Tag Futebol

The captain and chief selector have indicated there is plenty to play for over the next few weeks

Andrew McGlashan26-Jun-2021Josh PhilippePhilippe, who has been one of the standout players in the BBL over the last two seasons, made his debut on the tour of New Zealand earlier this year. He twice got himself set with promising scores in the 40s – both coming at impressive strike rates too, as he batted at No. 3 – and in the absence of David Warner and Steven Smith for this tour, it seems likely he will get further chances at the top of the order. He did not keep wicket in that series, that role went to Matthew Wade, but if all ten T20Is take place, there could be a chance to see him there. With the logjam for top-order spots, though, he still faces being squeezed out of the final World Cup squad, but with uncertainty over Smith’s elbow, a strong few weeks would come at a good time.Dan ChristianIt would be a terrific story if Christian makes the World Cup. And it now feels like he has a solid chance despite being a last-minute addition to this tour. The area Australia have most struggled to nail down is the middle-order batting positions and national selector Trevor Hohns, captain Aaron Finch and his BBL coach Greg Shipperd have lauded his ability to close innings. Christian was given the option as to whether he wanted to give up his Nottinghamshire T20 deal and go through two weeks’ quarantine ahead of this trip but said it was never in question.Related

Australia's World Cup conundrum: the search for a T20 finisher

'Fearless' Christian ideally suited to Australia's T20 World Cup needs

Opportunity knocks for late World Cup bid amid mass tour absences

Finch refocuses on T20 World Cup build-up despite tour disruptions

Riley MeredithLike Philippe, Meredith got his first chance in New Zealand where he caught the eye with his pace and twice pinned Kane Williamson lbw. He is likely already in the frame for the World Cup but fast bowling is an area Australia are well-served in. However, in the absence of Pat Cummins, Kane Richardson and Jhye Richardson, you would imagine Meredith will have a decent amount of game time to further his case. While Cummins is a certain starter at the World Cup, Meredith has the opportunity to push the two Richardsons given their decision to opt out of the trip.Mitchell SwepsonSwepson was one of the standout bowlers of the last Australian season with white and red ball. He returned to the national side in the T20Is against India where he claimed five wickets in three matches, but was then a victim of bubble life as he spent weeks as a travelling back-up in the Test group. When finally able to play again, he finished the BBL strongly with the Brisbane Heat – forming a legspin pair with Marnus Labuschagne – and then was picked in the Test squad to tour South Africa ahead of the T20I series in New Zealand. However, even if the South Africa trip had gone ahead, he would have been ruled out with a stress fracture in his neck. Now he has the chance to push his white-ball claims again having moved back above Tanveer Sangha in the pecking order. With enlarged squads a possibility for the World Cup, there could be room for three specialist spinners.Josh HazlewoodWhen Hazlewood faced India in Canberra last year, it was just his ninth T20I in more than seven years since making his debut. It’s a format he has never quite found a home in – the metronomic line and length that is such an asset in Tests and one-day cricket perhaps perceived as a weakness (along with Australia’s desire to manage their fast bowlers). He could get a few more chances on this tour to show what he can bring to the T20 side and make a case for inclusion in the World Cup party. But, while T20s are the main focus over the next few weeks, there are also three ODIs in the West Indies with important World Cup qualifying points on offer.

Chelsea are probing the market for potential reinforcements and may find themselves in luck as they plot to reinforce their full-back options.

Admittedly, Enzo Maresca and his men are still finding their feet in the Premier League this term, and it remains to be seen whether they can sustain their recent form. Still, being third in the top-flight while fans await the conclusion of the international break is not to be sniffed at.

Integrating young stars and mixing them with a blend of experienced players who have been over the course seems to be working at Stamford Bridge. Either way, they look to have already secured the next talent to join their conveyor belt of future first-team prospects.

Fabrizio Romano has provided an intriguing update despite the transfer window being closed, claiming that the Londoners have reached an agreement to sign Deinner Ordóñez from Independiente del Valle on a deal that will start in January 2028.

Maintaining an excellent relationship with Moises Caicedo’s former club, Chelsea’s method of locking down future stars on long-term contracts is something that is beginning to translate into consistency on the pitch, and there will be plenty more to come once the January window opens.

Making their presence known, the Club World Cup holders could hijack Lyon’s move for Real Madrid forward Endrick, and a loan deal with an option to buy could be an ideal solution for all parties.

Building for the challenges that lie ahead will be at the forefront of Maresca’s mind in the capital, and he may have stumbled across a transfer bargain that is simply too good to pass up.

Chelsea look to potential cut-price Daniel Munoz deal

According to Mark Brus in his Daily Briefing via CaughtOffside, Chelsea have made contact with the intermediaries of Crystal Palace defender Daniel Munoz and could look to size up a cut-price deal worth in the region of £26.4 million.

Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain are also keeping close attention to his situation in South London after an excellent run of form that has seen him produce two goals and two assists in 19 matches this season.

Awareness of Reece James’s injury record has prompted Stamford Bridge chiefs to consider a bid for Munoz, who has been labelled an “animal” by Michel Ribeiro, something that may come as soon as January as they look to build momentum ahead of a possible challenge for the Premier League title.

The Colombia international is currently Palace’s second-best performer in the top flight behind Marc Guehi, who’s also been linked with a return to Chelsea in 2026, with the Blues potentially on for a Selhurst Park raid next year.

Undoubtedly, the Blues’ rivals will use the mid-season window to tool up ahead of an exciting climax to the season, and Chelsea look to be following the same trend and may strike if circumstances align.

Chelsea are also pushing to sign a Real Madrid attacking force

Speculation about surprise comeback had been rife, but ultimately Australia opted for discretion

Andrew McGlashan04-Dec-2025

Pat Cummins became a genuine option for a recall in Brisbane over the past week as he surprised everyone with the speed of his recovery. However, Australia’s selectors ultimately decided there was too much risk attached in playing a bowler whose overs would still need to be managed, but are very confident in him being ready for Adelaide.Chair of selectors George Bailey said his panel had not been “playing silly buggers” in leaving Cummins out of the squad but refusing to officially rule him out of contention in the lead-up to the second Test. However, he did admit a hug between Cummins and Andrew McDonald during a pitch inspection on Wednesday had been “for laughs”.Bailey said that there had been no expectation of Cummins being available when the group was selected but it became a realistic prospect as he ramped up his training in Brisbane, which included two spells on Monday and his first bowls on back-to-back days.”We weren’t playing silly buggers with him not being in the squad and in the mix. But I think once we got up here, saw his training, got as much of the background medical information as well, it became a live possibility,” he said. “Then it was just working through the permutations of what would that look like in terms of the amount of overs, what would it look like going forward from that as well.Related

Lyon 'absolutely filthy' after being left out of consecutive pink-ball Tests

Rip me up and start again: cricket's most thrilling art is also the most self-destructive

Wood set to miss second Test after long road back from injury

The world where Lyon doesn't play at the Gabba

“I don’t think we thought he was going to be as close, it really changed through the week. Then risk tolerance became the conversation around what could he take on. Yes, he could have played. There would have been some restrictions around the overs and then obviously just the permutations [around that].”There was also consideration into what bringing Cummins back for this Test could mean going forward, and the added pressure it could leave on the rest of the attack. “Being in a really controlled environment [in] the nets where you can be really structured around the breaks and how you want it, then it’s just that risk of maybe going into a game,” Bailey said. “There’s some things you can control and probably some things that do get taken out of your control.”Meanwhile, Bailey said that the selectors had not got to the stage of debating whether Usman Khawaja would retain his place for the Gabba because he had never been passed fit to play. Khawaja batted on Tuesday before being ruled out of the Test the following day, having not recovered from the back spasms he suffered in Perth. He returned to the nets on Thursday. Travis Head, who made 123 in Australia’s chase in the opening match, will continue in the opening role during the second Test.”He hadn’t got his back back to baseline,” Bailey said. “And if you’re not back to the starting point then it’s obviously a heightened risk. There’s obviously your own performance, but when you’re injured and you feel like you’ve let the team down, I think that was something he was just conscious of; if it happened again, it would be an awful feeling. So sitting this one out buys time.”For now, Head is not being locked in at the top beyond this Test, and there has even been discussion of having in-match flexibility to batting orders.”We’ve gone into this series so far very much with a Test-by-Test focus,” Bailey said. “I imagine we’ll get another look at it here and see what that looks like and see that combination. We can cross that bridge [and] make that decision as and when we need to make that decision, but it’s an interesting one. What’s the threshold now for it to be a specialist opener, what’s that look like?”

يستعد ليفربول لمواجهة سندرلاند مساء اليوم على ملعب أنفيلد ضمن منافسات الجولة الرابعة عشر من الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وقد أجرى آرني سلوت بعض التغييرات على تشكيل ليفربول في مباراة اليوم، وسيبدأ النجم المصري محمد صلاح من مقاعد البدلاء.

ويرغب ليفربول في مواصلة انتصاراته بعد تحقيق الفوز في المباراة الماضية أمام وست هام يونايتد، وقد تكون هناك فرصة أمام النجم المصري محمد صلاح للمشاركة في الشوط الثاني.

ووفقاً لـ “Rousing the kop” فإن محمد صلاح يسعى لتغيير ما يمر به هذا الموسم مع ليفربول، حيث لم يسجل النجم المصري سوى أربعة أهداف فقط في البريميرليج.

اقرأ أيضاً.. ألارديس ينتقد كاراجر بسبب محمد صلاح: مثير للشفقة.. ويريد البقاء في دائرة الضوء

وسيرغب محمد صلاح في حال مشاركته أمام سندرلاند أن يسجل، حيث يعد هذا الفريق واحدًا من أربعة فرق فقط لم يسجل في مرماها خلال مسيرته في الدوري الإنجليزي.

أما عن الثلاث فرق الأخرى التي لم يسجل في شباكها النجم المصري محمد صلاح، هي سوانزي سيتي ولوتون تاون، وليفربول خلال فترة لعبه مع تشيلسي.

ولم يلعب محمد صلاح أمام سندرلاند سوى مرة واحدة في مسيرته، وجاءت هذه المباراة على ملعب ستامفورد بريدج خلال فترة لعبه مع تشيلسي في موسم 2013-2014 وخسرها الفريق بهدفين لهدف واحد وقد لعب 66 دقيقة في هذه المباراة.

He will perform the role that Zaheer Khan did with LSG in IPL 2025

Nagraj Gollapudi03-Nov-2025Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have appointed former Australia allrounder Tom Moody as their global director of cricket, which will put him in charge of LSG in the IPL, Durban’s Super Giants in SA20, and their Manchester-based franchise in the Hundred. He will join hands with former Western Australia and Australia team-mate Justin Langer, who remains head coach, and Kane Williamson, who was recently appointed the strategic advisor.Moody, who turned 60 in October, is among the most acclaimed coaches in the game, having been in charge of international and franchise teams for over two decades. Earlier this summer in England, as head coach, Moody oversaw Oval Invincibles’ run to the Hundred title for the third successive year. He had also held a similar position at Desert Vipers in the ILT20 and had a successful stint with the franchise finishing runners-up in 2023 and 2025.It is understood that both Surrey and Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), the owners of Mumbai Indians who bought a 49% stake in the Invincibles earlier this year, were keen to retain Moody. However, it is understood Moody opted to take the LSG offer as it gave him a larger role.LSG, owned by RP Sanjiv Goenka Group (RPSG), made Moody’s appointment official via social media on Tuesday. They haven’t yet confirmed the length of his contract.

From strategy to success, the journey begins

Here’s to new beginnings, Tom Moody! pic.twitter.com/NZElJO4AbO

— Lucknow Super Giants (@LucknowIPL) November 4, 2025

This season is shaping up to be one of Arsenal’s best in a very, very long time.

Now, there is still a lot of football to be played, but going into the third international break of the campaign, Mikel Arteta has his side top of the Premier League and with four wins from four in the Champions League.

What makes it all the more impressive is the fact that, aside from the defence, there is a real sense that the team aren’t even operating at their best.

Moreover, the club have a significant number of injured players set to return in the coming weeks, which will massively bolster the squad, although it might also make it clear that a certain player appreciated by Thierry Henry needs to be moved on.

Arsenal's injury crisis

Now, Arsenal supporters will be the first to admit that the team just weren’t good enough to win the league last season.

First Impressions

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

However, a significant reason why the side was lacklustre on the domestic front was the absurd number of injuries Arteta has to deal with.

Understandably, the club sought to avoid a similar situation this year by signing eight first-team quality players in the summer, rather than spending record sums on individual players.

Kepa Arrizabalaga

Chelsea

Eberechi Eze

Palace

Viktor Gyokeres

Sporting

Piero Hincapie

Leverkusen

Noni Madueke

Chelsea

Cristhian Mosquera

Valencia

Christian Norgaard

Brentford

Martin Zubimendi

Sociedad

It’s an approach that has already paid off multiple times this season, as even though it hasn’t been discussed as much, the squad has once again dealt with a barrage of injuries this season.

Noni Madueke was able to cover for Bukayo Saka; Cristhian Mosquera covered for Gabriel Mahgaelese; Eberechi Eze stood in for Martin Odegaard, and Viktor Gyokeres was thrown into the deep end in place of the injured Kai Havertz.

However, the dam can only hold out for so long, and over the last few weeks, the injury list has grown too significant, with Mikel Merino once again starting up top for two matches in a row.

In all, Arsenal were without six first-team players for the draw against Sunderland, and all six of them were attacking players, which helps explain why the bench looked so short on options and why the manager brought on only Mosquera.

The good news is that most of them will be back in contention after the international break, and all should be available to play by the new year.

However, that means the squad could become quite bloated in attack, and so it might be time to sell someone Henry was once very complimentary about.

The Arsenal star who should be sold

With Gyokeres and Madueke being summer signings and Havertz clearly a firm favourite of Arteta, it feels like, of all the injured players, it’s £45m man, Gabriel Jesus, who should be moved on.

Now, that is no indictment of the player himself, as at his best, the former Manchester City star was almost unplayable and capable of things that no other Arsenal attacker could even think of doing.

That’s not hyperbole either, as following a particularly impressive showing against Seville, the legendary Henry said he “would have loved to play with him” due to his close control and ability to create for others.

However, that was over two years ago, and it’s been over three years since he was at his utterly incredible best.

Since then, there have been flashes of that sensational ability, but every time he seems to build up any steam, he goes down with another injury.

Since the start of his Arsenal career in the 22/23 season, the Brazilian international has been injured seven times, which has seen him spend a grand total of 559 days on the sidelines and miss 90 games for club and country.

It doesn’t really matter how talented a player is; if they are that unreliable, then they are not an asset to a club.

24/25

370 days

56

23/24

89 days

17

22/23

100 days

17

20/21

60 days

14

19/20

34 days

5

18/19

26 days

6

17/18

76 days

13

16/17

68 days

15

Moreover, it’s not like the 28-year-old is on a modest wage; he’s currently earning a whopping £265k-per-week, which makes him the second-highest earner at the club.

Ultimately, Jesus is undeniably an excellent footballer, but he’s just never available when the club need him and considering he has such an enormous wage, it might be time to sell him in the winter, or at the end of the season.

Arsenal ready bid to sign £71m Trossard upgrade who's like an "early Henry"

Andrea Berta could end Trossard’s Arsenal career with this big £71m move.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 12, 2025

Finn Allen and Glenn Phillips will also miss the T20I series against Australia while captain Mitchell Santner faces a fitness race

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Aug-2025New Zealand fast bowler Will O’Rourke faces at least three months on the sidelines after being diagnosed with a stress fracture in his lower back. Finn Allen also faces a lengthy spell out while Glenn Phillips will miss the T20Is against Australia and captain Mitchell Santner is doubtful.O’Rourke, who reported back stiffness on the third day of the opening Test against Zimbabwe, will miss the white-ball series against Australia, England and West Indies at a minimum and could also be a doubt for the three Tests against West Indies which follow in December. He will undergo a three-month strength and conditioning block before a firmer timeline is put in place for a return with coach Rob Walter hopeful it won’t develop into an injury that needs surgery.”We’re really feeling for Will at the moment and wishing him speedy recovery,” Walter said in an NZC release. “He’s had such an impressive start to his career and so naturally it is disappointing when an injury like this comes along, but he’s a resilient guy and determined to put the work in and come back stronger.”Related

Santner ruled out of NZ's T20I series against Australia; Jamieson, Sears return

Super Mariu stops by for lessons in Chennai on journey to great things

Dale Phillips learns to stop worrying and start living as a 'player of interest'

Kelly and Carter to lead young New Zealand A squad in SA

“We’re very hopeful for that [three month time frame]. Stress fractures are obviously almost part and parcel of the craft, really, but never nice when it does happen. At this stage, we will reassess after that three month mark, hopefully the healing process has gone really well and we can get into that return to play.”Allrounder Phillips, who was ruled out of the recent Zimbabwe tour with a groin injury, will miss the matches against Australia which take place on October 1, 3 and 4 in Mount Maunganui. Meanwhile, Allen has had surgery on a stress fracture in his right foot which will require three months recovery.However, Santner will be given every chance to feature against Australia after returning from the Hundred with groin pain which will require abdominal surgery.”Mitch is a world class player and a crucial part of our T20 side from a skills and leadership point of view,” Walter said. “With that in mind we expect to name him in our squad when we announce it in a couple of weeks’ time, and from there we can assess how his rest and rehabilitation progresses following surgery, before making a call on the eve of the series.”It’s disappointing to lose the services of Glenn and Finn who have played important batting roles in our T20 set up in recent times. Like in Zimbabwe, their unavailability will present opportunities for others to put their hands up in what’s going to be a hugely exciting and important series against Australia.”Fast bowler Ben Sears has recovered from the side strain that kept him out of the Zimbabwe tour and is expected to be available to face Australia.