Tag Futebol

South Africa are juggling Rabada’s fitness, an unpredictable pitch, and a stack of selection dilemmas as they chase a rare series win in India

Firdose Moonda20-Nov-20253:30

Botha: New ball should play a role with early start to the Test

At least no one knows what to expect.With Guwahati playing host to its first Test, conditions are a mystery for everyone, and South Africa will hope to read them right as they go there in search of a first series win in India in 25 years. The first big decision they’ll have to make is team selection, which will depend largely on what they think the surface will do, while leaving open the possibility of being completely surprised, like they were in Kolkata.There, variable bounce from the first over set the tone for a low-scoring match. South Africa, in fact, said it actually became slightly better to bat on the third morning. In Guwahati, they anticipate run-scoring to be less hazardous but not necessarily easy. “What we heard is that it tends to be a good batting wicket up front, and it becomes a spinning wicket later on in the game,” Piet Botha, South Africa’s bowling coach said.Even if there is a bias to spin, South Africa’s first choice would be to have their premier seamer Kagiso Rabada back, if available. Rabada is still recovering from the rib injury that kept him out of the Kolkata Test and there remains uncertainty over his availability. He has not bowled since sustaining the injury in training last Tuesday in Kolkata. He did not train on Wednesday in Guwahati either, and the medical staff is expected to “make a call in the next 24 hours,” Botha said.Related

• Mystery pitch adds to intrigue in Guwahati's Test debut

• Gill ruled out of Guwahati Test, Pant to lead India

• Bavuma, Harmer and Jansen script sensational South Africa win at treacherous Eden Gardens

• Ngidi added to South Africa squad for second Test against India

• Gill set to miss Guwahati Test against South Africa; Pant to stand in as captain

If Rabada is fit, the question facing South Africa is whether he would be a straight swap for Corbin Bosch, who replaced Rabada in the first Test. Or, given how well Bosch batted, if they would look to tinker with the makeup of the team. One option would be to leave Wiaan Mulder out, given he only bowled five overs at Eden Gardens, and move Tony de Zorzi to No.3. de Zorzi was initially picked in that position but hasn’t batted at No. 3 since the Cape Town Test in January 2024. He has spent most of his short Test career as an opener, but most recently batted at No. 5.The more interesting question is what South Africa will do if Rabada is not available, because the options are many, starting with the simplest: change nothing. There’s logic to sticking with a winning XI, especially one that came back from the brink of a big defeat to pull off a win like South Africa did last weekend. But if conditions are going to be different, an unchanged eleven would also go against Shukri Conrad’s horses-for-courses approach.Botha feels the early start will bring “a little bit moisture” to the red soil surface, which generally means more bounce on offer. Albeit still two days out from matchday, the pitch also has healthy grass covering, which makes Lungi Ngidi an obvious contender. Ngidi has not played a Test since the World Test Championship final at Lord’s, where he was picked specifically because he offered more pace than South Africa’s other choice, Dane Paterson, and for his ability to generate extra bounce. Though Ngidi had an expensive first innings, he returned to take 3 for 38 in the second. In the end, it was not bounce but seam movement that he exploited for his returns.It won’t worry South Africa that Ngidi’s last ball red-ball match was five months ago, because they put faith in Ngidi against Australia when he hadn’t played a Test for 10 months and it paid off. He has also been in action in other formats recently, and played in South Africa’s white-ball matches in Australia, England and Pakistan, alongside a domestic match at home. Should he be picked, Ngidi is likely to replace Bosch, though that would leave South Africa a batter short.Wiaan Mulder might be dropped if South Africa can do without his bowling services•Getty ImagesAnother choice, especially if there is significantly less grass by the time the match starts – paired with an expectation of bounce early, and then a crumbling surface later – would be to include an extra spinner. South Africa have left-arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy, who was player of the series in Pakistan, in the squad. Muthusamy could either replace Bosch or another of the batters, potentially Tristan Stubbs, who continues to struggle for form. With nine first-class hundreds to his name and a career-best of 89* in his last Test, Muthusamy is a solid lower-order batting option. Unlike Ngidi, he also would not shorten the line-up.The challenge with including Muthusamy is that South Africa may be wary of more of the same, with Keshav Maharaj already providing left-arm spin. India’s slew of left-handers would make another offspinner handy, so they may use Aiden Markram more – with Simon Harmer also in hand – and leave Muthusamy out.All that said, there is also no harm in South Africa considering a tinker to the batting line-up, which was heavily reliant on Temba Bavuma and the lower order in the first Test. The jury is still out on the best No.3 option. Mulder currently occupies the spot, and while he is technically solid, he is perhaps too defensive, and his bowling may not be required anyway. Stubbs was initially given the spot and played five successive Tests at No. 3 last year. He could move up or out of the side altogether.South Africa have a reserve batter in Zubayr Hamza, who Conrad said was “close to” playing in Pakistan but just missed out. Hamza comes off a good run of form for South Africa A, against India A in a pre-Test tour in Bengaluru, where he scored two half-centuries in two matches. He has batted at No.3 in Tests in four matches between 2019 and 2020, including the 2019 tour of India, where he scored a half-century in Ranchi.A top six made up of Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Hamza, Bavuma, de Zorzi and then either Stubbs or Mulder is one option. Otherwise, South Africa might look at a specialist top five, with Kyle Verreynne at No.6, and a lower order that can simultaneously score runs and provide plenty of bowling options.

ESPNcricinfo picks seven players who could make their IPL debuts this season and have a big impact for their teams

Deivarayan Muthu14-Mar-2024

Rachin Ravindra (Chennai Super Kings)

Rachin Ravindra had piled up as many runs as any New Zealand batter has ever scored in an ODI World Cup, but when Chennai Super Kings signed him for INR 1.8 crore (USD 217,000 approx.) in December last year, he wasn’t a certain starter in their XI or XII (accounting for the Impact Player). His body of work in T20 cricket is fairly limited, but a thumb injury to Devon Conway, who has been sidelined until May, has opened up a spot for Ravindra at the top of the order. Like his New Zealand and Wellington mate Conway, Ravindra isn’t a power-hitter but can be a skillful disruptor at the top along with Ruturaj Gaikwad. The 24-year-old can also bowl quickish left-arm fingerspin, which gives CSK’s bowling attack additional cushion, especially if the pitches in Chennai continue to be spin-friendly.Related

• Daryl Mitchell keeps the family globe-trotting tradition alive

• Nehra: Want to help Gill grow more as a person than a captain

• Allrounders aplenty but Punjab Kings lack a strong Indian batting core

• IPL to T20 World Cup: South Africa to keep close eye on Nortje and Coetzee

• What India need from the Indian Premier League

Sameer Rizvi (Chennai Super Kings)

CSK don’t usually splurge on uncapped players, but 20-year-old Sameer Rizvi’s ability to dominate spin made them bid INR 8.40 crore (USD 1 million approx) for him at the auction. In a Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 game on a slow pitch in Dehradun, Rizvi almost single-handedly powered Uttar Pradesh home with an unbeaten 75 off 46 balls against a strong Tamil Nadu spin attack comprising Varun Chakravarthy, R Sai Kishore and Washington Sundar.Rizvi had first emerged on the scouts’ radar after hitting the most sixes for Kanpur Superstars in the UP T20 league. More recently in February this year, he cracked a triple-century for UP in the Under-23 CK Nayudu Trophy. With CSK missing Ambati Rayudu, and Ajinkya Rahane struggling for form, Rizvi, who has been dubbed as the right-handed Suresh Raina, could make his IPL debut this season.Mumbai Indians’ Gerald Coetzee has got pace and passion•ICC/Getty Images

Gerald Coetzee (Mumbai Indians)

Having been part of Rajasthan Royals in the past as a replacement player, South Africa’s Gerald Coetzee could be among Mumbai’s first-choice overseas players along with Tim David this season. An out-and-out quick, who can touch 150kph, Coetzee announced himself during the 2023 ODI World Cup, with 20 wickets in eight games at a strike rate of 19.05.But Coetzee has more than just raw pace: he’s also got some nifty variations in his repertoire. Just ask Jos Buttler about his legcutter. Coetzee can also give it a good whack down the order, which makes him a particularly explosive package. Joburg Super Kings even tried out Coetzee as a pinch-hitting opening batter in a knockout game during the 2023 SA20. Coetzee, though, missed the entire 2024 SA20 season with injury and will be looking to make a comeback this IPL.

Nuwan Thushara (Mumbai Indians)

Lasith Malinga outsmarting batters with his slingy action has been a familiar sight in the IPL over the years. Now, it’s time for another Sri Lankan slinger to rock it in Mumbai’s blue and gold. Nuwan Thushara, 29, has never been part of the IPL before, but has had stints in the LPL and PSL. He has already eased his way into the Mumbai set-up with a stint at MI Cape Town in the most recent SA20, and will have the original slinger Malinga in his dugout.Thushara also turned heads in international cricket by bagging a hat-trick on his way to a five-wicket haul against Bangladesh in Sylhet earlier this month. That performance reminded Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis of Malinga (who else?). Thushara vs Matheesha Pathirana, another Sri Lanka slinger, could potentially add more spice to the Mumbai-CSK rivalry.

Azmatullah Omarzai (Gujarat Titans)

No Hardik Pandya for Gujarat Titans? Step forward, Azmatullah Omarzai, Afghanistan’s Hardik Pandya. Omarzai, 23, can float in the batting line-up and swing the new ball in the powerplay. Sachin Tendulkar was so impressed with his wrist position and swing bowling during the ODI World Cup that he was reminded of the likes of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Praveen Kumar. After dismissing David Warner with an inswinger, Omarzai snagged Josh Inglis with an outswinger next ball, but Glenn Maxwell averted the hat-trick and pulled off a miracle for Australia at the Wankhede.Omarzai’s recent form with the bat is also encouraging. He hit a career-best 149 not out in an ODI against Sri Lanka in Pallekele and was also among the runs for Rangpur Riders in the Bangladesh Premier League. He has worked closely with Babar Azam in the BPL and PSL (Peshawar Zalmi).Australia’s Spencer Johnson is in high demand on the T20 circuit•BCCI

Spencer Johnson (Gujarat Titans)

Spencer, who? When he didn’t have a professional contract about two years ago, following a recurrence of an ankle injury, Johnson worked as a landscape gardener. The 28-year-old fast bowler is now among the most sought-after players on the T20 circuit, having had gigs in the Hundred (Oval Invincibles), MLC (Los Angeles Knight Riders), and Surrey Jaguars (Global T20 Canada), in addition to being a strike bowler for Brisbane Heat in the BBL. He capped an extraordinary 2023 with an IPL deal worth INR 10 crore (USD 1,205,000 approx.) with Titans. That’s who.Johnson’s USP is creating un-hittable angles and finding extra bounce with his imposing frame (six feet, four inches) at speeds north of 140kph. Considering the injury to Mohammed Shami and Titans coach Ashish Nehra’s penchant for left-armers, Johnson could be an overseas option for Titans, especially on quicker pitches.

Kumar Kushagra (Delhi Capitals)

A hard-hitting wicketkeeper from Jharkhand, Kumar Kushagra had CSK, Delhi Capitals and Titans locked in a fierce bidding war for him at the auction in December, with Capitals eventually buying him for INR 7.20 crore (USD 867,500 approx). Rishabh Pant has been cleared by the BCCI medical team to start IPL 2024 as a wicketkeeper-batter, but the Capitals’ co-owner Parth Jindal had suggested earlier that Pant would play as a batter for the first half of the season. In that case, 19-year-old Kushagra could slot in as the keeper.Kushagra impressed Sourav Ganguly, Capitals’ director of cricket, at the 50-over Deodhar Trophy last year and later at the trials. Then, in the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy, he walloped 67 off 37 balls from No.6 to help Jharkhand overhaul Maharashtra’s 355 in Jaipur. In the lead-up to a potential IPL debut, he also represented India A against the visiting England Lions.

Also: which Pakistan player was nicknamed the “Peshawar Rickshaw”?

Steven Lynch10-May-2022I spotted that the late Ken Barrington’s Test batting average was much higher than his overall first-class numbers. Is it the biggest gap for someone who played so many matches? asked Vineet Arora from England

Ken Barrington, the bulwark of England’s batting in the 1960s, averaged 58.67 in his 82 Test matches, against 45.63 in all first-class cricket, a difference of 13.04. That’s the record for anyone who played more than 20 Tests. The overall figures include Tests, of course; if you remove those for Barrington he averaged 43.01 in his other first-class games.If you reduce the qualification to those who had 15 or more Test innings, Barrington is still ninth. New Zealander Stewie Dempster comes top on that basis – he averaged 65.72 in Tests and 44.98 in first-class, a difference of 20.74. Next comes another 1930s batter, England’s Eddie Paynter, with a difference of 16.97 (59.23 vs 42.26). The top current player is West Indies’ Nkrumah Bonner, who averages 41.88 in Tests but 29.30 in first-class matches (a difference of 12.58).I thought it would be interesting to see who holds the equivalent record for bowlers, and again the answer depends on what qualification you impose. For those who bowled in at least 50 Test innings, it’s none other than Sachin Tendulkar, whose 46 Test wickets came at 54.17, which is 7.57 runs cheaper than his overall first-class average of 61.74 (71 wickets). Perhaps a better cut-off would be 100 Test wickets, which effectively restricts the selection to specialist bowlers: top then is the Australian seamer Ryan Harris, who averaged 23.52 in Tests (113 wickets) but 26.55 in first-class games (he took 303 wickets, and they neatly cost him 3.03 more). Next comes the England offspinner Graeme Swann, whose 255 Test wickets came at 29.96, some 2.16 runs cheaper than his first-class average of 32.12 (739 wickets).Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway put on 182 for CSK’s first wicket against Sunrisers the other day. Was this the highest opening stand in the IPL? asked Mohan Girish from India

That big stand between Gaikwad and Conway in Pune last week was actually the fourth-highest opening partnership in the IPL, although it’s only three short of the record, 185 by Jonny Bairstow and David Warner for Sunrisers against Royal Challengers Bangalore in Hyderabad in 2019.Oddly perhaps the IPL’s five highest partnerships have all come for the second wicket: highest of all is 229, by Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers for RCB against Gujarat Lions in Bengaluru in 2016. They beat their own record, an unbroken 215 against Mumbai Indians in Mumbai a year earlier.Kent’s Nathan Gilchrist has collected six successive ducks in first-class cricket, which I gather equals the record. How many people have done this before? asked George Richardson from England

Kent’s Zimbabwe-born seamer Nathan Gilchrist endured a horror stretch in April, bagging pairs against Hampshire, Lancashire and Yorkshire. He was the 12th man to be dismissed for six successive ducks in first-class cricket: none of them made it seven. The list includes the recent county seamer Charlie Shreck (2015) and Sri Lankan Test paceman Nuwan Pradeep (2017-18 to 2018-19). Gilchrist was left out of Kent’s next game, against the Sri Lankan development team, so we will all have to wait until he is chosen again to see if he can avoid making history.There’s an associated record, which is the most successive innings without scoring, which can include not-outs. Gilchrist will probably be relieved to learn he’s a fair way short of that mark at the moment: the Sussex seamer Mark Robinson endured 12 scoreless innings in a row (seven of them not out) in 1990, when he finished the season with three runs in 16 innings, at an average of 0.50.Nathan Gilchrist in the 12th man to collect six successive ducks in first-class cricket•Gareth Copley/Getty ImagesI know that Don Bradman batted for most of his career at No. 3. Presumably no one averaged more than him there in Tests? asked Gavin Ryder from Australia

You’re usually on safe ground if you mention Don Bradman and highest batting averages in the same breath – and this is no exception. Bradman played 52 Tests, and batted at No. 3 in 40 of them – and averaged 103.63 there, including 5078 runs and 20 of his eventual 29 Test centuries. He had 56 innings at No. 3: the only other person with a three-figure average from there, apart from a handful who batted only once or twice, is the New Zealander Scott Styris, with exactly 100 from five innings, two of them not-out. If you consider only those with ten or more innings at No. 3, Bradman is more than 26 runs clear of the next man, England’s Ken Barrington, who averaged 77.23 – he made 2626 runs in 40 innings.And if you’d like your mind boggled by Bradman’s stats, click here.I know that Shoaib Akhtar was nicknamed the “Rawalpindi Express”. But who was the “Peshawar Rickshaw”? asked Hafiz Ahmed from Pakistan

The man who was saddled with this rather unflattering nickname for a while was Umar Gul, a very useful seamer from Peshawar who ended up with over 400 international wickets. The name was a not very subtle reminder that he wasn’t as fast as Shoaib Akhtar, or Waqar Younis – but it hid the fact that he was a very canny operator, who twice took 5 for 6 in T20Is, against New Zealand and South Africa. Looking online I spotted that he was also known as “The Gul-dozer”, which I suspect he might have preferred!Umar Gul’s team-mates were in no doubt about his value. “One of Pakistan’s bowling greats,” said Shahid Afridi, who added: “Great exponent of reverse swing, and always played for Pakistan with pride.” Babar Azam, the current captain, called him “one of the most skilled bowlers who wore the green star on his chest”.And there’s an update on last week’s question about the most actual runs completed during a Test innings, from Charles Davis in Australia

“You’re right that several reports give Hanif Mohammad 24 fours in his 337 in Bridgetown in 1957-58. However, the old England scorer Geoffrey Saulez examined the scorebook for this Test while in Barbados during the 1970s, and came up with different numbers. He reported 26 fours, 16 threes, 40 twos and 105 singles, which adds up. That would bring Hanif’s non-boundaries down to 233 runs. It is conceivable that he hit one or more all-run fours, but such shots are rare in the West Indies (about 0.25% of fours in the modern Test game). I don’t recall reading about any all-run fours in that innings. Sadly, that Bridgetown scorebook is now lost.”However, Australia’s Bob Cowper did have two all-run fours in his 307 against England in Melbourne in 1965-66, bringing his boundary fours down to 18. That would give him 235 in non-boundary runs.”Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

The stage for the 2025 World Series is officially set after the Blue Jays took down the Mariners in an enthralling ALCS Game 7 at the Rogers Centre. Now, Toronto will host the Dodgers on Friday for Game 1 of the World Series, the first time the franchise has played in the Fall Classic since 1993.

The Blue Jays joined some rare company in MLB history after reaching the World Series despite losing the first two games at home in a best-of-seven series. Prior to the 2025 Jays, only three teams had ever accomplished that type of comeback––the Yankees in the 1996 World Series, the Mets in the '86 World Series, and the Royals in the '85 World Series.

Interestingly enough, Toronto and Los Angeles were the final two contenders in the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes in the 2023 offseason. Now, just two years later, Ohtani will be looking to break the hearts of Blue Jays fans all over again.

There's star power on both teams. The Dodgers, of course, are loaded with talent, including four former MVPs in Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts and Clayton Kershaw. Their rotation has been outstanding in the postseason as the team looks to defend its title, and though the bullpen is a cause for concern, it's held its own thus far into the playoff run. Los Angeles is pretty heavily favored heading into the series, but it will have to be at its best to handle a Blue Jays team that has plenty of fight.

As for Toronto, there's perhaps no hotter hitter in baseball at present than Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who has already belted six home runs in the postseason while sporting a batting average over .400. He and Game 7 hero George Springer will lead the charge for the Blue Jays as they look to bring home the franchise's first World Series title since 1993.

Let's make some bold predictions for this year's World Series matchup.

Shohei Ohtani will become sixth player to win MVP and World Series MVP in same season

Ireland ended the day six down, still another 333 runs from the target with one day to go

Mohammad Isam22-Nov-2025Bangladesh are four wickets short of a series sweep against Ireland, on the day Taijul Islam overtook Shakib Al Hasan as the hosts’ highest wicket-taker. The visitors went to stumps on the fourth day on 176 for 6 in pursuit of an improbable 509, with Taijul having taken three wickets in the innings so far.Taijul took his 247th wicket to lead Bangladesh’s Test bowling charts when he trapped Ireland captain Andy Balbirnie lbw for 13 as the first wicket of the chase in the sixth over. Paul Stirling, the other opener, also fell to Taijul, caught at short leg where Mahmudul Hasan Joy took a simple catch. Hasan Murad trapped Cade Carmichael for 19 in the 20th over and Ireland were 77 for 3 just before tea.Mushfiqur’s memorable 100th Test•ESPNcricinfo LtdHarry Tector struck three fours off Taijul after the break and brought up his fifty off 78 balls but he handed a catch to Mushfiqur Rahim, who ran in from the deep. Three overs later, Khaled Mahmud had Lorcan Tucker, who was unbeaten on 75 in the first innings, edge one behind for 7 and Ireland were in trouble at 127 for 5.Bangladesh then went on to drop Stephen Doheny three times, leaving the small crowd in Mirpur frustrated. Murad first dropped him at short midwicket on 2 before wicketkeeper Litton Das couldn’t latch on to a sharp chance when Doheny was on 13. Ebadot Hossain also put down a chance when he couldn’t hold on to a catch running in from deep square leg when Doheny was on 14. Taijul finally removed him on 15, when he missed an arm ball.Earlier, Mominul Haque’s dismissal on 87 led to Bangladesh’s declaration shortly after the lunch break on 297 for 4. Mushfiqur was unbeaten on 53, having already struck a century in the first innings.Mominul struck 10 fours in his 118-ball knock, as he continued to look for a century since Kanpur last year. The openers Shadman Islam and Mahmudul also struck fifties, as they added 119 runs and Mahmudul had fallen on the third evening for 60. Shadman’s was the first wicket to fall on the fourth morning when he was lbw to Andy McBrine for 78 and captain Najmul Hossain Shanto who handed a catch to gully for Jordan Neill’s first Test wicket. Mushfiqur joined Mominul and the duo put on a brisk century stand of 123 from 167 balls to power the lead past 500.

Tottenham Hotspur are starting to make headway under Thomas Frank’s stewardship. However, the Danish coach’s side have been inconsistent since he arrived in the summer, and he has confirmed he will be in the market for transfers in January.

Though the defence have encountered some problems throughout the campaign, Spurs’ attacking play has drawn plenty of criticism, with xG (expected goals) recording a total of just 14.8 from 15 fixtures, as per FBref.

James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski have both been sidelined since the summer, while Dominic Solanke has suffered more issues of his own, but there’s a sense that Heung-min Son’s potency in the final third has been missed.

ENIC Group appear to have recognised this, with plans drawn to sign an attacker next month.

Spurs' January search for a forward

Tottenham are 11th in the Premier League but only trail fourth-place Chelsea by four points. With a bit more flair and precision up front, Frank’s side could start playing with the consistency that has been missing.

Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo is on the London club’s shortlist, but Liverpool and Manchester City are also interested in striking a £65m deal this winter.

With six goals and three assists in the league this year, the 25-year-old could restore the Son-like presence to Spurs’ side, but he’s not the only one on Johan Lange and Fabio Paratici’s radar.

According to TEAMtalk, Kenan Yildiz is on Tottenham’s radar as one of their ‘dream’ targets, having been bumped up ahead of Atalanta’s Ademola Lookman.

Juventus’ financial problems mean they would be open to parting with one of their most coveted players, who has started the season in fine form.

His signature won’t come cheap. Arsenal have also been linked with the Turkish international, with Juve reportedly demanding £88m.

What Yildiz would bring to Spurs

Yildiz is one of the brightest attacking midfielders in the world. The 20-year-old became a regular presence in Juventus’ first team last season, posting 20 goal contributions in all competitions.

This year, he’s cranked his efficiency in the final third up a notch, already with six goals and six assists apiece across 20 matches.

European football writer Danny Corcoran has observed that the versatile attacker has “Mbappe-like ability” when running with the ball, and he ranks among the top 8% of positional peers across Europe for shot-creating actions and the top 13% for successful take-ons per 90.

Matches (starts)

13 (12)

Goals

5

Assists

3

Touches*

51.5

Shots (on target)*

2.4 (1.1)

Accurate passes*

26.8 (85%)

Chances created*

2.2

Dribbles*

1.4

Recoveries*

3.4

Tackles + interceptions*

0.7

Duels won*

3.8

Eight goal involvements from just 12 Serie A starting appearances underline how Yildiz could grow into one of the most prolific forwards in Europe, so such an ambitious bid on Tottenham’s part could land a blistering new goalscoring star to replace Son.

The South Korean, 33, left the Lilywhites from Los Angeles this summer after winning the Europa League in May, ending a decade of service with a trophy.

While the likes of Mohammed Kudus have been in promising form this season, he lacks the old captain’s clinical edge in front of goal, something Yildiz could add to Frank’s side.

Son scored 127 goals from 333 Premier League outings, and Yildiz might just have natural goalscoring ability to replace him, just as competent out on the left wing as he is playing off the central striker.

Any dynamic forward who shares some of Real Madrid superstar Mbappe’s athletic and physical attributes has a chance at making it big in the Premier League, and this could be the spark that Frank’s team need to kick on and challenge for a place in the top four while pushing deep in cup competitions too.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig has said that the fleet-footed Turk is “translating his ability into consistent numbers” this season, and if he could continue that trend down N17 in the Premier League, Tottenham may just crack this attacking nut that has been holding Frank’s vision back this season.

ENIC could fund the Semenyo move by selling Spurs' £55k-p/w "liability"

Tottenham are planning to get rid of some of the deadwood this January.

ByAngus Sinclair 2 days ago

There’s no denying that Chelsea employed a scattergun spending approach in the early days of BlueCo’s ownership, but that has since been streamlined over the past few years, with Enzo Maresca proving the perfect man for the job.

Sunday’s Premier League clash is a big one, with Stamford Bridge playing host to a top-of-the-table clash between Chelsea and Arsenal. The second-place Blues will narrow the deficit to just three points with a win.

This is a team building toward a period of sustained success, and the tactical readings suggest that Chelsea are already one of the most exciting attacking outfits in the division, even if there is a sense that there are several levels still to be scaled.

Chelsea

2nd

22.1

Man City

3rd

21.8

Arsenal

1st

20.7

Crystal Palace

5th

20.2

Man Utd

10th

19.9

However, a question mark lingers over number nine, with Liam Delap yet to prove he is the answer. Could Chelsea be looking to sign an upgrade?

Why Chelsea are searching for a striker

In fairness, Delap has spent a sizeable portion of his first months in west London in the infirmary. Still, since returning from a hamstring injury that has kept him out for much of the autumn, the English striker has started twice in the Premier League and failed to break his duck on both counts.

That said, he did net his first goal of the campaign for the Blues against Barcelona in midweek, coming off the bench and coolly converting to seal the 3-0 win after neat interplay between Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez.

However, the £30m summer signing from Ipswich Town has yet to prove he has what it takes to nail down a berth at the front of Maresca’s system, and co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart are searching for a potential upgrade.

They may have found one. According to Sky Germany, Chelsea are among the outfits to have been informed that Borussia Dortmund striker Serhou Guirassy is worth about €50m (£44m), applicable for a number of top European outfits.

Chelsea are in the mix, and though Delap and Joao Pedro make up a dynamic central strike force in west London, Guirassy’s clinical record suggests he could add an interesting dimension to a title-challenging side.

What Guirassy would bring to Chelsea

Guirassy, 29, might not fit the age profile Chelsea have focused on targeting in recent years, but his experience and maturity in the final third would serve as a neat counterpoint to the younger generation.

Delap caught the eye for Ipswich last season, a shining light as he scored 12 goals across 37 Premier League outings. Kieran McKenna’s side were relegated, but so many teams swarmed for Delap’s signature, and Chelsea won the race.

The 22-year-old has a future at Stamford Bridge, but Maresca’s side need someone in the now who can maintain a fight against Arsenal, while pushing deep into the Champions League too.

Guirassy is “one of the best strikers in Europe”, according to German legend Lothar Matthaus, and he ranks among the top 11% of strikers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals scored per 90, as per FBref.

25/26

10

5 + 1

24/25

30

21 + 2

23/24

28

28 + 2

22/23

22

11 + 0

He’s hardly just a mindless poacher, with silky footwork and intelligent positioning that allows him to roam around the attacking half and link up with teammates.

But, at his core, Guirassy is indeed a goalscorer, and Chelsea may find that Delap earns fewer minutes with the Guinean striker in the mix.

It’s a tough one, but given the promising position Maresca’s side have placed themselves into, it might just be the move to make.

Maresca must finally sell Chelsea "passenger" who was like Estevao at 18

The international superstar may have once played like Estevao, but he’s now a problem for Chelsea.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 28, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

Com apenas um reforço pra iniciar a temporada de 2024, o treinador do Atlético-MG Luiz Felipe Scolari afirmou em coletiva estar satisefeito com elenco. O técnico tem como objetivo brigar por todos os torneios que o time vai disputar, que serão o Campeonato Mineiro, Campeonato Brasileiro, Copa do Brasil e Copa Libertadores.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasAtlético MineiroAtlético-MG vira no fim do jogo, elimina o Ska Brasil na Copinha e termina fase de grupos com 100% de aproveitamentoAtlético Mineiro10/01/2024Futebol InternacionalEm partida de oito gols, Real Madrid vence Atlético de Madrid e está na final da Supercopa da EspanhaFutebol Internacional10/01/2024Futebol InternacionalGriezmann se torna o maior artilheiro da história do Atlético de MadridFutebol Internacional10/01/2024

— O que eu tenho hoje aqui no Atlético, estou satisfeito e feliz. Eu e o Galo vamos brigar por todas as competições de cabo a rabo — destacou Felipão.

O Atlético-MG fará poucas mudanças na formação da equipe. O único anunciado pelo Galo até agora foi o meia Gustavo Scarpa, que pertencia ao Nottingham Forest, da Inglaterra. Apenas Réver e Hyoran deixaram o time este ano. Felipão disse ter expectativa de um bom rendimento com o elenco, e que ainda assim, a diretoria segue em busca de nomes disponíveis no mercado.

continua após a publicidade

➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

— Eu não tenho uma posição definida quanto a posições carentes. Tenho um grupo muito bom e tenho a expectativa de que esse grupo vá render o mesmo que o ano passado ou até mais, porque hoje estamos entrosados. O mercado vai oferecer algo nesse início de temporada, e nós vamos trabalhar com a possibilidade também de que o mercado queira nos tirar um, dois ou três jogadores. Vamos saber em que posições precisamos de mais jogadores. Por enquanto, estou bastante satisfeito com o nosso grupo — afirmou o treinador.

➡️ Veja seis razões para Scarpa dar certo no Atlético-MG

O elenco do Atlético-MG se reapresentou na segunda-feira (8) para dar início a pré-temporada. O time terá 16 dias de preparação até a estreia no Cameponato Mineiro no dia 28 de janeiro.

continua após a publicidade

Tudo sobre

Atlético-MGFelipão

Television ratings for Major League Baseball's postseason have been extremely good and could get even better if the New York Yankees-Los Angeles Dodgers World Series matchup becomes a reality. How much that matters depends on who you ask. Obviously, it's great for the presenting networks and MLB can put some public wins on the board when it comes to the somewhat opaque goal of "growing the game" and combating tired narratives about baseball dying.

Not to suck all the life and fun out of things but broadly, baseball will be just fine even if ratings aren't great and a huge bump probably doesn't mean all that much for coming years as so much of this is matchup-dependent.

We'll all be back here in the same spot trying to make sense of a 15 percent gain or drop next year.

What is much clearer is that Shohei Ohtani is an international draw. Major League Baseball anounced on Thursday that Game 5 of the NLDS between the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers was the most-watched MLB postseason game ever in Japan as nearly 13 million viewers tuned in. Add this to the U.S. viewership and there's a global number north of 20 million.

For context, the population of Japan was 123 million in 2023. Some rudimentary math reveals that more than 10 percent of the country's population was watching a game that aired at 9 a.m. local time on a Saturday.

It will be super interesting to see what the numbers from Japan look like as Ohtani and the Dodgers get closer to winning a World Series. There has to be some cap on viewership but 10 percent of the population watching a game suggests the sky might be the limit.

England will play only one official practice match, against England Lions at Lilac Hill in Perth, in preparation for the first Ashes Test in late November.Cricket Australia announced on Thursday that the fixture would be part of a three-match England Lions tour that will run concurrently with the Ashes series in Australia.England will play a three-day red-ball game at Lilac Hill, the home of Midland Guildford Cricket Club in Perth’s eastern suburbs, from November 13-15 ahead of the first Ashes Test starting at Perth’s Optus Stadium on November 21. Lilac Hill was once the traditional first tour stop for all international teams when visiting Australia throughout the 1990s as the visiting Test team would play a 50-over festival game to kick off the tour.That tradition has long been shelved with touring teams not even playing matches against Australian state sides any more. England have opted to follow a similar pre-tour preparation that India had in Australia last year, except India’s only intra-squad match was played behind closed doors at the WACA ground with no media or outsiders allowed in.There is no ability to close off Lilac Hill to the public as it is open parkland alongside the Swan River. The WACA ground is unavailable on November 13-14 owing to a Sheffield Shield game being scheduled between Western Australia and Queensland on November 11-14, but both Australia and England will likely have access to the WACA ground for centre-wicket training and net sessions in the days leading up to the first Test.While England will play just one practice game before the first Test in Perth, it’s understood they may play another a two-day fixture in Canberra against the Prime Minister’s XI in between the first and second Test at the Gabba, which will be a pink-ball day-night Test. The Prime Minister’s XI match is yet to be confirmed but it could double as England’s pink-ball warm-up for the Gabba.Meanwhile, England Lions will play three fixtures in total on their concurrent tour of Australia. Following the England game, they will play a second four-day match at the same Lilac Hill venue against a Cricket Australia XI that will likely comprise of developing fringe Australian domestic and Under-19 players who will not be playing in the Shield round that starts on November 22.Shoaib Bashir played for England Lions on an Australia tour in January and February•Getty Images

The Lions will then travel to Brisbane with the England Test squad and play a four-day game against an Australia A team at Allan Border Field on December 5-8, while the second Ashes Test at the Gabba runs from December 4-8. The two Lions games running alongside the Test matches could allow England’s management to play some of their Test squad members if they are not selected in the XIs for the first two Tests.Australia’s selectors may field a stronger team for the Australia A fixture in Brisbane but again it will run up against the sixth round of the Shield.”The reciprocal A series against the England Lions is important for Australian cricket giving our players the chance to perform against high calibre opposition,” CA head of cricket operations and scheduling Peter Roach said. “We’re confident this series will complement what should be a fiercely contested Ashes series and have strong benefits for both countries.”It is a big year of Australia A cricket opportunities with the recently completed series against Sri Lanka A and tour of India in September before the Lions series.”It will be the second Lions tour to Australia this year after they played three red-ball matches against CA XI and Australia A in January and February in Brisbane and Sydney.Injured England Test offspinner Shoaib Bashir played all three matches on that tour while seamers Josh Tongue and Sam Cook, who have both played Tests for England recently, also played on that tour.

England Lions tour schedule

Nov 13-15: England v England Lions | Lilac Hill (Perth)
Nov 21-24: CA XI v England Lions | Lilac Hill (Perth)
Dec 5-8: Australia A v England Lions | Allan Border Field (Brisbane)