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Unai Emery has publicly admitted that one Aston Villa player has dropped his levels compared to last season. The Villans were in Carabao Cup action this week as they were knocked out of the competition courtesy of a 2-1 defeat to Crystal Palace.

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The Carabao Cup represented an opportunity for Villa to end their trophy drought, but Emery’s decision to make changes to the starting XI backfired as they failed to make it to the last eight.

After the game, Emery was asked about his decision to change the team, but the Spaniard stuck by his decision: “We started with 11 players in the first-team squad. We started with Tyrone Mings and Diego Carlos; they can play in the starting XI playing against Bayern Munich.

“We started with [Ian] Maatsen and Kosta [Nedeljkovic]. We started with [Boubacar] Kamara, with John McGinn, Leon Bailey, Jaden Philogene, Jhon Duran, and [Emiliano] Buendia. I don’t know if I can have some regret.

“We are with our way, building the team, building the structure. Today we competed, but we lost. Of course, I am disappointed and frustrated, but we competed with the players to get the performance. If I am repeating this match 100 times, I am playing with the same players.”

While Emery stands by the decision to make changes to his starting XI, he was also quite vocal about one Villa individual after the game, stating his levels now are not what they were this time last season.

Unai Emery not impressed by Aston Villa star

As reported by Jacob Tanswell, speaking after Villa’s 2-1 defeat to Crystal Palace, Unai Emery gave an honest assessment of the performances of Leon Bailey. The 27-year-old joined the Midlands side back in August 2021 from Bayer Leverkusen and has been a key individual for them since, with last season being his best in a Villa shirt.

Bailey, who is on a weekly wage of £120,000 at Villa Park, scored 10 goals and recorded nine assists in 35 Premier League games last season, as he played a very important role in the club reaching the Champions League.

The Jamaica international has struggled to make the same impact in this 2024/25 campaign, as he’s yet to get on the scoresheet in the league.

2023/24

2024/25

Goals per 90

0.44

0.00

Assists per 90

0.39

0.42

xG per 90

0.27

0.08

xA per 90

0.40

0.21

Bailey has featured in eight of Villa’s nine Premier League games this season, starting six, and his only contributions going forward have been two assists, which he got against Ipswich Town and most recently against AFC Bournemouth. This time last season, Bailey had three goals and one assist to his name after the same number of league games.

Stand-in captain explains rationale behind their intent to attack India’s spinners

Sidharth Monga06-Dec-2021It is the nature of cricket conversations that when you get bowled out for 62 and 167 all the focus is on the batters, who essentially just respond to the conditions and the opposition bowling. It isn’t so much around the bowlers who allow the opposition to score 325 and 276 for 7 on the same surface.When you are faced, as a traveling team, with such conditions and the bowling of India’s quality, there is not much the batters can do really if the bowlers allow the hosts to score above-par scores.Tom Latham, New Zealand’s stand-in captain, though, found himself talking about his batters extensively, and Ross Taylor in particular. Taylor’s approach in the second innings, where he tried to attack the spinners and failed to do so, came in for sharper criticism than Will Somerville’s returns: the only spinner to have bowled 50 overs in a series in India without a wicket.Watch highlights on ESPN+ in the US

You can subscribe to ESPN+ and tune in to highlights of day four of the second Test in English and in Hindi

“Ross obviously had the approach where he tried to put their bowlers under pressure,” Latham said. “As soon as you do that, subcontinent teams tend to take players from under the bat pretty quickly. Unfortunately for Ross, it didn’t quite work out for him. That was the plan Ross had going into that innings.”In these conditions, you can’t just allow them to bowl. They are very good. They are very accurate, and they don’t give you much to hit. For us it was about trying to put a little bit more pressure on them to get a few more fielders away from the bat. Because you know they don’t miss that often.”For us it was about guys having a certain plan and being able to stick to that. If you have a plan and you get out, that’s just the game of cricket. It’s up to individuals how they approach their innings.”Latham said there wasn’t much they could have done differently when they got bowled out for 62. “One of those things in cricket where everything you do doesn’t tend to work,” Latham said. “One of those days that happens in cricket. We have done that to teams at different times around the world. Unfortunately it was our time and things didn’t quite unfold the way we would have wanted.”From our point of view, you have to take a lot of learnings from it. The way we came out in the second innings, and the guys sort of changed their game plan a little bit and put a bit of pressure on their bowlers… [but] as we know in India, the longer you go, the harder it gets to bat. One of those games where we unfortunately couldn’t get the right result.”There were small positives on the Test tour, but far from a finished product. “Those three guys you mentioned [Ajaz Patel, Will Young, Rachin Ravindra], their first time in this part of the world, for them to step up at different times for us, and to make contributions throughout the series was outstanding,” Latham said. “It is great for the depth of New Zealand cricket to have more exposure in these conditions.”The more you play in this part of the world, the more you sort of learn and are able to grow your game. Obviously pleasing for those guys but also for everyone else there are learnings to take. So that the next time we are here, those learnings will be put to practice.”

He was part of the Test squad for the South Africa tour earlier in the year tour but not included for the Ashes

Andrew McGlashan29-Nov-2021Moises Henriques was left confused by his omission from the entire Ashes build-up having been part of Australia’s previous Test squad, but holds no ill-will towards the national selector George Bailey as he retains hope of adding to his four caps.Henriques, who is preparing to lead Sydney Sixers’ bid for a hat-trick of BBL titles, had been named in the squad for the South Africa tour earlier this year which was postponed due to Covid-19 but could not even find a place among the Australia A players who are now in Brisbane. He is the only player from that South Africa group who was available but not part of the original selection – Will Pucovski (concussion) and James Pattinson (retirement) were also absent.His start to the domestic season with New South Wales had been further delayed following the IPL as he waited to return without having to quarantine meaning he did not play a game before the squad was named.”I have a different view to what the selectors do,” he said. “To be picked on one Test tour and be told that I was there or thereabouts to be playing on that tour and then the next Test tour rolls around and you’re not in the best 25 players. It’s a huge fall, considering I hadn’t played any other four-day games or Shield games in that break.Related

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“So I didn’t really understand the logic but it’s not my job to understand the logic either. It’s just my job to go out and keep playing as well as I can. I’m comfortable with it. I didn’t agree with the process of it all and that’s completely fine as well. That happens to a lot of people in a lot of different industries.”I’ve been a beneficiary of it in the past when I’ve also been like, oh, geez, I wasn’t expecting to get picked for this trip. So I’ve had the good and the bad.”The last of Henriques’ four Tests came in 2016 and he has now been overtaken by Nic Maddinson and Matt Renshaw in the current Australia A set-up, while the No. 5 spot in the Test side will be a contest between Travis Head and Usman Khawaja – the latter was not in the South Africa squad – with last season’s average of 70.33 having seemingly lost its weight. He has spoken extensively with Bailey with the pair having a close relationship from playing with and against each other.”I get on with George quite well which adds another layer of complexity into that relationship,” he said. “I think that’s a good sign of a good working relationship with when you can both air what you think, and you don’t necessarily agree, but you both understand that it’s okay, and you’ve got to move forward.”Any conversation I have with him is always a positive one. Even when he’s delivering bad news. I still walk away going, okay at least he’s been honest and told me his point of view. So it’s disappointing, but it’s not the end of the world and there’s still other opportunities there for me.”He still believes it is in his hands to get another crack at Test cricket. His next opportunity for first-class cricket will be in February when the Sheffield Shield returns while Australia are scheduled to tour Pakistan and Sri Lanka during 2022.”If I do well enough, I’ll get another opportunity,” he said. “Even though I am 34, I still believe if I score enough runs, if I keep banging the door down, and I keep doing what I know I can do you know that I’ll still play another Test match for Australia, hopefully.”

Just 90 seconds into the second half, the American found the backet of the net from point-blank range with a glaring header

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Norwich draw Hull 1-1Josh Sargent scores again for Striker has five goals in last five matchesFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

U.S. international Josh Sargent scored the lone goal for Norwich City on Saturday, smashing home a close-range header as the drew Hull City 1-1 in English Championship action.

Since Jan. 25, Sargent has scored in four out of five matches, bagging five times during the span — with his season total coming to nine goals and five assists in the Championship.

Ruled out from late October into early January due to injury, the 24-year-old has had a brilliant span of scoring form since returning to full health.

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Sargent is one of a few fit strikers remaining in the USMNT pool at the moment, with both Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi currently sidelined with respective injuries. Ahead of the CONCACAF Nations League semifinals in March, it's heavily expected that the 24-year-old – if he remains fit – will be in contention for the starting role under Mauricio Pochettino in the competition.

Norwich, meanwhile, are racing alongside a handful of other teams to secure a promotion playoff spot in the Championship as they aim to secure Premier League soccer come the 2025-26 season. With their draw on Saturday, they now sit 12th in the table, but they're just four points out of sixth place in the standings — the final playoff spot.

With Sargent up front, though, it's proving to be a potentially feasible task. The American just cannot stop scoring.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR NORWICH?

The take the pitch again on Saturday, Feb. 22 against Stoke City.

While Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Gary O’Neil may be under pressure after a poor start to the current Premier League season, he might have confidence that the players in his squad can turn things around.

Matheus Cunha, Rayan Ait Nouri and Joao Gomes all have the talent to help turn the tide in the Old Gold’s favour, but are there a couple of youngsters ready to make the step-up to the big time?

One player is certainly being talked about more than the others – Alfie Pond.

Why Alfie Pond could be the next big thing at Wolves

The 20-year-old centre-back is already being discussed as the next academy player who could make the breakthrough for the first time at Molineux, having already made his debut in the EFL Cup this season.

He spent six months on loan at Stockport County in League Two, making nine senior appearances for the club, allowing him to secure some vital experience ahead of his return to Wolves.

While the club may have lost against Brighton during his senior debut, his performance was impressive. Indeed, the youngster finished the game having averaged a 91% pass success rate along with winning 100% of his total duels contested and making two tackles.

Not bad for a 20-year-old thrust into a losing team.

Touches

62

Accurate passes

51/56

Total duels (won)

3 (3)

Tackles

2

Possession lost

6

Interceptions

0

The future is certainly bright for Pond, who may be used more often as the season progresses, especially if injuries engulf the first-team squad.

Although the centre-back is highly rated among the staff at the Old Gold, is there another talent who could become even more important for the Midlands side?

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast's In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Leo Lopes is another one to watch out for.

Leo Lopes’ youth statistics this season

The 19-year-old winger has plenty of attractive traits which could make him an ideal option to be used in the future by O’Neil, especially his eye for goal.

During his stint at GC Zurich, Lopes scored nine goals in 29 matches at both U19 and U21 levels, while he has already found the back of the net once for Wolves U21 this term, along with registering two assists.

He played 17 minutes in the Football League Trophy clash against Wrexham earlier this month. With little time to make an impression, the winger managed to make two key passes and won 50% of his duels. He even managed a dribble attempt in that time, but it was unsuccessful.

“Leo is an exciting attack-minded player who can operate on either wing,” said head of UK academy recruitment, Harry Hooman, upon his arrival at the club.

“He makes things happen with his ability and athleticism in one v one situations. He is also prepared to do the other side of the game and shows good intensity and desire to defend out of possession.”

While Pond may prove himself to be a dependable option in the heart of the defence in the years to come, it is the likes of Lopes who could well spark real excitement at the top end of the pitch for the Old Gold.

Pond has already made the breakthrough into the senior setup. Will Lopes be the next player to follow him? Only time will tell.

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ByJoe Nuttall Oct 18, 2024

Spin-bowling coach has worked extensively with Sunil Narine and in franchise cricket

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Dec-2021Lancashire have appointed Carl Crowe, the spin-bowling coach best known for his work with Sunil Narine, as their new assistant coach.Crowe, who played 83 professional games between 1995 and 2009, has worked as a consultant coach with Lancashire’s spinners for the last two years and fills the position as Glen Chapple’s assistant made vacant by Mark Chilton’s promotion to performance director.”I’ve loved my time working in franchise tournaments and there is still some potential to do some of that outside Lancashire,” Crowe told Lancashire’s YouTube channel, “but the opportunity to work with players on a long-term basis and share some of their journey and their development and to be with a team for a long period of time is something that I’m really looking forward to now.”It was so close yet so far in the Championship, quarter-finals in the T20 as well. There’s so much potential in this team to win games and win tournaments and I think success drives success. Going so close last year has driven the boys to work even harder this year and go one step beyond and win a trophy.”Related

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Chilton said: “We are really pleased that Carl has agreed to join us on a full-time basis. He is an outstanding coach with a wealth of experience working around the world and he has been superb during his 18 months with us so far.”Carl has already built-up great relationships with the players and backroom staff and from the start he was our outstanding candidate to become Glen’s assistant head coach.”Elsewhere, Graeme Welch has left Warwickshire after spending the last four years as the club’s bowling coach. He will fill the same role at Hampshire, after spending the summer working with Southern Brave in the Hundred. Alfonso Thomas, meanwhile, has left his job as Hampshire’s assistant coach after three seasons in the job.

BBC pundit Chris Sutton has shared what he believes is a significant transfer mistake made by Edu Gaspar, before the club chief announced his Arsenal exit on Monday.

Edu brings end to five-year stay at Arsenal

The sporting director dropped news that supporters really didn’t want to hear on Monday, with Edu leaving his post and bringing the curtain down on a memorable five-year stay in north London.

Sky Sports: Arsenal set sights on signing "exciting" player after Edu exit

He’s got a growing reputation.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 6, 2024

His pivotal decision-making, working together with manager Mikel Arteta, helped transform Arsenal into genuine Premier League title contenders and build the side we see today – who are performing at a very high level on a regular basis and competing for major silverware.

The 46-year-old’s departure from N5 is an extremely bitter pill to swallow, and it is believed Arsenal made a marquee last-ditch contract offer to keep Edu out of the clutches of Greek magnate Evangelos Marinakis.

Chelsea (away)

November 10

Nottingham Forest (home)

November 23

West Ham United (away)

November 30

Man United (home)

December 4

Fulham (away)

December 8

However, it was to no avail, with Edu agreeing a deal in principle to work under Marinakis – where he will potentially head up development as a chief executive overseeing projects at clubs like Nottingham Forest, Rio Ave and Olympiacos.

Edu was responsible for key signings like Martin Odegaard, William Saliba and a club-record deal for England midfielder Declan Rice – even if he did have a few slumps along the way – like Arsenal’s £72 million move for flop winger Nicolas Pepe.

Edu led Arsenal’s pursuit of RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko last summer as well, but the Slovenian chose to remain at his current club and sign a contract extension. Interestingly, Arsenal also held talks to sign Raphinha in one of Edu’s final acts as director, with the Barcelona superstar electing to remain in Spain and now enjoying the form of his life.

Chris Sutton bemoans Edu mistake in Arsenal's failure to sign striker

Speaking on The BBC’s Monday Night Club, via GiveMeSport, Sutton shared what he thinks was Edu’s significant mistake before leaving Arsenal – the club’s failure to bring in a new number nine before August 30.

Gabriel Jesus is under-performing right now, and a lot of the pressure lies on Kai Havertz to lead Arsenal’s line, with Sutton believing that their faltered attempt for Sesko, among others, could cost them dearly this season.

“It’s the centre forward, isn’t it? We’ve spoken about this many times,” said Sutton.

“Gabriel Jesus, watching Arsenal when I covered them in the Champions League against Shakhtar, played off the right. He’s not a natural finisher. He does a lot of good things, but you look at their centre-forwards, Arsenal play more often, they do a 4-4-2, they’re playing Havertz and Trossard, who are not natural centre-forwards. They’re good footballers, but they’re sort of in between.

“So the debate is, should Arsenal have signed a striker last season, but they spread the goals last season, and that was a positive thing. And I get that, but I suppose this season, when they look like they’ve dried up a bit, that’s when the argument that you need a goalscorer, a natural finisher there. I think that stands, and that’s an area where Arsenal fans would be thinking, well, blimey, maybe we should have gone big in the summer on a recognised centre-forward.”

Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal delivered a blunt "impossible" response when asked if he would ever consider a transfer to Real Madrid.

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Teen sensation starring in CatalunyaAbility of obvious appeal to Los BlancosHas ruled out switch to the BernabeuFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty/GOALWHAT HAPPENED?

The 17-year-old forward has become one of the hottest properties in world football. He made his senior debut at 15 and has already collected several major honours – including the European Championship crown with Spain, as well as prestigious Kopa Trophy and Golden Boy prizes.

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There is further potential to be unlocked in his game, as he picks up more experience, and comparisons to eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi are seemingly never far away. It is ability such as that which has always been of appeal to Real and the ‘Galactico’ recruitment model of Los Blancos president Florentino Perez.

GettyWHAT LAMINE YAMAL SAID

Few players throughout history have, however, traded life at Camp Nou for that on the other side of the fierce Clasico divide at Santiago Bernabeu. Quizzed by on whether he could follow Luis Figo’s lead at some stage, Yamal said: "Impossible. Madrid, no."

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Yamal is expected to sign a new long-term contract with Barca when turning 18 in July and added on his focus being locked on scaling even greater heights: "Demand more from myself every day. Everything helps me. People expect things from me that are not normally expected from a 17-year-old, and I demand it from myself. That is what makes me go further every day and want more."

Jay Rodriguez says history-making exploits are “what this club deserves” after joining Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s ambitious Wrexham project.

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Red Dragons thriving under Hollywood co-ownersCan become first EFL side to enjoy three successive promotionsAlways chasing down silverware in the EFL TrophyFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images EntertainmentWHAT HAPPENED?

Hollywood co-owners have overseen a meteoric rise at SToK Racecourse across their four-year tenure, with many emotional highs being enjoyed on the back of a stunning takeover that was completed in 2021. An award-winning documentary series has captured every memorable moment on film.

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There are more tales to be told as the drama continues in North Wales, with Phil Parkinson’s side in the process of chasing down a record-breaking third successive promotion. No EFL side in history has ever achieved such a feat.

Getty Images SportWHAT JAY RODRIGUEZ SAID

One-cap England international Rodriguez, who signed for Wrexham in the winter transfer window, has said in of trying to accomplish what has never been done: “It would mean everything. It's something that would go down in history and I think it's what this club deserves.

“I've obviously followed it from afar and it's been a great story to watch. Now to be a part of it, I feel very privileged to be a part of this group of lads, team, staff, the fans and this area. It's really important and I am really enjoying it. I'll always continue to work to my maximum.”

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Rodriguez walked away from a Premier League promotion push at Burnley – who count NFL legend JJ Watt among their investors – in order to join Wrexham, but is convinced that he made the right decision in becoming another marquee addition for Reynolds and McElhenney.

Jay Lenton was brought on for the final delivery so he could do the running, with Hayden Kerr on strike

Andrew McGlashan26-Jan-2022It will say retired hurt on the scorecard – and there was no doubting Jordan Silk’s hamstring injury – but cricket came as close as it ever has to a tactical retirement of a batter during the pulsating finish of the BBL Challenger final at the SCG.With one ball remaining and Sydney Sixers needing two to win, their coach Greg Shipperd, one of the most experienced figures in the game, signalled furiously for Silk to come off the ground so that Jay Lenton, a late addition after Josh Philippe tested positive for Covid-19, could do the running off the final delivery with Hayden Kerr on strike.Silk, who damaged his hamstring in the field, had come out three balls previously with Sixers hoping the right hander could target a short leg-side boundary. He limped through for a single off his first delivery, watched Kerr launch a six over deep midwicket then hobbled back for a second from the penultimate ball almost using his bat as a crutch.A batter is permitted to retire at any point – it doesn’t even have to be retired hurt – but initially Adelaide Strikers’ captain Peter Siddle appeared less-than-impressed as he approached the umpires although shortly after the finish had a more mellow view.”You can retire blokes, at the end of the day you can retire, it’s not actually a big issue,” he told Fox Cricket. “As soon as I brought it up with the umpires, obviously I was disappointed at the time, but it’s just a retirement…sometimes it happens at crucial times. It’s just part of the game.”Sixers’ captain Moises Henriques, who himself picked up a calf injury, explained the thinking behind Silk initially coming to the crease.”We sent him in at No. 8 to try to get a couple boundaries in that last over,” he told Fox Cricket. “As soon as he wasn’t able to face a ball and we needed a person to run, we knew he couldn’t run so we just thought we’d retire him and put out someone who can.When asked if there was any spirit of cricket debate to be had, Henriques said: “I don’t understand how so. They’re clearly within the rules of the game. Unfortunately we had a guy go down with a hamstring, one of the fittest guys in the league, probably something to do with our schedule, five flights in eight days and so many back-to-back games.”For Lenton, the last ball provided the final act in a whirlwind 24 hours where the former Sydney Thunder player, whose previous BBL match had been the Challenger final in 2020, had gone being an assistant coach giving throwdowns to being told to run as fast as he could to secure a place in a final.”I didn’t even bring my kit to training yesterday,” he said. “I was wanging balls then Mo said go get your kit and have a hit. About one o’clock today I got told I was playing.””I said to [Hayden], it’s the best nought not out I’ve ever had without facing a ball. Never been more excited for it, that’s for sure. It was bizarre…I’m standing there then all of a sudden it’s ‘get him [Silk] off, get him off’ I’m running. Pretty frantic, sums up the day to be fair.”