All posts by h716a5.icu

Though a top-tenner for the best part of the last decade, Rohit has never been the top-ranked batter in the 50-over format before

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Oct-2025Rohit Sharma has become the No. 1-ranked ODI batter following his innings of 73 and 121 not out in the second and third games in the series in Australia, which India lost 2-1.The two knocks took Rohit up from third spot to the top for the first time in his career after being in the top ten for large periods over the past decade. The century, in particular, boosted Rohit’s points and took him past Ibrahim Zadran and Shubman Gill.Rohit wasn’t the only India cricketer to gain after the three-ODI series in Australia, with Axar Patel rewarded for a strong all-round performance. He took a wicket in each of the three ODIs and chipped in with scores of 31 and 44 in the first and second games. That took him up six places on the bowlers’ table to No. 31, and up four spots to No. 8 on the allrounders’ table.Full rankings tables

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Within the respective top tens, Mitchell Santner moved up three rungs to fourth place following the first two ODIs against England, and Josh Hazlewood moved up two spots to eighth among the bowlers.Elsewhere, following the shared two-Test series between Pakistan and South Africa, Keshav Maharaj gained nine places to a career-high rating, and the 13th place, on the bowlers’ list. While Maharaj picked up nine wickets in the only Test he played, his team-mate Simon Harmer had 13 wickets from the two Tests and moved up 26 spots to No. 45.For South Africa, Aiden Markram (up two spots to 15th) and Tony de Zorzi (up seven places to joint 47th) also gained on the Test batters’ table.

The New York Yankees didn't have Giancarlo Stanton in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Baltimore Orioles, but late in a tie game, the team looked to the veteran slugger for some offense.

The Orioles were prepared for that, however. After Stanton entered the game as a pinch hitter, taking the place of Ryan McMahon, Baltimore opted to intentionally walk him to eliminate the home run threat.

Well, with Stanton being an absolutely abysmal baserunner, the decision to give him first base for free resulted in the end of his night. Aaron Boone quickly moved to pinch run for Stanton, who is a liability on the base paths, bringing in Anthony Volpe to take over at first base.

As quickly as Stanton's night started, it ended.

That's one way to make a contribution. Unfortunately, the Yankees weren't able to capitalize on Stanton's intentional walk, unable to get a run on the board to break the 1–1 deadlock.

Stanton's lack of mobility at this stage in his career means he's best served being utilized at DH. But with Aaron Judge occupying the role on Sunday, Stanton was out of the lineup and on the bench.

In 70 games this year, Stanton has a .916 OPS with 21 home runs and 56 RBIs.

“I want to play all the formats and succeed in all the formats… if I want to do that, then this is the challenge I have to go through,” Shubman Gill says about being an all-format player and leader

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Oct-20253:13

Gill outlines the challenges of being an all-format player

Test captain, T20I vice-captain, and now ODI captain as well. Shubman Gill isn’t just one of a vanishing breed of all-format international players but also one holding leadership roles in each of them. He is aware of the toll this can take on him, especially mentally, but he is prepared to take on that challenge in order to achieve his own goals in all three formats.”Physically, most of the time, I feel fine, but sometimes, yes, there is mental fatigue, because when you are constantly playing, there is obviously a certain expectation that I have from myself, and to be able to keep up with my own expectations sometimes becomes the challenge,” Gill said on the eve of the second Test against West Indies in Delhi, in his first press conference since being appointed India’s ODI captain.”But I think that’s the challenge, to be able to play all the formats for India, and I want to play all the formats and succeed in all the formats for the country, and win ICC titles. So, if I want to do that, then this is the challenge I have to go through.”Related

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Gill inherits the wealth of India's Rohit-Kohli era

Gill replaced Rohit Sharma as ODI captain, and will captain two former full-time captains in Rohit and Virat Kohli when India play three ODIs in Australia later this month. With both Rohit and Kohli in their mid-30s and retired from both the other formats, a certain amount of doubt surrounds their future as ODI players with the next World Cup in that format two years away.”Absolutely,” Gill said, when asked if he saw Rohit and Kohli playing an important role in ODIs leading into that World Cup. “The experience the two of them have [is immense], and there are very few players who can match the number of matches they have won for India.”There are very few players in the world with such skill and quality along with that experience, and we look at it from that perspective.”Gill becoming ODI captain capped a five-month period over which he has become the face of Indian cricket, with his appointment as Test captain in May followed by a Test tour of England in which he scored 754 runs – the second-most by any India batter in a bilateral series – at an average of 75.40. While Gill acknowledged how “exciting” these months had been, he said he wanted to put past achievements behind him and keep looking ahead.”[The ODI captaincy] is obviously is a big responsibility and an even bigger honour, so I’m very excited to lead my country in that format, and yes, the last few months have been very exciting for me, but I’m really looking forward to what the future has,” he said. “I want to stay [in the] present as [much as] possible and don’t really want to look back on what I’ve been able to achieve or what we, as a team, have been able to achieve. Just want to look forward and win everything that we have in the upcoming months.””The challenge is to stay on top for five days in a Test match, and that is more difficult than captaining in a T20 game”•Associated PressWhen asked what qualities he had inherited, or would like to inherit from his predecessor Rohit, Gill picked two. “So many qualities that I have inherited from Rohit – the calmness that he possesses, and the kind of friendship that he has among the group is something that I aspire to, these are the qualities that I want to take from him.Asked to compare the task of leading teams in red- and white-ball cricket, Gill felt Test cricket presents captains the stiffest challenge. He was perhaps reflecting on missed opportunities in his first series in charge, in England, where India drew 2-2 when they could have potentially won the five-Test series had they not let momentum slip away from them in a handful of sessions.”I feel in Test matches, the better team [in that match] does come on top at the end of the day because you’ve got more chances and more opportunities to make a comeback,” Gill said. “Whereas in T20, if you have three-four overs of bad period, there might be a case that you are completely taken away from the game. So, it is different in that sense.”When you are playing a Test match, whenever a team wins a Test match, for that particular match, that team deserves to win the Test match because they played better cricket not for two-three hours or not for one day, but consistently over a period of three, four or five days.”So the challenge is to stay on top for five days in a Test match, and that is more difficult than captaining in a T20 game. Whereas, in a T20 game, you get off to a really good start and then you maintain that, then you are sort of able to be on top of the game for the entirety of the game, but in a Test match, you can be on top for two days, but if you don’t turn up on day three, the other team can make a comeback.”0:49

Chopra: ‘Sai Sudharsan needs runs or the pressure will mount’

Gill on Sai Sudharsan: ‘We think he’s the man for us’Leading into the Delhi Test, there has been a lot of media scrutiny on B Sai Sudharsan, Gill’s opening partner at Gujarat Titans in the IPL, who is under a certain amount of external pressure with an average in the early 20s across his first four Tests, and with a number of other middle-order batters knocking on the door. Gill suggested Sai Sudharsan’s numbers were a little misleading, and said he continues to enjoy the full backing of the team management.”I don’t really think he’s had a lean run,” Gill said. “He got one innings in the first match [in Ahmedabad]. At The Oval, he played a crucial innings of 40 runs [38] on that wicket where the ball was seaming. The match before that, he scored a fifty [61] in Manchester. Not every match everyone is going to score a hundred.”You have to give young players more opportunities. They are still trying to figure out their game. And we believe that you have to first see someone’s potential and then see their game in the entirety, not just judge someone from one, two, three, four matches. Once you have given someone enough matches – six, seven, eight matches – then you can sit back and have a think over it, where he needs to learn, or if he needs to play some more domestic matches or play some more India A games.”But as of now, we think he’s the man for us and he’s someone that can play for India at No. 3 for a very long time.”

The best teams in football have always been built on at least a few brilliant partnerships, and this Arsenal side are no different.

Mikel Arteta’s side is full of duos who complement and perfectly understand one another, with the most obvious example being the partnership of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães.

The two centre-backs have played a massive part in making the Gunners the best defensive side in the Premier League, if not Europe, and have appeared in 129 competitive matches together, averaging 2.16 points per game.

However, as exceptional a pairing as they are, Arsenal’s Champions League win over Bayern Munich on Wednesday night made it clear that Arteta might have already created an even better one.

Arsenal's standout performers vs Bayern

It wouldn’t be an overreaction to say that, given the opponent and competition, Wednesday night was one of Arsenal’s most impressive performances under Arteta’s reign.

Chalkboard

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

In other words, there were sensational displays from practically everyone donning the red and white, but someone who really stood out was Jurrien Timber.

The former Ajax gem was the one who opened the scoring, heading home from a corner, but he did far more than that.

Minutes

81′

Expected Goals

0.52

Goals

1

Tackles (Won)

2 (2)

Interceptions

1

Recoveries

4

Ground Duels (Won)

5 (4)

Aerial Duels (Won)

3 (3)

Long Balls

1/1

Dribbles

1/1

For example, in addition to providing a constant threat down the right-hand side and linking up nicely with Bukayo Saka, the Dutch international was almost perfect from a defensive point of view.

In his 81 minutes of action, he won 100% of his tackles and aerial duels, made one interception, recovered the ball four times, and more than justified The Athletic’s Aaron Catterson-Reid claim that he’s “the best right-back in the world at the minute.”

Another starter who deserves praise is Eberechi Eze, as while he was quieter than on the weekend, he still provided the assist for Gabriel Martinelli.

Moreover, he had some real moments of quality in and around the Germans’ penalty area.

Finally, Riccardo Calafiori and Noni Madueke made quite the impact coming off the bench, with the former setting up the latter to score his first goal for the club.

With all that said, one of the reasons these players were able to shine is the efforts of a partnership within the side that might just be better than Gabriel and Saliba’s.

Arsenal's new best partnership

While Saliba and Cristhian Mosquera looked great on Wednesday, as did Eze and Mikel Merino, neither of those pairings is shaping up to be Arsenal’s best new duo.

Chalkboard

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

Instead, that title goes to the brewing partnership between Martin Zubimendi and Declan Rice.

Yes, while the Englishman was already performing at a world-class level for the Gunners over the last two years, the arrival of the Spaniard has helped him to further improve.

The former West Ham United captain has even said as much after Wednesday’s game, telling TNT Sports that the side “all trust him with the ball.”

The addition of the former Real Sociedad star has allowed the 26-year-old to maraud forward more freely, which is precisely what he did on multiple occasions against the Baverians.

However, he also still drops deeper on occasion and continues to do plenty of the dirty work, which is one of the reasons they’re such an incredible pairing, and why content creator Jamie Kent has dubbed the Englishman “the best midfielder in Europe.”

The watching press were unsurprisingly impressed with the two midfielders on Wednesday, with the Express’ Tom Parsons awarding both 9/10 match ratings.

That might sound slightly over the top, but it’s really not, and their statistics prove as much.

For example, in his 94 minutes, the Spaniard took 50 touches, completed 40 passes, was accurate with 100% of his long balls, recovered the ball three times, blocked one shot, and didn’t get dribbled past once.

In his 94 minutes, the £105m man produced a combined expected goal and assists figure of 0.61, played three key passes, took one shot on target, won 100% of his tackles, made one interception, took 66 touches, completed 39 passes, blocked one shot and recovered the ball five times.

Ultimately, while it was just the 16th competitive game Rice and Zubimendi have played together, Arsenal’s win over Bayern Munich was just more evidence that they could well be the Gunners’ new most important duo.

A dream for Eze: Arsenal enter race to sign "one of the best STs in Europe"

The incredible goalscorer would make Arsenal far more dangerous and be a dream teammate for Eberechi Eze.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 26, 2025

India have selection dilemmas in all departments as they look to firm up their side for the ODI World Cup

Shashank Kishore15-Jul-2025With a home ODI World Cup looming in September, India have just six matches left to fine-tune their combinations. The upcoming three-match series in England, beginning Wednesday in Southampton, offers a glimpse into the team’s evolving plans.Captain Harmanpreet Kaur believes the growing competition for spots is a “healthy headache” to have, which she attributes to improved depth and balance. Here are some of the tricky decisions the team management may have to make.Rawal vs Deol?
Pratika Rawal may have racked up 638 runs in 11 ODIs at an average of 63.80, including five fifties and a century, but this series holds deeper significance for her with the World Cup looming. The reason? Shafali Verma.Related

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Shafali’s ability to dismantle attacks in the powerplay makes her an irresistible asset, even if her high-risk approach can come with bouts of inconsistency. Rawal, by contrast, builds her innings, and accelerates as she settles in. She is also a handy spin option, while Shafali is strictly just part-time.As impressive as Rawal’s initiation has been, the runs have mostly come against Ireland, West Indies, Sri Lanka and a depleted South Africa. This, in a way, will be her first big test in international cricket.A good series for Rawal will make it harder for the selectors to displace her from the opening spot alongside Smriti Mandhana, but her style of play and method of run accumulation could also make her a useful proposition at No. 3 if Shafali’s resurgence in the England T20Is convinces the team management to back her to reclaim her opening spot in ODIs, a format she last played in October 2024.The only problem with that reshuffle could be that Harleen Deol, who has transformed her game and has been in excellent form across formats lately, may have to be benched. Since her comeback from injury in December 2024, Deol has hit 230 runs in six innings, including a maiden ODI century. She also played a sparkling knock in the T20I series opener in England.Deol’s form, Rawal’s run glut and Shafali’s X-factor leaves India with a tough choice to make. The next three games could indicate which way the team management will be inclined towards ahead of the Australia series, their final audition before the World Cup opener on September 30 against Sri Lanka.Who partners Amanjot in the seam department?
Pooja Vastrakar hasn’t played since the T20 World Cup last October. She missed the WPL as well, and there has been no official update from the BCCI or selectors, on her rehab or possible return. In her absence, Amanjot Kaur has emerged as a capable replacement, even if not like-for-like.Arundhati Reddy played in all five T20Is against England•SLCWhile Amanjot lacks Vastrakar’s pace and ability to hustle batters, she brings her own strengths to the table: gentle swing, accuracy, and an ability to stem the flow of runs, as seen in the recent T20I series. She picked up six wickets in two matches in the tri-series against Sri Lanka and South Africa this April.Her batting, too, has come into its own. A prime example was her unbeaten 63 under pressure, rescuing India from 31 for 3 in the second T20I against England in Bristol. This means the tussle for the one remaining seam-bowler’s slot is likely to be between Arundhati Reddy, Kranti Goud and Sayali Satghare. The selectors will also have an opportunity to look at Titas Sadhu, who will be on the A tour to Australia having recovered from injury. There is no update yet on Renuka Singh.Among the contenders, Reddy looks the frontrunner currently, having featured in three games in the tri-series and each of the five T20Is after being dropped for the home series against Ireland and West Indies earlier in the year. Goud brings with her pace, but is largely untested, while Satghare is a swing bowler.The make-up of the spin attack
Deepti Sharma appears to be a lock-in. So the tussle will be between Sneh Rana, N Shree Charani and Radha Yadav for two spots.Rana announced herself in the WPL for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, after initially going unsold at the auction. Then, after having not been in the scheme of things for nearly a year-and-a-half, she received a lifeline when she was picked for the ODI tri-series in Sri Lanka.N Shree Charani was the leading wicket-taker in the T20Is against England•Andy Kearns/Getty ImagesThere, she was named Player of the series for her 15 wickets in five games, including a career-best 5 for 43 in a match-winning spell against South Africa. The T20I series in England was her comeback to the shortest format after over two years.Charani, who was also on that tour in Sri Lanka, has been named Player of the series in the England T20Is for her chart-topping 10 wickets. The team management is impressed by her ability to bowl across phases. She also performed exceedingly well in the tri-series, picking up six wickets in five games at an economy of 5.39, and was the perfect spin twin to Rana.The allure of playing two genuine spinners and Deepti could make it tough for the team management to include Radha Yadav, arguably one of the best fielders in the women’s game today. Her improved left-arm spin and ability to wield the willow lower down the order makes her hard to ignore. But such is the competition that there’s only space for two, unless the toss-up boils down to one between Deepti and Rana.India’s likely ODI combination
1 Smriti Mandhana, 2 Pratika Rawal, 3 Harleen Deol, 4 Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), 5 Jemimah Rodrigues, 6 Richa Ghosh (wk), 7 Amanjot Kaur, 8 Deepti Sharma, 9 Arundhati Reddy, 10 Sneh Rana/Radha Yadav, 11 N Shree Charani

The Boston Red Sox are heading to the postseason.

After trailing 3-1 heading into the seventh inning in the first contest of the regular season's final three-game set at Fenway Park against the Tigers, Boston scored a run in the seventh, eighth, and finally in the bottom of the ninth, when centerfielder Ceddanne Rafaela drove a Tommy Kahnle fastball off the top of the centerfield wall, scoring Romy Gonzalez from first base and sending the Red Sox to the playoffs.

Boston's magic number has been one since Wednesday, when the Red Sox beat the Blue Jays and the Astros lost to the Athletics. But it took until Friday for Boston to officially punch its ticket to the postseason after the Red Sox lost to the Blue Jays on Thursday and the Astros beat the A's.

The Tigers, Astros and Guardians are now battling for the final two playoff spots in the American League playoff picture with two games to go.

He wasn’t picked for Sri Lanka’s upcoming series against Zimbabwe, but has been named in the 16-member squad for the Asia Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Aug-2025Legspinning allrounder Wanindu Hasaranga has been picked in Sri Lanka’s 16-member squad for the Asia Cup. He had injured his hamstring during their previous series against Bangladesh and was left out of Sri Lanka’s upcoming T20I series against Zimbabwe, but it is hoped he will be fit for the competition in the UAE.Hasaranga replaces Dushan Hemantha from the squad announced for the Zimbabwe series, while uncapped batter Vishen Halambage has been left out in the only other change from that squad.With Hasaranga’s return, it means the squad going to the Asia Cup has four changes from the one that lost to Bangladesh at home, with Avishka Fernando, Dinesh Chandimal, Jeffrey Vandersay and Eshan Malinga left out. Batters Nuwanidu Fernando and Kamil Mishara come into the squad, along with fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera.Among the other seam options is Chamika Karunaratne, who is making a comeback into the limited-overs teams. Dasun Shanaka has been picked again as a seam-bowling allrounder as well. Angelo Mathews’ absence suggests the selectors are unlikely to look to him for the T20 World Cup next year. He had retired from Tests earlier in the year, but remained available for white-ball cricket.As left-arm spinning allrounder Dunith Wellalage is also in the squad, Sri Lanka have three major spin options, Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana being the others.Sri Lanka will play their first Asia Cup game on September 13 against Bangladesh. They had made the final of the previous Asia Cup, in 2023, and won the 2022 edition.Sri Lanka squad for Asia CupCharith Asalanka (capt), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Nuwanidu Fernando, Kamindu Mendis, Kamil Mishara, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Chamika Karunaratne, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Binura Fernando, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana

Over time, we have seen some iconic central defenders come and go, with Italy especially having the knack of producing some of the greatest centre-backs football has ever witnessed.

From Paolo Maldini to Franco Baresi, Gli Azzurri have had some of the best, but who ranks at the top as the premier centre-back?

The Best 15 Centre-Backs in World Football Ranked (2025)

Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk is one of the best defenders in the world.

ByCharlie Smith Nov 20, 2025

Here is a look at 20 of the greatest central defenders in footballing history, factoring in their longevity, consistency at the highest level, while also highlighting team and personal accolades.

20 Fernando Hierro

Starting the countdown is Fernando Hierro, who made more than 600 appearances for Real Madrid during a 14-year stint at the Bernabeu.

Even capable of playing in a defensive midfield role if required, Hierro had unbelievable ability on the ball for a centre-back, something which helped him play in the Premier League at the age of 39. The Spaniard won five La Liga titles and three Champions League trophies with Madrid.

19 Giorgio Chiellini

One of numerous Italians on the list is Giorgio Chiellini, who retired in 2023 at the age of 39 after a glittering 23-year career.

A no-nonsense defender with his aggressive, physical, and tenacious approach, Chiellini proved that an old-fashioned defender can still star in the modern game.

He spent 18 years with Juventus, winning nine Serie A titles and the European Championships with Italy.

18 Thiago Silva

Thiago Silva is one of those defenders who got better with age, starring in Italy, France and England with AC Milan, PSG and Chelsea.

A Champions League winner, Silva was an exceptional reader of the game and made defending at the highest level look incredible easy, while also having brilliant passing vision.

Nicknamed the ‘monster’ due to his imposing playing style, Silva possesses much more quality than just his physical ability.

17 Rio Ferdinand

Compared to Pele by a youth coach at just 11 years of age, Rio Ferdinand transformed into one of England’s best ever centre-backs across a 19-year career.

Quick and agile in his prime, Ferdinand was an extremely composed centre-back and great reader of the game.

Inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame, he won six top flight titles with Man Utd, while also captaining Sir Alex Ferguson’s side to Champions League glory in 2008.

16 Jaap Stam

Another iconic Red Devils centre-back was Jaap Stam, however, his stay at Man Utd was much shorter and his exit was a decision Ferguson regretted the most in his career.

A powerful defender in the air and quick across the grass, Stam was named as the Dutch Player of the Year in 1997 and also won the Champions League at Old Trafford.

15 Ronald Koeman

Continuing the Netherlands theme takes us to Ronald Koeman, who is the greatest goalscoring central defender the game has seen.

Incredibly, Koeman scored more than 250 goals during his career, impressing with his long-range shooting, free kick ability and reliability as a penalty taker.

A European Cup winner with PSV and Barcelona, Koeman, who sometimes played in midfield, was even the Champions League top scorer in 1994, and his defensive attributes were also world-class.

14 ​​​Lilian Thuram

​​​Lilian Thuram saved his only two France goals for the biggest stage, a World Cup semi final win over Croatia in 1998.

Known as an incredibly athletic defender in his prime, Thuram, who can also be considered one of football’s greatest ever right-backs, also starred centrally during a 17-year career which saw him star for Monaco, Parma, Juventus and Barcelona.

Thuram won the World Cup and Euros and was named France’s Player of the Year in 1997.

13 Marcel Desailly

Nicknamed The Rock, Marcel Desailly starred for France across 11 years, helping his country win the World Cup in 1998 and then the Euros in 2000 alongside Thuram.

He was named in the team of the tournaments for both of those triumphs, and at club level, Desailly starred for Nantes, AC Milan and Chelsea.

A versatile centre-back who led by example, Desailly improved any side he went into and arguably went under the radar during his career.

12 Virgil van Dijk

Arguably the best centre-back in world football since his move to Liverpool in 2018, Virgil van Dijk has helped transform the Reds into winners again.

Van Dijk has it all and makes defending look incredibly easy at the highest level. Physical presence, speed, ability on the ball, world-class attackers have struggled to get past the Dutchman on a regular basis.

One of the most expensive centre-backs in history, Van Dijk has been worth every penny of the £75m Liverpool spent.

11 Carles Puyol

A Barcelona and Spain legend, Carles Puyol won everything for club and country and was a part of the most dominant sides the game has ever seen.

Under Pep Guardiola at the Nou Camp, Puyol captained Barcelona to La Liga and Champions League glory, while with Spain, he won the 2008 Euros and 2010 World Cup.

He was named UEFA’s Defender of the Year in 2006 and in the World XI Team of the 21st Century.

Chelsea star Keira Walsh claimed that she loves to set up goals more than scoring them but she has changed her 'mindset' under pressure from team-mates and manager Sonia Bompastor. After spending two-and-a-half seasons at European giants Barcelona, the English midfielder returned to her home in February 2025 as the Women's Super League winners signed her.

Shift in Walsh's position in new season

Walsh, who is one of the best defensive midfielders in the world at the moment, operated in a deep role after signing for the Blues earlier this year. However, since the start of the 2025-26 campaign, Walsh has been deployed in a more advanced position, which is allowing her to contribute more to the team's attack. The change in position also helped her score her first-ever Chelsea goal last month as Walsh's solitary strike helped her club beat Tottenham Hotspur 1-0.

In the seven Women's Super League matches Walsh played last season, she had only one shot on goal. Compared to that, in the eight matches she has played this season, the midfielder already has 14 shots to her name. 

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport'I've always preferred playing the assist'

Speaking to , Walsh opened up on her change of role, revealing that her team-mates and coaches have played a role in her development. 

"It's maybe not position and playing further forward, but Sonia and Cami [Abily, Chelsea's assistant manager] are always telling me to shoot, and it was the same when I played at Barca," she said. "The girls were always encouraging me. For myself, I've always preferred playing the assist or the assist before the assist. That's something that I've always liked doing.

"It was about me changing my mindset a little bit and still trying to help the team in that respect – maybe it is taking a shot more, and sometimes I was probably overplaying a little bit. It's feeling more confident, and Sonia and Cami really encouraged me to do that. Not a lot of central defensive midfielders do, apart from [Moises] Caicedo. The way I play defensive midfield it is more about breaking lines and trying to break presses, and contributing a little bit more in attack. I'm not known for my big tackles, although I am working on that. When it opens up, Sonia's encouraged me to take the ball forward, and if I feel like a shot is on, then it's being free to do that."

Walsh aiming 'to be in the right place at the right time'

Walsh added: "In the position I play, a lot of it will be on the second phase or drop-downs, and maybe from set-pieces with the drop-downs there as well. It's trying to be in the right place at the right time. I'm not as good as Sam Kerr at that, but recently, I feel like I've been lucky with where the ball has landed and opened up for a shot. Previously, I would have tried to make a pass in the box, and with a lot of bodies around, it's not ideal. Cami is always going on at me to shoot, whether it's right foot or left foot. The left foot's not so great, so I try not to do that too much."

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Getty Images SportInjury blow for Chelsea ahead of Liverpool

Blues boss Bompastor has confirmed that star goalkeeper Hannah Hampton has been ruled out of action for a few weeks due to a quad injury. Speaking ahead of Chelsea's clash against Liverpool on Sunday, the manager said: "Hannah won't be here. She picked up a quad injury. She will be out for a few weeks. We'll see if we see her before the end of the year but I'm not sure. It could be the case, yes."

West Ham United are now preparing the documents to sign a “special” attacker, who could be Nuno’s first signing.

Nuno still searching for first win as West Ham boss

After Graham Potter became the second managerial casualty of the Premier League season, West Ham thought Nuno would be the man to turn things around, but the former Nottingham Forest boss hasn’t made the greatest of starts.

The 51-year-old is still searching for his first win since replacing Potter in the dugout, with the Hammers losing their last three games on the spin in the Premier League, which leaves them in 19th place and four points adrift of safety.

The most recent result is likely to be the most concerning, with the Irons falling to a 2-1 defeat against Leeds United at Elland Road, in what could prove to be a real six-pointer come the end of the season.

It was a very poor performance from Nuno’s side, who recorded an xG of just 0.65, which suggests they need to bolster their forward line in the January transfer window if they are to stave off fears of relegation.

According to reporter Alan Nixon (via Caught Offside), West Ham are now preparing the documents to sign Barcelona attacker Dro Fernandez, with a major January recruitment drive now on the cards as a result of their very poor start to the season.

Nuno offered "world class" West Ham signing on loan and it isn't Toney or Endrick

The Hammers need reinforcements in January.

ByEmilio Galantini Oct 24, 2025

Fernandez has now emerged as a serious target for the Hammers, and they are looking to be savvy by getting a deal done before his valuation goes through the roof, with the attacker in line to become Nuno’s first signing as manager.

However, the La Liga giants are well-aware of the 17-year-old’s potential, meaning he is likely to have a high valuation, which could potentially be prohibitive.

"Special" Fernandez could be destined for the top

It would perhaps be a surprise if Barca were willing to sanction the teenager’s departure, considering he clearly has a lot of potential, having received very high praise from former coach Javi Roxo in the past.

Roxo said: “Dro was always very special, he has a gift for touching the ball and has always been very creative.

“Dro is capable of everything and if Flick puts him on the wing he can also do well, it won’t be Raphinha but he can look like the Iniesta who played on the left. If he relieves himself of pressure and plays freely, he is capable of anything, his talent is infinite.”

Despite his age, the young Spaniard has already forced his way into first-team contention too, with scout Jacek Kulig left impressed after his recent display in the Champions League.

That said, it would be a gamble for West Ham to sign Fernandez in an effort to get them out of relegation trouble, given his lack of experience, and it may be a better idea to target proven Premier League players.