علق ميكيل ميرينو، نجم نادي آرسنال، عن الهاتريك الذي سجله يوم أمس الأحد وذلك خلال مواجهة منتخب إسبانيا مع تركيا لحساب التصفيات المؤهلة لبطولة كأس العالم العام المقبل في الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية وكندا والمكسيك.
ميرينو تألق وسجل ثلاثة أهداف ”هاتريك” مساهمًا بذلك في انتصار منتخب إسبانيا العريض على حساب تركيا بستة أهداف مقابل لا شئ، ضمن تصفيات كأس العالم.
أقرأ أيضًا .. بيدري بعد سداسية إسبانيا: حافظنا على حماسنا ضد تركيا وكنا مستعدين لمواجهتهم
وأكد ميرينو في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة موندو ديبورتيفو، أن مشاركته كمهاجم مع نادي آرسنال الموسم الماضي ساعدته كثيرًا في تحسين لمسته الأخيرة على المرمى.
وقال ميرينو: “أنا سعيد جدًا بكل شيء، للفوز ولحصولنا على ست نقاط من أصل س٩ت نقاط بالكامل ولإنجازي ذلك بطريقة مقنعة وكذلك لتسجيلي لأول ثلاثية في مسيرتي. نادرًا ما أسجل أهدافًا وتسجيل ثلاثة أهداف يجعلني سعيدًا للغاية، لقد كان تركيا خصمًا قويًا كما رأيتم في بطولة أوروبا العام الماضي بمستواهم وعلى ملعب صعب للغاية حيث لعبنا جميعًا مباراة رائعة”.
وأتم ميرينو في حديثه عن مشاركته كمهاجم: “إنه مجال أتطور فيه من خلال اتخاذ خطوة مهمة للأمام بالنسبة للاعبي خط الوسط، وتسجيل الأهداف ومساعدة الفريق. في العام الماضي لعبت مع آرسنال كمهاجم، واعتدت على اللعب في مناطق متقدمة، والآن أجد سهولة أكبر في التأقلم وأنا أمام المرمى، لحسن حظي تمكنت من وضع الكرة في الشباك”.
With the transfer window now open, Aston Villa have reportedly made their first move in pursuit of an impressive Championship talent who has attracted interest from a number of clubs.
Aston Villa's summer plans amid PSR concerns
It wouldn’t have just been Unai Emery left angered and bitterly disappointed at Aston Villa’s failure to qualify for the Champions League on the final day of the season, those in the boardroom would have been equally as frustrated. A place among Europe’s elite, on the pitch, would have come with the biggest and most historic occasions for a second season running. But off the pitch, it would have made an even greater impact.
Now, without Champions League football and the finances that come with it, Aston Villa are facing a profit and sustainability crisis. The numbers suggest that they need to sell to buy in the coming months if they want to comply with the rules, and just who those in the Midlands decide to sacrifice is the big question.
As The Athletic’s PSR data shows, Aston Villa are the side most at risk of facing sanctions unless they sell players this summer. Meanwhile, what will only frustrate those at Villa Park more when looking at the data is that Chelsea have the most room to manoeuvre and Manchester United have far more freedom than Aston Villa despite finishing 15th in the Premier League and missing out on European football last season.
AstonVilla's EmilianoMartinezreacts
Nonetheless, it is the position that Villa must now find a way out of and whilst the likes of Emiliano Martinez have already looked likely for the exit door, the Villans have still set their sights on potential bargain deals in the other direction.
Aston Villa make first Sidibe enquiry
According to The Telegraph’s John Percy, Aston Villa have now made their first enquiry to sign Sol Sidibe from Stoke City this summer. The Villans reportedly have “strong interest” in the teenager that Percy described as a “huge talent” and are competing against a number of English clubs for his signature.
At just 18 years old, the midfielder has been making plenty of waves in the Championship, making eight appearances for Stoke’s senior side last season and leaving former player turned U21s coach Ryan Shawcross incredibly impressed.
The former defender told reporters when asked about Sidibe’s performance against Manchester United’s youth side in August: “I thought Sol was absolutely top-class tonight and was the best player on the pitch by far.
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1
By
Ross Kilvington
Jun 6, 2025
“He drove the ball up the pitch well, showed his qualities, and got another 90 minutes under his belt. We are very aware of the importance of the younger players getting minutes.”
Everton are planning for a busy summer, with The Friedkin Group willing to back David Moyes as he whips his side into shape.
The Scottish manager has been brilliant since replacing Sean Dyche in the dugout, but there’s only so much he can do without investment across numerous positions, angling the Toffees toward a state of confidence and coherence, capable of competing at the upper end of the Premier League.
There’s no question the Merseysiders need more goals as they step into the Bramley-Moore Dock Stadium, and Moyes appears to have found his man already, with Everton joining the race for a Serie A striker.
Everton join race for new striker
It’s no secret that Everton are in need of a new centre-forward, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin approaching the end of his current contract, while Chelsea loanee Armando Broja is likely to return to his parent club.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
With that in mind, Caught Offside report that Everton have joined the hotly-contested race for Valentin Castellanos, a 26-year-old striker plying his trade for Lazio.
The reliable goalscorer would be allowed to leave if Lazio received a fee of around £30m, although in truth, suitors may well be put off by such demands.
Lazio's Valentin Castellanos celebrates
In any case, Everton know they have their work cut out with this one: Nottingham Forest, West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers are all eager to make their move this summer.
What Castellanos would bring to Everton
Castellanos, a two-cap Argentina international, played out the early years of his career in his homeland before transferring to the MLS in 2018, where he would remain in the Big Apple with New York City F.C. until moving on loan to Girona in 2022.
A prolific season in Spain led to a permanent move to Lazio, and after scoring just four Serie A goals last season, Castellanos has now posted 14 across 39 appearances this term, supplying eight assists.
There’s an athletic grace to his football that would certainly add a dimension to Moyes’ attack, contrasting with the powerful strides of Beto and Calvert-Lewin’s target man style, should the veteran forward renew his contract.
As per FBref, Castellanos ranks among the top 9% of centre-forwards across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for shots taken, the top 12% for goal-creating actions and the top 20% for progressive carries per 90, praised for his “extraordinary” technical ability by Lazio boss Marco Baroni.
The nine’s performances in the Europa League this year have also led the data-driven platform to compare him to Richarlison, Everton’s former talisman who left for Tottenham Hotspur in a £60m deal back in 2022.
It’s difficult to analyse the Brazilian’s performances from this term, for his availability has been limited due to injury, but Richarlison did enjoy heightened success under Ange Postecoglou’s wing last year, with his energy, versatility and snapping bite making for an intriguing option.
League Stats – Castellanos vs Richarlison
Stats (* per game)
Castellanos (24/25)
Richarlison (23/24)
Matches (starts)
28 (27)
28 (18)
Goals
10
11
Assists
3
4
Shots (on target)*
3.6 (1.4)
2.2 (0.9)
Big chances missed
13
7
Pass completion
70%
71%
Key passes*
1.0
0.6
Dribbles*
0.6
0.4
Duels won*
4.8
2.9
Stats via Sofascore
It’s an option Castellanos could provide for Moyes to have an even greater effect.
Richarlison’s tenacity and ability to add a direct threat while using his movements and physicality to upset defenders differentiates him from the rabble of forwards across the continent. Fitness setbacks have been his nemesis in recent years, but his underlying talent level remains strong.
However, while Everton might be interested in completing a deal, it doesn’t make sense to take a backwards step when every aspect of the club is currently angled forward, to a new beginning.
Richarlison injured for Tottenham
Castellanos could be the man to lead Everton over the coming years, bearing Richarlison’s prolific quality and multi-facetedness.
Though the Argentine could perhaps be a bit more clinical with his shooting, there’s enough about his overall game that Moyes would delight in working with him, adding a layer to an Everton team firmly rooted in structure and solidity and purposeful pragmaticism.
Everton managerDavidMoyescelebrates after the match
After renewed promise since the harsh winter of Dyche’s final days abated, Everton have got an appetite for a new level of success.
Showing intent and bringing players such as Castellanos into the fold, instead of returning for a former star in Richarlison, who has flattered to deceive since leaving, is surely the way forward.
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Everton are ready to make a series of signings for David Moyes this summer.
Arsenal’s aim this summer is clear: add more goals to their squad.
Despite being second in the Premier League and through to only the club’s third Champions League semi-final, the Gunners’ lack of goals has unquestionably held them back.
So, do Arsenal lead the race to sign “one of the best wingers on the market”, described as Mikel Arteta’s dream signing?
Arteta's dream attacking signing
According to reports in Spain, via Football365, Arsenal are readying a ‘serious offer’ as they attempt to sign Athletic Club Bilbao forward Nico Williams, whom is believed to be Arteta’s dream target.
The Gunners have a long-standing interest in Williams; alongside Barcelona, they were chasing his signature last season, but the 22-year-old decided to stay at Athletic, aiming to help les Leons win the Europa League at their home stadium San Mamés, on course to achieve this, preparing to face Manchester United in the semi-finals.
Now, Marca are reporting that Barça’s interest in Williams has cooled, partially as a result of their ongoing financial concerns, but also due to the fact that Raphinha has been on fire this season, scoring 28 goals and registering 22 assists across all competitions.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Thus, Aditya Gokhale of Goal believes this leaves Arsenal as the front-runners to sign Williams come the summer, with analyst Ben Mattinson describing him as “one of the best wingers on the market”, while Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout labels him “brilliant”.
Athletic Bilbao'sNicoWilliamscelebrates scoring their third goal
Pol Ballús of The Athletic documents that Williams’ release clause is just €55m (around £47m), which he claims to be a ‘bargain’ although, according to Capology, the winger earns around £171k-per-week, so would therefore become one of Arsenal’s highest-earners, should he choose to swap the Basque Country for North London.
How Nico Williams would improve Arsenal
Arteta has previously stated that he wants to add “more firepower” to his forward line, and these statistics underline why.
The Gunners have scored one goal or fewer on 22 occasions this season, doing so in 50% of their 32 league fixtures to date, with the table below showing how this compares to previous campaigns.
2024/25*
57
1.78
2nd
2020/21
55
1.45
8th
2019/20
56
1.47
8th
1998/99
59
1.55
2nd
1995/96
49
1.29
5th
1994/95
52
1.23
12th
1993/94
53
1.26
4th
1992/93
40
0.95
10th
1989/90
54
14.2
4th
*season ongoing: 6 fixtures remaining
As outlined in the table, since 1988, Arsenal have only failed to score 60+ goals in a league season on eight occasions, primarily enduring miserable mid-table campaigns whenever they do, requiring three goals from their remaining six fixtures this season to avoid adding to this tally.
This is also quite the comedown, considering the Gunners scored 91 goals last season, their most in a single campaign since 1953.
Despite netting at the Bernabéu this week, Gabriel Martinelli is often widely criticised, with this only his eighth goal of the season so far.
Given that Martinelli is first-choice on the left-wing, it is his place Williams would be looking to take in the team, so let’s assess how the duo compare.
Appearances
42
43
Minutes
2,946
2,905
Goals
11
8
Assists
7
6
Shots on target %
42.2%
45.2%
Shot-creating actions
166
85
Goal-creating actions
20
7
Attempted take-ons
264
137
Take-on success %
40.2%
33.6%
Progressive carries
177
141
Ball recoveries
127
95
Duels Contested
471
306
Touches per 90
41
34
Remarkably, as outlined in the table, Williams and Martinelli have played almost a near-identical number of minutes this season to date, there are just 41 between them, which is useful when it comes to comparing the duo.
The table suggests that Williams would be an upgrade on the Brazilian, considering that he’s scored more goals and registered more assists this season, while he is also a more proficient dribbler, and is more dangerous in front of goal.
So, if the Gunners are finally going to end their 22-year wait for a Premier League title next season, the Spanish Euros winner would be an excellent addition.
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The simply sensational talent could be a game-changer for Arsenal.
Everton are edging closer to mathematically securing their place in the Premier League for next campaign, but could be set to lose one of their most influential stars heading into 2025/26.
Everton close to retaining Premier League status despite striker shortage
Following a narrow derby defeat way to Liverpool in midweek, Everton claimed an impressive point at home to Arsenal in a 1-1 draw on Saturday that has taken their tally to 35 points for the Premier League season.
David Moyes has led his side to a run of only two losses in 11 top-flight fixtures since his return to Goodison Park, which has put his side well clear of the drop zone, even if they aren’t yet mathematically safe.
Everton manager David Moyes andBetoafter the match
Considering Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s injury status, the Scot needs to be commended for the way he has handled the Toffees’ striking situation. Beto has come into a run of 5 goals in 9 top-flight starts despite only being an occasional substitute under Sean Dyche.
Armando Broja and Youssef Chermiti have returned from their own knocks to supplement Everton’s attacking options. However, you get the impression there will be changes through the middle once the window opens for business.
Out wide, Liverpool’s Ben Doak has been cited as a controversial target for the Blues if they can afford his £30 million transfer fee. Convincing him to cross the divide would also be a fascinating prospect.
Moyes must brutally drop Harrison & unleash Everton's "dynamite" talent
Everton host Arsenal in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.
ByAngus Sinclair Apr 5, 2025
Either way, new blood arriving at Bramley-Moore Dock could also signal the end for some of the old guard, paving the way for a different approach in attack.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin could make surprise Tottenham Hotspur switch
According to reports in Spain, Everton striker Calvert-Lewin is being lined up by Tottenham Hotspur this summer, and Ange Postecoglou’s side have already made moves to secure the Three Lions international’s services.
His impending exit is now deemed closer than ever, which would come as a bittersweet development for supporters. His presence has been a constant for the Toffees over recent years, though his injury record and £100,000-per-week pay packet are factors that possibly soften the blow of losing the former Sheffield United man.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s record at Everton
Appearances
269
Goals
71
Assists
20
Labelled “excellent” by former boss Dyche, Calvert-Lewin has notched three strikes and two assists in 22 top-flight appearances this term, but it has become clear the forward is unwilling to sign a new contract on Merseyside despite several efforts to arrange an extension.
Should he depart for Tottenham, it would be intriguing to see the reception he would prospectively receive in future matches. Nevertheless, there is a feeling among the Everton support that it is time to shake hands and move on before next campaign.
Strasbourg striker Emanuel Emegha is on their radar to strengthen up top, lending credence to the fact that the Toffees may have already drafted up a list of replacements ahead of the window.
The post-Broad and Anderson world gets real at The Oval this week, as a raw attack tries to close out the series
Vithushan Ehantharajah30-Jul-20252:41
Harmison: ‘There will be lot of bounce on this surface’
Wednesday was James Anderson’s 43rd birthday. Thursday, day one of the fifth Test against India, will be two years since Stuart Broad’s last day of Test cricket. And, over the next five days, England will take their most significant steps yet into that post-Anderson-Broad world.This will be the 17th match without either, but the first home series decider since that Broad farewell. England’s new-look, four-pronged, right-arm seam attack has been picked to deliver victory on a pitch with extra live grass but, with five days of low cloud forecast as well, there will be plenty opportunity for this attack to be judged by the standards of those bygone legends.What wistfulness there remains for England’s most prolific seamers – 1308 dismissals between them – is mitigated by Anderson’s ongoing summer with Lancashire and Broad’s musings on . The game has moved on. The country, too. But a necessary shuffling of England’s deck after a gruelling fourth Test has brought the ongoing job of replacing them on the field into focus.Related
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Jofra Archer (two Tests) and Brydon Carse (four) are having to rest because of their workloads. This highlights both this series’ condensed schedule and the durability of Anderson and Broad. It is a quality often lost amid the talk of their longevity.Anderson played all five matches in nine different series. Broad did the same in ten. Chris Woakes will do so for the first time this week at the age of 36.Woakes, however, is something of an anomaly. He’s the renaissance man of this attack, a player who wrote his worth in the shadows of Anderson and Broad for 11 years before being tasked with leading the attack out of it.May this be his last stop in the shepherding role? It is not beyond the realms of possibility that this will be Woakes’ 62nd and final cap, with an Ashes tour of Australia to follow. Arguably his biggest task has now arrived; he will need to dig even deeper after 167 overs across four Tests, and guide Josh Tongue, Gus Atkinson and Jamie Overton through to the other side. Starting with a first series victory over India since 2018.It has been a peculiar three weeks for that trio. Tongue was left out for Archer after two Tests. At the time, he was the leading wicket-taker in the series with 11 at 33.63.James Anderson and Stuart Broad inspect the ball during their final Test together in 2023•AFP/Getty ImagesAtkinson, added to the squad from the third Test, was not selected at either Lord’s or Old Trafford, and subsequently released to Surrey, who passed him on to their second team. Neither country nor county were willing to risk him this early, despite the fact he had been passed fully fit from a hamstring injury sustained during the one-off Test against Zimbabwe.Much like England, Surrey were also wary of adding too much risk to their attack against Yorkshire, given they were already playing Overton. In that instance, country and county had been in sync, an agreement from Surrey with England that Overton would get game-time having not been needed for the first two games.In a series of immense toil, both are fresh, while Tongue’s 81 overs constitute just 11% of the mammoth 691.2 overs that England’s quicks have sent down in the course of four Tests. And even Tongue has had a month off, barring 22 overs for Nottinghamshire last week.Their jobs, however, will be harder than those they are replacing, given Ben Stokes’ absence. England’s captain, the standout bowler of the series, was still wrestling with the decision not to play as early as the start of the team’s training session on Tuesday morning.Stokes’ grade three shoulder tear had ruled him out from bowling, but he was still on course to play as a batter until further medical advice and guidance from head coach Brendon McCullum ushered him towards a sensible decision. Even then, his biggest deliberation was the exact make-up of the seam attack that will attempt to make up the difference.”You go through so many different scenarios with potentials of the game,” Stokes said. “Turning up here and seeing the wicket, a lot greener and bit more live grass than the other wickets, we probably would have gone down the route of four seamers even if I played and couldn’t bowl.”The very fact that Tongue, Atkinson and Overton have been entrusted to punch this last ticket will give them some encouragement. As usual, when Ollie Pope deputises, Stokes will oversee everything off the field. But his faith in this trio, all of whom were handed debuts on his watch, will only go so far.It is worth stepping back and appreciating just how tricky it has been to navigate the land since Anderson’s and Broad’s retirements. Men’s managing director Rob Key was the key driver in assembling an array of quicks that could not just soften the blow from moving on from two legends, but ensure that England would never have to ask too much from their new batch. That aim, however, has proved nigh on impossible to deliver.Gus Atkinson will be part of England’s fast-bowling attack at the Oval•Getty ImagesInjuries to the likes of Mark Wood and Olly Stone – and Atkinson, for a bit – shallowed the pool. Others, like Matthew Potts, Sam Cook (who debuted against Zimbabwe) and Dillon Pennington (unused despite being part of the squad at the start of last season) are not trusted enough to be considered. Saqib Mahmood and Matt Fisher – ironically, the two drafted in for 2022’s tour of the West Indies when England tried to force Anderson and Broad out – are now further adrift.Then there are those given recognition, but nothing more for now. Josh Hull, handed a surprise debut in this corresponding fixture last summer, has showed signs of progression for Leicestershire without looking like being in contention any time soon. It remains too early for the young Hampshire duo of Sonny Baker and Eddie Jack, even if both have been pushed – the former handed a development contract after the Lions tour to Australia at the start of the year, the latter training with England ahead of the first Test after impressing for the England Lions. Even someone like 29-year-old Luke Wood, Lancashire’s left-arm quick, has been part of conversations without anything tangible, having piqued McCullum’s interest upon a return to the T20Is against West Indies.For now, it all rests on a trio coming in to the cauldron cold. Their experiences at international level will offer them a crutch – Atkinson’s record-breaking 2024, Tongue’s impressive start in 2023’s Ashes, and the management’s clear regard for Overton as a multi-format cricketer.But this is all very different. And by proxy, a chance to take more meaningful steps into the unknown.
At one point it looked like the England seamer may never stop running
Vithushan Ehantharajah17-Jun-2023There was a moment when it looked like Stuart Broad may never stop running.His follow-through had taken him away to point and around the back of the slip cordon, which had dispersed to chase Broad like the tail of a fireball. And though you knew he wouldn’t, you couldn’t rule out him continuing into the Hollies and draining a celebratory pint with all of the Baywatch lifeguards, Fred Flintstones and cast of Mario Kart. Had he done so, he was only getting back onto the field by bringing all of them with him. He was theirs, they were his. In that moment – all Stuart Broad, aren’t we?The great Ashes conductor, Enemy of the Strayans, One Meme Army himself, had just turned Edgbaston and this Test match inside out with two wickets in two deliveries. The Australia first innings cracked open from 29 for none to 29 for 2. A day of huge importance – aren’t they all when you care too much? – skewed England’s way in an instant.To go by the reaction of Broad, his team-mates and everyone in the ground on Saturday – including crestfallen Australians – you’d think this was the first time anyone had taken two-in-two. Broad himself has done that 13 times, but what tipped this one-two into legendary status beyond the state of the match – and perhaps ahead of his two Test hat-tricks – was the status of the two victims.Related
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History weighed heavy on the first. Ben Stokes admitted ahead of the match Broad’s selection had a lot to do with David Warner’s presence at the top of the order. It is why even Australia saw day one’s late declaration coming. England’s mantra of giving the fans what they want had provided 393 runs. But Stokes was all too aware of the main attraction this summer and pulled the warm-up act after 78 overs.Warner played the evening out soundly. Two crisp shots to the cover boundary in both Broad’s Friday night overs punctured the mood. With a new crowd in situ this morning, the anticipation ramped up again.A couple of maidens between the two went by with little of note. Then, at the start of the 11th over, Warner decided to have a go. Out came another drive, squarer than he’d have liked, but the width was there for it. But with balance all off – front foot tentative, back leg buckling – all he could do was bottom edge onto his own stumps.He stumbled into the off side, gathering his feet as Broad set off with a celebration that spoke of expectation rather than excitement, like someone who had finally called “tails” correctly on a series of coin tosses.David Warner walks off after being dismissed by Stuart Broad again•Getty ImagesBroad’s success over the left-hander feels a lot like probability. This was dismissal number 15, a ninth in 11 innings, third at this ground in three, and certainly not the last to come.Things had not always been one-sided. Warner averaged 64.80 against Broad prior to a recalculation from the Englishman before 2019. “Ultimately, the biggest praise I can give Davey is the fact I had to completely study him and change my style of bowling because of the success he had against me,” said Broad a few weeks ago.A month earlier, the 36-year-old was in a similarly analytical mood. Perched on the member’s benches on the second tier of the Lord’s Pavilion, as day three of Nottinghamshire’s County Championship match with Middlesex was coming to an end, he revealed a couple of technical tweaks.With the help of Notts bowling coach Kevin Shine, his action was starting to smooth out, losing the jerkiness that had developed after years of subsisting on the wobble seam delivery. By holding his hands higher, he was creating greater fluidity from gather to delivery, which in turn allowed him to workshop this new delivery called an “outswinger”. Its purpose? To rattle Australia’s brightest and best, specifically Steve Smith and the No. 1-ranked Test batter in the world, Marnus Labuschagne.”I think dragging them across with away swing is important,” explained Broad, like a TikToker claiming getting to McDonald’s for 10:29am so you can order hashbrowns with your Big Mac is some kind of life hack.We laughed, and rightly so. Even in his sincerity, there was a whiff of proto-Warne in talking up a new variation even better than the last. But an outswinger? That thing people have been bowling since they started doing it overarm? Come on, now, Stuart. But hey – who are we to tell you? Broad is the best talker in the game. So talk on.You wonder how many in the stands remembered those words when Labuschagne walked out. So many have been spoken in the lead-up to this series that it felt like Ashes content was folding in on itself like a dying star. This, though – Warner gone, Broad at it, crowd wild, Labuschagne facing – is what really matters.Labuschagne went through his usual routines, adding the removal of a police officer from his eyeline before facing up.Did Labuschagne know what was coming? Almost certainly. The 28-year-old is a voracious consumer of the game, to the extent he has had lost the habit of sending articles and stats to team-mates who are not. If you didn’t know that before, you certainly did when he triggered across to off stump to get a better gauge on what to play and what to leave.Then there was the leg gully and leg slip for the delivery coming into him, which given who was bowling puts the odds in favour of a bluff. Cover was free, too, which for a 38-cap No. 4 who averages 56.73, means don’t drive the balls they want you to drive. Like, ummmm, an early outswinger.Yet, the compulsion to feel forward, the desire to get bat on ball, the subconscious pull to contribute to the narrative, the gravitational chicanery of Broad was too great to resist. Down came the outswinger, just as prophesied. Out went Labuschagne – via a stunning one-handed catch from Jonny Bairstow – just as prophesied, for a first golden duck in Test cricket.And off went Broad – away past point, around the back of the slip cordon, right through the Hollies beyond the Baywatch lifeguards, Fred Flintstones and cast of Mario Kart, and even deeper into Ashes folklore.
In the absence of allrounders Stokes and Curran, England find themselves with two different tactical visions to win T20s
Matt Roller22-Oct-20213:39
Talking tactics – Should Dawid Malan start for England?
When England have been at full strength in T20 internationals over the last five years, they have found it easy to balance their side. They have picked four frontline bowlers from No. 8-11, most of whom are capable with the bat, and then relied on Ben Stokes and one of Moeen Ali or Sam Curran to split four overs between them, sharing the workload of the ‘fifth’ bowler.In this T20 World Cup, they do not have that option available to them. Stokes has only recently resumed low-level training after a prolonged break from the game, focusing on his mental health and recovering from a broken finger, while Curran’s absence through injury is a significant blow: while his T20I career is still nascent, he is perhaps the closest thing England have to a genuine allrounder in the format as a six-hitter at the death and a versatile bowling option.Related
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The result is that England will have to shape their side differently, opting for either a batting-heavy or bowling-heavy approach. Their choice heading into their first match of the tournament against the West Indies on Saturday – a repeat of the 2016 final – is not so much between like-for-like players, but for two different tactical visions as to how best to win 20-over games.There is an idea in football that the majority of teams have to deal with a ‘short blanket’ when trying to find a balance between attacking and defending: “If you cover your head, you have your feet cold; but if you cover your feet, you have your head cold,” Rafa Benitez, the former Liverpool manager, once explained. The same is true in T20 cricket, with No. 7s in particular: picking a batting allrounder leaves your attack vulnerable; picking a bowling allrounder can leave you short on batting depth.For England, their balance rests on one question: can they trust the combination of Liam Livingstone and Moeen’s spin as their ‘fifth’ bowler, alongside Adil Rashid and three seamers? That option, the batting-heavy one, would place immense faith in two bowlers who have effectively been used as part-timers in the last year – Livingstone has bowled 10 overs in six games since his recall earlier this year, while Moeen has bowled 13.5 in his 10 T20Is since the start of last summer.ESPNcricinfo LtdJofra Archer’s absence through injury is relevant here too: a batting-heavy side would leave them relying on their seamers to bowl both in the powerplay and at the death, but most of their seamers in this squad have a focus on particular phases of the game rather than across an innings: Chris Woakes and David Willey are new-ball specialists, Mark Wood is best used as an enforcer through the middle, while Chris Jordan, Tymal Mills and Tom Curran are strongest at the death. Ideally, they would bowl in their strongest phase rather than cover gaps elsewhere.The alternative – which seems the likely option at this stage – is to drop one of their batters and include a fourth frontline seamer, which would give England significantly more flexibility with the ball but slightly compromise their batting depth. There would be challenges if England lost early wickets and Eoin Morgan’s form means that it is a bold move to include him as one of six batters, but with dew likely to play a major role in floodlit games, the prospect of having to bowl eight overs of spin with a wet ball in a run chase is too risky – not least with Rashid’s legspin matching up poorly against a West Indies side featuring several left-handers.The question, then, is which batter makes way, with Dawid Malan’s place under pressure once again. Malan has a remarkable overall record across his T20I career, averaging 43.19 with a strike rate of 139.33, but his proclivity to play himself in – he tends to reach 10 off 10 balls – before looking to accelerate appears ill-suited to conditions in the UAE, while there are doubts about his ability to play top-quality spin after a relatively lean year in this format.Malan may well have dominated a World Cup held in Australia – as the 2020 edition was due to be before its postponement – due to his strengths against fast bowling and his ability to hit spin through the line on true pitches, but innings of 18 off 18 and 11 off 15 in England’s two warm-up games highlight the concern about his role here on slower surfaces. In the UAE leg of IPL 2021, 74% of games were won by the team scoring more runs in the first six overs, emphasising the importance of fast starts; in his T20I career, Malan strikes at just 111.97 in the powerplay.A batting-heavy side would leave England relying on their seamers to bowl both in the powerplay and at the death•Aijaz Rahi/Associated PressInstead, England may end up with a relatively flexible batting line-up of Jonny Bairstow, Moeen, Livingstone and Morgan coming in behind Jason Roy and Jos Buttler, with entry points more important than order. Bairstow, for example, might come in at No. 3 if they were to lose a wicket inside the first over given his experience against the new ball, while Moeen would shuffle above him towards the end of the powerplay to utilise his ability against spin. Morgan has left open the unlikely possibility of dropping himself at some stage while Moeen and Livingstone are not totally guaranteed of their places – but if it would be bold to drop Malan, it would be bolder still to leave out one of two men in career-best six-hitting form.Leaving out the man at No. 1 in the ICC’s T20I batting rankings is a luxury that few teams could afford but England’s batting is strong enough that it is starting to look like the logical remedy to their selection headache. When José Mourinho, Chelsea’s manager at the time, brought the blanket analogy to English football, he concluded: “But the blanket I have is made of cashmere, so it’s good.” England will feel much the same, even if it means their heads are sticking out.
This is not news, but the NFL runs sports, runs the country and runs most of our lives. Sundays are sacred and all the numbers prove this.
According to Sports Media Watch, NFL game windows averaged 20.5 million viewers through the first three weeks of the season, up 10% from last year.
The NFL also knows how to market itself better than any company in existence. On the flip side, Major League Baseball is absolutely horrific at marketing itself.
So, allow me to help MLB with a marketing issue. The final day of the regular season needs to be pushed to Monday in order to get away from going head-to-head with the NFL.
Baseball is smart in having every game on the final day of the season begin at 3 p.m, ET. The sport should keep that concept. Move the final day of the regular season to Monday, having every game begin at 4 p.m. ET, leading into , to create a mega sports day.
The shortsighted take against this change is that people have to work on Mondays.
First off, it’s much easier to compete with someone’s job than the NFL. Secondly, in this day and age of streaming, everybody can watch games on their phones, computer, tablets, etc. Being at work isn’t the hindrance it once was.
Get a bunch of games on that Monday on as many national outlets as possible.
Using this year as a guide, here’s how the final day of the season would look next season if I was in charge of baseball’s TV situation.
Mets vs. Marlins would air on Fox.
Reds. Vs. Brewers would air on NBC.
Rays vs. Blue Jays would air on ESPN.
Orioles vs. Yankees would air on MLB Network.
Tigers vs. Red Sox would air on ESPN2.
Rangers vs. Guardians would air on Peacock.
Those were the games that had the most on the line this past Sunday. Think about the juice and buzz baseball would’ve had if those four games aired Monday at 4 p.m. with all them being available across the networks, leading into a doubleheader.
Instead, baseball played these games at the worst possible time on Sunday—right in the middle of the NFL day. To make matters worse, the games began during the "Witching Hour," as Mike Francesa coined the 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. window, when the 1 p.m. games go haywire.
I can assure you that most people who were watching the ending of Chargers-Giants or Eagles-Bucs weren’t thinking about baseball’s final day of the season at 3 p.m. on Sunday.
Move the finale to late Monday afternoon, leave Tuesday open in case you have to play some tie-breaker games and begin the playoffs on Wednesday. Play the best-of-3 wild card on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Give teams Saturday and Sunday off. Begin the Division Series on Monday. It’s a no-brainer.
Fast bowler hails decisions on and off the field as England emerge on top on rollercoaster first day
Andrew Miller21-Nov-2025
AFP/Getty Images
Brydon Carse heaped praise on England’s captain, Ben Stokes, for his leadership on and off the field, after a barnstorming fightback with the ball on the opening day of the 2025-26 Ashes.Carse claimed the key wickets of Steven Smith and Usman Khawaja, before Stokes ripped through the lower-middle order with figures of 5 for 45 in ten overs, as England fought back from being bowled out for 172 by reducing Australia to 123 for 9 at the close, a deficit of 49.It meant that 19 wickets had fallen, the most ever on the opening day of an Ashes series, as the action lived up to every ounce of the pre-series hype.Carse, however, praised his captain for confronting the emotions of the series head-on, both in encouraging the team to walk to the venue at the start of the day’s play, and in inspiring their fightback with his calm response to their batting display.”Stokesy came up with that idea last night,” Carse said of the team’s arrival, through a sea of fans with 51,531 spectators attending the opening day. “It was obviously what we decided to do. And luckily, we came in at about 8.30am, because I think if we were about a half an hour later, we might have got a bit more stick from some of the Aussie fans. It was electric … the energy throughout the day was awesome.”Once inside the Optus Stadium, England won the toss and choose to bat first, only to lose Zak Crawley for a duck to set the tone for Mitchell Starc’s magnificent seven-wicket display. But despite being rolled aside in just 32.5 overs – the second-shortest Ashes innings, behind Australia’s 60 all out at Trent Bridge in 2015 – Stokes gathered his team at the innings change-over and set in motion their change of fortune.”Stokesy kept it really simple,” Carse said. “We had 45-50 minutes before tea, and he said to the lads with the ball, just give everything. The way Gus Atkinson and Jofra [Archer] started was phenomenal. And then after tea, that messaging was pretty similar, just do it over a longer period of time.Related
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“While the ball was still new, there was a lot of pace and bounce in it. And, we said as a group of bowlers, it was just about hitting the wicket as hard as we could.”The close-of-play scoreline vindicated England’s decision to field a five-man pace attack, which allowed Archer and Mark Wood – their fastest bowlers – to be used in short, sharp bursts that denied Australia a chance to settle at any stage of their reply. With Josh Tongue and Matthew Potts still waiting in the wings, Carse was confident that England could keep their pace levels high throughout the campaign.”I haven’t played in a lot of attacks where we’ve had five seamers, but everyone does complement each other,” Carse said. “I’ve said before that the group is six, seven seamers, and we’ve all got different attributes. Hopefully that stands us in good stead throughout the series.”Stokes, however, remains utterly fundamental to England’s hopes of winning an Ashes series in Australia for the first time since 2010-11. Having hinted at his readiness with six wickets in a low-key warm-up against England Lions last week, he showcased his golden arm with the vital wickets of Travis Head and Cameron Green, then picked off Alex Carey, too, on the way to his sixth five-wicket haul and second in Australia.”His character and enthusiasm around the group, and the way it goes about his business is phenomenal,” Carse said. “Everyone looks up to him. He’s a great leader to have in our team.”He’s been out here for the last two-and-a-half weeks, and as Ducky [Ben Duckett] said a couple of weeks ago, he’s in beast mode at the moment. Hopefully that pays off throughout the series for him.”Stokes is back in Australia for his third Ashes tour, having debuted on the 2013-14 tour, 12 years ago. Carse, however, was sampling the occasion for the very first time, and admitted the atmosphere had been a step up from his previous experience in England colours.”I felt nervous, excited … obviously almost going into a bit of the unknown, but just trying to soak it all up throughout the day. It’s been a phenomenal day. We’ll go back to the hotel and we’ll have a quiet night.”The stage is set for another high-octane day on Saturday, and Carse admitted that – despite the shortcomings of their batting first-time around – their run-rate of 5.23 had demonstrated that batting could get easier once the first-day nerves and some of the pitch’s early life have gone.”The first thing tomorrow is obviously to knock over this last wicket,” he said. “Then, we’ve seen some of the guys that have got starts and some runs today, the way that they went about it was obviously taking the positive option.”I even thought Alex Carey, towards the end, was quite proactive and positive, and it put us under a bit of pressure. So going into the second innings, I think our batters will know what sort of gameplan they are going to use.”