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They have received plenty of stick for it over the years, but Chelsea’s transfer strategy is starting to pay off.

The likes of Cole Palmer, Moises Caicedo, Estevao, Enzo Fernández and Marc Cucurella all joined the Blues under the current ownership and have been exceptional.

However, it also has to be said that the club have made their fair share of dud signings over the last few years, with Raheem Sterling and Mykhailo Mudryk among the most high-profile.

Unfortunately, there is a player in Enzo Maresca’s squad who could end up going down the same road, a player who has to be dropped ahead of this weekend’s game.

Sterling and Mudryk's Chelsea careers

Chelsea paid around £50m to sign Sterling from Manchester City in the summer of 2022, and while it’s easy to say that was a mistake today, it looked like pretty good business at the time.

After all, he was a multiple league winner, still just 27 years old, and in 339 appearances for the Citizens, had scored 131 goals and provided 86 assists.

Unfortunately, while he has certainly had moments of real brilliance with the Blues, they have only ever really been moments, and his tally of 19 goals and 15 assists in 81 games doesn’t really justify his mammoth weekly wage of £325k.

The West Londoners hoped that by sending him on loan to Arsenal last season, he’d put himself back in the shop window for a move away, but he ended up further damaging his reputation and is now stuck in the club’s ‘bomb squad.’

Unfortunately, the situation with Mudryk is even worse.

The Ukrainian international joined the Pensioners in January 2023 for a fee of up to £89m, and there was understandable excitement around the deal, helped in part by Arsenal’s failure to secure his services.

The hype only increased when, on debut, he came off the bench against Liverpool and looked electric, so much so that Gary Neville claimed that he “wouldn’t like to play against him!”

However, that performance ended up being something of a flash in the pan, as the 24-year-old ended the season with just two assists in 17 appearances.

The following campaign was not much better, as in 41 appearances, he scored just seven goals and provided four assists.

Appearances

73

Minutes

3612′

Goals

10

Assists

11

Goal Involvements per Match

0.28

Minutes per Goal Involvement

172′

Unfortunately, things somehow got even worse for the player and the club as he was provisionally suspended after failing a drugs test last December, and was then charged by the FA in June, which could see him handed a four-year ban.

Now, while Chelsea don’t have anyone in the team in danger of something that bad, they do have a previously hyped winger who is underperforming and needs to be dropped.

The Chelsea ace Maresca must axe

Unfortunately for Maresca, you could probably make an argument for why several players need to be dropped following Chelsea’s dire display against Leeds United.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

However, while the defence was obviously a massive problem, the attack was not much better.

Moreover, while he wasn’t the worst player on the pitch, far from it, to be fair, Jamie Gittens once again offered very little.

Last season, the then Borussia Dortmund star was scoring and assisting goals for fun, so much so that he ended the campaign with 17 goal involvements and was even labelled “England’s best left winger” by Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley.

However, aside from the odd bit of skill here and there, the Stamford Bridge faithful have seen very little to get excited about from the 21-year-old, so much so, in fact, that one analyst has gone as far as calling him a “pointless signing.”

Appearances

32

11

Minutes

1784′

401′

Goals

8

0

Assists

4

2

Goal Involvements per Match

0.37

0.18

Minutes per Goal Involvement

148.66′

200.5′

Now, that is almost certainly too far at this point in the season, but with just one goal and five assists in 17 games for the West Londoners, it’s not hard to see where he is coming from, especially considering how hyped Sterling and Mudryk were before they arrived and eventually disappointed.

So, with all that said and a must-win game against Bournemouth this afternoon, Maresca has to take the Englishman out of the team.

Granted, the other options are not ideal either, but at least Alejandro Garnacho has more league goal involvements in fewer games.

Moreover, the manager could return to the winger pairing of Pedro Neto and Estevao, which did reasonably well against Arsenal.

Ultimately, while there is still plenty of time for Gittens to make good on his vast potential, it is hard not to think of the likes of Sterling and Mudryk when watching him struggle to stamp his authority on games.

Chelsea hold talks with defender's camp as Moises Caicedo offers thoughts on signing

The midfielder is playing a role in this potential transfer.

ByEmilio Galantini Dec 5, 2025

Patrick Dorgu’s Manchester United career so far was summed up in one moment on Monday evening against Everton.

A rare piece of attacking quality saw Joshua Zirkzee flash a ball across the box in the first half, and with Dorgu perfectly positioned at the backpost, the chance was there for the 21-year-old to fire home his first goal for the club following his January arrival from Lecce.

Just days on from cooly converting in Denmark’s eventual 4-2 defeat to Scotland in World Cup qualification, the young wing-back could not repeat the feat, instead lashing his attempt wide in what has, unfortunately, almost become trademark fashion.

Like against Manchester City – where Dorgu had more touches in the opposition box than any other player (12) – he routinely gets himself into promising openings, although is simply unable to make the most of it, having registered just two assists in 32 games under Ruben Amorim to date.

In truth, the left-footer is drifting into Rasmus Hojlund territory as a promising, but raw Danish arrival from Serie A who has almost been made first-choice in his position too soon, with little in the way of competition.

Thankfully, Amorim might well have an in-house solution, although it will continue to irk supporters that £30m was splashed out on Dorgu, while a certain Alvaro Carreras departed for just £5m a year earlier.

How Dorgu & Carreras compare this season

One of the most head-scratching decisions of the Erik ten Hag reign remains the choice not to hand an opportunity to Carreras at senior level, with the young Spaniard never actually making a first-team appearance before his eventual departure – initially on loan – to Benfica in January 2024.

Despite notably claiming Preston North End’s Young Player of the Year award following a standout 2022/23 season in the second tier, Ten Hag repeatedly overlooked the academy asset, even amid the long-term absences of Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia.

In 2023/24, for instance, the Dutchman tried numerous, makeshift options at left-back, ranging from Sofyan Amrabat to Victor Lindelof, making it all the more puzzling that Carreras remained out in the cold.

Still only 22 years old, the Real Madrid youth product is now flourishing back at the Bernabeu, having re-joined his former employers on a £42m deal over the summer.

Comfortable at left wing-back or left-back, Carreras has started 16 of Madrid’s 17 games in LaLiga and the Champions League this season, scoring a belting effort in the 4-0 win over Valencia.

Notably likened to new teammate Trent Alexander-Arnold for his attacking, creative quality from the flanks, the Ferrol-born starlet looks like a real upgrade on Dorgu on current evidence, with United left looking red-faced over their handling of him.

Initially signed as a 16-year-old in 2020 – the same time in which Alejandro Garnacho arrived from Atletico Madrid – Carreras will seemingly remain a case of what might have been as far as the Red Devils are concerned.

Games (starts)

13 (13)

11 (7)

Goals

1

0

Assists

0

1

Big chances created

1

2

Key passes*

1.2

0.8

Pass accuracy*

90%

73%

Successful dribbles*

0.5

0.3

Tackles*

1.3

2.1

Interceptions*

1.5

0.9

Total duels won*

48%

51%

Hopefully, a similar scenario doesn’t occur under the new INEOS regime.

Man Utd's "stream train" can derail Dorgu's Man Utd stay

Question marks remain over the midfield unit and number nine berth at Old Trafford, but perhaps the biggest issue for Amorim – and INEOS – is at wing-back, not least on the left.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

The fact that the Portuguese frequently opts to deploy Diogo Dalot in that role is both damning on the club’s squad building, but also on Dorgu, with the more natural option hardly pulling up any trees down that side.

Dorgu isn’t even a year into his Old Trafford stay, but questions are beginning to be asked of his suitability and quality for Premier League football, with his woes highlighted by the fact that he ranks in the bottom 8% of top-flight full-backs for pass completion, as well as in the bottom 3% for progressive passes per 90, as per FBref.

It simply isn’t working right now on that left flank, hence why a chance could arise for 18-year-old summer arrival, Diego Leon, with the Paraguayan still waiting for his first chance at senior level in Manchester.

Like Carreras, Leon has been plucked as a promising teenager with one eye on the future, with a deal having initially been struck with his former club Cerro Porteno in January.

Signed for a fee of around £6m, the bulldozing defender has featured in matchday squads this season, albeit without getting onto the pitch, having largely operated for the U21 side to date.

There is a danger that he could follow in Carreras’ footsteps as an almost forgotten figure in the academy set-up, yet much like in Ten Hag’s tenure, there is a left-sided issue to be solved – Amorim needs to be brave.

Leon, of course, is unproven and untested in English football, but he’s no stranger to life in the first-team, having scored four times in just 33 games back in his native Paraguay.

Already capped at senior level for his country too, the teen full-back appears to have the physical capabilities to be able to thrive in the Premier League, with analyst Ben Mattinson suggesting that he runs “like a steam train”.

That pace and power was evident during Leon’s stunning, solo goal against Tottenham Hotspur’s U21 side, picking the ball inside his own half and driving into the opposition box to convert.

Also described by Mattinson as a “physical, explosive, marauding” left-back who is “similar to a Patrick Dorgu type”, Leon will hopefully showcase the best of what Dorgu has to offer, but with far greater end product.

The over-reliance and burden on Dorgu has gone on too long, with the ex-Lecce man having seemingly regressed rather than progressed under Amorim’s watch.

Time is on his side, but with an even younger, high-potential talent like Leon waiting in the wings, he might already be on borrowed time.

Mainoo 2.0: Man Utd can axe Ugarte for one of England's "best young players"

Manchester United’s midfield needs an overhaul – thankfully Carrington has the solution…

ByRobbie Walls Nov 22, 2025

Everton’s stance on selling Tim Iroegbunam in the January transfer window has now been revealed, amid a key decision from manager David Moyes.

Moyes has implemented a 4-2-3-1 system with two holding midfielders this season, giving the likes of Kieran Dewsbury-Hall and Iliman Ndiaye licence to push forward, with the former grabbing his second assist of the campaign against Fulham prior to the international break.

Idirissa Gueye has remained one of the first names on the team sheet, despite being 36-years-old, finding the back of the net in the 2-0 victory against the Cottagers, but Moyes has been unable to settle on a regular partner for the defensive midfielder.

James Garner has predominantly been given the nod, but the Toffees boss has also used the Englishman at right-back, meaning Iroegbunam has slotted in alongside Gueye intermittently, making eight appearances in the Premier League so far this season.

However, there has now been a significant update on the midfielder’s future at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, having seemingly not done enough to impress Moyes…

Everton planning to accept January offers for Tim Iroegbunam

According to a report from Football Insider, Everton are now planning to accept offers for Iroegbunam in the January transfer window, with Moyes making the decision that he is no longer a key part of his future plans.

The Toffees may even be willing to take a loss on the midfielder, who arrived from Aston Villa for a fee of around £9m back in 2024, such is their desire to get him off the books, while the Merseyside club could also sanction a loan move.

Gueye and Garner’s promising start to the campaign has meant the former Villa man has often been limited to appearances as a substitute, with Moyes perhaps not as fond of the central midfielder as former manager Sean Dyche.

Speaking after the EFL Cup victory against Doncaster Rovers last season, Dyche said: “Tim’s slightly different [to the new signings] because he’s had a full pre-season, I think he’s been different class. I think his equivalent minutes in the Premier League last season was about two games so to be having a full pre-season and to be doing what he’s doing – I’m very pleased with that.”

However, it may be a little early to cash-in on the 22-year-old, given that he is still very young, and has impressed from both an attacking and defensive point of view when given the opportunity over the past year.

Tim Iroegbunam’s key statistics

Average per 90 (past year)

Assists

0.34 (99th percentile)

Tackles

3.38 (97th percentile)

Interceptions

2.54 (99th percentile)

Blocks

3.38 (98th percentile)

Iroegbunam may need a consistent run in the starting XI to prove himself, and with Garner moving to right-back against Fulham, he may have a chance to save his Everton career over the next month and a half.

Everton exploring move for James Ward-Prowse amid Tim Iroegbunam uncertainty Everton now exploring Ward-Prowse move with January exit expected

The midfielder desperately needs a winter move.

ByTom Cunningham Nov 12, 2025

Martin O’Neill boasted an imperious record against Rangers when he was first Celtic manager, so can he continue that now that the 73-year-old is back in the Parkhead hot-seat two decades later?

To date, the Northern Irishman has won 16 of his 27 Glasgow derbies, losing only eight, the first of which was certainly the most memorable, a 6-2 victory in 2000, in which both Chris Sutton and Henrik Larsson bagged braces.

Now though, having been parachuted back into the role, following Brendan Rodgers’ shock resignation on Monday, O’Neill is faced with a huge League Cup semi-final on Sunday, coming after Wednesday night’s confidence-boosting 4-0 victory over Falkirk.

If the Hoops are going to prevail at Hampden, thereby setting up a final date with either St Mirren or Motherwell, O’Neill has to make some tough selection decisions, but simply must start one star in place of Celtic’s club-record signing.

Arne Engels' Celtic form

Arne Engels arrived at Celtic on deadline day in the summer of 2024 with sky-high expectations, given that he was replacing Matt O’Riley, one of the best midfielders the club has seen in modern times, as well as the fact that he cost £11m, a club-record fee.

Well, so far, the Belgian international has not flourished in the way many hoped, or indeed expected.

In 68 appearances for the Hoops, Engels has scored ten goals and registered 15 assists, but just two of these goals have come from open play, most recently on target against St Mirren on 1 March, converting a penalty during a 5-2 victory in Paisley.

Prior to starting the last three matches, Engels had not been a regular in the lineup this season, introduced off the bench on nine occasions, with Rodgers favouring summer signing Benjamin Nygren in his position.

Well, the 22-year-old has not grasped these recent opportunities with both hands, considering the Scotsman awarded him a 5/10 rating following last Sunday’s 3-1 defeat to Hearts at Tynecastle, a match in which he lost possession on 25 occasions, nine times more than any other Celtic player.

The Celts can ill-afford that level of wastefulness at Hampden on Sunday, so O’Neill should relegate Engels back to the bench and start a midfield alternative.

Who Martin O'Neill should start in place of Arne Engels

O’Neill does have plenty of midfield options.

Callum McGregor is a lock, while Nygren returned to the midfield three on Wednesday, having been deployed further forward for Rodgers’ final two fixtures, with Reo Hatate the obvious candidate to complete the trio.

Since arriving in January 2022, the Japanese international has made 156 appearances in hoops, scoring 28 goals and registering 28 assists.

His only goal of this campaign, to date, was a rocket at Pittodrie against Aberdeen in August, thereby only brought on for the final 13 minutes against Falkirk this week.

Nevertheless, Hatate’s statistics from last season underline his importance to this Celtic side.

Hatate 24/25 Celtic stats
Stats	Hatate	Celtic rank
Minutes	3,849	6th
Goals	11	5th
Assists	9	5th
Shots	92	1st
Big chances created	18	1st
Average rating	7.29	7th
Stats via Transfermarkt, FBref & SofaScore

As the table highlights, Hatate was a vital figure in Celtic’s team last season; in fact, of the four players who scored more goals than he did, only Daizen Maeda is still at the club, with compatriot Kyōgo Furuhashi, Adam Idah and Nicolas Kühn having all departed.

Hatate also led the way in terms of shot and big chances created, while he has previously netted three times against Rangers, on target twice during his Glasgow derby debut in February 2022, one of the most famous nights Parkhead has witnessed in a long time, as well as firing into the bottom corner in vain back in March.

Callum McFadden describes Hatate as “one of the most naturally gifted players” Celtic have had in recent decades, while Martin Crawford of Breaking the Lines asserted that he is ‘the best player in Scotland’, adding that the ‘naturally refined technician’ possesses incredible ‘energy, determination and…. football intellect’.

Arriving from Kawasaki Frontale for just £1.5m, Football Transfers believe the midfielder’s current market value to be around £9.23m, representing one of the best bargain buys in Scottish football history, and there were a few contenders during the Ange Postecoglou-era.

Bringing it back to this Sunday’s derby, Hatate’s on-ball quality and out-of-possession work-rate makes him a must starter for O’Neill.

Danny Röhl is set to deploy Rangers in a 3-4-2-1, giving the midfield pairing of Mohamed Diomandé and Nicolas Raskin a lot of ground to cover, so Celtic need to do everything they can to win this midfield battle.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Unlike Engels, Hatate has proved consistently capable of producing big moments in the biggest matches, so the Japanese international, alongside captain McGregor and Nygren, is surely the way to go, with midfield the real strength of this Celtic team.

Centre-back and centre-forward, given the ongoing injury crisis….. not so much!

O'Neill 2.0: Celtic chasing "one of the best coaches" as Ange alternative

Rather than Ange Postecoglou, should Celtic appoint “one of the best coaches” in the EFL who would repeat Martin O’Neill’s success from 2 decades ago?

By
Ben Gray

Oct 31, 2025

Graham Thorpe, the former England and Surrey batter, will be remembered and celebrated with a “Day for Thorpey” during the fifth Test between England and India at the Kia Oval next month, almost a year to the day since he tragically took his own life at the age of 55.The event will help to raise funds and awareness for the mental health charity Mind, including through the sale of specially designed headbands – co-designed with Graham’s wife Amanda and daughters Kitty and Emma – in a nod to the trademark look that he sported during his 100-Test career.The day will take place on August 1 – day two of the fifth Test – which would also have been Thorpe’s 56th birthday.Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Amanda said: “That day will be very powerful. We want to celebrate him and his memory. His light was so bright. He’ll go on.”Kitty added: “Death and grief in general isn’t talked about enough, considering it happens to everyone. It surrounds us. When you add the layer of death by suicide, that makes it even more taboo.”I understand it’s difficult to talk about – people don’t want to say the wrong thing. That doesn’t help tackle the stigma around it. We need to change the way we’re addressing the topic. That’s why we’re working with Mind to do something to help that.”Thorpe finished his career as one of England’s modern batting greats, making 6,744 runs at 44.66 in his 100 Tests. In 1993, he had become the first England batter for 20 years to make a century on debut, against Australia at Trent Bridge.After retirement, he turned to coaching, including as part of England’s back-room staff on the 2021-22 Ashes. However, he was released in the wake of the team’s 4-0 loss, which had taken place under Covid restrictions, and though he was subsequently named as head coach of Afghanistan, he never took up the role after a first suicide attempt in May 2022.”Working in the Covid bubbles, he found that tough,” Amanda said. “He wasn’t great at following rules at the best of times.”It was all very stressful and he wasn’t great on that trip. Then he came back, and, as happens, his job ended, then he got offered another job. It was hard for him, probably harder than we knew. He got a lot worse then, very quickly, actually.”The family are also supporting “Thorpey’s Bat and Chat”, an initiative from Mind designed to support mental health through cricket. First launched in Burton-on-Trent, the intention is to roll out such sessions across the country using funds raised from the day at The Oval”My dad was quite a private person, so for us to share his and our experience is important to help other people who have gone through similar things,” Emma Thorpe said. “To start a conversation, to reduce the shame and stigma there are around these conversations.”

Arsenal’s wage bill for the 2025/26 season is certainly on the large side after the Gunners splashed the cash in the summer transfer window, bringing in the likes of Viktor Gyokeres and Eberechi Eze for Mikel Arteta.

In fact, the annual payroll for basic first team wages at the Emirates stands at a whopping £181,480,000, with the average playing pocketing more than £6.7m a season.

With that being said, Football FanCast has ranked every Arsenal player in the first-team squad in order from highest to lowest in terms of wages for the 2025/26 campaign, with the help of Capology.

1

Kai Havertz

£280,000

£14,560,000

2

Gabriel Jesus

£265,000

£13,780,000

=3

Declan Rice

£240,000

£12,480,000

=3

Martin Odegaard

£240,000

£12,480,000

5

Viktor Gyokeres

£200,000

£10,400,000

6

Bukayo Saka

£195,000

£10,140,000

7

William Saliba

£190,000

£9,880,000

=8

Gabriel Martinelli

£180,000

£9,360,000

=8

Eberechi Eze

£180,000

£9,360,000

=10

Ben White

£150,000

£7,800,000

=10

Noni Madueke

£150,000

£7,800,000

=10

Gabriel Magalhaes

£150,000

£7,800,000

13

Mikel Merino

£130,000

£6,760,000

14

Riccardo Calafiori

£120,000

£6,240,000

15

David Raya

£100,000

£5,200,000

=16

Jurrien Timber

£90,000

£4,680,000

=16

Leandro Trossard

£90,000

£4,680,000

18

Ethan Nwaneri

£80,000

£4,160,000

19

Martin Zubimendi

£75,000

£3,900,000

=20

Piero Hincapie

£65,000

£3,380,000

=20

Christian Norgaard

£65,000

£3,380,000

22

Kepa Arrizabalaga

£60,000

£3,120,000

23

Cristhian Mosquera

£55,000

£2,860,000

24

Myles Lewis-Skelly

£45,000

£2,340,000

25

Max Dowman

£35,000

£1,820,000

=26

Oleksandr Zinchenko

£30,000

£1,560,000

=26

Reiss Nelson

£30,000

£1,560,000

Here's a detailed look at Arsenal's top 10 earners… 10 Ben White £150,000 per week

Ben White has seen his weekly wage rise since joining Arsenal in 2021, with the defender thought to have been earning around £130,000 per week upon his arrival from Brighton.

Now in the top 10 of Arsenal earners, White is a regular starter at the Emirates Stadium, which goes some way to justify his pay packet, particularly with the Gunners becoming title challengers during his time at the club.

9 Eberechi Eze £180,000 per week

Hijacking Tottenham’s deal to sign Eberechi Eze, Arsenal landed the attacking star from Crystal Palace in a deal worth up to £67.5m and handed the Englishman a four-year contract.

Providing he stays at the Emirates until 2029 on this deal, Eze is in line to pick up a cool £37.4m in wages.

8 Gabriel Martinelli £180,000 per week

Another attacker on the list is Gabriel Martinelli, who has gone from strength to strength in recent years under Arteta after initially signing for the club back in 2019.

The Brazilian is now approaching 250 senior games in a Gunners shirt and is under contract until 2027.

7 William Saliba £190,000 per week

Since returning from a loan spell with Marseille in 2022, William Saliba has been a mainstay in Arteta’s side, forming a solid partnership at the back with Gabriel.

The France international signed a new four-year deal in 2023 but has been linked with a move to Real Madrid on numerous occasions.

6 Bukayo Saka £195,000 per week

Academy graduate Bukayo Saka is arguably one of Arsenal’s most important players, so it is a surprise to see him as the club’s sixth-highest-paid player.

The winger has been a constant provider of assists and goals for the Gunners and, like Saliba, signed his latest deal in 2023.

5 Viktor Gyokeres £200,000 per week

Ending Arsenal’s long-awaited search for a striker, Viktor Gyokeres is the man who has been tasked with firing the Gunners to Premier League glory.

Costing up to £63.5m if all add-ons are met, the Swede only wanted Arsenal and penned a five-year deal on £10.4m a season in wages.

4 Martin Odegaard £240,000 per week

Club captain Martin Odegaard is next on the list and signed his £240,000 per week contract in 2023 in what was a busy year for new deals.

The former Real Madrid ace has developed into a world-class player at the Emirates, contributing to more than 50 goals in over 150 games.

3 Declan Rice £240,000 per week

Like Odegaard, Declan Rice also picks up a reported £240,000 per week in north London following his big-money move from West Ham in 2023.

The England international has been a regular so far in the club’s push for silverware and looks set to be key over the next four years.

2 Gabriel Jesus £265,000 per week

Gabriel Jesus landed a huge deal when he swapped the Etihad for the Emirates in 2022 to reunite with Arteta. The Brazilian, who has the No.9 shirt, hasn’t been a regular starter and has fallen down the pecking order.

Jesus is currently averaging a goal just under every four games, and afetr the arrival of Gyokeres, his days as a Gunners player could be numbered.

1 Kai Havertz £280,000 per week

Top of the charts is Kai Havertz, who has proven to be an important member of Arteta’s squad. The German has grown into his role since joining from Chelsea in 2022, playing in various midfield and attacking roles.

He’s under contract until 2028.

In an effort to complete a full 20-overs match in case of rain interruptions, the IPL has decided to add 120 minutes of extra time for the remaining nine matches in the league phase of the 2025 season.Normally the two-hour extra time allowance has been part of the playing conditions for the playoffs only. However, with the tournament resuming after a week-long suspension and the onset of monsoon across India, the IPL has decided to ensure play as far as possible.Eight of the nine remaining league matches are scheduled to be played in the evening barring the Gujarat Titans-Chennai Super Kings game which will be played in the afternoon on May 25. As per the playing conditions, the regulation completion time for an evening match is 10.50pm and 6.50pm for an afternoon game (all timings IST).This means with an extra two-hour allowance now, a full 20-overs match can start as late as 5.30pm (afternoon game) or 9.30pm (evening game). For a minimum five-overs game, the cut-off time for an afternoon match will be 7.56 pm (including 10-minute changeover) and 11.56 pm for an evening game.So far in IPL 2025, three matches have been abandoned due to rain, with teams sharing points, while two other games have been shortened due to the weather.Punjab Kings’ (PBKS) game against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Kolkata was the first game to be abandoned due to rain, followed by the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)-Delhi Capitals (DC) match in Hyderabad. The first match that was scheduled after the week-long suspension of the tournament, between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and KKR, was then abandoned without a ball bowled in Bengaluru.PBKS earlier defeated RCB in a shortened game, while Gujarat Titans (GT) came up trumps against Mumbai Indians (MI) in a match that saw multiple stoppages.Due to a yellow alert issued by the meteorological department in Bengaluru that has predicted “heavy to very heavy rainfall” in the city until Thursday, RCB’s final home game against SRH on May 23 has been shifted to Lucknow.

Arsenal came back with a bang this weekend

Mikel Arteta’s side appeared to have put their defeat to Liverpool well and truly behind them as they comfortably beat Ange Postecoglou’s Nottingham Forest 3-0.

There were brilliant performances across the pitch for the home side, with Noni Madueke continuing his form from the international break, Martin Zubimendi scoring a brace, and Viktor Gyokeres netting his third goal of the Premier League season.

While Eberechi Eze also impressed on his first start for the club, he did endure a slightly more unproductive night in the Champions League against Athletic Club.

Therefore, a slight tweak to Arteta’s side could get the best out of him.

Eze's superb showing against Forest

He may have made his official debut for Arsenal against Liverpool prior to the international break, but it was over the weekend that Arteta handed Eze his first start for the club, and boy did he repay him.

The England international was signed to bring an air of unpredictability and flair to the Gunners’ attack, and it took him all of five minutes to do just that, beating a defender and getting the crowd on their feet.

It was much of the same from that point on, as while he did not win every duel nor complete every dribble, the former Crystal Palace star was a constant threat on the left-hand side and ensured Forest couldn’t get a moment’s rest.

The Greenwich-born “magician,” as dubbed by Micah Richards, received his reward just a minute after the restart, drilling a ball across the penalty area for Gyokeres to smash into the net.

It was a truly brilliant performance from the Englishman, one that saw the Standard’s Sam Tabuteau award him an 8/10 match rating at full-time, which, based on his statistics, felt more than justified.

For example, in 79 minutes of action, he amassed a combined expected goals and assists figure of 0.50, provided one assist, completed three dribbles, took 43 touches, played one key pass, was accurate in 100% of his long balls, created one big chance, won two fouls and won 100% of his aerial duels.

It was the kind of showing that more than justifies the money Arsenal spent on him, although if Arteta wants to get even more out of him in the future after a subdued display in Europe on Tuesday, one change could be made.

The Arsenal star who can make Eze even better

The truly exciting thing for Arsenal fans is that after their summer of business, they have so many talented players in the squad who all deserve to start.

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However, Arteta could make Eze even more unplayable by dropping the in-form Riccardo Calafiori, “Arsenal’s Player of the Season so far” in the words of one content creator. Instead, Arteta must look at unleashing new signing Piero Hincapié.

The £65k-per-week international completed his loan move with an option to buy at £45m to the club on deadline day and hasn’t been able to play from the start for them yet, but as his performances in the international break showed, he’s more than match fit.

Moreover, there is one part of his game that could make him the perfect partner for Eze on that left-hand side: his ability to overlap.

The Ecuadorian “beast,” as dubbed by U23 scout Antonio Mango, might not be as gung-ho as a Jeremie Frimpong, but he is undoubtedly excellent at bombing up and down the byline, so much so in fact that respected analyst Ben Mattinson described him as “a left-sided Ben White.”

Hincapie’s FB Scout Report

Statistics

Per 90

Percentile

Shots Blocked

0.63

Top 1%

Touches (Def Pen)

6.86

Top 1%

Touches (Def 3rd)

27.36

Top 1%

Progressive Passing Distance

362.56

Top 2%

Passes Completed (Medium)

27.99

Top 2%

Touches (Mid 3rd)

42.26

Top 2%

Total Passing Distance

1024.66

Top 3%

Pass Completion % (Short)

94.3%

Top 3%

Live-ball Passes

64.71

Top 3%

Passes Received

56.86

Top 3%

Aerials Won

2.29

Top 3%

Passes Completed

61.85

Top 4%

Carries

46.56

Top 4%

Progressive Carrying Distance

139.59

Top 4%

Touches

81.65

Top 5%

Total Carrying Distance

234.96

Top 5%

Pass Completion %

87.8%

Top 6%

Average Shot Distance

13.10

Top 7%

Passes into Final Third

5.12

Top 8%

% of Aerials Won

63.8%

Top 8%

All Stats via FBref

You can see some elements of his desire and ability to maraud up the pitch in his underlying numbers, with FBref ranking in the top 2% of full-backs in Europe’s top-five leagues for progressive passing distance, the top 4% for progressive carrying distance and overall carries, the top 8% for passes into the final third, and more, all per 90.

With all that said, you may wonder why having an overlapping full-back would help maximise Eze’s potential.

Well, simply put, while the former Palace star can play at left-wing and looked great there on Saturday, he is someone who very much prefers to move into more central areas when he gets closer to goal, which we can see from his heat map last season.

Therefore, if Hincapié starts at left-back and is the one to provide width through his overlapping runs, Eze can move closer to the middle of the pitch and do what he does best.

Ultimately, we’ve not seen it yet, but this pairing could be the one that helps Arsenal’s left-hand side become as much of a threat as their right has been in years past.

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Posts ByMatt Dawson Sep 16, 2025

Andre Adams had previously hit a 20-ball fifty for Auckland against Otago back in 1997-98

Deivarayan Muthu31-Mar-2025Northern Districts’ Scott Kuggeleijn has broken the record for the fastest (known) fifty, in terms of balls, in New Zealand first-class cricket with his 19-ball effort against Otago in the final round of the 2024-25 Plunket Shield in Dunedin. Former New Zealand allrounder Andre Adams had previously hit a 20-ball half-century for Auckland on his first-class debut against Otago back in 1997-98.Promoted to open the batting alongside captain Jeet Raval – this was the first time that Kuggeleijn was batting above No.4 in first-class cricket – Kuggeleijn led ND’s push for victory, and the Plunket Shield title, with 71 off 26 balls at a strike rate of 273.07.Kuggeleijn whipped the fourth ball he had faced from Matthew Bacon for six and in the seamer’s next over, Kuggeleijn hit full tilt, taking him for two sixes and as many fours. ND headed to lunch on the third day on 38 for 3 in three overs, with a lead of 304. Upon resumption, Kuggeleijn lined up left-arm fast bowler Andrew Hazeldine, swatting him for a brace of boundaries.Kuggeleijn then charged to a sub-20-ball fifty when he launched Hazeldine for another six in the sixth over. ND were 70 for 0 at that point, with Raval on 14 off 16 balls at the other end. This was Kuggeleijn’s second half-century in the game, having already scored an unbeaten 53 off 32 balls in ND’s first-innings 411 for 7 declared.Otago made the opening breakthrough when Jarrod McKay had Raval holing out. ND then bumped Neil Wagner, who was playing his last domestic fixture in New Zealand, up to No.3 and gave him the license to have a free hit. Wagner joined the fun, cracking three sixes during his unbeaten 27 off 11 balls.Kuggeleijn had looked good for his fifth first-class hundred until Toby Hart intervened. The debutant bounced Kuggeleijn out from round the wicket, but by then ND’s lead had already crossed 350.Wagner dragged it past 400 with his blows in the company of Bharat Popli, who made an unbeaten 21 off 13 balls. Otago used four bowlers with each of them having economy rates of ten or more.ND tightened the screws on Otago when they were reduced to 103 for 3; Otago were 120 at 3 at stumps on the third day in their pursuit of 407. In his last innings in New Zealand domestic cricket, Wagner had Dale Phillips, the brother of New Zealand international Glenn, caught in the cordon with a back-of-a-length delivery that reared up and left him in the channel.Raval then bowled both opener Jacob Cumming and No.3 Luke Georgeson with his part-time legspin. Fourteen of his 40 first-class wickets have come in the last two rounds of the Plunket Shield. Midway through the 37th over, Kuggeleijn pulled up with a potential injury, with Raval calling up part-timer Robert ‘Donnell to complete the over. Thanks to Kuggeleijn’s record-breaking knock with the ball, though, ND are still ahead in the race to the Plunket title.ND have a chance to send Wagner off with the Plunket title on Tuesday. Wagner, though, will continue to remain active as a player in county cricket in England, having re-signed with Durham.Ahead of the 2024-25 domestic season, Kuggeleijn had opted for a casual contract with ND to make himself available for franchise cricket outside of New Zealand. As a result, he missed the Super Smash, New Zealand’s domestic T20 competition, and instead turned out for Dubai Capitals in the UAE’s ILT20 and won the title with them. Prior to that, he represented Sudur Paschim Royals in the Nepal Premier League.After having completed his franchise commitments, Kuggeleijn linked up with ND for the one-day Ford Trophy and four-day Plunket Shield.

Urvil Patel, who had smashed the second-fastest T20 century in November last year, carried his fine form into the red-ball format to hit a maiden first-class hundred in Gujarat’s innings-and-98-run victory over Saurashtra in their Ranji Trophy quarter-final match in Rajkot. Gujarat will play the winner of the ongoing fixture between Kerala and Jammu & Kashmir in the semi-final.Urvil top-scored with 140 in Gujarat’s massive total of 511 in the first innings, which gave them a 295-run lead over Saurashtra, who managed only 216 after being sent in. Urvil was supported by Jaymeet Patel (103) and Manan Hingrajia (83) as they wore out a competent Saurashtra attack by batting out 159.1 overs.But Saurashtra were in the game at one stage when Gujarat were reduced to 78 for 3 early on the second day. Then Hingrajia and Jaymeet put together a 144-run stand to set the foundation for a mammoth score.Saurashtra began the fourth day trailing by 262 runs with all ten wickets in hand but were bowled out in under two sessions. Left-arm seamer Arzan Nagwaswalla picked up three wickets for Gujarat, while seamer Priyajitsing Jadeja got four – including the big strike of Pujara. Ravi Bishnoi, who had linked up with the squad following his return from national duty, picked up two crucial wickets in the second innings.Saurashtra eventually made just 197 in the second innings, with Harvik Desai top-scoring with 54. Cheteshwar Pujara finished a modest season with scores of 26 and 2. Barring the 234 against Chhattisgarh in the second game and 99 against Assam last week, Pujara’s highest score in the eight other innings was the 26 he made in the first innings against Gujarat.Saurashtra’s exit marked the end of a decorated career of their batter Sheldon Jackson, one of their stalwarts. He finishes his first-class career with 7283 runs in 174 innings at an average of 45.80. Jackson hit 21 hundreds and 39 half-centuries in all, with the high point being the Ranji Trophy win in 2019-20.