Despite a heartbreaking defeat in last Sunday’s League Cup Final, following a thrilling 3-3 draw, there are clear signs of progress from Rangers.
Philippe Clement’s Ibrox team have won four successive Premiership matches, scoring ten times across the last three, leapfroging Aberdeen this weekend.
Meantime, in the Europa League, the Light Blues have lost only once in the league phase thus far, holding Tottenham to a credible 1-1 draw in Govan last mid-week, unlucky not to beat the Premier League side.
So, with two fixtures to go, Rangers sit eighth in the gigantic league table, seeking to cling onto that position and go straight through to the round of 16 when they face Manchester United at Old Trafford and then Royale Union Saint-Gilloise at Ibrox in late January.
The primary reason for the Gers’ upturn in form? Summer signings upping their game.
Hamza Igamane's stellar Rangers form
Fair to say, Hamza Igamane is a man in form, scoring five goals across his last seven appearances, including a brace during the 4-1 demolition of Nice by the French Riviera, before breaking the deadlock against Spurs a fortnight later.
When the Moroccan arrived from AS FAR for a reported £2.5m this summer, very few had ever heard of him, and expectations were not sky-high when he failed to score in any of his first six appearances for the club, before breaking this duck during the 4-0 Europa League hammering of Steaua București.
Since, Igamane has not looked back, superseding Cyriel Dessers as the first-choice centre-forward, making his transfer fee look like a bargain and some excellent recruitment, considering he’d only ever plied his trade in the Botola – Morocco’s top-flight.
However, it’s another of Rangers’ summer signings, who joined the Gers on a Bosman, who could prove to be the best value for money edition of the bunce.
Rangers' star in the making
Connor Barron arrived on a free transfer from Aberdeen this summer, with a compensation fee yet to be agreed between the two clubs; the Dons turned down a reported settlement fee of £525,000, with former-Celtic striker Chris Sutton describing the drawn-out process as “strange”.
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Regardless, Rangers have acquired a terrific defensive midfielder, who was receiving praise very early into his career at Ibrox.
Following just the third match of the season, a 2-1 win over Motherwell at Hampden, John Walker, host of the Scots Abroad podcast, described the signing as a “no-brainer”, adding “he’s a bit of a fan favourite” already, with Barron appearing ready to “make that step up with his technical ability”.
Sofascore have rated Barron seven or above during three of Rangers’ six Europa League matches to date, while his average Scottish Premiership rating is 6.99, receiving a seven or higher during eight of 13 league fixtures he has started.
Meantime, only two players have accumulated more than Barron’s 18 tackles in the Europa League so far; they are Adam Markhiyev (RFS, 23) as well as Kevin Mac Allister (Union SG, 19), brother of Liverpool’s Alexis, (and yes he is named after the kid from Home Alone.)
These performances have led to Barron being rated as one of Rangers’ most valuable players by Transfermarkt, as detailed in the table below, with his value of €2.5m (£2m), level with the aforementioned Igamane.
Player
Transfermarkt value
Signed for fee
Nicolas Raskin
€6.5m
£1.5m
Mohamed Diomandé
€6m
£4.3m
John Souttar
€4.5m
Free
Nedim Bajrami
€4.5m
£3.5m
Rıdvan Yılmaz
€4.5m
£3.5m
Danilo
€4.5m
£5.5m
Cyriel Dessers
€4m
£4.5m
Dujon Sterling
€4m
Free
James Tavernier
€3m
£200,000
Jack Butland
€3m
Free
Rabbi Matondo
€3m
£2.5m
Connor Barron
€2.5m
Free
Hamza Igamane
€2.5m
£2.5m
Jefté
€2.5m
£680,000
Robin Pröpper
€2.5m
£1.5m
Thus, still only 22 years old, having made just 103 top-flight senior appearances to date, Barron is only likely to get better, making him an even more valuable asset and further adding to the sense that Rangers snapped up a bargain.
English club want to sign him: Rangers face awful Jelavic repeat at Ibrox
The Glasgow Rangers attacker has attracted interest from the Premier League.
There’s been some frightening sights in the world of football over the years. We’re talking Arjen Robben cutting in on his left foot, Lionel Messi running at defenders, Rory Delap loading up a lethal long throw and now the sight of Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka or Declan Rice standing over a set piece.
The Premier League hasn’t been this fearful of such scenarios since the days of Tony Pulis, and some may argue that the only difference between Mikel Arteta and the former Stoke City boss is a pair of glasses and a hat.
The Spaniard, for all of the comparisons in jest, deserves great credit alongside set-piece coach Nicolas Jover after becoming experts in something that could finally result in a Premier League title.
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With that said, we’ve taken a look back at every goal that Arsenal have scored from a corner or free kick under Arteta since his arrival as manager.
Rank
Player
Set-piece goals
Gabriel
15
William Saliba
6
Thomas Partey
3
Gabriel Jesus
3
Jakub Kiwior
3
Declan Rice
3
Mikel Merino
3
Martin Odegaard
2
Gabriel Martinelli
1
Ben White
1
Takehiro Tomiyasu
1
Oleksandr Zinchenko
1
Kai Havertz
1
Bukayo Saka
1
Jurrien Timber
1
Leandro Trossard
1
2019/20: 2 goals Arsenal save the set pieces for the top six
Sokratis scores for Arsenal.
Before the days of the Pulis comparisons, Arteta’s Arsenal side were only beginning to find their feet under their new boss in the middle of an era to forget in north London. But they still managed to haunt their Premier League rivals from what we all now know to be dangerous set pieces in the 2019/20 campaign.
Scoring their first under the Spaniard against Chelsea, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was perfectly placed to head home on the end of Calum Chambers’ knockdown in the 13th minute of a game that eventually saw the Gunners end on the wrong side of defeat, courtesy of Jorginho and a late Tammy Abraham winner.
Their second and last of that season then came against another top-six side in the form of Manchester United. Taking full advantage of David de Gea’s poor attempt to clear his lines from Nicolas Pepe’s corner, Sokratis Papastathopoulos thumped home to set the Gunners on course for a 2-0 victory over the Red Devils.
1
Chelsea
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Corner
2
Man Utd
Sokratis
Corner
2020/21: 8 goals Arsenal begin to find their feet
Granit Xhaka for Arsenal.
As the pandemic struck, Arsenal – though still struggling to find the right results – began to show signs that their strength came in the form of set pieces, scoring eight goals from those scenarios in the 2020/21 campaign.
For a second season running, Chelsea once again struggled to handle Arteta’s side from a dead-ball situation, with Granit Xhaka following in Sokratis’ footsteps by scoring directly from a free kick at the Emirates Stadium.
This time in far more sensational fashion than the season prior, Xhaka stepped up from range to find the top corner of Edouard Mendy’s net to score the Gunners’ first free kick of the campaign. Notably, in the same season, Gabriel Magalhaes found the back of the net on his Arsenal debut from a corner in what was a sign of things to come.
1
Fulham
Gabriel
Corner
2
Rapid Vienna
David Luiz
FK
3
Dundalk
Eddie Nketiah
Corner
4
Chelsea
Granit Xhaka
DFK
5
Rapid Vienna
Pablo Mari
Corner
6
Leicester
David Luiz
FK
7
Fulham
Eddie Nketiah
Corner
8
West Brom
Willian
DFK
2021/22: 11 goals Gabriel becomes growing threat as Jover joins
If Gabriel’s debut goal was a warning, then his three set-piece goals throughout the following campaign should have acted as a giant red flag for the rest of the Premier League, especially after set-piece coach Jover arrived. The central defender more than played his part as Arsenal returned to the European places, scoring 11 goals from set pieces whilst doing so.
This time around, it was Everton and Leicester who suffered the most, both conceding two from Arsenal corners, with the Foxes suffering the threat of Gabriel inside the penalty area. Meanwhile, the Toffees could not handle the Gunners’ set pieces on a hot afternoon in May, conceding twice in one game courtesy of Eddie Nketiah and Cedric Soares.
Meanwhile, the one direct free-kick goal that season came courtesy of Martin Odegaard, who struck a superb effort to seal a narrow 1-0 victory over Burnley at the beginning of the season.
1
Burnley
Martin Odegaard
DFK
2
Aston Villa
Thomas Partey
Corner
3
Leeds
Calum Chambers
Corner
4
Leicester
Gabriel
Corner
5
Southampton
Gabriel
Corner
6
Sunderland
Eddie Nketiah
Corner
7
Wolves
Gabriel
Corner
8
Leicester
Thomas Partey
Corner
9
West Ham
Rob Holding
Corner
10
Everton
Eddie Nketiah
Corner
11
Everton
Cedric Soares
Corner
2022/23: 11 goals Set-piece threat not enough to seal Arsenal silverware
Having found their feet under Arteta’s philosophy, Arsenal quickly found themselves in a Premier League title race. In a battle between the student and the master, Arteta at least laid down a marker that his side were there to stay against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City side.
But despite matching their 11-goal tally from the season prior from set pieces, the Gunners still couldn’t find a way to dethrone the Citizens.
In truth, however, this was not Arsenal at the peak of their set-piece powers. In fact, it was the first season in which they failed to score more goals from such scenarios than the previous season as progress stalled for the year.
However, there were still non-set-piece goals that came as a result of Jover’s organised chaos, with a prime example being Reiss Nelson’s iconic winner against Bournemouth, which came from the phase of play following a late Odegaard corner.
Once again, Gabriel made his mark inside the area, scoring three times, including goals against Fulham (twice) and fellow London rivals Chelsea.
1
Crystal Palace
Gabriel Martinelli
Corner
2
Leicester
Gabriel Jesus
Corner
3
Fulham
Gabriel
Corner
4
Brentford
William Saliba
Corner
5
Chelsea
Gabriel
Corner
6
Brighton
Martin Odegaard
Corner
7
Oxford
Mohamed Elneny
FK
8
Sporting CP
William Saliba
Corner
9
Fulham
Gabriel
Corner
10
Wolves
Thomas Partey
Corner
11
Wolves
Jakub Kiwior
Corner
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Some will be quick to shoot down the scenes of Jover celebrating every time that Arsenal score from a set piece, but the coach deserves credit for his excellent work.
He has taken Arsenal from being an average side from set plays into becoming the most dangerous team in the Premier League. And last season, it showed more than ever for the first time.
Scoring an impressive 16 goals from set pieces, Arsenal caught each of Newcastle, Tottenham, West Ham, Crystal Palace, Burnley and Sheffield United twice in the same game, with sides simply unable to handle Jover and Arteta’s setup. By this point, it was of course no surprise that Gabriel proved to be the biggest threat, finding the back of the net five times in all competitions.
It wasn’t enough to win them the title yet again, but the Gunners stole the headlines several times from set plays, perhaps most notably when Declan Rice found the back of the net to secure a last-gasp victory over Manchester United.
1
Man Utd
Declan Rice
Corner
2
Bournemouth
Ben White
FK
3
Sheff Utd
Eddie Nketiah
Corner
4
Sheff Utd
Takehiro Tomiyasu
Corner
5
Burnley
William Saliba
Corner
6
Burnley
Oleksandr Zinchenko
Corner
7
Brighton
Gabriel Jesus
Corner
8
Liverpool
Gabriel
FK
9
Crystal Palace
Gabriel
Corner
10
Crystal Palace
Gabriel
Corner
11
West Ham
William Saliba
Corner
12
West Ham
Gabriel
FK
13
Newcastle
Own goal
Corner
14
Newcastle
Jakub Kiwior
Corner
15
Tottenham
Own goal
Corner
16
Tottenham
Kai Havertz
Corner
2024/25: 18 goals (so far) Arsenal become set-piece kings
Usually, when a team concedes from a set piece, many believe that whoever is in charge of that side will be left incredibly disappointed, as they’re often seen as avoidable goals to concede.
Arsenal, however, have turned the avoidable into the inevitable, making goals from set pieces a happy habit. The Emirates watches on as if Saka or Rice are stepping up to the penalty spot when they place the ball on the corner quadrant, raise a hand up and deliver an unstoppable delivery.
Having beaten the previous season’s record of 16 goals from set pieces, it wouldn’t be an overstatement to suggest that the Gunners pose a greater threat from those scenarios than they do from open play.
The Selecao were thumped into the ground of the Estadio Mas Monumental by the reigning World Champions
It was an evening to forget for the . Dorival Junior's side were outplayed, outcoached and outclassed by Lionel Scaloni's Argentina as defeated Brazil 4-1 in front of their home fans Tuesday night. In a meeting of two historic rivals and heavyweights of South America, the best of Brazil did not show, as the hosts ran riot throughout the evening.
Just four minutes into the clash, Julian Alvarez found the back of the net before Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez doubled their lead in the 12th minute. Midway through the first half, Brazil were handed their lifeline, when Matheus Cunha scored from a very tidy angle to bring them within one goal.
However, a third for the hosts arrived nine minutes later, with Alexis Mac Allister making it 3-1 before the halftime break. Dorival made three changes during the interval, bringing on the likes of Leo Ortiz, Endrick and Joao Gomes, but none of the changes proved to be effective.
Argentina added their fourth, and the dagger, through an exquisite strike from Giuliano Simeone in the 71st minute. The Atletico Madrid forward scored from a near impossible angle close to the touchline, leaving Bento powerless in net as the effort hit the roof of the net.
With results from CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifying now in stone through the March international break, Brazil sit fourth in the South American standings on 21 points through 14 matches played – with their Thursday win over Colombia proving to be a crucial result.
However, their tango with the reigning World Champions was not one to remember on the road to 2026.
GOAL rates Brazil's players from the Estadio Mas Monumental…
AFPGoalkeeper & Defense
Bento (5/10):
Thrown into a tough situation due to Alisson's injury. Not much he could do on any of the goals, but overall, he wasn't giving anyone confidence in net as the backup.
Guilherme Arana (4/10):
Could not deal with Argentina's width, at all. A rough showing.
Marquinhos (5/10):
Captained them to a loss, but never gave up. Had his moments, but it was a showing where his flaws were exposed.
Murillo (5/10):
Decent first half, but pulled at halftime as it was obvious Dorival did not like the pairing.
Wesley (5/10):
Worked to the bottom of his boots by Argentina's pace and counter all evening long.
AdvertisementAFPMidfield
Joelinton (5/10):
Really struggled in the center of the park with possession and Argentina's press. Removed at halftime.
Andre (6/10):
Thrown into the XI after a late cameo last week and he struggled with forward progression, but threw in a few decent tackles.
AFPAttack
Raphinha (7/10):
Promising moments all throughout the match. The final ball was never quite there, but he was the leader in the attack all game.
Vinicius Junior (6/10):
Some really bright periods on the ball, and his pace on the counter was crucial. But as the match grew, he was overwhelmed by the immediate press of Argentina.
Matheus Cunha (7/10):
Took his finish really well. Fantastic shot, and a few positive moments on the counter – but he was largely absent otherwise.
Rodrygo (4/10):
Two poor games this window for him. Hooked at halftime.
AFPSubs & Manager
Endrick (5/10):
Subbed on at halftime, but it was like he wasn't even on the pitch. Complete ghost.
Leo Ortiz (6/10):
Subbed on at halftime and never really found his footing. Not an ideal cameo, but not a terrible one, either.
Joao Gomes (5/10):
Brought a decent tempo to the middle of the pitch after replacing Joelinton. Lacked the aggression Argentina brought.
Savinho (N/A):
Brought on with 20 minutes to spare, but the match was gone by then.
Ederson (N/A):
Subbed on in the 84th minute to get a cameo this camp.
Dorival Junior (3/10):
Ran out of ideas in the attack again. For all the progress the have made since his appointment, that is the one area where he continues to struggle. He was out-coached by Scaloni, and his fullbacks were exposed by the reigning World Champions while his attack was left hanging. Just not good enough from a manager of his stature.
Imam-ul-Haq’s century goes in vain as Adam Zampa leads disciplined bowling attack to tie Pakistan down
Tristan Lavalette29-Mar-2022
Travis Head led Australia’s batting with a century in his first ODI since November 2018•Getty Images
Travis Head smashed a 72-ball 101 and capped his ODI return with two wickets to lead a short-handed Australia to an impressive 88-run victory over Pakistan in the series-opener in Lahore.Chasing 314, Pakistan rued a slow start and struggled against Australia’s spinners in dewy conditions under lights to be bowled out for 225 in the 46th over in what was a return to the format for Australia and Pakistan since July.Australia had only 13 players to choose from, and handed debuts to legspinner Mitchell Swepson and quick Nathan Ellis. Pakistan had fresh faces, too, with 34-year-old legspinner Zahid Mahmood and young quick Mohammad Wasim making their ODI debuts.Despite missing their first choice pace attack, along with Ashton Agar, who tested positive for Covid-19 on the morning of the game, a disciplined Australia tied down Pakistan in the middle overs through Swepson and Adam Zampa in a rare occurrence of the tourists playing two frontline spinners. Swepson claimed the key wicket of captain Babar Azam for 57, while Zampa tore through the lower-order to finish with 4 for 38 from his ten overs.Pakistan’s chase was held together by Imam-ul-Haq, who averaged 74.6 in the Test series, with the opener hitting 103 off 96 as he accelerated towards his century after a sedate start. But he fell to a cracking yorker from Ellis in a terrific maiden ODI wicket as Australia’s unbeaten tour of Pakistan continued.Imam and Babar paid the price for a cautious 96-run second-wicket partnership, off 118 balls, where they appeared to be in cruise control only for the run rate to keep increasing.Adam Zampa bagged four wickets in the match•Associated Press
In the first ODI in Lahore since 2015, which was Babar’s debut, the Pakistan skipper became the second-quickest after Hashim Amla to reach 4000 ODI runs and he achieved the milestone in style with a boundary off Swepson amid fans chanting his name while waving their lighted smartphones.Eyeing the long haul, Babar knocked the ball around and hit the odd boundary through masterful precision. After a gorgeous square drive off Swepson, he survived a shout for lbw with the decision upheld much to the chagrin of skipper Aaron Finch, continuing Australia’s poor use of DRS from the Test series.But Swepson, finding a groove he lacked during his Test initiation, would not be denied with a first ODI wicket when he trapped Babar lbw in the next over with a full legbreak that was unsuccessfully reviewed.With the ball skidding on the surface, Head’s terrific match continued with a handy spell mid-innings, and his nagging offbreaks accounted for Saud Shakeel and Iftikhar Ahmed. It capped a commanding performance for Head, who played his first ODI since November 2018.After being sent in, Australia appeared on course for a big total through Head’s pyrotechnics at the top, only to be pegged back by Pakistan’s spinners before Cameron Green gave them a late spark with an unbeaten 40 off 30 balls.Having struggled during Australia’s historic Test series victory, averaging just 22.67, Head was in sparkling form from the get-go as he dominated a Pakistan attack desperately missing the speed and skill of spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi, who was rested after a heavy workload during the Test series.Imam-ul-Haq played cautiously for the most part•Associated Press
It was Head’s second ODI century – both have been against Pakistan – and he showcased his liking for the top of the order to boost his average as opener to 45.69 from 13 matches, which is well above his overall mark of 36.He dominated a 110-run opening stand with Finch and may have heightened the pressure on the struggling Australia captain’s long-term place at the top. Having laboured through the Australian summer with a knee injury, Finch once again lacked fluency in his first ODI since December 2020 to make an unconvincing 23 off 36.No. 3 Ben McDermott, however, made his case with a calm 55 off 70 until he needlessly ran himself out after a misfield. The BBL MVP has struggled in ODIs and T20Is but mostly played sensibly in his maiden ODI half-century.It was a tale of two halves for Australia in their batting innings, as they scored around seven runs an over in the first half only to be tied down in the second, with Zahid producing sharp turn while left-arm orthodox Khushdil Shah bowled an excellent spell at the back-end.Their total appeared par for the course but it proved more than enough as Head completed his comeback in style to lead Australia to their tenth straight ODI win over Pakistan.
Despite sitting top of the Premier League and Champions League, Liverpool are now reportedly keeping tabs on a left-back who could ruthlessly replace the struggling Andrew Robertson.
Liverpool transfer news
No matter who stands in front of them on current form, Arne Slot’s Liverpool side seem to cruise to three points. Their recent run of games was billed as the ultimate test as to whether the Reds are pretenders or, indeed, contenders under their new manager.
Nine wins and one draw later, including convincing victories over a Bayer Leverkusen side who were untouchable last season and most recently European champions Real Madrid, the conclusion is undoubtedly that there is nothing false about Liverpool’s latest dawn.
It’s difficult to find criticism in a side who are enjoying such form, but one glaring weakness has remained in recent weeks and that has been Robertson’s struggle to reach his best under Slot.
The Scot was at least spared by Caoimhin Kelleher last night, with his goalkeeper sensational denying Kylian Mbappe from the spot after his left-back’s disappointing foul, but that’s now two penalties in two games. If the Reds want to rise to the top once more then replacing Robertson could be on their to-do list.
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With that said, according to GiveMeSport, Liverpool are keeping tabs on PSV’s Matteo Dams as they look to find the heir to Robertson’s current role. Just 20 years old, the PSV Eindhoven left-back has also reportedly attracted the interest of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, giving Liverpool a potential race to win should they push on for his signature.
Given recent links to Milos Kerkez, Antonee Robinson and now Dams, it certainly seems as though Robertson’s starting place at Anfield is nearing its end after what has been an excellent spell.
"Talented" Dams can solve Liverpool's Robertson problem
Of course, no matter where Robertson’s Liverpool career goes from here, he remains an undeniable Anfield legend and arguably one of the best left-backs in Premier League history. But all good things must come to an end and the Scotland captain has looked dangerously past his best throughout the current campaign, handing Slot a problem that he must ruthlessly solve.
Matteo Dams for PSV Eindhoven.
Replacing the 30-year-old with a player 10 years his junior could be the way forward too. Dams is a rising star and someone that Slot can mould into his ideal left-back as he looks to turn an excellent start into a historic era at Anfield. Described as a player with “great qualities” and “lightning fast” by PSV manager Peter Bosz at the start of the season, there’s no doubt that Dams is one to watch.
With Manchester City and the chance to go 11 points clear awaiting them this Sunday, Liverpool will be desperately hoping that their left-back problem doesn’t rear its head once more. When 2025 arrives, whether it’s with Dams, Robinson or Kerkez, the Reds may replace Robertson.
They might only be nine Premier League games in, but this season has been brutal for Arsenal.
Mikel Arteta’s side came into the campaign as Manchester City’s biggest title rivals, and while that is probably still true, injuries and suspensions are starting to take their toll.
For example, Gabriel Magalhaes and Jurrien Timber had to come off in the second half against Liverpool last night, and while the latter may have been suffering from a cramp, the former certainly looked hurt.
However, it’s not all doom and gloom, as Arteta has a plethora of incredibly talented youngsters at his disposal, and for Wednesday night’s game against Preston North End, he should hand one of them a first competitive start, alongside the more well-known Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly.
Why Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri should start
Okay, so before we get to why the lesser-known prospect should start on Wednesday, let’s take a look at why his fellow academy stars should play as well, beginning with Nwaneri.
Of all the Gunners’ promising youngsters, the 17-year-old midfielder probably receives the most coverage from fans and pundits alike, and for good reason, as when he’s played for the first team this season, he has impressed, and Martin Odegaard’s absence has left a hole in the team he could fill.
For example, while he might not be as technically astute as Leandro Trossard at present, the Enfield-born dynamo has shown that he can add some much-needed directness and energy to the team’s midfield when he comes off the bench, as he did against Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City.
Moreover, in his only start of the campaign, against Bolton Wanderers, the 5 foot 9 prodigy scored a brace and generally looked like the best player on the pitch, so with the club captain still out and the level of opposition being what it is, he must start against Preston.
Likewise, Lewis-Skelly, who also started and starred in that game, will likely start on Wednesday, as he’s seemingly become Arteta’s go-to substitute for the starting left-back in recent weeks, ahead of both Jakub Kiwior and Oleksandr Zinchenko, and it’s easy to see why.
The Islington-born gem is brilliant on the ball, as demonstrated by the defence-splitting pass he played against Bolton and the numerous passes he played against Liverpool; he’s reasonably secure and, perhaps most importantly, has shown a maturity far beyond his years, coming on in crunch moments against Manchester City last month, the Reds on Sunday and playing 18 minutes in the Champions League last week.
Lastly, if Timber did pick up a slight knock at the Emirates, it would be mad to play him in the League Cup, so there is a perfect opportunity to hand the Hale End ace another start.
However, as Arsenal fans will be all too aware, Gabriel is also likely to be unfit for Wednesday at the very least, and while it’s yet another gut punch for the title-chasing team, his absence presents another opportunity for a lesser-known youngster to pick up his first competitive start for the club.
Why Ayden Heaven should start
Yes, the academy gem in question is 18-year-old Ayden Heaven, who may be known to Arsenal fans but remains a relative unknown to the broader footballing community – at least for now, anyway.
Now, the first thing to say is that, unlike the two young stars mentioned above, the 6 foot 2 ace has yet to make a competitive appearance for the first team and will therefore be making a big step-up if he does start on Wednesday, but Arteta will never know if he’s ready to make the jump unless he gives him the chance.
Fortunately, it would appear that the manager rates the young “beast”, as dubbed by podcaster WIll Balsam, as he gave him plenty of game time during the club’s pre-season tour against some big teams like Manchester United and Liverpool. On top of that, the Spaniard also named the promising gem on the bench for the North London derby and the game against Bolton earlier this season.
Centre-Back
16
Left-Back
5
Left Midfield
1
However, away from first-team action, the young Englishman has also impressed for the U21 side, where he’s made 23 appearances, playing mainly as a centre-back but also making appearances at left-back in left midfield, where he has been able to show off his “insane” passing range, as Balsam described it.
Ultimately, it’s a lot to ask of Heaven to make his first start for the club on Wednesday, but with Gabriel likely out of action for some time and the opposition being what it is, he could really help Arteta navigate the current injury crisis, and who knows, if he plays well enough, he could find himself making more first team appearances in the coming months, alongside Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly.
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Arsenal were far too eager to hand out massive contracts under the Frenchman.
Century stand for the second wicket brings visitors to within 153 runs of New Zealand’s first-innings total in Mount Maunganui
Mohammad Isam02-Jan-2022Stumps Bangladesh blended smart bowling with patient batting on the second day of the Mount Maunganui Test to keep things in their favour against New Zealand, who wouldn’t be too pleased with their first-innings score of 328, their lowest at home against Bangladesh. But what would have frustrated them more was seeing the visitors reach 175 for 2 at stumps, with Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mahmudul Hasan Joy bringing up half-centuries.Bangladesh became only the second visiting team in the last eight years to bat more than 50 overs for the first two wickets in New Zealand. And by the end of the day, they were just 153 behind.The Bangladesh openers, under fire after a poor Pakistan series, predictably began circumspectly.Shadman Islam’s only forceful shot early on was an authoritative pull off Tim Southee, while Joy struck both his fours before the tea break behind the wicket. They lasted an hour together before Shadman fell for 18 off the first ball after the drinks break, when he chipped one back at Neil Wagner, who had to dive forward to complete the catch.Shanto made a nervous start to his innings, getting struck on the stomach first ball before edging one, which fell short of first slip. At the other end, Joy struggled too, especially against the moving ball. He had luck on his side when Wagner chose not to review an lbw call that ended up showing three reds, perhaps believing it had taken the inside edge.Mehidy Hasan Miraz picked up three wickets on the second day•Getty Images”It was quite windy today. There was a good noise. It sounded like an inside edge. I asked if he nicked it. The guys behind the stumps said no. Two guys from my end of the stumps said they heard a noise. They said he hit it,” Wagner explained after the day’s play. “I thought if he didn’t hit it, it was dead (plumb). We all made a collective decision. I think it is part of the game. The umpire also thought there was a noise so didn’t give it out. Unfortunately, from what I heard, it is the other way. I guess that’s how it goes.”But Joy was solid with his defensive work, hardly playing at anything outside the off stump, and focusing on picking up runs on the on side whenever the bowlers strayed.Shanto was the busier of the two batters, hitting 64 off 109 balls. He struck seven fours and a slog-swept six that brought up his half-century. He drove the ball well on both sides of the wicket, and his best shot was possibly the cut he played against Wagner, when he moved well outside his leg stump and threaded the ball through gully and point.He fell in the last hour when Wagner got rid of him with a conventional outswinger coming from over the wicket. Shanto’s uppish drive was well caught at gully by Will Young.Earlier in the day, New Zealand lost their last five wickets for 70 runs, with Mehidy Hasan Miraz picking up three of those. He had Kyle Jamieson caught at long-on, Southee at short midwicket, and Wagner caught behind in a burst that kept the home side on the back foot.Henry Nicholls, who made 75 off 127 balls, struck 12 fours in a bid to counter-attack as wickets fell at the other end. He was the last man to go when he fell reverse-sweeping Mominul Haque, caught at short third-man.
Reliable journalist John Percy has dropped a big update regarding the future of Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Gary O’Neil, following his side’s 5-3 defeat away to Brentford over the weekend.
O'Neil struggling as Wolves manager
Wanderers went into Saturday’s trip to Brentford looking for their first Premier League win of the season, but yet again, the travelling supporters didn’t get what they hoped for.
A hugely entertaining game saw the Bees run out 5-3 winners in west London, with Wolves twice coming from behind in the first half, but eventually succumbing to yet another defeat in the top flight.
It means that Wanderers remain rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table, having only got one point from their opening seven matches, so there is understandable pressure on the shoulders of O’Neil currently.
The 41-year-old made an impressive start to life at Molineux, standing out as arguably one of the most exciting young British managers in the game, but things have turned this season, and he desperately needs to turn his team’s fortunes around. Now, a fresh update has dropped on O’Neil’s future.
Update on Gary O'Neil's Wolves future
Writing on X on Sunday morning, Percy claimed that O’Neil still has the backing of those high up at Wolves, despite such a poor beginning to the season:
While many supporters could understandably be frustrated with Wolves’ struggles under O’Neil, it is refreshing to see the club’s board standing by him and still looking at him as the right man for the job.
There is a level of impatience that exists in the modern game that means managers get sacked far quicker than they used to, but if Wanderers believe their current boss is the correct individual to take them into the future, there shouldn’t be too big an overreaction to their start to the campaign.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that Wolves can stick with O’Neil forever, and at some point, a change may be needed if defeats continue to arrive after the international break, so the run of fixtures after the international break feels crucial as Percy alludes to.
A home clash with champions Manchester City is a horrible way to return to action later in the month, and it would be unfair to react after that game, regardless of the result.
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A trip to Brighton is also tricky, but the back-to-back home clashes with Crystal Palace and Southampton at the start of November feel massive. If Wolves are still without a victory in the league after those four games, you have to wonder whether the managerial situation will have changed, with the club possibly feeling they have given O’Neil long enough by that point.
Chelsea has been home to numerous elite-level talents over the years, helping the club cement their place as one of the big six sides in the Premier League.
Since 2000, the club have won five top-flight titles along with two Champions League triumphs, mainly thanks to the investment of former owner Roman Abramovich.
However, since he sold the club in 2022 to Todd Boehly, the Blues have failed to win a single trophy, with an emphasis on the American needing to return the club to its glory days.
Chelsea chairman Todd Boehly
Striker Didier Drogba played a huge part in the club’s previous success, making 344 appearances and scoring 147 times – including in the Champions League final victory over Bayern Munich back in 2012.
The Ivorian starred alongside one talent who captured the hearts of many during his own time at Stamford Bridge.
Frank Lampard’s time at Chelsea
Midfielder Frank Lampard will forever be an integral part of the Chelsea side that created new history for the club during the early 2000s, often taking the armband in the absence of John Terry.
Premier League legend Frank Lampard
He joined the Blues in an £11m deal way back in 2001 from fellow Premier League side West Ham United, making an immediate impact on the first-team squad despite his tender age of just 22 when he made the move across London.
Lampard produced numerous heroic displays during his time at Stamford Bridge, including in the Champions League semi-final back in 2008, scoring a vital penalty just days after the tragic passing of his mother.
The midfielder eventually departed the Bridge back in 2014 after 13 successful years at the club, amassing a total of 481 appearances – whilst making himself the club’s record goalscorer in the process.
He embodied everything about being a Chelsea player with his work rate, and desire to help the club succeed, whilst also having the quality to turn the game on its head in an instant – subsequently helping the club achieve their respective titles during his time at the club.
Frank Lampard
211
Bobby Tambling
177
Didier Drogba
164
Peter Osgood
139
Jimmy Greaves
131
The club have struggled to find a replacement for the Englishman, unsurprisingly, given his impact at the club, but at one point they thought one player could fill the boots of the fan favourite.
The man who was once the next Lampard
After joining the club back in 2013, midfielder Marco van Ginkel arrived from Dutch side Vitesse with high hopes of being the next big talent at Stamford Bridge for Chelsea.
He only made four appearances during his debut campaign in England, before various different loan spells away from the club at the likes of AC Milan and Stoke City.
Rangers target Marco van Ginkel.
However, Van Ginkel, who was previously hailed as ‘the next Lampard’ when arriving, subsequently spent three separate loan spells at PSV Eindhoven, before permanently joining the Dutch side during the summer of 2021.
He made 76 appearances for Eindhoven across his three temporary stints at the club before his permanent transfer, but he would only last two seasons before yet another move.
Van Ginkel moved to Vitesse, the club he started his career at, scoring nine goals in 45 appearances last season, before leaving at the end of the season, with the midfielder now a free agent at the age of just 31.
It’s a real shame to see a player with such high expectations fail to deliver during his career, with the Dutchman another player in a long line that has never matched the promise demonstrated in his early days.
His time at Chelsea was a huge disappointment, only making four appearances over an eight-year spell, with the midfielder in desperate need of a move to reignite his once promising career.
First Impressions
What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast's 'First Impressions' series has everything you need.
The wicketkeeper would be one of the players away for four months
Reuters23-Aug-2021
Jos Buttler is England’s first choice wicketkeeper•AFP/Getty Images
England’s wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler said he might skip the end-of-year Ashes tour over concerns about being apart from his family due to Australia’s Covid-19 restrictions.England will play the T20 World Cup in the UAE in October and November before heading to Australia, likely keeping players who feature in both away from home for four months.After pulling out of the remainder of the IPL, Buttler said he may also miss the end of the ongoing Test series with India due to his wife expecting their second child.”One of the challenges is working out where the line is where you say I can’t do that,” Buttler told the newspaper. “I’ve sacrificed a lot for cricket and my wife and family have sacrificed a lot.Related
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“You have to be open to saying no,” he said. “It would be incredibly disappointing if some players feel like they can’t do it, but we’re in a world at the moment where that is a possibility.”England players are seeking assurances their family members would be allowed to join them in Australia, with the ECB in talks with Cricket Australia to secure that passage.Australia has closed its borders in an effort to control Covid-19, with limited flights and 14-day mandatory managed isolation for returning citizens.”Covid is incredibly challenging for everyone and Australia has a very strict policy in how they’ve tried to deal with it,” Buttler said, adding that living for long periods in bio-bubbles was a further complication. “Until we get more information about what it [the Australia tour] might look like, it’s impossible to know what decision you’re making.”