On an unprecedented run of poor form under Pep Guardiola, Manchester City have unsurprisingly turned their attention towards the January transfer window – and are already reportedly preparing a big-money offer.
Man City transfer news
With 1 win in 13, the Premier League champions are no longer just wounded – they’re out for the count. Guardiola has never endured such a run during an almost flawless managerial career.
Even he – a true football genius – seems out of ideas. Never have the modern-day Citizens needed reinforcements so desperately, with their crown seemingly headed elsewhere and their Champions League status suddenly in danger.
On that front, the rumours are already underway. The likes of Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz have both been linked, perhaps with Kevin De Bruyne’s contract situation in mind. The Belgian – to compile City’s misery – is set to depart as a free agent when the summer arrives as things stand.
Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz
However, before Wirtz or Musiala, it looks as though those at the Etihad could turn their attention towards the Italian Serie A in the January transfer window. According to reports in Spain, Man City are now preparing a €65m (£54m) offer to sign Tijjani Reijnders from Milan.
The Dutchman has been one of the few bright sparks for the Rossoneri so far this season and could now earn a move away as a result. Given his ability to play in defensive and attacking midfield, City’s interest should come as no surprise.
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If they’re looking to replace Rodri and find a replacement for the ageing Ilkay Gundogan when the Spaniard returns, Reijnders may well be the man to sign for Manchester City in 2025.
"Great" Reijnders can replace Rodri and more
Before anything, Manchester City must replace Rodri. The Spaniard’s absence has been their greatest problem, even amid further injuries within Guardiola’s squad.
Completing that task should add the control that they’re so desperately lacking – the control that they have become so famous for over the years. And that’s where Reijnders could come in.
At a struggling Milan side, the Dutch midfielder has often found himself at the centre of praise, including from Ben Mattinson. The analyst dubbed Reijnders a “great ball-carrier and progressor” last season and has watched on like the rest of European football as he has only continued to improve that trait in abundance.
With eight goals and three assists to his name so far this season, signing Reijnders could even solve Manchester City’s recent goal problem and ease the responsibility on Erling Haaland, who has struggled to reach his best form of late.
كشف جناح برشلونة، رافينها، عن تفاصيل مثيرة بشأن عرض تلقاه مؤخرًا من أحد الأندية السعودية، وهو ما أبلغه به وكيله للرحيل عن قلعة “كامب نو”.
وكان لدى رافينها شكوك حول الاستمرار مع برشلونة بسبب فترة غير مستقرة مع المدرب تشافي.
لكن اعترف البرازيلي الدولي أن تواجد، هانز فليك، على رأس الجهاز الفني الجديد للفريق جعله يستمر بل وتألق في الموسم الحالي.
اقرأ أيضًا.. والد لامين يامال: سنسحق ريال مدريد وندمرهم
وقال رافينها في تصريحات لشبكة “TNT Sports” البرازيلية: “أُبلغت يوم أمس بعرض من السعودية، وبصراحة، تفاجأت كثيرًا لأن الأرقام كانت كبيرة جدًا، لو عُرض علي هذا العرض العام الماضي، أعتقد أنني كنت سأوافق”.
وأضاف: “كنت حينها في حالة نفسية سيئة، وكان العرض سيغير حياتي بالكامل، وحياة زوجتي وعائلتي أيضًا، يقول إنه لم يكن ليقبل في مثل هذه الظروف، فهو يكذب، لأنه من المستحيل تجاهل مثل هذه الأرقام وعدم التفكير في التغيير”.
ورغم ذلك، شدد اللاعب على التزامه الكامل مع برشلونة في الوقت الحالي، موضحًا: “كنت أظن أن لدي الكثير لأقدمه هنا في أوروبا، لا زال لدي ما أقدمه لهذا النادي، ولا زالت أمامي فرصة كبيرة للاستمرار في تمثيل منتخب البرازيل، هذا ما جعلني أتجاهل المال، وأتطلع أكثر لأحلامي”.
رافينها يعيش موسمًا مميزًا مع برشلونة، حيث ساهم في تحقيق لقب كأس السوبر الإسباني، ويواصل المنافسة على ثلاثية محتملة مع النادي الكتالوني، ما يعزز مكانته بين أبرز لاعبي الفريق هذا الموسم.
وكانت هناك أنباء في الصحافة الكتالونية عن اهتمام كبير من جانب نادي الهلال لضم رافينها في الصيف المقبل، لكن يبدو وأن البرازيلي يريد الاستمرار مع العملاق الكتالوني.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola will surely be counting down the days until the January transfer window opens.
City’s recent 1-1 draw with Everton means they have won just once in the entire month of December, but their issues lie further back than at the start of the month.
The club have missed midfielder Rodri, who was ruled out for the remainder of the season after suffering a serious injury back in September.
A replacement for the Spaniard – who won the Ballon d’Or in October – is a must for Guardiola next month, especially with City’s campaign faltering.
Will it just be a midfielder on the manager’s wish list, however? Or are there other positions which need strengthening heading into the second half of the season?
Erling Haaland has struggled of late, suggesting that a centre-forward could very well be on the shortlist for the club as they head into the January transfer market.
Erling Haaland
Is one of Europe’s finest attacking players on their radar?
Manchester City transfer news
According to journalist Graeme Bailey, Lille’s Canadian hitman Jonathan David is a name that is on the club’s striker shortlist ahead of the winter window.
The report goes on to state that City looked to bring David to Manchester during the summer, but no move ever materialised.
He has six months left on his current deal, and with no news regarding a possible extension, City could perhaps sign the player for a fee lower than his market value, although the French side have stated they have no interest in selling him.
Since Guardiola sold Julian Alvarez to Atlético Madrid in the summer transfer window, there has been no rival for Haaland, which has resulted in the Norwegian struggling for fitness due to being used in every game.
Bringing in someone who could offer competition might just get the former Borussia Dortmund striker back to his best, especially a player as talented as David.
Erling Haaland’s struggles this season
After five Premier League games of the current season, Haaland had scored ten times, including hat-tricks in back-to-back weeks against Ipswich Town and West Ham United, as he showed no signs of slowing down.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Since the last of these ten strikes against Arsenal, the Scandinavian hitman has netted just three goals in the league, adding another five in the Champions League.
These numbers are far from the prolific rate that he enjoyed during his first two seasons at the Etihad, with this drop off costing City in more ways than one.
Metric
2023/24
2024/25
Goals
27
13
Shots per game
3.9
4.1
Goal conversion percentage
22%
18%
Total duels won per game
2.8
2.7
Big chances missed
34
14
When compared to his positional peers in the top flight this term, Haaland ranks in the bottom 50% for shot-creating actions (2.17), aerial duels won (1.33) and progressive passes received (3.95) per 90.
He only ranks in the top 13% for non-penalty goals (0.67) per 90 among his peers too, which, considering he was ranked in the top 5% for the same metric last season, proves that he has endured a drop-off.
Things may have been different if the player had competition to battle against, allowing Haaland to rest during certain games to maintain his fitness levels.
Signing David would aid in this regard and, with his contract expiring, Guardiola could potentially bring him to England for a decent transfer fee.
Jonathan David’s season in numbers
David has gone from strength to strength since joining Lille back in 2020 from Belgian side Gent. He registered 52 goal contributions – 37 goals and 15 assists – in just 83 games for the club, attracting attention from various clubs in Europe.
His manager at the club, Hein Vanhaezebrouck, lavished praise on him during his spell in Belgium, saying:
In the end, he plumped for Ligue 1, and it proved to be a wonderful decision by the Canadian striker, giving him a chance to build his reputation without the pressure of performing for a massive club.
Across 209 games in all competitions, the 24-year-old – who has been dubbed “one of the best strikers in the world” by podcaster Tony Marinaro – has scored a magnificent tally of 101 goals while showcasing his selfless side by chipping in with 23 assists.
This season, David has continued to impressive, netting 17 goals in 26 matches, which has included four strikes in the Champions League in just his second season playing in Europe’s premier club competition.
Not only has he scored four times in Europe, but David has also registered 2.3 shots per game in the Champions League, along with creating two big chances and succeeding with 0.8 dribbles per game.
Furthermore, the Canadian international striker has shone among his peers across the top five leagues in Europe. Indeed, when compared to those playing in a similar position, David ranks in the top 2% for goals per 90 (0.86), the top 1% for penalty kicks made per 90 (0.24) and in the top 5% for shots on target percentage (54.9%) per 90 over the previous 365 days.
This certainly proves that he is among one of the finest centre-forwards on the continent and by joining Man City, he will have the chance to demonstrate his skills in a more difficult league, while also having the opportunity to challenge and win trophies under Guardiola.
Haaland’s form has nosedived. There is no doubt about that, but perhaps all he needs is someone to come in and challenge him for the long striker role in the manager’s tactical system.
He has had things all his own way since moving to Manchester in the summer of 2022 and the last few months have been a major struggle.
If Haaland can come out of this a better player, then City may get back to their fluent best. Will the club have to dip into the transfer market next month to find out, however?
Only time will tell.
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Travis Head smashed a 72-ball 101 and capped his ODI return with two wickets to lead a short-handed Australia to an impressive 88-run victory over Pakistan in the series-opener in Lahore.Chasing 314, Pakistan rued a slow start and struggled against Australia’s spinners in dewy conditions under lights to be bowled out for 225 in the 46th over in what was a return to the format for Australia and Pakistan since July.Australia had only 13 players to choose from, and handed debuts to legspinner Mitchell Swepson and quick Nathan Ellis. Pakistan had fresh faces, too, with 34-year-old legspinner Zahid Mahmood and young quick Mohammad Wasim making their ODI debuts.Despite missing their first choice pace attack, along with Ashton Agar, who tested positive for Covid-19 on the morning of the game, a disciplined Australia tied down Pakistan in the middle overs through Swepson and Adam Zampa in a rare occurrence of the tourists playing two frontline spinners. Swepson claimed the key wicket of captain Babar Azam for 57, while Zampa tore through the lower-order to finish with 4 for 38 from his ten overs.Pakistan’s chase was held together by Imam-ul-Haq, who averaged 74.6 in the Test series, with the opener hitting 103 off 96 as he accelerated towards his century after a sedate start. But he fell to a cracking yorker from Ellis in a terrific maiden ODI wicket as Australia’s unbeaten tour of Pakistan continued.Imam and Babar paid the price for a cautious 96-run second-wicket partnership, off 118 balls, where they appeared to be in cruise control only for the run rate to keep increasing.Adam Zampa bagged four wickets in the match•Associated Press
In the first ODI in Lahore since 2015, which was Babar’s debut, the Pakistan skipper became the second-quickest after Hashim Amla to reach 4000 ODI runs and he achieved the milestone in style with a boundary off Swepson amid fans chanting his name while waving their lighted smartphones.Eyeing the long haul, Babar knocked the ball around and hit the odd boundary through masterful precision. After a gorgeous square drive off Swepson, he survived a shout for lbw with the decision upheld much to the chagrin of skipper Aaron Finch, continuing Australia’s poor use of DRS from the Test series.But Swepson, finding a groove he lacked during his Test initiation, would not be denied with a first ODI wicket when he trapped Babar lbw in the next over with a full legbreak that was unsuccessfully reviewed.With the ball skidding on the surface, Head’s terrific match continued with a handy spell mid-innings, and his nagging offbreaks accounted for Saud Shakeel and Iftikhar Ahmed. It capped a commanding performance for Head, who played his first ODI since November 2018.After being sent in, Australia appeared on course for a big total through Head’s pyrotechnics at the top, only to be pegged back by Pakistan’s spinners before Cameron Green gave them a late spark with an unbeaten 40 off 30 balls.Having struggled during Australia’s historic Test series victory, averaging just 22.67, Head was in sparkling form from the get-go as he dominated a Pakistan attack desperately missing the speed and skill of spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi, who was rested after a heavy workload during the Test series.Imam-ul-Haq played cautiously for the most part•Associated Press
It was Head’s second ODI century – both have been against Pakistan – and he showcased his liking for the top of the order to boost his average as opener to 45.69 from 13 matches, which is well above his overall mark of 36.He dominated a 110-run opening stand with Finch and may have heightened the pressure on the struggling Australia captain’s long-term place at the top. Having laboured through the Australian summer with a knee injury, Finch once again lacked fluency in his first ODI since December 2020 to make an unconvincing 23 off 36.No. 3 Ben McDermott, however, made his case with a calm 55 off 70 until he needlessly ran himself out after a misfield. The BBL MVP has struggled in ODIs and T20Is but mostly played sensibly in his maiden ODI half-century.It was a tale of two halves for Australia in their batting innings, as they scored around seven runs an over in the first half only to be tied down in the second, with Zahid producing sharp turn while left-arm orthodox Khushdil Shah bowled an excellent spell at the back-end.Their total appeared par for the course but it proved more than enough as Head completed his comeback in style to lead Australia to their tenth straight ODI win over Pakistan.
FIFA have announced the dates for the upcoming U17 World Cup and Arab Cup, set to be held in Qatar.
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Article continues below
Article continues below
FIFA U17 World Cup is set to be in Qatar in November this year
FIFA Arab Cup will follow in December
Next five editions of the U17 World Cup will be held in Qatar, along with the next three Arab Cups.
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WHAT HAPPENED?
FIFA have announced the dates for two of their major tournaments set to be held this year – the FIFA Arab Cup and the FIFA U17 World Cup.
Both tournaments are to be held in Qatar, with the U17 World Cup scheduled for November followed by the Arab Cup in December.
The U17 World Cup will kick-off on 3rd November and will run till 27th November, 2025. The Arab Cup will be held between 1-18 December, 2025.
The dates for the two tournaments were confirmed in a FIFA Council meet on Wednesday.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
The next five editions of the FIFA U17 World Cup are set to be held in Qatar, as the Middle-East nation continues its success story of hosting high-profile football events on the back of a hugely successful 2022 World Cup.
The U17 World Cup, which has launched the careers of many notable footballers, will be an annual affair from 2025 onwards and the hosting rights of every edition till 2029 has been awarded to Qatar.
The FIFA Arab Cup will also call Qatar its home for the next three editions – 2025, 2029 and 2033.
WHAT H.E. SHEIKH HAMAD BIN KHALIFA AL THANI SAID
H.E. Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Minister of Sports and Youth, and LOC (Local Organising Committee) Chairman for both tournaments said: "Qatar will once again bring people together from the region and beyond to celebrate the beautiful game in our football loving nation. The FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025 will capture the imagination of millions of football fans from around the region for a second time, while the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025 offers a wonderful platform for young players to shine on a global stage."
“We look forward to welcoming players and fans alike into our world-class sporting facilities and providing them with a rich cultural and seamless fan experience. We believe in the ability of sports to bring people together and help break down cultural barriers, something that drives our continuous desire to host major sporting events in Qatar,” he added.
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DID YOU KNOW?
The 2025 FIFA U17 World Cup in Qatar is set to be a 48-team event this year, the first time a World Cup event has featured so many teams. There will be a total of 104 matches in Qatar during this tournament, over a span of 25 days.
Qatar are also hosting the FIFA Arab Cup for the second time running, with the 2021 event a huge success. This time, the tournament will feature 16 teams.
Another international break bites the dust – and this time, the wretched thing won’t return until March. For West Ham United, however, it perhaps came at the right time, for Julen Lopetegui needs to manufacture a sharp upswing in form.
West Ham avoided defeat before many players jetted off for their sojourns, though the recent goalless draw against Everton in the Premier League was not an exciting thing, and did little to sate the fanbase’s hunger for improvement.
A cynic would say that it’s kitchen sink time for Lopetegui, and even the most optimistic of Hammers supporters must be forced to accept that things need to improve – and fast.
West Ham’s Remaining PL Fixtures 2024
Date
Opponent
Venue
25/11/24
Newcastle
St. James’ Park
30/11/24
Arsenal
London Stadium
03/12/24
Leicester
King Power Stadium
09/12/24
Wolves
London Stadium
16/12/24
Bournemouth
Vitality Stadium
21/12/24
Brighton
London Stadium
26/12/24
Southampton
St. Mary’s Stadium
29/12/24
Liverpool
London Stadium
There’s a good chance to escape from the sliding rut that has dampened a mood that, only this summer, crackled with nervous excitement after David Moyes departed and £120m was spent on new parts.
A lack of identity and bereftness of confidence have instead ruled with an iron grip. Something needs to change, and Jarrod Bowen will be sure to be at the centre of any hopeful revival.
Jarrod Bowen shows his quality for England
Bowen would be one of the first to admit that he hasn’t been at his best this season, but then it’s hard to operate with full form and fluency when the system whose tactics you adopt fails to roar into life.
West Ham forward Jarrod Bowen
Club insiders have refuted claims that CEO David Sullivan and bruised technical director Tim Steidten had been set for crunch talks regarding Lopetegui’s future, but the very fact that such news bobbed up, months into his tenure, makes a telling comment on the conundrum in east London.
Unfortunately, Bowen probably delighted in performing within Lee Carsley’s Three Lions set-up, scoring his first international goal off the bench during the 5-0 rout over the Republic of Ireland.
Let’s look at it from another angle, eh: Bowen’s confidence will have been raised after such an emphatic moment in his career, and he could be ready to tackle the biting winter period, armband girdled on, with fresh life.
West Ham will need his attacking authority; after all, the flow of goals has been more accurately described as a trickle this season, but the dynamic forward tops the charts even so.
West Ham: Top Scorers (all comps) 24/25
Rank
Player
Apps
Goals
1.
Jarrod Bowen
13
4
2.
Mohammed Kudus
10
2
2=
Tomas Soucek
12
2
2=
Lucas Paqueta
13
2
5.
Danny Ings
6
1
5=
Michail Antonio
12
1
5=
Crysencio Summerville
12
1
Stats via Transfermarkt
The lack of goals doesn’t make for great viewing. Bowen and his frontal peers haven’t been at their best, to be sure, but there’s a stark absence of creativity that makes it hard to flourish. The Premier League record that the Hammers have created 17 big chances this season, placing them joint-16th in the division.
More attacking dimensions are required, and getting rid of the likes of Said Benrahma and James Ward-Prowse this summer must rankle a few.
West Ham actually cast out another player since Moyes’ exit who’s actually outperforming most of the current squad in offence, though Thilo Kehrer is probably not the name that you’d expect.
Thilo Kehrer's season in numbers
When Kehrer first alighted in east London, the furore suggested that a great deal had been struck, with The Athletic’s Roshane Thomas even praising his: “speed and eagerness to occupy advanced positions should add an extra dimension.” The defender’s versatility also posited that he could dynamise Moyes’ backline.
Thilo Kehrer for West Ham
Signed from Paris Saint-Germain in August 2022 – for a shrewd £10m – the Germany international had enjoyed success but wanted a more prominent role than he had been afforded in the French capital.
However, his time in the Premier League quickly proved to temper expectations to ground closer to that of the £10m figure, with Kehrer starting the first 14 top-flight fixtures of the season but just 11 thereafter.
He left England just a year and a half after joining West Ham, signing on loan with AS Monaco before the deal became permanent in the summer of 2024. The half-campaign he spent under Moyes’ wing in 2023/24, the German managed only four substitute appearances in the league.
Journalist Stefan Bienkowski had even criticised the 28-year-old for one “horrendous” performance with Germany, with his confidence clearly knocked for six after early struggles with West Ham. Indeed, previously he had been a near-infallible mainstay for his nation under the tutelage of Hansi Flick.
Thilo Kehrer
At least he’s enjoying his football again back in France, though it’s somewhat frustrating to see that he’s having some success from an attacking standpoint, posting three goals from 13 matches across all competitions for Monaco this season.
Operating as a centre-back, this is quite the feat, especially when considering that the 6 foot 1 titan has completed 90% of his passes and emerged triumphant in 68% of his duels in Ligue 1 too, as per Sofascore.
Though he didn’t quite make his mark under Moyes’ leadership, Kehrer is clearly a great defender who suffered due to circumstances. West Ham aren’t exactly flourishing right now, but Lopetegui wants more control and perhaps he could have aided the squad in that regard.
The fact that he’s also outscoring every West Ham star bar Bowen also speaks volumes to the struggles of the London club.
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Na manhã de sexta-feira (04), no CT Joaquim Grava, o Corinthians realizou o segundo treino preparatório para o jogo de domingo (06), às 18h30, no Estádio Novelli Júnior, contra o Ituano, pela quarta rodada do Paulistão.
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> GALERIA: Veja técnicos brasileiros que estão sem clube
Willian, que havia retornado aos treinos na quinta-feira (3), tendo feito um trabalho em campo separado dos demais atletas, treinou sem limitações eesteve com o grupo durante todo o treino do dia. Com isso, aumentam as chances do camisa 10 voltar ao time titular em Itu.
O meia foi desfalque para o Timão nas duas últimas partidas, fora de casa contra o Santo André, e na Neo Química Arena diante do Santos. A justificativa havia sidopara controle de carga e condicionamento físico do atleta.
> TABELA – Veja e simule os jogos do Corinthians no Campeonato Paulista
Pelo segundo dia consecutivo, os jogadoresque atuaram por mais de 45 minutos diante do Santos participaram apenas do aquecimento no gramado e, em seguida, permaneceram na parte interna do CT para atividades de fortalecimento na academia.
> GALERIA: Confira técnicos estrangeiros livres no mercado
Os demais atletas permaneceram no gramado, sob o comando dotécnico interino Fernando Lázaro, que comandou um trabalho de posse de bola em campo reduzido. Depois, os jogadores fizeram um treinamento posicional de passes, cruzamentos e finalizações. Por fim, houve repetições de cobranças de pênalti.
No sábado (5), novamente pela manhã, o elenco fará os últimos ajustes antes da viagem ao interior do estado.
Sem Sylvinho, demitido na madrugada de quarta para quinta-feira após a derrota para o Santos, e o auxiliar Doriva, a comissão técnica do Corinthians até o momento é composta por Fernando Lázaro, Alex e o preparador Flávio de Oliveira. Lázaro ficará como interino até a diretoria anunciar o novo técnico.
NZ will be without Williamson, Jamieson and Conway, while India ponder on sixth batter
Saurabh Somani16-Nov-20213:02
Rahul Dravid: Rohit Sharma’s growth as leader and person has been ‘phenomenal’
Big Picture On a shortlist of things you would like to do after losing a World Cup final to a traditional rival would be turning up in a different time zone a mere three days later to play another series. However, New Zealand can’t afford to think of that because they will be confronted by an Indian side that is looking for some redemption after an early exit in that very same World Cup – partly contributed to by a loss against New Zealand itself.This is a new-look Indian side, with Rohit Sharma as captain and Rahul Dravid as coach, along with several first-choice players taking a well-earned break. The depth in Indian cricket is such though that India can still put out a strong team that will start as favourites, especially at home.While one T20 World Cup is done, in some sense, the preparation for the next one starts with this first game because it is just 11 months away. And both teams missing some key personnel may not be the worst thing because it will allow them to test those who are otherwise on the fringes.Related
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Southee admits bubble fatigue taking its toll: 'It weighs you down'
Ind vs NZ: Rohit to lead; Kohli, Bumrah, Hardik absent
New Zealand might find it a bit tough to pick themselves up mentally so soon after the loss in the T20 World Cup final, but while India will be smarting from their early exit, they also have a lot of players who have spent extended times in biosecure bubbles, which is wearying at the best of times. The grind of international cricket is such though that both sides have no option but to get on with it and trust that things will be fine on the field once the competitive juices of match-play flow.Form guideIndia WWWLL New Zealand LWWWWNew Zealand beat India in their recent meeting at the T20 World Cup, as India exited early•Getty ImagesIn the spotlight Rohit Sharma as captain is not unknown quantity by any means, but this will still feel like something approaching fresh territory. He will be leading India as the full-time T20I captain for the first time, and has a completely revamped backroom staff now. There were signs in the T20 World Cup that Rohit was looking to be more aggressive upfront instead of playing his normal method of settling in and then unleashing sixes. Will he continue with that, or revert to his tried-and-tested method during the settling-in period of a new role and new coaches?From being a middle-order bat converted to an opener, Daryl Mitchell suddenly finds himself as one of the lynchpins of New Zealand’s weakened batting in this series. His T20 World Cup heroics showed not only that he could take on tough challenges, but also that he backed himself to do so. The fresh challenge now for him will be to extend his good run to this series.Team news India will have to decide on who their sixth batter will be from among Shreyas Iyer, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Venkatesh Iyer. While Shreyas was the incumbent before his injury in the first quarter of the year, Gaikwad has been on a form tear since the second leg of the IPL. Venkatesh also had a good second leg, and offers a bowling option. Moreover, he has batted at Nos. 5 and 6 with some regularity for his home state Madhya Pradesh, and it is those positions India need to look at given a surfeit of options at the top. Pure form favours Gaikwad even as the all-round option is Venkatesh, while Shreyas has the experience of batting lower down for India, and doing well against England.Among bowlers, playing three spinners gives India greater batting depth. Bhuvneshwar Kumar is the most experienced seamer, so the team might want to stick with him ahead of Avesh Khan or Harshal Patel.India (possible): 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 KL Rahul, 3 Ishan Kishan, 4 Venkatesh Iyer/Shreyas Iyer/Ruturaj Gaikwad, 5 Suryakumar Yadav, 6 Rishabh Pant (wk), 7 Axar Patel, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Mohammed Siraj, 11 Yuzvendra ChahalNew Zealand were already without Devon Conway, and can’t count on Lockie Ferguson being fully ready yet. On match eve, they have lost Kane Williamson too. That does leave them a bit thin in the batting, and could mean someone like Kyle Jamieson getting a go ahead of Adam Milne.New Zealand (possible): 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Daryl Mitchell, 3 Glenn Phillips, 4 Mark Chapman, 5 Tim Seifert (wk), 6 James Neesham, 7 Mitchell Santner, 8 Kyle Jamieson/Trent Boult, 9 Tim Southee (capt), 10 Adam Milne/Lockie Ferguson, 11 Ish SodhiPitch and conditions The last time a T20 game at the senior level was played at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur was during the IPL in April 2019. The pitches then were batting friendly, although bowlers could extract something from them. The larger ground dimensions gives spinners some cover too, and since 2019, they have had a better average and economy rate than fast bowlers. However, no T20I has been held there yet. It is a night game, so dew could be a factor.Stats and trivia Martin Guptill (3147) and Rohit (3038) sit second and third respectively on the overall T20I run-tally. They both have a shot at overtaking Virat Kohli, who leads the run charts with 3227 right now. Tim Seifert has enjoyed playing against India. His average (46.66) and strike rate (156.42) are not only far above his career figures of 24.51 and 132.64, but also the highest for him against any T20I opponent.Quotes “They are a very good team, they are well led, they are well planned and well prepared, and yes, they have beaten India recently in a few tournaments – those are the facts. Herein lies a really good opportunity for us to keep improving and keep getting better, and hopefully the next time we get an opportunity in a big tournament against them, we put one over.”. “It’s busy and we haven’t really had a chance to stop and think after the disappointment in the way things finished in the T20 World Cup final, but we have to shift our focus to this series and then obviously for the Test series. To represent your country is a great honour, so that gets me up and going.” New Zealand’s stand-in captain Tim Southee is not too fazed by his side’s relentless schedule
And so Arsenal march on. Seven games into the new Premier League season and the Gunners remain unbeaten, having gone into the latest international break just a point behind Liverpool at the summit and level with champions, Manchester City.
Even without talismanic skipper Martin Odegaard, the north London side have continued to pick up positive results in recent weeks, having also powered to a convincing 2-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
It’s not been plain-sailing – not least due to red cards for the likes of Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard – but the Emirates outfit have scrapped and fought to maintain this string of positive results, proving to their title rivals that they are here to stay at the top of the table.
The bedrock of Mikel Arteta’s success remains that of Europe’s “best central defensive pairing” – as hailed by ex-England defender Matthew Upson – in the form of William Saliba and Gabriel, while Hale End hero Bukayo Saka continues to terrorise with seven assists in as many league games.
It would be foolish, however, to overlook the impact of another of Arteta’s “main players” – as the Spaniard has himself described him – with former Chelsea man Kai Havertz having quietly emerged as a vital figure for the club in 2024.
Havertz's start to the season
The midfield experiment has been abandoned, and Havertz is looking all the better for it.
Plucked from Stamford Bridge for a hefty £65m fee in the summer of 2023, it’s fair to say that the German’s early months in an Arsenal shirt with rather uninspiring, as he chipped in with just four goals and one assist in the league before Christmas.
In truth, it wasn’t until late February and early March of this year that the silky striker truly began to find his feet after shifting to a number nine berth, having scored in four successive league games. He hasn’t looked back since.
After ending last term with 13 league goals to his name, the former Champions League winner has continued that red-hot form into the new campaign, registering six goals in just ten outings in all competitions.
While once looking like a player who couldn’t find a home on the pitch, the 25-year-old is now a centre-forward in every sense, shown no more so than his brave header in the win over PSG.
As that effort indicated, Havertz is now a “real threat around the box” – as per his manager – with the hope being that he can now be supplied with regular, quality service, even in the absence of Odegaard.
That could then call for Arteta to make a bold tactical tweak in the coming weeks, with there perhaps an argument for the aforementioned Saka to take on a new role moving forward.
How Havertz could be made even better
On the early evidence, the records could tumble this season, with Saka already likely to have an eye on Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne’s all-time tally of 20 assists in a Premier League campaign.
Arsenal star Bukayo Saka
Not just a goalscorer, the Englishman is marking himself out as a more than capable creator too, thus raising the question as to whether his strengths could be better utilised in a number ten berth, rather than on the flanks.
That is the verdict of data analyst Ben Mattinson, at least, who has suggested that the 23-year-old’s “output would skyrocket” if he was to make that switch to a central role, as it would prove “much harder for teams to double up on him and give him no space too”.
A possible “game-changer” of an alteration – in the view of Mattinson – this different role could then help to make Havertz even more effective in and around the box, as he would be able to link up more directly with Saka through the middle.
Saka’s ability to thread a pass and tee up Arsenal’s main marksman has already been showcased this season as he has remarkably created 12 ‘big chances’ to date, while averaging 3.9 key passes per game. To put that into perspective, the most ‘big chances’ created by a player in the division in the whole of 2023/24 was Mohamed Salah, with 22.
Rank
Player
‘Big chances’ created
1.
Bukayo Saka
12
2.
Cole Palmer
8
3.
Dwight McNeil
7
4.
Trent Alexander-Arnold
5
4.
Leif Davis
5
4.
Bryan Mbuemo
5
4.
Bernardo Silva
5
4.
Youri Tielemans
5
There may be those questioning why then should the academy graduate be relocated if he is already thriving on the right flank, but allowing him to operate in even closer proximity to Havertz could prove a masterstroke for both parties.
On current form, the latter man is proving that he can provide that clinical touch in front of goal. If supplied with regular service by Saka in a new number ten berth, who knows the goal tally he could end up with come May.
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Celtic continued their fantastic start to the Scottish Premiership season with a seventh straight win in the division against Ross County away from Glasgow on Sunday.
The Hoops had to battle from 1-0 down, thanks to a penalty from Ronan Vale, to secure all three points in Dingwall, winning 2-1 after their second-half comeback.
Goals from Alistair Johnston, who deflected Callum McGregor’s shot into the back of the net, and Nicolas Kuhn, who cut inside and passed a left-footed shot into the bottom corner, completed the comeback for the Scottish giants.
Brendan Rodgers’ side have now won all seven of their games in the Premiership and that penalty from Vale on Sunday was the first goal that Kasper Schmeichel had conceded in a league game for the club, having kept six clean sheets in his first six outings.
The summer signing has enjoyed a terrific start to life in Glasgow, and Auston Trusty, Arne Engels, Alex Valle, Paulo Bernardo, Adam Idah, and Luke McCowan also featured against Ross County after joining in the summer transfer window.
Rodgers could look to make further additions to his playing squad when the January transfer window opens for business midway through the campaign, and Daizen Maeda is one player who could be upgraded.
Daizen Maeda's mixed success in the Premiership
The Japan international had scored in three successive matches in all competitions ahead of the clash away at Ross County in the Premiership on Sunday.
In the 2-1 win at the weekend, Maeda endured a frustrating afternoon on the left flank for the Hoops. He had three shots and missed one ‘big chance’ and lost five of his six duels, as the winger ended the match with zero goals and zero assists.
The 26-year-old’s wasteful finishing has been a theme throughout his time under Rodgers since the start of last season, and has been evident in the Premiership this term.
24/25 Premiership
Daizen Maeda
Appearances
6
Goals
2
Big chances missed
6
Big chances created
1
Assists
2
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, he has missed six ‘big chances’ and only scored two goals in six appearances, which shows that the winger has not made the most of the high-quality opportunities that his teammates have created for him so far.
In the 2023/24 campaign, Maeda only scored six goals in 28 league outings for the Scottish giants and spurned 12 ‘big chances’ in that time.
The Japanese forward also made just 0.5 key passes per game and ended that league campaign with three assists, which meant that the attacker failed to reach double figures for goals and assists combined.
Celtic's Daizen Maeda.
Since the start of last season, the Celtic winger has contributed with eight goals and five assists in 34 appearances, whilst missing 18 ‘big chances’.
With this in mind, Rodgers could land an upgrade on Maeda by swooping for a left winger with the quality to offer more in the final third – Bazoumana Toure.
Celtic's interest in Bazoumana Toure
Last month, Swedish outlet FotbollDirekt reported that Celtic are one of a number of teams interested in signing Hammarby youngster Toure in the January transfer window.
The outlet claimed that Hoops chief scout Joe Lefevre has been left impressed by the 18-year-old star’s superb performances in Sweden, and that the Scottish giants have a serious interest in the forward.
It added, however, that they will face significant competition to land his signature if they decide to pursue a deal for his services. Crystal Palace, Bayer Leverkusen, Benfica, and Eintracht Frankfurt are all also keen on the talented winger.
Amid heavy interest from teams across Europe, Hammarby are said to be hoping to rake in a fee of around €10m (£8.3m) for the teenage starlet.
However, it remains to be seen whether or not any of the reportedly interested sides – including Celtic – are prepared to spend that kind of money on the Ivorian maestro.
Rodgers should now look to move quickly and secure a deal for Toure before any of the other teams are able to swoop in ahead of the Hoops, as the Hammarby phenomenon has the potential to come in as an upgrade on Maeda on the left flank from January onwards.
Why Celtic should sign Bazoumana Toure
Despite only turning 18 in March, shortly before his move to Hammarby from ASEC Mimosas, the winger has already showcased his ability to make a big impact in the final third.
The teenage sensation has produced seven goals and three assists in all competitions for the Swedish outfit this year, which shows that the youngster has the maturity and ability to provide regular quality at first-team level already.
Football talent scout Jacek Kulig hailed him earlier this year, as shown in the post above, by describing the talented youngster as a “superb” player.
He backed his opinion up with the forward’s statistics in the Allsvenskan up to that point, which was in July, and the 18-year-old wizard has continued his fine form in recent months.
Statistics
Bazoumana Toure (2024 Allsvenskan)
Daizen Maeda (23/24 Premiership)
Appearances
19
28
Sofascore rating
7.31
6.99
Goals
6
6
Big chances missed
1
12
Big chances created
5
5
Dribbles completed per game
1.8
1.1
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Toure has matched Maeda’s goal and assist return from the 2023/24 campaign in nine fewer appearances, whilst only missing one ‘big chance’.
The electric forward, who has also created 1.2 chances per game in the 2024 campaign, has been far more clinical in front of goal than the Japan international this year, which suggests that he could offer a greater goal threat for the Hoops.
His 1.2 key passes per game are also more than double Maeda’s 0.5 key passes per match in the 2023/24 Premiership campaign, and this suggests that the youngster could also provide more creativity for the Scottish giants on the left flank.
If Toure can translate those performances over to the Premiership, and develop further – given he is just 18, then the teenage winger could come in as an upgrade on Maeda for Rodgers in the second half of the season and beyond, thanks to his quality as a scorer and a creator.
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