Tag Futebol

Opener remains unbeaten after Ryan Higgins’ 163 looked to have given the hosts control at Lord’s

ECB Reporters Network24-Jun-2024

Luis Reece survived a sketchy start to remain unbeaten on 123•Getty Images

Derbyshire 308 for 4 (Reece 123*, Madsen 49, Higgins 1-39) trail Middlesex 433 (Higgins 163, du Plooy 57, Roland-Jones 52) by 125 runsDerbyshire opener Luis Reece posted a maiden Lord’s hundred to lead his side’s steady response with the bat in their Vitality County Championship game against Middlesex.The 33-year-old left-hander shook off a patchy start, sharing a third-wicket stand of 111 with Wayne Madsen and bringing up his century from 176 balls to reach stumps unbeaten on 123.The visitors closed at 308 for 4, trailing by 125 after Middlesex had totalled 433 in their first innings, with overnight centurion Ryan Higgins last man out for 163.Higgins, whose partnership of 71 with Ethan Bamber set a county record for the last wicket against Derbyshire, has now overtaken Northamptonshire’s Emilio Gay to become Division Two’s leading run-scorer this season.Handily placed on 342 for 7 overnight, Middlesex lost captain Toby Roland-Jones for 52 in the third over, driving to mid-on where opposite number David Lloyd sprang forward to take the catch.With Henry Brookes soon following, trapped leg before by a ball from Zak Chappell that kept low, it looked as though a fourth batting point might elude the home side – but Higgins and Bamber determined otherwise.Bamber looked accomplished at the crease, compiling an unbeaten 21 as he chopped Daryn Dupavillon to the fence and Higgins raised the tempo, lifting Sam Conners for three leg-side sixes.A rare untidy shot by Higgins, top-edging Conners over slip for four, took him beyond 150 and it was Reece who eventually wrapped up the innings as Madsen – narrowly avoiding a collision with Conners – gathered Higgins’ slog-sweep in front of the rope.That left Derbyshire six pre-lunch overs to negotiate and Lloyd started positively, punching Bamber off the back foot for two boundaries before he was caught at point trying to do it a third time.Brooke Guest looked in good touch after the interval, having just driven Roland-Jones to the cover boundary when he was undone by the next ball, which nipped back down the slope to strike middle and off.By contrast, Reece played and missed several times at the start of his innings, surviving close calls when he edged Roland-Jones and Bamber through the slips before eventually settling into his stride.The left-hander formed a solid alliance with Madsen, whose first six scoring shots all flew to the boundary and ushered the 40-year-old beyond the landmark of 14,000 first-class runs in Derbyshire colours.Although leg-spinner Luke Hollman caused Madsen problems, with one inside edge flying just past the stumps, he looked poised to emulate Reece’s half-century until Brookes broke the partnership with a fearsome rising delivery in the first over after tea.Madsen, on 49, attempted to fend the ball off and could only glove it to wicketkeeper Jack Davies – yet his dismissal did little to slow Derbyshire’s scoring rate as Reece and Matt Lamb began to accelerate.Lamb targeted the short boundary in a breezy 30 before Davies, standing up to the stumps, took a sharp catch off Higgins, but the keeper was unable to hold on to another chance soon afterwards when Bamber found Aneurin Donald’s inside edge.Donald, who had yet to get off the mark at that stage, took advantage to progress to 43 not out as Derbyshire pocketed their second batting bonus point prior to stumps.

Newcastle United have made contact with the agents of a teenage talent in France who is also wanted by Liverpool, according to a new report.

Newcastle trying to address defensive issues ahead of the new season

After a season out of European football, the Magpies can now look forward to the 2025/26 campaign knowing they are back in the Champions League. Strengthening in the forward areas seems to be a high priority for Eddie Howe and co. this summer, but addressing their defence will also be on their list of jobs.

Newcastle now eye deal for "world-class" 28 y/o who Barcelona want to sign

There have been a new development.

1

By
Henry Jackson

Jun 3, 2025

Jamaal Lascelles is out of contract at the end of this month and looks set to leave, while their remaining defensive options are all in their 30s, excluding the seemingly injury-stricken Sven Botman.

Fabian Schar and Dan Burn are both 33, and given the Magpies are going to be dealing with Champions League football now, Howe is going to want more fresh legs, as the games will come thick and fast next season.

Newcastle have already been linked with one defender in the past week, as they have joined Aston Villa in the race to sign Amir Murillo from Marseille. The Magpies hope the fact they are in Europe’s biggest competition and Villa are not will help them sign Murillo, who is said to be valued at around £21 million. Meanwhile, last month it was reported that Newcastle had made contact with AC Milan over a move to sign centre-back Malick Thaw.

Newcastle contact agents of teenage defender

The options for a new centre-back don’t stop there for the Magpies, as according to Moroccan outlet Le360 Sport, via Sport Witness, Newcastle have met with Stade Rennais defender Abdelhamid Aït Boudlal over a move to St James’ Park.

The report states that the Magpies and Liverpool are both interested in signing the 19-year-old defender this summer. That despite the fact that Aït Boudlal has yet to play a senior game for Stade Rennais and played just nine times for Amiens while on loan there for the last six months of the season.

The centre-back, who can also play left-back, has already met with Newcastle, but he has an offer on the table, and it’s not from the Magpies. Liverpool are said to have made a concrete offer to sign Aït Boudlal, but it is unclear how much that offer is. The 19-year-old’s options don’t stop in England either, as OGC Nice as well as two teams from La Liga are also keeping a close eye on his situation.

Abdelhamid Aït Boudlal’s 24/25 Ligue 2 stats
Apps	9
Starts	8
Assists	1
Big chances created	1
Interceptions per game	0.7
Tackles per game	1.6
Balls recovered per game	3.6
Clearances per game	7.9
Duels won per game (success)	4.4 (58%)

It’s unclear how much Stade Rennais would want for their defender, but according to Transfermarkt, Aït Boudlal is valued at around £420,000, which is a fee that both Newcastle and Liverpool would have no problem paying. Newcastle may not see Aït Boudlal as a player who will instantly become a regular in their team, but he is someone who could learn on the fringes, with the hope of becoming a top defender in the next couple of years as Howe’s current options decline.

Will Manchester City end this season by hoisting aloft silverware?

On Saturday, the Sky Blues will compete in a third successive FA Cup Final, this time facing Crystal Palace, firm favourites to win the competition for the eighth time.

However, Erling Haaland was insistent this week that victory at Wembley would not constitute a successful season, simply echoing the message given by manager Pep Guardiola following the semi-final victory over Nottingham Forest.

So, regardless of the result this weekend, a mass-squad overhaul is required at the Etihad this summer, but could the recently dethroned Premier League champions land not one but two top-class midfielders?

Manchester City is targeting a new midfielder

It’s evident that City are hot on the trail of a crop of new central players with the likes of Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze linked in recent weeks.

Yet, it’s not all about the England internationals as far as Pep and Co are concerned, with a bid now potentially set to be launched for one of the best midfielders in Italy.

Indeed, according to a report by Fabrizio Romano, Manchester City will “submit a formal opening bid” as they attempt to sign midfielder Tijjani Reijnders from AC Milan.

The 26-year-old joined Milan from AZ Alkmaar for a reported €20m (around £17m) two summers ago, and his impressive performances mean that, according to Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider, he is now valued at £50m.

Matt Santangelo from That Milan Podcast described the Dutchman as “fantastic”, adding that he’s been “Milan’s best midfielder this season”, while Luca Bianchin of Gazzetta dello Sport believes he is ‘one of the most beautiful players to watch in the world’.

With I Rossoneri down in eighth in Serie A and, following Wednesday night’s Coppa Italia defeat to Bologna, it’s looking very likely that Milan will not qualify for any European competition at all, so they’ll surely be under pressure to sell some key assets, merely adding to the speculation that Reijnders could be on his way to Manchester.

Manchester City's new-look midfield

It’s not just Reijnders because, according to a report by Christian Falk and Phillip Arens of Bild, Manchester City have met with Bayer Leverkusen representatives as they aim to sign Florian Wirtz.

This, though, certainly won’t be an easy deal to get over the line given that, as reported by David Ornstein of the Athletic, Liverpool and Bayern Munich have also ‘made contact’ with Wirtz’s entourage, while TEAMtalk notes that incoming Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso would love to bring him from the BayArena to the Bernabéu too.

Patrick Scherer from Kölner Stadt Anzeiger claims that Wirtz is valued at around €100m (around £84m), reflective of the fact that, as noted by Michael Cox of the Athletic, he is ‘one of the most sought-after talents in world football’, adding that he is a top-class creator and ‘brilliant at finding space’.

What is clear is that Wirtz is a world-class talent and, whoever does manage to sign him this summer, will be getting their hands on a genuine difference maker.

What Man City's midfield and attack could look like in 2025/26

But how would Wirtz, Reijnders and the soon-to-be-returning from injury Rodri all fit together?

Well, let’s assess their respective statistics to help answer this question.

Appearances

44

52

50

Minutes

3,302

4,411

4,327

Goals

16

15

9

Assists

15

5

15

Shots

118

123

84

Shots on target %

44.9%

41.5%

32.1%

Attempted passes

2,170

1,848

4,588

Pass completion %

80%

87.9%

91.9%

Progressive passes

229

267

495

Attempted take-ons

205

92

78

Tackles

38

32

84

Blocks

38

24

32

Interceptions

21

49

34

Ball recoveries

141

143

287

Touches per 90

64

40

107

As outlined by the table, these three players as a midfield trio would work really well together, complementing each other’s strengths.

Rodri is pretty much exceptional at everything, no wonder Man City have missed him so much this season, with the Spaniard’s 107 touches per 90 and 4,588 attempted passes particularly eye-catching.

Wirtz meantime, is the creator in chief, one of only six players across Europe’s big five leagues to reach double-figures for both goals and assists this season, alongside Mohamed Salah, Michael Olise, Bradley Barcola, Romelu Lukaku and Gaëtan Perrin.

Meantime, the German’s 205 attempted take-ons is also pretty noteworthy, ranked second in the Bundesliga this season for this metric.

Lastly, we come to Reijnders, who is something of an all-rounder, scoring a very impressive 15 goals across all competitions this season, actually taking the most shots of the trio, while his 49 interceptions stands out too, suggesting he’d been an excellent Rodri partner.

The Dutchman has racked up over 4,400 minutes for Milan during this campaign, sitting out just one of their 53 matches, and this was due to a suspension, and his availability is certainly a valuable asset so, if Man City are able to assemble these three as a midfield trio, they might just become unstoppable once again.

Florian Wirtz now has representatives in Manchester as Guardiola pushes deal

It’s not one they want to miss out on.

1 ByTom Cunningham May 14, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur are keen on signing an “outstanding” Premier League defender, and there is now a possibility he could join on a free transfer in 2026, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Spurs eyeing new centre-back

Tottenham have conceded 51 goals in the Premier League this season, and while the poor defensive record can partly be attributed to Ange Postecoglou’s attacking philosophy, the numbers are concerning.

With Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero regularly being linked with moves elsewhere, the need to bring in a new centre-back this summer has been exacerbated, and a number of potential targets have been identified.

AFC Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen is one of the options, having held talks over a deal for the Spain international earlier this month, while they have also expressed an interest in Barcelona defender Eric Garcia, who could be sold for just £17m this summer.

Related Tottenham now in position to seal "bargain signing" of "interesting" striker

They’re “well-placed” to do a deal.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Apr 27, 2025

Huijsen is not the only Premier League defender Tottenham admire, however, as they are well-known to have made a £70m bid for Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi in the January transfer window, and there has now been an update on the 24-year-old’s future.

Taking to X, Romano has now stated that Spurs “remain keen” on signing Guehi this summer, having been on their shortlist “for months”, but there could be competition for his signature from Premier League rivals Newcastle United and Chelsea.

This summer could be Palace’s last chance to cash-in for a sizeable fee, with the defender’s contract set to expire in 2026, but there is also a possibility he could leave Selhurst Park on a free transfer next year, if a suitable offer is not received.

Having knocked back the Lilywhites’ £70m bid in the winter window, it is clear Palace value their captain very highly, although reports from elsewhere have stated his price tag could now stand at between £50m – £60m.

Tottenham Hotspur’s upcoming fixtures

Date

Bodo/Glimt (h)

May 1st

West Ham United (a)

May 4th

Bodo/Glimt (a)

May 8th

Crystal Palace (h)

May 11th

Aston Villa (a)

May 18th

"Outstanding" Guehi could be ideal Romero replacement

Romero has been pushing for a summer exit, with Daniel Levy cancelling talks over a new contract, so it is clear a replacement may be required this summer, and the Palace centre-back has proven he could be up to the task.

The England international was particularly impressive en-route to the Euro 2024 final, with his performances being lauded as “outstanding” by members of the media, while he has also caught the eye in a Palace shirt.

The former Chelsea man has averaged a 7.07 SofaScore rating in the Premier League this season, ranking him as the third-most consistent performer in the Palace squad, and he has been a key component of the side, making 32 appearances.

Having also been lauded as a “leader” by members of the media, there are clear signs Guehi could be capable of organising Tottenham’s shaky backline, so it is promising news that the north Londoners remain keen on a deal this summer.

Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy will have plenty of big decisions to make on Thursday night when Italian giants Roma come to Parkhead in the Europa League.

It will be the Frenchman’s second match in charge of the Hoops and his first ever game in a European competition, having only managed in the MLS previously.

The former Columbus Crew head coach implemented his 3-4-2-1 system in a 2-1 defeat to Hearts in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday, and will have learned a lot about which of his players do and do not suit certain roles.

Ranking the worst Celtic performers against Hearts

Football FanCast have already suggested that the new manager should drop Arne Engels from the team, because he gave the ball away a staggering 23 times, per Sofascore.

The Belgian midfielder was hugely ineffective in the middle of the park, but he was not the only one, as Benjamin Nygren did not create a single chance for the team in 65 minutes on the pitch.

Ranking Celtic’s worst performers against Hearts
Rank	Player
1	Arne Engels
2	Sebastian Tounekti
3	Daizen Maeda
4	Liam Scales
5	Benjamin Nygren

As you can see in the table above, we have ranked Daizen Maeda in third, despite missing two ‘big chances’ (Sofascore), because he did assist Kieran Tierney’s goal by winning a header.

Liam Scales was also among the worst performers on the day, losing 100% (1/1) of his ground duels, and losing possession 15 times as a centre-back, per Sofascore.

Sebastian Tounekti, meanwhile, was the second-worst performer after Engels. The Tunisia international was given a 3/10 player rating by 67HailHail, and he should be dropped against Roma, as Hyun-jun Yang has proven himself to be a better option.

Why Sebastian Tounekti should be dropped

The summer signing from Hammarby should be ruthlessly dropped by Nabcy because his performances have not been good enough of late for the Scottish giants.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast’s ‘First Impressions’ series has everything you need.

In the summer, journalist Anders Lindberg claimed that Tounekti has “the X Factor”. That was clear to see in his early outings for the club, as he completed five dribbles and created four chances, per Sofascore, on his debut against Kilmarnock.

Tounekti followed up on that promising debut with a goal against Partick Thistle in the League Cup in his second match for the Hoops, which only heightened the excitement around him at Parkhead.

Unfortunately, the 23-year-old forward has done very little since his first couple of appearances for Celtic. He is currently on a run of eight matches without a goal contribution, and has not assisted a goal in 18 matches for the club so far, per Sofascore.

Tounekti was subbed off after 59 minutes against Hearts so that Yang could switch over to the left side to play as the left wing-back, instead of on the right, and their recent performances suggest that he would be a better option there.

Last five Celtic matches
Stats	Tounekti	Yang
Goals	0	1
Key passes	2	1
Assists	0	0
Dribbles completed	3/13	6/10
Duels won	12/35	22/39
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the South Korean international has been significantly more effective in his physical duels and in his dribbles, which suggests that he is better suited to playing as a wing-back.

In this new role created by Nancy’s system, there is more of an onus on the player in that position to carry the ball up the pitch and to compete in more physical duels, which Yang is more equipped to do.

Tounekti, unfortunately, has failed to prove that he can be relied upon to be efficient in his duels or as an offensive threat, with his lack of goals and assists, as well as his struggles in physical contests with opposition defenders.

This is why he should be ruthlessly ditched from the starting line-up by Nancy for this clash with Roma on Thursday in the Europa League, with Yang moved over to the left.

Worse than Maeda: Nancy must drop Celtic flop who lost the ball 23 times

Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy must drop this flop who was even worse than Daizen Maeda against Hearts.

By
Dan Emery

4 days ago

That would then open up a space on the right flank for another player to be brought in and given a chance to impress the new boss, who is still learning about his players.

Chair of Australia’s selectors George Bailey has expressed sympathy with Sam Konstas after his Test omission, while former captain Steve Waugh drew parallels with his own career as a young player trying to find his way.After a tough tour of the West Indies, where he made just 50 runs in six innings, Konstas’ fate was sealed by an indifferent start to the Sheffield Shield season, where he has got one half-century in six innings. Prior to that, though, he hit a hundred for Australia A in India. Konstas, who recently turned 20, was handed his debut last summer against India at the MCG, where he took on Jasprit Bumrah in thrilling fashion but was then left out in Sri Lanka before being recalled in tough batting conditions in the Caribbean.”I feel for Sammy [Konstas] because at the moment, if he farts, it’s a headline,” Bailey said at the announcement of Australia’s squad for the first Ashes Test. “There’s a handful of young guys his age playing Shield cricket around the country, and they are all learning and are all going through the journey of becoming the best cricketer they can be, and Sammy is no different – he just happens to doing it under immense scrutiny.”Related

• Konstas dropped, Weatherald called up for first Ashes Test

• Labuschagne welcomes opening challenge with clear head

“We really like him… he’s been in and around the Boxing Day Test, he’s been on subcontinent tours, [and] he’s been on Aussie A tours. So we like the skillset, and [are] confident over the long run, it will continue to build out. It’s not going to be linear – no one’s passage through their career is linear – [but] the message is just to keep it simple: score runs and bat for as long as he can for New South Wales.”Speaking at a subsequent press conference, Bailey added: “He’s got a great outlook on life. He remains incredibly upbeat. The scrutiny on him is almost unprecedented on some levels.”Waugh, who spoke alongside the Waterford Crystal Ashes trophy, which is starting a tour of Australia, made his Test debut aged 20, also against India on Boxing Day at the MCG. He didn’t make a century until his 27th appearance, against England at the start of the 1989 Ashes. Eighteen months later, he was dropped in favour of his brother, Mark, but once recalled, went on to became one of Australia’s greatest batters with 32 Test centuries.”I feel a little bit sorry for Sam Konstas,” Waugh said shortly before the squad was confirmed. “He’s been in and out of the side a bit, and it actually reminds me a bit of myself when I first started playing for Australia. Not fully confident of being in the side, and up and down, and form not quite there. So he’s probably lacking a bit of confidence.”[My advice to Konstas would be] not to listen to everybody. Just trust one or two people around you. Go back to basics. At the end of the day, it’s really hard to learn how to play Test cricket while you’re playing Test cricket, and that’s what happened to me for a few years. I wasn’t really that finished product. I’d go back to Shield cricket, try and build some long innings, bat for as long as you can, and just get to know your game really well. And then [when] you walk out to play for Australia, you’re confident in what you’re doing.”I think, at the moment, he’s guessing how he’s meant to play. There’s a lot of expectations, so he’s probably not playing with a clear mind.”Konstas has potentially three more Sheffield Shield games to play before the BBL starts in mid-December, although Bailey said he would also be in consideration for the Prime Minister’s XI and Australia A fixtures during the first part of the Ashes.

Neymar went against advice from doctors to play through on for Santos as they secured a crucial win in their bid to beat the drop from Brazil's top flight. Santos hosted Brasileirao footers Sport Recife and secured what could prove to be a vital three points as they look to stave off the threat of relegation. And Neymar was key in a 3-0 victory that may have ended the forward's season.

Neymar influential as Santos down Sport Recife

Neymar fired Santos ahead midway through the first half and the hosts were two goals to the good 10 minutes later after a Lucas Kal own goal doubled Santos' advantage. And the three points were sewn up midway through the second half as Neymar turned provider for Joao Schmidt to confirm a 3-0 victory.

The win extended Santos' unbeaten run to four matches as they secured just their 10th league victory of the season. Santos now sit two points above the relegation zone ahead of their final two games of the campaign as they look to beat the drop.

Relegation rivals Vitoria host high-flying Mirassol, while Fortaleza host Atletico MG on Sunday evening as the battle to beat the drop goes to the wire. Neymar, though, has done all he can at the risk of aggravating a knee injury that could now rule him out for the final two games of the season.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportSantos had a 'plan' for their talisman

Neymar has endured an injury-hit campaign, meaning he has been restricted to just 15 league starts this season. The Brazilian missed the recent 1-1 draw with Internacional with a knee issue, though the plan had always been for Neymar to play some part against Sport Recife over the weekend.

Speaking after the 1-1 draw with Internacional, Santos manager Juan Pablo Vojvoda revealed what he had in mind for Neymar, stating: "The plan is for him to be in the match against Sport. I have to talk to him, I'm not in his physical presence and I will respect Neymar's decisions.

"But his commitment is to be there, he always wants to be there. Before the Mirassol game, he felt discomfort in his knee. He also felt it during the game. The following day he was experiencing significant discomfort in that knee. We know we have games every three days. With travel, we'll arrive in Santos tomorrow afternoon… He's a player we need for all three rounds and he'll help us. He's our leader on the field. He'll be there. He felt he wouldn't be able to meet the demands of today's game."

Neymar to miss the final two games

Neymar trained ahead of the game against Sport Recife even after it was recommended that he undergo an arthroscopy in order to repair a tear in the meniscus region of his left knee. The issue is said to be causing Neymar persistent pain, but he was willing to play through the pain in order to boost Santos' survival chances.

And while he defied medical advice to play a vital role in Santos' win over Sport Recife, earning a standing ovation has he exited the field, Neymar will miss the final two games of the Brasileirao season due to the meniscus injury.

Santos see out the campaign with a trip to relegated Juventude next week before the welcome of Cruzeiro in a potential relegation decider in the final round of Brasileirao fixtures. Rivals Vitora follow up their welcome of Mirassol with games against Red Bull Bragantino and Sao Paulo, while Fortaleza take on Corinthians and Botafogo following Sunday's game against Atletico MG.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportInjury will impact 2026 World Cup spot

Neymar's latest setback may impact his Brazil chances with head coach Carlo Ancelotti previously stating what is required for the 33-year-old to secure his Selecao spot in North America next summer.

"Neymar is on the list of players who can go to the World Cup. He has six months to make the final list," Ancelotti said earlier this month. "Neymar has recovered, but he needs to show performance. When the Brazilian league ends he'll have some vacation time, and then he must show his quality and physical condition again," the Italian stated elsewhere.

The former Barcelona and PSG forward's current Santos deal expires at the end of the year, and the club is in a dilemma over the player's future.

"Neymar’s project is the 2026 World Cup," Santos club President Marcelo Teixeira said recently. "If we find common ground, his continuity will be confirmed. As long as Santos and Neymar, who have a strong and positive understanding of trust, reach a common ground. I believe we will resolve this situation at the right time."

Leeds United travelled to the City Ground on Sunday with just one away win under their belt this season in the Premier League.

Thankfully, they were about to do battle with a Nottingham Forest side who had only won once on their patch all season long in league action.

But, come the end of the frantic affair, the Tricky Trees collected their first home victory since August, as Sean Dyche’s men comfortably got the better of Daniel Farke’s visitors in a 3-1 win, having notched up 14 efforts at Lucas Perri’s shaky goal.

Journalist Graham Smyth labelled Leeds’ overall performance at the final whistle as “desperately poor” as the West Yorkshire side now hang precariously above the dreaded relegation zone.

Jaka Bijol – in particular – had another afternoon to forget in the heart of the away team’s leaky defence.

Bijol's poor performance vs Forest

Bijol’s day wasn’t completely pitiful, with the Slovenian centre-back coming away from the 3-1 defeat with four of his six duels being successfully won.

Unfortunately for the £15m summer recruit, regardless of having some positives to latch on to, he was still caught out by a moment of ball-watching to hand the hosts the decisive 2-1 lead, as Morgan Gibbs-White evaded his marker to head home.

It was a nicely executed move by Forest, with Omari Hutchinson getting the better of Gabriel Gudmundsson’s lax marking, before putting it on a plate for Gibbs-White.

But, the former Wolverhampton Wanderers playmaker was given far too much room to head past Perri, off the back of Bijol being caught in no man’s land.

Chalkboard

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

Having also struggled against Brighton and Hove Albion on the road, before this slip-up in Nottinghamshire, when winning zero tackles and just one duel, it could well be time for Farke to move the former Udinese man back to the bench, for the more Premier League-ready Pascal Struijk to take over.

Bijol isn’t the only defensive option who could now be dropped by Farke, however.

Leeds dud had his worst game of the season

In all fairness, nobody donning Leeds’ changed strip of blue was trudging off at the end of the 3-1 loss, overjoyed with what they offered up.

Ethan Ampadu definitely won’t have been thrilled with what he conjured up as Farke’s supposed midfield anchor, with the Welshman both uncharacteristically sloppy with the ball at his feet and surprisingly weak when launching himself into duels.

Minutes played

90

Shots

2

Key passes

0

Dribbles

0

Touches

57

Accurate passes

31/41 (76%)

Possession lost

15x

Tackles won

1/2

Fouls

3

Total duels won

4/9

The promotion-winning captain fell way below the standards he had previously set when lining up for the West Yorkshire giants, with Ampadu coming away from the 3-1 loss with only 76% of his passes reaching their chosen target. On average, this season, so far, he typically completes 86% of his passes.

Moreover, the below-par number 4 would lack his usual bite and drive, with only one of his tackles being successfully won, which led to Ampadu barely laying a glove on the tricky Dan Ndoye early on, before his quick feet down the flank led to Ibrahim Sangare firing home the equaliser.

Ampadu also didn’t help Bijol out when Gibbs-White sent the City Ground into raptures, with the former Chelsea midfielder also guilty of idly watching the ball, before the match-winning effort was prodded home.

For a defensive option that usually prides himself on winning duels and being energetic – as seen in him averaging 4.3 duels won this season – it really did feel like a low point for him against the Tricky Trees on Sunday afternoon, as Farke now contemplates whether dropping one of his “indispensable” promotion heroes, as he was once labelled by scout Jacek Kulig, is the correct call.

Ampadu faced the media after, calling for togetherness as Leeds attempt to navigate the choppy seas of a relegation battle, with his concrete starting spot now up for grabs, as the likes of Ao Tanaka and Ilia Gruev eye up a spot in defensive midfield, instead.

Farke must ditch Calvert-Lewin to unleash the "best finisher" at Leeds

This Leeds star can get them scoring goals again, amid Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s woes.

ByJoe Nuttall Nov 9, 2025

Naseem Shah and Abrar Ahmed inflicted a late collapse on South Africa to bowl them out for an under-par 263 in the opening ODI in Faisalabad.On a dry, flat batting surface, it allowed Pakistan to control the tempo of the chase, one in which they further tightened their grip with an 87-run opening stand in the first 15 overs. South Africa battled hard through the middle overs to drag the hosts back, but Mohammad Rizwan, freshly stripped of the ODI captaincy, shepherded his side calmly through the middle overs with 55, while Salman Agha chipped in with a half-century of his own.But it wasn’t without a dramatic late stumble that almost derailed Pakistan right at the death, needing a late Mohammad Nawaz six to see Pakistan through to a final-over two-wicket win that should have been more comfortable than it ultimately was.Pakistan appeared to have complicated a chase that – at the outset – looked especially straightforward. With 12 overs to go, Pakistan needed just 69 with seven wickets in hand and their two most reliable batters, Rizwan and Agha, having compiled a 91-run partnership. But Corbin Bosch, Pakistan’s tormentor-in-chief this series, struck when Rizwan flicked straight to deep backward square, and Pakistan suddenly began to find run-scoring hard.Salman Agha and Mohammad Rizwan added 91 together•Associated Press

However, they retained wickets as Hussain Talat and Agha kept counting the runs down, albeit a little more conservatively than Pakistan might have wished. The upshot, however, was a run-a-ball 45-run stand that took Pakistan to less than 30 runs away from a series lead. But when Talat misjudged a slower ball and looped one to mid-off, George Linde took a stunning catch diving forward, and threw the ball and the game back up into jeopardy.Linde would come back into the attack, ball turning square by this stage, and send back Hasan Nawaz, who saw fit to come down the crease against the turning ball and attempt a straight slog, already halfway down the crease when he was stumped. Pakistan’s plight became even drearier when, 12 runs shy, Agha holed out to Donovan Ferreira, who covered a huge chunk of the Iqbal Stadium before taking a catch that dismissed Pakistan’s anchor.With the equation suddenly ten in seven, it was thanks to a straight hit from Nawaz down the ground of the final ball of the 49th that brought the game irrevocably in Pakistan’s control. There was time enough for Nawaz to be dismissed with the scores level, with Pakistan limping over the finish line – quite literally – when one thudded into Naseem’s pads as they scuttled through for a legbye. It seemed an apt metaphor for the ultimate unconvincing manner of Pakistan’s win.It needed to be nothing like that, especially with Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub batting. The duo matched South Africa’s opening pair in the venom of their opening stand, finding boundaries and sixes in the first 15 that took them to well beyond the required rate. It was only a half-hour of pressure from South Africa’s spinners, Bjorn Fortuin and Ferreira, that turned a cakewalk into a contest.On ODI debut, Donovan Ferreira dismissed both Pakistan openers•Associated Press

Ferriera struck first with an arm ball that skidded into Ayub as he shaped for a cut. He would double up two overs later as Fakhar mistimed a slog that found long-on before Fortuin struck the dagger into Faisalabad’s hearts. With Babar Azam crawling along to 7, he got one to skid along the angle and trap him plumb in front, both bowler and batter barely waiting for the umpire’s decision.But Pakistan’s stalwarts of late salvaged the situation and steered Pakistan back on course. In their slightly humdrum yet dependable way, Rizwan and Agha kept turning the strike over and taking Pakistan closer to South Africa’s total. Most crucially, they avoided the fate of South Africa in the middle overs, denying the visitors the constant flurry of wickets that had characterised the first innings and hamstrung South Africa.This series has seen six captains across the two sides, and yet, it has been the home skipper who has won the toss each time. After winning their sixth on the trot, Pakistan elected to chase. Through the debutant Lhuan-dre Pretorius and the returning Quinton de Kock, the visitors may have given Pakistan reason to regret that decision with a near-flawless start.They took on Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem early and refused to let the spin of Agha or Abrar settle either. Pretorius, who took much of the early impetus, danced down the ground to drive Agha over cover in the innings’ eighth over, while de Kock smashed Abrar over long-off to bring up the 50-run stand.By the end of his first three overs, Agha had leaked 30, and Shaheen was forced to turn to Ayub, and that is where Pakistan began to regain some control. South Africa continued to tick along at a fair clip as Pretorius completed a 48-ball 50, but Pakistan starved him of the strike for the next few overs. Even so, South Africa had got to 98 in the 16th over before Pretorius tried to carve Ayub through the offside, only for Nawaz to complete a sharp catch diving to his weaker right side.For the moment, though, South Africa were not to be slowed down by one bump. Tony de Zorzi made his intentions clear by creaming Nawaz over the top for a six so huge it flew out of Iqbal Stadium and required a replacement ball. De Kock was milking the spinners and getting a boundary away each over, with one through short fine off Ayub, bringing up his own half-century in his comeback ODI.Abrar Ahmed came back well in his later spells•Getty Images

The reintroduction of Naseem would serve as the first real break on South Africa’s careening sled. He’d copped 19 in his first three, but coming around the wicket to the two left-handers, he conceded just one in his return over, and when Ayub kept things tight at the other end, Naseem struck in the following over.It was the free-flowing de Kock who, cramped for room from the angle, chipped onto the stumps as he tried to guide the ball fine. Ayub struck six balls later to extinguish de Zorzi’s innings in its embryonic stages, and the momentum began to shift.South Africa lacked batting heft lower down the order. Sinethemba Qeshile’s back-to-back boundaries off Shaheen broke the shackles, while captain Matthew Breetzke walloped Abrar for a six and a four as South Africa attempted a relaunch. But Nawaz induced a top edge from Qeshile off the first ball of the next over, and from thereon Pakistan began to punch their way through a brittle South Africa.It was the first of five wickets to fall within 37 runs as Pakistan gutted their way through South Africa. Abrar got rid of Breetzke and trapped Fortuin first ball, almost believing he had a hat-trick when the umpire raised his finger for his third delivery in a row, but on that occasion, an inside edge denied him the honour.Bosch shielded Ngidi from the strike and put on a valuable 41 runs at the very end, but the resigned disappointment on South African faces at the ultimate score they’d posted told the real story. Four hours later, it was clear how just a few more runs might have made all the difference.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Tuesday, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta issued a rallying cry to supporters. “Be in your seats by 7.30pm,” he commanded.

Fans inside the Emirates Stadium did not disappoint. North London Forever blared out from the sound system and after an intense week in which they’d gone unbeaten against Spurs, Bayern Munich and Chelsea, the fans were very needed.

The Gunners failed to defeat ten-man Chelsea at the weekend and it was a performance that looked tired. Arsenal have enormous squad depth but injuries are already testing this crop of players. As a result, Arteta rang the changes for the visit of Brentford on Wednesday night.

Arsenal may well have secured a 2-0 victory but it was not a vintage performance. It was a display befitting of just how different the starting XI looked.

There were no Bukayo Saka or Eberechi Eze. Martin Odegaard and Noni Madueke started instead. With Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba still injured, the responsibilities at the heart of the defence fell to Cristian Mosquera and Piero Hincapie again.

Did they deliver? Well, Arsenal scored twice and kept a clean sheet, so it’s hard to argue against that.

Did Arsenal's midweek starters stake their claim?

Mosquera and Hincapie were rather patched together at the last minute when Saliba sustained a training injury late last week.

The Frenchman has now missed the last two games but for the two summer signings, this was a more composed and easier night than their showing at Stamford Bridge.

Chalkboard

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

Hincapie has been brave and aggressive in both fixtures but Mosquera struggled against Chelsea, notably when it came to progressing the ball. Of course, a Brentford side missing the Premier League’s second top goalscorer in Igor Thiago for over an hour helped their cause, but if Arteta is going to be missing two of the world’s finest defenders, the stand-ins have proven they can more than do a job.

It was in attack where Arsenal perhaps struggled a bit more. While Set Piece FC seem to have become more about scoring from open play, Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli didn’t do a huge amount to suggest they should be starting.

Madueke was energetic and effervescent on the right flank, performing four dribbles, two of which were successful, but he ultimately lacked end product, amassing two shots and failing to provide a key pass. Martinelli’s night was even worse. He had only one shot and completed just one dribble.

Odegaard, who stood in for Eze, was also lacking sharpness. The skipper created four key passes but lost six of his seven duels.

For Arteta, he will have been pleased with Mikel Merino, however. The Spaniard scored yet again, taking his goal tally as a centre-forward for the club to ten in 22 outings.

Arsenal have been fortunate that they can rely on their squad depth. They’ve missed Kai Havertz, Viktor Gyokeres and Gabriel Jesus in recent weeks but Merino has more than stepped up.

It was the substitutes who changed the game on Wednesday too. Saka, who replaced Madueke, scored the second strike to seal all three points for the Londoners.

Yet, the goalscorers were pipped to the man of the match award by someone who’s been on the fringes of things this season.

Arsenal's man of the match against Brentford

The contributions that Saka and Merino came up with were vital but if it wasn’t for the performance of Ben White, this night would have been far more challenging.

For White, this has been a troubling last year or so of his career. Signed for a mega £50m back in 2021, he had established himself as a core member of the Arsenal side.

2021/22

37

0

2022/23

46

7

2023/24

51

9

2024/25

26

2

2025/26

8

1

He was notably described by journalist Tom Barclay as “one of the best prospects in English football” in the summer he moved from Brighton and in the early stages of his Arsenal career he lived up to that, amassing nearly 100 appearances between 2022/23 and 2023/24.

Last season, however, things began to unravel. Fellow right-back Jurrien Timber was back from an ACL injury and his form since has been impeccable. In the words of the Standard’s Simon Collings, he is “the best right-back in the Premier League right now.”

What didn’t help White last season were persistent injuries that meant he was never really able to build momentum.

In 2025/26, though, he’s been available all season but has been met with stubborn resistance from Arteta to play him. He’s not the first person to find himself in this position during the Spaniard’s tenure.

Think of the likes of Aaron Ramsdale, Kieran Tierney, Emile Smith Rowe or Oleksandr Zinchenko. While they all didn’t do a lot wrong in Arsenal colours, Arteta sought to upgrade them at the earliest opportunity available.

Zinchenko, in particular, has suffered the same fate as White has this season. When the Ukrainian signed for Arsenal from Manchester City he revolutionised the way Arsenal were able to play.

Previously, Arteta’s system saw Tierney flying forward from left-back but Zinchenko was fielded as an inverted full-back, something we now see from both Myles Lewis-Skelly and Riccardo Calafiori.

During that 2022/23 campaign, Zinchenko and White were vital from their respective roles in defence. They contributed in all phases of play. The former Man City man was finally moved on in the summer, albeit only on loan to Nottingham Forest and if White wasn’t careful, he may have been heading elsewhere too.

But, he revived his career on Wednesday, given just his second start in the top-flight all campaign. The defender’s only previous start came against Manchester United on the opening weekend and since then, Timber has made the spot his own.

When Brentford came to town, White rolled back the years. The 28-year-old was phenomenal, notably providing the assist for Merino’s opener.

He took home the player of the match award and deservedly so for a display in which the England international won more duels (10) and made more tackles (6) than any other player against Brentford. He also made more clearances than any of his Arsenal colleagues (6).

Many have tried and failed to get back in Arteta’s good books. Zinchenko and Ramsdale can testify to that. However, White has showcased that he’s still very much an elite full-back and he should not be dismissed just yet.

With Mosquera having had to limp off the field in the first half with an injury, replaced at centre-half by Timber, it would not be a surprise to see White back in the starting lineup this weekend against Aston Villa. On the evidence of this performance, he is undroppable right now.

Playing better than Saka: Arsenal ready to pay club-record fee for £132m star

The Arsenal target has been having a better campaign than Bukayo Saka this year.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Dec 3, 2025