It’s not rocket science: the more they play at one venue, the more their game will develop, especially with the red ball. But where is that one venue?

Vishal Dikshit14-Sep-2024Where do you feel at home?Maybe where you’re most comfortable. Or most loved. Or have a strong support system. Or where you think you truly belong.It doesn’t have to be all of the above. A couple, maybe even one, could do the job. Unfortunately, Afghanistan don’t even have that much when it comes to a “home” venue.Since June 2017, when they were granted Full Member status, Afghanistan have played their home internationals in the three major cities of the UAE, in Dehradun, Lucknow and Greater Noida in India (which was also home before they became a Full Member). In between that, there’s been an ODI series in Sri Lanka, and even one in Qatar in early 2022. Credit to Afghanistan, that despite playing their home ODIs and T20Is across Asia – except never in their actual home – they have improved immensely in the white-ball formats.Of the five home Test matches Afghanistan have played so far – the one against New Zealand in Greater Noida would have been their sixth – they have not played more than twice at any one ground. They have played Tests in Dehradun and Lucknow, two at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi and one at the Tolerance Oval in Abu Dhabi; even within Abu Dhabi, they have had to play at two different grounds.Related

• Inexperienced SA brace for Afghanistan challenge amid loud backlash

• Shahidi wants 'one good home venue' and more Tests for Afghanistan

• Slushy patches, wet weather prevent Test from starting in Greater Noida

• Afghanistan coach Trott: Sometimes we take things like drainage 'for granted'

The least a growing side like Afghanistan deserves is a dedicated home venue that they can reach without crisscrossing international borders and adjusting to different conditions. They have played half of their Tests against the other non-World Test Championship (WTC) Full Members, Ireland and Zimbabwe, and facing a much higher-ranked team like New Zealand would have been “historic”, according to their head coach Jonathan Trott.”I think we could have gained whether we won or lost,” Trott said after the one-off Test in Greater Noida was abandoned on Friday without a ball bowled across the five days. “I think the players would have learnt a hell of a lot in this format of the game, which is the challenge going forward in red-ball cricket for Afghanistan.”So why don’t Afghanistan have a dedicated home venue? Why do they have to hop between the UAE and India, and play on Indian grounds (barring Lucknow) that do not even host domestic matches regularly?Because of the political situation in Afghanistan, of course. The UAE is Afghanistan’s adopted cricketing home, which is why they have played three of their five home Tests there. But when those grounds there are not available, Afghanistan are forced to play in India.Once the Test against New Zealand lost the first two days because of a wet outfield, despite the pitch being baked by the sun and no rain during the hours of play, questions started to crop up about why this little-used ground with seemingly substandard facilities was hosting a Test match in the first place. The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) explained that the match could not be held in the UAE because of extreme heat at this time of the year (the only Test to take place in the country in September started on September 28, between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in 2017).The one-off Test between Afghanistan and New Zealand was washed out without a ball being bowled•AFP/Getty ImagesDehradun also usually witnesses rainfall in September, so the options the ACB was left with were Bengaluru, Kanpur and Greater Noida. Bengaluru and Kanpur, which host international matches regularly, were unavailable because of India’s domestic games, so the ACB had no choice but to go to Greater Noida. At least there would have been a feeling of familiarity. They had already played 11 international games there (six T20Is and five ODIs) since 2017, and logistically too it made relatively more sense, with limited connectivity by commercial flight in and out of Kabul these days. “You can get a flight maybe from Kabul and from Dubai to Delhi, and then [the ground is] two hours drive from there,” Menhajuddin Raz, ACB’s international cricket manager, had said during the Test.But the big risk they were running was handing a Test debut to a ground that is rarely used even for domestic cricket and last hosted an international game in March 2020. The last first-class match played there was between Afghanistan and Ireland, part of the ICC Intercontinental Cup, in March 2017. Apart from that, the venue has hosted just eight first-class games, all between December 2015 and December 2016.To add to that, Greater Noida is the suburb of a suburb – outside Delhi, in the state of Uttar Pradesh, and the ground comes under the control of the local administrative authority (Greater Noida Authority), not under the BCCI or the state association (UPCA). The Greater Noida stadium’s first-class matches are almost a part of forgotten history and accountability for its maintenance is hard to trace. All in all, the Afghanistan team once again suffered for no fault of their own.Afghanistan have started playing Tests relatively more regularly in the current FTP cycle (21 from 2023 to 2027, as opposed to 13 in the previous five-year cycle), but it’s home advantage they are desperately missing. It’s not rocket science that the more Afghanistan play at one venue, the quicker they will figure out ideal combinations and strategies based on the conditions and oppositions. Their Test captain Hashmatullah Shahidi rightly pointed out before the scheduled start of the New Zealand game that the opposition has played more Tests in India than them, and probably had better knowledge of local conditions than the “hosts” Afghanistan.”If you see, India is our home but when we host teams, the other nations have played more cricket than us here,” Shahidi had said. “So hopefully we will get one good venue here in India and we stick with that. If we stick with one venue, it will be more effective for us.”The fans in Afghanistan have to content themselves with watching international games on TV screens•Associated PressThis problem does not seem to have a ready solution but Afghanistan at least have some time to figure it out. Their next Test series consists of two away games in December against Zimbabwe, whom they are slotted to play again in another away series in October 2025, after a one-off Test in Ireland in July. Their next Test against a significantly higher-ranked side will come after a wait of nearly two years, when India host them for a one-off Test in June 2026.For now, Afghanistan pack their bags and prepare to fly to Sharjah – their original home away from home – to host South Africa for three ODIs. Since becoming a Full Member, Afghanistan have won seven of their ten completed ODIs in Sharjah, all against either Ireland or Zimbabwe. South Africa, at the same venue, have beaten teams like India and Pakistan with a 10-2 win-loss record in ODIs.The question arises again. Who really has the home advantage?

Arshdeep Singh is learning how to enjoy the “boring times” in red-ball cricket and has spent the last few months working on his “mindset” as he tunes up for the upcoming season.Arshdeep, 26, is currently playing for North Zone in the Duleep Trophy match against East Zone in Bengaluru, his last competitive game before the 2025 Asia Cup, which begins on September 9 in Abu Dhabi.”In Test cricket or red-ball cricket, there is a time when the day gets boring,” Arshdeep said. “In the session after lunch, mostly the ball doesn’t do anything. So, how can you enjoy that?”I spoke to [Mohammed] Siraj and he told me that when nothing is happening, how you enjoy that phase would tell you how successful you could be in red-ball cricket. He gave me this small tip. I really liked it.”Related

• From Lonavala to the limelight – Vicky Ostwal eyes step up across formats

• Mohammed Shami revs it up on red-ball return

• Meet the spinner known as Manishi

• Danish Malewar's bright start and big ambitions

• Auqib Nabi shakes up the Duleep Trophy with four wickets in four balls

Before this, Arshdeep last played competitive cricket at IPL 2025, where he finished as Punjab Kings’ highest wicket-taker with 21 wickets in 17 matches. He earned a maiden Test call-up for the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy and was in contention to make his debut in the fourth Test, but injured his bowling hand and was ruled out.Having gone close to three months without a game, Arshdeep put in a long shift on the second day, bowling 17 overs, the most by any North Zone bowler. While he only got one wicket, he “felt really good” with the number of overs he got in.”In the last couple of months I was with the team, I trained a lot, bowled a lot and worked a lot with the S&C [strength and conditioning],” Arshdeep said. “I worked on fitness as well and that helped me bowl a decent long spell. After 15-17 overs, my body feels well. It’s [the ball] coming out really well. Not many wickets but yes, they will come as well in the future.”India fast bowlers Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana and Mohammed Shami share a light moment•PTI

Did it get frustrating at any point in England, having to spend almost two months on the sidelines? How did he keep himself motivated?”When you are not playing, you just try to push your limits. The training is almost the same,” he said. “You just put in more work when you are not playing. More overs, more strength work, more training, so that whenever you get the chance, you are ready and fully fit to go.”I don’t know how many thousands of balls I would have bowled in practice. It’s not like there was a lack of bowling. I was properly managing my workload. The aim is to stay ready whenever you get a chance.”Arshdeep will have to make a quick switch to white-ball cricket, with the Indian team slated to reach Dubai for the Asia Cup preparations on September 4. The fast bowler, however, doesn’t feel the switch to T20 cricket will be tough, and insists it is all about adaptability.”Right from the last Test [at The Oval], I had started practising with a white ball,” Arshdeep said. “I didn’t know that there was a Duleep Trophy match in between. At the end of the day, red ball, white ball or pink ball, you have to play cricket and try and enjoy it.”I have got a chance here [at the Duleep Trophy], will play with a white ball next [at the Asia Cup]. So the aim is to put in a lot of overs under your belt and play any format. The mindset is about how quickly you can adapt. In today’s cricket, a batsman can hit against the red ball and he can play conservatively against a white ball.”So, it’s all about how you can adapt according to the situation, according to the wicket, according to the weather, when you have to put in effort, when you have to conserve yourself.”India’s first game at the Asia Cup is against UAE on September 10. They will play Pakistan on September 14 and Oman on September 19 before the Super Four round gets underway from September 20.

The decision stems from wanting to play all three formats, something he could not do at Haryana since 2023-24

Shashank Kishore30-Aug-2025India offspinner Jayant Yadav has signed with Puducherry for the upcoming domestic season. He has been granted an NOC by Haryana, the team he has represented since his first-class debut in 2011-12.ESPNcricinfo understands Jayant’s decision stems from wanting to play all three formats. He hasn’t been a regular in white-ball formats since 2023-24, when Haryana were crowned Vijay Hazare Trophy champions. The team management has preferred spin allrounders Nishant Sindhu and Rahul Tewatia over Jayant.Jayant’s most recent outing with the side came during the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy, where he picked up 28 wickets in eight matches. The quarter-final against Mumbai in February was his last for the team, where he picked up three wickets and scored 40 runs across two innings in a 152-run loss.Jayant, 35, comes with rich experience, having picked up 265 wickets in 90 first-class matches. He has also scored 2924 first-class runs with three centuries and 14 half-centuries, with a best of 211 against Karnataka in 2012-13. During that innings, he added a record 392 runs with Amit Mishra for the eighth wicket.At Puducherry, Jayant will be one of three professionals, alongside Madhya Pradesh allrounder Puneet Datey and Mumbai wicketkeeper Siddhant Adhatrao. Jayant is believed to be a late signing in place of Mumbai batter Armaan Jaffer, nephew of former India batter Wasim Jaffer.Jayant played the most recent of his six Tests against Sri Lanka in Mohali in February 2022. He has also featured in two T20Is – one each in 2016 and 2022. He’s currently contracted to Gujarat Titans in the IPL and has previously represented Delhi Daredevils and Mumbai Indians.

Big picture: Contest of evenly matched teams

Up until the end of 2022, these teams had played four T20Is against each other. Ever. In the last three years, though, these teams have played five times, and been fairly evenly matched – UAE winning three times, Oman twice. They had met in the final of the ACC Men’s Premier Cup, which is the feeder tournament for the Asia Cup. On that occasion, a 56-ball 100* from UAE captain Muhammad Waseem had put UAE’s total well out of Oman’s reach. But earlier in the tournament, Oman had handed out a crushing defeat to UAE.They arrive at this encounter licking wounds. UAE arguably had the more traumatic opening encounter, having been shot out for 57 by India before the target was chased down in 4.3 overs. Oman’s brush with Pakistan saw them 67 all out chasing 161. There is the distant possibility that either – or both – of these teams can cause upsets in their last group match. But more than likely, this match is their best chance of getting some points up on the table, on the biggest stage either team will play on this year.In fact, for both teams, it is an opportunity to break losing streaks. UAE have been much more active in T20I cricket this year, but have now lost six matches on the jump – that sequence having been kickstarted by Uganda, who beat them in late July. Oman also have a six-match losing streak going all the way back to December last year. In that time, they have lost to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and USA (three times). Both teams will by now be desperate for a T20I win, but it’s been a much longer wait for Oman.

Form guide

UAE LLLLL
Oman LLLLLOman will turn to Jatinder Singh to deliver with the bat•Peter Della Penna

In the spotlight: Jatinder Singh and Haider Ali

Oman captain and opening batter Jatinder Singh was undone by an excellent carrom ball against Pakistan, but of all Oman’s batters, he’s the only one with some semblance of recent form going in to this match. In February, he had hit two fifties against USA at home, his 136 runs in that series coming at a strike rate of 147.82.Almost equally unable to impose himself on UAE’s opening game was left-arm spinner Haider Ali, who bowled the first over in a no-hope defence against India, and conceded ten runs. Nevertheless, he has been far and away UAE’s best bowler this year, taking 22 wickets in 14 matches with an economy rate of 5.54. Having made his debut only this year, Haider has never played Oman.

Pitch and conditions

The Abu Dhabi pitch tends to be batting-friendly, though occasionally it will have something for the slower bowlers as well. Rain is not forecast.

Team news

Despite the big loss, Oman will likely field the same XI.Oman (possible): 1 Aamir Kaleem, 2 Jatinder Singh (capt), 3 Hammad Mirza, 4 Mohammad Nadeem, 5 Sufyan Mehmood, 6 Vinayak Shukla (wk), 7 Zikria Islam, 8 Shah Faisal, 9 Shakeel Ahmed, 10 Hassnain Shah, 11 Samay ShrivastavaIn the pre-match press conference, UAE didn’t hint at any changes.UAE (possible): 1 Alishan Sharafu, 2 Muhammad Waseem (capt), 3 Muhammad Zohaib, 4 Rahul Chopra (wk), 5 Asif Khan, 6 Harshit Kaushik, 7 Dhruv Parashar, 8 Simranjeet Singh, 9 Haider Ali, 10 Junaid Siddique, 11 Muhammad Rohid

Stats and trivia

• Haider Ali’s record in the UAE is not quite as good as his overall record. On home decks, he has nine wickets from eight matches, with an economy rate of 6.13.
• In matches between these teams played in the UAE, the hosts have won twice, including the most recent encounter, in December last year.
• In five T20I against UAE so far, Jatinder Singh has a high score of 26, and a strike rate of 96.29.

  Quotes

  “Our calibre is much better than what we showed in the first game, and we will show that tomorrow.”

Premier League clubs have voted against the introduction of a salary cap in top-flight football, but a serious overhaul of Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) is still being lined up. The proposals put to teams at the highest level of the English game would have seen previous financial regulations ripped up, but not every suggestion has received universal approval.

Premier League vote on introduction of a salary cap

All 20 Premier League clubs convened in a vote that took place on November 21. Part of that polling saw plans for a salary cap vetoed. It is reported that 12 teams voted against the plans, while seven were in favour and one abstained.

At a shareholders’ meeting, a range of topics were discussed – including top to bottom anchoring, squad cost ratio (SCR) and the Sustainability and system resilience (SSR). A vote on SCR was passed, while SCR proposals were pushed through unanimously. Of the 20 sides holding a vote, 14 must give a green light in order for 

Premier League rules to be changed.

AdvertisementGettyThe 2025-26 campaign will be the last with PSR regulations

It has been determined that SCR will replace the current PSR system, which limits losses to a maximum of £105 million ($137m) over a three-year period. With a fresh approach being agreed, the 2025-26 campaign will be the last under the PSR regulations.

SCR dictates that teams can only spend 85 per cent of their total income on wages and transfer fees for players, coaches and agents. The plan has already been adopted by UEFA, meaning that English teams competing in Europe can only spend 70 per cent of their income on wages and transfers. UEFA’s SCR scheme follows the calendar year, but the Premier League’s version will mirror the domestic football season.

What is squad cost ratio (SCR) & why is it being introduced?

A statement from the league read: "SCR will regulate clubs’ on-pitch spending to 85 per cent of their football revenue and net profit/loss on player sales. Clubs will have a multi-year allowance of 30% that they can use to spend in excess of the 85 per cent. Utilising this allowance will incur a levy and once the allowance is exhausted, they will need to comply with 85% or face a sporting sanction.

"The new SCR rules are intended to promote opportunity for all clubs to aspire to greater success and brings the League’s financial system close to UEFA’s existing SCR rules which operate at a threshold of 70 per cent. The other key features of the League’s new system include transparent in-season monitoring and sanctions, protection against sporting underperformance, an ability to spend ahead of revenues, strengthened ability to invest off the pitch, and a reduction in complexity by focusing on football costs.

"The Sustainability and Systemic Resilience rules assess a club’s short, medium and long-term financial health through three tests – Working Capital Test, Liquidity Test and Positive Equity Test.

"Since 2023, the Premier League and our clubs have worked collaboratively to develop the financial controls with the objective of maintaining the League’s value, protecting competitive balance and ensuring clubs operate in a financially sustainable way.

"The process has included extensive consultation at Shareholder level at clubs, as well as senior finance and legal executives, and club working groups. In addition, independent economic and legal analysis was sought.

"As part of the development of the proposed rules, clubs agreed at the Premier League Annual General Meeting in June 2024 to trial SCR and TBA on a non-binding basis. The shadow monitoring of SCR and TBA rules has also continued this season.

"This enabled the League and clubs to fully evaluate the system, including the operation of UEFA’s equivalent SCR regulations, and to complete the consultation with all relevant stakeholders including the PFA and football agents."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettyExplained: SSR & top to bottom anchoring

SSR consists of three prongs. One of those seeks to ensure that teams have sufficient resources to manage outgoings and any revenue fluctuations. The others focus on long-term financial plans and the health of a club’s balance sheet.

Top to bottom anchoring (TBA) would have effectively seen a salary cap put in place. That is because those proposals limit spending on wages and transfers to five times the amount paid in prize money and broadcast revenue to the team that finishes bottom of the division. The Premier League could, as reported by , have faced legal action from players had anchoring been introduced.

As takeover talks continue, Sheffield Wednesday could reportedly get the chance to sign former Leeds United star Liam Cooper after holding fresh talks with the EFL.

Things are looking up for the Owls. Even as Norwich City rescued a point, there was a greater sense of positivity at Hillsborough than there has been in recent months. With controversial owner Dejphon Chansiri gone, they’ve been able to look towards a future which could involve an owner who has the club’s interests at heart.

BBC reporter shares latest £50m step that 3 Sheffield Wednesday candidates have just taken

Things are looking up for the Owls.

By
Tom Cunningham

Oct 31, 2025

To that end, the likes of John McEvoy and other unnamed American parties have been mentioned as potential options in the last two weeks, with the amount of interest in the club coming as a positive surprise for co-administrator Kris Wigfield. In a statement, the Begbies managing partner praised fans for their support since arriving.

There could also be more positive steps to come. Wigfield told reporters that the administrators are in talks with the EFL over an alleviation of recruitment restrictions, which would allow the Owls to welcome some much-needed reinforcements.

Given that they currently sit on -4 points and with an impossible task ahead of them if they want to survive, any chance to recruit would be welcomed by everyone at Sheffield Wednesday. It could even open the door for a former Leeds star.

Sheffield Wednesday eyeing Liam Cooper move

According to The Star’s Alex Miller, Sheffield Wednesday are now eyeing a move to sign Liam Cooper after holding talks with the EFL in the hope of seeing their restrictions lifted. The former Leeds United defender has been out of a club since leaving CSKA Sofia in the summer, but could now get the chance to return to the Championship courtesy of the Owls.

It’s a move that he needs just as much as Sheffield Wednesday. At 34 years old, Cooper is not yet retired and could yet bow out back in English football. Having spent 10 years at Leeds in both the Championship and the Premier League, his experience would prove vital to the Owls whether they’re in the second tier or in League One next season.

After he played his final game for Leeds, manager Daniel Farke was full of praise for Cooper – telling reporters: “It was a pleasure and a privilege to be allowed to be his manager for the last 12 months.

“I’ve also played several times against him, also in his prime. So what can I say? A fantastic footballer, a fantastic human being, an unbelievable person. He’s a real club legend.”

John Textor makes Sheffield Wednesday contact

Aston Villa have now joined the race to sign Abde Ezzalzouli, at Unai Emery’s request, and Real Betis’ asking price has been revealed.

Villa’s interest in signing a new forward comes amid doubts surrounding Harvey Elliott’s future, with widespread reports suggesting Liverpool could recall the attacking midfielder from his loan spell in the January transfer window.

Elliott has failed to establish himself as a first-team regular, featuring for just 97 minutes across four matches in the Premier League this season, and Fabrizio Romano has now provided an update on whether there is any way back for the Englishman.

The transfer expert said: “At the moment, it depends on his performances in training. The situation is still not changing and of course, Elliott is not happy.”

Should the 22-year-old exit Villa Park this winter, there may be room in the squad to bring in another attacker, and the Villans are now looking to sign a new winger…

Aston Villa join race to sign Abde Ezzalzouli at Unai Emery's request

According to a report from Spain, Aston Villa have now joined the race to sign Real Betis star Ezzalzouli, with the forward being monitored closely ahead of the January transfer window, although there could be competition for his signature from Crystal Palace.

The Betis board’s asking price is ‘significantly’ in excess of the Moroccan’s current value of €12m (£11m), with the Spanish club eager to retain one of their key players, and manager Manuel Pellegrini has made it clear he wants to keep hold of him.

The 23-year-old has been personally requested by Emery for January, with the manager setting out to sign a new winger in order to strengthen his side’s chances of winning the Europa League.

It is little wonder Pellegrini is keen to keep hold of the 25-time Morocco international, given that he has impressed at Real Betis for quite some time, with scout Ben Mattinson waxing lyrical about the left-winger during the 2024/25 campaign.

The former Osasuna man has also made a flying start to the season, chipping in with three goals and two assists in his opening eight games, which has helped propel his side to fifth in the La Liga table.

Emery strengthened his options at left-wing in the summer, signing Jadon Sancho, but the Manchester United loanee is yet to make an impact, failing to register a single goal or assist in his opening eight matches in all competitions.

As such, it would make sense to bring in a new winger in the January transfer window, and Ezzalzouli could be a fantastic long-term addition to the squad.

Aston Villa targeting Ansu Fati alongside Abde Ezzalzouli Aston Villa prepared to make Ansu Fati offer but face complicated roadblock

The Villans are willing to make a bid for a new forward, after Emery’s plea to the board.

ByDominic Lund Nov 4, 2025

Both players were off the field for large portions of the second innings against Sri Lanka

Shashank Kishore26-Sep-20252:05

Is captaincy affecting SKY’s form?

Morne Morkel, India’s bowling coach, has allayed concerns around the fitness of Hardik Pandya and Abhishek Sharma leading into Sunday’s Asia Cup final against Pakistan in Dubai.Hardik held his left hamstring and walked off the field after bowling the first over of Sri Lanka’s innings on Friday, in which he dismissed Kusal Mendis for a first-ball duck. Hardik didn’t return to take the field for the remainder of the innings.”Hardik had cramps, he will be assessed tonight and tomorrow morning, we’ll then take a call on that,” Morkel said at the post-match press conference. India’s bowling coach was merely reiterating what India captain Suryakumar Yadav said at the post-match presentation.Meanwhile, Abhishek too spent the entire second half of Sri Lanka’s innings off the field. Abhishek showed signs of discomfort in the ninth over, when he clutched onto his right thigh while running. He eventually left the field in the 10th over, just before a Pathum Nissanka six was signalled dead ball because he hadn’t left the field before Varun Chakravarthy began to run in to bowl.Like Hardik, Abhishek too spent the rest of the innings being iced and treated with pickle juice to ease cramps. Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube and Jitesh Sharma came on as substitute fielders at different points. At one point, even Tilak Varma was briefly off the field, but he soon returned after a hydration break.With the Sri Lanka game stretching way beyond its scheduled close due to the Super Over finish, India are left with an even shorter turnaround time before they take the field on Sunday. Morkel stressed on the need for the players to recover, and stay away from training on Saturday.”The key for the boys is to rest,” he said. “They’re in an ice bath already. The recovery started straight after the match. The best way to recover is sleep and stay off your feet. Hopefully they can get a good night’s sleep.”There will be individual pool sessions for the guys organised. Then some massages before they get mentally ready for the big battle on Sunday. It’s a quick turnaround, and playing smart is going to be the key. There will certainly be no training.”‘Arshdeep, Harshit are X-factors’Morkel also touched upon the challenges players like Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana face when being called upon to deliver at a crucial stage in the competition. On Friday against Sri Lanka, the pair returned combined figures of 2 for 100 of eight overs in India’s defence of 202, before a nerveless Arshdeep delivered in the Super Over to seal victory.”In our environment we want to move away from an excuse culture,” he said. “The effort they put in at training, we expect them to go out there and deliver. Yes, sometimes lack of game time is a factor. You can bowl as many overs as you like in the nets, but nothing beats game time.”The quality of work we put in, we expect the guys to deliver. At the moment, things aren’t happening for them but the team is winning, they’re all X-factor players and real match winners.”

Southampton decided to part ways with head coach Will Still after the former Lens boss only won two of his 13 matches in charge of the club in the Championship.

Interim manager Tonda Eckert has won both of his league games in the dugout so far, including a 3-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday last time out, but it remains to be seen what the future holds for him.

Irrespective of what happens now, Eckert has delivered back-to-back wins that were much-needed after a dismal start to the campaign, which led to Still’s dismissal.

Why Will Still was unfortunate to be sacked by Southampton

The Belgian-born tactician won two of his 13 league matches and averaged 0.92 points per game, per Transfermarkt, which is why it was not a surprise to see him lose his job.

However, per FotMob, Southampton rank sixth in the table for xPTS and are currently 11 places lower in the division than they would be if every game was decided by who created the higher-quality chances.

Of course, football is not played on paper and it is, ultimately, a results-based business, but these statistics suggest that performances from individuals let him down, as the Saints have underperformed their xG and conceded more than their xGA suggests that they should have.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

Expand Collapse

Whilst it is hard to know what goes on behind the scenes, perhaps Still was unable to motivate a team to win consistently, as he finished between 11th and 8th in his three seasons as a manager in France, which means that he is not used to competing at the very top of a league.

This is why Southampton could find a major upgrade on the former Lens boss by hiring reported target Brendan Rodgers as their new manager during the break.

Why Southampton should hire Brendan Rodgers

The Northern Irish manager resigned from the Celtic job last month and he could be the dream appointment for the Saints if they can convince him to drop down to the Championship.

Rodgers, who was once dubbed “world-class” by Gabriel Agbonlahor, may have the perfect track record for the situation that Southampton find themselves in, because he has experience in the Championship, the Premier League, and the Premiership.

The 52-year-old coach won promotion via the play-offs with Swansea in the 2010/11 campaign, which is relevant for where the club is now, and helped them to stay up with an 11th-placed finish in the Premier League the following season, which should be Southampton’s long-term goal.

Brendan Rodgers’ league career as a manager

League

Games managed

Points per game

Premier League

312

1.56

Premiership

173

2.43

Premiership top six split

15

2.20

Championship

94

1.49

Championship play-offs

3

2.33

Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, Rodgers is a proven Premier League manager who has excelled at Swansea, Liverpool, and Leicester City in the top-flight, which is why he would be the perfect appointment for now and in the future.

On top of that, the Northern Irishman is also a proven winner. Per Transfermarkt, he won four Scottish Premiership titles, four Scottish League Cups, and four SFA Cups with Celtic, along with an FA Cup and a Community Shield with Leicester.

This means that Rodgers has won a whopping 13 trophies in his career as a manager, whilst Southampton have not won a major trophy since the FA Cup success in 1976.

Overall, the former Celtic manager would be a major upgrade on Still, who has only managed midtable success and has no trophies under his belt, because of his career record, his history in the Championship and the Premier League, and his proven track record of winning trophies.

Related Dream O'Neil alternative: Southampton considering "insanely talented coach"

Southampton are still considering a head coach who would be a dream alternative to Gary O’Neil.

Posts ByDan Emery Nov 8, 2025

If they can convince him to take the job, Rodgers could be the ideal candidate to get the Saints out of the Championship, as well as to establish them in the Premier League.

For a long time, one of Arsenal’s most significant problems was finding a proper backup for Bukayo Saka.

The Hale End icon is undoubtedly Mikel Arteta’s best player, and his time on the sidelines last season showed just how much the team were in desperate need of someone who could cover and compete with him on the right.

Fortunately, the North Londoners signed Noni Madueke in the summer, and while his arrival wasn’t met with universal excitement, his performances over the first five Premier League games suggested he may well be the player the club have needed for so long.

Therefore, supporters should be excited about recent reports linking Arsenal to an international ace who has been compared to both Saka and Madueke.

Arsenal target Saka & Madueke hybrid

It’s not even December, but Arsenal are already being linked with a host of exciting players across Europe and beyond.

Transfer Focus

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

For example, Levante’s Etta Eyong, who has already racked up nine goal involvements, has been touted for a move to the Emirates, as has Nottingham Forest’s incredible Elliot Anderson.

However, as talented as they are, neither of them could be described as being a hybrid of Saka and Madueke, unlike Karim Adeyemi.

Yes, according to a recent report from TEAMtalk, Arsenal are one of a few top sides interested in signing the Borussia Dortmund star.

More than that, the report has revealed that while the German international’s representatives have spoken to Manchester United, he would favour a move to the Gunners.

A potential price is not mentioned in the story, but other reports from Germany claim that Dortmund value their attacker at around £70m.

It could be a complicated and costly deal to get over the line, but given Adeyemi’s ability and potential, one worth pursuing, especially as he’s been compared to both Saka and Madueke.

How Adeyemi compares to Saka & Madueke

Even though it feels like it has been around for some time now, Adeyemi is still just 23 years old.

The Munich-born “monster,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, has been a key player for Dortmund for a few years, ending last season with an excellent tally of 12 goals and 11 assists in just 41 appearances.

He appears on track to match that tally this year as well, as in 14 appearances, totalling just 817 minutes, he has already racked up six goal involvements.

However, while his output is seriously impressive, the comparisons to Saka and Madueke primarily come from elsewhere, from FBref.

They have compared him to every attacking midfielder and winger across Europe’s top five leagues and have determined that the Hale Enders is the second most similar, and the former Chelsea star is the fourth.

You can gain a better understanding of how these comparisons were made by examining the underlying numbers in which the German dynamo has ranked closely to the two internationals.

In the case of the Gunners’ talisman, these metrics include expected goals plus assists, progressive passes, shot-creating actions, shots on target, and more, all per 90.

Expected Goals + Assists

0.57

0.58

Progressive Passes

2.14

2.24

Shots on Target

0.89

0.93

Passing Accuracy

71.4%

72.4%

Shot-Creating Actions

4.47

4.23

Fouls Drawn

2.68

2.50

Then, for the former Blues star, the underlying numbers include metrics such as goal-creating actions, expected assists, and most interestingly, carries, also all per 90.

In other words, the former RB Salzburg gem seems to possess some of the creativity and goal threat of the North Londoners’ number seven, as well as the carrying ability of their summer signing, which helps explain why Mattinson called him a “serious transitional threat.”

Expected Assists

0.29

0.24

Goal-Creating Actions

0.54

0.59

Carries

28.2

25.9

Successful Take-On %

43.3%

41.2%

Ball Recoveries

2.86

2.94

Ultimately, it would be a costly and challenging transfer to get over the line, but given Adeyemi’s skillset, positional versatility and output, it is one Arsenal should pursue.

Trossard upgrade: Arsenal plot £65m move for "best winger in the country"

Arsenal could sign a big-money winger in bad news for Leandro Trossard.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 18, 2025