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The Blue Jays host the Dodgers in Game 1 of the World Series on Friday night, with a shot at taking down the reigning champions and winning their first title since 1993.

While this year’s Blue Jays have had their fair share of “team of destiny” moments already in the postseason, the challenge of the Dodgers is simply on a different level. Los Angeles sports a lineup that can go bat-for-bat with Toronto, and a pitching staff the likes of which the Jays have not yet faced in the postseason.

Taking the mound for the Dodgers in Game 1 is two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell, who so far this postseason has pitched 21 innings and given up just six hits and two runs while striking out 28. Will the Blue Jays be able to break through against Snell? Or will the lefty continue his dominant run with another great start on the road?

Below we take a look at how some of Toronto’s best bats match up against Snell.

All stats come with the help of StatHead.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is in the midst of one of the greatest postseason runs we have ever seen from a hitter, and looking worth every dollar of the $500 million contract extension he signed back in April. Vladdy is slashing an absolutely absurd .442/.510/.930 so far this postseason, with six home runs, 11 runs scored and 12 RBIs. He has struck out just three times.

The Blue Jays will need Guerrero to keep up his hot streak if they are going to take the title, but the slugger will have his work cut out for him against Snell on Friday night. Guerrero is just 2-for-9 in his career against Snell, with three walks and no strikeouts. He has not produced a hit against Snell since the 2020 season.

Obviously we are working with small sample sizes here, and it’s possible that Guerrero’s current hot streak is more indicative than any stats on previous plate appearances vs. Snell could be, but it’s worth noting that Toronto’s best hitter will be facing his toughest competition yet on the mound.

George Springer

He replaced Edward Moore for Western Province in South Africa’s first-class competition

Firdose Moonda04-Oct-2025Western Province opening batter Joshua van Heerden has become the first like-for-like injury replacement under a new trial for substitutes in cricket. Van Heerden replaced Edward Moore in a provincial four-day game against Lions at Newlands in the second round of the CSA’s first-class competition. Moore suffered a tear to his left adductor (inner thigh muscle) while fielding on the second day.The trial, which is also being conducted in Australia’s Sheffield Shield and India’s Duleep Trophy and Ranji Trophy, is part of an ICC initiative seeking a solution for teams that lose players to serious injury during a match.Like Australia, South Africa will consider both internal and external injuries (India are only looking at external injuries for now) and have a strict protocol for determining when a player can be replaced. If the injury is internal, such as a muscle tear, which was the case with Moore, the player is required to go for an Ultrasound and/or an MRI scan. The report is then sent to CSA’s chief medical officer Dr Hashendra Ramjee and CSA’s cricket operations manager Obakeng Sepeng who study the results and determine if the injury is serious enough to allow for replacement. They then contact the match referee to confirm the decision. If the injury is external, such as a visible dislocation or broken bone, the match referee can make the decision on a substitute in consultation with Dr Ramjee and Sepeng.Related

• BCCI introduces 'serious injury replacement substitute' rule

• CA to trial injury subs with tactical twist in Sheffield Shield

The injured player can only be replaced provided he has been ruled out of the match in its entirety. He will then be required to satisfy a “stand-down period of seven days”, as stated in CSA’s updated playing conditions before returning to play. In Australia’s case, substitutions are only allowed until stumps on the second day and the injured player is mandated a 12-day non-playing period. Like Australia and India, South Africa are only trialling the system in multi-day cricket for now.The differences in protocol stem from the ways in which different countries want to trial the system. They will all report back to the ICC, which could then come up with regulations for like-for-like substitutions in the international game. Currently, substitutions in international cricket are only allowed for concussion.

Tottenham Hotspur’s preferred price to sign AFC Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo has been revealed, with manager Thomas Frank a big fan.

Despite both Mathys Tel and Richarlison getting on the scoresheet against Manchester United in Tottenham’s final match before the international break, journalist Henry Winter has made it clear he believes Frank needs to sign a new centre-forward.

Richarlison is Spurs’ top scorer in the Premier League this term, having netted four goals, but the Brazilian has been inconsistent throughout his time in north London, as pointed out by Ben Foster, who questioned his work ethic earlier this season.

Foster said: “He’s a very, very good player. He’s a Brazilian international, for God’s sake. He’s a world-class player, right? But I just think sometimes he goes, ‘Right, I’ve probably done enough for a little while now. Now I’ll settle down.”

With Jamie O’Hara also singling Tel out for criticism earlier in the campaign, Frank may be keen to bring in a more consistent goalscorer in the near future, and the north Londoners are very much in the race for a Premier League star.

Tottenham's preferred price to sign Bournemouth star Semenyo

According to a report from Spain, Tottenham are one of four Premier League clubs willing to pay €60m (£53m) for Bournemouth star Semenyo, in light of the impressive start the forward has made to the season.

Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool are also willing to spend big to get a deal for the Ghanaian over the line, but the Cherries should be in a strong position to demand a big fee, considering he is contracted until 2030.

Spurs have requested updates on the 25-year-old’s performances, deciding to target him because they are keen to bring in an elite-level forward who is capable of playing both out wide and through the middle.

Bournemouth’s Ryan Christie might have something to say about his teammate leaving, given that the Scot recently made it clear just how highly he rates the former Bristol City man, describing him as “scary good.”

The 32-time Ghana international has been one of the Premier League’s breakout stars this season, having already amassed nine goal contributions, and he is currently sitting pretty right near the top of the goalscoring charts in joint-third place.

2025-26 Premier League top scorers

Number of goals

Erling Haaland

14

Igor Thiago

8

Danny Welbeck

6

Jean-Philippe Mateta

6

Antoine Semenyo

6

Frank is also a big fan of the winger, who is capable of operating on both flanks, saying last season: “Semenyo can play wherever he wants to play. He’s a fantastic player. I think he’s been the best individual player for Bournemouth this season.”

Amid doubts over a number of Tottenham’s attacking players, Semenyo could be the ideal addition to Frank’s squad, and a £53m fee seems reasonable, given the level of his performances this season.

Barcelona's stance on selling Ferran Torres as Tottenham make £57m bid Barcelona chiefs debating selling Ferran Torres as Tottenham make £57m bid

Spurs have submitted an official offer for a new forward, having struggled in front of goal at times this season.

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The hosts were stuck on their own surface, posting 109 for 7 which was overhauled with 17 balls to spare

ECB Media24-Aug-2025

Birmingham Phoenix 113 for 3 (Duckett 49*, Clarke 40) beat Manchester Originals 109 for 7 (Klaasen 34, Livingstone 2-11) by seven wicketsBirmingham Phoenix produced a polished display to thrash Manchester Originals by seven wickets at Emirates Old Trafford and move up to fourth in the table.The Phoenix have struggled for consistency in the tournament, and their defeat to Welsh Fire on Friday evening ended any hope of qualifying for the knockout phase, but a disciplined performance in the field and a clinical partnership of 72 from 45 balls between Ben Duckett (49 not out from 38) and Joe Clarke (40 from 21) delivered a consolation victory.Set just 110 to win, Will Smeed nicked off to Sonny Baker for 13 but it was plain sailing thereafter, Clarke announcing his arrival with three consecutive boundaries off his Nottinghamshire teammate Josh Tongue before dispatching Ish Sodhi for a slog-swept six.Duckett had been more circumspect but came to the party by taking 14 off Sodhi’s second set and the Phoenix wasted no time in racing to their target, Tongue’s dismissals of Clarke and Liam Livingstone only delaying the inevitable as victory was secured with 17 balls to spare.Earlier, the Originals had made a positive start after winning the toss and electing to bat. Phil Salt (31 from 20) hit Adam Milne for a six and a four in the second set, and belted two maximums off Trent Boult in the third, but Liam Patterson-White got the breakthrough when he clean bowled Ben McKinney for 2 with an arm ball and the hosts badly lost their way when Salt followed, caught at long-on by Duckett off Jacob Bethell.Jos Buttler came and went for 5, trapped lbw by the excellent Livingstone (2 for 11), and wickets continued to fall at regular intervals, with Heinrich Klaasen (34 from 35) unable to fully unleash his range of shots on a slow surface that played into the hands of the Phoenix spinners.The South African was eventually caught in the deep off Chris Wood (2-11) in the penultimate set and the Originals could only muster 109-7, ultimately slipping to a fifth defeat in seven, bottom of the table on net run rate, as their formidable batting line-up again failed to fire.Clarke, named the Meerkat Match Hero, said: “I feel in good rhythm and have good confidence, so it was nice to contribute to a win.”The pitch had been used a few times so it was slightly on the slower side. I felt like once the seamers were on I could inject pace into it and it helped having Ben at the other end who could knock it around and run hard.On the partnership with Duckett, he added: “We wanted to stick to our strengths. He’s a very good player of spin, he hits gas really well, and it was about limiting dot balls. We’ve played cricket together for a long, long time, so it’s nice to be out there in the middle with him.”

Southampton were hit with a hammer blow on Saturday when they conceded in the 97th minute to lose to Millwall at The Den in their last Championship game of the month.

After fighting to make it 2-2 through Fin Azaz, the Saints defence fell asleep at a crucial moment to allow Tristan Crama to sneak in unmarked at the back post to score the winner.

It was a brutal way to lose a game of football, but it was also the first loss of Tonda Eckert’s time in interim charge, after four wins in his first four games in the dugout.

The latest on Tonda Eckert's future at Southampton

Football Insider recently reported that the German tactician is in the driving seat to land the role on a permanent basis, thanks to winning his first four matches in the Championship.

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The outlet claimed that the former U21s boss is the leading candidate to take the job from Sport Republic, ahead of more experienced managers who have been on the shortlist, including, but not limited to, Russell Martin.

However, Football Insider added that Eckert will still be given more time before a final decision is made, and that a permanent appointment is not imminent at this moment in time.

With this in mind, there is still time for Southampton to look elsewhere for their next manager, which is why they should push to hire Brendan Rodgers, who was linked with the role shortly after Will Still’s departure.

Why Southampton should hire Brendan Rodgers

Sport Republic, as they will, need to consider the short and long-term consequences with their next managerial appointment, because there are two elements at play.

In the short term, they need a manager, whether that is Eckert or someone else, who can guide the team up the table and into promotion contention to get back to the Premier League.

However, in the long term, the Saints need a boss who can then guide them to safety in the top-flight, because Martin was unable to do that after winning promotion with the club, which illustrates the importance of hiring a manager who can achieve both tasks.

Rodgers, once described as “world-class” by Gabby Agbonlahor, is a highly experienced Premier League manager who knows what it takes to be successful at that level, having managed Leicester, Liverpool, and Swansea in the top-flight.

22/23 (Leicester)

28

19

21/22 (Leicester)

38

8th

20/21 (Leicester)

38

5th

19/20 (Leicester)

38

5th

18/19 (Leicester)

10

9th

15/16 (Liverpool)

8

10th

14/15 (Liverpool)

38

6th

13/14 (Liverpool)

38

2nd

12/13 (Liverpool)

38

7th

11/12 (Swansea)

38

11th

As you can see in the table above, the only season that Rodgers did not have his team competing for a top-half finish was when he was sacked with ten matches to go in the 2022/23 campaign.

His overall history in the division suggests that he has the managerial chops to keep the Saints in the Premier League if they earn promotion, whilst Eckert has no previous experience at that level and would go in as a novice in that respect, just as Martin did.

Meanwhile, Rodgers is also coming off a second stint with Celtic in Scotland, where, as shown in the graphic above, he won four trophies in two full seasons in Glasgow.

The Northern Irish boss won four Premiership titles in four full seasons with the Hoops over two spells with the club, per Transfermarkt, which shows that the experienced manager also knows how to coach a team to win matches on a consistent basis.

That is further backed up by the fact that he won the Championship play-offs to win promotion to the Premier League with Swansea in the 2010/11 campaign, before finishing 11th in the top-flight with the Welsh outfit.

Rodgers is, therefore, a manager who has a proven track record of being able to achieve what Southampton need in the short and long-term, whilst Eckert has made a strong start to life in the Championship but does not have a proven record, with no top-flight experience.

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This is why Sport Republic should push to appoint Rodgers as their new permanent manager, if the former Hoops boss is willing to make the move, because he could be a big upgrade on Eckert with his reputation and proven coaching ability.

Leeds United have now reportedly sent scouts to watch a standout European winger, who’s also attracted the interest of Manchester United.

Farke prepared for "top class" Liverpool

When the fixtures were released, this would been a week that many Leeds fans dreaded. By the end of this weekend, the Whites will have faced Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool in consecutive games in the most difficult run of games they’ve had so far this season. But what began as a nightmare may yet leave Leeds in dreamland.

Daniel Farke’s side were minutes away from securing a point from behind at the Etihad against Man City and then eased past Chelsea in shocking fashion on Wednesday. Now, they have the chance to compile the misery on a frail Liverpool side at Elland Road – making it six points from a possible nine.

It’s the greatest opportunity that Leeds will get to beat the Premier League champions, but Farke was quick to point out that Liverpool are still a “top class” side in his pre-match press conference.

Those in Yorkshire may have to get used to competing against the top six on and off the pitch, having also reportedly joined the race to sign Manchester United target Nilson Angulo.

Leeds join race to sign Nilson Angulo

According to TeamTalk, Leeds have now joined the race to sign Angulo after their scouts were spotted watching the Anderlecht winger in action. The Whites are joined by United, Tottenham Hotspur, Brighton & Hove Albion and Brentford in what is set to be a frantic Premier League battle.

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Dubbed one of Europe’s standout wingers by TeamTalk, the interest in Angulo should come as no surprise. The 22-year-old has taken his game to new levels in Belgium this season and looks destined for English football.

As scout Jacek Kulig pointed out, it was a “fantastic” start from Angulo this season and a start which has since seen him take his total to four goals and eight assists in all competitions.

It would be a major coup if Leeds managed to fend off competition from their rivals and sign the talented winger.

Leeds now prioritising £35m move to sign South American defender ahead of Juventus

Monaco midfielder Paul Pogba gave a passionate speech to the home fans after his side earned a narrow 1-0 win over reigning Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain. The former Manchester United and Juventus star finally made his return to competitive football this month, having joined Monaco on a free transfer in the summer. Now back in the action, Pogba is already displaying what he can bring to his new club.

Pogba makes rallying call

Monaco took all three points against PSG on Saturday to blow the Ligue 1 title race wide open. The hosts edged out a narrow victory, despite playing with ten men for the closing stages of the game, thanks to Takumi Minamino's winner. The Japanese international fired Aleksandr Golovin's cross into the bottom corner from just inside the penalty area to put Monaco in the lead with just 22 minutes of normal time remaining.

Monaco then had to stay strong and show remarkable character to cling on to a precious victory over PSG when Thilo Kehrer was given his marching orders with ten minutes left on the clock. The German was shown a straight red card for a poor challenge on Ibrahim Mbaye.

Pogba was brought on in the 86th minute, adding an old head to a side desperate to see off a barrage of PSG attacks. The Frenchman helped close the game out and, having made his home debut for the side, made a speech to the fans after the game.

He said: “Today is an important day. Today we won, but the next match is what matters. We are already working to achieve that. We keep moving forward together. We never give up. Thank you.”

AdvertisementWatch the clipLigue 1 title race opens up

The victory for Monaco ensured that the top six sides in the French top division are separated by just eight points. Pogba’s team moved to sixth in the table on 23 points, trailing Stade Rennais by just one point in the spot above them.

The story is far more interesting higher up in the table though, with RC Lens becoming the new leaders following their 2-1 victory over Angers on Sunday. Lens are one point above PSG, who have 30 points from 14 games.

Marseille are chasing the top two clubs and Roberto De Zerbi’s men will be gutted to have blown a chance to go top on Saturday. Despite goals from Igor Paixao and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg putting the Italian coach’s team ahead against Toulouse, the visitors scored a 92nd-minute equaliser to steal a point away from their southern France neighbours.

Lille sit amongst the rest in fourth, three points clear of Monaco, but five points off the top. They earned a late, narrow 1-0 victory away to Le Havre on Sunday, even with ten men after Ayyoub Bouaddi’s red card.

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AFPPogba influence to grow

Pogba could have a chance to make his first start for his new club next Friday. Monaco travel to Stade Brestois looking to keep applying pressure to those above them in Ligue 1.

Everton have found goals hard to come by from their strikers under David Moyes this season, and they could now be set to target a clinical forward in January.

After a run of frustrating results, the Toffees knew that their clash against Fulham came with added pressure to claim three points in front of an expectant home crowd at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

The Cottagers had their fair share of chances, though Everton prevailed comfortably against Marco Silva’s men courtesy of goals from Idrissa Gana Gueye and Michael Keane.

Speaking post-match, Moyes made it clear that his side are keen to become more clinical to improve their Premier League position as they seek to add high-calibre stars similar to Jack Grealish and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall as part of their long-term strategy.

“We don’t want to lose what we’ve had – desire, heart, commitment – but I think we had to try to find a way of getting a little bit better at certain things, and I think we have to build. Look, I trust the owners will help us in all the windows as we go forward and we’ll try to make things better as we go along.

“We need to get people believing in Everton like we do, like the supporters here do, and what we want us to be in the future. To do that we need to keep picking up the wins and attracting top players like Kiernan and Jack Grealish and players of that ilk. We need to keep attracting that level of players to come to the club.”

Still, their profligacy in the final third is a concern. Beto has netted just twice this campaign, while £27 million summer signing Thierno Barry has yet to score since arriving on Merseyside.

There is a feeling that Everton could be further up the table than their current mid-table predicament with a little more luck in front of goal, and they may now have identified a potent answer to their scoring problem.

Everton eyeing move for FC Midtjylland striker Franculino Dju

According to Football Insider, Everton are keen on FC Midtjylland striker Franculino Dju after his haul of 18 goals this term for the impressive Danish outfit.

Adding further context, Toffees officials were present to watch the Guinea-Bissau international against Celtic last week, where he expertly beat Kasper Schmeichel with a curled strike to seal a 3-1 victory for the hosts in the Europa League league phase, where they sit at the summit.

Everton’s strikers in comparison with Franculino

Beto

2 goals in 13 appearances

Thierno Barry

No goals in 13 appearances

Franculino

18 goals in 25 appearances

Clearly, there is a vast difference between Franculino and both of Everton’s current forwards when it comes to the sole measure of goals. Iliman Ndiaye leads the way for the Toffees with four strikes this season, though the fact that Michael Keane is their joint-second top scorer tells a story in itself.

Intriguingly, Moyes is reportedly keen to offload Beto in January and Barry may not be far behind him if his poor form continues, creating room for new reinforcements in mid-season.

Everton have also entered the race for a renowned European forward

Undoubtedly, the Toffees’ boss has made comments on Everton’s ambition at a telling time, and Franculino could well be an excellent solution amid his return of 51 goals in 98 appearances for his current employers.

Hampshire 293 (Middleton 79, Weatherley 62, Taylor 5-55) and 139 for 2 (Gubbins 55*) lead Worcestershire 249 (Libby 100*, Hose 82, Baker 5-72) by 183 runsSonny Baker’s five-wicket haul and a Nick Gubbins half-century helped drive Hampshire into the ascendency on Day Three of the Rothesay County Championship clash against Worcestershire.Baker’s morning burst of three wickets saw him to figures of 5 for 72, as Jake Libby’s 100 not out could not see Worcestershire into the lead despite early promise, as his side were bowled out for 249.With a lead of 44, the visiting side batted through the day with relative comfort on a flattening wicket, as Joe Weatherley and Fletcha Middleton made early progress for their side.Gubbins then scored an unbeaten 55 to see his side to 139 for 2 at the close, with the away side well in the hunt for a third County Championship victory of the season.With a lengthy delay to the start of proceedings on the third morning of the match, Hampshire enjoyed an excellent start to the day as Baker produced an eye-catching three wicket burst to reduce Worcestershire to 189 for 5.The visitors welcomed a stroke of luck in the second over of the day when Adam Hose feathered a strangle down the leg-side, to depart without adding to his overnight score, before Baker picked up the wickets of Brett D’Oliveira (1) and Ethan Brookes (0) as the hosts reeled under the clouds at Visit Worcestershire New Road.Searching for their first Rothesay County Championship win since mid-May, Hampshire began the afternoon session in similar vein to the morning, with Libby watching his side fall behind in the contest.Matthew Waite helped add 34 with the Worcestershire opener, before he nicked off to James Fuller for a cautious 21 as the Division One strugglers watched another promising position fall away beneath them as they limped to 223 for 6.Part-timer Nick Gubbins was thrown the ball in the 80th over of the innings as the visitors looked to move things on before taking the new ball but were overjoyed when Tom Taylor was pinned LBW in an innocuous over as the home side slid further behind the eight-ball.Hampshire tightened their grip on the match, as Kyle Abbott (1 for 27) and Baker removed Ben Allison and Adam Finch, with Libby 98 not out and his side still trailing by 46 runs.Libby added the two runs required to reach a gritty century off 235 balls, registering the first century by a Worcestershire player at Visit Worcestershire New Road this summer.Baker capped a fine individual performance as he returned in the next over to secure his five-wicket haul and ensure his side took a healthy lead of 44 runs into their second innings, with Worcestershire all-out one run short of a batting bonus-point.Hampshire lost Joe Weatherley in the 11th over of their reply, when he was LBW to a full ball from Waite but marched on unfazed to pass fifty with comfort.Middleton got in and showed signs of extending his good form from the first innings but was unable to capitalise on his positive start as he was caught behind off an Adam Finch delivery, with his side 120 runs in front.Gubbins made his way to a comfortable half-century as the evening drew to a close, as he and Tilak Varma batted through to stumps with Hampshire in total control at 139 for 2, with a commanding 183-run lead heading into the final day.

They have received plenty of stick for it over the years, but Chelsea’s transfer strategy is starting to pay off.

The likes of Cole Palmer, Moises Caicedo, Estevao, Enzo Fernández and Marc Cucurella all joined the Blues under the current ownership and have been exceptional.

However, it also has to be said that the club have made their fair share of dud signings over the last few years, with Raheem Sterling and Mykhailo Mudryk among the most high-profile.

Unfortunately, there is a player in Enzo Maresca’s squad who could end up going down the same road, a player who has to be dropped ahead of this weekend’s game.

Sterling and Mudryk's Chelsea careers

Chelsea paid around £50m to sign Sterling from Manchester City in the summer of 2022, and while it’s easy to say that was a mistake today, it looked like pretty good business at the time.

After all, he was a multiple league winner, still just 27 years old, and in 339 appearances for the Citizens, had scored 131 goals and provided 86 assists.

Unfortunately, while he has certainly had moments of real brilliance with the Blues, they have only ever really been moments, and his tally of 19 goals and 15 assists in 81 games doesn’t really justify his mammoth weekly wage of £325k.

The West Londoners hoped that by sending him on loan to Arsenal last season, he’d put himself back in the shop window for a move away, but he ended up further damaging his reputation and is now stuck in the club’s ‘bomb squad.’

Unfortunately, the situation with Mudryk is even worse.

The Ukrainian international joined the Pensioners in January 2023 for a fee of up to £89m, and there was understandable excitement around the deal, helped in part by Arsenal’s failure to secure his services.

The hype only increased when, on debut, he came off the bench against Liverpool and looked electric, so much so that Gary Neville claimed that he “wouldn’t like to play against him!”

However, that performance ended up being something of a flash in the pan, as the 24-year-old ended the season with just two assists in 17 appearances.

The following campaign was not much better, as in 41 appearances, he scored just seven goals and provided four assists.

Appearances

73

Minutes

3612′

Goals

10

Assists

11

Goal Involvements per Match

0.28

Minutes per Goal Involvement

172′

Unfortunately, things somehow got even worse for the player and the club as he was provisionally suspended after failing a drugs test last December, and was then charged by the FA in June, which could see him handed a four-year ban.

Now, while Chelsea don’t have anyone in the team in danger of something that bad, they do have a previously hyped winger who is underperforming and needs to be dropped.

The Chelsea ace Maresca must axe

Unfortunately for Maresca, you could probably make an argument for why several players need to be dropped following Chelsea’s dire display against Leeds United.

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However, while the defence was obviously a massive problem, the attack was not much better.

Moreover, while he wasn’t the worst player on the pitch, far from it, to be fair, Jamie Gittens once again offered very little.

Last season, the then Borussia Dortmund star was scoring and assisting goals for fun, so much so that he ended the campaign with 17 goal involvements and was even labelled “England’s best left winger” by Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley.

However, aside from the odd bit of skill here and there, the Stamford Bridge faithful have seen very little to get excited about from the 21-year-old, so much so, in fact, that one analyst has gone as far as calling him a “pointless signing.”

Appearances

32

11

Minutes

1784′

401′

Goals

8

0

Assists

4

2

Goal Involvements per Match

0.37

0.18

Minutes per Goal Involvement

148.66′

200.5′

Now, that is almost certainly too far at this point in the season, but with just one goal and five assists in 17 games for the West Londoners, it’s not hard to see where he is coming from, especially considering how hyped Sterling and Mudryk were before they arrived and eventually disappointed.

So, with all that said and a must-win game against Bournemouth this afternoon, Maresca has to take the Englishman out of the team.

Granted, the other options are not ideal either, but at least Alejandro Garnacho has more league goal involvements in fewer games.

Moreover, the manager could return to the winger pairing of Pedro Neto and Estevao, which did reasonably well against Arsenal.

Ultimately, while there is still plenty of time for Gittens to make good on his vast potential, it is hard not to think of the likes of Sterling and Mudryk when watching him struggle to stamp his authority on games.

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