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A new season will soon dawn, and for Arsenal, it’s the same objective: challenge for and win the Premier League.

Having finished second for three successive campaigns, Mikel Arteta knows that this year is a big one, with the Gunners in desperate need of crowning this resurgent era with silverware.

But it’s coming together, no doubt. Bukayo Saka is fully fit once again after an injury-hit 2024/25 season; Viktor Gyokeres has signed for £63.5m to end the interminable search for a focal striker.

But a first-class left-sided forward could still be added to complete the set. Not since the days of Alexis Sanchez have Arsenal had a world-class weapon on that wing.

But it’s beginning to look like such a signing could be on the cards.

Arsenal lining up new winger

Many names have been bandied about this summer, but Arsenal are reaching a point in their transfer window in which the fog will start to clear and Arteta’s final market plans will crystallise.

Fabrizio Romano claimed at the weekend that, with Gyokeres now part of the crew, the Londoners are “working on outgoings as priority” before addressing the left flank, which could do with a new part.

But when they are ready to pounce, it looks like Arsenal have lined up Eberechi Eze as their new man.

According to Caught Offside, the Gunners should be wary of rising interest from Manchester’s biggest clubs for the Three Lions star, though it’s stressed that Arsenal remain firm favourites after their sustained efforts over the past weeks.

Previous reports have revealed that Arsenal have seen an opening bid partially accepted. To be more specific, a fixed £30m fee has been agreed between the clubs, though the structure of the remainder of Eze’s £68m release clause remains unsettled.

Why Arsenal should sign Eberechi Eze

There are many reasons why Eze would be a fantastic addition to Arteta’s Arsenal squad.

The 27-year-old, first and foremost, is an electric and versatile attacking midfielder, having gone from strength to strength across his five years at Selhurst Park, culminating his journey with the winning goal in last season’s FA Cup final against Manchester City.

Eze’s 25-goal contribution campaign underscores his ability to provide more than just a showreel style of play. He’s increasingly potent in the final third, capable of scoring goals himself and focusing on his creativity to aid the likes of Gyokeres.

As per FBref, he ranked among the top 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues last year for shots taken, the top 11% for shot-creating actions and the top 10% for successful take-ons per 90.

He’s quite the exciting player, all right, praised for his “special” talents by BBC Sports’ Phil McNulty.

In fact, Eze could prove to bring a bit of flair and gusto to this Arsenal side in a way that would bear a likeness to that man Sanchez, who scored 80 goals and supplied 44 assists across 166 games for the Gunners, way back when.

Obviously, Eze isn’t as good as the 36-year-old was when in his Premier League prime. It wouldn’t be a bad take to claim that he was the best player in England at the height of his success at the Emirates.

Premier League – Sanchez (16/17) & Eze (24/25)

Stats (* per game)

Sanchez

Eze

Matches (starts)

38 (36)

34 (31)

Goals

24

8

Assists

10

8

Shots (on target)*

3.4 (1.3)

3.0 (0.9)

Touches*

65.0

46.6

Pass completion

74%

82%

Big chances created

10

11

Key passes

2.2

1.7

Dribbles*

2.8

2.0

Tackles + interceptions*

2.0

1.4

Duels won*

6.4

4.8

Data via Sofascore

Sanchez really was on another level in his Arsenal heyday, wasn’t he? Eze, obviously, isn’t at that level, but he shares many attributes with the thrill-seeking Chilean, and it’s something Arteta could use to shape him into a world-beater at the present day.

Bear in mind, furthermore, that we’re contrasting Sanchez’s finest season in the Premier League against Eze’s latest with Crystal Palace. It wouldn’t be brazen to suggest that Eze’s most fruitful days lie in front of him, should he sign for Arsenal this summer.

Thus, it’s rather exciting to see how complete, tenacious, talented the England international is at this stage of his career, refined and built into the elite player he is, but still open to taking the next step and reaching the pinnacle.

Similarities can be traced from here to Sanchez, who established himself as a high-class forward at Barcelona but lingered in the shadow of one of football’s greatest-ever frontlines: MSN.

At Arsenal, he bloomed into an iconic frontman, hailed by Arsene Wenger as being a truly “exceptional footballer”.

He wasn’t a spring chicken when he first arrived in the English capital. The South American chose Arsenal despite the vested interest of Liverpool, penned a deal worth £35m in July 2014. He was 25 at the time.

Given that the likes of Manchester City and Manchester United are interested in Eze right now, it seems Arsenal may be primed to pull off another statement signing, reeling in a player who has his heart set on north London red.

Eze is in his prime, and he’s got a taste for trophies that could be used to spearhead this project further, up and up past these years of fighting for honours and onto the biggest, grandest stage there is: winning the Premier League, sealing the Champions League, and then defending these prizes which the talented squad so desperately desire.

Given the quality of the current Arsenal attacking crop, it feels crucial that Arteta and Berta come together to get this one wrapped up.

Related Better than Trossard & Martinelli: Arsenal chasing £56m Eze alternative

Arsenal are looking to sign a creative player before the start of the 2025/26 campaign.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Jul 28, 2025

يرى أحد الصحفيين الذين ينتمون إلى ريال مدريد، أن التحكيم أضر بالفريق الملكي خلال مباراة الديربي يوم السبت، ضد نظيره أتلتيكو مدريد، في إطار منافسات بطولة الدوري الإسباني.

وحل ريال مدريد ضيفًا على أتلتيكو مدريد في الجولة السابعة من الدوري الإسباني، موسم 2025/26، حيث خسرت كتيبة تشابي ألونسو بخمسة أهداف مقابل هدفين.

واعترف الصحفي الشهير، خوسيه باديا، أن أداء ريال مدريد في مباراة أتلتيكو مدريد كان مخيبًا للآمال، ولكن تقنية الفيديو يبدو وكأنها توقفت في 3 مواقف حاسمة، على حد قوله.

وأوضح باديا أن تقنية الفيديو تسامحت في ضرورة طرد لاعب أتلتيكو مدريد، ألكسندر سورلوث بعد توجهه إلى الجماهير من أجل الاحتفال معهم بهدفهم الثاني.

اقرأ أيضًا | بـ”سلوك غير لائق”.. لاعب ريال مدريد يثير غضب جماهير أتلتيكو في الديربي

وطالب البعض بضرورة طرد سورلوث في تلك اللقطة، من خلال إشهار البطاقة الصفراء الثانية له ومن ثم الحمراء، بسبب تصرفه غير السليم بعدما تسلق الأسوار الموجودة لحماية الجماهير واللاعبين.

وأشار كذلك إلى أن الهدف الثاني لـ جوليان ألفاريز، لم يكن صحيحًا لأن لو نورماند كان يقف بجانب الحائط البشري لـ ريال مدريد، ولم يلتزم بمسافة متر واحد.

وأخيرًا، يرى الصحفي المنتمي إلى ريال مدريد أن تقنية الفيديو تجاهلت طرد لاعب أتلتيكو مدريد، نيكولاس جونزاليس، بعد تدخله على قدم داني كارفاخال.

Decepcionante partido del Real Madrid hoy, pero el VAR se desconectó en 3 jugadas clave.

– Expulsión perdonada a Sorloth. 🟥

– Gol ilegal de Julián porque Le Normand se coloca junto a la barrera y no respeta la distancia de un metro. ❌

– Pisotón de Nico a Carvajal. 💥 pic.twitter.com/gTvBrkewS5 — Jose Padilla (@JosePadi_) September 27, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

Está frio, o café acabou e me peguei cochilando em diversos momentos enquanto cumpria um pedido da chefia para buscar algum elemento sobre os últimos 18 meses do São Paulo treinado por Rogério Ceni, demitido na tarde desta quarta-feira (19). Estagnado na criatividade resolvi buscar respostas nas coletivas concedidas pelo ex-goleiro no período exato de quase um ano em que sou um dos responsáveis pela cobertura do clube do Morumbi neste LANCE!. E um estalo me veio. É impressionante a desenvoltura do eterno ídolo são-paulino de preencher um espaço que em tese não seria seu: o de explicar quase tudo sobre o cotidiano.

Não é algo necessariamente inédito. Afinal, já usei esse espaço após o caso Marcos Paulo vir à tona de como o São Paulo é um clube à mercê das boatarias pela completa inabilidade de seus dirigentes em se posicionar publicamente sobre qualquer assunto que seja, dos delicados aos usuais.

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+ Comentaristas aumentam o tom em discussão ao vivo: relembre outras tretas no jornalismo esportivo

Senão vejamos, há exatos oito dias atrás, em uma rara entrevista, o diretor de futebol Carlos Belmonte garantia a permanência de Ceni no comando. O que mudou em apenas uma semana? Sendo que a sombra de Dorival Júnior sempre pairou sobre o Morumbi desde a eliminação no Campeonato Paulista. Mas aquilo que os offs escondem, alguns setores internos agiam para desmentir. Se tornou recorrente a profusão de informações diferentes. Cabia ao torcedor escolher a que mais lhe fosse palpável. E a Ceni perder boa parte das suas entrevistas para explicar os fatos…

Não entendam esse texto como uma defesa de Ceni. Evidente que havia problemas escancarados no trabalho. Mas o quanto a disposição do ex-goleiro pode ter sido abalada por treinar e mobilizar um elenco envolto em polêmicas. E visivelmente desamparados.

Coube a Ceni nesse quase um ano explicar aos jornalistas contratações, saídas, dificuldades financeiras, atrasos de salários, problemas em renovações contratuais, questões estruturais, brigas internas, processo sucessório do presidente Julio Casares, jogador acusado de agredir namorada… Sempre com rara elegância e coerência entre seus pares no ambiente quase bélico criado atualmente entre repórteres e treinadores nas malditas coletivas.

Que o Ceni ídolo era um escudo à diretoria, é uma alcunha sombria que dificilmente será quebrada no caminho entre os dois lados. Uma faca de dois gumes e uma responsabilidade excessiva ao homem pago para treinar e escalar o time. Relação penosa que novamente termina de maneira infeliz, seja pela exposição danosa ao ídolo e firmeza do treinador ainda iniciante.

Sem Ceni e o peso de suas falas e atitudes, resta saber se o sucessor, sem a mesma caminhada e familiaridade dos bastidores no Morumbi, estará disposto a assumir a mesma responsabilidade, mas sem o peso da exposição e a guarita da idolatria. É esperar… 2023 começou, enfim ao Tricolor e seus cartolas.

+ Confira os jogos e classificação do Brasileirão-23 na tabela do LANCE!

England turn to three-spin attack with Atkinson the lone frontline quick in place of Potts and Carse

Matt Roller22-Oct-2024

Rehan Ahmed has been recalled for the third Test in Rawalpindi•AFP/Getty Images

England will field a three-pronged spin attack on a Rawalpindi pitch that Harry Brook believes has been “raked” by local groundstaff in an attempt to bring Pakistan’s spinners into play. Rehan Ahmed has been recalled and will play alongside Shoaib Bashir and Jack Leach, with Gus Atkinson also coming into a side in which both Brydon Carse and Matthew Potts miss out.Rehan played three Tests in India at the start of this year but has not featured for England in any format since February. But England believe they will need him as a third spin frontline option this week, with Pakistan going to extreme lengths in an attempt to dry out the pitch in Rawalpindi after their 152-run victory on a recycled strip in Multan.”They’ve had the rakes out, the fans and the heaters on the pitch,” Brook said. “Everyone goes and looks at the wicket and says something different… Hopefully, it’s just like any other Pakistani pitch. It’s good to bat on for the first few days and then hopefully, we can get a bit of turn out of it at the back end of the game.”England XI for third Test vs Pakistan•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

The move is a risk, leaving Atkinson and Ben Stokes as England’s only two fast-bowling options at a venue that has historically suited seam over spin. But it has also been among the world’s best for batting since its return to staging Tests in 2019, as England demonstrated when racking up 657 in 101 overs in their famous win here two years ago.”I think the conditions are going to be a little bit different,” Brook said. “We played on an extremely flat pitch here last time. It was awesome to bat on, and we scored a good rate of knots. This game’s probably going to be slightly different. It might turn earlier on: who knows? It might be a good pitch to start with and we get off to a flyer.”The lush square at Rawalpindi may have informed England’s selection, with reverse-swing unlikely to be a major factor this week. In Multan, the strips either side of the Test pitch were cut short and were dry and abrasive by the second Test, enabling England’s seamers to reverse the old ball. This week, there are only three strips cut across the square: the Test pitch and two practice pitches.Brook was out for 9 and 16 to Pakistan’s spinners in the second Test, and predicted Sajid Khan and Noman Ali will play “a massive part” in Rawalpindi. “I’ve spoken to a few of the lads about gameplans and how we’re going to go about it,” he said. “Hopefully, it pays off and I play a big part in the game.”Related

Harry Brook seeks emphatic response after rare fallow outing in Pakistan

Jason Gillespie 'sits on the fence' as Pakistan go all-in on the short term

Pakistan keep faith in unchanged XI for series decider against England

England stay on the front foot as Pakistan crank up the spin settings again

Stokes and England braced for Pindi spin-quisition

It was in Pakistan two years ago that Rehan made his international debut as an 18-year-old, taking 5 for 48 in the second innings in Karachi to set up England’s eight-wicket win, which clinched a 3-0 clean sweep. His progress has not been linear since and he was expensive in India earlier this year, taking 11 wickets at 44.00 across three appearances and conceding more than four runs per over.This summer, Rehan was outperformed by his offspinning younger brother Farhan in the County Championship and his returns fell away in white-ball cricket: he was dropped by Southern Brave early in the Hundred after two expensive outings, and was then left out of England’s T20I and ODI squads against Australia in September.But England have been long-term admirers: Rehan was famously a net bowler at the age of 11 and has been in the national set-up throughout his professional career, starting at Under-19s level. He is heading into the second year of a two-year central contract, and has also worked on his batting this summer, with four Championship fifties, and will bolster England’s lower order from No. 9.Carse and Potts are both officially rested, with Atkinson returning after taking match figures of 4 for 145 in England’s innings win in the first Test. Carse has been England’s outstanding bowler of the tour, taking nine wickets at 24.33 across his first two appearances, but has bowled 67 overs in the series and has played back-to-back Tests.England: 1 Zak Crawley, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Ollie Pope, 4 Joe Root, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Ben Stokes (capt), 7 Jamie Smith (wk), 8 Gus Atkinson, 9 Rehan Ahmed, 10 Jack Leach, 11 Shoaib Bashir.

Alexander Isak has achieved greatness at Newcastle United, bestowing upon Tyneside a new form of striker over the past three years and crowning his journey with a triumphant Carabao Cup campaign last year.

He scored in that Wembley final against Liverpool, but it’s the Reds who the Sweden star may well be playing for this time next month, with FSG having seen a £110m offer rejected last week. They are primed to jump back in.

Isak’s goals have helped Newcastle along to Champions League-qualifying campaigns in two of the previous three Premier League terms, and he reached a new level last year, his complete and destructive performances at the front of the pitch leading pundit Jamie Carragher to name him “the best striker in the Premier League.”

Replacing him will be no easy feat, but that is the present task of new technical director Sudarshan Gopaladesikan, who has overseen a first formal offer for RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko.

Newcastle pushing for new centre-forward

Though Sesko’s future remains up in the air, Newcastle are engaged in a direct tussle with Manchester United for the Slovenian striker, and both Premier League clubs have placed bids.

There’s a growing sense that the Red Devils are encouraged in their pursuit, which could lead to Eddie Howe being forced into seeking alternative options once again.

It’s been a testing transfer window for the Toon, who have missed out on any number of top targets. Anthony Elanga was signed from Nottingham Forest for £55m, ending an interminable search for a right-sided forward, but more is clearly needed.

Well, according to transfer reporter Ben Jacobs, Newcastle have engaged in club-to-club talks with Chelsea for striker Nicolas Jackson, who is surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge following the latest overload of arrivals there.

Man United are also keen on the Senegalese, but would not move ahead with a deal should they secure Sesko’s signature this month.

Jackson is thought to be valued at £70m by his employers.

Why Newcastle could sign Nicolas Jackson

Chelsea signed Jackson from Villarreal in 2023, and he has since made steady progress on English shores. Sure, he’s ebbed and he’s flowed, but the mobile striker has proven himself in the Premier League across two campaigns, capable of sustaining runs of prolific form.

However, there’s no denying that the 24-year-old needs to be more consistent. Although you wonder whether he would find more stable soil underneath his feet at St. James’ Park, for he would be entrusted with the leading role in Howe’s frontline, flanked by Elanga and the ever-dangeous Anthony Gordon, who may well be promoted to talismanic status if Isak leaves.

Sesko, 22, is a talented number nine, but he’s hardly proven on the grandest stage, and his return of 27 goals and seven assists across 64 Bundesliga matches aligns quite similarly to Jackson’s haul in the Premier League.

Nicolas Jackson – League Stats by Season (past four years)

Season

Apps (starts)

Goals

Assists

24/25 – Chelsea

30 (28)

10

5

23/24 – Chelsea

35 (31)

14

5

22/23 – Villarreal

26 (16)

12

4

21/22 – Villarreal

9 (0)

1

0

Data via Transfermarkt

Sesko, indeed, scored 13 goals across 33 matches in the Bundesliga last year, and on the basis of the evidence, is there really a concrete chance that he would bring a surpassing level of central striking threat to Howe’s project?

Moreover, Jackson developed his goalscoring potential as a foreigner in La Liga, as was the case with Isak at Real Sociedad. This linearity of progress emphasises Newcastle’s interest, and indeed why they could do a lot worse than sign the Chelsea striker.

Praised for his “special” skills by journalist Rahman Osman, Jackson is also more dynamic across the board, technically and physically. As per FBref, he ranked among the top 18% of strikers across Europe’s top five leagues last season for pass completion, the top 17% for progressive carries, the top 21% for assists and the top 22% for shot-creating actions per 90.

Clearly, he’s got the wide-ranging qualities to make a real difference at Newcastle, should Isak leave. The Sweden striker is, after all, his most statistically comparable player, according to the data-driven website.

Thus, he could become the Tyneside outfit’s ready-made replacement, combining with the squad’s existing wide forwards to maintain a sense of fluency and oneness that Howe has so carefully woven together since replacing Steve Bruce at the helm.

For example, Gordon should stay, but it’s actually Elanga who could combine with Jackson over the coming years to become Howe’s latest Isak-Gordon duo.

Gordon is a high-speed winger, and Elanga considers himself to be “one of the fastest players in the league.” Across two campaigns with Forest, he has posted 11 goals and 21 assists across all competitions, instrumental in securing European football last season.

Though Jacob Murphy has plied such fine work on the right wing, this injection of depth will only be a good thing for a Toon team on the up.

The likes of Elanga and Gordon playing either side of Jackson might just prove to restore a sense of fluency that will seem to many to be lost if Isak does leave for Anfield.

Yes, Jackson could be cooler, more composed in the final third at times, but his overall play and athleticism and energy make a firm comment on his place at the Premier League’s round table of star strikers.

Is Howe not one of the finest managers and tacticians in the game? He will surely fashion a new partnership for the ages in Elanga and Jackson.

Related Another Elanga: Newcastle to reignite interest in "exceptional" £50m titan

The experienced international could boost morale at Newcastle.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 5, 2025

تحدد موقف أحمد سيد زيزو، لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالنادي الأهلي، من المشاركة في مباراة الزمالك، المقرر إقامتها ضمن منافسات مسابقة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

وتقام مباراة الأهلي والزمالك على أرضية استاد القاهرة الدولي، في إطار لقاءات الجولة التاسعة من بطولة الدوري المصري، في الثامنة مساء.

طالع | خاص | حكم مباراة الأهلي والزمالك في الدوري المصري

وتعرض زيزو لإصابة بشد من الدرجة الثانية في العضلة الضامة خلال مباراة إنبي بالدوري المصري، ليغيب عن الأهلي.

وشارك زيزو في تدريبات الأهلي الجماعية اليوم السبت، ليعلن جاهزيته الفنية والبدنية، وبات قرار تواجده في مباراة الزمالك عائدًا للمدير الفني للفريق عماد النحاس.

ويحتل الزمالك صدارة جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري الممتاز برصيد 17 نقطة، حصدها من الفوز في 5 لقاءات والتعادل بمباراتين وتلقى هزيمة وحيدة.

ويتواجد الأهلي في المركز السادس بجدول ترتيب الدوري المصري برصيد 12 نقطة، جمعها من 7 مباريات، محققًا الفوز في 3 لقاءات، وتعادل في مثلها، بينما تلقى هزيمة واحدة.

MatériaMais Notícias

Botafogo e Amazon firmaram uma parceria na última quinta-feira. O anúncio gerou muita repercussão nas redes sociais. O acordo é válido somente até abril, mas ambas as partes acreditam que este vínculo tem tudo para ser prolongado.

A marca da Amazon ficou estampada na parte superior traseira do uniforme alvinegro no jogo do último sábado, pela estreia do Brasileirão. Para partida da Sul-Americana, marcada para quinta-feira no Nilton Santos, haverá uma logo do Prime Vídeo na camisa.

+ATUAÇÕES: Tiquinho, Eduardo e Lucas Perri são destaques em vitória do Botafogo pelo Brasileirão

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+Diretor da SAF faz agenda em Brasília para defender interesses do Botafogo

O Botafogo conseguiu alcançar um novo nível deparceiros globais. Atualmente, outras empresas enxergam no clube uma boa oportunidade para crescer e alavancar seus negócios. O engajamento da torcida e a nova realidade da SAF estão ajudando nesta percepção de mercado e nas novas formas de gerir parcerias comerciais.

O Diretor Geral da SAF, Thairo Arruda, e o Diretor Comercial, Rafael Ganem, estão sendo responsáveis por liderar as negociações e os relacionamentos. O segundo nome citado foi Executivo da Globo no ano passado e possui um conhecimento corporativo e uma visão de negócio que foram essenciais para formação da parceria.

Apesar de ser um acordo somente até abril, as trocas e relações que as partes firmaram durante as negociações sugerem que esta parceria tem tudo para continuar. Ambos estão alinhados na ideia do projeto e acreditam na importância do trabalho em conjunto para continuar se desenvolvendo e crescendo. A expectativa é que este vínculo renda grandes frutos futuramente.

+Botafogo planeja receber mais shows no Nilton Santos; entenda os projetos e ambições do clube

A Amazon conta com um alto renome no mercado que atende as perspectivas e projetos do Botafogo para crescer como marca e instituição. Nos bastidores, ambos atuam pela multiplicação e sucesso da parceria.

Called in to replace the injured Sophie Molineux, Bekker dismissed Meg Lanning and gave away just nine runs in her four overs

AAP09-Nov-2024

Charis Bekker poses with her player-of-the-match trophy•Getty Images

Local replacement player Charis Bekker went from the pub to centre stage as Melbourne Renegades posted a 15-run WBBL win over arch-rivals Melbourne Stars.Bekker was playing just her second WBBL game after being called into the squad to replace injured spinner Sophie Molineux (knee). The 20-year-old didn’t let the big stage of a Melbourne derby faze her, returning the miserly figures of 1 for 9 from her four overs to be named player of the match.”It’s been a bit of a whirlwind,” Bekker said. “I was at the pub a couple of days ago with my mates, and then got the call [to join the squad]. I played against the Scorchers which was really cool. And then hopped on a flight. It’s been really rushed.”Bekker’s maiden WBBL wicket was none other than superstar batter Meg Lanning.”Everyone was cheering me on, I was just trying to bowl my best ball, and it happened to be Meg Lanning, which was kind of awesome,” Bekker said.Deepti Sharma top-scored for Stars with 23. Georgia Wareham claimed the key wicket of captain Annabel Sutherland for 16. The result improved Renegades’ record to 3-3, while the Stars are now 2-3.Earlier, Renegades were struggling at 87 for 5 before Naomi Stalenberg (26 not out off 17 balls) and Nicole Faltum (29 off 23) added some handy runs to lift the total to 146 for 6.The Renegades were 54 for 2 after 10 overs when they took the power surge. Although Deandra Dottin fell for 7 shortly after, Renegades cracked 29 runs off the two overs. Alice Capsey and Wareham fell in quick succession before Stalenberg and Faltum steadied the ship with a 55-run stand.Stars’ run chase started slowly with the scoreboard reading 16 for 1 after five overs. Bhatia was lucky to still be there after being dropped by wicketkeeper Faltum in the first over when she was yet to score. The opener scored 22 off 26 balls, but the rest of her team-mates struggled for fluency as the required run rate ballooned out.Jemimah Rodrigues top-scored for Brisbane Heat•Getty Images

India starJemimah Rodrigues posted an impressive half-century as Brisbane Heat piled more misery on defending champions Adelaide Strikers in an eight-run win at the Gabba.Rodrigues anchored the Heat’s innings with 61 from 40 balls, belting seven fours and a six in her player-of-the-match performance. Opener Grace Harris (33 from 22) and captain Jess Jonassen (32 from 21) also provided handy knocks.In reply, Strikers were reduced to 16 for 3 in the fourth over before Bridget Patterson and Madeline Penna threatened to pull off a remarkable fightback. The unbeaten pair put on a 113-run stand for the fifth wicket – from just 62 balls – but weren’t quite able to drag their side over the line. It was the second-highest fifth-wicket stand in WBBL history.Strikers remain last on the table with a 1-4 record, while Heat (3-3) are right in the finals mix.

Birmingham City are finally underway in the Championship as the many twists and turns of the 2025/26 season now lie ahead.

The Blues will ambitiously be aiming for back-to-back promotions all the way up to the Premier League, after making League One look like a breeze when clinching the third-tier title with a record-breaking 111 points.

Marvin Ducksch will be hoping he can play a pivotal role in Birmingham achieving this unthinkable feat, as the German attempts to acclimatise to his new English surroundings swiftly, having been a prolific performer in his native Bundesliga for some time now.

What Ducksch can offer Birmingham

Birmingham often gets their own way in the chaotic transfer window, having previously flexed their muscles by picking up ex-Celtic striker Kyogo Furuhashi for a whopping £10m earlier this summer.

However, that wasn’t the case, unfortunately, when it came to chasing after the coveted signature of Chuba Akpom, as Ipswich Town stole the signature of the ex-Arsenal striker off Birmingham at the final hour.

Thankfully, the reigning League One champions had the now ex-Werder Bremen attacker up their sleeve as a back-up plan, having snapped up the shot-heavy 31-year-old following his £1.7m move.

He should be a hit in the English game with his imposing 6-foot-2 frame and his clinical eye for goal, as seen in Ducksch tallying up a lethal 54 strikes for Bremen across 134 games, on top of chipping in with a high 40 assists.

Fellow new faces such as Demarai Gray will surely love linking up with the unselfish forward, therefore, with the 31-year-old just fresh off a Bundesliga campaign that saw him create a stunning 17 big chances in total.

But, if the Dortmund-born striker fancies elevating his output in terms of goals in the West Midlands, he will want some inch-perfect service, which could come his way if Chris Davies’ men can seal a deal for this playmaker to also join the building.

The "quality" talent who is perfect for Ducksch

After all, if there is a move out there that can take the Bundesliga goal machine’s game to that next level in England, Birmingham should go all out to try and seal the deal.

Ducksch’s perfect partner in attack could well be Rangers midfielder Kieran Dowell, as Birmingham have been tipped to go back in for their former loanee multiple times across this hectic window to date.

No such move has whirred into motion yet, unfortunately, but after a lacklustre opening day performance under Russell Martin in Scotland, with possession haphazardly given away 12 times versus Motherwell, the ex-Southampton boss might now be more willing to listen to the Blues’ advances.

Whilst the £16k-per-week ace has been regularly hit-and-miss at Ibrox, Dowell has proven himself to be a classy performer in the EFL in the past, particularly when carving out consistent opportunities for his attacking teammates to latch onto.

Dowell’s career numbers in the Championship

Stat

Dowell

Games played

123

Goals scored

26

Assists

12

Big chances created

25

Stats by Sofascore

Indeed, it’s clear from the table above that Dowell’s strengths – when previously playing in the Championship – lie in his ability to fashion chances for his charitable teammates, with a standout 25 big chances created on his end from 123 career encounters in the tough division.

He also has a promising 26 goals next to his name, meaning he could step into the goalscoring limelight if Ducksch was suffering from an off-day, having also been branded as a “high-quality” star last season by Davies when amassing five goals and five assists from just 23 Blues appearances on loan.

Having such a creative force by his side will be music to the ears of Ducksch, who has also been showered with similarly high praise when being labelled as a talent capable of making “special moments” happen by former Bremen boss Ole Werner.

This really could be a devastating combo in the Championship, with their efforts combined potentially pulling the Blues into the promotion spots.

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Posts ByKelan Sarson Aug 4, 2025

Up to 5mm of rain is also forecast on Thursday – match eve – although clear conditions are expected through the Test match

Tristan Lavalette20-Nov-20244:38

Australia SWOT analysis: Formidable attack, but top-order questions

By the time Josh Hazlewood fronted the cameras for his press engagement, the sun finally emerged over Optus Stadium in a welcome sight for the ground staff after unseasonal damp weather hit Perth just days before the first Border-Gavaskar Test.WA Cricket head curator Isaac McDonald has been striving to produce a fast and bouncy wicket that emulates last summer’s Australia-Pakistan Test, where the pitch deteriorated as the match wore on with rearing deliveries contrasted by balls that crept low on big cracks.But McDonald’s plans have taken a turn due to intermittent rain in recent days. Up to 5mm of rain is also forecast on Thursday – match eve – although clear conditions are expected through the Test match.”Yesterday, we pretty much lost the whole day of prep with it [pitch] being under cover,” McDonald told reporters on an overcast Wednesday morning. “We saw the forecast early on, and we started prep a little bit earlier than we normally would.”Related

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Wet weather in Perth this deep into spring is unusual, with the famously warm Western Australia capital usually almost totally dry from November through to April. But the unexpected rain has forced McDonald to adapt.”It’s been quite conditions-based,” he said. “At the moment, we’re leaning towards rolling it a bit more on top to get that firmness, and that happy medium between bat and ball. [It] would be nice if the sun pops out, but we’re really comfortable as a curating team.”McDonald said 8-10mm of grass would be left on a pitch that he didn’t believe would deteriorate like last year’s surface.The Optus Stadium pitch has been under cover because of unseasonal rain in the lead-up to the India Test•Getty Images

“I don’t think this weather is going to make this pitch fall apart,” he said. “There’ll be some deterioration. Grass will stand up during the game and offer that variable bounce. But in terms of big-snake WACA cracks, unfortunately, I don’t think the weather’s going to get us there.”Hazlewood had been almost unplayable against Pakistan last year, as he relentlessly targeted the cracks late on day four to finish with 3 for 13 from 7.2 overs in the second innings. Pakistan were routed for 89, and that capped off Australia’s fourth win in as many Tests at the 60,000-seater ground.”I love playing in Perth. The wicket is always a nice one to bowl pace… [it’s] bouncy and a few cracks potentially,” Hazlewood told reporters amid the sunshine on Wednesday afternoon. “I think the conditions suit us. We’re probably more used to it with that bounce and pace.””I love playing in Perth. The wicket is always a nice one to bowl pace… [it’s] bouncy and a few cracks potentially” – Josh Hazlewood•Getty Images

With Australia’s XI settled after the selection of new opener Nathan McSweeney, the focus in this prolonged series build-up has shone on India, whose line-up is largely unknown despite them having started their preparations in Perth over a week ago.”There are no real secrets behind those closed doors. We have seen a lot of them, we play with them all the time, [and] we play against them,” Hazlewood said. “It’s going to come down to bowling in that area, and batting with patience and trying to outlast them.”While the make-up of India’s batting order remains to be seen, Hazlewood and his fellow bowlers won’t have to come up against the formidable presence of Cheteshwar Pujara, who ground down Australia’s attack in India’s famous series victories in 2018-19 and 2020-21.”I’m pretty happy that Puj isn’t here. He’s obviously one that bats time, [and] makes you really earn his wicket every time,” Hazlewood said.”[But] there’s always young, fresh guys coming into the Indian team that they’re under so much pressure to perform with so many guys nipping at their heels all the time. Whoever they pick in that XI, they’re unbelievable players. It doesn’t really matter who they pick; they’re all great players.”Australia had last won a Test series against India in 2014-15, when Hazlewood had made his debut in the second Test in Brisbane. He underlined the length of Australia’s barren run against India in the format, and said his side were looking forward to end that.”There’s only a couple of us from that series when we won 2-0…. everyone’s really determined [to win this time],” he said. “It’s one that we need to tick off as a group. I think the added fact that it’s a five-Test series, it’s going to be a bit more gruelling. If you win a series against India, in any part of the world, you know you’ve earned it.”