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Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl has plenty to stew on after his side were beaten 3-1 in the semi-final of the League Cup at Hampden Park on Sunday.

It was a valiant effort from the Light Blues, though, as they played the majority of the game with ten men after Thelo Aasgaard’s red card in the first half for a challenge on Anthony Ralston.

Given the circumstances, the fact that Rangers took the game to extra time is a credit to Rohl and the work that his coaching team have done to make the side harder to play against.

Of course, the German tactician has also won both of his Scottish Premiership matches in charge of the club since he came in to replace Russell Martin, which has provided supporters with a slither of hope for the rest of the season.

There is plenty of work left to do, though, if the Light Blues want to enjoy a successful end to the 2025/26 campaign, as Rohl needs to get more out of the current group of players, at least until the January transfer window.

One player the manager needs to work with to improve his performance is winger Djeidi Gassama, whom he worked with at Sheffield Wednesday.

Why Djeidi Gassama needs to improve his Rangers performances

The French forward arrived at Ibrox from the Owls in a £2.2m deal during the summer transfer window to bolster then-manager Martin’s options at the top end of the pitch.

Gassama made an electric start to life in Glasgow with a return of four goals in six Champions League qualifiers, per Transfermarkt, for the Scottish giants.

Unfortunately, the left-sided attacker has only scored one goal in 15 appearances in every other competition combined so far this season, with no goals in ten appearances in the Premiership.

Gassama has failed to provide consistency in his end product after that exciting start to his career in Glasgow, with just one goal and one assist in his last ten appearances.

Celtic

0

0

Hibernian

0

0

Kilmarnock

0

0

Brann

0

0

Dundee United

0

1

Falkirk

0

0

Sturm Graz

1

0

Livingston

0

0

Genk

0

0

Hibernian

0

0

As you can see in the table above, the Frenchman has rarely contributed at the top end of the pitch in recent months, which is why he needs to step up under Rohl and prove that he deserves to be a regular starter.

His inconsistency in the final third should not be a huge surprise, though, as he ended the 2024/25 campaign with eight goals and one assist in 47 games for Sheffield Wednesday in all competitions, per Transfermarkt.

With this in mind, it remains to be seen whether or not Gassama will be able to find that consistency as a scorer and a creator of goals, or if he will have those issues with his game throughout his Rangers career.

Meanwhile, there is another winger in the club’s ranks who has the potential to be an even bigger talent than Gassama at the top end of the pitch.

Chalkboard

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

Mikey Moore has not set the world alight since his move on loan from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer transfer window, but his form at youth level suggests that there is much more to come from him.

Why Mikey Moore can be a bigger talent than Djeidi Gassama

The 18-year-old forward has provided no goals and two assists in 15 appearances in all competitions for Rangers, per Transfermarkt, which is far from an impressive return.

However, it is worth taking into account that this is Moore’s first-ever loan move and first taste of regular first-team football, and he was dropped into an incredibly difficult situation during Martin’s tenure.

Rangers were a struggling team playing in front of a frustrated crowd at Ibrox more often than not, given a run of five wins in 17 matches, and that cannot have been an easy environment for an 18-year-old forward to come into.

It is, therefore, understandable, with the benefit of hindsight, why Moore did not hit the ground running and provide goals and assists straight away.

He has shown some signs of promise since Martin’s departure. After four goals in two matches for England’s U19s during the October international break, Moore provided an assist for James Tavernier in the 2-2 draw with Dundee United.

The English forward also showed some great moments off the bench against Celtic on Sunday, driving Rangers up the pitch with his impressive ball-carrying skills. Heart & Hand content creator David Edgar even described his cameo as “terrific”.

Left wing (19)

4

6

Attacking midfield (9)

6

4

Centre-forward (7)

11

4

Right wing (10)

1

0

Left midfield (1)

0

1

As you can see in the table above, Moore’s most productive performances as an attacking force have come in central positions as a number ten or as a centre-forward, but he has mainly played on the wing for the Light Blues.

The England youth international delivered 19 goals and 13 assists in 24 games for Spurs at U18 level, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he does have the potential to provide consistency in the final third when at his best and playing in the right areas.

As you can see in the clip above, Moore pressed well from a central position to create a chance for himself, which he then finished brilliantly.

This suggests that Rohl could get the best out of the young attacker by deploying him in a central role, allowing him to use his ball-carrying and pressing skills to impact games in the middle of the park.

As bad as Aasgaard: Rohl must drop Rangers flop who was "so poor"

Danny Rohl must drop this Rangers flop who was as bad as Thelo Aasgaard at Hampden Park.

ByDan Emery Nov 2, 2025

His form at youth level in central positions then suggests that Moore could be an even bigger talent than Gassama for Rangers because of his consistency, with goals and assists, in the final third, which the Frenchman has struggled with.

With back-to-back wins in the Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur supporters have enjoyed a period of respite within a gruelling and injury-hit campaign.

Ange Postecoglou’s worries are far from over. Even after defeating Manchester United on Sunday afternoon, Spurs remain in the bottom half of the table, 12th and 14 points behind fourth-place Manchester City.

Out of the Carabao Cup, out of the FA Cup, into the last 16 of the Europa League. Tottenham may yet strike gold before the summer, but looking at it with a wider lens, there have been a few bright sparks that may have quite the impact over the coming years.

Spurs' bright sparks this season

Djed Spence was handed Tottenham’s Man of the Match after the recent victory over Man United, proving not to be a flash in the pan but a highly gifted player with the ability to play a long-term role in Postecoglou’s squad.

While Spence is 24, his rocky road travelled over the past several campaigns shows that he is one of the biggest bright sparks. However, Tottenham’s rich youth crop bespeaks a prosperous future with Postecoglou at the helm.

Mikey Moore has been excellent, with the 17-year-old enjoying opportunities in place of injured seniors and scoring his first professional goal as Tottenham beat Elfsborg in the Europa League while playing seven top-flight games and threading an assist through for Richarlison’s late consolation goal during last month’s defeat to Everton.

In defence, Archie Gray deserves plenty of praise for regularly playing out of position in central defence in recent months as Ange sought to fix defensive deficiencies, but there’s one man above all others who looks like they might be the jewel in the Tottenham crown.

Spurs' most exciting talent

If Postecoglou is able to shape the club’s talent into something concrete at the highest level, fans may look back at the 2024/25 campaign with fondness, the springboard from which future heights were reached.

Leading this new order: Lucas Bergvall. The Swedish midfielder arrived in north London for a €10m (£8m) fee plus add-ons on January deadline day 2024, leaving Swedish side Djurgårdens IF. Barcelona were homing in on the teenager, but Spurs canvassed their proposal and bagged their man.

He’s slick and stylish in the middle of the park with a cheeky on-field personality, endowed with strength and technical quality that suggest he could rival the best midfielders that Europe has to offer in a few years.

In fact, he might even prove to be Postecoglou’s own version of Ryan Gravenberch in a few years, for he is of a similar profile to the Liverpool star, as per FBref. Gravenberch has been described as “absolutely world-class” in Arne Slot’s system by one data analyst.

Goals

0.00

0.00

Assists

0.08

0.00

Shot-creating actions

2.02

1.48

Touches

67.74

74.82

Pass completion

89.4%

89.2%

Passes attempted

56.49

62.06

Progressive passes

5.35

4.30

Progressive carries

2.07

2.15

Ball recoveries

5.48

6.45

Tackles + interceptions

3.84

4.84

The players’ contrasted statistics from the current campaign really do make for exciting reading. Bergvall mirrors many of the Netherlands star’s metrics, has showcased similar strengths in ball-playing and -carrying while also demonstrating a combative side to his arsenal.

Gravenberch is only 22 but Bergvall is much younger still at 19, and with the former’s market value skyrocketing to £82m over the past year, according to CIES Football Observatory, you could say that Bergvall has the capacity to hit such a level too, especially as he’s earning invaluable Premier League experience at this young and inexperienced point in his career.

With 32 senior Spurs caps, one goal and three assists to his name, Bergvall has the world at his feet, especially with The Athletic analyst JJ Bull stating that he “has a first touch like [Luka] Modric.”

Sky Sports commentator Rob Hawthorne noted the “incredible” time to score his first goal for Tottenham, and while Liverpool prevailed in the end, this is some player alright.

Gravenberch might be the talk of the town but here Spurs have an elite-level superstar in the making.

Saved by Maddison: Ange must drop 6/10 Spurs star who lost the ball 13x

Tottenham defeated Man United in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Feb 17, 2025

Few of the players involved in the opening Test will know the surroundings of St John’s Wood quite as well as him

Melinda Farrell13-Jul-2016At the age of 19, Shan Masood took his fitness seriously.Nearly every day he threw on his gym clothes, left his parents’ flat on Hall Road, St John’s Wood – they lived near Lord’s from 2008 to 2013 – and ran to a gym in Baker Street to train. But while the outbound journey was focused on physical fitness, the return route provided his real motivation.”I’d run to the gym through Lisson Grove but on my way back I’d make sure I’d come through Park Road and then St John’s Wood Road to just see Lord’s every day. I’d look into the sky and hope that maybe one day I’d be playing here rather than just making this walk past every day.”The daydream has morphed into reality and Masood admits the transition from strolling the streets as a St Johns Wood local to walking out of the pavilion to open the batting for Pakistan is “weird”.While many players in the England and Pakistan teams may be more familiar with the Lord’s dressing rooms, the Long Room and the pitch, the names of the surrounding streets, lanes and parks roll effortlessly off Masood’s eloquent tongue.”I’d just roam around this area like any normal person would do,” Masood told ESPNcricinfo. “Now I’m here with the Pakistan cricket team, I’m roaming around the same neighbourhood but it just feels different. There’s a lot of excitement.””The gates I used to pass by are the ones that have actually opened for me now, and I’m really looking forward to making my mark come Thursday.”Masood was born in Kuwait on the 14th of October, 1989, his mother going into labour as Pakistan took on West Indies in an ODI in Sharjah. His father missed the birth, too busy watching Wasim Akram take a hat-trick that would help Pakistan to an 11-run victory.It is hardly surprising then that Masood caught the bug at an early age. His first memory of cricket is strong amid those of the early tumultuous years of fleeing Kuwait during the Gulf War and then moving to his native Pakistan after two years in the US.”We’re at our place in Karachi,” he recalled. “I’m about four years old. My brother’s in a corner. He’s moody and miserable but I’m in my full whites, I have a bat in my hand and my oversized kit all over me.”If his brother, Ali, was sometimes unhappy, it may have been because Shan received more encouragement and support to play the game from an early age. Ali was more naturally gifted but Shan was determined, always greedy to bat, and clearly passionate about playing.He joined a cricket academy at the age of five and represented Pakistan Under-15s when he was 12. But after a disappointing performance in the 2008 U-19 World Cup – “I was awful,” said Masood – he lost confidence and drifted away, instead deciding to concentrate on his education.But the pursuit of academic excellence in England merely led Masood back to cricket’s door. At Stamford School in Lincolnshire, where he crammed his A levels into one year rather than the usual two, he was persuaded to play and benefited from the coaching of Elliott Wilson.”We had the indoor academy, so he could work with me all year round,” said Masood.”When the cricket season came the second time around I managed to have a really good school season and it really invigorated my love for the game.”That 2009 season he describes as “really good” was actually a remarkable achievement. Masood scored 1237 runs for Stamford that year, falling just 50 runs short of the schoolboy record set by another left-handed opener, Alastair Cook.”Scoring ten thousand runs, being the youngest player ever to score ten thousand runs, speaks volumes for the sort of player he is,” said Masood. “I’ve always admired him. I like watching him play. There are few cricketers that I personally watch on TV and he’s probably one of them.”At Durham University, Masood studied economics but his cricket education continued at the MCCU under the tutelage of Graeme Fowler. Masood played three first-class matches and came up against sides boasting future England players such as Ben Stokes, Mark Wood, Liam Plunkett and Gary Ballance.”I have to give Foxy a lot of credit in terms of the development I’ve had as a cricketer,” he said. “He saw things in me that I didn’t see myself at that particular time and they still stick with me. I still remember the things that he asked me to do, he wanted me to do, in terms of being an international cricketer for Pakistan.”But the difficulty of juggling study, cricket and his family life in Pakistan was taking its toll and Masood entered a distance learning programme through Loughborough University, where his final year – now majoring in Management and Sports Sciences – is on hold, while he tries to cement a place in the Pakistan side.Shan Masood finest hour so far has been his match-winning stand in Pallekele with Younis Khan•AFPMasood got his chance when Mohammed Hafeez was dropped after the 2013 Zimbabwe series. He made 75 on debut against South Africa but has played just six Tests since, the highlight being a fourth-innings century against Sri Lanka in Pallekele, when he formed a 242-run partnership with Younis Khan that led to Pakistan’s win in the third Test and a series victory.Masood’s seven Tests have been split over three spells in the side, each break lasting several months, partly because of the relative scarcity of Test fixtures for Pakistan and partly because of the three-way battle for the opening positions with Hafeez and Ahmed Shehzad. Masood admits coming in and out of the side makes finding his feet at the top level difficult, but doesn’t want to use it as an excuse.”It’s a challenge I have to accept and I have to step up. I want to be consistent and I want to be scoring heaps of runs for my country.”He must also contend with rumblings surrounding his selection – Masood’s family is considered privileged, his uncle has a prominent position in the Pakistan government, and his father is a representative on the PCB board.”My father’s never really been part of the system over there. It just happened to be that he was a representative of his bank to the board of governors, and that only started a year or so ago. He’s never been an actual part of the board or made decisions that involve cricket.”At the end of the day I’ve been playing cricket a long time. I’ve been playing with my own merit, with my own potential, and if there were strings being pulled then I reckon I wouldn’t have such a stop-start career so far. I would have been part of the set-up a long time ago and I would have been playing more games for Pakistan. I get my reward when I perform well and I get punished when I don’t perform well.”So far on this tour – for which he was preferred to Shehzad – his returns have been solid rather than dominant; scoring 62 and 29 against Somerset, followed by innings of 4 and 38 not out against Sussex. But he points to the fact that he has fulfilled his major role in negating the new ball on three occasions and is confident in facing England’s attack in English conditions, perhaps because they are not foreign to him.Giving extra motivation to Masood is the presence of his parents, who arrived in London on Monday night. They will only be present for the Lord’s Test as they must return home to care for Shan’s sister, Meeshu, who suffers from a rare chromosome disorder that has seriously affected her development.”I don’t think there’s a lot of awareness in Pakistan about children like my sister,” said Masood. “She’s a special child. Her physical development is completely fine. She’s 30 years old, but mentally she hasn’t developed one bit. She’s like a newborn child. She couldn’t get a dependent visa, she couldn’t fly to England and live with my parents, so my parents were quite divided in that my mother had to keep going back and forth and my dad was running two houses at once, just to make sure my sister was fine. I just hope she realises what we do and that it makes her proud as well.”There’s little doubt Masood’s parents, back in their old neighbourhood, will be proud of their son’s achievements. He is about to realise his father’s dream – Mansoor Masood based his family near Lord’s because of his passion for cricket – along with his own.”My dad always wanted me to do two things,” Masood said. “One was to try and get into Cambridge University. I tried twice, I got the grades, but they have an interview process, a selection process, and I wasn’t good enough to get in. The other was to make a name for myself in cricket and play a Test match at Lord’s.”No doubt, when Masood achieves the second wish, it will more than make up for the first.

Well, that was just what Arsenal didn’t need.

After absolutely blowing Manchester City away in the Premier League on Sunday, Mikel Arteta’s side went into the second leg of the League Cup semi-final away to Newcastle United optimistic about their chances of overturning their 2-0 deficit.

Instead, the North Londoners wilted in the intense atmosphere and saw the aggregate score extend to 4-0 despite having a couple of chances early on.

There were poor performances across the pitch from the starters, but it would probably be fair to say that two stood out for all the wrong reasons, one of which was Kai Havertz.

Kai Havertz performance vs Newcastle

Yes, instead of ending the game with a brilliantly taken goal and an assist to his name like on Sunday, Havertz came away from St James’ Park empty-handed, with more doubts about his long-term place in this team.

Unlike Alexander Isak at the other end of the pitch, the German international was incredibly ineffective throughout and seemed to be looking for a foul more than a goalscoring opportunity.

Equally unimpressed with the former Chelsea forward was football.london’s Tom Canton, who gave him a 4/10 match rating at full-time, and while that might sound harsh, his statistics from the night suggest it might even be too kind.

Minutes

94′

Shots on Target

0

Shots off Target

0

Dribbles (Successful)

1 (0)

Passing Accuracy

11/18 (61%)

Crosses (Accurate)

2 (0)

Long Balls (Accurate)

2 (0)

Duels (Won)

11 (3)

Lost Possession

20

Fouls Committed

3

Yellow Cards

1

For example, in his 94 minutes of action, the Aachen-born forward failed to have a single shot on or off target, failed 100% of his attempted dribbles, completed just 11 passes, failed in 100% of his crosses and long balls, lost eight of 11 duels, committed three fouls, lost the ball 20 times and picked up a yellow card.

In short, it was a shambolic showing from Havertz, and with Isak bossing proceedings for the hosts, another reminder of how badly this team needs a new centre-forward option in the summer.

However, as poor as he was, in an unexpected turn of events, the usually unflappable William Saliba was just as bad.

William Saliba's performance vs Newcastle

Yes, even though Arsenal going out of the competition was always the most likely outcome of the game following on from the first leg, few would have expected Saliba to have looked as lost at sea as he did.

Alongside Gabriel Magalhaes, the French international has been the rock upon which most of the Gunners’ best performances have been built, and even when the team do lose or draw, he usually ends up looking mediocre at worst, but not last night.

Instead, the 23-year-old looked like a deer in headlights and was run ragged by Isak and Anthony Gordon all game, so much so that The Athletic’s Aaron Catterson-Reid justifiably described it as his “worst performance in an Arsenal shirt.”

Tom Canton was just as unimpressed with the Bondy-born star, giving him a 4/10 match rating and writing that it was an ‘uncharacteristic’ showing from him and that he was ‘caught time and time again.’

Once again, it’s an opinion that is more than supported by the player’s dismal statistics, as in 94 minutes, he made an error that led to a shot, lost the ball 11 times, maintained a passing accuracy of just 82%, failed in 100% of his long balls and lost 100% of his ground duels.

Minutes

94′

Errors Leading to a Shot

1

Lost Possession

11

Passing Accuracy

40/49 (82%)

Long Balls (Accurate)

2 (0)

Ground Duels (Won)

2 (0)

Fouls Committed

1

Yellow Cards

1

Ultimately, it was a bad day at the office for the entire Arsenal team, but it was especially dire for Havertz and Saliba, who now need to bounce back in a big way in the next game.

Arsenal star who Wenger sold for £18m is now outscoring Sesko & Martinelli

The incredible forward spent five and a half years with Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Feb 5, 2025

Leeds United extended their lead at the top of the Championship table to two points after they picked up a point away from home against Burnley on Monday night.

The Whites secured a hard-fought draw with the Clarets at Turf Moor, with neither side doing much to test either Illan Meslier or James Trafford throughout the match.

Given that Burnley are also competing for automatic promotion and were in the Premier League last season, it was a good test for some of Daniel Farke’s players to see if they have the credentials to make the step up to the top flight.

Sadly, one player failed to prove that he has what it takes to make the grade if Leeds are promoted to the Premier League for the 2025/26 campaign.

Leeds' biggest underperformer against Burnley

The Dutch forward had a terrific opportunity to prove to Farke, and the supporters, that he can be the difference-maker against a potentially top-flight level defence.

Unfortunately, he became just the latest striker to fail to score past England goalkeeper James Trafford, who has kept 19 clean sheets in 28 matches.

The shot-stopper had an easy evening at Turf Moor, though, because Piroe failed to offer much up against CJ Egan Riley and Maxime Esteve, who dominated him all night.

Minutes

71

Shots on target

0

Key passes

0

Duels won

0/2

Pass accuracy

50% (6/12)

Possession lost

10x

As you can see in the table above, the former Swansea man’s lack of mobility and physicality allowed the Burnley defenders to enjoy a comfortable evening, as he failed to win a single duel and did not make any impact at the top end of the pitch.

It was a chance for Piroe to prove that he has the physical and technical attributes to make the step up to the Premier League, and he failed on both counts – which is why Farke must drop him from the team.

Why Farke should drop Piroe

It was a lethargic and poor display from the Dutch striker and it was his third match without a goal in the Championship, recording just one chance created in those three outings.

In fact, Piroe has only scored six goals in his 19 starts in the second tier, with a further four as a substitute, and this shows that he has failed to offer consistent quality in the final third.

The left-footed attacker has lost a whopping 75% of his duels in the Championship this season, which illustrates his lack of strength in physical battles with opposition defenders, and this means that Leeds are not getting a physical presence or regular goals from him as a starting option.

Piroe does have quality as a finisher, as shown in the clip above and by his ten goals from 7.05 xG, but his all-round game and lack of athleticism, as shown in the draw with Burnley, suggests that he does not have what it takes to make it in the Premier League.

Therefore, Farke should drop the Dutchman in the short-term, given his recent performances, whilst also considering what to do with the number nine position heading into next season.

Raphinha repeat: Leeds lining up move for a star who was once worth £59m

Leeds are reportedly one of a number of clubs interested in a deal to sign the midfielder.

ByDan Emery Jan 27, 2025

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Nov-2016Carl Mumba picked up two wickets before lunch, and another soon after, to reduce Sri Lanka from 72 for 1 to 117 for 4; He finished the day with 4 for 50•Associated PressDhananjaya de Silva helped steady things with his second fifty-plus score in his second Test series. He made 64 off 82•AFPCaptain Graeme Cremer, who took four wickets and contributed a century to Zimbabwe’s score, could do little against the Sri Lankan fightback…•AFP… which was led by Kunaratne’s 110•AFPBy the end of the day – a premature one, with rain wiping out nearly all of the third session – Zimbabwe were staring at a deficit of 411 runs•AFP

Hampshire bowler key to visitors’ first-innings demise for just 56 before batting woes deepen

ECB Reporters Network19-May-2023Northamptonshire 56 (Barker 4-13) and 50 for 2 (Whiteman 25*, Turner 1-10, Barker 1-20) f/o trail Hampshire 367 (Vince 95, Dawson 63, White 4-80) by 261 runsNorthamptonshire’s batting woes continued as they were bowled out for 56 – the lowest total in the Ageas Bowl’s 22-year history during their LV= County Championship match against Hampshire.Fast bowler Keith Barker was their main tormentor as he pilfered 4 for 13 in his 12 overs, while Mohammad Abbas and Ian Holland grabbed two wickets each for the home side.Only Saif Zaib managed to reach double figures – scoring 29 – with four of his team-mates falling for ducks as they scored one run fewer than Hampshire’s 57 against Kent on the ground last season.It meant they gave up a 311-run first-innings deficit, after Hampshire had earlier been bowled out for 367, with a further two wickets falling before the close – the score 50 for 2 and Hampshire’s lead 261.Northamptonshire exceeded many expectations with their sixth-placed finish in the Championship last season – with Luke Procter, Emilio Gay, and Rob Keogh all scoring in excess of 800 runs. So far this year, there has been just a solitary batting point in five matches and totals of 72, 63, and now 56. They are also the only side not to have a batter make 300 runs yet this season – although that is somewhat mitigated by Gay and Procter’s missed games through injury.Unsurprisingly that modest batting record has only translated to a single victory. Their attempts to improve that started horrendously as Hassan Azad was barbequed by Gay and run out without facing a ball in the first over – Mason Crane’s brilliant direct hit at point splattering the stumps.No words were spoken as Azad trudged off, while Gay would frenetically go on to get dropped at second slip before taking on an Abbas bouncer, only to stick it straight down deep square leg Fletcha Middleton’s throat. Sam Whiteman would also fall lbw to Barker as Northamptonshire reached lunch on 18 for 3.That 11-over stint saw the very best of left-armer Barker. His six overs returned 1 for 4 and included only one scoring shot – off the penultimate ball of the session.Barker returned from lunch hungry for wickets and had Ricardo Vasconcelos lbw when walking across his stumps. The former Warwickshire man then produced a double-wicket maiden – his seventh maiden in 12 overs – where he found Keogh pushing to third slip and James Sales beaten for pace.Tom Taylor was caught low at fourth slip off Abbas and Jordan Buckingham edged Holland to second slip to continue the collapse.Zaib had replicated the steady Hampshire batting approach from the first day, where the pitch had seemed slow and patience was needed to pick the moments to score. With partners running out he advanced and slapped to cover.Hampshire’s bowling attack is without Kyle Abbott and James Fuller for this match – due to knee trouble and illness – it meant Championship debutant John Turner and leg-spinner Crane were promoted into the team. Turner bowled with decent pace in his first 3.2 overs before he ended the sorry Northamptonshire innings by knocking back Jack White’s off stump.It was Northamptonshire’s second-lowest total of the 21st century and lowest ever away to Hampshire.Rain knocked 27 off the day, but the belated start to the second innings saw Gay once again put down at second slip and Azam complete a same-day pair – although this time at least faced seven balls before Barker pinned him lbw.Gay and Whiteman showed some solidity before Turner entered the attack and had the former lbw to complete a miserable day for the visitors.Earlier, Hampshire added 36 runs and lost their four remaining wickets, as they gained a third batting bonus point. Liam Dawson and Barker’s 74-run stand for the seventh wicket was ended when Tom Taylor nipped one back to bowl Dawson for 63.White, who ended up with figures of 4 for 80, had Holland lbw and Turner caught brilliantly at second slip by Gay in successive balls. The innings was rounded up when Abbas edged Taylor to first slip.

افتتح مانشستر سيتي الإنجليزي، التسجيل في شباك الهلال السعودي، خلال المباراة الجارية الآن بينهما، ضمن منافسات بطولة كأس العالم للأندية 2025.

ويلتقي الهلال مع مانشستر سيتي، ضمن منافسات دور الستة عشر من بطولة كأس العالم للأندية 2025 المقامة في الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية.

وجاء الهدف في الدقيقة التاسعة من عمر المباراة عن طريق برناردو سيلفا، بعدما وصلته الكرة خلال محاولة من دفاع الهلال في إبعاد عرضية آيت نوري، وسط اعتراضات من لاعبي الزعيم بسبب لمسة يد قبل أن يؤكد الحكم صحته.

وتأهل الهلال إلى دور ثمن النهائي بعدما أنهى دور المجموعات في وصافة المجموعة الثامنة برصيد 5 نقاط، حيث استهل مشواره بالتعادل أمام ريال مدريد الإسباني بنتيجة 1-1، ثم تعادل مجددًا في الجولة الثانية بدون أهداف مع ريد بول سالزبورج النمساوي، قبل أن يحسم تأهله بفوز مهم على باتشوكا المكسيكي بهدفين دون رد في الجولة الثالثة.

في المقابل، حجز مانشستر سيتي مقعده في دور الـ16 بعد تصدره المجموعة السابعة بالعلامة الكاملة 9 نقاط، محققًا ثلاث انتصارات، بدأها بالفوز على الوداد المغربي 2-0، ثم اكتسح العين الإماراتي بنتيجة 6-0، واختتم مشواره في المجموعة بانتصار عريض على يوفنتوس الإيطالي بنتيجة 5-2.

وسيواجه الفائز من هذه المباراة فريق فلومينينسي البرازيلي الذي تأهل على حساب إنتر ميلان الإيطالي، في دور ربع النهائي. هدف مانشستر سيتي الأول أمام الهلال في كأس العالم للأندية

بيرناردو سيلفا يحرز الهدف الأول لمانشستر سيتي ⚽️

تابع @fifaworldcup_ar | يونيو 14 – يوليو 13 | كل المباريات | مجانًا https://t.co/twXn7KmpIG I #FIFACWC #TakeItToTheWorld pic.twitter.com/pFcmuNTtcQ — DAZN Arabia (@DAZN_Arabia) July 1, 2025

Also, who’ll be the third specialist quick, and who are the back-ups to the first XI?

Andrew McGlashan14-Mar-20232:22

Ian Chappell: Australia didn’t learn a lot about their play in India series

In future Border-Gavaskar series there will be a fifth Test. However, in a way, we get one this time too. Australia and India will meet again in early June to decide the World Test Championship title.There will be precious little time for either side to prepare given the IPL runs until late May, but you can make the case that Australia have it better. A number of their players will have county cricket stints beforehand, including key batters Marnus Labuschagne and Steven Smith, while fringe players get the A tour of New Zealand and the potential of further training at home.By and large, selection for Australia’s best XI will not be an overly taxing affair provided injuries don’t play a major part. There are probably nine spots nailed down already. But those final two are ticklish decisions.

What next for David Warner?

David Warner will return to Australia colours this week in the three-match ODI series in India, having recovered from the fractured elbow he suffered in Delhi. But his Test future is as clouded as at any time, barring the immediate aftermath of the ball tampering.He has an underwhelming record in the UK where he averages 26.04 from 13 Tests without a century. The double-century he forged in his 100th Test against South Africa – a remarkable innings – is threatening to look like an outlier in the closing stages of his career.David Warner did not have a memorable tour of India•Associated Press

He appears likely to feature in the WTC final, but beyond that there feels less certainty. Ricky Ponting recently suggested that it could become a selection playoff for Warner to decide whether he at least starts the Ashes that follow in the English summer.After Ahmedabad, head coach Andrew McDonald was reasonably firm on the final but left the rest more open-ended. Warner’s endpoint in Test cricket may not be in his own hands. It is not beyond the realms that he starts the Ashes but does not finish it should England’s quicks reprise their round-the-wicket success of 2019.Related

• Steven Smith to captain Australia in ODI series against India

• Spencer Johnson on Ashes radar after being named for Aus A

• Ponting: Ideal time for Warner to retire was after 2022 MCG 200

• 'I've got the next 12 months' – Warner defiant over Test future

• How Australia made it to their first World Test Championship final

“I think you work through that conversation, and how each player finishes is always differently,” McDonald said. “Some want to go out in a certain way, and others are okay with potentially being dropped out of sides. But at the moment Dave’s fully in our plans for the World Test Championship, he’s coming back for the one-day series, he’s recovered from his injury there, so we’ll see Dave back in Australian colours on the 17th and we’ll go from there.”Even if Warner reaches the next home summer (where his home Test at the SCG will not be the final match of the season this time) there is little doubt that his Test career will end in the next 12 months, so there will need to be a replacement sooner rather than later.Matthew Renshaw batted in the middle order in India, and unconvincingly so, but is viewed as the leading candidate at the moment. By pure weight of domestic runs Cameron Bancroft is making a strong case although there may be other complexities involved. Marcus Harris could consider himself unfortunate to have been dropped in the 2021-22 Ashes when someone had to make way to keep Usman Khawaja in the side. Travis Head was excellent after being promoted to open in India but will remain a middle-order player outside the subcontinent.

Josh Hazlewood vs Scott Boland

The other big selection decision that will likely need to be made is who slots in as the third specialist quick behind Mitchell Starc and captain Pat Cummins. However, that is assuming that Josh Hazlewood can put an end to his run of injuries which, along with conditions-based selection in Asia, has limited him to four Tests in two years.Can Josh Hazlewood get fit for the WTC final?•Getty Images

Hazlewood left the India tour after not recovering from Achilles injury sustained in his comeback Test at the SCG against South Africa when he pounded in on soft turf caused by problems with the covers. He is a wonderful Test bowler but needs to stay on the park.”Injuries are unfortunate and it’s part of fast bowling,” McDonald said. “So two separate injuries, a side injury and an Achilles injury. When he does come back though, what we saw in Sydney is he’s still world-class. I think Scott Boland adds to depth there, we’ve got Lance Morris, unfortunately Jhye Richardson who is of great interest as well suffered a recent injury as well, but we feel as though those fast bowlers as a collective can help each other navigate through what the Future Tours Programme holds.”If Hazlewood is fit for the WTC final it will be a close-run thing between him and Boland, although before the SCG match against South Africa he stated his belief that the pace-bowling hierarchy was still in place – and he was, indeed, selected ahead of Boland. Either of them should be a handful in England during early June.Having said that Starc will be locked in, there may just be question posed as to whether he is the ideal type of fast bowler for early-season England. He only played once in the 2019 Ashes. However, since the start of 2021-22 season he has taken 51 wickets at 27.27 and he also has a role in creating rough for Nathan Lyon.

The reserves

There is unlikely to be much difference between Australia’s WTC squad and their Ashes group, but the ICC will put a limit of the number of players for the final. For the 2021 edition it was 15. So let’s assume there are four extra spots to fill.Will Josh Inglis be called upon as backup wicketkeeper?•Getty Images

Todd Murphy would appear locked in as the back-up spinner after his outstanding tour of India. One of Hazlewood or Boland will be a spare quick but there will be another as well. Uncapped Lance Morris has been around squads at home and abroad, but selectors may just ponder if he’ll quite be the right fit for June conditions. Michael Neser could well come into the frame.Will they want a specialist wicketkeeper in reserve? It’s long way to fly someone from Australia at short notice. In India, Peter Handscomb, who is very capable with the gloves, filled the role and would be an option again. He would obviously cover the spare batter position, too. If an out-and-out keeper was wanted, Josh Inglis would lead the way, although Jimmy Peirson should push him close.Australia’s possible WTC final squad (if 15 named): David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (capt), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Scott Boland, Todd Murphy, Peter Handscomb, Michael Neser/Lance Morris

Results on the field have remained inconsistent, but Delhi Daredevils have the ingredients in place for a bigger push next season

Arun Venugopal16-May-20153:54

We need to find a winning culture – Duminy

Tournament overview

Ahead of IPL 2015, Delhi Daredevils had more than one challenge confronting them. Firstly, they had to up their game on the field. After two consecutive years of finishing last, Delhi Daredevils’ big buys had misfired in 2014. Secondly, with the team not being taken seriously enough as a championship contender, their profile needed a boost.The owners decided to do something about it and made a statement of intent four months ahead of IPL 2015 by offloading 13 players, including Kevin Pietersen, Ross Taylor, Dinesh Karthik and M Vijay.With their purse fattened they splurged money on Yuvraj Singh, the costliest buy in the auction at Rs 16 crore, as much to strengthen their squad as to attract advertisers, perhaps more of the latter than the former. There were other big investments in the form of Angelo Mathews (Rs 7.5 crore), Zaheer Khan (Rs 4 crore), Amit Mishra (Rs 3.5 crore), Shreyas Iyer (Rs 2.6 crore) and Gurinder Sandhu (Rs 1.7 crore).As Daredevils’ campaign winds down, they will perhaps have mixed feelings. If they were to strictly go by the bottomline – Daredevils will finish seventh – then things haven’t improved a great deal.But a closer look would reveal that they have made incremental gains to their performances and, with a bit of luck, could have been placed higher. What also hurt them was their inability to string together consistently good performances, their graph an alternating pattern of wins and losses. Captain JP Duminy conceded that his team fell short when it came to closing out games.

High Point

Going into the season, Daredevils had an embarrassing record to set straight, that of losing nine IPL matches in a row, and two last-ball defeats, against Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals, made it 11 on the trot. The long-awaited win finally came against Kings XI Punjab, with Mayank Agarwal and Yuvraj Singh scoring fifties. They followed it up with a four-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad courtesy Duminy’s all-round performance. That was the only instance of Daredevils winning two consecutive games.Shreyas Iyer has justified his Rs. 2.6 crore price tag with over 400 runs in his debut season•BCCI

Low Point

At the end of eight games, Daredevils, after crushing Kings XI Punjab by nine wickets, had won four and lost as many. They were in with a decent shout of qualifying for the playoffs at that point, but then went off the boil, losing four games in a row. Daredevils also suffered a 10-wicket defeat at the hands of Royal Challengers Bangalore after being bowled out for 95.

Top of the class

When Shreyas Iyer was signed for Rs 2.6 crore, there was disbelief and curiosity in equal measure. Iyer, Mumbai’s highest run-getter in the Ranji Trophy, was an investment that appeared to appreciate as the season went on. One of the best young players of IPL 2015, Iyer, 20, is comfortably the leading run-getter for Daredevils with 419 runs* at an average of 34.91, including four fifties.Despite the impressive numbers, Iyer admitted his preparation wasn’t ideal ahead of the IPL. “I wasn’t prepared as I didn’t know where I’ll bat,” Iyer told ESPNcricinfo. “The preparation was not the best but I took the confidence of a good Ranji season.”

Flop buy

At the other end of the spectrum is Yuvraj Singh, who didn’t do much justice to his price tag. He managed 237 runs at 19.75 and didn’t do much with the ball either.

Tip for 2016

Daredevils have in the past been guilty of changing the core of their team too often. This time, as Duminy said, Daredevils are on the “right track”, and have the building blocks in place for next year. If they can ensure continuity and put together some consistent performances, the results might not remain elusive for too long.