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Sri Lanka became the first Asian team to beat South Africa at home

Bharath Seervi23-Feb-20191:22

Sri Lanka in South Africa: Cricket’s biggest upset?

1- Sri Lanka became the first Asian side to win a Test series in South Africa. To put that in context, teams from the subcontinent have played 21 times in this country before this series, losing 19 series and drawing two.* This was Sri Lanka’s sixth series in South Africa and their first win.3- Teams that have won a Test series against South Africa in South Africa. Sri Lanka joined England and Australia in achieving this.242- The total Test match experience of the 11 Sri Lanka players in this series; South Africa’s combined figure is 555. To establish the mismatch further, the Sri Lanka batsmen have, in total, 21 centuries to their name. Hashim Amla alone has 28. Sri Lanka’s bowlers, meanwhile, have four five-wicket hauls to their name. South Africa have 56.

1- This is the first time Sri Lanka have won more than one Test in a series outside Asia (excluding Zimbabwe). Also, before this tour, Sri Lanka had won only one out of 13 Tests in South Africa.1 – Sri Lanka are the only team in the last six years to have won an away Test after losing the toss, fielding first and falling behind in the first innings. They have done so twice: against West Indies last year and against South Africa just now7- Consecutive home series wins for South Africa, before this 2-0 defeat. Their last home series defeat was against England in 2015-16. When Sri Lanka last toured South Africa two years ago, they were thrashed 3-0.1994- The last time South Africa lost by eight or more wickets in a home Test. That was against Australia in Cape Town, having set target of 91.52.33- Kusal Mendis’ average in the fourth innings of Tests, which is the best among all Sri Lanka batsmen who have batted at least 10 innings. He has made five fifties and a century in 15 innings while chasing.163*- Partnership between Mendis and Oshada Fernando, Sri Lanka’s second-best in a successful run-chase. The only higher stand was the unbroken 189 between Aravinda de Silva and Arjuna Ranatunga for the sixth wicket against Zimbabwe in Colombo in 1998.6- By overcoming a target of 197, Sri Lanka also recorded their sixth-highest successful chase in Test cricket. In the first Test, they had completed their fourth-highest chase.*

Do we need another format? Why not, as long as it has the power to change perceptions and move the dial

Mark Nicholas25-Jul-2020Eulogies for cricket are much in vogue, at least here in England, where the perception of something gone persists. By assuming a groundswell of opinion around the marginalising of county cricket and the appearance of the Hundred, they suggest something pessimistic or gloomy. Truth be told, English cricket is in pretty good shape, though more needs to be done to encourage the young. The England team interprets Test cricket with bright spirit and an eye for entertainment; the one-day team are the world champions and the T20 side not far from it, but still the idea is spun that county cricket is the embodiment of all that we English are and that the Hundred is all that we are not. It beats me, as it did when T20 got a cold reception all those years ago. Remarkably few people watch county cricket live and the sense remains that those who do have little else in the diary. This is not a criticism – actually, it is rather charming – but it is close to fact.I loved playing the county game and greatly appreciated the loyalists who followed our cause with enthusiasm and warmth – so much so that many became friends. I was surprised at the travelling they did and the long hours spent on days where others might have been stoking the home fire. I remember a game that trimmed the back of April and the first days of May when it snowed. It was Malcolm Marshall’s first for Hampshire (I think) and we took him shopping to buy woollen jumpers, thick socks and shoes. The sight of him wrapped around the lone dressing-room radiator lives in the memory as if it were yesterday. Incredibly, there were spectators there too, waiting for an announcement. About tobogganing?I thought of the 1970s and ’80s as a golden age but down the track, others will reflect on eras of their own as star-spangled. That the game suits the time in which it finds itself might be its most extraordinary gift, a point best illustrated by World Series Cricket in 1978 and the IPL in 2008. Of course, if we have known and loved what has gone before, we take time to adapt. Some of us never do. In the main, though, cricket simply reflects the zeitgeist.There are so many crickets – single-wicket, double-wicket/pairs, T10, T20, 40 overs, 50 overs, 55 overs, 60 overs, 65 overs, three-day, four-day, five-day. There is declaration cricket, French cricket, cricket, indoor cricket, Kwik cricket, cage cricket, tape-ball cricket, continuous cricket, Last Man Stands, and more, much more. Don’t worry about cricket, it is just fine: even Test cricket, which inhabits an untouchable space. Indeed, the game may prefer to avoid nostalgia. After all, the past is far from perfect. Cricket has long been embroiled in controversy – amateur and professional for a start; then racism, class and coercion. No, it is better to look forward than back. To see a future and set fair for its advantages.ALSO READ: 3TC – what worked, what didn’t, and the AB de Villiers questionWhat’s the trick to getting it right? Off the field: kindness and opportunity for all. On the field: bat and ball. Get that balance right and you have a game. You can weight them one way or the other but you can’t exclude one from the other.Last Saturday, the first game of another incarnation was played in South Africa. 3 Team Cricket is the brainchild of Paul Harris – not the left-arm spinner but the former chairman of FNB and now head honcho at Rain, the South African mobile-data company. Harris loves and knows cricket, and while playing cards with his family during the early days of lockdown, began to wonder how the game could reboot itself for kids. Yes, T20 is doing okay but outside of the subcontinent, the game doesn’t burn in the hearts of children as it once did. Harris called Graeme Smith and Mark Boucher and they loved his idea for three teams of eight players each competing in the same match. Initially, the eight players was a Covid-19 thing, as the six fielders could do their bit in zones – cut like slices of pizza around the outfield – and therefore maintain the biosecure environment that was required to emerge from lockdown. Harris wanted cricket to lead the way with something fresh and innovative, something that might catch the attention of the young.He called me and for three hours made his case and I loved it. I just can’t see the downside in the search for something new. Sure, I would prefer Test cricket to remain pre-eminent for ever and a day but it won’t, maybe it already isn’t. If young people are to fall head over heels for cricket, the game must keep evolving until that silver bullet is identified. My enthusiasm for the Hundred was tempered only by the suspicion that the ECB hadn’t gone far enough. In truth, it is T20 shortened and then shoehorned with some different references and punctuation. But it’s the same game. It will now take another year for us to find out if that is to its advantage or not.Get the balance between bat and ball right and you have a game in you hands•AFP via Getty Images3 Team Cricket is a different game, albeit driven by the same aim: to make more runs than the opposition. Or in this case, oppositions. Having two opponents to consider makes the game more cerebral, inviting the exploration of how best to use your own resources against each of two opponents. If England were playing India and South Africa, for example, would you bowl the quicks against India and the spinners against South Africa? And if you do, in which half? And if the answer is the first half and it goes wrong, are you left exposed? Imagine the jeopardy. While two teams to slog it out against one another, the third team can creep up to spring a surprise.Like all limited-overs cricket, 3TC is a one-innings-per-side contest – in this case, of 12 overs per team – but spread across two periods of six overs either side of half-time. The 36-over version, as played at Supersport Park in Centurion, takes a little less time than T20 and marginally more than a Hundred match. The 90-over version of 30 overs per side may be the more suitable format for the best players.I loved the idea so much, I joined the board of 3TC – a board formed to protect IP but which worked pro bono on the development of the game – and had a hand in devising the rules and the format of the Solidarity Cup match that raised three million rand for the South African Hardship Fund.Do we need another format? Why not, so long as bat and ball stay in harmony. In streets, playgrounds, parks and on beaches, I have played ten-minute games and ten-hour games that have been anything from one a side to 12 a side. They all worked wonderfully well. Our search is for the format that grabs and holds the attention of children in a way that relates to their fascination with the world in which they live.We believe that 3TC can do great things for the development of the game; can help the Associate ICC members spread their gospel; can provide an alternative for clubs that struggle to raise teams; can work for pick-up matches; and can thrill children who may not be top dog in an 11-member team but who can play their part in a team of eight, where every little counts. We believe that shared facilities can allow two schools or clubs with limited facilities to benefit from a better-equipped third club. And we believe that 3TC can be cricket’s vehicle into the Olympic Games, the surest sign that global recognition has come the game’s way. Most immediately we plan to review the match and format and then to spread the 3 Team Cricket wings.ALSO READ: Black Lives Matter – South Africa’s cricket elite shows united face in moving Centurion tributeAs for Saturday in Centurion, well… Reeza Hendricks’ Kingfishers dropped AB de Villiers at the start of his comeback innings. This was costly. AB’s Eagles soared ahead, courtesy the maestro himself and a brilliant display of stroke-making from Aiden Markram. After their partnership, the Kingfishers and Temba Bavuma’s Kites were left to play catch-up, which was beyond them, and to battle for second placeIt is worth saying that this was a beta test. Beta minus, in fact, given the lack of any form of pilot, trial or even the necessary preparation time. It went well enough and the players say they enjoyed the originality of the format. The media, in the main, greeted the occasion with warmth, if finding a grumble in the length of the gap between the six-over batting periods. Fair enough. This was deliberately created to allow television to showcase the charities that were to benefit from the sponsorships. In general, 3TC is a fast game with the rotation of batting, bowling and dugout time being managed for its efficiency.The biggest problem, especially for a new format, was the empty stadium. Even the Premier League in England has struggled with the lack of any atmosphere, to the point where matches televised from partisan venues such as Anfield and Old Trafford still feel like pre-season friendlies. Imagine a 3 Team Cricket match that goes to the wire in front of a full house of three sets of supporters. Imagine the commercial opportunities that come with three seats of fans watching on television in different locations at home or around the world.Of course, six fielders made life too easy for the batsmen, and on the slow winter’s pitch, wickets were hard to come by. The reason for six fielders, or eight-man teams, was the agreement made with the government to support the rules of a biosecure environment and ensure the fewest number of people on site as possible. At a high level of the game, both in the 36-over and 90-over version, 3TC will have nine fielders in support of bowler and wicketkeeper. At lower levels, those in charge of matches can agree upon any number of fielders between six and nine, and if necessary, “borrow” from the dugout team, whose interest in knocking over the batting team will be as strong as that of the fielding side.This has the potential to be a game of tactics, patience, nuance and surprise, its unpredictability a trump card. At the end of each match, three captains stand on the podium – one with gold, one with silver and one with bronze. Each of their players will have had a say. Like the Hundred next year, T20 17 years ago, and one-day cricket back in the mists of time, 3 Team Cricket has the power to change perceptions and move the dial. County cricket as we know it, or four-day cricket around the world – though still admirable and essential as the breeding ground for our Test match heroes – will not do that. We must keep looking forward.

Red Bull chief Jurgen Klopp has been active in restructuring RB Leipzig ahead of the 2025-26 season, snapping up a key figure from Bayern Munich.

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Klopp signs new head scout for LeipzigScout spent over seven years in BavariaPersonnel overhaul taking place at Leipzig this summerFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Klopp has secured the services of long-time scout Maximilian Englert, as revealed on his LinkedIn profile. The 36-year-old will become "Head of Live Scouting" for RB Leipzig, which is equivalent to the position of chief scout.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Englert, formerly a first-team scout at Bayern Munich for over seven years, joins Leipzig on the recommendation of former player Daniel Baier, according to Leipzig are currently restructuring their personnel following a disappointing season, with several positions reportedly needing to be filled. The report further claims that Leipzig have already made 16 changes related to first-team staff during the summer break, with further personnel adjustments still possible as the overhaul continues. Team psychologist Peter Schneider and match analyst Fabian Friedrich, who has been with Leipzig since 2012, are apparently on the verge of an exit. Dr Percy Marshall is moving to Bournemouth, while physiotherapist Simeon Unger is taking up a position at the Red Bull Athlete Performance Center in Thalgau, Austria. In addition, Ole Werner has been appointed as the new head coach.

DID YOU KNOW?

Klopp has been actively working behind the scenes to ensure Leipzig do not have another underwhelming campaign. According to reports from Germany, the ex-Liverpool boss, along with sporting direct Marcel Schafer, had a 10-hour long conversation with new head coach Werner to discuss sporting matters and tactical plans.

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR RB LEIPZIG?

The squad will also need reinforcements if they are to return to European football and challenge for the Bundesliga throne. Star players Xavi Simons and Benjamin Sesko have been linked with departures this summer, which could weaken the team to a great extent. Die Roten Bullen will return to action when they take on fourth-tier German side ZFC Meuselwitz on July 19 in their first pre-season game.

Southee and Boult picked up five wickets between them to demolish Uganda, as New Zealand completed the small chase in 5.2 overs

Andrew Fidel Fernando15-Jun-2024

Trent Boult delivered searing, full inswing, Tim Southee went at the stumps as well, before Mitchell Santner and Rachin Ravindra tested both edges of the bat with their left-arm spin.The result was another Uganda collapse at the T20 World Cup, their inexperienced batters simply unable to contend with the quality of New Zealand’s bowling.Uganda were all out for 40 in the 19th over, with only one of their batters – Kenneth Waiswa – having made double figures. They struck three boundaries all through their innings, and were unable to find scoring options, the New Zealand bowlers frequently beating their bat.New Zealand ran down the target in 5.2 overs, with the loss of just one wicket.Boult homes in on the stumps earlyEven top batters from more established teams would have been tested by Boult’s first over. He began with a couple of inswinging yorkers to Ronak Patel, who managed to to get off strike second ball.Boult’s next two deliveries were big-swinging, and pinpoint. First he had left-hander Simon Ssesazi plumb in front, before cleaning up Robinson Obuya with a delivery that curved in through the gate.After Boult delivered that double-wicket over, conceding just one run, Southee bowled a maiden, then Boult delivered another maiden – Uganda’s top order often unable to make contact.The pair bowled right through the powerplay, and left Uganda 9 for 3, with Southee having trapped Alpesh Ramjani in front in his second over.Spinners and Ferguson wreck Uganda’s middle orderThen it was over to Santner, Lockie Ferguson, and Ravindra. Santer struck first, drawing the outside edge of Ronak, held nicely by wicketkeeper Devon Conway.Ferguson then took out Waiswa’s stumps. Even Riazat Ali Shah, and Dinesh Nakrani looked incapable of scoring against New Zealand, and by the end of the 14th over, Uganda were seven down for 27.Their only minor consolation was getting past the 39 – their lowest T20 total ever – they had slumped to against West Indies.The pursuitThe chase was largely smooth, and the only wicket Uganda got had a touch of good fortune about it – Riazat getting Finn Allen caught down the legside with a full delivery.New Zealand had trouble hitting boundaries too, finding the rope only twice in the first four overs. But with such a small target, singles and twos would work too. Conway finished the game with back-to-back boundaries off Jumo Miyagi.

Lucknow Super Giants will take a late call on KL Rahul’s participation – whether in part or more – in Tuesday’s away fixture against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Rahul played as an impact substitute in Saturday’s home game against Punjab Kings, with the LSG management keen on “easing him back” from injury.IPL 2024 is Rahul’s comeback tournament after a quadricep injury ruled him out of the last four Tests of the five-match series at home against England earlier this year. Rahul had pulled up with the same injury – against RCB, incidentally – during IPL 2023, and had to undergo surgery followed by lengthy rehabilitation.”We’ll see how he goes at training,” stand-in captain Nicholas Pooran said when asked about Rahul’s availability on Tuesday.Related

• RCB hope for batters to fire in unison against dangerous LSG

• Ferociously fast and thrillingly direct – Mayank Yadav

• Rahul hands over captaincy to Pooran for game vs Kings

• LSG sign Henry as Willey withdraws from IPL 2024

At training, Rahul did not keep wicket for most of the session. He first underwent a series of timed sprint and mobility drills that were monitored by head coach Justin Langer. Rahul then practiced the full range of his body movements while playing the sweep in particular and felt his left hamstring repeatedly. He then occupied a quiet corner of the field and kept a close eye on the session for more than an hour. Later, he examined at length the slightly unusual M Chinnaswamy Stadium pitch that had more than a smattering of grass right through the 22 yards.Rahul also padded up and went out for a hit against the team’s net bowlers and throwdown specialists. After a 15-minute session, he got back to finishing a few more rounds of mobility drills before walking off to have another long chat with Langer. Only towards the very end of the day did he have a short go with the gloves.”It’s always tough when you have to change combinations,” Pooran said when asked how Rahul’s absence on the field had impacted the team so far. “Obviously, it’s different with KL on the field. But our senior players came together and assisted me in making decisions as well. It’s something that happens. Sometimes when your captain isn’t available, all the senior players stand up, and try and make up for his absence.”KL Rahul scored 58 in 44 balls in LSG’s season-opener against Rajasthan Royals•BCCI

LSG have one win and one loss in two games so far, with Rahul returning scores of 58 (in 44 balls, vs Rajasthan Royals) and 15 (in nine balls, vs Punjab Kings). He kept wicket only in the first game, before handing over the responsibility to Quinton de Kock for the second.Rahul is among the contenders for the wicketkeeper-batter’s slot in India’s T20 World Cup squad.Leading into the IPL 2024 season, there had been debate among observers whether he would bat in the middle order to play a similar role he plays for with the national team. So far, Rahul has opened in both matches.”I am not going lose one second’s sleep over KL Rahul,” Langer had said on his regular captain last week. “He is a beautiful player, he’s an outstanding player. There’s a reason he’s had so much success for India and I’m blessed to have him in our team, not only as an opening batsman or a batsman and wicketkeeper, but also as the captain. He is so calm. He’s a wonderful person.”

MatériaMais Notícias

da cassino online： Corinthians e São Paulo fizeram clássico Majestoso pelo Campeonato Brasileiro e empataram em 1 a 1, na tarde deste domingo, na Neo Química Arena. Michel Araújo abriu o placar para o Tricolor, enquanto Róger Guedes anotou o gol do Timão, em cobrança de pênalti. Assista no vídeo acima aos melhores momentos da partida.

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The former India batter is presently the team mentor at KKR in IPL 2024

Nagraj Gollapudi17-May-2024Former India batter Gautam Gambhir is on top of the BCCI’s wishlist to take up the position of India men’s head coach after Rahul Dravid’s term ends at the conclusion of the 2024 T20 World Cup in June.ESPNcricinfo has learned Gambhir, who is currently the mentor of Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL, has been contacted by the BCCI to gauge his interest in the job, and further discussions are expected after KKR complete their IPL 2024 campaign. However, the deadline for applying for the India head coach job is May 27, a day after the IPL final.Dravid, it is learnt, has communicated to the BCCI his decision not to seek another tenure. VVS Laxman, who had been expected to succeed Dravid, had made himself unavailable last year due to personal reasons.While Gambhir, 42, has no experience of coaching at international or domestic level, he has been in charge of the coaching staff at two IPL franchises. He was the mentor at Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2022 and 2023 – they qualified for the playoffs in both seasons – before joining KKR for the 2024 season, where they will finish the league stage on top of the points table. Gambhir’s move to KKR for IPL 2024 was unexpected but it is learned he was persuaded to become the team’s mentor by the franchise’s principal owner Shah Rukh Khan.Related

• BCCI has not approached any former Australian for India coaching job, says Jay Shah

• India's next head coach: Ponting and Langer rule themselves out

• Gambhir: 'Creating hype' around young India players after two-three games will 'backfire'

• BCCI invites applications for new India men's head coach

• Gambhir returns to Kolkata Knight Riders as team mentor

Gambhir was part of India’s T20 World Cup triumph in 2007 and the ODI World Cup victory in 2011. He captained KKR for seven IPL seasons from 2011 to 2017, and they qualified for the playoffs five times and won two titles in 2012 and 2014 under his leadership. They also reached the final of the defunct Champions League T20 in 2014.Last week, the BCCI posted an advertisement seeking applications for the position of India men’s head coach. The job, the BCCI said, would be for all three formats for a duration of three and a half years starting from July 2024 until December 2027.Dravid had begun his two-year term as India’s head coach after the 2021 T20 World Cup. His stint was supposed to end after the 2023 ODI World Cup in November last year, but he agreed to an extension until the end of the 2024 T20 World Cup, which will be played in West Indies and the USA in June.

The Bangladesh players look like they are enjoying the mildness of everything here, even the seeming lack of buzz surrounding their campaign

Mohammad Isam at The Oval01-Jun-2019Apart from seeing how the injured Tamim Iqbal did in the nets, Bangladesh’s training session on the day before their World Cup opener against South Africa was an unexciting affair. After going back to the hotel, some of them would have iftar in their rooms while others may go out for dinner. In a foreign land where cricket is not exactly a national obsession, the players enjoy a mildness of everything.That is usually not how Bangladesh does cricket. The hype, especially when they play at home, is suffocating. Everything becomes manic, a trigger for something bigger. from MS Dhoni-Mustafizur colliding mid-pitch or Shakib Al Hasan giving Ben Stokes the salute. Nothing can be swept under the carpet. Heck, there are no carpets. The Bangladesh team now operates on a crystal-clear floor where everything is seen clearly and heard loudly.The main stirrer of the pot is the BCB president himself. Nazmul Hassan is very hands-on. He often goes out and tells the media exactly how he feels about the team, from who should be in the XI and how they should be playing.That obviously gets picked up by the mainstream media. Then social media. And on and on it goes, spawning fake news. Recently, Imrul Kayes had to dispel rumors of his retirement after he was ignored from the World Cup squad.But the thing is, this time, even at home, there isn’t much of a buzz. Don’t get me wrong. People still plan to hold watching parties or go out to restaurants or outdoor screenings or just watch with family and friends. There is no drop in interest, but there is a pleasant drop in intensity.Mashrafe Mortaza makes sure everyone knows he is fit•BCBThe Bangladesh players spent 17 days in Ireland where they won a tri-series against the hosts and West Indies. But because it was in the shadow of the World Cup, the victory almost went unnoticed. It was their first trophy out of a multi-team tournament. It should have come with some fanfare – which was the case when they beat Pakistan and India and South Africa in the space of four months in 2015. But maybe the change in tone is not a bad thing.When asked about the lack of buzz around the Bangladesh team, the captain Mashrafe Mortaza said, “It depends whether the hype is necessary or unnecessary. Many people are boasting that we have already reached the semi-finals, or even won the World Cup. We are nowhere near favourites in the World Cup. South Africa are favourites tomorrow. Having said that, we will also try to give our best, up to our preparations and ability.”Some people create unnecessary hype. But those who analyse cricket, they keep us long way back but we are fighting against their opinion. These things go on ahead of the tournament. I think the players should focus on what has produced this expectation.”Mashrafe has been part of World Cup campaigns in 2003, 2007 and 2015. He watched the 2011 edition, co-hosted by Bangladesh, from the sidelines. And he believes the hype is more now.”I think there was less expectations last time. Your lot have also been talking it up. Maybe some of our players have started to believe in it. Sometimes it brings out the best in them, but I am wary that it might also create pressure. Players should be focused on their main job, and not what the talk is about.”We are treating this as another tournament, and our players have to understand that this game is another international match. We will feel more pressure if we take all the talks of expectations to the field.”Mashrafe is correct in saying that the No. 7-ranked team cannot be tipped to win the World Cup even before they play a single match. But that doesn’t really stop the team’s more radical fans from amping them up on Facebook and Twitter. And that is exactly why some in the know are happy the players don’t pay too much mind to all the noise that is around them.”I am not surprised but I am relieved that the players are not so active on social media,” Ahmed Sajjadul Alam Bobby, a BCB director and well-known cricket administrator since the late 1970s, said. “Sometimes unnecessary activities can be counterproductive. It has never helped the players in any way. Perhaps it is a way to connect with your fans, so sticking to that is okay. The tournament has started couple of days ago but it is about to start for our team. So I don’t want to pre-empt anything.”Bobby also said that his colleagues should not be in the news so often. “I think for us, it is best to stay away from the media. I don’t know what purpose it serves,” he said. “We should leave the playing to the players, coaching staff, management and selectors.”And, according to Bobby, this low-key setting ahead of a very big match against South Africa, has been several years in the making. “In 1999, it was about participation, which was a matter of great elation for all of us. In 2011, we hosted the tournament which raised the expectations level. We also realised that we should make some headway in the field too”In 2019, it is no longer about only participation. We are seeking real achievements, so maybe we are a bit cautious about expressing ourselves. Which is why the ecstasy may be missing.”

Ladies and gentlemen, Bukayo Saka is back. Wow, what a sight that was. Three months Arsenal fans have had to stand by to watch him kick a ball again and boy was it worth the wait.

The club’s heralded number 7 hasn’t been seen since sustaining a hamstring injury against Crystal Palace on 21st December and since then, the Gunners’ title challenge has been extinguished swiftly.

Yet, there is still hope for Arsenal’s season. Despite their 2-1 win over Fulham on Tuesday evening, a game Saka scored in, they are unlikely to win the Premier League title.

However, the winger’s return is timely with Real Madrid to look forward to in just under a week’s time in the Champions League.

For once, Mikel Arteta has a bunch of positives to swoon over. That hasn’t been said too often about the club’s season now has it?

The biggest positives from Arsenal's win over Fulham

Oh Saka, you little beauty. It’s been a hellish 12 week period for Arsenal since the Englishman took to the field but he is back and back with a bang.

He had only been on the field for seven minutes before he found the net. It wasn’t in classic Saka fashion but it raised the roof off the Emirates Stadium nonetheless.

Mikel Merino moved into the left channel and swung in a ball that was guided towards Saka with remarkable skill and audacity by Gabriel Martinelli.

The returning hero was just inches out from goal and couldn’t miss, heading the ball past former Gunner Bernd Leno.

Saka wasn’t the only positive either, far from it. The aforementioned Merino and Martinelli were both in top form, the former scoring the game’s opening goal and the latter unfortunate not to leave proceedings with a goal to his name as well.

Minutes played

24

Touches

13

Accurate passes

7/8 (88%)

Key passes

0

Shots on target

1

Accurate crosses

1/1

Duels won

1/3

Was fouled

x1

The Brazilian was a constant livewire, not just providing the assist for Saka’s goal, a game-winning strike, but he also found the back of the net himself, albeit it was ruled out for offside.

Nonetheless, it was phenomenal to see the winger back at top speed. He was a constant nuisance throughout, terrorising Fulham’s Timothy Castagne with a performance that was remeniscent of 2022/23 Martinelli.

He left the field having had three shots, completed two dribbles and produced five key passes.

Chalkboard

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

Beyond Saka’s incredible return, the biggest positive that aside was perhaps the performance of the club’s makeshift centre-forward.

Arsenal have found their modern-day Olivier Giroud

When Gabriel Jesus went down with an injury during Arsenal’s FA Cup exit at the hands of Manchester United, there was a collective panic. But…it was alright…they were going to strengthen in the January transfer window. Famous last words and all that.

Arsenal did not strengthen. Their reward? A season-ending injury for Kai Havertz too.

Since then, Arteta has preferred to field the aforementioned Merino as his out and out centre-forward and it’s had mixed success.

Truth be told, the £28m summer arrival has done an admiral job. He’s scored five goals in eight games as a striker. Had he started the campaign as the club’s number 9, he’d on for a 23-goal season. Not bad indeed.

Unlike many others during the club’s injury-hit season, he’s stepped up big time and in the words of Arsenal writer Oli Price Bates, is “not getting enough credit for his performances.”

Another game came and went against Fulham where the Spaniard made quite the impression. His goal was a scruffy finish, finding the net via a deflection but it was a crucial goal all the same.

It’s not the first time the former Real Sociedad man has come up trumps, notably scoring that brace off the bench in the 2-0 win over Leicester City.

Since then, he’s been much-maligned, rather in the same way as a certain Olivier Giroud. Now, there are clear differences between the two. Giroud was a direct centre-forward first and foremost.

However, there are specific similarities in the way the two play the game. The Frenchman scored some beautiful goals but he always had quite an awkward play style, a technique that looked rather awkward. At the same time, his left peg was certainly pretty special.

Those traits can certainly be applied to Merino too. He’s not the most technically elegant – he’s a bit scruffy and awkward like Giroud. He’s also pretty underappreciated and underrated. That’s not to mention their ability to act as target men and link play too.

Minutes played

90

Touches

28

Accurate passes

14/16 (88%)

Key passes

1

Shots

2

Shots on target

1

Accurate crosses

1/1

Duels won

3/9

Tackles

2

Interceptions

1

Against Fulham, the Spain international certainly showcased that. He scored the opening goal and went on to complete 88% of his passes and make a key pass too. The 28-year-old was subsequently handed an 8/10 player rating by GOAL.

Merino’s future is certainly not in the final third but credit where credit is due, he’s been a huge servant to Arteta in the back end of this unforgiving season for Arsenal.

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Mar 30, 2025

Nottingham Forest are having a brilliant campaign under Nuno Espirito Santo and there is every chance their progress could secure Champions League football, which is bound to appeal to prospective summer targets.

Nottingham Forest could enjoy a transformational summer window

At the beginning of the season, there wouldn’t have been too many Premier League fans who would’ve had Nottingham Forest on their bingo card to finish in the Champions League slots.

Nevertheless, the Tricky Trees have put themselves in a remarkable position with nine matches left to play, potentially paving the way for an exciting market period at the City Ground.

Pushing their level of ambition to the limit, Nottingham Forest have made contact with Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres’s representatives. The Sweden international is viewed as an ideal long-term replacement for prolific marksman Chris Wood.

Sunderland’s Jobe Bellingham is also of interest to the East Midlands-based outfit. Securing a mercurial return to Europe’s top table doesn’t seem to be enough for Espirito Santo, so it is no surprise he is aiming to cement their status as one of the most exciting sides in the English pyramid.

While their efforts in the Premier League could reap significant rewards, Nottingham Forest still find themselves in contention for the FA Cup and evidence that silverware is achievable at the City Ground is only likely to further their scope for savvy recruitment.

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ByHenry Jackson Mar 23, 2025

Undoubtedly, the temptation to shell out big fees for premium talent will be on the mind of Evangelos Marinakis. However, value for money appears to be king under Espirito Santo’s reign if their latest target’s contract situation is anything to go by.

Nottingham Forest position themselves for cut-price Yoane Wissa deal

According to Football Insider, Nottingham Forest are set to reignite their attempts to sign Brentford’s Yoane Wissa and could land the in-form frontman for a ‘reduced price’ of between £15-20 million, as per Pete O’Rourke.

The Democratic Republic of Congo international will enter the final year of his deal at the Gtech Community Stadium this summer and is viewed internally as ‘smart business’ should the Tricky Trees manage to push an agreement over the line.

Yoane Wissa’s excellent season for Brentford

Appearances

30

Goals

15

Assists

2

Shot-creating actions (Premier League)

49

Non-penalty Expected Goals (Premier League)

13.6 XG value

Labelled “remarkable” by Bees boss Thomas Frank, he has also managed to create 17 chances and take 117 touches in the opposition’s penalty area this campaign on league duty, illustrating his capacity to bring others into play.

Stepping forward to fill the void left by Ivan Toney’s departure, Wissa has proven himself as a Premier League starter and may be cashed in on by Brentford to avoid the scenario where he departs on a free transfer in 2026.

Seizing their opportunity, Nottingham Forest will now hope to convince the 28-year-old that committing his future at the City Ground is the best course of action in light of the club’s upward trajectory.