All posts by n8rngtd.top

As it has been for a number of years, Chelsea’s famous Cobham academy is a conveyor belt for elite talent. The 2010s was perhaps the best era to date for their academy.

They produced currency Premier League stars such as Callum Hudson-Odoi, Ola Aina and Mason Mount, whilst Tammy Abraham, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Fikayo Tomori are all plying their trade at AC Milan.

Their current crop of academy talent might end up being better. One of the most highly-rated players in the academy is defender Josh Acheampong, who was one of ten academy stars to make his senior debut in 2024.

Another Cobham graduate who is establishing himself in the Chelsea team under Enzo Maresca is Tyrique George, who has made a big impression so far.

George's Chelsea career so far

It has been a real whirlwind few months for 19-year-old George, who has become an established member of Maresca’s squad after making his debut last August in the Conference League qualifiers.

In The Pipeline

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

He has gone from strength to strength in recent weeks in particular. The London-born winger now has 20 games under his belt for the West London giants, scoring two goals and grabbing four assists, an impressive return so far.

His first strike for the Blues was in the Conference League quarter-final against Legia Warsaw, and he bagged his first goal in the Premier League last weekend too against Fulham. It was a superb finish, unleashing a first-time strike into the bottom left corner after Antonee Robinson’s miscued clearance fell at his feet.

Blues boss Maresca was complimentary of the attacker after his goal against the Cottagers last time out.

He described the winger as “a talent” and said he is “doing well” in the first team at Stamford Bridge.

It has been a dream start to life as a professional footballer and he could well become the next great Cobham star. However, there is a player in the Chelsea academy who might end up rivalling him for a place in the first team soon.

Chelsea's next exciting academy star

As good as George has been this season, perhaps Jimmy-Jay Morgan will leapfrog him in the first team at some stage.

A centre-forward by trade, the youngster is currently out on loan with League 2 side Gillingham, who are towards the lower end of the table but surely safe from relegation.

It has not been the easiest time of things for Morgan on loan at the Southern outfit. Adapting to senior football for the first time can be a challenge, and he has two goals in 14 appearances for the club so far.

However, despite the lack of goals during his time with the Gills so far, he has some strong underlying numbers, as per Sofascore. For example, Morgan averages 2.3 shots and completes 1.1 dribbles per game.

19-year-old Morgan is clearly a talented forward, as he has shown as a Gillingham player. However, his numbers from his time playing for Chelsea’s U21 side further showcase just how dangerous he can be.

Overall, Morgan’s record for the most senior side of the Cobham academy is impressive. In 34 appearances so far, he has found the back of the net 16 times and has also managed to grab three assists.

Football scout Antonio Mango described Morgan as a player who is “too good for his age”, while Gills boss Gareth Ainsworth has suggested he’s “going to be a hell of a player when he’s older”. Although the weight of goals isn’t necessarily there, his experience playing senior football will have surely taught him plenty.

George has shown there is still a pathway from Cobham into the first team at Stamford Bridge, and perhaps next season, with Nicolas Jackson underperforming and Christopher Nkunku likely on his way out, Morgan can be the man to break into the squad.

Chelsea have signed "future Ballon d'Or winner" who's going to stunt George

Tyrique George could find his first team minutes at Chelsea are halted by the emergence of this sensational forward.

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By
Kelan Sarson

Apr 22, 2025

Will Celtic secure a sixth treble in just nine seasons?

On Easter Sunday, the Celts swatted aside St Johnstone 5-0 at Hampden in the Scottish Cup semi-finals, with Callum McGregor breaking the deadlock and Daizen Maeda bagging a brace, while Adam Idah and Jota were also on target.

Thus, the Hoops will now face Aberdeen in the final on 24 May, also looking to secure a fourth consecutive Scottish Premiership title before then, requiring just a point against Dundee United at Tannadice on Saturday to become champions again.

While Brendan Rodgers’ team continue to dominate on the park, does he have his eye on a new winger in the transfer market?

Celtic seeking to sign a new winger

As reported by Alan Nixon of the Scottish Sun earlier this month, Celtic are ‘eyeing’ a move to sign Stoke City winger Million Manhoef.

The 22-year-old only joined the Potters as recently as January 2024 from Dutch side Vitesse for a reported fee of £3m, but journalist Graeme Bailey believes he is now valued at £10m by Stoke.

So, would this be a good move, and could Manhoef emulate those among Rodgers’ current attacking options?

Why Celtic could be targeting the next Kuhn

Earlier this season, as outlined by Michael Shearer of Breaking the Lines, Nicolas Kühn was ‘poised to become Celtic’s next great attacking player’, starring in the Champions League and unquestionably the best player in Scotland.

However, in more recent times, the German has not been impressing quite so much, as shown in the table below.

As the table outlines, Kühn’s form has fallen off a cliff since New Year’s Day, in fact, he’s scored just two goals in 19 outings since bagging a brace against St Mirren on 4 January.

Rodgers stated that Kühn has appeared in the “most games he’s ever played” in a campaign, attributing his drop in form to fatigue, while Robbie Hanratty of the National adds that Kühn hasn’t looked the same since suffering a ‘suspected broken nose’ against Rangers in early January.

Kühn arrived from Rapid Wien for a reported fee of £3m in January last year, now worth £25m, well, according to his agent anyway, with Celtic hoping Manhoef – who is also a diminutive, left-footed right-winger – would experience a similar leap in valuation should he move to Glasgow, so let’s assess how the duo compare.

As the table outlines, Kühn does rank higher than Manhoef for the majority of statistics included, albeit this’ll be largely skewed by his performances during the first half of the season.

Also worth considering that, according to Global Football Rankings, the EFL Championship is the 11th strongest league in the world, with the Scottish Premiership ranked 42nd.

Manhoef, to give him credit, does compare favourably, hence why Jacek Kulig from Football Talent Scout labelled him “quality and versatile”, while Dean Jones told Give Me Sport that the Dutchman is “the sort of player that will get fans off their seats.”

Thus, this would appear to be a good deal for Celtic, and they could open negotiations very soon, considering Stoke City’s season will conclude on 3 May.

Frimpong repeat: "Unstoppable" Celtic star could be sold for big profit

Celtic have made a habit of selling their best players for big fees in recent years, Jeremie Frimpong a high-profile example, but who could be next?

By
Ben Gray

Apr 19, 2025

Since taking the job as Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta has made his fair share of dire signings.

The likes of Pablo Mari, Willian, Marquinhos and Fabio Vieira are some examples of players who either failed to live up to expectations or were just poor when they played.

However, for all the bad, Arteta has also overseen plenty of sensational signings, with Martin Odegaard, Jurrien Timber and David Raya and perhaps the best of the lot, Declan Rice, joining the club under his stewardship.

The former West Ham United captain has been sensational for the Gunners since his club-record move in the summer of 2023, and now it would probably be fair to say one of the manager’s signings from last summer has proven to be his best since the Englishman.

How Arsenal's summer signings are getting on

So, it would be fair to say that overall, the campaign has been a mixed one for the signings made last summer, so before we get to the player in question, it’s worth going over how the others have fared, starting with the worst of the lot: Raheem Sterling.

The Kingston-born star joined the club on a season-long loan deal on transfer deadline day, and while he told the fans they would “see the best” of him, the complete opposite has been true so far.

For example, in 24 appearances, the former Manchester City monster has scored just a single goal, which came against League One Bolton Wanderers, and provided five assists, meaning he’s averaging a goal involvement every four games.

It’s been a more positive year for fellow summer signing Riccardo Calafiori, who joined the club from Bologna for around £42m, as when he’s played, he’s looked good and has an impressive tally – for a defender – of three goals and two assists in 26 appearances so far.

However, there has been one significant problem, which is his fitness.

So far, the Roma-born international has missed a whopping 24 games for club and country thanks to three knee injuries, one muscle injury and one calf injury, allowing Myles Lewis-Skelly to come in and make the left-back position his own.

Aside from David Raya, who initially joined the club on loan in 2023, and Neto, who barely played, there was one more senior signing made in the summer, a signing that might be Arteta’s best since Rice.

Chalkboard

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

Arsenal's best signing since Rice

So, with all the other signings from last summer covered above, it should be no surprise that Mikel Merino is the addition in question.

The Spanish international joined Arsenal for around £31.6m in late August after what felt like a particularly protracted transfer saga, but things did not start out well.

In cosmically poor luck, the European champion fractured his shoulder in his first training session with the club and remained out of action until the Champions League win over Paris Saint-Germain on the first of October.

Unfortunately, his luck didn’t improve much over the coming months as he struggled to assert himself in the team and, as a result, found himself constantly in and out of the starting lineup, which understandably made it hard for him to establish any sort of rhythm or consistency.

However, things took a turn for the unexpected in February, as injuries to Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus left the Gunners without a recognized number nine, so after a rather paltry first 70 minutes of goalless action away to Leicester City, the Spaniard was thrown on to lead the line.

Somehow, even though he had admitted to never playing there before, the former Real Sociedad ace looked right at home, scoring a brilliant header and then slotting home another to secure the North Londoners all three points.

Since then, the 28-year-old “mentality monster,” as dubbed by podcaster Matt Kendala, has scored another four goals to add to his two assists, and following his exceptional strike against Real Madrid, it’s hard to imagine that the club are still officially without a fit centre-forward in the team.

The Pamplona-born game-changer has been hearing his song sung by the fans more and more in recent weeks, and if he keeps on producing in the way he is, Kendala’s claim that he’s “approaching cult status” will undoubtedly be proven correct.

Ultimately, while he’s not on the same level as the Englishman, it would be hard to deny that, thanks to his performances of late, Merino is unquestionably Arteta’s best signing since Rice in 2023.

He's like Saka & Yamal: Arsenal in talks to sign "world-class" £39m star

The incredible winger would bring so much experience and quality to Arsenal’s squad.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Apr 15, 2025

Not every transfer has panned out in the way they would’ve hoped, but Chelsea have built an incredible squad over the last few years.

Whether it’s Reece James, Marc Cucurella and Wesley Fofana at the back; Estevao and Cole Palmer in attack or Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernández in the middle of the park, there is talent everywhere.

However, for all the incredible players they have signed, the Blues have also famously lost more than a few current superstars when they were still young, players like Michael Olise, Jamal Musiala and perhaps most frustrating of all, Declan Rice.

The Arsenal star would be the dream partner for Caicedo, so fans should be delighted about reports linking Chelsea with an international game-changer who could be their Rice.

Chelsea target their own Rice

It feels like it only just closed, but the transfer window will be open again in under a month, and unsurprisingly, Chelsea have started to be linked with a plethora of brilliant players.

Transfer Focus

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

For example, Juventus’ incredibly exciting young winger Kenan Yıldız has been touted for a move to Stamford Bridge, as has Nottingham Forest’s £79m Murillo.

However, as talented as those two are and as much of an impact as they’d have on Enzo Maresca’s squad, neither could be described as remotely like Rice, unlike Eduardo Camavinga.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, Chelsea are one of several Premier League teams keen on the Real Madrid monster.

Alongside the West Londoners, the report has revealed that their rivals, Arsenal and Liverpool, are also interested in the 23-year-old.

However, competition isn’t the only potential barrier to this transfer being done, as Real Madrid value their midfield monster at €80m, which is about £70m.

It could therefore be a costly and complicated deal to get over the line, but given Camavinga’s quality and further potential, it’s one Chelsea should fight for, especially as he could be their Rice.

Why Camavinga could be Chelsea's Rice

So when it comes to what makes Rice such an incredible player, most fans and pundits alike would probably point to his ability as an all-action midfielder.

He’s someone who can play as a six if needed, but also thrives as an eight, someone who can help break up play in the middle of the pitch and then create an attacking move for his side.

This is a skill set Camavinga also possesses, and the underlying numbers prove it.

For example, FBref ranks the midfield “war machine” as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, in the top 1% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for tackles won and tackles plus interceptions, the top 4% for blocks, the top 8% for progressive carrying distance, the top 12% for passes into the final third and more, all per 90.

Moreover, FBref ranked Rice as the eighth-most similar midfielder to the Frenchman in the 23/24 Champions League campaign.

To understand how this conclusion was reached, you need to look at some of the underlying metrics in which the pair ranked closely.

These included things like non-penalty expected goals, expected assists, passes into the penalty area, shots blocked, aerial duels won and more, all per 90.

In other words, even back then, the Madrid “duel monster,” as dubbed by analyst Raj Chohan, was showing that impressive balance of attacking and defensive nous he still has today, and that, combined with the fact he’s still just 23, is probably why Xabi Alonso described him as someone with “enormous potential.”

With all that said, there is something the Cabinda-born monster has over the Gunners star: experience of winning the biggest trophies, as he has two Champions League titles and two La Liga titles under his belt.

Ultimately, while it won’t be easy, Chelsea should do what they can to sign Camavinga, as he could become their own Rice.

Maresca can fix Caicedo blow by unleashing Chelsea's "one-man machine"

The hugely promising Chelsea gem could be the perfect solution for Enzo Maresca’s Caicedo blow.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Dec 1, 2025

Unai Emery hailed Morgan Rogers’ match-winning brace in Aston Villa’s 2-1 comeback win over Leeds – but warned the forward that his brilliance stemmed from being “hungry and angry” to deliver more goals. After a difficult start to the season, the England international erupted with a stunning performance that left his manager demanding even higher standards.

• Rogers bags spectacular brace in Aston Villa's Leeds win

  Aston Villa secured their sixth win in seven league matches as Rogers delivered a sensational brace to overturn an early Leeds lead at Elland Road. The 23-year-old equalised with an inventive near-post flick before stepping up again after the break to bury a superb free-kick, echoing Emi Buendia’s memorable strike against Bournemouth. His goals arrived at a crucial moment for a player who has been under scrutiny after a slow start to the 2025/26 season.

  Rogers had entered the campaign facing heightened expectations following last year’s breakout, but his form initially dipped as Aston Villa adjusted tactically and opposition sides paid closer attention to him. His brace against Leeds, though, represented a decisive resurgence, reaffirming his importance to Emery’s system.

  The Elland Road display came on the back of a confidence-boosting equaliser against Tottenham last month, suggesting Rogers is beginning to recover the sharpness that defined his 27-goal contributions last year. With Villa aiming for greater consistency in attack, the return of Rogers’ decisiveness could not have been better timed. His performance ensured Villa departed Leeds with momentum and renewed optimism.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Emery wants Rogers to remain 'angry'

  “Through numbers it is more brilliant and really relevant, his work today,” Emery said when speaking to reporters about Morgan. “His impact was positive with goals. Always he plays well. He does his task and he is versatile across different positions.

  “Maybe today he showed that he is angry to score. Being angry, he scored two goals, focusing on how he could get numbers. He did it, helping the team and for our victory today. He is a player who can get numbers. Last year he got double numbers for goals and assists. This year I think he will get this again.

  “He was playing fantastic before this match, not getting numbers, but helping the team. With those goals today, it’s more brilliant. I think Morgan is very important when he is scoring and when he is not scoring. He is working tactically, being versatile, and performing very consistently.”

  Asked what he meant by angry, Emery said: “Hungry and angry to score. Both. It is in this direction.”

• Emery opens up on Aston Villa's resurgence after poor start

  Emery continued on to talk about Aston Villa's overall performance: “Overall, I am happy with the team. Through our structure, tactically, we were disciplined and organised. We played with personality. Each player felt comfortable in their best position and getting confidence.”

  “There is still some work to do for some players, but how we are progressively getting better is really something I am proud of. I am very demanding in our way because now we are better in the table.”

  “My message is the same. We are not contenders for the top six or top four. We fought fantastic to be there or competing for those positions. Now we want to do the same.”

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  Aston Villa finally picking up form ahead of festive period

  Rogers’ brace sets up a pivotal stretch in which Villa will look to maintain their form heading into a tightly packed December schedule. First off, they will face off against Young Boys on Thursday, November 27. They will then face off against Wolves and Brighton before a crucial test against Arsenal at Villa Park.

  For Rogers, the challenge now is to turn a brilliant afternoon in Leeds into a sustained run of form after a testing start to the campaign. His underlying numbers have suggested a player close to finding rhythm, and the brace may prove the catalyst for an extended resurgence.

INEOS have not been afraid to splash the cash since taking the reins of Manchester United.

The 13-time Premier League champions are in dire straits, with manager Ruben Amorim yet to string a convincing run of games together, having won just 12 Premier League games in as many months in charge.

However, that is not for lack of backing in the transfer market. Sir Jim Ratcliffe bought four expensive players, including a new look attack consisting of Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha.

Goalkeeper Senne Lammens also joined the club to help shelve issues between the posts.

However, it does not seem like United’s heavy spending will be done there, with the club reportedly targeting another star attacker.

United’s latest attacking target

The Red Devils have certainly been linked with some superstars in recent days.

Transfer Focus

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

One of those is Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise, although they face stiff competition from Liverpool and Arsenal for the £123m-rated attacker.

Aside from the Frenchman, it seems like United are in the race to sign Real Madrid and Brazil attacker Vinicius Junior.

According to Football Insider, Amorim’s side are one of the clubs ‘interested’ in signing the Los Blancos star, who has reportedly fallen out with manager Xabi Alonso.

This has led to claims that the 25-year-old has refused to sign a new deal at the Bernabeu, and, with his contract up in 2027, he could be available at a cut-price fee.

Indeed, that is still as high as £80m, but given his quality and the state of the market, that seems a good price. United would have to rival Liverpool for his signature.

Why Vinicius would be a perfect Cunha upgrade

There are few players in the world as deadly in attack as Madrid’s number seven, Vinicius. Although this season under Alonso has been tougher than previous campaigns in the Spanish capital, his quality speaks for itself.

Yet, even then, his 2025/26 season so far has been impressive. The former Flamengo star has managed five goals and four assists in 13 La Liga games, and 901 minutes.

That leaves him with a goal involvement every 100 minutes.

Surprisingly, he’s yet to score or assist in the Champions League this season, but that is a competition where he’s had plenty of prior success.

The 2021/22 campaign, where Los Blancos lifted the trophy, saw him register 11 goal involvements. Two years later, they won it again, with Vincius scoring six times and assisting five in just ten games, including a goal in the final.

If Vinicius were to move to Old Trafford, he could be considered an upgrade on Brazil teammate Cunha.

Of course, the new Red Devils number ten only moved to Old Trafford this summer, joining from Wolverhampton Wanderers for £62.5m.

In terms of his sheer goals and assists output, the 19-cap Brazil star has only chipped in with one Premier League goal, an excellent finish against Brighton and Hove Albion.

He has seemingly impressed Amorim, who said he is a “maverick” footballer.

Yet, there is little doubt that Vinicius, described by Statman Dave as “the best player on the planet” back in the Champions League-winning season of 2023/24, would be an upgrade on his countryman.

Aside from his output, his pace and skill in one-vs-one situations are deadly.

Indeed, the stats from the current season back that up. For example, the Los Blancos number seven averages 3 successful take-ons and 8.9 progressive carries per 90 minutes, compared to 1.97 completed take-ons and 2.63 progressive carries for Cunha.

Whilst Cunha has enjoyed a good start to life at Old Trafford, Vinicius could take Amorim’s side to a whole new level. His deadly dribbling ability and eye for goal make him a complete attacker, one of the world’s best.

£80m isn’t the most outlandish fee for the quality of player. Perhaps the Brazilian could be the man who can finally make things click for Amorim at United.

Mbeumo upgrade: INEOS want to sign "best player in the world" for Man Utd

Manchester United could be about to target another elite-level talent for Ruben Amorim in the months ahead.

By
Ethan Lamb

Nov 25, 2025

They used one of their three trump cards and had almost everything with their four experienced batters go right for them

Sidharth Monga24-Jun-20254:09

Gambhir: We had opportunities on all five days

India’s big guns have all fired. Rishabh Pant has scored two creative centuries, the openers have each hit a classy one in each innings, the captain has notched up a regal one, their gun bowler has exhausted one of the three Tests he is going to play and has delivered a five-for. And yet they are down 1-0. They have lost the unlosable Test.Let’s get the obvious out of the way. Their last four aggregated nine runs in both innings put together, becoming parts of collapses of 7 for 41 and 6 for 31 in pretty flat conditions. They dropped more catches than any team in a Test in England in the last 20 years. Their third and fourth fast bowlers provided them neither control nor penetration. They could have batted England out on the second day; they didn’t. They could have secured a huge lead had they held their catches; they didn’t. They could have batted England out again on the fourth day; they didn’t.It was a proper baptism by fire for captain Shubman Gill, having to lead a transitioning bowling unit on one of the more idiosyncratic grounds of the world against a side that might not have the quality of some of India’s recent opponents but are intimidating frontrunners. A new slips cordon had to come to terms with fielding about a foot or two below the pitch level, bowlers needed to quickly adjust to running in up and down the slope, and their mistakes with the bat forced them to defend more than they could attack on a notoriously difficult-to-defend ground with pitches running all the way to the boundary. He also has to deal with his lead bowler playing only three Tests.Related

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However, Gill will need to lay down the law here. It wasn’t long ago that the India tail used to dig in and fight for whatever runs they could claw out. On their last trip to England, India got the lead because of the runs the lower order scored. It’s not that Nos. 8 to 11 aggregated only nine runs in two innings. Dismissals can happen. Even to specialist batters. It was more the nature of the dismissals. They batted like millionaires without getting a feel for the conditions despite having a proper batter at the other end. They played Shardul Thakur precisely to provide them batting depth, but he was out playing expansive drives eighth ball and 12th balls.Gill just needs to imagine what would have happened if the tail had displayed such a casual attitude when Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma was captain. Once, leave alone twice, in the same match. Gill will soon learn it is nice to have a great atmosphere and respect in the dressing room, but there needs to be some fear of the leaders as well.The lower-order flop is not the only reason why India lost the unlosable Test but it was a symptom of general drops in intensity that a captain needs to watch out against. Test cricket is more about playing good cricket for longer periods of time than flashes of brilliance. This is why an attack of four good fast bowlers is better than one world-beater, one good bowler and two bowling ordinarily. You need fitness, intensity, and ruthlessness to be up six hours a day, each day for five days, or however long it takes.3:26

Harmison: Not sure India believed they could get Duckett out

On the final day, when finally none of the big guns fired, India didn’t seem to have a plan on how to put together a consistent set of overs. Jasprit Bumrah should be allowed to have a day on which he is not bowling an unplayable delivery every over. The bowling choices need to be made based not just on numbers that day. Mohammed Siraj, the best bowler on display on the final day, wasn’t bowled from overs 42 to 80, a period of not just 39 overs but also two rain breaks. Ravindra Jadeja took a little too long to shift his line wider, into the rough, to challenge Ben Duckett’s reverse-sweeps. At one point Ben Duckett punched Jadeja towards mid-off, and he looked up to see there wasn’t one. Not short, not wide, not deep. Just no mid-off at all.In a Test that you make only one or two such mistakes, they can have only a trivial impact on the eventual outcome, but all these things add up.This was also collectively India’s worst fielding performance in a long time. Thakur misfielded because he slipped, but took forever to get back up and retrieve the ball. As Rishabh Pant could be heard saying on the stumps mic, “It is okay to misfield, but you need to recover.” It should have come from Gill. If you zoomed-out a little and looked at the whole field as events unfolded during the final day, it was hard to tell if Gill was in charge. At various times, Pant and KL Rahul set the fields and talked to the bowlers.1:59

Why were Indian seamers ineffective on day 5?

The most important job for Gill and Gautam Gambhir will be to lift the team after they have lost a Test in which they used one of the three trump cards given to them and had almost everything with their four experienced batters go right for them. As has been said in this space before, Gill’s real test will be if he plays Thakur as the bowling allrounder and it doesn’t work out. The ideal response will be to double down on the need to take 20 wickets and bring in a proper bowler – possibly Kuldeep Yadav – but their collapses have given them every reason to be conservative.A captaincy debut which started like a dream for Gill has ended up being a nightmare. This was only his sixth first-class match as captain. He needs to be cut some slack, but this is a job that comes with a lot of prestige and also responsibility. He has no option but to learn quickly on the job. There is no magic potion that can maintain the love and care but still instil fear and accountability.This is not to say the players are not hurting for this loss. They are hurting more than anyone on the outside can. They will all have to dust themselves off and do the good things again but also make sure their intensity doesn’t drop. The England bowling attack can be taken down. They just need their bowlers to be in the good areas more often than at Headingley, and then be switched on in the field.If there is any consolation, it has been done before. Kohli’s first Test as captain is remembered for his brilliant twin hundreds, but even that game featured ordinary selections and lower-order disasters. In his first series as the full-time captain, Kohli lost what seemed like the unlosable Test in Galle to start off with. You can quibble with other things, but it is hard to remember drops in intensity in the side after that.

A 61-run third-wicket stand held the Hong Kong innings together

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Sep-2025Hong Kong clambered to a respectable 149 for 4, as Nizakat Khan drove them through the middle and back end of the innings, after Anshy Rath had held down the fort in the early overs. The two combined in the middle for a partnership worth 61 off 43 balls – Nizakat contributing 33 off 22, while Rath went at a slower pace.Nizakat was not out at the crease on 52 off 38 balls at the end. It was his 12th T20I half-century, and his first against a Full Member (ICC or ACC), plus Hong Kong’s second ever fifty at this event. He’d been reprieved twice in the 17th over, bowled by Nuwan Thushara, but with so many wicket left, he was perhaps right to try low-percentage shots. Rath had fallen two runs short of 50, and struck at 104.34. He scored almost exclusively in front of square.Sri Lanka may have hoped to blow Hong Kong away when they asked them to bat first, but they didn’t have a lot of luck in the early overs. Zeeshan Ali scored boundaries off the outside and inside edge, and Dushmantha Chameera dropped off Thushara’s bowling.Chameera would go on to put in another strong performance, however, eventually dismissing Zeeshan, and later, Rath. He took the innings’ best figures of 2 for 29, but the spinners also delivered some economical overs. Maheesh Theekshana conceded only 22 off his four overs, while Wanindu Hasaranga took 1 for 27.

Having made the decision to sack Alan Sheehan after just six months in charge earlier this week, Swansea City have now reportedly opened talks with Kim Hellberg.

The South Wales outfit felt a change was needed following a 4-1 defeat at the hands of Ipswich Town on Saturday which left them as low as 18th in the Championship. Sheehan lasted just six months at the club and ended his tenure with 17 wins in 39 games.

Ultimately, despite a positive start to life at Swansea last season, it was Sheehan’s recent four-game losing run which acted as the nail in the coffin for his tenure. The international break also hands the club some much-needed time to get their next appointment right.

Swansea owners Brett Cravatt and Jason Cohen told the club website after announcing their decision: “Alan has been instrumental in helping improve the club through two periods of time. Alan has a tireless work ethic, an honest approach and a positive attitude.

“He has put his full effort into the job on behalf of the club. The club would like to place on record its thanks to Alan for all of his hard work during his time at Swansea City. We wish Alan and his family all the best for the future.”

Those in Wales will hope to have an appointment through the door by the time that they return from the international break to face Bristol City on 22 November. They’ll also be desperate to hire a manager that lasts longer than six months and can provide a long-term solution to their current struggles in the Championship.

Swansea hold talks with Kim Hellberg

As reported by Sky Sports’ Anthony Joseph, Swansea have now held talks with Hellberg, who is currently in charge of Swedish side Hammarby IF. The Swans are reportedly “keen” to hire the 37-year-old and have identified him as one of the early leading candidates to take their vacant role.

Whilst Hellberg isn’t the most experienced manager that Swansea could find, he is impressive in his own right.

The young manager has earned plenty of praise from those in Sweden, including IFK Varnamo sporting director Enes Ahmetovic, who worked with Hellberg at the club and said: “An incredibly skilled football coach. He spends a huge amount of time on every detail. I’m completely convinced that Hellberg will coach much bigger clubs than IFK Värnamo.”

Operating in a 4-2-3-1 system, Hellberg would also suit Swansea’s current squad who are used to the formation thanks to their time working under Sheehan.

Every Premier League and EFL manager sacked in the 2025/26 season

In our second batch of team report cards for 2024: India, Australia, South Africa, Bangladesh, West Indies, Afghanistan and Zimbabwe

02-Jan-2025

India

by Sidharth Monga
It was almost like India used up a year’s worth of luck on one afternoon in Barbados. It brought the country immense joy. What the T20 World Cup, their first ICC title in 11 years, meant to India really hit home when parts of the financial capital of the country came to a standstill for the victorious team’s trophy tour. It was as though not just the players but the entire country let themselves release their emotions after the heartbreak of the defeat in the last year’s ODI World Cup final.However, the tears of joy soon turned into anguish when India ended their dominant home run of 18 unbeaten series with not just any series defeat but their first-ever whitewash at home.As after the ODI World Cup in 2011, India hurtled towards a transition, with R Ashwin announcing retirement and pressure building on some others. Only the relentless genius of Jasprit Bumrah kept the men’s team from resembling the side that sleepwalked to eight straight Test defeats in England and Australia in 2011 and 2012.At the end of the year, needing a win in Sydney to stay alive in the World Test Championship, the memories of the T20 World Cup win and the home series win against England seemed so distant they might as well have been nostalgia.You can’t take away from those victories, though. Especially the T20I one, where the younger batters kept going from strength to strength. India scored at 9.55 an over in 2024, the third-fastest by any Full Member side in a calendar year in T20Is. Their batters made seven centuries in the format, and they lost just two games out of 26 all year, truly entering the modern T20 age.That they lost three times as many Tests should tell you which format needs their leadership’s utmost attention.The year was much more temperate for the women, lacking dramatic ups and downs. While they won the only Test they played, they kept losing to Australia. The surprise defeat to Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup T20 final will remain a disappointment.High point

When Heinrich Klaasen hit Axar Patel out of Kensington Oval during a 24-run over, South Africa were left needing just 30 off 30 balls in the World Cup final. The replacement ball, though, began to reverse, and all of a sudden, everything started to go India’s way. Everything needed to be inch perfect to be able to pull off that defence, and that is exactly what it turned out to be, ending years of agony for a trophy-starved nation.Low point

Later in the year, everything started going against India to result in the snapping of their 12-year unbeaten run in Test series at home. Unseasonal rain in Bengaluru created a seaming track that helped New Zealand, and a Rishabh Pant six hit out of the Chinnaswamy brought out a ball that started seaming afresh. In a panic, India demanded extreme turners for the remaining Tests, lost the tosses, and for once, their spin-bowling allrounders failed to bail them out. The streak was ended by the unlikeliest of opponents, who last won a Test in India in 1988, and ended up more than doubling their tally of wins in India.ResultsMen

Tests: P15 W8 L6 D1

ODIs: P3 W0 L2 T1

T20Is: P26 W24 L2Women

Tests: P1 W1

ODIs: P13 W8 L5

T20Is: P23 W15 L7 NR1After disappointment in the World Cup, Australia found redemption with a 2-1 series lead over India•Getty Images

Australia

by Andrew McGlashan
Australia’s men saved their best for last, taking a 2-1 lead over India with a race-against-time victory at the MCG in a Test that saw record attendances. It was a significant turnaround after a crushing defeat in Perth to start the series. They will head into 2025 with hopes of a first series win over India in a decade and a good chance of defending their World Test Championship title.There was a sense of renewal, too, after the sparkling debut of 19-year-old Sam Konstas amid what had become a churn of openers following David Warner’s retirement at the start of the year – first Steven Smith and then Nathan McSweeney were tried at the top of the order. Regardless of how Konstas’ career pans out, it will be fascinating to watch.The shock defeat to West Indies at the Gabba (against an inspired Shamar Joseph) and a Super Eight exit at the T20 World Cup meant it wasn’t quite a year to match the highs of 2023.The women’s team, too, fell below their usual heights – although they had set a bar very hard to stay above forever. Going out in the semi-final of the T20 World Cup was a surprise, and doubts grew over the future of captain Alyssa Healy, who has been beset by injury, but the question was also about how to make the best use of the abundance of talent available in the likes of Phoebe Litchfield, Annabel Sutherland, and latterly Georgia Voll.High point
The MCG on the penultimate day of the year. Pat Cummins and many of his team-mates termed the victory against India as among their greatest. A game that began with the thrilling debut of Konstas, who took the attack to Jasprit Bumrah, came down to Australia needing seven wickets at the start of the final session and surging over the line with 12 overs to spare. Cummins, as so often, led from the front with an immense all-round performance.Low point
Both Australia teams were eliminated from their respective T20 World Cups early, but given their legacy it was the women’s exit in Dubai that was the more surprising. They were bundled out by eight wickets against South Africa, missing injured captain Healy, and it ended a run of seven consecutive finals for them in the competition. Was it a sign of a decline, or a defeat that was inevitable at some point? With an Ashes early in 2025 and an ODI World Cup later in the year, the coming 12 months will tell us a lot.ResultsMen
Tests: P9 W6 L2 D1
ODIs: P11 W7 L4
T20Is: P21 W17 L4Women
Tests: P1 W1
ODIs: P12 W11 L1
T20Is: P17 W14 L3South Africa men rode a very bumpy, unpredictable path to their first WTC final•AFP/Getty Images

South Africa

By Firdose Moonda
Three finals in one year screams success (even if two were lost and one has yet to be played) and points to a consistent upward trajectory for the South African game. But there is a caveat: 2024 was a year where South Africa won when it mattered and lost, often badly, when it didn’t.Their Test year started poorly, with a defeat to India in a 107-over aberration at Newlands and a first series loss to New Zealand, where they were forced to take a second-string sidebecause the first-choice players were committed to the SA20. But they roared back for series wins against West Indies and Bangladesh away, and Sri Lanka at home to put themselves on the brink of the World Test Championship final. Before the year was out, South Africa secured their spots for that match in a nerve-shredding two wicket win in the Boxing Day Test. A feature of their performances has been the upturn in century-scoring. In 2024, eight South Africa Test batters reached hundreds; Tristan Stubbs and Kyle Verreynne twice each.Their white-ball performances peaked when they reeled off eight successive wins to reach the T20 World Cup final – a first for the men’s team – but a narrow loss by seven runs to India left the trophy cabinet bare.In ODIs, South Africa lost series to Afghanistan in Sharjah and Pakistan at home, the latter the first time any team has whitewashed South Africa in their own backyard. They also lost their first four T20I bilateral series in 2024 – and were blanked 3-0 by West Indies either side of the World Cup – before beating Pakistan in December. It is difficult to assess these results on numbers alone because South Africa played most of their bilateral white-ball cricket without first-choice players due to various factors.The women’s team reached a second successive T20 World Cup final, after losing series to Australia away and Sri Lanka at home, but against expectation, thrashed defending champions Australia in the semi-final. They then they took on much less fancied New Zealand in the final but it wasn’t to be, again.An all-format visit by England in the summer brought more misery: South Africa won only one out of seven matches and were dismissed for their lowest Test total, 64. But there are signs things are steadying. In the last three weeks of the year, the South African women’s team finally got a new head coach, Mandla Mashimbyi, who has promised to advocate for red-ball cricket at domestic level. In 2025 the focus will be on the ODI World Cup, for which South Africa have qualified after ending the women’s championship in fourth place.High point
Reaching the WTC final is a testament to consistent high performances. South Africa recovered from early lows to peak in the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan, which they won by two wickets. A thrilling fourth day also saw South Africa do what they’ve rarely managed before – hold their nerve in a chase.Low Point
While its understood that financial reasons compelled CSA to make room for the SA20 in the calendar (and it turned a profit again in its second year), the consequences were alarming. South Africa named a Test squad with seven uncapped players for their tour of New Zealand, and they duly lost the series 2-0l. That was the first time South Africa had lost a Test series to New Zealand, and at the time it threw their WTC hopes into disarray.ResultsMen
Tests: P10 W6 L3 D1
ODIs: P9 W3 L6
T20Is: P23 W12 L11Women
Tests: P3 L3
ODIs: P12 W3 L8 NR1
T20Is: P21 W9 L11 NR1The Shamar sizzle: the Gabba win at the start of the year was one of West Indies’ great achievements in Tests this century•Albert Perez/Getty Images

West Indies

by Shashank Kishore
A seminal Test win at the Gabba, West Indies’ first in Tests against Australia in 21 years and their first in Australia in 27, set the tone, but their Test year got tougher from there, with an away sweep in England and losses at home to South Africa (1-0) and Bangladesh (1-1).Though the results were a mixed bag, there were flashes of individual brilliance from time to time, like Kevin Hodge’s maiden Test hundred at Nottingham in the face of some serious heat and hostility from Mark Wood.In T20Is West Indies underachieved by crashing out of their home World Cup without making at least the semi-final. England inflicted further agony by beating them 3-1 in the T20Is in the Caribbean in November. A win in the ODI leg over England may have been a temporary balm, but it meant little, given they don’t have a Champions Trophy to look forward to, having failed to qualify for the eight-team event.The women’s team achieved far more than they were expected to, reaching their first T20 World Cup semi-final since 2018. That campaign marked the international return of superstar Deandra Dottin, who contributed wholesomely to their success.High point
The Gabba Test win, which came on the back of a ten-wicket drubbing in under three days in Adelaide.Equally massive was them knocking off tournament favourites England to qualify for the semi-final of the women’s T20 World Cup. Having last beaten England in 2018, they broke a 13-match losing streak against them. It was only the second time England failed to make a T20 World Cup semi-final since 2010.Low point
A Super Eight exit from the men’s T20 World Cup after losing to England and South Africa.Results
Men
Tests: P9 W2 L6 D1
ODIs: P12 W6 L6
T20Is: P27 W14 L12 NR1Women
ODIs: P8 W3 L5
T20Is: P16 W10 L6Bangladesh swept Pakistan at home in a Test series for the first time ever•Associated Press

Bangladesh

by Mohammad Isam
Bangladesh men’s 3-0 win against West Indies in the T20I series capped a hot-and-cold year for them. It was hard to gauge exactly where the team stood at the end of a year in which they beat Pakistan 2-0 in a historic overseas Test series, but they were also beaten by USA 2-1 in a T20I series.They also had their share of controversies and drama. The year began with an ill-tempered multi-format home series against Sri Lanka. Then came the series defeat to USA in Houston, which caused much trepidation for the T20 World Cup, but Bangladesh made it to the tournament’s second stage for the first time in its history. Still, their exit caused controversy as they gave up a potential semi-final spot chasing just 114 runs against Afghanistan.When they beat Pakistan two months later, Bangladesh looked like a different side. However, they then had series defeats against India, South Africa and Afghanistan. They went to West Indies an injury-hit side, but ended up winning a Test in Jamaica, and then beating the home side in the T20I series in St Vincent.The women’s team, meanwhile, had a poor year, struggling in the T20 World Cup and in the format overall, culminating in a 3-0 defeat to Ireland at home in December.High point
Bangladesh’s sweep of Pakistan – their first ever – was their best performance in an away Test series in years. Mushfiqur Rahim and Litton Das starred with the bat, and the pace attack carried the side when the batters couldn’t. Mehidy Hasan Miraz was stunning with both bat and ball.Low point
USA beating Bangladesh in a T20I series was a real low, but they were also bossed at home in a Test series by an inexperienced South African side.Results
Men
Tests: P10 W3 L7
ODIs: P9 W3 L6
T20Is: P24 W12 L12Women
ODIs: P6 W3 L3
T20Is: P19 W3 L16In 2024, Afghanistan made it to their first World Cup semi-final•AFP/Getty Images

Afghanistan

by Danyal Rasool
In 2024, Afghanistan continued their inexorable rise in white-ball cricket as demonstrated by an ODI series win against South Africa and their run to the T20 World Cup semi-final. There were also T20I series wins over Ireland and Zimbabwe, which showed signs Afghanistan were building depth, slowly but surely moving on from the generation that first oversaw their emergence in international cricket.There remain bouts of inconsistency, as is perhaps inevitable for a side still early in their development. Test matches remain few and far between, and Afghanistan lost the two they played in 2024. Plus, an ODI whitewash by Sri Lanka indicated there is work they still need to do in the 50-over format as well.But the wider story of Afghanistan cricket continues to be marred by the complete absence of a women’s team, with the ruling Taliban having banned women from playing cricket. It has led to social isolation of Afghanistan cricket, most notably with Australia refusing to play them in bilateral series, though the sides have competed multiple times in ICC tournaments.High point
Afghanistan seem to improve with every ICC tournament they play, but the 2024 T20 World Cup was the real breakthrough. They blitzed New Zealand and stunned Australia to qualify for the semi-final for the first time in their history. While South Africa eased to victory in that game, it showed the progress Afghanistan have made in all these years.Low point
Test cricket is not Afghanistan’s forte, but even so, they were expected to beat Ireland in the UAE, where the conditions favoured them. They paid the price for a poor first innings and never quite recovered, as Ireland secured a six-wicket victory.Results
Men
Tests: P2 L2
ODIs: P14 W8 L5 NR 1
T20Is: P21 W11 L10 Sikandar Raza became Zimbabwe’s first T20I centurion in a record-breaking 290-run win against Gambia•International Cricket Council