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The New Zealand captain brings up a century of appearances in each format in Christchurch. Will another pace bowler ever do it?

Alex Malcolm06-Mar-2024There is a tree native to the Northland region in New Zealand called the kauri. It grows fast and naturally, before maturing to become tall, stable and ever-present. They are one of the longest-living tree species in the world and among the largest.If Kane Williamson is New Zealand’s bedrock, Tim Southee, a Northland native, is their kauri.Just three men have played 100 Tests, 100 ODIs, and 100 T20Is for their country: Ross Taylor, Virat Kohli and David Warner. Southee will join them on Friday in Christchurch. But he will stand alone as the first bowler when he leads New Zealand in his 100th Test match.Related

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It is an extraordinary feat. But extraordinary is not a word that you would associate with Southee. Unassuming might be a better description. Unicorn might be even better. He might be the first and last New Zealand seamer to play 100 Tests.Very few players have played in an Under-19 World Cup semi-final and a Test match within a month. But that was Southee’s entrance to Test cricket in 2008. His first wicket was Michael Vaughan. His next two were Andrew Strauss and Kevin Pietersen on the way to a debut five-wicket haul.He played in a Test match alongside Stephen Fleming, who debuted in 1994. He has played in a Test match with Will O’Rourke, who was born in 2002.In that first foray into Tests, his batting was on display too. He smashed 77 not out off 40 balls including nine sixes. Test cricket appeared to come very easily.But there were some harsh lessons in those early days coming straight out of U-19s. His third and fourth Tests were in Australia in 2008. Although he had success in swinging conditions in Brisbane, bagging Matthew Hayden, Simon Katich and Ricky Ponting, he got a heavy dose of reality on a flat track in Adelaide when he bowled 27 wicketless overs, with just one maiden, and gave up 100 runs in an innings for the first time in his fledgling first-class career.What has made Southee so impressive is his ability to adapt and survive. The cheeky kid from a farming family in Whangarei had cruised through under-age cricket thanks to his physical size, self-belief and ability to swing the ball around corners. Kane Williamson joked that he hadn’t seen the inside of a gym before playing Test cricket. But he had to learn to thrive in all conditions. He did so like any son of a farming family would, through hard work and determination.Southee has endured through an era where fast bowlers appear to have gone through some kind of genetic mutation. Dale Steyn was a swing bowler at warp speed. Australia produced three monsters, each with differing skill sets. Kagiso Rabada looks like he was built in a laboratory. Jasprit Bumrah is from another planet.He has been true to himself. Those who have faced him say the swing can be prodigious. He’s always at the batter, asking questions. But no one fears the pace or even the bounce like they do the swing.Those who have kept to him say it is a heavier ball than most would think. They love the carry he gets even though the pace is not at the level of others.Tim Southee burst onto the scene with five wickets and an unbeaten 77 on debut•Getty ImagesBut with skills that seem suitable only in certain conditions, he found a method to be successful for in all conditions. It’s no shock that he has two six-wicket hauls at Lord’s. But he took his best Test figures of 7 for 64 in Bengaluru on a surface where India’s two spinners bagged 13 wickets between them.Later that year, he took eight wickets in a Test win in Colombo. He averages 15.47 in Sri Lanka, 28.70 in India, and 23.71 in the West Indies where his 3 for 28 in the fourth innings in Bridgetown helped New Zealand seal a famous series victory.Part of adapting that method was developing a three-quarter seam ball. It made his stock outswinger more effective, whilst giving him a weapon when the swing wasn’t there.It’s hard not to think of Southee as part of a double act with Trent Boult. The mention of one was ubiquitous with the other. The two of them formed the backbone of the New Zealand attack through a golden era. While Kyle Jamieson took the plaudits in the first innings of the 2021 World Test Championship final, it was Southee and Boult who shared seven wickets in the second to set up the winning chase.But while Boult chased greener pastures, Southee stayed where his roots were and ascended to the Test captaincy. It hasn’t gone entirely smoothly, but Southee endures. No matter the scenario, win, lose or draw, he remains phlegmatic. His temperament is a lauded feature of his leadership internally.Southee’s achievements should not be undersold, particularly the endurance they require, but there are questions being asked as he heads into his landmark game. He’s taken eight Test wickets in his last 10 bowling innings at a cost of 52.75 apiece, while striking at 101.7.Even with his batting, the promise of his first Test has never flowered into something more. His innings against England remains his highest score. His six-hitting prowess has never abated. His name stands out on the list of most sixes hit in Test cricket. He’s struck more than Viv Richards in 22 fewer matches yet averages under 16 overall. While he cheekily niggles Brendon McCullum privately, suggesting his New Zealand record isn’t safe, one wonders whether his talent with the bat hasn’t quite been fulfilled.But his commitment to his main craft remains strong. Two days out from his 100th Test, with 33,178 international deliveries in his legs, he cut a lone figure on the outfield at Hagley Oval doing some old-school shuttle runs. Much younger international cricketers would have needed a strength and conditioning staffer to oversee it. To count every metre and monitor every second.But like the kauri trees in Northland, Southee can adapt and survive on his own. On Friday, he will stand tall as the first New Zealand fast bowler to play 100 Test matches and the first bowler worldwide to play 100 games in each format. It is a mighty achievement.

The allrounder played U-19 cricket for New Zealand, now represents Netherlands, and is hoping to get back in black to play senior cricket for New Zealand again

Shashank Kishore30-Mar-2022When Logan van Beek, 31, took the field for Netherlands in Mount Maunganui on Tuesday, he was playing an away ODI in his home country.Confused? Don’t be.van Beek, a fast-bowling allrounder born and raised in Christchurch, holds a Netherlands passport because his father is of Dutch descent, and that makes him eligible to play for Netherlands. Eight years after he first played for them, he was back home playing an ODI in New Zealand this week.Related

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• 'Homecoming' for van Beek, Klaassen

It was a special moment for the family. His parents, used to waking up in the wee hours to watch him play, were at the Bay Oval in person this time.As the players took the field, some in the opposition ranks might have been a tad nostalgic too. New Zealand captain Tom Latham, Matt Henry, and Michael Bracewell used to be housemates with van Beek a few years ago.Also among his friends in the opposition was Henry Nicholls, van Beek’s childhood cricket buddy, with whom he first hit cricket balls with a plastic bat. Nicholls’ and van Beek’s older brothers were friends and team-mates, and that relationship helped their younger siblings develop a connection too.”When I finished school and moved out of home, I moved into Tom Latham’s house in Christchurch,” van Beek said when interviewed ahead of the three-match ODI series. “Matt Henry was the third flatmate and we lived together for four amazing years. It was easily the most fun time of our lives. Three great mates, all living and breathing cricket, under one roof.”In 2017, van Beek moved from Canterbury to Wellington to further his cricket prospects. It was around the same time that Bracewell moved to the capital from Otago. The two would be housemates for two years, and also enjoyed success together with Wellington Firebirds on the field.These pals of mine: van Beek, second from right, with (from left) Tom Latham, Michael Bracewell and Matt Henry•Kerry Marshall/Getty Images”It’s going to be incredible to be playing against my closest mates, not just in cricket but life, in an international match,” van Beek said. “It’s surreal. I can’t even remember the number of times we would have had dinners, chats, talks, just hanging out together, playing golf, watching movies, dancing. And now playing a game where I’m going to try and get them out.”There’s going to be a competition within a competition. Next month at my wedding in Christchurch, they’ll all be there. It’s an incredibly special time, and I’m looking forward to savouring the next couple of weeks.””We know each other inside out. I’ve bowled to these guys for as long as I can remember. You know them so well; at the same time, you’re trying to double- or triple-bluff then. Sometimes, it’s better to play someone you don’t know because you’re simply reacting to what is coming. When you see someone so many times, you think you can premeditate and start to predict, and quite often it can lead to your downfall. But I’m sure there will be a few winks, laughter, and banter.”Cricket is a big part of van Beek’s family history. Sammy Guillen, van Beek’s grandfather on his mother’s side, came from Trinidad and Tobago. He was one of only 15 cricketers to have played Tests for two countries – five for West Indies in Australia and New Zealand in 1951-52, after which he moved to New Zealand and played for Canterbury. About four years later he played three Tests for New Zealand against West Indies.”My paternal grandparents came over from Holland in the 1950s, and they settled in the South Island,” van Beek said. “When they had my father, he was eligible for a Dutch passport. And when my father had us, we were still eligible to get a Dutch passport because he had kept his up to date. If we keep renewing our passports, it could keep passing on through the family lineage.”My maternal grandfather met a bloke in Christchurch and asked him if he could get him a job there because he liked it so much. A few months later, the bloke rang him up with an offer. My grandfather said he hopped on a ship the same day and came over to New Zealand, and a few years later he ended up being a part of New Zealand’s first Test win over the West Indies.”van Beek gets rid of Kane Williamson in a game in the 2014 T20 World Cup•Prakash Singh/AFP/Getty ImagesIn more recent history, van Beek was part of New Zealand’s U-19 World Cup campaign at home in 2010. A few months before that, he represented the country at the U-19 basketball world championships. When it got to a point where he couldn’t realistically continue with both sports, he chose cricket.”I wasn’t 6’8″, I was just six, so maybe basketball wouldn’t have worked out,” he laughed. “A lot of my mates played cricket and I loved it. I loved the mateship and the camaraderie. I loved the athleticism elements of bowling and fielding. It was a no-brainer at the time. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”In 2012, van Beek first played for Netherlands in a county game against Essex, but as an overseas professional. Because he had played the Under-19 World Cup for New Zealand, there needed to be a three-year cooling-off period before he became eligible to play for Netherlands in an international fixture.As soon as he became eligible, he was picked for Netherlands at the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in 2014, a tournament where he played against New Zealand for the first time. The game was memorable for many reasons, not least that he dismissed future captain Kane Williamson.”Since then, I’ve played in two other World Cups,” he says. “So anytime I can represent the Netherlands, I want to try and do that. I am still trying to push my case to play for New Zealand as well.”What about the rules?”You can play for an Associate and next day play for a Full Member if you have the residency,” he says. “If I play for New Zealand, then I’ll have to wait for three years until I can represent the Netherlands again.”van Beek bats for Wellington, for whom he has played for five years now, in the Super Smash in 2019•Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesThat cooling-off period between a player’s last game for a Full Member side and their rejoining an Associate team is stipulated not just to encourage local Associate talent but also to prevent cricketers from Full Member nations from making a beeline for Associate teams in the hope of being selected for national representation in those sides.van Beek has had a contract with Wellington since 2017 – a six-month retainer that leaves him free to pursue other interests for the remainder of the year. It’s during this off season that he plays in the Netherlands, where he also has a part-time job as an executive at a real-estate development company. In New Zealand, along with his cricket, he works at an HR consultancy.Over the past few years there have been times when van Beek has had to miss international commitments with Netherlands. Recently he missed the South Africa tour in November, which clashed with the start of New Zealand’s domestic season. This time, the stars have aligned.van Beek is hopeful his New Zealand goal will come to pass but he is equally respectful of opportunities handed out by Netherlands. As a senior team member he wants to contribute to their progress. Being part of the ODI Super League has given them a rare chance to play 24 games (eight series of three matches each) against the top sides over a three-year period.The New Zealand tour is Netherlands’ second to the country in eight years. Last time they were on these shores, it ended in tears, as they failed to qualify for the 2015 World Cup. That meant losing ODI status and significant funding.”The talent pool is not wide, we have to persist with the same pool,” van Beek said. “Sometimes you are forced to give players a long rope because you don’t have a choice. Sometimes players may not be up for it, but you have to put them in the deep end and hopefully they swim. If they sink, you put on the life vest and keep them afloat until the penny drops.”It’s no secret that we don’t have the talent pool, but if we can find a way to come together and beat big teams, there’s no bigger satisfaction than that, to do things against the odds.”

The Yankees' 2025 season ended at the hands of the division-rival Blue Jays after the club's 5-2 loss in Game 4 of the American League Division Series on Wednesday night. And while the Yankees' underachieving pitching rotation and lineup—not counting presumptive American League MVP Aaron Judge and rookie Cam Schlittler—should bear the brunt of the blame, that's not always how it works in the big leagues. Manager Aaron Boone, the leader of the club, will have to wear the loss, and ultimately will be the first to go when the day arrives that Yankees brass believes changes are needed.

It appears that that day has not yet arrived, as Boone, while speaking to reporters on Wednesday night after the loss, said he expects to return as manager in 2026 given that he's "under contract." And indeed he is. The Yankees in February of 2025 announced a two-year contract extension for Boone, and he has been publicly backed by both general manager Brian Cashman and Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner in the past.

So, whether Yankees fans like it or not, Boone will be back in '26—and possibly beyond. But that doesn't mean his performance should be above judgement, especially in comparison to past Yankees skippers.

So, with postseason performance in mind, let's take a deep dive into how Boone measures up against past Yankees skippers, with a few important caveats as distinctions.

How Aaron Boone's postseason record compares to past Yankees managers

Manager

Postseason Winning Percentage

Postseason Games

World Series Wins

Joe McCarthy*

.763

38

7

Joe Torre

.618

123

4

Casey Stengel*

.616

60

7

Miller Huggins*

.600

30

3

Joe Girardi

.538

52

1

Ralph Houk*

.500

16

2

Billy Martin (!)

.500

20

1

Aaron Boone

.481

52

0

Breakdown of Boone vs. other Yankees managers

For each of their World Series wins, the likes of McCarthy, Stengel, Huggins and Houk simply had to finish with the best record in the American League, earning their respective clubs a pennant and a bid in the World Series. So, as impressive as their records are, it's difficult to compare Boone to those skippers simply because they played in a completely different playoff format to today's game. Likewise for Billy Martin, who did manage in a League Championship Series but never had to deal with a Division Seres or wild-card round.

So, that leaves Torre, arguably the greatest Yankees manager of all time when considering all these variables, and Girardi, Boone's predecessor, as the only logical comparisons to Boone. And even Torre, as great as he was, never had to navigate a wild-card game or wild-card round such as Girardi and Boone have.

All that said, there's no doubt that Boone's postseason track record leaves a lot to be desired. He's come under fire for some decisions he's made—bringing in Nestor Cortes to face Dodgers star Freddie Freeman in the World Series last year, then removing ace Max Fried in the seventh inning of Game 1 of the wild-card round this year. He's managed exactly as many playoff games as his predecessor Girardi did, and failed to post a better winning percentage or win a World Series. When looking at Boone's postseason ledger through that lens, it's hard to consider his tenure as Yankees manager a success, given the fan base's championship-or-bust mindset.

But, there are two important caveats to consider. First, Boone, a little less than a year ago, managed the Yankees to the World Series, even though the club didn't ultimately emerge victorious. Second, Boone has a respectable .581 regular-season winning percentage, proving that he's far from a disaster class in the dugout as some might lead you to believe.

Finally, Boone has had to manage in a baseball landscape that's entirely different from those of past Yankees managers, even Girardi. The ever-growing influence of analytics and the average front office's power in wielding these newfound tools has completely changed a modern baseball manager's job description. Unlike how it was even in the days when Torre was perched on the top stoop of the dugout, it's difficult to tell just how many decisions are made solely by the manager and how many are swayed heavily by the front office. Discounting the role that the front office plays in Boone's success—or lack thereof—in terms of roster construction and strategic decision-making feels disingenuous, even though he's ultimately the public face behind many of those decisions.

Bottom line

Boone has fallen short of the lofty expectations that come with being Yankees manager when you consider his postseason record as a whole. There's no doubt about it. But there are many other factors at play to consider when evaluating his playoff shortcomings.

The first stop of Lionel Messi's India tour took an unexpected turn as angry fans ripped up seats and hurled objects onto the pitch as chaos descended at Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium. The unsavoury scenes came due to fan disgruntlement at Messi's brief 20-minute appearance, where they 'could not see his face'. The event organiser has been detained as a result of the incident and an enquiry is ongoing.

ANIFans hurl seats in chaotic scenes at Messi's tour in Kolkata

The first date of Messi’s tour of India ended in chaos as disappointed fans raged against the perceived poor organisation of the event. Seats were ripped up and thrown onto the Salt Lake Stadium pitch, with those in attendance incensed at the limited opportunity they were given to see their idol. Video footage from news agency ANI showed fans who had climbed over a fence to hurl objects onto the field.

The prime organiser of the event Satadru Dutta has been detained due to mismanagement following the stadium chaos, and chief minister of West Bengal state Mamata Banerjee has ordered a high-level enquiry.

Messi is in India as part of his 'GOAT Tour 2025', a four-part event where he is scheduled to attend concerts, youth football clinics, a padel tournament and launch charitable initiatives across dates in Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi.

AdvertisementCircumstances revealed as fan refund touted amidst dramatic events

According to reports in India and across social media, 2022 World Cup winner Messi walked around the stadium waving to the fans present, but was closely followed by a large group of people who obstructed the view of many fans to the Argentina and Inter Miami icon. Among those present alongside Messi were team-mates Rodrigo de Paul and Luis Suarez.

Reports by Khel Now on X added that Messi was forced to ‘cut short’ the stadium lap as fans booed officials and politicians, and the subsequent events resulted in a security breach. West Bengal DGP Rajiv Kumar said in a statement to the media that fans are expected to be refunded. 

“The Chief Minister has taken cognisance of the incident,” he said. “It was sheer mismanagement by the organising committee. The organisers are expected to refund the fans. Meanwhile, I request fans to exercise restraint. We have already detained the organiser.”

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Chief Minister Banerjee issues apology to Messi as fan anger continues

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee wrote on X about the events: “I am deeply disturbed and shocked by the mismanagement witnessed today at Salt Lake Stadium. I was on my way to the stadium to attend the event along with thousands of sports lovers and fans who had gathered to catch a glimpse of their favourite footballer, Lionel Messi.

“I sincerely apologise to Lionel Messi, as well as to all sports lovers and his fans, for the unfortunate incident. I am constituting an enquiry committee … the committee will conduct a detailed enquiry into the incident, fix responsibility, and recommend measures to prevent such occurrences in the future.”

A fan at the stadium told ANI: “Only leaders and actors were surrounding Messi … Why did they call us then? We have got a ticket for 12,000 rupees [£100], but we were not even able to see his face.”

Another present added: “This was a complete fraud. Messi was not shown at all. Only reporters, police, and TMC leaders got to see him. We paid ₹5,000 for tickets, while those who came for free were able to see Messi and leave.”

As Curtis Jones admitted on Wednesday, Liverpool are "in the sh*t" right now. The humiliating 4-1 Champions League defeat at home to PSV means the ragged Reds have now lost nine of their last 12 games in all competitions and the common consensus is that Arne Slot is only still in a job because he won the Premier League last season. But how have Liverpool gone from champs to chumps in just six months?

The impact of Diogo Jota's death on the friends he left behind certainly can't be overstated, with left-back Andy Robertson publicly disclosing his ongoing torment in the midst of the joyous celebrations that greeted Scotland's qualification for the World Cup last week. It's clear, though, that there are other factors at play – not least Slot's ongoing inability to come up with any tactical solutions to Liverpool's plethora of problems in every area of the pitch.

However, it certainly isn't all the manager's fault. Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher is among those presently pointing the finger at the players for a perceived lack of leadership and captain Virgil van Dijk has admitted that they are letting themselves down at the moment.

Below, GOAL ranks the Reds' biggest under-performers during their rotten run of results…

Getty Images Sport10Virgil van Dijk

For the first few months of the season, Van Dijk was the only thing holding Liverpool's brittle backline together. Indeed, after the fortuitous 3-2 win over 10-man Newcastle all the way back in August, Carragher admitted that he didn't even want to imagine where the Reds would be without their inspirational skipper.

Unfortunately, we now have a little bit of an idea, because while Van Dijk is still there, at the heart of the defence, he's looking like a cheap imitation of the colossus that led Liverpool to the title last season. Indeed, judging by his ludicrous handball against PSV (the third penalty he's given away this season – more than any other Premier League player in all competitions), Van Dijk has become another victim of the general malaise on Merseyside.

Nobody can fault Van Dijk's commitment – he's been visibly hurt by the Reds' rapid fall from grace – but he actually seems to be trying too hard to turn things around, which is why we're now seeing the captain making uncharacteristically rash challenges. If Van Dijk doesn't rediscover his composure, Liverpool really are done for.

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport9Florian Wirtz

Florian Wirtz has been nowhere near as poor as many critics have tried so desperately to make out. Indeed, the Germany international was integral to arguably Liverpool's best three performances of the season so far, against Atletico Madrid, Eintracht Frankfurt and Real Madrid. Wirtz's creativity was also seriously missed in the three-goal losses at home to PSV and Nottingham Forest.

However, there is no denying that Liverpool supporters expected a hell of a lot more from the £100 million signing from Bayer Leverkusen than three goal involvements in 16 appearances in all competitions. Even allowing for the fact that it often takes time for overseas players to get to grips with the physicality and intensity of English football, Wirtz has often looked out of his depth.

When he returns from injury, the attacking midfielder will be under immense pressure to prove that he can cut it in the Premier League – although it might help if he were given a regular run of starts in his preferred position behind the centre-forward.

AFP8Jeremie Frimpong

Liverpool were never going to be able to find a like-for-like replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold. The former Kop idol has a unique set of skills for a right-back. Consequently, the Reds recruited Jeremie Frimpong, a diminutive Dutchman with different but no less dangerous attacking attributes.

The problem is that we've seen very little of them, for two reasons. Firstly, Frimpong has proved worryingly injury-prone and is once again out of action after damaging his hamstring for the second time this season, in the Champions League win in Frankfurt. Secondly, even when he has been available for action, Frimpong has not looked a good fit for the right-back berth at all. He has instead looked like what he was at Bayer Leverkusen: an offensively-minded wing-back.

So, whenever Frimpong returns to action, Slot really needs to show us what he intended to do with his compatriot, who has contributed one flukey goal and zero assists in nine appearances to date.

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Getty Images Sport7Alexis Mac Allister

One could easily make the argument that Alexis Mac Allister was Liverpool's most consistent performer during his first two seasons at the club following his 2023 arrival from Brighton. The World Cup winner never produced anything less than a seven-out-of-10 showing. He was Liverpool's multi-purpose midfield dynamo; no matter where he was placed, he drove the team forward with his mix of tenacity and technique.

Mac Allister, though, is currently paying a heavy price for his slower than expected recovery from the injury issues that brought a premature end to his 2024-25 and ruined his pre-season preparations. We've seen flashes of the old Mac Allister and, as a result, the old Liverpool – most notably in goal-scoring displays against Aston Villa and Real Madrid – but he's regressed again over the past week. 

It was genuinely startling to see how easily Nico Williams went through Mac Allister to set up Forest's second goal at Anfield last Saturday before he almost completely disappeared after Liverpool went 2-1 down against PSV in midweek. Mac Allister is far too good a player to struggle all season along, but one cannot help where the Reds will be by the time he gets back up to full match speed.

Trent Alexander-Arnold has been singled out for some hefty criticism by sections of the Spanish press as his difficult start to life at Real Madrid continues. The England international arrived in the summer after bringing an end to his time with boyhood club Liverpool, but he has only managed four starts in La Liga and just one in the Champions League despite right-back mainstay Dani Carvajal being sidelined by injury.

• Alexander-Arnold struggling after making dream summer transfer

  Alexander-Arnold decided to call time on his Liverpool career after winning a second Premier League title with the Reds last season, signing for Los Blancos in time for the summer's Club World Cup. However, it has been far from an ideal start to life at Santiago Bernabeu, with the 27-year-old struggling to convince fellow Merseyside icon Xabi Alonso that he warrants a regular place in his starting XI. He has made three consecutive starts in recent weeks thanks to Carvajal's injury, but so far he has been unable to conjure up the creative spark that made him such an asset to Jurgen Klopp and later Arne Slot, failing to register a single assist since the start of the current campaign. Instead, it's been Madrid's attacking and midfield players who have been setting up the majority of the team's goals, with Arda Guler leading the assist rankings in their La Liga outings with five, while Vinicius Junior and Federico Valverde have contributed four apiece. Whether it will all come together for Alexander-Arnold in Spain remains to be seen, but the notoriously short-tempered local press have not wasted any time declaring how lost the right-back has looked during his first six months as a Madrid player.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  What the Spanish media said

  While plenty of Madrid's players have struggled during the early parts of the 2025-26 season, Alexander-Arnold in particular came in for criticism after his performance in the 1-1 draw with Girona at the weekend. Writing for , Spanish journalist Alfredo Relano claimed: "Now that Trent is here, he seems like a clueless and insubstantial player, with the expression of a rabbit in the headlights. His quality at set-pieces is masked by his right foot, but in open play he is non-existent." The same publication had published a slightly more sympathetic report a few days earlier, admitting Alexander-Arnold had produced a "mixed bag" of performances since joining the likes of Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe at the club.

• How Alexander-Arnold performed against Girona

  Madrid's draw with Girona was disappointing for a number of reasons. It was their third consecutive stalemate in La Liga, which allowed Barcelona to open up a four-point lead at the top of the table after Hansi Flick's side beat Atletico Madrid on Tuesday evening, and they had to rely on an Mbappe penalty to drag them level after Azzedine Ounahi had bagged the opener shortly before half-time. Alexander-Arnold himself committed the cardinal sin of failing to track his opposite number before the goal and couldn't provide much ingenuity at the other end of the pitch. He did create two chances but only completed one of his 10 attempted crosses, also committing two fouls in defence.

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  What comes next for Alexander-Arnold and Real Madrid?

  While criticism has headed his way, Alexander-Arnold did enough last time out to be included in Alonso's starting line-up for Wednesday night's trip to Athletic Club. A win is crucial for Los Blancos, with manager Alonso starting to feel the heat after some unconvincing recent performances, while an improved showing from Alexander-Arnold could ease some the pressure starting to build on the Englishman's shoulder, and perhaps even provoke a more positive reception from the Spanish media. Regardless, the boyhood Scouser will be keen to show everyone he's not the 'clueless' player he has been labelled and perhaps start to work his way back into contention for England duty, with next year's World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico fast approaching.

Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola has refused to rule out a future return to Barcelona, stressing that the club has given him everything both as a player and as a coach. However, the former Barcelona manager believes that younger coaches will emerge who will be eager to take on the job, just as excited as he was in his time.

Guardiola's glittering career at Barcelona as player and coach

Guardiola’s story at Barcelona is marked by two remarkable chapters that highlight his influence as both a player and a coach. As a player, he came through La Masia and became the key midfielder in Johan Cruyff’s Dream Team. Playing as a deep lying playmaker, he controlled the tempo, kept the ball moving, and started attacks with calmness and intelligence. His sharp reading of the game and understanding of space made him the ideal player for Cruyff’s style. During his years at the club, he won six La Liga titles, the 1992 European Cup and several domestic trophies.

When he stepped into the first team coach role in 2008, Guardiola took Barcelona to a new level. He improved the club’s positional play, brought in intense pressing, and moved Lionel Messi into the false nine role, which changed modern attacking football. He also trusted young players, giving opportunities to Sergio Busquets and Pedro who became important parts of the team. In four seasons, he won 14 trophies, including two Champions League titles and three La Liga titles, and left a style of football that still guides Barcelona and influences the world game.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesGuardiola refuses to rule out a return to Barcelona

In an interview to Spanish outlet , Guardiola emphasised that the club have given him everything both as a player and as a coach and for this reason he refuses to rule out a return to Barcelona. “I am not ruling out Barca,” he said.

However, he also noted that there are younger coaches who would feel the same excitement he once did about taking the job. “Life is about stages and right now there are surely young coaches who have the same excitement I had for them at that time,” he added.

Barca face upheaval as election nears

Barcelona are heading toward a pivotal presidential election in 2026, scheduled to take place between March and May, with Joan Laporta set to seek re-election. His main challenger will be Victor Font, who has returned to the political scene with a renewed campaign and a strong message of reform. Font has gained significant momentum after receiving public backing from Xavi Hernandez. The former Barcelona coach attended Font’s campaign launch alongside several club dignitaries and ex-players, signalling a clear divide within the Barcelona community.

Font has openly criticised Laporta’s administration, accusing the club of hiding €80 million (£67m/$87m) in financial losses and questioning the transparency of the board’s decisions. He has also taken aim at Laporta’s handling of the Camp Nou renovation, particularly the decision to award the project’s renewal to Turkish company Limak despite strong internal disagreement and concerns raised by members of the club’s management.

With Laporta defending his legacy and Font positioning himself as the candidate of structural change, Barcelona’s 2026 elections are shaping up to be a contest that could shape the long-term sporting and financial direction of the club.

Guardiola weighed in on the elections believing that opposition to Laporta highlights a strong democratic system when he said “‘That's why Barça is the biggest club in the world. We can do this here.”

He added “Barca is a living club; everyone has their say. Everyone wants to be its president, play for it and manage it.”

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AFPGuardiola hits 1,000 milestone

Since leaving Barcelona, Guardiola has gone on to manage German giants Bayern Munich and English club City, where he remains to this day. City’s 3–0 win over Liverpool marked his 1,000th match as a manager. The 54-year-old former Barcelona and Spain midfielder has won 716 of those games, collecting numerous honours at every club he has coached.

When asked to pick which game he remembers the most, Guardiola said: “I don't know which one to choose… From my time at Barca, there's the 2-6 at Madrid in the first league. There's also the second Champions League final [3-1 win vs Manchester United].

“With City, I'd go for the semi-final against Madrid at home, which was the high point of this decade.”

City are set to take on Newcastle United when club football resumes after the international break, while Hansi Flick's team will finally play their first game at Camp Nou in over two years when they take on Athletic Club.

Just like buses, you wait a while for a Rangers win in the Scottish Premiership and then two come along at once.

On Wednesday night, Rangers, donning their new bright orange fourth kit, for once did not look off colour, beating Hibernian 1-0 at Easter Road, thanks to Danilo’s left-footed strike inside four and a half minutes.

So, having won only one of their first eight league matches this season, Danny Röhl has now won both since his appointment, also battling to a 3-1 victory over Kilmarnock at Ibrox last Sunday.

Next up for Röhl is an Old Firm derby in the League Cup semi-finals at Hampden on Sunday, facing a Celtic side led by Martin O’Neill, wait, what year is this?

Ahead of that massive Glasgow derby, which Rangers star made himself simply undroppable thanks to his exploits in Leith?

Danilo's Rangers resurgence

Fair to say, in general, since arriving from Feyenoord for £6m over two years ago, Danilo has not lived up to expectations.

His goal in Edinburgh this week was only his 15th in 62 outings for the Light Blues, sitting out a whopping 65 matches due to various injuries.

Now though, having also headed home against Killie on Sunday, the Brazilian has scored in back-to-back Premiership matches for the first time in 11 months.

Speaking during Sky Sports’ coverage, Chris Sutton asserted that Danilo has grabbed his opportunity, while former Rangers striker Kris Boyd would like to see him deployed as the centre-forward on Sunday, given that he has shown more promise than either Youssef Chermiti or Bojan Miovski to date.

Well, Danilo’s father Marcelo Silva, who has been a prominent figure at Rangers matches for a few years now, possibly outshone his son in Leith, very much enjoying his night at Easter Road, dancing away at the very front of the away stand.

Nevertheless, despite Danilo’s sudden scoring spree, he was not the biggest Rangers hero on the night.

Rangers' "best player this season"

Worth highlighting that the only reason Rangers departed the capital with all three points on Wednesday was thanks to the contribution of goalkeeper Jack Butland.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

With five minutes to go, Connor Barron bundled over Junior Hoilett and referee John Beaton pointed to the penalty spot.

Jamie McGrath stepped up, but saw his effort spectacularly saved by Butland, preserving victory for the Gers.

Butland has now, remarkably, now saved six of the last seven penalties he’s faced, excluding shootout, already denying Oh Hyeon-gyu of Genk and Lawrence Shankland of Hearts from 12 yards earlier in the campaign, albeit the latter did convert the rebound.

Nevertheless, this save secured Rangers’ first away clean sheet since a 3-0 victory over Ross County in Dingwall on 8 December 2024, a run of 325 days and 24 matches, the latter an unwanted club record, smashing the previous one of 22 set in 1897 when Queen Victoria was still on the throne.

For Butland specifically, irrespective of whom the manager has been, he has been a consistent performer so far this season.

Towards the back end of the last campaign, during Barry Ferguson’s interim tenure, Butland found himself on the bench, following a string of errors, with Liam Kelly starting both legs of the Europa League quarter-final against Athletic Club.

Now though, the England international appears to be back to his best, as the statistics below highlight.

Of course, despite Rangers leakiness at the back, Butland is nowhere near the busiest goalkeeper in the Premiership, with both Scott Bain of Falkirk and Dundee United’s Yevhen Kucherenko facing more than 50 shots apiece to Butland’s 32.

Nevertheless, for the most part, he has made big saves when called upon.

Back when he was at Stoke, then-manager Paul Lambert labelled him the “best goalkeeper in Britain”, while journalist Scott Bradley notes that Butland “was a shell of his former self last season” but has been “Rangers’ best player this season” so far.

Thus, while new manager Röhl is quickly searching for player he can rely on, Butland has certainly proved himself to be one of those, underlining his undroppable status.

If Rangers are going to beat their fiercest rivals at Hampden on Sunday and book their place in December’s League Cup Final, chances are they’ll need their goalkeeper to be at his brilliant best, possibly even in a penalty shootout.

Better than Danilo: Rangers star may have saved his Ibrox career

This Glasgow Rangers star who was even better than Danilo may have saved his career at the club.

By
Dan Emery

Oct 30, 2025

It might still be early in the season, but Arsenal are looking like a scary proposition at the moment.

Mikel Arteta’s side are flying atop the Premier League table and remain unbeaten in the Champions League with three wins from three.

While not every win has been emphatic, Tuesday night’s demolition of Atlético Madrid certainly was, as to a man, the Gunners were exceptional.

Moreover, while he didn’t produce a goal involvement, Bukayo Saka was once again a major threat, and in even more encouraging signs, another of the starters is starting to show shades of the talisman in his own game.

Saka's start to the season

Last season was a strange one for Saka and Arsenal as a whole. Although he missed almost four months of football due to a hamstring injury and subsequent surgery, the Hale End phenomenon still racked up a brilliant haul of 12 goals and 14 assists in 37 games for the side.

Appearances

37

Minutes

2619′

Goals

12

Assists

14

Goal Involvements per Match

0.70

Minutes per Goal Involvement

100.73′

It was also clear that, towards the end of the campaign, he was still lacking that match fitness and sharpness that helps make him such a world-class talent.

Fortunately, even though he was still lacking that at the start of this season, he still managed to open his account with a well-taken goal at home to Leeds United on matchday two.

However, as if he hadn’t already dealt with enough bad luck over the last year or so, he also suffered another hamstring injury in that game.

This resulted in him spending another few weeks on the sideline before returning to the fray in the second half against Manchester City last month.

This setback has undoubtedly led to him being a bit rusty over the last few weeks, but even so, his immense talent has seen him remain the most dangerous attacker in Arteta’s side.

Moreover, he’s started to look somewhere close to his best again over the last week or so, and the difference has been crystal clear, as while he didn’t score or assist a goal against Fulham on Saturday, he was a huge threat, racking up an expected assists figure of 0.55 and playing seven key passes.

And then, while he wasn’t quite as influential on Tuesday, he still looked like the Gunners’ most realistic route to goal for much of the first 45, with former professional turned pundit Paul Merson claiming he had the Spanish side “on toast” at points.

In all, despite still not being at his peak, Saka is undoubtedly Arsenal’s most important player and talisman, so it’s pretty exciting to see another player start to show shades of his game in their own.

The Arsenal star emulating Saka

You really could take your pick when it came to standout performers for Arsenal on Tuesday.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Declan Rice was on point once again with his deliveries, Viktor Gyokeres nabbed a brace, and Gabriel Magalhães did what he does best.

However, the starter who once again exhibited some Saka-esque qualities in his game was Myles Lewis-Skelly.

The young Englishman was handed his third start of the season, and he more than repaid Arteta, but what in his game showed shades of his fellow Hale Ender?

Well, perhaps the most important is his ability to pull opposition players towards him, and then skip past them with ease to set up a promising attacking situation for the team.

This is exactly what he did for the second goal on the night, when he took five players out of the game with an incredible run from the middle of the park before setting up Gabriel Martinelli.

However, there are more similarities between the two academy gems than just that.

For example, while you can’t describe either one as towering or particularly imposing, both of them are fighters, far stronger than they look and capable of being a little bit nasty in the most complimentary of ways.

Furthermore, the 19-year-old is also technically brilliant, as in addition to his close control, he has a wand of a left foot, which has seen him chalk up a few assists since his debut.

With all that in mind, it’s not hard to see why one analyst described the youngster as one of the best talents “in world football” on Tuesday night.

Ultimately, there is still some way to go for Lewis-Skelly before he reaches his prime, but as things stand, he’s already an outrageous talent and shares more than a few traits with Saka.

9/10 star who had his "best game in an Arsenal shirt" is becoming like Rice

The game-changing monster is starting to look like another Declan Rice for Arsenal and Mikel Arteta.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 22, 2025

أثار أداء فوتشيك تشيزني الأخير شكوكًا جدية حول مركز حراسة المرمى في برشلونة، حيث يلعب الحارس البولندي المخضرم كبديل للحارس المصاب خوان جارسيا.

واستقبل تشيزني 15 هدفًا خلال ثماني مباريات ولم يحافظ على نظافة شباكه ولو مرة واحدة، وارتكب أخطاء ضد كلوب بروج في دوري أبطال أوروبا والتي كادت أن تنتهي بشكل سيئ.

وأدلي شقيق الحارس البولندي ببعض التعليقات الصادمة حول حالة تشيزني النفسية، وأنه لا يشعر بالراحة عندما يتم تسليط الأضواء عليه ويفضل أن يلعب دور حارس المرمى الاحتياطي.

وقال شقيق تشيزني في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “سبورت” الإسبانية: “أعلم أن تشيزني يفضل مشاهدة زملائه من مقاعد البدلاء، وتقديم المساعدة عند الحاجة”.

أقرأ أيضاً.. بعد “كسر الأنف”.. هل يشارك إريك جارسيا في مباراة برشلونة وسيلتا فيجو؟

وأضاف: “مازالت أرى فيه بريقاً بعد كل تصدي جيد في المباراة وأنا سعيد بذلك لأنني أستمتع بمشاهدته يلعب”.

وواصل: “تشيزني يملك خبرة كافية ولعب في أهم المباريات لذا فقد حان الوقت للاعبين الشباب، خوان جارسيا حارس كفء للغاية، فويتشيك مستعد دائماً لكنني أعتقد أنه يفضل أن يكون متفرجاً على أن يكون مشاركاً”.

وعلق شقيق تشيزني على خطأ البولندي الكارثي ضد كلوب بروج قبل أن يقوم الحكم بإلغاء هدف الفريق البلجيكي بداعي وجود خطأ: “بالنسبة لي، كانت لعبة مثيرة للشكوك، لو لم يحتسب الحكم خطأ، لكان دافع عن أدائه، أنا سعيد لأنه قرر إلغاء الهدف”.

واختتم شقيق تشيزني مدافعاً عن حارس برشلونة واحترافيته وأنه لا يتهرب من واجباته ومستعد للعب عندما تتاح له الفرصة: “نعلم جيداً أن تشيزني هو الحارس الثاني وكان مستعدًا لذلك منذ البداية، وسيعتمد التغيير على جاهزية جارسيا التامة للعب، لا أعرف شيئاً، من وجهة نظر المدرب، أعتقد أن مركز حراسة المرمى مهم جداً ومن المهم الانتظار أسبوعين إضافيين بدلاً من تغييره قبل أسبوع”.