Arsenal will host Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday, with Mikel Arteta's side facing an early test of their European credentials. The Gunners have already seen off Athletic Club and Olympiacos this season, but the visit of Diego Simeone and his troops will be their sternest challenge yet, particularly with the Spanish giants clicking into gear after a slow beginning to the season.

It will also see Arsenal's formidable defence try to keep someone who could have been a team-mate of theirs quiet. Former Manchester City striker Julian Alvarez is loving life again in Madrid, but he could have swapped the capital of Spain for that of England earlier this year.

Alvarez was one of several strikers tentatively linked with a move to Arsenal during the first half of 2025, with Arteta eventually settling on Viktor Gyokeres as his new No.9. Even despite their early-season success, some Gunners fans aren't totally convinced by the Swede and are wondering how much better they could be doing with a different forward up top.

Getty Images SportNeed for a No.9

Arsenal supporters had been crying out for a new No.9 since forever. When you grow up on a diet of Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp, how can you expect to be satisfied by helpings of Olivier Giroud and Alexandre Lacazette?

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's successful one-man mission to win the 2020 FA Cup was pretty much the last time Arsenal's striker was one of the most feared in the land. Gabriel Jesus did have a period where he looked like the second coming of Pele upon arrival in 2022, but he hasn't been the same since suffering a knee injury at that year's World Cup and is currently working his way back from an ACL tear.

When they needed a centre forward to carry the scoring load in the second half of 2023-24, Arsenal turned to Kai Havertz, who was very openly signed as a midfielder, though whose versatility was seen as a massive plus-point when paying Chelsea £65 million and immediately making him one of the club's highest earners. The Germany international has played well as a lone striker, though has rarely looked like one you could win the Premier League with.

Arsenal's over-reliance on Havertz and winger Bukayo Saka to provide goals and assists also led Arteta down the path of adding firepower to his squad. That was before you even factored in how stale their attack looked during an injury-blighted 2024-25 campaign.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWhy Gyokeres?

Heading into the summer window, there were two prominent names on Arsenal's shortlist. One was RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko, and the other was Gyokeres of Sporting CP. The profile of striker Arteta craved for was a brutish and prolific hit-man who could occupy defenders with their physicality.

Despite a summer spend of roughly £250m ($335m), Arsenal seemingly had a limit on how much they were willing to shell out on a striker. It's one of the primary reasons why they pivoted away from Sesko, per , despite the Slovenian being the preferred choice of the club's hierarchy prior to the window.

Sporting director Andrea Berta, who officially took post on March 30, balked at the demands of both Leipzig and Sesko's representatives, which effectively killed the hope of Arsenal agreeing a deal. Sporting, meanwhile, were still tough negotiators and an agreement over Gyokeres dragged on until late July over the structure of payment, but the price never really went back above £60m ($80.5m) all in once the Portuguese champions agreed to come down on their top scorer's £85m ($114m) release clause. The Sweden international, who scored 97 goals in 102 games for Sporting, became the priority target once Sesko was ruled out of the race for good, with Manchester United later stumping up an initial £66.3m plus £7.4m ($89m plus $9.9m) in add-ons to sign him from Leipzig.

While Sesko was still seen as a work in progress by Arsenal, the hope with Gyokeres was that he could hit the ground running as a ready-made striker capable of firing Arsenal to glory without too much of a settling in period, particularly as he had performed excellently in England with Championship side Coventry City from 2021 to 2023.

Getty Images SportEarly teething problems

Through 11 games of his Arsenal career thus far, Gyokeres has scored three goals. Two came on the second week of the season in a 5-0 hammering of Leeds, while the other came directly after the September international window during a 3-0 triumph over Nottingham Forest at the start of Ange Postecoglou's infamous 39-day spell as manager.

Gyokeres heads into Tuesday's battle with Atletico on a run of nine games without a goal, but this isn't of public concern to Arteta. Prior to Gyokeres drawing a blank in Saturday's 1-0 victory at Fulham, the Arsenal boss said: "I told [Gyokeres] before the first meeting, I said, 'the nine that I want is a nine that when he doesn't score for six or eight games, he can handle that. If not, you have to go somewhere else because the expectation is going to be there'.

"So, if you put on a nine shirt for Arsenal, you have to be able to say, 'OK, six games, if I don't score, I'm a different player? I start to act in a different way?'. No, I want much more of the same of what he's doing."

Speaking after that win at Craven Cottage, Arteta said: "He was very close today again, two or three times. We were all begging for him to score. The work rate he puts in for the team is phenomenal, so we try to give him support and love and it will come.

"He looks at you and doesn't move. He was on the screen like this and he just said: 'It's fine'. That's him. There's no emotion there, he just has a single-targeted mindset. That's what I love about him."

That Arteta has even had to whip out these lines is proof enough that Gyokeres hasn't quite had the totally desired impact to date. Beyond the raw numbers, he also looked lost in Arsenal's 1-0 defeat at Liverpool and their last-gasp 1-1 draw at home to Manchester City. Even against lesser opposition, he's still getting up to speed with the ruthless rigour of the Premier League and appears a step or two behind his team-mates. This is a natural step he needs to take, but one Arsenal can only afford since they're already top of the table.

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Getty ImagesBerta unconvinced

Though Gyokeres and Sesko were the two frontrunners for the Arsenal striker gig, Alvarez's name was one that appeared in many a gossip column when it came to the Emirates Stadium striking vacancy. He was prolific in his first season at Atletico, registering 29 goals and eight assists in 57 matches across all competitions, though was seldom cast as a happy figure at the Metropolitano.

Barcelona have long been linked with the Argentina international, while if Arsenal indeed held an interest, it would probably have been easier to try and get him out of Atletico rather than domestic rivals Manchester City. Alas, Sami Mokbel reported that a move failed to materialise due to financials involved regardless, and Berta, the sporting director at Atleti when they first bought Alvarez for up to £81.8m in 2024, cooled the Gunners' interest.

Alvarez isn't the same physical profile as Gyokeres or Sesko, standing somewhere between 5'7" and 5'9" depending on which database you believe. The point is he's on the diminutive side and wouldn't have been able to harass defenders in the same way, instead relying on his off-ball pressing and on-ball excellence. Playing with this sort of centre-forward may have made Arsenal an easier watch this season, such is Alvarez's elegance and ability to bring others into play.

Sciver-Brunt takes lead in rampant run-chase to seal unassailable 2-0 series win

Valkerie Baynes23-May-2025Three wickets from Em Arlott, playing just her second international match, decimated West Indies as England ran away with victory in the second T20I at Hove and an unassailable 2-0 lead in their three-match series.Arlott’s impressive spell accounted for key batters Hayley Matthews, who had scored 100 of her side’s 146 runs in the first game at Canterbury, and Stafanie Taylor, who had returned from injury to bolster the tourists’ line-up. She also removed Zaida James, courtesy of one of two strong catches by Sophia Dunkley, and took a catch of her own to dismiss Shemaine Campbelle, the West Indies’ highest scorer for the match with just 26.That was off Charlie Dean, who took back-to-back wickets to finish with 2 for 12 from her four overs, while Lauren Bell took 3 for 28, including one in the opening over to set the tone for the match. Issy Wong was also economical with 1 for 10 in four overs.Player of the match Arlott had waited a long time to make her debut in Canterbury, having been called up to the England squad during India’s visit in 2021 without playing. She missed out again the following year when she left England’s camp before the home series against South Africa began, because she was suffering the after-effects of Covid. At that point she feared her chances of playing for her country were gone. But she made up for lost time as West Indies were restricted to 81 for 9.After losing opener Danni Wyatt-Hodge on the first ball of the reply, captain Nat Sciver-Brunt and Dunkley reeled in the target with 64 balls to spare.Arlott’s amazing spellMatthews needed someone to go with her this time following her gallant century in a losing cause on Wednesday. But fellow opener Qiana Joseph fell cheaply once more, spooning a return catch to Bell on the third ball of the game. A double-wicket over from Arlott left West Indies reeling at 18 for 3 in the fourth over with their inspirational captain, Matthews, back in the dugout with just six runs to her name. Matthews had tried to play across the line of a length ball from Arlott which shaped in and moved off the seam and clattered into the stumps. Four balls later, Dunkley held a stunning catch, leaping to her left and tumbling at short midwicket to dismiss James.England’s fielding demons from the T20 World Cup match between these two teams looked to be exorcised. Arlott was on a roll when she had the experienced Taylor well caught at short extra cover by Dean for a second-ball duck. That gave Arlott 3 for 7 in 14 balls. She finished her allocation with 3 for 14, including 18 dot balls.Lauren Bell struck in the first over to ignite a ruthless England display•Getty ImagesWest Indies implodeCampbelle was also back from injury and she made some semblance of a start in trying to drag West Indies out of their predicament, reaching 26 off 36 balls. But hers was the first of two wickets to fall in as many balls to Dean with Arlott in the action again, taking a comfortable catch at long-on. Mandy Mangru followed, bowled attempting to paddle sweep and West Indies were 63 for 6. Shabika Gajnabi survived the hat-trick ball but, in the over between, Bell had Aaliyah Alleyne caught behind.Gajnabi fell when Dunkley took another catch at backward point off Wong and Bell had her third wicket when Afy Fletcher holed out to Sciver-Brunt. England conceded just six more runs from that point but they were unable to bowl out West Indies, who set a paltry target of 82.Sciver-Brunt leads the run chaseIf failing to take 10 wickets was a hiccup in the display of ruthlessness that new England head coach Charlotte Edwards had called for on the eve of the series, her side were able to make up for it with a rapid run-chase. Wyatt-Hodge’s dismissal, bowled by James with the first ball of the innings, didn’t augur well. But Sciver-Brunt, England’s new captain, batted with authority, marshalling a powerplay of 49 for 1 and bringing up the team fifty with the first of back-to-back fours off Matthews, driven through the covers then reverse-swept.She brought up her half-century when she was dropped by Cherry-Ann Fraser moving to her right from deep midwicket and ran two for her 17th fifty in T20Is. She then struck the winning runs with a leg-side four off Afy Fletcher. Meanwhile Dunkley, who had top-scored for England with an unbeaten 81 in the previous game, played the supporting role with an unbeaten 24 off 25 balls as England cruised to 82 for 1 in 9.2 overs.

It’s been an up-and-down start to the year for Newcastle United, and they suffered more adversity on their first Champions League appearance of the season when welcoming Barcelona to St. James’ Park.

Newcastle’s European campaign began with defeat. Marcus Rashford was at the double, scoring two spectacular strikes after a closely-contested opening half that will have left Eddie Howe rueing missed chances.

The manager made the bold decision to leave Nick Woltemade out of the starting line-up after the 23-year-old scored a debut winner against Wolves last weekend. Anthony Gordon deputised in his place.

It might have proved a shrewd call but for some shoddy finishing, with Harvey Barnes culpable of that and more on Tyneside.

Harvey Barnes let Howe down vs Barcelona

With Gordon up top, Barnes reprised his role on the left flank. It’s not been the finest start to the season for the 27-year-old, who has gone five games across the Premier League and Europe without registering a goal involvement.

And against the slick and stylish La Blaugrana, he toiled, not only missing a good chance to score but failing with every one of his crosses and not even attempting to win a duel, statistics courtesy of Sofascore.

Jules Kounde whipped in a neat delivery for the Three Lions star, who powered home with a header from around 12 yards out. Barnes should have closed down the French defender, who had space and time to find his target.

Woltemade will expect to start against Bournemouth in the Premier League on Sunday, and Barnes will be sweating over his starting berth, with the goalscoring Gordon sure to be eyeing up a return to his natural position out on the flank.

However, Barnes wasn’t the only one who flattered to deceive, with Joelinton failing to pack a punch in the engine room.

Why Joelinton must be dropped

At times, it can seem inconceivable that Joelinton should be dropped from Newcastle’s starting line-up, so powerful and influential is the South American in the centre of the park.

But it doesn’t always work, and he was reduced in stature against silky opposition.

Chronicle Live weren’t too unforgiving in their post-match assessment, handing the Brazilian a 6/10 rating, but they did acknowledge he lacked his usual bite and brutish efficiency against a well-oiled and cohesive La Blaugrana midfield.

However, such analysis was perhaps generous. Joelinton left plenty to be desired against the Spaniards.

Joelinton lost the ball seven times, having taken 27 touches across his hour on the field. That equates to marginally under a concession of the ball every four touches, which is hardly the sharp and composed midfield play needed against a team such as Hansi Flick’s Barcelona.

After picking up a yellow card in the first half, Joelinton walked a tightrope, and it showed. He only won three of his six contested ground duels and made just one tackle all evening.

All told, it hasn’t been a fantastic start to the season for the hulking midfield presence, though he did catch the eye against Wolves last weekend and now Howe will expect him to return to form.

Minutes played

62′

Goals

0

Assists

0

Touches

27

Shots (on target)

1 (0)

Accurate passes

13/19 (68%)

Key passes

0

Dribbles

0/0

Tackles

1

Clearances

2

Duels won

5/8

With more technically dynamic options such as Joe Willock and Lewis Miley waiting in the wings, perhaps it would be a good idea to place the 29-year-old on the bench against the Cherries, allowing Howe to freshen things up and ensure his midfield does not become too rigid and predictable in its patterns.

Joelinton is a crucial part of this team, but this is a team of many parts, and players are ready to step up and add different dimensions when the need arises.

In this sense, there’s substance to both Barnes and Joelinton stepping to the dugout ahead of the weekend.

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ظل لامين يامال محط أنظار الجميع لأسابيع، بعد أن أثار الجدل قبل مباراة ريال مدريد وما قاله سلط الضوء عليه خاصة بعد هزيمة برشلونة وأصبح حديث الساعة.

وقد توقع الكثيرون خسارة برشلونة لهذه المباراة وقدم لامين يامال أداء باهتا في المباراة، وزادت النتيجة من حدة الجدل حول اللاعب بسبب تصريحاته المتكررة التي قلل فيها من نادي ريال مدريد.

ونشرت صحيفة “سبورت” الإسبانية أن لامين يامال أمام ريال مدريد لم يقدم أفضل أداء له بسبب ألم في العانة مما أثر على قدرته في تغيير وتيرة اللعب وقدرته على التحمل.

وعلى الرغم من أن لامين قد أظهر لمحات من إمكانياته لكنه افتقر لمستواه المعهود، وقد لاحظ الجهاز الفني لبرشلونة ذلك فقام بتعديل دوره لتجنب إرهاقه، على الرغم من ذلك قام فليك بتثبيت لامين في الملعب ولم يقم باستبداله حتى مع دخول روني باردجي وذلك على الرغم من أن مباراة ريال مدريد لم تكن أفضل مباريات اللاعب.

أقرأ أيضاً.. ألبا يوضح سبب اعتزاله كرة القدم.. ويصرح: برشلونة حاليا يواجه “الصعب”

ويعرف لامين يامال أنه ليس في 100% من لياقته البدنية ومع ذلك لا يفكر في إجراء عملية جراحية لتخفيف الألم ويخطط للقيام بالعلاج التحفظي لبضعة أسابيع أخرىن وتقييم حالته.

وفي حالة إذا استمر الألم على لامين يامال فإن لاعب برشلونة قد يدرس في هذا الوقت الخضوع لعملية جراحية، ومع ذلك يبدو أن هذا الخيار ليس معروضا على اللاعب ولم يتخذ أي قرار أو خطوات.

وكان لامين يامال قد سعى للحصول على آراء طبية أخرى من خارج النادي كاستشارات بسيطة لتحديد ما إذا كان الألم ضمن الإطار الزمني الطبيعي وكيف يمكن للجراحة أن تساعد إذا لزم الأمر، ولكن لا نية حتى الآن لإجراء الجراحة.

ويركز لامين يامال على القيام بدوره اليومي بنشاط ويتدرب مع المجموعة ويقوم بأداء خطة التدريب، ولا يقم لاعب برشلونة بذلك بأقصى كثافة لأن جدول المباريات مزدحم ويعد الهدف أن يكون في كامل لياقته للمباريات.

ويحاول لامين يامال الابتعاد عن الأضواء والاستفادة القصوى من كل دقيقة ومساعدة الفريق في هذه المرحلة الصعبة من الموسم، وكان ليونيل ميسي قد عانى في وقت سابق من هذا الألم وغاب عن عدة مباريات بسبب ذلك حيث تعرض لهذه الإصابة في مناسبتين مختلفتين، وقد تعافى بدون إجراء جراحة.

West Bromwich Albion picked up a hard-fought win away at Norwich City on Wednesday night as Ryan Mason’s side momentarily got their stuttering Championship season back on track in Norfolk.

Only four points off the top of the league now after narrowly securing the three points through a 1-0 victory, Mason will hope his promotion-dreaming team can push on and pick up some more early season wins soon, with games against Millwall and Preston North End up next in the second tier.

It was certainly a night to remember for Josh Maja, with a first start of the season for the usually injury-ravaged centre-forward resulting in his first strike of the campaign also quickly following.

It was a typical poacher-like finish from the ex-Sunderland man, with a tricky run by Samuel Iling-Junior thankfully not going to waste, as the experienced attacker enjoyed a great return to form versus the Canaries.

Maja's standout night

Aune Heggebo would fall to the substitutes bench as the experience of the 26-year-old was preferred over the promise of the new Norwegian recruit.

It was a smart call by Mason in the end, with West Brom having to be potent in front of goal to secure a slim away day win.

Minutes played

60

Goals scored

1

Assists

0

Shots

1

Touches

19

Accurate passes

7/8 (88%)

Amazingly, Maja’s only shot of the night was the one that beat Vladan Kovačević in the Norwich goal, with the injury-prone forward also only needing a mere 19 touches of the ball to leave his mark on the contest.

Sky Sports’ Jobi McAnuff would sum it up nicely when labelling Maja as a player known for “making a difference”, as the clinical striker now aims to be free of the Hawthorns treatment room to try and match, or even, surpass his 12-goal tally from last season.

However, if it wasn’t for a stern defensive performance in Norfolk, West Brom might have well crumbled late on, with Josh Griffiths hailed as having a “coming of age” moment by journalist Lewis Cox when completing four vital saves in between the sticks.

He wasn’t the only very impressive figure at the back, however, with one defensive titan arguably putting in an even better display than the returning Maja.

West Brom star was even better than Maja

Come the end of the tense game, it was clear that the entire team picked by Mason all contributed to a gutsy three points being secured.

In particular, former Liverpool colossus Nathaniel Phillips stood out at Carrow Road, with the 6-foot-3 centre-back keen to make amends on the road after a late own-goal robbed his team of a win against Leicester City last time out on home soil.

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

77

Accurate passes

51/59 (88%)

Clearances

10

Tackles

3

Total duels

7/11

While Maja showed off his goalscoring prowess with an instinctive finish, before then waiting on scraps to come his way, Phillips shone throughout, winning seven duels and making ten clearances, keeping the likes of Josh Sargent for the hosts quiet.

Away from living up to his tag as a “monster” in the air that was handed to him by Jurgen Klopp at Anfield, the towering 28-year-old would also display a necessary composure on the ball in heated moments, with 51 accurate passes tallied up from his 77 touches of the ball.

Truthfully, minus that own-goal hiccup against the Foxes, Phillips has been very impressive in the demanding Championship so far this season, winning 5.8 duels per game, further reinforcing his no-nonsense approach.

Yet – as was visible at Carrow Road – he has also been unerring with his passes out from the back, as seen in an 89% pass accuracy being averaged as well.

Express and Star journalist Jonny Drury dished out a high 8/10 rating to the Baggies number 3 off the back of another assured showing, with Drury simply stating that the 28-year-old was “so solid” once more.

Mason will know he needs both Maja and Phillips to continue delivering, with West Brom’s chances of clinching promotion glory largely resting on the experienced pairing being able to grind out more results together like this 1-0 success.

Mason must now drop Price to unleash "special" West Brom star

West Bromwich Albion could get far more out of Aune Heggebo by starting this special Baggies star.

ByKelan Sarson Oct 1, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

Se marcar contra a Bolívia na noite desta sexta-feira (8), Neymar se tornará o maior artilheiro da Seleção Brasileira, superando simplesmente o Rei Pelé. Pelas contas da Fifa, o atacante tem os mesmos 77 gols que o Atleta do Século com a camisa amarela.

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Possível palco histórico para Neymar e todo o Brasil, o Mangueirão sempre foi cenário de bons capítulos do jogador, que disputou duas partidas no estádio e sempre deixou a sua marca.

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Em 2010, foram dois gols e duas assistências na vitória do Santos sobre o Remo pela Copa do Brasil, que foi conquistada pelo Peixe. No ano seguinte, a única vez que defendeu a Seleção em Belém, no Pará, e um tento anotado no Superclássico das Américas, contra a Argentina. A Seleção Brasileira venceu por 2 a 0, com Lucas Moura também deixando a sua marca.

Doze anos e 70 gols pela Amarelinha depois, o menino Ney virou adulto e tem três Copas do Mundo disputadas no currículo. Do desejo juvenil de representar o seu país, o jogador hoje sabe bem a responsabilidade que carrega quando atua pela Seleção Brasileira.

— Mudou muita coisa. Quando tinha essa idade, jamais sonhei em alcançar tudo que alcancei com a Seleção Brasileira. Eu só queria ter uma oportunidade de jogar pela Seleção, uma oportunidade de jogar uma Copa do Mundo. Era o que eu sonhava. Mas Deus me deu mais que isso. Me deu muitos gols, (oportunidade de) jogar três Copas, e fazer história na Seleção. Estou muito feliz por esses anos que passei na Seleção. Vou fazer mais de 13 anos na Seleção. É uma história longa, de muito orgulho. Cada vez que venho para cá, sinto muita felicidade. Orgulho muito grande. Para muitos, parece que não vale a pena estar aqui. Por tudo que temos na carreira, pelo que a gente conquistou, pelo dinheiro. Mas não tem dinheiro que paga poder representar a seleção brasileira — disse Neymar na entrevista coletiva que concedeu na quinta-feira (7).

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MAIS GOLS QUE O REI

Neymar é o jogador do elenco brasileiro atual que mais sabe, de forma especial, a dimensão de Pelé. Além de ser ‘Menino da Vila’, revelado pelo Santos Futebol Clube, o atacante é o dono da camisa 10 da Seleção Brasileira desde 2013, quando conquistou a Copa das Confederações, no Brasil.

Ele cogitou se aposentar da Seleção após a eliminação na Copa do Mundo do Qatar, disputada no ano passado, mas repensou a decisão e agora pode voltar em grande estilo, fazendo algo que humano algum conseguiu com a camisa amarela: superar o Rei em gols marcados.

— É difícil responder isso, o que essa marca significa. Acho que significa muita coisa. Pelé, para todos aqui, para nós, é unanimidade que é o Rei do Futebol. Imagina superar alguém nisso. Coisa que ninguém nunca imaginou que iria superar. Eu posso dizer isso, mas é algo que vou responder depois. Depois que eu fizer, vou falar. Com certeza vai ser sensação de muita felicidade, muito orgulho — destacou Neymar.

Além de Neymar, o lateral Caio Henrique e o atacante Rodrygo também são crias do Peixe. Mas, ainda que sejam grandes destaques no futebol mundial, nunca tiveram o protagonista do camisa 10.

Se pela Fifa, um possível gol marcado no Mangueirão será histórico, colocando Ney no topo de maiores artilheiros pelo Brasil, para a CBF isso não acontecerá. Como considera jogos contra clubes e combinados, a entidade máxima do futebol nacional contabiliza 95 gols marcados por Pelé na história da Seleção Brasileira.

It’s been a brilliant few days for Arsenal.

On Saturday, they got to sit back and watch Chelsea, Manchester United, and, most crucially, Liverpool lose, while they went on to claim all three points in dramatic fashion away to Newcastle United.

However, there is no time to get distracted, as Mikel Arteta and Co have another game to prepare for against Olympiacos in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

With games coming thick and fast, the manager should be looking to make a host of changes to the starting lineup, including dropping one promising player for a world-beater.

The changes Arteta needs to make to the Arsenal lineup

It was a gruelling game at St James’ Park on Sunday afternoon, and with another potentially testing match against an improving West Ham United this weekend, Arteta should consider making some changes to the starting lineup to face Olympiacos.

Chalkboard

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

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The first of those changes should come between the sticks, with Kepa Arrizabalaga coming in for David Raya, and while the former Chelsea keeper didn’t play in the last UCL game, this one should be a slightly easier affair and a real chance to rest the Gunners’ number one.

At right-back, Ben White deserves a chance to start another game in place of Jurrien White, who was unreal against the Toon. On the other flank, it should be a second start of the season for young Myles Lewis-Skelly, who added some real dynamism when he came off the bench on Sunday.

In the middle of the park, it might be worth keeping Martin Zubimendi at the base of midfield, especially as this game could provide an opportunity for the manager to start Martin Odegaard alongside Eberechi Eze.

The latter is still getting to grips with how the team plays, so keeping him in the lineup makes sense to help him with that, and then when it comes to the latter, he needs to get back his match sharpness as quickly as possible if he’s going to play a significant role over the coming months.

Moreover, playing both of them in midfield should give the side a far more cutting edge and help deal with a stubborn low block, if that’s how the Greek side opts to play.

Finally, up-top Arteta should keep Viktor Gyokeres in the side as he was looking better on Sunday, and the more chances he gets to bolster his goal tally, the more confident and therefore effective he should become.

Gabriel Martinelli should come in off the Swede’s left, and then on the right, Ethan Nwaneri should be handed another start, as Bukayo Saka no longer needs to be run into the ground anymore, especially when the teenager is more than good enough to cover for him.

With all that said, there is one more area of the lineup that needs to be addressed – an area where Arteta should make another bold call.

Arteta should axe one of Arsenal's most exciting players

So, one of the players who should retain their position at centre-back for the game is Gabriel Magalhães, as he will not want to sit out after scoring that goal against Newcastle.

However, alongside him, Arteta should bring William Saliba back into the side.

Yes, that means dropping the incredible Cristhian Mosquera, who has looked so good already this season that one content creator has already branded him the club’s “signing of the summer.”

However, there is really one key reason why he should be dropped, and no, it’s not because he made the mistake that led to the goal on the weekend.

Instead, it’s the fact that he is still relatively young for a defender – 21 years old – and inexperienced at this level, so it might be wise to take him out of the lineup for a game or two and ensure he’s not overplayed.

However, when it really comes down to it, the reason the former Valencia gem should be dropped is so that Saliba can come back into the team.

The “world-class” titan, as dubbed by Fabrizio Romano, came on at half-time at St James’ Park due to minor fitness issues, and that is one of the reasons he should be in from the start against Olympiacos, so he can build up his fitness and match sharpness ahead of the weekend.

Saliba’s Arsenal Career

Appearances

140

Starts

137

Minutes

12193′

Goals

7

Assists

3

Points per Game

2.06

All Stats via Transfermarkt

Moreover, if the manager opts to play several of his young stars, such as Nwaneri, Lewis-Skelly, and possibly even Max Dowman, it would make sense to ensure the centre-back pairing is as strong as it can possibly be.

Ultimately, while Mosquera is an incredible talent, Saliba should be in from the start to regain his fitness and provide balance for what could be a relatively inexperienced team.

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 30, 2025

Celtic dropped down to second in the Scottish Premiership table on Saturday afternoon as they were held to a drab 0-0 draw by Hibernian at Parkhead.

The Hoops have dropped points in two of their six matches in the top-flight so far this season, and they now sit two points behind Hearts in the table.

Brendan Rodgers made a few changes to the starting line-up to freshen things up after the 1-1 draw with Red Star Belgrade in the Europa League on Thursday night, but the players coming in did not push their case forward to keep a starting berth. Arne Engels was one of those players who did not take their chance.

Why Arne Engels should be dropped by Celtic

The Belgium international was brought into the central midfield mix to replace Benjamin Nygren, who dropped to the bench, but produced an underwhelming performance in the middle of the park.

Engels, who was signed for £11m from Augsburg last summer, was substituted in the 68th minute of the match after failing to register a shot on target or a ‘big chance’ created, per Sofascore.

The 22-year-old flop lost possession of the ball 18 times and only created two chances, neither of which were ‘big chances’, before Rodgers decided to haul him off for the last 20 minutes.

Chalkboard

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

Engels should, therefore, be dropped from the starting line-up after he failed to take his chance to impress. However, the Belgian was not the only underperformer for the Hoops, as Kelechi Iheanacho was even worse than him.

Why Celtic should drop Kelechi Iheanacho

The Nigeria international was brought into the starting line-up to replace Daizen Maeda in the number nine position after he came off the bench to score in the draw with Red Star Belgrade.

As you can see in the clip above, the former Sevilla striker did brilliantly to take the ball under control and find the top corner between two defenders to put the Hoops ahead in that match.

Unfortunately, the left-footed attacker was unable to follow that up with an impressive performance from the start against Hibernian, as he wasted several chances to find the back of the net.

Minutes

67

Shots

4

Shots on target

1

Big chances missed

2

Passes completed

9/10

Key passes

1

Big chances created

0

As you can see in the table above, Iheanacho spurned the two big chances that he had, one of which was a tap in that he struck the crossbar with from close range.

The worst part of his performance was that the one chance that he did take, finding the back of the net with a nice finish, was offside because he mistimed his run across the front post.

Along with his poor play in front of goal, Iheanacho also lost 100% of his duels (1/1), per Sofascore, which shows that he did not compete with and make it hard for the Hibs defenders.

This is why he was even worse than Engels, who won more duels (two), created more chances (two), and missed fewer ‘big chances’ (one) than the striker, per Sofascore.

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ByDan Emery Sep 23, 2025

Both of Iheanacho’s goals for Celtic so far have come as a substitute. This, perhaps, suggests that coming off the bench to make an impact should be his role for now, which is why he must be ditched from the starting XI against Braga.

It has been a slow start to the season for Leeds United’s new number nine, Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

The former Everton striker joined the club on a free transfer in the summer, after his contract on Merseyside expired.

The 28-year-old England international has been an important part of Daniel Farke’s side since his summer move to Elland Road, featuring in six games so far, starting the last four in the Premier League.

However, he’s only managed to bag one goal, with his strike coming against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the 3-1 win at Molineux last month.

Farke will be hoping Calvert-Lewin can be a better option up front than Patrick Bamford was towards the end of his Leeds career.

Bamford's rocky time under Farke

For several years, former England international Bamford was the first-choice centre-forward at Elland Road. He notched up 205 appearances for the club, scoring 60 times and assisting a further 25 goals. He was a favourite disciple of the great Marcelo Bielsa. Sadly, all good things must come to an end.

His time at Leeds ended this summer, with the club agreeing to terminate his deal by mutual consent. His final two seasons at Elland Road were spent under the tutelage of Farke, although it wasn’t an easy couple of years.

In total, Bamford played 54 times under the German, bagging nine goals and setting two up. The 2023/24 campaign was more than respectable, with the Grantham-born striker netting eight goals in 33 Championship matches.

It was the following term that proved to be problematic for Bamford. He couldn’t get into the side under Farke, and played just 17 games in the Championship, hindered further by a 14-game injury issue.

He didn’t score that campaign, and was later told by the Leeds boss that he is “not in my plans” for 2025/26. Thus, his deal was terminated.

Calvert-Lewin could certainly be seen as the new Bamford, given he is, in essence, a direct replacement.

Yet, there is another Leeds star who could be considered Farke’s new version of the England striker.

Leeds star in danger of being the new Bamford

Things certainly ended in a disappointing way for the Chelsea academy graduate, with the Leeds boss up front about the fact he would have no role to play in the Premier League this season.

Chalkboard

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

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Well, just as Bamford struggled to get game time last season, another Leeds striker could be headed down a similar path.

It has been a tough campaign so far for Dutch striker Joel Piroe. The former Swansea City star has previously shone under Farke, making 97 appearances under the German, to great success, too.

In that time, the 26-year-old scored 33 goals and assisted a further ten. His Championship form was impressive, racking up 13 league goals in 2023/24, and 19 last term as the Whites won the title.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the boss hailed him as “the best finisher” he’s ever worked with only a few weeks ago.

The underlying stats from those two years, showed just how well he has done at Elland Road so far.

For example, two seasons ago, Piroe had a 22.22% conversion rate, and last term, he averaged 0.6 goals per game, an example of why former Swansea boss Russell Martin called him “clinical.”

Piroe – last 2 Championship seasons

Stat (per 90)

23/24

24/25

Goals

0.5

0.6

Conversion rate

22.22%

26.76%

Chances created

1.2

1.1

Duels won

2.8

2.3

Ball recoveries

3.7

2.7

Stats from Squawka

This term has been a completely different story for the Dutchman. The arrivals of Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha have greatly restricted Prioe’s opportunities, and he’s only played three Premier League games, racking up 147 minutes.

It is easy to see how this situation compares to Bamford’s last season. The former Leeds striker had few opportunities to stake a claim under Farke, and the start to 2025/26 has been similar for Piroe.

He will be hoping that the opportunity arises in the coming weeks. The stats are certainly on his side, with the former PSV Eindhoven striker putting up some good numbers over the last couple of years with the German in charge.

If this continues, Piroe is certainly in danger of becoming the new Bamford at Elland Road.

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Posts ByJoe Nuttall Oct 12, 2025

There is no getting away from the fact that it’s been a horror start to the season for West Ham United this year.

The East Londoners were knocked out of the League Cup at the first time of asking by Wolverhampton Wanderers and have lost four of their five Premier League games, scoring just five goals and conceding 13.

So, when taking this into account, plus last season’s dire form, which saw his side lose nine of 19 games, it was no surprise to see Graham Potter finally given the sack on Saturday.

Matches

25

Wins

6

Draws

5

Losses

14

Points

23

Points per Game

0.92

Goals For

30

Goals Against

41

In his place, the Hammers have hired Nuno Espírito Santo, who recently enjoyed a brilliant stint with Nottingham Forest, taking them from relegation candidates to European football in a season and a half.

The Portuguese manager is known for playing slightly more defensive football than the Englishman, but his ability to turn his teams into counter-attacking machines could bring some real excitement – and success – back to the London Stadium.

However, before Nuno has a chance to greet the home fans, he faces the daunting task of taking on Everton at their brand-new stadium, which will be no easy task given their current form.

West Ham and Nuno's record vs Everton

Since their first competitive encounter all the way back in February 1907, West Ham have played Everton a whopping 153 times. Unfortunately, the Hammers have won just 45 of those games, drawn 33, and lost the other 75.

However, their recent record against the Toffees has been far more encouraging, with just one loss in their last five games, two wins and two draws.

Those two draws came last season, with ex-boss Julen Lopetegui overseeing a drab 0-0 draw at home in November, and then Potter leading his side to a 1-1 draw at Goodison Park courtesy of a 67th-minute strike from Tomáš Souček, which was matched by a 91st-minute strike from Jake O’Brien.

03/25

Away

1-1 Draw

11/24

Home

0-0 Draw

03/24

Away

3-1 Win

10/23

Home

1-0 Loss

01/23

Home

2-0 Win

Unfortunately, while the Irons’ overall record against West Ham is far from ideal, Nuno’s isn’t any better.

Across his time with Wolverhampton Wanderers and Forest, the São Tomé-born tactician has overseen nine matches against the Merseysiders, winning three, drawing one and losing the other five.

Now, his teams have scored 13 goals and conceded just 12 in those games, but it’s still a worrying record, especially when taking into account the fact that the Tricky Trees lost at home to David Moyes’ side in April this year.

However, today is the start of a new project for Nuno and West Ham, and there is every chance the former Forest boss can pick up all three points, and this is the line-up he could do that with.

West Ham's predicted line-up

Souček is still out due to the straight red card he picked up against Tottenham Hotspur, and Aaron Wan-Bissaka is still out with a stomach issue.

However, apart from them, Nuno should have a full contingent of players to pick from to fill out his favoured 4-2-3-1 formation for tonight’s hugely important game.

Starting between the sticks has to be Alphonse Areola. The Frenchman wasn’t great against Crystal Palace last week, but Mads Hermansen has had a horror start to his Irons career, and the new boss won’t want a goalkeeping error to cost him in his first game.

The full-back pairing has to be Kyle Walker-Peters and El Hadji Malick Diouf. The former has to start due to Wan-Bissaka’s stomach issue, and the latter has been one of the few players who have looked good this season, already providing three assists in five league games.

Things could change quickly under the new regime, but for the game tonight, Max Kilman and Konstantinos Mavropanos will likely keep their places in the team as they’ve started the last three games together.

Now, we get to the first significant change to the team in the midfield, with the “average” James Ward-Prowse, as dubbed by one analyst, being left on the bench for summer signings Matues Fernandes and Soungoutou Magassa to come in as the deeper midfield two.

The former Southampton star barely got any game time when he was on loan with Forest last season, and considering his truly dreadful start to the campaign, it would be baffling to see him start tonight.

Moreover, the former AS Monaco gem possesses the tenacity, energy, and mentality to do the necessary dirty work. At the same time, the Portuguese ace can bring more ball quality from deep, helping to create a wonderfully balanced double pivot.

Starting in attacking midfield will undoubtedly be the mercurial Lucas Paqueta. The Brazilian hasn’t been at his best so far this season, but he’s still been able to score three goals in five games.

Moreover, the manager helped Morgan Gibbs-White rack up 17 goal involvements in 38 games last year, so there is no telling what he’ll be able to do with the former Lyon star.

It’ll come as no surprise to anyone to see Jarrod Bowen out on the right this evening, as even though the rest of the team have struggled this season, the former Hull City star has scored two goals and provided an assist in his six appearances.

Furthermore, the 28-year-old game-changer was able to rack up a sensational haul of 24 goal involvements in just 36 appearances last year, so he is going nowhere.

Appearances

36

Minutes

3138′

Goals

14

Assists

10

Goal Involvements per Match

0.66

Minutes per Goal Involvement

130.75

On the opposite flank, it’ll probably be another start for Crysencio Summerville. The former Leeds United gem certainly needs to work on his output, but there is no denying that he makes things happen off the left, and his rapid pace could be perfect for the counter-attacking football the new boss is known for.

Finally, while some might want to see Niclas Füllkrug return to the team, it will likely be Callum Wilson who starts up top. The former Newcastle United star certainly has his drawbacks, but unlike the German, he has a goal to his name this season and a track record of scoring when fit.

Ultimately, it may well still be incredibly early on in the season, but West Ham’s game against Everton tonight feels like a massive one, not just because it’s a chance for the team to put a stop to their downward slide, but also because it’s a chance for Nuno to properly introduce himself to the fans and show them what he’s about.