Looking ahead to their first attempt to get back into the Premier League next season, Southampton are now reportedly in advanced talks to hire an impressive 32-year-old manager.
Southampton's search for a new manager
The Southampton job isn’t exactly one that every manager will be jumping towards this summer after the Saints suffered relegation from the Premier League. Having opened their season with Russell Martin in the dugout, the Saints were ready to take on the Premier League their way and opt out of simply sitting in a deep defensive block.
As attractive as that approach looked, however, it did not result in much-needed points and those at St Mary’s soon switched their mindsets towards survival, sacking Martin in the process.
Their next decision was always going to be crucial, even if some were already convinced that relegation was looming. Following Martin’s tenure, it wouldn’t have been absurd to suggest that a pragmatic, experienced Premier League manager should have been the way forward, but Southampton took an alternative approach once again – this time hiring Ivan Juric in December.
Southampton manager IvanJuricreacts
Having enjoyed experience at AS Roma, Torino, Genoa and others in Italy, Juric stepped into the Premier League for the first time before enduring a nightmare spell. With one game remaining, the manager has already been sacked and Southampton have their place in history as the second-worst Premier League side in history, with one more point than the historic 2008 Derby County team.
Back at square one ahead of their return to the Championship, names such as Danny Rohl and even Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard have reportedly been among the candidates in the running for the job, but Southampton’s search has continued.
Whilst it could be neither of those young managers, the Saints have since reportedly turned towards an impressive 32-year-old who now looks the likeliest to commence a new era at St Mary’s.
Southampton in advanced talks to hire Will Still
According to The Independent’s Miguel Delaney, Southampton have now approached Will Still and are in advanced talks to hire the 32-year-old manager, who just left Ligue 1 side RC Lens to be closer to his family.
Will Still at RC Lens.
The manager told reporters after his side defeated AS Monaco on the final day of the Ligue 1 season: “I will not be the coach of Lens next season. Today was my last match of the season at Bollaert. For multiple reasons, the main reason behind my decision is that I need to go back home. It is a logical choice for me to be closer to my wife, for her well-being.”
Back in England, Southampton are now reportedly confident that they will secure Still ahead of next season. The interest of the Saints should come as little surprise, either, given just how successful Still, who plays an attacking 4-3-3 system, has been in France at both Reims and Lens.
For Southampton, should they be successful in their pursuit of Still, they’ll be hiring another young coach to follow on from Martin’s previous spell in charge.
After another trophyless season for Mikel Arteta, there are several factors for those at Arsenal to blame.
The endless red cards and injuries halted their progress significantly but they have still been good enough for a second-placed finish in the Premier League and a Champions League semi-final.
Why didn’t they get over the line? Well, their recruitment in the last year or so hasn’t been great.
Arsenal's JakubKiwiorwith teammates look dejected after AFC Bournemouth's Evanilson scores their second goal
Last summer, Arsenal brought in David Raya permanently and also welcomed in Mikel Merino, somebody who’s become quite the cult hero of late for his performances as an emergency centre forward. No one will forget his goal against Real Madrid in a hurry.
There was also the addition of injury-prone Riccardo Calafiori and a loan move to bring in Raheem Sterling. The less said about him, the better.
Then, when it came to January, Arsenal clearly needed a new forward and did not sign one. Just days after the window slammed shut, Kai Havertz was ruled out for four months with a hamstring injury, only just returning in the recent 1-0 win over Newcastle at The Emirates.
Arsenal's KaiHavertzwith manager MikelArtetaafter being substituted
For the most part, Arteta’s recruitment since being given the job has been strong, stronger than some of the business done in the later years of Arsene Wenger’s tenure, that’s for sure.
Arsenal's biggest mistakes in the transfer market
It’s safe to say that Arsenal have made a number of howlers in recent years; the biggest of which is the decision not to sign a central forward.
In that time, they’ve let America international Folarin Balogun leave while Mika Biereth, now teammates with Balogun at Monaco, has quickly become one of the most prolific forwards in Europe.
Mika Biereth scores for Monaco
Following a successful loan spell at Sturm Graz last summer, the Austrian side signed him permanently for £4m, and after a goal-laden time of it in the Bundesliga, he headed off to Monaco.
Over the course of this campaign, the Dane has found the net on 27 occasions in 44 games. In 2025, he’s scored 13 times, making him the fourth highest scorer in Europe’s best leagues this calendar year.
Scoring chart in Europe’s top 5 leagues – 2025
Player
Goals scored (games played)
1. Kylian Mbappe
19 (17)
2. Serhou Guirassy
15 (18)
3. Ousmane Dembele
13 (14)
4. Mika Biereth
13 (16)
5. Mateo Retegui
13 (18)
6. Patrik Schick
12 (19)
Stats via Transfermarkt.
Cast your minds back further, and the disappointing exit of Serge Gnabry will most definitely sing
The German scored in the Champions League against the Gunners last season and while he’s not always been a regular starter this term, his numbers at Bayern Munich speak for themselves, registering 152 goal involvements across 280 outings.
Gnabry, who wasn’t good enough for Tony Pulis during a loan spell at West Brom, has only gone from strength to strength since then.
Now 29 years of age, the Arsenal academy graduate is a six-time league winner with Bayern, having also won a solitary Champions League and taking home a Club World Cup amid a plethora of domestic cup successes.
But, despite the sincere number of goals being outlined here, they arguably aren’t Arsenal’s biggest mistake; that remains Harry Kane.
Why Harry Kane left Arsenal
“Harry Kane, he’s one of our own.” That’s the song adoring Tottenham Hotspur fans used to sing in the direction of their beloved striker.
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Yet, was this statement ever really true? Perhaps not.
While Kane grew up playing in the Spurs academy, Arsenal was his very first club. There’s a remarkable image of the attacker dressed in a red and white jersey as a child, but it never quite happened for him at the Gunners.
It was at the age of 12 that he left the red side of London behind, and the club’s former academy manager, Roy Massey, has since revealed why.
Speaking exclusively to talkSPORT, Massey noted: “To release Harry Kane [from Arsenal], we don’t have a crystal ball. If we did then we would be successful in every youngster that we take on.
“Harry was a lovely young player. He was quiet, shy, didn’t have what we thought it would take to become a professional footballer and so we were totally mistaken.
“Although I’ve got to say that when Harry was released when he was 11 or 12 years of age, he did go to play for his Sunday league club for the next three years so no other club picked him up in that age group.”
Well, he’s certainly proven Massey wrong during what has been a remarkable career at club and international level.
How Harry Kane compares to Thierry Henry
The biggest club legend of them all, as far as Arsenal are concerned, is the great Thierry Henry. Titi, as he was affectionately known, signed for the Gunners in a deal worth just £11m. Of course, that was over 20 years ago now but it remains one of the biggest bargains we’ve seen.
Signed as a left winger, Wenger crafted his fellow Frenchman into an elite centre forward, quickly breaking records and becoming one of, if not the best foreign import we’ve seen in the Premier League era.
Henry won the Premier League twice, the FA Cup three times, was a league Golden Boot winner on two occasions and eventually left Highbury and the Emirates behind having scored a phenomenal 228 goals in 377 games, making him the club’s record goalscorer.
Henry’s record by club
Club
Games
Goals
Assists
Arsenal
377
228
101
AS Monaco
141
28
4
New York Red Bulls
135
52
40
Barcelona
121
49
27
Juventus
20
3
2
Stats via Transfermarkt.
Over the course of his career, the World Cup winner bagged 411 goals for club and country, but Kane, as astonishing as Henry was, has now surpassed that figure.
We’re not for one minute suggesting the England captain is a better player but it speaks volumes of his remarkable progression in the senior game.
From that rejection at Arsenal as a 12-year-old, since making his senior bow, he has now found the net on a whopping 449 occasions for club and country. He is England’s top goal scorer in history and he’s now finally a trophy winner too.
Kane ended his hoodoo this term, lifting the Bundesliga title above his head a few weeks ago. He’s been nothing short of a sensation for Bayern Munich, scoring 82 goals in 91 appearances.
He is a true modern phenomenon, perhaps the best finisher in world football. Arsenal let that depart at the age of 12.
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It may have come all too late with regard to Manchester United’s Premier League fortunes, although Ruben Amorim’s first-team squad is beginning to look far stronger, ahead of a pivotal last few weeks of the campaign.
Against Athletic Bilbao on Thursday night, the dominant visitors showcased the growing depth to their ranks, with the former Sporting CP boss able to call upon the likes of Luke Shaw, Kobbie Mainoo, Mason Mount, Matthijs de Ligt and, of course, Amad Diallo from the bench.
At one stage looking set to miss the remainder of the season, after being struck down with an ankle injury back in mid-February, the diminutive Ivorian has beaten the odds to seal a swift return to action.
Amad Diallo
Previously the shining light of 2024/25, prior to being overtaken by Bruno Fernandes in his absence, the 22-year-old has chalked up 12 goals and assists in just 21 games under Amorim’s watch, having even looked lively during his brief cameo in midweek.
The former Atalanta starlet notably evaded his man down the right flank with a breathtaking piece of skill and trickery late on, with that moment alone signifying just what United have been missing in recent months.
Capable of operating at wing-back or in a number ten berth, the £120k-per-week wizard – who recently signed a new long-term deal – looks set to be a mainstay at Old Trafford for years to come. Now it’s time to start building a team around him…
Latest on Man Utd's transfer search
If Amad’s future is to lie as a number ten, then the role on the opposite side – should Fernandes slot into a deep-lying berth – could be taken up by Matheus Cunha, with the Wolverhampton Wanderers star seemingly edging closer to a £62.5m move to Old Trafford.
Wolverhampton Wanderers' MatheusCunhacelebrates scoring their first goal
That new-look frontline could then be strengthened even further with the presence of a new centre-forward, with recent reports indicating that the Red Devils remain “in the race” for Sporting’s Viktor Gyokeres.
As per Sky Sports Germany reporter, Florian Plettenberg, while it is Arsenal who are “pushing” to sign the prolific Swede, United are among the clubs also battling for his signature, alongside Chelsea and Real Madrid.
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According to Plettenberg, the 26-year-old is able to leave Portugal this summer for a fee between €60-€70m (£51m – £63m), having struck a “verbal agreement” with the Lisbon-based side already.
Previously signed by Amorim from Coventry City on a £17m deal back in 2023, Gyokeres could represent the key to truly kickstarting the new regime in Manchester.
Why Man Utd need to sign the "hottest striker in Europe"
It remains remarkable that the Sweden international was once on the books at Brighton and Hove Albion, yet never actually managed to make a league appearance for the Seagulls, having been sent out on a handful of loan moves during his time at the Amex.
Viktor Gyokeres
As noted by ESPN’s Mark Ogden, it was actually one-time United director, Dan Ashworth, who oversaw the measly £1m sale of Gyokeres to Coventry in 2021, with the player having since gone on to become the “hottest striker in Europe”.
The in-demand marksman had actually only scored four goals during his initial loan move with the Sky Blues, although as his former teammate Jake Bidwell revealed, he seemingly returned a “different animal” following the completion of his permanent switch.
38 Championship strikes followed over the next two seasons, while Gyokeres has since chalked up a breathtaking total of 95 goals in just 98 games in his current home, including seven across his last two Liga Portugal outings.
A monster. A machine. Whatever you want to call him, the rampaging number nine – who also boasts 15 goals in 26 senior games for his country – is simply devastating right now in front of goal, with it no surprise that Amorim might well be keen on a reunion.
Amad’s Man Utd record by coach
Manager
Games
Goals
Assists
Erik ten Hag
24
3
3
Ruben Amorim
21
6
6
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
8
1
1
Ruud van Nistelrooy
4
2
1
Ralf Rangnick
1
0
0
Michael Carrick
0
0
0
Total
58
12
9
Stats via Transfermarkt
What Gyokeres will need is quality service if he is potentially flourish at the Theatre of Dreams, with Amad – as well as Fernandes – potentially set to prove key in that regard, considering he has averaged 1.8 key passes per game in the league this season, while chalking up six assists, as per Sofascore.
Equally, the one-time Sunderland loanee also has that knack of driving at a defence in order to create space for his teammates, something which could certainly benefit Gyokeres, as he ranks in the top 9% among his European peers for progressive carries per 90.
That desire to make things happen in the final third also ensures that Amad ranks in the top 18% for touches in the opposition penalty box, again ensuring opportunities should arise for those alongside him.
A player who can press from the front with lightning speed, as indicated with his goal against Spurs after charging down Fraser Forster, Amad is simply a player who causes havoc. Someone who sucks defenders toward him.
In truth, having scored just 39 league goals in 2024/25, the Red Devils are crying out for similar talents who can win games on their own. Judging by Gyokeres’ heroics in Lisbon, he certainly fits the bill…
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Having burst onto the scene as a teenager, England allrounder is a fixture on the international and franchise circuits
S Sudarshanan27-Sep-2024Alice Capsey’s words sometimes belie her years. “You are always going to fail more than you succeed,” she says about the vagaries of our sport, channelling the wisdom of a seasoned cricketer. But as she holds the phone still, maintaining a perfect frame without a tripod or a stand throughout our 20-minute chat, it gives a glimpse of just how young she is – only 20 years old. She is also good at this other thing – hitting the cricket ball real hard. And that has kept her quite busy in the last few years.Capsey made her international debut in July 2022 just ahead of the inaugural women’s cricket competition at the Commonwealth Games. Since then, she has played a staggering 104 T20s since her debut – in Australia, India, New Zealand and South Africa, apart from England – and has managed to adapt and leave a mark everywhere.In just her third year at the international level, she is set to feature in her second T20 World Cup, her ability to assess conditions quickly making her an important member of England’s touring party.Related
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“At the moment, the game’s evolving so quickly that you have to think where you are at within the women’s game but also where your game is at in general,” Capsey told ESPNcricinfo ahead of England’s departure to the UAE for a training camp. “It is no longer just a summer sport. You look at the next six months and there are various different tournaments.”International cricket is jam-packed now, which is really exciting. Having to be aware of where your game is at so that you stay in the mix and stay on top of your game. I have learnt to manage my game and I am always looking to learn.”I have only just turned 20, so I am pretty young, and have loads of work to do in my game. I am sure technically it’ll evolve over the next couple of years, but also a bit more tactically – all those things, you learn so much from playing international cricket and playing around the world.”Capsey’s initial period at the highest level has also coincided with the rise in T20 cricket leagues on the women’s circuit. She played in the inaugural editions of the Women’s Hundred and the Women’s Premier League, as well as in the Women’s Big Bash League. She’s stamped her mark in most of them, batting in the top order as well as picking up crucial wickets with her offspin. The lessons on countering various conditions and situations have been immense.Alice Capsey is a regular on the global franchise circuit•ECB via Getty Images”Just the amount of cricket I have played in different environments I have been in, you pick up so much by playing alongside different people,” she said. “We have got a number of world-class cricketers in this England environment; you don’t get much better than someone like Nat [Sciver-Brunt], who’s such a level head and has played for so many years now, is so experienced and knows the game so well. So, for younger players to be in the changing room with her year-in year-out, you learn so much around how she trains, how she thinks about it.”I have been lucky that the overseas players we have had at the Hundred [with Oval Invincibles], I have learnt so much from my first two years under Dane [van Niekerk]. I thought she and Marizanne Kapp were really influential in the way I go around with my batting. Just the backing I got from them gave me so much confidence.”The WPL and WBBL have been such amazing experiences, I have absolutely loved it. You always learn more from the natural conversations than you do from the necessarily forced conversations, where you are literally asking the questions. My game’s naturally evolving and that comes down to the environments I have been a part of and how the players I have been in changing rooms with have been so open about how they go about things.”I feel lucky with how I have timed it almost; it’s been like one thing after the other and over three years, I have had a different first each year to keep it new and exciting. As a player it drives you so much to get better and it’s amazing.”
“We’re in that generation of cricketers that have got a bit of fear of missing out.”Jonathan Finch, director of England women’s cricket
Being busy comes with its own challenges, though. Globe-trotting from international games to T20 leagues took its toll on Capsey and, as a result, she opted not to play regional cricket this season. She returned rejuvenated and scored her first T20I half-century since August 2023.Professionalism is still relatively new in the women’s game and so the effects are only starting to be felt. There is an array of options for youngsters like Capsey, and the need for taking a step back gets lost at times. This is where international scheduling becomes critical for a cricket board and the importance of communicating where a player stands in the scheme of things has never been higher.Jonathan Finch, director of England women’s cricket, put it this way: “You don’t do it as a one-size-fits-all and that’s where sometimes we get a little bit of criticism: ‘Why are you letting that player do that and why are you letting player do that?'”If you’ve got an 18-year-old player that suddenly hasn’t been exposed to multiple franchise competitions in a 12-month-of-the-year programme, their understanding of what that is is far less to a Heather Knight who’s been able to do that, manage themselves physically and all that kind of stuff. So, there’s an element of giving them a little bit rope to do it, failing a little bit and then coming back.”So, a Big Bash experience might be a massive development opportunity for a [young] player, whereas for someone at the back end of the career, it’s less so. Then you sit down and you have those discussions and there’s so many different things that go into that, whether that’s physical, mental, emotional, the actual cricket side of things.”We’re in that generation of cricketers that have got a bit of fear of missing out [FOMO] because a lot of new things are coming up and there’s a sensation or a feeling that ‘well if I don’t do that now I won’t get that opportunity moving forward’. The challenge for us is sometimes giving players the confidence that looking at things over the 12-, 24-, 36-month period, you can calm down a little bit and you can plan that.”But that’s probably our biggest challenge – managing individual players’ and staff programmes considering now there are ICC tournaments every year, the Women’s Championship, the next FTP, putting in your kind of big-ticket tours like Australia and India and all those types of things.”Alice Capsey celebrates a wicket•BCCIA message from her agent that read: “Renegades with a ‘tick mark’ emoji” on an early September morning confirmed Capsey’s busy time will continue after the T20 World Cup. A week after the final, WBBL 2024-25 starts with Capsey picked by Melbourne Renegades in the draft.”It happened very early, so I didn’t see where I was going until I woke up in the morning, which was a nice surprise and then had a couple of messages from the Renegades head coach and general manager,” said Capsey, who played for Melbourne Stars in the last two editions. “With my availability and so many amazing players in the draft, I was really hoping to get picked up.”I have played under Jonathan Batty [head coach at Stars, Oval Invincibles and Delhi Capitals] in all three franchises in the last three years and he’s had a big influence on my career and we have got an amazing relationship. To now be able to go and play for Renegades and just to play with new people, be in a new environment under a new coaching staff adds a bit of freshness. I’d be jumping at it to go in a new environment and just carry on learning. It’s a great opportunity for me and I am looking forward to it.”I know some of the girls there already, so there will be a few familiar faces and that will be nice. But I have been at Stars for the last two years and have so much to thank them for, for the support they had for me and the relationship I have built with Stars; I have some of my best friends there. The people I have met have been amazing and they have been such a big influence in my career.”Alice Capsey and England are keen to adapt to UAE conditions quickly•Getty ImagesOne of the immediate challenges for Capsey will be to assess and adapt to conditions in UAE. England’s training camp would have given her a chance to get used to the surfaces and the heat. And then there are a couple of warm-up matches against Australia and New Zealand. But how does she really prepare and get used to new conditions?”It is just about embracing the new challenge and asking lots of questions, that’s the key for me,” Capsey said. “It is about a few conversations and then getting the feel from a few nets. It is pretty natural, you pick things up pretty quickly.”At the end of the day, the conditions change how you play, somehow you work out what shots work the best on that pitch. But you are not going too far away from what shots you play naturally. You still want to play your way and you don’t want to stray too far away from what’s given you success so far. From that point of view, it’s about tinkering with your game and having those knowledgeable conversations with players or staff and getting a really good understanding.”We have a pretty good understanding of how hot it is going to be and we know we are going to be physically challenged in other manners to, say, how we play in England. We all will be preparing the best we can, and so when we get out there, it won’t be too much of a shock. You don’t know what’s going to be thrown at you, so staying as relaxed as possible is a good thing for me. Trying to take each day as it comes and see what’s in front of you.”
Opener channels free-scoring younger self in bid to win recall to Ben Stokes’ Test team
Vithushan Ehantharajah16-Jan-2023England’s warm-up match against the Lions in Abu Dhabi last November was an understandably selfish affair. The Test side needed some intense preparation ahead of a three-match tour of Pakistan, and two days into the three-day game, they decided to call it off altogether. They had got what they needed.Beyond a much-anticipated return for Jofra Archer, who bowled nine overs on the opening day, there was not too much attention paid to those on the opposition. The Test side racked up 501 for 7, and by the end of day two, the Lion’s score of 415 for 9 was secondary to the 77 overs of work from the senior attack.However, it was on “day three” that Ben Stokes, an observer for this encounter, singled out one Lions member who had caught his eye. Someone whose game the England captain is familiar with, though perhaps not like this.”He’s someone you wouldn’t necessarily have down for that type of innings,” Stokes said of Haseeb Hameed, who peeled off 145 from 172 deliveries against an attack featuring James Anderson, Ollie Robinson and Jack Leach. “It’s amazing to see a player like Has, who has done what he’s done over five or six years, realising the potential that he can play that way, against our frontline attack.”Related
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It was as engaging as the scorecard suggests: the strike rate of 84.30 through 20 fours and a couple of sixes. There was a bit of fortune, with a questionable “not out” when pinned on the pad early doors. But otherwise, Hameed was an authoritative presence in the middle.A new dawn for a player previous feted – and latterly derided – for his high elbow and low strike rates? Not quite. Even Stokes made a note of how this knock was a continuation of Hameed’s work over the summer: 1235 runs at an average of 58.80 to propel Nottinghamshire back into Division One. All at a strike rate of 62.40 – almost double what it had been across his 10 Tests caps (32.02) and considerably higher than a career rate of 41.59 in all first class cricket.Speaking ahead of the Lions’ tour of Sri Lanka, in which he will act as captain for the red-ball leg of a warm-up and two four-dayers against Sri Lanka A, Hameed will take cues for the man skippering above: ‘I’ll have my own style (of captaincy) of course but the brand that Stokesy and co have implemented is now the England brand, whether you’re with the Lions or the Test side. This whole idea of playing to win and being prepared to lose the game in order to win. One hundred per cent, I’ll try to replicate that.’He also appreciated Stokes’s words from November and was open about shifting up a few gears. Not least after a dispiriting 2021-22 Ashes in which he averaged just 10 from four appearances.”For him [Stokes] to come out and say that meant a lot to me,” Hameed said. “It’s nice because I guess the changes he’s implemented with the England team coincides with the changes I’ve made on a personal level in terms of my game.”I came back from that Australia tour and I was clear in how I was going to go about my game and start to look to score runs at every opportunity and accepting the fact that everyone gets out. Especially against some of the best bowlers in the world. You’re going to face good balls that will get you out so the other balls you may as well try to cash in and, with your style, score runs and put the opposition under pressure, which is what I’ve tried to do.”
“I feel some people have said ‘he’s had a bad tour, he’s done’. My view is different. I’m 25 now, there’s a huge opportunity for me to learn from that tour. Why can’t I get better? It’s happened, but it’s not the complete journey”
Some of that “doing” has been away from the nets in the form of conversations with those that matter. Director of men’s cricket Rob Key, Test coach Brendon McCullum and performance director Mo Bobat, who oversees the Lions programme, were consulted over the summer over where Hameed was in the pecking order and what could be done to move up. With that came clarity of worth and, ultimately, purpose. Hameed is venturing into 2023 with a clear idea of what is required, both to progress and change perceptions.”I had a conversation with Rob Key in the summer about where I was and how things were looking for me and all that kind of stuff. He mentioned that for the England team what was important was this idea of soaking up pressure when necessary and then being able to apply pressure at different times. As soon as you sense a moment, being brave enough and strong enough to take your opportunities in the middle and the fact that you’ll be backed for it.”Maybe the challenge in some people’s eyes was being able to show that side. I feel like I was able to show that side for Nottinghamshire through the course of the summer and in the game [for the Lions] just gone as well. In that sense, it’s been nice for me for people to see that up close. I’m confident and I have trust that that game is also within me and that’s why I’m very optimistic.”This isn’t about reinvention for Hameed, but rather a regression of sorts. Much of what England have done successfully since the start of last summer is regain access to an expressive way of playing that is a hallmark of youth – one that gets understandably clouded by professionalism. And it is important to note that, before he made his Test debut in 2016, Hameed had plenty of white-ball cricket in his diet. Most notable was an Under-19 ODI series against South Africa in 2014 when, aged 17, he walked away as player of the series with 389 runs at 77.80. As he says so himself, much of what has come since was his attempts at trying to mimic how Test cricket was being played at the time.”I guess it’s an interesting one because you have your typical Test match opener which is what I was trying to play like. And there’s also a side of me – which maybe a few more people have seen now – which takes me back to my junior days. Showing a side of me that maybe a lot of people haven’t seen at that level. A side that enjoys hitting the ball, hitting these shots and letting the uniqueness in the way that I play come out.Hameed endured a tough time in Australia in 2021-22•Getty Images”You forget how much you enjoy the game and everything becomes a lot more enjoyable [again]. Obviously with that, there has to be an acceptance that you’re going to make mistakes but I feel like that starts from practice. You have to prepare in that way.”I remember as a 16-year-old, I scored two hundreds in a day in two T20s playing for my school and that was me just having fun. It’s amazing how by flipping that mindset you find yourself playing shots that you ordinarily wouldn’t do. Shots find you because you’ve got that intent and over time, you understand that those are shots within you and when you have that mindset, they find you rather than you going looking for them.”I had a lot of success in white-ball cricket growing up so I feel like a lot of those qualities are within me. It’s just constantly making sure that I’m giving myself the best opportunity to bring them out because they are there.”As for when we might get a glimpse at this new iteration of Hameed, the next month in Asia will primarily be about reinforcing long-recognised strengths against spin – and could put him on track to be the spare opener for England’s five-match series against India at the start of 2024, behind Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett.Robustness against pace remains a question mark as far as an appearance in the 2023 Ashes later this summer is concerned, even if there were marked improvements noted in the UAE. The Lions camp in Dubai that preceded England’s warm-up match gave Hameed the opportunity to showcase more assured footwork against the quicks, particularly in middle sessions against Anderson and Archer.Has he moved on from his displays in Australia? The man himself, who turns 26 on Tuesday, thinks so.”By the age of 24 I’ve had all that experience. The way I look at it, I’ve had one bad tour. At the height of the pressures and the exposure of the game, maybe that heightened it a little bit. But a lot of very, very good players have had one bad tour. I feel some people have said ‘he’s had a bad tour, he’s done’. My view is different. I’m 25 now, there’s a huge opportunity for me to learn from that tour. Why can’t I get better? It’s not the be all and end all. It’s happened, but it’s not the complete journey. I’m not 35, 36.”Let’s not hide away from the fact that it [Australia’s] is the best bowling attack in the world in the toughest of conditions. When they come this summer in the Ashes of course it will be challenging again, but for sure that experience would help me better prepare. The environment too, I feel what’s been created by Stokesy and McCullum feels like the right way to challenge them as well.”The way to challenge them is taking them on, it feels, and that’s been led by those two guys. It feels like any player in that team will be backed to that point.”
Pujara’s philosophy is to spend more time in the middle to create more chances of scoring runs
Sidharth Monga09-Jan-20212:11
Chopra: Pujara’s back leg movement a ‘flaw’ causing dismissals against Cummins
“I don’t think it was the right approach, I think he needed to be a bit more proactive with his scoring rate because I felt it was putting too much pressure on his batting partners.”That was Ricky Ponting’s assessment, posted on Twitter in response to a question posed to him about Cheteshwar Pujara’s approach in India’s first innings of the Sydney Test. Pujara had scored his slowest half-century, facing 176 balls, but despite facing only five overs fewer than Australia, India ended 94 runs behind. There was a run-out and a played-on dismissal while Pujara was at the wicket, which were indirectly linked to his rate of scoring.This is not opportunistic criticism in hindsight. The questioning of Pujara’s approach began well before his, or Ajinkya Rahane’s or Hanuma Vihari’s, dismissal. The import of it is that if you bat with that approach, you put others around you under pressure and, thus, don’t leave yourself and your team an option but to score a big one yourself. And on difficult pitches against good attacks, you are bound to get a good ball before you score a hundred going at that pace.There is merit to this criticism, but “approach” can soon start to give way to “intent” and it can begin to sound like the batsman is not even thinking of runs. In reality, the approach is not decided by a batsman based on which side of the bed he wakes up. It is a reaction to the quality of the bowling, the nature of the pitch, the match situation, the strength of his own batting line-up, and, perhaps most importantly, his own ability.It isn’t as though Pujara doesn’t know the pitfalls of not scoring at a certain rate. This is a method – let’s not call it approach because it leads to the awful word intent, which suggests the player doesn’t intend to do what is best for the team – that has worked the best for Pujara and India. This was the method that worked on the last tour of Australia when he won India the series by facing more balls than any visiting batsman in a series in Australia in which he played four Tests or fewer. This was the method that worked in Johannesburg where he took 50 balls to get off the mark. This is a method that works for him at home.This method relies on the philosophy that the more time you spend at the wicket, the better your reactions get and the less accurate and intense the bowling gets. Pujara has shown more than enough times that he can make up for these starts once he has bowlers where he wants them. And it is not always accurate that if he gets out for 20 off 80, he has done his side no favours. The last Test was a good example of Shubman Gill and Pujara tiring Pat Cummins out, forcing him to bowl an eight-over spell in the morning session. The centurion Rahane was well into his 20s, having faced 70-plus balls when he first faced a proper spell from Cummins. It is not always apparent, and it is not always extremely significant, but it has some benefit for those who follow him.Of course, Pujara can show more “intent” and try to play quicker, but his judgement tells him that involves an undue amount of risk. He was up against stronger, quicker, taller and more accurate fast bowlers than Australia’s batsmen were on a pitch that called for accurate banging of the ball into the pitch. The bounce available meant Nathan Lyon was in the game too.There was no release available for Pujara unlike for Australia’s batsmen who had Navdeep Saini, Ravindra Jadeja – his four wickets perhaps flatter his effort – and even R Ashwin, who was now getting hit off the back foot into the off side. All told, Pujara faced 20 full balls and duly scored 14 runs off them. It was the good balls that he didn’t go after.Look at how Rahane got out: that late-cut over the cordon would perhaps work on another pitch, but the uneven bounce meant he played on. Look at how Rishabh Pant got hurt: trying to pull. Pujara knew this wasn’t a pitch for the horizontal-bat shots.Cheteshwar Pujara drops his hands and sways out of the way of a snorter•Getty ImagesThe combination of the pitch and the quality of the Australian bowling meant that the slight closing of the face or opening of it for even those singles was deemed to be too risky by the batsmen in the middle. Pujara has faced more than 31,000 balls in first-class cricket in varied conditions and match situations, close to 13,000 of them in Tests. Perhaps it is wise to trust his judgement of what is risky.Of course, you can try to play the shots regardless, and they can come off on your day, but elite batsmen don’t like to take that much risk. Not leaving things to chance is what makes them elite. Especially when they are playing just five pure batsmen.The risk involved here is of another nature. Pujara concentrated hard for 176 balls, helped take India to 195 for 4, but then an injured Rishabh Pant and he fell on the same score and the tail stood no chance of getting India close to Australia’s score. The ball Pujara got was, according to him, the ball of the series, a ball that he said would have got him had he been batting even on 100 or 200. While Pujara can take solace in that he made Australia throw the best punch they possibly could, Cummins, the bowler of the monster ball that kicked off just short of a length, rubbed it in that Pujara’s scoring rate helped him and the other bowlers.”At one stage he had been out there for 200 balls or 150 balls and I looked up there thinking they are still 200 away from our first-innings total,” Cummins said after the day’s play. “So if things go that way and we can keep bowling well, you’re not overly bothered. He is someone you know you are going have to bowl a lot at. I think we got our head around that this series, for him to score runs we are going to make it as hard as possible. Whether he bats 200 or 300 balls, just try and bowl good ball after good ball, and challenge both sides of his bat.”Related
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In what can be a bit of a mind game lies an admission too. That Pujara makes you bowl at your best for longer periods of time than other batsmen. Against the same attack, it worked on the last tour. It came close to working on this tour too. At least it gave Pujara a chance.On this pitch, against this bowling, to force the pace and drive on the up, while not taking an undue amount of risk, you have to be as good as Virat Kohli at that kind of batting. Pujara probably knows he isn’t. That is not his skill. His skill is to absorb the blows before taking down tired bowlers. Since about late 2018, even Kohli has started buying into the Pujara philosophy. The best innings of this series in terms of method, Kohli’s 74 in Adelaide, took 180 balls. For the first 80 balls of that innings, he went at a strike rate under 30. It was exactly like a Pujara innings, except that Kohli’s higher skill at shot-making meant he opened up sooner than Pujara could have.There is another, more nuanced criticism of Pujara’s batting, something he probably needs to work harder on. You don’t see too many driveable balls when he is at the wicket because he gets stuck on the crease. So what might be a half-volley for other batsmen is a length ball that Pujara is forced to show respect to. It gives the bowlers a wider margin of error, which means they feel no pressure and thus make less errors.There is merit to that but Pujara will turn around and tell you that this is what allows him to keep out balls that take other batsmen’s edges. Instead of pushing at the ball, he either lets them seam past his edge or play them late and under his eye if they are straight. That by facing more balls the way he does, he actually makes some unplayable balls look negotiable. That by facing more balls, he gives himself a better chance at scoring runs.With bowlers getting fitter and stronger, with bowling attacks now carrying fewer weak links, it is true that Pujara’s method will become less and less prevalent with the future batsmen. This is why probably India made a reasonable call when they dropped him for lack of intent in the past, but Pujara came back and showed with his immense powers of concentration that his method can work. That the criticism of method is not necessarily on the mark. That he shouldn’t be praised for the same method in 2018-19 and be criticised for it in 2020-21.The biggest problem with the criticism perhaps is that Pujara’s method was not a significant difference between the two sides. Or any batsman’s method for that matter. Australia’s bowling in the absence of Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami is far superior to India’s. It is high credit to the visitors that they pulled off the Melbourne miracle but the longer a series goes in Australia, an attack with stronger, quicker, more accurate fast bowlers will prevail over one whose seam attack has a combined experience of 17 Tests, one of them a debutant who has shown the tendency to not be accurate. That is exactly what has happened in Sydney so far.
Cricket Australia XI 341 (Blackford 86, Wyllie 71, Harvey 52, Potts 3-49) and 235 for 2 (Inglis 125*, Harvey 58) beat England Lions 299 (Gay 78, Maladay 3-47, Sinfield 3-87) and 273 (Kellaway 59, Anderson 3-42) by eight wicketsAmid intrigue over what Australia may do with their batting order for the rest of the Ashes, Josh Inglis hammered a rapid century for a Cricket Australia XI against England Lions to signal that he would be option should the selectors opt for significant change.Travis Head’s remarkable century in Perth after being elevated to open due to Usman Khawaja’s back spasms has prompted talk about whether that should be a permanent move which would likely spell the end of Khawaja’s career and create a vacancy in the middle order.Related
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That would appear an unlikely prospect, at least for the Gabba, with the indications being that Khawaja will be selected if he recovers.However, should a spot become vacant anywhere in the order Inglis’ versatility would make him a candidate. He was part of the squad for the first Test but was released to play for the CA XI at Lilac Hill after having a disjointed lead-up to the Ashes.A calf injury prevented him from playing the ODIs against India and he struggled in the T20Is before making 4 and 28 in his one Sheffield Shield outing for Western Australia.On Monday, he flayed an unbeaten 125 from 107 balls with 15 fours and two sixes as the CA XI charged down a target of 232 in 45 overs, not dissimilar to the Head-inspired performance a couple of days ago.Inglis made a century on Test debut, against Sri Lanka in Galle, when his prowess against spin saw him play as a specialist batter in the middle order. He then filled in at No. 4 when Steven Smith missed the first Test against West Indies with a finger injury.Should Khawaja not be fit for Brisbane, or the selectors do make the call to drop him, Beau Webster would also be in the frame having missed out on the first Test when Cameron Green returned to No. 6. Mitchell Marsh is another who may be considered. He is expected make his Sheffield Shield return for Western Australia in a game against Victoria at the MCG which also starts on December 4.The CA XI was largely a development side due to the ongoing round of Sheffield Shield matches but did also feature Jhye Richardson who sent down 20 wicketless overs in the game as he returns from shoulder surgery. Australia’s selectors are hoping he could be an option later in the Test series and he is expected to feature for Australia A when they face the Lions concurrently to the Gabba Test.The Lions side featured Matthew Potts, Will Jacks and Jacob Bethell from the England Test squad.
Nadine de Klerk smashed an unbeaten 84 off 54 balls to hand India their first defeat in the World Cup
Firdose Moonda09-Oct-2025
Nadine de Klerk’s whirlwind half-century blew India away•Getty Images
Nadine de Klerk’s career-best 84* trumped Richa Ghosh’s counterpunching 94 in the battle of No.8s as South Africa emerged victorious in the Women’s World Cup’s first thriller. South Africa completed the fifth-highest successful chase in World Cups and their eight highest in women’s ODIs in a match where the advantage changed sides several times and overflowed with tension.Put into bat, India started well when they scored 55 in the powerplay before South Africa stormed through the next 16 overs and reduced India to 102 for 6. Ghosh and Amanjot Kaur put on 51 for the seventh wicket before Ghosh and Sneh Rana, who produced a cameo of 33 from 24 balls took India to a competitive total. In their last 10 overs, India scored 98 runs which may have knocked the wind out of South Africa’s sails.It seemed that way as their reply started poorly. They were 81 for 5 in the 20th over and looked all but out of the game. Laura Wolvaardt and Chloe Tryon put on 61 for the sixth wicket, Chloe and de Klerk shared a stand of 69 but when Tryon was dismissed, South Africa still needed 41 runs off 25 balls. De Klerk scored 39 runs off the next 15 balls she faced to take South Africa to victory with seven balls to spare. South Africa moved up to fourth on the points table, level with England and India but with a lower net run-rate.Having chased 275 against India at the 2022 World Cup, South Africa would have known what’s possible but they were off to the worst possible start. Tazmin Brits was dismissed for the first duck of her ODI career when Kranti Gaud pulled off a stunning return catch, reacting in a time of 0.5 seconds to grab the ball with her left hand. Sune Luus reviewed successfully when given out lbw to Amanjot but went fishing at a wide ball in the next over and nicked off. India thought they had Kapp six balls later but it bobbled out of Rawal’s hands at point.Kapp and Wolvaardt recovered decently with a 39-run third-wicket stand but were separated by a magic ball from Rana which held its line as Kapp played inside and was bowled. Anneke Bosch’s wretched run continued and she popped a return catch to Deepti to extend her run of scores under 20 to eight ODI innings. SInalo Jafta continued to look convincing at No.6 but was the first South African done in by left-arm spin. She was lbw to Shree Charani as she shuffled across and missed a flick.Through all that Wolvaardt was stoic and patient. She reached fifty off 81 balls, by which point Tyron was on five off 22. The pair worked well together, Tryon found some scoring rhythm and their partnership grew to 61 before Gaud was brought back for a second spell. Her fifth ball was full and straight and Wolvaardt could not keep it out as it smashed into middle stump.Richa Ghosh rescued India’s innings again•ICC/Getty Images
Tryon kept things going with de Klerk and South Africa entered the last 10 overs needing 81 runs. What they didn’t have was a player with Ghosh’s power. Tryon may be as close as it comes but she struggled with a calf niggle that was protected by a compression sock and then required heavy strapping. They needed 60 off the last six overs. Tryon tried to get Amanjot away but it was de Klerk who got a short, wide ball away for four and she found her touch at the right time.In the next over, she hit Rana for six and four before taking a single to put Tryon on strike. She came down the track and was hit on the pad and given lbw and a review could not save her. Then, it was all de Klerk. She took on Gaud and sent her over midwicket and down the ground for back-to-back sixes – the first got her to fifty – and then made room to carve her away for four. At that point, Ghosh went down needing treatment on her hamstring a la Rishabh Pant in the T20 World Cup final. Then, South Africa lost their heads. This time, de Klerk kept hers.She took a smart single to keep strike. 23 needed off 18. The game was all but done but de Klerk still needed to stay there. She hit two fours off Deepti, over square leg and covers and then South Africa needed 12 off 12. De Klerk finished it off with two sixes over deep midwicket and long-on as Wolvaardt fist-pumped and a small contingent of South African fans sang louder than the several thousand home crowd.Earlier, India started well as boundaries came easily in the opening exchanges with two off Kapp’s first over and five in the first five overs. Pratika Rawal hit all of them and survived an lbw shout off Kapp after the South African overstepped. Smriti Mandhana struggled for fluency but hit a glorious shot in anger when she advanced on Khaka and hit her back over her head for six. With that she become the batter with the most runs in ODIs in a calendar year, going past Belinda Clarke.After a solid powerplay, Mandhana became the first to fall when she went after Nonkululekho Mlaba’s second ball and toe-ended it to Luus at long-on. Mlaba and de Klerk dried up boundaries, with only one between overs 10 and 17 and then Mlaba struck again. She spun the ball past Harleen Deol’s outside edge, bowled her and waved goodbye for good measure.South Africa’s fourth seam option Tumi Sekhukhune was brought on in the 18th over and immediately found a good length. In her second over, she foxed Rawal with a slower ball. Rawal was too early on the stroke and got a leading edge that went up high enough for Brits to comfortably make her way from midwicket to take it.Wolvaardt departed after a valiant fifty•ICC/Getty Images
That brought Jemimah Rodrigues to join Harmnapreet Kaur. But they were only together for just an over. Rodrigues was dismissed for her second duck in three matches when she attempted a sweep against Tryon and missed. She was given out lbw and reviewed unsuccessfully, making it the third time in the tournament she has been dismissed by left-arm spin. Overall, India are the team that have been most susceptible, with 11 dismissals in the tournament to left-arm spin.Harmanpreet laboured her way to nine off 24 balls before she tried to force Tryon away on the off side but top-edged and Kapp took a low catch at backward point. With India 100 for 5 at the halfway mark, Wolvaardt went for the kill and brought back Kapp. Deepti followed her down leg and was caught behind but reviewed in vain. India were 102 for 6 but Amanjot and then some to come.After digging India out of a similar hole – 124 for 6 against Sri Lanka – Amajot recovered from the fever that kept her out of the Pakistan match and found herself needing to do it again. Ghosh almost deserted her when she nearly popped a return catch to Kapp but then hit Tryon over mid-on for four for the first boundary in 14.3 overs. A rare Luus misfield gave Ghosh a second four off Khaka and it was clear she would become the senior partner. She swept Tyron and Mlaba, hit Sekhukhune over long-on for six and contributed 36 runs in a stand of 51 with Amanjot. By the time Amanjot was ready to get going, Tryon was delivering her last ball and Amanjot mis-hit her over mid-off. Luus ran backwards to take her 56th international catch, equally Dane van Niekerk for the most outfield catches by a South African in ODIs.India lost Amanjot with the last 10 overs looming but Ghosh provided momentum. She picked up a de Klerk slower ball and hit it for six and got back-to-back boundaries off Mlaba and reached her seventh ODI fifty off 53 balls. Ghosh reverse swept Mlaba, hit Kapp over cover for four and then took on Khaka, taking 19 runs off seventh over. She entered the 90s when she hit de Klerk over her head for four and then moved to 94 with a slice past point. She hit the next ball to long-on but reviewed for a no-ball and ball tracking showed the ball would have passed her 4cm below her waistline. South Africa finished with two wickets in two balls which may have been crucial to their victory march.
Cameron Green will feature for WA after his minor side injury while Brendan Doggett returns for South Australia
Andrew McGlashan26-Oct-2025Matt Renshaw will make a short turnaround back into Sheffield Shield action for Queensland in a bid to push for Ashes selection in the round of games which will determine Australia’s squad for the first Test against England.Renshaw, who scored a maiden ODI half-century at the SCG on Saturday, flew back home the day after the game and was due to train with his state on Monday before facing a New South Wales side that will include Steven Smith as he ramps up his Ashes preparation and Sam Konstas, who has one game left to save his Test spot.Renshaw began his Shield season with a century against Tasmania before missing the second round due to his ODI call-up. While not a frontrunner, he could still force his way into the Test squad, particularly with the versatility he provides as a batter.Related
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Against NSW, he will likely open alongside Usman Khawaja, who plays his third Shield match of the season. Meanwhile, Michael Neser, who could well play a role in the Ashes, is being rested for this round leaving Queensland with a depleted attack due to injuries.”I’m ready for Tuesday… I think it’s the same cricket ball, it’s just a different colour,” Renshaw said, downplaying the Ashes chat. “My batting, if I’m showing good intent, whatever format that may be, it’s obviously the different shots that you need to play in red ball.”My feet are feeling really good against the quicks, spin is feeling good. So hopefully I can score some runs in the next Shield game and win a game for Queensland.”Currently, Renshaw’s Queensland team-mate Marnus Labuschagne, who will also face NSW, is favourite to open against England after a prolific start to the summer although much still depends on Cameron Green’s status as a bowler and the knock-on impact to Beau Webster’s role.There will be much interest in Cameron Green’s bowling loads over the next few weeks•Getty ImagesGreen is set to play for Western Australia against South Australia at the WACA having missed the India ODIs due to side soreness. Selectors were quick to downplay concerns over Green’s fitness but it remains to be seen how much he bowls against SA having sent down just four overs so far this season, 12 months after undergoing back surgery.Further interest in the Perth fixture will come with the presence of Brendan Doggett, who will play his first game of the season after a hamstring injury. He is firmly in contention as a fast-bowling reserve for the Ashes having been part of the World Test Championship squad earlier this year and originally been due to tour West Indies before injury.Another significant match takes place at Junction Oval in Melbourne where Jake Weatherald will be looking to back up his excellent 94 against WA, which kept his name in the frame for a maiden call-up. He won’t have to battle Scott Boland, who is being rested for this round, but will still face a strong Victoria attack.Webster will also feature for Tasmania after overcoming the ankle injury which kept him out of the first two Shield matches. He has been assured of his place in the Test squad by chair of selectors George Bailey and the uncertainty over Green increases the likelihood of him retaining his spot. Being omitted would be harsh for a player who has started with four half-centuries in seven matches in a variety of tricky batting conditions.Among others who will be part of the Test squad, Travis Head and Josh Hazlewood remain with Australia’s T20I side to face India. Hazlewood, who suffered a cut finger late in the third ODI at the SCG, will drop out after the first two matches in Canberra and Melbourne to prepare for the Shield match against Victoria in Sydney ahead of the first Test. Mitchell Starc, who has retired from T20Is, will also play that match in his build towards Perth.Queensland squadMarnus Labuschagne (capt), James Bazley, Jack Clayton, Benji Floros, Lachlan Hearne, Hayden Kerr, Usman Khawaja, Jimmy Peirson, Matthew Renshaw, Sam Skelly, Tom Straker, Mitchell Swepson, Hugh WeibgenNew South Wales squadJack Edwards (capt), Ollie Davies, Ryan Hadley, Liam Hatcher, Ryan Hicks, Sam Konstas, Nathan Lyon, Kurtis Patterson, Ross Pawson, Will Salzmann, Steve Smith, Charlie StoboWestern Australia squadSam Whiteman (capt), Cameron Bancroft, Hilton Cartwright, Cooper Connolly, Joel Curtis, Albert Esterhuysen, Cameron Gannon, Jayden Goodwin, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Liam Haskett, Matt Kelly, Corey RocchiccioliSouth Australia squadNathan McSweeney (capt), Jordan Buckingham, Brendan Doggett, Henry Hunt, Jake Lehmann, Ben Manenti, Nathan McAndrew, Conor McInerney, Harry Nielsen, Lloyd Pope, Jason Sangha, Liam Scott, Henry ThorntonVictoria squadWill Sutherland (capt), Sam Elliott, Harry Dixon, Peter Handscomb, Marcus Harris, Sam Harper, Campbell Kellaway, Blake MacDonald, David Moody, Todd Murphy, Fergus O’Neill, Oliver Peake, Mitch PerryTasmania squadJordan Silk (capt), Gabe Bell, Jackson Bird, Nikhil Chaudhary, Jake Doran, Kieran Elliott, Bradley Hope, Caleb Jewell, Ruwantha Kellapotha, Riley Meredith, Tim Ward, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster
While Arsenal have signed their fair share of superstars, they’ve also got a proud history of producing them.
The likes of Tony Adams, David O’Leary, Ashley Cole, and Ray Parlour got their start at Hale End before going on to have careers that most players could only dream of.
Even today, the Gunners’ most important player and talisman, Bukayo Saka, is a product of the world-class academy, and Max Dowman looks like he could be the next one up.
However, not every highly rated prospect goes on to fulfil their potential, with Jack Wilshere perhaps being the most unfortunate example of that.
Fortunately, Mikel Arteta has another Hale Ender in his side who could go on to become the player Wilshere was supposed to be.
Wilshere's Arsenal career
Before the likes of Ethan Nwaneri and Dowman, Wilshere held the title of Arsenal’s youngest league debutant thanks to his appearance against Blackburn Rovers in September 2008.
The youngster would go on to make eight appearances that season and then seven in the first half of the next campaign before he was sent out on a short-term loan to Bolton Wanderers, where he scored and assisted a goal in 14 games.
With this vital experience, Arsène Wenger opted to give the teenage talent a significant role in the side the following season, which saw him make 49 appearances across all competitions, scoring two goals and providing nine assists.
It was this campaign that saw him deliver his famous performance against Pep Guardiola’s legendary Barcelona side, in which he practically single-handedly outplayed the Catalans’ midfield of Xavi, Andrés Iniesta, and Sergio Busquets.
It was around this time that the then-England manager compared the Hale Ender to a young Andrea Pirlo, so to say that there were sky-high expectations around him would be an understatement.
It’s easy to see why many thought the Englishman would be an absolute world-beater, though, as he had incredible close control, an eye for a pass, the ability to carry the ball through the middle of the park, and the perfect attitude.
However, not long after his iconic game against Barça, the Gunners’ great hope began to suffer injury after injury, and from the 11/12 season to 16/17, when he left North London, he missed a staggering 228 games for club and country.
Unfortunately, it was this inability to remain fit that utterly derailed Wilshere’s career, as he had all the ability someone would need to become one of the best midfielders in the world.
The only positive for Arsenal fans is that Arteta now has someone in his squad who could become the player Wilshere was supposed to be.
The Arsenal star who could fulfil Wilshere's promise
While fans might immediately think of Nwaneri or Dowman in this situation, the Hale Ender who could end up becoming the player Wilshere was supposed to be is actually Myles Lewis-Skelly.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Yes, the youngster is currently seen as a left-back in Arteta’s squad, and the second-choice one at that, but that is unlikely to be his long-term position.
After all, the Islington-born gem spent most of his time in the academy playing as a central or defensive midfielder, and when he does come into the first team, he does not overlap; he inverts in the central area.
Defensive Midfield
11
1
Left-Back
5
1
Central Midfield
4
1
Moreover, his best traits, which he shares with the former Gunners star, lend themselves to becoming a world-class central player.
For example, although he’s still relatively inexperienced, he has consistently demonstrated a brilliant eye for a pass and an exquisite left foot to match.
On top of that, in a similar fashion to Saka, the 19-year-old is far stronger than he appears and consistently wins physical duels against opposition players.
Finally, like Wilshere, the young dynamo is already an excellent carrier of the ball, and is unoutbaly among the best in the squad when it comes to doing it through a congested midfield.
This was on full display against Atlético Madrid last month, when he beat half the side to provide a perfect assist for Gabriel Martinelli to make 2-0.
In addition to all this, the Hale Ender also shares a similar approach and attitude towards games.
For example, his goal and celebration against Manchester City last term more than back up Declan Rice’s description of him as “fearless”, and when you combine that with everything else, it’s easy to see why club insider Hand of Arsenal has dubbed him a “future captain.”
Ultimately, there is still a long way to go, but thanks to his impressive ability, skill set and mentality, there is a strong chance Lewis-Skelly could become the player Wilshere was supposed to be.
Arsenal star could surpass Saka & Rice to become "the best in the world"
The outrageous talent is going to surpass Rice and Saka to become Arsenal’s best player.