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Major League Baseball decided to do away with repeated pickoff attempts over to first base a few years ago and hasn't looked back. Under the current rules, if a pitcher disengages with the rubber more than three times during an at-bat, it results in a balk and the runners are able to move up a base. In practice, this is most apparent when there have already been two pickoff attempts during an at bat and runners are able to take enormous leads knowing that if there's a third try all they have to do is make it back safely and they'll get to advance. Or they can just take off with a huge headstart toward the next station.

The rules tweak has made games move quicker and inspired more action on the bases. But no single moment more exciting and bizarre than the one during yesterday's Tampa Bay Rays-Los Angeles Angels game.

Chandler Simpson, who is as fast as anyone in baseball, elicited two throws over from Angles lefty Tyler Anderson in the top of the first inning, then broke for second base on the third.

And then, well, let's let the video take it from there.

All of this resulted in a balk and Simpson was able to jog to second base unimpeded after avoiding several defenders and finding safe harbor back on first.

Now that's baseball in 2025. Anderson could have saved everyone a lot of time by just flinching or dropping the ball and it would have had the same effect. But Simpson did get to show off his athleticism and get his steps in.

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

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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.

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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.

Cal Raleigh put an exclamation point on what has been arguably the greatest offensive season by a catcher in Major League Baseball by blasting his 60th home run on Wednesday night as his Seattle Mariners clinched the American League West with a victory over the Colorado Rockies. The feat is downright astounding when one considers the physical toll it takes to play baseball's most grinding position, how hard it is to be productive from both sides of the plate as a switch hitter and that he plays 81 games in a very pitcher-friendly ballpark.

As the team was in its opening minutes of celebration, Raleigh got on the loudspeaker via an interview with Root Sports and reflected on the moment. The man affectionately know as "Big Dumper" showcased the duality of man by being open with his emotions and also working blue.

"I love the city, I love my parents," Raleigh said. "Thank you for being here. I'm so happy for our guys. We're gonna celebrate tonight and we're not done yet."

Asked about the idea that the Mariners have more work to do, Raleigh directed people to his previous comments.

"I think most people heard what I said last night: might as well win the whole f—ing thing."

Nothing says October baseball like a player trying to get a catchphrase off the ground. It'll likely have plenty of time to catch on as Seattle will be awarded a by into the divisional round barring a sudden losing streak that would allow either the Cleveland Guardians or Detroit Tigers to catch them.

Batter’s maiden professional hundred caps England’s 415-run total, as he reaffirms his huge potential

Matt Roller07-Sep-2025Jacob Bethell declared himself ready to take a potential Ashes opportunity after experiencing the "addictive feeling” of scoring his first professional hundred in England’s record 342-run thrashing of South Africa.Bethell, who turns 22 next month, became England’s second-youngest centurion in men’s ODIs in Southampton on Sunday and has already played four Tests, scoring three half-centuries. Barring injury or a late change of heart, Bethell will head to Australia in November as England’s spare batter but hopes he can push his case for selection through his white-ball performances.His performances at No. 3 in his maiden Test series in New Zealand put serious pressure on Ollie Pope’s position ahead of the English summer, but he was unavailable to play Zimbabwe while at the IPL and Pope secured his spot with 171. However, Pope faded badly to finish with 304 runs at 34 against India, and could yet find his position under major pressure.”It’s obviously nearing,” Bethell said. “I’m hoping to be in the squad and if I’m in the squad, it’s only one thing that has to happen – in terms of an injury or something like that – and I’m in, and I’ve got to be ready to perform. I don’t know if these runs mean anything [towards selection] but I don’t think they can hurt. If the opportunity arises, I’ll hopefully be there to take it."Bethell was promoted from No. 6 to No. 4 at Lord’s on Thursday to take down South Africa’s spinners, scoring 58 off 40 balls, and was retained in the same role in Southampton. He made 110 off 82, dominating the scoring in a 182-run third-wicket partnership with Joe Root, and roared in celebration when reaching three figures with a cover drive off Nandre Burger.Bethell drives through the covers en route to his century•PA Photos/Getty Images”It was pretty special,” Bethell said. “Just goosebumps, to be honest. As soon as I laced it in the gap – it couldn’t have hit more the middle of my bat – and it just raced to the boundary. I didn’t really know what I did. It was a bit of a blur to be honest, but it was a great feeling… It was unbelievable. It feels like an addictive feeling, so hopefully there’s a few more of them to come."He does not anticipate a permanent move to No. 4, the position normally filled by captain Harry Brook. “I like coming in and facing spin to start. I feel like if I can get going, especially with the one [extra] fielder up, there’s always a gap to hit… I don’t think Brooky will be stepping down from No. 4 anytime soon, so I’ll just be looking to do that whenever the opportunity arises.”Bethell’s father Graham used to play club cricket at Sheffield Collegiate with Root’s dad Matt, and the pair have twice celebrated hundreds with one another this summer. “I was batting with him when he got his hundred at The Oval in the Thorpey Test match, and it was pretty special to be batting with him again when I got my first one,” Bethell said.Root, who went onto score 100 himself in England’s total of 414 for 5, described Bethell as "wise beyond his years”. He said: “He’s very clear on how he wants to play his cricket… I’ve known him for a long time – since he was eight years old – so for him to play an innings like that and get us in that position at the halfway stage was fantastic.”Related

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Bethell admitted before the start of play on Sunday morning that he “probably should have played more" domestic cricket around England’s Test series against India, but said that he had rediscovered his rhythm when he felt something "click" during an innings for Birmingham Phoenix in the Hundred last month.”I didn’t feel like I was hitting the ball badly at all, just the performances didn’t show, which sometimes happens in white-ball cricket,” he explained. “It is pretty tough to be consistent and score fast at the same time. It is nice that I managed to put performances together – and also a match-winning performance in this situation.”It’s just rhythm, I guess. You can watch as much cricket as you want and do stuff like that, but it is different when you’re out in the middle and I think it just took me a couple of games to get that back… I felt something click and from that point, I felt like I’d been playing nicely, but hadn’t quite got the results. Today and the other day, it was definitely nice to be back in the runs.”Bethell will deputise for Brook during England’s T20I series in Ireland later this month, and said he feels ready to become their youngest-ever captain. “A lot of players in that team captain themselves, almost,” he said. “It’s just about a bit of man management and marshalling the troops for a couple of days up in Ireland, which should be great fun.”

The new RCB captain’s coaches and team-mates are confident in his ability to be an effective leader in the IPL

Shashank Kishore21-Mar-20251:12

What makes Patidar a menace for spinners?

Chandrakant Pandit, currently coach of the Kolkata Knight Riders, regards working with Rajat Patidar as one of the highlights of his coaching career. The duo has played a key role in Madhya Pradesh’s rise as a dominant force in Indian domestic cricket since 2021. Their bond strengthened in late 2024, when Pandit, MP’s director of cricket, appointed Patidar as T20 captain for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Patidar repaid the trust by leading MP to the final.Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s head coach Andy Flower and director Mo Bobat closely observed Patidar during that campaign, assessing his decision-making and leadership. Impressed, they flew to Ahmedabad in January to discuss their observations with Virat Kohli, who, while preparing for the third India-England ODI ahead of the Champions Trophy, gave his full backing to Patidar.Last month, RCB officially named him captain for the 2025 IPL.Related

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Kohli on Patidar as RCB captain: 'He will do a great job for this amazing franchise'

Rajat Patidar appointed new RCB captain for IPL 2025

Patidar’s childhood coach, former India batter Amay Khurasiya, was thrilled at the development. Coaching Kerala ahead of a crucial Ranji Trophy semi-final against Gujarat, Khurasiya took time off to call Patidar, who he’d seen evolve from an aspiring fast bowler who tore his ACL as a 20-year-old to one of the state’s batting stalwarts.”He has never been enamoured by positions or power,” Khurasiya tells ESPNcricinfo. “He was obviously happy, but it didn’t seem like he was overwhelmed by euphoria. He had the same poise about him that I saw all those years ago. Even as a youngster, he’d always speak of wanting to help someone less privileged than him, even though his own journey had been rocky.”When Patidar was a struggling cricketer in MP – he had a difficult time breaking into any of the age-group teams – it was Khurasiya who took him under his wings to work on his batting technique.”Not once have I heard him complain about luck or fate – no ‘kismat kharaab hai [I have no luck]’ or any of that negativity,” Khurasiya says. “He was always clear: he’ll do what it takes. If the result goes his way, he’ll accept it. If it doesn’t, he’ll find something else to be good at. That mindset from very early on made him compartmentalise cricket and life. He’ll be an empathetic leader. Not a boss. And it stems from having seen failure and rejection in his early days.”Patidar has been among the top three run-scorers for RCB in 2022 and 2024; he sat out the 2023 season injured•BCCIAnand Rajan, former MP seamer and domestic coach, has witnessed Patidar’s growth first-hand. They worked together as captain and coach at Malwa Panthers in the Madhya Pradesh League (MPL) last year. Rajan, with coaching stints at MP, Uttarakhand, and Puducherry, has also seen MP’s rise from a middling side to a domestic powerhouse, which mirrors Patidar’s journey from the periphery of the state setup to a senior player.”He doesn’t speak a lot, but his reading of the game is top notch,” Rajan says. “[He only ] gives his inputs if needed; he won’t speak just to be seen contributing to a team meeting. When he says something, people strain to hear him because he’s that soft-spoken – but the impact his words have on a group is immense.”The duration of the MPL was very short (each team played just four league games) to build long-lasting relationships. But you could see Rajat’s qualities even there. He could have gotten out in the most wretched manner possible, but if a younger player came up to him, he’d be the first to sit with him and chat, give him time and make him feel better. No one felt awkward going up to Rajat to talk.”Jalaj Saxena, a domestic stalwart, remembers Patidar’s clarity as a youngster vividly, even though it’s been eight years since they played together.In 2024, Patidar led Madhya Pradesh to their first Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final since the 2010-11 season•PTI “It was his Ranji Trophy debut, against Baroda [in 2015-16] and we [MP] had conceded a lead. But Rajat was clear he would look to dominate spin from the get-go, because he felt that was the only way to put the pressure back. He scored an outstanding century, and we set them a target we easily defended. That innings earned the respect of the entire team.”Patidar’s career soared after joining RCB in 2021. He became a household name in 2022 after smashing a century against Lucknow Super Giants in the Eliminator – the first by an Indian uncapped player in the playoffs – despite entering the season as an injury replacement. Mike Hesson, RCB’s director of cricket, knew then that the franchise had a player for the long haul.”He was always confident in his own skills without having to tell anyone about it,” Hesson says. “You could tell by the way he moved around the group. He would stand behind the nets watching others bat. Just watching, learning and listening and occasionally asking questions, but generally he was trying to align how his game might fit with theirs or picking up parts of everybody’s game. He was inquisitive.”Patidar’s introverted nature, Hesson says, wasn’t a deterrent.”When he spoke, he was always very clear. He’d have actually thought about what he was going to say before he said it. You could tell he processed it. It wasn’t like he would just speak, and the conversation would evolve. He would actually have something insightful to say or a question that you knew that he’d thought about before he asked it.Former captain Virat Kohli has thrown his weight behind Patidar, and sees him leading RCB for the long term•BCCI”He also has a very good sense of humour. That is a nice trait to have in an environment that’s pretty high pressure. And it’s quite subtle. It’s not the in-your-face type of humour; he’s a clever guy who thinks about what he says. I’m sure he will continue that with his leadership style.”Rajat always had a really nice balance between, ‘Hey, I’ll do my work’ and ‘Now I can offer my inputs in my own way to others.’ When he’d stand behind the nets and watch, people batting wouldn’t hesitate to turn back and ask him, and Rajat always had answers, not just to help players but for his own game as well. He was always there and willing. And I think that’s the trait you always like.”Patidar’s ability to offer solutions, stay composed, and build trust makes him a leader who leads with empathy and clarity. If he can handle the pressure of RCB’s passionate fan base and their elusive IPL title, he’ll move closer to fulfilling Kohli’s recent prediction that “he’ll lead for many years to come”.

And so Tottenham Hotspur put the brakes on their campaign for the third time this season, having played out a frenzied draw with Manchester United in the Premier League.

And so Tottenham sit fifth in the standings, 18 points from 11 matches and eight points behind table-topping rivals Arsenal. Thomas Frank will be frustrated with the manner of this side’s dropped points last weekend, Matthijs de Ligt nodding home right before the final whistle after Richarlison had struck moments before and wheeled away in topless celebration.

How to dissect the details of Spurs’ season? Improvements have been made since Frank replaced Ange Postecoglou after that Europa League triumph last season, a strange repulsion between the continental elation and the sour taste of a 17th-place finish in the Premier League.

But Tottenham lack confidence and coherence and quality in the final third. To dare is to do. Are Tottenham doing enough? That is one of the biggest contentions of the campaign so far, and Frank simply has to find a formula to his side’s offensive struggles as the season heads into the wintry midpoint.

How Frank can fix Spurs' attacking problems

Tottenham have found a way to secure a greater number of points under Frank than they typically managed under his predecessor. However, more goals and created chances are needed if the Londoners are to hit the heights anticipated.

But this is a long-term project, and overnight success was never going to be on the cards. What Frank can do, though, is consider ditching Richarlison, even though the Brazilian scored with a deft header against United at the weekend.

We would be remiss not to acknowledge the cameo of Mathys Tel at the weekend, too. The young striker spun and scored after replacing Xavi Simons off the bench. It started the comeback that ultimately didn’t cement itself, but demonstrated the potential of a versatile forward whose talents could yet be fashioned into something special and suitable for life at the peak of the Premier League.

Dominic Solanke continues to languish in the infirmary, a frustration that has undoubtedly had an adverse effect on Frank’s start at the helm. Had the former Bournemouth striker been fit and in the form of his previous chapter across these past few months, Tottenham would have had a focal outlet from which to channel creativity.

It’s been an issue for the strikers, though, and there’s one man in particular whose campaign has been sent into a spin, even though some have acknowledged he has a bit of Jermaine Defoe about him.

Spurs' "Defoe-esque" star is becoming a big problem

Defoe was a proper Premier League striker. Something of a journeyman, he was always prolific and scored 143 goals across 363 matches in a Lilywhite shirt.

Tottenham

363

143 (31)

West Ham

104

40 (4)

Sunderland

100

37 (3)

Rangers

74

32 (10)

Bournemouth

64

23 (2)

Portsmouth

36

18 (5)

Toronto

21

12 (3)

Quick feet, attacking smarts and a natural-born instinct in front of goal made him a force to be reckoned with.

And now, some feel Spurs have found a similar profile in Randal Kolo Muani. Indeed, presenter Ben Bowman hailed Kolo Muani for his “Defoe-esque” attacking play after the weekend match.

In August, Kolo Muani joined Tottenham on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, but he has struggled for fitness across his opening months in England, left waiting until midway through October for his Premier League debut, and has yet to score or assist in four matches since.

Disaster has struck once again, with the 26-year-old having fractured his jaw during the draw against the Red Devils. Now he is set to see a specialist to ascertain the severity of the setback.

Given the nature of Spurs’ attacking problems, with the injuries, yet again, piling up, it’s fair to say that Kolo Muani is presenting quite the conundrum to Frank’s desk, with this being a “strong, fast and powerful” centre-forward, as said by one analyst, endowed with all he needs to succeed in the Premier League, yet one whose time in England may be short-lived and unsuccessful on the grass.

His time in the French capital was somewhat turbulent, having failed to nail down his presence after transferring from Eintracht Frankfurt in 2023 for a whopping £76m fee. However, a short loan spell with Juventus last season led to ten goals and three assists from only 22 appearances.

Linking this back to the aforementioned Tel, Kolo Muani’s second injury of his Spurs stint could provide the Frenchman with the chance to nail down a regular starting berth.

Couple that with Solanke’s much-anticipated return and the wonders that could work on creating a more solid and dynamic attacking spread, Kolo Muani may be a striker on borrowed time as he struggles to acclimatise before the end of the season, when he will surely close the door on his loan stay down N17 without a sharp upswing in fortunes that look unlikely to materialise at this stage.

Tottenham have some issues, to be sure, but they have also shown themselves to have what it takes to make incremental improvements this season and beyond.

With Kolo Muani now sidelined once again, however, Frank’s scope at number nine has been narrowed. How big a blow will this prove to be? Whatever the verdict, the Les Bleus star is becoming a problem for the London-based outfit.

Spurs flop who's been "swallowed in the PL" must be dropped for Odobert

Thomas Frank can unleash Wilson Odobert by ruthlessly dropping this Spurs flop.

2 ByDan Emery Nov 10, 2025

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…"

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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.

Middlesex coast to chase of 256 as visitors left light at Lord’s

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay10-Aug-2025Middlesex 256 for 5 (Robson 89, Cracknell 79) beat Sussex 255 for 9 (Carson 73, Hudson-Prentice 58) by five wicketsSam Robson and Joe Cracknell shared a blistering stand of 144 in 111 balls as Middlesex sped to victory over Sussex in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup at Lord’s.Robson, in his benefit year with the Seaxes struck a run a ball 89, with 14 fours and a six, while Cracknell also cleared the ropes and hit 12 boundaries in his 78 as the hosts chased down a target of 256 with 25 balls to spare, despite 3 for 48 for Henry Crocombe.Earlier, Sussex’s total of 255-9 was built around half centuries from Jack Carson (73 from 58) and Fynn Hudson-Prentice (58 in 73). Noah Cornwell returned 3-50 while 18-year-old Jamie Feldman, making his List-A debut took a wicket with his second ball on route to figures of 2-36.Middlesex seized the initiative early thanks to Toby Roland-Jones’ double strike, Tom Haines caught at mid-on before Danial Ibrahim was trapped in front.Hudson-Prentice’s innings got off to a bizarre start when a quick single saw a shy at the stumps which hit the non-striker Tom Clark, the ricochet carrying the ball to the fence.The all-rounder almost played on to a ball from Cornwell, swatting the ball away from danger, but a lovely off-drive soon had him motoring, a Roland-Jones delivery nonchalantly flicked over the short boundary for six.Feldman then made a dramatic entrance, having Clark caught by skipper Ben Geddes and he struck for a second time to cut short Sussex skipper John Simpson’s breezy 22.Hudson-Prentice passed 50 in 61 balls, sharing a stand of 52 with Oli Carter before being superbly caught by Jack Davies and when Cornwell ended Carter’s promising innings three runs later the visitors were 152-6.The fact they batted out their overs was down almost entirely to Carson’s splendid innings. The all-rounder ruthlessly exploited the short boundary, endangering occupants of the Mound Stand on four occasions as he sprinted to 50 at more than a run a ball before finally perishing caught at cover in the penultimate over.By then Feldman had unfurled another party piece, brilliantly running out Danny Lamb with a direct hit.Middlesex lost De Caires lbw to Ari Karvelas early in the chase, but Robson and Cracknell responded with a boundary blitz, the former clubbing one from Hudson-Prentice over the ropes as well as creaming several fours effortlessly through the covers.Carson relieved the quicks only to be swept twice to the ropes by Cracknell, who followed that by dispatching one from Crocombe into the stands as 93 came from the powerplay.Cracknell’s ninth four took him to 50 in 33 balls and Robson’s half-century took only three more as the pair forged on.The Durham University graduate took a liking to the spin of Archie Lennon too, cutting successive balls behind square, and it needed Lamb to end his revelry courtesy of Haines’s catch on the square leg fence.While Robson became more circumspect, Geddes picked up the baton, clearing the ropes and driving Lamb to the cover fence, reaching 30 before Crocombe pegged back his off stump.When Robson followed him to the pavilion seven balls later courtesy of a magnificent diving catch by Lamb at mid-on there were jitters in the home dressing-room.Davies cleared the ropes only to perish to the next ball and with the visitors employing three slips runs slowed to a trickle.Hollman though steadied the ship with a mature unbeaten 30 to see the hosts over the line.