The Cincinnati Reds missed the postseason in 2024 for the fourth consecutive season and the 10th time in the last 11 years. The team dismissed manager David Bell on Monday as it looks to turn the corner and get back into contention.
It's been a frustrating past decade for the Reds and their fan base, and perhaps no one knows that better than longtime second baseman Jonathan India.
India has been with the franchise since making his MLB debut in 2021, and the former Rookie of the Year winner voiced his exasperation with the lack of improvement the team has made during his tenure. He also expressed his desire for the team to make the necessary adjustments in order to bring postseason baseball back to Cincinnati.
"We're tired of losing,” India said, via . "It's the same thing every year here. We just float around .500 and try to make the push but we just don’t have enough. We need to make a move. I know what it is, but I just want to say it to the media."
India signed a two-year, $8.8 million deal with the Reds to avoid arbitration during the offseason. He's due to be a free agent in 2027, as '26 is his final year of arbitration. Of his future with the organization, he said this upcoming offseason was a critical one, as he's not sure where he'll be after the '25 season.
"It's got to be (a big offseason). Who knows if I'll be here next year. Who knows if [Tyler] Stephenson will be here. We're running out of time. We were the young core. Then, we added Elly [De La Cruz] and so many guys. They need to make moves. I want to win."
India slashed .247/.353/.395 with 15 home runs and 58 RBIs in 2024, featuring in 146 games throughout the year.
Rashid Khan single-handedly ended Sunrisers Hyderabad’s four-match losing streak to beat Kolkata Knight Riders in the virtual semi-final of the IPL
The Report by Sidharth Monga25-May-2018Rashid Khan goes for the big one•BCCIThirty-four runs off 10 balls when his team was struggling to post a competitive total. Three wickets, including of the highest scorer and the biggest hitter in the opposition. One run-out of a batsman proving to be a great tactical move. Two catches. Rashid Khan single-handedly ended Sunrisers Hyderabad’s four-match losing streak to beat Kolkata Knight Riders and set up fourth bout against Chennai Super Kings this season, this time for the IPL title.Sunrisers were 134 for 6 in 17.5 overs when Rashid came out to bat. He produced an innings to rattle the young Knight Riders bowlers much like their captain Dinesh Karthik had recently done to the Bangladesh bowlers in the Nidahas Trophy final. Then Rashid came on to bowl with Knight Riders cruising at 67 for 1 in six overs, but took out Chris Lynn, Robin Uthappa, and crucially, Andre Russell in the last over that he bowled. There was a run-out in between to dismiss Nitish Rana, whose promotion had upset Sunrisers’ plans.Kuldeep Yadav lands lethal blowsBecause they don’t have David Warner, because their middle order has been out of form, Sunrisers Hyderabad have been conservative with the bat. Against a side whose batting looks like the future of T20, they got off to a cautious 45 for 0 Powerplay score, the lowest in Kolkata this season. In the eighth over, Kuldeep Yadav took out Shikhar Dhawan and Kane Williamson, two men who had accounted for nearly half their runs in the season so far. Dhawan missed the length on a sweep, and Williamson added himself to the highlight reel of great batsmen who have fallen to wrong’uns this season: AB de Villiers, Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni.Muddle in the middleAt 60 for 2 in 7.5 overs, Sunrisers needed someone in the reimagined middle order to play out of his skin but that didn’t happen. The Knight Riders spinners choked the life out of them, and the low run rate kept bringing wickets. When Carlos Brathwaite ran himself out in the 18th over to become the sixth wicket to fall, Sunrisers were looking at nothing short of another bowling miracle if they had to make it to Mumbai.Rashid RichardsPossibly, Knight Riders dropped the guard with Brathwaite’s wicket. There was some luck involved. And there was some sensational hitting. Young Prasidh Krishna, who had bowled a good 18th over until then, suddenly ditched the yorker and bowled a wide length ball with third man up. The edge flew over him. In the next over, with Yusuf Pathan gone too, Piyush Chawla left his station at the cover boundary and charged in, only to be lobbed by a Rashid mis-hit. Had he stayed on the boundary, he would have been offered a sitter. And then Rashid just went berserk. The best of his four sixes and two fours brought back memories of Viv Richards shuffling across and flicking the last ball of the 1979 World Cup final innings for a six. This was the fourth ball of the last over. He added one more six of the last ball of this innings.Perfect start to chaseA bit of a tactical tinkering, and Knight Riders were off to a perfect start. Sunil Narine did his thing with 26 off 13, by the virtue of being a left-hand batsman, Nitish Rana was promoted to delay the introduction of Rashid and Shakib Al Hasan, who in turn would have troubled Lynn whose strike rate against quicks is twice that against spin. As a result, Lynn had to face only two balls of spin in the first eight overs, by when he reached 36 off 21, taking Knight Riders to 81 for 1.The slipAnd then Rana slipped when turning for a second. Not only did he slip, he found himself taking on Rashid’s arm when he got up. The throw was flat, quick, and by the stumps. This brought Robin Uthappa in, and Williamson immediately went to Bhuvneshwar Kumar for a third over inside the first 10. Before this match, in this season, Bhuvneshwar had bowled 11 balls to Uthappa for four runs and one wicket. Unlike against CSK in the first qualifier, Williamson was not holding back here. Five balls and one run in this over put Uthappa under pressure, who as a result tried a reverse sweep on the first ball of the next over and was bowled by Rashid.ESPNcricinfo LtdThe endgame before the endgameThe two balls of spin that Lynn had faced in the first eight overs had been sweeps. The next three he faced from Rashid were sweeps again. On one of them, his glove saved him from the lbw. On one, he hit an uppish boundary. Rashid, though, could sense he was getting closer to the prey. In Test cricket you can torture this prey at leisure and get him. In T20 you don’t have time. One shot, and he can get away. Rashid didn’t let him. With the sixth, he adjusted the line a little, went for lbw on the off stump rather than middle, and beat the bat. Only Russell remained now.Williamson persisted with Rashid, deciding to bowl him in the 15th over, with 58 required off six overs. Russell knew what was happening. He started to block Rashid. A slip came in. Another block. Then Williamson made Russell wait. A helmet and a box came on to the field. The short leg fielder took his time to put it on. The faithful local crowd got twitchy. Rashid knew he had three balls to get Russell in. He bounded in, bowled a wrong’un, not particularly great as it was short, Russell went back to cut, got an edge, and Dhawan took an amazing catch as the ball swirled away from him at slip. It wasn’t a great ball, but Kumar Sangakkara said on air this is what happens when you are not sure which way the ball is turning and you make the decision a split second late.The endgameIn the qualifier, Williamson had made a mistake by bowling Brathwaite in the 18th over, thus not even utilising all of Bhuvneshwar’s over. This time, no such thing happened. Siddarth Kaul and Bhuvneshwar bowled excellent overs No. 17, 18 and 19 to shut the chase out. And defending 18 in the last over at the same venue where he chased 19 in the last over of the World T20 final two years ago, Brathwaite managed two wickets with two length balls to finish things off. It was fitting both those catches went to Rashid.
Manchester United have failed to recapture their form from the end of last season as Erik ten Hag is currently suffering from second-season syndrome, and he will need to get his act together swiftly, otherwise he could be out of a job.
Having won their first trophy in six years by claiming the EFL Cup last season while finishing third in the Premier League, it looked as though United were heading in the right direction and that Ten Hag was the true successor to Sir Alex Ferguson.
Just five wins from 11 matches this season, however, has slowed their ascendency down slightly and while the Dutchman managed to lure the likes of Andre Onana, Mason Mount and Rasmus Hojlund to the project he is currently building in Manchester, he did miss out on some transfer targets, namely Harry Kane.
He isn’t the first United manager this has happened to, and he won't be the last, even 'Fergie' missed out on players who then shone elsewhere.
Manchester United manager EriktenHag
The Red Devils could’ve had Alan Shearer leading their line during the 1990s, yet he turned down the club to move to Newcastle United. They even had a chance to sign Frank Lampard before his move to Chelsea, think how good Fergie’s midfield could have been with the former England international starring for him?
Ferguson also failed to lure another future Chelsea icon to United when they were going through a barren spell, as Didier Drogba ended up moving to London instead of Manchester and there is no doubt he could’ve significantly bolstered his squad at the time.
Did Man Utd nearly sign Didier Drogba?
In the summer of 2004, Jose Mourinho was announced as the new Chelsea manager and with that, United’s era of domination ended.
With the club securing just the FA Cup during the 2003/04 season while witnessing Arsenal’s unbeaten Premier League campaign firsthand, Ferguson turned to the transfer window in order to strengthen, with Drogba on his list of potential new signings.
Didier Drogba
He said: “We went to check him out [at Marseille] but the club wanted £25million and Chelsea moved in for the kill before we had made up our minds.”
United went and signed Wayne Rooney towards the end of that summer instead and that move obviously worked out extremely well, yet Drogba would’ve been a great signing.
What happened to Didier Drogba?
Mourinho was smitten with Drogba and shelled out £24m to sign one of his top transfer targets as he aimed to lead the Blues to their first league title since 1955.
The Ivorian scored 16 goals during his maiden campaign in London to help the Blues win the Premier League, while he also starred in the League Cup final too and the £24m was certainly proving to be quite the bargain.
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Another 27 goal contributions followed the season after as the Stamford Bridge side retained their title, and it looked as though the next few years were going to be all about Chelsea and Mourinho was the mastermind behind the success.
Despite a League Cup and FA Cup double during 2006/07, a poor start to the following season ensured Mourinho was sacked after a fractious relationship with chairman Romain Abramovich and Drogba went through a series of managers during his remaining few years at the club.
He did win another league title in 2009/10, netting 29 goals in just 32 matches, yet it was the 2011/12 season where he enjoyed his greatest success.
Abramovich had spent big since taking over the club in 2003 and Champions League glory was his only prerequisite. They lost the 2008 final to United in a rain-soaked Moscow but having defeated Barcelona in the semifinals, they faced Bayern Munich, in Munich, to see who would claim the title in 2012.
Knowing this was his final game for the club (during his first spell), Drogba certainly lived up to his reputation of being a big game player and against Bayern, this was no different.
Heading into the dying embers of the tie, Chelsea were down 1-0 and defeat looked certain. Drogba, however, powered home a header to send the tie to extra time.
He did concede a penalty, yet this was missed by Arjen Robben and the final was to be decided by the dreaded shootout. The Ivorian went on to write his name in Chelsea folklore, scoring the winning penalty and wheeling away in jubilation.
How many goals did Didier Drogba score for Chelsea?
The one-time Guingamp marksman returned to Chelsea during the 2014/15 season and won yet another Premier League title before eventually retiring in 2018. He ended up scoring 164 goals across 381 games for the Blues and this type of record would’ve made him a huge success in Manchester, absolutely no doubt about it.
He drew praise from ex-teammate Frank Lampard a few years ago, who said: “I always say Didier Drogba and John Terry [were my favourite to play alongside], for different reasons so it’s like a double-headed answer really.
“Didier for me was amazing, to have him in your team in a final, you felt Didier in the dressing room before a big game that it was a different Didier, he was like an animal.
“His preparation, the intensity in his eyes and then he always produced.”
Imagine this type of striker leading the line under Ferguson at United, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney providing chance after chance for the player.
It could have been a dream attacking triumvirate, yet it clearly wasn’t to be for the future Chelsea “legend” – as so dubbed by their summer arrival Nicolas Jackson – as he forged his own glorious story in England with a different club.
Ferguson’s mistakes in the transfer market were few and far between, yet during his final decade or so in charge, he began to let some excellent players slip through his grasp who may have enabled him to secure more silverware.
Drogba was one of those names and if he had joined United instead of Chelsea in 2004, might they have returned to the summit of English football sooner than they did?
Who knows, but the now-retired ace would have been outstanding in the red of United, and he remains one of the Premier League's finest-ever strikers.
Former England opener Sam Robson has finally found form, but it’s too little too late to join the list of potential Test openers in Sri Lanka
ECB Reporters Network20-Sep-20181:38
Worcestershire relegated after Essex hammering
ScorecardMatt Critchley became Derbyshire’s youngest ever centurion at Lord’s – but his side will face an arduous challenge to overcome Middlesex on the final day of their County Championship clash.The 22-year-old all-rounder top-scored for the visitors with 105 before picking up four wickets as Middlesex ended day three with a healthy advantage of 327 runs.Critchley’s ton made him the youngest Derbyshire player to achieve three figures at Lord’s – Stan Worthington was eight months his senior when he scored 101 on the ground 90 years earlier.Despite Critchley’s efforts with both bat and ball, Middlesex hold the upper hand after Sam Robson’s knock of 73 enabled them to reach 199 for 7 in their second innings.After a morning downpour had delayed the start by an hour and a half, Critchley immediately set about knocking off the 52 runs still required for Derbyshire to avoid the follow-on.Resuming on 87, he drove James Fuller for successive leg-side boundaries and then cut another four past gully to bring up his century.But James Harris (4 for 83) regained the initiative for Middlesex, persuading Critchley to attempt a hook shot that somehow sailed into the hands of second slip, and then removing Anuj Dal and Tony Palladino in quick succession.However, Hardus Viljoen, with an unbeaten 31 from 25 deliveries, and Lockie Ferguson threw the bat as they put together a crucial last-wicket partnership of 43.Ferguson smote Tim Murtagh back over his head for six to save the follow-on before the Middlesex bowler took revenge, uprooting his off stump as Derbyshire were dismissed for 295.Boosted by his first innings century, Robson looked in good nick again as Middlesex began the task of extending their lead of 128 as swiftly as possible.Robson went for his shots on both sides of the wicket, displaying sound timing and dominating an opening stand of 58 with Nick Gubbins, ended in bizarre fashion when the left-hander dislodged his bails while attempting to leg-glance Ferguson.Critchley then regained centre stage with his leg-spin, bamboozling Stevie Eskinazi for a leg-side stumping and having Dawid Malan caught after his sweep struck close-range fielder Gary Wilson and ballooned up to backward square.And Critchley also accounted for Robson on the stroke of the tea interval, running the opener out from mid-off after he had been sent back by Max Holden to end his hopes of completing a second ton in the match.Holden was one of two further victims to fall to the leg-spinner in a truncated final session, but Martin Andersson accumulated an undefeated 23 from as many balls, increasing Middlesex’s lead beyond 300 before bad light brought play to a premature close.
Former legspinner takes over from Rod Marsh, who is standing down after six years in the role
ESPNcricinfo staff24-Oct-20182:03
What’s it like to face an over from Shane Warne?
Shane Warne has been appointed to the MCC World Cricket committee.Warne, who claimed 708 Test wickets to cement his status as one of the game’s all-time greats, will take over from his fellow Australian, the former wicketkeeper Rod Marsh, who is standing down after six years in the role.”It is an honour to have been asked to be a member of the MCC World Cricket committee,” said Warne. “It is an extremely exciting time for cricket and I hope that I will have plenty to offer in discussion and debate. I look forward to contributing to the work of the committee.”The committee, which meets twice a year to discuss the important issues in the game, has forged a reputation as an independent voice in world cricket, and has tabled a number of recommendations that have gone on to be implemented by the ICC, including the development of pink balls for floodlit cricket, the mandatory use of DRS in international cricket, and a limit on bat sizes to improve the balance between bat and ball.One of the key outcomes of the committee’s last meeting, which was held at Lord’s in August, was the proposal that a “shot clock” should be introduced to help speed up play.Mike Gatting, Chairman of the MCC World Cricket committee, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Shane on to the committee. Obviously his profile in the world game is as big as they come and with his extensive experience, I am sure he will offer great insights into many different facets of the game.”I’d also like to pay tribute to Rod Marsh, who leaves the committee after six years. He has provided valuable contributions across a variety of areas and we thank him for his efforts.”Warne made his debut against India at Sydney in 1992 and bowed out 15 years later at the same venue, with a 5-0 Ashes series win in 2006-07. He also took 293 wickets in 194 ODIS, making him one of only two bowlers, alongside Muttiah Muralitharan, to have taken over 1,000 international wickets across all formats of the game.Warne spent five seasons in English county cricket with Hampshire, and captained the side between 2004 and 2007. He officially retired from all formats of the game in 2013 following stints in Australia’s Big Bash and the Indian Premier League, but returned to captain the Rest of the World XI against MCC at Lord’s to celebrate the Bicententary of the ground in 2014. He was made an Honorary Life Member of MCC in 2009.
Glasgow Rangers are currently attempting to land their next head coach to take on the job at Ibrox after Michael Beale was relieved of his duties earlier this month.
The Scottish giants are in the market for a new manager after the English tactician failed to bring tangible success over the course of his tenure at the club.
Rangers are already seven points adrift of the top of the Scottish Premiership table and failed to qualify for the group stages of the Champions League under their former boss.
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Whoever chairman John Bennett and chief executive James Bisgrove decide to hire will arrive with an uphill task to get the Light Blues back on track in order to compete for major honours this season.
They will also have a job on their hands to unlock or get the best out of the numerous signings who have struggled so far; including Belgian striker Cyriel Dessers.
What's the latest on Philippe Clement to Rangers?
Nieuwsblad recently reported that the Gers have made a contract offer to former Club Brugge tactician Philippe Clement and he could rock Ibrox by unlocking the summer signing's goalscoring potential.
The Glasgow outfit are said to have sent their proposal to the out-of-contract manager and he is now in 'pole position' to become Beale's eventual replacement before the end of the international break.
The report from Nieuwsblad also claimed that the Belgian tinkerer is expected to turn down the opportunity to go to the Saudi Pro League with Al Shabab, despite talks with the team last week.
Would Clement be a good appointment?
On paper, the 49-year-old boss has the potential to be an excellent appointment by Bisgrove and Bennett if he can translate his success in Belgium over to Scottish football.
Clement won an impressive three league titles in three seasons between the 2018/19 and 2020/21 campaigns with Genk and Club Brugge and has lifted four Pro League trophies throughout his managerial career in total.
The former Monaco chief also has an impressive record in qualifying matches for European competitions, which is where Beale struggled earlier this season for the Gers.
Former Monaco boss Philippe Clement.
He has won nine and lost one of his 12 qualifiers, for the Champions League and the Europa League combined, and this shows that the Belgian mastermind knows what it takes to be successful at that level.
These statistics suggest that Clement could come in as a big upgrade on Beale, who has not won a single trophy throughout his managerial career to date and has no track record of being able to coach a winning side.
The 4-4-2 tactician has, on the other hand, showcased his ability to win league titles and achieve relative success in Europe at multiple clubs, with titles in charge of both Genk and Brugge.
Therefore, Clement could be a fantastic appoint by the Scottish giants if he accepts the offer that is reportedly on the table from the club.
Getting the best out of Dessers could be one of the first priorities for the 49-year-old boss if he does take charge of the Gers, as the striker has struggled this season.
How much did Rangers pay for Dessers?
The Scottish giants reportedly agreed a deal worth £4.5m to sign the Belgian centre-forward from Italian side Cremonese after they were relegated from the Serie A last season.
They brought him in off the back of a fairly underwhelming season in the top-flight of football in Italy as his side failed to avoid the drop-down to Serie B.
Former Cremonese striker Cyriel Dessers.
Dessers produced six goals and two assists in 26 league appearances for the club throughout the campaign and missed five 'big chances' in total.
The Nigeria international's lack of physicality was also a concern as opposition players got the better of him in 70% of his duels and 75% of his aerial contests, which suggests that the experienced forward was too weak for the Serie A.
How many goals has Dessers scored this season?
Dessers' lack of consistent quality at the top end of the pitch has carried over into the current campaign as he has only scored three goals in 15 appearances for the Gers.
His Scottish Premiership form has been a particular cause for concern. The 28-year-old marksman has produced one goal and zero assists in eight league outings for the Light Blues and lost a staggering 81% of his duels on the ground in that time, as per Sofascore.
Rangers forward Cyriel Dessers.
Three of his six goal contributions for the club came in his four Champions League qualifying appearances earlier this season, which included one goal and two assists.
What's next for Dessers?
Journalist Dean Jones claimed, in August, that Dessers could go on to become a "cult hero" for Rangers if he is able to turn his form around over the months or years to come.
Clement could, therefore, rock Ibrox and impress supporters by fulfilling this prediction and helping the ex-Genk striker find his feet at this level.
He favours a 4-4-2 system and this means that Dessers could play alongside another forward and thrive away from being the main focal point for the side, which the Nigerian flop has clearly struggled with as he does not have the physicality to consistently compete and win duels against defenders.
Playing as part of a front two could allow him to focus solely on his movement off the ball to find the space to score and create goals.
His form for Feyenoord during the 2021/22 campaign suggests that the quality is there for him to turn his fortunes around at Ibrox if Clement's system can get the best out of him.
Dessers produced a sensational ten goals and one assist in seven Europa Conference League starts and managed nine goals in nine Eredivisie starts for the Dutch side, as per Sofascore.
No Rangers striker managed more than 14 league goals for the Gers last term and the ex-Cremonese forward's goal record for Feyenoord suggests that the forward, who also scored 29 goals in 40 matches for NAC Breda earlier in his career, could be a lethal scorer for the Scottish giants if he can get back to those levels.
Therefore, Clement could get supporters at Ibrox rocking with joy if they start to see the 6 foot 1 finisher firing in the goals on a regular basis in a 4-4-2 set-up.
The international break is now over, and Arsenal return to Premier League action against London rivals Chelsea at Stamford Bridge this evening, with sights set on extending their unbeaten run to the league season.
Last year, Mikel Arteta led the Emirates Stadium side to a second-placed finish in the English top-flight, ending five years outside of Champions League qualification.
But the late-season slump that saw an indomitable Manchester City side leapfrog the Gunners to win their third successive Premier League title and enable treble success left more than a bitter taste after such a gallant and inspiring effort.
This season, Arsenal have returned to emphatic form and currently hold six victories and two draws from eight matches, behind table-toppers Tottenham Hotspur only due to goals scored.
Chelsea, meanwhile, are 11th in the league after an ignominious 12th-place finish last season, though after appointing Mauricio Pochettino in the summer, they are now starting to show signs of improvement.
Having picked up successive away victories over Fulham and Burnley, there is now a golden chance for the Blues to make a statement of intent by handing their rivals their maiden loss of the league term.
Date & Ground
Result
02 May, 2023 – Emirates Stadium
AFC 2-0 CHE
06 Nov, 2022 – Stamford Bridge
CHE 0-1 AFC
20 Apr, 2022 – Stamford Bridge
CHE 2-4 AFC
22 Aug, 2021 – Emirates Stadium
AFC 0-2 CHE
12 May, 2021 – Stamford Bridge
CHE 0-1 AFC
26 Dec, 2020 – Emirates Stadium
AFC 3-1 CHE
Sourced via 11vs11
Such efforts, however, will require some doing, with Arsenal winning five of the last six Premier League encounters – including their previous three visits to Stamford Bridge.
There are concerns over the fitness of stalwart Bukayo Saka, but Arteta will know that his cohesive, free-flowing outfit boast enough quality to halt Chelsea's mini-revival and continue their own purple patch.
What's the Arsenal team news vs Chelsea?
Arteta admitted this week that he will have to assess the fitness levels of Saka, William Saliba and Leandro Trossard ahead of today's crucial contest, with the trio all pulling out of their respective international squads before the recent break.
Arsenal forward Leandro Trossard.
Thomas Partey is fit and could come in for Jorginho in the centre of the pitch to inject some power and physicality against a robust Chelsea midfield – likely consisting of Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo and Conor Gallagher.
In particular, the possible absence of Saka will be a major concern for Arteta, who will know of the England international's devastating ability to dismantle resolute defences such as Chelsea's.
Is Bukayo Saka fit to play vs Chelsea?
Saka ended an 87-match appearance streak in the Premier League against Manchester City, but his absence did not stop Arsenal from securing a galvanising victory.
The prodigious winger, aged 22, has posted five goals and assists apiece this term from just ten matches across all competitions – having scored 14 goals and supplying 11 assists in the Premier League last season.
The £195k-per-week sensation ranks among the top 11% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 7% for progressive carries, the top 3% for touches in the attacking box and the top 11% for tackles per 90, as per FBref.
He is one of the most dynamic and deadly of his position across Europe, and he would likely walk into the lion's share of European outfits, having been praised by podcaster and radio host Boyd Hilton, who said: "Saka must be one of the best players in the world right now. Unplayable."
Should he indeed be sidelined, Arteta will at least be boosted by the likely return of Gabriel Martinelli to the starting line-up, with the South American star proving his worth and then some last time out, bagging the late winner against Pep Guardiola's side.
Should Gabriel Martinelli start vs Chelsea?
Martinelli has been an integral member of Arteta's team and its noteworthy resurgence over the past several years, though he has spent much of the past month or so sidelined after injuring his hamstring against Everton.
Signing from Brazilian outfit Ituano Futebol Clube for a reported £6m fee in 2019 as an 18-year-old, Martinelli has now completed 137 matches for his London team, plundering 55 direct goal contributions despite his youth.
In 2021, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp made some rather effusive remarks about the starlet, claiming that he was the "talent of the century", which, impressive as he may be, certainly appeared to be a little over the top.
Last season though, the 22-year-old started to strut his stuff with the panache of one of the division's best, and played a definitive role in the Gunners' enthralling title charge, scoring 15 goals and providing five assists across 36 matches in the top-flight.
Indeed, speaking to Football FanCast in April, journalist Pete O'Rourke claimed that Martinelli had taken his game to "another level" during the 2022/23 season, cementing his stature among the finest forwards that the Premier League has to offer.
The injury sustained against Everton in the first half at Goodison Park in September meant that he would miss the ensuing two Premier League fixtures, though he returned against Manchester City to score the winner off the bench.
Also dubbed "unbelievable" by a keen admirer in Klopp, Martinelli ranks among the top 11% of his positional peers for goals and the top 2% for touches in the attacking box per 90, and it's easy to see the kind of cutting-edge at his disposal that puts him in such high standing under Arteta's wing.
Martinelli only boasts one goal against today's opponents, but it is a strike that will last long in the memory of the Gunners faithful; he does, however, have four victories against the west London side from just six matches.
Having got off the mark in his latest Premier League appearance, the 5 foot 10 phenom will be confident that he can start making a marked impact on Arsenal's season.
And while Chelsea may be clicking into gear right now, they face a beast of a different magnitude in Arteta's men, who will look to extend their unbeaten streak and continue their convincing title charge with another big win.
Kylian Mbappe was on fire for Paris Saint-Germain as he scored three and set up another goal in a 6-2 annihilation of Montpellier on Sunday.
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PSG smash six past MontpellierMbappe involved in four goalsNow 12 points clear in Ligue 1GettyTELL ME MORE
The French forward's importance to the team was on show throughout the game as PSG, despite their dominance, let Montpellier back into the match in a shaky spell late in the first half.
It looked like it was going to be an easy day for PSG when they opened the scoring inside the first quarter of an hour. Mbappe worked the ball to Vitinha outside the box and he easily stepped beyond one Montpellier player before unleashing a strike from the edge of the area to send his team into the lead. PSG then hit Montpellier with a rapid counter attack that ended with Mbappe combining with Randal Kolo Muani before the former rolled into the net from a tight angle.
Montpellier managed to pull a goal back through Arnaud Nordin and Wahbi Khazri had a great chance to score an equaliser but his effort was cleared by Danilo. They did not have to wait much longer to get the equaliser, though, when Danilo's awful pass back put Gianluigi Donnarumma under pressure and he collided with Tanguy Coulibaly and the referee pointed to the penalty spot, which Teji Savanier blasted into the top corner.
Mbappe came to the rescue early in the second half when he received the ball outside the box, had a glance at goal and then smashed it over Dimitry Bertaud and in off the bar. Right after it, Lee Kang-in issued a challenge to Mbappe for the best goal of the game when he played a one-two with Kolo Muani and curled in a beauty from outside the box.
Outgoing talisman Mbappe took back the limelight from his Korean co-star, however, when he raced through to complete his hat-trick. After Montpellier were denied a penalty through VAR, Vitinha teed up Nuno Mendes for a fantastic goal to finish the game off at 6-2.
AdvertisementGettyTHE MVP
At his illustrious best, Mbappe showed the quality that PSG will sorely miss when he leaves on a free transfer. He was tremendous from start to finish and showed his individual brilliance in all three of his goals after helping spark the team into life with the assist for the opener.
GettyTHE BIG LOSER
PSG centre-back Pereira had a role in both of Montpellier's goals. He tried to meet a cross and ended up knocking it to Nordin for a simple header from close range. Despite his vital clearance to prevent Khazri from equalising, the Portuguese defender's awful pass to Donnarumma caused the penalty.
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PSG are now 12 points clear of Brest at the top of Ligue 1 and will hope to protect that lead when they return to domestic action against Marseille on March 31.
Luis Reece reckoned he nearly ran out his runner, Ben Slater, about four times, but his unbeaten 92 was a triumphant end as he braved a swollen ankle
ECB Reporters Network23-May-2018 ScorecardLuis Reece overcame a damaged ankle to put Derbyshire on course for a victory over Durham in the Royal London One Day Cup match at Derby.Reece made his highest List A score of 92 from 107 balls despite batting with a runner – Ben Slater taking up the job – and although former Derbyshire seamer Nathan Rimmington took three quick wickets, it was not enough to save Durham from a third consecutive North Group defeat.The all-rounder also took two wickets and although Tom Latham top scored with 66, Durham’s 272 for 8 was not enough as Gary Wilson with 40 and an unbeaten 42 from Alex Hughes saw Derbyshire home in the final over.Reece said: “The foot’s a bit painful and a bit swollen but touch wood I can get it sorted in time for Friday and be ready to go again. It’s not much fun to bat with a runner, I think I nearly ran Ben out about four times but I wanted to get out there and have a bat.”Derbyshire’s bowlers settled after Ravi Rampaul went for 13 in the second over and Matt Critchley sent down three wides in his first to prevent Durham getting away on a flat pitch.A direct hit by Wayne Madsen from point ran out Cameron Steel in the 11th over and although Graham Clark and Michael Richardson passed 40, they both fell trying to force the pace.Clark was bowled by Critchley and Richardson under-edged a pull at Olivier before Reece’s consistent line forced Will Smith to edge a drive and Stuart Poynter to play across a full length ball.Derbyshire’s disciplined display restricted Latham to only three fours in a 67 ball 50 and although he pulled Olivier for six, Durham’s chance of a challenging total ended when he failed to clear deep midwicket.Chris Rushworth hit Critchley for consecutive sixes and Rimmington pulled Rampaul over the ropes but Durham’s total looked under par on a true pitch in sunny conditions.That was reinforced by the way Ben Slater and Godleman started before Matt Dixon bowled Slater for 24 although he stayed out as a runner for Reece who had been hit on the ankle bowling.Both should have been back in the pavilion before the end of the first powerplay but Poynter spilled an edge off Rushworth when Reece was on six which proved a big moment.Godleman scored a century in the first game at Edgbaston and he reached 50 from 79 balls before Reece completed his half century by sweeping George Harding for his sixth four.Durham sensed an opening when Godleman played around a good length ball from Rimmington who struck again in his next over when Madsen was caught behind and Critchley chopped on three balls later.Reece moved into the 90’s by straight-driving Rushworth for four but in the 40th over, he played on to Harding to leave the game in the balance with Derbyshire needing 81 from the last 10 overs.But Wilson and Hughes played positively to add 80 as Derbyshire sealed a second victory with two balls to spare.
The inaugural elections of the new board, initially slated for May 18, has gone through a series of delays
Peter Della Penna13-Jul-2018The inaugural USA Cricket elections, which were originally announced to be held on May 18, will now begin on July 20 according to an announcement from the board. The elections have gone through a series of delays, including being postponed indefinitely after a series of challenges were made during a peer-review process regarding the legitimacy of voting members.Full list of candidates
League director: Mark Demos, Shuja Khan, Sushil Nadkarni, Atul Rai Club director: John Aaron, Ajith Bhaskar, Jag Poosarla, Maq Qureshi, Aziz Savul Individual director (3 positions): Avinash Gaje, Ramesh Immadi, Ajay Jhamb, Jatin Patel, Venu Pisike, Shantha Suraweera, Suraj Viswanathan, Brian Walters Female player: Nadia Gruny, Erica Rendler Male player: Usman Shuja
Five of the original 25 candidates have also dropped out of the elections for the seven constituent board-member positions. Lesly Lowe, president of the Commonwealth Cricket League in New York – the largest league in the country with 81 clubs – has withdrawn from the race for the league director position. Biju Nair and Masaood Yunus have officially withdrawn their names as candidates for club director. Both roles are to be voted on by eligible leagues and clubs respectively.The other two candidates to drop out came from the individual director pool. Kiran Manchikanti and Ramu Parupalli are no longer in the running. The remaining eight candidates will be voted on by the approximately 5000 eligible USA Cricket members who registered by the April 24 voting-registration deadline. Three individual directors will be voted in through the electronic voting process, which will remain open until July 29.The other two candidates to be voted in will be the male and female elite athlete representatives on the board. There are no changes to the originally announced candidates in each category: Usman Shuja, who is running uncontested in the male elite athlete category, and a two-player race for the female representative between Nadia Gruny and Erica Rendler.After the seven constituent members have been elected, USA Cricket has announced that the final three independent director positions on the board will be appointed by the nomination and governance committee by mid-September. It is then expected that the full 10-person board will be presented to the ICC at the next board meeting in October.The delayed elections timeline also means that the current ICC Americas caretaker administration, known as Project USA, will remain in charge of the administrative process of organising and selecting USA squad for the World T20 Regional Qualifier to be hosted by USA from September 16-24, as well as a squad for ICC WCL Division Three, which is expected to be held in October or November of 2018.