India captain says their three allrounders gives them a lot of options

Andrew Fidel Fernando19-Feb-20251:12

Harshit or Arshdeep in India’s XI?

So what if it’s overcast in Dubai? And so what if there’s dew, or a little spice in the deck, or some movement in the air? Whatever this venue throws at India, they have the bowling options to deal with it.So said captain Rohit Sharma, ahead of India’s first match of the Champions Trophy against Bangladesh. This is a venue to which India are well-accustomed, having played nine T20Is here since October 2021. They haven’t played an ODI in Dubai since 2018, but the versatility in their likely XI will put them in a good position to adjust on the fly, according to Rohit.”If it’s going to be overcast, we have the bowling arsenal to combat that,” he said. “If there are overhead conditions helping the bowlers, we have the bowlers to exploit that. And if we bat in those overhead conditions, the batters know exactly what to do.”Among the strengths in this India squad, are the presence of “multi-skilled” cricketers, Rohit said. Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, and Ravindra Jadeja could potentially all play in the same XI. Without spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who was ruled out through injury, these are bowlers Rohit may lean on through the course of the tournament.Related

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“Those three guys – Jadeja, Axar, and Washy – give us a different dimension to the game, our combination, and our squad, and add a lot of depth. That is why we tried to get players who have two skills rather than one.”One of India’s pure bowling options, however, is wristspinner Varun Chakravarthy. He’s played only one ODI so far, but has an impressive List A record, having claimed 60 wickets from 24 matches at a spectacular average of 14.80. He is a player who deals in subterfuge, Rohit said.”He doesn’t bowl too many variations to us in the nets. He bowls just one type of delivery. Maybe, he doesn’t want to show his variations even to us. But that is a good thing. He has got certain weapons which he wants to just put it out there, when it actually matters. I am more than happy if he wants to do that.”But, he has got something different which is why he is here with us. He has been impressive in the last eight to nine months. That is why we wanted to bring him here and see what he has and what he can do for India on the big stage.”Another player who Rohit will look to, is Mohammad Shami, who only returned to international cricket late last month, after undergoing ankle surgery in early 2024. He only bowled 15.5 overs across the two ODIs he played against England, claiming a wicket in each outing. With Bumrah out, Shami’s form may be especially important to India’s chances.”All we wanted with Shami was to get back to wearing India colours more than anything else. Whether he gets wickets or not was completely immaterial to us [in the England series].”When you talk about a bowler like Shami, who has done the job over the years so many times for us – for them it’s just about getting back into rhythm. Hopefully he can find some rhythm early on in this tournament.”

GOAL ranks the top three soccer players produced by every state in the South, including Dempsey, Richards and Graham Zusi

Welcome to the South. American soccer, traditionally, has been concentrated in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic states, the Pacific Northwest and California. But there are some ballers from down south, too. Texas, in particular, has delivered top-level talent, with Clint Dempsey, Stu Holden and Omar Gonzalez – all seminal figures in the American game – coming from of the Lone Star State.

The South has contributed plenty. Florida, Alabama, Virginia and Maryland – if we're being a little generous geographically – have all had their part to play in the story of American soccer. And what they perhaps lack in number, they more than make up for with a little bit of southern grit. As Dempsey once said: "You don't know where I'm from, dawg."

Some regions in the U.S. have deeper player pools than others, so who is the best of the best? Which state has been the most fertile ground for developing American soccer talent?

GOAL ranks the top three men's soccer players from each of the 50 states. Next up, the South. Previous: Northeast

AFPAlabama: Chris Richards

Hometown: Birmingham

Clubs played for: Bayern Munich, Hoffenheim, Crystal Palace

USMNT caps: 33

Why he’s No. 1: Richards is proof of how finding the right club can change your career. Hyped by American fans when he joined Bayern Munich in 2018, Richards was too raw to make it in Bavaria at first. A middling loan to Hoffenheim followed, but he has since become a standout under Oliver Glasner for an excellent Crystal Palace team. These days, he's a top name on the teamsheet for the USMNT, too. Certainly, a bigger move is on the way for a real talent. 

Runners-up:

2. Tanner Tessmann (Birmingham): Coming into his own at Lyon, but still needs to show he can do it for a full season. 

3. Aron Johannsson (Mobile): A dual-national who rather lost his way, Johannsson had all of the talent, but never quite put everything together. 

AdvertisementGettyArkansas: Thomas Roberts

Hometown: Little Rock

Clubs played for: FC Dallas, North Texas SX, Columbus Crew 2, Stabaek FC, North Carolina FC

USMNT caps: 0

Why he’s No. 1: Arkansas is home to any number of NFL and NBA stars. Soccer really isn't the state's calling card. Thomas Roberts, now of the USL's North Carolina FC, was a youth national, but is on his sixth club at the age of 24. 

Runners-up:

2. Parker Maher (Fort Smith): A brief USL spell but little else for the Missouri State talent. 

3. Central Arkansas (Conway): OK, so not an individual player. But shout out to the Bears as the only Division 1 men's college program in the state.

GettyDelaware: Mark McKenzie

Hometown: Bear

Clubs played for: Bethlehem Steel, Philadelphia Union, Genk, Toulouse

USMNT caps: 22

Why he’s No. 1: Where do you want to start? McKenzie is the epitome of an American homegrown centerback in the modern era. He starred for a number of club teams before moving swiftly through college, MLS and then into Europe. These days, he is a regular for Toulouse and a presumptive starter for the USMNT at the World Cup – assuming he stays fit. 

Runners-up: 

2. Anthony Fontana (Newark): A seasoned journeyman who contributed to a Supporters' Shield win for the Union and flirted with a European career.

3. Rob Smith (Wilmington): One of the original MLS midfielders, Smith played for the Crew and also featured for the U.S. youth national teams.

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GettyFlorida: Graham Zusi

Hometown: Longwood

Clubs played for: Central Florida Kraze, Sporting Kansas City

USMNT caps: 55

Why he’s No. 1: Now we're talking. Florida is a sporting hotbed in general, and it has made a fine contribution to soccer, too. Zusi enjoyed a wonderful MLS career, playing 355 times for Sporting KC, serving as both a winger and right back. His impact at the 2014 World Cup simply cannot be understated, as Zusi provided two assists for a solid USMNT. Seven All-Star appearances, two MLS best XIs, and one of the top assist providers in the league, Zusi had a legendary career. 

Runners-up:

2. Dax McCarty (Winter Park): Could have earned the top spot. McCarty was a fantastic MLS journeyman who slotted in wherever he played. A word, in particular, for his marking of Lionel Messi in Atlanta's win over Miami in the 2024 MLS playoffs.

3. Aidan Morris (Fort Lauderdale): Give it a year or two, and Morris might be higher. He had slipped slightly since joining Middlesbrough, but remains a solid performer for the Championship club. The question is: what's next? 

Tottenham Hotspur are once again at the heart of transfer market drama.

Having endured a turbulent summer in which they controversially parted ways with Ange Postecoglou and installed Brentford’s Thomas Frank in the dugout, Spurs have wasted little time making bold moves in their squad rebuild.

The north London club have begun the new Premier League season strongly under their new manager, winning 3-0 at home to Burnley and stunning Manchester City 2-0 at the Etihad.

Such results have helped to steady nerves after a 2024/25 league campaign that saw Spurs finish a lowly 17th, even if their Europa League triumph over Manchester United provided a route back into the Champions League.

The summer window has been characterised by major departures and equally significant arrivals.

Fan favourite Son Heung-min, a figure synonymous with Spurs over the past decade, departed for LAFC, while James Maddison suffered a devastating ACL injury in pre-season against Newcastle, ruling him out for the entire campaign.

These developments left a creative void in the side.

Tottenham did move quickly to secure Mohamed Kudus from West Ham for £60m, but the sense prevails that further reinforcements are required, particularly after deals for both Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze fell through in frustrating circumstances.

Spurs hunting for Eze alternative

Their attempts to land young talents with star potential have been well-documented.

Spurs had a bid of €70m rejected for Como’s Nico Paz, a player Real Madrid still retain a buy-back clause for, and saw Arsenal hijack their move for Eze.

An ambitious attempt to prise Savinho from Manchester City was also rebuffed, with City holding out for £70m.

Transfer Focus

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

It now appears that their answer could come from France, where an exciting young player has been described by data analyst Ben Mattinson as “ridiculous” in terms of his potential.

According to Football Insider, Spurs are looking at sealing a move for Monaco’s Maghnes Akliouche, with a bid worth £47.5m expected to be accepted. It's important to state that the Lilywhites are yet to bid, but they now know the price they'll have to go to in order to complete a deal.

The 23-year-old Frenchman, who operates primarily from the right wing but has shown the versatility to play across midfield and attack, has quickly emerged as a viable alternative to Savinho.

Why Akliouche could be Spurs’ solution

His lower price point compared to Savinho or Paz makes him an appealing option for Spurs, particularly given the club’s wider squad-building needs.

Akliouche broke into Monaco’s first team in 2021 and has been a consistent performer over the past two seasons.

Across his Ligue 1 career, he has contributed 13 goals and 14 assists, while last term alone he made 32 appearances, including ten in the Champions League.

His rise has not gone unnoticed at international level either, earning six caps for France and scoring once.

Akliouche represents a balanced investment: a player young enough to grow with the team but experienced enough in top-flight European competition to make an immediate impact.

His potential signing has been framed as Tottenham’s alternative to Paz, another highly-touted youngster tipped for stardom.

Tottenham’s decision to turn to Akliouche reflects both necessity and opportunity.

With Maddison sidelined for the entire season, the club cannot afford to enter a Champions League campaign short of creativity.

The collapse of their moves for Paz, Eze and Gibbs-White have heightened the urgency, while the ongoing pressure from fans has only increased the demand for statement signings.

Comparisons between Akliouche and Nico Paz are inevitable, given the parallel interest Spurs have shown in both players.

2024/25 Season
Stat	Paz	Akliouche
Matches Played	35	32
Starts	30	27
Goal	6	5
Assists	8	10
Progressive Carries	77	127
Progressive Passes	163	273
Source: FBref

Statistically, they occupy similar creative roles, though their profiles contain subtle differences that make Akliouche potentially a stronger fit under Frank.

Akliouche stands out for his blend of creative passing and ball progression. According to FBref, he ranks in the 86th percentile compared to positionally similar players in Europe’s top five leagues for assists per 90 (0.30), showing his ability to provide for teammates consistently.

His 71st percentile ranking for shot-creating actions per 90 (4.25) underlines his direct involvement in chance creation, while his 89th percentile for progressive passes (6.15 per 90) and 79th percentile for progressive carries (4.58 per 90) highlight an ability to break lines with both his passing and his dribbling.

His defensive contributions should not be overlooked either, ranking in the 92nd percentile for interceptions per 90 (0.74), making him more well-rounded than many of his attacking midfield contemporaries.

Paz, by contrast, brings a more direct attacking profile. At 20, the Argentine is already showing signs of stardom, ranking in the 97th percentile for total shots per 90 (3.68) and 86th percentile for shot-creating actions (4.95).

His dribbling ability is reflected in his 85th percentile for successful take-ons (2.34 per 90), making him a more goal-oriented option than Akliouche.

However, Tottenham’s failed pursuit of Paz has left them looking for a player who combines creativity with maturity, someone able to step into the Champions League spotlight immediately.

That balance is why Akliouche’s candidacy is so compelling. Unlike Savinho, whose £70m valuation was deemed excessive, Akliouche’s £47.5m fee represents relative value in today’s market.

More importantly, his statistical profile suggests he could provide much-needed creativity following Maddison’s injury, while also offering tactical flexibility across midfield and attack.

He may not yet carry the global recognition of Paz or Savinho, but his combination of technical quality, versatility, and productivity makes him a signing that could reshape Spurs’ midfield dynamic.

If the deal is finalised, Tottenham would not only have secured their replacement for Maddison in the short term, but also potentially acquired a cornerstone for the club’s next era under Frank.

Richarlison will love him: Spurs confident of signing £60m star this week

Richarlison could grow in confidence if Spurs sign a £60m winger.

2

By
Will Miller

Aug 25, 2025

حلل جرايم سونيس لاعب ليفربول السابق، مباراة ليفربول ومانشستر يونايتد والتي انتهت بفوز الشياطين الحمر خارج ملعبهم بهدفين لهدف واحد في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وقال سونيس في حواره مع برنامج “هاتريك” على قناة “أون سبورت2” ردًا على سؤال إذا كان ما حدث في مباراة الفريقين كان عادلاً بخسارة ليفربول أم التعادل كان أقرب: “أعتقد أن كرة القدم لها قصتان”.

وأضاف: “القصة الأولى أن ليفربول كان من المفترض أن يفوز، الكرة اصطدمت بالقائم والعارضة ثلاث مرات ومانشستر يونايتد سجل مبكراً وهذا منحهم راحة وثقة أكبر، رغم أنهم يفتقدون الثقة التي يجب أن تكون لدى فريق بهذا الحجم، كانوا منضبطين جداً في الدفاع، وربما لو سجل ليفربول قبل هذه اللحظة لكانت الأمور أفضل له”.

وواصل: “مانشستر يونايتد كان يدافع بشكل جيد ويستحق أن يكون سعيدًا بالنتيجة، عندما كنت لاعباً في الثمانينات، لم تكن هناك مباراة سهلة أمام مانشستر يونايتد، كانت دائماً الأقوى والمنافسة بين الفريقين لا تزال كما كانت منذ 30 أو 40 عاماً رغم أن المدينتين تفصل بينهما 30 ميلاً، المنافسة بينهما كبيرة جداً”.

اقرأ أيضاً.. سلوت يبرر استبدال محمد صلاح في مباراة ليفربول ومانشستر يونايتد: لست معتادًا منه على ذلك

وتابع عن ليفربول: “هو فريقي، هذا الموسم صعب للغاية، بداية الموسم كانت متعثرة للغاية بالخسارة أمام كريستال بالاس في الدرع الخيرية ورغم أن اللاعبين على الورق كانوا جيدين جداً إلا أن ليفربول لم يبدأ موسمه فعلياً بعد”.

وحول إيزاك ذكر سونيس: “إيزاك لم يسجل بعد، هناك لاعبون جاؤوا من ليفركوزن وهو ناد ليس على مستوى ليفربول من حيث الضغط والتنافس، الأجواء في ليفربول مختلفة تمامًا ولا تشبه مكانًا آخر في العالم”.

وذكر عن سلوت: “لم يغير كثيرًا في منظومة الفريق التي وضعها كلوب، ولكن يبدو أن ليفربول لم يدخل بعد في الإيقاع المطلوب”.

وحول محمد صلاح وما يثار حوله ويوجه له هذا الموسم، علق سونيس: “هو النجم الأول، ولكن في كل المباريات نراه محاطاً بعدة مدافعين، هذا الموسم لم يظهر بمستواه المعتاد وربما لا يشعر بالمتعة كما اعتدنا رؤيته، المباراة ضد يونايتد كانت لتكون انطلاقته الحقيقية لكن الخسارة كانت رسالة قوية وصعبة، على ليفربول العودة سريعاً لأن فارق النقاط مع آرسنال ما زال بسيطاً ولكن إن اتسع سيكون الأمر صعبًا للغاية”.

وتلقى سونيس سؤالاً حول سبب عدم ارتياح صلاح مثل الموسم الماضي: “عليه أولاً النظر لنفسه، أرنولد غير متاح حالياً وإيزاك يلعب، لذا عليه أن يظهر روح المبادرة والعزيمة الغائبة عنه، محمد صلاح مميز وعندما لا يكون في أفضل حالاته يتأثر الفريق بأكمله، حتى الآن صلاح ليس الذي نعرفه، سجل هدفًا واحدًا فقط من ركلة جزاء، وأهدر فرصًا مؤكدة، أتذكر إحداها اليوم حين سدد بجوار القائم الأيسر، كان يمكنه المراوغة أو التمرير لزملائه”.

وأكد سونيس: “اللاعب الكبير يجب أن يكون جاهزًا للتحدي دائماً، في مباراة كريستال بالاس لم أجد لديه رغبة الالتحام والقتال على كل كرة، لا أقول إنه سيء، لكنه قائد ويجب أن يظهر هذه الروح لزملائهه، هو من أقدم لاعبي الفريق، حتى لو فان دايك القائد الرسمي لكن صلاح القائد الحقيقي في غرفة الملابس”.

وأردف: “عليه إعادة ترتيب نفسه من الداخل وأن يكون قدوة أداءً وروحًا، أنا مررت بهذه التجارب عندما كنت لاعبًا، خسرنا مباريات قاسية لكننا عدنا بالحديث مع بعضنا البعض في غرفة الملابس وقلنا نحن لاعبون كبار ويجب أن ننهض من جديد”.

وختم عن سباق الصدارة: “ليفربول الآن على بعد ثلاث نقاط من الصدارة، وما زال الطريق مفتوحاً، رسالتي لصلاح من برنامج مصري، عليه أن ينظر أولاً في المرآة ولا أحد آخر”.

Khawaja said Queensland Cricket general manager Joe Dawes and board member Ian Healy made statements that were “categorically untrue”

Alex Malcolm21-Mar-2025

Usman Khawaja waits to walk out to bat for Queensland•Getty Images

An emotional Usman Khawaja said he was disappointed and devastated by accusations that he had opted out of a Sheffield Shield game, claiming both Queensland Cricket and Cricket Australia knew about his hamstring injury and that no one from Queensland had contacted him about it. But he confirmed he will play for his state in next week’s Shield final against South Australia in Adelaide.Khawaja held a 17-minute press conference ahead of Queensland training in Brisbane on Friday to explain his side of the story after Queensland Cricket general manager Joe Dawes had claimed on Wednesday that Khawaja did not have any hamstring issues that they were aware of and said, “it’s just disappointing he didn’t play a game for Queensland when he had an opportunity to.”Queensland Cricket board member Ian Healy had also made strong comments on his SEN radio show saying, “It’s just this pick and choose mentality that has been evident in his later years that Queensland haven’t been happy with.”Related

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Khawaja hit back on Friday with a passionate defence of his injury and his actions, after missing the game against South Australia at Karen Rolton Oval last week and travelling to Melbourne to watch the Australian Formula One Grand Prix.”There’s a lot of misinformation being thrown around,” Khawaja said. “The most disappointing thing was, I try to keep this as in-house as possible behind the scenes. It’s obviously not anymore. Joe Dawes came out the other day and said a few inflammatory things, which was really disappointing to me as a player, and after that, I just felt like I had to speak up and say something, and give my side a story.”Joey said that the medical staff had no idea. That is 100% wrong. I’ve talked to both our physios. I’ve talked to the Australian physio. I was talking to the Australian physio the whole time. It’s on our athlete management system (AMS). My hammy is reported. Everything is there. Everyone knew about it. That was probably one of the most shocking things I heard. It was really disappointing because it’s categorically untrue. So I just wanted to clear that up, that the physios 100% knew about my hammy injury.”Khawaja, 38, said that when he returned from Sri Lanka he was managing a hamstring impingement, a torn rotator cuff and a calf niggle that had arisen during his 232 not out in the first Test in Galle.Following a lengthy discussion with Australia’s chairman of selectors George Bailey, Khawaja said a plan was put in place for the end of the Shield season before he would have all of April and May off ahead of the World Test Championship final.”We came up with a plan that I would play Tasmania and I would take the next game off,” Khawaja said. “And these are all fluid, but at the moment, I played Tasmania, took the next game off with the light of playing the Shield final. We’re trying to avoid me playing back-to-back games. I’m 38 years old guys. I can’t burn the candle at both ends.”I do have to look after myself in some respect, and Queensland Cricket do know that. I texted [Queensland coach] Johan Botha and let him know. I didn’t really get a reply.”Khawaja also said he had a fitness test with Queensland physio Stephen Timms on his hamstring before the Tasmania game and could only run at 70%. He then said both Bailey and Australian team physio Nick Jones reached out after the match regarding his hamstring.”I said, the hammy’s not great,” Khawaja said. “It’s feeling like it’s gonna pop. I think we should stick to the same plan that we had. And [Jones] was, like, 100% agree. It’s too much risk for you to go out and play back-to-back games.”I’m happy to do what’s best for Queensland cricket always,” Usman Khawaja said•Getty Images

“It’s a no brainer. So that was decided. Then George Bailey messaged me, and he said, ‘How’s everything going? What’s happening with QC?’ I said I haven’t heard from anyone in QC from when that Tasmanian game finished. I didn’t hear from Joe Dawes. I don’t hear from Botha. I don’t hear from any medical staff in Queensland Cricket. So I assumed everything was fine.”And then a few days later, I started hearing murmurs and reports about me opting out and all this stuff. And I was fuming. I was actually really devastated. I was really disappointed. A board member started to attack me, which was really disappointing for me.”To be honest, the other bit about me not wanting to play for Queensland was probably the most disheartening thing. The amount I’ve given to Queensland, just like Joey would have given too, you give your heart and soul. You can tell I get a bit emotional, you give a heart and soul for this organization.”It is understood Khawaja did not have a scan on his hamstring after the Tasmania game. He went on to say that he could see why his appearance at the Formula One Grand Prix garnered some criticism but he said he was still doing his rehab while he was away and had spoken to Australia’s coach Andrew McDonald about it.”I talked to Andrew McDonald yesterday, and he’s like, ‘Uzi, what you do with your spare time I have no issue with whatsoever’,” Khawaja said. “I either go home and curl up in a ball or I go watch F1 at the end of the day. I’m still doing my rehab. I still got three gym sessions in while I was away in Melbourne. I still look after my body. It’s not by any coincidence that I’m 38 years old and still playing cricket. Behind the scenes I do a lot of work, and I’m very professional about what I do. So yeah, look, I understand people look at it and they don’t have all the facts and the optics look bad. But I think that’s what was frustrating me, and that’s why I wanted to speak out.”Botha had missed a Shield game earlier in the season to compete in an ultra-marathon.Khawaja said he was willing to push his hamstring for the Shield final knowing that he has a 10-week break before the WTC final in June.”I’m not the guy who hold grudges,” Khawaja said. “I’m happy to do what’s best for Queensland cricket always.”Hammy is feeling pretty good. I’ve gone pretty hard on some of my loading on it over the last week and a half. I haven’t sprinted yet, so that’s the final thing. So I’ll have a little run today. I’ll have another little run on Sunday. And obviously, if everything’s going well, yeah, I should be fine. To be honest, if it feels like it still did in Tassie, I’m still willing to push for the Shield final. Was just hard to push for the game before, knowing that if I injured myself then I was gone for the Shield final.”

Tottenham Hotspur are now willing to outbid their Premier League rivals to secure the signature of a “pure baller”, as they are determined to win the race.

Spurs looking at Eze alternatives after transfer blow

Eberechi Eze’s move to Arsenal has sparked a furious reaction among the Tottenham fanbase, with many suggesting that Daniel Levy is at fault, although Simon Jordan believes the chairman may not be to blame for the disappointing outcome.

Regardless, Spurs will now be forced to move on to alternative targets, and an offer was submitted for Como’s Nico Paz, which was knocked back, with Fabrizio Romano revealing Real Madrid stepped in to stop a deal going through.

With Spurs’ move for Paz proving unsuccessful, their list of targets has been narrowed down even further, and a report from Spain has now revealed they are determined to win the race for a different attacking midfielder…

Indeed, Tottenham are now prepared to outbid Crystal Palace in order to get a deal for Leicester City’s Bilal El Khannouss over the line, with the north Londoners intent on stopping the Moroccan signing for their Premier League rivals.

Spurs have ‘made it clear’ they won’t let the Eagles win the race for the attacking midfielder, who could command a fee of £32m, with Levy clearly unwilling to miss out on another key target to a fellow Premier League side.

El Khannouss would be risky signing for Spurs

The Leicester star is clearly thought of very highly by scout Ben Mattinson, who has hailed him as a “pure baller”, but Spurs are playing a risky game by going all out to win the race for the 21-year-old.

Unlike previous targets, such as Gibbs-White and Eze, the youngster is yet to prove himself at the top level, and hasn’t exactly set the world alight in terms of attacking contributions per 90 over the past year.

Statistic

Average per 90

Goals

0.08 (5th percentile)

Assists

0.12 (23rd percentile)

Shots Total

1.24 (6th percentile)

That said, with Paz no longer an option, the number of options on Spurs’ shortlist is dwindling, and the Belgium-born midfielder could flourish in a better side, having been part of a Leicester team that were relegated without putting up much of a fight last season.

As such, while it would be a gamble for Tottenham to sign El Khannouss, there are no longer many better options available, with a deal for Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers deemed unlikely.

New head coach dismisses ‘inspire and entertain’ mantra, with focus on better fitness and more domestic cricket

Valkerie Baynes02-Apr-2025″It’s about winning.” With those three words, uttered 24 hours after being named England Women’s head coach, Charlotte Edwards set out her mission to turn an underperforming team into World Cup contenders within six months.Effectively dispensing with the ‘inspire and entertain’ mantra introduced two years ago by her predecessor, Jon Lewis, Edwards wasn’t afraid to tread into territory that makes some other coaches squeamish. Similarly, she was forthright about the need to hold players accountable for their fitness.”They’ve had this mantra of entertaining and inspiring over the last little bit, and I think it’s probably just changing their focus,” Edwards told reporters at Lord’s on Wednesday. “It’s bottling that entertaining and that aggressive approach, but for me, it’s about their game smarts and their game awareness about winning.”I’m under no illusions. I’ve come into this role, it’s about winning. I think coaches are sometimes too scared to say we want to win. That’s our job. My job is to win games of cricket, and I think it’s how we go and do that now.”That looks different on each given day and I just want to create some intelligent players who win games of cricket for England, and that’s going to be how I’ll go about stuff over the next few weeks, and try and instil that within the players.”Lewis lost his job following the 16-0 Ashes drubbing in Australia in January, which followed a shock group-stage exit at the T20 World Cup last October.Those results brought into question the fitness of some players in the squad, particularly when compared to the fiercely athletic Australian team.”My first week is actually profiling next week, so I’m going to judge for myself about where the team are with their fitness,” Edwards said. “I will make the players more accountable for fitness, so that’s something I’m going to do.”But there’s many aspects to this and I think the results from the winter, although 16-nil, I know that we are closer to that than what that scoreline suggested. I wouldn’t have taken on this role if I didn’t think that, in six months’ time, we could win a World Cup in India. I think we’ve got the playing group to do that.”We’ve got a lot of hard work and we’ve got a lot of honesty in that time before then, but I’m really confident that, given some time with this group, that we can turn things around very quickly.”England’s standards collapsed over the winter, particularly in the T20 World Cup in Dubai•ICC/Getty ImagesThe Ashes proved the final straw for Lewis and Heather Knight, who lost her job as captain, although she will remain available for selection as a player, following a sweeping review into the team’s performances.There had been a sense that Edwards would be reluctant to coach a team containing a core of players she had led as England captain until her retirement in 2016, but she welcomed the opportunity, feeling that enough time had passed.Edwards has stepped down from head coaching roles with Mumbai Indians, Sydney Sixers and Hampshire to fully focus on the England job, having won eight titles in five years at franchise and domestic level.”The great thing now is I’ve worked with them a lot in all the franchise competitions that I’ve worked in,” she said. “They’ve seen a very different person from Lottie the captain to Lottie the coach.”I think I’m a much better coach than I was captain, if I’m honest. There’s been enough time now between me playing with them all and I’m thoroughly looking forward to it. I’ve had some lovely messages from the players over the last 24 hours and I’m just super excited to get there on Monday.”Among Edwards first tasks’ will be to appoint a new captain, which she anticipated doing sooner rather than later after linking up with the team, saying she had a clear idea of her No.1 contender.Related

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In terms of the coaching role, Edwards was the standout candidate, with Clare Connor, Managing Director England Women’s Cricket, confirming that she was appointed without “the normal sort of open-recruitment process” that would be used for a coach at that level.That means the ECB ignored its own pledge to adhere to the Rooney Rule in recruiting head coaches. Under the rule, at least one applicant from black, Asian or minority ethnic backgrounds are to be interviewed.Connor also revealed that, as a result of the review, the ECB would set out in the coming days to recruit a national selector for the first time since the women’s game became professional in England and Wales. That would feed into a commitment to foster greater links and communication with domestic teams.Centrally contracted England players are expected to be available for the first seven rounds of the domestic 50-over competition, starting on April 19, with a strong emphasis on performance for selection in those games.Jon Lewis and Heather Knight paid the price for England’s poor showing this winter•PA Images via Getty ImagesShe also said players’ physical, mental and overall preparedness to compete at the highest level had been examined.”All of that professional standards, we’ve had some really good feedback on,” Connor said. “The domestic game we got feedback from, and from some notable figures in the world game as well.”Going back to our criteria and the appointment of Lottie, no one knows better what those professional standards need to be now. She’s seen it around the world. We’ve seen it for ourselves, obviously, during the Ashes in the starkest sense.”The pace of change in women’s cricket, it’s been fast and it’s been demanding. I think we’ve supported players well through those last few years. I think one of the things around the professionalisation is making sure that we’re challenging as well as being supportive.”That’s our role, to support players, but also challenge them and support them for successful times, and to perform under pressure.”Edwards believes that a focus on performance at domestic level as a benchmark for national selection will go some way to addressing the England team’s shortcomings in pressure situations, as laid bare in their error-strewn T20 World Cup defeat to West Indies and throughout the Ashes.With home series against West Indies and India this summer before the 50-over World Cup in India from late September and a home T20 World Cup next year, getting that aspect of the game right is crucial, with Edwards putting a strong emphasis on improving in the 50-over format.”We’ve got a lot of young players who, for me, haven’t played enough cricket, so I want them to experience playing more cricket, being put in those situations time and time again and earning your England cap,” Edwards said.”The door is not shut to anyone and that’s going to be a strong message coming out today, but hopefully starting with the county season, that’s going to be a really positive thing.”I’m not going to talk too much about the past. For me it’s all about the future and what I see is that we’ve got a really talented squad and I think we’ve got some of the best players in the world, some really talented high-potential young players, which I’m looking forward to working with.”

It wouldn’t be a summer transfer window if Chelsea were not extremely busy, would it?

This summer, the Blues splashed over £300m on nine new senior recruits, six of whom are attackers.

Well, the recent 5-1 demolition of West Ham emphasised the attacking potential that Enzo Maresca’s side possesses, but do they have a slight issue at centre-forward, one that a Cobham graduate sold for £34m could’ve fixed had he stayed?

Chelsea's striker conundrum

During Chelsea’s controversial 2-0 West London derby victory over Fulham last weekend, Liam Delap hobbled off in the 14th minute due to a hamstring injury, and this had quite the ripple effect.

At the same time, Nicolas Jackson was in Bavaria finalising a move to Bayern Munich, only for Chelsea to pull the plug on the move, despite having frozen out the Senegalese international since the Club World Cup, saying that they could not let him go.

Jackson’s agent, Ali Barat, released an angry statement and, in the end, he did complete his move to Bayern, with the Bundesliga champions paying an extortionate £14m loan fee, with a £56.2m obligation to buy having been agreed.

Instead, the Blues decided to recall Marc Guiu from his loan at Sunderland, the Spaniard having seen just 103 minutes of action for the Black Cats, scoring against Huddersfield Town in the EFL Cup, with Chelsea having to pay a penalty fee, cutting short one of the shortest loan spells in Premier League history.

It remains to be seen how long Delap will actually be sidelined for, while the returning Guiu is far from guaranteed minutes, given that Maresca has João Pedro, Cole Palmer, Pedro Neto, Estêvão Willian, Alejandro Garnacho, Jamie Gittens, Tyrique George and others from which to choose.

Nevertheless, this whole chaotic and messy situation could’ve been avoided had Chelsea kept hold of a Cobham academy graduate once compared to the club’s greatest-ever centre-forward.

Chelsea's ideal Liam Delap back-up was sold in 2021

Tammy Abraham joined Chelsea at the age of seven, but certainly had to work hard for his place in the first team at Stamford Bridge.

Following loan spells at Bristol City, Swansea City and Aston Villa, scoring 48 goals in 78 EFL Championship appearances, his breakthrough came once Frank Lampard was appointed manager in 2019.

Abraham was Chelsea’s top scorer in 2019/20 with 18 goals, including 15 in the Premier League, before bagging 12 the following campaign, part of Thomas Tuchel’s team that won the Champions League against Manchester City at Estádio do Dragão.

That summer though, the England international was sold to Roma for £42m which makes him the fourth most expensive Chelsea academy sale of modern times, behind Mason Mount, Ian Maatsen and Conor Gallagher.

He then netted 27 goals during his first season with the Giallorossi, winning the inaugural Conference League, before suffering an anterior cruciate ligament rupture on the final day of the season against Torino, which rather hampered his progress.

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Now 27, he spent last season on loan at AC Milan, scoring ten times for the Rossoneri, two of which came against Roma in the Coppa Italia, before joining Beşiktaş on loan back in July.

Well, Abraham has made a bright start to life in İstanbul, scoring six goals in eight appearances for the Black Eagles, averaging a goal every 108 minutes, including a hat-trick against St Patrick’s Athletic in a Conference League qualifier in Dublin.

At his best, speaking after a Champions League victory over Lille, Rio Ferdinand compared Abraham to Chelsea’s greatest-ever striker, asserting that much of what he produced was “Didier Drogba-esque”, praising his “hold-up play” while highlighting his “magnificent touch” and beautiful finish for his goal at Stade Pierre Mauroy.

But how do his statistics compare to those of Delap? Let’s find out.

Abraham vs Delap comparison

Season

Abraham

Delap

2025/26

6

0

2024/25

10

13

2023/24

1

8

2022/23

9

4

2021/22

27

0

2020/21

12

0

2019/20

18

N/A

2018/19

26

N/A

All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt

As the table documents, given that Delap is only 22 years old, he has only ever scored 25 senior goals, yet to prove himself as a regular goalscorer, even if bagging 12 in the Premier League for a very poor Ipswich side is a noteworthy achievement.

Abraham on the other hand, aside from campaigns massively blighted by injury, has been consistent in front of goal, reaching double figures in five of the last seven full seasons, including surpassing 25 goals for both Aston Villa and Roma, making a blistering start to his Beşiktaş career last month too.

So, while Delap, who is five years younger, clearly has greater potential, Abraham would certainly have proved to be a capable deputy, given their stylistic similarities too, both physical penalty box presences who like to stay within the width of the area.

Thus, for however long Delap is on the sidelines, Abraham would’ve offered the perfect cover.

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Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke had to make some difficult decisions during the summer transfer window after the club achieved promotion to the Premier League.

The Whites won the Championship title with a club-record 100-point haul in the 2024/25 campaign, earning them a place in the top-flight after a two-year absence.

Farke had a team that he trusted to deliver week-in-week-out, because they produced 100 points in 46 league games, but the step up to the Premier League is a big one, which meant that some players had to be replaced.

Leeds moved quickly in the summer transfer window to snap up Lucas Perri, Jaka Bijol, Gabriel Gudmundsson, and Anton Stach to improve the defence and physicality of the side.

As part of the restructure of the squad to deal with the demands of the Premier League, the Whites did not heavily pursue a reunion with former loanee Manor Solomon early on in the window.

However, Football Insider reports that he reemerged as a target for the club in the final days of the window, only for the attacker to turn them down in favour of a move to Villarreal.

Why missing out on Manor Solomon was a blow for Leeds

The Tottenham Hotspur winger signed for Villarreal on loan and the report claims that he turned down a return to Leeds at that stage of the window because of the prospect of playing European football in Spain, rather than fighting relegation.

Who knows how it could have played out if the Whites had gone in hard on a deal to bring him back to West Yorkshire early on in the window, though, after he enjoyed such a successful time on loan.

It was, ultimately, a blow to miss out on a deal for Solomon because the club were unable to sign any other winger on deadline day, and he could have been a fantastic addition to the squad.

Wilfried Gnonto has failed to deliver a shot on target or a ‘big chance’ created in three starts in the Premier League this season, after he mainly played second-fiddle to Solomon last term in the Championship.

The Italy U21 international scored nine goals and provided six assists in the second tier, per Sofascore, which was not a horrendous return but it was not as impressive as Solomon’s contributions.

xG

8.14

Top 8%

Goals

10

Top 6%

Shots on target

25

Top 12%

xA

10.30

Top 1%

Chances created

67

Top 5%

Assists

12

Top 3%

As you can see in the table above, the Israel international made a huge impact in front of goal as both a scorer and a creator for Leeds on the left wing.

Those performances helped his Transfermarkt value to soar from £11m at the start of last season to £12m at the time of writing (06/09/2025), which further illustrates how much of a success he was at Elland Road.

Whilst Leeds opted against heavily pursuing a deal to bring him back early on in the window to continue his journey in West Yorkshire, there are permanent members of the squad who benefitted even more from the experience of last season than Solomon.

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For example, former Swansea City centre-forward Joel Piroe is now worth even more than the former Tottenham Hotspur loanee after his performances in the second tier in the 2024/25 campaign.

Leeds have hit the jackpot with Joel Piroe

Farke wanted a new centre-forward to bolster his squad when he arrived at Elland Road in the summer of 2023, and the club moved to sign the Dutch attacker from Swansea for a fee of around £10m.

The left-footed marksman had scored 46 goals in 96 appearances in all competitions for the Welsh side, per Transfermarkt, including 41 times in the Championship, which meant that the Whites knew that they were signing a proven operator in the second tier.

It was almost a riskless signing given his record at that level and that is how it played out across his two seasons in the Championship with the West Yorkshire outfit.

The 26-year-old number nine hit the ground running at Elland Road with a haul of 14 goals and three assists in 45 appearances in the league, including the play-offs, in his first season at the club, per Transfermarkt.

Piroe, who was hailed as “dangerous” by journalist Josh Bunting, then fired Leeds to the 100-point title in the Championship in the 2024/25 campaign by winning the Golden Boot with an eye-catching 19 league goals for Farke.

The Dutchman started the season on the bench behind Mateo Joseph in the number nine position, but was able to prove his worth and establish himself as the undisputed first-choice in that role.

xG

17.12

Top 1%

xG on target

16.68

Top 3%

Goals

19

Top 1%

Shots

102

Top 1%

Shots on target

41

Top 1%

Chances created

37

Top 3%

Assists

7

Top 1%

As you can see in the table above, Piroe was arguably the most lethal centre-forward in the Championship, ranking in the top percentile in a host of key goalscoring metrics.

His phenomenal form led to his Transfermarkt value soaring up to £15.6m, from the £12.1m that it was at in the summer of 2024, and up from the £10m that the club paid for him in 2023.

This means that Piroe is currently worth around £3.6m more than Solomon and that his value soared by more than the £1m that the Spurs loanee’s did from the start of the 2024/25 campaign to the end of it.

Whilst the Dutchman has lost his place in the starting XI in the Premier League this season, Farke and Leeds have already hit the jackpot with Piroe because of his soaring market value and contributions to the team’s promotion last term.

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Whatever happens from now on, the signing of the left-footed marksman from Swansea will be looked back on as a terrific piece of business by all involved.

With Brendan Rodgers’ future still up in the air, a fresh update has dropped regarding the situation and Celtic’s board, courtesy of an ex-CEO.

Rodgers delighted after dramatic Celtic win

The Hoops left it very late to win 2-1 away to Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday afternoon, with new signing Kelechi Iheanacho scoring the winning goal from the penalty spot in stoppage time.

Speaking after the game, Rodgers couldn’t hide his delight at the result, as Celtic’s winning mentality shone through, like it so often does.

“It’s a great feeling. It’s been a long two weeks, so to get back out on to the football field – and this is always a tough game here – I’m so pleased for the players.“We weren’t quite in the right fluidity in the first-half. We got into some good areas but we weren’t feeding the wide guys well enough. But I thought in the second half we were much better.

“We started the half really well, got in front, and we had control of the game and had other good chances. They made some really good blocks.

“At 1-0 it can always be in the balance, no matter how much dominance you have, and we got punished from a corner and then they had a wee bit of momentum then with not so long to go. But we stuck at it, we defended the box when he had to, we were really strong and had that Celtic spirit.”

New update on Rodgers' Celtic future

Away from a huge win, though, Rodgers’ future is still a key talking point, and speaking to Football Insider, former Aberdeen chief executive officer Keith Wyness claimed that Celtic’s board will cause huge anger among the fanbase if the manager leaves.

“Now, what I’m hearing from my Celtic contacts is that they’re feeling that the board has become a little bit ivory tower in its view these days. They’re older. They’re used to doing things a certain way, they’re not listening to what they need to do to change, they’re not prepared to change, and there isn’t a hunger and a desire anymore to go forward.

“They’re quite happy with the money in the bank. So that’s what frustrates fans more than anything else when they see their prices going up and they have to fund the season tickets, and they don’t see that being transferred into ambition. It isn’t as though the club’s bust, the very opposite, that’s what frustrates people.

“If Brendan goes, then I think the board will see some real anger, obviously depending on who they bring in. Brendan had managed to win back over a lot of the fans and there’s a lot of sympathy for Brendan in this situation.”

There is no doubt that life under Rodgers isn’t perfect right now, and that he isn’t blameless when it comes to some underwhelming performances, but he still feels like the right man for the job for many fans.

As Wyness alludes to, he wasn’t fully supported financially in the summer transfer window, causing plenty of frustration, so he can only work with the squad he has now.

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Sacking Rodgers would be a big risk by the board, and if that did happen, or if the Northern Irishman leaves, they will have to nail his successor to please the supporters.