The Chicago White Sox had a chance to tie the game against the Cleveland Guardians during the ninth inning of Wednesday's game, but an incredibly unfortunate occurrence saw them fall just short in heartbreaking fashion.
Trailing 3–1 with two outs and the bases loaded, Miguel Vargas came to the plate for Chicago and sent a ground ball past Cleveland's shortstop and into the outfield grass. One run came into score and Mike Tauchman was waved home with a chance to even the score from second base.
As he rounded third base and prepared to head for home plate, Tauchman could be seen pulling up, appearing to have suffered a hamstring injury while trying to tie up the game. He was unable to complete his dash to the plate, getting tagged out a few feet from home in devastating fashion.
Have a look:
Tauchman looked absolutely defeated while hobbling down the line towards the plate. After the tag was applied, he slammed his helmet on the dirt and crumpled to the ground in pain.
A truly unfortunate way for the White Sox to go down.
Chelsea legend John Terry has made a huge claim about star left-back Marc Cucurella after his masterclass against Barcelona and Lamine Yamal in the Champions League.
Chelsea thrash Barcelona as Marc Cucurella shines
Cucurella delivered the performance of his Chelsea career on Tuesday night, completely neutralizing Barça’s sensation Yamal as the Blues cruised to a commanding 3-0 victory at Stamford Bridge.
While another teenage sensation, Estevao, grabbed all the headlines with his spectacular solo goal, it was Cucurella’s disciplined defensive work that provided the foundation for Chelsea’s dominant display against the Spanish champions.
The left-back’s ability to lock down his international teammate proved instrumental in suffocating Barcelona’s primary attacking threat throughout the ninety minutes, with Cucurella earning a deserved player of the match award.
Yamal, who finished second in the recent Ballon d’Or voting, endured one of the most frustrating evenings of his early career to date as Cucurella shadowed his every movement.
The Chelsea defender repeatedly intercepted passes intended for the teenage prodigy and forced him into ineffective wide areas where he posed minimal threat, with Cucurella continuing to make his previous doubters look pretty silly.
Beyond his defensive responsibilities, Cucurella contributed going forward too — providing an outlet down the left channel and delivering dangerous crosses into Barca’s penalty area. His energy and work rate exemplified the intensity Chelsea brought to the contest, setting the tone for teammates to follow.
The 27-year-old, who has been a standout performer for both Enzo Maresca’s side and Spain over these last two seasons, was also awarded a secret contract extension in August to reflect his star player status, according to Fabrizio Romano this week.
Now, Terry has had his say on the former Brighton star in a statement of real praise.
John Terry makes big Marc Cucurella claim after Chelsea masterclass
Speaking on Wednesday, Terry branded Cucurella as one of the best left-backs in the world right now and everything he wants to see in a Chelsea player.
Right now, there is no question that he is one of Chelsea’s most important players, but a time will come when the club must replace him considering he one day wants to return to play in Spain.
According to some reports, Chelsea already have a succession plan in mind.
Journalist Simon Phillips reported earlier this week that Chelsea are trying to convince Arsenal star Myles Lewis-Skelly to join them as a long-term replacement for Cucurella, but for now, the Hale End sensation isn’t keen on going anywhere.
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Manchester City and Arsenal are reportedly monitoring the progress of Elche midfielder Rodrigo Mendoza, who is often compared to Barcelona's Pedri for his style in the middle of the park. La Liga giants Real Madrid are also keen on the 20-year-old, with a transfer battle expected to heat up for the Spaniard heading into the winter and summer windows.
Europe’s elite circle eye rising midfield gem
According to City are the latest outfit to intensify their interest, with their Spanish scouting department quietly tracking Mendoza for the last two seasons. Arsenal, meanwhile, have been following his progress closely for months, viewing him as a potential long-term investment for a midfield undergoing gradual evolution under Mikel Arteta. Whereas Real Madrid, who are never shy about stockpiling elite young Spanish talent, are also keen on Mendoza. Despite signing a fresh contract with Elche in August, one meant to protect his value and extend his stay until 2028, Mendoza remains attainable due to a modest release clause of £17.5 million ($23m). In today’s inflated transfer market, where teenagers routinely command higher sums even before proving themselves in one of Europe's top-five leagues, that figure is widely seen as a bargain value.
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A steady emergence through Elche’s ranks
Mendoza’s progress has been nothing short of impressive. After debuting in 2022’s Copa del Rey, a relegation to the Segunda Division gave him a platform to develop. He responded with 26 appearances in 2023/24 and 24 more the following season, helping Elche secure promotion back to La Liga. Now back in the top flight, he has made ten appearances this term and scored twice. He also featured in every minute of Spain’s Under-20 World Cup campaign in Chile, which ended in the quarter-finals after a 3-2 defeat to Colombia.
His rise hasn’t gone unnoticed by clubs outside the traditional elite. The Red Bull network reportedly attempted to bring him to Paris FC, while Saudi Pro League sides have quietly inquired. Como, under the guidance of Cesc Fsbregas, were also intrigued, hoping to lure him into their growing Spanish talent pool. But with Real Madrid, Arsenal, Manchester City and Juventus all engaged at various degrees, the likelihood of Mendoza opting for a smaller project seems slim.
Pedri-like profile, but still a work in progress
Mendoza’s playing style has drawn natural comparisons to Barcelona star Pedri. He is not yet at that level, but the raw materials are unmistakable. His elite technical poise and spatial awareness has helped him become the beating heart of Elche’s midfield. For Arsenal, the tactical picture is enticing. He is a teammate of summer signing Cristhian Mosquera at the Spain Under-21 level, adding familiarity to the equation.
Interest from Arsenal comes at a time when the club’s trajectory under Mikel Arteta continues its steep upward climb. The Gunners’ emphatic 3-1 win over Bayern Munich this week in the Champions League only reinforced their status as one of Europe’s most complete sides. Arteta could barely hide his pride after the match, praising his team’s "presence, authority and belief" against what he considers the best team in Europe. It marked the club’s first win against Bayern in ten years and extended their perfect Champions League record to five wins in five games.
"Well, I'm extremely proud to what I've seen tonight," he said. "I think, we've seen a team that, in my opinion, playing against the best team in Europe has behaved with a real presence, authority, determination, and belief, and that's what I wanted. You need some huge performance individually. We certainly had that. We took our moments, and I think overall, we just have to win the game."
Although Arsenal are being linked with Mendoza, Arteta insisted that he is "happy" with the current squad depth.
"Yes. I mean, everybody's ready. Whether it's a starter and a finisher, the impact that the boys are having is tremendous because we have dealt with a lot of injuries, this season already," he said. "But, the fact that everybody's raising the level is hiding a lot of those issues, and I'm very pleased because, everybody's important. We're gonna need them, and I'm happy that the ones that even given the chance, they're constantly taking it."
Asked whether Arsenal should now be considered favourites for the competition, Arteta was cautious but firm: "What I'm really pleased with my players is that we do what we have to do, which is try to be better every single day, perform at the highest level consistently, and win a lot of games, and we need to continue to that."
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A talent too promising to ignore
With a release clause that will attract opportunists and a rapid upward curve that shows no signs of slowing, Mendoza is poised to be one of next summer’s most sought-after young midfielders. He will be looking to impress when Elche travel to Getafe for a La Liga encounter on Friday evening.
Everyone seems to have a different opinion on international breaks. Any Scotland-supporting Glasgow Rangers fans may be loving them at this moment in time, after Scotland beat Denmark 4-2 to qualify for next year’s World Cup.
However, some supporters may not like the break from club football or may not be happy with watching their country play, for whatever reason that may be.
Another reason as to why someone, and possibly Danny Rohl, may not enjoy international breaks is that it means that Rangers stars can pick up injuries without playing for their club.
For example, the German head coach will currently be sweating over the availability of central defender John Souttar, after he was forced out of the starting line-up against Denmark during the warm-up.
The Scotland international picked up an unknown injury before kick-off, after initially being named in the starting line-up, and it remains to be seen whether or not he will be available this weekend.
On the same night, Derek Cornelius was forced off after just 30 minutes for Canada in their clash with Venezuela, with what is suspected to be a thigh injury, which makes him a doubt for the clash with Livingston at Ibrox in the Scottish Premiership.
Ranking Rangers centre-backs this season
Losing both Souttar and Cornelius would be a blow for Rohl ahead of Saturday’s match because they were the starting centre-back pairing in the 3-0 win over Dundee at Dens Park last time out.
The Canadian centre-back, who is on loan from Marseille, missing the match would be a significant blow because he has been in impressive form for the Gers this season, particularly since Rohl came through the door.
Cornelius has started all three of the new manager’s league matches and won 21 of his 32 duels, per Sofascore, in those matches, helping Rangers to keep two clean sheets and concede just one goal.
The Marseille loanee, with those dominant displays, has been the top-performing centre-back at the club this season, whilst Souttar has started all 11 of the club’s league matches, under Russell Martin, Stevie Smith, and Rohl, per Sofascore.
1
Derek Cornelius
2
John Souttar
3
James Tavernier
4
Emmanuel Fernandez
5
Nasser Djiga
6
Clinton Nsiala
As you can see in the table above, we have placed James Tavernier in third place because he has filled in at centre-back, most recently against Kilmarnock and Roma, and done a reliable job.
Emmanuel Fernandez has started two matches for Rangers since his move from Peterborough. He scored in his start against Alloa Athletic and won 12 of his 15 duels, per Sofascore, in his only Premiership start against St Mirren, which makes it hard to put him too high or too low, as he has impressed in limited game time.
Nasser Djiga, meanwhile, ranks below him in fifth because the Wolves loanee has played 17 times for Rangers this season and was recently described as “rotten” by Heart & Hand content creator David Edgar.
The Burkina Faso international has made several costly errors, including a red card against Dundee in August and an inexplicable mistake, letting his man race clear through on goal, against Club Brugge in the Champions League play-off tie.
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Finally, Clinton Nsiala has to rank sixth out of the six first-team centre-back options, including Tavernier, simply because he has not played a single minute of football for the Gers this season.
However, if Souttar and Cornelius are both unavailable for selection against Livingston on Saturday because of the injuries that they picked up on international duty, it could finally be time to unleash the left-footed star.
Why Rangers should finally unleash Clinton Nsiala
The former AC Milan centre-back was seemingly not in Russell Martin’s plans at Ibrox, as he did not feature in a single matchday squad, but Rohl has the chance to change that this weekend.
As aforementioned, Djiga has not had the best of starts to life at Ibrox, hence why Edgar dubbed him “rotten”, and his mistakes for the Gers suggest that another player should be given an opportunity to shine.
If Souttar and Cornelius are both unavailable, Fernandez could come in to replace the former as the right-sided centre-back, after his dominant display last time out in the Premiership against St Mirren earlier this season.
That would leave Rohl in need of replacing Cornelius against Livingston and Nsiala could be the ideal player to step in for the Canada international, as he is the only other left-footed senior centre-back option in the squad.
The 21-year-old centre-back played 11 times in the Premiership under Philippe Clement and Barry Ferguson in the 2024/25 campaign, and rarely let the Light Blues down with his performances.
Dundee
1-1 draw
St Johnstone
3-1 win
Aberdeen
3-0 win
Dundee United
3-1 win
Ross County
4-0 win
Hearts
3-1 win
St Mirren
2-0 loss
Kilmarnock
4-2 win
Celtic
3-2 win
Aberdeen
2-2 draw
St Mirren
2-2 draw
As you can see in the table above, the Scottish giants only lost one of those 11 matches in the division, which shows that he was far from a disaster in the senior team.
In fact, former teammate Ross McCausland admitted that he and some of the other players in the squad had described him as “a left-footed Van Dijk” when watching his performances on the pitch for the first-team.
Nsiala, though, has not been given a chance to build on that respectable start to his senior career with the Light Blues, as he has not played a single minute this season.
That is why Rohl should finally unleash the left-footed defender against Livingston if Cornelius is unavailable for selection, as he is a left-footed defender who has proven that he can perform in the Premiership.
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The 21-year-old, given these new injury blows and Djiga’s disappointing form, deserves an opportunity to show that he can play a role for Rohl moving forward, starting with the game on Saturday.
Jean-Philippe Mateta’s long-term future at Crystal Palace remains unclear with negotiations over a new contract believed to have stalled. The France international has become one of the best strikers in the Premier League under the stewardship of manager Oliver Glasner, whose own future remains uncertain as his current terms expire at the end of the season.
Mateta has thrived under Glasner's guidance at Palace
After initially joining Palace on an 18-month loan deal from Bundesliga side Mainz in January 2021, Mateta has flourished following Glasner’s arrival three years later. In his first two seasons under the guidance of the former Frankfurt and Wolfsburg boss, the forward scored 36 goals in all competitions, playing a significant role in the club winning the FA Cup in 2024-25.
And Mateta has picked up from where he left off in the last two seasons, scoring nine goals in all competitions so far this term. The 28-year-old has netted seven times in the league, making him the joint-third top goalscorer behind Manchester City striker Erling Haaland (14) and Brentford forward Igor Thiago (11), with Brighton attacker Danny Welbeck having also found the back of the net on seven occasions.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportReport claims France striker is in no rush to sign new deal
However, while Mateta continues to sparkle in south London, he is also being linked with a move away as he gets ever-closer to the end of his current contract, which runs out in 2027. And according to the talks between the former Lyon hitman and Palace have reportedly hit the buffers.
The report states while promising discussions first took place earlier this year, Mateta is now in no rush to commit his long-term future to Palace. Having broken into the France squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup, it is understood Palace’s No. 14 wants to assess his options after next summer’s showpiece in North America.
While negotiations are believed to be ongoing, the report concludes by saying a number of European clubs have shown an interest in signing Mateta, including Serie A side Atalanta, who are competing in this season’s Champions League. Raffaele Palladino’s side are currently 11th in the Italian top flight, while they are also 10th in the league phase of Europe's premier club competition.
Getty Images SportGlasner angered by Palace's lack of summer investment
The news comes after Palace head coach Glasner – whose own contract expires at the end of 2025-26 – criticised the club’s lack of investment in the summer following Sunday’s 2-1 defeat against Manchester United.
After losing star man Eberechi Eze to Arsenal, Palace made six permanent signings and one loan acquisition ahead of their maiden European campaign in this season’s Conference League.
“If you play European football for the first time in your history, you should invest and not save,” Glasner said after the loss to United. “I think January is too late [to add]. We will have played more than 50 percent of our games.
“Everything was pretty clear and I didn't say anything but today I think it is also time to speak about it that we missed the chance to play an even better season in the summer.
“We are still in very good positions but the chance to play an even better season we threw away in the summer.”
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Getty Images SportPalace boss has confirmed Guehi will leave in the summer
While Palace were able to keep hold of captain Marc Guehi in the summer, Glasner revealed in October that the defender has told the club he will leave on a free transfer when his contract expires in 2026. The England international was on the verge of joining Liverpool on transfer deadline day, only for the move to be called off.
"I think Marc has already told us that he doesn't sign a new contract, so he will leave next year," said Glasner. "The club wanted [him to stay]. They offered Marc a new contract. But he said, 'no, I want to make something different'. And that's normal.
"And for us, it's how we can deal with this situation? [What] is the best way to get this next step done? And that's all about how we are talking together.”
Both Mateta and Guehi are expected to start when Palace take on strugglers Burnley in the league on Wednesday. Glasner’s charges are currently ninth in the top flight, while they also sit 18th in the Conference League standings.
تحدث ستيفن جيرارد، أسطورة ليفربول السابق عن خسارة الريدز أمام بي إس في آيندهوفن الهولندي ضمن منافسات دوري أبطال أوروبا.
واستضاف ليفربول نظيره آيندهوفن، مساء الأربعاء، في المباراة التي جمعتهما ضمن منافسات دوري أبطال أوروبا، على ملعب آنفيلد”.
وخسر ليفربول بقيادة مدربه آرني سلوت برباعية مقابل هدف أمام آيندهوفن في مفاجأة كبيرة للغاية حدثت بين لاعبي الريدز ووسط جماهيرهم، والتي تعتبر أول هزيمة أوروبية على آنفيلد هذا الموسم.
وقال جيرارد، في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “ديلي ميل” عن دخول ليفربول في أزمة: “لو مر 6 أشهر أو عام وكنا أبعد عن تحقيق النجاح لربما كان هذا وصفًا مناسبًا لكن لا يُمكن إنكار معاناة الفريق الشديدة فهم يمرون بفترة سيئة والثقة في أدنى مستوياتها ويواصلون نزيف النقاط”.
وأكمل: “إذا لم يتمكن المدرب ومساعدوه من إيجاد الحلول والاستقرار في الفريق فسوف يستمر الأمر”.
اقرأ أيضًا | جونز بعد خسارة ليفربول أمام آيندهوفن: لم أر شيئًا بهذا السوء.. وجرافنبيرخ: نشعر بالغضب
وانتقد أداء كيركيز في المباراة قائلًا: “بالنسبة لي كيركيز كان خارج مركزه طوال أغلب فترات المباراة، من الإجرام أن تكون في نفس صف المهاجم، عليك أن تكون في الداخل فهو لا يمنح نفسه أي فرصة”.
وبسؤاله حول اختفاء صلاح وابتعاده عن مستواه أجاب: “إنهم يمرون بفترة عصيبة حقًا، أيًا كان من يدرب ليفربول حاليًا فسيختار محمد صلاح أساسيًا، ليفربول بحاجة إلى جميع اللاعبين الجيدين في الملعب لمحاولة إيجاد بعض الاستقرار”.
وأردف: “إنهم يستقبلون أهدافًا كثيرة ويتحركون بحرية كبيرة، يبدون ضعفاء وغير مستقرين بمجرد أن يفقدون الكرة”.
وأتم: “ملعب آنفيلد يروي القصة كلها، كانت المقاعد فارغة قبل 10 دقائق من نهاية المباراة، بمجرد إحراز الهدف الثالث كانت المباراة قد انتهت”.
He replaced Edward Moore for Western Province in South Africa’s first-class competition
Firdose Moonda04-Oct-2025Western Province opening batter Joshua van Heerden has become the first like-for-like injury replacement under a new trial for substitutes in cricket. Van Heerden replaced Edward Moore in a provincial four-day game against Lions at Newlands in the second round of the CSA’s first-class competition. Moore suffered a tear to his left adductor (inner thigh muscle) while fielding on the second day.The trial, which is also being conducted in Australia’s Sheffield Shield and India’s Duleep Trophy and Ranji Trophy, is part of an ICC initiative seeking a solution for teams that lose players to serious injury during a match.Like Australia, South Africa will consider both internal and external injuries (India are only looking at external injuries for now) and have a strict protocol for determining when a player can be replaced. If the injury is internal, such as a muscle tear, which was the case with Moore, the player is required to go for an Ultrasound and/or an MRI scan. The report is then sent to CSA’s chief medical officer Dr Hashendra Ramjee and CSA’s cricket operations manager Obakeng Sepeng who study the results and determine if the injury is serious enough to allow for replacement. They then contact the match referee to confirm the decision. If the injury is external, such as a visible dislocation or broken bone, the match referee can make the decision on a substitute in consultation with Dr Ramjee and Sepeng.Related
CA to trial injury subs with tactical twist in Sheffield Shield
The injured player can only be replaced provided he has been ruled out of the match in its entirety. He will then be required to satisfy a “stand-down period of seven days”, as stated in CSA’s updated playing conditions before returning to play. In Australia’s case, substitutions are only allowed until stumps on the second day and the injured player is mandated a 12-day non-playing period. Like Australia and India, South Africa are only trialling the system in multi-day cricket for now.The differences in protocol stem from the ways in which different countries want to trial the system. They will all report back to the ICC, which could then come up with regulations for like-for-like substitutions in the international game. Currently, substitutions in international cricket are only allowed for concussion.
Liverpool have now launched their first approach to sign a much-needed right-back target, who could arrive at Anfield or in North London as a free agent.
Arne Slot admits shock at "ridiculous" Liverpool form
It has been a disastrous run for Liverpool, with their 3-0 loss against Nottingham Forest proving to be their most shocking result yet. After eight defeats in 11 games, the champions are on course for one of the worst title defences in Premier League history, despite spending over £400m in the summer.
With PSV Eindhoven up next, Arne Slot has admitted just how shocked he’s been by his side’s form and went onto describe it as “ridiculous” in his pre-match press conference.
The Champions League has often been a saving grace for Liverpool this season. Their victory over Real Madrid last time out proved to be somewhat of a false dawn before their Premier League return, but the Reds now have the chance to pick up where they left off in Europe, at the very least.
They will, however, be without an out-and-out right-back yet again following Conor Bradley’s injury to join Jeremie Frimpong on the sidelines. It is a problem that Liverpool must solve and one that could yet see Zeki Celik arrive.
Liverpool launch approach to sign Zeki Celik
According to TeamTalk’s Rudi Galetti, Liverpool have launched an approach to sign Celik in a transfer battle with Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea, all of whom have made contact.
The right-back is on course to become a free agent when his contract expires next summer and could yet provide a solution for Slot by finally replacing Trent Alexander-Arnold.
The 28-year-old, at the peak of his powers, recently earned the praise of Turkey manager Vincenzo Montella, who told reporters: “He’s the perfect player for any coach.
“Celik is professional, reliable, does his job wherever you play him. In a locker room it is always needed to have guys like him.”
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The AS Roma man is also capable of playing centre-back in what would kill two birds with one stone for Slot, who currently has just three senior centre-backs to choose from which includes the injury-prone Joe Gomez.
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Wolverhampton Wanderers are now plotting a January bid for a “prolific” new striker, who has caught the eye in the Champions League this season.
Wolves looking to sign striker to boost survival chances
Wolves could barely have made a worse start to the Premier League season, having collected just two points from their first 12 matches, and they have now lost their last five games on the spin, failing to score in four of those outings.
Hwang Hee-chan, Tolu Arokodare and Jorgen Strand Larsen have scored just two league goals between them this term, with the latter looking like a shadow of his former self, having netted 14 times in the 2024-25 campaign, in what was a very encouraging debut season at Molineux.
Arokodare has insisted the players still believe they can avoid relegation, saying: “It’s a long season, 12 games have gone, we haven’t get the results we wanted but we can’t hold onto that. We have to focus on the next ones. There is the belief – we cannot lose hope now. We cannot doubt ourselves.”
However, Rob Edwards’ side clearly need some inspiration from somewhere, given that they are already nine points from safety, and they have now joined the race for a new striker ahead of the January transfer window.
That is according to a report from TEAMtalk, which states Wolves are now plotting a January bid for Union Saint-Gilloise striker Promise David, although there could be competition for his signature, with West Ham United and Leeds United also keen.
West Ham are currently leading the race for the striker, who is set to be available for a relatively low fee, with Union Saint-Gilloise willing to listen to offers of around £17.5m, despite the fact he still has four years remaining on his contract.
A January transfer battle is now on the cards, with Edwards’ side looking to sign a physical striker to complement Hwang, and there are signs he could have what it takes to propel the Old Gold to safety…
"Prolific" David could be difference-maker in the relegation battle
Hailed as “prolific” by scout Jacek Kulig, the 24-year-old enjoyed a fantastic 2024-25 campaign, chipping in with a combined 29 goals and assists in all competitions, and he has since gone on to make a solid start to the current season.
Indeed, the Canadian has put in some eye-catching performances this term, most notably in the Champions League, scoring in his side’s 3-1 victory against PSV Eindhoven and recent 1-0 win at Galatasaray.
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Having proven himself at the highest level, David could make all the difference in Wolves’ battle to avoid the drop, and the fact Fosun are planning a January move is a very encouraging sign.
Can Rob Edwards save Wolverhampton Wanderers from relegation?
During the international break, the 42-year-old controversially left Middlesbrough, currently second in the EFL Championship, to take over the reins at Molineux, returning to the club for whom he made 111 appearances as a player, but he has a massive task on his hands.
Wolves currently have just two points on the board after 11 matches, no side in Premier League history has ever survived from this position, losing four on the spin ahead of Crystal Palace’s visit to the Black Country on Saturday afternoon.
The Old Gold’s eight-year stay in the top-flight is under serious threat, so if Edwards harbours any realistic hopes of leading Wolves to a great escape, he must surely unleash a new-look forward line in attack.
Jørgen Strand Larsen's downturn in form
Last season, his first after arriving from Celta Vigo, only nine players scored more Premier League goals than Jørgen Strand Larsen’s tally of 14, an impressive figure considering Wolves finished 16th.
This saw Newcastle make multiple bids to sign the 25-year-old, the highest of which was £55m, despite the fact he had cost the Old Gold only €30m (around £26m).
Wolves rejected all of these bids, with Strand Larsen instead signing a new five-year contract, but now they desperately need him to rediscover his best form.
So far this season, the striker has just three goals to his name, bagging a Carabao Cup double against West Ham in August, while his only goal in the Premier League thus far was a penalty during the infamous 3-2 home defeat at the hands of Burnley that ultimately cost Vítor Pereira his job.
Strand Larsen did find the target last Sunday as Norway crushed Italy 4-1 at San Siro, officially confirming his country’s place at next summer’s World Cup, so will be hoping to take confidence from that back into his club form.
Nevertheless, Wolves could be doing more to get the best out of their number nine, underlined by the fact that Strand Larsen’s shots and shot on target per 90 statistics have significantly decreased this season, so could partnering him alongside a “huge talent” be the solution?
Rob Edwards must unleash Wolves' next Jimenez
Wolves only made five senior summer signings, all of whom have had varying degrees of little impact, namely Fer López, Jhon Arias, David Møller Wolfe and Jackson Tchatchoua.
The last of the additions, arriving on deadline day, was striker Tolu Arokodare, joining from Genk for £24m, and he is possibly the most exciting of the quintet, even if the Wolves faithful have seen very little from him thus far.
The 24-year-old has taken an unusual route to the Premier League, beginning his senior career at Latvian club Valmiera, scoring 22 goals in just 34 appearances, hence why Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout described him as “simply too good” for the Virslīga, currently ranked the 36th best league in Europe.
After a brief and unsuccessful stint at Köln, scoring no goals for die Geißböcke, Arokodare rediscovered his mojo at Amiens, netting 21 times across two seasons for the Ligue 2 side, earning a move to Genk, scoring on 41 occasions for the Smurfs.
Of these goals, 21 came in last season’s Jupiler Pro League, which Global Football Rankings believes to be the sixth-strongest league in the world, and the Nigerian international’s statistics make for impressive reading.
Tolu Arokodare 2024/25 Belgian league statistics
Stats
Arokodare
League rank
Goals
21
1st
Goals inside the box
21
1st
Headed goals
3
3rd
Expected goals
28.53
1st
Shots
158
1st
Shots per 90
4.9
1st
Shots on target
52
2nd
Big chances missed
34
1st
Assists
5
17th
Big chances created
7
32nd
Key passes
32
52nd
Shot-creating actions
77
16th
Goal-creating actions
9
13th
Aerial duels won
156
3rd
Touches in the box
217
1st
Stats via FBref and SofaScore
The table makes for interesting reading, emphasising the fact that Arokodare is a penalty box presence, considering all 21 of his goals came inside the area, while also ranking first for shots, shots per 90 and touches in the opposition area.
Meantime, he is also excellent in the air, scoring three headers while also ending up third for aerial duels won, behind only Daan Heymans and Aurélien Scheidler; the former joined Genk to replace Arokodare, while the latter moved to Royal Charleroi to replace the former.
The statistic though that leaps off the page most is the fact that Arokodare missed 34 Opta-defined big chances.
For comparison, the leaders in this metric across other European leagues last season were Ollie Watkins in the Premier League (27), Kylian Mbappé in La Liga (29), Serhou Guirassy in the Bundesliga (21) and Roberto Piccoli in Serie A (26), so no one came close to the Nigerian’s 34, which shows he is often in the right position, albeit is regularly an erratic finisher.
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Despite this, Arokodare is still highly rated, with journalist Graeme Bailey labelling him a “huge talent”, while the aforementioned Kulig notes that “physicality, heading and link-up play” are his primary assets.
This all sounds rather reminiscent of Wolves’ best striker of their current stint in the Premier League, Raúl Jiménez, who is the club’s all-time leading scorer in the competition with 40.
After bouncing around Club América, Atlético Madrid and Benfica, the Mexican really flourished at Molineux, very much considered to be one of the best centre-forwards in the division prior to suffering a horrific fractured skull in November 2020.
Arokodare certainly possesses all the raw attributes to be as good as Jiménez, so now is the time for him to prove this.
Well, Wolves supporters have been treated to a mere amuse-bouche of what their new striker could offer so far, scoring in EFL Cup ties against Everton and Chelsea, starting only once in the Premier League thus far, not doing so in any of Wolves’ last six.
So, pairing him with Strand Larsen would certainly give opposition defences something to think about, with the duo possessing similar but also complementary skillsets.
With Palace captain Marc Guéhi a doubt due to a foot injury, surely Wolves’ best hope of claiming a first win of the season is to deploy the two strikers together.
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