All posts by n8rngtd.top

Tottenham Hotspur sunk to another defeat, their 20th of the season, in the Premier League when they were beaten 2-0 by Crystal Palace on Sunday.

A double from Eberechi Eze, who scored just before and just after the half-time break, put Spurs to the sword, and it could have been even more if not for eight saves from Antonin Kinsky between the sticks.

The Czech star was given a rare run-out in goal as he is not eligible to play in the Europa League, but the shot-stopper was not the only player who was given a rare chance to impress, as Ben Davies also came in at centre-back.

Why Ben Davies should not start the Europa League final

The Wales international came in to start in the left-sided centre-back position against Palace, after he was an unused substitute in both legs of the semi-final clash with Bodo/Glimt.

Davies won seven of his 13 duels against the Eagles, just over half, and put in a decent, but unimpressive, display at the heart of the defence. He certainly did not do enough to suggest that the manager should keep him in the team for the Europa League final after the clash with Aston Villa next weekend.

As you can see in the table above, Micky van de Ven has been far more defensively dominant than him in Europe, which is why the Dutchman should be in line to start against Manchester United.

Davies is not the only player from Sunday’s starting XI who should be ditched from the team after the Aston Villa game, though, as Djed Spence must also be binned for the final.

Why Djed Spence should not start the Europa League final

The English defender lined up at left-back against Palace and did not cover himself in glory for either of the goals with his positioning on that side of the pitch, whilst he also gave the ball away 12 times and only completed 76% of his attempted passes.

Chalkboard

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

Football.london handed him a player rating of just 3/10 and wrote that he was ‘all over the place’ and that Palace took ‘advantage’ of his poor positional play throughout the match, despite winning eight of his ten duels.

It is not the first time that his positioning has been questioned. When playing in his more natural right-back berth, Football FanCast suggested that he should have been dropped after the 5-1 defeat to Liverpool because he was allowed his market to get in behind on at least three occasions, once leading to a goal, on that day.

Ange Postecoglou, therefore, should not select Spence at left-back for the Europa League final because his unreliable positioning could cost them big time against the Red Devils.

Spurs will not want to gift chances away, as they did against Liverpool and Palace, with Spence at full-back because his positioning lets the United wingers in too many times down the flanks, which is why he should be dropped.

Destiny Udogie, meanwhile, has averaged 3.6 tackles and interceptions per game and won 66% of his duels in the Europa League, whilst also offering a naturally left-footed option to progress the ball in possession down that side.

Not another Mourinho: Levy makes "genius" coach Spurs' top target

Even if Tottenham triumph in the Europa League, most expect Ange Postecoglou to be sacked, so doest Daniel Levy have a “genius” coach top of his list?

2

By
Ben Gray

May 10, 2025

It is now down to Postecoglou to take Spence out of the XI, whether that is for Villa next week or after the clash with the Villans, in order to play Udogie at left-back in the Europa League final.

Manchester United just about managed to salvage a share of the points away at AFC Bournemouth on Sunday as Rasmus Hojlund broke free of his wretched luck in front of goal in the Premier League to rescue a 1-1 draw.

The Cherries were hanging onto their 1-0 slim lead after Evanilson saw red on the 70th minute mark and must have thought United’s wastefulness in attack was going to be their saving grace, only for the usually misfiring Dane to level the game right at the death.

Whilst the 22-year-old was the unlikely hero come the full-time whistle, a draw might still be deemed as an unsatisfactory result based on the away side’s lack of composure up top ,robbing them of a much-needed victory.

Man United's wasteful attackers vs Bournemouth

In total, Ruben Amorim’s men would notch up a hefty 25 shots on the Cherries’ goal, with Hojlund’s effort amazingly the only one that ended up beating the consistently switched-on Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Away from accumulating a stunning seven key passes to try and set up his teammates for opportunities, Bruno Fernandes will feel irked that he didn’t manage to beat Kepa like his Danish teammate, with three efforts unfortunately passing him by on the South Coast.

Likewise, Hojlund will feel somewhat annoyed that he couldn’t pick up a whole host of strikes, with the goal-shy number 9 failing to get involved in the contest for large portions of the 90 minutes, leading to his only effort on the day being the golden one that trickled in.

But, there was a far worse culprit than both of these attackers when it came to squandering chances against Andoni Iraola’s open hosts, with Amorim now clamouring for Wolverhampton Wanderers superstar Matheus Cunha’s signature even more so off the back of this underperformer lacking a clinical edge.

5/10 Man Utd could soon be replaced by Cunha

Whilst United’s wastefulness reared its ugly head once more during the 1-1 draw, Cunha showed off his spellbinding ability in attack again for Wolves at the weekend, with the ex-Atletico Madrid ace picking up a goal and two assists in his side’s convincing 3-0 takedown of Leicester City.

With it reported that the Brazilian could be on his way to Old Trafford, Fernandes would likely not be sacrificed for Cunha to take up a first-team spot.

As a result, his comrade in the attacking positions in Alejandro Garnacho could be the casualty, with his showing against Bournemouth leaving a lot to be desired.

As is outlined above, Garnacho is now up to a dire 14 big chances missed this season, with his game in the forward areas against Iraola’s men screaming of an attacker low on confidence when the heat is ramped up.

The South American forward ended the game having been handed a low 5/10 rating post-match by Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst and it was unsurprising to see why.

He fired a mammoth eight shots at the Cherries net without ever beating Kepa, meaning his goal count for the season in the Premier League is stuck at a paltry five. Furthermore, he won just four of his seven duels and gave away the ball 13 times, once every 3.7 touches.

Whereas, moving back to Molineux, Cunha finds himself on a mightily impressive 21 goal contributions for the campaign from 29 clashes, with Amorim well aware that the Brazilian’s arrival onto the scene would see Garnacho instantly drop out of the XI.

It remains to be seen whether United can win their desired man away from rampant speculation, but if they are successful in their pursuit, he could be one piece of the jigsaw that enables Amorim’s Red Devils to recapture their former glories.

He'd be incredible with Cunha: Man Utd are in talks to sign a "monster" CM

Manchester United could land a star who would be perfect for Matheu Cunha this summer.

By
Ethan Lamb

Apr 25, 2025

It seems like Manchester City will need a midfield overhaul in the summer transfer window. We already know that Kevin De Bruyne will leave the club, after that was announced before the Manchester Derby a few weeks ago.

However, he is not the only midfielder who could depart. Sky Sports have reported recently that Bernardo Silva has been told he will be sold in the 2025 summer transfer window, as the Citizens look to refresh their options ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, which needs wholesale improvement.

With at least two players in the centre of the park set to leave the club, City need to add new options to the squad. They have recently been linked with one Premier League player.

Man City target Premier League midfielder

There are several midfielders in the Premier League whom you might think City will target this summer with Morgan Gibbs-White reportedly on the shortlist. The latest on that is the Citizens are ‘leading’ the race to sign the Nottingham Forest talent.

Transfer Focus

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

Still, if recent reports are to be believed, then Sandro Tonali of Newcastle United is the latest star they are linked with.

According to recent reports from Spain, the Citizens ‘have set their sights on the Italian midfielder’ ahead of a busy summer and they have ‘the intention of signing him’ in the coming months, to spearhead their midfield redevelopment.

However, they are not going to be alone in this pursuit. In fact, they might not face harder competition, with LaLiga giants Real Madrid and Barcelona also targeting a move for Tonali.

For any of the three sides interested, this deal won’t come cheap. The report suggests he won’t be any less than £69m, if a deal is to be struck.

Why Tonali would be a good signing for Man City

It has been an impressive campaign for enterprising Italian midfielder Tonali. The 24-year-old has become a key part of Eddie Howe’s midfield at St James’ Park, and was even described as “one of the best midfielders in the world” by his agent Giuseppe Rossi.

This term, Tonali has played 40 games across all competitions. In that time, he’s managed to find the back of the net on five occasions and grab eight assists, operating as a number 6 and a number 8.

One of the standout features of the former Milan star’s game is his box-crashing tendency. He often makes runs from deep to get on the end of crosses, or links up play and carries on his runs to get into goalscoring positions. Take his goal against Manchester United earlier this month as an example.

Should the East Mancunian outfit seriously pursue a move for Tonali this summer, he could be the perfect alternative to another Newcastle midfielder they are linked with, Bruno Guimaraes. As per a report from TEAMtalk in mid-March, City are ‘planning a summer bid’ for the Brazilian.

He, too, would be a strong signing for Pep Guardiola’s side. Like Tonali, the 27-year-old has played an important role for the Magpies this term, scoring and assisting 12 times in 42 appearances. That included two assists in a 3-3 draw against Liverpool.

With that being said, there is not too much difference between the pair statistically, according to FBref. In fact, the pair are neck and neck in several key metrics. For example, Tonali averages 6.45 ball recoveries and 3.43 passes into the final third per game, compared to 4.97 ball recoveries and 4.78 final third passes per 90 minutes.

It certainly seems like Tonali would be a major addition for City in the middle of the park. If Guimaraes is unattainable in the 2025 summer window, his teammate would offer a brilliant solution, and his box-crashing abilities and work rate off the ball would suit City down to a tee.

£69m is a fairly high fee, but to compete with the best again next season, Guardiola’s side will have to invest those kinds of fees.

Man City can forget De Bruyne & Gibbs-White by unleashing 17-year-old star

Man City could save a fortune this summer by unleashing academy sensation

By
Ross Kilvington

Apr 22, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur have been tipped to appoint a 52-year-old after he was spotted at the Spurs stadium recently, which also follows his rumoured talks with chairman Daniel Levy.

Ange Postecoglou facing sack as Tottenham make boardroom change

Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou’s long-term future will seriously hinge on their Europa League quarter-final second leg against Eintracht Frankfurt next week.

Tottenham make contact with former manager as Levy hatches transfer plan

Spurs have reached out to their ex-boss.

By
Emilio Galantini

Apr 11, 2025

Fabrizio Romano is among the credible media sources to report that there is a strong possibility Postecoglou will be dismissed if Tottenham fail to mount an impressive run in Europe, so the pressure is on the 59-year-old to get it right during their return leg in Germany.

Tottenham have identified a few candidates to replace Postecoglou already, including Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola, who is seen as a top target for the Lilywhites alongside the likes of Brentford’s Thomas Frank and Fulham boss Marco Silva (The Athletic).

All of this comes amid their fresh appointment of new CEO Vinai Venkatesham, who will officially commence his role this summer after swapping Arsenal for the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

It is a hire which could have major implications on Levy’s influence and the running of the club, with Venkatesham set to oversee both on-field and off-field matters in a very senior role (Dave Hytner).

His arrival will also have a big say on whether Tottenham end up re-hiring former managing director Fabio Paratici.

After he resigned from his post in 2023, due to a worldwide ban from football, that sentence is set to end on June 30th – and Spurs have reportedly been pursuing a return for Paratici.

According to journalist Graeme Bailey and other reports in Italy, Levy has held talks with Paratici over re-joining Tottenham, and the Lilywhites chief was thought to be “working hard” to bring him back to N17.

Milan’s recent negotiations to appoint Paratici also collapsed last week, handing Spurs a potential free run.

Tottenham tipped to appoint Fabio Paratici after Daniel Levy talks

Interestingly, Paratici was spotted at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Thursday, sitting in the stands as he watched Postecoglou’s side draw 1-1 with Frankfurt.

After seeing this image, following on from these alleged Levy talks, pundit John Wenham is convinced that Paratici is returning to Tottenham, and the Italian could already be working on a replacement for Postecoglou.

“If Postecoglou is sacked, I’m not sure who will come in until the end of the season,” Wenham said to Tottenham News.

“We will have to wait and see. However, we saw that Paratici was at the stadium again on Thursday, sitting with the club legends. Therefore, it looks like he is coming back, and perhaps he is already lining up a new manager to replace Postecoglou.”

He would be a controversial hire after his footballing ban, but sections of supporters are keen for it to happen.

Paratici played a key role in their appointment of Antonio Conte, whilst also orchestrating deals for Rodrigo Bentancur, Dejan Kulusevski, Yves Bissouma, Cristian Romero, Pedro Porro, Djed Spence, Destiny Udogie and Pape Sarr, who’ve all gone on to impress since joining Spurs.

Aston Villa fans far and wide will be travelling to Paris right now ahead of their side’s huge Champions League first leg tie with Paris St. Germain tomorrow evening, confident that their team can pull off a fantastic result in the daunting French capital.

After all, Unai Emery’s Villans head into this clash against their manager’s former employers having won their last seven games in all competitions, meaning the likes of Morgan Rogers and Co will dive headfirst into the contest at the Parc Des Princes without fear.

Still, the rosey recent form Villa are able to boast doesn’t mean summer additions won’t be lined up, with a recent report suggesting that Emery and Co could now land a new defensive titan for £50m.

Aston Villa lining up move for £50m defender

As per a recent report from Football Insider, the Birmingham-based giants could soon plot an ambitious deal for Sporting CP centre-back Ousmane Diomande.

Transfer Focus

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

Football Insider further reveals that £50m would be enough for the Portuguese side to consider parting ways with their star defender, with the Villans willing to splash that extortionate amount of cash on Diomande to get a statement deal over the line.

After all, the “monster” centre-back – as he’s been labelled by football analyst Ben Mattinson – is very much an in-demand figure, with fellow Premier League sides Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur all reportedly keen alongside Emery’s outfit.

Winning Diomande’s services would be yet another indicator that Villa are progressing as a force to be reckoned with, therefore, with a hope on the end of the West Midlands side that the 21-year-old could be their very own William Saliba, having seen how imperious the Frenchman has become for the Gunners.

How Diomande could be Emery's own Saliba

Saliba would enter into the English game with a lot of similar hype attached to his name, costing the Gunners – then managed by Emery – £27m back in 2019, before actually making his debut under Mikel Arteta in 2022.

He has more than lived up to all the wild praise that has come his way, with Saliba near faultless with the ball at his feet this season in the Premier League by averaging a 94% pass accuracy per match, alongside showing off his multi-faceted game by bravely winning 4.6 duels on average.

Further capable of popping up with a crucial header – seen in Saliba’s growing goal count of seven in North London – Villa will pray that forking out £50m for Diomande pays off and they do end up winning their very own version of the French powerhouse.

Both players have notable similarities when assessing their numbers in the Champions League this season, via FBref, with Diomande equally a cool and calm customer on the ball like his Arsenal counterpart, who is also unafraid to launch himself into full-throttle challenges if needed.

As can be seen looking at the table above, the in-demand Diomande is a very similar style defender to Saliba, with both players in question unerring when it comes to their quality of passing, but both also have a mean streak present.

Indeed, the 21-year-old Villa target even betters the Arsenal stalwart when it comes to some of their defensive basics, with Emery hopeful that the “aggressive” colossus – as he’s been lauded by football talent scout Antonio Mango in the past – can then cut it in the demanding Premier League.

Villa have already seen both Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio boldly enter through the door recently, so a jaw-dropping deal for Diomande to join isn’t out of the realms of possibility, especially as Emery and Co go about strengthening more to bolster their reputation as one of the Premier League’s top sides.

Aston Villa now join 6-team tussle to sign "bulldozing" teenage sensation

He’s a man in demand…

By
Tom Cunningham

Apr 6, 2025

Reliving five of the Sri Lanka allrounder’s best performances in Test cricket in the lead-up to his final match

Madushka Balasuriya15-Jun-2025Angelo Mathews laid down a marker early in his captaincy in Abu Dhabi, 12 years ago•AFP

A showcase of mettle

91 & 157* vs Pakistan, Abu Dhabi (2013/14)The retirements of longtime stalwarts Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara were fast approaching, and Mathews’ Test captaincy, still in its infancy, was, perhaps unfairly, being compared to that of his soon-to-be-gone predecessors.But as Sri Lanka’s batting wilted under not-very-testing conditions, slumping to 124 for 8 after being put in, Mathews began to showcase a hitherto unseen Test mettle. A counterattacking 91 off 127, shielding the tail, dragged the visitors to a subpar but acceptable 204, though the main course was still to come.Sri Lanka wound up conceding a 179-run first innings lead, but if the first innings was Mathews fighting back, the second showed a side many hadn’t yet seen as he ground his way to an unbeaten 157 off 343 deliveries.It helped set a final day target of 302, but more importantly ate up time, ensuring Pakistan had little chance to attempt the chase. Mathews’ efforts eventually secured a hard-fought draw and a deserved Player-of-the-Match award.A Galle special: Mahela Jayawardene celebrates Angelo Mathews and his rain-thwarting cameo•AFP

The rain man

25* vs Pakistan, Galle (2014)This one is a rogue entry in our list. As day five began, a draw seemed foregone – Pakistan still had nine wickets in hand, there was little in the pitch for the bowlers, and even if Sri Lanka did pick up those wickets cheaply the heavy rains forecast meant the chance of a result was virtually non-existent.Fast forward a few hours, and a Rangana Herath masterclass had manifested the impossible. While a target of 99 off 21 overs was eminently gettable, the certainty of rain – a case of when not if – was a problem. In fading light, the brazen attempts at time wasting from the Pakistan players was a necessary evil.Related

• Mathews defies drama, one last time

• Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh: New beginnings for both teams as WTC restarts in Galle

• Mathews Interview: 'I lost a lot of hair during my captaincy'

• 'Time for me to say goodbye' – Mathews to retire from Test cricket

It was in the face of all this that Mathews walked out with 40 needed off 55, though realistically it was more like 40 off 30 – 20 perhaps? Whatever it was, Mathews wasn’t to know. All he knew was that he would have to make the most of the time that was ticking.In the end he wound up facing 13 deliveries; two went for six, two more for four. The 13th? A single that was never on, leading to a direct hit that never happened.With half the batting still to come afterwards, a direct hit would in most scenarios have been inconsequential, but here, in the time it would have taken for the next batter to walk to the middle, the clouds that had been hovering menacingly all day would have finally given way. Instead, when the rains did come, it was no longer as spoiler, rather just another celebrant of the most improbable of wins.”It was one of the best games I have taken part in,” Mathews would proclaim afterwards, and all these years later you’d be hard pressed to disagree.Angelo Mathews at Headingley in 2014 was a total vibe•Ben Radford/Getty Images

The peak

160 & 4/44 vs England, Leeds (2014)Mathews the allrounder has reached almost mythical proportions in Sri Lankan cricket folklore. An all-time what-could-have-been. But in the summer of 2014, Mathews was at the peak of his powers.Following an uninspired Sri Lankan first innings, England were threatening to bat Sri Lanka out of the game. The hosts had lost just two wickets by the time they surpassed Sri Lanka’s 257, but Mathews’s 4 for 44 snaked through England’s tail and ensured the lead didn’t go beyond 108.It was with bat though that Mathews truly shaped the game to his will, in an innings that was every bit the line between victory and defeat. His partnership alongside Mahela Jayawardene had helped extend Sri Lanka’s lead, but certainly not to match-winning territory. Jayawardene’s fall led to two more wickets, stunting Sri Lanka’s progress and leaving their lead below 200 with just three wickets in hand.It was here that Mathews steeled his resolve, as might an Anime hero on the verge of collapse. Sri Lanka’s collective hand weakened, but Mathews’ power grew as he shepherded an equally dogged Herath to dismantle England with precision and a devastating sense of clarity. Their 149-run stand for the eighth wicket was the second-highest for Sri Lanka.His 160 came off 249 deliveries, perhaps regulation by modern standards, but blazing in that era – particularly in a Sri Lankan context. Mathews steered his team to a 350-run lead and, eventually, a quite dramatic final-day victory.Angelo Mathews made his eighth Test hundred in Delhi•BCCI

A show of defiance

111 vs India, Delhi (2017)Sri Lanka had never won a Test in India, and going into this series any hope of that stat changing was as low as it had ever been. The first match had ended in a draw but in the second, India had scampered home by an innings. The third was seemingly heading in the same direction, headlined by a first-innings Virat Kohli double-ton.Adding to Sri Lanka’s misery was the weather. Air pollution levels in Delhi had reached “very unhealthy” levels, with several Lankan players struggling to cope and one even vomiting in the dressing room. At one point Sri Lanka were left with just 10 available players on the field, a contributing factor towards India’s eventual declaration.This served to bring an edge to an already tetchy contest, with India unimpressed by the number of medical stoppages in play called for by Sri Lankan players. Perhaps it was this which spurred on Mathews, as he and Dinesh Chandimal put on a 181-run fourth wicket stand.Mathews had passed fifty just thrice in his 10 previous Tests, and had openly spoken of the unending pressure of his role as captain and senior batter. But here he dipped into his reserves of experience, to negate the varying threats posed by the quartet of Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.Despite his best efforts, Sri Lanka would still end up over 150 in the red, but it showed the youngsters in the side that grit and hard work could get the job done, even in conditions as tough as this. And so it proved as Sri Lanka’s young vanguard led the way in batting out day five to secure a hard-fought draw.Angelo Mathews hit back at his coach for questioning his fitness with a push-up celebration of his century•Getty Images

He did it all day

83 & 120* vs New Zealand, Wellington (2018)Mathews had come into this game with a point to prove. Dropped from the white-ball side by then head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe over fitness concerns, he was a man on a mission. In the first innings he had struck a defiant 83, but saved his most pointed retort for the final innings.With Sri Lanka staring down the barrel at 13 for 3, some 283 runs behind New Zealand, and two full days of cricket ahead, Mathews was joined at the crease by Kusal Mendis. What followed was a bloody-minded display of batting that nobody seemed quite prepared for, even if the pitch that had begun to ease out.Against an outstanding New Zealand attack that contained Neil Wagner, Tim Southee and Trent Boult, Mathews and Mendis gave nothing away over a whole day’s play. New Zealand captain Kane Williamson conceded as much afterwards, exclaiming that his side had tried every trick possible but to no avail.This was an innings most memorable for Mathews’ push-up celebration upon reaching his century, directed at the dressing room. This though would not detract from Mathews’ and Mendis’ focus, as the pair batted out the entirety of day four, as well as 12 overs on day five – their stand worth 274 off 655 deliveries – before rain brought an end to the game.

Tasmanian in line to become Usman Khawaja’s seventh opening partner in last two years

Alex Malcolm17-Nov-2025Jake Weatherald and Usman Khawaja batted alongside each other in adjoining nets at Perth Stadium on Monday.There are similarities in their stances but that is about where the similarities end, both as players and as people. However, they have struck up a rapport already, at least publicly via the media, as two unique individuals willing to have some fun with each other.Weatherald went first, stating on the Grade Cricketer podcast that he wasn’t sure if Khawaja knew his name despite playing against him for 10 years. The clip went viral on Instagram. Khawaja struck back with a comment on the post, “Who this?”Related

• Is Head's form a worry? How the Australians have prepared for the Ashes

• Doggett awaits his day as Perth Test debut looms into view

• Hazlewood out of Ashes opener with hamstring injury

Weatherald, on his first day in an Australian dressing room, continued the fun.”He still calls me Jack, so we’ll get there eventually,” Weatherald told reporters on Monday. “Hopefully, if I get a game, he can find Jake there somewhere.”Jokes aside, Khawaja could be forgiven for not remembering names given Weatherald is potentially going to be his seventh Test opening partner in the last two years.That Weatherald still doesn’t know if he playing four days out from the first ball is an indicator of how unsettled Australia’s opening pair has been.In Weatherald’s favour is that he is the most experienced opener of the six since David Warner retired, at least in first-class cricket. Every one of his 145 first-class innings have come opening the batting. He has more first-class innings and more centuries, 13, than Khawaja does in the position, albeit nine of Khawaja’s 11 have come in Test cricket where he has turned into one of Australia’s best ever.Despite all that experience, though, a debut in an Ashes Test in Perth is a different beast. Even for a 31-year-old who has experienced some serious challenges in life, Weatherald went through what every new kid at school does on his first day.There was a moment before he spoke to reporters, where he leaned on the fence and stared up at the gargantuan Perth Stadium stands and imagined what it would look like on Friday when all 60,000 seats are occupied.”I’ve played a little bit of Big Bash cricket here, but at the same time, to represent your country in a place like this, it’s such a cool stadium,” Weatherald said. “To look out and see what it looked like, obviously with everyone full and obviously walking out to bat, I was sort of imagining what it’d be like to go out there.”He was wearing his brand-new Australia whites, with his initials, JW, embossed on them and number 66 on the back. The same number worn by his potential opponent this week, Joe Root. It could very well be a nod to Chuck Berry and “Route 66″, given Weatherald’s passion for rock-and-roll guitarists.There was, however, a number missing on his shirt. Eleven of Australia’s 13 squad members in Perth on Monday that had assembled for various media commitments also had their Test numbers embossed.Weatherald and Brendan Doggett did not. They may well do by the end of the week. But it was a subtle reminder that this school is different.He might have played BBL cricket at Perth Stadium before, with a match-winning half-century for Adelaide Strikers to win an elimination final against Perth Scorchers in his last outing at the venue. He also has a century at a full Adelaide Oval in a BBL final. But Test cricket is another level and Weatherald is aware that replicating what has made him the best Sheffield Shield opener of the past 12 months under Ashes pressure will be a huge challenge.”It’s certainly going to be a difficult thing,” Weatherald said. “That’s a part of being an international cricketer, I guess, the fact there’s lot more to it. But at the same time, I think that’s going to be the true test for myself, to go out there and just try and operate the same way. And if I walk out there and nick off first ball then I walk out the innings after and try to repeat the same thing again, in terms of my process.”Trusting his process is what has got Weatherald to the brink of a Test debut. He did not change a thing in his first net session with the team. While Khawaja, Steven Smith, Marnus Labuschagne and most others opted to face a majority of throw downs from the coaches on spicy surfaces, Weatherald stayed true to what he has been doing for Tasmania, facing the best bowlers he can in the nets to replicate match conditions as best he can.He took on a brutal spell from Pat Cummins, facing a lion’s share of his eight overs. Beau Webster found nip and awkward bounce at a slightly less venomous, but no less nickable pace. Nathan Lyon found spin and bounce as well. Weatherald took it all on. It looked incredibly hard work. But he endured with the same positive mindset he has shown for Tasmania in recent times.”He’s been a revelation for us at the top of the order,” Webster said of his Tasmanian team-mate.”We were sort of crying out a little bit for someone who can take the game away early in the innings, and he does that. We saw even a couple of knocks this year to go with his exceptional year last year, where he puts the pressure back on the bowlers. And he does it quickly. He bats how you want to as an opening of batter in Australia right now. He punishes the bad ball, and he’s really selective when the ball’s around the stumps. So he’s been excellent for us.”

The MLB postseason is underway, some exciting baseball has already been played and some more is around the corner for the next month or so.

In order to properly enjoy this postseason, there are a few key rule changes to brush up on. MLB postseason rules differ from the regular season rules in two key ways.

Here's how.

What are the extra innings rules in the MLB playoffs?

Unlike in the regular season, where a "ghost runner" is placed on second base at the start of the top of the 10th and in any ensuing extra innings, postseason baseball reverts back to traditional rules. This means that, should any of the playoff games go to extra innings, pitchers will begin the frame with no traffic on the basepaths. While the pitch clock (more on that in a moment) will still shorten the game time, the lack of an automatic runner in extra innings could lead to some slightly longer games—and managers having to go deeper into their bullpens.

How many challenges do managers get in the MLB playoffs?

Unlike in the regular season, where managers only receive one challenge, skippers will have two challenges for each postseason game. Clubs retain the challenge if the call is overturned, but lose the challenge if no calls are overturned.

Other than that, each rule from the regular season carries over to postseason play, though it's worth going over a few of these rules as a reminder.

Is there still a pitch clock in the MLB postseason?

Yes, the 30-second timer between batters, as well as the 15 and 20-second timers between pitches with the bases empty and runners on, respectively, are still rules implemented in the MLB postseason. Additionally, just as is the case in the regular season, pitchers are limited to two disengagements (pickoff attempts or step-offs) per plate appearance, though these reset if the runner or runners advance during the plate appearance.

What about the three-batter minimum rule?

Yes, the three-batter minimum rule, first implemented in 2020, is implemented in the postseason. Pitchers must face a minimum of three batters or finish a half-inning. If the pitcher faces one batter to end an inning, he can be removed from the game but he is also allowed to return for a second inning. If he returns for a second inning, then he must face two more batters to reach the required total of three.

How is home-field advantage determined in the World Series?

The pennant winner with the better regular season record receives home-field advantage in the World Series, regardless of how the teams were seeded for the postseason. If the two pennant winners finished with the same regular season record, then a tiebreaker determines home-field advantage for the Fall Classic, in this order listed below:

• Head-to-head record
• Intradivision record
• Intraleague record

“When we dropped Shaheen and Nawaz, that’s where the game changed,” the Bangladesh coach said

Mohammad Isam25-Sep-20253:15

Why do Bangladesh struggle in pressure situations?

Bangladesh coach Phil Simmons felt three dropped catches followed by “bad decisions” from the batters in a 136-run chase against Pakistan upended his team’s chance of reaching the Asia Cup 2025 final. Bangladesh lost by 11 runs in their Super Fours fixture after Pakistan’s lower order bailed them out of a dire situation.Pakistan were 51 for 5 when Nurul Hasan and Mahedi Hasan dropped Shaheen Shah Afridi in the 12th over. Afridi went on to hit two sixes in a 13-ball 19 and hand Pakistan a bit of momentum. After he fell, Parvez Hossain Emon dropped Mohammad Nawaz on zero; Nawaz went on to make 25 off 15 balls with two sixes and a four.Fielders often have a difficult time picking the ball up against Dubai’s unusual “ring of fire” floodlights, but Simmons didn’t think this had been an issue with any of the chances.Related

• Old habits die hard for new-era Bangladesh

• Plan C (Chaos) does the trick for Pakistan, not for the first time

• Afridi, Rauf and Ayub set up a Pakistan vs India Asia Cup final

“When we dropped Shaheen and Nawaz, that’s where the game changed,” he said. “Before that, we were in control. Some of the catches maybe [had something to do with the lights] but I don’t think the ones we dropped had anything to do with the lights.”Simmons felt Bangladesh’s batters had taken better decisions against Sri Lanka compared to this chase against Pakistan. Bangladesh hit more sixes than Pakistan, but they also lost a number of wickets while trying to play big shots. Simmons also suggested that the team had missed captain Litton Das, who sat out his second straight game with a side strain.Mohammad Nawaz had Mahedi Hasan caught at cover•AFP/Getty Images

“We didn’t have to chase it in any [particular number of] overs. We just had to win the game,” Simmons said. “It was just bad decisions. All of the teams have that at some point. It was us today. We didn’t make the best shot selections.”We just chased 160 [169 vs Sri Lanka] two games ago. We are not a team that can lose Tanzid [Hasan] and captain [Litton] in one game and just fill [the void] like that. We are getting to that stage, we are not there yet. Losing the captain in such good form is a big thing for us.”We chased 160 [169] on the same wicket, where we made better batting decisions. Batting order doesn’t say we batted well or badly. We made bad decisions today.”Bangladesh have historically struggled to match the most successful T20I sides when it comes to strike rates. Simmons felt they were starting to address this issue, but what cost them in this game was their inability to build partnerships.”The [strike-rate] gap will reduce the more we play at the international level, the guys will know what to do at this level,” he said. “I agree that our strike-rate isn’t up there, but we are up there in six-hitting. I don’t think it is about our ability to score quickly. We have to bat for longer and put on partnerships.”Bangladesh shuffled their batting order in this chase, with Mahedi Hasan promoted to No. 4. Simmons felt this was the right move given Mahedi’s ability to counter pace, even if he only managed 11 off 10 in this game.”You look at it as someone batting at No 4. I look at it as someone taking on the pacers in the powerplay,” Simmons said. “He could have taken on the pacers more than if he went in the lower order against the spinners. I had Jaker [Ali] and Shamim [Hossain] down there, who could take on the spinners.”The defeat against Pakistan ended Bangladesh’s Asia Cup campaign. They beat Afghanistan and Sri Lanka in succession before going down in back-to-back matches against India and Pakistan.All was not lost, though, and Simmons pointed out a couple of positives from the competition..”[Saif Hassan] is definitely the biggest positive from this [campaign],” he said. “The other one is how our bowlers did in the whole tournament. They were spot-on, every game.”

Chelsea are now preparing a club-record bid to sign Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez, with it being revealed Enzo Fernandez could play a key role in the potential transfer.

The Blues’ interest in signing a new centre-forward comes amid a slow start to life at Stamford Bridge for Liam Delap, with the 22-year-old failing to score in his opening four Premier League games since making the move to west London in the summer.

Joao Pedro has been more promising, picking up four goals and three assists in the league, but the Brazilian was given the nod in a slightly deeper role against Wolverhampton Wanderers last time out, upon Delap’s return from a hamstring injury.

The 24-year-old excelled in attacking midfield, scoring the second in the 3-0 rout, and Enzo Maresca has suggested he is also better-suited to playing with a partner, saying: “We know that he can play as a number nine or he can play as a number 10,”

“In both positions, I think Joao is very good, but probably when he has another number nine next to him, he is playing better.”

As such, there may be space in the squad to bring in another new centre-forward, and a huge offer is now in the works…

Chelsea preparing club-record bid for Julian Alvarez

According to a report from Spain, Chelsea are now preparing an offer of around €150m (£133m) for Atletico Madrid star Julian Alvarez, which would make him their record signing, should they manage to get a deal over the line.

Fernandez could play a key role in the transfer, as the Blues are hoping the Argentinian’s presence at Stamford Bridge will convince Alvarez to make the move, given that they are international teammates.

BlueCo clearly mean business, but it looks unlikely that a deal will be straightforward, given that FC Barcelona are also in the race, and Atletico Madrid are reluctant to enter negotiations over a sale.

Should the Spanish club soften their stance, the 25-year-old could be a fantastic addition to Maresca’s forward line, having made a flying start to the campaign, chipping in with 13 goal contributions across his opening 15 matches in all competitions.

Lauded as a “monster” by journalist Pablo Gonzalez, the 49-time Argentina international also found the back of the net 17 times in La Liga alone during his debut campaign, while a tally of 11 goals and ten assists in the former Manchester City man’s final campaign at the Etihad Stadium indicates he is very well-rounded.

Signing Alvarez would be a major statement of intent from Chelsea, and if they were able to get a deal done this winter, the World Cup-winning forward could be a real difference-maker in the Premier League title race.

Julian Alvarez has been named as one of the best strikers in the world

The Best 15 Strikers in World Football Ranked (2025)

Who is the best number nine right now?

By
Charlie Smith

Nov 20, 2025