكرة من حارس المرمى، سجلها في المرمى.

وسجل عبد الله السعيد، الهدف الثالث لصالح الزمالك في الدقيقة 74 من عمر المباراة، بعد خطأ من محمد علاء حارس الجونة ليضعها السعيد في المرمى الخالي.

واختتم سيف الجزيري الأهداف الأربعة في الدقيقة الخامسة من الوقت بدل الضائع بعد مرور رائع من نبيل دونجا والذي مررها للتونسي ليسدد الكرة في المرمى.

ورفع الزمالك رصيده إلى 20 نقطة في المركز الثاني من جدول ترتيب مسابقة الدوري المصري، بفارق نقطة عن بيراميدز المتصدر متساويًا مع الأهلي صاحب المركز الثالث بفارق الأهداف بينما تجمد رصيد الجونة عند 6 نقاط في المركز الأخير. أهداف الزمالك والجونة في الدوري المصري

The ground for the six-team competitions will be a temporary build and is about 50km to the east of Los Angeles

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Apr-2025Cricket will be staged at a purpose-built temporary venue at the Fairgrounds in Pomona, Southern California, during the 2028 Olympics Games hosted by Los Angeles, the LA28 organising committee announced on Tuesday.Pomona is about 50km to the east of Los Angeles and the Fairgrounds, officially known as Fairplex, is a 500-acre complex that has hosted the Los Angeles County Fair since 1922.The LA28 Olympics, which will be held from July 14 to 30, sees cricket return to the event for the first time since 1900 when Great Britain played France in a two-day game.Related

• ICC set to approve continental qualification system for LA Olympics 2028

• Gabba to be demolished after 2032 Olympics, cricket to get new home in Brisbane

• Cricket at LA28: both men's and women's events to be six-team contests

There will be a six-team competition for men and women with the sport having been allocated 90 athlete quotas, meaning there will be 15-player squads for each. The qualifying pathway and cut-offs are yet to be determined.”We welcome the announcement of the venue for cricket at Los Angeles 2028 as it is a significant step towards the preparation for our sport’s return to the Olympics,” Jay Shah, the ICC chair, said. “Although cricket is a hugely popular sport, it will be a fantastic opportunity to expand traditional boundaries when it features in the Olympics in the fast-paced, exciting T20 format that should appeal to new audiences.”During last year’s men’s T20 World Cup in the USA and Caribbean, a pop-up stadium was built in New York, which hosted the India-Pakistan contest among its fixtures, with Central Broward Stadium in Lauderhill and Grand Prairie Stadium in Texas also used.Cricket joins five new sports at LA28 – baseball/softball, flag football, lacrosse (sixes) and squash.There is an expectation that cricket will be retained for the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane with the finals of the event being planned as the last matches to be staged at the Gabba before it is demolished.

Both Pat Cummins and Nitish Reddy and fit and “very keen to go”

Shashank Kishore22-Mar-20253:14

Cricinformed – SRH’s six-hitters set for a new IPL high?

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) will maintain their ultra-aggressive batting approach from last season, head coach Daniel Vettori has said ahead of their IPL 2025 opener against Rajasthan Royals in Hyderabad.”Whatever ground we go to, we have an understanding that the batting team is going to be aggressive,” Vettori said. “The only thing that can mitigate that is the pitch, but most times, the pitches in IPL are very flat.”When you come to these grounds, you know exactly what to expect. You know how the batsmen are going come against you. It’s quite…..maybe not fun is the right word, it’s a good challenge for a bowling group to try and work their way through that.”That’s what Pat [Cummins, the captain] addressed the bowling group the other day. He said the expectation is on the batters to do all the work, score the runs and the bowlers can sort of feed into that. If we get those days to make it all work, it’s going go a long way in us winning games. The onus on batting group to score runs and for the bowlers to be able to mitigate that.”Vettori expressed excitement about the expectations surrounding the team and hoped they could replicate the intensity that took them to last year’s final.”Expectations bring some excitement,” he said. “Expectations are built around the performances of last year and the quality of the team we’ve been able to put together at the back end of last season and into the auction.”As a franchise, we’re really excited about the season because we have that foundation from the five players [Cummins, Heinrich Klaasen, Nitish Reddy, Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma] we retained and how well they performed last year, hopefully we have the squad to perform as well this year if not better.”Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, who claimed the second-highest run tally for an opening pair last year, will continue at the top for SRH. Vettori also welcomed Ishan Kishan into the side, calling him a “huge addition”.”Don’t think we’ll be changing the opening combination, Ishan complements them as well as anyone,” Vettori said. “He has a similar stye of game, left-handed, the ability to take on all types of bowlers. We’re very lucky to have him part of the squad to complement those two, then have Nitish and Klaasen and few of our younger batters to be able to come into the squad as well. We look at that as a huge addition to the team.”Vettori was pleased to see a fit-again Cummins and Nitish, with Cummins recovering from an ankle issue that forced him to miss the Champions Trophy. Meanwhile, Nitish, one of their breakout stars from IPL 2024, comes back following a rehab from a side strain that kept him out of action for a month.”They’ve come through their training sessions really well,” Vettori said. “They had injuries around January, it’s been an extended period since they played but they’ve also had time to recover. When they play as much cricket as they do, it’s sometimes nice to be able to get the chance to refresh.”Both of them are eager and excited about the season. That’s a great position to have. Sometimes when you come into the IPL, it’s the end of a very long season, players can be slightly jaded, but those two are very keen to go.”Cummins will lead a strong pace battery that has two other prolific performers in Mohammed Shami and Harshal Patel – bowlers who won the purple cap in IPL 2023 and 2024 respectively.”Shami two years ago was purple cap winner, Harshal [won it] last year – they are two big additions,” he said. “We know it is big shoes to fill from Bhuvi [Bhuvneshwar Kumar] and Nattu [T Natarajan] – stalwarts of the Sunrisers, who mean much to the franchise.”It was hard to see them go, but that’s the dynamic of the auction. You have to be as nimble as possible to take opportunities. To see Shami come to us, bowl so well in the Champions Trophy is fantastic, those two can complement what Pat brings to the table.”

da aposte e ganhe： While they might not have the trophies to show for it, West Ham United have been blessed with a number of brilliant players over the last decade or so.

da brwin： In the current team, you have Jarrod Bowen, who’d likely get a game for every club in the Premier League, and then you go back a little further, and you get to stars like Declan Rice and Dimitri Payet.

However, when it comes to a player loved by the Irons faithful but criminally underrated by outside fans, it’s hard to look past Manuel Lanzini.

The Argentine midfielder made 226 appearances for the East Londoners, produced 58 goal involvements – including that one against Tottenham Hotspur – and then left as a firm fan favourite to join River Plate two years ago.

So it’s undoubtedly great news that West Ham now remain keen on signing an up-and-coming talent who could end up becoming their new Lanzini.

West Ham target their new Lanzini

So far, it would be fair to describe West Ham’s summer business as simply okay.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Expand Collapse

The signing of Kyle Walker-Peters on a free looks like a clever bit of business and Mads Hermansen and El Hadji Malick Diouf could well improve Graham Potter’s starting lineup.

However, even for free, Callum Wilson is an underwhelming addition, as he was only able to score a single goal for Newcastle United last season.

Fortunately, the Hammers aren’t done in the market just yet, as it now looks like they’re doing what they can to sign an exciting midfielder who could be their new Lanzini.

At least that’s according to a recent report from Sky Sports’ Mark McAdam, who has revealed that West Ham remain interested in Mateus Fernandes.

More than that, McAdam claims that even though Southampton rejected their opening offer of £30m for the Portuguese star, “talks are continuing.”

However, it could end up being a particularly expensive transfer to get over the line, as the Saints are now asking for “closer to £50m” for the 21-year-old.

Nevertheless, Fernandes’ ability and sky-high potential make this a deal worth pursuing, especially as he could be West Ham’s new Lanzini.

Why Fernandes could be West Ham's new Lanzini

When he was at his best at West Ham, Lanzini was a technically proficient maestro who, from the middle of the park, was capable of creating and scoring chances as well as helping to control the pace of the game.

After all, you don’t amass as many appearances for a Premier League side as he did if you aren’t a seriously talented player.

So it’s exciting that, in Fernandes, Potter could be getting his hands on a player capable of fulfilling that same role.

Now, the Portuguese gem may have ultimately succumbed to relegation with Southampton last season, but it was most certainly not his fault.

On top of passing the eye-test with his silky ability on the ball and his “perfectly weighted through balls,” as analyst Ben Mattinson described them, he put up some simply sensational underlying numbers.

Fernandes’ scout report

Statistics

Per 90

Percentile

% of Aerials Won

62.5%

Top 2%

Tackles (Def 3rd)

1.39

Top 3%

Tackles

2.75

Top 5%

Ball Recoveries

5.54

Top 5%

Interceptions

0.87

Top 7%

Touches (Mid 3rd)

26.82

Top 9%

GCA (Defensive Action)

0.03

Top 10%

Passes Completed (Long)

3.40

Top 11%

Passes Attempted (Long)

6.06

Top 11%

Dribblers Tackled

1.02

Top 11%

Pass Completion % (Medium)

85.9%

Top 14%

Passes into Final Third

3.03

Top 14%

Shots Blocked

0.25

Top 14%

Total Passing Distance

569.45

Top 15%

Blocks

1.33

Top 15%

All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 PL Season

For example, FBref ranked him in the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Premier League for percentage of aerial duels won, the top 5% for tackles and ball recoveries, the top 11% for long passes attempted and completed and the top 14% for passes into the final third, all per 90.

These numbers paint the picture of a team player who can be relied upon to do the hard yards and defensive work, while still possessing the passing and technical ability to get the ball into dangerous areas – sound familiar?

Moreover, despite playing for a team that came dangerously close to taking Derby County’s most unwanted of records last season, the “exceptional” midfielder, as dubbed by Mattinson, was still able to score three goals and provide six assists in 42 appearances across all competitions.

Ultimately, while it might take some time, Fernandes appears to have the drive, determination, and technical skill to become Potter’s own Lanzini, and therefore, West Ham should be doing all they can to sign him this summer.

Related Potter's answer to Baleba: West Ham in talks to sign midfield monster

The up-and-coming talent could develop into a superstar under Potter’s tutelage at West Ham United…

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 11, 2025