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England’s batting line-up no longer resembles a side playing with a single-minded purpose and utter conviction in their approach

Matt Roller08-Dec-20250:53

Finch: ‘England’s shot selection has been horrible’

It was like being offered a mouthful of the meal you wish you had ordered.Ben Stokes and Will Jacks’ tenacious – if ultimately futile – resistance on the fourth day at the Gabba served only to underline just how wrong England had already got it, a bite of someone else’s steak that left them wondering how they had ended up with nothing more than a bowl of soggy chips.Stokes and Jacks’ partnership for the seventh wicket was worth 96 in 221 balls, the longest stand of the series on either side, and felt like England’s captain directly rebuking his batters for their shot selection during a collapse of 5 for 38 on the third evening. They hit six boundaries between them, one every half-hour: “I just wanted us to fight,” Stokes said.Throughout his captaincy, Stokes has seen batting as an opportunity to make a point to his team-mates. In his first summer in the job, he would start in fifth gear and rarely change back down, scoring at a strike rate of 73.45; in 2025, he has slammed the brakes on, highlighting the need for some middle-order ballast with his strike rate dipping to 47.67.Related

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“I said last night, ‘we are where we are’. We talked about taking the scoreboard out of the equation,” Stokes said. “Nothing’s guaranteed in life, and nothing’s guaranteed in sport, but as long as you walk out there and think in your head, ‘I’m going to fight all the way to the end here’, that’s all you can focus on.”What you saw from me and Will Jacks was me saying, ‘anyone who’s got responsibility left in this game, just show fight’. Sometimes, that doesn’t show in the output of what you’re trying to do. It’s all in the mind.”For all that conditions were easier – the ball had gone soft, and there were no visibility issues in the daytime – it provided a stark contrast to England’s approach the night before. The return catch that Zak Crawley chipped back to Michael Neser had summed up the ineptitude, a carbon copy of Ollie Pope’s dismissal, which showed a total failure to learn from others’ mistakes.0:50

Stokes: ‘If we lose hope, we might as well not turn up’

Jacks had a few sketchy moments during his innings of 41, most notably when Australia attacked him with the short ball. He may well have faced more bumpers on Sunday afternoon than in his 54 first-class appearances for Surrey but, after a handful of plays-and-misses, developed a method as he gradually grew in confidence. Put simply, he learned on the job.Yet, far too many of his more experienced team-mates seem incapable of doing so: Crawley and Pope most obviously, who are both still making the same mistakes after more than 60 Tests each, but so too Harry Brook, whose decision to play a booming drive at the first pink ball he had ever faced from Mitchell Starc under lights was indefensible.But the most galling aspect of England’s struggles is that their batting line-up no longer resembles a side playing with a single-minded purpose and utter conviction in their approach. Brook aside, most of their dismissals in Brisbane came from half-hearted shots ill-suited to the Gabba’s pace and bounce.

“We are a much better team at applying it than we are at absorbing it at the moment”Ben Stokes

Australia have outperformed England across every main batting metric in the first two Tests: they have lost a wicket every 50.3 balls to England’s 32.9; they have averaged 38.20 runs per wicket to England’s 22.77; and they have even outscored England, going at 4.55 per over to England’s 4.15. Really, this is barely even Bazball Lite.Pope inadvertently summed up the confusion that has crept into the England dressing room two days out from the Test, providing a barely comprehensible answer when asked about their approach. The thrust was that “complete clarity” as to whether to attack or defend was vital, but he batted as though totally unclear – particularly in his skittish second innings.Stokes and Brendon McCullum have attempted to “refine” their set-up – in terms of both method and personnel – over the past 18 months, an admission that beating the best Test teams demands nuance and nous. But the most notable effect appears to have been to dull England’s attacking strength without improving at all on their shortcomings.6:09

‘Australia have sat back, waited for England and pushed them over’

It was a theme that Stokes himself acknowledged after England’s defeat, looking physically and emotionally drained after four gruelling days. Stokes said that he was “definitely not doubting” England’s approach but made an unusually candid admission that his team has lacked the resilience and character to withstand pressure in this series.”I remember my first team chat with Baz. It was, ‘our blueprint is about applying pressure to the opposition, but also understanding that we do need to absorb that at moments’. I will agree, and say that we are a much better team at applying it than we are at absorbing it at the moment.”You’ll always see us chase the ball hard to the boundary, and you’ll always see people leave everything out there on the field. That is the blueprint of this team. And we can definitely look to improve on the moments where we need to absorb [pressure], and just understanding a lot better what that looks like.”The fear is that it is too little, too late. England are already 2-0 down in the series, a deficit that has only once been overturned to win the urn in Ashes history. Stokes has a four-night stay in a Noosa resort and three training sessions in Adelaide to ensure that the message he tried to send has got across to his batters, but is it the right one?With every passing week, England’s early success under Stokes and McCullum – the heady run of 13 wins in their first 18 Tests, including the intoxicating comeback from 2-0 down in the 2023 Ashes – looks increasingly like a cricketing equivalent of football’s new-manager bounce. Since then, they have been a coin-flip team who have lost as many Tests as they have won.

England’s star seamer hasn’t won a Test against Australia since 2015, and time is running out

Matt Roller27-Jun-2023At London Stadium on Saturday night, Adam Wainwright had one of the worst games of his career. A St Louis Cardinals pitcher, Wainwright conceded seven runs – his worst performance of what is his final Major League Baseball season, at the age of 41. Watching from the stands was James Anderson.Along with Nathan Lyon, Anderson threw the ceremonial first pitch of the match before joining the BBC commentary team, which featured his podcast co-host Felix White. “Remind you of anyone?” White asked Anderson after explaining Wainwright’s back story. “Definitely,” Anderson replied with a wry smile.Anderson’s performance in Birmingham earlier that week was not as bad as Wainwright’s in London – but it was not a Test match that he will look back on with any fondness. He took a solitary wicket in his 38 overs across both innings and admitted in his column this week: “I wasn’t on top of my game”.It could easily have been three wickets, however. Anderson had two chances missed off his bowling: in the first over of the third morning, Jonny Bairstow put Alex Carey down, and in the first over of Australia’s run chase, Usman Khawaja’s outside edge flew away between Bairstow and Joe Root at first slip for four.But uncharacteristically, he played a bit-part role. He bowled fewer overs than England’s other main bowlers; the first innings was the first time in 14 years that he had played in a home Test and not taken the new ball; in the second, he was unused for the final 36.3 overs as Australia snuck home.That stretch included not taking the second new ball. “We agreed it was the type of pitch the taller bowlers were getting more out of,” Anderson said. In a match that was decided in the 93rd over, his final ball was in the 56th – and was crashed over mid-off for four by Cameron Green.James Anderson walks out for practice ahead of his record 28th Test at Lord’s•PA Images via Getty ImagesIt all added up to a familiar sensation for Anderson on the final evening: walking off the field after losing an Ashes Test. This was his 19th defeat to Australia, the third-most of any Englishman after Alec Stewart and Mike Atherton, and his 10th consecutive Ashes Test without a win.Remarkably, the last time Anderson won against Australia was eight years ago at Edgbaston, a Test in which Alastair Cook captained England and Steven Finn was named Player of the Match. This summer, both men are working as pundits for the second successive Ashes series.Four years ago, Anderson came into the Ashes undercooked – and his series lasted four overs. He had not played in over a month after a calf niggle, missed a Test match against Ireland, and suffered a recurrence of his injury at Edgbaston that ruled him out for the summer.This summer, he came into the series after a similar break since his last first-class match and admitted during the first Test: “I feel like I do need a bit of game time to get back into it.” England’s hope is that he will be better for the run, and will have a greater impact at Lord’s this week.”Jimmy’s flying,” Stokes said on Tuesday. “He had a good bowl yesterday and a good bowl today and was completely fine.” England’s decision to pick an extra seamer might alleviate his workload, but Stokes clarified: “We didn’t pick four seamers to make this week easier for Jimmy – just to make that clear.”He’s good,” Stokes added. “I mean, he’s just an unbelievable athlete, still doing what he’s doing at 40 years old… it is just unbelievable to watch him go about his business.” Anderson celebrates his 41st birthday on the penultimate scheduled day of this series.Related

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Anderson has a remarkable record in the Stokes-McCullum era, with 46 wickets at 19.60 even after his quiet outing in Birmingham. He has spoken of feeling reinvigorated by the new regime, enjoying a new lease of life as he approaches the end of a long and storied career.But the first Test was a reminder of his humanity. Anderson has defied retirement for so long that it is hardly worth speculating how long he has left, but told the before the series: “I don’t want to drag it out and people are thinking: ‘Can you just do one?’ I would like to be able to go out on a nice note.”It is often said that England players are remembered for their feats against Australia but Anderson might be an exception to that rule. They are the opponent against whom he averages the most (34.43), with a slightly worse record at home (45 wickets at 35.06) than away (68 at 34.01).The next five weeks provide him with an opportunity to change that. Anderson has thrived at Lord’s and conditions for the second Test looked ideally suited to him: a covering of live grass on a pitch that MCC hope will have more pace than last week’s, plus cloud cover throughout the five days.There are five months between the end of the Ashes and the start of England’s next Test series in India, an obvious opportunity for Anderson to bow out if he decides it is time to move on. What better stage for it than a potential Oval decider?

Outrage has dominated both sides of the debate

Firdose Moonda28-Oct-2021It may be tempting to think that Quinton de Kock’s refusal to take a knee ahead of the match against West Indies earlier this week is out and out racism, but ignorance of racial inequalities that have resulted from slavery, colonialism and apartheid might be what caused him to not comply with Cricket South Africa’s directive, and to consequently withdraw himself from the match.That’s not the soft view, nor one that seeks to justify de Kock’s continued inaction over antiracist gestures, but rather one that aims to add nuance to the ever-complex conversation around race and sport, and especially race and sport in South Africa.Outrage has dominated the narrative locally on both sides. On the one hand, there is the argument that the right to freedom of speech and expression, which is enshrined in the South African constitution, must be respected, and that CSA should not have made taking a knee mandatory. On the other is long-brewing dissatisfaction with the national team’s inconsistency over their approach to antiracism, which is now embodied in de Kock’s refusal. And all this is happening while CSA conducts Social Justice and Nation Building (SJN) hearings, where some of those who have appeared, including former team manager Mohammed Moosajee and South African Cricketers Association CEO Andrew Breetzke, have called for the national team to have a unified approach to taking a knee.Related

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As a collective, South Africa have swayed between a steadfast approach to doing nothing, as was the case in the lead up to the 3TC event last July, to doing everything, when all players and support staff took a knee. (de Kock missed this last event because of a Covid-19-related issue.)They then planned to do nothing in the series against Sri Lanka, before deciding to raise their fists in the Boxing Day Test. Then there was a three-pronged approach on their tour to West Indies this winter, where some team members, all of colour, as well as Rassie van der Dussen and Kyle Verreynne, took a knee; others – all white, like Test captain Dean Elgar and Aiden Markram, raised a fist; and others, also all white, like Anrich Nortje, stood to attention. de Kock did nothing and has continued to do nothing. One of the issues is that no one yet knows why.de Kock is not against gestures. Historically, he has joined the rest of the team in wearing a black armband to commemorate a death, and the pink shirt at the annual Pink ODI to raise awareness for breast cancer. He has also made individual gestures. On scoring a century in the first Test against West Indies in St Lucia, de Kock displayed a bat sticker in favour of rhino conservation. And he made a finger gesture in support of a friend who had lost a digit. You might argue that de Kock made his own decision in all of these, but it would be interesting to see the reaction if he opted to wear a blue shirt on that all-pink day. The point being that employers often expect certain commitments from their employees. Very seldom do they impose expectations on them.

The gesture is a way to tell South Africans, the majority of whom have suffered under racial segregation, that there is recognition of what they have been through

CSA went as far as imposing expectations only after more than a year of the men’s national team umm-ing, ahh-ing and half-gesturing. In that time, the board has been imploding: it changed from an interim board to a permanent one, and has had to deal with a significant lack of senior staff after suspensions over the last two years. It is plausible that the collective response to antiracism has not been top of mind, and the seriousness of the division in South Africa’s appearance only occurred to them when they saw the opening match of the Super 12s, where Australia took a knee together and their own team presented a mish-mash of posturing.Two images caught fire on social media. One was of members of the team on the sidelines that showed Keshav Maharaj, Tabraiz Shamsi, Kagiso Rabada and van der Dussen taking a knee; Dwaine Pretorius, Aiden Markram and David Miller raising a fist; and Anrich Nortje and Heinrich Klaasen standing to attention. The other was of Temba Bavuma taking a knee and de Kock standing with his hands on his hips. CSA board chair Lawson Naidoo confirmed that was the spark that forced CSA to act, but to do so five hours before the next game was risky.Perhaps CSA thought it had called the team’s bluff and the speed of the command would ensure it was obeyed. Then de Kock called the board’s back. When the team arrived at the ground in Dubai, he made himself unavailable without even telling his team-mates why. In so doing, he put his captain and his team-mates in a difficult position.Bavuma said it was the toughest day of his captaincy, as he had to do without de Kock the batter and de Kock the senior player. Reeza Hendricks would have been told at the last moment that he was going to open the batting. Heinrich Klaasen would have been told he would have to take the gloves, after having done so just once in a T20I in the last six months. He went on to drop the first chance he got. Bavuma was run out for 2 after failing to beat Andre Russell’s arm. Had South Africa gone on to lose, doubtless focus would have been on those three players and it’s likely the blame would have been laid on them. Luckily for them, they didn’t.The act of taking a knee has been described as a gesture of antiracism, rather than a gesture in support of Black Lives Matter, and that is another significant point. Although BLM has become synonymous with the fight against racism, the two do not have to be the same thing, especially in a country like South Africa, where the right for racial equality predates the BLM movement. The BLM organisation is seen by some in South Africa (and elsewhere) as a radical political, and even Marxist, movement rather than a civil-rights activist collective that speaks to global issues of exclusion. This is the kind of movement that white South Africa has in the past been afraid of; they have had terms to describe being overrun by the disenfranchised majority as “black danger” () and “red danger” (). And therein may lie part of the explanation for why taking a knee has been difficult for some of South Africa’s white players.Although none of the members of the current side are old enough to have lived through the horrors of apartheid, all of them will have had parents or caregivers who grew up then. van der Dussen was influenced by a father who was part of the African National Congress to take a knee.The array of gestures before the game against Australia that probably drove CSA to mandate the whole team taking the knee•ICC via GettyWhich is where Michael Holding and Carlos Brathwaite and Daren Sammy and Kieron Pollard’s calls for education come in. All of the last three have been part of a West Indian set-up that has been unrelenting in their consistency in taking a knee, and who have spoken at length about the experiences of being black in a world, especially a cricketing world, governed by whiteness.As South Africa readied to collectively take a knee, sans de Kock, on Tuesday, Sammy was on air. “My mother always told me, ‘You’ve got to stand for something or you will fall for anything’,” he said. “It’s good to see players united over something that has affected so many people across the world.”Pommie Mbangwa went further: “Some will say it is being political but I cannot shed my skin. I hope that the discussion at the very least can be about how to be united about something that everybody agreed on. This is also in the hope that there is agreement in that regard.”The pair referenced de Kock’s absence before Sammy expressed his disbelief at those who struggled to support antiracism. “Sometimes I don’t understand why is it so difficult to support this movement if you understand what it stands for. That’s just my opinion because of what my kind have been through. There are a lot of issues affecting the world, but I don’t understand why it’s so difficult.”Brathwaite, speaking on BBC Five Live, understood the significance of South Africa taking a knee together and de Kock not being there. “I’m not an advocate of forcing anyone to do something that they don’t want to do. But I also understand where Cricket South Africa is coming from,” he said. “There are a lot of conversations and a lot of education that still has to happen around why you take the knee, what it signifies, but more importantly, for things to change in society, taking a knee has to be a start and not the be-all and end-all.”Talk to some around de Kock and they will say this is the exact reason he does not want to take a knee: because it achieves nothing. The footballer Wilfried Zaha has argued similar. What that does not acknowledge is the simple fact that human beings can walk and chew at the same time. They can gesture publicly and they can act behind the scenes. The gesture is a way to tell South Africans, the majority of whom have suffered under racial segregation, that there is recognition and understanding of what they have been through. The rest is what shows our education in action.

MatériaMais Notícias

Reintegrado ao elenco do Fluminense, John Kennedy foi relacionado e está à disposição da comissão técnica para o duelo contra o São Paulo, válido pela sexta rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro.

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As melhores e mais variadas ofertas para o Brasileirão estão no Lance! Betting! Abra já a sua conta!

No fim de abril, o atacante foi afastado junto a Kauã Elias, Alexsander e Arthur em razão de atos de indisciplina cometidos na concentração da equipe para o jogo diante do Vasco. À época, a reportagem apurou que o quarteto convidou mulheres para a concentração e organizou uma festa, que irritou as principais lideranças do time.

O jogador, que retorna após cumprir suspensão imposta pela diretoria, iniciará o confronto desta segunda-feira (13) entre os reservas. Para a partida, Fernando Diniz terá que modificar o meio-campo da equipe, uma vez que Paulo Henrique Ganso, suspenso, e Renato Augusto, lesionado, estão fora do jogo.

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Além da dupla, outros jogadores não viajaram com o restante da delegação e serão desfalques: os zagueiros Marlon e Thiago Santos, os volantes André e Gabriel Pires, e o atacante Lelê.

Portanto, a provável escalação do Fluminense tem: Fábio; Guga, Felipe Melo (Antônio Carlos), Manoel e Marcelo (Diogo Barbosa); Martinelli, Lima e Alexsander; Marquinhos, Arias e Cano.

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Felipe Melo e Marcelo, no entanto, podem não iniciar o duelo no Morumbis. A dupla será submetida a testes, e a fisiologia irá determinar se eles terão condições físicas para entrar em campo.

Com apenas cinco pontos conquistados, o Fluminense está na zona de rebaixamento e busca se reabilitar no Campeonato Brasileiro. Nesta segunda-feira (13), a equipe comandada por Diniz visita o São Paulo, às 20h (de Brasília), no Morumbis.

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FluminenseFutebol NacionalJohn Kennedy

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.

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%

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.

Rangers manager Danny Rohl revealed he has a clear picture of what is missing from his squad after a goalless home draw with Falkirk, as we approach the opening of the January transfer window.

Rohl sends message to his squad after dropped points against Falkirk

Rohl saw his impressive start to life at Ibrox come to an end in his fifth Premiership game in charge on Sunday. Scott Bain made an excellent one-handed stop from Djeidi Gassama on a Rangers counter-attack midway through the second half, but the Falkirk goalkeeper was largely untested outside of that.

The Bairns had some chances of their own and were more than worth their second point of the season against the Light Blues.

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Rohl agreed with a comment in his post-match media conference that his squad needed help in January.

“The group we have at the moment, it’s my job and my responsibility to bring the best out of them,” he said.

“You see too many up and downs. With some players you feel they are making the step, and in the next game they take a step back. We are not consistently on the highest point again and again.

“We have too much of a roller coaster. The job when I arrived was about finding a way to win games. This is the first draw. We are disappointed with this performance but for me it’s now week six or seven.”

In a clear warning to his current crop of players, the 36 year-old held back nothing as his side fell seven points behind Celtic, suggesting he will upgrade on certain members of his squad in the transfer window.

Who Rangers could sign in January

The first step to Rangers’ business ahead of the new year will of course be finding replacements for Patrick Stewart and Kevin Thelwell, with a recent report suggesting the Gers could turn to Chief Financial Officer James Taylor in the CEO role.

In terms of targets on the pitch, it is clear more quality is needed in midfield and in attacking areas, and those at Ibrox have reportedly already entered discussions for winger Galymzhan Kenzhebek.

The 22 year-old is reportedly also wanted by Dundee United, Aberdeen and a whole host of clubs on the continent, being praised for his direct style of play and instincts in front of goal.

David Watson is the other name on everyone’s lips, with the 20 year-old midfielder out of contract at Kilmarnock next summer and sure to attract interest from a whole host of sides in January.

Glasgow Rangers sporting director Kevin Thelwell made a bold move during the summer transfer window when he swooped to sign Youssef Chermiti from his former club Everton.

The Light Blues paid £8m to sign the Portugal U21 international from the Premier League side, which is the highest fee they have paid for a player since the £12m move for Tore Andre Flo in 2000.

Because of that transfer fee, Chermiti’s performances for Rangers his season have been under the spotlight, and he has failed to justify the huge outlay as of yet.

Pundit Michael Stewart described his finishing as “so poor” against Celtic in the League Cup semi-final earlier this month. Fellow pundit Ally McCoist also noted on TNT Sport that the striker is “showing nothing” to prove he was worth the fee paid for him.

Chermiti has scored one goal in 13 appearances in all competitions for the Light Blues this season, per Sofascore, which may be why pundits like Stewart and McCoist have been harsh on him.

However, the former Premier League flop is not the only summer signing who has struggled at the top end of the pitch this season, as Bojan Miovski has failed to live up to expectations.

Why Danny Rohl should drop Bojan Miovski

Danny Rohl should ruthlessly ditch the summer signing from Girona from the starting line-up because he struggled once again in the 3-0 win over Dundee last weekend in the Scottish Premiership.

The Macedonia international was handed the chance to led the line at Dens Park, but was removed by the German head coach at half-time after a dismal first-half display, with zero shots and two out of nine duels won, per Sofascore.

Miovski was signed from Girona for a fee of up to £4.2m and arrived with a big reputation in Scotland, thanks to his form for Aberdeen in the past, as shown in the graphic below.

However, pundit Charlie Mulgrew recently noted that there is more pressure on him at Ibrox. The ex-Celtic defender said: “When you play for Aberdeen, you can get away with not scoring for three or four weeks. At Rangers, you don’t get six or seven games to find your feet. You’re in the spotlight and you need to hit the ground running, and that’s why there are question marks around him.”

Miovski, who was described as “non-existent” by one Rangers podcaster, has struggled to deal with the pressure of leading the line for the Gers, as shown by his form this season.

Appearances

8

4

Goals

1

0

Minutes per goal

506

N/A

Big chances missed

3

1

Big chances created

0

0

Assists

0

0

Ground duel success rate

32%

44%

Aerial duel success rate

29%

17%

As you can see in the table above, the left-footed marksman has not offered much in the way of quality in front of goal or reliability out of possession in the Scottish Premiership or the Europa League.

Miovski should be in the prime years of his career at the age of 26, but his performances for the Scottish giants suggest that the opposite is true, as he has struggled badly in comparison to his previous form in the division, with just one league goal.

This is why Rohl should ditch him from the starting XI, and possibly even from the club in the January transfer window unless he can turn his form around in the next few weeks.

However, as aforementioned, Chermiti has also failed to impress since his £8m move from Everton, which is why the manager may need to get creative with his team selection.

Chalkboard

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

With this in mind, Rohl should ruthlessly drop Miovski from the starting line-up by unleashing Mikey Moore in a brand-new role as a centre-forward at Ibrox.

Why Rangers should play Mikey Moore as a striker

Rangers signed the England youth international on a season-long loan from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer and he endured a difficult start to life at Ibrox.

The 18-year-old forward did not provide a goal or an assist in his first five outings in the Premiership, but he has registered a goal and an assist in his last four matches, per Sofascore, which shows that the youngster has been improving.

Moore started as a right-midfielder in a 4-2-3-1 against Dundee at Dens Park last weekend. However, it was by drifting into a central position that he created and scored his first goal of the season.

The teenage whiz looked far more comfortable playing quickly and directly in a central position through the build-up to this goal, which suggests that Rohl could get more out of him by playing the Spurs loanee in a new role.

In fact, his overall career statistics, for Spurs at first-team and academy level, indicate that he is more likely to deliver goals and assists when playing in a central position.

Left wing (19)

4

6

Attacking midfield (10)

6

4

Centre-forward (7)

11

4

Right wing (10)

1

0

Left midfield (1)

0

1

Right midfield (1)

1

0

As you can see in the table above, Moore has scored 17 goals and provided eight assists in 17 starts as a striker or as an attacking midfielder, whulst his numbers as a winger, on either flank, are not as impressive.

With this in mind, the English attacker could thrive if unleashed as the striker in the team ahead of Miovski and Chermiti, given his goal at Dens Park and his record for Spurs at youth level.

Danilo played as the number ten against Dundee, behind Miovski, and the Brazilian could interchange roles with Moore as a fluid front two in that 4-2-3-1 system, with both players capable of switching between striker and attacking midfield throughout matches.

That could cause problems for opposition defenders, who could get confused about who to step out to or who to mark, and create some interesting dynamics in the final third when Rangers are building attacks.

Rohl can unearth bigger talent than Gassama in £3.5m Rangers flop

Danny Rohl could unearth a bigger talent than Djeidi Gassama in this Rangers flop.

ByDan Emery Nov 15, 2025

Therefore, Rohl should ruthlessly drop Miovski from the starting line-up in order to unleash Moore in this new role, as it could be an exciting tactical change for the Light Blues.

After failing to agree to terms on a contract extension before his self-imposed deadline of Monday night, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. made it clear how he feels about his future with the Toronto Blue Jays.

"I want to be here. I want to be a Blue Jay for the rest of my career," Guerrero on Tuesday told MLB.com through an interpreter. "But it’s free agency and it’s business. I’m going to have to listen to 29 other teams."

Guerrero's desire to remain with the Blue Jays is no secret. Just last July at Media Day prior to the All-Star Game, he told reporters he'd "love" to remain in Toronto, but added that he understood it's a "business." But Guerrero's loyalty does come at a price.

When asked if the Blue Jays were close to meeting the numbers that would have prompted him to sign, he responded simply, "No."

"They had their numbers, I had my numbers," he further explained.

The failure to come to terms means Guerrero will be ticketed for free agency after the conclusion of his age-26 season. And, if the respective markets of two-time American League MVP Aaron Judge, three-time MVP Shohei Ohtani and four-time All-Star Juan Soto are any indication, he'll be in line for a massive payday, particularly if he produces like he did in '24.

Guerrero posted a .323/.396/.544 slash line with 30 home runs, 103 RBI, 98 runs scored and 72 walks in 159 games played this past season. Along with his stellar '21 campaign, in which he finished second in the AL MVP voting, '24 was one of Guerrero's finest seasons as a pro.

But more than individual success and impending riches, Guerrero has a clear idea of what he'll look for in free agency.

"Winning team. That’s what I’ll be looking for in free agency," Guerrero said. "As you guys know, my dad played a lot of years. He never won a World Series. My personal goal is to win a World Series and give the ring to my dad. That’s all I’m looking for."

The Blue Jays, who have missed the postseason in three of the six seasons Guerrero has spent in Toronto and have failed to advance past the AL wild-card round in the other three campaigns, have work to do in that department if they want to impress their star slugger.

Pat Cummins is set to sit out the white-ball matches against South Africa next month as part of his build-up towards the Ashes later in the year.Cummins had already been rested for the five-match T20I series against West Indies along with Mitchell Starc and Travis Head. Now Josh Hazlewood has been added to those returning home after the Test series, having originally been included in the squad, with Xavier Bartlett named his replacement.While Hazlewood will feature against South Africa in the Top End during August – a tour which includes three T20Is and three ODIs across Darwin, Cairns and Mackay – Cummins will move into a period of fitness work ahead of the home summer.Related

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He is eyeing being involved in a short T20I tour to New Zealand in early October and some of the limited-overs matches against India ahead of the Ashes in late November. There is also the potential of a Sheffield Shield match for New South Wales, which he didn’t do last season before the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.”I’ll have a good training block for the next couple of months, six weeks or so,” Cummins told reporters at Sabina Park. “Probably not bowling, but lots of gym work. [My] body feels pretty good, but there’s always little bits and pieces you’re always trying to get right and then build up for the summer. So it’ll probably look like white-ball [cricket]…we’ve got some [matches against] New Zealand, India, potentially a Shield game and then into the home summer.”Cummins remains Australia’s ODI captain but has only led them twice in the format since the 2023 World Cup final. He missed the Champions Trophy earlier this year due to an ankle problem he managed during the Tests series against India.The early stages of next season’s Sheffield Shield are shaping as key for Australia’s Ashes plans amid the continued search for a settled top order. Sam Konstas will have two more innings to make a mark in the West Indies and Usman Khawaja two more to settle the talk around his form. Cameron Green, meanwhile, will be looking to build on the second-innings half-century in Grenada.Attention will then turn to how those players perform ahead of England’s arrival. Green is part of the T20I squad in the West Indies and will likely feature against South Africa before focus shifts to a potential return to bowling. Konstas is expected to be part of the four-day matches on the Australia A tour of India in September, but Khawaja is unlikely to play again until the domestic season starts for Queensland.”There’s a lot of Shield cricket to come and some Aussie A stuff as well,” Cummins said on the significance of the final Test in the West Indies. “I think [if] you do well at Test level, any time it’s going to kind of make your case more compelling. I think there’s a bit of a connection to the summer, but it feels a long way away at the moment.”Xavier Bartlett picked up 18 wickets in 11 innings in MLC•MLC

Meanwhile, Bartlett, who holds a Cricket Australia contract, will get the opportunity to build on his impressive early T20I record of 11 wickets at 14.72 from seven matches. He will arrive in the Caribbean after a productive MLC campaign for San Francisco Unicorns which, as of Friday, put him as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker.He has been joined as a late call-up by Jake Fraser-McGurk, who has replaced left-arm quick Spencer Johnson with the selectors altering the balance of the squad. Johnson is nursing back soreness that he picked up during the IPL. Fraser-McGurk, who played alongside Bartlett at Unicorns in MLC, started the tournament strongly but finished with four single-figure scores in five innings.He has made 113 runs in seven T20Is with a top score of 50 against Scotland last year. He was dropped by Delhi Capitals during this year’s IPL where he averaged 9.16, which came after a lean BBL for Melbourne Renegades that produced 188 runs at 18.80, 95 of which came in the last match of the season against Brisbane Heat.The T20I series against West Indies starts on July 20 with two matches at Sabina Park before the final three are played in St Kitts.

أكد أحمد عبدالرؤوف، المدير الفني لنادي الزمالك، أن فريقه جاهز لتقديم مباراة قوية أمام بيراميدز في نصف نهائي كأس السوبر المصري، مشيرًا إلى ثقته الكبيرة في لاعبيه رغم الغيابات التي يعاني منها الفريق.

وقال عبدالرؤوف في تصريحاته خلال المؤتمر الصحفي: “اللاعبون مستعدون لتقديم مباراة كبيرة أمام بيراميدز الذي نحترمه ونقدّره، ومن يمتلك جمهور الزمالك ويكون داعمًا له، لا يقلق من البطولات الكبيرة”.

وتابع: “جمهور الزمالك دائمًا ما يكون داعمًا في الظروف الصعبة، وكثيرًا ما مررنا بأوقات صعبة وتخطّيناها وحصدنا بطولات، الكرة لا يوجد بها صعب، وأنا أثق في اللاعبين على المستوى الفني، بالتأكيد الغيابات مؤثرة، ولكن اللاعبون الموجودون على قدر المسؤولية، وأثق أنهم سيقدّمون مباراة كبيرة”.

وأضاف: “الحديث عن تصدير المشاكل يحدث في الإعلام، لكن على أرض الواقع نحن نمرّ بمشكلة على مستوى النادي وليس المستوى الفني، نحن نثق في اللاعبين الموجودين، والزمالك يعيش مشاكل على مستوى النادي وهذا حقيقي، لكننا سنستغل ذلك دافعًا لنا، نحتاج أن يقف الجميع إلى جانب النادي أكثر من ذلك، لكن لا توجد مشكلة فنية، الزمالك أينما وُجد فهو كبير وسيظل كذلك، أنا لست مجرد مدرب للزمالك، لكنني عشت كلاعب وحملت قميصه، وحلمت أن أكون مساهمًا في تحقيق أي انتصار للزمالك”.

وواصل: “الظرف صعب بالنسبة للمدرب، لكن عندي نظام معين أطبّقه على لاعبين كبار فنيًا وأخلاقيًا ومقاتلين، أتمنى أن يكون التوفيق معنا، لأن مهما درست الخصم فإن التوفيق يبقى مهمًا، أنا لست متخوفًا، فقد عملت مديرًا فنيًا لفرق أقل كثيرًا من الزمالك، فعندما أتواجد على رأس القيادة الفنية للزمالك لا يمكن أن أخاف”.

طالع أيضًا | عمر جابر: الزمالك المرشح الأول للفوز بالسوبر.. ونعرف قيمة بيراميدز

وعن سبب غياب ناصر منسي وبديل بيزيرا في مباراة الغد، قال: “هي قائمة وُضعت لأن النادي مرتبط بتأشيرات السفر، أنا توليت المسؤولية منذ أسبوع فقط، فجئت على قائمة موجودة بالفعل ونظام مُطبّق، حتى المواعيد كانت محددة، أعمل وفق الظروف الموجودة، وبالنسبة لتعويض خوان بيزيرا، إن شاء الله (هتشوفوه بكرة في الماتش)”.

واستكمل: “كرة القدم لا تعترف إلا بالجهد والعرق، وهذا ما سنفعله، عندي يقين أن اللاعبين سيبذلون كل ما لديهم، أما على المستوى الفني، فسيكون هناك التزام بالنظام داخل الملعب، الزمالك وبيراميدز يعرفان قيمة بعضهما، وسنحترمهم جدًا، ولكن سنتعامل بمكانة نادي الزمالك وقيمته”.

وأضاف: “الفرق الكبيرة دائمًا عندها شخصية، أنا لم أختر أن أكون مديرًا فنيًا، لكن الله هو من اختار، جئت كرجل مساعد للفريق، وتولّيت القيادة الفنية بعد رحيل يانيك فيريرا، ولم أكن أعلم مسبقًا، لكن اختيار الله لا يوجد أفضل منه، مهما كانت الجودة، فالتوفيق مهم، ولو تولّيت تدريب الزمالك يومًا واحدًا فهو شرف كبير لي”.

وأردف: “غياب بيزيرا بالتأكيد مؤثر، لكن من المهم ألا نهمل أننا نلعب مباريات كثيرة في وقت قصير، الزمالك ينافس في الدوري وكل البطولات، وطبيعي أن نفقد بعض اللاعبين وسط ضغط المباريات، لكن عندنا عناصر تستطيع تعويض غياب أي لاعب”.

واختتم: “المكسب مهم جدًا لي مع الفريق في الفترة الحالية، لأن الفوز في البداية يطمئن الجماهير، بيراميدز فريق كبير، وبالنسبة للتعامل مع فيستون مايلي، فنحن نحترمه، ولكن لدينا مدافعين قادرين على التعامل معه”.