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Sri Lanka’s former coach, now England assistant, recalls the impact of their retiring spinner

Andrew Fidel Fernando and George Dobell05-Nov-2018The retiring Rangana Herath is as good in home conditions as the greatest Asian spinners, Muttiah Muralitharan and Anil Kumble, according to former Sri Lanka coach Paul Farbrace.Currently the England assistant coach, Farbrace worked with Herath in two separate stints with the Sri Lanka team. The first came as Sri Lanka’s assistant coach, between 2007 and 2010. The second was in 2014, when he was briefly the head coach.”In subcontinental conditions, Rangana’s up there with Murali, Kumble and the greats,” said Farbrace. “In these conditions, he knows how to get the most out of them. Where others might have up-and-down days, he stays on exactly the same path the whole time. He deserves the wickets he has got, because he’s absolutely fantastic.Farbrace, now tasked with helping prepare this England team for facing Herath, had been in the Sri Lanka dressing room when Herath was recalled to the Test side in 2009. At the time, Herath was in England, playing league cricket in Staffordshire, and did not have a stable place in the Sri Lanka side.He made the most of that recall, however, taking 4 for 15 in the second innings of that game to bowl Sri Lanka to victory against Pakistan, in Galle. He has more or less been a fixture at the Test level since.”He’s such a phlegmatic, calm, relaxed guy – there’s nothing excitable about him. He’s Mr Dependable. Even with the bat he’s got Sri Lanka out of trouble plenty of times. You look at him and you say he’s like a club cricketer, but the bloke’s mental strength is unbelievable. As mentally strong as any player I’ve come across.”When he got called back in 2009, it wasn’t like, ‘Oh how unlucky am I? Poor me.’ He didn’t feel sorry for himself. He did what he wanted to do. He put people under pressure, and he changed the game here against Pakistan on the last morning.”His weapon is his mental strength, coupled with the fact that he’s so accurate. There’s no mystery to him. What you see is what you get. But don’t underestimate him – he’ll be all over you. Even if you think you’re playing him nicely, he is relentless with his lines and lengths. In Sri Lanka, he is a master of exploiting his own conditions.”Farbrace recalled with particular relish Herath’s outstanding figures of 5 for 3 in what was effectively a quarter-final against New Zealand at the 2014 World T20, a tournament which Sri Lanka would go on to win.”Rangana gave us the turning point of that T20 World Cup,” said Farbrace. “We batted first and got 119, and we thought we were done for. The chat in the dressing room was about us knowing they would come hard at our spinners, but if they gave us one chance, we’d have to be all over them.”Rangana, playing his first game in the tournament, just came on and bowled unbelievably well. Every ball he bowled looked like it could get a wicket. He had McCullum stumped. He had Ross Taylor lbw. Rod Tucker was umpiring at that end, and he said he felt every single ball Rangana was in the game.”The spell literally turned the game upside-down. We ended up winning the game comfortably, and it just set us on our way to end up winning the tournament. That’s the sort of thing that Rangana is capable of. He can turn a game. He looks innocuous, and the people who treat him as innocuous have done so at their own peril. In the subcontinent he’s a genius.”

Under-fire Manchester United boss Marc Skinner says talks over a new deal are "ongoing" and that he wants to "build success" at the club.

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Skinner offered new Man Utd dealRed Devils have had underwhelming seasonSkinner optimistic about team's futureWHAT HAPPENED?

Despite being 15 points behind Women's Super League leaders Manchester City, whereas last term they lost the title to Chelsea on the last day of the season, Skinner may get his deal extended, even though many fans feel he is not the right person for the job. Now, he has given an update on his future ahead of his side's FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea on Sunday.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT MARC SKINNER SAID

He said in a pre-match press conference on Friday: "Talks [on a new contract] are ongoing. As you can imagine I've got a pretty important game this weekend. The team are in a fantastic place and we're growing off the field as well as back on the field. That will continue but my focus is just on the field at the minute and making sure we go very well on Sunday."

Skinner added: "Of course I want to stay. I'm at a club that not only do I love the history of it, I love what's going to come in the future. It's a club that has fantastic fans, like incredible fans. So for me, it's it's something. Of course, I want to stay. I want to build success. Like I said, when I came in, I want to build sustained success over a period of time. And that's what that's the INEOS (the club's new owners) remit is as well. We want to build success over a long period of time. So I'm absolutely on board with that. And as I say, as soon as any updates are here, you know, we'll obviously let you know, but my job remains firmly in the focus of the team and what we've got to do for the games coming up."

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Skinner, who joined the club in 2021, is out of contract this summer. Despite vocal criticism from fans, it appears he has the support of the club's new minority owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe. It seems he may get a new deal regardless of how the Red Devils fare in the remainder of the season.

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After the last-four FA Cup clash with the Blues this weekend, Skinner's United return to WSL action on Sunday, April 21 where they host sixth-placed Tottenham.

Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers has a keen eye for a player and has now received two recommendations of further additions to his side from the man who told the Scottish Premiership champions to sign Luis Palma, as per reports.

Celtic prepare to take on Atletico Madrid…

Ramping up their preparations for a crucial Champions League fixture against Atletico Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitano in midweek, Celtic ran out 3-0 winners over Ross County in Dingwall last weekend, courtesy of strikes from David Turnbull, Honduras international Palma and James Forrest.

Extending their lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership table to eight points, Rodgers praised his side for their perseverance against ten-man Ross County, stating post-match to Sky Sports via 67 Hail Hail: "It was a good performance. It’s always a different challenge when they go down to ten men early in the game. Give credit to Ross County, they worked ever so hard.

He later added: "The guys kept going, kept persevering. We scored three outstanding goals. The guys have that quality. David Turnbull, again a wonderful strike; it’s his second goal from outside the box this week. Luis Palma, a brilliant goal and a great dink for the third goal. And their goalkeeper made a number of fantastic saves."

Nevertheless, Celtic face a vastly different proposition on Tuesday night against Atletico Madrid, though they will take heart from their display in a 2-2 draw against the La Liga high-flyers last month at Parkhead.

One man who made a serious impression that evening was the aforementioned Palma, who netted the Hoops' second goal of the tie before they were eventually pegged back by Alvaro Morata. Now, the man who recommended Palma to Celtic has put forward two other names that Rodgers should consider in future transfer windows.

Emilio Izaguirre puts forward Celtic signing suggestions

As per La Presna, Former Hoops man Emilio Izaguirre spoke in an interview regarding his old club in the build-up to their clash against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, detailing that he initially recommended summer signing Palma to club director Michael Nicholson after meeting the chief during an exhibition match between Liverpool and Celtic legends earlier this year at Anfield.

Izaguirre also revealed in the interview that he also put forward the names of Bordeaux loanee Alberth Elis and Getafe forward Anthony Lozano during his conversation with Nicholson.

Alberth Elis 2023/24 statistics – all competitions (Transfermarkt)

Anthony Lozano statistics 2023/24 – all competitions (Transfermarkt)

Appearances: 7

Appearances: 6

Goals: 2

Goals: 1

Assists: 0

Assists: 4

He stated in full: “I was playing in a legends match between Celtic and Liverpool. I met Michael (the club’s director) and recommended Palma and other players like Elis or Lozano. I spoke well of Lis; I told him that they would look at him, that he was a player who could be of great benefit to the club. He’s a young 22-year-old player who can have a great season and then sell him.”

Celtic are known to cast the net far and wide to find talent and Izaguirre seems keen to help out where he can by providing information on potential gems in the market from his homeland, Honduras.

Disgraced former Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales claims he is facing prison time for kissing Jenni Hermoso “because he's a man”.

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Controversy sparked at 2023 World CupFaces charges of sexual assaultAlso at the centre of corruption investigationWHAT HAPPENED?

The 46-year-old sparked controversy at the 2023 Women’s World Cup final when planting a kiss onto the lips of ex-Barcelona star Hermoso as Spain celebrated capturing a global crown. He faces charges of sexual assault as a result of the non consensual clinch, while he is also being accused of coercion following supposed attempts to get Hermoso to speak out in his defence.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT RUBIALES SAID

Rubiales has told of ‘kissgate’ and why he feels unfairly singled out: “I have a clear conscience. Things have become crazy. A small thing has gone on to devour a person. I wanted to be calm and get out of the spotlight. False feminism? What I said is said. I defend egalitarianism. Feminism advocates supporting women to achieve equality. For me there is no crime. It's my opinion. I asked her the question [over the kiss] and she said: 'Okay'. You can't question Hermoso. I can. Is it because I'm a man? They want to curtail freedom of thought.”

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Rubiales went on to say: “I cannot understand that anyone could think this was a sexual assault.” He responded to the allegations of coercion by adding that he “only spoke 10 or 15 seconds with Miss Hermoso”.

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Rubiales is also at the centre of an unrelated corruption investigation, which led to his arrest when returning to Spain from a visit to the Dominican Republic. He is said to have had his phone and laptop confiscated as part of an investigation by officers from the Civil Guard's Central Operative Unit. Rubiales stands accused of diverting at least £3.24million from the Spanish FA to a construction firm that saw him earn kickbacks through a company owned by a close friend.

CA’s team performance manager has been arguably the most debated figure in Australian cricket over the past seven years

Daniel Brettig24-Oct-2018Pat Howard, Cricket Australia’s team performance chief, will not seek an extension to his current contract, meaning he will finish a tenure that began in the wake of the 2011 Argus review at the end of next year’s Ashes tour of England at the latest.Installed as a “single point of accountability for team performance” as one of the Argus review’s recommendations, Howard has been arguably the most debated figure in Australian cricket over the past seven years. He signed a contract extension in May last year to take his time at CA through to 2019, mirroring those of the former coach Darren Lehmann and his support staff. However, all faced a hailstorm of criticism in the wake of the Newlands ball-tampering scandal, forcing Lehmann to resign immediately.While Howard’s team performance wing of CA is expected to face plenty of criticism in the independent cultural review of the governing body, commissioned in the wake of Newlands, he retorted to its facilitator Simon Longstaff that the performance of the men’s national team represented only “25%” of his job.”It’ll be interesting where that goes and I don’t know where that’s going. I haven’t had anything to do with it,” Howard told last month. “I’m in charge of men’s and women’s teams and underage teams so I guess if the environment had been the same everywhere … then I would have a different view, but I don’t think [problems] have been consistent across all the teams.”The cultural review did ask about that [win-at-all-costs culture] and I said I’m happy to give you my KPIs as a starting point. About 25 per cent is on outcomes, ie winning, and then there’s a lot of stuff in line with strategy and which is available freely. Don’t get me wrong, I want people to be the best they can be, me included, players, managers, all of us. But I don’t believe I have a win-at-all-costs culture. My proudest ever tour was the 2017 Indian tour, which we lost.”A CA spokesperson said Howard’s decision not to renew his contract, of which he has recently been informing CA and national team staff and players, was unrelated to the review’s imminent release. “Pat had previously indicated that he would not be seeking contract renewal beyond the end of the 2019 Ashes series, when his contract was due to conclude,” the spokesperson said. “The decision is his own and is no way connected to the reviews to be released on Monday. A recruitment process will be decided and announced in due course, but there is plenty of time for this to be considered.”Since joining CA from a rugby background in late 2011, Howard has been in almost perpetual motion in the job, trying many things while also developing a long list of critics. His innovations have included the return of bonus points to the Sheffield Shield and the trial of Dukes balls in the second half of recent seasons, the use of wellness apps to monitor the health of CA-contracted players, encouragement of increased management for fast bowlers to reduce their injury rate, moving the domestic limited-overs tournament to the front end of the season, and the use of the ICC academy in Dubai to prepare for a competitive showing on the 2017 India tour.Howard was also an advocate of introducing performance bonus pay to the national teams, as per the recommendations of the Argus review, during the 2012 MoU negotiation. The scheme remained in place for the current MoU, during which Howard and Sutherland completed compromise talks with the Australian Cricketers Association after the game was brought to a standstill by the players’ dispute with CA’s lead negotiator Kevin Roberts, who has since been named as the new chief executive.However he has faced criticism from numerous quarters of the game in Australia for the perceived marginalisation of the Sheffield Shield and limited-overs tournaments, and the perpetuation of a system geared towards finding great players at the expense of the merely very good. A famously combative character, he was recently revealed to have sent a scathing email to performance staff in the wake of a Test-match loss to Bangladesh in Dhaka in 2017.

In more bowler-friendly conditions than Derbyshire’s last home match, the captain stood firm for four-and-a-half hours

ECB Reporters Network04-Sep-2018
ScorecardDerbyshire captain Billy Godleman continued his recent impressive run of form with 95 to steer his side to respectability on the opening day of the Division Two match against Glamorgan at Derby.Godleman, who had scored a century and 71 in his previous four innings, passed 4000 first-class runs for the county as Derbyshire made 251 with their former seamer Graham Wagg taking three wickets.Timm van der Gugten also claimed three wickets and in reply, Glamorgan were 20 without loss when bad light ended play early.Derbyshire’s previous home game had been a batting feast with more than 1300 runs scored but conditions here provided help for the bowlers throughout with the floodlights on from ball one.Given the overcast skies and a green tinged pitch, it was no surprise the toss was uncontested and Tom Lace had already been dropped in the slips before he shouldered arms and lost his off stump to one that came back a long way from van der Gugten.van der Gugten also saw Wayne Madsen put down at point before he had scored in the same over but he clipped Michael Hogan tamely to mid-wicket and when Alex Hughes was caught behind trying to withdraw his bat, Derbyshire were wobbling at 50 for 3.Godleman was beaten several times but showed typical determination along with an awareness of any movement in the media centre to ensure his team posted what looks a competitive total.Gary Wilson shared a stand of 52 but was lbw playing no shot to the last ball of the morning to give David Lloyd his 50th first-class wicket and Matt Critchley batted positively until he played across the line at Hogan.Kieran Bull, in his first game for three years, was rewarded for an impressive spell of controlled offspin when Harvey Hussein was lured down the pitch and after tea was taken early because of rain, former Derbyshire allrounder Wagg had Martin Andersson lbw on his Championship debut following his loan move from Middlesex.Godleman had been in for 270 minutes but with a century beckoning, he dabbed at a wide ball from Wagg and was caught behind.Wagg quickly pinned Lockie Ferguson lbw but Tony Palladino and Ravi Rampaul guided Derbyshire to an unlikely second batting point before Glamorgan were left with 13 overs to negotiate.It was always likely to be an awkward period for the openers but they survived six overs before bad light ended play with Glamorgan 231 runs behind.

Following the frustrations of last term after missing out on Champions League qualification, it looks as if Liverpool are once again a side to be feared, with Jurgen Klopp's men currently in the mix at the top end of the table after an impressive start to the Premier League season.

Now just three points behind leaders Tottenham Hotspur following the weekend win over rivals Everton, the Reds could well be part of what looks to be an exciting title tussle involving themselves, Arsenal, Manchester City and Spurs, even if it is still early days.

The Merseyside giants appear to have particularly benefitted from something of a squad refresh of late, with Klopp ruthlessly moving on the ageing figures of Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Fabinho and Roberto Firmino over the summer.

That raft of exits highlighted the end of one cycle and the start of another for Klopp and co, with the German having somewhat disassembled elements of the side that claimed Premier League and Champions League glory in the recent past.

There does still remain a healthy core from that glittering outfit – including the likes of Alisson, Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson, Joel Matip and Virgil van Dijk – yet with many of those talents now in their thirties, further changes are likely to lie in store in the near future.

The defensive ranks, in particular, appear in need of a refresh before too long with both Matip and Van Dijk now 32, although the Anfield outfit could have ready-made replacements for that experienced pairing in the form of two emerging academy sensations – Jarell Quansah and Terence Miles.

The possible replacements for Matip and Van Dijk at Liverpool

As club legend Jamie Carragher recently stated, Van Dijk, in particular, has had his fair share of "criticism" in recent times, yet the towering Dutchman remains "one of the best" in the Premier League, having been a key cog in Klopp's machine over the past five years or so.

Arguably the "best defender that has ever lived" when he was at the peak of his powers, according to ex-England goalkeeper, Ben Foster, the former Southampton man was a central part of the golden period in Klopp's reign, with only the ACL injury sustained in 2020 having somewhat hampered his progress.

While the one-time Celtic man does appear to be thriving at present – forming part of a backline that has shipped just nine goals in nine league games – the time will come when an heir to the defensive titan will have to be found.

The same is also true of his long-serving teammate, Matip, with the Cameroonian star having not always been the most reliable figure due to injury, after enduring numerous spells on the treatment table over the years.

Undoubtedly a "huge presence" in the side when he is fit and available – according to Carragher – the problem is that too often is the former Schalke man not fit for action, with his usual understudy Ibrahima Konate also rather injury-prone himself.

With Joe Gomez also now utilised more frequently as a backup right-back to Trent Alexander-Arnold, there has been an encouraging emergence for academy starlet, Quansah, with the 20-year-old one of those who could plug the gap left behind by Matip and Van Dijk.

Jarell Quansah's early impact for Liverpool at senior level

While it is still early days in the youngster's senior career, Quansah has already racked up five first-team appearances so far this term after forcing his way into Klopp's thinking, notably making his first Premier League start in the win over Wolverhampton Wanderers last month.

83 minutes played

91 touches

96% pass accuracy rate

5/9 total duels won

5 clearances

3/3 long balls completed

7.2 match rating

Stats via Sofascore

That long-awaited top-flight bow led to notable praise from those within the club for the academy product, as he was hailed as "excellent" by teammate Robertson, while the Englishman's manager also stated that he had played "really well" amid a chaotic first-half display from those around him.

Although another league outing has not yet presented itself for the Warrington-born gem, he does look to be a player with a "bright future ahead of him", in the words of Robertson, with excitement growing as to just what he can achieve in a red jersey in the years to come.

Such is the young prospect's talent, Klopp is believed to have held back on signing a new centre-back this summer, according to The Athletic, with that a clear sign that he is not too far away from becoming a regular in the side either in place of or alongside Van Dijk and co.

In that case, it may not be too long before Quansah is joined in the first-team ranks by the aforementioned Miles, with the teenage defender currently catching the eye in the youth set-up.

A closer look at Liverpool's academy starlet, Terence Miles

The 19-year-old – who has previously been described as "imperious" at the back by journalist Neil Jones – could be the next academy gem to breakthrough at Anfield, despite a first-team bow having yet to emerge for the youngster to date.

A 'strong and passionate leader' – according to the club's official website – the England youth international also has the quality on the ball to match, as a 'good reader of the game, he steps out confidently with the ball from the back and distributes well', as per the same source.

Also comfortable at right-back, the local starlet has scored once in eight appearances in all competitions so far this term in the respective youth sides, notably facing off against senior opposition in the EFL Trophy against Morecambe and Blackpool.

Lining up in his usual centre-back berth, Miles was particularly impressive in the 3-0 win over the Shrimps last month, making six clearances as a sign of his ability to sniff out the danger, while also enjoying a solid 87% pass accuracy rate on the day to indicate his composure in possession.

That mix of abilities should make the teen titan a worthy candidate to step into the shoes of either Matip or Van Dijk in future, with Klopp likely to be able to save the club millions by promoting from within, rather than looking to the transfer market for possible long-term solutions.

With Quansah having already made his mark in the early knockings of this season, don't be surprised to see Miles emerge onto the scene before too long.

Atletico Madrid have baulked at the asking price Manchester United are demanding for Mason Greenwood, currently on-loan at Getafe.

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Greenwood on loan at GetafeAtletico interested in signing playerGreenwood not appeared for United since arrestWHAT HAPPENED?

Greenwood has not appeared for United since he was charged with attempted rape, controlling and coercive behaviour and assault occasioning actual bodily harm in 2022. The case was dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service in February 2023 and the player was sent on loan to Getafe. It is unclear whether he has a future at United and Atletico are interested in signing the forward, according to

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According to the Spanish outlet, Atletico have been taken aback by United's asking price for the Englishman – set at €58 million (£50m/$63m) – which is seen as "outrageous" to the Rojiblancos. However, given Greenwood's situation at United, it is difficult to make any predictions on what his next destination is and the fee United may charge potential suitors.

WHAT JIM RATCLIFFE SAID

Greenwood's future will be dealt with by the hierarchy at United, including Ratcliffe who oversees the club’s football operations. In February, he said on Greenwood: "He’s a Manchester United footballer so we are in charge of football. So the answer is yes, we have to make decisions. There is no decision that’s been made. The process will be: understand the facts not the hype and then try and come to fair decision on the basis of values which is basically is he a good guy or not, and answer could he play sincerely for Manchester United well and would we be comfortable with it and would the fans be comfortable with it."

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR GREENWOOD?

Major decisions on Greenwood's future will have to be taken in the summer when he returns from Getafe. Should United decide they do not wish to retain his services, he will have to find a new club and United a buyer. Juventus recently emerged as new candidates for his signature.

The England star was electric as Emma Hayes' side moved one step closer to a possible meeting with UWCL holders Barcelona

Chelsea have one foot in the UEFA Women's Champions League semi-finals after beating Ajax 3-0 in what was eventually a comfortable victory in the first leg of their quarter-final on Tuesday. The Dutch side started well but sloppiness at the back allowed Lauren James to put the Blues ahead with less than 20 minutes on the clock and the champions of England were never going to let their lead slip from there.

Chasity Grant gave Chelsea an early scare when she struck the post but as bright as Ajax looked going forward, they were anything but at the back for the goal that broke the deadlock. As James pounced on a ball that had ricocheted off a defender, the home side completed stopped and allowed the England star to find the back of the net. A lengthy VAR check confirmed that she was indeed offside and the Blues had their lead.

Ajax seemed somewhat disheartened by the goal and their level dropped off, allowing Chelsea to take control. Chances flowed towards the end of the first half and almost immediately after Guro Reiten had a goal controversially ruled out by VAR, Kadeisha Buchanan's cheeky Cruyff turn, at the Johan Cruyff Arena off all places, created the space for her to find Reiten, who in turn set up Sjoeke Nusken to double the Blues' advantage.

The onus was on the Dutch side in the second half then, but they struggled to carve out any notable chances and the Blues thrived on the counter, Nusken eventually, surely, killing the tie off when she converted Catarina Macario's brilliant cross late on. Emma Hayes' side are in full control ahead of the return leg at Stamford Bridge next week.

GOAL rates Chelsea's players from the Johan Cruyff Arena…

Goalkeeper & Defence

Hannah Hampton (6/10):

A first-half error nearly gifted Ajax an equaliser but she was fine after that and stood up to any danger that came her way.

Eve Perisset (7/10):

Set pieces were great. Allowed little threat down her side.

Jess Carter (7/10):

A couple of questionable decisions in the early stages of the game but improved as it went on. Composed on the ball.

Kadeisha Buchanan (7/10):

Also got better after a shaky start, a lovely turn and pass setting Reiten free to tee up Nusken to double the lead.

Niamh Charles (6/10):

Solid at the back but didn't get involved as much as usual going forward.

AdvertisementMidfield

Melanie Leupolz (7/10):

Fantastic in possession and won plenty of duels.

Erin Cuthbert (7/10):

Battled well in midfield, was great on the ball and took up good positions in the final third. Probably should've scored.

Sjoeke Nusken (8/10):

Superb in a free-roaming role which saw her occupy the Ajax centre-backs at times. Scored two and could've even had a couple more. Great movement.

Getty ImagesAttack

Johanna Rytting Kaneryd (7/10):

A constant threat out wide with her desire to run at players and create something.

Lauren James (8/10):

Was the only one on her toes for the opening goal and put in a super cross for Chelsea to double their lead. Pressed brilliantly.

Guro Reiten (7/10):

Should've had a goal but for a contentious offside. Got a great assist moments later, though. Also played her part in the effectiveness of the press.

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GettySubs & Manager

Ashley Lawrence (7/10):

On for the final 15 minutes or so and was lively in a more advanced role than usual. Played her part in the third goal.

Catarina Macario (7/10):

Almost scored with her first touch, but Lawrence's cross was just too high. Got an assist before the game was done though, her superb cross met by Nusken.

Jelena Cankovic (N/A):

Only on for the final few minutes.

Aggie Beever-Jones (N/A):

Only on for the final few minutes.

Emma Hayes (8/10):

Plan to press Ajax high was effective and well executed by her players. The free role for James and Nusken's instructions to fill that No.9 space was a great combination, too.

After a disastrous start, Chelsea are beginning to show signs of life under Mauricio Pochettino, even after they squandered a 2-0 lead against Arsenal. The fact that they competed on most fronts against last season's nearly-champions shows that the Blues shouldn't be written off quite yet, and neither should Pochettino. If the Argentine can get certain details right within his squad, then he may just have a side capable of securing a top-four place in the Premier League.

One major recent positive has been the form of Mykhailo Mudryk. The Ukraine international finally ended his wait for a Premier League goal by scoring against Fulham, before following that up with a second goal in three games with his audacious effort against Arsenal. That hasn't stopped Pochettino's pursuit of further competition in the left-wing role, however, with one particular star reportedly targeted.

Latest Chelsea transfer news

It was once again a busy summer for Todd Boehly and Chelsea, as players such as Mason Mount, Mateo Kovacic, and Kai Havertz all left for fellow top-six Premier League clubs, allowing room for the likes of Cole Palmer, Christopher Nkunku, and Moises Caicedo to arrive. It remains to be seen whether that transfer tactic will pay off for the Blues, though, having failed to cement their place among the top flight's best sides so far. Further arrivals may change that, however.

The latest Nicolas Gonzalez transfer news suggests that those at Stamford Bridge could attempt to solve their attacking problems in January. According to reports in Spain, Chelsea and Liverpool could battle it out to sign the right-winger, who Fiorentina reportedly value up to €60m (£52m). We've seen how willing Chelsea are to spend money in the last two years, perhaps making Gonzalez's price-tag no issue for those at Stamford Bridge.

Nicolas Gonzalez stats

It's no surprise that both Liverpool and Chelsea are interested in signing the Fiorentina man. After all, Gonzalez's stats so far this season show the level that he is capable of going to. Even when compared to Chelsea's current wingers, the Argentine stands out in certain areas, as per FBref.

Player

Goals

Assists

Pass Completion Rate

Nicolas Gonzalez

5

1

73.8%

Mykhailo Mudryk

2

0

61.6%

Raheem Sterling

3

0

72.7%

Gonzalez's output when it comes to goals has been particularly impressive this season, with five in seven games – six of those being starts – proving just how impressive he has been. What makes his start in Serie A this season even greater is the fact that only Lautaro Martinez and Victor Omishen have found the back of the net more times.

It's no shock, then, that the Fiorentina man has been at the centre of praise, including from statistician Opta Paolo, who posted on X back in January: "253 – Nicolás González has scored a Serie A goal as a starter for the first time since May 21st, 2022, against Juventus, 253 days ago. Jewel."

With that said, it will certainly be interesting to see whether Chelsea move ahead of Liverpool in the battle to sign Gonzalez, and secure his signature in the process.