Category Uncategorized

Opener finds new lease of life on domestic circuit, as wife takes centre stage for England

Andrew Miller04-Nov-2022Winfield-Hill was player of the match on Tuesday night. Nothing new there, you might think, in a redemptive year for the England international, one in which she has redefined her love of the game to cement her status as one of the very best in her chosen sport.The Winfield-Hill in question on this occasion, however, was not Lauren Winfield-Hill – Cricket World Cup winner in 2017 and twin-trophy winner in a stellar summer just gone – but her Australia-born wife Courtney, whose power-packed hat-trick lit up Headingley in England’s 72-4 victory over Brazil, in the opening match of the women’s Rugby League World Cup.It’s early days in a tournament that culminates in a double-header with the men at Old Trafford on November 19. But, if the home-soil success of England’s cricketers in 2017, as well as this summer’s women’s Euros winners is anything to go by, the coming month could yet be one in which Courtney Winfield-Hill’s own world-class credentials are sent mainstream, after five years of under-acknowledged trailblazing with Leeds Rhinos in the Women’s Super League.And if that does come to pass, then it will complete for the Winfield-Hills one of the most serendipitous sporting stories imaginable – a joint venture that began in adverse circumstances with the Covid outbreak in March 2020, and has traversed some dark days of soul-searching in the interim. But either way, a remarkable sporting power couple appear now to be proving that all the sacrifice is worthwhile.”I can’t grumble,” Lauren Winfield-Hill tells ESPNcricinfo, and with good reason after her own litany of recent successes. A starring role in her first season for Oval Invincibles helped the Hundred’s inaugural champions to defend their title in 2022, before she topped the averages in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, including a player-of-the-match performance in the final in September, to become the first women’s cricketer to lift three trophies in consecutive final appearances at Lord’s.Now, while her wife is blazing a trail back in her adopted home in Blighty, Lauren’s form has sent her in the other direction for another crack at the Big Bash – this time for Melbourne Stars, where she is currently their leading run-scorer with 150 from 132 balls all told. That tally includes 47 from 49 in her most recent outing against Adelaide Strikers, where her steadying presence allowed the young guns Alice Capsey and Tess Flintoff to cut loose in startling fashion at the other end.Lauren Winfield-Hill sweeps during her unbeaten 74 against Northern Superchargers•Getty Images”I feel like I’ve just built myself back up,” Lauren says. “I wasn’t in a good place mentally after Covid, even just as a human being… I could barely even live in the house with my wife, because I was just freaking out at random stuff. But every competition I’ve played this year has just been another layer, going up all the time, and now I’m out here in Australia with a new team, different pressures, different expectations. It’s been really nice to be able to have nothing to change any more, and just to keep going like I did at the start of the summer.”In a different era, this week could have been one of crushing disappointment. On Wednesday, the ECB announced their new tranche of women’s central contracts, and Lauren was a notable absentee, though not an unexpected one after a frustrating run of insubstantial scores in her final months in the ODI side.After 11 double-figure innings in 13 starts, but no half-centuries, she was axed in March, midway through England’s gruelling World Cup campaign in New Zealand, and has since seen the coming generation – Capsey and Sophia Dunkley to the fore – seize their opportunities.And yet, as her performances outside of the England set-up have demonstrated, there’s a whole different avenue opening up for the women’s game – serving up opportunities that could not be further removed from her own early years as a player.”The main thing I feel right now is comfort,” she says. “There was probably always a sense that if you didn’t play for England, you weren’t a cricketer. You’d go from hero to zero, almost overnight, if you lost a contract or were deselected.”It used to be the case that, if you weren’t playing international cricket, the standard that you dropped to was, well, I’m not really going to bother getting out of bed for that. But now you know that you can play some really good cricket in some really cool competitions, even if you’re not in favour with England, and that gives you a lot of fulfilment and a lot to still be excited about, beyond just international cricket.”The journey has changed, hasn’t it?” she adds. “I never intended to come out to the Big Bash, it only came about off the back of me doing well in the Hundred, and I was like, oh, this is a nice surprise. And now there’s me and Capsey, playing on the same team, though she’s at the start, and I’m closer to the end. But how cool is it that we’ve both had this opportunity at the same time, and doesn’t matter that she’s 18 and I’m 32? We’re both in the same place right now.”Courtney Winfield-Hill has switched both countries and sports to star for England in the Women’s Rugby League World Cup•Getty ImagesPerhaps the only note of disappointment for Lauren now is that she cannot be around for her wife’s big moment. England play Canada in the Rugby League World Cup on Saturday with Papua New Guinea to come the following week, before a probable semi-final against either Australia or New Zealand in Lauren’s home city of York on November 14. After that, who knows what’s in store?”[Being away during the tournament] did feel like a really big decision for me and for us,” Lauren says. “We’re both in the sporting field, and when this opportunity came about with the Big Bash, we both knew that such things won’t present themselves forever. A lot of her family are over to support her and that’ll be really cool, because they haven’t seen her play a lot. Obviously, my family and myself have been there a lot, so I think it’d be nice to share that with them.”In spite of this absence at the sharp end, however, Lauren’s role in Courtney’s journey could not be more integral. Seven years ago, when their paths first crossed, it was as team-mates at Brisbane Heat in Lauren’s first crack at the Big Bash. Back then, she was the 25-year-old overseas star, an England player awaiting her breakthrough moment, and as their relationship developed during the course of the 2015-16 season, it was clear that hers was the career that demanded the investment.So Courtney – a talented seam bowler in her own right – was the one to up sticks from her native Queensland and build a new life in Yorkshire. She called time on her own playing days and moved into the coaching set-up at Northern Diamonds, but it soon became clear that the other Headingley Stadium, backing onto the cricket ground, was her truest calling.In 2018, she pulled on her rugby boots for the first time in two decades, and by the time she’d been named the Super League’s Woman of Steel in 2019, it was clear she was quickly making up for lost time. Her England chance, however, is directly attributable to Covid – specifically the postponement of the World Cup in 2021, which allowed her to complete her five-year residency qualification in time for this year’s delayed event, and to make it worthwhile for the England selectors to fast-track her in their plans.”The stars have just aligned, haven’t they?” Lauren adds. “How is she in England, married to an English girl, playing for England in rugby league? You wouldn’t have written that narrative five or six years ago, but it’s amazing. I don’t think it was something that she ever thought was going to be possible, but opportunities present themselves in different spaces.”I’m quite biased, but I’ve always said Courtney’s far too good an athlete to not ever reach the top,” she adds. “I’d never say this to her face, obviously, her head will grow. But she’s fearless. She’s a great athlete, and the narrative of her story is just awesome. She’s 35, and she’s debuting in a World Cup, in a sport that she hadn’t played since she was 12. It’s pretty cool.”Not everything about the Covid experience was quite so cool though, and Lauren freely admits the constraints of the pandemic tested their relationship to the max – almost from the moment of their marriage in Queensland in March 2020. Within 24 hours of the start of their honeymoon on the idyllic Hamilton Island, the entire country went into lockdown, and the Winfield-Hills were faced with a marital acid test.

In a coaching space, being challenged by your wife is a whole different feeling. She’s supposed to think my cover drive is the best in the world!Lauren Winfield-Hill

“It was strange at first because Courtney and I are so different,” Lauren says. “We have very similar values that we care about, but we are so different. She’s that free spirit, high energy, no structure, just go with it and it’s all a bit carnage. She’s very left-field thinking and very creative, and I’m quite militant at times. So it’s great because she’s my blind spot, I can lean into that space a little bit and it usually serves me really well.”A further complication came when their work-life balances overlapped – Courtney as a coach in the nets at Northern Diamonds, and Lauren as an out-of-form batter struggling with the pandemic’s boxed-in circumstances.”At first it was all a bit, whoa, this is alternative to my thinking,” Lauren says. “In a coaching space, being challenged by your wife is a whole different feeling. She’s supposed to think my cover drive is the best in the world! ‘What do you mean, I’m gripping too tight with my bottom hand!'”It was probably a bit of ego on my part, because I didn’t want to take feedback from someone so close to me. But I guess it’s just about switching hats, isn’t it? Because we can both talk until the cows come home about cricket, high performance and the rest of it. But when you’re at home and you’re out of that space, she’s my wife, and we have a cut-off where we’ve spoken work, and now that’s it, done.”But if that was feasible in the domestic sphere, it proved nigh on impossible during England’s gruelling campaign in the 2021-22 winter, encompassing a dispiriting one-sided Ashes tour followed by the World Cup. Looking back, Lauren believes that some of her on-field struggles could well have been connected to her diagnosis, in October 2019, of Crohn’s disease – the same intestinal issue that Jack Leach has been required to manage during his England career.”I’m lucky with the support I’ve had from the ECB,” she says. “It’s only thanks to the England doctor that I was diagnosed in the first place. But the bubbles involved a lot of UberEATS and takeaways, which did make me quite sick. It’s a lot easier to manage now that I can cook and go out for good meals, and look after myself physically.”Also, when you’re not in bubbles, you sleep better. Fatigue is a big part of it and obviously, if you’re not resting and recovering from the training and playing loads, then you’re just constantly taking fuel out the tanks.Lauren Winfield-Hill started the 2022 season with 96 from 51 balls for Northern Diamonds•Getty Images”Everybody had different experiences, but I’m quite a deep thinker and I need distractions. The bubbles don’t give you that, they just give you mental combustion and lots of analysis, lots of overthinking. And lots of disconnect. I needed my people to ground me and reassure me that I’m not just a cricketer, we love you regardless. When the only thing that you’re getting any sort of feedback on is cricket, and that’s not going well, you don’t really know who you are and what you stand for.”It always sounds really corny, doesn’t it? But you’ve got to bounce your bum on the bottom to come back up. And right now, I’m playing the best cricket in my life.”Though she hit the ground running in the 2022 season with a remarkable 96 from 51 balls for Northern Diamonds in the Charlotte Edwards Cup, it was Lauren’s move from Northern Superchargers to Oval Invincibles for the Hundred that provided the stand-out evidence of her new resolve. Her first match for the Invincibles came against her old team-mates – Alyssa Healy included, whose pre-eminence as a wicketkeeper-opener had been a factor in Lauren moving south to give herself an extra role behind the stumps. By the time she’d cracked 74 not out from 42 balls in a nine-wicket win, she had amply justified the switch.”It was a massive decision at the time because I’m Northern through and through, and obviously I had been captain at the Superchargers,” she says. “But sometimes you make decisions for other people instead of decisions for yourself. I don’t think I’ve ever been more nervous for a game than I was for that first game, so it was nice to perform, and they were really happy for me, which meant a lot.Related

• Jon Lewis: 'You don't coach gender, you coach people'

• Lauren Winfield-Hill 74* paves way for Oval Invincibles to start title defence with win

• Lauren Winfield-Hill century propels Northern Diamonds into final

• From Capsey to Kapp and Kaur to Kerr: the overseas stars in the WBBL

• Tess Flintoff smashes record in Stars' win over Strikers

“I’ve just changed the way I operate,” she adds. “I’ve become less OCD with my training routine and allowed myself to go with the flow. The bottom line is that I couldn’t adapt to anything that wasn’t how it was supposed to be. But that’s the game of cricket. God knows what’s going to happen, who knows how many you are going to be chasing, or what sort of surface you’re going to get on, or who they’re going to bowl.”So I’ve worked really hard on being more fluid in life, and fluid in the game. I’m not trying so hard to get that score that proves I’m worthy of being an England cricketer, and so I’m able to adapt and play the game in front of me. Sometimes that might just need me to be gritty, whereas previously I’d have tried to be expansive and sexy, and fail to get the job done.”Greater self-assurance comes with a greater desire to be seen as a role-model too, on the field and off. In terms of her relationship with Courtney, Lauren acknowledges that it wasn’t always easy to be upfront about her sexuality, and that the act of getting married – and taking on a double-barrelled surname – was a big factor in becoming truly comfortable about who she is.”I just think it’s important to use your platform, use your story for good, and just create awareness,” she says. “Our job is to play cricket but there’s a bit more to it than that. It’s important to show you are not afraid to be authentic, and to drive the change.”More generally, however, as a female sportsperson, Lauren can feel that change happening on her watch, and is eager to do her bit to keep the momentum going, at every level of the game.”I think people understand the challenges that female athletes have gone through, and have a respect for that, but you’ve also got to have one eye on the future of change,” she says. “For instance, it’s great to see Amy Jones up on a billboard for a big advertising campaign, but who’s looking out for the girl who’s gone to a cricket club and has nowhere to get changed, or no sanitary bin? She isn’t going to go back if you don’t keep an eye on the shop floor stuff too.”We’re not just the tag-ons anymore. In the past we might have been the curtain-raisers, but now it feels like we are up there on a pedestal as well.”One of the best things about the Hundred has been seeing all the kids after the game, and there’ll be a ten-year-old boy shouting your name and asking for your autograph. That has such an impact, because if a girl then goes into the playground and plays cricket, they don’t all go ‘urgh, it’s a girl!’ They’ll be thinking, ‘I went to watch the Hundred, and the girls are really good. Come on, let’s play!'”Lauren Winfield-Hill recently featured in the Royal London series ‘The Changing Room’, a three-part video series, in partnership with the ECB, where players and officials discuss a range of topics that impact the game of cricket including, racism, faith discrimination, and gender equality. The entire series is available to stream at www.royallondon.com/cricket

He scored 139 to help the team recover from 15 for 5 against Gujarat and set a challenging target

Hemant Brar in Rajkot03-Mar-2020Arpit Vasavada was born in 1988, three years after Clive Lloyd played his last international match. Still, Lloyd and his great West Indies side of the 1970s and 1980s played an instrumental role in Vasavada becoming a cricketer.The story goes like this: Vyomeshbhai Vasavada, Arpit’s father, used to follow cricket commentary on radio in his younger days, and was inspired by the feats of Lloyd’s side. “At that time only, I decided I would make my [future] child a cricketer,” Vyomeshbhai says. Coincidentally, just like Lloyd, Vasavada is also a left-hand batsman and used to wear specs, before undergoing a vision-correction surgery not very long ago.Vyomeshbhai was passionate for cricket but had little talent himself. “When Arpit was three, I used to take him on my bicycle to Madhavrao Scindia Cricket Ground,” he says. “But since I never held a cricket bat in my life, I had to look out for a coach when he grew a little older.”He was working for Indian Railways at that time and one of his colleagues there was Arvind Pujara, Cheteshwar Pujara’s father. So he decided to send his son to him, and it’s there Vasavada learnt his first cricketing lessons.Cut to the present and Vasavada needed to draw from all those lessons to rescue Saurashtra from a perilous position against Gujarat in the ongoing Ranji Trophy semi-final. Coming in at 15 for 5 on Monday, Vasavada had not only denied Chintan Gaja a hat-trick but, in Chetan Sakariya’s company, also took the side to stumps without further damage.If Gaja ruled the third day with a whirlwind 61 and a five-for, Vasavada gave the early signs on Tuesday morning to whom day four would belong. Resuming from his overnight 23, he drove Gaja through the covers for a boundary. Arzan Nagwaswalla too pitched one up in the next over and was given the same treatment. Next ball he shortened his length only to be punched in front of the point.Along with Sakariya, who proved more than a handy ally, Vasavada took the side past 100. The breakthrough for Gujarat eventually came in the form of a run-out when Vasavada called for a risky single but an Axar Patel direct hit found Sakariya short.The run-out left Vasavada on his haunches even though Sakariya was being applauded by his team-mates for his 45. “He was playing so well that it didn’t look like any bowler could get him out, so I was very disappointed,” Vasavada said at the end of the day.At 105 for 6, there was a big task ahead and Vasavada knew it. That was the reason he didn’t even raise his bat after reaching his fifty and acknowledged the standing ovation from his team-mates with nothing more than a reluctant thumbs-up.”At that time, my job hadn’t even started,” he said later. “And anyway personal benchmarks don’t matter much when the team is in such a position. What matters is if you can take the side to a strong position.”With Chirag Jani at the other end, he started the rebuilding process once again. The two were cautious initially but once the ball got soft, they started imposing themselves. Vasavada, who had consumed 108 balls for his fifty, took only 73 more to bring up his seventh first-class hundred, and the third of this season. In fact, he has converted all three of his 50-plus scores this season into a hundred.Soon after Gaja sent back Jani and Prerak Mankad with the second new ball but Vasavada carried on. Along with Dharmendrasinh Jadeja, he added 41 for the ninth wicket. But when Jadeja was dismissed, he went for quick runs, hooking Nagwaswalla for a six and a four before being caught at deep-backward square leg for 139. By then the lead had swelled to 326.All this time, his father was watching him from his fixed spot in the stands. “Now that I am retired, I come here for every game,” he says. When asked why he doesn’t sit in the invitees’ box, he reasons, “It’s much calmer here.”When Vasavada was on 93, there was a huge appeal for caught-behind as he tried to cut Axar. Gujarat went for the review after the on-field umpire deemed it not-out. The third umpire took a long time but there was no conclusive evidence to overturn the decision. Vyomeshbhai, though, was convinced his son hadn’t hit it.As soon as Vasavada reached his hundred, Vyomeshbhai started getting congratulatory calls. Those who were not following the game, Vyomeshbhai called them himself. After all, his son’s knock had made Saurashtra the favourites to face Bengal in the final.

FanSided, in partnership with Louisville Slugger, has released the National League finalists for the Silver Slugger Award. The honor, which as been given out since 1980, recognizes the best best offensive player at each position in each league. This year's list includes MVP candidates and those who have gone on to be postseason heroes.

Here are the 2025 finalists:

First base

Pete Alonso, New York Mets; Freddie Freeman, Los Angeles Dodgers; Matt Olson, Atlanta Braves

Second base

Nico Hoerner, Chicago Cubs; Ketel Marte, Arizona Diamondbacks; Brice Turang, Milwaukee Brewers

Shortstop

Francisco Lindor, New York Mets; Geraldo Perdomo, Arizona Diamondbacks; Trea Turner, Philadelphia Phillies

Third base

Matt Chapman, San Francisco Giants; Manny Machado, San Diego Padres; Max Muncy, Los Angeles Dodgers; Austin Riley, Atlanta Braves

Outfield

Corbin Carroll, Arizona Diamondbacks; Pete Crow-Armstrong, Chicago Cubs; Juan Soto, New York Mets; Kyle Stowers, Miami Marlins;Kyle Tucker, Chicago Cubs;James Wood, Washington Nationals

Catcher

William Contreras, Milwaukee Brewers; Hunter Goodman, Colorado Rockies; Will Smith, Los Angeles Dodgers

Designated hitter

Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers; Kyle Schwarber, Philadelphia Phillies; Christian Yelich, Milwaukee Brewers

Utility

Alec Burleson, St. Louis Cardinals; Jake Cronenworth, San Diego Padres; Brendan Donovan, St. Louis Cardinals

Team

Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers

Winners for the National League will be announced on FanSided's The Baseball Insiders live stream on YouTube on Nov. 6 at 6:00 p.m. ET, followed by the reveal of the American League honorees—which will be released on Thursday.

MatériaMais Notícias

O ex-lateral Jorginho, campeão da Copa do Mundo em 1994, criticou a atual safra de jogadores da posição, apontando que poucos cumprem uma função muito importante para o jogo: o cruzamento.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasFlamengoÍdolo do Flamengo critica Léo Pereira: ‘Se abate com facilidade’Flamengo31/01/2024

– Vendo o último jogo da Seleção, contra a Argentina (pelas Eliminatórias), eu fiquei assim… e o Emerson é um bom jogador. Hoje, eu acho que ele é mais um zagueiro do que um lateral. O lateral precisa chegar no fundo, ele precisa cruzar, ele precisa ter uma visão. Muitas vezes eu tava vendo ele jogar de costas (…) Mas o lateral precisa cruzar, mesmo que ele não chegue no fundo. Precisa fazer um cruzamento. Ele não deu um cruzamento no jogo. E isso me preocupa – afirmou Jorginho ao “Só Resenha Podcast”.

➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

Com 89 partidas entre 1987 e 1995 pela Seleção Brasileira, tendo participado das conquistas da Copa América de 1989 e da Copa do Mundo de 1994, o ex-jogador lembrou que a falta de laterais que saibam cruzar também é crônica nos clubes brasileiros.

continua após a publicidade

– Essa é minha preocupação também nos times, não só na Seleção Brasileira. Hoje, poucos laterais estão chegando no fundo, como o Leo Moura fazia – concluiu Jorginho.

+ FUTEBOL NACIONAL

Tudo sobre

Seleção Brasileira

With the January transfer window only a few weeks away, Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl will already be thinking about the positions that he wants to strengthen in.

There are several areas of the squad that could do with improvement ahead of the second half of the season, given that the Gers are nine points adrift of first place, and attacking midfielder is one of those positions.

Thelo Aasgaard was brought in from Luton in the summer transfer window, as one of 12 arrivals, and the number ten has failed to deliver regular quality on the pitch, with as many red cards (one) as goals (one).

The Norway international has produced one goal and one assist in 22 appearances, per Transfermarkt for Rangers, and his assist was a simple pass to Djeidi Gassama, who raced forward and scored from distance against Dundee.

Rangers told to sign Championship star in January

Now, the Light Blues have been predicted to make a move to re-sign one of their former players, who would arrive at Ibrox as an upgrade on Aasgaard.

Transfer Focus

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

Speaking on Clyde Superscoreboard, as relayed by The Scottish Sun, Livingston first-team coach Marvin Bartley has tipped Rangers to bring Joe Aribo back to the club in the January transfer window.

When asked about a possible deal, Bartley said: “I think that is one that could happen.”

“When a player enjoys somewhere, and obviously he had to leave because it was a really good offer that he got down the road, and he has not played as much football as he wanted to play. He is still a really, really good footballer and did well for Rangers. I wouldn’t be massively shocked if he came back in January.”

The Scottish Sun explains that Aribo is reportedly set to leave Southampton, whom he joined from Rangers for £10m in 2022, and could be available for a fee of £1.5m, amid interest from teams in Turkey.

Why Rangers should bring Joe Aribo back to Ibrox

For a fee of £1.5m, a deal to bring the Nigeria international back to Ibrox seems like a no-brainer on paper, because he still has plenty left to give at the age of 29 and has already proven himself in a Rangers shirt.

Plenty of players, most recently Steven Davis, Leon Balogun, and Allan McGregor, have returned for second spells in Glasgow, so it is not out of the ordinary for the club to re-sign one of their former stars.

Aribo’s current availability, as he has not started a league game for Southampton this season, provides the Light Blues with the perfect chance to bring him back for a fraction of the fee they raked in for him in 2022.

The left-footed star is a proven performer in Scottish football. During his time at Ibrox, the 29-year-old midfielder scored 26 goals and provided 25 assists in 149 appearances in all competitions, per Transfermarkt.

This shows that the £70k-per-week ace offered a regular threat at the top end of the pitch as both a scorer and a creator of goals for the Ibrox giants, whilst playing as a central midfielder, as an attacking midfielder, or on the right wing.

21/22

8

6

20/21

7

4

19/20

3

8

Total

18

18

As you can see in the table above, Aribo was as impressive at scoring goals as he was at creating them in the Premiership during his three season stint in Glasgow, which shows that he knows how to deliver quality in the top-flight.

Aasgaard, however, has failed to show that he has what it takes to be a consistent and reliable performer for Rangers in any competition, let alone the Premiership, which is why Rohl should be looking for an upgrade on him in January.

Aribo, who Ezri Konsa said has a “languid” style, has scored nine goals in 111 matches for Southampton to date, per Transfermarkt. He has not been as prolific as he was for the Gers, but 53 of those games came in the Premier League against high-quality opposition.

However, returning to the Premiership could reignite his career because it is a level that he is comfortable at and knows how to perform in, as evidenced by his time with the Gers before he moved to England.

Rohl must replace Rangers star who's having an "amazing time" at Ibrox

Danny Rohl must replace this Glasgow Rangers star when the January transfer window opens for business.

ByDan Emery 6 days ago

Therefore, Aribo could return to Ibrox as a big upgrade on Aasgaard in the number ten position as a player who can deliver goals and assists, to win crucial points for the team, on a regular basis, whilst the Norwegian has struggled on both fronts.

Glasgow Rangers are all but out of the Europa League for the 2025/26 campaign after they lost for the sixth time in seven games against Ferencvaros on Thursday night.

The Gers, who took the lead through a brilliant Bojan Miovski goal, are six points adrift of the play-off places with two games left to play, which means that it would take a remarkable run of results throughout the league phase for them to remain in the tournament.

Too many of the club’s summer signings have failed to deliver on the European stage for any of their managers this season, including Djeidi Gassama.

Why Djeidi Gassama must be dropped

The summer signing from Sheffield Wednesday looked visibly upset at being taken off in the 59th minute by Danny Rohl against Ferencvaros, but it was a decision that was completely justified.

Gassama, who started on the left flank, had zero shots on goal and did not create a single chance for his teammates, per Sofascore, in almost an hour on the park before being substituted by the German boss.

Findlay Curtis came on seven minutes later and produced one shot on target and one ‘big chance’ created, per Sofascore, which suggests that he may have more to offer the team at the top end of the pitch at this moment in time.

That is why Gassama should be dropped from the starting line-up, after his poor display, to provide Curtis with an opportunity to start on the left wing.

The Frenchman is not the only Rangers flop who should be dropped from the team, though, as Emmanuel Fernandez should drop out after his dismal showing.

Why Rangers must drop Emmanuel Fernandez

The summer signing from Peterborough United has been given a run of games due to John Souttar and Derek Cornelius’ injuries, starting the last six games in all competitions.

However, Dujon Sterling made his long-awaited comeback off the bench against Ferencvaros, which means that Rohl now has a senior centre-back option to replace him with.

With Sterling available to come in, Fernandez should be dropped from the team after his poor performance against Ferencvaros, which left pundit Ally McCoist speechless.

As you can hear in the clip above, McCoist did not know what to say after the English-born defender was caught facing the wrong way for the home side’s winning goal.

Remarkably, Fernandez did not seem to react at all to Varga making the run straight at him until it was far too late, which is why he was even worse than Gassama on Thursday, as his error ultimately cost Rangers the game, whilst the winger merely had a quiet night.

Minutes

90

Tackles won

0/3

Interceptions

1

Clearances

6

Fouls

2

Ground duels won

5/10

Aerial duels won

4/9

The Rangers flop, as shown in the statistics above, lost half of his ground duels and the majority of his aerial duels on the night, which shows that his error for the second goal was not the only thing not to like about his performance.

Unfortunately, the former League One star’s struggles against Ferencvaros on Thursday night were not an isolated incident, as he also struggled against Dundee United earlier this month.

In the 2-2 draw with Dundee United, per Sofascore, the centre-back lost five of his 11 aerial duels and three of his eight ground duels, whilst he also got caught out for the opening goal in that game.

Fernandez got sucked in on the half-way line and was never able to recover to prevent Zac Sapsford from putting Dundee United 1-0 up in the match, as his lack of mobility cost him.

Among other things, it was also a lack of mobility that cost the defender against Ferencvaros as he was far too slow to turn and react to the danger of Varga’s run, which meant that he did not even compete for the header that eventually won the game for the hosts.

With his recent errors in mind, Rohl should ruthlessly drop Fernandez from the starting line-up against Hibernian at Ibrox on Monday night, and bring Sterling in for his first start of the campaign.

Aasgaard upgrade: Rangers "could" re-sign £70k-per-week star in 2026

Rangers have been tipped to sign an attacking midfielder who would be a big upgrade on Thelo Aasgaard.

ByDan Emery 4 days ago

After a dismal defeat against ten men last Monday, Manchester United bounced back with a 2-1 win away to Crystal Palace on Sunday afternoon.

The Red Devils were behind at half-time after a Jean-Philippe Mateta penalty, but two goals from set pieces were enough to ensure they would take all three points back to Manchester.

Both goals were impressive finishes from United. First, the lesser-spotted Joshua Zirkzee got himself on the scoresheet with a fantastic finish.

He controlled a Bruno Fernandes free-kick on his chest before superbly volleying low and hard into the back of the net.

That was the strike which drew United level, and the goal which won them the game, from Mason Mount, was just as good. The Red Devils’ number 7 walked onto a Fernandes layoff from yet another free-kick, driving his effort through the Palace wall and into Dean Henderson’s goal.

Despite the result and an energetic second half showing, it was far from a perfect afternoon for United. Ruben Amorim’s side could only muster an expected goals tally of 1.25 xG, and just 0.26 xG in the second half. It was an important win, but there is still a lot to improve on.

Indeed, it was a tough day at the office for some United players, including young defender Leny Yoro.

Leny Yoro's day to forget vs Palace

Young French defender Yoro did not have the best outing at Selhurst Park on Sunday lunchtime. It was his foul on Mateta, a challenge late from behind his countryman, which led to Palace’s penalty and Oliver Glasner’s side taking the lead.

Indeed, there were bright moments against the South Londoners for the former Lille star, who has struggled to find his best form for the majority of this season. He made a crucial block in the first half to prevent Palace from scoring, an important moment in the game.

Yet, it was still not the day Yoro would have hoped for. His foul on Mateta, which was ultimately quite a clumsy challenge, and the fact that he won just three duels from the six he contested, meant Amorim took him off for Noussair Mazraoui after Zirkzee’s goal.

Despite what is a tough moment for Yoro, the United squad is rallying around him. Mount was one of the players quick to support his teammate at full-time, something that football presenter Dylan Penketh said he was “glad to see” after the final whistle.

It was a disappointing day for Yoro, but he was not the only United player who struggled.

Not just Yoro: Man Utd star struggles vs Palace

Coming up against Adam Wharton and Daichi Kamada was always going to be tough for United’s pivot at Selhurst Park, and Casemiro was a player who felt the brunt of that.

The Brazilian was said to be “haunted by Adam Wharton” according to journalist Samuel Luckhurst.

Indeed, it was not an easy day against the Eagles’ energetic midfield pivot, especially in the first half. The Brazilian had 65 touches in total across the game, losing the ball 11 times and creating one chance. He also won just seven of his 15 duels.

Touches

65

Pass accuracy

80%

Number of times ball lost

11

Ground duels won

5/9

Aerial duels won

2/6

Fouls

4

Chances created

0

The United number 18 received a 5/10 rating from the Manchester Evening News journalist Steven Railston. He said Casemiro did improve throughout the game, although he described his start to the game at Selhurst Park as “shaky.”

After a tougher game for Casemiro, and the fact that he is one yellow card away from suspension, it will be interesting to see if he keeps his place in the side ahead of United’s next game. Next up, they have a clash with West Ham United on Thursday at Old Trafford.

It is also a game where United are likely to have the lion’s share of possession. Perhaps Amoirm opts to bring Kobbie Mainoo into their midfield, a man who is better on the ball and more capable of retaining possession and sustaining attacks.

On top of that, the Brazilian played 90 minutes at Selhurst Park. With the game as soon as Thursday and a hectic December coming up, it would not be a surprise to see him rotated out of the side to help aid his recovery.

Haaland 2.0: Man Utd can sign "one of the best STs in Europe" for £44m

Manchester United could be about to sign a new talisman like Erling Haaland in January.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 29, 2025

The New York Yankees landed Cody Bellinger in a trade with the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday, and now we've got an idea what their lineup could look like in 2025.

Juan Soto is gone and Bellinger will fit into the open outfield spot he vacated. But the former National League MVP is likely taking over in center field, which will allow the Yankees to move American League MVP Aaron Judge to right field and take some of the day-to-day stress of a premium position off his shoulders. Jasson Dominguez is also almost certain to take over in left field during the 2025 campaign after he returns from injury.

Here's a look at the team's potential Opening Day lineup, courtesy of Fangraphs:

PLAYER	POSITION
1. Anthony Volpe	SS
2. Jazz Chisholm Jr.	2B
3. Aaron Judge	RF
4. Cody Bellinger	CF
5. Giancarlo Stanton	DH
6. Austin Wells	C
7. Jasson Dominguez	LF
8. Oswaldo Cabrera	3B
9. Ben Rice	1B

Anthony Volpe and Jazz Chisholm Jr. followed by Judge is almost certain to be the team's top three. Slotting Bellinger in at the four spot in bold given his down year in 2024. Giancarlo Stanton is almost certainly a lock for the fifth spot, while Austin Wells and Dominguez fit in the sixth and seventh spots. Oswaldo Cabrera is manning third base and hitting eighth here, while Ben Rice is taking over for Anthony Rizzo at first base and hitting ninth.

It's worth noting, the Yankees almost certainly aren't done yet. With Bellinger moving to center, there is a decent chance they will chase a first baseman on the open market. Christian Walker and Carlos Santana are still out there, as are Pete Alonso and Paul Goldschmidt.

The current lineup is a downgrade from 2024 but that was bound to happen when Soto bolted to join the New York Mets. Bellinger isn't a replacement for Soto, but he should provide some help.

فقد ريال مدريد نقطتين في سباق لقب الدوري الاسباني بعد التعادل أمام رايو فاليكانو، ضمن منافسات الليجا موسم 2025-2026.

بهذا التعادل أصبح ريال مدريد برصيد 31 نقطة في المركز الأول، ورايو فاليكانو برصيد 15 نقطة في المركز الثاني عشر.

وسيحاول برشلونة مساء اليوم استغلال تعثر ريال مدريد، حيث يحل ضيفاً على سيلتا فيجو على ملعب بالايدوس.

وكان ريال مدريد هو الطرف الأكثر استحواذاً في اللقاء بـ51%، مقابل 49% لصالح رايو فاليكانو، وسدد 13 تسديدة مقابل 11 تسديدة لمنافسه.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ريال مدريد يتعثر بتعادل سلبي مع رايو فاليكانو في الدوري الإسباني

ودخل تشابي ألونسو لقاء اليوم بتشكيل مكون من: تيبو كورتوا، فالفيردي، أسينسيو، هويسن، كاريراس، دياز، جولر، كامافينجا، فينيسيوس، بيلينجهام، مبابي.

ولم يسجل ريال مدريد أي هدف في آخر مباراة، ولأول مرة منذ 25 مايو 2024 أمام ريال بيتيس، يخرج الميرينجي متعادلًا سلبيًا. رجل مباراة ريال مدريد ورايو فاليكانو في الدوري الإسباني

حصل أندري راتيو لاعب رايو فاليكانو على جائزة رجل المباراة، حيث انتشر في كل مكان وتصدى لهجمات البرازيلي فينيسيوس جونيور.

CWI president admits the players and fans will have several “sleepless nights” following the 3-0 defeat to Australia

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Jul-2025

West Indies folded for 27 inside 15 overs on the third day in Kingston•AFP/Getty Images

Cricket West Indies (CWI) has extended invitations to three former players – Brian Lara, Clive Lloyd and Viv Richards – to take part in an emergency meeting following West Indies’ 3-0 series loss at home to Australia. The West Indies greats will join Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Desmond Haynes and Ian Bradshaw on the Cricket Strategy and Officiating Committee to review the team’s “deeply disappointing” performances over the past few weeks.West Indies folded quickly in the first two Tests too, but they saved the biggest ignominy for the very last, folding for 27 in 14.3 overs in Kingston. The total was just one run better than New Zealand’s Test-record low of 26 in 1955 but it was 20 runs short of West Indies’ previous worst total of 47. It was the first time in Test history a team recorded seven ducks in an innings and the six runs made collectively by West Indies’ top-six batters was the lowest in any innings in Test history.Related

After 27 all out, West Indies come face to face with deepening Test crisis

Ten days in the Caribbean: WI batters hit new lows, questions remain around Australia's top three

'Heartbreaking' and 'embarrassing' – Chase laments West Indies batting woes

Starc six-for, Boland hat-trick consign West Indies to 27 all-out and 0-3 defeat

Stats – WI post second-lowest Test total; Starc takes five in 15 balls

Dr Kishore Shallow, the president of CWI, said that the entire West Indies cricket community will have several “sleepless nights” following the losses, but called for patience as they look to “rebuild and start investing in the next generation”.”Like every West Indian cricket fan, I felt the pain of our recent Test defeat to Australia,” he said. “There will be some sleepless nights ahead for many of us, including the players, who I know feel this loss just as heavily. But while disappointment is natural, we must not allow this moment to define our journey. We are in a rebuilding phase, steadily investing in the next generation, and reigniting the spirit that has long made West Indies cricket a force in the world.”Progress is rarely straightforward. It takes time, perseverance, and belief, especially in our most difficult moments. The road ahead will test us, but I have faith in the talent and commitment of our players when they apply themselves. We have already seen encouraging signs, particularly with the ball. Our batters are keen, but now must be even more deliberate as they work to improve.”Shallow said the involvement of Lara, Richards and Lloyd wasn’t purely “ceremonial”, and that they would be actively involved in West Indies’ “next phase of cricket development”.”These are men who helped define our golden eras, and their perspectives will be invaluable. We intend for this gathering to result in tangible, actionable recommendations.”Consistent with my message over the last weeks, this is a moment that calls for collaboration, not division. We need everyone on board: fans, players, coaches, legends, and administrators, if we are to truly move forward. There is much work to be done. But we must do it with purpose, and we must do it together.”West Indies will next take on Australia in a five-match T20I series starting July 21, before hosting Pakistan for a white-ball series in August.