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Celtic’s amazing head coach of recent times, Ange Postecoglou, achieved great success during his two years at Parkhead before a move to England.

The Australian boss, who won the domestic treble in his final campaign at Celtic, won the Scottish Premiership title in both of his seasons with the club.

Underpinning his success at Paradise was the excellent work done in the recruitment department, signing the likes of Jota, Kyogo Furuhashi, Joe Hart, and Cameron Carter-Vickers among others.

Jota was, arguably, the greatest signing of Postecoglou’s tenure as he joined the Hoops for a reported fee of £6.5m, after thriving on loan in his first season at the club, as shown in the graphic below.

After his exceptional form in the 2022/23 campaign, Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad swooped in to sign the winger for a reported fee of £25m, representing a huge profit for the club, and the winger has since returned on a permanent deal from Rennes in January for £8m.

Not all of Postecoglou’s signings at Celtic paid off, though, and one of the most infamous, for lack of a better word, moves was the addition of James McCarthy in the summer of 2021.

The curious case of James McCarthy

Ahead of the 2021/22 campaign, the Scottish giants confirmed the double signing of Joe Hart on a permanent deal from Tottenham Hotspur and McCarthy on a free transfer from Crystal Palace.

At the time of that double deal, Postecoglou said: “I’m delighted that we have signed two top-class players in Joe and James. Both of them have a wealth of experience at both club and international level, and that is something which can only benefit the squad, and I’m looking forward to working with both of them.”

Hart went on to live up to that “top-class” tag with 64 clean sheets and only 145 goals conceded in 153 matches – less than a goal conceded per game – in three years at the club.

McCarthy, however, has not had the best of times at Parkhead so far and only played 22 times, racking up 739 minutes of action, in the 2021/22 campaign.

He followed that up with just 62 minutes on the pitch in five appearances in all competitions in the 2022/23 term, missing significant time through an injury picked up midway through the season – per The Scottish Sun.

Since the 2022/23 campaign, McCarthy has not made a single appearance for the first-team – playing two times for the B team in the Lowland League last season – and his current status is incredibly unclear.

James McCarthy’s Celtic career
Season	First-team appearances	Yearly wage
24/25	0	£728k
23/24	0	£728k
22/23	5	£728k
21/22	22	£728k
Wage via Salary Sport

As per The Scottish Sun earlier this year, there is a mystery surrounding the Irish midfielder because he has been removed from the club website, was not in the team picture in pre-season, and has not made a senior appearance since the 2022/23 campaign, yet Celtic have never confirmed his departure.

Per Salary Sport in the table above, the Hoops are still paying McCarthy £728k-per-season and Transfermarkt reports that the Irishman’s current deal does not officially expire until this summer, which means that the club appear to be paying a significant sum of wages for, essentially, nothing in return.

It is a bizarre situation and one that may be officially resolved in the summer if and when they confirm that he has left the club at the end of his deal.

Celtic, however, have another player who is fast becoming the new McCarthy, as another flop on fairly big wages despite rarely being seen on the pitch, in the form of Anthony Ralston.

Why Ralston is becoming the new McCarthy

Per Salary Sport, the Scotland international is on a weekly wage of £14k at Parkhead this season, with McCarthy being the only other player in the squad on the same wage.

Wage Burners

Football FanCast’s Wage Burners series explores the salaries of the modern-day game.

This means that he is currently on more money per week than Kasper Schmeichel (£13k), Nicolas Kuhn (£12k), Paulo Bernardo (£11k), and Luke McCowan (£8k), among other first-team stars.

That is despite Schmeichel being the number one goalkeeper and Kuhn delivering excellent performances this season, racking up 18 goals and 14 assists from a right wing position for the Scottish giants.

The German winger has, therefore, made a huge impact at the top end of the pitch for the Hoops in all competitions, providing quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

Ralston, on the other hand, has only started five matches in the Champions League and the Premiership combined in the 2024/25 campaign, after starting six times in those two competitions last season.

The Scottish defender, who came up through the academy system, did start 61 Premiership matches between the 2019/20 and 22/23 campaigns, but has fallen down the pecking order in recent years.

Anthony Ralston’s Celtic career
Season	League starts	Yearly wage
24/25	5	£728k
23/24	6	£728k
22/23	14	£728k
21/22	25	£442k
20/21	1	£286k
19/20	21	£286k
18/19	3	£234k
17/18	7	£234k
16/17	1	£130k
Wages via Salary Sport & stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, he has only started 11 league matches – alongside zero in Europe – since the start of the 2023/24 season for the Hoops, earning the best part of £1.5m in wages in that time.

The rarely-seen defender is, therefore, fast becoming the new McCarthy at Celtic as his number of league starts each season has declined year-on-year for the last four campaigns, despite still being a relatively high earner.

Ralston is currently earning more in wages than players, like Kuhn and Schmeichel, who offer far more on the pitch for the Bhoys, which suggests that the Hoops are throwing money down the drain with the reserve defender.

With this in mind, Celtic should consider moving the full-back on in the upcoming summer transfer window before his lack of minutes on the pitch reaches McCarthy’s territory.

Rodgers must finally get rid of Celtic dud who earns more than Maeda

Celtic must move on from the forward who earns even more than Daizen Maeda.

4

By
Dan Emery

Apr 9, 2025

Unless Ralston can find a way to put himself back in Brendan Rodgers’ plans as a regular in the first-team, the 26-year-old flop is well on his way to becoming a forgotten man at Parkhead.

Even in the T20 age, Test cricket rewards the patience that underpins success

Nagraj Gollapudi10-Jul-2024Kavem Hodge sunk to his knees in shock. Both his gloved hands were clasped on the top of the bat handle as he looked at Alzarri Joseph, his batting partner, in disbelief.Ollie Pope, standing well in front of the normal point position, had just caught a stunning catch to intercept a fiercely-cut square drive from Hodge off Chris Woakes, who shook his head, too, in disbelief. After staying at the crease for nearly 20 seconds in the aftermath of his dismissal, Hodge would finally start to head back slowly to the dressing room, while continuing to shake his head at what had just happened.Pope had no business to pluck a catch like that and make it look ridiculously simple. He was standing on the outer edge of the third pitch from the Pavilion End when he instinctively put out both hands to his left as soon as Hodge cut a short Woakes delivery which was far outside his off stump for what he thought was a certain four. On reflection, did Hodge think he could have left that innocuous delivery? Or did he feel justified in going after a short delivery?Related

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That kind of scrutiny is necessary because of the state of play at the time: West Indies, having been put into bat, were 88 for 6. The previous over, Gus Atkinson had erased West Indies middle order picking the trio of Alick Athanaze, Jason Holder and Joshua da Silva in four deliveries. Hodge was the last specialist batter. The match was still young: Woakes’ was the 36th over of the match and eighth post-lunch.Test cricket, even in this raging T20 age, rewards good basics. Basics underwrite success in the longest format. Atkinson, making his debut, prospered only because he was disciplined in his line, pitched most on a good length while delivering high speeds closer to 90mph/145kph. The slope when bowling from the Pavilion End, which fast bowlers struggle with at times, didn’t distract Atkinson who used the scrambled seam, which he termed as his stock delivery and the “most dangerous” to trouble the batter.Kavem Hodge was in disbelief upon being dismissed•Getty ImagesAthanaze chased a delivery that was leaving him with hard hands straight to first slip. Holder, who has scored three centuries, including a double ton, in his previous 64 Tests, awkwardly defended a ball that was seaming away from the leg stump, with the edge again heading to the slips. Da Silva was all at sea against the ball that landed on the side of the seam and nipped in, taking an edge into the hands of his counterpart Jamie Smith.In the three-day warm-up West Indies played last week, against a County Select XI, Hodge had scored a century with Athanaze and Mikyle Louis, who made his Test debut, scoring patient 50s. Despite the vast difference in bowling attacks, the three batters had shown composure to convert their starts. On Wednesday, though, impatience crept into the visitors’ mindsets quickly.Take Kraigg Brathwaite, the most experienced West Indies player and their lead batter. Brathwaite had been stranded for two overs at the other end as Louis, the first player from St Kitts to play Test cricket for West Indies, occupied strike. Brathwaite would have been impressed that Louis, who will turn 24 in August, had been obedient about playing the ball late in overcast conditions against the Dukes ball.England’s players celebrate the wicket of Kirk McKenzie•Getty ImagesOn Tuesday, speaking at the pre-match briefing, Brathwaite talked about how he would tell his batters to “trust your defence, whether you’re going to attack or defend the ball, fully believe in yourself, and stay as still as possible.” The captain, though, forgot his own counsel. Struggling on six runs off 31 balls, Brathwaite went chasing the second ball of Atkinson’s first over and played on.Louis, though, looked the most settled of all West Indies batters. Not only did he stay still, he allowed the ball to come him and then played it under his eyes or close to his body. A good defence invariably leads to a positive mindset as Louis picked a fuller delivery on his legs from Woakes to flick over the square leg for the only six on the first day.But, this being his first tour, the tough examination followed soon. Ben Stokes used the crease and mixed the lines to bolt Louis in his crease, starving him of runs. This came in the period just before lunch. You could sense Stokes was setting up the young opener who eventually fell to a good ball, well caught at second slip by Harry Brook.As former West Indies captain Jimmy Adams, who is their assistant coach, said it was a testing first day, the type that most of his young batters need as part of their education. Rest assured Adams and the West Indies coaching staff will remind their players: stick to the basics.

He’s up there with the likes of Hutton, May, Gooch and Cook. Like his team-mates seem to think, might he be the greatest of them all?

Mark Nicholas07-Jun-2022These past four days the United Kingdom has celebrated the 70-year reign of Her Majesty the Queen with gusto. There have been numerous parties in her name since she ascended to the throne in the cold February of 1952, but this platinum jubilee has been the mother and father of them all. Happily, yesterday’s finale coincided with England’s thrilling Test match victory at Lord’s. It had not been 70 years since England last won but it felt a bit like it – a long ten months let’s say.In the summer of 1952, England played four Test matches against India, winning the first three comprehensively and watching the rain fall for much of the fourth. At the top of the batting order was Len Hutton and at three, four and five in the first two matches were Peter May, Denis Compton and Tom Graveney, each of them wizards in their way. Hutton was technically close to perfect and, typically of Yorkshiremen, resilient. Bowlers used to say that they felt any ball bowled to May could have been hit for four; the only other batter I’ve heard that said of was Viv Richards. Compton had hints of genius in him, created by quicksilver feet, an eager eye, and the most splendid expression. Graveney was elegant beyong imagination and blessed with extraordinary powers of concentration. These were wonderful batters during something of a golden age for English cricket, and the legend of each lives on in the hearts of those for whom cricket is so much more than just a game.None of them, however, were better than Joe Root. The current players like to refer to Root as the best English batter of all time. I don’t know about that, and nor, really, do the players, but they are hugely proud of him. Root is a man of great dignity and no little modesty. He would rather they didn’t fuss but, then again, it is a fine thing to be so appreciated by your peers.Related

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'England's most complete all-round batter of all time'

Batting is a craft that has evolved over a couple of centuries. Film of WG Grace in the nets does not tell us much, other than how different the game was back then. The same can be said about grainy footage of Jack Hobbs, though 197 hundreds must count for something. Photographs at the MCG of Walter Hammond and Bill Ponsford remind us that many of the pitches of the day were barely identifiable from the outfields and therefore the balance between bat and ball was far less weighted in favour of batters than it is today. In 1937, the lbw law changed so that bowlers could trap a batter in front by pitching the ball outside off stump and bringing it back into his pads. Previously the ball had to pitch on the stumps and be going on to hit them, which takes some bowling.Tom Graveney was among those who bucked the trend of predominantly playing back on the pitches of his day•Getty ImagesOf course, batting is a subjective skill and has changed considerably even in the relatively short time that I have been involved with the game. On uncovered pitches and before the introduction of helmets, the tendency was to play back. This allowed more time to react to the uncertain bounce of the ball and more time to respond to its speed. The clarion call on uncovered pitches was for “soft hands”, meaning a loose grip and a gentle method of letting the ball come to you before dropping it safely at your feet. If you study footage of Compton against Keith Miller, for example, or of the Australians being bowled out by Jim Laker at Old Trafford in 1956, you will see them play back almost exclusively. Just occasionally a player emerged to buck the trend and foremost among those was Graveney, who was best known for his cover drive but became much admired for his ability to hook and pull off the front foot.Root appears to have all these skills and more. He is, as they say these days, a 360-degree player, and more remarkably in an age when batters come so hard at the ball, he is that player off both feet. Picking a signature shot is difficult, though the cut might be the one. He has the ability to score without being noticed and to change the tempo of a match while doing so. The pitch at Lord’s was tricky, offering swing and seam to the bowlers and suggestions of uneven bounce and pace. Footwork was crucial, as proven by the fall of those who stayed trapped on the crease, as was Root’s ability to play the ball late enough to flow with its movement in his strokes or watch it fly by.For much of the first act in this Root exhibition, he simply hung around at the other end while Ben Stokes went about justifying his pre-match rhetoric. Of the 90 runs they added together the new captain made 54 – a dazzling array of the ridiculous and sublime – and the old one 30-odd. When Stokes went, the second act began as Root upped the ante in a manner that took courage and all of his skill. Far from dropping anchor to ensure that one wicket didn’t bring two, he began to look for scoring opportunities with an increased sense of urgency and purpose. This caught the New Zealand players off guard and whisked away their potential for momentum. Root knew that the sunlit Saturday evening – play had been extended to 7pm after morning rain and a generally slow over rate – with the pitch drying, the ball soft, and the opponents wilting, was England’s moment. All the best players can sense this and most move in for the kill.Which one’s better?•Philip Brown/Getty ImagesWhen stumps were drawn that evening, England needed just 61. Ben Foakes had become to Root what Root had been to Stokes. When cricketers use the phrase “bat in partnerships” this is exactly what they mean. In that final hour’s play on Saturday, Foakes made 9 of the 57 he and Root put on together in 15 overs: runs that negated the likelihood of New Zealand dragging the game to the point at which they could use a second new ball on the fourth morning and, to some degree at least, allowed the England dressing room to sleep easy.For sure, England got lucky when Colin de Grandhomme overstepped the popping crease by less than a centimetre to give Stokes a reprieve early in his innings, but it is said, better to be lucky than good. Or just be Joe Root.As it was, New Zealand bowled poorly on the fourth morning but Root deserves the credit for that. He simply outplayed them. The innings was a masterpiece, one of which any player, from any age, would have been proud. He had rescued the Stokes-McCullum dream start from ignominy, and gave the country a wonderful sidebar across a weekend in which joy and celebration were the national mood.How good is he? Well, the line of exceptional English batting began with Grace and moved through such players as Hobbs and Herbert Sutcliffe, Hammond, Hutton, Compton and May, Ted Dexter, Colin Cowdrey, Ken Barrington, Geoff Boycott, Graham Gooch (latterly), David Gower, Graham Thorpe, Kevin Pietersen and Alastair Cook. Root is as good as any of them and better than most. You could make a shortlist of five, I reckon, but I’ll leave that to you. Suffice to say that the lad from Sheffield with 10,015 Test match runs to his name is amongst them and that no one is happier about that than his successor as captain.

Major League Baseball’s winter meetings are underway, which means rumors are flying and deals are likely to be struck.

On Monday, plenty of reports made the rounds as teams attempted to get a jump on the offseason and best position themselves for 2026. Here are all the latest rumors we’re hearing as the winter meetings heat up.

Nationals listening on CJ Abrams, MacKenzie Gore

The Nationals have a new head of baseball operations, and he’s looking to reshape the franchise to his liking. Paul Tobobi is MLB’s youngest president of baseball ops, and the long-time Red Sox scouting director and assistant general manager is not wasting any time. Turning Washington around likely means moving on from two young All-Stars.

Shortstop CJ Abrams and lefty starter MacKenzie Gore are being targeted by multiple teams at the winter meetings. The 25-year-old Abrams is an athletic shortstop coming off his best season, while Gore is a 26-year-old with elite stuff who had a brilliant first half but struggled down the stretch. Both came to the Nationals as part of the trade that sent Juan Soto to the Padres. Gore is under team control through 2027, while Abrams won’t hit free agency until 2029.

In 2025, Abrams slashed .257/.315/.433 with 19 home runs, 60 RBIs, 92 runs scored, 31 stolen bases, and a career-best 3.1 fWAR. He’s not a good defender at short, but could easily move to second base or the outfield. Gore made 30 starts and went 5-15, with a 4.17 ERA, a 1.32 WHIP, and 185 strikeouts against 64 walks in 159 2/3 innings. But in his first 19 starts of the season, he went 4-8 with a 3.02 ERA, a 1.20 WHIP, and 138 strikeouts against 35 walks. He faded hard down the stretch, which is something a new team would need to figure out.

Given the weak free agent market for shortstops, Abrams could fetch a significant haul. Meanwhile, Gore, a young lefty with ace stuff, could also net a hefty return. Teams will need to meet Toboni’s high price, but both players can be had.

Royals looking for multiple outfielders

The Royals are canvassing the league for help in the outfield and may need to make a trade to fill out the roster. Kansas City missed the playoffs by five games in 2025, as the team surprised the rest of MLB by staying in the race as late as it did. But the team’s outfield is a bit of a mess.

While Kyle Tucker, Cody Bellinger, and another option like Harrison Bader would all be too expensive for the Royals, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal insists the team is pursuing all options. That could include trading starter Kris Bubic, who is set to make a projected $6 million before hitting free agency after next season. The 28-year-old lefty went 8-7 with a 2.55 ERA, a 1.18 WHIP, and 116 strikeouts against 39 walks in 116 1/3 innings this season. He could fetch a solid return as a rental.

Rosenthal listed Mike Yastrzemski, Adolis Garcia, Max Kepler, and Mike Tauchman as options in Kansas City’s price range. Jac Caglianone is almost certain to have right field locked down, but the two other spots remain open.

Padres entertaining Nick Pivetta trade

Padres general manager A.J. Preller pulled off a coup last offseason, as he waited out the market before signing Nick Pivetta to a shockingly affordable four-year, $55 million deal. The 32-year-old rewarded the Padres, turning in a career-best season in which he went 13-5 with a 2.87 ERA, a 0.99 WHIP, and 190 strikeouts against 50 walks in 181 2/3 innings. That success, and a contract that is jumping to $19 million in 2026 has made Pivetta a trade candidate.

While The Athletic’s Dennis Lin points out that a Pivetta trade isn’t likely, the Padres need multiple starting pitchers and at least one bat. Moving the team’s ace would require a significant return that would improve San Diego at multiple spots, but no one should ever rule out Preller’s appetite for wheeling and dealing.

If Pivetta doesn’t move, San Diego could look to deal second baseman Jake Cronenworth. There aren’t a lot of middle-infield options on the market, and free agents won’t come cheap. The 31-year-old Cronenworth is a steady presence who is under contract for five more years at an affordable $60 million.

As the Padres face a salary crunch and a potential sale, cutting payroll to fill multiple spots makes a lot of sense.

Dodgers looking to get younger

Even the Dodgers have work to do this offseason. While the two-time defending World Series champions will enter 2026 as favorites to win again even if they don’t make a single move this winter, there are areas the team needs to shore up. Most pressing, is the desire to get younger.

Bill Punkett of the reports that L.A.’s president of baseball operations, Andrew Friedman, says there’s “not as much heavy lifting required” this offseason. But the team does have an aging core. Andy Pages, Dalton Rushing, and Hyeseong Kim were the only three position players under 30 on the Dodgers’ roster in 2025. While Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki give the team younger starters to build around, much of the roster is leaving its prime.

Shohei Ohtani and Will Smith will both be 31 next season, while Freddie Freeman is 36, and Mookie Betts is 33. The team does have a fairly loaded farm system, but outfielders Josue De Paula and Zyhir Hope are both 20 and have some growing to do. Meanwhile, MLB-ready infielder Alex Freeland doesn’t currently have an open spot to fill with Betts, Tommy Edman, and Max Muncy on the roster.

L.A. is expected to be involved in the Kyle Tucker sweepstakes this winter, but they could also opt to use their farm depth to pursue an outfield upgrade. White Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr. or Guardians left fielder Steven Kwan would fit the bill and make the team a bit younger.

As every team finished the first half of its schedule last week, and as we head toward the All-Star Game next week, it’s time to take a step back and examine the biggest stories of the first half:

1. 3 x 30 home runs

Cal Raleigh (35), Aaron Judge (33) and Shohei Ohtani (30) have hit 30 home runs before the All-Star break with historic starts. It’s only the fifth time that has happened, the first time since 2019. Judge and Ohtani are the standard-bearers of the sport and the MVP front-runners once again. If they win again, they will have won seven of the last 10 MVPs, reminiscent of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird winning six of seven NBA MVPs in the 1980s.

2. The Cubs are out of hibernation

The Cubs haven’t won a playoff game in eight years. They started 51–35 for the first time since their 2016 championship team and they are an exciting team to watch with their combination of speed and power. They reached 100 homers and 100 steals in 84 games. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, only two teams reached 100–100 faster: the 1995 Reds (84 games) and 2009 Rays (77 games).

3. The Tigers are the best team in the AL

Nine previous Tigers teams started 57–34. Six of them won the pennant. All of them won at least 89 games. Over its past 162 games, Detroit is 100–62. It ranks fifth in MLB in runs per game and third in ERA.

4. A whole lot of nuthin’

We are on a pace for 366 shutouts, which would break the record of 359 set in the Dead Ball Era days of Walter Johnson and Grover Alexander in 1912. O.K., I get it. There are more games now. Only eight of the 204 shutouts this year are complete games by the starter. But pitchers rule.

5. Major markets

Of the top 10 teams in playoff position, seven teams come from the top seven North American markets by population figures, according to the Census Bureau and Canada population sources. They are, 1) the New York Yankees and New York Mets, 2) Los Angeles Dodgers, 3) Chicago Cubs, 5) Houston Astros, 6) Toronto Blue Jays and 7) Philadelphia Phillies. 

6. Blown out elbows (cont’d)

Since spring training, 18 major league pitchers have torn the UCL ligament in their throwing elbow. The list includes Cy Young Award winners Corbin Burnes and Gerrit Cole. Those undergoing Tommy John surgery mostly are getting younger. 

Ten of the 18 pitchers this year in need of Tommy John surgery are between 22 and 29 years old. The attrition of pitchers once was due to poor mechanics and overuse. Both factors have been mitigated over time. Now velocity is the main culprit. Pitchers aren’t wearing out. They are blowing out as they chase velocity at a young age, as happened to Jackson Jobe, 22, (just 286 pro innings, average fastball velocity 96.5 mph) and AJ Smith-Shawver (311.1 IP, 95.6).

This season, MLB already has paid $350 million to pitchers who can’t pitch.

7. The Orioles (40–49) and Braves (39–50) are the biggest disappointments in MLB

They’re cooked. Only three teams have ever made the playoffs with 49 losses in their first 89 games: the 1973 Mets, ’74 Pirates and ’84 Royals.

8. The Rays are a legit contender

They play in a minor league ballpark. They have only eight home games in July and eight home games in August. They rank 26th in payroll. They have no one who makes more than $13 million per year. And yet, there they are in playoff position with the hardest throwing staff in the 18 years of pitch tracking (95.3-mph average fastball, tied with the 2024 Mariners and ’22 Yankees) and causing MLB to sweat about where to play their postseason games if the Rays qualify.

9. The Cy Young Award races are bonkers

You’ve got Paul Skenes, Zack Wheeler and Logan Webb in the NL; and Hunter Brown, Garrett Crochet, Jacob deGrom, Max Fried, Joe Ryan and Tarik Skubal in the AL. Did I mention that pitchers rule?

10. Gambling investigations

Umpire Pat Hoberg was fired for sharing a legal betting account with a friend who bet on baseball, a violation of MLB’s gambling policy. Infielder Tucupita Marcano was banned for life for betting on baseball, including games involving the Pirates, his team last year. Four minor league players were suspended for one year for violating baseball’s gambling policy. Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter to Ohtani who had full clearance around MLB facilities, began serving a 57-month sentence in federal prison for stealing nearly $17 million to support his gambling habit. And Guardians pitcher Luis L. Ortiz was placed on non-disciplinary paid leave while MLB investigates whether he violated its gambling policy. It’s happening in other sports and it’s happening with more frequency. No one should be surprised.

11. Managers fired

The Rockies dismissed Bud Black, the Orioles canned Brandon Hyde, the Pirates got rid of Derek Shelton and the Nationals fired Dave Martinez. A fifth manager, Ron Washington of the Angels, will sit out the rest of this season due to health reasons. That’s nine managers gone inside the past 10 months.

12. The biggest breakout stars

1. Cal Raleigh, Mariners. 2. Pete Crow-Armstrong, Cubs. 3. James Wood, Nationals. 4. Junior Caminero, Rays. 5. Jacob Misiorowski, Brewers.

13. The declining fastball (cont’d)

The use of four-seamers and sinkers is hitting a new low—again.

14. The game has reached a pleasant equilibrium

Runs and home runs per game are nearly identical to what they were last year. Strikeouts are down for a second straight season. We are oh so close to seeing more hits (22,321) than strikeouts (22,341) for the first time since 2017, when it was always the way the game was played. The pitch timer, the (very) slightly smaller strike zone and the running game rules have succeeded not in re-inventing baseball but in bringing it back to its better days of aesthetics and ratings. Baseball in 2025 looks a lot like baseball in 1985, and that’s a good thing:

Per Game Comparison

Year	Runs	HR	SB	Avg.	OPS	Time Nine Innings
2025	8.74	2.22	1.44	.245	.715	2:37
1985	8.66	1.72	1.44	.257	.714	2:39

15. The Rockies’ Horror Show

Colorado is on pace to lose 124 games, breaking the modern record (since 1900) set only last year by the White Sox (121), who broke the record of the 1962 Mets (120). 

The Rockies are hitting .208 on the road, which would be the worst by any team in a full season in 117 years. Their starters are 10–51, the worst winning percentage ever from a rotation (.164).

Lionel Messi finally got his MLS Cup with Inter Miami, but the Herons will face an offseason full of change as they look to defend the trophy

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The lasting image of Inter Miami’s triumph over Vancouver Whitecaps was that of Lionel Messi, facing the fans, arms raised, finally celebrating with a stadium that had waited so long for this. 

Yet that is not the most important. There will, in all likelihood, be more Messi moments of that ilk. He has 48 trophies and counting. For Miami, the most telling picture was that of Jordi Alba, lying on his back, sobbing as the third Miami goal went in. That was a moment of total catharsis for a player who knew that his time was up – and had ended the right way. 

Miami were excellent Saturday evening, and the Messi narrative simply cannot be ignored. He has been in South Florida for almost three years now, and finally claimed his first MLS Cup. Yet this also felt like the changing of the guard. Alba will now retire. Sergio Busquets, too, is hanging up his boots. Luis Suarez did not play, and there is little indication that he will return with his contract up. 

This, then, was the last moment of Messi’s Miami 1.0. And it ended in the storybook way. But now, a restructure – not a rebuild – has to begin in South Beach. 

“I know what it means to [Busquets and Alba] to leave this way,” manager Javier Mascherano said. "Two players have made history at this club, have completely transformed it along with Leo. Today they are part of the great history of this club, which is very short, very small, but that's what they came for, to change the course of this club."

• Getty Images Sport
  

  'The efficiency of Leo'

  After the match, Mascherano called it “the efficiency of Leo.” He has a point. Zoom out, consider the variables, analyze the game and Miami shouldn’t necessarily have won here. Every conventional stat, the flow of the game, the vibe of the place, the groundswell of momentum that comes from one team steadily beating another pointed towards a Vancouver victory. 

  Even when took an early lead, the Whitecaps had a true foothold. And from the 15th to the 66th minute, they dominated. When Emmanuel Sabbi pinged a shot off both posts and out midway through the second half – with the game knotted at 1-1 – a Vancouver winner felt far more likely than a late Messi burst. 

  But this is the genre of the Argentine you get these days. He was sparsely involved, yet the main man throughout. He pressed off the ball and was clinical when he had it. Messi registered 45 touches in 97 minutes, and, in truth, seven of them really mattered – four to dribble, three to deliver either an assist or a key pass leading to a goal. 

  “He was making a big effort in the last two, three, four games, pressing. It showed us how important it is for him to win,” Mascherano said. 

  It was two mistakes, really, that undid Vancouver. First was Edier Ocampo turning the ball into his own net off a Tadeo Allende cross. Next was a slightly overzealous dribble from Andres Cubas into midfield. Messi pinched it, shimmied, and fed Rodrigo De Paul to make it 2-1. Miami’s late third came because Vancouver simply overcommitted.  Messi refused to lose. It was as simple as that.

  "This is the moment I had been waiting for, and that we, as a team, were waiting for. It’s very beautiful for all of us. They deserved it," Messi said. 

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  'The kind of luck you need'

  Yet this felt key for Mascherano, too. This had been a long season for the Argentine – 78 games across four major competitions. By all indications, the vibes around Miami are, generally, pretty good. He gets along with Messi mostly by “giving him ideas” and getting out of the way. He was quick to point out that Messi was pressing and running off the ball not because he was asked; rather, he just wanted to. 

  Messi holds the cards in Miami. But if they had lost this final, there might have been noise for the manager to go. There are plenty of good coaches out there, and Messi, 39 next summer, has a limited window – even if he did pen a three-year deal. This was the final moment of the first edition of this project. Mascherano probably couldn’t fumble it. 

  The good news, from his point of view? He navigated it wonderfully. Miami, even when they were under pressure, never truly cracked. He admitted that they had perhaps enjoyed a stroke of luck by seeing a shot ping off the post. But otherwise, Mascherano said, this was the performance of champions. 

  "We knew it would be a very difficult game, and they had a shot bounce off two posts, but that is the kind of luck you need to win a championship," he outlined. 

  And after his press conference was interrupted by his players, drenching him in beer, it’s hard to disagree.

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  'I know it’s my last game'

  Alba was a mess at full time. This wonderful springing Spaniard has always had a grit about him, but also a real steel. He is, to be sure, a passionate player, but not an entirely emotional one. 

  On Saturday, he finally broke. The tears started before half time and continued long after. So much of the rhetoric around his and Busquets’ retirement has been that of “focus.” They wanted to go out with a win. Alba insisted as much in his pre-match press conference on Thursday afternoon. 

  “It’s different because I know it’s my last game,” he said. “Of course it’s important – it’s a final – but it means even more for the club. No matter what happens, I’m leaving afterward. Hopefully, I can leave with a trophy. Busi is in the same situation as me. I don’t know how I’ll process it because you only feel those emotions in the moment. My last game with Barcelona was very emotional, but this isn’t just changing teams – it’s not playing anymore, and that makes it even bigger.”

  Busquets had his moment, too. He was less emotional. In fairness, Alba probably has a bit of football left. Busquets, in MLS, is well past his best. Parts of the second half of the 2025 season were hard to watch; this great statesman of the game was steadily losing his legs. There were some lovely flashes Saturday evening of the player that once was – a couple of hard challenges on Thomas Muller, the impossible passes and swivels of the hips to find a searching ball. But otherwise, this was the last dregs of a footballer. 

  Suarez is a more curious case. He has not announced anything, even though his contract is up. And such is the intensity of the control around Miami’s public messaging that no one really knows what’s next for him. A few months back, Jorge Mas insisted that he could stick around for as long as he wanted. Right now, it’s unclear if he should. Suarez lost his spot in the XI in the tail end of the playoffs, and Miami were quite irrefutably better for it. He cannot be guaranteed minutes here. Yet, this is also a player who probably should have retired on three separate occasions in his career, only to come back and be productive. It will be interesting to see what he, and Miami, decide. 

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  A winter of change

  The good news for Miami here is that there is flexibility in the way there wasn’t before. Busquets’ contract is off the books. So too is Alba’s. There is an assumption that Rodrigo De Paul – who was excellent in Saturday’s final – will take up a designated player slot alongside Messi. 

  The Herons could also see any number of players depart. There is a word here in which Miami lose two stars in Busquets and Alba and two starters in Allende, Maxi Falcon. If Suarez leaves and Benjamin Cremaschi – on loan at Parma after falling out with Macherano – also bolts, Miami have spots to fill and money to spend. 

  What, exactly, that looks like is hard to determine. There will undoubtedly be the temptation to swing big on a former European superstar. Neymar rumors will not go away. According to Angel Di Maria, Messi would love to unite with the Argentina star in South Beach in the future. 

  A smarter club would realize that it would do better to spend big on an elite central defender or defensive midfielder. Yet, with Miami being led by ambitious owners like Jorge Mas and David Beckham, the club has often focused the majority of its resources on big names as opposed to inteligent signings on the transfer market. 

  Either way, change is coming. Miami have money to spend and a trophy to defend. Normally, champions don’t need to overhaul too much. But here, Miami face an uncertain – and incredibly important – offseason.

  Miami 1.0 ended with a trophy. Miami 2.0 begins with hope, and no shortage of questions.

Harry Kane has urged Bayern Munich to remain calm despite suffering their first defeat of the season in a 3-1 loss to Arsenal, insisting there is “no need to panic” after a subdued personal performance at the Emirates Stadium. The England captain endured a rare off night as Bayern’s unbeaten run collapsed, but he remains confident the German champions will bounce back strongly.

Arsenal end Bayern's 18-game unbeaten streak

Bayern Munich’s 18-match unbeaten streak came to an abrupt halt as Arsenal secured a convincing 3-1 victory in a Champions League showdown in North London. Vincent Kompany’s side initially competed well, weathering the early intensity before equalising through 17-year-old Lennart Karl after Jurrien Timber’s opener. However, the second half shifted sharply out of Bayern’s control as errors and fatigue allowed Arsenal’s substitutes to take over.

Noni Madueke punished a misplaced Bayern pass to restore Arsenal’s lead, before Gabriel Martinelli capitalised on a misjudged charge from Manuel Neuer to slot into an empty net, sealing Bayern’s first defeat of the season. The German champions struggled to cope with Arsenal’s set-piece pressure, losing duels across the pitch and conceding territory repeatedly as the hosts grew increasingly dominant. Bayern’s own attacking play lacked fluidity, leaving their front line, particularly Kane, isolated and unable to influence the match.

For Kane, it was a notably quiet return to North London. The former Tottenham striker was tightly marshalled throughout and failed to produce a single shot on goal during the 90 minutes, a rare occurrence for a forward in prolific form. Despite the frustration, both BKane and Kompany stressed the need to resist overreaction as they prepare for the remainder of the group phase.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportKane asks for calm as Bayern suffer at the Emirates

Reflecting on the defeat, Kane admitted the performance fell short of Bayern’s usual standards but insisted the team remain composed. He said: “It was a tough game which is kind of what we expected. It was a good battle in the first half which was fairly even.”

Kane added: “Second half we didn’t quite have the same energy or intensity and we lost too many duels. It’s our first loss of the season. We don’t want to panic too much about it. But we will learn about it for sure.”

Despite the disappointing night, Kane remains confident Bayern will see Arsenal again deeper in the competition. He said: “I’m sure we’ll see them again in the later stages of the Champions League.”

Bayern in a strong position but Kompany needs to iron out issues

This loss marks a rare moment of vulnerability for a Bayern side that had previously looked imperious in both domestic and European competition. The defeat also disrupted their historically dominant record against Arsenal, having avoided losing in their previous five meetings. While the performance contained moments of composure, the crucial second-half collapse revealed structural issues Bayern will now need to address.

The frustrations were compounded by a subdued performance from Kane, who has otherwise enjoyed a brilliant season with 29 goals for club and country. His muted impact was a testament to Arsenal’s disciplined defensive approach, which restricted him to peripheral involvement in possession and prevented progression through central channels.

From Bayern's perspective, the defeat was characterised not only by Arsenal’s strength but also by self-inflicted errors. Losing possession in dangerous zones and failing to cope with second balls contributed heavily to the momentum shift. Kompany acknowledged post-match that Bayern must improve their “details” and intensity if they want to match Europe’s elite in high-stakes fixtures.

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Getty Images SportEasier UCL ties ahead for Bayern

Bayern now turn their attention toward regrouping quickly, with Kane’s words of reassurance setting the tone; however, their remaining games in the Champions League will be much easier as they will face Sporting, Union Saint-Gilloise and PSV. The German champions remain in a strong position in Europe, meaning the priority will be correcting the lapses seen at the Emirates rather than dwelling on the defeat. Kompany is expected to assess tactical adjustments, particularly in managing transitions and set-piece pressure.

The broader outlook for Bayern is still overwhelmingly positive. Although the loss exposed weaknesses, their consistency across competitions places them firmly among Europe’s contenders, and the squad’s experience should allow them to recalibrate swiftly.

The 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the USA is creeping up on us, and with England already booking their spot in North America, the talk now is who will be on that plane.

Thomas Tuchel will need to select a 26-player squad as he looks to end the Three Lions’ 60-year wait for a World Cup triumph.

Some are guaranteed to be in the squad, but there are others who still need to impress. Here’s a look at who is best placed to be included.

1

Harry Kane

Forward

Bayern Munich

2

Declan Rice

Midfielder

Arsenal

3

Jordan Pickford

Goalkeeper

Everton

4

Marc Guehi

Defender

Crystal Palace

5

Bukayo Saka

Forward

Arsenal

6

Jude Bellingham

Midfielder

Real Madrid

7

Elliot Anderson

Midfielder

Nottingham Forest

8

Reece James

Defender

Chelsea

9

Anthony Gordon

Forward

Newcastle

10

Phil Foden

Midfielder

Man City

11

Djed Spence

Defender

Tottenham

12

John Stones

Defender

Man City

13

Morgan Rogers

Midfielder

Aston Villa

20

Cole Palmer

Midfielder

Chelsea

15

Adam Wharton

Midfielder

Crystal Palace

16

Trent Alexander-Arnold

Defender

Real Madrid

17

Dean Henderson

Goalkeeper

Crystal Palace

18

Marcus Rashford

Forward

Barcelona

19

Ezri Konsa

Defender

Aston Villa

20

Dan Burn

Defender

Newcastle

21

Eberechi Eze

Midfielder

Arsenal

22

Jordan Henderson

Midfielder

Brentford

23

Jarrod Bowen

Forward

West Ham

24

Morgan Gibbs-White

Midfielder

Nottingham Forest

25

Nico O’Reilly

Defender

Man City

26

Conor Gallagher

Midfielder

Atletico Madrid

1 Goalkeepers

1

Jordan Pickford

Everton

2

Dean Henderson

Crystal Palace

3

James Trafford

Man City

4

Nick Pope

Newcastle

5

Aaron Ramsdale

Newcastle

Jordan Pickford has been England’s number one since 2018 and the Everton star looks set to remain first choice heading into 2026, providing he stays fit.

With two more spots open for ‘keepers, there looks set to be a battle between Dean Henderson, James Trafford, Nick Pope and Aaron Ramsdale.

Of the four, Henderson and Pope are getting regular minutes for Crystal Palace and Newcastle, whereas Trafford and Ramsdale are finding minutes hard to come by. Tuchel has been picking Trafford, though, so Pope could miss out.

2 Full-backs

1

Reece James

Chelsea

2

Djed Spence

Tottenham

3

Trent Alexander-Arnold

Real Madrid

4

Nico O’Reilly

Man City

5

Tino Livramento

Newcastle

6

Myles Lewis-Skelly

Arsenal

7

Kieran Trippier

Newcastle

Top of the full-back charts are Chelsea’s Reece James and Tottenham’s Djed Spence, who have been regulars in Tuchel’s squads recently, with the former working under the England boss at Stamford Bridge.

Trent Alexander-Arnold was left out by Tuchel earlier this year following his move to Real Madrid, but his technical ability will surely see him selected even if it isn’t as a starter.

Elsewhere, Tuchel has warned Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly he needs more minutes at club level to be considered for selection. Nico O’Reilly is in a good position after starring under Pep Guardiola at Man City, whereas Tino Livramento is set to return to regular action with Newcastle soon.

3 Centre-backs

1

Marc Guehi

Crystal Palace

2

John Stones

Man City

3

Dan Burn

Newcastle

4

Ezri Konsa

Aston Villa

5

Jarell Quansah

Bayer Leverkusen

6

Trevoh Chalobah

Chelsea

7

Jarrad Branthwaite

Everton

8

Levi Colwill

Chelsea

9

Harry Maguire

Man Utd

With Tuchel potentially going with a back four, Marc Guehi is on course to take one of two starting centre-back spots if he continues to star for Crystal Palace.

John Stones, Dan Burn, Ezri Konsa, Jarell Quansah and Trevoh Chalobah have all been in Tuchel’s squads and could battle it out to partner Guehi.

Meanwhile, Jarrad Branthwaite and Levi Colwill could make a late push if they can get enough minutes under their belt when they return from injury in 2026.

There may not be a place for Harry Maguire, though, who appears to have fallen out of favour at international level.

4 Central midfielders

1

Declan Rice

Arsenal

2

Elliot Anderson

Nottingham Forest

3

Adam Wharton

Crystal Palace

4

Jordan Henderson

Brentford

5

Alex Scott

Bournemouth

6

Ruben Loftus-Cheek

AC Milan

7

Conor Gallagher

Atletico Madrid

8

Curtis Jones

Liverpool

Right now, Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson look set to be the two starting central midfielders in Tuchel’s England side, allowing the Three Lions’ attacking stars freedom to shine.

Adam Wharton appears to be next in line to come in for either Rice or Anderson, whereas Jordan Henderson has also made a few of Tuchel’s squads.

Alex Scott of Bournemouth was also handed a maiden call-up and AC Milan’s Ruben Loftus-Cheek has been in Tuchel’s squads in 2025.

5 Attacking midfielders

1

Jude Bellingham

Real Madrid

2

Phil Foden

Man City

3

Morgan Rogers

Aston Villa

4

Cole Palmer

Chelsea

5

Eberechi Eze

Arsenal

6

Morgan Gibbs-White

Nottingham Forest

Further forward in an attacking midfield role, Tuchel will surely select Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden.

Real Madrid star Bellingham appears to be getting back to his best, whereas Tuchel sees Foden as a central player over a winger.

Cole Palmer has been injured at Chelsea and may have some work to do in 2026 to make the 26-player squad ahead of Morgan Rogers, Eberechi Eze or Morgan Gibbs-White.

6 Forwards

1

Harry Kane

Bayern Munich

2

Bukayo Saka

Arsenal

3

Anthony Gordon

Newcastle

4

Marcus Rashford

Barcelona

5

Jarrod Bowen

West Ham

6

Noni Madueke

Arsenal

7

Jack Grealish

Everton

8

Ollie Watkins

Aston Villa

9

Danny Welbeck

Brighton

Captain Harry Kane will lead the line for England in North America, providing he stays fit, after starring once again for Bayern Munich, and Tuchel could select a number of versatile forwards instead of another striker to back up the Bayern Munich star.

The likes of Marcus Rashford and Jarrod Bowen can play out wide or through the middle, whereas Bukayo Saka and Anthony Gordon are currently first-choice wingers.

Players with work to do to make the squad include Ollie Watkins and maybe even Jack Grealish, despite his positive start at Everton. A surprise name to keep an eye on could be Brighton’s Danny Welbeck following his fine form in the Premier League.

Chelsea picked up their second Premier League win in a row after a 3-0 home thrashing against Wolverhampton Wanderers. The Blues put in a clinical second-half display to pick up another three points and propel them up to second in the top flight.

The first 45 minutes went by without anything of note happening, although it was a half dominated by Enzo Maresca’s side. It took them just six minutes of the second half for them to break the deadlock.

Malo Gusto scored his first goal for the club, heading home a cross after finding himself unmarked in the penalty box.

14 minutes after the Frenchman’s goal, Chelsea found the back of the net again. This time, it was Joao Pedro who scored, firing home a loose ball from 12 yards out. It was brilliant play from substitute Estevao just seconds after coming on, who took the ball on the outside and sent a low cross into the box.

Chelsea made it 3-0 with 17 minutes to go. It was former Wolves attacker Pedro Neto who scored, coming back to haunt his former club. He finished off an incisive counter-attack to secure the points for his side.

It was a strong performance from the Blues, with a couple of players really standing out.

Chelsea’s best players vs. Wolves

One of the standout players in Blue was summer signing Alejandro Garnacho. The Argentine set up two of the three goals at Stamford Bridge, and has now scored or assisted three goals in his last two games across all competitions.

His work for both assists was impressive. For Gusto’s goal, Garnacho stood a cross up to the back post, making it easy for him to head home.

He perfectly executed the counter-attack for the Blues’ second goal, putting an inch-perfect cross on a plate for Neto to score.

The other man who stood out for Maresca’s side was Garnacho’s fellow Argentine international, Enzo Fernandez. He controlled the midfield once again, just as he did in the Blues’ last Premier League game away to Tottenham Hotspur.

It was, in many ways, effortless from the Chelsea midfielder, who took the captain’s armband with Reece James on the bench. He created two chances, completed 97% of his passes and completed four out of four long balls.

As well as the likes of Garnacho and Fernandez played against Wolves, there was one Chelsea star who didn’t look at his best.

The Chelsea player who struggled vs. Wolves

This was certainly a game that you would have expected Chelsea to win. The Old Gold are in dire straits at the moment, currently without a manager and with just two points to their name in the Premier League.

However, one player who could not capitalise on that poor form was striker Liam Delap. The former Ipswich Town star was starting his first top-flight game since the 30th of August, but looked far from his best.

It was a game that Delap simply couldn’t get into. He played just over an hour before being replaced by Estavao.

In that time, the 22-year-old managed just 15 touches, fewer than goalkeeper Robert Sanchez (30), completed six from seven attempted passes, and had two shots.

Touches

16

Passes completed

6/7

Ground duels won

2/3

Touches in Wolves box

2

Shots

2

Expected goals

0.12xG

Dom Smith of The Standard, noted how lacklustre Delap’s performance was against Wolves. He gave him a 5/10 for his efforts, explaining that he ‘struggled with the physicality’ of the Old Gold backline.

It will be interesting to see if Maresca keeps faith in Delap or decides to rotate him out of the side after the international break. The Blues have options up front, with Marc Guiu and Joao Pedro capable of leading the line, and Neto operating there late in the game.

It may well take the Englishman a few games to get back up to speed. After such a long lay-off with injury, perhaps there was too much expectation for him to hit the ground running.

However, against what is a Wolves team in disarray, this felt like a good opportunity to make a nuisance of himself and even bag a goal.

Chalkboard

Maresca has some alternative options if he does decide to switch things up at centre-forward. Delap certainly left a lot to be desired with his showing against the Old Gold.

Big-money Chelsea flop is fast becoming their new Danny Drinkwater

Chelsea have a new Danny Drinkwater on their books.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 7, 2025

Within the last week, Amad Diallo has pulled off the rather impressive feat of being seen as one of Manchester United's greatest weapons and yet also one of their most obvious weak points. The Ivory Coast international's incredible volley at Nottingham Forest last Saturday grabbed his side a point, while he was a few inches away from snatching the winner in added time. Yet while he was rightly hailed as a difference-maker in United's attack, a lot of the post-match analysis focused on his defensive shortcomings.

Both aspects of Amad's game exist. He is far from alone in being a wonderful attacking player who is yet to master the art of winning headers in his own box or being able to clip the wings of pacey, fleet-footed wingers. 

The difference is that, unlike the other top attacking players in the Premier League, he is being asked to carry out those defensive tasks on a weekly basis due to operating as a wing-back in Ruben Amorim's 3-4-3 formation. In a few matches he has gotten away with it, but Forest seemed to target Amad and successfully exposed his vulnerabilities. United's next opponents – Tottenham, Everton and Crystal Palace – would be advised to do the same.

The scrutiny on Amad's role in the team has further highlighted the limitations of Amorim's formation and given the coach yet another problem that he needs to confront.

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  'Perfect' claim being tested

  Amad started United's very first match under Amorim at right-wing-back against Ipswich Town and set up the first goal of the Portuguese's new era, for Marcus Rashford. But while the England forward was cast aside by the coach less than a month later, Amad has become a fundamental part of Amorim's project. 

  United effectively had a bonfire of wingers over the summer, as Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Alejandro Garnacho and Antony were all placed in the 'bomb squad' that had to train separately from the rest of the first team. Amad remained, starting in eight out of the nine Premier League games he has been available for this season (he missed the trip to Brentford on compassionate leave). While three of his appearances have come in attacking midfield, six of them have come at right-wing-back, and recently he has become Amorim's first-choice for the role, forcing natural right-back Diogo Dalot to play on the left.

  Amorim outlined Amad's suitability to playing at wing-back last December when he said: "He's very good playing in that position (wing-back) but also playing between the lines because he has good control and he seems faster with the ball than without the ball. He is capable of playing in both positions and he can play in different systems. You need to to have good physicality [at wing-back]. Good physicality is not the size, but he can run. And that is a key point in that position. The technical characteristics are perfect for him."

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  'Not someone you want defending'

  While no one could disagree that Amad has the lungs to play at wing-back, his lack of natural physicality was exposed when Morgan Gibbs-White out-jumped him to head in Forest's equaliser. It was not the only time they managed to get at him, either, as Sean Dyche's plan seemed to be to try and leave Amad isolated against the tricky Callum Hudson-Odoi, who had the run of him in several key moments.

  "Amad is a conundrum," said former Wales captain Ashley Williams on 'Match of the Day'. "He’s in the team because of his attacking qualities but he can’t play in the No.10 position because [Bryan] Mbeumo and [Matheus] Cunha are playing really well. He plays right-wing-back and he finds himself in defensive positions at times, which isn’t his strength. 

  "He’s in this full-back position because he has to do his work. He’s an honest lad and he’s trying to get back and do a job for his team, but it’s not his quality. Amad gets in a centre-back position trying to head a ball out which is not his strength and they concede from that."

  Williams was, however, in awe of Amad's equaliser, praising his "perfect technique", adding: "Going forward he’s devastating. His goal, what a strike! This is not the player you want defending. He’s in the team because of his attacking play and he’s such an honest lad that he ends up doing lots of defensive work and then it looks bad on him."

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  Putting opponents on the back foot

  The stunning volley at the City Ground was just the latest of many brilliant moments Amad has provided. He kick-started his United career with his memorable winner against Liverpool in the FA Cup back in March 2024 before he won a late penalty and then scored to complete the dramatic comeback win at Manchester City last season, while he single-handedly averted an embarrassing home defeat by Southampton by scoring a 12-minute hat-trick a few weeks later. 

  This season, he won the penalty with which United beat Burnley deep in added time and was brilliant in the surprise victory at Anfield, laying on the pass for Bryan Mbeumo's early goal. 

  Rio Ferdinand launched a staunch defence of Amad on his podcast, saying that pundits and fans should be relishing his attacking qualities rather than picking at his flaws.

  "We get too caught up in what players can’t do," he said. "He is giving us so much going forward. His partnership and his telepathy with Mbeumo. For what he’s giving you going forward and what he’s giving the opposition winger, they are having to chase him half the time. That’s what you want, them on the back foot. I just think he’s a wonderful footballer."

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  Dalot also causing problems

  But Ferdinand also admitted that Amad was not being used in his best role by Amorim: "Would he be better as a right winger? I think he would be, but that’s not detracting away from what he's doing. I think he’s just what this team need in this position right now."

  Amad's defensive weaknesses are not the only drawback with United playing wing-backs. While the ex-Atalanta youngster is not suited to the defensive responsibilities that come with the role, the player on the other flank, Dalot, is not made for its attacking demands.

  "Amad's been getting questioned but as a wing-back, you're asked to be a full-back defensively, so Amad's asked to be here and defend crosses at the back post. But then when he gets up here, he's asked to be a winger," said former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher on 'Monday Night Football'. "Now he is more of a winger, he's probably more suited to that position, but then Dalot's the opposite, where he may be able to deal with that [defensive headers] better. But when he gets on the last line and they actually get the ball to Dalot, he can't beat a man.

  "He's not going to play a clever pass, he's not going to get a cross in. So for me, that's a little bit of a downfall in terms of getting five on the last line. It's whether these players have the quality."