Tag Futebol

The bowlers set up PBKS’ win over MI, but Priyansh Arya and Josh Inglis, who are complete opposites at the crease but with the same potential to destroy attacks, hogged the headlines

Karthik Krishnaswamy27-May-20251:33

Jaffer: Arya showed a lot of maturity after low scores

Why move when you can simply stand still? Priyansh Arya asks this question every time he bats.There was a moment on Monday night when Josh Inglis called Arya for a single that was never on, and sent him back when he was a third of the way down the pitch with the ball already in the mid-off fielder’s hands. Even a dive wasn’t going to save Arya if there was a direct hit at the bowler’s end, but there needed to be one, with no one backing up at the stumps. Other batters may have dived anyway. Arya simply stood there, waiting placidly for the throw’s accuracy to determine his fate.The throw missed. Arya lived on.Related

Shashank Singh: 'I'll tell you we are at the top of the world on June 3'

PBKS 'haven't achieved anything yet' – Ponting keeps it real

Arya and Inglis take PBKS to Qualifier 1 and send MI to the Eliminator

IPL playoffs: How can RCB and GT make it to the top two?

That was only the most extreme example of Arya’s no-wasted-energy philosophy. Monday’s other examples came when he was on strike during Punjab Kings’ (PBKS) chase of 185 against Mumbai Indians (MI). There were, for instance, two fours in the first over of the innings, both stroked over the off-side inner ring when Trent Boult offered him width, both played with languidly minimal footwork that seemed to dilate the time that elapsed between ball leaving bowler’s hand and ball meeting bat.It’s one thing to stand still and let the ball come to you when it’s coming at the pace you expect from that bowler. It’s another thing entirely to play a shot like Arya did in the fourth over, off Deepak Chahar, to move from 15 to 19.This shot came off a 118kph knuckle ball, from a bowler whose previous over had been a maiden full of knuckle balls to Arya’s opening partner Prabhsimran Singh. And that hadn’t been a bowler tying down a struggling batter; Prabhsimran has been in red-hot form all through IPL 2025. But he wasn’t quite coming to grips with the slower ball on a pitch where slower balls had been notably hard to hit – PBKS’ bowlers had used it with great skill to restrict Suryakumar Yadav, of all people, to 57 off 39 balls.Chahar’s knuckle ball to Arya, then, wasn’t a straightforward ball to hit to the boundary on this pitch. Arya, at any rate, didn’t it. He stood still, waited, waited some more, and met the ball with a checked jab to send it racing past the right hand of the diving fielder at short cover.1:48

Moody: Inglis taking on MI’s threats was a real positive

“I said, maybe four or five games in[to the season], that I felt Priyansh Arya was going to be one of the finds of the tournament,” PBKS head coach Ricky Ponting said after the match. “Think that’s pretty hard to argue with now. Just a fearless young talent, you know, going out there, seeing the ball and hitting the ball.”Arya’s see-ball, hit-ball methods have already been spoken about in excited tones. Monday night revealed a new layer: how well Arya sees the ball, and how that allows him to hold his shape and stay still for as long as he needs to before he hits it, even when it isn’t coming off the pitch at a predictable pace.So easy was Arya making batting look that it needed Prabhsimran to get wrenched out of shape repeatedly at the other end – he was out for 13 off 16, falling to the second chance he offered off a miscued skier – to put his innings in context.

It was a victory for PBKS’ tactical tweaks: they had loaded up on batting depth at the expense of a specialist bowler in their last match, a defeat to DC on Saturday, and had course-corrected here

Prabhsimran’s departure brought to the crease Inglis – and another study in contrasts, which extended over a match-winning partnership of 109 in 59 balls.Inglis is anything but languid. Even when he’s notionally still in his stance, he’s a crouching storehouse of potential energy straining to burst into a flurry of quick feet and quicker hands. And where Arya simply strokes, punches, and slaps the ball into his favourite zones no matter where the fielders are, Inglis constantly scans the field for gaps to target.At the six-over mark, PBKS were 47 for 1, going at well below their required rate. MI brought on Mitchell Santner, a master of pace changes who had taken 3 for 11 in four overs in his last game against Delhi Capitals (DC). It felt like a critical moment.2:22

Is this finally PBKS’ year?

And Inglis, batting on 8 off 8 at that point, made his intentions clear. Santner was bowling with the longer square boundary to the off side of the right-handed Inglis, with a strong breeze blowing from off to leg, all of which made straying in line doubly dangerous. Santner’s first two balls to Inglis were both aimed at making him hit to the off side, and both were dots; a firm cut to point, and a missed reverse-sweep off a 77kph dangler wide of off stump.Even though he missed it, that reverse-sweep was something of a win for Inglis. It’s hard for a spinner, even one turning his stock ball away from the batter, to protect the boundary against that shot, since you can only have five fielders outside the 30-yard circle. Inglis probably expected Santner to straighten his line next ball, and he did. And it wasn’t a bad ball: quick and only marginally short of a length, but Inglis probably expected both those things. He rocked deep in his crease and cleared the man guarding the short boundary at deep midwicket with a straight bat-pull – the shot Heinrich Klaasen has made his trademark – his low crouch helping him get under the ball and generate elevation.Inglis continued to press on with this mix of field manipulation and lightning hands and feet, ramping Hardik Pandya for a six over short third in the eighth over and reverse-sweeping Ashwani Kumar twice while hitting him for three successive fours in the 11th.1:51

Moody: PBKS attack well suited to these conditions

Arya, who had spent most of this period away from the strike, then asserted himself with back-to-back boundaries in the 12th over, slapping Hardik over the covers for four and slugging him over wide long-on for six with an effortless baseball swing to bring up his half-century off 27 balls. Inglis, who had brought up his fifty two balls earlier, was batting on 50 off 29.Contrasting methods, near-identical returns, and PBKS were cruising, needing 65 off 48 balls to seal a top-two finish and a place in Qualifier 1. They got there with nine balls to spare.It was a victory for the side that had bowled better on the day, making better use of the pitch, the ground’s asymmetry, and the wind conditions. It was a victory for PBKS’ tactical tweaks: they had loaded up on batting depth at the expense of a specialist bowler in their last match, a defeat to DC on Saturday, and had course-corrected here.Above all, it was a victory for the best batting team of IPL 2025 to this point. PBKS have passed 200 seven times this season, and their last six matches have brought them totals of 201, 194, 236, 219, 206 and 187, with the two sub-200 scores coming in successful chases. Seven of their batters have scored at least 100 runs this season at 30-plus averages and 149-plus strike rates. The thing that makes their line-up so dangerous is that any two or three of them could fire on a given day. On this day, it was a left-right pair of utterly captivating contrasts.

It seemed like the perfectly orchestrated exit, but final Test isn’t dancing to his tune just yet

Vithushan Ehantharajah30-Jul-2023The Australian team ensured their pre-play huddle was prompt, to be in position for the guard of honour. Those in the stands were in place earlier than they had been over the previous three days of this fifth Test, despite Sunday’s train disruptions. Some had even brought homemade signs with them. Nothing particularly over the top, of course. Mainly block letters, coloured in, a few doodles on the side – that kind of thing. Whatever your creativity could muster with 17 hours’ notice. As the clock ticked towards the start of day four, there was no sign of The One we were all waiting for. Even the England staff members loitering outside the dressing-room doors peered in to check how much longer he’d be. Those in the Baggy Green Boulevard started getting a bit restless, arching their necks up to the home balcony, while the punters in the JM Finn stand squinted for clues to his presence. Of course Stuart Broad was fashionably late for his own leaving do.It was on Friday at 8.30pm that Broad decided this would be his 167th and final Test, and just after 6.30pm on Saturday when he informed the world. Even the best cricketers don’t get to choose precisely how they walk away from the game. But an outstanding personal series, coupled with the match situation – Australia had a first-innings lead of 12 on Friday night, before England moved 377 ahead by Saturday to put a 2-2 series draw on the cards – had framed this as the perfect time to pull the pin. He had one more walk to the middle, alongside James Anderson as part of a last-wicket stand, which would be the first of at least two guaranteed ovations on Sunday. Perhaps there’d be a third as he bowled them to victory one last time? At that juncture, it could not be ruled out. A player whose most spectacular moments have involved bending a chaotic game to his whim seemed to have his destiny on strings.When Broad eventually emerged, the eruption throughout the ground was exactly as expected. It feels obvious to state a bloke with 602 Test wickets over a stretch of time long enough to legally buy a packet of cigarettes has been a key figure in England’s greatest triumphs of the recent era. But knowing this could be his final day added an emotional heft to the tickets presented at the gates this morning, and a few extra pounds on those being touted outside.Broad walks out to bat for the final time in his Test career•ECB via Getty ImagesThe walk down the steps was dignified and slow. Broad removed his helmet at the bottom of the steps as if peeling back a veil to let us all bask in his splendour. By now, Anderson was lagging behind, so he paused at the bottom of an Australian tunnel, just about holding it together – structurally rather than emotionally – to embrace his long-time bowling partner. A squeeze of the shoulders, a look into each other’s eyes before Broad strode off in front to receive the applause from his opponents.It was an oddly symbolic moment. Two players tethered together for so long through their longevity and occupation will finally separate. But it was Broad, prior to this series the Robin of England’s dynamic duo, who was getting the bells-and-whistles swansong – notwithstanding that his partner Anderson is arguably the greatest Test cricketer England have ever produced. The bloke who had to make do with second choice on ends got first dibs on exit. On Anderson’s 41st birthday, no less. Surely Broad did not blow out his candles, too?Related

Broad's Magnificent Seven

Stuart Broad to retire from cricket at end of Oval Test

What Stuart Broad said after announcing his retirement

Usman Khawaja, David Warner lay base for series-sealing chase with unbeaten century stand

England's batters exude main-character energy to finish the Ashes on their own terms

By now, you were waiting for the next bit of this celebration: a procession of all of Broad’s Test victims, a tribute to his Celebrappeal from the Red Arrows, just straight across the Kia Oval before veering away to be embraced in the slip cordon of constellations. England needed to fashion a few quick runs, get Australia in, and set about winning this Test to ensure the tourists’s retention of the Ashes was as hollow as possible. There was still a game to be won. Then the singles started being turned down.Why? No one really knew. Broad faced up to Mitchell Starc with everyone on the fence. A few scythes and bunts found space, but Broad stayed put, and clearly not to protect Anderson, given that at no point did he do that on Saturday evening. Just as it seemed this was all getting a little bit silly, as cynical thoughts entered the mind that the pageantry might impose on the professionalism, Starc dug one short and Broad smeared it over square leg for six.Touchpaper lit, the crowd went wild. Broadmania will never die – and when Anderson played out four odd dots before falling to Todd Murphy, there was confirmation that it will live forever. His last ball in Test cricket: a six off a bouncer. The most amount of runs scored off his least favourite delivery.There was not enough time to register the absurdity of those 11 deliveries. Broad was back out there within minutes, this time with the rest of his team, headband and bowling boots on, brand new Dukes in hand, David Warner in his sights. Australia needed a seemingly unlikely 384 for victory, with time to bat, but this was not about them. As Broad bristled at the top of his mark, Joe Root turned from first slip to goad the crowd into turning up the heat.Broad contemplates the match situation in his final Test•ECB via Getty ImagesSix overs later, things had already gone cold. Broad was taken out of the attack by Ben Stokes and replaced with Chris Woakes. There were two notable edges, one off the inside, another short of Ben Duckett at third slip, both from Warner. By the time Broad returned in the 15th over, Warner’s and Usman Khawaja’s partnership had moved past fifty, and were on 61 when he was hooked again.That second spell, also of three overs, was primarily cutters. It was those deliveries that did for Australia on this ground back in 2009, with 5 for 37 – the first recorded sighting of one of those Broad spells. This time, they were simply attempts to rouse a pitch that clearly did not know this was supposed to be his day.At 2.43pm, the rains that would eventually see play abandoned settled in. And as Broad sat through what he and England hopes will be his final such delay, the big screen looped his highlights and Saturday night’s interview, in which he had first declared this would be it.By the time the mercy of an abandonment came, everyone had already given up. The punters who thought they possessed a golden ticket walked away with enough play to ensure they were not entitled to their silver back, while nursing the very real possibility of Australia pulling off an audacious chase to triumph 3-1, with 249 still to get and all 10 wickets remaining.It seems even the most perfectly judged retirements are not perfect at all. Then again, who knows what the final day of this series may bring. After all, this is Stuart Broad we’re talking about.

Defending champions Sydney Thunder have got themselves going with back-to-back wins

Andrew McGlashan01-Nov-2021Points table
Leading run-scorers
Leading wicket-takers
Melbourne Renegades (7 matches, 5 wins, 11 points)Form (most recent first) WWWWNLWSeason so far
A fantastic turnaround to date from last season’s seventh-placed team and they are on a run of four consecutive wins after the Harmanpreet Kaur-inspired chase against Adelaide Strikers. They have lost Georgia Wareham to a season-ending injury but so far have covered it well.What’s worked well
Harmanpreet and Jemimah Rodrigues have more than returned the investment in them with a combined tally of 406 runs while Harmanpreet also has taken seven wickets. Sophie Molineux has been parsimonious with the ball going at 5.14.What needs to improve
Molineux is low on runs having slipped back down to the middle order. Holly Ferling has only bowled five overs in six matches as Renegades lean on their spinners but has conceded 9.40 an over.Brisbane Heat (7 matches, 4 wins, 9 points)Form LWWWNWLSeason so far
The batting performance against Melbourne Stars (9 for 95) came as a surprise after they had produced a series of impressive results following a Super Over defeat in their first match. Still they are well placed to be in the finals mix.What’s worked well
Grace Harris is having a superb tournament at the top of the order and is currently the leading run-scorer (251 runs at 50.20, strike-rate 133.51). She has formed a powerful opening pair with Georgia Redmayne – the duo have scored the four half-centuries Heat have managed. Jess Jonassen, back from injury, leads the way with the ball on 12 wickets at just 9.16.What needs to improve
Laura Kimmince has been unable to replicate her middle-order x-factor so far with 24 runs in five innings. The overseas players – Poonam Yadav, Anneke Bosch and Nadine de Klerk – have only managed six wickets between them.Shafali Verma is now batting in the middle order•Getty ImagesSydney Sixers (7 matches, 3 wins, 7 points)Form WLLNLWWSeason so far
They secured a vital and convincing win over Perth Scorchers to snap a period where they had played some uncertain cricket, having started with back-to-back wins, amid further restructuring of the team. It still doesn’t quite feel like they have their gameplans completely sorted.What’s worked well
Alyssa Healy began with a brisk fifty and then made an unbeaten 94 against Scorchers. Alongside Ellyse Perry, who is Sixers’ leading run-scorer, they have dominated the run making although Perry’s strike-rate is 90.59. Lauren Cheatle has bowled nicely in limited appearances while Radha Yadav’s left-arm spin brings a different dynamic.What needs to improve
Shafali Verma has not fired as hoped and now finds herself in an unaccustomed middle-order role with Perry back at the top. Ash Gardner is having a tournament to forget with the bat (60 runs in six innings, strike-rate 77.92). Perry is conceding 8.62 with the ball from just eight overs.Melbourne Stars (8 matches, 3 wins, 7 points)Form WLLWNWLLSeason so far
Inconsistent from last year’s beaten finalists but they are very much in the mix. As with a few teams the batting has been underwhelming but the bowlers were excellent in restricting Brisbane Heat to 95 in the most recent match. They have less than half their matches remaining, though.What’s worked well
Kim Garth, the former Ireland allrounder, has been outstanding with the ball (11 wickets, economy 5.18) headlined by her spell of 3-3-0-3 against Sydney Thunder. Elyse Villani has led the batting while Maia Bouchier, the England batter, has played some handy innings.What needs to improve
Meg Lanning is going through a rare lean patch with 96 runs in seven innings so far and 27 of those came in the comfortable chase against Heat. Her and Annabel Sutherland (although the latter has made a half-century) need to take some of the onus off Villani.Has there ever been a better powerplay batter than Sophie Devine?•Getty ImagesPerth Scorchers (6 matches, 3 wins, 7 points)Form LWWNLWSeason so far
Sophie Devine’s brilliance in Super Overs has secured two of their three wins. On such fine margins can tournaments rest. Their defeats have been by hefty margins – 59 and 44 runs – which hasn’t helped the net run rate.What’s worked well
Devine. Alongside her Super Over skills, she hammered a magnificent century against Sydney Thunder. Beth Mooney is currently their leading run-scorer. The spin-bowling pair of Alana King and Lilly Mills, both off-season signings, has also been influential.What needs to improve
Not for the first time, the dominance of Mooney and Devine has the knock-on effect of sometimes not leaving much time for others to have a hit. Chamari Athapaththu is striking at under 100 but has only faced 60 deliveries. Taneale Peschel, one of the success stories of last season, has conceded 9.23 runs per over having had to remodel her action.Adelaide Strikers (6 matches, 2 wins, 5 points)Form LLLNWWSeason so far
They started well with victories in their first two matches but since then their only point has been from a washout. They lost in a Super Over against Perth Scorchers (or rather, Sophie Devine) and couldn’t defend 160 against Melbourne Renegades. But they have matches in hand.What’s worked well
Tahlia McGrath started with a bang in the opening games but has since tailed off a little. Seven of the nine batters who have been to the crease have struck at better than a run-a-ball. Sarah Coyte leads the wicket-taking with nine while Megan Schutt’s economy on her return (4.62 in two matches) stands out.What needs to improve
The Lilac Hill weekend could have gone the other way so they don’t need to panic. A little more composure in key moments will be crucial in the second half. Both McGrath and Dane van Niekerk have conceded more than seven an over.Can Sydney Thunder still retain their title?•Getty ImagesHobart Hurricanes (8 matches, 2 wins, 5 points)Form (most recent first) LLWLNWLLSeason so far

They have twice toppled Melbourne Stars – the first of the matches centered around Rachel Priest’s 107 off 68 balls – but have been pretty comfortably beaten in five games. They are one of two teams who have played more than half their group matches.What’s worked well
After a slow start, Mignon du Preez has found her touch with the bat. Priest’s hundred was a spectacular display but it has been her only significant contribution so far. Ruth Johnston has impressed with the ball while Tayla Vlaeminck has bowled with pace.What needs to improve
They are going to need more with the bat from the middle order. Richa Ghosh (138 runs at 19.71) and Nicola Carey (142 runs at 17.75) need to take some of the burden off du Preez and Priest. Molly Strano, while being the joint-leading wicket-taker, is conceded a run-an-over more than her career mark.Sydney Thunder (7 matches, 2 wins, 5 points) Form WWLLLNLSeason so far
The defending champions have revived their season with back-to-back victories after the only point in the first five games had come from a washout. It will give them confidence that they can go on a surge in the second half of the competition. They were unable to post more than 110 in their first three outings.What’s worked well
The bowling attack is going nicely with left-arm spinner Samantha Bates enjoying another impressive return with an economy rate of just 5.08. English quick Issy Wong has also found rhythm in recent matches while Deepti Sharma is the leading wicket-taker with eight. For a young captain of a team that was struggling, Hannah Darlington’s composure has also stood out.What needs to improve
The batting still feels a little lightweight in the absence of captain Rachael Haynes. Crucially, Smriti Mandhana appears to have settled into the tournament with two half-centuries in three innings, but her strike-rate may need to lift – her and Deepti are the only two batters striker over 100.

MatériaMais Notícias

Fluminense e Red Bull Bragantino empataram em 2 a 2 neste sábado (13), no Maracanã, na estreia dos times no Brasileirão 2024. Os gols tricolores foram ambos marcados por Lima, enquanto Eduardo Sasha e Thiago Borbas fizeram pelo Massa Bruta. Com isso, as equipes iniciam suas campanhas no Campeonato Brasileiro com um ponto cada.

continua após a publicidade

➡️A boa do Lance! Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta e tá na mão!

O Fluminense foi superior ao Bragantino por quase toda a partida, sobretudo no primeiro tempo. No entanto, os 15 minutos iniciais da segunda etapa – único momento em que os visitantes controlaram o jogo – foram suficientes para que o Massa Bruta marcasse dois gol, virando a partida naquela momento. O Tricolor voltou a se impor, mas conseguiu apenas empatar o duelo.

⚽ COMO FOI A PARTIDA?
Depois de um início equilibrado, o Fluminense conseguiu controlar posse de bola e criou as melhores chances, sobretudo pelos pés de Ganso. Chutes de fora da área ajudaram o time a ter um bom volume de finalizações, mostrando evolução em relação aos últimos jogos. A recompensa veio já nos acréscimos da primeira etapa, quando Ganso aproveitou a desorganização da defesa do Bragantino e cobrou escanteio rápido, encontrando Lima livre para marcar.

continua após a publicidade

Na volta do intervalo, foi a zaga tricolor que teve problemas. Pedro Caixinha promoveu quatro mudanças antes do segundo tempo, e a marcação do Fluminense demorou a se encontrar. Assim, o Bragantino empatou com Eduardo Sasha e virou com Thiago Borbas em menos de seis minutos. Após a pressão dos visitantes, o Flu retomou o controle da partida e chegou ao empate mais uma vez com Lima, agora em chute de longe que, após desvio, encobriu o goleiro Lucão.

➡️ Tudo sobre o Tricolor agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Fluminense

📆 O QUE VEM POR AÍ?
O Fluminense volta a entrar em campo na terça-feira (16), às 21h30, diante do Bahia na Fonte Nova, pela segunda rodada do Brasileirão. Já o Red Bull Bragantino enfrenta o Vasco na quarta-feira (17), às 19h, em sua estreia em casa no Campeonato Brasileiro.

continua após a publicidade

Tudo sobre

BragantinoBrasileirãoFluminense

The opener made a timely hundred against the pink ball following Usman Khawaja’s fitness problems in the first Ashes Test

AAP23-Nov-2025

Matt Renshaw made a century against the pink ball•Getty Images

Matt Renshaw’s golden summer continued with a magnificent 112 in front of Australia selector Tony Dodemaide at the Gabba.His innings drove Queensland to 352 for 7 at stumps on day two of the top-of-the-table Sheffield Shield clash after Victoria had declared late on the opening day.Renshaw had made scores of 128, 29, 101 and 51 in the Shield before Sunday’s knock. He also had a consistent ODI series against India which included an accomplished 56 in Sydney.Related

From Ahmedabad to Perth, Head's greatest hits: which was the best?

Jewell ton leads Tasmania reply amid double subsitition

Flattened by Archer, lifted by Head: Weatherald's wild Test debut

Runs are runs and Renshaw has filled his cup with them. The 29-year-old doesn’t have to do anything more to convince Australia selectors that he is ready for a return to the Test arena. All he needs is an opportunity.”I’m just keeping it really simple and having a lot of fun out there and having good intent,” Renshaw told AAP. “It’s been a good start and hopefully it amounts to something at the end of March. I will keep trying to put in performances to help win games for Queensland. I’m just concentrating on what I can control and that is trying to do my job for the team.”There is doubt over who will open in the second Test of the Ashes series at the Gabba, which starts on Thursday-week.Usman Khawaja’s back spasms in the first Test have put him in some doubt while Travis Head’s blistering century as opener has also put him in the frame to stay at the top of the order alongside Perth debutant Jake Weatherald.Renshaw now has 421 Shield runs for the summer, putting him on top of the aggregate list with 19 runs more than Marnus Labuschagne.He was patient early in his innings against Victoria before finding a more aggressive tempo and his drives down the ground were exquisite. Once Renshaw reached his half-century the runs started to flow all around the ground.He brought up his century with a controlled cut for three off spinner Todd Murphy. A healthy contingent at the Vulture St end of the ground gave him a rapturous reception, realising what a vital innings it was in the context of the summer.His stay ended when he nicked a delivery that just moved away from Fergus O’Neill, who toiled manfully all day with his tight lines.Renshaw received solid support from Angus Lovell in an 88-run opening stand and Hugh Weibgen.Former Australia Under-19 captain Weibgen, playing his second Shield match, looks a promising prospect with his classy strokeplay and composure. The tall 21-year-old will play for the Prime Minister’s XI against an England XI in a two-day, pink-ball match that starts on November 29 in Canberra.He was caught in a juggling effort by Mitchell Perry trying to loft Murphy over the long-on boundary.Lachie Hearne (47) continued the momentum until he was brilliantly caught on the deep midwicket boundary by Campbell Kellaway.

Tottenham Hotspur have turned the page in recent matches, but Thomas Frank will know he has much more still to write before his north London project is firing on all cylinders.

But recent wins over Brentford and Slavia Prague have fuelled the Danish coach with fresh optimism, new belief. The boos have been extinguished, for now.

This mini-revival has legs, especially with Xavi Simons firing his way into form over the past week, but Spurs still lack sharpness in the final third and fuel to get the forwards into positions of promise.

For this reason, ENIC Group are looking to sign someone who can make a difference this winter.

Spurs' search for a new forward

Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo is undoubtedly Tottenham’s top pick ahead of the January transfer window, but we simply cannot ignore the mounting interest from rivals like Liverpool and Manchester City, both of whom hold greater pull at the top of the Premier League.

There’s a sense that Spurs need a show-stopping forward, someone of a level with Heung-min Son and Harry Kane, neither of whom has been properly replaced as talismanic figures.

However, if Semenyo does move elsewhere, Ivan Toney could be the perfect Christmas addition.

According to TEAMtalk, Tottenham chiefs have held informal talks over a bid for the 29-year-old, with Everton and West Ham United doing the same.

Toney is into his second season in Saudi Arabia, and while he fancies a return to the Premier League to bolster his chances of making Thomas Tuchel’s Three Lions squad for the World Cup, tax-related obstacles could prove a hindrance for the £400k-per-week centre-forward.

Why Toney would be perfect for Spurs

Toney has scored 42 goals and supplied eight assists across 62 appearances for Al-Ahli, and though the move has been lucrative for the former Brentford striker, it has come at the expense of sporting merit as he was growing into a superstar.

But this is a powerful, physical centre-forward. He is a well-known name on the English scene and he might just have a point to prove after a year overseas.

Could it be that Toney would even prove to be a better signing than someone like the 25-year-old Semenyo, who would cost £65m?

Toney, after all, knows Frank’s system well, having lifted the Bees into the Premier League and kept them comfortably afloat with prolific performances over three campaigns.

Semenyo, let’s not forget, has fallen from form after an emphatic start to the season. In fact, you would have to trace back to October 3rd to find the last time the Ghana international notched a goal involvement in the Premier League.

And with Dominic Solanke locked in the infirmary, Richarlison inconsistent and potentially into his final year in north London, surely an experienced and proven number nine would be the icing on the cake for a Spurs side desperate for an upswing in attacking results.

If there are any qualms over Toney’s capacity to dovetail into the Tottenham culture, it might be pertinent to note that he has been hailed by England teammate Declan Rice saying he is “like Harry Kane” for his devastating goalscoring ability but also his link-up play and intelligence when deeper.

23/24

Brentford

17

4

2

22/23

Brentford

33

20

4

21/22

Brentford

33

12

5

15/16

Newcastle United

2

0

0

Said to have “the mindset of a lion” by Frank, who drew such positive results from the striker at Brentford, Toney would be perfect for this fledgling Spurs project, a few blocks away from approaching the level the club are striving to reach.

Udogie upgrade: Spurs enter race to sign "the world's most coveted left-back"

Frank is expected to be backed in the upcoming transfer windows by Tottenham owners ENIC Group.

ByAngus Sinclair 4 days ago

Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl may still be wondering how his side were unable to see the game out for all three points after they found themselves 1-0 up against ten-man Braga on Thursday night.

The Light Blues are yet to win a match in the Europa League this season and they may not have a better opportunity than the one they had at Ibrox earlier this week.

Whilst Mohamed Diomande was sent off later in the match, the Gers allowed the Portuguese side to equalise whilst they had a man advantage, as Nasser Djiga’s wayward header caught James Tavernier out and allowed Gabriel Martinez to pounce.

The German head coach will be scratching his head and wondering what he could do to turn things around in Europe, as the Light Blues have lost four of their five matches, with two of those losses coming in his three games in the competition.

Attention, for now, will turn back to the Scottish Premiership as Rangers play host to Falkirk at Ibrox, after the reverse game at their stadium led to Russell Martin’s dismissal.

Rohl has won all four of his league games in charge of the club so far, but these league matches present an opportunity to try things out ahead of European games. For example, unleashing Oliver Antman in a new role.

Why Oliver Antman should be unleashed in a new role

You could hardly blame any supporters for getting a bit excited by the signing of the Finland international after he registered 17 assists in all competitions for Go Ahead Eagles in the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore.

On top of that, Antman delivered two assists on his debut for the Gers against Viktoria Plzen in the Champions League, crossing for Djeidi Gassama and winning a penalty for Cyriel Dessers to score.

Since that impressive debut, though, the Finnish forward has produced no goals and one assist in 18 appearances in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he has failed to deliver consistent quality in the final third.

Per Transfermarkt, all 11 of his starts have been on the right flank. With this in mind, it may be time for Rohl to unleash the 24-year-old attacker in a new role in his Rangers career.

RW

69

9 + 13

CM

22

1 + 0

LW

21

5 + 3

CF

18

5 + 0

AM

8

0 + 0

RM

8

1 + 5

As you can see in the table above, Antman has played in other positions throughout his career, on the left and through the middle, which means that the Light Blues can, realistically, use him in other areas of the pitch.

With this in mind, Rohl should unleash the Finland international in a flexible number ten position, which would allow him to drift out to the left or the right when the situation demands.

This would allow him to provide creativity on both flanks and centrally, which could help to support the two wingers whilst also providing the centre-forward, in theory, with more creativity.

In order to make this positional change for Antman against Falkirk, though, the German head coach will have to ditch one of his starters from the 1-1 draw with Braga on Thursday night.

Chalkboard

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

With this in mind, Rohl should ruthlessly ditch Youssef Chermiti from the starting line-up after his dismal showing against Braga, which would allow Danilo or Bojan Miovski to lead the line up front, with the Finnish whiz in behind them in the number ten role.

Why Rangers should drop Youssef Chermiti

Rangers parted company with sporting director Kevin Thelwell at the start of the week, after just one transfer window at Ibrox, and his lasting legacy may be the signing of the Portuguese striker.

The former Gers chief sanctioned an £8m deal to sign the forward from Everton, which made Chermiti the club’s most expensive signing in 25 years, since Tore Andre Flo’s £12m move to Glasgow.

That staggering outlay was made in spite of the fact that the 21-year-old striker failed to score in two seasons at Everton after Thelwell signed him for the Toffees from Sporting.

So far, Chermiti has delivered one goal and one assist in 14 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants this season, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he has not lived up to his price tag yet.

The former Everton attacker’s performance against Braga was the latest in an unfortunately long line of underwhelming displays from the £8m summer signing.

Minutes

89

Sofascore

5.9

Shots

3

Shots on target

0

Pass accuracy

52%

Key passes

0

Duels won

6/15

As you can see in the table above, the Portuguese centre-forward failed to offer quality on the ball, as he was particularly poor with his passes, and also lost the majority of his physical duels.

After the match, reporter Jonny McFarlane posted that Chermiti is “mind-blowingly bad” and that the striker “offers nothing”, whilst describing him as a “galling signing”.

As harsh as that is, it is hard to disagree with the sentiment because of how poor the £8m attacker’s performances have been for the Light Blues, with one goal in 14 matches far from enough for the money spent on him.

Of course, Chermiti is not at fault for the transfer fee that Thelwell agreed to pay for him. He is a young player who is clearly trying his best and competing for the Gers, as evidenced by his 15 duels on Thursday night, but the quality is not there, on current evidence.

That is why Rohl must ruthlessly ditch him from the starting line-up for this clash with Falkirk at Ibrox, because he has not shown enough on the pitch to suggest that he should be playing week-in-week-out as the main number nine.

Dropping Chermiti will then provide the manager with an opportunity to unleash Antman in this new role, because Danilo can move into a number nine position or also be dropped for Miovski to start.

"Rotten" Thelwell signing is Rangers' biggest waste of time since Dowell

This summer signing by Kevin Thelwell has been as bad as the deal to bring Kieran Dowell to Rangers.

ByDan Emery Nov 26, 2025

Tottenham have been given a clear path to sign Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo following an update from reliable journalist David Ornstein.

The 25-year-old, who has marked himself out as one of the Premier League’s most devastating forwards these last 12 months, is attracting serious interest from across England and beyond, with Spurs believed to be firmly in the mix for his signature.

Semenyo’s been involved in nine of Bournemouth’s 11 total goals scored in the league so far, contributing to 81 per cent of their total attacking output, which is the highest percentage of any Premier League player this season (The Analyst).

The African also boasts 10 goals from his last 18 top flight appearances going back to April, with a total of six goals and three assists this season alone thus far. Man City boss Pep Guardiola is among the experts to laud Semenyo’s “extraordinary” form, and Tottenham recruitment chiefs are said to be massive fans of his too.

Dejan Kulusevski

Knee

29/11/2025

James Maddison

ACL

01/06/2026

Radu Dragusin

Knee

22/11/2025

Ben Davies

Thigh

23/11/2025

Kota Takai

Ankle/Foot

23/11/2025

Mohammed Kudus

Knock

23/11/2025

Randal Kolo Muani

Jaw

23/11/2025

Yves Bissouma

Ankle/Foot

23/11/2025

Lucas Bergvall

Concussion

23/11/2025

Dominic Solanke

Ankle

23/11/2025

Archie Gray

Calf/Shin/Heel

23/11/2025

via Premier Injuries

The former Bristol City star signed a brand-new contract earlier this year, which quashed hopes of Tottenham or any other Premier League giant tempting him away from the Vitality last summer.

Semenyo extended his deal until 2030, giving the Cherries plenty of negotiating power to demand a club-record fee for their star player.

However, while reports have suggested that Bournemouth value him at around £75 million, Spurs could now sign him for significantly less in January.

Tottenham given clear Antoine Semenyo path as David Ornstein update leaves Bournemouth exposed

That is because Semenyo’s new deal, according to Ornstein on X, contains a £62.5 million release clause which becomes active for a limited time when the transfer window reopens.

In Ornstein’s words, the clause leaves Bournemouth ‘powerless’, and could allow Tottenham or any other interested suitor to bypass negotiations with Andoni Iraola’s side and head straight to Semenyo’s representatives — giving the north Londoners an obvious route to his signature as early as the winter.

The links to Spurs are nothing new, and Frank has already made his feelings about Semenyo pretty clear when speaking to reporters about the player last season.

Semenyo’s potential arrival holds even greater appeal due to the fact he won’t be competing at the African Cup of Nations this season, with Ghana failing to qualify for the tournament in what is a serious boost for Frank, considering the Dane also gets to keep hold of Mohammed Kudus.

The prospect of Semenyo playing on the left and Kudus playing on the right is a very exciting one, but it is worth noting that they’ll have to contend with a host of rivals for his services as well, perhaps even more so after the news of a tantalising release clause.

Donald Trump, president of the United States of America, once hinted at which Premier League he supports in a chat with Arsenal fan Piers Morgan.

Donald Trump is a sport fanatic with love for golf, UFC, football and baseball

The 79-year-old, who is currently into his second term as president, has never hid his love for sport and recently made the trip to New York to watch The Ryder Cup at Bethpage.

Trump regularly plays golf and through his holding company, the Trump Organization, even owns 17 different courses around the world.

Trump also enjoys watching UFC and his relationship with UFC president Dana White has been well-documented.

When it comes to American Football, Trump’s team is thought to be the New England Patriots due to friendships with CEO Robert Kraft and legendary quarterback Tom Brady.

Also a fan of Major League Baseball, Trump’s team appears to be the New York Yankees, although he does have appreciation for the New York Mets as well.

Over in England, Trump even appears to have a favoured football team in the Premier League, and it isn’t Chelsea despite being involved in the Blues’ Club World Cup celebrations.

Donald Trump hints at which Premier League team he supports

Talking to journalist and Arsenal fan Piers Morgan back in 2018, Trump was presented with a Gunners shirt with his name on the back. Trump’s son, Barron, is a fan of Arsenal, with Morgan looking to make the President a supporter of the north London side.

However, Trump admitted that his allegiance lies with another Premier League giant, Manchester United.

That “friend” in question appears to be Edward Glazer, co-owner of the Red Devils. In fact, it is claimed that Glazer donated £45,000 during Trump’s first ever US presidential campaign.

The American president isn’t the only famous Man Utd supporter from across the pond, with singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake also a huge Old Trafford fan.

Essex stymied in Chelmsford run chase as Cassidy McCarthy also impresses with ball

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay14-Jul-2025

Kirstie Gordon claimed 4 for 23 as Essex’s chase fell away•Getty Images

The Blaze 139 (Graham 33, Gray 4-18) beat Essex 104 for 9 (Grewcock 33, Gordon 4-23, Glenn 3-17) by 35 runsSarah Glenn and Cassidy McCarthy stifled Essex’s batting as The Blaze successfully defended 139 at Chelmsford to seal their place at Women’s Vitality Blast Finals Day.England legspinner Glenn finished with figures of 3 for 17, following seamer McCarthy’s 1 for 8 from three overs up top and skipper Kirstie Gordon weighed in with 4 for 23, including two wickets in as many balls. Those efforts all helped to ensure Essex were restricted to just 104 for 9 in reply – and the home side’s defeat leaves them only a remote mathematical chance of joining The Blaze in the last four.Earlier, Heather Graham top-scored with 33 from 23 as the visitors were bowled out two deliveries short of their full allocation, with Essex seamer Eva Gray recording a season’s best of 4 for 18.Having won the toss and opted to bat, The Blaze were soon in trouble as Georgia Elwiss departed at the start of a tight spell by Maddie Penna (1 for 20), while opening partner Michaela Kirk was bowled trying to cut Jodi Grewcock.The Bryce sisters started to rebuild, but Abtaha Maqsood (2 for 26) dismissed both her fellow Scotland internationals in the space of four balls, tempting Sarah out of her ground for a stumping before Kathryn (27 from 25) was pinned in front.Graham immediately went on the offensive, taking successive boundaries off Maqsood and lifting Kate Coppack over the rope at long-on but, once she was caught at point off Gray, The Blaze struggled to regain momentum.Glenn and Lucy Higham gave their side some hope with a partnership of 30 from 24, but the boundaries dried up and the pair were both picked off in the final over as Gray wrapped up the innings with three wickets in four balls.However, the 140 target looked steeper for Essex after three miserly overs from McCarthy – which included the wicket of Grace Scrivens, top-edging an attempted paddle through to the wicketkeeper. Lauren-Winfield followed, labouring to 8 from 18 before she miscued a slog sweep off Glenn as the visiting spinners began to turn the screw, with only two boundaries registered in the powerplay.Grewcock (33 from 31) and Penna (26 from 24) did their best to inject some zip into the innings and the Australian had just pulled Gordon for four when she tried to hit the next ball over the top and picked out the long-off fielder.Grewcock’s departure two overs later triggered a middle-order collapse and Gordon removed Gray and Sophia Smale from successive deliveries, with Coppack – unbeaten on 14 -the only other batter to reach double figures as Essex’s challenge petered out.