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Baseball history was made last night in Atlanta when the National League triumphed over the American League by winning a completely made-up swing-off competition to decide the All Star Game. Few will ever forget where they were when the venerable sport entered into this uncharted territory. For many of the people who were at Truist Park at the beginning of Tuesday night, they will say that they were nowhere near the excitement of Kyle Schwarber going 3-for-3 and a random coach being thrust into the spotlight to throw batting practice.

A photo taken in the bottom of the eighth inning shows just how much leg room fans seated behind home plate in the really good seats had due to others taking off early.

Now, this is the exact type of catnip that's going to fly around social media and inspire so many strong opinions about what it means or does not mean. It might be taking the bait to take a side here but with a deep breath, it does feel like this type of look can easily be explained and doesn't exactly mean all that much about the game's health.

First off, the picture was taken after 11 p.m. ET on a Tuesday night. It would be almost midnight by the time everything was decided. That's pretty late to stick around for what is, at the end of the day, an exhibition game. And most importantly, those seats right behind the dish don't exactly get packed with the most ardent diehards at events like these. It's perfectly reasonable to understand how a lot of people in town for all the All-Star festivities who don't love baseball decided to bounce slightly before the third day of activity wrapped up.

Again, that doesn't mean the most passionate baseball fans don't have a right to be a bit bummed out by this. In a perfect world the game's deciding moments would happen in front of engaged and actively-there human beings.

One easy fix would be to improve the pace of play. The All-Star Game featured multiple stoppages for legitimately cool moments like standing ovations for Clayton Kershaw and Freddie Freeman. Plus an awesome tribute to Hank Aaron and the moving Stand Up to Cancer stoppage. Throw in more pitching changes than are typical and, boom, all of that work baseball did to speed things up goes out the window.

Just spitballing but an easy fix would be to begin the pregame hoopla at 7:30 p.m. ET so first pitch can happen some time actually around 8. If Major League Baseball can create something like the Swing-Off, surely they can work to improve attentive attendance for its midsummer showcase.

Don’t say it too loudly, but things might be turning around for West Ham United.

Nuno Espírito Santo made changes to his team ahead of the Newcastle United game at the weekend, and lo and behold, came away with all three points.

Moreover, it wasn’t a smash-and-grab; the East Londoners actually played well, with one player in particular doing spectacularly.

In fact, with the proper support around him, that starter could become a leading figure for West Ham and their biggest star since Mohammed Kudus.

Why West Ham were right to sell Kudus

Now, it should be noted that one significant issue with selling Kudus in the summer was that he went to Tottenham Hotspur.

Chalkboard

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

However, while doing business with rivals is never ideal, deciding to move the former Ajax star on for £55m was still the correct decision from the club.

After all, while he had a stellar first season in Claret and Blue, he was anonymous at best last year.

For example, in 35 appearances across all competitions last season, totalling 2721 minutes, the Accra-dud mustered up a dismal return of five goals and four assists.

In other words, he managed a dire average of a goal involvement every 3.88 games, or one every 302.33 minutes.

Appearances

36

35

Minutes

3148

2721′

Goals

14

5

Assists

10

4

Goal Involvements per Match

0.66

0.25

Minutes per Goal Involvement

131.16′

302.33′

For comparison’s sake, Jarrod Bowen scored 14 goals and provided ten assists in 36 games, totalling 3148 minutes.

That comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.5 games, or every 131.16 minutes.

Therefore, while he was capable of some magic moments, Kudus was not consistent enough to justify his place in the team, especially not when someone offers over £50m for him.

Anyway, in addition to Bowe, West Ham appear to have another superstar in the making on their hands this season.

West Ham's future star

It would be fair to say that, at the moment, West Ham’s biggest star is Bowen, but over the coming years, that title could shift to Freddie Potts.

Now, it is still so early on in the midfielder’s Hammers career, but there is a real sense around the fanbase that he could be something special.

Moreover, although he has just one competitive start for the club, he has plenty of experience with other sides, having made 38 appearances for Portsmouth and 43 for Wycombe Wanderers.

However, while his experiences in the Championship and League One help bolster his CV, it was really his performance against Newcastle that has excited the Hammers faithful.

It was a game in which the academy graduate put in a quintessential all-action midfield display.

Minutes

90′

Key Passes

2

Crosses

2

Passes

33/39

Touches

57

Tackles (Won)

3 (2)

Interceptions

1

Clearances

6

Recoveries

1

Ground Duels (Won)

4 (3)

From helping break down attacks to kickstarting them himself, the Englishman was near enough faultless in the middle of the park and totally vindicated the fans who have been calling for him to start for some time.

He would even have got himself a goal if he had worn one size smaller boots.

After the match, one analyst described the Barking-born star as possessing a “similar aura to Rice when he first came through” and as being blessed with a “supreme confidence” on and off the ball.

It certainly sounds like hyperbole, but it’s rather difficult to argue against such statements.

Ultimately, it’s still early in Potts’ career, but as things stand, he looks like he could become West Ham’s biggest star since Kudus.

West Ham 'sound out' £30m striker with Fullkrug 'determined' to leave in January

The Irons are making plans to replace him.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 6, 2025

Kumar Sangakkara will perform the dual role of head coach and director of cricket at Rajasthan Royals (RR) in IPL 2026, with Vikram Rathour, batting coach last season, elevated to assistant coach.As reported by ESPNcricinfo in September, in Sangakkara’s case, the change in designation is a formality, even as Rahul Dravid, who was head coach during IPL 2025, and the franchise, parted ways in August.Sangakkara had previously served as the team’s head coach from 2021 to 2024, “a period that marked a clear rise in the team’s performance and consistency,” an RR statement said. While Sangakkara was in charge, RR reached the IPL final in 2022 and made the playoffs in IPL 2024.Related

• Royals boss Badale: Samson was 'drained of emotional capital'

• IPL 2026: How the squads stack up ahead of the auction

“We are delighted to have Kumar return as head coach,” Manoj Badale, the franchise’s lead owner, said. “As we looked at what the team needed at this stage, we felt that his familiarity within the squad, his leadership and his deep understanding of the Royals culture would bring the right balance of continuity and stability.”Kumar has always had our complete trust as a leader. His clarity, calmness and cricketing intelligence will play an important role in guiding the squad into this next phase.”Along with Rathour’s promotion, the franchise also announced that Shane Bond would continue as the bowling coach, while Trevor Penney and Sid Lahiri will remain assistant coach and performance coach respectively.

“I’m honoured to return as head coach and continue working with this talented group,” Sangakkara said. “I’m also pleased to have a strong coaching team alongside me. Vikram, Trevor, Shane and Sid each bring valuable experience in their areas, and together we are focused on preparing the players in the best possible way.”We have a clear understanding of where we want to go as a group, and our aim is to build a team that plays with clarity, resilience, and purpose.”The team management group will, however, have a new captain to work with after RR released Sanju Samson in a trade deal with Chennai Super Kings, where they acquired Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran, ahead of the next auction.They have also released or traded out Nitish Rana, Akash Madhwal, Ashok Sharma, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Kumar Kartikeya, Kunal Singh Rathore, Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga. And, along with Jadeja and Curran, have also traded in Donovan Ferreira from Delhi Capitals.At the upcoming auction, they will have a purse of INR 16.05 crore and have nine slots, including one overseas, to fill.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl has confirmed that winger Oliver Antman is expected to be out of action for around eight weeks after he suffered a muscle injury in recent days.

The Finland international, signed from Go Ahead Eagles in the summer, started on the right wing against Falkirk on Sunday, and is now set to be out until 2026.

Antman is not the only Rangers player who will be unavailable during the festive period, though, as a couple of players are set to go to the African Cup of Nations with their respective countries.

Rohl is expecting Nasser Djiga and Mohamed Diomande to be unavailable whilst they play in the tournament, which means that there will be several positions that will need to be filled in the coming games.

With these absences, on top of the likes of Mikey Moore, Derek Cornelius, and John Souttar being out with injuries, some of the lesser-seen members of the squad may need to step up.

As unpopular as it may be, Kieran Dowell is one of the players who could step up and benefit from the lack of options available to the manager before the January window opens.

Why Danny Rohl should give Kieran Dowell a chance

After being subbed on in a 1-1 draw with Dundee under Russell Martin, a section of the Gers support, but not all of them, booed the English attacking midfielder’s introduction to the game.

Commenting on the incident, Martin said: “That surprised me. I’m not on any social media or anything like that, so I don’t really know what the narrative is around Kieran. I don’t think it helps him, I don’t think it helps the rest of the guys. That’s how I feel about it really.”

Dowell has not played a league match since that draw with Dundee in August, due to injury, but he recently played for the club’s U19s alongside Dujon Sterling and Clinton Nsiala as he looks to return to full fitness.

Given the reaction to his last league outing for Rangers, playing the left-footed midfielder may not go down as a popular decision with some fans, but the Gers look set to be in a position where it could be needs-must with the players due to be unavailable.

Appearances

19

Goals

5

Big chances created

9

Key passes per game

1.5

Assists

4

It is also worth remembering that Dowell, as shown in the table above, shone out on loan at Birmingham City in League One in the second half of the 2024/25 campaign, which shows that he is capable of being productive in the right environment.

Unfortunately, as evidenced by a return of two goals and three assists in 38 appearances for the club, the Englishman has not found that environment at Ibrox yet.

Since joining on a free transfer from Norwich City in 2023, the 28-year-old flop has not established himself as a key player for the Light Blues, but the injury and international call-up situation could provide him with an opportunity to finally do so under Rohl.

Chalkboard

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

One of the other reasons why Dowell could end up with a chance to revive his Gers career is that Thelo Aasgaard currently looks like an even worse signing for the Scottish giants.

Why Aasgaard makes Dowell look good for Rangers

The Gers did not have to pay a transfer fee to bring the former Everton and Norwich star to Ibrox in 2023, as his contract at Carrow Road expired, but that was not the case with Aasgaard.

Rangers reportedly splashed out a fee of £3.5m to sign the Norway international from Luton Town in the recent summer transfer window, which shows that the club had to spend significantly more money to bring him in than they did with Dowell.

Unfortunately, the Liverpool-born playmaker has not shown enough on the pitch to suggest that he was worth paying £3.5m for, as he has made Dowell look like a good player by comparison.

Aasgaard has as many red cards (one) as goals (one) for Rangers in all competitions so far this season, per Transfermarkt, with one goal and one assist in 21 appearances for Rangers.

Heart & Hand content creator David Edgar recently posted that he “would gladly never see him again”, referring to Aasgaard, and described him as a “passenger” at the end of November.

It is, unfortunately, hard to argue with the harsh criticism of the Norwegian attacking midfielder, because his performances at Scottish Premiership level make him look even less effective than Dowell.

Appearances

26

11

Starts

8

8

Goals

2

1

Key passes

20

9

Big chances created

4

0

Assists

2

1

As you can see in the table above, Aasgaard has already started as many games in the Premiership as the former Norwich man, yet has created 11 fewer chances and has yet to create a single ‘big chance’.

Dowell’s Rangers career has not been good enough to this point, as evidenced by his aforementioned goal contributions, but he also arrived on a free transfer and his creative output looks good in comparison to the club’s £3.5m signing.

That is not to say that the left-footed star should be considered a good signing or that he is the answer to Rohl’s current problems at the top end of the pitch, but it does suggest that those who jeered his introduction against Dundee earlier this season were too harsh on him.

As well as highlighting that maybe Dowell was not as bad a signing as has been made out, this also highlights how underwhelming Aasgaard has been for a player who was signed for £3.5m.

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ByDan Emery Dec 2, 2025

The caveat, of course, is that the Norway international only joined in the summer and still has plenty of time left ahead of him to turn things around and prove people wrong, but the signs so far have not been encouraging.

Richarlison took his tally for the season to seven goals in all competitions, per Sofascore, as Tottenham Hotspur beat Brentford 2-0 in the Premier League on Saturday.

The Brazil international converted from close range after Xavi Simons, who scored the second goal in the match, put it on a plate for the striker with a ball across the box.

Despite a return of six goals and two assists in nine starts in the Premier League for Richarlison, though, the Lilywhites are reportedly looking to add a new striker to their squad in the January transfer window.

Spurs have been linked with an interest in former Brentford striker Ivan Toney, who worked with Thomas Frank at the Gtech, but he is not the only attacker on their radar.

Spurs have strong interest in Spanish striker

The Europa League champions are also looking at a possible move for a number nine who could arrive in North London as the manager’s next version of Toney.

Transfer Focus

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

According to TEAMtalk, Tottenham Hotspur have a strong interest in signing Porto centre-forward Samu Aghehowa to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch.

The report claims that the Spain international has a release clause in the region of £70m – a fee that would eclipse Spurs’ club-record fee – and that has attracted interest from Tottenham, Aston Villa, and Newcastle United.

Tottenham are said to have done a lot of background work on the striker, whom they hugely admire, and they would like to snap him up to lead their line.

However, the outlet adds that Porto are set to block a January move for Samu, who is not pushing to leave, which could mean that the Lilywhites have to wait until the summer to do a deal.

Why Spurs should wait to sign Samu Aghehowa

Instead of panicking and signing an alternative centre-forward option in the January transfer window, Spurs should wait until the summer to pursue a deal for the Spanish attacker, because he could be a brilliant addition to the squad as Frank’s new Toney.

The England international, per Transfermarkt, scored 72 goals in 141 matches for Brentford in all competitions for the Danish head coach, whilst acting as the focal point for the team with his physical presence.

Toney won 3.2 or more aerial duels per game, per Sofascore, across all three of his seasons in the Premier League with the Bees, never winning lower than 46% of his aerial contests.

Samu, 6 foot 4, has won 59% of his aerial duels in Liga Portugal and 56% of them in the Europa League this season, after winning 51% in the Portuguese top-flight last term, per Sofascore, which shows that he can offer a similar focal point to Toney in the number nine role.

Samu (Liga Portugal)	24/25	25/26
Appearances	30	11
xG	14.07	5.63
Goals	19	6
Minutes per goal	119	117
Assists	3	1
Aerial duel success rate	51%	59%
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, though, the Spanish number nine is a terrific goalscorer to go along with his physical attributes, having scored 25 league goals since the start of last season.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig hailed him as a “clinical” player during the 2024/25 campaign, and that still rings true with his return of six goals from 5.63 xG in the league this term.

Samu, who was described as a “freak of nature” by one analyst on X, has the physical and technical attributes to be Frank’s new Toney, as they are both prolific strikers who can also duel with opposition defenders and provide a focal point for their side.

On top of his similarities to Toney and his impressive record for Porto, the Spain international is also 21 and has plenty of time left ahead of him to develop and improve further, which means that he would be a signing to make an immediate impact, but with scope for it to be a long-term move as well.

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Therefore, Samu is a player who is worth waiting for. That is why Spurs should stick with Richarlison, who has a decent goal return this season, until next summer before making a move for the Porto marksman, unless a January deal does become viable in the next seven weeks or so.

Blades, meanwhile, will miss the ongoing Bangladesh tour and the following NZ tour with a back injury

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Oct-2025West Indies quick Shamar Joseph was in line for a return to international cricket this weekend after missing the Test tour of India, but he has been set back by “some discomfort in his shoulder.” The 26-year-old, who was with the ODI squad in Dhaka, has now been sidelined from the three-match series against Bangladesh as well.Joseph had been picked for the T20I leg of the tour too. A Cricket West Indies (CWI) release on Monday said “he has been recommended for consultation with a specialist in England to start the rehabilitation process.”Before the Bangladesh series, Joseph had missed the two Test matches in India with an unspecified injury. He hasn’t played any cricket since the CPL ended in September. There he represented Guyana Amazon Warriors for five of their 12 matches.Left-arm seamer Jediah Blades also joined Joseph on the sidelines. The 23-year-old, who has played nine white-ball internationals for West Indies, was ruled out of the Bangladesh tour and the following New Zealand tour with a stress fracture of the lower back. Blades will return home for his rehab.Allrounder Akeal Hosein and left-arm seamer Ramon Simmonds have been added to West Indies’ squad for the remaining two ODIs against Bangladesh. Hosein and Simmonds were already scheduled to play the three-match T20I series, which will conclude West Indies’ tour of Bangladesh.West Indies lost the first ODI to Bangladesh by 74 runs on an unusually dark Dhaka pitch on October 18. Their next two ODIs are on October 21 and 23.

The Herons might miss the Uruguayan when they take on Nashville Saturday night, yet his absence could offer some answers as to how they function going forward

Luis Suarez just had to do it again. In fairness, this is what Luis Suarez does: mayhem, chaos, rule-breaking – and often in rather nasty ways.

His latest act? Kicking Nashville’s Andy Najar in the groin during the second half of Inter Miami’s playoff clash. It was the kind of thing Suarez has probably gotten away with countless times – a ball about to enter the box, Najar holding him, Suarez pushing off and flicking his leg with a quick, snapping motion.

Whether he intended to plant his studs in the defender’s groin isn’t clear – that would require a frightening degree of accuracy, a no-look shot for the ages. But the broader point holds: Suarez made a deliberate act to injure an opponent. Few caught it in real time, and there was no punishment on the pitch, but MLS reviewed the play afterward and handed him a one-match suspension. He’ll now miss Saturday’s elimination game against Nashville – if Miami lose, their season ends, and Suarez won’t be on the pitch to help them.

Perhaps more importantly, though, this is a test for the Herons. They have survived without Suarez in the past. They have, arguably, looked better without him at times. And so, it becomes a strange balancing act. Suarez is a key player, to be sure. But they have shown previously that his absence isn't necessarily damning. And this game – win or lose – might just offer an idea of how a post-Suarez Inter Miami could function, not just in the next few weeks, but also for years to come. 

• Imagn
  

  Sticking to a brand

  Of course, this was bound to happen. Every few months, Suarez reminds the footballing world why he’s one of the game’s great villains – an immense talent, but a truly unlikeable one. This is the Suarez brand: brilliance wrapped in chaos. The contradiction is that what makes him great – the tenacity and relentlessness – also fuels the misdemeanors. In a twisted way, good and evil Suarez must coexist for elite Suarez to thrive.

  At his best, Suarez remains an unrelenting pest of a forward, even in his twilight years. He keeps running, shouting, and scrapping long after his body tells him not to. Everything about his 38-year-old frame – the worn knees, the heavy legs – suggests his career should be over. Yet somehow, he’s still fighting on. That persistence doesn’t justify the occasional kick or outburst; it’s simply part of who he is (and still shouldn’t be condoned).

  These incidents are forgivable when Suarez is fit and firing. But when he's off color? Then they start to seem a real issue. He has already been suspended once this season, that time for spitting at a Seattle Sounders staff member after losing the Leagues Cup final. He was banned for three games and should have been out for longer. And now, Suarez is out again.

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  Messi at false nine the solution?

  The immediate issue here – beyond that, of course, of having an aging superstar with serious anger issues – is how Miami approach Game 3. Suarez is having a poor season by his standards, with 10 goals and 10 assists in MLS. He is not the goalscoring threat he once was, but remains an influential part of the Miami attack. It's a footballing cliche of sorts, but Suarez makes all of the intelligent runs and occupies all of the right spaces. Strikers of his age are supposed to conserve energy and only move when they absolutely have to. Suarez is hardly ever static. Even when he is less effective in front of goal or slower getting to his spots on the pitch, he remains a nightmare for defenders. 

  Miami don't have the personnel to replace him or his impact. What they will have to do, then, is some tactical tweaking. The silver lining to having a player who gets suspended a lot is that you tend to learn how to operate without him when needed. And Miami have done so on a couple of occasions this season. The most obvious solution is a tried and tested formula that has worked for 15 years: play Lionel Messi as a false nine. It worked wonders for Barcelona, and Argentina have done a similar thing for years.

  That might, in fact, be the only option for. Young striker Allen Obando has hardly played all season. Tadeo Allende is a peripheral option. Messi, who is the team's best attacking player and playmaker, appears to be the most logical choice. 

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Addressing tactical deficiencies

  But there will undoubtedly be a bit of a knock-on effect – at both ends of the pitch. Although they started the season in a 4-3-3, recently, Miami have played in a more recognizable 4-4-2. Suarez operates as a central striker of sorts, with Messi able to roam around in a free role just behind him. That makes perfect sense from an attacking point of view. It allows the outside players to get forward and scamper into good crossing positions, which then opens some space for Messi in the middle. This isn't tactically revolutionary as much as basic soccer.

  When you don't have a central striker, though, things change. The concept of the false nine is inherently reliant on having two attacking outside players who pour forward and sacrifice a little bit defensively. It's almost counterintuitive, but playing without a natural forward tends to be far more offensive of a setup – mostly because it can leave teams frighteningly exposed when they don't have the ball.

  Anyone who has watched Miami at any point this season would tell you that is not a very good idea. They're a pretty simple team to cut through, offering far too much space in the middle of the pitch, and limited pressure on the ball when they don't have it. The appeal of a 4-4-2, rather than a 4-3-3, is that it offers a more reliable defensive structure that is harder to play against. Effectively, then, in losing Suarez, Miami will be forced to leave themselves a little more open going the other way. 

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  Planning for the future

  Suarez is a real pain, but his presence alone makes Miami better – at least in theory. Without him in August, they were mixed: narrow wins over Seattle and D.C. United, but a 3-0 thrashing by Charlotte that exposed their flaws.

  That game was perhaps more indicative of how Miami can be attacked than the two wins. Charlotte had far less of the ball, and were comfortable in their defensive shape. They kept Messi quiet, and were incredibly direct and opportunistic when they had the ball. They managed four shots on target, and three ended up in the back of the net. That is, perhaps, a bit of a statistical anomaly. But it is indicative of how Miami can be hit when they're without Suarez. That could easily happen against Nashville Saturday night. 

  More broadly, it could offer some indications about Miami's future. Messi’s under contract for multiple years, but Suarez’s deal ends after this season. Despite Jorge Mas’ hints that the Uruguayan could stay, there’s been no public indication of renewal. There is every chance that he has played his last game for Miami. Now, the Herons have to figure out how to move forward without him. 

Former England boss Gareth Southgate has revealed his squad killed time between matches and training at the World Cup in Qatar by playing their own version of popular BBC TV show The Traitors. And the ex-Three Lions boss has also named the international superstar singer who joined them for a game after joining up with the squad to entertain them during the tournament in 2022.

• England Faithful search out Traitors

  For the uninitiated, in The Traitors contestants are secretly divided into "Faithfuls" and "Traitors" inside a castle. The Traitors aim to secretly "murder" the Faithfuls at night to steal the prize money. Meanwhile, the Faithfuls must uncover and banish the Traitors before they all become victims. At the 2022 World Cup, the England players were playing a very similar version of this, called Wolves and Villagers, and one night they were joined by a very special guest. 

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  Superstar entertains the Three Lions squad

  During the tournament in Qatar, Robbie Williams visited the England squad at their hotel to deliver a surprise morale boost. Ahead of their quarter-final match against France, he serenaded the players by the pool with some of his hits. Williams was performing in Doha and dropped in on the team, who were reportedly delighted by his presence. And Southgate has also confirmed that Williams joined in the card game, where he playfully identified striker Harry Kane as a "werewolf". The unscheduled performance was a memorable moment for the team.

• 'They absolutely loved it'

  Southgate told Chris Moyles on Radio X: "It was the card version, so it was Wolves & Villages, a bit of a different theme, but same game basically. The players loved it, absolutely loved it. Conor Coady was the sort of narrator, so he brought it to the group. 

  "And when we were in Qatar for the World Cup, I'd go to bed at, like, fairly early. Because I'm finished. They're all playing this game around the poolside, and you'd hear these werewolf noises coming across in the middle of the night. So yeah, they absolutely loved it. They got Robbie Williams playing it one night. He came in to sing for us and he joined in."

  In Britain, The Traitors has become a sensation on BBC One, with celebrities currently playing an expanded version of the game; the final airs on Thursday evening and is expected to be watched by millions of people. 

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  Early exit in Qatar

  Despite the fun of watching Robbie Williams sing and the fun  of playing a version of The Traitors, it ended up being heartache for the England player after they exited in the quarter-finals after a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to France, despite a fine performance where they often outplayed the reigning champions. 

  The Three Lions topped Group B with two dominant wins over Iran (6–2) and Wales (3–0), along with a 0–0 draw against the USA. Their journey ended when captain Kane missed a late penalty that would have tied the score, just after having successfully converted an earlier spot-kick to level Wayne Rooney's all-time England scoring record. Southgate was praised for his tactical decisions throughout the tournament, especially in the 3–0 Round of 16 victory against Senegal. The Three Lions scored 13 goals in the tournament, their highest tally ever in a single edition of a major tournament. Despite the disappointing exit, the young squad, featuring exceptional players like Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka, demonstrated promise, leaving many optimistic about their future.

“Obviously we are down right now but it has to change at some point, and the change can start from now,” Roston Chase says

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Oct-20253:31

Sammy: ‘Our problems are rooted deep into our system’

Away in the Caribbean, Cricket West Indies has got the best minds in the game in the region to chalk out a way out of the abyss – call it 27 all out if you will – the national team has fallen in, at a time when there is talk of the World Test Championship being split into two tiers. Roston Chase, the Test captain, is aware of all this and is hoping for ” that start and to then kick on from there” when they face India for the second and last time in the ongoing series in Delhi.”Obviously we are down right now but it has to change at some point, and the change can start from now,” Chase said a day away from the start of the second Test, where West Indies would be hoping to bounce back after an innings defeat in the first Test. “But it starts with the belief and the mindset of each and every player, and just keep motivating the guys that we can still play some positive cricket.”In Ahmedabad, in the first Test of the series, West Indies put up 162 and 146. They had two individual scores in the 30s – Justin Greaves in the first innings and Alick Athanaze in the second. Their best partnership was worth 46, in 87 balls, in the second innings between Greaves and Athanaze. Not good enough, especially when the opposition has three century-makers in their only innings and have declared on 448 for 5.Related

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Brian Lara asks West Indies players to 'find a way'

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“I don’t think the guys are lacking confidence. But it’s just to get that one score, to get that start and to then kick on from there,” Chase said. “It just takes one… get that good innings or that hundred or that big fifty, that then gives you the confidence to actually think ‘I can do it’.”I think everyone is confident, but when we get out there, we didn’t start well as a batting unit and the pressure is on, and it’s for us to soak up that pressure as batters, and still find a way to score, put pressure back on to the Indian bowlers. That is the biggest challenge for us. We just need to get that start and kick on. And we’ll be fine.”Chase’s own Test career has been an intriguing one. He has now played 53 Tests, but has an average of 25.57. To go with a bowling average of 46.25. He scored a century in just his second Test, against India in Kingston in July 2016, and then had two more centuries by his tenth Test. In the 43 since, he has scored just two more, and none at all in his last 24, where he has crossed 50 only four times.”I can’t really speak for anyone [else], but for myself, I just think it’s a matter of confidence and continuously playing quality first-class cricket and so on. Just that knowhow and facing good attacks for longer periods, and obviously, trying to improve on faults you may have picked up early on in your career,” Chase said. “Obviously, when you first start, no one really knows you, and then, obviously, [you] play a couple of games and people see your weaknesses and try to exploit them. So it’s for the players to just improve on those weaknesses from as early as possible. That’s it.Roston Chase hasn’t scored a century in his last 24 Tests•Associated Press”It’s just digging deep for those four sessions and trying to stay in the now and not what has happened before in terms of the ball before or the over before. Just staying in the present is the biggest challenge for me right now. That’s something I have to go with.”Chase has played franchise T20 leagues in the past, in the ILT20, the Bangladesh Premier League, the Global T20 Canada, apart from the CPL, of course. While he is still a CPL player for St Lucia Kings, he wants to commit his future to West Indies, and to Test cricket.”It was always my dream to play for West Indies. I had a chance to play franchise cricket and I still have opportunities to play franchise cricket. But I have given that up,” he said. “So I cannot say that I am not hungry or not hungry, because this is what I wanted to do. I gave up my chance to play franchise cricket and I have taken up the captaincy role [in Tests], which is a big step.”So that just goes to show that I want to be here. I want to play for the Maroon. And I have always given my all for the Maroon.”

Despite spending over £200m on new additions during the summer transfer window, Manchester United have still found themselves short on quality in the midfield department.

Ruben Amorim has made it clear he wants added quality in such an area in the months, especially considering the current situation he’s presented with in the Premier League.

Casemiro has started 13 out of a possible 15 games in the league this campaign, but the Brazilian looks set to leave the Red Devils next summer when his current contract expires.

Manuel Ugarte and Kobbie Mainoo are two other options in such an area, but they have both started two combined league matches in the 2025/26 campaign to date.

As a result, the hierarchy have been hunting for a player to operate at the heart of the side, which could see an excellent partnership being formed in the near future.

United’s potential midfield partnership after January

In an attempt to bolster United’s midfield, INEOS have been on the hunt for added reinforcements, which has led to Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson becoming their main target.

The 23-year-old has been in phenomenal form during the ongoing campaign, even topping numerous rankings in the Premier League compared to other players in his position.

He’s won possession on 126 occasions in England’s top-flight to date, with no other player managing to do so over 100 times – subsequently showing his ball-winning capabilities.

Anderson certainly would offer the perfect deep-lying option, something which Amorim has desired, but any deal would be a club record with Forest demanding a fee in the region of £100m.

Such a move would be a huge investment from the hierarchy, but it would also allow captain Bruno Fernandes to have the partner he’s craved in the middle of the park.

The Portuguese international has operated in a deep-lying position in 2025/26, but has still managed to star in possession, as seen by his tally of ten combined goals and assists in the Premier League.

He’s also constantly offered a creative source for the Red Devils, as seen by his tally of 3.1 chances created per 90 – the best tally of any player in the division at present.

A partnership of Anderson and Bruno would likely be one of the best in England’s top-flight, which could allow the club to finally challenge for a title once again.

The United star who’s a hybrid of Anderson & Bruno

United’s work in the transfer market over the last couple of years has certainly raised eyebrows across the division, with the hierarchy wasting huge funds on countless players.

Over £800m has been splashed in the last four years alone, which has seen numerous players fail to deliver and resulted in a measly 15th-place finish last campaign.

However, Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system requires a very specific type of midfield pairing, which has led to the rumours of a big-money move to land Anderson in the coming weeks.

It would be yet another huge addition made by the board, but one that could set the first-team up for many years, especially considering his tender age, which could see him explode into life in the years ahead.

A player of Bruno’s calibre is also extremely rare in the modern game and would likely cost a pretty penny, but it appears the Red Devils have already got ahead of the curve.

In recent weeks, they completed the €1m (£750k) addition of 17-year-old midfielder Cristian Orozco from Colombian side Fortaleza, with the teenager set to join the academy squad.

The move for the youngster has certainly taken a few supporters by surprise, but it’s one that could allow them to have a huge talent in the future at Old Trafford.

Despite his tender age, he’s already been a star for his boyhood club, which has led to him featuring at the U17 World Cup for his nation – even catching the eye of many people.

Orozco has been dubbed “a midfield destroyer” by one analyst, with his showing against El Salvador last month highlighting why he would be the perfect hybrid of Anderson and Bruno.

Cristian Orozco – stats against El Salvador

Statistics

Tally

Minutes played

90

Touches

107

Pass accuracy

75%

Passes completed

63

Tackles made

2

Duels won

9

Recoveries made

9

Dribbles completed

2

Stats via SofaScore

The teenager produced a superb defensive performance on the international stage, subsequently making two tackles and coming out on top in nine of the duels that he entered.

Such figures showcase his remarkable ball-winning ability, something which has made Anderson such a desirable target for the Red Devils in the last couple of months.

Regaining possession is one thing, but the youngster has also thrived with the ball at his feet – subsequently producing numbers that Bruno would be proud of.

In the same game, he completed 67 passes at a completion rate of 75% – with such numbers reflecting his incredible ability to find his teammates when driving forward with the ball.

There’s no doubt that Orozco has a long way to go in his development before he nails down a starting role at Old Trafford, but there’s little denying that the club have secured a top young talent.

His numbers from his recent showings at international level showcase his incredible talents, with the teenager having all of the tools to be the perfect hybrid of Anderson and Bruno.

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