Category Uncategorized

Aston Villa made it five wins from their last six games in the Premier League when grinding out a determined 1-0 victory away at AFC Bournemouth on Saturday.

This win – which was clinched courtesy of Villa’s new all-time top-flight scorer Ollie Watkins – guarantees at least Conference League football for Unai Emery’s Villans next campaign.

But, the main prize of Champions League football is still very much up for grabs for the in-form outfit sat in sixth spot.

It wasn’t the prettiest performance by Villa on the South Coast, but at his crunch stage of the season, any win will do, with a big team effort needed to clinch the three points, especially after Jacob Ramsey was dismissed.

Aston Villa's best performers vs Bournemouth

Villa really had to dig deep during the last ten minutes of the clash after homegrown attacker Ramsey was shown his second yellow.

Thankfully, Emery’s visitors were already hanging onto a slim lead courtesy of the aforementioned Watkins, who once again came up trumps for the Villans in their moment of need.

The potent number 11 would find himself in the right place at the right time yet again to fire home his 75th career goal in the big time, with this effort ultimately being the difference-maker to the annoyance of Andoni Iraola’s frustrated hosts.

The Cherries just couldn’t find a breakthrough, with the likes of Emiliano Martinez having to stay very alert throughout with four saves made, alongside both Matty Cash and Lucas Digne down the flanks who won a combined 11 duels on the day.

But, it was once again Morgan Rogers who stood out in attack for Emery and Co, with the electric number 11 understandably a wanted man heading into the hectic transfer window.

Morgan Rogers' transfer value continues to soar

Rogers isn’t the only face that could soon be waving Villa Park goodbye, with Watkins – who the ex-Manchester City man set up for the winner at Bournemouth – also reportedly keen on a move away amidst interest from Arsenal.

For the 22-year-old, however, according to other reports, Chelsea and Stamford Bridge might well be his next onward destination, but off the back of a seriously impressive campaign for Emery’s men, the 6 foot 2 attacking midfielder won’t be exiting the building for cheap.

Indeed, it’s now being speculated that Villa would only consider parting ways with Rogers if a bumper £90m bid was put on the table, with the exciting forward menace arguably deep in the best form of his career at this point in time.

In all competitions this campaign, Rogers has notched up a ridiculous 14 goals and 14 assists from 52 overall games, leading to Jamie Carragher even hailing the four-time England international as an “unstoppable” force, on top of Villa thanking their lucky stars now that they won the 22-year-old for a modest £15m just last year.

Games played

68

Goals scored

17

Assists

15

Original fee

£15m

Value now

£90m

Percentage increase

500%

Emery’s side have had to exercise patience with the 22-year-old, considering he only chipped in with three goals and one assist last season after a January move, but it’s clear that he is destined for greatness now, whether that be with the Villans long-term or with Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea.

Further lauded as “magnificent” by scout Antonio Mango after his assist away at Bournemouth, his current employers will just pray that Rogers sees Villa as his home for the foreseeable.

But, with his value increasing by that whopping 500%, Emery and Co would be mad not to sell up, particularly if that £90m does fall into their bank account soon.

Same agent as Asensio: Aston Villa join race for "outrageous" 15-goal ace

He’s a Champions League finalist.

ByTom Cunningham May 10, 2025

Nottingham Forest have now joined the race for an “excellent” AC Milan player, who is set to leave the Italian club in the summer transfer window, according to a report.

Forest stepping up summer transfer plans

Forest should be well-positioned to bring in some top-quality players this summer, given that they have a very good chance of qualifying for the Champions League, and Nuno is keen to bolster his options in a number of different areas.

The goalscoring burden has largely been on Chris Wood this season, and the Tricky Trees are eager to bring in a new striker to provide competition for the New Zealander, with Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Matheus Cunha and Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin among the targets.

There appears to be a heavy focus on strengthening in attacking areas, with Marseille winger Luis Henrique also of interest, alongside Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres, and there have been suggestions Jota Silva could be used as a makeweight in a deal for the Sweden international.

Contact made: Nottingham Forest make enquiry for £40m "one-man machine"

The Tricky Trees have now made a move for a midfielder, who is attracting widespread interest from across Europe.

ByDominic Lund Apr 16, 2025

Bringing in attacking reinforcements may be of key significance to Nuno, but the manager could also look to strengthen at the opposite end of the pitch, with a report from Italy revealing Nottingham Forest have now joined the race for AC Milan defender Malick Thiaw.

Thiaw will be allowed to leave Milan this summer, and the Serie A side are set to hold out for around €25m to €30m (£22m – £26m), amid widespread interest in his signature, with Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United and Arsenal also keen.

The asking price shouldn’t be a problem for any of the Premier League clubs, but Bayer Leverkusen’s interest could pose an issue, with the German club already making an approach for the 23-year-old.

"Excellent" Thiaw could be success at the City Ground

The German centre-back remained on the substitutes’ bench at the beginning of the campaign, but he has since gone on to establish himself as an important player for Milan, getting on the scoresheet in a 3-1 Champions League victory against Real Madrid.

That was not the first time the 6 foot 4 colossus put in an impressive performance in the Champions League, having previously received high praise from former AC Milan boss Arrigo Sacchi for a top display against Tottenham Hotspur in February 2023.

Sacchi said: “He played an excellent game. He often found himself in one-on-one situations and did not give up an inch to the opponent.”

It has not been the best of campaigns for Milan, with the Italian side sat ninth in the Serie A, but Thiaw’s exploits in Europe indicate he could be a fantastic signing for Forest, and a fee of £22m – £26m is very reasonable for a defender of his quality.

Spinner thrives once more despite lack of county hinterland, as Cook’s struggles show dangers of expectation

Vithushan Ehantharajah24-May-2025It would be wrong to judge Sam Cook as a Test cricketer based on one appearance.Cook’s previous 321 red-ball wickets had come at 19.85, earning him the right to 31 overs across both innings of this Zimbabwe Test, even if they only produced 1 for 119. But as that first-class average ticks above 20, a little of the lustre has dulled from a bowler broadly accepted as a true master of his craft. Nevertheless the 27-year-old’s overdue Test debut will, for now, be front of the queue for examples of the difficulties with transferring form from the County Championship to the Test format.And yet, the man leading Cook and his new England teammates off the field at the conclusion of the first Test of the summer was Shoaib Bashir, saluting all corners with the match ball as he went. Somerset’s unwanted offspinner, who had taken two wickets at an average of 152 during a three-game loan spell with Division Two Glamorgan, had career-best figures of 6 for 81 – and consequently best match returns of 9 for 143. Not only did he walk off as the matchwinner – for the second time at this ground in an 18-month-old international career – but also as the youngest Englishman to reach the 50-wicket mark.Before the cascades of “yeah but the average is 36.39”, “yeah but he’s bowled more overs than anyone” and “yeah but it’s Zimbabwe”, consider this… it’s Shoaib Bashir. A 21-year-old who still talks about himself as “a work in progress”. Everything he says is tempered with gratitude and a competition-winner sparkle in his eyes that has not dulled since this six-foot-four, six-first-class-match-experience youngling was thrust into the spotlight of an India tour.The contrast between the lots of Bashir and Cook are clear, but perhaps more pronounced are what they tell us about this Test side Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes have concocted out of salt and spirit. Cook’s nerves, even after pocketing his maiden dismissal three overs into his debut, spoke of an anxiety at wanting to prove he deserved to be at this level, even if he was backed with the new ball and crowded slip cordons. Bashir, on the other hand, has never exuded anything other than belief he belongs at this level despite evidence to the contrary.It is as much an orchestrated feeling as one hinging on the fact that, unlike Cook, Bashir has no base to retreat to. Prior to his temporary move to Cardiff at the start of this season, Stokes gave him a call and essentially told him not to worry – he’d be back home soon. Even his travails at the start of the year on the Lions tour of Australia, taking just four wickets after a difficult finish to the New Zealand series at the end of 2024, were set against unwavering support from the England management. As Bashir said on Friday evening, “England cricket is my happy place.”The trust in him to bowl long spells allows him to bed in, as he did in the first innings during a stint that began as first-change and was only ended in his 13th over by a botched caught-and-bowled chance that ripped open his left ring finger. All but one of his 18 second-innings overs came on the bounce from the Radcliffe Road End on Saturday.Crucially, this has not simply been a case of Stokes tossing Bashir the ball and hoping for the best, plugging him in for long stretches to make the prospect of wicket-taking merely an act of probability – an obscure strand of privilege, like some kooky Guinness World Record holder who just so happens to have a really big bath and ready access to that many tins of baked beans.Sam Cook endured a tough Test baptism, in which his first-class average ticked above 20•Getty ImagesOver the last year, Bashir has adjusted his release points. This Test, he has been 5cm closer to the stumps when operating over the wicket, with a more noticeable 8cm closer when around, as he was often to Zimbabwe’s left-handers. He has also worked on his approach, after realising he needed to be a little bit straighter having noticed an issue when poring over the 524.3 overs he sent down last year.”My run-up is a bit straighter,” Bashir said. “It just allows me to finish off my action a little bit more.”It also allows me to get better shape on the ball so I can land the ball on the seam and then, if I want miss it for the ball to go straight on, I can do that as well. It just builds into my action nicely and yeah, I just feel like it’s quite natural to me.”Granted, the sample size is just the 34.4 overs over the last couple of days, but the results are promising. His lines are neater, with just 16 per cent of his deliveries down the leg-side in this Test, compared to 32 per cent previously. His proportion delivered in the channel outside off has almost doubled in this Test compared to his six previous home Tests.And of course, there were a few gifts among Saturday’s six as Zimbabwe’s middle- and lower-order had a dart for a few souvenir runs of this first English Test in 22 years. But there was enough within, say, the first-innings snaring of visiting captain Craig Ervine at first slip and the two bowled dismissals of Tafadzwa Tsiga, both spinning through the gate, that spoke of a personal development that has meant he can meet his captain more than halfway.On day two, Stokes made a note of imploring Bashir to be a little more patient. Previously, he would have not let any negativity pass his spinner’s ears nor tried to overcomplicate matters for a player still working out his place in the game with the gifts he has.Related

Brian Bennett blazes century but England scent three-day win after follow-on

Zimbabwe fans singing 'gave me goosebumps', says centurion Bennett

Pressure on Pope and Crawley with Bethell in line for role against India

Brian Bennett cuts himself a slice of history to keep Zimbabwe singing

Shoaib Bashir seals innings win as Sean Williams stars for spirited Zimbabwe

“He’s got some unbelievable natural ability, his height and how much he puts on the ball and the ability to change from square to upright seam,” Stokes said. “The skill is undoubted, but a big progression with him, I think, is working out building towards a dismissal – not getting too giddy.”That was the word that he used out there – not getting too giddy with things. He’s always in the competition and you can see when he’s in the battle.”For a young inexperienced individual to have those characteristics whilst also wanting to constantly get better and make little tweaks and working with Jeets (Jeetan Patel, spin bowling coach) the way that he does – it’s very, very exciting.”It speaks to where England are with Bashir that even Stokes admits it is “an odd story”. This kid plucked from obscurity and left exposed in fame ever since.There are still plenty more chapters to go, all of which Bashir’s Islamic faith tells him have already been written. What is clear is that the challenge of India to come next month will determine just how exposed he is – or just how far he has really come.

Three frontline bowlers and four part-timers against England might sound like a recipe for disaster, but New Zealand rolled the dice and won big

Sidharth Monga05-Oct-20231:22

Steyn: ‘NZ follow the basics, but they do it really, really well’

As the World Cup got off to a lukewarm start to empty stands in hot and dry Ahmedabad, a picture from the 1996 edition started doing the rounds on social media. It looked like a blast from the past, as events from 27 years ago should. It was the first match of that World Cup, played between the same two teams at the same ground although it was called something else back then. The stands were full in that picture taken in the morning. Not a seat was unclaimed.Not entirely by design, New Zealand played this World Cup opener like it was 1996 all over again. That was an era in ODI cricket when part-time bowlers bowled in the middle overs to batters who didn’t challenge them. In fact, that World Cup was won by Sri Lanka on the back of their part-time spinners. Now, though, with two new balls and an extra fielder inside the circle, no batter lets part-time bowlers operate.Related

• Can Netherlands bring high-flying New Zealand back down to earth?

• Ferguson, Southee likely to be fit; Williamson remains on sidelines for Netherlands clash

• England know they have to be England, and fast

• Ravindra comes of age with an innings for the dreamers

• Stats – Conway and Ravindra record NZ's highest ever WC partnership

With Tim Southee and Lockie Ferguson injured, you would have thought New Zealand would go for an attacking spinner in Ish Sodhi but they left themselves with three frontline bowlers and four part-timers to squeeze 20 overs between them. It is recipe for disaster against any team in today’s ODI cricket, but to do so against England is another level of risk. They have been the best in the middle overs since the start of 2022. England have averaged 40.66 and gone at 6.15 an over in the second powerplay in that period.Whatever they might have spoken in the meetings, you doubt they would have said let’s play it like it is 1996, but once they make the choice to trust Kane Williamson and Southee to be back soon enough, it is what it is. Not to reinforce a worn-out cliché, but if there is a side to give it a red-hot go in such situations, it is New Zealand.Matt Henry’s lovely control of length and the early seam movement, which has given ODI cricket a new dimension of late, gave New Zealand a foot in the door, but at 51 for 1 in 10 overs, with the long England batting line-up, with Trent Boult negotiated, things didn’t look pretty for New Zealand.Mitchell Santner, who has silently withstood the wristspin storm in limited-overs cricket, provided another wicket after he gnawed away at the batters with his nagging length and changes of pace. Now New Zealand rolled the dice. A fascinating period of play ensued.It was clear England were not going to let any version of dibbly-dobblies settle down. Harry Brook hit James Neesham for four first ball, and took two fours and a six from Rachin Ravindra’s first five. The next ball should have gone for a six but held up a little, and the ball was in England’s court again. Did they still fancy a go?Not only did they fancy a go, they promoted Moeen Ali to make sure Ravindra didn’t get cheap overs in to two right-hand batters. New Zealand raised them Glenn Phillips, and Moeen misread the length early on. Just to stretch the 1996 thing to a ridiculous extreme, it was almost like Sanath Jayasuriya and Aravinda de Silva taking wickets for fun. Little did we know then that Ravindra would go on to score runs at Jaysuriya’s pace, but even New Zealand must realise that 20 overs of part-time bowling can’t be much more than a makeshift arrangement.Forced to rethink their approach, England rebuilt for only four overs before Jos Buttler began to go after Ravindra and Neesham. Never mind the result, England were doing what has brought them success. They had to take risks. They couldn’t have idled through the middle overs.Matt Henry kept things simple, and made life difficult for England’s batters•Associated PressTom Latham knew when to leave the table. He went back to his strike bowlers. Some might say he actually raised the stakes even higher because now he was going to bowl part-time bowlers at the death.Everything – from execution to little slices of good fortune – had to go their way for New Zealand to get out of this one. Ravindra, quick to point out that he would like to be considered a proper allrounder, was honest enough to acknowledge the role of luck.”Probably didn’t come out as well as I would’ve wanted today, but look, that’s the beauty of cricket,” Ravindra said. “I think some days you have great days, some days you don’t, so we’ll sort of look at it and review it and hopefully go back again next game.”When asked if his mindset changes when he knows there are 20 part-timer overs behind him, Henry said they didn’t exactly look like part-timers. You can’t argue against it on the day, but there must have been a reason they went for just fingerspinners when you need to keep taking wickets through the innings.

“Not entirely by design, New Zealand played this World Cup opener like it was 1996 all over again. That was an era in ODI cricket when part-time bowlers bowled in the middle overs to batters who didn’t challenge them”

That the ball gripped for their spinners didn’t come as a surprise to Henry. “I suppose the research that we had in the analysis was that bowling into the wicket’s gonna be quite important, so just trusting that prep and, and going for it,” he said.That is perhaps why Ravindra kept bowling into the wicket after the first six. It might be a bit of a gag to talk about the part-timers, but the three frontline bowlers went for just 133 runs in the 30 overs between them. Not just that, they do make sure they work with the allrounders so that they can be ready when called upon to do a job.”I work very closely with Sant and Ish,” Ravindra said. “Being able to lean on those guys is pretty cool. Santner is a world-class spin bowler and obviously Ish is a very, very close mate of mine, so we’re able to talk a lot of cricket. Any sort of information or experience I can take from those boys who’ve played international cricket for a very long time is pretty cool.”New Zealand have now started 18 out of the 21 World Cups with a win. South Africa with 10 winning starts in 16 are the only ones that come close. Perhaps it is time we don’t get surprised that New Zealand started off well again. Then again, you can’t help it when they take one of the unlikeliest routes to that start.

Yadav arrived like the culmination of India’s first great pace bloom, but you’re not quite sure what to make of him now

Osman Samiuddin03-Sep-2021In November this year, it’ll be a decade since Umesh Yadav made his Test debut. R Ashwin and Ishant Sharma were part of that attack, so there’s a bit of familiarity and continuity there. But in the milieu in which Yadav operates, of Indian fast bowling, it’s two different worlds.At that time, Yadav arrived like the culmination of India’s first great pace bloom, those years of Ashish Nehra, Irfan Pathan, RP Singh, Sreesanth and, of course, Zaheer Khan. In those early dispatches, Yadav was giddily described, and feted, as the quickest bowler in the country, which itself was revealing. Because the fast-bowling tradition had been thin, an out-and-out quick was a bright, shiny new thing to show off. Plus, he had a very subcontinent (well, okay, Pakistani) fast-bowling backstory: small town, tough early life, tennis-ball cricket, then big time, then a back injury, but then big time again.Related

Umesh Yadav: 'I need to prove to myself that I still have the ability'

'Difficult to keep yourself positive' if you're sitting out – Umesh Yadav

Indian pace bowling is a more robust, populated place these days. Had Mohammed Siraj emerged at the start of the century there’s a good chance he would’ve made his Test debut well before he’d played his 38th first-class game. Yadav has straddled these eras; an important part of this one too, if not quite as central anymore yet, still, on days like today, a little like a remnant of that time.’Days like today’ probably doesn’t need much expanding. It was a messy one for India. Without their best, busiest batter, and despite being five down within the first hour, England scored at over 3.5 per over through the day. Too many boundaries conceded, too many extras, the attack feeling that little bit thin and stretched.That Yadav ended up as their most successful bowler, that he looked at some points their joint-best bowler, and at others the joint-leakiest in some ways only reinforces an early impression that has never quite been shed. In those MS Dhoni years, Yadav, unfairly, became the face of the wider malaise of India’s bowling abroad, a factor in their failure to compete.It was unfair because he wasn’t, in numbers, that bad. He was unfortunate in that his first seven away Tests were all in Australia, an especially intimidating and difficult place for young fast bowlers. He was young and around him the attacks were poor.It’s unfair to bring it up now as well because it’s not as if he plays away from home. This was just his fourth Test outside of India since the start of 2019, and India’s 13th in that time. More remarkably, though India have toured England thrice from 2014 and for five-Test series each time, this is only Yadav’s second Test in the country. (And the very point is that India still dismissed England for under 300, so nowhere near as bad a day as they used to have.)All of this is fairly well-known. Yadav a home specialist, but that’s a weird status for a fast bowler. Spinners are often seen that way. England have started thinking of Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad in that way but only this late into their careers. Generally, the rule with fast bowlers though is that if they’re thought to be good enough, they play in most places. India compete abroad now and he’s not always part of that. Ten years in, it could look like a failure to evolve but the truth is – as he’s acknowledged – that if you don’t get to play in the first place, evolution doesn’t happen easy.And so you have Yadav as we saw Yadav in this innings. Spectacular moments, in those deliveries to dismiss Joe Root and then Dawid Malan, deliveries at the stumps and eking out movement at healthy pace, underpinning a morning burst that put India on top. In those first spells of the innings Yadav was , matching Jasprit Bumrah for intensity: 61 out of the 66 balls he delivered were either in the channel or at the stumps (the same, coincidentally, as Bumrah).But when he returned, a little before lunch, ostensibly to restore the order that Shardul Thakur and Siraj had let go, he conceded two boundaries in his first over and another in the next. He’d been hit for just four boundaries in his first 11 overs; he conceded eight in his last eight. If he was a 23-year-old tearaway on his first tour, you’d still be salivating at the prospect of seeing more of that magic and less of the rest. Instead, he’s 33 and if this was only his second Test in England – only four Indian fast bowlers have played more than his 49 Tests – you’re not quite sure what to make of it.That boundary tally is useful though, in that a cursory, eye-test assessment of Yadav has long been that because he attacks the way he does – full, at the stumps – there’s always one loose ball an over a batter can cash in on. Today, the pitch eased, and the ball got older, and the change bowlers let it slip, but a little management in those later Yadav spells was not unfair to expect.Since Yadav’s debut, an Indian fast bowler has conceded at least four runs per over in an innings (with a minimum cut-off of 10 overs) on 55 occasions. Yadav has been that bowler 17 times, 13 outside of India. In his defence, he’s only conceded at that rate in four innings since 2016, a period in which he has grown as a bowler but one in which he has also played fewer Tests abroad.And this, that of the 25 bowlers who have taken 150+ Test wickets since Yadav’s debut, only six bowlers have a better strike rate than him, but only one has a worse economy rate.This might be the thing about Yadav though, and him being a bit of both these eras and not fully of one. Back when he debuted, if you’d said he will end up with 50 Tests and 150 Test wickets, you’d probably have taken it. Only Kapil Dev, Javagal Srinath and Zaheer would have taken more wickets then. But you look now – with the growth of Ishant in the latter third of his career, the arrival of Mohammed Shami, the futures that Bumrah and Siraj have – and you wonder whether Yadav has done well to end wherever he does, or whether we should – and still may – expect more.

For 15 edge-of-your-seat innings, the Mariners and Tigers played a dramatic, thrilling postseason contest in Game 5 of the American League Division Series that ultimately ended in Seattle joy and Detroit heartbreak. And for the impartial fan, this was baseball heaven. There was excellent pitching, clutch hitting, peak drama and even first-class umpiring.

Over the course of 15 innings, 472 total pitches and nearly five hours of game time, home-plate umpire Alan Porter was nearly perfect. Porter correctly called 219 of 228 balls and strikes, a highly-impressive accuracy rate of 96%, according to Umpire Scorecards.

And while Porter wasn't perfect—some may point to his called strike against Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford, or in the Tigers' case, the ruled hit-by-pitch of Mariners outfielder Victor Robles, a somewhat controversial call that went against Detroit's favor.

But overall, this was an outstanding performance by an MLB umpire on the game's biggest stage at a time when umpires are under the microscope seemingly more than ever.

A round of applause for Alan Porter please.

Don MacKinnon, who heads the NZ20 Establishment Committee, believes the game needs to look beyond the Super Smash

Nagraj Gollapudi27-Nov-2025

New Zealand is finally set to enter the world of privately owned T20 leagues, with plans afoot to start NZ20, a tournament comprising six privately owned franchises in January 2027. The league’s operating model would be similar to that of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) with the tournament receiving the license from New Zealand Cricket (NZC), but managed independently.Plans don’t currently have NZC approval, but if they do secure that, NZ20 will replace the Super Smash, the current six-team competition. That tournament is now two decades old and is played by the local cricket associations in New Zealand: Auckland, Northern Districts, Wellington, Central Districts, Canterbury and Otago. It is managed by NZC, whereas NZ20 will have teams with private owners.According to Don MacKinnon, who heads the NZ20 Establishment Committee, the concept for the league originated from former New Zeeland greats including Stephen Fleming who then engaged with the New Zealand Players Association (NZPA} to gauge whether the time had come for a franchise-based league. MacKinnon, a professional lawyer who heads the country’s Sports Integrity Commission, and has served as a director on the NZC Board, was approached about three months ago to see if the concept was feasible.In a conversation with ESPNcricinfo, MacKinnon said NZ20 was an “extremely viable” project and it was the “ideal” time to launch.”The concept is a pretty simple one really. It’s to see if New Zealand cricket could provide us with a clean window, which in our mind is absolutely essential for a very short privately owned competition, ideally in the peak of summer in New Zealand,” MacKinnon said. “So ideally for a men’s competition in the month of January at potentially a lot of our holiday venues, some of our beautiful grassbanks ground and a short fan-centric, fun type competition, but one played by the very best players in New Zealand and hopefully some internationals.”‘Super Smash not working’The absence of a New Zealand T20 league until now has been notable, especially as its players and coaches have been popular in leagues across the globe. But MacKinnon said collective belief among former players was that the time was ripe for New Zealand to create its own domestic brand.Back in 2014 the NZC Board had turned down the idea of such a league because it did not believe it could create a successful product and would “struggle” to compete with the likes of the IPL and BBL. MacKinnon agreed with that decision but pointed out the time now was right to “develop our own unique competition.” He said that NZ20 would not be aping the IPL or BBL.”We are looking at something very boutique, very New Zealand centric, a unique experience for players who come here, as I said, small grounds, a great lifestyle, something that we think players would love to be involved in.”Finn Allen is among the New Zealand players who play overseas in the January league period•Sarah Reed – CA / Getty Images

MacKinnon said the Super Smash was “not really working with the fans” and has become more of a “development” competition for players. NZ20, MacKinnon believes, has the potential to “reenergise domestic cricket” in New Zealand. “What’s different about it? Well, it’s partly driven out of private investment and so you get the ability to be very innovative. You have the ability to have greater capital, to invest in better fan experience both at the ground but also whether you are watching on television or online. We also think that if we get this right, we will attract the very best New Zealand players back into our domestic competitions.”MacKinnon did not disclose whether IPL franchise owners were looking to invest, but said there was strong interest both from India as well as other investors globally. “We’ve also looked really closely at some of the models around the world and particularly the CPL where the league owners and the team seem to have done a great job in moving that competition not only into a point of profitability but also has really engaged fan interest. So that’s one of the models we’re looking at very closely. But by no means the only one.”NZ players ‘would desperately love’ to play NZ20The current plan involves starting the men’s tournament in January 2027 followed by the launch of the women’s league in December 2027. The biggest challenge remains finding a clear window with the BBL, SA20 and ILT20 running simultaneously in January. Those tournaments generally involve the participation of several New Zealand international.MacKinnon acknowledged that hurdle, but believed current New Zealand players were keen to participate. “We appreciate we won’t be able to attract everybody that we’d like to have, but the feedback from current New Zealand players is they would desperately love for this tournament to go ahead and would do everything to participate in it.There would be plans to launch a women’s edition later in 2027•Getty Images

“So that’s the first goal. We are designing this competition very much along the lines that we want the Lockie Fergusons and the Finn Allens of this world and the Kane Williamsons playing in it. So that’s the most important goal because at the moment a lot of those players aren’t playing in our Super Smash.”MacKinnon is confident NZ20 can attract “marquee players” if they get the right owners. MacKinnon also highlighted one of its USPs would be to allow players to own a stake in the league. “We also are looking at a model where the players may well have an ownership share of the league,” he said. “And we are doing that because we want an extremely high level of access to player intellectual property. We want to be able to open our players up to the wealth. And to do that, that intellectual property needs to be very readily available.”NZC approval</h2.NZC approval will have to come swiftly if NZ20 is to take off by January 2027. MacKinnon emphasised that his committee wanted to work with NZC. In fact, the NZ20 committee comprises two members from NZC's board along with representatives from NZPA and members associations.MacKinnon said that NZC had told the NZ20 Committee they were looking at various options. "We have been in constant discussions with the New Zealand Cricket Board over the last two to three months. They have been excellent to deal with. They have been very clear to us that while they're excited by this project, they have other options they're looking at including quite clearly whether they wish to consider trying to get a team into the Big Bash."MacKinnon said he would obviously like NZC to pick NZ20 as the "preferred option" but admitted ideally he would want the final decision to be made as soon as possible. "At the same time we are proceeding on the basis that we believe we will get a license and we are continuing to talk to investors and making progress in that regard. We would love to be in a position by the end of January [2026] to have some real certainty about whether we can make the competition start in January 2027 and that's our timeframe."

أعلن بيرلويجي كولينا رئيس لجنة الحكام في الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم “فيفا” عن موقفه بشأن استخدام تقنية الفيديو المساعد “الفار” في الركلات الركنية خلال كأس العالم الصيف المقبل.

وأفادت “ESPN” العالمية أن كولينا أعرب عن تأييده لاستخدام تقنية الفار في الركلات الركنية خلال مونديال 2026.

وقال كولينا إنه سيكون من المؤسف أن يحسم خطأ غير مقصود من أحد الحكام نتيجة مباراة.

وكانت تقارير قد انتشرت هذا الأسبوع وذكرت أن الاتحاد الدولي “فيفا” يحرص على توسيع نطاق بروتوكولات تقنية الفيديو المساعد لتشمل الركلات الركنية في نهائيات كأس العالم في الولايات المتحدة وكندا والمكسيك.

اقرأ أيضاً.. ميسي مشيدًا بـ سكالوني: شخص رائع.. ويتعامل مع اللاعبين بشكل مثالي

ويجب أن يتم اعتماد هذا النظام كتجربة من جانب مجلس الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم لكي يتم تطبيقها في هذه المرحلة المتقدمة وسيعقد اجتماعه السنوي لاتخاذ القرار النهائي الشهر المقبل.

وذكر كولينا خلال مؤتمر صحفي في واشنطن قبل ساعات من قرعة كأس العالم حول هذه التقنية: “أعتقد أنه يجب أن يكون لدينا هدفاً جماعياً باتخاذ قرارات صائبة في الملعب”.

وأضاف: “سيكون من المؤسف أن تحسم نتيجة أي مسابقة ليس بناء على أداء اللاعبين في الملعب بل بناء على خطأ فادح ارتكبه صانع القرار”.

وختم: “هذا ما أقنعنا قبل 13 أو 14 عاماً بالتفكير في كيفية دعم الحكام بالتكنولوجيا لذا إذا تمكنا من تحقيق ذلك سيكون إيجابياً لي، سنناقش الأمر وسنرى ما ستكون عليه النتيجة لأنني أعتقد أن الهدف يستحق العناء، لا يجب أن نضطر لدفن رؤوسنا في الرمال”.

For the first time in a long time, potentially ever, there is a strong argument to be made that Arsenal are the best team in the world at the moment.

Mikel Arteta’s side are clear atop the Premier League table and, following their 3-1 win over Bayern Munich on Wednesday night, are now clear atop the Champions League table as well.

This incredible run of form probably shouldn’t come as a surprise, though, as the club have built a squad full to bursting with world-class talent, and even then, their most important player, Bukayo Saka, is yet to find his best form.

At his best, the Hale Ender is a total game-changer, and so fans should be hugely excited about reports linking Arsenal to another attacking monster who has been compared to him.

Arsenal target another Saka-type star

With the winter transfer window now rapidly approaching, Arsenal have started to be linked with a host of brilliant players.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, for example, has been touted for a £100m move to the Emirates, as has Porto’s £79m Samu Aghehowa.

Yet, while both of these brilliantly talented players would improve the Gunners’ squad, neither one can be compared to Saka, unlike Michael Olise.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal are now one of a few teams plotting to sign the Bayern Munich monster next year.

Alongside the North Londoners, Liverpool and Manchester United are reportedly keen on the French international, who has been nothing short of world-class since his move to Germany.

However, on top of the immense competition, the Gunners will have to stump up a massive fee of up to €140m to get their man, which is about £123m.

With that said, while it would be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, Olise’s immense ability and similarity to Saka make it one Arsenal should fight for.

How Olise compares to Saka

One of the most significant comparisons between Saka and Olise comes from FBref, which ranks the Englishman as the eighth-most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Frenchman across Europe’s top five leagues.

The best way to understand how this conclusion has been reached is to examine the underlying numbers in which the pair rank closely.

In this instance, the metrics include non-penalty expected goals, progressive carries, shot-creating actions, successful take-on percentage, and more, all per 90.

Progressive Passes Received

12.5

12.4

Goals per Shot

0.14

0.11

Goals per Shot on Target

0.30

0.22

Key Passes

2.53

2.21

Crosses into the Penalty Area

0.42

0.35

Tackles Won

0.53

0.58

Carries into the Final Third

2.84

2.56

On top of these statistical similarities, they are both seen as two of the best players for two massive clubs.

However, while it’s great that the former Crystal Palace star can be compared to the Gunners’ talismanic number seven, there are other reasons the North Londoners should be looking to sign him, such as his output.

For example, while he failed to score on Wednesday night, the 23-year-old has racked up a tally of nine goals and ten assists in 19 appearances this season, totalling 1538 minutes.

That comes out to a sensational average of a goal involvement every game, or every 80.94 minutes, which more than justifies Oliver Glasner’s former claim that he’s “one of the best talents in the world.”

It’s not just this year that the 13-capped international has been an output machine, though, as last year he was just as dangerous.

In 55 appearances across all competitions, totalling 3842 minutes, he produced 43 goal involvements, which comes out to an average of one every 1.27 games, or every 89.34 minutes.

Ultimately, it would cost an arm and a leg, but Arsenal should be doing all they can to sign Olise next year, as, like Saka already is, he could be a real game-changer.

Arteta now has an even better duo than Gabriel & Saliba at Arsenal

Mikel Arteta has created an Arsenal team full of incredible partnerships, including one better than Saliba & Gabriel.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 27, 2025

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