All posts by n8rngtd.top

Well, given the circumstances, that was an exceptional result for Chelsea.

Sure, Enzo Maresca’s side would have gone out there looking for a win, but considering Arsenal are the Premier League leaders, a point is not bad and has kept them within touching distance.

Moreover, when Moises Caicedo got himself sent off in the first half, it felt like only a matter of when, not if, the Gunners would take the lead.

There were sensational displays across the pitch for the hosts, including one monster that saved the Ecuadorian international from becoming the talking point.

Chelsea's standout stars

One of Chelsea’s best players this evening, and all season for that matter, was Robert Sanchez.

Chalkboard

The Spanish shot-stopper has come in for some harsh criticism over recent years, but against the Gunners, he was superb.

On top of his passing generally being on point and his collection of crosses being efficient, he also made several top-quality stops, like the one from Gabriel Martinelli’s shot in the first half.

Another hugely important player for the Blues was captain fantastic, Reece James.

The Englishman once again started the game in the middle of the park and was, in the words of presenter Olivia Buzaglo, “gargantuan.”

In his 94 minutes of action, he provided an assist, played two key passes, won 100% of his tackles, won 11 of 12 duels, didn’t get dribbled past at all, recovered the ball twice, and completed 100% of his dribbles.

It was just the sort of performance the team needed from their captain after Caicedo was sent off in the first half.

However, there was another starter who was just as vital to the win, and truly saved the Ecuadorian’s blushes.

The Chelsea player who saved Caicedo

Once Caicedo was sent off, there was an expectation that Arsenal would eventually wrestle control back from Chelsea and stamp their authority over proceedings.

However, the Blues clearly had other ideas.

Just three minutes into the second 45, James delivered an incredible corner into the Gunners’ penalty area, and Trevoh Chalobah rose to meet it and head it home.

It was a well-worked set-piece and a brilliant header that seemed to shock the visitors and gave the Stamford Bridge faithful something to cheer about and take their minds off the red card.

However, while that was the most memorable moment of his game, Chalobah did far more than just score, as he was superb at the back and showed some great on-the-ball skill, coming out from the back on multiple occasions.

He unsurprisingly made quite the impression on the watching press as well, with the Standard’s Dom Smith awarding him an 8/10 match rating at full-time.

The 26-year-old’s statistics more than justify such a rating as well.

In his 94 minutes of hard-fought action, the academy graduate won 100% of his tackles, made six clearances, recovered the ball four times, won five of seven duels, didn’t get dribbled past, took 52 touches and won one foul.

It was another performance from the Englishman that proves he’s more than just a stopgap until the club splashes the cash on a new defender.

Or, as Gary Cahill said in an interview that came out a few hours before the game, he is “the most underappreciated player at Chelsea.”

Ultimately, they might not have won, but Chelsea put in a sensational performance to claim a point against Arsenal, and alongside the likes of Sanchez and James, Chalobah saved Caicedo from becoming the talking point.

Chelsea have already signed their own Saka & he's "just like Estevao"

Chelsea are building a team of young superstars, and they have their latest talent waiting in the wings.

By
Angus Sinclair

Nov 29, 2025

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is reportedly prepared to rival close friend Xabi Alonso as the Gunners eyes a move for Real Madrid target Rodrigo Mendoza. The Elche wonderkid, who has a €20 million release clause, has attracted widespread interest from across Europe following his eye-catching performances in La Liga. Premier League giants Manchester City are also keen on signing the youngster.

• Mendoza impressing in La Liga

  Mendoza graduated from Elche's youth system and made his professional debut for the club in 2022. Last season, the midfielder featured in 21 league matches as Elche finished second in the Segunda Division and earned promotion to La Liga.

  In the current campaign, Mendoza has appeared in nine La Liga matches, scoring once. His impressive performances in the centre of the park for Elche have caught the eyes of several top European clubs. 

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  Alonso ready to rival close friend Alonso

  According to , Arsenal are closely monitoring the progress of Mendoza at Elche and are prepared to join the race to sign the 20-year-old. The Gunners' recruitment specialists have kept a close eye on the Spanish youth international, who could consider triggering his €20m (£17.5m) release clause.

  The Gunners, however, will face intense competition from Premier League rivals Manchester City, while La Liga giants Real Madrid have also shown strong interest in signing the Spaniard, who has often been compared to Barcelona and Spain playmaker Pedri.

  Arteta is a childhood friend of Madrid boss Alonso and the two Spaniards have a very similar outlook towards football. The duo also battled it out for Martin Zubimendi in the summer, and he ultimately chose Arsenal over Madrid. Arteta also signed Piero Hincapie from Bayer Leverkusen after talking to Alonso, who lured Granit Xhaka to Bay Arena from Arsenal in 2023. 

  Now, it seems the two friends will once again compete in the transfer market to secure a move for Mendoza.

• When can Mendoza leave Elche?

  Elche recognised Mendoza's talent last summer when they reportedly rejected a few offers from the Saudi Pro League for his services. In August, the Spanish club moved to secure his long-term future by offering him an improved contract, extending his stay until 2028. This new deal included the €20m release clause, which, while substantial, is considered "negotiable" and "certainly affordable" for top European clubs. 

  Despite Elche's efforts to tie him down, the report added that Mendoza is destined to leave the club next summer. He could also consider moving in January if any club triggers his release clause.

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  Kane on Arsenal's mind ahead of key UCL fixture

  For now, the Premier League leaders are focused on the current season and will be up against Harry Kane's Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday. Ahead of facing one of Europe's best strikers, Gunners defender Jurrien Timber revealed Arteta's plan to stop the England captain as he said: "That is not going to be easy, of course. I think he is an amazing striker, everyone knows that. He has so many qualities. He has been doing it for such a long time already, and now at Bayern Munich he has been one of the best players in the world. So, it is going to be a nice challenge for us as a team, as defenders, to stop him tomorrow. I think when you face an opposition with Harry Kane as the striker, he is a topic and you discuss him as defenders, because he is one of the dangerous players. It is the same with any other game, we discuss their players and the way they play. For tomorrow, it is the same."

The Los Angeles Dodgers got a gift thanks to a terrible call on Saturday against the New York Mets.

During the top of the second inning at Citi Field, Dodgers rookie catcher Dalton Rushing came to the plate with runners on first and third and one out. L.A. already led 1–0 and Mets starting pitcher David Peterson was trying to work out of a jam.

On a 1–1 pitch, Rushing pounded a ball into the ground, and it rolled out in front of the plate. Mets catcher Luis Torrens grabbed it and fired to first to get an out, but Tommy Edman scored from third base, giving the Dodgers a 2–0 lead. There's just one problem: the ball clearly hit off Rushing's shin and should have been called a foul ball. It was so obvious that Peterson didn't even attempt to grab the ball because he thought the play was dead.

Video is below.

For some inexplicable reason, that's a non-reviewable play. It makes zero sense that they can review a hit by pitch call to see whether it was actually a foul tip, or whether a ball is fair or foul, but can't look at whether a guy fouled a ball off himself or not.

Just a brutal call by this umpiring crew. The fact that none of the other members of the crew stepped up to call out the mistake makes it even worse.

Everton have now reportedly set their sights on a former Liverpool midfielder who has starred ever since completing a move away from Anfield.

Moyes "thrilled" with scrappy Bournemouth win

After being shoved to one side by Newcastle United last weekend, Everton entered Bournemouth in need of a reaction and David Moyes got exactly that. By his own admission, it wasn’t his side’s prettiest affair, but they did get the job done courtesy of Jack Grealish’s second goal of the season.

Moyes shared his delight with reporters at full-time, saying: “It was a tough performance. It maybe wasn’t our tidiest or the cleanest we’ve had, but I thought we were the better team in the game.

“But could we score a goal, or could they score a goal? I think whoever got the goal first then, it would have probably gone that way. Having said that, after getting the goal, we had a couple of other chances to get a second one.

“But, look, I’m thrilled. Bournemouth is not a place where Everton have had a great record. So for us to go away, two away wins in the road on the bounce at the moment is really good.”

The performances haven’t always been there for Everton this season, but they’ve still managed to get over the line more than once to set up a strong foundation for the rest of the campaign.

It would be a major boost if they managed to secure a top-half finish in their first season at the Hill Dickinson Stadium and it would no doubt leave them well-placed to welcome reinforcements such as Tyler Morton. The former Liverpool gem could be on his way back to the Premier League and the Toffees may yet pull off a shock move.

Everton keeping tabs on Tyler Morton

As reported by TeamTalk, Everton are now keeping close tabs on Morton following his rise to stardom at Lyon this season. Since swapping the Anfield reserves for first-team football in France, the midfielder has looked likely to become one of Liverpool’s biggest regrets.

Dubbed a “fantastic footballer” by journalist Bence Bocsak back in September, Morton could come back to haunt Liverpool courtesy of one of their biggest rivals.

For Everton, signing the 23-year-old would hand them a direct replacement for James Garner, who is on course to leave the Toffees as a free agent when his contract expires next summer.

Everton told to pay record price for Bayern Munich target after sending scouts

The Toffees are eyeing an attacking addition.

By
Tom Cunningham

Nov 28, 2025

In terms of profile, the young midfielder has showcased his ability to control games with his passing range over in France and could finally hand Moyes the control that he needs to take Everton to that next level. For the right price, the Toffees could get one over on their rivals and land a rising star.

Everton could sign "one of the best left-backs in the world" for just £25m

Xabi Alonso has taken a massive gamble on Kylian Mbappe as the Frenchman has been included in the Real Madrid squad to face Manchester City in the Champions League on Wednesday night. The manager is fighting to save his job in the Spanish capital and needs a positive result to ease the pressure. Mbappe missed training on Tuesday due to an injury, but is still in line to feature against City at the Bernabeu.

• Mbappe named in matchday squad for City clash

  Mbappe, who has been the club’s talisman this season, sat out Tuesday’s public session alongside compatriot Eduardo Camavinga, prompting speculation about whether the forward would be available for selection. Spanish radio outlet reported that Mbappe had suffered a problem in his left leg, which further spread panic among fans. But Real boss Alonso has moved to quash the uncertainty by including the 26-year-old in the official matchday squad, confirming he will at least take a place among the substitutes at the Bernabeu.

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  Mbappe's dominance and Madrid’s dependence

  Mbappe has been Madrid’s heartbeat in the 2025-26 campaign. With 25 goals across all competitions, plus four Champions League assists, he is on track to surpass Cristiano Ronaldo’s record for most goals (69) in a calendar year for the club. In La Liga, he has been responsible for half of Madrid’s total goals, and a scarcely believable 75 per cent  in Europe. His last Champions League outing was a four-goal masterpiece against Olympiacos, underlining both his brilliance and Madrid’s reliance on him. 

  Alonso’s decision to include Mbappe in the squad comes at a moment when his own position is under intense scrutiny. Madrid’s 2-0 home defeat to Celta Vigo on Sunday was catastrophic, extending a bleak run of just two wins in seven matches across all competitions. The loss was compounded by two red cards, shown to Alvaro Carreras and Fran García, and a serious muscle injury to centre-back Eder Militao, who is expected to be sidelined for up to four months. The result widened the gap to Barcelona at the top of La Liga to four points and ignited further speculation that Alonso’s reign could be terminated if City inflict another damaging defeat. Reports in Madrid suggest this match, against Pep Guardiola’s side, may be his final chance to steady a season veering off course. 

  However, a defiant Alonso is not ready to throw in the towel. He said: "We are all in the same boat. We have to go through positive and negative times. We need to believe the next game is an opportunity, and tomorrow we have a very exciting game for all of us, and we need to keep our eyes open to have that energy so the Bernabeu enjoys what it sees. Communication [with the board] is constant. We are united, we are all together in this, and I have a good relationship with them."

• Plan 'Endrick’ prepared as cover for Mbappe

  With Mbappe missing training and doubts lingering over his physical condition, Alonso spent Tuesday working closely with teenage forward Endrick. The Brazilian, who has struggled for minutes since arriving in the summer, received special tips from the manager, which indicated that he could play a meaningful role against City. dubbed the tactical contingency "Plan Endrick" with the 18-year-old expected either to start or come from the bench for his first appearance since November 1. Gonzalo García, who has featured more regularly this season, is another attacking alternative if Mbappe is unable to lead the line. But the focus remains firmly on the Frenchman. Without him at full tilt, Madrid’s prospects appear worryingly diminished.

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  Madrid aim for collective strength amid injury crisis

  Whether Mbappe will feature from the start is still unknown. Alonso, under enormous pressure and staring down a make-or-break moment in his turbulent reign, may yet opt to gamble on the fitness of a player who has carried his team almost single-handedly through the season. He is already missing several defenders like Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dean Huijsen, Dani Carvajal and Militao as Madrid’s back line has been ravaged by injury. Hence, it was no surprise when midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni acknowledged the challenge of containing City’s attacking threat, especially that of Erling Haaland. 

  "If we don't win games, it's because we have to do things better with and without the ball, with commitment from everyone and play better in defence and attack. We hope to improve and win more games because what's happening now cannot go on," he said.

  "We're all together. If we want to win games, we all have to fight, coach and team in the same direction. It's us who are on the pitch, and we have to do things better out there. We have a good opportunity to change the dynamic and pick up more points in the Champions League."

The Dodgers built a comfortable lead over the Reds in Game 1 of their National League wild-card series and hung on for a 10–5 victory. Shohei Ohtani blasted a titanic home run and Blake Snell was dominant through seven innings. But a trio of pitchers—Alex Vesia, Edgardo Henriquez and Jack Dreyer—were very shaky in an eighth inning that resulted in three Cincinnati runs.

And Colin Cowherd thinks that's a very bad sign for a team expected to valiantly defend their World Series crown.

"Last night's a prime example of why they're not going to win the World Series," Cowherd said on his show Wednesday. "

"Dave Roberts doesn't trust the bullpen," he continued. "Dodger fans don't trust the bullpen. The Dodger bullpen doesn't trust the bullpen. They're going to push their starters as long as they can go."

Cowherd believes Los Angeles need to get great starting pitching and have their big bats deliver. Which sounds like a lot but is the same challenge almost every team in the MLB playoffs is hoping to receive. So there's no need to panic, especially with that lineup.

There is also the possibility that razor-sharp focus wasn't there in an 8–0 game and the effort could be better with more on the line.

"It feels good," Cowherd said of the opening triumph. "But this is how they're going to have to win."

It hurts to be a Pirates fan these days.

Long removed from its glory days in the 1960s and '70s, Pittsburgh's franchise is currently stuck in what fans believe to be an owner-imposed purgatory, one in which even one of the best players in baseball isn't enough to turn the middling franchise around. Indeed, Chairman Bob Nutting is frequently maligned by fans during games at PNC Park and around Pittsburgh, where diehards have resorted to chants and even billboards urging the executive to sell the team if he won't spend money to make it better.

But it would seem Nutting will not budge until his hand is forced—that is, there will be no management changes on his end until movement is required by the league. That isn't an inspiring notion for fans, who would of course prefer to enjoy the Paul Skenes era while it lasts and are tired of the disappointment.

On Monday, MLB commissioner Robert Manfred at the very least sounded aware of Pittsburgh's macro-level problem—and even made clear that the league needs to fix it.

During the commissioner's appearance on , McAfee, a Pittsburgh native, divulged that he did not grow up as a big baseball fan because the Pirates were not a competitive team. He then suggested that it would be good for MLB to fix that issue around the league—not just with the Pirates, but other franchises, too—to make the sport better as a whole.

"The fact of the matter is Pittsburgh's a great sports town," Manfred said in reply, after making clear he agreed with McAfee's point. "There are tons and tons of really passionate Pirates fans who remember when the Pirates were a great, great team year in and year out. And they just want to look at the system and say, 'We got a fair chance to win' when you're sitting around in February looking at Spring Training and what the year's gonna be like. And we need to deal with that issue."

Listen to that below:

He added: "It is undeniable … that we have fans in markets who believe they don't have a fair opportunity to compete. You can blame the owner, or whatever—it is the system that produces that. And at the end of the day, what we sell is competition. So anything that undermines competition … sooner or later, we're going to have to come to grips with that issue, 100%."

So, no clear promises made, but it might feel at least somewhat nice to hear Manfred say there's a problem with teams like the Pirates that needs fixing.

And as salary cap (and possible salary floor) discussions continue, hopefully, the team's fortunes are eventually reversed, with or without Bob Nutting.

The international break is finally over, and Blues in west London will hope Chelsea have retained that winning feeling when Estevao Willian struck late to secure all three points against Liverpool at Stamford Bridge two weeks ago.

It was a crucial Premier League win for Enzo Maresca’s men, who haven’t quite got going this term and had lost two on the bounce before sinking the champions.

Now, Chelsea will hope to use that momentum as they tackle Ange Postecoglou’s Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Saturday afternoon.

Chelsea did it without the all-consuming Cole Palmer, who has endured an injury-disrupted start to the 2025/26 campaign.

And they are going to have to do it again this weekend and beyond, with the Italian coach revealing some deflating news concerning the England star’s fitness.

The latest on Cole Palmer's fitness

It was not the news Chelsea fans would have wanted or expected when Maresca sat down for his pre-match press conference on Friday morning.

Palmer’s niggling groin injury has proved worse than Maresca feared, and he faces a further six weeks on the sidelines.

The 23-year-old has only featured four times across all competitions this season, scoring twice, and this comes as a significant blow as Stamford Bridge gears up for the gruelling winter period.

Talismanic and prolific, Palmer is irreplaceable, but Chelsea will have to try, and are sure to take solace in their recent performance against Liverpool.

Matters are worsened, however, by Enzo Fernandez’s expected absence, the Argentine midfielder having withdrawn from international duty due to ‘inflammation of the knee’. Though he is optimistic about making the matchday squad, Maresca has another option in Facundo Buonanotte, who he could unleash against the Tricky Trees.

Maresca must unleash Facundo Buonanotte

Chelsea added Buonanotte’s signature for a £2m loan fee this summer, pinching the Brighton playmaker after his loan spell with Leicester City last year.

The Foxes got relegated from the Premier League, but the 20-year-old was one of the brighter sparks across the early stage of the campaign, scoring four times and assisting twice too before December.

Intelligent, direct and capable of manipulating tight spaces, he could add the dimension Chelsea need, especially with Moises Caicedo in such redoubtable form at the heart of the midfield.

Hailed for his “immense potential” and for having a “left foot made of gold” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Buonanotte feels like a ready-made replacement for Palmer, slotting into a similar positional berth.

Moreover, he ranked among the top 2% of peers across the 2024/25 Premier League season for tackles, the top 1% for blocks and the top 13% for interceptions per 90 last season, data courtesy of FBref, and so could perform with the combativeness of Fernandez too, should he be considered unfit to start.

Creative and energetic on the ball, Buonanotte might not be the finished product, but he is brimming with potential and could fit the mould Palmer has vacated as he works toward recovery in the infirmary.

Forest have been out of sorts this season, but Chelsea cannot afford a slip-up, and must maintain their fluency as they look to string back-to-back wins together in the Premier League.

Forget Gittens & George: Cobham teen is the "future of Chelsea & England"

Chelsea may have found the latest superstar to emerge from Cobham academy.

By
Angus Sinclair

Oct 17, 2025

One-hundred and sixty-one games later, it all comes down to this.

After a drama-filled week of heartbreaking eliminations and champagne-popping celebrations, there is still plenty to be decided on Sunday, the final day of the 2025 MLB regular season.

In the National League, two teams remain jockeying for one final playoff spot. Over in the American League, the AL Central and AL East divisions have yet to crown a champion, and there is playoff seeding up for grabs throughout the bracket.

Here's a breakdown of everything each team is playing for on the final day of the 2025 regular season:

American League

Toronto Blue Jays (93-68)

There was a 19-minute delay during Monday night's Mets-Phillies game at CitiField. The delay came after Alec Bohm grounded into a double-play during the top of the fifth inning. As Bohm was called out at first he looked towards center field and then he kept looking back as he walked back to the dugout.

Before play could continue with the next batter umpires stopped the game to find out what was wrong. After some confusion the SNY broadcast determined that Bohm was claiming to be distracted by a parabolic microphone set up in center field.

The microphones were eventually removed and play continued, but people immediately began pointing out that the mics were not new. In fact, they'd been there all season. Even worse, the Phillies home broadcast looked into it and determined that they'd been there for .

This information was revealed during Phillies Post Game Live as Ricky Bottalico roasted Bohm for wasting everyone's time.

"Let's talk about Alec Bohm over at third base," said Bottalio. "Okay Alec, you had a good deefensive game but what really kind of got to me? You caused a 19-minute delay on something that's been there since at least 2017. We went back and checked. That exact same thing has been there since 2017."

The media in New York wasn't happy either as WFAN's Boomer Esiason tweeted that the delay was "asinine."

What none of the annoyed viewers took into account was the possibility that the microphone had been distracting players since 2017 and maybe Bohm was the first one brave enough to speak up.

Unfortunately for the Phillies, that's where the heroics ended as the Mets outscored Philadelphia 10-0 after the delay.