Pakistan have dropped batter Hasan Nawaz from their upcoming ODI and T20I series later this month. He has been sent instead to participate in the ongoing Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. No replacement was nominated for him for the ODIs, while Fakhar Zaman is called up to the T20I squad in his stead.Nawaz, who initially rose to prominence when he scored a match-winning T20I hundred against New Zealand at Eden Park in March in his third T20I, was initially marked out as a shining talent. Consequentially, he was allowed an extended run in the side despite numerous failures including five ducks in his first ten games.However, his ability for big hitting, especially during the middle and late stages of T20 innings, was deemed extremely valuable, and his ceiling was considered higher than just about every other player. That reputation was burnished further thanks to a dazzling PSL campaign where he took Quetta Gladiators to the final, finishing as the third highest run-scorer at a strike rate over 162.But over the past two months, he has begun to be viewed as more dispensable. He was dropped from the later stages of Pakistan’s run to the Asia Cup final this year for Hussain Talat, a batter with a much lower explosive profile. He has only played four ODIs – three against the West Indies in August, and averages over 56.Even so, the manner of his dismissal in the first game, when he charged George Linde on a spinning track and ended up stumped, signalled a particular lack of match awareness, and he was not picked for the remaining games. Similarly, his T20I run over the past few months has become a problem for Pakistan. In his last eight matches, he has reached double figures just once, averaging under 7.Pakistan play three ODIs against Sri Lanka from November 11 before commencing a T20I tri-series that also involves Zimbabwe from November 17. It will be the first multi-team T20I tournament ever held in Pakistan.

Pakistan squads

ODIs: Shaheen Shah Afridi (capt), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali AghaT20I tri-series: Salman Ali Agha (capt), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan (wk), Usman Tariq

Bangladesh recently beat Afghanistan in the Asia Cup, but they still have plenty of work to do with their batting

Mohammad Isam01-Oct-2025

Bangladesh under new leadership

Jaker Ali will captain Bangladesh in the absence of Litton Das, who has been ruled out of the series with a side strain. Jaker had also led Bangladesh in two matches in the Asia Cup, when Litton wasn’t fit, with Bangladesh losing both games. Before leading Bangladesh in the Asia Cup, Jaker had not captained at any level – domestic or Under-19. In those two matches in the Asia Cup, against India and Pakistan, Jaker managed scores of only 4 and 5, respectively.Related

• Soumya Sarkar returns for T20I series against Afghanistan

• Farooqi, Naib, Janat left out of for Bangladesh series

• Bangladesh finally see the power of hitting sixes

There seems to be dearth of leadership options in Bangladesh’s T20I side, especially after the BCB discontinued with Mahedi Hasan as vice-captain after the UAE series in May.Senior fast bowler Taskin Ahmed might have been a leadership option, but he probably missed out because of workload management. There will be scrutiny on how Jaker juggles captaincy, wicketkeeping and batting against Afghanistan. Bangladesh have the option of reducing his load by handing the wicketkeeping duties to Nurul Hasan.Jaker Ali has had to juggle captaincy, wicketkeeping and batting•ICC via Getty Images

Bangladesh need to find the balance

Bangladesh have finally understood the value of sixes in T20 cricket, but are they going too hard? They need to blend their six-hitting with strike rotation to make their batting work in the format. Against Pakistan, with a spot in the Asia Cup final at stake, they kept going for sixes and kept finding the boundary riders on the Dubai pitch that perhaps wasn’t conducive to that style of play.Bangladesh, though, had found the balance against Sri Lanka, when they chased 169, with Saif Hassan and Towhid Hridoy scoring half-centuries. Bangladesh also tend to fare better in bilateral series, and recently, they also beat Afghanistan in the Asia Cup.

Afghanistan’s big selection calls

After failing to qualify for the Super Fours in the Asia Cup, Afghanistan have rung in the changes, leaving out Gulbadin Naib, Karim Janat and Fazalhaq Farooqi for both the T20Is and ODIs against Bangladesh in the UAE.Janat has managed only 68 runs in eight T20I innings this year, and hasn’t done much with the ball either. Naib, too, has slipped down the pecking order. Mystery spinner AM Ghazanfar is also not part of the main squad, but has been named as a reserve. Ghazanfar, however, has made the ODI squad.Rashid Khan will be leading Afghanistan’s spin attack against Bangladesh•Asian Cricket CouncilBut watch out for the uncapped pair of Wafiullah Tarakhil and Bashir Ahmad. Bashir is a tall left-arm seamer, who could be a like-for-like replacement for Farooqi, while Tarakhil has been rewarded for his strong domestic form. In the 2025 Shpageeza Cricket League, Tarakhil emerged as the third-highest scorer, with 298 runs in nine innings at an average of 37.25 and a strike rate of 155.20.

Spin is king

Despite the changes, Afghanistan have immense spin-bowling depth in their T20I side, with Rashid Khan the leader of the attack, of course. Legspinner Rishad Hossain’s emergence has given Bangladesh’s attack a potent point of difference, but Afghanistan’s spinners have a better strike rate, economy rate and average than Bangladesh’s in T20Is since 2020. The battle between the two spin attacks could be a mouth-watering one.

Afghanistan’s home venue

Afghanistan have won 20 of the 30 T20Is they have played in Sharjah. They have won 14 out of 18 games batting first there, including the last six outings when they batted first. On the other hand, Bangladesh have won only one out of six T20Is in Sharjah. The severe heat in Sharjah will test the fitness of the players.

While there were some early jitters against the likes of Brentford and Leeds United, Nuno Espírito Santo has been able to somewhat steady the ship at West Ham United.

Now, things are far from perfect, but the Hammers have gone from losing every week to losing just one of their last six games and sit just two points off Nottingham Forest in 17th and the Peacocks in 16th.

However, there are still some potential problems on the horizon, like the uncertain future of Lucas Paqueta.

Fortunately, West Ham already have the perfect replacement for the Brazilian if he does end up leaving.

Why Paqueta will need to be replaced

Now, the first thing to say is that at his best, Paqueta is an incredible footballer and someone who could play for some of the very best teams in the world.

Chalkboard

However, there are two major problems for West Ham: his contract and his recent output.

Starting with the first one, as things stand, the Brazilian’s current deal will have just a year left at the end of the season, meaning he either needs to be sold or handed an extension to protect his value.

However, given reports that he is open to leaving next month and his admission that he almost pushed for a return to Flamengo in the summer, it certainly seems he would turn down another deal.

In other words, the East Londoners should not only be open to selling the 28-year-old, but also be pushing for it.

This would also perhaps be more palatable at this point compared to a couple of years ago, as, on top of being sent off against Liverpool, his output has been underwhelming for some time now.

For example, he has scored only four goals this season, three of which have come in the Premier League, and last season he ended the campaign with a paltry tally of five goals in 36 games.

Paqueta’s recent form
Seaon	24/25	25/26
Appearances	36	14
Minutes	2536′	1217′
Goals	5	4
Assists	0	0
All Stats via Transfermarkt

In all, while Paqueta is an undeniably talented footballer, the combination of his contract and form might mean it’s time for West Ham to start thinking about selling him, especially as Nuno already has the perfect replacement.

West Ham's perfect Paqueta replacement

West Ham made several exciting signings in the summer, from El Hadji Malick Diouf to Soungoutou Magassa, but the one who could have the highest ceiling is Mateus Fernandes.

The East Londoners spent around £40m to get him out of Southampton, and while he looked a little rusty to start with, he’s now looking every bit worth that fee and then some.

Moreover, he’s the player who could end up being Nuno’s ideal Paqueta replacement, and the first reason why is his attacking ability.

Like the Brazilian, the 21-year-old is more than capable of being the most attacking midfielder, and is blessed with incredible vision and an excellent range of passing.

In fact, respected analyst Ben Mattinson was bold enough to describe the midfielder as someone who is capable of playing “those KDB-type passes” with relative ease.

However, he can do more than that, though, as on top of also having the ability to get past opposition defenders, the Olhão-born maestro isn’t afraid to chip in with the dirty work.

This ability to seemingly do it all, and to a high standard, was on show in the draw against Brighton.

Fernandes v Brighton
Minutes	82′
Key Passes	1
Tackles (Won)	8 (5)
Touches	61
Dribbles (Successful)	3 (3)
Interceptions	4
Clearances	3
Blocked Shots	2
Recoveries	6
Ground Duels (Won)	17 (16)
Fouls Won	5
All Stats via Sofascore

For example, in 82 minutes of action, he played one key pass, took 61 touches, won five fouls, completed 100% of his dribbles, won 16 of 17 ground duels, made four interceptions, three clearances and five of eight tackles.

Ultimately, it might take him a little longer to fully get up to speed, but as things stand, Fernandes is looking like an excellent signing for West Ham and could just be the perfect Paqueta replacement.

West Ham now lining up concrete January move for £80k-a-week Chelsea player

The Hammers are looking to sign a “leader” in the upcoming transfer window.

By
Dominic Lund

4 days ago

West Ham are closing in on a deal for one highly-rated Tottenham youngster after sporting director Mark Noble played a key role in the transfer, according to a new report.

West Ham take on Brighton after Man United draw

On the pitch, Nuno Espírito Santo’s side can take real encouragement from their 1-1 draw with Man United at Old Trafford.

West Ham demonstrated admirable resilience at Old Trafford, battling back from Diogo Dalot’s 58th minute opener to salvage a point through Soungoutou Magassa’s late equaliser.

The Malian midfielder opened his Premier League account with a composed finish seven minutes from time after substitute Andy Irving’s corner caused chaos in United’s penalty area, silencing the Theatre of Dreams.

While earning a point at United represents a creditable result, West Ham’s relegation concerns are still very much there.

The Hammers remain stranded in 18th with just 12 points from 14 games, with Nuno’s men having now conceded 28 goals this season, managing just three victories and failing to keep a clean sheet in their last 11 attempts across all competitions.

Sunderland 3-0 West Ham

West Ham 1-5 Chelsea

Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham

West Ham 0-3 Tottenham

West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace

Everton 1-1 West Ham

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Brentford

Leeds 2-1 West Ham

West Ham 3-1 Newcastle

West Ham 3-2 Burnley

Bournemouth 2-2 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Liverpool

Man United 1-1 West Ham

Brighton now pose a tough test for them too.

Lucas Paqueta has returned following a one-match suspension for his red card against Liverpool, offering Nuno crucial midfield reinforcement. However, his Brazilian compatriot Igor Julio cannot feature against his parent club, while Crysencio Summerville remains doubtful with a persistent knock.

Lukasz Fabianski and Oliver Scarles are confirmed absentees.

Brighton present formidable opposition despite their own recent setback. Fabian Hurzeler’s side suffered a dramatic 4-3 home defeat against Aston Villa on Wednesday, surrendering a two-goal advantage as Unai Emery’s men scored four unanswered goals before Jan Paul van Hecke’s late consolation.

The Seagulls sit seventh, just two adrift of fourth-placed Chelsea, and maintain an exceptional home scoring record with at least two goals netted in each of their last six Amex Stadium fixtures.

Veteran striker Danny Welbeck should return after missing the Villa defeat, having scored six Premier League goals against West Ham throughout his career.

Away from the field, West Ham are believed to be eyeing a new striker in January, with Noble now also bolstering the club’s youth ranks with a rival sensation.

West Ham 'set to sign' Tottenham sensation Frankie Day

That is according to very reliable club insider ExWHUemployee, who has told his Patreon that West Ham are now ‘set to sign’ Tottenham starlet Frankie Day.

The 16-year-old, who plays as a striker, is said to be ‘prolific’ in his age group and Noble has personally been very involved in making the transfer happen.

Day is now poised to swap Tottenham for West Ham, with the deal seen as a ‘bit of a coup’ factoring in his potential.

As West Ham wait for the formalities to be completed, it will be very interesting to see what the future holds for Day in east London.

The Irons have been more focused on youthful recruitment these past few seasons, as evident by their recent signings of Mohamadou Kante, Mateus Fernandes and Magassa.

Their academy sides have shown great promise as well, with West Ham’s Under-23s completing a league and cup double in 2023 whilst finishing that campaign with 26 wins out of a possible 30 in all competitions.

Day could be at the perfect place to further his development, and there’s no doubt Noble will have emphasised that in talks with the teenager.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has offered some bizarre advice to under-fire Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso ahead of Wednesday's huge Champions League clash between the two sides at the Bernabeu. Alonso comes into the match fresh from a damaging La Liga defeat to Celta Vigo and with serious question marks over his future as manager.

• Alonso under pressure in Madrid

  Alonso has come under pressure just months into his tenure at Real Madrid after an underwhelming start to life in the Spanish capital. Sunday's defeat to Celta saw Madrid slip four points behind rivals Barcelona at the top of the table in Spain after having previously been five points ahead of their bitter rivals following victory in October's Clasico. There has also been speculation that high-profile stars such as Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham are unhappy with life at Madrid under Alonso and that Los Blancos are lining up former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp as a potential replacement.

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  Guardiola's advice to Alonso

  Guardiola was asked if he had a message of support for Alonso ahead of Wednesday's match and told reporters: "He should pee on his own. I won't pee for him. You like that headline, right?"

  The Manchester City boss went on to share his thoughts on Alonso's future, adding: "I wish Xabi all the best, but his future is an answer I don't know. You all know the situation better than I do; I'm far removed from it. I haven't spoken with Florentino, and he hasn't told me that tomorrow will be Xabi's last match. If you don't win big games, things get difficult. But Xabi is in control of the situation and knows what this whole thing is about. My concern is seeing what we've done well. To beat Real Madrid in this competition, it's not enough to be better; you have to be much better."

• 'Barca and Madrid are difficult to manage'

  Guardiola also admitted he had sympathy for Alonso as he knows just how difficult it is to take on one of the biggest jobs in football. The City boss, who took a sabbatical after leaving Barcelona following four successful years, says the pressure can be immense.

  "I empathise with him because we worked together and it was an incredible experience. We shared many things. Barca and Madrid are difficult to manage because of the pressure, the environment," he added. "He knows the reality and everything revolves around winning matches. It happened to us last season. He's capable of turning things around and he's capable of doing what's necessary."

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• Alonso calls for calm

  Alonso has seemed unflustered by the talk about his future before the match. The Real Madrid boss insisted he was only focused on playing Manchester City and aiming to bounce back from a disappointing result last time out.

  He told reporters: "This is a team, and we're all in this together. When you are Real Madrid coach, you have to be prepared to face [difficult spells] with calm, unity, and composure. That's how I feel. I'm really looking forward to everything that's coming, starting [with this game against City].

  "We know we can turn the anger [at recent results] into something positive. All we are thinking about is City and the Champions League. In football, for better or for worse, things can change quickly. My focus is on the team, on the pitch, and on the next match. That's what I can control, and that's what I'm focused on."

While the hosts look their most settled heading into the tournament, England, South Africa and Bangladesh will be in pursuit

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Sep-20253:00

Is this India’s best chance to win a World Cup?

IndiaThis is the most settled Indian team to head into an ODI Women’s World Cup. That was only highlighted when they ran Australia, the reigning world champions, close in the ODI series decider in Delhi on Saturday.Pratika Rawal has added stability to the opening partnership, even if her scoring rate is under the spotlight. Harleen Deol has been given a long-enough run at No. 3 with Jemimah Rodrigues settling in a now-familiar spot at No. 5.Their talisman and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana is among the runs and captain Harmanpreet Kaur is in good form, too. The bowling group of Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Radha Yadav, N Shree Charani, Arundhati Reddy and Kranti Goud have got games together under their belt.One of their concerns, apart from blowing hot and cold with their fielding and catching, would be how Amanjot Kaur returns from injury. She was sidelined during India’s successful tour to England in July and missed the three-ODI series against Australia at home. Her seam-bowling ability, combined with her batting, fit just right for India, especially in situations like the third match against Australia.Renuka Singh Thakur’s showing through the series after returning from a stress injury will help India breathe easy. She highlighted her importance to the bowling attack, especially with the new ball.Whisper it, but this could be India’s best chance of winning their first senior women’s World Cup.SquadHarmanpreet Kaur (capt), Smriti Mandhana, Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Renuka Singh, Arundhati Reddy, Richa Ghosh, Kranti Goud, Amanjot Kaur, Radha Yadav, N Shree Charani, Sneh Rana, Uma ChetryKey playerSmriti Mandhana has been in fine form•Getty ImagesNumbers alone can make a case for Smriti Mandhana being one of the key players for India at the World Cup: 2100 runs with eight centuries at an average of 58.33 and a strike rate of 99.15 since the 2022 edition. No other batter has more than 1800 in this period. Statistics aside, Mandhana has effortlessly slid into the role of the aggressor in her opening pairing with Rawal, with Shafali Verma not part of the ODI setup. The clarity in her shot selection has helped in this regard and twin hundreds in the last series before the World Cup only show her hunger.Predicted finishAt least runners-up. England1:07

‘England have incredible talent in the squad’

New coach, new captain, this tournament poses the first big-stage test of England since the dire T20 World Cup and Ashes campaigns that prompted these changes. That said, there have only been a couple of tweaks to the make-up of the squad, making it incumbent on head coach Charlotte Edwards and skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt to extract the best from the enviable talent at their disposal and succeed where no one has since their 2017 triumph.Eight of the XI who finished runners-up to Australia in 2022 remain, while continued investment and growth in the women’s game in England has increased their depth since. But it’s early days yet – the new regime only began in April – and a clean sweep of both home white-ball series with West Indies, who failed to qualify for this World Cup, was tempered by series defeats to India in both formats.The success of a reprised opening partnership between Tammy Beaumont and Amy Jones against West Indies was more measured against India and England have recalled the vastly experienced Danni Wyatt-Hodge to bolster the middle order. After those series, Edwards said “getting to the final would be a real success for us” and, at this stage, that rings true.Seamer Lauren Bell was the leading wicket-taker in the women’s Hundred and spearheads a seam attack without the retired Katherine Sciver-Brunt and Anya Shrubsole and the overlooked Kate Cross. England will rely on a four-pronged spin department of Sophie Ecclestone, Charlie Dean, Linsey Smith and Sarah Glenn.SquadNat Sciver-Brunt (capt), Em Arlott, Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Alice Capsey, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones (wk), Heather Knight, Emma Lamb, Linsey Smith, Danni Wyatt-HodgeKey playerNat Sciver-Brunt has been England’s spiritual leader at the World Cup, scoring two centuries in 2017 followed by a fifty in the final and twin unbeaten hundreds in losing causes against Australia, including the title decider, in 2022. Now she is their official leader too, captaining the side for the first time at a global tournament. Against India, during their recent ODI series, she was the leading run-scorer with 160, averaging 53.33. She bowled for the first time in six months during a warm-up with New Zealand just ten days out from the start of the event, putting her return as an allrounder on track, albeit on a tight schedule.Predicted finishSemi-final. Having had just 14 matches – only six of them ODIs – under the new leadership, reaching the knockouts would be a big achievement at this stage. South Africa4:28

‘South Africa have depth, but could feel Ismail’s absence’

The curse has been broken. South Africa earned a world title when their men’s team lifted the World Test Championship (WTC) mace in June and so, finally, they will enter a tournament without the pressure of ending a drought. Now, they can just play.South Africa go into the tournament after a period of inconsistent form over the last year, in which time they have also been under a new coach, but are quietly confident of what they’ve built. This will be Mandla Mashimbyi’s first major event as he hopes to make his mark at the highest level. The bulk of his squad are experienced at global competitions and were at the core of South Africa’s success in reaching the final of the last two T20 World Cups.In Laura Wolvaardt, South Africa have a captain who leads by example and holds the batting line-up together. They are stacked with allrounders in Marizanne Kapp, Annerie Dercksen, Sune Luus, Nadine de Klerk and have several spin options led by left-armer Nonkululekho Mlaba. What’s missing is a pace bowler in the mould of Shabim Ismail, who was at the last ODI World Cup. In her absence, South Africa will rely on the swing of Kapp and the accuracy of Ayabonga Khaka and Masabata Klaas. Even though Tumi Sekhukhune offers some pace, they may find themselves lacking a genuine strike bowler. Squad Laura Wolvaardt, Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Sinalo Jafta, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Suné Luus, Karabo Meso, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Tumi Sekhukhune, Nondumiso Shangase, Chloé Tryon Key player As big scores and power-hitting become commonplace in the women’s game, Tazmin Brits could take centre stage with her brand of aggressive batting. Brits is in the form of her life and has scored four of her six ODI hundreds in 2025, including a career-best 171*. She’s also done all that quickly and has maintained a strike rate of 94.14 this year. While she has always been strong on the drive, she has also developed strong sweeps and slog-sweeps and can prove difficult to stop in the powerplay. Her style perfectly complements her opening partner and captain Wolvaardt and the value she adds in the field means if she has a good World Cup, South Africa could too. Predicted finishSemi-final. BangladeshNigar Sultana’s triple role of batter, wicketkeeper and captain does seem too much at times•ICC/Getty ImagesBangladesh have plans to win at least two matches in the World Cup. But to do that, they have to rely on a number of training camps at home, rather than any international cricket for the five months leading up to the tournament. It is being recognised as a massive factor before Bangladesh embark on their second 50-over World Cup campaign.Instead, Bangladesh played several matches against Bangladesh’s Under-15s, though they didn’t have a great time, winning just one game against the boys’ side.Bangladesh could take inspiration from their qualification tournament, where they made it through by 0.003, the squeakiest of margins. Sharmin Akhter and captain Nigar Sultana were the second and third-highest run-scorers in the qualifiers, while legspinner Rabeya Khan took eight wickets. They will, however, be without Jannatul Ferdus, the offspinner who was their highest wicket-taker in qualifying.SquadNigar Sultana (capt), Nahida Akter, Fargana Hoque, Rubya Haider, Sharmin Akhter, Sobhana Mostary, Ritu Moni, Shorna Akter, Fahima Khatun, Rabeya Khan, Marufa Akter, Fariha Trisna, Sanjida Akter, Nishita Akter, Sumaiya AkterKey playerNigar Sultana’s triple role of batter, wicketkeeper and captain does seem too much at times but she has performed admirably in all three capacities. Nigar will have to put on all three caps at the World Cup too, as she looks to bring out the best in a squad that hasn’t seen top-class action in months. Articulate on and off the field, Nigar is an inspirational figure in Bangladesh and is regarded as one of the best captains in the country’s history.Predicted finishEighth.

Mic’d Up: McCarty breaks down the MLS Cup – why benching Suárez was a “career-defining” call, how Müller made Vancouver must-watch, and which side he thinks has the edge.

In the lead-up to the 2025 MLS Cup, Dax McCarty was asked to pick a combined XI from the two finalists: Inter Miami and the Vancouver Whitecaps. It’s a familiar exercise before a big game, largely because it’s an easy way to spotlight players to watch and the matchups that could ultimately decide things.

This one, though, wasn’t so easy. McCarty genuinely struggled. There was simply too much talent to choose from, he says. It stressed him out – and, oddly enough, made him even more excited for the final.

“Both of these teams are loaded,” the longtime MLS midfielder turned Apple TV analyst told GOAL. “It’s one of the hardest things I’ve had to do as an analyst. You go through both teams and it’s impossible. If everyone had to put together a combined XI for these teams, I think they’d all be different.”

Such is the nature of this final. On one side: Lionel Messi and friends, leading an Inter Miami team chasing immortality. On the other hand: Vancouver, no plucky underdog, but a group headlined by Thomas Muller and supported by Sebastian Berhalter, Andrés Cubas, Tristan Blackmon, and Emmanuel Sabbi – all playing the best soccer of their careers.

McCarty previewed the matchup in the latest edition of Mic’d Up, GOAL’s recurring feature that brings the perspective of analysts, announcers, and other voices on the state of soccer in the U.S. and beyond.

Getty Images SportON THE MLS PLAYOFFS

GOAL: Every year, there's this debate and discussion about what the MLS Cup Playoffs should look like and, every year, that doesn't really matter because they turn out to be chaotic and entertaining anyway. What has been your big takeaway from this postseason, given everything we've seen?

MCCARTY: The playoffs have been dramatic. They've been exciting. I couldn't have asked for much more, to be completely honest.  I think we've seen drama. I think we've seen great games. I think we've seen great coaching. I think that's a kind of a big out thing that sticks out for me in terms of, I think, where we're at in MLS. 

Of course, we've had great players throughout Major League Soccer's existence, and we've had superstars, and we've had really good teams, but I think one thing that's definitely been an outlier this year, but also in these playoffs, because we just saw it in the conference finals, is that the level of coaching has improved dramatically. That's not to say that we haven't had great coaching in the past. I just think that the teams now, especially the teams in the conference finals, that's a proof of concept that you don't necessarily need to have a manager who has all this knowledge of the quirky MLS rules and calendar to be successful. That was kind of a narrative that a lot of people bought into, and certainly with the likes of Bob Bradley and Bruce Arena, the Sigi Schmids, the Brian Schmetzers, that holds a lot of water: the success that domestic coaches have had in MLS. 

I think this year, specifically, especially if you look at the conference finals and all four coaches being in the conference finals in their first year, I don't think that that's necessarily the case now anymore. I think that you can look outside the box. You can be a little bit more creative. The global market is certainly true for a player pool, but I think now that's shifting to also being true for a coaching pool as well. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportON MESSI AND INTER MIAMI

GOAL: You've been around this team for a long time, but none of us have ever seen anything like Messi and Inter Miami. They're an outlier in the sense that they can just outscore you, and there's not much you can do to stop it. What do you think about them?

MCCARTY: Yeah, they certainly seem to be a juggernaut right now, the likes of which we haven't seen, especially in the playoffs. Inter Miami had an up-and-down season. If we want to take their season as a whole, yes, they had some very high highs, but they've also had some lows, and they've also not won a trophy this year. You have to obviously take their season in totality to really judge everything that's happening, but if we want to break it down in just their playoff run, it's been spectacular. 

I think Javier Mascherano made the biggest and best decision of his young coaching career to put Luis Suarez on the bench. I've been vocal that that was the right decision, and it must have been a difficult decision, but Inter Miami is certainly finding their best form at the right time, and it's because they have balance now. They've got young legs around Lionel Messi. He's always had a sort of free role, but now, with younger legs around him, it's even more free. He's free to do what he does best, which is score spectacular goals, but he's also free to create and to drop a little bit deeper in midfield and kind of be that conduit between midfield and attack.

One thing you said that really stands out is that you're not going to really be able to keep Inter Miami off the score sheet. That doesn't seem to be something that is likely to happen, so you're going to have to outscore them. You're going to have to hope that their back line, which has been significantly better recently, kind of reverts back to the mistake-prone back line that we saw a few months ago, but your focus has to be on Messi. 

GOAL: How do you stop them? If you're playing in a one-game cup final, what do you do about it?

It frustrates me to no end when I see teams just giving Messi time and space on the ball in midfield and not tracking his runs into the box. Go back to the first goal that he scored against FC Cincinnati in that Eastern Conference semifinal, and it's unacceptable for Messi to be scoring a header in that type of situation. It's a great play. It's a great ball by Silvetti, so don't take anything away from the actual attacking movement in play, but you have to make sure that when Messi gets the ball in the final third, he's going to look to pass it and then get the ball back at some point in the box so he can finish in one touch. It frustrates me when teams don't game plan for that, and when players lose track of where he is, because he's going to get his chances and he's going to beat you in certain ways, but don't let him beat you in the obvious ways. 

That's kind of where I'm at with it. Look, Vancouver, they've done it already this year, right? So if there's one team that I think matches up really well with Inter Miami, and who won't be scared to go in there and go toe to toe with them, as far as goalscoring is concerned, it's definitely this Vancouver Whitecaps team.

GettyON PRESSURE

GOAL: Whenever you get to a cup final, there's pressure, right? For Inter Miami, though, it's a different beast because the world is watching Messi, fairly or unfairly. How much pressure are they under?

MCCARTY: Inter Miami is under a different level of pressure, and anyone who thinks differently is kidding themselves.

This is a team that's been built to win trophies, been built to win every single trophy that they compete for. Full credit to David Beckham and the Mas brothers and their ownership group for swinging for the fences. You couldn't have made a better signing, obviously, with Leo Messi. If he's not still the best player in the world, he's certainly still in the top five or 10, and he's definitely the best player in Major League Soccer. So now it's about how you maximize his time here in Major League Soccer by filling that trophy cabinet up. 

Lionel Messi has been a transcendent signing for the league. I think his legacy and his career are set in stone in terms of being the greatest player that's ever lived, but with that comes an added responsibility that, if you take his MLS legacy and put it off to the side, he's going to be judged on on the trophies that he's won, an MLS Cup being one of the most important. So there is an extra amount of pressure on Inter Miami now, especially with the form they're in and them being able to host the final and play at home. Then you add in the fact that Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, two of the greatest players of this generation, are retiring after this. It would be seen as a massive, massive disappointment if they do not win MLS Cup. There's no other way to put it. You shouldn't sugarcoat it. I don't know if I'd go as far to say the season would be some sort of catastrophic failure, because I believe that Lionel Messi is going to win back-to-back MVPs, but certainly you expect them to win trophies, and if they go a whole season without winning a trophy, that has to be seen as a disappointment.

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ImagnON MULLER'S IMPACT IN VANCOUVER

GOAL: You know what it's like to play with a superstar, and I'm sure there were times with that Red Bull team that you looked around and said, 'We have Thierry Henry and they don't, so we'll be fine'. The Whitecaps brought in their superstar, Thomas Muller, and added him to a team that was already very, very good. How does bringing in someone like that make a team go from very good to great?

MCCARTY: Yeah, there's a different level of confidence that flows through that locker room when you know you have a superstar you can rely on….I've been impressed with Thomas Muller on the field. How can you not be? His goal-scoring return has been excellent. He's fit in tactically with exactly what Jesper Sorensen wants to accomplish, but it's also off the field where you're more impressed. 

The fact that he has come in and he has elevated the level of every single player around him, he has raised the expectations for what that club is. Vancouver has always been a really good club. They've been a well-run club that has had success in the past. They've won multiple Canadian championships. They've been a pretty consistent qualifier for the playoffs, but they haven't really been able to get over the hump and get over the line when it comes to really challenging and being, I think, in the spotlight within the national conversation of Major League Soccer. They're firmly in that conversation now. It's not just because they've gone on a good run this year. They have so many fun storylines to talk about all throughout that team, and Muller is absolutely one of them in the way that he's changed that team and galvanized them to be more confident. Sebastian Bearhalter, the steps that he has taken this year. Sorensen,  how impressive he has been in replacing a very good coach in Vanni Sartini, and almost taking that team to another level. 

The way that I'll end the conversation about Vancouver is the fact that they are a must-see team every time they are on the field. They are fun to watch. They have a distinct identity and style of play, and they play the same whether they're at home or on the road. That is something that is rare to find in Major League Soccer. You won't find a more well-balanced team in terms of a team that can hurt you and outscore you in attack, and then also a team that can defend and has an identity to keep clean sheets. Talk all you want about Inter Miami and the talent they have and the way that they're playing an attack. Absolutely, it's deserved, but Vancouver has been the more impressive team throughout the season in terms of their balance and in terms of the fact that they can beat you in a multitude of different ways.

Chelsea are weighing up the possibility of an early January move for one ‘magnificent’ forward with an agreement already in place for his arrival next year.

Liam Delap succumbs to another Chelsea injury blow

Liam Delap’s Chelsea career has descended into frustrating misfortune following another significant injury setback.

The 22-year-old suffered a suspected dislocated shoulder during Saturday’s goalless draw at Bournemouth, leaving the field in obvious discomfort after landing awkwardly following a challenge with Marcos Senesi.

Medical staff immediately applied a makeshift sling before Delap trudged directly towards the tunnel, his arm immobilised to prevent further damage.

Enzo Maresca then delivered a concerning post-match update that confirmed initial fears.

Reports suggest Delap faces approximately six to eight weeks sidelined, which comes as another devastating blow for the young forward after he was previously out of action for weeks with a hamstring injury.

Chelsea signed Delap from relegated Ipswich in June, beating the likes of Man United and Newcastle to his signature after an impressive maiden Premier League season.

The Winchester-born striker finished as Ipswich’s leading scorer with twelve goals across thirty-seven appearances last term, accounting for thirty-three percent of their total output despite their eventual drop to the Championship.

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Delap also earned a PFA Young Player of the Year nomination and convinced Maresca – who previously managed Delap during his tenure overseeing Man City’s Elite Development Squad – that he represented an ideal target man.

However, the Englishman has since struggled to establish himself at Stamford Bridge, managing just sporadic appearances whilst failing to register a single Premier League goal for his new employers.

Player

Pedro

Guiu

Delap

Games

18

8

11

Minutes

1377′

280′

453′

Goals

4

1

1

Assists

3

1

0

His only Chelsea strike this season arrived against Barcelona in the Champions League, providing brief optimism before this latest injury.

Marc Guiu replaced Delap against Bournemouth but was rusty throughout, highlighting Chelsea’s lack of alternative options, and it has led to suggestions that Strasbourg striker Emanuel Emegha could arrive earlier than anticipated.

Chelsea weigh early January move for Emanuel Emegha

According to TEAMtalk and journalist Graeme Bailey, Chelsea chiefs are evaluating whether to bring forward Emegha’s arrival from their sister club following Delap’s injury blow.

The Blues confirmed a deal worth around £22 million several months ago, that was scheduled to deliver Emegha to Stamford Bridge in the summer.

However, Delap’s absence has prompted internal discussions about accelerating that timeline to January.

Strasbourg initially resisted any mid-season departure for their captain, but circumstances have shifted considerably.

Argentine forward Joaquin Panichelli has emerged as Liam Rosenior’s first-choice striker, demonstrating excellent form which suggests the Ligue 1 side could accommodate Emegha’s premature exit.

The 22-year-old Netherlands international stands at a towering 6 foot 5 and recently earned his maiden senior caps for his country, establishing himself as one of France’s most promising attacking talents.

Should Chelsea trigger the January switch, they would also likely compensate Strasbourg by funding an immediate replacement through BlueCo’s multi-club network.

Emegha, who’s been called ‘magnificent’ by critics, scored 14 French top flight goals last season and ended the campaign as one of Ligue 1’s top scorers.

He’s also bagged seven goals across 11 appearances in all competitions this season, so he’s a man bang on form right now regardless of Panichelli’s rise.

Leeds United’s work during the summer transfer window is naturally going to be called into question with the team currently sat in the relegation zone in the Premier League at the start of December.

Whilst two of their signings, Lukas Nmecha and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, scored in their loss to Manchester City, the summer arrivals have not done enough to keep the side out of the bottom three.

For example, James Justin was brought in as an experienced Premier League defender and was beaten with ease inside the opening minute for Phil Foden’s first goal on Saturday.

Ranking Leeds United's summer signings

Unfortunately, too many of the club’s summer signings have made similar mistakes without providing much quality, at one end of the pitch or the other, to make up for it.

Leeds paid £13.9m to sign goalkeeper Lucas Perri from Lyon to replace Illan Meslier, but he has let in 0.92 more goals than expected and saved just 54% of the shots against him in the Premier League this season, per Sofascore.

Whilst the Brazilian shot-stopper has been one of their worst additions, Sean Longstaff has provided consistency in midfield since his move from Newcastle, leading the team in ‘big chances’ created (six) and key passes per game (1.7).

1

Sean Longstaff

2

Noah Okafor

3

Gabriel Gudmundsson

4

Anton Stach

5

Lukas Nmecha

6

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

7

Lucas Perri

8

James Justin

9

Jaka Bijol

10

Sebastiaan Bornauw

As you can see in the table above, Noah Okafor and Gabriel Gudmundsson rank just below the Englishman with the exciting connection that they have forged together on the left flank.

At the other end of the ranking, though, Jaka Bijol has to be down there because he was dropped for the last two games after his first three starts for the club in the Premier League.

It is, unfortunately, Sebastiaan Bornauw who currently ranks at the bottom of the pile, though, because he looks to be their biggest waste of a signing since Jean-Kevin Augustin.

Why Leeds need to move on from Sebastiaan Bornauw already

The Belgian defender seemed to be a signing that Daniel Farke had a big say in, because he came from Germany, Wolfsburg, and was a transfer target for the manager during his time at Norwich in the summer of 2021.

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This meant that it felt like a long time coming for Bornauw and Farke to finally work together, yet it has not played out that way in the first few months of the season, as the defender has not played a single minute in the league.

Every Leeds fan will be familiar with the story of Augustin’s time at Elland Road, as the club had to pay £24.5m for the player after opting not to go through with an obligation to sign him permanently because he only played 48 league minutes during his time on loan in the 2019/20 campaign.

Man City

Not in squad

Aston Villa

Not in squad

Nottingham Forest

Not in squad

Brighton

Not in squad

West Ham

Not in squad

Burnley

0

Spurs

0

Bournemouth

Not in squad

Wolves

Not in squad

Fulham

Not in squad

Newcastle

0

Arsenal

0

Everton

0

As you can see in the table above, 48 minutes of league football looks favourable in comparison to how Bornauw’s season in the Premier League has gone.

The former Belgium international is out with an injury at the moment, but the Whites boss has left him as an unused substitute in the five top-flight games that he has been available for, despite having wanted to sign the star since 2021.

Bornauw’s only minutes in all competitions came in a loss to Championship strugglers Sheffield Wednesday on penalties in the League Cup back in August, per Sofascore, with the likes of Bijol, Joe Rodon, and Pascal Struijk all ahead of him in the pecking order at centre-back in the league.

At the age of 26, the Belgian defender should be playing regular football and be a first-choice at a club. Instead, he looks set to continue watching on from the bench at Leeds unless something drastically changes in the coming weeks.

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With this in mind, it may be best for both parties to find a solution in the January transfer window, as the transfer does not seem to have worked out and it has been a bit of a waste of time for the club and the player, as was also the case with Augustin.

India go into the next T20I World Cup as strong favourites, but their captain isn’t fully buying into that talk

Sidharth Monga08-Nov-20254:36

It was fire and fire today: Abhishek on his stand with Gill

India have now won each of the seven T20I series they have been part of since winning the 2024 T20 World Cup. They hold a 26-4 win-loss record over this period. They still have two bilateral series at home, where they will defend their crown in about three months. Surely they are favourites given their strengths, experience and current record, but their captain Suryakumar Yadav is aware you can never say all the bases are covered.”I’m very lucky to have all these boys with different-different skills,” he said after the Brisbane washout when asked if India had all bases covered. “They bring very different-different things to the table. When we chat around about the bowling, batting, and fielding… You must have seen a lot of energy on the ground. People enjoy when they go together on the ground.”But yeah, from a batting point of view, definitely what we’ve been doing in the last six to eight months, I think we’re sticking to that, not changing anything. These guys are doing it really well. The way they bat at the top of the order, it puts a smile on everyone’s face when they’re batting together.Related

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“And also from a bowling point of view as well, people are taking responsibility. Having an experienced bowler like [Jasprit] Bumrah around in the team and everyone chatting with him, learning a lot of skills, tricks and trade of the game, I think that’s a good thing. So there’s good friendship building up in that as well.”So we are trying to get there. There’s never anything like all bases covered. We always learn from this game, every game we play. Yeah, till now things look good, touch wood, let’s continue that.”Abhishek Sharma became the fastest batter to 1000 T20I runs by balls faced•AFP/Getty ImagesOne of the top-order batters responsible for putting said smiles on faces sat next to Suryakumar as the Player of the Series. During the course of this Australia tour, Abhishek Sharma became the quickest to 1000 T20I runs in terms of balls faced. He also played a more sedate innings when he judged the pitch to be a tricky one. India defended 167 successfully in that match.Suryakumar was impressed with that aspect of Abhishek’s game, joking that sometimes even a tiger has to turn herbivorous. “If the wicket is difficult, the quicker you adapt the better it is,” Suryakumar said. “The wicket was good today so they went back to normal, scoring 50-plus in four-and-a-half overs. But it was important in the last game to read the wicket well. These two [Abhishek and opening partner Shubman Gill] did that well. At this level, you only learn from experience. The way he adapted so quickly, if in the future also if we get such a wicket in the subcontinent, it won’t be something new for him.”They communicate well. They run well. They are learning quickly. Yes, there are just 120 balls, but often you have more time than you think. Sometimes if they take four-five balls extra to figure out the conditions, they are so skilled they can cover up easily.”Abhishek credited all his success to the absolute freedom given to him by the team management, who, he said, told him he will still be in the side if he scores 15 consecutive ducks. “I knew there’s gonna be extra bounce and pace, but, from a team point of view, I had a plan that I have to play the same way I’ve been playing. Because as an opening batter, it’s very easy for you to understand your role.”But I feel when you’re playing like this, when you want to dominate the opposition, you have to have that confidence and that ability. I think the captain and coach always backed me in that. I practised really hard on this because it’s not easy to come to Australia and beat them in white-ball cricket as well. So I wanted to play the same brand of cricket because we have been following that since before the Asia Cup.”