"He has great potential. He's really smart, a guy who's always thinking," Ruben Amorim said after Benjamin Sesko's £74 million ($101m) switch to Manchester United from RB Leipzig at the start of August. "He can play a different type of football. He is going to feel that the Premier League is aggressive. He is going to learn. But Ben can be a striker for United for a lot of years; that's why we paid so much money to have a striker who will have his history in our club."
Unfortunately, that potential has not shone through in his first seven games for the Red Devils. Sesko went six games without scoring, albeit while only starting two, before finally getting off the mark against Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium last weekend – bundling home from close range at the third time of asking.
And while that effort was no doubt a moment of relief for the 22-year-old, it ultimately counted for absolutely nothing. United ended up losing the game 3-1 and slipping to 14th in the Premier League table – just one place higher than where they finished last term.
Despite the presence of Sesko, and fellow summer signings Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, consistency and goals are still elusive for Amorim's team. Indeed, that trio has only scored three between them from 20 combined appearances across all competitions. It's obviously still very early, but that is an awful return considering the club's £208m ($280m) investment in their services.
Sesko's numbers are not the biggest concern, though. Unlike Mbeumo and Cunha, who have shown plenty of industry on the ball, the Slovenia international has largely stood on the periphery struggling to impose himself. The learning curve wasn't supposed to be steep. But much of the blame for that must be laid at Amorim's door. United are not even trying to play to Sesko's strengths, and at the moment, he's facing an impossible task as the lone striker in a deeply flawed system.
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'Positive energy' already gone
Sesko had been on the radar of Europe's elite for some time, and Newcastle also made a strong play for his services in the summer transfer window. The Magpies even outbid United, but the talented frontman still opted for Old Trafford, and reportedly agreed to waive a portion of his salary to force through the move.
That was proof that the Red Devils' pulling power has not completely diminished, despite their misery over the last 12 years or so. The INEOS leadership regime also sold Sesko a compelling story about revolution and a new era of success in recently stablised surroundings, which he bought into.
"The history of Manchester United is obviously very special but what really excites me is the future," Sesko said at his unveiling. "When we discussed the project, it was clear that everything is in place for this team to continue to grow and compete for the biggest trophies again soon.
"From the moment that I arrived, I could feel the positive energy and family environment that the club has created. It is clearly the perfect place to reach my maximum level and fulfil all of my ambitions. I cannot wait to start learning from Ruben and connecting with my team-mates to achieve the success that we all know we are capable of together."
But that "positive energy" has quickly evaporated. There's still nothing exciting about watching United; they don't look even close to competing with the Premier League's elite sides, and Sesko has looked a shadow of the player who terrorised Bundesliga defences week in, week out at Leipzig.
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Unfair criticism
According to , Sesko has averaged only 1.8 shots and 14 touches per game in the Premier League so far. He has also yet to create a big chance, and has a passing accuracy rate of just 69%. It's fair to say the Slovenian has looked like a fish out of water. But when you factor in that United have posted the worst xG difference in the entire top flight (7.26), his struggles are not surprising.
Sesko has just been an easy target after poor results, most notably the stunning second-round Carabao Cup defeat to League Two outfit Grimsby Town. United lost 13-12 in a marathon penalty shootout, having had to battle back from two goals down in normal time.
Sesko was the 10th player from Amorim's ranks to step up from 12 yards, with even centre-backs Harry Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt going ahead of him. The former Leipzig star converted his spot-kick, but was still vilified in the media, with former Aston Villa striker turned pundit Gabby Agbonlahor among those to brand him a "coward" for going so low down in the order.
However, like most of the criticism levelled at Sesko over the last few weeks, that was unfair. Amorim later clarified that he "protected" the £74m man because he was suffering from cramps, which was an entirely valid excuse considering that it was his first appearance in United's starting lineup.
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Biggest strength going to waste
People seem to be forgetting that Sesko has only played 419 minutes for United this season. That is not enough time to build any sort of rhythm. He has now made three successive Premier League starts, but Amorim hauled him off at half-time in the 2-1 win against Chelsea, which was an overly conservative move that surely would have zapped his confidence.
Sesko didn't get much of a pre-season at Leipzig, but is fully fit now and should be one of the first names on the teamsheet given the money spent on him and his scoring record in Germany. He hit 27 goals across his two campaigns in the Bundesliga, and Amorim has to at least give him the platform to try and replicate that output.
That should also include a formation tweak, because Sesko's biggest strength is going to waste. Amorim's preferred 3-4-3 is a winger-less narrow set-up, with the likes of Mbeumo and Cunha playing as inside forwards, and as such, the crosses that Sesko thrived on at Leipzig are in short supply.
He is a 6ft 5in powerhouse who boasts the spring to outjump almost any marker. Indeed, he won 70 headed duels in the Bundesliga last term, more than any United player managed in Premier League competition, and his 14 headed shots beat Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee's combined total of 12.
United haven't had a striker with that kind of aerial threat since Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but Sesko will never be able to make the same impact if Amorim continues to be so rigid, because it's far too easy for opponents to mark him out of the game. A simple switch to a 4-2-3-1 could unlock Sesko's full potential, with Mbeumo and Cunha providing proper width and United's chief creator, Bruno Fernandes, playing further forward.
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'There's nothing created for him!'
Sesko is also putting in a lot of fruitless work off the ball. He plays on the shoulder of the last defender and always looks to make runs in behind, but they too often go unnoticed because of United's predictable passing routines under Amorim.
The Red Devils' towering new No.9 is trying to receive the ball close to the penalty area, but United are terrible at keeping possession in advanced areas and promising attacks usually peter out because a player knocks it backwards or sideways, or runs into traffic, instead of playing straight through to Sesko.
It's a problem that club legend Rio Ferdinand pointed out after watching Sesko toil in vain during United's dismal derby defeat to Manchester City at the Etihad. "The one I'm worried about is Sesko. He ain't getting no chances, man, he ain't getting no opportunities, there's nothing created for him," Ferdinand said on his YouTube channel.
"That's the concern. A new striker comes in the football club, gets in the team, you've got to think about creating chances for him. Getting him on the end of things. That's something I think has got to be looked at, and fixed quick. I don't want to think about what it could turn out to be."
O Santos terá que encarar uma suspensão de 30 dias com portões fechados nos jogos enquanto espera o julgamento do seu caso. Nesse intervalo, o time masculino do Peixe terá três compromissos como mandante em competições nacionais e o elenco feminino terá duas partidas para realizar em casa.
+ Até 70% OFF em produtos do Peixe para os torcedores fanáticos!
O Peixe terá duelos contra Flamengo, Goiás e Botafogo, pelo Campeonato Brasileiro. Do lado das Sereias da Vila, as jogadoras irão encarar nesse tempo Flamengo e Taubaté.
+ Santos vai buscar novo técnico! Confira treinadores estrangeiros livres no mercado
Como o Santos não terá presença do público como mandante, o time deixará de arrecadar com bilheteria. No Brasileirão, o clube possui renda líquida média de R$168.709,94. Utilizando esse valor como base, o clube deve deixar de ganhar em torno de R$ 675 mil.
Além do déficit financeiro que isso irá gerar, a competitividade também é um ponto de destaque, pois o clube possui um rendimento muito maior como mandante do que fora de casa. Sem o apoio da torcida, a sequência de nove jogos sem vencer pode se prolongar.
Giorgio Chiellini and Juan Mata have become the latest high-profile names to enter British football ownership, following in the footsteps of Luka Modric and Wrexham’s Hollywood duo Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. The pair have joined Mercury13’s investment in Bristol City Women, marking a significant new chapter as the legends turn their focus to shaping the future of the game.
Mata and Chiellini buy stake in Bristol City Women
Mata, currently with Melbourne Victory in Australia, and Chiellini, who retired after his spell at LAFC, have invested in the Mercury13 group. The company already owns Como’s women’s team in Italy and has now taken a majority stake in Bristol City Women. Both legendary footballers are now expected to play an active role, attending matches and offering support behind the scenes.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesUpwards trend of investing in English clubs
Their move is part of a growing trend of football stars investing in clubs, following Modric’s minority stake in Swansea, and the move made by Hollywood stars Reynolds and McElhenney to purchase Wrexham in 2020. Mercury13 plans to inject £73 million into the women’s game, hoping to attract elite talent to their clubs. Bristol City Women now stand to benefit as they aim to compete with ambitious rivals like London City Lionesses, who recently made the climb up into the Women's Super League.
Mercury13 co-owner believes Mata and Chiellini will help growth
Victoire Cogevina Reynal, co-founder of Mercury13, said: “Yes, absolutely (they will attend some matches). They’re incredible footballers, but they’re also incredible human beings who truly believe in what we’re building. They’ve been very helpful behind the scenes for Como, and I’m sure they will do the same for Bristol City.”
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Getty Images SportBristol City Women: A growing force in WSL2
Mata and Chiellini’s presence at Ashton Gate will shine more light on the growth of women’s football in Britain. With significant investment promised, Bristol City Women could emerge as a serious force in the Women's Super League 2, emulating what the London City Lionesses and Tom Brady's Birmingham City Women achieved last season.
Starc’s career-best figures of 6 for 48 saw India fold for 180 before the batters kept Bumrah and Co at bay
Deivarayan Muthu06-Dec-2024
Mitchell Starc finished with a career-best 6 for 48•Getty Images
Mitchell Starc’s sizzling spell with the pink ball headlined the opening day of the day-night Test in Adelaide as Australia responded to their 295-run drubbing in Perth by dismissing India for 180.Jasprit Bumrah then got rid of Usman Khawaja in the twilight but the under-pressure Marnus Labuschagne and rookie opener Nathan McSweeney navigated a tricky passage of play to guide Australia to stumps without any further damage. Their unbroken 62-run partnership helped Australia cut their deficit to under 100 and ensured that the first day belonged to them.The first ball from Starc was a portent for what was to follow. He struck in the first over of each of his three spells, asserting his supremacy in pink-ball Tests. He came away with career-best Test figures of 6 for 48, which extended his pink-ball tally in Australia to 72. It is twice as many as Pat Cummins (36) has taken and 29 more than what Nathan Lyon, Starc’s closest contender in pink-ball Test cricket in the country, has managed.It all started with that first ball to Yashasvi Jaiswal, who had told Starc that he was “coming on too slow” in Perth. On Friday in Adelaide, Starc let rip a full, fast one that threatened to angle down leg before swerving back into the line of the stumps and seaming in the other direction off the pitch to beat the attempted flick and thud into front pad. It was so plumb that Jaiswal didn’t even bother to review. Starc roared at the departing Jaiswal and had the Adelaide crowd, which grew to 50,186 by the close of play, roaring with him.Related
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Shubman Gill, who returned to India’s Test XI after missing the Perth Test with a hand injury, and KL Rahul then briefly settled India’s innings with a 69-run stand for the second wicket. Gill showed little signs of rust and laid into drives whenever Australia’s quicks veered away from their lengths and the stumps.At the other end, Rahul was more circumspect, playing out Cummins for three maidens, before fending at Scott Boland’s first ball, which reared up to threaten the shoulder of his bat. Rahul walked off, thinking he had nicked it behind but a front-foot no-ball from Boland earned him a reprieve. There was nothing on the Snicko either. Five balls later, Boland hit Rahul’s outside edge but Khawaja grassed the chance at first slip.Rahul’s luck, however, ran out when Starc returned for his second spell and struck with his fourth ball. He extracted extra bounce and had Rahul edging to gully for 37 off 64 balls. In his next over, Starc took out Virat Kohli for seven off eight balls with a similar prancing delivery. Soon after, Boland nipped one into Gill’s pads as India lost 3 for 12 in a chaotic 15-minute period before the dinner break.India’s slump continued after resumption, with Boland pinning Rohit Sharma’s pads this time. Playing in his first Test match in over a year, in place of the injured Josh Hazlewood, Boland kept it on a good length, or just back of it, and kept gleaning seam movement. Rohit, who had slid down the order to No. 6 to accommodate Rahul at the top alongside Jaiswal, fell for 3 off 23 balls.Cummins then joined the fun when he bounced Rishabh Pant out, with a back-of-a-length delivery that kicked up at his ribs, for 21 off 35 balls. It meant so much to Cummins that he celebrated it with a big roar. The Australia captain had looked underdone in Perth and wasn’t at his sharpest with the new ball on Friday, but redeemed himself with the big scalp of Pant.Nitish Kumar Reddy pulled a Joe Root on Scott Boland•Getty Images
Despite wickets falling at the other end, Nitish Kumar Reddy remained unfazed and rolled out the big hits. When Starc pitched one too full, Reddy audaciously drilled him over extra-cover for six and in the next over he lined up Boland for a sequence of 6,4,6. The first six was jaw-dropping reverse-swat over the slip cordon, which cleared one of the biggest boundaries at the ground at deep third. It even put a smile on Bumrah’s face, but the joy was short-lived as Starc combined with Cummins to wrap up India’s innings.After having top-scored for India in his debut innings in Perth, Reddy did the same in the first innings in Adelaide, finishing with 42 off 54 balls, including three fours and a six. Reddy was the last Indian batter to be dismissed, with Starc having him hole out to mid-off.R Ashwin, who was picked ahead of Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, looked good during his run-a-ball 22 before Starc made him look silly with an inch-perfect inswinging yorker with a 39-over-old ball. The blow to his foot kept Ashwin off the field for the start of Australia’s innings, but India’s team management must have been relieved when he bowled the penultimate over of the day without any apparent discomfort.Bumrah was potent with the new ball and produced India’s only breakthrough on the day when he went around the wicket and had Khawaja jabbing behind with a beauty for 13 off 35 balls. India also had a chance to dislodge McSweeney cheaply when Bumrah found his outside edge, but a diving Pant shelled it. Rohit, at first slip, couldn’t grab it on the rebound either, with the ball hitting his wrist and going down.McSweeney was on 3 at that point, having got off the mark after 17 balls. At the other end, Labuschagne, who is facing considerable heat for his recent lean run, took 19 balls to get off the mark. A freebie on his pads from an erratic Mohammed Siraj then got him going.Harshit Rana lobbed some verbal volleys at the Australia batters and banged the pink ball into the pitch. But McSweeney was ready to fight fire with fire and firmly pulled the chirpy Rana over midwicket for four. After having seen off the new-ball spells of Bumrah and Siraj under twilight, McSweeney picked away five fours off Rana and Reddy and set Australia up for a batting day against the older ball under natural light on Saturday.
Hansi Flick has decided to rest Frenkie de Jong for the Valencia clash after the Netherlands international arrived at the club with Gluteal discomfort
De Jong sidelined with gluteal discomfort
Coach prioritises Champions League fixture
Gavi's knee issue further complicates matters
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WHAT HAPPENED?
De Jong has returned to Barca after leaving the Netherlands national team camp with a gluteal injury. According to , the 28-year-old did not train with the squad and has been ruled out for the upcoming La Liga match against Valencia. The midfielder reportedly picked up the injury in Netherland's clash against Poland and the Dutch Football Association (KNVB) has already sent a medical report to the club. Flick's decision to rest De Jong is a strategic one, aimed at having him in peak condition for the important Champions League match against Newcastle.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Flick's side are facing a midfield selection crisis early in the season. With De Jong's injury and the lingering issues surrounding Gavi, the Blaugrana's midfield depth are being tested. This situation has forced the coach to rely on other players, such as Marc Casado and Pedri, to form the crucial midfield partnership.
DID YOU KNOW?
Gavi has suffered a new injury blow with persistent discomfort in his right knee, the same one that was affected by a torn ACL in 2023. As a result, Barca's medical team have decided to give the midfielder a three-week period for conservative treatment to see if the pain subsides on its own. Otherwise, a surgical intervention might be necessary.
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WHAT NEXT FOR BARCELONA?
With De Jong next set to feature against the Magpies and Gavi returning in October should he avoid surgery, Barca's midfield will have to rely on Casado and Pedri in their absence. Barca will be facing Valencia next in the league before travelling to St. James' Park to face Newcastle in their opening fixture of the Champions League on September 18.
Keep up to date with all the movements around the counties as preparations are made for the 2024 seasonDerbyshireIN: Martin Andersson (Middlesex) OUT: Sam Conners (Durham) OVERSEAS: Caleb Jewell, Blair Tickner, AM Ghazanfar (T20)DurhamIN: Emilio Gay (Northants), Will Rhodes (Warwickshire), Sam Conners (Derbyshire) OUT: Michael Jones (Lancashire), Jonathan Bushnell, Brandon Glover, Oliver Gibson (all released) OVERSEAS: David Bedingham, Brendan Doggett (April-May), Zak Foulkes (T20)EssexIN: OUT: Ben Allison (Worcestershire), Feroze Khushi (released), Aaron Beard (retired) OVERSEAS: Simon HarmerRelated
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GlamorganIN: Ned Leonard (Somerset) OUT: Harry Podmore, Prem Sisodiya (both retired) OVERSEAS: Colin Ingram, Asitha Fernando (April-May)GloucestershireIN: OUT: Zafar Gohar OVERSEAS: Cameron Bancroft, Cameron Green (April-May)HampshireIN: Sonny Baker (Somerset), Mark Stoneman (Middlesex) OUT: Ian Holland (Leicestershire) OVERSEAS: Kyle Abbott, Jack Edwards (April-May), Lhuan-dre Pretorius (T20), Dewald Brevis (May-July)KentIN: Chris Benjamin (Warwickshire) OUT: Hamidullah Qadri, Arafat Bhuiyan (both released) OVERSEAS: Wes Agar (May-July), Tom Rogers (T20), Kashif Ali, Keith Dudgeon (both April-May)LancashireIN: Michael Jones (Durham) OUT: Steven Croft (retired), George Lavelle (released) OVERSEAS: Marcus Harris, Anderson Phillip (April-July), Chris Green (T20), Ashton Turner (May-July)LeicestershireIN: Ian Holland (Hampshire) OUT: Sam Evans (released) OVERSEAS: Peter Handscomb, Logan van Beek, Shan Masood (May-Sept)MiddlesexIN: Ben Geddes (Surrey), Zafar Gohar (Gloucestershire, UK passport) OUT: Martin Andersson (Derbyshire), Ethan Bamber (Warwickshire), Mark Stoneman (Hampshire), Thilan Walallawita (released), Robbie White (retired) OVERSEAS: Kane Williamson (May-Sept), Dane Paterson (April-May), Josh Little (May-Sept)NorthamptonshireIN: Dom Leech (Yorkshire), Liam Guthrie (Queensland, UK passport) OUT: Emilio Gay (Durham), Jack White (Yorkshire), Alex Russell, George Gowler, George Weldon (all released) OVERSEAS: Matthew Breetzke (April-July), Harry Conway (May), Ashton Agar (T20), Yuzvendra Chahal (June-Sept)NottinghamshireIN: Conor McKerr (Surrey) OUT: Fateh Singh (Worcestershire), Luke Fletcher (released), Tom Loten, Toby Pettman (both retired), Alex Hales (retired from domestic white-ball) OVERSEAS: Kyle Verreynne, Fergus O’Neil (April), Mohammad Abbas (May & September), Daniel Sams (T20), Moises Henriques (T20)SomersetIN: OUT: Sonny Baker (Hampshire), Ned Leonard (Glamorgan), George Thomas (Sussex), Roelof van der Merwe (released) OVERSEAS: Riley Meredith (T20), Matt Henry (April-June), Migael PretoriusSurreyIN: Matthew Fisher (Yorkshire) OUT: Conor McKerr (Nottinghamshire), Ben Geddes (Middlesex), Amar Virdi (released) OVERSEAS: Kemar Roach (April), Nathan Smith (May-Sept), Mitchell Santner (T20)SussexIN: George Thomas (Somerset) OUT: OVERSEAS: Daniel Hughes, Jayden Seales (April-May), Nathan McAndrew (June-July), Gurinder Sandhu (June-July), Jaydev Unadkat (Sept)WarwickshireIN: Ethan Bamber (Middlesex) OUT: Will Rhodes (Durham), Chris Benjamin (Kent), Liam Norwell, Michael Burgess (both retired) OVERSEAS: Tom Latham, Beau Webster (May-July), Hasan Ali (May-September), Vishwa Fernando (April)WorcestershireIN: Ben Allison (Essex), Fateh Singh (Nottinghamshire) OUT: Joe Leach, Josh Cobb (both retired) OVERSEAS: Jacob Duffy (April-June), Ben Dwarshuis (T20)YorkshireIN: Jack White (Northamptonshire) OUT: Matthew Fisher (Surrey), Dom Leech (Northamptonshire), Mickey Edwards (retired) OVERSEAS: Will Sutherland (May-July), Will O’Rourke (T20), Ben Sears
Match abandoned without a ball bowledSri Lanka vs NepalSri Lanka and Nepal came to Lauderhill searching for their first wins, hoping to put their T20 World Cup 2024 on track. However, incessant rain, heavy enough to trigger flash-flood alerts for local residents, left both teams splitting one point apiece. That means Sri Lanka are almost certainly out of Super Eight contention while Nepal’s chances of qualification also take a hit. South Africa, currently Group D toppers, were confirmed a place in the Super Eight.For Sri Lanka to now qualify, they first need the Bangladesh vs Netherlands fixture on June 13 in Kingstown to be a washout, then they need to defeat Netherlands in their last group game on June 16. They also need South Africa to beat Nepal by a big margin on June 14, and then for Nepal to beat Bangladesh by a small margin on June 16.
Nepal could still qualify if they manage big wins against South Africa and Bangladesh in their last two games, and if Netherlands don’t win both their remaining matches.However, the Lauderhill weather now puts upcoming games at the venue under the scanner. The venue is set to host three Group A games – USA vs Ireland on June 14, Canada vs India on June 15 and Ireland vs Pakistan on June 16 with rain forecast through the week.
After agonising rain delay, defending champions overcome early stumble against Namibia
Valkerie Baynes15-Jun-20241:46
Do England have the bowling attack to win the World Cup?
Watching rain fall doesn’t sound like a nail-biting pastime but for England the hours waiting to start their final group match of this T20 World Cup, against Namibia, were gripping. England’s eventual victory, by 41 runs in a match reduced to 10 overs per side in Antigua on Saturday, was pure relief for the defending champions.No result other than a win would have kept England in contention for the Super Eight phase but they had to get on the park for that. After the toss was delayed by three hours – won by Namibia, who chose to bowl first – they finally had the chance to control their own destiny, to a point. The equation was simple. England had to beat Namibia and then wait to see whether Australia defeated Scotland – which they duly did, though not without a struggle – to ensure England joined the Australians in progressing from Group B.Showers before the scheduled start returned to Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in the form of a torrential downpour just as it looked like the covers would be lifted. England had to hold onto hope of a reduced-overs match despite the rain appearing to have set in. Eventually, play began at 4pm local time, reduced to 11 overs per side, which became 10 when rain intervened once more, albeit briefly, with England 82 for 3 after eight overs.Harry Brook’s unbeaten 47 off 20 balls and Jonny Bairstow’s 31 off 18 steadied them from a perilous 13 for 2, the pair sharing a 56-run stand for the third wicket to help lift their side to 122 for 5. With Namibia chasing a DLS-adjusted target of 126, England’s bowlers didn’t allow them to score fast enough and secured a comfortable victory, after a torturous wait.Namibia’s dream, England’s nightmareDavid Wiese conceded just a solitary run from the first over on an understandably tacky wicket, testing England openers Jos Buttler and Phil Salt by varying his lines and lengths. Then Ruben Trumpelmann removed Buttler for a four-ball duck with a wonderful inswinger that crashed into leg stump with the second ball of the next over in a dream start for Namibia. It wasn’t until 10 balls into the match that England scored their first boundary, which became two when Salt lofted wider deliveries from Trumpelmann for four down the ground and over deep third. When Wiese returned for a second over on the trot, he had Salt caught behind off an excellent knuckle ball, delivered slow outside off stump and finding a thick edge to put England in trouble at 13 for 2 inside three overs.Bairstow unleashedLeft-arm spinner Bernard Scholtz came into the attack in the fourth over and in for some Bairstow treatment, reverse-swept for four and muscled over long-on for six next ball. Bairstow skied Gerhard Erasmus’s third ball back over his head and, to England’s relief, the ball plugged in a gap between an advancing long-off, long-on and the bowler running back. He crashed the next through the leg side for four. Brook chimed in with a powerful six over deep midwicket off Jack Brassell and sent the next through point for four to bring up England’s fifty off 34 balls. When Erasmus returned, Bairstow immediately nailed a six over midwicket.Bairstow survived a run-out chance on 31 and hadn’t added to his score when he top-edged an attempted cut off Scholtz towards short cover, where keeper Zane Green collected. Bairstow’s 18-ball knock was his first foray into double figures in three innings at this tournament and his highest score at a T20 World Cup, setting a solid platform after England’s shaky start before more rain arrived to halt play.Brook in on the actAfter such a long wait to learn whether they would get to play again, England’s innings was further reduced to 10 overs when rain caused another 10-minute stoppage, by which time Brook and Moeen Ali were left with twelve balls to set an imposing target. They took 19 runs off Brassell in the penultimate over, 18 of them to Brook, who finished with 4,6,4 to take England past the 100 mark. Moeen fell for 16 off six balls but Liam Livingstone blasted the first two balls he faced from Trumpelmann for six before he was run out on the last ball of the innings and left the field clutching his side in some discomfort. Ben Duckett’s appearance as substitute fielder in his place raised further concerns over Livingstone’s fitness.Davin makes way for WieseReece Topley conceded only two runs off the opening over of Namibia’s pursuit, one of them a front-foot no-ball on the first delivery of the innings. England’s bowlers were keeping a lid on Namibia’s scoring and, needing 83 more off the last four overs, Nikolaas Davin retired out on 18 off 16, the first player to do so at an ICC event, making way for the vastly experienced Wiese. He clubbed the first ball he faced – off Sam Curran, making his first appearance at this World Cup – for four through backward point. Wiese proceeded to smash back-to-back sixes off Adil Rashid over long-off and deep midwicket then pierced the covers for four.But they needed 55 off the last two overs and Michael van Lingen holed out to Brook off Chris Jordan, brought into the side for Mark Wood on the strength of his death bowling, on the final ball of the ninth. When Jofra Archer removed Wiese, again via a Brook catch in the deep in the final over, the 39-year-old walked off amid handshakes from several England players, a fitting international farewell in his last game for Namibia, the nation he transferred his allegiance to in 2021 after 26 matches for South Africa.
And with that, the Premier League is done and dusted for another year. Arsenal, the division’s second place side, ended things with a win but the real work starts now for new sporting director Andrea Berta.
Mikel Arteta declared post-game on Sunday that work for the new season would commence quickly.
Where do they need to strengthen?
It’s pretty obvious unless you have been living under a rock.
For the first time since the 1923/24 season, yes, over 100 years ago, Arsenal failed to find a player who scored double figures in a league season.
Injuries have no doubt led to this but so has the club’s poor recruitment over the last 18 months.
A new striker and potentially also a winger simply has to be sourced this summer.
Arsenal’s transfer plans post-season
It’s set to be out with the old and in with the new this summer for the Gunners.
Kieran Tierney scored on his final outing for the Gunners at Southampton but it may not have been just his final outing.
Indeed, Raheem Sterling will head back to his parent club while Thomas Partey and Jorginho see their contracts expire in a few weeks time.
Leandro Trossard – linked with Saudi last January – could sign a new deal at the Emirates Stadium this summer, but that is unlikely to have an impact on whether or not they sign a new forward.
For that central berth, the likes of Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko seem the most likely of candidates but there’s also the potential for a new winger to arrive in the shape of Real Madrid star, Rodrygo.
The Brazilian isn’t the only wide player on their shortlist with reports in recent weeks suggesting that Arsenal have been working on a deal for Rafael Leao.
The Milan star is also wanted by Bayern Munich this summer but there’s has been a new development in Arsenal’s chase.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
That’s according to French publication, Foot Mercato, who suggested over the weekend that while the Portuguese winger is on the club’s ‘shortlist’, Berta actually had a phone call with the player in the last two weeks.
The purpose of that call was to tell Leao that there is definite interest in him from the Gunners.
Arsenal don’t have an endless supply of cash this summer, and with other areas needing to be improved, they will have to spend wisely. Thus, a reported £145m release clause is unlikely to be met too well by the club’s recruitment team.
How Rafael Leao compares to Rodrygo
Speaking last week ahead of the game with Southampton, Arteta was actually asked about the prospect of signing Rodrygo from Real Madrid.
While he didn’t explicitly reveal that Arsenal were interested, he was slightly more open to the prospect of discussing transfers than he was a week or two ago, stating: “If you want to win titles, you have to be the best in the market. The teams that win have the best players.”
Well, speaking of the best players, who would be the better option here?
AC Milan's RafaelLeaoreacts
Rodrygo is an electrifying talent and there is a belief that if he moved away from the Bernabeu and was the main man, he’d be a genuinely scary proposition. After all, this is a player who has scored 50 goals since the beginning of the 2022/23 season.
In comparison, Leao – who’s actually been compared to a young Thierry Henry for his play style on the left flank – has scored 43 times in the same time frame.
So, with fewer goals, why is the Portuguese more exciting?
Leao vs Rodrygo since 2022/23
Stat (per 90 mins)
Leao
Rodrygo
Goals
0.40
0.34
Assists
0.31
0.24
Shot on target %
36.0%
36.3%
Key passes
2.06
1.91
Progressive passes
4.12
3.76
Shot-creating actions
4.60
4.71
Successful take-ons
2.64
2.56
Progressive carries
5.20
5.63
Stats via FBRef.
A genuine speedster, the Milan forward has notably been described by the Athletic’s Alex Barker as “one of the best dribblers in the world”, the numbers certainly showcase that.
He ranks within the top 5% of wingers in Europe’s top five leagues this season for successful take ons per 90 minutes with 2.84. In contrast, Rodrygo only ranks among the best 23% with 2.08 per 90 mins in 2024/25.
Evidently both very capable dribblers, over the last three seasons it’s the Milan superstar who comes out on top in most areas, most importantly producing more end product (goals and assists) every 90 minutes.
Leao isn’t just a dribbler and a goalscorer, but he’s also capable of providing assists, delivering more key passes and progressive passes than Madrid’s wing sensation.
AC Milan's RafaelLeaocelebrates scoring their first goal
It’s likely the latter would be a cheaper acquisition but based on the numbers it’s the Portugal international who looks like the more exciting talent.
Combine that with comparisons to Henry and you have a genuine world beater here capable of getting Arsenal fans off their seats again.
It’s safe to say they’ve lacked that star quality and X factor on too many occasions this season.
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The incredible talent is going to be a superstar for Arsenal.
Chelsea are now eyeing a summer move for a “composed” defender, with manager Enzo Maresca believed to be a keen admirer, according to a report.
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Axel Disasi has spent the second half of the season on loan at Aston Villa, and it looks as though the 27-year-old could be heading for a permanent exit at the end of the season, with the Villans now opening talks over a summer deal.
Maresca’s side have been faring well in their pursuit of the Champions League without Disasi, and they are now just one win away from securing qualification for Europe’s elite competition next season, with the crucial trip to Nottingham Forest pencilled in for next weekend.
As such, it could make sense to sanction the Frenchman’s departure, but Maresca may be keen on bringing in a top-level replacement, should his side return to the Champions League, with FA Cup-winning captain Marc Guehi among the potential targets.
Crystal Palace's Joel Ward and MarcGuehicelebrate with the trophy after winning the FA Cup
After leading his Crystal Palace side to FA Cup glory, Guehi is likely to have no shortage of interest this summer, but the 24-year-old is not the only English centre-back of interest to the west Londoners.
According to The Telegraph’s John Percy, Chelsea are now interested in signing Leicester City defender Ben Nelson, who caught the eye with his impressive performances for Oxford United in the Championship last season.
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The Blues have been keen on Nelson for quite some time, having also considered a move back in the January transfer window, and their interest seems like it stems from their manager, with Maresca believed to be an admirer.
The Italian has previously described his former player as “ideal”, while also adding: “He’s quick. He can play right or left – it’s perfect.”
"Composed" Nelson destined for the top
Not only is Maresca a big fan of the Leicester ace, but he also impressed teammate Peter Kioso during his time with the U’s, with the fellow defender saying: “Nels has come in and done what he’s needed to do. Credit to him, he’s still a young lad and I feel like he’ll go to the very top in football, just from his mentality and how he reads the game, and how composed he is.”
Player
Current club
Potential cost
Marc Guehi
Crystal Palace
£60m
Antonio Rudiger
Real Madrid
Unknown
David Hancko
Feyenoord
£42m
Ousmane Diomande
Sporting CP
£68m
The 21-year-old missed large parts of the campaign with injury problems, but he remained a key player when fit, making 17 appearances for Oxford in the Championship, featuring at centre-back on every occasion.
Having put in some solid performances in the second tier at a young age, the £5k-a-week defender may soon be ready to make the step-up to the Premier League, but Chelsea should also make sure to bring in a more experienced centre-back, having identified a number of targets.