All posts by h716a5.icu

Former England captain is optimistic about prospects but warns against presuming all-out pace is key

Vithushan Ehantharajah31-Oct-2025Michael Vaughan believes winning the Ashes would vindicate Ben Stokes’ work as Test captain, adding the allrounder may prove to be England’s most valuable bowler on “very English” Australian pitches.With the first Test in Perth just three weeks away, the majority of England’s Test squad are in New Zealand, either involved in the ongoing ODI series or training alongside it. The Ashes group will come together in Western Australia on Monday, where they will be joined by the England Lions who will help them prepare with a three-day game starting on November 13, eight days before the series opener at Optus Stadium.Despite their last Test win on Australia soil coming in January 2011 – confirming a historic 3-1 success – and an aggregate 13-0 scoreline in the three tours since, England are optimistic. Much of that is down to the belief and more confrontational style instilled in the group by Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum.Results have dramatically improved under Stokes. He has personally overseen 22 wins in 36 Tests as full-time skipper, flipping a slump of one win in 17 prior to his appointment. However, England have yet to win a five-match series since he and McCullum took the reins at the start of the 2022 summer, which includes a 2-2 draw in 2023’s home Ashes. They have also failed to make an impression in the World Test Championship, sitting sixth in the current cycle after drawing with India this summer.Speaking at a Viagogo event, Vaughan, who marshalled England’s 2005 Ashes success, ending an 18-year drought, feels the time has come for Stokes to mark his captaincy with some tangible success.”I think they need a trophy,” he said.”I mean, would I take two-all now? Probably, let’s be honest. In the last few series, 2010-11 is the only time that I’ve seen England have success. We won one Test match in 2002-03, we won three Test matches in 2010-11. We haven’t won a Test since. So actually looking at growth in terms of what English cricket is delivering and, crikey, if you could get a two-all series, you’d obviously take that.Michael Vaughan and Chris Woakes speak to the media at a Viagogo event in London•Viagogo”But I think Ben and his mentality, and the way that he plays his cricket, this is his moment. He has to deliver and he has to get that urn in his hand. And it’s not putting him under pressure. They’ll be speaking in this kind of language in the dressing room. They will expect to win this series and now’s the time to deliver.”Vaughan also warned England not to get carried away with the notion that all-out pace is the way to go in Australia.The tourists have spent the last two years cultivating a more rounded seam attack for all conditions, but particularly in Australia with the Kookaburra ball.James Anderson was pushed into retirement last year, ultimately, because they did not believe, at 43, he would be effective on this tour. In turn, there was a focus on raising the average speed of their attack and favouring those with high release points, with the likes of Brydon Carse and Josh Tongue. Diligent work behind the scenes has ensured Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, two of the quickest in the world, have made it to this hallmark series.As such, England believe they possess the fastest attack they have ever taken on an Ashes tour. However, it is worth noting recent Australian pitches have tended to be greener and thus more amenable to the Kookaburra ball.The numbers highlight the shift, with top seven batters averaging 30.22 since the start of the 2021-22 Ashes, compared to 38.14 in the previous 20 Tests. Following the retirement of Chris Woakes and the non-selection of Sam Cook, Vaughan sees Stokes as the only bowler with the wares to excel if conditions turn out to be more sporting than anticipated.”I don’t think it’s all about pace,” said Vaughan. “I’d be very, very wary to just think that because we’ve got Jofra, because we’ve got Mark Wood, Brydon Carse, Gus Atkinson that can bowl with a bit of gas, that’s all you need.Related

Why Head hopes Ashes pitches continue to help the bowlers

Switch Hit: Rainy, phoney, baloney

What does Pat Cummins' absence mean for Australia?

Cummins makes tentative return to bowling in Ashes fitness race

'The more the merrier' – Hazlewood calls for more allrounders in Ashes XI

“Scott Boland, he averages 12 (12.63) because he hits the top of off stump more often than not, and the ball just wobbles around a bit. This series is the series that I look and think. ‘give me a Chris Woakes or a Sam Cook’ just in case, because we might get conditions that are very, very English and top of off will still be the main threat. And it’s who’s going to consistently hit the top of off stump.”There’s not many quick bowlers that hit the top of off stump. They’re basically there to bowl a bit of pepper and change up the pace of play.”I guess Ben’s the one bowler that you can just go, okay, you go back to top of off. It’s the one concern I have about the England attack that I’m thinking, who’s going to continuously hit the top of off if the ball’s wobbling around? Pace, yes, but it might be a series where the top of off stump is the area to go for.”Though Stokes is working his way back from a shoulder injury in New Zealand, he comes to Australia in perhaps his best bowling form. His 17 wickets at 25.23 in the home season’s Anderson-Tendulkar trophy were his most productive, beating a previous best 15 in 2013-14 Ashes, his first Test series.Despite arriving into the 2025 summer off the back of two right hamstring tears in the space of six months, Stokes was remarkably fit. His speeds were consistently challenging, around the mid-80s, and his skills undimmed. That he had also retained his will for long spells was a nod to his remarkable endurance, but also a familiar cause for concern when he broke down on the final day of the fourth Test against India.Feeling discomfort in his right shoulder, he continued bowling, subsequently ruling himself out of contention for the decider at the Kia Oval. England went on to lose a thriller, allowing India to square the series. It was the fifth Test Stokes had missed in the space of 12 months.Woakes, who dislocated his shoulder on day one of that fifth Test, leading to his international retirement, urged his former teammate to play it sensible to ensure he features throughout the series.”He’s bowling probably the best he’s ever bowled in his career,” said Woakes. “He’s as fit as he’s ever been. But as he’s getting older and you know, he’s a chance of breaking down.”I think at Old Trafford this year, I think he knew was f**ked, basically. ‘I’m broken anyway, I’ll just keep going’. Which isn’t a clever thing to do, but that’s the way Stokes is. He wants to give all to the team, as a leader, he wants to be the guy to do it. We need him to play all five Test matches.”

This Sunday’s Women’s Super League clash between Brighton and London City Lionesses should have produced an enticing showdown between two of England’s most exciting young strikers, with Euro 2025 hero Michelle Agyemang in the Seagulls’ corner and rising star Isobel Goodwin representing the newly-promoted big spenders.

Agyemang’s profile has blown up in 2025, a process which began back in April when, as a teenage prospect who was relatively unknown to the general audience, she scored a wonderful goal just 41 seconds into her Lionesses debut. That rise only continued through the summer, as the Arsenal academy product took centre stage on several occasions at Euro 2025 to help England complete escape act after escape act, on their way to a second successive continental crown.

Unfortunately, we won’t be seeing the talented teen perform heroics like that again for a while. After being stretchered off in England's win over Australia in October, Agyemang was dealt the devastating diagnosis of an ACL injury, ending her 2025-26 season before it really got going.

On Sunday, then, when it comes to exciting prospects for the Lionesses, attention will be centred on Goodwin, a player only out-scored by Alessia Russo and Aggie Beever-Jones among English centre-forwards in the WSL this season, and a player who Sarina Wiegman could turn to in order to bolster her options in that position in the New Year amid Agyemang’s absence.

Getty ImagesCompetition aplenty

It says a lot about Goodwin that despite London City’s spending after promotion to the WSL this year, she has been one of their stand-out performers. Backed by the billions of Michele Kang, the club from the capital broke the women’s transfer record when they signed Grace Geyoro on deadline day, while the addition of Barcelona youth product Lucia Corrales also cost a fee that ranks among the top 10 in the sport’s history.

They were just two of the 17 signings London City made in the summer, with England international Nikita Parris another notable one when it comes to Goodwin. Could her arrival, or that of experienced Finland forward Sanni Franssi, put the 22-year-old's spot in the team under threat?

AdvertisementGetty ImagesRising to the challenge

It's to her immense credit, then, that Goodwin has started all nine of the club's WSL games so far this season. Make no mistake, she came into the campaign with plenty of hype and status of her own. After all, it was only in September of last year that London City paid a fee that could rise up to £150,000 ($200,000) – a record for Women's Super League 2, the English second tier – to sign Goodwin from Sheffield United. But she has worked incredibly hard to earn, and maintain, the reputation that led to such a switch.

It's not been easy at times, either. Goodwin has dealt with some frustrating injuries in her short career to date, starting back when she was at Aston Villa. Aged 19, despite those setbacks, she signed her first professional deal with the club whose youth set-up she had come through, but wouldn't get the first-team opportunities she was after. As such, in January 2023, Goodwin made the brave decision to mutually terminate her contract and join Coventry United, the club rooted to the bottom of the second tier.

Unsurprisingly, Coventry would be relegated at the end of the season, but Goodwin wouldn't leave the division. After scoring four goals in 10 outings for a team that managed just seven points from 22 games, Sheffield United were happy to pick up the towering striker, who delivered 15 goals in 19 league games in her one and only season in South Yorkshire. 

It was then that London City came in with a record-breaking fee for the young forward and she more than justified it, netting 16 times in 18 outings the following year to help fire the Lionesses to the second-tier title and, with it, promotion.

Getty ImagesMaking the leap

This season, then, perfectly fits in with Goodwin's track record of rising to the next challenge. Over the last two-and-a-half years, the difficulty has increased bit by bit for the 22-year-old, with her always seeming to take the right-sized step forward in order to learn, develop and improve.

Despite coming into this campaign with essentially no WSL experience, having made only three late substitute appearances in the top-flight while at Villa, she has adapted impressively to lead the London City line in one of the best leagues in the world. "It's a pretty big jump but it's an exciting one," Goodwin said last week. "Any little mistake you make, you're going to be challenged for it."

"The question we asked her at the end of last year is, 'Okay, you've had a really good year in [WSL 2]. What does it look like at the next level?'" Emma Coates, Goodwin's coach for England's Under-23s until her departure from the Football Association this week, recalled. "There's more decisions [to make], you're playing against more experienced players and maybe she can't rely on her physical profile as much, which I thought she could do in the [second tier]. The challenge that she's rising to is contributing to her development as a player."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

Getty ImagesAdjusting and improving

That's not to say Goodwin has arrived in the WSL as one of the best strikers in the division. She's still only 22, she's playing against a quality of opponent greater than she's ever faced and there are games where, because London City are still adjusting to the league as a group, she isn't getting much service or as many touches on the ball as she'd like. For example, with only 249 touches in the WSL this season, Goodwin is averaging fewer than 28 per 90 minutes, the fourth-fewest in the entire division.

Despite that, the 22-year-old has still made a serious impression. Her two-goal display at Everton in September, to secure a 2-1 win for her team, has been the highlight so far, with her goal-scoring display at former club Villa and her all-round excellent centre-forward performance at home to West Ham other stand-outs.

"For me, Isobel is a perfect example of what I explained at the beginning of the season," Jocelyn Precheur, the London City boss, said after the win over Everton. "We know the biggest challenge for us will be to adapt to the intensity and rhythm of this league. We have the capacity to do it and the players are talented enough to adapt to this league. It’s just a matter of time."

Goodwin has shown her qualities with England as well. After scoring on her first start for the U23s back in February, she has four goals in her last seven games for the Young Lionesses, with her unlucky not to have a greater total having also hit the woodwork a few times in that period.

The Mets' summer-long implosion has led to a shakeup with the franchise's coaching staff.

Manager Carlos Mendoza will be retained in 2026, but that decision from the front office didn't come without changes to Mendoza's staff. After holding the best record in baseball at 45–24 in early June, the Mets proceeded to go just 35–52 the rest of the season to miss the playoffs.

As a result, the Mets are firing pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, hitting coaches Jeremy Barnes and Eric Chavez as well as bench coach John Gibbons, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Chavez confirmed his departure on Friday.

"So thankful for my time [with] the Mets. Thank you to the Cohen's, best owners in baseball. And especially the players. That group is super special and they worked their assess [sic] off. Be grateful in every situation. On to the next!!!"

Assistant pitching coach Desi Druschel and bullpen coach José Rosado were not let go, per Jon Heyman of the , but they've been given permission to speak with other franchises as the Mets look for a new pitching coach. The team is set to retain first base/baserunning coach Antoan Richardson, strategy coach Danny Barnes and coaching assistant Rafael Fernandez, per Heyman.

The Mets will have to do some soul searching this offseason after missing the playoffs following a 2024 that saw the club reach the NLCS.

Manchester United legend Sir David Beckham has delivered an honest take on the “slow” progress being made at Old Trafford under Ruben Amorim. Inconsistency has remained an issue for the Red Devils, with that proving to be a long-standing problem, but Beckham claims to have seen signs that positive steps in the right direction can be taken under the current coaching regime.

Amorim's record at Man Utd: Wins and defeats

Portuguese tactician Amorim has been at the helm since November 2024. He has taken in 56 games in charge of United, picking up only 22 wins and suffering 20 defeats. The Red Devils slumped to their worst Premier League finish last season, as they ended the campaign in 15th place.

They also suffered defeat to Tottenham in the Europa League final, meaning that they have no continental football on the agenda this term, which has led to talk of money-spinning midweek friendlies being lined up. United have already seen one route to tangible success closed off after suffering a humbling Carabao Cup defeat to League Two side Grimsby.

Amorim was under huge pressure at that point, but managed to keep his neck off the chopping block. United have suffered just one defeat through their last seven fixtures – emerging victorious in four of those.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportGood manager: Beckham encouraged by Red Devils

They recovered from falling a goal behind at Crystal Palace last time out to pick up three precious points in a 2-1 win. Commendable fighting spirit was on show at Selhurst Park, with Amorim pleased with what he saw.

Beckham was another interested observer, as he attended the latest Formula 1 Grand Prix that took place in Qatar. He was quizzed by while in the Middle East on what he makes of United’s class of 2025-26.

The Red Devils’ iconic former No.7 said: “I think there are signs of the manager turning things around. He has tweaked a few things and we are coming into a few better results. There’s still a long way to go and there has been a few games where we haven’t been playing as well. But I think we’ve got a good manager there and I think he is changing things slowly.”

What Beckham said after United's derby defeat to City

Beckham’s tune is more positive than the one he sounded back in mid-September following a 3-0 reversal against derby rivals City. The ex-England captain told at that stage: “Being an ex-player, and being a fan of the club, I would hope that they are hurting like we are as fans, and I'm sure they are because they're professionals.

“They're not going out there not wanting to win the game. They've just come up against a team like City, at City. Whenever you lose these games, you don't go out for a few weeks because you know you can't walk around Manchester and bump into United fans, because it's just not a good place to be in. It was a very hard watch, and like I said, as a United fan, I'm fed up with watching these games and seeing what we're seeing as fans.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

Getty World Cup bid: Beckham's take on England

Beckham, who has been linked with a consortium planning a supposed takeover bid at Old Trafford – with the unpopular Glazer family still at the helm for now – has also given his take on the Three Lions ahead of their bid for World Cup glory in 2026.

The man with 115 caps to his name said: “I think Thomas [Tuchel] has got a great squad of players and we’ve got a real opportunity going into this tournament. We’ve got a captain [Harry Kane] in unbelievable form, scoring the goals and leading by example.

“Thomas has got a tough choice and tough decisions to make but that’s why he’s in the position he’s in. He’s done it a million times before and I’m sure he’ll pick the right players to win the tournament.”

England are waiting to discover who they will get in the World Cup group stage draw, which takes place on Friday, while United – who sit seventh in the Premier League table – are preparing for a home date with West Ham on Tuesday.

Australian played key role in 2010-11 win in Australia and was also involved in 2023 campaign

Cameron Ponsonby17-Oct-2025David Saker has been appointed as England’s fast-bowling coach for the upcoming Ashes series, reprising a role he has held regularly over the last 15 years.Saker’s appointment comes with confirmation that Tim Southee, England’s current fast-bowling coach, will leave the squad after the first Test in Perth to play in the ILT20.Saker and Southee will work together for the warm-up fixture against the Lions in Perth as well as the opening Test, before Saker will take on the role himself. It has also been confirmed that Paul Collingwood, who has been absent from the coaching staff across the summer due to personal reasons, will not be part of the touring party. The rest of the support staff remains unchanged.Saker has long been a coach that England have turned to. He was the fast-bowling coach from 2010 to 2015, and played a key role when England last won an away Ashes in 2010-11. More recently, he was brought back into the fold for their T20 World Cup victory in 2022 and for the Ashes and ODI World Cup in 2023.The Australian’s official title will be “Specialist Skills Consultant” but he has been brought in specifically to work with the fast-bowling group and to provide local knowledge of how to succeed Down Under.It continues a theme of English, and world wide, coaching appointments where teams opt to hire on a short term basis to provide specific insight into the conditions they are about to face. England themselves hired Mike Hussey and Kieron Pollard for the recent T20 World Cups in Australia and the Caribbean respectively, while earlier this year South Africa hired Stuart Broad as a consultant for their World Test Championship final at Lord’s.While Saker’s appointment comes at the eleventh hour, it is a continuation of England’s long-term plan to take a “battery” of fast bowlers to Australia in an effort to win only their second away Ashes since 1987.England will take arguably their fastest ever seam attack to Australia, with Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, Gus Atkinson, Josh Tongue, Brydon Carse and Matthew Potts in the squad. Furthermore, with the England Lions also touring at the same time, they will be able to call upon the likes of Sonny Baker, Josh Hull and Matt Fisher if they so wish.Josh Tongue chats to Saker during the 2023 Ashes•Philip Brown/Getty ImagesSpeaking in September, managing director Rob Key spoke of his excitement for a bowling group “on the up”, with, subject to any late fitness issues, England taking a full-strength attack.”We’ve worked so hard to get to this point,” Key said. “It is the last little step. So we get this bit right and hopefully we have every option available to us going into that First Test in Perth.”England also confirmed that Gilbert Enoka, the mental skills coach who is most famous for coining the All Blacks famous “no d*ckheads policy”, will work with the squad in the lead up to the first Test.Enoka, who lives in Christchurch, worked with the Test squad for the first time earlier this year, and is currently with the white-ball team as they prepare for their series against New Zealand.Related

Stuart Broad: 'Worst Australian team since 2010-11'

Pat Cummins might miss the first Test after being abducted by aliens

Cook calls on England to back Pope for Ashes

Mark Wood 'quietly confident' about fitness ahead of Ashes opener

Finisher Banton is back where he started as career comes full-circle

“He’s awesome,” white-ball captain Harry Brook said of Enoka. “He’s been around the Test side a little bit and he’s a great bloke. He brings a lot of knowledge to the mental side of the game which is a vital part of cricket and professional sport. To have him in the ranks, just to be able to pull for a chat for five or 10 minutes is awesome.”Ahead of this three-match T20 and ODI series, Brook also spoke of a desire to change his white-ball approach, saying that he’d been “disappointed” with his recent performances in the shorter formats.”I feel like I’ve been premeditating quite a lot,” Brook said to talkSPORT. “And there’s one goal for me this series is just to try and play on instinct as much as possible.”When I’m at my best, I’m hitting straight and then I’m adapting to line and length.”Brook made just one white-ball half century for England across the summer from 11 innings, although his average remained above 30 and his strike-rate was healthy across both formats.New Zealand cricket announced that Saturday’s opening T20 at Hagley Oval will be a sell-out. It is a coup for the series, given the cold evening weather in October and a clash with a domestic rugby final featuring Canterbury that had threatened to hurt ticket sales.”It’s pretty outstanding,” New Zealand’s captain Mitchell Santner said. “Hopefully we can put on a bit of a show and it’ll be a great contest.”Santner also announced his XI for the match, with himself and Rachin Ravindra returning, while Bevon Jacobs, Zak Foulkes and Devon Conway miss out from the squad of 14.New Zealand XI 1 Tim Seifert (wk), 2 Mark Chapman, 3 Rachin Ravindra, 4 Tim Robinson, 5 Michael Bracewell, 6 Daryl Mitchell, 7 Jimmy Neesham, 8 Mitchell Santner (capt), 9 Matt Henry, 10 Kyle Jamieson, 11 Jacob Duffy

Everton are in the race to sign James Ward-Prowse from West Ham in January, with the midfielder “almost certain” to leave the London Stadium in the new year.

Ward-Prowse has enjoyed an impressive career, spending many years at Southampton and being renowned for being one of the best set-piece specialists in Premier League history.

Ward-Prowse has struggled to be a regular for West Ham this season however, and with his current deal expiring in the summer of 2027, the Hammers are set to listen to offers for him in January.

“There’s no way he’s getting back into the plans at West Ham. Nuno just doesn’t want him in the team; he is not open to the idea of this turning around,” reported Dean Jones earlier this month, claiming a move is “almost certain”.

“I don’t see any possibility that West Ham try to stop him from leaving. I think they will treat him with respect and allow him the chance to move.”

Everton are the team most strongly linked with the 11-cap England international, and now a new update has emerged regarding a possible move for the 31-year-old.

Everton ready to offer Ward-Prowse exit route

Speaking to Football Insider, former scout Mick Brown talked up Everton’s interest in Ward-Prowse due to his connection with David Moyes, confirming the Blues are “willing” to offer him a fresh start.

At 31, Ward-Prowse is now in the autumn of his career, so Everton wouldn’t be signing him as a long-term prospect with lots of sell-on value.

That said, he could be a shrewd signing in terms of his experience and enduring quality, not necessarily being a key starter but adding depth to the Blues’ squad at a relatively low cost given his contract situation.

Friedkin now plotting 2026 move to sign "sensational" boyhood Everton fan

He recently scored a hat-trick.

ByTom Cunningham Nov 21, 2025

The fact that Moyes knows him well can only be a positive – he wouldn’t want him if he didn’t value him as a player and a character – so the positives outweigh the negatives.

Only three players earn more than James Ward-Prowse at West Ham

The allrounder is now a T20 freelancer and struck a deal with the selectors to miss the West Indies and South Africa series

Matt Roller14-Aug-2025It is mid-afternoon on a hot summer’s day in London, and Marcus Stoinis is sitting on the members’ benches in the lower tier of the Lord’s Pavilion. He has spent the last two hours training on the Nursery Ground and, yet to look at his phone, he is anxious to learn the result of Australia’s T20I against South Africa, more than 8,000 miles away in Darwin.”Has it finished?” Stoinis asks. It has: Australia have lost by 53 runs, their first defeat in 10 matches. “I was watching it on the bus, but we just had training so I missed most of our batting innings,” he explains. It is an unusual scenario for him, albeit one that he is growing used to: a regular in Australia’s T20 team since 2018, he has now missed two series in a row.The curious aspect is that Stoinis has not retired from T20Is, nor has he been dropped. His non-involvement owes to conversations he instigated with Andrew McDonald and George Bailey – Australia’s coach and chief selector – earlier this year, and he still hopes to be selected for upcoming series against New Zealand and India with an eye on the 2026 T20 World Cup.Related

Stoinis and David shine light on future of Australia's contracts system

Starc announces retirement from T20Is to focus on Tests, 2027 ODI World Cup

Australia in unfamiliar territory in T20I series decider against South Africa

'Cose to all guns blazing' – Australia plan to power through

Bailey declares Weatherald 'in the mix' for Ashes

Stoinis has been a freelancer – without a national or state contract – for the past year, and remains in high demand in leagues around the world. It is a lifestyle that suits him, and deals like his £200,000 direct signing with Trent Rockets are hard to turn down. “There’s no better place to play,” he says, ahead of Thursday’s fixture against London Spirit at Lord’s.”The nature of it is that you can’t select yourself in an Australian jersey, but you can sign a contract to come and play in the Hundred,” Stoinis explains. “When this opportunity came up, I spoke to Cricket Australia, I spoke to Ron [McDonald] and we made a plan around that, really… When you’re planning it in advance, that makes it easier.”He has retired from ODIs but remains available for T20 selection, and Bailey confirmed last week that he will be “firmly in the mix” for next year’s World Cup. “We are very lucky,” Stoinis says. “We do it very well in Australia. The relationships that I’ve got with both Ron and Bails means you just have those conversations pretty openly.”His absence has created opportunities for 23-year-old allrounder Mitchell Owen in the middle order, who impressed in the Caribbean last month. “Maybe it’s because I’m older, but I want him to do well,” Stoinis, who turns 36 on Saturday, says. “We were just with each other during the IPL [at Punjab Kings] and it’s been good for him to play different roles.Marcus Stoinis’ most recent appearance for Australia came last November•AFP”I’m also fully aware that myself and Maxi [Glenn Maxwell] – and, more recently, Timmy David – have been holding that spot through the middle of Australian cricket for a long time. It’s very hard for other, young people to come through and have a crack at that… You need to bring through the next generation as well. It’s no-one’s spot.”He has found it “weird” watching his team-mates from afar but seems at peace with the decisions that he has made. “You share a few messages after the games and have a laugh… They say playing for your country should be the best time of your life, and for me it has been. But I don’t feel like it’s done yet.”Life as a freelancer has meant the best part of five months on the road for Stoinis. He spent from mid-March to early June in India for the IPL – contracting Covid-19 during a short trip home when the league was suspended – then flew back to Australia to get his visa sorted for Major League Cricket. He had two weeks off after that, then was back to the UK for the Hundred.He occasionally employs a personal chef in India and, along with Tim David, trains with Jim Allenby – the former Glamorgan allrounder, now a coach – when he is back in Perth. But he generally looks after himself and relies on the staff at his various teams, rather than travelling the world with an entourage in tow as a tennis player or a golfer would.Marcus Stoinis shakes hands with Harry Brook•Andy Kearns/Getty ImagesIt is a happy coincidence, then, that his Melbourne Stars coach Peter Moores is involved in the Rockets’ backroom staff, and he has also worked with Andy Flower before at Lucknow Super Giants. Graeme Swann has been arranging the team’s golf days, and they are a happy bunch after starting the season with wins over Birmingham Phoenix and Northern Superchargers.Stoinis played in the Hundred three years ago with Southern Brave, and says that he has wanted to return ever since. He will have family at Lord’s on Thursday night, and his girlfriend Sarah arrives next week: “Whenever an Aussie plays in England, the family sees it as a good opportunity to make the trip over. It’s somewhere where everyone wants to be.”He has noted the presence of new team owners in the Hundred, and expects Cricket Australia will follow suit with the BBL. Players have an obvious vested interest in private investment and Stoinis is unsurprisingly supportive, arguing that it is the obvious direction of travel – even if he still sees the chance to play in next year’s T20 World Cup as his main personal ambition.”Thinking about the IPL owners and what they’ve done with the IPL, you want people that have got a track record of building something that’s very good. If they do that, it’s great for them, but it’s also great for English cricket or for Australian cricket… It’s a pretty clear path to me, as to where most of cricket’s going.”

Whether hearing the team news over the tannoy in the stadium or seeing the line-up graphics revealed on their television screens, there are likely to be many England fans who encounter some unfamiliar names when watching the Lionesses play their final two matches of 2025 over the course of this next week – and they can certainly be forgiven.

With household names such as Leah Williamson, Hannah Hampton, Alex Greenwood and Lauren James all missing from Sarina Wiegman's squad for friendlies against China and Ghana, the England boss has been forced to continue what she also had to do for  November games with Brazil and Australia and call upon some fresh and inexperienced faces. It means there are five uncapped players involved in this camp, on top of the five players still in single digits for senior international appearances, all of whom will be hoping to impress as attention begins to turn towards the 2027 Women's World Cup.

Of course, stars like Lucy Bronze, Ella Toone and Alessia Russo remain in the fold, while Lauren Hemp's return from injury is great news as England close out a monumental year that saw them retain their European Championship title. But who are the lesser known members of this Lionesses' squad who could get a chance this week?

Let GOAL introduce you to those hoping to take advantage of this opportunity and force their way into Wiegman's plans before World Cup qualifying starts in the New Year…

Getty ImagesSophie Baggaley

For dedicated followers of the Women's Super League, Sophie Baggaley won't be a new name. The 28-year-old has racked up over 100 appearances in the English top-flight over the course of the last decade, holding starting gigs with Birmingham, Bristol City and Brighton, while also occupying a back-up role at Manchester United when Mary Earps was the Red Devils' No.1.

During that time, Baggaley has earned a few England call-ups, too, with her first coming back in 2016 when she was a 19-year-old impressing in the youth national teams. Still uncapped, Baggaley has dropped down the pecking order in the years since, but is clearly seen by Wiegman as a trusty option to have in the squad when necessary, as evidenced by her role as a standby player for Euro 2025.

When Hampton had to miss last month's clash with Brazil, Wiegman again turned to Baggaley to restock the goalkeeping department, and with the Lionesses' undisputed No.1 absent for this camp, it is the Brighton shot-stopper who again has an opportunity to impress. However, given she is spending this season as the Seagulls' second-choice, following Chiamaka Nnadozie's summer arrival, it's hard to see Baggaley winning that elusive England cap right now, with Khiara Keating and Anna Moorhouse more likely to get an opportunity apiece this week.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTaylor Hinds

Left-back has been a problem position for England for almost all of Wiegman's time in charge but, last month, she turned to an unexpected option to potentially help solve that issue.

After coming up through the Lionesses' youth teams but never earning senior recognition, Taylor Hinds won her first cap for Jamaica last year. Yet, she was still eligible to switch allegiances back, something Wiegman persuaded her to do when she called the Arsenal defender up ahead of the October international break. In the second game of that window, a friendly against Australia, Hinds made her senior England debut.

Though she had not broken into the Lionesses' fold until just recently, Hinds has carved out a very solid club career to date. After coming through the ranks at Arsenal, she joined Everton in search of senior minutes and swapped the blue side of Merseyside for red three years later, signing for Liverpool. It was there that she would really establish herself in the WSL, playing as a wing-back as well as an orthodox full-back while also emerging as a real leader, regularly wearing the armband for the Reds having become their vice-captain.

This summer, Hinds went back to where it all started, joining Arsenal on a free transfer. She struggled for game time at first, battling with Katie McCabe for opportunities on the left, but has began to accrue more minutes as of late. That will be music to the ears of Wiegman and an England side that would be helped massively if Hinds can mark herself out as a strong option for the European champions at left-back. There is a real opportunity for her to become an important player for the Lionesses, if she can take it.

Getty ImagesGrace Fisk

Centre-back is so often England's most well-stocked position, but it is significantly depleted this time around, with Williamson still injured, Millie Bright recently retired, Greenwood missing out with a knock and Jess Carter granted a period of rest following the NWSL play-offs. It leaves Esme Morgan, the 25-year-old with 18 caps, as the most established option, meaning there could be an opportunity for Grace Fisk to finally earn that elusive first England cap.

The Liverpool defender earned her first Lionesses call-up way back in February 2020, when Phil Neville included her in the squad for the SheBelieves Cup in the United States. However, it wasn't until last month that she returned to the fold – for the first time under Wiegman – amid the absences of Williamson, Bright and Lotte Wubben-Moy.

After making her senior breakthrough in England's second-tier, Fisk has been a regular in the WSL since returning home following her time in the U.S. college system. That was first with West Ham, whom she represented when she won that maiden Lionesses call-up, and is now with Liverpool. The Reds aren't having a great season, with two points from eight games putting them bottom of the table, but Fisk has been one of their better players and will hope to prove her quality in England colours this week.

Wiegman is expected to rotate, and given she only has four centre-backs to pick from, that could be good news for 27-year-old Fisk. Taking advantage of any chance she receives will be vital if she wants to remain in the mix ahead of the next World Cup, too, as she plays in a position that, when injuries are alleviated, is perhaps the most competitive in the whole squad.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

Getty ImagesAnouk Denton

After winning her first senior England call-up last month, Anouk Denton has retained her place in the squad. The 22-year-old moved from the Under-23s squad to the senior one midway through the last international break, amid some niggles and the rebuilding of fitness Bronze and Niamh Charles were undergoing. She didn't play in the Lionesses' game with Australia that followed, but Denton clearly did enough to impress Wiegman, having kept her spot this time around.

Denton has been a consistently impressive, though under-the-radar, performer for West Ham ever since she joined them on a permanent deal back in 2022, having spent time on loan from Arsenal before going to the United States for university. Able to play as a right-back or a left-back, Denton's effectiveness on both sides of the ball has caught the eye, as has her athleticism, which has also allowed her to be utilised as a wing-back.

Bronze has the right-back spot nailed down in this England XI, but there is a lack of natural options to back her up. If she can continue to impress, Denton can help to address that, while also offering a solution in that problematic left-back position. Her first chance to do that in match action could well come this week.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has been handed a major North London derby boost after an injury update from N5.

Arteta’s side welcome Tottenham to the Emirates on Sunday seeking to extend their remarkable dominance over their rivals.

The Gunners boast a formidable recent record in this fixture, even achieving something they had never previously done in the Premier League era earlier this year.

For the very first time since the division’s inception, Arsenal won three straight top-flight games against Tottenham, with victories in January (2-1) and September last year (1-0) following their 3-2 triumph in April 2024. The January win was enough for Arsenal to prolong their unbeaten run against Tottenham to six matches, having also done the double over Spurs in the 2022-23 campaign.

Since 1995, Arsenal have won 30 games to Tottenham’s 16 with 24 draws, highlighting their indisputable superiority in the modern era.

That being said, Spurs have been handed some encouragement by Sunderland’s 2-2 draw against Arsenal just before the international break — which ended their unbelievable winning run and proved they can in fact be broken down.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal

Some injury concerns also cloud Arsenal’s preparations.

Gabriel Magalhaes was injured during Brazil’s 2-0 win over Senegal, since returning to London Colney, and it is likely that the centre-back misses at least a short stretch of games, including the North London Derby. The star centre-back is apparently a major doubt to face Tottenham this weekend, and his absence would be a real blow given his undoubted importance to the side.

The injury list extends beyond Gabriel too.

Captain Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz, Noni Madueke, Viktor Gyokeres and Gabriel Martinelli are all racing to be in contention to face Spurs after their own lay-offs, but the game comes too soon for Gabriel Jesus, who will be last to return to the field as he continues full recovery from an ACL injury (Simon Collings).

Arteta was also dealt a scare when Riccardo Calafiori nursed a hip problem on international duty with Italy, causing him to miss both of their World Cup qualifiers against Moldova and Norway.

Mikel Arteta gifted Riccardo Calafiori boost with Arsenal star set to play against Tottenham

Following his return to London for assessments and checks on the problem, reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano has now confirmed some positive news about the left-back.

Indeed, it is believed that Calafiori is set to be available for Arsenal’s clash against Tottenham this weekend, with no injury or overload.

Having the former Bologna star ready for selection is a major boost for Arteta.

He has been one of Arsenal’s standout performers this season, establishing himself as the undisputed starter at left-back ahead of Myles Lewis-Skelly. The £42 million defender has transformed his fortunes after an injury-plagued debut campaign last season, when he was in and out of the starting 11 and struggled to build any consistent momentum.

Calafiori has completely turned around, becoming an absolutely crucial part of Arteta’s system, offering both defensive solidity and attacking threat from the left flank, chipping in with one goal and two assists from 11 games this season.

With Gabriel very likely to miss the derby, losing Calafiori, who’s been called one of their players of the season so far by Ray Parlour, would have left Arsenal dangerously exposed defensively.

However, the 23-year-old will instead return to the side for what is set to be a mouth-watering clash in the capital.

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard is reportedly in line to make a "superhero" return to action in the north London derby. The Norwegian midfielder has sat out the Gunners' last seven games through injury, having endured a disrupted start to the 2025-26 campaign. He is, however, poised to hand manager Mikel Arteta a timely boost ahead of a home date with Tottenham.

Odegaard update: Gunners captain missed seven games

Arsenal are preparing to welcome Spurs to Emirates Stadium on Sunday. It was feared that Odegaard would be forced to sit out that contest with a knee problem, having struggled to find peak form and fitness this season.

According to , the 26-year-old is now in line to complete a "miraculous recovery" in time to feature against the Gunners’ fiercest rivals. He could make just his eighth appearance of the campaign in that fixture – and his seventh in the Premier League.

Advertisement(C)GettyImagesArsenal injury news: Who else is missing for the Gunners?

Arteta will be hoping that is the case as Arsenal are not expected to have star striker Viktor Gyokeres back in contention, with the Sweden international picking up a hamstring complaint against Burnley on November 1 that has kept him out of action for club and country.

Arsenal are also without Noni Madueke and Kai Havertz at present, while Gabriel Jesus is training again as his recovery from knee ligament damage is stepped up. Commanding centre-half Gabriel Magalhaes is expected to be out for at least a month after suffering a knock while turning out for Brazil.

Odegaard celebrated Norway reaching 2026 World Cup

While Odegaard has been restricted to a watching brief of late, he did travel to Oslo during the latest break in domestic duties to watch Norway secure qualification for their first World Cup since 1998 – with Erling Haaland taking his tally of goals in that campaign to 16.

Odegaard was on the pitch following a 4-1 victory over Estonia to join in with wild celebrations. He posted on social media afterwards: "We’ve been dreaming of moments like this since we were little kids. We have been working so hard. We have failed and failed… But we never gave up. Never lose faith, hope or unity.

"This group has stood together through the toughest days and moments, and therefore it feels even better to be where we are today. Proud to be a part of this crew. Proud to play for Norway. Proud to be Norwegian. Proud to represent Norway in the World Cup!! Dreams can really come true if you work hard and believe enough.

"To all the children and young adults out there: We were all once like you.

"So dream big and work hard, and everything is possible! Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate with us yesterday and thank you for all the love we have received the past few days! It means more than you know. Let’s enjoy the moment, but we won’t stop here…"

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

Getty ImagesTottenham injury news: Kolo Muani to play in a mask

On the other side of the north London derby divide, Tottenham are hoping that Randal Kolo Muani will be cleared to play. The French forward has been training while donning a protective mask.

He damaged his jaw during Spurs’ dramatic 2-2 draw with Manchester United, with it initially suggested that he could be sidelined for up to two months. He did not, however, require surgery and is ready if needed.

Tottenham’s all-time leading scorer Harry Kane famously wore a mask against Arsenal in 2016 – after breaking his nose – and ripped that off when celebrating a stunning goal at White Hart Lane.

Thomas Frank will be without long-term absentee James Maddison, along with Swedish playmaker Dejan Kulusevski and England international striker Dominic Solanke. Mohammed Kudus did not feature for Ghana during the November break and remains a doubt. Pape Matar Sarr picked up a knock during Senegal’s friendly with Brazil and may be forced to sit out a crunch clash with Premier League leaders Arsenal – who hold a four-point lead at the top of the table through 11 games this season.