Ipswich Town, unlike both Southampton and Wolverhampton Wanderers, will stick by their manager for the foreseeable, as Kieran McKenna continues to get a tune out of his players deep in a relegation battle.

The Tractor Boys would put the final nail in the coffin of Gary O’Neil’s tenure at Molineux last time out, as Jack Taylor’s last gasp header sealed a win at the death for the away side, leading to the 44-year-old’s expected dismissal.

Taylor wasn’t the only player in the middle of the park to stand out during this dramatic victory either, as the likes of Jens Cajuste shone in the holding midfield positions among other faces.

Ipswich's impressive midfield vs Wolves

The aforementioned Cajuste would only be gifted his seventh start of the season in the Premier League versus Wolves, with this showing his best so far since joining in the summer.

The Napoli loanee would only misplace two of his 32 passes on the day, whilst also showing the necessary grit McKenna will want from a player tasked with protecting the defence, having also successfully won eight duels alongside completing three tackles.

Away from the Scandinavian impressing in a deep role, both Conor Chaplin and Omari Hutchinson also received many plaudits at the full-time whistle for their showings in attack, with Hutchinson in particular giving Wolves defenders headaches by amassing four successful dribbles.

Of course, there was also the key contribution from Jack Clarke off the bench late on, as the left winger’s inch-perfect delivery from a corner kick thankfully found Taylor’s head.

Whilst all of these players will feel overjoyed with their displays at Molineux, Kalvin Phillips remained rooted to the substitutes bench throughout, as his loan stint with the newly promoted side seems to have now hit a wall.

The Ipswich star who needs to leave

Indeed, the ex-Leeds United star hasn’t featured for a single minute in his side’s last five Premier League contests, after picking up a dubious double booking versus Leicester City at the start of November and then contending with various injury issues away from that suspension.

His absence hasn’t really been felt, with Cajuste and Morsy battling away well in that win versus Wolves. That will leave some pondering whether the deal to snap up the 29-year-old – who data analyst Ben Mattinson claimed has been “struggling mentally and physically” in recent times – was a worthwhile venture.

McKenna was over the moon to capture the out-of-sorts midfielder on a loan deal back in August, hopeful that he could be the manager to get him back to his Elland Road peak, stating that he was “very happy” to welcome the former England international in through the door.

After all – whilst he was still on the books of the Whites – Phillips would win himself that opportunity to play for the Three Lions, amassing an impressive 234 appearances at his boyhood club before Manchester City forked out £45m to win his signature.

Phillips’ PL numbers for Ipswich – 24/25

Stat – per 90 mins*

Phillips

Games played

7

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches*

53.3

Accurate passes*

29.6 (81%)

Ball recoveries*

5.0

Total duels won*

5.1

Stats by Sofascore

Unfortunately, the brand new Ipswich number four is yet to blow anyone away with his performances on loan, with the numbers above somewhat underwhelming as zero goals and assists have been notched up from seven top-flight contests.

Those ball recovery and duels won numbers are encouraging, but McKenna will want more from the battler who was once so tenacious and stylish on the ball under Marcelo Bielsa’s expert tutelage.

Boasting an excessive £150k-per-week wage – some of which will be paid by Ipswich – Phillips will need to break back into his manager’s first team plans soon and demonstrate the levels he can reach, otherwise his spell might be cut short in Suffolk.

Stating that he lost the “fire in his belly” after moving to Man City in a recent tell-all discussion, the best times of the 29-year-old’s playing days could now be behind him, leading to him returning back to the Etihad in January after another unmemorable move away.

With reports also rife regarding a potential return to former club Leeds in the new year, the winter window could provide a perfect opportunity for a parting of ways.

Related Worse than Phillips: Ipswich may have made a mistake signing £15m ace

The talented player has not got to grips with life at Ipswich.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Dec 10, 2024

“A no-ball wicket and a dropped catch [off a no-ball], and a total of six wides cost us this game”

Hemant Brar29-Mar-20221:54

Is it too early to judge Williamson’s Sunrisers?

Little went right for Sunrisers Hyderabad in their opening match of IPL 2022, against Rajasthan Royals, but according to their head coach Tom Moody, it was four no-balls in the first five overs that cost them the game.The first of those no-balls came in the opening over of the match. In the seaming conditions at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune, Bhuvneshwar Kumar had Jos Buttler nicking one to Abdul Samad at first slip, only for replays to show he had overstepped. Buttler, who was yet to open his account, went on to score 35 off 28.Bhuvneshwar bowled another no-ball in the third over of the innings, and to rub it in, Yashasvi Jaiswal clipped the following free-hit for four.From the other end, Umran Malik also found Buttler’s outside edge, and while the ball burst through Samad’s fingers in the cordon and went for four, it wouldn’t have mattered because once again it wasn’t a legal delivery.”It’s unacceptable – no-balls in this form of the game,” Moody said after Sunrisers’s 61-run defeat. “You get heavily penalised and we paid the price. When you have dismissed arguably the opposition’s best player and you have them on edge in the beginning of their innings – Bhuvi was bowling particularly well and [Romario] Shepherd’s first over was also a strong over – it sets a totally different tone, when you have taken that wicket and the ball is still moving around. It wasn’t an easy new-ball wicket but we didn’t take advantage of it. Once you give a life to someone of Jos Buttler’s quality, he will bring out all his tricks and realise that he is on a free one.”I think four no-balls in the first five overs, a no-ball wicket and a dropped catch [off a no-ball] in the first five overs, and a total of six wides cost us this game.”Sunrisers didn’t have a great start with the bat either. Chasing 211, they lost their captain Kane Williamson in the second over itself. But it wasn’t a straightforward dismissal. Williamson got an outside edge against Prasidh Krishna but Sanju Samson, diving to his right, could only get a glove on it. Devdutt Padikkal, though, collected the rebound at first slip. The decision went to the third umpire and KN Ananthapadmanabhan deemed it was a clean catch. However, it looked like the ball had bounced just in front of the fielder.”We were very surprised that it was given out, particularly when we saw the replay,” Moody said. “I can understand the on-field umpires taking it upstairs. When that happened, we saw the evidence. We are certainly not umpires but it looked pretty clear to us what the [correct] decision was.”In an overall dismal performance, Aiden Markram and Washington Sundar’s knocks were the only bright spots for Sunrisers. Markram stayed unbeaten on 57 off 41 balls, and Washington, coming in at No. 8, struck 40 off just 14 balls with the help of five fours and two sixes.”We recognised Washington is an outstanding allrounder, hence we were excited to get him in the mega auction,” Moody said. “We anticipate that over time he is going to play a significant role with bat and ball. At the moment, with the balance of the side, he was positioned at No. 8 but that’s certainly not the permanent position for him. We have got an open mind to where he is going to end up over time, whether it’s this season or seasons to come. We recognise there is some real quality there.”

تعرض أحد لاعبي فريق برشلونة، لإصابة في مواجهة ليجانيس، ضمن منافسات الجولة 31 من الليجا، خلال شوط المباراة الأول.

برشلونة أنهى الشوط الأول أمام مضيفه ليجانيس بالتعادل السلبي، في مواجهة تجمع بينهما على ملعب بوتاركي البلدي، بمدينة ليجانيس.

وفي الدقيقة 41 من الشوط الأول، تعرض أليخاندرو بالدي لإصابة ليغادر الملعب ويترك مكانه لـ جيرارد مارتن الذي دخل بدلًا منه.

طالع أيضًا.. الاتحاد الإسباني يعلن موعد مباراة برشلونة وريال مدريد في نهائي كأس ملك إسبانيا

ولم يتم تشخيص إصابة اللاعب حتى الآن، في انتظار بيان النادي الكتالوني لتحديد حجمها ومدة الغياب المتوقعة قبل مواجهة بوروسيا دورتموند الثلاثاء المقبل.

وخاض أليخاندرو بالدي هذا الموسم مع برشلونة قبل هذه المباراة في 42 لقاء بمختلف المسابقات، وتمكن من تسجيل هدف وصناعة 10 تحت قيادة المدرب هانز فليك.

After the disappointment away at Ewood Park a week ago, home comforts provided welcome solace for Leeds United this time around, with the automatic promotion hopefuls running out deserved 2-0 winners against Derby County on Saturday afternoon.

It had been an initially muted start to proceedings at Elland Road, with the home side’s dominance amounting to little in the opening half an hour or so, amid a case of all bark and no bite from Daniel Farke’s men.

That all changed in the space of just five minutes prior to the break, however, with Joe Rodon – who had earlier skewed a header wide – grabbing what was remarkably only the second goal of his senior career thus far, after outmuscling Kane Wilson and glancing his effort home from Joe Rothwell’s corner.

As the old adage goes, one follows two, with another defender getting in on the act after substitute Max Wober tapped home on the stroke of half-time, the Austrian pouncing on Brenden Aaronson’s diverted pull-back to put the hosts firmly in the driving seat.

That lead, in truth, rarely looked troubled after the interval with Illan Meslier something of a bystander to proceedings, with Farke left to reflect on a job well done for his dominant side.

Leeds' best performers vs Derby

Where to begin? Well, a good place to start would be that man Rodon, with the towering Welshman swooping Sky Sports’ Player of the Match award for his all-round efforts, having provided a physical presence in both boxes for the Yorkshire side.

Indeed, not only could the former Tottenham Hotspur man have walked away with a brace, but he also enjoyed a 93% pass accuracy from his defensive berth and won 100% of his aerial duels, as per Sofascore, showcasing that there is silk to go with his usual steel.

Elsewhere, it proved another fine outing for Leeds’ loan star, Rothwell, with the stylish midfielder registering the assist for the opener, while also winning all of his own aerial battles in the centre of the park.

Stat

Highest ranking

Touches

Rodon (111)

Pass accuracy

Solomon (100%)

Key passes

Rothwell & Aaronson (3)

Successful dribbles

Solomon & James (2)

Ground duels won

Aaronson (5)

Aerial duels won

Rodon (4/4)

Possession lost

James & Zetterstrom (20x)

Ahead of the 29-year-old, there were also positives to take from the attacking display, with Dan James having again been a real outlet down the right flank, notably providing a driving run in the build-up to Wober’s clincher.

Yes, the former Manchester United man still has the penchant to frustrate due to his at times wayward decision-making – as shown by the fact that he lost the ball on 20 occasions – yet boy he is effective in this division. It’s no wonder that BBC pundit Jon Newsome recently claimed he was “too good for the Championship”.

That praise could also be attributed to one of James’ instrumental teammates, with Ao Tanaka also a joy to watch alongside Rothwell at the base of the midfield.

Leeds' star performer vs Derby

Losing Ethan Ampadu to a significant knee injury back in September looked at the time to be a potentially season-defining moment for the Whites, with the absence of the Leeds skipper described as a “devastating blow” by pundit Frank McAvennie.

Performance in Numbers

Want data and stats? Football FanCast's Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.

Ahead of schedule, the ex-Chelsea star is now thankfully back among the matchday squad, although securing a starting role for himself once again won’t be as easy as first thought, such has been the brilliance of the Rothwell-Tanaka axis.

The latter man, in particular, has proven a real find following his £2.95m switch from Fortuna Dusseldorf, with Sky Sports’ Andy Hinchcliffe notably stating on commentary – around the 55th-minute mark – that he makes the “game look ridiculously easy” in his midfield berth.

That was particularly evident when the Japanese sensation picked out the aforementioned Aaronson with a delightful sliding pass in the first half, with that passage ultimately leading to Rodon’s opener, following the American’s spin and shot.

Tanaka almost got on the scoresheet himself too after testing Jacob Zetterstrom from range after the break, with that driven effort forcing the Derby stopper into a diving save to his right.

With 84 touches and a 91% pass accuracy to boot, Leeds’ summer signing was involved across the park throughout the 90 minutes, popping up all over the place to help dictate proceedings for Farke’s men.

As such, while Rodon may get most of the plaudits for his undoubtedly fine work, it was Tanaka – to whom Leeds Live’s Beren Cross awarded an 8/10 match rating – that proved the real shining light on the day.

It's not Tanaka or Gnonto: Leeds "monster" is already Premier League class

Daniel Farke has unearthed a future Premier League star in the Leeds United monster.

1 ByDan Emery Dec 3, 2024

A former Arsenal player has questioned if Mikel Arteta has the "personality" to manage a "big player" such as striker Victor Osimhen.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Arteta comes under fire from ex-Gunner
• Questioned if he can handle a "big player"
• Arsenal told to sign striker Osimhen

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Former Gunners captain William Gallas has urged his old team to sign Napoli ace Osimhen, who is spending the season on loan at Galatasaray, in a bid to finally end their centre-forward issues. However, the Frenchman does not believe Arteta will be able to handle the Nigerian, something he claims managerial greats such as Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger, and Jose Mourinho would be able to do.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT WILLIAM GALLAS SAID

  When asked which striker Arsenal should sign, Gallas told Prime Casino: "I think Victor Osimhen would be the man I would try and sign. He’s been performing well for Galatasaray, obviously on loan from Napoli, and he’s only going to be there for a season. He’s a good player. Maybe not the player, but maybe he can score 20 a season. But if he doesn’t, he gives you movement, he gives space for the second forward to exploit and score goals. He takes the focus of defenders, so he could play with Kai Havertz or another striker. He will be a little bit more free and then he can score goals for the club. So that's why a striker like him would be good for Arsenal. I was talking about this many years ago. He was too good, I think, to go to Galatasaray. I'm still saying the same thing. I know the club’s fans are going to be on my back again. Is he too much of a big player for Arteta? Maybe Mikel Arteta doesn't have the personality to manage players like Osimhen or to deal with players with personality. Big managers like Klopp, Guardiola, Ancelotti, Mourinho and Ferguson. Even Arsene, he had the personality of being our friend, but he knew how to speak to players. You have to know how to speak to your players. It doesn't mean you're going to have arguments. You have to know how to deal with them, that’s all."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Arsenal have failed to sign a striker over the past two seasons, something that has come back to haunt them off the back of the injuries to forwards Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz this term. The Gunners look set to miss out on another Premier League title in 2024/25 and if they want to end their 21-year wait for that trophy, they may need a top striker.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  Arsenal, who sit 15 points behind league leaders Liverpool, host Chelsea in their next Premier League game on Sunday.

The family were joined by around 80 guests including Mark Taylor, Allan Border and Michael Clarke

AAP20-Mar-2022

The funeral of Shane Warne took place in Melbourne on Sunday•AFP

Shane Warne’s family and friends have bid the cricketing legend farewell at a private funeral in Melbourne.Warne’s three children, Jackson, Brooke and Summer, and parents Keith and Brigette, were joined by about 80 guests to say their final goodbyes on Sunday.The gathering featured a who’s who of the cricketing world, with retired Australian Test captains Mark Taylor, Allan Border and Michael Clarke attending along with former England skipper Michael Vaughan.Bowling greats Merv Hughes and Glenn McGrath and long time Warne team-mates Mark Waugh and Ian Healy were also there.Related

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Close friend Eddie McGuire delivered the eulogy and was MC for the service, which was held in Moorabbin in recognition of Warne’s lifelong association with the St Kilda Football Club.Guests were invited to wear St Kilda scarves and a pair of them were draped across Warne’s coffin as it was driven around the oval to the sound of the 1980s Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes hit .The lap of honour was immediately followed by a champagne toast. McGuire urged the mourners to be louder as he led three cheers.”To Warnie,” he declared. “He was simply the best.”Tina Turner’s anthem, which made the popular accolade a household phrase, was then played to a round of applause.Warne, 52, died of a suspected heart attack on the Thai resort island of Koh Samui on March 4.A state memorial will take place at the MCG on March 30, where the wider public will be able to pay their respects. The ground’s Great Southern Stand will also be renamed in Warne’s honour.The cricketing legend’s death little more than two weeks ago led to an outpouring of grief from people around the world, as well as those closer to home.St Kilda Cricket Club coach Glenn Lalor told AAP on Saturday of his time playing with Warne in the early 2000s.”Every time Shane was available he would love coming back and playing with us, which was great,” Mr Lalor said. “The boys appreciated playing with a legend. He was just an everyday bloke that just wanted to be around and enjoy the day. He was never hard to deal with, he was always fun.”

The two England wingers are providing the Gunners with a lively tag team as European football returns and the Women's Super League run-in begins

For a while on Friday, it looked like Arsenal were about to make their bid to secure Champions League for next season a little more tricky. Despite taking the lead away at Everton, thanks to Alessia Russo's strike, the Gunners went into the second half with the scores level after their hosts had made one of several promising counter-attacks count. A draw would've left them in the third and final European spot and just two points ahead of Manchester City with six games to go. Fortunately, head coach Renee Slegers had plenty to turn to on her bench, particularly in attack.

On came Caitlin Foord and Beth Mead, for Frida Maanum and Chloe Kelly, as part of a quadruple change on the hour mark. As Mariona Caldentey shifted centrally to fill Maanum's role, Foord and Mead added two new problems for the Everton full-backs to deal with, and both played key roles in Arsenal's eventual 3-1 win, Foord putting Maren Mjelde under pressure as she scored an own goal before Mead played a lovely through-ball for Russo to net her second.

The Gunners have not always had the ability to replenish the attack quite like this throughout the season, but several factors have allowed Slegers to have game-changing depth on her bench as the business end of the campaign approaches. Kelly's January arrival is certainly a big one, and it is not only proving beneficial for Arsenal, but also Mead and, as an extension of it all, England, just four months before their European Championship defence begins.

Getty ImagesMore in midfield

There are other reasons for this strength in depth, with the consistent availability of those in midfield certainly playing a part. In the first half of the season especially, Caldentey often found herself in a central position to make up for absences of others, and it deprived the front line of another player out wide. That this was before Kelly's arrival is also significant.

However, the fact that players like Kim Little and Lia Walti are now playing regular minutes again means the Spain star can be pushed out to the left and also moved back in the middle when it suits during a game, as it did on Friday against Everton.

AdvertisementGettyQuartet with quality

At the same time, Kelly's arrival is huge. It means Arsenal now have four proper wingers at their disposal, giving Slegers the chance to rotate, impact games with her subs and pair different styles of players.

All four bring varying qualities to the table. Caldentey loves to cut inside and play in the channels, which allows left-back Katie McCabe to thrive in the final third; Mead enjoys doing that too, albeit while also being a threat with her crosses; and then Kelly and Foord will hug the touchline and drive at players, though still in slightly different ways.

That means Slegers has different pairings to deploy depending on the opposition, the demands of a game and loading considerations. It's a great thing for Arsenal to have as they prepare to approach a demanding period, with the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid coming on Tuesday.

Getty ImagesDepth behind Mead

Caldentey and Foord are more often deployed on the left while Kelly and Mead battle for the berth on the right, and in that sense, Kelly's January arrival has also been good for her England team-mate. Arsenal have long lacked natural depth on that right-hand side, making them more dependent on Mead's form. But Kelly's arrival has addressed that issue – and in good time, too, as Mead struggled with a calf issue in February.

It means Slegers has been able to keep both players fresh in a period of the season that has been demanding – and will continue to be as the Champions League returns. Both players can push each other to be their best, too, as they compete for as many minutes as possible and as many opportunities to help this team enjoy a successful end to the campaign. It's early days, but Mead's stats are already up in the games played since Kelly came in, with more chances created, more shots taken and more touches had.

Getty ImagesBoost for England

That's good news for England, too. After all, it was only in February that the wide spots felt a little bit like a weak spot in the squad. Lauren Hemp is still to return from her knee surgery in November, Mead missed the Lionesses' first camp of the year with that calf issue and Kelly was not initially called up, owing to the serious lack of game time at Manchester City which prompted her to pursue a January exit.

Now, as Mead and Kelly provide a lively tag team on Arsenal's right, and with Lauren James also back to fitness and Jess Park putting in good performances from a wide role in England's February games, it feels like Sarina Wiegman suddenly has a heap of options going into this summer's Euros, which is great news for competition for places – especially amid the uncertainty surrounding Hemp's fitness.

Fair to say, things are going rather well for Chelsea right now.

On Sunday, despite being 2-0 down inside 11 minutes at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the Blues fought back to beat fierce rivals Spurs 4-2 in some style.

Jadon Sancho’s stunning strike got the comeback started and then Enzo Fernández lashed home the go-ahead goal from the edge of the area, with Cole Palmer also converting a pair of penalties, the second of which was an outrageous, audacious Panenka that capped off a memorable comeback.

Enzo Maresca continues to insist Chelsea are not in the title race, but the Blues are now clear of both Manchester City and Arsenal in second, a mere four points adrift league-leaders Liverpool, albeit having played a game more.

They will be seeking a fifth successive Premier League victory when West London rivals Brentford visit Stamford Bridge next Sunday and, with this followed by games against Everton, Fulham, Ipswich, Crystal Palace, Bournemouth and then Wolves, Chelsea appear likely to be hanging around the title conversation a little while longer.

Chelsea's excessive spending on forward players

Since Todd Boehly, José E. Feliciano and Behdad Eghbali purchased Chelsea from Roman Abramovich in the summer of 2022 for a reported £4.25bn, the club have been rather active in the transfer market haven’t they?

Since July 2022, a total of 39 senior players have arrived at the club, costing in excess of £1bn in transfer fees.

When looking at attackers alone, the Blues currently have nine in their first-team squad, acquired for £347m.

Chelsea’s current attackers

Player

Reported transfer fee

Cole Palmer

£42.5m

João Félix

£45m

Mykhailo Mudryk

£62m

Pedro Neto

£54m

Noni Madueke

£28.5m

Jadon Sancho

Loan + £25m

Christopher Nkunku

£53m

Marc Guiu

£5m

Nicolas Jackson

£32m

First-choice centre-forward Nicolas Jackson was much maligned last season, but still scored 17 goals in all competitions, with Rúben Díaz of Opta’s The Analyst arguing that his first campaign at Stamford Bridge “has actually been a success”.

Approaching the midway point of this campaign, Jackson has taken his game to another level, netting eight times in the Premier League already, leading to wide-spread praise of the Senegalese international, including from Sean Walsh of Goal, who asserted he is now “London’s best striker”.

So, does Jackson’s impressive form mean Chelsea won’t dip into the market for a striker in 2025? No, almost certainly not.

Chelsea looking at Nicolas Jackson rival in 2025

According to a report from journalist Graeme Bailey, Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea all remain interested in Dušan Vlahović.

Bailey claims Juventus may be forced to sell in the near future, struggling to pay his £200k-per-week wages, while his contract expires in June 2026 meaning, if he cannot agree a new deal in Turin, next summer would be la Vecchia Signora’s last opportunity to recoup a big fee.

Vlahović has perennially been linked with a move to the Premier League, with Arsenal ‘actively attempting to sign’ the Serbian striker back in January 2022, according to David Ornstein, but instead moved to Juventus from Fiorentina for a reported fee of £63m.

Vlahović has scored 50 goals in 118 appearances for I Bianconeri, on target nine times this season to date, most notably bagging a brace as ten-man Juve fought back from a goal down to defeat RB Leipzig in the Champions League.

Analyst Ben Mattinson described him as an “insane ball-striker” and his second goal at Red Bull Arena emphasises why.

Nevertheless, Vlahović has been heavily criticised for his performances this season, struggling to fit into Thiago Motta’s new style, with his manager saying the striker “must accept criticism” back in September, with Parshva Shah in Goal adding the centre-forward certainly hasn’t “hit the levels expected of him” since swapping Florence for Turin.

So, could a move to West London next summer reignite his career, and how does Vlahović compare to Nicolas Jackson?

Vlahović vs. Jackson 23/24 & 24/25

Statistic

Vlahović

Jackson

Appearances

67

60

Minutes played

4,721

4,709

Goals

30

25

Expected goals

27.5

26

Shots

205

135

Shots on target %

34.1%

48.1%

Shot-creating actions

104

126

Progressive carries

52

96

Take-ons attempted

56

135

Touches

1241

1337

Statistics courtesy of FBref.com

The table underlines that, stylistically, Vlahović and Jackson are very different strikers.

At one end of the scale, the Serbian is a pure-centre-forward, having fewer touches, and significantly fewer dribbles but attempting vastly more shots, leading to him having scored marginally more goals during a near-identical number of minutes.

On the flip side, the Senegalese striker gets involved in build-up play more frequently, hence why he’s attempted an exponentially higher number of dribbles and progressive carries, racking up many more touches as well as shot-creating actions.

Nevertheless, the fact Vlahović and Jackson are so different could be exactly why Chelsea are interested in signing the Juventus front-man, adding an extra dynamic to their already free-scoring forward line.

Related 8/10 Chelsea star was even more 'dazzling' than Palmer vs Spurs

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Posts ByConnor Holden Dec 8, 2024

Former India captain Virat Kohli is mentally “overcooked” and needs to take a break from cricket in order to serve the country for at least another six-seven years, feels Ravi Shastri, the former India head coach.Kohli, 33, has been going through a lean patch in the ongoing IPL, with just two 40-plus scores in his last seven innings for Royal Challengers Bangalore. Shastri is of the view that Kohli needs to be handled with empathy amid the Covid-19 restrictions which have confined players to bio-bubbles.”I am going straight to the main guy here. Virat Kohli is overcooked. If anyone needs a break, it’s him,” Shastri told on Tuesday. “Whether it’s two months or a month and a half, whether it’s after [the] England [tour in July] or before England – he needs a break because he has got six-seven years of cricket left in him and you don’t want to lose that with a fried brain.”Kohli hasn’t scored a century in the last 100 matches across formats and, in the past seven months, stepped down from T20 captaincy – both for India and Royal Challengers – as well as quit Test leadership and was removed from the ODI captain’s position.In IPL 2022, Kohli was out for a duck on Tuesday night as Royal Challengers rode Faf du Plessis’ 96 to clinch an 18-run win over Lucknow Super Giants.”When I was [India] coach at the time when this first started, the first thing I said is, ‘You have to show empathy to the guys,'” Shastri said. “If you’re going to be forceful, there is a very thin line there, from a guy losing the plot as opposed to him hanging in there and giving his best. So you have to be extremely careful.”Shastri said there might be one or two players in world cricket going through the same problem which needs to be addressed up front. Echoing the same sentiment, former England captain Kevin Pietersen said Kohli should take time away from the game as well as social media to rejuvenate himself.”…the guy has had so much to deal with, from marriage to baby to media scrutiny and all on his personal life. He is the biggest star on show,” Pietersen said. “Virat Kohli needs to say, ‘Cricket boots, for six months, I will see you later.’ Turn off social media, go and get re-energised.”When the stadiums are full again, you guarantee him a spot in that side for the next 12, 24 or 36 months. Tell him, ‘You’re our guy. We know you’ll deliver for us.'” Pietersen said Kohli “is going to find it very hard to continue delivering now as his brain is completely fried.”

Arsenal could look to part ways with a “creative player” in the January transfer window, after he’s been left “frustrated” by manager Mikel Arteta.

Players who could leave Arsenal next year

The Gunners could part ways with a few first-team players once we reach the beginning of 2025.

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Kieran Tierney is back from his hamstring injury, which previously kept him out since Euro 2024, and the Scotland international even featured on Arteta’s bench for their impressive 5-1 win away at Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League on Tuesday evening.

However, the consensus is that Tierney has accepted he will be sold by Arsenal, with Arteta looking to potentially give him more game time in the build up to January so the left-back can attract suitors.

West Ham United (away)

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Man United (home)

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Fulham (away)

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Everton (home)

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Crystal Palace (away)

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Poland international Jakub Kiwior is also expected to leave Arsenal in the near future, having played a bit-part role this season, while Emirates Stadium hierarchy are set to make big decisions on the long-term futures of midfield duo Jorginho and Thomas Partey.

Both players are out of contract at the end of this Premier League season, and there is a belief that Jorginho is being tempted by Besiktas with a move to the Turkish Süper Lig.

Former Man United chief scout Mick Brown, who remains well-connected in the beautiful game after 10 years working in recruitment at Old Trafford, has also cast doubt on the futures of Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus.

“There are three players at the club they’d be looking to sell,” said Brown to Football Insider.

“And that’s Gabriel Jesus, Zinchenko, and Kieran Tierney. They’re not in the manager’s plans. When it comes to sales, you have to look at who your assets are. We know there’s been interest in Saliba, for example, but I think he’s one of the last players they’d ever consider selling for any sort of money. If they feel they need to raise money, they’ve got these players who they’re far more likely to turn to. That’ll take a big chunk off of the wage bill and help them to reinvest in strengthening their squad.

“So first are foremost, these are the players I expect they’ll cash in on.“

Arsenal could decide to offload Salah-Eddine Oulad M'Hand

According to GiveMeSport, a new player in Arsenal’s ranks could be set for the mid-season exit door – highly-rated midfielder Salah-Eddine Oulad M’Hand.

The 21-year-old was subject to approaches in the last window, but the Gunners ultimately kept him, in the hope that he could battle his way into Arteta’s plans.

However, Oulad M’Hand has been left “frustrated” by his lack of game time under Arteta. The Dutchman has been named in just two matchday squads so far this campaign, and GMS now write that Arsenal could look to offload Oulad M’Hand in January.

The former Netherlands Under-17 international could seriously benefit from an Emirates exit to kickstart his senior career, having lauded himself as a “creative player” with plenty to offer.

“I’m a central midfielder and I like to play box to box,” said Oulad M’Hand on his ability.

“Offensively, I’m a creative player and I can play with my left or right foot. I score goals and get assist, and defensively I like to think I do my bit too, especially in the transition.”