Stokes faces both offspinners in floodlit nets session as England consider change to all-pace strategy

Vithushan Ehantharajah01-Dec-2025

Around 20 punters watched England’s first evening net at the Gabba ahead of the day-night Ashes Test starting on Thursday.The outdoor facilities at this historic but ageing colosseum are the most amenable in the world for observers, offering a behind-the-batter view of what it’s like to face the fiercest bowlers going. There were plenty of eyes on the lane closest to Main Street, as Jofra Archer, Brydon Carse and Gus Atkinson steamed in with the pink Kookaburra ball.But it was the net furthest away that had the most immediate interest ahead of the second Test. Both Shoaib Bashir and Will Jacks were bowling their offspin to England captain Ben Stokes, duking it out for what seems, at this juncture, the last available spot in the XI.Related

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Mark Wood has been ruled out – England are optimistic his heavily strapped left knee will get adequate rest to ensure he is back in the mix for Adelaide – but the other 10 starters from the defeat in Perth are likely to be rolled out again.Josh Tongue is the most like-for-like replacement if the tourists want to repeat their all-pace attack from Perth. But they are understood to be trending more towards spin in their bid to come back from 1-0 down, with the expectation that the pink Kookaburra will soften earlier than the red one.The pair have had very different routes to these Ashes. Bashir has been the captain’s go-to spinner since a shock call-up to the India tour at the start of 2024, with 68 wickets in 19 caps to date. His traits – a high release-point, revs coming from over the top of the ball – were deemed better suited to Test pitches (particularly Australian ones) compared to traditional English, doorknob-turning finger spinners.Jacks, an allrounder, was the first conventional offspinner picked by Stokes, drafted on the tour of Pakistan in the winter of 2022 for his only two Test caps after developing as Surrey’s primary spin option. He took 6 for 161 in his first go on debut – the first Test at Rawalpindi – and showed his dexterity as a batter by slotting in at No. 3 in the second innings of the next Test in Multan to give Ollie Pope extra rest after keeping. That he is on this tour owes as much to his batting – destructive qualities, and comfort filling in any top six position – and his tall action and ambition with the ball.Bashir is understood to be the one in pole position, though it was Jacks who seemed to have the better of it on Monday night, before padding up. Nets can only tell you so much, of course. Stokes and the rest of England’s batters were focused on getting attuned to the shift from day to night, and then how the floodlights transformed the grass beneath their feet. They will have one more hit in similar conditions on Wednesday before they get going in their attempts to square the series.Visiting spinners have had very little success with the pink ball over here, collectively managing just 28 wickets at 64.03. Joe Root’s three in the Adelaide Test on the 2021-22 tour has him joint-second on that list (with Yasir Shah); Dawid Malan is joint-fourth with two picked up from that same game. R Ashwin sits top with six at 20.66.England would not be wrong to look at Nathan Lyon’s impressive record of 43 dismissals at 25.62 from his 13 day-night home Tests and surmise spin is a must. But they may take more meaningful notes from Kevin Sinclair’s cameo in Australia’s one and only pink ball defeat.That came here at the Gabba last year. Sinclair – also an offspinner – struck a vital 50 and then 14 not out, both from No. 7, in a tight eight-run win. He bowled just eight overs, all in Australia’s first innings which sandwiched his batting efforts, but was able to snare Usman Khawaja for 75. Replicating Sinclair’s impact rather than Lyon’s is a far easier task and would favour Jacks.It will be these cues from day-night affairs in Australia, and England’s own learnings from the seven they have played, that will continue to be disseminated among the group over the coming days. The entire top five played in England’s last pink-ball Test – against New Zealand at Mount Maunganui in 2023 – but Jamie Smith, for instance, will be playing his first of any kind.”We’ve spoken with the guys who have played some pink-ball games, and had a look at some of the pink-ball games that have been played in Australia in the past four or five years,” Carse said. His only day-night match happened to be in this country for England Lions against Australia A at Melbourne in January 2020.”On an evening, it does seem to do a little bit more, especially if you have a slightly newer ball, which I’m sure we’ll take into consideration throughout the game. It’s going to be exciting. I’m expecting a massive crowd, a hostile crowd. The guys are really looking forward to it.”I think looking back at a couple of highlights of previous games played in Australia, it’s certainly very admirable how their new-ball bowling goes. You know, they strike early and I think that’s going to be important, whether that’s certain lines we’ll be bowling or maybe bowling a touch fuller to let it swing. They’ve played some really good cricket with a pink ball. So, yeah, I’d like to say that we’ve had a look at some of the stuff that they’ve done over the previous years.”

While he has made some mistakes, Mikel Arteta has got an awful lot right during his time in the Arsenal dugout.

The Spaniard has overseen a complete overhaul of the squad, instilled a new philosophy, and turned them from a fallen giant into serial challengers for both the Premier League and the Champions League.

However, there were plenty of moments early on in his managerial career when it felt like he was hanging onto the job by his fingertips, including a period in which Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe practically saved him.

Since then, the former has established himself as the club’s talisman, while the latter has fallen away and been sold to Fulham. Interestingly, there is a player in Arteta’s current squad who once felt like the next Saka but could now be closer to becoming the next Smith Rowe.

How Smith Rowe and Saka save Arteta

Even though the club were coming off their 14th FA Cup triumph, the start of the 20/21 season was nothing short of disastrous for Arsenal.

The North Londoners actually won their two opening games, against Fulham and West Ham United and even picked up a third win of the campaign in their fourth match.

However, the losses started coming thick and fast, and from the 8th of November to Boxing Day, the team didn’t win a single league game.

So, when Chelsea rocked up at the Emirates on Boxing Day, Arteta decided to roll the dice and start Smith Rowe in the ten, a decision that instantly paid off as the Gunners came out 3-1 winners and the youngster provided the assist for Saka’s goal.

From that point, results started to improve, and the two Hale Enders were crucial to that, with the midfielder racking up a tally of four goals and seven assists and the winger doing even better with seven goals and seven assists.

The duo continued to impress the following season, with Smith Rowe producing 13 goal involvements and the mercurial number seven producing 19.

However, a combination of injuries and the squad being strengthened around him saw the Croydon-born gem slowly lose his place in the side over the next two seasons.

Finally, after making just 14 appearances in the 22/23 season and then 19 the year after that, the Hale Ender was sold to Fulham for around £34m, while Saka went on to become arguably the team’s best player.

Interestingly, or perhaps unfortunately, there is currently a potential star in the making in Arteta’s squad today who at one point looked destined to follow in Saka’s footsteps, but might now be more likely to become the next Smith Rowe.

The Arsenal gem who could become the next Smith Rowe

It would be fair to say that, as seasons go, last year wasn’t a particularly enjoyable one for Arsenal fans.

Chalkboard

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

The club looked miles off in the title race and were beset with injuries to key players, only this time they didn’t have the squad depth they do today.

However, there were at least a few bright spots from the campaign, notably the emergence of Ethan Nwaneri.

The youngster had long been a prospect fans were excited about; he became the youngest player in the Premier League, after all.

Yet, it was the injuries to Martin Odegaard and specifically Saka that meant he ended up getting far more first-team minutes than supporters were expecting, and to say he made the most of the opportunity would be an understatement.

Appearances

37

Minutes

1378′

Goals

9

Assists

2

Goal Involvements per Match

0.29

Minutes per Goal Involvement

125.27′

For example, the often “unplayable” dynamo, as dubbed by Jack Wilshere, scored nine goals and provided two assists in 37 appearances, totalling 1378 minutes.

In other words, the Hale End phenom averaged a goal involvement every 3.36 games, or more crucially, one every 125.27 minutes, which helps to justify Joe Cole’s claim that “he’s the most exciting footballer in England and maybe Europe.”

It was these numbers, plus the moments of brilliance on the ball and his time out wide, that led many to see him as someone who could and probably would follow in the steps of Saka and become a key part of the squad in the coming years.

However, fast-forward to today, and it would be fair to describe his situation as more akin to Smith Rowe’s in his final seasons at the club.

For example, as things stand, the teenager has made just ten appearances for the first team, totalling 427 minutes.

Moreover, he’s started just three games all season, two of which came in the League Cup and another in the club’s Champions League clash with Slavia Prague.

Worryingly, the Enfield-born gem has also only scored one goal and, like the Croydon-born star before him, has seen fresh competition arrive in the shape of Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke.

Appearances

10

Minutes

427′

Goals

1

Assists

0

Goal Involvements per Match

0.1

Minutes per Goal Involvement

427′

However, it is still early in the season, and while it’s clear that the manager isn’t as keen to pick the Hale Ender as he was last year, there is still plenty of time for things to change.

Therefore, so long as Nwaneri does get more game time across the rest of the campaign, he could still follow in Saka’s footsteps, but if he doesn’t, he could be another Smith Rowe.

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اعترف لاعب نادي توتنهام هوتسبير السابق، بأنه لا يشعر بأي تعاطف تجاه نجم نادي ليفربول، محمد صلاح، مبديًا توقعاته بشأن مستقبل الدولي المصري مع النادي الإنجليزي.

محمد صلاح تراجع مستواه بشكل كبير مع نادي ليفربول خلال هذا الموسم، وتلقى اللاعب انتقادات عديدة تزامنًا مع هبوط مردود الريدز نفسه.

وأدى سوء مستوى محمد صلاح إلى تواجده على مقاعد بدلاء ليفربول خلال آخر ثلاث مباريات بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، وبقرار من المدير الفني آرني سلوت.

وانفجر محمد صلاح بعد قرارات سلوت، وأكد أن علاقته بالمدرب الهولندي قد انهارت، موضحًا أن إدارة ليفربول لم تنفذ وعودها له.

ورد سلوت على ما قاله محمد صلاح واستبعد اللاعب من مباراة ليفربول وإنتر ميلان بدوري أبطال أوروبا يوم أمس الثلاثاء، والتي فاز بها ليفربول بهدف دون رد.

ويرى تيم شيروود، لاعب نادي توتنهام السابق، أن محمد صلاح سيطلب الرحيل عن ليفربول خلال الفترة المقبلة.

وقال شيروود في تصريحات نقلها ”consent.yahoo.com”: “لا أشعر بأي تعاطف تجاه محمد صلاح، أعتقد أنه أحد أفضل اللاعبين الأجانب الذين شهدناهم في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز ولا جدال في ذلك، أرقامه وأداؤه كانت مذهلة لكن الأمر كله يتعلق بمحمد صلاح”.

وأضاف شيروود في حديثه: “لو كان يورجن كلوب لا يزال في النادي، لكان قد دبر رحيل صلاح، لأنهم أجروا تغييرًا وكانوا يفوزون كل أسبوع في الموسم الماضي مع آرني سلوت، فقد قدم موسمًا رائعًا”.

وأوضح: ”هل ستمنحه عقدًا جديدًا؟ لست متأكدًا من أن ليفربول كان راضيًا تمامًا، لكنهم فعلوا”.

طالع .. لويس دياز ينهال بالمديح على محمد صلاح: ترك بصمة عميقة في نفسي

وأردف شيروود في تصريحاته عن محمد صلاح: “يدرك ليفربول تمامًا أن قيمته ستظل مرتفعة للغاية، خاصةً في الدوري السعودي للمحترفين وأرى أن هذا هو خياره”.

وتابع: “لماذا أعلن رغبته في الانتقال الآن؟ أعتقد أنه أعلن رغبته في الانتقال الآن بعد كأس الأمم الإفريقية، الأمر يتعلق برغبته في مغادرة النادي الآن”.

وواصل شيروود في حديثه عن محمد صلاح: “بصفتك مديرًا فنيًا، ليس هدفك أن تكون محبوبًا لكن يجب أن تحظى بالاحترام، وعليه أن يدرك أن سلوت هو المدرب، وأن وظيفته مليئة بالضغوط خاصةً في ظل ظروف هذا الموسم، سواءً كان السبب هو وصول اللاعبون الجدد أو وفاة ديوجو جوتا، فقد كان موسمًا سيئًا”.

واستكمل: “آرني سلوت يختار التشكيلة فقط لأنه يعتقد أنها قادرة على الفوز بالمباراة، في رأيي ليس لديه أي ضغينة شخصية ضد محمد صلاح، لو كان صلاح يقدم أفضل ما لديه ولم تكن لديه الخيارات الأخرى التي دفع ليفربول مبالغ طائلة لضمها، لكان لا يزال ضمن التشكيلة الأساسية”.

واستطرد شيروود: “يريد سلوت إجراء تغيير في التشكيلة بما يخدم مصلحة النادي وليس مصلحة محمد صلاح، صلاح لا يفكر في النادي أولًا بل يفكر في نفسه أولًا، النادي دائمًا أهم من أي فرد”.

واختتم شيروود في تصريحاته عن محمد صلاح: “من المؤسف رؤية هذا وسيؤثر سلبًا على إرثه، لن يدمر ذلك الأمر، لأنه لاعب عبقري وما زلت أعتقد أن لديه الكثير ليقدمه، لكنني أعتقد أنه يحاول المضي قدماً حتى يتمكن من الرحيل في يناير، وإلا لما كان قد تحدث”.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has seen all the chatter online about him being “asleep on the job” this offseason since New York hasn’t made a big move yet. At least not the moves fans are really hoping for—like bringing back Cody Bellinger or signing Kyle Tucker, for example.

Cashman poked fun at himself by creating the “meme”—a word he hilariously pronounced incorrectly—when he participated in the Covenant House Sleep Out in New York on Thursday night. As he cuddled up on the ground in a sleeping bag, this is what he told reporters:

“You know this is a meme about how Brian Cashman’s asleep on the job and not doing his job, ‘cause I’ve seen that all over social media.”

Don’t worry, Yankees fans. Cashman also shared with reporters on Thursday that he’s making strides to figure out the moves the team wants to make this offseason. He’s already started conversations about Bellinger and Tucker, and he’s spoken with other teams about other moves. Apart from Tucker, he’s also started talks about bringing back Paul Goldschmidt and potentially acquiring Michael King and Kyle Schwarber this offseason. He’s not totally sleeping on the job.

MatériaMais Notícias

A busca do Cruzeiro por reforços começou. Classificada para a próxima fase da Sul-Americana, a Raposa, agora com seu futebol sob a tutela de Alexandre Mattos, traça a linha na procura de novos nomes. Os dois primeiros são Kaio Jorge e Matheus Henrique, que jogam no Frosinone e no Sassuolo, ambos da Itália. Confira as informações!

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Kaio Jorge

No caso do atacante de 22 anos, a proposta é de compra. Confiante, o Cruzeiro propôs cerca de R$4 milhões de euros à Juventus pelo jogador, que passou a temporada emprestado ao Frosinone. Rebaixado para a Série B da Itália, Kaio atuou em 22 jogos, marcando três gols e dando uma assistência. Revelado pelo Santos, o atacante está na Terra da Bota desde 2020.

Matheus Henrique

Outro também rebaixado na Itália é Matheus Henrique, que atuou na Sassuolo nesta temporada. Revelado pelo Grêmio, o jogador interessa ao Cruzeiro e não deve permanecer na Itália. Em relação aos valores, o time mineiro tentará, primeiramente, um empréstimo com obrigação de compra, necessitando de compensação financeira aos italianos.

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Though Australia have made day-night Tests work, conditions, dew and the pink ball’s inconsistent movement continue to limit the format’s wider appeal

Andrew McGlashan02-Dec-20257:36

Are England prepared for Brisbane pink-ball challenge?

Ten years ago last week, Martin Guptill faced up against Mitchell Starc at Adelaide Oval for the first ball in day-night Test. What played out was a gripping, low-scoring encounter, including a dose controversy, which Australia won by three wickets. The crowds flocked in, and TV ratings were huge.Seen as a way to boost attendance and attractive to broadcasters, day-night Tests had been an evolution talked about since the early 2000s. There had been a plan to stage a 2010 Test between England and Bangladesh under lights at Lord’s but it would take another five years of negotiations and domestic trials for it to come to fruition. An AU$1 million bonus helped sweeten the deal when Australia and New Zealand took the field.James Sutherland, the former Cricket Australia CEO, had been one of the catalysts behind bringing day-night Tests to life. When India declined a pink-ball Test on the 2018-19 tour, citing the fact they had yet to play any, he said: “It’s the way of the future and India may or may not come around to that idea for this tour but I still believe it’s the way of the future. I think everyone in world cricket knows that.”Related

• From Beefy to Broad Ban – inside England's Brisbane angst

• Bashir, Jacks in frame as England mull taking the pink for a spin

• Khawaja gets a good workout ahead of pink-ball Test

• Steven Smith bats with 'eye blacks' ahead of pink-ball challenge

• Root unperturbed by 'challenge' of facing pink-ball master Starc

India have since played five, including two in Adelaide, but the upcoming pink-ball Test at the Gabba will be just the 24th in the men’s game overall, of which more than half (13) have been staged in Australia. While Brisbane is the venue this week, Adelaide Oval has become the ‘home’ of the pink-ball Test. It remains a central part of the Australian cricket calendar, but the format hasn’t changed the game globally the way that may have first been envisaged.”In Australia, why it works is we have great weather at this time of year in the summer, with world-class stadiums and facilities and excellent flood lighting,” Joel Morrison, Executive General Manager, Events & Operations at Cricket Australia told ESPNcricinfo. “And ultimately there’s been significant investment over a long period of time in optimising the pink ball and the wickets to best support the day-night format in Australian conditions.”I think the fact that it is now a staple of the Australian summer means that people know there is always a day-night Test match being played, so they can rely upon that when we’re playing at home. Then just the unique nature of Test cricket under lights, there’s something quite special about seeing players in whites under lights with big crowds and the pink ball. It really just gives a great point of difference to the game and is a great example of how the game of Test cricket over its history has continued to evolve and it’s quite a unique spectacle.””So those elements coming together mean we’ve got a recipe that works very effectively in Australian conditions. We see big crowds turning up to because they’re more accessible, and it is also validated by a strong viewership for those games, which helps promote Test cricket.”

Why day-night Tests haven’t worked

What has become clear over the years is that you need a particular set of conditions to come together to make for an ideal day-night scenario: limited impact from dew, a pitch that helps the pink ball – which has been an ongoing challenge to perfect – retain a degree of hardness for longer, but does not combine to make conditions unplayable, and a climate that provides reasonable assurance of warm evenings.England staged one game in 2017 against West Indies at Edgbaston where the night sessions were cold (a British summer doesn’t guarantee warmth) and the crowd had thinned out by the end. Writing in his column, Alastair Cook, who made 243 in that match, also said the longer twilight in the UK, with the sun setting late on summer nights, extended the period where the ball dominated.Alastair Cook drives in the evening sunlight at Edgbaston during the pink-ball Test•Getty ImagesSouth Africa tried one in 2017 against Zimbabwe which ended in two days. For a period after that the country’s challenging power situation – which often involved load-shedding – made it impractical. It’s uncertain if they will revisit it.In India, the dew was an issue, and concerns over the ball. Sri Lanka’s three main Test grounds – SSC, P Sara and Galle – don’t have lights (although the SSC soon will) and Pallekele is too wet for parts of the year. Pakistan were keen on them in the UAE but have not explored it since bringing international cricket back home.Having been part of the first, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) were initially keen but have only hosted two, the first of which saw England bowled out for 58 inside the first session. Not all their boutique venues have lights. In West Indies, which had initially been thought of as a prime market, the pink Dukes ball has swayed things too far in the way of the bowlers.Former England captain Michael Atherton sat on the MCC World Cricket Committee when the day-night format was initially being discussed. “The whole point was to play them in places where the crowds are struggling somewhere like, say Bridgetown where Test crowds have not been great, but it goes dark early, it’s warm and it’s obvious you can play and get people in after work,” he said on the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast. “This Ashes Test at the Gabba would be sold out anyway and the notion that they are going to play that 150th Test anniversary Test [between Australia and England] in 2027 under lights is complete nonsense.”

“This Ashes Test at the Gabba would be sold out anyway and the notion that they are going to play that 150th Test anniversary Test [between Australia and England] in 2027 under lights is a complete nonsense.”Atherton

The point about whether the Ashes series a day-night Test was brought up by Joe Root this week. For Australia’s players, even those who hold some reservations, it has just become part of the summer. Having a match every season has naturally meant they have been able to adjust.”I mean, would I prefer to play red ball over pink ball? Probably,” Marnus Labuschagne, the leading run-scorer in pink-ball Test cricket, said. “Just because you play it more, you’re used to the colour of the ball. There’s a few intricate things about the pink ball that make it a bit of a different game. But I think as with anything when it first came along everyone was like, no we just want red ball, [but] it’s become something that traditionally Australia have been very good at.”

A bowlers’ game, but not always

Leading into this Test in Brisbane, Stuart Broad, who played in seven day-night Tests was concerned it could become a “lottery.” There has not been a single draw in day-night Test cricket. The average length of a match has been approximately 264 overs. For comparison, the average length of a result red-ball Test in the last ten years has been approximately 300 overs, so the difference isn’t vast. In Australia it narrows even more: 287 overs vs 309.There have been some Tests on the extreme shorter end of the scale: India beat England in two days in Ahmedabad when the spinners proved unstoppable. Root claimed 5 for 8 and Axar Patel skidded the ball through the visitors. As previously mentioned, South Africa dismantled Zimbabwe in quick time in Gqeberha. More recently, West Indies were rolled for 27 by Starc and Scott Boland in Jamaica, a match that used the pink Dukes ball, perhaps for the final time.But for all the focus on the ball in day-night Tests, which now has a black seam rather than a white one, the pitch plays a decisive role and runs have been possible: David Warner and Azhar Ali have scored triple centuries. Naturally, the individual statistics are heavily weighted towards Australians. Labuschagne has made 958 runs at 63.86 with four centuries.Mitchell Starc has 81 wickets with the pink ball at 17.08•Getty Images”I don’t really know why my record has been good against a pink ball, but it’s something that I have enjoyed,” he said. “It’s obviously got its challenges because it provides so much opportunity at different times. You have to change your game, you have to adapt and there’s certain times where there’s a bit of [a lull] and then there’s certain times where the game speeds up.”Starc is the king of the format with the ball having claimed 81 wickets at 17.08 including 6 for 9 in his last outing in Jamaica. There is some irony to that given Starc was strongly opposed to the format when it began, although he has mellowed somewhat these days. “It’s good for the record,” he joked at Sabina Park.”You don’t want to overdo what it is,” he added after the extraordinary haul in his 100th Test. “I think it’s a great product in Adelaide. I think there’s a spot for it. You just look at how it’s been picked up by Adelaide and the public there. It’s certainly a fantastic week to be a part of there when it’s a pink-ball test. It’s not this year. I’m still a traditionalist, so I still very much love the red-ball game. I’ve grown to see a place for it in the calendar.”Alongside the format’s inaugural outing in Adelaide, two of the closest Tests have come at the Gabba. In 2016-17, Pakistan were within touching distance of chasing down a world-record 490 thanks to a magnificent fourth-innings century from Asad Shafiq and a surface that knocked the life out of the ball. Then two seasons ago, West Indies pulled off an eight-run heist when Shamar Joseph tore through Australia.Whether this week’s match can produce a finish to match either of those remains to be seen but, while a decade on Australia remains a bastion for the format, it feels like the prospects of the day-night game being revolutionary for the Test cricket have passed.

It would be fair to say that it has not been the ideal week for Danny Rohl and Rangers, with the new boss already in danger of falling into Russell Martin territory at Ibrox.

Having failed to beat ten-man Braga a week ago, the Gers have since slipped to two frustrating draws against Falkirk and Dundee United, the latter of which was only rescued following a last-gasp Nedim Bajrami spot-kick on Wednesday night.

At a time of initial chaos at Celtic following Brendan Rodgers’ resignation, alongside a recent slump for Premiership leaders Hearts, the Light Blues have failed to capitalise, now finding themselves still nine points off the pace in fourth spot.

Of course, much of the blame will lie at the feet of the departed Kevin Thelwell and co, following a simply bizarre summer of recruitment, although Rohl himself should not be free of criticism amid his continued, head-scratching selection decisions.

Rangers' worst performers against Dundee United

After the highs of scoring his first Rangers goal against Livingston not too long ago, Emmanuel Fernandez was brought crashing back down to earth following arguably his worst display for the club to date in midweek, having been particularly at fault for the hosts’ opener.

The 24-year-old simply allowed goalscorer Zachary Sapsford to breeze past him down that left flank, while his overall woes were evident as he lost eight of his 18 total duels, as per Sofascore, alongside the hapless Nasser Djiga.

All eyes are on that struggling backline, although the attacking unit must also shoulder their share of the blame, with Bojan Miovski’s early Rangers woes continuing, having scored just once in the league following his arrival from Girona.

A former hero at Aberdeen – and at one stage lauded as the “best player” in the Premiership in his position – the 26-year-old has yet to fire in his new surroundings, with his inability to provide a physical focal point laid bare after losing eight duels himself against the Tangerines.

The man behind him, Danilo, was also notably ineffective, having failed to convert any of his five shots, while Djeidi Gassama was also lacking on the flanks, having lost the ball 20 times from just 56 touches.

A moment of magic from Jayden Meghoma, alongside Bajrami’s 98th-minute penalty, helped to spare most of those blushes somewhat, although heading into a hectic festive schedule, Rohl must surely ring the changes.

On the evidence again of Wednesday night, the aforementioned Djiga must well be one of them – and not just in the short-term.

The Rangers star who must not start again under Rohl

As the old saying goes, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.

Chalkboard

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

As harsh as it may be, we are approaching similar territory with regard to Djiga, with the on-loan Wolverhampton Wanderers man again looking so underpar at Tannadice.

Calamity after calamity has been the theme of his Ibrox stint to date, memorably sent off on his home Premiership debut against Dundee, while going AWOL in the desperate defeat at Club Brugge in the early weeks of the season.

Too many errors to count, in truth, with the 23-year-old again somewhat culpable last night, having failed to engage with that man Sapsford, as the Dundee goalscorer surged into the area.

For the home side’s second of the night, Djiga was also again at the scene of the crime, tamely turning his back as Amar Fatah weaved his way through to score.

Quite why Rohl – albeit while limited with regard to alternatives – is persisting with the summer signing is to be debated, with the defender’s woes also seen in how he failed to register a single tackle or interception, nor provide a single key pass from his centre-back berth.

Perhaps a saving grace for Rohl might be the upcoming African Cup of Nations, with Djiga set to link up with Burkina Faso as early as 15 December, thus ruling him out of contention until the New Year.

Touches

70

Pass accuracy

92%

Key passes

0

Possession lost

7

Tackles

0

Interceptions

0

Ground duels won

2/3

Aerial duels won

1/4

Dribbled past

1

While it is yet to be made clear whether there is a break clause in the 6 foot 4 flop’s loan deal, perhaps January might then provide a perfect opportunity to send him back to Molineux, once he returns from international duty.

In an ideal world, that scenario would ensure that Wednesday’s draw represents the final time that Djiga lines up, or at least starts under the Rohl regime, with the German coach in desperate need of a different solution at centre-back.

His job might depend on it.

Worse than Miovski: Ibrox flop just played his worst game for Rangers

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ByDan Emery Dec 4, 2025

Manchester United slung themselves back into the win column with a hard-fought, turnaround win at Selhurst Park on Sunday afternoon.

When Crystal Palace took the lead through Jean-Philippe Mateta’s first-half penalty, there was a sense that Ruben Amorim’s squad would struggle to find the spirit to fight back. But, credit to the manager, his principles and the deepening tactical understanding led to goals from Joshua Zirkzee and Mason Mount after the interval.

United are eighth in the Premier League after 13 matches, yet trail second-place neighbours Manchester City by only four points.

This is an imperfect and imbalanced team, but one whose potential is starting to be realised. However, Amorim needs to add to his squad depth, for sure, if he is to shape his side into proper contenders.

Man United looking to add depth

Man United have a team filled with quality, but it’s not an expansive pool of talent, and it would be remiss to suggest there aren’t any stragglers.

In midfield, something hasn’t felt quite right from the get-go in Amorim’s system, and now Jason Wilcox and co must look to bring in some new quality.

Well, according to the Mirror’s John Cross, Man United are looking to take advantage of Federico Valverde’s contractual stalemate at Real Madrid and bring him to Old Trafford in 2026.

Los Blancos view their versatile midfielder at £100m, whereas United believe his price tag falls into the £70m ballpark.

With the 27-year-old’s future at Xabi Alonso’s outfit in doubt, this could be the perfect opportunity for INEOS to swoop in and seal a coveted signature.

What Fede Valverde would offer Man United

There’s no question that Casemiro has proved Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher wrong after his infamous rant, but the 33-year-old is surely approaching the twilight of his Premier League career.

With Kobbie Mainoo’s future at the Theatre of Dreams uncertain, United could do a lot worse than packaging their engine room with a player like Valverde who has “world-class technical ability”, as said by journalist Fentuo Tahiru Fentuo.

The Uruguay international splits his time between the centre of the pitch and a right-back berth, and he is immense in both roles. As per FBref, he actually ranks among the top 11% of positional peers for pass completion, the top 19% for progressive carries and the top 20% for successful take-ons per 90.

He is not an anchor, but in La Liga this term, he has won 58% of his duels and averaged 1.6 tackles per game (data via Sofascore), and he is unquestionably among the most physical and tenacious profiles in Spanish football.

Valverde might not be an out-and-out defensive midfielder, but his completeness and dynamism in the centre of the park suggest he could be the perfect partner for a more mobile playmaker beside him.

That’s not to say Valverde isn’t an elite distributor, though, and he might come to be an incredible asset to pair up with a tough-tackling and single-minded number six.

Casemiro has been a dutiful and underrated part of Amorim’s project this season, but he is out of contract at the end of the term and lacking his typical combativeness – this season in the Premier League, he has won just 54% of his ground battles.

Valverde has the range and breadth to be a significant upgrade for a Man United side that just need a few on-the-money additions to become real contenders once again.

Imagine him & Mbeumo: Man Utd submit bid to sign "unbelievable" £53m winger

Man United and INEOS are already preparing a winter bid to strengthen Amorim’s team.

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Dec 1, 2025

Netherlands legend Marco van Basten took a swipe at Mohamed Salah as he said the Liverpool star has the 'brains of a beetle' in a brutal response to him 'attacking' Reds boss Arne Slot. After being left out on the bench for the third consecutive Premier League game against Leeds United last weekend, Salah went on an explosive rant as he hinted he could even exit Anfield in January.

Salah's explosive rant against Slot

After win the Premier League Golden Boot for a record-equalling fourth time last season, Salah has experienced a sudden dip in form in 2025-26. So far this season, the Egyptian winger has scored five goals and provided three assists in 19 matches across all competitions. 

Salah's latest run of form prompted Slot to drop the star player from the Reds' starting lineup in their last three Premier League fixtures. After being left out as an unused substitute for a third consecutive game, Salah burst out in front of the media as he said: "I have done so much for this club down the years and especially last season. "Now I'm sitting on the bench and I don't know why. It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus. That's how I am feeling. I think it is very clear that someone wanted me to get all of the blame. I said many times before that I had a good relationship with the manager and all of a sudden, we don't have any relationship. I don't know why, but it seems to me, how I see it, that someone doesn't want me in the club."

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesEgyptian left out of Champions League squad

Following his public outburst against the club and manager, Liverpool have taken the extreme step of omitting Salah from their travelling squad to Italy for their crucial Champions League fixture against Inter in midweek. With such a huge decision, the reigning Premier League champions made clear to their star player that everybody – regardless of their standing at Anfield – must earn their place in the team. Salah will be left to reflect on that stance when his team-mates line up against Inter on Tuesday evening in Milan.

Dutch legend slams Salah

Former Netherlands international legendary forward Marco van Basten took a brutal dig at Salah for his behaviour against Slot and the Reds as he told : "I'd say: the brains of a cockchafer. If you react like that… He did very well last year, but this season he's not good. He's just been bad these past few months. I always find Slot honest and straightforward. He doesn't shy away from a fight and ultimately doesn't say anything unwise. Salah, on the other hand, really started attacking the man and reacting incorrectly."

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Getty Images SportHow did Slot react to Salah's outburst?

A day after Salah went public with his frustration over the lack of game time, Reds boss Slot addressed the media to offer a response, as he said: "I don't feel that my authority has been undermined. It's not the way I feel it. It's not about me, if my life is difficult, yes or no, that's not very important in a situation like this. It's if it is more difficult for the team and for the club. No one likes us to be in the situation we're in at the moment. First of all, it's difficult to see staff members who work so hard are affected by the situation we're in now. Mainly because of the results. I'm the manager, I have to pick a team so to a certain extent I'm important, but my focus is on the team and not on me."

When asked if the winger had played his last game for the English champions, Slot added: "I have no clue. I cannot answer that question at this moment in time."

After an incredible few months, Arsenal suffered their first defeat since August 31st at the hands of Aston Villa on Saturday.

Mikel Arteta’s side went behind in the first half, and while they did pull one back in the second, they were the victims of a 95th-minute Emiliano Buendía winner.

It wasn’t a terrible performance from the Gunners, but it was also some way off their best, and one of the players who has received plenty of criticism from the fans has been Martin Odegaard.

The captain was certainly not to blame for the result, but he did look a little off the pace at times, and after his underwhelming season last year, he is under the microscope more than most.

While his place in the team is safe for now, there are three players who could replace him in the coming years, and none of them is Eberechi Eze.

Chalkboard

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

3 Ethan Nwaneri

Starting with the player who is perhaps the closest to eventually challenging Odegaard for a place in the starting lineup: Ethan Nwaneri.

The Hale End star is already a regular in the match-day squads, and while there has been some concern from fans over his lack of game time this season, it’s important to remember he is still just 18 years old.

Moreover, due to injuries, he ended up playing a far more significant role in the team last season than anyone would have predicted, and to say he impressed would be an understatement.

Appearances

37

Minutes

1378′

Goals

9

Assists

2

Goal Involvements per Match

0.29

Minutes per Goal Involvement

125.27′

For example, the “phenomenal” prospect, as dubbed by former professional Stephen Warnock, scored nine goals and provided two assists in 37 appearances, totalling 1378 minutes.

That works out to a goal involvement every 3.36 games, or more crucially, one every 125.27 minutes, which helps to justify Joe Cole’s claim that “he’s the most exciting footballer in England and maybe Europe.”

Now, a lot of his game time did come out wide, in place of Bukayo Saka, but the Enfield-born gem is first and foremost an attacking midfielder, as it’s where he spent most of his time in the academy and where his combination of shooting, passing and dribbling abilities are best placed.

There is little chance of Nwaneri replacing the Norwegian this season, but in a couple of years, if he fulfils his potential, there could be a real battle for that ten position.

2 Max Dowman

After Nwaneri, the Arsenal gem who feels like they could seriously rival Odegaard in a few years, is, of course, Max Dowman.

The 15-year-old might just be the most talked-about prospect in the country this season, and based on his form in the academy and for the senior side, it’s not hard to see why.

For example, when it comes to the former, the Chelmsford-born phenom has racked up a comical tally of six goals and one assist in just four appearances across the U19S and U21S.

Then, when it comes to the first team, he has already, in the words of analyst Ben Mattinson, started “humiliating Premier League players.”

For example, he ran rings around Leeds United on his league debut, then became the youngest player in the club’s history to start a game in the Gunners’ League Cup clash with Brighton & Hove Albion.

Finally, if all that wasn’t enough for someone who hasn’t even finished his GCSEs yet, he also became the youngest player in Champions League history when he came off the bench against Slavia Prague.

Now, like with Nwaneri, Dowman is not going to be a serious rival for Odegaard this season, but at the rate he is progressing, that time could come far sooner than most are expecting.

1 Holger Quintero

Last but by no means least, the final Arsenal player who could one day be the star to displace the captain from the team is Holger Quintero.

Now, just a week or so ago, most fans would have absolutely no idea who the 16-year-old was, but now, after the Gunners signed him and his twin brother Edwin Quintero, he has become one of the most exciting youngsters on the club’s books, and for good reason.

According to Mattinson, the Ecuadorian wonderkid is a “skilful attacking midfielder with 1v1 prowess to take on players”, which sounds quite a bit like Dowman, which can’t be a bad thing.

He appears to be more than just another promising youngster, though, as respected talent scout Jacek Kulig has stuck his neck out, labelling him “one of the most exciting U17s in South America.”

He is also someone who could potentially play the probing through balls that Odegaard has started to bring into his game, with Mattinson claiming he has an “excellent weight of pass” and is a “decisive creator with a killer final ball.”

However, due to rules around foreign-born youngsters, the midfielder won’t be able to join up with his new teammates until January 2027, so he is probably the last in line to compete with Odegaard.

Ultimately, the captain’s place in the team is currently safe, as it should be, but with three of the most exciting players in the game coming up behind him, Odegaard might have to step up his game over the next few years.

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