Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl has just over a month to go until he will have the opportunity to make his first signing since arriving at Ibrox to replace Russell Martin.

The German tactician came through the door well after the summer transfer window had been and gone, after sporting director Kevin Thelwell provided Martin with a host of signings.

Rangers, as shown in the graphic above, had a high turnover of players in and out of Ibrox after they failed to win any trophies in the 2024/25 campaign, under Philippe Clement or Barry Ferguson.

Unfortunately, though, Martin was unable to get a tune out of the squad after those changes in the summer and was eventually sacked last month after a run of five wins in 17 games.

With Rohl now in the building, the former Sheffield Wednesday head coach will have time to assess those summer signings and decide where he wants the club to strengthen the squad when the January transfer window opens.

One of those Martin and Thelwell signings whom the manager may deem needs to be replaced in the winter is experienced central midfielder Joe Rothwell.

Why Rangers need to replace Joe Rothwell already

Rangers swooped to sign the 30-year-old midfielder from Premier League side Bournemouth on a permanent deal during the summer window for Martin, who had worked with him on loan at Southampton in the 2023/24 campaign.

Unfortunately, the English lightweight has flopped at Ibrox, on current evidence, and is yet to play a single minute of action in the Scottish Premiership since Rohl came through the door.

He was ill and unavailable for selection against Dundee last time out, but the midfield flop was an unused substitute in the wins over Kilmarnock and Hibernian in the manager’s first two matches in the dugout.

This means that Rangers have now won one of the eight league matches he has played in and won all three of the games that he has not featured in so far this season.

Tackles

7

Bottom 29%

Interceptions

8

Top 29%

Duels won

16

Bottom 27%

Duel success rate

47%

Bottom 37%

Aerial duels won

4

Bottom 29%

Possession won in the final third

1

Bottom 18%

Ball recoveries

22

Bottom 40%

As you can see in the table above, Rothwell has struggled off the ball throughout the Premiership campaign, ranking poorly among his positional peers in the majority of the key defensive metrics, aside from interceptions.

On top of his defensive woes, the Englishman has no goals and one assist in eight appearances in the league, per Sofascore, which shows that he has not offered outstanding quality on the ball to make up for his defensive deficiencies.

This is why Rohl may already be considering replacing Rothwell in the January transfer window, and why the midfielder has been an unused substitute in the last two league games that he has been available for.

Rangers eyeing move for Premiership midfielder

The Scottish Premiership giants may be able to replace the former Bournemouth and Southampton flop amid reported interest in a star who plays in his position.

Transfer Focus

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

According to TEAMtalk, Rangers are one of the clubs exploring the possibility of a deal to snap up Kilmarnock central midfielder David Watson in the January transfer window.

The report claims that the Light Blues are in talks over a possible move for the Scotland U21 international, whose contract is due to expire at the end of the season.

It reveals that Rohl is a big fan of the midfield starlet and wants to add him to his squad in the winter market, with the Gers looking to seal a cut-price deal due to his contract situation.

However, TEAMtalk adds that Hearts, Aberdeen, and unnamed clubs in the English Championship are also keen on signing the £1.5m-rated Kilmarnock star, which means that there is plenty of competition for his signature.

Why Watson would be an upgrade on Rothwell for Rangers

Thelwell could land a huge upgrade on Rothwell for Rohl if he is able to beat the likes of Aberdeen and Hearts to the signing of Watson ahead of the second half of the season.

For a start, the Scotland U21 international is ten years younger than the English flop. He has far more years left ahead of him to develop as a player and offer quality on the pitch for Rangers than Rothwell does.

This also means that there is the potential for his value to grow so that he could be sold on for a profit in the future, like a Hamza Igamane or Calvin Bassey, and that may not be the case with the Bournemouth man, as he is in the latter stages of his career.

In terms of the here and now, Watson could come in as an upgrade on Rothwell from an offensive perspective. The Scottish star has scored three goals in 12 Premiership matches this season, after netting four last term, with the Rangers dud yet to get off the mark at Ibrox.

The Scotland U21 international, who Kilmarnock commentator Andrew Milligan claimed has “no ceiling”, would also come in and offer a huge upgrade on the English flop defensively.

Appearances

12

8

Tackles + interceptions per game

3.1

1.9

Clearances per game

0.9

0.1

Duels won per game

6.0

2.0

Ground duel success rate

51%

46%

Fouls won per game

2.3

0.1

Blocks per game

0.5

0.1

As you can see in the table above, Watson has excelled out of possession in comparison to Rothwell in the 2025/26 campaign, making far more defensive contributions at a more efficient rate.

It is, therefore, easy to understand why Rohl is such a big fan of the Kilmarnock star and why he wants Thelwell to get a deal over the line for him when the January transfer window opens.

Watson’s offensive and defensive statistics suggest that he would arrive at Ibrox as a huge upgrade on Rothwell, who has struggled since his move to the club, and provide the likes of Connor Barron, Nico Raskin, and Mo Diomande with genuine competition for the midfield spots.

Thelwell let Rangers star go for £0, now he'd walk into the XI over Aasgaard

This former Rangers star who was released by Kevin Thelwell would walk into the current team over Thelo Aasgaard.

ByDan Emery Nov 18, 2025

Sergio Aguero has claimed Lionel Messi could return to Barcelona before the end of his playing career. A former teammate of the eight-time Ballon d'Or at international level, Aguero also said he hopes Messi could "play forever" and that he backs the GOAT to have an impact for defending champions Argentina at next summer's World Cup in North America.

• Messi's Barca chapter not over

  The Manchester City legend made the comments in an interview with Stake. 

  Aguero was asked on his thoughts of his former teammate returning to Barcelona, ahead of the re-opening of the Camp Nou. Messi returned to his adopted home city of more than 20 years with his wife, sparking a flurry of reports about the relationship between La Blaugrana and their greatest ever player. 

  Messi said he thoroughly enjoyed his time in the city, and that he and his wife Antonela are "constantly talking" about a return to Catalonia. Club president Joan Laporta responded to rumours of a loan deal for the Inter Miami player, while newly signed shot stopper Joan Garcia spoke of his desire to see Messi turn out for the club once again. Recently, a report suggesting Messi had reached a complete agreement to return to Barca after departing PSG, added even more fuel to the fire. There is mounting speculation that he will return to the club in some guise before hanging up his boots. Aguero would be more than happy to see that happen. 

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• AFP
  

  Aguero: Messi is the most important player in Barcelona history

  Aguero said: "Messi is the most important player Barcelona has had in its history. He’s a club and city legend. Messi is synonymous with Barcelona and I believe he enjoyed stepping on the Camp Nou pitch again. I think that chapter is not closed." 

  The 37-year-old is close personal friends with Messi, with the pair coming up through the ranks of the Argentinian youth teams at the same time. They played together for the senior national side 88 times, and briefly were on the books at Barcelona at the same time. However, just months after Aguero signed with the Spanish giants in the summer of 2021, Messi departed the club for PSG due to Barcelona's financial issues. 

• Aguero backs Messi to perform in 6th World Cup

  The City legend is backing his old pal to come through for the Alibceleste once again, as Messi prepares to take part in his sixth World Cup next summer. The diminutive Argentinian cemented his status as the GOAT with his heroic display in Qatar in 2022, scoring seven goals, including two in the final, to deliver Argentina's third World Cup trophy. Aguero missed out on that triumph, after he was forced into retirement earlier that summer, due to a cardiac arrhythmia.  

  Aguero shared his thoughts of Argentina's chances in north America next summer. On Messi's role at the tournament he said: "We all want Leo to play forever. Even though we all know that’s impossible. We have to enjoy him while he keeps playing, and he will know until when and where."

  On his nation's preparations, he added: "I see them very well. They maintain their playing style, the coaching staff is clear on what they want, and there have been very important additions that will help keep the team at a high level. It’s true they’ll lack match time because there will be few preparation games, although that will happen to almost all national teams. But Argentina has a solid system and whoever comes in adapts very well."

  On whether Argentina can defend their crown, he replied: "Why not? They keep their core, their playing style, and their hunger for glory. And Scaloni has found great players who are completing the squad after others ended their cycle. A World Cup is always difficult, but I think Argentina are always contenders, because of history and because of the present."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Can Messi write another dream chapter in his glittering career?

  The 2022 World Cup was supposed to be the crowning glory at the end of a storybook career, but now four years on, we have one of Messi's closest friends in the game backing him to perform on the biggest stage once again, and maybe making a sensational return to his spiritual home. A move back to Catalonia might seem farfetched, a 38-year-old star should not be able to drive his team to glory at the World Cup, but since when has Messi ever played down to our expectations? He always suprasses them. 

كشف مصدر داخل نادي الزمالك، حقيقة قيام المغربي محمود بنتايج، ظهير أيسر الفريق، بفسخ التعاقد مع القلعة البيضاء خلال الفترة الحالية.

وأفاد مصدر لـ بطولات: “محمود بنتايج لم يفسخ عقده مع النادي كما تردد خلال الساعات الماضية، ما جرى تداوله لا يتجاوز كونه طلبًا رسميًا تقدم به اللاعب بدعوى تأخر مستحقاته المالية”.

وأضاف: “بفحص الملف، تبين لإدارة الزمالك أن آخر دفعة حصل عليها اللاعب تجعل المدة القانونية المطلوبة (شهرين كاملين) لفسخ العقد من طرف واحد، لم تكتمل بعد”.

طالع | عضو الزمالك لـ”بطولات”: جاهزون لتقديم استقالة جماعية في هذه الحالة.. ومديونيات النادي تجاوزت الـ2 مليار

وأوضحت المصادر أن موقف محمود بنتايج الحالي لا يمنحه حق الفسخ وفق لوائح “فيفا”، وأن ما حدث مجرد محاولة من اللاعب للضغط من أجل صرف مستحقاته، دون وجود أي سند قانوني يسمح بإنهاء التعاقد”.

وأشار المصدر إلى أن العلاقة التعاقدية ما زالت قائمة، وأن النادي يتعامل مع الموضوع في إطاره القانوني حتى اللحظة”.

وكان الزمالك قد نجح في ضم اللاعب محمود بنتايج، من صفوف فريق سانت إتيان الفرنسى، لمدة ثلاثة مواسم وينتهى تعاقده بنهاية موسم 2027-2028.

The 2025 World Series between the Dodgers and the Blue Jays is about to get underway. What type of show will fans be treated to this year? Will it be a quick domination from one team over the other? Or will the series be drawn out to seven games?

We saw the polar opposites happen in the two league championship series leading up to the World Series. On one hand, the Dodgers swept the Brewers 4-0 to advance, while the Blue Jays played Game 7 against the Mariners in order to earn their World Series bid.

In some of the games themselves there's been clear domination of one team over another. For instance, in Game 3 of the ALCS, the Blue Jays won 13-4 over the Mariners.

Keeping these possibilities in mind, let's take a look at the biggest blowouts in World Series history, whether from singular games or the series in general.

Biggest single game blowouts in World Series history

Year	Matchup	Game	Score
1936	Yankees vs. Giants	2	18-4
2001	Diamondbacks vs. Yankees	6	15-2
1960	Yankees vs. Pirates	2	16-3
2007	Red Sox vs. Rockies	1	13-1
2002	Giants vs. Angels	5	16-4
1982	Cardinals vs. Brewers	6	13-1
1968	Tigers vs. Cardinals	6	13-1
1960	Yankees vs. Pirates	6	12-0

The biggest single game blowout in World Series history happened nearly 100 years ago in the 1936 series between the Yankees and the Giants. Led by legends such as Lou Gehrig and Joe DiMaggio, the Yankees put up a dominant 18-4 win over the Giants, who were located in New York as well at the time. The Yankees did their greatest damage in the third inning, when they scored seven runs thanks to a grand slam by Hall of Famer Tony Lazzeri. The Yankees went on to win the series in six games.

The most recent sizeable blowout in a World Series game occurred in Game 1 of the 2007 World Series between the Red Sox and the Rockies. Boston won 13-1, and dominated the entire series to win 4-0.

Biggest series blowouts in World Series history

The biggest blowouts in World Series history series-wise, of course, must be 4-0 sweeps. There's been 19 sweeps in World Series history, take a look at all of those occurrences.

Year	Winner	Opponent
1914	Boston Braves	Philadelphia Athletics
1927	Yankees	Pirates
1928	Yankees	Cardinals
1932	Yankees	Cubs
1938	Yankees	Cubs
1939	Yankees	Reds
1950	Yankees	Phillies
1954	New York Giants	Cleveland
1963	Dodgers	Yankees
1966	Orioles	Dodgers
1976	Reds	Yankees
1989	Oakland Athletics	San Francisco Giants
1990	Reds	Athletics
1998	Yankees	Padres
1999	Yankees	Atlanta Braves
2004	Red Sox	Cardinals
2005	White Sox	Astros
2007	Red Sox	Rockies
2012	Giants	Tigers

Nine different MLB franchises have completed sweeps in the World Series, with the Yankees leading the charge there, having done so eight times. The Yankees hold the MLB record with 27 World Series titles, and nearly a third of them were sweeps.

The Yankees have gotten a taste of their own medicine twice, first in 1963 when the Dodgers swept them and then in '76 when the Reds did the same.

There's only been four sweeps in the World Series this century, with the most recent occurrence happening in 2012 when the Giants swept the Tigers. The longest streak without a sweep in MLB history is 13 years, so does that mean this year could signal another one?

The Brewers escaped a bases loaded jam in the fourth inning in unbelievable fashion in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series against the Dodgers on Monday night.

Los Angeles third baseman Max Muncy stepped up to the plate to blast open the scoreless game, and nearly did it, sending a ball deep to center field.

Milwaukee center fielder Sal Frelick made an unbelievable play on the ball, robbing a grand slam by keeping the ball from clearing the fence with his glove. He wasn’t able to complete the catch, however, as the ball bounced out of his glove, off of the wall, and then back into his glove, making it a live ball.

This somehow worked out for the Brewers, as in the confusion, the Dodgers that were running the bases believed Frelick had caught the ball, and retreated to their original bases to tag up. Frelick fired the ball to the infield, where shortstop Joey Ortiz relayed it home to catcher William Contreras. Contreras didn’t apply a tag, but because the ball was live, he didn’t need to—he had a force out at home plate.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers were still confused, and Contreras was able jog over to third and tag the bag to secure another force out to end the inning. Just your typical grand slam turned into an 8-6-2 double play.

Hilariously, the scorecards will read that Muncy “grounded” into the double play, which while technically correct, feels like a vast underestimation of the situation.

Such a double play can only happen with the help of a bit of confusion on the base paths. The only other 8-6-2 double play baseball fans might remember off the top of their head came courtesy of White Sox catcher Carlton Fisk in 1985, when he tagged two Yankees out as they careened home on top of each other.

Per Stathead, it’s the first 8-6-2 double play in MLB postseason history.

Between Frelick’s dramatic play at the wall and Contreras’s quick analysis of the situation from home plate, the Brewers were able to escape the inning unscathed. Should they go on to win the game and this series, it’s a play that will live in Milwaukee baseball lore for years to come.

MatériaMais Notícias

A Copa do Mundo de 2014, que ocorreu no Brasil, completa 10 anos nesta quarta-feira (12). Foram investidos mais de R$ 25 bilhões para a realização do evento, sendo R$ 8,3 bilhões destinados às construções e reformas dos estádios, segundo divulgação do Ministério do Esporte na época. Este valor significa R$ 14,2 bilhões, de acordo com correção pela inflação de 2024.

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➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

Hoje, a maior parte das 12 arenas são frequentemente utilizadas por clubes, enquanto outras não recebem tantos eventos esportivos. Até 2022, governos estaduais, concessionárias e clubes deviam em torno de R$ 1,5 bilhão pelas obras, segundo publicação originalmente do “Ge”. Confira como está e quanto custou cada estádio da Copa do Mundo de 2014 no Brasil!

*Valores de acordo com a inflação da época

Beira-Rio (Porto Alegre – RS): R$ 330 milhões

Com 27.325 pessoas em média durante o Brasileirão de 2023, o estádio pertence ao Internacional e passou por reforma na época. Hoje, o clube manda seus jogos fora do Rio Grande do Sul, devido à tragédia climática na região, que alagou a arena do Colorado.

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Arena da Baixada (Curitiba – PR): R$ 391,5 milhões

Casa do Athletico-PR, que teve média de público de 22.283 pessoas por jogo no Brasileirão 2023, a Arena da Baixada é o “caldeirão” do Furacão, que está como um dos protagonistas da elite do futebol nacional há anos. O local tem gramado sintético, capacidade para 42.372 e hoje se chama Ligga Arena.

Arena das Dunas (Natal – RN): R$ 400 milhões

O estádio é mais utilizado pelo América-RN, que está na quarta divisão. Apesar da campanha de queda na Série C de 2023, o clube teve uma das melhores médias de público do torneio. A Arena também é utilizada para outros eventos, teve os naming rights vendidos, por R$ 6 milhões, e agora se chama Casa de Apostas Arena das Dunas.

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Arena Castelão (Fortaleza – CE): R$ 518,6 milhões

Reformado, o estádio recebe frequentemente partidas de Fortaleza e Ceará, que carregam altas médias de público e figuram entre os principais torneios nacionais e internacionais. O Laion, por exemplo, teve a sexta melhor média de público no Brasileirão 2023. Um problema do estádio é o gramado, e o Castelão chegou a ser vetado pela Conmebol pela má qualidade do campo

Arena Pernambuco (Recife – PE): R$ 532,6 milhões

Até 2023, a Arena Pernambuco tinha uma das piores médias de público entre as arenas do Mundial de 2014. Sport, Náutico e Santa Cruz, clubes mais populares do estado, têm costume de mandar jogos em seus próprios estádios. O Leão tem usado mais a Arena Pernambuco em 2024, porque a Ilha do Retiro passa por reformas.

Arena Pantanal (Cuiabá – MT): R$ 583 milhões

O Cuiabá, representante do estado na Série A do Brasileirão, utiliza o estádio como sua casa e teve a quinta pior média de público do torneio, com 14.701 pessoas por jogo para uma capacidade de 43.150 lugares. Apesar disso, o patamar de “elefante branco” da Arena Pantanal foi alterado pela ascensão do Dourado.

Arena Amazônia (Manaus – AM): R$ 660,5 milhões

Maior “elefante branco” da Copa do Mundo, a Arena Amazônia se beneficiou da ascensão do Amazonas, que chegou à Série B em 2024 e tem levado número expressivo de torcedores ao estádio.

Arena Fonte Nova (Salvador – BA): R$ 684,4 milhões

Hoje chamado “Casa de Apostas Arena Fonte Nova”, o estádio recebe muitas partidas do Bahia, que está na Série A e tem ótima média de público. O clube foi o quarto que mais levou torcedores para assistirem aos jogos entre todas as equipes do Brasileirão 2023, com 36.461 pessoas de média.

Mineirão (Belo Horizonte – MG): R$ 695 milhões

Antes casa de Cruzeiro e Atlético-MG, hoje o tradicional Mineirão abriga apenas os jogos com mando da Raposa. Isso porque o Galo construiu seu próprio estádio, a Arena MRV. Em 2023, o estádio mineiro teve sua melhor média de público dos últimos 10 anos.

Maracanã (Rio de Janeiro – RJ): R$ 1,05 bilhão

Considerado o estádio mais famoso do país, o Maracanã é administrado pelo consórcio capitaneado por Flamengo e Fluminense, além de receber esporádicos jogos do Vasco. Sediou duas finais de Libertadores e, em 2023, foi o “campeão” de média de público no Brasileirão, pois o Rubro-Negro teve 54.499 torcedores em média frequentando o local. Uma contestação é a preservação do gramado, frequentemente desgastado pelo excesso de partidas.

Arena Corinthians (São Paulo – SP): R$ 1,08 bilhão

Em relação ao futebol, o estádio é um sucesso. Isso porque o Corinthians é dono de uma das três melhores médias de público do Brasil, atrás de São Paulo e Flamengo, que atuam em locais maiores. Porém, a dívida pelo financiamento da arena ultrapassa R$ 700 milhões e é um dos principais problemas para o caixa do clube. Além disso, a Neo Química Arena (nome atual) não recebe tantos eventos de grande porte, como o Allianz Parque — do rival Palmeiras, para se autossustentar.

Toda arrecadação do Corinthians com bilheteria é destinada para o pagamento da dívida. O estádio teve a capacidade reduzida após a Copa do Mundo.

Mané Garrincha (Brasília – DF): R$ 1,403 bilhões

Um dos grandes “elefantes brancos”, o estádio foi o mais caro da Copa do Mundo. Atualmente, costuma receber partidas pontuais de campo neutro, esporádicas vendas de mandos de campo, shows e eventos.

Tudo sobre

copa do mundoOriginal

Celtic have now been approached with the chance to sign a Premier League striker who could become Wilfried Nancy’s first arrival, according to reports.

Nancy delivers "honest" response to Celtic criticism

It’s been a tough start for Nancy at Celtic, who lost their first game under the Frenchman against title rivals Hearts last time out. One image, one tactics board and one defeat have already raised concerns around Glasgow, but the new manager has been quick to point out that he won’t pay attention to such criticism.

The Celtic manager told reporters: “People deserve the right to talk. I’m going to dress one way, maybe they are going to say that they don’t like the way I dress, so I don’t waste time on that.

“If I use it [the tactics board], it’s because it’s good for me. Simple as that and I’m not saying that I’m going to use it all the time.

“I’m going to be really honest with you. When I decided to become a coach – sorry, when I had the opportunity to become a coach – I was an assistant coach for seven years, so I worked with many coaches. I always told myself that when you become a coach, cut everything. So this is what I did.”

Celtic star was "set to" leave, now he could be the new Tierney under Nancy

This Celtic star who was set to leave the club in the summer could emerge as Wilfried Nancy’s own Kieran Tierney.

By
Dan Emery

2 days ago

It doesn’t get any easier for Nancy, either. Up next, Celtic square off against AS Roma in the Europa League tonight and could get the chance to see Evan Ferguson in action for themselves ahead of a potential January move.

Celtic offered chance to sign Evan Ferguson

As reported by TeamTalk, Celtic have now been contacted with the chance to sign Ferguson, with Roma increasingly likely to cut his loan spell short in Italy.

The Brighton & Hove Albion forward was once valued at as much as £100m, but is now in the most difficult moment of his career after scoring just once in 14 games at Roma.

The Republic of Ireland forward now needs the Hoops just as much as they need the best version of him in January, as they aim to come from behind and retain their Scottish Premiership crown.

At his very best at Brighton, Ferguson was never short on praise with the Premier League’s record goalscorer, Alan Shearer, among those who had plenty of positives to say in 2023.

Two years on, the 21-year-old may be out of form, but the potential is still there and Celtic should look to take full advantage in the winter window next month.

£5m Celtic star is one of their biggest wastes of money since Albian Ajeti

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank has confirmed that an injured Spurs star won’t be back in action for a ‘long time’, with the Dane currently minus a few key first-team players.

Tottenham battle Slavia Prague in the Champions League

Spurs welcome Slavia Prague to North London tonight seeking to reignite their automatic Champions League knockout round hopes with a victory that would edge them closer to securing a coveted top-eight finish.

Frank’s side need all three points against the struggling Czech outfit to maintain momentum after Saturday’s morale-boosting 2-0 win over Brentford ended their miserable six-match winless streak.

The Lilywhites currently sit 16th in the Champions League standings with eight points from five matches, sitting just two points behind the automatic qualification places.

Saturday’s Premier League victory will give Spurs more confidence following the chaotic 5-3 defeat to PSG in their previous European outing, with Richarlison and Xavi Simons securing all three points against Frank’s former employers last weekend.

Despite their lacklustre home form overall this year, the hosts actually boast a formidable home record in European competition, remaining unbeaten in 22 consecutive European games at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

West Ham 'set to sign' prolific Tottenham starlet as Mark Noble seals 'coup' of a deal

The Hammers sporting director played a key transfer role.

ByEmilio Galantini 6 days ago

Spurs have won both their Champions League home matches this campaign without conceding, defeating Villarreal and FC Copenhagen.

History also favours Frank’s side, having never lost to Slavia Prague in four previous European meetings, recording three victories and one draw.

Slavia arrive in desperate circumstances, languishing in 31st with just three points from five matches and facing the genuine prospect of early elimination.

The Czech champions have endured a torrid European campaign, failing to register a single victory while remarkably going four consecutive Champions League fixtures without scoring.

Their attacking struggles represent their most significant weakness, with just two goals across the entire league phase.

Despite domestic dominance — sitting five points clear atop the Czech First League following Friday’s 2-1 victory over Teplice — Jindrich Trpisovsky’s side have repeatedly failed to translate that form onto the continental stage.

Their 3-0 home defeat to Arsenal highlighted the gulf in quality when facing elite opposition, while goalless draws against Atalanta and Athletic Bilbao demonstrated defensive resilience without much threat going forward.

Frank faces several selection concerns heading into the clash, though.

Destiny Udogie is sidelined with a hamstring injury which will keep him out until January, while Randal Kolo Muani is doubtful after limping through Saturday’s victory.

Brennan Johnson is also ‘touch and go’ for the encounter, according to Frank, but one significant positive looked to have emerged from Monday’s training session.

James Maddison was spotted working on the grass for the first time since rupturing his ACL during August’s pre-season friendly against Newcastle, with Frank providing an update on the Englishman.

Thomas Frank shares James Maddison update out of Tottenham

Regrettably, while the £170,000-per-week playmaker sparked excitement when he was clocked in training, Frank has confirmed in quotes relayed by The Press Association, that Maddison still won’t be back for a ‘long time’.

The 29-year-old, who bagged 22 goals contributions in all competitions last term (12 goals, 11 assists), has been a sore miss for Spurs as they heavily rely on the likes of Mohammed Kudus and Simons for their creativity.

Simons’ phenomenal solo run and goal against Brentford will have done the Dutchman a world of good for his confidence following real criticism since his marquee move from Leipzig in the summer.

The pressure is on him to deliver in the ongoing absence of both Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski, with Frank also remaining vague about the latter’s recovery timeline.

After Slavia, Tottenham travel to struggling Nottingham Forest on Sunday, and only a win will do there too.

A century of sixes in each of the last two years suggests a big-hitting bump like never before for Bangladesh

Mohammad Isam08-Sep-202515:43

Who are the favourites for the Asia Cup final?

Bangladesh have had a tough time in transition over the last two years but one upside of this period is their vastly improved big hitting in T20 internationals.Between 2006 and 2023, Bangladesh had averaged 3.81 sixes per T20I innings (the lowest among Full Member nations); in 2024, it rose to 5.08, and improved further to 7.73 in 2025. They hit 238 sixes in T20Is in 2024 and 2025, compared to only 130 in 2022 and 2023. The recent spike in sixes is a refreshing departure from their previous conservatism and is helping them emerge from a difficult start to the year.They will hope their newfound aggression will improve their performance at the 2025 Asia Cup; they last made the finals in 2018 and have never won it.Related

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Openers Tanzid Hasan (24) and Parvez Hossain (23), and middle-order batters Jaker Ali (27) and Shamim Hossain (24) are at the forefront of Bangladesh’s six-hitting revolution. The younger generation isn’t reliant on one or two release shots either. Their attacking repertoire is wider and their appetite for risk larger. Between 2021 and 2023, Bangladesh hit a six every 9.5 balls in T20Is; in 2024-25, their balls per six ratio is down to 5.58.Mohammad Salahuddin, Bangladesh’s senior assistant coach, is of the opinion that these four batters have influenced the rest with their intent and belief in big hitting.”There’s a lot of freedom for players to play their own game in the Bangladesh team,” Salahuddin told ESPNcricinfo. “We know how (Tanzid Hasan) Tamim, (Parvez Hossain) Emon, (Towhid) Hridoy and Jaker (Ali) like to bat. They have an aggressive attitude. It has had an impact on the team. They are also improving technically so their abilities have become better, which in turn has made them more comfortable at the crease.”Tanzid Hasan is giving Bangladesh power at the top•Getty Images

The six-hitting bump

Bangladesh have not had success by saving wickets up front to try and go big in the last four overs – they don’t have any Asia Cup trophies and have never made the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup.Among the 12 Full Members from 2005 to 2023, they had the lowest sixes-per-innings ratio (3.81) and highest balls-per-six ratio (29.58). In the last two years, Bangladesh’s average sixes per innings (6.10) and average balls per six (18.56) are better than Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Ireland and Zimbabwe.The improved big-hitting has impacted Bangladesh’s overall batting stats. Between January 2021 and December 2023, they had the lowest run-rate (7.20) among Full Member nations. Although they remain well below par, their run-rate of 7.81 in the last two years is an improvement.

New batters, new mentality

The quartet of Tanzid, Parvez, Jaker and Shamim will be known as Bangladesh’s first group of six hitters. Of the four, Shamim had the earliest T20I debut (in 2021) while Jaker, who made his debut in 2023, is the most experienced (36 matches).Together, they hit a six every 15.38 balls on average in T20 internationals. Though their sample size is much smaller at present, for perspective, Bangladesh’s most famed quartet – Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah – averaged 32.89 balls per six over their long T20I careers.”The big hitting is totally a natural process for these guys who have the ability to hit sixes,” Salahuddin said. “Most of the guys have been playing in the same role for a considerable amount of time. They know what to do in those roles. They also train very purposefully, which is one of the major reasons why they have shown this improvement. They also play on far better pitches in domestic one-day cricket.”Shahriar Nafees, Bangladesh’s first T20I captain who works in the BCB and also as batting coach for Rangpur Riders in the BPL, said the change in personnel has made the difference. “These guys have grown up watching Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers so they grew up with the habit of hitting sixes. When our generation was growing up, we were told to keep the ball along the ground. It was the case for a very long time until Bangladesh’s batting line-up completely changed in 2024.”We now have players who are technically sound when it comes to six-hitting. They have a strong base. There is no physical change in the players. It is just a change in mentality.”Bangladesh are banking on Jaker Ali’s skills as a finisher•AFP/Getty Images

Where have they improved?

Nafees worked with Tanzid to improve aspects of his range-hitting in the previous two BPL seasons. “When we were working together a couple of seasons ago, I told Tanzid about a couple of things to keep in mind,” Nafees said. “He could feel the change in his range hitting. In the next couple of innings, he made 70 and 116. Our trust grew, so we worked together on a few more occasions. Like during last season’s BPL, we spent a couple of days talking about his batting in Sylhet. It led to his second century.”In an interview with ESPNcricinfo earlier this year, Jaker said Salahuddin had helped him understand the importance of a proper base and positioning for big-hitting.”Jaker knows he will probably get to face 20 balls, so he has to hit a few sixes in this limited opportunity,” Salahuddin said. “You will see him start in one way, and finish in another way. He has adapted pretty well.”Salahuddin said Shamim had improved his range of shots over the last four years. “I think he changed his mindset. He was adept at playing behind the wicket but it was up to the coaching staff to give him confidence to play in front of the wicket. I think he has also understood that he can play all around the wicket. It is a huge benefit to the team that we have two good finishers.”Nafees said the notion that big-hitting is not just about power was beginning to spread among the batting group. “As Bangladeshi batters, we feel that we should rip the ball into two pieces when we try to hit a six. I mean we try to hit the ball too hard. It is nothing like that. It is more about timing the ball.”Bangladesh have taken more risks during the powerplay in 2024-25 than they did in 2021-23. They have a better strike-rate (123.62) while hitting the ball down the ground in 2024-25 compared to 2021-23 (103.83). They are also hitting more sixes square of the wicket in 2024-25, with a slightly higher overall strike-rate in these zones too.Bangladesh have improved their conversion rate for sixes when playing the pull, slog sweep or loft down the ground. For example, they used to hit a six once every 18 attempts at a pull shot in the 2021-23 period; that’s now down to a six every 4.59 attempts at a pull shot in the 2024-25 period.Once openers Tanzid and Parvez set the pace, the rest followed. As a result, Bangladesh are scoring at 7.5 in the middle overs in 2024-25 compared to 6.98 in 2021-23, and at 9.73 in death overs compared to 8.30 previously.

The Asia Cup test

Bangladesh’s improvement in six-hitting is encouraging but the test is whether they will be able to pull it off at the Asia Cup. They face Hong Kong, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan in the group stage and they are familiar with those bowling attacks. Having already beaten Sri Lanka in an away T20I series this year, Bangladesh’s first goal is to get out of Group B and into the Super Four stage of the tournament. And their best chance is to stick to their new and improved big-hitting approach.

While the defeat to Aston Villa has taken the wind out of their sails somewhat, Arsenal are still having an excellent season.

Mikel Arteta’s side are top of the Champions League table, having won five of five, and still sit two points clear atop the Premier League table.

However, while most of the team are playing at the level expected, a few stars aren’t quite where the manager would want them to be.

This latter camp includes one of Arteta’s most significant signings, who, if he doesn’t start improving, could become Arsenal’s new Nicolas Pepe.

What went wrong for Nicolas Pepe at Arsenal

In the summer of 2019, after Unai Emery’s first season in the dugout, Arsenal decided to go big in the transfer market, spending what was then a club record fee of around £72m to sign Pepe.

While the figure did raise a few eyebrows at the time, it wasn’t considered too outlandish as, in 41 appearances in the 17/18 season, the winger racked up a sensational haul of 23 goals and 12 assists.

Unfortunately, the Emirates faithful would never see the talented international reach that level during his time in North London.

In his first campaign in England, the former LOSC Lille star managed a reasonable, if a little underwhelming tally of eight goals and ten assists in 42 appearances.

However, as it was his first season in a new league, and he produced a goal involvement in the quarter-final, semi-final and final of the FA Cup, fans gave him some leeway.

Unfortunately, he also failed to hit the heady height of his Lille numbers the following season, ending it with a tally of 16 goals and five assists in 47 games, with ten of those goal involvements coming in the Europa League.

The 21/22 campaign would prove to be his last in red and white as Bukayo Saka was now well and truly Arteta’s first-choice right winger.

The 30-year-old spent the next two years on loan, first with Nice in France, and then with Turkish outfit Trabzonspor.

Arsenal finally agreed to terminate Pepe’s contract in the summer of 2024, and the player who was supposed to be the club’s superstar attacker left with a middling tally of 27 goals and 21 assists in 112 appearances.

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Since then, the Gunners have been a bit better at spending money, but there is one of Arteta’s signings who could end up following the Ivorian’s path, lest he improve, and quickly.

Arsenal's new Nicolas Pepe

Now, it’s still early in the season, so making any concrete predictions about Arsenal’s summer signings would be unwise.

However, as things stand, the attacker who has somewhat underwhelmed since his big-money move, and could go down a similar route to Pepe, is Viktor Gyokeres.

Like the Ivorian, the Swedish international joined the Gunners for a fairly sizable fee off the back of a truly sensational season in a weaker league.

For example, the “absolute steam train,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, scored 54 goals and provided 13 assists in just 52 appearances.

Moreover, while nobody expected him to recreate those numbers in England, fans would have expected more than what he has delivered thus far.

For example, even though he hasn’t been a total flop like some other striker signings this season, the 27-year-old’s return of just six goals in 17 appearances is underwhelming.

Furthermore, all four of his Premier League goals have come against relegation candidates, and in games against the big sides earlier in the season, he looked somewhat out of his depth. As Gary Neville said earlier this term, he’s a bit of a “misfit.”

Appearances

52

17

Minutes

4248′

1130′

Goals

54

6

Assists

13

0

Finally, with Mikel Merino contributing up top, Gabriel Jesus back in matchday squads and reports that Kai Havertz is set to come right back in as Arteta’s first choice before Christmas, it’s not difficult to see a world in which the Stockholm-born powerhouse becomes a rotation option.

That was evident against Aston Villa. Arteta relied on the Swede to make a difference, bring him on at half-time for Merino. Yet, in his 45 minutes on the field, the centre-forward only had 11 touches of the ball and completed just four passes. He didn’t even have a single shot.

With all that said, there is still plenty of time for the former Coventry City star to come good, especially if he starts the next two games against Club Brugge and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Ultimately, the next six months will be vital in determining whether Gyokeres becomes Arsenal’s next superstar striker or their next Nicolas Pepe.

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