All posts by n8rngtd.top

His 38-ball-101 put Rajasthan Royals in the driving seat in their chase of 210 against Gujarat Titans

Abhimanyu Bose28-Apr-20255:27

‘Otherworldly’ Suryavanshi wows Bishop, Aaron

Chris Gayle – 30 balls

175* vs Pune Warriors, Bengaluru, 2013
It was the day on which Gayle rewrote T20 record books at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. His unbeaten 175 remains the highest individual score in the format, and his 30-ball century is the fastest in IPL history even after 12 years. After a watchful first over, Gayle took 21 off Ishwar Pandey and 28 off Mitchell Marsh to bring up a 17-ball fifty. Aaron Finch’s 29-run over only added to the charge and Gayle brought up his century in the ninth over. Of his first 103 runs, 98 came in boundaries. He finished unbeaten on 175 and later returned to pick up two wickets, capping off a surreal day.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi – 35 balls
101 vs Gujarat Titans, Jaipur, 2025Walking out to open with Yashasvi Jaiswal in Rajasthan Royals’ (RR) chase of 210, Suryavanshi made history as he hammered a bowling attack comprising Rashid Khan, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna to bring up the second-fastest century in the IPL. By the time Prasidh dislodged him with a yorker, he had hit 11 sixes and seven fours and left RR needing 44 off 49 deliveries. In a phenomenal display of hitting, Suryavanshi took 26 off an Ishant over on the way to a 17-ball half-century, and then hit three sixes and three fours off Karim Janat’s first over in the IPL. He reached his century with a six off Rashid, no less.

Yusuf Pathan – 37 balls

100 vs Mumbai Indians (MI), Brabourne, 2010
Pathan teed off when Rajasthan Royals (RR) needed 143 off 57 balls to chase down MI’s 212. He hit 54 off his next 11 deliveries, including three successive sixes off Ali Murtaza and 24 in the following over from R Sathish. The carnage continued as he brought up what was then the fastest century in the IPL with a towering six. He was run out the very next ball, leaving RR with 40 to get from 17 balls – a bridge too far in the end. However, his captain, Shane Warne, described it as the best innings he had ever seen.

David Miller – 38 balls

101* vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Mohali, 2013Miller’s 38-ball century rescued Kings XI Punjab (now PBKS) from 64 for 4 and powered them in a jaw-dropping chase of 191, with 99 runs coming in the last five overs. It began with a flurry of boundaries off Vinay Kumar before he tore into RP Singh for 26 in a single over. With three runs needed and Miller on 95, he launched a length ball straight over the sightscreen to bring up his century in style. After the match, Miller shared his father’s advice: “If it’s in the V, it’s in the tree. If it’s in the arc, it’s out of the park.”

Travis Head – 39 balls

102 vs RCB, Bengaluru, 2024Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Head had already signaled their intent with a 277-run blitz earlier in the season. In Bengaluru, they went one better. Head had set the tone with a powerplay assault that saw SRH race to 76 for 0, bringing up his fifty along the way. By the time he was dismissed in the 13th over for a 41-ball 102, SRH had rocketed to 165. They eventually finished on 287 – the highest total in IPL history.

Priyansh Arya – 39 balls

103 vs Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Mullanpur, 2025PBKS picked 24-year-old Delhi opener Arya for INR 3.8 crore after a bidding war at the auction and he’s already showing why. After a 23-ball 47 on debut, Arya delivered on his potential against CSK. He began the innings with a first-ball six and didn’t let the fall of wickets at the other end disrupt his intent. He later smacked Matheesha Pathirana for three consecutive sixes and a four to bring up a stunning maiden IPL century in just the 13th over of the innings.Watch – Highlights of Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s record-breaking hundred on JioHotstar (only in India)

Who are the big stars in action, what do the teams look like, and everything else you need to know about SA20 2025

Deivarayan Muthu08-Jan-2025

Sunrisers Eastern Cape are the defending champions, right?

Indeed. Having won the tournament in 2023 and 2024, Sunrisers, under captain Markram and coach Adrian Birrell, will gun for a three-peat. If they manage to do so, they will emulate Jaffna Kings, who had recently won three titles in a row at the Lanka Premier League.Related

• South African cricket and SA20 learn to co-exist

• Leagues like ILT20 'not good for the game' – Graeme Smith

• Hopkinson replaces Pamment as Mumbai Indians' fielding coach

• Penney replaces Bond as Paarl Royals head coach

• SA20 2025 auction: Hendricks fetches highest bid

Sunrisers have a particularly strong local core – Markram, Marco Jansen, Tristan Stubbs and Ottneil Baartman – with some talented overseas players complementing them. They have lost Dan Worrall, who was their powerplay specialist last season, to Gulf Giants in the ILT20, but have filled that void by bringing in Craig Overton, who can also swing the new ball from his tall frame, and added Richard Gleeson, who can clock 140kph, to their roster. They have strengthened their batting by snapping up David Bedingham, who is set for his SA20 bow.Markram had a wretched 2024 with the bat in T20Is, but you just can’t look past him and his team in the SA20.

Who will challenge Sunrisers for the title?

MI had finished rock bottom in 2023 and 2024, but if they perform to potential this season, they could challenge the might of Sunrisers. Before combining with Jasprit Bumrah in the IPL for Mumbai Indians, Trent Boult will work with Kagiso Rabada in a partnership that promises to be just as mouth-watering.Reeza Hendricks, for whom MI forked out Rand 4.3 million will reunite with his Lions team-mates Rassie van der Dussen at MI in the SA20. This is a chance for allrounder Corbin Bosch, MI’s wildcard signing, to enhance his reputation after having enjoyed a memorable Test debut for South Africa in the Boxing Day fixture.Rashid Khan will lead a side that also has Colin Ingram, George Linde and Nuwan Thushara in its ranks. In a significant blow, however, Ben Stokes is set to miss the SA20 with a recurrence of a hamstring tear, for which he has had surgery.South Africa’s best players can play the SA20 this time without worrying about ignoring international cricket•AFP/Getty Images

Does the league clash with SA’s international commitments again?

No. Not this time.The SA20’s clash with SA’s Test series in New Zealand caused a stir last year, with the CSA prioritising its league over Test cricket at the time. Any South African player with an SA20 deal was informed of their contractual obligations to play in the tournament ahead of the Tests, which resulted in a squad with seven uncapped players, including the stand-in captain Neil Brand, being selected for the New Zealand tour.The SA20, however, overlaps with other T20 tournaments – Australia’s Big Bash League, UAE’s ILT20, New Zealand’s Super Smash and the Bangladesh Premier League.

What’s the format of the league like?

The top-four teams in the six-team league will qualify for the knockouts, which will have IPL-style qualifiers and an eliminator. To summarise, the teams placed first and second after the league phase will play in the first qualifier, with the winner going straight to the final. The teams placed third and fourth will play an eliminator with the loser out of contention. Then, the loser of the first qualifier will play the winner of the eliminator to determine the second finalist.Gqeberha is set to host the first qualifier while Centurion will stage the eliminator and second qualifier. The final will be held in Johannesburg on February 8.

Tell me about the big overseas names who will be in action

Despite the clashes, the SA20 has some big drawcards, including Rashid, Boult, Kane Williamson, Devon Conway, Matheesha Pathirana and Dinesh Karthik.Boult will complete the MI set, having already played for their teams in the IPL (Mumbai Indians), MLC (MI New York) and ILT20 (MI Emirates). For Williamson and Conway, this will be their first stints at the SA20. Williamson will play for Durban’s Super Giants while Conway will reunite with Stephen Fleming at Joburg Super Kings, having already won the IPL title under him at CSK.Having “sold everything” and left South Africa, the Johannesburg-born Conway will have a special homecoming at this SA20. Back in the day, Conway and Tabraiz Shamsi used to be house-mates in South Africa but then their paths diverged. Years later, at the SA20, their paths will converge again.Also, watch out for Pathirana vs Thushara in the battle of the Lasith Malinga clones.Dinesh Karthik will become the first Indian to take part in the SA20•Abu Dhabi T10

Did you mention Dinesh Karthik?

Yes, the former India international will rock up for Paarl Royals this season. He’s set to become the first Indian to feature in the SA20 and will also serve as the tournament’s brand ambassador. Since retiring from Indian and international cricket in June 2024, Karthik has been part of the Legends League and the Abu Dhabi T10 league.

Family affairs

Having been hit by injuries, JSK have called up allrounder Hardus Viljoen, who will play under his brother-in-law Faf du Plessis, who had led St Lucia Kings to the CPL title in 2024.JP King, who was invited for JSK’s training sessions last season, will join them as a rookie player for this season while his brother CJ King will be part of the Super Giants side.The Bosch brothers – Corbin and Eathan – were on the same side (Pretoria Capitals) in SA20 2024, but Corbin has now moved to MI, which could add some spice to the MI-Capitals clash.

Is Imran Tahir still an active T20 player?

Indeed. Imran Tahir, who will turn 46 in March, is still going strong in T20 cricket. He will link up with Shamsi and Maheesh Theekshana at JSK. Tahir is currently the fourth-highest wicket-taker in T20 cricket, with 526 strikes in 420 games.

What about the Impact Player rule?

The SA20 doesn’t have the Impact Player rule in place like the IPL, but teams can name their final XIs after the toss. Captains can take two team sheets to the toss – one with their bat-first XI and the other with their bowl-first XI – and offer up the final list once the toss has been completed.

The Australia captain was especially emotive with the ball in hand as his team responded strongly to their Perth drubbing

Andrew McGlashan08-Dec-2024As Pat Cummins went through India’s lower order early on the third day in Adelaide, it felt like a statement from the Australia captain who had been particularly expressive with ball in hand throughout the contest.Mitchell Starc had already removed the main threat, Rishabh Pant, in the first over. Now a rapid bouncer from Cummins did for R Ashwin as he tried to hook, another rising delivery was fending into the gully by Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy ramped into the hands of deep third to give Cummins his third wicket. He could have finished with six when Mohammed Siraj, who was booed to the crease in rather pantomime-esque scenes after his run-in with Travis Head the previous day, fended at his first delivery but Alex Carey couldn’t gather the edge.Never mind. In the blink of an eye, Australia needed 19 to level the series. It was all done before the first interval, perhaps leaving some of the 33,000 in the ground a little torn between delight at the victory and a lack of cricket for the rest of a beautiful Sunday.For Australia, though, there was only one concern: winning. And they did so in a style every bit as emphatic as India’s victory in Perth.On the opening day Cummins had looked especially emotive – borderline angry – when he bounced out Pant. Late on the second night he produced a peach of a delivery to take Rohit Sharma’s off stump, which drew a few comparisons to the famous ball to Joe Root at Old Trafford in the 2019 Ashes.”This week we were back to our best, the team I remember and how we want to play our cricket so really satisfying,” Cummins said. “I was pretty pumped up. Probably felt like some big wickets in the context of the match. Especially the pink ball, feels like the margins have been quite small so maybe just pretty excited – more so than normal.”1:42

Cummins on Australia’s comeback win: ‘We were back to our best’

It was the fourth-shortest Test in Australia and 81 fewer deliveries than last season’s thrashing of West Indies, although this contest was witnessed by 135,012 across the three days – a record for an India Test in Adelaide despite its brevity.From the very first ball of the match, when Starc removed Yashasvi Jaiswal, it was an excellent two-and-a-bit days for Cummins and his team. That’s all it took to dismantle India twice across a collective 80 overs while Travis Head, not for the first time, produced the defining innings when there was a still a way back into the contest for the visitors.”When Trav walked out to the crease that was the turning point,” Cummins said. “Feels like every time he walks out the game’s in the balance…and within the space of a session or so he really took the game out of their hands. He’s done it time and time again for us in many different formats. So lucky he’s on our side because as a captain I wouldn’t know how to bowl to him, how to set fields to him.”But he also singled out the night session on the opening day, where Nathan McSweeney and Marnus Labuschagne, took Australia to the close just one down, as a key period in setting up the game.”That was really gutsy what those guys did on that first night,” Cummins said. “You look back to Perth, it’s those small moments that if you win them and suddenly you wake up the next day and it’s a different day. Think that was a really good lesson and it was really gutsy to get through that period and meant some of the other guys later on could cash in.”Cummins again spoke of being reasonably happy with how he bowled in first Test in Perth – where he had a match return of 3 for 153 – and that not much changed for him here, but he looked better for the run from the moment he nibbled the new ball around in the first innings.He heaped praise on his pace-bowling colleagues, Starc and Scott Boland, who finished with eight and five wickets in the game respectively. Nathan Lyon sent down the grand total of one over – “He will jump in the ice bath, he has had a big week,” Cummins joked at the presentation – while Mitchell Marsh’s unconvincing four overs in the first innings faded from significance.”Some of the talk this week was around do we have enough bowling,” Cummins said. “Particularly that day one, thought it was a herculean effort from Starcy and Scotty. It was hot, close to 40 degrees, humid and basically just kept rotating the bowlers all day. Huge effort from those guys, showed their class, I feel very lucky as a captain to have those guys and then having someone like Lyno who we didn’t even need to call on. Feels like I’ve got a lot of tools at my disposal.”And so for the third time in a row a series between these two teams in Australia is level at 1-1 after the first two matches. Onto the Gabba.

Tottenham Hotspur secured a needed 2-0 victory over Brentford this afternoon to help ease the pressure on the shoulders of current manager Thomas Frank.

The win over Bees was the Lilywhites’ first in the Premier League since the win at Everton at the end of October – a run that lasted a total of five matches.

Goals from Xavi Simons and Richarlison secured all three points for the hosts, with such a result taking the side up to eighth place in England’s top-flight after 15 games.

Frank will no doubt be hoping such a result will kickstart his tenure in North London, especially after a stop-start period which has led to discontent being directed his way from the fans.

One player could well prove to be crucial over the next couple of months, especially if his showing at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this afternoon is anything to go by.

The stats behind Xavi Simons’ display against Brentford

After spending £52m on Simons’ signature during the summer window, many Spurs fans will no doubt have expected the attacking midfielder to make an immediate impact to life in England.

However, prior to the clash with Brentford today, he had failed to find the back of the net for his new side, but his 43rd-minute effort has finally broken such a spell at the 19th attempt.

The Dutch international also registered the assist for Richarlison’s strike in the 25th minute, with the youngster having a hand in both of the side’s efforts in North London.

Simons’ underlying stats from the triumph were just as impressive, with the midfielder completing 86% of the passes he attempted, with five of which going into the final third.

He also won three fouls, whilst also creating two chances for his teammates – in what was undoubtedly his best showing since his big-money transfer to the Premier League.

The fanbase will no doubt be hoping that the Dutchman can continue such form, but it didn’t stop another player from reaching similar levels this afternoon.

The Spurs player who looked like Bale against Brentford

Gareth Bale was a player who often managed to get the Spurs fans off their seats as a result of his performances on the pitch during his spell in North London.

The Welshman used to torment defenders with his relentless running and his ability to go either inside or outside when travelling with the ball on the right-flank.

However, since his big-money transfer to Real Madrid in the summer of 2013, the club have greatly lacked that presence and talent off such a wing in the final third.

Brennan Johnson was often filled the void in the last couple of years, even scoring 18 times last season, but he’s ultimately struggled to nail down the position as his own.

He’s since dropped further down the pecking order in the last few months since Frank’s arrival, especially after the Dane forked out a reported £55m for the signature of Mohammed Kudus.

The Ghanaian international has started all but one league game since his arrival, with the manager once again selecting him during the victory earlier this afternoon.

He once again took centre stage in the clash with the Bees and demonstrated why the manager has faith in him to provide the goods – arguably being just like Bale with such a display.

Kudus managed to complete five dribbles during the win – the most of any player on the pitch – taking his tally to 45 this season, the highest tally of any player in the division at present.

He also managed to complete two crosses, created two chances and completed 92% of his passes – reminiscent of the numbers Bale produced during his own spell at the club.

The winger’s excellent display was further reflected in his tally of nine duels and 100% aerials won, with the forward managing to star even when not in possession of the ball.

As a result of his showing, the forward was handed an impressive 7/10 match rating by Football London, further showcasing his impressive display against Frank’s former side.

There’s no doubt the winger has made himself one of the first players on the teamsheet, with him and Simons potentially playing a key role at the club for many years to come.

Should he continue on his current path, there’s no reason why he can’t become as pivotal as Bale was at the club – potentially taking the club to new heights in the process.

Forget Simons: Spurs "liability" is now becoming the new Ndombele

This Tottenham star is flattering to deceive in spite of his immense talent.

By
Angus Sinclair

Dec 6, 2025

It was like déjà vu all over again at American Family Field on Wednesday afternoon, as for a second consecutive game, the Boston Red Sox lost to the Milwaukee Brewers on a walk-off in the bottom of the 10th inning.

Even after losing on a grand slam by Christian Yelich on Tuesday, Wednesday's defeat may have been even worse. Tied 4-4 heading into extra innings, Boston scored on a David Hamilton fielder's choice to take a one-run lead in the 10th. The bottom of the frame, however, turned into a horrid one for the Sox.

To kick things off, they gifted Milwaukee the tying run before an out was even recorded thanks to a brutal throw home by second baseman Kristian Campbell. Then, with runners on second and third, third baseman Caleb Durbin hit a sacrifice fly to deep center field, scoring Sam Frelick and sealing the deal on a very quick come-from-behind victory.

The win for Milwaukee brings them to 29-28 while the Red Sox—after finally climbing out to an above .500 record this week—have now lost five straight games, sit at 27-31, and have fallen to fourth place in the AL East.

Dealing with a slew of injuries and in turn calling up top prospect Marcelo Mayer this weekend, Boston's road ahead doesn't get much easier. They're off to Atlanta for a three-game series against the Braves before returning home to take on the Los Angeles Angels.

Juventus have reportedly joined the race for Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, as the young Red Devils star continues to attract interest from Serie A amidst the stagnation of his Old Trafford career. The 20-year-old has frequently been linked with Napoli and Juve are now said to be 'monitoring' Mainoo, whom they see as the next Paul Pogba if they can convince Mainoo to swap Manchester for Turin.

• Mainoo could become new Pogba at Juventus

  Reports by in Italy dub Mainoo the ‘talent which conquers half of Europe’ and say that the 20-year-old could become ‘Paul Pogba 2.0’ if he joins Juventus, whom ‘the player likes’.

  Reports state that while Mainoo’s potential ‘does not go unnoticed’ at United, Napoli could make him a ‘priority target’ amidst a lack of similar options in the midfield, with a permanent move touted. The door is open for Juventus to make a swoop in January, though, and recreate a famous scenario where Pogba joined the Italian giants from United as a 19-year-old and went on to become one of the world’s best midfielders before returning to Old Trafford for £89 million ($117m) in 2016.

  Whether Mainoo’s career could take a similar trajectory remains to be seen, but there is no doubt that comparisons can be drawn between the Carrington academy graduate not being given the first-team opportunities he perhaps deserves, in the same manner Pogba had to deal with before his first exit from the club.

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  'The club comes first' – Mainoo and Zirkzee told exit reality

  Mainoo has previously been reported to have demanded an Old Trafford exit in search of more game-time, but Ruben Amorim recently stated in a press conference that January exits will only occur if it is in the best interests of the club. He appeared to be referring to want-away stars Mainoo and Joshua Zirkzee.

  "The first thing is that the club comes first, so we have to think about the club and the team, and then everything can happen," said Amorim. 

  "I was a football player, I understand everything, and I want to help my players in every situation, so I don't know what is going to happen.

  "I want my players happy. I understand the frustration of some players, seeing that the World Cup is there, and I know what it means for the World Cup, but Manchester United comes first, so if I can help the club and the players, I will be happy, if not I have to think about the team."

• Midfielder maintains minor Old Trafford role

  Having played just 170 minutes in the Premier League so far this season, Mainoo’s role within Amorim’s side does not appear to be growing in the near future. While the Portuguese continues to proclaim his trust in the 10-cap England international publicly, his continued selection decisions tell an entirely different story.

  Mainoo has even recently been told to join league leaders Arsenal, by former Gunners star Stefan Schwarz: "Arsenal have the best conditions for young players. And they have a manager in Mikel Arteta that is not afraid to give responsibility to them and give them opportunities when he feels they are ready. It's just about preparing them in the best way and that's what Arsenal have done very well the last couple of years."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• AFP
  

  Mainoo exit situation as Serie A interest intensifies

  Speculation linking Mainoo with an Old Trafford exit will undoubtedly only increase in volume as the January transfer window approaches.

  Monday’s home defeat to Everton ended a five-game unbeaten run for the Red Devils and consigned Amorim’s side to a first home defeat since August, having won all four of their Premier League home fixtures since opening-day defeat to Arsenal.

  Whether the disappointing result will impact Mainoo’s chances of further minutes in the coming weeks remains to be seen, with his 32 minutes on the field against the Toffees representing his longest cameo since August 30 against Burnley.

  United have European ambitions this season and with the Champions League race looking wide open at present, Amorim has previously expressed how difficult it is to give minutes to his entire squad with only one game per week. This could, ultimately, lead to Mainoo demanding a departure once again, particularly if interest from the likes of Juventus becomes more concrete.

Richard Hughes was rightly lauded after overseeing a staggering summer transfer window for Premier League champions Liverpool, but any positivity has been scourged away by the dreadful form that has fractured Arne Slot’s reign.

Nine losses across 12 fixtures is bad enough, but the limp and toothless manner of many of the defeats – especially recent losses at Anfield against Nottingham Forest and PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League – underscores the severity of the crisis Slot is dealing with.

He needs to find answers, or else FSG will be forced into making a rare managerial dismissal. It’s inevitable that discussion is increasing about the security of Slot’s position.

That would be an outcome few of a Red persuasion would want, not least because of a shortage of options.

Jurgen Klopp’s name has been bandied about, but this is not realistic.

Who Liverpool could replace Slot with

Klopp draped the curtain on his Liverpool dynasty at the end of the 2023/24 campaign. He was tired. It had been a tough, gruelling, heavy metal career on Merseyside, where he had devoted nine years to restoring Anfield as a global superpower.

There has been some discussion online as to whether FSG should push for a comeback, but this romanticised notion would fall flat.

Klopp is not the answer. His quasi-retirement has seen him assume the post of Head of Global Soccer for Red Bull GmbH, and it’s important to remember that the German tactician’s tactical shrewdness waned toward the end of his tenure. He was tired, after all.

But, if Slot is fired, Liverpool would need to find a replacement, and Spanish sources suggest Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola is on the shortlist.

Iraola, 43, is one of the most exciting young managers in Europe, having shaped the Cherries into a front-footed and sharp attacking outfit.

Compensation pay would be required to pull him away from the Vitality Stadium, but given Iraola’s vision aligns with the club’s long-term project, he might be the one to go for.

Why Iraola could be perfect for Liverpool

It was a bold move for Bournemouth to ditch Gary O’Neil after the pragmatic manager steered the club to safety after promotion to the Premier League in 2022/23. A bold move, but one carried out with diligence, for Iraola was earmarked as a progressive option.

And Bill Foley must be delighted. In 2023/24, Bournemouth recorded a record points total (56) in the Premier League, leading​ journalist James Horncastle to hail him as “the best coach in the Premier League” for his sharp-witted and positive approach.

Iraola likes aggressive and high-octane football. He is not as turbo-charged in his approach as Klopp, but the Spaniard would infuse Liverpool with more risk-taking and directness than Slot prefers, albeit still maintaining an emphasis on retaining possession.

This could play to the strengths of Florian Wirtz, who has had a tough time since joining Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen for £116m in the summer.

A silky and inventive attacking midfielder, the German has yet to register a goal involvement in the Premier League and has lacked the clarity and poise that was expected after the thrill of his official announcement.

There remains a world-class talent in there, and Wirtz’s woes come with the caveat that he has entered a dysfunctional tactical system.

Iraola’s focus on a 4-2-3-1 formation suggests that the 22-year-old could find a natural place at number ten. As per FBref, he does rank among the top 11% of positional peers in the English top flight this term for shot-creating actions and the top 4% for passes attempted and progressive passes per 90.

This suggests that Wirtz has the potential to be a superstar in England, and Iraola can provide the stability and fluency of tactics to help realise that.

He might not be Klopp, but Iraola has labelled his tactics as being akin to “rock and roll”. Klopp’s famous branding of his vision as being ‘heavy metal football’ suggests that Liverpool might hit the jackpot by making this switch.

No one wants to see Slot be sacked, but this pitiful form and level of performance cannot be allowed to continue, and Iraola has the acumen to revive Wirtz and bring the champions back into the ascendancy.

Better than Isak: Liverpool join race for "one of the best RWs in the world"

Arne Slot’s Liverpool tenure is crumbling before him, and FSG are considering changes.

By
Angus Sinclair

Nov 28, 2025

Major League Baseball has concluded its spring training experiment with the automated ball-strike system and the numbers stats from it are promising.

The league released its report on Wednesday and it appears the system worked as it was designed to.

The system was used in 288 spring training games, with an average of 4.1 challenges per game, compared to 3.9 per game in Triple-A during the 2024 campaign. Through spring training, 2.6% of all pitches were challenged, with 52.2% of challenged pitches getting overturned, both figures on par with the system’s use in Triple-A ball in 2024.

Lastly, and probably most importantly, each challenge lasted an average of 13.8 seconds, compared to 16.6 seconds in Triple-A in 2024.

It would seem the system is working as desinged—ensuring more calls were correct while keeping stoppages to a minimum. For those who watched games with the system, challenges just seemed to be a seamless part of things, with fans getting to see the tracked pitch cross the plate and anticipate the result.

Given the success of this run with ABS, it feels like the challenge system could make the jump to the majors sooner rather than later.

Perfection and the England men's national team never were natural bedfellows, but Thomas Tuchel has changed the narrative around the Three Lions by propelling them to a literally flawless World Cup qualifying campaign. England completed their perfect run of results by rounding off their journey to North America in 2026 with a 2-0 victory away in Albania, an eighth successive win without conceding a goal.

England have known for more than a month that they would be going to the World Cup, and to tell the truth they probably knew that as soon as they saw the qualifying draw. Having seen his side destroy Serbia and Latvia 5-0 each on his last two trips abroad, there were just two factors on Tuchel's mind when his squad got to Tirana: Chasing that perfect run of results and chiselling out his starting line up for the World Cup.

The German made sweeping changes to his XI from Thursday's game against Serbia, only handing repeat starts to Harry Kane, Declan Rice, John Stones and Nico O'Reilly. But this was not just about testing out his second string, but trying to nail down his best team.

Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford managed to prove their worth from the bench, coming on to provide the crosses for Kane to score both of England's goals. Jude Bellingham, meanwhile, reiterated his importance to the team with a dominant display even though he looked furious when he was taken off. And one player made a late claim as an usurper in Dean Henderson, who made his first start since the dismal defeat to Senegal in June but fired out a warning to Jordan Pickford with a terrific performance in goal, proving utterly crucial to pulling off that all-important clean sheet.

GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from Air Albania Stadium…

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WINNER: Thomas Tuchel

  Tuchel might be a gun for hire from an England perspective, and yet he has hit the target with every single one of his shots. The German has only been in the job for 11 months, working with the players for eight of those, but he has sure left his mark on the team. Tuchel is the first England coach to oversee a perfect World Cup qualifying campaign while his team are the first side from any continent to have played at least six games and won them all without conceding a goal.

  The coach decided to experiment by making seven changes to the team that had beaten Serbia, but he was still deadly serious about winning the game and called on his most trusted marksmen from the bench to complete the job. 

  The big question about whether England can beat the best sides in the world will remain unanswered until the World Cup kicks-off, quite possibly until the quarter-finals, and cynics will point to the fact that Fabio Capello had a tremendous record in qualifying for the 2010 tournament, only to disappoint when it mattered.

  But England's hunger to win Sunday's game in the closing stages is proof that Tuchel has stamped his ultra-demanding personality on the team, and it is hard to not be excited about the culture he has built in his short time in charge.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  LOSER: Eberechi Eze

  Eberechi Eze had earned his place in the starting line-up with his tremendous strike against Serbia after coming off the bench, but his performance against Albania underlined the sense that he is much more effective as a substitute than as a starter. Eze struggled to create much danger in the first half, and when England's best chance of the game fell to him shortly into the second period after a brilliant ball from Bellingham, he completely blew it as couldn't get the ball out of his feet and scuffed it straight at goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha.

  Eze was taken off for his Arsenal team-mate Saka shortly after the hour-mark, making it the third consecutive England start in which he has failed to score or provide an assist. Contrast that with him scoring in his last three matches for his country as a substitute, against Serbia and in both games against Latvia.

  Being seen as an effective finisher is no bad thing and it would be no surprise to see Eze have a big impact at the World Cup from the bench. Still, no player likes to be known solely as a super-sub, and Eze passed up a good opportunity here to try and change that reputation.

• Getty
  

  WINNER: Harry Kane

  Kane has a remarkable ability to sail through a match without doing very much at all and then go on to decide it with his killer instinct. This was a textbook example of his knack to have the final say without warning. Before he scored the opening goal, Kane had not had any shots on goal or created any chances for his team-mates. Any other player would have been ripe for substitution.

  But Tuchel knows Kane's ability to find the net as well as anyone and his decision to leave the striker on was vindicated when he knocked in Saka's corner and then glanced in Rashford's wonderful delivery. Kane's brace took him on to nine goals in nine matches under Tuchel, having scored in six of the eight qualifiers.

  Kane's status as England captain and main man was called into question after his hugely disappointing displays at Euro 2024, but Tuchel chose to make the striker the fulcrum of his team and is being handsomely rewarded for doing so. "The work ethic, the attitude is just outstanding," Tuchel said of Kane. "I almost have no words – he is invested in everything we do. He is a leader and it speaks for itself."

  When it comes to scoring in qualifying for World Cups and European Championships, no one can compete with Kane, who has scored 40 goals since 2019. The second-highest scorer in that period is Cristiano Ronaldo on 32.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  WINNER: Dean Henderson

  While Tuchel has tried to show that no player is undroppable, Declan Rice, Kane and Jordan Pickford are practically assured of their place in the starting line-up when England kick off their World Cup campaign next June. Henderson, then, has the misfortune to be vying for one of those spots, competing with a player who has been England's No.1 since the 2018 World Cup and has proven to be a formidable force in penalty shootouts. 

  But the Crystal Palace goalkeeper did make the most of a rare starting opportunity, delivering a flawless display between the sticks. Henderson made a top-draw save to thwart Albania's main dangerman Arber Hoxha before making a bold yet correct move to charge out of his area and swipe the ball from the feet of Qazim Laci. He would almost certainly have been sent off had he got there a second late, but his timing was spot on and he made sure England kept that coveted eighth consecutive clean sheet in qualifying.

  "I didn't want to be the one that stepped in and conceded," he said. "Jordan has been excellent. He has had the shirt for a long time now, he has been putting in good performances, which makes it hard to break through." That might be true, but at least Henderson has demonstrated to Tuchel that he is his man should he start to ever question Pickford.

Tottenham Hotspur supporters have been blessed over recent years to witness some incredible talents wearing their shirt – none more so than attacking midfielder Dele.

The Englishman joined in a deal worth a reported £5m from MK Dons back in 2015, arriving in North London as a baby-faced 19-year-old, with many supporters expecting him to link up with the youth setup.

However, he was catapulted into the senior ranks, becoming a key member of their Premier League squad, racking up a total of 146 appearances in his first three years at White Hart Lane.

Dele ended up spending seven years with the Lilywhites, scoring 67 times and registering 55 assists – even winning the PFA’s Young Player of the Year award back to back.

Whilst he’s faced struggles off the field since his departure three years ago, the Spurs hierarchy have also struggled to replace him – leading to Thomas Frank completing a big-money deal for one star this summer.

How Xavi Simons compares to other PL CAMs in 2025/26

During the summer transfer window, Spurs were desperate for a new attacking midfielder, especially after James Maddison suffered an ACL injury against Newcastle United in pre-season.

Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze were just two of the options identified by Frank, but the former signed a new deal at Nottingham Forest, whilst the latter joined North London rivals, Arsenal.

As a result, the hierarchy completed a £52m transfer for Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig, but such a deal has been a disaster for everyone involved just a couple of months on.

The Dutch international has featured 14 times across all competitions to date, but has failed to score a single goal, whilst also only laying on two assists for his teammates.

His underlying stats also highlight his lack of positive impact in England’s top-flight, with Simons only creating an average of 1.01 chances per 90 – a dismal tally for an attacking midfielder.

As a result, such a tally ranks him in the bottom 25% of all other midfielders in the league, with right-back Pedro Porro creating more chances in the same time period.

At just 22, he has plenty of time to transform his career under Frank, but he will certainly need to do so quickly – especially considering the form of one other player in recent months.

The Spurs star who could become the next Dele

The number ten position at Spurs has been one that no player has truly nailed down since Dele’s departure, with Simons having a long way to go until he gets anywhere near the levels produced by the Englishman.

However, some slack will certainly need to be cut for the Dutchman, with the youngster needing time to adapt to a whole new country, culture and style of football in North London.

His tally of 19 combined goals and assists in the Bundesliga showcases that there’s a talented player in there, but ultimately, it’s going to take time before he reaches his full potential.

The Lilywhites hierarchy may have been better off waiting for another youth talent to emerge from their ranks and staking a claim for a regular starting role in the first-team setup.

Luca Williams-Barnett is no doubt a player who is on the lips of all the supporters, with the 17-year-old already registering 12 combined goals and assists in just eight games for the U21 side.

However, the club might already have their next Dele in the form of attacking midfielder Tyrese Hall, with the 20-year-old star already making huge waves in the professional game.

Like Williams-Barnett, he hugely impressed at U21 level last campaign, subsequently securing a season-long loan to join League Two side Notts County for the 2025/26 campaign.

Such a spell is his first taste of senior football, but Hall is taking to it like a duck to water, as seen by his phenomenal tally of six goals in his first 16 appearances for the Magpies.

His latest effort against Cheltenham Town proved to be the winner for Martin Paterson’s men, leading to coach Harry Brooks claiming he has the “exact profile Spurs lack” under Frank.

Hall has already caught the eye at Meadow Lane for his superb dribbling ability, which has seen him complete 53% of his take-on attempts, subsequently leading to 1.9 chances created per 90.

The comparison to Dele may be a huge one, but it’s certainly one that could come to fruition if Hall does manage to stay on his current trajectory on loan with the Magpies.

Dele made his name for his time at MK Dons in the EFL, with the Spurs youngster also doing the exact same thing a decade later – so don’t be surprised if Hall is a player taking North London by storm in the near future.

Frank can end Bentancur's Spurs career by unleashing "future £100m" talent

Tottenham Hotspur have a huge talent on their hands, but his progress is being halted by Rodrigo Bentancur.

By
Ethan Lamb

Nov 12, 2025