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No men’s internationals have taken place in New Chandigarh, but most of the India players have been here during IPL 2025

Sidharth Monga10-Dec-20251:28

Why did it feel like Hardik batted on a different pitch?

Big picture – New Chandigarh makes men’s international debutThere is a feeling India are such strong favourites for the home World Cup in two months that the one way to deny them a successful title defence is to catch them on the wrong side of the toss on a damp pitch or a dewy night.South Africa discovered first-hand in Cuttack that India are formidable even on such a night. They will now scramble from eastern India to the north-west with no training day in New Chandigarh and go again on Thursday evening.Related

Hardik shows what he can do when fit and firing

India will be aware that despite their 6-2 head-to-head record against South Africa in recent encounters, T20s can surprise any team on a given night. They want to have reacted to almost every kind of contingency in their nine remaining matches at home before the World Cup. New Chandigarh will be just one such stop.This, incidentally, is the first men’s international at the venue. India and Australia played two women’s ODIs there in September this year.Form guideIndia WWWLW
South Africa LLLWLThere is nothing wrong with South Africa’s combination, but India might just be a bit too strong for them in these conditions•Associated PressIn the spotlight – Arshdeep Singh and Quinton de KockThe first over of the chase in Cuttack set the tone for the rest of the night. Arshdeep Singh sought to make the most of whatever movement was on offer, and he got the dangerous Quinton de Kock in the first over. It is a match-up that Arshdeep has had the better of in all T20 cricket: 41 balls, 38 runs, five wickets. Watch out for this contest again. Perhaps South Africa might let Aiden Markram take first strike because de Kock is a key batter for them.Team news – Changes only if conditions ask for themIn Cuttack, India were close to their best XI if you leave aside the question of Rinku Singh. If the pitch is dry, they can stick in Kuldeep Yadav for Arshdeep; if they worry about batting depth, Harshit Rana can play in Arshdeep’s place. Other than that, they don’t need to fiddle.India (probable): 1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Suryakumar Yadav (capt), 4 Tilak Varma, 5 Jitesh Sharma (wk), 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Shivam Dube, 8 Axar Patel, 9 Arshdeep Singh, 10 Varun Chakravarthy, 11 Jasprit Bumrah.South Africa might have lost big but the combination didn’t have much wrong. At a pinch, they might think of an allrounder in Lutho Sipamla’s place.South Africa: 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Aiden Markram (capt), 3 Tristan Stubbs, 4 Dewald Brevis, 5 David Miller, 6 Donovon Ferreira, 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Lutho Sipamla/Corbin Bosch/George Linde, 9 Keshav Maharaj, 10 Lungi Ngidi, 11 Anrich Nortje.1:29

Jitesh on competition with Samson – ‘He’s like a big brother’

Pitch and conditionsWith no tall stands around it, the playing surface of New Chandigarh tends to not get affected too much by the dew. Teams batting first in the IPL hold a 6-5 record in New Chandigarh. Scores of above 200 have been defended successfully, as has been a 111. Fast bowlers tend to hold sway there.Stats and trivia Only three players have hit 100 sixes and taken 100 wickets in T20Is. Hardik Pandya is one wicket short of joining this list of Sikandar Raza, Mohammad Nabi and Malaysia’s Virandeep Singh. Arshdeep has taken the joint-highest powerplay wickets for India: 47. He is tied with Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Jasprit Bumrah is only the fifth player to have taken 100 wickets in each of the three international formats. Shakib Al Hasan, Lasith Malinga, Tim Southee and Shaheen Shah Afridi are the others.

The ODI World Cup is just two years away, but for England, a significantly more imminent challenge dominates

Andrew Miller25-Oct-2025

Big picture: Context or continuity?The great gathering continues apace. First it was Harry Brook, Jacob Bethell and Brydon Carse – with Zak Crawley lurking on the fringes to soak up the vibes and sort the tee-off times. Then, by degrees, other key combatants have flown in, with New Zealand performing the role of an Orwellian airstrip, anchored ominously off the East Coast of Australia.Gus Atkinson has been in New Zealand for a week; Mark Wood and Josh Tongue arrived on Thursday, also in non-playing capacities. Ben Duckett, Joe Root and Jamie Smith are all in line for their first hits of the winter in this week’s ODIs, and Jofra Archer – at some stage – his first bowl. For yes, in theory, a bilateral series between England and New Zealand is about to get underway. In practice, the Ashes phoney-war-by-proxy is about to be ramped up another notch or three.The early-season conditions didn’t allow many conclusions to be drawn from 61.4 overs of T20I action, but there was purpose to the three matches just gone – coming as they do just months before the next T20 World Cup. When it comes to ODI cricket, however, it’s harder to pretend that it’s a massive priority for either team right now.Kane Williamson’s return provides the local intrigue and, as many of New Zealand’s players have been saying in recent days, the chance to play a Big Three opponent offers a degree of context in its own right. But let’s face it, if we thought Bethell’s 39 runs from 25 balls in the T20Is offered Ashes pointers, it’s nothing compared to the frenzied hot takes that Root and co. could find themselves generating this week.Of course, the spring rains may continue to dampen everyone’s enthusiasm. But England’s main focus across the past fortnight has very much been on mental preparation. There are longer-term issues that need to be addressed with the next ODI World Cup now two years away, and for the seam bowlers in particular, there’s a real opportunity to lay down a few markers. But overall, the squad’s relaxed vibe has befitted a laid-back location, and a sense that this week is a consequences-free chance to get some game-time and continue to build towards significantly more intense challenges.This was, after all, one of the rationales for McCullum taking on the white-ball coaching role back at start of the year. The unification of philosophies across squads means there are no competing agendas pulling the players one way or the other – just a collective sense of purpose at the start of a seminal winter, and a recognition that some big pictures are significantly bigger than others.Form guideNew Zealand WWWLW (last five ODIs, most recent first)
England WLLWWIn the spotlight: Ben Duckett and Kane WilliamsonIt’s not so long ago that Ben Duckett was being touted as the most complete all-formats batter in the world. But then, the very fact of his ubiquity became too much of a burden. After an exhausting Test series against India, a grim run of form in the Hundred contributed to his absence from the T20Is against South Africa in which Jos Buttler and Phil Salt laid an insurmountable claim to the openers’ roles, and by the end of the ODI leg he was visibly shot to bits. Now he’s back after some much-needed R&R – newly married and hopefully rested up. Mount Maunganui and Perth are worlds apart, of course. But England will need him to rediscover that dynamism across formats as the Ashes draw nigh.Kane Williamson will turn out for New Zealand for the first time since the Champions Trophy final in March•ICC via Getty Images

Kane Williamson is not the most demonstrative of blokes at the best of times. But he knows a career inflection point when he sees one. It’s been nearly eight months since his last match for New Zealand – their loss to India in the Champions Trophy final – and, at the age of 35, he’s conscious of the march of time, as he returns to a set-up with a new coach in Rob Walter, and with the next ODI World Cup still a full two years away. With a young family to consider, and lucrative offers such as this year’s London Spirit/Middlesex tie-in very much on the table for the autumn of his career, these three games may go some way to determining his continued hunger after 15 years as a Black Cap.Team newsKyle Jamieson has been ruled out of the series after suffering stiffness in his side, but New Zealand welcome back a core of senior players who have not featured in the ODI set-up since the Champions Trophy – the captain Santner, Tom Latham and Williamson among them.New Zealand (possible): 1 Will Young, 2 Devon Conway, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Rachin Ravindra, 5 Daryl Mitchell, 6 Tom Latham (wk), 7 Michael Bracewell, 8 Mitchell Santner (capt), 9 Zak Foulkes, 10 Jacob Duffy, 11 Matt Henry.Smith, Duckett and Root return to action for the first time this winter, with one eye very much on the first Test at Perth in less than a month’s time. Sam Curran will get a chance to cement his allrounder role, while Luke Wood could get a run in the side with England’s 50-overs seam attack still very much a work in progress. Jofra Archer is fit but unavailable for the first match, as England look to manage his workload ahead of the Ashes. Will Jacks is still absent with a finger injury.England (possible): 1 Jamie Smith, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Joe Root, 4 Jacob Bethell, 5 Harry Brook (capt), 6 Jos Buttler (wk), 7 Sam Curran, 8 Jamie Overton/Sonny Baker, 9 Brydon Carse, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Luke Wood.Pitch and conditionsThe weather warnings that wrecked the Auckland T20I have abated, although the strong winds remain a factor. The ground record is New Zealand’s hefty 371 for 7 against Sri Lanka in 2019, so if the conditions permit, runs will surely flow.Stats and trivia New Zealand have played 11 ODIs at Bay Oval since 2014, winning six – including each of their last three – and losing five. However, England won these teams’ only previous meeting at the venue, by six wickets in 2018, despite a certain Mitchell Santner producing the day’s stand-out innings, 63 not out from 52 balls. Adil Rashid, who also played in that fixture, needs three more wickets to overtake Darren Gough (234) as England’s second-most prolific ODI bowler behind James Anderson (269).

Are Chelsea outside challengers for the Premier League title this season?

Based on the weekend’s results, they are, as Enzo Maresca’s Blues comfortably got the better of Burnley 2-0 on the road to remain second spot in the early league standings, while Liverpool and Manchester City fell to unwanted defeats.

Maresca’s men managed to pick up that routine win, even with Moises Caicedo out of the starting lineup at Turf Moor, as Chelsea’s standout £115m midfielder was rested after a gruelling international break with Ecuador.

Thankfully, the defensive midfield partnership that did start in Lancashire in Enzo Fernandez and Andrey Santos rose to the occasion, with Santos stealing many of the plaudits at the full-time whistle, despite Fernandez’s late strike sealing all three points.

Santos' standout performance vs Burnley

Fernandez rightfully received plenty of praise at the final whistle, with the World Cup winner now up to 11 goals and ten assists in 2025 for the Blues as a forward-thinking midfield spark.

But, with Caicedo out of the starting XI, Chelsea also needed a talent prepared to dig deep and do the required defensive work that the South American does week in week out, with the 24-year-old averaging 5.2 ball recoveries and winning 5.4 duels per Premier League contest this season, away from also chipping in with three goals and an assist.

Thankfully, Santos stepped up into his role effortlessly against Scott Parker’s hosts, with two tackles won, seven duels won, and four ball recoveries amassed, showing off the 21-year-old’s full-blooded approach.

On top of that, Santos also ended the game with one big chance created from his 34 accurate passes, with analyst Raj Chohan even stating that he provides a “lot of value” to the team as a stellar stand-in option for the likes of Caicedo.

The promising number 17 will hope he can get more first-team minutes soon, away from being in the shadow of the ex-Brighton and Hove Albion man.

But, he isn’t the only midfield asset being directly compared to Caicedo now.

Chelsea's next Caicedo

It’s clear that Chelsea have great faith in the youngsters rising the ranks at Stamford Bridge currently, with Maresca prepared to start a whole plethora of exciting, young talents, away from just throwing Santos into the first-team spotlight.

Chalkboard

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

Indeed, in attack, Estevao has been handed chances galore this season to impress, with a Premier League goal and assist coming the hotly tipped Brazilian’s way subsequently.

Moreover, Marc Guiu would gift Fernandez his goal at Turf Moor on a plate, with the 19-year-old now becoming a regular impact player off the bench. Could Dario Essugo be the next starlet to make a wild impression?

Already, the £18.5m summer purchase – despite only being 20 years of age – has shone in some challenging environments for two loan sides in Chaves and Las Palmas in Liga Portugal and La Liga respectively.

His attritional, yet polished displays, have even led to scout Jacek Kulig hailing the Portuguese enforcer as a “one-man army.”

Moreover, Kulig also boldly labelled Essugo as “one of the most exciting DMs in Europe” for his continued excellence with Las Palmas, even as they succumbed to relegation.

In the current Chelsea set-up, based on his numbers last season in that relegation-troubled camp, he would surely shine as bright as Caicedo has managed in West London.

Games played

18

27

Goals scored

0

1

Assists

0

0

Touches*

40.8

48.4

Accurate passes*

24.5 (85%)

30.0 (86%)

Tackles*

1.7

2.2

Ball recoveries*

4.2

4.4

Clearances*

1.7

1.6

Total duels won*

5.3

4.9

Looking at the table above, it’s clear that Essugo will be prepared to battle and tussle for Chelsea when first-team chances eventually arrive at his door, winning 4.9 duels per game last season in La Liga action, not a million miles off Caicedo’s 5.4 tally this campaign back in England.

Unfortunately, the only drawback for Essugo so far is that he is sidelined with a nasty injury at the moment, but he did shine briefly in Caicedo’s place against AC Milan in pre-season, with 100% of his ground duels won from just 17 minutes of action.

Thankfully, Maresca has Santos to fall back on in defensive midfield for the time being, if Caicedo continues to look fatigued.

But, do not rule out Essugo exploding onto the scene when he returns from the treatment room, with Chelsea’s midfield options full to the brim with quality.

Shades of Kante: 8/10 Chelsea man had his "best performance" yet vs Burnley

As Chelsea beat Burnley 2-0 in the Premier League at Turf Moor, which player put in their “best performance” for the club, looking N’Golo Kanté-esque?

ByBen Gray Nov 22, 2025

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have been urged to dig deep once again, with calls growing for Wrexham’s Hollywood hierarchy to make a decisive financial splash in the January transfer window. The Red Dragons arrive at the third international pause of the season in 13th place in the Championship, a mere four points shy of the play-off picture in what has become one of the tightest second-tier campaigns in recent history.

A rocky start gives way to belief

Despite investing around £33 million ($43m) in fresh talent following their dramatic rise from League One last season, Wrexham began life in the Championship with uncertainty hanging overhead. Early stumbles suggested the learning curve would be steep. But that perception has shifted in recent weeks, and the feeling around North Wales is that momentum is finally starting to build. Even so, the pressure on Reynolds and McElhenney has quietly intensified. Their long-stated ambition is to propel Wrexham all the way to the top flight, and with several traditionally strong Championship clubs, Southampton and Leicester among them, struggling to impose themselves, observers believe the coming window could be crucial. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportGoodman: 'This might be their best chance'

Sky Sports analyst Don Goodman has been forthright in his assessment. Speaking to the former Wolves and Sunderland striker urged the club to act decisively but intelligently. 

"What you are seeing at the minute is loads of teams that are evenly matched and that gives a real opportunity. It could be that Wrexham might not get a better opportunity," he opined. 

Goodman suggested that while the club’s summer activity was sizable, particularly given the volume of new arrivals with Championship experience, January should be about precision, not bulk.

"With that in mind, I think there probably will be money available in January, if necessary," he said. "Their summer recruitment was massive in terms of Championship experience and quantity, a lot of new players came in. If they go and spend money in January, I would expect it to be quality over quantity. I would expect maybe it would be a couple of players brought in that would go straight into the starting eleven and improve them rather than players brought in for the squad.

"When I look at that table, they are one of four teams, from 11th to 14th, on 21 points, which is four points off a play-off spot. I would expect them to have a real go, and spend some money in January."

However, Goodman also warned about the Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR), and added: "I don't know whether financial fair play will kick in and play a part so they'll have to really be careful and get some out before getting some in. But I would expect them to have a go."

CEO Williamson confirms January backing

Any concerns that the owners might hesitate in January were quickly dismissed by Wrexham chief executive Michael Williamson, who recently set out the club’s strategy. 

Speaking to , he said: "When you bring in a player in January, you're bringing them in hoping that they have an impact on your current season, but you're also thinking about if they will be ready for the next season. We brought in [Ryan] Longman and [Sam] Smith during the last January transfer window. We did that knowing that Longman had experience in the Championship already, and we felt Smith was a player who was going to be ready for the Championship and to have an impact there.  

"You see him coming off the bench having an impact and Longman having some starts and also coming off the bench. That's the type of approach that you would take in January [looking at] who can help us in the Championship but also help us for when we arrive to the Premier League."

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Getty Images SportWhat comes next?

Under Phil Parkinson, Wrexham have become one of the most progressive clubs in the EFL. Three promotions in quick succession have transformed expectations, with Reynolds and McElhenney eyeing the Premier League as their long-term destination. The Championship’s congested mid-table has kept Wrexham in touch with the frontrunners, quietly helping sustain belief. They resume their league journey on November 22 against Ipswich. 

Afghanistan sealed an emotional victory over Pakistan with a sublime performance from their spinners, squeezing Salman Agha’s men out and triumphing by 18 runs. In the wake of the earthquake at home where the death toll has crossed 1400, a resilient performance from Afghanistan in Sharjah proved much too good for Pakistan with Ibrahim Zadran and Sediqullah Atal producing a 113-run second-wicket partnership that formed the backbone of their innings.It was an innings held up almost entirely by that single pillar; while Zadran and Atal scored 65 and 64 respectively, no other batter managed to get beyond single figures. Pakistan’s bowlers might have felt the had done enough as an economical showing from Saim Ayub and a sensational one from Faheem Ashraf kept Afghanistan on a leash, with Pakistan needing 170 to win in wet, dewy conditions.For the Afghan spinners, though, the dew proved an almost laughably negligible impediment. Fazalhaq Farooqi set them up by getting rid of Ayub for a golden duck and a misfiring Sahibzada Farhan shortly after. It was just the window Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad and Mohammad Nabi needed to run riot in the middle. No Pakistan batter was ever really able to work out which way Noor turned the ball or how to target Rashid without taking extreme risks.The trio took six wickets among them as Pakistan lost 7 for 49 to slump to 111 for 9. At the time they were looking at a chastening defeat, but Haris Rauf restored some balance to the scorecard with a breezy little cameo, an unbeaten 34 off 16 that took Pakistan past 150, and made the game look more competitive than Afghanistan’s dazzling spin attack had ensured it really was.Ibrahim Zadran scored a second fifty in two games•Emirates Cricket Board

Zadran, Atal combine for a special stand

Pakistan made a dream start after being put in to bowl with the early dismissal of Rahmanullah Gurbaz. By the end of the fourth over, Afghanistan had only shuffled along to 18. But Atal and Zadran have made a bit of a habit of partnerships that straddle multiple phases of an innings, and they produced their most impressive one yet.The first signs of a gear shift came when Rauf, who struggled all day with the ball, was smashed for a four and a six in the fifth over. Thereon, Atal and Zadran rendered the Pakistan bowlers strangely toothless, while gradually cranking up the scoring rate. The signal to launch had been building, but at the same time seemed to come out of nowhere as the pair plundered 20 off Sufiyan Muqeem in the 14th over. By the time the partnership was finally broken, the duo had added the second-highest second-wicket stand in Afghan T20I history.Faheem Ashraf returned his best T20I figures•AFP/Getty Images

Ashraf’s silver lining

On a forgettable day for Pakistan, Ashraf’s spell stood out, going some way to burnishing his short-form bowling credentials. It was a slow, spin-friendly wicket, but with Pakistan struggling to break that Atal-Zadran stand, they turned to Ashraf in the tenth over. He went through it without either inflicting or sustaining much damage, but it was his three-over stint at the back-end that demonstrated his value.It was he who broke that partnership off the second ball of the 16th, and was unfortunate not to snare Azmatullah Omarzai later on that over when Mohammad Nawaz shelled one. He would get his man with a beautifully disguised slower delivery next over, with another change of pace doing for Zadran two deliveries later. Taking pace of the ball continued to work when it proved too good for Nabi. At a time when Pakistan’s bowlers were travelling from the other end, Ashraf’s last three overs had seen just 18 scored and four wickets taken, ensuring the batting side were kept below 170.Noor Ahmad and Mohammad Nabi made life tough for the batters•Getty Images

Afghan spinners rip through the middle order

This is why Afghanistan feel so confident defending totals. There was plenty of dew by the midpoint of Pakistan’s pursuit, but Afghanistan’s spinners buzzed around the batters, relishing their defence of a total that was just about par. Pakistan had consolidated after two early wickets, and kept up with the rate; Fakhar Zaman took 15 off Omarzai’s first over to help Pakistan to 52 for 2 in the powerplay.In the eighth over, though, the spinners began to weave their web. Nabi threw in the change-up, darting the ball in as Fakhar sliced his smear to short third for Farooqi to grab. With the runs drying up, Pakistan threw in a signature unforced error, some lazy running combined with a clever bit of work from Rashid catching Salman short of his crease.Left-arm spinner Noor, curiously benched for the first two games, made up for lost time with a wicket off his first delivery to send Hasan Nawaz packing. Mohammad Haris failed to punish a long hop from Nabi the following over to allow Afghanistan to burrow deep into Pakistan’s tail. They had gone from 62 for 2 to 82 for 6, and no amount of deep batting can hedge against that kind of collapse against an attack of Afghanistan’s quality.

David “Syd” Lawrence, the former Gloucestershire and England fast bowler, has passed away at the age of 61 following a year battling motor neurone disease (MND).A strapping fast bowler, Lawrence played five Tests for England and making 280 appearances for Gloucestershire, taking 625 wickets for the county. In 1988, he became the first British-born Black cricketer to represent England. In 2022, he became his county’s first Black president. This month, Lawrence received an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours, having been named as one of the inaugural Honorary Life Vice-Presidents of the ECB earlier in the year.Lawrence was diagnosed with MND in 2024, a degenerative condition that affects the brain and nerves, causing muscle wastage. There is no cure, and Lawrence was working to raise money and awareness of the condition.Related

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In that time, he remained an inspirational figure at the club, sharing in their Vitality Blast success last summer. Gloucestershire assisted fundraising efforts with a “Pink 4 Syd” evening at the club, honouring Lawrence with a pink kit to raise funds for Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA) during their men’s fixture with Hampshire Hawks in the Vitality Blast. Last week, his autobiography, “In Syd’s Voice”, written in partnership with his friend and former Mirror cricket correspondent, Dean Wilson, was published.A statement from Lawrence’s family read: “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Dave Lawrence MBE following his brave battle with Motor Neurone Disease.”‘Syd’ was an inspirational figure on and off the cricket field and no more so than to his family who were with him when he passed.”A proud Gloucestershire man, Syd took on every challenge with everything he could and his final contest with MND was no different. His willingness to encourage and think of others right up to the end was typical of the man he was.”As President of Gloucestershire County Cricket Club, Syd took on the role with incredible pride and passion and loved every minute of it.”Syd’s wife Gaynor and son Buster thank everyone for the kindness and support that has been shown to them and the family so far and would ask that they are now given some time and space to grieve in private.”Lawrence played his five Tests and single ODI between 1988 and 1992. A genuine quick bowler, he debuted at Lord’s against Sri Lanka and went on to take 18 wickets, including his best of 5 for 106 against West Indies at The Oval in 1991.His career was cut devastatingly short when, in 1992, he fractured his kneecap as he ran in to bowl against New Zealand in Wellington. Though a comeback never truly materialised, barring a four-game stint for Gloucestershire five years later, he used retirement as a springboard to expand his horizons, becoming a nightclub owner and later a competitive bodybuilder.He was also a leading advocate for inclusion and diversity in cricket. In 2021, he spoke openly of his experience of racism at Gloucestershire, for which the club offered an unreserved apology. He was also involved with the African-Caribbean Engagement programme (ACE) in Bristol.”Everyone connected with Gloucestershire County Cricket Club will be devastated with the news of Syd’s passing, and we send all our love to his incredible family and friends,” said Gloucestershire Cricket chief executive Neil Priscott.”The executive team at the Club were of course aware of his fine record as a one-county man but we all got to truly know and love him as our current President. He was so passionate about the power of cricket and how our sport can touch people’s lives. Syd pushed us to reach out to communities far and wide and we shall continue to do that in his honour. Friday night’s ‘Pink 4 Syd; match was a fitting tribute to a Gloucestershire great, and we are very sad to have lost someone so special.”In a statement released by the ECB, chair Richard Thompson said: “David ‘Syd’ Lawrence was a true trailblazer of English cricket and a man of immense courage, character, and compassion.”His impact on the game extended far beyond the boundary ropes. As a fast bowler, he thrilled crowds with his pace and passion. As a leader and advocate, he broke barriers and inspired change, becoming a powerful voice for inclusion and representation in our sport.”Even in the face of his illness, David showed extraordinary strength and dignity, continuing to uplift others with his resilience and spirit. He leaves behind a legacy that will endure in the hearts of all who love cricket.”Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and the entire cricketing community at this time.”

There are plenty of reasons why Rangers have endured a miserable season so far.

Most would blame under-fire manager Russell Martin, who has won just five of 15 matches in charge across all competitions to date, while others cite poor squad building and underwhelming recruitment.

It may not be the primary reason, but the departure of Václav Černý has to be a key factor.

The Czechia international spent last season on loan in Glasgow from Wolfsburg, joining Beşiktaş on a permanent deal this summer instead of returning, but he made quite the impression during his year in Govan.

Černý scored 18 goals in 52 appearances for Rangers, of which six came in the Europa League, a key figure as the Light Blues reached the quarter-finals, on target against Steaua Bucharest, Nice and Royale Union Saint-Gilloise before netting twice during the famous 3-1 victory over Fenerbahçe in İstanbul.

Thus, he was always going to be a near-impossible figure to replace, but has Martin unearthed the new Černý, a man who will be key to Rangers’ hopes in this season’s Europa League?

Oliver Antman's impact at Rangers

Ahead of Thursday night’s clash with Sturm Graz at Liebenauer Stadium, Oliver Antman is expected to start on the right-wing, chosen over Mikey Moore.

The Finnish international was introduced at half-time of last Thursday’s 1-0 defeat to Genk, following Mohamed Diomandé’s red card, before starting Sunday’s hard-fought, last gasp 2-1 victory over Livingston, assisting James Tavernier’s opener at Almondvale.

The Finnish international was an exciting signing right from the off, having registered six goals and 16 assists for Go Ahead Eagles last season, helping them win the KNVB Beker for the very first time, the Eredivisie club’s first major silverware since 1933.

Less than 24 hours after arriving in Glasgow for around £3.5m, he was the star of the show as Rangers demolished Viktoria Plzeň 3-0 in a Champions League qualifier as the team put in, by some distance, their best performance under Martin.

However, soon after, he lost his place in the starting lineup to Spurs loanee Moore, but is seemingly the first choice once again.

However, is the winger on the opposite side even more exciting?

Rangers' new Václav Černý

In a season of few positives for Rangers, the form of Djeidi Gassama is certainly something worth being excited about.

Chalkboard

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

If Černý’s calling card last season was scoring goals in Europe, well the 22-year-old certainly took up that mantle from day one.

During the summer, after arriving from Sheffield Wednesday for a reported fee of £2.2m, the Frenchman scored four times in Rangers’ first three Champions League qualifiers, on target home and away as they dumped out Panathinaikos, before a double to down Viktoria Plzeň at Ibrox, the second of which completed a free-flowing team move, set up by Antman.

Speaking on BBC Sportscene after full time, former Rangers midfielder Andy Halliday labelled Gassama an “electric winger”, adding that he is “direct, quick and a constant threat, [causing] defenders a lot of problems”, while manager Martin praised his “intensity” and goal threat, noting that is something the pair had worked on in training.

So, let’s outline Gassama’s statistics so far this season.

As the table documents, despite having not scored since Champions League qualifying in August, Gassama has been key to Rangers as an attacking unit, ranked first for goals, shots and shots on target as well as chances created and dribbling metrics.

The Frenchman has already shown that he is capable of linking up with Antman while, alongside Bojan Miovski, they should form a frightening front three at both domestic and Europa League level, looking to fire the Gers to victory in Austria.

Martin must drop Aasgaard to start "powerful" star in new Rangers formation

Russell Martin should drop Thelo Aasgaard from the starting XI to try out this new formation.

By
Dan Emery

Oct 2, 2025

Arsenal thumped Atletico Madrid 4-0 in a hugely impressive Champions League outing on Tuesday, as Gabriel Magalhaes scored and assisted while Viktor Gyokeres netted a confidence-boosting brace. Three of the Gunners' four goals came directly from set-pieces, as Mikel Arteta's side became the second English side to beat Atletico in Europe this season, after Liverpool.

Arsenal had an opening within the first five minutes, as Eberechi Eze took aim from outside the area, and his shot took a looping deflection before crashing against the crossbar. Midway through the half, meanwhile, David Raya made a terrible mistake, as he attempted to shepherd the ball out of play, only to lose possession, and after Atletico took their throw-in quickly, Julian Alvarez could only shoot narrowly wide of the far post. 

After the half-hour mark, Arsenal thought they had the lead, as Martin Zubimendi won the ball high and fed Bukayo Saka; his shot was tapped in by Gabriel Martinelli, but VAR correctly ruled the Brazil international offside. 

After the resumption in the second half, Atletico also hit the bar, as Alvarez shot from the edge of the box and sent Raya scrambling, only for the Spaniard to be saved by the woodwork. But it was Arsenal who took the lead, four minutes before the hour, with Gabriel heading home a fine free-kick delivery from Declan Rice. 

Martinelli added a second just after the 60-minute mark, as he ran onto a fine Myles Lewis-Skelly through ball and found the bottom corner, before Viktor Gyokeres all but ended the game as a contest with a scrappy finish from the edge of the six-yard box. 

Gyokeres added his second, and Arsenal's fourth, on 70 minutes, after another exceptional Rice delivery found Gabriel at the back post, marking the end of a whirlwind 13-minute period in which the north London side marked themselves out as genuine European contenders this season. 

GOAL rates Arsenal's players from the Emirates…

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David Raya (5/10):

Rush of blood to the head saw him steam out of his goal and lose the ball, but Alvarez could only fire wide. Fortunate that the Argentine's shot from range hit the bar, too. Erratic, and he had no need to be. 

Jurrien Timber (7/10):

Strong off the ball and good on it too as he continually attempted to head into Atletico territory. 

William Saliba (7/10):

Dealt with Sorloth very well, and was barely threatened by the imposing Norwegian. Won't get the headlines, but he's so dependable. 

Gabriel Magalhaes (9/10):

Scored a fine header, and then blocked a goal-bound shot mere seconds later, rather summing up his application at both ends. Assisted Gyokeres' second in a match-winning display from centre-back. 

Myles Lewis-Skelly (8/10):

Did well down his flank, locking Simeone down with a minimum of fuss. Poured forward whenever he could and one such dynamic run led to Martinelli scoring the second goal of the night. Deserves to play regularly on this evidence.

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Martin Zubimendi (7/10):

Booked in the first-half, meaning he will be suspended for Arsenal's trip to face Slavia Prague.  Played well regardless, breaking up play effectively, and deserves credit for doing so while carded. This is the kind of game he thrives in. 

Declan Rice (8/10):

Truly exquisite ball in for Gabriel to head home to give the Gunners the lead. An understated performance otherwise, enlivened by some truly world-class quality, as his corner also directly led to Arsenal's fourth.

Eberechi Eze (5/10):

Early effort deflected onto the bar. Struggled a little to get on the ball as much as he would like and his influence waned as the game went on. Disappointing, especially given the performances of his midfield colleagues.

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Bukayo Saka (7/10):

Always willing to go at Hancko and got plenty of joy in doing so. Unfortunate that Martinelli mistimed his run or he would have the assist his play merited.

Viktor Gyokeres (8/10):

Scored the scrappiest goal of the season before adding a second at the back post. The relief was palpable, and every one of his team-mates will be hoping this is the start of a deluge. 

Gabriel Martinelli (8/10):

Tapped in Saka's cross but was offside. Scored the second just after the hour after a fine assist from Lewis-Skelly. Never stopped running. 

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Cristhian Mosquera (6/10):

On for Gabriel. Didn't do anything wrong after stepping into defence.

Ethan Nwaneri (6/10):

On for Eze. Didn't have a chance to run at Atleti.

Christian Norgaard (6/10):

Replaced Zubimendi. Slotted into midfield. 

Mikel Merino (N/A):

Replaced Gyokeres late.

Ben White (N/A):

On late.

Mikel Arteta (7/10):

This was rather nip and tuck for the first half, but once again set-pieces won the day. His histrionics on the touchline are often distracting – referees need to start booking him for his flagrant misunderstanding of where his technical area ends – but his team are unbelievable on their day, and this was one of their days. 

Nottingham Forest have officially lodged a complaint with UEFA following their dramatic 3-2 Europa League home defeat to FC Midtjylland, as the pressure mounts on manager Ange Postecoglou just six games into his reign at the City Ground. Forest chiefs were left incensed by the controversial officiating during Thursday’s European clash, which saw the visitors escape with three points amid a series of questionable decisions from French referee Willy Delajod.

• Forest erupt after Europa League chaos

  According to Delajod’s performance is at the heart of Forest’s outrage. Despite Midtjylland’s bruising, physical approach, the official showed just one yellow card to the Danish side, to wing-back Kevin Mbabu, while three Forest players were booked: Morato, Igor Jesus, and Morgan Gibbs-White.

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  Referee under fire after Midtjylland mayhem

  A particularly reckless challenge by Denil Castillo on Elliot Anderson early in the contest summed up the inconsistency, with the Midtjylland midfielder somehow escaping with only a verbal warning. Forest sources say the stop-start nature of the officiating killed their rhythm and denied them the chance to build any attacking momentum.

• Ange under fire: Six games, no wins and no mercy

  The defeat has left Postecoglou’s position hanging by a thread. The Australian boss, who only took over in the summer, has endured a nightmare start to life in Nottingham, with no wins from his first six games in charge. This is the worst record by a Forest manager for over 100 years, since John Baynes went winless in any of his first seven games in 1925. 

  Thursday’s loss marked yet another low point, with sections of the City Ground crowd turning on the manager by chanting “You’re getting sacked in the morning!”; a brutal soundtrack for a coach already fighting for survival. Fans also resurrected songs for former manager Nuno Espírito Santo, who was sacked only last month but has since resurfaced as West Ham boss.

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  Forest at a crossroads before international break

  Sunday’s clash with Newcastle could well determine Postecoglou’s fate. Club insiders admit that failure to end the winless run will almost certainly trigger a managerial change during the break. Forest’s owners are said to be “deeply concerned” about the team’s direction and fear that another loss could see morale sink even lower. 

Smith says his dismissal was a crucial moment in Australia’s semi-final loss to India

Andrew Fidel Fernando05-Mar-20251:22

Agar: Australia building more depth a big positive despite loss

“I missed a full toss. It wasn’t ideal.” This is one of the greatest contemporary batters speaking on a moment that swung the match away from his team.Steven Smith was batting on 73 in the 37th over against India, and seemed set to guide Australia into the death overs. Then he ran at Mohammed Shami, got a full toss at around knee-height, and missed it completely. The off stump was rattled.From there, Australia got 66 runs off the 75 balls available to them. Alex Carey hit 61 off 57, batting with the tail in the later stages. Nathan Ellis tried to crash some late boundaries. But if you are looking for a moment in the match that paved the way for India’s dominance, this is a big one.Related

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“My plan was to try and put the seamers under a bit more pressure, and just rotate the spin,” Smith said after the match. “But I didn’t do it very well. I lost my wicket at probably a crucial stage. Had I batted a little deeper, we could have potentially got up to near 300 or something. Alex was batting really nicely at the other end. It was a disappointing time to get out, but that’s the game sometimes.”Australia only set India 265 for victory. But given this was likely the most batting-friendly surface at this venue for the whole tournament, Smith rued the chance to go big.”I think we had our opportunities throughout to post something up above 300,” Smith said. “We were probably just that one wicket down too many at a few stages throughout the innings. If we extended one of those partnerships a little bit, we’re probably getting up to 290 to 300 and we’re putting a bit of pressure on the scoreboard.Steven Smith was bowled by a full toss•Associated Press

“The square block as a whole, I think, has seen a lot of cricket over the last couple of months. We can see it’s pretty tired and that’s probably the reason why we haven’t seen a score above 300 in the tournament here so far. So we did a reasonable job, but we probably just lacked a couple of those partnerships just dragging out a little bit further.”Australia were also poor in the field. They dropped Rohit Sharma twice, and Virat Kohli was put down on 51. All of these were tough chances, though.”I think when you’re trying to squeeze the game and you’re trying to build a lot of pressure, you need to take those chances when you’ve got 260 [264] on the board,” Smith said. “But that’s the game, it happens. No one means to drop a catch. It’s part of the game.”