Tag Futebol

Head coach Gambhir and batting coach Kotak have done it in the past but they can only share the experience, not make time move faster

Sidharth Monga26-Jul-20252:29

Kotak: ‘Credit to Gill’ for changing his batting approach

There is perhaps nothing more absolute and objective than time. It takes one second for one second. Sixty of them will make a minute. There is no way around it. You can’t do anything to make the earth move faster or slower. It is never more apparent than when you are so far behind in a Test that a draw is the only result possible for you, and you have to bat five sessions to earn it.Against modern Test attacks, it is generally not possible to bat five sessions for a draw unless the conditions are your friend. You need it to be either devoid of lateral movement and uneven bounce, or you want it to run out of life so that things are happening too slowly off the surface. A bowler, the best of the series, down for two sessions helps.Then, and only then, begins the battle with time, which can also be extremely subjective. How you perceive time can make it seem stress-inducingly quick or painfully slow. It perhaps seems so only to those on the outside, but time can move extremely slowly during such situations.Related

• Stats – England break Old Trafford scoring record

• Stokes puts England on top but Rahul, Gill keep India alive

• England hope 'stiff and sore' Stokes can bowl on fifth day

India’s dressing room has two men who have achieved these feats at different levels. Their head coach Gautam Gambhir once batted 643 minutes for just 137 runs while following-on to help India save a Test in Napier in 2008-09. Not long before that, the batting coach Sitanshu Kotak resisted Mumbai at the Wankhede Stadium for 796 minutes for a draw. Kotak’s bringing of Mumbai down to their knees is part of Ranji Trophy folklore.The experience is out there, they can perhaps tell the formula to those going out: four overs equal 15 minutes, eight overs is half-an-hour, double that and you get a drinks break. One more drinks break, and there is a session break. You need these landmarks on the way.It still can’t help time move faster. The biggest challenge when attempting such draws is to not get ahead of yourself. You can’t think, “yeah, this looks easy now” and start thinking of the next challenge: Ben Stokes, or the second new ball, or overcast skies. You can get away with doing that in a chase. You can perhaps take risks when you are confident and make sure that even if you get out, you leave the rest a manageable task.There is no such concept here. It has to be done one ball at a time. There is no get-out-of-jail-free card, except to wait for the sentence to get over. You have to find the sweet spot between concentrating and relaxing. Too focused, and you can exhaust yourself. Too relaxed, and you can make a mistake. And if you get out, your team is no closer to finishing the task than the objective passage of time.KL Rahul plays the short ball comfortably despite a packed leg-side field•Getty ImagesKL Rahul and Shubman Gill have the techniques and the temperament. Gill is naturally an even-tempered person. Rahul has seen enough ups and downs in cricket to know better than to get swayed by outcomes. They have both had one infamous meltdown on a Test field each. Rahul in South Africa, Gill at Lord’s.However, with bat in hand, a natural extension of their bodies, they have the kind of game that can take care of them as they go about batting time. They have seen through a hat-trick ball, the tricky three overs before lunch, the new ball, then a drinks break, then sets of 15 minutes to tea, then repeated it to stumps.They have had other landmarks. Perhaps a Jofra Archer spell. Then making him bowl bouncers. Then switch off and switch on as he went around the wicket. Same with the other end. Liam Dawson switching to over the wicket. Kick them away. One ball at a time. Move around, get one to kick and beat the outside edge, but play the next ball for the angle because not many will turn. As Gill did in the 62nd over, having faced 162 balls by then.2:11

Manjrekar: Second new ball will be the next big challenge for India

Rahul, who faced his first ball after Gill had already played one, went into stumps having negotiated 210, which was 33 more than Gill. At one point, he was so engrossed in just defending the ball and switching off that he forgot to run. Gill had to shout at him.Runs were immaterial and were scored only when the ball was really bad or when played instinctively. Or, at times, just to buy time, that wonderful concept. When you keep defending, defending, defending, even though time is moving too slowly, you are concentrating so hard you can feel hurried. So you hit a four, move your legs, knock gloves with the non-striker, switch off, and switch on again.The job is only 40% done. Day five will move at its objective pace again. It will feel too slow and too quick at times. There will be landmarks. Get yourself in, then new ball in 17 overs, then proper switch on, personal milestones perhaps. If you get close to erasing the deficit, you can sense time move faster because every run you score will also take time for England to score it back. For England, it will start rushing out of their hands if India get close to saving the match.Such Test innings are perhaps appreciated more by eccentrics, but there is every bit of the competitiveness that makes sport a spectacle. On a beautiful Saturday evening, as the shadows at Old Trafford lengthen, time is moving smoothly. It will find its own rhythms on Sunday morning: slowly for some, quickly for some others. It will, in actual fact, move only one second at a time.

Sheffield United have completed a free deal for Patrick Bamford following his departure from Leeds United earlier this season, with the striker signing a short-term contract until January 2026.

The Blades are desperately attempting to turn their season around following a miserable start which saw Chris Wilder return to replace Ruben Selles just three months after he left the club.

Now as low as 22nd and far from the promotion hopes that they had in mind, those at Bramall Lane suddenly find themselves in an early, unexpected relegation scrap which they’ll be looking to turn on its head after the international break.

Saturday’s 0-0 draw against Queens Park Rangers at least stopped the rot and handed the Blades their first clean sheet in four games, but they must find a way to turn a draw into all three points in a crucial clash against rivals Sheffield Wednesday on 23 November.

Speaking to reporters after the QPR stalemate, Wilder admitted his frustration afrer what he felt was a performance worthy of three points.

Goals were once again the problem for Sheffield United, but the arrival of Bamford could help put an end to their unexpected woes in the Championship.

Sheffield United sign Bamford

As reported by The Telegraph’s Mike McGrath, Sheffield United opened talks to sign Bamford just this week, and things have moved quickly as the Blades announced an agreement on Thursday morning.

The former Leeds forward has been a free agent since leaving Elland Road in August, but now seemingly has the chance to make a return to the Championship on a prove-it deal lasting just a few months.

If Wilder is looking for goals then getting the best out of Bamford will give him exactly that. The 32-year-old has stolen headlines in the Premier League at his best and has as many as 69 Championship goals to his name throughout his career.

Previously dubbed “fantastic” by Leeds boss Daniel Farke, Bamford has the perfect opportunity to get the latter stages of his career back on track by joining Sheffield United. And he could even get the perfect chance to impress on his debut in the derby if he proves his fitness in time to face Sheffield Wednesday.

Wilder set to make ruthless January decision as three Sheffield Utd players get the axe

Celtic have won both of their matches with Martin O’Neill as the interim manager, after Brendan Rodgers tendered his resignation at the start of last week.

Following a 4-0 win over Falkirk in the Scottish Premiership, the Hoops beat Rangers 3-1 at Hampden Park in the semi-final of the League Cup.

Kieran Tierney, as shown in the clip above, came off the bench to provide an excellent assist for Callum Osmand’s first goal for Celtic, and he is a player who the next manager should look to get more from.

Why Celtic's next manager needs to make Kieran Tierney a priority

The Scotland international, who re-joined the club on a free transfer from Arsenal in the summer, should be a priority for the next manager because of his potential to be an elite attacking force down the left.

Tierney has delivered two assists in 12 appearances in the Premiership and European competitions, but he has also delivered two assists in three League Cup outings, per Sofascore.

The left-footed defender provided a regular threat at the top end of the pitch as a creator during his first spell at the club after coming through the youth ranks, as shown in the graphic below.

It was recently reported that Celtic are considering an approach for Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna, who has a £5m release clause, and he could make Tierney completely unplayable at left-back.

Why Kieran McKenna would make Kieran Tierney unplayable

The 4-2-3-1 head coach could make the Hoops star completely unplayable because he has done an amazing job with Leif Davis during his time at Portman Road.

McKenna swooped to sign the English full-back from Leeds in 2021, after he managed one assist in 14 games for Bournemouth on loan, and has turned him into an assist machine.

The Northern Irish head coach, whose work with Ipswich was hailed as “incredible” by Jermaine Jenas, leans heavily on overlapping runs from his left-back to create chances by playing out from an opposition press to create overloads on the flank.

That is not limited to Davis’ individual quality, as shown in the clip above, as Conor Townsend proved to be effective in that tactic against Bournemouth in the Premier League.

McKenna’s way of using his left-back to create chances consistently has proven to be an effective tool, as he won promotion from League One and the Championship in successive seasons.

Leif Davis’ creative form under Kieran McKenna

Season

Appearances

Big chances created

Assists

25/26 (Championship)

13

3

1

24/25 (Premier League)

33

12

2

23/24 (Championship)

44

16

18

22/23 (League One)

45

12

14

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Davis has been unplayable for the majority of his Ipswich career under McKenna, with at least 12 ‘big chances’ created in all three of his full seasons at Portman Road, including in the Premier League last term.

These statistics show that the Ipswich manager’s tactics are effective and can allow an attack-minded left-back to truly thrive as a creative force at the top end of the pitch.

Given Tierney’s quality when he gets into advanced positions, as evidenced by his assist haul from his first spell, the Scottish defender could be unlocked under McKenna’s management.

The former Arsenal man, who has registered four assists in all competitions for the club this season, could become completely unplayable, just like Davis, because of his ability to provide overlapping runs and quality crosses.

Tierney, as shown in the clip above, has the quality to take players on to assist his teammates, so imagine how effective he could be in a side that is constantly looking to create space for him down the left.

Related Their own Klopp: Celtic can replace O'Neill with "kamikaze" 4-3-3 manager

Celtic could find their own version of Jurgen Klopp by hiring this reported managerial target.

Posts ByDan Emery Nov 5, 2025

The Scottish star could become completely unplayable for the Hoops, which is one reason why McKenna could be an exciting appointment for the club.

Juventus' team bus was pelted with rocks before entering the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona for a crucial Napoli clash in the Serie A on Sunday. Luciano Spaletti returned to his former club after a gap of two years as he entered Napoli's home as a rival manager. The Bianconeri took adequate safety measures to avoid hostilities but their vehicle was still attacked right before the game.

Spalletti returns to Napoli

Spalletti managed Napoli for two seasons from 2021 to 2023 and in his final season, the Italian coach guided the club to their first Serie A title in over three decades in the 2022-23 campaign. Right after guiding the club to a title win in the summer of 2023, the 66-year-old parted ways with the club.

After leaving Napoli, Spalletti managed the Italian national team for two years before returning to club this summer as he replaced Igor Tudor in October after Juventus's nightmare start to the 2025-26 campaign. The experienced coach returned to his old home for the first time in more than two years time on Sunday as the Bianconeri locked horns against the reigning Italian champions in a crucial Serie A clash. 

AdvertisementGetty ImagesSpalletti adopted unusual policy to avoid hostility

In his two years in Naples, Spalletti saw the local fans from close quarters and the manager very well knew how the Napoli fans would burst firecrackers near the visiting side's team hotel at night to spoil to opposition's sleep a day before the game.

To avoid such hostility from the home fans, Spalletti did not travel to Naples until the matchday and stayed at a hotel, which is close to Napoli boss Antonio Conte's residence. However, despite taking such shrewd measures, Spalletti could not avoid confrontation with the local fans as the team bus was pelted with stones, according to DAZN Italia. The incident happened on the way to the Stadio Maradona and some of the windows of bus were smashed, although no members of the visiting squad were harmed. 

Spalletti demands more effort from Juventus players

Spalletti is still not satisfied with the performance of his players, even after guiding the club to their first Champions League win of this season against Bodo/Glimt. After the European clash, the coach had said: "It would have been a shame to let it go in the second half. We struggled in every sense of the word because the team doesn't take responsibility, lacks courage, and takes a bit of heat from what's being said. It'll be hard on them; here too, there were attitude issues that hung in the balance. We need to grow and take a mental step. We need to find solutions, because the team has a bit of horsepower in its engine. 

"It was crucial to have the appearance of a team that plays openly, even if it struggles at times. They have great speed in tight spaces on this pitch, but in the first half we did our part, failing to capitalise on certain situations. It's an important victory that the players deserved. We dedicate it to ourselves and to those who came all the way here to see us."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

Getty ImagesJuventus succumb to yet another loss

Juventus suffered their third loss of the new season in Serie A as Rasmus Hojlund's brace helped Napoli reclaim the top position in the Serie A table. The Manchester United outcast opened the scoring in the seventh minute of the match before Kenan Yildiz scored the equaliser around the hour mark. Hojlund, though, ultimately stole the limelight as he scored the winner in the 78th minute and secured all three points for Conte's men.

The Italian champions will be back in action in midweek as they take on Jose Mourinho's Benfica in an important Champions League fixture away from home on Wednesday. 

Charlotte Edwards, England’s head coach, says that her team’s flawed World Cup campaign has made her all the more hungry to instigate the necessary changes, after stating it is “time to look to the future” following a crushing semi-final defeat to South Africa in Guwahati.Speaking to Sky Sports, just moments after England’s 125-run defeat, Edwards acknowledged the brilliance of South Africa’s matchwinners – Laura Wolvaardt, who was Player of the Match for her 169 from 143 balls, and Marizanne Kapp, whose five-wicket haul included a first-over double-wicket maiden to wreck England’s hopes of achieving a 320 target.However, having stated before the tournament that a semi-final berth was the bare minimum that should be expected of her squad, Edwards did not shy away from the underlying fragility of England’s campaign. Despite qualifying in second place with five wins out of seven in the group stages, their performances against Bangladesh and Pakistan had already exposed the weaknesses in their batting, before the tournament favourites Australia maintained the stranglehold of last winter’s Ashes whitewash with an emphatic six-wicket win in Indore.Edwards took over from her predecessor Jon Lewis back in April, but held back from wholesale changes to her squad for this winter, instead focusing on improvements within the existing set-up. These were arguably on display at times during the campaign just gone, not least in a gritty performance to beat the tournament hosts, and fellow semi-finalists, India by four runs in their group-stage clash in Indore.However, with the World Cup marking the end of this four-year ODI cycle, and with a home T20 World Cup looming next summer, Edwards accepts that it’s time to step up the squad’s overhaul, starting with a series of training camps from December to March, at which the next generation will be given a chance to prove its readiness.”I’m a winner,” Edwards said. “I don’t like losing. When I came into this role, I knew it wasn’t going to change overnight. I’ve seen some really positive things to come out of this trip. I think we’ve performed a little bit better under pressure, but certain moments we haven’t seized, and that’s going to be an ongoing thing.”Overall, we are making progress, and that’s the most important thing. But ultimately, you’re defined on your results. And today we’re going out of a World Cup in the semi-final stage, where we were all hopeful we could really make that final.””I knew it wasn’t going to be a quick fix. We’ve got some areas we need to work on, but that probably makes me more hungry now to go back home and work with these players over over the winter period.”A number of England’s players are due to head to Australia for next month’s WBBL. Thereafter, however, Edwards has earmarked a series of training camps, in Oman and South Africa, at which the players will be pitted against one another in an arrangement similar to the North versus South fixtures that Andrew Strauss, England’s former men’s director of cricket, began in 2018.Nat Sciver-Brunt after the defeat in the semi-final•ICC via Getty Images

“We’ve got a new cycle now of ODI cricket, haven’t we, but first and foremost it’s the T20 World Cup,” Edwards said. “There’ll be a group of players that will be training from December through til March. We’re going to spend time with these players and hopefully upskill them, and hopefully they can deal with these occasions better.”That’s exciting for me. As an international coach, it’s rare to get time with players to actually advance their games. We’ve got an opportunity this winter to hopefully do that with some of our younger players. and I’m looking forward to getting that underway in December.”Edwards namechecked the likes of Freya Kemp and Dani Gibson, who missed this tournament through injury, while other names who will come into consideration for future campaigns include the likes of Tilly Corteen-Coleman and Davina Perrin, the breakout star of this year’s Women’s Hundred.”We’ve targeted 13 to 15 players who we’re going to work really, really hard with,” she said. “[This tournament] was too early. The players that had got this far, we wanted to stick with them, but it’s exciting now. We’ve got a new group of players coming through. We’ll go home and reassess. We won’t make too many rash decisions, but we’ve got to look at the future now. And we’ve got some unbelievable talent coming through.”England’s defeat to South Africa was especially painful given that they had beaten the same opponents at the same venue in their tournament opener, after bowling them out for 69. This time, however, the match was played on a bouncier red-soil surface that was more conducive to the seamers, most notably Kapp with her match-sealing figures of 5 for 20.Asked whether there had been any temptation to tinker with the spin-heavy line-up that had brought them this far, Edwards replied: “Hindsight is a wonderful thing. We’ve stuck with that combination. It’s done us really well throughout the [competition].”England had seemed competitive, having reduced South Africa to 202 for 6 going into the final ten overs of their innings. But then Wolvaardt cut loose, adding 119 runs in partnership with Chloe Tryon, before Nadine de Klerk helped add the finishing touches.”At times, we just didn’t hit our straps today, certainly that back 10 really cost us,” Edwards said. “If we’d have kept them to 280, which probably was a par score, we may have been able to chase that down, but, yeah, it wasn’t to be.”It’s going to be a sad dressing-room,” she added. “I don’t think I’ll say too much tonight. I don’t think there’s anything you can say tonight that’s going to make things better. As we all know, life moves on very quickly. These girls will be off to Australia soon. But yeah, I’m hurting too.”

Tottenham Hotspur are adjusting to a more pragmatic tactical style under Thomas Frank. This has caused several contentious talking points to spring up over the past several months.

Yes, Spurs are imperfect, and improvements are needed. But they are also fifth in the Premier League after 11 matches, and have lost only three times.

Goals are being scored, albeit with underlying attacking metrics emphasising the work is needed in creative departments. But then, even this comes with the caveat that Tottenham have been without Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison, arguably the two most creative outlets at the club, since before the start of the season.

1. Chelsea

3rd

20.4

2. Crystal Palace

2nd

19.4

3. Man City

10th

19.0

4. Arsenal

1st

18.8

5. Man United

7th

18.2

15. Tottenham

5th

11.0

Yes, more is needed. And Frank will consider across the next two international-break-filled weeks his options across the park, and how he can water the roots of his philosophy while growing his Tottenham garden into something viewed as new and growing, rather than negative and Nuno-esque.

The changes Frank needs to make at Spurs

Tottenham showed spirit and resolve against Manchester United last weekend, and though Richarlison’s late strike was cancelled out at the death by Matthijs de Ligt’s header, the hosts did not crumble but responded after a wretched first half.

That’s a glass-half-full way of looking at it, sure, but Tottenham must take the positives – as Frank did.

However, the Danish tactician needs to iron out the many creases in this squad, and one sure-fire way to start that process is by forgoing the decision to field Djed Spence and Richarlison as a left-sided partnership. Width and dynamism are needed down the flanks, and the out-of-position Spence and technically limited Richarlison don’t work well together.

When Destiny Udogie and Wilson Odobert connected in the second half, things changed.

Likewise, there must be a wider shift in regard to mentality and confidence. Over the past year, Tottenham have played 20 home games and they have won only three. Much-improved away results and a tougher framework from head to toe have scrubbed away the bitter lower-table position of last year, but there remains a need for more positivity, more fluency and enterprise on the ball.

The forwards need to much do more, yes, but the midfielders have flattered to deceive from this perspective this season, and it’s time for Frank to consider parting with one player who lacks the nuance in his role to thrive and make the system tick.

Frank must drop struggling Spurs star

When Tottenham signed Rodrigo Bentancur from Juventus in January 2022, initially on loan and then for a fee just shy of £22m, they knew they had landed a talented and multi-faceted midfielder.

And yet he’s falling by the wayside in Frank’s system. The 28-year-old hasn’t fallen, not yet, but his performances are becoming a concern, with analyst Raj Chohan even describing him as a “candidate for worst centre-midfielder at a big six club”.

The conundrum here is two-fold: Bentancur has just signed a new contract at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, raising his salary considerably to around £120k per week.

But the other angle here is that the Uruguayan just doesn’t work alongside Joao Palhinha, a player who has been regarded by many as one of the best Lilywhites players so far this season, having arrived on a loan deal from Bayern Munich in the summer.

So, if Palhinha has to play, his tough-tackling, protective presence in the middle, Frank must start playing a deep-lying midfielder beside him who can drive play forward with surgical passes. Instead, two pragmatic midfielders have been yoked together in a midfield lacking creativity under a manager who is facing criticisms for a pragmatic style of play.

It is not that difficult to identify the potential problem here, especially when bringing Xavi Simons into the equation, the playmaker yet to adapt to the rigours of the English game, and then addressing again the duel absence of Kulusevski and Maddison.

25/26

10

659′

24/25

26

1,653′

23/24

23

1,007′

22/23

18

1,506′

21/22

17

1,365′

As per data-led platform FBref, Bentancur actually ranks among the bottom 39% of Premier League midfielders this term for progressive passes per 90, underscoring the issues presented in the build-up. Palhinha, unsurprisingly, does not rank highly himself (bottom 11%).

The decision to start Bentancur from the bench against Man United – ending the South American’s run of six successive Premier League starts – tells of Frank’s awareness about all this, but then Pape Matar Sarr wasn’t at his best on that day in any case, albeit growing into the game after a shaky start, his energy and optimism a nice counterpoint to Palhinha’s ruggedness.

Much to chew on. Lucas Bergvall has the progressiveness to forge a protean partnership with Palhinha in the centre, but the teenager has not yet nailed down a prominent role under Frank.

Bentancur might have signed a new contract recently, but that does not mean he is unsellable. Conversely, this could provide an insight into a longer-term plan; this summer, Atletico Madrid were among those interested in an experienced midfielder whose stock has now risen from a financial vantage.

If Tottenham are to persist with the anchoring presence that is Palhinha, it might not be a bad thing to ship Bentancur and his limitations out. When the injured parties return, the picture will become a whole lot clearer, and Bentancur may well be absent from the view.

Spurs flop who's been "swallowed in the PL" must be dropped for Odobert

Thomas Frank can unleash Wilson Odobert by ruthlessly dropping this Spurs flop.

2 ByDan Emery Nov 10, 2025

Chelsea got back to winning ways on the weekend.

Enzo Maresca’s side took on Tottenham Hotspur away from home, and as they tend to do in this fixture, left with all three points.

From front to back, the Blues looked back to their best, and more importantly, Joao Pedro got back on the scoresheet.

The Brazilian has the quality to be a hugely important player for Chelsea, and one of the club’s most exciting youngsters could help him one day reach Cole Palmer’s numbers, and no, it’s not Estevao.

Pedro's future at Chelsea

When Chelsea completed the £60m signing of Pedro from Brighton & Hove Albion, there was plenty of understandable excitement, as sections of the fan base assumed the club had their new long-term number nine.

Chalkboard

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

This idea was further reinforced during the pre-season, as Maresca started him up top for three consecutive games during the Club World Cup, during which he scored three goals.

However, things quickly changed once the season began, as following the first game against Crystal Palace, the manager played the 24-year-old as a second striker for two consecutive Premier League games, in which he scored two goals and provided two assists.

Unfortunately, following Liam Delap’s hamstring injury, the former Brighton star was once again forced to lead the line.

So far, in the seven league games he has started there, he has scored just once and provided one assist.

In short, it has become abundantly clear that while hugely talented, the former Watford star is at his very best either as a second striker or a slightly more aggressive ten.

Now, for those fans who watched him on the south coast, this shouldn’t have come as much of a surprise, as while he did make 16 appearances up top last season, he also made 12 between second striker, attacking midfield and left-wing.

Centre-Forward

16

Second Striker

8

Left Winger

2

Attacking Midfield

2

So, if Maresca wants to get the most out of Pedro, he’ll have to start him behind another striker, and fortunately, someone who might help him reach Palmer-levels is joining Chelsea for next season.

The player who could help Pedro reach Palmer-levels

Now, while someone like Estevao could help Pedro up his output in the coming seasons, the 18-year-old is undoubtedly at his best out wide.

Therefore, what the former Brighton ace needs is another prolific forward to come in and start ahead of him, someone who will help not only boost his assist numbers, but also his own goal tally.

Fortunately, Chelsea might have just the young talent to do just that, joining in the summer: Dastan Satpayev.

The Khazak phenom is set to join the Blues at the end of this season, and while he’s still young and therefore a long way from the finished product, he looks like a superstar in the making.

With that said, why could he help Pedro put up Palmer-level numbers, though?

Well, simply put, while he can play in several positions, he is primarily a centre-forward, and a seriously exciting one at that.

For example, despite still being just 17 years old, the “future Ballon d’Or winner,” as dubbed by one analyst, scored 16 goals and provided eight assists in 33 appearances, totalling 2409 minutes last season.

That works out to an incredible average of a goal involvement every 1.37 games, or every 100.37 minutes.

Just imagine a forward as dangerous as that competing for a place with Delap ahead of a Pedro who has had a year to get used to life at Stamford Bridge.

Ultimately, it’s still early in his career, but if Satpayev is even half the player many believe him to be, then he could certainly help the former Brighton man reach the creative and goalscoring levels of Palmer in the near future.

Maresca must drop Chelsea star who had fewer touches than Sanchez vs Spurs

Chelsea just about got over the line on Saturday evening as slim 1-0 victors at London rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

ByKelan Sarson Nov 2, 2025

Manchester City are now willing to make a £70m January bid for an “absolutely incredible” Real Madrid star, with Pep Guardiola personally a fan.

Man City looking to boost title push by signing new forward

Man City have bounced back from their 2-1 loss at Newcastle United by winning their last two Premier League games on the spin, but they haven’t made easy work of it, scraping past Leeds United 3-2 courtesy of a late Phil Foden winner.

City then travelled to Craven Cottage to take on Fulham and raced into a 5-1 lead, but they only just managed to get over the line, with the hosts fighting back to 5-4, which will be a worrying sign for Guardiola.

Conceding six goals in the last two matches, against two of the weaker sides in the Premier League, suggests the Blues could do with strengthening their defence in January, and a new right-back is of interest, with Newcastle’s Tino Livramento being identified as a target.

However, Guardiola is also eager to upgrade his attacking options, with a report from Spain revealing Real Madrid star Rodrygo is one of the Man City manager’s top targets for the January transfer window.

City are determined to make a move for the Brazilian, with it being revealed they are willing to make a €80m (£70m) offer for his services, and Guardiola believes the forward would be a perfect fit in his system.

The 24-year-old’s agents have been working to secure their client a move away from the Spanish club this winter, offering him to a number of top Premier League clubs, but the Blues are making the most decisive moves to get a deal done.

"Absolutely incredible" Rodrygo may need fresh start

The Brazil international has been a fantastic servant to Real Madrid, with journalist Bence Bocsak praising him for the impact he’s made in the Champions League.

However, the former Santos man, who is regarded as one of the best wingers in the world, may be in need of a fresh start, given that he has now gone 31 games without a goal for the La Liga side, which is the worst streak ever for a Real Madrid attacker.

That’s not to say the Osasco-born forward wouldn’t make an impact at the Etihad Stadium, however, as he has previously shown a keen eye for goal, chipping in with 68 goals and 53 assists in 286 matches for the Spanish side.

Man City now favourites to sign "incredible" £88m star, Pep's captivated by him

City have taken the lead in the race for a Premier League star, with Pep Guardiola a big fan.

ByDominic Lund Dec 2, 2025

£70m would be a huge fee to pay for a player in such poor form though, and Man City should test the waters with a lower offer to begin with.

Newcastle United dropped more points in the Premier League on Tuesday night, drawing 2-2 at home to Tottenham Hotspur in a chaotic game.

Eddie Howe’s side were the dominant team at St. James’ Park, but could not prevent Spurs’ only two shots on target from going in the back of the net.

After a goalless first half, it took until the 71st minute for the deadlock to be broken. It was Magpies midfielder Bruno Guimaraes who opened the scoring. He strolled onto Nick Woltemade’s layoff and fired home to give his side the lead, after good play by Anthony Gordon.

Just six minutes later, Spurs had their equaliser. Cristian Romero got in front of Dan Burn to score a clever diving header at the near post.

However, it did not take long for the home side to get back in front. They won a contentious penalty, which Gordon emphatically scored, his first Premier League strike since January.

Just as it looked like the Magpies might hold on, Spurs equalised, five minutes into added time. It was their captain, Romero, again, whose acrobatic overhead kick somehow found its way through a mass of Newcastle shirts and into the back of the net.

It was a disappointing result for the Magpies in a game they dominated. Indeed, their attack left a little to be desired.

Newcastle’s misfiring attack vs. Spurs

After scoring four goals at the Hill Dickinson Stadium against Everton last weekend, the Magpies might have expected to continue that sort of form.

However, they could only turn their 19 shots, and seven on target, into two goals, which proved to be too few.

One man who struggled to get into the game was Woltemade.

Although he grabbed the assist for Guimaraes’ goal, a neat lay-off into the Brazilian’s path, it was a tough night against the physicality of Romero and Mickey van de Ven.

The summer signing only had 36 touches of the ball and lost possession 12 times, as per Sofascore. He could only muster two shots and was often left fairly isolated against the Spurs centre-backs.

Another attacker who struggled for the Magpies was Jacob Murphy. The winger was unusually sloppy in the final third, completing just three out of ten attempted crosses.

Jordan Cronin, journalist for Newcastle World, said he ‘lacked conviction and concentration’ during the game.

However, it was not just Woltemade and Murphy who struggled against the Lilywhites.

Newcastle’s most disappointing player vs. Spurs

For all their domination, the Magpies struggled to get a real grip on the game. Indeed, Joelinton was another player who looked off the pace and did not have the sort of impact going forward that Howe might have wanted from him.

It was notable just how poorly the Brazilian performed on Tuesday night. Cronin was one of the people who criticised him, giving him a 5/10 for his efforts and explaining that he ‘needlessly gave the ball away’ too many times.

His fellow journalist, Charlie Bennett, also noted that Joelinton was “very sloppy” on the ball. The stats back that theory up, with Newcastle’s number seven losing the ball 11 times out of 49 touches, and having a pass accuracy of just 83%.

Touches

49

Pass accuracy

83%

Possession lost

11

Ground duels won

3/10

Number of times dribbled past

3

Key passes

1

It feels like Howe has an interesting selection call to make ahead of Newcastle’s next game, at home against Burnley on Saturday afternoon.

It is a game you can expect the Magpies to dominate, so perhaps their manager will want midfielders who look after the ball better.

Chalkboard

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

There are options, too. It seems almost certain that Guimaraes will slot back into the side after he only played 45 minutes on Tuesday, replacing Sandro Tonali.

Lewis Miley would deserve to keep his place in the starting lineup, and Jacob Ramsey is another player who could come into the fold.

Joelinton’s poor showing against Spurs may well have cost him his place in the side. Howe has other players at his disposal, all of whom may offer him extra quality on the ball.

It would certainly not be a surprise if Joelinton was rotated out of the side against the Clarets.

Fewer passes than Ramsdale: Howe must drop 6/10 Newcastle star after Spurs

Newcastle United were denied another Premier League win by Tottenham Hotspur last night.

ByEthan Lamb Dec 3, 2025

New South Wales collapsed from 123 for 2 in the chase with Benji Floros taking four wickets and Labuschagne a pair

AAP03-Nov-2025Marnus Labuschagne made it five centuries in eight innings for Queensland to start the summer, after helping them to a 96-run One-Day Cup win over New South Wales.Labuschagne hit 101 from 111 balls at Sydney’s Cricket Central on Monday, leading Queensland to 287 for 9 before NSW were all out for 191 in reply.All but certain to return to Australia’s Test team for the Ashes this month, Labuschagne will enter the series as the form batter in the country. Axed from Australia’s side midway through the year, Labuschagne is back playing with the same intent that made him the world’s best batter as recently as 2023.The 31-year-old is clipping the ball off his toes again with precision, driving well, and on Monday swept legspinner Tanveer Sangha for three fours. He also hit Sangha over long-off for a big six, on a day when the spinner was otherwise NSW’s best with 3 for 64 having been released for Australia’s T20I squad for the match.Labuschagne’s near-chanceless century marked his third this season in the one-day format, where he is currently outside of Australia’s first-choice XI.He has also hit two centuries in the Sheffield Shield for Queensland, with all of the hundreds coming batting at No. 3. But it is expected he will be asked to open in the first Test against England in Perth, in a move that will allow allrounders Cameron Green and Beau Webster to both fit in the team.In reply, NSW were never really in the chase on Monday, but Sam Konstas did hit a measured 47 before being caught behind when he gloved a hook shot off Benji Floros.Floros had Jack Edwards caught behind next ball in similar fashion, before finishing with 4 for 22 in his best outing for Queensland.Labuschagne also claimed two wickets with his medium pace, with Chris Green skying an attempted pull shot, before Sangha fell lbw.