After Sri Lanka demolition, Afghanistan start as favourites against misfiring Bangladesh

Mohammad Isam29-Aug-2022Big pictureAfghanistan vs Bangladesh is the low-key rivalry of the Asia Cup, and it seems even more so coming on the heels of a smashing India-Pakistan contest over the weekend.There are clear favourites – and underdogs – for this one, too. Bangladesh have seen their T20I fortunes dip significantly in recent times. Afghanistan, after losing a T20I series earlier this month, in Ireland, got their act together against Sri Lanka in their first match of the Asia Cup. It was also their second-largest win in terms of balls remaining – 59.Fazalhaq Farooqi and Naveen-ul-Haq made full use of the new ball after Mohammad Nabi put Sri Lanka in to bat. They were reduced to 5 for 3 in the second over itself. Afghanistan allowed only a brief resistance before Sri Lanka collapsed once again. Then it was the turn of Afghanistan’s destructive opening pair of Hazratullah Zazai and Rahmanullah Gurbaz to complete the job. They struck 13 boundaries between them, including four sixes from Gurbaz in his 18-ball 40. A couple of wickets fell, but Afghanistan gave a good glimpse of their attacking flair. And familiarity with the conditions help – they have played plenty of short-format matches in the UAE.Related

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Attacking flair, and an aggressive attitude – Bangladesh’s T20I game is missing both.They come into the Asia Cup on a low, having lost both white-ball series in Zimbabwe earlier this month. They gave away strong positions in both the T20I losses as they went down 2-1.But Bangladesh were without Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim in Zimbabwe, so their return, coupled with that of Mohammad Saifuddin, could boost them.Sabbir Rahman and Mohammad Naim are also back in the side, but that’s mainly due to injuries to Litton Das and Nurul Hasan, two batters who have shown a bit of T20I form of late. Sabbir’s return came after he trained with the Bangladesh Tigers squad, while Naim struck a century in the one-day series against West Indies A earlier this month.Perhaps being underdogs will help Bangladesh against high-flying Afghanistan.Form guide
Afghanistan WLWWL
Bangladesh LWLLLIn the spotlightFazalhaq Farooqi was one of Afghanistan’s heroes in the match against Sri Lanka. His opening burst blew away the top order, and he finished with 3 for 11, the sort of spell Bangladesh are familiar with from earlier this year – Farooqi was fast, accurate and effective in the ODI and T20I series in Chattogram and Dhaka. His confidence must be soaring after the Sri Lanka demolition job.Shakib Al Hasan is Bangladesh’s best bet against Afghanistan, or anyone else, for that matter. Returning as the T20I captain after nearly three years, Shakib has a lot on his plate but he is known as someone who invariably manages to bring the best out of himself when under pressure. His four overs will bring back an attacking option for Bangladesh, while his free stroke play will help the misfiring top order.4:45

Shahriar Nafees: Confident that Bangladesh’s new guys will support the middle order

Team newsAfghanistan have little reason to change the playing XI, and, bar injuries, should be unchanged.Afghanistan (probable): 1 Hazratullah Zazai, 2 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 3 Ibrahim Zadran, 4 Najibullah Zadran, 5 Karim Janat, 6 Mohammad Nabi (capt), 7 Rashid Khan, 8 Azmatullah Omarzai, 9 Naveen-ul-Haq, 10 Mujeeb Ur Rahman, 11 Fazalhaq FarooqiBangladesh have a few more options than when they went to Zimbabwe with a limited squad. Shakib, Mushfiqur and Saifuddin should all get in, and will add balance to their line-up.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Mohammad Naim, 2 Anamul Haque, 3 Shakib Al Hasan (capt), 4 Afif Hossain, 5 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 6 Mahmudullah, 7 Sabbir Rahman, 8 Mahedi Hasan, 9 Mohammad Saifuddin, 10 Nasum Ahmed, 11 Mustafizur RahmanPitch and conditionsDespite the small dimensions, Sharjah has a surprisingly low batting average – 143 – for sides batting first in T20Is in the last 12 months. The weather will be quite hot even though it’s a 6pm [local time] start.Stats and trivia Shakib will become the third Bangladesh cricketer to play 100 T20Is, after Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur. Spinners have a better average, economy rate and strike rate than quick bowlers at the Sharjah ground in the last 12 months. Afghanistan have a 5-3 edge over Bangladesh in T20Is, although their last bilateral series ended 1-1.

Lauren Winfield-Hill’s brilliant unbeaten run-a-ball 125 guided the Northern Diamonds into next Sunday’s Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy final at Lord’s at the expense of champions Southern Vipers, who could not defend 227 at Headingley and lost by four wickets.Winfield-Hill steered a chase which had stumbled to 79 for 4 in this winner-takes-all final group game, gaining help from fellow wicketkeeper-batter Bess Heath, who contributed 54 to a fifth-wicket partnership of 129.The Vipers, the back-to-back champions who posted 226 for 9, must now go into Wednesday’s semi-final Eliminator clash with South East Stars – likely to be at Beckenham – in order to keep alive their hopes of the ‘threepeat’.If they win, all three RHF Trophy finals will have been contested between the Diamonds and the Vipers, the latter winning the previous two. Having reached four regional finals in all, the Diamonds will now hope to secure their maiden trophy.The Vipers, for whom Georgia Elwiss top-scored with 61 off 95, came into this fixture top of the table and only ahead of the Diamonds on net run-rate after five wins apiece and lost with seven overs to spare. They fell to 24 for 2 inside four overs after electing to bat.Lizzie Scott flattened Ella McCaughan’s leg-stump with a big in-swinger in the opening over before Linsey Smith trapped England’s Maia Bouchier lbw for 9.But Elwiss and Georgia Adams, her captain, calmly steadied with a 72-run stand in 17 overs before Adams had a momentary lapse in concentration on 33 to open the door again at 96 for 3 in the 21st. She handed leg-spinner Katie Levick the first of two wickets when she was stumped by Winfield-Hill.Elwiss reached her fifty off 77 balls shortly afterwards, though lost Paige Scholfield bowled by Levick. And she was gone herself four overs later when bowled playing back to one which skidded through from off-spinner Emma Marlow.At 143 for 5 after 33 overs, the Diamonds had reasserted the authority they had gained in the opening stages. Captain Hollie Armitage then struck with her third ball as Chloe Hill chipped her leg-spin to mid-off, the first of three wickets to fall for 23 as Tara Norris was run out and Alice Monaghan caught behind off Armitage, who returned 3 for 37 from seven overs. The latter two fell in as many deliveries, leaving Vipers 182 for 8 in the 42nd.But, just as happened at the start, the Diamonds failed to maintain pressure, as conceding 32 runs in wides suggests.Emily Windsor accumulated an unbeaten 49, scoring the lion’s share of 44 added for the last two wickets with Charlotte Taylor and debutant leg-spinner Finty Trussler. Armitage had the former caught at mid-on in the final over.But the Diamonds’ task of removing the venom would be far from straightforward against a Vipers team to be reckoned with. And so it proved, as they stumbled to 79 for 4 inside 16 overs.Smith miscued left-arm seamer Norris to mid-off early on before second-wicket pair Winfield-Hill and Armitage shared 44. Then came the loss of three wickets for 17, sparked by a cutting Armitage edging the off-spin of Adams behind.That was followed by two wickets in 19-year-old Trussler’s second over, the 16th. Sterre Kalis pulled a full toss out to deep midwicket before Leah Dobson was lbw.But Winfield-Hill, who won the Hundred at Lord’s with Oval Invincibles earlier in the month, was not to be deterred. She reached her eighth fifty of the summer in all cricket off 56 balls and was particularly strong on the drive.With Heath’s help, they positively turned the game back in their favour in a defining 25-over alliance and, by the time Winfield-Hill reached her fourth career professional century – her first this summer – off 105 balls, the game had been iced at 195 for 4 in the 36th over.After reaching her fifty off 61 balls, Heath fell to Adams with 19 required. But it was inconsequential, as was the run out of Leigh Kasperek. Winfield-Hill finished it with her only six over long-on off Norris.

Arsenal are targeting a forward who’s already bagged a goal against them this campaign, and it is believed they could advance on a January move before deadline day on February 3.

Arsenal in market for attacker after Saka and Jesus injuries

Star winger Bukayo Saka will be out of action until March after undergoing surgery on a hamstring problem, while Gabriel Jesus is set to miss the rest of this Premier League campaign after rupturing his ACL.

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Saka’s return of goals and assists has been sorely missed by manager Mikel Arteta, even if they did secure North London Derby bragging rights with a 2-1 win over Tottenham on Wednesday evening, while Jesus’ absence has left the Spaniard with just Kai Havertz as his only striking option.

Aston Villa (home)

January 18

Wolves (away)

January 25

Man City (home)

February 2

Leicester City (away)

February 15

West Ham (home)

February 22

Arsenal can scarcely believe their luck when it comes to injuries in attack recently, which has reportedly prompted the Gunners to dip into this January market in search of external solutions.

Arteta has confirmed that the club are actively pursuing potential signings right now, and it is reliably believed that a striker is being targeted by Arsenal this month (Sky Sports).

“We are actively looking in the market to improve the squad, and that’s been the same since day one,” said Arteta on January transfers.

“It would be naive not to do that because it is always an opportunity to evolve the team and improve the squad, especially with the circumstances. So yes, we are looking, and we are trying and let’s see what we are able to do.”

Arsenal hold a concete reported interest in Dusan Vlahovic from Juventus as one target, while there are rumours that they could look to bring in Marseille striker Elye Wahi, amid reports he’d cost just £25 million.

Given both Saka and Jesus’ absences, it is little surprise we’re now hearing Bryan Mbeumo being mentioned as a potential option.

The versatile Cameroonian can play both out wide and as a centre-forward, acting as cover for both Jesus and Saka, with reports claiming he’s valued at around £50 million by Brentford.

While Thomas Frank has insisted that he’s not for sale this month, you could argue that a big offer could tempt Brentford into selling, especially when you consider the African has just 18 months left on his contract.

Arsenal could advance on potential Bryan Mbeumo deal in January

According to RMC Sport and reliable journalist Fabrice Hawkins, Arsenal could “go on the offensive” for Mbeumo before the end of this transfer window after registering an interest in his services.

Arteta’s side are joined by Tottenham and Man United in this regard, with all three sides gathering information on the 25-year-old who’s scored 13 goals for Brentford in all competitions so far this season.

One of those strikes actually came against Arsenal, where he played up front in a 3-1 defeat against them at the G-tech Community Stadium on New Year’s Day.

MatériaMais Notícias

Paulo Sousa saiu da vitória sobre o Goiás por 1 a 0, no último domingo, “satisfeitíssimo”. O segundo triunfo do Flamengo no Campeonato Brasileiro fez o time dar um salto na tabela e deixar a beira do Z4, cenário oposto ao vivido pelo clube na Libertadores. E o técnico deu uma resposta curiosa quando abordado sobre os rendimentos distintos de seu time.

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Na última entrevista coletiva, concedida neste sábado, o Mister indicou que os “comportamentos táticos” dos times no Brasileirão são superiores aos dos rivais sul-americanos no Grupo H.

– Procura analisar (em resposta direta ao repórter) os comportamentos táticos na Libertadores e no Brasileirão. Vai ter a resposta. Ou parte da resposta – disse Paulo Sousa, questionado acerca da discrepância entre as últimas atuações nos torneios.

Flamengo tem86,7% de aproveitamento na Libertadores. No Brasileirão,42,9%

Tais palavras do técnico do Fla se deram logo depois que teceu uma análise a respeito da vitória em casa:

– Acho que a equipe teve muito bem na primeira parte. Na segunda parte, baixamos a intensidade, sobretudo os homens da frente, o que é normal. O time está de parabéns. Estou super contente com a equipe. Muito controle de jogo. Estou satisfeitíssimo com o resultado. Estamos no caminho certo.

> Veja e simule a tabela da Libertadores

O próximo jogo do Flamengo será realizado às 21h30 desta terça-feira contra o Sporting Cristal-PER, no terceiro de cinco jogos consecutivos no Maracanã. O Rubro-Negro já está classificado às oitavas de final da Libertadores- e como líder do grupo.

Lyon's nightmare week continued, but the club's American did have a moment to remember.

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Tessmann scores first Ligue 1 goalLyon fall to Saint-EtienneDefeat comes following heartbreaking Europa League exitFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱AFPWHAT HAPPENED?

U.S. international Tanner Tessmann scored his first Ligue 1 goal, but it wasn't enough as they fell 2-1 to Saint-Etienne.

Lyon's hopes of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League took a hit as a result, with Lucas Stassin scoring both goals for hosts Saint-Etienne, netting in either half to lead his team to victory.

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Tessmann was a bright spot for OL, though, as the U.S. men's national team midfielder provided a fantastic finish to give his side a chance. The goal was preceded by some incredible footwork from the midfielder, who patiently dribbled around his defender twice before picking out a corner for the goal.

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The backbreaking Ligue 1 loss comes on the heels of an even worse loss in the Europa League. Lyon were eliminated from the competition on Thursday, squandering a late lead by conceding two goals to Manchester United to exit the tournament in heartbreaking fashion.

Getting back into Europe will now be a challenge. The club currently sits sixth in Ligue 1, good for a Europa Conference League spot, on 51 points. Lyon are just four points behind second-place Marseille, though. There are also just seven points between them and ninth-place Brest, while seventh-place Lens is level on 51 points but trailing due to goal difference. It all sets up a frantic end to the Ligue 1 season with teams jostling for European spots behind champions PSG.

GettyDID YOU KNOW?

With the goal, Tessmann joined Jordan Pefok to make a little bit of history. The two became the first American players to score on the same day in Ligue 1, with Pefok netting in a win over Mark McKenzie's Toulouse.

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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR LYON?

Having now lost two in a row, Lyon will now look to rebound on Saturday when they return home to host Rennes with just four games remaining in the Ligue 1 campaign.

Arsenal have now resumed talks to sign a “deadly finisher” for the second half of the campaign as they look to add more firepower to their ranks in a bid to return silverware under Mikel Arteta.

Arsenal eyeing late move for forward

Despite the transfer window being firmly in its closing stages, Arsenal are still hoping to sign at least one fresh face as they look to catch Liverpool in the second half of the Premier League season.

Speaking ahead of his side’s clash with Manchester City, Arteta doubled down on the plan to add more firepower to his side.

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“I’m confident with the people we have at the club, with what we are trying to do, that we will do everything we possibly can to achieve it,” the Arsenal boss explained. “The outcome we don’t know yet, it doesn’t depend only on us, but the intention is clear”.

The Gunners have already had one bid rejected for Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins, who has previously admitted that it would be a dream to move to north London, and they could yet return with a second offer, though Jhon Duran’s sale last week complicates any potential Villa exit for the England forward.

Elsewhere, they have been reportedly offered Victor Boniface after his move to Saudi Arabia fell through, though Evan Ferguson is now off the table as he closes in on a loan move to West Ham.

Instead, the Gunners have begun to look elsewhere once more, but will face plenty of competition to land their man.

Arsenal back in talks to sign forward who idolises Thierry Henry

Now, Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Arsenal have once again resumed talks to sign Bayern Munich forward Mathys Tel, who is free to leave the club in the final hours of the transfer window.

The Frenchman has already turned down a move to north London after Tottenham attempted to sign him, but was left out of Bayern’s squad for the 4-3 win over Holstein Kiel on Saturday and could still depart Bavaria before the window slams shut.

As per Romano, Arsenal and Premier League rivals Manchester United are “both in contact with Tel’s camp” over a potential move to the Premier League, with the striker considered a potential opportunity for both sides as they look to add more firepower to their side.

It is added that Tel considers Thierry Henry one of his “main idols” alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, and that there remain “concrete chances to leave Bayern” in the next 36 hours.

Mathys Tel in 24/25 (All Comps)

Appearances

13

Starts

3

Goals

0

Assists

1

Total minutes played

396

The Frenchman is very highly rated, with his idol Henry dubbing him an “extraordinary” talent after working with him at U21 level, while Football Analyst Ben Mattinson has also labelled him a “deadly finisher with the leadership/personality to deliver in big moments”.

Both a loan move and a permanent one are thought to be possible, which could allow Arsenal to strengthen without spending too much money as they look towards potential big summer business in six months time.

Fair to say, Monday was a day of mixed emotions for Celtic supporters.

Superstar centre-forward Kyōgo Furuhashi’s move to Stade Rennais, for a reported £10m, was confirmed but, at the same time, it was announced that Jota had rejoined the club, going in the opposite direction from les Rouge et Noirs, costing £9m, having been sold to Saudi side Al-Ittihad for almost three times that amount just 18 months ago.

Celtic seeking to sign a new striker

Kyōgo’s departure leaves Brendan Rodgers’ side short of a centre-forward, so could the run-away Scottish Premiership leaders look to the Premier League for reinforcements?

According to the Daily Mail, Celtic have asked about signing Brighton & Hove Albion striker Evan Ferguson on loan this month.

They add that Everton, Spurs, Fulham and West Ham are also seeking a loan deal, while Mark Pirie also of the Daily Record, reports that Bournemouth and a selection of Bundesliga clubs are also “touted as interested suitors”.

Earlier this week, Andy Naylor of the Athletic reported that Ferguson is ‘set for talks’ as he pushes for a January loan move, with Brighton manager Fabian Hürzeler stating: “It’s very important that we talk about these things internally, that we know the player’s view”.

The Republic of Ireland international has made just 14 appearances this season, totalling a mere 373 minutes, starting just twice in the Premier League, unable to usurp Danny Welbeck, João Pedro or Georginio Rutter in the pecking order.

How Evan Ferguson would improve Celtic

Not so long ago, Ferguson was described by Ryan Adsett of TSR Football as “one of the most exciting centre-forwards on the planet”, this after his goal against Wolves, which brought to an end the Irishman’s 336-day goal draught.

Ferguson’s stock was at its highest in August 2023, when he scored a hat-trick against Newcastle, becoming the fourth-youngest player in Premier League history to bag a treble, behind only Michael Owen, Chris Bart-Williams and Robbie Fowler.

Michael Owen

1998

25

126

Robbie Fowler

1994

22

140

Nicolas Anelka

1998

12

221

Francis Jeffers

1999

12

172

Wayne Rooney

2005

11

175

Evan Ferguson

2023

11

143

Now though, his career has unquestionably stalled, starting as many matches for his country as his club this season, but, still only 20-years-old, time is on his side, so could a move north of Hadrian’s Wall be what he needs to rediscover his best form?

As referenced earlier, Celtic are in need of a centre-forward; Kyōgo’s sale leaves Adam Idah as the only senior recognised striker at the club, with 21-year-old Johnny Kenny, a fellow Irishman, who’s played just 17 minutes for the first team, now the deputy.

So, could Celtic complete a trio of Irish strikers by bringing in Ferguson? Let’s see how he compares to the departing Kyōgo.

Appearances

64

82

Minutes

3,015

5,371

Goals

10

31

Goals per 90

0.30

0.52

Goals – xG

+1.5

-1

Shots on target %

50%

42.7%

Shots per 90

2.21

3.53

As outlined in the table, unsurprisingly, Kyōgo comes out on top in most metrics since the start of last season but, considering he is widely regarded as Celtic’s best striker since Henrik Larsson, this is certainly holding any replacement to a high standard.

Ferguson has, however, outperformed his xG during this time frame, unlike the Japanese forward, while a greater % of his shots do hit the target.

So, should the Irishman choose to join Celtic, who dominate the vast majority of domestic matches, this suggests he could be the clinical finisher they’re looking for, and perhaps this would be a good move for all parties.

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Luke Wood shines on debut, Pakistan stumble despite Mohammed Rizwan’s 46-ball 68

Alan Gardner20-Sep-2022

Alex Hales started brightly on his return to England colours•AFP/Getty Images

Alex Hales made a half-century on his first England appearance in more than three years as the tourists began their seven-match series by completing a comfortable chase under the Karachi floodlights. Hales fell for 53 off 40 with 17 needed but an unbeaten 42 from Harry Brook, in his fifth T20I, saw England home with four balls to spare.Having been inserted at the toss, Pakistan’s innings was once again built around a solid opening stand between Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam. Rizwan continued his good form from the Asia Cup, top-scoring with 68 from 46, but the middle and lower order failed to fire, Iftikhar Ahmed’s three sixes in 28 from 17 providing only a flicker of the aggression needed on a placid batting surface, as England debutant Luke Wood finished with 3 for 24.In response, Hales was the glue that held England’s chase together. Phil Salt was brilliantly held at deep square leg and Usman Qadir struck with his second ball to remove Dawid Malan; but Ben Duckett swept and reverse-swept – with varying degrees of success – to keep the required rate in hand. Brook then produced perhaps the most fluent innings of the night, playing a number of eye-catching shots in his 25-ball innings, including the winning hit over extra cover.Hales prevails after long wait
It had been 1291 days since Hales last batted in an England shirt, and plenty of water has flowed under the bridge in the intervening period. Plenty of runs have flowed from Hales’ bat, too, and he continued that prolific form in the shortest format with his first T20I fifty since July 2018 (1538 days ago, to be precise).His second legitimate delivery was clattered through backward point in trademark, long-levered style and, although he was not at his most fluent, there was plenty of ringcraft about Hales’ innings as he anchored the chase. Three of his first seven balls went to the rope, as he looked to push England ahead of the required rate, but he was then content to tick along – although content might not be the right word, on the evidence of several frustrated yells as he struggled for timing during the middle overs.Hales only managed one boundary with the field out between the seventh and 14th overs, and on 28 from 22 he was dropped in the deep by Shan Masood looking to manufacture a slog-sweep off Qadir. But the target was always in range and, with 52 needed from 36, Brook and Hales suddenly clicked into gear, the latter going from 38 off 32 to 53 off 39 before holing out to cover with only the finishing touches required.Pakistan’s opening statement
Despite their gluttonous exploits as an opening pair, there has been a little heat on the Babar-Rizwan combination recently. Babar made 68 runs in six innings at the Asia Cup and, while he clearly needed time in the middle in search of some form, there had been a suggestion that Rizwan would be rested, allowing Masood to bat in his preferred position at opener and Mohammad Haris to take the gloves.Instead, Rizwan’s name was in its usual spot on the teamsheet at the toss, and the regular openers walked out together after England had opted to bowl. Rizwan was busy looking for singles and Babar stroked his first ball through the covers; boundaries were picked off around the ground as they raised their ninth 50-plus opening stand for Pakistan. Moeen Ali was smoked over long-on as Rizwan went to a 32-ball fifty.But things began to go awry towards the middle of the innings. First Babar was unstitched by Adil Rashid’s googly, ending the partnership at 85 in the tenth over. Haider Ali, playing his first T20I in nine months, struggled to get going before holing out off Sam Curran. And although Rizwan equalled Babar’s record as the fastest man to 2000 T20I runs, he was stumped off Moeen just when Pakistan were looking to him to kick on. When Masood, on T20I debut at No. 4, top-edged a reverse-sweep to the edge of the ring for 7 off seven balls, Pakistan had lost 4 for 35 off 35 balls.Once again, Pakistan’s top three made more than two-thirds of the team’s runs – in this case 69% – but having faced 83 out of 120 balls (also 69%). Whether that is an ideal distribution of resources is a debate that will continue to rage.Good Wood
England selected a much-changed side, with Hales back, Salt opening for the first time and Duckett playing his second T20I three years on from the first. The only new cap was Wood, an unused member of the ODI squad in the Netherlands earlier this year. A third left-armer in the XI, alongside David Willey and Curran, Wood brought a few mph extra pace to the equation – as well as the confidence of an impressive season in the Hundred, where he led the attack for eventual champions, Trent Rockets.Usually charged with the new ball in search of early swing, Wood was instead first change, but conceded just 12 runs from his two overs in the powerplay. When he returned later in the innings, he produced a beauty to clean up Mohammad Nawaz for his first international wicket, nipping the ball back past an expansive swing to flatten off stump. Just four runs came off the 18th over and although he started the 20th with a full toss that sailed for six, a sequence of W-1-W-dot-1 meant England finished in confident mood.

The January transfer window is now closed and Chelsea only managed to make one signing for their first team, bringing 19-year-old midfielder Mathis Amougou to the club from St Etienne for around £12.5m.

The Blues were busy in regards to outgoings though, with Cesare Casadei leaving on a permanent deal and Axel Disasi, João Félix, Renato Veiga and Carney Chukwuemeka all leaving the club on loan deals.

Enzo Maresca’s side did make one more move, recalling Trevoh Chalobah from his loan at Crystal Palace, with Wesley Fofana and Benoit Badiashile both out through injury, meaning Chalobah was needed for the second half of the season to play an important role for Chelsea.

But with the outgoings in comparison to the incomings, Chelsea are actually lighter in certain areas than they were going into the January transfer window, especially when you also take injuries into account.

So how do Chelsea plan to manage this? Well, Maresca has already pointed towards “finding different solutions” in his latest press conference after Chelsea beat West Ham 2-1 on Monday night, and this could see plenty of academy players given a chance in the second half of this season, to prove their worth and offer an internal solution.

Chelsea's internal solutions in attack

One solution Chelsea have is something Maresca mentioned in his press conference, with Mykhailo Mudryk out for the foreseeable future and Felix leaving the club, 19-year-old winger Tyrique George will be trusted with more minutes from that left-hand side, having the qualities the Italian desires in that area of the pitch.

His ability to go both ways (inside and outside), beat his man 1v1 and deliver crosses but also cut inside on his stronger right foot and get shots off, make him the perfect profile for a Maresca winger, and this could be his opportunity to shine.

Other academy graduates, such as Josh Acheampong, who has already started two Premier League games this season, alongside Levi Colwill in central defence and Sam Rak-Sakyi, who has received some good minutes in the Conference League from Maresca this season, could also be internal solutions to provide depth in the defensive line and midfield ranks.

The Chelsea prospect who could be unleashed instead of Delap signing

During the January window, the Blues were linked with a number of forwards including Ipswich striker Liam Delap.

When looking at Delap’s underlying numbers from this season, you can see why Chelsea were interested in the 21-year-old striker, who is finishing at a clinical rate, scoring 0.46 goals per 90 (overachieving his 0.37 xG per 90) and has a goals/shot ratio of 0.18.

Goals

0.46

Assists

0.10

xG

0.37

xAG

0.09

Progressive Carries

2.09

Progressive Passes

1.02

Shots Total

1.98

Goals/Shot

0.18

Key Passes

0.97

Shot-Creating Actions

2.40

Aerial Duels Won

1.79

However, the attacker remained at Portman Road with Chelsea missing out on adding an extra body alongside Nicolas Jackson. With Christopher Nkunku being more of a natural attacking midfielder, one man, in particular, could get his chance to shine in this second half of the season.

Chelsea’s 17-year-old striker prospect, Shumaira Mheuka (often shortened to Shim) received his senior debut under Maresca this season, coming from the bench against Astana in the UEFA Conference League, playing 12 minutes of senior football.

The youngster has been playing for the U21s and U18s this campaign, scoring seven goals in 18 appearances, also providing one assist. He has been labelled one of Chelsea’s “biggest jewels” by scout Jacek Kulig, stating him to be one of “Cobham’s finest”.

Mhueka has already shown at a young age he has the clinical finishing instincts in front of goal, the agility and ball manipulation to create his own shooting angles, and also the power and strength to protect the ball in the box and compete for crosses when they are delivered.

Whilst Delap would certainly be a brilliant signing, Chelsea could have a talent even bigger in the pipeline, and ensuring his pathway isn’t blocked into the first team will be key to keeping him for the future, and protecting one of their crown academy jewels.

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ByConnor Holden Feb 5, 2025

Arsenal could now miss out on signing an “elite” £50m player, with Real Madrid confident about winning the race for his signature, according to a report.

Mikel Arteta keen on a midfielder

There were no new arrivals at the Emirates Stadium in the January transfer window, with Mikel Arteta opting to wait until the end of the season before making any new additions to his squad.

There have been widespread calls for the Gunners to sign a striker, with doubt remaining over whether Kai Havertz is good enough to lead the line for a Premier League title-winning side, while Arteta also wants to strengthen the spine of his team.

It recently emerged the north Londoners are vying for the signature of Chris Rigg, with Sunderland now willing to sanction the midfielder’s departure for a fee of £25m in the summer.

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At just 17 years old, Rigg is likely to be one for the future, but Arsenal are also keen on a player perhaps capable of making a more immediate impact, and it has long been expected that Martin Zubimendi will move to the Emirates Stadium this summer.

However, there has now been a worrying twist in the transfer saga, with reports from Spain revealing Real Madrid are now confident about winning the race for Zubimendi, as they believe he could be tempted by the opportunity to remain in his home country.

The Gunners aren’t going down without a fight, however, with the report revealing they are still pushing to get a deal done, as they are convinced the Spaniard would fit perfectly into their team.

Arteta is not willing to give up, and the north Londoners remain well-placed to win the race, but there will certainly be concern about Madrid’s interest as it looked like he was on course to move to the Emirates.

Zubimendi would be an "elite" signing for Arsenal

Arsenal are already well-stocked in central midfield, with Declan Rice once again emerging as one of their best-performing players in the Premier League this season, but the Real Sociedad star could take them to the next level.

The 26-year-old, who is expected to cost £50m, has been lauded for his ability in possession of the ball by scout Ben Mattinson.

Not only that, but the Spain international is also capable of pitching in defensively, ranking in the 90th percentile for clearances per 90, and the 90th percentile for aerials won when compared to his positional peers.

It will be a real concern that Madrid fancy their chances of winning the race for Zubimendi, but there is no reason to panic at this stage, with Arsenal still well-placed to get a deal done, and they can boost their chances with a strong finish to the season.