da dobrowin： O Corinthians visita o Fortaleza, no Ceará, neste domingo (21). O confronto será válido pela 23ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro.A partida terá transmissão exclusiva do Premiere para todo o Brasil.Ainda que tenha classificado de forma heróica às semifinais da Copa do Brasil, o Timão vem de uma derrota dolorida no Brasileirão.
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da bet esporte： + Mercado fechado: confira o balanço da janela de transferências do Corinthians
Mais do que perder para o arquirrival Palmeiras, o revés, em plena Neo Química Arena, aumentou a distância do clube alvinegro à liderança para nove pontos. A primeira colocação é ocupada justamente pelos palmeirenses.
+ Confira a tabela do Brasileirão e simule os próximos jogos
O Timão não vence no Brasileiro há duas rodadas. Além de ter perdido para o Verdão, o Time do Povo empatou em 1 a 1 com o Avaí na partida anterior.
Já o Leão do Pici vem de uma boa sequência na competição, muito embora tenha sido eliminado nas quartas de final da Copa do Brasil, pelo Fluminense, na última quarta-feira (17). O Tricolor Cearense venceu as últimas três partidas pelo Brasileirão e não perde há quatro rodadas no campeonato. Com isso, a equipe treinada pelo argentino Juan Pablo Vojvoda deixou a zona do rebaixamento.
Allrounder Mitchell Marsh has declared himself fit to bowl in a much-needed confidence boost for Australia, whose T20 World Cup title defence is on the line against Sri Lanka at Optus Stadium on Tuesday.While fellow favourites India and England started their campaigns with statement wins, albeit in contrasting fashion, hosts Australia are on the back foot after a thumping 89-run opening defeat to New Zealand at the SCG.It has meant Australia’s net run rate is already an eyesore and winning their remaining four games might not be enough to get into the semi-finals given the cut-throat nature of the tournament.Having finally recovered from a lingering ankle injury, Marsh should add much-needed versatility for an Australian attack still reeling from a pummeling by rampant openers Finn Allen and Devon Conway.Related
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Finch: Australia's 'fate out of our own hands to a point' following heavy defeat to New Zealand
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He has not bowled since the Zimbabwe ODI series in August, playing as a specialist No. 3 batter in the lead up matches and against New Zealand.”I’m available to bowl. I love preparing as an allrounder and making sure I’m in the game the whole time,” Marsh told reporters in Perth on Monday.His seam bowling will provide another option for skipper Aaron Finch in the powerplay after Australia leaked 65 runs against New Zealand. To balance the attack, Finch prefers utilising an allrounder – either Marsh, Marcus Stoinis or offspinner Glenn Maxwell – in the opening six overs.Against New Zealand, Stoinis, who himself had only recently returned from a side strain, conceded 10 runs in the fourth over as Finch only used five bowlers with Maxwell strangely overlooked on an SCG pitch that gripped as the game wore on.”I think with me bowling, it gives us that added flexibility of myself, Maxi or Stoin can get four overs out. And we can bowl anywhere,” Marsh said.After such a disastrous start to their title defence, question marks continue to hover over Australia with Steven Smith and young allrounder Cameron Green, who replaced the injury Josh Inglis, on the outside looking in.Mitchell Marsh would be a valuable bowling option for Aaron Finch•AFP
But Australia are expected to back the same line-up, packed with big-hitters, as they attempt to lift off the canvas much like they spectacularly did 12 months ago in the UAE.In the aftermath of Saturday’s defeat, spinner Adam Zampa said Marsh attempted an ice breaker in the team’s dejected changing rooms by saying: “Perfect, this is right where we wanted to be – backs against the wall”.While a smiling Marsh doesn’t recall the quip, jokingly saying he was “thrown under the bus” by Zampa, he did believe it was an approach worth adopting.”We don’t really have a choice,” he said. “The nature of the tournament…you lose one game, your back is up against the wall and we know what’s in front of us. It’s just really important to stick together.”Even though Perth has experienced inclement weather in recent days, fortunately not impacting the tournament, there is no forecast for rain on Tuesday with the Optus Stadium pitch expected to again be bouncy and fast.England speedster Mark Wood bowled the fastest spell recorded in T20Is during Saturday’s game against Afghanistan, whose batters consistently holed out on the deep square boundaries on a ground with the same dimensions as the MCG.Marsh tipped Australia quicks Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood to bowl rapidly. “We’ll certainly have an aggressive approach. We know that the three big bowlers when they get going, theý’re very hard to stop,” he said. I think certainly after the other night we’ll see a big response from them.”Even though Optus Stadium, which essentially mimics the WACA’s iconic pitch, has characteristics perfectly suited for quicks, spinners can be effective in the middle overs by bowling back of a length, stymying batters on the vast square boundaries.England’s high-octane batting order was tied down by Afghanistan’s spin-heavy attack as they made hard work of chasing 113, which they reached with 11 balls to spare.After being stunned by Namibia in their opener in Geelong, Asia Cup champions Sri Lanka have steadily improved with three straight wins led by legspinner Wanindu Hasaranga who has taken nine wickets at an average of just 9.78 in the tournament.”He’s obviously a very good bowler and someone we’ll have to counteract,” Marsh said of Hasaranga, who has taken 10 T20I wickets at 16.40 this year against Australia in five matches over two series in Australia and Sri Lanka.”Hopefully spin doesn’t play a huge factor at Perth Stadium and we can really attack them [Sri Lanka’s spinners]. We play spin very well in Australian conditions.”After Sri Lanka, Australia face England at the MCG which is still probably heaving after last night’s epic game between India and Pakistan.England allrounder Sam Curran has lit fuel to the high stakes contest by saying he wants to put Australia in a “tricky position”.Marsh, however, said Australia’s focus was solely on Sri Lanka. “That’s all that matters to us,” he said of the clash expected to attract around 25,000 fans to the 60,000-seat stadium.”Hopefully we play well, get past that and then move on to England.”
أوضح مصدر مسؤول بنادي الزمالك، موقف أعضاء مجلس الإدارة، من استمرار اللاعب محمود عبد الرازق شيكابالا، في الموسم القادم.
وقال المصدر لـ بطولات: “لا يوجد تصويت داخل المجلس على استمرار شيكابالا قائد الفريق في الموسم المقبل أو مطالبته بالاعتزال والأمر لم يتم طرحه على الإطلاق”.
وأضاف: “مجلس إدارة الزمالك ترك لقائد الفريق حرية اتخاذ القرار بالاستمرار أو الاعتزال”.
طالع أيضاً.. عدلي القيعي: الخطيب طلبني في صفقة وحيدة لـ الأهلي.. والدوري انتهى بـ”غباء اصطناعي”
ومن المنتظر أن يُحسم ملف مستقبل شيكابالا مع الزمالك خلال الفترة المُقبلة، سواء باستكمال عقده أو اتخاذ قرار بالاعتزال، في وقت يتمنى فيه الكثير من أنصار الفريق أن تكون نهاية مشواره الكروي بقميص القلعة البيضاء.
يذكر أن محمود عبد الرازق شيكابالا، وجه رسالة إلى ثنائي القلعة البيضاء محمد عبد الشافي وحمزة المثلوثي بعد رحيلهما عن الفريق بشكل رسمي.
Which teams are taking part, who are the favourites, when’s the final and a whole lot of other vital information in ESPNcricinfo’s FAQs
Valkerie Baynes02-Feb-2023
Meg Lanning and Harmanpreet Kaur pose with the Women’s T20 World Cup trophy back in 2020•AFP
So, it’s time for the 2023 Women’s T20 World Cup?Yes, and it’s been quite a ride between editions. The Women’s T20 World Cup, the global short-format showcase, was last played in early 2020 and a record MCG crowd of 86,174 watched hosts Australia thrash India by 85 runs in the final on March 8, 2020. That was just days before the world changed dramatically in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic. With life now back to normal, for want of a better term, and with women’s cricket making the huge strides that were hoped for off the back of that historic match – also watched by 53 million viewers at home – we are here, in spite of stumbling through lockdowns, travel restrictions and bio-secure bubbles at various stages along the way.Related
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Kapp expected to join SA squad after 'compassionate leave'
Gunaratne and Kanchana earn recalls in Sri Lanka's squad
Healy confirmed for first T20 World Cup game in South Africa
All-woman panel of match officials for 2023 Women's T20 WC
Since then, we have seen global stars descend on the Hundred, which also appears to be fast-tracking the next generation, the first edition of the Women’s CPL and the establishment of the Women’s Premier League, which is set to begin shortly after this tournament. For the first time at a global ICC event, an all-female panel of umpires and match referees will officiate.Where is this Women’s T20 World Cup being played?The tournament will be played in South Africa, which has just staged the inaugural Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup, won by India. The majority of matches, including both semi-finals and the final, will be played at Newlands, the jewel of the country’s stadia in Cape Town with Table Mountain as a breath-taking backdrop. A clutch of games will be staged at the picturesque Boland Park in Paarl, less than an hour’s drive north-east, and five fixtures will be held in the space of seven days at St George’s Park in Gqeberha.Who’s playing, and what are the key dates?There will be 10 teams taking part, split into two groups. Group A consists of Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Group B will feature England, India, Pakistan, West Indies and Ireland. Each team plays the other four in their group once. The top two teams from each group advance to the semi-finals on February 23 and 24. The final is scheduled for February 26, with a reserve day available on February 27.South Africa directly qualified as hosts and were joined automatically by the top seven teams in the ICC’s world rankings as of November 30, 2021. That left 37 nations to battle for the remaining two places through a series of qualifiers from which Bangladesh and Ireland emerged triumphant. Thailand, who featured in 2020, missed out.Australia are the favourites, right?As much as things may have changed, the more they’ve stayed the same, with Australia favourites to defend their crown and become dual holders of the 50-over and T20 world titles. They have lost just one of their past 17 completed T20Is, when the home side clinched the Super Over in the second of their five-match series in India in December, and went undefeated through their victorious Commonwealth Games campaign.What about India, England and the others? Any challengers?India pushed Australia in the contest for Commonwealth gold with Australia prevailing by nine runs. India’s Under-19s have just delivered the country’s first World Cup in women’s cricket with a side captained by Shafali Verma and including wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh, both of whom will now join the senior squad hoping to ride their wave of their success.England, who played second-fiddle at last year’s ODI World Cup, have the quality to contend and have welcomed back captain Heather Knight from a hip injury. They hope promising young allrounder Alice Capsey will have recovered well enough from a broken collarbone to be a factor.New Zealand captain Sophie Devine is battling a foot stress fracture and, while South Africa’s management have targeted a berth in the final, they must get there without Dane van Niekerk, who failed to meet their fitness criteria and was controversially left out.Despite the progress being made, this event is likely to keep a spotlight trained on the gulf between the haves and have-nots, with the best-funded nations still a long way ahead. West Indies’ form has dropped off dramatically since winning the 2016 title, Pakistan offered little competition for Australia in their recent series and Sri Lanka haven’t played a T20I since the Asia Cup final loss to India in October.
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.
Antony took charge of Real Betis celebrations after playing a key role in the comeback derby victory over Sevilla, but Manuel Pellegrini demands more.
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Real Betis edged out Sevilla 2-1Antony was once again impressiveWas ecstatic after inspiring Betis to sixth consecutive league winFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
After a turbulent spell at Manchester United, Brazilian winger Antony appears to have rediscovered his form in La Liga with Betis. Since arriving on loan, the 25-year-old has made a significant impact, scoring four goals and providing four assists in just 12 matches. His revival continued on Sunday night as he played a crucial role in Betis’ 2-1 comeback victory over Sevilla, ensuring his side emerged victorious in the fiercely contested Seville derby.
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Following the final whistle, as Betis supporters stayed behind at the Estadio Benito Villamarin to celebrate their team’s sixth consecutive La Liga victory, Antony took center stage in the festivities. The winger, visibly energized by the win, waved the club’s flag enthusiastically, having removed his shirt in the midst of the celebrations. The former Ajax star further embraced the moment when goalkeeper Adrian, who joined Betis on a free transfer last summer after leaving Liverpool, lifted him into the air in front of the euphoric crowd. Antony’s passionate reaction to the win underlined how much the club's supporters have already welcomed him into their ranks.
WATCH THE CLIPWHAT PELLEGRINI SAID ABOUT ANTONY
While Antony's performances have earned praise, Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini insists that there is still room for growth and urged him to reach even greater heights.
He told reporters: “I'm very happy for him, because he has a lot of potential and was going through a rough patch. The way we're playing is really good for him. He needs to improve because he can be more influential.”
Tottenham Hotspur were defeated by Nottingham Forest at the City Ground in a damaging blow to Ange Postecoglou’s season.
Form and performances have been choppy of late, and while Postecoglou’s grumbling about injuries carries weight, there’s no excusing the in-game management and obstinate grip on a tactical approach that won’t work with the tools on hand.
Square pegs in round holes? Tottenham certainly have the feel of an outfit struggling to marry its players with its identity. Yet again, Spurs suffered defeat in the Premier League. Nine losses from 18 fixtures – only Wolverhampton Wanderers and Southampton have picked up more.
Anthony Elanga scores vs Spurs
For Nuno Espirito Santo, this must have felt like retribution after his woeful – and brief – stint down N17, whereas Ange has stepped deeper into a mire that is on the cusp of swallowing him up, injury crisis or not.
Interestingly, patchwork centre-back duo Archie Gray, 18, and Radu Dragusin can hold their heads higher than most. Tottenham were failed by a lack of belief, energy and inspiration.
The Tricky Trees have shot 11 points clear of the 11th-place Lilywhites, who may drop deeper still before the matchweek concludes.
Spurs' worst performers at Forest
While some would describe Tottenham’s Boxing Day performance as ‘abject’, Nuno’s regimented troops deserve a nod. They stuck to their game plan, executed it professionally, and defended as one. They outfought and outthought the struggling Londoners.
Six defeats from ten top-flight fixtures. Tough times for Tottenham. Defensively, Spurs have been terrible at times this season, albeit with most of its core parts sidelined, but it was the attack that served as the crux of the drama for the visitors.
Heung-min Son is a modern club legend and still one of the elite Premier League forwards – on his day. But he is declining. Aged 32, the South Korean’s deficiencies were exposed against a physical and organised Forest backline, with journalist Mitch Fretton even commenting that the skipper had been “absolutely awful again” in a numb and toothless effort.
Heung-min Son for Tottenham
At number nine, Dominic Solanke struggled but lacked any meaningful service. On the right, Brennan Johnson was his lively self but flattered to deceive in front of goal, testing Matz Sels three times, as per Sofascore, but failing to really take the chances with confidence.
Tough times all over. Tottenham have the quality, the attacking intent and the long-term vision, but something has got lost somewhere, something important and indefinable. Is it tactical inflexibility that is letting Tottenham down? Or are the players and their manager being foiled by injuries that have exacerbated concerns and stripped a thrilling brand of football down to its bare bones?
Things need to improve, to be sure, and there’s one man above all others who can serve as the catalyst for positive change. Dejan Kulusevski is shaping into a superstar, but he wasn’t at the races in Nottingham.
Dejan Kulusevski's worst display of 2024/25
Playing in the number ten role, Kulusevski failed as Tottenham’s attacking conduit, limiting Solanke in front of him and failing to impress himself upon the sturdy hosts’ defence.
Attacking midfield
11
3
2
Right winger
5
3
1
Central midfield
4
0
3
Centre-forward
2
0
1
He’s a dynamic player, confident across a range of positions, but Ange’s first-class utility man was foiled against a Nottingham Forest system that marshalled and minimised his noise and threat.
Tottenham correspondent Alasdair Gold has been a vocal advocate of Kulusevski this season, championing the Sweden star’s ascent to the uppermost echelon of Premier League players, but he could only award him with a 5/10 match rating yesterday, noting that lethargy claimed him as the match dragged into the crucial later stages.
Minutes played
90′
Goals
0
Assists
0
Touches
70
Shots (on target)
1 (0)
Pass accuracy
35/44 (80%)
Key passes
2
Possession lost
26x
Dribbles (completed)
6 (2)
Tackles + interceptions
0
Total duels (won)
14 (3)
Kulusevski’s lack of defensive effort on the day proved particularly problematic, losing 11 duels and failing to even win a single tackle or interception. Sure, he was in an advanced role and Tottenham dominated possession, but Forest excelled in their hemmed-in positions, absorbed the rubbery firepower and struck through Anthony Elanga, masterfully countering.
Better days lay ahead, but the 24-year-old – who also lost the ball on 26 occasions – will be frustrated after assuming a sort of talismanic burden this term. It’s scary to think that the north London club would be consigned to a more miserable and perhaps managerless position were Kulusevski not in the picture.
He wasn’t solely to blame – not at all. Had Son not spurned that glorious chance on the counter, it could have been a different tale indeed.
Football is stuffed with such variables, and dissecting them with an analytical lens can only get you so far. What’s clear is that Kulusevski failed to harness the giddy quality that has been on show so often this term. It was his worst display of the campaign, but given that he has carried the ugly rocks of collective disharmony, such a performance was always going to lurk round the corner.
And now we find the root of the problem: is this a reflection of the Swede’s struggle or a comment on how Tottenham are letting him down? He can’t play this role every single week, not with his peers failing to hold their weight.
And so then. We sit and wait for this interminable winter streak to finish up. Ange waits for his injured stars to return to the brood. How much will change, when that fateful day arrives?
Kulusevski and co failed to turn up today, and no amount of absent personnel can detract from the fact that capable and tested Premier League players couldn’t shift their weight.
So then. Tottenham sit and wait. Sit and wait. Something needs to change – what will it be?
Spurs could sign Premier League flop in awful Radu Dragusin repeat
The former PL flop should not be Spurs’ answer to their defensive crisis.
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.
India are set to host Australia for a five-match T20I series starting December 9. All five games in the 11-day tour will be played in Mumbai, with the DY Patil Stadium hosting the first two games before the action shifts to the Brabourne Stadium for the next three. The series recommences both teams’ lead-ups to the Women’s T20 World Cup next February.
Schedule
Dec 9: 1st T20I, DY Patil Stadium Dec 11: 2nd T20I, DY Patil Stadium Dec 14: 3rd T20I, Brabourne Stadium Dec 17: 4th T20I, Brabourne Stadium Dec 20: 5th T20I, Brabourne Stadium
For Australia, this could be the first series where they will miss regular captain Meg Lanning – who opted to take an indefinite mental-health break – following their Commonwealth Games title win, which was where these two teams last met. With Rachael Haynes announcing her retirement, Australia don’t currently have a captain. Alyssa Healy was named vice-captain and with Lanning’s return still not confirmed, Healy could take over the reins for this tour.The Australian players will come into the series on the back of the Women’s Big Bash League, which will conclude on November 26. While some of the Indian players including Pooja Vastrakar and Jemimah Rodrigues decided to play in the WBBL, the likes of Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana pulled out to manage their increasing workload.The series will mark India’s return to the international circuit after their win against Sri Lanka to complete a successful Asia Cup campaign in October. They are scheduled to tour South Africa in the second half of January for a tri-series featuring West Indies, in the build-up to the Women’s T20 World Cup 2023.Australia last toured India for a limited-overs series in 2018 where they whitewashed the hosts 3-0 in ODIs before overcoming India twice in the tri-nation women’s T20 series.
da bet sport： Celtic ran out comfortable winners yet again in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday as they secured a 4-0 win over St Johnstone in their last game of the year.
da brwin： The Hoops will now head into 2025 at the top of the division, 14 points clear of Rangers in second place, and are on course to seal a fourth straight title.
Brendan Rodgers’ side also face the Gers in their first game of the New Year on Thursday at Ibrox, which means that they have a chance to move 17 points clear of their Glasgow rivals.
The Northern Irish head coach has enjoyed plenty of success since his return to Parkhead ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, winning the Premiership title, the SFA Cup, and the League Cup so far.
His team are also on course to qualify for the play-off stage of the Champions League, with one defeat in six matches thus far, ahead of the final two games of the league phase.
Despite all of the team’s success, Rodgers is still looking to improve his squad when the January transfer window opens for business later this week.
Celtic plotting talks with Premier League ace
According to Football Insider, Celtic are plotting talks with Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney to secure a pre-contract deal for the Scottish defender.
The report claims that the Rodgers ‘working’ on a move to bring the Scotland international back to Parkhead on a free trransfer at the end of the season, as his current contract with the Gunners is due to expire next summer.
Due to his deal running down, Celtic are able to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with the left-footed star when the January transfer window opens for business, which would then see him officially link up with Rodgers and his squad ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
The outlet adds that Tierney is interested in returning to Glasgow for a second spell with the Hoops and would be prepared to reject offers from other clubs in Europe to make the move, with Football Insider revealing that there are several other sides in the mix to land his signature.
It also claims that Arsenal would be open to allowing him to leave on loan for the second half of the season, before a free transfer in the summer, and this means that the Bhoys could secure a pre-contract deal in January whilst also landing him on loan in the short-term.
Tierney could come in as an excellent addition to the team in the winter window, if they sign him on loan initially, and as a fantastic partner for another potential signing next month – Sondre Orjasaeter.
Why Celtic should sign Sondre Orjasaeter
Celtic are reportedly keen to add another left winger to the group ahead of the second half of the season and have been linked with an interest in Sarpsborg forward Sondre Orjasaeter, who could come in to provide competition in the attacking areas for Rodgers.
Transfer Focus
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He is a 21-year-old attacker who typically plays on the left flank and looks to cut inside onto his right foot to provide quality in the final third, as both a scorer and a creator of goals for his side.
The Norway U21 international is particularly impressive at creating high-quality chances for his teammates when coming infield on his favoured foot, as shown by his impressive form for Sarpsborg in the Eliteserien during the 2024 campaign.
Stats
Orjasaeter (2024 Eliteserien)
Maeda (23/24 Premiership)
Appearances
28
28
Goals
5
6
Big chances missed
5
12
Assists
5
3
Big chances created
12
5
Dribbles completed per game
2.4
1.1
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Orjasaeter could come in as a big upgrade on Daizen Maeda from a creative perspective, as he averages more assists, ‘big chances’ created, and dribbles per game.
Now, Celtic could revamp their left-hand side in January by swooping to sign the Norwegian starlet and bringing in Tierney to play behind him in the left-back position.
The Scottish full-back has the attacking potential to be the perfect full-back for the 21-year-old winger, and they could link-up to devastating effect in the final third.
Why Kieran Tierney is perfect for Sondre Orjasaeter
Orjasaeter, as explained earlier, wants to cut inside onto his right foot from the left wing to cause problems at the top end of the pitch, and that makes him the perfect winger for an overlapping full-back.
The Norwegian maestro coming infield can drag the opposition right-back inside and create the space for Tierney to be able to bomb on and deliver crosses on the left flank, giving the opposing a defence a multitude of problems to solve at once.
During his first spell with the Hoops, the Scotland international delivered 37 assists in 170 matches in all competitions for the club, which is an average of one every 3.14. Whereas Greg Taylor has assisted 30 in 196 games for Celtic, which suggests that Tierney could come in to offer more creativity from a left-back position.
This means that the Arsenal outcast could be the perfect signing alongside Orjasaeter, if the Hoops can land both of them, to provide that overlapping threat that would combine well with the winger’s inclination to come inside.
23/24 LaLiga
Kieran Tierney
Appearances
20
Sofascore rating
6.94
Tackles + interceptions per game
2.4
Assists
2
Duel success rate
60%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Tierney also showcased his solid defensive work whilst on loan with Real Sociedad in LaLiga during the 2023/24 campaign.
The experienced ace, who was once hailed as a “unique” talent by Rodgers, has the physical qualities to win the majority of his duels and make multiple defensive interventions per match to maintain Celtic’s defensive strength.
However, his first spell in Glasgow suggests that the defender also has the quality in possession to be a difference-maker in the final third with his assists from left-back, which is why he could be an excellent addition and the perfect signing alongside Orjasaeter next month.
Rodgers can drop Taylor with Jota-esque Celtic deal for "top-notch" ace
Celtic could move on from Greg Taylor by securing this in-house deal in January.