Harry Kane got top marks from German media after starring in Bayern Munich's demolition of Hamburg. The England captain contributed with a brace and an assist as the reigning German champions registered a 5-0 win and maintained their 100 percent win record to start the 2025-26 Bundesliga campaign. With the two strikes on Saturday, Kane has now taken his goals tally to eight this term.
Bayern put five past Hamburg
Serge Gnabry broke the deadlock for the Bavarian side in the third minute before Aleksandar Pavlovic doubled their lead. Kane then converted a penalty in the 26th minute and Luis Diaz took the team's tally to four goals even before the half-hour mark. Kane then scored the team's fifth goal in the 62nd minute to seal a memorable win for the champions.
AdvertisementKane gets top marks from BILD
The Bayern star, along with Gnabry, received the top score from German newspaper for the exceptional show against Hamburg. Former Liverpool forward Luis Diaz got the second-highest score, level with Pavlovic, Michael Olise and Konrad Laimer.
Striker nearing scoring milestone
With the brace against Hamburg, Kane took a step forward towards reaching the 100-goal mark for Bayern across all competitions. The English forward has scored 93 goals for the German side in 101 appearances since joining them from Tottenham in 2023.
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AFPWhen is Kane playing next?
Vincent Kompany's side will be back in action on Wednesday as they take on Premier League giants Chelsea in their Champions League opener at the Allianz Arena.
The last couple of weeks have been highly unusual from an Arsenal perspective.
While fans have grown accustomed to the club dragging their feet in the transfer window, they’ve seen the Gunners sign Kepa Arrizabalaga and Martin Zubimendi, while also getting closer to the statement signing of Viktor Gyokeres.
Furthermore, the Premier League runners-up have also been heavily linked with more attackers, such as the incredibly exciting Eberechi Eze, who has a £68m release clause in his contract.
Crystal Palace's EberechiEzeposes with the player of the match trophy
The England international would undoubtedly be an excellent addition to the Gunners’ squad, but one that might require an exit.
Why Arsenal want to sign Eze
Eze has been one of the most exciting players to watch in the Premier League for some time now, and was even linked with Arsenal last summer.
However, if he was impressive in years past, he reached an entirely new level and was utterly sensational for Palace last season.
For example, despite playing for a mid-table side, the Englishman managed to rack up a tally of 14 goals and 11 assists in 43 appearances, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.72 games.
Moreover, he didn’t just score the third goal in a comfortable win, or a consolation goal in a hefty defeat; he bagged important, game-changing goals, such as the only goal in the club’s FA Cup triumph.
In addition to being an output machine, the former QPR gem would also provide Mikel Arteta with more tactical flexibility, as while he thrives in attacking midfield, he’s more than capable of doing a job out on the left.
Finally, as he grows in importance for the national side, he’d be able to form a closer partnership with Bukayo Saka at club and international level were he to join Arsenal, which can only be a good thing.
With all that said, bringing in another top-class attacker like Eze would be expensive and could lead to changes being made in the squad.
What Eze's arrival would mean for Arsenal
If Gyokeres is also signed this summer, which looks increasingly likely, then it seems unlikely that Arsenal would also add Eze without then making a sale.
Eberechi Eze for Crystal Palace.
After all, the Gunners have never been a side that hoards talent or likes to maintain massive payrolls.
So that leaves the question? Who would be the one to make way for the Englishman?
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Well, it obviously wouldn’t be Saka, Gabriel Jesus is out injured, Kai Havertz is a clear favourite of Arteta, and Ethan Nwaneri is currently in talks for a new deal.
That leaves Gabriel Martinelli and £27m signing Leandro Trossard, and with reports now clarifying that Al Nassr are not looking to sign the former, it might be time for the latter to leave the Emirates.
That seems to be an opinion shared by the Belgian himself, as, according to recent reports from Turkey, Süper Lig side Fenerbahçe are now willing to meet his financial demands for a possible transfer.
The report claims that now the Turkish giants have agreed to the winger’s demands, they have offered Arsenal a fee of €15m, which is about £13m.
It seems likely that the Gunners will reject such an offer, but as it is just the first, there is every chance that a final, agreeable price will be reached.
Moreover, it may be what is best for all parties, as the former Brighton & Hove Albion star’s exit could allow the club to sign Eze, and based on their respective form last season, that would be a big upgrade for Arteta and Co.
Eze’s vs Trossard in24/25
Players
Eze
Trossard
Appearances
43
56
Minutes
3303′
3455′
Goals
14
10
Assists
11
10
Goal Involvements per Match
0.58
0.35
Minutes per Goal Involvement
132.12′
172.75′
All Stats via Transfermarkt
For example, the “sensational” Belgian ace, as dubbed by journalist Charles Watts, produced 20 goal involvements in 56 appearances, totalling 3455 minutes, which comes out to a goal involvement every 2.8 games, or every 172.75 minutes.
In contrast, the Eagles’ ace averaged a goal involvement every 132.12 minutes.
Ultimately, Trossard has been a great player for Arsenal, but if his departure helps the club sign Eze, then the club should do what they can to facilitate it.
Madueke will love him: £65m star pushing to sign for Arsenal "every hour"
Noni Madueke could be joined in the Arsenal attack by a £65m game-changer.
A lot of the noise surrounding Chelsea right now is centered on who could leave Stamford Bridge in the coming weeks, as BlueCo look to balance the books by selling certain players.
£52m Chelsea star could now join Barcelona, he's "no longer" unsellable
The La Liga champions have cast their eyes towards Stamford Bridge.
ByEmilio Galantini Jul 10, 2025
The club landed a seismic financial windfall by reaching the Club World Cup final, where they will face off against European champions PSG in a hotly-contested clash at the MetLife Stadium on Sunday, thanks to a stunning brace from new signing Joao Pedro in their semi-final against Fluminense.
Chelsea’s best performers in the Premier League last season
Average match rating
Cole Palmer
7.33
Moises Caicedo
7.02
Enzo Fernández
6.95
Nicolas Jackson
6.88
Noni Madueke
6.82
via WhoScored
That 2-0 win over the Brazilian minnows means Chelsea have banked around £80 million worth of prize money en route to the final, having won five of their six games so far, on top of their participation fee. If they win the whole thing, and somehow beat an imperious PSG side this weekend, Enzo Maresca’s side will bank close to £88 million.
This cash will undoubtedly ease some pressure with regard to PSR, but after being slapped with a recent UEFA fine for breaking FFP rules, Chelsea will also want to ship a plethora of unwanted players off their considerable books.
Lesley Ugochukwu, João Félix, Renato Veiga, Ben Chilwell, Christopher Nkunku, David Datro Fofana, Armando Broja, Axel Disasi, Carney Chukwuemeka, Raheem Sterling, Noni Madueke and Djordje Petrovic are just some of the Chelsea players who could reportedly leave before deadline day on September 1, while previous mainstay striker Nicolas Jackson faces an uncertain future after the arrivals of Pedro and Liam Delap.
Kepa Arrizabalaga, Basir Humphreys and Marcus Bettinelli have already been sold for around £19 million worth of transfer fees in total, but the Chelsea hierarchy will be very keen to increase this total while drastically reducing their wage bill.
Sterling and Chilwell, who were both frozen out by Maresca last summer, are among the club’s highest earners, while Chukwuemeka is believed to be on as much as £100,000-per-week.
As well as the need to offload senior players, there are a plethora of youngsters who could help to raise cash, and one of them is young left-back Ishe Samuels-Smith.
The 19-year-old joined Chelsea from Everton in 2023 for around £4 million, and Samuels-Smith recently put pen to paper on a new contract running until 2031 – meaning the west Londoners can demand a fairly substantial fee.
Ishe Samuels-Smith in talks to join Strasbourg from Chelsea
According to L’Equipe, Chelsea’s sister club, Strasbourg, could offer them a chance to recuperate some money off the teenager.
The newspaper states that Samuels-Smith was at Strasbourg’s training facilities on Wednesday ahead of a potential move, and the Ligue 1 side are currently in talks with his representatives as Chelsea consider selling him for £5 million.
The defender is yet to make his senior debut for the club since transferring from Goodison Park, and it now appears that Chelsea are preparing to cash in on Samuels-Smith with a £1 million profit.
He captained the Under-21s side on numerous occasions last season and was a mainstay of Filipe Coelho’s backline last season, but this seemingly hasn’t been enough to convince Chelsea that he could emerge as a first-team player.
انتقد سيد معوض، نجم الأهلي ومنتخب مصر السابق، طريقة تناول الإعلام لملف المنتخبين الأول والثاني، معتبرًا أن المقارنات بينهما غير منطقية وتؤثر على التركيز المطلوب في المرحلة الحالية، ومُحملًا اتحاد الكرة جزءًا من المسؤولية.
وقال سيد معوض في تصريحات عبر برنامج “اللعيب” على قناة “MBC مصر”: “الحديث عن المقارنات بين المنتخب الأول والثاني ليس عيبًا في المسؤولين عن المنتخبين، بل العيب في التناول الإعلامي، كان يجب أن يكون التركيز على المنتخب الأول لأنه كان أمامه مباراتان هامتان في تصفيات كأس العالم”.
وأضاف: “عندما يخوض المنتخب الثاني بطولة كأس العرب، سيكون المنتخب الأول يستعد لكأس أمم إفريقيا، وبالتالي لا يجب المقارنة في هذا التوقيت، كل منتخب له بطولته وظروفه، لكن حاليًا يتم التركيز على المنتخبين في آن واحد، ويُقارن اللاعبون ببعضهم، وهذا غير صحيح”.
طالع أيضًا | شوبير: حسام حسن يواجه أزمة بسبب لاعب منتخب مصر قبل مواجهة بوركينا فاسو
وتابع: “البعض يقول إن لاعبًا في المنتخب الثاني كان يستحق التواجد في المنتخب الأول، لكن هذا الأمر يظل وجهة نظر تخص المدير الفني”.
وواصل معوض حديثه منتقدًا اتحاد الكرة: “الموقع الرسمي لاتحاد الكرة عندما ينشر صورًا للمنتخب الأول، يقوم بعدها بدقائق بنشر صور المنتخب الثاني، المفترض أن يكون التركيز الآن على المنتخب الأول فقط لأنه في فترة حاسمة من أجل التأهل لكأس العالم”.
ويستعد منتخب مصر الأول بقيادة حسام حسن، لمواجهة حاسمة ضد بوركينا فاسو على ملعب الأخير، حيث يكفيه الفوز بأي نتيجة لحسم بطاقة التأهل إلى مونديال 2026.
وفي المقابل، يخوض منتخب مصر الثاني بقيادة حلمي طولان، مباراة ودية قوية أمام تونس، ضمن استعداداتهما للمشاركة في بطولة كأس العرب 2025.
Whilst Leeds United lapped up most of the praise in the Championship this season, winning the second-tier title, Scott Parker’s Burnley were more than worthy challengers to the West Yorkshire side’s throne.
After all, Daniel Farke’s side only clinched the title on the final day via goal difference, with the Clarets hoping and praying for a shock Plymouth Argyle victory in Devon, but Parker’s men had to make do with the tag of being runners-up despite also achieving a remarkable haul of 100 points.
Still, there would be celebrations aplenty as the Lancashire side instantly returned to the promised land of the Premier League.
Burnley certainly have their unbelievable defensive record to thank for sealing automatic promotion, with James Trafford a formidable option in between the sticks all season long.
Trafford's standout season in goal for Burnley
Unfortunately for the Turf Moor side, some of their standout performers could still depart for more luxurious pastures this summer, even as the Clarets return to the elite league.
Trafford definitely fits into this category, with rumours circulating that Newcastle United are keen on adding the ex-Manchester City stopper to their roster off the back of his unerring quality in the second tier.
Unbelievably, the Carlisle-born ‘keeper would only concede 16 goals across Burnley’s triumphant 46-game marathon, leading to a jaw-dropping 29 clean sheets being tallied up.
Parker has even gone as far as labelling Trafford as “world class” off the back of such a memorable campaign for his promoted side, but he isn’t the only standout figure in the Clarets camp that is attracting deserved Premier League action.
James Trafford for Burnley.
Indeed, there was a performer who was just as lively, albeit at the complete opposite end of the pitch.
The Burnley "superstar" who is ready for the Premier League
Parker will already be wary about the difficult challenge ahead, considering he has only picked up nine career wins at Premier League level as a manager.
But, he will be slightly less hesitant about diving back into the tricky division if he can keep Josh Brownhill situated at Turf Moor, with the 29-year-old keen to make an impression on the top-flight again after taking the second tier by storm in 2024/25.
Staggeringly, the experienced EFL head managed to bag more goals in Championship action this season than Trafford would ship, with a bumper 18 goals coming his way to help his team soar into the top two spots.
With six assists also next to his name, the midfield “superstar” – as he was previously labelled by one of his former bosses in Lee Johnson – will be raring to go in the top-flight next season with or without his current employers.
The likes of Everton and West Ham United are reportedly taking an interest in the skilful Clarets captain to boost their own options centrally.
Championship
231
41
25
Premier League
111
6
6
League One
67
8
4
After all, even with the table above confirming that Brownhill’s most comfortable location is the Championship, he has shown flashes of his immense quality in the Premier League before even whilst Burnley have struggled, with his 2023/24 output seeing him pick up six of his overall 12 goal contributions.
This is why both the Toffees and the Hammers are presumably keen, but if Parker and Co are serious about staying put in the top-flight for the long-term, losing Brownhill would be a disaster.
The much-loved number 8 does already have two top-flight relegations on his CV, but after such a sensational personal season alongside the strong Trafford, he could be just what the Clarets need moving forward to return back to their former Premier League glory days.
Burnley make contact to sign ace with "great potential" amid Kompany talks
The Clarets are on their way back to the top-flight.
The allrounder replaces Ellyse Perry as the club look to the future after just one finals appearance in six seasons
Tristan Lavalette07-Nov-2025
Ash Gardner will be looking to restore Sydney Sixers’ standing•Getty Images
Ashleigh Gardner will further her leadership development after taking the reins from Ellyse Perry as captain of Sydney Sixers, a WBBL franchise hoping to recapture their former standing.The transition signals a new era after Perry had captained Sixers since the inaugural season in 2015-16, yielding back-to-back titles in the second and third seasons of WBBL. But Sixers’ status as an on-field powerhouse has faded away having failed to qualify for the finals in five of the past six seasons.Related
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It is a major reset for Sixers under the fresh leadership of Gardner and new head coach Matthew Mott, the former coach of the Australia women’s team and England men’s white-ball sides.Gardner, 28, has been an integral part of the Sixers from the start, holding the club record for games (135) and wickets (102), while also sitting third for runs (2607). She has long been viewed as an Australia captain in the making, particularly impressing over the years in promoting Indigenous culture and history.Gardner should be in the mix to succeed Alyssa Healy, who confirmed the recent ODI World Cup would be her last in that format. Earlier this year, Gardner was the vice-captain on the T20I tour of New Zealand, where Tahlia McGrath captained in Healy’s absence.Her Sixers appointment follows being handed the captaincy of Gujarat Giants in the Women’s Premier League and Trent Rockets in the Hundred.”I’m honoured to be appointed captain of the Sydney Sixers, a club I’ve proudly represented for my whole career,” Gardner said. “Over the past decade I’ve learned from some amazing leaders, including Pez [ Perry] and Midge [Healy] at the Sixers, and I can’t wait to lead the team.”Perry, 35, will remain at Sixers for at least the next three seasons. “It’s been an immense pleasure to have the opportunity to lead the Sixers over the last ten years,” she said.”Ash has offered so much to Sixers on-and-off the field and her strong interest in giving her best as a leader will be an exciting starting point for our team this season.”Healy will miss Sixers’ season-opener due to a minor thumb injury sustained in the World Cup semi-final. The injury will be monitored when she returns to training next week.Sixers start their campaign against Perth Scorchers on Sunday at the WACA.Meanwhile, Melbourne Renegades captain Sophie Molineux will miss the opening two matches as she manages a minor quad strain. Georgia Wareham will take the captaincy in her absence.
Newcastle United have now reportedly set their sights on hijacking West Ham United’s move to sign a midfield star who’s been described as “Premier League-ready”.
Howe admits it was "too easy" for Leverkusen in draw
Not for the first time this season, Newcastle very nearly had the perfect evening. The Magpies came from behind to lead Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 in the Champions League and looked destined to seal what would have been a crucial victory with qualification in mind. All it took was one lapse in concentration for Alejandro Grimaldo to find an equaliser, however, to spoil yet another night late on.
Eddie Howe admitted that Grimaldo’s equaliser was “too easy” as he reflected on what could have been, telling reporters: “Goals happen in games and we haven’t defended well enough today. It was too easy for them to go through the middle of our defence [for the second goal].
“I wasn’t happy at half-time, not so much with the performance but there was a real lack of belief that we could score. You have to make things happen and really believe internally. Off the ball, we were getting close to them but not in that final yard.
“It leaves us in a good position [to qualify in the top eight]. It leaves it in our hands but we have two tough games to come. All we can do is focus back onto the Premier League where we are in a decent vein of form.”
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This Newcastle star could be their next big sale
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Up next for Newcastle is the small matter of the Tyne-Wear derby, which is simply a must-win game for Howe’s side. In their first Premier League meeting with Sunderland since 2016, the Magpies should be desperate to come out on top.
Victory would also do their European ambitions no harm, which could of course help their transfer ambitions when 2026 arrives.
Newcastle eyeing Tochukwu Nnadi move
As reported by TeamTalk, Newcastle are now eyeing a move to sign Tochukwu Nnadi in a deal that would hijack West Ham’s pursuit of the Zulte Waregem midfielder.
The Hammers are reportedly preparing a bid worth €4m (£3.5m) in the January transfer window, but the interest of both Newcastle and Brighton & Hove Albion could yet ruin their plans.
As per TeamTalk, scouts have described the midfielder as “explosive” and someone who is now “Premier League-ready”.
If that is the case, then Newcastle could look to land a bargain deal and end their chase to sign a midfield reinforcement without truly splashing the cash.
It’s been no secret that those at St James’ Park are looking to welcome additions at the heart of Howe’s side. The likes of Kees Smit have emerged as transfer targets as a result. Yet, given the amount of interest in the young Dutchman, Nnadi could yet become a serious option.
For the time being, West Ham remain in the driving seat to secure the 22-year-old, but Newcastle’s position as a Champions League team should give them the edge if they push on and make their move.
As bad as Tonali: £75k-p/w star had his worst game in a Newcastle shirt
Ryan Reynolds fired a hilarious message to Wrexham star George Thomason after an epic goal against Bristol City. The Red Dragons struck twice and kept yet another clean sheet as they swept aside play-off contenders Bristol, sealing a 2-0 win. Nathan Broadhead’s sumptuous curling effort and Thomason’s wicked corner, which was officially recorded as a Radek Vitek own goal, bookended a performance full of discipline.
A stunning opener sets the tone
The result extended Wrexham’s unbeaten league run to seven matches and lifted them to 10th place in the Championship table, just two points shy of the play-off spots. After an unimpressive performance in their previous outing against Ipswich, Wrexham made sure they were pushing for the opener right from the first whistle, and the reward came after just 16 minutes. Captain James McClean and Thomason combined crisply down the left flank, releasing Broadhead in space. The Welshman opened up his body and bent a curler into the top corner from 25 yards to draw first blood. Bristol City thought they had equalised shortly before half-time, when Ross McCrorie tapped in after Arthur Okonkwo parried Mehmeti’s deflected shot. But the celebrations were cut short as the referee had spotted a foul on Okonkwo by Emil Riis.
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Reynolds jokes on social media
In the second half came the moment that sent Reynolds into comedic delight. Thomason’s corner curled wickedly toward the far post, striking the woodwork before bouncing off Vitek and into the net. The midfielder wheeled away as though he had scored it, understandably so, but the record books will credit the goalkeeper. Reynolds took to Instagram with footage oft he goal and added the words: "Wow George Thomason. None of my balls have ever done this."
Instagram
Getty Images Sport
Thomason’s influence grows and so does his confidence
Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson also spoke about the goal after the match: "I haven't seen [the goal] back but I think George was really good tonight and I'm so pleased for him because as everybody knows, he came in, got his injury and now he's really shown himself at this level and produced lots of good performances. I felt he typified what we needed tonight. He was industrious in his play but he played with real quality and composure in possession as well."
Since joining Wrexham, Thomason has yet to taste defeat in any of his eight Championship appearances. However, he is not too bothered by the feat.
"I'm trying not to keep that on my mind. But it's not a bad record to keep, so long may it continue," Thomason said.
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Parkinson preaches calm with Wrexham
Parkinson, though pleased, moved quickly to temper expectations, not least because Wrexham have made a habit of oscillating wildly between brilliance and turbulence since returning to the second tier. To reinforce his point, the Wrexham manager referenced none other than Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk.
"I think it's a case of making sure we don't get carried away," the Wrexham boss explained. "I spoke to the lads before the game, I was listening to Virgil van Dijk's interview after the Nottingham Forest defeat and he was speaking about how Liverpool have got to win the first and second balls, be competitive, got to work as a team and how they've got to get their way back with the basics in football. So that's the champions of England talking like that.
"We're not going to get carried away, it's now concentration levels on picking the right team for the weekend, start doing our homework on Blackburn and get ready for another terrific atmosphere here on Saturday."
Arsenal have been utterly sensational so far this season.
Mikel Arteta’s side are flying in the Champions League, and look near enough unstoppable when it comes to the Premier League.
More impressively, the Gunners tore Tottenham Hotspur to shreds on Sunday afternoon without the man many would consider to have been their best player so far this year: Gabriel Magalhães.
The Brazilian has been sensational in defence and attack, and so fans should be excited about reports linking Arsenal with a star who could be looked at as another version of him.
Arsenal target another Gabriel
With the transfer window just over a month away from opening, it’s not been a surprise to see reports starting to link Arsenal with some brilliant players in recent weeks.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
For example, while the Gunners are fairly well-stacked in the position, Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson has been touted for a £120m switch to the Emirates.
Likewise, despite Leandro Trossard’s impressive form this year, Kenan Yıldız continues to be linked with a move to the Premier League title challengers.
However, while incredibly talented, neither of these players can really be compared to Gabriel, unlike Murillo.
Yes, according to a recent report from Caught Offside, Arsenal are one of a few clubs interested in the Brazilian defender.
Alongside the Gunners, the report has revealed that Chelsea and Barcelona are keen to sign the talented centre-back, who Forest value at up to €90m, which is about £79m.
Therefore, it could be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given his ability and similarities to Gabriel, one Arsenal should be pursuing.
Why Murillo would be another Gabriel
So to start with, there are the more superficial similarities between the pair, such as both being Brazilian centre-backs.
On top of that, there is the fact that when Arsenal signed Gabriel from LOSC Lille in the summer of 2020, he was 22 years old, and if they sign Murillo in the winter window, he’ll be just 23.
However, the comparison goes deeper than that, as, in addition to playing in the same position, the two defenders tend to play in a similar style as well.
For example, while he’s not quite as tall as the Gunners star, the “monstrous” Forest man, as dubbed by journalist Ryan Taylor, is someone who makes the most of his physicality.
Whether it’s in the air or on the ground, the former Corinthians gem is more than happy to go in for a full-throated challenge, which, more often than not, he comes out better off from.
However, don’t let that fool you into thinking the Sao Paulo-born titan is just an old-fashioned defender who can’t compete when it comes to the technical side of the game, as that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Like his compatriot, the 23-year-old is far more accomplished on the ball than most who don’t watch him on a weekly basis would expect.
For example, FBref ranks him in the top 5% of centre-backs in the league for successful take-ons, the top 9% for shot-creating actions, the top 11% for through balls and shot-creating actions from live-ball passes, the top 13% for progressive passes and more, all per 90.
% of Dribblers Tackled
100.0%
Top 2%
Blocks
1.83
Top 3%
Shots from Free Kicks
0.12
Top 5%
Interceptions
2.07
Top 5%
Successful Take-Ons
0.49
Top 5%
SCA (Defensive Action)
0.12
Top 7%
Passes Blocked
0.85
Top 7%
Ball Recoveries
4.87
Top 7%
Shot-Creating Actions
1.46
Top 9%
Tkl+Int
3.65
Top 9%
Goals/Shot
0.25
Top 11%
Goals – xG
+0.09
Top 11%
Non-Penalty Goals – npxG
+0.09
Top 11%
Passes Attempted (Long)
9.99
Top 11%
Through Balls
0.24
Top 11%
SCA (Live-ball Pass)
1.10
Top 11%
SCA (Dead-ball Pass)
0.12
Top 11%
Progressive Passes
4.87
Top 13%
SCA (Shot)
0.12
Top 13%
Tackles (Att 3rd)
0.24
Top 13%
Goals
0.12
Top 15%
When you consider those technical qualities alongside the fact that he helped Forest produce one of the defensive record in the country last season, it’s easy to see why one analyst made the bold claim that he’s “one of the best defenders in the Premier League.”
Ultimately, while he might not be on the exact same level as Gabriel – few defenders are – Murillo is clearly an exceptional player. Therefore, Arsenal would be wise to sign him before one of their rivals gets there first.
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Anthony Volpe didn't have a great showing defensively on Sunday.
The Yankees' shortstop was roasted by the team's fans after a few defensive plays where it looked like his lack effort cost the team outs.
The first came in the top of the second inning and the Cubs holding a 1-0 lead. With Ian Happ at first base and one out, Nico Hoerner hit a ground ball to Jazz Chisholm Jr. at second base in what appeared to be an easy double play for the Yankees.
Chisholm got the ball to Volpe to force Happ out at second, but as the shortstop came across the bag towards first base, he floated the ball across the diamond. By the time the ball got into first baseman Paul Goldschmidt's glove, Hoerner had crossed the base and was safe. Volpe's throw clocked in at 62 mph, far below what he's capable of.
Video is below.
In the top of the eighth, with the Cubs leading 4-1, Dansby Swanson was on first with two outs. Matt Shaw stepped to the plate and hit an easy grounder right to Volpe. He didn't charge the ball, opting to stay back and wait for it. When he fielded the ball, he softly tossed it to Chisholm at second, but Swanson beat the ball there. He was initially called out, but replays showed he easily beat Volpe's throw.
The Yankees wound up losing 4-1 and continued their trend of up and down play. Fans of the team were all over Volpe for his defensive lapses.
Through 95 games, the 24-year-old Volpe is slashing .214/.287/.384 with 10 home runs and 49 RBIs. He has 91 strikeouts against 34 walks, and his OPS of .671 leaves a lot to be desired from a former top prospect.